Archives for June 2014

Thursday Ten: Nothin’ Like a Blown Fuse and a Bad Lamp Edition

1. A fuse for my living room tripped the other day and no matter how many times I tried to re-set it, it kept shutting itself back down. Flash forward two days – a friend came by, poked around all the electrical outlets in my house and everything worked fine. Later that night, out it went again. To spare this from becoming a crazy long post about my stupid house, the culprit was a living room lamp that now resides in a pile of trash somewhere in west Michigan. Yes, the lamp kept throwing the power out. And now I need a new lamp.

2. I got a sample of Jamberry nail stickers and loved them. I ordered some and put them on my nails last night. It didn’t go as well. I think my nails may be too short for a Jamicure right now. (If you don’t know what they are – they’re nail decal stickery things. Basically because I can’t paint my nails without messing them up. Apparently I mess up stickers too.)

3. In a mission to take better care of myself, I’m exercising regularly again and (sigh) using the LoseIt app to count calories. I think perhaps it just may work. It’d work easier if people quit bringing yummy food into the office. I resisted both brownies AND doughnuts the other day.

4. I can’t believe it’s Thursday already. Summer makes the weeks fly by so quickly. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s…less good.

5. You can tell the week has been busy by the number of times I take pictures of flowers.
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6. My daughter’s gym emailed the other day to let me know of the price for this year’s competition leotard and apparently there’s been some sort of shortage in lycra trees or the spandex farmers are on strike because the leotard cost 26% more than last year (Oh yes, I did the math). And I’ll buy the damn leotard, but I really get irritated at stuff like this. Says the gym owner, “We try to take the cost into account when we select the suit.” Oh? Because there are gorgeous suits that cost a lot less. Same brand, same quality. Given that they recently hosted a slumber party for the gymnastics team, and then ASKED THEM ALL TO BRING CLEANING SUPPLIES FOR THE GYM, I’m on my guard when it comes to extra expenses.

7. I peeled off my Jamberry stickers while writing this post.

8. My dog has taken to sleeping on the floor at the foot of my bed. He likes me best. Probably because I buy the dog food.

9. After, I think, six beautiful and perfect spring weather days, gross summer weather is here with a vengeance. OH THIS HUMIDITY. The weather is doing not very nice things to my hair.

10. People who share awful news stories on Facebook – Why? I don’t want to see the abused dog. I don’t want to see the gross pictures. I don’t want to see video of people being abused. So… why are they sharing? Less gloom and doom, more pictures of puppies.

Thursday Ten: I Miss My Short People Edition

1. My girls have been with their dad this week – summer schedule has started and while I suppose I’ll say more about that at some point, I’m having to adjust again to having them away from me for so long. It’s a weird feeling. I miss them and their noise. They come home tomorrow. I’ll be glad to have them back.

2. Chris and I were able to leave town this weekend which was lovely and calming and fantastic. We made amazing burgers and potatoes, we sat on the deck reading and drinking wine, and just got to spend some really great time together.

3. Summer storms are a lot better when I don’t have to drive in a torrential down pour. Also, summer storms are better when you can forget about how all that rain is going to make your lawn grow really tall and you’re gonna have to go mow it again.
14 | 365 - June 18, 2014

4. The girls and I went shopping the other night and I picked up a new book, Eleanor & Park, which is a YA novel and I have no shame about that. It’s gotten great reviews and I needed something I could maybe ease through, but first, I need to finish working my way through Natchez Burning by Greg Iles.It’s a great book, but it’s kind of dismal (euthanasia and racial tension and people getting murdered – all that perky stuff).

5. After a repair a handful of months ago, my 24-70 lens is already acting stupid again. Pfffft. Time to find something new. Something crisp and sharp and NOT WONKY.

6. I’m less than 100 days from the end of yet another 365 — and will likely keep rolling through and begin again. Started a second 365 a few weeks ago – nothing but black and white pictures and it’s been an interesting project, but only time will tell if i see it through to the end. Two 365s is kind of a lot to do at once.

7. Sometimes my brain doesn’t want to function and that’s when I get sucked into an Etsy and/or Pinterest rabbit hole.

8. I’ve been trying to eat healthfully for the last two days and I’m sure that has something to do with my brain’s inability to focus. It’s the cookie calories that make your brain work.

9. I let the girls take the pup with them this week – Pumpkin misses him when they’re at their dad’s – and I got my dog back tonight. (Kind of a bummer to have my dog back but not my girls, but I guess I’ll take what I can get) I missed him a lot, but just found myself telling him to get his butt off my arm, and I guess I could have done without that.

10. Chris said I should wrap my post by saying again how much I miss my kids, so there’s unity in my post, that it will tie everything together. But silly boy, there’s no unity in a Thursday Ten. That’s the beauty of it. Absolutely no need for coherent cookie thinking whatsoever. (But I do really miss my girls.)

Thursday Ten: Picking Kernals Until Your Gums Bleed edition

1. I love popcorn. I don’t love when the kernals get stuck in between my teeth. When floss couldn’t reach it, I used my fingernail. Ow. What a gross picture I just painted for y’all. Whatever. Popcorn is good. Bloody gums, less good.

2. LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! It should have been last week, but… you know, a thousand snow days. After today I have a fourth and a seventh grader which means that I’m still as old as dirt.

3. Had a great mother/daughter date with The Princess this weekend and took her to see The Fault in our Stars. We both read, and loved, the book prior. It was good to see the movie together and have the lights come up and see each other’s tear-streaked face. She’s now re-reading the book. I’m waiting for her to hurry up and be done so I can re-read.
4 | 365 - June 8, 2014

4. I’ve been under a bit of stress lately and I really wish sometimes that people would just do the right thing – ignore pride, ignore the need to “be right” and just do. the. right. thing. This thing where things that should be no-brainers are a battle? It is infuriating. Try harder, people, so I can be less stressed out.

5. A week of stress is a rotten time, by the way, to start using the Lose It app again and try to get a handle on emotional eating. Or perhaps it’s the best time. SIGH.

6. And instead of stress eating, you spend a ridiculous amount of time browsing fun little dresses on Modcloth and buy nothing because like you need one more thing to stress out about.

7. All week long, I’ve thought it was Friday. It’s been very disappointing every time I come to the realization that it’s not.

8. I would love to be able to binge watch season two of Orange is the New Black. Instead, I’ve only seen two episodes. Shhhh. Don’t tell me what happens.

9. With school now about over, I am going to have to get the girls back into the habit of “if you get it out, put it away.” Coming home to a messy house after I’ve been at work all day? Not fun. I’ve still got last week’s urge to just CLEAN all of the things and THROW IT ALL IN A DUMPSTER (I have the desire to clean, without the time to actually do it). Here’s hoping that I can get the kids to weed out some of the things they no longer need.

10. I am in need of a vacation. Stat. My grouchiness is reaching new heights.

Thursday Ten: A Stitch In Time edition

1. Got my first StitchFix delivery yesterday – I had been hoping for some fun, flowy summery dresses, so I was a bit disappointed on that front, but I’m definitely intrigued enough that I’ve already scheduled another “Fix” for July after giving some pretty thorough feedback. I really hate mall shopping, so I want this to be the answer. Time will tell.
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2. The end of the school year is always the worst. Ten thousand activities, things to remember. Gah. It always seems that the schools cram SO MUCH into the last few weeks. Drives me bonkers. And wears me out, too.

3. Also, the girls are so antsy and energized and have short-timer syndrome that getting them to go to bed at night is like pulling teeth. Tuesday, Pumpkin lost a tooth and didn’t fall asleep until 10:30 that night. The “Tooth Fairy” was so worn out by the time Pumpkin finally zonked out that the Tooth Fairy maaaaaay have forgotten to stop by Tuesday night. Good thing she was finishing up her route Wednesday morning. Gah.

4. Is there anything more annoying than trying to figure out which smoke detector is chirping in a house with over a dozen smoke detectors?

5. I helped The Princess with her homework last night. I did algebra AND: I GOT THE RIGHT ANSWER. While I couldn’t describe it to her in words, I was able to explain the steps I did after I had done it — I spend so much of my time most days with words! Good to know I can still number.

6. The kids aren’t the only ones not getting enough sleep. I’m pretty sure that I’m not either. A lot of stress and a lot on my mind. I wish for a bit of calm. Maybe once school gets out.

7. Went to Chicago the other day to watch Debbie and Barbara cross the finish line for the Chicago Avon Walk – felt weird to not be walking with them, but the plan is still to walk in NYC this October. I don’t know how that will go without Debbie and Barbara – I’ve never done a walk without them, but I love New York and I can’t wait to see what I see during 40 miles on foot around the city.
dear chicago you'll never guess

8. The So You Think You Can Dance audition rounds are on and there was a performance last night that made me cry – sometimes I just don’t *get* dancing, and sometimes it kicks you in the brain.

9. Woke up yesterday with the urge to rent a dumpster and just CLEAN. HOUSE. So much clutter and junk we don’t need anymore. We start today. The girls are going to go through their playroom and get rid of the stuff they don’t need. Next week, we tackle dressers and closets. I’m just tired of so much useless STUFF.

10. I think I know what smoke detector is chirping. Thank god.