A New Year

 A new year is upon us and I'm very surprised to say that I have yet to write 2024 on accident. It also feels like 2024 went by incredibly quickly and I fear the rest of my life will continue the exponential trajectory of time leaving me to wonder at the end of my life what the fuck just happened. I hope it's in a good way. But nothing is guaranteed. It's currently Friday night on my 4 day weekend and I'm at Mike's for the night. I tried to sleep in this morning but it didn't work as well as it normally does. I lingered in bed with the girls before finally dragging my arse out into the cold air of my house. I could have gone in to work for a potluck but I opted to stay home because why the hell would I want to do that? I had my second telehealth appointment this afternoon with the EAP. I think he's a good fit for me and I'm finding it very helpful so I'm going to continue seeing him although I'm not sure what I'm going to do when my benefit runs out for the year. I was supposed to meet Erica for coffee today but she had to reschedule so I continued being lazy until it was time to get ready to head to Cornish. I actually did do a load of laundry and an errand so today was a tiny bit productive. Buzz has been on hospice for a week now and he just seems so frail and it's crazy to think about the decline I've witnessed over the past 9 months. He passed out and fell at home and was hospitalized for over a week, getting discharged to home Christmas Eve. More about that later. Mike is greatly affected by all this. 

Last weekend was pretty quiet. Saturday, I filled my new water dispenser, did laundry, the dishes, a quick living room workout, then got ready to head to Cornish for the night. Mike and I went to Frasier's for dinner then watched a movie. Sunday, I vacuumed, cleaned the girls' room, grabbed some groceries then took a luxurious bubble bath. Mike stayed home and will be staying home more to help Jan & Buzz. This situation is just so terrible and sad. 

I last left off on Pearl Harbor day, sitting in the same spot I am now. I headed back to Leb to run some errands before going home for the night. I did some laundry, cleaned the girls' room, and Mike came up for the night and we added another first to our list. Sunday, I did more laundry and cleaned my bathroom. Monday, I vacuumed, did more laundry, ran some errands, and meal prepped.

The following weekend was relatively quiet. Friday during the day was when Buzz passed out and fell so I headed down to the ED after I punched out to see them for a bit. Mike was in CT so he felt better after I saw them. Saturday, I vacuumed, did some laundry and ran some errands. Sunday, I did the dishes, went shopping and grabbed some groceries. Tuesday was my day off that week; I slept in, wrapped some gifts and went for a walk. 

The following weekend was pretty low key as well. Saturday, I did laundry, the dishes, then headed to Mikes for the night. We went to Ctown to run errands and we had dinner at the Mexican restaurant on Washington St. It was delish. Sunday, I grabbed groceries once back in town then headed home to get ready to go to Ctown to see the Goss' for Xmas. It had been a very long time and it wasn't awkward but I can't use that as an excuse to not eventually talk to Adam. I need to start with at least a text apology. It ended up being like old times except we had Common Man take out for dinner instead of Tremont as they were closed. We ate dinner in bed and hung out in the basement the rest of the night. When I got home, Mike was snoring. My day off that week happened to be Christmas so I chose to have Friday off also. I got out of work a little early Xmas eve so I got to Mikes around 7. We watched Xmas vacation, I prepared my overnight french toast, and we put the tree together once Mason fell asleep. We were up and opening presents by 0700 and ended up relaxing the rest of the day. We had breakfast, watched movies, played with new toys, attempted to nap, and ate pizza for dinner. Before heading home for the night, Mason and I ended the day by making a clay Mr. Hankey lol

Friday, I got up to start getting ready for my rescheduled ENT appointment and before I left the house, they canceled on me again. I gave up the other day and scheduled for a third time. Third time's a charm? I spent the rest of the day doing laundry, dishes, vacuuming, and stuffies. Saturday, I went to Cornish but arrived too late to sled so I felt like a loser for the rest of the day (little did I know I was getting sick). We just hung out and watched movies and snacked. Sunday, I headed back to Cornish to head to Killington to have lunch at the restaurant with everybody. Once I was back in town, I grabbed some groceries and waited for Mike to come. I ended up calling out sick Monday and Tuesday. Mon, I made bread, finished The Grey House, and meal prepped. Mike stopped by before heading home to see Jan and Buzz. She had just told him they made the hospice decision so he was pretty upset. Tues was NYE; I watched a movie then got ready to head to Cornish for the night. We airfryed some food, watched a movie then went to bed. Wednesday, I hung out for a little bit after M got Mason back. Once home, I forced myself to go for a walk then called it a night. Thursday, I took all my Xmas stuff down then got ready to go to Windsor to hang with the Dickersons. I went for a walk when I got home then called it a night. 

I'm still going strong with my deactivated Facebook account.

LA is experiencing horrendous, historical wildfires right now. Pete is safe for now.

I recently realized I have 1600 to spend in credit card points. 

I love the girls. 

Thanksgiving

 I am finding it so hard to find the motivation to sit down and write this entry in its entirety in one fell swoop so I am trying a new strategy. I am going to write this entry over the course of the next 4 nights because I just can't. Anyways, I'm going to start with this last long holiday weekend. I worked M-W then was off for the holiday; Mike texted me suggesting he spend the night due to bad weather in the forecast. You see, normally, this would have been a given but we kinda sorta broke up the previous Friday evening but we had planned to stay friends and keep the same Thanksgiving plans. We ended up talking and deciding that we really didn't break up. We are going to more openly communicate and I am going to get some help processing all the anger I have towards the world and my perception of the people in it. We drove to Killington in a snowstorm (and doing doughnuts along the way) and ended up having a great Thanksgiving in a cozy log cabin with Mike's family. An untraditional tradition at his stepfather's girlfriend's. We made a bangin charcuterie board when we got there then spent the rest of the day hanging out, eating and drinking and watching the snow fall. We started a movie at his sister's apartment then headed back to hang out in the hot tub until bedtime. We listened to music for a while before turning in for the night. We hung out for a bit in the morning but headed back to Leb after breakfast. I dozed for a little bit and found zero motivation to do anything but got up to shower and head to Chris and Brandi's for day after Thanksgiving pizza game night. I felt yucky for most of the evening so I headed home when Mike did and went to bed. Yesterday, I went to Thanksgiving number 2 at Mike's place with Jan and Buzz's family, watched a Christmas movie with M&M then headed home around 7 to start a little decorating. This morning, after coffee time, I got up to do Sunday stuffies and vacuum the house. M&M came over and we put up and decorated my tree and played old school nintendo. We went to Worthy Kitchen for dinner then drove to the Smith lights in SoRo. After I was dropped off, I headed to grab a grocery haul. 

Ok so that strategy failed so I have brought my laptop to Mike's to finish this in its entirety on this cozy Saturday morning after writing the last paragraph Sunday night. I'm in the midst of my schedule long weekend; yesterday was a welcome start as this past week has been tiring. Thursday was a 14 hour day and Kathy was my late mate so I had her stay at my house because she lives an hour away and had to work yesterday. Yesterday, I did some laundry, cleaned up the kitchen, had an EAP telehealth appointment, and did some other tasky things. Mike and I went to Poor Thoms for dinner then had a slumber party. Current status: also listening to Buzz's horrendous cough. I feel so terrible for him.

So truly picking up where I last left off; the second Friday of my October staycation:                           Fri: dental cleaning, laundry, blog, Black Betty AC recharge.                                                                 Sat: laundry, dishes, Foxwoods prep, and girls' potty room cleaning.                                                   Sun: Mike and I headed to Foxwoods, stopping at Cabela's in Hartford on the way. Prior to checking out Tuesday morning, we ate delicious food, drank, gambled, experienced 4 hours worth of bingo, window-shopped, go carted many many times and got amazing massages. It was so fun. When we checked out, we headed to Mystic to be tourists then went to the farm for the night to stay in the ice house. We had dinner with David and Pauline. Wednesday morning, we made the trip home and I stopped to get plant soil before making up for lost snuggles with the girls. I could only muster to do a few stuffies before calling it a day.                                                                                                       Thurs: I made a grocery run and prepped for an evening of trick or treating. I headed to Cornish to finish putting on my costume (day of the dead). Mike's costume didn't last too long and Mason was spiderman. We hit up a few places on Center Rd. but mostly stayed on Cornish flat. It was super fun.   Fri: I made muffins, repotted some plants, finished cutting down my hostas then took a walk.             Sat: Vacuumed the house, made chicken noodle soup, ran some errands then M&M cam for a sleepover.                                                                                                                                                 Sun: laundry, neighborhood potluck casual get together/baby shower, dinner at Susan's for Sherry, sleepover at Mikes.                                                                                                                               Mon: ducati storage, tracker service, grocery shopping, outdoor run! Vacation over :(

The following weekend, Mike and I headed to Killington to visit his sisters. I met Lauren for the first time. We ended up getting sucked into a painting party at the restaurant then we all went out to dinner. After heading home from Mike's Sunday, I vacuumed the house, did some laundry and dishes, grocery shopped and meal prepped. I had Tuesday off that week and made chocolate chip cookies and went for another outdoor run.

The following weekend, M&M and I met the Dickersons in Putney for a couple hour adventure at Santa's Land. It was cute and a lot of fun. From there, we headed to Chester for a dinner/play date with Sam, Jimmy and Lincoln. That was super fun as well. Sunday, I vacuumed the house, did dishes, grocery shopped, made rice and guac for a work potluck, then headed back to Cornish for dinner. That week, I had Wednesday off. I did some laundry, ran some errands, did computer stuffies and took a bubble bath. 

The following day was our EP "retreat." My mental health had been simmering for a while and it finally reached it's boiling point so I was feeling very emotional, antisocial, negative and hopeless. I ended up going home after the retreat to be a couch potato and practice self care for the rest of the day. I ended up falling into a hole of depression and succumbing to the battle between my brain and my heart with regards to my relationship. I had been struggling for a while with our political differences and what that means for our compatibility and ability to survive long term. I knew I wasn't going to be magically all better by Friday morning so I stayed home again and slept in half the day. I managed to clean the girls' food area then was getting ready to head to Cornish for dinner but my struggle could not be ignored and I told Mike I thought we were too different to be successful. We ended up facetiming later that evening to talk some things out and he ultimately understood where I was coming from and we decided we were going to stay friends and keep our Thanksgiving plans. I went to bed that night feeling ok but woke up Saturday and spent most of the day crying while vacuuming the house and doing some laundry and dishes. When we chatted the night before, we decided to go out for some drinks where we met. Chris and Emilee joined us and I ended up having a bit too much rum with not a whole lot in my stomach so I kind of got really drunk. I ended up spending the night and recovering the next morning. I managed to go grocery shopping and buy and install new smoke detectors (while crying) before calling it a day. The break lasted 3 more days then we talked it out a bit the night before Thanksgiving and decided we didn't want to be broken up. 

I really need to start exercising again. I treadmilled after work Wed. but still need to pick up the pace.

Suzy shadowed in the EP lab but untimately took a job in Burlington in their lab.

This fucking country elected Donald Trump to be our next president. I don't have enough words. 

Unseasonably Warm Fall Staycay

 As of 1730 this past Friday, I am on staycation until 0700 November 5th (election day, yikes). So far, it's been wonderful. Today is day 6 and I spent it sleeping in too late, having leisurely coffee time with the girls, and then starting to prepare my guest facilities. My coworker Sue is staying at my house for 3 nights while Mike and I are in CT. I'll recap the previous 5 days then go back to where I left off last. After coffee time Saturday, I vacuumed the house then got ready to head to Ctown to jump into Emilee's car to head to New London to watch Maddy's soccer game (they won 7-0). It was senior day and alumni weekend so it was busy. After the game, Em and I went to dinner at Ramuntos then our for bevvies. Sunday morning, I met Erica and her hubby at Cardigan for a hike. It was a beautiful day and fun was had by all. I finished the day with some laundry, dishes, and a relaxing evening with Mike. Monday, I washed all my bedding, grabbed some groceries and made baked ziti for dinner. Tuesday, I did some banking, hosed and swept out my garage, and took a walk with Mike. Yesterday, I cleaned my small appliance, did more laundry, ran errands and took a walk. 

I last left off on 9/11; that weekend was a little tough. Friday night, Mike and I had a misunderstanding and I got really upset and ended up struggling the rest of the weekend and that struggling feeling lasted for a couple weeks. With the misunderstanding as the backdrop, I really realized how strongly I feel about him and I felt really vulnerable and scared in light of our political differences and how different we are in general. I was incredibly depressed and cried a lot but we talked Sunday night and decided to not break up. Despite that, Saturday, I was able to vacuum the house, do the dishes, and take a walk and Sunday, I did computer stuff and grocery shopping. I had Thursday off that week and I did laundry, the dishes, went to my PCP for an ear problem (better now but still bothersome), and took a walk. 

The following weekend was busy but fun. Saturday, I vacuumed the house then went to Chester with Mike and Mason (making a pit stop at the Vermont Country Store) for their friend's birthday party. It was a fun day meeting people, eating yummy food and playing. Sunday, we went to Killington to hang out with Mike's sister, her bf, stepdad and his gf. Lots of really yummy food but the reason for the get together was really sad. It was a chance for family to say good-bye to Chucky, Mike's sister's dog. From there, we stopped at Mike's stepdad's gf's house in Killington before heading home. Before I got home, I grabbed some groceries before calling it a day.

The following weekend was my long weekend and I got to kick it off by bringing Maebs in for her annual vet appointment. I opted not to bring Quinn this year because she's young and healthy and not due for any vaccines. Maebs was a very brave girl and did well. Afterwards, I vacuumed the house, did dishes, ran some errands, cleaned the girls' potty room and had a date night with Mike. I got a tour of where he works, got 5 Guys for dinner and then he dragged me to see a "comedy" by conservative assholes lampooning the DEI movement. Two thumbs down. Saturday, I drove down to Springfield, MA to spend the day with Madison and Danielle at her college. I got to meet some of her friends, we played some card games outside and walked around campus. We went to dinner at a seafood place and took some good pictures and ended the day getting ice cream at this cute farmstand with live music and a fire. I headed home after just barely making it to the gas station and ended up talking to Danielle for an hour after Madison told her she wasn't sure she wanted to continue at school. I texted Madison the other day and things seem ok. Sunday, I headed to Windsor to celebrate a certain little girl's 3rd birthday. It was a good time full of farm animals, yummy food, and lovely weather. From there, I headed to Cornish and then to the Common Man in Ctown with Mike, Jan & Buzz for dinner. Afterwards, I grabbed some groceries and called it a day. Monday, I did some laundry, meal prep, brought Mike to sell his truck and to pick up a loaner car, and went for a walk. That day, our lawn maintenance people were on site and they accidentally cut my propane line while cutting my hostas. Thankfully, Superior was able to come quickly and fix the line so I could take a nice hot shower that night.

The following weekend was another sad, depressing one. Saturday, I did some laundry and got on the road to head to Charlie's birthday party but was uninvited while on the highway. Apparently, Adam didn't know I was attending and pitched a fit and threatened not to go unless I wasn't there. I'm not sure if we'll be ok again. Time will tell. I ended up going to Cornish to hang out with Mike, Mason, Jan & Buzz. We played and had a yummy dinner. Sunday, Mike, Mason and I went apple picking at Riverview with the Dickersons. It was warm but we had a good time picking what was left of the apples and getting pumpkins for carving (which we did last night). We grabbed a late lunch at Frasier's and headed back to Cornish to hang out until it was time for Mason to go back to his mom. I did some laundry and called it a day. That week, I had Wednesday off and I spent it vacuuming the house, doing dishes, cleaning my nasty bathroom and going for a walk. 

The following weekend was a Simone weekend. I picked her up at 11 and headed back home to settle in for a bit. We went to Moes for lunch then did some shopping. Mike invited us to game night at Chris and Brandy's so we headed to Cornish around dinner time. We played the wiener game and pictionary and Simone was formally introduced to Cards Against Humanity. We headed home around 8 and watched a couple movies. Sunday, we got up and ready and headed to Starbucks for breakfast. We went to Keene (making a pit stop at the Vermont Country Store on the way) to hit up a few stores then we stopped in and visited with the Hubbards for a little bit. I meandered back to Ctown to drop her off at home then spent the rest of the evening at home with Mike. I had Wednesday off (again) that week and spent it sleeping in, doing the dishes, grabbing some groceries and making a yummy apple crisp to bring in to work that Friday.

The election is a week from Tuesday and I sent in my ballot already. Trump is slime.

I bought tickets to see Tribal Seeds next year. Can't freakin wait.

Last Weeks Of Summer

 My motivation continues to wan as I let time slip through my fingers so I will be tackling this entry in a few different sittings starting tonight (9.8) and will be publishing hopefully  by Wed., my day off this week. I also didn't get out of bed by close to noon today (oops) so I may as well give this a little start because otherwise, I will continue to procrastinate and I'm not quite ready to give this up completely although, I've considered switching to an easier, more efficient style. Anywho, one would think that sleeping in so late would leave not a lot of time for productivity and one would be correct. I did, however, manage to wash my sheets, have a late lunch and shop with M&M, grab some groceries and have a movie night with him after drop off. Starting this counts for something as well. Yesterday was also a lovely day. I slept in a bit and migrated to the couch for relaxing coffee time. I vacuumed, cleaned up the kitchen, went for a walk then got ready and headed to Windsor for an evening with the Dickersons. M&M eventually joined us and we just hung out, played, and ate nachos and pizza.

Last weekend was another 4 day weekend due to my regular day off following Labor Day. I got to kick it off with a trip to Boston to see Incubus at the Garden with Mike, Emily, Jen and Luke. We stayed at the Marriott a block away and also found a spot close by for a really yummy dinner. The show was amazing and I had a lot of fun but ultimately woke up the following morning with a bad headache exacerbated by lack of sleep. We had breakfast at the hotel and made our way to check out. Made a few stops before getting home and aside from one quick errand, I was good for nothing for the rest of the day. I did, however, house a piece of boston cream pie before calling it quits. Monday, I mega slept in, vacuumed the house, then got ready and headed for Cornish. MA&T were hosting an impromptu BBQ at their house to celebrate Jan's horse race win. Grabbed a few groceries at the store before getting home. Tuesday, I prepped a green salad and headed into work to hang out for a bit for Erica's going away potluck. I'm so sad she isn't happy any longer. Maybe it'll inspire me to take a chunk of time off. I ran a few errands from there, popped into Hanover for a haircut, then grabbed some groceries before heading home for the evening with Mike. I am very much in love.

I was at the tail end of my July summer staycation when I last left off. I spent the last day at a swimming hole in Vermont with Simone, Mike, Mason, and the Dickersons. We relaxed, played, had snacks and bevvies, and jumped off some ledges. I brought Simone home to her dad afterward and headed home. I got ready to go back to work and relaxed with Mike for the rest of the evening. My day off was Tuesday that week; I had an eye exam, grocery shopped, did some laundry, vacuumed the house, meal prepped and cleaned up the kitchen.

The following weekend was a home weekend with Mike. He helped me organize the second bedroom and set up the spool bed. I did some laundry, some dishes, and ran some errands. Sunday, I did some laundry and had an outing in Claremont with Mike and his friend Emily. It's a bit of a complex situation that I won't go into too much detail at the moment but I'm feeling that it'll resolve with time and when she becomes my close friend too. Mike and I finished off the day with the Breaking Bad finale. 

I had Wednesday off that week. I spent my first night at Mike's place after having dinner with Jan and Buzz Tuesday night as the goal Wednesday was the emptying of Mike's shop. He worked most of the day with Buzz, MA &T and moved so much stuff. His work ethic is truly something to be marveled. I hung out with Jan and helped unload truckloads; I couldn't help at the shop because she would have seen me on camera and the timing was just not good. I headed home midafternoon to do our HOA deposit as Geoff was out of the country and vacuumed the house. 

I started my August Summer staycation on the 17th. Much like previous vacations, I'll put it in more of a list format: 

 Sat: made banana bread, did the dishes, and hosted M&M for dinner (pizza) and a movie (Inside Out).   Sun: chatted with Ashley on the phone about my spiraling, took a walk and bubble bath, did some laundry and hung out with Mike.                                                                                                           Mon: ran some errands, did some cooking and watched movies with sicky Mike.                               Tues: did some laundry and dishes, took a walk and caught a ride with Mike to Cornish because he was meeting someone to sell something. We ended up having dinner with J&B.                                       Wed: went to Cornish to hang out with M&M and attend Jan's dinner party where she revealed a very pricey commissioned painting of her beloved horse Magic.                                                               Thurs: Maddy officially moved into her dorm for her first year at CSC so popped in to visit for a bit. Went for a walk when I got home.                                                                                                           Fri: vacuumed the house, did computer stuffies, cleaned my bathroom, and met M, my mom and Rod at Poor Thom's to celebrate their marriage. I spent the night with M in Cornish.                                   Sat: M&M and I went to the Cornish Fair and it was super fun. We rode the rides, got tattoos and ate yummy food. Afterward, we hung out by the fire before I headed home.                                             Sun: ran some errands and was pretty lazy otherwise. Vacation over :(

The weekend prior to Labor Day weekend was my scheduled four day weekend. Friday, I cleaned up the kitchen, ran some errands and went for a walk. Saturday, I vacuumed the house, threw back some bevvies and played flip cup at Abby Key's house in Enfield, and went for a walk. Sunday, I did some laundry, ran some errands, did 30 minutes of barre, and spent the evening with Mike after he came back from his family weekend in CT with Mason. Monday, I finished up some laundry, ran some errands, did 30 minutes of Barre, and attended our yearly community HOA meeting. 

Erica has left the EP team. New Dr. Bob is nice...for now.

RIP Keto.

My house has acquired a new TV and a phenomenal soundbar.

I got my first tractor lesson.

Hess sucks.

Another school shooting. Thoughts & Prayers.   

I managed to watch some of the debate last night.

Today is the 23rd 9/11 anniversary. 

July Staycation

 Time flies when you're having fun, apparently. I am grossly behind on this entry and I've determined that the only way I'm going to catch up and complete this entry and be happy about it is if I start from where I left off and divide this task over the next few days before I go back to work. So without further delay, my last entry was June 13th  and that weekend was a lovely 4 day weekend: Friday, I did some laundry, booked a hotel in Cape Cod for Emilee and I's trip in July, took a 1/2 barre class, and spent the evening with the Goss family. We went for one of our top down deer spotting jeep rides, had Tremont for dinner and hung out in the basement. Saturday, I vacuumed the house, took the other half of the barre class, made my avocado salad and headed to Cornish to have dinner with Mike and Mason (my first time meeting him), Jan and Buzz, Mary Ann and Tony. It was nice meeting them and hanging out. Sunday, I did some laundry, hung out with the Dickerson's in Windsor and went home to hang out with Mike (getting funny Maebs pics). Monday, I washed my bedding, grabbed some groceries, and got black betty serviced. It was a super expensive service as their recommendations changed all of a sudden but needless to say, I may have an alternative moving forward. 

The following weekend was a much needed reprieve from the busy social life. Saturday, Mike and I went for a walk on the rail trail out to Mascoma Lake and grilled for dinner. Sunday, we grabbed groceries and I braced myself for severe storms that passed us by at the last minute. We went to the airport to storm watch but returned disappointed. Not long after returning, lightning struck close by and blew a transformer, scaring the ever living shit out of me. The day wasn't all lost as I was able to find The Poopy List lol. I had Tuesday off that week; I vacuumed the house, cleaned the girls' potty room and took a walk with Mike partially through my usual route. 

The following weekend was a busy but good social weekend. Saturday, I spent the day with Mike and Mason. We went to Bridgewater, VT to visit friends of his who just had a baby 2 months prior. We all headed to lunch in Killington to a restaurant managed by one of Mike's sisters so I got to meet her. From there, Mike, Mason and I headed to Plymouth, VT to do some exploring and we stopped to buy cheese at the Calvin Coolidge historical site. We watched Jumanji later at home. I felt like I had a little family for the day. On Sunday, I did some laundry, dishes, grabbed some groceries and had a day date with Tracicakes. We had lunch at Salt Hill and watched Archie's play The Music Man at the Lebanon Opera House. Towards the end of Monday's work day, my throat started feeling a little icky and sure enough, Tuesday morning I was sick. I had to call out of work but luckily I had Wed and Thurs off for July 4th but had to miss all the festivities (BBQ, fireworks, parade, etc). Despite being sick, I was able to vacuum the house, do dishes, and take a bubble bath on Wed. and I cleaned my bathroom Thursday. Even though I tested negative twice, I'm pretty sure I finally got the VID because a handful of people at Mike's work had tested positive. I have labs that need to be drawn soon and I'm going to see if they can detect a recent infection. Just out of pure curiosity. 

After getting through a post-sickness 12 hour Friday, I focused on heading to CT Saturday morning for the weekend for my Uncle David's 80 birthday celebration. Mike was a trooper and survived the weekend meeting a rather large chunk of my family all at once (including my mom for the first time) and also drove us down and back. Overall, it was a nice weekend and it was great seeing so much family that I hadn't seen in years; some I couldn't recall how long it had actually been. We stayed at an interesting VRBO on the CT river after the fun DJ'd party with mexican food and a giant volcano full of fireworks. The trip home was uneventful and we were good for nothing for the rest of the afternoon. Thursday was my day that work week and I got to spend it getting my very first mammogram (not bad AT ALL), a little check in with my psych NP, a nap, and running a few errands. 

The following weekend, on Saturday, I vacuumed the house, did the dishes, and did half a barre class before Mike and Mason came over for dinner. Mike made his pizza while Mason and I played NES classic. We watched almost an entire movie before they called it a night. Sunday, I did some laundry before Mike and I headed to Gilford to see the Dirty Heads and Slightly Stoopid. We stopped at Cielito's in Bristol for delicious Mexican food. We were a little late and unfortunately missed the Elovators but got to see most of the Common Kings' set. It was a good show with a front row view and I have to admit I enjoyed the Dirty Heads the most. I'm super glad I took the following day off to sleep in a bit. I was planning to check in at work to see if they needed me but I never did; I just putzed around while Mike was doing divorce mediation. Overall, it went ok and some progress was made and afterwards, we went to Cornish to have dinner with Jan and Buzz. On the way home, we stopped at Langwood farm in Cornish to explore. 

Last Friday was the start of my July semi-staycation. Friday morning, Emilee and I drove to Cape Cod for our second annual summer girls weekend. We made a pit stop in New London for breakfast. The drive was slow going and we didn't make it to our hotel until almost 6 PM. We freshened up and headed to Ptown for dinner and to explore. Dinner was delicious and the exploring was absolutely amazing...wild place. Saturday, we got up and got ready then headed to breakfast. Afterward, we headed to Herring Cove Beach for a few hours then back to the hotel for a little pool time. We went back to the hotel to stream Maddy's Lion's Cup game then we went back to Ptown for dinner and to walk around a bit more and take it all in. Sunday, we checked out and started the journey back home with a gas and breakfast pitstop and a little detour through Mashpee to pick up some gourmet donuts. Once home (after almost leaving Emilee at the park and ride), I settled in and relaxed with Mike. Monday, I slept in, vacuumed the house, and had a dinner date/board meeting with Geoff, Chloe, and Natalie. Tuesday, I met Dayna and Cory in Concord and we headed to Boston for our Blink 182 at Fenway adventure. They put on a great show and we walked back to the hotel to house cheesecake. Wednesday, I was back home early afternoon and I did some laundry and the dishes before calling it a night. Thursday, I had a little visit from Mike after he left work then I headed out to run some errands (went back to Langwood), once home, I did some computer stuffies and took a walk. Friday, I started this entry, cleaned the girls' potty room then headed to ctown to pick up Simone. We went to Lui Luis for dinner then saw Twisters in the theater. We stayed up late watching movies so we slept in a bit this morning then got ready and bebopped around West Leb for breakfast and shopping. We went to Mary Ann and Tony's for dinner and to hang out with a little outing for ice cream. We stayed up late watching movies again and that pretty much concludes this entry. Our plan tomorrow is visiting a swimming hole in Perkinsville, VT with the Dickersons, Mike and Mason.  

Mike responded to a fellow fireman's MI on July 4th but he did not make it. 

The 2024 Summer Olympics started Friday!

Maebs' second gotcha day was Monday <3

Trump was almost assassinated on 7.13 at a rally. 

Biden dropped out and Harris is now running against Trump. Buckle up.

Funk music is fun.

June Staycation and Graduations Galore

 This entry is loooooong overdue but I'm going to stop short of bashing myself and acknowledge that it's a combination of procrastination and being super busy. The procrastination stops here so let's get to it. I am officially halfway through my June staycation and it's been phenomenal so far. Friday was my birthday and unlike the previous few years, I failed to take it off so I spent it working but Sue did get me out a little early. I spent the rest of my birthday relaxing with Mike, eating Moes and watching Breaking Bad. It was so nice to finally have a good birthday. Mike slept over and we got up at a decent time because I needed to get ready and leave the house by a little after 1100 to head down to Milford for graduation festivities. I sat in the bleachers with Danielle's family and watched Madison graduate from high school. The weather was decent and we headed to the party venue after pictures. The party was fun, beautiful and delicious. I stuck around a bit to help clean up and was home by 10ish. Sunday, I slept in (scaring Mike a little) and only accomplished vacuuming the house before Mike came over for the night. We relaxed, had dinner and binged more BB. Monday, I did some laundry and took a walk before Mike came back for the night. Tuesday, I got up for a doctor's appointment and was only able to accomplish a pile of dishes before Mike came back for the night. Wednesday, I got up for my annual dermatology appointment, ran some errands afterward and relaxed before getting ready to head to Ctown for Maria's 8th grade graduation. I stopped in at my moms afterward for a bit then headed home with a little pit stop in Cornish. After I accomplish this today, I'm doing some form of exercise calling it a day.   

I last left off with a week left in April and a lot has happened since then. I've been busy but my dating life has been blown out of the water a bit. When I stopped by my mom's last night, I verbalized for the first time that I think Mike is the one. Yeah, you heard me. Part of my procrastination today involved going back and rereading some of our exchanges via text and messenger and all I did was smile. This is so crazy to me. I really like him and I'm very happy. No one knows what the future will bring but I'm very much enjoying the present and everything just seems right. That's all I can say right now. Anywho, the last weekend in April was nice. Saturday, I vacuumed the house, did a 1/2 barre class, and cleaned the girls' potty room. I met Mike in Cornish and we headed to Time Out to play mini golf. We grabbed a bite to eat at the Common Man then met Emilee and Ariel at the Imperial for a few drinks. Sunday, I took a little trip to Danville to run an errand then hung out at the Skorstad household up the road for a bit. My day off that week was Thursday. I ran some errands, grocery shopped and Mike came over for the first time. He made up pizza with a legit pizza stone. 

The following weekend was fairly productive. Saturday, I vacuumed the house, did dishes and some laundry, went for a walk and skipped down to Ctown to watch Maddy's last grand march. Sunday, I did some laundry, grabbed some groceries and made spaghetti sauce. 

The following weekend was my long weekend and quite eventful. Friday, I vacuumed the house, did a half barre class and spent the rest of the evening with Mike (polishing off a bottle of wine in the process). Saturday, I drove down to Keene to watch Faith graduate from her master's program. We went to Margarita's after for a late lunch then I headed to Amy and Brian's to visit for a few hours. It was so great to finally see them; it had been since before covid times. On my way back home, I stopped to see Mike and met Jan and Buzz. Sunday, I spent the majority of the afternoon at my moms for mother's day and also decided to take the spool bed. Monday, I did laundry and dishes, grocery shopped, popped in in Windsor to play with Lyd for a bit then headed back home to hang out with Mike. We mistakenly decided to get Peking Tokyo (never again) for dinner and I ended up calling out of work the next day because my tummy was upset. I slept super late and around dinner time, I realized with certainty I had lost the UTI battle. Urgent care couldn't help me but Lauren saved me and was feeling better in no time. I hate being a girl. Oh and I also threw together a ham and rice casserole. 

The following weekend, I vacuumed the house, took a walk, and went to Windsor to hang. Lydia was passed out already so we hung out by the fire. Sunday, I did some laundry, cleaned my bathroom, and went to Mike's softball game in Ctown. He drove us on his motorcycle and it was stupid fun. Unfortunately, they lost their game. Tuesday, I did a half barre class, ran some errands and spent the rest of the day with Mike. He put in my AC and met Chloe and Geoff. 

The following weekend, I got some stuff done on Saturday. I did some laundry, computer stuffies, and vacuumed the house. My mom and Rod delivered the spool bed and I went to Ctown to hang out with Ashley as she has been having a really hard time. I took a bubble bath when I got home from Ctown. Sunday, I did the dishes, took a half barre class and went to a Memorial Day party with Mike at his friend's house. It was super fun and so was our first sleepover that night. Monday, we just relaxed, went to the grocery store, started rewatching BB. I made mac and cheese. My day off that week was Wednesday; I slept in, cleaned the volcano and the girls' potty room, and took a walk.

The following weekend was a Simone weekend. I vacuumed the house then got ready to head to Ctown to watch Simone's softball game. She came home with me afterward and once we were settled, we went out to do some shopping. We had Lui Luis for dinner and went out for ice cream. We watched movies and stayed up late. Sunday, we got up and had breakfast at Starbucks then headed to Tilton for some shopping. On the way back to Claremont, we stopped for some pizza and a little visit at CSC. Mike was at my house when I got home and he spent the night. 

I got an 8% raise in May. Union efforts are paying off, apparently. 

I have officially been in my house for 10 years.

Donald Trump is a convicted felon.

It's going to be a great summer.

The Godfarter on Trial

 Time flies; this entry is already almost 2 weeks late siiiiigh. The procrastination stops now and I'm also going to do this a little bit different this time. Instead of musing about what's going on now and in recent days first, I'm going to start where I left off last. So without further adieu, here we go. 

I last filed on the 12th and that weekend was relatively quiet. On Saturday, I vacuumed the house, did laundry and computer stuffies, and took half a barre class. On Sunday, I took the other half of the barre class, grabbed groceries, finished up some laundry, did a little meal prep, and hung out at the Dickerson household for a bit. My day off that week was Wednesday and apparently the only productive thing I did was a pile of dishes.

The following week, I was on staycation so I'll stick with the blog style I usually do to document wonderful work-free weeks; a list:                                                                                                                  Sat: vacuumed the house, washed bedding, did a living room workout.                                                        Sun: cleaned the girls' potty room, made a pizza.                                                                                            Mon: dental cleaning, errands, laundry, started reading my Lebanon history books that were gifted to me.  Tues: I made pancakes, did the dishes and took a bubble bath.                                                                        Wed: I went to ctown to watch Maddy give a speech and receive the St. Josephs sports award for her senior class. There was a catered dinner and I actually had a friendly conversation with Jesse.                      Thurs: took a half barre class, grabbed some groceries, and met here with some neighbors to discuss the first real possibility of our community being finished.                                                                                      Fri: I got up and brought a salad and rolls in for Hillary's birthday potluck and hung out for a bit. I also cleaned my bathroom and took half a barre class.                                                                                            Sat: I took the other half of the barre class, grocery shopped and vacuumed the house.                                Sun: spent the day at the Dickersons for Easter. We pigged out and lounged around inside and out.

The following weekend was my long weekend. Friday, I had my physical and ran some errands afterwards while I was out and about. My physical confirmed an 8 pound weight gain in the past year. Yikes, and oops. I also need to start addressing my lady issues. First step will be finding a gynecologist to start working on bothersome symptoms...just call me sweaty betty. Once I got home, I started sifting through various sources of pictures to compile a collection for a social media post for Maddy's 18th birthday. In the process, I discovered that a bunch of pictures failed to survive the transfer from old to new laptop. I'm still processing the profound disappoinment in my inaction and I hope the majority of those lost pictures are safe on other media in storage. I went to ctown that evening for Maddy's birthday dinner at the Taverne and ended up going out for a few bevvies at Time Out and Imperial. It was fun and by the time the evening was over, a guy I had been chatting with asked me for my number. Saturday, I vacuumed the house, did the dishes and some laundry, and took half a barre class. Sunday, I did some laundry, grocery shopped and spring cleaned my bedroom, finally. Monday, I traveled to ctown to watch the solar eclipse with the Goss' and her daycare kiddos. That evening, I met my mom for dinner at Kotos. It was nice and productive and I finally had the courage to ask her about an event that happened a long time ago. It actually was ok and I got a fair amount of information that I'm still processing. Overall, I'm still angry and sad when it comes to the subject of my mother. I don't think she has the capacity to understand. 

The following weekend, I only managed to vacuum my house before getting ready for the first date with the guy I gave my number to. I met him at Black Rock in Springfield and we ended up talking for 3 hours. It's a complicated situation but overall, I actually kind of like him. On my way home, I stopped in Claremont to hang with Shley and fill her in on the evening. Sunday morning, I got up and got ready to meet Maddy for a breakfast and coffee date at the Brownsville Butcher. It was nice chatting and getting to know her as the official adult she recently became. I finished the day with a barre class, laundry, and grocery shopping. My day off that week was Tuesday and I slept in hard core (period tired), took a walk, and did computer stuffies.

Last weekend was lovely. I actually got ready and went out after work. Mike invited me out to celebrate his friend Chris' 40th and it actually was fun. Emilee joined us and we all played pool and had a few drinks. Saturday, I vacuumed my house, did the dishes, started some laundry, and took a bubble bath. Sunday, I spent the afternoon in Warner at Denise's visiting with Erin, Fiath, and Colin. It was quite delightful. I washed my sheets when I got home and called it a day. 

My day off this week is today. I slept in and mainly just wrote this entry. I met Mike for dinner. We took a short walk after around West Leb. It could have been a bit warmer but it was still nice. I think I like him.

I've recently discovered Twiddle.

Quinn got outside the other night while I was on a walk and she was outside for as long as an hour, mostly hiding in the garage. I feel terrible. 

DJT is the biggest, smelliest pile of human shit to have ever existed. 

I love my girls.