Finding Happy!

It's monday and time to check in on the challenge I gave you. Did you find 1-2 moments of Happy this weekend? Frankly, I had to search for it.  We are socked in with smokey air for weeks on end so it is hard to feel happy looking outside.  But I did get out both days for some social time.

Saturday, Mom and Chuck were passing through town and invited me to join them for lunch at Maddox on Saturday.  It is also PEACH SEASON!!!  Brigham City has THE BEST PEACHES (yes I am yelling!!)  It was only an hour drive to Maddox.  I exited a little early to go through town and check out the fruit stands.  We had a lovely "classic" Maddox lunch.  I chose the fried chicken (yes on the bone...look at me being flexible) with all the trimmings.  We topped off with fresh peach pie for dessert.  It was delicious.  Then we drove over to a nearby fruit stand.  I loaded up on veggies.  Mom was more conservative.  I got some potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and peaches.  YUM!

Look at these beauties!

Tagge's is my spot.  They have fruit stands in Salt Lake too which
I visit exclusively.  It was fun to see them at their home base.

A classic Utah institution.

I came home and thought I would clean house and pack but my body had other plans.  I ended up taking a super long nap instead.  I must have needed it!

Sunday I met some foodie friends for round 2 of Dim Sum.  This was not the same people I went with before but it was a fun group.  8 of us this time so we had a table full of yummy stuff.  I am glad I learned how to Dim Sum before because this one was "blind" so I was glad I knew what some of it was.  This time, we ordered desserts too.  I tried a sesame bean curd bun.  It was like beans with some soft goo sugar stuff and fried/baked with sesame seeds all around.  It was super rich but interesting.  I don't know that I will be craving those anytime soon.  They also got chicken feet which simply wasn't happening for me.  Just watching people eat them was sooooo gross to me.  I passed and turned to visit with someone that wasn't eating them so I didn't have to watch.

Sooooo....while my "happy" adventures had everything to do with food, it really was about surrounding myself with fun people and fun adventures.  Nothing feels better than going for a beautiful drive and meeting up with great people that love me.  So here is my happy list.

• Jumping in the car with good tunes and a good drive
• Eating home town food
• Peach pie
• Homemade Root Beer
• Visiting Mom and Chuck
• Baskets of gorgeous peaches
• Buying local and supporting the local farmers
• Dim Sum adventures
• Witty conversation
• Hot jasmine tea
• Afternoon Naps

How did you make out over the weekend?

I'm gonna bitch...bitch...bitch

I've had a doozie of a week.  Particularly at work but also in my personal time.  We are talking red faced, eye popping, sailor swearing, blood pressure boiling doozie!  Instead of going into lots of detail (I'll spare you the drama...and I don't want to relive it) so I am going to make a list of all the irritants of my week.  I thank you in advance for for allowing me this vent.

• A year old kitten that just....won't....stop...being....a...bully.
• Stupid condo plants in the common area
• Recycling that keeps getting removed from the bin
• Chipped toe nail polish
• People that don't know how to collaborate
• Cat barf on the floor
• Nose running on and on and on
• Shedding hair.....all over
• Walmart pick up that leaves out the one thing you really needed
• Door dings
• Trying to find a new doctor
• Cat hair...everywhere
• Long work days
• Sleeping with my head elevated....5 weeks later
• Hairy knees
• Broken bushes
• No parking
• Apathetic business partners
• Dirty windshields
• No NBC going on 2 weeks now
• Insomnia
• Nose pressure

I can't end on a negative note.  Life is too short for that!  Let's just say I am glad it is the weekend.  I'm going to take a deep breath, blow out the negative, and move forward.

I hope everyone reading this has a fabulous weekend!  Do me a favor and find 1-2 things that make you happy.  It doesn't have to be big.....sunshine....a bird chirping.....a friend or loved one's laugh.

Four weeks post op

Well Friday was 4 weeks since my nose surgery.  While I have been doing pretty good, it has been 4 weeks of long recovery. Nose surgery is no joke.  I've had a lot of really nasty surgeries over my relatively short life so far but nose surgery is one of the worst. 

I still sleep elevated as much as possible, do my "keep your position Mr Nose" exercises, and I am struggling with stamina.  Bending over is still pretty tender (the pressure is intense) and for Pete's sake, don't touch the nose!  Particularly at the bottom where my nostril holes are and the entire part that attaches to my face.  My right nostril will drip at any given second making me feel like a 2 year old with boogers on their upper lip.  And much to my surprise, I sneeze often...yet I have not been sneezing through my nose.  I somehow route it to my mouth as much as possible...because....ouch!!  I can gently blow my nose now but it hurts to pinch it to wipe and I can't really push on it at all.  Imagine blowing without hands to help.  That is where I am.

But I am happy and I am hopeful that not only will it stay in place, but I will breath better again.  My doctor says it is still pretty swollen and there are still stitches in there that will eventually dissolve.  I should continue to heal and be better able to assess the breathing situation in the coming month or two.

I thought you would like to see how it is coming along.

Pretty straight.  Seems a little thicker to me.  And you can see I have nary a lash left that is visible.  Appears I could use some more sleep too!  Haha.  Aging isn't for sissies!

For me, I am disappearing in a few weeks for a little recovery vaca.  I have been stressed to the hilt and I planned a little run away for myself. Disconnect for some time and relax and read.  Nap and continue healing away from the smoke.  I think it is just what the doctor ordered (and I did get cleared to travel from my surgeon so I am set)!  Just a teaser for you today.  I'll fill you in a few weeks from now.

Breaking up is hard to do

Yeah....not that kind of breakup.  I had to breakup with my lash extensions.  I was having a terrible allergic reaction.  I so loved the convenience and the look but it made my eyelids swell and itch and my eyeballs hurt and irritated.  In fact, it was so bad, I had devil red eyes that kept me awake all night.

Luckily, I had lunch with my friend, Kimberlee the day I decided they had to go and she had the stuff and the time to help me get them off.  It took about a week for the allergy to calm down.  Now I have stumpy lashes.  I'm using a lash conditioner to help them back to health...and I am back to either having no eye makeup or the pain in the ass of putting it on and off every day.

My long term plan is to see if I can grow my lashes in a healthy way and consider getting them dyed black so I at least have something when I don't want mascara on.  The good news is I would only need to do that about once a month.  But for now I think I will skip chemical treatments to my eyes.  They apparently scream when I do it.  I miss my lash lady.  She was fun.

The good news is I can now rub my eyes again.  I so love rubbing my eyes.

Sticky spit Jeff

I am realizing I've been dating a long time.  A by product of being single longer than my marriages combined.  I honestly can't really even remember or list all the guys I've dated/met.  Over these many years, I find I enjoy nicknaming my dates.  Something about each guy that makes it easier to talk about them without getting lost.

Sticky Spit Jeff, The missing link, Toothless Wonder, 9 Hour date guy, Denture boy, Bear Man, Mr Cold Oatmeal, Gout Man, Batman, The Jackass, etc.   You get the idea.  Not especially nice but since I am still single, obviously, they didn't care for me either.  I am sure they call me names too.  Some I've been called is Bitch, Water Buffalo, Fatso, Toxic woman, Old lady....but I digress.  My point is it is what it is....dating is rough.

Sticky Spit Jeff was really fun at planning dates.  He took me to basketball games, concerts, movies, and even dinner at his place with his best friend and his date.  We were dating during the holidays and he invited me to his family's Christmas party (they gave me a bar of soap).  He asked me to join him for New Years but I already had plans with my BFF at the time.  We were going to the Utah Jazz players concert and dance party.  We bought fancy dresses even. I explained to SS Jeff that I could not make it as I already had plans.  And he only asked a few days before New Years. He asked several times and said it was really important I come by.  I just didn't want too.  I never heard from him again.  No big loss because he was a little weird in that there was no chemistry or physical interaction.  No kiss. No hugs.  Nothing which is kind of weird after several dates.

The other day, Philip, Tiffany and I were at Litza's Pizza.  We were sitting there eating when Sticky Spit Jeff came in. He had a large group so he was waiting out front.  I am pretty sure he didn't recognize me. I knew it was him because he lost a finger nail way before I met him....oh like 15 years ago...and he still was sporting a bandaid on his middle finger, which he always did when we dated. Philip remembered Sticky Spit Jeff too. As he walked past us with his family, we all kind of looked.  Then I asked Philip, could you see me with that guy?  He shook his head and said no way!!  I couldn't see it either.

Anyway, I thought it was interesting to see someone so many years later at one place he took me for a date all those years ago.  Although Salt Lake isn't the hugest city, I rarely see people again.  But Sticky Spit Jeff changed that trend on that day.  And I am still glad I am single.

And why was he Sticky Spit Jeff?  Well when he talked, he would have spit string between his lips in the corner.  I think it is a product of dry mouth and thick spit.  Could be a little delayed dental hygiene....I'm not sure.  But having been a dental assistant years ago, I can't date someone without amazing dental hygiene.  Especially if there is zero physical chemistry.  I've always wondered why it was so important for me to come over New Years Eve.  I'll never know.

On a side note, I learned last week that 9 Hour Date guy got married last month.  Guess his "chosen one" is more patient than me listening to a guy droning on and on and on and on.  Hahaha

Every Party has a Pooper

Today, Mom is in Salt Lake for a visit.  We decided to get out to a movie today.  We went to see "Winnie the Pooh"...the new one!  Or course, the one consideration I have when going to the movie is that it is excellent if it is at the recliner movie theater and indeed it was.

Because the movie just came out this weekend, it was crowded but we settled into our lovely seats right smack in the middle of the theater.  The previews started almost immediately.  There was a family of 8 taking the rest of the row.  All through the previews, the woman next to me kept checking her phone.  Every few minutes through the movie, it would come back out and she would be texting.  Clickity....clickity....clickity.

Finally after over a hour or so, I leaned over and said "Could you please put your phone away?"  Much to my surprise, she said "Could you please mind your own business?"  No idea where it came from but I said "Well I would love too but it is very difficult with your phone glowing in this dark theater."  The glared at me.  At that very moment, a brilliant retort came out of my mouth.  I said "I would sure hate to see you and your family kicked out of this theater."  And that was the end of that.

I am glad I spoke up in a respectful way.  There was only about 10 minutes left in the movie.  And I sat there proud that I said something and I expressed myself.  I am floored she was so ignorant to act like it was me that was in the wrong.  We sat a minute while the credits rolled.  Then exited out her side of the row.  All their cans of soda and mini candy bar wrappers (snacks brought from home) are strewn all about.  Don't get me wrong, I sneak in water or a snack from time to time, but I always carry my evidence back out.  All I could do is think how gutsy people are these days and how there are 7 little impressioned minds that don't feel like they need to follow rules or be kind.  A bunch of ignorant children with a sense of entitlement just like their mother.

What I am pondering is that no only did she poop on  my party, I pooped on her party.  How ironic is that.

The great news is the movie was excellent.  Probably one of the best movies I've seen in the last year....maybe more.  If you enjoyed Winnie the Pooh when you were growing up, you will absolutely love this movie.