Monday, March 18, 2024

Weekend Wrap-up

When last we spoke, I was headed out the door, on my way to the day spa for a facial. On my way there, I grabbed an iced latte at the Starbucks, which, is something I rarely do anymore since the company stopped carrying sugar free cinnamon dolce syrup. The plain nonfat latte was ok, but I really do miss a good cinnamon dolce latte.


At my facial, my aesthetician gave me a demonstration of the NuFace gizmo, that is supposed to eliminate fine lines and to lift and sculpt the face. I don't know if it would actually work, but the electric current that it was putting out reacted with the metal fillings in my teeth to create a weird metallic taste, so something was happening.

After my facial, I stopped by the Hellmouth to pick up some florals that I need for one of the wedding projects that I am responsible for.


And then I went home to watch the Love is Blind reunion on Netflix. Turns out, not only is love blind, but so are the producers of the show, who completely missed the fact that at least one, possibly two, of the contestants were in serious relationships at the time that they were filming. 

Saturday morning, I spent several hours cleaning out and reorganizing my kitchen pantry and the cupboard above it. I tossed a few expired items and patted myself on the back for sparing my children from having to do that at some point in time, far down the road (PTSD from the horror stories that Hugh's siblings told us about the items they discovered in Oscar and Emily's cupboards and freezer when they were here to help after Oscar's surgery last month).

Then, I made a huge salad and ate it while binge-watching episodes of Girls5Eva on Hulu (never heard of it? Neither had I, but it was fairly entertaining).



I also worked on my embroidery skills, because I have another project for the wedding that will require them.



Later that night, I got cleaned up and picked up Mom for dinner at the Thai restaurant and another play at the community theater.



The play was a comedy and it was really quite hilarious. The set required a complete change over during each of the two intermissions, and the audience got to watch it happen, which was really very cool.



Sunday was spent working at the hardware store, more embroidering, chatting with Hugh, who had been in Louisiana for the week, and who had just returned, as well as celebrating St. Paddy's Day with the Boomer dog, who would like you all to know that he is doing well.


I also started watching Quiet on the Set, which is the documentary exploring Nickelodeon's history of child abuse. Like I don't get enough of that shit at Not So New Job, right?

Anyway, shame on Nickelodeon. That is all.
 


Friday, March 15, 2024

Friday Favorites, Mid-March Edition

Happy Friday! It was another tough week at Not So New Job, and I am looking forward to spending the weekend at home, catching up on housework and starting a few projects for the wedding (yes, already!).

A while back, I wrote about my hunt for the milk glass vases that Shanti will be using for the table centerpieces; I mentioned that I have fallen for the vintage glass in all its' forms, and, today I bring you proof of that.

My first piece was the lamp that I showed in that earlier post, and I am still in love with it.



I also found a smaller lamp at one of the antique stores in Hooterville. I fell hard for the little green lampshade and knew that the piece would look great in one of our guestrooms (Queen B's childhood room).


I have also purchased several small candy dishes, which are doing Easter duty at the moment.



And, this cake stand will be on display in my kitchen on a permanent basis; at the moment, it is holding my silver Easter egg plate, but I envision it as the base for a number of other items that I have on hand.




I picked up several sets of candlestick holders; I plan to use them on the table at the rehearsal dinner, but am enjoying one set on the mantel, currently.


I almost passed on this adorable basket, but I'm really glad I didn't.


And, this banana stand might be my very favorite piece. You know, that isn't a lamp.


I feel pretty confident that I am done buying milk glass for the foreseeable future, but, I guess one should never say never.

In other favorite news; Mom finally, finally sold the house in Mayberry. She got full asking price and will now be able to pay off the loan on her townhouse in Hooterville. To celebrate being mortgage-free again, she invited us all out to dinner on her. She told us to order anything that we wanted off the menu and the Man-Cub took her up on the offer by ordering the shrimp Alfredo with a lobster tail on the side.

That sounded good to Mom, so she added a lobster tail to her steak, too.




I had the chicken Alfredo primavera, and definitely did not add a lobster tail. Shanti had a small filet mignon and chose a side of the linguini because she also knows that lobster is the cockroach of the ocean (have I mentioned that she's going to be my favorite daughter-in-love, ever?)



Hugh had prime rib...



...and both Oscar and Emily had the crab-stuffed salmon.

It was a delicious evening and definitely something that we all felt worth celebrating. Making this final break from my childhood home was a long time in coming, and absolutely necessary for Mom's peace of mind.

I'll raise a glass to that!

Now, I am off to start my weekend of nesting. Before I do, though, I am going into Hooterville for a facial at the day spa; the house isn't the only thing in need of a thorough cleaning.

Have a great weekend!


Monday, March 11, 2024

Women of Distinction

This past Friday night, I was honored to be included among twenty amazing women at Hooterville's Women Of Distinction Gala. I still have no idea who nominated me for the award, but I am grateful for, and humbled by, the nomination.



Late last month, when I was told about the nomination, I joined the other women at a photo shoot for a magazine, as well as for use at the gala. We also met at the country club (where my staff and I took the golf clinic last summer) for a cocktail party, where I got to know the other recipients; many I already knew, but, I also made some new friends.

I got to sit on a stage with those new friends, in front of a sold-out auditorium, which, could have been intimidating, were it not for their support. And, really, that is what the awards ceremony was all about: women supporting and recognizing the achievements of other women. I was incredibly proud of all of us.





I was also really proud to accept the award in front of my staff and my family, who dressed to the nines to be there to celebrate with me. What can I say? We all clean up really well.








After the ceremony, we ate a delicious dinner, and, then there was dancing. I did not partake of the dancing because my feet were already killing me. 

Next year, I will have the opportunity to attend the gala as a presenter, and I am already looking forward to that; I may even nominate one of the amazing women that I know in my life for the honor. I can think of several who are more than deserving.


Sunday, March 10, 2024

The Internets Made Me Do It, Again

This may need to become a regular series on ye old blog; lord knows I could use the content.

Anyhoodle, I saw this super easy Easter craft floating around on both Instagram and the TikTok, so I figured I would give it a go. 

I purchased most of the materials from the Dollar Tree in Hooterville, plus a few flowers from the Hellmouth next door to it (for those of you new to this blog, the Hellmouth is my nickname for the big box store that starts with a W and ends with a stress-induced headache). For this project you will need:

1. Some sort of pedestal base. I purchased a candle holder for mine.

2. A center item. This could vary, based on your tastes and style.

3. A small piece of floral foam, ideally one shaped to fit your base, although, the floral foam is easy to shave down to meet your specific needs.

4. A selection of artificial flowers and greenery, the cheaper, the better.


The only tools needed are a hot glue gun and a pair of wire cutters, to separate the stems of the flowers.

The whole project consists of three steps:

1. Glue the floral foam onto the candle holder.

2.  Glue the center item (in this case, an adorable bunny; he's wearing glasses!) onto the floral foam.

3. Separate the flowers into single blooms.

4. Shove the stems of the flowers and greenery into the floral foam in whatever design/shape your heart desires. 

That's it. It turned out really cute, and was relatively easy and inexpensive. So, thanks to the creatives on the Internets. I wonder what I should do next...



Friday, March 08, 2024

Friday Favorites, Eye on Spring Edition

 Didn't I tell you not to trust that damn groundhog?


The two snowstorms that we have had the past week and a half are definitely NOT favorites. On the bright side, the snow was the typical wet, heavy variety, so it has melted off fairly quickly, and; the moisture has gone a long way in hydrating the various flower bulbs that are slowly pushing their way up. Still...damn groundhog.

But, if this is a post about favorites, I guess I better get to it.

While it is cold and wet outside, it's sunny and springish inside. I recently made this centerpiece, using items from the Dollar Tree. It turned out pretty cute, if I do say so, myself.



In the quest to find enough vintage milk glass vases for the wedding, I have managed to fall in love with hobnail milk glass of all types. I found this lamp on Mercari and I love how it looks in my bedroom.


The little dish is also vintage hobnail milk glass, and I have managed to collect several additional ones that are spread out all over the house; I'll have to share the entire collection at some point.

Last weekend, the Man-Cub, Shanti, and I grabbed breakfast at a new restaurant in Pixler while on our way to a shopping trip in Neighboring City. The restaurant is located inside the nursery where Shanti, Mom, and I like to go to pick our own flowers in the summertime; it's under new management so it has a brand new menu. I ordered the Croque Madam and it was delicious.




Speaking of yummy things; I bought cookies and drinks for my staff this week. They have been busting their asses covering additional tasks while our FI Coordinator is away and I really appreciate their dedication. The cookies, from Twisted Sugar, were ah-mayyyzing, and we all agree that we prefer them over Crumbl Cookies.


Since I mentioned our FI Coordinator, I will say that her son is responding very, very well to his cancer treatments and we are super hopeful that the family will be able to return home from Denver soon; he will continue to receive treatment in Neighboring City, but at least he will be able to sleep in his own bed, play with his dogs, see his younger brother, etc. 

And, now I am off! I have a dressy event tonight and it probably wouldn't hurt to jump on a treadmill for a few (hours) so that I will fit comfortably into my dress. More on that in another post.




Monday, March 04, 2024

The Long Goodbye

The news from Wednesday's vet appointment was just about the worst that we could have expected. Boomer has stage 3 anal sac cancer, which has metastasized to his lymph nodes. The original tumor is about the size of a baseball, and it is firmly attached to the rectum, which makes it inoperable. The vet did give us the option of traveling to Colorado State University, where Boomer would be treated with radiation and chemotherapy in an effort to shrink the tumor, but, even if that worked, the surgery required to remove it would also destroy his rectum, which would result in the doggie version of a colostomy bag. That option might give us an additional few months with him. 

Our other option, is simply to let nature take its course, which will give us somewhere between six months and a year with Boomer. The vet assured me that Boomer is in no pain (which is obvious, given his behavior, appetite, and play drive). He also said that he won't experience significant pain until much closer to the end. However, as the tumor grows, it is narrowing Boomer's colon, which will make it increasingly difficult for Boomer to poop. When we get to a point where, even with stool softeners, he is experiencing too much difficulty, or, if the cancer metastasizes to his lungs, making it difficult to breathe; we will know that it is time to let him go.

We chose option two. 

I can't bring myself to put Boomer through a lengthy treatment that will just make him sick. Currently, he has no idea that he is unwell, and, I want that to be the case for as long as possible. On a practical level; it makes no sense for us to move to the Front Range to pursue treatment that will cost upwards of $20,000, to possibly gain just a few months, with a decreased quality of life. 

I vastly prefer to let Boomer be Boomer for as long as we can.

To that end, we are loving on him with all our hearts. We are indulging him in all the previously forbidden snacks (plus adding a stool softener and a probiotic to his diet), playing ball whenever he wants, and doing all the things that Boomer loves to do.

I pray that we get a year with him, but I also pray that when it is time, we show him the grace of a peaceful exit without delaying it due to our own selfishness. I love him too much to be selfish.

And, that's the update.

But, it's not the end of the story; expect frequent Boomer-related content as we move forward. I want to document all of the joy that this dog experiences, and all of the joy that he brings to us and to everyone who loves him, and, trust me when I say; a lot of people love him.  




He is a very good boy.