Thursday Thoughts - day after day it reappears

Thrifted. I love my shore thrift store. I was going to drag my big ass iced tea maker down but I got this baby one for there and two round cake pans because I only have those at the shore and have to bring them back to Philly when I need them. 

Monday was a lovely weather day. The rest of this week, not so much. 

Show Us Your Books is Tuesday. I've had at least two long, out loud laughs at lines in this book. That's rare for me, and appreciated. 

This week is National Library Week. My love letter to libraries went on Instagram but I wanted to make sure to acknowledge it here. 

Abortion on demand, without apology. The laws close in, more and more anti-woman legislation. Zero legislation or provisions to care for children already here or coming. Pro-birth is fucked up. Oklahoma, you are the latest in the demonic and disappointing behavior of falsely moral legislators. Fuck all of you. 

Office day. I'm in the office today, which I had to mentally prepare for all day yesterday even though this was my standard routine for almost 12 years prior to Covid. My, how we've changed. My brain will never be the same. If the commute didn't suck so hard, I'd be in more.

Greed is destroying us. It's wild out there. 

This is from this day in history, but for tomorrow. 79 years ago on April 8.

Forward, always. No matter what.

This cat acts like it came from an alley instead of a bougie kittery. He is in everyone's business, is scrappy AF, hunts birds and squirrels, eats bugs alive, and helps himself to dog food and people food.

My wish for all people is to be willing to take a swing and live life off-recipe. This week I made trash can tacos (should I trademark?) in which everything immediately expired, about to expire, or taking up room in the fridge with 1/4 left in the container went into the mix and they were amazing. I also made some concoction with similar - a week expired pasta, a jar of DiBruno cheese spread, the end of an everything goat cheese log, some spinach, green onions about to go, the last 1/4 of the broccoli slaw bag, olive oil, and I forget what else - and that turned out fine. Two cheers for being resourceful and no food waste. With the price of food right now, it makes the idea of food waste even more repugnant to me. 

Recommend. 

Last food item. I ordered Jeni's for the strawberry pretzel but am head over heels for the pineapple upside down cake. 

Ukraine. What next. What next. It reminds me of that Men at Work Overkill lyric, "I can't get to sleep. I think about the implications..." 

Do one small thing. When I am sluggish or unmotivated, I do one small thing. Likewise, when the world feels heavy or overwhelming, I do one small thing. I cannot stop war, but I can advocate for peace. I cannot help all refugees, but I can sign up to host or donate to fund one. I cannot battle the government zealots intent on outlawing abortion everywhere, but I can provide resources and support for other women. I cannot cure childhood hunger but I can find mutual aid groups in neighborhoods near me and donate food, time, money. I cannot eradicate racism, but I can be loud about anti-racism.

Happy 8th Birthday to Eva, it was Tuesday.

The week in dogs. Bruce doesn't act the same in Philly, it takes him a few days to settle back in here and relax. Ben is comfortable destroying shit everywhere. And no one cares if humans need pillows.

Happy Friday eve!

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Overkill by Men at Work

Thursday Thoughts - waiting, waiting on a sunny day...gonna chase the clouds away

1. I bought a cotton sweater from the Gap for spring and I'm pretty sure I owned the exact one in a different color in 1992. I wish I saved my original JCrew rollneck cotton sweaters also, hell any 100% cotton sweater. They are the only ones I want to wear. 

2. Other birthday month behavior this week includes making a list of things I want to do, and assembling all of my hoarded gift cards so I can begin to place orders. Sephora down so far.

3. Billy thinks Ben is is best friend, but Ben is like Bill, I already have a best friend. You don't like him that much.

4. Does this sound nonsensical yet? I can't tell. I am high on hours worked, low on hours slept, and quite short on patience. Never a good combination. I can't keep up with everything this week and I felt that on Monday so I never tried. 

5. Last night on the beach felt like spring and I felt like crying in relief. This winter has felt both short and long.  The first set of pics is the photo I was going for and the two I got by accident LOL

6. I admire the Ukrainian people so much. This is where we see heroes, but we must not let that romanticize war in our minds. There's no fucking way anywhere should be at war in 2022. Anywhere. Regardless of the dominant skin color or religion of the region or the economic interest world super powers like the United States hold within. There is also no fucking way authoritarianism and fascism should be creeping up everywhere including and especially within the United States where we have made sure to destroy public ed to the point where people cannot even recognize authoritarianism and fascism when they see it. I am sick of the goddamn doublespeak in this country. You cannot salute WWII vets and also support people attempting to overthrow elections on a false premise. Get it the fuck together. The bombing of the Holocaust Memorial at Babyn Yar this week was just. I don't even know what to say. There is so much going on out there right now and it is hard to process in a 24/7 news cycle. Don't assume someone doesn't care because they're not speaking about it using avenues you have access to. Life goes on through everything, and so does joy and other emotions that don't match dire situations happening elsewhere. It always has, or we would not still be here. 

7. The State of the Union was fine. Joe is not the one, but I appreciate his leadership on the world stage right now. While I don't exactly jive with either of them, I appreciate the historic scene behind the President with women in both seats for the first time in the history of this country. If you don't think that matters, fuck off, I'm not the one. The photo to the right is reporters interviewing Boebert and Greene after the speech. 

8. Show Us Your Books is Tuesday. 

9. Reminder via 

10. Ecards - 

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Waitin' on a Sunny Day by Bruce Springsteen

TWTW - the last one in February

Friday I started work early and ended correspondingly early, but was in pajamas by 3 anyway. Carol made salmon and salad for dinner, and I think I just zoned out on the couch at night. 

Saturday Bruce got up early and would not go back to sleep, so I was showered and packed up and we were off to the shore by 9. It was my first time driving with Billy in the car. I set up my new curtain system to hide the baker's rack clutter in our apartment and it makes an enormous difference. I cannot believe it took me nearly seven years to think of this. I unpacked, painted my nails (OPI Mural Mural on the wall, color fully seen in Sunday book photo), and finished a book. MFD arrived from some mummer thing and we went for a walk on the beach, then had chili out of the freezer for dinner. 

Sunday I spent the morning reading, MFD picked up bagels, and I did iced coffee flights with Amanda at Common Grounds in Oaklyn. I loved it, I mean look at the little coffee flight that was all delicious, and of course loved hanging with one of the BFF framily crew. I made it back to the shore in time to see the setting sun come through the hut on the fishing pier. I was in bed early finishing off a book. 

All while an ocean away a madman has the world holding their breath with his nuclear weapons and invasion of a peaceful people in a sovereign land. 

Donate to Voices of Children, Sunflower of Peace, Together Rising, International Rescue Committee, Care, Kyiv Independent (become a Patron or donate via Go Fund Me at the top of the page) to keep free press operational, and Razom Ukraine has options to donate but also resources for other ways to support the global Stand with Ukraine movement.

Thursday Thoughts - But I can live and breathe and see the sun in wintertime

1. This world right now. What insane and unnecessary pain and suffering mediocre white men have brought upon all of us throughout time. Russia's invasion of the peaceful country and people of Ukraine is fucking insane at any time, especially in 2022. We know, well, by now what havoc imperialism wreaks. The disastrous consequences of unchecked mediocre white man ego, too. On a whim this fucking guy nixes a binding international agreement to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine. For fucking what. All the good thoughts to the people of Ukraine. And to all of us, as the consequences of invasions like this are not contained inside land borders humans made. They have real global impacts: refugees, humanitarian assistance, economies, military, cyber attacks, misinformation, nuclear bullshit, propaganda, etc. We are the world, being served shit stew by an egomaniac trump and Tucker Fox News worship. MEDIOCRE WHITE MEN. What a time to be alive.

Speaking of disastrous consequences of unchecked mediocre white man ego...Why would you attempt to criminalize trans or gay people? Why does anyone vote for a party that pushes legislation forward like the Don't Say Gay bill in Florida or policy, albeit not backed up by law, like Greg Abbott's in Texas? It all connects. Donating to candidates in this party and supporting this party in any way is an unspoken agreement to let agendas like this prosper. Look, the democrats aren't doing fucking shit on the whole right now aside from talking and I'm not happy with them. The actions by republicans in power to put people - freaking kids - in unnecessary and egregious danger is just...no. Support trans people in TX and everywhere. Support gay people in FL and everywhere.  National Center for Transgender Equality Texas Action Center.

So, mood.

2. Cold again, jiggity jig. It was nice to experience a windows open day yesterday. Even Billy Hicks scored some outside time. I'm looking forward to that being the norm. I know winter is not finished, but I am officially finished with it. Birthday month is loading.

3. I've been in Philly much of the week, and I always feel like days are lather, rinse, repeat here. I am not outside walking as much up here and I'm always waiting to go back to the shore. Things I did do this week: return some shit to Nordstrom Rack, schedule some work at the shore in my small bathroom, scheduled my spring shore pest control, ordered light fixtures for two of the baths and the hallway, and pulled some clothes to donate. Things I still did not do: decide on light fixtures or peel & stick for the big shore bath. This is my iridescent pink HomeGoods happy:

4. The dogs haven't minded being home at all. My Dad and Carol made settlement on their new house last week but are back for Dad's cataract surgery this week. 

5. I had a questionable work day Monday and on Tuesday one of those brain draining/head hurting/what is the point ones reminiscent of April 2020 where it feels like the world is pressing in around you. Yesterday was much better thank god. Today is poised to be busy as hell, which Thursdays always are. 

6. Whipped up a quick veggie meat sauce with zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and ground sausage to have with pasta  last night. Carol made meatloaf Tuesday that was awesome. 

7. Aside from the weather being mostly rainy this week at the shore, I wanted to give our apartment counter time to set so I was better off not on the premises. I painted it Sunday and Monday with a leftover paint kit. This weekend I need to restore order there and in the house upstairs, and finally paper the ceiling in the powder room. Which I need a ladder for. 

8. We got in a pretty nice walk on Monday before we took off. 

9. Reminder via Breeze Studio

10. Ecards - an oldie but a goodie

Happy happy birthday to Natalia and Mrs. G today!

Hang in there everyone.

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is In a Big Country by Big Country (LOL)