10 things I don’t wear

Face makeup. Or makeup in general really. I don’t own any face makeup. I had some it CC cream but tossed it after using it twice in a year. When you see a photo of me, assume I am wearing no makeup. A full face of makeup at this point in my life is under eye concealer, mascara, and lip something but most days it’s only lip something. I wore makeup more when I was younger and it would seem that it should be the reverse, but what can I tell you. It's not. I like makeup and admire the hell out of my skillful with makeup friends but I have finally accepted that I am a get up and go girl and that is not going to change. I am impatient and hate wasting time getting ready. Which brings me to...

Hair products.  Also, my hair is never blow dried because I don't own a blow dryer and even when I did I did not use it. Same goes for hair products. MFD owns and uses both.

Filters. I feel weird using a filter on a photo on any platform because then when you see me in real life you're like what the hell happened to you? What you see is what you get.

Aviators.  

Sunglasses that don’t cover my eyebrows. I have a thing about it. I recently learned Aub has a thing about it also.

Headbands. I love them, they look terrible on me. I wear the cotton ones, mostly on the beach to keep the wispy hairs from blowing in my face and annoying the hell out of me but the traditional headband looks really weird on me. 

Wedding rings. I go through stages. I haven’t worn them for months. That could change tomorrow or I could never wear them again. I don’t wear any of the rings I got married with - I rotate a few under $40 rings.

White pants, shorts, or dresses.

Jeans. I don’t own a pair. I do have a pair of jeggings.

Clothes free of dog hair. Even when I'm away, I bring it with me.

See also: heels, a good poker face, and lots of different jewelry (have it, love it, don’t wear it).

What are some things you don't wear?

Oh, and an I Voted sticker...only because I never get one. I always vote, I've never missed. Today is PA's primary. How are you getting to the polls? Walking, biking, public transport, driving, car pool? 

If you need to know where your polling place is or what questions are on the ballot or your voting rights, check out Committee of Seventy's page. If that doesn't have information for your area, let me know and I'll find you a resource. And if you are in the 170th district, please vote for Mike Doyle for PA! 

And finally happy birthday to my friend Jenn today!!

TWTW - the one con las madres

Bruce and I were on the beach by 5:30 Friday morning, which is my preferred way to start any workday. 

I was working by 6:20 and I killed it Friday.  Lunch included a drive and bringing my personal email box to zero. After work my aunt, uncle, and cousin arrived to stay the weekend. Bruce went for a long walk and tried the porch out for the first time. I showered and read out there after having my favorite dinner and some weird dessert of leftover ice cream and popcorn. Bruce and I feel like we live here now and go home to visit other people in our family.

No sunrise Saturday because it was pouring around 5:30 so I slept in. We took a long walk and checked out flowers around town. My youngest cousin worked on getting Bruce acclimated to people and it was very successful. My neighbors re-sided their half of the house and gave the old girl a new topper all the way across at the tippy top. I spent some time working on About the House/Around town for this summer's guests, which I should have had done at least three weeks ago, and cleaned windows before we left for Philly at noon. 

Saturday evening at Stephen & Aubrey's celebrating Mother's Day with Carol and hanging out with the snuggliest Baby Seeeeve and the hilarious Lola Jean. 

Sunday morning was a shit load of laundry and changing sheets. Weekly food prep: a big salad for Stephen & Aubrey's on Saturday, jalapeno popper dip and corn dip for Aubrey's mom's on Sunday (corn dip will be on the blog soon - it used to be on here and who the hell knows what happened to it but it's not anymore), baked chicken thighs and potatoes and mashed sweet potatoes. I am going to make a spinach egg dish later in the week too.

Debbie got me a hilarious poop set and flowers and made the Geege charm she got me for my birthday into a protection bracelet with stones I requested. She's the best!

We had a really nice and relaxing Mother's Day celebration at Aubrey's mom's. The food and company were awesome!

Hope anyone who moms in any way had a great weekend! 

PA friends, I trust you have your voting plan for tomorrow's primary? Check out the Committee of Seventy's Digital Ballot tool - dem and rep candidates, and they have the ballot questions as well - those registered as independent should be going and voting on them! Everyone can vote on the ballot questions even though PA has a closed primary.

This morning's sunrise thoughts

I love when I get to the beach for the sunrise to see the moon has stuck around to bear witness.

Insert peace sign here. 

You guys. Seriously. Please. Think before you take, use, consume. I have always tried to mind the earth, but being down here and seeing our trash wash ashore all the time is making me nuts about it. 

And yes, Bruce is still on the beach at 5:45 am despite there being no dogs on the beach in Ocean City from April 30-October 1. Of all the rules to break in life, I am okay breaking this one.  He's on a leash not harming a soul and not only do I pick up after him, I pick up all the other trash I see too. Live and let live. I will never understand why this town doesn't just allow leashed dogs early or late in the day. You would not believe the hell people give other people for doing this. Just, why? Many people do the it's the law song and dance, as if they have never gone over the speed limit, had a drink before they were 21, littered, etc. They also do the they poop song and dance, which, have you ever seen what humans do on the beach? Not always good or sanitary.

Well that was a tangent but come on they're dogs. This land is your land, this land is my land, and this land is their land too. The beach is for all of us. 

Added bonus of early sunrise season: a little extra work in early in the day. Getting shit done, my friends.  

Happy Friday!

Thursday Thoughts - in daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee

1. I wouldn't say I'm having a midlife crisis, but I am absolutely in a life re-evaluation period. Specifically, what I own and why, what I buy and why, what motivates my purchases, how I use what I own, how my consumption impacts the environment, if my happiness has gotten too related to and dependent on things. I am not full on Marie Kondo-ing, but I'm getting close. I know I'm on to something because every small thing that leaves my house makes me feel incrementally lighter mentally and spiritually. I can't argue with that. I've always been a purger and organizer but I've not approached it like this before - I never thought about halting the buying portion of the cycle, was never as ruthless as I thought I was being, and never examined my motives for buying beyond because I like it and because I can. It's interesting and enlightening and good, hard, introspective self-work, which I haven't done in a while. Stay tuned.

2. In regards to selling things: someone please explain to me the psychology of the person who says they are going to buy something, sets a time to meet/pick up, then never shows up. Does that give this person some type of perverse joy? Why say you want it, go through the trouble of setting up a meeting place and time, not show up, and never acknowledge it again? I don't get it. That’s only happened once but it really perplexed me. Overall selling stuff has actually been fun and I've met/interacted with really nice people. I used to do yard sales then stopped selling altogether and donated. This time I’m selling here and there but if it’s a hassle that stops.

3. I'm working from the shore today and tomorrow.  I'm considering taking off tomorrow. I'm not sure yet. I'm getting some windows re-screened this afternoon. I've lived in my house at home for nine years and never gave a thought to the screens. Screens at the shore take an absolute beating with storm debris and such. Suddenly the previous owners having all these screening materials in the closet makes perfect sense. LOLOL My goal in the off-season is to learn to re-screen myself. It seems easy watching videos, but I am not in a position to fuck around with a learning curve a few weeks before Memorial Day. I'll save that for October.

4. Bruce is with me and MFD has Gus and Mae at home. I'm sure they're happy to have a break from this puppy. LOL forever.

5. I really, really, really love salt. Like way more than a person who knows how bad sodium is for you should. I barely use regular table salt anymore and have been out of Himalayan pink salt for a while. I just got a refill for my grinder. Happy days are here again.

6. I haven't previously used affiliate links on this blog, but I'm going to start for Amazon to cover Show Us Your Books link up costs and hosting costs for the year. That means if you click on a link to something here that directs you to Amazon and you buy through that link, I get a few cents. I never got the point then thought hmm...I probably could have covered the link up costs if I wasn't so anti-affiliate link. While I never feel the need to explain myself to people, I also usually don't mind giving an insight into why I changed my mind on something. Speaking of Show Us Your Books, it was bumping this month! As of yesterday, 56 linker uppers. I hope you go back and read the people that link up later.

7. Since I take up a lot of space bitching about the weather, let me just comment on how super deluxe it's been this week. It's absolutely glorious windows open sleeping weather, which means it's hard to get up from the nice cocoon in the morning. I'd rather close my eyes and take deep breaths of the sweet spring air.

8. I haven't explicitly stated it in a while and don't want anyone thinking I've come to a place of acceptance: I fucking hate this government, everything they're doing and not doing, and the things they stand for and what they don't stand for. When I think about it I feel my face physically pinch and age around the eyes and in my cheek bones as I grit my teeth. Iran, the absolute mess of a State Department, the ridiculous bullying platform that is basically the opposite of what the POTUS himself uses twitter for, just fucking all of it.

9. Reminder: How you know I didn't make this - shit isn't just allowed to be

10. E-card of the week: Happy Mother's Day to all of you who mom in any way.

I didn’t blog yesterday, so happy birthday to my stepdad Rich a day late!

Show Us Your Books - May 2018

Every once in a while I hit a few books in a row that I can't get into and that will usually halt me in my reading tracks. When that happens, I just enjoy the brain break and pick it back up when it feels natural to. 

Linkup Guidelines:

This link up is the second Tuesday of every month. The next linkup is June 12, 2018
Please: 

1. Visit and comment with both of your hosts, Jana & me
2. Display the button and/or link back to us on your blog post
2. Visit other blogs who've linked up and talk books as booknerds are wont to do

Here's what I've been reading since the last linkup. 

Engrossing Reads
Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell - Oh, I loved this book. It was creepy but well written and totally nuts. Check it out. I love when I make the correct Book of the Month Club pick. Hardback, own

Passed the Time Just Fine

The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner - I read a lot of books like these that require suspense of belief but this one, man. I am not sure how these people didn't figure this shit out before. Philly library paperback

A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena - This was fine. Fine. I might need a break from the domestic thrillers between this one and The Twilight Wife. OCNJ library hardback

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney - This book threw me for a few loops, which is always enjoyable. It was also really unpleasant in parts. OCNJ library hardback

All the Beautiful Lies by Peter Swanson - I quite enjoy his books, but I know not everyone does. There is a weird formality to his writing sometimes. I was left shaking my head at the end of this one.  Philly library hardback

Not Worth It
n/a

Did Not Finish

All the Little Liars by Charlaine Harris (Aurora Teagarden, #9) - I devoured this series years ago. I was happy to find there was a new one. Not so happy to realize I was no longer immersed in this little town and didn't like it much when I went back for a visit. Paperback, own

Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan - Her books always sound better in theory than they are in my reading reality. I feel like I pump myself up like you can like this one! And then I don't. That was the case here as has been in the past. She's not the writer for me, and that's okay - she's the writer for many. OCNJ library hardback 

The Anniversary Man by R.J. Ellory - I plucked this off the shelf. I should've left it there. Philly library hardback

Currently reading: The Neighbors. Eyeing: Say You're Sorry. 

What have you been reading? 

An InLinkz Link-up