Life with cats is different than living with dogs. I learned that pretty quickly. Those doggie doors we used to keep the dogs out of our bedrooms? The expensive ones from Petsmart? Those are useless. Cats can go through them, or over them. Probably even under them if the need should arise. Jeanne has one of them now, and I offered the other one to Lori last weekend. So you have to get used to nothing being sacred or off limits. NOTHING! Some people close their bedroom doors, but that brings about scratching of the door, loud meowing, and the worst...tearing up the carpet in front of said door. I would rather deal with the inconvenience of having the sanctity of my bedroom violated. And oh yes, it is violated every single night and day....and also? I happen to love it, so whatever, right?
Living in a cat house involves other things too. Like throw rugs being constantly balled up no matter how many times I bend over to straighten them. Sometimes I find strange objects underneath the rugs, things like the round pulls off of milk cartons, or bread bag ties, or earrings and hair rubber bands. Its like they find this wonderful treasure and then hide it. I think the rugs being balled up is from their scratching a place to bury their booty. I also cannot have guest towels hanging in Stephen's bathroom. Apparently its a game to see how many times I will go hang the towel up after finding it on the floor underneath the towel rack. Eventually I give up. If you are here and can't find anything to dry your hands on, I apologize. Open the linen closet and use a clean towel....and then just throw it on the floor because that is where its going to end up anyway. Clean laundry is the best place for napping....not the dirty stuff.
Needless to say it helps me expedite the folding and putting away process to spare rewashing. Cats are very helpful in that respect.
Nights are eventful, too. We always have at least 1 cat in our bed. Sometimes 3. Sometimes a kitty parade takes place, and we are walked on like stepping stones. Rarely do we have adequate foot space to stretch out, and often find ourselves clinging to the edge of the bed to accomodate sleeping kitties. And its a king sized bed, too. I am not sure that beds come any bigger. Omen snores. Its fine, because apparently so do we. The trick is to be the first one in bed and the first one to go to sleep.
This morning? My Saturday to sleep in? I was awakened at exactly 6:20, which happens to be the time our alarm goes off during the work week. Bitty was standing on my chest meowing a mere inch away from my sleeping face. She seems to think that humans discern sound from the nose/mouth area. By 6:25 I gave up and got up to feed them. I did sneak back into bed afterwards, but sleep was pretty futile. They ate and then made their way back to parade up and down our bed. And somehow the cuteness factor made me totally forget that I had every right to be annoyed. How they do that, I don't know....but let me feel the first twinges of aggravation and one of them does something so insanely adorable that I forget to be angry.
I have been very absent minded lately. I don't know what is going on. I keep forgetting things. Like I promised 2 months ago to mail copies of Erica's thesis to her mentor back at UVA. And then it slipped my mind completely. For 2 whole months! I got them packaged up and addressed and ready to mail first thing tomorrow. And this weekend I spent 15 minutes combing over the house for a soft drink that I thought I had misplaced. I never found it. I think I only imagined I had opened a Diet Dr. Pepper, but never actually did. Either that, or there is a flat soft drink drying out in some weird out of the way closet or cabinet somewhere out of sight.
And its not just that, but lots of little things. Bruce mentioned just tonight how forgetful I have been recently. Oh well, I guess I should be alarmed, but I keep forgetting to panic over it. LOL.
So, while I sit here not being able to remember a single thing that has happened to me lately, or what I wanted to say to all of you...who knows? Maybe my days have been filled with tons of fabulous stuff and I just can't recall any of it. Yeah, thats probably it.
And its not just that, but lots of little things. Bruce mentioned just tonight how forgetful I have been recently. Oh well, I guess I should be alarmed, but I keep forgetting to panic over it. LOL.
So, while I sit here not being able to remember a single thing that has happened to me lately, or what I wanted to say to all of you...who knows? Maybe my days have been filled with tons of fabulous stuff and I just can't recall any of it. Yeah, thats probably it.
I poked fun at my husband over his looong list of movies that he will watch over and over every time he clicks through channels and finds one on. Well, I have found one that apparently grabs me EVERY! SINGLE! TIME! Its "The Horse Whisperer". And I don't know why. I don't dislike horses, but know very little about them. I like Robert Redford just fine, he is certainly easy on the eyes, but I don't feel compelled to go see a movie just because he is in it. I can't tell you what it is other than it has a happy ending. The horse recovers, the girl recovers, and even though the Mom has no idea that she is broken, she recovers too. And the scenery is beautiful, being set in Montana. Its a little too cowboy-esque (I really dislike westerns) for me, which is why it surprises me how compelled I feel to watch it. I have seen it twice in just the past couple of weeks. And its long, too....go figure.
We watched (well, I kind of watched) "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" earlier this week. That one surprised me too. For one thing, I thought it was a kids book...well, for older kids. Maybe because the title reminds me of Harry Potter titles like "The Boy Who Lived"....I don't know. But its SO not. It was violent and had graphic sex scenes. Wow, shocker. Not because that offends me, but because I was thinking "kids movie". LOL! There is one part where a cat is brutally murdered, and I could barely watch after that (hence that kind of watched thing). I hate animal death in movies (think Marley and Me). I can watch people get ripped to shreds and while I get a little squeamish if its really bloody, it doesn't bother me nearly as much. But let a dog or a cat get killed and I can hardly stand it. It affects me on some deeper level that I can't explain. I probably need therapy to figure that one out, but since I have neither the time nor the inclination, I just try to avoid movies with dying animals in them. Even Bambi made me cry as a kid, and I still won't watch it again even now. Don't get me started on Ol' Yeller. LOL.
Anyway, its a rainy Saturday so yardwork is out. Pity, too, because Bruce finally broke down and bought a new lawnmower. This is one that he has wanted for years, but kept putting it off while our old one was still working. And now that the old one is finally on its last leg, and our local Tractor Supply was offering a nice spring sale on these, he went for it. Its got the bars instead of steering wheel, and a zero turn radius. I haven't tried it yet, but the bars kind of freak me out. I feel like it is going to be tricky to figure out. I will have to get out there and try it one day soon. We already had to cut the yard once since spring sprung VERY early this year. I am hoping that this rain will wash away some of the pesky pollen....OMG my allergies are acting up something fierce, and some days the pollen is so thick it hangs like fog in the air. Everything is coated with yellow powder. I am ready for fall already.....
We watched (well, I kind of watched) "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" earlier this week. That one surprised me too. For one thing, I thought it was a kids book...well, for older kids. Maybe because the title reminds me of Harry Potter titles like "The Boy Who Lived"....I don't know. But its SO not. It was violent and had graphic sex scenes. Wow, shocker. Not because that offends me, but because I was thinking "kids movie". LOL! There is one part where a cat is brutally murdered, and I could barely watch after that (hence that kind of watched thing). I hate animal death in movies (think Marley and Me). I can watch people get ripped to shreds and while I get a little squeamish if its really bloody, it doesn't bother me nearly as much. But let a dog or a cat get killed and I can hardly stand it. It affects me on some deeper level that I can't explain. I probably need therapy to figure that one out, but since I have neither the time nor the inclination, I just try to avoid movies with dying animals in them. Even Bambi made me cry as a kid, and I still won't watch it again even now. Don't get me started on Ol' Yeller. LOL.
Anyway, its a rainy Saturday so yardwork is out. Pity, too, because Bruce finally broke down and bought a new lawnmower. This is one that he has wanted for years, but kept putting it off while our old one was still working. And now that the old one is finally on its last leg, and our local Tractor Supply was offering a nice spring sale on these, he went for it. Its got the bars instead of steering wheel, and a zero turn radius. I haven't tried it yet, but the bars kind of freak me out. I feel like it is going to be tricky to figure out. I will have to get out there and try it one day soon. We already had to cut the yard once since spring sprung VERY early this year. I am hoping that this rain will wash away some of the pesky pollen....OMG my allergies are acting up something fierce, and some days the pollen is so thick it hangs like fog in the air. Everything is coated with yellow powder. I am ready for fall already.....
At work today, my supervisor hands me my edit book (which is a listing of every address on my route, in order, and has to be changed whenever somebody moves, or a new house is built, etc. etc). She said, "Your new additions are in there." ? ? ? New additions? Nobody EVER mentioned anything about NEW ADDITIONS. I mean, I KNEW we had a team in from district cutting some of the overburdened routes, but as far as I knew my name was not in the pot to either give or receive anything at all. I was flabbergasted, then pissed off royally. I have about all that I can handle on my plate right now. I don't want anything else to deal with. But nobody asked what I wanted so there it is.....Approximately an hour more work a day. Ugh....
And the thing is that in some ways I got lucky. Some people got additions of things that are basically crap. Apartments....always crap. First off because they usually have those big central boxes (which we get paid far less to service since they are all in one confined space) and secondly because even though you get paid LESS, the time and hassle of dealing with them always ends up being more than a regular box. Mainly due to renters moving in and out and trying to keep track of who is there and who is not.
Believe it or not, not everybody even fills out a change of address, so after a couple of weeks, paperwork has to be filed, and stuff returned to sender...yada yada yada. Rentals are always more of a hassle. And my new part is a couple of decent little neighborhoods. I could have gotten something far worse and I know that. But still...I don't want to do more work than I am now. I know its a raise in pay, but honestly, I don't even want that. Why couldn't I just be left alone?
Oh well, it starts on the Saturday before Easter. And apparently there is nothing I can do but suck it up and do it. And that gave me a headache for the day. Not the first job-related headache, and I am damned sure its not the last one either. You would think I could have had some warning, wouldn't you? At least a mention of what was being considered, so I could put my 2 cents in for what its worth.
Anyway, I was going out to eat with Stephen and Hannia tonight, but after the day that I had (it was a long, tough day above and beyond that crappy news of additions) I wasn't up for it. We postponed until tomorrow. I honestly hope to make it then because I have had a serious craving for some of our favorite Thai food at Anchalee's. Pad Thai, with crispy chicken. I am looking forward to it.
And the thing is that in some ways I got lucky. Some people got additions of things that are basically crap. Apartments....always crap. First off because they usually have those big central boxes (which we get paid far less to service since they are all in one confined space) and secondly because even though you get paid LESS, the time and hassle of dealing with them always ends up being more than a regular box. Mainly due to renters moving in and out and trying to keep track of who is there and who is not.
Believe it or not, not everybody even fills out a change of address, so after a couple of weeks, paperwork has to be filed, and stuff returned to sender...yada yada yada. Rentals are always more of a hassle. And my new part is a couple of decent little neighborhoods. I could have gotten something far worse and I know that. But still...I don't want to do more work than I am now. I know its a raise in pay, but honestly, I don't even want that. Why couldn't I just be left alone?
Oh well, it starts on the Saturday before Easter. And apparently there is nothing I can do but suck it up and do it. And that gave me a headache for the day. Not the first job-related headache, and I am damned sure its not the last one either. You would think I could have had some warning, wouldn't you? At least a mention of what was being considered, so I could put my 2 cents in for what its worth.
Anyway, I was going out to eat with Stephen and Hannia tonight, but after the day that I had (it was a long, tough day above and beyond that crappy news of additions) I wasn't up for it. We postponed until tomorrow. I honestly hope to make it then because I have had a serious craving for some of our favorite Thai food at Anchalee's. Pad Thai, with crispy chicken. I am looking forward to it.
It was mid-80's here today and that seems obscene for the first day of spring.
Hateful, unfair, and vomitable even. Ok, so I KNOW some of you who live in cooler climates welcome the warmth and the sunshine. I get that, I really do.
But for those of us who live in hot and humid hell for much of the year, I can't agree with you. It sucks big time. And all the hot, humid suckiness means that we really only need light long sleeves and the occasional light jacket during the winter. I have stopped buying true winter clothes, as we rarely need them. What I DO need? Shorts. And short-sleeved tops. Casual things. Maybe its because I HATE the hot weather so much that I loathe shopping for things like that. I like jeans and sweaters and boots.....And maybe because I loathe buying things that I don't really want (although NEED) to wear, I haven't really bought shorts or summer clothes for a while.
But anyway, the warm weather forced me to re-evaluate the summer wardrobe sooner than expected. My shorts are faded and threadbare and basically only fit to be worn for housecleaning or yardwork. I did run out for a while on Sunday only to be reminded of one of the reasons that I hate shopping for shorts. There should be 3 basic lengths.....short, medium and long. But for the most part I found lots and lots of super short, and super long and only a precious few medium lengths. It goes without saying that at my 40-something soon to be 50ish age, short shorts are out of the question. In my opinion they should be out of the question for anybody over the age of 25...30 only IF you have an amazing body. Not that what I think stops anybody from wearing them, but I no longer go out in public that way. I used to...but not anymore. It would be wrong on so many levels.
Its the long bermuda frumpy things that annoy me even more. Not seeing them on anybody else...that doesn't bother me. I would rather see knee-length frumpiness than expansive yards of wrinkly flesh any day of the week. But they are just terrible on me. I swear I age 30 years just walking by the racks of them at the store. So heinous. I need something in the 7-9 inch inseam to hit me at the right spot on my thigh. Most of what I found was a 3-5 inch inseam or 12-13 inches. Oh my Lord....it was frustrating. I finally found a couple of pairs that didn't make me want to gouge my eyes out...but 2 pairs are not going to take me through the spring, summer and fall. I don't know. I guess I will end up having to go back out and try again. Hopefully they haven't put all of the summer stuff out in the stores yet...? Hopefully there is way more coming in the near future. The ones I did find were a boring khaki (yawn), and red. And I bought them even though I recall my daughter having some kind of phobia about red pants. I hope shorts don't count.....? Because with the scarcity of decent casual summer clothes around here, I feel sure I am going to have to wear them out of necessity.
I wish I could rely on simple skirts and dresses, but not for work. As a mail carrier, we DO wear shorts when its hot (rural carriers like me do NOT wear uniforms which is glorious considering that I am certain that I would burst into flames like a vampire in sunlight if any part of that ugly blue uniform ever touched my body). But skirts or dresses? Not happening, not with the kinds of things that I have to do. There is no way to be lady like lifting and bending and stretching....or driving on the wrong side of the car with your legs spread (OMG)...or dashing down somebody's front steps with a huge dog chasing you. Nope...its gonna have to be shorts even as bad as I hate them. Somehow, somewhere I have got to find some good ones. And tops to go with them, too...which is a tall order. Send me some lucky vibes. I don't know when I will have the time to go shopping again, but I am going to have to make the time soon.
Hateful, unfair, and vomitable even. Ok, so I KNOW some of you who live in cooler climates welcome the warmth and the sunshine. I get that, I really do.
But for those of us who live in hot and humid hell for much of the year, I can't agree with you. It sucks big time. And all the hot, humid suckiness means that we really only need light long sleeves and the occasional light jacket during the winter. I have stopped buying true winter clothes, as we rarely need them. What I DO need? Shorts. And short-sleeved tops. Casual things. Maybe its because I HATE the hot weather so much that I loathe shopping for things like that. I like jeans and sweaters and boots.....And maybe because I loathe buying things that I don't really want (although NEED) to wear, I haven't really bought shorts or summer clothes for a while.
But anyway, the warm weather forced me to re-evaluate the summer wardrobe sooner than expected. My shorts are faded and threadbare and basically only fit to be worn for housecleaning or yardwork. I did run out for a while on Sunday only to be reminded of one of the reasons that I hate shopping for shorts. There should be 3 basic lengths.....short, medium and long. But for the most part I found lots and lots of super short, and super long and only a precious few medium lengths. It goes without saying that at my 40-something soon to be 50ish age, short shorts are out of the question. In my opinion they should be out of the question for anybody over the age of 25...30 only IF you have an amazing body. Not that what I think stops anybody from wearing them, but I no longer go out in public that way. I used to...but not anymore. It would be wrong on so many levels.
Its the long bermuda frumpy things that annoy me even more. Not seeing them on anybody else...that doesn't bother me. I would rather see knee-length frumpiness than expansive yards of wrinkly flesh any day of the week. But they are just terrible on me. I swear I age 30 years just walking by the racks of them at the store. So heinous. I need something in the 7-9 inch inseam to hit me at the right spot on my thigh. Most of what I found was a 3-5 inch inseam or 12-13 inches. Oh my Lord....it was frustrating. I finally found a couple of pairs that didn't make me want to gouge my eyes out...but 2 pairs are not going to take me through the spring, summer and fall. I don't know. I guess I will end up having to go back out and try again. Hopefully they haven't put all of the summer stuff out in the stores yet...? Hopefully there is way more coming in the near future. The ones I did find were a boring khaki (yawn), and red. And I bought them even though I recall my daughter having some kind of phobia about red pants. I hope shorts don't count.....? Because with the scarcity of decent casual summer clothes around here, I feel sure I am going to have to wear them out of necessity.
I wish I could rely on simple skirts and dresses, but not for work. As a mail carrier, we DO wear shorts when its hot (rural carriers like me do NOT wear uniforms which is glorious considering that I am certain that I would burst into flames like a vampire in sunlight if any part of that ugly blue uniform ever touched my body). But skirts or dresses? Not happening, not with the kinds of things that I have to do. There is no way to be lady like lifting and bending and stretching....or driving on the wrong side of the car with your legs spread (OMG)...or dashing down somebody's front steps with a huge dog chasing you. Nope...its gonna have to be shorts even as bad as I hate them. Somehow, somewhere I have got to find some good ones. And tops to go with them, too...which is a tall order. Send me some lucky vibes. I don't know when I will have the time to go shopping again, but I am going to have to make the time soon.
Mondays at work tend to be my worst day. The mail is heavier, the day is longer. And so, of course, I have fallen into a habit of not sleeping on Sunday nights. Not intentionally, because honestly, I WANT to sleep. I want to wake up refreshed and ready to face the day. But I just don't seem to be able to no matter what. I go to bed early, skip caffeine from the afternoon on....But I lie there wide awake, tossing and turning and dreading what I KNOW is going to be a sucky day, and knowing the suckiness will be exacerbated by the fact that I am dead tired from not sleeping. What the hell? I wish I could figure out a way to trick my body into sleeping even though I can't make Mondays go away.
Oh well, Monday is behind me for at least a week. And I think I am going to go to bed early tonight to try and make up for lying awake most of last night.
I finally got up and tried to sleep in Erica's room (I do that a lot when I can't sleep or Bruce is snoring). Sometimes I try the couch in the den, the guest room....like the location is going to help somehow. But it never does.
Oh well, Monday is behind me for at least a week. And I think I am going to go to bed early tonight to try and make up for lying awake most of last night.
I finally got up and tried to sleep in Erica's room (I do that a lot when I can't sleep or Bruce is snoring). Sometimes I try the couch in the den, the guest room....like the location is going to help somehow. But it never does.
Oh yeah. He's still got IT!
Yesterday was perfect. Amazing, even. Why can't there be more days like that? Although I guess it wouldn't be amazing then...just normal. But anyway, a few months ago, Greg told us that Elton John was coming to Raleigh to the RBC (Now the PCN) center. We didn't jump on it at the time. We were in the middle of trying to plan a trip to visit Erica, not sure of our dates for that....and besides, we just saw him in Asheville not all that long ago. But I thought about it, and finally started worrying about it. I think, every single time that we see him, that it might be the last time ever. He is in his 60's now, and didn't he claim to be retired at one point? So I finally told Bruce that I wasn't going to be happy not seeing him when he was nice enough to come to Raleigh.
So, we got tickets later...but managed to get good seats. Then I started worrying about dinner plans (see an ongoing theme here? I do a LOT of worrying. Always!). Friday night in Raleigh is a challenge even without a big event going on. On Thursday we checked online, called around and everything near RBC/PCN center was booked solid. We ended up calling Brasa, a Brazilian steakhouse that came highly recommended by Stephen and Hannia. Its nearer to the airport, but still...not too terribly far. I was pleased to get Friday reservation. Even more pleased when we got there.
First off, Brasa has valet parking which was wonderful considering the little shopping area it is in had NO open parking spots when we drove in.
Secondly, the food was awesome. It has a gourmet buffet with amazing things like shrimp croquettes, cinnamon fried bananas, and Caprese salad.
There was smoked salmon, huge boiled shrimps, a tray of sushi and so much more...I would have been completely in heaven with just the buffet, and you can order just that. But I wanted to experience it fully, so we ordered the full deal. You have a rock by your plate painted green on one side and red on the other. When you turn it to green, waiters with huge fire-roasted skewers of meat walk around and put slices onto your plate. In all there were 13 kinds of meat. There were quite a few cuts of beef from filet mignon, to top sirloin. There was pork tenderloin, chicken, lamb and sausages. You could pick and choose or try everything. We didn't make it even close to everything because we got so full. I especially steered clear of the Brazilian delicacy of chicken hearts....but honestly, this place was amazing, the staff very attentive...it was fun and indulgent, and we will definitely go back again. I seriously might just have the buffet next time though...so delicious.
We made it to the arena just in time. And Oh My LORD...Elton was fantastic.
Captain Fantastic. He played for over 3 solid hours with no intermission. The theme of the night was greatest hits, so song after song was our favorites. The audiences' favorites...he is a consumate performer. The crowds LOVE him. He had the same band, and the same backup singers that we saw in Asheville (I LOVE that the drummer, Nigel Olson, and guitarist Davey Johnston are from his original band he put together in 1969!!!). He also had two young men from Croatia who did the opening act, but also stayed onstage and played all night. They called themselves the 2 Cellos. And they played...wait for it....Cellos. LOL.
Seriously though, they were so good. They played Nirvana, and U2...and much more...on Cello and it was beautiful. We enjoyed them a lot.
And yes, I never ever get tired of Elton John's live performances. Last night was as amazing as the first time I ever saw him. It was almost 1:30 in the morning before we got home, and that is way past my bedtime. But it was definitely worth it. I just hope I get to see him live again. If he tours anywhere nearby, I will be there. Thank you Elton John for being the background soundtrack of my life. You have been my favorite since as long as I can remember.
Yesterday was perfect. Amazing, even. Why can't there be more days like that? Although I guess it wouldn't be amazing then...just normal. But anyway, a few months ago, Greg told us that Elton John was coming to Raleigh to the RBC (Now the PCN) center. We didn't jump on it at the time. We were in the middle of trying to plan a trip to visit Erica, not sure of our dates for that....and besides, we just saw him in Asheville not all that long ago. But I thought about it, and finally started worrying about it. I think, every single time that we see him, that it might be the last time ever. He is in his 60's now, and didn't he claim to be retired at one point? So I finally told Bruce that I wasn't going to be happy not seeing him when he was nice enough to come to Raleigh.
So, we got tickets later...but managed to get good seats. Then I started worrying about dinner plans (see an ongoing theme here? I do a LOT of worrying. Always!). Friday night in Raleigh is a challenge even without a big event going on. On Thursday we checked online, called around and everything near RBC/PCN center was booked solid. We ended up calling Brasa, a Brazilian steakhouse that came highly recommended by Stephen and Hannia. Its nearer to the airport, but still...not too terribly far. I was pleased to get Friday reservation. Even more pleased when we got there.
First off, Brasa has valet parking which was wonderful considering the little shopping area it is in had NO open parking spots when we drove in.
Secondly, the food was awesome. It has a gourmet buffet with amazing things like shrimp croquettes, cinnamon fried bananas, and Caprese salad.
There was smoked salmon, huge boiled shrimps, a tray of sushi and so much more...I would have been completely in heaven with just the buffet, and you can order just that. But I wanted to experience it fully, so we ordered the full deal. You have a rock by your plate painted green on one side and red on the other. When you turn it to green, waiters with huge fire-roasted skewers of meat walk around and put slices onto your plate. In all there were 13 kinds of meat. There were quite a few cuts of beef from filet mignon, to top sirloin. There was pork tenderloin, chicken, lamb and sausages. You could pick and choose or try everything. We didn't make it even close to everything because we got so full. I especially steered clear of the Brazilian delicacy of chicken hearts....but honestly, this place was amazing, the staff very attentive...it was fun and indulgent, and we will definitely go back again. I seriously might just have the buffet next time though...so delicious.
We made it to the arena just in time. And Oh My LORD...Elton was fantastic.
Captain Fantastic. He played for over 3 solid hours with no intermission. The theme of the night was greatest hits, so song after song was our favorites. The audiences' favorites...he is a consumate performer. The crowds LOVE him. He had the same band, and the same backup singers that we saw in Asheville (I LOVE that the drummer, Nigel Olson, and guitarist Davey Johnston are from his original band he put together in 1969!!!). He also had two young men from Croatia who did the opening act, but also stayed onstage and played all night. They called themselves the 2 Cellos. And they played...wait for it....Cellos. LOL.
Seriously though, they were so good. They played Nirvana, and U2...and much more...on Cello and it was beautiful. We enjoyed them a lot.
And yes, I never ever get tired of Elton John's live performances. Last night was as amazing as the first time I ever saw him. It was almost 1:30 in the morning before we got home, and that is way past my bedtime. But it was definitely worth it. I just hope I get to see him live again. If he tours anywhere nearby, I will be there. Thank you Elton John for being the background soundtrack of my life. You have been my favorite since as long as I can remember.
I just finished the book "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro today. Listening to it on CD, that is, which is how I keep myself sane while attempting to do my job. This is one of my random picks from the library. I am using Simply Audio bookclub for best sellers, familiar authors that I enjoy, but our library has a different sort of selection. There are some best sellers....but a lot of other stuff that I might not normally pick. And that has actually been a good thing. I have found some amazing reads (listens, I mean) that way. "Never Let Me Go" is one of those.
Its a story about a group of children who grow up in a boarding school academy. They are clones, created for the sole purpose of donating body parts to save lives when they come of age. The narrator of the story is Kathy, who tells it from vantage point of a 31 year old woman....but relives her history at the Hailsham academy. It is something I wouldn't generally attempt to read. Clones bespeaks of science fiction which is just not my thing. But its not a cold, science fiction story of clones battling to take over middle earth or whatever (really, I have NO idea what any of that means). Its a poignant story of a young woman coming to terms with who and what she is. Its brutal but not graphic. And I became so thoroughly engrossed in it, in the plight of the main characters....so emotionally entangled in all of it, that I was weeping by the end. Seriously. Crying like I had lost someone very close to me. I won't tell anything to give the plot away, just in case. And to my surprise, it was made into a movie in 2010. I have never heard of it, but now I do want to see it. Keira Knightly is in it, so it must have been a fairly big production. How did I miss that? Or did I hear "clones" and think science fiction??? I have no idea.
I kept finding metaphors for our non-clone lives. Conditioning to accept the unacceptable for instance. And more, but I can't give examples without divulging the plot, so I will leave it at that. I found it completely wonderful, and sad, and thought provoking. I'm glad I picked it up randomly out of the racks and racks of books on CD's. Sometimes I pick a winner...sometimes not. I generally give a book 2 discs worth of my time. If it doesn't pique my interest by the end of disc 2, then back it goes. There has only been a few that I just couldn't get in to.
"And these children that you spit on, as they try to change their worlds,
Are immune to your consultations. They are quite aware of what they are going through."
David Bowie
Funny how this song came on just after the book ended, and that quote seemed pertinent somehow....through my tears. LOL.
Work was annoying today. It centered around a certain advertisement that went out to apparently every mail-receiving person in the county and had a big plastic key glued to the front. The idea was to coerce you to visit some car place, and attempt your stupid fake key. If it worked, you win a car. I want to use just one of those keys to gouge out the eyes of whoever came up with that moronic advertising design. The keys did not stay on...some people got the mail without the key....and franky my dear, I do NOT give a damn.
So let's go with that shall we? The theme of the day is "Annoyance". I will get it out and over with and hopefully move on.....
Things that annoy the holy crap out of me:
* March Madness....don't care, tired of hearing about it, hearing people argue over who's team is gonna beat who. Whatever, seriously. Its not the end of the world if your team doesn't make it to the finals. People are dying someplace on the planet, and a basketball game just doesn't qualify as important.
* Status posts on Facebook that ask you to copy and repost. Um, NO. Its MY status, and I prefer it to be original. I do not want to continue a chain of spam....and yes, I love my children, care about cancer, had a beautiful Mom, etc, etc.....My reposting your spam doesn't make my love or caring any more real, so stop it. Post whatever you want, but don't tell the rest of us what to post.
* 80 plus degrees in mid-March!!! Are you freaking kidding me? It was uncomfortable out there today (which didn't make me any happier dealing with the moronic key mail). Global warming sucks.
* Trying to shop, but having to manuever awkwardly around people who choose to carry on a long personal conversation right in the middle of an aisle. What is up with that? Go do lunch or something.
* Every thing....every single tiny little thing about this upcoming election. The advertising, the analyzing, the craziness, the stupidity....you name it. I wish I could just pick up and leave the country until it is all over and done with.
* Bad drivers, especially if I see you with a cell phone plastered to your ear after almost killing me, or somebody else.
Ok, thats it for now. Well, there is more, I am sure of it. I hate selfishness, racism, animal abuse, and gas guzzling SUV's that block everybody else's view. I loathe slow people, both walking and driving, people who take more than 10 items into the express check out lane, and seeing pajama pants worn in public (seriously? You couldn't put on some real pants?). But honestly, if I don't stop now, I am just going to make myself angry thinking about it all. I got it off my chest, I am OVER it now, and tomorrow is going to be a brand new day. Whew....
So let's go with that shall we? The theme of the day is "Annoyance". I will get it out and over with and hopefully move on.....
Things that annoy the holy crap out of me:
* March Madness....don't care, tired of hearing about it, hearing people argue over who's team is gonna beat who. Whatever, seriously. Its not the end of the world if your team doesn't make it to the finals. People are dying someplace on the planet, and a basketball game just doesn't qualify as important.
* Status posts on Facebook that ask you to copy and repost. Um, NO. Its MY status, and I prefer it to be original. I do not want to continue a chain of spam....and yes, I love my children, care about cancer, had a beautiful Mom, etc, etc.....My reposting your spam doesn't make my love or caring any more real, so stop it. Post whatever you want, but don't tell the rest of us what to post.
* 80 plus degrees in mid-March!!! Are you freaking kidding me? It was uncomfortable out there today (which didn't make me any happier dealing with the moronic key mail). Global warming sucks.
* Trying to shop, but having to manuever awkwardly around people who choose to carry on a long personal conversation right in the middle of an aisle. What is up with that? Go do lunch or something.
* Every thing....every single tiny little thing about this upcoming election. The advertising, the analyzing, the craziness, the stupidity....you name it. I wish I could just pick up and leave the country until it is all over and done with.
* Bad drivers, especially if I see you with a cell phone plastered to your ear after almost killing me, or somebody else.
Ok, thats it for now. Well, there is more, I am sure of it. I hate selfishness, racism, animal abuse, and gas guzzling SUV's that block everybody else's view. I loathe slow people, both walking and driving, people who take more than 10 items into the express check out lane, and seeing pajama pants worn in public (seriously? You couldn't put on some real pants?). But honestly, if I don't stop now, I am just going to make myself angry thinking about it all. I got it off my chest, I am OVER it now, and tomorrow is going to be a brand new day. Whew....
The kids got back Saturday night from their trip to Europe. They spent a few days in York with Erica, and then the 3 of them had 5 days in Barcelona...which, they report, was awesome! It was sunny (although not much warmer than here right now)...but at least the weather was great for walking around the city. Stephen says that I am going to LOVE York. Its quaint and beautiful and historic. I can't wait to get there. Mainly to see my daughter, but if the city is awesome too, then that is just a bonus. I was just happy that everybody had safe travels. Thats the most important thing. Erica is back in York and Stephen and Hannia are in Greenville again.
We spent our weekend in Wilmington, having not been there since last 4th of July. There was a new family member to meet: Naomi. And she, at only 7 weeks, is adorable. I wish I had pictures. Well, I DO have pictures, but we have a new camera (in preparation for scenic York) and I don't know how how download pics from it just yet. Its probably simple and self-explanatory, but until I sit down and figure it out....well, I will eventually. There was a party going on, lots of teenagers running around, and burgers on the grill. A good time was had by all. Oh, and those 4 boxes of Krispe Kreme didn't hurt anybody's mood either. LOL.
Today was back to work for us. My allergies are acting up something fierce.
By about 2pm I had a sinus headache that riveled any migraine I have ever had. One point that I would like to make....since my hysterectomy I rarely have migraines anymore. Was it hormone induced? I really have no idea, but I am just happy to have that (almost) cured. I suffered a whole lot of years with awful headaches and now they are rare. Today was pretty bad although ibuprofen and coffee made it bearable. I hope to sleep off the rest of lingering pain. Maybe a benadryl will take care of it.
Anyway, not much going on the rest of the week except yardwork and the ongoing clean up from the tree demolition. Plenty of things that need doing. Always plenty of stuff. I would gladly pick up and move into a townhouse, or a condo, or even rent an apartment if it would alleviate so much house maintenance and yardwork, but hubby isn't agreeable to that yet.
I don't know if he will ever be, seeing as how his grandparents built this house. I don't even know if its sentamentality keeping him here, or just the love of lots of space with no neighbors. Oh well, I can deal. We have no house payment here and that makes the upkeep not quite as painful somehow. These warm days and daylight savings time just means round the clock mowing of the lawn is almost upon us, so things like yardwork and upkeep are weighing heavy on my mind. Heat and yardwork are 2 of my most unfavorite things....is unfavorite even a word? LOL. I hope you all have a great week ahead!
We spent our weekend in Wilmington, having not been there since last 4th of July. There was a new family member to meet: Naomi. And she, at only 7 weeks, is adorable. I wish I had pictures. Well, I DO have pictures, but we have a new camera (in preparation for scenic York) and I don't know how how download pics from it just yet. Its probably simple and self-explanatory, but until I sit down and figure it out....well, I will eventually. There was a party going on, lots of teenagers running around, and burgers on the grill. A good time was had by all. Oh, and those 4 boxes of Krispe Kreme didn't hurt anybody's mood either. LOL.
Today was back to work for us. My allergies are acting up something fierce.
By about 2pm I had a sinus headache that riveled any migraine I have ever had. One point that I would like to make....since my hysterectomy I rarely have migraines anymore. Was it hormone induced? I really have no idea, but I am just happy to have that (almost) cured. I suffered a whole lot of years with awful headaches and now they are rare. Today was pretty bad although ibuprofen and coffee made it bearable. I hope to sleep off the rest of lingering pain. Maybe a benadryl will take care of it.
Anyway, not much going on the rest of the week except yardwork and the ongoing clean up from the tree demolition. Plenty of things that need doing. Always plenty of stuff. I would gladly pick up and move into a townhouse, or a condo, or even rent an apartment if it would alleviate so much house maintenance and yardwork, but hubby isn't agreeable to that yet.
I don't know if he will ever be, seeing as how his grandparents built this house. I don't even know if its sentamentality keeping him here, or just the love of lots of space with no neighbors. Oh well, I can deal. We have no house payment here and that makes the upkeep not quite as painful somehow. These warm days and daylight savings time just means round the clock mowing of the lawn is almost upon us, so things like yardwork and upkeep are weighing heavy on my mind. Heat and yardwork are 2 of my most unfavorite things....is unfavorite even a word? LOL. I hope you all have a great week ahead!
I have reoccuring dreams of failure. OFTEN! It generally (although not always) revolves around my children. Frequently it involves holidays. For instance, the sun is setting late one afternoon when I suddenly realize with dawning horror that its Halloween. And my children have NO costumes. There are NO decorations, or candy....Trick or Treaters are already knocking at the door and I am desperately trying to figure out a way to come up with something ingenius in 30 seconds or less. And I am failing miserably. Or, the sun is setting when I realize with yet MORE dawning horror that its Christmas Eve, and there is NO tree, NO cookies, NO presents...etc. You get the idea.
I don't get it. My kids are grown, and doing fine. The only time I even came to close to anything like that was the year that Bruce got sick and our trip to Jamaica for Christmas got cancelled at the last minute. And somehow, with the help of my kids, and a small Christmas miracle of finding not 1, but 2 Nintendo Wiis at Best Buy on Christmas Eve (when these things were next to impossible to come by), we pulled it off and didn't suffer tragic deprivation. We had a nice dinner (thanks Erica), and goodies, and sangria (thanks Stephen and Hannia)...and Bruce got well (Yay! Thanks Bruce AND God) and we all lived happily ever after. We even had a wonderful trip to Puerto Rico over Easter to make up for it.
Last night, I dreamed about my daughter. We got word that somehow, due to an oversight on MY part, she had missed 2 credits in elementary school (Chicod). She had to come home (from her job in England) immediately and take 2 classes at her old school or all of her other education, from high school to her PhD from UVA would all be rendered null and void. It was awful. She took an overnight flight to be at school at 8am the next morning. She left in such a hurry that she didn't bring anything with her. Just the clothes she was wearing. She made it home by 7:30 am, went to her closet to find something to wear to school....and her closets and drawers were all filled with the clothes she had worn in like 2nd grade. Nothing fit....and it was a huge fiasco because for some reason it never occurred to us that she could just go on to class wearing the clothes she had worn on the flight back home. ???? No idea what any of it means, but there was panic, and distress and a feeling that I had failed in some huge way.
I am a pretty cautious person. I don't live recklessly, I don't leave bills unpaid, or leave holiday celebrations to chance. I plan menus. And table settings. And costumes, when required. My children have more than fulfilled their educational requirements.....so why in the world do I wake up in the middle of the night in a panic that something has been left undone? I want to just dismiss it as a crazy dream. But a part of me keeps wondering if my subconscious is trying to tell me something....What in the world could it be?
I don't get it. My kids are grown, and doing fine. The only time I even came to close to anything like that was the year that Bruce got sick and our trip to Jamaica for Christmas got cancelled at the last minute. And somehow, with the help of my kids, and a small Christmas miracle of finding not 1, but 2 Nintendo Wiis at Best Buy on Christmas Eve (when these things were next to impossible to come by), we pulled it off and didn't suffer tragic deprivation. We had a nice dinner (thanks Erica), and goodies, and sangria (thanks Stephen and Hannia)...and Bruce got well (Yay! Thanks Bruce AND God) and we all lived happily ever after. We even had a wonderful trip to Puerto Rico over Easter to make up for it.
Last night, I dreamed about my daughter. We got word that somehow, due to an oversight on MY part, she had missed 2 credits in elementary school (Chicod). She had to come home (from her job in England) immediately and take 2 classes at her old school or all of her other education, from high school to her PhD from UVA would all be rendered null and void. It was awful. She took an overnight flight to be at school at 8am the next morning. She left in such a hurry that she didn't bring anything with her. Just the clothes she was wearing. She made it home by 7:30 am, went to her closet to find something to wear to school....and her closets and drawers were all filled with the clothes she had worn in like 2nd grade. Nothing fit....and it was a huge fiasco because for some reason it never occurred to us that she could just go on to class wearing the clothes she had worn on the flight back home. ???? No idea what any of it means, but there was panic, and distress and a feeling that I had failed in some huge way.
I am a pretty cautious person. I don't live recklessly, I don't leave bills unpaid, or leave holiday celebrations to chance. I plan menus. And table settings. And costumes, when required. My children have more than fulfilled their educational requirements.....so why in the world do I wake up in the middle of the night in a panic that something has been left undone? I want to just dismiss it as a crazy dream. But a part of me keeps wondering if my subconscious is trying to tell me something....What in the world could it be?
My hair needs its own psychic hotline. Seriously. It has the ability to KNOW exactly what kind of hair day I want to have (straight or wavy body...because my hair can go either way depending on the alignment of the planets), and then do the exact OPPOSITE of what would make me happy on any given day. I wish I was kidding. I am the only person I know who can suffer from limp lifeless hair one day, and uncontrollable messy big hair the next. Its not a matter of the hair products...or the styling tools. I have done enough research and the process of elimination to figure that much out. So yeah, planetary alignment is the ONLY reasonable explanation I can come up with.
So, our trip to Europe in April has me panicking a bit. My hair appliances won't work on their electrical current. I know our place has a hair dryer (supposedly, anyway), and while that is all well and good, I use a curling iron, flat iron, and occasionally hot curlers depending on what the planetary alignment is for that day. And this is all just to make my hair look halfway normal. I don't know what it would take (a team of stylists maybe?) to make it actually look good. My daugher has admonished me, saying a hair dryer and round brush should be more than adequate, and really, I need to get over being so "high maintenance". Those words, high maintenance, brings to my mind women who lounge at the spa, get their nails done once a week, have an in-home personal trainer, etc. The fact that my hair appliances only achieve a bare minimum of normalcy doesn't count in my book.
But I have been trying to make my peace with whatever happens on our trip. I have done a bit of research....and I came upon this article that caught my fancy. This girl was showing me how I could make a couple of little twisty buns in my hair to leave overnight, and in the morning, like magic, I would remove the elastic bands holding the buns in place and have long, flowing wavy curls. She had amazing curls....not tight, old-lady curls, or even the long spiral ones that people with naturally curly hair have (and I have always coveted). But loose, silky, glorious waves that looked like she had just walked out of an expensive salon. So....I was determined to try it.
Last night, I washed my hair, slathered it with a finishing no frizz product that promises ultimate shine and manageability, dried it to barely damp like the article said...then I made several twisty little buns. It was easy, and it didn't bother me while I was sleeping. It might almost have been perfect. Until this morning....I removed the elastics as instructed. And what I saw was a horrible mass of huge puffiness. No amazing waves, no gentle curls....just puffy, big hair that might have been ok IF this were the 80's. Oh what a dissapointment. It looked like a 3 year old had made a homemade costume for The Lion King. I had to drag out the flat iron to tame it back into semi-submission.
So now, I don't know. I don't know if I will end up purchasing a dual voltage curling iron (for just a week???...although if we visit often it might be prudent). I don't know if I can be satisfied that a hair dryer and brush will be enough to tame the savage beast....or if I will just end up pulling it all up in a ponytail and say the hell with it. I still have some contemplation and possible experimentation to do. And the bottom line is this...no matter how prepared I try to be, there is NO telling what the humid air of Northern England will do. I might be better off shaving my head and buying a wig.
Which reminds me....I have this friend at work. One of the girls I go out with on "Girls Night Out". She's fun and spunky and I love her to pieces.
Her hair is always perfect. She is a red head, with a shorter kind of layered cut that suits her perfectly, very edgy. I envy how no matter what the weather....her hair is always exactly the same perfect way. Until she finally told me one day that it is a wig. She is a breast cancer survivor, and her hair never fully grew back in, although its been quite a few years since chemo. I try to remember that whenever I get totally disgusted with this stick straight, yet poofy mess that I deal with every day. Some people might want hair, no matter how much trouble it is. Because although the wig is perfect and I would have NEVER known if she hadn't told me....she says its hot and itchy and sometimes, in the summer, she gets fed up and takes it off and just covers her head with a baseball cap. Oh wait....I need to add "hat" to my list of possible travel solutions. :)
So, our trip to Europe in April has me panicking a bit. My hair appliances won't work on their electrical current. I know our place has a hair dryer (supposedly, anyway), and while that is all well and good, I use a curling iron, flat iron, and occasionally hot curlers depending on what the planetary alignment is for that day. And this is all just to make my hair look halfway normal. I don't know what it would take (a team of stylists maybe?) to make it actually look good. My daugher has admonished me, saying a hair dryer and round brush should be more than adequate, and really, I need to get over being so "high maintenance". Those words, high maintenance, brings to my mind women who lounge at the spa, get their nails done once a week, have an in-home personal trainer, etc. The fact that my hair appliances only achieve a bare minimum of normalcy doesn't count in my book.
But I have been trying to make my peace with whatever happens on our trip. I have done a bit of research....and I came upon this article that caught my fancy. This girl was showing me how I could make a couple of little twisty buns in my hair to leave overnight, and in the morning, like magic, I would remove the elastic bands holding the buns in place and have long, flowing wavy curls. She had amazing curls....not tight, old-lady curls, or even the long spiral ones that people with naturally curly hair have (and I have always coveted). But loose, silky, glorious waves that looked like she had just walked out of an expensive salon. So....I was determined to try it.
Last night, I washed my hair, slathered it with a finishing no frizz product that promises ultimate shine and manageability, dried it to barely damp like the article said...then I made several twisty little buns. It was easy, and it didn't bother me while I was sleeping. It might almost have been perfect. Until this morning....I removed the elastics as instructed. And what I saw was a horrible mass of huge puffiness. No amazing waves, no gentle curls....just puffy, big hair that might have been ok IF this were the 80's. Oh what a dissapointment. It looked like a 3 year old had made a homemade costume for The Lion King. I had to drag out the flat iron to tame it back into semi-submission.
So now, I don't know. I don't know if I will end up purchasing a dual voltage curling iron (for just a week???...although if we visit often it might be prudent). I don't know if I can be satisfied that a hair dryer and brush will be enough to tame the savage beast....or if I will just end up pulling it all up in a ponytail and say the hell with it. I still have some contemplation and possible experimentation to do. And the bottom line is this...no matter how prepared I try to be, there is NO telling what the humid air of Northern England will do. I might be better off shaving my head and buying a wig.
Which reminds me....I have this friend at work. One of the girls I go out with on "Girls Night Out". She's fun and spunky and I love her to pieces.
Her hair is always perfect. She is a red head, with a shorter kind of layered cut that suits her perfectly, very edgy. I envy how no matter what the weather....her hair is always exactly the same perfect way. Until she finally told me one day that it is a wig. She is a breast cancer survivor, and her hair never fully grew back in, although its been quite a few years since chemo. I try to remember that whenever I get totally disgusted with this stick straight, yet poofy mess that I deal with every day. Some people might want hair, no matter how much trouble it is. Because although the wig is perfect and I would have NEVER known if she hadn't told me....she says its hot and itchy and sometimes, in the summer, she gets fed up and takes it off and just covers her head with a baseball cap. Oh wait....I need to add "hat" to my list of possible travel solutions. :)
I like cheesy reality tv as much as the next person. I can watch multiple episodes of Strange Addictions, Hoarders, and my personal favorite, House Hunters/House Hunters International. Oh, and of course My Cat from Hell on Animal Planet. We all love to see people being "real", although I question just how much is actually "real" and how much is staged. But I draw the line at televised child abuse.
First of all, I thought Toddlers in Tiaras was bad. Pageant Moms clearly are delusional, reckless and quite possibly brain damaged. But they are a fresh spring breeze and a picnic at the park compared to those Dance Moms. I mean, the dance instructor Abby Lee (or whatever...I THINK that's her name) is an overweight, overbearing slave driver who would give any child nightmares. Why would any responsible mother give their child over to her instruction? She slaughters their self-esteem, puts them through grueling physical abuse....and those Moms...they sit and whine and complain about what a witch Miss Abby Lee is. And they do absolutely nothing about it.
The one thing that is obvious, these crazy women LOVE preening for the camera. Apparently more than they love their daughters. It makes me sad, and nauseated. And last night? It pushed me over the edge to "I WILL NOT watch EVER again"! The dance routine was some stripper fan dance. The kids (7-10) were dressed like topless dancers (oh they had flesh colored bras but looked naked) and did this peek-a-boo strip tease with pink feathery fans. It was so vile and so tasteless. It crossed the line from bad TV into child abuse. Not that I blame Abby Lee. I mean, yes, she bears some responsibility. But its those Moms who should have stopped the whole abomination. Somebody should be in jail. I felt dirty for having watched it.
The only thing that is clear to me...ALL of those women are unfit mothers. Child protective services should step in. Somebody, somewhere should do something to help these kids. I know that people would never stand for animals being paraded around and exploited like that.
I don't know exactly who to contact, but I feel like I should contact the network just to say "NO" to damaging and irresponsible programming. Will any of those poor girls ever grow up to have even the tiniest shred of self respect after the whole world has born witness to this fiasco? I don't think so....and it makes my stomach hurt. How can they face going to school? How do those Moms show their faces in public? Why is this NOT illegal????
First of all, I thought Toddlers in Tiaras was bad. Pageant Moms clearly are delusional, reckless and quite possibly brain damaged. But they are a fresh spring breeze and a picnic at the park compared to those Dance Moms. I mean, the dance instructor Abby Lee (or whatever...I THINK that's her name) is an overweight, overbearing slave driver who would give any child nightmares. Why would any responsible mother give their child over to her instruction? She slaughters their self-esteem, puts them through grueling physical abuse....and those Moms...they sit and whine and complain about what a witch Miss Abby Lee is. And they do absolutely nothing about it.
The one thing that is obvious, these crazy women LOVE preening for the camera. Apparently more than they love their daughters. It makes me sad, and nauseated. And last night? It pushed me over the edge to "I WILL NOT watch EVER again"! The dance routine was some stripper fan dance. The kids (7-10) were dressed like topless dancers (oh they had flesh colored bras but looked naked) and did this peek-a-boo strip tease with pink feathery fans. It was so vile and so tasteless. It crossed the line from bad TV into child abuse. Not that I blame Abby Lee. I mean, yes, she bears some responsibility. But its those Moms who should have stopped the whole abomination. Somebody should be in jail. I felt dirty for having watched it.
The only thing that is clear to me...ALL of those women are unfit mothers. Child protective services should step in. Somebody, somewhere should do something to help these kids. I know that people would never stand for animals being paraded around and exploited like that.
I don't know exactly who to contact, but I feel like I should contact the network just to say "NO" to damaging and irresponsible programming. Will any of those poor girls ever grow up to have even the tiniest shred of self respect after the whole world has born witness to this fiasco? I don't think so....and it makes my stomach hurt. How can they face going to school? How do those Moms show their faces in public? Why is this NOT illegal????
Spring is almost here, and I can't help but look ahead to some of the fashion trends in store for us. And then to gape, wide-eyed in horror at the unavoidable fact that I am getting too old for what's in style this season.
Some of the trends that I will NOT be participating in:
1. Colored denim. Its not that I don't like it, because its kind of cute, but its just too young for me. I had this conversation with my son, and we both agree....pants (for either sex) need to be black, blue, khaki, gray, or brown. Period.
2. Printed pants. See above. Also? Do you know how huge my ass would look in all this hot mess of a print?
3. Bright Orange and tangerine colors. And this one makes me sad because its a beautiful color. But with my hair and skin, shades of orange make me look ghastly. Like zombie apocalypse kind of ghastly. But I am enjoying alot of the vivid colors this year (greens, blues, pinks...). Very pretty as long as I don't have to wear orange.
.
4. This one is an abomination so vile I can't even believe its true....
Jumpsuits! Seriously? I don't care if everybody in the country wears one, I shall refrain.
5. Bra tops. Maybe even worse than the jumpsuit. And trust...no woman over 40 can pull this one off. Even with abs of steel and breasts of silicon. It is just not dignified.
And with that being said, there are some nice things coming around this spring. Crisp black and white is big this year. I totally love this. It always seems fresh and put together.:
And some of the scarf print tops and dresses are gorgeous:
Oh hey, maybe I can find one that looks good with plain jane black pants, to suit my old lady, conservative style. LOL.
Some of the trends that I will NOT be participating in:
1. Colored denim. Its not that I don't like it, because its kind of cute, but its just too young for me. I had this conversation with my son, and we both agree....pants (for either sex) need to be black, blue, khaki, gray, or brown. Period.
2. Printed pants. See above. Also? Do you know how huge my ass would look in all this hot mess of a print?
3. Bright Orange and tangerine colors. And this one makes me sad because its a beautiful color. But with my hair and skin, shades of orange make me look ghastly. Like zombie apocalypse kind of ghastly. But I am enjoying alot of the vivid colors this year (greens, blues, pinks...). Very pretty as long as I don't have to wear orange.
.
4. This one is an abomination so vile I can't even believe its true....
Jumpsuits! Seriously? I don't care if everybody in the country wears one, I shall refrain.
5. Bra tops. Maybe even worse than the jumpsuit. And trust...no woman over 40 can pull this one off. Even with abs of steel and breasts of silicon. It is just not dignified.
And with that being said, there are some nice things coming around this spring. Crisp black and white is big this year. I totally love this. It always seems fresh and put together.:
And some of the scarf print tops and dresses are gorgeous:
Oh hey, maybe I can find one that looks good with plain jane black pants, to suit my old lady, conservative style. LOL.
We so need this Fantasy Cat Tree!!! The 7 ft one, with 4 perches. Because we have 4 cats, so it makes sense, right? And this one comes highly recommended by Animal Planet's cat whisperer, Jackson Galaxy (his real name? I think not, but who knows?). And I already told you how much I am addicted to watching this guy and his show about cats from hell. Clearly, all kitties need a real looking tree to be on their best behavior! Am I being sarcastic? Well, maybe just a little. But I truly do love the cat guy, AND his show. And I double pink heart ADORE this cat tree. But at $1,100 without shipping, I am not sure I can convince Bruce that we NEED this. My poor deprived kitties....having only those plain carpeted cat tree/condo things to climb on and perch on and sleep on. And we only have 2 of those!!!! Which means there has to be sharing and taking turns, something my cats are not particularly good at. Poor things.
But anyway, I passed away this past Saturday afternoon, a RAINY dreadful kind of day outside, watching episode after episode of the Cat From Hell show. I must have caught it during some kind of marathon. I couldn't tear myself away. And every single one of those cats had improved significantly after working with Mr. Galaxy. How I coveted that cat tree...only one family got one, but it was beautiful. I finished up my evening by searching online until I found the exact one....and was immediately horrified by how expensive it is. Maybe I should start up a charity fund. Save my cats from deprivation kind of thing. In fact, if you are so inclined to send cash or checks to us, please feel free....LOL. Maybe I will put some jars with pictures of my cats in convenience stores and restaurants around town. Who knows? Maybe I can still pull this feat off and supply my cats with this spectacular fake tree. It even has a cute little fairy door in the base, although that is an additional $35. But my girls NEED a fairy door, right?
Sunday nights are always kind of sad. They always were for me, even as a kid.
Not that I didn't like school, because I actually did. But I liked the freedom of weekends even more. But work...no, I don't enjoy that at all. Well, MY job is something that I tend to loathe. I imagine that for people who have jobs that they enjoy its not so bad. Probably its not so bad for stay-at-home Moms, either. I think that packing the kids off to school on a Monday morning is probably quite pleasant...LOL.
Not that I didn't like school, because I actually did. But I liked the freedom of weekends even more. But work...no, I don't enjoy that at all. Well, MY job is something that I tend to loathe. I imagine that for people who have jobs that they enjoy its not so bad. Probably its not so bad for stay-at-home Moms, either. I think that packing the kids off to school on a Monday morning is probably quite pleasant...LOL.
It's raining on my weekend. Not that I can't find plenty to do inside (cleaning is always needed), but we just had these warm and beautiful days that I had to spend working. This morning the wind is howling and it's pouring. Oh well, plan B I guess (meaning the cleaning thing again...). Maybe I will drag Bruce out to a movie later, although I have no idea what is playing right now.
So, nothing new and exciting going on here. At least we are all well and flu-free. We had hoped to spend some time cleaning up the branches from the topping out of the tree in our backyard but not in this weather. It will have to wait. I think Bruce is getting antsy about the mess because with the warm days we have had recently (pretty much all winter really), the grass already could use a mowing. Oh! In 2 weeks time changes again. I really love having longer days. Why can't we just stay on daylight saving time all year long? It is always so depressing those first few weeks in the fall when it gets dark by 5.
Well, I hope the sun is shining wherever you are today.
So, nothing new and exciting going on here. At least we are all well and flu-free. We had hoped to spend some time cleaning up the branches from the topping out of the tree in our backyard but not in this weather. It will have to wait. I think Bruce is getting antsy about the mess because with the warm days we have had recently (pretty much all winter really), the grass already could use a mowing. Oh! In 2 weeks time changes again. I really love having longer days. Why can't we just stay on daylight saving time all year long? It is always so depressing those first few weeks in the fall when it gets dark by 5.
Well, I hope the sun is shining wherever you are today.
I LOVE this show. And no, none of my cats are from hell. Vixen is a little bit temperamental, but she's a sweetheart underneath all the bluffing. I just love watching the guy who is something of a "cat whisperer" come in and help families deal with wayward felines who are destined to be dropped off at a shelter if they can't figure out a way to tame the bad kitties. I want him to come to my house. I KNOW we don't have any serious behavioral problems, but I sense he could help me figure out how to make my spoiled rotten princesses even MORE spoiled and happy. I can't even remember the guy's name....LOL....but I love him anyway. I loved our dogs. I did, seriously. But it has become more and more apparent to me that I am a cat person at heart. I don't know why or how, but it is what I am.
Anyway, we are finally all well in this house now. I hope we have seen the last of that flu. Bruce got sick, but had a milder case of it than I did. He seemed so determined to "beat" me, like it was a competition of who survived it better. I am not very competitive by nature, so I am fine with just saying it out loud....He won. I didn't do so well with it. Maybe I am a wimp, but it kicked my butt and I don't mind saying so.
Tomorrow is finally Friday. I am so glad to see the weekend come around. I went back to work on Monday, but honestly I was still under the weather for the first couple of days. I got over it, but it made for a really long-feeling week. Today was the first day I felt 100 percent really. And it was also sunny and 80 degrees here. So wild and crazy. We barely had winter....I was glad to have a warm sunny day, but honestly I do NOT want to jump over spring and go straight into the hot humid days of summer.
All right, there is no point to any of this. Its just a stream of consciousness. Its my bedtime, so sweet dreams to everybody. Have a beautiful weekend!
Anyway, we are finally all well in this house now. I hope we have seen the last of that flu. Bruce got sick, but had a milder case of it than I did. He seemed so determined to "beat" me, like it was a competition of who survived it better. I am not very competitive by nature, so I am fine with just saying it out loud....He won. I didn't do so well with it. Maybe I am a wimp, but it kicked my butt and I don't mind saying so.
Tomorrow is finally Friday. I am so glad to see the weekend come around. I went back to work on Monday, but honestly I was still under the weather for the first couple of days. I got over it, but it made for a really long-feeling week. Today was the first day I felt 100 percent really. And it was also sunny and 80 degrees here. So wild and crazy. We barely had winter....I was glad to have a warm sunny day, but honestly I do NOT want to jump over spring and go straight into the hot humid days of summer.
All right, there is no point to any of this. Its just a stream of consciousness. Its my bedtime, so sweet dreams to everybody. Have a beautiful weekend!
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