#2956 the swamp cooler

Harley and Mac relaxing on the deck

Stella doesn't relax

Note: the pics of the dogs have nothing to do with this story except that we were outside because it was so freaking hot in the house. Read on:

On Tuesday, our AC stopped giving us cold air. It was running, but not cooling. On Wednesday I called an HVAC company and got an appointment for the technician to come out on Monday, which is ironic considering the name of the company is Same Day Heating and Air. 

With temperatures forecast in the 90s over the weekend, I was concerned that my house would be oven-like. We got through those first few nights, but I knew the weekend was going to be rough and unpleasant. I tried to romanticize the situation by telling myself it would be like being in Europe in the summer, but I was dreading it.  Imagine my delight when I walked in the house Friday after work to find the air pleasantly cool. It's pretty great having a real life handyman living with you. Let me tell you why my husband is awesome. We had a swamp cooler in storage from one of our properties that didn't want the unit, so MT installed it at our house in our kitchen window.

Let's be clear: nothing about the situation is ideal. The swamp cooler - I call it The Monster - is big and loud and not beautiful. It takes up half of the kitchen window and is a big lurking thing from the outside. It sprays out little white flecks of hard water deposits. The spigot it is connected to outside has to always be on. On the other hand,  The Monster puts out a generous amount of cold air that travels all the way up the stairs. The AC has never cooled off the upstairs - where the bedrooms are - but The Monster doesn't seem to have a problem with doing it. We leave it running on medium, and I have woken up cold with Harley pressed up tight against me in the morning. It's been glorious! I haven't slept so well in a long time. I like to sleep on the cool/cold side. 

The repair guy is coming to work on the AC tomorrow. I think it just needs a Freon fix, although they will try to sell us a new unit. We think we might keep The Monster in the window to supplement the AC, though, because we have all enjoyed the cold sleeping temperature. 

More to come on this, and I will try to get back to my regular writing schedule here in July.  

Can you believe it is going to be July the day after tomorrow?!

Have a good week. Stay cool!

#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.

#2953 I should have taken that bet

The other night I was at the recycling station at Red Butte Garden during the Trampled by Turtles concert. It was near the end of the show and we were prepping the exits with recycle containers and garbage cans to make it easy for the guests. One thing we do is take the lids off the containers for aluminum cans and plastic bottles. It works well except that the garbage and recycle containers look similar.

One of the guests, a man, came to throw away and can and commented that there were no lids. I told him I was the human lid, and I was there to help him get his can into the right bin. He told me I was more than just a lid, so I said thanks. He asked if I knew what he meant, and I said no. He said I probably wasn't old enough to know what a lid was. 

Me: Well, I'm probably old enough, I just don't know the reference.. In fact, I'm probably older than you.

Him: No you're not. I'll bet you $100 that I'm older than you.

Me: Hmmm

Him: What are you? 42? 43?

Me: Wow thanks. No; I'll be 59 next week. 

Him: Damn! You have me by two years! I'll be 57 in a month.

Me: Dang! I should have taken that bet!

Then he went on to explain that a "lid" is an old reference to a unit of pot sold in a baggie. (MT explained it to me in more detail tonight.)

I guess I'm grateful that some dude thinks I'm more than a lid and that I look young(er) than I am. 

Happy birthday to me tomorrow :)

#2952 a whole lot of Garden time

 

Those first five months slipped by pretty quickly, didn't they? Here we are in June already! These last four days in particular have been full.

My concert season at Red Butte Garden started on Thursday the 29th. I worked at the recycle station for the Trampled by Turtles concert. They are an RBG staple, a bluegrass band that puts on a good show. It was the first time I'd seen/heard them, and I thought it was fun. It was a long day for me, though, because I worked in the office and went straight to the venue from work, so I didn't get home until late. 

Friday morning I was in slow motion, but got my groove back in the afternoon. After work that night  I went to RBG to record blooms in the Children's Garden. It always amazes me how the garden changes week to week. Last time I recorded blooms, on the 23rd, it took me about 90 minutes or so to go all through the CG. This Friday, it took well over two hours to record all the blooms. I enjoy going there in the evenings. The light is so pretty, it's a bit cooler, and there are fewer people, too. 

Guess where I went on Saturday? Yep, back up to the Garden! My sister-in-law Janet was in town to pick up her bestie Tracy from the who came to visit from Austin, TX. Those two have been friends since first grade. I think that's remarkable and awesome. They wanted to go to RBG, and I was happy to show them around. We covered every inch of the cultivated garden that we could. It was a hot day, too, with temps in the upper 80s/low 90s. It was fun to experience the Garden through the eyes of people who had never been there. They each took so many photos! We spent a good couple of hours walking around, then we went to Hog Wallow Pub to have a drink and a snack before they headed to Pocatello.

Saturday night MT, T, and I went to 'Bout Time Pub to watch Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. The game was close while we were there, but the Indiana Pacers wound up clobbering the New York Knicks to wrap up the series and advance to the Finals where they will play the Oklahoma City Thunder. I don't have a lot of passion for either team; what I do like is that these two teams are not the same old teams that are always in the Finals. I think that's good for the sport.

Today is Sunday, so of course I was back up at the Garden this morning for my regular docent shift. It was so hot today! It was already in the upper 70s at 9:30 this morning, and in the low 90s when I left at 1:00. The air was dry and still  There weren't many guests there today, either, so it felt kind of slow. A fun thing I'll mention is that the Garden is closed tomorrow and Tuesday because Antiques Roadshow will be filming an episode at Red Butte Garden! The concert crews were already working on getting areas set up all around the Garden. RBG volunteers won't be used but PBS Utah volunteers will be working, and my friend Liz is one of those volunteers. She said she is excited to be part of it. 

When I got home I took a shower to cool off, made some tacos, and I've been sitting here at my desk messing around with the bookkeeping, my planner, and doing a little art. In May I didn't make much art, I'm sorry to say. This month I will be more intentional about taking the time to be creative.

This morning I was listening to something and one of the messages was that there isn't really any balance in the day-to-day activities as much as there is balancing. Every day is a bit different, and balancing what needs to be done with what I'd like to get done is what is at issue. I feel like in May the balance was way more to the what-needs-to-be-done side with a healthy dose of straight-up time wasting (I played a lot of games on my phone.) I need to keep in mind the question, "Is what I'm doing right now an example of how I want to spend my time?"  It's just that playing games on my beloved iPhone is so mind-numbing and easy, and sometimes I need that, too.

Looking forward to this first week of June, I've got some stuff coming up. I've got a dentist appointment on Wednesday. Thursday is my birthday. I'll likely record blooms on Friday. Saturday I'd like to stay home and relax because Sunday I have a double shift at the Garden. That morning I will docent, then that evening I will do cleanup at a concert. The artist is Ryan Bingham. He is the singing cowboy on the show Yellowstone.

Here's hoping you have a week of fun and successful balancing. I will leave you with this pic I took at the Garden this morning. The pots in the Courtyard have been changed since last week and now we have succulents. It will be fun to see how they grow during the summer.

#2951 three things: California edition

 T and I spent a long weekend in southern California with Mama and Lizzie. It was a nice getaway for me before the crush of summer, and I was so happy that T was there, too. Here are three takeaways from the visit.

1. The views from Griffith Observatory are phenomenal. Even though the day was kind of hazy, I was delighted to be up in the Hollywood hills overlooking the valley. The Hollywood sign proudly stood her ground in the hills, and the skyscrapers of Los Angeles shimmered through the haze in the distance. The weather was warm, but not hot, and a breeze kept us feeling happy and fresh. It's very cool and pretty amazing that you can enter the Observatory and look around at the exhibits free of charge. In the evenings, you can even look through the telescope at no cost. You do have to pay to park, and if you want to see a show in one of the theaters, you have to pay for that, too. Otherwise, it is free to roam around the building and the grounds, and it is very beautiful. 

We asked a passing fellow if he would take our photo, and he was kind enough to do it. I absolutely love how they came out because we all are smiling and looking happy.

The HOLLYWOOD sign is on the hill behind us!

2. It was great to be back at the ballpark.  On Sunday afternoon, Lizzie drove T and I to San Diego and the three of us went to the Padres/Mariners game. I love Petco Park. It's nestled downtown with the Coronado Bridge on one side and the skyscrapers on the other.. It was a gorgeous day; we had great seats, and even though the Padres lost on that afternoon, I was still extremely happy to be there with my sister and my son. I indulged in one too many adult beverages and got a little silly, but it was all good fun.

3. The baristas at Lizzie's Starbucks are the bomb! Lizzie and I like coffee, and we regularly go to the Starbucks on Rosecrans and La Mirada. Lizzie has been going there for years has a nice rapport with the baristas. When I am there, they always greet me with a friendly, "Hi Lizzie's sister!" or even by name. I'm blown away by their friendliness. There is another coffee shop Lizzie goes to, usually on Sunday morning, and the barista there is wonderful, too. I really like that level of nice-ness. 

BONUS THING! Although I don't have any photos of the baristas, I will leave with this pic Lizzie took when we went for a walk on Monday morning. There are so many trails of different levels in the hills near Mom and Lizzie's house. Lizzie is an avid hiker, but I prefer what I like to call a nature walk - nothing too strenuous, but off the road and sidewalks. Lizzie took me on two such trails over the weekend, and I totally loved it. I loved the smell of pine and eucalyptus, the blooming wildflowers, and the bougainvillea that was everywhere. Monday we walked to a man-made lake where people were fishing, ducks were swimming, and turtles were sunning themselves on the little rocks. It was just lovely, and once again, I was super happy to be there. Here's the pic Lizzie took with the lake behind us.

 

#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!