Snippets of the weekend 11.13.2023

Friday was raw, and consequently the first time in over a week I didn't hit my 10k steps goal. We had dinner at Jon & Patty's, then home to read, watch Witches of Eastwick, and lounge.

Saturday I did errands on foot to Lisa's Bakery and Bennie's. I did a run through Boyar's but they didn't have the rolls I wanted to off to ACME. I put together a chair for the living room, made veggie soup, french dip, and indulgent mac & cheese from dwardcooks. Friendsgiving was a lot of fun as always - I love being with these people and have for over 30 years. Hallmark Christmas movie bingo happened this year!

Sunday we lingered over coffee and I think Amanda and Frank were the last to leave around 1? I lay down for several hours and didn't move LOL. A walk to the beach, finishing a book, and leftovers for dinner did it for me for the day. 

weekending reels on Instagram - current favorite weekend look back mode.

TWTW - the return of Friendsgiving

Friday I stayed up until 1 am Thursday night to finish a book because I thought Friday would be much easier than it was workwise but woof. I finally got up around 1 and picked up library holds and CBD for Gus. After work I took the best friend dogs down to the beach, ordered Randazzo's, cleaned up a bit upstairs, and painted my nails. I was exhausted and in bed by 9:45 when Evan and Jenny arrived. 

Saturday Up by 6:30, showered and to two stores soon after, and I met MFD on the beach for Beach Sweeps Fall Cleanup, which he took over this year. I headed back to the house and made a zillion meatballs, then he did some sausage and I got sauce going. 

We did Friendsgiving at the shore this year and Italian instead of turkey, and I so appreciate everyone making their way down here for the day or weekend. We spent about nine hours together eating and laughing and talking about stupid shit. We don't see each other as often as we used to but I always have a great time when we do. I've known Kim since I was little because she lived on the street behind me, was in elementary school with Jimmy, met MFD in junior high and the rest of them sophomore year of high school, incorporated partners over the years who fit too, and we've been flowing through life together since. You cannot replace friends like these. There are not many people I will stay up until 2 in the morning with or for either - these people are about it. I really missed both Girls weekend with my junior high and high school girls and the Sannelli summer party and Friendsgiving with this crew in the 2020 Covid hellscape - as adults to get everyone together is extra special. Having a professional photographer in your crew to do a group shot is also extra special. Evan Leslie Images if you are in need of product/web/corporate/infant/ indoor or outdoor portrait photography - he's doing some rebranding and getting his studio finished up if anyone is looking for holiday portraits or hated your kid's school photo! 

Sunday Gus's 5:30 am whining was extra extremely unwelcome since we literally just walked the dogs and dropped into bed at 1:45. I was doing coffee by 8 and running to the store for tomatoes for bacon breakfast muffins. Chris and Diana came over by 9:30 and soccer was afoot on the telly. Evan and Jenny left after the first game, and the four of us hung out doing fuck all until about 2:30, then Chris took us out to dinner at The Anchorage in Somers Point. We came back and finished out the Eagles game and watched Saturday's SNL. They left close to 9, we walked the dogs and fell out soon after. 

I am tired tired tired today, but had a lovely weekend and hope you did as well. I am also mostly off work and taking care of some shit I hate doing like mailing packages. 

Happy last week of October. Where the fuck did this year go?

TWTW - the one with the relaxing

Friday I got a lunch walk in before the rains came. The sky cleared enough for a sunset so after work we went down to the bay to glimpse that, then it was upstairs to make dinner - roasted veggies and beef stroganoff - and MFD arrived with Gus and Mae around 7:30. We went down to the apartment after eating because Bruce was being a nudge who wanted to go to his space. I finished a book and fell out around 11:30.

Saturday We were up early to walk the dogs, and I did the sunrise solo which meant I could walk into the water (in boots, I'm not a sadist). The waning crescent moon was clearly visible in the sky and it was magic.

Ocean City does an Earlier Than the Bird shopping event on the main street every year and people wear pajamas or costumes to shop, winner wins a turkey. People looked freaking amazing. I also got good deals. It was my first time attending and I liked it!

I did the prep work for sweet potato/yam marshmallow casserole (let me know if you want the recipe, I don't have it up yet) and spinach casserole for Friendsgiving and started a new book. We took a family beach walk, I painted my nails (OPI Now Museum, Now You Don't - I asked MFD to bring me a nail polish from home and this is what he brought), then I took Bruce and Ben down to the beach while MFD was fishing. This weekend last year we got Ben and took him to the beach two days later. He's much more comfortable there now, frolicking like a boss, rubbing himself in seagull poop and eating shells. Bruce is as comfortable there as ever, so comfortable that he dines there on sand crabs that are alive and wouldn't stop so we had to go home.

I put the casseroles in the oven, showered, and we went to Frank and Amanda's for Friendsgiving. I love these people, friends of over 27 years, and their partners, and this tradition. There is something about being around people who were there in your formative years that is irreplaceable. Lots of laughs and seriously delicious food, everyone brought their A game this year. We got back to the shore around midnight and I was asleep soon after. Thanks Frank & Amanda for hosting this year!

Sunday I slept in until 8 and that was amazing. We walked the dogs before MFD headed off to mummery and then home to Philly, and I did a blissful nothing all day aside from read, walk dogs, address 140-ish Christmas cards, do some blogging, pay some bills, and run the dishwasher. It was glorious.

Monday I was up walking dogs at 5, then went back to bed for a nice little sleep in. I changed the sheets, cleaned up the leaves and shit outside, picked up holds at the library, and made a quick grocery store run. I got everything I need for the week down there because the store is not a nuthouse. 

It was super warm since the wind was low and I took Bruce and Ben to Surf Road beach to frolic along the jettys for a few blocks. It was so deserted and beautiful, just like I like it. Bonus, found an awesome shell up by the dunes as I was leaving. 

When we got home I packed up, took the trash and recycles out, and was back in Philly by 3:30. A quick unload of the car and popping a load of towels in the wash, then I was off to the post office and Marshalls. I did three more loads of laundry and started Christmassing, including bringing the mugs down and washing them. Since we painted the living room purple, I'm going through our stuff to see what is not red or what can be spray painted LOL. 

Weekly food prep: Hard no. I took a frozen breakfast burrito and am buying lunch today, annual Tuesday before Thanksgiving happy hour after work. I'm making a turkey tomorrow so we'll have leftovers on the weekend. I will make power breakfast muffins and breakfast burritos to freeze tomorrow as well.

This is my one day of work this week. HOLLER.

TWTW - the one before the turkey

Friday

A quick stop at Sam's then on to Jimmy & Jackie's for our annual Friendsgiving. They had their house all decorated and Jimmy even set up a lounge out back with lights and heaters. Everyone brought an app or dessert and it was nice to be able to linger longer than if we were in a restaurant. We're not all in the same place a lot but when we are we laugh like mad. I’m happy and grateful to have had these friends for over 25 years but the stars of the show were Wyatt, Lucy, and electronica music. Just kidding on the last one but totally serious about the first two. We didn't get home until 1:30 and I was up until after 2 but it was worth it! Also, exhibit A of the fucking terrible graininess of the 6S or whatever version of the 6 iPhone I have now. It's like they want to force an upgrade.

Saturday 

Bruce DGAF what time you go to sleep, he still gets up at 6. I went back to sleep from 7:30 - 10:30 because I knew I had to be out in public later and didn't want to be Bitcherella. When I finally got up I jumped right into action cleaning out and reorganizing the coat closet (but not painting it, which it has needed since 2009) under the watchful eyes of all three dogs. I also went through my drawers and closet and culled a bag of clothes. Aside from making bacon mac and cheese bites for later, that took up most of my day. FYI people: Target is beta testing restock, which seems designed to compete with Amazon Prime Pantry. I ordered at 3 pm on Friday and my stuff was there by 11 am Saturday morning for $1 less shipping than Prime Pantry. Your move, Amazon. 

Saturday night was Aubrey's sprinkle. My nephew will be here so soon, I can't believe it. I can't wait to meet him! And yes, all I ate this weekend was cannoli cake and I'm not sad. 

I got home around 8:30 and read a little and watched some Indiana Jones thing with MFD. I don't think I've ever seen one of them all the way through.

Sunday

After contemplating a plan of attack for the day while the dogs lounged in the style they are accustomed to, I set to work work work work work on Sunday. Stacey picked up a bag of donations to take to Mitzvah Circle so that had me in the mood to get rid of more shit. I addressed some Christmas cards until Bruce decided that was enough, put Christmas gifts in bags (reusable bags for all this year, ho ho ho mother earth, this is my atonement for sending paper cards), was supervised everywhere by Gus who must've been trying to make up for Geege being gone, made chicken for chicken lettuce wraps and scrambled eggs for breakfasts, packed up food/house stuff and my clothes for the upcoming long weekend at the shore, and went through a bunch of shit in the basement and reorganized or got rid of it, including books (thanks Instagram!). I also did seven loads of laundry and put what was mine away. MFD left his laundry basket downstairs for two weeks constantly in my way so I said fuck it and did his laundry too. Sunday night I finished the Christmas cards aside from stamps and a few missing addresses and watched the new Will & Grace. 

My people are awesome. Jackie got us a Geege keepsake, Stacey picked up a reusable pug Christmas bag for me, and my Mom gave me some perfume and a nice note. All the warm fuzzies. 

And soon, all the turkey.

How was your weekend?

TWTW - the one after vacation

Friday night I got a spa pedicure (OPI Pinking of You for the pedicure, Essie Power Clutch for the manicure) and it was awesome. The manicurist even told me a ghost story, which I did not like because I do not like ghost stories, but she was excited about it.

I met the gang at Gran Caffe L'Aquila for our annual Friendsgiving, minus a few who couldn't make it. The company is always stellar with these friends of 20+ years and their people, and the food was excellent. If you're in Philly and you like Italian, go here. The story of the restaurant is great and the food cashes the check. I had the stuffed olives, the veal saltimboca, and the lavender panna cotta. Next year: Friendsgiving at the shore.

Saturday morning we were supposed to have physicals for an additional life insurance policy but they didn't show. I followed it up with an awesome massage, a quick bite at Panera, a stop in TJ Maxx (Mae got a coat), a trip to the grocery store (couldn't tell you the last time I set foot in there), and a visit to see my father-in-law in the hospital. I rounded things out with a nap with the dogs. Jet lag is kicking my ass.

Saturday night my mother-in-law came over for dinner. I made salmon casserole (MFD's favorite) and we had ice cream cake to celebrate his three years of sobriety. Proud is an understatement.

I slept in on Sunday then did some food prep: breakfast burritos to freeze; egg muffins with asparagus and cheese for this week's breakfasts; a double batch of power breakfast muffins to freeze (actually made on Saturday night); the innards of baked tacos for dinner this week; and a mix of roasted spaghetti squash, roasted asparagus, chicken, tomatoes, and olive oil for this week's lunches. I also took some turkey noodle soup out of the freezer for a dinner. 

I meant to do more Sunday, but have been feeling run down from post-travel and sinus issues and hatred heartbreak fatigue, so I took it easy. Chinese for lunch, delivery by MFD; reading the newest in the Dublin Murder Series; an on-point episode of SNL from Saturday night; and The Fall (yes! it's back!) rounded out the day. 

The next installment of our trip is coming up tomorrow. Prepare for pictures. 

Happy happy birthday to my fabulous friend Melissa today. 

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending

TWTW - the one with the cleaning ladies

I believe your life is only as good as the people in it. Mine is pretty damn good with these people who have been there for over 20 years plus their people we've picked up along the way. Friendsgiving at Zorba's in Fairmount on Friday. Missing: MFD, who was being head boss at the shore.

I drove to the shore from there, fell out around 12:45 and was up for the sunrise. I met Lori down at the beach.

Lori is so good that she folded my sheets and wiped down my baths and vacuumed my house at home before transporting my dogs to the shore with my mom. At the shore, her and my mom were my cleaning ladies and cleaned the whole house. They were also in charge of the dogs all weekend.  I drug them on a mission outside of town to buy a cheap dresser (completed) and pillows for the remaining bedrooms plus some other odds and ends. I was in search of some shore decor so we hit Asbury Avenue and they were having a big small business thing.

I got half priced paperbacks for the house in a discount bookstore I could live in and we ate lunch at Bennie's Bread. SO GOOD.

We even saw Santa. Christmas stuff before Thanksgiving is on my naughty list but one does not pass up the opportunity to get a photo with Santa in a row boat.

I largely struck out in the decor department but Lori bought me a so bright it hurts pink sweatshirt and a tie dye tee because I can't and won't quit tie dye clothing. Back at the house I put shit away and did some kitchen organizing and brought the dogs up to the main house while MFD, Joe, and Dan put the tedious dresser together down in the efficiency. Apparently if you want to score a very cheap dresser the assembly is going to be a bitch.

This weekend was mostly a finishing touch weekend. I hung valances on the main floor and curtains in the powder room - imagine these actually on a rod, which will happen next weekend so they don't look like someone with hair too long. When that's done, the powder room will be done.

Something that has been vexing me: where to store books for our future renters to peruse and take to the beach? Since I was a little girl the beach has been synonymous with worn paperback books. I couldn't own a home there and not have some to share with others. There is no room even for a skinny bookcase anywhere other than the third floor or the bathroom so I'm storing them under the coffee table. Not ideal but better than nothing! And yes, of course I bought a used copy of Jane Eyre. My mom and Lori contributed some books from the discount bookstore too. The rest will be coming from my house. I also happened upon this Jack Vettriano wall tile in the thrift shop. We modeled one of our wedding photos after one of his beach scenes so I had to have it.

The sofas also got new pillows - all of them are washable with cases that unzip and can be swapped out and washed as well because who wants to lay on the spit of hundreds of other people? No one. I got a cushion for the bench from Kohl's and the last two coral boat cleats were hung, one on the stairs and one over the powder room door (hanging sign coming for that).

MFD went down Wednesday night to receive appliance delivery and to pick up and install new bottom cabinets on the one wall in the kitchen. He totally kicked ass down there. The top photo is updated canvas art in one of the bedrooms. As with downstairs, I used my pics and put them on Canvas when I found a sale online. Boom. The bottom is appliances. Counters get measured this Friday. I was initially reluctant to replace the appliances but it is nice to know going into our first rental season that everything is solid and they look nice. So I have to concede that MFD was right on this one. Plus the kitchen is the easiest area to update and in a 115 year old house, a little update is good. The rest can stay old beachy. 

While he was down there alone with no cable or wifi MFD also laid area rugs and pads in the bedrooms and built the remaining nightstand in the blue room. Target storage pieces rock for cheap nightstands. That room got updated canvases too and is now complete. 

I was hot to get out of there on Sunday since we'll be back for an extended time next weekend. I dropped the dogs off at home and hit Marburn Curtain for my missing curtains. Of course one of them was out of stock, so I put it in a bubble, blew it away, and got a mismatched one because I was not driving an hour to another store. I survived Trader Joe's  on a Sunday with a trip for a turkey and some other things. Why are Trader Joe's parking lots always like hell on earth?

No real food prep this week. I rarely do any the weekend before Thanksgiving. Breakfast is breakfast burritos I made last weekend, lunch is a veggie burger over baby spinach, and dinners are scrambled eggs and salmon with steamed veggies. Snacks are granny smith apples, cucumbers, and orange bell peppers.

In lieu of winterizing the yard and raking leaves, I got a manicure/pedicure/brow wax (OPI Bogota Blackberry on the feet and Baguette Me Not on the nails), put a new duvet cover on in the spare room at home since the quilt that's been on that bed for five years is making its way down the shore, and made roasted brussels sprouts that I served with some garlic parmesan bread topped with mozzarella and a side of olives. I also started this book of short stories by Nickolas Butler. His writing is just incredible to me. When I read it I feel it inside.

I would be remiss in leaving you for the day without wishing my fabulous friend Gwen (Confessions of a Gila Monster) a happy happy birthday today. You'll be seeing more of her here on Wednesday for this month's recommendations. I had to borrow her facebook profile pic for this because I just love it. Happy birthday my friend!

Short week. Hallelujah and amen! Are you working this week or off? 

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending