While I was doing some early prep for dinner on Saturday afternoon, Wizard got a news alert on his phone. And that’s how we  learned of an attempted assassination of a presidential candidate. And just like that, my weekend filled with anger, disbelief and a bottomless sadness. I just cannot understand what drives a 20 year old kid to murder people. I just can’t.

As I write this, the latest I know (and I was gone most of the day yesterday taking a break from reality before I wrote this blog) is Former President Trump was injured, one man died and two more were critically wounded. And a LOT of people who love those victims have been terrorized and traumatized. I hope to God I am never in a crowd and forced to witness such a terrible thing like that. Ever.

I am sad at what we’ve become. It would not matter to me which of the two candidates was targeted, my feelings would remain the same. This is not how we solve problems. People who do something this heinous are the problem.

Now deep breath and let’s move on: The rest of my weekend was good. The highlight was having lunch with my friend, then we walked around an outlet center and ended  our day out with some sorbet. Friends are truly one of life’s blessings.

So that was my weekend, how was yours?

TGIF!! Friday keep on coming! Okay let’s jump into sharing five random things about our week.

1. Well the good news is I had some chocolate chip cookies in my freezer! Just what I needed this week!
2. The frustrating news is my ENT office told me late Wednesday they will not do my surgery. Oh did I say told? Sorry I meant sent me an email. Thankfully it was just in time to cancel my preop appointment.
3. A huge thank you to another doctor’s assistant who spotted the shenanigans going on with my case. That assistant worked behind the scenes to get me a referral to UCI (a very good University hospital system). That same assistant called me last week I think to let me know the referral was there if I needed it. I suspect she knew I would need it. I’m now in the process of getting a consultation set up there. It’ll take time to get the referral authorization into their system, then we’ll need start over with a new specialist. But I should get better care for my specific situation. The moral of this story is that many times really good people are stepping up and quietly helping even when they have no real skin in the game. I so appreciate that assistant.
4. More good news, I should be able to go to my daughter in law’s shower now! I’m so looking forward to that, and since I’m one of the hostesses it’s good that I’ll be there Even more fun, I’m getting to know my daughter in law’s mom more as we plan the shower and she’s so nice! Truly a bright spot to have all this going on. And just because I’m thinking about it, my daughter in law called just to see how I’m doing and I love her for that. So lot’s of bright spots that make me happy.
5. I’m meeting a friend on Sunday for lunch and I’m very happy about that. Wizard is going racing too, which I’m also pleased about. He needs to get out, see his friends and have fun too.

That’s my week, now it’s your turn! I really hope everyone has a great weekend!

Just when I think the fireworks are over, some moron set one off last night and terrified my dog. We were all in bed, Maggie was sound asleep in the the front room, and after that mortar blast, she was afraid to go back to that bed.

Add in the heat that’s keep Wizard in the house…all day…I’m over it.

But at least there hasn’t been any bad news or new problems this week, so that’s a win!

How your Wednesday going?

I missed posting on Friday! Sorry! The 4th of July threw off my schedule. Feel free to include anything that would have been in your Friday Five in a comment on this post if you like. For me, let’s recap a few things in a Friday Five fashion:

1. We had a mostly good Fourth of July. Wizard and I went to an early dinner, then made sure we were home way before the fireworks started. We did our best to help manage her fear, and she did pretty well. She didn’t shake, pant or pace, and mostly just stayed close to me or Wizard. Still I hate that Maggie gets scared because she can’t understand the booming firecrakers. But overall, I’m proud of her, and us for helping her manage her fear better this year.
2. I made a gluten and dairy free version of thin mint cookies. They are a softer, bigger version, but they work for most chocolate and mint lovers I’m going my best to stay busy while dealing with fatigue and other symptoms (like sudden, dramatic and gross, one-sided nose bleeds as I wait for surgery).
3. Sunday, we went to a little pool party at youngest’s and had a blast. Turbo was there, and so was Daughter in law’s nephew who is a few years older than Turbo. Those two, plus Oldest and Youngest son, had more fun than should be legal splashing all of us, and other assorted pool antics.  Food was great. As a bonus: I made a bruschetta I was happy with, and used basil and tomatoes from my mini garden
4. Maggie had a bath last week and I tried to take pictures of her. The first two attempts she refused to look at me or the camera phone. Then I went over and sat on the wall to contemplate my life choices in getting a dog. Maggie saw me, came over and reluctantly agreed to one picture. Then she made the third pic look like a scared hostage photo. Yet two minutes before that, she was running all over the backyard terrorizing lizards and looking half her age.
5. This week is working on Daughter in law’s baby shower (that’s fun stuff), a hair appointment, pre-op appointment, seeing Biker Witch and trying to stay out of the worst of the heat. Also…I’m thinking lemon shortbread cookies. We’ll see.

Now it’s your turn to share about your weekend and last week if you like! Happy Monday!

You know that sick feeling when you realized you screwed up? I had that moment this week.

So we are moving along, planning my daughter-in-law’s baby shower, and I was thinking I’m on top of things? Then…

I suddenly realized I left someone important off the guest list! The invitations already went out, and she would be aware of that.

Yeah…I did that. I literally felt sick when I realized it! I called the friend and apologized, and she was super gracious and wouldn’t even let me grovel. Even better, she immediately accepted both my apology and the invitation to join us.

She’s awesome and I’m…still a work in progress??? LOLOL!!

It’s all good. I think she really did understand I didn’t intend that exclude her! That’s the important thing.

But I’m clearly not on top of things in case anyone was wondering

Anyone else every get that sick realization? And were you lucky enough to have someone gracious and understanding like I did?

Happy Wednesday!

We had a nice weekend. Some key points:

I bought the second book in a paranormal series that I said I wasn’t going to buy. I bought it before we went to Hawaii so I’d be sure to have enough books to read. Anyone else worry when they’re traveling that they might run out of things to read Anyhow, I wish I’d listened to my instincts and NOT bought it. I canNOT get into this second one after days of trying. The reason I knew buying the second book would be a mistake is because at the end of Book One, the heroine ended up back in her bedroom where the first book began. The beginning to book two is reading about a bunch of brooding in both main characters and we’re waiting for heroine to, once again, “snap out of it” and start fighting. I feel like I’ve already read this storyline in book one. But I deserve it for not listening to myself! I hate when I do that.

Sunday we went to Turbo’s house and visited. It was lowkey and fun. The effort to get there was a total pain for a few reasons, however once we got there, Turbo was happy and full of hugs and chatter. That made all the hassle of the morning worth it! Turbo and family will be going on an amazing trip to Rome and then a cruise to a few spots. I’m excited for them. I would love to go to Italy some day, but right now, this is their moment to go and enjoy!

I’ll back up to Saturday for this story. While eating lunch on Saturday, I told Wizard I was going to go to a candy store. He planned to stay home and do something or other. Seconds before I left, he decided he wanted to go with me. While I looked for the perfect candy for Turbo (Candy shaped like Lego blocks that you can build and eat fit the bill!), Wizard found himself two containers of candy. I was highly amused by this. Wizard has really developed a sweet tooth since he retired. And Turbo liked his candy-gift. Hilariously, his dad (my son) tried to get it from me before I gave it to Turbo for some silly reason, but I easily bypassed Dad’s sad attempts to get between me and my grandson! Also — this is only funny because I told Turbo he couldn’t open it until his dad said it was okay, and he agreed. I wouldn’t actually break the rules, just bend them more to my liking

And lastly, tomatoes!! Here’s a quick pic of my first crop of bing tomatoes from my little plant!

How was your weekend?