snippets of the weekend 6.20.2023

Friday I hit TJ Maxx and also stopped at my brother's to give my dad his joint Father's Day gift, had chicken salads for dinner, and relaxed. Bruce and Ben look like they're the ones who worked their asses off this week but that is definitely not the case. 

I made pasta salad and we picked up pretzels and CFA on the way to my brother's 40th birthday party and had a good laugh about being packed in the car. The party was a lot of fun, great job Aub!! Special out of retirement one time appearance by Road Soda for the occasion.

I was planning to sleep in Sunday but that didn't happen thanks to Bruce. Always thanks to Bruce. I saw my Dad in the morning before him and Carol left for her parents' house but the rest of the day was open so I ran a few errands, got a pedicure, MFD grilled steaks, I finished a book and started another, took a little daytime snooze, changed the sheets, and watched the entire first season of Somebody, Somewhere on HBO Max. Ugh, so good. 

Monday I did more reading, finally put the pile of clothes that has lived on my bedroom chair for an eternity away, moved a bookcase up there and did some cleaning.

Monday evening we met the family at Isaac Newton's to celebrate Rich's retirement a little over a week late. It was also my mom's birthday Monday so we celebrated that as well. 

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

It's a weird time, in which I haven't been at the shore at all since Sunday night 6/11 and am not going to be back until at least Saturday evening 6/24. 

Two if by sea

Yesterday was two years of living the dream. It's weird, right, to commemorate the day you bought a house? It's more than that to me though. It was a life changer on that day two years ago, and it still is now. I remember throwing the dogs into the car and roaring down there immediately, crying most of the way, and never looking back.

I meant to log on and post a few photos to commemorate the occasion. Then I thought well I can just do a quick month thing. Naturally, it got long and out of hand. By the end I was like derr it's not a quick thing. So much of my life is lived at the shore. During the week our house at home feels like a way station where we do laundry and wait to go back to the shore. And by we I mean I because MFD works most weekends and now has mummery so he's not always getting a day in down there.

We didn't spend a lot of time down there after mid-October last fall because we were in Ireland and Scotland at the end of October/beginning of November, spent Thanksgiving at Lori's, and then MFD was out at Standing Rock in December. Then I had a Saturday work event, then holiday parties, you know the drill. We closed the house up earlier than normal, but I did see one last sunrise down there.

Popping in on a 74 degree day in February for a house check and beach run.

I planned to spend my 40th there and it fucking snowed, delaying the house opening more than a week. I was in a big snit. We didn't open it until March 24, and that was molasses like because we had the Covenant House sleepout the night before. Regardless, the dogs were happy to be back at the beach and so were we.

April was an ass kicking month. We replaced the railings on on apartment porch, removed old carpet there and painted the concrete, painted the wood on that porch and the upper porch, painted the two bedrooms on the third floor, got rid of a bunch of old furniture and fashioned new tables and lamps for one of the rooms up there. Lola did an egg hunt that was crowded as fuck, we spent Easter there, and a very hot April weekend with the girls. I had my first Kohr Bros of the season and got an Ocean City library card, which made my life.

May started out shitty with a Nor'Easter. And painting. Always painting. Staircases, trim, touch up paint. Two new air conditioning units, new carpet on the top floor, new contact paper on the wall up there, and the discovery that Luigi's was under new ownership and would become one of our favorite restaurants. Memorial Day was cold with the exception of Sunday. Like, wearing knit hats on Monday night cold.

June was my brother's birthday and doing the rides with Lola, a visit from Mom & Rich and trip to the Deauville, my 40th weekend with my girls, an ill-fated trip to Fortescue and the attack of the green flies from hell, late Saturday nights fishing in Corson's until the light died, late lingering Sundays spent down in the North End, and settling into summer weekend routines with the start of the weekly rental season.

July 4th fell on a Tuesday and that week was the most nuts I have ever seen the shore even though the weekend before it was so cold we were all bundled up on the boardwalk. On the actual 4th I sequestered myself in our apartment until it was time to go home. We were away for two weekends and Michelle held down the fort, then the last weekend was a major monsoon event so I sent MFD down to do turnover and stayed home.

August was new lamps, new homemade soap with soap labels, new cushions for the porch chairs upstairs, new beach cart, a college reunion, Marla sighting, cousin time, fireworks, Friday afternoons off, a surf show on the boards, and actual surfing for MFD.

Sweet, sweet September. The end of the weekly rental season. The time to reeeee-lax. And this year, the time to say goodbye to sweet Geege. It was also the Classic Car Show and the Corvette Show, new bedding, new lamps, new carpet on the steps, MFD's 40th over Labor Day, an extra long weekend at the end of September that felt like summer, a trip to Cape May, riding on the new roller coaster, and the meeting of Bruce Springsteen.

And here we are in what is technically now our third October. We did the Block Party and Laura and Chris came for a quick visit. Bruce Springsteen loves the beach. I am pretty set on an every other weekend at the shore schedule from now until whenever we need to close it for the season, which is only when the pipes are in danger of freezing. Otherwise we layer up and use ceramic heaters.

As I looked over these pictures on a little walk down memory lane for the past shore year, I alternately thought I can't believe this is my life/this is my fucking life and I love it.

It still feels like a dream a lot of the time. The battles with VRBO do not, however. Our listing is still up there but I'm hoping to switch full time to Shore Summer Rentals in the future. We have three weeks rented for next year, which is awesome.

And I have a library card. And favorite restaurants. And we know shop keepers. We are building our community there and I love it.

People remark that it seems stressful at times. And it is, sure, specifically the hours between 10 am and 3 pm every Saturday in the summer. Even that is mostly self-inflicted, because it's about me wanting things to be perfect for people checking in even though I know perfection is an unattainable illusion. But the minuscule amount of stress is worth it a million times over.

See one year anniversary post here.

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 my mom's 60th celebration

Thursday after a work event I headed to the shore. Lori was already down there, and we decorated for my Mom's 60th weekend.

I biked down to the beach Friday morning to catch the sunrise, then Lori & I walked the dogs, had breakfast at the Beach Club, and went to the grocery and hardware stores.

After we made the outdoor shower safe from peepers and cut up some fruits & veg, the guest of honor arrived. We had lunch and hit the beach with the rest of the family trickling in. We were on the beach late talking and laughing and having some drinks. It was a lovely afternoon. We missed our Lola and her parents this weekend but they had long-standing plans!

Family night on the boards...dinner on Rich at the promenade, then Kate/Dan/Rich/Swan and the kids went down to the rides (hilarious video of Swan and the kids on a ride on my mom's instagram here) and Mom, Lori, Debbie, and I did some shopping. Check out the prank poop! MFD and my dogs arrived after midnight and he was quite pleased to spy on cop action in front of our house immediately upon arrival.

Is there a better way to start a Saturday besides Brown's donuts and dogs? No, there is not. My stepdad went and got them for us and we hung out upstairs on the porch then downstairs on the porch to give the dogs some outside time. I also had the Wire Wiz come in to install ceiling fans, which turned into a production because why wouldn't it? One successfully installed, one being installed this week. The plumber was in Friday too and the screen door was replaced Saturday night. Revolving door of contractors up in this piece.

The girls went shopping on Asbury, and the guys did whatever they did. LOL, I don't even know aside from skee ball. We did run into MFD on the Avenue, biking around like the Mayor and signing up for the gym.

One of our last stops was Drip 'n Scoop, the newest coffee shop in Ocean City. I loved the decor and the cold brew nitro was awesome. Very smooth, very strong, and you don't even need cream.

After a rest with the dogs, another afternoon at the beach. I totally failed on the beach reads this weekend. I was reading a book on my kindle and my polarized sunglasses fuck with the screen. I attempted another book and failed, then read a few pages of Lori's (pictured)before taking a beach rest. We saw a wedding on the beach. Rich and Debbie got up close and personal but did not take seats.

MFD and I biked around by the bay and watched the sunset, then Lori, Mom and I walked up to the boardwalk for a few and we all sang to my Mom but were too full to eat the glorious Stock's cake Rich & Sean picked up on the way down.

Sunday was another glorious sunrise (video here).

Rich came down too and I snapped a shot of him walking off towards the big ball of fire the was about to come up.

After a dog walk back by the bay, we enjoyed coffee and hilarious poop stories on the porch. My mom's new name is  Poopsie because we saw a group with Poopsie's Peeps shirts and decided to adopt it since we are constantly talking about poop. Lori headed out, Kate/Dan/Rich/kids headed to the beach, and Mom/Debbie/me hung out on the porch, watched the world go by, and enjoyed the breeze. My family cleaned up the house and were on the road by two. It was an awesome weekend with my family celebrating my mom's 60th birthday, which is actually next weekend but the season starts next weekend in earnest so we're rented through August.

MFD and I did a few more things in the house, took a bike ride down to the bay, cleaned up the outside area, and prepared the efficiency to rent.  We rode back to the bay again for sunset and up to the boardwalk for pizza and ice cream. I rode my bike in the dark for the first time...I feel like I'm 12. Lol I also graduated to a big girl basket because my crapper basket that came with it was not cutting it and I had bike basket embarrassment. We left for home after 10 and I am worn the hell out in a very happy way.

Weekly food prep

Breakfast is breakfast burritos from the freezer. Snacks are bananas and celery until I can get to the grocery store. I only need three days of lunches because Monday I have a staff meeting and Tuesday I have lunch with Tara. Dinners are going to be on the fly...I think I'll start with turkey burgers and veggies.  

Today: Monday is a cruel mistress. And I exited the elevator to this. I'm sick of reading about fear and watching people rip each other over events like this because everyone knows everything about everything. Guess what? All mass shootings are terrorist events. I'm pissed off. If you don't like gay people because they're gay, I don't like you. We'd do well to stop living these things out on social media and actually change the way we act and think and what we say. More positive action, less talk. 

Tomorrow: favorite day! Show Us Your Books with Jana and me. 

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending &