Update on the car - it is cool once again.  Fortunately, they didn't charge me to recharge the freon, unfortunately, they couldn't find a leak.  They did add a dye, so if I end up toasty again soon they might stand a chance of seeing where everything is escaping at.

I also wanted to post because of someone on my mind.  It's about an old classmate.  The other day another person in the Altoona group posted stating they found photos in her sister's things, they'd like to get to the others in them, she was in my class.  Of course I had to click through to figure out if I knew who it was - and lo and behold it was one of the few gals that were in elementary with me.  Breast cancer.

Sure I hadn't spoken to her in forever, but it is sticking with me.  I had looked for her on Facebook a while back, not finding her.  But now I see she joined last year, maybe after being diagnosed?  Who knows.  Regardless, she's been on my mind.  RIP SL.  I'll always remember that when my father passed away, you and your dad were the rare ones of my classmates that reached out with sympathies.  I remember your humor and personality.  I wish we had had a chance to catch up, if only to see what you were up to through facebook.

Today I returned my sister to the airport.  Avery and I will miss having her here visiting.  She's always quite the help, and it's nice to have someone to chat with.

Another fun update - the air conditioning in the car has NOT been working right.  I have had it cranked down to LOW (62 degrees) and blasting air, but I still sweat.  I realized today it doesn't matter if the A/C button is pushed or not, so maybe it isn't working at all.  I think it was a slow progression down to nothing.  I feel a bit like a frog in a pot of water set to boil.  I scheduled an appointment at the dealership yesterday, but the soonest appointment was next week.  Let's pray it isn't a scorcher.

I asked if the air is under warranty and their answer was it depends on what is wrong with it.  Seriously?  Aw hell no.

Time for some catching up.  Danika celebrated her 13th birthday on the 14th, marking 11 years here with me just a few days prior.  She is doing well, but does sometimes shiver in her hind legs and seem to have some periodic struggles with all of the stairs.  She's also either started not hearing me as well or just not caring as much when I call her - I believe it to be the later.  Saffy on the other hand is her normal crazy self.  They're both shedding like crazy right now, so keeping things tumbleweed free has been quite the challenge.

We did a cake smash photo session last Saturday and a family photo/first birthday photo session today.  The weather has been so sticky and hot combined with frequent rain and thunderstorms.  Meh.  This made standing outside today for an hour a bit sticky.  Avery has been cranky for these photo sessions, but I'm hopeful we got some good shots.  There are some decent shots of her despite her unhappiness last weekend - including one that beautifully captures the current color of her eyes.

All of this rain also means my lawn, I use that word loosely, is insane.  Mostly it is comprised of weeds again - despite the seeding.  It's rather frustrating.  The weeds in the flower beds are a bit obscene too - including one I pulled yesterday that was easily 3 feet tall.  How are they doing this in the mulch and getting through the weed barrier?  When I pull them it lifts the barrier and it is getting exposed and looking less than great.

Finally, something I want to moan a little about to the world.  Today, after our photos we stopped for a treat (ice cream).  As I get out of the car I immediately see a dog in a truck.  It's 80 degrees out.  I don't care if the windows are cracked, that's so not ok.  There was a state senate law that I believed passed regarding this, but clearly, our local police don't seem to agree.  I called... they came... he told me "it's only a dog" and because the dog didn't seem to be in distress it wasn't animal abuse.  I hope this guy doesn't work with the K9 unit at all.

It feels like another season of running is upon me.  I had an all clear at the dentist last week, another trim on Monday evening, and a trip to the eye doctor yesterday.  At the eye doctor I went ahead and had them do the 'extra tests' that are never covered on insurance to get a baseline since, let's be honest, I'm not getting any younger.

Of course, they see a mole/freckle on the back of my left eye, which means I need to go back again in six months to redo the tests to make sure it isn't growing/changing.  He also broached the subject of progressives, which I am SO not ready for any time soon.  I did order new frames from the Paws and Claws collection for my new prescription.  I'm glad trends are moving back towards slightly larger glasses as to not highlight that my brows are uneven.  At one point my one eye (left I believe) had returned to not needing correction, but we're moving back in the other direction again.

A few years back all of our reviews (and raises) were moved to the end of July/August time frame at work.    So here we are at that time.  Maybe that's why I had a dream last night, or maybe my subconscious knew that there was an email in my inbox waiting for me to find it this morning.

The dream wasn't a great one, instead of getting a raise, I was let go.  It was one of those lucid and vivid dreams that, while I knew I was dreaming while I was dreaming, when I woke up it still felt very real.  I was physically in the office and seeing/saying goodbye to people, many of whom haven't worked for the company in a number of years.  I was upset to be going, but had noted that I already sold the house so it would be 'easy for me to move back to NC'.

Fortunately, the email waiting for me this morning was not telling me to turn in my machines.  The increases remain modest, but I am grateful for any increase - and a check every two weeks.  When I did the math as to how much it might effect my check I had a moment.  When I had my first job (you know, a teenager with a couple of hours here and there at the mall) I would have killed for a single check at that amount.  Often by the time I filled my gas tank (and back then it was only 99 cents a gallon) I had eaten into 1/3 if not 1/2 of my check.  Today I drop what would have been 2 or 3x that old check at the grocery store without blinking an eye.

A lot has changed.  I have a ton to be grateful for.

I'm another year older.  How time is flying, I blame kiddo for that. We're a few days away from 11 months already, after all.  I took my birthday off to enjoy the day with the wee one and we met her Nonna at the Phipps Conservatory.  What a lovely place.  I could have easily been there 2x as long wandering about.

Today after her gym class, she, my Favorite Egg, and I went back into the city to check out Picklesburgh.  Oh my was it packed.  We went out for dinner Friday night, but I didn't get the fried pickles because of our plan to attend this event.  I wish I had - as I left there not getting anywhere near a fried pickle as the lines that were interesting were a bit obscene.  We did however try a peanut butter pickle cupcake and a sauerkraut brownie.  It was still a nice day out.

I've gotten a few more tomatoes from the plants, and it seems like I will have a small supply for a while moving forward.  The basil leaves that remain are pretty tiny.  I guess it really is done, sadly.

I pulled the first four red tomatoes off of the super sweet 100s plants last night.  There doesn't seem to be as many tomatoes growing on them as I would have expected/desired.  My sweet 100s from a few years ago were abundant and that was a single plant.  The skins are a bit thick, but the flavor is there - they are delightful.

I fought my basil, which kept trying to bloom, for a while.  I'd pinch off the buds and they'd be back the next day.  I finally gave it and let it bloom, which it did on one stalk and then stopped.  There still plenty of leaves, but they're smaller.

Not a spectacular "garden" by any means, but it's nice to have a couple of fresh items out back.

Avery, my Favorite Egg and I made the drive to Altoona on Saturday for a family reunion.  Not everyone was there, but I'm glad to have gotten to see as many people as we did, including one Aunt who we made a special stop to visit at home as she's been ailing after leaving the hospital in the past month.  It makes me sad to see how thin and frail many of them have become.

We were blessed with perfect weather.  The extreme heat dropped off and we had a lovely cool morning with bright blue, clear skies.  Even Pittsburgh cooperated and we didn't slow down much at all - making it to Altoona in 2 hours and 15 minutes!

After we arrived I took a loop around Mom's house.  One of these days the new owners will see someone creeping by taking photos of their house.  Sorry, I just want to see how it evolves.  Then we headed to the cemetery to visit Avery's Meme and Grandpop before heading to my cousin's where the get together was taking place.

Today was pretty average - Starbucks, church, some cleaning while Avery took a nice long nap (thank goodness), a walk under the clear blue skies that continued today, playing with Avery, watering lawns, continuing to eat leftovers from the family reunion.  I brought back a good bit of pasta salad which turned out really well, but I'm telling you after eating it for 5 meals straight it is loosing it's luster, and a big back of chicken courtesy of my cousin (also loosing it's luster).

I usually buy myself something that I consider to be a bit of a splurge for Christmas and my birthday.  What I decided to order "for me" for my upcoming not happening/I'm no longer aging birthday is actually for the kiddo.  I admire a lot of work on Etsy, but what really caught my eye were engraved wood growth charts.  I hope it is as pretty as it is in my mind.  I guess I don't see myself being in this house as long as I was the last one, so I want to be able to take those height markings with me.  But who knows, time does fly.  Hopefully I won't be retiring here though, as I've got a lot of stairs.

Well the robins are definitely reusing the nest.  I had spotted one sitting in the nest a couple of times, so I figured he/she was on eggs, but last night I saw THREE little heads pop up and saw one of the parents with a mouthful a couple of times.  It warms my heart to know that my deck helped shield 5 little lives so far this summer.  I'm glad that they find my place accommodating.  I try to keep some food out there (not constant as I might in the winter) and some water in the bird bath.

I have also found that if I move the new bed into the 'zero-g' position and move the head up a little more I am not sore and moving as much at night.

Yesterday Avery and I took advantage of our day off, despite the heat and headed north to do some shopping.  I was hoping to find a comforter or bedspread that I liked at At Home.  No luck on that front, but I was excited to see the halloween stuff already starting to fill the shelves!  I also couldn't say no to a big Zero the dog to hang on my front porch!  We walked around the Robinson mall as well.

I gotta admit, I was missing my Mom on the drive up there.  I realized that a few years ago I would have been making the drive down the mountain for us to cook out together.  It wasn't some big family get together that so many people have to celebrate, but I miss it; and while I wasn't alone, I was with my little one, I still felt a bit alone for the holiday.

We eventually caught up w/ my Favorite Egg at a friend's place for a little while - they played games, I entertained kiddo.

I've gotten a few nights in on the new bed, and alas, I am still not comfortable.  I miss my old bed and how it would hug me.  I tried reducing my typical number of pillows for the first few nights and I just couldn't get comfortable, even with the top angled up a little.  I'm still waking to shift as my hips get a little sore from staying in one position too.  *sigh*

I ordered sheets my sister recommended because they had a double-row of elastic.  I was concerned as they are only 400 thread count, but she recommended them and I figure they'll work for now, lowering my overall initial expenditures and heaven knows I'll eventually buy a second set of sheets.  Well, they're scratchy.  I guess I'm spoiled with my higher thread counts.

As to space - it is wider, but it works.  Without a headboard it can push back a bit further which compensates to allow you around the bed on both sides.  Of course, at some point I want to get another headboard, but I'll adjust to that when the time comes.

Know what's crap?  The $5000 yearly limit for pre-tax dollars for daycare.  As I prepare the paperwork I need my daycare provider to sign for our July care I realized this will put us above that $5000 threshold.  I guess the good news is both I and the provider get a few months off from paperwork.  On the other hand I won't get that full $5000 back until the end of the year anyhow as they split things across the whole year.  I certainly hope the balance we have to pay out for August-December can be written off in some other way.

On other news, I have continued to struggle with back pain.  Thinking I'd never get anywhere I tried calling the furniture company I purchased from.  Guess what - they won't send anyone out to recheck the bed for 6 months after a previous check.  If you recall, back in February they came and checked my new bed and found the box springs defective, so they replaced them.  I guess if you still have something defective that's just too bad for 6 months.  With a sigh I called the guy who I turn to for my purchases out here and he worked up his chain to get me some assistance.

I'm lucky to say that they were able to get me covered under the comfort guarantee, even though I was about 10 days past the 120 day window on the replacement box springs, but obviously way out of that window for the initial purchase.  What that means is for a $100 fee to dispose of the old stuff they'll give me credit towards purchase of another.  With prodding from my sister I caved and ordered a king sized bed last night - worse still, one that has a base that moves.  How old does that make me sound?  The new bed will be here on Wednesday, which has me scrambling to get some sheets here in time - never mind all of the other things that will need to be purchased (dust ruffle, comforter, mattress protector (which I already bought there in the store as it ups their warranty on the bed) etc).

I hope this doesn't make my bedroom look tiny.  Ultimately the deciding factor on the size upgrade was that before I know it, I will have someone else trying to sneak into my bed.  I may as well make room for her now.

I've been quite sore since last week.  My neck and upper back first on Friday.  Then the next day both of my calves kicked in, also sore - almost like after some of the middle of the night charlie horses I got while prego.  My calves feel still a light pull, but it moved down into my right foot yesterday and then my arms were hurting - today it's my left wrist that barely wants to bend without pain.  What on EARTH did I do to my body?  This all started after my most recent chiro appointment, which would explain the neck/back, but my calves?  Arms?  Wrist?

I've spent the past two nights partially on the couch sleeping as my side of the bed disagrees with my left hip and lower back, and frankly that's the only part of me that hasn't been in notable pain for the past few days.

Another momentous occasion of great sadness... last night I finally (long overdue) threw away my Pampered Chef Generation 2 cookware pan that was my go to for meatloaf.  How I wish they still made that set (without the rivets on the inside of the pans).