Friday Five 11.20.2020

1. If I wear something with pockets and don't wash it there is an 85% chance I will find a shell in it when I put it on next.

2. As we head into winter, I'm getting diligent about my body moisturizing again. Two of my favorites, both of which are cruelty free: Andalou Naturals CannaCell Botanical Body Lotion in Joyful. The scent is rosemary and lemon balm and, you know, joyful. I also like Scottish Fine Soaps Au Lait Body Butter - you can find this at TJMaxx (online for those not going to stores) and Marshalls too for great prices. Perfect stocking stuffer. 

3. It is my estimation that everyone has at least one thing they are never happy with the results of other people cleaning. For me that is my gas range top. This slippery little sucker can be difficult to find, but it is amazing: Weiman Gas Range cleaner. They make the stainless steel cleaners that are great too. 

4. Always, RBG.

5. I have loved kiwi since I was a child. I've subsisted on that, steamed asparagus, and various ravioli (toasted from Aldi's freezer section and cauliflower cheese boiled from Trader Joe's fridge section) this week.

I hope you have not slept on the High-rise ankle pants from Target (that link is an affiliate for Chelsea at The Girl Who Loved to Write, who turned me on to these, purchasing  through an affiliate link costs you nothing and the person benefitting makes approximately three cents on each transaction) from last week's Friday Five because Sunday I got showered and dressed to go for a bike ride and MFD asked me why I had nice pants on and when someone says that about your lounge pants I think you know you've made it. Order that shit for pickup and wear for Thanksgiving!

Happy birthday to Steph today!

I'm off next week and I cannot wait to exhale. Happy Friday. Wear a mask and be kind to each other out there, okay? 

Thursday Thoughts - been down one time, been down two times, I'm never going back again

1.  The middle finger socks in every color Debbie sent for my birthday have come in super handy this week in quarantine.

2. I know we're not going back to normal as we knew it, but it felt so great to get a coffee from a drive thru yesterday and stand around with my BFF Michelle having socially distant coffee.

3. Driving has also helped me a lot. I just get in my car and go for a drive out of my neighborhood every day. I was at the river the other morning. I am perplexed about why people wear masks when they

4. The best thing to do with leftover ham is to put it in homemade mac & cheese. I will never think differently. I thought I had a photo of the amazing mac & cheese I made last night but your imagination will have to suffice.

5. Seeing the sun at the end of the work day means more to me than I ever thought it would.

6. PA republican house and senate members voted this week to reopen the state ahead of scientist and doctor advice because they value money over people. There is no other explanation for voting to do that when no tests are available. Guess what, we all want to get back to some semblance of a new normal. We can't without tests. Ask your federal government where the fucking tests are, all the big beautiful plentiful tests that were promised. Also where is the PPE for all the healthcare workers? Then don't open shit without either one.

7. To be crystal clear, I don't think the stimulus only sent to some people is enough by far - every other country on this planet has reacted to this crisis better than we have and cared for the physical, mental, and financial health BETTER THAN WE HAVE and we are absolutely a negligent shithole country right now thanks to the federal government and that includes democrats who I don't think fought hard enough for the people - but the stimulus check, the additional money in unemployment, the unemployment that is supposed to be coming to 1099ers...it's democratic socialism just the same. I'm sorry people did not learn things in school or have forgotten them because Fox News told them to. Also yes, people who do not consider this bungling idiot their president will cash the checks that are not from him even if he insists on putting his rotten fuckup name on them. It's not his money. I'm tired of this shit.

8. Please show me a photo of a time in this country where black people - mostly men- have assembled on the steps of a state capital against officials or government systems and laws made by the same with guns of any type but especially the big ones designed to intimidate on site - and flags that are not this country's (the confederate flag is not visible here, but it was there aplenty) - and been given space to stand for assembly. Given space to stand and not been brutalized by the government and its military and police forces. Show me. Go look for photos associated with the Ferguson protests. Tell me white men with guns are treated the same as black men without. You'd be lying to me and if you believe or spout that you've been lying to yourself.

9. Reminder:

10. E-cards...it's been bad here

How has your week been?


The words following the hyphen are the song I am listening to when I start the Thursday Thoughts post. This week is Never Going Back Again by Fleetwood Mac - check out this live version. Rumours has been in heavy rotation this week

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