#3080 three things: TBR prep, wrap, and pull

 

A little while ago I wrote that I'd bought several new books when Lizzie and Mom were visiting, and I think I talked about wrapping the books in the To Be Read (TBR) pile. I finally did it! Here's how it went:

the books

1. Prep. I have ten books in my physical TBR pile. I bought six of them when Mom and Lizzie were here. The other four I've had for awhile and just haven't gotten around to reading them. Rest assured - there are many more books in my house that I haven't read. I just pulled out the old four to read first. You can also see my supplies for wrapping.

that's a wrap!

2. All wrapped up. While I was watching Game 4 of the World Series, I wrapped each book, then gave each of them a number. I only know for certain what book number five is - the Leigh Bardugo book - because it's bigger than all the others. The rest of them, I have no idea which is which. I brought all the books upstairs to my sanctuary and carefully placed them on a shelf. Then I wrote the numbers one through ten on little bits of paper, and I included two extra bits that say "Go to the library" just for fun. 

choice number one

3. The pull and reveal. I closed my eyes and plunged my hand into the container holding the numbers and pulled out number 8. Let's see what it is!

here it is!

I will be reading Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. I have read several books by this author, and I like them. I enjoy these historical fiction stories about Chinese women. I have had this book for a looooooooong time. I bought it at Borders to give you an idea of how long it has been on my bookshelf. So many books, so little time. 

You might be asking yourself, "Sandy, why did you go to all the trouble of wrapping, etc?" I'll tell you why: I have a case of analysis paralysis when it comes to my books. What am I in the mood for? Should I read the one I've had the longest, or the most recent purchase? By wrapping each book and giving it a number, I commit to reading the book whose number I pulled, and that's just how it is. Plus it's fun and it's not hurting anyone, and it makes me feel excited and full of anticipation. So there you have it.

Happy reading!

xo

#3078 three things: July, August, and September

 

Since I was writing about The Trip for so long, I didn't talk about what I did this summer. Here are the highlights.

1. July. The month was a scorcher. That's what I remember the most about it: that I was hot all the time. There was also a lot of live music in my life; I volunteered at six concerts at Red Butte Garden, and attended one show* as a patron. Just for funsies, here is a list of the artists I saw:

• Wynton Marsalis
• Wood Brothers/JJ Grey and Mofro
• KALEO
• Gin Blossoms/Blues Traveller
• Maren Morris
• Alabama Shakes*
• Melissa Etheridge/Wynonna Judd

The other big thing in July was a trip to La Mirada to start a road trip to Dixon. It was time to bury the ashes of my aunt and uncle, so Lizzie and I drove to Dixon and met up with our cousins Rick and David. We had a nice, small memorial service with family and a few friends, and it felt like good closure, and that Mary and Dewey are where they need to rest in peace.

MT hiked the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, Canada. He was gone a couple of weeks. 

2. August. This month was stormy. I volunteered at three concerts and saw one as a patron*.

• Fitz and the Tantrums*
• Andy Grammer
• Interpol
• Ray LaMontagne

I went on another road trip in August. MT and I drove to Mammoth Lakes, CA to meet up with Lizzie, then we went to the start of the John Muir Trail so MT could hike. Lizzie and I drove back to La Mirada where I stayed for a week with Mama and Lizzie. 

When I was home, I watched a lot of TV. T and I watched some Game of Thrones, Ted Lasso, and all of Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston, 5 Star Weekend, and Widows Bay. Since it was hot or rainy, it was nice to veg out on the couch and watch TV with my son and the dogs.

3. September. I only had one concert to work this month, Brandon Flowers. Other than that, I spent a lot of time finishing up my travel journal for The Trip. I drank a lot of coffee, apparently: I noted 11 times when I went out for coffee this month. I took Harley to a new vet who seems to have the diagnosis right. Marty got back safe and sound from his JMT hike. Mama and Lizzie came to visit at the end of the month and we kept ourselves entertained with sight-seeing around SLC and in Park City. 

In addition to the concerts, I also had my regular volunteer shifts as a docent on Sunday mornings and bloom recording every week, plus I had a shift at the Intermountain Hoop Dance Competition. It was a busy summer.

xo

#3076 three things: skin canc*r, live music, and snow

It's been a week. Let's get into it.

1. Skin canc*r. I have been a pale-skinned redhead for most of my life. Currently, I am a pale-skinned strawberry blond as the red fades. I have always enjoyed getting a tan, and haven't always taken care of my skin in the proper manner. (I mean, I am Gen X and we did love to slather baby oil on ourselves to bake in the sun.) In the past few months, I have noticed a few (seven) spots that I felt should be looked at by a dermatologist. I have already had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my body, so I am familiar with what It looks like. I called to get an appointment with a new dermatologist on Monday, and she had a cancellation so I was able to see her Tuesday morning. She checked my seven spots, and decided three of them needed a biopsy. She also did a full body scan and found two other spots to biopsy. On my left arm had two spots, the top of my head was another, and there was a spot on each of my legs, just above the ankles. She also froze a couple of spots on my face, one on my right arm, and four on my right hand. When the lidocaine wore off, I was hurting, especially the top of my head. All the five spots bled a lot, too. 

The results came back really quickly, within 24 hours of the exam. Two of the spots, one on my left arm and one on my left leg, are basal cell carcinomas. Those areas will be treated with a topical cream that I will apply for a maximum of six weeks or until the "expected outcome of oozy, red, crusty skin is achieved." Sounds attractive, doesn't it? The other three spots will be frozen and monitored during my appointments. 

Bummer, but I'm glad to know and get treated.

2. Live music. MT and I went to see Gary Clark Jr. last night at the Eccles Theater downtown. We bought the tickets back in June while we were on The Trip. I'd forgotten that we got really good seats. We were in the fourth row in the orchestra pit. I could have thrown a stuffed animal and hit Gary in the chest, we were so close. I think this is the fifth time we have seen him in concert, and he is just so, so good. I love his voice, and his guitar playing is incredible. He's got a great look, too. Last night he was wearing a dark pink three piece suit, a white button down shirt, and a rakishly-tilted fedora. He has a cool look and vibe, to me. We enjoyed the hell out of the show. 

3. Snow. We've had rain here in SLC for the past three days. Today was nice, though. The skies cleared up enough that I could plainly see snow on the Wasatch Mountains to the east and high up on the Oquirrh Mountains to the west. I think by the end of the day, the snow on the Oquirrhs had melted, but there's a lot of snow on the Wasatch. MT likes to go hiking up there, but the trails he likes are now snow-covered. The snow line is quite high; there isn't any snow in the foothills or the valley. I don't think we'll be getting any valley snow in the next ten days. Rain is fine, but I'm not quite ready for snow in my yard. Still, the first snow of the season, even in the mountains, is worth noting.

BONUS THING: hawks and squirrels. This morning when I was walking the dogs in the neighborhood, we spotted a squirrel in the pecan tree that is two streets up from my house. Mac loves to see the squirrels. She turns into stone and cannot be moved. Harley could mostly care less about the squirrels. 

So the squirrel is hiding a pecan in the ground at the base of the tree when a bird swoops down on it. The squirrel jumped onto the tree and quickly climbed up the trunk. The bird settled on the roof of a car in the driveway next to the tree. I hadn't seen that happen before, so we walked a little closer until we were standing in the middle of the road at the end of the driveway of the pecan tree property. It was close enough to see that the bird on the car was a hawk of some kind, maybe a Cooper's hawk? The squirrel shimmied right up the tree into the leafiest branches and the hawk just sat there on the car. Suddenly, another hawk flew over and the two of them left together. I'm pretty sure that squirrel wet himself, but he was safe, at least for now. 

I have seen hawks a couple of times in the neighborhood, but never that close and not trying to catch a squirrel. Nature, man. It's awesome.

#3074 three things: Harley, my book haul, and Midway

my October wee calendar

Hello hello! I feel like I have been neglecting the seven of you, so I am eager to get back to a regular posting schedule on Thursday and Sunday. We'll see how it goes. I kinda want to write a recap of July, August, and September, but tonight I already have three things I want to tell you about, so let's go!

Harley before the enzymes

1. Harley. My sweet lab has been having medical issues. In January of 2025, she weighted around 82 lbs, and in September 2026, she weighed 52 lbs and was losing her hair. I took her to the vet we've taken all our dogs to since we moved to this house about 24 years ago, but the practice has changed hands and I don't think we have been getting the quality of care we used to get there. When I couldn't get a satisfactory explanation, I decided to see a different vet. I'm so glad I did! The new vet, Dr. B, has many, many years of experience and he practically diagnosed Harley just by looking at her, then confirmed his diagnosis with blood tests. Harley's pancreas is not working properly; it isn't absorbing all the nutrients in her food. He recommended giving her pancreatic digestive enzymes and told me about a website where I could purchase the product that he has been recommending for 30 years. Harley has been taking the enzymes since 28 September, and I'm happy to tell you that she is doing very well. The hair has already grown back on her feet and the tops of her ears. Soft little hairs are growing on her ribcage, and other areas where the skin was peeking through are filling in, too. Above all, she is so perky and a little feisty, more like the dog we adopted five years ago. She is running after the other dogs in the yard, she is wrestling with Mac again, and there is a mischievous sparkle in her eye that has been missing for awhile. I'll take her back to see Dr. B at the end of November to see if she has gained any weight. I think she has gained some because her ribs and spine are not as evident. I am glad I got a second opinion, and probably a new vet for the other two doggos, too.

book haul

 2. Book haul! Mom and Lizzie came to visit at the end of September and we visited many independent bookshops. I bought five books from the six shops we visited (I didn't buy anything at Sam Weller, but I bought two from Folklore.) I'm usually way too cheap to buy books, but I got caught up in the spirit of supporting local businesses. Plus, three of the shops we visited are woman-owned, so that was a bonus!  A quick run down of what and where:

• Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen from Dolly's Bookstore in Park City
• And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison from Lovebound Library in SLC
• Ramon and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson AND Dead Beat by Leigh Bardugo from Folklore Bookshop in Midway
• This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page from The King's English Bookshop in SLC

There are a couple of other books in the pile that I bought before Mom and Lizzie came: The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman and The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon. Not pictured is Our Strange Duet by Erin A. Craig because I was reading it. I got all of those at The King's English, too.

Also, the menfolk and I went to Barnes and Noble on Sunday, and I got a book there, too: The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff. 

I always have trouble deciding what to read next, so my plan is to wrap each book in my TBR pile in pretty paper, like a little gift, give each of them a number after they are wrapped, then have someone pick a number for me when I'm ready to read the next book. I'll be wrapping soon, and I'll show you when it's done. I know it's silly, but it's fun, too. I did choose to start reading The Witches of Cambridge because spooky season.

3 Midway, Utah! Oh my everloving hell, how is it I haven't been to Midway in all the years I have lived in Utah? I have passed by it a time or two, but I haven't gone into the town before. I have been depriving myself of the cutest Hallmark movie town. I'm in love with it. Every little shop we went in was great, especially The Dainty Pear and the aforementioned Folklore. These two shops are dreamy. If you are a woman who is into the fantasy of having a little shop, like a bookstore or a fancy gift shop with a French cafe attached, these two places will enthrall you. 

Oh yeah, and it's beautiful up there in Midway, too. The town is tucked back in the foothills near Soldier Hollow. The day we were there, the fall foliage was near or at peak and the mountains were bursting with red, yellow, and orange leaves. The temperature was in the mid-70s, and it was fantastic. I am already looking forward to going back there. The Dainty Pear is having a Christmas market in mid-November and I am planning to go! 

I sort of think the day-trip to Midway was the best thing Mom, Lizzie, and I did while they were here, even though every day was pretty great. Sounds like I already have my Sunday post topic!

xo

 

#3063 three things: two trips to CA and five concerts in seven days

 

It's been a busy summer, and the past four weeks or so has seemed extra busy, but in (mostly) good ways. Let's discuss.

1. July trip to CA. On 22 July, I flew to Long Beach and spent a couple of days with Mom and Lizzie. The primary purpose of the trip was to go to Dixon to bury the ashes of my aunt and uncle. Lizzie and I drove up to northern California on the 25th. It's about a seven hour drive, and we were motivated to get there before Frosty's Drive-In closed, and we made it! Unfortunately, it was so hot that the aged fryer hood had shut down, so we were only able to get a milkshake, but that orange creamsicle shake was fabulous. That night we went to our other favorite Dixon places: The Pip wine bar, and Dawson's. The next day we drove out to see The House. Honestly, we were kind of stalker-y, and the new owner came out to find out what the hell we were doing. We told her our story, and she was super nice. She even invited us in to see the renovations they'd done, but they had guests, so we declined the offer. (But I really wanted to see it!) That afternoon we hung out at the pool at the motel, and that night, we had a family dinner at Dawson's. My cousins had arrived, so it was nice to get together. Monday morning was the burial.  A few other family members came, cousins of my aunt and uncle who live in the area, and a couple of Mary's former co-workers. We told some stories about Mary and Dewey, then the ashes were buried in the plot of their mother. It was low-key and exactly what I had in mind. After that, I had a meeting at the bank there in Dixon where I finally was able to close out Mary's account and get a cashier's check for the balance, then Lizzie and I drove home. I stayed another couple of days, then came home on the 29th.

2. Five concerts in seven days. All of these concerts were at Red Butte Garden. I attended two concerts as a patron, and volunteered at the other three. The first show was Alabama Shakes, which I'd bought tickets for. That show was on the evening of the 29th, so I got off the plane, came home, then MT and I went to the concert. A storm came in and delayed the gates until 9:00 pm. We sheltered in place in the parking garage during the thunder, lightning, and rain delay. Once the storm passed, the weather was pleasant. Lots of folks had bailed on the show, so it was a pretty light crowd. I enjoyed it.

The next night I worked the exit recycling shift for the Melissa Etheridge/Wynonna Judd concert. It was my first exit recycling experience, and I would think twice before I accept that gig again. It is a short shift and it's not awesome. The music was good. 

The next show was Fitz and the Tantrums. Those were the tix I received for my service hours last year, so MT came with me. We like this band. They are fun and upbeat, and we had a good time.

The next night I was on the donor terrace for Walk Off the Earth and Andy Grammer. Donor terrace is a sweet gig because it's a good four-hour shift and you get to see the whole show from a pretty decent location, and the job is easy. There is no garbage involved. I'd like to pick up more of those shifts next year, if I can. And the concert? It may be my favorite show of the year. Both bands were so good! Great energy and vibes.

The very next night I was back to do a full recycling shift for Interpol. The opener was a band called Youth Lagoon. I have never heard of either of these bands, and I wasn't particularly interested in their music. Interpol did have an enthusiastic following, and I like to see that. 

I just have two more concerts on my schedule. If I can pick up another one, I'd be glad to do that, but if not, I'm happy with what I've got. With the last two, I will have worked at 11 shows, which was my goal for this season. 

3. Another trip to CA. The second trip to California was also a two-fer. The first part of the trip was about dropping MT off in the eastern Sierra Mountains so he could hike the John Muir Trail (JMT) northbound to Yosemite Valley. Lizzie met us in Mammoth Lakes, CA, where MT parked his truck. (He will take a shuttle from Yosemite Valley to Mammoth when his hike is complete.) We dropped MT off at the Cottonwood Pass trailhead on 8/8, then Lizzie and I drove back to La Mirada. I stayed with Mom and Lizzie for a week. It was a good week for me. I finished three books, did a lot of scribbling in my diary/journal, did a bit of art, and got to hang out with my people. Can't complain about any of that!

Now I am home and I don't have plans to go anywhere else for awhile. MT should be home sometime in early September. His permit for the JMT is for one month. The hike is 250 miles. Last year's Colorado Trail hike was 500 miles and it took him about 40 days, so maybe he can finish the JMT in under 30 days? He's averaging over 10 miles a day so far; he's probably hiked around 85 - 90 miles in the first nine days. He is having a grand time. Hiking the JMT is a dream come true for him, so that's awesome. 

So that's what I've been doing. Now that I'm back and settled, I will resume The Trip narrative. I'm looking forward to looking back at it :) I'll plan to write every other day about my travels, so I hope you'll check back when you can!

I will leave you with this photo of MT at Forester Pass.

#3048 3 things: currently I am...

3 wonky chickens

 

1. Currently I am going to be getting ready for bed. I woke up early this morning, around 6:30. No alarm, no fuss from the dogs. My body was just ready to be awake. I've had a pretty busy day, and now I feel tired. I really just wanted to take a minute to write something here.

2. Currently I am considering if I should take the bigger sketchbook I bought on The Trip to use as my travel journal, or if I should get a smaller size of the same type. Or maybe I should just get a mixed media sketchbook. I am guilty of analysis paralysis and chronic overthinking.

3. Currently I am eating...well, I'm not eating anything at the moment, unless you consider crunching on ice eating. I am drinking a Diet Coke with a splash of lemonade in it. Yes, I know it's 10:00 PM. I don't usually have trouble sleeping even after I have caffeine. I just had a hankering for a soda and I was at the c-store buying a bag of ice, so it wasn't like I went to the store specifically for a soda, but when I was there, I really wanted it.

That was fun! 

xoxo

#3046 three things: dog edition

Stella, Harley, and Mac

Time to check in with Stella, Harley, and Mac in this week's three things: dog edition.

1. Stella. On Sunday I took Stella to the emergency vet as I wrote in the last post. She was there from 11:30 AM to 6:30 PM. She had to be sedated so the vet could remove foxtails from her feet and clean her ears as both of them were infected. It wasn't a foxtail infection, just dirty ears that went really bad. The next day, Monday, Stella went to the groomer. She was just there for two hours and she looks really cute. Yesterday, Tuesday, she was still feeling a little low. She didn't want to be outside and didn't play with her toys at all. This morning she was a little more perky and frisky, although she would just catch the frisbee twice and then come inside. Right now, she isn't feeling well and is curled in a tight little ball on the couch next to T, who I think might actually be her favorite human. She is shivering a little and panting. She has eaten, but she wouldn't take her pain medication tonight. I'll see how she is doing tomorrow. If she's still acting like she is right now, we'll go back to the vet.

2. Harley had a vet appointment last week for some shots, which she didn't get. I think I wrote all this already. Harley is actually doing well. This might jinx it for me, but she hasn't woken me up in the middle of the night for nearly a week to go outside and she hasn't had any accidents in the house, either. Mostly, she needs a bath. Maybe I'll give her one this weekend. (Did I say that last week, too?)

3. Mac is doing very well. She loves to sit outside in the morning sun and watch the traffic go by. In the afternoon, she finds a shady spot and keeps watch. Mac is very intrigued by squirrels and turns to stone when she spots one in the neighborhood when we are out for our morning walk. When I say she turns to stone, I mean the dog cannot be moved. It's like she is frozen in place, only moving her eyes when the squirrel moves. When I put my hand on her to try to snap her out of her squirrel trance, she doesn't even acknowledge me. We have stood in place for many minutes watching the squirrel watch us. Harley could care less about the squirrel and just looks at me as if wondering why we are not walking. I guess it is a good thing that we don't see squirrels every day in the neighborhood. They might see us, but as long as Mac doesn't see them, we are fine. 

Enjoy the rest of the week!

#3044 three things: currently I am...

I'm trying something a little different with three things this week. I found a cool list on Pinterest called "Currently I'm" and there are 29 things on the list. I haphazardly chose three, so let's see how it goes.

1. Currently I'm smelling the pine and eucalyptus lotion I just put on my hands. Lizzie gave me the lotion for Christmas a couple of years ago after I told her how much I love those two scents together. It reminds me of a wonderful afternoon I spent on Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay. I hope I never forget the smell of the air there: the soil, the evergreens, the eucalyptus, and the salt air combined in such a fresh, wonderful fragrance. This lotion isn't exactly like the scent of Angel Island, but it'll do. Plus it makes my dry hands feel wonderfully moisturized.

2. Currently I'm trying to wrap up my aunt's estate. I've learned that having a will and a trust is not enough. There are affidavits to be signed, beneficiaries need to have been named, and sometimes attorneys need to be involved. I have been waiting for a document from the attorney who prepared the will and the trust to send me an affidavit so I can close out the bank account in Dixon. I've left him messages and emails, but haven't heard back. I will keep trying. You have to be persistent to get what you want!

3. Currently I'm hoping for the discipline to finish up my 2025 travel journal before I begin my next vacation. I'm almost done with the 2025 travel journal, but I have a few pages to go. I am actually on the last day of the trip when we went to the Van Gogh Museum. I have so many photos and postcards and stuff from the museum that I want to do a two-page spread on it. I'm excited to do it, but time seems to get away from me. How did I get anything fun done when I was working full time?

~~~~~~

Well...that was pretty fun! Quick and easy. If you're interested, here is the list from Pinterest.

Enjoy the rest of the week!

#3041 three things: technology, tax day, and insurance

3 things

Today was a big day of adulting.

 1. Technology. Today MT and I signed mortgage papers on the new rental property in Pocatello. We bought the property using a hard money loan, which is a high interest loan for a short amount of time. The hard money loan term was six months, and the balloon payment with principle and interest was due on May 15, so we were happy to get that loan paid with plenty of time to spare. Since the property is in Idaho and we didn't really want to drive to Pocatello for an hour's worth of meeting time with the title company, we were able to do a virtual signing with a notary. We got all the closing documents yesterday and had plenty of time to review them. This morning, we logged into the mortgage company's secure signing site, uploaded our identification, and requested a notary. In less than 30 seconds, Kyle from Minnesota came on the screen and walked us through all the signing, just as if he was sitting right at our table with us. It actually took longer for me to figure out how to connect with the notary than it took for the notary to come online with us. Immediately after signing, we were able to download the entire signed loan file, and had confirmation from the title company, our mortgage broker, and the new mortgage holder that everything was done. Pretty cool. 

2. Tax day. Today is the last day for Americans to send their federal and state income taxes. We had a very large tax bill this year due to the fact that we sold a house and were unable to find a property to invest in to avoid the taxes on the sale of the house. (The government has a short window for re-investing.) Fortunately, we'd set aside money for the taxes, but it was still pretty stressful to write a check that big.  Ugh. Painful.

3. Insurance. When I broke my wrist in January, I had to have out-patient surgery to repair it. Unfortunately, the expensive insurance I have did not cover out-patient, so I had to get a very expensive supplemental policy to offset the cost of the surgery. The weird part is that I was never billed for the supplemental policy - until yesterday, when the insurance company hit me with three months of the premiums, nearly $2,500. Gulp. Good thing I had money in the account because I was unprepared for the situation. (My bad; I knew it had to be coming.)

I called the insurance company this morning to cancel the supplemental. The woman I spoke to said she only saw one claim on it in January and did I want or need those two additional months? I said no, so she said she would submit a refund request for me for the February and March premiums, and if it was approved, I'd be getting a check in about three weeks. Wouldn't that be great?! She also confirmed that she'd cancelled the supplemental policy, so I won't be getting any more charges for that.  I'm bummed at myself for not being more on top of this situation, like setting the premium aside and calling to cancel the policy earlier, so if the refund works out, I'll be breathing a big sigh of relief. 

It's been a day! I think I'll drink a glass of water, relax my mind by drawing a quick doodle, and go to bed.

Enjoy the rest of the week!

#3039 three things: trips and a movie

my three dancing squirrels

Hi! It's been awhile since I've written here. I was visiting Mama and Lizzie for a couple of the writing days, then I was busy adulting and time just slipped by. I'm ready to get back to it, though, so here are three random things.

1. The trip to CA. As I mentioned above, I went to southern California to visit Mama and Lizzie for six nights at the end of March. T came with me, and we had a nice time! Lizzie and I went for walks in the mornings and then to get coffee. The four of us went on a couple of adventures: to Sunset Beach to dip our toes in the ocean and have some lunch, and to the Fullerton Arboretum to look at trees and flowers. It was, once again, a good combination of chilling at home and doing stuff. The weather was really nice, and I think it was a perfect amount of time to be there. We weren't there long enough to be too annoying, but not long enough to be tired of each other. Does that make sense?

2. Easter in Pocatello. On Easter Sunday, MT, T, and I drove to Pocatello to spend Easter with MT's side of the family. I remember some of my childhood Easters when we had to look for eggs inside the house because it was raining or snowing. Not a problem this year, though. The weather in Poky was excellent on Sunday. Linda had tables set out on her back deck so all 19 of us could sit outside. She smoked a pork butt, and we had pulled pork sandwiches and every type of salad. Three of the great-grandkids were there, all under five, (I think) and it was cute to watch them look for the Easter eggs. We came back to SLC late in the afternoon because we had our tax appointment on Monday morning. It's a long way to go for a meal, but it was nice to see the family. 

3. The Drama. No, no family drama; The Drama is a movie starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya. T is a Robert Pattinson fan, and who doesn't like Zendaya? T and I went to see the film this afternoon. I had no idea what it was about, but I like hanging out with my son, so why not? The movie starts out cute and sweet: Charlie (RP) and Emma (Z) are going to be married and Charlie is writing his wedding speech with the help of his best friend Mike. Through the speech writing, we learn how Charlie and Emma met and fell in love. Wedding plans are moving along until the night Charlie and Emma go with Mike and his wife Rachel (who is Emma's matron of honor) to dinner to choose the wedding dinner items. Over drinks, the question, "What is the worst thing you've ever done?" is asked, and each of them has to respond. Turns out, Emma had a doozy, and the relationships were put to the test after the revelation. The last half of the movie is uncomfortable to watch, to say the least. No spoilers from me, but damn.   

Enjoy the rest of the week!

#3036 three things: Harley, a short walk, and Harry Styles

 1. Harley health follow up. I took Harley back to the urgent care vet this morning for a follow up on her appointment last month. Last month she had terrible runny poop, she looked emaciated and uncared for, and her leg was hurting. She had bloodwork, xrays, and got a bunch of medicine out of it (and it was quite expensive.) I'm glad to say that she is feeling much better. She hasn't gained any weight; she's still around 53 lbs and the vet wants her to put on about five more lbs. To do that, I'm going to add puppy food to her regular food because puppy food has more nutrients and fat to help puppies grow. (This is the recommendation from the vet.) Harley had a great time at the vet today. She really loves to go for rides and have new people pet her. She was such a good girl that I got her a pup cup from Starbucks afterward. Now she is sleeping off the doggie downer I have to give her before a vet visit. She is mellow at home but a totally bonkers Lab at the vet.

2. We went for a walk! Since I broke my wrist, I haven't taken the dogs for walks. I did walk Mac a week ago with MT because Mac is a bit easier to walk. She is content to amble along and smell all the smells whereas Harley just likes to walk and pull. Because Harley had some doggie downer on board, I decided to walk them around the block. I held the leashes with my left hand and they were very good girls. I had no problems or worries. My wrist is getting stronger, and I am whittling down the time I have the brace on my arm. I'm still sleeping with it on, but during the day, I have it off for longer periods of time. The wrist doesn't really hurt. It is stiff and doesn't have full mobility, but it's coming along. I can lift and carry stuff that I haven't been able to manage for awhile. I have a follow up with the surgeon on Tuesday, so I'll let you know what he says about my recovery and next steps.

3. All Harry all the time. Maybe you know that Harry Styles released a new album Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.  I like the music. On Monday night I watched the album release concert on Netflix, and it was enjoyable. He performed all the songs on the new record top to bottom, then he did a few of his older songs. The first single from the new record, Aperture, is an ear worm. I wake up singing it. If you have five minutes, I highly recommend watching this clip of Harry's performance of Aperture at the BRIT Awards. It looks and sounds amazing, IMO. 

Enjoy the rest of the week!

xo

PS I just noticed there is no mention of Stella in this post. She is absolutely fine and is a happy, noisy terrier. She still loves to catch a frisbee and run around the yard. She is the definition of play hard, rest hard.

#3031 three things: DNF

1. DNF. These three letters stand for Did Not Finish in the world of book lists. I love lists, as you may know, and I keep track of three lists on Goodreads: Currently Reading, Read, and Want to Read. If I have a pile of books, physical or electronic, I call that my TBR, the To Be Read pile/list. I just saw that Goodreads is going to add a DNF list soon, and I think that's cool because sometimes a book seems interesting and readable, but when you get to it, it just doesn't tickle your fancy. That's when it has to go on the DNF list. I used to tell myself that I needed to give a book 100 pages before I gave it a DNF. Now, I'm a little more picky and give a book 41 pages (100 minus my age.) Life is short and there are too many books out there to waste on a book that doesn't grab me in 41 pages. I have had two DNFs in the past couple of weeks.

2. DNF The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. I have seen this book several "best" lists, so when it came up on Amazon for less than $5, I decided to get it on my kindle. I really like stories about people from India, and the premise sounding promising. Unfortunately, I didn't care for the writing or the characters I met. I gave it 52 pages, but there was no way I wanted to wade through the 600 plus pages of this book, so to DNF it went.

3. DNF Murder in the Mystery Suite. This book is a cozy mystery that I had on audio from the library. I enjoy a cozy mystery now and then, and I thought this would be a fun one to listen to while I'm cleaning the house or driving around. However, I really didn't care for the reader's intonations and the weird accents she gave to some of the characters. Maybe I'd like it better if I actually read it in book form? I was going to listen to it anyway, but then a book I'd had on hold became available and I was more interested in that one, so the cozy mystery went to DNF.

Do you ever DNF a book? How many pages do you usually give yourself before you give it up?
 

#3029 three things: healing, Harley, and glasses

1. Splint off, brace on. Yesterday morning I had a follow up appointment with the wrist surgeon, well, his PA, anyway. Fun fact: the PA, Ally, is the same person T saw after is back surgery. She recognized me LOL. I was so glad to get that splint off! I do have quite a big scar on my wrist; it is three inches long, straight, and is healing well. The stitches were removed and I had an x-ray to make sure everything inside was right, and it all looks good. Now I am wearing a brace. I do get to take it off when I shower and when I am at rest, like watching the Olympics. Other than that, I have it on. The wrist feels fragile, though Ally tells me that's mostly a mental thing, although I am restricted from picking up anything larger than one pound for another four weeks. The skin on my hand and arm is extremely dry, so I have been applying moisturizer regularly. There is also quite a bit of bruising. I put a thin layer of Vaseline on the scar to keep it from drying up and getting icky. I will meet with Dr. Holt or Ally in about five weeks for a final follow up appointment. When the brace is off, I am doing gentle stretches of the wrist forward and back. I also gently swivel the wrist. No quick movements because that hurts like hell. Overall, I am very happy to have the splint off. 

2. Harley to the vet. In January or February 2025 I took Harley the Lab to the vet because she was overweight and losing hair and she just wasn't healthy. She had hypothyroidism and was put on medication.  She started to lose weight and was doing great, but she kept losing weight, and now she is so skinny I can see all her ribs and her spine. Over the weekend she started vomiting and having diarrhea, plus she hurt her left front leg, probably coming down the stairs or jumping off the bed. Today she has been somewhat lethargic and had the saddest puppy dog eyes ever. I called our regular vet, but they couldn't get her in today or for a couple of weeks, so they recommended another vet, not an emergency vet, but more like an urgent care. I called that office and got an appointment for 2:30 this afternoon. 

Poor Harley couldn't jump up into the car, so I had to scoop her up with my forearms to get her in the car. (The wrist was not involved.) The tech at the vet came and scooped her out of the car when we got to their office. Harley then proceeded to have the walking poops, runny version, in the exam room, so the tech moved us to a different room. Harley squirted in there two or three times, too, but I was able to clean those up. 

The vet got an x-ray of the leg (it's fine) and some blood work. She is still hypothyroid, but she only weighs about 50 lbs - she should be 55 - 60. The vet recommended some medicine for the diarrhea, a pro-biotic to get her gut right, and an anti-inflammatory for the leg. She also told me to feed Harley a little more food every day and to mix and egg in with one of her meals. We will go back to the vet in four weeks to see how she's doing. I'd love to see her put on a couple of pounds in that time. 

3. Wearing my glasses. Since the day after I broke the wrist, I have been wearing my glasses. Usually I wear contacts, but there was no way I could get contacts in or out with the cast or the splint. In fact, taking out my contacts the day of the break was tricky because I had to do it with just my left hand.  Now that I have the brace and can take it off, I might try to put in my contacts tomorrow. What I wanted to say, though, is that I'm glad I got new glasses in late December. When I got the new glasses, I opted in for the transition lenses that turn dark in the sunlight. I'm glad I did because my eyes are so sensitive to light, I wouldn't have even been able to drive with my old glasses because of the sun glare. It's been a long time since I wore glasses every day, but I'm sure glad I have a good pair now. 

EXTRA: I haven't written in my journal since the accident because I couldn't really grip a pen very well. Same with drawing and painting. I did one painting and it was not very pleasing. I was planning to journal today, but the Harley thing came up, so that will wait until tomorrow, but I'm really excited to write in my book again. 

Be safe!

xo

#3024 three things: coffee three ways

 

I wonder how I made this fun collage. Maybe using Canva? I don't know, and I know it's more than three photos, but I like it, so I figured I'd use it today because I want to talk about coffee.

I started going to Starbucks, or at least I became a Starbucks rewards member, in 2011. A chai latte was the gateway drink, then I cautiously moved to mochas and lattes with coffee. The drinks were quite sweet, so I don't think I noticed the coffee all that much.

When Lizzie and I went to Costa Rica in 2021, that's when I really started liking coffee for coffee's sake. Currently there are three ways to make coffee at my house.

1. Drip coffee. This is the American standard way of making coffee through a drip system. You put ground up coffee beans in a filter, water in the tank, press the button, and within five to seven minutes, you get a pot of coffee. I like this type of coffee because you have so many choices about what kind of beans you want to use, for example the roast, whole beans you grind yourself or already ground beans, and lots of different flavors and brands. I really like a Utah roaster, Cafe Ibis. I currently have a holiday blend that is quite tasty. My biggest drawback with the drip is that the smallest quantity setting on my machine is eight cups, and that is a lot of coffee. I'm usually good for a cup or two, and I dislike pouring the rest of the pot down the sink. It feels like such a waste! I'm considering getting a much smaller coffee maker like the one my sister has. I think it only makes two or three cups.

2. Pods. My coffee maker is a Keurig Duo, which means it has both the drip and the K-cup option. I don't use Keurig brand coffee because most any type of pod will work. I like the Green Mountain pods, especially the morning blend which is a light roast. It's a mellow coffee. It's great for when I'm in a hurry, which isn't often anymore, but it's still a quick fix.

Keurig Duo coffee maker

3. Moka pot. I remember that my abuelita had a moka pot that she used to make her morning cafe. I decided to buy one a couple of years ago when I was ready to expand my coffee making options. How the moka pot works is a bit of a mystery to me, but it's fun, and it makes a strong-ass cup of coffee, no matter what type of grounds are used. Currently, I am using espresso I bought at Trader Joe's. One little cup is satisfying, and since the moka pot just makes one cup, it works nicely. Moka pots are cute, and using it to make a coffee feels like a special little ritual.

My Duo is about four years old now and it is acting a little weird. When I make a pot, water drains from the pod side which isn't a problem since I keep a cup there anyway. I already mentioned what I don't like about the pot (it's big.) The pod side is also being weird. I have three sizes of cups available, 8, 10, or 12. Lately, when I push the 8, which is my usual choice, it drains water, then starts brewing, but brews way more than 8 ounces. It used to stop itself at 8 ounces, but now it gives me at least 10 even when I only want 8. I had a mess on my counter top the first time that happened! Now I am considering replacing the Duo with a smaller pot option and a single Keurig. I don't know, though. I'm on a fixed income now (heehee) so I'll probably just keep what I've got until it gives up the coffee ghost, so to speak.

First world problems, eh?

Enjoy the rest of the week!

xo

#3022 three things: 80 lbs of birdseed, grocery shopping on Tuesday morning, and going out for coffee

1. 80 pounds of birdseed. You know how much I love to feed the birdies in my yard. I have a cute little birdfeeder, just one, and it gives me a lot of pleasure to watch the birdies come to the feeder. I love it when the ones on the feeder kick out some seeds for their friends who are waiting on the ground. Sometimes there will be a dozen or so birds in the yard pecking at the seeds. Of course that only happens when the dogs are inside, but we (the dogs and I) watch from the big window into the yard. I usually buy about 10 lbs of seeds every month from Smiths. 

When the menfolk began going through the new property in Pocatello, MT texted me to let me know not to buy any more birdseed. He said they'd found some seed at the house and they would bring it next time they came home. It turns out that when I went to Pocatello for Thanksgiving, I just picked up the seed myself. 

That is two 40 lb bags of birdseed. It's still in the back of my car. I don't even know how I'm going to store this much seed. We have lots of five pound buckets out in the garage, but I don't want to have several open buckets of seeds because I worry that mice will come in to feast, and I am not interested in that option. I'll probably just have to find a container with a secure lid, or else buy one, and I need to do this soon. I'm out of the seed I'd last bought at the grocery store, and the birdies are hungry. They chirp at me from the trees and the power lines. I'll keep you updated on this important issue.

2. Grocery shopping on Tuesday morning. Speaking of the grocery store, yesterday (Tuesday) I went  shopping at my local supermarket, and can I just tell you how pleasant it was? There weren't many people to navigate around, and certainly no little kids. I didn't have to wait in a line for an actual checker, in fact, she was waiting for me to put my groceries on the conveyor. Shopping still isn't that fun (unless I'm at Trader Joe's) but being able to go on a weekday morning is pretty dang nice.

3. Out for coffee. One of the things I wanted to do in my retirement is to go to different coffee places in the valley. I have a small list of places that have popped up on my social media feed, and I'm looking forward to getting to all of them. Yesterday was my first outing. I stayed close to home and went to Azucar,

It is a Mexican coffee place not from from my house. I enjoyed a Mexican mocha and a chunk of pecan bread. The bread wasn't too sweet or crumbly. It was perfect for scooping up the rich foam of the yummy coffee. The dash of cinnamon made everything taste great. I saw a lot of avocado toast being served, so maybe I'd have that next time.  The cafe was quite busy with folks chatting over coffee, studying, and reading, like me. This West Valley location isn't really cozy. It's in sort of a strip mall and it's kind of cave-like. The front is a big window, so during the morning there is decent light. The last time I was here it was later in the afternoon and it was dark in the cafe. I know that Azucar has opened another shop closer to downtown, so I'll have to check that place out, too.

I hope you are having a great week!

xo

#3014 three things I will miss about work

OMG, it's here. Tomorrow is my last day at work. I will be on vacation until Dec. 25, and that's my last day on the payroll, but I won't be doing any more work for Granite after tomorrow. (If I'm being honest, I doubt I'll do any work tomorrow, either, teehee.)  Last Wednesday I told you three things I would NOT miss about work, and in the spirit of fairness and reality, here are three things I WILL miss, in no particular order.

1. A paycheck and having my health insurance covered by the Company. I will be getting "paid" through my 401(K) and eventually through Social Security (I hope), but it will be different than the checks I was getting for actually doing the job. After shopping for open market health insurance, I had a renewed sense of gratitude for the health insurance coverage provided by the Granite. Health insurance is expensive, for reals. We are going to be okay financially, but I will miss having a paycheck show up in my bank account every other week, and it will be slightly painful to watch the health insurance payment go out of my bank account every month.

2. Dip Days and December traditions. We all like food and fun things. At work, we would have little celebrations we call "Dip Day." Everyone brings their favorite dip or appetizer, maybe small bites or desserts, and we put it all out for everyone to graze on throughout the day. It is a fun way to mingle away from our desks and have some tasty snacks. I've always had a love/hate relationship with Dip Day. I love it in the morning, and sort of hate myself in the afternoon. The food is always so good. 

Our department also has many fun December traditions. We do Secret Santa. We decorate the office. We order buckets of cheese and snack on cheese and crackers all month. The whole company has an employee appreciation luncheon which is a catered buffet to which all employees are invited. We have a Pie Day, where we bring in pizza from the legendary Salt Lake pizza place, The Pie. The admin department has a Christmas breakfast, usually at a local country club, that is always fun and festive. 

I will miss these events and others that made work special.

3. People. Really, the people I work with in the admin department will be the thing I miss most about this job. I was lucky enough to be on the hiring team that brought many of the folks in the department on board, and selfishly, I tried to make sure we hired people I wanted to hang out with eight to ten hours a day. You spend a lot of time at work, so having cool coworkers is important. I have and have had cool coworkers my whole career at Granite and at the newspaper in Pocatello, too. Heck, my BFF LA was a friend I made at the paper! 

The people in the admin department are hard-working, dedicated, fun-loving, intelligent, and hilarious. It has been my pleasure to see some of them fall in love and get married, start their families. I've seen others go through terrible health crises and come out stronger, sassier, and full of life. I've seen some of them become grandparents and I've seen others find their second chance at love. I've seen them become leaders and experts in their jobs. I've seen them take on new challenges and thrive, redefining what that role looked like. I've seen them learn new ways of doing their work, and roll with the punches that come from working in corporate America. 

Through it all, each person remains kind, loyal, and loving toward each other. You're having a hard day? Someone will give you a hug (if you allow it.) You need a ride to work? Someone will help you out. You need something brought to your house? Someone will bring it to you. It's the little kindnesses that are freely given that makes the Utah office really special. 

I feel fortunate to have had a nice career at Granite. There have been some shitty times, without a doubt, but I feel like I can say that most of my nearly 30 years there (29 years and eight months, to be precise) have been a pleasure. I've learned a lot. I did the best I could, and at the end of my career, I can say I think the Company got its money's worth out of me.

#3012 three things I won't miss about work

My last work day is getting closer and closer. Here are three things I will not miss about my work.

1. Month end close. I work in the administrative department of a big publicly traded construction company. My month-end closing window is two days. The first business day is spent getting as all the billings completed and processing as much accounts payable as possible. The second business day is making a list of anything that did not get entered into the accounting system so we have an accurate record of what we earned and what we owe. In the summer, these two days are intense and long. It's a little less stressful in the cold months, but there is pressure to account for everything. I won't miss this process at all. 

2. Long days. When the weather is cold and the crews aren't working as much, the days are long because there isn't much to do administratively so time does not fly. When the weather is hot, everyone is working from the minute we walk in the door until usually past when it's time to go home. It's the nature of the construction beast. I won't miss those early mornings and getting home late. 

3. Commuting. I'm not talking about walking 20 steps from my bedroom to my home office, of course. I'm talking about that 30 minute commute. It doesn't seem to matter anymore what time of day you are on the road; it's always busy. If there's rain or snow, the commute is always longer. In the winter I drive home in the dark, and I don't really like it, irrespective of the weather. I won't miss the drive to and from the office.

Six work days to go...

#3001 pdin 20 - three things I'm retiring to

The question I have heard more than any other in the past month or so is this, "So what are your big plans for when you are retired?" I always say that I have a lot of hobbies and I don't think I'll be bored, but it's a legitimate question. I don't think the plans necessarily have to be big, but I do think it's good to have plans. I've always said that I am a person who likes to have something to look forward to, and that's not changing. So, in that spirit, here are three things I am looking forward to doing in my retirement, in no particular order.

1. Decluttering the house. This project may not ever end because there will always be things, but right now I have way more things than I need or want. I don't know if I'll focus on one room or flit about the house as I see something that bothers me. Every room needs some decluttering work, so like I said, this project may be endless!

2. Taking care of my health. I am looking forward to prioritizing movement. I do walk the dogs in the morning, and I would like to lengthen the time we spend walking. Or maybe I'll continue with 20 minutes for them, then 20 minutes by myself. The dogs are fun, but it's nice to walk without them tugging on me all the time, too. I'm also interested in doing a bit of strength training, just some light dumbbell work to try to tone my arms and legs. Another thing is more time on my bike because I didn't ride my bike at all this year, and I missed doing that. 

3. Dedicated time for art. Does that sound pretentious and weird? The thing is that when I spend a good hour so so painting or drawing, the time flies by and I feel content while I'm doing the project and with the end result. I enjoy the process. I want to make sure I take the time for it every day because it makes me feel happy.

These three things are a starting point of things I would like to spend time doing every day. Maybe they are not big plans, but it's something. 
 

#2987 pdin 6 - three things: the fam

 1. MT's surgery. Yesterday my husband had an outpatient surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his left knee. The procedure was done in about 30 minutes, and he was in recovery for another 30 minutes or so. We got to the surgical center at 7 AM, and we were home by 10 AM. Yesterday he felt good. The knee was still numb and he was pretty pleased that he hadn't taken any pain relievers. He did spend the day resting, so that was good. Today he felt good until the numbness wore off. Now he is taking some ibuprofen,  but he still feels good, much better than before the surgery. The knee has been bothering him since January, and he just pushed through the pain. I'm glad he got it fixed. 

2. T is doing much better. In August my son had surgery to remove a herniated disc from his back. He started doing physical therapy at the beginning of September. He has been working on getting stronger in his core and legs to be able to stand upright again. The hernia was pressing on a nerve in his leg and it was less painful for him to be bent in half to walk. Slowly but surely, he is getting more upright, and I am so relieved about it. Here's a pic of him today:

handsome!

3. I am feeling happy! I took a selfie with the most beautiful tree in my neighborhood.

I love fall

This pic doesn't even do this tree justice. The colors are so vibrant and varied: red, orange, yellow and even a bit of green. It is so pretty!

I'm happy for another reason, too: I am going to retire at the end of the year! I feel so fortunate to be able to stop working when I am still (fairly) young. MT is semi-retired - that is, he isn't working for anyone else, and just focusing on our rental property empire LOL. I don't know exactly what I'll do, but I have lots of hobbies that will keep me entertained. I also want to learn stuff, and the University of Utah has a learning program for retirees. I'll be looking into that option. I don't want to earn a degree or write papers and take exams. I just want to learn for the sake of learning. I'd love to learn more about art history, philosophy, and maybe even literature. These are classes I was too busy to take during my undergrad years. I have big plans to de-clutter the house and to turn my office into my Sandy cave. I really do have lots of ideas. 

Oh my gosh...I'm truly so excited about not working. It's been challenging to get up early and go to work when MT is still in bed reading and lounging until he's good and ready to get up and moving around. I felt a little jealous. There are some things that I will miss about work, but there is a whole bunch of things I won't miss like the work itself, commuting, meetings, early mornings, and long days, to name a few. I'm a little nervous about it, too, but mostly I'm excited.

Whew! That's all for today. Talk to you here tomorrow!

#2969 three things: a week later, coming home, and the end of my concert season

THREE THINGS

1. One week later. T had surgery on the herniated disc a week ago yesterday, so today marks one week since he has been home. He is doing a good job managing the pain, and I see him moving around better every day and doing the little exercises the doctor told him to do at home. He'll start outpatient physical therapy after the follow-up appointment with the surgeon. That appointment is scheduled for Sept. 4. Tonight we will take the bandage off his back. I feel a morbid curiosity about it. 

2. MT is coming home. Yesterday, Aug 20, 39 days from when he started walking from Denver, MT reached Durango, CO. He said he is happy he did it and happy to be done with it, too, and that he is looking forward to coming home. He has been away from home so much this year that I kind of worry about him being bored and unhappy. I think he'll be fine for a month or so, and then? Hopefully he will be content. I am looking forward to his being home. I haven't minded his not being here except for the past week or so. That whole business with T was stressful and maybe it would have been nice to have MT around for moral support. However, MT was on the trail and I took care of stuff as best I could, so that's that. I am really happy for MT and proud of him for completing the hike. 483 miles walked in 39 days is no small thing. Good for him!

3. My RBG concert season is over. Last week I was scheduled to work a concert on Wednesday, the day of T's surgery, so obviously I let the volunteer office know I wouldn't be able to work. I had the last show on my schedule this coming Monday, the 25th, but I backed out of that one, too. I wasn't sure when MT was going to be home, and I don't like to leave T alone for too long. It all works out because MT will be home on Saturday or maybe Sunday, and I'll be glad to stay home Monday night to hang out with him and hear some new stories and look at his photos. I worked 10 shows this year, and I think that's a good number. It's the number I had in mind at the start of the concert season. I've already achieved my goal of getting 101 volunteer hours this summer. I still have a few shifts left to work, but I'm ready to wind down.