Alright blog, I have about 45 minutes to burn before I leave to take Bear Schnubs to get groomed, so hows about we catch up on all my Instagram photos, hmmmm? Let’s do this thing!

Betta fish deja vu? I rescued another Betta from another job. My boss “donated” him from her personal stash of Betta fish at home. I dubbed him “Angus” and slowly over the course of a couple of weeks he turned from dark red to sort of a mottled grey, so I asked my boss if I could take him home. She said sure, and immediately brought in another Betta fish the following day. 

You might recall in October 2006 (thanks Flickr I never would have remembered that date!) I rescued “Seymour” from a previous job. He looked like this when I rescued him:

Here he is a year later, still alive and kickin’ and colorful and happy. I’m hoping the same thing will happen with poor little Angus.

Last shellac: neon coral. After two weekends in a row of camping my nails were wrecked. I had some trouble removing the shellac and now my nails are sad little nubs. That aside I still have a Broad Date tomorrow to get them re-shellacked. Ahem.

The beauty room has the best view of sunsets at night. I really enjoyed tracking Venus and Jupiter around last month…I’m only sorry I missed the Northern Lights.

Prettiest gum balls ever–opalescent green. Wedding favors from Chris and Hayley’s wedding.

 

I always feel like

Some dogs are watching meeeeee!

Josh informed me that this picture “wasn’t worth posting on Instagram”, but since when do I listen to him?

Speaking of Joshy, he had a bright red nose for about 5 days in a row, including all through our camping trip last weekend. I consulted Dr. Google and Dr. Google said it was most likely cellulitis, and would require a doctor visit and some antibiotics to clear up. Josh sniffed at Dr. Google and asked an assortment of co-workers for their opinions instead, with ranging diagnoses. FINALLY on Tuesday I wore him down with enough nagging and he went to a walk-in clinic and what do you think it was? Cellulitis. Most of the time Dr. Google is full of shit but occasionally…

New paint markers, finally. My goal was to list the rainbow mandala on Etsy this weekend but so far today it’s been too overcast to take proper photos of it outside. Not complaining! I took the dogs for a walk and the mid-60’s temperature felt like heavennnnnnnn.

Sweating and smiling at the dog park near our house. We walked over there this morning and there were several black charred spots on the yellow grass. We haven’t been to this park in a while as it has been WAY TOO HOT and there is no shade, so this was the first time I had seen the burns. I ran into my ex-fireman neighbor on the way home and told him about the damage, and he shrugged and said it was probably dumb kids and their fireworks. Fireworks, duh! I had forgotten about last weekend, as we were up in the mountains in blissful firework-free silence.

Requisite trashy summer read, although not NEARLY as dishy as I expected, unfortunately.

Awwwww, it’s me and little Stew.

Maggie and Bear Cub cooling off at a new park.

I have been occasionally known to judge library books by their covers, but it this case “Area X” turned out to be a fascinating gamble. I read it, loved it, recommended it to everyone, and then bought it so I can re-read it a few more times and loan it to my mother. Check it out if you’re into mildly sci-fi-ish thrillers.

Current mandala plus some new metallic Sharpies that I am really excited about. Most of what I plan on doing this weekend revolves around working on this mandala.

Gorgeous “balloon” flowers in our front yard, named for the way the petals are shaped before they bloom open. I didn’t even saturate this photo, the colors are really that bright!

Oh Lord. This was the day I lost Bear Cub at the park for a good 15 or 20 minutes (felt like an eternity), searched all over the park for her, was worried sick…and then found her waiting at the entrance of the park like a good little girl. Sigh. Mommy stress.

Me and Big Sticks have a Thing goin’ on, you dig?

The Endless Summer Hydrangea is back and better than ever! It seems to be thriving at the new house.

Garden gnome spotting at Grandma Shirley’s house. Recently on Instagram I saw a little Jim Morrison statue in someone’s garden…I need that!

“Dinner” on the 3rd of July. It was too friggin’ hot to eat anything else. Turns out Maggie and Bear Cub both love watermelon.

Shhh, she’s sleeping now.

Loving these bright daylilies in the front yard.

This amazing variegated hydrangea is getting a lot of attention from me too.

At the dog park on Wednesday I was trying to get my Couch to 10K on and a giant, excitable black Lab mix followed me and Maggie and Bear Cub ALL over the park. He would not stop slamming his dogbody into me and the girls and smearing mud all over my shins. Finally I ran into his owner, who was plodding along in jeans and a cowboy hat with an ipod on, seeming unconcerned about his dog missing for over 15 minutes (unlike frantic Lizzy last week). “I don’t mind your dog following us,” I told him, “But he’s literally running into me.” I gestured to my muddy clothes and legs. The Good Ol’ Boy merely shrugged and led his dog away, and I was able to resume my slow slow slow slow jogging. For over a whole hour! Progress, not perfection.

I have ingested a lot of Red Dye #40 over the years.

Back off ladies, he’s alllllll miiiiiiine (heh).

Graffiti in nature at the dog park.

Whoops that took up a lot of time! Time to drop Bear Cub off at the groomer. I drugged her with half a doggie “Xanax” almost an hour ago, so I’m hoping she’ll be nice and relaxed. Catch yer later!