Wiped Out

I'm socially wiped out.  Also, a little physically drained too.  Too little sleep (up late, up early and broken sleep).  Low energy (month and eating outside of my usual).  Lots of working out and walking too.

I might need a couple of re-entry days to recover.  Best news is I have free sailing ahead.  Nothing big on the calendar until Thanksgiving.

Final day yesterday was nice.  Art district was a bit of a bust though.  We didn't walk the river walk because my girlfriend wasn't interested in walking.  Active art studios were interesting, but not what we were looking to see yesterday.  Taco place was PACKED -- couldn't even get a parking space so we ended up at a local place that has awesome outdoor space.  That was the highlight of our trek out.

Besties is never up for walking and that's a bummer.  I took a 4 mile walk up into the neighborhood mountain -- it was so beautiful on a picture perfect fall morning.  My girlfriend stayed home and read.  After lunch, we took a quick walk to Trader Joe's (she doesn't have one) and then she wanted to rest again.  I took another walk downtown by myself.  Lots of walks by myself this weekend.  That's okay though.  I enjoy being by myself and I was expecting this situation.  I worry about her though -- she's a busy, interesting person with lots of hobbies, but she doesn't move her body.  At our age, we can't afford to be that sedentary. 

This morning is a down-n-dirty clean and hitting the road home.  I did sheets and towels yesterday so that helps with timing a little.  I didn't get home from the airport until almost 7 o'clock and I wasn't in the mood to clean.  

I miss my pups and my hubby.  Time away is good.  Back together is good too.

Looks like I need a t-shirt that says I SURVIVED OCTOBER BIG THINGS.  Back-to-back big weekends in a pandemic and I'm okay.  Both trips were worth it and I'm grateful.

Back to regular life which is also worth it and also awesome.

Have a great day -- later gators.

Good Day

Another beautiful fall day in Asheville.

Grove Park Inn Sunset Terrace didn't disappoint.  We had an amazing seat on the stone wall, next to an active butterfly bush with views for days.  A+ nature experience.

The view.

Comfortable seats for a 2 hour lunch.

Fresh trout and veggies.

While my girlfriend took a nap, I walked downtown again for a couple of hours.  Explored a few new areas to keep learning the city.  

Dinner was local in the neighborhood.  It was fun to try a new restaurant.  I had a grilled salad -- delicious too.  We ended the evening with more Ted Lasso, chocolate and finished up the opened wine.

Art District and a taco lunch on the agenda today.  Airport run at dinner, I'll get a start on cleaning and bed EARLY.  I'm ready to go home tomorrow and back to a routine.

Have a great day.  Later gators.

Shopping Day

Weather cleared and we shopped and shopped (!!)  Fun day, but I'm beat.  We're staying up a bit late for my taste (and ability) -- 11 o'clock watching Ted Lasso.  She doesn't have AppleTV so this is her first time -- I don't mind a re-watch.  Fantastic show.   Last night tonight, so I'll manage staying up like an adult.

Got my monthly so that's contributing.  Drinking some wine each night also -- no more tonight.  Eating okay, but not my usual fare.

I found some fun goodies.  I'll share the shopping finds in pictures when I get back.

Here are a few pictures from yesterday.

Dim Sum lunch -- third offering.  
Trout and zucchini for me.
Mango roll for bestie. 

Vintage bookstore and champagne bar.
Outside for the drinks -- I got the only sunny seat, dang.
(I had a god awful Italian soda -- couldn't drink it,
but sitting outside people watching was nice.)

Inside view -- we took turns
so we didn't lose the table (crowded).
That's my bestie waiting outside.
Store is amazing.

I finished Jesus and John Wayne (Kristin Kobes Du Mez).  Interesting, but I would've been happy with the cliff note length.  Too long, too much detail for my interest level.

Today is a zoom call with the high school group for 2/5 birthdays.  Then we're heading to the Grove Park Inn sunset terrace for lunch with a view.  Dinner is local, down the hill.  Updates tomorrow.

Have a great day -- later gators.  

Girlfriend Weekend Begins

I pick my bestie up this afternoon for 4 day weekend.

Weather is poop today -- heavy rain all day which makes anything outside impossible.  We'll have to get takeout and chill at the house.  Luckily, we only need to fill a half day.

The rest of the weekend will be nice -- a bit warmer than I had hoped though.  I brought more fall-like clothes and now the temps are climbing to high 70s.  What happened to the fall temps that were promised a few days ago?!?!?

Final big piece of furniture arrived.  Headboard for the spare room.  I love it.  Here's the before and after.  We moved the cream slipcovered board to the carriage house bed.  The "before" isn't the best picture (not trying to exaggerate lol) but it's the first I could find.  The bed needed contrast.  It's caramel leather with nail trim.  

The carpet in the room is back to smelling strange.  We might need to replace it after all.  I sprayed it last night and I'll use carpet fresh today.  Dang.  It was fine last time.  I wonder what happened ... maybe the humidity?  It's super thin with no pad -- I treated both sides.  

I'm enjoying this quiet morning to myself SO STINKING MUCH (!!)  Not one other living thing to take care of or talk to or anything.  It's the "ME ONLY" CHANNEL until noon and I'm here for it.  As usual, I miss everyone by evening, but mornings are glorious.  

I'm super duper hormonal.  Night sweats like crazy, moody (trying hard to change this) and low energy (from piss-poor sleep).  Fingers crossed I get my monthly ASAP.  At least that quells my bad mood.

Have a great day.  Later gators.

A Little MIA

Stuff (life) got away from me this week.

Polly had an episode of back leg paralysis, but she's treated (spinal compression) and is back to her regular self.  Hubby will pick her up from our transport team this afternoon.  It was a whirlwind.  I was concerned she had a stroke.

Oh -- and she had an unexpected meet and greet earlier in the week from a previous adopter who takes hard to adopt dogs.  (The one they adopted from Releash is an old tripod.)  They love her and she's going to her new home on Saturday.  

Cucumbers and tomatoes are no more for this year.  Cleared the massive dead plants -- what a season!  I'll miss them and totally planting a ton of cucumbers in the spring.

Both my bestie and I were COVID tested and negative.  Trip is on.  I'm leaving today.  Pouring rain for 2 more days, then things look up.

Still no monthly, but I can feel the hormones.  Not the best timing, but better than the wedding weekend.

More to chat about this week.  I expect to be able to update since I'll have a decent amount of time to myself.

Later gators.

Recap and Re-entry

Fun, fun, fun (!!)

It was a super weekend.  Started out by hitting a goal and wearing The Green Dress (remember this one?). Wore it all day and just snuck it in before it's too late in the year (again).  Done and dusted.

Our hotel in White Plains was beautiful and we got upgraded to a suite.  The location was so nice -- we did a lot of walking, coffee shop enjoyment, pizza (hubby) and a chopped salad place (for all 3 lunches cause that's what we do when we like something).  Outdoor was super limited so we ate in our hotel room.  Coffee shop was the only place with a good outdoor option.

Because we were further out, we got to spend a couple of hours with our good friends Saturday morning.  That felt so nice to be sitting in-person.  The coffee shop was just down from the hotel.  Best herbal teas -- brought some loose leaf home too.  

Wedding was amazing.  Food was incredible.  We had so much fun dancing.  I had a few glasses of wine over the evening -- no worse for the wear, thankfully.  Wedding cake was just so-so though.

The kids :)

Glad I wore this dress instead of the other.

As far as pandemic "things" .... we wore masks at the church, sat outside for the super crowded cocktail hour, but took masks off during dinner reception.  Everyone was vaccinated and the reception was open doors to the outside.  We sat with a friend of the groom's parents (who we met a number of times when we lived in NY).  She worked for Pfizer on the vaccine until March (Harvard educated from the Netherlands).  Anyway, we chatted and she convinced me what a low risk the reception was given a bunch of factors.  I took the risk -- I think a "big" risk, but maybe I'm too QuaranTina about it.  I had the ear of a bonafide vaccine scientist and she said it was good.  BTW, she wears masks inside in ANY setting where you don't know vaccination status. 

Wine and a vintage clutch from the kids' wedding.
Reception was on the river -- guess I should've 
taken a picture of the view hubby is looking at.

I'm taking a PCR test this week before Asheville with my bestie.  Of course, also watching for ANY symptom or known exposure.  ALL fingers crossed.  

Today is re-entry day and boy oh boy I need it.  I'm tired.  Dancing until the wee hours, indulgence on food and wine, lots of socializing and a long travel day (weather and other delays).  Working out, making a list for the week and getting organized.  A QUICK grocery store run because we have NO FOOD and then tonight is a sofa day and early to bed -- with lots of dog cuddles, of course.  

At the sitter.  Had to move to spare room because one
of the dogs peed the bed -- oh boy!  Not ours, thankfully.

Hubby isn't going to Asheville until tonight.  We were zonked after yesterday so he didn't want an early travel day.  Even though it'll rain through Friday, he's going to get the headboard delivery tomorrow.

I finished the book Hamnet (Maggie O'Farrell) and it was good.  Picking a new book today.

Oh, bummer news ... my wedding band dropped a few stones and I noticed during the reception.  I need to take it to the jeweler soon.  I stopped wearing it as soon as I noticed.

Garden is getting tons of rain this week.  I grabbed about 30 cherry tomatoes this morning and have 2 full cucumbers ready to pick.  The plants look barely alive, but they are both still producing so I'll hold off until next week to clear them.  The end MUST be near.

Tons and tons of Future-Me stuff this weekend and I'm proud, but today is old me -- I need to regroup before I'm ready to find the future opportunities.  That's another part of re-entry day -- nothing sparkly or special, just the building blocks of a good week.

Have a great day.  Later gators.

NY or Bust

Heading out this morning.  It's so QUIET here with no dogs.  I've been away from my dogs, but never HOME and away from my dogs.  Strange.  Lonely last night and glorious this morning to not have 20 zillion interruptions, but I can't wait to have them back.

Moving our hotel opens up seeing our friends on Saturday morning for outdoor coffee -- perfect little perk to the change.  The weather warmed considerable for Saturday so outside late morning works great.

Sadly, none of our NY friends are attending the wedding.  Out of town peeps aren't coming and the local couple we were most excited to see canceled because she has CML and he has Parkinson's and both took a turn for the worst recently.  Just us chickens at the wedding -- it'll still be fun.  Of course, I wish friends were there, wish friends weren't ill, wish I could drink, I wish no pandemic, I wish I could eat NY pizza, etc. -- just a few little wishes lol.  BUT, lots of good things to focus on too.  I love, love, love a wedding (!!)

This leaves nothing for today but travel.  We'll probably drive around our old stomping grounds just to see how it's changed.  Hubby will grab pizza and I won't (*whomp, whomp*).  At least we'll be well rested for Saturday.  Also, we got invited last night to attend the rehearsal dinner, but declined.  It was a super generous invitation, but we don't want to mess anything up by adding a +2 (or be in a big group 2 nights in a row).

Have a great weekend and I'll have pictures on Monday.  Later gators.