Cabernet makes everything all better.

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I’ve been absent for a month.  Let's get to the point of this post because no one needs to hear me rant like everyone else in the blog world about how they've lost their bloggy-blog mojo, how they feel so uninspired, etc.  We don't need another post like that.  What we need is humor.  And love.  And a good pair of heels.  And chocolate.  And a good, oak Cabernet.  Because Cabernet makes everything better.  Except, when you chase the Cabernet with a vodka.  Then you're just staring down the toilet pipes and staring death in the face.

Here’s what I have NOT been doing:

1.     Watching TV.

2.     Eating bread (pizza crust does not count).  For some reason I gave up bread during Lent and I’ve just let that habit continue on.  I’ve also given the boot to white rice and potatoes.  But (and that’s a big ass BUTT… Chantilly cake from Whole Foods remains an important and necessary dessert every so often Thank you Leila).

3.     Getting a tan in preparation for my departure to the archipelago of Hawaii.

4.     Getting into bathing suit-ready shape in preparation for seven glorious days of beach bumming around.

Here’s what I HAVE been doing:

1.     Working my arse off.  Unfortunately this has not yielded in a smaller posterior.  This is quite unfortunate for the two new bathing suits I was gifted for my 37^th birthday.  Work is in the midst of a tornado (bad joke?) of fury. But, I’d rather be revved up with producing commercials than sitting around in the unemployment line. 

2.     Running.  I continue to run, though it has been sluggish since I am just coming off a running-induced injury at the end of April.

3.     Juicing.  I’m on the proverbial propaganda bandwagon.  I’m freakishly obsessed with my Breville juicer and can’t quite contain myself when those two times of day I prepare my fruits and veggies into a glorious slurpee of vegetative goodness.  There’s nothing more fascinating than watching kale and spinach get chopped up into micro-sized pieces and watching drops of juice spit out for consumption.  Drops people.  Drip.  Drip.   Drip....Drop. It’s called living life on the edge.

4.     I’ve spent more time with my special friend.  We’re still growing together as a couple, testing the waters, learning, laughing and in the blissful state of dating.   Our schedules often don’t align, but when they do, I consider myself one lucky soul for having him in my life and count my blessing each night.  Fist pumping the good Lord above for hooking this gal up. 

This time last year and the year prior I was blogging about bad first dates, disgusting creepers and the misfortune of online dating.  This year I don’t necessarily have those Carrie Bradshaw-esque stories to tell, but I will leave you with my most recent self portrait after a hard days work.  You’re welcome.  I don't really post personal pictures on here.  No reason behind it, but not into over-divulging you with my f-a-c-e left, right and center.

And if you need a boost of cuteness for the week, no one tires of looking at this cutie.

 White bonnets make the world a better place.  

So do cupcake pink pants.

 

Three for 3

I have run 3 official half marathons in less than 12 months.  Each race I've improved my time.  I'm still as slow as a turtle, but I also have been running consistently for only 15 months so I give myself permission to suck at speed.

I flew to DC to run the inaugural Nike DC Women's Half Marathon.  It was a gorgeous morning, the effects of Boston's Marathon only 13 days prior were still fresh on our minds.  The crowds were amazing.  The spectators helped provide inspiration along the way.  My family was there to support me.

I run with Team In Training which is a division of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  I lost my best friend 9 years ago today to Non-Hodgkins (a blood cancer) and run in her memory.  All the training, fundraising, running injuries were worth it to honor her.

I say this after each race and I mean it, "I'll keep running as long as I have the ability to place one foot in front of the other."

 Via

It is now official, I'm in my late 30s

I have officially made it into my late thirties.
Today is my birthday and I am feeling every bit of these blessed 37 years.

Late thirties.
That's just hard to let sink in.


Ten years ago I could not have predicted where I would be now. 
What I had sketched in my head is so vastly different than how this last decade has panned out. 
The one constant is my career which I am no longer married to, but in a steady relationship with.  This pleases me to no end.  I've checked the boxes I wanted to by certain ages in that department so I'm pleased.

As for the rest of my days in this last decade, the story may be told as more of a comedy than a drama or romantic film, but I'm OK with that.  Who doesn't want to smile when reflecting back over their life?

I'm lucky to have made it this far and hoping this is one of the best years to come.

But, the extra wrinkles I see each month do not please me as they are constant reminders my youth is slipping through my fingers.  And the extra hair color appointments I have to make each year to clear out the gray is not something that I like to brag about.

A little beagle trauma

You turn your back during feeding time for one second and the huge mutt-dog accidentally mauls one of your beagles.

So you scoop up the victim and run her to the vet swaddled in a towel. 

You drive to the vet ever so carefully speaking to the dog telling her how much you love her and asking her to hang on.  

She's not very alert at this point and you realize she's in shock.

You throw the car in park, run in, hand off the pooch to the vet --- all the while your car is running in the lot outside and you look down only to realize you are now also covered in bright red blood.

But minutes later you find out your little buddy is stabilized and you hear her yelp in the triage room next door to your private exam room.  And then another few more yelps.

The sweetest sound ever.

And at the end of the day you get a call to come pick her up as she is finished with her IVs, pain meds and monitoring.

And, God is good all the time.

Even if the beagle instigated the accidental attack over a tiny kibble.

That kibble cost her Mom $417.

There goes my spending money for my vacation.

She's worth it though.

Every dime.

 Post clean-up.

Had she been more alert, $10 says she would have been really upset about the Hello Kitty blankie.

Mad props to the purple, polka dot tourniquet though.

That person

You know what I have?

That person who always opens the car door for me.
Who always kisses me good morning and goodbye.
Who never forgets to compliment me.
Who sends me letters in the mail.
Who writes thank you cards.
Who buys a special brand of wine because he believes it to be "the wine of us".
Who drops a phone call or a text at the perfect time.
Makes CD compilations of his favorite coffee house songs for me.
Who promises to never, ever hurt me.
Who looks dapper in just about any pair of slacks and Nordstrom's button down shirt. 
Who grabs my hand as we are walking and holds it in his and then reaches down to kiss it.  Just because.
Who never fails to take my breath away.


I don't take what I've been given lightly.
I'll never take it for granted.
I've waited my entire adult life for something like this.
Apparently patience is virtue.

All those nights/months/years of being alone.
Endless days of yearning to be a part of something more than just me.
God was working on me.
On him.
Now on us.

Part of the bigger plan.

God is good.
All.the.time.

You just have to be willing to wait things out sometimes.

I'm now the grunchy, granola girl and baby got some back

Just to give a shout-out to the inner black girl in me, I know every single word to this song and might have been jamming out to it while zipping around the Whole Foods parking lot this evening.  You're welcome for the 90's throw back.

 
Now on to the real reason for this post...

After two massive sinus infections within 6 weeks of each other which started off as what I deemed were allergy attacks and proceeded to manifest themselves and overtake my body and immune system like Satan having a go at it in Hell's Kitchen, I decided it was time to start inspecting my daily life around this little cottage.

Add to that my intense obsession with reflective, sleek and non-smudge granite counter tops I decided that certain store-bought brands weren't cutting it for my snubbed level of inspection.  Remind me next house I buy to ditch the granite and go with something a bit more trendy, less maintenance-intense and, for the love of Pete, something not everyone and their freaking dog has.  I researched some home-made solutions, mixed up a batch and - VOILA - the concoction was all that AND a bag of chips.  Therefore, I ditched the store-bought "special granite cleaning solution" and have used my own since.

Now mix in a conversation I had with a dear friend who informed me that the products we put on our skin (anti-aging creams, BB creams, serums, etc) often times have just as many toxins and BPAs that can cause more internal damage that not.  She educated me on the fact that adding non-natural, chemical enhanced applications to our skin (which is our largest organ) get absorbed and therefore become more toxic in our bodies.  I freaked out.

Blend all of the above together and I started to realize the products I was using in my home, on my body and breathing were more toxic than I ever gave them credit for.  

I wanted to cleanse.  From the outside in.  So, I ditched all my toxic cleaners, bleaches, soaps, lotions, etc. and have made the switch over to natural, home-made cleaning solutions.

This once preppy girl is now officially making the switch over to becoming a very crunchy home-body (that probably does not conjure up a very pretty picture of me in your mind, does it?).  

To think I lived in San Francisco for a number of years and never picked up these healthier habits.  

  

Proof I ditched all the toxic, chemical crap I've been stocking up on.

At least I threw it away in a bio-degradable paper bag.  

You're welcome Mother Earth.

 

 I went all anal-retentive and made my own house fragrance.  

Added essential tea tree oil for the extra pop of smell. 

 It ain't pretty packaging, but neither is Ke$ha.

Found a board on Pinterest for home-made, natural teeth whitening.

Busted out my inner Mad-Scientist.