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catch-up
June 13, 2016
I'm tired, achy, and grumpy today. Not sure why. (Not sure about the
grumpy, that is. The tired and achy is from working my tail off
yesterday.)
It was a fairly productive weekend, really. I got a lot done in the house
on Friday and Saturday, and we both got a lot done in the yard on
Sunday. Yard mowed and trimmed, weeds sprayed, roses tended,
contemplation garden set up, plants watered, bird feeder filled, and pool
chemistry balanced. plus we got the shopping taken care of.
Spouse tried an experiment on Sunday; he turned the gas grill
(temporarily) into a smoker, and used it to smoke a piece of pork butt
and bake a bunch of potatoes. Honestly, I'm not sure what came out
better--the meat, or the taters! Those "mickeys" tasted like they had been
baked in the coals of a campfire; smokey, roasty, and pure YUM. The
pork was perfect--smokey, succulent, rich, and with a gorgeous bark and
smoke-ring. Just some outstanding 'Q. We had it pulled, on slider buns,
with Russell's BBQ sauce. A little butter on the potatoes, and that was all
THEY needed.
That was Saturday's dinner. On Sunday, we heated up the leftover meat
and had the sandwiched again, this time with tossed salad. (The leftover
potatoes had gone to make smokey-delicious home fries for Sunday
breakfast, alongside thick-cut bacon, fried eggs, and bakery toast with
Door County chopped cherry jam from Seaquist Orchards.)
I skipped an entry last week, because I have been to busy to write one.
That time of year, other things to be done besides navel contemplation.
Work was busy, and home was, too. In fact, I was pretty much blowing
off all the stuff that I do to relax and relieve stress. Including breathing
correctly.
So I'm determined to do better this week. I did a lot of vintage ad and
vintage book stuff this weekend, I am writing this entry, and I mentally
wrestled myself and won--I shoved my pile of work aside for five
minutes and put some wet ink onto some smooth paper. (I had realized,
to my shock and horror, that I had not even LOOKED at a fountain
pen in two weeks.) I'm watchful that I don't hold my breath when I'm
stressing. Trying to remember to get up and move every hour or so. All
those simple little things that make me feel less crappy, but that go right
by the wayside when I'm flustered.
Planning on running down to Rockford on Father's Day; meeting Dad
(and his gal-pal) for lunch at the Machine Shed. Had a bit of a ruckus
over things, but got there in the end. I love my dad dearly, and it's
despite his flaws, letme tell you. I have spent my lifetime dealing with the
fact that in my family, I come last. A distant, dead. last.
He had totted up everybody he wanted to see while he was back east,
and once he had them all slotted in on his calendar, he checked to see if
he had any time left--and THEN he thought of me. And called on a
Friday, while I was mowing the lawn, to see what I was doing the next
day. And guess who got all butt-hurt when I told him I couldn't drop
everything at a moment's notice and go galumphing across half of
Illinois? But we got it worked out, after a lot more bullshit & phone calls.
Mostly thanks to his friend, who is a very decent old gal--and who is
often aghast at the way he treats me. I know he loves me, I know he's
proud of me--he's just...the way he is.
We had already made plans for June 4th--plans to spend time with some
members of Spouse's extended family--folks whom we hardly ever see,
but who we dearly love and who love us back just as hard! We needed
that, and we had a fabulous time. We actually met at the cemetery in
Chicago, and had a grand time cleaning up and decorating the family
graves, visiting, studying family genealogy, and just being together.
Followed by a grand lunch at Russell's BBQ. This branch of his family is
like the AZ branch of mine; they're very functional and loving.
I was supposed to go to the doctor last Wednesday--took a couple of
hours of personal time, arranged to leave work early--and got a call two
hours before to tell me that the doctor had to cancel. I deferred re-
scheduling--and to tell you the truth, I'm think I am going to blow it off.
My test result, while down a bit, are still in the normal range, and I think
the appointment was just a waste anyway.
I still took the time, though. Because Mr. B has another leg infection, and
I had to go get his meds at the vet. He manages to get one of these
things just about every time we get ready to go out of town. I'm
beginning to think there is a link. He's giving me a lot of trouble with it,
too. He will not leave it alone, and I'm about ready to go to Petsmart and
pick up a cone of shame. I bandaged it yesterday, and he treated me like
his worst enemy all day, and promptly chewed off the "no-chew"
bandage, as soon as I went to sleep last night. Little shit.
Spouse had an interview for that engineering position at the home office,
and they are going to make him an offer. They really want him. For most
people I'd say go for it--great opportunity! But it is a hundred-mile-a-day
commute, plus the added formality of working at the main office--and I
think he would cave under that kind of pressure. Not going to tell him
no, though, if he decides to take it.
Reading: A Mildred Wirt 6-book girl's series about Brownie
Scouts. Book 1: "The Brownie Scouts at Snow Valley" (1949)
Listening: Elvis Costello, Bobby Broom, Dire Straits
Inked Up: No changes.
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