Let the staycation fun begin

What a great feeling to make it to Friday. It's C-man's last day of his favorite 6-week long summer camp. This morning, he was so sad that it's over. I can hardly believe the summer has gone so quickly, and that football starts in only 9 days. We're going to celebrate our week with dinner and a movie tonight. Because nothing says Friday like pizza and a loud theater, after all. But the best part about Friday is that it starts our week off together. I'm so happy, I can almost taste the lazy breakfasts on the back patio after a sleep-in...

Tiring

It seems like I should have happier things to say than I do. But I'm just tired. And when I saw that video of myself from my work, I discovered that I look even more tired on the outside than I thought I do. It's haunting me. Which means it's time to do something.

I have known for a while that I need to drug up or exercise or quit my job or do something drastic. But those things take inertia. And I seem to be severely lacking in the inertia category these days. I've been working out and trying to eat better, but it isn't enough of either to make a difference. And since I've divorced my rheumatologist, the only drugs I take are to sleep or reduce the pain.

Thinking about it is exhausting, which makes it a vicious circle. But, at some point, I need to just say enough and do something different. I keep thinking I'll wake up one day and things will be different. So far, that hasn't really worked out for me.

Humpity hump hump humpity hump hump

• Halfway through the week. Thank God.
• At least I have off next week. That'll be amazing.
• I finished up the Shutterfly book from our San Francisco trip. It's never quite how I want it, but close enough for memories.
• The video for work that they did about me is done. Man, I hate seeing myself speak.
• C-man and I went to Franklin to see a baseball game last night. You know, because what else would we do besides drive 45 minutes to see a game he isn't in?
• It was the U14s, and they won State, which means they go to Regionals. This is the team/age that would go to the Little League World Series if they ever made it that far. Plus, C-man knows almost everyone on the team, so that's nice.
• Tonight, I need to do some house stuff. It's either the lawn that gets mowed or stinky Beasley that gets bathed. And some laundry. Oy, the laundry.
• I turned in C-man's school re-enrollment forms today. We were looking at other schools, and I just didn't feel like re-enrolling him yet. The school has been calling and emailing looking for it.
• I can't wait until our week off. That's going to be amazing.

We did it

5 days and 42 miles of walking later, we saw San Francisco. We saw the bridge and the markets and the piers and a comedy club. We saw the Full House house and painted ladies and ferries and Sausalito.

We saw restaurants and a famous prison and chocolate shops and hippies.

We saw flowers and windmills and beaches and parks.

And now, it's time to be home. Upon my arrival, C-man met me at my car, and helped me carry my bags. Beasley was already fed and walked, and he declared it was cuddle time. A nice time, but it's really good to be home.

Almost time

The boarding passes are printed, the itinerary is figured out, and work is getting wrapped up. It's almost vacation time, babies!

And it's Monday again...

Relief

We visited Grandma and the bees today. The two hives I've got are booming. I was so relieved. I haven't been near them in 3 weeks, and Caroline's still only had one brood box because it was progressing so slowly (it should have at least two by now). The lack of space from that could have caused swarming, especially in this heat, resulting in a hive loss for me. But while all of the frames were completely full of honey and pollen and brood, and they needed another box, everyone was docile and happy. A really good sign. Abigail's hive hasn't filled out the super I'd put on it yet. I added another after I confirmed (by sight of capped eggs/brood) that Abigail is still in there. (Also a relief, because last time I wasn't so sure.) So while the hive didn't need a second super today, the extra space means I can wait a few more weeks before returning. Overall, total relief that maybe I'm not the worst bee farmer in the land.

It's hard to think about going back to work tomorrow. At least it's a short week with the trip to San Francisco on Wednesday. Which reminds me - time to do the laundry!

Summertime

It's sunny and hot. I think it's actually summertime. Nice.

TGIF

Thursday Thirteen

1. Today was my third and final day of video shoots for this video all about me at work.
2. You know, the one only about a gazillion people can see.
3. Except they won't, because who looks at videos on our corporate intranet?
4. I've been getting emails for Fiji resort bookings. Someone is busy 'working' today.
5. Last night, Beerman gave me a signed bottle of beer made for Donald Driver, signed by him, just for me.
6. I might have swooned just a little.
7. My husband's cool.
8. I've printed out the tickets for Alcatraz and our night out at a comedy club in San Francisco.
9. Now I just have to remember to take them along.
10. I really need to see my bees this weekend. I should have gone last weekend, but well, life happened.
11. Tomorrow is Friday, and it really can't come soon enough.
12. I'm looking forward to seeing my bees, visiting the farmers' market, and sleeping.
13. My right shoulder still hurts. Sigh. I suppose I should go back to the doctor.

I need a drink

• While I hate Cats of Instagram, I really adore THIS.
• After I had my interview/video for work, they asked me to submit a bunch of photos from my life. Ummm... How many? And round to the nearest hundred, thank you.
• This week is only halfway done, and I'm losing my mind. I need to take a weekend.
• I've been running on coffee and chocolate. A really bad combination.
• I'm getting my hair highlighted on Friday. Thank God, because these grays are awful.
• This weekend, I suppose I should start thinking about next week's trip to San Francisco.
• C-man forgot to grab money for lunch this morning. Thankfully, the neighbor took him some.
• He owes her a great big something as a thank you tonight!
• I need a drink.

Doing nothing

I've got no sports to run to (for 27 more days), no vacations to take off for (for 8 more days), and nothing to do but work and live my regular life.

I am a little troubled that I find this oddly disturbing...

Weekend is all wrapped up

• Beasley's former owner (you know - the one who couldn't give an OES a good life so he was fat and mannerless) texted me this weekend to let me know she got an Old English Sheepdog puppy.
• I don't even know what to say to that, because everything I want to say is quite angry.
• We hosted a party and went to a party this weekend. That was a lot of being social for me.
• The guests of the first party were from the baseball team, and it was enjoyable.
• 6 of the 7 boys (ages 9 - 11) slept over.
• I lost my shit at 2:30 a.m. over the game of tag that was going on.
• So they stopped and instead played 'Who can make the best fart noise?' 
• We were worthless on Saturday. But C-man had a fabulous time. So that's something.
• The party we went to on Sunday was with school families. It was nice, and had its moments of hilarity.
• I find that, more often than not, I gravitate toward the men's conversation than the women's. And I wish I didn't, because I always think it's so weird, and would just prefer people mingle together.
• When sitting with the women, I actually found myself in the middle of a long and dramatic story about a mean girl on the Mom's tennis club at the local poshy club.
• Oy.
• And then I heard about a woman's husband who has a thing for Wonder Woman in the bedroom.
• Oy. Oy.
• And then there was debate about whether this country club was worth the money or if they should just drop out.
• Oy. Oy. Oy.
• I sooo prefer to talk about sports and vacations and drink beer.
• But it was fun and the food was great (the party hosts own restaurants, after all), and it was nice to have a fun night. Plus, C-man got to play with a ton of other kids.
• And now, despite prying my eyes open with toothpicks this morning, the week is here.

Hello, weekend

We're having friends from baseball come over tonight. Beerman has a bazillion pounds of meat to grill. Meanwhile, C-man has invited the kids to stay for a sleepover. Which means we could have 7 boys, ages 9 - 11, on our living room floor tonight. I told Beerman he's on morning pancake duty if that's the case.

I went to the eye doctor last night because I need new contacts. My prescription stayed the same, but he informed me I will need bifocal contacts next year. "Or you could just buy cheaters and use them to read." I could have punched him in the mouth. It does explain my headaches after reading, though...

I was videoed for a work thing about me this morning. It was scheduled to take 4 hours, and I was there for 1. They said that meant I did great, and it usually takes 3. Let's hope so, because I felt like a rambling idiot.

Giant sigh. Hello, weekend.

Thursday Thirteen

1. Flights for Spring Break 2016 are booked.
2. Fiji and New Zealand, here we come!
3. I was trying to put the flight times on my calendar, and then realized we fly back in time coming home. So my flight from LA to Milwaukee will happen before my flight from Fiji to LA.
4. I can't even wrap my mind around that.
5. C-man is leaving one of his camp modules to opt-in to a math class.
6. Whose child is this?
7. Granted, it's sports math, so they're figuring out batting averages and slugging percentages. But still!
8. I'm really tired of my rotator cuff hurting. I did get a little relief with the chiropractor, so I should probably figure out how to get back.
9. Tomorrow, I'm doing a video shoot at work. I only have two scratches on my face from Beasley punching me. Dumb dog.
10. Speaking of dumb dog, I took him for a bath yesterday because we have people coming over to the house tomorrow, and he was gross. He moaned for the whole thing. Like really moaned, this pitiful long moan. Seriously. The drama.
11. I'm heading to San Francisco in two weeks. That should be a fun time.
12. Maybe I should think about whether I have the right clothes?
13. We are having a party at the house tomorrow, and this weather has been stupid. I really hope it's nice so we can hang out outside with the fire.

Fernweh Suffering

Once in a while, I come across a word that really resonates with me. And I just found one that fit so well, it was magical.

Fernweh.

It's a German word that happens to be untranslatable into English. Meaning the opposite of homesickness, it is that feeling of longing to experience something away from home. Away sickness, if you will.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am a hard core Fernweh Sufferer.

I've never felt quite comfortable while at home. I don't revel in that feeling of joy or safety in sitting down on my couch or a comfy chair. In fact, when I do that, it's all I can do to not look around the room and think of all the things I don't like about being there. Or realize with a sigh that I should get back up to clean or arrange something because everything is a mess. And I really hate cleaning and arranging. I hate having stuff I don't know what to do with. Even worse, I hate looking at other peoples' stuff and not knowing what to do with that either. I dislike the routine of every day being so similar to the last, with the same expectations and same chores and tasks.

But get me on vacation, or even just somewhere where I am not at home, and I feel complete and total bliss. The happiness rips through my blood, and it just feels like I can breathe easier. People often talk about whether you prefer the beach or the mountains, city or country, warm or hot. And to that, I say, YES! Yesterday, I was logging in to my credit card account, and was asked to answer, "What is your favorite country to vacation?" I sat for a moment, puzzled. Um... All of them?

I know they say home is where your heart is. But I think I've come to realize that my heart lies out there. Somewhere in the lands of the nomads and gypsies. Somewhere far from what I know.

Is it the weekend yet?

• I saw Daniel Silva speak at the local Jewish Community Center last night. He was really great.
• I went to the event alone, because I am the only one who reads these books in my house.
• I realized that was a mistake about 20 minutes into waiting for the talk, after 3 older women had already set me up with their "very nice sons".
• Note to self if I ever find myself un-wantingly single again - the JCC is a quick fix for that.
• Speaking of older people - why couldn't any of them figure out how to turn off their cell phones? Seriously - the whole 2 hours the things were going off at obnoxious decibel levels.
• We have the A's coaches and their families coming for dinner Friday night. So far, the house elves have neither cleaned the house or the dog. Sigh.
• C-man wears flip flops to camp and then changes into athletic shoes. Something Beerman and I have declared as dumb. Today, he called because he only had one shoe. That'll teach him. Just what it teaches him, I'm not sure, because I'm sure he'll do it again.
• Is it the weekend yet?

Yeah, so it's Monday again...

Perfect goodbye

What a perfect way to end the long weekend. I really hate to see it go.

Independence Day

Summertime

Last night, C-man had his last appearance as an A at the league's All-Star game. He proudly played short, second, and caught. It's a complete exhibition game, and meaningless, but he had a fantastic time in the dugout with his good friends. It didn't hurt that his side won, either.

I asked him how it felt to be done as an A, and he just shrugged. "I'm moving on, Mom. 38 days until football." At least he has his priorities...

Ahhh...

I haven't been feeling well at all this week. Sore throat, headache, and just overall super tired. If I didn't already have mono in my life, I'd blame it, I've been so tired. Which is why it's spectacular that I have tomorrow and Friday off for the long weekend. I can't wait to do some sleeping and planting and more sleeping. Ahhh...