2 days and counting...

This is it... the week before vacation... never a particularly peaceful time. And maybe even less so than usual because I don't know how on earth they are going to manage next week. On the one hand, that sounds conceited. But really it's just the reality, I am the hub. That's my job. It's what I do. So next week could get really interesting with no hub there keeping things spinning. I told my boss today (when he was panicking a little about next week) that next week they would all realize how much they miss me... or realize they don't need me at all. Either way, coming back will be interesting (and I won't dwell on that again until next Sunday night around 9 pm). In the meantime, I'm trying to get a lot done this week at work...

And things at home are busy too. All the usual stuff. Plus scanning photos for a slideshow for my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary on Sunday. Plus dog sitting (though we love having Buck here). Plus house cleaning. Plus paying bills. Plus cleaning for a BBQ on Friday. Plus trying to see some good friends who will be in town this week. Plus anticipating my sister and her family coming in (hooray!!!) Plus laundry and packing for vacation. And buying dog food (don't forget the dog food whatever you do). Yeah, I'm working myself up to needing a vacation even more than usual (is that even possible?).

The launch to vacation will be intense:
Mon-Thursday - work like a crazy person to get stuff ready for me to leave.
Friday - I'm off work except conference call first thing (meaning my vacation technically begins at 10.30 am). Then mowing the lawn, hosting a BBQ (can't wait to see everyone).
Saturday - wedding for a family friend, help wrangle friend's toddlers at wedding and reception (yes, some of my favorite toddlers, so I'm definitely looking forward to some quality time!)
Sunday - pack the car in the morning, Mass in Monroe (mid day) and reception for my grandparent's 60th anniversary. Back to Saline for 2 softball games. Drive up north after the games end (around 9 pm). And finally vacation...

A whole week with my extended family... it's going to be awesome... Can't. Wait...

Tada!!

Tomato season has officially begun around here (okay so there have been four yellow pear tomatoes ripe so far...). Hooray!!

The cilantro is flowering and popping up everywhere. The lettuce is plentiful and hasn't scorched yet. Beans, peas, cucumbers, and peppers are all flowering and putting out little veggies. Loving the garden.

And in other news, they put my next door neighbor's house on the market. Keep in mind my huge veggie garden is in the side yard outside their carport. So I'm rather glad that I mulched, that the stella d'oro daylilies are so beautiful, and it's on the market now while the garden looks almost picturesque. Anyone know anyone in the market for a 3 bedroom ranch, with really awesome neighbors? Maybe you know a nice single man who should move in there...

Homegrown is the best

I made a salad using all my own lettuce this weekend and cilantro. Of course nothing else is ready yet, but the lettuce is ready for eating and it is delicious. Mmmm. And there was one tomato showing just a touch of color yesterday. My mouth is already watering. Tomato season. Mmmmm. Bring it on!!

Update on the house flies

It was hot and humid enough for even the miserly Favorite Aunt to turn on the AC. And of course that means closing all the windows and doors and keeping them closed. I pulled out the flyswatter and got a few of the ones lingering in the kitchen. The dogs ate a few. And amazingly, it is fly-free around here (proving the point that if you leave your doors closed, the flies can't come in... shocking, I know).

Hey, I never promised this would be interesting... it's called Stream of Consciousness for a reason :)

Tips for avoiding a good funk

After a rather funktastic week on all fronts, I was heading home on Tuesday (and it felt much later in the week than a Tuesday) and knew I was prime for a meltdown... I had an evening at home that I wanted to use productively, but knew that I would squander it staring into space in exhaustion, crying and/or feeling sorry for myself. So I picked up the phone and requested this sweet girl for the evening. I stopped at home just long enough to change, grab one dog, abandoning the other to howl the evening away in her loneliness, and headed out.

So instead of a funktastic evening, I had a fabulous evening with a girl I love. And boy is she ever funny :)

Me, telling her we were heading to walk by this big cow farm: "I'm so getting a cow when I grow up."

Lu: "Know what animal I like?"

Me:"What?"

Lu: "Penguins."

Me: "Oooh cool. And are you going to get a penguin when YOU grow up?"

Lu: "Don't be ridiculous. What would I do with a Penguin?"

A few minutes later, we were driving by the cow farm I was talking about,

Me: "Look cow!!"

Lu: "Look penguin!!"

Me: "Where???"

Lu: "just kidding." (she chuckles as I pretend to scan the farms). "Aunt Reenie, I didn't REALLY see a penguin, it was a joke."

Love it!

We walked my favorite 4 mile country road loop with Suzie, discussing all kinds of important things, and composing out loud a new best seller "Suzie the Strange." Can't give it all away here, but it is gripping! Naturally at the end of the walk, when Suzie was good and muddy from all the puddle plopping, another dog came out, so Suzie ended up wrapped around my legs covering me in her filth. Lucy couldn't stop laughing. Even when we stopped for ice cream and I went in public covered with mud, she pointed at my muddy legs, giggling the whole time and talking me into a large ice cream for such a small girl. Ah good times!!

Tractor envy