Monday, July 11, 2016

Weekend Review {7/11}


I left work at 2 on Friday and went home to take a nap.  I did try to be productive and stopped at the grocery store on my way home to look for items Teh German needed for his contribution to his company's picnic on Saturday, but was unsuccessful.  I could have done other productive things, like go by the piercer about my ear (that might never heal) or go by the nursery to check and see if they have the Japanese maple I want for the front yard.  I didn't.  Naps it was.. ok and I did a bit of reading.

When Teh German came home, he found Sleeping Beauty in our bed and like the true Prince Charming, he kissed her back to life.  Ok, he woke me up with a kiss.  When I was coherent, he asked if I wanted to go out on the boat with Teh SC German.  I said ok since we didn't have any other plans for the evening.

With relative quickness, we sunscreened it up, fed the beasts, and were on our way.

We took the boat up the river and hung out in the water for a bit drinking beers (or bitch beers if you're me).  We hit up Gilligan's for dinner, since we were able to park the boat at the dock.  Nothing overly impressive and I wasn't super hungry so I didn't even finish my sandwich.  The hushpuppies were really good until my mouth started burning and I realized they had jalapenos in them.  Le sigh.

Boat selfie!

Bridge for the train.


Of course, Teh German and Teh SC German were in true form.

Teh German got to drive.

Sing-alongs went down.
Dancing was no additional charge.

Sunset from the water.

When we got home, we released the hounds, showered, and collapsed into bed.


Saturday morning we got to sleep in, which was delightful.  We had decided to be motivated in the morning, which for Teh German meant running some errands and organizing the garage and laying down some sod that he'd gotten from the landscapers on Friday.  I had decided I'd try to knock out 8 miles.  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.

Left: Pre-run optimism
Middle: This is miserable and I hate my life and why the fuck are there no trees to provide shade?
Right: This is what it looks like to make poor life choices.

By "poor life choices" I mean that whole, go outside in Charleston when the sun is up in the middle of July and do any sort of physical activity.  I had my hydration belt, but water was not the key to success on this run.  Quitting was.  I decided to go to the roundabout and turn around.  I ended up with 4.5 miles, which is half of my goal distance.  That said, I'll be setting my alarm early to run in the dark from now on. 

Also, if you're wondering why I don't just go run in the AC-cooled gym on the treadmill, here's my list of reasons:
1.  I can't run on a treadmill without injuring myself as I do not keep a consistent pace.
2.  Running in the AC doesn't condition me for running outside at Disneyland in September.
4.  Other sweaty people.
5.  My natural competitiveness makes #1 is more likely to happen since I'd be competing with others at the gym to do "better" than they are doing.
Full circle, you see?

So yeah.  Who excited about 0430 alarms?  No one.  Ever.

I took the longest shower I've taken in years.  Not just because I was dying and miserable and hot, but also because my sunburn took it to the next level and started peeling.  Epic peeling.  The only issue was that because I went outside and got sweaty, there were bubbles under the unpeeled skin.  So I spent the majority of the time in the shower, sloughing off dead skin with my hands and then a wash cloth.  It hit me later that part of my miserableness during my run could have been due to my peeling skin.  Because the sweat was not able to be released, my body wasn't properly cooling itself.  Also, it was "feels like" 92 outside.

My window sill brings me joy.
L to R: Peppermint, Carolina Reaper (seeds from the pepper), Basil, African Violet, Parsley, Red Pepper plant

Finally clean and mostly peeled, I got out of the shower and started getting ready for the day.  Teh German's Company picnic was at 2, so I was able to leisurely get ready.  When Teh German came home, we had sandwiches for lunch, then I went to lay down because my head had started to implode.  I wasn't sure if it was because of dehydration (I had purposely tried to drink more water so this wouldn't be an issue) or due to a crazy pressure system from a random storm that had graced another area of Charleston with it's doom and gloom (hurricane like winds that knocked over trees, hail, thunder, lightening, rain, etc).  I went upstairs to lay down for a bit before the picnic so I would be able to function when in the presence of other people.

When Teh German woke me up to leave, my headache was making me nauseous.  I took my sudafed and advil and powered on.  Teh German offered to leave me at home if I didn't want to go, but I wanted to go, which was the problem.  Fortunately, by the time we made it there, the headache had eased off a bit, but was still lingering.  I was able to talk without my head rumbling, which was a positive.

We socialized for a bit and ended up playing soccer (Teh German) and volleyball (me).  One of the ladies had brought her daughters, so I showed them some of the techniques so they could hit the ball the right way.  That's my college education at work right there!  Volleyball class is paying off!  When the adults took a break, I took one of the girls to the volleyball net to work on her serve.  As the athletic sister, she was killin' it.  After a bit though, I was tired and sweaty and wanted to sit, so I called it quits.  After a little bit more socializing, Teh German and I left.

When I was about to set off on my run, my neighbor was leaving with a lady so I waved (because I'm a friendly neighbor (ok, not really, but I'm trying)).  Right as I was about to start, the SUV pulled back up in front of me and the window rolled down and the lady introduced herself as my neighbor's daughter, but also as another neighbor who lives a street away (she wouldn't allow her parents to build right beside her (valid point, I assessed)).  She invited me to ladies night in the neighborhood.  I gave her my number and she texted me the info.  When we got home from the party, I was watering the flowers and she pulled up in the neighbor's driveway.  She asked if I was coming and I said confirmed yes. 

At 7, I drove to the house where the event was being held (I drove because it's hot and Charleston and it was almost a mile away).  I met several other ladies from the neighborhood.  Everyone seems very nice.  The biggest motivation for my going is so that we know other people in the development.  We don't really know anyone other than our across the street neighbors.  I also was pumped about the new information I could learn from other residents.  For instance, the couple that lives a few doors down are retired police officers, displaced from NJ.  Several others are military spouses.  I was also interested in seeing other houses.  Finally, the theme of the night was chocolate.  Game on.

I wanted to leave at 10 because I was tired, but it was 10:30 when I finally made my escape.  Teh German was hanging out on the couch watching videos on the tv and perusing his never ending social media feeds.  He had rearranged the garage and laid down the sod while I was out. 

When I was getting ready for bed, I turned off the lights downstairs, so Teh German was sitting in the dark.  It really is the most effective way to get him to come upstairs.  Soon after, we were asleep.


We had a slow start on Sunday morning and it was delightful.  The dogs didn't even get fed till 10:30.  #notsorry  We had talked to Teh SC German at the Company picnic and he'd suggested going out on the boat on Sunday and we had agreed to this plan.  But first, I had laundry to start and I made breakfast.  After we'd eaten, we got ready and headed out and made it to the lake by 12:45.
Teh Mom brought this hat with her that I'd loved as a teenager (it's Adidas) and I figured I'd try it out as a boat hat.
It was mostly unsuccessful and I will be trying a DCU cover next time since it has a string.

Teh German showed off his wake-boarding skillz.

I managed to hang on to the tube for at least a solid minute.
Teh SC German was going SUPER fast and super twisty.
Also, my neck is sore today.

Boat selfies with my fave/awesome clouds and the shore.

I definitely pulled out my rash guard from GTMO to wear.  With the sunburn from last week being freshly peeled, the last thing I wanted was more sunburn.  I knew that no amount of cancer-cream sunscreen would help.  Teh SC German's Mom said something about not understanding why people wore those shirts (pointing at my rash guard) and I was happy to tell her that I didn't want sunburn on my sunburn, so at the risk of not looking cool, I'd just wear my turtleneck and long sleeves and not have to worry so much about blisters the next day.  I'm ok with getting a tan.  I'm not ok with being miserable because of charred skin for 2 weeks in a row. 

I ended up getting a super bad headache after about 2 hours on the water, which culminated after I got off the tube.  I think it was mostly due to the sun bearing down on me.  Even with visits in the water, I was just overheated and I wasn't drinking enough water.  When we stopped and there was shade, I started to feel better.  They also put up the canopy on the boat, which significantly helped.  But when we finally got off the water, my head was still hurting, although moderately.

We got home around 5:30 and after feeding the beasts and showering, I started dinner with help from Teh German.  I made the lentils recipe I shared on Friday.  Teh German browned the meat while I was chopping veggies.  After everything was chopped, I relieved Teh German.  After everything was in the pot, I let it to simmer and went to continue the laundry.


After 30 minutes of simmering, dinner was ready.  Teh German wanted to watch a movie while eating dinner, but I nixed that idea.  Not a habit I want to start (again).  The lentils were delicious.  I don't know if I'd call it a soup because there wasn't much broth, but it doesn't matter what you call it, as long as it includes "delicious".  I had more than I normally would have and Teh German had 2nds.  We were both pumped about having leftovers for lunch on Monday.

After dinner was cleaned up, Teh German peer pressured me into watching a movie.  Seriously, that ecard that goes around about being of the age where starting a movie at 8pm is too late?  That's describing my life.  I knew better than to agree to a movie, but I did anyways after Teh German said we could pause the movie for laundry.  I reminded him the bed didn't have sheets and he said we'd put them on later.  Mmmmkay fine.  We did pause the movie for me to roll the laundry, but I didn't fold anything, I just threw the pile on the bed to fold when the movie was done.  I figured this would be around 9:30. 

It was over at 10:30 because the movie was 2 hours long and we didn't start until more like 8:30 instead of 8.. and also, this is why I have a degree in arts, not science.  Math is hard.  When we got upstairs, Teh German was NOT pleased to see all the laundry on the bed, but I reminded him he had told me it was fine.  He helped me fold all the laundry and we made the bed and got ready for bed and were out like lights.

The movie we watched was The Big Short.  It's a movie about the housing market crash of 2008.  It is based on a book by Michael Lewis, which is non-fiction.  The movie felt like an entertaining documentary.  I learned quite a bit about the housing bubble and the situation in 2008.  I think one of the things I appreciated in the movie the most was the part where the narrator (Ryan Gosling) said, "after everything happened, big banks were busted up and the people that caused the problem went to jail... just kidding that didn't happen.  The people as taxpayers bailed out the banks when the government swept in with a bailout solution."  Not the exact quote, but the gist of it.  I remember all of these events going down, but I was graduating from college and joining the navy, so I wasn't really effected by what was happening.  It left me thinking for sure.  It also made me glad we have a fixed rate APR on House.  Also, where do I get the money to bet against the system where I make a 200-to-1 profit? 

Overall, another excellent weekend in the books.  I promised Teh German a relaxing weekend and all projects he decided to do (garage reorganizing and laying sod) were of his own accord.  I met new people in the neighborhood and now when I wave at the people driving by my house when I'm watering the flowers, I might actually know them. 

I've decided that running in the direct sunlight is no longer acceptable.  #thingsa30yearoldbodycanthandle #UghEarlyAlarms #soold

I'm a week strong at watering my plants and they are looking quite pretty.  As of this morning, all the clothes are clean, now I just need to finish washing towels and sheets from the weekend of the 4th.  Also, to the asshole (I'll never find out who you are and no one probably remembers doing it, so this is just a blanket statement) who used my cute decorative WHITE hand towel to wipe up chocolate (which I didn't realize until it was too late to treat it with stain stick since it'd been sitting for over a week), I hope drop food on your shirt for the next month. 

You were so pretty for the 2 days you got to be in the kitchen, stainless and pure.

This week's schedule is looking delightfully empty.  I am hoping that the oven guy calls in the near future to schedule an appointment.  I'm hoping this week to make it up to the tax office to take care of the paperwork for the 4% tax rate.  It's 45 minutes from work (with no traffic) and the opposite direction of work from home, which makes it quite inconvenient to get there.  Also, with 9-5 as the hours of operation, it's just obnoxious in general.  But, it needs to get done and it's one less thing hanging over my head once I accomplish it, which is the best feeling.

PS.  It feels like 101°F outside.  This is why people don't go outside and look like night walkers in the summer.


  1. You have an awesome laundry sink! Plug it and fill with hot water and oxyclean and soak your stained towel overnight. It should remove the stain! Sorry that happened. I did not do that. I used Lysol wipes when I cleaned the counters/microwave.


  3. I also love the window sill! It's so happy. Yay for time out on the boat. It's been forever since I was out on one. Running inside does suck. It's so damn boring.

  4. I often tell Kev that I wish we had friends who had a boat. I don't want to deal with a boat, i just want to go on one and have someone else take care of it.
    I hate the treadmill too, but there's no way I'm running outside until sometime in September. Since I don't want to hate myself when I suck at my 1st race of the season, treadmill it is. Meh. At least last week the TV in front of me was playing Friday. #byefelicia I was the only one who laughed.

  5. Grrr, the treadmill. I'm not a huge runner but I've been doing it a bit more lately, and anytime I CAN'T run outside (running on the boardwalk by the water is AMAZING) and I'm on the treadmill...BORING. DISLIKE. Dread-mill.

    Also, headaches frickin ruin everything.

  6. My AC is currently not working and I am waiting for the guy to come and charge it it feels like 93 here but honestly it could be the center of the sun for all I care because I'm dying and miserable and I like to keep my house at 60°. Headaches are the worst. You all look super adorable in the boat selfie!

  7. Super jealous of your boating fun. But not your sunburn :( Boo!

