Ptown post still pending.

This morning, we hauled our cookies out of bed early for a big adventure, but not before coffee!

After fully dosed on caffeine, we drove to Newburgh, NY to check out a couple antique shops a friend told us about. We met the BFJ there, and spent the morning browsing and buying and boy watching.

I found some cool items for my collections:

But the most fun was happening upon a collection of hats, which always requires a spontaneous “say something hat” photo shoot:

Of course, besides us, there were a few other oddities I couldn’t resist recording:

And speaking of eye candy:

On the way home, we shopped for an inflatable pool for the patio. After attempting to put up our old pool yesterday, it shit the bed and leaked like mad, so we had to replace it before our cookout Sunday with friends. The BFJ took responsibility for filling it:

After the pool set up, we headed to dinner at a newly discovered Mexican restaurant, Toros:

After dinner, we headed home and enjoyed cocktails (of course) on the patio. Jeffrey had his usual: Tanqueray martini. The BFJ and I had Ruby Red Grapefruit Cosmos, our favorite summer libation.

It was a fun day, indeed!

Even the word “love” seems like an underrated term for what I feel for this guy.

Also, we’re watching “Schitt’s Creek” through from the beginning, again, which inspired this meme:

…make one.

I have pictures and stories galore from Ptown, but my first two days back to work have kicked my ass, so I’m a bit lusterless. I will do a proper post at a later time.

But I will tell you this….I much prefer relaxation on the Cape to work in a cubicle farm.

We totally need to have a blogger get together on the Cape!

We left the cape at 9:15am yesterday and arrived home at 2:30pm. This morning, it was right back to the daily grind.

I know vacations can’t last forever, but this one was really top notch and I’m having a hard time adjusting to being back to civilian life.

Sigh…

We arrived in Provincetown early Saturday morning, Joe and Mark arrived late Saturday afternoon. We’ve had a wonderful time catching up and enjoying the town!

No more posts until I’m home. I just want to focus on enjoying the trip.

Stay safe, all.

How do you get ready for a trip?

This is how we got ready for our trip to Provincetown:

1. We rented the condo,

2. We picked out all the restaurants at which we want to eat while we’re there, including favorites and a couple we’ve never tried, and made dinner reservations for every night we’ll be there (8 nights.)

3. I created two lists in our reminder app, “Ptown” and “Ptown Groceries” which I shared with Jeffrey. We made a list of all the things we needed to bring, and a list of staple items we will want to pick up at the grocery store once we’re there (e.g. coffee creamer, fruit, eggs, and dog food.)

4. Starting Monday, we began putting things on the dining room table that we wanted to bring with us.

5. Yesterday, we packed all of our bags, checking off items on our list as we packed them, and a couple of bins with items we want to bring, then loaded the car.

6. Last night and today, I cleaned the house so we’d have a nice space to come home to after the drive home. We also placed Post-its around the house to remind us to bring things we had to keep out, like meds, that we couldn’t actually pack until last minute when we were ready to go. We also left one tote bag on the dining room table for all these last-minute items.

7. After breakfast this morning, I washed up all the dishes and put them away. I also did the few items of clothing in our laundry basket so we’d have no dirty laundry to come home to. Then I gathered up all the garbage and put it out.

8. Finally, I ran out at lunch (because I’m working from home) and gassed up Mogo (my Subaru Forrester) for the trip.

After all of this, I just had to finish up my workday, and now we’re waiting for Jeffrey to get home from work so we can leave. The only thing we need to do before walking out is grab some refrigerated items we’re bringing from the fridge and put it in the car.

Despite all this prep work we usually do, it usually is more hectic and chaotic than it was this time around. Everything went so smoothly that we were convinced we forgot something. we triple checked our list and walked through everything in our head and could not think of a single thing. Perhaps, after all these years and all these trips we’ve prepped and packed for, we finally have it down to a science.

Here’s hoping the rest of the trip goes so smoothly.

Are you a planner and prepare for away trips or do you just wing it?

Sorry for the gap in posting. Between the funeral, work, and getting ready for our vacation in Ptown, it’s been a hectic week.

In the middle of all this, we celebrated an early Mother’s Day with my Mom by bringing sushi (one of her favorites) and a gift she asked for (a counter top mixer.) She surprised me with an early birthday cake:

One of my staff also surprised me with an early birthday gift: a new (and quite unique) giraffe for me collection.

But, best of all, we leave tomorrow after work for an 8 day vacation. We’ll be staying over in Franklin, MA tomorrow night so we can get on the Cape early Saturday morning before the weekend traffic hits.

There are no words to express how excited I am. We are long overdue for a vacation, we are going to my favorite place on earth, Harvey is coming with us, we will be hanging out with good friends, I’m 20+ lbs lighter (yay Noom!) and it will be the first time in four years that I am going to Ptown without any ailments, attachments, or adverse conditions. Also, I turn 52 while I’m there which means, when we get back, I’ll have less than 3 years to retirement. WOOHOO!

In preparation for the trip, I bought some new sneakers that are quite apropos (with apologies to anti-rainbow paraphernalia Lurky!)

I will try to stay on target with my eating and exercise goals while I’m there but, honestly, I need to let go of as much responsibility and restraint as possible and have a great time! It’s time to let loose and have fun. And by that I mean nap a lot, ogle pretty men, shop my ass off, and hold Jeffrey’s hand while walking down the street every minute we’re there.

And maybe eat a cookie!

This morning was my cousin Linda’s funeral. Funerals are hard for me. I don’t like grieving in groups or in public, and definitely not both at the same time. I also get uncomfortable with the religious bent. But this is one of those things we do because we should, and perhaps need to. To say good-bye. To honor a life ending. To support the survivors.

Although I knew my cousin all my life, we were not close, and we did not know each other well. We’d see each other at Christmas time at my Mom’s house, and she’d come with her family when we’d host the rare family gatherings here. I liked her, but she was always very shy (around me, at least) and rarely said much.

Then something changed.

About six months ago, she friended me on Facebook and sent me a message, letting me know she had something she wanted to send me and Jeffrey. I gladly accepted her request and sent her my address. It was a beautiful homemade Christmas card and two handmade miniature treasure trunks, decorated in glitter with our names and full of little treasures, charms, and keepsakes. It was incredibly touching. I don’t know what inspired her to suddenly reach out, but I’m so glad she did. In the following months, we messaged each other regularly, and she filled me in on her life: her love of crafting and all things Halloween, especially skeletons. She told me about her activities, trips, and things she was looking forward to doing, and all of her supportive letters and care packages she sent to those in the military, far away from home and family. Every message was filled with excitement, and every message always ended with the sweetest sentiments: “I hope you have a great day.” “So glad to hear from you.” “Thank you for messaging with me.” They were happy, warm fuzzy messages, and I immediately both regretted that we had not started this friendship journey sooner, while at the same time, being thrilled she had taken the first step and reached out. Better late than never.

And then tragedy struck, and we lost my cousin and new friend, suddenly and unexpectedly. But I didn’t stop getting to know her. Through the words of her friends and family at this morning’s service, I learned Linda was so much more than I ever knew. Her compassion and care knew no bounds, and she spent her life taking care of so many people, family, friends, and strangers alike. She was so loved and cherished by those who’s lives she touched, and it was clear the world will be a less bright in her absence.

I didn’t feel right speaking about her at the service. I knew her so little, and for such a short time, compared to all these other people that loved and knew her for so long, and yet, I knew this incredible person they described was the exact person I was getting to know. In just a few weeks and a few words, she made me feel loved and appreciated. She made me feel like family. And her friendship made me happy. I don’t have a right to miss her this much, but I do.

Tonight, while making dinner, I felt the sudden need to listen to music: happy music. I put on a favorite play list and danced about the kitchen as I prepared dinner. And suddenly, I saw Linda in my mind, smiling and shining so brightly, and I recalled these lyrics from a song by Lee Ann Womack:

“And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…..I hope you dance…I hope you dance…”

Thank you, Linda. For reaching out. For bringing me into your life. For showing me such a beautiful wonderful side of you I never knew. I know our new friendship was short, but it was no less meaningful, and I’ll always be grateful you asked me to dance.

You will be missed.