365 | Peaches Prattlings

{May 18, 2021} Another laptop? Seriously?!

Well…the saga continues, but I hadn’t told you about it, so I will now.

When I left my job in December, there went the company laptop, which I had done a lot with, it was and it wasn’t like a personal laptop as well. When you’re working so many hours and you’re on the laptop, you use it, store your photos, websites, documents, hey, I planned a wedding on that thing!

Unfortunately, my Microsoft Surface Pro 3, which I loved, decided it was done. Fair enough, it had been a while and I didn’t spend as much time as I should have with it, I had my work laptop, but still, come on… The drawback with the Surface is that it couldn’t handle what I wanted to do with it, that’s what made it tough, but oh, when I got it, did I love it!

While it was still working, PSM wanted to get me something that could handle some of the things I wanted to do with it, storage-wise and handle the external hard drives I would be asking it to work with. He got me something quick and easy and it served its purpose, but it was very no frills, and very appreciated! See…some girls like bling, this girl like tech and electronics! Now…if you wanted to bling out the tech, how could I say no?! Ha ha!

Back to our regularly scheduled program. Bless PSM, I really am a lucky woman, he knew that I would be starting a new job, first looking for a new job, and I would need a good laptop, one that could handle what I needed to do with it, so away he went. He said he was going to do something to put a smile on my face, I thought he was going to Smoothie King to get me a smoothie! He was gone a while and when he came back…he indeed did have a smoothie, but he also bought me a laptop! What? Oh yeah, that’s my fella, he’s smooth[ie]… puny puny puny!

He did some research, went to Costco, looked at all the specs for what I needed and got me a Lenovo Thinkpad. It had all the things I needed, it was a laptop for one, ha ha, touchscreen, flipped into a tablet, good internal processor, RAM, internal storage, could handle external hard drives, and a few other things that would be helpful. I had never used a Thinkpad before for work, it was always Dell or HP. It was smaller, but I liked that a bit, it would be easy to travel with and it connected easily to my two additional monitors, great! I was set. Now I just needed a job! ha ha

I used the laptop to interview and I got the job! Wah hoo! And…you and I started talking again, Wah to the Hoo! While I’m using the laptop, all of a sudden the video card started acting wonky. Rebooting didn’t help, I went to Lenovo Support, tried to troubleshoot, installed drivers, you name it. Then I called Costco Concierge Service, which is what you get when you purchase computer equipment from Costco. It also comes with a 90-day return policy. I spoke with someone from support, they were great, very helpful and now I know what to do if it happens again. Fingers crossed it doesn’t.

It did…when I called back a second time, I don’t think the person I was speaking with had encountered this issue, I say that because every question she asked or every question I asked, it was answered only after consulting the guidebook. When I asked if they had ever encountered this, I was told yes, didn’t get warm fuzzies. After troubleshooting as best as she could, the only recourse was to send the laptop in to Lenovo. Um…I needed my laptop and this issue had been going on for over a week, so we took it back to Costco, that easy! I had even gotten the extended warranty, we got that back as well.

We weren’t sure if I would get another laptop at Costco, so we went to Best Buy to check out what they had to offer, the prices were comparable and they had a few more options, but for what I wanted, you couldn’t beat Costco’s return policy. As I mentioned, 90 days, plus we would get a warranty. Ok, back to Costco.

We took a chance…another Lenovo Thinkpad. Why…oh why…? I liked the weight, feel, setup, the way I could connect a hub that allowed me to connect two additional monitors and a crap ton of other stuff to it! The suck part…having to do the set up again, not the worst thing in the world, but not fun…ok, purchase laptop, purchase 3 year warranty…go home.

I get everything set up, we’re good to go, all my favorites, documents, you name it, it’s there. But…why is OneDrive driving me INSANE! Turn it off! Whew! We’re rockin’ and rollin’ with my new laptop and…seriously? Video card again, and…the laptop starts dimming and turning itself off after less than 30 seconds of perceived inactivity. What? I changed the settings to 15 minutes and it still did it, this included while I was watching recordings for work.

Call Costco Concierge Support again…sigh…talk to someone else who sounds like they’re reading out of a manual. That’s fine, tell me you’re doing that or you haven’t dealt with this issue instead of telling me you’ve dealt with it before but it doesn’t sound like it! Drivers are downloaded, tests run, install, uninstall, you name it, we tried it. After about 45 minutes…only recourse…send the laptop in to Lenovo to fix it. F…i…n…e… how do we do this? They will send a box with a label and I just have to drop it off or schedule a pick up. They said it shouldn’t take more than a few days.

In the mean time…PSM has generously offered me his MacBook Pro. I am a PC, he is a Mac…I’ve worked on them before, but not my favorite. The configuration is different, commands are different, the keyboard was larger, lots of little things, but I am very grateful!

Fast forward, not really, almost 2 weeks later and I get the laptop back. Set it up, favorites, documents, apps from the Microsoft Store. Get used to using a smaller laptop, buttons are not in the same place, there’s a backspace and delete key again! No keyboard, CTRL is what I’m used to, but still funny…I had to get used to this one all over again, almost like when I learn something new in a new language, I have to translate it into English so I can understand what is being asked, then translate it to said language. I’ll get there!

Have the laptop, all good, then…wait for it…sometimes I like to sit elsewhere to work, so I unplug the laptop to work in the living room and it d i e s!!! What?! Yes, I unplug it, it is fully charged, and it it dies. I’m done, no more, not doing it! So…back to Costco we go, it’s been less than 90 days, take it back, please!

We start looking at what they offer, keep in mind, this is not a Costco thing, this is a laptop thing! I’ve heard a lot of people who have Lenovo’s for work don’t care for them, well, I’m here to tell you, me either! I looked at a few and decided on the LG Gram 16, it’s got a 16″ LCD screen, with very little border, it weighs 2.62 pounds, lots of bells and whistles and…it’s a tablet and came with a pen, I’m a happy camper. I got it home, set it up, groan, made sure all the drivers were downloaded, registered it, got the hub set up, could only get one additional monitor to connect, but that’s ok, I still have a travel monitor if I need it. I even left the plastic protector on the cover until a few days ago in case I had to send it back! ha ha.

So far, it’s been great, I don’t want to jinx anything, but I haven’t been able to find fault with it yet, and I truly hope I don’t find fault with it any time soon, I just want to keep working and talking to you! Fingers crossed!

{May 17, 2021} It’s official! Yoga without a mask! O M G!

Today, two of the yoga studios that we go to lifted the rule about wearing a mask in the studio and it was glorious!

We started doing yoga at these studios in December 2020, mask mandates in place. We may have talked about it, having to wear a mask doing yoga, especially hot yoga, wow, clawing! We would come out of the studio drenched and our masks were no better! Can you imagine how hot that is! I always walked in with one mask, then changed into another just to go into the studio, that way I would have something dry to put on when I came out.

One of the locations didn’t require you to wear one once you got to your mat, but you had to in the lobby. It was a little odd for us, since we were wearing them, to go to that particular studio and be the only ones wearing a mask, but it was what it was, we were doing what we were comfortable with. In the two studios we generally go to, masks everywhere, no showers, no renting mats or pillows. Then you have some folks, used to other studios who didn’t feel they had to follow the same rules when they came to these studios. Whatever…eyeroll!

Well, the management decided, since there have been no issues in the other studios that it would be safe to lift some of the restrictions. You still have to wear a mask in the lobby, but when you get into the studio and onto the mat, you can take it off. Even the showers are opening up again, mat rentals, all of it. Wah to the hoo!

Let me tell you…I went to a non-heated hot yoga, I know, sounds backwards! It was the routines, just not heated, and I’m ok with that! It felt great, more freedom and breathing so much easier! PSM took a hot class tonight and said he probably wouldn’t have been able to do one or two of the moves/poses if he was wearing the mask, awesome!

It’s funny, when I took a Power Yoga class on Wednesday, it was just myself and the instructor, she said since it was just the two of us, we weren’t going to get anywhere near each other, we both took our masks off and it was great and like we were doing something naughty! Something naughty! wow! But it felt great, I was able to do some of the harder poses/moves because I wasn’t wearing the mask.

Who knows how things are going to go, but for now, one thing is moving forward. Now…downward that dog and hold that tree!

{May 15, 2021} Loaded Elevated Nachos…something new!

Typical Saturday, well, not sure who’s it typical for, ha ha. We got up, went to hot yoga, came home, I did my hair, turquoise this time, PSM worked on his pc and I did some work in the basement, it’s coming along! then made a Goodwill drop, then went to get some lunch. Typical, right? Ha ha

I am making some good progress! Promise! Even PSM said so, and that’s what matters, he can see it! I’m getting there! That made me feel so good! I’ll post pics after I’ve made some serious progress, you do not need to see where it is now!

We made the drop donations, then it was time for lunch, it was about 1pm at this point and PSM said, hey, let’s try Cracker Barrel, he’s never been, I used to go when I lived in Atlanta and it’s a good place to stop while you’re on road trips and truth be told, I love the store almost as I love the biscuits and corn muffins! The few times we tried to go during the pandemic it was a madhouse, crazy long waits. He was optimistic that it wouldn’t be too long it was about 130p, so why should there be a crazy wait time. He’s adorable! It’s Cracker Barrell…35-45 minute wait. See ya! At this rate, we may never go!

I saw something as we were driving past that I said, let’s give it a shot, Loaded Elevated Nachos. It was campy when we walked in, looked like an airstream trailer/food truck and very road trip old school. They had appetizers, entrees, and desserts, all nachos! They had two non-meat options: mushrooms and Impossible crumbles, we haven’t talked about my take on the Impossible burger and we’re not going to start now, but I tasted the crumbles and they weren’t bad, and mixed with everything else, I enjoyed it.

We ordered the Side-by-Side which is mix-and-match any two entrees or apps to share for $16, not bad, or, if you wanted to go solo, $10, can’t beat the price! I was slightly limited on my choices, a lot of things had a lot of dairy, but I was on a Bahn Mi kick, so I went with that, minus the Siracha Aioli, jalapenos, and cilantro. The fun part was, instead of traditional nachos, it was on wonton chips! Same shape as the nachos, but keeping with the Asian theme, they were wontons! PSM had the Hawai’ian BBQ, full on! He went spice city and the little spice on mine, I was on fire! I treated myself to an orange soda, well, PSM treated me, since he bought lunch! ha ha

They don’t serve alcohol, but if you wanted, you could get something from Narwhals, nothing but drinks, some even non-alcoholic, but we opted for orange sodas, y u m! I don’t drink soda very often, so I am very choosy about what I drink and I can’t tell you the last time I had an orange soda and this was, yeah, yum!

We got our food, went to sit outside and dig in. It was different, filling, tasty, and something I can see trying again. They had a lot of options and knowing they have meat alternatives, I’m down! Maybe next there will be some vegan cheese and sour cream! I could even see bringing my own vegan sour cream, especially if we are sitting outside!

So…if you’re in the St Charles area, check them out!

{May 14, 2021} Another great meal! DD Mau…you don’t disappoint!

Admittedly, I don’t often make declarative statements about where or what I want to eat. I know, you’re thinking, what? But JJ, you have so much to say, how is that possible?! Well friends, it is. I don’t always know where or what I want and I don’t want to take all the focus, but today, I had an answer!

I was thinking about it earlier and I am sure that’s not what you’re supposed to be thinking about while you’re in yoga and contemplating, but there it was, I made a decision. We got in the truck and I asked PSM if he had an idea, nope, great! I wanted Indian and/or vegan food! Indian was a no, the reason, which is fair, we haven’t found any Indian food here that isn’t crazy spicy, not a problem for PSM, but as you know, no good for me, or that wasn’t super salty. Fair point. There is a vegan place near us that I’ve told you about that serves only vegan Indian food, Bombay Food Junkies, but…still mostly spicy, but I do like it.

Ok, then vegan it is! BBQ at Smokee Mo’s St Louis BBQ or maybe DD Mau. I have a feeling you can guess where we went! HA HA. DD Mau it is! I have been craving Bánh mì for a lllooonnnggg time, especially since we went there the first time. I fell in love with Bánh mì when I first had it in Ann Arbor, MI, when I was on a project there, and it was vegan, otherwise, I would not have tried it and I fell in love! I’ve only found vegan Bánh mì twice since then, once in Hawai’i, and now, and it was soooo worth it! For a vegan Bánh mì, I had the choice of tofu, veggies, shrimp, or beef. I asked for a recommendation and they were out of shrimp, so that made it easy! I got a beef Bánh mì, no jalapenos or cilantro, if you ever get it, you might like it fully loaded, who knows!

I ordered the sandwich and an order of vegan cheese rolls, they weren’t bad! Like Krab Rangoon, but without the crab, it was like a spring roll with creamy cheese, vegan of course! PSM had Thai Chili Pepper Wings, they were hot and tasty, but not his favorite wings, he’s having a tough time finding wings that knock his socks off here! He also got Pho and a Hitachino Nest Beer.

Let’s just say…I was not disappointed and there was nothing left to take home for me! Shocker, I know! It really was a good sandwich! There are so many more options to try, can you tell I’m a little excited!?

One of the things I told PSM tonight…I was glad we found a place that has options for both of us. I love that he is accommodating and will try things and go to vegan places with me, but I like the fact that he has more options and there are actually a lot of options for me!

Man…now I’m hungry again!

{May 9, 2021} Happy Mother’s Day

Today is May 9, 2021 and it’s Mother’s Day.

The day is the celebration of not just mothers, but motherhood, maternal bonds. The beauty is it, even though for some it means celebrating the traditional definition of mothers, there are so many variations that are honored. Mothers who have given birth, surrogate, adoption, step mothers, grandmothers, aunts, godmother, friend, four legged…it doesn’t matter, if there is a bond, there is a bond.

I’ve always loved children, doesn’t matter who they are, as PSM would say, I’m like a moth drawn to a flame! Why lie, he’s right! I am known by so many amazing titles, and I wouldn’t trade any one of them. I remember when my sister told me she was pregnant, my first question was “Can I get the Halloween costume?” Her answer… “Yes, if you don’t, it might not happen”! That’s where it started! I’m auntie J to not just my sister’s kids, I’m auntie G to Miss A, and you know I am honored by the title. What I loved about living in Hawai’i is being called auntie instead of ma’am! I’m JJ to my grandkids, a title I wear with pride, in case you weren’t sure!

I will never forget the day I became a mom, a step mom, to TYHL was 8 and WCH had just turned 7 and I fell in love. They were funny, silly, goofy, smart, the list goes on. There are things that happen when you become a new parent, I don’t know if it happens to all parents, but…for those of you that know me, I used to be an incredibly heavy sleeper, I didn’t hear anything, but as soon as my kids started staying over, I felt like I had new mom syndrome, ha ha. I would check on them while they were sleeping, make sure they were still breathing! they were 7 and 8, they were fine! I would hear them turn over in their sleep. I woke up the minute they stirred, I knew I had to be alert if they needed me. The oddest thing, I don’t think it happens to everyone, but I have heard that some women’s feet go up a size when they give birth, here’s the thing…I didn’t give birth, but as soon as I became a mom, my feet went up half a size! I had been a size 7.5 since I was in the 7th grade and at 25, I went up to an 8, what?!

The way I am with my my kids, nieces and nephews, and grandkids, I inherited from my mom. What a woman and mother she was, welcoming, open, loving, silly, hugs for days, and so much more. When I’m hugging someone I sometimes feel like I’m channeling her, one of the ways is when I get half a hug from someone, I’m like ‘that’s not enough! full hug, two hands all the way around’ and it feel amazing, it’s like she’s right there with me and I know she is. I see it at those moments, when I look in the mirror! What a woman, yup, that’s about right!

Today was great. I got up early, no idea why, but…there was a huge thunderstorm happening and you know Ruby…so I let the girls out of the crate and snuggled up with them on on of their beds until PSM got up. After walking the dogs and giving them breakfast, it was our turn! We went to one of our favorite breakfast places, The Shack and it was packed! We were lucky to find seats at the bar with our favorite bartender/server Kelly. Breakfast was great, we laughed, got silly, chatted, laughed, ate some good grub, what more could you want?!

Back to the house, more snuggling with the dogs, until PSM came home from running an errand. He brought me a bouquet of flowers and a very funny card that sang to me from him, Bee, and Ruby, it said “Woof, Woof, Woof!” ! I was lucky enough to receive a great card from my sister, b-i-l, EJS, MGS, and their dog Bailey, thank you! Flowers from my dad, with two of my favorite flowers, daisies and roses, and they came in a happy face emoji vase! Ha ha. It was a rainy, blah day, so a treat…snuggle in our bed with the pups, I had to get up, they didn’t seem to mind…they hung out until we told them it was time to get up!

We ended up going to a restorative yoga class, it was only a few poses, but definitely felt restored! We got smoothies on the way home, watched Guardians of the Galaxy, hung out with the dogs some more, I’m talking to you and soon…zzzzzz. Oh! Cannot forget all the texts back and forth from friends and family, that made me smile!

Whatever you did today, if you celebrated Mother’s Day or Sunday, or May 9th, I hope it was a fabulous day!

{May 5, 2021} Feliz Cinco de mayo

It’s Cinco de mayo. It’s the 5th of May. It’s a celebration, but do we really know why it’s celebrated?

Cinco de mayo is an annual celebration commemorating Mexico’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. I’m going to let you guess the date! This is not to be confused with Mexico’s Independence Day, which does happen, and is celebrated September 16th.

The nice thing about the holiday is it celebrates Mexican-American culture, gives a glimpse into something people may not have exposure to. Granted, in the US, it seems to look like a giant party, with people going to their local, maybe favorite Mexican restaurant, sometimes feeling like an excuse to drink, but when celebrated it lets people see some wonderful and beautiful expressions of love, artistry, and pride, and for those things, how can it be bad.

When my grandfather and his brother left Poland, my grandfather came to the United States through Ellis Island, like so many families, and my great-uncle went to Mexico and started his family there. The family grew and grew and grew and each time we would visit we would get an insiders view of the country and her people. I have so many fond memories of my family, being there for family events, traveling through the country and going places not everyone gets to see. I think of those times and smile.

I learned to speak Spanish a little as a kid, I took French classes all through school, but most of it has been as an adult through travel, and believe it or not, going to Mexican restaurants. One of the things we’ve talked about before is how I try to learn a language before we go to the country and practice as much as possible while we’re there. There are times I start to speak and whoever I’m speaking with repeats it back in English to make sure I knew what I was saying, but I love the times when I speak in Spanish and the conversation just flows, it’s great practice for me and I truly appreciate it.

Spanish is such a beautiful language, how could you not love it. And Mexican culture, so rich and colorful, influenced by a combination of Aztec, Mayan, and European influences. Some of my greatest memories are of the culture, Ballet Folklórico México Danza, Cliff divers in Acapulco, one of the scariest and most awesome sites! Mariachi Bands, Chichen Itza celebrating the Mayan people and culture. One of my favorite places in Mexico is Xochimilco, being on the water in colorful gondola-like boats, eating and seeing the flowers, oh my the flowers, the colors, known as the Floating Gardens of Xochimilco. Dia De Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, celebrating the idea that we can reunite with our deceased loved ones, I loved how Coco portrayed and honored this tradition. One of my most vivid memories is visiting the house shared by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, it’s now the Museo Frida Kahlo, the Blue House. I was nine and saw a painting of hers that honestly gives me nightmares to this day! The Mexican Hat Dance, considered Mexico’s national dance and Jarabe Tapatío, which originated as a courtship dance, is taught in nearly every grade school in Mexico! The colors, the costumes, the traditions! And the food, oh the food, vibrant, sweet, tangy, succulent, fresh, flavorful! I loved the food in Mexico, a fireworks display in my mouth! In a good way.

I hope you were able to get out and celebrate tonight, if it was attending an event, watching a traditional show, enjoying food at your favorite Mexican restaurant, I hope you enjoyed yourself!

I leave you with this Cinco de mayo greeting “¿Dónde estaríamos hoy si no hubiera sido por el Cinco de mayo? Festejemos este día tan especial con el corazón lleno de felicidad y gran orgullo.”

{May 2, 2021} A visit to the flutterby, I mean Butterfly House!

Ok, first…yes, I call them flutterbys, I did as a kid and I still do. Second, I love flutterbys, they make me happy, and third…this is a warning, if you do not like other things found in the insect world, I will let you know when to skip a paragraph and photos, I do not want anyone wigged out. Yes, especially you DLP!

Not much was going on today and PSM had to work, so, after errands, I headed out to the Sophia M Sachs Butterfly House and it was so worth it! I cannot wait for visitors so I can share it with them. I don’t remember if I told you about the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium in New Orleans, which I found out today was permanently closed, but…it’s moving to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas on the river, not sure when it will be finished, but if you’re in the area when it’s open, GO! Yup, go! Ok, back to the Butterfly House here in St Louis! Also…so worth it! Tickets were $8, so reasonable!

It’s in Faust Park, which also has the St Louis Carousel, which I didn’t go in/on, cannot wait though! Who’s coming to visit first?! Parking was free, bonus! It’s a nice big park, there is a playground, lots of people picnicking, hanging out. There were two people with a dog hanging out when I got there and when I left, they were all still there, must be a really nice place to hang, I’ll let you know next time! Just a tidbit…The park was created in 1968 through the generosity of Leicester & Mary Plant Faust who donated the property, which today contains nearly 200 acres in the heart of Chesterfield. It was their intention to forever preserve the original estate of Missouri’s second governor, Frederick Bates.

In I went! I had my ticket scanned, you have to have a reservation and purchase your tickets in advance, easy! I was told what to expect when I went in and away I went. Ok…if you are woogie about crawly things, bugs, this is where you should skip this paragraph and photo, move to the next set.

I asked if this was similar to the Insectarium in New Orleans, the person at the desk didn’t know, but it seems they are all set up similarly. You are introduced to different species of bugs, I only took pictures of the ones I thought were cool and could look at! We started with the Taxicab Beetle, very cool, they have faces on their backsides so predators avoid attacking because they think the beetle can see them! Derby’s Flower Beetles, beautiful green and shiny, and interestingly, the males have a horn and the females don’t. Then there were Caribbean Hermit Crabs, they are H U G E!!! Then came some things most people don’t like, I think they’re cool and MM absolutely loves! Brazilian Salmon Pink Tarantula, Trinidad Chevron Tarantula, Mexican Red Rump Tarantula, Brazilian White Knee Tarantula, Curly Hair Tarantula, so cool and not as creepy as you might think! And lastly, Black Beauty Stick Insects, cool!

Before you go into the butterfly conservatory, you have to watch a short film, it’s less than 3 minutes, about how things work at the butterfly house when they get shipments of chrysalis, it was very cool and I learned a lot. They even call it a butterfly mardi gras! It’s when they release 1,500+ butterflies into the conservatory, it’s fascinating! Are you ready to go into the conservatory? I am!

When you walk in, it’s a little toasty, think tropical, muggy, a little sticky after a while, perfect for the flutterbys. There were trees, trees, and more trees, lots of foliage! and waterfalls, and ponds, and lots of places for the butterflies to land…if they wanted to! There were plates of food, hanging from branches, on stands, and the food consisted of bananas and pineapple slices, sounds good to me! Every so often you would catch a glimpse of a butterfly having a sip or bite of something, do they bite anything?

Everywhere I turned, something was happening! There were even paper lanterns with fun facts about butterflies. They move so fast! It was hard to get pics, but there were a few fabulous moments and I was able to snap a pic. I even got a selfie of one, that was choice!

I just kept snapping pics! The butterflies were so beautiful, so many shades, colors, patterns, speed, areal stunts, soaring, floating, just amazing and if you’re lucky, one might land on your head, hand, foot…I got lucky with a moment on my foot! In addition to the butterflies, there were amazing flora and fauna, orchids, hibiscus, and so much more, it was awash with color! I was in the conservatory for about 35/40 minutes and it was so worth it! I cannot wait to share this with PSM and others!

I walked out of the conservatory and back onto the grounds, it was lovely, butterfly benches, a pond, places for classes, and there was even a Mad Hatter Tea Party going on, it was fun! There were mothers, daughters, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, all sorts of combinations, and everyone was dressed up and wearing great big hats!

You know I love flowers and there were some fabulous flowers throughout the grounds.

At the entrance, well, exit at this point, sculptures, art installations, a pond, and lots of greenery.

Overall, it was a wonderful experience and so worth it. If you have the time, I recommend it, I’m ready to go back, maybe with a picnic lunch! Fly, flit, fly away flutterbys!

{May 1, 2021} A perfect day for a fabulous ride!

Today was the group ride, based on the pre-ride I told you about last weekend, did that make sense?! It was predicted to be a gorgeous day! Let’s go!

The day started early, a little before 7a, got the pups up, walked, and fed, and played, and snuggled. We were out the door by 8am, we needed to be at Mungenast by 8/8:30am, we were heading out for a 3 hour ride. No, I am not going to sing again or make you think about Gilligan’s Island, except for that reference! We got to Mungenast in plenty of time to hang, greet each other, catch up, chat, look at each other’s bikes and the changes or improvements we’ve made. Well, not me, but I could ooh and ah and admire like the rest of them!

When everyone had assembeled, we gathered for a talk from the ride captain, rules of the road and all that. We always have those at the beginning of a group ride, it’s most important when there are a lot of bikes and we had quite a few! It was decided that we would break into two groups to make it easier at stop signs, lights, etc. We were with the second group because PSM was going to block traffic as we were leaving, it’s easier if you have someone who stops the cars and you can leave as one unit. The analogy is that when we’re all together, we act as an 18-wheeler, a really big truck. I hope that made sense!

We headed out, our group was about 5-10 minutes behind the first group. There was some highway riding, but the best part was to get to the back roads, the winding roads, off the beaten path so to speak. We rode for about an hour to Washington, MO, stopped for gas, stretch the legs, grab a snack. It was interesting, sometime before we got to the first stop, we caught up with the first group, then we rode together to the gas station. And it was much needed!

Then…we rode to Hermann, MO, we didn’t stop in Hermann, just drove through, lots of people and bikers out, and very cool, there was Harley Davidson rider who was out for a stroll, so to speak and super cool, turned his bike to block the oncoming cars, so we could ride as one unit, aces! We actually stopped a few miles outisde of Hermann for anyone to gas up, bio break, snacks, you name it. This was the last stop until we got to our destination, just about an hour to go and we were all together, nice.

We headed out, and off we go. It was mostly back roads, some beautiful scenery. I did have a bit of deja vu, as we just did this ride last weekend. We kept a steady pace and I know we were a sight to see. Even when I’m looking at us, it’s quite the site! I can tell you we made quite the sight, there were people waving at us and some even taking videos as we went by, it’s pretty cool.

The weather was perfect, started out about 60 in the morning and went up to 80+, but the wind was something! There were quite a few of us who felt it on the ride, especially on the highway. By the time we got to Head Motor Company in Columbia, MO, we were all ready to get off the bikes. All I wanted to do was stand or sit, and not move!

They had tents set up, demo bikes, food, sales on merchandise, it was quite the site. We were also there to meet the Indian Motorcycle Riders Group Kansas City Chapter, something we do when there are events or rides that are going to meet somewhere in the middle, or close to the middle, which this was.

We had some grub, everyone enjoyed the bbq, it looked good, I improvised! I had a cole slaw sandwich! It was actually quite tasty! And an oatmeal raisin cookie, I was happy! While we ate, we chatted, caught up, got to know some new members, met and talked to the KC riders/members. It’s nice meeting new people, fellow biker enthusiasts. We were on an official group ride, so there was a meeting, had to be.

Then it was time to head out. A few of us decided to go to Hermann for a drink, maybe some food for me! We started at the gas station for a fill-up, then we were off. Since the official ride was over, we were able to go a little faster on the way back, the roads were great, lots of curves, I am trusting the bike more and more, it felt great! We got to Hermann, found a place to park the bikes, but finding a place for beverages, not as easy, but we finally found a place!

We settled in, orderd drinks, I got a vegan weisswurst, it’s a sausage, and mighty tasty, hit the spot. We chatted some more, with less people, more intimate. It was fun, drinks, laughter, stories, what more could you want? After that, we headed out and after a while, some folks split off and PSM and I, with two other guys went to another bar for one more drink, conversation, and fun. Then it was home to take care of the pups.

Speaking of the pups…we asked JS to come and hang with them mid-day so they wouldn’t be in the crate all day, she wasn’t available, but her mom was. I set up the hammock and they all had a great time!

What a day! We had amazing weather, great company, a plethora of bikes, a fabulous route, and the wind at our backs. What more could you want?!

{April 29, 2021} Cheeky monkey! Some training is required!

So…yesterday, I told you that Ruby got spooked and tried to get on the sofa, and we don’t allow dogs on the furniture. I did also say that being on the bed was a special occassion, as long as PSM or I are there. And she got on the bed and got yelled at for it.

Today, I walk into the living room and guess who is lying on the sofa, happy as you please, without a care in the world?! Yup, Ruby! Seriously?! I reacted, yelled to get off the sofa and she did, after a moment, then ran into PSM’s office on the dog bed. PSM was in the other room at the moment and asked “Did you put her in the crate?” I’m still learning some of the doggie discipline. I’ve put them in the crate when it was really bad, I didn’t think about it this time, but he was right.

I went into the office and grabbed her by the collar and said, “into the crate” and that’s where we went, well, we went into the front room and she went into the crate. Here’s the interesting thing…when Bee was in the crate on Saturday, while I called the vet and then was rinsing the dye out of my hair, I didn’t want her inhaling the house or throwing up everywhere, it was for her safety, and Ruby, because she was worried about her sister, Bee, she kept running back and forth from me to the crate. Today, Ruby was in the crate, Bee was off somewhere sleeping! Not fair! ha ha

Apparently her time with the dog sitter, when she got one over on JS and got on the sofa, we have to do a little re-training. One thing that PSM did point out about it, she knows this is her home and she feels safe. That makes me feel good, sigh. Why can’t she just say that with kisses and snuggling? ha ha

{April 28, 2021} The thunder spooked someone…

Our two dogs are so very different from each other, they are wonderfully alike in so many ways when it comes to wanting affection, giving kisses, snuggling, getting treats, but Bee ain’t skered a’ nutin’! On the other hand…sometimes Ruby is afraid of her own shadow!

Ruby can step up to a dog, let them know when they are not welcome, haven’t seen that with a human, and that’s only some dogs. I have to say, she’s great, well, they both are, great with puppies and older dogs, hmmm…we always test the water to see if a meet and greet will go well or sideways.

When anyone comes near the yard, well, dogs, and they are in the backyard, they will let everyone know it’s their yard. Before 8am, if they happen to do that, I stop it, if it’s after 8am, people are usually working, it’s ok. I love hearing the laugh when I say “You are fine, no one is invading your yard!” Both Ruby and Bee let those passing by know who rules the roost!

One way they are different is with sirens, if there is a fire truck or a police car siren, Bee could care less…Ruby, on the other hand…either she’s worried or trying to help! I have to reassure her they have it under control. It does make her nervous and she will come for comfort, it’s cute. She also whines along with them, like I said…worried or helping! Who knows.

Another way they are very different is when it comes to the weather. I’ve told you what Bee was like when it was snowing and icy, she wouldn’t step foot outside, while Ruby, on the other hand, was ready to run through the raindrops, bring it on! Thunderstorm, hard rain, lightning, you name it, Bee is asleep, she doesn’t even notice. Ruby on the other hand…wow! She is at our sides in a flash. Today, she even tried to get on the sofa, I stopped that! Mostly because we both had to work, so I got her to come into my office and finally convinced her to sit under my desk, she’s done that a few times. It really reminds me of Mollie, she was the same way with loud noises, big dogs, go figure…

I stepped out of my office to use the bathroom and I didn’t shut the bedroom door. Now…usually, when one of us is in the bathroom for business or showering, if the door is open, the dogs will sit outside waiting for us to come out and pet, snuggles, whatever. Today…however…Ms Ruby was on the bed! Oh no! Not happening! I think I’ve told you that the dogs are not allowed on the furniture, but on special occasions, like a Saturday or Sunday morning, if there is some lounging happening…I let them on the bed, if PSM gets in there, it’s usually a lick fest, ha ha, but with me, I get licked for a minute, then they settle down and just snuggle. They know they can get on the bed when I give them permission, and when it’s not given, a very stern no!

Well…I came out of the bathroom and she was sitting on the bed, pretty as you please! And when I asked her what she was doing on the bed…did not look at me! It was like all those videos people post on youtube! Cheeky monkey! Of course I took a video!

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What was I thinking?