Outnumbered

So, yesterday I had made a ‘committment’ to spend my Sunday drinking and browsing, but as it turned out, I was outnumbered and outvoted by the men in my house. Which doesn’t take much, as I am the token female in our family. The cat doesn’t count.

But, if I couldn’t spend the day in my pjs curled up with a cup of coffee and the world wide web, at least I could spend the day in my second choice favorites: shorts and a tank top and instead of the couch, here

The boys would have none of this lounging bit, so off we went for a day hike up in one of my favorite place, Desolation Wilderness.  I find it ironic how something known as desolation somehow lifts my soul no matter how many times I traverse it’s stark, surface-of-the-moon like terrain.

It was this guy’s first foray into the wilderness, and he held his own and set his sights on vistas far and wide.

We made our contributions to the ‘community rock garden’

and despite the fact that I was out voted on the pajama day, I managed to wrangle a lizard like nap in the sun

And when I am a middle-aged woman, I shall, I will,  (I do now – thanks to the clearance rack at the REI on the way up the hill)  wear purple hiking shoes; for in my middle age, I somehow forgot to bring my hiking shoes, for our day of hiking. Tally one for ol’ Twinkle Toes!

And at the end of the day,

I’d say it was more than a fair trade; the wildnerness in place of the couch, and purple shoes instead of pajamas, to spend the day in one of my favorite place.

There’s always tomorrow!

I Can Smell Freshly Now

It’s been one stink of a week:

Back to the routine after vacation, migraines, a sleepless night and a skunk.  Oh the skunk.

I officially declare all that to be over, a thing of the past;

I can smell freshly now.

I dare you to sing along with me. You know you want to…

Let’s run through it once…

A one. A two. A one two three four…

I can see clearly smell freshly now, the rain stink is gone,
I can see all smell all obstacles freshly in my way house
Gone are the dark clouds  smells that had me blind

It’s gonna be a bright (bright), fresh (fresh) bright (bright) fresh (fresh)
Sun-Shiny good smelly day.

It’s gonna be a bright (bright), fresh (fresh) bright (bright) fresh (fresh)
Sun-Shiny good smellin’ day.

I think I can make it now, the pain stink is gone
All of the bad feelings smells have disappeared
Here is the rainbow  potpourri I’ve been prayin’ for

It’s gonna be a bright (bright), fresh (fresh) bright (bright) fresh (fresh)
Sun-Shiny good smellin’ day.

Look Smell all around, there’s nothin’ but blue skies fresh air
Look Sniff straight ahead, nothin’  but blue skies  fresh air

I can see smell clearly now, the rain stink is gone,
I can see all smell all obstacles freshly in my way house
Gone are the dark clouds smells that had me blind

It’s gonna be a bright (bright), fresh (fresh) bright (bright) fresh (fresh)
Sun-Shiny good smellin’ day.

Oh, It’s gonna be a bright (bright), fresh (fresh) 
Sun-Shiny good smellin’ day.

It’s gonna be so fresh,
fresh smellin’ day
Oh, what a fresh, fresh
good smellin’ day

Oh yeah
Yeah!

Wishing you a wonderful, fresh, sun shiny weekend!

I Stink!

No, really I do!

Last night, I posted a little story about my fur kid Stuart, and how he thinks he is our ferocious protector. Could I have jinxed myself?

Most likely, and the irony in situations never lost on me.  And we just have to laugh about these things right?

Like when the whole family comes down with the stomach flu, at the same time? Or when your kid has a fat lip on his 3rd birthday and the photos are around forever to prove it? Or when the ski instructor causes you to fall down getting off the chair lift and causing a scene?

You just don’t forget those things, that’s what life is made of, and if we can’t laugh, we are in serious trouble.

So, help me laugh today. Please, because I really stink!

I secured my pup and the cat last night like I do every night, and then proceeded to stay up way past my invisible bedtime; engaged here in this very blogging space.  I finally found my pillow in the weee hours of the morning and it felt like only minutes when I hear the infamous but ferocious barking. Because it was only minutes, about 90 of them.

You do recall that  ’come’ is unfortunately not a word well understood around here?

The dog was indeed protecting us. Absolutely. Totally.

From the skunk backed up to the fence in the farthest corner of the yard, that just also happens to be right outside our bedroom window. Naturally.

So, picture this, my husband and I are outside at 4am in the pitch darkness with a flashlight, barefoot in pajamas, treats and squeaker and our plaintive cries…come!  come!!  come!!!  And a few expletives that I will omit but I am sure you can easily imagine….I don’t know how we finally succeeded in getting the dog to come to us, but wowza, he was stinkified. And his poor eyes; it was like he had been pepper sprayed.

Bath number one happens oh, about oh-4-dark- thirty; bath number two happens around oh-dark- 6- thirty.  Our vet told us to use a concoction of hydrogen peroxide, Dawn dishsoap, vanilla extract and of course water.  Did we have any of that on hand? Noooo, of course not. Our white fluff of a mutt is certainly a bit fluffier today.  I stood in the garage with the doors  and windows wide open, just sucking in the fresh, clean air, really quite tempted to grab a few zzz’s in the car. The stuff in our house was toxic.  But it gets better. I went to cover up the couches so that if he had any residue left it would go onto items I could either incinerate {not really, but…} or wash. And I step in cat pee…I guess she has a right to be traumatized too. Right? So, I get to work on that mess. It’s now time to face the music that I have to go get ready to get  to work. But I stink!  Really I do.

No meetings all week, but today?  Three.  I am horrified!  I have to sit close to people. Like right next to them. In rooms with closed doors. Poor things. I violated code and am burning a scented candle and imagine my inner squeal and mischievous grin, when people walk in and say, “oh it smells so good’ in here”.

My brain is mush, I am stinky and the back of my eyes feel like sandpaper.  But these are the things life is made up of. We have to laugh. So, laugh with me today, and be glad, be really glad, that you are not sitting right next to me today!

Imagine smelling this instead!

Not fair

It’s not fair, that’s what my cat would say, if she could talk.

We have one dog, one cat.

Cat is older-ish, Dog is young.

Dog likes to chase cat. Cat likes to hiss. At dog. It’s a beautiful relationship.

They mostly hate each other, but I think that secretly, it’s all an act. Like the toys in Toy Story who come alive when no one is looking,

I think they snuggle up with each other when we are not looking.

{ note: cat is sleeping in dog bed. With dog toy. }

Dog is small, and thinks he is large, and in charge.

Every night, dog runs out the pet door into the wild darkness and runs, oh how he runs. Laps up and down our long backyard. Back and forth, back and forth, speed racer!

Barking, barking, fiercely barking, our great protector. Or so he thinks.

He is chasing lions. Lions that only he can see.

Come is not a word easily understood in this situation, so dog gets a treat; I lure him in, close the pet door behind him and ‘crate’ him for the night.

Silence. Peace.

Cat sits by quietly, watching all this, like the good child who never gets in trouble, and wonders, I am sure, “hey,where is my treat?”

Not fair.

I am sure that’s what she’d be saying, if she could.

Taking the scenic route :: Friday Foto

Sometimes less is more;

so we’ve been trying to use just two wheels

instead of four,

and it’s definitely better

when you are together

cruisin’ along,

all summer long.

Photographer’s Assistant :: Foto Friday

I have the day off today, but I am at home, working on some updates to my Etsy shop listing images.

I have the best photographer’s assistant, he is very loyal, doesn’t get in my way and keeps me company while I work.

I’m sorry, he’s not available for hire; he’s currently employed full time.

 

What are you up to this fine Friday?

these summer nights :: friday foto

Have I mentioned that I love summer?

 There is just more time in the day and less pressure this time of year.

That’s a great combination.

Easy dinners with corn on the cob, big red tomatoes and fresh basil. Popsicles on the porch.

And evening walks and scooter rides.  I could get used to this.

I told my son yesterday that we are in the sweet spot of summer.

“What’s that?” he asked.

I explained that summer is here, it’s ready to be enjoyed and still early enough to savor all the summer that is still to come. It still seems like a long time before it’s over.  Kind of like this.

Here It Comes
Here comes summer
Here comes summer
Chirping Robins, budding roses
Here comes summer
Here comes summer
Gentle showers, summer clothes
Here comes summer
Here comes summer
Whoosh-shiver there it goes
Faith Long

He totally got it.

 { hope you are savoring your summer! }

friday foto :: friendship

My dog Stuart and Shasta, the girl next door. Pure joy when they are together.