Friday Favorites, First Edition of Summer 2020

Ok, so, technically, summer doesn't start until Sunday; I'm jumping the gun just a wee bit. Sue me if you must.

That being said, Summer 2020  is going to be a horse of a different color, amiright? I'm right. No concerts. No festivals. No large group events (unless you are protesting, protesting the protesting, or rioting, in which case, have at it, because apparently the 'Rona peaces out on those gatherings). In short; Summer 2020 equals no fun. Unless we are super-intentional about it, that is, which, is what I intend to be.

And, I'm doing it as a blonder blond. Because, why the hell not? Blondes have more fun (or, so we've been told).

Currently, I am enjoying having Mom here, but, I suppose that goes without saying. I mean, who wouldn't love coming home from a hard day's work to a fully prepared meal and a nightly foot rub?

As the picture above would indicate, we've spent a good deal of our time together on the porch, and, my latest floral acquisitions are favorites, for sure.

My roses have entered their first bloom of the summer and they are large, colorful, fragrant, and lovely. As always, the Marilyn Monroe roses are the showiest, and I have been cutting them frequently.

I completely forgot to post pictures of my peonies this year, and, while they are now past their bloom, they were still a summer favorite, so they still bear mentioning.

Queen B bought matching bandannas for Boomer and herself, and I love them to bits and pieces. I also love how much Boomer loves Queen B. Every week, Hugh takes him to Neighboring City with him (we service yard equipment for one of the big box stores, and, Hugh does pick-up and delivery each week), and, while Hugh goes about his business, Boomer hangs out with Queen B. Without fail, Boomer shows the utmost reluctance to leave his "sister". It's really quite adorable.

Speaking of Boomer Dog, I recently purchased a mug that declares our undying love for one another...

I liked the mug so much, I purchased one for each of the kids as well as one each for Hugh and Oscar (but, those are a secret; they are intended as gifts for Father's Day). We all have great love for both our fur babies and coffee, so this was a win-win.

And, that's about it for this scintillating edition of Friday Favorites. Tune in tomorrow, when I post about the sure-to-be-amazing Mexican fiesta that we are hosting tonight, because, like I said earlier in this post; I am determined to create our own fun this summer.

That starts tonight.

Two Parties in Two Days; Is This Even LEGAL?

Actually, yes...yes, it is.

Yesterday, we celebrated Kaley's eventual nuptials with a little bridal shower at Jana's. The current limit on large gatherings is thirty people, and, when all were said and counted, we probably had just shy of that, so we were well within compliance.

The wedding itself isn't scheduled until January, so, with any luck, Kaley and her intended won't be worrying about how many guests to cut off the list and will be able to throw the shindig of Kaley's dreams. In the meanwhile, she had a nice little gathering of friends and family to get the celebration shenanigans off and running.

The theme for the day was tropical, which was a nod to the Bahamian honeymoon that Kaley and her intended will be taking following the wedding. Jana did a fantastic job transforming her deck for the occasion.

Since the shower started at 11:00, Jana went with brunch foods, to which she added an impressive cheese tray (I have taught her well; she used to turn her nose up at the "fancy" cheeses) and hand-decorated cookies. The food went quite well with the many flavors represented on the mimosa bar that Jana also prepared.

Of course, the best part of any party is the crowd that it draws, and, Kaley was surrounded by people who love and support her, whether from near or far.

I'm just really happy that, yesterday, it was from near. She deserves that.

Covid Shmovid...Let's Party

Mom got here Thursday, which, required a celebration, so, what did we do last night? Hosted a Mexican-themed Porch Night, of course!

While we didn't exactly practice the suggested social distancing, and, we didn't wear masks; we did keep the group under the required limit of ten people. On the porch. At one time.

Splitting hairs? Possibly.

Anyhoodle, the food was tasty (queso-corn salsa? Seven-layer dip? Fruit salsa with cinnamon tortilla chips? Yes, please!), the drinks were strong (regular and strawberry margaritas!), and the company was beyond enjoyable. Hopefully, this is merely a taste of celebrations yet to come this summer, because, people, we deserve some celebration!

The Drought Is Almost Over

Y'all, my mom is coming to town tomorrow! It will be the first time we have seen her since Christmas, which, is probably the longest I have gone without spending time with her since...well, ever, so, to say that I am excited would be a vast understatement of the facts. Indeed, I have missed her like crazy and, sometimes, a girl just needs her mom (I'm there. I'm actually past there).

She's coming with the full support of her doctor, who, actually recommended that she come to our neck of the woods, versus staying in Mayberry, where there has been a slight uptick in cases of the V Word. She'll be staying for at least a week, and we have a full agenda planned; it looks a lot like this:

-Hug, hug, hug!

-Talk, talk, talk!

-Hug, hug, hug!

-Talk, talk, talk!

-Do a little cooking

-Porch Night!

-Talk, talk, talk!

Hug, hug, hug!

I am beyond excited. One more sleep!

Do the (Side) Hustle

Earlier in the week, I finally had the opportunity to do the cap and gown session that I had been asked to do clear back in February. It was for the daughter of a co-worker from Old Job, and, we were originally scheduled to do it in April. You know, before the C Word took over and completely derailed everything and everyone.

The pictures turned out great, and, that was important to me, considering that she missed out on pretty much every other rite of passage that a typical Senior would have been able to experience. You know, in a "normal" year.

Fingers crossed that this is the one and only time that I photograph a graduate wearing a mask.

Lean Into the Hard

I recently read a post by one of my favorite Old School Bloggers *; she very eloquently wrote about the current state of affairs in our nation, in our world, in humanity in general, and, about her efforts to navigate the situation. She pointed out-correctly-that all of this is hard. And, the only way to get past hard is to go through it.

We do this by leaning into the hard.

This resonated with me. Things lately have been quite a bit harder than I am generally accustomed to; it's true. And, I don't think I have risen to the challenge as well as I would have expected from myself, which is disappointing. That can change, though. I can do better. I can lean harder. I can get through.

I have to.

*Bloggers from back in the day, who wrote for the joy of writing and not to shill merchandise or to influence trends for monetary gain or internet fame.

Built To Last

Saturday, during the brief time that Hugh and I had to relax on the boat, we reminisced about all the years that we have owned her. We purchased her in 2008. At the time, I was not at all convinced that we needed a boat, or, were in any way, shape, or form, boat people. Hugh, however, was hell-bent on purchasing her, and, since he had gallantly acquiesced to my desire for a wraparound porch two years earlier, despite not believing that we needed a wraparound porch; I grudgingly acquiesced to the purchase.

As a side note, we were both right, and we were both wrong; we definitely needed a wraparound porch, and, as it turns out, we were definitely boat people.

As we floated, I took stock of the things on the boat that have been with us for as long as we have had her, and, a few that have been around almost as long. Some things, it turns out, are very good investments. Just like the boat.

I bought this laundry bag the first summer that we had the boat. It cost all of five bucks at The Hellmouth, so, I figured, if it fell apart after one season's use, no big deal. Twelve years and counting, folks, and let me tell you, the towels that this things totes around are heavy.

Speaking of those towels; I purchased ten or twelve of them from Target, that same year. At the time, they cost quite a bit more than I was comfortable spending on beach towels, but, they were seriously cute, thick, and seemed like they would hold up. Since then, they've been washed too many times to count and they still look almost new.

I also got these fun clips at Target around the same time that I got the towels. We have used them to clip wet towels on the boat rails ever since. You can't find them anymore, so I'm glad that they are holding up.

This soft-sided cooler is slightly newer than everything else; I think I purchased it about six years ago. It holds a ton, collapses for easy storage, and has several pockets and compartments for sunscreen, utensils, and other items. It's pretty dang cute, too.

I know that these are just things-the boat included-but, it's amazing how much comfort I find in the normality that they represent. Our world has gone topsy-turvy and traditions, heirlooms, family customs, and faith are what we need to hold on to. At least, that's how I feel.

And I'm not above wrapping myself in one of those towels and allowing it to comfort me.