Life Last Week (16-22 February 2026)

   

The weather for the week ahead:::

Everything is so green with all the rain - the yard looks so lush!

On my reading pile:::

 

I finished The Distant Daughter, The Secrets of Trelenna House by Lorna Cook - left us on a cliffhanger so I was happy to see there is a sequel coming in June. 

Meanwhile, I picked up this at the library.

On my TV:::

Still working our way through this.  We're up to Season 7.

Checked off the list:::

• Our oven died a few weeks ago.  It's still under an extended warranty so we called an authorized appliance repair company, and they paid us a visit, ordered parts, and came back to install the parts.  Less than an hour later, whatever is actually wrong with the electrical system shorted out the new parts.  They contacted the appliance vendor and bottom line; we went to pick out a new stove on Saturday.  It will be installed this week.
• Our taxes are done and yay! it's a refund, finally after years of paying the IRS.  Of course, it meant that we had to pay an extra chunk every payday but at least it yielded a refund and not a balance due.  I think we're going to use some of it for this backguard/backsplash - it's a stainless steel backguard with utensil rail and 2 plate racks for use with freestanding ranges.  I'm curious - what type of backguard/backsplash do you have?

• PBS Passport made the first episode of the new series of Call the Midwife available on 20 February, so I watched that.  Love, love, love this show and love PBS Passport.  For $5 a month, it's a winner.

• It was a fairly quiet week after getting back from the coast on Monday.  Laundry, the usual chores, and a video call with Jodie on Wednesday.
• It was another year around the sun for me on Monday and this was my birthday present, an AGA teapot.  I've been wanting one for ages.  It came all the way from Yorkshire.  So many memories of our AGA in the kitchen in our house in Knott End-on-Sea when we first moved to England in the 1970s.

This is the British Sunday Roast model from ThankfullyHealthy on Etsy.

This guy also arrived - Steepy, the Jellycat tea bag - I'll pop him on my England tree.

Crafts roundup:::

Finished my December Daily and our annual Christmas card album.  I sent off for all my London photos so I can get busy with that album next.

And in other news:::

Are you caught up in the curling craze?  Some of the videos are hilarious.  Watch for the one of the elderly couple as the sweepers as they work to move the curling stone (their robot vacuum) across the floor!  I also read up on Kays Scotland, the makers of the curling stones.

This would make a great collectible for a curling or Winter Olympics fan.

Speaking of the Winter Olympics, did you watch the Closing Ceremony?

Well done, Norway!  On to the French Alps in 2030 and then Utah in 2034.

And this!  It's a cupcake from @lindseybakedthis

Also, another current craze - Cadbury's mini eggs.

Filling a crisper drawer with them for easy access is genius, lol! @aoibhinn_raleigh

And such sad news this week, 53 years old, gone far too soon.  The scene where he comes across Patrick Dempsey with his ex-girlfriend, ex-wife, and current fling in the elevator is immortal, "I'll bet you wish you'd taken the stairs".

Happy National Love Your Pet Day - 20 February

Here's our Malone.  He's an Australian Cattle Dog Mix and he will be six years old this September.  That's an estimate because when we adopted him from the humane society, they guessed he was about four.  He was found as a stray, and we have no idea what happened in his early life, but it made him very reactive to other dogs, so we have to keep him away from them.  No play dates for this guy.  That's ok because Vic is his BFF and they take a walk when Vic gets home from work in the evening.

His favorite past-time is enjoying a cookie, or eating just about anything - forgive the ratty couch cover, it was just about to go in the washing machine

He also loves to sleep, and jumps up onto my chair when I'm working in the office

If he can be touching Vic in some way, he will

And he's never far away from him when Vic is home - he was patiently guarding the box of screws and waiting for Vic to finish his project so they could go for a walk

He tolerates me because I feed him!

Around the 'Net

 What's your bagel order?  I must have found this on a UK site because I'd never heard of a cacklebean egg (it's an egg known for its rich, flavorful yolk and firm, creamy texture.  They are produced by heritage breed hens that are free to roam and forage in the countryside, resulting in a superior quality product).  Also, air-dried ham looks like prosciutto and rocket is arugula.

Our favorite is what we call Yorgo's after a bageldashery (love that term!) that we used to frequent in Norfolk, Virginia.  Lightly toasted bagels, chive and onion cream cheese, capers, smoked salmon, and thinly sliced red onion.  Delicious!

Life Last Weekend (14-16 February 2026)

 

Changing things up a little since we were away for the three-day weekend and I have LOTS of photos.  It was a triple celebration - Valentine's Day, my birthday, and our anniversary coming up later this month.

We headed to the Oregon coast on Saturday morning.  It was about a four-hour drive because we were going down to Tillamook to take a tour of the Creamery and then back up the scenic byway to Cannon Beach where we would stay for two nights.

That's Washington in the grey and Oregon in the tan - we cut over from Route 4 and then over the Astoria-Megler Bridge to begin our trek down the coast

For my non-US readers, Tillamook is a brand of cheese and other dairy products like cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, butter, and ice cream.  The hard cheese is made here in the Tillamook Creamery factory.  We were a little early for our tour, so we grabbed something to eat in the Food Hall and had a little browse around the shop.

The Tillamook orange VW vans are promotional vehicles used by Tillamook Dairy to promote their cheese products. These customized minibuses are painted in a distinctive orange color and feature branding such as "Tillamook" and "Medium Cheddar Cheese" on their sides. They were part of the Loaf Love Tour, which aimed to expand Tillamook's brand recognition and generate media attention by showcasing their cheese in various locations across the United States.

The information wall gave all the details of the beginning of the brand and where they are today.

We went upstairs with our guide and followed the cheese-making process from receiving the milk to sending off the packages of cheese.

Our tour included sampling of the aged cheeses and cheese curds.

I told Vic we need one of these in our kitchen!

We were staying for two nights at The Surfsand Resort in Cannon Beach.  All of the oceanfront rooms were taken when I booked but look at the view we had from our balcony!

This is Haystack Rock, a 235 ft-tall (72 m) sea stack. The monolithic rock is adjacent to the beach and accessible by foot at low tide

Our room was lovely with a little seating area off to the left, bathroom behind the hanging/seating area, and the balcony.

We headed out for dinner.  I had done some research on restaurants in the area, and we were able to walk to Pelican Brewery where we enjoyed Chicken Piccata (me) and a Crispy Coastal Shrimp Bowl (Vic).

Vic also tried some of the local brews on this flight.

This tide clock was interesting.

We headed back to the hotel and watched the Olympics.

Sunday morning, we headed out to a little cafe that had been recommended by a couple in our small group.  The menu was limited and crazy expensive, but we enjoyed our breakfast.

A waffle with fruit for Vic

A marionberry scone for me - it's an unwritten rule, when in Oregon, eat something marionberry

After breakfast, we headed north to where we'd seen a sign for the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.  We knew the basics of their expedition, but it was really interesting to learn much more.  There were two movies in the small theater that added to our education.

Standing arms outstretched, Meriwether Lewis beholds the Pacific with excitement and thankfulness. Kneeling in a posture of stability and supplication, William Clark records the event in his journal. An un-named Clatsop Indian, representing native assistance through the course of the journey, holds a starry flounder for documentation in the journals. Lastly, Lewis' Newfoundland dog, Seaman, shows his unquestioning devotion to his master - bronze sculpture by Stan Wanlass.

The statue of Sacagawea and her infant son by Jim Demetro stands near the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center, along the trail leading to the reconstruction of Fort Clatsop.

The reconstructed Fort Clatsop

Heading south again, we stopped in the small town of Seaside for a visit to their aquarium, established in 1937, one of the oldest aquariums on the West Coast.  

It was very small, but these guys were worth the visit.

We wandered around the town a little, but it reminded me of parts of Virginia Beach, lots of saltwater taffy and many, many tourist shops.  We stopped for lunch and then headed back to the hotel.  We had a 7:15pm dinner reservation at a restaurant recommended by a friend so we spent the afternoon with more of the Olympics.

Dinner was good, salmon for Vic and filet mignon for me.

This cocktail was amazing - EST. 77 - Empress Rose gin, blood orange and lemon juices, simple syrup, topped up with champagne

Summing up our three-day weekend with big smiles, we had a lovely time!

Friday Favorites - Valentine's Day at Home

  

Just a few touches here and there at home for some Valentine's joy.

Vic sent me flowers in this vase in 2021 when he was in Okinawa - the tulips are a selection of silk blooms from the gift shop where I volunteered in Virginia

I love this phrase art from Michaels

My birthday is just two days after Valentine's and this card was perfect to go up on the mantle

A glass cylinder full of felt hearts (from either Williams Sonoma or Sur la Table) and two wooden heart pieces, most likely from Michaels

A very old mailbox and Winnie the Pooh, probably from the Disney Store a long, long time ago

The toppers are from CraftedHiveCulture on Etsy but I don't see them offered any longer - search Whipped Cream Mug Topper and there are a lot of other offerings - I don't remember where I found the little s'mores cups

Hallmark stopped carrying the little cards that are on the silver tree on the left - such a shame as they are so cute for dropping in a lunchbox or package - that's our wedding photo in front of the vase with I Love You and Happy Valentine's Day picks that must have come in a bouquet of flowers at one point and the p.s. I love you wooden framed piece is probably from Michaels as well as the glass heart piece that holds a tealight at the back

February's Happiness Is Peanuts figurine

I was so sorry when Fickle Felt Tree closed up their Etsy shop but this one is from MatthewandMae and is very similar to the one I have

I wanted to include this link as well - Fresh Cut Paper - they have the most beautiful pop-up cards for all occasions and one like this would make a great addition to your Valentine's decor

I hope you have a lovely Valentine's Day!