Heat

We’ve been getting the backyard and pool ready for a few weeks now.  The summer cycle looks like this:  scrub pool tiles, move tables, move chairs, sweep patio, plant flowers, cut back the plant, shock the pool, sweep the pool, clean pool filters, and clean the tables.  Another part of the cycle happens in the front yard – I spend a good 10-15 minutes combing and brushing Midas.  The last part of the cycle happens in the afternoon – we opened up a few of the umbrellas and spent several hours swimming and trying to wear Midas out.  That was our Saturday.

Sunday was a different beast.  We drove the Chrysler 300 down to San Ramon and picked up Mark, then headed more south to Sunol.  We met up with 40+ other members of the gay classic car club and took the noon train from Sunol, through Niles Canyon, to Niles, then back.  An hour and a half trek via train.  The weather was scorching, but we had a great time moving from car to car.  We ended up in the air conditioned caboose on the way back.  The on-board wine tasting was tempting, but I’m not a fan of mixing drinking and driving, even as passenger.  We didn’t stay for the lunch at Broscoe’s.  Right before we got on the freeway, Scott pulled over because the engine didn’t sound quite right.  The fan clutch was a problem.  When he started the car back up, the oil gauge wouldn’t register.  This is the part where we’re looking at each other like “uhm, it’s over a hundred degrees outside” mixed with an “oh shit, we need to call for a tow.”  A few hours later we made it home in time to greet Mark and Rommel and Dean and Mike and spend a few hours swimming,  munching (my guacamole was FANTASTIC), barbequing tequila tri-tip, and drinking mojitos.  Several mojitos.  I sure as hell wasn’t driving anywhere else.

From all the sun this weekend, this day was a bit of a blur.  I probably had heat stroke.  I drank lots of water, ate very little, and when I got home I had a nice nap.  I sat my ass in a chair, opened a book and started reading.  I took a break for a small dinner and the appraiser appointment (refi for a remodel – I’m frankly scared as hell of this market), plus we hung out with our neighbors a little bit.  They’re doing some rehab with their dog in our pool for his hip replacement therapy.  (He’s already made major improvements.  He goes in for the other hip replacement next month.  I will say it’s a bonus that the husband is damn cute.)  I came back inside and read some more.  And I kept reading.  I got sore from sitting in the chair and lay down in bed and read with the fan going and the window open, letting in a nice cool breeze.  And I kept reading.  350 pages tonight.  Another 100 to go.  And I see the sequel in my very near future.

How do YOU keep cool, either literally or figuratively, or both?

Home is Home Again

Since the first week of January through yesterday we’ve had roommates or houseguests.  We’ve now had a full day of the house back to being a home again.

Eddie and his family stayed with us through January through the end of February.  They had relocated to the East Bay.  Because of them living here, Scott and I got some things accomplished that we’d been talking about for a while but never got around to doing:  organizing the kitchen, buying a new washer/dryer, and cooking more at home.  We had nice evenings of sitting down together for meals.  Having a four year old running around the house was new for us.  Gavin is a wonderful kid and we’re sad that they didn’t get the chance to swim in the pool.  We wish Eddie and his family the best, back in Utah.

Scott’s niece and two of her friends came and stayed with us over their spring break.  Three 18-year-old girls staying at the house – it was fantastic.  I had to work all last week, but Scott had time off and he played tour guide for them.  They did day trips to San Francisco, Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur, and Yosemite.  What is unusual is that we ate out most nights (or for lunch):  French (crepes), Italian, Mexican, Korean, Indian, and Thai.

The house was never chaotic when any of the guests were here.  The volume was sometimes high at times, but this weekend the most common theme has been peace and quiet.  On that note, I feel a nap coming on.

Domestic Festivities

Not even paganism is safe in my unbeliefs – as of Friday, I had half of my Christmas cards completed.  Yes, this radical (and often naked) faerie is partaking in the specific holiday festivities.  We have two trees, more LED lights than we could ever use, evidence of rampant commercialism, and we mourned the trampled Wal-Mart worker from the safety of point and click shopping.  The glow of Christmas isn’t going out any time soon.

Saturday, I cleaned the house:  mopped floors, vaccumed, mirrors, bathrooms, dusted.  I do not have a cleaning fetish, which means I didn’t wear heels or pearls or prance around in a g-string.  I was dirty and grimey and I stayed that way until I was done cleaning and THEN I showered.  Good thing Scott was gone most the day.  We had Mark and Rommel over for dinner.  I introduced them to my favorite (current) adult beverage:  Finlandia grapefruit-infused vodka, tonic, ice, and a lime wedge.  Delish.  We talked and caught up and played the Adams Family pinball machine most of the evening (when we weren’t chowing down and drinking).  We hope that Mary and Debbie can come next time.  Note to self:  January 10th is our next scheduled party with them.

Sunday morning we lazed in bed and listened to the rain.  Both kittens were burrowed into the blankets next to us.  Is there anything better than waking up to a cat at one shoulder, another by your feet, and your golden retriever hogging your side of the bed… all while your partner tickles your ear to get you to wake up?  There might be a few things better, but this way is certainly in the top 10 (I’m thinking the adult options are all top 5 ways).

By gawd, if I were any more domestic I’d be a doily.

How was your weekend and what the hell did you do, and please tell me if you were more domestic than I was.

Two Beer Batches

The temperature outside was on the cool side so I moved the chiminea and lit a fire.  In honor of being as lazy as possible and not showering until later, I wore my beannie cap (compliments of monsieur TLC).  I hadn’t shaved in a week.  I couldn’t tell if the cap or my face was more fuzzy.  Scott had moved the heavy burner and kettle to the patio.  Midas kept dropping the ball at our feet, but I didn’t want him too close to the fire or the burner so I had him move away and lay down.  He pouted by turning to face the fence.  When we weren’t looking, he’d roll a ball our way and lay back down but turned to see if we say THE BALL.  Yes Midas, we saw the ball, but we had a mission.

We brewed two batches of beer – ten gallons – roughly 5 gallons apiece.  The first was called ‘Fire in the Hole’.  It was a full-grain mix, which involves mashing and recirculation and specific temperatures, then brewing the wort for an hour, adding hops and clarifier, more hops, then aerating and putting the batch into a carboy to brew.  Whew.  Bad run-on sentence.  The beer will be lighter than a regular stout, but darker than a regular ale.  We hope it tastes good since we’re taking it to a Holiday party on December 19th.  Funny

The second batch was a Honey Stout.  Obviously, there was honey involved:  1.5 pounds.  When the beer is ready, I want to have fresh chocolate chip cookies ready, cooling on the oven… and open up a bottle and have the stout with fresh cookies.  Bitter and sweet, baby.

I thought about taking pictures for all of 2 seconds.  As you can see, laziness won that round.  No pictures, no fingerprints, no evidence, no crime.

Blog Viagra, anyone?

Quick, someone send me some blog viagra.  I’ve gone flaccid.  I was chatting with Cele and I admitted that I hadn’t had a blog boner in quite a while.  I’m afraid I haven’t been up (ahem) to the task.

What have I been doing?  I’m glad I asked, so in no particular order:

• So scattered I didn’t even do my own post for Talk Thursday.  Oops.  Don’t bother with the guilt routine, I’m immune unless it’s self-administered, and I’m fine with my decision.
• Second Life.  Virtual crack.  When there’s so much going on in your own life (and when you need a little distraction from blogging), you too can create whoever you want to be today.
• Work projects are progressing nicely.  I’m in project management mode, which means “Morale cheerleader.”  Stern but supportive taskmaster.  I’ve gone from data whore to data pimp.
• B-day party for one of Scott’s co-workers who lives in an amazing house in Alamo.  Million dollar views, movie-star driveway, circular stairs, wine-cellar, suit-of-armor, built in keginator off the kitchen, wrap-around decks, master bathroom with glass ceilings and walls.  Materialism envy rears its head.
• Spore.  More virtual crack, but on the cute side.  No animated penii or breasticles or simulated strippers like in Second Life.
• Working out.  I’m at the “is this worth it?” stage, but get re-motivated when I see myself naked.
• Airport run with Scott to pickup a friend.
• Naps.  Twenty minutes and I’m good.  Refreshed.  Almost pleasant even.
• Brunch at Katy’s Creek (California Benedicts are to die for!) with Mark and Rommel.
• Domestic disaster.  We’re getting new carpet in the master bedroom (long overdue) on Friday.  Being the prepared people that we are, we started moving furniture over the weekend.  Sunday, while Scott was in the shower, I tried to move the bed by myself – you know – just scooch it one side at a time.  I scooched it, all right…. and broke the leg of the headboard.  Scott heard my f-bomb while he was showering.
• Bed-frame and mattress shopping.  When you’re a domestic disaster and you break something, go shopping.  Word.
• Tonight I painted one wall and ran. out. of. paint. (Is it only men who think that paint and inches go farther than they think they do?)  Yes, yes, I’ll post pictures, once we’re done, but our deadline is by Thursday night because the carpet guys come and do a remove and replace on Friday.

Shake and Bake

Funny thing, earthquakes. When you’re right in the middle of one, you try and find a focal point for stability. The sound is sort of like a giant train going by under the house. Friday’s earthquake lasted about 7 to 10 seconds. I was in the front bedroom sitting in a chair and Midas and Kiwi were on the bed, sleeping. Scott was in the living room watching television. The drawn-out roar from far away coincided with the house shaking and moving. Midas lifted his head and looked around, his eyes big, and about that time Scott yelled out “Earthquake,” but I didn’t say anything because I was sitting down and looking at the room, my one brain cell trying to figure out how much the room was moving. As I was wondering if the shaking would get worse, the house-creak noises subsided and then the roar underground faded. Scott jumped up and we met in the hall and hugged quickly, then he ran into the office to get online and check on the US Geological Survey site. I ran out back and the water in the pool was sloshing and making small ripples. We couldn’t believe that it was “only” a 4.2, later downgraded to a 4.0.

***

An old friend of mine from my Westminster days was in town over the weekend. She came with her one-and-a-half year old daughter and her husband. The last time I saw her was at their wedding in 2002 in Salt Lake. Since that time, she’s changed jobs, had a baby, and life is good for their family. We took them to dinner at one of our favorite Italian places on Saturday night. Appetizers, entrées, wine, dessert, coffee… and a round of food orgasms for four adults. I’m so glad they got to meet Scott and see our home. There are times when I really wish I lived closer to my friends in Utah, but at the same time, I’m happy we have a home that friends from far away can come to and visit and be comfortable… and be themselves.

***

The temperature got up to almost 100 yesterday. We did our usual weekend thing of going our for breakfast and running errands. Back at the house, Scott worked on his car until the temperature in the garage was baking… and I downloaded the newest driver for my video card all by myself. We said the magic phrase of “swim swim” for Midas (who got so wound up that he barked at us while we were undressing). Scott’s more bashful – he wears swimming trunks. I’m not bashful – I don’t. The water was 84 degrees. 84. Pools at the gym are typically between 78-80, but there’s something so right about 83-84. Especially with the afternoon sun beating down and you’re throwing the dog toy for Midas and he does flying leaps that cover half the pool. Or when you’re swimming with your partner and he “accidentally” loses his trunks. Or when you float in the water and look at the yard and overlook what needs attention or at your dog who’s proudly running his victory laps… you know that life is good.

Quick Recap of Past Week

• Other than a comment and reading other blogs, I neglected my own.
• Work was faboo.  We finished some major projects.  I work with some great folks.
• Lovely romantical dinner at a snazzy middle-eastern restaurant with Scott.
• Booked tickets for myself and Scott for September:  Julz’ wedding.
• Found out from our vet that Widget and Kiwi are not siblings from the same litter.  Kiwi is at least one, if not two, months older than Widget – probably five months old.  Widget is probably three months old.
• Scott got the 1960 Chrysler 300 started.  He’s currently on the patio cleaning parts of one of the carburetors.
• I hope to feel better tomorrow, since I’ve not felt too hot all day.
• I’m sure other things happened, but hell if I remember anything at the moment.

Getting Organized

Accomplishments today…

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..

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**crickets chirping**

I cleaned up the half glass of milk that the kittens spilled while I had been in the shower. When I got back from the grocery store (because I’m making my man dinner), and after I got dinner going (I loves me my crock pot), I started redoing my links pages. I consolidated the many pages of links to one page.

That lovely little project took me three and a half hours. I didn’t realize that I could have cut/paste the HTML code to notepad or whatnot and then made some mass changes/find/replace right there. No, see, I think I’m brilliant and I work in Word and get frustrated with tables. How the hell do you get data OUT of a table without copy/pasting each blessed* value into another application – if I have a table and only want the values? I couldn’t figure it out. (If anyone knows what I’m talking about – give me a holler.) I went back and forth between Word and Excel and back to Word and then into the blessed* WordPress application. End result… I have one page of Link Love with suitably labeled sections (including a NSFW section for those with a penchant for man flesh).

I must love all ya’ll, ‘cuz heaven knows if you were family I would have deleted the blessed* page.

(* = I’m trying not to use the “F” word since about the same time a week ago that I stopped drinking sodas, and just about the time I got my butt back to the gym – hey – four times this week.)

I’m signing off now to vacuum and be a domestic god.

Widget and Kiwi

Intention and outcome… I know, I know, I know! I know.

We went to Petsmart to get dog food for Midas. Dog food. We went for dog food.

Forty minutes later, we left Petsmart with dog food, a bag of kitten food, kitten toys, and two 3-month-old kittens. Say hello to the newest members of the Pentozzi household, Widget and Kiwi.

((I’ve been trying to upload pics since last night, but WordPress no workie – I post pictures as soon as this issue is fixed.))

More Firsts

On my job search, I got through to the HR department on the very first attempt and talked to the recruiter, whom on one hand was very helpful, but another was very frustrating.  Helpful, in that she gave me the background and expectations of the position.  Frustrating, in that she basically said that unless I had 5 years experience in that industry, I was out of luck.

My birth-mother (Claudia) and her husband (Ray) arrived in town yesterday afternoon.  This was their first time to my house, ever.  I took them through the house and garden and spent time talking.  They had brought filet mignon from Harris Ranch and Ray cut the 2.5 pounds of meat into four steaks.  I fired up and cleaned the grill.  I do not like touching meat (shut.up.), but this was the first time that I took raw and bloody cow and rubbed seasoning on each piece (and of course I washed my hands before and after).  They were on the grill a few minutes when Scott came home, and he took over for me as cook.  We had a fantastic meal of steaks and fresh asparagus.  Dessert was a dutch apple pie with vanilla ice cream.  We spent hours talking.  This morning we took them to our local breakfast joint.  They took off a a little while ago, which is why I’m sitting my ass down at the pc and blogging.

This morning we had an 11:00am appointment with a notary from our credit union.  We signed the paperwork for our refinance, which will save us 32-36K in interest on the life of the loan, PLUS, we’ll have the fifteen year mortgage paid in 12-12.5 years.  This is our first joint mortgage together.

On the blogging side of firsts, I broke a significant number with the last post with most views in a day.  I won’t bore you with numbers, but I was a happy camper.