Dominoes, Destinations, Duty, and my Killer

There is only one more full work week till OUR vacation!!!!!!!!  The excitement is building, despite having no more plans to make, only events to show up for.  It's a feeling of surrealism that we're (Teh Bear and I, duh) actually taking a vacation, vacation, and doing something new and adventurous for both of us.

How did I celebrate this weekend?

Thursday night Teh Mom came in from NC.  She was going to Baltimore for the weekend, and she figured that stopping to see me wasn't a bad idea.  I agreed.  We hung out on Thurs night till way too late while I told her the story of my mystery pain and it's solution.  On Friday morning, I got up and went to work.  At lunch time she messaged me that she was heading out then called me to ask if I wanted to do lunch.  I agreed.  She said she wanted something "Southern Maryland-y" so I gave her two options of 2 places I hadn't been to yet:  Smokey Joe's (a bbq place) or Blue Wind Cafe (a gourmet sammich place).  She decided on bbq so I met her and drove us to Smokey Joe's.  We decided for "NC bbq" in MD it was actually really good.  After picking up a bbq sammich for my LPO (she needs a Teh Nickname), we left and I brought Teh Mom back to her car.  She headed on her way to Baltimore and I headed back to work.

After work, I came home and succumbed to the desire to take a nap.  It was delightful.  Afterwards, Phil and I went on a walk (since Teh Bear says I need to practice my walking for our Grand Canyon excursion) then it was dinner and dominoes, Mexican Dominoes to be exact, with Teh Humanitarian and Teh Coast Guardian and Teh Korean and Teh Flying Metal Mouth and 1 other friend later that night.  Teh Coast Guardian won Mexican Dominoes with doubles again, actually double doubles, but this time there was no argument if it was a valid play.  Phil and I came home to play on the internet and take a nap.

Saturday at 03, I woke up, got ready, took Phil out for a quick business and fed him half his breakfast, then left to meet my copilot so we could go transport some newly retired greyhounds back to GEGR's greyhound central (GHC).  At 05 we found out that the hauler with the dog was going to be 2 hours late.  We arrived 30 minutes early, despite getting some bad directions about taking an exit that wasn't necessary since we were already going the right direction.  I explained to my copilot that I had taken someone's watch that afternoon and that I needed a nap since the hauler was already late.  Hotel de Phil (the back of Yurtle) is more comfortable than I expected.  I wrapped myself in Phil's comforter and passed out till 0830 when my copilot woke me up to explain that the hauler was going to be even later than they had told us.  It was decided at that point that other people were going to come meet the hauler and that I could go home so I could make it to work on time that afternoon.  I felt like one of the ladies was frustrated with my having to leave, but both my copilot and another man there understood as they were both prior Navy.  As the man said, "I retired and I know that you can not be late to watch."  I agreed with him and apologized for having to leave to everyone and headed back to my car dog-less.  :(

I made it back home and took Phil on a walk and gave him the other half of his breakfast.  I played on the internets and chatted with Teh Bear on Skype until it was time for an afternoon nap before watch.  I made it to watch on time.. And survived watch, then came home, took Phil out, and collapsed in bed exhausted.

Sunday morning when my alarm went off for church, I wasn't ready to get out the bed.  But I couldn't be late!  I formally joined Lexington Park United Methodist Church today.  I've been going there since February, but finally made it official.  Teh Coast Guardian and Teh Humanitarian also came with me to church, which was awesome.  Afterwards, we hit up Linda's Cafe for lunch then the thrift store for me to drop some stuff off, look for another Phil comforter, and for Halloween costumes for Teh Coast Guardian who has decided he wants to be a banana.

After a skype date with Teh Bear, it was nap time again (I love weekends!).  I was, expectedly (yep, just made that word up for you), woken up by Teh Coast Guardian saying that they were going on a hike at St. Mary's River State Park and it was time to go.  After I was ready, we all piled into Yurtle and headed off.  Phil was a little cramp since I had to split Hotel de Phil (aka sit a seat up for a human to sit in), but he survived.

When we arrived at the park, I noticed Yurtle's TWIN in the parking lot!  I was so excited.  It's rare to see Kia Sportages, but it's extremely rare to see them in S. MD since the closest dealership is an hour away.  ANDDDDDDDD, this car was an EXACT twin, it was even twilight blue!  I left a note on their windshield: Awesome car!

There was a snafu during the hike where Phil decided that a fuzzy black dog was for eating after the dog growled at him.  The fuzzy black dog ended up being ok (Thank Allah, I could just see the vacation money pour from my account), and Phil acted like nothing had even happened after it was all over.  The full path around the lake was 7.5 miles, but we prob walked around 2 miles then turned around.  When we got back to the car, there was a note on my windshield:

I'm glad there are still friendly people in the world!

After we arrived back home, I started wings and pizza for dinner and Teh Coast Guardian and Teh Humanitarian came over.  We watched Louis CK: Chewed Up, which Teh Bear showed to me and I think is hilarious.

I also brought my camera with me on our walk!  Proof:

Playing on the fallen tree.

Catch me!  I'm going to jump.  - Teh Coast Guardian.

Phil's thunder thighs.

Can we say gorgeous day?

Pretending to sit on Phil since he's tall enough to be a personal bench.

Look at the camera, Phil!

Phil and I!  Finally a good pic together not taken by me.

Phil walking Gami (her leash was attached to his for about 3 steps, until he stepped on her leash and she abruptly stopped).

Teh Humanitarian and Teh Coast Guardian.

Peeps of fall in S. MD!

It was such a beautiful day!

WINTER IS COMING!

Walking path wide enough for 3 people and 2 dogs.

The lake.  /swoon.

Teh Phil-boy.  He's so handsome.  Even if he tries to eat fluffy black dogs.

Teh Coast Guardian and Teh Humanitarian and Gami-girl.

Teh Megan!

Next time, I won't bring Phil and I'll bring the Nikon.

Hai Mom!!

The lake.

Being artsy

YAY for excellent walks and weather and friends and no crazy vet bills and
vacation coming up and...  so many more things..
YAY to an awesome life!

Up this week:
-Work.  Rah.

Up this weekend:
-packing..  WOoo!
      *to include laundry, making a list of items to not forget anything, rolling everything I pack, digging my boots out of my storage closet, picking out which size suitcase I'm bringing, prepping the car (to include removing back seat headrests, bring the cargo cover in the apt)...  this list just seems to keep growing, I'll stop now.
-Fall Festival at church (crap, I gotta buy some stuff to make a cake!) to potentially include trunk-or-treat
-potential other Halloween activities during the day on Saturday
-relaxation and socialization!
-If my new (brown) chairs arrive (brown because Target no longer offers the black ones to match the ones that I ordered back in December) before Friday, then Mexican Dominoes at Teh Megan's house since we'll have enough seating for everyone at the table.. AND we can actually use the leaf (which means having to unwrap it from the original packaging...)