This Summer, So Far

And there went a month! This summer, more than others, I’ve really been appreciating how great summer is. I think doing it right has a lot to do it with, doing summer-specific things and not just living the same way in warmer weather. There have been a lot of highlights, but the quiet quality and enjoyment has been the best. In the past month of summer, I…

Drove up the Pacific Coast Highway in an orange Camero convertible.

Had a fire and drank wine at the ocean.

Walked bare-armed and sun-kissed home.

Ate tamales and fish tacos with a view of the Pacific.

Trained tomato plants into a trellis cage.

Walked dogs after work, enjoying the extended light.

Hung out by the lake in Michigan.

Read 5 paper back mysteries in a swing over 4 days.

Had two milkshakes one day, and then two rootbeer floats the next.

Drank hard Arnold Palmers at dusk.

Suntanned my legs.

Whacked weeds, watered raspberries, moved indoor plants outdoors.

Wore skirts and dresses to work, most days.

Drank drinks on a patio.

Shopped the farmer's market.

Stopped by, “just for gelato…”

Picked blueberries.

Watched a hula.

Celebrated national Hot Dog day.

Saw old friends, saw new friends, made even newer friends.

And probably a lot more. And still it seems, none of these things enough—but trying and succeeding in being present and thankful and enjoying life, are good things to do in any season.

Some Nice Things Happened in Arizona Over the Weekend, Too.

Snowshoeing!

So after last week's 50+ inches of snow we went on something of an online shopping spree for winter gear. Most notably were snowshoes for both us. They're so fun! Perhaps, as Charlie says, the best snow sport. It is fun that we can go straight out of our backyard into the greenspace and eventually the wash trail and that snowshoeing doesn't require any skill passed walking.

Best snow sport 4 eva!

Manniversary

"Charlie, it's our three year manniversary this weekend!"

"I know!"

"Three years... So would you say this is your most serious relationship?"

"Ha! Um, two dogs and a house??"

"Uh-huh. Well?"

And then a look of amusement with my silly mood that I hope means he'll stick around for another 3.

We began celebrating by spending about 60 hours straight in the house together... which is relationship test all its own. The worst that happened was this morning we got in a small argument about the busted shower... which was good timing, since today the interstate was open! So we went into town, got some groceries and some hiking boots. And a meal that a) we didn't have to cook and b) wasn't based on ingredients from our local gas station. Nachos, anyone? Frozen pizza? It was a nice change of pace.




This picture is from just before we were together. If you look in his eyes, you can see how much Charlie wishes he was my boyfriend. See?

Anyway, thanks for laughing at my jokes, for the adventures and for paying half the mortgage!!!

Today

We've gotten a lot of that snow... and lots more is still coming. I couldn't go to work today because the interstate and the other highway into town (still!) are closed. Darn.
So I am getting even the teensy bit ahead in my studying, clearing snow and watching the dogs enjoy it. Don't worry, we all walked to the gas station for ice cream and beer... so we're all set.

Weekends

The 3-4 feet of snow haven't hit yet, but through the blinds while I listen to lectures on Wills, I can see that we're on our way. Last weekend my dad was in town, which was great and we made some improvements on the house. Like he made it a lot warmer using logic and physics (and about $30 in supplies from the hardware store.) I think I felt so overwhelmed that I forgot things I knew. I put plastic over our windows in Madison in the winter... why didn't I think of that when our house here was cold? He also bought us a new front and side door. They haven't been installed yet, but they will also improve the heat situation. And while we were waiting in line at check-out at Home Depot, we had a good laugh about the days when I would have begged for a pony or been tickled by a boombox... but now I was stoked to get some new doors. I even up-talked my way to fancier front-door hardware. "But, Daaaad, I like this one so much more...."

This nice, long weekend was sorely needed. By the end of last week, personality problems at work had a hit a head that was only exacerbated by exhaustion and frustration with bar study. Once I got out of frustrated crying mode and into long weekend mode, it was much better. This weekend has involved some progress, too. If we ever finish the project in the upstairs bathroom, I will share pictures and stories. If not, I'd rather not discuss it...

And the dogs! So much dog time. Gus went to doggy daycare (excuse me, day camp) twice last week. It was awesome and pretty much totally worth $16/day. Not only do I not have to come home over lunch to let him out of the crate, but he is there playing like a maniac all day and so is, well, dog tired all evening. This is much more conducive to studying than these two pups "playing" all night in the background.




I hadn't noticed until Charlie pointed out that Gus shies away if one of us raises something like a stick. I didn't see it until we were trying to assemble this bedframe and he'd run each time I lifted my section. It's very sad and angering. I don't know who had him last, but if I ever find the person who used to hit him with sticks... I will hit them. With sticks if he or she is lucky. And that's a promise. I mean, look at him, what kind of a person would hit this?

Things I've Said to the Dogs Which I Hope I Don't, but Fear I Might, One Day Say to my Children

What do you have? That's a squeegee/screwdriver/steak knife, not a toy.

DROP IT.

Come here, you crazy little fucker.

Stop smelling my crotch.

Stop taking my underwear, you little pervert.

Drop it, that's garbage. Drop it, that's poop.

You are annoying the shit out of me.

Goddamnit! Staaaaaaaay stiiiiiilllll....

I love you, you're so cute/beautiful.

Drop it, that's dental floss.

What do you have? What the hell is wrong with you?

Seriously, what the fuck?

NO BITING.

NO JUMPING.

If you don't let me sleep...

Get. Off. The. Bed.

You'rethebestboyinthewholewideworldandIloveyousomuchyou'remyveryfavoriteexceptyourbrotherandyoudadand...

I love to squoosh your smooshy face.

What are you eating.

DROP IT.

Good boy!

Stop humping your brother.

Have You Met Gus?

He's wonderful. A 7 month-old golden retriever with some pit in him, maybe boxer, too? We saw him a few times at the humane society and lucky for us, he was still there once we were ready to bring him home. The first night in our new house, in a freezing cold bedroom with a puppy jumping off the walls... I will admit I had a little buyer's remorse... for a moment for both the dog and the house. But that passed. Gus has really settled down and just seems so happy to be in a home. It's really sweet. We're still working on keeping him off the bed and hopefully eventually he'll stop following me room-to-room like, well, a puppy. But he's been a great addition to the family.

7 Good Things (Note: "Seven Pounds" was not one of them)

1. Well, you know, first is probably the JOB I WAS OFFERED TODAY. I start Monday. It's hard to express what a relief it is. If I chose to be cynical, I could describe it as the same job I had before law school but for much less money. But I choose not to be cynical. In reality, it's about the best situation I could be in (like, considering I didn't take the AZ bar, have no contacts in town, etc.). I am really stoked. I will have health insurance and a paycheck and county benefits and hopefully a full week before I remember that working isn't always that awesome.

2. We have a Sunday-only subscription to the NY Times starting this Sunday. This was the first week of Charlie staying out on the reservation, so number 2a is that he'll come home tomorrow night, we'll celebrate #1 with dinner out and the bottle of champagne Karen & Drew passed along for just such an occasion. Yes we moved inexpensive champagne to AZ. What? So 2b will almost certainly be how nice it will be to relax with the Sunday Styles with my boy and my dog in a couple of days, with the knowledge the next day will start my return to contributing member of society.

3. We were able to join in on the end of a summer CSA. Four more weeks of this one, which gave us tomatoes, turnips, beets, salad greens, potatoes, onion, carrots and cucumber last week. I picked up this week's share this afternoon, which was essentially the same but green beans and radishes instead of tomatoes and carrots. Yum!

4. My car insurance is over $200 cheaper per year in Flagstaff over Madison. Like, I have the exact same policy with the exact same insurer. So that's an unexpected perk of the move.

5. This week marks the tenth anniversary of going to college. Monday night we were able to toast it, Erica and I discussed it on the phone last night. It's a good thing. Incidentally, my sister went to college on Monday, too. We can sing Circle of Life together later if you want.

6. I found the natural foods store in town. I had gotten kind of worried/weirded our that I couldn't find a co-op or Whole Foods-type place. Well, Flag has a New Frontiers. Whatever, I don't need to do all my shopping at places like that (nor can I afford it, even with the new dual incomes...) but I was feeling panicky without a place to buy bulk spices-type things. I had some eel rolls with brown rice from there for lunch today. Stamp of approval!

7. Since today was Dog Day... well actually not because of that at all, but because I had to time and the promise of future earnings, I got Aberdeen a fancy new brush, brushed him and washed him in pomegranate fru-la-la dog shampoo that is supposed to reduce shedding. He hated the whole thing. Lucky for him in between the brushing and the washing we went on a walk on one of the nearby trails, where he can be off-leash and explore all the southwestern creepy crawlys he wants. Since his actual Dog Day was more bad than good, I thought I'd honor my constant companion by sharing his funniness. I had kind of gotten used to it and don't think it's so weird anymore, until the Monday visitors saw it and thought it was very funny.

Ok, so this is like what he does. Like immediately after I make the bed.



"Hey, Aberdeen... Aberdeen... You want to go outside?"



.....



He's magical.

So that's all the good things I can think of, there's a lot. Oh, perhaps the most critical of all, everything on clearance at Old Navy is another 50% off. So you can go, and like me, get 3 work-appropriate top-sweater things for $20. And then, like me, you'll be very thrifty as well as very lucky.

Whirlwind Report

Las Vegas was really fun. Our flight left at 6am this morning, which means... I'm tired. I ended about $20 down in video poker... which is ok. Because I played a lot of 5¢ video poker and got free beers for doing it. I like to think I came out ahead. I also drank a lot of daiquiris, one came in a football. So there I definitely came out ahead. And went to Hoover Dam and saw the Cirque du Soleil show LOVE... which was pretty effing cool. Those people are amazing and I am amazed that there are enough people who can do that crazy amazing stuff to staff 5 Cirque shows in Vegas plus all the touring companies and so on. Wow. I also got some suntan and ate a ton. I was in "three all you can eat" situations in 4 days... and managed to eat all I could in the rest of technically not "all you can eat" situations. Amazing and disgusting. I had I think 3 hotdogs while we were there. Which is like 3 times more hotdogs than I've had in the past two years. Hotdogs are delicious!
I had a great time with Charlie's family, too, both immediate and extended. Also, apparently the cure for my foot injury was not two weeks of rest, icing and wrapping it like I was trying... no, it was walking a lot and drinking daiquiris so it wouldn't hurt. Voila. Weirdly, it's pretty much fine now. And I discovered not running for almost three weeks and being completely lazy and gluttonous may have derailed my Crazylegs plans. We'll see, maybe I'll get back in the swing faster than I fear based on my frigid little job this afternoon.
So now I spend the next 3 days doing weeks worth of stuff... and eating a lot of vegetables before continuing my wanton ways in Nashville starting Thursday. Woo!

Freakin Weekend

In other activities, it was a good weekend. Friday went straight from executing a good direct examination in trail advocacy class to admitted students dinner where I identified another Wesleyan alum at the law school (a clinical professor, we were both very excited to discover this. Obvi) and talked to people about coming to school here. Then I saw a concert, Bon Iver. He's a friend of a friend here from high school, a Wisconsin falsetto that will break your heart. It was awesome and they came out and played the last song right next to us in the audience. Then we drank beer.

Saturday Charlie's roommate made us a surprise brunch and I transitioned straight from that to talking to admitted students some more. OH-- and sending on applications for an apartment. Assuming that goes through, we'll have a cute place with a lot of built-in shelving near the capitol next year. There is also free laundry.

Later Saturday a banquet and after party, which both ended up being a lot more fun than anticipated. Today we cashed in coupons like crazy, got 2-for-1 lunch, a free do-it-yourself dogwash and 50% off dog treats.

Was there some minutiae I missed? I sure hope not.