There’s a humongous hot tub in our garage.  PB and I weren’t looking for a hot tub.  I wasn’t praying for a hot tub.  We didn’t even want a hot tub.  It just appeared.  What I really need is a blender.  The Hamilton Beach 2001 was a wedding gift 33 years ago.  This amazing appliance has been as faithful as PB all these years, but last time I blended something, liquid poured out the bottom and the flooded motor gave out.  A blender is what I really want.

A few days ago, our younger son called PB.  “Dad, we’re working on this house and they are getting rid of this hot tub and giving it away for free and it’s in really good shape and I said I’d take it.  So, can you come with the trailer and get it?  Tonight?”  Always up for an adventure and trying to encourage our son’s eye for a good deal, my hubby went to go look at the treasure sitting on the curb.  Turns out, the mammoth tub was in really good shape and they were giving it away for free and it was a good find.  When I woke up the next morning there was a humongous hot tub in our garage.

I’m really torn about this unexpected blessing.  I admit my first thought was to put it on Craig’s List and make some money to invest wisely for retirement.  I know.  Boring.  (Somebody needs to be reasonable in this family.)  Now I’m wondering: what would it be like to go out my back door and soak in bubbles under the stars?  I have never done such a ridiculous thing.  Is it even permissible for a pastor to have a hot tub?  Maybe if we use it for ministry (or baptisms?) we could justify such an extravagance.  But somehow I just can’t picture the church’s trustee committee gathering on our deck in their swimming trunks. 

Such a dilemma.

Perhaps if the jets are turned on really high, a hot tub could make smoothies….

Look at this precious child.  He’s 8 weeks old and bigger than his teddy bear.

Hudson’s mommy told me he cried all day yesterday.   It was an excruciatingly long day.  Maybe he had a little tummy ache.  Or maybe the full moon was throwing him off.  It’s hard to believe this happy boy gave his mommy fits yesterday.

I know what the trouble is.  He misses his Nonnie.

Hey, Hud Bud!  See you in a few weeks! 

On Sunday, PB and I took a little roadtrip to Ames, Iowa.  “Ames, Iowa?” you ask.  Yes, indeed.  Because that’s where our daughter, Anna, and her husband, Dan, live.  We hadn’t seen them since last December and she offered to make us meatballs, so we went. 

Ames is a friendly place.

It was windy the whole time we were visiting.   Must be why they are called the Cyclones at Iowa State.

Dan and Anna have a cute little apartment decorated all Anna-style.  The meatballs were delicious.  I’m just sorry I didn’t take a picture of them.

We brought the Spree along and handed the keys over to them.  The scooter just doesn’t work for 6’5″ boys who weigh 200 lbs.  (All muscle.)  Anna took it out for a ride.

Then Dan took a spin.

While Dan was out, PB fixed the light socket in their garage.  Because PB has to fix something when he goes visiting the kids. 

When Dan got back, the men talked about garages and tools and cars and scooters.  I went back in and ate some meatballs.

Anna and Dan took us to a very cool place for breakfast.  They took us, but we paid.  That’s what parents do. 

Then Anna wanted to show us her favorite antique store in town.  It was……..interesting.  We knew that this was a one-of-a-kind antique store right at the door.

Like baskets?  There were piles of baskets.

Or maybe dishes?  There were stacks of dishes.

There were pots and vases as far as the eye could see.

There was a greenhouse in the back of the store….and a rocking chair…

Outside there was a real nice pile of pots.

Thankfully, they had an overflow shed.  Look carefully: it’s full all the way up to the top window.

We had a great time with Dan and Anna.

They’ve gotten off to a good start.

I distinctly remember saying, “I’m never going to make another cake pop as long as I live.”  But that was last summer, when the freezer was overflowing with hundreds of the little rolled up bits of cake glued together with frosting.  (See July 14, 2011 post “Wedding Countdown Day 30)  How many did we make again?  Was it 278…..or 354….or 1 kazillion?  Today I discovered that making one batch of pops is rather enjoyable.  There were three good reasons to revisit the world of cake pops this weekend.

1)  A day after our daughter got married last August, Kate (a friend of mine who attended the wedding) unashamedly confessed to me that she must have eaten at least 10 cake pops at the reception.  We discussed at length whether the chocolate, strawberry or vanilla treats were the better choice.  She was ahead of me on that one – I had only sampled the vanilla, so I valued her expert opinion.  I was so happy that someone had received such pleasure as a result of my hours of baking, rolling and dipping.  Her appreciation just oozed and I thought, “Now here’s someone who deserves her own batch of cake pops someday.”  Since it’s Kate’s birthday tomorrow, I decided now’s the time.  I love cooking for people who ooze with appreciation.

2)  Our niece, Meghan, got married today.  The wedding was in Texas and we weren’t able to be there.  She’s a dear, sweet girl and we love the whole family so much.  PB asked if we could watch the wedding on Skype and they were able to pull it off!  At about 2:00 this afternoon, PB came in from cleaning the garage, I washed pink candy coating off my hands, and we sat down to witness the blessed event.  We were so grateful to be able to hear the wedding vows and see how beautiful Meghan looked on her wedding day.  So I dipped a few cake pops in honor of Meghan and Randall.

3)  This week a little friend of mine got a new baby sister.  Maggy comes to the preschool Sunday school class and sits in the pew behind me in church.  She has the longest darkest eyelashes you ever did see.  Big sisters need their own bucket of cake pops, I’m positive. 

I guess there’s one more reason….  I caught PB looking longingly at the row of fresh pops.  Happening to find one with a crack in it, I asked him to please dispose of it, which he did with pleasure.  He’s helpful like that.

I’m not sure what’s going on, but I like it.

This is what our deck looked like this morning.

This is what our deck looked like this afternoon.  And it’s still winter.

This is what our front porch looked like this morning.

This is what our front porch looked like this afternoon.  And it’s not even spring yet.

So I decided to take down the snowmen.

And put up the spring bunnies.

I don’t know what’s going on, but I like it.

You know your day isn’t getting off to a very good start when…..

…your toothbrush is missing from the cup in the bathroom…

…and you find it by the kitchen sink….

(It wasn’t me, honey.)

We have lots to celebrate today! 

 Our grandson, Hudson James, is one month old! 

I was so blessed to have spent the first half of his life with him. 

I miss you, Hud Bud.  See you in May!

Today is PB’s birthday!  He is 660 months old!

I’m so glad he was born on that March day.  God knew I would need him.

Happy Birthday Honey!

One more happy note:

This is my 201st post here on Small Drop.

 I never expected to last this long.  I didn’t know that I had so much to say. 

Happy Day!