long weekend is long
Hope everyone in the States had a happy and safe holiday weekend and everyone else had one too, even if it was normal length!
So, Thursday night I went out to my parents' and hung out with my brother and nephew talking books (nephew reads pretty much every dystopian YA series out there) and blowing shit up. My nephew is nearly thirteen. My brother is forty five going on thirteen. Their idea of fun is setting off a tank or something, then stuffing it full of firecrackers and blowing it up.
Fourth of July was soccer, dozing, reading fanfic, buying some more fireworks (I like the pretties; though there were very few small cones/fountains being sold or maybe they were just sold out) then heading back out there. We blew more shit up, brother fished some. Had ribs, traditional cookout food for dinner. Sister-in-law's parents joined us for the festivities. Once it got dark we started lighting the pretty stuff, and watching through the trees the huge display (several thousand dollars I'm guessing) a nearby culdesac does every year). Then we had dessert. Sis-in-law's mom made banana pudding (my dad's favorite) and this eclair cake which was to die for.
I finally got home around 11:15 after more chatting and dropping off sis-in-law at her parents', and watched the Royals I'd taped earlier beat Minnesota. Despite the city's ban on fireworks, there were definitely some going off in the city limits (also I found the head of a rocket at my mailbox and while I live only six blocks from the county line, I doubt it flew that far!)
Saturday started bright and early with market for the first time since pre-vacation. I bought a yummy cinnamon roll and also a bunch of berries to freeze for bread throughout the winter. Went home and ate said cinnamon roll then mom came back and we went to the antique stores in N. Lawrence since one was going out of business. Didn't find anything but I want to buy a black dining room table with maybe mismatched chairs so I'm going to go back about once a month to look. It's just all so damn cheap!
Le Tour started so I watched that (and napped). Three days in England. It was neat to see places I've been. The official start/blessing was at Harewood House which was designed and decorated by Robert Adam, my favorite neo-classical architect. Prince William and Harry and Kate were there. Sadly the day ended with a crash that took out Britain's great sprinter, Mark Cavendish.
Saturday afternoon I went out to church to meet my pianist for Nature Boy. I'd listened to various singers on youtube and was a bit worried because they scat and improvise and don't exactly sing to the music and none of them had the exact notes/range I had but we worked it up and it went really well. She's not my normal pianist who's having health problems, but I've worked with her before and she's really good and easy to work with.
I made my great aunt's chicken and rice casserole. Last time I used cheap generic soups (cream of mushroom, chicken and celery) and it wasn't very good. This time I used Campbell's healthy versions that have less salt and also used salt free butter as well as leaving the chicken breasts whole so they didn't dry out. So much better.
On Sunday, dad and I took nephew to an early showing of "Edge of Tomorrow". Dad's been wanting to see it since he saw previews last Winter but it came out right after we left for vacay so we figured it wouldn't be here still, but it was. Nephew hadn't seen it yet either. While we're not big Tom Cruise fans it was a fun scifi movie with some humor (with the groundhog day kind of stuff) and lots of action. And I always love watching Bill Paxton. But, OMG, a small popcorn is now $6.00??????
Then I watched Le Tour day two, nine small hills in Yorkshire! And actually uploaded fics to AO3, then actually wrote something! Am working on something else too. Royals lost again. :P Then I rewatched the second ep of Teen Wolf from this season. Oh, my brother and sister-in-law are planning to marathon all three seasons while on their African safari next month!
Yes, you heard that right. African safari. And not the cheap sleeping in tents kind. Ridiculous. When we were kids, our only real summer vacation besides going to our grandparents' was the summer we went to visit my uncle in Texas. My brother literally has more money than he knows what to do with. And they're starting off at a fancy resort in Dubai (which my sis-in-law is not thrilled about due to 1) heat, 2) terrorism, 3) having to cover her skin from head to toe).
Speaking of heat, while it was weirdly cool on the 4th (like 82 degrees) it's now in the 90s and humid. Ick.
On a couple personal notes: I think the steroids are working; I'm feeling a bit more energy and some of the physical symptoms seem to be diminishing. Bad note: I'm hungry a lot which my sis-in-law (who has had this) said would happen on the steroids :P. Also I got my not bill from the hospital (which may not include the actual doctor) and it was $7000!!!! Pending insurance which better damn well cover most/all of it less the remainder of my deductible. I had no clue what the cost would be. The histology of the specimens alone was $1100. Ridiculous. I was there for under three hours, a good hour and fifteen minutes of it sitting around waiting. I'm surprised they didn't charge mom for taking up space in the waiting room.
But if all this works and I get back to normal, I guess it's worth it.
Teen Wolf tonight. Eeeeeeeeee
Also, Le Tour and Royals and 24 and....I'm so behind. Le Tour always does this to me, though once we're out of England and in the flats of France, I tend to fast forward through a lot of that unless something exciting happens like a breakaway that stays away or a crash. The mountains are much more interesting (and England, though I'll probably fast forward through some of today's since it's Cambridge to London--pretty flat.)
So, Thursday night I went out to my parents' and hung out with my brother and nephew talking books (nephew reads pretty much every dystopian YA series out there) and blowing shit up. My nephew is nearly thirteen. My brother is forty five going on thirteen. Their idea of fun is setting off a tank or something, then stuffing it full of firecrackers and blowing it up.
Fourth of July was soccer, dozing, reading fanfic, buying some more fireworks (I like the pretties; though there were very few small cones/fountains being sold or maybe they were just sold out) then heading back out there. We blew more shit up, brother fished some. Had ribs, traditional cookout food for dinner. Sister-in-law's parents joined us for the festivities. Once it got dark we started lighting the pretty stuff, and watching through the trees the huge display (several thousand dollars I'm guessing) a nearby culdesac does every year). Then we had dessert. Sis-in-law's mom made banana pudding (my dad's favorite) and this eclair cake which was to die for.
I finally got home around 11:15 after more chatting and dropping off sis-in-law at her parents', and watched the Royals I'd taped earlier beat Minnesota. Despite the city's ban on fireworks, there were definitely some going off in the city limits (also I found the head of a rocket at my mailbox and while I live only six blocks from the county line, I doubt it flew that far!)
Saturday started bright and early with market for the first time since pre-vacation. I bought a yummy cinnamon roll and also a bunch of berries to freeze for bread throughout the winter. Went home and ate said cinnamon roll then mom came back and we went to the antique stores in N. Lawrence since one was going out of business. Didn't find anything but I want to buy a black dining room table with maybe mismatched chairs so I'm going to go back about once a month to look. It's just all so damn cheap!
Le Tour started so I watched that (and napped). Three days in England. It was neat to see places I've been. The official start/blessing was at Harewood House which was designed and decorated by Robert Adam, my favorite neo-classical architect. Prince William and Harry and Kate were there. Sadly the day ended with a crash that took out Britain's great sprinter, Mark Cavendish.
Saturday afternoon I went out to church to meet my pianist for Nature Boy. I'd listened to various singers on youtube and was a bit worried because they scat and improvise and don't exactly sing to the music and none of them had the exact notes/range I had but we worked it up and it went really well. She's not my normal pianist who's having health problems, but I've worked with her before and she's really good and easy to work with.
I made my great aunt's chicken and rice casserole. Last time I used cheap generic soups (cream of mushroom, chicken and celery) and it wasn't very good. This time I used Campbell's healthy versions that have less salt and also used salt free butter as well as leaving the chicken breasts whole so they didn't dry out. So much better.
On Sunday, dad and I took nephew to an early showing of "Edge of Tomorrow". Dad's been wanting to see it since he saw previews last Winter but it came out right after we left for vacay so we figured it wouldn't be here still, but it was. Nephew hadn't seen it yet either. While we're not big Tom Cruise fans it was a fun scifi movie with some humor (with the groundhog day kind of stuff) and lots of action. And I always love watching Bill Paxton. But, OMG, a small popcorn is now $6.00??????
Then I watched Le Tour day two, nine small hills in Yorkshire! And actually uploaded fics to AO3, then actually wrote something! Am working on something else too. Royals lost again. :P Then I rewatched the second ep of Teen Wolf from this season. Oh, my brother and sister-in-law are planning to marathon all three seasons while on their African safari next month!
Yes, you heard that right. African safari. And not the cheap sleeping in tents kind. Ridiculous. When we were kids, our only real summer vacation besides going to our grandparents' was the summer we went to visit my uncle in Texas. My brother literally has more money than he knows what to do with. And they're starting off at a fancy resort in Dubai (which my sis-in-law is not thrilled about due to 1) heat, 2) terrorism, 3) having to cover her skin from head to toe).
Speaking of heat, while it was weirdly cool on the 4th (like 82 degrees) it's now in the 90s and humid. Ick.
On a couple personal notes: I think the steroids are working; I'm feeling a bit more energy and some of the physical symptoms seem to be diminishing. Bad note: I'm hungry a lot which my sis-in-law (who has had this) said would happen on the steroids :P. Also I got my not bill from the hospital (which may not include the actual doctor) and it was $7000!!!! Pending insurance which better damn well cover most/all of it less the remainder of my deductible. I had no clue what the cost would be. The histology of the specimens alone was $1100. Ridiculous. I was there for under three hours, a good hour and fifteen minutes of it sitting around waiting. I'm surprised they didn't charge mom for taking up space in the waiting room.
But if all this works and I get back to normal, I guess it's worth it.
Teen Wolf tonight. Eeeeeeeeee
Also, Le Tour and Royals and 24 and....I'm so behind. Le Tour always does this to me, though once we're out of England and in the flats of France, I tend to fast forward through a lot of that unless something exciting happens like a breakaway that stays away or a crash. The mountains are much more interesting (and England, though I'll probably fast forward through some of today's since it's Cambridge to London--pretty flat.)