Easter brunch, splashing in the rain, lobster rolls- fortunate

so much going on. i have fallen behind because i have multiple irons in the metaphorical fire. let's see, how about we start with my favorite thing-yesterday i met up with my friends for lobster rolls! we did the curbside pick up thing (from different cars), then drove out to longboat key to eat them and just enjoy the bayside view from a restaurant parking lot. this was the first time mermaid's pies and produce has been open for several weeks, so it was certainly a treat!! please ask how many times i have driven by and looked for the open sign! and here's the best part- a friend had seen that i was going, because i had post something about it, and he venmo'd $ to enjoy my treat!! #randomactsofkindness #COVOD19-style now to pass along the kindness!

best lobster rolls around! 

it had rained almost all of last week, after a long dry spell. in fact, so dry that there had been a burn ban in effect for quite some time...in fact the pond out near my parking lot looked like two big puddles, it was that dry. it has since filled in quite nicely, as it seems we are moving into some rainy season activity. also, some of the first turtles have begun laying nests.

ah, the rain!

so last week i went out for a walk and parked by the little maritime museum in cortez and walked over the bridge toward my favorite beach park because there is still no parking there, and beaches have yet to open. as i was walking down gulf drive, there was a large puddle in front of one of the motels and that was were i was walking when it happened. it was still dark out, but there were street lights...and i had on a bright coral long-sleeve, apparently not bright enough. an 18-wheeler, going much faster than necessary, hit that puddle like he had every intention to see how high he could make the puddle fly. i got soaked, and i my immediate reaction was to yell some unseemly things that should never be repeated. for an instant i considered returning to my car (i was about halfway through my walk, sopping wet, and a bit chilly), but i kept going...partly in hopes that the driver would have stopped ahead with engine problems and i might be able to get off a good throat punch and knee to the groin... i was driven for at least the next 7 minutes. then as approached the park, the sun was rising, and i was rewarded with the most beautiful sunrise! and a bit further down, i had to stop and take in the beach view, since it's been so long! then i made my way back to where i had parked, thankful that my car hadn't been towed.

gorgeous, no?

on the way home i walked on the opposite side of the street, but there's the puddle lake

i forgot treats, so they were not up for Easter pics...i'm sure everyone has experienced this with their families as well.

and for Easter, i listened to an online message and watched a special, then went over to do brunch with my friends shea and patrick. i took some mini brie/gruyere/carmelized onion quiches, and they had put together some eggs, bacon, and the 'piece de resistance' KANAKUK KAMP CoffeeCake! amazing!

YUM!

we caught up for a bit, then i went home for a bit to take a nap, before reconvening with 3 other friends to do an egg-hunt with snacks, chit-chat, social distancing around the pool, and then patrick's homemade noodles with pesto! yummers! good to see the crew-safely.

did you notice how there are 4 separate stations to sit at?! #playingbytherules

the past few weeks have been an inspiring time to create my own cards and stationery because, as we know, i like to write letters, and at this time, the store really doesn't have much that suits my needs! plus, it's been a great outlet to use some pent-up creativity! (much inspired by a video that one of my friends shared with me!).

these are a few-i've already sent a few others out...spread the joy!

in other news, there have been some fun video conferences for work and play. and this afternoon, i was inspired to try whipped coffee-one of my friends posted a pic of hers, and i've had something saved because i'd been meaning to try it for quite sometime. i happened to find some instant decaf, and thought, 'JACKPOT!" because this meant i didn't have to go to the store! but unfortunately when i opened it, it had all disintegrated/melted together...something, but it was definitely not good. gosh, how long had i had that canister, yikes! so i did in fact have to go to the store...and in my hurry, i parked the car and realized that i had forgotten my debit card at home...(zero motivation to go back), so i fished around in my coin jar, and had $2, so i opted for the dollar general next door to get a mini-jar of instant coffee to do this thing!

 i made the first batch and spooned it over some iced-coffee- not bad...but i wasn't convinced. so i followed it up with a second batch and spooned it over coconut milk. i was pleased with the result!

again, i am grateful. thankful to have a job, a place to lay my head, my boys, friends, food, a sense of humor...i am fortunate and i don't want to take any good thing for granted.

i hope your weekend has been everything you needed it to be!
julie

moving...simply moving! (and a little more, but don't hold your breath-very little)

too busy, too lazy, or too distracted? or all three? well, let's take a moment to get caught up.

since february, i've been keeping up with product knowledge and personal professional development webinars. then in march there was a quick trip to /////

DISCLAIMER: i had this page all done and ready to go-except photos, and it all got erased. so if i am missing some details as re-do, apologies. i'm not super happy about it either.

as i was saying, i was in dallas for a quick cohort/team meeting and gathering of minds (notice i didn't say what kind of minds, suffice it to say, all those minds were sound...unless of course they were psychopathic...at that point, it's so well hidden, not being a clinician, i wouldn't be able to separate the wheat from the chaff). ←wait, what??? anyhoo. we had a great group and a great session. there was much information, and a lot of valuable collaboration. i really do appreciate the work that went into it, because i know it isn't always easy to put something together, and there is always that desire to put something together that is valuable to the participants, so KUDOS to lori, suzanne and sabrina! thank you!

we had a great time of fellowship both evenings- first at lori's and then at our coo's. beautiful homes with comfortable atmospheres! 

my flight home? well that did not go as planned. but i made it, and in the end that's what matters!

almost immediately after i returned, it was kicked into high gear to move. i moved on april first, after EASTER service. shea and george, her 'uncle' were a great help putting everything in the uhaul, and then we used that as an excuse to go to the swordfish (which, in all honesty, never needs an excuse). when i got home, i put the lock on the uhaul, and wouldn't ya know it, it was too small. a locker lock. the kind you move a dial to open...but it was so tight that i couldn't double click the top part to get it cleared to open it. so, who do you think went to walmart for a cheap bolt-cutter (which i might add i will probably never use again)...that's right, it was me. when i returned, it took me no less than 30 minutes of struggle (wwe smackdown-ish) to finally get through the lock. then to my dismay, i still couldn't get it off, and had to hammer the lock around to the other side to cut through that part! UF. i may frame the metal cutters, because i threw away the lock. 

the next morning, shea and i got up early and took wembley to the sunrise service on the bay, because he really needed to hear the gospel and worship. it was a nice service, mostly music (which i get because they were having services back at the church normal time), but note to self: next year, please bring blanket, as it is chilly on the water!

shea came over and helped me unload everything into the apt and garage area, before taking off for a previously planned engagement adventure. it was a day or two before i was ready to bring the boys over. once we got here, bruno had some issues in the evening, and once again we visited the emergency clinic. it ended up being a bunch of poop. he just had to get a little enema (why does that always make me think of jack nicholson as the joker-thanks, 80s). poor guy, but it did help immensely.

then the furniture came. it's been a long year living on other people's furniture (the rental house was furnished- i stored their beds, because i brought my own, but other than that, it was all theirs). i LOVE my couch and breakfast nook (perfect size for the apt!) fortunately mom and dad were able to make the journey down to visit mid april. we still had some cleaning, nail-hole-spackling, painting, and furniture re-arrangement to do, plus we took out dead bushes and planted new ones and flowers. i probably did..no, i KNOW i did more than i needed to, but i always learned you leave things better than you found them!

i finally turned in the keys and wiped my hands of that place! so happy to be in the apt...and the boys seem to like the cozy comfort as well! i dropped from a 3 bed to a 2 bed/2ba, and we won't have wasted space...i was considering a 3 bedroom apt, one of the rooms for a study, but it wasn't necessary, and there weren't any available on the first floor, with an attached garage-which was a must.

we like the layout better than the house too,  and the laminate-wood floor better than the porcelain tile...

the good thing is that it's in the same area, just a couple minutes closer to the beach for walking!

alright, that's it for the move...i will probably post tomorrow-just a picture journal to catch us up!
goodnight! julie

left some things in florida...like...my dreams! (take me back!)

the grind. it begins again.

for real though, all-day-training the.day.we.returned.from.spring.break. uf.

yesterday, i was able to clean up the apt. and get loads of laundry done! it had to be done! mom and dad are coming to visit this week-bringing back the boys and spending Easter in dfw. it has been so quiet around here without the boys around! they won't get in until late tomorrow night, because they have to finish some stuff in mo before they leave.

so...every time i go to florida (3rd time in a year-hopefully not the last), i am one step closer to living there. it feels like i already have one foot there. especially since i left my hammock there (along with a few other staples)... and i may have just purchased another hammock, so that when i do move there, there'll be an extra for visitors! thinking ahead. i may or may not be monitoring job postings, as i am not sure what next year will look like--considering all of the best options, can't leave this one out! ...and i have the additional pics that provide the logic behind my thinking:

even the fog is beautiful and relaxing!

more tooth searching-it's like a treasure hunt!

and that guy behind me? he was the one sporting the thong..eek.

not bad for a day's work!

thx go-pro!!

shea selfies with the bird! (bird, bird, bird..bird's the word...)

my 'frolic' is so frankenstein, i need more practice frolicking on the beach!

obviously i frolic better with friends...

can't get kilwins in dfw

"are you sisters?" just bc we both have blond hair, headbands, tanks, sunglasses...

...just sayin'.

after a full day of training, and not seeing anyone back at school, i was in a funk, so when i got home and opened my mail, i had a letter waiting for me, and it was just what i needed! crystal, a former teacher from cabell, who i've kept in touch with sent some written encouragement and it was so exactly what i needed! amazing how mail comes at just the right time!

brightened my week-

it's going to be a great week!
julie

i'm not as lucky as my friends, but i CAN get my dogs to lay down and be quiet!

let's see...i need to back up a couple of days. last week we had a couple of days off because of our unused inclement weather days; love me a mild winter! so a group of gals from school made some plans to go up to winstar in oklahoma. after coming home to take the boys out and play for a bit, i met up with the girls at the hair and make-up party-so fun to be pretty for a night (smile).

who are those hotties??

we may or may not have taken the long way around, even after the security guy (with sarcasm as thick as molasses) told us to take three lefts...someone (who can remain nameless), piped up-NO WAY! there's no way that we'll get there if we take three lefts! that doesn't even make sense! i can see it right there!! so instead of the 3 lefts (which pretty much takes one around the block), we went right a few times and avoided the closed road and after a few jaunts and turns we did  wind around to end up in front of the hotel!

when the reservations were made, we were under the impression that there would be a roll-away bed...when we got there, we asked the bell-boy-man and famous last words, "sure, i'll go check on that and bring it right up..." so we took off, and had dinner, then went down to 'see the world' starting in london, i believe. we ended up in rome or china and played blackjack. then at the slots, i watched as lindsey put in $1 and turned it into 64! woah! and natalie was so funny at the slot machines-she was so excited about them until she realized that she was getting swindled! so she turned around and used her last 20 at the blackjack table and won back everything that she lost!

the sad thing was that as we looked around, there were several people there who really looked like they should have been using that money to pay for milk and bread...

guess what! when we got back to the room, the bed was NOT there! huge bedroom, and they had the audacity to tell us that it was a fire hazard...jerks. so the beds (being queen) were not really big enough to comfortably accommodate all of us, so we called down and they brought up some comforters and we created a pallet on the floor. it was actually fairly comfortable-i should have slept with my head to the other end, though, because the drapes wouldn't close, and there was light streaming in-i don't sleep well with light, and of course, i didn't bring my sleep mask that i don't have...and around 5:30 ish, someone's (cougholivia) alarm went off...perhaps to get ready for school...and it was fitful sleep from there (which was fine, because i would come home to sleep anyway). and thank goodness xochitl did not have car-sickness there or back!

it's always fun just to get out of school and see people outside of the confines of the school building-that's when things get real.

i got to catch up on a couple of movies on thursday, and then on friday i worked with the boys on some laying down and not barking...we're getting better-need more treats!

focus..stay down.

when i came home, i saw that the lawn people had come and they were leaving leaves in bags all over the place...something must be wrong with me, because i didn't think 'awesome, fresh lawn.' no, i thought, 'i need to snag one of those bags for the compost pile at school!' and so i went to get my mail, and as i pulled toward the gate, there were a couple of bags, so i decided to let the two cars behind me pass by so i could nonchalantly heft a bag into the trunk of my car quickly before anyone noticed what i was doing...not like they'd stop me or anything...and trying to be all smooth and what not, i got it over the lip of the trunk, and then it got stuck, so there i was trying to shove-stuff it in there.

yesterday, i saw an ant crawling around in my car...'that's weird...' i thought. it didn't even dawn on me that he'd been hiding in that bag, waiting to make his move...in fact, i would've forgotten all about the bag of leaves had i not opened the trunk yesterday morning when i was hoping to see my cart there, but it was not there-i was slightly disappointed because i couldn't use the bag of leaves to cart my books and such in, now i had to carry them. unless i could get that freakin' ant and his buddies to help me out...

just grab one, everyone's doing it!

but the best part about getting home was that my new long sleeve-t was waiting for me!! bmayes! it is AMAZING!! it's so soft-new favorite! (even though i cannot wear it this summer in tx...unless of course i blast my a/c for that specific purpose...)

not everyone can say they have a moose t-shirt! i absolutely love it!

 on saturday, i was planning on going to a birthday celebration, but i don't know if it was something i ate, or stress, or what, but i was wishing that i hadn't left my immodium ad at school. i was picturing exactly where i left it...

thank goodness, EASTER morning brought good news! celebrating a risen SAVIOR-nothing beats that! and then an EASTER meal...of homemade chips and salsa...

blessed,
julie