The weather has cooled back down.  There really is no win.  I find myself either saying "it's too cold for me to..." or "it's too warm for me to...".  This weekend however I have crossed a few things off.  I was up and moving pretty early yesterday to get grocery shopping done, anticipating my Favorite Egg visiting.  He ended up with something else going on, so he came later, but that bought me time for a nap.  After he came my grocery purchases forced my hand and got me out on the deck to scrub the grill.

The past two summers I've thought there was something wrong with the grill as often it would not come up to temp and would only get to around 250 degrees, obviously not good for grilling out. I had recently started searching expecting to be directed to a replacement part only to learn that I am probably causing the grill to go into bypass mode because I would turn things on too quickly!  After we cleaned her up we turned her on in the way directed on the one website and boom we had ample heat!  It is out on the deck, so I did have to pull it away from the railing and put a drip protector (yay Amazon) under the whole thing.

Today I was up again early to get to church.  I didn't make it up and moving early enough last weekend so I simply had to go this week.  I sure wanted another nap today, but instead I headed to a LuLaRoe open house here in my neighborhood by a consultant I've been following and snagged a couple more items.  I had also placed an order with Zulily this morning as I've been hunting for maxi dresses that are simple/solid colors to use for a photo shoot in July.

New furniture I ordered for the rugrat room comes on Tuesday, so I needed to do some work up there.  I moved the existing dresser into the closet, reorganized some more, vaccuumed, put together the changing topper for the dresser (again yay Amazon), and started another load of laundry for linens etc.  We don't have the mattress yet, but I can fake it and make it look a little more put together in time for my Favorite Egg's Mom to come in two weeks to help me get a wall painted.

I'm not done. I'm going to head to the basement next.  I really need to move some stuff around and do some reorganizing there so it doesn't feel so crowded thanks to all of the rugrat stuff and boxes of wine I brought back earlier this week.  Wish me luck!

I was blessed enough that a friend invited me to the 4th game, 2nd round of the Stanley Cup playoffs (Pens vs Caps).  It was hard to figure out what jersey to wear, after all I do not own a Pens jersey.  I do own a Caps jersey, but out of the two that isn't who I would cheer for.

Typically whatever team I'm cheering for looses.  This is why I assume Sid got hurt the other night, it's like they knew I was coming.  Instead I got to watch the Pens take home win number 3 in this series!  Great evening out and I'm only a little worse for wear this morning.  Hopefully I won't be begging for a nap around 2pm.

I have felt slightly productive as of late, but I know they're minor strides, but since I haven't posted in a while I feel like I have a lot to catch you up on.

Last week one night I made another trip out to look at furniture.  I knew if I could just get the furniture for the kiddo room selected and ordered I'd feel a lot better.  I ended up having an epiphany that some of the furniture in the kid's section was named the same as the furniture in the adult bedroom section.  Boom! Kid's dresser and an adult's lingerie chest make for just what I need:  something smaller to fit into that room, ample storage/drawers/moderate pricing - but still real wood.

I do still need to find a rocking chair of some sort for there, but that's a whole other story.  The debate goes on if I'm getting all new living room furniture of just trying to find that one piece, using it in the bedroom for now and later moving it downstairs.  I can always get couches etc at some other point - but then they're not likely to match.  If I know they won't match, should I cave and go look at lazboys?

I would have hung several pictures, but damnit the studs aren't in the middle of the places where I need them to be.  I guess that means I need to put those huge plastic things in the wall and make gaping holes.  If you're building a house, that should be part of the design of the structure, just sayin.

The letter came back from the HOA approving the concrete and the fence.  Now we see when they can/will come, right?  I left a message for both contractors.  The fence guy acknowledged, but nothing from the concrete guy yet.  *sigh*  I know you're not ready to come do the work right away, but at least let me know you got the message.

Saturday we had plans to go to game night out of town w/ my Favorite Egg's friends, it was a nice evening out.  We were supposed to get a few other things done earlier in the day but he had a headache (which fortunately went away in time to attend the evening activities) so that didn't get completed.  Instead I did get some banana bread baked (which I just finished off earlier today thank you very much) and a batch of brownies to take with us.

I mowed Sunday and about melted it was so warm.  I had talked to the guy who tends to the neighbor's yard and gotten a quote from him (yes, it's high, but I was willing to go that route).  My Favorite Egg nixed it saying he would take care of it, so we'll see how that goes.  Monday night I about melted again after hauling a carload of my wine/liquor/limoncello up from my Favorite Egg's.  I wanted it out of his garage before it got too warm.  I'm definitely needing the exercise as I feel like I need to start being careful about weight.

I had the best intentions out back at the tree line, but as always we went from no growth to full of greens and weeds - the jaggy stabby kind.  I pulled what I could, which wasn't much, and raked up the brush that I had already started to gather, into a garbage bag - but I tired out quickly this evening.  It resulted in me just chucking most of the nasturtium seeds back there instead of actually planting them.  A girl can hope, right?  I mean, if you don't gather the seeds up in the fall they do tend to start growing on their own in the spring.

I did press on long enough to dust grass seeds in the bare areas both in the front and the back and to give them a little bit of water from the crap hose that the previous owner left behind. I don't know what I expected there - the water pressure here is so low I'd have a better chance of spitting on all of the seed.

The gate came in for the top of the deck stairs so the guys installed that today and brought my furniture back up. Now they just need to gather the rest of their garbage - including what blew way further back into the greens out back than I am willing to go thanks to jaggers and ticks.  I think there are just as many cigarette butts and candy wrappers as there are nails and scraps from what they cut.

Another passing... this time it is a friend's sister.  I knew her sister as well, just not super well.  But I watched from a distance as she fought breast cancer for years. I know she is pain free now, but my heart aches for the family - especially her parents who are burying their daughter, which heaven knows is not how things should be.

Susan, may you rest in peace.

Today I want to complain about tickets for concerts. I am a big James Blunt fan.  When I heard he was going to be touring with Ed Sheeran (whom I do not listen to) no matter, I still wanted to go.  Sure the show in Pittsburgh is likely less than a month after I'll have a kiddo joining the household but still I was dead set on finding a way to make it happen.

During presale I had no way to purchase, but during open sales - gone, instantly.  I keep peeking back but yes, it's only resale.  The tickets came out  a month ago and the show is five months away.  There are tickets out there for resale (we're talking a couple of hundred bucks PER ticket).  Let's talk about obscene.  What happened to anti-scalping?  The tickets were like $40-100 in the seats I'd likely go for.  I'm sad, disappointed, and now, kind of angry that he is touring with Ed Sheeran - which is probably why this is happening.

So I guess I won't be seeing James Blunt.  I guess I'll be pretty busy then and will hardly "miss it" in the moment, but it peeves me.  James - your fans can't even use this infrequent opportunity to try and catch a show!

The girls are home, they seem to have liked their new camp.  As always they're a bit sleepy right now.  I have been a giant slacker lately, so at least I can say I feel productive today. I started by washing the blankets I took with the girls to camp and then washing some of the hand me over plush animals and a new plush that Beff bought the baby that said to do so in the instructions.  I picked up some Dreft today while grocery shopping too, so at some point I can start washing baby clothing too.

While the laundry was running I started working on the dining room picture wall.  So far the decal I purchased and a few pics of my family are up on one side.  I am trying to get some photos from my Favorite Egg's Mom to put on the other side to match from their family.  I also got the wooden address sign from Mom's house placed on the wall by the front door.

Then it was time to head out for a long over due pedicure appointment before running to the grocery store.  I swung into the consignment shop too - and good thing I did.  They were offering an extra 15% off of everything today which sold me on a used swing that I noted on the way in.  That's one more big thing off of the to buy list.  After the groceries were in and away it was time to mow the lawn, which was a huge pita because I had to move all of the deck furniture out of the way.  Ugh, too heavy.  I think that was enough effort for the day, but maybe I'll get a second wind so I can work at something else that's been nagging at me.

I did manage to catch one neighbor and of course the other is never around.  I noted this on the paper and sent them off on Tuesday, before I needed to head out of town on Wednesday morning for my Uncle Mike's funeral.

I can't begin to express the mixed feelings of the day.  Maybe I'm just extra hormonal, I don't know.  Of course there was sadness for my Aunt and Cousin as they said goodbye.  I know how hard it is to loose a parent.  I also know how it saddened my Aunt that so many in the family had already left her.  Then there was those in attendance.  I got to talk for a while with a cousin whom I admit I don't remember, but it was nice - comfortable.  Then there was seeing my sister and brother on that side.  I had assumed I would see my sister as she was at Uncle Mike's birthday party a while back.  I don't say this with any angst, but simple fact:  I never knew her, I always assumed she had no desire to know me, we did not speak.  Now, my brother however, was always just a block up when I was growing up.  I knew him, he was present, I don't know how/why but we probably haven't seen each other since not too long after Dad died.  We talked a little.  It too was comfortable enough, but more than that - so familiar.  Why?  His face - his smile?  Looks just like Daddy.  It was hard to not stare a little.  I admit, I asked to get a picture of the two of us and I'm glad I did. I will cherish having this.

From there I visited with an Aunt/Uncle on Mom's side before I headed back up the mountain to Jtown for two nights.  I was in training all day Thursday and Friday back at the office, so I stayed with Beff.  It was good to get to visit.  We grubbed some long missed Rey's and Szechuan (although this wasn't up to par).  I think the kiddo liked Rey's as I felt my first DEFINITE movement that evening as I turned in.

Today I drove the rest of the way home.  It is good to be home.  It feels right to actually call it home.  The only thing missing is my girls. I can't wait for them to return in the morning and to hear how they did at their new camp.

Another baby step complete!  Today I had another fencing contractor here and decided to sign on with them to get the work done.  This means I must _must_ MUST go knock on doors and get papers to the HOA.  It does feel like a relief to have that slated.

The deck roof progress continues today.  The last I heard was hopes to wrap it up tomorrow.

Last night I had one of those odd/vivid dreams they warn you of.  I know what spawned it - but in said dream I had lost my job and I was rather upset because, well it would be a hard time both to try and interview places and/or to do without healthcare.

We had a nice Easter. I was up and to church after getting some meatballs into the slow cooker.  Shortly after we were on the road to the first of two get togethers with a small break between at my Favorite Egg's parent's place.  I ate SO much today I'd like to think I wouldn't be hungry tomorrow, but heaven knows that old behavior is just that - a think of the past.

On the drive home I listened to voice mail to learn of the passing of another relative, my Uncle Mike (my dad's sister's husband).  He had not been well, but my heart aches for my Aunt and cousin as they prepare arrangements for him.

Satin visited me in a dream early this morning.  She even let me pick her up and hold her on my lap.  Goofy dog.  I miss you.  This happened after I was woken by the yippie dog next door who started at 6:30.  Seriously, if you put your dog out and it starts barking at that hour how do you not do something to shut it up promptly?

My dogs suck at being dogs.  This morning the workers who will be adding the roof over the deck arrived a few minutes before 8am.  They offloaded some supplies in the driveway and then came around to the back and cleared everything off of the deck, laid protective covering and got down to business.

Did the dogs bark?  No.  Did the dogs do anything to indicate humans were swarming the back porch?  No.  Ok, well that's not entirely true - they did move around a bit, agitated that their early morning nap was being disrupted. *shakes head*  Slackers.

So the good news is the roof should be done by next weekend.  That means we can get on the concrete work underneath.  That's where the bad news comes in - I need to start knocking on doors for the neighbor signatures and get the papers sent in. *sigh*

Today I was off of work in order to head to Altoona for my Aunt Dee's funeral services.  It was good to see everyone, despite the sad circumstances that brought us together.  The weather was beautiful - up to 80 according to my vehicle and the drive to and from wasn't as bad as I expected.

On the drive in I had decent timing to avoid witnessing a horrible accident but got through before they closed down part of 22.  A coal truck rear-ended and spun a school bus (without children, thank goodness) into the concrete barriers between directions and then ended up in a model home.  My prayers are with the bus driver's family as it sounds like she lost her life.

My Mom was a van driver for the school district for years.  It's sad foreshadowing, really.  As we headed into the luncheon a district van went past - #11 as a matter of fact, the van number she drove for quite some time.  I think it was her making her presence known.

With my time away to visit cemeteries on Saturday and this long day away the girls have been doing a great job behaving without accidents.  I'm so proud of them, it could have gone the other way since they've been getting spoiled with my new norm of being here all day.  Thanks to my Favorite Egg for stopping in to have lunch with them today.