So that was Father’s Day

Father’s Day. For me, it was another day in a series of days to be braced for – prepping myself to be sad then being more annoyed than anything else when it was all over with. A while back, I decided that rather than sit around and think about all the ways I am getting royally screwed this Father’s Day – I would leave town and drive to San Antonio, spending it with my family for the first time in 7 years.The only thing missing was a father.

I think my annoyance with Father’s Day was amplified by the ceaseless barrage of emotional cheese pictures on FB.  It’s a weird feeling when you read a “I love my dad” post on FB or see a picture on Instagram and in your head think, “enjoy it while it lasts”. Too morbid? I allowed myself that overreaction but had to realize that my anger towards this day is only temporary. Just because I’m sad right now doesn’t mean that other people don’t get to celebrate their dads.  Hell, I posted about how much I love my dad on this very blog just a few years ago. I clearly won’t hate this day when we start a family – I just hate it now. 

My sister and I were talking a few weeks ago, running through a list of plans and things we had to do but weren’t really excited about. We decided that very little should be expected of us right now and that we get at least a year and a half to fall off the radar, be annoyed for absolutely no reason (and be straight bitches when the situation demands), and selfishly focus on all the ways we are getting effed in life. We also reserve the right to dreamsmash (when you ruin someone’s dreams/hopes/ambitions with practical reasoning) at least twice. We can also phase people out with no explanation and throw the grief card as we see fit. My dad would expect nothing less.

As the days go by, I can’t believe its been almost a year since he passed away. It’s been the slowest and fastest year of my life and there are really no words to describe all the wonderful gifts he left me. Of course, I would much rather have him, but I guess I’ll have to settle for the wisdom and perspective instead.

Cole Slaw Rating and House Updating (a rhyme!)

Over the past few weeks, Huz and I have been pretending that we a) don’t live with my Mom and b) that we’ve never lived in Houston before – pretending to be tourists in a new giant city. We spent a day in enchanting Galveston, waking up early to make the 45 min trip down the gulf freeway to its magic shores. I have to say, I had forgotten how much I LOVE LOVE the beach and being near the water. Huz and I’s bathing suits are currently entombed deep in our storage unit so we could only take a relaxing walk along the shores.The beach was prettier than I remembered, the Strand sadly, was stranger and more depressing. To give you an idea, the Yaga shop is still there (Huz was equal parts entertained and horrified). It was a great day that included a 6300 calorie lunch (so worth it) at Shrimp and Stuff. Huz gave their cole slaw a “5 cabbage” rating – his highest rated slaw to date and a rating so high it may never be awarded again. 

I’ve started following a few restaurant blogs and, while its tempting to eat every single meal at either Whataburger, Escalantes, or JCI we’ve tried to branch out. Last weekend we met friends for Brazilian (Batanga, my Houston friends, has amazing cocktails and fantastic paella – lookintoit). This past Saturday, we read about a pizza place where they cook the pie for only 90 seconds at 900 degrees in an oven shipped over from Naples. It was great – Huz and I gave it 2 thumbs up (Pizzaro’s for anyone wondering). I have a list of about 15-20 restaurants that are “must trys” one of which has a chef who was recently nominated for a James Beard award (or as our friend Steve called it once, a “James’s Beard award” – which an award my husband would probably win).

All systems are a go for the closing on our house in Denver so much so that Huz and I are trying to get the closing moved up. We are meeting with a realtor on Friday who focuses on a specific neighborhood that we really like so hopefully she has secret listings to tell me about and/or knows an elderly person who lives in a really great house, is selling it, and doesn’t know how much its worth. Wish us luck!

 

Book It

Does anyone remember Book It from elementary school? It was the reading club where you get a star for every book you read and, when you got to 5 stars, you got a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut. I don’t know what is worse – the fact that I remember exactly what it took to get a free pizza, or the fact that I got like 190 free pizzas because all I did is read Babysitters Club from grades 5-8.

I’m about to start Book It again. Except this time I’m going to be competing against myself and instead of Pizza Hut giving me a free pan pizza, I will make Huz take me out to dinner after I read 5 books. I will read 2 books in two weeks because I am crazy and Ir read too quickly.

Since moving into my mom’s house less than 2 months ago (holla!) I have read 8 books. Originally, I brought some books from Denver. When I finished those, I bought 3 more from Barnes and Noble. When I finished those, I started hunting around my house for books to read (I found 2 that were acceptable). Now, those are done and I’ve started reading books I’m finding in my childhood bedroom. Last night I started “Where the Red Fern Grows”. Wtf.

I know what you are thinking. I need to get a kindle or get to downloading books on my iPad stat. I know, I know. I just love books – holding them, collecting them. If I download books on my iPad, how will I ever get the home library of my dreams?

For those wondering (hi, reader) here are the books I have read recently.

The Good House – Ann Leary

Z a Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald – Therese Ann Fowler

Family Pictures – Jane Green

Everything is Perfect When You are a Liar – Kelly Oxford

Helter Skelter – Vincent Bugliosi (found in the study, don’t ask)

Then Again – Diane Keaton (given to me by my mom, don’t ask)

I Remember Nothing – Nora Ephron

Appetite for Life, The Biography of Julia Child – Noel Ray Fitch (found in den)

Neighborhood Shopping

Yesterday, Huz and I drove around the city for 6 (SIXX!) hours looking at different neighborhoods. I thought I knew a lot about this city but y’all, this town is huge. We made some progress (kind of sort of narrowed it down to two neighborhoods). While I might never have envisioned living in either place, I know we will get something great.

Huz and I were reminiscing on the first time we lived here (2005-2007) and about how different it is for us now. We had lunch in an area near my old apartment and saw the youngsters coming in  - girls with last night’s makeup on clearly looking for something to cure a hangover. When I lived here before, I lived about 15 minutes from my parents house and it was like living in a different city. 

It’s funny how things change. A few weeks ago, I was having brunch with a dear friend and we were catching up.We were talking about work, summer plans, houses, and finally, how I was doing. I laughed and said that I loved being home and I couldn’t wait to move into a house (in the burbs most likely) and be near my mom. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would end up living 10 minutes away from where I grew up. For right now, it’s the best thing ever.

Totally random but I bought my first pair of Tom’s yesterday (just a few thousand months after everyone else in the world). Aside from my almost 8 year old Uggs, these might be the most comfortable shoes I have ever put on my feet. Huz thinks they are hideous (as he does my Uggs) which surely means these are a comfort win. 

The heat is winning

I’m hot and I don’t mean looking my best. I just went for a walk/run (as best as I could with George who isn’t known for stamina) and I’m sweating like a boss. I have acne, my hair has wings, and it’s become clear that all my Denver workout wear needs to be replaced immediately. Long sleeved shirts from Lululemon have proved to be nothing more than cotton heat prisons and all my pants are too thick. I’ve also gained three pounds since moving here – so, that’s happened

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But let’s forgot about all that and get positive. We have a offer on our house. I’m not counting any eggs before they hatch but it gives us a little pep in our step when it comes to looking here. The market is a hot mess (nothing good, very few properties on the market, anything decent going under contract in 5 minutes) but I’m not going to let that get me down. The good news is that I am an aggressive pushy bitch when I need to be and I’m not above humiliating myself to get the house I want. Apparently (for the good houses) people are writing letters to sellers to try and persuade them to pick their offers. If sellers are picking offers by the quality of a persuasive letter, then I’ve got this future house hunt on lock. Please.

Time to get back to work and sit by the AC.

 

 

 

Totally Tubular Tuesday

I can’t stop buying things from One Kings Lane, I just ate some delish smoked salmon for lunch, and George slept until 9am yesterday morning just because he wanted to. Happy Tuesday!

One thing I’m realizing (and you are most likely realizing) is that there isn’t much to blog about when one lives/works at home. Weekends have been lazy (me likey) and the days kind of start to blend together when you work remotely. There isn’t anything to get dressed up for during the day and, when you technically work Denver hours, why make an effort to get up early? Most days I work from 7:30 am MT to 5 pm MT but I take breaks to walk George, run errands, and make dinner (if my landlord/Mom isn’t cooking). On Friday’s I get my nails done. On Tuesdays and Fridays, George goes to doggie day care.  I miss my coworkers, but I think I get more done since no one can really bother me. I’ve asked my family to step in if I start talking to myself/wearing the same clothes/growing dreds.

This past month has been really nice and I’ve enjoyed taking it easy and spending my first official holiday back with my mom. Easter was never a big deal for my Dad (he would barely even go to church) but we couldn’t escape the reality that its all so different now. He would cook on Easter and we all decided this year to scratch cooking altogether. It would have only been for three people (my sister was in Italy – hatred!) and sometimes trying to reenact what would have been makes reality all the more painful (see: Thanksgiving and Christmas). We have decided that its time for new traditions so that will healing for us all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clean Living aka Now I’m Scared of Hot Dogs

A few weeks ago, I started following a health website which endorses clean living and raw eating. Let it be known I am in no way going to go “raw” or even paleo – I eat meat and bread and I ain’t stopping. That being said, there are parts of both movements that appeal to me. Anyway, I follow the site because I saw an interesting tidbit online and decided it would be interesting to get their “tip of the day”. Many of their tips are no brainers – stop drinking soda, say no to GMOs, focus on buying organic for only specific items (thin skinned fruits and berries). But lately, this site has gotten a little cray and now I’m basically scared to eat/drink/wash/buy anything.  Some of this stuff cannot be true.

A few of the more interesting claims:

bee venom can cure HIV

the benefits of oil pulling (basically swishing oil – coconut, olive, whatever –  in your mouth pulls bacteria out of your body, the oil turns white and you spit it out – eww)

eating cayenne pepper stops a heart attack within 30 seconds

20,500 people die every year from FDA approved drugs

children eating 12 hot dogs or more per month have 9 times the risk of developing Leukemia (!!)

99% or breast cancer tissue contains parabens (the wax product in most deodorants)

fabric softener is the #1 cause of indoor air pollution, the laundry smell is from toxins

Since I like the occasional hot dog, using fabric softener, and applying deodorant on the reg and I don’t like getting stung by bees – you can imagine my concern. It’s like every day I have eaten something or used something that is going to eventually kill me. 

On the other hand, some of their tips are actually helpful so I’m hesitant to unsubscribe. This is my rant for the day.