Sometimes you wake up on the wrong side of the bed. That’s me today. I don’t want to work. I just looked at our bank account for motivation, and let me tell you, that cleared that fantasy real fast, heh. I don’t want to clean. I don’t want to cook. I don’t want to put up with renovations.
I am having my 2-year-old moment.
I am also disappointed with my cross stitch project. I’ve started it and I am reasonably sure that the floss colors are seriously off. The girl was supposed to have blonde hair but it’s clearly dark brown, which does not work, since Kid 2 has returned to her natural blonde hair color. I am not sure what to do. Right now I am tempted to scan the pattern in, pull the colors out via photoshop, and then just buy a bunch of DMC to match the scan. But that means I may have to rip a whole bunch of what I did out.
I don’t want to. Ugh.
I haven’t put my yarn up. It’s still in boxes. Ugh.
Ugh.
It doesn’t help that we’re having a heatwave. Our temperatures are hovering around 104 degrees (41 Celsius), and our upstairs AC unit probably sprang a coolant leak. One of the upstairs rooms inexplicably has haze in it. We bought an air purifier and already had AC system serviced (it worked fine before they serviced it but now the upstairs AC is not cooling,) and supposedly everything is clean. We can’t figure out where the haze coming from, so we are just running the purifier until it clears up.
Summer is our inside season. That’s when we put sunscreen on to go to the mailbox. They promised us thunderstorms yesterday. We had thunder. The house shook. No rain though. Bastards.
I need to get to the next scene so I can murder some characters horribly. It will not cheer me up, but at least it will match my current mood. One good thing that happened – I had found a suspicious mole on my back during the vacation, and the moment I came home, the dermatologist determined it needed to come off. It came off and it’s not melanoma. If you have a weird spot, go get it checked out. You will feel better, and melanoma can spread very fast.
We have annual physicals this week, and then we both have the required medical tests, like mammogram for me, etc. I don’t want to go to the physical. I will, but I don’t want to.
I am just bitter and sour today. Ugh.
Tell me something good that happened, so I am not all bitter and mopey.
The zucchini are a little over an inch long and the peas are actual pods. I will soon be enjoying home-grown vegetables.
Win!
Cool! My mom just started teaching my 5 yr old about growing vegetables and got her to try the zucchini!
I’ve got to say, I’m having a bad day too. I over slept so had to go out to garden at the heat of the day. I stepped too close to a wasp nest newly formed at the bottom of our wood gate ( who would have thunk they would build one there) and got several stings. Had to run and jump in the pool. Stung on both hands and feet ( was wearing sandals). I am done! Going to indulge myself and read “Iron And Magic” again then on to Nevada and Connor. Tomorrow will be a better day!
We just got confirmation this morning that our new science labs at school (new as in renovated, the walls/roof etc. are the 1908 originals still) are ahead of schedule and we’ll get to see them for the first time since April tomorrow – so that’s really exciting! (The kids won’t see them until September, but at least we can start moving chemicals etc. back from the un-renovated labs in term time rather than the summer holidays)
Hope your day improves!
That is exciting!
It was, and they are BEAUTIFUL! Clean, immaculate, ready for eager students to fill them with learning…. or at least, if we ever let them in they will be – they seem too nice to spoil with students!
I am so sorry, but I laughed and laughed at this. Yes, “2-year old moment”. Some of them spread to a bit longer.
I am planning our 2023 family cruise on the Rhine river or Danube – consensus (of 25 people) rules. Looking forward to it.
You’re a riot – thanks for the laugh today, I appreciate it.
I laughed too because I have had those moments. This is precious, Ilona, thanks for the invitation to this pity party but looks like your fans have made some lemonade and cookies for you. How truly loved you are. OMG, you are so right about this heat. Also it is extremely frustrating to only get thunder. Ugh
I had a Banana Split! I do not feel guilty. 😀
Have a better day.
Nor should you! Haha
I had an amazing lemon raspberry donut. Warm from the fryer with icing. Bliss! Nice way to do Monday I may have to make a banana split next week.
Raspberry lemon donut!?! That sounds AWESOME. Envy
Hurray for “no guilt!”
Something good?
My cats got a clean bill of health during their annual physical. They are “well-muscled” and in otherwise good condition.
They forgave me almost immediately for the indignity of cat carrier transportation (tuna was involved) so no repercussions.
Made me feel a lot better – one full year together and I seem to be providing a good environment.
Cats are very good at ripper cushions.
Good at ripping those cushions too. He. He
Yes, Selene and Rikki spend a lot of time ripping the cushions of my furniture. Scratching posts and pads everywhere that sometimes get attention, and cushions which receive loving claws every day.
+1 LOL. Mine gives me *usually* gentle loove nips and mucho purring, but gets carried away sometimes (or is not happy he’s not getting his f.o.o.d or attention enough) and then he nips just short of blood. He’s got it fine tuned to nip enough to hurt but not draw blood but maybe leave bruises…Ripper cushions indeed…
My teenager went to summer school this morning willingly even after he learned that the field trip was not today. While the goodness was all him, I felt like a had earned a parenting gold star.
These 2 memes make me happy. One is metal and the other is a little dark, so hopefully they aren’t obnoxious.
That was really super cool to learn! Thank you so much ????
This is awesome! I had to show it to my daughter, who also got a laugh (we were both terrified at the same time!) She will probably share it with her D&D crowd…too funny! ????
I don’t have much to offer, but I’m taking the MCAT this Saturday and I killed my practice test, so I’ve got a confidence boost! Hopefully your day goes much better, the rain finally arrives and your motivation multiplies!
Good luck with your MCAT.
Thank you! ❤️
I found out that I am not going crazy (or crazier, anyway!) – the pharmacy called and said they had made a “dispensing error” and instead of giving me an allergy medication, gave me very strong psychotropic meds. Only for 5 days but wow those were 5 bad bad days.
Oh my god. I hope you’re ok!
Thank you. I was considering committing myself – as in had family over and we were talking hospitals when the pharmacist called.
I am not yet all the way myself again but so relieved that it wasn’t organically me, if that makes any sense.
A small suggestion that may help people in the future. The website http://www.drugs.com will tell you what the correct color and shape is for your medication. If the pill you get doesn’t match it’s picture then ask about it.
My pharmacy includes that info on the label they apply to the container. First time they switched brands on my pill, I looked it up to confirm that it was legit, which is when I noticed that they put that info on the label.
Glad everything worked out (somewhat) ok. I wonder how the pharmacist realized the error.
Pharmacist was notified by generic manufacturer when they discovered problem – took them a few days to chase down all affected folks etc. Am super grateful for our regulatory environment and notification requirements today.
It was a factory machine error – correct capsule packed with wrong contents. The very rare exception where cross-checking would not have helped.
Wow, I’m relieved on your behalf!
I’m sorry. WTactualF?!?!?
This ^^.
Yeah. Bad enough when you get unadvertised side effects from the actual prescribed medication. This is just horrifying. I have heard of it happening in the case of particularly bad physician handwriting though. The potential is there digitally with autocorrupt I suspect.
Exactly ????
Oh dear God.
Yeah. Today is pretty sweet.
the VA tries to slip those “sweethearts” to me every once in a while, I would rather, literally, walk through the panic attacks.
Holy cow!
OMG!! Hope you’re ok now!
Wow, just wow. I don’t know if that counts as good news or very bad news. So glad they contacted you and you’re off them.
I am counting it as transcendently great news. Phenomenally great. I had some bad luck and now today I do not. Today I am on my way back to regular.
A machine went awry. There was no malice or even gross incompetence. I had some bad scary days but get to be myself again without lasting impairment. And I have gained some deep gratitude for not having the sort of illness that requires threading the needle of risking those side effects.
Sending you love, & celebrating right along with you!
So glad they caught it and that you are better!
How incredibly scary for you and your family!
Blessings!
Anne:
I am glad you are okay now, psychotropic drugs can cause all kinds of things.
I admire your willingness to forgive the drug maker but machines just don’t go awry. The machines are computer controlled and likely someone wasn’t following procedure or they had a hell of a bug.
My advice would be to talk to a lawyer about your rights, you had 5 days of hell because of their mistake. Not saying this as a get rich scheme, but rather if companies get away with things like this they are likely to write this off as a one off; the problem is they then won’t try to figure out why and it could happen again I don’t trust regulatory scrutiny to keep them honest.
Anyway, glad you came through it all right, that of course is the important part.
I work in the pharma manufacturing space. Agreed. Thus is in no way a simple or expected error. It’s one of the worst things that could happen with numerous checks and balances to prevent it. Not to be a drama queen, but this is seriously messed up.
And that right there is why even though I should get medical for some things under the VA, I get everything treated by civilians under my work Insurance. I don’t trust the VA any more than I trusted military doctors when I was active duty.
I finally received my visa to come to the US for a semester abroad (from Germany) this fall term! I will be studying in California for a couple of months and try to see as much of the US as possible ☺️
I hope you enjoy your stay! Despite our many issues, it is a beautiful country with (mostly) friendly people.
Yay! I hope you have a great time! I live here in CA so I’d also like to say “Welcome!”
Sorry CA is short for California
Welcome! Hope your stay is wonderful.
I also live in Cali so welcome!
Hurray! California is a great jumping off point to several sensational national parks!! I hope you have a great stay!!
Herzlich willkommen, Carolin! May it be all you hope for and much more.
NorCal or SoCal? It’s a big state!
If north, that’s where I am, amid the redwoods, but close to the City.
I made an A in my college algebra class! I’ve gone back to college after dropping out about 15 years ago. This was my first math class since my junior year of high school. I’m super excited!
woohoo! congratulations ???? You slayed the Maths beast!
You are a star!
The first is the hardest and the scariest and you slayed it!
Way to go!
Yey ????????????
Go you! That is awesome! Sail on.
Yay! ????
Awesome! As someone who had kind of a checkered college career but ended up completing undergrad&a masters later on ,and had a dad that completed his engineering degree at 40, I applaud you!
We thought we had major structural issues on the back corner of our building in the Quarter, and the insurance company was trying to attribute it to IDA, (it wasn’t, and there’s photographic proof), but the best case scenario just happened–the structural engineer came back with, “no, it’s not a big deal, just bricks need to be re-pointed with the right kind of mortar,” and it’s a tiny section, so less than $500. I cannot tell you how relieved I am, because the deductible is really high.
Meant to add–I empathize with the cranky mood.
Just visited the Quarter. Beautiful place, but I thought at the time I would not want to be an owner there and deal with repairs. So glad for you! I feel really happy for you.
Thank you, and you nailed it. We love a lot of things about living here, but the logistics of fixing something is a nightmare. First, the whole thing is a historical district, so we have to get permits from them, which is a very long-draw-out-process, and then just being able to get workers here, a place to park, and then hauling up the materials. It gives me hives (and we’re embarking on a final finishing-up of a remodel we’d started before I got sick a while back, so yay for the extra costs, too!) argh.
I hope you had fun here–it’s hot as blazes, but still loads to do inside.
We had the gutters replaced/repaired and the stomped on a portion of the garden. While a wild mallow I loved is a bit damaged they stomped mostly on these daylilies I never really liked and I realized it’s the perfect opportunity to dig them out and replace them with something I *do* like. It’s my version of a good murder scene!
Hope the heat wave subsides!
the beauty of wild mallow is that it self seeds so readily that it will come back.
And as a bonus you can offer the lily bulbs to friends and neighbors who will love them. Happy gardening!
I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies yesterday. The whole house still smells like freshly baked cookies, which is one of the best smells ever.
My hubby made me peanut butter kiss cookies and a lasagna in celebration of finishing my nursing contract in Philadelphia…home sweet home in the NY countryside for the summer now! BOOYAH!!
Actually, the best thing happened yesterday evening and it’s all your fault.
I had an epiphany. I’m reading your books to learn about writing. To learn what makes them so engaging and why the characters matter.
I finally got it: they care. The significant characters are driven by something they care and feel deeply about.
Not a hollow something like revenge. But something like family. Like not standing by and letting wrongs happen. Like caring for the pack, clan, etc.
So thank you.
It sounds so simple, but this one epiphany may take me wonderful places.
Damn. You’re right. Great insight. May it carry you far.
I care about these characters because they care about each other, that makes them good people to me, and they care about important things like doing the right thing for good reasons. The kickassery and humor help too, but…
Also, a heck of a nice complement for a two year old!
Our almost 16 year old rat terrier finally has her appetite back after a fight pancreatitis!
Oh, that’s a big deal and a big win, especially at her age! I’m so glad for y’all!
Rat terrors are the best! Glad yours is better!
Wonderful news!
You guys are my favorite authors in the world. You make me happy when you write anything…even your grumpy days haha and I know you do it for all the rest of the BDH too 🙂
We bought a van for our bookstore so we can stop using the owners’ cars for weekend markets. That means the owners may get a day off work (we won’t because we are workaholics but the possibility will exist).
We can’t decide on a name for her. My business partner vetoed pun names (Vanna White was my favorite) so now we’re at an impasse.
Booknerdvana? Or does that count as a pun.
I liked it, but could also be a Vanbrary.
My old van was Vincent Van Go and my one is Van Morrison.
I think we decided on Vinnie Van Gogh which is pun enough for me but subtle enough for her!
Lol drive her for a few days the name may be very obvious….have Dusty my Durango, no matter what the dashboard has dust, windows up or down. Even parked and didn’t move after detailing it, twenty mins and it was dusty. Another vehicle was a thief, stole items from passengers, item could only be found after they were gone, guess you can figure out what its name was.
Should probably add, my brother had a somewhat nice christine, car sat in a field for decades unmoved, then given to him, minor replacement tires and battery and it started. Was somewhat self fixing, with attitude, examples dashboard lights won’t work everything good so should but didn’t, until he was caught speeding as soon as the cop stepped out of his car they started working. After that it seemed to like him, but not everyone. Rear defrost only a small section worked, until a whining girl was in the backseat complaining about the car, we heard puff, and she was screaming cloud of dead bugs fell all over her, not one bug passed into the front seats, but the defrost worked great after that. It was that car that really made a convincing case waiting before naming.
Love this answer…It made me laugh after a rather complicated day…
Rocinante is the classic one.
Mystery Machine?
Five little bitty raccoon babies tumbling around in a bowl of water last evening. It was a wild water party. Not sure if they were trying to dunk each other or what, but they all managed to fit in there. When they left, they tumbled down the steps in the same tangled ball of fur, all chattering to each other.
That’s simply adorable!
That really is about as purely happy as it’s possible to get!
I had free coffee for my birthday!
I hope your days get better. That heat is awful. Where my parents live in Texas, it rains around them, but rarely where they are.
Many hugs for all of you.
Happy Birthday!
My boyfriend has a Tennessee Walker Hound mix named Shadow and I have a Dachshund named Kalliope. We are in the process of getting all our fur-babies integrated in anticipation of combining households in the next couple years. There is still a cat (Belgium) to introduce to Shadow, but we were working on the dogs first.
Shadow is a rescue and generally doesn’t do well with disruption, loud noises, or general “weirdness” — she goes right off her food.
Kalliope is a high energy bundle of weiner who is very devoted to her food and getting attention from humans — confidence is her middle name, she hasn’t met anything she didn’t think she could take, eat, or get pets from.
We are switching up every weekend going to the others house and this weekend was the first time that Kalliope coming over didn’t bother Shadow at all! She ate all her meals with no problem! This is a big development for Shadow and I am hoping she’ll come around to eating better at my house 🙂 We are taking any victory we can get hahaha
Sending positive “kill all the fictional characters” vibes.
Well, maybe not all — just the ones that have seriously annoyed you.
Huh, well I wish I had something good to share. Let’s see, okay, I looked up Stephanie Zimbalist on Wikipedia. I was watching Remington Steele on Decades, and she boggled my mind. Her work package is beyond admiration. When I’m crabby, I like to find people who do things with their lives. She happened to be it for me. Hope this helps.
My husband of the time used to say that I watched Remington Steele for Stephanie Zimbalist’s hats. There was much truth to this.
I don’t have any happy to share – right there with you, actually.
But!!!
No. No buts. I’ve got my iced coffee, and I’m staring down the day like I have to storm a castle.
Here’s some kitties.
Try again…
Awwww!
Too cute!
Okay, I have no idea how you get anything done with so much cutie adorableness! I especially like their fashionable white pointing — the mustachio, the matching bibs/cravats (gender neutral)! ~sends virtual snuggle-squeezes~
I’m sorry you feel cranky. Here’s our team mascot, Pepe, who is usually cranky too.
Love this pic! So cute!
My 10 week old nephew visited. At 14 pounds, he is marvelously squishy (even his calves). He’s learning to smile and focus his eyes on peron talking to him – fully melted heart.
Well.. during the 2000s I failed English class in school several times. After I left school I discovered that some of my favorite authors – like you – were actually translated. I learned English because I was impatient and didn´t want to wait for the translations. Ten years later – and a whole lot of adventures – I am right now writing my master thesis. In order to become an English teacher. So thank you 🙂
WOW!
That’s all I got. Just wow. And congratulations, you kick ass like Kate! ❤️????????????????????‼️
+1 That is really impressive.
Congratulations! Please tell your students about this, as it’s so impressive.
That’s awesome!
My father, 96 since last we week, and unfortunately currently in the hospital due to a string of minor ailments that have greatly weakened him, will be transferred to a geriatric rehabilitation facility tomorrow which will hopefully get him back on his feet a bit more.
That will be a lot better for him than the hospital. Take care of yourself.
Going to the lake! The good news is it warmed up(Ice has been off for about 6 weeks)!!! Yeah, time to float with the cocktail of your choice. If your ever in MN stop by for a float, I have a floatie problem, love them!
We just visited the Salvador Dali Museum in Figueres, Spain, and I was overwhelmed by his craft and vision. I knew some of his paintings from the school and the internet, but to see so much of his artwork was amazing.
I was blown away when I visited, much to my surprise. It still stands out (12? years later) as one of the most WOW! experiences I’ve ever had.
It was amazing, gorgeous and grand. The enormity of his vision was awe-inspiring. I believe that this will stand out for me for years to come als well.
No real amazing news, but the hus-beast is getting things done so we can leave on our two month RV trip next week! That is a total win in my book!
My nephew and his girlfriend got engaged on Saturday!! Love them both to the moon & back. Lots of fun things to look forward to, like giving her a bridal tea.
I took a class and now I have a noncommercial drone pilot license!
I hear u about renovations. One problem after another… have to spend more $ to redo things that were done wrong… very aggravating and disheartening. But something good… I guess is for once did part of renovation by putting in solar tube cause bathroom is completely enclosed and had no problems. For once something installed was done without problems and correctly!
We had solar tubes put in our internal bathroom and shower rooms, I am still amazed by how light they are from just reflected sunlight, even on cloudy days!
Eclipse the moon comes out tomorrow!!!
Thank you for reminding me about that. How exciting. 🙂
It hasn’t happened yet, but tomorrow my husband and I go to Lisbon! I’m so excited. I’m pretty sure I left the trials and tribulations of our summer vacation on another post, but they are mostly over and we’re going to Lisbon! I have friends who love Portugal so much and I have a list from them, and a list of so much more stuff than we can actually see in 5 days (especially 5 days of 38°-40°C). We’ll see what gets pared.
But there’s a happy thing.
I should add that this is my first non-funeral travel since 2016, and my husband’s first travel since 2015.
Egg tarts! And alllllll the other outstanding pastries. Mmmmm egg tarts.
Hoping you have a smooth travels and pack essentials as a carry on, hopefully one that fits under the seat, as insurance against summer travel of `22 horror stories.
Ducklings at our local park. 🙂
Sorry, about the resolution, needed a smaller file…
I feel your pain and sending ghost hugs. Although have to hope that not all the ubiquitous “THEY” are illegitimate.
I bought yarn for two blankets!! Just to have ‘in case’ I need an emergency project. I love it. I wish I could take it with me everywhere, lol. I feel you on the heat. Here in Okla everything is dying.
Something very good? My sister met her future foster child today ???? I’m so happy for her!
Sorry you are having the “don’t wannas.” You usually make my day better, so here’s my effort towards making yours better.
Something good – I went on two dates with a guy I dated just after both our divorces 10 years ago and he still gives me butterflies, but the timing is WAY better. After many years (I won’t say how many) of meh, bleh, and yeech dates, it’s great to have ONE nice one, let alone two.
Now I just have to let it play out & see what happens.
Awww. Here’s to the good dates x
My son and I spent an hour at a senior dog rescue adoption event last Saturday. Snuggling with a Pekingese-griffon mix named Louie who was asleep the entire time, even through being transferred from one lap to another. And a white terrier named Steve who didn’t let his lack of eyes keep him from trotting around the pen, sniffing everything in sight, bouncing in and out of laps.
I saw an oriole yesterday.
❤️
Always a good day when you see a bird like that. There’s an indigo bunting hanging around my fields (because I’m managing them for early succession instead of neatly mowed pasture now, lol). Brightens my day every time I see him. I once saw an indigo bunting and a Baltimore oriole about six feet apart at the top of a willow oak. Talk about gaudy! But so cool to see.
I went to stay with my mother in law for a couple of days. She’s recuperating from an operation. She’s OK, every day a little better. We had a nice time together. I’m so relieved!
We are in N TX, so I totally get the heat crankiness. August weather for all of July is just wrong. My lettuce grow hydroponic tower is outside and the water is way too warm. My pick me up: Our full EV vehicle we ordered over a year ago arrived. That had me doing a happy dance.
It’s funny that the photo of the “cranky” cat looks similar to some of the Curran as Lion illustrations that have appeared on book covers and in the blog.
Well, I did nothing all weekend as I stayed in bed and let the cat lay all over me. She has kidney disease and hadn’t eaten in 3 days, so I thought I was spending our final hours together.
This morning blood work showed that her kidneys are not that bad. The problem is she had a head cold. One nostril was packed solid. If a cat can’t smell they won’t eat. So after the nostril got a lavage, some nasal meds, IM med, and SQ fluids we came home for happy life.
Happy life to start after she gets over the part where strangers touched her, and violated her nose. But I feel great!
So glad your kitty is going to be OK!
On Friday we are getting picture of our house taken to put up for sale. Almost 2 years of major renovation has led to this. So super excited and hoping it sales. Still trying to get my husband to decided on somewhere else besides in Texas (I am Texan-his answer) though I love my home state it’s just way to hot and going to the prettier parts are even hotter my body doesn’t like it at all.
Hope killing some characters improves your mood!!
Yay!! We’re putting ours on the market in August. All major renos are done. Just needs some paint now.
We finally bought our forever home in the mountains in February (decided to buy a house to retire in to enjoy BEFORE we retire) – and since we didn’t build it, have a LONG list of projects big and small to fix things the previous owner “home projected” together. We’ve made great progress over the last few weeks – including finally having a working front porch light so we don’t need a flashlight when coming home after dark. It’s the little things! Even if every time we mark 3 things off the “to be done list” we add 6 more things to be done 🙂
Reverse stitching is a fine art, requiring years of practice to perfect. In fact, you never perfect it; you just have to keep on practicing.