Saturday Afternoon Chat returns: small illness, school update, and very, very cold temperatures

January 11, 2025January 11, 2025 / Lisa R. Howeler / 9 Comments

I miss my Saturday Afternoon Chat with my bloggy friends.

I tried to combine this post with my Sunday Bookends, but I don’t find I enjoy it as much because I don’t want to ramble in that post since it is mainly about books and what I’m watching and part of a link up.

On Saturdays I can ramble a bit and it feels more like I am chatting with my friends. Not that people who read my Sunday posts aren’t friends….yep. there I go again. Digging a hole. Ha! I have a talent at that.

Well, hopefully my regular readers understand me and how much I just miss chatting with you like old times.

It isn’t that I have a ton to chat about right now — or at least anything exciting.

Little Miss has had a light cough and a fever, but not a lot else, for the last three days. Her illness started on Thursday and messed up plans she had to go visit her friends today, but, hopefully, we can reschedule.

She had us a bit nervous Friday night as her temp jumped to 103 and then 103.4 Saturday morning but she was otherwise acting fine. Her nose wasn’t even running. She was somewhat tired, had no appetite, and that annoying dry cough, but it didn’t hit her as hard as some other illnesses have.

The plan before she became sick was for The Husband and I to hang out alone in the afternoon — at least after the Crafternoon Erin from Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs and I hosted (more on that further down in this post). The Boy was going to go with her too so he could see his friend, who is the brother of Little Miss’s friend.

We’re a little baffled how Little Miss caught anything since we’ve been out of the house only once this past week. Her symptoms developed 12 hours after that one quick outing and we think that was much too quick, but, of course, it is possible. Our other theory is that one of the boys brought it in and passed it on to Little Miss (and probably me in a couple of days) but didn’t get any symptoms. The Boy is especially good at being a bug carrier, not getting sick, and then passing it on. We tease him about it sometimes.

It’s been too cold to leave the house and do much.

Some days the temps have been 14 to 17 degrees with windchills of -5 to 3.

I am not a fan of the severe cold we often experience in January and February in our state. We often have more cold than snow. I was looking through some videos from last winter yesterday, though, and it looks like we had some warmer days in February because I have videos of Little Miss and her friend playing at the playground in shorts and sweatshirts.

Circling back to the Crafternoon event — it was so much fun! Erin and I joined four other women and a junk journal group to do crafts and chit chat via Zoom. It is such an amazing thing to me that we can all see each other almost in person, via our phones and laptops, and connect in a different way than blogging, maybe even a deeper way. Being able to actually see faces and chat back and forth is a wonderful way to get to know people, hear different perspectives and make friends from all over the world.

We had a citizen of the UK, someone from Germany, and a handful of Americans all on the same call sharing about their lives and showing their crafts and simply having fun on a chilly winter afternoon.

We are going to host another one of these in two weeks so if you are interested please email me at lisahoweler@gmail.com or Erin at crackercrumblife@gmail.com and we will add you to the email list and send you the Zoom link.

Since I’m not sure if I can pass anything on to my parents, we are probably staying home Sunday (tomorrow) instead of visiting them like we usually do on Sundays.

That will give us another day to recover and relax.

Next week Little Miss and I will be back into the swing of school which has been including studying early American History, including the Revolutionary War. We just finished a historical fiction book called Johnny Tremain that focused on the early days of our country, right before the Revolutionary War started. Next up we are reading The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare.

In Science we are studying Marine Biology and I think I might be having more fun with that than Little Miss some days. She knows a lot about life in the ocean so she sometimes fills me in on whatever the curriculum didn’t.

One thing I learned that totally shocked me — sand dollars are alive.

Yes, I might be a bit of a moron. I made it this far in life without knowing that. I think I was probably taught this at some point but just forgot because, seriously, how can we remember everything we learn in school or life? It’s just not possible.

This information sent me down a YouTube rabbit hole of watching sand dollars move on the ocean floor.

Here is one of the videos I watched with Little Miss.

In math we are studying division. Little Miss hates math but once she catches on, she does very well.

In English we are reading books and studying a variety of subjects — singular and plural nouns, how to write addresses, and how to write book reviews, which I thought was interesting.

The Boy is still attending a technical school in the mornings. He learns about a variety of subjects, including masonery, which is their current area of study.

A couple of weeks before Christmas he dropped a large concrete block on his finger and I received a call from the school. The shock of the pain caused him to faint and his finger was also very sore for a few weeks. The nail did get dark but it did not fall off like the school nurse thought it might.

For English, he and I are making our way through some British literature and poets. We finished The Hound of the Baskerville’s by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and are now planning to start Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

Before the end of the year, I hope to study some poets, Shakespeare, and finish off the year with an Agatha Christie book.

My son is a senior this year and I’m struggling with accepting that I will not have to plan for his school year next year. Usually, I am choosing curriculum for the kids in early summer but this year I will only be choosing curriculum for Little Miss and that is a bit . . . I’m not sure what word I want to use here. Disconcerting? Depressing? Heartbreaking?

I’m excited for The Boy who will be moving on to his next chapter in life, but I’m also worried about him. Life is so crazy for a young person when they are first starting out and — well, that’s another topic for another day, I suppose. I could fall down a rabbit hole of worry with that topic.

It’s no surprise that the Bible verses that speak the most to me these days are focused on worrying about the future.

One of the things I am worrying about is a sore knee that is clearly a pull of some sort but one I hope will heal and not require a doctor’s visit or surgery of some sort. I’ve ordered a knee brace and am occasionally using a cane to keep weight off of it while I work on healing it. I am a horrible patient because I do not do well just sitting and propping my leg up to wait for it to heal.

I’m not a very athletic person but I do get up to do dishes, cook, let the dog and cat in and various other things. Sitting in one spot and asking others to do it for me is not easy for me to do.

So that’s a little of what has been going on with us.

How are all of you doing?

About the two canes….and how they made my personalities change

Saturday Afternoon Chat: How to make summer feel like autumn for those of us who are autumn people

July 6, 2024 / Lisa R. Howeler / 8 Comments

I am not a summer person which I think I have shared many, many times on this blog.

I am an autumn person and not in skin tone or fashion sense.

I like autumn. I like cozy days with a soft blanket and a warm cup of tea and the leaves on the trees a mix of pretty colors.

Okay, I like green on the trees too so I do like that part of summer.

I hate, however, the heat of summer.

If it could be 68 to 70 degrees (F) all summer long, I would be overwhelmingly happy about that.

All these temps in the mid-80s to mid-90s. (Today’s high is going to be 87! Yuck!)

No. Thank. You.

I am so ready for fall and I know my friend Erin at Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs, is too because she is already planning for our comfy, cozy movie watching that we like to start in October. She and I have also been trading memes and reels talking about how in our minds we are already watching the leaves change colors and sipping tea while reading a good book under a blanket.

Today I thought I’d share how I am trying to hold on to the cozy feeling of autumn, even though it isn’t autumn.

First, I turn the air conditioner up as high as I can without my husband complaining about it. Our air conditioners are portable so they don’t work as well as window air conditioning units, but they do a fairly good job and if they aren’t taking the heat out of the air, I sit right in front of it and soak up the cold.

The funny thing is that Little Miss started doing this the first day we had the AC on. Then she grabbed a blanket and pronounced that it was officially autumn. She and I are way too much alike.

After we get it as cold as we can (mainly in the living room because the AC isn’t strong enough to also cool down our kitchen), we click on the candle warmer so it kicks out a apple cinnamon flavor that makes us think of fall.

Then I make a cup of tea or cocoa and choose something cozy to watch – maybe even old shows or YouTube videos from autumn.

I pretend it is not sweltering outside for as long as I can and, whenever possible, I stay inside – since being outside in high heat makes me feel sick anyhow.

All this being said, I do like a couple of aspects of summer, as long as it is cool enough for me to enjoy it. I enjoy swimming with Little Miss and The Boy and watching fireworks.

I like to make s’mores, even though I only eat the chocolate.

I like fireflies, if I catch sight of them that is. I don’t see them like we used to anymore. I like that it is warm enough to go out and look up at the stars, which we can see at our house, thankfully. I love that our wild roses come out in summer, even though I can only enjoy them for a short time.

I love that fresh fruit is more plentiful in summer (especially watermelon).

I think that’s just about all I love about summer.

I tried. *shrug*

This past week Little Miss and I didn’t swim as much as we could have. One day we waited too long and it had cooled off too much. Another day Dad was out of treatment for the pool and we are 40 minutes away from the closet store that would have it so the pool was a bit green.

He used Clorox before the Fourth so we did go swimming on that day.

I didn’t take any photographs this past week but hopefully I will next week since The Husband is off of work. As usual, we don’t have any big travel plans but we will be taking some day trips and we will be going out for our anniversary, which is Saturday.

Here are a few photos from earlier this summer and past summers instead.

How was your week last week? Let me know in the comments.

12 Christmas Gift Ideas for Teenage Girls

December 11, 2023December 11, 2023 / Lisa R. Howeler / 10 Comments

Last week I shared a post about gift suggestions for teenage boys.

Today I am sharing gift suggestions for teenage girls, who I find easier to buy for but probably only because I was one at one time (many, many years ago).

Buying for teens in general, though, can be a serious challenge so these are only a few ideas to get you started. I hope I can offer some ideas for the “girly girls” and the less girly girls, of which I was one of growing up.

^{Some links in this article may be affiliate links. This does not affect the cost to you, but may provide a very small commission to my family for items purchased.}

DIY Wall Collage Picture Arts and Crafts Kit

This could work for preteens, teens, and even college students. This kit includes 154 cutouts, 66 letter cutouts, 769 stickers, 41 quote stickers, 10 markers, paint-safe double-sided sticky tape, and 6 yards of string. It is 5.5 by 3.5 feet to be placed on the wall of a room.

All she needs to do is add some personal photos or clippings!

|| WALL COLLAGE ||

2. Personalized bracelets or necklaces

Gifts like a personalized necklace or bracelet are always sweet because you can either give it to your teen or she can give it to a friend. With it being personalized, these can become a keepsake for years to come. Prices for items like these can range from as low as $13 to into the hundreds. Which one you buy simply depends on what your budget is.

|| BRACELET || || NECKLACE ||

3. Oversized Blanket Hoodie Sweatshirt, Wearable Sherpa Lounging Pullover

|| CATALONIA OVERSIZED BLANKET HOODIE ||

Having an oversized sweatshirt, shirt, or in this case, hoodie, is something many girls would love to have during the winter months or any time they are feeling chilly. It’s a chance to cozy up and watch a movie or read a book while being able to keep warm and have your hands free.

4. Sleep Headphones Bluetooth, Sleeping Headphones Headband

I have never used anything like this and aren’t sure how they work but they might at least be nice for a teenager who likes to have white noise on at night to help them sleep and relax.

|| BLUETOOTH HEADBAND ||

5. Crave Snack Box

I suggested this idea for teenage boys last week, but teenage girls also love to have snacks available when they are interested in a quick snack.

No, these snacks are not all super healthy but there is a healthier option if you want to look into that too. Other companies sell other boxes of snacks, some of them organic or vegan, or even all meat.

|| CRAVE SNACK BOX ||

Healthier option:

|| HEALTHIER CRAVE BOX ||

6. KODAK Printomatic Digital Instant Print Camera

This would be a great idea for a teenager who wants to snap photos of their friends and family and add them to their journal, scrapbook, or wall collage like the one above.

||KODAK DIGITAL CAMERA ||

Kodak is a giant in the photography world — even though they don’t make much film anymore — so they are a great choice to buy a photography tool from.

This camera produces full-color prints on sticky-backed photo paper.

7. Shower Bluetooth Speaker

|| SHOWER BLUETOOTH SPEAKER ||

This speaker can be stuck inside the shower and is waterproof, so it won’t zap anyone while they are showering. It comes in a variety of colors and is perfect for listening to some music or a podcast while showering away. Please check the directions to make sure it is used correctly and if you don’t want your teen to spend too long in the shower then I suggest skipping this one. *wink*

8. Funny T-shirt

T-shirts with funny sayings are always a winner, though sometimes they are only funny for the parents, so try to find ones that your teenager actually finds funny. As we all know, each generation has a different sense of humor, so what might be funny to mom and dad might not be funny to your teenager.

|| NOPE. NOT TODAY. || || SHORT GIRLS || || NOT TODAY, SATAN ||

8. Phone Camera Lens Kit, 14 in-1 Lenses with Selfie Light for iPhone

This is a great item for the teenage girl who loves photography or simply loves to grab selfies with different angles and lenses.

|| PHONE CAMERA LENSES ||

The lenses are for an iPhone14, 13, 12, 11Xs, X Pro Samsung and Other Android Smartphones.

9. Cooluli Mini Fridge for Bedroom

This mini fridge can be used for food, drinks, makeup, or the storage of medicine.

|| MINI FRIDGE ||

My teenage son has been asking me for one of these but I will be honest — I don’t want to get him one because I am afraid I’d never see him. Of course, he would have to come down to get the soda he’d take back up for the fridge so I’ll consider it.

It also comes in several different colors.

10. Kindle Scribe

If you want to go pretty high up in the budget, a Kindle Scribe might be a good idea.

|| KINDLE SCRIBE ||

This is a Kindle which your teen can write or draw on. She can make notes while she reads or make notes with a digital pen and have it transformed into text.

This is, as Amazon’s site says, “A digital notebook you can write on. Journal, sketch, take notes, and more.”

Honestly, it is something I would look into for myself someday. I’ll keep you updated if I get one.

11. Hanging Cosmetic/Toiletry Bag

This cosmetic bag is waterproof, can be hung up, and is portable for traveling as well.

|| COSMETIC BAG ||

The pouches can be used a variety of ways, not only for makeup, of course. There are also a variety of colors and styles for the bag.

12. One-Step Volumizer Enhanced 1.0 Hair Dryer and Hot Air Brush

This dryer and hot air brush is an amazing way to spruce up any young woman’s hair.

|| BRUSH AND BLOW DRYER ||

This is a two-in-one tool that will dry and style at the same time. It is also easily portable.

Bonus item:

Prayer Journal for Teen Girls: 52-week Scripture, Devotional, & Guided Prayer Journal

If the teen you are buying for is someone who likes to read her Bible and keep track of her prayers, this gift would be perfect.

According to the description: This 52-week devotional and guided prayer journal includes Scripture verses, reflections on the Word, and journaling prompts that will help teen girls feel more confident navigating life’s challenges and remember that God is with them every step.