Under The Tuscan {Floridia} sun

Do you remember that wonderful movie Under the Tuscan Sun?
Well, I am about to reenact it right in my back yard.
Ok, minus the devastatingly handsome, barely English speaking Italian who lives to fulfill my every need.
And by every need, I am referring to house chores.
::::
Lolo's closest friend is getting married on June 22nd. I know. Lets not go there today.
Anyhoo she is doing a very small, family, country type wedding.
Picture mason jars, cowboy boots, burlap and sunflowers. {We are NOT hosting this event}

Since my garden was winding down (too hot!) Lo and I planted 8 packets of various sunflowers.

We are not sure if they will bloom in time....I asked if we could postpone the wedding for a few weeks to wait for the flowers. I was told no. 

rude. 

 We planted them on May 2nd, and by May 9th they were already showing themselves to be speedy growers. 

Are they speedy enough?

 This morning.

 Still. I don't think we will have home grown sunflowers for the wedding day. 

 But Suz will have her own field of sunflowers shortly thereafter. 

 If the birds don't get them first. 

 Good thing I love sunflowers!

XOXO

22

If you think I'm going to share Taylor Swift's new song '22' with you....I'm not.
But it is catchy, like a bad-cold catchy.

Hidey Ho neighbor!
Whats happening in your 'hood?
The Coach and I celebrated 22 years of marriage this weekend. I know. I can't believe he hasn't fled the country by now either.
If he only knew the location of our safety deposit box, then that passport could be all his.
{The upside to ME being the ONLY one who knows where anything is....if only he moved that jar of mayo, he could be free!}

We spent a low key weekend at home....and that suits me just fine. We got quite a few chores done as well as some needed R & R.

I shared this before/after photo on face book....22 years of steadily kicking the azz of those negative marriage statistics.
The after photo was from our Costa Rica trip last summer. Just seeing this picture makes me just want to sob.  Whennn cannn I goooo bacckkk?????
Yeah, I'm a baby like that.

I thought about sharing with you the poem Coach wrote me, but I don't want to be responsible for any wives who decided shank their non-poem writing husbands.
It's that good.

So, how was your weekend? Low on the sobbing and high on the R & R'ing?

Woot Woot, it's already TUESDAY people!

XOXO

Having a Cow

Santa brought Cocoa a cow for Christmas.

She is in the deepest of depths of love with this cow. Whenever we come home, she grabs her cow and heads to the door to greet us. She also does her best impression of a kidney bean while holding her cow; tis she is a boxer.

Can you imagine what I say to her every.single.time?

Me: "Ohhhhh Cocoa, DON'T HAVE A COW!"

And she laughs and says "oh Mama, you are so silly, you know I love this cow."

We do this over and over, day after day.

Eventually, the Cow's life will end and he will go to the big toy box in the sky.

But until that time, Cocoa and I will keep up our cow conversation.

I walked past the front door yesterday and noticed the cow....I swear he is looking out the front door. Perhaps he longs for a pasture made of grass and not marble?

Nahhhhh.

That is all.
You are welcome for my brightening of your day with all this useful information.


XO

This I know. I also know that other thing.

I know it's been a week of this.

No, not just cupcakes and wine.

A sink seeing more action than usual. Our dishwasher kicked the bucket on Sunday.
{RIP you big shiny magic box of goodness}

Although, Linds did have to bake 85 cupcakes for school last night....which also coincided with her coming down with the runniest of noses. I predict 85 more runny noses today. She did not drink the wine. That was all my doing for it is my job.

Anyhoos. I know I love my appliances.

I think my fridge is at the top of my love list, with my clothes washer being a close second....and third? The big shiny box of dish washing goodness.

I really didn't complain. We knew it was coming. One little thing after another for the last 2 years was going....giving us little signals.

*The display going out. (I know appliance braille so it worked out)
*The door not locking (It's ok if you know just how hard to shove the door closed)
*The thing starting up on a whim. (It's ok when you are home and can turn it off & towel off the floor)

The Coach is replacing it on Saturday morning.

And can you believe I never complained about NOT having a dishwasher this week?
Ok, there was that one moment......I know I loathe stuff being on the counter. Clutter freak who?

I've been keeping up with what I use. The girls kinda keep up with what they use and the Coach has taken care of the rest.
Yeah.
I know I'm lucky.

Because I ALSO know that dishpan hands don't look good on me.

I also know that my electrician was here last night and I need a new gang box. But who doesn't?
And this morning....my plumber told me the flange on my toilet is too low. Geeze, rude much?

I know it is expensive to keep a house in running order. No one told me this when I was a kid and I was ACTUALLY playing HOUSE. Not as fun when you have to dish out $$.

You know I'll be kissing my new dishwasher come Saturday morning. And then I'll be cleaning the Burt's Bee's lipgloss off of it swiftly....'cause I know I can't be having dirty appliances.

I know you are all going to have a good weekend. Right?
Kiss the things you love the most.....the people, the pets and that big thing in the kitchen keeping your goodies from giving you salmonella.
Then swiftly clean it off in my honor.

XOXO