Hello, it’s me.
For your viewing pleasure: some orchids I found in the yard this weekend. To be clear, they weren’t hiding, but I don’t always know where or when they are gonna bloom.
The Coach was home the entire weekend. That is a first in months; he spent most of it finalizing plans for a Veterans Charity Event coming up in a few weeks and tackling a few honey-do’s.
We resumed our Friday Date Night. I made a reservation on Open Table for a place not too far from us for 6pm. We departed our home at 5:45 and we were back home at 6:58. Our dinner was lovely, but getting home at that time on a Friday night must mean we are steps away from the hereafter. No?
I’m definitely not on The Cocaine. I can’t even have iced tea after 2pm.
Getting home early meant we could finish the last episode of Ozark. I have issues watching shows like that too close to bedtime; they get me riled up and I can’t sleep. I was happy to end Ozark; I’ve had it up to here *reaches for the sky* with Wendy and Marty making bad decisions, and usually against each other. If it sounds like fictional characters were stressing me out, it’s because they were.
Photo of a male monarch I released on Saturday where zero stressing was involved.
If you had the inkling that my life is all glitz and glam (that always ends by 8pm), it is not. I spent a good portion of my weekend pulling weeds, trimming plants, planting plants and spreading bags of mulch. While wearing my flip flops, of course. When it was time to cool off, I went in the pool. Did I relax in said pool? You bet your sweet biscuits I didn’t. Our beautiful newly installed glass tile has calcium buildup/haze around the water features and the entire waterline.
*sigh* Do we have anything that is low maintenance?
The answer is NO.
I started the cleaning process in the shallow end last week with CLR and a scrub brush. It was taking more chemicals and elbow grease than I was comfortable with. So on Friday I went to the pool supply place and purchased a chemical spray MADE for just this situation and a large pumice stone.
Again, lots of elbow grease and by this time my toes were raw from the rough ass pool floor. *raises fists in the air wishing our pool contractor a lifetime of cold sores*
Have you ever tried to clean with a chemical spray in one hand and a scrub brush or pumice in the other WHILE TREADING WATER? That my friends should be an olympic sport.
Finally a few of my brain cells actually connected long enough for me to have an AH HA moment whist almost drowning in the deep end; I remembered I had some of these:
What a life and toe saver.
I’m not sure that my toes will ever be the same; it might be too late. If I had to do a Toe {finger} Print, I’d be doomed. I ordered some water socks for my pool time in the future as I try to do some water aerobics whilst in there between cleanings.
Why can’t I just DO ONE THING? Multitasking is a disease and I need a Dr. ASAP.
Nance, are you happy I covered my tootsies?
Are we the only ones who are having dinner earlier and earlier? Pretty soon we’ll be at Morrisons Cafeteria for their 4pm early bird special and cramming free crackers in my purse.
Do any of you remember going to an event that started after 8pm? I know we did, but now? Being out after 8pm wearing clothes and being pleasant towards other humans, well, that sounds like torture.
XOXO
Busy Bee Suz 
Your pool is beautiful. I spend a lot of my time weeding, planting, weeding, dividing, edging… I know a young lady who did a lot of life guarding and wore little socks because her toes would get raw from walking around the concrete pool deck, so your idea isn’t so strange. Hope you have a great week! -Jenn
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thanks, Jenn!
I hope my toes do heal and I’ll wear the socks in the pool from here on out.
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We had dinner yesterday at 4:00 pm in a restaurant! We had just been to an afternoon matinee of a play with friends and went for coffee afterwards but it was one of those places where food had to be ordered, not just beverages, so what could we do? I had a delicious salad and a croque monsieur. Yes, we’re all technically seniors but what’s your point?
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I’m practically a senior, so I have no idea what my point was. 😳
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Beautiful orchids! What an exotic life you lead, the only things growing in our trees are squirrels. As for eating before dusk, I blame Covid. My husband was determined to beat the crowds when restaurants opened again…. now we don’t worry as much but he still wants to go early. I fear it’s a downward slope and the next thing he’ll be asking for is mashed peas. 🤣
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NO SMASHED PEAS!
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Not yet you say….
😉
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Love the beautiful orchids you have all over! We like to have an early dinner and beat the crowds. Sometimes that is the only way you can eat at a really popular restaurant without waiting for a hour. That is my pet peeve! I don’t like to be waiting in a restaurant! You pool it beautiful and I think worth the maintenance! Floating around on those pool paddles looks fun!
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I also hate waiting. That’s why I try to make a reservation just in case everyone else wants to join us simultaneously.
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The last time I was out past 8 pm it was a few weeks ago at a rock concert. Someone near us collapsed so the concert was paused and the house lights came up. While she was being attended to, fists started flying in the balcony and police had to be called. Stay home, Suz…a lot of people have forgotten how to behave in public.
Those orchids are gorgeous. Did you plant them? Orchids are an exotic houseplant where I come from…
Ahhh, water socks….a life (and foot) saver! I bought a pair a lot like yours a few years back when I realized my feet were being sliced and diced every time I went into the sea surrounding Barbados…the speedy ruination of my vacation pedicure. 😖
Deb
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Fist fights at a concert? What is wrong with people! I’m going to guess alcohol was involved.
90% of my orchids started as a pretty blooming house orchid, when it stopped blooming I put them out in the yard and let them do their thing. A few of them are actually native and just show up on some of my trees. Kind of magical.
We can be water sock twins!
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YES! I have to admit, the title of this post made me shudder a little, but I read it anyway (of course), and when I saw that the only photo was of your new water sox, I was tres relieved. I even answered your question aloud–with enthusiasm–and woke up the cat.
He’s already over it.
I am in my jammies most nights and on the couch under my quilt by 7:30 PM. It’s just sad. This changes on summer weekends at the lake because of boating, but honestly, I’m just tired and ready for the day to end.
And–The Cocaine? Ha ha. I drink decaffeinated coffee and no soda of any kind. Could you imagine?
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I think being in your comfortable clothes and being on your couch at whatever time you want, isn’t sad, it’s a privilege! You worked hard for many years and you deserve to rest whenever you want.
So sorry to wake the cat. It’s not like he won’t have 22 more hours of sleep today. 😂😅
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8 pm does sound late now.
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I’m surprised you didn’t mention crotches here – isn’t that where those orchids grow? You have been busy. Cleaning pool tile might be the one task I could embrace because I’d welcome the excuse to be working on my tan. Sore toes? Deep end? No thanks. I’m laughing at your pool saddle.
When you describe the early bird special and stuffing crackers into your purse, I instantly flash back to time spent with my grandma. The crackers and sugar packets . . . well, anything that wasn’t nailed down.
I’ve tried to eat dinner at 5 the past several months, because I think I sleep better, but that’s not happening all that often. Curly and Reg have travel games that start after 8 pm sometimes, which I find is a shock to my system. This weekend Coach and I were going to go out to dinner. We did, sort of. Games went so late, we drove around between games. He dropped me off at Giordano’s to get a salad to go and he drove to Culver’s and then came back to get me. We ate in the car on the way back to the b-ball venue. Romance is alive and well.
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The last time I mentioned Crotch orchids people were confused. If you would like to take your next vacation around the time my pool needs to be scrubbed, have At it
Games starting at eight? Who arranged for this, Satan?
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I’m so jelly of your yard orchids! So pretty! And that monarch is exquisite and perfect. LOL on the cocaine question! I do remember in 2019 going to a business dinner on a Saturday night that started at 8 pm because that was the earliest people could get there (including us). Can I just say, I HATE eating that late!? So unhealthy. We tend to go out for happy hour more than anything, so getting home by 7 pm is the norm.
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I also do not enjoy eating late. Happy hour with a cocktail and some heavy appetizers at six sounds awesome!
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First and foremost, I’m envious that you live somewhere where orchids may just grow outside.
Second, if something STARTS at eight? IMMEDIATELY NO. Now, this does not imply that I’m asleep by nine. I can stay up late, but I prefer to be in my jammies by 10 and scrolling TikTok by 10:30, like a civilized human being.
Water socks and saddles?? I want to party with you guys.
Also, I’m not on Instagram very often, but I wanted to let you know that I saw your Dorit comment. I should also mention that I believe the robbery was staged in order to keep her on the show. I SAID WHAT I SAID.
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“Like a civilized human” lol! You’re the best!
See, I never even thought that it would be staged. Hmmm…Now I’m wondering…
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You never thought that because your mind isn’t tainted like mine. I still have a lot of work to do in the soul homework department. Do you see why I have to do it every day?
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I am here for this entire post. First, orchids. OMG. Second, butterfly. HI BUTTERFLY!! Third, I would be thrilled to be at home by 7:00 on date night. I am also not on cocaine! Lololol that was funny. I had a friend tell me she was taking swim lessons at 8:30. My response “At NIGHT?” She said yes, it wasn’t bad, she was home by 9:30. Me: “AT NIGHT?” Like, how does anyone function after 8pm?
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I would have had the same response: AT NIGHT?
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How lovely to have so many orchids growing in your yard! The monarch is stunning. Did you keep a chrysalis so you could watch it emerge? We eat dinner at 5pm, sometimes a bit earlier. Being a morning person I find wrapping things up early in the evening works well for me.
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Hi Barbara. I have many, many host plants for butterflies. More monarchs than anything else; I generally will collect the tiny caterpillars and raise them inside on a milkweed plant away from predators. I then release them when they eclose from their chrysalis.
Five pm dinner is awesome. We’ve been eating at around 6-6:30 now that the husband is home more often and not at softball practice.
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My grandmother used to collect them and keep them in little glass aquariums in her garden, collecting just the right leaves from the woods for the caterpillars to eat. She was a photographer and enjoyed getting pictures of the chrysalises they made and the butterflies emerging. I bet you would have been kindred spirits.
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She sounds Absolutely enchanting; my kind of person.
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If I’m not showered and in pajamas by 8pm, then that is a VERY BAD DAY. I like to sing a song when I go to bed “The best part of waking up…is going back to bed!” which frightens my husband because he thinks I must be depressed, but no, I just love to go to bed!
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The last time I remember gladly going to an event that started after 8:00 p.m. it was a late evening wedding with a *midnight* buffet afterwards. It was spectacular, but any other social obligation starting that late would make me cranky.
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I suppose if you were looking forward to an event at this hour you would rest up earlier in the day. Sounds like a special time.
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