Miami's Too Hot For All That Leather

I'm not supposed to be blogging about this. I was told I had better not, but. . . . . . . . because I'm evil, I just have to share this lovely tidbit of worldwide goodness.

Let it be known that on Thursday, November 29, 200and7 at exactly 10:48 AM (or there abouts), the husband said, "I will never, ever doubt my wife again. Ever. She was right."




***drum roll*** Hallelujah! ***operetta singing***

[Yeah. I know. I'm going to be in trouble. But this is so worth it. You know, sacrifice for the greater good and all.]

Measure Twice, Cut Once

The husband had asked me out to dinner last night. Work was slow and he would be getting out very early. So, I decided to un-dip myself from all things paint, color, gloss, latex, pigment and stain. I'd almost forgotten what I looked like. I slathered on face paint instead. Changed from paint smocks and old clothes to jeans and pearls. Then I began to wait.

Unfortunate events kept him mucho, mucho later than he originally planned. So, to entertain myself, I grabbed my Power Shot Elph. I started clicking away. I had been away entirely too long. Upgrading from my Elph to the Power Shot S2 IS and finally to the EOS Rebel XTi. The Rebel spoils me far too much and in return I've neglected the others. I'd forgotten the love we once shared. . . How much fun we once had. . . . .

This morning I downloaded the Elph's photo's and noticed that paint has entirely, indisputably, and faithfully taken over my life. Can you spot the clues that tipped me off?

I really need to finish.

Always Late to the Party

This weekly words challenge brought to this blogosphere of ours by thy slanted Tink are purple and assortment:

PURPLE
This is one of the 180 Pansy's my mother-in-law and I planted this past Saturday. They should be b-e-a-uuu-tiful by spring 2008.

ASSORTMENT
As is well known, I am painting in the home. This is one of my many assorted paint stations throughout the family room. No. I'm not done. I want to be, but I am not.

*************************

Next weeks words are landscape and orange.
[ Ahhh. Craptacular, I just used my Pansy's (AKA: landscape)]

"Always Take Off One Last Thing You Put On" Coco Chanel

Note to Self:

no matter how insignificant bewbies might be, must always wear sports bra when on spinner bike.

Llamalicious. You'll Laugh. You'll Cry. You'll Hurl.

Buenos dias! Or depending on where you are in this blogosphere of ours, buenas tardes or buenas noches!

I have, yet again, been given another awesome award! This time by Simply Curious Girl. If you haven't checked out her site, please do. She's frank. She's honest. She speaks from her heart with a touch of insanity, wittiness and deliciousness. She says the things most of us won't.

I am not quite sure I'm worthy of such an honor, but I lurves it! And, it's very cute in da face. . . . So, it is with great humbleness I accept this award on behalf of all seven of my readers of whom made this possible. Without you all, I wouldn't be where I am today. "I am Ripper... Tearer... Slasher... Gouger. I am the Teeth in the Darkness, the talons in the night. Mine is Strength... and Lust... and Power! I AM BEOWULF!"

Oh wait. Sorry. Wrong acceptance speech . . . .

I do appreciate that people groove on my leetol teeny blog here in this cyber-space of ours. I'm glad that I can provide a bit of entertainment now and again. So, thank you Simply Curious Nina, your kindness has not gone unnoticed.

Only one request was made of receiving this award. It must be given. So, it is with great pleasure I pass this on to those I haven't in the past:

Ian & Nikki
Iain & Vikki
Cynical Bastard
Mindy Does Minneapolis

You're a couple of my daily stalkerella diva haunts and the reason of many a laugh! Enjoy your new shiny llama award.

Gobble, Gobble

I am thankful for many things in my life - my husband, my home (if even in disrepair), my family, my dogs, my cats, God, good food, great wine, heat, my fabulous friends, patience, love, endurance, spunk and an awesome pair of running shoes. I am blessed in more ways than I can speak of.

We started ours with the 5K Turkey Trot with friends even though the weather was only a cooperative 39-degrees Fahrenheit (that's 3.89-degrees Celsius for my British friends). At least it wasn't snowing, right? Right! Maybe. Why does it seem warmer when it snows? We just had a bone chilling wind that kept kt and I company during the run. The boys were worse off on their bikes, I think.

You see, Thomas' sponsor, Moritz Chevrolet, puts on the event every year, so his bike racing team had to lead out both the 5K and 10K runs. Let me tell you how cold lean leetol bike racers are in Lycra. This is one time where I was not jealous of their skinny-ness. . . I, myself, also won't feel so guilty having six helpings of mashed potatoes. And, just so you know, kt and I finished 2 minutes ahead of our normal 3.2-mile run time (31 minutes 5 seconds). We were pretty stoked about that.

6 AM. Before the start of the Turkey Trot 2007.

Our day is so far so good. I hope your day is turkey or tofurky, food filling and full of peace too.

Now That's The Kind of Dirty You Can't Wash Off

Sooooo. . . . I have been tagged with a "Meme" by the wonderful, awesome and fully entertaining Princess Winnipeg. Which means I must share a few facts about the fantastic Texaconsin Diva. Since I've been tagged only once before, I do happen to have few things you may or may not know. I'll try and be brief, but that alone is a difficult task for moi.

And, of course, there are codes of conduct - etiquette, if you will. I guess I must be a good diva.

Rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are TAGGED by leaving a comment on their blog.

Let's get this party started:

1. I broke my left wrist when I was 5-years-old jumping down off the monkey bars for the end of recess. No one knew it until 9 PM that night when Dr. Bob came home and took one look at it and said to my mom, "Mom C, I think you've got a broken arm here. . . " Mom started crying she felt so bad. Even my kindergarten teacher had grabbed my wrist and moved it up and down pretty violently while I sat back choking on my tears as she did so. It's okay, mom, how were you supposed to know? Plus, it's pretty cool to wear a cast to school at that age! Bonus that we were friends of the people of the Mayo Clinic - priority service. Bou-yah!
2. I can cook. (And not just pop tarts.) This also includes grilling meat. Two things I completely enjoy doing. Though, my cooking endeavors led me to stop my monthly dinner/wine soiree's back in the day. I no longer had the fun they once were when one of the guys went and got a girlfriend who thought it was best to tell me how to cook in my kitchen. One time, she went as far as to leave and purchase an herb at the grocery when she found out I wasn't using it. Upon her return, she threw all of it in the food. Food. I. Was. Cooking. I was a wee bit perturbed, but didn't have the cajones to tell her to get out of my kitchen and don't come back. I was trying to have a nice time, people. Second party she came to. Second strike she got. She also invited 30 people to a Halloween party Alli and I were throwing without asking for permission. She was awful. I think he married her anyway. Third strike. . . .
3. Once, I was told I looked like a German soccer player. A Male German Soccer Player. (Why couldn't it at least have been Beckham?) This guy, who so eloquently uttered these words, left me speechless. Me. Speechless. . . . In my own home.
4. I can't dance. Even when I'm full of ze liquid courage. I just can't do it. I am awful. (ButIlovesit!)
5. I knew I wanted to marry the husband before I even met him. I'd heard so much about him that he just sounded like the person I wanted to and should be spending my life with. I was right. He is.

I know, I know. . . rules are meant to be brok-ed. But since Princess Winnipeg thinks I am nice and all I surely don't want to disappoint. That said, the following of ya'll are tagged:

1. Alli, because payback is a bee-otch.
2. Ian, because he's sure genius. Anyone who can write a 13 page paper on the innards of a ping-pong ball as punishment for a school time crime of talking or something, has got the goods.
3. Alex & Fi, because they've been gone too long and need to come back to the blogosphere. I miss ya'll.
4. Iain & Vikki, because they're about to have another wee little one! They're very, very brave and kind! They also hike more than anyone I know on this planet.
5. Mindy, because ultimately she is uber fabulous! And who doesn't want to hear of fabulousness? Especially since she lives in the great state that I was born in.

I've done my duties. It's off my plate and now on yours. . . .

Always Late to the Party

This weeks "Weekly Words Challenge" from our beloved Tink are
"yellow" and "inanimate".


YELLOW
Shades of yellow in blades of grass.
(The husband took this photo.)


INANIMATE
You may think this is a picture of my cat, Mia Bella, but it's not.
It is actually the brick behind her that is inanimate of which I'm about to go paint today.


*****


. . . aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand because my home renovations kept me from playing last week, I'm adding one.

RED & ARCHITECTURE
This is a red cap on a wire I found tucked behind the wall
of our 60-years-old home (architecture). Yes. The wire is still "hot."
Guess how many other wires I found like this hidden behind walls? Guess who has to hire an electrician to come kill
hot wires hidden behind walls? Guess who's pretty happy about live wires hidden behind walls?


Next weeks words challenge are Assortment and Purple.

What Do You Want, an Adorable Pancreas

Am covered in thy paint. I might be close to being toxic.

Will get back to thee all when able to varnish off. . . .

Are You & Your Little Band of Ruffians Picking Pockets

What are Jen and the husband in the middle of:

A) prepping (sanding, washing, masking/taping, wood filling, etc.) the dinning room & family room for paint
B) planting stuff that grows
C) tearing out homemade ceiling structure(s) in the Great Hall
D) power washing house, fence, cars, garage
E) epoxying the garage floor
F) fixing broken window the dog kicked out last spring
G) prepping trim on home to receive a coat of paint
H) breaking into shed
I) replacing deadbolt on said shed post-break in
J) re-caulking 264 pieces of glass
K) customizing all outlets, plugs and weird electrical items
L) flabbergasted that closed off electrical wires which are 60+ years of age are still "hot"
M) pricing Pergo flooring for master bedroom (cha-ching)
N) prepping kitchen for paint
O) prepping guest bathroom for paint
P) replacing front & back door hardware
Q) repairing rotten wood pieces around home
R) on the millionth-and-one trip to Lowe's
S) cooking the entire way through home improvements
T) ALL OF THE ABOVE

What's your guess?

Is It Just Me or Does Anyone Else See the Little Fashion Elf

On Friday, I spent the entire day prepping our dinning & family room to receive some paint. You will be surprised . . . . but I did not do this in my stiletto's. ***gasp*** I know! What is the world coming to? I did; however, put on my Converse sneakers that I loll around in every now and then. I wore them for several hours. Without socks.

I. Could. Not. Stand. The. Feeling.

Barefoot in sneakers is completely disgusting. I don't know how people do it? It annoyed me to no end. I finally broke down and pulled a fashion faux-pas.

from this

to this

So this tells me a few things.

1) I am a dork.
2) I am more of a dork for posting this.

the husband: so. . . . was there a special on syrup?

That's How This Lady Rolls

I am officially jumpy. I had never been before. I was the one, at 6 years of age, that sat through an entire viewing of "Jaws" without batting an eyelid. And, no, my mother did not approve. She said "no, you cannot take Jenny to see that movie," but my older and way cooler cousin did not see the point in listening to a mother's advice. She took me anyway. I wasn't even frightened of the ocean let alone sharks. I was 6. Give me Spielberg any day. I can take him.

I was 8 when "Salem's Lot: The Miniseries" was shown on TV. My parents let my brother and I watch it with them. My brother covered his eyes the entire time while mentioning more than once, "tell me when it's over." I sat wide-eyed and bushy tailed viewing the entire show. I fell in love with bloodsucking vampires and all things evil.

After I had discovered Stephen King, I then found Anne Rice and Dean Koontz. I couldn't read fast enough. These authors were coupled with and era of Freddy Krueger and Jason. Hmpf. Child's play if you ask me.

. . . .Fast forward to modern day Longhorn City, TX USA. . . .

Late Monday morning, I was just back from the gym and the grocery. In the husbands and my driveway, I went around to the passenger side of the truck to start unpacking recently purchased food goods. It was then it happened. Panic suddenly had me in its crushing grip. In one movement, I had jumped, ducked my head defensively and gasped with horror. I had 6 bags of groceries in each hand. I almost dropped them and fled. Shock was enveloping me as my little heart was pounding through my chest. Seconds passed . . . .

What exactly was it that brought a horror giant down?







A falling acorn. One that had whizzed past my head at what was seemingly 32-miles per hour and hit the truck with alarming force.

Don't believe me?

evidence A: the scratch left on our truck after atomic acorn hit.

Always Late to the Party

This weeks "Weekly Words Challenge" from our beloved Tink are "old" and "blue".
Bonus sporks for "Halloween".


OLD
This is Bo-bo. He is my very first stuffed animal.
I was given him when I was born. Sadly, I do not know by who.



BLUE
This is my eye. It is blue.




HALLOWEEN

This is Louis, my sisters dog, wearing Lederhosen for Halloween.

Finally,

My little Lola, the little devil.



What photo's did you use for this weeks words challenge?

Next weeks words are "Architecture" and "Red".

Weekend Snapshots

My weekend in pictures:

Found this little guy on our patio.

Moved flagstone here.

Played with Dixie & all four-legged furries.

Made Friday's dinner of white truffle mac 'n cheese.

Made Sunday's breakfast of pumpkin pie pancakes.

Picked up new glasses.


Hope you had a good one too!

(P.S. I ran 7 miles on Saturday, but didn't have a camera. My training continues.)

It Hissed at Me and Raised into Attack Mode

I was moving the flagstones in our backyard today. I decided to walk under our tree house - taking a short cut to get to the pile of stone. I was looking down and walking rather quickly. In doing so, I. Hit. My. Head. In. The. Same. Exact. Spot. I. Did. Yesterday.

I crumpled in a heap.

I am talented, people. Verrrrry talented.

I Smell a Burrito

While driving to breakfast this morning, we happened to come across a man with a gasoline can. He was walking across the part of the sidewalk where there is an entrance into some sort of shopping center or store or whatnot. He saw that the husband and I were about to turn in and abruptly stopped walking. The husband made a quick motion to the man that it was fine, keep going - it's not a problem. But the man motion the same thing to the husband. In fact, he insisted upon it. So, as we drove by the man I gave him a quick "thank you" wave as well as a mouthing of such words.

And there it was - rock star parking! In all it's glory right in front of us. Just calling out to be completed with a truck in its b-e-a-you-tiful space. This never happens to us. It was a calling from the parking gods that be. "Take. The. Spot." and "It's yours for the taking." Yet, to my alarm, we kept moving which was away from the front spot not reserved for the wheel chair bound or pregger females.

I promptly mentioned a few words of wisdom to the husband as if he didn't already comprehend, "buthere'srockstarparking!" Upon which the husband replied, "yeah, but I don't want to get stopped by that man with the gas can asking for cash."

I thought for a brief moment and responded, "noooo-oo . . . . he's not going to ask for money. I mean, he's out of gas, obviously and wants to get to his car." Most people in this world are good. Not everyone is out for something, right? By this time the husband; however, had already parked the truck in Timbuktu land (as if I can't walk) . . . . He got out and I followed suit. As I was moving myself out of the vehicle I looked for gas can man on the sidewalk just up the street he was moving. I didn't see him. I thought, "golly! The guy moves fast." And turned to find the husband who was stopped and half-heartedly listening to gas can man.

The guy sure did move fast, but only to proposition the husband for money. I stood aside perfectly bewildered.

Once we were able to move on from gas can man, I turned to the husband and said, "I will never doubt you again."

Don't Worry, No One Noticed Part Deux

I was determined that today was going to be a great day! My luck was turning after all.

On my way out to the truck, I grabbed the last remaining garbage bag from the Battle of the Boll Weevils. It was much heavier than I remembered, which caused me to look down. Upon where I then continued walking into the rising garage door. An impenetrable blow to the middle of the top of my little head. Unfortunately, so unyielding was our garage door that I believed I almost smacked my eyeballs out of their nice homey sockets. Elegance, really.

Three hours later, I have a nice little goose egg of a reminder and a headache to match.

Great day so far.