All The Birthdays At Once; A Rubik’s Master And I’m On A Shrimp Roll.

On July 18, 2022July 18, 2022 By SuzIn As blogged by Suz28 Comments

July is a busy birthday month for our family.

July 6 MIL Judy
July 13 Lolo
July 17 MIL Sue
July 25 Aunt Trisha

We met Linds and Lolo for dinner to celebrate Lolo’s birthday last week. Sadly, Nathan is in California for a few weeks for Marine training, so he missed seeing us.

What does a 29 year old woman ask for? Naturally, a Rubik’s cube.

Backstory: A few months ago Lolo hurt her elbow while training on a Police Mountain Bike so she was on light duty for a while. During that time she picked up a Rubik’s cube off her supervisors desk and proceeded to master it. As one does.

Linds bought her two different ones; she mixed up one and handed it off to her sister while we waited for our meals…Try to ignore our witty banter, I dare you.

I timed her and she completed the “generic” cube in just over four minutes.

In hindsight, we’re gonna have to blindfold her next time.

IS HE HUMAN?

THE MIL’S

I’m sure I mentioned it before that I have amazing MIL’S. Yes plural. Thanks to the beauty of divorce and remarriages. I have two. 😜

Sue, Coach’s mom lives just over 2 hours away and we meet halfway in a little town for lunch when we can. This time she chose a new-to-us Brewery and the food was great and the company amazing. (I had an apple walnut salad with grilled shrimp)

We were out of town for Judy’s actual birthday, then she was out of town celebrating her 60th when we came home, so we finally got together for dinner; about five hours after lunch with Sue. (I had grilled shrimp over risotto and roasted red peppers-I’m gonna grow a tail!)

Judy is so funny. I’ve known her for thirty years, but I didn’t know she has always wanted to go skydiving and she did so just before her birthday this year. I joked that being married to my FIL might make one want to jump out of an airplane. Kidding! I love all my ~~outlaws~~ in-laws!

We had a great day catching up with both sides of Coach’s parents and I got to see Lindsay three times this week; twice in ONE day. That is always a good thing.

I wish I could say I’d be with my Aunt Trisha for her birthday next week, but we’ll have to settle for phone calls and texts.

Does your family have a busy birthday month? Has anyone jumped out of an airplane, on purpose?

XOXO

My Day To Shine, I Just Wish It Wasn’t In My Eyes And Enjoying A Dirty Bird or Three.

On May 10, 2022May 10, 2022 By SuzIn As blogged by Suz30 Comments

I had a lovely Mother’s Day weekend. Lolo was scheduled to work, but had sustained a work/training injury which stinks, but she was at least able to join us on Sunday. {She’s on the mend} Lindsay and I had scheduled Saturday afternoon together doing something fun and creative at AR Workshop. I’d never been to one of these workshops before but I’ve seen friends who created wood stuff like this:

Honestly, it wasn’t looking like my vibe. I’m not into painted wood, things with our names on them, the phrase “Live, Laugh, Love” makes me want to shank someone and don’t get me started on lazy Susans; it’s offensive to all Susans and especially someone who is often referred to as Susan.

But they offered a chunky knit blanket class and I’m all about chunky and blankets.

It took us three hours to create these ONE OF A KIND blankets by hand. We had a lot of fun; there were only five of us total in the class and there was much laughter.

When we finished the ~~child~~ lady who owns this particular franchise said: Let’s go outside where there is GOOD light for a photo.

Um, Linds and I can hardly keep our light colored eyes open in NOT GOOD LIGHT; it was much too bright. Linds was able to fight through it for at least one pic, I could not. To quote my daughter: “You look like someone stepped on your foot”. Hence the blurring out of my pained face.

Do you think we could see them for hundreds of dollars since they are ONE OF A KIND? Prolly not.

Afterwards we had a lovely lunch at Olive Garden of Soup, Salad and Breadsticks MINUS olives because gross.

Guess who loves my blanket as much as I do?

On Sunday we met for lunch at our Marina. It’s always a delightful meal with lots of laughter when we’re all together. I appreciated the fact that Lauren and Nathan drove an hour and a half to be there.

_{Wait. What? Is that an extra human in our family pic?}

My girls always make me feel special, but on Mother’s Day, I feel EXTRA special.

I tell them not to buy me prezzies; just your TIME, undying love and a card is all I require. Lolo {ironically} broke the law with this mug and it filled my heart with all sorts of sassy love.

I can’t think of a better way to start my day other than with a mug full of innuendos.

Amiright or amiright?

Have you been to an AR Workshop? When we were there, the creative wood stuff didn’t look nearly as cheesy as it did online. But you’ll never convince me to have “Live, Love, Laugh” written anywhere in my home.

XOXO

A Dry Christmas, A Wet New Year And Factoring In Windshields

On January 4, 2022January 3, 2022 By SuzIn As blogged by Suz34 Comments

The Monday before Christmas I shared my day from hell with you and part of that day from hell was because we had no running water. Luckily it was repaired that day and life went on.

Sadly, around the time Santa made his way to Florida Christmas Eve (four am) we had a real water issue. Something on the system/tank/reverse osmosis, broke and all our nice, clean water was spewing out onto the house and lawn. I’m sure you’re saying to yourself: Of course you had water issues on Christmas.

The Coach told me not to, but I called our water people at 10 am on Christmas morning; they do have an emergency number. Our water guy contacted me and arrived at our house around 2 pm. He repaired the issue and I gave him a newly printed $100 bill for his trouble.

At 3:45, the part he repaired blew out and we were in the same predicament, minus $100. He returned and this time replaced the pump. We were good to go. You never realize how many times you use the faucet or flush the toilet until you can’t.

Photos of happy people who had water flowing whenever they needed before our blow-out:

Lolo and Nathan making rosettes out of the dinner napkins. Lauren’s shirt says: “I cry a lot.” She said it’s a true statement (she does not care for her job) and I said I need that shirt for myself, although I like my current position.

We lugged Orange Home Depot 5 gallon buckets, filled from the pool (that water still wasn’t clean enough to go in) and used those to fill the toilet tanks so you can flush.

Merry Christmas-Shitters full!

Just kidding, our septic tank is working properly. *crossing all my fingers*

Another interesting day of Christmas: I gave Lolo a haircut. In the driveway.

It’s as though I want the neighbors to talk crap about us.

HAPPY WET NEW YEAR

After we celebrated Lindsay’s birthday, The Coach and I drove to GA to ring in the New Year.

I think the sun poked out for about 2 hours in 7 days. We basically left sunshine for rain and fog because we’re ass backwards.

Alas, on Monday we had a ThunderSnow storm in the middle of the night. I’m sure some of you felt it as well. I could not sleep; the wind was howling, things were hitting the deck and the side of the house, I was awake more than I was asleep. Always chipper in the morning, Coach asked me at 7:00 am if I wanted to get up and see the snow and ice before it melted.

ME feeling less than chipper: NO, I didn’t get to sleep until 3:45 am.

At 8 am I could hear chainsaws clearing fallen trees from the road, so I finally get my tired butt get up; the snow/ice is still here with intentions of lingering. It took a lot of finagling to get Callie to leave the comfort of her bed. (was 30* but felt like 19* with the windchill)

Fun fact: 40MPH winds and the Hanging Chad Branch IS still there.

Another FUN fact: last year I learned that a dear friend of mine thought the phrase Windchill Factor was actually Windshield Factor. As in HOW COLD IS THE WINDSHIElD? She’s so pretty.

I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining, because we still had a great Christmas and New Year; we were together and we were all healthy. (one of us, not so much now, but is on the mend) Oh, and I only fell once on this trip to GA! There’s that.

I’m going to focus on counting ALL of my blessings this year and that includes all of YOU.

Signed, Your friend Suz who will try to see the glass (and water reservoir) as always half full! How’s your Windshield Factor?

Happy 2022

XOXO