Memorial Day Weekend, Day One

Despite not having major plans for the long holiday weekend; I am enjoying it, immensely. Perhaps taking Friday afternoon off for a massage got the whole thing off to a good start. If that's the case, I will have to look into getting a massage prior to every holiday. Twist my arm, right?

Anyhoodle, I spent yesterday doing things around the house. I finally got my red wicker chair repainted to a lovely sea blue...

...which was the finishing touch on the porch. It is now open for Porch Night season , which, conveniently, begins tonight! 

After I finished my chores, Boomer Dog and I headed to the park for a walk. The Herons were back, so I decided to drop Boomer back at the house before returning to the park with my camera; I was determined to finally catch a shot of one of the birds fishing. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, but, I got a few good shots, regardless.

I also ran into Erin and Kristi, who were at the park with their dogs. As an aside, Erin asked me why I no longer refer to them as The Lesbians on this blog. I told her I worried that it seemed insensitive, despite the fact that they are the ones who insisted on it to begin with. She pee-shawed me. Seriously, pee-shaw. We agreed to a compromise; I shall now refer to them as The Newlyweds. She pushed for Lesbian Newlyweds, but Kristi talked her down from the ledge.

I love my friends.

And, speaking of friends, we are having a few over tonight for tacos on the porch. I'm really looking forward to returning to a "normal" summer of entertaining and this is the first step. What a great way to kick off the holiday.

Random park photos, 'cuz that's how I roll.

What's Up Wednesday, May 2021 Edition

 

May we talk about this month? 

See what I did there? Ha! I slay myself.

Seriously thought, can you believe that we are already at the end of May? I think I said it last month, but it totally bears repeating; this year is flying by. I wasn't complaining about that last month, nor am I complaining about it now, because, who can complain about putting The Year That Shall Not Be Named even farther in the rear-view? Not this girl.

Anyhoodle, as always, I am linking up with  Sheaffer and Shay to chat about what's up, what's been going down, what's gone sideways, and everything in between. Onward!

What We're Eating

In an effort to spend more quality time together, Hugh and I jumped back on the HelloFresh train. We cook three meals a week together and, shockingly, I haven't felt compelled to kill him and bury his body in the backyard.

I mean, I've considered it, but I wouldn't call it a compulsion.

Anyhoodle, the meals have been pretty tasty and quick to prepare, and, we've both learned a lot. Hugh has learned what it means to zest an orange, what a "drizzle" of olive oil should look like, and that a "squeeze" of lemon does not mean juicing the entire lemon and tossing the juice into the recipe all willy-nilly. I have learned that Hugh is incapable of cooking without making a gigantic mess of the kitchen and, that I am a fairly decent sous chef, if, one's definition of sous chef is "kitchen cleaner-upper".

But it's all worth it for the time together.

What I'm Reminiscing About

Queen B and the Rodeo Princess have been living in Texas for almost three months now; its hard to believe that they have been there this long already, but, 'tis true. The reports that I am getting all indicate that they are doing really well, settling in nicely, making new friends, and taking care of each other; all of which thrills me.

I do, however, miss having Queen B closer by, especially this time of year, when we used to be able to spend days together, doing fun girlie things like taking a picnic on a bike ride, sipping wine and noshing on a charcutterie board at a local winery, or hunting treasures at thrift stores and antique shows. So, those are the things that I have been reminiscing about.

What I'm Loving

The Boomer Dog and I have been taking frequent walks in the park here in Petticoat Junction. In addition to the fresh air and exercise, I have loved seeing the pair of Great Blue Herons that have been nesting in the area. 

Boomer Dog loves the walks as well; he has taken the challenge of marking his territory in all of his favorite spots on the trail quite seriously. He has also made a few deposits in the park, one of which required a double bagging. Dog ownership is not for the weak of stomach.

What I've Been Up To

Self-care! It was my word and intention for 2021 and I am pleased to say that I am following through. So far this month, I have increased my physical activity by walking in the park...

...I've been to the chiropractor for a long over-due adjustment of my hips (my left leg was 1/2" shorter than my right and one hip was both cocked upward and rotated inward; no damn wonder I have been having so much pain in my leg and numbness in my feet)...

...I spent some time at the local day spa, getting a Dermaplane facial (the top layer of skin is basically surgically removed with a scalpel, leaving behind fresh, new skin); the fruit-infused water served to me in the waiting area set the tone for the experience, which, (despite the way the treatment sounds), was quite relaxing...

...I also have a massage scheduled for Friday afternoon, which will start the long Memorial Day weekend off on a great note. I honestly think this is the best resolution I have ever made for myself.

What I'm Working On

I've been getting the porch ready for Porch Night season; after waiting an extraordinarily long time for a set of cushions to come in from Lowes online, I finally cancelled the order and went with a second choice from Amazon. Surprisingly, I like the second choice better than the first. That's serendipity, my friends.

Hugh helped out by replacing the lights that had been hanging on the porch for the past decade or so and I freshened up my antique wicker planter with a fresh coat of paint. I plan to repaint my oldest wicker chair as well, but am waiting for the color I like best to be restocked at the hardware store. I hope to have everything done and the porch opened for Memorial Day.

What I'm Dreading

I am not actively dreading anything at the moment. How freaking refreshing!

What I'm Excited About

I am researching luaus for when we are in Hawaii, celebrating the Man-Cub's graduation. I am also looking into local catering for the small dinner party that we will be hosting after the graduation ceremony; I would love to hire a food truck but I'm relatively confident that the covenants in the neighborhood that our rental is in would forbid it. Of course, if worse comes to worse, we will cook; I am just hoping to avoid that if possible (first vacation in two years, folks! Not missing a single chance to relax!)

What I'm Watching

I can't believe I actually sat through the entire first season of Jupiter's Legacy. I love me some Josh Duhamel, but folks, this was just bad.

I had to cleanse my palate with several episodes of The Great British Bake Off just to recover.

What I'm Reading

The act of reading for pleasure continues to elude me; as a lifelong bookworm, this is quite distressing to me. I've decided to show myself some grace, however; the desire to read will return in its' time.

What I'm Listening To

Two words: Murder podcasts. I just can't quit the true crime. What is wrong with me?

What I'm Wearing

Walking shoes. My ass and my gut thank me; my calves and my feet, not so much. Countdown to a slimmer me for Hawaii has officially begun!

 

What I'm Doing This Weekend

We are celebrating the long Memorial Day weekend by doing basically nothing. Hugh is busy with clinicals all weekend, so boating was off the table. Instead, I'm planning on relaxing, catching up with household stuff that I have been meaning to do for ages, and, hosting a Porch Night with a taco theme (Man-Cub's request).

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month

I have so much to look forward to! For one, I will be reuniting with The Girls for our first Girls Weekend since 2019. We have a date, Reese has her plan ticket, and we have a few options as to how we want to spend our time: Tee's camper on the lake, the winery tour in the vineyards just south of Neighboring City, or Phoebe's cabin. We've done two out of three of these things and loved them both, immensely. So, perhaps the winery option will win out purely for the novelty it provides. We shall see. Whatever we decide to do, time with my best friends of over thirty years is never boring.

Also, in June, Hugh and I will be flying to Texas to see Queen B and the Rodeo Princess! As I mentioned earlier in this post; I have been missing time spent with my daughter, so, this trip won't happen a moment too soon. Also, we are planning to make the drive to Waco to check out the Magnolia silos, which is something I have wanted to do for quite some time;  I can't wait!

What Else is New

Nothing that I can think of! Fingers crossed for a more exciting post next month!

Horror-Mone Update For May

I have been using bioidentical hormone creams for about six weeks now, and, feel like I've seen enough improvement to do a little update.

When I first started the creams, I was prescribed low doses of both estrogen and progesterone. At my first follow-up visit, the doctor additionally prescribed a very low dosage of testosterone as well as two supplements: DHEA and Pregnenolone, both of which are naturally produced in the adrenal glands. My test results had indicated extreme adrenal fatigue, which is why the doctor thought the supplements might help.

I can't say if it is the hormone creams, the supplements, or a combination of both, but; I have experienced relief from some of my more bothersome perimenopause symptoms, including anxiety (big improvement here, and, thankfully so), insomnia (I still don't sleep through the night without waking, but, I am able to fall back to sleep faster, so nights have become more restful), hot flashes, and mood swings. 

I have also seen some improvement in my energy levels, which has made it easier to motivate myself to exercise and to eat better. I stopped consuming refined sugar, with the exception of dark chocolate, which, I eat in moderation. I still have a lot of pain in my joints and tendons (mainly in my feet), but the exercise is definitely helping.

I don't think I have lost any weight (I fear the scale, which is something I need to get over), but I have noticed that I feel less bloated. I have also noticed a slight improvement in the moisture level of my skin.

All of which is to say; I think the hormone therapy has been beneficial. There remains some risk, and, I have to balance the risk with the current improved quality of my life. And, that's where I am, currently.; slightly less sweaty, crazy, and sleep deprived.

I'll take it.

Another Post About Birds

This blog is becoming a tribute to my new avian friends, I swear. In my defense, I have no idea how much longer the Herons will be in the area, so, I'm taking full advantage of each and every opportunity I get to photograph them while they are here.

The other night, after Boomer and I finished our walk around the park, we hunkered down near the ponds and simply waited for the birds to hit the fish buffet. It took about ten minutes for them to make their appearance, and, I was thisclose to catching the moment when one of them caught a fish, when, a woman making her way around the park arrived to scare them off.

Le sigh.

I did catch the moment the bird flew away, which, had to do for the evening.

I am planning to head back to the park this evening, and, this time, the Man-Cub will be joining me. Hopefully, between the two of us, we will be able to get some really great shots.

Speaking of the Man-Cub; he and his girlfriend made homemade onion rings for us the other night. Hugh grilled steaks and shrimp to go with them; it was a great dinner and we really enjoyed having the kids in the kitchen. Hopefully, there will be many more nights like that as summer arrives.

I Had a Mother of a Good Time

See what I did there? Mother's Day humor, ha!

But seriously, I had a very nice Mother's Day weekend. On Friday evening, Boomer Dog and I took our daily walk around the park and I was able to get some really good pictures of the Great Blue Herons that are nesting in the area. 

Then, we went home, where Hugh and I put together dinner. We recently started getting HelloFresh deliveries again and are enjoying our time in the kitchen. This night's offering was spaghetti with turkey meatballs, which, included kale in a creamy sauce. We aren't big kale eaters, but, this recipe may have convinced us to give it more of a go in the future.

On Saturday, I slept in while Hugh went to take his finals for his EMT class (he passed with flying colors!). While he was away, I puttered around the house, catching up on chores on my To-Do list, including airing out the Cub's room for his return on Sunday.

Once Hugh got home, we went into Hooterville to pick up flowers for Emily as well as grabbing dinner at a Mexican place that we enjoy.

Then, we returned to Petticoat Junction, where we picked up Boomer Dog for a jaunt up to the park. I took my usual walk while Hugh did some fishing in the ponds. Boomer Dog opted to stay with Hugh, who, he thought; was playing fetch with him, although, he just could not figure out why Hugh was throwing such a small object, why it was attached to an invisible string, or why a small creature was attached to it when Hugh reeled it back in. He was one confused canine.

Da fuk is this?

Hugh was still casting his line when I finished my walk, so I pulled out my camera and went in search of the herons again. I was not disappointed.

On Sunday, I spent the better part of the morning anticipating the Cub's 1:00 arrival. When he arrived, he surprised me with flowers, courtesy of his girlfriend, who had purchased them and then sneakily handed them off to him as I was giving him his welcome hug. It was very sweet and thoughtful of them both.

We spent the rest of the afternoon visiting with Oscar and Emily and relaxing at home while Hugh planted the rosebush that Queen B and the Rodeo Princess gifted me with for the holiday. There was a wee bit of drama surrounding the planting of said rosebush (Hugh hit the sprinkler system and had to repair a section of pipe), but, the end result was, and is, gorgeous.

Falling in Love rose

I finished off the evening with a nice dinner and a good glass of wine before calling it a day. And, now it is the start of another week. As I type this, I am almost late for work, so I will wrap it up.