Movie Review - Vantage Point

Shooter and I went last Sunday to see Vantage Point. According to the critics (whom I rarely, if ever, listen to) it's over-acted and over-scripted. And it is....BUT I loved it anyway. I loved it for the twists and turns. I loved it for the fact that I wasn't really sure who to suspect until about 2/3 of the way through. Yea, the ending was a little predictable - but it kept you on the edge of your seat. It features a cast that has some very well known names - Forest Whitaker, Matthew Fox, Sigourney Weaver, Dennis Quaid and William Hurt.



I found it very hard at times to concentrate on the movie because I was salivating over Dennis Quaid. I have always found him quite attractive but he has this rugged, weathered look about him that just makes my knees weak.

Oh, Dennis Quaid....you are on my "list". I do think you're magnificent and handsome and so easy on the eyes.

So, go see the movie...you'll love it. :-)

Thursday's Pretty Things

I found a website a while back that has some of the prettiest lovelies for your home, table and kitchen! Unfortunately it's all a bit out of my hip/trendy/fabulous/CHEAP budget constraints...however if there's ever a sale......

The items above are from the site VivaTerra.com. I immediately fell in love with the Oceana Seaglass Dinnerware. Oh those colors...they're gorgeous. I'm mad for turquoise and all shades of it these days. The oversized recycled glass bowl in the middle just screams for multi uses in my home. In the kitchen, dining room, living room, bathroom. I could put that to all kinds of cool uses! The Seaglass Illuminaria are just breathtaking...you can put tea candles in them or flowers or any number of items. They're just beautiful on their own or worked into a centerpiece. I also just found that the hand blown glass pears spoke to me. There's something about the vibrance of color and it would just pop out on a table against the muted and white tones. Oh, and that daisy bowl....*sigh*...it's so pretty...imagine it filled with fruit or bread or as a catch all for your mail...it would made anything look chi-chi.

I'm going to try to make this a weekly item - hope you guys enjoy!

Updates and schtuff

Wow...the last few days have been a blur and I have been remiss in posting here on my blog.

Monday - I arrive home from work to find a package on the dining room table. Shooter says, what's this? I looked at it and screamed, "COOKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" My fabulous blog friend Vanessa tagged me with a pass it on meme and sent me a wonderful box of peanut butter cookies. They're soooooo tasty....and no, I'm not sharing!

In Morey news:
Antibiotics - $145
Blood work - $130
Fluids - $100
Pain meds - $50
Anti vomit meds - $25
Getting my Morey boy all better - Priceless!!!!!

It has been a long couple of days getting Morey over the hump but he's doing much better. He's taking a really strong antibiotic that is prescribed primarily to pups with pancreatitis. He's going to be on it for something like a month....so we're hoping that this new antibiotic will do the trick and knock out whatever it is that keeps hanging on and making him sick. I am starting to knit him a little leg warmer as he had to have his leg shaved so they could give him fluids. I so have to take a picture of him for you guys...it's so sad!

Also, apparently I'm a bit psychic as I completely predicted the outcome of my scheduled visit from the cable guy. I stayed home on Tuesday....partially because of Morey getting better and partially because we had an appointment with the cable guy. Well....3pm comes and goes....and 4pm comes and goes....and 5pm comes and goes. Shooter's home at 5pm and he calls them, they say well, he's probably delayed - don't worry about it. Well, 5:45 comes and Shooter calls them again. This time the lovely customer service rep issues us a $20 credit on our bill and offers to call dispatch to see where the technician is. She calls us back 5 min later and explains that there will be no technician coming to the house as there are no cable boxes available at this time. Shooter has to go to the other side of the house, to his man-cave, to finish the conversation because I'm ranting and raving and screaming and yelling and throwing pillows and he can't hear. They agreed to credit us another $50 and put us on a high priority list for the cable box. What an utter joke. I hate the cable company...hate them with every ounce of energy I can muster.

Oh...and another rant....I ordered new specs last week. I was happily notified that they had arrived and I went to pick them up Tuesday evening. Well, the lady working was not helpful at all and when I told her the frames were obviously very crooked she just looked at me. I was all like, see, I can tell they're crooked can't you see it? We went back and forth with her heating them up and bending them and all this mess. After 15 min I'm all like, forget it....and she looks at me and says, "Well, ma'am, the frames are straight, we can't help you if your ears are straight." I was moments away from jumping over the counter when I gained control of myself and just walked out. I called back yesterday to find out I had dealt with the manager of all people!!!! I went back last night and talked to the lady I'd ordered the frames from and she told me that they are messed up, that they were bent improperly when they put the lenses in. They're rush ordering me a new pair. *sigh*

With all this crap going on...I just couldn't pull myself together enough post anything....but now I have it all off my chest....perhaps I'll come up with something charming for later today! :-)

Oscar Red Carpet - Real or Photoshop?

Is it real or is it photoshop?

REAL!!

Besides the fact that I do not like Renee Zellweger at all...how does she always manage to have the worst facial expressions and poses? It always looks like she's just bit into a lemon and in this photo it appears that her head is about to slide off of her neck. She's all kinds of contorted and it makes me a little queasy to look at her.

What do you guys think? Is it just me?

Schnauzer sickness returns

Update: I heard from the vet and Morey's test for pancreatitis came back positive. Poor dude is at the vet getting fluids, a shot for the pain, a shot so he doesn't vomit, and a shot of antibiotic. We will pick him up later this evening and hopefully he'll be feeling better by then. *sigh* At least we know what's wrong and can get him on the right meds to get him all better.


*sigh*


Morey's at the vet this morning. We didn't feed him last night because he obviously wasn't feeling well and had horrible gas. This morning he gets up and goes out and decides to eat half the lawn. Joy. I try to dry off his paws and he won't even stand up to put his paws on my knees like usual. I'm thinking...this is NOT good. He comes back in and all he wants to do is lay on my belly...NOT a good sign. I could feel his belly cramping up and each time it would he'd whimper and push his face under my chin. I laid there crying and decided it was time for him to go to the vet. I dropped him off and they'll do the usual battery of tests I'm sure...


I just need my little boy to get patched up and be well.

We dodged the BIG D bullet again!!

Whew....we managed to avoid the BIG D bullet today. BIG D as in DIVORCE. We figure anytime we manage a major purchase/major home project/major life change and we don't get divorced we're doing good.

Today we went and got Shooter his "big ass" TV that he's been lusting after. Let's just say it's changed our lives....well, it did after we managed to remove it from the backseat of our car. Yup, the oh so helpful Best Buy associate managed to wedge the HUGE box into the backseat of our car...and let's just say that it was harder to get out than getting it in. We yelled, we cussed, we flailed and cried....then we managed to get the box out. Whew...without attorneys or papers being filed...it was amazing.

We even managed to get the darn thing in the house and set up without any further derogatory comments being made.

I immediately suggested that we should put 300 in the DVD player to test out the color, etc. You ladies KNOW why I wanted to put that DVD in on a 42" screen. Purrrrrrr.....Gerard Butler on a huge ass TV is LOVERLY!!!!!! I recommend it for all that ails you.

Inspired by yesterday's post

Shooter and I were together with our small group on Wednesday night, and after yesterday's post I remembered part of a conversation we had that evening. I think I have enough "God Fearin'" folks reading that perhaps someone will be strange enough to have had this same feeling.

So, when I was a kid I was constantly freaked out by the Rapture. I grew up pretty strict Southern Baptist and it was hammered into our head that we better not do anything that we wouldn't want to be caught doing when the Rapture came. I vivdly remember being told one time that you should never walk on a grave because if the Lord came back you'd be knocked over dead and wouldn't go to heaven (that was my YOUTH PASTOR that told me that?!!?!?!). I must have been in my early tweens...just old enough to start going to the youth camps and stuff...when I really started to freak out about it. I think I'd gone to a youth camp where the focus was on Revelation and the story of the Rapture and everything. After that, if I'd wake up in the morning and couldn't find anyone, my first thought was that the Rapture had come and I'd been left behind. My parents routinely would get up and then head off to do errands and not wake me up. I remember one time running all over the house yelling for them and not being able to find them. Finally I ran into the garage and found the car gone....huge sigh of relief because they couldn't have possibly gotten in the car to be Raptured.

Now that Shooter and I have been married for a while, we do joke pretty often about our Rapture fears. I am usually up before Shooter, on the days we get to sleep in, and he'll usually joke that he woke up and couldn't find me and thought I'd been RAPTURED!

In small group, the folks I was talking to about this started laughing because they've had the same kind of fears, or played jokes on siblings who had that fear. One of the guys said that he used to play the joke on his brother....but would actually leave his clothes laid out on his bed under the covers. Now that's pretty cruel! But funny....

One of these days I think I'll do that to Shooter....hehehehe....

Have any of you dealt with the Rapture fear?

Overheard in my house.....

I was on the phone with my Mom tonight and here's a snippet of our conversation:

Mom: "So, when you cook with liquor, the alcohol cooks out, right?"

Me: "Yup, just leaves flavor with no alcohol. What ya making?"

Mom: "Your dad came home with a recipe for tequila enchilada chicken. I thought it sounded good but didn't want us getting all tipsy from it."

Me: "Mom...there's no way."

Mom: "I guess I'll have to get your Dad to go into the liquor store and get me some tequila."

Me: "Why? Can't you go in and get yourself some?"

Mom: "Lord, no! I haven't ever been in a liquor store before. I wouldn't know what to do. Besides, what if the Lord came and I was buying tequila. I'd have to stand before the Lord in heaven with a tequila bottle in my hand. And how would that look?"

Me: "Mom, seriously, you're kidding right?"

Mom: "No! You know that's the way I was raised. And you were raised that way too. Remember, better never do anything that you'd be ashamed of if the Lord came back."

Me: "Oh yea, the mantra that kept me out of SO MUCH trouble as a kid."

Mom: "Well, it worked on me. You know, I could go next door and ask for some tequila...I bet they have some!!! hahahhaa!!!" (inside joke here that I can't share)

Me: "Yea! It'd be like asking for sugar. 'So, how about letting me borrow a cup of tequila...I'm sure you have plenty!!' hahaha!!"

Mom: "Oh well...guess we'll go to the Home and Garden show and then hit the liquor store on the way home. I'm making the chicken next week, I'll let you know how it turns out."

Me: "Okay, thanks Mom! By the way...I wouldn't ask the neighbor for tequila...they might shoot you."

Mom: "Yea, the thought had crossed my mind."

It was kinda like looking at an ultrasound

I honestly don't know what I thought I'd see during the lunar eclipse, but I was underwhelmed. Here are a couple of the pics that I took of the moon last night.

I was actually more fascinated by playing with the shutter speed on my camera and taking pictures of the sky and the trees in the backyard. So, here are some more interesting pictures than those of the moon. :-)

Oh, and I got this crazy pic...

TGIF Everyone!!

An interview with the Schnauzers

I'm in love with Dlyn's interviews, so I sat the Terrorists down to an interview last night after the lunar eclipse.

I saw Morey and thought I'd talk to him first. You can see he's quite attentive and very ready to answer all of my poignant questions.

Interviewer: "So, Morey, how are you feeling these days? I read on one of the gossip blogs that you're rumored to be heading off to rehab...any truth to those rumors? I know you've not been feeling quite yourself and perhaps had gone to the vet for "exhaustion". We're just concerned."

Morey: "I refuse to stoop to your insignificant level and answer that question. As you can tell, I feel perfectly fine. I do not see any reason why I would have to go to rehab. Regardless, I won't go, go, go."



Interviewer: "Well, I'm just doing my journalistic duty and asking you the tough questions. On another note, it appears that you've really let yourself go. I know the shaggy look is in, however don't you think that this is a bit extreme?"

Morey: "Scruff is in, don't you know? Personally I am a bit put out with my unkempt appearance. The real rub is that I do not possess opposable thumbs so I cannot dial a phone and ring up my groomer. Therefore I am at the mercy of you, my owner, to call the groomer and to then drive me to my appointment. Perhaps you could call them now, hmmmm?"


Interviewer: "Absolutely, we'll head off this weekend and get you all neatened up. So, I also wanted to chat with you about the army that you and your sister have formed - The Squirrel Eradication Force - are you actively recruiting new members and how are your efforts working as far as lowering the population of squirrels?"

Morey: "Well, Leah is much more involved in The Squirrel Eradication Force than me. I am truly more of a lover than a fighter, but I never pass up the opportunity to bark after and threaten one of those tree dwelling, demon spawn vermin. Perhaps you should speak with Leah for more information on TSEF."

Interviewer: "Okay...I'll go see what info I can get from her. You've been wonderful to talk to."

Interviewer: "So Leah, what would you like say about TSEF today?"

Leah: "TSEF...I am not sure of what group you are referring to."

Interviewer: "Well I understand you you and Morey are co-founders of The Squirrel Eradication Force. I was hoping to speak with you regarding your promotion and recruitment of members as well as your eradication tactics."

Leah: "I do not speak to outsiders about TSEF. It is on a need to know basis and you do not need to know. All you need to know is that we are always looking for Schnauzers who are looking to join our ranks."

Interviewer: "Okay, I completely understand your need for privacy and security regarding your organization. So, perhaps I can speak with you regarding the rumor that you once had children?"

Leah: "Do I have to answer this question? This is so tiring."

Interviewer: "So, are the rumors true?"

Leah: "Perhaps I will let you leave with your ankles intact."

Interviewer: "There's no need to get personal. I just asked a question."

Leah: "I do not like speaking about these alledged puppies. I am done with this interview"

Well, as you can see, Leah can get a bit testy.

Happy Thursday everyone!

It's all about me, Wednesday!

AAAHHHHH!!!! Attack of the killer highlights!!!!!!

I wanted to post some pictures of my 'do for my bloggie pal Vanessa (who rambles and rants with the best of 'em). She got a fab new cut that looks AWE.SOME on her and I think she just needs a few streaks for pizazz.

This is pre flat iron and pre spray wax. This is a straight after the blow dryer shot.

(I haven't done my makeup yet in this pic, so that's why I'm hiding the mug - plus I wanted to show off my Christmas present to myself...my FAB.U.LOUS Nikon)

This one is after a little flat ironing in the front (to tame the crazy curl that started to take shape on the right side. This is also after I used my favorite styling wax in the world.

(Are ya diggin' the dark nail polish? It's called Midnight in Moscow from OPI. It's not black, no matter what Shooter says. It's a really, really, really dark red. I kinda like it.)

Granted...these photos were taken inside in my bathroom so the lighting isn't the greatest. Perhaps I can supplement these with some taken outside.

This is also my new fave styling product. I use a root lifter and a volumizing mousse and once my hair is dry I spray a light mist of this over my hair and then separate pieces out with my fingers. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! I mostly love it because it's not heavy like some pomades or styling waxes can be.

Now, go forth and highlight, lift your roots and use that wax with pride!

Thanks, Thanks and Thanks!!!!!

I just wanted to post a quick thank you to everyone who's been stopping by and reading my blog. It's so awesome to log in and see comments and new peeps stopping by.

I now go home and tell Shooter, "Guess what!?! I met a bloggie pal who has two schnauzers just like us!!" Or, "Guess what!?! There are people out there even quirkier than me!!!" Or, "Guess what!?! I'm making this recipe tonight that I got from a bloggie pal's post." He rolls his eyes at me. I mean, really! Really. Must he do that?

Anyway, I just want to say thanks for all your comments, well wishes, admissions to quirks, concerns, etc, etc, etc.

:-)

Ode to the cable company

Oh Charter, wherefore art thou with my divine HD compatible converter box? Why hast thou left me without high def? My heart yearns to see my beloved Anthony Bourdain in HD. My dearest soulmate, Shooter, longs to purchase his huge ass television, but alas cannot watch any programs in HD because we have yet to enjoy the company of one of your esteemed service technicians.


Okay...I'm done with that crap....


I went yesterday, on my day off no less, to exchange our digital cable box for an HD compatible digital cable box. Now, this is the second time in two weeks that we've tried this, Shooter went the first time and apparently missed the chance of getting the last box by a matter of hours. So, I saunter up to the counter (because I was having a FAB.U.LOUS hair day) and oh so kindly notify the clerk that I would like to exchange my cable box for an HD one. She looks at me like I've asked her if I could have a million bucks. Seriously. She says to me, "I am pretty sure we don't have any boxes back there, even the one that you have. Let me check the computer though." She types, she frowns, she won't meet my stare, she then says - "I was right, nothing." I looked at her and dared her to repeat herself. I said, "Are you serious? I mean, really. You're telling me that you don't have one, single, lone, solitary HD compatible box back there? Really?" She says to me, "No, ma'am...what we should do is put you down for an appointment for someone to come by and hook it up for you. That way you'll be guaranteed to get one." I think for a second, then "But what if you don't get any boxes in before my appointment." I think I actually stumped her because she pauses, frowns and then says, "Well, no one will show up and we'll reschedule the appointment." "Oh, I see," I said to her, "I'll wait at home for hours and then because the guy that had the appointment in front of me got the last box, I'll get stuck without one and then have to wait for hours again on another day and hope the same thing doesn't happen again." I got a blank stare from her. She then types into the computer and says, "Let's choose the 26th, that should give us time to get some boxes in." "I certainly hope so," was my bland reply.


I mean, really....I hate the cable company. They have me hostage though. I am addicted to my high speed broadband internet connected. My 5Mbps downloading speed makes me swoon. If it weren't for my internet, I'd have long ago ditched cable for the dish.


Son of a beach, sheets!!!!!! (as my boss is so fond of saying)

Ahhh...long weekends do a body good

Well, it's back to work for me. I thoroughly enjoyed my day off yesterday and got some errands done. I went and ordered new eyeglasses...I can't wait to get them. They're a cool funky frame. :-) I also picked up the decorative shelves from Target that I've been wanting to get for a while...I still have decorative tiles Shooter got me for Christmas that need to be hung, I was waiting on the shelves to do it...Shooter's waiting on us to get a new TV. I'm hoping that regardless, I'll have it all up by the end of the year. ;-)

I did some grocery shopping and made dinner. I was so industrious. :-)

I made beef strogonoff last night for dinner. It was heavenly and absolutely called for with the cold weather that has come in. Well, okay....it's cold for us!!! Here's the recipe, I don't have any pictures unfortunately.

Beef Strogonoff

1.5 lbs stew meat
4-5 tbs flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 can beef consomme
3/4 can water
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz sour cream
2 small cans sliced mushrooms
egg noodles, cooked

I usually take my stew meat and go through it, discarding the tougher looking pieces. I'll also cut the big chunks into smaller pieces so all the cubes are about the same size. Toss the meat with the flour, salt and pepper and coat the meat well. In a heavy bottom pot, I use a cast iron dutch oven, add a couple of tablespoons of oil to the very hot pot. Add one layer of meat, be careful not to crowd it too much - you want the meat to get good and brown. Turn the meat over to brown on the other side, should take about two min per side. Repeat in batches until you have all the meat browned (not cooked through, just browned). Return all meat to the pot and then add the beef consomme and then 3/4 of the soup can of water. That should just about cover the meat. Cover and simmer for 1.5-2 hours. After you've let it simmer, add in the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and mushrooms. Watch this carefully, you do not want it to boil - simmer is okay. Mine was a little runnier than I wanted so if this happens to you, take some of the sauce and add in a couple tablespoons of flour, stir it well and then add to the pot. Stir everything up nicely and let it come to a simmer. That should make a good thick gravy for your egg noddles.

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Oh...and Morey's doing much better. We fed them last night and both pups did okay. They're do for their annual checkups here soon, so I guess we'll have the vet give him a good once over.

Don't hate me because...

I'm a heavy sleeper.

Okay....we're dealing with a sick pup again. Morey has a history of digestive issues. About two years ago we went through a nasty bout of pancreatitis with him. Luckily we weren't close to losing him, but it was still pretty scary. Through that experience we learned that male schnauzers are much more susceptible to pancreatitis than females...go figure. It is true of ours....Leah can eat anything and come out of it fine. Morey, not so much.

Well, he's gotten into something and hasn't been "right" all weekend. What was a Saturday filled with heinously smelly and moderately obscene farts turned into a Sunday filled with more farts and vomiting in obscure locations in our bedroom. Let's just say, the vomit was as offending to the nostrils as the farts. OH MY!!!!

Well, Morey apparently got up about three times in the span of 30 min between 11:15pm and 11:45pm and I never even knew. Apparently Shooter took him out three times to expel his demons and I still slept soundly in the bed. This didn't go over too well with him. He came back in after the third episode and tried to wake me up. He then proceeded to have a partially coherent conversation with me where apparently my ability to sleep soundly (thank you new pillow) was just not fair. You see...today is President's day and I am off of work today. Shooter, unfortunately, had to be up and at work this morning at 5am. Ooops.

So, I'm sorry I'm a heavy sleeper....really....I blame the new pillows, honey.

Overheard in the house....

This conversation was overheard in our home.


Me: "Honey, you awake"

Shooter: "Yes"

Me: "Ugh...I'm awake."

Shooter: "Why?!?! It's like 2 in the morning."

Me: "Honey, it's 5:30"

Shooter: "Hmm. Okay. Go back to sleep. I love these pillows."

Me: "Okay...we going to the 2nd service this morning then?"

Shooter: "Yea, whatever."

Me: "I'm cold, maybe I should get up and turn the heat up."

Shooter: "Yea, whatever."

Me: "Wait...when you came to bed, did you turn off the ceiling fan?"

Shooter: "I don't know. I don't think so."

Me: "Well, that's probably why I'm cold. Would you get up and turn it off?"

Shooter: "No."

Me: "Fine...I'll just snuggle up with the dogs and get warm."

Shooter: "Is that your foot?"

Me: "No."

Shooter: "OH NO! I just kicked Leah (our female schnauzer) in the head."

Me: "Oh...so you were going to kick me in the foot?"

Shooter: "Well, no, well, okay, yes. Can we just go back to sleep?"

Me: "Okay...but you better apologize to Leah for kicking her in the head."

Shooter: "Yea, whatever."

The one thing I've bought that my husband hasn't argued with me about

hehehehe....and the longest title of a post in history!

Anyway...Shooter and I haven't been sleeping all that great lately. Since we just bought a new, and might I say amazingly awesome, mattress last year we decided that it had to be the crappy, cheapo pillows we were sleeping on. So, we take ourselves and our cricked necks and crabby attitudes and walked into Bed Bath and Beyond prepared to be confused and stymied regarding a pillow purchase. I mean, seriously, who really puts a lot of thought into the pillow they purchase? Well, apparently, according to the ADHD but oh so helpful Associate, you really should consider your pillow purchases. She talked us through all the different kinds of pillows and let me tell you, she was really excited about pillows. Well...after about 15 minutes we walked out with $150 in new down pillows.

Well, after our first night on our brand new, expensive, supposedly fabulous pillows....we do agree....they are FABULOUS!!!!!!!

Who knew that side sleepers (Shooter) needed a different kind of pillow and stomach sleepers (me) need something else.

Well, the best thing in my opinion is that Shooter hates my pillow and I can't stand his. No chance we'll end up with each other's pillow!!! :-)

I would urge everyone to explore the right kind of pillow for you. Down pillows are an upfront expense however you can have them laundered and with pillow protectors, they'll last a very long time.

I must that they uber excited sales associate at Bed Bath and Beyond and that her passion for pillows has really made a difference for us.

Observation

I do love my Shooter...believe me.

However, I am sitting here watching Saturday morning Food Network shows and I am completely lusting after Tyler Florence. *sigh* It's just criminal that a man that attractive can cook as good as he can.

Or perhaps it's because I haven't had breakfast yet and my belly's growling at me....

Wanna know how to annoy me?

As we're all cramped in the bus, making our way into town in the morning traffic - go ahead and crank that seat so far back that I think you're going to end up in my lap. Don't worry about my knees...they're numb now, along with my legs. Sure...sit there like you don't hear my sighs of frustration. Pretend you don't notice me clearing my throat in an attempt to shake you from your self-absorbent world of commuter torment. Then it hits me...I will resort to childish measures. Feel that bump, bump, bumping on the back of your seat...it's not me I swear. You can sigh all you want...and shoot looks over your shoulder....and clear your throat - it won't stop me from bouncing my knee against the back of your far too reclined seat. And perhaps the next time you shoot me a look over your shoulder...you'll see my tongue stuck out at you in complete child-like rebellion.

TGIF everyone!!!

Week of Quirks - Post V

Hmmmm...well, today being my last day of quirky confessions, I hope to shock each one of you...so be warned now, you may want to weep, run to the corner, and suck your thumb. If you keep reading...know that you're doing so at your own risk.

Quirky Confession #12 - Rolls of paper always have to roll off the same way. Toilet paper and paper towels all have to be torn from the top of the roll...not the backside. There's someone in our office who insists on putting the roll on the wrong way....I have to go and correct it. I know others feel the same way I do, because sometimes someone else has fixed it for me. I so appreciate that.

Quirky Confession #13 - I absolutely cannot go a day without popping my knuckles. When I get stressed I pop them more frequently. I am, however, not my friend Ray who can somehow pop every joint in her body...I'm not kidding. It's kinda comical to watch her go through her ritual of joint popping.

Quirky Confession #14 - If a recipe has more than 10 ingredients, I'm probably never going to make it. To that point, I have cookbooks from Ina Garten, Giada DeLaurentiis, and Alton Brown but haven't cooked anything from them because I just can't stay focused long enough to make it through the ingredient list.

Quirky Confession #15 - I have an unhealthy addiction to ice cream.

Oh...and I used to have this OCD tick where I had to type out conversations. It was like I had an imaginary keyboard and I would just type everything I heard. Weird, eh?

Well, I hope you guys have enjoyed...or not, I really don't care ha!...my week of quirky confessions. Honestly I could probably keep going, but the fact I came up with 15 is a little terrifying. Guess the meds are working after all....

Who loves ya baby?!?!?

My funny valentine...

Sweet comic valentine...

Yea, he's a nut. This pic above is when he was in such need of caffeine I thought he'd collapse on the table. Ha!

Well, here we are...Valentine's Day. I spent years hating this day. I was single then. I also spent years hating it as a married woman. Why you might ask? Valentine's Day has so much hype around it. We ladies get all sappy and stuff cause we're watching all those infernal Jared jewelry commercials or Hallmark commercials or the marathon showing romantic movies on the WE network. We expect so much of our men...it's a bit unreasonable I think.


I have a low bar when it comes to Shooter. No really....I don't subject him to a desire I have for a certain type of behavior. He's not the guy on the Jared commercials...and honestly I'm glad he's not. I love him for who he is and how he loves me and for the simple fact that he's just awesome. He's a goofball and he keeps me laughing.


I loves ya baby....here's to hoping this Valentine's is our best ever!!

Week of Quirks - Post IV

Quirky Confession #8 - I talk to my dogs like their humans. They talk back to me so I really don't know what the big deal is about it.

Quirky Confession #9 - I really don't like to watch other people eat. It's kinda gross really. I mean, who wants to watch someone take a bite of something and see stuff all over their face or strings of slobber hanging out. Gross...

Quirky Confession #10 - The more often you ask me, "Have you done this yet?" is directly proportionate to how slowly the task will get done.

Quirky Confession #11 - I will drive all the way across the city...about 25 miles...just to go to a Trader Joe's.

I was going to write another confession, but decided I wanted to leave you all hanging with an odd number today. Ha!

Week of Quirks - Post III

Quirky Confession #5 - I always do my morning tasks in the same order. If I don't, I do things like lock myself out of the house.

Quirky Confession #6 - I am usually in bed by 9:30pm during the week. It's because crazy Shooter has to get up at like the butt crack of dawn to go to work. No kidding! He gets to work at 5am...ugh....but I do know now that if I miss TMZ the night before, I can catch it at 4:30am. That makes me happy....not....

Quirky Confession #7 - I couldn't pronounce the word walrus until I was in middle school. I still have a hard time with it...generally I pretend the weird beasts don't exist...makes my life easier. Also, I have to mentally check myself before I say the word orchestra. I learned to spell it in elementary school by saying it or-CHEST-ra.

More to come!!!!

I've been tagged!

Dlyn tagged me on her blog the other day with a meme on my quirky things. How appropriate that I'm doing a week's worth of quirks! Keep reading to hear all about my quirky self!

In response, I'm supposed to tag 6 others....so I'll tag:

Julia, Vanessa, Kelly, Melissious, Whirligig Daisy, and Whitney

Week of Quirks - Post II

Quirky Confession #3 - I do not like crowds. I guess this is more of a paranoia, but regardless it's a quirky part of me. I've gotten worse about this as I've gotten older. I cannot stand to be in a crowd where an exit is not readily available to me. I have this fear that suddenly the crowd will stampede and crush me. I literally have panic attacks if I am subjected to having to stand in a crowd of people.

Quirky Confession #4 - I like my food to be separated. I don't like runny things on a plate where they can make crispy things soggy. The only meal where I will deviate from this is breakfast. I love scrambles where everything is mixed together - hashbrowns, eggs, grits, sausage. YUM! Throw some cheese on top and I'm in heaven. But for dinner....if you're serving me a hamburger with coleslaw and chips. The coleslaw better be in it's own little bowl so that it doesn't make the bun and chips soggy.

:-)


The Confessions continue tomorrow...stay tuned!

Week of Quirks - Post I

So, my bloggie pal Manda over at Shamelessly Sassy is having a birthday this week. Today to be exact. She's is hosting a Quirky Confessions day in honor of her birthday and I've chosen to honor her by devoting this entire week to my quirky confessions. Lord knows I have enough quirks to fill up a lot of space.

Quirky Confession #1 - I can't stand to hear someone else clip their fingernails or file their nails with an emery board. I have had to ask people on the train (going into work) to please stop clipping their fingernails. It's the clipping noise that just really bothers me...and because I know there are fingernail bits landing somewhere. I can't stand the sound of someone filing their nails either. BUT - being the girlie girl that I am - I go every two weeks to my nail appointment and have my nails clipped and filed. That doesn't bother me. Go figure!

Quirky Confession #2 - I never all out sneeze. I'm afraid I'll blow snot everywhere and the thought of that mortifies me. I usually pinch my nose when I sneeze. I remember my mother telling me when I was little that I'd blow out my eardrums one day doing that. Not sure if that's possible but it hasn't happened to me....yet....*knocks on wood*

More tomorrow!!!!

A movie I wish I'd never seen

Hi all! Happy Sunday to you!

I survived the night, Morey didn't asphyxiate us - thank the Lord! We're still a little disgusted at him, and he can't seem to understand how and/or why those smells/noises are coming from his butt.

Okay....so Shooter and I went to see a movie this afternoon. We had both wanted to go see Untraceable for a few weeks and finally got there. Let me just say this....I didn't like it at all. I hated the way it ended and I truly wished I'd walked out in the beginning when I first got grossed out by it. Actually, I don't even think it was necessarily being grossed out - I was just really, really disturbed by the topic and shocked at the images they chose to show. I haven't hated a movie this bad since I saw Knocked Up.

Okay....so a little side story. We almost didn't get to the movie because I was completely worn out. I didn't sleep well because I'm coughing quite a bit and pretty congested. We got up and went on to the early service at church (9am) and then we were on the schedule to teach the 4 year olds in our church pre-school. This was the first time we'd taught that time slot since we cancelled out Saturday night service and went to three Sunday morning services. We had TWENTY SIX THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLD CHILDREN RUNNING LIKE WILD INDIANS!!!!!!! 26 wild and crazy heathen children. Okay not really - only a few resemble demon spawn....okaaaaay....they're all precious little angels. Who am I kidding...they wiped me out. Shooter is supposed to be my "Enforcer" and I turned around at one point and he's no where to be found. He's somewhere and I have 15 4 year olds all yelling at me and all wanting the one yellow crayon we have in the box and angry I threw away their Goldfish crackers cause they weren't finished with snack yet and one girl doing the pee-pee dance cause she's gotta go potty. My nose is running and I'm coughing and the parents are coming to get the kids and we're not done with the craft yet and I'm sweating and about to cry and a moment away from running out the door and screaming that I don't care who takes what kid, just get me outta here. All that to say that I just couldn't say a word on the way home. Shooter tried talking to me and I felt like I was in shock. I felt like I'd just been through a war. I told Shooter he better never leave me alone in the room again - I told him that I was only minutes away from being tied up with pipe cleaners and left tied in the corner while the kids ran amok. But I really love the kids, I do. They're awesome and I love teaching them. I just don't like trying to teach 15 of them when they're all hell-bent on talking to me at the same time about how their baby brother fell and skinned his knee and then cried so hard he shot snot out his nose.

If I don't post for a few days....send help....

Ha! Those of you with dogs will appreciate this. I am writing while laying in bed. My male schnauzer is beside me and keeps farting in a manner that is causing Shooter to look at ME and ask me if I have some intestinal issue I need to admit to. We're getting ready to pull out the gas masks from our preparedness stash that we put together for Y2K and are hunkering down for what will assuredly be a long night. Please send help if you do not hear from me in a few days...it probably means we're suffering from some sort of toxicity issue not unlike carbon monoxide poisoning.

Signing off....

Laura B.

HOLY SON OF A PETE!!!!!

I am mortified. I'm stymied. I'm at a loss for words....okay, maybe not. I found a WHITE - no, not grey - a white eyebrow hair this morning!!!!!!!

I, I....I have no words.

I looked at some pictures from a couple of weeks ago, and it wasn't there. But it's there now!!!

Ugh...

Now, don't get me wrong. I am not a stranger to the business of finding white hairs. I have been getting grey hairs on my head since I was 16 years old. Egads...that was 19 years ago! I remember my mother and hairdresser accusing me of using too much White Rain on my head and it was sucking the color out of my beautiful brunette tresses. So, alas, I put aside my trust can of aerosol lacquering spray and quit perming my hair in an attempt to please the Gods of Tresses.

So fast forward about 4 years....I'm in college...and the grey is getting progressively more noticeable. So I go out for a clandestine meeting with Ms. Clairol at the local Eckerd Drug Store. I find my perfect match and sneak back into my apartment as quiet as a mouse. Next day, I'm fresh as a daisy. Not a grey in sight. I feel like a new woman.

It was all downhill from there.

I've now been coloring my hair permanently since I was 25 years old...egads....that's been 10 years!!! It's been colored for so long I hardly remember what my natural shade of brunette really is. I've done highlights and lowlights and double processing and triple processing and no processing and high speed processing and downlights and uplights and everything in between.

I'm now afraid I'm going to have to get my hairdresser to start dyeing my eyebrows when she does my hair...ugh...I'M NOT THAT OLD, FOR PETE'S SAKE!!!!!

My brother, Bubba

As you can see, he was incredibly excited to be having his picture taken. He's even showing me some single finger love. Oh, Bubba, you're an awesome little brother. ;-)

Well, I was relating a story the other day to a friend of mine about when Bubba and I were younger and I thought you'd enjoy a chuckle or two or three.

My grandparents would often come out to our house on the weekend and we I would beg nonstop to go and spend the night at their house. Well, I was a typial big sister and I used to pick on the kid nonstop. I'd say we were about 5 and 3 at the time of this particular "incident". I would poke him and he'd say, "Stop it, Sissy". I'd poke him again and he'd say, "STOP IT, Sissy!". I'd poke him again, just for the sheer fun of seeing him turn red, and he'd scream at me, "STOP IT, SISSY!! I MEANEDED IT!!!!!" Usually this is where I'd stop, cause I know I'd pushed him to his limit. But this one day, at my grandparents house, I decided to push the envelope. Be a rebel. Go for the gusto. Win one for the Gipper. Go where no man had gone before. So I poked him again. I don't think I've ever see a kid that red before. The next thing I know, Bubba's gone and picked up a croquet mallet - we'd been playing croquet in the front yard. Before I can get my 5 yr old wits about me, he's whacked me over the head and yelled one more time, just for good measure, "I SAID I MEANEDED IT!!!!!". Of course I screamed bloody murder and my grandmother, my Nannie, came running. I am sure she was holding back the giggles as I'm sure we were quite a sight. She promptly went to tending the pump knot that was forming on my head. I even have a photo to memorialize it. She got an ice pack....one of those old fashioned ones that was a cloth bag and a screw top....and tied it on my head with a scarf. Being the comedienne that my Nannie was, she then took a picture of me and Bubba, with our arms around each other, and him holding that darn croquet mallet. Wouldn't you know, Bubba was grinning like a Cheshire Cat and I look like I've been on a three day crying jag. That was the day that Bubba got the best of me. It would be many more years though before I finally wised up and started to leave him alone to run like like a crazy person after I've pummeled him a bit.

Bubba, Happy 33rd Birthday - a little belated.

Nature is a powerful thing

The town where my brother and sis-in-law live, Smoke and Kris I'll call them, was hit by a massive tornado last night. They live in Jackson, TN - a town that has truly suffered it's share of heartbreak at the hands of one of nature's most destructive forces. Luckily Smoke and Kris are fine and their house sustained no damage. They went further south of the city to stay with Kris' parents - all the damage was on the north end of the city.

This is the second time (or maybe third time) that our family has been closely affected by a tornado. You'd think that being from Tennessee would somehow make you immune to that, but no.

Whenever we have bad weather this time of year, I always fret a little bit. I remember 1993 and the tornadoes that ripped straight through the state of Tennessee. I was in college and we were all piled into the basements of our dorms as the storms screamed through with their anger. I had called my parents (as I always did on Sundays) to check in and to tell them that I wouldn't be able to call back for a while because we were heading down to the basement. Once our ordeal was over, I called my parents back and got no answer. I started shaking...I knew my Mom wouldn't go anywhere...she'd wait for my call, to know I was safe. I called and called and called and called. As soon as the answering machine picked up, I'd hang up and call back. It seemed like an eternity passed, but realistically it had to have been only 15 min. Smoke finally answered the phone and after I ripped him a new one for not being around to answer my call, he started telling me the names of all our neighbors whose homes were either laid flat or partially destroyed. By the grace of God our home was spared - although my Mom would have told you that she wished the trees had landed a little closer to the house and had taken out our deck so she could have gotten a new one. Ha!

What came two weeks after those tornadoes lives in an equal amount of infamy in our family. Two weeks after those storms we had 2 FEET of SNOW at our house. It was my spring break from college and we were snowed in from Saturday through Thursday. You had never seen a family with cabin fever so strong. We were ready to gnaw off limbs to get out of the house.

Anyway....whenever we get storms this strong during this time of year....I always laugh and think, well, I guess the snow's a coming.

I'm a...collector

I've realized that I'm a collector.

I'm a collector of various bottles, glasses and junk on my bed side table.

I'm a collector of unfinished knitting projects.

I'm a collector of kitchen gadgets.

I'm a collector of white t-shirts and black socks.

I'm a collector of dryer sheets on my dresser top.

I'm a collector of junk mail on my dining room table.

I'm a collector of good ideas that others should implement.

I'm a collector of books on organization but haven't read one of them.

I'm a collector of collars for my dogs.

I'm a collector of websites that sell collectibles that I want to start collecting....

I've never....

I got home tonight and Shooter was on the couch watching The Karate Kid. We actually sat down and finished watching it because we hadn't seen it in so long. I really do like that movie...totally cheesy though....but cute.

So anyway....to the "I've never"....there was a commercial for something about Bruce Lee and I realized I've never seen a Bruce Lee movie before. To be honest I have never seen a kung fu movie of any kind before.

Am I alone in this "I've never"?

Yesterday's recipe

I wrote down the "tweaks" I made to the Everything Cookies and thought I'd post it for you.

Everything Cookies
adapted from PioneerWoman Cooks!

1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 1/4 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/3 cups quick oats
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups Cascadian Farms Organic Oats and Honey Granola
3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup Cran-raisins
3/4 cup Golden Raisins
1 1/2 cups apricots

Cream butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. Next whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and then add by the spoonful to the mixer. At this point you'll want to transfer the batter to a larger bowl. Add in oatmeal and granola. Fold in pecans and other ingredients. (I used my hands as the batter is so stiff I couldn't work it with a spoon or anything) With cookie scoop or two spoons, drop onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10 minutes. I made several that were "breakfast cookie" size and I baked those for about 13 minutes. This makes about 3-4 dozen cookies, so you can certainly halve the recipe.

Baking is cathartic

I just spent this afternoon in the kitchen. I pulled down my Kitchen-aid and sat it on the counter. Oh so carefully measured out my flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, butter, eggs and vanilla. At this point, I thought, I could make anything. This recipe could take me anywhere. But then I proceeded to dole out the oats, granola, white chocolate chips (you should know I began typing white like this...shite...ha!), diced dried apricots, golden raisins, dried cranberries, and chopped macadamia nuts. Now we're talking! I adapted my from a recipe over at PioneerWoman Cooks called Hyacinth's Everything Cookies. I wanted to try tweaking it a little and let me tell you, these cookies are amazing.

But I stray from the purpose for my post. There's something satisfying about poking around in my kitchen. Measuring out ingredients, mixing them all together, and making something satisfying to the stomach and nourishing to the soul.

One of my first memories of my grandmother, Nannie, is her teaching me about making biscuits. I had this little footstool that I would sit on and watch her lovingly knead the dough, but not too much or you'll make them tough! I had a little cutter that had this little wooden knob on top. She showed me just how to cut them out so you'd get the best rise out of them. Straight down with a little twist of the wrist. Oh how I loved making biscuits with my Nannie. Actually I loved just being in the kitchen with her. I learned my way of cooking from her, a little of this and a little of that until it's just perfect. My Nannie was an amazing lady who spent far too little time on this earth. I look forward to sharing more about her with you.

My newest obsession

Okay....so I can become obsessed with certain things. Like the time I discovered this Icebox Cream Cheese Cake from Publix. Oh Lord...how fast my thighs expanded. Or the time I learned to knit and knitted like a fiend....until my ADHD kicked in and it began to bore me cause I wasn't finishing things quickly enough. Or my handbag obsession, don't we all have one? Lordy, I just bought another handbag....one I had actually FORGOTTEN I'd bid on through eBay.

Well, my latest love is the Joe-Joe. Those of you not near a Trader Joe's are missing out. These things are dangerously addictive. Think of an Oreo only BETTER! These are all natural and even have vanilla beans in the cream filling. OH...they are hands down one of the best cookies out there. So, if you have a Trader Joe's near you...go, go fast and buy some!

By the way, one of the best things I like about them is that they separate really easily. They're filled with lots of cream and the cookie is really crispy. Best of all, the cream doesn't stick all over your teeth or leave your mouth feeling like you just ate a spoonful of Crisco.

I hope you can find some...let me know if you find them and what you think about them.