My Truck Doesn't Like The Commute Either

Despite the fact that the brakes on my truck weren't operating properly this morning and it's a Monday, I'm in a great mood!

As for the brakes, I am lucky my retired parents who have two vehicles live ten minutes away and are very, very generous with the lending of said cars when I'm having vehicle problems. For all I know my truck just didn't want to commute 35 miles each way today and decided to take a sick day, but it seems very possible I'm going to have to shell out some more cash to have it fixed.

But who cares? This weekend was so satisfying that even the double whammy of having to be back at work and the truck issues don't even bring me down.

Here's what I got done:


1. Above is the essay I gave to my mom to proof and she finished editing it in no time flat. I made the changes and submitted it to a publication that actually pays for essays, so wish me luck.

I made blueberry walnut oat muffins! They are not this blurry in real life! I was involved with a family road trip on Sunday, so I made these for us to snack on - and thank goodness I did, it was a long trip!

I made life! Not like what you're thinking! I finished another polymer clay art project this weekend. This one is much smaller than the sun; it's about 5 inches across. Once I completed it I didn't think the tree stood out enough so I went back and added white acrylic paint to it's edges. I love this medium! I also started another, larger project, but I'll wait until I'm done to put a picture of it up. I also bought foam board, cut it out in the shape of the sun I made last week, painted it, and mounted the sun on it so it will have some strength and stability. I still don't know how to mount it for hanging though.

I made earth! Okay, I can't take credit for the creation of any of this, but I did take the picture. This shot is from the previously mentioned road trip this weekend. Anthony, my mom, my stepdad Joe, and I all piled in the car and drove from Western NC to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. DEEP within the park on the Tennessee side there is a really neat place that was formerly a settlement called Cades Cove, it's beautiful there. We saw, not kidding, 2 jazillion deer. Maybe more. It was cool.

And yes, I finally got my pancakes. The Pancake Pantry in Gatlinburg was packed; there was a line out the door and the outside host had a radio to call to the inside hostess to tell her how big the parties were. I got Sugar and Spice pancakes and made a declaration to myself right then and there: If there was a pancake on the presidential ticket they'd have my vote! Actually, the declaration was, "OMG. I love pancakes. So. Much." Which of course I already knew, but it's nice to have your feelings validated.

I did some other things, too, but I don't have the pictures to back them up. I am hoping to have a really great week that doesn't involve spending too much money on fixing my truck.