My Dog Loves Peanuts

Well - isn't that the most random title ever? I mean...maybe it's not the most random title, but I feel like as titles go...it's pretty out there. I just realized that I spent more than one (or two or three) nights this past week having peanuts as a snack and sharing a couple with my dog. No one freak out on me - peanuts are okay for dogs in moderation - and he doesn't eat a ton!

I guess I did a little bit more this week than share peanuts with my dog...

Monday morning - seeing red. For all kinds of reasons.

Don't you love my Nationals pride? I'm such a fan of my Nats...I really am. Granted, I don't know if you've noticed (although they've made Yahoo News twice in a week...) but they are in a spiral. I mean, the kind of spiral that involves shame and people asking if they've hit rock bottom. Apparently according to their manager, the answer to that question is "No"...which has me only slightly concerned. We just lost 6 games in a row - are you meaning to tell me it could get worse? When the season started, the Nationals were heavily favored to win the World Series - and now we may not even make it into the play offs - heck, we may not even have a winning season. The Nationals spent this past week on the West coast and none of their games started until 10:10 every night, so I spent the week going to bed praying that we'd do something and waking up to see we'd done something alright - lost. And lost. And then lost some more...

A fair weather fan I am not (read: I also cheer for MSU) - but I sure hope they'll regroup on their day off and start winning again on Tuesday. Fingers crossed. *sigh* Go Nationals!

Late afternoon storms rolling in across the mountains.

I have never seen a little creature love peanuts more than this dog does...

Watson and I were on our own for most of this week and we spent it being pretty lazy. I mean - if you can consider yourself lazy and still get in walking 1.5 to 2 miles a day. I don't know, I still felt pretty lazy. I went to work and Watson held down the home front and all in all the week was just fine. It wasn't anything special and there were some moments here and there that kind of made me want to scream...but I guess if I'm being honest, that's what almost every week is like, right? I will admit that I've become addicted to watching baseball on TV almost every night but with the Nationals on the West coast (as mentioned above) there wasn't any baseball on until late...so I just didn't quite know what to do with myself. I'm sort of an old lady...so I went to bed a lot earlier than usual and got lots of sleep and so that was well and good too. 

I know - don't everybody get too excited all at once.

Passing kisses along to Lindsey - via the phone!

A new Starbucks favorite - Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher

I think I've documented well my love for all things Starbucks - it is truly a lovely place for me and earlier this Summer I made sure to test all the new and different frappucinos that Starbucks had to offer... And then in July I decided I wanted to make a concerted effort to lose weight, get in shape and be all around more healthy and I realized Starbucks was going to seriously cripple those efforts. After a month of cutting myself off completely (that was rough - and I was only two stars from Gold status) I began to peruse the menu on my app and see if there was anything I could get that wouldn't crush me where calories were concerned. I just couldn't see using 300+ calories on something liquid. I stumbled upon Starbucks Refreshers and my happy relationship with Starbucks was restored - they only have 70-90 calories for a 12 ounce drink and they contain green coffee, so I still get some caffeine. I have so far sampled the Very Berry Hibiscus and the Strawberry Acai - both are lovely. I also noticed last week that they'd introduced something called Fizzle(???) and they have an Orange Cream flavor - 80 calories.

You know that hymn that has the line "the Lord has promised good to me.." Yeah - the above is just one of the many good things. I'm not even being funny.

Pink skies on Thursday night...

A selfie for the family in Mississippi - Watson was thrilled to be taking it.

I spent my weekend being somewhat lazy - although I did a walk on Saturday morning that I definitely thought was going to kill me. I didn't walk a long way...but it got much hotter much quicker than I thought and so by the time I got home, I was just praying I didn't puke or pass out on the side of the road...or do both simultaneously... It was no bueno. 

After lunch on Saturday I headed over to Old Navy to look around and happily discovered they had jeans on sale for $12! I was just beside myself about this because; honestly, I live in jeans. I love them and I need all the jeans. I quickly got over that excitement when I realized they didn't have my size...but then a thought occurred to me. What if the next size down might fit? I know...I've only been working out consistently for 7 weeks, but I figured I might as well grab a pair and try, right? Maybe at the most they'd be a little less snug than usual and I'd know I was making some kind of progress. 

I waited until I'd tried on everything else - two smaller than usual tops had fit just fine. I'd tried on one shirt in my normal size and it just swam on me. I was feeling good...feeling confident...and so I grabbed a pair of the jeans. Lo and behold - they slid right on, zipped right up and I just stood there in complete shock, disbelief and a whole lot of unbridled joy that may have caused me to dance around in circles and shed a few tears. It's working y'all - it's totally working! So - I bought two pair. JOY!

Retail therapy for the win!

Watson & Lola at the Arboretum on Saturday. 

I have no idea what kind of plant this might be...neat looking though, right?

Later on Saturday, my friend Katie and her dog Lola met up with Watson and I to go to the Arboretum. I was apprehensive at best about how this would all play out - Watson is generally not so friendly toward others of his kind. He likes to be the top dog...the only dog really...and doesn't normally have time for anyone else. Surprisingly, he did pretty fine. I guess. He only snapped at Lola one time (gave me a heart attack - thankfully Katie isn't a spazz like me) and the rest of the adventure, he was pleasant and kind and not a little 18 pound sack of bad mood. Because trust me - normally when another dog is involved, that's exactly what he is. An 18 pound sack of bad mood, disguised as a completely cute and lovable pup. He's good at disguises...

Silly pups, plants & a water spigot - all makings of a Saturday afternoon outdoors.

A quick drive by Long Branch on Saturday evening...

Dreams really do come true!

Sunday I was able to visit a church in the area - because you see, I'm on that journey of fun called "searching for a church" and that's always filled with the goodness. Will people be welcoming or will I be made to feel like some awkward social outcast? Will the service be something I'm cool with or will it seem really...odd? And let's not forget the preacher, because that's pretty important too. I'm pleased to say I really enjoyed this church and so I think I'll return next week to continue the series that the preacher started yesterday - maybe a few weeks will give me an idea of whether I could see myself there long term. Only time will tell. I had lunch after church with a sweet friend named Margaret who is a wise and Godly woman and whether she knows it or not, also a huge source of encouragement. I guess being so social and whatnot on Sunday afternoon just wore me out, because I was a bum on Sunday afternoon...ha!

I turn around...& there he is! Little creeper!

When recliners attack!

I suppose the danger of being a bum is being injured by the thing you love and enjoy being a bum in most... I (stupidly) tried to slide into the chair on Sunday afternoon and in the process allowed my leg to slide against the arm of the chair. It all seems like it should be fine, right? Nope! There is some weird something on that chair that is sticking out ever so slightly and I guess it was offended by my lazy slide into the chair, so it reached out and drug itself along the curve of my leg and poked a few holes in me. It HURT. I may have yelped a little louder than necessary and caused Watson to look up like I'd lost my mind. Sorry dog - you're experiencing an episode of "When Recliners Attack" in your own living room. 

Once I'd recovered from that, I had to go to Wal-Mart...and that was almost as traumatic as being stabbed by a recliner. So naturally, I needed some Starbucks to sustain me. Ha-ha! Man I'm glad to have Starbucks back in my life! And I cannot wait till that shiny gold card arrives - life goals - you should have them!

Ending the week with...more Starbucks.