So, I'm obviously not a dedicated blogger and I'm finding it hard to find time to read the blogs I do enjoy, but here I am today on the eve of Easter.

Have a massage appt in a couple of hours at a place not far from my home.  I've been there a couple of times and like the convenience, plus it's very low-key.  Groupon was offering a 20% off coupon for spa and beauty purchases this weekend, plus I had a $10 referral credit from when my friend Leanne signed up with Groupon.  When it was all said and done, I paid $45 for my Groupon which includes an hour-long massage and a 50-minute foot ritual.  I've never experienced the foot ritual, but I'm sure it'll be bliss.

Speaking of deals, I just want to say what a fan of Aldi I am.  When Aldi first came to our area a few years ago, I went out of curiosity and have to say I wasn't that impressed.  Something made me go back and am I ever glad.  The prices there are just unbeatable, plus it's fun to discover what special product is on offer for a limited time.  I also realized I like shopping there because there isn't all that price and product comparison stuff to worry about--there's pretty much one choice of everything and you either want it or you don't.  And I've found the quality of just about everything to be just as good as national brands. 

Yesterday, I found fresh asparagus at Aldi for the first time.  It was only $1.69 for a 1 lb. bag.  My husband and I are going to have it with our Easter ham along with some mushroom risotto.

Not having the kids over tomorrow.  We've been so busy lately with one thing or another that we really just wanted to have the afternoon to ourselves to do some more things in the yard and take care of some boring stuff like figuring out how to protest the hike in our homeowner's taxes.

Went down to San Antonio a couple of weeks ago to see Dad & Jill and look at some things I might want to have.  Dad & Jill decided a couple of months ago to move to the Army Retirement Community in San Antonio and they are doing so on the 28th of this month.  It didn't give any of us much time to go through the household, but Greg met me in San Antonio and he cleaned out both attic spaces and took a few things back to League City with him.  I'm going to go back next Saturday when the packers will be there and make sure the things I want are left untouched.  John-my-husband will drive down the next day with his truck and we'll pack up and drive back the same day.

I'm taking an antique secretary that Mom bought, I believe, back in the 70's.  I'm pretty sure it didn't belong to Dad's family, but it's been with our family for probably 40 years.  Anyway, I was going through the drawers in it two weekends ago and found a lot of old letters, including the one Dad wrote to Granddaddy asking for Mom's hand in marriage and the ensuing reply.  I also found a few letters that Granddaddy wrote to Mom--I never knew what a heartfelt writer he was!  There're also lots of letters that Mom wrote to Mommom & Granddaddy when she was teaching in Kitizingen and after she and Dad were first married.

Looked through a lot of old pictures too and saw some items that I'd completely forgotten about and the whereabouts to which Dad has no idea.  For instance, Mom used to have a wallhanging that had actually been the chairback of a chair from Communist China.  It was porcelain with an Asian design and inlaid in wood.  And then there was a really elegant porcelain figurine of a Japanese woman in a black kimono playing the koto.  I wonder if she got broken?  Jill says she doesn't remember either thing.  I would have brought back both of those things.

Anyway, Dad & Jill have hired packers and movers as well as a service that completely unpacks everything, places the furniture and even hangs pictures.  And then they have a lady who will sell everything they don't want in an estate sale.

I have to say it was hard to look around the house and realize it's been 23 years since Mom & Dad built it.  Dad's kind of let it go and it's definitely the right decision for him & Jill to move.  But I really missed my mommy looking through everything.  I will just never get over losing her.

Well, the morning is already getting away from me and I need to eat before I go to my massage.  Plus, I'd like to squeeze in a few pages of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.