What’s on the iPod: Demons by Imagine Dragons
Did you ever have a weekend where you were exhausted and happy to sit back down at the computer on Monday? It was a great weekend –I ran a ton of errands on Saturday, cleaned, decorated, weeded the front path and garden, and wore myself out physically. It felt good. I’ve been stuck at this desk in one spot for nearly two months. Physical activity not only accomplishes something, but it feels great after all that stagnation.
Sunday I went to church, came home, cleaned a little more, then started cooking. I had to take some shoes back to DSW. The size I wear was more like a half-size up, so I dashed to the mall for that, but right back. Our meditation group met here yesterday, so I had to get the food going. In the process, I found a great recipe for sweet corn chowder that was simple to make, had something like five ingredients, and tasted amazing. That’s no surprise. It came from the cookbook we bought at the best vegan restaurant I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing — Candle 79 in Manhattan. We make excuses to go to New York just to eat there.
My daughter is going through the process of finding a location for her wedding. They know they want it outdoors. They also know they don’t want to spend more than $10K for the wedding. Good luck in Philadelphia. That has them looking outside the area, and they’ve found two very strong possibilities. One is a lovely 1700s farm museum in Lancaster. The other is a venue where a friend of theirs was married (and they loved). Very inexpensive and nice. It’s near her fiance’s hometown, which is a small, half-Amish community.
I’m leaving them to it. I’ll add my opinion only when asked for. I’ve seen from friends and from my own experience how the best intentions can be interpreted by an already stressed couple. So far, my daughter has been amazingly unaffected by all the planning. So far. She’s said that she doesn’t care where they’re married as long as he’s happy and he’s the groom. I love that. She’s giving him things to decide, getting him involved, making it their wedding, not her wedding.
The leaves here are stunning right now, and while I was flying around this weekend, I made sure to notice the scenery. I had the top down on Saturday to make it easier to load stuff in the back seat (trunk is ridiculously small). There’s something about looking up into the trees as you’re driving through Valley Forge that puts you right.
And now that I’m “right” in the psyche, I have to get working. I have two projects that have short deadlines — one is on fire as we speak. Then another project came in Thursday afternoon that has to be started and maybe finished today. Busy Monday.
How was your weekend? How gorgeous is it where you live right now?
Very gorgeous. I'll be sharing some of my photos on my personal blog later this week. We're supposed to have rain all week. I'm hoping I can sneak out for my walk between rain drops.
Have a great week, everyone!
Please do! I'd love to see.
If they're not intent on staying in the PA area, there's a lovely venue not too far from me — I'm working with them on several events. They're on the mainland side of the bridge, in a lovely location.
10K for a wedding is probably cheap by today's standards but it still makes me gasp.
I spent this weekend in a meditation retreat and fell like I was gone a month!
I hope whatever outdoor venue they choose has an indoor space in case of bad weather.
My weekend was a mixture. The sun finally came out (it's already gone)so I could see my final three siding samples in direct sunlight. Made the choice so simple: Deep Willow with Classic Cream siding. I did some much needed yard work – heavy trimming of a section of overgrown privet hedges (and weed trees coming through the fence of the abandoned house next door) that I can only access in early spring or fall, since the slope is steep and irregular.
The real challenge this week has been coping with a doggie tummy distress. I used the typical tricks, but three nights of multiple urgent "requests" to go outside (some just minutes after the last trip) meant I was lucky to get 5 non-consecutive hours of sleep per night. A quick call to the vet this morning was reassuring. She said to restrict food and water for 24 hours (small sips of water now and then instead of big bowls – we're calling it her "24 hour cleanse") and TRY to get some Pepto in her.
Easier said than done. I bought a turkey baster to help, and it did. A bit. She barely ingested half of it, but at least the other half didn't spray all over the kitchen. Tomorrow, after the 24 hour mark, she gets rice and ground beef or chicken. The things I do for my dog – I don't eat beef or chicken, but I bought and will cook some for my beloved Doggie Lily.
I'm really hoping she ingested enough Pepto so we both can get a decent night's sleep tonight – it's supposed to be stormy so neither of us will want to go outside then!