Thursday 4/30, When I got home we cut the dogs’ nails and played out in the backyard. Three more of my dahlias are coming up so that’s good. We took the dogs on a quick walk, fed them, then Eric started dinner. I talked to Mom about Papa and he’s not doing well and it looks like lung cancer along with an aneurism on one of his arteries. We ate dinner then I showered and put on some clothes because Dora and Elsa were being dropped off. We chatted with M and J for a half hour or so then they left. We got into bed and I updated this.

Wednesday 4/29, I went to Susan’s after work and we caught up then watched two episodes of X-Files. One with quadruplets with four extra digits and the other where Mulder is part of a bio-weapon undercover plan that left us scratching our heads. I left around 7 and Eric had dinner ready for me when I got home. We went to the store at 8 and I showered when we got home. Eric is talking about getting his real estate license. I got into bed and puttered around online.

Tuesday 4/28, When I got home I did my workout right away and did 40 minutes. I hadn’t worked out in so long so I knew I needed to put in a real effort. I talked to Dad afterward to catch up then Eric let me know dinner was ready: French toast with potatoes. Carb fest. After dinner I showered and we watched DwtS anniversary episode. I got into bed and looked at real estate in Palm Springs and updated this.

Monday 4/27, It was a gorgeous day and I drove with the windows down all the way home. When I got home we took the dogs on a walk and when we got home I got my ING account all linked up then we had dinner outside. It was lovely. We went over to the park and walked one time around then home. We sat on the couch looking up stocks and watching tv. After DwtS I showered and got into bed. Eric took Jojo for the night.

Sunday 4/26, Eric woke me up to tell me he had to go into work for several hours for a meeting. I didn’t get up until after 8 and Mark and Kelly were up and relaxing in the living room. We got ready and we went over to Mom’s to see her place then swooped over to pick up Eric at work. We headed to Pike Place Market and did the usual up and down the walkway and took pictures and all that. We went to the ID and drove through then to the airport to drop them off. We had a great time and hope they come back soon. We went home and I watched My Week with Marilyn and then tried to take a nap. The woman who was watching Jojo called so we left to go pick her up on MI and back home. I think we just relaxed for the rest of the evening and I probably went to bed early.

Saturday 4/25, I got up not too early and we took our time getting ready. We went into downtown Bellevue to go to glassy baby and I wanted to get a special surprise for Eric for his 8-year sober date. Kelly got a glassy baby for herself and one for her mom then we went next door to Belle Pastry for some cinne-minis. We took off for Cost Plus but they didn’t have the big Virgil’s bottles so I got some backups and some other snacks instead. Kelly loved it and asked if they have them in MN and apparently they do. She was so excited. We took off for Issaquah to get some Thai but our favorite place was closed so we went to our runner up place. We drove up to Snoqualmie and took the scenic route. Kelly fell asleep for a few minutes but woke up when we got there. We took pictures and wandered around then into the lodge and gift shop. We drove home via North Bend and relaxed for the afternoon. Eric started dinner and I invited mom over to join us. We sat in the kitchen with Eric and when mom arrived she had all kinds of ideas for the kitchen. We had dinner (cilantro / lime pork) and it was excellent. Eric made brownies and we had gelato with them. Mom didn’t stay too late and Kelly and Mark spent much of the evening packing their bags. We all watched the Bruce Jenner special then went to bed kind of early.

Friday 4/24, We were all up pretty early which was not that great for me, but their time was two hours ahead so 7:00 felt late for them. We had some breakfast and all got ready then prepared for our day trip to Whidbey Island via Deception Pass. We stopped at Whole Foods on the way out of town and got some snacks and water. We drove up to Deception Pass and talked the entire way, specifically about motorhoming together in 5-7 years. We’ve got it all planned out. We got out at the Pass and took some pictures then kept going on our trip down Whidbey. We stopped in one of the towns to use the bathroom and get some onion rings, which Eric got for Kelly but she blew right past him to get some pop. We toured Coupeville and they thought it was very cute. Eventually we made it down to Langley and parked. We went to Prima for lunch and Eric wasn’t there despite him telling me he would be. He had been at Voracious or something the prior night and was late getting in. We had a nice lunch anyway and he ended up showing up at the end so I said hi and we talked for a minute before he had to get to work. We finished up and walked around town, stopping at the Star Store, the little antique store with Ruby the Pom / Peke mix, the coffee shop, a glass shop, and eventually back to the car. We drove around and looked for rabbits then over to the cemetery to see how creepy it was. We wrapped up the tour and headed for the ferry. On board we went up above and Mark was impressed with how nice it was. After the ferry ride we drove over to Mukilteo to see our old house then headed home. When we got home we all relaxed and watched tv until Eric started making dinner: enchiladas. We ate dinner in the living room and watched House Hunters Int’l but I’d seen most of them. We ended up all going to bed by 10.

Thursday 4/23, Eric woke me up at 3:00 am because Clancy needed to go to the vet. His face was much more swollen so we went down to Aerowood. Luckily we were out of there within 30 minutes. He got cortisone and antihistamine injections and $200 later we were on our way home. Next time we’ll do the Benadryl and save $199. I slept until almost 8:00 then got up and jamming on cleaning. I washed the floors in the whole house then showered and got ready. We quickly went grocery shopping then Kelly texted that they’d landed right on time at 10:30. We ran home and put everything away then sped down to the airport and picked up her and Mark. That was the beginning of a very fun four days with lots of laughing and talking. When we got home we showed them around and sat and talked for a little bit before setting out for the Hollywood Tavern for lunch. We got the tots to start and everyone was impressed. I got mac and cheese for lunch and it was just enough. I filled them in on the Alishia and Kassie drama. We went next door to the Whiskey distillery and Kelly bought two things of honey and a candle, while Mark did some tasting and bought a bottle. Next we went over to Chateau St. Michelle where we walked in and apparently crashed a private reserve club tasting event. Kelly did some tasting and we met a very nice gentleman named Eric. It was a lot of fun and we didn’t realize where we were and what we’d done until we were leaving and we saw the “private event” signs. We headed home where Kelly and I were interested in a nap. Mark napped on the couch. When we got up we all sat in the living room and talked for a while before we needed to get ready to meet up with Kass and Sky for dinner at Brass Tacks. We got down there around 7:30 and had a great dinner. We had a ton of food and it just kept coming and coming. I ate too much. Sky picked up the tab. We walked down to Kass’ shop so they could see the space. Kelly loved a little stool that Kass got in MN. We said our goodbyes then headed home and all got into bed. Fun day.

Wednesday 4/22, Dex and Pip went home before we went to work. After work I went home and started with chores, including laundry, getting the back room finished, mopped the floors in the bedrooms, hall, and main bath, and cleaned Eric’s bathroom. Eric had been out in the backyard and noticed Clancy was looking a little swollen from what was probably a bee sting, since he’s famous for that. I had a massage at 8 so I quickly ate dinner, showered, and headed out. I had Corey focus on my back and it was fantastic. We did some chatting about his summer schedule and the new space. Back at home I finished up Eric’s bathroom by getting the shower liner all cleaned up. I got ready for bed and updated this.

Tuesday 4/21, It was rainy when I got home so we didn’t take the dogs on a walk. Eric had done a bunch of yard work and I worked on the inside with getting my bathroom cleaned and washing windows. We went to Fred Meyer to return the strainer and pick up a few other things. I can’t remember what I did for the evening but I’m sure it involved cleaning.

Monday 4/20, I got home just as Bruce was unloading the dogs so we chatted in the front yard for a few minutes before going inside with the dogs. Eric took everyone outside and Bruce and I talked. After he left we took four of them on a walk. It was a gorgeous day. When we got home we went in the backyard and I cleaned up back there then inside where we fed the dogs and I started cleaning my bathroom. Dinner was ready so I went out in the living room with Eric and watched some Family Feud. After dinner I finished the bathroom and did some doors and windows. I sat down and updated this and watched tv.

Sunday 4/19, We had to get up super early for how late we went to bed. Aubrie was taking me to the airport. We were up at 6 and arrived at the airport by 6:40. I said bye to Aubs and since I was flying first class again I cruised through check-in and security. I got a yogurt and waited at the gate. We boarded and I mostly read my book. They served breakfast and we landed 30 minutes early at 10:30. Eric picked me up and when we got home I climbed into bed and fell asleep after we talked for a little bit. I woke up at 2:00 and felt out of it so I showered and got dressed. It was a gorgeous day. We went to Fred Meyer for groceries and a shower squeegee. Back at home I was still tired but went out in the backyard for a while to see which dahlias have come up. Dinner was ready and we watched tv in the living room. I fell asleep at 8:30, woke up for Last Man Alive, then fell back asleep by 10:30.

Saturday 4/18, We were up at 8 so that we could be up north to meet Courtney by 9:00. Aubrie and Christian dropped me off at Snooze and it was the whole Sully fam. I gave Abby Lynne her presents and they kept her occupied for the meal. We did catch ups about the whole Alishia / Kassie thing and they filled me in on their goings on. We had a very nice breakfast then packed up. Pat had to leave for a cooking thing so Court, AL, and I went to sit by the fountain and wait for Aubrie to pick me up. I said goodbye to Court then we were on our way north to Alishia’s to meet up with everyone. We got ready, hung out, talked with Mom and Dad, the boys took off to run errands, then Aubrie and I went to get a card for Alishia. When we got back she was upset that Kass hadn’t come but we talked her off the ledge and ran out to pick up Pete so he could drive up with Alishia. They took off, we ate some lunch, and we left about a half hour later. It was over an hour and a half drive up to the University of Redlands. Mindy was  along for the drive so we had a lot to talk about. Aubrie and I did some coloring in my Ryan Gosling coloring book. When we arrived the parking was a mess, but we found a spot and headed out for the graduation ceremony. We waited and saw her walk by before going into the stadium. It was kind of a long ceremony and the sun was so strong, but it was a gorgeous day. After it was over we took a few pictures then hightailed it out of there to make an 8:00 dinner reservation at a winery called South something Winery. We got there right on time and we had the private room. Dinner was excellent and I got a ginormous pork chop. We all shared a bunch of desserts. Conversation was great and we did a lot of laughing. By the time we got out of there it was after 10 I think. I had to drive because everyone else was drunk. Back at Alishia’s we took off for Aubrie’s. By the time we got back to her place and after finishing talking we got to bed right around 1:00.

Friday 4/17, I was in and out of sleep all morning and right when I started to actually wake up Aubrie texted me to see if I was up (9:15). We talked and talked in the living room and a little after 10 finally got ready and went out to get smoothies for breakfast. I got a blueberry one that was delicious. We gathered up our stuff and headed north to meet Alishia for lunch at Kai’s. I handed off her rings and we headed inside. I got a Mediterranean omelet that was very tasty. After lunch we went into downtown Carlsbad to walk around. We went to Spin first and I got the newest Belle and Sebastian, Jenny Lewis, and Delta Spirit. Next we went to Chocolate Bar where I got a chocolate covered peanut butter oreo and a chocolate covered peanut butter pretzel nugget. We went to Alishia’s to get ready for an early dinner and Pete was home. We hung out there for a little bit, talking about Alishia’s book collection and the new baby’s room, then took off for dinner at Ignite. The food was good and the outdoor seating area was so nice. Mom and Dad brought Christian up with them so we had the whole fam there. It was a fun dinner and we were out of there by 7 maybe? Aubs, Christian, and I headed back down to their place and did a whole night of talking again. We went to bed around midnight.

Thursday 4/16, When I got home I took a shower and finished packing my bag. Eric made me some dinner and soon we were off to the airport for my flight to San Diego. I had been upgraded to first so I knew I wouldn’t need as much time to get through security, and as I suspected it didn’t take long at all. I got a cookie and headed to my gate. The flight departed on time and I re-started The Marriage Plot. They made cookies and the white chocolate / cranberry ones were my favorite. We landed a little ahead of schedule (at 11:30) and I met Aubrie and Christian out at the curb. We talked all the way back to her house then continued our conversation until 1:30 am. We talked about all sorts of stuff and finally forced ourselves to shut up and go to bed. I slept in the living room on an air mattress and it wasn’t too bad.

Wednesday 4/15, I went over to Susan’s after work and we watched two episodes, one that had hardly any Mulder at all (but he did have on a wedding ring – very suspect) and the second was about a blind woman who can see murders happening. Mulder had a real affinity for that lady and she was just an idiot for ending up back in jail. I went home and Eric was making dinner: blackened chicken sandwiches that I gave a 10. We cleaned up the kitchen then I showered and got into bed. I updated this a bit then went to bed.

Tuesday 4/14, When I got home I worked out but didn’t really give it my all. Again. I started packing for my trip to San Diego in a few days then ate dinner and took a shower. I updated this and waited to hear from Kassie to pick up Alishia’s ring. Finally made it downtown by 9:30, chatted for a few minutes and got an update on Heen, then took off. I unwrapped the rings when I got home to take a look. I went to bed at almost midnight. Too late.

Monday 4/13, I got home and reluctantly did my workout but it felt like I really half-assed it. Eric made some pasta and I ate a lot. A bad combination considering my lack luster workout. I had plans to do a bunch of stuff around the house but was too lazy to do any of it. I watched DwtS in bed and fell asleep by 10:30.

Sunday 4/12, I slept until 8 and finally got up. Eric made little mcmuffins for breakfast that really hit the spot. I got back in bed and did some X-Files reading and filing of my emails then fell back asleep until after 11. I made myself get up and do some chores. Started with laundry then cleaned up my bathroom and figured out that the guy that serviced the hot water heater turned it all the way down to “Warm”. No wonder I haven’t had a hot shower since 2014! Geez. I cranked it up and that did the trick.  It was our 7-year anniversary so we wanted to do something in the afternoon after Poppy went home but I didn’t hear from Mary about their pick up schedule until almost 5. Nuts. I napped for a little bit until they said they were on their way. I went out in the backyard for 15 minutes and trimmed up some hellebores. They arrived to pick up Pop which was fine. Back to three dogs. We decided to go up to Cloud 9 burgers for dinner and it was very sweet. We had a simple anniversary and did a quick lap around the complex to see what it had to offer. Not much. We went to DQ for a blizzard treat and to check out the talent. We went there on our first date and reminisced. Back at home we relaxed until Last Man on Earth came on. It was a good set of episodes. Went to bed around the normal time.

Saturday 4/11, We were up early and took Clancy down to the discount vet in Kirkland for his DHPP and rabies shots. We were out of there by 8:20 and back home. I texted Susan that I was ready for her to come over for X-Files anytime. I did chores around the house until she arrived and then we sat down and talked and talked. We did manage to get in two episodes which were a mythology set. Susan left a little while later and I did a few more things around the house. We headed up to the GO then to QFC. Sky and Chrystol were coming over for dinner so we cleaned up the house a little. I called Mom and talked to both her and Dad. Dad filled me in on his appointment in LA with the specialist. He’s overwhelmed and not sure which course of treatment to take. Sky and Chrystol arrived and we were all so hungry we ate half our meal in the kitchen then moved out to the dining room. For dessert we moved to the living room and watched some tv. They left by 11 and I watched the first part of SNL before falling asleep.

Friday 4/10, I got home early since I went in early and had a big work meeting that included lunch. I showered and hung out and when Eric got home we got the dogs all squared away and ready for Jojo to go home. She was picked up and Eric made quesadillas using a bunch of veggies and the ricotta. I went to Nordstrom Rack and got a couple shirts. I was there until after 9:00 then home. I was tired so I went to bed early.

Thursday 4/9, We did a dog walk when I got home and I also did my workout for 35 minutes. Eric made a delicious salad for dinner consisting of baby broccoli, garbanzo beans, and ricotta, all seasoned with shallots, garlic, lemon, and red pepper flakes. I felt really full when I was done. I fell asleep at 9:30.

Wednesday 4/8, We took the dogs on a walk again and that went well. I skipped working out and instead changed my sheets and waited for dinner to be ready. We watched some tv then I showered and got into bed and updated this. All the dogs joined me. Nothing acts like a dog-magnet like clean bedding. Watched tv and went to bed kind of late.

Tuesday 4/7, When I got home we took a walk with the dogs, including Pop who arrived that morning. When we got home I worked out for 35 minutes then Eric made me dinner. I showered and got into bed and ended up falling asleep at 8:30. Eric took care of the dogs and turned everything off for me.

Monday 4/6, Long day at work. Jojo arrived. Eric and I took Jojo, Nyx, and Clancy for a walk and I vented about my day. At home I cleaned up the backyard then talked with Eric in the kitchen while he made dinner. I went into the bedroom and took care of some dog stuff. Eric brought in dinner and it was delicious and simple. I showered then climbed into bed to relax, watch DwtS, and update this.

Sunday 4/5, We kind of slept in and took our time getting out of bed. We showered and packed up, then took off to get some breakfast. We ended up just going to Whole Foods and getting smoothies and took off for Evergreen, via Morrison. We drove up the mountain and enjoyed the scenery and little towns on the way. When we got to Evergreen we walked around a little then decided to head out to Idaho Springs. The town was very quaint but everything was closed (Easter). They had a little radio station, called The Goat or something, which we tuned into for two songs, one was Grateful Dead. We headed back into town and on the way saw the Sleeper House on Genesee mountain. We found a Mexican restaurant for lunch then wanted to kill some time before heading to the airport. We went to Nordstrom Rack but they were closed. What?! I texted the sisters and Aubrie texted back “Jesus has risen and closed Nordstrom”. We gassed up and just headed to the airport. We were there super early but got everything squared away and hung at the gate. Our flight was scheduled to get into Seattle early but before we left the gate a woman started having an asthma attack so they took her off which delayed our early departure. Eric did okay on the flight and kind of just zoned out. When we landed, we got the luggage, car, to the store for groceries, and home in less than an hour. I love Alaska. We relaxed for the evening and the dogs were happy to see us.

Saturday 4/4, We were up a little after 7, got up and ready and headed into Denver to have breakfast with Alix and Cierra. We arrived at 9 and checked out their place which is very loft-y. We walked to the 16th Street Mall and went to a crepe place in the square where Sos had utilized a Starbucks bathroom the prior fall. Breakfast was good and we did a lot of chatting and discussing which ski resorts are the best. We walked back to their place and talked in their living room for a while. We left and started our adventure, setting our coordinates to Golden. We drove through town then parked and walked the main strip. We went to the bridge and I took a couple pictures then we headed back to the car and decided to drive up to the top of the Buffalo Bill mountain to see his grave. Mom ran up it when we lived in CO, in full makeup, tiara, and pageant sash. It’s five miles up and the air is thin. There were a lot of bicyclists out and it was a gorgeous day. We took our time driving up and when we made it to the top we took some pictures, went through the museum, and Eric got a local root beer. We decided to head back down and checked in with Sos to see if she was ready for us. We headed through Boulder and out of town to her parents’ house. We visited there for an hour plus, had cookies and played with the kiddos. Maia stayed behind while we went into Boulder to walk Pearl and have dinner. We checked out a consignment shop, several fun toy shops, candy shop, etc. We ate at an Italian place where we got a bunch of appetizers and everything was delicious. We did more walking and eventually went to a place to get drinks and have some kale chips and talk. For dinner we went to another place that was more of a bar and I got the mushroom macaroni and cheese. By the time we left it was nine or so and we were all totally stuffed. We headed back to the cars and said our goodbyes. We drove back to the hotel and got into bed and watched tv. I was out pretty quickly.

Friday 4/3, We both woke up early, like 7, which was actually 6 our time. Considering we didn’t go to bed until around 1 am, we were not happy about being awake. We decided to get going and tried to decide what we wanted to do since there was snow on the ground and it was going to be the coldest day of our trip (40s). We went downstairs and had breakfast then took off to find mid-century modern homes in the Hilltop and Cherry Creek neighborhoods. We were less lucky in Hilltop, but then hit the jackpot in Cherry Creek. We found one really cool house that would rival the Kaufman House, minus the landscape. We went to the 16th Street Mall and walked for a little bit, stopped in a couple stores, then back to the car. We went to Morrison and up to Red Rocks. We swung through the elementary school first, then up to the park. We walked up to the amphitheater and Eric took it all in. We walked up to the top and took some pictures and just looked around. We went into the museum but didn’t look too long before heading back to the car. The snow was melting quickly. We headed up to see about lunch at the Fort, but they only do dinner so we continued on to the old neighborhood of Willow Springs. There are a whole bunch of new houses lining the gulch which is sad because it was so pretty before. We went up to the house and the yard is so mature. I showed him all the houses with kids I used to babysit, where my friends lived, etc. We headed back down and decided to head into Littleton for lunch. We went to Lark Burger and it was very good. Eric wasn’t feeling well; residual anxiety from the flight, so we went back to the hotel. We rested and both got a little sleep. I talked to Sos and made plans for later that afternoon. We went to Target so Eric could get some pomade and I got a couple tank tops and gummy worms. Back to the hotel to relax for a little longer then we got ready and went to Sos’. We got to meet Wren and Maia was out in the backyard with the dogs. We sat and talked and I gave the girls their presents. Jake came home a little later and we all talked and discussed dinner. We went to a Polish place that usually has live music for Maia to dance to. Dinner was good but before long Maia wanted to head to the dancefloor. She made Eric sit down and watch then when it was my turn she wanted me to watch myself in the mirror while I thrust my pelvis. I declined. We took off for their place, Sos put Maia to bed and we said our goodbyes. We headed back to the hotel, I showered, and we got into bed. We were both exhausted.

Thursday 4/2, I was up early, packing, getting Pepper’s go-home stuff ready, and mentally preparing to go into Canada solo since Eric refused to go with me. I caught him having a few tender moments with Pepper before we left that morning, which was sweet. I took off right at 9:45 and made great time until I hit the border at Sumas. Because I was transporting I had to go inside and the border agent would not let me leave without producing a receipt for what was “paid” for Pepper. I tried to explain I don’t handle the money and I don’t have access to what was paid but it fell on deaf ears. I frantically called Sue - no answer, Janell – said she’d send out a blast to all NR-ers, Eric – forwarded me the contract after a tense dialogue where he told me he would hang up if I told him one more time to “just drag it to the inbox”. Luckily they accepted the contract but then told me I had to pay tax on her fee. I kept telling the woman that we are just a rescue. Finally she told me it was okay to go and not worry about it. I called Janell and took off out of there to meet the adopters at Starbucks. I found it, went inside to go to the bathroom, grabbed a yogurt for lunch, then back outside and they were waiting next to my car. K and I took Pep for a little potty then we exchanged everything and I said my goodbye. Off I went, made it through the US border much easier than the Canadian side, and made it home in record time. I had plenty of time so I took a shower and washed my hair, threw the rest of my stuff in my bag, and we left early because Eric was feeling anxious. I let him drive while I answered emails. We parked and shuttled over to the airport, checked in, made it through security quickly, and off to find food. I got a sandwich at Beechers and we headed to the gate. We were quite early so we had time to relax. A little girl sitting behind us tried to give Eric her band aid and we started cracking up. Then she wanted to show us all her “drawings” on her tablet, which were just animated pictures of animals. The flight was fine, though Eric was nervous and went into a meditative trance mode. When we landed it was late and snowing hard but I wasn’t too worried. Eric got my bag then we headed to the rental car place, grabbed a white Jetta, and headed off for Wheat Ridge to our hotel. It had been snowing for a while and was still snowing when we got on the road, but everything was fine since CO actually prepares for the snow and the roads were totally clear. We checked in and up to our room, which was very nice. We climbed into bed, watched tv for a few minutes, then off to sleep.

Wednesday 4/1, Eric was cleaning when I got home and I started in as well. Michelle was coming over but not until later. I made the bed in the back bedroom, vacuumed, shuffled laundry, and started to put together Pepper’s go-home packet. Michelle arrived and we talked until 7:30-ish. After she went home Eric made me a stuffed pepper. I watched a couple shows, talked to Alix, and took a shower. Eric and I talked about the next day then he went to bed. I went to sleep before 11.