Life

Spring Break Wrapup!

April 11, 2021

I have amassed a staggering amount of PTO at work; therefore, this week was my own personal Spring Break. I took off the same week that WM had off from school and even though we didn’t travel anywhere, we still had a great time. I’m of an age now where I find odd organizing jobs fun, so keep that in mind. Here are some highlights for posterity…

I went and had my hair done by Sarah and I’m so happy with how it looks. A while back I was trying to keep my hair close to its natural color, and then I swore off dyeing it forever, but I’m glad that I backtracked on both of those decisions. I know ash blond is the thing now, and I know that my color is more more gold than ashy, but I don’t look good with ash blond hair.

me, during and after my hair color
I have a LOT of hair.

On the least-breezy day I spray painted a black outdoor table to go with my emerging tropical themed patio. This was my first try with spray paint and I have learned a very dangerous skill.

the before and after of an old outdoor table. It was black, now it's blue!
No runs, no drips, no errors!
Photo-heavy! Click here for the rest!
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Friday 5: III III III III III

April 9, 2021

I’m highly editing this first paragraph on Saturday the 10th because I didn’t add my usual linking! The Duke flustered me, I guess. This week’s Friday 5 theme is: III III III III III. I am trying to understand the significance of the title, but I’m just getting 5 groups of 3. Or 5 groups of 3 Is?

  1. Who are your three latest celebrity crushes?
    > I am crushing on Regé-Jean Page aka the Duke of Hastings on Bridgerton (see below)
    > I am crushing on Madam Vice President Kamala Harris
    > I am crushing on NKOTB Jon Knight in Farmhouse Fixer. (different crush from NKOTB Jon Knight in NKOTB)
  2. What three strange things have you done during the pandemic?
    > I dyed a chunk of my hair purple last spring. I would have kept it for longer, but the dye was fading AND spreading to undyed hair every time I washed it and I didn’t want an entirely pink head.
    > I started watching movies, which is something I really wasn’t into before.
    > I became very invested in the birds surrounding my house. I’m always watching the feeder, trying to identify birds by song. Weird things.
  3. What three goals do you have for the weekend?
    > I want to re-organize the giant hallway closet
    > I want to finish the udemy Data Visualization Course that I’m taking. I’m great at dumping data on a page, but making it look good is a weak spot.
    > I want to read one more book before Tuesday’s Show Us Your Books post. Up now is “Clap When You Land.”
  4. What three things are you avoiding?
    > I am avoiding wearing hard pants.
    > I am avoiding scheduling my 2nd followup mammogram from the mess of 2019 – I’m very late. I should have gone back in December. October 2019 ended up fine. June 2020 ended up fine. I’m sure it’s all fine. I have a dermatologist skin check appointment the end of April. Once that all comes back clear, I’ll schedule the mammo.
    > I am avoiding people who are being ghoulish about Prince Philip’s death. Yes he said racist things, but find me a white man of his era and stature who didn’t. From all accounts he was very kind and accepting about Harry marrying Meghan, so perhaps people can change and be more sensitive.
  5. What three things are you feeling pretty good about?
    > I ordered a new Microsoft Surface to replace my 5+ year old Surface 3. More RAM and a speedier processor = more blogging from the sofa and not from my desk!
    > I am feeling good about returning to a more normal “normal” this summer. WM and I gently – VERY gently – mentioned perhaps maybe going to WDW for a few days in the fall. It’s all tentative, but even talking about a plan that could be cancelled is exciting!
    > I feel good about going back to work next week after my week off. I forget how nice a week of doing NOTHING can be. Which is great because I think my job at TNP’s going to be turned up to 11 until the beginning of August. Remember the Big!Work!Project! I wouldn’t stop rambling about in 2017? WE’RE UPGRADING. Eek. At least I’ll be home.

CAN YOU EVEN?

Tonight is movie night but I’ll be skipping because I am NOT good with gory, body horror, torture porny films and tonight’s choice is Repo! The Genetic Opera. I read and read and even though it’s also campy and fun I can’t do it. And that’s okay!

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Currently, April 2020

April 8, 2021

Currently… a day late. Because I’m off of work this week and I lost track of my days. Eeeeesh. This linkup is courtesy of Anne in Residence.

arranging – The patio furniture out back, which will be Mother Nature’s cue to hit us up with a blast of polar air. I bought some pillow covers from Jeff Granito, an outdoor rug, and this morning I painted my crummy old black metal table a bright blue. The patio itself is a concrete slab with a lot of … structural issues (aka cracked and uneven) that we can’t fix this year, but it’s shaping up nicely!

a patio, with 2 chairs, a table, and a patio rug, and a bunch of junk in the background that I can't get rid of.
Patio in Progress

craving – A cold coffee-based beverage. My regular Starbucks burned down last March the week before the suggested quarantine period, so the closest Starbucks we have is inside of Target. Which is okay, but that location doesn’t accept mobile orders and we’d have to navigate the parking lot and the store crowds to get there. It’s not worth it. I have a Dunkin’ nearby, but it’s on a major-ish road and I find their drinks too sweet, even if I try to dial it back. Suburban lady problems.

discussing – the general opinion that Paul Rudd doesn’t age. He does look older than he used to, but I think we just aren’t 100% sure what 52 years old should look like anymore. Obviously a good-looking rich person who stays healthy and uses sunscreen is going to age ‘better’ than my grandparents did. As always, deep conversations happening here at House Russell.

enjoying – this week off. I check email once a day for my own sanity, marking the ones I need to follow up on when I get back. But otherwise the weather has been GORGEOUS and I’ve been off of my computer and outside. Yesterday I fulfilled my post-vaccine immunity wish of going to the library. I also took the week off from DuoLingo (busting the streak I was bragging about last week) and

kim giving the thumbs-up in front of the library.
I wore a new shirt and everything! (ignore creepy statues in the background)

preparing – my planner for April, which I haven’t done yet and is a reason why I’m tardy to the currently party.

Read others’ answers to these prompts here!

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