The calm before the storm

What I mean is, next week, my "storm" will be the happy addition of three grandchildren for five days.  I know it will seem like this week was calm in comparison.  I mean, I got to watch FIVE movies!  How often to I get to do that???  I finished my first braided rug

while re-watching North and South - no, not the Civil War flick but the BBC mini-series.  I just love that movie.  Thanks, Elise, for introducing me to it.

Speaking of Civil War, after talking to Julina who was with Alex and Shiloh and Stratton back east visiting Gettysburg, Steve and I decided to watch the DVD Gettysburg over a couple of evenings.  It was very good.  And, I began my second braided rug while watching (this one, appropriately, is going to be red-white-and blue and will go in our patriotic-themed family room)

I also watched two documentaries - Man on Wire (what a rather egocentric and strange man!) and The Rape of Europa which tells why, due to Hitler and World War II, much of Europe's fine art was destroyed or lost.  It was incredible to watch.  Monuments Men is next on my Netflix cue!

And, just for fun, I re-watched Avitar.  Even without the 3-D, that is an amazing movie.

Also during the week, I finished a mini-book on Steve's and my trip to Hawaii last fall and I started a Blurb book of my blogs (it was not as intimidating as I thought it would be).  I borrowed Steven and Tamara's steam cleaner and tackled our living room couches (thanks, dogs!).  And, I have to say that I don't know what we did before the internet!  How many times during the week do I check on how to do something from the internet?  This week, it was how to pressure-can the chicken breasts I bought on sale.  My pressure canner instruction manual - written in the 60's - was really vague so I found a helpful blog -with pictures - and viola!  Chicken done.  And, I found another picture-full set of instructions on how to make a fabric camera strap cover.  Done!  Anyone need a camera strap cover????  Serious.....

Saturday morning, Steve and I spread new mulch on the rose garden

Bones was with us for the day while Sarah went to St. Louis. 



Last night, Steve and I attended a Missouri Symphony concert at the Missouri Theater (MU just bought the theater this week.  They had been leasing it and now it is theirs - part of their maybe-it-will-finally-happen new Fine Arts complex).  The concert last night featured a couple of concertos which were lovely and ended with one of my five all-time favorite pieces by Rimsky-Korsakov:  Scheherazade.  It was just splendid.  What a great way to end the week.