5 More Reasons Why I Still Like Living on the Island

Read em' and weep, Folks.
From today's MAINLAND headlines:

1. Toilet Explodes, Lands Woman in Hospital

2. Woman Sent to Morgue While Still Living

3. Michael Jackson Injected Himself With Deadly Drugs, Doctor Says

4. Woman Gets Shock on Starbucks Cup - Barista Scrawled Obscenity on Cup



And drumroll, please:

5. Law Enforcement Accused of Eating Suspect's Pot Brownies

Ok, that one could theoretically happen on a bohemian island, lol.


Have a safe one. :)

Finished Object Friday: The Derby and The Best Knitted Man Hat EV-ER!

If you spend any time at all on the Vineyard two words eventually pop up in conversation.

MVDerby.com

"The Derby."
As in: The Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby.

The Derby is an annual fishing competition from way back - 1946, in fact.
Anyone can participate, and eventually everyone does.

Andy with Grand Slam pin

Each year the entrance fee gets you the following: a cool hat, a neat circular numbered pin for the cool hat and a chance to beat anyone at the fishing game.

Stakes are high.

For the overall winner of the Shore Fishing division, first prize is a new EASTERN 22 Center Console with option package, motor, and trailer, compliments of Eastern Boats.

And for the Boat Fishing Division - a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Pickup, compliments of the Clay Family Dealerships.

MVTimes.com

 Each evening, the Weigh-In Shack is packed - waiting to see who took first place and fish weights - gotta know what the competition is, after all.

It's all the talk around town, too. Even if you aren't entered. The grocery line, the Bank, the Post Office and at Mocha Motts.  Everywhere. (Even in church!)

Though it would be typical to have such a competition being it's an island and all, and the fishing is great, and everyone wants to catch a Striped Bass at least once in his/her lifetime, what really impresses me is the community comradery.

People actually taking an active part, no matter age or gender in the whole shebang.
I like that.

The Derby is a month-long fishing fest, so I will be reporting in over the next few weeks.
But to celebrate, I have made a hat for a certain someone's birthday (sh! It's a secret until tonight's bash), and I have to say, it is the best Man Hat EV-ER. Handknit, to be sure, by moi :), and the design? Oh La La. Hip enough to please every age, practical enough to quell any weather.
So for my Finished Object Friday, I present:
 The Man Hat!

Have a good one. :)

525,600 Minutes or My Blog: A Work In Progress - WIP Wednesday

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of my blog, I give you the year in my island life.
I know, I know. It's a crazy life, but it's my life, and I love it. Enjoy!

Have a good one. :)

 

(music by the cast of Rent - Seasons of Love)

Skunk Bucket!

Yep.

The Victim

A very necessary item on this island if you own a dog.
And said dog likes to play with young skunks, who know no better.
At 6 a.m. as in this morning. :)

This emergency item includes the following:
1 empty bulk detergent bucket
several bottles of hydrogen peroxide
a large box of baking soda
paper towels
Stop & Shop plastic grocery bags
the most important item DAWN Liquid soap detergent
a fresh loaf of bread (yes, you read that right)
*bonus item:  Skunk Off spray from the vets/Amazon.com

The Culprit

Things I have learned at 6 a.m. in the morning:

1. The internet is a beautiful thing for research
2. Skunk spray is actually an oil and needs to be wiped off with paper towels first, before any other procedure, including chasing the dog through the house to catch her and tie her outside

3. Commit to memory the following recipe:
Skunk Odor Antidote
1 Qt 3% hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tsp. liquid soap DAWN 


(Wet down the dog with a hose, mix the ingredients together in a container, and then slowly pour the mixture over the dog while rubbing it into the fur. After the dog has been bathed in this solution rinse it down with the hose and the dog will be odor free. Our rescue dog weighs about 65 lbs so we do double recipe, but if you have a small to medium size animal, the recipe as listed should do just fine. Also, keep care to avoid the inside eyes, ears and mouth, and note that hydrogen peroxide does bleach things out, including some dog furs. Skunk Off can be used after, as a "chaser" of some sorts, following bottle directions.)

4. DAWN liquid detergent is most important as it handily cuts the skunk oil, just-like-that.
An aside: When we lived in Cincinnati where Proctor & Gamble is headquartered (DAWN Liquid dish detergent is their product) a DAWN truck was kept at the ready and sent out for any highway wrecks or spills where oil was involved, and it works like a charm.

5. Keep a SKUNK BUCKET handy at all times - time is of the essence
6. Skunk Off spray works inside the house for lingering odors in the air
7. What's the fresh loaf of bread for? Well, since most dogs get sprayed mainly in the face, And most dogs are barking at the skunk while getting sprayed in the face, most dogs will get skunk spray/oil in the mouth. Feeding the dog bread over the next few days helps eliminate "skunk breath" lol.

They say that this island has no more or less a population of skunks than the mainland. (They have even taken to studying our skunks (NY Times article here) and (MV Times article here) in particular.)




But I beg to differ on that.
Woof.



Have a fresh and clean-smelling one. :)

An Island September

Geoff Wheeler

The island in September.
Breezes, cool and comforting -
The air "brims with smells to feel."


Crisp leaves ready for the crackle of Fall,
Sooty odors, burning bush and twigs.

Salt waves, briny, textured with mermaid's hair - brown and gold and titan red,
Filled with mermen's ware -conch shells to make the siren call of winter storms.

And the deep blue sea  - not the azure of late spring or the cyan of a hot summer,
But inky - like brand new school jeans or the sapphire of night reflected back, diamond tops sparkling.
  

Anne Marie Brown/MVTimes

The purple-gray softness of September morning haze -  moonstone and lavender - milky and smooth, sweet and pungent - plays on a sparkling surface,
the soft blanket of memories to climb under and remember.






And the flowers.
Oh, the flowers.

Like the last hurrah of summer -  colors vibrant, fragrance heady,
readying for a departing summer,

                          Turning into the golden-red light of Fall.

 Ah, September.









Have a good one, call your mother and put your sweaters on. :)

The Problem With Doing Nothing...

... is you never know when you are done.
Right?

And, I am certain that difficulty finding motivation from time to time is not wholly the fault of living on an island.
But it's close, lol.

What with Hurricane Irene and Labor Day Weekend, the last several days bringing gray skies, rain, and more rain, it is becoming Letdown  Central around here.

Now normally, one would tend to push beyond the abyss, "man" up and get a butt in gear.

But today, I take a different approach.
What if, for today, being productive is actually counterproductive?

When I lived in America the Mainland, it was go, go, go, make the most out of every day, because, frankly, who else is going to do it? We have to make a living, keep the house going, and take care of others.

But what if, I stop a moment, and look towards improving my day rather than my productivity?

What if I put the breaks on speed and downshifted into slowing down, just a bit, and find the joy in whatever it is I am doing?

So in that light, I offer the following:

1. Just for today, stop trying to arrange the clutter, but clear the clutter instead.
Take the wastebasket, throw 5 things into it and be done with it.
Because, really, if you have less around, there's no need to arrange, store or otherwise fiddle with the extras, right? 5 less pieces of paper, 5 less things in the frig, 5 less outgrown, outworn, or out-of-style wardrobe pieces means less to deal with.

2. Just for today, list 1 to-do, not a dozen, and hey, what a concept, DO only it.

3. Just for today, when on that treadmill, don't, I REPEAT, DO NOT count the minutes, the mileage, the more, more, more in my head. Just run like the wind, and enjoy the feeling ( ok walk like the wind, but you get the picture). Stop when you feel the urge, not when the clock tells you to.

4. Just for today, work on something I love, something I can't stand another minute without working on. I know, I know, I hear you saying "But the other needs to get done." I get it. See, if it can wait, just one day,  just a day to regroup, or if not a day, a morning, or an afternoon. Allow myself a piece of time to do that thing I love, and I bet I will see an uptick in overall productivity in the end.

5. And Just for today, stop multitasking and take on the moment for being in the moment. Just sit and be.

So that's it. Maybe the point is to do nothing you normally do, and see what gets done.
Better.
It might do a body good.
Anywhere.



Have a creative one. :)

A Versatile Blogger Award - Kicking A** and Taking Names lol

I've been recognized!
No, silly, not for that.
And besides, I said I didn't do it, lol.

For this:

Yep, nominated for a Versitile Blogger Award.
A big hug and a thank-you-very-kindly goes out Erin who writes Knitting in Beantown, and who also nominated me here.

Erin was one of the first blogs I ever read about two of my favorite things - living in New England, Boston Town Proper, and knitting. And by reading her blog religiously, I somehow got the hang of this blogging thing - I'm coming up on a year and I'm still on the blogwaves!

Erin's life in Beantown inspires me to be a better knitter and person. And can she pick out color to match a knitting project! Experience Erin's Beantown (that's Boston for the rest of the country lol): http://knittinginbeantown.blogspot.

To pay it forward, anyone receiving the award is asked to:

• Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.
• Tell your readers seven things about yourself.
• Give this award to up to fifteen recently discovered bloggers. 
• Contact those bloggers to tell them the news.

7 Things and More You Never Need Know About Me, but It's Too Late Now

1. I like reading in bed with the lights out, using only a book light because it reminds me of reading under the covers past bedtime when I was a kid.

2. I occasionally like a little cigar with a glass of wine when I'm feeling rebellious.

3. I used to tap dance in the elevators at the downtown Columbus, Ohio Lazarus Department Store when I was little, because I liked being airborne for a moment while I tapped.

4. I don't like doing dishes when I'm tired and will avoid it like the plague.

5. I, at one time, contemplated being either a Radio City Rocket or a missionary when I grew up.

6. Word I'm not fond of: trending.

7. I don't like following directions sometimes. So, I'm adding 3 more here, lol.

8. My guilty pleasure in the midst of intellectual greatness is to read trashy beach novels and cozy mysteries, to my chagrin.

9. According to the lines on my hands that form a 5-pointed star a fortune-teller told me I have saved 5 peoples' lives.

10. Contrary to popular belief I don't think that Tom Cruise is all that. Not really. Ok, maybe a tiny bit, but not that much.

 Since as I see it this “award” is really a way of calling others’ attention to bloggers, I feel those who need it most aren’t well-established blogs but rather ones which are newly discovered, multifaceted blogs and aren't yet well-known.


Here are some to check out:

 Its Own Reward

 Slipper Moon Studio

 Serenity Farms

Cats and Casseroles



Have a good one. :)

Monday Morning Quarterbacking

Well.
We made it through.
Our second non-hurricane, hurricane, if you count last year's Labor Day storm.

Mostly tree branches, leaves, sticks and a boatload of storm food left over.

I do think we need to rethink the Hurricane Preparedness List.
A well-thought-out list, to be sure, but maybe not tailored to meet our needs - exactly.

What I have learned about hurricane preparedness lists so far that I will remember and modify before the next storm approaches is this:

Things On Their List -
Water - a gallon a day per person.
Canned food - can be prepared on a grill or eaten cold. (Cold??? Are they kidding me?)
Preserved meat - beef jerky, canned tuna, even Spam are high protein and good choices.
Paper products - for preparing and distributing meals.
And the usual things you need in a storm - tape, tarps, batteries and things to lash down stuff with.

My Amended List:
Ok, yes, yes, all of the above plus:
1. Coolers that don't smell like fish.
2. A lot more recipes on hand that include the ingredients hot dog, beans or Dinty Moore Stew. In my defense, I WILL have winter storm food on hand this year :)
3.Preserved meat products such as Spam will likely not be a hit at our storm dinners.
4. A small, but powerful supply of food-like items with the name Debbie, Snow, Ho-Ho or Pinwheel in it will be, however. (You know you are gonna crave them, so you might as well go ahead and buy them.)
3. You have batteries yes, but do you actually have the flashlights they fit into?
4. Find a raincoat that actually repels rain.
5. Make sure I have enough yarn for projects. OK, I have enough yarn already to spill out a closet, but this is exactly the kind of legitimate excuse to buy more that I am always fishing for.
6. A hubby who might just be a "bit" less cavalier when preparing for said hurricane, not one who has "lived through many of these hurricanes growing up ... didn't I ever show you the picture of me my parents took when I was 10, hanging onto a tree horizontally?"
7. Take someone with you to the market so you have help in righting the shopping cart that tipped over because you put too many cases of water in it.
8. Identify items on the real preparedness list BEFOREHAND - i.e. - WTH is this, and where in God's Name do I find it?
9. THIS is not a drill. I repeat: this is NOT a DRILL. Make sure your Emergency broadcasting radio is in good order. Wait, what? Emergency broadcasting radio? We have one? OK, how about actually finding the emergency broadcasting radio before the storm, not after.
10. OMG, did you even remember a lighter?

Interesting observations about how Real Island Yankees Do Hurricanes:
1.They buy gap insurance and don't worry about the cars.
2. They park their beloved boats in the middle of the high school parking lot, where there are no trees to do damage, since they bought all that gap insurance for their cars.
3. They do wait to the last minute to get batteries, tape and beer.
4. They don't wait to get their trucks gassed up, so they don't have to wait in line with the rest of us greenhorns.
5.They know how to hole up for several days on end without getting cabin fever. This has to do with the men having selective hearing, the women cooking a lot during the storm and both having the ability to play cribbage for hours without end.
6. They know that Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, gets in the way of a Red Sox Game.
7. They actually reschedule Wind Festivals for calmer weekends.
8. They find it more important to buy ice for the bait freezer than for the house freezer.
9. In order of importance: Buy booze, buy backup cigarettes, complain, watch the Weather Channel.
10. That all of the above is based on the assumption that predictions are, in fact, wrong, the weathermen are fools, and that the hurricane will, in all likelihood, peter out before it makes it this far north.


Hopefully, I will take the time to prepare a comprehensive kit suited to our family needs, well in advance of the next storm.
Hopefully, it will never have to be used.
And hopefully, I will find it in time for the next storm.

That said, I will add that when we moved to the island, hubby did find the anti-terrorist emergency supply kit I put together after 9/11.
Shoved way back into the farthest corner of the basement.
And let's just say, it wasn't pretty.



Have a calm and clear one. :)

Look, Don't-Try-This-At-Home-Kids or The Dawning of The Age of Reason

We saw it coming.
Yes, we did.

Our neighbors rent during the summer.
And the renters are quiet, quiet, quiet.
But one week each season they allow their young adult child to use the house.
With friends.

Last year, the young adult child and friends serenaded us nightly.
Till at least 2 am.
Usually "Kokomo."
But sometimes, other badly sung, but otherwise popular ditties from the 70s - 90s.
Accompanied by a rather loudly played acoustic guitar (I didn't know this was even possible).
Think high school singing group.

Eventually, they quieted down after some gentle prodding.
And all was well.

Until yesterday.
365 days later.

Now in this land o' vacation plenty, one rental unit does not a large complaint make.
There by the grace of God go I and all that.
However.
We may have hit the limit.

Said Neighbor's Young Adult Child came back, lol.
Again, with friends.
Another year older, and wiser, we thought.

Think again.

It all started rather innocently.

We had had a guest over the weekend, and were busy doing touristy things, so at first we didn't notice.
But since our guest was a bit on the youthful side, she noticed first.

A bit o' flurry at the neighbor's.
Raised voices, laughter, floating over the acreage. All ok.
Until the canoe.
In the backyard.
And some busyness with lots of tape and garbage bags.
Ideas fueled by a hot afternoon of alcohol and whatnot.

We discretely "peeked" as we headed out the driveway.

In all its glory... an honest-to-goodness homemade, adult Slip n' Slide.

Complete with portable outdoor shower appliance attached to the garden hose, to grease the skids, poised at the top of the "ever so slight" incline of their back yard.

Which incidentally ends in a woody, shrubby strip that abuts our long gravel driveway.
And Filled With Poison Ivy.

At the end of the yard? Propped up by two rather large logs from the woodpile was a looooong metal ladder, blocking entrance to the poison ivy. Just to make sure it was solid when they hit it. Lol.

And the kicker?
The full-length canoe back at the top.

Uh-oh.
This was accompanied by the all important overheard shout, "Do you think anyone will get hurt?" Ensuing laughter.
Good question.

Our Better Parent Instincts took over.
Hubby and and I looked at each other, then at our Youthful Guest.

"Don't even touch it," she said with the wisdom of youth under her belt. At this point,  they wouldn't be listening to reason anyway, she speculated.

We went on to supper and entertaining....

At about 10:30 pm we heard it through the muffled sounds of the room a/c (and they don't live that close).
Cheering, cheering, cheering, Thunk.
A short cry out.
Listening, listening, listening, nothing.
No tearing out of cars headed to ER.
No 911 lights and action.
No police cars with bubble lights.

They were, ehem, somewhat safe.
Our Better Parent Instincts relaxed.

In the morning, we glanced over again, as we headed out for morning coffee.
Forlorn garbage bags, somewhat askew, ruffling lightly in the wind.
The canoe, nowhere in sight. Logs and ladder plowed down.

Eventually, we sent Hubby over for - we will admit this blatantly - a little safety recon, and to introduce himself.
"Are you enjoying yourselves?" G asked with the innocence of a father with a kid.
"Oh yes," they returned.
"How'd the Slip n' Slide go?" G countered.
"Pretty good!" they admitted with laughter.
"Anybody get hurt?" G asked.
"Oh... I did," a rather sheepish-looking young gentleman confessed.
They all had a good laugh at that, and G returned to our house, satisfied all was well.


I am happy to report, the rest of the week is going swimmingly with the group next door.
Just a short hootenany and keg standing the next night.
Then the Age of Reason took over.

Until next year.
We figure she has to grow up sometime lol.
Bye, bye Miss American Pie. :)

Have a good one. :)

Glorious Night

Living in a resort area does have its rewards.
But not what you think.

MV Times

During the summer we get, not one, not two,  but three sets of awesome fireworks here on the Island.
Starting off - fireworks for Summer Solstice.
Next up - July 4th fireworks over Edgartown Harbor - which sometimes get fogged out.
And last night.
The Big Kahuna.
The Oak Bluffs Fireman's Association Fireworks.

By Jenn Wiggins

All summer long you see the fire guys out on the corner of Circuit and New York Ave., most summer weekends, taking in donations and selling t-shirts to fund the end-of-the-season explosive extravaganza.
It's hot. It's humid.
But there they are, with one cause in mind - the OB Fireworks.

And lest you think these are some small time pop-offs, think again.

This tiny organization puts on one of the best displays of fireworks in the region!
I would compare their show to a JackAss episode, but not for the reasons you think.
It's professional, it's colorful, it's loud and it's CLOSE with a Capitol C.
Staged slightly (and when I say slightly I mean SLIGHTLY) offshore opposite Ocean Park, with its Victorian Bandstand, old-fashioned boat pond and a lush, green acreage surrounded by Old School, Big-A** summer houses of the old-time rich and famous.

If you sit at the front edge of the park abutting the beach road and the Steamship docks, you are in what we like to call the "fallout" zone.
As in watch-out-you'll-get-your-freakin'-clothes-ignited-with-ash zone.
This gets filled in first lol.

As the show unfolds, it's everything you expect in a local fireworks show.
It's got pyrotechnic stars, ground salutes, waterfalls, even a drunkin' man toddling and weaving his way across the firey ground.

But wait! There's more!
Huge roman candles!
Peonies! Chrysanthemums! Dalhias! And all the colors of the combustible garden of fireworks.
They have Willows.  Yes, those spherical breaks of colors that turn silver-white and trail like a weeping willow tree. The kind you go "Ahhhhhhhh" to.

And they have Kamuros. As I live and breathe. You may not recognize its formal Japanese name - meaning "boy's haircut."  This is not your brother's buzz-cut by any stretch of the imagination. You can recognize it by its dense burst of a glittery gold or silver ball, stars leaving a ponderously heavy trail of glitter behind as they fall.

And those SPIDERS! The "OOOOOOOO" factor!

by Charles Kernick/MVTimes

Anyway, last night was the fireworks. And they did not disappoint.


The ground rumbled.
The skies lightened.
The crowd oooooh'd.
The mortars boomed.

At last! A chance to hold summer before you, until it reaches a fever pitch of light and sound, and heavy clouds of gunpowder and sulphur hanging in the air a minute longer... then the echoing to silence the only thing you hear.

 And...the crowd erupts in hooting and hollering.
And the horns honk their approval along the beach road.

Have a good one. :)

A Grand Illumination

Night of Wonders, really.
Once a summer, the tiny, mostly seasonal community of Victorian cottages here on the island celebrate the closing summer through a magical tradition, Illumination Night.

A little back story.
This community of small gingerbread-style houses originated over 150 years ago.

First a religious summer settlement.

Then it grew. Tents once pitched for a week, became tents with wood siding standing, and grew to cottages that still endure. Despite wind, water, hurricanes and progress, the cottages remain much the same today.

Illumination Night, once held to mark the then Govenor of Massachusetts' visit over a century ago, now means something entirely different, but equally momentous. The colorful Chinese, Japanese and handmade lanterns line the eves and porches of the carpenter-gothic style cottages for just one evening a summer.

In the center of it all,  an open air, ironwork building, the Tabernacle, stands and is surrounded by a lush and peaceful park setting.

Many events take place in the Tabernacle over the summer, but none so important to the community, the culture, the island as Illumination Night.

Preparation is feverish. Will it rain? Will the old lanterns hold up, one more time? Will the electrical cords reach?

On Illumination Night, a traditional band concert and community sing start off the festivities.






And when it is just dark enough, the oldest member of the community steps forward to light the first lantern of the evening. Then... magic!

From the tops of the original tent poles to the gardens below, glowing fireflies of lights twinkle - some candle-lit, others electrically charged.

Crowds follow the lights around the circle of cottages, like moths to a gentle flame - taken in by the awe, the wonder, the aura of something never known, but instinctively felt.


Yes, it is the essence of summer.  Days spent at the beach, nights spent under the stars. Of family visitations, vacations of a lifetime. Of a weekend's respite from the heat radiating from the asphalt sidewalks of the city. That last snatch of childhood, held like a dancing firefly, in the palm of the hand.

And then... let go.
The local fire engine rounds the circle, letting the cottages know, it's time to close up shop.




For the night, the week, for the summer....

Have a good one. :)

Just Sayin'.

If there is a double-dip recession comin', I am not seeing it.
I am very excited to report that traffic is maddening, there are people everywhere, and bikes and mopeds abound.
And the residents of this Island couldn't be happier.

One way to enjoy traffic....

It only means one thing.
Ok, two things, lol.
1. People are travelling and spending their spare money.
2. The Secret Service People are already here, and we are hosting another Presidential Vacation.

And also, maybe there's a slow turn lane in front of Stop & Shop grocery store.

But really.
Sidekick Carol pointed out that the Euro is stronger, and therefore more domestic travel is on the plate for America this summer.
Personally, I think people are just throwing their hands up and vacationing because whatever... we are in this for the long-haul so we might as well enjoy ourselves along the road.

VH Grace Episcopal Church's Awesome Lobster Rolls

But mostly, we island residents are just happy people are here and spending.
When it comes right down to it, island residents purchase roughly, only 1/3 of the goods and services provided annually.

So.
I do not care if I have to wait 10 minutes to get into Edgartown Proper.
I do not care if I have to play Bumper Car with my grocery cart in Cronig's to get through the aisles.
And I especially do not care if I have to wait in line at Waterside Market to order my lunch.

Waterside Market, VH

Because, dear readers, gas prices be damned, America is travelling. (And Waterside makes a killer Supreme Grilled Cheese sandwich - cheddar, provolone and swiss, with avacado, grilled tomato and onion!)
And people are vacationing.

And it's Standing Room Only at all the fancy restaurants.

In 60 days' time, the lines will dwindle and the roads will clear, and  2/3 of our annual spending on Martha's Vineyard will have occurred, thanks to our summer visitors.

So when you think of that little cup of Cappuchino waiting for you in Rome, don't.
There's an even better one waiting for you at Mocha Mott's, americano-style.

Have a good one. :)

For WIP Wednesday: Uh-Huh, It's Crazy-Making Time

For those of you who are knitters, WIP is no stranger to you.
To the rest, let me explain.
WIP = work in progress.

And this is what's on my to-do plate right now.

1.Since my mom has moved to assisted living, we are cleaning out her place and getting it ready for sale. And we are preparing for her yard sale at the same time.

the basement at Mom's - just look away lol

2.The backlash from that is finding a place for the little things we want to keep, when we haven't yet unpacked the little things from our move last year.

3.The backlash from that? Rearranging the guest room furniture to fit in the blue desk my mom gave me.

Yep they are still there

4.The backlash from that: all cleaning/grocery-shopping/laundry doing at our house is on-deck.

It's just like a baseball game around here.
Who's on first. What's happening on second.
Who's at bat. What's on-deck.
What project is in the bullpen.

We also had my mother-in-law visiting, and my husband travelling, and my son fishing, and my thyroid going lol....

Ok God. This is so not funny to me lol.

But I am remaining hopeful, productive and hell-bent on finishing something this week.
And I am definitely not missing meditation!


Who said this was a simpler life?
Oh. Me.
LOL.
Stay tuned.

saving one for me...I think

Have a calm one. :)