Saturday Morning Trip to the Vet

When I went to bed last night, sometime around midnight, I was exhausted.

I spent last weekend in Austin—ending my trip with a 15-hour travel day on Monday (no fault of Delta's, all fault of my poor and inefficient flight planning)—and I returned to work bright and early that next Tuesday morning.

By the time Friday rolled around, I was feeling pretty les miserables.

So this morning, when I rolled out of bed around 11, I was all happy and refreshed. Adam had the coffeemaker brewing a fresh pot of hazelnut coffee, and it was a sunny Saturday.

I planned on hunkering down at the dining room table for a day of query letters and editing work. Maybe I would even artfully arrange my new Kate Spade tumbler (Thanks, Lib!) beside the vase of fresh flowers for a lovely Instagram picture.

The options were endless.

But when I went to army crawl beneath the bed to wake Clementine (who is deaf, and must be physically awakened), I was alarmed to see a pink discharge leaking from her "problem" eye.

When I adopted Clementine a little over a year ago, she came with two bum eyes. She has cataracts, and one of her eyes (the "problem" eye) leaks a clear discharge more often than not. She's been to the very expensive animal ophthalmologist to be checked out and cleared of any serious ailments, so it's just a Clementine quirk we deal with.

You can see her "problem" eye pretty well here!

This morning though...eeeeeek!

Even though Clementine was acting completely normal (and even let me wipe the pink discharge away from her eye with no flinching or agitation), I immediately called the vet who was able to get us in straightaway.

So off Clem and I went, zipping down the road to make it to the office as soon as we could.

Clementine's vet is wonderful. They took her back the moment we walked in the door. After some pretty uncomfortable eye tests (including the one where they stain the dog's eyes yellow), the vet determined Clementine had a pretty awful abrasion across her already cloudy eyeball.

Poor Clem!

We were sent home with antibiotics (with steroids...intense!) that Clem will have to take three times a day for ten days.

So while Adam and I will need to keep a close eye (ha ha) on her, I am just so relieved it wasn't something more serious.

Our little patient resting comfortably.

I swear, each time Clementine has a medical scare, it reminds me that I'm nowhere close to being ready for children.

If I get this worked up and emotional with my geriatric dog, how would I behave with a sick child? I was on the verge of sobbing in the examination room during Clementine's tests!

Now as I sit down with my mug of hazelnut coffee and search for literary agents, I'm feeling quite thankful for my little Corgi-Beagle mix and am so glad she's going to be okay.

How would I work without both of my writing dogs at my feet?

Saturday Thoughts from a Remiss Blogger

Hi there.

I'm popping in on this steamy Saturday morning (the temps are reaching 94°F today...yuck!) after nearly two months of quiet.

The past eight weeks or so have been busy, busy, busy, and so full of change!

Here's what's been happening.

I moved out of the Bachelorette Pad and into the Woodland Cottage.

Au revoir, Bachelorette Pad!

Meaning cohabitation (also meaning my Catholic parents were super not cool with this, just incase Pope Francis reads this or whatever, I feel like their disapproval should be in writing). 

Also, for the record, I love Pope Francis and his photo is on my fridge. 

Source

Anyways. 

Living with Adam has been amazing. I mean this when I say life is easier and happier. He packs my lunches. He cooks us dinner each night. We tackle the household chores and caring for our dogs as a team. 

And most importantly, after a long day at work, there is someone you can hug the second you walk through the door. 

I look a girls trip with my mom, aunts, and cousins to Madison, Wisconsin. We probably laughed from the moment we hit the road that Friday morning to the second we got home Sunday night. 

I've been able to work in a lot more time on my second novel. I'm so darn proud of it. I only wish there were more hours in the day I could spend on it.

Clem lending a helping hand.

I've started doing a bunch of different workout classes at our company gym, even classes I was afraid of, like Strength Training and Cardio High Intensity Interval Training. Guys, I have MUSCLES now! 

Adam built us a bookcase and a bed. Because he is THAT super-fantastic. 

We have a summer of travel ahead, including THE LAKE WHERE DIRTY DANCING WAS FILMED next week (this is also known as Lake Lure in North Carolina) and then Seattle and Portland, Austin, and Michigan. 

I read Jenny Lawson's Let's Pretend This Never Happened (and think she's one of the most hilarious people ever now), but haven't had much time for reading otherwise. Again, I'll refer to my wish that there were just more hours in the day. 

We celebrated Clementine's 1st Adoptiversary. I love her more than ever with her cloudy eyes and short, little legs.

Life is good.

Thankful.

Today (merp—since it's technically after midnight, yesterday) could be summed up in one word: thankful.

All sorts of happy things happened today.

My coworker brought in donuts (I got a chocolate one with cream filling). My company had its bonus announcement. My class at church tonight was relaxing and inspiring.  I made a quick run to Kroger and filled my cart with some fun new beauty products and fancy bottled water. When I arrived home around 10, I enjoyed a glass of red wine and caught up on my HBO shows.

But my most favorite part of the day was lunchtime yoga. And it's the biggest reason why why I'm feeling so thankful tonight.

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My company is incredible and offers amazing benefits.

One of these benefits is a completely free and absolutely stunning fitness center, complete with a masseuse and a variety of workout classes.

I hadn't been to a yoga class in years and went today with a few coworkers during our lunch hour.

The class made me stretch and bend in ways I hadn't for quite some time. It made me sweat and power through a few difficult poses. It made me giggle as my coworker and I exchanged bemused glances when we would topple over. It made me sore and happy.

It made me feel more relaxed than I have in years.

Years!

So tonight as I fall asleep, I can't stop thinking about how crazy thankful I am.

To work for such a caring and progressive company. To have colleagues that are close friends. To laugh so often throughout my day.

Thankful, thankful, thankful.

I lasted 3.5 days.

That social media cleanse of mine?

It lasted approximately 3.5 days.

How sad city is that?

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My weekend without social media was actually sort of nice. I was only concerned with my own plans and business and enjoyed not scrolling through other friends' photos and thinking, "Well, shoot! That sounds fun...how come we aren't doing that?"

What wasn't so great though? Running into a colleague on Monday morning and asking about her sick dog, only to discover he had passed a few days prior. Which I would have known had I been on Facebook.

Ugh. I felt so stupid.

When I logged into my accounts that afternoon, I found several Facebook messages about a few different events I was attending this upcoming weekend.

I also had missed an engagement and two babies.

All of these things made me realize that maybe at least a little social media is important.

So instead of giving it up cold turkey, I'm going to try setting aside half an hour each evening to scroll through my newsfeed and catch up on the day's events and any messages I've received.

That way, I can avoid my compulsive phone checking ways but not miss any major news.

Social media cleanse round two...off I go!

Opening Day 2016

I may not be much of a sports gal, but I sure am a Cincinnati gal, and here, Opening Day is a big deal.

Growing up, I can remember my mom taking me downtown to watch the Opening Day parade, complete with elephants, floats, and marching bands. Kids would get taken out of school to attend the game or just the festivities. The entire city practically shut down.

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Cincinnati takes baseball seriously.

My company always does it big for the Cincinnati Reds' Opening Day, and this year was no exception.

Our lunch included a hotdog bar, a Cincinnati chili bar (note: this is served over spaghetti and with cheese), and a nacho bar! There were even giant, iced cookies in the shape of various baseball-related items, like mitts and hotdogs.

We got to eat our food and drink Braxton beer on our rooftop deck as the parade went by below.

I even got a little bit of a sunburn!

See? In the top right corner of my forehead?

Anyways!

I didn't make it to the gym tonight, and Clem and I have been bumming around this evening, but I suppose that's okay.

It is a city-wide holiday and all.

Ambushed at the Verizon Store

Yesterday morning, I hopped in my car and merrily made my way to the Verizon store near my parents' house.

That magical time had arrived, the one that only happens once every two years.

Phone upgrade time.

I had already purchased my Rifle Paper Co. phone case and tempered glass screen protector.

I was ready.

I beat my mom to the store and eagerly began doing business with the associate. He wasn't very friendly, but I chalked it up to him not being a morning person and didn't let it affect my jolly mood.

"Hi!" I waved when my mom finally walked in the door. "I already picked out my phone! Here is how the new plans work."

The associate had written down on a sheet of paper the new phone upgrade structure.

Basically, you now have a monthly payment for your phone rather than a single, one-time purchase fee in the beginning. To be frank, I think it's stupid and a rip-off compared to the old way, but who am I to argue with "The Nation's Largest and Most Reliable 4GLTE Network"?

"Oh, no," my mom replied, taking a look over the sheet. "Can't we just pay for the phone outright today?"

"Sure, but you're still going to see your monthly payments go up," the grumpy associate explained, going through the new plan structure once more.

Basically, it was sort of a lose-lose.

"Well. It seems like this is the time for you to get your own plan," my mom shrugged.

!!!

I stared at her in shock, sure she must have misspoken.

"MOM. What?" I said incredulously. "You're kicking me off the family plan?"

"You're twenty-six-years-old. It's time."

This is embarrassing to admit, but my eyes actually welled up with tears and I felt sick to my stomach.

"How much will it be?" I managed to squeak to the very unsympathetic associate.

"A hundred bucks."

"THAT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN I PAY NOW ON THE FAMILY PLAN!" Panic was setting in. I could hardly think straight. "I...I don't even know if I should do this phone upgrade now."

The associate raised his eyebrows at me and stopped working on the switchover, awaiting my next move.

"I mean...okay. Do it," I sighed.

And then, as he finished up my paperwork, I panicked about money and let feelings of betrayal fester in me. I was so upset.

I was being a total entitled millennial.

It was undoubtedly the worst phone upgrade experience of my young adult life.

And then, as I was driving away from the Verizon store, I realized what a complete jerk I had been.

Growing up is hard to do, sometimes.

It was nice of my parents to let me stay on their plan and pay them monthly payments for so long. And honestly, with the phone upgrade, I'm really not paying that much more per month than I would be if I had still stayed on the family plan.

Basically, I had been acting like a spoiled brat.

I called and apologized to my mom and that afternoon, we had a lovely time seeing our play and enjoyed a splendid dinner.

And now, I'm going to properly enjoy this new iPhone.

And stop whining already.

My Favorite Place

Today is going to be a fun day.

I'm meeting my mom at the Verizon store at 10am sharp (exactly when they open), and the two of us are getting our phone upgrades.

I plan on getting the 6S Plus. Which I realize is dinosaur-size, but I love that giant screen.

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This afternoon, we are going to see "To Kill a Mockingbird" (one of my favorites!) at Playhouse in the Park followed by supper at Seasons 52.

This is such a cool place in Cincinnati. There is nothing like live theatre!

I've never actually been to Seasons 52 before, but their menu looks delicious—Lobster Pappardelle, I'm looking at you.

Right now though, I'm sipping on a cold bottle of water (my stomach is still a bit too sensitive for coffee after our team's pub crawl last night, imagine that) and all curled up in my most favorite place.

My bed, of course.

This is my bed in my most favorite bedroom I've EVER had. I used to live on the third floor of a gorgeous home built in 1919. I had slanted ceilings and everything. I miss that room.

My big, glorious bed.

There is nothing like getting to snuggle into your down comforter and fluffy pillows as you ease your way into a new day.

In the first grade, one of our art projects was to design a new sort of invention.

I created a bed that would fly me all around town, to school and church and the park (essentially, wherever my six-year-old self considered a happening place), and it came with built-in hamburger and milkshake machines.

Because, OF COURSE a flying bed should have those things.

I will never forget the illustration I drew of my invention.

There I was, sitting beneath the purple covers of my bed, a hamburger in one hand and a chocolate milkshake in the other, as my straw-yellow hair danced in the wind behind me.

Such a shame that invention never came to fruition.

:)