Snippets of the weekend 9.25.2023

Tropical Storm Ophelia made it quite a different weekend than intended. Mom and Rich were supposed to be at the shore for the weekend, and I was supposed to head down Friday night after work but none of that happened. There was so much shit going on through the shore towns this weekend, I feel bad for all the fucked plans.

Friday I was out of the house by 8 for a work photoshoot, picked up some groceries on the way back home, finished out the day, did laundry, and watched my niece and nephew at night. We caught an awesome parking lot sunset and got ice cream. 

I slept 11 hours Friday night and it was fucking amazing. Saturday was a super slow day - I did a catch all blog post for the last month, went to Sam's (fucking kill me in the line after checkout line, for real) and Aldi, filled my car up with gas, ate leftovers, finished a book, packed up for the shore, decided not go to when the flood waters didn't clear in the early evening after high tide, and zoned the fuck out in front of GBBO for hours. Sunday I got to the shore by 11:30, unpacked, went to the library and HomeGoods, and walked down to the beach to see Ophelia leaving.

weekending reels on Instagram - current favorite weekend look back mode.

Today is our 13th wedding anniversary, the date we confirmed with each other last week as we are not big anniversary people - we still out here! 22 years together this month, and we've known each other for 33. In the words of Steve Miller Band, time keeps on slipping slipping slipping

Happy happy birthday to our BFF Amanda today as well!

Thursday Thoughts - But my heart keeps calling me backwards as I get on the 707

Colorful food. My favorite.

Looking for a contractor who works in NE Philly. Dependable, responsive, can work for a woman without being an asshole, and all that jazz. The time has come to put the 1960s blue bathroom out to pasture and get some other interior projects lined up as well. I want to get on someone's schedule ASAP.

Reminder. Via

Wellness. Two months in a row for massage for wellness, and the next booked for September, friends! See my sister in law Sarah at Blossom Massage & Body Work in Langhorne where Chuck E. Cheese used to be. You will not regret it. Lobby lights.

Rethinking what I own and preparing to do a major pare down.

Superb weather this week. The air feels like silk. Windows open is my best life.

Juggling schedules for the next month with MFD of which of us is where when taking care of what.

Counting down in shore weeks. Two more turnovers before Labor Day weekend break.

Understanding this in my bones.

Mr. Teeth's daily food games.

Aging dogs. Mae is losing her sight pretty rapidly we think, and she's confused and aggressive. We have an appointment for her at the vet in a few weeks but until then are trying to talk when we leave the room and approach her when we enter. She bites, and it leaves a mark even with no teeth. Much different than when Gus lost his sight and hearing. 

As for the other two...Bruce turned 5 Monday and Billy was unsuccessful in murdering people on the steps but successful in getting to a long-desired place.

 
What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Jet Airliner by Steve Miller Band

On Wednesdays we talk weather, weed, and waiting on full spring

Checking in. It's Wednesday. Weather chat like old people do. It's seasonal spring and it's calendar spring, and it is probably climate change spring in the northeast. The wind has been absolutely inhospitable, a burning assault one needs to lean into and push through. The morning chill remains through most of the days. It's always colder at the shore in the spring by a mile, but this is absurd right now. Upstate in PA Lori is under a lot of snow and without power going on day two, and can we just say screw an April winter? Really. Screw it. Go away, Third Winter.

I want chapped lips and dry skin to miraculously disappear. 

I want to spend lunch hours outside feeling sun on bare arms, mainlining the vitamin D right through the skin, be out on my last dog walk of the night moving through air that is so perfect it feels like a whisper of silk, exist with windows open day and night, and drink morning coffee and watch the day fade away both comfortably from the front porch. Comfortably is the key word. I don't mind a light blanket but I'm not doing it shivering in a coat. 

I want to put the socks, winter coats, and electric blankets away.  

At least the food is good in this period of fool's spring - I made beef tips with gravy and served it over rice with a side of asparagus. It was delicious and easy. I'm cooking through the freezer and pantry and I had all the items. Also on the menu this week are long pants, two layers up top, socks, heavy duty lotion and big guns lip balm.

I'm not even a person that tends to be cold, I swear.

Is it too much to ask that spring arrive and stay for a while instead of shooting us right into heat and humidity? Probably.

You know what is here on time? The tree pollen, which kills my eyes in the spring.

I'm existing on Netgalley advanced reader copies, Fleetwood Mac, coffee, cardigan sweaters, and dreams of perfect weather this week. 

Happy belated birthday to Gail! It was yesterday.

And Happy 4/20 - decriminalize weed, expunge records, legalize it, and give the licenses to Black people as a form of reparations. Alcohol and opioids, both legal, have destroyed more lives, futures, families, and communities than marijuana by a mile. And that's that on that.

 

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 - on a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair

1. First feminist point...the first rule of feminist fight club is to always talk about feminist fight club. Image via thewildfeminine on Instagram. 

2. Second feminist point: women told you and you chose not to believe them and passed him through anyway and this has been and continues to be a fucking disgrace. Sometimes I wish I cared less about this shit and lived in ignorance.

3. Sometimes you need a good neutral nail. I love the name of this - Dark Desert Highway by Pacifica. I lost my summer lipstick to the ocean last weekend so I guess it's time to move on from that LOL

4. The weather has been superb for sleeping and lunch walks. Fall popped back on to say hey but summer's returning this weekend.

5. I'm already lining up my casseroles. I think ravioli casserole is first. I love a casserole any time but they seem out of place in the summer.

6. I feel out of place in Philly right now since most nights have been spent at the shore recently. I do love those off season sights...kids running by on the beach as part of their sports teams practice, this lady on a bike with her dog running behind her (he goes in the basket when they get to a populated area).

7. Every year I buy this crap for MFD. Not a fan.

8. Happy happy birthday to my nephew Drew and my brother Swan today.

9. Reminder:

10. Ecards...and I hate when I find one I like and it's a poor resolution.

What's burning through your brain this week? 

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 I was late writing it Wednesday nightand listening to nothing so the lyric is from my nail polish color - Hotel California by The Eagles...when I got In the car this morning, that’s the song that was on so it was meant to be

TWTW - fall n'oreaster in the house

Friday was admiring how good my dogs have it, reading a book, prepping for Saturday, and painting my nails (OPI My Private Jet).

Saturday Campaigns don't stop for N'oreasters, so I was up baking power breakfast muffins for the crew by 7 (thanks Bruce for being the alarm) and at the office by 9:15. We did some phone banking and eating (thanks Mom for cooking lunch for everyone!) and door knocking in the rain and the five minutes of sun and the more rain. We took a break in shock over the anti-Semitic murders in Pittsburgh. I seriously don’t know what the fuck it will take for some people to see how white supremacy has been given a national stage under this administration and every single official in every single office who supports their agenda. Vote them all out. This is on us.

The shore was under water but we didn’t take any in on the ground floor. Whew. So nice to have someone down there who will check for us! Karen rocks.

Debbie and I went to see A Star is Born, which was really good but depressing AF - Debbie and I were crying, the man next to us was crying, the women behind us, everyone in the damn theater - so we came home and counteracted it with The Hangover because Bradley Cooper. I couldn't tell you the last time I went to the movie theater before this.

Sunday I got eight hours of sleep for the first time in a really long time. I woke up unsure of how to be. Auntie was busy with her adoring dogs who were pissed when we left to door knock. Trees on point near the campaign office.

I was home by 3 to send Debbie back off to NJ and get ready for a VIP work event I was running at the Union League at night. 

Weekly food prep: LOL. Ramen?

 How was yours? My brain is a wet noodle and I have to be firing on all cylinders every day until November 7.