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| Post-Memorial Day hunk |
Showing posts with label Memorial Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memorial Day. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Monday, May 27, 2019
Memorial Day
As I predicted, our Memorial Day long weekend was lots of fun, if not a bit tiring.
Ron & James and Clark arrived in town before noon but wanted to take advantage of the tax free outlet store shopping so we didn't see them right away. Mike had an unexpected activity so he drove separately later that night. When ready for a break from shopping, we met them for lunch, and then they finished up their shopping before finally arriving at our house. The weather was lovely so we sat on the porch and visited.
We enjoyed a few cocktails and some snacks as we caught up on the goings on in each others' lives. Then we went to Blackwall Hitch for dinner. I selected it because they would take a reservation.
Fortunately Mike arrived in time to join us for dinner. We all thought our food was good but pricey. I left them to pay the bill so I could get my make-up started for the show. The bar/performance venue was totally packed and the crowd was enthusiastic and engaged. It was a fun show! Afterward we walked over to the ice cream store for treat, then returned home to chat a bit before bed.
Sun morning we had coffee on the porch and then Spouse made breakfast for everyone: scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, fruit salad, and bagels. Sun marked Spouse & my 23rd anniversary so we had mimosas with our breakfast. It was significantly warmer on Sun so once we'd finished eating we continued talking inside.
Then the 4 guys went for a walk around town, ducking into some of the antique shops and such. Spouse & I stayed home since it was hot outside and we've been in the shops so many times before. We had cocktails and snacks at home again, and then that evening the 6 of us had dinner at Iron Hill Brewery where we happened to get our favorite server Spencer who is always fun. Everyone agreed we liked our food better and it cost less than the night before.
After dinner we went for a walk along the boardwalk and then returned home to chat a little before bed.
Mon morning we had coffee and more visiting on the porch.
The guys packed and loaded their cars, and then the 6 of us had breakfast at Arenas. It was cooler again, more like Sat, so we were able to eat outdoors. Regretfully we said our goodbyes and they headed back to VA.
Less than an hour later my cousin's daughter Chelsea and her husband Gabe arrived. We sat on the porch and got reconnected for awhile, then went for a walk through town, looking at all the unique homes and talking about real estate. We had a late lunch at Nectar. The skies threatened rain, so we returned home and got into the car to continue our tour of the area. (This was their first visit here.) After a brief shower we decided to stop for a bite at Station on Kings. Chelsea and I were still full from our generous lunches so we both ordered desserts, while Spouse & Gabe had dinner. The shower had taken away the humidity and a light breeze made for a delightful evening to dine al fresco.
Once back at home we talked until bedtime.
We loved having our friends and family visit us over the long holiday weekend! But I must admit I'm a little tired. I think I will sleep well tonight.
Ron & James and Clark arrived in town before noon but wanted to take advantage of the tax free outlet store shopping so we didn't see them right away. Mike had an unexpected activity so he drove separately later that night. When ready for a break from shopping, we met them for lunch, and then they finished up their shopping before finally arriving at our house. The weather was lovely so we sat on the porch and visited.
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| James, Ron, Spouse, Marvin |
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| Clark, Ron, James |
Sun morning we had coffee on the porch and then Spouse made breakfast for everyone: scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, fruit salad, and bagels. Sun marked Spouse & my 23rd anniversary so we had mimosas with our breakfast. It was significantly warmer on Sun so once we'd finished eating we continued talking inside.
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| Ron reconnected with Marvin and Walter |
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| Spouse and James |
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| Ron and Mike |
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| Me and Clark |
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| The 6 of us |
Mon morning we had coffee and more visiting on the porch.
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| Mike and Ron (with Marvin) |
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| Spouse with Walter |
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| Ron and Marvin |
Less than an hour later my cousin's daughter Chelsea and her husband Gabe arrived. We sat on the porch and got reconnected for awhile, then went for a walk through town, looking at all the unique homes and talking about real estate. We had a late lunch at Nectar. The skies threatened rain, so we returned home and got into the car to continue our tour of the area. (This was their first visit here.) After a brief shower we decided to stop for a bite at Station on Kings. Chelsea and I were still full from our generous lunches so we both ordered desserts, while Spouse & Gabe had dinner. The shower had taken away the humidity and a light breeze made for a delightful evening to dine al fresco.
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| Gabe, Chelsea, Spouse, me |
We loved having our friends and family visit us over the long holiday weekend! But I must admit I'm a little tired. I think I will sleep well tonight.
Friday, May 24, 2019
Weekend forecast
Today is the official start of the summer season here in our little coastal resort town. The traffic was backed up at 9am!
Tomorrow our longtime friends Mike & Clark and Ron & James will arrive for a few days of eating, cocktail drinking, relaxing, laughing and catching up. The weather forecast shows no rain so that's good. I anticipate lots of time on the screened porch.
I'm also performing (as Boy George) Sat night at the Blue Moon so the 6 of us will have dinner nearby beforehand so we're not searching for parking or feeling rushed. They guys have never seen me do Boy George, and of course being of "a certain age" they know and love his music, so it should be fun for them.
They're leaving after breakfast on Mon, and shortly thereafter my cousin's daughter Chelsea and her husband Gabe will arrive. I visited with them last May while in Pittsburgh for our nephew's college graduation. They'll be at a wedding in NJ on Sat night, then stopping at our place Mon for a visit and overnight stay.
So it'll be a full but fun, social weekend. Here's wishing everyone a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend!
Tomorrow our longtime friends Mike & Clark and Ron & James will arrive for a few days of eating, cocktail drinking, relaxing, laughing and catching up. The weather forecast shows no rain so that's good. I anticipate lots of time on the screened porch.
I'm also performing (as Boy George) Sat night at the Blue Moon so the 6 of us will have dinner nearby beforehand so we're not searching for parking or feeling rushed. They guys have never seen me do Boy George, and of course being of "a certain age" they know and love his music, so it should be fun for them.
They're leaving after breakfast on Mon, and shortly thereafter my cousin's daughter Chelsea and her husband Gabe will arrive. I visited with them last May while in Pittsburgh for our nephew's college graduation. They'll be at a wedding in NJ on Sat night, then stopping at our place Mon for a visit and overnight stay.
So it'll be a full but fun, social weekend. Here's wishing everyone a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend!
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Carl & Lisa's visit and holiday weekend recap
My old friends Lisa and Carl arrived on Thurs around 1:00. We met each other in elementary school and have maintained contact, on and off, over the years. Within the last 10 years we've made sure to see each other at least once a year at Christmastime. Last Christmas we decided Lisa would come from NYC and Carl would come from Northern VA and meet here in DE for a few days.
Since it was lunchtime I took them to a local favorite, Arena's. The weather was nice so we sat at an outdoor table with an umbrella and ordered food and cocktails, because, well... cocktails! Roughly 3 hours later we returned home and sat out on the screened porch and continued talking. I opened a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, a birthday gift that's been burning a hole in my pocket since receiving it. Joe came home and gently teased us for being tipsy but we just laughed it off. Literally.
He went to his personal trainer appointment and we continued visiting on the porch. Then the 3 of us went to Cafe Azafran for tapas and cocktails, and then onto the Blue Moon for karaoke. Since it was the Thurs before a holiday weekend it was super crowded, and we got there late, so we could only put in 1 song. We decided to turn "I Love the Nightlife" into a trio!
It was really fun, and afterward 3 different people told us what a great job we did! It was such a pretty night that after karaoke we sat on a bench in front of the Blue Moon and enjoyed the breeze and watched the 'boys' go by in their short shorts and tank tops.
Fri morning we had a continental breakfast and then continued drinking coffee on porch.
Next we went for a walk through downtown and eventually to the beach, stopping at Dairy Queen. We sat on a bench facing the water and ate our ice cream, then stopped for a beach cottage tour (a home my team has for sale) on the way back to the house. Since the Dairy Queen had eliminated our desire for lunch we just had some snacks along with cosmos on the porch.
Spouse joined us after he got home from work, and then a little later we walked to dinner at Gilligan's waterfront restaurant.
We spent the rest of the night talking and listening to music on porch. In fact, we spent the entire day outside!
Sat morning we had a continental breakfast again and then said goodbye to Lisa & Carl. They were heading to NYC (where Lisa lives) so they could spend a few days in the city, then Carl would head home on Mon. We had SO MUCH FUN together, and I feel really lucky to have such great friends.
After Carl & Lisa left I met up with a client who wanted to see 5 houses very close by, and then that evening we met Steven & Thad for dinner at Bethany Blues. It was also mine & Spouse's 22nd anniversary. But since we'd had Carl & Lisa visiting we really didn't make special anniversary plans, which was fine. Its not like it was a milestone anniversary or anything.
Sun morning we met up with Steven & Thad and Carolyn & Derwin for breakfast since it was Carolyn's birthday.
We went to a diner we'd never been to before and which was kind of like stepping back in time, but not in the cool 1950s way. The food was good and cheap so that was nice.
Back at home Spouse & I made 2 strawberry/blueberry pies.
A little later we
went to a BBQ at Joey & Glenn's house and took 1 of the pies. That night Spouse & I just ordered a pizza and ate at home.
Mon (Memorial Day) I went on a listing appointment. The client to whom I'd sold this home 5 years ago was about to go out of town for a week so he asked if I'd come take a look on Mon and advise him about selling. When done Spouse & I had lunch with Steven & Thad, and then I caught up on some work emails while Spouse made enchilada casserole. Steven & Thad came over for dinner & pie. The weather had turned cooler so we ate indoors.
It was a VERY full and VERY fun 5 days!
Since it was lunchtime I took them to a local favorite, Arena's. The weather was nice so we sat at an outdoor table with an umbrella and ordered food and cocktails, because, well... cocktails! Roughly 3 hours later we returned home and sat out on the screened porch and continued talking. I opened a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, a birthday gift that's been burning a hole in my pocket since receiving it. Joe came home and gently teased us for being tipsy but we just laughed it off. Literally.
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| Karaoke selfie |
Fri morning we had a continental breakfast and then continued drinking coffee on porch.
Sat morning we had a continental breakfast again and then said goodbye to Lisa & Carl. They were heading to NYC (where Lisa lives) so they could spend a few days in the city, then Carl would head home on Mon. We had SO MUCH FUN together, and I feel really lucky to have such great friends.
After Carl & Lisa left I met up with a client who wanted to see 5 houses very close by, and then that evening we met Steven & Thad for dinner at Bethany Blues. It was also mine & Spouse's 22nd anniversary. But since we'd had Carl & Lisa visiting we really didn't make special anniversary plans, which was fine. Its not like it was a milestone anniversary or anything.
Sun morning we met up with Steven & Thad and Carolyn & Derwin for breakfast since it was Carolyn's birthday.
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| Carolyn and most of the gang |
Back at home Spouse & I made 2 strawberry/blueberry pies.
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| Spouse made the filling and I did the lattice top |
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| Before baking |
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| After baking |
Mon (Memorial Day) I went on a listing appointment. The client to whom I'd sold this home 5 years ago was about to go out of town for a week so he asked if I'd come take a look on Mon and advise him about selling. When done Spouse & I had lunch with Steven & Thad, and then I caught up on some work emails while Spouse made enchilada casserole. Steven & Thad came over for dinner & pie. The weather had turned cooler so we ate indoors.
It was a VERY full and VERY fun 5 days!
Monday, May 28, 2018
Monday, May 29, 2017
Memorial Day
Happy Memorial Day!
While Memorial Day is actually a day to remember those men and women who have died in military service to our country, it is also the unofficial start of the summer season here at the beach, bringing thousands and thousands of people here from neighboring cities and states.
I always hope for good weather on Memorial Day weekend because its typically our 1st time going to the beach and we usually go to or host a cook-out. Unfortunately this Memorial Day weekend the weather has not been very good, with rain and/or overcast skies. So we didn't get to the beach and our cook-out became a cook-in. Steven grilled the hamburgers and hotdogs outside during a brief let up in the rain, and we ate indoors. Spouse made potato salad and I made peanut butter brownies.
It wasn't the best holiday weekend weather-wise but we did have a day off work and good BBQ food.
We offer our sincere thanks to all those who've made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. Happy Memorial Day.
While Memorial Day is actually a day to remember those men and women who have died in military service to our country, it is also the unofficial start of the summer season here at the beach, bringing thousands and thousands of people here from neighboring cities and states.
I always hope for good weather on Memorial Day weekend because its typically our 1st time going to the beach and we usually go to or host a cook-out. Unfortunately this Memorial Day weekend the weather has not been very good, with rain and/or overcast skies. So we didn't get to the beach and our cook-out became a cook-in. Steven grilled the hamburgers and hotdogs outside during a brief let up in the rain, and we ate indoors. Spouse made potato salad and I made peanut butter brownies.
It wasn't the best holiday weekend weather-wise but we did have a day off work and good BBQ food.
We offer our sincere thanks to all those who've made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. Happy Memorial Day.
Monday, May 30, 2016
Memorial Day
Happy Memorial Day! Make it your goal to hug a veteran today and thank them for their service to our country.
Today was a lazy day for me & Spouse. Both our offices were closed so we both had the day off, but it has rained on and off so we've just been relaxing and watching TV with the dogs on our laps.
I don't mind having a 'lazy day' like this once in a while, especially if I've also had an especially productive day recently. Yesterday the weather was awesome so Spouse & I pulled all of the screened porch furniture into the yard. I cleaned the furniture with a wet rag while he power washed the inside of the porch. Its always amazing to me how dirty the inside of the screened porch can get! While everything was drying we went around to the front yard and pulled a few weeds and planted the 2 yellow rose bushes I gave him for our 20th anniversary as well as planted a couple of colorful annuals we picked up Sat evening to brighten up one of the beds. Its been a good year for our roses! The long stem soft pink Queen Elizabeth roses, the medium pink knock-out roses, the magenta knock-out roses, and the orange knock-out roses are all blooming like crazy! In a year or 2 the new yellow roses should join the club.
Then we carried all the porch furniture back into the screened porch and arranged everything. I even cleaned the 3 lanterns and planted a small basil plant in a pot.
It was a nicely productive day, and it felt good to be out in the sun for a while considering all the rain we've had this month. After taking showers and having a snack, Spouse & I hung our new canvas.
Since it looks much more like Marvin then it does Walter, Spouse was concerned that Walter may begin acting out because we hung a giant picture that looks like his brother and not one that looks like him. I told Spouse that they may be smart, but their not THAT smart.
Later we went out to dinner with Steven & Thad and I decided to pull my hair back into a Samurai knot.
I think it looks kinda cool and hipster-like. I knew Thad would ridicule me for this "age inappropriate" hairstyle, which of course he did. But I like changin' it up now and then. Your thoughts on the Samurai knot??
I hope your Memorial Day weekend was good!
Today was a lazy day for me & Spouse. Both our offices were closed so we both had the day off, but it has rained on and off so we've just been relaxing and watching TV with the dogs on our laps.
I don't mind having a 'lazy day' like this once in a while, especially if I've also had an especially productive day recently. Yesterday the weather was awesome so Spouse & I pulled all of the screened porch furniture into the yard. I cleaned the furniture with a wet rag while he power washed the inside of the porch. Its always amazing to me how dirty the inside of the screened porch can get! While everything was drying we went around to the front yard and pulled a few weeds and planted the 2 yellow rose bushes I gave him for our 20th anniversary as well as planted a couple of colorful annuals we picked up Sat evening to brighten up one of the beds. Its been a good year for our roses! The long stem soft pink Queen Elizabeth roses, the medium pink knock-out roses, the magenta knock-out roses, and the orange knock-out roses are all blooming like crazy! In a year or 2 the new yellow roses should join the club.
Then we carried all the porch furniture back into the screened porch and arranged everything. I even cleaned the 3 lanterns and planted a small basil plant in a pot.
It was a nicely productive day, and it felt good to be out in the sun for a while considering all the rain we've had this month. After taking showers and having a snack, Spouse & I hung our new canvas.
Later we went out to dinner with Steven & Thad and I decided to pull my hair back into a Samurai knot.
I hope your Memorial Day weekend was good!
Friday, May 27, 2016
It begins...
Our little historic seaside village is idyllic and quiet 9 months out of the year. We enjoy a really great quality of life here.
But Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of the summer tourist season here where the population doubles or triples for 3 months. We're just over 100 miles from Washington DC so we get a lot of beach vacationers from the metro DC area as well as from MD, PA, NJ, and NY.
Lots of locals dread this weekend and the traffic congestion and restaurant lines that come along with it. Its true that we have to double the amount of time it takes to get places, especially on the weekends, due to the traffic. But if you've ever lived in the metro DC area you'll hardly bat an eye at the traffic congestion here. As I've said many times "Even the worst traffic here is better than an average day in DC".
But I don't dread this weekend at all! I understand that the tourist dollars from these 3 months are the reason we have the variety and quantity of restaurants and stores we get to enjoy year round. I also like the energy that the tourists bring. They're on vacation, they're happy!
So today I say "Welcome!" to the start of the summer tourist season, and "Welcome!" to the tourists too. I hope they enjoy themselves and come back again and again.
But Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of the summer tourist season here where the population doubles or triples for 3 months. We're just over 100 miles from Washington DC so we get a lot of beach vacationers from the metro DC area as well as from MD, PA, NJ, and NY.
But I don't dread this weekend at all! I understand that the tourist dollars from these 3 months are the reason we have the variety and quantity of restaurants and stores we get to enjoy year round. I also like the energy that the tourists bring. They're on vacation, they're happy!
So today I say "Welcome!" to the start of the summer tourist season, and "Welcome!" to the tourists too. I hope they enjoy themselves and come back again and again.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Holiday weekend highlights
Wow, what a weekend! I'm not sure if I can fit everything into 1 post, or if I should even try to recap this weekend or not... it might take too long! So maybe I'll just give you the highlights.
The Breens arrived in the early afternoon and the 3 of us had lunch at the Ocean Diner. Afterward we came back to the house and talked and played with Marvin until Spouse came home. Sean made us cosmos from his fabulously tasty recipe which should probably be patented. For dinner we tried a new spot in town call the Rose & Crown which we all liked. (Side note: a restaurant by the same name used to be down the block before Spouse & I moved here. Not sure if its the same owners or not but the new space is much better.)
On Sat I had to work, so Spouse took Marvin for a nice long walk while the Breens met up with Ron for lunch and a visit. That evening we had blood orange cosmos which became a hit with everyone as Sean tweaked the recipe. (Look for the recipe in a later post.) That night we opted for a 'simple' dinner at Ruby Tuesday, then squeezed into the Blue Moon for the 1st Legends show of the
2013 season. It was absolutely packed and we all felt like sardines in a can. After the show we went for a short walk on the boardwalk before heading home to chat before going to bed.
Sun morning we took the Breens to our favorite weekend breakfast spot, the Crystal Restaurant. Then I met a client and showed a house while Spouse & the Breens went for a walk to the canalfront park. When I finished with my client I picked them up and we went to Dairy Queen! We had some great coupons that will expire in a week, so we all got delicious frozen treats. Since the temperature was warmer and the sun was out we talked and laughed on the screened porch for hours (literally). Sean mixed up another batch of blood orange cosmos and we listened to the the
music from mine & Spouse's reception while we visited. After all, Sun was our 17th anniversary! For dinner we decided to order Mexican food and eat on the porch, so we switched to margaritas to compliment our chicken enchiladas and bleu cheese quesadillas from Agave.
Reading over this, it sounds like all we did was drink the entire weekend, which is... umm... well... never mind.
The Breens left very early Mon morning to avoid the mass exodus of holiday weekend visitors. I had to work until 1, then Spouse & I had lunch, went to the grocery store, took Marvin for a walk, and then had Steven & Thad and Joe P over for a simple Memorial Day cook-out. We had hamburgers, hotdogs, BBQ baked beans, chips & salsa, potato chips and French onion dip, and Steven brought summer slaw. A tasty meal on the screened porch was the perfect way to cap off a terrific holiday weekend.
The Breens arrived in the early afternoon and the 3 of us had lunch at the Ocean Diner. Afterward we came back to the house and talked and played with Marvin until Spouse came home. Sean made us cosmos from his fabulously tasty recipe which should probably be patented. For dinner we tried a new spot in town call the Rose & Crown which we all liked. (Side note: a restaurant by the same name used to be down the block before Spouse & I moved here. Not sure if its the same owners or not but the new space is much better.)
On Sat I had to work, so Spouse took Marvin for a nice long walk while the Breens met up with Ron for lunch and a visit. That evening we had blood orange cosmos which became a hit with everyone as Sean tweaked the recipe. (Look for the recipe in a later post.) That night we opted for a 'simple' dinner at Ruby Tuesday, then squeezed into the Blue Moon for the 1st Legends show of the
Sun morning we took the Breens to our favorite weekend breakfast spot, the Crystal Restaurant. Then I met a client and showed a house while Spouse & the Breens went for a walk to the canalfront park. When I finished with my client I picked them up and we went to Dairy Queen! We had some great coupons that will expire in a week, so we all got delicious frozen treats. Since the temperature was warmer and the sun was out we talked and laughed on the screened porch for hours (literally). Sean mixed up another batch of blood orange cosmos and we listened to the the
Reading over this, it sounds like all we did was drink the entire weekend, which is... umm... well... never mind.
The Breens left very early Mon morning to avoid the mass exodus of holiday weekend visitors. I had to work until 1, then Spouse & I had lunch, went to the grocery store, took Marvin for a walk, and then had Steven & Thad and Joe P over for a simple Memorial Day cook-out. We had hamburgers, hotdogs, BBQ baked beans, chips & salsa, potato chips and French onion dip, and Steven brought summer slaw. A tasty meal on the screened porch was the perfect way to cap off a terrific holiday weekend.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorial Day
After work on Sat Spouse & I went to a cookout at Steven & Thad's house. Several of our mutual friends were there, the food was great, and the weather was perfect. We had a really fun time!
Sun morning Spouse & I met up with Steven & Thad for breakfast at Crystal, then went to the beach. The weather was nice and warm and the humidity was nice and low - perfect beach weather! We had a great time.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Friday fragments
Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post.
I saw this on facebook and had to share it. I couldn't agree more!
Last night Marvin was very lethargic and wouldn't eat. He's had diarrhea for a few days, but his paperwork said that is common after having been "fixed". Also, he's been on medication for kennel cough. So this morning I took him to the vet to get checked out. They took him off the medication and gave me new liquid medication that will be easier on his stomach. The vet also suggested a bland diet of rice and chicken. Hope our little guy is feeling better soon.
I got a 'kick' out of this funny video of a dad getting kicked in the nuts by his kid! Watch it and TRY not to laugh.
Its Memorial Day weekend, the official start of the summer season and BEACH season! I'm working on Sat but have Sun & Mon off. I hope we have good weather.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Friday fragments
Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, but too small to be their own post.
My friend Jared provided me with this interesting piece of truth.
I got a call this morning (on my cell) from a new client who wants to see some homes tomorrow, so I will need to stop in at the office at some point to print some fact sheets and make some property showing appointments. They're already renting in the neighborhood where a house is for sale in which they're interested, so I think that's a good sign.
Its Memorial Day weekend which is the official start of the summer season here at the beach. The forecast is for great beach weather so I'm expecting throngs of weekenders looking to spend the 1st weekend of the summer season here at the beach. Bring it on!!
Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend!
I'm off today since I'm working Sat & Sun. I'm doing some laundry and practicing my songs for the "Legends" show in between my housecleaning. We're having a Memorial Day cook-out on Sun so I will also need to clean the screened porch today.
My friend Jared provided me with this interesting piece of truth.
I got a call this morning (on my cell) from a new client who wants to see some homes tomorrow, so I will need to stop in at the office at some point to print some fact sheets and make some property showing appointments. They're already renting in the neighborhood where a house is for sale in which they're interested, so I think that's a good sign.
Its Memorial Day weekend which is the official start of the summer season here at the beach. The forecast is for great beach weather so I'm expecting throngs of weekenders looking to spend the 1st weekend of the summer season here at the beach. Bring it on!!
Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend!
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
(Long) Weekend highlights
Sat morning I watched episodes of "Sell This House" while Spouse had his personal trainer appointment. A little later my friend Chris came over. We met in a DC gay
bar and found out we'd gone to high school together! He's a really sweet guy. He was spending the long weekend at the beach and since it was rainy Sat morning, he called and came over for a visit. He and Spouse & I went to lunch, then sat on the porch and talked for a while. When he left Spouse washed Jordan (the dog) and I cleaned porch and arranged the outdoor furniture in preparation for our cookout the next day. Spouse & I bought a new gas grill at Home Depot. Nothing fancy; just a larger grilling surface than our little mini charcoal Weber. That night we met Steven & Thad, one of The Bobs, and Joe P for dinner at Saketumi. I got a teensy-weensy bit tipsy on Cosmos made with Absolut Berri Acai. Dee-lish!!
Sun morning we had breakfast with Steven & Thad at the Long Neck Diner. Once back home, Spouse fired up Big Ella, picked up Steven & Thad and took them to the "Battle of the Bands" concert and car show. Our friend Rick & Nick added the 'car show' part to the "Battle of the Bands" and it wasn't very well attended but Spouse and Steven & Thad enjoyed it anyway. Instead of going with them, I went to the beach with Bryan & Jason. It was a beautiful day and I wanted to be at the beach more than at a poorly advertised car show. There
was a wonderful breeze and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Back at home, I cleaned the outdoor tables and chairs and helped get food ready for the cookout. I grabbed a quick shower before our guests started to arrive. We had 16 for our cookout. The weather was ideal for being outside. There was a nice breeze and the humidity was very low. Everybody brought a dish and we all had a great time.
On Mon it seemed everyone we knew was at the beach. It was significantly hotter, but there was a nice cool breeze coming off the water. We stayed from 10:30-2:30, then had a late lunch at home, followed by showers and a nap for Spouse and email and Facebook for me. Later we had dinner with Steven & Thad and one of The Bobs. It was a great way to wrap up a long holiday weekend.
Crush du Jour: Rob McElroy
bar and found out we'd gone to high school together! He's a really sweet guy. He was spending the long weekend at the beach and since it was rainy Sat morning, he called and came over for a visit. He and Spouse & I went to lunch, then sat on the porch and talked for a while. When he left Spouse washed Jordan (the dog) and I cleaned porch and arranged the outdoor furniture in preparation for our cookout the next day. Spouse & I bought a new gas grill at Home Depot. Nothing fancy; just a larger grilling surface than our little mini charcoal Weber. That night we met Steven & Thad, one of The Bobs, and Joe P for dinner at Saketumi. I got a teensy-weensy bit tipsy on Cosmos made with Absolut Berri Acai. Dee-lish!!
Sun morning we had breakfast with Steven & Thad at the Long Neck Diner. Once back home, Spouse fired up Big Ella, picked up Steven & Thad and took them to the "Battle of the Bands" concert and car show. Our friend Rick & Nick added the 'car show' part to the "Battle of the Bands" and it wasn't very well attended but Spouse and Steven & Thad enjoyed it anyway. Instead of going with them, I went to the beach with Bryan & Jason. It was a beautiful day and I wanted to be at the beach more than at a poorly advertised car show. There
was a wonderful breeze and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Back at home, I cleaned the outdoor tables and chairs and helped get food ready for the cookout. I grabbed a quick shower before our guests started to arrive. We had 16 for our cookout. The weather was ideal for being outside. There was a nice breeze and the humidity was very low. Everybody brought a dish and we all had a great time.On Mon it seemed everyone we knew was at the beach. It was significantly hotter, but there was a nice cool breeze coming off the water. We stayed from 10:30-2:30, then had a late lunch at home, followed by showers and a nap for Spouse and email and Facebook for me. Later we had dinner with Steven & Thad and one of The Bobs. It was a great way to wrap up a long holiday weekend.
Crush du Jour: Rob McElroy
Memorial Day
When I think of Memorial Day, I know I supposed to think of this:
but instead, I think of this:
and this:
Before you jump to conclusions about how shallow and unappreciative I am, let me explain.
I grew up in the Jehovah's Witness religion which does not believe in participating in or supporting the military in any way. So my family and the families with which we associated never put flags on our porches or acknowledged the soldiers who paid the ultimate price for our country's freedom.
No, for us Memorial Day was a day off of school and work. It was a great opportunity to have a cookout and/or go to the beach. Now, I have NOT been a member of the JW religion for many years now, but some habits die hard. Like it or not, say "Memorial Day" and I think "cookout" and the unofficial start of beach season.
I am trying to retrain my thinking to be more appreciative of others' sacrifices, but that doesn't mean I won't enjoy a nice grilled burger and some potato salad.
Crush du Jour: Bruno Cabrerizo
but instead, I think of this:
and this:
Before you jump to conclusions about how shallow and unappreciative I am, let me explain.
I grew up in the Jehovah's Witness religion which does not believe in participating in or supporting the military in any way. So my family and the families with which we associated never put flags on our porches or acknowledged the soldiers who paid the ultimate price for our country's freedom.
No, for us Memorial Day was a day off of school and work. It was a great opportunity to have a cookout and/or go to the beach. Now, I have NOT been a member of the JW religion for many years now, but some habits die hard. Like it or not, say "Memorial Day" and I think "cookout" and the unofficial start of beach season.
I am trying to retrain my thinking to be more appreciative of others' sacrifices, but that doesn't mean I won't enjoy a nice grilled burger and some potato salad.
Crush du Jour: Bruno Cabrerizo
Friday, May 28, 2010
Friday fragments
Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post.
This one is courtesy of my friend Jared.
Yet another week has gone by with no word from the bank regarding the offers they received for the foreclosure condo. I find this especially strange since banks usually like to close on foreclosure sales as soon as possible. I wonder if they are trying to negotiate with another buyer and aren't telling the rest of us, in case the deal goes south.
Another gem from Jared:
Its been a particularly busy work week so I am REALLY looking forward to a 3-day weekend. We are having a cook-out on Sun and have invited a bunch of friends. I'm hoping to get to the beach all 3 days, but I think the weather will prevent us from going on Sat. They're calling for rain. Sun & Mon look great though!
This one is courtesy of my friend Jared.
Yet another week has gone by with no word from the bank regarding the offers they received for the foreclosure condo. I find this especially strange since banks usually like to close on foreclosure sales as soon as possible. I wonder if they are trying to negotiate with another buyer and aren't telling the rest of us, in case the deal goes south.
Another gem from Jared:
Its been a particularly busy work week so I am REALLY looking forward to a 3-day weekend. We are having a cook-out on Sun and have invited a bunch of friends. I'm hoping to get to the beach all 3 days, but I think the weather will prevent us from going on Sat. They're calling for rain. Sun & Mon look great though!
Yet another from Jared:
My ghetto name is DiShagurlbarak! What's yours?
Here's hoping everyone has a TERRIFIC Memorial Day weekend!!
My ghetto name is DiShagurlbarak! What's yours?Crush du Jour: Frank Luis
Monday, May 25, 2009
Memorial Day
Its been a great Memorial Day weekend: the official start of the summer season here at the beach. As I mentioned on Fri, this is the 1st Memorial Day weekend in years that we have not had company, but it has been a great long weekend none-the-less.
Sat morning after having our coffee and walking the dog, Spouse & I pulled all of the porch furniture (4 rockers, 2 love seats, 2 side tables, and a bistro table and chairs) into the yard and scrubbed them all down. Then we used the leaf blower to blow all the dust, dirt, leaves, cobwebs, and other assorted bug stuff off the porch. We discovered an easy way to clean dusty cushions: with a scrub brush.
Ours came from the Dollar store. It worked great and brought those cushions back to life. The weather was absolutely spectacular (warm but not hot, clear skies, no humidity, nice breeze) so it was a good day for doing this. When the furniture was dry, we put it all back on the porch and sat and rested for a few minutes.
Then it was on to the back/screened porch. We removed the furniture, used the leaf blower to blow the debris out, scrubbed the cushions, and wiped down the posts. Its a much smaller porch with less furniture so it went much quicker. It felt really good to get our porches and porch furniture cleaned up and ready for the summer season.
Then we put together our new convertible bench/picnic table. We saw it on one of those home shopping channels and couldn't resist it. Its a bench that converts into a picnic table in seconds! Here's an unflattering photo of me sitting on the bench:
Then, in mere seconds, with a simple lift, I convert it...
...into a picnic table for 4 adults or 6 children.
Later that evening we took the convertible car to an indoor/outdoor dinner party at our new friends' Kathy & Jill's. It was a gorgeous evening so we enjoyed assorted olives, cheese and crackers, and cocktails (Cosmos for me) outside on their deck and screened porch. Kathy & Jill are terrific hostesses and served a fabulous dinner of flank steak, salmon, grilled veggies, bow tie pasta with gorgonzola, and green salad with goat cheese. Everything was so tasty! We met lots of great/fun people too.
Sun morning after breakfast and walking the dog, I made 2 pans of Paula Deen's corn casserole to take to George & Steve's cook-out.
The weather was warm again but more humid, but we still drove to the cook-out with the top down. We had a lot of fun visiting with everyone, and the corn casserole was a real crowd pleaser as usual. Despite the fact that the invitation read "come at 2:00 and we'll eat at 3:00", they didn't get the burgers, hot dogs and chicken off the grill until 4:30, which meant we had to forfeit the cocktail party we were supposed to attend later that evening. But we had a lot of fun.
Today the weather was quite changeable. We had sunshine, humidity, sprinkles, clouds, rain, thunder and lightening, all within the last 8 hours. Spouse & I decided to do some much needed housecleaning before showering and heading out the door. We made a stop at Home Depot to look at some tile samples, then tried out a new place for lunch we heard about yesterday at the cook-out. Over lunch we discussed some of the details of our upcoming trip to NYC. It seems as if just overnight our roses started blooming, so before it started raining today I took these photos. (Click to enlarge.)
Here are some other cute things (the names of which I can't remember) we have blooming right now.
I hope all of these will survive when they are transplanted, in preparation for the addition. Spouse & I aren't 'good gays' in the sense that we don't love gardening and don't know much about caring for plants. But fortunately we have the internet and friends who know.
Sat morning after having our coffee and walking the dog, Spouse & I pulled all of the porch furniture (4 rockers, 2 love seats, 2 side tables, and a bistro table and chairs) into the yard and scrubbed them all down. Then we used the leaf blower to blow all the dust, dirt, leaves, cobwebs, and other assorted bug stuff off the porch. We discovered an easy way to clean dusty cushions: with a scrub brush.
Ours came from the Dollar store. It worked great and brought those cushions back to life. The weather was absolutely spectacular (warm but not hot, clear skies, no humidity, nice breeze) so it was a good day for doing this. When the furniture was dry, we put it all back on the porch and sat and rested for a few minutes.Then it was on to the back/screened porch. We removed the furniture, used the leaf blower to blow the debris out, scrubbed the cushions, and wiped down the posts. Its a much smaller porch with less furniture so it went much quicker. It felt really good to get our porches and porch furniture cleaned up and ready for the summer season.
Then we put together our new convertible bench/picnic table. We saw it on one of those home shopping channels and couldn't resist it. Its a bench that converts into a picnic table in seconds! Here's an unflattering photo of me sitting on the bench:
Then, in mere seconds, with a simple lift, I convert it...
...into a picnic table for 4 adults or 6 children.
Later that evening we took the convertible car to an indoor/outdoor dinner party at our new friends' Kathy & Jill's. It was a gorgeous evening so we enjoyed assorted olives, cheese and crackers, and cocktails (Cosmos for me) outside on their deck and screened porch. Kathy & Jill are terrific hostesses and served a fabulous dinner of flank steak, salmon, grilled veggies, bow tie pasta with gorgonzola, and green salad with goat cheese. Everything was so tasty! We met lots of great/fun people too.
Sun morning after breakfast and walking the dog, I made 2 pans of Paula Deen's corn casserole to take to George & Steve's cook-out.
The weather was warm again but more humid, but we still drove to the cook-out with the top down. We had a lot of fun visiting with everyone, and the corn casserole was a real crowd pleaser as usual. Despite the fact that the invitation read "come at 2:00 and we'll eat at 3:00", they didn't get the burgers, hot dogs and chicken off the grill until 4:30, which meant we had to forfeit the cocktail party we were supposed to attend later that evening. But we had a lot of fun.Today the weather was quite changeable. We had sunshine, humidity, sprinkles, clouds, rain, thunder and lightening, all within the last 8 hours. Spouse & I decided to do some much needed housecleaning before showering and heading out the door. We made a stop at Home Depot to look at some tile samples, then tried out a new place for lunch we heard about yesterday at the cook-out. Over lunch we discussed some of the details of our upcoming trip to NYC. It seems as if just overnight our roses started blooming, so before it started raining today I took these photos. (Click to enlarge.)
Here are some other cute things (the names of which I can't remember) we have blooming right now.
I hope all of these will survive when they are transplanted, in preparation for the addition. Spouse & I aren't 'good gays' in the sense that we don't love gardening and don't know much about caring for plants. But fortunately we have the internet and friends who know.I find it curious that my 3-day Memorial Day weekend had nothing to do with remembering fallen soldiers. 
I really do appreciate the sacrifice made by those brave men and women, but for some reason it seems to have nothing to do with my thoughts and behaviors during Memorial Day weekend.
I really do appreciate the sacrifice made by those brave men and women, but for some reason it seems to have nothing to do with my thoughts and behaviors during Memorial Day weekend. Here's hoping that all of you had terrific Memorial Day long weekends!
Crush du Jour: Michael Churchill
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