Dog Fur Central

I had no idea how much dog fur a third dog would add to our house. The two Beagles shed fur, especially right now as they loose their winter coat, but it is nothing to compared to a Pomeranian Dachshund mix.

I swept the floors on Friday, but never got around to mopping. So I swept the floors again yesterday morning and mopped the heck out of all the downstairs rooms.

This morning I picked up a stray safety pin on the floor and noticed the living room is coated with a fine layer of dog fur. Again.

When I sweep, the mound of fur in the dust pan is staggering. We could build another dog with what we find.

It seems a shame to be so wasteful throwing out perfectly fine, only slightly used dog fur.... Maybe I'll start making dog fur sweaters. Not sure how it's done exactly, but I have plenty of fur to experiment with.

Summer Lovin'

I love summer time. It's not that I have a favorite season, because I don't really. I love them all and enjoy each one as it is happening, but summer does have the things I look forward to the most!

I have never lost the my kid enthusiasm for hot days, sticky Popsicles, sprinklers in the back yard, sidewalk chalk dust on my hands, dinner eaten outside, birthday cakes and melting ice cream, fresh corn on the cob and hammocks swinging in the breeze.

I know I am busier than ever, working at the office and getting the kids to wherever they need to be, but when the first real summer day unfolds, all of that slips away and you can find me standing outside in the early morning light, scruffy pajamas and flip flops, hair piled high in a messy bun, cup of coffee in my hand but being entirely ignored.

There is something perfect about that summer day beginning, where it whispers all sorts of delights that only summer can bring.

We've had our first summery day of the season. A bit late, but never more appreciated!

Now the countdown to the 4th of July, my daughter's birthday, our anniversary, my birthday, my son's birthday, Emma and Sarah's birthdays, and our family vacation can really begin!

I've Had A Vision

In a previous post I have mentioned I am a lotion junkie. I do not like having dry skin!

But in the course of a day, I wash my hands a lot. At work, it's because I work in a doctors office. The germs! When I babysit, it's because of dirty diapers. When at home, it's because I know where that dog has been and it's not clean or pretty.

All that hand washing means dry hands. I've tried having lotion on deck for afterwards, carrying some in my purse, leaving some in the kitchen by the sink, but it just hasn't worked out that I use it when I need it.

I was looking at my dry hands the other day, and was shocked to see "old lady skin". Now, don't deny it, you all know what I mean.

Instead of having a freak out that I'm getting older, I had a vision of my old lady hand holding his old man hand. The idea that I could be so lucky as to grow old with him, filled me to the bursting with gladness.

I'm still a lotion junkie, I still hate dry skin, but seeing signs of getting older does not distress me.

Bring it on. I'm looking forward to it!

Father's Day #15

Fifteen years ago, we celebrated my husbands first Father's Day.

I made potato salad for the first time by myself (thanks Sandy for not listening to me when I said I hate potato salad and making it anyway because I LOVE it!) and packed a picnic lunch and we took our 10 month old son to the park on top of the hill in our little New Jersey town and sat in the grass and laughed when all our son wanted to eat was Doritos.

Side note, when picking out chips for today's party, our son picked Doritos.

Some things never change!

Like the kind of chips you love.....or the fact that I married a fantastic guy, one who has never wavered in his devotion to his family, has always been a patient dad, and quite frankly, is the best guy in the world.

Happy Father's Day, babe. You rock our world.

And give us a good excuse to eat chips!

A Business Venture

My veggie garden is overflowing with bounty!

An overwhelming bounty of rocks and weeds.

Sure, I've got some great looking rows of peas, lettuce, carrots, beets, radishes, and hills of beans, squash and zucchini, all with really nice looking plants growing. But in between those rows and frankly, amongst the actual seedlings, are a billion tiny weeds and rocks of all sizes.

I can deal with the weeds. If you are any kind of gardener at all you know weeds are expected and part of the job. It's really the rocks that I can't stand.

The garden looks so nice when we have it freshly tilled. Then the dirt settles and the rain starts in and before I know it, I've got an entire garden filled with rocks. And broken glass, but it's really old glass, so it's halfway between cool and dangerous.

As I was weeding and rocking today, I thought I'd pay the kids for every bucket of rocks they pull out of the garden (because we do have buckets of rocks to pick), but they are teenagers. A dollar a pail would not be considered decent wages.

So instead, look for my reopening of a business my sister and I started way back when. The sign will read:

Rocks, Leaves, & Other Pretty Things

Super Sale!!!

Rocks: 10 cents a pail

Sorry, out of Leaves & Other Pretty Things

Rain Is A Good Thing

As I was exercising inside this morning, listening to the rain fall outside and the country music video's blare on the TV, I heard a tribute song to rain.

Huh. Rain is a good thing?

Maybe if I lived in a hot, dry area I would appreciate that idea more. Because as of right now, I live in a soaking wet, cold place, where even halfway through June I am still wearing my winter pajamas to bed because of the chill!

But then later, I looked out my window as I drank my coffee (with cream because I need a bit of happiness and light on this gloomy day), I thought my garden looks great. Usually around this time, when the summer days get warmer and warmer, I forget to water my flower beds and they dry up and look like a waste land. Not so this year. The dirt is dark and moist and the flowers are all stretching high to the sky.

My veggie garden also looks fantastic (but it often does because my hubby likes to water that). All the new, green leaves of lettuce, peas, squash and zucchini are glistening with rain drops and they look lovely.

Rain is a good thing. It is. I just need about a 10 day break from it! Give me a little sunshine, a chance to wear my flip flops, and no need to put on flannel pajamas and I will be a happy camper!

It would also be very nice not to have to dry off a certain little puppy who loves to be outside in any weather. She is perpetually damp, in spite of my efforts to rub her dry.

And, our house smells a lot like wet dog. So, you know. A bit of dry weather would be appreciated!

Clothes Blowing In The Breeze

I love seeing clotheslines, with their wavy lines of clothes, pants billowed out in the wind.

I love it! It whispers of summer and sunshine and industrious housework, and as much as I hate housework, I adore the satisfaction I have when the job is done and my house shines like the top of Chrysler building.

For years and years, about 12 to be exact, I have wanted a clothesline. When we lived in our rental 12 years ago, we had one and I used it all summer long. I loved the way the clothes smelled after hanging outside, I loved the way the dryer did not heat up the house making our little brick home into an oven, I loved being "green". Then we bought our own house and a clothesline just never got put up.

In our second house, same thing. Every early summer, I see clothes on a clothes line and I think I need one too. Where should I put it? Where will it get the most sun, the least amount of tree gunk, and not ruin how much my husband likes his lawn? All of those seem to be impossible to determine, but this year, I do not care. I am doing it.

Of course, so far this summer hasn't had too much sunshine, but that is beside the point. There are sunny days, and when that elusive sun does shine, I want my pants and shirts and sheets and towels to be out there, catching the rays and living the good life.

And yes, darling husband, I have a place I'd like it. And no, darling daughter, I won't hang our unmentionables out. Is everyone happy? I know I will be!

The Secret To Good Frozen Yogurt

When we were in Seaside, our mini fridge tended to run more towards freezing cold and as a result we had frozen dip, milk and yogurt.

The yogurt was like an exciting find! It was almost better than ice cream (Tillamook Mudslide is still the champ) and since I try to eat a yogurt every day I thought it would be cool to have some frozen at home. A good for you dessert treat, if you will.

The problem is our freezer does it's job and freezes things solid. The mini fridge only partially froze things and that difference is crucial.

Since being home, we have several cups of yogurt in the freezer. My daughter has eaten some straight from the freezer, telling me it's like eating a Popsicle. I don't want a Popsicle unless I'm super sick, or suffering from a triple digit heat wave. Next time, we zapped it in the microwave for a 5 seconds, three times. Didn't really make a difference and I didn't want to ruin the yogurt with micro waves!

Last night I decided to think ahead. I knew I'd want a sweet snack in the evening, so I took a yogurt out and let it thaw on the counter. When I ate it an hour later, it was perfect!

So, the secret to getting the perfect frozen yogurt consistency seems to be preplanning.

Which is not my specialty.

I'm beginning to think I'll have to change my procrastinating ways.........Hmm. I'll ponder on that later......

So Many To Choose From

So many of them are just not right!

I'm talking eyeglasses here, people, and it's one of the main reasons I have had the same frames for three years.

First I love my old frames. Second, how will I ever find another pair that even comes close to how much I love them? Third, did I mention I love them?

But they have lost some sparkles, paint is flaking, and I had a terrible collision with a hard headed nephew, so they are slightly skewed.

It's time. I girded my loins, brought the kids for extra advice, and braved a frame store.

It's almost overwhelming how many there are! And I tried on LOTS. Most I said no to. One I said was okay. My daughter kept telling me that pair was good, or this pair was nice, and I do trust her judgement (she's never steered me wrong in fashion advice) but I just didn't love any of those. I finally said to the sales clerk, I was also looking for sunglasses. I tried on one pair and that was all I needed. I loved them instantly.

I was about to give up when I tried on one more pair of regular frames. Eh, not bad. The kids gave it a thumbs up, the sales clerk wiped the sweat from her brow and I said okay. These are the frames for me.

As soon as we leave, I have buyers remorse. It's terrible! I'm so worried that they are the exact wrong pair for me. What if everyone said they were good just so I would stop trying on frames? We were all so very tired....

Fast forward two weeks and I get the call. The frames are in. I go down, just sick with dread, and pick them up. I put them on, look in the mirror and oh, wait, they are pretty cute. The more I look at myself, the more I like them. They are just right for me!

Whew! I'm glad that ordeal is over with for hopefully, another three years!

I Love Value Village

I do. I love that store.

I resisted.

The Value Village of my childhood was a dirty, smelly, shop of horrors. But my daughter, who has a serious problem with all things used, loves Value Village. She even found her Easter dress there.

So I grudgingly went with her.....and walked away with skirts I love at a price that can't be beat!

This discovery isn't going to help my skirt obsession!

But I don't just shop for skirts. I swear! I got several towels today (stop shrieking daughter, they aren't for personal use) for The Pooper's crate. Olive, as much as I dearly love her, has ruined many of my old, clean up toilet water towels.

I have now started to replace them when they are 1/2 off at Value Village.

And I did happen to make time in my shopping for towels to try on a skirt or seven and love four, but only bought two.

See? I'm keeping it real.

Real thrifty too! I love me some Value Village.

The Last TP Roll Is The Fastest To Go

Why is the last roll of toilet paper in the house, the roll that disappears the fastest?

And yet, when you have a new package, you have days until it's needed?

I personally feel a sense of doom when I realize the last roll is hanging up and I have not remembered in any of my 4 recent trips to a store to buy another package.

The last roll goes from full to dangerously slim in what feels like minutes.

Now that the emergency four pack of cheap grocery store brand, minus one roll, and a new pack of my favorite double roll Quilted Northern is sitting in the bathroom, ready for use, it's not needed. It's been days, and we haven't needed to replace the roll.

Time seems different depending on desperation.

But to our future guests, please don't freak out. I really do keep a good supply of TP on hand. Usually. And always when we are expecting company. You won't ever have to do what Ben Stiller did in Along Came Polly.

Besides, I don't have antique towels or a loofah for you to use.

Amendment To The One Bathroom Post

Today I do not love my one bathroom! Sharing one bathroom with three other people, all trying to get ready at the same time and leave the house on schedule is not easy.

In fact, it's impossible for us.

On the positive side, after discussing it with my husband, he agrees I need to spend some money to make our bedroom more get ready friendly.

It might even involve rearranging furniture.

He shuddered at that, but spending money is okay!

I haven't mentioned my idea of him crawling under the house to add an outlet to our room.

He'd rather help move furniture I'm sure!

A House With One Bathroom

I recently started thinking about how I longed for a two bathroom house.

When we were in our first house, I would say we need to buy the next house with three bedrooms and two baths.....and then we walked through this old 1905 monster, with two upstairs bedrooms, an unfinished attic/future bedroom space, and a downstairs room that we use as a bedroom, and one old, weird, creepy bathroom......and we fell in love.

The bathroom, and kitchen actually, are very obviously tacked on additions to this old house. It started me thinking about how one bathroom was considered a luxury not too long ago. My Mom has stories of using a chamber pot at night on sleepovers to her grandmothers house. That wasn't that long ago!

I wanted two bathrooms because I could foresee a future of me doing a potty dance outside the bathroom door while one of our two teenagers took forever to get ready.....and that has happened.

One bathroom isn't always easy, isn't always a joy, isn't always something I love. But guess what? I've learned we don't need two bathrooms. We are thankful to have one!

Plus, I can barely keep up on the cleaning this one requires. I think I'd cry if I had two to clean!

If I Was A Man....

I'd stop carrying a purse. I know, dudes always complain about wallets getting too fat, and sitting on them gives them back aches.....as I write this I can see in my mind's eye, Jerry Seinfeld running down the street in his fur coat trying to catch his purse thief.

If I was a man I wouldn't have to worry about having an umbrella or tissue or pens or paper or packs of chewing gum or various girlish things.

I'd put my wallet in one pocket, my cell in another and add a tube of chapstick because I may not be into manscaping, but I do have excessively dry lips!

My purse is perfect for carrying my dress shoes and packed lunch, along with everything else I might need. Even my water bottle, with lid screwed on extremely tight, gets tossed in every once in a while.

But in it's perfection, it turns into a nightmare. It is a black hole! Things go in and can't be found. I can not find a single thing I'm looking for. I recently sat at a gas station dumping my purse out to find my wallet. Sad and crazy.

It does hold good surprises though. Yesterday I stuck my hand in to fish around for a scrap of paper to write a note to myself and I came out with a folded piece of paper. I don't remember putting this in my purse....and I wouldn't have because I didn't! My husband slipped a love note in my purse that morning.

I'm just surprised I found it the same day!

But if I was a man without a purse, I wouldn't have any way to be surprised by love notes in said purse.

I think I'll stick with what I've got, black hole of a purse and all.

A Case Of Taste Versus Texture

I have loved those huge chewy pieces of bubble gum for as long as I can remember. As an adult, though, I tend to buy mouth freshening gum because #1 it makes my breath minty fresh and #2 my jaw doesn't always like to work overtime chewing a massive wad of bubble gum.

Sad but true. Doesn't stop me from loving it though!

Part of what I love about Seaside is this crazy candy store that sells every kind of yummy or gross candy you can think of. It has a rack devoted to gum and at the top I saw something I haven't seen in ages.

Hubba Bubba. That is the gum I remember from being a kid! Usually in a grape flavor but I decided to stay old school and go with original pink bubble gum. I also grabbed a pack of my favorite Bubblicious Sour Apple.

I could hardly wait for the drive home, so I could chew a piece of Hubba Bubba. When I asked for a piece, my daughter dutifully dug around in my black hole of a purse (that might have to be a blog of it's own!) and pulled out the sweet smelling pink package.

I popped it in my mouth and bit down. Ugh. Taste, super fantastic. Texture, not so much. I kid you not, it was like biting into flesh. Now I know, people are going to start questioning my stance against cannibalism with that statement, but I ask you to be honest. I think we've all bitten someone we had strong feelings for! Love or hate, same coin. We know what it feels like, and I'm telling you, the texture of Hubba Bubba was bad.

Bad, bad, bad!

My Bubblicious is still super delicious. Don't worry about that!

Free to a good home: one package of Hubba Bubba Max in the Outrageous Original flavor, three pieces left. (As soon as I said it was horrible, my daughter had to have her own piece to see if I was right.....all I'm saying is she didn't ask for more!)