fuggy

Which means warm and muggy in my head.  And maybe I read something like it somewhere but now I walk into a room and say "ergh, it's fuggy in here." Which in turn makes people go "huh?"  Which is okay I guess.

There are three words I say far too often both in conversation and in writing.  They are as follows; which, but, and also.  I'm working on it.

Today was a weird day for me.  I had vertigo all day from goodness knows what, so I took some Benadryl because, honestly, I take Benadryl for just about everything...  So I was out. of. it.  But it helped with the dizziness.  Then I was on a phone call and the person I was talking to was hardcore recruiting me to join his company.  He wanted me to relocate which I told him isn't exactly feasible at the moment because the old husband has a kick bum job here and I can't make him move.  Then I texted that same elderly husband about the phone call and he immediately looked up job postings in that area.  My response was very surprising to me.

I put on the brakes.  Said "hold the phone, Stan!" And felt weirdly nostalgic about this town that I degrade on the daily.  What!?  Megan, you can't possibly like it here.  Not enough to stay forever.  But the idea of leaving right now, or within the next couple of months.  Unfathomable.  So I learned that about myself today.  It's always enlightening to discover what you truly want, isn't it though?

around town

Today we all piled into Jeepy Jenkins [the Jeepiest of all Jeeps] and drove around to some of my favorite spots in town.  We left a few out because of my unwillingness to get ticks.  Here are a few shots.

My favorite view of town.  From the old apartment.

Looking over Dubuque from the park.

Loving the breeze.  Note: We can't roll down the window further lest the idiot jump out.

The countryside.  Lookit!  Cows!

The old homestead.

Did you notice?  My flowering crabs finally flowered.  Well, one of them anyways.

Beautiful.

the adventures of Jason and Molly Grass

Every time we go to our church, it's like the movie Groundhog's Day.  It's not as dank and dreary as that movie.  And the sermon isn't always the same, but it's the after church part that's stuck on repeat.  Somehow we always end up sitting by the same couple and always at the end of the service they stand up and say:

Have we met you before? 

Uhhhh heh heh I don't know, we've been here a couple times on and off.  

I'm Steve, this is my wife, Dee. 

Justin and Megan

Are you new to Dubuque?

We've been here about a year and a half.

Where are you from?  What brought you to Dubuque?

The usual I'm from this place, he's from that, jobs brought us here, etc. etc.

Justin never remembers meeting them.  They never remember meeting us.  I just squirm next to him, uncomfortably, willing the conversation to end.  This week Steve asked us to write down our names on his bulletin.  He's a visual learner he tells us.  What?  Do you keep a scrapbook of all your Sunday morning bulletins, Steve?  Justin complied and wrote our names down.  On our way to Ace Hardware where I informed him -again- that we'd most certainly met Steve and Dee he decided that since they'll  never remember who we are next time he should have written down "Jason and Molly Grass."

I'm still laughing about it.  

Molly Grass.  Out.

twosday

Did you ever make a healthy salad for dinner?  Lettuce, spinach, peppers, artichokes, garbanzo beans [or do I call them chick peas?  Which kind of person am I?], tomatoes, grilled chicken, etc.  And then just want to mow down like, everything in sight.  Yeah.  Me too.  But we get points for getting our vegetables in, right?  And then three chocolates, one and a half spoonfuls of cottage cheese and a heaping teaspoon full of peanut butter. 

I'm sitting here trying to convince Justin that we should go to Walmart so I can buy a movie.  And if we see a snack, sayyy, frozen yogurt, we might need that too.  Because I only spent 56$ on groceries this week so there's room for frozen yogurt.  Also did I mention that I'm starving?  

Hooray!  He just confirmed that we can go to Walmart. 

Good luck learning about how to max out your HSA account.  Oh wait, that's me...

Love,

Megan

This was taken at the Minnesota Zoo in the butterfly garden which happens to be my favorite exhibit at the Minnesota Zoo.  Or tied for first with the sea otters.

On a Friday

This week I got my 40 hours in by 4:45pm yesterday [Thursday].  So I boldly decided to call it a week.  I blessedly slept until 8.  Stayed in my pajamas until 12:20pm.  Snuggled my pit bull.  Decided to try again to like Mad Men, still not sure if there's a plot.  Seriously though, is January Jones not just the classiest?

Then I met my friend, shopped.  Targeted. [have I not mentioned that I looooove target?] Bought starburst jellies and tequila and then spent the afternoon painting our nails, drinking margaritas, eating chips and queso and learning the Wop Dance.  I'm good.  Especially in my bombass wedge retro metallic tennis shoes from Target.  They haven't come off my feet yet.  I might sleep in them.

Tomorrow we are participating in "The Gaelic Gallop" which is a 2 mile fun run.  When I informed my mother of this she said, "those two words don't belong in the same sentence."  I agreed, countered with the weak argument, "but wouldn't it be cool to finally be athletic?..."  Anyways, it's a good reason to buy a new pair of running pants according to husbands.  And new workout clothes are the reason that I wake up each day.  That and cereal.  Which I polished off this morning.  The roof of my mouth will never recover.

Also I almost got a huge rabbit named Maude today.  But then I didn't.  It would have been the coolest to have a rabbit named Maude.  And she was litter box trained, which is terribly convenient.

Harry Potter is on ABC Family, which is excellent.

It's "The Order of the Phoenix" which I haven't always appreciated enough.  But as I've grown older, I appreciate it more.  Except for the part when Cho and Harry kiss because that is just so weird.

Also tonight we went to the Hyvee, which I love because we didn't need anything real (except syrup for my pancakes) so we could just meander around.  And meander we did.  We roamed around the fruit and J let me prod a weird looking fruit that actually was really pokey and hurt.  Then we considered buying sun dried tomatoes, but they were expensive so we got roasted red peppers instead.  Then we bought Log Cabin syrup, which reminds me of growing up.

I was also allowed to buy Peanut butter Panda Puffs because I said I was craving them.  PLUS we got to buy treats.  Justin got frozen greek yogurt and I got raspberry sorbet which was so good.  

When we got home I ate some sorbet.  And then a bowl of Panda Puffs.  And then I almost cried.  Because the snacks were good.  And I really love when Harry Potter is on tv.

Happy Hour

Today Justin had to go to a company dinner.  This saddens me outwardly, as it should.  But secretly thrills me.  My co-worker was in dire need of a happy hour outing, and today was a PERFECT excuse to go out.  

After much grumping about how my town isn't exactly a gluten-free mecca, I did some research and found that Carlos O'Kelly's has a gluten-free menu.  

We showed up grandma early (4pm) and ordered queso and raspberry margaritas out right!  Can I just say that their gluten free menu is beautiful?  It's colorful and had enough options to make me happy.  I clarified a couple times that the queso and chips and salsa were gluten free [because I'm OCD and that's how I do] and the server put up with me ever so graciously.

For supper I ordered the chicken fajitas.  I have been on a fajita kick lately, so it was fun to get to eat them without making them.  I again verified upon their delivery that there were corn tortillas and they were.  I'm not going to say that it was a culinary masterpiece, but honestly, from someone that hasn't eaten out at a chain restaurant in...6 years?  Yes.  6.  It was wonderful.  I will definitely be going back.  The queso was everything you want in cheesy, spicy queso.  The salsa was delightful.  The chips were super delightful.  I have a place for happy hour now.  Margaritas are my poison and chips are my juggernaut.  

I only had the wherewithal to snap a photo of my margarita.  Half guzzled.  And a corner of the salsa snuck into the picture.  Next time I'll try and do better.  There will definitely be a next time.