Sunday, July 19, 2026

More catch up — from Facebook

Thursday afternoon:

Peter and I both went to the dermatologist. Then celebrated afterward with a McDonald’s milkshake for him and a fried apple pie for me. Oh it was so good! 

But also it dribbled all down my shirt, so now I have to change.

Friday afternoon:

Well, we said we needed rain. Not sure all of it in one hour with big thunder booms was my preferred method of delivery, but our central Florida ground will take what it can get. 

Note: Sean and I decided to drive through this rain to a friend’s house. That poor decision is on us, not the weather gods. So we got to witness a lot of the rain and lightning up close.

Saturday night: There’s a boring story about a rude waitress to explain why we are not at the Christmas-themed dive bar and instead are at an old favorite, Fat Rabbit, watching World Cup while dressed in our Christmas green & red. I’d rather focus on this “fancy” lemon drop martini, my garlic parm chicken wings (and Sean’s French dip), and how immensely I love Sean Brodrick who gets me.



Catch up

A few Blue Sky posts of the past week:: 

I’ve lost enough weight that I’m back to fitting in my old fat clothes. Yay! Looking forward to buying new clothes at Christmastime. And definitely for my 2027 Italy trip.

I’m a grownup. I can set my own bedtime. 9:45 pm on a Friday seems perfect.

Amazing how good my Apple Watch sleep score is when I don’t have the cat or dog with me. Love them, but a break is good. In Tampa for spa weekend.

Recently I found out there’s a Christmas-themed bar in Tampa. No one I mentioned it to had even heard about it. Saturday, I learned why word hasn’t spread about it. It sucks.

Finished NYT Sunday xword in record time.

Researching my upcoming trips to LA and NC (again). So glad hubby is handling all details for the Atlanta trip. Found hotel in Santa Monica; making plans for a tea party bus tour through Hollywood/Bev Hills. Two art museums with Rembrandts, and a side trip to Ojai (relative) and maybe Pasadena (more art and friend). 

NC: ebike rides, art museum, old friends

Came home from a weekend away. The old dog and old cat clearly missed us. I’ve been petting and gently squeezing the cat to refill her love tank*… so I can go out and play board games this afternoon. 

* old school Real Housewives reference  

Future crossstitch project

 



Thursday, July 16, 2026

Random things

Random things — long rambling post

1. Who sent me this?! I received this (first photo) in the mail recently with no note. Skitty is not sure if she wants to give up scratching the rugs. But she agrees it’s very pretty. [It was Laurie!] 


2. I’ve always wanted a dollhouse, but I’m way too practical about the cost and the space that one takes. And I don’t want to commit to such a huge project if I’m gonna drop it like a lot of other projects. So I found a great compromise of this little dollhouse bookshelf from IKEA. My plan is to do a couple vignettes on the shelf and perhaps that will scratch the itch enough. Or someday it will evolve into a full size dollhouse.

In the meantime! I have acquired a dining room/game table! And a deck of cards. And a bar cart. And last night I went to a fun event at a local eatery that was doing a craft night to make a miniature bookshelf. So now my little entertainment room has books too!


3. In moving and packing and unpacking over the past few months, I have gathered more than $200 in Barnes & Noble gift cards that we haven’t used over the years! This is insane. So tonight I’m off to buy a brand new physical book. The book is Sara Kendizor‘s Last American Road Trip. She’s a political writer who is often depressing to read, because she has been right for the past 10 years, obnoxiously so. This book is supposed to be a little more lighthearted as she takes her kids on a road trip around America… an America, she believes will soon be gone. But! Supposedly it’s fun to read anyway. As much as I hate how much she has been right the past 10 years, I want to go pay full price (with a gift card! ) for the book as a reward to her for her hard and difficult work. [HA! They don’t have it in stock. Maybe should’ve checked before driving here. But… I’m sure can find something else to buy.]

4. I am proud of myself that I have changed how I operate so that I can spontaneously rush off to the bookstore after reading a review of Sara‘s book. I have used a To Do app (called Things 3) that lets me sort items from my master to-do list to certain days. And I have always had various tasks appointed for a certain day. Of course I would not get to them all because I over-scheduled and some tasks would get pushed to the next day and the next and the next. The system worked for me… Until it didn’t. Recently I had enough. I decided to go with the “experts” who say we should only have three (or at least very few ) priorities in a day. I’ve changed how I manage my to do list and now have way fewer “necessary” tasks each day. So when I have free time, I can either refer to the *optional* list of tasks. Or I can lay down and take a nap. Or take off for the bookstore on a whim. I am loving my less productive system. I am much more about protecting my energy than being productive anymore.

5. My co-pay for doctors is $35. I got my $35 worth today at the Dermatologist because I remembered my list(in my Things 3 app!) of questions. Nothing was cancerous, good. But I did leave with four ointments for various issues. From my scalp to my ankle! (No photos!)

6. Today I learned that William Goldman who wrote Princess Bride… also wrote and won Oscars for Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid and All the President’s Men. Talented man.

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Working on the condo

Home improvement time! 

  • Toilet repair
  • Re-screened patio
  • Wall repair
  • Bifold door repair! 

Exciting. 

Hired someone to do all that. I’m over here cleaning out the tub, doing laundry, and re-organizing my To Do list system.

This will make life more pleasant for the next year of living here. Especially after stage 2, when we have new counters and sinks. 

23 lbs down

​207. I’ll be close to 200 when I see the doctor. I’ll be under 200 at Dragon Con.

I’m now talking multivitamins, eating protein more consciously, and I swear I’ll start exercising soon. I need strength training. I want to stay strong and healthy, not just skinnier. I want to be healthy, skinnier and able to walk 10,000 steps a day around Italian hills. 

Monday, July 13, 2026

Being organized

​Things 3 for my To Do list, blog for some journaling. Paper notebooks for other journaling. I don’t want my words or habits  stuck in apps. 


Bluebirds

I’ve been wanting to buy a good-sized piece of art for our living room. We moved into this house 6 months ago. I want something new and from a local artist. Figured I’ll find something at an art fair eventually, but that white wall is making me itch.

At the same time, I have a lovely handmade quilt (art sized, not bed sized) made by a friend. And I have not been able to find a place to hang it.

Doh!

My good financial move is: I hung that beautiful quilt in the living room. Maybe we will replace it some day with a painting; or maybe the quilt will be there forever. But now I don’t have a big white wall staring at me making me want to buy the first thing I see. I can take time and find the right piece. 


NOTE: yes, it’s off center. I was doing it solo and having to stretch. Sean will help me rehang it properly (and clear that mark off the wall I made) this weekend. 

Is it perfect for the space, no. I wanted something horizontal. But it will do for now, and makes us smile thinking of the bluebird of happiness, birds in general in our backyard, and of our friend Linda. 

Small Joys Project

Back in January 2023, I came across a British woman on Twitter who had written out 365 small joys on pieces of paper and put them in a jar, ...