Seven Hundred

My blogging website tells me this post will be number seven hundred - I can't believe I've posted that many times! I can't believe this little blog that I started way back in 2010 after I graduated from college has lasted this long...

I often question why I blog and who I do it for. There are days when I get bogged down by the fact that it seems like very few people care what I have to say...no one comments on my posts...I wonder if people think my life is perhaps too small to care. However, when I look back on the posts that I've written and I'm able to see how my life has changed...how I've changed...it reminds me that I blog mostly for me. 

Writing is an outlet and even if there are days when I feel like what I post are just bemused ramblings and oh so many pictures of my dog - I like my bemused ramblings. I love my pictures of my dog. Maybe you do too and I just don't know it. Either way - it's fine by me. Seven hundred posts worth of fine.

My long-legged, much loved dog.

Raindrops on...roses?

Would you be surprised if I told you that I didn't do much last week? Listen - you've seen ALL the things I did the weekend prior. If a weekend in DC, exploring National Harbor, (slowly) walking a 5K in blistering heat, attending two Nationals games (yes!) and touring around DC on a motorized car thingy....isn't an excuse to have a lazy week, I don't know what is. I'm kidding. Kind of. I could spend all the weekends in DC and probably be perfectly content - but that's just me.

Storm clouds banking on the drive home on Tuesday...

Wednesday evening thunderclouds.

Watson and I were on our own from Thursday on - and we often like that. Well, I like it...sometimes I think Watson is like "why am I stuck with only you to amuse me?" That and the fact that my Dad is pretty much his favorite person on the planet (followed in short succession by my Mom and my sister...I might be fourth, ha!) and he gets despondent when they are gone. I try to vary his days when they are gone so he doesn't just end up at the house, hanging out in this crate. That meant, this past week that he went to work with me on Thursday and Friday. He quite enjoys being the office mascot and enjoys even more that he gets to beggar bites of food from not just one but four people... My dog - he has priorities.

Hi. Could you please put that book down & amuse me?

Thursday night skies...

On Friday we were able to get out of the office two hours earlier than usual and it wasn't even 3:30 when I got home... This made me feel really industrious about my exercise skills and so instead of being on the elliptical thirty minutes, I went for the full hour. My legs felt a little bit like jelly when I was done but I had a pretty strong feeling of accomplishment! There was also something really grand about having gotten in an hour of exercise, taken a shower and being ready to just "chill out" on a Friday night...all by about 6:30. Not a thing wrong with that at all. I mostly watched Nationals baseball on Friday night; the end of the game gave me a bit of heart failure but they went on to win the game and after reading some, I went on to bed. Ha!

Beast Mode - Party of Natalie

I can't see where to drive this thing...

Saturday's main theme was packing - what a thrill, right? I actually started the morning in bum mode; which I think is a fine way to start any Saturday, and I just sat in the recliner drinking coffee and watching Outlander. I had something of an Outlander marathon for myself this weekend...on Saturday it was interspersed with a Target run, some time on the elliptical, packing, walking the dog here, there and everywhere, and of course...cooking up some lovely supper! 

The Target run was a spur of the moment thing. I realized that the things I had left that needed to be packed would probably be better served in a storage container and with one of those, I could use it again and again...long after this (and other) move(s). Target pulled me into it's web a bit though; as it always does, they had so many things on sale for buy one/get one 50% off. My Autumn loving self couldn't help but snag a really cute patterned fall cardigan...and I grabbed a more lightweight one in black and white...since they were buy one/get one. The main purpose though...was the storage container. And I made it out of the store with just the cardigans and the storage container. On Saturday at least. Ha!

When you don't want to eat your treat...but you don't want to leave it behind...

Please share your food with me...please....

I woke up on Sunday feeling not my grandest...so I snuggled down in the recliner and after some coffee and medicine, shortly after lunch I started to feel less crummy. I got in a little more packing and a wee bit more shopping...you see...I'd found a pair of booties at Target on Saturday that I kind of loved. The shoes were also buy one/get one...but I just couldn't justify buying two pair of shoes. My Mom would (will...maybe...) tell you I don't need shoes. But they were the perfect suede booties in a camel color that laced up and I could picture the outfits I'd wear them with in my head...

I went back to Target later in the afternoon and while the shoes weren't buy one/get one anymore...I did grab the shoes. They are comfortable, provide me with some height, will go so great with jeans and well...I mean; like I said...I can see all the outfits in my head! After the Target run, I popped back into the house and picked up my pup for a trip over the the Virginia State Arboretum. I'd have to say it's one of Watson's favorite places in all the world.

Sunday afternoon skies....

Rain drops on the branches...

The perfect shade of pink!

After spending about an hour wandering the grounds of the Arboretum and sniffing every nook and cranny of each tree, shrub, rock and bloom...we headed back home for supper and some (more) relaxation before another week started in full. I finished my Outlander marathon, Watson and I walked around outside and watched some squirrels on the deck...and before long, the weekend had come to a close once more.

So...this is number seven hundred.. I wonder how long it will take me to write another seven hundred?

Taking in life from every angle...