A Lovely Weekend

I could live forever with this weather. It's so lovely. I know it's going to change back to humid and miserable later in the week but these last few days having the windows open have been blissful. This summer has been awful in terms of temps so this little break has been nice. 

The weekend was great. Friday and Saturday we ended up just hanging around the house, drinking and playing cards with the neighbors. Oh, Saturday, we did go out for a little fun with Doug and Lauren. First we went to a brewery called Dead Low down near the river for lunch and a couple beers. After we finished eating, we weren't ready to go home so we headed to another brewery (Wandering Monster) where they have duckpin bowling. (I lost by one point to Doug in the last frame and broke 100!) From there we went home and chilled out until it was time for cocktails. 

Sunday Jim and I went to breakfast with Doug, Lauren and their youngest Micah. Afterwards, around 1:00 we left to go to Trip and Susan's for a pool day. There's still some work to be done on their outdoor pool area and patio but mostly it's landscaping and getting the walkout from the slider complete. It's awesome and big. I love the liner and the concrete work is great; not hot on the feet and not slippery. It already looks amazing but once everything is done, it's going to be such a nice gathering place. Plus it's so nice to have a place to play volleyball again. I know Dad was looking down on us and smiling. He would be so happy that the tradition is being carried on. Can't wait until next time!

I have a shit ton to do today. I've already walked the dogs and when I finish here I'll go do some yoga and ab work. I've got to buckle down and lose some weight. I've let things go for too long. After that, I need to head to Aldi. I'll come home and swim, hopefully before lunch. I purchased new end tables for the family room so I'll put those together as well. I also purchased new bedding (bedspread) and will put that on the bed. Once all that's done, if it's nice, I'll chill in the spa. 

Nick, the contractor sent a text on Saturday saying that he was sorry he'd not followed through on his plans last week. He said his dad fell and he's been moving him up here from KY. He told me he'd be out today to look what needed to be done and that he'd get the work done this week. We'll see. 

Dinner: Cobb salad. I've planned out my menu this week and am trying to go healthy for both Jim and I.

And that's about all I've got. Best get my ass in gear. Later!

Jobs & Such

TGIF. Although every day is Friday for me, really. I'm happy for Jim though...he's had a long week. 

Yesterday was a productive day. I cleaned the house top to bottom and in the process got some junk drawers cleaned out. I finished up my paint-by-numbers (the flowery one) and hung it and then started my next one. This one (seen left) is obviously a Christmas painting which will be put up during the holidays. I think it's pretty and can't wait to find the perfect place for it. (Ooh, that reminds me! I need to buy a new Christmas tree.) It was a pretty rainy day and it was nice to just get things done inside and then chill.

BTW - Nick, the contractor? He never showed yesterday like he said he would. I'm not surprised and didn't really think he'd follow through. Why can't people just do what they say they're going to do? Why do people have to make things so difficult? I'll text him later, probably with just a question mark. See if he responds. 

Plans today: I just finished walking the boy and after I type this I'm going to go for a bike ride. It's absolutely lovely out there. The humidity is gone and it's, dare I say, a bit chilly. I turned off the A/C last night and we were able to sleep with the windows open. It was sublime. 

Anyway, after my bike ride, I'm going to do some yard work. We need to clear out all the brush and crap that has grown beyond the back fence so with as sprayer and ladder, I'm going to Round Up the shit out of the weeds. Additionally, there's a stupid honeysuckle tree that needs trimming so I'll hopefully get that done. After all that, I'm going to eat lunch then lay out. 

Weekend plans: Tomorrow, Doug, Lauren, Jim and I are going out around lunchtime to check out a new brewery. I can't remember the name of it. Sunday, we're headed to Trip and Susan's to check out their pool. I can't wait to see it!!! 

Dinner tonight: I think I'll do BLTs with a summer salad. 

And that's all I've got. Time to get my bike ride on so I can get my jobs done around here and then relax. Happy Friday! Later!

Damn Internal Dog Clocks!

Once again, I was hoping to sleep in today (and by sleeping in I mean 6:30). My dang doggies had other plans, however. I don't know how they know when it's 6:00 but sure enough, to the minute it seems, I've got Boo on top of me, accosting me with his tongue (with little nibbles here and there) and Scout pawing at my head. I mean, what did I ever do to them?! I think it's just that they miss me so much while I'm sleeping and they go as long as they can until it's just too much. I'm going to believe it's that and not their addiction to the sweet potato wrapped in chicken jerky. 

Man oh man I nearly died yesterday. As I mentioned, I tackled the lawn. I wasn't sure I would mow both front and back but as I was mowing the front yard, I felt pretty good and thought, No problem...I can do the back too! Then, about 10 passes away from finishing the front I started losing energy. But, I powered through, finished the front strong and took about a 10 minute break. I hydrated, gassed the mower up and moved to the back. At one point, I thought Is this where it all ends? Is Jim going to find me sprawled out on my face caked in grass cuttings? It was awful. This heat is killing me. But, I finished and it felt great. When I went to change (for the second time that morning since I'd already had to put on dry clothes after walking the dogs) I had to literally ring out my clothes because they were dripping. It was as though I'd jumped in the spa. It's done though and for that I'm glad. 

After that debacle, I ended up laying in the spa all day. It was lovely and the vitamin D revived me as I knew it would. Oh, and it was a record for the amount of move calories I burnt on my Apple Watch. I have it set on 600 for the day and by 9:30 it was already at 938. Yowza. (IYKYK). 

Today my plan is to clean the house, swim before the rain/storms move in and then who knows. Maybe I'll read or maybe I'll start watching the new Netflix show Leanne. I love her (Leanne Morgan) and I hope it's good. Nick, the dude who did our deck and patio is supposed to come out and look at the patio since it needs fixing. He's supposed to show after work (probably around 4:00). We'll see if he shows. It's been tough getting him to return texts etc. The problem is that when they poured the cement for the patio, Nick stated he wasn't happy with the consistency, which is why it dried funny (pockmarks and discoloration). I'm hoping it's an easy fix. I'm hoping this is on him 'cause I'm not paying another cent for his mistake. 

Dinner: Meatball hoagies, probably with fries. 

Okay, time to clean the house. Happy Thursday. Later! 

Little Turkeys

I tried to "sleep in" this morning but Boo and Scout just weren't having it. Boo came up to me and though I didn't open my eyes (that would have been the end of everything) he got as close to my face as possible without touching it  to see if I would flinch (I could feel his breath on my eyelids). I didn't move so he got down. I could feel his disappointment which is sort of heartbreaking. Don't worry though. I think less than 5 minute later, he'd had enough of my sleeping antics. He literally jumped up directly on top of me, flopped down on my chest and proceeded to maul my face with his tongue. I was trapped and tried to say, "UH UH!!!" but he wasn't giving in. When I was able to turn my head slightly for a bit of a reprieve what do I find on my right at my head but Scout looming over me with a sock in his mouth. He was so proud. He loves to steal socks. His whole body was shaking from his tail wagging. I mean, how can you be mad at them when they're just so happy to see you in the morning? Granted, Boo only wants me up so I'll get him a stick but I'll take it. 

So yeah, I got about 18 minutes of extra sleep this morning but I'm feeling refreshed. I went up fairly early so I could read but still was asleep I think by 9:00. 

Yesterday was a good day for a number of reasons. First, everything went well for Becky's colonoscopy. As I figured, she was home just before noon and I was home by 12:30. The second thing that happened that was "good" was I found out my teaching schedule for the coming year. I hadn't planned on looking at anything school related but decided to just bite the bullet. Well, after asking for years to have 5th bell plan (the lunch bell which is an hour and a half long), I got it. Additionally I've always asked NOT to have an academic teaching bell for the last bell of the day (kids are dumb by then...not that they aren't anyway) and hallelujah, it worked out! So my schedule is: 

• 1 - Guided Intervention 
• 2 - Guided Intervention
• 3 - LA
• 4 - US History 
• 5 - Plan
• 6 - LA
• 7 - Guided Intervention

If nothing else goes well this year and it all turns to shit, at least I was happy about something for a few days. Woot!

So when I got home yesterday, the guy from Watson's was just ringing my doorbell. Literally, I was pulling into my driveway and my Ring app was informing me that someone at my front door. He wasn't scheduled to be there until at least 1:30 but I'm not complaining. I let him in and he got done what needed to be done within about 30 minutes. BTW - he was just replacing all the insulation in the guts of the spa that he'd had to remove to fix it. So bing, bang, boom, nearly 2 months later, it's all fixed and done. I told him as he left, "I hope I don't have to see you ever again." He answered, "Oh, you eventually will don't you worry." Great! 

My plans today: When I finish here, I need to get the dogs walked ASAP. I then need to mow the lawn. I'm going to try to do both the front and back yards. I'll start with the front and then we'll see. It's so long. It's so oppressive out there it's hard to breathe so who knows if I'll last for the whole thing. Beyond that, I think I'll just hang out in my spa. Fuck it, right? I've got to live these last couple weeks up. 

Dinner tonight: I'm thinking I'll make a salad and some stuffed peppers. 

Okay well, that's all I've got. Time to get these little stinkers walked. Happy Wednesday! Later!

Quickie

I'm going to make this quick so that I can get the boys a quick walk and then shower before heading out the door (around 7:45) to take Becky for her colonoscopy. 

My doctor's appointment got cancelled yesterday because my doctor was sick. I guess it was kismet since I was on the fence about keeping the appointment in the first place. My back hasn't been giving me any issues and it seems like I'm over whatever hump it was the eased the pain. I think sitting for too long aggravates it and I just need to ensure I'm stretching it properly. It'll be interesting once school starts and I do sit at my desk for periods of time. 

As a result, I had some free time yesterday so I went to Costco and Aldi. Bonus, the turkey bacon that I used to get at Costco which they'd not been stocking in the last months, I found at Aldi. So happy! 

I ended up making a hibachi type chicken/veg/fried rice dinner last night and it was delicious. Tonight I think I'll do fish and chips. Something easy. 

I got an email from our "principal" yesterday with the master schedule attached. I haven't looked at it yet because I refuse until August. I don't need my summer any earlier than it already will because school starts way too early. 

Maggie et al made it home after some delays in Philly yesterday. Glad they're back safe and sound and had a good time even with Charlie's niece's antics. 

And that's all I've got. Again, I'll be heading into the city around 7:45 to pick up Becky and take her to her 9:00 colonoscopy appointment. Not sure how long that will be but I'm assuming she'll be done and home around noon. From there, I'll come home and do some swimming and then who knows. I need to mow the yard but won't get to it until at least tomorrow morning. I won't mow in this heat. 

K - best get the boys out. Later!

Reality

I don't want to think about counting down the days I have left but I can't believe it's almost August. It's so depressing. I know I should have a better attitude about my job but it's so hard when things there are so uncertain. We have no real leadership and the atmosphere is so toxic. I don't want to think anymore about it than that right now. 

The weekend was good. We ended up having a little impromptu get together with all the neighbors and there might have been shots involved. Surprisingly, I felt great when I got up Saturday though I was a little tired. Jim had a funeral to go to early and was out and about doing that until about 2:00. Beyond that, we just hung out and got take out Chinese. 

Sunday was pretty chill. I made breakfast and, praise Jesus, Jim decided to get on his bike and do a few laps around the neighborhood. He's trying to get back in shape but is so unmotivated. After breakfast, I had him get his suit on and together we got in the spa and exercised. He managed to do 10 minutes of arms and 10 minutes of legs which for him is really good. I'm hoping that he'll keep this up but it takes a lot of prodding. He needs to want to do it and I know that at the end of the day he's not energized. Not to mention this heat and humidity. Ugh! 

Today I have my doctor's appointment. I was tempted to cancel since I'm not having any back pain but decided to go in anyway. On the one hand I'm so happy that it went away but on the other I'm like, What the fuck!? For 6 months my back consistently gave me fits and then suddenly, after I finally break down and make an appointment, it goes away? Weird. And it's not like I've done much different. I'm still walking, doing yoga, swimming, biking and ellipticizing. Oh well, I guess I should count my lucky stars. 

Maggie and family return today from their trip to Gulf Shores. I'll be interested to hear all the detes. I got some snippets from Maggie via text about their niece and I can't wait to hear more. Apparently she hasn't changed her ways at all as she's gotten older. I'd say matured but it doesn't seem she's done that. 

Dinner: I'm going to do something with chicken and zucchini, probably hibachi if the weather holds but we're supposed to get pop-ups so who knows. 

And that's all I've got. Time to get the pups walked before it gets too oppressive out there. Later!

Humidity

I'm listening to a book right now that takes place in Georgia and the narrator/author described the humidity down there like walking around with a blanket on. I'm going to revise that and say it's like a wet blanket engulfing you when you walk out there. Seriously miserable. I left here extra early today to walk Birdie and she barely made it one lap around the park. I knew she wouldn't be able to do her normal walk (through the neighborhoods) but I was hoping for two laps. Poor girl. I'm sure she's exhausted and wondering what the fuck Mother Nature's problem is. This summer's heat has really been awful. 

It's currently 7:30 and my plan is to hit the road by 9:00. I was going to stay later but there's a big system that's going to hit this area by 10:00 and I want to be well south by then. Hopefully there won't be any rain on my way back home. 

Yesterday was a good day. I mentioned that I was taking Mom and whiskers to the vet and that went off without a hitch. Although the appointment was at 10:00 and we probably didn't get into a room until after 10:30. It was fine though. I will say that if I had to hear mom talk in Whisker's voice one more minute (saying the same thing over and over again) I might have stuck a pick in my ear. She kept saying, "Momma...I'm a good girl! I was such a good girl at the vet." And then Mom would answer as her, "You'll have to tell your sister, Dina, how good you were." And then as Whisker's she would answer, "SHE'S NOT MY SISTER!!!" I finally asked mom, "Why is Whiskers such a bitch to Dina?" She didn't have an answer for that. 

After we finished at the vet I dropped Whiskers back home (Mom was concerned I was going to leave her in the car while we lunched. She obviously thinks I'm a cat murderer...maybe she was confusing me with Maggie...hee hee) and we headed to Houlihan's. Mom got their potato soup and that was a whole thing. First of all, she told me she was going to order the tomato bisque but then ordered the potato. When it came she was eating it and she said, "I don't know what this is but it's delicious." I said, "It's their potato soup." Mom said, "I'll have to remember that so I get it next time I come." I said, "You've had it several times. I'd say the last two times we were here together you got it." She said, "I don't think so but, whatever." I wanted to say, "Mom, do you think I remember correctly, or you?" But I refrained. 

After lunch, mom was yawning and I dropped her home. From that point on, I was in the pool...until about 3:00. I watch a movie, ate dinner, read and went to sleep. 

Plans for the day: Once I get home I'm hoping the weather holds so I can get a swim in. No way in hell will I be walking my boys today. They'd be miserable anyway and their paws  couldn't take it. Dinner will be barbecue chicken (my neighbor brought me my favorite sauce from Michigan which is a cherry BBQ and so freaking good), zucchini and probably yellow rice. Aside from that, we'll probably just hang at home. 

Tomorrow there's a memorial service for a guy Jim knew growing up, Scott Steins. He was a Cliftonite. He was actually a good friend of Karmen's and Kristyn dated his brother. I was just reading his obituary and wow did he have a full life even if he was only 60 when he died. Worked with Hilary Clinton on her healthcare plan, studied in Cambridge, was a administrator at a hospital in Cambridge and then worked for the government, specifically USAID. Anyway, Jim's got some friends in from SF and they'll be going to the service tomorrow and then who knows. 

K - time to get my shit together and head out. Happy Friday! Later!

Here We Are

Here I am again at Maggie's house keeping an eye on Mom and Birdie. I arrived around 11:00 yesterday and Birdie acted like she didn't know me at first. She was sitting in her usual spot (on top of the cushions on the couch) with her ears back unsure of WFT. I put on my sweetest voice, lifted her up and cuddled and kissed her which brought her out of her funk. She did whine and cry a little, probably realizing she'd in fact been left behind while Maggie et al went south. 

Immediately, after arriving, I put on my suit and for the next couple hours I lazed about in the pool. It was a beautiful day and what else was I going to do? Around 2:00, I went in and chilled until about 3:15. At that point, I headed to Mom's to hang for a couple hours. As usual, I heard many a story about her cats and how good they are. I couldn't help myself saying once, "Yeah, until they pee all over the place." I'm not nice. We watched some HGTV and by about 5:00, my allergies were acting up so I left to come back to Maggie's. For the rest of the night I watched TV and read with Birdie in my lap. I slept okay (Birdie finally came in around 10:00 to cuddle) but tossed and turned a bit. 

I got up around 6:00 and at 6:04 Mom was calling me. She's apparently out of checks and we're taking Whiskers to the vet this morning. I told her I'd pay if need be and she could pay me back. Whatever...no big deal. I did email Maggie to see if she knew where the hell her checks are but I haven't heard back. Other than that, Mom said she'd enjoy going to lunch afterwards so we'll head to Houlihan's around 11:00. Beyond that, I plan on staying cool in the pool. It's going to be a scorcher. 

Who knows what dinner will be tonight. I'll probably just find something leftover in Maggie's fridge to eat. 

My plans for tomorrow are to wake up (hopefully), walk Birdie and then head back home, probably around 9 or 10. Anne will be here after work tomorrow, I believe. Not sure if I'll post tomorrow...we'll see. 

Maggie, you will be happy to know I brewed myself a cafe latte and am enjoying it as I type. 

Oh, my back is back to giving me fits. It's not as bad as it was when I was at PIB and the yoga is certainly helping but I'm definitely not going to cancel my appointment for Monday. 

Okay time to shower and get a move on. I have to leave here around 9:30 to go to Mom's to load up Whiskers and then head to the vet. Wish me luck. Later!

A Twinge

I woke up and felt a twinge of the back pain I've been feeling. It's nowhere near what it was but I'd been on the fence about keeping my appointment Monday so with this development, I'll keep it. I just hope it doesn't get worse. I'll do some back yoga after this and hope I just need to continue stretching it out and working to open my hip flexors. 

In other news, Scout did NOT tease his brother this morning. When I got up, Boo had eaten but Scout hadn't (Jim got up before me) so while I fixed my coffee, Scout decided he wanted to eat. Afterward, I gave both boys their sticks and halleluiah, Scout ate his right up. 

Yesterday was just a lovely day. I walked the boys, did yoga, took a really nice bike ride, swam and laid out. Around 4:00 my neighbor sent a text asking if I wanted to enjoy a cocktail, which of course I did. Hamburgers for dinner and an early bedtime to read my book rounded everything out. It's nice to have a day where I have nothing to do. 

Plans today: After I finish this I'll go up and do some yoga. By the time I'm done, the sun should be up enough for me to walk the boys. After that I'll swim and then get ready to head north. I'll be staying at Maggie's until Friday while they're out of town (Anne takes over Friday evening), watching Birdie and making sure Mom is all set. Most likely this means that for dinner tonight I'll just eat whatever I can find in their refrigerator. 

So Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Ozzy died. Who's next because you know it always happens in threes? 

And that's all I've got I guess. I feel like there was something, I'm sure really important, to tell you but now, of course, I can't remember. Oh well. I'll send an alert out if it comes back to me. 

Safe travels to the Egberts and me today. Later!

Too Smart

Stick under the coffee table
(I know, it looks like poop)

I've mentioned before how funny and smart my pups are (I know I'm biased but it's true) but things are getting ridiculous around here. So every morning, after the boys eat, they get a dried sweet potato stick wrapped in chicken jerky. They LOVE these. Of course Boo immediately scarfs his down but Scout being the little turkey he is, takes his and teases his brother with it. How it usually plays out is Scout will take his and lay on his pillow while Boo watches him, hoping Scout will get distracted and walk away so that he can swoop in and gobble it up. This morning I feel like the teasing has gone too far and Scout's just being plain mean to his brother. 

Scout, being a turkey

Here's the scene: We're all in the family room. I'm sitting in middle of the couch with Scout on my left, lounging in his pillow (shown) but completely focused on his brother across the room (shown) acting like he's just sitting there minding his own business and not absolutely aware of the unattended treat. In between the two, under the coffee table is the sweet potato stick. I know what Scout is doing; he's waiting for his brother's attempt at thievery so that he can pop up and grab the treat which will leave Boo totally defeated. He'll then NOT eat the treat and instead start the teasing process all over. I'm not kidding, this process can last for over an hour. I've seen it. Siblings can be such little brats! Believe me, I know. HA! (UPDATE: Boo just gave Scoutie a little irritated, you're-an-asshole growl.) 

Boo, acting nonchalant

I'm up way too early but only because I went to bed way too early. I went up last night around 7:30 to read, which I did, for about an hour. I then turned off the iPad, probably around 8:30 and was thus up and at 'em before 5:30. In other words, after 9 hours of sleep, my body was ready to go. I'm not mad about it because once I finish this, I'll get the dogs walked and then be able to get my yoga done and then maybe a bike ride. It's going to be a lovely day with cool temps this morning so why not?

Okay, get this: Remember my back problem? Issues since January...peak pain last week...can't take it anymore...gotta figure this out? Well, yesterday, I made an appointment with my GP. (Next Monday at 11:30.) Of course when I got up yesterday I had no pain but I figured it was just a matter of time. I did my yoga (a back stretch) and, no pain. I swam...no pain. I went through my day...no pain. I went to bed, slept, woke up this morning. Guess what? NO PAIN!!! Here's my conundrum: Do I keep my appointment? If by Friday things are still sunny with my back, do I just cancel? I feel like I should but I don't know. And beyond that, what the fuck!? I mean, I'm not kidding you, there hasn't been a day since about January where my back didn't give me at least a minor fit once a day. Is this just age? Ugh! 

Dinner tonight: Hamboogers, corn and a caprese salad. Yummy.

Okay that's all I've got. The dogs are still in their corners and when I get up to walk them here in a minute, I know there's going to be a move made. Especially when Scout realizes I'm getting ready. He'll forget about his treat and follow me around which will give Boo his chance. And he's already had his treat! He doesn't get another one. He's chunky enough. K - Happy Tuesday. Later!

Just Another Monday

It shouldn't be too manic (Monday that is) with only a few things on my to-do list. I did my best to beat the heat and have already walked the dogs but there's no beating the humidity. It's awful and I'm soaked. Once I finish this, I'll go do some yoga to try and stretch my back out (more on that in a minute) then, depending on the time I'll either take a swim or go to the grocery (and take a swim after). I can't get to the grocery before 10:00 because the seafood department doesn't open before then (which is so stupid) and I need to get some crab cakes for dinner. After all that is accomplished, I'll be free to do whatever my heart desires. If it's nice, I'll lay out. If not, I'll hang and read my book. 

Speaking of which, I'm reading the new Wally Lamb, The River Is Waiting. He's one of my favorite authors but his subject matter is never easy and this one is no exception. It follows a man to prison after his careless mistake causes an unimaginable tragedy. I won't give more than that away and I am liking it but I woke up last night thinking about it and then couldn't get back to sleep. Additionally, I'm listening to the second book in a series by John McMahon called The Evil Men Do. (I physically read the first one and really liked it and started to read this one but then the Wally Lamb came available and figured I'd switch out to the audiobook...it's really good.) 

The weekend was good. I got home Friday around noon and after unpacking I laid around. My back was really giving me fits and I didn't want to do anything. I made dinner and then Jim and I just hung out with the boys. Saturday we cleaned and I mowed the backyard before Terri and Marc came over around 2:00. We hot tubbed it for a bit (until the storm rolled in) then ate dinner (taco bowls) and they were on their way home around 8:00. It was a lovely visit and as usual, we made promises to do it more often. I've said it before, my friendship with Terri is so easy. No matter how long it's been, it's always like we were just together. God, I guess I've known her over 25 years. That's crazy! 

Yesterday Jim and I chilled out, walked the dogs, before heading to Shooters for a bit. It's probably been over a month at least since I've been there. When we got home I decided to mow the front yard while Jim did some weeding. Dinner was pasta. I was in bed fairly early so I could read my book. 

My back: I've been dealing with pain for a long time now but last week it sort of came to a head and I need to get it checked out. Of course I woke up today with virtually no pain. It's so frustrating because when that happens I think Okay, it's gone! But I know it probably isn't so I need to call my GP and see what she thinks I should do. I'm guessing she'll put in a referral for someone. My neighbor works for Mayfield (Brain and Spine) but I don't know that I want to go there because I don't want her all up in my business. Anyway, I'm going to buckle down and call my GP and see what she says. I need to follow my own advice to others and just fucking do it!

And that's all I've got. Time to get some yoga going and then finish up the rest of my routine. Happy Monday! Later!

Jim's A Douche

Why is it that if something needs to be done, and done right, I'm the only one who can do it? Why can't people just follow simple fucking directions? And by people, I think we all know I mean Jim. 

So my neighbors are out of town and they have a dog who they sadly left behind. (Sidenote: I just don't get leaving a sweet puppy for a week with no one to be there at night. Scout and Boo would be so sad and lonely.) For the first few days while I was out of town, they had a neighbor kid let Reggie out a few times a day. I started taking care of him on Monday. Typically, I let him out at 6ish, take him for a walk and then let him out a few more times during the day and finally, hang with him for about an hour before putting him to bed for the night. When I left Tuesday, the task of all of the above (minus the walk) was left to Jim and my other neighbor, Katie. 

The other part of taking care of things is to feed the fish in each of the kids' rooms. This entails turning on the tank light and then giving each a little fish food. (BTW - fish are stupid. Birds are stupid. Bearded dragons are fucking stupid. Sorry but these are all things I've had to deal with when taking care of neighbors shit and it's annoying.) At night, when putting Reggie to bed, the fish light gets turned off. Easy right? Apparently not. When I talked to Jim yesterday morning and asked how things went he said, "OH FUCK! I didn't feed the fish!" So I sent a text to Katie and asked her to do it. Of course it wasn't a problem for her but why can't Jim complete a task? Guess what Jim said TODAY when I talked to him? If you guessed that he didn't feed the fucking fish, you would be spot on. He said, "You're going to have to text Katie and let her know." I'm like, "I'M going to have to text her? Text her your fucking self!" 

Oh, and I love that Katie punked Jim yesterday after she had to feed the fish and told him that they were floating. She said Jim nearly had a heart attack. He deserved it. 

Not sure if you can tell but I'm in a bit of a foul mood. I'll get out of it here in a minute once I let all this out and once my body soaks up my mimosa. Oh, and of course my neighbors extended their trip a day. And did my neighbor text me? Nope. They sent Jim the text. Annoying. 

Plans for the day: The wind has kicked up considerably. They're currently steady at about 25mph which means the lake is kind of angry. Charlie is supposed to come up and bring the boat but I'm not sure that's going to happen. We'll see though because his arrival is supposed to be around dinner time when the lake should be a bit calmer. It's currently pretty cloudy and overcast but it should clear out which will mean it's a pool day. Dinner: Taco salad. 

I'll be leaving here tomorrow fairly early so won't be posting. Weekend plans: We're having my friends Terri and her husband Marc over Saturday for some spa lounging and dinner. They'll be over around 2:00 and I'm hoping the weather cooperates. 

K - time to check to see if I won the Powerball. Wish me luck. Later!

Here Again

What is this, my 4th trip up this year since May? I got to the ferry at 11 and was the last car allowed on. There was more room for more cars but there were a shit ton of people. Once I arrived, sat down and talked to all and then unpacked and made my bed, we all headed down to the pool. We stayed there until about 2:00 then came home. Trip, JJ and I went out on the paddleboards/kayak and took a little jaunt around Gibraltar. Once we returned, Trip and JJ went out on the wave runner on a little trip around the island. The water was smooth as a baby's bottom so after JJ Trip took me out. It was lovely. 

After all our fun in the water it was time for a little relaxation and some Skip-Bo. We played 4 games in all and we all won one. Woot! Dinner was spaghetti and a salad. The Arbaughs then went to Dairy Isle for a little treat (I stayed home and called Jimmy) and before bed we tuned into the All-Star game. I didn't last too long; I think I was in bed by about 9:00? 

I was up at 6:00 and slept like a little baby rock. I'm sleeping in the old twin bedroom and that bed feels so good especially with the issues I've had with my back lately. Susan and I went and worked out and on the way home, stopped for some coffee at Topsy Turvy. 

Plans for the day: Maggie and Eva should be here around 10, hopefully catching the 9:30. We're expecting a bit o' rain today but hopefully it will be out of here by about 1:00. From there, I'm guessing you can find us at the pool. 

Not sure what we'll do for dinner tonight. Maybe tacos, maybe chicken something who knows and who cares. I'm sure it will be delicious. 

And that's all I've got. I guess I'll wait until Maggie gets here to have a mimosa. Happy (what day is it?) Wednesday. Later!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Sorry this is so late but I've been crazy busy this morning and still have a ton of shit to do. I'm headed back to the Bay tomorrow and in getting ready for that as well as exercising and taking care of the dog next door, I've not had a chance to sit down until now. 

So far I've done yoga which was much needed because my back is killing me. I really need to figure out what's going on there. After I did that, I walked first Boo (1 mile) then Scout (about a mile and a half) and then Reggie from next door (about a mile). By the look of me after the walk, you'd have thought I just got out of the pool; I was literally dripping. It's so freaking humid out there. Oh, and it did sprinkle a little but who could tell? 

Once I finish with this I'll make my grocery list and then head to Aldi and Kroger. I hate having to go to both but I need to get dog food. I also need to do laundry, pack, clean and then hopefully get a swim in. 

Speaking of which, the spa is doing well. Still no leak and bonus, the chemicals were pretty spot on when I came back from PIB on Friday. I've had to tweak things here and there but nothing major. I think I'm finally figuring things out there. I never heard back from Bullfrog about the shit show I was given so I'm going to construct an email and send it soon. Nothing will probably come from it but I have to try. Best case scenario, they extend my warranty. 

My plans for tomorrow: I plan on getting up around 5:00 in order to wake up, finish packing and walk the dogs. They won't get their big walk but they'll at least get something. I'd like to get Reggie out as well since it's really the only time he gets much interaction. Poor boy. (He was so happy when I pulled his leash out today. He probably ran around in circles for a solid 60 seconds.) I'm hoping to get on the road by no later than 8:00 but I'm shooting for a little earlier...we'll just have to see. I'll take my computer with me to post but most likely won't post tomorrow. 

What else? Dinner tonight will be a ham and pea pasta. I wanted to make something so Jim would have some leftovers while I'm gone and it's a good one. 

Okay well, I need to get a move on if I want to get all my shit done. Happy Monday! Later! Oh, and safe travels to Trip and family who are headed to the Bay today. Ta!

Last Day

On the one hand, I'm sad that today is our last day but on the other, I can't wait to see my babies. Plus, I plan on coming back up next week. I'm also sad that Maggie's leaving me today but again, I think she'll be back up next week. 

Yesterday was a lovely day. It started with Maggie and I (mostly Maggie) making breakfast. After that the girls wanted to go out on the wave runner. I took them each (separately) on a ride around the island. It as really smooth and though we didn't catch any exciting waves I think they enjoyed it. 

After that, we headed to the pool which was much needed in this muggy, hot weather. We were there until about 3:00 and came home to rest, shower and get ready for dinner. We ended up going to The Crew's Nest because it was such a nice night and why wouldn't you want to eat outside and look at the lake. Our meal was good although the service was a little slow but that's okay. I need to be more patient anyway and what else did I have to do? 

Once home, we hunkered down for a bit to watch the Reds beat the Marlins and then Maggie and I went out to the seawall to watch the sunset for a bit. (Michigan stole it again.) I was in bed around 9:00, watched a show and finally closed my eyes around 10:00. 

Plans for the day: I've exercised and am currently sitting here with a mimosa. I'm sure some of my day will be laundry and getting the house ready/cleaned for Trip and Susan's arrival. Although, it's pretty clean so there isn't much to do. It's another gorgeous day so I might go to the pool for a bit though I don't know that Jim will be into that but I'm fine to go by myself. He likes hanging in the adult part though so maybe he'll throw me a bone. We have reservations to go to The Goat at 5:30. 

Tomorrow, as usual, we'll probably wake up early and catch a pretty early ferry. I'd like to be home by 2:00, latest but I'd bet we'll be home long before then. I can't wait to see my lovies though they probably don't miss me since they've had Diane loving on them all week. 

K - time to enjoy this day, sip my mimosa and maybe watch the Wimbledon men's semifinals
Wimbledon. Later!

Down Day

I don't know what it was yesterday, the weather maybe, but I was just very low energy. Not to mention that at the end of the day my belly was giving me fits. And because I don't usually have belly issues anymore, I always get freaked out because it takes me back to last year when I got C-diff. That was the worst. I'm sure it's just that I'm not eating or doing my normal things so my belly is rebelling. I feel fine now (sort of) and it's a beautiful day (so far) so I'm planning on having a different attitude. 

I also didn't go work out yesterday although Maggie and I took a nice, long walk. However, my knee started hurting again. I came home and iced it and it feels a lot better now. It didn't hurt at all on the elliptical this morning. 

Good news! They started digging Trip and Susan's pool! It's so exciting. The snafu that they ran into last week seems to be not so major (a curtain drain...kind of like a French drain) and they can take care of it after the pool is complete. Phew! I dreamt about their install last night (it was too crazy to go into) and I hope that things proceed at a saner pace than they did in my dream. 

Plans for the day: It's Maggie's last day so we'll make the most of it. To start, we'll have breakfast here and then I think it's a pool day. Before that happens, I foresee a game or two of Skip-Bo (Maggie's hooked). We're going out to dinner tonight at the Forge, I believe. I've not been there for dinner yet. Actually, I've only had drinks there but Maggie said it's really good.

And that's about all I've got. I'm going to go sit on the couch for a bit before I start getting breakfast ready. Happy Thursday! Later!

I'm A Slacker

Once again, I think we need to blame Maggie for my lack of posting. I told her to remind me and guess what? She didn't. I can't be expected to remember everything.

What day is it? Wednesday? I can't keep it straight. So Maggie, Eva and Brooklyn got here Monday around 10:00. We went to Reel Bar for lunch (where I won $108 playing Keno!!!) then came home and since it was a rainy kind of day, Jim, Maggie and I played some Rummikub and Skip-Bo. Dinner was spaghetti.

Yesterday was gorgeous and we ended up hanging at the pool most of the day. Afterwards, Maggie and I went to the Crew's Nest for a drink or two which got slightly interrupted. I had just been served a glass of wine when Jim called asking me to pick him up at the hardware store. Apparently the seat and handlebars on the bike he was riding went wonky. And apparently no one at the HARDWARE store could find any Allen wrenches to fix the damn thing. (How are people that stupid?) Anyway, I ran to pick him up, take him and the damn bike home and then rejoined Maggie. We grilled burgers for dinner.

Today is very overcast. Not sure if it will clear up. Jim just went to breakfast (Maggie and I weren't into it) and most likely it'll be a chill day of maybe Skip-Bo etc...just depends on the weather. We might go out to lunch. I might get on the paddleboard/kayak but my knee is acting up so we'll see.

And that's all I've got. Time to kick Maggie's ass in Skip-Bo. Later!

Back At The Bay

My view

Currently, I'm sitting out front (dockside) looking at the Bay and awaiting Maggie, Eva and Brooklyn's arrival. I got up early (5:30...couldn't sleep anymore) so that I could work out and get home before Dottie, the cleaning lady arrived. She got here around 7:15 and Jim and I went and ate breakfast at Frosty's. Upon driving back up to the cottage, Dottie and one of her ladies were headed out to another clean, leaving behind one girl to finish up the mopping. Hopefully she'll be outta hear quickly so I can go shower and get ready for my day. 

I'd expect Maggie et al to make the 9:30 ferry but I'm still waiting to hear her ETA. Not sure why she hasn't responded to my text. Rude. 

Plans today: It's all up in the air and there are no set plans except for dinner (spaghetti, salad, garlic bread). I'm hoping these clouds move out so that we can enjoy the pool. It's really calm right now and would probably be a good time to get out on the wave runner and/or kayak. I did go out on both yesterday and it was lovely. I'm still not completely comfortable on the wave runner. It's very tippy in my opinion. It's fine when it's just me but I'm not as comfortable with a passenger. I just need to keep telling myself that these machines are meant to be buoyant and if I go in the drink, it's fine. I mean I went in last year when I had two girls on the back and we were all fine I just don't like that unexpected wipe out. 

Oh! Totally forgot about my swim spa drama. So yeah, The tech guy (Darek) came on Thursday and fixed it. He said it was one of the more difficult fixes he's had. When he left, he instructed me to wait at least 2 hours before filling her. I told him I'd wait until the morning to give the cement and glue plenty of time to dry. I asked him about the possibility of it still leaking. He said, A) if it's going to leak, you'll know within about 30 minutes of filling it and in the 9 years he's worked at Watson's with this type of fix, there have only been 2 times when it was still leaking and at that point it was a much bigger problem. Ugh. I told him that with my luck, he could probably count on #3. 

Fast forward to Friday morning. I went out when it got light and checked out the cement to ensure it was dry. It was. I then put the hose in and started filling it. I checked a bit later and saw not water. I walked Scout and came back and checked again and there was a small puddle. FUCK! So I turned off the water and sent a quick text to Darek saying, "I think it's leaking. I'll obviously call Watson's but wanted to let you know and see if you could help expedite this when Monday rolls around." After thinking about it, I thought I should just fill it and see what happens. So I asked Darek if that's what I should do and he said, "Yes". So I did. 

After that, while it filled (having soaked up the water I'd seen) I kept checking and there was no water. It was done filling around 4:00 and after releasing the air from the jets, I powered everything on and it seemed to be running well. I kept any eye on it and by Sunday, there was still no water. I sent Darek a text telling him we were in the clear and apologized for being a freak. He sent me a text this morning telling me it was understandable. 

Before leaving for the Bay, I got the chemicals pretty well balanced and then yesterday morning, I slightly over-chlorinated and added a bunch of pH down to help keep the alkalinity balanced. Fingers crossed that when I get back, it will still be clear. 

I will say that I spent about 4 hours in the thing on Sunday and was just so freaking happy. It was just lovely and everything I'd hoped it would be. I just hope this is the end of the drama for a while. 

And that's about all I've got. I'm feeling a few raindrops right now so I'd best get back inside. Maybe I'll fix myself a little mimosa. Happy Monday! I'll try to post early tomorrow. Later!

Slowest Week Ever

I don't know if it's because I'm looking forward to going to PIB on Sunday or if I'm just anticipating the spa getting fixed or maybe because I'm having to watch Lou, but holy shit has this week crept by. Not that I'm complaining. I wish my whole summer seemed this long but it just seems to have been a lot of sitting and waiting. Well at least today is Jim's Friday and I won't have to walk Boo tomorrow. (I started typing Sami...that's funny.)

I think I found the solution for ensuring Lou doesn't go stir crazy: Outside time. I went over yesterday around 3:30 and stayed for about an hour with him outside. He enjoyed chasing the ants, freaking out when my watch caused the sun to dance around the driveway and then just lazing in the grass. Then after dinner, around 7:30 we hung out again until it was obvious he wanted to go back inside. That dog is definitely an indoor dog which is good since that's where he spends the majority of his time. I will say, I'm excited that Doug and Lauren will be home tomorrow. Not that Lou's been a pain but it's just more extra than I want. 

Plans for the day: The repair guy from Watson's should be here between 8 and 10. I'm hoping early since it seems I'm his first appointment. I'm going to see if he has any opinion about filling the tub or not before I leave for the Bay. I'm just curious if he thinks it's possible for me to fill it and get it in shape chemically before leaving and then I'll see if he thinks it wise to leave for nearly a week. 

If he's finished at a reasonable time, I'll lay out. Other than that I've got nothing. I was going to shop for PIB but I'll probably just put that off for Saturday to ensure the food is as fresh as possible. 

Dinner: I pulled some shredded chicken and will probably make some chicken salad (curry style). Maybe serve it with some corn and tater tots? 

And I've got nothing else to talk about. I look forward to hearing how the pool install goes for Trip and Susan (pictures!). I'm sure it'll go swimmingly (see what I did there?). Later! 

Too Big

Don't get me wrong, I really like Lou (D&L's dog). He's sweet and not intentionally harmful but he's just too big for his own good! And anyone else's good for that matter. Why do people get dogs that are more than they can handle? Seriously, it's so dangerous. Not only to others (people and other animals) but also to themselves. Last night I went over for the last part of the evening to hang with Lou for the last time before bedtime. I took him out, he peed and then, like the night before, I went and settled on the couch to read for a bit and give him some people time. Lou settled on the couch as well to gaze out the window. About 10 minutes later, he got a feather up his but and started trying to play with me. The problem is that Lou is 150 pounds of gangly Great Dane. He doesn't mean to be rough but how can he help it? When I wasn't putting up him throwing himself of me and taking my whole arm in his mouth (he never bit down),  he kept trying to sit on me. Uh, nope. When that wasn't acceptable, he just stood in front of me and barked. Nope, nope dude. So, the hour that I was going to spend with him turned into about 20 minutes. I'm sure not having his family around is making him a little stir crazy.  

BTW - in regard to all of the above, Lauren has talked about how rough and tumble he is. She'll have bruises from his abusing playing with her. This is why she can't trust him on their invisible fence and why when she takes him out, she has to ensure there aren't dogs walking because he'll bolt and ain't no way in hell she'd be able to do anything but be dragged along. Again, why get a dog you just can't handle, no matter how lovey he might be? 

Jim was up and at 'em early today. I noticed he was already up at 4:30 and he kissed me goodbye before 5:30. I guess that's good since he has a short week. Hopefully he'll still get a full 40 hours in this week. 

I finished watching Sirens, a series on Netflix. Really good. Only 5 episodes. Watch it. 

The hot tub should be fixed tomorrow if all goes as planned. I'll be waiting for confirmation today. Interestingly I woke up this morning with an email in my inbox from Bullfrog (the brand of my spa) asking me how I'm loving my new purchase. I plan on emailing them back with the truth of what I've been dealing with. I'll be interested to see if they even give a shit. 

Dinner tonight: I think I'll just do sausage patties with fries and maybe green beans. Easy and yummy.

Plans for the day: After I finish this, I'll go over to let Lou out again. Then I'll do some Pilates and maybe I'll take a bike ride since it's so beautiful. The humidity has dropped significantly, for now. Other than that, maybe I'll just lay out a bit and enjoy this weather. 

Okay, time to get a move on and write my reply to Bullfrog. Happy Wednesday. Later.

Rude Awakening!

I was sleeping like a baby rock, didn't even hear Jim get up when suddenly, my devil dogs espied what I'm assuming was a deer just outside our window (most likely eating from the bird feeders). Every corner of my room was suddenly filled with the screaming barks of Scout with Boo echoing in his most ferocious woof woof woof. I yelled out, "MAMMA'S TRYING TO SLEEP" but they didn't care. I looked at my clock and it wasn't even 5:30 yet. UGH! Oh well, I got up anyway because I needed to take care of Lou, which I've done and managed to just beat the downpour that's about to hit. 

So yeah, my morning routine will be a bit tweaked today because we've got heavy rain this morning. As a result, I'll move my dog walk to later in the day or at least when the rain slows down. After this I'll get some Pilates in, go back over to let Lou out to poop (he just ate his breakfast) and then who knows.

I'm getting things together for PIB. I talked to my aunt last night and they'll be out of there early Sunday (my cousin is flying out to Florida and needs to get back to Cleveland). I was hoping this would be so because I'd planned on getting to the Bay by about 10 or 11 and hate having to work around those who haven't left yet. 

Ooh, good news: Trip texted yesterday to say they're starting the pool install THIS WEEK! I can only imagine how excited and nervous he is because I just went through something similar; not as major but still. So excited for him and I'm excited to play some pool volleyball again.

Dinner tonight: Cobb salad. It's not even July and I'm already running out of things to make. That's not really true since I've been trying to use the Blackstone more but there are only so many ways you can grill chicken. Speaking of which, my copycat hibachi chicken was soooooo good last night. Part of that was the Yum Yum sauce...delicious. 

Jim said to me just before 6:00 this morning, "I gotta get going is that okay?" I said, "Why are you asking me if you can go to work? Go on, GET!" He said, "Well, I just have a lot to do since it's a short week." I said, "What do you mean a short week?" He said, "Friday is a holiday." I asked, "It is?" He said, "July 4th?" Oh yeah...totally forgot. I said, "Well get the hell outta here! Get your 40 in by Thursday!" 

I read a good book that I'll recommend: The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers. It's a mystery and I thought I knew what the hell was going on but ended up NOT which is always a positive in a mystery. I'm now onto one of 2024s top mysteries (I'm suddenly into mysteries) called Head Cases by John McMahon. It's #1 in a series so hopefully it'll be worth my while. 

K - time to get on my mat. Happy Tuesday. Later!

The Best

I'm up and at 'em a little early today because I want to get the boys walked and my exercising done before it gets too terribly hot. The temps today aren't going to be too bad but it's still muggy as hell and we're expecting storms. 

In terms of my post title, I have a couple things to talk about. First of all, my Ninja Creami. So far I'm loving it. I've made several concoctions so far which include: Vanilla, strawberry, peach, chocolate peanut butter, chocolate and orange dreamsicle. My favorites are the peach, vanilla and orange. I like the chocolate a lot but I know Jim won't like it because I used Greek yogurt in that one and it's very Greek yogurty. I've still got a lot to learn but I'm figuring things out and look forward to experimenting. I think my next batch will include frozen fruit that I have to make a sorbet. You can also make your own Blizzards and even milkshakes. It's pretty fucking great. 

The second best thing that I discovered is a restaurant we tried last night with Doug and Lauren. It's called Tony's Italian Restaurant and I'm pretty sure it was the best traditional Italian I've ever had. It's right near us in Montgomery, tucked away in a litle strip mall and only seats about 40 people so you have to get there early. Thankfully we walked in at 5:00 and there was one free table. I tried everyone's dish but Lauren's (Jim tried hers though and loved it) and they were all phenomenal. I had the Eggplant parmigiana (my fave) and I'm not kidding you, I moaned when I took my first bite. Jim had a tortellini alapana (so good); Doug, the Bolognese and Lauren had fettucine alfredo. Each dish comes with a salad and two "knots" of garlic bread. They don't have a liquor license yet (they've only been opened about 3 months) but you can bring your own and there's no corking fee. (I didn't mind and was happy with a diet Coke.) I told Jim when we finished that we'll be going there many more times so I can try all the things. I'm still full. 

Plans for the day: Doug and Lauren go to Florida today so I'll be taking care of their animals until Friday. No big deal. Thankfully their dog, Lou, (a great, huge mother fucking Dane) isn't kenneled anymore in their house so I won't feel bad leaving him all caged up. After I walk the boys, I'll do some yoga and then start making my lists for the Bay (we leave Sunday). 

Dinner tonight: I'll be doing a copycat hibachi chicken with fried rice. I was going to do it on the Blackstone but I think it's going to be pretty stormy around dinner so I'll just cook on my stovetop. 

And that's about all I've got. Time to get a move on. Happy Monday. Later!

Back Home

Sorry I haven't posted since Tuesday but I was in Columbus and didn't take my computer. Whoopsie daisies!  

I went to Cbus on Wednesday morning and pretty much Maggie, Eva and I just hung out. I did get some pool time in but it rained a bit both days which meant I wasn't able to improve my tan like I'd hoped. Oh well at least I got to get some quality time in with Ev. I also got to hang with Mom yesterday and Maggie and I took her a couple little gifts and flowers for her birthday, which is tomorrow. I left this morning around 8:00 and I was going to go to Kroger but ended up not feeling great so just came home. I'll send my list to Jimmy and he can stop on the way home. 

I'm excited for my new toy to arrive today: The Ninja Creami. One of my lunch ladies has one and when she had us over for lunch on Tuesday, she gave us samples of the 5 different concoctions she'd made, which included chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, maple pecan and a watermelon sorbet. It's so easy and I'm excited to make some. I'm thinking I'll do a vanilla and a peach to start. Maggie's neighbor brought her some peaches last night and I took a few.. 

Dinner tonight will be chicken and veggies, hibachi style on the Blackstone with fried rice. 

And that's all I've got right now. I'm going to go lay down and hope I feel better. Later!

Heat, Dreams & Annoyances

Holy moly merde it's hot out there. Today's wake-up temp is 74. The minute I finish this I'm heading out to walk the boys before it gets too oppressive. It is just awful out there. 

My plans today: As I mentioned, I'll walk the boys, come home and do some Pilates. Depending on the temps at that point, maybe I'll take a bike ride. I'll then give the house a quick clean and by then I'm sure it will be time to get in the shower. (I'm sure I'll be smelling pretty ripe by that point.) One of my lunch ladies is having us for lunch so I'll leave here around 11:30. That'll be a nice little break in my routine. 

Dinner tonight will be Philly chicken hoagies (on the Blackstone) with caprese salad. Jimmy will be so happy. 

I had one of my recurring dreams last night and it was driving me nuts: I couldn't find my car in a parking lot. Usually I have this dream (as I did last night) where I'm at work and I'm trying to get out of the lot before all the other cars and I can't remember where I parked. I'm running around the lot hitting my unlock/lock button on my remote but every time it "dings" on a car, it's not my car. UGH! And in last night's dream I was trying to leave quickly because I was headed to PIB. It was terrible. Those types of dreams make me feel like I've slept like shit. 

I just looked up the meaning of not being able to find your car and here's what it said: Dreaming about not being able to find your car can symbolize feeling lost, stuck, or out of control in your waking life. The car represents your personal vehicle or calling in life, and struggling to find it suggests you might be feeling stagnant or lacking direction. It could also indicate a dissatisfaction with an aspect of your life or a need for more control. This actually makes sense in regard to my job and the fact that I'm usually at work when I can't find it makes it even more obvious. 

You want to know what drives me nuts? I'll tell you! I'm sitting here watching the local news and a story comes on, "Victim shot in North College Hill". The story basically says, "A man was shot in North College Hill (it then names the street). Officials didn't release any information on the victim's status or if they had a suspect in custody." The end. What drives me nuts is, why even post the story? I guess because it's another example of all the shootings in the city but maybe we could lay off one or two. Just my opinion. Maybe it's a slow news day. Although that makes no sense with the heat wave and the shit storm that is the Middle East.

Okay, well that's all I've got. Time to get the boys out. Happy Tuesday! Oh, and Happy Anniversary Anne and Steve!!! Eight years? 

24 Years!

First off, it's our anniversary today! I totally forgot until I was sitting here watching the news, Jim was getting his coffee ready and I suddenly I thought, What's the date? And then I yelled out, "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!" Jim answered with, "The sham continues! Let's do this for another quarter century." I said, "Let's just focus on getting through this next year!" 

In other news, really the only thing the local news station seems to be talking about: It's hot as f*%k out there! When I finish this, I'm going to get the boys walked lickity split to try and beat the heat. It's only 72 right now but it's like living in the tropics. I'm sure by the time I get finished I'll be a sweaty mess. I thought about also taking a bike ride but it's garbage day and I prefer NOT to get in the trucks way. I'll ellipticize instead. I also need to get back on my yoga mat because it's been too long and I can feel it in my shoulders and hips. I'll try to go back to 2 days yoga and 2 days Pilates. 

The weekend was good. We got back from PIB on Friday around noon and after unpacking and taking care of things around the house, Jim and I just decompressed. Oh, and Jim got a haircut. Saturday we went out to lunch but that was it. Yesterday I made a big breakfast and then laid out for a bit. Around 4:00 we went over to Anne's for a little family get together so we all could see Cullen who is in town until Thursday. 

I don't have much going on this week except tomorrow Carrie of my lunch ladies is having us all over for lunch. I'll head to Columbus on Wednesday I think (home Friday) but other than that, I'll just be chilling. I'll make my menu for the week and also go to Aldi for whatever I need. I'm trying to use stuff up in the freezer so tonight we'll have meat loaf, mashers and probably broccoli. 

And that's all I've got. Time to get dressed and get those boys walked. Happy  Monday! Later! 

Hot & Muggy

Well, I had to break down and turn on the AC. Poor Jimmy was miserable and I had to take pity on him. Truthfully, it was necessary. There isn't much of a breeze and the humidity is 95%. The boys don't like it because they like to smell the lake and watch the bunnies. They can still watch them but it just isn't the same. 

Speaking of the boys, Scout is worn out. I think the days and days of constant walks has finally caught up with him. Yesterday alone, I walked just over 10 miles and by the end of the day, he's wiped. I haven't taken him on a long one yet today but he was lagging behind on his mile walk so maybe today we'll take it a bit easier. We'll see. Plus it looks like there might be storms in our future. 

We went to Pasquale's for breakfast and it was delicious. Tonight we'll go to the Goat for dinner. 

Oh, and I'm stupid. I lost my credit card. The last time I used it was when I paid for parking on Sunday when we all went to Reel Bar for lunch. I remember taking it out of my wallet to verify the numbers for the parking app and I must have dropped it. It's nowhere in my wallet or purse and thankfully there's been no activity since. Jim just drove down to see if anyone turned it in. They aren't opened, however, but maybe someone is there. Fingers crossed. I really don't want to have to cancel it and wait for a new one. Jaysus, I'm a dummy. 

Last night we went to Crew's Nest for a couple cocktails. Jim got some specialty drink and didn't like it so after my glass of wine, I finished that off. Then he got a Stroh's, to see if it had changed since he drank one probably in the 80s.  Of course it's still disgusting so I ended up finishing that off too. Needless to say, Jim drove home. 

And that's about all I've got. If it stays nice, I'll go to the pool later but if not, I'll just chill here with my boys. Jim's going to stain and/or wash windows. Happy - what day is it? - Wednesday. Later!

What Day Is It?

As per usual, I keep forgetting what day it is. I'll blame that for why I'm so late in posting. Of course my whole summer feels like one perpetual weekend and of course being here at the Bay where my schedule is so off, well, I deserve a little grace, right? (I can hear Trip and Maggie in my head answering, "No".)

Anne is leaving today. Bummer. We've had a really nice and relaxed time. It's always nice to have a person (sister, brother, family, good friend) who you can just sit in silence with and chill. Or when random thoughts pop into your head, you just ramble with no judgement for the randomness. Yesterday the two of us (Jim showed for a second) I spent most of the day at the pool which was lovely. Although, the riff raff had shown up before us and A) scored the prime spot and B) were sort of obnoxious. Although we tried to get a spot farthest away from them, they still managed to make their presence known. Not to sound snotty or snobby but they were lacking in manners. Firstly, they were loud. Second, they kids did not behave correctly (butting into line more than once and once touched my butt). And really when I say the kids didn't behave correctly, what I really mean is that the parents did not correct the bad behavior. But first world problems, right? In the end, they left around 2:00 and it was fine. 

So with Anne leaving that means Jim and I will be here sans anyone until Thursday. Plans for today: It's a bit overcast and I don't know that the sun will shine much so the pool might not be an option. Jim's already started working on the windows and I think after breakfast (which I'll be making after I finish this) I'll take Scoutie on his long walk and then who knows, maybe it'll be a lazy day. We have so many leftovers I think we'll have lunch at home and maybe even leftovers for dinner. 

My knee is feeling better. I didn't have any pain sleeping last night and this morning it's been fine. I'll ice it again after my big walk but I think I'm on the other side of the issue. {Knock on wood}

The boys are so happy. Scout is obsessed with bunnies and only wants to find them on our walks. By the end of the day, they are wiped and sleep really well, although they still get up at 5:30. Yesterday, I walked a total of 9 miles so they're getting lots of exercise. Funny enough, Scout is eating better than Boo, which tells me he's getting very comfortable here at the Bay and that makes me happy. All that to say, I'm sure by Friday, they will be more than ready to be home. 

Okay, I'd best get breakfast started because I can't have Jim getting hangry. Happy Tuesday. Later!

Oh My Aching Knee

Man oh man is my knee giving me fits. And it's not even the knee that's usually an issue. Typically, my right knee causes pain (during yoga, if I'm going a high lunge, it'll feel like there's a sharp spike driving into my kneecap) but yesterday my left started causing trouble. It just feels really unstable, like at any moment it's going to give. Additionally, it seems to have a lot of fluid buildup around the patella. Interestingly, when Anne and I went to the pool yesterday and after a cocktail, it felt a lot better. Go figure. When I came home and iced it, that made it almost feel like new. 

Fast forward to sleeping last night and it was tough going. First of all, my back is bothering me. Add to that my knee (and I forgot to take ibuprofen when I went to bed), well, you can imagine that I didn't sleep great last night. However, I got up (at 5:20, thanks, boys!), had coffee, felt pretty good and went to work out. I will say that while on the elliptical, it didn't hurt at all but then I got off and, whoopsies! It was hurting (well, not hurting but rather feeling wonky). I'm now icing it again and after I finish this, Scout's hoping I'll be good enough to walk him a good one. 

The golf cart is being an asshole. When Maggie and Charlie came up in April, they couldn't get it started. I told my cuz about it but when he came up in May, he had no problem. Then when we were here last week, it was fine. Well, not fine but it started (with the choke and sometimes it backfired). Of course, now, it won't start again. We tried and tried but nothing. It's always something. 

Anyway, Jim is currently on the mission to get cart repair guy, Carlos, to throw us a bone. Stupidly, Jim just left at 7:50 to try and track him down. When he was about to head out the door, I said, "Where are you going?" He said, "TO GO FIX THE CART!" (He replied with an asshole tone which is why I put that in caps.) I said, "He's not going to be open." To which Jim replied (with an asshole tone), "I'M JUST TRYING TO GET  JUMP ON THINGS!" I said, "Why the tone?" And he said, "WHAT TONE!?" 

And now I'm going to eat crow. Jim just walked in the door with Carlos in tow. He's going to take a quick looksee and if he can fix it here, great. If not, he'll tow it. I said to Anne, "You know, sometimes Jimmy's smarter than his wife." Anne replied with, "Luckier...not smarter." True story. 

Okay, that's all I've got. Dinner tonight will be either hamburgers or Anne brought stuff for chicken tacos, which sounds delicious. I think that's the way we're going to go along with some yellow rice. Yummy.  I'd better go because Scout is giving me the eyeball. Later!

Sweaty Start

I just got back from walking the boys and I'm drenched. It's not hot but fairly humid. I'm glad I got that out of the way. 

So I got back from PIB yesterday around 12:30. After loving on the dogs a TON, I unpacked, watered my flowers (Jimmy was a bit neglectful), exercised and then took a long, hot soak in the tub. Not my hot tub because that still hasn't been fixed. In fact, I haven't received an email for the next appointment which means I'll have to call and find out what's what. It's been long enough and I'm getting irritated. Anyway, after all that, I sat and waited for Jim to get home. After a later dinner than I like (he didn't get home until about 6:30), I watched a bit of TV and then headed to bed to start a new book. 

Jim had to be at work today at 6:00 (this way he won't have to work tomorrow) and hopes to be home by 4:00. We'll see. My plans today: After finishing this I'll water the flowers. Then I'll clean up a bit and head to the grocery for dinner supplies and whatever else I can't get at Aldi (which I'll do tomorrow) for our trip back up to the Bay on Sunday. After that I'll probably just clean the house, get some laundry done and start making my lists. Much of what I plan on cooking next week is already at the cottage so it shouldn't be too hard. 

Speaking of which, we'll leave Sunday, early, by 7:00 with boys in tow. Anne is there and is staying until Tuesday. Maggie, I believe will come up Wednesday, and then Cullen and Becky will join on Thursday. Jim and I will leave Friday. I love having the boys up there but 5-6 days is there max. Plus, I'm hoping that by then the spa will be fixed and I can start working on getting it filled, heated and chemically balanced. 

Dinner tonight: Jim wants pizza so I'll do a couple flatbread ones and a salad. I'm thinking pepperoni and a buffalo chicken pizza. Yummy. 

And that's all I've got. Better get out and water my flowers before the cicadas get to crazy. They're definitely on their way out. They're not as loud, fewer are flying willy nilly in the air and I don't see their hatching shells on the fence anymore. Glad this is almost over. 

Happy Friday! Later!

Catching Flak

I'm currently sitting here at the Bay. It's 8:51 pm, and Trippy just sent me a text that said, "WTF? No blog?" Oops. I'm going to blame Maggie. Actually we were sitting around today, mid-afternoon and I said to her, "Oh! I forgot to post." I promise to do better next week! 

The picture at left is from dinner tonight. These girls...they are just so much fun but holy shit do they accumulate a lot of mess. I went upstairs tonight after dinner and Brooklyn had piled up their towels for washing and there were about 20, no joke. Ridiculous! I mean, ladies! You don't need a new towel every time you shower! I think we need to teach some chicas how to launder their own crap. 

Anyway, we went to the Goat for our last night and it was delicious. I had the "Rose Plate" which consists of two of their homemade daily soups and a side salad. I opted for their chicken chili and butternut squash soup. It was yummy. Charlie had the same but opted for the sweet Italian sausage soup instead of butternut squash. Maggie had the wedge salad and a cup of butternut squash and all the girls got some sort of pasta.

The day was quite lovely. I got up at 6:30 and after coffee I headed to workout. Once home and after a mimosa, Maggie and I made breakfast. Once eaten, it was time to get the paddleboards blown up. That took some time but it's done. I didn't go out right away, instead we headed to the pool. After a couple hours, the girls left with Charlie to go tubing, Maggie and I stayed behind and worked on our tan. We left around 3:00 for a shower and nap and chilled. 

And now we're all home and we've just watched the sunset. When I finish this, and after a little ice cream, I'll head to bed because I'm up and at 'em early to get home to my boys. I've had a great time but I miss them so much. No surprise, I miss Scout and Boo a little more, maybe than Jimmy. Sorry but I've been able to talk to Jim each day but I haven't had a good and proper lovefest with with boys in too many days. I can't wait. 

I won't post tomorrow because I'll be on the road but I'll post Friday...assuming I don't forget. Safe driving to me...later!