Hey lady

... someone is dorkily looking at you

Gymyny Cricket

But first: Seaside, you're killing me!!

At work, I bought a new combination lock with the COOLEST COMBO EVER (31-13-31, I kid you not); after work, I walked down to M center. Yay for going to the gym twice this month! 

It was an unfortunately short time on the treadmill as I developed a crippling calf cramp about ten minutes into my session, but it was long enough to get a taste of everything here and pick up a few schedules. I'm still feeling pretty pleased with myself.

Work. Nap. Pick up Hubby.

Playtime with girlies. Tasty Indian leftovers for dinner. Sims. A Shi*t order while R went to soccer practice. 

Mother's Day 2024: The Project-ing

It's been a good day. Following breakfast with Hubby at Kitchen Table Cafe, we headed to Shmowe's and bought these two new little sink buddies:

We also bought hardware for the green cupboard. It's so close to being done!

I tried to finish it today, but the knob screws we bought ended up not fitting the knobs. Bummer. But the doors are back on it now, and soon we'll be able to hang it up and fill it. Yay! This has been a months-long project, so I'm feeling amazing!

I read a bit, played Sims, cut out and sewed a few more yoyos. 

I also (sneakily and not so sneakily) folded some clothes and did some dishes. Today Me is thinking of Tomorrow Me, who won't want a huge dinner's worth of dishes left behind for her to do. 

More shenanigans:

Looking so fine

Packing at Brother E's

The couch was stuck but eventually made it out

The help

Hanging out with the booze

"I have a feeling this is going to be just delicious"

(It was.)

Sister M and I eating our fantastic Mexican lunch

And now I'm home with tired feet. It was a good day.

Being my weird little self

....sewing at the mall, as weird little people do

the weirdo in question

Br**on and I had sushi for lunch together at the mall today, and D*n was also there, walking home. He happened to see me driving away, and he texted me to ask if I had just had sushi. Apparently there's only one reason I go to the mall (no really, there is). We invited him to join us next time.

Hubby and I put R on the train up to Hannah and Kate's for the weekend, a familiar excursion for her.

We ordered Indian food for M, B, and me. Quite tasty. Hubby had dinner with C's old coaches.

I sewed a bunch of yoyos, including the two yellow ones I cut out while waiting for Br**on, and watched ConAir with M. She's missing the ladies, who sound like they're having a good time with L.

Bend Trip, Day Three: Going Home

Hubby had an 8:30 breakfast and a 9:00 meeting, so he packed his suitcase and headed over. M and I got the girls ready and packed up everything, and were out the door close to 10:00 - I was quite impressed with our efficiency.

First we filled up the car, then headed to Sisters to pick up this nifty doodad:

I have no idea why I need to have it, but my theory is that I can't quite figure out what it is - a cookie jar, a wall ornament? - and it's so funny to me that someone felt the need to create it, and someone else felt the need to own it. 

I must admit to also grabbing two fat quarters

...and this rope-o-veggies:

oh my gosh, CUTE

Then it was off to McD's for happy meals for the girls, a potty stop in Madras, along with a "brain medicine" stop for M and some A&W/KFC for our lunch. Hubby, meetings finished and free to go, met up with us in Warm Springs for potty break #2, and we headed to Mount Hood and had potty break #3 at Timberline Lodge rest area (this was all for Little R, who I suspect inherited her Uncle C's childhood need to visit every public restroom he came across). 

There was much rush hour traffic when we hit Portland, then we went home, then I drove to Hubby's usual pickup spot after he dropped off the work car in Portland. L picked up the little girls for a couple of nights' stay. Between the two trips, they'll be plenty tired when they get home.

A cozy evening followed - I used an Xacto knife to clean the paint off the glass of the cupboard I've been working on, and it was strangely satisfying.

It's good to be home.

Bend Trip, Day Two: Sisters in Sisters

I could live in Bend, or at least summer here.

If not Bend, then Sisters, or maybe vice versa....or maybe we'll split the difference and move to Redmond instead. 

Having gotten that out of the way: we traveled to Sisters today and had the funnest time. First we found a playground...

...ate a picnic lunch...

... visited awesome little shops, like this candy store...

(I spy an amazing, totally-unnecessary-in-life knickknack that may be coming home with me tomorrow)

...and met up with this dinosaur.

Then, we met up with Pop Pop for dinner.

Tired yet? I was, but Hubby needed some pics of nearby Smith Rock.

Ahhhh so rocky

And that was our day. Whew! We're heading home tomorrow!

Bend Trip, Day One: The State of Things

Earlier

Now (2:40PM)

Life is good in Bend. 

Getting Ready

Happy Birthday to my sweet H!

The birthday kid and his mom

The somewhat-birthday cupcakes I saved for M and the little girls were scarfed overnight, so in order to simultaneously appease their tiny wrath and use up the leftover cream cheese frosting, I made spice cupcakes this morning. Then I started getting ready for the trip tomorrow.

It's important that we document this

I've always wanted to try repurposing Altoid tins into something new. I used these two to make magnet toys for Little R and Little C, by cutting up a flat refrigerator magnet and gluing pieces of it to the backs of these googly eyes, pom poms and plastic jewels. The girls can make faces or designs or whatever with them - it'll keep their little hands busy.

I also made hourly goodie bags filled with tiny toys, including the magnet toys, to be opened at regular intervals going down the road. Will fun be had? Oh you bet it will. 

Later: Laundry.

Just a Girl, Singing to the Cat

Little C and Catness

And THEN: This little beggar

Brother E's puppy Jasper, watching me eat a ham sandwich 

Today I spent my afternoon helping E and his sweetheart J with some cleaning and packing for their upcoming move. 

On Monday, E started working a new job on the coast, and he had planned on spending his weekends downsizing, moving stuff to his new city, and getting the Portland house ready to sell, as he had time. But also on Monday, his house was broken into by an old "friend", discovered by J when she drove back to Portland because she had a weird feeling that the house wasn't okay. Thank goodness the woman was caught before she could get away with the stuff she'd already taken, and no one was hurt. But it put the whole situation into emergency mode, since E has to work all week and J has been having a hard time, feeling safe at the house by herself. Now they just want to pack and get the heck out, as fast as possible.

So I offered to help, and today that's what I did. I'm going back over tomorrow to get more done. Poor E has been struggling so much to keep things going and the new job was a huge blessing, but then this happened - it really threw a monkey wrench into his already complicated life. That said, he's feeling grateful that it went the way it did.

Gymmy

Gymmy, we love youuuuuu ...that's all we have to offerrrrrrrr....

take this thing to the gym already 

I have the day off, so after dropping off everyone at their respective stops, I headed over to the F Center. I walked a few laps on the indoor track and watched folks below me playing pickleball (the official sport of Washington State, and I realized today that it's because you can play it indoors) and then walked on the treadmill and watched the pool people. Everyone was my age or older, except for a few kids and their moms. It was a good first time. 

Being naturally cheap, I resisted joining a gym or community center for a long time - you can walk outside for free - but now that my Sandy-less phase of life has begun, I figured it was time to start being part of the world again. And I need exercise in the worst way, the weather is crap and it's no fun walking in the cold wet rain, and Planet Fatness is cheaper but doesn't have a pool. So here we are. 

Later: Laundry and getting items ready to donate. 

Sushi Date

My coworker Br**on and I met up for sushi at the mall today. We had a splendid time chatting and spending time at the little mall library. Checked out a nice stack:

Bye, April

It was quite the month

And happy birthday to our dear B!