Saturday 9/15, I was up by 6; Eric was up at 5:30 and made breakfast burritos for the road. We fed the dogs and off we went to Portland. The drive went pretty quickly. Courtney’s flight was on time and we made it there right as she was getting out to the curb. We headed into Portland and went to Whole Foods to get some breakfast for her. I got some fresh fruit and we sat outside and ate. Next we went over to Voodoo because she’d never been and the line was pretty long. We each picked out a donut then one for Jake and Sos. We headed out, I called Sos to let her know we were coming and made it to their place. She was coming outside just as we pulled up and Court was like “There she is!” and tried to hide. It didn’t work. Sos was so excited to see us but especially Courtney. Court wanted to hold Maia right away. We went in and said hi to Jake who was cooking away for the night’s Georgian feast (Kapi – pronounced “Kay-Pee”). We took pictures and talked and ooh’d over Maia. We called Keemy and Carmen to see if they wanted to go to lunch and meet Maya. We went to a sushi conveyer belt place and I had some gyoza and ate just enough to be content, not full. We went back to their place to hang out for the afternoon. Court and I left at 3:30 to go check in to the hotel. Our room was nice and we got settled then Court took a half hour nap. She was mumbling in her sleep state and was angry about the AC. We changed and went back over, with a stop at Starbucks for a Refresher, which I actually liked and has caffeine! Eric was in full cook mode and had been helping since we left. We helped set the table and a few other things, but mostly we played with Maia and Court wanted to put her in a party outfit. Keem and Carmen arrived first with Maya and we sat outside and chatted. People trickled in and food came out in waves. First were the dumplings that tasted like the most delicoius macaroni. So good. I ate six at least. It could have been more. Dinner came out and my favorite was the cheese bread (hachapuri?). The food was excellent but I was stuffed from all the dumplings. There were many toasts and conversations about college and the time since. We had a lot of fun. The other friends peeled off and the UPS-ers were the last ones standing. So sad they’re leaving the PNW and that they won’t be “close” anymore. Need to plan a trip to Houston, I guess. We left around 12:30 and headed back to the hotel. We all got ready for bed and Eric put on Married with Children. Court was asleep first then me and Eric. Slept well.

Friday 9/14, I was so excited it was the weekend. When I got home Eric informed me Chrystol and Sky were not staying at the house, only checking in Saturday night. I was so irritated. He called Mom and she agreed to come over and I went in the backyard to ask Cherry if she would check in mid-day on Saturday. We chatted over the fence for a while and she told me the story of the windmill. Eric and I didn’t talk for much of the night because I was so frustrated. I finished packing and we went to bed by 11ish.

Thursday 9/13, I did more corresponding with Genie and sent more pictures and an update. The potential adopters were still interested and wanted to move forward. We did some stuff around the house in preparation to leave town. I don’t remember what else.

Wednesday 9/12, We left the stuff out for the patio and Jose came with his guys and finished it off. I told him to hold off on the rocks. After work I came home to Eric in the kitchen making pasta with a homemade sauce, plus kale with all sorts of seasoning. I got several dog-related emails throughout the day: Mary wondering if we could watch Poppy in October, Blair with Lucia updates and lastly good news on an app for Otto. When I got home I answered emails and reached out to the prospective adopters; traded a few emails throughout the night and some to Genie as well. Fingers crossed. Dinner was done and Eric brought it out to me and we watched tv. I did some stuff online and more emails throughout the night. I updated this, watched Seinfeld, talked to Alix (apartment, job, Mexico) and went to bed.

Tuesday 9/11, Eric and I went to get the gravel then off to Home Depot for spikes and sand. We worked with Otto a bit and he is catching on quickly. I heated up some dinner and Eric went up to B&N. Mom came over and we talked about the rocks and decided to wait on moving them to the front yard. We sat and chatted in the living room for a long time and she left around 9. I worked on Otto’s long bio and got that off to Genie. I got ready for bed but didn’t go to sleep until almost 11.

Monday 9/10, It was kind of a long day. I stayed late at work and went to the store on the way home. Eric made a fancy tater tot casserole. We did a little working with Otto and Eric got some good results out of him. I took Otto and Nyx on a walk, hoping it would help them in their ability to get along better. I cleared out our bedroom, vacuumed and washed the floors. It felt great. We ate dinner and I avoided doing Otto’s long bio for another night.

Sunday 9/9, I was up and out of bed by 8. I put the hose on some of the plants and cleaned up dog crap. I relaxed for a little longer until it was time to get ready and go to MI for the NR meet up. Eric rode his bike. I chatted with Janell in the parking lot then made my way over to the small dog area with Otto chatting with Carol. Overall it went pretty well and I was there until 2:30. I thought it would be an hour but we all just kept chatting. I’m hoping the app Genie sent will work out. Genie and Dave, Janell and Troy, Karyn and Bruce, Carol and Julee all showed up. Genie, Dave, Karyn, Bruce and I all stayed after to chat in the parking lot. I was made aware of some interesting things, but there’s also a lot of other stuff that I wasn’t filled in on that is apparently going on. We all said goodbye and I took off for home. I put Otto in the bedroom and took the other dogs out. I had some lunch then worked on moving the dead grass and watering plants. I was out there for a while and made some headway then inside to shower. All the dogs watched High Fidelity with me and I slept through the last 15 minutes. I got up and put some stuff away and called to change the reservation for the Modera to a 2-queen room. Our neighbor across the street came and introduced himself, Fred, and gave me a huge bag of plums. I started to update this and Eric came home and I filled him in on my day and booked our time share in Antigua. Couples Therapy was on tv so I half-watched it.

Saturday 9/8, I got up a little before 8 and took the dogs out. I went out and watered all the plants then inside to shower. Eric and I messed around then it was time for him to go to work. I talked to Susan for a few minutes and did a few things around the house. I took off at 12:30 after getting the dogs situated. Susan showed me all the changes she made and her place looks really good. We talked for about an hour then took off for Wallingford. We stopped at the Boulangerie where Susan treated me to a palmier; the one by my house has better ones. We stopped in QFC so I could get a water then walked up to the Guild. We saw Two Days in New York and I really liked it. We walked back to the car and went to the GO. I filled two bags with goodies. Susan was good and didn’t overindulge. We went back to her place and I dropped her off. Eric was home and helped me put groceries away. I fed the dogs and Eric whipped up some raviolis for me but added a bunch of deliciousness to the recipe. Mine would have been boring. I watched Project Runway and did some research on Antigua. I tried to book the timeshare but the one I wanted was all inclusive and required the purchase of a meal plan, at $250 per day. No thanks. I didn’t book the other one because I wanted to make sure Eric was ok with the one on the other side of the island. He went to a movie and I went to bed by 11:30.

Friday 9/7, Talked with P about booking one of the timeshares for Antigua and she voted for the nice one. Eric and I worked with Otto a little bit in the front yard then Jose arrived. We chatted about what we wanted to do with the pavers and rocks though I ended up changing my mind and not knowing where I was going to put them. Eric and I chatted about me going down to PDX for Sos’ going away party and Eric decided he was going to try and go too so we’d have to figure out sleeping arrangements. Eric went to the store to pick up some stuff for dinner and made breakfast burritos for dinner. We watched Layer Cake then to bed for me since I was very tired.

Thursday 9/6, Work was ok. Court is going to come up for Sos’ going away party and we’re not sure if we’re going to surprise her or not. Booked her ticket then I booked our hotel at Modera. Looks nice. Got home a little early and Jose called to say he was running late so apparently we got our days mixed up. Eric and I took Otto out in the front and did some “look at me” exercises and Eric got him to sit twice. I took him for a spin around the block while we waited but then Jose called to say he was stuck in traffic and asked if we could do it the next day. We put all the dogs away and went to Super Supplements. Sos called while I was there and we chatted for a while. I’m so excited to see her and told her Eric may come. We went to the store to get stuff for dinner then home. I made myself a salad and went through my online gossip. I played with Otto for a little bit then into bed and updated this.

Wednesday 9/5, P came back but wasn’t in the office for most the day. When I got home Otto chased Nyx and started attacking her and wouldn’t let go even after Eric lifted him off the ground; Nyx went with him. It was awful. Her leg was hurt and had a bite mark. We separated and discussed how to avoid this going forward. We should have been more diligent in keeping him with us and establishing his place at the bottom of the totem pole. I called Genie to let her know what happened and she’s going to hold off on letting the potential adopters know about him. We were expecting Jose at 5:30 but he didn’t show up. I went in the backyard and did some yard work in preparation for the new fence. Eric brought me out dinner and I was out until 7:15. I hopped in the shower and into bed to catch up on gossip and updating this.

Tuesday 9/4, Woke up still not feeling good. I took a bunch of stuff and gargled salt water. After work I went home and Eric was on his way out to take Otto for a walk. Blair arrived and got Lucia out after saying hi to our dogs. Lucia was so happy, and I was so happy to see her. Lots of pets and kisses and she was thrilled to see Eric as well. She came inside and we sat and talked for a long time and got to do a lot of visiting with Lucia. She’s going to her new home on Friday and I don’t know when I’ll see her again. It breaks my heart but also it’s part of the process. I still feel like she’s my dog. Blair left a little after 6 and we got to say our final goodbyes. I know she’ll be just fine. Eric left to go to the store (for the third time that day) and started dinner when he returned. I fed the dogs and talked with Alix. Eric is encouraging me to go down to PDX for Sos’ going away party (looks like they’re moving to Texas) on the 15th. I laid in bed and Eric brought me dinner, veggie and tofu stir fry. I watched Project Runway and talked to Kass when it was over. She had a tiff with Sky and he was lost somewhere in MN. I filled Eric in when I was off the phone. Eric slept in the other bedroom while I updated this and watched Seinfeld until I went to sleep.

Monday 9/3, Our alarm woke us up at 7:30 which felt way too early. We quietly got ready. My throat was killing me. We packed up and went upstairs. Sat and talked with Jodi for a while before packing up the car, saying goodbye and heading out to Minneapolis. We made it to Kelly’s very quickly and Mark was there to greet us. She was around the corner at her aunt’s house. We sat and talked until 11 then took off for the airport. They dropped us which was super nice. We got through security fine, got a snack and to our gate without incident. We boarded and made it out of there a few minutes early. I watched part of Forgetting Sarah Marshall but had forgotten to charge the player so I only made it halfway through. We landed and Dad picked us up. I talked to Janell and scheduled to meet her at 5; however, she then had some things to take care of so asked if we could postpone. We headed down after getting the call and picked up Otto. He was a bit frantic, which I would expect considering he’s had like 5 temp homes on his way up here. Poor guy. We chatted with Janell for a while then took off for home. Dogs were all introduced without incident. None of our dogs were all that interested. They all took their places as the night went on. Otto loves to play and was jumping all over the place to get the toys. We relaxed for the rest of the night and I climbed in bed early. I felt like shit. Mom called to make sure we made it ok and to check on me.

Sunday 9/2, Since Jodi was home we all had the chance to sleep in with no children screaming. It was 9:30 and we were supposed to be over at Dick and Roxy’s by 10:30 for breakfast. I asked why Eric didn’t wake me up and he said I needed the sleep. Kelly and Mark were up too. The four of us took off to Dick’s and Jodi came with the boys and Alishia. Big breakfast was in progress: French toast, bacon, sausage, pull aparts, egg bake and fruit salad. I ate too much but it was all so delicious. A bunch of people took off to go to Dick’s garage to look at the cars. Derek was the first back in the midnight blue GTO and then came Dad in the orange GTO that he sold Dick in 1970. Derek got things going by burning rubber on the road in front of Dick’s house then Dad, not one to be shown up, really lit it up. Lastly, when Derek got back, Danny got in and took the rest of the tread off the tires. We could hear him out on the highway from a mile away. Eric got in and rode around with Dad, Mom, Mindy and Alishia and took a tour of Litchfield. Dad was going down memory lane. I stood outside with Clint, Derek, Mark and Kelly and we sat and chatted for a long time. We were having a blast. Back inside Kass arrived from picking in Stewart and we looked at some of the stuff she wanted to procure at the auction and also online. When everyone returned we took off on the pontoon and docked it in a quiet spot. The three boys rode behind. We were out there for a long time and Clint shuttled people back and forth. Jaime brought brats for lunch. Dick and Dad told stories about Grandma Kari (coming from Norway by herself) and also how Grandma and Grandpa met. Eric was fascinated. Eventually Alishia and I went in because I had to go to the bathroom. Stacy had made Grandma’s sugar cookies and they were delicious, though not thin enough to match Grandma’s. Later that afternoon Derek strung up a piñata and the little girls really did some damage and eventually it was busted open. Brett and Krey shared their candy with me so I scored some smarties and dots. When Eric asked Brett if he was pleased with his candy he responded slyly, “Vewy pweased” as he tapped the cone of candy. Kelly and Mark took off and we said we’d see them the next day. As it was getting dark we all went on the pontoon for an evening ride around the lake. Uncle Dick was full of stories about Dad with fun phrases and descriptions of women such as “good lookin’ hide” and “floozy”. Then there was the story where UD was in the living room watching tv before bed and Dad demanded “Why don’t you go to bed already?”; in the morning there were nylons hanging from the chandelier and the front door was wide open with no sign of either of them. Then some girl popped his water bed after he broke up with her and another girl stole his studded leather jacked. There were some real great stories. Afterward Dad told me not to believe anything UD said. Ok. We arrived back and went up to the house. Some of us gathered around the bar and Jackson, Dylan and Brice took turns trying roses of lime and “Real Lemon” thinking they were alcohol. Verdict: roses of lime has a terrible after taste. It was getting late and my throat was killing me so we said goodbye to everyone and headed to Clint’s. Kasey and her bf were sleeping in the tv room outside our room. We went to bed knowing we had to be up early to head back to Minneapolis then to the airport.

Saturday 9/1, We got a rude awakening when Ty and Krey were running and screaming all over the house at 7:30. Eric was ready to drop some f-bombs on the kids which reiterated that it’s such a good idea that neither of us wants kids. Clint was making Alishia some bacon. He told us he doesn’t even hear the kids anymore. Bad sign. Like most parents. He eventually got them outside and the house was quiet again. Kelly went back to bed and Eric went out for a run (5 miles) while I ran on the treadmill for 35 minutes with Alishia keeping me company. We showered when he got back and things got a little steamy in the shower. We got ready and I woke Kelly up so we could head over to Dick’s. Breakfast was just being cleaned up and Eric and I both had some pull aparts. Yum. The day was filled with talking on the deck with family, a lot of eating (Kass made enchiladas), Danny eating a handful of chopped jalapenos thinking they were green peppers, Jackson catching a baby snapping turtle and someone setting it free when we were out on the pontoon, going for a ride and hanging out on the lake. We sat out on the lake and sunned it up. Alishia and Kelly spent time in the floaties behind the boat, while Brice and Dylan attempted to splash Alishia. Mark arrived on the speedboat on one of the multiple boatloads of people. Carrie showed up and none of us had seen her since Grandma’s funeral. She lost a shit load of weight. No one could believe it. She said 80 pounds but none of the boys believed it; they thought it was more. When Jerome left we all went out to say goodbye and he was having a hard time getting the seatbelt buckled and Dad said something gross like, “What, do you need it to be surrounded by hair?”. We congregated downstairs again around the bar and Derek came and announced he’d just gotten a call from the sheriff and Kennedy had been picked up for tp-ing someone’s house. His chest was puffed out and he was beaming with pride. He wasn’t going to let her know that though. So, Brice the first night and Kennedy the second night. Apparently she didn’t run when the boys took off. It’s what I would have done too. Kelly and I were tired so we left around midnight while Eric, Mark and Clint stayed later. We went back to Clint’s and I hit the sack. I was exhausted.

Friday 8/31, Eric was up early; I was up at 9:30. Late. We sat in the living room for a while and talked and had some breakfast. We decided to get going and made it down to the fair via bus by 10:45. We hit the good bathrooms first then over to the scotch egg stand. We went into the sheep barn to see the goats. We researched the earless goats (La Mancha from Spain) and impressed one of the farmers there with our knowledge (via google). In 35 years no one has ever gotten it right. Next we went so I could get corn on the cob. We made our way to the cheese curds but detoured to have some fried green tomatoes with ranch. We went into the International Baazar and got somas which were ok. We took the Sky Ride to the other side of the fair and went to the old town where we got some La Croix to settle our stomachs. Next we went and got an elephant ear which was a first for Kelly. We kept walking and finally decided to track down the poutine. It was much different than the poutine in Seattle, but still good. Cheese curds in the gravy were way bigger; like mozzarella balls. We sat on the grass in the shade for a long time then decided we were done. We walked back to the buses and waited in line. Dad called and let us know they’d made it and were heading out to Uncle Dick’s. Back at Kelly’s we all showered and packed up. We headed out and Kelly’s coke was totally old so we had to stop and get another one. We made it out there pretty quickly and the house was buzzing when we arrived. We had some dinner and hung out with everyone, talking. Us girls congregated around the bar and did some major girl-talking. Ben wa balls is all I’m going to say. The smoke alarms all started going off so Rosemary and I ran upstairs and the candles and potpourri in Roxy’s bathroom was on fire. We put it out and aired everything out. A while later Brett wanted to show Kassie where the fire was and went into Roxy’s room and Brett was in there going through the nightstand. He blurted out “I have to go to the bathroom!” and ran out of the room. Kass came down and told us and we all just died. We kept asking Rox what was in there but she wouldn’t budge. We guessed either granny panties, something with batteries or something with pictures. Eric guessed pictures. Every time someone came to the bar we filled them in. It was hilarious; couldn’t stop laughing. Eventually all the boys joined us and then things got really spicy with Kelly wanting to skinny dip in the lake and Tom being game. I prevented that. We had such a good time; raucous. Dylan wanted to go home and Derek too, so Dyl Pickle and I drove to Derek’s and met Derek and Eric over there (Eric drove Derek in his car) then Eric and I took Dylan home and back to Dick’s. We hung out for another hour or so. We left Dick’s around 2am and went back to Clint’s. I showed Kelly which room was hers (Alishia took Kasey’s) and went downstairs to go to bed. It was almost 2:30. We were exhausted.

Thursday 8/30, I set my alarm and got up and going by 7:30. We both got ready and packed up. I ran down to the emissions station which thankfully is super close; was the first in and out and passed. Glad that was out of the way and went online when I got home to renew my tabs. Dad and Co. missed their flight from San Diego so we started planning how plans were going to change then were alerted that Kass and Sky wouldn’t come until the next day as well. I called Kelly and she agreed to pick us up from the airport. I showered and watered all the plants and we arrived to Mom’s by 11. We got to the airport without incident and made it through security in no time because there were no lines. I got a bagel sandwich and Eric went off to find something to eat. We boarded and sat next to a girl that was a real jerk. We watched Something About Mary and the flight flew by. It also helps that we landed 35 minutes early. I texted Kelly and we went down to the curb. She arrived a few minutes later. We headed back to her house and sat and talked for a long time. We decided to go get dinner and settled on Psycho Suzy’s. We sat outside by the river and had a delicious dinner. Their tater tots were awesome. We headed back to her house and watched tv for a little bit then she went to bed. I followed not much later. Eric wasn’t that tired so he stayed up and listened to a pod cast. It was probably 11.

Wednesday 8/29, I was so happy to be done with work. I went home and did a few things that were on my list but Eric told me not to worry and that he’d take care of everything while I was out with Kristel. I left right around 6:30 for her parents’ house and she was chatting with Troy via skype when I arrived. We chatted for a long time then went to Olive Garden for dinner. I got some simple pasta and the gnocchi soup. We had a long dinner and did plenty of catching up. On our way home we listened to Edward Sharpe’s new album and I had her listen to the tracks I’m obsessed with. We talked inside for a few minutes then I took off for home. Eric was still home and the house was all clean and had been mopped. I finished throwing a few items into my luggage and off to bed.

Tuesday 8/28, I rushed home and hurried around. I cleaned my shower, took a shower, got dressed and primped, fed the dogs, heated up some dinner and got out the door, all in 45 minutes. I headed into Seattle for a haircut. I found good parking for once. Sean was a little behind but that was ok because I had facebook to catch up on then did some light gossip reading about Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, and Sean was really upset about their split too. I climbed into the chair and we discussed and we decided shorter in the back, longer in the front. We had all kinds of fun convos: swimming pool in West Seattle and the plethora of speedos (I gotta get over there!), Kass, Eric, vacations, administrative fees for ponytails, passport photos and how his now sucks but mine is way better than the old one, babies and how Sean's babies are the new foster dogs, mullets and rat tails, crazy girls (Mormons with boob jobs) and Antigua and how Sean would be happy to sleep on a pool lounge chair if no one is willing to join me. Purely plutonic. Other things too, but too much to list. He and Eric need to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. Now that's a hiking trip I might take. Sike. I was done by 8:30, got a hug goodbye and headed home. Eric had just arrived home from his run and was watching tv. We sat on the couch for a little while, watching tv and he got my computer for me so I could write my emails. I had some more acai berries. At 10 I got ready for bed and climbed in, asleep by 10:30 but then Brizo started throwing up so I woke up for that. She slept in the bed at the foot of the bed since her bedding needed to be washed after that. The meds from her teeth extractions I'm guessing. I had terrible dreams about being on some kind of oceanliner on the way to Europe with no cabin, holding Brizo who was sick, and Eric and I didn't bring our passports and Mom and Dad had planned a big Europe trip but I only had like 3 days of PTO and NO PASSPORT! I was frantic. How was I going to fly home? How was I going to get through immigration and customs? I hate those kinds of dreams. Not in control. A nightmare in real life too.

Monday 8/27, Eric was working over at Mom's after work so when I got home I got going on my own chores. I made up the guest bedroom for Stefanie, put away some laundry and continued packing. I ditched out on my shower, mopping the den and kitchen and cleaning the kitchen sink. Ehh, have a few more days to get them done. I had some dinner and watered plants. Eric came home and we relaxed. Not much else for the evening.

Sunday 8/26, Eric was up early and left for work at 9. I got up and started my chores, since I had a list a mile long. Laundry, packing, vacuuming, cleaned the sink and toilet in my bathroom, stripped the beds, put laundry away then went out in the front and finished up the dirt work. The little boy next door came over and we chatted, even though he doesn't speak English. Neither does grandma but we laughed anyway. I had some lunch then finished up outside. I felt tired so I went inside and watched Project Runway then napped. Eric came home around 5 and I forced myself to get up. I went in the backyard and watered the plants. We went to the store and he got stuff to make breakfast burritos which were delicious and vegetarian. We watched AFV and I turned in early, despite my nap.

Saturday 8/25, We woke up at 7 (waaay too early) to take Clancy and Brizo to the vet then home to get ready to leave for our architectural walking tour (the sequel). I showered and got ready and we took off and picked up Stefanie. We arrived in the Belmont / Harvard area early so we walked up and down Harvard and marveled at the homes. We took turns boosting each other up so we could see over a wooden fence that surrounds a huge empty lot. We later found out what it is and got to go in (largest Seattle A-frame and 2-lot property will go to Seattle Parks after the owner dies). The tour was very good, though I did zone out a few times, and we got the low down on a lot of beautiful old mansions. It went about a half hour long then we went down to Cafe Flora to meet up with Sky and Chrystol for lunch. We had a nice time and lunch was terrific (tomato scramble). We looked at a garden and chatted then left. We dropped Stefanie off at home then headed back to Bellevue. Eric gave Pop Rock a bath and he was very good. I picked up dog poop in the backyard. We watched Teen Wolf until Mary arrived to pick up PJ. After she left we went to pick up Clancy and Brizo, who'd had some sizeable dental work done to the tune of $330. Ouch. That with Clancy's vet visit the weekend prior is putting me in the poor house. At home I tried to lie down with Brizo but she was all out of it and wanted to wander around. I wanted to take a nap but wasn't all that successful. I watered the plants. I didn't eat dinner because I was still full from lunch, but I did eat a bunch of chocolate covered acai berries. I can't remember what we did for the rest of the night but we probably just relaxed. The house was back to normal. First time in 3.5 weeks.

Friday 8/24, I was so happy it was Friday. P was off to China and Hong Kong for the next 10 days and it had been a doozy of a day at the office. When I got home the house smelled wonderful; Eric was in the middle of making a vegetarian cassoulet. Sky and Chrystol were scheduled to come over around 6:30. We did some stuff around the house and I showered. They arrived and we talked in the kitchen until it was time for dinner. Eric wasn't feeling well so he didn't eat. We sat out in the courtyard since it was nice. We talked about some of Jessica's adventures (Greek sprinkler) and other Nasty Boy moves. I was cold so we went back inside and decided we needed dessert. We packed into the car and headed down to Whole Foods. I got two cookies. At home we watched Hall Pass and laughed our asses off. I think they liked it. They didn't stay too long after it was over. We didn't bother cleaning up the kitchen and went to bed (midnight?).

Thursday 8/23, David and Carie came over with the kids for lunch so it was nice to visit with them. Chip and Monique came over too. P was getting ready to leave the next day for Hong Kong and China so things were a bit hectic and I felt a little anxious with what I’ve got to get done while she’s gone. Susan was at the house when I got home and came outside with me when I took the dogs out. Eric came home and we chatted for a bit before he left for a run. S and I went down into Factoria to go to Target and DSW, though neither of us got anything. I had to talk Susan out of mashed potatoes for dinner. We ended up going to Kid Valley and really went for it. S got the deep fried mushrooms and I got the bacon burger along with sweet potato (yam) fries. I ate almost all of it, yikes. We went back to the house and talked for a little bit before she left. I showered and updated this while watching Wipeout. Traded hilarious emails with Sky about Coco and her butt show for the next night. Went to bed.

Wednesday 8/22, I had a really sexy dream about Dmitry from Project Runway where he totally felt me up and we made out and walked around some place I have no idea. When I woke up I was very impressed. Is he even straight? No clue. I went online to read more about him and started to question my unconscious affinity. I ran some errands on the way home and when I arrived Eric was getting ready to take off for a run. Sherry from next door came over with Samantha to see if we had some milk. All we had was coconut milk. S wanted to see the house so we let her look around and see everything. They left and Eric took off for his run. I went and cleaned up dog poop then worked on some filing. I heated up some leftovers. We watched tv then I went out and watered the plants in the backyard. I walked Nyx around the block since she seemed a little needy. I showered and got into bed. We were not up late and both passed out.

Tuesday 8/21, Corresponded with Alix trying to figure out tickets. P bought my ticket. At home I got right back out into the yard and worked on the dirt for quite a while. I made some really good progress. Eric rode his bike to the store to get stuff for dinner and started it when he got home: turkey meatloaf, yam fries and my favorite zucchini, squash, onion and mushroom medley. It was delicious. I was so full. I went out and watered the front and backyard. It took quite a while to get everything done. I went to bed afterward.

Monday 8/20, Eric had already gotten all the compost after work. He was tired, but I was excited to get going on spreading it in the beds. He came out and watered some of the plants and chatted with me. The neighbors were out and chatting with us and let us know the bees would be removed. I went in not much later because I was feeling tired. Not long after Sherry came over and had a chat with us about Anthony and about his condition (Lou Gehrigs). As she told us I teared up; I just can’t even imagine. I know she’s been living with it for a while but I don’t even know how she copes, emotionally. We told her to give us a call if they ever needed anything. After she left I had some leftovers for dinner (burritos). I started making calls about going to Mexico with the sisters. I talked to Alix, Alishia, Dad and finally Kassie. I was on the phone for over two hours trying to get stuff nailed down. I finally booked a two bedroom in Neuvo Vallarta in November. We’ll see who actually commits to going. I finally went to bed. We decided on Otto for the new foster boy and Janell said it fits him. I talked Eric out of Ringo.

Sunday 8/19, The last morning with Langley! Yay! Eric got up with him and started cleaning the house. I got the other dogs up and fed them breakfast. I didn’t want to get up (7:30) that early but knew I could take a nap later. Eric was in a terrible mood and angry with Langley. I heard from Kathy and she said she’d be back by 7; nuts. I was hoping it would be earlier. Janell wrote and said 9:30 – 10:00. I helped gather Langley’s stuff, took him for a walk and got ready. He didn’t pull on his walk and was a little out of it. I made sure to tell Janell. We headed down to Tukwila and met Janell and Troy. We ended up talking for probably 30-40 minutes and telling various Langley stories. Hopefully Blair will help Janell. They gave us some chilies from NM. We handed him off and were glad he was going back with Janell, but we’ll see what ultimately happens with him. At home I did stuff on my computer and Eric went to wash my car and did an immaculate job; cleaned out the entire inside, rainex-d the windows and conditioned the interior. I had some leftover butter chicken and made rice. He hung in the living room and eventually I moved to the patio and went through a magazine. I was enjoying the sun and feeling tired so I laid down my head and fell asleep. I woke up with a jolt and had no idea where I was. I was sleeping hard. I went inside and all the dogs were in the bedroom looking at me. I sat on the bed for a while then we walked to the store. Back at home Eric got going on dinner while I cruised time shares and made the dogs’ dinners. Kathy arrived to pick up the girls a little after 7 and we chatted for a few minutes. Brought the other dogs back inside, Eric finished up dinner and we ate. I showered and updated this. Eric left to go to his movie. I took the dogs out, finished watching the weight loss show and went to bed.

Saturday 8/18, What a day. I’ll start out with that. Eric got up super early to go to work. I got up with Langley first and got him outside and back in to have his pills, got the other dogs out and everyone fed then started to get ready. Clancy started acting weird not being able to walk in a straight line and his feet kept going out from underneath him. I had to go pick up Poppy from Eric at work and since it was already almost 8:30 I was running a half hour late. I threw Clancy in the car and off we went to MI. Eric agreed there was definitely something wrong and Kelly agreed and got out a flashlight to see if his eyes would dilate. I wondered if I’d accidentally given Langley’s pills to Clancy but honestly couldn’t believe I would have mistaken Clancy for Langley. I don’t even remember the other dogs being out at that point. Perhaps he found the renegade pill in the bedroom. I was freaking out and especially since I had to go home to spend the day with 7 dogs. I stopped to get some hydrogen peroxide to make Clancy vomit when I got home to see if I did give him L’s pills. I got him to vomit but not before the other dogs barked and scratched on the doors going crazy, had trouble with the syringe trying to fill with hp and Clancy biting me on the finger in his stupor-ed state. I was so frustrated. Mom called right in the middle of it and I just started crying. She said she would come over to I could take him to the vet. I couldn’t see any banana or the pills in his vomit. He was acting very out of it. I finally settled everyone down and Mom arrived. Craziness ensued. Sadie knocked over the water bowl and there was water everywhere as I tried to remain calm. Mom told me to go and I took off. Didn’t have to wait long, took L’s pills to show what he may have ingested. Vet wasn’t too concerned, said he may have chewed on something in the backyard. They administered charcoal and did some under the skin hydration. I took him home, called Mom who let me in the side door. The dogs settled down and Mom took off maybe 30 minutes later. Clancy pooped then a ton of the charcoal came out of his ass and it was a huge pile in the pool room. I sprayed it down. I finally got everyone settled down and sat in the kitchen with Clancy in my arms (as he’d pretty much been all day) and with my sweatshirt around him to keep him warm and watched Project Runway. Thankfully everyone was quiet and relaxed. Eric came home when my show was almost over and the dogs didn’t react too much. I texted Kieran to see if we could go over and replace the faucet; she said yes. We headed over and it took us about an hour and a half but Eric got it all done and that’s all that mattered. It looked nice. We took off and went to Home Depot to return the shower head then went up to Crossroads and had Indian for dinner. It was very good. We went home and split our time with the dogs. I had everyone but Langley for most the night. I think it was an early night. I emailed Janell to see when she would be getting L in the morning.

Friday 8/17, Molly and Sadie arrived in the morning and Eric texted me that Sadie and Langley were playing and really roughing it up together. Good. I wasn’t stressed leaving work and really wanted to take my time since they’d only been put away for two or so hours. I stopped to get a pizza and went home. The dogs were nuts, which I expected, but Sadie was just all over the place. I only had a few hours alone until Eric got home and tried to make the best of it. I lost my temper but overall it went fine. I got the dogs all settled and did some back and forth trading to keep everyone happy. Eric got home quickly after work and helped me with the dogs and getting everyone to bed. We were tired. Langley had been waking us up early in the morning to go out.

Thursday 8/16, Got off work early because my errand was over quickly. Eric and I chatted; my new glasses came and I love them but I don’t think they’re the ones I was supposed to get. Eric took off for his eye appointment and I relaxed on the bed and read. Susan called and we chatted for a while. Eric returned and we fed the dogs then went to the store. At home I made a big salad for myself. I went out to water all the plants and that took 45 minutes. Langley was acting like an asshole so I took him out for a walk and Eric caught up with us and we did a lap around the block. We both showered and I relaxed in the bedroom with Langley. Updated this and went to bed lateish.

Wednesday 8/15, Blair came over after work and worked with Langley for a while; I attempted to keep the other dogs in line. I got to see Lucia for a minute and Eric got to spend even more time with her. Blair left at 7:15 and I had some chicken for dinner. We relaxed and hung on the couch watching tv. Eric went for a run and I took Langley for a walk up and down the street. I called Kass to talk about the timeshare and a sister trip. We’ve got a bit to figure out but the options look good. I was up after 11.

Tuesday 8/14, I left straight from work to go up to Everett and Jess and I decided on Arnies for dinner. I got there before Jess and enjoyed the view. We had a long dinner (6-9:30) and had plenty to talk about and discuss. She told me a hilarious story about a Greek guy and his signature move. We talked about going to Tenerife in the first quarter, but we’ll see. We got the artichoke crab dip, each got a salad and split a chocolate cake. It was nice spending time with her before she went back, but sad I didn’t make it up to the lake this summer. First time in like 14 years. We said goodbye and I called Eric on my way home. He was up when I got there and we chatted for a few minutes before I showered and got into bed. I was very tired.

Monday 8/13, The morning got off to a rough start with me freaking out and Eric freaking out back. I was in tears by the time he left. PMS? Not sure why I had such a severe reaction, but it was not a very nice feeling. The rest of the day went fine. When I got home Eric was taking Langley for a walk. I started laundry, made the bed and cleaned up dog shit. We went to Home Depot to pick up a new faucet for the townhouse and on the way there we talked and made up. We got a nice faucet and I am jealous; however, I got a new shower head with a double sprayer. At home we took Clancy and Langley for a walk then tried to do some playtime in the backyard but Peach was out there barking. I made my dinner then watched C&L play / avoid each other. Poor Clancy. We watched tv and I answered some emails. I took a shower, climbed into bed, updated this and watched Seinfeld.

Sunday 8/12, We were up and I think Langley and I went for another walk. Eric ran out to do errands and I put on My Week With Marilyn and worked in the living room. He returned and got ready to go to work. I juggled spending time with the dogs and Langley was pretty good for the first part of the day. I worked on and off all day and watched Sex and the City (2). I went shopping then lost my shit later in the afternoon with the dogs. I took L for another walk and expected Eric to be back by the time I got back. I was so hungry and cranky when I got back and couldn’t get a hold of Eric so I made my dinner. He walked in right in the middle. We sat in the living room and watched tv before I went back in the bedroom to watch tv and keep working. I finished my project and made quite a bit of overtime.

Saturday 8/11, We were up early because we had a big day. I walked Langley when we got up then we got all the dogs settled. We took off for Seattle for our Pike / Pine architectural walking tour. It was supposed to be two hours but was extended an hour because there was so much detail and so much input from an older gentleman. It was very interesting but I was cold and hungry so I was glad when it concluded. We went to a bagel place and both got a caramelized onion and hummus bagel and next door each got two scoops of gelato. We walked back to the car and headed home. Not long after Sadie and Molly were picked up and we were relieved. Eric wanted to go out and do something but we ended up just relaxing; I watched something and took a nap. For dinner we went into downtown Bellevue to the little Mexican place on Main. It was ok. We had a nice evening out and the temperature was absolutely perfect. I think we took Langley for another walk. I did quite a bit of work while watching tv murder mystery shows until bed.

Friday 8/10, After work I went home and Eric had been home with the dogs all day. He seemed fine considering. Susan called and we talked for a while as Eric went to pick up Chinese from Szechuan Chef. After I hung up we ate dinner. We watched tv and took it easy. I spent time in the bedroom with Langley and took him out several times. He was like a different dog. He was cuddly and sweet and just wanted to lie by me. If he weren’t so damn manic he’d be great! I watched Project Runway and he slept next to me. It may have been an early night.

Thursday 8/9, I went and had my stereo put back into the car. I talked to AL on the way home and told her my plan to come to Kauai with Jess and Orla over New Years. We’ll see if it happens, but she is hoping it does. Went inside and Eric had fed the dogs. I needed to go on a run but I ditched out. We sat out in the courtyard and talked then inside to look at stuff online for a while. Janell and Troy showed up after 8 with Langley and we chatted about him for a while. He seemed ok but our dogs were going to be a problem. They took off and Langley went nuts when we tried to have Clancy walk by the baby gate even when Langley was in his crate behind the baby gate. We took turns carrying him, watching him and going for walks outside trying to exhaust some of that energy. It will be an interesting 10 days. I went to bed after 11 with all the dogs in a separate room and Langley in with us. He settled down in his crate after a few minutes. Mom called earlier in the evening and let me know that Josh and Amy’s baby is in the hospital with renal failure and is on dialysis from ecoli. No idea how she got it (turns out, most likely a farm in Martha’s Vineyard). Josh is an ER doc so I’m sure he was able to do some preliminary stuff, but apparently she may be on it for 2 days, 2 months or life. They don’t know. So scary. She’s only like a year old.

Wednesday 8/8, I needed to go for a run but was too frustrated after the dogs had gotten into the trash. It probably would have done me good to go, but I didn’t want to. I watered all the plants then off to go to Kristel’s parents’ house. They moved but it’s closer, though really near to where they lived before. Super cute and her Mom’s going to help me get a steal of a deal on kitchen cabinets. We sat around and talked for a long time until dinner was served. Chicken caesar salad with bread. I ate too much. Her parents left for church and we continued talking for an hour then I left at 10. FYI – Kristel went camping two weekends ago and broke her ankle. She has to stay off it for 6-9 weeks. It’s awful; the story is awful and she’s basically stranded and can’t drive because it’s her right foot. Awful. She’s hanging in there, though. When I got home Eric was asleep, though he woke up and helped me put the dogs away. I checked my phone then lights off and to sleep.

Tuesday 8/7, I went to have my stereo taken out and repaired and when I got home Eric and I went running. I know I was slower, but I just wasn’t really into it. We took the dogs for a .5 mile jaunt around the neighborhood. We went for $10 Tuesday and got gourmet veggie and picked up some stuff at the store. At home I showered and Eric made the pizza. We watched the Olympics then I did some work until 10-ish. We went to bed not long after.

Monday 8/6, The dogs were all amped up when I got home. I talked Eric into going for a walk with the dogs even though he was totally not interested. It was fine. I made my own dinner (mozza and tomato) and watched Drive. I’ve been wanting to for the past couple weeks but kept putting it off because the second half just isn’t as good as the first half. I updated this thing and went to bed after 11.

Sunday 8/5, Eric let me sleep in and when I woke up there were flowers on the nightstand. I got ready and we went up to the French bakery for breakfast (I got a marionberry Danish) and sat outside. Next we went to the store to get all the stuff for dinner that night. Back at home we situated the dogs then I went and got a pedicure. At home I did a few things before we left for Jak’s in Issaquah to meet mom and dad for lunch. We had a nice time and the three of us went up to Molbak’s afterward to look around at wind chimes. We didn’t purchase anything and headed back home where Eric got stuff going for dinner. We both relaxed and I took a mini-nap. People were scheduled to come over after 5:30 so we were all ready. Stef arrived first and we sat outside and chatted while Eric continued in the kitchen. Sky and Chrystol came a little later and dinner was served. We sat out in the front courtyard and it was very pleasant. Eric made a ton of roasted vegetables, quinoa salad and roasted chicken with red wine reduction, garlic and herbs de Provence. We had ice cream for dessert. Stef made me a Ryan Gosling card; the second one for this birthday. We stayed outside until after it was dark. Everyone took off a little after 10. It was a very enjoyable evening, with a lot of laughter and good friends. I went to bed after 11.

Saturday 8/4, Eric was up early and off to work. I took care of the dogs, walked Sadie a mile, Nyx, Clancy and Molly a half mile. I watered all the plants in the front because it was going to be hot. I had to quickly eat breakfast and get ready and only had a half hour to get out the door. I drove up to Shoreline where I was meeting Jess and Day to catch the shuttle to take a Blue Angels cruise thing. Jess’ friend Orla was in Seattle for the weekend visiting so I got to meet her too. We took the bus over to Carillon Point and boarded after having our group photo taken. We sat in the dining room of the boat for an hour and chatted. Finally lunch was served and it was all very good. I doubly loaded up on the veggies. Afterward we went up to the top to watch the show. We got a pretty good view and Orla was able to get some good photos and video. The boat played the whole soundtrack from Top Gun. We laughed so hard. Jess narrated which part of the movie each song went along with. We went back downstairs for dessert and I ate too much. We docked soon after, disembarked and got back onto the bus. Jess and Orla slept on the way back since they’d only gotten 3 or so hours of sleep. We decided to go to Green Lake to walk around and though we had a few speed bumps on the way there and with parking, we made it and sat for a while on a bench and chatted. We walked over to the row house and talked the whole way. On the way back we ran into Sky and Chrystol and invited them to my impromptu birthday party. My slipper broke on the way back to the car. I said bye to the girls and took off for home. I called Eric and told him I was on my way. He was in a bad mood when I got home so I steered clear for most of the night. We decided to get ice cream and went up to 31 Flavors and I got a shake with world class chocolate. On the way out we helped a guy whose car had run out of gas. We took him back to the gas station to get another gallon and back to his car. It started up, he was grateful and we went home. I think we watched the Olympics then to bed.

Friday 8/3, P let me leave a little early and it was so nice; I was happy to be going home early. Eric was there after having worked all day at Mom’s. Sadie and Molly had arrived and Eric had been wrangling them. I talked to Jessica briefly then Eric and I took off to go to the art walk in Issaquah. I didn’t see anything I loved even though I had given myself permission to buy something for myself for my birthday. It was beautiful and we walked around town. We went to Lowe’s before going home so Eric could pick up some stuff for Mom. I also got some hoses and nozzles. When we got home I made myself a caprese salad again. Eric was outside getting the hoses hooked up and replaced. We watched the Olympics, I think. Eric had to work early but we stayed up pretty late anyway.

Thursday 8/2, Eric went to Sky’s and I was supposed to go to Kristel’s for a post-surgery visit, but she was not feeling good so she cancelled. My ankle was bothering me so I didn’t run. I had a caprese salad. I watched Hall Pass and did stuff online. Eric got home late-ish and had ridden his bike to Ballard, all around with Sky, then home. This guy is a fucking machine.

Wednesday 8/1, When I got home we chatted a little then clipped the dogs’ nails. I heated up leftovers then we took off for Costco. We took our time but didn’t get much. I ran into Mary Ellen and we chatted for a few minutes. Back at home Eric looked up times for Batman and took off on his bike for Crossroads. I did stuff online and had the tv on in the background. I updated this and watched Frasier. I knew Eric wouldn’t be back until almost 1.

Tuesday 7/31, I stopped to get my stereo looked at after work. Eric was working late so I went home and got ready for my solo run. I was not looking forward to it but went anyway. After I got back I took the dogs around the block, which they enjoyed. I fed the dogs and relaxed for a long time. Eric had made veggie enchiladas with fake cheese and fake meat, so I eventually heated one of those up with some rice and it was delicious. I couldn’t even tell. I showered and looked at stuff online until Eric got home then went to bed. Eric stayed up late.

Monday 7/30, I made Brizo’s dental appointment and also sent Alishia my vision rx so she can get my new glasses all squared away. Poppy was going home and we had plans to meet up on MI to drop him off. I went home, Eric had everything packed up and we took off. We were early so we walked around the parking lot until his owner arrived. We went up to Mom’s, dropped off the tables and chairs and headed home. Eric fed the dogs while I got ready for our run. We took off and I had a better attitude and kept pushing myself. I beat my prior time by over a minute. Eric was really excited. After we returned I cut some hydrangea and they look beautiful (Eric helped me). I trimmed some of the dahlias, weeded by the blueberries and unloaded the flowers from the back of the truck and put them on the patio. Eric didn’t want to cook so I scrambled some eggs and had some toast. We watched Antiques Roadshow and I did stuff online. I showered and got in bed to update this.

Sunday 7/29, Eric got up super early and I finally dragged myself out of bed at 7ish. Eric had made stuffed French toast (with berries and ricotta) and was in the process of starting the stuff for the reunion. We all ate breakfast together then I took Mom and Dad to the airport. We said goodbye and I headed to Mom’s to pick up the tables. I hauled up three tables and four chairs. Mom and Dad came back and we chatted a bit then I took off. Mom gave me a begonia in a hanging box. I love it! At home I checked in with Eric then vacuumed and cleaned up the backyard and washed up all the chairs. Since we were having a NR adopter come to the house afterward for dogsitting I wanted the house to look presentable. We finished everything up and got ready then went to the NR Rattiefest (2nd annual). We set up quickly and said chatted with everyone. People started showing up and there were ratties everywhere. It went by quickly. We had some of Cindy’s snacks and entered the raffle, but didn’t win anything. We helped clean up a little then headed home with P&R following. We showed them around and introduced Rudy to all the dogs; it went well and I think P liked what she saw. After she left Blair came over to drop off our tongs but we ended up chatting for quite a while about the reunion and working out. She left and then we relaxed. Eric had wanted to see a movie but we decided instead to relax. I watched Project Runway. I can’t remember what we did for dinner, or when we went to bed.

Saturday 7/28, We got up and moving because we had plans to see Lucia. We headed north and made it to Blair’s a little before 10. She was very wary for a few seconds but once she smelled us she went nuts and was so excited. It was so cute. I started to tear up; I miss her so much. We sat in the front room for a while then went into the backyard to play and see her with Maya and Saph. We stayed for over an hour, did not say goodbye (to reduce anxiety) and headed home. I’m so happy she’s doing so well, but I miss that funny dog. After we got home we had some lunch (leftovers) and did some cleaning. I washed bedding and Eric cleaned the kitchen and his bathroom. He left for work and I took a nap. At 3 I texted Mom to see where they were and they were almost there so I jumped up and made the bed. I was so tired but got everything squared away for their arrival. They pulled up and we said hi and went inside. Dad was tired so he laid down and Mom and I took the dogs on a walk. It was really warm out, and when we got back we sat in the courtyard and chatted while the dogs chewed on bullies. Dad came out and woke up a little while checking emails. We decided to go to Calcutta Grill up at the golf course for dinner since it was so nice outside. We went for an early dinner and sat out on the patio. It was gorgeous and the food was fantastic. We got Eric the salmon and headed to DQ where we all got sundaes. Back at home Mom and Dad watched the Olympics while I fed the dogs and looked up a spanikopita recipe. I went to the store and picked up the items then back home. Eric came home around 10 and we continued to watch for a while until after 11. We were all tired and turned in.

Friday 7/27, I got off a little early and tried to find the cd fix place on the way home but couldn’t find it. I’ll worry about it later. When I got home Eric was working out in the yard. He asked if I wanted to go out to dinner and see a movie. I was not totally excited but agreed. We went to the park and walked around the lake twice and talked. I told him stories about the Boys and Girls Club. When we got home he looked at movies and we decided on “To Rome, With Love”. I suggested the Mexican place by the gyro place and he hesitantly agreed. We went to Gregg’s Cycles first so he could get a pump. We decided to try the Vegan Thai place instead and it was very good. We want to bring back Sky, Chrystol and most of all Stefanie. We went up to Lincoln Square, found our theater and watched the movie. It was good, but not as good as Midnight in Paris plus I was super tired. It was 11:45 by the time we got home. I got ready for bed and sent Mary a picture of Poppy and Co. then did some stuff online. Went to bed a little after midnight.

Thursday 7/26, Mary dropped off Poppy early in the morning for a visit for a few days. When I got home we went on a run again and I beat my time from the day before. Eric was very excited. I showered and fed the dogs. I had a salad and Eric used the rest of the buffalo mozzarella and cut up a bunch of orange cherry tomatoes with basil, olive oil and salt and pepper. YUM. I could eat that every day. Sky came over and we all sat and watched Wipe Out; we were all in hysterics. Sky didn’t want to leave to go on a walk because it was so funny. They left anyway and I stayed with the dogs. I did some laundry and hung the new dog portraits. The boys returned a little before 10. I asked Eric to fix the hose for me so I could water the plants. I made Sky jump over the stream like he was in Wipe Out. He made it. Eric talked with me while I watered. Back inside we got ready for bed and hit the hay.

Wednesday 7/25, I had a dream with Ryan Gosling where he was the Bachelor and I was one of the final four, then he sent home a girl that was either Linzey (from Ben’s season) or Ashley (from Brad’s season). I kept trying to make him laugh, but I don’t remember it working. He was living in my grandparents’ house in MN and the toilet was gross. So weird. He looked good, though. I got off a little early, headed home and got ready to go for a run. Eric came home from the store and we headed out together. We did 1.5; it was hot as shit. 16 minutes. Not much of a workout and not great time, but it’s been a couple weeks since I’ve been out. Eric wanted to double it. I almost passed out when we got home so he got me a banana, coconut milk and some water. We showered, which led to other things and by 7 we were all done. I did some stuff online while Eric made dinner: buffalo mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes and basil, a huge salad with fake chicken and lastly a bunch of fruit from P. We watched tv and I went through my blind gossip. We were in bed by 10.

Tuesday 7/24, First day back at work went well. Eric was home when I arrived there and had decided against playing soccer with Schuyler and would instead accompany me to Jake’s graduation / bon voyage dinner. We took the dogs for a walk, which they loved, and took off shortly after returning home. Obama was in town so the freeways were all shut down and at a standstill so it took us much longer to get over to Mom’s, even with going the back way. Dinner was good and so was dessert. We talked with Kassie a lot and overall it was fine. Nothing monumental. Saw the ADU which is coming along now that the sliding door is in. Kassie found some of Brizo’s poop under the dining room table. I knew it was hers as soon as I saw it. Eric too. We left at 8:45 and headed home. I checked stuff online and wrote Mary asking about Poppy’s stay starting Thursday. I updated this and watched tv.

Monday 7/23, We woke up and Eric started cleaning right away. It took me a little longer to get up and going. We worked on getting everything packed up and tidy so Mom wouldn’t have to do it later. We washed towels, started washing the sleeping bags and cleaned the bathroom. Eric also mopped. I showered then went to say bye to Heidi. We packed up the car and said bye to Mom and Dad then both of them took off to go do errands. Lastly we said bye to Uncle Brad. We loaded up the dogs and headed home. It was a pretty smooth trip except a brief stop at the pass. At home we snacked then I put on Bachelorette and spent the next 3 hours engrossed. I felt bad for Arie, but liked Jef better; though I don’t know if I really see them together. I think we napped, separately and later Eric made veggie enchiladas or something Mexican. Not sure about the rest of the night.

Sunday 7/22, We had Brizo in bed with us in the morning so she’d stay quiet. I got up with the dogs when Eric did. Everyone was bustling about. Mom had started on breakfast but needed extra stuff so Eric and Papa went. I stayed in my pjs for a while. We had a delicious Big Breakfast and then the packing began. Kristel, Aubs, Christian, Grandma and Papa were all heading back to Seattle. They all took off by 11:30 and goodbyes took a while. Things were a lot quieter after that. Eric and I went for a drive and went into the park and took a gravel road up to a look out, four miles up the mountain (thank goodness for the Subaru). It was a beautiful lookout with Lake Wenatchee and the valley. There were weird tweekers up there, though, so we didn’t stick around. We went back to camp because we’d been out for a while. We relaxed for a while and eventually Hailey and Ryan took off and we went to dinner at Headwaters. I had the fish and chips which were good, though all the fried breading didn’t agree with me. Ish. We headed home and watched Knight and Day in the motorhome (Dad tried to hook up the satellite dish so I could watch the Bachelorette finale, but couldn’t get it aimed at the right spot) and it wasn’t terrible. The movie actually made me think he might be charismatic. Very tricky. We went to bed afterward and it was just us and the dogs.

Saturday 7/21, Dad mad French toast for breakfast and Aubrie and Hailey slept in while Kass and Sky were up and trying to get ready to go. We hung in their trailer for a while and Eric had some coffee. Mom called and was having a mini-breakdown about Brizo and her accidents so I told her Eric would leave early and come and pick her up before work. Went in the motorhome to eat breakfast and soon Eric was getting ready to leave and Kass and Sky as well (for a wedding on Whidbey). We took family pictures then they took off. I talked with Heidi for a while about cars. I read upstairs for a little bit before Kristel arrived. We did the rounds and had sandwiches for lunch. All us kids went to the Plain Grocery for ice cream, and to watch Lana del Rey videos, and it was packed. I got birthday cake and ate most of Kristel’s too since she had her fill. We went to the hardware store after and Aubrie bought me some cute garden creatures for my garden off the clearance rack, a chicken magnet and peridot earrings for my birthday party later. We tried to watch videos but nothing was loading. We headed back and stopped on the bridge on the way back so Christian could take some pictures. Kristel wanted to lay out so we sat on the deck and dad napped and there was a lot of rock painting. Kristel did a really cute one that copies her I love WA sticker. We decided to go for a walk and took the dogs all the way up to the bend where the big washing machines are. At home I painted a rock (anal pioneer) and it turned out pretty good. We had dinner which was very good (pork, corn on the cob, potatoes, salad and fruit) and then we celebrated my birthday. Mom made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. I opened cards and presents by campfire and Dad reduced my loan by $5k, replaced my brakes and said they’d fix my car stereo. It was a big one. Aubrie made me the best card ever with Ryan Gosling. I was actually not too tired for once but everyone was dropping like flies. I was the last to go upstairs and kept the dogs up so that when Eric arrived I could take them down to see him. He arrived minutes before midnight and the three of us went down to greet him. Brizo was very happy and I took them back upstairs. Eric stayed up with Brad, Heidi and Ryan and apparently had some good laughs talking about the monkeys at Gibralter. I was asleep by the time he came up.

Friday 7/20, We woke up to a crazy thunderstorm. Eric was out on a run. The dogs were not happy. I got up and went down to the motorhome where all the adults were hanging out. We pondered about the day but I still wanted to go to Ohme Gardens. Dad made pancakes and I ate two; super full. Nothing special for lunch was planned so we took off after 11 or so with Aubrie and Christian in tow. We stopped at Smallwoods but the Sweet Kitchen was gone and moved to Wenatchee somewhere. We kept on and stopped at Anjou Bakery; Aubrie and I each got a delicious ham and butter baguette sandwich and I got a black bottom muffin / cupcake. The boys didn’t want anything. We sat for a few minutes so Christian could try and get a shot of the lightning, but couldn’t. Into Wenatchee and we headed to Costco to gas up, then over to Ohme. We spent quite a while and when we got there it was still drizzly and thundering; by the time we left it was gorgeous and sunny. We didn’t want to go but needed to get back. Sky texted for us to get some cross bows so we went to a place; I called Mom and Brizo had peed on the bed, which was strange. We next headed to the store to pick up groceries; we split up duties and made good time. Soon we were finally on our way back to the property. A rousing tournament of badminton was underway and Eric helped me set up the mosquito tent and I sat in there with the dogs. Dinner was underway: Dad made four chickens, we had salad, Kass made guac, there was a large cheese plate, corn on the cob (Eric and I husked) and company potatoes. We had smores for dessert and Kass made mine. Eric and I went to bed first again, I think. Not sure why I couldn’t stay up late. Everyone else had fun hanging out by the campfire.

Thursday 7/19, Bashful was missing and Kass was a wreck and mad Sky wasn’t there yet. She called and demanded he get up and over there. She finally found him down by the river on the neighbors’ side. Eric was up early but didn’t get the dogs up. I got them up and tried to keep them quiet until we could get downstairs. They were excited to see Mom and get treats in the motorhome. All the boys were off to play golf. People were getting up and we needed to get a jump on Lady Day so I went up, ate half a cinnamon crisp and got ready. Kass, Aubs, Hailey and I took off for Wenatchee to meet up with Mom, Heidi and Grandma and Papa. We got there a little late but had a nice lunch. Sky was supposed to pick up Papa but was running late; we went down to Gilded Lily and Sky went there then up to the museum to meet Papa. We helped Kassie pick up a bunch of stuff for her trailer, then to a couple antique places where K picked up some stuff for the business. We were running out of time so K and me took off and Hailey and Aubs took Grandma’s car. We went to Pier 1 where she bought a shit load of stuff then to Target where we got more stuff, including wine for Papa. We were going to be late but we were hustling; talking about Sunshine and all that stuff. We finally arrived and the order had been put in. We had a super early dinner, but I still managed to eat two and a half pieces of pizza. Eric was having a great time playing pool with the younger kids. We left and went back to the property. A fire was started but the mosquitoes were bad so I went upstairs and ended up falling in and out of sleep several times. I finally got up a little after 9 to go hang out. I didn’t last long that evening and was one of the first to go to bed.

Wednesday 7/18, Eric was off to work super early, I was up by 8, fed the dogs then headed out to gas up the car. When I got back I started packing and had breakfast. Aubrie got up and we chatted. They didn’t leave early, more like 11. After they left I called Mom to tell her I would drop off Brizo instead. I took off to meet up with David W*lega to pick up Nyx and Clancy’s portraits. We talked for a while then I headed home. I ate some lunch, Eric came home, we packed up the car and the dogs and took off for Plain. We made pretty good time and the dogs were very excited to get there. Kass, Aubs and Christian were out and about. We hung out and when Kass got back she started going nuts on her trailer cleaning. I chatted with her for a bit then offered to go buy her some more supplies. Aubrie went with me and I think we got everything on her list. Back at home Mom was making dinner and we had burgers with all the trim. Uncle Brad showed up and he got the trailer all squared up then we ate. Heidi showed up later and Hailey and Ryan last of all, way late. We sat around the fire and turned in kind of early.

Tuesday 7/17, I got off work a little early and headed home. Eric didn’t have Aubrie because her and Christian were at the Art Institute having an interview. We finally left to go pick them up at Kassie’s around 6:30. We hung out there for a bit then took off for home. Eric made a shit load of quesadillas with a ton of stuff in them plus guac. We all ate a ton and Christian said they may have been better than the enchiladas of the last visit. We sat in the living room and watched Royal Tenenbaums, which neither of them had seen. Aubrie loved it, of course. I love Luke Wilson in it. Back when he was so fucking hot. We were all tired so we turned in after it was over. They got all set up and we went to bed.

Monday 7/16, I woke up and my neck felt so much better; almost completely better, just overnight. I was so happy. The car was having some problems starting because I think I left on the windshield wipers, which I’m not sure why that would do it, but I can’t think of anything else. Eric fixed it. When I got home Eric and I both started cleaning. We both did our bathrooms, he vacuumed and dusted, I did laundry, stripped the guest bed in the back room, picked up dog crap, brushed all the dogs, washed all the dogs bedding, brought in the cans, fed the dogs, made our bed, reorganized the hall closet and Eric went to the store to get stuff for dinner. Whew. I was done by 7 and dinner was done by 7:45. I talked to Aubrie about plans for the next day, but didn’t really nail anything down. I showered then ate then watched Bachelorette (Guys Tell All). I made the bed and made the dogs’ beds during the commercials. I updated this and watched Seinfeld while Eric slept.

Sunday 7/15, I was up by 8 and Eric had to be to work by 9:30. I ate breakfast and showered. I took off to meet Janell down in Tukwila to give her the luggage, then home. I folded some laundry, cleaned some dishes and did some other minor things. I was feeling really tired and my neck was killing me. I watched Volver, which was ok. Eric came home and we walked the dogs which we all enjoyed. Eric made me dinner and I cleaned up the dishes. I wanted to watch a show but he didn’t. I was feeling playful and kept prodding him. He was a good sport and eventually gave up trying to sleep and watched it with me. We went to bed by 11.

Saturday 7/14, Eric was up at like 5 since he was going to ride his bike to work. I got up around 8 and took care of the dogs. I knew I had a lot to do but my neck was still really stiff and sore. I cut Nyx’s hair and nails then did Clancy’s nails. I did some weeding in the backyard and went through some of the top soil in the back. I needed some rests and took them liberally. I went to the bank to get some cash (for the dogs’ portraits) then down to Clyde Hill for an estate sale. I almost bought a painting (print) but reeled myself in and just bought some towels for the dogs instead and spent like $2. Back at home I watched Shanghai Noon and Eric came home in the middle of it. Eric was at work until almost 5 and when he got home he wanted to go to Super Supplements and the store. We got stuff to make some Mexican dish and other provisions. Back at home Eric made dinner and I broke down one of the wood panels on the side of the house and put it in the trash. We ate dinner then he went to bed by 8:45 and I stayed up to watch some 48 Hours that I’d already seen. I fell asleep in the middle of it.

Friday 7/13, Eric took me to work so he could pick up Mom and Dad from the airport. They came and picked me up for lunch and we went to Jak’s. It was a nice lunch but made me want out of work that much more. Eric picked me up and I was so happy it was Friday. He wanted to see a movie; I said we’d have to wait to see how I felt. I looked at movie times and he suggested the greek, gyro place in Bellevue (garlic something). We got the same thing (lamb / beef gyro) (delicious!) then headed to Lincoln Square for Moonrise Kingdom. I loved it. Eric loved it. I’m glad we saw it in the theater. We headed home, but it was relatively early (9:30ish). I think we ended up going to bed somewhat early. Eric had a super early morning ahead of him.

Thursday 7/12, I was able to drive myself to work but my neck was still all messed up. Bah. At home I took it easy all evening, per Eric’s advice. I had a lot I wanted to get done but I knew it wasn’t a good idea. I watched a movie but I don’t remember which one. Eric may have been working late; I don’t remember.

Wednesday 7/11, Woke up in the middle of the night and my neck was all messed up. I struggled for the rest of the night. Eric got me the heating pad and an ice pack around 6, which helped. He took me to work and it was touch and go throughout the day. I really fucked it up. By the end of the day it felt better, but not great. Eric picked me up and he told me had ordered 6 yards of compost. At home I sat in bed and did stuff online and watched Sixteen Candles. I think some of the songs are different from the VHS version I have. Eric made me pizza then took off to hang out with Austin and Schuyler. I called Dad and we got the details hammered out for the next couple weeks. I called Kass and discussed Aubrie coming. I showered then iced my neck and took a vicodin to help me sleep. Eric still wasn’t home by 11.

Tuesday 7/10, When I got home Eric wasn’t home; at the gym. I took Nyx and Clancy around the block on a walk and when I got back Eric was home. We went on our run and did a little bit more; made good time; felt good. I sat outside on our patio for a few minutes then watered all the plants. I ate some chips and we sat out in the courtyard and admired the plants. We went and got a pizza for dinner since they’re only $10 a piece for any pizza and any size (on Tuesday). I put on Hall Pass when we got home and ate dinner. Afterward I showered and got into bed. Eric was on his Deadliest Catch marathon for the night.

Monday 7/9, I knew I needed to exercise after work, so when I got home Eric and I walked the dogs around the block (all 3) then went on a run. It went well and we chatted about our day. When we got home we sat outside on the patio and relaxed for a little bit. I went around and watered the plants and Eric made me a salad for dinner. I was excited for Bachelorette and called that Sean was going home. Too vanilla, though a pretty ideal guy (except the red face). Eric and I chatted a little afterward then he put the moves on me and it worked. It was good. We went to sleep.

Sunday 7/8, I slept in until 9. They were both still out of it so I quietly started getting ready then went down and cleaned up the motorhome and locked it up. I loaded up Dad’s car, finished packing upstairs, ate my breakfast and headed out right at 10. I made good time and ate some snacks on the road. At home I let the dogs out and relaxed for a little bit. Eventually I went in the backyard to do some yard work then hauled out the cans. I did a little cleaning inside and Eric got home not too late. We went to the store, he made dinner and we took it easy for the rest of the night.

Saturday 7/7, I was awake by 6 and finally fell back asleep then again at 8 and could hear Deb and Don packing up so went down to say hi and bye. Kristel was ready to go get coffee so we got dressed and the two of us headed out to the hardware store. She insisted on getting a cinnamon roll even though I warned her they weren’t that good. She agreed. We perused the pictures and wares and the picture of Dad in Vietnam with his Plain t-shirt cracks me up. We went to the grocery store next and I got a banana for breakfast. We headed back and Troy was up and we got all the food out for breakfast. I ate Kristel’s yogurt in addition to my banana. I showered then moved the Denali out of the garage and washed my car before putting it in the garage. I changed and soon we were off for an adventure. We headed to Peshastin to Smallwoods where we did a LOT of sampling and we each bought nuggets. I thought I was getting the caramel ones but I accidentally grabbed the churro flavor; nuts! We ate lunch at Little Spoon (now called Sweets Bakery, or something) and I got my usual turkey cranberry sandwich. I asked the girl if I could leave my chocolate pretzels in the fridge for a few hours. She was so nice. Next we went into Cashmere and stopped at the Applets and Cottlets factory and Kristel guessed right that cottlets are apricots. I got some Turkish ones to celebrate. Next we went down the street and found a little “mall” with a lot of wine shops, a couple coffee shops and a bar. I got some gelato, they each got some coffee and we sat in the back and checked out the game selection. We decided on the Farm Game (I thought it said “Fart Game”). We were fascinated and looked through everything, gifting each other with crops and livestock. We piled back into the car, drove through Cashmere and headed back. Stopped in Peshastin so I could get my pretzels (for Mom) and popcorn (for Dad) and a breakfast cookie (for me for the next day) and back into Leavenworth. We stopped at Safeway for stuff for dinner and I got some yogurt for breakfast. Back home and we all laid out on the deck, sunning ourselves and reading magazines. It was wonderful. They dipped into the swimming hole and I tried to make some phone calls but my phone needed to be restarted. I reached Dad and I gave him an update, then Eric. We started dinner and they had bought sausages and mine was chicken rosemary. We had corn on the cob and salad too. We took a drive after dinner out to Lake Wenatchee and the pretty spot at the bend in the road out to the state park. We took some pictures and that was cute. We drove along the lake and checked out the houses then along another road along the river and checked out houses and land. Back at camp we started a fire and roasted marshmallows. That was really fun and I had a good one but it hit the deck with a splat and we all laughed hysterically. Looked like bird shit. I had two, which was one too many. We put out the fire then went upstairs to bed. It was midnight or something.

Friday 7/6, I got home from work and didn’t really hurry or stress out about leaving. I talked to Dad a few times to see if he wanted me to bring back any cars and then to ask if I could use one of them since my car was making weird noises. I left at 7 after having a little dinner and Eric sent me off with a little dish of ice cream. I made good time and there was no traffic. I arrived around 9 and it was still light. I met Troy and the three of us went upstairs and ended up staying up there for the rest of the night chatting (Deb and Don were there). We went to bed after 11 probably.

Thursday 7/5, I was in a good mood after work but I got a headache on the way home that wouldn't let up until after dinner. When I got home I had received several of the movies I'd ordered online and we decided to watch Dumb and Dumber later that evening. We went out to water plants; me in the backyard, him in the front. We went up to Ace to get stakes and twine, but ended up getting a bunch of other stuff as well. We tied up the nandina and staked the black locust freesias. They all look better. We went inside and Eric fed the dogs. I sat out on our patio and relaxed; Eric joined me for a few minutes. I went in to call Cathy G about her dogs and dates because we might be watching Poppy for two more stints in July/August, but we have to see about the dates. Eric made dinner and I was so hungry. We put on the movie and both fell asleep on the couch by 10. I woke Eric up and we got ready for bed. Lights out early.

Wednesday 7/4, I woke up at 8 but didn't get out of bed until 9:40 because I was reading blind gossip. I got up, ate breakfast and got ready to work out in the yard. Eric came out too and he worked on weeding the side of the property by the pool while I watered all the plants in the front yard with the fish emulsion. I did some weeding as well but didn't get too much done because it was time to go to Mom's for lunch. We took the truck and stopped at the store for buns and mushrooms. We had to wait about an hour before Kassie, Sky and Felicia showed up, but while we waited we just chatted and I showed Eric the plants and pots we were taking. We ate lunch and it was super good but those burgers were huge. We started digging stuff up (rock rose, 12' nandina, boxwood, 6' nandina) and taking everything down to the truck. It took us a while and we broke one pot (but Eric's going to glue it) but soon we were on our way home. Eric was figuring out dinner stuff while I started unloading stuff. I got almost everything out myself and got going on planting. Eric helped with the big nandina and glued the pot and we put the boxwood in the courtyard, though I don't love it there. We went inside, and I wanted to nap but S&C were on their way over. I showered and they arrived right when I got out. We talked in the kitchen and Eric and C cooked and I told them about my motorhome fantasy and Eric said he would sell his Land Rover to help pay for it. Interesting. We sat outside until dinner was ready and also ate out there. Curry chicken and red pepper kabobs, israeli cous cous with mint, southwestern cole slaw and some delicious yogurt / feta / mint taziki style sauce. It was good. We went inside and I cleaned up the kitchen while C got homemade ice cream dished up. We watched the Sounders game and chatted. We headed down into Bellevue at 9:15, parked in the old Tower employee lot and walked down to the park. It was much easier than last year even though it was a little further away. We stood in a good spot and talked until it was time. It was a 20+ minute show and was very good. We walked back to the car and got out of there quickly. At home we talked a little more and they left. We got into bed and it was about 11:30. I was asleep by midnight. Last year I don’t think we were even home by midnight.

Tuesday 7/3, So happy that I had the next day off. I went home and let the dogs out and wanted to just relax, but knew I needed to do yard or house work. I put on my work clothes and went into the backyard. It was windy and not very warm but the dogs stayed out there with me for a while. I got a good amount done. Back inside I fed them and snacked on stuff for dinner. Eric was playing soccer with Sky and came home not very late. I was relaxing and reading a ton of gossip online from blind gossip.

Monday 7/2, Poppy went home and we got paid. Eric was closing. I went home and worked out in the backyard for a long time weeding, etc. It was kind of muggy. I scrounged in the fridge for dinner. I showered right before Bachelorette came on. I love Jef. I went on an online adventure finding out more about him. Eric came home when it was almost over. We chatted after it was over and looked at motorhomes online. We both liked the Georgie Boy best. Diesel, 38', $28k and looked to be in great shape. We decided that would be the one. We looked at others for a while and soon I was off to sleep.

Sunday 7/1, We got up by 7:30 or so, took the dogs out, packed up, cleaned out the fridge, locked up the trailer, got the truck running and took off by 8:30. We made really great time and hardly hit any traffic on the way home. We were there by 10:30. We unloaded the car, fed the dogs and relaxed. Eric had to work at 2. I took a nap and he left. When I woke up I watched James Bond and went over to Mom's for dinner. D&A were over and that was nice. I left around 8:30 or so and Eric was home relaxing. He was tired and had had a long day. I got ready for bed, though I wasn't super tired.

Saturday 6/30, We woke up early-ish and Clancy kept whining during the night and driving me crazy. Eric got up and took him down to the motorhome and to have some coffee. I finally got up and got the other dogs out. We got dressed and took a nice long walk up toward the rail road tracks. We went down a road I've never gone down to try and find a waterfront lot for sale. We never made it because we walked forever and didn't know how much further. The dogs loved it. When we got back I showered and got ready. Deb showed up and had plans to hang with a friend. We took off for the hardware store where Eric got coffee and I got an enormous cinnamon roll. I sat on the swing outside and ate almost all of it. Ugh. I got a water at the Plain grocery and off we went into town. We headed out to Cashmere and walked around town, stopping into the applets and cotlets factory to get some samples (Eric). Next we headed out to Wenatchee since neither of us was starving. We parked by Gilded Lily and went through, though I didn't buy anything. Next we went down to the farmers market. Eric was getting hungry so we went to the Public House. I got a huge salad and their delicious bread, while Eric got the burger. We walked up to the Wenatchee Museum and Chrystol called to find out what we were doing and laughed when I told her we were in Wenatchee. Eric went in to find out about the museum and when I went in he had already paid our admittance fee and we went through the baseball exhibit. It was very cool and they had a spot where you could pitch and it would tell you how fast your ball was. Eric got 36. We went upstairs to check out the train exhibit which was very interesting then the Native section, the baby wooley mammoth and lastly the apple factory and Wenatchee princess photo exhibit. In 1970 things started to go downhill, but before then (back to the 20s) the photos were glamorous and gorgeous. Then the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s struck and they are all tacky and gaudy as hell. We left the museum and it was pouring so we ran to the car (I'd left the windows cracked because it was so hot, great) and we took off for East Wenatchee. We went across the bridge and over to Costco to gas up. Drove a little bit further then turned around and headed back. We stopped at Tom, Dick and Harry's for milkshakes and ate them outside. Yum! We kept going and stopped at Safeway to pick up some things for dinner and for my breakfast and headed home. The dogs were happy. We took them out and walked them down to the mailboxes and fed them. I showed Eric the new trailer and he loves it. We sprayed it down with the Odoban and opened the windows, hoping it would help air it out. We relaxed upstairs and Eric decided he didn't want to cook so we went to Headwaters for dinner instead. We got a Hawaiian pizza since we'd talked about it earlier in the day from Eric's childhood. After dinner we went home and put on 9 to 5 to finish it and Eric barely made it through.

Friday 6/29, I got to work early and P let me leave early so I left around 2:45, ran to the bank and then home. Eric wasn't there so I started throwing stuff in the car and getting the crates all loaded up. He got home and helped me and we finished loading up the groceries and took off by about 3:45. Traffic in all the usual places but by the time we got through Gold Bar we were doing pretty good. We made it to the property right before 6. We unloaded, let the dogs run around a little then into the motorhome and Eric started dinner. Poppy was a little anxious so I gave him a happy traveler and put him in his crate so he could feel safe and still be with us. We had a nice dinner. We went upstairs after cleaning up and put on 9 to 5, but Eric fell asleep about half way through. I watched a little longer before turning it off and going to sleep.

Thursday 6/28, More updates from Blair throughout the day with pictures. That made me happy but doesn’t help much with thinking she’s probably stressed. Hopefully it’s not too bad for her. I stayed late at work so I could leave early on Friday. When I got home there was a check for the escrow overage from the last loan. That was good. I sent some emails off to Blair and Eric was making dinner. We ate and watched tv then talked about PPACA which led to other discussions which eventually led to us having an argument and me not talking to him. I went in the bedroom and showered. He texted me a nice message when I got out of the shower but I just left it alone and continued with my evening. I updated this, looked at some estate sales online and watched Wipe Out. Went to bed.

Wednesday 6/27, We were on for Blair to pick up Lucia and the plan was to just take her and not do any back and forth. When I got home I got her file out and we did her meds and preventive stuff. Blair arrived and got everything set up in her car while we took Saph and Maya out. We chatted for a little while and then Blair loaded Lucia up and we just walked away to not make it worse. I wanted to start crying but I managed to hold it back. We got the dogs out and Eric fed Poppy since he was the only one who hadn’t eaten a ton of treats. We took the four dogs for a walk around the neighborhood and it felt really nice but I couldn’t help but think of Lucia. When we got home Eric got dinner together. Afterward we went to the store and I bought some ice cream because I wanted to eat everything sweet in front of me. At home we relaxed and watched some car auction show. I was happy when Blair posted an update about Lucia on fb. I had horrible cramps so I took a vicodin and fell asleep.

Tuesday 6/26, P suggested a bonus so we calculated that and it will help with house projects. Blair cancelled picking up Lucia which was fine with me because as much as I know it will be better for the household not to have her here and let us get back to “normal” I’m going to miss her so much. She is so sweet and funny and has become so much more affectionate now that she’s on prozac. It’s crazy. She still doesn’t like other dogs, but I think that may be a permanent trait. P gave me a ton of veggies and meat so I excitedly showed Eric, who didn’t quite share in my excitement knowing he would be expected to make something with all the ingredients. I felt tired and sat in the bedroom going through emails and such. Dinner was ready after 7 and he made bacon wrapped breaded chicken thighs stuffed with blue cheese and onions, cous cous with asparagus and mushrooms and a delightful salad with French vinaigrette. It was positively delightful. I gave it a 9.5. I talked him into going for a little walk around the neighborhood with Lucia. She won’t be here much longer so I need to soak up as much as I can with her. I’m going to miss her so much. I’m so conflicted. I’ve cried more than once about this and I know that won’t be the end of it. I organized some credit card bills then updated this. Went to bed by 11.

Monday 6/25, Blair cancelled for coming to pick Lucia up, which was fine because Eric wasn’t going to be there anyway. I called Lifewise about my benefit coverage and looked for providers online. Kristel finally changed her status to in a relationship so I had to uphold my end of the deal. I stopped at the store on the way home to pick up a few things then home where I took Lucia for our run. She did great and then I took the other four dogs for a walk but Brizo rode in the sling. I got a few comments and looks, but they were all amused. At home I made the dogs’ dinners then my own. I talked to Dad then Eric who told me to book San Diego for Thanksgiving. I showered then watched Bachelorette. Eric came home when my show was almost over and took the dogs out. He watched tv in the other room and I updated this.

Sunday 6/24, We were both up early and got the dogs all set up. Eric headed off to work and I was anxious about my day with Blair and Lucia. I had about an hour to be productive before needing to leave for Snohomish so I cleaned up the kitchen then started on the cabinets. The outsides were bad and it took me about half an hour to do 9 of them. Too bad I have 25 to go. I ate a little lunch, grabbed Lucia’s stuff to stay at Blair’s over night and took off. The kong with frozen yogurt occupied her for about 15 minutes then it was crying for the rest of the way. We got out and I was getting her sorted when Blair pulled up. We started working with her right away while waiting for Karleen to arrive. Two different women approached Blair while we were working asking for her card and explaining the issues each had with their dog. I thought it was awesome but Blair felt bad for leaving me with Lucia for so long while she talked with each woman. I worked with Lucia on my own and she did really well. Karleen arrived and we did some introductions then went over toward the amphitheater to work. Karleen got her dog, Nala, out and she is a gorgeous border collie with a lot of the same issues Lucia has so we were quite a club. We worked for an hour and a half and Lucia did really great. There were a lot of idiots at the park. We went back to Blair’s to let Lucia explore then work with Sappho and Maya. Things didn’t go great with Saphy and in the end Blair decided she would rather wait until Monday evening to take Lucia so she could have the valium for the car rides. I was kind of relieved. We loaded back into the car and Lucia had a duck foot for the ride and was quiet the whole way until we got off the freeway in Bellevue. She fell in and out of sleep. I just love her so much. I was exhausted when I got home and I know Lucia was as well. I put her in the bedroom to sleep and brought the other dogs out with me in the living room, grabbed some peanuts and watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Eric came home in the middle of it and took the boy dogs in with him in the den. I fell asleep through the rest of my movie and when I got up he wasn’t in the den so I went in the bedroom and he was in there napping with Lucia. He didn’t want to make dinner but did anyway because I was grumpy. He talked me into taking a walk and we went around the neighborhood and then to the blueberry farm and it was gorgeous outside. I was glad we went. Just the two of us. We talked about me getting on some medication and in therapy. At home we took the dogs all out then into bed and time to relax.

Saturday 6/23, Eric was up early but I was not as energetic getting out of bed. I got dressed and went out in the backyard to work on weeding the beds. I collected rocks and trimmed the maple as well. I got pretty far. Eric came out and asked if I was hungry and offered to make me lunch. He made me a salad and grilled turkey and cheese with agave. Yum. Eric took Lucia on a walk and I went into the bedroom to relax. I gave up on weeding. I saw an estate sale close by so I talked Eric into going and ended up getting a couple Christmas houses for our snow scene and a water tower as an homage to MN. It was pouring by the time we left. At home I ran outside to grab all the yard tools. We sat around for a while waiting for Stef and Peter to confirm their plans. I talked Eric into going down to Moe’s but I couldn’t decide on a console table and Eric wasn’t in love with anything so we left. At home I fell asleep until about 5:30 when S&P showed up. We sat in the living room and talked for a couple hours. Peter is doing well but it still sounds like they’ll be making a permanent move down to Louisiana. After they left we fed the dogs and went up to Than Brothers for pho for dinner. It was very good and just enough to fill us up. We drove down into Redmond and did a little exploring then stopped at DQ so I could get a blizzard. Next we went to World Market where I picked up a console table. Eric still wasn’t in love with it but I liked it and the price was right, plus the girl took an extra 10% off. Eric was texting with Aubrie and they were discussing “their songs” and she was “jealous!” I had some DQ. We went home and put together the new table. We stayed up watching tv and went to bed late.

Friday 6/22, Blair was coming over again for another session but it was pouring outside so we couldn’t work outside. We used the hallway and did a session with Inca first then Sappho. She did really well and Blair took off a while after 8. We chatted for a while before she left. I think we rummaged for dinner and decided against going to Plain the next day and would instead do it the next weekend.

Thursday 6/21, Eric coordinated the handoff of Poppy and it went well. Blair came over after work and we did our first BAT session with Lucia. We worked for over an hour out on the sidewalk with me holding Inca and Eric running back and forth with Lucia. She did really well. We were both exhausted after it was over. We went to the store and Eric made some pasta. I think we just hung out for the rest of what was left of the night.

Wednesday 6/20, Mary called to see if we minded if they brought Poppy in the morning instead; that was fine with us. When I got home Eric was in the front yard pulling weeds and cleaning up the beds. I sat out there and talked to him for a while. He had talked to Mom and wished her a happy birthday. I went inside and found a card on the bed from Eric that was very sweet, but also a little naughty. Plus there was a scratch ticket in there and I won $4. We fed the dogs then went outside and sat and watched them. They're all so funny. Brizo trying to steal any pear that Clancy gets and just following him around to take what he has. Nyx off in the grass and daintily walking around. Back inside Eric made a quiche using up the swiss chard and broccoli and a salad. I talked to Kieran about the cat pee issue and hopefully we've got that all settled. I talked to Dad and Mom and heard all about her birthday celebrations (three weeks and counting). I did stuff on my computer for a while but soon it was 9:30 and I knew I needed to get the show on the road with Eric. We took a shower and then did some stuff, including some new stuff. I'm leaving it at that. Cleaned up and watched tv in bed until about midnight.

Tuesday 6/19, I woke up and still felt unsettled but not mad. He was being very sweet, to make up for it I think. I got home and Eric was trying to get dinner going so he could watch basketball so I went on my run solo with Lucia. We did it in 18 minutes and she did really well. It was gorgeous outside and all the windows were open. Eric had the day off so he took two of the rugs in to have them cleaned then cleaned the house so it was spotless. He was making chicken with swiss chard and broccoli and a salad, plus he cut up a bunch of strawberries and grapes. I texted Kristel to see where she was and she arrived 25 minutes later. She wasn't too hungry but we loaded up our plates anyway. It was all very good. We started the process of catching up since we haven't seen each other in months. She has a ton going on and I'm not sure how she's even managing. I would have crawled into a cave by now and left everything. Eric came in and out of the room and joined in conversation. She stayed until 10:30. I got into bed and Eric and I talked a while before going to bed.

Monday 6/18, At home I knew I needed to get some things done since Bachelorette was on and if I was going to indulge I needed to put in some work first. It had stopped raining so we decided to go on a run and take Lucia. It's been a couple weeks since I last ran. I got tired quickly, plus it started pouring. We did the whole thing and it stopped raining by the time we got home but we were drenched. I didn't want to shower yet so I walked around in my underwear. Eric made dinner and we watched tv. I showered before Bachelorette. Afterward Eric wanted to seduce me but I brought up the yard work first and we had a civilized conversation at first but then he started getting very angry, just like out in the yard, so then he didn't seduce me because I was no where near allowing it. We went to sleep but I was frustrated and feeling ehh.

Sunday 6/17, I got up and took Nyx to the vet for her 6-month comprehensive then gassed up and picked up a ton of bacon from PCC. At home I was all excited to go, go, go with getting the plants in the ground in the morning. I talked Eric into going out with me even though he didn't want to. We started putting the plants in the pots and blueberries in their new spot. Soon we were having an argument in the courtyard because he wants me to be more creative and not always take Mom's suggestions, but then I pointed out that when I do make decisions and pick something he gives me a hard time about it (ie daphne in the courtyard). He was being so tenacious I told him to just leave me alone. We worked in silence and continued planting. He apologized but I was still irritated. I got the saw P let me borrow and started to go to work on the rhody by the bathroom. He came over and started to help, though I don't think it was fueled by trying to help me as much as he just wanted to use the saw. We got quite a bit taken off and it looks a lot better. I worked on the one behind it as well and Eric strung up the kiwi along the roofline. It's going to town. Things were better after that. We went inside and relaxed and I showered and got ready. I had to make the bacon for our father's day brunch so Eric helped me do that. We loaded up and headed over to Mom's. Kass had already arrived. We started eating not long after we arrived and sat around and talked; it was nice. Eric had to be at work at 2 so he took off but I stayed for another hour and a half. I left and picked up the painting from AL then went into Issaquah to pick up Nyx. She was excited to go home. When we got home I let all the dogs out then relaxed. I did some laundry and some other things around the house, I think. I called Dad later in the evening and we talked as they drove home from having dinner with Aubrie. Eric came home and we went to the store to pick up some things for dinner and for the week. He made some veggie burritos. We took it easy for the rest of the evening.

Saturday 6/16, Brizo had me up before 7 then had to take Lucia out. Clancy was being a real baby so Eric took him out then left all the dogs outside the bedroom. We stayed in bed and cuddled and he seduced me. We finally got out of bed at 9, showered and got ready to go get plants. Mom called to cancel because she wasn’t feeling good because of the medication she is on. I fed the dogs, Eric cleaned the kitchen then we left. We went up to the French Bakery first so Eric could get some treats then out to T&L. We loaded up on different varieties of euphorbia (rainbow ascot, black pearl and something bonnet), some hebe, heuchera (purple palace), two varieties of daphne (black leaf and mae jima), some huckleberry plants and four varieties of blueberry (bluecrop, pink lemonade, pink champagne and duke). I picked up some aurea for Mom too. We headed home, unloaded the plants and went inside to let the dogs out. I called Meggan to discuss our meetup for lunch with them. We decided on Monsoon. We watered the plants and both changed before taking off. Eric drove separate so he could go to Schuyler’s afterward. Lunch was fun and was very good. Meggan and Ernesto are so great, I just love them. I took off for MI after lunch and hung out there until 6 talking first with just Alix (home for a couple days) then with Mom and Alix then added Dad to the mix. I went home to feed the dogs then had some cereal for dinner. I put on Crazy, Stupid Love and updated this because I was super behind. Alix texted to see if she could come over and arrived right after my movie was over. We hung out in the living room and talked. She stayed for a couple hours then headed home. We were both tired and half falling asleep. Eric came home after I was asleep.

Friday 6/15, P let me leave at 4. When I got home Eric was in the backyard finishing up. I took the dogs out then we headed up to Ace to pick up compost for our blueberry patch. Schuyler called and said they were on the 90 bridge and we hadn’t done anything yet. I didn’t think they’d be there until 7 at the earliest. I called Mom quickly to see about timing for our plant excursion the next day. I quickly vacuumed and then started feeding the dogs while Eric got the grill going. They arrived and I went and took a quick shower. We sat outside, snacked and talked until dinner was ready. We went through our respective issues in our relationships. After dinner we went inside and had some milanos and watched tv. They left around 11 and we went to bed not long after.

Thursday 6/14, I talked with Kristel on fb and she was going to come over but then had to cancel at the last minute because of work. I went home and Eric already had guacamole made and salsa out. He had flank steak on the grill, green peppers and onions on the stove (with the best seasoning) and tortillas to make burritos. He rolled mine up for me since I’m no good at it. I ate dinner and since it was still so early I went out in the front yard and trimmed plants and specifically did a real big job on the rhody by the bedroom. I thinned out quite a bit. Back inside Eric was watching the basketball game. I showered and got ready for bed.

Wednesday 6/13, I got a call while at work that my water bill was very late. I was very mad and guessed it was either in Eric’s room or was thrown away on accident. I told myself I’d pay it when I got home. After work Eric had texted that he was going to meet Schuyler for coffee. I went into Factoria to get a quote for the glass for my painting and decided to leave it there and just have them fix it. For insurance purposes I needed a written quote. Next I went to TJ Maxx and returned the sheets I’d bought on Friday. On the way home I stopped at the store to pick up some stuff. At home I fed the dogs and got everything up away and settled. I then started to focus on the water bill and went through Eric’s stuff like a crazy person and found the bill. I was furious and ranting to myself. I made the bed and was online trying to figure out how to get ebills going forward when Eric got home. He came in and asked how I was and I told him I was really mad and went off. I just vented. He was very apologetic and I felt bad for going off but I was very, very mad. He went in the kitchen and made breakfast for dinner: pancakes, bacon and a scramble. I ate almost everything. I spent the majority of the evening in the bedroom getting stuff filed and relaxing. We went to bed not too late.

Tuesday 6/12, I stopped at Target to return some suit pieces then the bank to deposit my money back into savings (from what I took out for the art auction). I went home and Eric was giving the dogs some raw chicken necks. I went through mail then we trimmed each dog’s nails. We walked to the store to get stuff for dinner even though it was drizzly. We got what we needed and headed home. Kass called and we talked for the rest of my trip. Eric started on dinner while I got Bachelorette started. He brought me dinner (turkey patty wraps with zucchini and squash medley). I’m eager for more Bachelorette. I searched some Ryan Gosling videos after, cleaned up the glass from my new painting, took the dogs out and climbed into bed.

Monday 6/11, The modern art and furniture auction was starting at 5:30 so I went straight down after work and talked to Kass. I was guessing she wasn’t going to make it but was hopeful. I got Kassie’s number and found a good seat. I was keeping track of all the sale prices and eagerly waited for my two items. The Mondrian silkscreens went for $3,000+ and then the Manet sketch went for more than I wanted to spend so I quit bidding and the absentee bidder won. Nuts. I stayed for a couple more items then took off for home. I filled Eric in. It was 9ish. I got ready for bed and climbed in for the night.

Sunday 6/10, Eric got up to go to work and tried to start his car and had some issues and was out in the street swearing. I offered to drive him to work but then he checked the battery cable connection and cleaned it then it started right up. I went into Issaquah to get gas then to Grease Monkey to get my oil changed. When I got home I moved almost everything out of the bedroom and cleaned everything. It was a nice day so I opened all the windows and doors too. It took me a while but the room looked really good. I was going to run out and get Chrystol a present and some lunch; Eric was on his way home so I waited for him. We went to Whole Foods first where I got a salad and a basket for Chrystol. Next we went to Your Local Market and got some flowers then home to put everything together. We left to go to C&S’ for the after-graduation party. We were the first there and waited around until they showed up. She and her family were first then the friends started to trickle in. We hung in the front yard and had snacks and drinks. Brandon was there and we all chatted then his new gf arrived and C said they’d been dating for two weeks. He didn’t introduce her to anyone. They got a ton of pizzas so we all sat outside and ate. It was fun. C’s parents had to go but the rest of us hung out and talked. There were some funny stories and a lot of laughing. A lot about Catholics and spanking in school. We left after 9 and headed home. Went to bed not long after we got home.

Saturday 6/9, Our day started off with a bang because Brizo peed in her crate and Eric got up to deal with it then he had to deal with all the dogs in the kitchen and the madness that ensued. He came in the bedroom and was upset and wanted the dogs out of the bedroom from now on but there was no way I was going to agree to that. We didn’t talk for a while. I got my work clothes on (wanted to get plants but Mom had too many dogs to walk) and headed outside to work in the yard. All the yard waste cans were full so I really stuffed them down. I worked in the courtyard to clean up the rocks and moved them to the downspout by the bedroom. I worked on trimming up the hellebores and weeding. I moved over by Eric to work on the roses but he was still mad and we got into another argument. I mostly ignored him and cut some flowers then went inside. A while later when I was in the bedroom he came in and brought me lunch. He apologized and gave me a kiss and all was right again. We took a trip to FM to pick up cards and stuff to make rice krispie treats for Chrystol. Eric worked on the treats while I did other stuff. I don’t remember what. We watched tv for a while and went to bed not too late.

Friday 6/8, Grandma’s birthday. Miss her big time. I headed straight to Factoria after work to meet up with Susan for a shopping extravaganza! We had a lot on our agenda. I met her in DSW where we both tried on shoes and asked each other's opinion. I decided to wait and see if there was anything at the Rack before committing to a pair I liked but thought was too expensive. I tried on a lot of shoes at the Rack but couldn't justify any of them. We hit the underwear and I got some new ones, which I knew Eric would appreciate. We went to TJ Maxx next where I hunted through the sheets to find some new ones for the guest bedroom but could only come up with a high count white set. I bought, though I may take them back. I wanted something funner. Lastly we went to Target where I tried on about 20 bathing suits. I went a little overboard which was evidenced when I checked out. I am taking some back. Susan and I went on a hunt for moisturizers and found what we were looking for. It was almost 8 so we wrapped it up and each headed home. I was starving and Eric had just returned from a run so we took off to get some teriyaki for dinner. When we got back we watched tv then to bed.

Thursday 6/7, At home there was a package delivery notice so Eric and I went up to the post office but it was smashed to all hell. Only the glass luckily. It was the painting from Auntie Lauryn that I picked out. The painting and frame were mostly fine. We went home and Eric worked on his car and I went on a walk with Lucia. I was a little worked up and needed to release some stress. I did stuff online then fed the dogs and made myself dinner. I called Auntie Lauryn to say thanks for the painting and we chatted for a bit. Eric finally got the car figured out a little before 10. I showered and into bed to update this.

Wednesday 6/6, I was really tired when I got home and laid on the bed with Eric and the dogs. He suggested we go for a walk so we leashed up three and I put on my sling for Brizo. We went around the neighborhood then over to our favorite street and back home. I helped Eric with dinner by chopping veggies. We had vegetarian curry and rice. Asparagus, green pepper, cauliflower, carrots, onion and peas. It was delicious! We watched Jeopardy then I went into the bedroom and watched Ace Ventura.

Tuesday 6/5, Decent first day back at work. At home we needed food so we went to the store and got stuff for dinner. Eric wanted hot dogs. He made dinner when we got home. I talked to Mom, watched stuff online and prepared and sent out Lucia’s reimbursement form. Alix called and I talked to her for an hour or so about her benefits and getting out of her lease. We went to bed a little after 11.

Monday 6/4, I got up before 8 and Eric was up and ready to go get coffee but I wasn’t ready to get up yet. He was downstairs talking to Mom so I thought I’d go down and see if he wanted me to go with him. Mom had coffee there so he didn’t go out. I went up and got ready and woke Aubrie up too. We piled into the car and took the 101 down to Pipes. We all enjoyed our breakfasts and I think Mom liked the place. We headed back up the coast and stopped at Lou’s where I picked up Ace Ventura, one of the Harry Potter movies and Family Stone. All super clearance. We went to Barney’s next where Aubrie and I tried on a bunch of jeans. I got a pair of Rag and Bone leather topped jeans. We headed home where I started packing. Dad showed up a few minutes later and we all took off for PF Changs. We were all still full from breakfast but us ladies had some soup, a spring roll and lettuce wrap each. After we finished Dad went back to work and I went back upstairs and finished packing. Good thing I left extra room in my bag. We loaded up the car and took off for the airport with Aubrie. Mom didn’t go because she had a dentist appointment. We had a nice drive down and said goodbye to Aubrie. We went through security quickly and to our gate. We boarded, had a bumpy flight (Eric was freaking out, the first I’ve ever seen), watched the end of Drive and a few episodes of Arrested Development before landing. Kass picked us up and took us back to her house. We hung out for a few minutes but I was anxious to get home and let the dogs out. We got the dogs taken care of at home then Eric took off to get a pizza. I took a long shower and relaxed and watched Bachelorette. After it was over we went to bed.

Sunday 6/3, Eric and I were up early and I took him down to the Coaster at 4:10am. Back at home I couldn’t go back to sleep so eventually I put on the tv and fell asleep watching the news. I woke up after 8 and got going because we wanted to get out of there by 9. We all got ready and set out with our mapped plan to Sea World. We weren’t supposed to park in the lot but we did anyway and it was fine. We walked and figured out where we needed to go then walked back to the car to get all of our signs. We went to where we thought we could see him cross the finish line but realized we were on the half marathon side so we went on a hike to try and get to the other side. Luckily we found it and got some good spots along the sidelines. Eric would see Dad first, then Mom then Aubrie and lastly me. Finally I saw him coming and I held my sign way out into the path, Aubrie snapped pictures and we yelled like crazy. Later he said he almost started crying again (there were a few times that day apparently). We walked back and we could see him in the recovery area and got his attention. He came over and we told him where to meet us. We waited with our signs then when he came we held them all up and took some more pictures. He was really appreciative but also exhausted. We hiked back to the car which was a ways away. It was a long trip home since it took us over a half hour just to get out of the vicinity of Sea World. At home Aubrie and I took off for In-n-Out but there was a huge line. We flirted with the order taker who was coming car to car. Back home we chowed down and Eric was in heaven. We got into the hot tub and hung out in there for a while. Mike and Alishia came over and joined us. Mom and Dad hung all Eric’s signs up and put his plaque up (that Mom ordered). We watched Swiss Family Robinson and Mom and Dad made shish kakbobs. It was kind of an early night since Eric was tired and everyone had to work the next day. Aubrie and Christian went with me to the store to get some feminine protection. Back at home I went to bed too because I was tired.

Saturday 6/2, Courtney was coming early in the morning (like 9) so I was up and dressed to meet her. Dad was making pancakes so we sat around the table and ate and Court arrived after we finished. I put Abby Lynne’s present in a bag and let her open it. Court and AL ate a pancake. We hung out in the living room for a while and talked and played with AL with all our old toys, and specifically the fake food toys. She headed home after a while and Eric, Aubrie and I headed down into San Diego so Eric could pick up his race stuff. It was a traffic cluster fuck but we got him down there, dropped him off and drove around for an hour or so before he was done and called us to pick him up. We were all super hungry so we went to Zanzibar in PB. Lunch was good but it took forever. We went over to Courtney and Pat’s to hang out for a while and visited. We headed home by 4ish and relaxed for the evening. When we got home Mom was barricaded in the den and had been making a ton of signs for Eric for his marathon finish. There was glitter everywhere and records (Rock and Roll). Mom made chicken alfredo so Eric could carb load. We watched Beauty and the Beast and laughed through a lot of it. Eric couldn’t believe we knew all the songs (he’d never seen it). Eric wanted to have an early night so he went up after the movie. I went to bed because I knew I had to be up in a few hours. Eric was already asleep so I watched tv for a bit.

Friday 6/1, I slept in but Eric was up early. I had some breakfast then dressed. Aubrie went to Nichole’s to see her off to Nashville. Eric and I went into Old Carlsbad and drove around. We went to a bookstore then Spin; I got the Shins, Kaiser Chiefs and Okkervil River albums. We went to Cream of the Crop so I could get a razor and Eric looked for a book for Alishia for her birthday. We headed home to have some lunch and meet Mom. The three of us went down to Solana Beach to the design stores. We only went into one but it had some beautiful wood pieces and then to a hilariously over the top dog store. Mom ran around picking out all the outfits she wanted Brizo and Clancy to wear. Mom’s favorite was the robe for Brizo and the polo shirt for Clancy. We went south to the Runner’s World super store. We checked out the clearance center and I got some cute Mizunas then over to the main store where Eric picked out a water belt, energy supplements and a new shirt. Back in the car and headed home, talking about Dad and his over-the-topness from when they were first married (re: tax returns). I called King Fish Café to make reservations for Alishia’s birthday that night. At home I changed and Aubrie and I watched Lana del Rey videos online. Dad came home and I gave him a big hug, since I hadn’t seen him yet. We left for dinner and met Mindy, Alishia and Mike down there. We had a nice dinner and Alishia was drunk. She liked her cards but I was bummed my present hadn’t arrived yet. Alishia had birthday plans so she took off and the rest of us went home. We watched Weird Science and it was hilarious (haven’t seen it in years). When it was over we all went upstairs and Eric slept in the other room again. I watched a little tv then to sleep.

Thursday 5/31, Peggy let me leave a little early so I got home earlier than I was expecting. I changed, threw a few more things into my bag and off we went for Kassie’s. Traffic getting on 5 and the West Seattle bridge sucked. Kass wasn’t there so Sky and Alex took us to the airport. We went through security quickly and headed to the north concourse. We each got a bagel and sat at the gate. We boarded and as I was putting my bag up I heard, “Karrah?”, turned around and it was Owen B*rgreen. He ended up sitting right behind us for the flight. We talked for a long time and caught up (about 40 minutes). He’s really funny. Totally knows Danny T*cker from my advising group freshman year at UPS. It was really nice to talk with him and Eric enjoyed it too. We watched Drive once we were able, though we didn’t finish it. Aubrie picked us up and we headed straight home. Mom and Dad were asleep. We stayed up chatting until after midnight and I finally went to bed around 1. Eric slept out on the couch so he could get some rest and not get my sickness.