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long weekend
July 31, 2017
I took Friday off last week, semi-spur of the moment. ("Semi", because I have to
give at least 24 hours of notice to avoid an "occurrence".) I've been so stressed
out and worn to a nub, I really needed a break. Amazing how just one day of
being able to opt out of the stress and strife of the commute and the
dysfunctional work crap can really perk a body up.
It helped, of course, that we had simply glorious weather--especially for late July.
Temps were in the high seventies, humidity & dewpoints were low, and the sun
was bright. Add in an uncharacteristic light lake breeze from the northeast, and
you couldn't ask for more congenial weather. (And aside from all the stinky
skunks in the area, perfect for sleeping with the windows open.)
I took advantage by getting in lots of pool time, and the water was perfect--if the
breeze kept the air a bit cool for swimming, oh, well--it beats roasting or
steaming, any day. I was in the water multiple times a day each day, vacuuming,
working out, or just floating along and relaxing.
Spouse has stepped up a little bit (not enough, though), and last week he actually
finished a project I have been chipping away at--clearing out the backlog of
cardboard recycling that had accumulated in the basement. I've been trying to
get a certain amount to the curb each Wednesday, in order to get the pile
reduced. He actually dragged the whole lot up the stairs, packed it in his car, and
drove it to the recycling center. I feel like I have a whole new section of house!
Anyway. I woke up early on Friday, and it was perfectly lovely out in the
backyard, so I took my coffee out there and I read for a while, listening to the
birds and the windchimes, smelling the flowers, and generally chilling. Then I did
some laundry, had a morning swim/workout, and then got cleaned up to go out
and run our usual weekly errands.
We got home about noon and put away groceries, then I set up a pitcher of sun
tea and made a batch of coleslaw, because we had decided to have a cookout-
style dinner of grilled burgers, homemade coleslaw (me), homemade baked beans
(Spouse), and macaroni salad (store-bought). After we each had a quick
sandwich, we went back out because we had an appointment for an oil change at
one. Took care of that, ran to Aldi for a couple things we'd overlooked, and then
home, for relaxation time. A little more laundry, more pool time, and some
general laziness before dinner, and more laziness after, once the mess was
cleaned up.
But since we got the errands run on Friday, and the cardboard was what I had
planned to work on for Saturday, I found myself with some free time (after a
long swim and a few household chores). There are plenty of other things we
could have done, but I decided I really wanted to go to Germanfest on Saturday
afternoon, since the weather was so lovely.
I got up early again, had coffee, and painted my nails. Then I did a few odds and ends of chores, went for a swim, and got myself showered & dressed.
We drove up to the College Avenue Park-n-Ride, and took the freeway Flyer to
the park. With all the stuff that was going on in the area over the weekend, it was
MUCH easier than driving down to the Lake and fighting the traffic and parking.
We had fun just walking around and enjoying the food and the music. Kind of
aq 70/30 split between basic "fair food" and German selections. I joked to
Spouse that it was more "Iowa German" than authentic German, since we had
three traditional dishes of my childhood. We had roasted corn and German
Chocolate Cake (which was not only not authentic German, it wasn't even
authentic "German Chocolate Cake". Wrong consistency, wrong chocolate, a
poor version of coconut pecan frosting, and...filling!! Yet, it was still quite
delicious.) The other Iowa-style item was the schnitzel sandwich, which, let's face
it--was just a pork tenderloin sandwich. Again, well-executed and extremely
delicious, but not entirely German.
We also had lemonade shake-ups and currywurst (OMG I LOVE
CURRYWURST) and fresh-cut fries, and some amazing local beers. Spouse had
the official Germanfest beer and I had the Grapefruit Radler, both from
Sprecher's, and they were both really good.
Actually, the grapefruit stuff was AMAZING. I think I'm in love. It was so fresh
and delicious and downright delectable, I think I'm in love.
Since the tickets were $30, and the Freeway Flyer was another $14, we didn't
load up on merchandise. I took a few pictures; those make the best souvenirs
anyway. I made sure I was in at least one photo, too. (This is our little secret, but
I am making a point of being in more photographs, because I want my family to
have some to choose from when I die and they have to try and put together a
memorial board.)
We just ate what we liked, splitting orders, and enjoyed one beer each. Got some
free gummi bears from Haribo, enjoyed the oompah bands, enjoyed being at the
lakefront, and indulged in the fine old pastime of people-watching. After about
three hours, we felt like we were done, so we headed back to the bus. Probably
spent about $100, all told.
Could we afford it? Probably not. But I refuse to give up all fun because he is out
of work. We have to take some time to enjoy life, and outside of the
internet/cable bill, we spend very little on entertainment.
We grazed all afternoon at the festival, but by seven we were both a little hungry
so we decided to try the place just down the street that we heard has really good
steak tacos. After we checked out their menu online, Spouse ordered a couple of
those, and since I just wanted a snack, I ordered the nachos for $4.50, thinking
for that price they would just be a small order.
Wrong--it was huge, loaded, hot, fresh and delicious, and we will definitely be
going back there again. Cheap, delicious, & convenient? Hell, yes.
And in keeping with my laid-back weekend, I dumped a mini-bottle of moscato
(leftover Christmas gift) into a tall glass, then tossed in a wedge of lemon and a
can of cold seltzer, for a really outstanding white wine spritzer!
I posted my pictures to facebook, and I was actually pleased enough with the
picture of me (Smiling! Happy! Enjoying myself! Letting somebody take my
picture without looking as martyred as St. Joan at the stake!) that I did something
I hardly ever do--I put it as my profile pic.
Only to get snide comments about it from somebody who I will be expected to
forgive, because she is "on the spectrum", and thus, apparently, cannot be
expected to not be blunt and borderline nasty? Whatever. She figured out she
hurt my feelings after I changed my profile pic again--to a waterfall. Whatever. I've spent my life accommodating everyone else's vulnerabilities, and ignoring my own. High time I acknowledged my own right to have them, for a change.
Slept in a bit on Sunday, then Spouse and I made breakfast. I did the bacon and
the toast, he did the eggs and the homefries. Then I cleaned the kitchen and he
worked out back a little. Once I was done in the kitchen, I joined him out back
and we took on a chore that really needed doing--brush cutting. The neighbor's
weed trees were hanging over into our yard and making a mess of my pool, so we
trimmed the branches as far back and as high up as we could manage. Not as
good a job as I'd like, but as much as we are capable of, and still a definite
improvement. Spouse will be hauling the cut branches to the dump today or
tomorrow.
After finishing the cutting and watering the flowers, I had a swim and then
cleaned up & dressed.
We didn't really need to go anywhere, but Spouse just can't stand staying at home
all day (You know what would solve that problem, hon? A FUCKING JOB.) so
he made an excuse that he needed something he could only get at one store on
the far side of town. So I went along, because it wasn't worth arguing over. I was
trying really hard to be in a good, relaxed mood this weekend.
We weren't gone very long. After we came home, I had a nice stretch out on my
bed, and read for a while, eventually napping a little. I went swimming when I
woke up, then helped Spouse get dinner. Well, I made a salad and set the table.
He grilled chops and steamed some basmati rice in the rice cooker. A simple
dinner. We had bananas to eat up, so I made small sundaes for dessert with
vanilla ice cream, sliced bananas, and chocolate syrup.
After dinner, he went to his room to read and I called my dad--no answer, so I
figured I'd try again later and spent a little time with my pens, washing out
everything in my pen roll, and starting over. It's always relaxing to do pen
maintenance, and to go through the collection and select a fresh group of pens
and inks for the week ahead. I posted my selections to tumblr, too--just for the
hell of it. I only did three; I think four may be too many for the workload these
days.
After that, I called Dad again and we had a nice talk. Yesterday was the third
anniversary of Mom's death, and I think he appreciates it if I remember and
acknowledge the day. He and L. are keeping pretty busy doing some
woodworking and some projects, he loves his new nearing aids, and they are so
good that he has re-activated his old smartphone, because now he can hear on it.
A good chat for about half an hour, and then an "I love you-goodbye", which
always jolts me a little because it is so much different (QUICKER) ending a call
with him than it was with mom.
I wish I could say I went to bed and slept well after that, but between the
skunkstink, the middle-aged bladder, the hot flashes, and the anxiety brain, I
really didn't. I had a hard time getting to sleep, a hard time staying there, and an
impossible time getting back to sleep once I was awake. Fortunately, I'd gotten
caught up a bit from Thursday night thru Sunday afternoon, so it didn't wipe me
out (good thing, too--yet another Monday where I was the only one in the
office!), but gracious, I hope I can sleep tonight!
Reading: "The Wood Fire in No. 3" (1905), by F. Hopkinson Smith,
and "Bethuel Nose's Nephew", by Joseph Crosby Lincoln. (A short story in the
January 1913 issue of Good Housekeeping.)
Listening: The Boomtown Rats, Blur, Foo Fighters, Supertramp
Inked Up:Bexley 10th Anniversary with custom italic nib, with J.
Herbin Lierre Sauvage (Wild Ivy Green), Levenger Facets medium nib, with
Seitz-Kreuznach Plum Blue, and Conklin Duragraph fine nib, Pelikan 4001
Brilliant Brown.
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