College Life

I've been meaning to write an update on how college life and living away from home (and Mommy) has been going for Maddie. The photo above is from Sunday when Connor and I took Maddie back to campus! Beautiful day and very sunny! First, we all love her campus. It's not too big or too small - it's just the right size. She had put her name on a waiting list for a suite-style room where she would have her own bedroom. She got notified there was an opening back in late September, so she moved. It has 4 private bedrooms and 2 full baths. She has 3 roomies - so each has their own private bedroom too. Two girls to each bathroom and there is a smallish kitchen with refrigerator and cabinets (no stove -- they don't quite trust the students with ovens!) with a bar-like table and chairs and a living room too. All furnished. So dang cute and nice. The bedrooms are small - but nice for privacy and each room has a keypad lock so your stuff is kept safe. Itt's so nice! Just a wee bit down the hall (not very far) is the laundry room with FREE washers and dryers.

Speaking of laundry, it just might be true that a sweater may have shrunk during the laundry process! :) I showed her where on the dial is COLD for the washing machine. The first and third floors have a full kitchen -- we made chocolate chip muffins there one time and the 2nd and 4th floors have laundry facilities. Plus, each floor has a big conference room for study groups AND a space just off the elevator with sofas, chairs and a tv for lounging! Can I move iN??? Her roomies are nice and they all get along. The one roomie closest to Maddie keeps to herself very much. In fact, Maddie doesn't know her name and never sees her. She hears her once in a while or sees her dashing out the door, but that's it. That girl did seem to want to hoard the TP and took it all to her room one night - even the extras, so there was NONE. But she put it back in the morning - though she has never bought any to supplement the TP or paper towel supplies. If that's the worst thing to have to deal with, that's not bad. I always had nice roomies in college too. However, one roomie had a boyfriend with gigantic feet and he constantly left his big dirty shoes sitting on the kitchen for me to trip over. I was not a fan of him or the roomie for a variety of reasons. But back to Maddie's experience.

She joined a sorority and they've had some fun activities. They had some "mixers" with other sororities! HUH???? Hey,aren't mixers supposed to be with guys?? Anyway, there are meetings and various activities. The went to a hockey game last semester and did some volunteer work at local schools. Maddie was assigned photographer, so has enjoyed taking photos of the girls here and there around campus and downtown Kearney. There's a "special" Loper wall they often go to for photos. I think the campus is prettier than the wall, but . . . it's not up to me! :) She's made some good friends already. Also has made some friends in the dorms and in the Newman Center activities. This semester she decided to try the Rec Center for some exercising -- we all need that, don't we! I suggested she try Rock Wall climbing -- she hasn't signed up for that just yet, but said there are a lot of students on the treadmills and bicycles when she has been there. And I may have mentioned to keep an eye out for cute guys at the Rec Center! ;)

She's been back in Kearney since Sunday and classes started Monday. Due to the surging pandemic (again), masks are required and one class switched to Zoom which she hates. Hopefully, it will go back to a regular classroom setting soon. Fingers crossed. I have a feeling this semester will zip right by! I hope so! I miss that girl!! :) One of the fancier mixers below!

She's working at the library part-time to make some spending $$$. It's called The Learning Commons and I think she schedules people with tutors. Bonus, if she needs a tutor, she can get herself scheduled in fairly quicky! Nice job as she can do homework if it's not busy! There's a long list of sorority stuff coming up this semester.

This and That and Weird Stuff

I've noticed some weird things in the news lately and figured I'd share in case you might have missed it.

Do you have droopy eyelashes?? Well, I definitely do. I think it's part (or mostly) age-related. I will admit I have had eyelash extensions on occasion. Good grief -- the last time, the stylist made them SO LONG and BIG that I looked like a freak!! Plus, the maintenance is insane -- like go in every 2 weeks!!! No thank you. So, I found a different remedy. Maddie goes to an esthetician who does eyelash lifts. Maddie's eyelashes are long- but very straight. So, her eyelashes basically get a perm! Remember perms??? Remember the smell of perms??? Yep -- same. It seemed to be working well for Maddie, so I tried it too. It really has helped and I think it makes me look younger (yay for anything that does that) and more awake! The lift can only be done every 6-7 weeks. It does seem like after about 4 weeks, the lashes are starting to fall again. M and I searched and found a solution -- a heated eyelash curler! Of course, it's available on Ama*zon. OOOOH -- I kind of love it! I think it helps my lashes and the heat on my eyelashes feels weirdly good! Move over hot rollers (yes, I use hot rollers to tame my frizzy hair) - hot eyelash curlers are joining the group!

One of the strangest things I saw on FB recently was when someone asked the question -- "where can I get my little pal cremated?" It was a hedgehog! Most responders were thoughtful and said to check with vet's office or the Humane Society. The first answer that popped up was a photo of a grill! UGH!

Maddie heads back to college on Sunday. It's been a nice long break and SO wonderful to have her home. I'm going to miss that cutie! Stay tuned. Pinky promise to keep the blog updated more this year!

Photo FRiday

Hello Friends! It's time for Photo Friday! Are you ready??

I mentioned in my last post that Miss M turned 20 in December! So hard to believe that she's 20 already! You know what -- I've loved every single age and stage of her growing up years. Those little baby and toddler years, the elementary school years, middle and high school and now college. Of course, there have been challenges along the way - there's a challenge everywhere and even more the last couple of years with the pandemic and all.

She had some late fall photos done as her birthday photos since there is no telling what the weather might be in December! Luckily - it was warm that day! The photographer was a college student who was so nice and did a great job. Maddie loves wearing a hat and hats always look good on her. Somehow, I have a serious case of "hat head" after only having had a hat on a few minutes!

The photos were taken out at Pioneer's Park -- a gorgeous local park that is always a perfect setting. Maddie often suggests that location when she takes photos.

She is still on her winter break from college. We've had super weather for the most part with some days this past week in the 50s! Yes people, I said the 50s! We love the warm weather and have taken some nice long walks which is one of our favorite things to do (besides shop) together!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year friends! I just love a new year, especially when it's an even number! I know, I know, the last even-numbered one was a bit wonky with the pandemic starting and all, but I have confidence that the year will turn out to be a good one!

How were your holidays? Ours were good and fun and the weather on Christmas was super good and warmish! I hate to jinx it, but we've had the best late fall/early winter! And, of course, you know that the cooler temps and low humidity are good friends to my hair -- which is always uppermost in my list of worries -- how's my hair look???

It's been SO wonderful to have Maddie at home for an extended visit as her classes don't start again until January 24! She had a very good semester -- even with an insane amount of work in an English class being taught by a grad student. OY!!! I can't even explain how awful that class was for her and such confusing and WEIRD assignments for an English Comp 102 class. PTL - it's over! Grad students should never teach classes without a real instructor overseeing them. Reviews of her on "rate my professor" are not going to be good.

Miss Maddie turned 20 on December 20! What a fabulous girl! I love her so! We went out to a breakfast place called Good Evans for a birthday lunch!And we had cookies with the Chick-Fil-A logo! LOVE that place! We had a good time out at Philip and Catherine's celebrating on Christmas Eve. It was a "breakfast for dinner" theme. I do love that as not much beats french toast casserole and my famous quiche! The next day we celebrated at home with just Connor and Maddie and had Olive Garden- YUM!

In other big news, the Rickster retired - so that made our December rather busy as we tried to get rid of 25 years worth of stuff out of the office and either shredded, moved to storage or to his home office -- here at home. Good thing no family events coming up as there is no room in the dining room for anything -- just saying -- we should have gotten rid of more stuff. I told him that! :) He has a few cases he will continue to work on. My temporary gig at his office went on for 7 years (after 32 years at my old office), so I must admit I am tired of the law (that's putting it nicely). I'm still in charge of checking phone messages, printing stuff off and other assorted duties. Yes, I am a saint! I would show you a photo of all the stuff - but it would scare you -- yep - it scares me. This is gonna take a while (a long while) to get through. The job never ends!

I also worked as a part-time gift wrapper. I LOVE that job. Such a wonderful group of mostly old ladies. One lady is 86 and has been gift wrapping for 18 years! She said she hopes to make it to 20 years -- hope I can do it that long too. It hasn't been as busy since the pandemic and all, but gets crazy the closer you get to Christmas. One guy brought in 25 gifts to be wrapped! Couple days later, he brought in 20 more! We gift wrappers like to be busy, so we were good with that.

In case you're wondering, I'm just putting in Photos here and there because I've had trouble with formatting the blog and the only way to not have it end up ONE LONG PARAGRAPH is to Insert photos.

Also, our attempt at Christmas photos was a bust. I thought I looked ok -- you know I am getting older -- but the photographer freaked me out when we told me I had a fake smile and needed to try harder. UMMM -- well, that actually made it even more difficult and every photo was awful. Mads and Rickster looked good, of course. Now, I ask you -- is that a fake smile?? Yep I guess that was, but believe me, the photos she took were bad -- very bad. <

That's my report for now. Hope you are enjoying a warmish January. Let's get this month over with and on to Spring!!