Things I've been meaning to tell you 2.7.2024

For years I was blogging four to five times a week, then three, then committing to still documenting weekends and monthly reads, then a substack post here and there, then stopping even the weekends and monthly reads the weekend after Thanksgiving…and I stopped with no regrets. I didn't want to sit at my computer any longer than necessary. I didn't feel like I had the capacity for it. Since then it’s been like having all the things I shared regularly for so long bottling up in my brain causing a traffic jam. I never thought not putting a blog out would add to my mental load instead of subtract from it, but that's what happened. I am a creature of habit and continued adding any little unimportant thought that flew through to a mental list until my brain felt like the scene in a movie where a pillow bursts and the asshole down feathers that are a PITA to clean up are everywhere.

I'm going to try for a weekly round up, which I will start immediately with no expectations and achieve with varying degrees of success. Let us begin.

1. I’m so glad Tracy Chapman is getting all her flowers for Fast Car. Now let’s do Talkin’ Bout a Revolution.

2. Then let’s actually have a revolution where the needs of actual every day people are met over the need to return profits to shareholders or fund the military industrial complex, which America does without care for how it impacts and erases actual every day people, scorches the earth, and does lasting damage to our shared humanity. Too many of us do not realize our entire lives are attributable to the luck of being born where we were born. Related: let's Make America Go Back to When Congress Produced Things Aside From Sound Bytes Again. Do nothing motherfuckers owned by corporate and/or foreign interests, the lot of them

3. White women powers, activate! Form of: the same shield around Black and Brown women - celebrity or not - we use to surround Taylor Swift. This isn’t a dig on TS, it’s a reminder to us white ladies that white supremacy AND patriarchy are not the shark, they are the water we swim in. And a lot of the time, us white ladies are the lifeguards who focus so hard on some swimmers that we’re just letting non-white women drown. Plenty of Black women have more to say on this than me, and plenty of white women are slamming the door on it because they are sick of the beating Taylor Swift has taken because the NFL shows her on the screen which, ladies, I’m with you. Two things can be true at once. If you read shit like this and get defensive, stop and discuss with yourself. I immediately stop and ask why I’m getting defensive. And as a rule and lifelong commitment to my authentic self, I am ruthlessly honest with my answers. It is okay to change your thought process or to have a realization that sparks a change in how you see the world at any time. If you find yourself stuck, you might be dead.

4. Some of you right now: Back on her bullshit, why did I start reading this

5. I spent two hours on a combo of live chat and phone chat with the bastard Xfinity this morning to lower our shore internet only cost from $160 to $102. How the shit they justify Internet Only at $160 when it was $85 in 2020 is one of the world's greediest mysteries. The cost of utilities in general is absolutely insane globally. Also why isn't Internet fucking free. 

6. Free deodorizer for dog beds, blankets, etc: sunshine. The same thing that kept the Ingalls family from smelling like old crotches through most of the winter. Have you ever read The Long Winter as an adult? If not, recommend.

7. I'm thrilled with how  table originally purchased for $20 from ReStore turned out in Philly - this is Modern Masters Metallic Paint in Amethyst over All in One Paint in Thistle. My niece critiqued it while it was in progress, prompting an additional coat I was not going to do but she was correct. I still need to add a lacquer top coat. More metallic painting shit coming this weekend at the shore. Who knows how that will turn out, because I'll be damned if I'm letting the rest of the thistle go to waste so it will be the base for the two smaller tables I'm doing at the shore as well. Different metallic paints are going on top of that but they are not in the same color family so the end results will be a surprise to both you and me. 

8. Items of note from last weekend: Mr. Rooney's first $$$ emergency vet visit. Face time with a good friend is always comforting and fantastic. Bruce is back on his coffee bullshit. A two hour walk on a windless Sunday in February feels like an amazing dream.

9. Have I mentioned I'm putting my feet in the water every day I'm at the shore, winter included? The water's not bad, really. I need to ground myself in all seasons, and also I'm a pisces what do we expect

10. Woman who is always saying, "I rarely watch movies," has recently watched movies.

I'm coming back next week, I swear.

Friday Five How Tos 4.9.2021

How to get out of a meeting - Have zoom crash your entire computer and get a black screen when you re-boot

How to get an instant mood boost - Paint your nails. We've got Essie Penny Talk, Essie Without Reservations, and Essie Stop, look & glisten

How to make foaming hand soap - Fill your dispenser (I use this glass pump one, the link is an affiliate) 3/4 of the way with water - if you are making in advance and storing, use distilled or boiled water. Otherwise tap is fine. Add two tablespoons of Dr. Bronner's castile soap of your choice. I usually use peppermint or lavender. Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil - I use grapeseed, but you can use olive or almond too. Optional, but I am a scent person so mandatory for me: essential oil of your choice. I use 10 drops of rosemary and a few of lemon or eucalyptus. 

How to step into chaos - Bring all of your dogs to the beach and have them all be assholes at once, tangling you up in their leashes in the process. Here they are all off-leash, but as soon as humans come into view, they are leashed. Gus was walking into the water, which he always does, but he wasn't stopping so I had to go in after him lest he be a Virginia Woolf with his stout self as the stones. That required releasing the leashes of the others, and put on the Benny Hill theme music for the ensuing chaos. Bruce was digging up and eating dead crab body parts and refused to come when called because he was so distracted. Ben was barking a weird yodel bark at passerby dogs. Mae was an overzealous, psychotic greeter of all humans. I made MFD walk them back to the car with me and forgot my GD keys and had to walk back. Then I returned, got in the car and took off without saying a damn thing. 

How to feel healthy - Eating salmon and asparagus always makes me feel healthy. Rice does not, but I love it and eat it anyway. Except this rice, which I threw out last night. It was a Spanish rice and it was too smoky for me. 

Do you have any how tos to share with the group?

Happy Friday!

Thursday Thoughts - there's a room where the light won't find you

1. MFD has started watching The Great American Hero and I feel like moving. Few people are more annoying than this guy. Send help.

2. Tuesday night I went to University City to get a facial and eye treatment add on at Jean Madeline Aveda Institute. Prices are super cheap, services were great (all services provided by supervised students), and when you go there you are helping students get the hours they need to put in in order to take their tests and pass their exams. I left relaxed and am definitely going to return. So it's like help someone out and also treat yo'self and as the song goes, these are a few of my favorite things. In addition to facials, they offer back treatments, body treatments, makeup application, waxing, and hair (cut, color, style, updo, braid, rollers, etc etc). They're a block from the 40th Street el stop and it could not have been easier to get there and back from Center City. A list of services can be found by clicking here, and you can call 267.350.8800 to book in University City. Their hours are limited to weeknights in a certain time range so hop to it. While these are students they are also working in lieu of working an hourly job so TIPPING IS REQUIRED. Not by them, but by me.

3. When I was around that way I got to see a mural I've not seen before. Street art, another favorite thing. I saw a smaller version of one of the love letters for you series in the train station too.

4. I might be an outlier on this book, finished it last night and meh. Show Us Your Books is Tuesday!

5. I'm out here killing it on socks between the ones I was gifted Friday that say take no shit/give no fucks and these.

6. In typical me fashion, I have no plans to do something until I get a wild hair up my ass and then I go at warp speed. This time it was our bedroom. It was painted and it's bright AF and happy and I love it. In every room of my house, it's like color threw up. I am not a greige person. Living in color is sort of my thing. The side tables and shelves got painted cream, curtains were picked up last night, the 13 year old ottoman that is basically a scratched up mess from 13 years of dogs on it is getting replaced with a long cream colored one, and I'm shopping the rest of my house for wall stuff and a chair. While the colors were inspired by the summer bedding, the winter quilt Lori made us fits with it too so I'm quite pleased.

7. Happy birthday to my step dad today!

8. Things that have pissed me off this week: people arguing against plastic bag bans as a LIBERAL idea (like what, you want to protect your right to make more trash? this is fucking absurd); the dictator in chief invoking executive privilege over demands for the release of the full Mueller report, fighting subpoenas from congressional investigations, and blocking Mueller and McGahn from testifying before Congress; heartbeat bills and every fucking person who was all "women's rights are fine" before this fucking 2016 election that was a complete debacle in all ways and allowed idiot old white men to stack the courts at every level against the autonomy of women; everything about that toad William Barr; people thinking trump is some business genius playing the tariff game with China while he's lost so much fucking money personally over the past 10 years; people thinking prayers are going to stop school shootings. Fuck off out of here, everyone above.

9. Reminder: Mmm hmm.

10. Ecards.

I split the week of Father’s Day at the shore and have Friday night to Sunday night of Father’s Day weekend available if you know anyone looking. June 14-16. Sleeps 11, $500 for the weekend and you can find the listing here. 

What appears after the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts is a song lyric to whatever I'm listening to when I start to write the post. This week is Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears

TWTW - the wedding, the work, and the watch party

Friday began with a walk on the beach with Bruce before work. Lunch was a pork belly reuben from The Grilled Cheese and Crab Cake Company (seen on Diners Drive-in’s and Dives). Nails are Mint Convertible by CND - loved the color but it chipped by Saturday and I was pissed. After work we headed to Cape May for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner at Harbor View Restaurant. The food was great, we had a good laugh over the plating, and it was a fun night. 

Saturday I took MFD over to Cape May for groomsman things, and ran errands on the way back: Cape May Wicker, the nicest gas station ever (Exit Zero), Warehouse Wicker in Wildwood, the library, and CVS. I put hardware on upstairs in the house and did a few other things before walking the dogs and getting ready. 

I headed back to Cape May for the wedding. Lovely setting at the Lobster House, and all of Catie's touches were awesome as I knew they would be. The La Columbe coffee bar was a huge hit as evidenced by Dan and MFD hoarding it. Everyone looked fabulous, especially the bride, and it was a really nice time. 

Sunday 

Slow start. Lounging, coffee, reading, then I went up to put contact paper on the vanity, sort through linens, made a list of mattress encasements and protectors needed, checked all the lamps (surprise! need replacements), and other shit. MFD finished cleaning the house and drug the two twin bunk bed mattresses down four floors, swapped rugs and shower rods out, etc. I packed up downstairs and walked the dogs 50 times. We headed out around 2:30. 

We got home at 4 and I ran to Giant, made spinach dip, threw this together, started laundry, changed the sheets, and showered. 

Mark and Sarah hosted a Game of Thrones watch party with snacks - lemon cakes for Sansa, Theon in a blanket, dinosaur eggs. I loved it. Sarah killed it on the theme. 

Weekly food prep: breakfast is greek yogurt with granola and mango. Three lunches needed, they'll be leftovers. Snacks are bell peppers and red grapes. Three dinners needed, they'll be spinach salad/sweet potato fries/grilled pork chops and something out of the freezer, probably a soup.

Let's make this week a good one!

Thursday Thoughts - in daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee

1. I wouldn't say I'm having a midlife crisis, but I am absolutely in a life re-evaluation period. Specifically, what I own and why, what I buy and why, what motivates my purchases, how I use what I own, how my consumption impacts the environment, if my happiness has gotten too related to and dependent on things. I am not full on Marie Kondo-ing, but I'm getting close. I know I'm on to something because every small thing that leaves my house makes me feel incrementally lighter mentally and spiritually. I can't argue with that. I've always been a purger and organizer but I've not approached it like this before - I never thought about halting the buying portion of the cycle, was never as ruthless as I thought I was being, and never examined my motives for buying beyond because I like it and because I can. It's interesting and enlightening and good, hard, introspective self-work, which I haven't done in a while. Stay tuned.

2. In regards to selling things: someone please explain to me the psychology of the person who says they are going to buy something, sets a time to meet/pick up, then never shows up. Does that give this person some type of perverse joy? Why say you want it, go through the trouble of setting up a meeting place and time, not show up, and never acknowledge it again? I don't get it. That’s only happened once but it really perplexed me. Overall selling stuff has actually been fun and I've met/interacted with really nice people. I used to do yard sales then stopped selling altogether and donated. This time I’m selling here and there but if it’s a hassle that stops.

3. I'm working from the shore today and tomorrow.  I'm considering taking off tomorrow. I'm not sure yet. I'm getting some windows re-screened this afternoon. I've lived in my house at home for nine years and never gave a thought to the screens. Screens at the shore take an absolute beating with storm debris and such. Suddenly the previous owners having all these screening materials in the closet makes perfect sense. LOLOL My goal in the off-season is to learn to re-screen myself. It seems easy watching videos, but I am not in a position to fuck around with a learning curve a few weeks before Memorial Day. I'll save that for October.

4. Bruce is with me and MFD has Gus and Mae at home. I'm sure they're happy to have a break from this puppy. LOL forever.

5. I really, really, really love salt. Like way more than a person who knows how bad sodium is for you should. I barely use regular table salt anymore and have been out of Himalayan pink salt for a while. I just got a refill for my grinder. Happy days are here again.

6. I haven't previously used affiliate links on this blog, but I'm going to start for Amazon to cover Show Us Your Books link up costs and hosting costs for the year. That means if you click on a link to something here that directs you to Amazon and you buy through that link, I get a few cents. I never got the point then thought hmm...I probably could have covered the link up costs if I wasn't so anti-affiliate link. While I never feel the need to explain myself to people, I also usually don't mind giving an insight into why I changed my mind on something. Speaking of Show Us Your Books, it was bumping this month! As of yesterday, 56 linker uppers. I hope you go back and read the people that link up later.

7. Since I take up a lot of space bitching about the weather, let me just comment on how super deluxe it's been this week. It's absolutely glorious windows open sleeping weather, which means it's hard to get up from the nice cocoon in the morning. I'd rather close my eyes and take deep breaths of the sweet spring air.

8. I haven't explicitly stated it in a while and don't want anyone thinking I've come to a place of acceptance: I fucking hate this government, everything they're doing and not doing, and the things they stand for and what they don't stand for. When I think about it I feel my face physically pinch and age around the eyes and in my cheek bones as I grit my teeth. Iran, the absolute mess of a State Department, the ridiculous bullying platform that is basically the opposite of what the POTUS himself uses twitter for, just fucking all of it.

9. Reminder: How you know I didn't make this - shit isn't just allowed to be

10. E-card of the week: Happy Mother's Day to all of you who mom in any way.

I didn’t blog yesterday, so happy birthday to my stepdad Rich a day late!

The boys are back in town

What kind of person visits her ant traps constantly to see if any ants have taken the bait?

This kind of person.

I haven't had ants for a few years. I used to get them every  year, then I tried the borax/sugar water mix and they were gone for years. Now they're back so I'm using it again.

3/4 cups warm water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon borax

Mix that up real well. Soak cotton balls in it and place them around wherever you have ants.

Then check it obsessively like I do. Just kidding that's not required but seriously if you find yourself doing it, it's fine. It's fine.

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Haikuesday

Ants in the kitchen

Scurrying on counter tops

Worse than ants in pants

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Thursday Thoughts - just act normal

1. If you are down because you feel like people you know or mutually know through someone are spending more time defending Nazis and racists than denouncing them, sneak in a quick visit with your smart and funny almost two year old niece for a hug and stickers.

2. My poor Geege has a mild case of aspiration pneumonia. HousePaws mobile vet came yesterday and he got a chest x-ray right in the comfort of his own home. He's on meds now and hopefully on the mend. Meanwhile Cheech and Chong had to go to an actual vet last night for a pre-dental surgery checkup. These dogs are killing me.

3. Do you know how much money I have spent on hand soap this year? I leave soap at four sinks for new renters every Saturday, and I hate shitty soap so I buy Method or Mrs. Meyers and it adds up. So I finally said fuck it! I'm making my own. And I did. And it's foamy. Whenever I make a cleaning or household product in my kitchen I feel like a magician or Bill Nye the Science Guy.

5. My Dad & Carol are down the shore this week...thankfully since a fire alarm needed to be replaced in the main house and as a former fireman I trust my Dad with that replacement much more than I trust myself. Shore this weekend with Jana and Jody, college girls! It's been over 15 years since the three of us were together. I'm very excited.

6. Does anyone remember being in school and literally only having a sip of water from the water fountain after recess and nothing else all day? I was discussing this with my knottie girls yesterday and have convinced myself this is why I am always thirsty and petrified to go anywhere for five minutes without water.

7. How freaking awesome is Gladys? She sent me a kindle copy of Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams. I will cross that off my August list soon. I'm dragging ass through a book right now. I broke my brain reading over 30 books between June 13 and August 8 and I am now in recovery. Don't worry. I think I'm going to make it.

8.  I cannot stop thinking about what happened in Charlottesville this weekend. Actually not so much what happened this weekend, but how people responded. I know not everyone shares their opinion on social media, but I've been blown the fuck back by people who do that devoted a sentence against Nazis and eleventy billion sentences that somehow defend or protect them. I am drinking big cups of let that shit go in an attempt to be zen in my approach to challenging people who are defending this in any way because while discussions with brick walls are tiresome and maddening, sometimes the only tool we have to put a small hole in the wall is a dinky motherfucking pen. But we scrape away because when we don't challenge these old notions they poison the water and nothing ever changes, here comes another generation of it and no. just fucking no. the time for racist nazis is fucking over now, okay? This image included below is some person's facebook status and damn if it doesn't say exactly what I'm thinking (thanks Stacey for sending it to me). Thank God for the leaders of the armed forces, it's good to know some people at the top of the game are not out of their fucking minds. Especially the United States Marine Corps - constantly on the front lines fighting for the ideals of liberty and justice for ALL so we can try to live up to them. pssst: we're failing right now. Also, for those singing the "the tolerant left is intolerant" song, read up on the Paradox of Tolerance, a philosophical principle coined in 1945, spurred by, you know...Nazis.

9. Reminder:

10. E-card of the week: 

Once again, it's my Friday.

Daily Shower Spray

One million different people use my shower at the shore, so I decided to make a variation of Crunchy Betty's Daily Sparkly Shower Spray. Since I was making it for there, I thought fuck it I'll make it for the shower in the shore apartment (even though we typically shower outside in the summer) and the shower at home. 

I use 16 oz glass bottles from Amazon for this type of stuff - this is the blue and these are the brown (set of three). 

Ingredients

1 cup rubbing alcohol

1 cup hydrogen peroxide

4 tsp Dr. Bronner's Lavender Castile Soap

30 drops peppermint essential oil

10 drops lemon essential oil

Directions

Add ingredients to bottle. Shake well every time before using. Use in shower daily after you're finished in there. 

I love the smell. I ended up adding 10 drops of lemon essential oil to each bottle a week later and it's a keeper. 

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Haikuesday is back. 

Dirty shower? Clean it up.

George Parliament funk. 

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