#2967 looking ahead and art gallery

The good news is that Mac is back to her usual playful self. I really think she ate something on our Wednesday morning walk that was bad for her tummy. Even though I try to watch what they sniff and put in their mouths, I don't see all the things, and I know she was chomping on something Wednesday morning. 

The best things I can say about Friday is that the temperature was not over 90 degrees, and I was in bed by 9 PM and sound asleep by 9:30. I'd put clean sheets and a light blanket on the bed and it felt luxurious. I find that I am usually really tired by 8:30 or 9, but I push myself to stay up a little longer, and then it's midnight before I get to sleep. I woke up around 6:30 Saturday morning feeling refreshed and ready to go. I really need to make an effort to get to bed earlier during the week.

Saturday was pretty mellow. I recorded blooms, paid the bills, and did some laundry. I bought a couple of clothing items to take on the trip next month that I'm certain I will wear often. I did a little writing and went to bed by 10 PM. 

Today I worked the docent shift at RBGA. It was really slow - we only had 13 guests take the complimentary tour, and one driver did all four tours. The other driver hung out and chatted with me, which was nice. The weather this weekend has been incredible with highs in the mid to upper '80s and lows in the 60s. Such pleasant sleeping temperatures! I didn't even have the swamper turned on last night and it was nice and cool anyway. We've got some hot days coming up, but I feel like fall is coming! Another tell-tale sign of fall: anemones have started blooming in the Children's Garden.  I love fall.

I've got a busy week coming up: 

• On Monday, Mac is going to the vet for a checkup and vaccinations. That night, I will do a recycling shift during the My Morning Jacket concert. 
• On Tuesday, T has an appointment with a physical therapist. His quad muscle has healed, but he has pain in his calf muscle and numb toes, plus, he can't stand all the way upright. I figure we'll go to the physical therapist and move on from there.
• On Wednesday, Stella has an appointment at the groomer for a bath and a haircut. That night, I will do a recycling shift during the ZZ Top concert.
• Thursday and Friday are clear. Friday is my 32nd wedding anniversary. It will be the first anniversary MT and I have been in separate states. (He is doing fine, BTW.)
• On Saturday, I'm planning to take my car to the emissions place to renew the registration. I'll also record blooms, then that night, I will go see Chris Stapleton in concert at Mountain America CU Amphitheater (formerly USANA Amphitheater.) I may take a Lyft to the show, but maybe I'll just pack some water, a snack, and my kindle and hang out in the parking lot after the show. It's always a shitshow getting out of the parking lot, so I might as well relax.
• Next Sunday, the 17th, I'm planning to just stay home and rest. I even put up my docent shift, so I won't be going to RBG. I want to clean up the house and seriously prep for my September trip.

It's fun to have things to look forward to, definitely, but I realize it's a lot. Maybe that's why I like fall and winter. More low-key!

Want to see some art I've made in July and early August? If you don't, stop scrolling now! Otherwise, scroll on...

All of these pieces were based on prompts from Jill Badonsky, aka Jill the Artist.

The prompt that inspired this one was self-portrait with butterfly. I took a photo of myself, then drew it without looking down at the page (blind contour.) I added the blue butterfly in the center afterwards and laughed.

What I Would Look Like If There Was a Bug On My Face

The next prompt was a Marc Chagall appreciation. I looked at several Chagall paintings, and I really liked this one:

Marc Chagall (1887-1985) L'Oiseau Bleu, 1952

Here's my take:

Inspired by Chagall's L'Oiseau Bleu (Sandy's Version)

The next prompt was Black Bird. Scrolling through Pinterest, I saw something like this, and I really wanted to try it. I ripped a page out of The Time-Traveler's Wife, glued it into my sketchbook, dabbed some paint on it and drew some birds. 

Birds and Words

The next prompt was pretty interesting. Jill posted a pic of a woman holding a giant pink owl. The instruction was to render it anyway we wanted, but to be quick about it. I did a partial blind contour, meaning I mostly looked at the image, only occasionally checking where I was on the paper. I used a gel pen to draw, then dabbed some water on the sketch in places. I did all of it in about 90 seconds.

Mystery and Wisdom

The prompt for this last sketch was to make up a celebration for the month of August since it doesn't have any holidays. I love to eat outside, so I decided that August could be National Dine Al Fresco Month. The tiny umbrella and chairs are kind of Seussian, maybe.

That's all for today! Have a great week. I'll likely check in here on Thursday with a report of the week's adventures.

#2965 July recap

My mom has a blog and mostly she posts once a month, and it is a recap of stuff she did during that month. I'm going to do something similar, and it is based on what I've been doing in my journal. At the end of the month, I choose five or six photos that are highlights or memorable things  of that month.  Let's see how it goes:

I finally had a picnic lunch at a cut-away in Red Butte Garden. I've been wanting to do it for years, but never made it happen until July 2025. I really enjoyed doing this.

Although MT's hike on the Colorado Trail isn't my adventure, it is a huge part of my month. He is having a great time, and is making good progress. Today (3 Aug) is his 22nd day on the trail, and he's gone 250 miles. He is currently taking a zero mile day in Salida, CO. On Thursday he hiked over 20 miles and his feet were tired and sore. He got into Salida yesterday (Saturday), and decided to rest there today.

My favorite concert this month (and it might be the best one of the summer), was Rhiannon Giddens at Red Butte Garden. She is an exceptional talent: a two-time Grammy winner, a Pulitzer prize winner, and a McArthur grant recipient. She's an amazing musician and has a beautiful voice. I was mesmerized by this show. I hope she comes back to RBG every year.

One of the things I get to do at Red Butte Garden is to record blooms in the Children's Garden. This year I kept thinking how fun it would be to get a little fairy figurine and place her in different spots for photos. I finally decided to actually make it happen in July. I found this sweet little fairy with a book in the gift shop, and I had the best time taking her photo one day while I was recording blooms. I think I have about a dozen photos right now, all in the Children's Garden. She'll probably make her way around to other areas eventually. I really love these photos. It was exactly what I envisioned.

July 24 is Pioneer Day, a state holiday here in Utah. It is the day Brigham Young and the pioneers came through Emigration Pass, looked at the valley, and said, "This is the place." For us non-believers, we have morphed Pioneer Day into Pie and Beer Day. I had a slice of pecan pie from bougie Harmons and a local beer from Salt Flats Brewing Co called Save the Lake pilsner. Delightful.

For the last photo, I had to include a pic of Harley at the vet's office. There hadn't been time to give her a doggie downer, and she was sorta bonkers. The girl has no chill. I thought she had a UTI, and she may have, but the urine sample that was tested last week did not show any bacteria, but there are little crystals in her pee which could be something else, although I can't remember what the vet called it. Dr. Cauthen and I agreed that I'd monitor Harley for more random pee leakage, and if it happens again, we'll do a different test to see what we can see.

Have a good week!

 

#2955 three things: kitchen towels, red lipstick, and slow mornings

 

3 kitchen towels

Tonight I thought I would write about three things keeping my vibes right. 

1. Kitchen towels. I know there’s nothing sexy or fun about kitchen towels, but I like them. I had some kitchen towels that were boring, but I’ve started buying some that make me feel happy. The first time I did that was the towel in the front in the photo above. It comes from Palau Guell in Barcelona. When I got it, I wondered if I would actually use it in the kitchen. Isn’t that silly? What the heck else would I do with it? So, yes, I do use it. I got the towel with the lemon on it in Whittier, CA at a funky little shop Lizzie took me to, and the white towel in the background I bought at bougie Harmons here in town. I also have some cute towels from Trader Joe’s and IKEA, but the three in the photo make me the most happy. 

2. Red lipstick. I’ve always wanted to wear lipstick, but I couldn’t really find a shade that I liked, plus it’s kind of a hassle, isn’t it? It wears off, then you have to reapply it, and it smudges, and rubs off on stuff, but I still like it. A few months ago I was in the airport and I passed a MAC cosmetic store. I walked by, then thought what the heck, and decided to go in. I ended up getting a mini Ruby Woo.  It’s funny because I don’t wear any other makeup, but I totally love the red lip! 

3. Slow mornings. This year I changed my work schedule to start work at 8:30 a.m. and I really like it. I get up around 6:00, get ready, then go outside with the dogs around 7:00 or so. We play in the yard, then I take the big dogs for a walk in the neighborhood. On days when I don’t go to the office, I sit outside to drink a cup of coffee, watching the dogs run around and the birdies at the feeders. Sometimes the hummingbirds come to feed if I’m really still. I would not have thought I would get so much pleasure from this simple and quiet time. 

Flowers for my deck (before planting)

#2954 it's been a busy week

When my alarm went off this morning, I was sure it was Monday. I mean, I was SURE of it. I laid there for a minute, thinking of all the things I didn't do and wondering how the weekend passed by so quickly. I bet it was a good minute or two before my brain finally woke all the way up to realize it was really Sunday. It was so weird, though!

In my defense, I had a busy week. On Monday I had the best pre-work morning I've probably ever had. I was up and moving around early. I played with the dogs, including going for a walk, I had time to sit on the deck and play around in my sketchbook, I had time to read and have coffee and even have a little something to eat - all of that before I logged in on my computer at 8:30 am. It just put me the the BEST mood to start the day.

On Tuesday I got a merit increase at work, which is always nice. I went to Trader Joe's for the first time in awhile. MT came home that night, and I got to talk to Lizzie.

Dutch Bros coffee had a bonus sticker drop on Wednesday, so I got coffee and a sticker before work. That night, MT and I went to see Don Felder, Kevin Cronin, and Styx in concert. The wife of one of my co-workers works at the big amphitheater where these guys were performing, and MT and I were able to get on the friends and family list. We had great seats, and we had a really good time. The albums Paradise Theater (Styx) and High Infidelity (REO Speedwagon/Kevin Cronin) came out in 1981, so my inner 15 year old was in heaven! I'd seen Styx before - in 1981 - but I hadn't seen REO. (I had tickets to the show, but Kevin Cronin broke his leg and the show was cancelled back then). On Wednesday night, Kevin was fine and put on a good show. He played all the songs from High Infidelity start to end. I loved it! I haven't listened to Styx or REO for years, yet every word from every song popped right into my head and right out my mouth. And Don Felder? Well, he was in the Eagles, so he played 35 minutes of Eagles songs, and it was great! So fun!

Thursday I was pretty tired, but I powered through the work day, then went up to Red Butte Garden and Arboretum (RBGA) to volunteer at a concert by St. Paul and the Broken Bones. Yeah, I hadn't heard of them, but I listened to their Essentials on Apple Music to get a feel for the music. I'm happy to report that they were even better live than recorded. The lead singer has a great voice, going into a falsetto that is really effective in their music. There is a horn section, too, and they were jamming. The musical style is sort of bluesy R & B with a hit of funk. It was a good show.

Friday I was straight tuckered out, so I just came home after work. T and I ordered food from Wing Stop and watched game 4 of the NBA Finals. I got to talk to my mom that night, too, which is always makes me happy. 

Yesterday I puttered around the house in the morning doing chores, then went to RBGA to record blooms in the Children's Garden. It was hot. I melted a little. When I got home, I took T to work, then took a nice cool shower before settling down on the couch to finally finish the series The Residence on Netflix. There were only eight episodes but it took me awhile to get through it. I liked it. The detective, Cordelia Cupp, played by Uzo Aduba, was fantastic. 

So now here we are on Sunday evening. I went to RBGA for my regular docent shift. It was hot. I stopped at the grocery store for a couple of things, came home and had lunch, then had to take a little snoozle. I'm doing laundry; I'm working on my new planner for the year, and fixing to do some art, too. I think I might take myself out on the deck and sip a beer while I watch the birdies at the feeders and the dogs frolic. Last weekend I planted some flowers in pots for the deck, and they are all doing well!

Let's see...what's going on next week? On Tuesday, MT and I will go see Drive-by Truckers at RBGA. That was the show I chose for my volunteer benefit. (If you give 100 hours of volunteer time in a season, you get a pair of tickets to a concert). Jill the Artist is having a workshop on Wednesday that I would like to attend. It's on Zoom. Thursday at work we will have Dip Day. On Saturday, we will go to Pocatello to attend my in-law's 50th wedding anniversary soiree, and on Sunday, I am volunteering at a concert in the evening. I gave up my docent spot on Sunday because I'll need to take care of some stuff at home that day since we'll be out on Saturday. Plus, there's work, of course. 

I can't sign off without acknowledging that it is Father's Day. I miss my dad every day. He was a good man and a good dad.

That's all for now. Have a great week! Stay cool! Stay hydrated.

#2950 looking forward to...

May zine cover

 April was the last month of my slow season. From May through October, I'm going to have lots going on, both in my personal life and at work. Work is just work; there is a lot of it, and it is all fine. The personal stuff is fun, so let's talk about what's happening in May.

Today was my first docent shift of the year. I'll be in the Courtyard most Sunday mornings this summer. Today I talked to people from all over the U.S., a cute family from Serbia, and a really nice woman from Brazil. I enjoy talking to people, but it also wears me out (because I am an introvert.) Plus, since I didn't make it up to the garden during the week, I had to record blooms after the docent shift. It was great until it started raining. I got the blooms recorded, though. Besides weekly docent and bloom recording assignments, concerts start this month. I just have one on my schedule, on May 29.

This week, I am attending concert volunteer training where we will once again watch the active shooter video from the police department. I really don't like it, but it is necessary because, well, it's the reality of  the world we are living in. Also this week, MT and I  will close the sale of one of our properties and we will see Jason Isbell in concert at a venue we haven't been to before. 

After that, the next big event is a little trip to La Mirada with T. We've got a couple of fun things planned, including going to a Padres game in San Diego! 

May has special days: Mother's Day, MT's birthday, and Memorial Day which equals a long weekend. I'm getting a haircut this month, and I'd really like to schedule some personal maintenance like a pedicure and eyebrow grooming. 

In addition, there are the things I love to do like reading, painting, sketching, and writing. I continue to learn Spanish, French, and Italian with Duolingo. I am still on the Twin Health plan, so I'm paying attention to what I eat and my physical activities. 

That's all for now. Have a great week!

#2945 ordinary stuff

I haven't left the house today. Well, that's not entirely accurate; I took the dogs for a walk in the neighborhood this morning, but I haven't gotten in my car to go anywhere. I thought I might go to the grocery store, but I decided shopping could wait. Sometimes it is just nice to stay home.

Here's what I have done today: art. This morning and yesterday morning, I sat on the floor in my office with my new big sketchbook and I just doodled. Why was I on the floor? There was a big sun puddle there and it called to me. LOL  It felt good. I sat cross-legged and felt a little stretch in my hips. The dogs were excited that I was on their level. They were very interested in what I was doing, or maybe it was just my delicious cup of coffee they liked the smell of.  The sketches are nothing special, but it was fun to play around without looking at Pinterest. Practice stuff. 

I also took a nap and it was luxurious.

Tonight after I feed the dogs, I am going to change the sheets on my bed. I'm going to take a nice hot shower (it's kind of chilly and windy here today.) I'm going to make some popcorn and watch a movie on the big-ass TV. Then I'm going to take a melatonin and go to bed. (I'll need the melatonin because of the luxurious nap.)

What's going on next week? Well, taxes are due, so I'll get all of that finalized. I have a few things to do for our family business that I can get taken care of on Monday. I will be back to the regular office schedule of Monday and Wednesday at home and the other three days in the office. The remodel is complete, and we have moved into our cubicles. I need to go through all the stuff I brought home from the office and figure out what to take back. There's not much a lot of space, so I'll keep it simple. I think that by Friday I will know my concert assignments for Red Butte Garden this summer. The concert line-up was announced on Tuesday. I am required to work at least six shows; I'm hoping and planning on nine or ten. About three a month is my sweet spot. 

In the wake of this rather ordinary post, I'll leave you with this...

I was daydreaming of Rome earlier in the week. My thoughts often float off to places I have been, and lately it has been Rome I've thought about. I was thinking about the last day Lizzie and I were in Rome wandering around (with a plan!) and seeing so many things. I'd mentioned that I really wanted to go to Capitoline Hill and see the piazza that Michelangelo designed, Piazza del Campidoglio. It is in the area near the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Vittoriano. Lizzie's superb map reading skills got us to the hill and to the square. There are three buildings lining the piazza. There is a pretty view of the city. There's a large statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Lizzie and I didn't go into any of the buildings; we just walked around the piazza and soaked it in. We were there at the end of our afternoon outing, the last major site we wanted to see before going back to the hotel for a little break. I was so happy and thankful that we took the time to go there. Here are a couple of photos:

it was one of the few sunny days we had in Rome

statue of Marcus Aurelius with the Palazzo Senatorio behind it

I don't think I will ever tire of Rome. I can't really imagine going to Italy and not going to Rome. There are still so many things I want to see there. I won't be going back this year, but I will go back.

Have a great week!

#2944 three things: spring edition

3 spring chickens

 As I was walking the dogs this morning, enjoying the cool air and admiring the blooming trees, I thought there was at least three things to like about springtime.

1. No heat, no AC. There are a couple of brief times of year when I don't have to have the heater or the air conditioning on at my house: a few weeks each in the spring and fall. I am so happy to have the windows open to let in the cool air. Last night I had my windows open in my bedroom and I had such a good sleep. It was a little chilly downstairs in the morning, but I have slippers and a sweater. 

2. Flowering trees. In my neighborhood, there are some really pretty pink and white flowering trees. I marvel at them every day as the blooms get bigger and brighter. I've heard there are cherry trees that bloom up at the Capitol building. I might have to drive up there this weekend to see the "show."

3. A "new" wardrobe. Not that I get a bunch of new clothes, but I do put away my sweaters and get out the lighter weight clothes like blouses and skirts. It feels like I have a new wardrobe, but it's just my clothes that I haven't worn for several months. I'll probably make the swap in the next few weeks. 

Happy spring!

#2942 March recap

Since I only bothered to write one time this month, here's a quick recap of what's been going on here.

MT was home from Pocatello nearly every weekend this month. We've decided to sell one of the rental properties here in town, so he was home to paint it and put in new flooring. That property will go on the market tomorrow, so keep your fingers crossed for a quick sale. In Pocatello, one side of the duplex is completely renovated and ready for a renter. MT and his brother are now finishing up the other side of the duplex. It will likely be done by the end of April. MT is a hard worker.

At work, the admin area is being completely remodeled: lights, ceiling tiles, paint, carpet, window coverings, furniture - everything. Up to eight of us work in the office everyday in one of the conference rooms. It's not comfortable, but it's fine. I like to be in the office to see what work is being done for the remodel. I am one of the original inhabitants of the building, and I really didn't think a major remodel like this would happen while I was still there. It was time, though. The place was looking dated and lived-in. All the work on the remodeling project is supposed to be done by 14 April. It's exciting!

We celebrated T's 27th birthday on 19 March. MT came home for the event. The three of us went to dinner at Market Street Grill downtown. It was a very nice meal - I had a Caesar salad with salmon that was delicious. After dinner, we went to see the movie Mickey 17. I confess I fell asleep a couple of times and T had to nudge me because my deep breathing "may" have been mistaken for snoring. I couldn't help it! It was a late movie, and I was tired. How was the movie? Well, it wasn't my cuppa tea, but I was glad to be with my menfolk.

The weather has been mostly nice this month, and I've been glad to get outside for a little vitamin D. I love playing outside with the dogs. Stella chases her frisbee, and the big dogs wrestle and chase each other around. We have a birdfeeder in one of the maple trees, and we get quite a few birds (when we are not outside.) I bet there were a couple dozen birds out there the other night, some on the ground, some on the feeder, some perched on nearby branches seemingly waiting their turn. I wouldn't have thought I'd get as much joy from watching the birds as I do.

What's new with me? Well, I have started a program through work called Twin Health. The goal is to heal my metabolism to lower my A1c level and get healthy. Twin Health provides me with a supply of constant glucose monitors (CGM) that are attached to my upper arm for ten days at a time. I'm on my second monitor. I have seen a change in the glucose levels, even in this short time. They also gave me a scale that can tell a lot about me. I have lost a few pounds since starting. Another tool is a nice blood pressure cuff. I'm glad to say that my BP has been normal. I also have medical and mental support through the program. The single biggest change is in my eating habits. This is basically a Keto diet: high protein, high fiber, high fat, very low carbs. No bread, pasta, rice, potatoes; in other words, my favorite things are no more. It's fine, and I'm fine. I'm not hungry, and I am usually quite satisfied with what I'm eating.  I'll keep you updated on my progress and whether I'm still satisfied in a week or two. 

I don't have much planned for April. MT told me before he went back to Pocatello yesterday that he likely won't be home as often in April because he really wants to get the new duplex finished and rented. To keep myself entertained, I will likely swap out my spring/summer clothes and put those winter sweaters away - yay! I'd like to do a lot more art. I feel like I haven't been giving myself enough time with my Muse. I only did a few of the prompts Jill the Artist gave us this month. Here are two that I did:

"found poetry"

Cranky Banana

The first prompt was to cut words from media and make a poem out of it. I'd seen an artist on IG create a stripe-y background and I thought it looked cool and wanted to try it. I like the way it turned out. This second piece was for the prompt to "personify a banana."  I saw a similar pic on Pinterest and gave it a go. I think it's hilarious. 

Now it is (past) time for me to get ready for bed. I need to change the sheets because it rained a little today and my bed is covered with bits of dirt from 12 dog paws. I usually change the sheets every weekend, anyway. I'm just a little behind tonight. 

I'll "talk" to you next month :)

#2939 what I've been up to

As I look back on this past week, what I think about the most is that I was willing to give myself some grace and recognize that when my body felt like it needed to rest, that's what I did. It seems that I often want to go to bed around 8:30 pm, but then I scoff and tell myself it's too early for bed. On  Monday, I didn't scoff. I went to bed! I had to set an alarm so I could pick T up from work. I was able to get back to sleep pretty quickly when we got home, and I felt good on Tuesday. 

Not every day went like that, of course.

On Wednesday, I went to see Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at Pioneer Theater Company here in SLC. The theater is on the campus of the University of Utah, so I was a bit concerned about the parking situation, but it ended up not being a problem at all. The theater provides free parking in a lot within steps of the venue. Parking was also easy due to the fact that the performance was a dress rehearsal of the play which opened to the public on Friday night. I really liked being in the smaller audience. I had an excellent seat in the fourth row near center stage and the show was great. Carole King's music is so familiar - I remember listening to Tapestry when I was a kid because my mom had the album. It's amazing how many well-known hits Carole King wrote. 

Friday was Valentine's Day. MT came back from Pocatello for the weekend. He and I went out for dinner to our favorite neighborhood pub, Copper Creek. I think it was the first time we've been out for dinner on Valentine's Day in years. Usually we just have a nice dinner at home. We watched a cute, easy movie when we got home - La Dolce Villa on Netflix. 

Yesterday I went to get my hairs cut. It had been about three months since my last visit with Lanna, and the hairs needed some attention. She just trimmed and shaped and snipped some life back into the curls. It feels good.

feeling sassy

MT went back to Pocatello this morning. He witnessed a bad accident right in front of him on the freeway near the Idaho border. A pick-up ran into the back of a semi and the semi dragged the truck along until it came loose. MT actually pulled the driver out of the pick-up with a highway patrol officer standing by. MT said the roads were wet, and it wasn't snowing hard, just flurries, but the pick-up was following the semi too close and there was a wreck up ahead, so when the semi slowed down, the guy in the pick-up did not. MT said the guy in the truck was alive but badly injured. So scary!!

This afternoon, I met my Red Butte Garden friends Wendy and Tracy for lunch at a restaurant in Sugarhouse called The Dodo. Wendy and Tracy each drive a tram and give complimentary tours on Sundays, and I am the docent. I love these two people. They are both kind and good, and I feel fortunate to get to hang out with them. We've met for lunch a couple of times this winter, and both times have been fun.

Since I'd never been to this restaurant before, I did a bit of research. The place is known for their desserts, so I knew I wanted to have some Toll House pie. I got a cup of one of their soups of the day, chipotle chorizo potato, which came with a very delicious roll. 

chipotle chorizo potato soup and a roll

The soup was really good, very flavorful, and just the right portion for me. I don't usually eat a lot of soup. It's not that I don't like it, necessarily, but it just doesn't hit the spot for me. In this case, though, it was perfect choice because holy gumballs, that slice of Toll House pie...

Toll House pie with whipped cream and chocolate chips

This slab of a warm chocolate chip cookie on a flaky, tender pie cruse was so very good! I didn't finish it all, so I brought it home and I've been nibbling on it this evening. The cookie was buttery and tender with a good amount of chocolate chips and walnuts. I'd absolutely have it again, and I don't know that I would share; MT would have to get his own slice. Wendy had the banana cream cheese pie with warm, homemade caramel topping, and she thought it was outstanding. Tracy didn't have dessert; he said he had a big breakfast and he had soup and a sandwich, so he was full. I did offer him a bite of mine, but he didn't take me up on it.

When I got home I decided to watch a movie, so I settled in for Bridget Jones: Mad about the Boy. I'm not ashamed to tell you it made me cry a few times. My dog Mac is a sympathetic creature, and when I cry, she is the dog who comes to comfort me. She snuggled next to me and put her head on my lap. Sweet girl.

Tomorrow is a holiday, President's Day, so I don't have to work. HOORAY! Harley has an appointment at the vet at noon. I will have to give her a doggie downer at breakfast so she won't be as hyper at the appointment. She is the most mellow dog at home, but she sort of goes a little bonkers when we are around people. She gets really excited and it's hard for the vet to examine her. I give her a mild sedative - prescribed by that vet! - and it helps her and all of the humans. 

I work on Tuesday and Wednesday, then Wednesday night I will fly to Long Beach to spend a few days with Mom and Lizzie. I'm looking forward to seeing them!

So there is a recap of the best parts of the week. Now I'll finish up a wee art project and get ready for bed.

xo

#2936 weekend wrap-up

And here it is, Sunday night at 9:30 already. The weekends whoosh by, it seems.  Here's a peek at my days.

I woke up on Friday feeling awful. My stomach was cramping, my head was stuffy, all my joints ached, and I was kind of miserable overall. There has been a bug going around the office that has given folks similar symptoms, so I decided to stay home and try to sleep it off. I slept until about 1:30 in the afternoon, then I laid on the couch wrapped in a blanket for a couple more hours. I drank peppermint tea and ate toast to soothe my tummy and warm myself up. I took T to work, and lucky for me, he got off work early that night. More sleeping ensued.

Saturday morning I slept in until about 10:00, then I had to get up and get moving because I had a volunteer meeting at the Garden at 1:00. Yes, I know it seems like that is plenty of time to get ready, and it is, but I was moving pretty slowly. The day was cold, windy, gray, and there were snow flurries, so it was pretty yucky. The meeting was interesting, then I braved the weather to take a quick stroll around the place. I was dressed warmly enough that my core wasn't cold, but my face was, of course.

brrr

The waterfall was extra interesting. It is frozen, but water is still flowing behind the ice. The pond is frozen, too, except down by the little falls, though the creek on the other side is also frozen over.

Nature is amazing. 

Unsurprisingly, I basically had the Garden to myself. I did see four people out when I started, but that was the only time I saw them. It was cold! I'm thankful for heated seats in my car! After the walk, I ran a few errands, then came home for the rest of the day. I wrapped myself in my favorite snuggly quilt and watched a movie, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. I read the book many years ago and really liked it. The movie was sweet, too. I cried. 

I planned to stay home all day today, but then I realized I didn't have milk. I have to have milk in my coffee. Today the weather was still cold, but the sky was blue and there wasn't any wind and it was a pretty nice day. I took the dogs for their walk and played frisbee with Stella, bought some milk, had a late breakfast, then did my bookkeeping. After that, I swept and swiffered, as I must do each week to keep some kind of dominance over the dirt and dog hair. I potted a couple of plants I've been rooting (I hope they do okay. I'm not very good at potting.) Then I flopped down on the couch and watched football. The outcomes were predictable, and that's okay with me. 

I didn't do any art today :( Maybe I'll scribble a quick doodle to make myself smile. 

Let's see...what's coming up this last week of January? Not much, to be honest. I'm looking forward to creating my zine and wee calendar. MT will be home for the weekend. On Thursday at the office, we are planning to have a big clean-out day as we prepare for remodeling the admin department. I didn't think I'd ever see that happen. It will be office-y cubicles, but it will be shiny and new. I don't know what the time frame is, but we will be ready for it. 

Have a good week!

xo

#2930 queen of detritus

I like to think of myself as an organized person. I think I'm pretty good at staying organized at work. I keep my desk tidy and my filing is in good shape. It's all digital, and I know where to find things. My work desk at home is also tidy. I don't keep a lot of detritus in my work spaces. My personal desk, though, that's another story. 

My personal desk is overflowing with little bits of stuff: stickers, lots and lots of pens (two separate pen holders that are full), loose little photos lying about that I always want to use in something, sketchbooks, paints, paint brushes...I seem to feel the need to have all of these things within reach. Wouldn't it be better, I asked myself today, if there wasn't so much detritus on the desk? Wouldn't it be nicer if all the things had a space to live, then I could pluck them from their space when I'm ready to use them? 

I spent a little time gathering all the bits, finding a home for them and leaving empty space to write, paint, or do the bookkeeping. I took down a framed poster of Angel's Landing trail in Zions Park that I have never liked because it makes me feel anxious, and I replaced it with a beautiful framed poster of the Picasso painting, "El Abrazo."  My goal is to fill my office with art and make the space cozy and pretty. It's a work in progress, but at least there is progress. 

MT left for Pocatello on Friday. The house is so quiet when he's gone. It's not that he is noisy, but he bustles around and talks a lot. LOL Maybe that's why I think it's so quiet! I spent yesterday cleaning up downstairs. T helped me take down the Christmas decorations. I left the snowmen because those are wintery, not necessarily Christmas-y. We also removed the coffee table from the front room. Harley and Mac chewed off the corners years ago, and I covered it with a towel, but it has bugged me, so now it's in the basement until we decide what to do with it. There might be an enterprising DIY furniture fixer-upper who might see it at a thrift store and do something cool to give it another life. For me, I'm glad to have the open space in the front room.

my front room

I don't have much coming up this week. Work has slowed down, as it does in the winter, so that's nice. I might go to a hockey game on Friday, and on Sunday I'll go to an Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy. MT was meant to come with me, but I don't know if he'll make it back. Maybe T will come with me. The temperatures are supposed to be colder next week, but we don't have any snow in the forecast yet. 

Oh yeah...no-spend January is now low-spend January. T and I ordered a pizza yesterday :D 

Have a great week!

xo

#2929 three things: a new rental property, a change of routine, and my Word

 Happy New Year! Let's see how I do at sticking to my twice weekly posting this month. :)

1. A new rental property. MT and I bought a duplex in Pocatello, Idaho. Even though we lived in Pocatello for many years, this is the first home we have purchased there. I haven't seen the property, but I've seen MT's photos and videos and the place is a real fixer upper. MT has his work cut out for him to make these spaces livable. I know he can do it though. He is really good at having a vision and making it happen. He will go to Pocatello tomorrow, and though he will come home every now and again, mostly he will be in Poky working on the house. His goal is to have both units rehabbed and rented by the end of March. It is a very aggressive time frame. Kelly, his brother, will be working with him. Kelly is an excellent carpenter, too. When they have worked together before, MT lays out the plan and gets the supplies while Kelly keeps the work moving along. Here's hoping everything works out.

2. A change of routine. Since MT will be gone, my routine will change, too. I have changed my work hours to 8:30 - 5:30. There are a couple of reasons. First, T works on a twilight shift at FedEx; his hours are usually 6:30 pm - 11:30 pm. Pushing my work start time back to 8:30 gives me a little extra sleep time. I plan to get up around 5:30, get myself ready, take care of the dogs, including having play time, have a bite of breakfast, then get on the road by 8:00. On the two days I work from home, I might sleep in until 6:00 since I won't have a 30 minute commute. 

Today was my first day on the new schedule. I admit, it felt kind of decadent this morning. After I got ready, I took Mac and Harley for a walk, played frisbee with Stella, and had time for toast and a coffee while I read my book for about 15 minutes. I do love a slow start to the day! I wasn't rushing around , and I felt calm and happy. The commute was smooth. The office gets pretty quiet after 4:30, and that was nice, too. I got home around 6pm, changed into my relaxing clothes, made dinner (tacos), and now here I am. Day 1 is good. We'll see how it goes.

3. My Word for the year. For the past...whew, I don't even know how many years now...I've been choosing a Word to be my touchstone, my guide, my compass for the year. Some years I have struggled to find a Word, but not this year. I only had two words on my list of potentials, and the word I chose is the first word I thought about. My Word this year is ACTIVE, supported by Body, Mind, and Spirit. 

Over the past several years, I have become much less physically active, and I can feel it. The lack of movement affects my mood, my health, and yeah, the way my clothes fit. I am keen not to be diabetic, and my blood tests show that I am in the pre-diabetic zone. :(  I am meeting with my doctor at the end of June to do another blood test and see if I have decreased my A1c number. I really don't want to have diabetes or take medicine. So, ACTIVE is the word.

In January, my goal is to get at least 5,000 steps per day and/or close the exercise circle on my Apple watch. Closing the circle means getting at least 30 minutes of heart rate raising exercise. Yesterday I went on a 30 minute walk in the neighborhood. This morning, I walked the dogs, then I took at walk at work, and I finished off my 30 minutes of exercise by dancing in my room for a couple of songs. No, it's not a lot of sweatiness, but I am moving. 

Of course, I will have to watch what I eat and learn to like fruits and veg. It would be good to cut back on sweets and fried foods. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

#2928 three things: Christmas week edition

 

1. A quick trip to La Mirada. Mamacita's birthday was the 17th, and I like to try to spend that day with her, but I was late this year. Since I took the week of Christmas off from work, I went to visit her this past weekend. MT and I left SLC around 1:00 pm on Friday the 20th, spent the night in Mesquite, NV, then drove into the LA area on Saturday, arriving at Mom and Lizzie's house around 2:30 pm. I don't care for that particular drive. The stretch of road from Las Vegas to Barstow is just not scenic. It's the edge of the Mojave Desert, and it's desolate. Plus there's a lot of traffic. Anyway, I was really glad to see my mama and my sister, even though Mama was not her perky self. MT did a few honey-do items around the house, Lizzie, MT and I went on a nice little nature walk, and we had a tasty dinner at Belmont Brewing Co in Long Beach. I wish we could have stayed longer, although I was glad to be there even for a short time.

2. A visit with a friend. We left La Mirada on Monday around noon and drove to Cedar City, UT. The map program says it's about a six hour drive, but it took around eight hours plus an extra hour when you go east. In the morning, on Christmas Eve, we went to see a former co-worker of mine, Nancy, and her husband Tom, that live in the area. Nancy invited us to their home and I was delighted to see her! They are both retired now and living their best life in a super cute and cozy house they built about eight years ago. They have horses and dogs and they both seem so happy. It's pretty unusual for me to seek out people, (hi, I'm an introvert), and I almost didn't do it, but I am glad I did. It was a nice visit.

3.Being at home. We got back to SLC around 2:30 in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. We had to stop at the grocery store so we'd have things to eat on Christmas. That night, we had fettuccine (a tradition I picked up from the movie The Holiday) and fudge. The fudge is a new addition to the Christmas Eve tradition. I read about an Icelandic or Finish tradition of getting a new book and having chocolate on Christmas Eve. I didn't get a new book, but I did read and eat fudge. 

Christmas Day was very mellow. It was just the three of us, and the dogs, of course. We opened gifts in the morning, then I started cooking. We had a pretty simple meal: ham, cheesy potatoes, and salad along with rolls. It was just what we wanted. For dessert, we had brownie sundaes which MT has declared is our dessert of choice and what we shall have from now on for our holiday dessert.  We watched sports, then Hallmark Christmas movies on Netflix, and everything was quite wonderful.

Enjoy the rest of the week!

 

#2923 three things: Thanksgiving weekend edition

 I'll take a small break from writing about Italy to tell you what I've got going on this weekend.

1. Wicked. I got off work at noon yesterday (Wednesday), so I went to the 12:10 showing of Wicked at the movie place close to my house. I read the book about a jillion years ago, and I thought it was weird. I saw the play here in SLC several years ago and wept because it was so good. I was looking forward to seeing the movie, although I'm not a big Ariana Grande fan.

The theater was pretty full. I had empty seats on either side of me, so that was nice. I love that feeling of anticipation when there is a movie everyone is excited to see, and I could feel that excitement in the auditorium as the lights went down. 

I'll just get this out of the way: Ariana Grande was excellent. The woman can sing. She was funny, she looked pretty, and she more than held her own. Cynthia Erivo was phenomenal. That voice, the poise, the fearlessness. She made green look GOOD. 

My eyes leaked and my throat got tight several times. It's a long movie, over two and a half hours, and it is just the first act of the play. I am pumped for part two which will come out sometime in 2025. I actually can't wait to watch part one again when it is streaming. Of course I say that now, but will I actually do it when it becomes available?

2. Swap my clothes. I think I mentioned early in November that I was going to swap out my warm weather clothes of the cold weather clothes. I haven't, but I think tomorrow is the day! It takes a few hours because I Marie-Kondo that business. I take everything out of the drawers and off the hangers and get serious about winnowing. I hope I have it in my\e to winnow severely tomorrow. I may have mentioned that I have A LOT of clothes, and I want to have less. Thoughts and prayers, please.

3. Art time! On Saturday I am planning to be creative. I'll take the time to create the December zine as well as paint the wee calendar. I have a plan for the calendar, but not for the zine quite yet. Still kicking around some ideas. I'll also write in my journal. I think it will be a pretty great day for all of that.

BONUS THING: On Sunday T and I are going to the Jazz game! I got tickets from work. We haven't been for awhile, and I think it will be fun.

Here's hoping you all have a great weekend!

xo

#2917 back and better than ever!

 

painting & having cappuccino in Rapallo
photo by Lizzie

Ciao! I've been back from my vacation for almost a week, and I'm starting to get settled back into my routines. There were just four work days in my week, since Monday turned out to be a bonus vacation day, and with jet lag hanging on tight for three of those work days, and my workload being pretty big, there wasn't much time to tap into the creativity and vibes from vacation. It's to be expected, I suppose. This is real life. Yesterday I devoted myself to getting my finances in order and getting my art space organized a little. Today I have let myself paint, read, rest, and now write. It feels good!

Each time I go on a trip, I think of something I'd like to bring home with me. Not a trinket or a souvenir, but some little habit or saying or practice that worked for me on the trip and that I think I can incorporate into my everyday real life. Some obvious examples are having coffee, a habit I picked up in Costa Rica, and doing art, which I glommed onto in Greece. 

From this trip, I think what I want to incorporate into my real life is choosing my clothing with more care. Maybe I wrote about this last time I posted here, but I was pretty thoughtful about the clothing I took with me. I had very limited space because I choose to use a smaller suitcase, so I wanted to make sure my clothing choices all worked together so I could easily mix and match tops and bottoms. I was certainly no fashion plate, but I felt good about how I presented myself, and I was comfortable. The limited choices actually made it easier to dress myself! 

It is cold here now in SLC, and I had planned to change out my warm weather clothes for the winter clothes. It's sweater weather. ;D It's probably not going to happen since it is 17:00 and there are other things I'd rather do, but when I do it around to it, (likely sooner than later!) I'm going to have a serious talk with myself about what stays and what goes. I always say that, but somehow I still end up with lots and lots of clothes, even when I fill up multiple sacks to take for donation. 

Where I'd like to get is sort of a capsule wardrobe with more limited clothes that I really like, that fit well, and are still in good shape. No stains, holes, or pill-y armpits allowed. Hmm...I'm already a little intimidated at the prospect of it all. Wish me luck and courage! 

In the coming days I'll write about the trip and share some photos of the places we visited. I enjoyed myself everywhere we went. My favorite thing was being able to hang out with my sister for two weeks. She gets me, and it is a pleasure and a blessing to be able to spend that time with her. I always wanted to go on this trip, and I didn't know if Lizzie would choose to go. I think I could have handled the Rapallo part of the trip on my own, maybe, but I am pretty sure I would not have spent the second week seeing Milan, Florence, and Rome by myself. I likely would have gotten lost. I really relied on Lizzie's navigation skills in those cities, and I appreciate her willingness to lead me around more than I can say. 

Until next time...salute!

at a wine window in Florence
ussie by Lizzie

#2912 10 day wrap-up

I mean...I don't know where the time goes! I wrote here on the 14th and today is the 25th . What the heck have I been up to these past 10 days? I have to consult my planner because I haven't even been writing in my journal. I miss it. Anyway, let's catch up, shall we?

MT got home from his trip to Missouri on the 14th. Technically it was on the 15th because it was after midnight. I don't think he moved around very much on the 15th. It's a long drive to come straight through, but that's what they did. The 15th was our 31st wedding anniversary, so it was cool that he got home so we could hang out together. He sent me a sinfully beautiful (and expensive, I found out) bouquet of flowers, delivered to my office. I think he was trying to pick up style points with my coworkers. LOL

On Friday the 16th, we went to RBG to see Fitz and the Tantrums and O.A.R. in concert. I had to work on the clean up crew, so we got to enjoy the whole concert together, then he waited in the truck while I picked up garbage. MT hadn't seen either of those bands before, and he especially liked Fitz and the Tantrums. Both bands are great, and it was a fun show.

Saturday 17 August was a dark and stormy day. MT and I went to Cabela's so I could buy some trail shoes - I had a gift card there. I didn't care for the store, but I really like the shoes! The two of us had a late lunch/early dinner at The Pie in Midvale. Such good pizza!

Sunday 18 August was a big Garden day. I worked the docent shift, came home, had a bite to eat and a quick nap, then went back to RBG to work in the bike valet station for the Beach Boys show. We have had some big storms this month (monsoon season) and that night was no exception. I was under a canopy watching the storm roll across the Wasatch Front, complete with lightning and thunder. It rained hard to go along with the lightning, too. The gate time for the show was pushed back one hour because the authorities don't want people in the venue when there is lightning. Most people just stood there in line under their umbrellas. When the rain ended, the wind kicked up and it was gusty and kind of awful. By the time the Beach Boys came out around 8pm, the weather had calmed down a bit and then it was fine. I didn't stay for the whole show because I was kind of cold and tired. And no, there weren't many bikes being stored with us. 

I didn't have any concert duties this past week, and I spent my evenings puttering around the house, not doing too much. I've been learning Italian, French, and Spanish with the Duolingo app. I've got a 165 day streak going as of today, so I make sure I have time for that practice every night. 

That's really pretty much it for home. Other than that, I'm working and constantly thinking about the upcoming trip to Italy. Only 49 days away now!

I've got a lot coming up this week. it is the last week of the month, so work will be very busy. In addition, I have back-to-back concerts on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both shows are artists I haven't seen before. Tuesday night is Pink Martini, and Wednesday night Lukas Nelson. College football season starts on Thursday; the Utes will play Southern Utah that night. MT is planning to go on a backpacking trip over the long weekend to the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho. There is a fire in the area, so he is being thoughtful about where he will go. I'm looking forward to staying home and watching the first part of Season 4 of Emily in Paris.

Have a great week!

#2911 three things; home alone, sleep, and live music

It's been 10 days since I wrote here, so here are three things that defined last week.

 1. Home alone. MT and his brother Kelly spent the past 10 days in Columbia, Missouri. They went there to freshen up a rental property we have there. They thought the work would take a couple of weeks, but by putting in some long hours, they were able to finish it up quickly. They drove straight through yesterday (Tuesday) and arrived here around 12:30 am. It's a 17.5 hour drive.  I guess they were eager to get home! I'm glad MT is back. I didn't mind his absence the first couple days of the week, but then I was ready for him to come home. It's not that I was lonely, but I like having him around. That's what happens after 30 plus years together, I suppose. (Our 31st wedding anniversary is tomorrow!)

2. Sleep. Since I was home alone, I was on family Lyft duty for taking T to and from work. He only had a couple of shifts at FedEx, so it was fine. On Friday and Saturday, he and Jordyn worked at the Das Energy festival at Salt Air. I was thankful Jordyn worked there, too, so they rode together and I didn't have to deal with the festival traffic. Friday night I was so tired, and it was so quiet that I wound up going to bed by 9pm, and I was asleep with ten minutes. I know that T and Jordyn got home around 2:30 am, but only because the dogs went to greet them and I was joggled by Harley jumping off the bed. I went right back to sleep, and the doggos let me be until nearly 8am. I felt so good on Saturday! I like sleeping. 

3. Musical bookends. On Monday the 5th, I had a volunteer assignment at the Stray Cats concert at RBG. Their songs kind of all sound the same, but it's a good same-ness. That rockabilly style is energetic and fun. They sounded great, and it is amazing what a bunch of joyful noise three dudes can make. The crowd was totally into it, dancing and singing the night away. Here's a pic I took:

On Sunday the 11th, I was back at RBG to see Gary Clark, Jr. I think this was the fifth or sixth time I've seen Gary. I really like his music. I was a guest that night because this was the show I chose for my benefit tix for volunteering over 100 hours last year. I had two tickets, but T didn't want to come with me since he was hanging out with Jordyn, and of course, MT was in Missouri. I didn't mind. I go to shows at RBG all the time by myself. This time I packed a couple of beers and some snacks and felt glad I wouldn't have to get my cleanup gear ready during the encore.

Not a bad way to start and end the week, eh, listening to live music outdoors in the summer? I am so fortunate to have these experiences each year. 

I hope your week is going well. It is already the middle of August, can you believe that? The summer has flashed by. I'm looking forward to the autumn for many reasons, so I'm certainly not complaining!

#2910 let's catch up

Hello!

The last time I wrote was on the 21 July, and I wrote about what happened the previous weekend, 13 and 14 July.  The week from 15 - 21 July was hot and full of work. I did get a fresh, shorter hair cut, and I am happy with it! I don't like to spend much time fussing with my hair and having it short is very easy. I just let the curls do what they want, and it feels good. Here's are before and after pics:

On the evening of 23 July, I hopped on a flight to Long Beach to spend a few days with Mamacita and Lizzie! It was nice to get out of Salt Lake during the 24th of July which is a state holiday known as Pioneer Day. There is a huge parade downtown and cacophonous firework displays all over the valley. I was also glad to take a little break from work. I've been working a lot, as everyone in the office has, and the break just felt really good. My objectives during the visit were to rest, read, write, chat, and make plans for our trip to Italy in October. I feel confident that all objectives were achieved! We also went out to restaurants that were new to me, and each of them was great. One of them, Belmont Brewing Co., is right on the beach in Long Beach, so I got to hear and see the ocean. I didn't dip my toes, and I'm okay with that. Even hearing the waves and feeling that breeze soothes my soul. I was happy to be there.

I got home on Sunday night. MT went backpacking over the weekend and had returned home earlier that day, so he was eager to talk about his hiking adventures. He is enjoying semi-retirement, and is hiking and walking a lot more now that he is cutting back his work hours. He seems happy, and I'm happy for him.

This past week, I was supposed to volunteer at the Pat Benatar concert, but she cancelled. You know, she is 71 years old. Voices age. Guitarists seem to get better with age, but vocalists struggle, I think. The air here is so dry and smoky, too, that I totally don't blame Pat for calling it off. It didn't hurt my feelings at all, although I would have liked to hear her.  I only worked on one concert in July - Lyle Lovett. I was also okay with having limited concert time because it was bloody hot. Have I mentioned that? In fact, it was so hot before the Lyle Lovett show, that I saw a couple of people pass out waiting in line. Thankfully, medics were onsite, and the people were helped quickly. 

Basically, last week felt like work-sleep-eat. The first of the month is always kind of like that. July seemed manageable, though. Maybe I'm getting the hang of my new assignment?

For the next couple of weeks, T and I are on our own as MT has gone to Missouri to work on the rental property we have there. His brother Kelly went with him. Individually, both MT and Kelly are formidable contractors; together, they are freaking awesome. They worked together on one of the properties here in town, and it was beautiful when they finished. They push each other. I'm glad that Kelly went with MT. It is a long drive, and it will be good for MT to have his brother with him. 

What's ahead this week? Well, I have two concerts at RBG. I'll be volunteering at the Stray Cats show on Monday, and on Sunday, I have tickets to see one of my favorites, Gary Clark Jr. MT was supposed to go with me, but he's not here. I will ask T if he wants to come, but he probably won't. Fun fact - I'll be volunteering at five shows in August: Stray Cats, OAR with Fitz and the Tantrums (my prediction for favorite show of the summer), Beach Boys (!!), Pink Martini, and Lukas Nelson. In addition, I have my regular gigs of bloom recording and courtyard docent every week. It's a lot, but I love it. 

Last but not least, here is the art I made for August:

the wee calendar

Overall, I like it.. The pen I used to draw it is what Jill the Artist call a "bleeding pen" in that when it's hit with water, the ink smears and darkens the paint. I knew it would happen, but it came out a bit darker than I wanted. I might try it again in my sketchbook with a different pen and different colors. If I do, I'll post a pic.

August zine

Saw it on Pinterest, thought I could do it. I think it's cute. 

Notice a theme in the August art? I'm nuts about the little birdies that feed in my backyard!  Maybe a fountain and a birdhouse will be my next yard additions?

Gotta go feed the doggos. Have a great week! Stay cool!

#2909 Park City weekend

Last weekend (July 13 and 14), I was in Park City for our inaugural Park City weekend. I actually don't know if it will be a yearly thing, but it could be. Park City is only about 30 minutes from our house, but it feels like a different world. Why? It's in the mountains, so the air is cooler, usually by at least 10 degrees in the summer, the air is clearer, and it's touristic. Main Street is pretty charming. Regular people live in Park City, but it's kinda bougie up there. 

We got up there around 11pm on Friday night. Marty's brother Kevin and his wife Janet joined us. We rented a two bedroom, two bath condo from Moose Management, a local vacation rental company. (Marty has done work for the owners of the company.) The condo was in the Snyderville area which is just off the I-80 freeway and about 10 minutes or so from Park City proper. We were very close to the outlet malls and could easily see the Olympic ski jump venue. 

The condo was nice enough: a ground floor unit with a little patio where we stored our bicycles. There was also a grill on the patio. The condos had tennis courts and a swimming pool, neither of which we used. The bed was quite comfortable, and I liked the place just fine except it felt kind of cave-ish. Apartments, amIright?

On Saturday we all slept in a little, then headed over to the Redstone complex to get breakfast and to pick up some groceries. After that, we went back to the condo and had what I called a chat and chill session, which was nice. In the afternoon, we went to the outlet mall for some retail therapy. I bought a couple of things at Eddie Bauer, some shoes at the Skechers store, and a pair of linen pants at Old Navy that I pretty much want to wear every day.

That night, we went to Deer Valley to see Jason Isbell in concert. He was fantastic, as usual. I'd never been to the Deer Valley Amphitheater, and it is nice. You bring in your chairs and your food. You have to buy alcoholic drinks there, which is a bummer. We sat near the top of the venue, so we couldn't see the band at all, but there were two big screens, so that was nice. The scenery was nice.

a bit overcast on Saturday night

Janet, Kevin, me, and MT

On Sunday, I woke up not feeling great. My allergies were in high gear, and I was sneezing and coughing a lot. My eyes were itchy and watery. The other three people went for a bike ride, but I chose to stay at the condo where I spent time painting, writing, and reading. I do like to ride my bike, but I just had no energy that day. They had fun, though.

In the afternoon we went into Park City and had lunch at The Spur, then walked around a little so Janet could get some souvenirs. You better believe I found a cute sticker!

In the evening, we went back to Deer Valley, this time to see Ziggy Marley. That was a fun show! He isn't much of a talker, but he played and sang for a couple hours. Most folks stood up and danced through the whole show. The day was much more clear and warm. I had a couple of glasses of crappy wine, but the music was great. Mother Nature treated us to a pretty sunset.

we are adorable

Thank you, Mother Nature!

We spent Sunday night at the condo, then MT and I got up early to head down the mountain back to the valley so we could go to work. I was lucky to be working from home that day, and I logged on by 8am. The dogs were happy to see us! (And maybe T, too?) 

I'm glad we got to spend the weekend with Kevin and Janet. I'm always happy to get away with MT when we can. Good times!