High Mileage

And no,  I'm not talking about our cars...I'm talking about my feet.

Aches and pain dominate my day. Limping, braces and looming surgery weighs heavy on my mind. Still, I refuse to give in. I will not sit in this chair all day. It is summer and summer is meant for living. Motion is lotion. Keep on keepin' on.

We're gearing up for a big change in our diets starting August 1st in an effort to get a quick 20 pounds off. In the meantime please, if I say that

Please do. Thank you.

Undercover

I haven't had a summer cold in I don't know how long.

Time to take a page out of Pippa's playbook and pull the covers up.

Progress

The grand purge and reorg of our upstairs continues today and hopefully finishes tomorrow.

Before...

and mid-way through.

 

At least now we can get to the window to get the AC in.

I'd like a week's vacation now, please.

Independence Day

On July 3rd I moved the last of my belongings out of my studio up on the hill in the Ivory Tower. 

I snapped this pic on the computer just before I wiped it clean and shut it off for good.

 Learning to live on less has been a lesson in simplicity, gratitude and patience. 

There are no regrets. I am finally free.

Antique Gods

What?! You're going away AGAIN?

I'll just sit here on the bag that holds our phone chargers. That way you'll change your mind and stay home where you belong...

On-site auctions are always such an adventure and I really wish I could've scored a shot or two from our most recent one. The house and the EIGHT CAR garage were full (yes, EIGHT CAR). There were boxes and boxes and boxes piled high and deep over an at least an acre of backyard and there were two auctioneers at once standing practically shoulder to shoulder. One on one row and the other on the next. I'd never heard anything quite like it. It was like listening to an Ives symphony at full volume with headphones on. I couldn't tell if I was coming or going, and though I'm pretty good at understanding auctionese, I had a tough time keeping up with both of them and lost out on a few coveted things in the process. Fortunately there was plenty to go around! We were full up and loaded by 4pm when the auction ended.

Dinner at the Quaker Steak and Lube was almost as entertaining as the auction and just as loud.

 

It's a racing/biker/sensory overload joint with a menu the size of Texas and all manner of large two and four-wheel things suspended mid-air, directly over your table. Did I mention they also twirl? The food was as you'd expect - fried, salty and tasty, and the margaritas were sweet. If you were up for the challenge you could order the "Tube Lube" - 100 ounces of beer that comes to your table in a 2 or 3 foot tall tube with its very own tap. We saw a number of couples happily downing them and hoped they'd be walking home and not hoping on one of the many Harley's parked out front.

And though Ken was officially off for the weekend, there was still a little work-work to be done. 

We returned home to the news that we'd been promoted!

WOW! Antique & Vitnage Gods. Who woulda thunk it.

It's nice to be home where the coffee is strong and fresh, the porch is always quiet and shady, and a cat is always happy to occupy your lap. Next week there'll be another adventure. Stay tuned.