Weekend Recap 4/26-4/28

Thought I'd recap my weekend. More so because I have a miserable memory and if someone asked me a month from now what I've been up to I would tell them I have no idea.

Friday after school started out with Track practice. (Yes, the weekend starts Friday afternoon.) Even though it's still hanging out with 7th and 8th graders, it's really nice to hang out with 7th and 8th graders that aren't the 60 that I spend all of my time with. Don't get me wrong, love my precious cherubs.

But when a kid does a sport they actually want to be there, so it's nice to do the coach thing after school after playing teacher all day.

Then I had to book it back home, had a snack, and Dave and I had to clean up around the house because our landlords were having an appraiser in. We also had plans with our friends who lived below us in another apartment to come for dinner. It was their first time seeing our new place so we didn't want it to look like a dump. We tucked boxes into corners, laundry into baskets, and swept all of that pesky dog and cat fur, finishing up by putting Bruin and Linus in the crate so they wouldn't bug the appraiser.

That's right, Bruin and Linus in the crate.

Together.

Chilling like villains.

Not because either of them are violent or whatever. They just both think that any stranger that walks into our house needs to be their bestie.

Not taken this weekend, this is at our old apartment. But I mean I think that this has happened more than once makes it all the better.    

So the appraisal was fast, and our landlords were not only surprised by the cuddling happening in the crate, but also how the place had come together.

    

Then our former downstairs neighbors came over to visit.  (Not the ones we ran away from, the ones before them that were like our second set of parents.)

 They brought over sushi and we made homemade pizza. I love having "family dinners" with these friends because they have such great perspective on life.

Saturday morning came around and Dave wanted to take me out fly fishing.

Notice snazzy pink fly fishing vest.

Now for those of you who don't know, Dave is big on a lot of outdoor sports.

He is a big hiker, he skis, he rock climbs, ice climbs, camps (all 4 seasons) hunts, and fishes.

He's for sure a true Mainah.

While I don't participate in all of the above hobbies (you will not be seeing me with an ice axe hanging off a cliff anytime soon, and I have yet to fire a gun) I do take part in the fly fishing.

First off, it's not boring like the type of fishing where you go out and just sit there. You have to work for it by picking the right spot, putting out a cast, and reeling it in the right way.

Also, have you ever been in a pair of waders, waist high, in a cold river on a hot summer's day? It's such a cool feeling.

Finally, I don't have to take it super seriously. I'm fine with not catching something. I just like being outside, hanging out in a river, usually with Dave or a group of friends of ours that like to fly fish. So that also means that I pick the fly that I like the looks of that day. (OOOH I LOVE BRIGHT GREEN TODAY, DAVE TIE THAT ONE ON MY LINE.)

It is pretty hilarious though when I do catch a fish and I'm using a fly that's "not supposed to work".

Did I mention Dave bought me a snazy pink fly fishing vest?

 That's a perk too.

We made it down to the first river which is strictly catch and release.

 We got our flies on and got into the river.

We got our casts going, got comfortable with our form and fished for an hour.

We moved spots, changed flies, but didn't see much action. I realized I had to go to the bathroom so I got out of the river to, um, spend some quality time with mother nature.

When I pulled the waders off and looked at my spandex pants I realized I had a huge wet spot right where it counts.

And I thought to myself, I think I peed my pants.

I mean this wet spot was exactly what it looks like when someone pees their pants.

Did I feel myself pee my pants? No.

Was it warm? No. Super cold. 

But Dave said there weren't any holes in these waders, and I mean, I did really have to go....

Maybe I accidentally peed myself when I hit the cold water.

So I went into the woods, did my business, and wondered whether I should tell Dave.

 If I peed my pants, that is totally gross. But if  I peed my pants that is also totally me.

After realizing on my walk back to the river that he is indeed stuck with me for better or for worse, I displayed my lovely wet spot for him.

I was cracking up, he was cracking up. I told him I honestly didn't remember peeing myself, but I had no other explanation. He rolled his eyes, told me to put the waders on and get back into the river.

He didn't care, he just wanted to catch some fish.

THIS IS MARRIAGE KIDS.

So we get back in the water, start to see some fish jump, but they're not going for anything we're throwing. Our friend Jamie ended up joining us on the river and he couldn't catch anything either.

At one point I was literally 5 feet away from some fish, I could see them in perfectly. I started just throwing the fly right in front of their face. They would look at it, move a little towards it, and I would see their tiny faces contemplate going for it, but then they were just like "Eh, I don't feel like moving to get that."

We had a case of Lazy Fish Syndrome friends. I mean we threw everything in front of them. They just weren't having it.

 But I didn't care. I had a great time hanging out and pretending I didn't pee my pants.

 Plus THE WEATHER!!!!  I could've been doing anything and enjoyed it because I was so thankful to get some sun.

It's really pretty until you realize there's a tire in the middle of the river. This was the catch and release place. No worries.

We decided to move to a different river, and wanted to put some dry clothing on so we could stop for lunch at this local farm/cafe.

I take my waders off for a second time, and it doesn't look like I peed my pants anymore. No.

 It looks like I peed my pants 13 times. So much so that there was liquid in my boot.

So the good news? I didn't pee my pants at all on Saturday.

The bad news? My waders had a leak in them and now we have to fix them. But hey, silver lining is that at least we know where the hole is right?

After eating the most organic BLT of my life we headed to the next spot a town over.

Not only did we not catch anything here, but the current was so strong that it knocked our friend right off his feet and down the river a bit. So it wasn't the most successful trip, but in the end we enjoyed our time outside.

Sunday for me brought yard work and school stuff. I posted here, then Dave and I decided that we needed to start working on our lawn.

 

Our landlord has some stuff piled up from an old shed that used to be on the property, so that stuff is piled in our backyard. It will be going soon, but with that and all of the pine needles it felt claustraphobic. Plus, what a pain in the buttox to pick up pine needles every time we go to pick up dog poo. While our landlords were going to take care of the lawn care, it was again gorgeous outside and we wanted an excuse to be in our backyard.

We also have some things we wanted to do to dress up the front of our house as far as planting goes and figured Sunday was as good a day as any.

First, we needed supplies. Supplies like window boxes, pots, rakes, gloves, seeds and soil. Our first stop was at a discount store here in Maine called Mardens. It has everything you don't need but you will buy because it is on discount due to water damage at some warehouse. We didn't find much as far as gardening but the trip was well worth it because of this gem I found in the furniture section.

I call it: Seduction of a Jaguar. Coming to an animal-print-themed bedroom near you.

3 stores and too much money later, we came home with everything we needed. 

This what my car looks like with garden stuff inside.

We raked and cleaned up the backyard, as Bruin watched with the wind blowing through his hair.

I promise we don't tie Bruin up like this, I'm not crazy about just tying a dog up in the backyard and leaving it because it could get away and it could really hurt itself But we figured since we were right there we could tie him up on the stake we usually use for camping.

Out front we wanted to put some flower boxes and pots.

Fun fact: years ago, before it was a nursery, our house was a general store. So we have this super awkward parking space and even more awkward awning. Per my mother-in-law's suggestion, we're going to put up some twine running from the white boxes you see to the awning and plant some morning glories.

If it works, we will have morning glories and moon flowers forming an almost privacy shade on either side.

If it doesn't work, we'll be the weird people on the street who made the side of their house kind of look like jail.

I'll keep you posted.

And that was my weekend! I'm now sitting on my couch, and planned ( for school) for the week. I think I've got a few blog posts up my sleeve too which will be scheduled to show up sometime this week (including this one.)

Hope your weekends were as weird, awkward, and sunny as mine.

Stay awkward,

Tricia

Sunday Social

 

Did you sleepwalk as a child? 
Maybe a little bit. I think there were a few times that I wandered around a little bit but eventually made my way to bed. Once when sleeping over at my cousins I woke up and was not on the floor in my sleeping bag, I was laying like at the end of their bed.
You know like a dog.
My headgear wasn't on anymore and was on a desk across the room.
Because I was apparently not only too sexy for my headgear, I was too sexy to sleep like a human.
I have been known though to talk in my sleep. More-so when I was a kid, but I think there have been a few times in the last few years that I've talked in my sleep when I'm extremely tired.

Did you ever try to run away or sneak out of your house? 
Sneak out? UM NO.
If I snuck out of my house and got caught, I would have to face the rath of a thousand suns from my parents, so I was too scared to ever sneak out, or do a lot of other things that I shouldn't.
 Good job mom and dad!
I threatened to run away once.
I was in third grade and upset about God-knows-what. I went into my room shut the door, and through my puppy-dog tears yelled to my parents that I was going to run away. (At this point my parents were probably smirking at each other murmering "If only..."
 When they asked where I was going to run away to  I told them that I was going to run away to Spain because I knew how to speak Spanish. (Read: I was in a third grade level Spanish class and had learned  how to say my name, colors, and about some places where they speak Spanish.
But I never left my room, I just cried and cried and thought about how awesome Spain was going to be with my working knowledge of azul and rojo.
I'm sure I just cried until I decided to take a nap, which is what I still do as an adult when I'm upset.
You know, because maturity.

Did you have any imaginary friends? 
I don't think so. Growing up with 3 sisters, all pretty close in age, I always had a playmate so I don't remember having an imaginary friend.  If I were in a fight with one of them there was always someone else to hang with, so why make someone up if I have like 2 other options?
But one weird thing we did do alot is we played "pretend" constantly.
Play house, play teacher (two of us turned out to be teachers, weird),  and other pretend situations where we'd run around and be dramatic.
We did this until an embarrassing age, something like middle school or something.
So if you want your kids to never be bored or bother you, and you're willing to run the risk of them just being a little weird, have 4 of them.

Did you ever go toilet papering? 
Nope.
Again, I was way too scared of getting caught and getting in trouble with my parents to do something like that. Plus my friends in high school and college weren't really the type of people to do that, we'd rather eat ice cream and watch Grey's Anatomy.

But one time my junior year of college I was an RA and on duty and the tree outside of my dorm got toilet papered. I went outside with another RA to see what was going on, and as the kids finished up they started running away and one yelled, "I am Promethuis!" It was pretty funny.
Ahhhh, college!

Did you ever sneak TV shows you weren’t allowed to watch?
Sometimes. When we were really little we weren't allowed to watch Power Rangers because it was too violent. I watched it once and realized I didn't like it anyway. Other than that, we only had basic cable so it's not like there were a ton of shows for us to watch anyway.

Happy Sunday!

Stay Awkward,
Tricia

Blogger Niches and Washboards Against Rose-Decor Button-Ups

Thought I'd left you all behind again? To fend for yourself for another 7 months before I came back to do 3 link-ups in a row?

Uhhh you wish you were so lucky. You're the one who clicked "Join This Site" above that cute little Google Friend Connect box with all of those sassy selfies below, and you're now the one that has to live with the consequence.

But no, I have not ditched my blog again.
I merely decided to go out into the sunlight and hang out with friends three nights in a row to compensate for being sick on my couch all week. I then realized on Sunday there was a reason that I had taken it easy, the same reason I was feeling like poo again that morning.

Don't get me wrong, those nights were well worth it.
 How could they not be with this brilliant man playing the washboard being a part of it?

If you look close enough, you might be able to smell the roses right on his shirt. That's how magical both he and this Instagram photo are.

But alas, I felt like poo nonetheless as I thought about posting in my blog, and decided to figure out what I was going to teach today instead. (Responsible choice alert!)


So here I am a day after going back to work knee deep in papers to grade and splits and goal times to figure out for a track meet tomorrow.  And all I could think about was my blog and other people's blogs.

As I get back into the swing of things I've been reading other people's blogs. And now than before I've started to realize that everyone elses blogs have a "thing", a "direction" or "blog category" that they fit nicely into. Maybe they're a mommy blogger, or a fashion blogger, or a foodie blogger, or a pinterest blogger, or a photo blogger, or a link-up blogger, or a weight-less blogger.  Which is all cool and well, good for you for having direction and focus and a "thing".

Here's my problem: I don't think I have a thing. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of things on that list above that I do, but not so much that I want my blog to be concentrated on it so much. I want to write about my horrible haircut one day, a cool photo I took another day, and do a link-up the next.

But there are going to be days that I don't want to write about my life because I feel weird about puting details on the internet, or have no photos to post because I've been in school for weeks and have no social life, or I days that I think a link-up is lamesauce and don't want to be a part of it.

So it makes me wonder, if I had a "theme", or a "direction" would it be easier for me to come back day-to-day and post more regularly? If this blog is truly for me, is it even an issue that I should be worrying about? Do I already have a "direction" or "blog type" and I just don't realize it?
 (Please don't say "mommy blogger". That would be pretty tough news to break to the hubby.)

I don't know the answers, maybe I'm just an everything blog, a life blog, a cool blog, a diary blog, a do-whatever-I-want-blog, a rambling blog.
Or maybe it's just a random and awkward blog. (Ehhhh, Ehhh, see what I did there! LOLZ)

Whatever this blog is, it's still trying to figure it out. I think it might be a teenager.

Which is totally fine, I teach middle school. I can handle teenagers.
Well at least I can make them all sit down and read silently for 30 minutes, if that's what we're going to call handling.

What do you think? 

Is it necessary for a blog to have a "category" that it fits under or direction? 

Does it make it easier to blog instead of having one that is just wide open? 

Do you think your blog has a niche or a theme? 

Did you decide to go in that direction because that's what you wanted to write about or because overtime you saw most of your writing went that way? 

Do you think people pick a direction or theme to go for themselves (their writing) or to make sure they maintain their readership? Both?

And finally but certainly not least (because it has to do with MUAH) if you had to give a category that my blog fits into, what would it be?

I would love to hear your answers to the questions in the comments below so I could have some insight into what you think  and then any insight as to whether if this sort of stuff has gone through your head/been written about before. 

Thanks ahead of time for answering my questions and letting me know that you stopped by.

Until then,

Stay Awkward, 

Tricia

Friday's Letters- 4/19

Link up here.

Dear fellow link-uppers,
As things unfold in Watertown/Cambridge/Boston and  it's tough for me to get on here and a totally upbeat and fun post. This one will kind of be a mix. I literally can not take my eyes away from my twitter feed and the livestream on my laptop that I'm listening to right now. I'm not a resident of Boston, but as a Mainer who follows Boston sports teams, with some friends in Boston, and the daughter of a police officer, a lot of this situation hits close to home and kinda freaks me out.
As this unfolds, as well as the plant explosion in Texas, it's hard to be goofy as usual. Keeping many people in my thoughts and prayers today.

Dear Mom and Baby Sis, 
Part of your travel itinerary back from Florida includes some transportation through Boston.
Ugh this makes me nervous. Stay safe.

Dear Students, 
You are all probably glued to your televisions/laptop screens following this coverage right now trying to find out more. I can't imagine the questions that you must have as a young person growing up in a world where this is a reality.
I hope that I've taught you enough about the world, current events, and about how to take in information that you are not relying on your facebook friends as valid newssources.
P.S. On a completely unrelated note, don't leave your homework until Sunday night you will regret it or just forget about it.

Dear media, 
Thank you for going on a delay on your coverage. Now make sure you're only reporting fact and not just speculation. We all know how people run with speculation. (Thanks internet.)

On a more lighthearted note:

Dear friends I hung out with last night,
This photo sums it up.

Let's do it again tonight ok? Ok.


Dear all people who play the washboard, 
I'm sorry, you will never live up to this man. EVER.

Those are roses on his shirt. Deal with it.

Dear Shrimp Scampi in the fridge, 
I'm going to heat you up for lunch. I don't want any surprises.

Dear schoolwork, 
You're seriously not going to take care of yourself are you? Alright...

Dear readers, 
Thank you for not all ditching me after I went on my hiatus. It felt pretty good to know that even though I disappeared unannounced from the blogosphere for months, that when I came back many of you were still around reading my posts and even commenting. It means a lot. Thank you.

If you missed my coming back post, it is here. Would love your feedback on the questions at the end.

Thanks for stopping by today. Leave a comment and let me know you stopped by so I can check out your blog!

Just wanted to leave all of you with the poster that is featured right above my desk in my classroom, and I hope you'll take with you today.

via

Stay Awkward,
Tricia

It's Ok Thursday-4/18/13

 

Linking up with Neely and Amber

It's Okay...

*That I'm doing ANOTHER link-up today. Just build a bridge and get over it.

*That I'm eating dark chocolate right now with my coffee. I had a super healthy strawberry/spinach/orange/banana/echinacea smoothie this morning. So everything has balanced out. Positives and negatives. So there.

*That I've been watching Monk on Hulu Plus marathon style. It's so predictable, Monk is adorable, and it's one of those great background noise shows.

*That the dog is on the couch with me. He's using a pillow and a blanket, so in my book he's a person. Who are we kidding, he is a person. He plays an extremely convincing dog though.

* That I have gotten zero. ZERO. Schoolwork done.
The last 3 days have featured me on the couch with a sinus and ear infection. Therefore, I feel no guilt. Let's face it, this time during vacation I usually have zero done but no excuse other than my lazy butt. So I'm showing improvement.

*That we keep on adjusting the legs of our new washer so it want rock and roll all  over the place but it just can't seem to even up. ( Read: rocket ship noises coming from the upstairs.)
So therefore it's okay that every time we put a load in I just stuff a towel underneath and call it a day.

*That I can't stop looking at photos of myself in Mexico this time last year...

 *That since I can't stop looking at these photos I've been browsing online at cheap ways to travel around Europe or some other beach resort for next year.  Because who needs to buy a house or save up for having kids someday anyway?

* That I just "joined" bloglovin because everyone else was telling me to but I really have no idea what it's purpose is other than another reading platform. Explain please?

*That was super excited  to get a haircut Monday for the first time in months, and then it was HORRIBLE. I mean once it dried I realized that not only did I not ask for enough length to be taken off but my sweeping bangs were cut super short with almost NO sweep/angle.
To top it all off, when it was dry I realized she didn't cut them according to my part that I showed her, so now when I part my hair there is a whole layer of hair that COVERS my bangs that are at full length and weren't cut as bangs as well.
Why didn't I go back and fix it once I realized you may ask? Because by that time I was waiting for THREE HOURS in doctor's office to get checked out for this pesky cold.
So now I've been lounging in sweatpants all sickified on my couch with a horrible haircut.
But hair clips were made for horrible haircuts until the person puts the effort into scheduling another one, right? Right.

*That I just randomly disappeared from blogging 7 months ago  and I have just as randomly picked it back up 3 days ago. It's my blog right? As the back of my bridal sash said. "I DO WHAT I WANT."

*That I'm not going to to proofread this because I would rather go shower.

*That you haven't read my comeback post yet. Here's the link just for you! If anything just read the questions at the bottom and answer them for me pahlease!

*That you're too lazy to click that link and go to the other post. I've copied and pasted the questions for you below:

1. So readers, have you ever gone on a planned or non-planned hiatus? Did it feel weird coming back?Let me know in the comments. 

2. Also, I've got a lot of reading to catch up on in the blogs that I do follow, and new blogs to go and find that I'm sure have sprung up in the last 7 months. So please put any links to important blog posts of yours that you think I should read that I might've missed, or links to other blogs that you think I might like in a comment or email. 

3.  Finally, any tips for getting back on to the blogging bandwagon or how to be better with posting more regularly, would also be appreciated in a comment or email.


Thanks for stopping by, please leave a comment and let me know you were here and I can come and check your blog out!
It would also really appreciate you answer the questions above either on this post, the original post, or even in an email.
You, you are a gem for doing that for me.

Stay Awkward, 
Tricia