Spring has come early

P is for...Please make up your mind!

Day 16. Fall fashion

This is West Texas. Our fall lasts about a blink of an eye. For example, it was 90 degrees today. But its getting to that time of year where it's cold in the morning and hot by the afternoon. So a girl has to learn how to dress herself.

I'll be honest, I haven't always been a fan of the scarf. I just didn't feel like I could pull them off very well. I don't know if I felt like they were too large for my petite (as in shorty) frame or what. But they are starting to grow on me. And anything that can be added on for warmth and then easily taken off when it gets too hot is a must around here.

So, scarves and cardigans are my go-to fall fashion picks. Easy to throw on and/or take off, because our weather is so crazy this time of year. You can find both of them in all kinds of patterns and colors, which is fun and you can find something that goes with everything.

Here are two of my current favorites...

This is one of my infinity scarves. As my good friend Jonessa says, infinity scarves are great because you don't have to worry about how to tie them. I got this one at Charming Charlies. You can see my other scarves hanging on my mirror over there. This was Monday, by the way, long sleeves...long pants...close toed shoes..it was cold! The next picture is from today..

I love my little light weight cardigan! This one isn't going to be able to carry me into the end of the year but I have a few other fun cardigans in my closet. They are just so easy to throw on and go. Y'all can see here that I have short sleeve...short pants...and sandals on today..because it was HOT!

Texas is like a woman..first she's hot and then she's cold.

Do you feel that?

Living in west Texas all my life, I'm fairly use to severe weather. It's feast or famine around here...if you want to call severe thunderstorms a feast. Really, around here, any type of wet stuff falling from the sky is enough cause for celebration.

And, over the years, you sort of get a feel for the weather. The weather sirens can go off for many different reasons, but if you pay attention you don't always needs them to know that things are getting serious. For example, a few years ago, we were having a severe thunderstorm. Lots of rain and wind. I think the sirens went off, but Jeremy and I weren't all that concerned. NOT because we are 'just use to it', but because you just learn the feel of a storm. My aunt, who had just moved to town from Oklahoma, had not been here long enough to understand this. In Oklahoma, when the sirens go off, people hunker down no matter what.

Last night, we had some weather move into the area. We kept ourselves busy watching Doctor Who on Netflix, but both of us kept an eye on the living room windows. We could see the storm coming from the North. It was a dark gray off in the distance, and as the sun started to set in the west everything was cast in an eerie orange glow against the backdrop of an angry gray sky. The wind would pick up and have all the trees swishing around and then die down to a deadly calm.

This...this....did not feel right to me. And I knew, without the sirens telling me, that the weather that was coming was bad. Luckily for us, the worst of it stayed to the east of us. We watched the whole thing move from the North to the East and then to the South. What we did get was a lot of wind. And when Lola wanted to go outside, I went with her just to make sure she didn't get blown away. Honestly, the wind didn't feel too bad to me out there. But it still made me very anxious to be outside. I was telling Lola to hurry up and do her business, but I sure am glad that she didn't even get off the concrete of our patio because a downdraft came out of no where and snapped a huge branch off our mesquite tree. Lola and I both jumped out of our skins and hurried inside.

After I hollered for Jeremy, he stepped outside to check the damage and make sure the branch wasn't snagged on any power lines. I watched from the window, safely inside, as he took down our bird feeders and studied the branch and the sky. It was making me way too nervous to have him out there so I finally cracked the back door and called him inside. Again, I was just feeling all kinds of wrong about the weather. It wasn't a normal thunderstorm, at all.

And once everything settled down and the internet connection came back up, I could see that my spidey-senses were right on. A tornado did touch down, however briefly.

What is this wet stuff falling from the sky?

So, it's been raining.

Doesn't really seem like a big deal to most of y'all, I'm sure. But around here that is all anyone has been able to talk about for months. Water. And how we are running out of it. We haven't had a solid rain in months and months. Burn bans have been in place along with very strict watering restrictions.

But for the last two days it has been raining. Non-stop.

The end of our street on Friday evening.

Catching the rain, also Friday evening.

Our backyard today.

I can't knock the rain, since we need it so badly, but it has kept us home bound for the weekend. There isn't anything, short of a hospital visit, that would warrant driving around in flooded streets. So, we've been keeping ourselves busy inside.

That 'S' has been up there for years and years.

Finally getting around to putting up more letters.

Love it!

As always, I'd like to say that even though I don't usually agree with the politics of war and I could never enlist, I am forever thankful for those that can and do and have served our country. Happy Memorial Day.

Life on the home front.

Every morning, when I walk out of the kitchen to the living room to open the curtains, Lola pops her leg up in the air and insists that I give her a belly rub. A morning belly rub to get her through the day. A day full of lolling and sleeping. Her life is so rough.

Summer is coming at us like a fright train, with temps reaching the 100's already. On days like that the ground gets too hot to take the dogs for walks. So we take them on rides instead, which suits Duke just fine...especially when we roll the window down for him.

Jeremy surprised me with roses, chocolates, and Mother's Day cards from him and the fur kids on Saturday. But that wasn't ALL..he also brought me new plants for our front yard. West Texas is in a serious drought. Just about everyone's lawn is brown and dead due to severe water restrictions. Between no water and the extreme heat in the summer and rare freezing temps we have had the last few winters, many of our trees and shrubs have died. So Jeremy spent his day out in the heat, chopping down trees and digging up plants. And planting new, pretty things.

 

On Sunday, we had my mom and Jeremy's parents over the lunch (next time I promise to have dessert, Mom). Dolly was there too, of course. I didn't get a picture, but I painted her nails a silvery-white (she brought me the polish she wanted to use). We also watched one of her favorite movies, currently, 'Dear Dumb Diary'. I swear the songs will be stuck in my head for days. But it was still a cute movie.

I hope you had a fabulous Mother's Day weekend!

Giving Thanks

{1}

I'm thankful for all the rain we've been getting. It brought our Crepe Myrtle back from the dead.

 

{2}

I'm thankful for tattooed husbands that pitch in with a cleaning.

{3}

I'm thankful for being able to spend time with such great dogs.

 

{4}

I'm thankful for a Momma that is always generous with everything.

{5}

I'm thankful for this dude. He's brought a lot of joy into our lives.

 

What I'm Loving..

Link up with Jaime

 

1. I'm loving that I mustered up the nerve to walk across the street to meet my new across the street neighbors. And that they seem very, very nice.

 

2. I'm loving The Story. I'm only two chapters in and I can't say I understand all of it (the Old Testament is hard to relate to), but I find its easier for me to want to keep reading in this format. My sweet cubie gave it to me as a belated birthday present.

 

3. I'm loving being able to help out at our local humane society. I spent two and a half hours today folding and taping mail-out flyers and enjoyed myself. I helped out at the adoption event this last weekend and had a blast promoting the great dogs available for adoption.

 

 

4. I'm loving that there is rain in the forecast. Please Lord let it rain!

 

5. I'm loving that it's ok to let the chores go for one day.

 

6. And I'm loving that I can go to bed as early (or late as I want). Tonight will be an early, early evening because I didn't sleep well last night and I'm worn out. Good night!!

Dear September

Have you been hanging out with August? Because y'all are both scorching hot...and not in a good way. Let me remind you that as much fun as you think August is that you are suppose to be bringing in the fall. I don't care that August has talked up summer time like its going out of style. It IS going out of style. We are all tired of summer. Besides, there will lots of other summers. Right now, it's time for fall. And I'm not even asking for instant fall. I don't need for it to go from hot as hell to fridged cold. Ok? I just need you to tone back on the heat thing. Let's say to a crisp coolness? Doesn't that sound nice?

Really, August is pretty mean. She is SO hot that not even pool days sound good. Not only is she too hot to enjoy being outside she also brings the start of school. That means all the stores are shoving FALL fashion down our throats all of August while August is still 100+.  That isn't fun at all, September. August is a boiling hot hearted bitch. She doesn't care about the people, or animals, or trees, or flowers, or grass. She turns everything in her wake to stiff yellow deadness. No fun, September, NO fun.

So maybe you can be the nicer month. Maybe you can take pity on us humans and bring us some weather that actually makes us want to leave our houses. Think of all the people that would be walking and jogging outside in your glorious fall weather? The families that will reconnect at the end of the day with a nice walk around the block? The dogs that will get daily walks after having to watch the outside world through the the window because the cement was like lava? Think of all the smiles you will see. Instead of the cringes that we put on now when we walk outside, throwing our hands up to shield our eyes from melting out of our heads. We live like vampires, September! VAMPIRES! And I, for one, am tired of it.

Think about it, okay? I have a pumpkin with your name written all over it if you bring the heat back down under 'death ray'.

Thursday Randoms

1. Yoga is hard. And very relaxing at the same time. How is that possible?

2. It's pathetic when the idea of only reaching 89 sounds like heaven. Summer can hit the freakin' road. Worst summer ever.

3. My new flat iron isn't working right. I turn it on..and 30 seconds later it turns itself off. I turn it on again..same thing. I have to push the on button three or four times before it actually stays on and heats up. I wanted a flat iron with automatic turn off, but this was not what I had in mind.

4. I'm in love with our new bedding set. It's soft...and light...and I adore it.

5. I'm working on relaxing (see #1). With all the issues Lola has had this summer with her allergies, I allowed myself to get wrapped up in her and how she is feeling and what she is doing...and why is she scratching..and is her belly red...and why is she tilting her head like that!!!!!!!! I've been working on focusing less on Lola. She is fine. And when she isn't she will let us know...I won't have to guess. When she starts scratching too much or shaking her head..to the point of distracting me...I remove myself from the room. I know this probably seems stupid to a lot of you. She is JUST a dog, right? Yes, you are right. So I have to teach myself to not stress out.

6. I have Ben & Jerry's ice cream for dessert tonight. OOOhhhh...someone is misbehaving.

7. My reading has been a little lack-luster lately. Other than Pamela Clare's books, I've been slightly disappointed in the books I've been picking up lately. Do you have good romance novel suggestions for me?

Friday Letters

Dear blogs that I follow - I am a little jealous because so many of y'all are going through wonderful life changing events right now. Y'all are getting married and having babies and buying houses and starting new careers. I am so happy for y'all. But I'm still jealous.

Dear Sun - Why are you so angry?! Mellow, dude.

Dear Mr. Sandman - Please lay on the sleeping dust extra thick tonight. I am so tired. I need a 'dead to the world' sleep.

Dear Vancouver - I'm coming for you...soon.

Dear Mister - Thank you for sitting at our little dining room table and talking to me about our work days, politics, and romance novels. Your undivided attention and opinions mean so much to me.

Make It Stop!

This wonderful spring weather has brought with it the WORST case of allergies ever to the Just Jinny household. I don't normally even suffer from seasonal allergies and my eyes have been burning on and off for the last two weeks. Jeremy has been doing that 'clearing the back throat' cough/choke.

And the dogs. The dogs are both so itchy. A few weeks ago I mentioned Lola was shaking her head like her ear was bothering her. Turns out she had a sinus infection...from allergies. First time that has ever happened (hopefully the ONLY time..please, God). She has been doing her butt dance/fish flop because she can't reach her back to scratch any other way. And Duke has been chewing on himself...in the middle of the night..which is keeping me awake.

I've been trying to do my part, stepping up the sweeping and vacuuming to keep the dirt and pollen in the house to a minimum. I've been keeping both the dogs on allergy meds (and Duke has never needed them before) and trying to bath them at least once a week with hypo-allergenic shampoo.

*sigh*

It's exhausting. And slightly stressful.

I just wish that whatever is in the air that is bothering ALL of us would just move right along.

So tell me...do your animals suffer from seasonal allergies? How do y'all relieve their symptoms short of taking them to the vet for shots?

Looking for some Zen

On days like today I'm glad that we don't have children. Because on days like today I have a strong urge to get in my car and start driving and go for as far as I can and not look back. On days like today I look at Jeremy and say 'Let's just run away together'...and I'm only half joking.

Work is turning my brain into a useless mass of mush. I was ttthhhiiissss close to tears by the end of today. I had a serious tension headache all up the back of my neck. I wish I could say this is the first time my job has made me cry...but that would be a lie.

Lola started shaking her head over and over and over again this evening. And keeping her head slightly tilted like her ear is bothering her. I've taken a look in both ears but can't see anything that might be bothering her. Not an emergency situation...yet. But after the day I've had I just wanted to come home and relax...and I kind of can't when there might be something wrong with the damn dogs ear.

We had a surprise thunderstorm blow in. It was moving pretty fast so didn't linger..but it had thunder and pretty heavy rain. So Duke is currently shaking and panting, curled in a corner. Which of course has Lola panting.

I just need everyone to calm down for just a second. Including me.

Tuesday Randoms

1. It's freakin' cold outside, y'all! It actually snowed yesterday, for about an hour. It didn't stick..thank goodness. After the great freeze last year, I decided falling snow is pretty...snow that hangs around for more than a day is no fun at all.

2. I'm headed to Dallas this weekend. It's baby shower time for my bestie, Jonessa. I call her baby Jethro even though that's not his name. It's grown on me so I keep using it. The kid is going to be so darn confused. But Jonessa and I are NOTORIOUS for nicknames.

3. I get to see my seester. Who knows what we'll get up to.

4. I have wrapped presents under my tree. It makes me happy. I still have more presents to wrap. That makes me happy too!

5. Jeremy and I bought  a new TV for our "den". We have been using a dinosaur of a tube TV. It works fine but it weighs a TON and we have to keep moving it to change out cables. I kept imagining a broken foot or a hole in my floor if Jeremy ever dropped it. So for Christmas we got a pretty new flat screen that weighs 15 lbs. and a place for all the cords we need.

6. At this very moment I have Harley sitting on one side of me and Lil'Mama sitting on the other. There has been no hissing. Everyone is relatively relaxed. It's progress. Having a new cat in the house has slightly disrupted the vibe in the house...of course. Everything has been fine, but we can tell that we are still a little on edge. It's getting better.

7. The guest room makeover has commenced. The back room has been a lot of different things over the years we've lived here, but recently it's been the 'cat room'. Their food and litter box is back there. But we are getting started on a revamp for a proper guest bedroom. When we moved into this house we tore out the baseboards and door trim to replace it all, and put up crown moulding...in every room except the back room. It was our dumping room and it was never remodeled. So its time to catch that room up with the rest of the house. Hopefully it won't take a lifetime. Of course, I shall keep y'all updated.

Nothing Better Than

• Wearing one of Jeremy's long sleeve shirts while I'm lounging around the house.
• The "big" boss sending an email saying "I agree w/you". I want to print it out and frame it.
• My Boys (the Cowboys..duh) making it work two weeks in a row. Might not be pretty, but we like to play a little down and dirty.
• Walking the dogs at the end of the day and airing our frustrations from the work day. By the time we get back around to the house we are done complaining and can enjoy our evening.
• Seeing all the rain. It might not always be right on top of us, but it's been around. And after so long of being without it..without a HINT of it..even a glimpse of rain is welcome.
• Overtime at work right before the Holiday season. I'll be doing some Christmas shopping very soon.
• The front yard spigot getting fixed...finally {Love you, Honey}. There has been a leak in our spigot for weeks now and it's finally fixed. I can't even describe how happy it makes me to walk up to the front door and see DRY dirt and not a small mud puddle. It's the little things, people.
• My neices and nephew making me feel special. I always try to make them feel special and loved but I'm amazed at how special and loved they make ME feel.

Friday Randoms

1. Overtime is back on at work. 10 hour days are great for the paycheck but put a serious hink in my normal routine. My sister laughs at me, but losing those two hours to work totally derails the rest of my day. They offered voluntary overtime for tomorrow and have already called mandatory overtime for NEXT Saturday, all eight hours.

2. My eating has been totally crappy this week..or at least I feel like it has been. Ice cream, pizza, doughnuts. Not good.

3. I had a dentist appointment (that I scheduled six months ago, for a time that is after my normal work day) which turned a 10 hour day into a 11 hour day.

4. I've worked out once this week.

5. The dogs have been walked once this week.

6. I had some mini-drama earlier this week. I seriously try to avoid drama but sometimes its just not possible. It sucks up so much energy and its stupid.

7. A co-worker complimented me on my new Varana heels {I couldn't wait for winter to wear them}.

SSSSooooo, that was my week in a nut shell. I'm glad its over.

Things I'm looking forward to this weekend:

1. My hair appointment tomorrow morning {Thank you, Lord, for no mandatory OT on Saturday}. I only had my bangs cut two weeks ago so I'm going back for an all over trim. My long ass hair is getting a little crispy on the ends.

2. Birthday celebration for my niece, Maddy J.  I haven't seen her in months so I'm super excited. Plus I get to go shop for a fun birthday present.

3. Possible night out with some friends..maybe...

4. The draft for the only Fantasy Football league I'm playing on is happening Sunday. The Pink Punishers are ready to rumble.

5. No work on Monday.

6. At this very moment, The Weather Channel says the high for Monday is only suppose to be 89. 89! 8-freakin'-9!!

6. S.L.E.E.P

Oh hai!

Sorry for my lack of posting this last week. I did manage to at least post SOMETHING, but I feel like my usual enthusiasm was missing. Getting my new purse was truly the highlight of my week. Other than that it was not so bueno.

1. We had overtime at work. Not much, thank goodness, but enough to slightly throw off the rest of my day and make me feel all discombobulated.

2. It was "hell week" so my emotions were like the worst kind of roller coaster ride. I was up and then I was down. I was laughing, and then I was crying. I was pissed off a lot. I tend to just keep to myself when I'm having all these crazy emotions and thoughts. I know it will pass, so I don't really want to concern anyone with my crazy ranting (although, thanks to my bestie Jonessa for having a three hour phone call with me earlier this week..it really helped).

3. The weather is starting to get to me, people. I feel like I am going stir crazy. I'm tired of looking at the inside of this house. I mean, I LOVE my house, but I so tired of not being able to enjoy my back patio..or take the dogs for more walks..or..or..just standing outside. It's too freakin' hot! Everything is dying, my lawn is yellow, my patio furniture is covered in a fine layer of Texas dust. The wind blows..but it's never a nice cool breeze. OH no, it's like when you open the oven..that kind of 'breeze'. I'm just so very ready for the weather to calm down a little so that I can step outside of this house.

4. Oh yeah, and I was so very tired all week long. Combine the OT, with the gym, with the 'hell week', AND Jeremy was feeling sick, PLUS I couldn't seem to make myself go to bed at a decent hour...made for one very cranky, tired, emotionally drained, stir crazy Jinny.

Hopefully things will be better this coming week. For now, I'm going to the movies..where it's dark, and cold, and not the inside of my house.

Tomorrow is another day

Y'all, it is hot. Not just hot but hhoottttt-ta. My little weather icon is telling me it is currently 102 degrees...at 7:00 in the evening. Oy vey. Weather like this isn't good for anything except for sitting in front of the air vents.

It was even muggy at work today. I felt greasy all day long. I hate that. But I had to be doing better than the husband. He works in a warehouse, with no heating or cooling. Yuck.

To top the day off, Lola came inside licking one of her paws obsessively. After a quick inspection we found that she has a crack on her foot pad. It's not bleeding or anything but I rinsed it off with some warm water and antibacterial soap, dabbed a little ointment on it and TRIED to cover it up with some gentle tape (sticks to itself not to skin or hair). Yeah, that lasted all of two seconds before she had it off. She is on the floor, still licking. I'm trying not to stress out about it. The dogs already have a vet appointment on Thursday for their yearly vaccinations..I can bring it up then if I need to...right?

*breath in, breath out*

Wait a minute...

is that sunshine?

It is! And I even see some grass so I get to keep my sanity (what little of it there is).

Day Three of the Great White-Out

We've barely been out of the house, except for work, over the last three days. The one time we ventured to the store we went into a skid on the ice while coming to a stop. Ack! I don't think, in all the time I have lived here (which has been my entire life), that there has ever been ice/snow on the ground for longer than one day. Every thing is still white and/or icy and the novelty of it has worn off. No one knows how to drive in this mess and it hurts my eyes with all the brighty-whiteness. Ugh!

The dogs are restless because there have been no walks. But poor Lola shivers uncontrollably any time we make them go outside for bathroom breaks. During the store visit..in which we nearly lost our lives *pause for drama*..I looked for a little doggie sweater but the store didn't have any. Which is funny, because they usually do..when they aren't needed. But here I am needing one and they are no where to be found. Go figure.

So, we are hunkered down. Long sleeve shirts, PJ pants, fuzzy socks and slippers are standard issue these days. The curtains are drawn, pillows piled up against the backdoor...to keep the chill out. Coffee is brewing to help keep the warm IN. Every available blanket has been called into duty.

I'm a Texan..I'm not made for this kind of weather!!! If I don't see some green in the next two days I might go insane.

Winter or Spring? How about both!

Yesterday afternoon, 80°F

This afternoon, 25°F