Sombrero Wearing Mole Rat...

The weekend started with going to see “Alice in Wonderland” – the movie was incredible!!! I ended up playing “Find the Hidden Hearts in the Red Queen’s Castle” for most of the movie – the level of detail is insane.

It was great until the very end of the movie when fire alarm went off and we had to pile outside in the wind and rain…where stupid people made stupid choices in the parking lot…..seriously, what is it with people and having to leave “RIGHT NOW THIS VERY SECOND – GET OUTTA MY WAY”!! Can’t you wait 10 minutes in the car?

And then Saturday I braved the elements to drive to Pennsyl-tucky. (actually I can’t mock this area of Pennsylvania, it’s very civilized and everyone has all their teeth….)

Staying true to a new motto of “There should always be a sombrero involved”, I made a new friend…..

One of our hosts braved the weather to grill dinner….it was more like he was playing “Deadliest Catch” between the wind and rain that was coming in sideways….but he was out there grilling and singing the show's theme song!

Karaoke time consisted of a whole bunch of laughs and some boozy harmony from me….all that singing in the car actually payed off!

And this part should ALWAYS be shouted....


By the end of the night, the guitar and folk songs made an appearance….staying true to our culture, we can not resist a sing-a-long!!!

After sleeping on the comfiest couch on the planet with a pillow fill of “aija zu zu”, I got to enjoy some cheesesteak goodness before heading home.

Due to the flooding, I had to take the long way to drive home, but it took me past the spot where the Mary Murray ferry used to be…so weird to not see it there anymore….

And oh yeah……Shenanigans…..just because it needs to be said…..

Disclaimers....

Spend any amount of time with me and you will experience one of my disclaimers.....

I just have to add them on to everything....it's automatic...

I was considering writing a full blog entry about what bugged me but honestly, I was more mad at myself for letting it affect me in the first place.....

There are a million better uses for my energy....and other people that deserve my attention.....

And this is not a disclaimer about yesterday......ok well it is....but not really.....

Hugs...

Somedays you just need a hug….

It may not fix things in any way shape or form….but it helps….

There are the times that you need one and may not know it….

Or you may need one and not ask for one…..

Whatever the case, a hug goes a long way.....

I know that I am not alone in this thought stream….

And yes...today was a "I just need a hug" day......

*Poof*

WHY, WHY, WHY do people come out of the woodwork when you least expect them to????

You're happy doing your own thing and BAM!!! they reappear.....

GAH!!!

Go away, go away, go away....Just go away already!!!

Siblings...

All plans change...this morning it changed when my brother called...

No drama or anything, just a “I was going to do this, but instead I am perfectly content to chat with you for the next hour and a half”…..

I know that I am lucky - we would drop everything and help each other...

And he has been one of my loudest cheerleaders and strongest supports through the crap that I had been wading through…..

I can't understand how some people can be nasty towards their siblings....I am very glad (and thankful) that I don't have that situation!

"Our Heaven Is Worth The Waiting"....

Waiting for them to tour again is the hardest part.....Haul out the Heartagrams - H.I.M. is coming to my side of the US this spring!!!

One benefit to the band not being that popular.....smaller venues....

Downside is that those venues do not always sell tickets online....

The Ginger Pirate....

Here is Sunday's outdoor adventure from a different perspective......

Say "Hello" to The Ginger Pirate!

http://snowshoeabletruth.blogspot.com/

Firsts.....Definitely Not Lasts....

The entire weekend was a series of firsts....and I don't think that they will be lasts.....

I snowshoed across a frozen lake.....

Hiked almost 6 miles....at one point I entertained the idea of wussing out on the home stretch...very glad that I had a nudge not to....

Made dinner with the assistance of child who has become quite a character....and I was dubbed fun enough to be asked to play after dinner went int othe oven! (I got to be a vet!!)

My sing-songy "Good Night, XXXX" received the same sing-songy reply of "Good Night...You!!" (his approach of "well, I don't remember her name so I'll just say "You"" is still cracking me up)

Found out that there are children's books about hoes...the garden tool....but who can read that with a straight face??

And it's not a first but I do enjoy the oportunity to turn the camera on the photographer...

It was a fun weekend....the whole sequence of events continues to fuel the positive energy that I have regained.....it truly amazes me at how much has happened in the short time that I have been back in the area...

Ink & Paper...

I have mentioned it before...I have a journal entry (paper and ink) for every day since I was thirteen....(oh, the angst.....oh, the heartbreak....oh, the giddiness...oh, the WTF was I thinking!!)

In the past two years, I have had journal writer's block....partially to protect myself but also because there was SO much to write about and it was tough to corral it all in one siting....

With time the emotions have changed and everything is more manageable....I have a bunch of notes that I could expand on if I wanted to but why dredge up the pain just so that it can be chronicled?

Is it silly to keep the goal of having an entry every day?

Should I scale back to just writing about big events?

Or when the mood strikes me?

Think...think...think...

Inspiration....

A while ago, in a previous job title, I met a very cool graphic designer and we reconnected through the Facebook about a year ago....

In the years since we originally met, we have had the ususal life changes - some good, some bad.....but he has also transformed into an inspirational athlete who does all the running and biking that I will never do!! (as I have joked before, I need to be chased by a man with a chainsaw in order to run....)

He's currently training for the MS150 so he has been posting fun videos. (and there's a bonus for those of you that like techno!) Check out his blog - http://www.erichenao.com/

If you would like to donate, here's the direct quote from him "Remember folks, I ride because people with MS can’t. The money you donate to my page, goes to developing research to finding a cure to beat MS. Give what you can, and I’ll keep riding!" http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/eric.henao "

Yak, Yak, Yak, Yak, Yak....

So...what did I do Sunday? Snow kayaking!!!

But what to call it....Snowaking? Snyaking?

Well, as long as there is no real yacking, I am ok with whatever it is called...


We actually had more fun than the kids sledding next to us...proving that adults are big kids, just with bigger and better toys....

And I had the easiest set of directions to follow during set-up. I asked how I could help...."Just stand there and look pretty." w00t! I'm a shoe-in for the "Best Helper Ever" award!

Feelin' Allright.....

Since I’m not driving all over the place, I am in a bit of a musical drought…..so, I turned the house into a dance party his morning…..actually not so much a dance party but a rock concert….

Went completely A.D.D. with Youtube…..started with Joe Cocker’s “Feelin’ Allright” - it's just a perfect jam song....it makes me dance in my seat....and to quote Chele, it's a tail wagging happy song ...no joke, I'm sitting here bouncing as I type...

And then I followed the suggestions on the side…..Cocker, Clapton, Wyman & Wood playing “Feeling Allright”!! The Black Crows version was ok, but I had to pass on the Jackson 5 version…..




And Joe Cocker covers "Every Kind of People"…….so of course I have to hunt down the Robert Palmer version....which then led to the mash up of "I Want You" and “Mercy, Mercy Me”…..love the combination of these songs….I think that it has to do with the bassline....or the harmonies….or the dramatic key change…..or the horns…..or something….or all of the above….





And of course this led me try to hunt down Mighty Mighty Bosstones in 1998.....Live from the Middle East...where they flawlessly transitioned "The Impression That I Get" to "Someday I Suppose".....no video but I found some other MMB concert footage....

Live Instrument....

Just when I was in withdrawl....I get to see Instrument! (now if only I could go back in time and hear then jam with Black Mountain Symphony last weekend....Feelin' All Right....)




Hey Destruction!!! (Yeah, it wasn't funny for anyone else in Dela-vegas, but it still cracks me up....)

Two Perspectives...

Watching Cat TV...

Being on Cat TV....

Deal-icious.....

I know that I haven’t shared any deals lately…the drugstores have been “eh” so there has not been much to talk about….

But this week’s Shoprite deal on Coffemate was “deal-icious”!! (it’s a word….seriously…)

On sale this week – Cofeemate = $1.24 each

I bought two bottles

Coupon - $1 off each (2)

Canvas Bag Refund - $0.05

Total Cost = $0.43 for 2 bottles of Cofeemate

Bonus – got a Catalina for $0.75 off my next purchase of 3 Coffeemate bottles…it will double to $1.50 and if I use it this week, then I can get 3 bottles for $2.22 ($0.74 each).

I’m ignoring the fact that their expiration dates are through May….don’t want to think about what preservatives are in there…I just want my coffee to be sweet and creamy….

High Excitement….

I use the phrase “Ooo – high excitement!” alot….last night it was of the bad variety.

You ever have a fun night and as you calmly drive home calamity strikes? Yeah…that was last night. But it happened to the car behind me – which was driven by a friend.

The pessimistic side of me would say “WTF Universe”?

The optimistic side of me (which prevails most of the time) was chanting – “Thank God you’re ok….cars can be replaced, people can not!”

And as I stared at the mangled front of the car, I really started chanting “You’re ok, you’re ok, you’re ok….”

There are certain situations that you never want to experience nor have your friends experience….this is one of them…

Thank you Universe for protecting my friend…..

Rowr....

God help me...

I know that it goes with the whole Goth/Vampire thing that I have....

But Wow...

His face when he sings "Once I'm in, I own your heart...." the first time...

Drool......

Perhaps it's the seductive smile and the eyebrow lifting.....

Gah....

Or just the black hair and blue eyes....

Yeah....

Or the underworld cane leather thing...

Umm.....Entertain me until I scream....

He just trumped Ville Valo singing "Heartache Every Moment"....

Yes, I am talking about Adam Lambert.....

Random Peek....

Here are the rules for the award:

Thank the person who nominated you and link to their blog.

Copy the award and paste it to your blog.

Tell us 7 interesting facts about yourself.

Nominate 7 bloggers that you love and link to their blog.


I was trying to be good and come up with other random things about me....different from this entry that I did almost a year ago!

Pixie Dusties nominated me - Thank you!!!

My 7 Facts

1. I get reminders every single day that I have made the right decision to move back home…these reminders have also helped me motivate myself more than I ever thought possible….

2. Fastest way to get me to snicker is to mention “unit” in a sentence…..ah, the “Band Rag” mentality is alive and well…and I am spreading it to others….

3. Right now, my favorite candle scent is Cinnamon…..it changes with the seasons ….

4. I have an irrational fear of midgets…I no longer watch TLC due to this……(seriously, they have 4 midget shows!!!)

5. I miss my Instrument…even though things are not the way that they used to be…..

6. I will probably never be able to listen to any Journey song without experiencing some level of pain…..but to quote Lady Antebellum “I’d rather hurt than feel nothing at all.”

7. I used to be a lover of sweets….now I tend to swing towards savory….

My nominations (not sure if they will play along, but I will tag them nonetheless….)

1. Amber & Ari 2 Day

2. It’s Such a Fine Line

3. My World At Home

4. On The Tip of My Fingers

5. Random Thoughts

6. Traces of a Girl

7. What Was That, Now?

Shoes & Snow....

I was going to post this yesterday since I had such a fun time showshoe-ing, but the exploitation of the elderly took precedence....

So, snowshoe-ing...did not know what to expect.....I had some concerns.....but turns out there was no reason to be worried!

I ended up feeling like a little kid at one point – I needed some help for the shoes and straps. (not in the Cinderella way, but the "I'm stuck!!" way). Umm, I invoked the “Daddy! I want a Power Ranger!!" whine when having trouble getting the snowshoes off…..

I also channeled Godzilla....imagine me walking around muttering (and getting progressively louder)….“Rawr…RAwr…RAWr…..RAWR… RAWR… RAWR… RAWR!!!!!” as I tromped on snow…so much fun!

Again I was the loudest thing in the woods, but I see it as a good thing - what bear would want to come out of hibernation to find out what the ruckus is? And the bear probably would not have appreciated my jokes either…

DISGUSTED....

DISGUSTED - all caps...actually, I'm beyond disgusted...

Sick to think that fellow Latvians wiped out her life savings (and so quickly)!!

Latvian elder abuse by latvians

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG_jg8WM9zY

Wavy....

This is an icicle....it was pretty massive and solid despite the fact that it was attached to the rock by some wavy (and flexible!) ice....

Hearty Food....

Ah, Valentine’s Day…..the one day that makes everyone freak out regardless of their relationship status.

I have constant Valentines – my family. We make a point of exchanging cards and sometimes a little gift….it's nice to know that you are loved regardless if you have a significant other or not!

Since I have some spare time and was feeling creative, I made a “hearty” brunch….

And once I had uncorked the creativity, dinner was as well…the two sheets of parchment paper for the veggies formed a heart.....

And check out the carrots....

Olympics....

Of course I’m watching the Olympics…..

I don’t grow tired of hearing the theme or watching each nation glow with pride as their athlete gets a medal.

What I do grow tired of is the commercial break during the Parade of Nations that happens when Latvia is coming into the stadium…..happens every time…ok, well maybe except for Salt Lake City’s game…..but there was a Latvian exec at that station so we actually got some coverage…..

Known terrorist nations get complete coverage for the Olympics…..for Latvia, it was 1 out of 58 athletes…..the one carrying the flag…..the flag that wasn’t even shown on tv…..

Let It Snow...

For most of us, it's still that happy phase of winter - where the snow is welcomed instead of cursed.


Give it another month and all you'll hear is how everyone is done with snow and ready for spring. (for some this happened about a week ago)


But for me, I like looking outside to see a snowglobe.....

Venom....

I have always joked that "boys are stupid" - we do not have venom in our veins until the first guy breaks our hearts...

Then the venom just builds and we take it out on every guy after that comes into our lives...

Yet we still find a minute to have an inappropriate question session via email or a bet that involves who can scare who first and we realize that there is potential in the world....

And the best reminder of all - the text session where teen angst is in full effect.....

Realizing that the teen is in for many more years of sending me "Here's the drama" texts....it will only get more and more complex as she gets older but I can't tell her that...

Nice to have the ability to live along with her in the beginning stages....and enjoy the "easy" drama as I work on getting rid of mine....

Haunting Tune....

I don't care if it really is "Eye in the Sky" by the Allan Parsons Project...

I love this song and it has been haunting me since the Grammys....Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now”




Picture perfect memories scattered all around the floor
Reachin for the phone cause I can't fight it anymore
And I wonder if I ever crossed your mind
For me it happens all the time

It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now
Said I wouldn't call but I lost all control and I need you now
And I don't know how I can do without
I just need you now

Another shot of whiskey can't stop looking at the door
Wishing you'd come sweeping in the way you did before
And I wonder if I ever cross your mind
For me it happens all the time

It's a quarter after one, I'm a little drunk and I need you now
Said I wouldn't call but I lost all control and I need you now
And I don't know how I can do without
I just need you now

Guess I'd rather hurt than feel nothin at all

It's a quarter after one I'm all alone and I need you now

And I said I wouldn't call but I'm a little drunk and I need you now

And I don't know how I can do without

I just need you now

I just need you now

Ooo, baby, I need you now

Huff, Puff, Nature...

Going from shutting the door on a section of my life to restoring order....not an easy process......

I can already tell that there is progress - it will take a while, but order will be restored to the areas of my world that have been out of whack....

And for a change of scenery, I made plans to do something outdoors Sunday - I needed to look at something besdes boxes, plus I had great company so how can one go wrong? Heh, by being so out of shape that a "hike" becomes a "walk in the woods otherwise I will have to be carried to the car on a stretcher that you make from those trees" is how it can go wrong. (I was mostly honest about being a wuss so this was not too big of a surprise.)

So I had my moment in nature - even fed a bird some of my granola bar - it landed on my hand! Toughest part was staying quiet to not scare it away - the whole time the voice in my head was shouting "LOOK!!! It's nature!!".

Moving...

I do enjoy moving – the thrill of packing things up and then opening the box like a present. As well as the new adventure in getting to know the area. (even if you used to live there, things change!!)

But the bad part of moving….you realize that you have just way too much stuff and do you really need all this stuff and why on earth are you saving this?!??! Flash to the night before moving and I was just throwing stuff into boxes to get it done…..and then realizing that some of those boxes could end up in the middle of a storage unit….

Moving this time also included a 14’ van that almost did not make it up the hill out of the rental place. Yup – I went sliding backwards towards the building and my own car….the insurance company would have loved that one. At one point I was channeling a street racer and smoking the tires!

After Tetris-ing all my worldy possessions, there was a five and a half hour long drive……the truck was so overloaded that it barely went 55 mph and would slow to 40 as you went up a hill. But I got to feel all cool when I found out that I was rated as a “truck”. (it did increase the tolls but I was a TRUCK!!!)

I found some fun people to chat with as I drove – “Please talk to me!” I did have to weed out some drunk ones though…..”I have been drinking tequila for 3 hours!!” “Umm, I’ll call you later….”

The unpacking turned silly early on……imagine Jenga, singing helpers, mockery of Mr. Elevator and a series of messages that were relayed like a game of telephone from the moving van to the storage unit.

I am EXTREMELY grateful for the people that helped me move. There is nothing that I can do to repay them….hmm, I wonder if any of them need a kidney…...

Happy 101...

Yay! I got an award!!

Pixie Dusties handed it to me – check her out here - http://pixiedusties.blogspot.com/

It’s very cool to read her blog and see what is going on in other parts of the world!

The rules:
List 10 things that make you happy.
Pass it on to 10 bloggers that make your day a better one!

1. My Family

2. My Friends

3. My Friend’s Kids (who remind me every day that there is simple joy to be found in everything)

4. Music

5. Puppies

6. Chocolate or Cool Ranch Doritos (depends on if I am looking for sweet or savory)

7. Hugs (not the plain variety, but the “Squeeeeeeeeze but not too tight” kind)

8. Clean Laundry

9. Random things that make me belly laugh

10. Sparkly objects (come on, you knew that that was going to be in there!)

And I am tagging these blogs that I follow – go peek at their lives! (I am hoping that for some it will jump start their blogging for the new year!)

Ari & Amber 2-Day

It's Such a Fine Line

My World At Home

On The Tip of my Fingers

Random Thoughts

Stripey Cat Production

Traces of A Girl

What Was That, Now?

(And before there are comments that I can't count.....I have some other people that I would tag but I don't think that they would participate....)

Give My Regards...To Boston....

It was a nice calm way to say goodbye to Boston - Lunch, bowling, hanging out and watching TV.

No drinking my face off or getting sh&*bag wasted. (where were these terms when I was in college??!?! They are perfect descriptions!!)

I ran the gamut of emotions as I drove back to my place - relief that things will get better, anger that this could have all worked out differently, sadness at leaving new friends........

I was meant to be here for a while and now I'm ready for what lies ahead.....

Change....

Holy cow - change, change and change in Massachusetts.....definitely says something about the mindset of the country at the moment....

Even though it was the "Ted Kennedy" seat, Scott Brown commenting that it belongs to the people (and not a political party or family dynasty) was brilliant campaigning - you can't reply to that without sounding like a jerk.

Is it me or did the "Change We Can Believe In" campaign backfire against it's political party?

Somebody had quite the field day writing this....
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34923900/ns/politics-capitol_hill/?gt1=43001

BOSTON - In an epic upset in liberal Massachusetts, Republican Scott Brown rode a wave of voter anger to win the U.S. Senate seat held by the late Edward M. Kennedy for nearly half a century, leaving President Barack Obama's health care overhaul in doubt and marring the end of his first year in office.

The loss by the once-favored Democrat Martha Coakley in the Democratic stronghold was a stunning embarrassment for the White House after Obama rushed to Boston on Sunday to try to save the foundering candidate. Her defeat signaled big political problems for the president's party this fall when House, Senate and gubernatorial candidates are on the ballot nationwide.

"I have no interest in sugarcoating what happened in Massachusetts," said Sen. Robert Menendez, the head of the Senate Democrats' campaign committee. "There is a lot of anxiety in the country right now. Americans are understandably impatient."

Raptors!!

I went to the Eddie Izzard show Saturday night - surprisingly he only commented about lipgloss…he did not appear to be wearing any…..

It was a fun adventure - playing on the subway poles, admiring the guy begging for money who asked in both English and Spanish and realizing that Madison Square Garden was built for really, really short people...

Between Aesus, Besus, Raptors, Jazz Chicken, Squid that keep diaries on the Ark, The Medi-good Period, the Amoeba Named Pip and giraffes that do charades, I was laughing so much. But here are two of my favorite bits....”Miss, I'm sitting next to a raptor!!! Aren't there rules??”……..*cough* *cough* Tiger! *cough* *cough*





I also took a side trip and looked at my grandma's house. Very sad to see her rose garden paved over to make the driveway wider. But it is change – it is inevitable….

Everywhere, I Tell You!!

Motorcycles are Everywhere!!!

Just had to remind you all....

They are in the shower, in the toaster, in the hallway.....

Topsy Turvey....

You said - oh girl, it's a cold world
When you keep it all to yourself
I said you can't hide on the inside
All the pain you've ever felt
Ransom my heart, but baby don't look back
Cause we got nobody else

We're running with the Shadows of the Night
So baby take my hand, you'll be all right
Surrender all your dreams to me tonight
They'll come true in the end

It could have been an absolutely horrible weekend if I had been left to my own devices…

Very glad that events happened to change that….

Appropriate song to have stuck in my head.....

It will be all right in the end.....for all of us....

Vieglas Smiltis....

In the past month, we have lost 3 power houses from my childhood...

The people that I would grumble about at the time.....coming to realize years later that they were making sure that we preserved our culture....

They were ensuring that we would carry on the traditions and faith of our ancestors.....

I have a ton of memories of these people....

And I have this vision that they are all reuniting....

Vieglas Smiltis....

Yar...

see more Lol Celebs

Switchover...

I ended the last year and started the new one with just what I needed:

Good friends

Lots of laughs

And a reminder that there are good things coming.....

Just a few things that need to be mentioned about the party....

Standing next to one of the poppers when it goes off will result in a "I just won American Idol" moment as the confetti rains down. It will also result in champagne full of confetti. This will affect your champagne consumption.

Anyone who can hold their own in my circle of friends is welcome to stay.

I was convinced that I would win the best….I’m not that upset about losing it….the extra dollar that was handed over was a bonus for the winner…..

Bubble tea forever!!!

Japi Nu Yir!!

see funny english mistakes

Make It Pop...

Don't Stop
Make it Pop
DJ blown my speakers out
Tonight I'ma fight
Till we see the sunlight
Tick tock on the clock
But the party don't stop
No oh, oh oo whoa oo whoa oh
Oh oo whoa oo whoa oh

Once it stops snowing and I can get on the road, I'm putting the Dizzy in the Vizzy and enjoying the last day of 2009!

2010...

Some levels of support can’t be outsourced/subcontracted. You just need to return to what is in your core.

I know that this means that I’ll miss out on a bunch of hijinks, but I have to do what is right for me and what will get me back to where I should be.

I can’t do it by myself – I have been trying to and failing – I need my family.

It has taken a lot for me to admit this – mainly to myself since everyone around me knew that things were not going well.

So, bring on 2010 - I welcome your changes and what the future holds!

Tick Tock...

I was counting down to a deadline – one that I figured that I would be numb about because of everything that happened that led to this point.....

I continuously get the calls of “Why does doing the right thing seem SO wrong?”.....I can’t ignore it.

I’m just waiting for it to pass by so we can get to the next phase.

You made your choice - leave me out of it.

Squishes...

I'm amazed by the people that I have in my life that I will admit things to - before I admit them to myself.

We just click.

Opinions are given and no feelings are hurt.

There are too many reasons to list as to why I hold onto them tightly……even though they remind me of other things.

Even weirder is that they know when to call – when I need them – yet I have no idea that that was what I needed at the time…..thankfully they helped me get the ball rolling on what I need to do.

Merry Chris-Moo!

Easier Said Than Done...

I’m trying very hard not to feel like I failed as an adult.

I have ducked the wave a few times but I know that it is coming back for me.

There are decisions to make and I am not a fan of any of the options.

I really want to get to the point where I am looking back at this time and knowing that it was all for a goal - a purpose - instead of just wasting time.....

You Belong To Me....

I do love this song…even if Mary Higgins Clark made it into a stalker killer thing…

See the pyramids around the Nile
Watch the sunrise from a tropic isle
Just remember darling all the while
You belong to me

See the marketplace in old Angier
Send me photographs and souvenirs
Just remember when a dream appears
You belong to me

And I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too

Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember till you're home again
You belong to me

Oh I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too

Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember till you're home again
You belong to me

Why 'Scene-It' is a blast....

Scene It – X-box version – choose the one option that is not the name for Santa....


Herr Christmas Meister


LOL.....

The First Husband...

I walked into the mall yesterday afternoon feeling very festive…..it was replaced with a wave of flashbacks……

My only thought was “I need a cup of coffee for this to be complete”….round the corner and there’s a Keurig coffee sampling event…..thank you universe….obviously I was meant to indulge this trail that my brain was taking…..

So I took my coffee and the good memories just flowed…..even when approached by carties and their crazy sales pitches….

Funny how time eclipses all the bad and aggravating things…it was an incredible property that needed to perform up to some ridiculous expectations….at a time when I was willing to put all my time and energy into it. But my priorities changed as life moved on……

The end was like a draining break up…..does this flash make me ready to jump back in on a smaller scale?

Ante Up....

Merry Ho Ho....

Saturday – day of a Holiday Party……here’s what I learned….

When I say “Tell me ALL about your trip!”, I will talk for the next 45 minutes. (yes, you read that right – I asked a question and then didn’t let her answer)

If I go shopping with you, you will use coupons damnit! (actually it was a receptive coupon audience)

On the same shopping trip, make sure that the woman next to you is not admiring the cake that you are making fun of. (cupcakes in the shape of a “J” – “what a beautiful wreath!”)

We know some very skilled cheese and cracker arrangers.

I have some very talented and creative friends – this makes for awesome presents!!

Ears and headpieces are always fun!

Squirrel!

I can only share a limited number of pictures from the evening BECAUSE when when I am innocently asked for my camera, the pictures are not that innocent!

Some people will call to send their regrets even if they are puking

The poang chair is not my friend - it interferes with my ability to get to the chips and dip.

And for some reason, I found this SNL skit to be funny even days later:
Ding-dong! Hello! You got a new doorbell.
Ding-dong! Come inside my house. Hello.
Knock knock. Who’s there? Doorbell. Ding-dong.
Bonjour. Uh la la. Ding-dong.
Hello! Wine and cheese. Ding-dong.
Ding-dong! I’m getting married today. Hello.
Honk-honk. Your doorbell. Ding-dong! Car.
Ding-dong! Router. Netflix. What?
Ding-dong! Woof! Bears.
Jingle bells, jingle bells. Answer your door.
Ding-dong! Happy birthday, Jesus.
Ding-dong! Hanukkah House.
Goodbye. I need to read my magazine.
Ding-dong! Bing-Boom. Okay. He-hey. What?

12 Daze of Christmas...

One of my favorites...even with the barfing...(I love the random singing of the Battle Hymn of the Republic!)

To The Pain....

Completely random thought of the day....

How can a current love/lust interest listen to a band’s song knowing that it was written about the ex that broke his heart?

And does she realize that someday there will be a song about her?

Think about Layla, Angie, Every Rose Has it’s Thorn, etc.

And when that song becomes popular, the artist then sings it again and again.

Do they become numb to the pain that inspired the song?

Does it re-open the wound every time that sing it?

I'm thinking that they have to touch upon the pain because you can feel the emotion in the song.....

The S.A.D. That Is Evil...

S.A.D. as in Seasonal Affective Disorder

The weather never really affected me until I moved up to New England. Now some of the gray days are just SOOOOOO miserable and gray……they completely derail me and suck out any motivation that I have.

Meanwhile you get a bright and sunny day and VOILA! I am ready to put a new roof on a house.

I find that when I visit Florida I smile more – not only due to the people, but the sun. (Chalk that up to another reason why I visit so much!)

Accents...

Days later, I'm still laughing....Peter and PETA....

Stillness...

There is nothing like the stillness that a snowfall brings.

I had to stand in my parking lot for a bit when I got home late last night and just enjoy it.

A Bit of Sugar...

Turns out that I know a famous cat - Cukurs (means sugar)!!

Read about his adventures Here

See the rest of his LOL captions Here


moar funny pictures

Leftover Gobleh, Gobleh....

I had completely forgotten that these pictures were on my camera!

Some of the Thanksgiving fun.

Walk in to find this bottle of port on the table















As one can guess, M-O-M was not amused to come out of the kitchen and find the turkey representing a part of the King Arthur story.















Just a different perspective....

I

Holiday Lights...

see more Epic Fails

Tearing Us Apart...

My mom actually introduced me to this song! (as in - until 2 days ago, I had no idea this song existed!) And I have had it on repeat ever since.....along with the head shaking thought of "Phil Collins played drums for Clapton?!??! "

Gobble, Gobble...

Chalk it up to "I spoke too soon" – we all went to bed late the night before Turkey Day – mainly due to the “what’s been going on with you” chats. The entire house was peacefully asleep and then the phone rang very early in the morning….the only one awake was the turkey and a bleary eyed M-O-M. We went from calm to rage and chaos within five minutes. One person's lack of disclosing a “minor” detail because they were trying not to be a nuisance caused such a commotion. It was resolved within half an hour but not without waking everyone up and uttering our famous “You’re ruining (insert whatever event is being celebrated here)!!!!” line at least five times.

I am very happy that I still have both of my parents in my life - so many of my friends don't. But sometimes, you just have to yell “AUGH!”

The day ended up being fun and I stopped to appreciate the little things - like the bowl of olives that no one eats when they sit down to dinner but that are grazed on all day long as you walk past the table. It’s actually rather amusing – you find yourself making excuses so that you have to walk past so you can grab an olive….and never more than one at a time!

Beep, Beep!

Ever notice that no matter where I am, I have a tendency to want to be somewhere else? I want to do everything, experience everything and enjoy myself. I have my priorities, but there are so many things going on to choose from! I know what it is - I don't want to miss out on anything.

Last night I got to sit and paint ceramics with some friends - something that I normally would not be able to do on a Tuesday night since I live so far away from them. Yet, it was something that I wanted to do ever since I found out that this group does it. (again, check out what I said in paragraph one)

I was originally supposed to do another whiplash tour in order to play taxi to part of my family, but the fates decided that after sitting in traffic for a few mind numbing hours last night, I was free of that duty today.

And why did I sit in traffic yesterday? The answer is simple - it's my mailman's fault. He's always at my place between a certain time and I wanted to take the movies that I knew were coming that day with me.....I sat and waited instead of heading out....I waited as long as I could........but he never showed......the end result was the traffic....

It was so bad that I was tempted to start drinking the wine that I had in the car......we weren't moving so how illegal could it be?

New Moon...

I knew that I would enjoy the next movie in the Twilight franchise, but they did such a great job with this one! Actually, it felt like a reunion with the characters.

Much better than the first movie - all the characters emote more and the CGI wolves are amazing!! Even when the first one skulked out of the woods, all full of growls and bared teeth, I could not resist saying “Puppy!!”

I loved the tattoo concept for the wolf pack, the Volturi were just menacing – all they had to do was sit there is stoney silence and the appearance of Carlisle’s car made me tear up just as it did in the book.

Oh, Jacob - I know that Taylor isn’t 18 yet, but HOT DAMN! The entire theatre erupted when he took off his shirt the first time. He worked hard to get that body - it is amazing....ah, to be young again....(he actually is more jacked than Edward)

I also walked out of the movie just wanting to hug Jacob – Taylor captured the pain that his character feels so well!!

And darling, darling Edward - how can you continue to look so dashing even as you break Bella's heart (and ours too?) Your tortured soul was shown so well…..

I can’t wait to see the movie again!

Parallels....

Silly, silly Universe....

I ask you for clarity.....

And you give me the extreme from both sides, so there is no clear choice.....

Leaving me exactly where I was before......

Mini Adventure....

I had a mini adventure yesterday – it was planned out, but it had the feeling of hopping in the car and just driving – the sun was shining and I did not have a strict agenda – just some things that I wanted to do.

The used book store that I have mentioned before was having an anniversary sale. I have been reading a lot of magazines lately but I want/need to switch back to books – I have a bunch waiting for me now! (including the bio of Dog the Bounty Hunter and Michael Flately - come on – for $1.50 each, I could not say no!)

The area’s nearest Sonic was there so I had my cherry limeade fix as well. Freaky thing was that as the car hop (on roller skates!) handed it to me, “Don’t Stop Believing” came on the parking lot’s speakers….yeah…that song is still stalking me.

And there was the required stop at the former Danvers Mental Asylum since I was in the area - that building just takes my breathe away. The rent to live in those apartments is ridiculous but if I had the money, I probably would move there.

Hey...Isn't That.....

I know that this is exactly what actors hate to hear/try to avoid in their careers, but it weirds me out when I have seen them for years as one character on a TV show and then they go onto another long running TV show.

And I am one of those people that will watch a TV show or movie and then try to figure out where I know the actor from....

Alan Rickman will always be the Sheriff of Nottingham even though I do enjoy him as Snape.

Jenson Ackles will be the guy from Days of Our Lives, not Alec from Dark Angel or whoever he is on Supernatural.

Danny from Without a Trace showed up on CSI Miami recently.

The redhead from Eight is Enough showed up on CSI Miami.

Jerry from Boston Legal is now a coroner on CSI Miami.

(wait a minute….the majority seems to be going to Miami…..Is it a sign that I need to go to Miami!?!?!)

And then there are the actors that you have seen in one powerful role and you can’t see them any other way.

Lawrence Fishburne will always be Morpheus and Morpheus does not belong on CSI behaving as a mild mannered CSI/college professor.

Gary Sinese is Lieutenant Dan, not the CSI NY guy.

Anothony LaPaglia will be the gun-waving lunatic from Mixed Nuts, instead of the Jack in Without a Trace.

Christian Slater will be the guy from Heathers and Pump Up the Volume, not a cop with split personalities.

And Hugo Weaving….despite his stint as Elrond in LOTR could not get away from Agent Smith…..complete with people in theatres ending his lines with “Mr. Anderson”…as in “Cast it into the fire! Destroy it!….Mr. Anderson” and “Remember, Remember, the Fifth of November…Mr. Anderson” (I swear, it was not me that did it!)

Journeying the Journey....

I give up.

I can't avoid the song.

It is stalking me.

I will embrace it.

Plus Rock of Ages and Glee have given me a new way to enjoy it.....well, that and an incident at someone's wedding last November....

Don't Stop Believin'.....

Extended Dealsmithing High....

*Gasp* I am in awe of today’s deals…..

Remember the Toys R Us gift card that I got yesterday? I spent it at Babies R Us on majorly clearanced items so I can give a plethora of onesies to my friend that just had a baby. Throw in some baby wipes that I got a great deal on and it’s a pretty decent gift!

The cashier was actually admiring my deal at the register and then his eyes bugged out of his head when I told him how I got the gift card. Tee-hee! Yeah, I don't pay full price, there’s no need to.

And then I hit Bath & Body Works - armed with a coupon and a dealsmithing mindset. Antibacterial soap - usually retails for $5, sometimes goes on sale for 3 for $10.....This week it's 4 for $10. And I had a $10 off your $30 purchase coupon.

Bought myself 12 soaps - each cost about $1.67 before tax. (OOP was about $22). They are never that cheap!! And yes, I have a use for them, I didn’t just frivolously buy that many soaps.

Twilight Timeline...

I have friends that are not Twilight fans, but they don't bash the series every chance they get....then there are the others....this post is not for the latter…

From ‘Twilight’ to Real Life: This Year in Vampire History
What was going on in the world when the vamp milestones were occurring.

c. 300 B.C.: Aro, Caius, Marcus, and their wives form the Volturi.
• Elsewhere that same year: 300 B.C. was part of the classical era — Alexander the Great of Greece spent much of the years in that time conquering other nations and spreading Greek culture East. Philosophers Aristotle and Plato spent time teaching and cultivating knowledge.
c. 1640: Carlisle Cullen born in London.
• King Charles I ruled England.
• Aug. 9: 41 Spanish delegates to Japan at Nagasaki are beheaded.
c. 1163: Carlisle changed into a vampire.
• By now, King Charles II ruled England.
• March 24: King Charles II of England issues the Charter of Carolina, establishing the Province of Carolina and dividing it between eight Lords Proprietors.
c. 1720: Carlisle finds civilized vampires in Italy.
• Jonathan Swift begins writing Gulliver’s travels.
1843: Jasper Whitlock born in Texas.
• May 22: Around 1,000 pioneers start out from Elm Grove, Mo. on in a wagon train on the Oregon trail, headed for the American Northwest.
• Dec. 19: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is first published.
• The world’s first commercial Christmas cards are printed by Sir Henry Cole in London.
• Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Tell-Tale Heart” released.
1895: Esme Anne Platt born in Columbus, Ohio.
• Sept. 3:The first professional American football game is played, in Latrobe, Penn., with the Latrobe YMCA team beating the Jeannette Athletic Club 12-0.
• Feb. 14: Oscar Wilde’s last play The Importance of Being Earnest premieres in London.
• Dec. 28: Auguste and Louis Lumière show the first moving picture film in Paris.
1901: On June 20, Edward Anthony Masen born in Chicago to Edward and Elizabeth Masen; Most likely in this year, Mary Alice Brandon born in Biloxi, Mississippi.
• The world celebrates the beginning of the 20th century.
• Jan. 28: Baseball’s American League declares itself a Major League.
• Aug. 30: Hubert Cecil Booth patents an electric vacuum cleaner.
• New Zealand inventor Ernest Godward invents the spiral hairpin, changing women’s hair forever!
• Dec. 12: Guglielmo Marconi receives the first trans-Atlantic radio signal in Newfoundland, Canada, Morse code for the letter “S.”
1911: Carlisle helps Esme’s broken leg — she’s just 16 — and most likely moves to Chicago soon after.
• March 25: The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in NYC kills 146.
• Oct: 24: Orville Wright flies for 9 minutes and 45 seconds in a glider, setting a new world record that stands for 10 years.
1915: Rosalie Lillian Hale born in Rochester, N.Y.; Emmett McCarty born in Tennessee.
• January: Typhoid Mary infects 25 people while working as a cook at a NYC hospital, and is placed in quarantine for life.
• Feb. 12: The first stone of the Lincoln Memorial is put into place in D.C.
• May 6: Babe Ruth hits his first career home run off of Jack Warhop. Too bad he never saw vampires play baseball!
• The first stop sign appears in Detroit.
1918: Carlisle works as a physician in Chicago; The Spanish Influenza Epidemic claims the life of Edward’s parents in September. Carlisle saves Edward and he begins his life as a vampire.
• March 4: The first confirmed case of the Spanish flu appears at Camp Fuston, Kan., where a soldier becomes ill.
• March 19: The U.S. Congress establishes time zones and daylight saving time starts on March 31.
• Sept. 11: The Boston Red Sox defeat the Chicago Cubs for the 1918 World Series championship, their last World Series win until 2004.
• Nov. 11: World War I ends, the armistice becomes official at 11:11.
Around 1920. Alice changed into a vampire by a worker at the mental asylum.
• Jan. 9: Thousands witness “The Human Fly” George Polley climb the New York Woolworth Building. He gets to the 30th floor and is arrested.
• Jan. 16: Prohibition begins, banning alcoholic beverages in the U.S. Doesn’t affect vampires.
• Aug. 26: The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is passed, giving women the right to vote.
1921: Esme’s baby dies and she tries to commit suicide. Carlisle finds her and saves her. They fall in love and are married.
• Aug. 5: Harold Arlin announces the Pirates-Phillies game from Forbes Field over Westinghouse KDKA, in Pittsburgh, in the first radio broadcast of baseball.
• Sept. 7: The first Miss America pageant begins in Atlantic City , and a day later, Margaret Gorman, 16, is crowned the winner. Somewhere, Rosalie was probably jealous at age 6.
1933: Rosalie becomes engaged to Royce King. She is beaten and abused by him and his friends and left for dead. Carlisle Cullen finds her and changes her into a vampire.
• Jan. 5: Workers begin building the Golden Gate Bridge begins in San Francisco Bay.
• Feb. 10: The first singing telegram is introduced in NYC.
• March 12: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt addresses the nation, which is suffering through the Great Depression, in the first of his “Fireside Chats.”
• March 23: Adolf Hitler is named dictator of Germany.
• July 6: The first Major League Baseball All-Star Game is played at Comiskey Park in Chicago.
1935: Emmett found by Rosalie after a bear attack. She brings him to Carlisle and he is changed into a vampire.
• Jan. 11: Amelia Earhart becomes the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California.
• May 30: Babe Ruth appears in his last game, playing for the Boston Braves in Philadelphia against the Phillies.
• June 12: Louisiana’s Senator Huey Long makes the longest speech on Senate record at 15.5 hours.
• Nov. 5: Parker Brothers releases the board game Monopoly.
1936: Carlisle and family move to the area south of Forks called Hoquiam and make the treaty to stay off the Quileute land.
• March 1: Construction of Hoover Dam is completed.
• Aug. 3: African-American athlete Jesse Owens wins the 100-meter dash at the Berlin Olympics.
1950: Alice and Jasper (who found each other in 1948) find Carlisle and join his family.
• Jan. 17: During the Great Brinks Robbery, 11 thieves steal over $2 million from an armored car in Boston.
• Aug. 5: Florence Chadwick swims across the English Channel in 13 hours, 22 minutes.
• Oct. 11: The Federal Communications Commission issues the first license to broadcast television in color to CBS.
• Nov. 25: A winter storm in the northeastern U.S. brings 30-50 inches of snow and kills 323 people.
1987: On Sept. 13, Isabella Swan is born to Renee and Charlie Swan in Forks, Wash.
• Jan. 3: Aretha Franklin is the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
• March 19: Televangelist Jim Bakker, head of PTL Ministries in North Carolina, resigns after admitting an affair with church secretary Jessica Hahn.
• April 19: The Simpsons cartoon first appears on The Tracy Ullman Show.
• Aug. 31: Michael Jackson releases his third solo album, Bad.
• Oct. 14-16: Baby Jessica McClure captivates then nation after falling into a well in Midland, Texas, and is ultimately rescued.
2003: The Cullen family arrive in Forks.
• May 1: President George W. Bush lands on USS Abraham Lincoln, a U.S. aircraft carrier, and gives a speech announcing the end of major combat in the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. A banner on display behind him declares “Mission Accomplished.”
• June 4: Martha Stewart and her broker get in trouble with the law and are accused of insider trading. Martha subsequently resigns as chairperson and chief executive officer of Martha Stewart Living.
• Dec. 13: Saddam Hussein is captured in Tikrit.
2005: On Jan. 17, Bella Swan moves to Forks. The rest is history!

http://www.okmagazine.com/2009/11/from-twilight-to-real-life-this-year-in-vampire-history/

The Deal Game...

Victory is mine! I looted, I pillaged, I plundered!!!

I got board games for 56 cents each!! YAY!!

I was the hero to a few moms - I got the guy with the big ladder because we needed one more game to complete the deal. And I pulled the "I see you in line without a rebate form, here take one" chat too.

The games were $3.99 each.
If you spent over $25 you got a $10 Toys R Us gift card – this week only.
And then all the games shown above had a $2 rebate through Hasbro.

Resulting in seven games totaling $3.93 before tax.

56 cents per game!

My receipt also proudly proclaimed “You saved $53”!

Return to Boondock....

I have been a fan for years.

The sequel definitely will not disappoint a true fan....

Think, Think, Think...

I am prowling for inspiration. Besides the fact that my life goals seem to have gone missing, I have a request from my brother. After making the "you always come up with great ideas since you look at life differently than I do” statement, he asked me to think of a few ideas to aid in his newest business venture. I am flattered and we have had discussions like this before, but now I am racking my brain trying to find a good idea for him.

I know that I should leave it alone and the idea will come to me - like the idea to spike the mulled cider with Cinnamon Schnapps a week ago. The beverage needed kick but I didn't know what to add…....I focus on doing my hair and VOILA! - the idea pops into my head.

If this idea works, I may have the solution to my geographical debate.....I could eventually become a snowbird! (for those not familiar with the term, it means that I would live in the North for the nice weather and then bail to the South when the cold weather kicks in)

Jam On It...

I couldn't not go....I happen to be home, there was some subtle encouragement that fun would be had if I showed up.....and I was set to pay off the bet that I lost.

I want to have fun.....I don't mind doing stuff for others as long as I get to have fun to balance out the adult stuff!

Mind Reading Church...

On my most recent trip to Florida, I attended a service at my friend’s church. This church seems to be able to read my mind and provide inspiration without getting into “Bible beating”. The sermons somehow always end up tying back to conversations that I have had while down there and are ridiculously relevant to what I have going on in my life. (even to the degree of using the statements that I have made) It’s freaky. I now plan my visits around being able to attend at least one service while down there.

On this most recent trip, I walked in and the program that they handed me said “Discover (Little Sunshine’s name)” – this was the day after I met her…….

And the sermon consisted of how we hand over the remote control of our emotions to others and let them control our reactions.

My knee jerk reaction the other day was to tweet that my feelings had been hurt and then go on about how I felt like I was being punished for having a life to take care of and that others were being rewarded for overstepping boundaries.

But I didn’t.

I stopped and thought of the remote control idea. It’s true, I can’t control what others do, but I can control how I let it affect me. (Plus someone’s unsolicited comment a few weeks ago kept my lashing out in check – it reminded me that I am doing the right thing.)

Have Some Rope....

It’s been said that if you give someone enough rope, they will hang themselves.

Still waiting.......

You have come SO very close several times – I have been supportive and listened and consoled, but the pattern seems to continue.....

I am done, done, done....beyond done.....

Whirl, Whirl, Whirl...

Hey look, I'm a whirling dervish! I’m an adult! GAH!!

In the space of a day, I went from chauffer to nurse to housekeeper to counselor to chef to….I forget the rest….

Wait a minute….I was a M-O-M!!!

Over the past few days, I have helped my Dad get set up so that he is ok to be home alone….. Getting stuff set up when someone is loopy on pain meds is always a fun time...

“FOCUS!!....I'm not yelling at you, you're just not listening....no, that is not the answer to what I asked...”

Spending time in a retirement community is also a nice way to remind you why some people should live in those communities and not drive.

I did manage to squeeze in some other things – like being elected the president of my Latvian women’s organization. It is one of a handful that still operates – they are still important to the culture, but not as much as they used to be (when the country was occupied by Commies). I will see what I can do to boost membership…trolling events for minions…or (as was pointed out by one of my friends) I will be looking for “vixens” – a spin off from the word for “pledge”.

One the day of my election, I went from a very formal event to a Halloween party – dressed as a fully corseted and masked dominatrix. (there are some very fun pictures from that night but they are not for public consumption) One of my favorites pictures is a candid that a friend took while we were touching up our lipstick in a mirror – focused on the task and unaware that we were being photographed.

I’m happy to be home…..even though I know that I will be off and running once I regroup…..

Versus...

"You should've been gone....knowing how I made you feel..."

The brain says one thing....

"And I should've been gone...After all your words of steel..."

The heart says another thing....

So you invite the distraction while the two do battle....

Sidelined...

I was getting stuff done!

Closets were cleaned out!

Files were purged!

Homework was given!

A fun weekend was planned!!

And then it hit me....the flu.....

Blech.

I tried to get up and my body told me that I could go F-myself.

I spent most of the next 48 hours in bed.

*kicks flu in the shin*

Beep, Beep...

I found it interesting so I had to share!

The following is a list of some automobiles named after people:

Aston Martin (Lionel Martin)
Audi (August Horch, Latin translation of Horch)
Cadillac (Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, founder of Detroit)
Chevrolet (Louis Chevrolet)
Chrysler (Walter Chrysler)
Daimler (Gottlieb Daimler)
Ferrari (Enzo Ferrari)
Ford (Henry Ford)
Honda (Soichiro Honda)
Lamborghini (Ferruccio Lamborghini)
Maserati (Maserati brothers)
Mercedes (Emil Jellinek's daughter Mercedes)
Opel (Adam Opel)
Peugeot (Armand Peugeot)
Porsche (Ferdinand Porsche)
Rolls-Royce (Charles Stewart Rolls and Frederick Henry Royce)
Toyota (Sakichi Toyoda).

Info came from Reference.com

Sandy Fun...

Not everyone understands the connection….sometimes I just have to go and spend time with them to know that everything will be ok….

Nothing too weird happened this time – no requests to sketch my feet at the library….I really thought that I was being Punk’d that day….

I met some new little monkeys…..and one giraffe - one of them did not want to be called a monkey!!!!!!!! (I use that many exclamation points to show the emphasis of the dislike of being called a monkey.

I held a bearded dragon…well, more that it was plopped in my hand along with a mealworm…..the dragon finally ate after I stopped saying “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!” in a pitch that made the dogs cry.

I met Anderson Cooper's doppelganger....he's 8 and a mini hurricane.

I marveled at the athletic prowess of a kid that was fighting a 103 degree fever but wanted to play since I was there. Even deathly ill, she had “Olympics” written all over her playing style.

I got to experience an extended sunshower – big and little – made me smile and bask in the glow.

I ate pizza on the beach and marveled at the lightning in the distance while enjoying the ocean breeze.

There were great chats, there were incredibly long hugs and there were all the things that I needed and more.

I never cry for anyone else the way that I do when I leave them….probably because they love openly and honestly…..despite the drama that sometimes comes their way. They provide unwavering support and I can tell them the absolute truth and know that it will be kept safe and protected. Plus they seem to need me as much as I need them. We have considered each other family for years now - even though things did not work out the way that we had expected.

It’s tough to leave but it is the right thing to do for me.

Big Sunshine, Little Sunshine...

Oh Little Sunshine, I knew that I would love you, but the extreme and how quickly it happened surprised me.

And I had no idea that you would have the same exact reaction to me.

Big Sunshine had said that you would love me since he does….it works the other way too.

Bonus points for melting me with the "Bye, bye, mwah, mwah” *clunk* that you did as you started to fall asleep in my arms.

Mega bonus points for the look of shock that everyone had as you reached for me…..you are not a social sunbeam so I truly felt special that you wanted to hang out with me during the past few days.

Big Mistakes...

We all make them.

Then we realize what they are and move on.

Only to re-visit them a bit later.

We remember why it fell into the mistake category in the first place.


Yeah…it was a mistake…I knew that going in…

I’m gonna clap my hands, show my palms and go...

And then go back...

More Yippage...

Recharging...

"Run, Run I'm coming to get you!" That is what I have felt like for the past few days. Tornado-Viz is in town!!

The road has been flying by me at 80 mph for the past 5 days - I was beyond exhausted from spending 4 hours on the road every day.

And when I get to be that tired, everything makes me cranky. (people mean well, but it’s colossally annoying and hurtful - take a minute and think about it before you say it/write it folks)

Due to some lack of planning (not on my part), I have been scrambling to change flights and keeping other people in limbo. I need to go on this trip – it has been planned since August - everyone that I want to see will be in one place.

I will be back on the road right when I get back from this trip. I have to help move some furniture and then I will be living with dad for a week to help out. There’s no internet so it may get ugly quickly….maybe I'll take the furballs with me so that we have some entertainment!

Step, Together, Step, Hop....

The fact that I woke up and headed out the door at 4 am today was not lost on me - I have been known to get home after many a fun night around the same time....

But today I was headed to a hospital to be moral support for my dad. I only have two parents - have to make sure that I keep them around a while!

Despite my fears, I had to be brave - even crack some jokes - "If you see your parents, a white light and our childhood dog, you need to run the other way. Yes, run!!"

This surgery was needed to get his quality of life back.....it was long overdue but he has never had any other procedures done so it took a lot of convincing.

After a few hours, I got the call that "everything went ok" (in Latvian - talk about instant credibility!) and was able to relax and go call the troops while he was in recovery. Mom even joked that I was being "Mom for the day".

Blatantly obvious that the man was feeling no pain when I walked into his hospital room and was greeted with "Dizzzzzzzzzzzzyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!". I was happy that he was coherant and ok and did a really good job of not crying from relief.

And we talked and talked and talked....."So what did they do with the bone they took out??", "Yeah, you need another ice pack - that male nurse was cute!" and "It's on FB and Twitter that you're ok!"

He has an intense recovery ahead of him, but his spirit is strong and he is motivated by being able to polka again....

Big thanks to my supporters - all your texts/calls/comments helped!!

Ping Pong....

I have been in a bit of a quandary…

I had thought that I had made a decision.

And then the next day things changed.

And then they changed again.

And the ping pong action is continuing.

Every time I think that the path is clear, something changes.

So I am frozen on the spot not sure which way to go.

Yip-Yip....