TWTW - the one with the bikes

Friday I worked from home for the oven repairman who never called or showed up and ran errands at lunch, marveled at Bender hoarding toys, and bitched at the city. Normal day. After work I transplanted two perennials so let’s hope that takes as well as lolling around with Gus. 

Friday night was Amanda's 40th birthday at Songbird in Collingswood. It was a great party with lots of laughs with framily and the fine karaoke stylings of AJ and Company. It’s the latest I’ve been out in a while and we stopped in at the neighbors’ through the backyard for a few minutes when we got home. I didn’t turn my light out until 1:30 am. 

Saturday I headed to the shore with los perros after doing some stuff around the house. MFD was at the Recovery Walk so he went from there. It was the MS City to Shore bike ride this weekend and the staff stays in our main house. My first order of business was a hotdog for lunch followed by some beach time and couch time. Kale salad and pizza for dinner. I was in bed reading by 10.

Sunday sunrise, the last official one of summer 2019. Thanks to my dogs for getting up at 5:35 ensuring I did not miss it.

After a scintillating five minutes of Dogs in Donut Hats and a lot of coffee, I headed out. 

I found great treasures, all of which I lost When i left since I forgot they were in a chair pocket, had more coffee, swam, and finished a book before heading back to clean the house, walk the dogs, pack the car, and shower. The MS people always leave us food, which is awesome. We took some to my mother in law, froze some, will use some this week, and shared some with the neighbors. 

Today is a year since my father in law passed so we took MFD’s mom to dinner at the Lobster House in Cape May. It was nice to be together. After we dropped her off, we drove back to Ocean City, packed up more shit, walked the dogs, and I took them home. MFD has his part of the shore chores and done trim painting to do Monday morning. 

Weekly food prep: Breakfasts are homemade waffles and bananas. Lunches are Aldi kale salad kits. Dinners were going to be million dollar ravioli casserole but since my oven wasn't fixed it'll be mac and cheese I brought home from the shore and salads. I know we're going out on Wednesday. 

The next few weekends I'll be splitting time in Philly and at the shore. It's nice to be close enough to do that. 

Happy fall! And happy birthday Bruce Springsteen the man and our friend Jenny. And happy Monday. HAPPY EVERYTHING, to everyone. 

6 Home Improvements To Make This Summer And How To Ensure They Run As Smoothly As Possible

Not my house...Peace Valley Lavender Farm in Doylestown, PA

Now that warmer weather is starting to make an appearance and summer is creeping up on us, it's time to start thinking about home improvements. Whether it's getting your home ready for grilling and BBQs and gatherings or just setting up your place to make the most out of the warm weather - summer is the perfect time for home renovations. Less rain, more light at night to work, and the perfect weather...let's do this.

6 Home Improvements You Can Make This Summer

- Give Your Yard and Garden a Summer Makeover

The first and most obvious place in which to work is your garden and yard because you're outside so much more in the summer season. Whether you're out in the yard with the kids or hosting a BBQ for fam and friends, the yard and garden must be prepared. Is it safe? Is it an enjoyable place to spend time?

If you look out and see too much work, it might be worth bringing someone in to do the heavy lifting and get rid of overgrowth and hanging trees. Although landscaping is a lot more expensive in comparison doing it yourself, it could give your outdoor space the boost you need to fall in love with it all over again. If you're going to do a straight up renovation and need tips and tricks, check out this site here. Maybe it's just adding new rocks or mulch or switching out your cushions. That took us years because they're so pricey but it was so worth it to freshen everything up. 

- Create a Communal Space for Gatherings and Parties

If you're planning on hosting a lot of summer gatherings, consider making the communal area closest to your outdoor entry more people friendly. Mats to save your floors, a place to store your citronella candles and bug spray, etc.

- Change Up Your Accessories for a Sunnier Feel

If you're on a budget but you still want to give your home a fresh feel for summer, change up your accessories to reflect the season. One of the best ways to refresh your home without the cost is to swap accessories every time the season arrives. Whether it's swapped wall art, fresh pillow covers, candles with seasonally appropriate scents, bright dish towels, or different sets of flowers, it's amazing how much difference small changes actually make. I always shop my house and switch wall decor out between rooms to save money. I also move to lighter quilts that I move between rooms too. For more inspiration on how to create summer decor, check out this pinterest board. 

- Renovate Your Kitchen or Bathroom 

If you're ready to bring out the big guns on the renovation front, you may want to consider a kitchen or bathroom renovation. This is infinitely more work and money than most other home improvements, it will definitely be worth it both in use of spaces and in resale value down the line. With a kitchen or bathroom renovation, you must think about a number of different things before you get started. Do you need to hire help? Will you need a plumber? What design and features do you want to include? How long will the renovation take? How will you function without these vital spaces while they're under construction?

- Bring the Outside in With Some of the Season's Best Flowers

Another inexpensive way to improve your home during the summer months is to bring some of the outside in. This means looking at what some of the season's best flowers are and incorporating them into your home in a way that suits you. Whether that means looking after your first ever houseplants or buying a fresh bouquet every week (if you're near a Produce Junction, you can get gorgeous flowers under $5) , you will love the difference it can make. If you have flowers you can snip and bring in, then free is even cheaper. I do that with my hydrangeas a lot. 

- Upcycle Your Old Furniture to Bring it Back to Life

One of the best ways to give your home an entirely new look and feel without the cost is to upcycle any unwanted furniture you have. Give it a fresh coat of paint or completely renovate it for a new purpose. Upcycling is incredibly affordable and so easy to do. I've done it with a lot of furniture at the shore. I love when everything old is new again. 

How To Ensure Your Home Improvements Run Smoothly 

- Make Sure You're Setting Yourself A Budget You Can Stick To

One of the most important aspects of home renovations is setting a budget. This means not only thinking about what your overall budget is going to be but thinking about how much each individual aspect is going to cost you. Think about hiring help, materials and any extras you may need. Need advice when it comes to setting a budget?  

- Plan Everything Out Well In Advance

If you’re going to be carrying out home improvements it’s important you’re planning everything out in advance. There are so many different things you need to consider before you get started, so writing things down and creating a detailed plan will help ensure you don’t run into any errors.

- Don't Be Afraid To Ask A Professional For Help

While it's nice to feel as though you can do absolutely anything, the reality is you can’t. Whether it’s hiring an electrician or plumber or even an interior designer -if it's not in your wheelhouse, hire some help. 

- Shop Around When it Comes To Buying Materials And Equipment 

If you’re going to buying all of your materials and equipment personally, you must shop around for the best possible prices. Go to different stores and price things out online. You want quality items that will last. 

- Don't Rush Into Things 

When it comes to making home improvements it’s easy to get carried away and think you can do everything. The best thing to do to ensure you don’t make any mistakes in your excitement is to leave it for a couple of days before you start anything. Please note, that is not the way I do things. I jump in and don't look back. But not rushing into it is probably the way to go. I do schedule out improvements especially at the shore because we have to be doing something every weekend in order to be ready for rental season. 

At home we've changed out the outdoor cushions and gotten rid of our rusted out grill. The yard is mostly cleaned up but still needs work, and planting of the front garden will happen in mid-May. At the shore my dad is going to change out the faucet in the bathroom and fix the outdoor shower door. I need to finish contact papering the bathroom and changing out bedding and MFD has to power wash in May and paint the ceiling in the main house.

What's on your home improvement agenda this summer? 

TWTW - the one with the puttering

Friday night I stayed in the city for drinks for a coworker who's leaving and was home reading in bed by 10.  Since I had to be in the office today and Saturday was super crowded at the shore for the spring block party, I decided to stay home this weekend and work from there a few days this week. 

Which meant I could get a lot of shit done at home on Saturday, including but not limited to: consolidating and checking on the pantry cleanout progress; getting groceries at Redner's including the adult excitement of buy one get two free; cashing out $51 in coins for an Amazon gift card to order some shit I need for the dogs and house; all the laundry; some of the ass breaking yard work; making a delicious dinner; bathing a surly little dog; and finishing one book and starting another. 

I spent a lot of Sunday reading and cooking but also changed sheets, did more laundry, got stuff ready for the week, identified some things I’m not using and should sell, and started to purge my clothes in a more hardcore way than I’ve been purging. More and more I think...what if I actually wore ALL of the clothes I keep? And how much more space would I have if I got rid of what I don't wear? 

Sunday afternoon I went to Mom & Rich's and saw Kate & Dan and the kids, Stephen & Aubrey and the kids, and Swan. I ate snacks like I was going to the chair and topped it off with a slice of Amato's pizza they ordered for dinner. We sat out back until the rain blew in. I was home reading by 7:45.

Weekly food prep: I was going to make eggs for breakfasts but I ran out of containers. So eggs will be made when something frees up. Until then, I have frozen breakfast burritos. Lunches/dinners are tacos or taco salads or crispy pork carnitas. Sides are rice and refried beans. I made a peanut butter pie concoction to use up one of the two tubs of Cool Whip in the freezer. Three ingredient frozen treats for los perros (greek yogurt, organic pumpkin, peanut butter) and bone broth for them too. 

How was your weekend? 

You've seen the video for This is America by Childish Gambino, right? 

Show Us Your Books tomorrow!!!

TWTW - the one with the reckoning

Friday night fuck it allllll, fatassery, and messy nails (OPI Suzi & the Arctic Fox with Dutch Ya Just Love OPI ring fingers). I should have waited to take a pic until I cleaned off the edges but the world is an imperfect place and so are my nails right after I get finished painting them.

Saturday I hit Redner's and Produce Junction early and put my fall shit out for the first time in two years. MFD cleaned out the front and re-mulched and potted mums that will die this week like they always do. He just has to put the lights out front and we'll be set. I guess I should also get candy for Halloween. I also did a bunch of other shit around the house before 1 pm like cleaning out all the spaces shit has piled up in as we treat this house like a way station in between our time at the shore most weeks. Saturday afternoon was spent at Shady Brook Farm where I ran a work event. It was hot as fuck but a good time. 

A quick stop home to feed the dogs and change then off to the 17th Annual Welcoming the Stranger International Dinner as guests of our friends from McCarthy Real Estate. What a great organization. And for the dinner, people make food from their countries to share with everyone. So good. I ate so much and had to be rolled home. Stacey and Ever stopped by to meet Bruce Springsteen after so he bit other people for a change. 

Praise Jesus I slept eight hours and forgot we even had a puppy. My mom came to visit with A&S bagels and bakery goods, and I spent Sunday doing yard work a little at a time every time I went out with the dogs so it wasn't as painful as it usually is, laundry, food prep, purging various hidey holes around the house, hanging with the dogs, watching Parks & Rec for the zillionth time, and reading.

Weekly food prep: breakfast is ham and cheese egg bake with some everything bagel dust in there; lunch is creamy tomato spinach pasta; dinners are french dip with brussels sprouts and mushrooms and baked chicken breasts with mashed sweet potatoes and roasted zucchini if I need it. We'll be out a few times this week. Snacks are honey crisp apples and cherry and vanilla noosa yogurt.

Why was it the one with the reckoning? When you are away every weekend there is a lot of little shit that does not get done. You know what your yard looks like when you don't do yard work? The yard at Sanford & Son. So when you're home you have to do it and it's not that fun.

The other stuff was fun though, so it evens out. How was yours?

TWTW - the one with the split

Things that were not faster than a speeding bullet: the progression of last week. But alas we did finally arrive to a rainy Friday that culminated in the finale of Malt Madness in my office and my favorite pizza delivered by MFD before I headed to the shore for a quick overnight.

I cannot resist the lure of the ocean after a storm, so I got up to see that Saturday morning and her mighty power put on a fine display under gray skies that gradually gave way to light. Lots of foam on the beach and beach erosion. Pics on the beach in front of the Flanders Hotel:

I road my bike down to the Music Pier and the jetty around 5th Street to survey those scenes too before riding back heading into the ferocious wind. Shit that was hard. I popped into Drip N' Scoop for a coffee, then back to do some things at the house and read a bit.

I made quick work of the mile long Spring Block Party, buying local food stuff, a CD for Lola, and of course visiting the tie dye man because I have a severe tie dye obsession. Do you spy one of my new pairs of athleisure shoes? They're iridescent.

I was back home by noon and tired like it was midnight, but I did some things around the house and then begrudingly ran my errands. Every time I have to go to stores, I am reminded why I get groceries delivered. I had to go buy flowers in person anyway though, so...oh...and I left Mae outside by accident for the two hours I was gone. She was pissed. When MFD got home we watched Florence Foster Jenkins. I freaking love Meryl Streep.

Sunday we slept in until 8:30. Weekly food prep ensued immediately. Breakfast is zucchini pie, snacks are strawberries and yogurt, lunch is pasta/chicken/veggie salad, and dinners are greek bowls and baked chicken with steamed broccoli and mashed sweet potatoes.

After I had the dishwasher going and the sheets changed and in the wash, I thought I'd have to suck it up and get out and deal with the flower bed but it started raining sideways so that was postponed. I purged my dresses and went through some bags that have been sitting around collecting crap. I also reorganized my laundry stuff using some things I had around the house to estimate sizes I need. Some of them will be cleaned up and some replaced, but I'm finally transitioning away from commercial laundry detergent. More on that in the future as MFD uses up the commercial stuff we have left. I did finally clear out the spring bulbs and plant the summer flowers under the watchful eyes of Gus and Geege. A shower, fresh nails (Essie Sunday Funday - it's been a while), putting away sheets and towels, and sinking into Woman No. 17 followed.

Today my best boy Geege turns 13. 

In case you missed it this weekend and have interest in either of these topics: organizing your recipe collection and steel buildings and reducing pressure on the planet's resources. 

Tomorrow! Show Us Your Books with me and Jana!

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending

the first November weekend that was

Broccoli rice chicken cheddar casserole. Get in my belly.

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Hurricane Sandy concert on NBC. 

The images I see of the destruction along my beloved Jersey Shore, in Breezy Point, Staten Island, New York City, and Hoboken leave me speechless.  

I've spent so much time down the shore during my life that it seems like a part of me. I know many people who grew up in this area feel the same. To see the devastation down there is heartbreaking. 

When you rebuild and reopen, we'll be back, shore towns. 

You've given us so much. We'll do what we can by donating $$, items and time so we can give back to you.

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Poached eggs and toast for Saturday's breakfast, and lounging with Gus & Geege.
I think those eggs resemble boobs. MFD doesn't agree. Please vote. 

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Two hours of yard work. It didn't even make a dent. 

I battled with a lavender bush for 20 minutes. It nearly broke me. 

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Changing out photos in frames, hanging some new pictures around the house, and hausfrauing.

She wants to lead The Glamorous Life...

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Cannot get enough of la naranja. Delicious and nutritious. 

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Pumpkin bars. Recipe by Shelby at Big Hungry Shelby (see comments for full recipe).

Tip: when I have to cut cold butter into something, 

I put it in the freezer for a bit, then I grate it using a cheese grater. It works like a charm. 

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Halloween Take II: thanks for hosting Kim and Drew!

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Thirty One bag party at Melissa's. If you're interested in bags, let me know! Jenn is selling them.
Look at Melissa's new kitty cats. So cute.

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Lunch at On the Border with Debbie.
The Kokopelli Margarita is deadly on a Sunday afternoon. For real.

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A trip to Target to buy packs of socks,underwear and gloves for Sandy victims.
And socks for me. I may have a sock problem.

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Four Christmas gifts bought on Sunday. Holler.

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I've been ruminating on pantry and freezer inventories, and decided on dry erase boards based on an idea I saw on pinterest. I did some research and check these out: an organizer's dream. Self stick dry erase boards that can be removed. I put them inside the pantry doors and will keep an inventory of pantry food there, as well as freezer foods. I'm forever buying shit I already have but am too lazy to look for, so this is awesome for me.
Yet another photo of my serial killer handwriting. You're welcome.

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Two Sunday soups: eight can taco soup for this week, and crockpot lentil soup to freeze.
In the eight can taco soup, I substituted refried beans for the cream of whatever soup.

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Pan seared chicken with balsamic cream sauce, mushrooms and carmelized onions.
Boom.
MFD declared this the best chicken ever.

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Housing out of state campaign workers on Sunday night (and Monday night)

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the weekend that was

Busy weekend, busy week ahead, and lots to look forward to this week and next weekend. Bring it on! Except the possible nor'easter. Put the brakes on that, universe. 

And hey, you guys...VOTE tomorrow. In the words of LBJ, "A man without a vote is a man without protection." Many have fought and died for your right to vote. Exercise it.