Friday, May 20, 2022

Friday Free For All- Crap and Good Times

      Welcome to the Friday Free for All. This is a no  theme day to just chat about different topics on my mind. Today's grouping falls to two categories, things that are pure crap and good times and fun. Let's start with crap.

Crap Products

     When my daughter and I went to pick out flowers just at Walmart, we passed an end cap of summer mugs and plastic glasses that can only be described as utter crap. I can't imagine collecting these free, let alone paying $4.98 for one. They were just cheap plastic, looked nonfunctional, and just space wasting. They were called fishbowl tumblers, 40 oz. and I'm gob smacked at the ridiculousness of them. Now I know I just complained about someone describing oak furniture as ugly and annoyed that people state opinion as if fact, so call me a hypocrite if you like. These are a landfill headed ugly nightmare. This is one of several options, each as awful as the next. 

Crap People Do ( or Don't)

     I'm so annoyed with people not picking up their crap when it spills out to impact others. Well, you know how I shared that I was able to get all my garbage bagged and secured in my trash can? Well, apparently an idiot in the neighborhood didn't plan so well. The park was filled with newly blowing trash not there the day before. We've had some windy blowing rain, so it just was gross. While trying to get some of it picked up, of course I'm spotting dog crap left as well. Others besides me must have filled bags when they were out walking or maybe kids did  some pick up to throw properly as it was better yesterday. But the crap action people made Wednesday unpleasant. I'm looking forward to our family park clean-up day, and alos not if it looks as bad as our did for a day. 

Good Times and Small Budgets 

     I have so many things that I love to do that even if I wasn't watching my spending I'd gladly partake in. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Como Park Conservatory, the river walk, and the free outdoor concerts that will be starting up again, to name a few in my part of the world. Now that we've sampled another trivia venue, I'm game for more. Several hours of games, good food and drink, and good company is a budget friendly good time. I keep looking for more options that may be seasonal, but can help fill a calendar. I'm looking at the Events on Facebook and Eventbright for ideas. How are you spending summer nights and weekends? 

Good Times with Others 

     When I think of some of the best times I have it's usually doing thing with others that are very basic, not extravagant affairs. Poker nights with my sister's, a perfect lake day in and out if the water or lounging on a floaty, hanging out by a fire retelling the same stories and laughing again, walks and happy hours with the moms, cooking together with my girls, or having girls dinner. Opening a bottle of wine and joining neighbors outside in porches or a quick meet-up on a pub patio with friends refills me.DH sort of splurged, but had a coupon, for dinner out last night. Nearby was a large group of women finishing up, but talking and laughing, and picture sharing. They truly all looked to be enjoying life at that moment. I'm looking forward to trying the Pizza Grill Kit I got DH for our anniversary with family and friends and games of bean bags (or corn hole depending on what you call it) at the lake or our own back yard as I got one for DH for Christmas. I've loved our vacations of course, Caribbean, UK, Europe, Alaska- potentially once in a lifetime experiences, so don't get me wrong. But these good times that can happen often and spontaneously, is where real life lands. 

     I've been down again, working from home, still cabin feverish from the long winter then wet and cold spring. Now I need to get the average Joe good times going again, starting with the park clean up and family picnic or lunch out, weather dependent this Sunday. A couple more grad party announcements came yesterday and it's nice to think about celebrating for others. The flowers are popping on the crab apple trees and lilac bushes now and with the added rain this week, yards are so green! It's time for me to shake off my blues and get my dose of green, yellow, and all the colors of late spring. 








16 comments:

  1. I agree about the spontaneous good times being where "real life" lands. While I don't know how I'd feel if I had to work from home, I do know that being in my house, cooking, cleaning, sewing, indulging in hobbies, sending a kid to pick up some fast food so we can sit on the couch and eat it while we watch a favorite t.v. program, planting flowers, marveling at the eggs the chickens give us, etc., etc., is real life, and I am very content with mine. It tossed us a curve with DH's stroke, to be sure, making me even more grateful for these spontaneous moments.

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    1. I can imagine the routine is anything but routine after such a scare. I'm really looking forward to making the most of both many girl's company this summer.

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  2. I agree with you that while the big trips are indeed wonderful they will never beat the fun times spent with family and friends. But talking of crap, I've been on country walks where people have picked up their dog crap - and then hung the bag on a bush???? What the everlovin' flip! And one of my biggest pet hates at work was people using the microwave and then not cleaning up their mess! Oh don't get me started on THAT one!

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    1. That is so weird about the dog poo. I've seen clusters of bags left on the ground near garbage cans. Maybe the person intended to pick up to throw on their way back? I thought of you and your game nights. Such a lot of fun.

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  3. Ah fun times spent with family. Yeah I am not allowed in Lil sis's presence right now. The wedding is over, she no longer needs me. Just her typical behavior. I don't know how long this dry spell will last. She has to set boundaries. Which is her cue for having time alone to drink 2 pictures of martinis every night. I worry about her. I hate that kind of plastic crap also. If it comes in my house it goes out almost immediately.

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    1. I don't understand lil Sis. How after you've basically be the wedding coordinator twice for her children does she treat you that way? I'm in the dog house with two sisters who got my honest response on something, but it'll blow over.

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    2. Sorry but a ha! I do understand! I’m out of the dog house for the time being with my one sister. I’ve been in it twice (not talking to me twice for several months) once I truly don’t know why for sure although she told another sister I’m loud and talk about my grandkids too much (might be a little true) but I can handle criticism and I would have said I’d work on that. The other time I’d mentioned her being late (she is notoriously hours late) and she called a left a voice message saying since she “couldn’t be counted on being on time to count her out for future” so I was refused any contact but after months I just kept calling here and there and we moved on although this is tell taking about her personality, she once made a general statement about others “cross me once you’re done”. But she’s my sister and I love her. Jre

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    3. I feel like I've had to have a lot of patience with DH's family, but it's tough to always let things blow over. With my sister's we're honest, get annoyed, but later usually the incorrect party apologizes or acknowledges the disagreement.

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  4. I saw the stuff you are talking about. I was appalled that anyone would even take it home free! It was a blur of plastic junk. That trip I bought Ball jars--flutes.

    Maybe the hung the dog poop on a bush to keep it from being nasty on the ground. I don't know.

    I just want a back porch to live on this summer.

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    1. It was impractical. It'd be so heavy to drink from full so what do you do? Fill it then sip with it on a table?

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  5. It's those times with friends and family that are the most precious. We're going to a friends for a BBQ on Sunday and I'm totally excited about it.

    Have a good weekend, Sam!

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    1. I love a good backyard BBQ! Enjoy the good times

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  6. Oh wow, that is one ugly tumbler. I'm not crazy about our shelf of water bottles, but at least they are streamlined and useful.
    I agree with you, some of the spontaneous everyday happenings are the best, and I hope my family will remember. Of course, I hope that they will remember the bigger vacations to Disney and Williamsburg and the beach, etc, but also the weekend camping trips and cabin trips to the Smokies. Traditions are good for making memories.
    Hope you have a great weekend.

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    1. No doubt the big vacations are memorable. The joy though in just a good belly laugh with family and friends can happen much more regularly though.

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  7. I love sitting outside reading, BBQ's, pool days, gardening, watching fireflies in the evenings...all the simple joys of the season.

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    1. It truly is a good time of year. Now if work would stop being such a nusiance!

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