hey guys

 A few things.

1. Armpits. The Native deodorant is a champ. I sweat a little, but there is rarely an odor, and I don't have to scrub my pits raw every night trying to get the antiperspirant off. I'm a fan. I'll follow up again in July when it really matters, but for now I'm sold.

2. We have been keeping our eyes on lake houses for over a year now, and have been actively looking since August (pre-approved and ready to pounce), with not much luck. The market is slowing down, but we haven't seen anything we really like. I was really hoping to have a lake house by the end of the year, so here we go: manifesting some badass properties within our budget that will come on the market.

3. My belly continues to mostly behave. I'm so grateful for the calm. I might have found a good combination of diet and supplements. I might even gain some weight! When I feel better and put on a little weight, I feel feminine and soft and sexy. I haven't had curves in a while and I miss them.
It's funny how everyone has different opinions about body image. I hate it when people comment on my body positively when I'm sick and lose weight because I FEEL sickly and bony and gross. It's so weird how people do that anyway.
Starting a new movement: Quit scrutinizing peoples' bodies.
And I swear, if I hear one more person tell me that I'm skinny because I can't eat gluten... Ugh. People are the worst sometimes.

In the meantime, I'm learning to appreciate my body no matter what size I am, no matter if I'm sick or feeling good. I am grateful for a body that wakes up every morning and carries me through life and every glorious experience, no matter what it looks or feels like. That is a big humongous step for me and I'm proud of myself.

4. We were exercising twice a week for a few weeks... and then we took vacations and I traveled for work during weird hours and our schedule went to shit. Trying to get back on track but it's difficult when your schedule keeps changing. At the very least, we do pushups every day and go for nice long evening walks when the weather is nice.

Life has actually been pretty blissful lately. Work is a nice cycle between being busy and then I get a break, we've been traveling to some fun places, our families are happy and healthy, and we are feeling very content and blessed. Taking the opportunity to breathe in and out easily... if you don't count the allergies.

NE Road Trip

In case you are interested, here is the itinerary from our NE road trip:

Day 1:

From LaGuardia: Stay in New Haven, CT: (1 hr 45 m drive)

Other option: Mystic Seaport (2.5 hr drive)

 

Day 2:

Drive to Adams Farm Corn Maze: 495 Sumner Brown Rd, Cumberland, RI 02864 (2 hrs)

Drive to Boston: (1 hr), stay for 2 nights. Salem (30 min away)

 

Day 3:

Day trip to New Hampshire (America’s Stonehenge, 45 min) & Maine (Ogunquit, 1 hr)

Bow Market- reserved a firepit table for 8:30pm

 

Day 4:

Drive to Art in the Orchard: Park Hill Orchard 82 Park Hill Rd, Easthampton, MA 01027 (2 hr)

Drive to Fishkill (2.5 hr)

430pm tasting: Benmarl Winery: 156 Highland Avenue Marlboro, NY 12542

 

Day 5:

Drive to airport, take the Taconic Pkwy (1 hr 15 m)

 

Other things to do:

 

Rhode Island:

Newport Mansions- very south

Providencetown

 

Boston:

Boston Common/Freedom Trail

Beantown Pub (Sam Adams)

Restaurants: Legal, Boston Sail Loft, Pier 6

Isabella Stewart Gardner museum 11-5pm $20

 

Salem:

Salem witch museum Mon 10-5 $15

Ropes Mansion sun 12-4

 

Massachusetts:

Mendon- Festival of illumination Southwick zoo, $25, 5:30-10pm

 

New Hampshire:

Hiking- peanut trail, Breakfast Hill Mountain

 

Maine:

Ogunquit- Marginal Way, Perkins Cove, Beach Plum Farm (610 Main)

Kennebunkport, parsons way trail

Hiking- Kittery Town, Graces woods, mcfeely

 

Vermont:

Scenic drives up North: Smuggler’s Notch, Elm Grove Farm, Sugar bush, Stow, Pomfret and cloudland road

Glastenview maple farm weekend 9-5 weekday 3-5

Dover Honora winery tour

 

Connecticut hiking:

Enders Falls, Chapman Falls, Campbell Falls state park (hike to waterfall), Kent falls state park, Little laurel lime ridge park Seymour ct (limestone caves)

Things I'm loving lately

1. Disposal Genie.

We got a new garbage disposal and the baffle was getting really gross. Food scraps kept getting caught in it and there was this slime that developed around the seal and who has time to scrub it out all the time?? This thing is awesome. No food gets caught in it, and nothing smells. I'm getting everyone one of these for Christmas.

2. Kettle cooked salt and pepper chips. 

I know I have a chip problem, but oh, man these are good. Crunchy, flavorful, perfect. I can eat an entire bag in one sitting. Which is, ultimately, a very bad thing.

3. Scrunchies. They're back in style. They don't damage my already super fine hair. They're 3 for a dollar at Dollar Tree. I like the skinny ones that don't have so much poof. 

4. Omega 3 and digestive enzymes. I have been taking both for a while now and they seem to be making a difference in how my belly feels on a daily basis. The Omega 3s were recommended by my eye doctor and as an added bonus they seem to help with my belly inflammation. Yay! I'm going to ride this happy belly wave for as long as it will let me.

5. On a whim, I grabbed one of those tiny little Native Deodorant trial sizes at target. I love their sample section. I've struggled with armpit odor for as long as I can remember, to the point where I frequently layer on 3 different products. It's not that I sweat a lot, but when I DO sweat, even a little bit, it smells really bad. The problem is, even 3 layers deep I still stink, and scrubbing off 3 layers of antiperspirant at the end of the day is a task that often leaves my poor pits feeling... irritated. So a few days ago, I quit cold turkey. And what do you know... I actually smell pretty neutral. I don't love the smell of the deodorant itself but by midday it wears off and at the end of the day, I don't stink. It's REMARKABLE. Going to keep using it and maybe try the unscented kind.

Ok so there you have it. Kitchen stuff, snacks, belly calming agents, and natural deodorant. A well-rounded post. Have a nice night. 

bliss

Today, at approximately 5:30 pm, I looked at FG and said, "There's no one else I'd rather be cranky with in Home Depot."
Which lightened the mood considerably. 

That's the kind of day we had. But really, it was actually pretty good. This weekend was exactly what I wanted it to be. After last weekend's badass trip to Vegas (literally the funnest time I've had in a LONG time... my entire family in Vegas, my little brother getting married, I won $400 on a penny slot, it was just SO FUN), I needed a mellow weekend.

So we slept in, hung around the house, and crossed a bunch of stuff off of our to-do lists. I made watermelon slushies and we set up the pool and stripped to take a dip when it got too hot.

We also took a quick drive through the country to drop off an impromptu gift of an outdoor rug. FG decided that Ash & Collin needed one for their new camper so we crashed their first family vacation in that new camper. It derailed my plans to try out a local wine bar but honestly I think I enjoyed sitting at that picnic table gossiping about dramatic moms in my moomoo more than I would have enjoyed an overpriced glass of wine.

When we got home that night, a broken bottle of wine AND some dog pee had to be cleaned up in the game room, which slopes so both of those things ran downhill for a longer distance than we'd prefer to clean up. Of course this happened AFTER I had mopped and while we were both starving. Fun times.

In conclusion, the shower no longer drips, we upgraded and streamlined the door locks, the floors got cleaned, the roses got pruned, and a bunch of other stuff got crossed off the lists. And I'm happy.

Now I know how to fix a dripping shower. Also I'm ready to plan another trip. I've always wanted to go to Vermont when the leaves change...

life in small chunks

Have the house to myself tonight. For the first time since February.

My original plan was to grab a friend and get a glass of wine at this cute little wine bar in Richmond that has music.

But I had a terrible headache all day, and while I was in the shower the power went out. I tried not to think creepy thoughts, but how can you not think about killers coming to get you when you're home alone and the power goes out during your shower?? A big storm blew through so Pumpkin and I sat on the back porch watching it for about an hour until the power came back on.

By then I was tired and headachey and hungry and I never actually called a friend to go out so I ate leftovers and made brownies and drank some wine and watched Friends.

You know, it's basically what I used to do back when I lived by myself. And what I'd probably be doing if FG was home except we'd be watching netflix instead of Friends.

We got in this rut where we don't go out or do anything and I'm trying to mix it up a bit. Like see a movie on a Tuesday, or start working out twice a week, or have date nights on Fridays. I miss traveling for work. I miss doing things. I'm very, very over sitting around the house.

Other small updates:

We decided to postpone getting a gym membership, because if we're going to start having to wear masks again, we won't be going to the gym. Still doing daily pushups, though. I'm back up to 15 at a time.

I decided the porch should have a pool house vibe. I chose a color scheme of turquoise and yellow, painted a few things, and it currently holds pool toys, towels, sunscreen, etc. It looks really cute, especially considering that we started with a dark, smelly gross room, and now it is clean and has a purpose so I'm happy about that. We got a blow-up pool for the backyard and although it's a temporary solution, I'm digging it. It's very nice to sit in and have a cocktail at the end of the day or after getting hot and sweaty doing yardwork.

The garden is so sad right now. Hardly anything is making it through this heat. Also I don't think zucchini like to be in pots. Learning some lessons here.

We went to visit Missy and Zach last weekend. Man, I miss her. There were several times where I almost said, "Let's have coffee next week" or, "Next time we go to the beach you should join us" before I remembered they live 4 hours away. 

FG's dad will be visiting for a week. He has some health issues and needs assistance with things like taking showers and walking and taking insulin. I won't be helping with the showers but I will have to wear pants around the house. Fortunately he's not a cranky old man and is pleasant to be around. He doesn't say much because he requires oxygen and gets winded easily, but when he does talk he's pretty funny and agreeable. I'm actually looking forward to getting to know him a little better.

I FINALLY figured out the perfect pancake temperature on the stovetop. Cooking on electric after being spoiled by a gas stovetop has been a challenge, and this has been a major hurdle. I think I can finally live in this house now.

You know how I bitch a lot about how the worst part of living with a dude is the pee dribbles on the toilet rim? Well, I went to go clean the toilet the other day and it was... clean. Come to find out, he has been wiping off the rim of the toilet every single time he pees. Can you believe that? Can you?

belly rescind and eyes and... marriage

The day after I posted about how great my belly has been, I've had a bunch of days of random flares. Sigh.

~

I went to the eye doctor and after looking at my eyes, she was like, "They're hella dry." And yes, after Lasik, they're a little dry, but I've been dealing with it.

She gave me some drops that have oil in them (and they are NICE), some allergy drops, some hippie omega 3 pills, and instructions to lay with a warm compress on my eyes for 15 minutes each day so they'll loosen up some glands or something. She made me promise to follow her instructions because I guess chronic dry eyes are not a good thing... and you only get 1 set so you gotta take care of them.

~

Y'all. Luke. Getting married. I knew it would happen quickly once he met the right person because that's the way he is. I'm so happy for him. 

If we're being honest, I struggled for a while with my opinions about marriage. You know... after mine fell apart while I desperately held on. I remember the first wedding I went to after I knew mine was doomed. I cried during the vows, but not for the right reasons. Because I know that feeling. The feeling of pledging the rest of your life with someone and how awesome it feels and how much you really, truly believe those vows. ...And then life happens. And for me life was kind of a bitch.

But after healing from that trauma, I still cry at weddings, but now for the right reasons. I've decided that marriage is still wonderful. At the end of the day, I choose to remember the advice that a friend gave me a long time ago, "If there is any chance that you will be happy, go for it."

The thing is, no one knows what's going to happen. Sometimes marriages last for a lifetime, sometimes they're a shitshow, and sometimes they're something in-between. And there's no way to predict which one it will be. And I'm always happy to celebrate my friends and family going for it. So cheers to Luke and Faith!

state of the belly

Tonight I had a cupcake and it didn't hurt my stomach. This is significant.

I think after many, many years of struggling and feelin so sick, I finally have a handle on things. Well, most days. Some days the belly hurts and I can't figure out why, but bellies are weird sometimes. But being able to eat a cupcake and not pay for it afterwards is huge in my book.

The official list of foods I avoid to achieve belly harmony is:
gluten (duh)
dairy
oats, bacon, peppers & tomatoes (I like them but they do NOT like me back)

A few other foods that seem to help:
kombucha, specifically flavors containing ginger
sauerkraut- a forkful with breakfast seems to make things happy
prunes, 2 with my coffee every morning
these herbal supplements, with coffee every morning just to get a good start, and sometimes as needed if the belly is cranky
raw carrots. It's weird, but if I can't stomach anything else, carrots will sit well.

Adding almond milk to my coffee every morning has made a huge difference (dude apparently coffee is brutal on my stomach), and overall things are so much better. 

I'm so happy I've been able to identify and eliminate the foods that have been making me feel so crappy, and add in foods that make me feel better.