snippets of the weekend 6.6.2023

Friday I meant to be finished by 3 and out running errands and doing some stuff up in the house before family arrived but alas I worked until fucking 7 and the thing I spent the five hours on never ended up being used but it's FINE. It's fucking fine. Jared arrived first, followed close behind by Dad & Carol then Stephen & Aubrey and the kids, little Stephen fresh off his pre-K grad. We missed the window to order dinner from anywhere and everywhere and ended up at Wawa. 

Saturday was cold AF! Dad & Carol made a big breakfast with an assist from Lola and we hit the boards, spending time in the arcade and at Wonderland when it opened. Hoo the final stretch walk down to Wonderland I was so fucking cold with the wind.  We saw some dog wedding guests on the way back. We tried Outer Banks Boil for dinner and it was good! 

Sunday was my brother's 40th. Him and my Dad & Jared left early for golf. Aubrey really outdid herself with the decor inside and out, so good. Carol got the coozies with a great photo. Lola, Carol, and I went and got Nauti Donuts. We packed sandwiches for the beach and it is decided I am not a good kid sandwich maker crust cutter offer. When they returned from golf we went to the beach for the afternoon. Taco extravaganza for dinner and strawberry pie for birthday singing. 

Monday I was off except I had a meeting in the afternoon. Girls hit Asbury to shop then we went to the beach - perfect beach day! Aubrey, Stephen, the kids, and Jared all left. We went and got slices from Angelo's and ice cream. 

weekending reels on Instagram - since I am now consistently not with it on weekend posts, this is my favorite weekend look back mode.

Yesterday was my BFF Kim's birthday - happy happy! Love you!

Today I looked for shore replacement dining furniture on SunPan, researched a moving company for work, and checked out some branding stuff on Ignite Digital. And packed up to return to Philly for a bit.

 

Closed today on account of marriage

These two are getting married today. My brother Stephen and his long-time girlfriend Aubrey.

I love Aubrey. Which, as we all know, is not a given when someone marries into our framilies. I can't even make any schmaltzy now we're family statements. They've been together for 12 years, same as me and MFD. Aubrey and I have been family. I'm excited to stand up as a bridesmaid today when they make it official. She will be a stunning bride who will light up the room.

The four of us over 12 years ago in July 2002. 

The four of us a week ago today, Nov 7 2014

This little boy, six years younger than me, nemesis and intruder on my only child status in his early years, tormenter and source of gross boy smell in his adolescent years, lifeline in some hard times (his, mine, and ours), and one of the people I love the most in life...he's getting married today. Cue sentimental me. I expect to have some tears.

It is a wedding, after all.

I love wedding days. The beauty, the details, the hoopla, the show, the attire, the music, the food, the dancing, and the happy. All the happy.

I send a million good thoughts to the couple and hope a lot of hopes for them.

I hope day of hopes, like I hope they look around and really appreciate this wedding day that will fly by, that they take a few minutes to themselves to be all oh shit we're married!, that they always feel the support of the people who were here to witness them saying their vows, that they don't feel too rushed, that their pictures turn out awesome, and that they really enjoy this day.

Then I hope lifelong hopes, like I hope they know that a bad day personally or as a couple doesn't mean a bad life, that they know commitment will carry them through when the love and even the like isn't there, that they recognize their job as their partner's support and encouragement system is now the most important job in their life.

Then I take a zillion photos, have some apps, and go to the bar and get some free drinks. Today is my 11th and final appearance as a bridesmaid. This old broad is retired. I'm going out with a bang.

Cheers to love, cheers to weddings, and cheers to two people who I love very much on their wedding day.

Cheers to my dear friend Melissa on her birthday. Thanks for being real, always speaking the truth, listening when I need someone to listen, always supporting me, and being a lot of fun. 

Cheers to Friday, and cheers to you. 

F is for

1. Being so F'ing glad this week is over. It started like this...

2. Food kindness. Chicken pot pie from Judy, veggie noodle casserole from Michelle, chicken piccata and delicious apps from Pat and Lil. Being a nurse is easier when you don't have to be the cook as well. Thank you ladies! Half of everything is frozen for next week.

3. Family. Ours have been so helpful this week. I dug this one out of me and my brothers from 2003 when Stephen was a freshman at Appalachian State for throwback Thursday.

4. Florence Freaking Nightingale. Pinterest taught me how to make a gel ice pack.  Ice packs are an integral part of my Florence Focker caregiving duties. Two parts water to one part rubbing alcohol. Scientist in training, bitches! Those of you who know how non math/sciencey I am should be having a good laugh right now. Relax, enjoy.

5. Forums - new idea sharing pow wow site for all of you bloggers out there. Have you joined Blog Connect, formed by the lovely Helene from Helene in Between? Get your buttocks over and sign up and talk blogging. Word to your mother, too.

6. Forward. He's temporarily down, but he's not out. MFD has moved his office to his Invalid Lair (I may or may not have created a location on Instagram called "Invalid Lair") and is still open for business. If you're looking to buy a house, sell a house, or rent in PA or NJ, call me. I've got a guy. He's sitting on the couch in the basement.

7. Five o'clock freedom. After last weekend and this week, I really really really really really really REALLY need some MF'ing downtime. I have to recharge my batteries. I am tapped out, exhausted. I need to sleep. And clean up my reading room. And read a book. And watch TV. I am woefully behind on all shows. Speaking of, I'm annoyed with Hart of Dixie and I'm giving 90210 das boot.

Source

8. Felicitations. Today begins my birthday month. HOLLER. March rules! My birthday rules! I celebrate it all month. Sorry in advance for not caring if you're tired of hearing about it by March 6. Sure, the Invalid State will alter the course of the celebrations, but there will be celebrations nonetheless.

Source

xoxo, you know you love me...Gossip Girl aka stupid Dan Humphrey. Still lame, GG creators.

Linking up with The Sowell Life for The Friday Five even though today I have eight.

Time to refuel

This actually is a burnt out light bulb. 

MAN. My light bulb is burnt out you guys. I'm busy at work, I have a zillion errands to run, I can't catch up on hausfrauing, my mind is going a mile a minute all the time. I'm feeling the pull from many directions, and pressure to do and be from all sides. My brain seriously felt like it might fall out of my head yesterday.

This morning I thought about the small things that made me smile over the past week and it helped me relight my fire enough to switch it into gear and finish this week out in ass kicking style.

• Sleeping with the windows open
• New nail polish
• Catching Overboard on tv
• Staying up late to finish a good book
• Sleeping in
• Laughing so much my cheeks and stomach hurt
• Dreaming about soft ice cream
• Found money

• Seeing lots of sweet mullets in person
• A successful new recipe
• A coupon for a free iced coffee
• Two vats of iced coffee in my fridge 
• Spending time with my BFF 
• Hearing one of my more obscure favorite songs on the radio
• The arrival of US Magazine in the mailbox just as the weekend is starting
• Leftovers from my neighbor =  don't need to pack my lunch
• A cheery little pitcher
• Drying lavender
• Kisses from my dogs
• Getting a video of my brother's first college soccer game from my mom since I couldn't be there
• A funky bottle adds a little disco to dish doing 

• Fruit in a bowl
• Turning off the Republican National Convention and going to bed
• A shopping trip with MFD
• The smell of baby powder
• Brother's Pizza
• Getting veggies from my uncle's garden
• Brie
• A three day weekend looming in the not so distant future

What's getting you over the hump today?

p.s. I mentioned coffee twice in that list. That calls for another cup. Cheers. 

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

My brother was born when I was 6. I was totally fine as an only child, but there was no sending him back.

My brother comes home June 4, 1983

To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. 

We live outside the touch of time.

~Clara Ortega

My brother used to wear superman and batman capes pinned to his clothes. He watched the Batman with Adam West over and over on VCR tapes. He also watched Police "Macademy," Moving Violations, and Revenge of the Nerds, on a loop. I wonder if my parents knew it said HAIR PIE.

1984

My brother used to say "funda funda funda TATS" for Thundercats and "oh FANKS" for thank you. He used to say "You know better - n- dat" when you did something he thought you shouldn't do. He used to subsist on poptarts and peanut butter and cheese sandwiches. He could sleep anywhere, anytime - he used to lay down on the ground at the Ground Round restaurant and fall asleep while everyone ate dinner.

Stephen's first day of kindergarten - 1988

My brother was big for his age. He was a gentle giant who was always nice to everyone. He had a good heart from the time he came into being. He always had friends over and collectively they made our house smell like outside and boy.

Being a savage with Patrick Dillon in 1992, and again in 2006 in college

My brother has helped me balance myself without knowing it. When our parents split up during my junior year in high school, we were plunged into a world where everything we knew was different overnight. Our relationship with each other was the only thing that remained the same. Being six years older than him, I looked out for him and in doing that, righted and steadied myself. As the Hindu proverb says, "Help your brother's boat across, and your own will reach the shore." My protective instinct for him is still fierce and probably always will be. At life's small and big moments, we will be there for each other, and that's a comfort not everyone has. At my college graduation, my stepmom snapped a photo of us walking around campus, and we've recreated the same walk at his high school and college graduation, and at my wedding. It's our thing that we do now in life's big moments.

My brother was only 12 when I went away to college. Every time I came home he was different and taller. He excelled in soccer, and received many accolades, including Gatorade Player of the Year,  NSCAA High School All-American, and Courier Times Player of the Year. He continued playing in college on a full scholarship, followed by a short stint playing for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. He went on to coach men's soccer at UCF in Florida before moving back home and getting his masters from Holy Family. He's made us proud and still does today as a history teacher and soccer coach.

Weirdly blond at Duquesne, signing autographs at the Riverhounds,  NHS Alumni game w/Sean in 2008

My brother has a lovely long-time girlfriend that I love. He is a pincher. He sends funny text messages. He yells "Not today, Lance," at serious bikers on the roadways. He mumbles and then gets annoyed when you ask him to repeat himself. He knows the fat man walks below. He let me ply him with my music and my movies when he was growing up and still likes a lot of them today.

Stephen & Aub

 Happy birthday to my brother Stephen, one of my favorite people on earth.

Our brothers and sisters are there with us from the dawn

of our personal stories to the inevitable dusk. 

~Susan Scarf Merrell