Snippets of the weekend 3.20.2023

Friday I ran out to get flowers and made roasted corned beef & sauteed cabbage while MFD took care of the boiled veg. We did mostly nothing all night. Saturday we were out early for Pop's funeral. I cannot describe the minister who officiated - you truly had to be there, and she was perfect for our family. We were laughing like loons, there was snorting and almost peeing and guffawing. There were some tears too but laughter is surely preferred. After that and the burial and luncheon, I painted my nails, we watched The Breakfast Club, and I fell asleep for a bit. We went to a 50th birthday on Rich's side for a few hours and I fell out on the couch again at home. Sunday I read and picked up a few groceries for one million dollars, purged some clothes, listed some stuff on Poshmark, made soup from a hambone I had in the freezer and some dying veggies, cleaned up the main floor, did laundry, read, etc. 

weekending reels on Instagram 

Cancelled all of my original birthday weekend reservations and plans, but life is a series of adjustments, is it not? Some in your favor and some not LOL 

TWTW - birthday weekend #1

Friday Up early to work early, also folded endless laundry and changed sheets. I had lunch at my Mom & Rich's for my upcoming birthday and Pop's, which was actually Friday. My nephew was there too and my uncle stopped by. It was a nice break in the workday and mom sent me home with cookies and Easter candy and of course my birthday gift. Friday night my brother and Aubrey and my nephew came over. Dad & Carol ordered Chinese food, Carol made cupcakes, and it was a nice end to the week. I got to see my nephew twice in one day and he is a riot and so loveable and smart. We missed my niece but she was out having fun!

Saturday Was absolutely miserable. The weather was cold and wet, I had gotten about five hours of shit sleep the night before, my stomach was off, and I was filling out identity theft paperwork because someone filed a tax return in my maiden name. My credit and identity are locked so that's as far as they've gotten. I opened birthday cards and won $30 off a scratcher from Carol's parents. Whoop! We packed up the car and made our way back down to the shore where nail polish birthday gifts awaited. GBBO all day and night, picked up library holds, unpacked, Randazzo's hoagies for dinner, too many cookies, and I fell asleep on the couch before 7 and didn't get into bed until 4:30. 

Sunday Another frigid day and we are well over winter. I read the newest Harlan Coben that comes out tomorrow, watched endless GBBO, and rested. A total reset and time to re-think who and what I give my energy to. This is required periodically, and if I'm not forced into it by a life circumstance I do it around my birthday. If I don't do it I keep doing things that do not serve me just because I've always done them or because it is what others expect. We took a quick jaunt down to the beach when MFD got home but the blowing sand was too much. I hope that was true winter's swan song. Salad, frozen pizza, and more GBBO to round it out.

Birthday Eve! If you're new around here birthdays don't always mean grand plans, but they do mean doing whatever I want including nothing. And they always include not working on my birthday so I'm off tomorrow. 

Annnnnnd I need to go to Target because I left my wireless keyboard in Philly. Hiss. 

Thursday Thoughts - in between what I find is pleasing and I'm feeling fine

1. Today is my Pop's 90th birthday. Last year my family cancelled his 89th birthday party because he wasn't feeling well and I haven't seen him since. I'll see him through a window today, his place is letting us come together. 

2. Where are my Aldi's people? This was delicious.

3. As were these. Happy birthday week to me! My neighbor has her own business - these cake pops and chocolate covered strawberries were delicious and quite reasonable - local friends in Northeast Philly and Bucks, check out her page on Facebook, she's Dipped and Delish by Dana. Some of the designs are so freaking cute. 

4. Other birthday week behavior: got my hair done because I hate not having fresh hair for my birthday but drive home with it wet because having it dried there is a gift to my longtime friend and stylist Kristi, not myself lol. Went to HomeGoods and browsed. Purged t-shirts. Rode around with the windows down, sunroof open, music loud. Had a happy hour with work ladies but only drank bubly. Smashed the patriarchy at every opportunity. Stopping to see Michelle today. Had a leak fixed in the basement. Why is there always a fucking leak. 

5. What would happen if I did a Thursday Thoughts and included no dog photos? Probably the same thing that happens when I yell for Gus, who is deaf. Nothing. And the same thing that happens when I yell at Bruce to stop singing the song of his people when he's outside and every damn dog in the neighborhood is barking. 

6. I’m unsure of the purpose of the “one year ago was the last normal week and we didn’t know it” memes. I am keenly fucking aware of that, I think we all are. Couch it in personal info at least, and what it means to you. 

7. I  know winter will come back and we'll be doing 40s but man this week's warmer temps were so nice.  I soaked up the sun at lunch and we got fresh air whenever we could. Also this year has really been a time for my quote tees to shine even more than before. I've always worn them, but t-shirt of the day took on a new meaning with them being eligible for all workdays. 

8. If you haven't thought about this, you are cordially invited to.

9. Reminder

10. E-cards: 

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Heart of Glass by Blondie

TWTW - the one before my birthday

Friday MFD was in DC for the Native Nations Rise March so it was my job to get the dogs up, which he usually does. They were not pleased.

Friday night I organized going to the shore stuff (heart emojis for sea horse outdoor ottomans) and fell asleep on the couch watching the Golden Girls after food prep (see bottom of post for what I made).

MFD got home late and I ended up sleeping in, but by 10 am Saturday we were on the way to the shore. We did some stuff in the house and removed old porch furniture before having lunch at at Jon & Patty's.

We also hit the beach. It was so beautiful it hurt...or maybe that was the cold air on my face. Excuse me, I am being petty and ungrateful and battling a bad attitude about not being able to open the house this weekend and not spending my birthday there as planned due to stupid impending Snowstorm Stelllllaaaaaaa.

We were home by 3:30, and by 6 I was watching my niece Lola Jean, which is the next best thing if I can't be at the shore. MFD came over and we got Jay's cheesesteaks. The pretzel roll is clutch and Jay gives back to the community a lot, which we love.

The best time to go to the grocery store before an impending snowstorm is 10:30 on a Saturday night. Seriously. I got home and unpacked and went to bed around 11:30, but I could not go to sleep to save my life and I was still up when MFD got up at 1:30 to do his overnight Code Blue volunteering for the homeless with AHTN. Mae thinking she was a people and should share my pillow didn't help. 

Sunday morning I got a pedicure and perused the aisles of Ross. Now you know my toes had to be in bad shape for me to run errands with flip flops when temps were below freezing.

I also got flowers because if it's not going to act like spring outside damnit it will look like spring inside. I supplemented birthday flowers from Kim that arrived last week (top left pic). 

Sunday afternoon Mom & Rich took us out to Carlucci's to celebrate my birthday and Pop's 86th, which was Saturday. The seafood canneloni was amazing. I love their veggies and potatoes too.

After that I pulled the birthday card and made MFD go to HomeGoods. He was not amused but he did humor me and stand next to the letters someone made say ass. 

Weekly food prep: Breakfast is whole grain english muffins with PB and bananas; lunch is this one pan chicken and veggie meal over quinoa (I didn't love how this came out, I will likely prepare separately in the future);  snacks are blackberries, bell peppers, and yogurt; and dinner is chili and corned beef/cabbage/potatoes (not made yet). Some of that chili will go in the freezer for future lunches, and I made breakfast burritos to freeze too. I will be eating breakfast burritos from the freezer a lot because a) I love them, b) I don't mind eating the same thing daily, and c) they're the easiest to make ahead and freeze when I'm at the shore. 

Favorite day tomorrow! Show Us Your Books + Birthday Eve!

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending

TWTW - the one home alone

It's nice to start the weekend being ladies who lunch on Friday. Tara and I tried Snap Kitchen Rittenhouse and she brought this awesome piece she made for the shore house. We both love it. 

Friday night trip to Michael's, boiling three pounds of macaroni, purging coat closet and wine cabinet, painting my nails (OPI Go with the Lava Flow), and an awesome massage. I've had an occipital headache all week and this kicked it out. MFD left late for the shore.

Saturday began with terror in the home for the dogs as Mae got shots and they all got their anal glands expressed by the lovely mobile vet service House Paws. Gus shit all over the house in revenge annnnnnd I stepped in it in bare feet. Vietnam Vets also picked up donations. Hallelujah and Amen for purging.

I had to get weekly food prep out of the way early: Three pounds of macaroni salad for Vincent's Big Dumb Face Beef & Beer, breakfasts are egg muffins with asparagus and cheese; snacks are honey crisp apples and nut bars; lunches are turkey burgers with spaghetti squash and snap peas; dinners are baked lemon rosemary chicken breasts and with mashed parsnips and one of my favorite comfort foods: American goulash.

Saturday night was a good time for a great cause - Vincent's Big Dumb Face Beef & Beer. I didn't win anything, but the last beef & beer I went to I won like three baskets so I am not due to win anything for quite a long time. The auction baskets were awesome though and Amanda and Frank did a wonderful job of putting this fun night together.

Sunday MFD returned, I went to see Lola Jean (these are her leopard Toms I got from the zulily sale), miraculously exchanged something at Target without purchasing something else, got my  $6 flowers of the week from Produce Junction, packed my clothes for Ireland (I've already changed my mind about two things), and took a Sunday drive through Bucks County with MFD, picking up some goodies from None Such Farm on the way.

It was a tremendous weather weekend here, I hope you enjoyed the same. 

Let's get down to business this week.

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending

TWTW - the one with forgetfulness

You are a forgetful motherfucker if you have to go to Target twice in one weekend and the grocery store twice in one weekend. Friday night was Target and the grocery store round one followed by a concert and late dinner. MFD was playing for his old band teacher Mr. Nelson in the Tri County Band. They closed out with God Bless America, and all of the old people in the audience stood up and sang and surprise I cried. I am a big patriotic crier.

By the time we left there after 10, I was hangry, so MFD had to take me to the diner.

I was up late finishing a book Friday and slept in to get nine hours. It was glorious. Plus I got some new Stella & Dot stuff in the mail which started the day off well. I planted over 30 bulbs, and dear sweet plant loving baby jesus let them flower or I will be laying down in the empty spots in my flower bed crying come June.

I spent some time with my genius happy beautiful niece Lola Jean before taking Pop out for an early bird special dinner. The man goes to bed at 6:30. After I dropped him off, I did Target take two and picked up some flowers that I planted before it rained. Saturday night I was putzing around in my new Target pajama pants, drinking sleepy time tea, painting my nails (OPI Lost My Bikini in Molokini) and sort of paying attention to VEEP which MFD is re-watching.

Sunday was fresh sheets, tired dogs, and coffee at the hospital with Pop. Gamma has been in the hospital and a rehab place and back to the hospital for over a week, so please say a prayer for her if you can spare one. I went to the hospital Sunday morning and missed the March for Babies on Sunday which was a total bummer but Team Eva the Diva kicked it out in the rain.

After I took Pop home from the hospital, I did grocery store take two, then bummed around with the dogs before we headed out to MFD's great Aunt Mary's funeral. Tough one - I so enjoyed her. She was a great, strong lady loved by many and a true matriarch of her family.

Weekly food prep: two zucchini pies, one for Pop and one for this week's breakfasts; lunch is soup out of the freezer; snacks are bell peppers and bananas; dinners are baked queso tacos with fresh salsa; turkey burgers (unmade here) and steamed veggies. The rest of the turkey burgers went into the freezer. 

And today? Today I left my planner at home. About that forgetfulness I mentioned in the title...it has spread like wildfire. 

Good thoughts to our Caldwell family today as they lay Aunt Mary to rest. 

That's all I got this weekend. What about you?

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending &

TWTW - the one before Spring that felt like winter

Friday night was the Covenant House Sleep Out to Support Homeless Youth. Thanks to Catie & Joe for putting a team together and inviting us and Jimmy to participate in order to raise awareness and funds. Absolutely eye opening and life changing. There will not be a year left in my life that I do not donate to Covenant House. These are the fringe kids everyone complains about being a drain on society, bringing themselves back from the edge with the help of this place and the knowledge that they are worth it and that they are resilient. More to come on this experience Wednesday. Covenant House is still just under $3000 shy of their goal for this event, click here to donate if you're able and willing.

When we got home, I laid down and went back to sleep. In a warm bed. That I will not take for granted ever again. Around noon I headed to Gamma & Pop's to hang out with some of the family for a little bit.

I hit a little Italian grocery near Gamma & Pop's and the nice old Italian man led me around by the hand and fed me pasta and sausage off the stove. Saturday afternoon I did some body and face masks, changed the sheets, made dinner, and finished season two of Bosch.

Weekly food prep: zucchini pie for breakfasts; power breakfast muffins to freeze; pickle mac and tuna salad for lunches; lemon for waters and kiwi and mini sweet peppers (not pictured) for snacks; krauty chicken and sweet potato fries and baked salmon with rice and steamed broccoli for dinners.

This weekend in dog town:

I also began putting the basement back together after pulling every blessed thing out of the utility closet. Well, let me amend that. MFD pulled it out, which is why it looks like helter skelter. LOL This is where I started boss bitching from on Sunday. Deliver me, pray for me, all of those things. Pics in a while when I have it moved around close to how I want it. I didn't get far because my productivity window for the weekend closed around 3 p.m. and the person who was supposed to come pick up the basement couches had to postpone until Wednesday. Fart noise.

To close out Sunday, there was snow and I finished a book. The End.

Do tell...how was yours?

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending