Who Knew My Hidden Talent?

Hello all - I hope if you were in the U.S. that you had a nice long weekend. We traveled to West Virginia, and had a wonderful visit. Besides my sister and brother-in-law, there was my niece Amanda and her husband Pat, my niece Liz and her husband Greg, and my great-nephew Zach.  It was especially nice to see Zach since the last time we saw him he was in middle school - and now he just finished his first year of college!

The weather was magnificent - maybe in the mid-70s (Fahrenheit) during the day, and then the 40s (again, Fahrenheit) overnight. So we were able to enjoy ourselves during the day, and then cozy up by the firepit at night.

On Saturday, we went to a local outdoor festival. One of the things there was a set-up of a tent where you could do ax-throwing. Which was quite a revelation for me, I have to say. You got one practice throw, and then 4 "real" throws for $10.00 Well, Amanda and her money are soon parted, and she wanted everyone to have a chance to try. My goal was to at least make it to the wall, and if the ax stuck there, that would be a bonus. Once all was said and done, my practice throw made it to the wall, and then I had three bullseyes! Here is a "highlight" video - I'm first, then my brother-in-law Patrick, then Zach, then my niece's husband Pat. No one was more surprised than I was, let me tell you!

(Video by Amanda - annoying music added by her husband Pat)

Who knew that my [extremely] hidden talent was ax-throwing?? The Tim said it was "very scary." And everyone was telling him that from now on, he should sleep with one eye open!

Zach: Wow, Aunt Bridget, you're a badass!

😂😂😂

Weekend Trips and Changes

Hello all - I hope if you live in the U.S., you had an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend - and if you don't live here, I hope you had a great weekend that was not a holiday. 

We had a lovely trip to West Virginia. We didn't run into any real traffic on our way, and it was a lovely, sunny, cool day to travel. We lucked out with that same weather on Saturday and Sunday as well, which made it perfect for porch-sitting (our fave thing when we are there) as well as our various outings with my sister, brother-in-law, niece Amanda, and her husband Patrick. There were lots of laughs, good eats, lots to drink, and it felt like we were there for a nice long time.

Coming home on Monday, we really didn't run into much traffic either, and fortunately, even though we drove through some rain showers, the serious rain didn't happen until we were on our very last leg of the trip, on roads we know. Still not a lot of traffic there, just fortunately everyone slowing down since it was raining hard enough to make it difficult to see very well. But we made it home safe and sound, much to the pleasure of the kitties, who made friends with the cat sitter but were glad to see us.

As a matter of fact, even Esme made friends with the cat sitter! The service we use has them send us photos from each visit. In one of the photos, Esme was sitting on the arm of a chair in the living room, right nexts to Brian the cat-sitter! It drove The Tim nuts, since she is still scared of him. But Brian is very soft-spoken, so I think that was the difference. The Tim said he was glad we didn't stay longer, because the next picture probably would have shown Esme tap-dancing on Brian's lap! 😂

The changes referenced above relate to my employment status. I am currently unemployed, as of Tuesday. I mentioned a while back that things were getting a bit difficult at the yarn store. On top of that, there are several medical things I have to take care of this summer (nothing life-threatening or overly serious), and it has become impossible to find someone to cover/switch shifts with me if my appointments are on days I'm supposed to work. I have no control over medical scheduling, and even when I've asked them not to schedule me on certain days, when those are the only days available or when certain things are done, I have no choice. So there was that. Also, as of April, my hours were cut by a whole day. I was no longer working on Sundays, which to be honest, was my favorite day to be there. 

And frankly, if the medical things didn't get in the way, I'm not sure how much longer I would have lasted. A new person was hired to be an intermediate level supervisor, and I worked with her every day I was there. She is nice enough, but one of those people who gets super-hyper-focused on something and drives it into the ground. It was making me NUTS, and there were a few times I didn't appreciate things she said about me or my work ethic. 

So here I am at 68 years old, hoping to find another part-time job. Ugh. I've been applying for a while - the yarn shop pay was very low - but nothing has been happening. I get it to some degree, but for a part-time job, I would think you might want an older person who is less likely to jump ship quickly. Of course, that is my own, very self-serving opinion ... 

I did have a really good interview a couple of weeks ago, and thought I had a good shot at the job, but then .... they hired someone else. Oh well. I'm giving myself a couple of weeks to try and decompress and get organized (unless someone wants to hire me tomorrow, LOL), and then I'll look into volunteering, so that I have a requirement to leave the house from time to time.

And that's the latest from here. I have been knitting, and have a good start on all of my projects. Last week, I did in fact get to start my Emotional Support Chicken (good timing!). 

Here is the first part of the back - I have actually finished both parts of the back and they are currently blocking so that I can seam them together before moving on to the rest of it. It was fun to do, and I'm hoping that the rest of it will be as much fun. I have started my Anker Tee and a pair of socks as well, so even though I have no photos, I'm enjoying those projects. 

And of course I've been reading a lot. I have loaded up on some "summer" reads and also am waiting for some books I have on hold at the library to make their way to my name on the list.

And oh - remember the portable leaf blower that The Tim ordered and I mentioned couple of posts back - well, it's supposed to be delivered today. So we'll see a) how portable it really is, and b) how quiet it is. Supposedly it is both of those, but often my definition and their definitions are not the same, you know? 

Happy June!

Well, at least I hope it will be happy for most of the month for all of you, even if not every day is perfect.

Our trip to West Virginia was wonderful, though it started out sketchy.  It was raining a bit on Friday when we left Philadelphia, and it was pretty foggy, but nothing to really worry about.  However, by the time we got to Somerset, PA (where weather is always an issue, no matter what time of year!), it was raining so hard, you couldn't even see the lights on cars ahead of you, much less the cars, the lines on the road, the twists and turns - well, you get the picture.  So much for our plan to stop on the way to see the Flight 93 Memorial.  Hopefully we can do it next time.

So we stopped for lunch off of the turnpike - way deep into Pennsyltucky territory!  I mean, it was really creepy to see the signs, clothing, hats, well, whatever you can imagine all extolling the wonderfulness of our former terrible President.  Ick.  But we did find a nice diner, and our waitress was adorable (The Tim: I think we have found Kimmy Schmidt), so we had a wonderful lunch.  By the time we left, there was not a drop of rain falling, go figure.

Fortunately, for the rest of the trip - getting there and coming home - that was the extent of bad weather.

We had a great time, just hanging out, enjoying catching up with everyone.  We played bocce, took a couple of hikes, and did as much porch sitting and laughing as humanly possible (which is when we caught up on our wine and other beverage drinking, for those who may be wondering).  This is the sum total of the photos I took:

This is one of the views from the porch at my sister's house.

The weather was stunning.  Highs during the day of about 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with nighttime temperatures of 65-70 degrees - open window weather!  I still can't believe how we lucked out!

We were also fortunate that we didn't run into any traffic either way - unusual for a holiday weekend, but it makes everything so much more relaxed.

Then back to real life.  It happens, what are you gonna do??

I am hoping that June will be a kinder month than May turned out to be.  I know of two things in particular that will be good for us, one that is happening later this week, and then another at the end of the month, if all goes well.  Don't worry, I'll keep you posted.

And for any of us who might like to know that all is not lost (and these days, isn't that all of us?), here is an article that a friend posted on social media that I really appreciated.  I'm not usually one for inspirational reading, but I think this is a good one.  I hope it will give you some hope.

Have a good rest of the week, everyone - we've already got most of it under our belts!

Just the Best

Well, our trip to West Virginia for Memorial Day weekend is now past, but with some wonderful memories.  Yes, it did feel really weird to be traveling somewhere, but I was encouraged by how people seemed to be wearing masks nearly everywhere, and being careful overall.  Even at the rest stops on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, things felt OK.  That was a huge relief to me, because as much as I was looking forward to the trip, I had some anxiety as well.

We left bright and early on Friday morning.  Our GBS (Good Boy System) was ready to go!

Until he figured we were in the car for a while, it was necessary to pay attention:

But then he was able to nap and therefore be prepared for a weekend when every person around him was busy paying attention to him - that can be exhausting, and you have to rest up, you know.

I took my knitting with me.  Here it is on the table at my sister's house - actually, it's not just *any* table, it is what all of us call the Game of Thrones Table! 😄

Our drive was pretty uneventful - not much traffic, and the sun came in and out throughout the day.  About an hour from my sister's house, it really poured rain, but fortunately, by the time we were unpacking the car, it was only drizzle.  

I seriously could not believe I was getting to see my sister again!  And then my brother-in-law got home from work, and it was hug-kiss-cry all over.  We had them to ourselves for a couple of hours before Amanda and Pat arrived, so that was especially nice.  

The entire weekend - until we were leaving on Monday, of course - it was really quite cold (40s Fahrenheit overnight, 50s-60s during the day), and either somewhat rainy or just overcast.  The only down side to that for our group was that it was just too cold to sit on the porch, which all of us love to do.  Hamlet kept walking to the door as if to say, "Now?" and one time I let him out so he could sit there, but he didn't want to miss anything happening inside.  We still barbecued on Sunday afternoon, which actually was fine because it was the best day weather-wise of the weekend, so we got to start the summer outdoor cooking season after all.

One night The Tim and I treated everyone to dinner at a Mexican place that was relatively new in town.  The food was wonderful, and again, it was weird to be in a restaurant.  But also again, a place where they were paying attention to things, so it was a fun evening.  

Amanda and Pat - I talk about them a lot, but don't know if I've ever shown a photo of the two of them.  So here you go, from the Mexican restaurant.

When we were getting ready to leave and go home, Amanda said she would meet us at the car, because she had to make a quick stop.  We all assumed she was stopping at an ATM or something, but no, she stopped at Five Guys Burgers to get a hamburger - for Hamlet!

Needless to say, when Hamlet saw that Pat had something for him, and then it turned out to be a WHOLE HAMBURGER, his trip started to look better than ever!

Sunday morning, we headed to Perkins for pancakes, etc., because all of us need lives because even though we can make pancakes and such at home, going to Perkins is a treat for everyone.  Here is the group, masked:

And then, once the food arrived, the masks were off!

(P.S. The Tim is in this photo, and showed up when I edited it.  I have no idea why he is cropped out above, but rest assured, I have gotten grief about it!)

So we had a lot of fun, laughing, eating, drinking, watching TV, and playing ridiculous games.  Some of the group made sure to get their workouts in, and Mary Ellen (my sister), Amanda, and I had many very important discussions over tea and wine.  

Hamlet pretty much got non-stop attention and so much more to eat throughout the day than he ever gets from us!  And as The Tim said, some of it was MEAT - he was probably thinking "Thank God, *these* people know how to eat!"

The trip home was again uneventful, with pockets of traffic and lots of sunshine - you know, because we were travelling, not wanting to sit on the porch or anything like that ...

A wonderful surprise when we got home was seeing how big the baby mourning doves are!  They look like baby birds now, instead of cute baby alien beings.

 

I'm so glad we were able go on our trip and see at least some of the family.  It was nice to travel a bit, nice to have a change of scenery, but really nice to just hug and kiss everyone.  We had so many laughs and it was so relaxing that you were almost able to forget that anything like a pandemic was still happening.

I hope we will all remain safe and healthy after our trip.  Everyone made an effort, and all of us have been vaccinated.  I just wish people would not find reasons not to get the vaccine, so that all of us could just enjoy being. 

Oh - and for those wondering - Hamlet has been sleeping almost non-stop since we got home.  When you are that popular with people, travel is fun, but terribly exhausting! 😉

Have a Great Holiday Weekend!

Yankee Doodle Dug!

The Tim, Hamlet, and I are on our merry way to (Almost Heaven) West Virginia for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.  The kitties will be guarding the homestead with the help of a cat sitter, who I'm sure will get quite an earful from Pip.  As much as I wish they could come with us, I know they would not enjoy the trip, so they have a better holiday here at home with someone else to honor and serve them ...

It will be fun to see everyone and catch up on everything and everyone.  I'm sure there will be a lot of laughing involved too, which is part of the fun.  Hamlet even got a bath, since this will be his WV debut!

Here's hoping that your weekend - whether you celebrate Memorial  Day or not - will be a fun, relaxing one, and that you can just enjoy things however you wish.