but what do you expect?
it's Halloween night. Hubbs is at work. so i'm a-l-l a-l-o-n-e.
watching The Sixth Sense.
am i stupid or what?
i have no worries about trick or treaters coming by...we've lived here for nine years and we've never gotten a one.
(edited: for the first time evah! i've had a knock on my door for Halloween night. and not a drop of candy for me to hand out.)
this after i spent about $60 one year on candy. never again.
so, it's scary movie time on ABC Family's "13 Days of Halloween" and i'm home alone.
granted, i could go do some scrapbooking, but then i'm sitting with my back to the door (so the axe wielding psycho murderer can bludgeon me), and then i can face the outside window where i know the trees have eyes.
alrighty then. so i'm between a rock & a hard place.
i could go to bed, but it's only 6:30, and although i'm going in early tomorrow, it doesn't warrant going to bed when the babies do.
although right now i am a baby. a big, sniveling baby. a baby that can't stop watching a scary movie, although she sorta wants to, and doesn't want to.
like i said, not the brightest bulb. Happy Halloweenie.
Oct 31, 2006
Oct 30, 2006
there's a lot of dirt in nature.
a LOT of dirt.
why is that?
yes, the Big Sissy Girl made it through just fine, thanks for asking. we actually got lost heading out to the campsite (and considering the instructions included "turn off the paved road")by turning on the wrong unpaved road, but my friend & i were calling on the cells, and she roared up on her quad to lead us back to their campsite.
this is in Lucierne Valley up in California's high desert area, off the 15 freeway, on the way to VivaLasVegas. lots of campers up with toy haulers, quads, dirt bikes. and yet, it didn't feel crowded - my friend even said it wasn't nearly as crowded as she expected.
City Girl has a hard time getting her mind around the fact that the season is just starting for this sort of thing...since it's sooo hot during the summer, i know you couldn't stand to go out there, but still. summer is camping time, right? not here.
anyway - my friend had gathered about three other families together, so the wagons were circled..except the wagons were trailers, toy haulers & bigass trucks. and quads. lots of quads.
my friend's youngest's quad was DOA, and her daughter's wasn't far behind..so Hubbs got to play mechanic and was in his element.
i didn't get to go quad riding, but the Daughter decided she would take auntie (me)on a ride anyway. one of the families brought a Yamaha Rhino, a cross between a sandrail & a jeep, so off we went.
let me tell you, it takes a lot of faith and prayer to put your life in the hands of a 14 year old. after hitting some of those berms, my back was starting to really hate me, then i realized if i just relaxed when we hit them, it didn't hurt. of course, trying to remember to relax was another thing.
oh, and the nine year old boy took me on a quad ride. while he drove. i almost fell off twice (because he started & i wasn't expecting it) and while holding on for dear life, tore a nail below the bed (owowowowowow!), but otherwise survived.
the worse part was coming home. dang near three hours, for what is a 1-1.5 hr. trip. why? Vegas baby. the 15 is THE artery in & out of California to Vegas. so, coming down the summit was elbowstoarse traffic. Husband was a little cranky during the whole drive. then by the time we got home was completely unhinged. it's bad enough to be tired, but then add that to the fun. well, you get the idea.
so. there you go. yes, i survived. we had an air mattress, our own sleeping bags & i had a shower. it was dry. dusty. i need more moisturizers. like crisco. i drank diet Coke, but not enough H2O. would i do it again? possibly. like i told the Hubbs, i'd rather go where it's greener. more grass, less dirt.
what made me laugh was some of the people in our group actually were sweeping the carpet in front of their motorhome. why? it's just gonna get dirty. again. real quick.
and yes, i am up at the crack of dawn. my body (at 3:15 a.m.) thought it was 4:15. still early for me to be up, but even worse because it really was 3:15. apparently the older i get, the longer it takes for my body to adjust to the ending of Daylight Savings.
pictures later. back to the grind. how was your weekend?
why is that?
yes, the Big Sissy Girl made it through just fine, thanks for asking. we actually got lost heading out to the campsite (and considering the instructions included "turn off the paved road")by turning on the wrong unpaved road, but my friend & i were calling on the cells, and she roared up on her quad to lead us back to their campsite.
this is in Lucierne Valley up in California's high desert area, off the 15 freeway, on the way to VivaLasVegas. lots of campers up with toy haulers, quads, dirt bikes. and yet, it didn't feel crowded - my friend even said it wasn't nearly as crowded as she expected.
City Girl has a hard time getting her mind around the fact that the season is just starting for this sort of thing...since it's sooo hot during the summer, i know you couldn't stand to go out there, but still. summer is camping time, right? not here.
anyway - my friend had gathered about three other families together, so the wagons were circled..except the wagons were trailers, toy haulers & bigass trucks. and quads. lots of quads.
my friend's youngest's quad was DOA, and her daughter's wasn't far behind..so Hubbs got to play mechanic and was in his element.
i didn't get to go quad riding, but the Daughter decided she would take auntie (me)on a ride anyway. one of the families brought a Yamaha Rhino, a cross between a sandrail & a jeep, so off we went.
let me tell you, it takes a lot of faith and prayer to put your life in the hands of a 14 year old. after hitting some of those berms, my back was starting to really hate me, then i realized if i just relaxed when we hit them, it didn't hurt. of course, trying to remember to relax was another thing.
oh, and the nine year old boy took me on a quad ride. while he drove. i almost fell off twice (because he started & i wasn't expecting it) and while holding on for dear life, tore a nail below the bed (owowowowowow!), but otherwise survived.
the worse part was coming home. dang near three hours, for what is a 1-1.5 hr. trip. why? Vegas baby. the 15 is THE artery in & out of California to Vegas. so, coming down the summit was elbowstoarse traffic. Husband was a little cranky during the whole drive. then by the time we got home was completely unhinged. it's bad enough to be tired, but then add that to the fun. well, you get the idea.
so. there you go. yes, i survived. we had an air mattress, our own sleeping bags & i had a shower. it was dry. dusty. i need more moisturizers. like crisco. i drank diet Coke, but not enough H2O. would i do it again? possibly. like i told the Hubbs, i'd rather go where it's greener. more grass, less dirt.
what made me laugh was some of the people in our group actually were sweeping the carpet in front of their motorhome. why? it's just gonna get dirty. again. real quick.
and yes, i am up at the crack of dawn. my body (at 3:15 a.m.) thought it was 4:15. still early for me to be up, but even worse because it really was 3:15. apparently the older i get, the longer it takes for my body to adjust to the ending of Daylight Savings.
pictures later. back to the grind. how was your weekend?
Oct 27, 2006
i'm getting back to nature
..well, at least for a day or so.
Hubbs & i are going up to the high desert with my best friend & her kids.
i'm camping.
me. the uber-urban girl. the big sissy girl. sleeping in a sleeping bag.
it ought to be funny.
full report on Monday.
Hubbs & i are going up to the high desert with my best friend & her kids.
i'm camping.
me. the uber-urban girl. the big sissy girl. sleeping in a sleeping bag.
it ought to be funny.
full report on Monday.
Not something you see every day...
As of late, i have been getting a lot of spam. Unfortunately it's not the kind of spam i can grind up, add tomato sauce, olives, cheese & onions, spread on bread & broil to perfection.
So my email server does an excellent job, delivering straight to my Bulk folder, where i transfer it to my In box, mark as Spam & send it to email hell, as well as my blocked senders list. On the rare occasion where i've accidentally opened one, they always seem to be about some stock market scam..er, opportunity that i MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NOW!!!
Not that it matters, because there's always new senders' names as well as the weirdest subject lines EVAH!
Here's just a few - and typeset just as they've sent to me:
said he would leave
our solar system emerged in
determineered heed
What th'....
But those pale in comparison to today's...
househusband swelling
Wow. Don't know what it has to do with stocks, but if it lasts too long, you should probably go to ER.
Happy Friday & weekend, everyone. And ladies, keep an eye on your househusband's swelling.
So my email server does an excellent job, delivering straight to my Bulk folder, where i transfer it to my In box, mark as Spam & send it to email hell, as well as my blocked senders list. On the rare occasion where i've accidentally opened one, they always seem to be about some stock market scam..er, opportunity that i MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NOW!!!
Not that it matters, because there's always new senders' names as well as the weirdest subject lines EVAH!
Here's just a few - and typeset just as they've sent to me:
said he would leave
our solar system emerged in
determineered heed
What th'....
But those pale in comparison to today's...
househusband swelling
Wow. Don't know what it has to do with stocks, but if it lasts too long, you should probably go to ER.
Happy Friday & weekend, everyone. And ladies, keep an eye on your househusband's swelling.
The Spookiest Place on Earth
You've been good...you ate all your veggies....here's some shots from the jaunt to Disneyland yesterday.
It was biz-zay. Way busier than i really expected. No long lines, just mucho people. In any case, it was just a good excuse to take pictures and eat a lot of crap.
somewhere in New Orleans Square
a candy corn "A" in California Adventure
the Great Pumpkin on Main St. and the extreme makeover of the Haunted Mansion to a Nightmare Before Christmas
Oct 25, 2006
don't worry.
not gone.
not sick.
not backpacking through Europe.
just taking a few days off work, so i may not be my usual Constant Blogger.
(hey! that could be a great title for a movie...might be more interesting than the Gardener one)
might actually have pictures from Disneyland.
but only if you're good.
oh, and not only is it my anniversary, but i was hoping Hubbs would take the night off..no such luck. SO! not only am i having a Pity Anniversary Party, but i COULD have gone to the Oasis for Nora's class. so sad for me.
p.s. - my friend's kid is currently serving a tour in Iraq. in less than a week he'll celebrate (?) his 21st birthday. prayers, if you would, that he gets to celebrate this big one, and many, many more. safe at home.
i know his mom would appreciate it. and probably his step-dad too (but he's a cranky sort!). :o)
not sick.
not backpacking through Europe.
just taking a few days off work, so i may not be my usual Constant Blogger.
(hey! that could be a great title for a movie...might be more interesting than the Gardener one)
might actually have pictures from Disneyland.
but only if you're good.
oh, and not only is it my anniversary, but i was hoping Hubbs would take the night off..no such luck. SO! not only am i having a Pity Anniversary Party, but i COULD have gone to the Oasis for Nora's class. so sad for me.
p.s. - my friend's kid is currently serving a tour in Iraq. in less than a week he'll celebrate (?) his 21st birthday. prayers, if you would, that he gets to celebrate this big one, and many, many more. safe at home.
i know his mom would appreciate it. and probably his step-dad too (but he's a cranky sort!). :o)
Oct 24, 2006
i know you wonder...
You sit there, comfy on your couch or chair, and you wonder "what does that girl do all day when she's not blogging?"
Guess what. Even if you didn't, you're gonna find out. So you might want to switch over to Cyn's place or Melissa's.
OK? Too late now for the rest of you. You're stuck. So the management here at Random Thoughts presents A Day in the Life.
3a.m. - alarm goes off. is it a fire alarm? no - it's some %$#+%$#!!'s car alarm, that apparently is right underneath my bed. Hubbs does not wake up, he usually dons a sleep mask and earplugs before he goes to bed.
3:30 - did i fall asleep? might have, but the alarm is going off. again. i contemplate where the gun is. i remember we do not have a gun.
4:05 - i would love nothing more than to go back to sleep. i realize the sensible thing to do would be to just get up, but i want to believe i can fall back asleep.
4:36 - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
4:55 - my radio is going off. it's time to get up. i consider leaving a rude note on the offending car's alarm, but recognize that i don't know which car it is.
5:00 - 6:25 - in this order: watch tv news. shower. apply various lotions guaranteed to make me look at least 15 years younger. dress. dry & style hair. begin Major Reclamation Job (my step-pop's colorful way of saying puttin' on the face). pack lunch. leave the home. stop for coffee or a smoothie.
6:55 - arrive at work. let the circus begin.
7a.m.-3:30p.m. - deal with work. work reports. go to meetings. take a walk around the parking lot with one of my best friends. work reports. search for missing work. deal with sales reps who do not understand the concept of "this is NOT standard procedure. this is ONLY a favor that i cannot.EVER.repeat." (15 minutes later, rep is contacting me for another change) lunch. work reports. search for missing work. go to meeting with VP to discover my division is being spun off & we have a new name as of next month. (it's a totally whacked name. can't share yet. will next month)
3:45 (or so) - leave work. stops can include Target, grocery store, dry cleaner, scrapbook store.
4:05-5 - get home. watch TiVo'd Alton Brown.
5-5:30 - check email & blogs.
5:31 - realize i need to shave my legs.
5:33 - go to download photos from my camera...realize i cannot find my USB cable. Hubbs comes home from his errands. he doesn't know where my cable is, either.
5:40 - we proceed to Office Depot for new printer ink. locate USB cable...for $25. Hubbs informs me i am not spending that much. we forge on to Circuit City. same scenario. we decide to go to Fry's.
6:30 - i nearly get broadsided in the Fry's parking lot, by a HUGE man in a HUGE truck. to apologize, he flips me off. Hubbs responds in kind. this is where i wanted my evening to go.
6:35-7 - we peruse the store, cannot locate USB cable for my phone. finally near the Mac section, we locate a retractable one. tres cool. (i am secure in my geekness to admit that)
7:15 - we are now on the freeway, heading home.
7:45 - arrive home. Hubbs finds my missing USB cable. crud.
7:50-9:30 - Hubbs works on...work. i snooze under a quilt. yummmmmmm.
9:31 - we go to bed. i realize i need to shave my legs.
There you have it. Just a boring day in my life. if you've stayed awake this long, kudos to you, Gentle Reader. Kudos to you.
Guess what. Even if you didn't, you're gonna find out. So you might want to switch over to Cyn's place or Melissa's.
OK? Too late now for the rest of you. You're stuck. So the management here at Random Thoughts presents A Day in the Life.
3a.m. - alarm goes off. is it a fire alarm? no - it's some %$#+%$#!!'s car alarm, that apparently is right underneath my bed. Hubbs does not wake up, he usually dons a sleep mask and earplugs before he goes to bed.
3:30 - did i fall asleep? might have, but the alarm is going off. again. i contemplate where the gun is. i remember we do not have a gun.
4:05 - i would love nothing more than to go back to sleep. i realize the sensible thing to do would be to just get up, but i want to believe i can fall back asleep.
4:36 - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
4:55 - my radio is going off. it's time to get up. i consider leaving a rude note on the offending car's alarm, but recognize that i don't know which car it is.
5:00 - 6:25 - in this order: watch tv news. shower. apply various lotions guaranteed to make me look at least 15 years younger. dress. dry & style hair. begin Major Reclamation Job (my step-pop's colorful way of saying puttin' on the face). pack lunch. leave the home. stop for coffee or a smoothie.
6:55 - arrive at work. let the circus begin.
7a.m.-3:30p.m. - deal with work. work reports. go to meetings. take a walk around the parking lot with one of my best friends. work reports. search for missing work. deal with sales reps who do not understand the concept of "this is NOT standard procedure. this is ONLY a favor that i cannot.EVER.repeat." (15 minutes later, rep is contacting me for another change) lunch. work reports. search for missing work. go to meeting with VP to discover my division is being spun off & we have a new name as of next month. (it's a totally whacked name. can't share yet. will next month)
3:45 (or so) - leave work. stops can include Target, grocery store, dry cleaner, scrapbook store.
4:05-5 - get home. watch TiVo'd Alton Brown.
5-5:30 - check email & blogs.
5:31 - realize i need to shave my legs.
5:33 - go to download photos from my camera...realize i cannot find my USB cable. Hubbs comes home from his errands. he doesn't know where my cable is, either.
5:40 - we proceed to Office Depot for new printer ink. locate USB cable...for $25. Hubbs informs me i am not spending that much. we forge on to Circuit City. same scenario. we decide to go to Fry's.
6:30 - i nearly get broadsided in the Fry's parking lot, by a HUGE man in a HUGE truck. to apologize, he flips me off. Hubbs responds in kind. this is where i wanted my evening to go.
6:35-7 - we peruse the store, cannot locate USB cable for my phone. finally near the Mac section, we locate a retractable one. tres cool. (i am secure in my geekness to admit that)
7:15 - we are now on the freeway, heading home.
7:45 - arrive home. Hubbs finds my missing USB cable. crud.
7:50-9:30 - Hubbs works on...work. i snooze under a quilt. yummmmmmm.
9:31 - we go to bed. i realize i need to shave my legs.
There you have it. Just a boring day in my life. if you've stayed awake this long, kudos to you, Gentle Reader. Kudos to you.
Oct 22, 2006
It's not like i wasn't up anyway...
all i wanted to do today was sleep in some.
not all day, just a little. hell, anything past 6a.m. would be divine.
but noooooo...apparently my body thinks it's more important to be consistent.
so whom i feel sorry for are my neighbors.
not sure where it's coming from, but i keep hearing this rhythmic thump. thump. thump. thump. it reminds me of some big ol' jackhammer the city uses on street repair. the fun part is that it's been going on since 6.
sucks to be anyone living near that crap.
there's a house across the street being remodeled into a mini-mansion (which appears to be the style of the time), but i would hope to shout that it ain't them. it wouldn't make for very good neighbors.
in the meantime, i'll just hang out. Husband just got up, so maybe i can coerce him into walking over to Starbucks for a little one-on-one time. just enjoying his company for one day a week.
here's hoping your Sunday is all you want it to be... without the street repairs or home remodeling nightmares.
not all day, just a little. hell, anything past 6a.m. would be divine.
but noooooo...apparently my body thinks it's more important to be consistent.
so whom i feel sorry for are my neighbors.
not sure where it's coming from, but i keep hearing this rhythmic thump. thump. thump. thump. it reminds me of some big ol' jackhammer the city uses on street repair. the fun part is that it's been going on since 6.
sucks to be anyone living near that crap.
there's a house across the street being remodeled into a mini-mansion (which appears to be the style of the time), but i would hope to shout that it ain't them. it wouldn't make for very good neighbors.
in the meantime, i'll just hang out. Husband just got up, so maybe i can coerce him into walking over to Starbucks for a little one-on-one time. just enjoying his company for one day a week.
here's hoping your Sunday is all you want it to be... without the street repairs or home remodeling nightmares.
Oct 21, 2006
so what are YOU doing this weekend...
i've been working on two things: making projects for a craft fair at work and on dumping a headache.
well, at least i'm sucessful with one of my goals. the headache stays, though.
as far as the fair goes, it's not much of one. there's someone who has a resellers license & brings in items from a gift store she used to own. someone else makes some really, um..interesting items...last year it was baskets filled with foil & electric candles to look like a basket of fire.
all this for the low, low price of $30.
this same person was selling special edition Barbies as well.
i'm making some Disney & Christmas paperbag books, and some embellished notebooks from Target & Aaron Bros. not sure how my little darlings will do..but it's worth a shot, right?
pictures tomorrow. i've doped myself up quite heavily with Tylenol in a vain attempt to dump the headache. so, i'm more dopey than normal.
have a lovely night.
well, at least i'm sucessful with one of my goals. the headache stays, though.
as far as the fair goes, it's not much of one. there's someone who has a resellers license & brings in items from a gift store she used to own. someone else makes some really, um..interesting items...last year it was baskets filled with foil & electric candles to look like a basket of fire.
all this for the low, low price of $30.
this same person was selling special edition Barbies as well.
i'm making some Disney & Christmas paperbag books, and some embellished notebooks from Target & Aaron Bros. not sure how my little darlings will do..but it's worth a shot, right?
pictures tomorrow. i've doped myself up quite heavily with Tylenol in a vain attempt to dump the headache. so, i'm more dopey than normal.
have a lovely night.
Oct 19, 2006
your quote for the night...
courtesy of CBS' "New Adventures of Old Christine."
him: So stop sleeping with him.
her: My head says yes, but my pants say off.
Now back to my CSI addiction.
him: So stop sleeping with him.
her: My head says yes, but my pants say off.
Now back to my CSI addiction.
One year ago...
This time last year, i was lying in a hospital bed. Feeling no pain.
Really. And not just because of the drugs, either.
It truly was a monumental, turning point in my life. I like to joke that it was more important than the day i got married.
And in a way it was.
For all my terror of someone messing with my factory settings, of having surgery on my spine, just the sheer horror of not knowing what was going on or going to happen - it was all for naught.
The pain before was constant. It never ended, just eased with drugs. Now, there's only the occasional twinge...and those are because i moved wrong or overdid it.
But i made the choice, and i'm so glad i did. Of course, i've got bookoo stories of what happened afterwards...almost puking as they wheeled me back to my room...begging to be allowed to use the bathroom like a "big girl"...after being allowed up to walk, how i walked for almost an hour, until the nurses made me go back to my room.
Life, my friends, is full of choices. Sometimes we make them and wonder for the rest of our lives if we made the right ones.
Thankfully, i have concrete evidence that this was the right decision.
Really. And not just because of the drugs, either.
It truly was a monumental, turning point in my life. I like to joke that it was more important than the day i got married.
And in a way it was.
For all my terror of someone messing with my factory settings, of having surgery on my spine, just the sheer horror of not knowing what was going on or going to happen - it was all for naught.
The pain before was constant. It never ended, just eased with drugs. Now, there's only the occasional twinge...and those are because i moved wrong or overdid it.
But i made the choice, and i'm so glad i did. Of course, i've got bookoo stories of what happened afterwards...almost puking as they wheeled me back to my room...begging to be allowed to use the bathroom like a "big girl"...after being allowed up to walk, how i walked for almost an hour, until the nurses made me go back to my room.
Life, my friends, is full of choices. Sometimes we make them and wonder for the rest of our lives if we made the right ones.
Thankfully, i have concrete evidence that this was the right decision.
Oct 17, 2006
late night ramblings...
*Note - this late night post is not to be viewed by anyone under 18, anyone with heart problems, or generally does not have a sense of humor about married life. You have been warned.*
Got an email tonight from a friend, that i HAD to share with the rest of the internet. Or, at least the four people who read this (hi guys!). This friend has been going through a, well..let's say interesting period in her marriage - you know - rough spots, business trips, kids, etc. So she had to share what she came home to tonight.
Feeling a little sad & sorry for herself, she pulled in her driveway and saw something weird looking over by her gas meter. Getting out of her car, she saw it...
Two cats making their own porn tape.
I now quote my friend: "...honest to gawd, Valerie, what the hell is the world coming to when cats are getting more sex than I am????"
'nuff said.
Got an email tonight from a friend, that i HAD to share with the rest of the internet. Or, at least the four people who read this (hi guys!). This friend has been going through a, well..let's say interesting period in her marriage - you know - rough spots, business trips, kids, etc. So she had to share what she came home to tonight.
Feeling a little sad & sorry for herself, she pulled in her driveway and saw something weird looking over by her gas meter. Getting out of her car, she saw it...
Two cats making their own porn tape.
I now quote my friend: "...honest to gawd, Valerie, what the hell is the world coming to when cats are getting more sex than I am????"
'nuff said.
i'll pay for what i want
i have no problem with that concept. if i need something, and it's within the budget, i'll cough up the dough & pay for it.
this picture cost me a quarter.
you see - this little imp complained that, at the tender age of three, she was over exposed in the media.
i am the media.
yes, she's complaining that auntie "takes too many pictures."
so, for a quarter, i got a good photo shoot.
and she stuck her tongue out at me. then, before i could narc to her mother, she told me it was an "ack-a-adent."
of course it was, sweetheart. and well worth the quarter spent.
Oct 15, 2006
weekends are too short.
wasn't it just Friday five minutes ago? how is it possible that Monday is hours away?
crud. crud. crud.
it's this kind of weather that makes me wish i was off work again. nothing to do but sleep in, and court the Muse of Creativity that has been blessing me this weekend.
sigh.
hope your weekend was faboo, too.
crud. crud. crud.
it's this kind of weather that makes me wish i was off work again. nothing to do but sleep in, and court the Muse of Creativity that has been blessing me this weekend.
sigh.
hope your weekend was faboo, too.
Oct 14, 2006
ah, rain -
ya gotta love rainy days.
OK, well...i do.
See, here in Mostly Smoggy So. Cal., we don't get much in the way of weather. so when we do, it honestly becomes a Breaking News alert. Years ago, we had an El Nino front come through...which basically means it rained here as much as Seattle. And, sure enough, it was on the news...and part of the story included a serious story, where the rain had damaged some homes.
The newschopper, hovering over this home, caught a plastic shopping bag being swept away by the floodwaters. The news anchor, who is very much a "Ron Burgundy" type, said, on live TV, "Oh, is that a small child being swept away?" The helicopter pilot wearily replied, "No, it's just a plastic bag."
Weather here is big news. Because there really is no weather. So, overcast, cool, rainy days make me happy. i would be very happy in the Great Pacific Northwest. Hubbs says he would end up like Kurt Cobain if we ever moved up there.
i say he's a bit melodramatic.
These kind of days, for whatever reason, make me long for retirement. To be able to plan & do whatever i wanted. Own a vineyard in Napa. Travel the world. Own a beachhouse, or even my own island.
The Carpenters sang that Rainy Days & Mondays Always Get Me Down. But for me, they always make me think of the potential of my life...and what i can make of it.
OK, well...i do.
See, here in Mostly Smoggy So. Cal., we don't get much in the way of weather. so when we do, it honestly becomes a Breaking News alert. Years ago, we had an El Nino front come through...which basically means it rained here as much as Seattle. And, sure enough, it was on the news...and part of the story included a serious story, where the rain had damaged some homes.
The newschopper, hovering over this home, caught a plastic shopping bag being swept away by the floodwaters. The news anchor, who is very much a "Ron Burgundy" type, said, on live TV, "Oh, is that a small child being swept away?" The helicopter pilot wearily replied, "No, it's just a plastic bag."
Weather here is big news. Because there really is no weather. So, overcast, cool, rainy days make me happy. i would be very happy in the Great Pacific Northwest. Hubbs says he would end up like Kurt Cobain if we ever moved up there.
i say he's a bit melodramatic.
These kind of days, for whatever reason, make me long for retirement. To be able to plan & do whatever i wanted. Own a vineyard in Napa. Travel the world. Own a beachhouse, or even my own island.
The Carpenters sang that Rainy Days & Mondays Always Get Me Down. But for me, they always make me think of the potential of my life...and what i can make of it.
Oct 11, 2006
i'll tumble for ya..
no, really.
this past Monday, i dragged Hubbs out for a walk. we needed to get out, and exercise is always a good thing, right?
once again, i prove that exercise will kill you.
we had walked around the parameter of Knott's, and were about less than a 1/4 mile from our home when....
i fell off the curb.
now really...who falls off a curb? sober? (insert fingers pointing at me)
when i fell, i whacked the Hubbs in the back of his leg. good thing, too...he might have left me there, rolling like a turtle on her back. but nothing was broken, except my spirit.
clumsy oaf.
now, my leg has all the colors of the rainbow...as long as the rainbow only has browns, greens & purples in it, with yellow highlights.
i shouldn't be surprised. i was always accident prone as a child. always bruising or cutting something. thank Heavens there was no child protective services when i was growing up, because i have no doubt that my mom would probably be investigated. until they realized that i was born with two left feet. i was constantly falling out of trees, off bikes, tripping in gopher holes...but that's another blog.
in desperation, my poor mom sent me to years of ballet, hoping it would make me more graceful, more coordinated.
nope. but at least i look good falling. i look even better in a tutu.
this past Monday, i dragged Hubbs out for a walk. we needed to get out, and exercise is always a good thing, right?
once again, i prove that exercise will kill you.
we had walked around the parameter of Knott's, and were about less than a 1/4 mile from our home when....
i fell off the curb.
now really...who falls off a curb? sober? (insert fingers pointing at me)
when i fell, i whacked the Hubbs in the back of his leg. good thing, too...he might have left me there, rolling like a turtle on her back. but nothing was broken, except my spirit.
clumsy oaf.
now, my leg has all the colors of the rainbow...as long as the rainbow only has browns, greens & purples in it, with yellow highlights.
i shouldn't be surprised. i was always accident prone as a child. always bruising or cutting something. thank Heavens there was no child protective services when i was growing up, because i have no doubt that my mom would probably be investigated. until they realized that i was born with two left feet. i was constantly falling out of trees, off bikes, tripping in gopher holes...but that's another blog.
in desperation, my poor mom sent me to years of ballet, hoping it would make me more graceful, more coordinated.
nope. but at least i look good falling. i look even better in a tutu.
Oct 10, 2006
for those about to dye..we salute you.
ah, the joys of being a girl. not the every 28 days one, but the rest of them.
we get to wear cute clothes. makeup. perfume. earrings. and even if we choose to not do any of these, or to not even do them every day, we have the choice.
we also have the choice to dye & cut our hair.
or not!
today, i chose to.
now, as a child, my hair got red in the summer. all that time out in the sun, would lighten it to a lovely red. as i got older, that ended of course..mostly because i wasn't in the sun as much.
soooo - i opted to recapture the red tresses of my youth. oh, and the fact that there was a LOT of gray popping up which also encouraged me to do so.
never having been one to be shy about whether i dye or not (the one incident at work notwithstanding...i had just given a presentation to my department, when, after asking if anyone had any questions, one wag questioned: "Yeah, what's your real hair color?" my smartass response was "i'll tell you if you tell me where you got your hair plugs." can you believe this guy hooked himself a wife? amazing. with that kind of personality, too...), i have no problem telling anyone who asks that yes i do dye, and who does it.
tonight, i had a hair appointment, and i was ready for a change. i'm really digging my current cut, and since it still works for me, far be it from me to change now.
well...at least until i get bored. like today.
i'm ready for a change. and fall is here, so i felt it was time to make my hair as rich as this season. well, at least as rich as fall gets here in Mostly Sunny So. Cal.
with no further ado...here's before:
and here's after:
yes, it's dark. it's still a little red, deep down.
it's taking a little getting used to, only because i haven't had hair this dark since my wedding.
but i kinda feel like a new woman!
oh, and yes, i did warn Hubbs so when he comes home tonight, he doesn't think he's in the wrong bed. muh-hahahaha!
sing it with me now..."i enjoy beeeeeing a girlllllll!"
we get to wear cute clothes. makeup. perfume. earrings. and even if we choose to not do any of these, or to not even do them every day, we have the choice.
we also have the choice to dye & cut our hair.
or not!
today, i chose to.
now, as a child, my hair got red in the summer. all that time out in the sun, would lighten it to a lovely red. as i got older, that ended of course..mostly because i wasn't in the sun as much.
soooo - i opted to recapture the red tresses of my youth. oh, and the fact that there was a LOT of gray popping up which also encouraged me to do so.
never having been one to be shy about whether i dye or not (the one incident at work notwithstanding...i had just given a presentation to my department, when, after asking if anyone had any questions, one wag questioned: "Yeah, what's your real hair color?" my smartass response was "i'll tell you if you tell me where you got your hair plugs." can you believe this guy hooked himself a wife? amazing. with that kind of personality, too...), i have no problem telling anyone who asks that yes i do dye, and who does it.
tonight, i had a hair appointment, and i was ready for a change. i'm really digging my current cut, and since it still works for me, far be it from me to change now.
well...at least until i get bored. like today.
i'm ready for a change. and fall is here, so i felt it was time to make my hair as rich as this season. well, at least as rich as fall gets here in Mostly Sunny So. Cal.
with no further ado...here's before:
and here's after:
yes, it's dark. it's still a little red, deep down.
it's taking a little getting used to, only because i haven't had hair this dark since my wedding.
but i kinda feel like a new woman!
oh, and yes, i did warn Hubbs so when he comes home tonight, he doesn't think he's in the wrong bed. muh-hahahaha!
sing it with me now..."i enjoy beeeeeing a girlllllll!"
Oct 9, 2006
what's next?
In case you hadn't heard...California is trying to kill the rest of the nation.
No, not really.
But it could seem like it...with the whole spinach thing. Now we get to add lettuce to the list.
First it was spinach. eColi found and so every ounce of fresh spinach gets pulled. Children around the nation rejoiced. Popeye went into seclusion.
Then people got really sick and some died. It stopped being funny. And now it seems that lettuce is heading down the same trail. Thankfully no one has seemed to be sick or died yet.
Or sued.
Apparently there is a woman who is suing because she got sick. She's doing it "on behalf of all those who also got sick."
Oh good. Will she also be sharing the money with all those that got sick?
Oh well.
It's a little scary. Will it come to the point where we can't eat anything but frozen or canned veggies? And, as i'm watching the lettuce story on the news last night, i'm cooking corned beef & cabbage for dinner.
i can't help but wonder what's next...and i hope it ain't cabbage.
In other non-eColi news...yesterday we took a day trip out to Oak Glen, a kinda touristy, group of apple ranches about an hour east of our homestead.
It rained. Not heavy, but enough to make us not want to hang around..especially since we didn't have umbrellas.
Final conclusion: Julian in San Diego county is better. And so far, apples are still safe to eat.
No, not really.
But it could seem like it...with the whole spinach thing. Now we get to add lettuce to the list.
First it was spinach. eColi found and so every ounce of fresh spinach gets pulled. Children around the nation rejoiced. Popeye went into seclusion.
Then people got really sick and some died. It stopped being funny. And now it seems that lettuce is heading down the same trail. Thankfully no one has seemed to be sick or died yet.
Or sued.
Apparently there is a woman who is suing because she got sick. She's doing it "on behalf of all those who also got sick."
Oh good. Will she also be sharing the money with all those that got sick?
Oh well.
It's a little scary. Will it come to the point where we can't eat anything but frozen or canned veggies? And, as i'm watching the lettuce story on the news last night, i'm cooking corned beef & cabbage for dinner.
i can't help but wonder what's next...and i hope it ain't cabbage.
In other non-eColi news...yesterday we took a day trip out to Oak Glen, a kinda touristy, group of apple ranches about an hour east of our homestead.
It rained. Not heavy, but enough to make us not want to hang around..especially since we didn't have umbrellas.
Final conclusion: Julian in San Diego county is better. And so far, apples are still safe to eat.
Oct 7, 2006
another Saturday night....
and what are you having for dinner?
for me, dinner anymore is kind of a waste. don't get me wrong, i still eat. and if anyone has seen my arse lately...well...'nuff said.
but with Hubbs working swing, there's not a lot of chances to cook. (and i have no idea how to cook for one. heating for one is a different subject. i have a Masters degree in that)
like April, says, cereal is a really good choice. as is breakfast for me: ain't nothing better than eggs 'n' toast or pancakes 'n' eggs. (preferably sunny, but cooked enough so the creepy stuff around the yoke is cooked) but cereal really rocks.
and, despite one of my last blogs, no, i haven't had cocoa puffs & buttermilk in a long time.
tonight, though...i decided to keep it simple. and to attempt a restart on WW, i had a WW frozen mac & cheese.
then followed it up with the remains of my key lime pie cheesecake.
yum-o. and yes, i realize it negates the purpose of a low-cal dinner.
so - here's the questions for the day. you may answer only one or both...the choice is yours. but do answer...i'd like to see i'm not alone out here. what are you having for dinner tonight and have you ever followed up a healthy dinner with some really yummy crap?
food is good. yummy food is even better.
for me, dinner anymore is kind of a waste. don't get me wrong, i still eat. and if anyone has seen my arse lately...well...'nuff said.
but with Hubbs working swing, there's not a lot of chances to cook. (and i have no idea how to cook for one. heating for one is a different subject. i have a Masters degree in that)
like April, says, cereal is a really good choice. as is breakfast for me: ain't nothing better than eggs 'n' toast or pancakes 'n' eggs. (preferably sunny, but cooked enough so the creepy stuff around the yoke is cooked) but cereal really rocks.
and, despite one of my last blogs, no, i haven't had cocoa puffs & buttermilk in a long time.
tonight, though...i decided to keep it simple. and to attempt a restart on WW, i had a WW frozen mac & cheese.
then followed it up with the remains of my key lime pie cheesecake.
yum-o. and yes, i realize it negates the purpose of a low-cal dinner.
so - here's the questions for the day. you may answer only one or both...the choice is yours. but do answer...i'd like to see i'm not alone out here. what are you having for dinner tonight and have you ever followed up a healthy dinner with some really yummy crap?
food is good. yummy food is even better.
oh CRUD!
no - i haven't fallen off the planet. nor have i gone on vacation or been sick. lazy? possibly. truth is, there's been a little drama going on in my corner of the universe, and although it's still here, it's a little easier. really, just a little easier.
if you are a praying person, i would ask you keep my Hubbs in your prayers. prayers for peace & a sense of calm about his life. and i thank you.
now, back to our regularly scheduled blog.
while readings my morning run-down of blogs, i checked on Loni's and realized that it's Saturday morning. which means that last night was Friday night.
which means i missed Grey's Anatomy.
@#$*&%$*@#$%$??#$@&!!!!!!!
now, if i was smart, i would set Mr. DVR to tape it on Friday. see, i can't tape it on Thursday, because that's CSI. and, if i want a continuing, happy relationship with the Hubbs (and i do), i must tape it.
crud.
now - i know what happened...there's a link on the web that give a run down on what happened on the last show. but it's not the same as watching it.
crud. think i'll just set up a timer for it now.
in other news....
someone in an apartment near ours has a dog. a dog who doesn't like to be left alone. there's a lot of whining, poor puppy.
i love dogs...never cared for cats until jr. high, when we got a stray that got knocked up. it's been Catsville ever since. but last night...i dreamed about having dogs. a chocolate lab to be precise.
*sigh* always chasing what you cannot have. it's all good. and it's all about living like today was your last day on earth.
yep. that's me. running all over the place. making no sense. but trying to.
happy Saturday.
if you are a praying person, i would ask you keep my Hubbs in your prayers. prayers for peace & a sense of calm about his life. and i thank you.
now, back to our regularly scheduled blog.
while readings my morning run-down of blogs, i checked on Loni's and realized that it's Saturday morning. which means that last night was Friday night.
which means i missed Grey's Anatomy.
@#$*&%$*@#$%$??#$@&!!!!!!!
now, if i was smart, i would set Mr. DVR to tape it on Friday. see, i can't tape it on Thursday, because that's CSI. and, if i want a continuing, happy relationship with the Hubbs (and i do), i must tape it.
crud.
now - i know what happened...there's a link on the web that give a run down on what happened on the last show. but it's not the same as watching it.
crud. think i'll just set up a timer for it now.
in other news....
someone in an apartment near ours has a dog. a dog who doesn't like to be left alone. there's a lot of whining, poor puppy.
i love dogs...never cared for cats until jr. high, when we got a stray that got knocked up. it's been Catsville ever since. but last night...i dreamed about having dogs. a chocolate lab to be precise.
*sigh* always chasing what you cannot have. it's all good. and it's all about living like today was your last day on earth.
yep. that's me. running all over the place. making no sense. but trying to.
happy Saturday.
Oct 3, 2006
playing tag...again...
this time by Tracey. and it's a different one thankfully!
The rules are : List 5 weird things about yourself or your pets. Tag 5 friends and list them. Then, those people need to write on their blogs about 5 weird things, and state the rules, and tag 5 more people. Don’t forget to let the people you tag know by posting a comment on their blog!
(only five weird things? hmmm.)
1) i have a square freckle on the side of my nose.
2) i was Queen of the Ringling Brothers/Barnum & Bailey Circus...two years in a row.
3)both my husband & i were contestants on To Tell The Truth. we both won.
4)occasionally i love eating CocoPuffs with buttermilk. i will allow the next few seconds for you to get it all out.
feel better? OK. let's move on.
5)i can't rollerskate.
now....i tag Linda, April, Cyn, Doug & Melissa. (don't hate me!!)
The rules are : List 5 weird things about yourself or your pets. Tag 5 friends and list them. Then, those people need to write on their blogs about 5 weird things, and state the rules, and tag 5 more people. Don’t forget to let the people you tag know by posting a comment on their blog!
(only five weird things? hmmm.)
1) i have a square freckle on the side of my nose.
2) i was Queen of the Ringling Brothers/Barnum & Bailey Circus...two years in a row.
3)both my husband & i were contestants on To Tell The Truth. we both won.
4)occasionally i love eating CocoPuffs with buttermilk. i will allow the next few seconds for you to get it all out.
feel better? OK. let's move on.
5)i can't rollerskate.
now....i tag Linda, April, Cyn, Doug & Melissa. (don't hate me!!)
Oct 2, 2006
poor Georgie...
(i realize this isn't the most important story of today, but i just cannot relive another story of children being murdered by schmucks.)if you want to wake him up before you go-go, make sure he hasn't done any smack beforehand.
you know what bugs me the most about this story? not the fact that the man is wasting God-given talent. it's the fact that they call him an "aging pop star." and he's 43,
guess that makes me an aging bitter ol broad. at 44. and i'm not nearly as talented.
or as drug induced.
Oct 1, 2006
born way too late
being an only child, who grew up in a neighborhood where most all the kids were in college, i had to develop a pretty dang good imagination. developing "to be continued" stories with my massive collection of Barbies and other dolls.
so, with said imagination flourishing, i also did a lot of reading. and my favorite book hands down, was "Little Women."
like most girls, i identified with Jo - the tomboy that no one understood except for her sister, Beth. but, as i began my teen years, i started to want to be more like Meg and Amy. Meg because deep down, i didn't really want to be a tomboy, but had no idea hot to stop and Amy because her story turned out to be the most romantic. **sigh**
then, came 1976. America was celebrating her bicentennial, and Mattel produced a line of dolls called the Star Spangled Dolls. each doll represented a period in our history, starting with the American Indian, and ending with a couple from the jazz era.
my favorites were the pioneer & Civil War era dolls.
yes, i had also just discovered the "Little House" books. i'd also started reading "Gone with the Wind." i loved those periods of our history.
more importantly, i loved those clothes.
don't get me wrong. i have NO desire to wear corsets. it just seemed to me a gentler, elegant time.
so imagine my glee when last week, when Halloween costume shopping with sister in law, i found these patterns from Simplicity.
holy frejoles.
i would love to make either of these, but two things stop me. 1) i cannot sew to save my life. (OK, i can sew, but not well) and 2) where the $%*@! am i gonna wear this?
i have experience in hoop skirts. when i was 15, i joined a Masonic youth group, the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls. it stressed faith in a Supreme Being, service to all, and developed (for me) an ease in leadership & public speaking. so, as part of the whole thing, as president or a past president of each unit, you had the opportunity to wear a formal with a hoop.
believe me, it takes some doing to look like you're gliding along the floor, as opposed to schlepping in hiking boots.
part of me would love to be involved in some historical group that would allow me to feed my love for history, AND to get to wear some really cool togs. but on the other hand, here in Mostly Smoggy So. Cal., we don't have a whole lot of historical spots. it's not like being on the East Coast. here, we have a tendency to reduce our historical spots to parkingl ots with a marker reading "On this spot..."
oh well. maybe in my next life.
so, with said imagination flourishing, i also did a lot of reading. and my favorite book hands down, was "Little Women."
like most girls, i identified with Jo - the tomboy that no one understood except for her sister, Beth. but, as i began my teen years, i started to want to be more like Meg and Amy. Meg because deep down, i didn't really want to be a tomboy, but had no idea hot to stop and Amy because her story turned out to be the most romantic. **sigh**
then, came 1976. America was celebrating her bicentennial, and Mattel produced a line of dolls called the Star Spangled Dolls. each doll represented a period in our history, starting with the American Indian, and ending with a couple from the jazz era.
my favorites were the pioneer & Civil War era dolls.
yes, i had also just discovered the "Little House" books. i'd also started reading "Gone with the Wind." i loved those periods of our history.
more importantly, i loved those clothes.
don't get me wrong. i have NO desire to wear corsets. it just seemed to me a gentler, elegant time.
so imagine my glee when last week, when Halloween costume shopping with sister in law, i found these patterns from Simplicity.
holy frejoles.i would love to make either of these, but two things stop me. 1) i cannot sew to save my life. (OK, i can sew, but not well) and 2) where the $%*@! am i gonna wear this?
i have experience in hoop skirts. when i was 15, i joined a Masonic youth group, the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls. it stressed faith in a Supreme Being, service to all, and developed (for me) an ease in leadership & public speaking. so, as part of the whole thing, as president or a past president of each unit, you had the opportunity to wear a formal with a hoop.
believe me, it takes some doing to look like you're gliding along the floor, as opposed to schlepping in hiking boots.
part of me would love to be involved in some historical group that would allow me to feed my love for history, AND to get to wear some really cool togs. but on the other hand, here in Mostly Smoggy So. Cal., we don't have a whole lot of historical spots. it's not like being on the East Coast. here, we have a tendency to reduce our historical spots to parkingl ots with a marker reading "On this spot..."
oh well. maybe in my next life.
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