Monday, June 2, 2014

a particularly perfect weekend.

The weekend was summery perfection. It makes returning to work this morning particularly unappealing. But I have new lipstick, so that helps a little.

Not shockingly, I spent as much time as possible piddling around in my yard and flower beds.


Saturday morning's harvest that went directly into our bellies at breakfast. Aren't the golden tomatoes fun? I've never grown them before, but I was wooed by the fact that they're ready for harvest like two weeks earlier than my usual red varieties...and so they are! They taste yummy, too, and also their plants grow totally differently than what I'm used to, so it's been fun getting to watch them grow! And eat them, of course. Duh.


Dahlias DO NOT PLAY when it comes to being fabulous. I can't believe this is my first year planting them. Next year I'm going to plant like...a dozen.


We finally have enough variety in what's blooming to make some fun mixed bouquets!! Now the inside of my house looks happy, too!

On Sunday we dug up and replaced all of the pansies in the front bed with summer annuals (vinca). That meant Matt dug 72 holes and I filled them with 72 little plants. It wasn't really the afternoon of my lower back's dreams, but it needed to be done. And now our front bed looks way less depressing. Dozens of rotting pansies weren't really doing much for my front yard feng shui. I'll take pictures once the plants look a little less HI, I'M NEW HERE!!! 

Back to Saturday. After a morning in the yard, we did the Good Grownup Thing and went to the gym. Now that the college kids are (mostly) gone for the summer, the gym is gloriously empty and devoid of people doing annoying things. Also I can take pictures in the mirrors in the Ab Room without people seeing me and judging me.


Don't worry. Matt isn't napping. We'd just finished doing a lot of really painful planks. Promise.

After the gym, we spent a few hours recovering in and by the pool. That is perfection. If only every workout could be followed with a sunny and lazy afternoon at the pool.


Saturday night was Book Club!! In the last four months, Book Club has quickly become one of my favorite things to look forward to each month. This week we discussed The Rosie Project, which was universally loved. This month we're heading back to our young adult roots and reading The Program, which I'm really excited about!

I spent the wee hours of Saturday night/Sunday morning and late Sunday afternoon starting and finishing The Fault in our Stars. I know. It's embarrassing that I'm only now reading it, but better late than never, right? (says the girl who still hasn't attempted Harry Potter....) It was fabulous and heartbreaking. And now I am prepared to go see the movie with all of the other adults-who-love-YA-books.

That's pretty much it. Oh, I also spent a lot of time oooooohing and awwwwwing over pictures of my newest baby niece! She was born on Thursday and obviously is the cutest thing ever (I mean, equal to my other niece and nephew, of course). Now I just need a free weekend so that I can go meet her in person.

Yall watching The Bachelorette this season? I know I haven't talked about it much, but I'm faithfully watching! To be honest, I followed Reality Steve all through the 'off-season' (while they were actually filming), so I've been spoiled from the beginning. So all of my thoughts about things are tainted with knowing what happens, hence the radio silence. But I'm still enjoying the season and am SUPER GLAD that Bradley the Super Obnoxious Attention-Seeking Opera Singer is gone. Also I discovered that Sharleen, my favorite contestant from JP's season (and possibly favorite person on earth ever) has a new blog!! She does episode recaps (in addition to other stuff) and as you would suspect, they're thoughtful, insightful, and grammatically correct. In conclusion, I love Sharleen. So if you're a Bachelor(ette) fan, you should check that out.

Have a happy Monday!

22 comments:

  1. I planted my first seeds this weekend- some sunflowers! And it was HARD WORK. I used to dream of a beautiful flower garden, but after all that work, I'm gonna just keep buying flowers! ha! And hope that my sunflowers grow! The Fault in our Stars is next on my reading list (after I finish the 3rd Maze Runner book). Yay for YA books.

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  2. I'm still in awe that you grow raspberries!

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  3. Well, now having read the synopsis of The Fault in Our Stars, I may have to put my current read on hold for this one. Don't feel bad for just now reading it--I'm just now learning about it and didn't even realize there was a movie coming out. So whatever rock you may be living under, I assure you my boulder is bigger. I am so out of touch. Also, your weekend sounds lovely and I love seeing all of the pictures from your garden!

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  4. How much are you charging for that bouquet and mason jar?!? So pretty :)

    After seeing your tweet it made me want to read it again so I started last night and went past my bedtime!

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  5. Mmmm those tomatoes look so good! I'm so excited to plant some for next year!

    I'm watching the Bachelorette for this first time in several years, only because Aaron Murray's brother is on it. If I wasn't rooting for him, this week's 2 part, 4 hour episode would have put me over the edge. I haven't watched yesterday's yet, but 4 hours is just ridiculous. These Bachelor people are becoming too big for their britches.

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    1. Sloan, why don't I have your email address??! Yeah- 4 hours is too much. But if it helps any, supposedly the reason they did it is that there WON'T be an episode next week (due to some live something or scheduling conflict or something I can't remember) and they needed to still have the season finish by a certain date...so they had to double up a week. Maybe that helps. ;)

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  6. I listened to The Rosie Project on CD, and the narrator's Australian accent made a delightful book even better.

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  7. Ohhh!!! That is awesome! That would totally make it even more enjoyable!

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  8. When we lived on campus at the University of Utah, my favorite times of year were summer and Christmas break because it meant an empty gym, minimal traffic, and parking spots galore! Also, did you go to bed with "I'll Make Love to You" stuck in your head last night like I did?

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  9. I am jealous that dahlias are perennial where you live. (Apparently they're kind of primadonnas about the subzero temperatures we "enjoy" over winter.) Your fruit looks fabulous, too--strawberries are starting to come in here, but the other berries are either flowers or green right now. I will have to look up your latest Y.A. lit recommendation--the second book in The Giver series finally arrived at our library, and we're picking it up this week!

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  10. Your flowers are glorious!!! I'm green and many shades of pink with envy while I wait for mine to bloom!
    Finally you're reading/read a book I also read. Being a pediatric hematology/oncology nurse made The Fault in our Stars a must read for me. I didn't cry as much as most...does that make me a jerk or aware of the outcome?!

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  11. i always read realitys steve's spoilers but still love watching along! i actually really like andi. finally a smart girl! who asks important questions!

    i so wish we didn't live in a condo so i could have a garden, so pretty and yummy!

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  12. You could totally open your own flower shop!! I'll be the first to place a flower delivery order, so so beautiful!!

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  13. My favorite part about your weekend is the pool lounging :) And THANK YOU for the heads up on Sharleen's blog! Woohoo!

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  14. Glad you had such a fun-filled weekend and I'm way impressed that you read books so quickly considering I am STILL working on a very short, light read book that I got for Christmas :)

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  15. Although I love the flowers and fruits/veggies, my fave pic is THE POOL! You know that is my favorite thing EVERRRRRR - Glorious!!

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  16. I read The Program - can't wait to hear your thoughts on it. I also loved Fault in Our Stars. I'm a book nerd and YA is the genre of choice this year! :) Looks like it was a great weekend at your house! My very black thumb gives your green thumb an envious look!

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  17. Yellow tomatoes are my fave! They were on sale at Walmart Saturday so I could afford to buy two cartons! Best day ever! They're so yummy in guacamole! And less acidic so I can eat more! I also have some planted in my balcony jungle. I'm pretty sure my apartment complex might evict me for the amount of plants I have going on out there. Or the balcony might just fall right off.

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  18. Yay for book club! I am going to have to read that book. And you're not the only one who hasn't read "the fault in our stars". Or Harry Potter for that matter! (I actually did attempt it, and... don't tell anyone... i wasn't a fan. No desire to keep reading. I know i am the only one!)

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  19. I have been reading The Rosie Project, based on your recommendation from another post and really enjoying it! (Although I'm not that far into it yet.)

    I also own those purple Brooks running shoes and wear them often. So to sum up my comment, we are basically twinsies. Woohoo!

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  20. I read The Fault in Our Stars last weekend (I had been stalling, knowing it would be sad) after finishing The Rosie Project not long before. Both are great! I am probably the only other person alive who hasn't read Harry Potter. Red Rising is next on my reading queue(sp?) but I'm dragging my feet to get started like I did with Hunger Games and Divergent. Thanks for the heads up on Sharleen's blog! Have you ever read www.ihategreenbeans.com for her Bachelor recaps? She's my favorite.

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  21. I hope this weekend is just as perfect as last weekend. Any weekend I get to spend significant time in my yard is a good weekend!!!

    I'm so envious that your garden is about two months ahead of mine. I want golden tomatoes and mixed flower bouquets.

    I hope you get to meet your new niece soon -- like maybe this weekend?!?!

    I am currently sitting in the sun in our backyard, catching up on my blog reading, and drinking a Coke so, except for my neighbour's noisy lawnmower, this is turning out to be a particularly perfect weekend as well! Yay!

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