Summer Is Waning & I Distinctly Feel It

i went to the pool today as it was blast-furnace hot. the water was warm, like a bath and not really refreshing. as i sat and watched the birds, i got that feeling. the feeling that summer is slipping away. even though it feels like a oven outside, i notice the little signs. the ones that are the early indicators that summer has maybe a month left. and then, fall will be here.

i know the adorable one is rejoicing the return of football (and yes, i'm excited too), chili, chicken bog, roasted sandwiches, etc., i am nowhere near ready. because once summer is over, really over, all people really are thinking about is one thing--the holidays. which creep up on us faster and faster.

and i'm not trying to be doom an gloom here, but if the merchandisers could get away with it, all that christmas shit would already be on the shelves. it's bad enough when they put it out in september. sheesh!

i'm getting old enough to where i don't want to wish away the time. i don't want the summer to end just so football can begin. i don't want to watch the leaves fall off the trees, the days grow shorter, and the wind crisper (although a break from this heat would be swell).

this part of the year is always hard for me as we're sitting on the edge of where we start to lose light. but nobody wants to talk about it. i just want to hold onto the sunshine. is that so bad?

I Don't Like Beef Jerky

but i have to say that jack links commercials are so funny that i may have to try it. if nothing else, i would really like to take sasquatch to the office to kick some serious big foot ass. grrrrr!

Polar Reactions

today one of the managers in the old department that i used to work for announced her resignation to join a different firm--while it's a in the same industry, it's not considered competition. what was most interesting were the opposite reactions i observed--me and my gal pal coworker were immediately surprised, shocked, and depressed. mostly because the manager is a good person, treats her staff well, is an extremely hard worker, and has done a lot for the company in a short time.

but she worked all the time, around the clock (literally), and with two small children (twins), it was only a matter of when. and maybe she made the big bucks (she deserved it), but who wants to work that much? not me. i get that the higher up you go, the more you have to work. maybe that's why i can reconcile being a peon. yay, i would love to make what i think i deserve, salary-wise, but i'm so far behind where i should be that it would take a major leap (like $25k+). and those don't come around for folks like me.

the firm that wanted this manager went after her aggressively because they know what they are getting. and in some ways i'm envious that she was pursued and wooed--i've known plenty of people who get that opportunity--the adorable one being is an example

but back to the reactions. the two guys in my department that overheard the conversation did the exact same thing--they congratulated her. maybe i'm nuts, but i feel like i witnessed a micro sociology experiement. it was interesting. didn't change that i felt sad. sad that a good person was leaving the firm and knowing that we wouldn't stay in touch with her because there won't be reason or opportunity.

i will wish her well and know that she's a super star. i don't worry about her. i worry about how people always find a way to move on regardless of what happens or who leaves. i know that's how business and life works. just doesn't mean i have to like it.

Maybe Some Things Are Better Off Lost

the adorable one and i are huge fans of dave chapelle and have both seasons 1 and 2 on dvd. and while we were looking forward to the so-called "lost episodes," we've determined that it would have been better if comedy central just would have buried the skits for season 3 versus cobbling them together. but those greedy bastards at comedy central don't care about the fans.

this is when you wish you could turn the comedy central executives into chum as part of discovery channel's shark week. now, that would be a ratings killer.

We'll Be Here Next May

i mentioned earlier in the week about being infected by key west. so we emailed the key west harbor inn, where we stayed for a week in may, and rebooked for the same time next year. only this time, we'll make reservations for a fishing charter in advance, a sunset dinner cruise, and a bi-plane tour of the harbor.

the only problem? i'm ready now. like right now. like i could be packed in 20 minutes and on the way to the airport.

so besides my birthday in october, i have something to really look forward to. even if it's almost a year away. but i don't care! because we're going. and i'm excited. and thrilled. and jumping for joy. did i mention i'm ready to go now?

Our Little Somersault Princess

It Was Worth It

to get up at 4:30 a.m. for fishing, especially when you catch 12, including a two-pound crappie. yahooza!

Finally Moving Forward

so the adorable one and i finally got our sorry lazy asses in gear and applied for a home equity line of credit to fill in the hole in our backyard that used to be our pool. and we got a great bid to fill in the pool from the guy that we originally wanted to repair it (but it was gonna cost $30k, which is way too much). the way we're doing it is going to allow us to fill in the pool and consolidate our credit card debt. and once that and the honda crv is paid off, well, as the adorable one says, we're going to really kicking ass financially. sweet!

i really feel like we have a plan in place and are moving forward. which is something we should have done two years ago, but i have to be really happy that we have figured things out and working toward being debt free. makes us feel good and very positive about our financial picture. which we should because we both make decent (not great) salaries, have no kids, not a ton of debt (we have heard of people that max out their credit cards), are doing alright regarding retirement savings (could be doing more)--so i am no longer the gigantic pissball that i was last week. hard to believe, but true.

now the trick is to apply the momentum to getting our out-of-shape, overweight selves in shape. we're gonna need a lot of motivation on this one. because we are l-a-z-y. and hate exercise. and i personally detest being sweaty. and it's so much work.

the thing is, when you're done, you feel soooooo good. and you're less tired. and if you are tired, it's a good kind of tired. too bad we're such bums. and that naps always sound better working out. too bad you can't burn calories napping like you do working out. if that was the case i would be stick skinny.

there is no justice people, no justice at all.

Plans For The Weekend

since it's gonna be a wee bit warm . . .

here's what we're seeing on saturday

and what's on the docket for sunday

I'm Like The Last One Picked For Kickball

i saw memo on will's blog and decided to tag myself. i could tag a few others but i think they generally get sick of these things, but it's hard to say. anyway, i know you're dying to know more about me, so dig in and enjoy.

five items in my freezer:
1. strawberry cheesecake ice cream from baskin robbins
2. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3. peas
4. tator tots
5. lemonade concentrate

five items in the closet:
1. jakets (duh), scarves, and my fluffy wuffy muffin hat
2. board games like cranium, scene it, etc.
3. wrapping paper
4. a small tool kit
5. a picnic basket that we got for our wedding and have yet to use

five items in the car:
1. sunshield
2. winter gloves
3. burt's bees lip gloss
4. ice scraper
5. garage door opener

five items in my bookbag:
1. yellow highlighter
2. calculator
3. pad of paper
4. pens
5. envelope opener

one of these days i'll get to play with the big kids.

This Was Me All Week

thank goodness i ended up on the upside, because as the adorable one can attest, i'm a pill on other.

I'm Starting This Tomorrow

and if it's anything like "hoot" i'm gonna be a happy girl.

Life As A Corporate Gopher

so this morning the phone rang and it was mr. perfect. supposedly he was running late and wasn't going to have time to pick up presentation booklets for a client meeting and wanted me to get them from our printer, whose building is located within walking distance of ours, but it's actually easier to drive over, especially if you have to lug stuff back.

i get to the office pretty darn early, which is great from a parking perspective. i have my usual spot, kinda close to the building, yet under a tree for shade. and i don't really want to lose my spot. and the walking over wasn't that bad, but hauling the box back, which was heavy, was a suckfest. and it was so nice that one gal saw that i was struggling and still didn't hold the door for me.

so when i got to the elevator one of the department heads that i am familar with and this other lady said something to the effect of, "man that box looks heavy." and what i should have said was, "yay, but it's no big deal" in my usual sugar-syrupy cheery fake voice.

instead i replied, "yay, well one of my coworkers thinks i'm his lackey." needless to say they both quickly switched the topic to the hot weather. sorry, but i was pissed.

the deal is, mr. perfect had plenty of time to pick up his books for the meeting. he didn't need me, whatsoever, to do his gopher work. but that's not the point for mr. perfect. nope. he was laying another trap to see if i would hem and haw and refuse to do his grunt work. which of course i couldn't. because if i balked i can guarantee he would rat me out, if he hasn't already, to my boss.

this is when being a lackey / peon is really tough. because you're stuck no matter what you do. you have to do the bidding of people above you or you're seen as someone with an attitude. everyone has parts of their job they don't like or think that is beneath them. no job is perfect (unless you're a major movie star / celebrity) and there's always going to be things you don't enjoy--that's why it's work. hopefully the good outweighs the bad.

i just hate when i feel belittled by the people i work with. and that, in my opinion, is what happened today. because it wasn't about whether i would or could do the shit job. it was about mr. perfect throwing out bait and seeing if i would step in or avoid the trap.

yay, i have to be grateful that i have a decent job. and i am. it's just days, no weeks like the last few, that make me want to burrow into the earth.

I'm Reinfected

with the desire to be in key west. the other night, maybe it was last night i caught the end of the new "road tasted" show with the dean boys on the food network, and they were in my new favorite vacation spot. all of sudden it was like i was transported back to the southern-most point of the united states.

so the adorable one and i were talking at lunch today and i mentioned that i have nothing to really look forward to and i need to know that we're going to go back to key west next year. to those less fortunate, i get that the last sentence makes me sound selfish, spoiled, and shallow. but i work hard and damn it, i like going on vacation. and not any ole vacation. a nice vacation. where the sheets are 600 count, we eat oysters every day, and lounging is a way of life. does that me a bad person? damn, i hope not.

because there's something really special, intoxicating, and addictive about key west. which is why we can't get back there fast enough.

Jeez Louise Defender Is A Fun Game

am i dating myself here? yay, i thought so.

More Than Ever

i'm convinced that bananas cause you to poop. this is just a theory based on the fact that i've eaten a banana the last couple of days and found myself in the bathroom more than usual. coincidence? i think not.

maybe this is why old people who are uusally constipated like bananas. hey, i may be on to something. who says i'm not smart?!

Iron Man Doesn't Come Out Until 2008 . . .

but we're ready now. did we mention that jon favreau is directing? hooyah baby, we are so there.

Plankton Rules

Drinks That Should Come In Two-Liter Bottles

I Wasn't Going To Go

to the pool this afternoon as i felt draggy and blah and kinda bummed. nothing really happened today, i just felt kinda bleh. but i knew the water would feel good and i was right. and now, with summer slipping by, i have to take every advantage of going to the pool. i love summer. even with the oppressive heat, i love summer. i like the sound of the crickets, locusts, and cicadas.

i love that it's light later. i love the feeling of summer--that time where the days used to be endless. the feeling of getting into the pool when it's hot outside and that instant cooling off. i love how good ice cream tastes in summer. i love slurpies.

and the thing is, especially here, summer is a short season--if we're lucky, we get four months of summer weather. but i need more. and that's why we're eventually moving to florida. i need and want to live where it's eternal summer. and no matter what people say about it being hotter there (it's more humid, idiots), i can't wait to leave cold weather, leaves falling off the trees, brown and gray landscapes, windchill, snow, and ice far behind.

just can't be soon enough. especially with august around the corner. it's that weird time--where school hasn't started and summer hasn't ended, and everyone is just waiting for fall and football and chili and soup and sweaters. and then it will be the frigging holidays. no wonder i'm depressed.

Alls Well That Ends Well

so we had the parental units over for a dinner that turned out pretty decent. i don't think the chicken was as juicy as it was last weekend, but it was still tasty and the vegetables (red and baking potatoes, sweet potatoes, vidalia onions and garlic), plus the sauteed sugar snap peas (thanks green giant!) and kugel were all good.

and i did something i didn't think i would do for a very long time. i applied for a director of marketing position. i never intended to but some times you just have to put yourself out there, to take a risk, and roll the dice.

i don't expect to hear from the contact as i'm sure he'll be swamped with gazillions of resumes. the only things in my favor are that i have a masters degree in integrated marketing communications (which they are requiring) and lotsa communications experience. which they are also looking for.

the reason i don't expect to hear a peep is because if i've learned anything, it's that people like me are a dime a dozen. and that i will probably while away my time in obscurity. which is okay for now and the time being. but i know that i don't enjoy working on some of the types of projects that are the main part of my job. and i already know that i want more.

so we'll see. regardless of anything else, it was a nice evening. and my mom even called to tell me that i can cook. and coming from her, jeez, that's huge. perhaps, as they say, there is hope for me yet.

Because I'm A Braggert & I'm Not Sorry About It

so i made martha's roasted chicken recipe and although i didn't put stuff like minced garlic and oregano under the skin, it turned out damn good. which is a major accomplishment for me as my chicken usually is something akin to the sahara desert, according to my father. it just took me like a few years of baking chicken in the over before i realized you had to cover the poor little breasts with foil or they would dry out. who knew? anyway, other than chopping up the vegetables (red potatoes, vidalia onions, carrots, plus garlic and shallot), it's an easy and delish recipe. tonight, i'm mixing it up to include sweet potatoes (one of my mum's favs) and butternut squash (because i can and i'm a nut for challenges).

isn't she pretty? yup, she's got a nice crust on her thank to the freshly ground sea salt, pepper, olive olive, and half stick of butter (in small pats distributed liberally on top)

i can't give the name of my signature salad, as it's my last name and i have to be a careful blogger, but it's got just about everything other than artichokes and avocado (next time). if you want a list of the ingredients, email me and i'll share; otherwise, it's a l-o-n-g list and lordy knows i don't want to bore ya.

the adorable one, in all his adorableness, made these terrific shrimp wrapped in bacon appetizers (some had pineapple, so juicy delish). super easy, super yummy. and he even made a few special ones for me that he carmelized with brown sugar. oh the joy and rapture!

Two Good Books I'm Reading

this is the follow up to "map of bones," which i liked a lot. it's mixes treasure hunts, mystery, some gore, history, science, science fiction, technology, and the main character is the type of guy you would want as a friend--an all-around boyscout/cia/army ranger kind of fella. i could see jason stratham (jeez, he's dreamy) playing him if a flick was ever made. or daniel craig, the new james bond (yum!). but no one, and i mean, no one is cuter than the adorable one. even if he did call the gorgeous popover muffins "nipple muffins", forever ruining them for me. yet, i love the man!

i read this one when i was a tween/teenager, as i was into all the madeline l'engle books (another benefit of being a librarian's daughter) and it's funny how you don't remember books the way you think you did, if that makes any sense. the book reads much differently than it did then, but i'm enjoying it just as much and plan to re-read all of the l'engle books i so enjoyed in my youth.

Like The Heat, The Blahs Have Gone Buh-Bye

the weather boobs were right for once and the heat wave broke on friday with a fabulous cool front that included much-needed rain. my car is still spotty, but a tad less dusty. now i just need it professionally washed to get the bird poop off. that's the blessing and the curse of parking under a tree--you get the shade, and you get the poop. still with temperatures that hit well over 100 spanking degrees, i took the shade and would do it again.

i think the blahs had to do with the pool being like bath water. and when i can't go and relax in the pool after work, well, i get bummed and depressed and cranky, and all i want to do is go to sleep at 7:00 p.m. not gouda. so thankfully, the temps have dropped into the 60s for a couple of evenings now and the pool should be back to its comfy self. in fact, if the parental units weren't coming for supper (more roasted chicken), i would have headed straight to the pool.

when i get the blahs, i find myself bored and uninspired and really don't know what to write about. no book seems interesting enough. grousing about my addiction to the stupid shows on tv seems quite shallow and silly, and really the pity party thing gets old, even for me, after awhile. how the adorable puts up with it and loves me is some times a mystery. but i never look a gift horse, or for that matter, a blessing from god any day of the week.

and despite having no plans except entertaining me mum and pop, we've had a relaxing, take-it-easy weekend. the adorable one was craving barbeque, the real stuff, so we headed over to oklahoma joe's, which got its start in a gas station (and where it remains today), and while they do have the best and tastiest and most delish pulled pork of anywhere in the whole wide universe, two jumbo sandwiches and onion rings costs you $20. which seems like a lot to me. but it was damn good. and instead of watching boring tv, we both finished our books (i loved the latest cliff janeway story by john dunning and the adorable one completed "bitten") and then it was off to bed at midnight or later, i can't remember.

the adorable one got up before the sun to go fishing with matt while i slept in like a slug. i made it up in time to watch my beloved paula dean, who seems to have lost her spark somehow and i really can't put my finger on it--just seems like success has taken some of the light and joy out of her personality. decided to make the bed (a rarity for me these days), clean out the fridge, and do a couple loads of laundry. so that when the adorable one got home i actually felt like i had been a wee bit productive.

for lunch we went to our favorite breakfast spot and the adorable one munched on a ruben while i tried their new asparagus and brie salad with berries--holy cow it was incredibly good and yummy and delish. we made it as far as the library to return books and pick up a few more before the adorable one, of all people and an anti-napper to boot, insisted, we plunk down in the bed for the afternoon. and that's what we surely did. until 6:30 p.m.

then we managed to go see "pirates of the carribean: dead man's chest", which you know, wasn't all that bad. it just was missing all the humor and whimsy of the first one. sure, it was darker and stuffed a lot more story into the flick, but it wasn't as rancid as the critics made it out to be--just needed more of the sheer silliness of the first film.

we were actually pretty hungry when we left the theater at 11:00 p.m., so we hit jimmy john's (sooooo good) on our way home and then watched a little telly before calling it a night. i had some awful, awful nightmares about a poisonous spider that killed the girls and other people that i cared about. it sucked. then i had more weird dreams this morning. really, if i could just blot out the dreams my life would be better, i'm sure of it.

i finally got my sorry bum out of bed around 10:30 a.m., we showered, and had breakfast/lunch at our favorite French bakery, hit the grubstore for tonight's shindig, and picked up the requisite ice cream pie for a pre-celebration of dad's birthday. don't ask why i got to all this trouble for my parents, i just do. lordy, it's sad. but the adorable one is fond of pointing out that there will come a day when i won't have the chance to have dinner with them, so to enjoy it. it's just that i feel like they are so judgemental about our life. our yard is never all that trimmed up. the house is clean, but not super scrubbed. we don't have kids (never will, we hate the buggers), we're overweight, not in shape, don't have gazillions of retirement funds, blah, blah, blah.

it's hard to be perfect when you tend to be selfish, shallow, narcissistic, self-absorbed, etc. no one gets that. anyway, i've got to finish the laundry (sheets need to be shifted the dryer, hooray), unload the dishwasher and set the table for supper. yup, i lead one exciting life.

which reminds me, i need to check into scooter lessons as the adorable one is plum set on finding something honda or vespa-ish to tarry me about town. vrooooom!

When The Hot Get Thirsty, The Thirsty Get

Welcome To The Blast Furnace

We Had It

the "chat" that is. right on schedule. unannounced like being t-boned or sideswiped. you think i would notice the signs--being ignored/shunned, feeling like everyone knows that i'm in some kind of doghouse, etc. it's a weird, weird deal. just one of the things you deal with in corporate america, like it or not.

i can't really say that i came out if unscathed because i always feel like a little kid being called on the carpet in the principal's office. and the stress of having to defend myself, over and over and over, is really exhausting. truth is, it's 8:30 p.m. and i'm ready for bed.

and i'm not really looking forward to tomorrow as i have a project going out the door and those types of days are always the worst. the problem is, i am waiting on information from other people, so it's like being at the end of the snake. and then it's a massive race to get everything produced and out the door. it's stressful, chaotic, and i really dread it. so, here's hoping it goes by quickly and is uneventful.

but i'm never that lucky. never.

This Is Sick

dear nicole richie:

whoever told you it was okay to look like a holocaust victim was wrong. eat a sandwich. no, make that 20 sandwiches. every day. with lotsa mayo and french fries on the side. a chocolate shake and cake and cookies might also be good.

because the little girls that look up to you are gonna think it's cool to be anorexic or whatever it is that is afflicting you. and that's not cool. in fact, that's bad. very, very bad. do the right thing nicole. get help!

get fat! feel good!

hugs and kisses,

princess superstar

Practice What You Preach, Ya Pisser

i work with a fella that is considered by everybody to be superman/mr. perfect because he can work around the clock endlessly, he's an expert at everything (seriously, no joke), and everybody looooves him. when i first started, he was my mentor and i truly felt like he had my best interests at heart. i would talk with him whenever i stepped in mud or needed guidance.

things started to change for me when i hit my stride at work and i found that the more feedback he gave me, the less i wanted to hear. it would always start out kinda positive, like, "you're dotting all your i's and crossing your t's. you've got all the blocks and tackles down." and then it would turn to, "but you know, a lot of people talk to me. i don't know why. but what i've heard is blah, blah, blah." and blah, blah, blah would consist of, "you don't use resources properly." or, "you don't do this." or "you don't do that." which may or may not be true.

the last time he tried to sock a medicine ball to the gut, i threw it right back in his face. because the truth is i do a good job at work. maybe not the greatest job in the history of the world as we know it, but a pretty darn good job. i work hard, keep my nose clean and to the grindstone, and do my best to be client-oriented. and having 15 years in the industry overall, i know how to do my job. maybe because, as the adorable one pointed out, the job is beneath me. this is not an arrogant statement. it's like me being a secretary (nothing wrong witht that) when really i can do the work of a director or a vice president.

so today, mr. perfect asks me if i have time to work on a project for him. i'm thinking it will be something interesting. nope. he wants me to collate collateral and ship it to a bunch of our offices. uh, hello? we have an administrative assistant whose job it is to do that stuff. this is from the same guy who lectured me on not using resources properly. yay, right.

nevermind that i already had a meeting to attend that would conflict with me getting his stuff out the door, but the bigger issue to me was, if you preach to use resources properly, you better practice that philosophy. because i'll call you on it the minute you give me some lam-o lecture tomorrow.

here's the deal--he'll rat me out to my boss, and it will show up on my annual review, i can be sure of it. and he'll try to corner me some time in the next month to just "check in" and "see how things are going." and then he'll take the opportunity to lob all kinds of stuff at me because the real issue was--he wanted me to do his grunt work without hemming and hawing. and you know what? that didn't happen.

the difference between then (when i took his crap) and now (when i don't), is that i'm okay with failing his little tests. i'm not going to work all weekend or come in at 2:00 a.m. for weeks on end when i don't need to. know why? because i'm not going to look back on my life and wish i had put more time in at the office. i'm too selfish about my time. if that makes me some kind of no good, lazy slacker, so be it.

and if it means that mr. perfect never thinks i'm worth promoting because i don't do his grunt work, well so be it. there's more to life than work. too bad mr. perfect can't see that. guess he's not so perfect after all.

They Say

the older you get the more sleep you get. i think it's safe to say that i'll be the exception to the rule, as i sleep more now than i ever did as a kid. if anybody ever says to me that i'll be able to function on three or four hours of sleep, well, they got another thing coming. and talking of sleep . . . yawn . . . got . . . to . . . go . . . zzzz.

Supreme Chicken Salad

i had two or three recipes, but came up with my own and according to the adorable one (who is biased), it turned out really good. here's the ingredients and i'll post a picture tomorrow:

2 to 3 cups of chopped up cooked chicken (i used leftover roasted chicken)
1 to 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 to 2 teaspoons of dill (depending on your preference)
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
crainraisins
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1/4 of a granny smith apple, chopped
1/4 of a red onion, chopped
generous sprinkling of garlic powder
freshly cracked pepper and sea salt to taste

mix altogether and chill in the refrigerator. depending on if you like the fruit, either include it or leave it out.

Reason #101 Gazillion for Birth Control

so there we were at lunch while a small, howling monster clung to the door and screamed for what seemed like eternity because he had to go home. boo hoo for you. yay for us!

Yup, I Really Need One Of These At Work . . . Life-size Natch

Scary & True

so yesterday the adorable one and i were out running errands and he pointed out that the woman in the car next to us was reading a magazine while driving her car. hello! you're driving! it's a privilege, not a given. i would have rolled down my window and screamed at her, but then the adorable one would have been pissed at me. and we just can't have that. maybe i should make a sign that says, "drive your fucking car moron."

somehow, i don't think that is going to work either.

What Tastes So Good?

since i'm getting back into cooking and less fearless regarding the outcomes of my dishes, here's what's on the docket for the next couple of weeks:

1. tomorrow night -- chicken salad sandwiches
2. later this week -- pork roast
3. next week -- chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

if anything turns out decent i'll post pictures and recipes. who knows? i may be onto something!

TGFTP (Thank God For The Pool)

it's gonna be a wee bit hot 'n steamy

so you can find me here

An Awesomely Good & Productive Weekend, Oh Yay

i don't think i've written in a few days, but that's alright as everyone else i read is on hiatus or close to it. and that's cool. it's summertime after all, and we're all entitled to take time off, be lazy, and soak up the wonder of air-conditioning. and it probably didn't help toward the end of last week that i was in some kind of weird, blue funk for no apparent reason. work was good and busy. the adorable one loves me. not sure what bee was in the bonnet, but thankfully, it's all gone now.

so this weekend was really good, really productive, and a lot of fun. just what us crazy kids needed. on friday night we took in a decent dinner at the adorable one's favorite chinese restaurant and then we relaxed at the homestead with the girls. i wanted to go to bed early (like 8:00 p.m.), but the love of my life convinced me that the call of ice cream was stronger and we got chocolate shakes.

on saturday, even though we slept in, we decided to brave the crowds and had breakfast at our favorite place and then it was just us on the g0-go the rest of the day. we made it to costco where we picked up the usual stuff--kitty litter, trashbags, etc., and also found a couple of nice polo ralph lauren oxfords for the adorable one, and surprisingly, one is kind of a peach color, which for the cute one, is like wearing pink. very cool. maybe i'll make a metrosexual out of him yet! from there, it was off to the grubstore, and then home to clean like tasmanian devil whirlwinds.

we finally got the house in reasonably decent shape and decided we needed some energy drinks at our local quik trip, droppped off library books (paid my overdue fines, i'm so baaaaaad), and picked up some yummy wine for our supper.

back at the house we did three loads of laundry, stripped the sheets and remade the bed, and then prepped for dinner. i made the roast chicken again, with roast potatoes and carrots, while the adorable one put together an asian pea casserole (super yum), set the table, and whipped up a signature salad (everything went in, including pineapple, peas, red and yellow peppers, red onion, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, cranraisins, and lettuce, lordy).

matt and amy showed up and we dug in like people that hadn't seen food in a month. an hour later we had stuffed ourselves silly and were comfortably sprawled out. how we had room for dessert (ice cream with cool whip and sprinkles) is beyond me. but we did and it was delish.

we are fortunate to have such great friends as matt and amy, as they understand, at least on some level that i am neurotic about clean up after meals. i am obssessive compulsive about having the dishes washed and put in the dishwasher, the food put away, the table and the counters cleaned off, the napkins put in the wash, and everything back in it's proper place. i'm weird and i'm good with it.

so, when they did leave a few hours later after a fascinating discussion on butt lube and farting, we had little to no clean up. and when we crashed around 11:00 p.m., the adorable one passed out right away. it took me longer to conk out, but when i did, oh did it feel good. you know how it is when you work your ass off like all day and then your body is kinda sore (it happens to us old people) and it takes longer to fall asleep? yup, that was me.

i woke up early, emptied the dishwasher, had some leftovers and crashed out until 11:00 a.m. i convinced the adorable one that we needed something suitable for lunch and convinced him that we should indulge in our favorite french bakery, which was perfect. we did a little exploring and then went home to relax. luckily, about the time we were getting hungry again, matt and amy invited us for ribs and corn-on-the-cob. matt had smoked the ribs since 11:30 a.m. and i have to say, living in the barbeque/grilling capitol of the world, matt's ribs were the best we've ever had.

so, we're home now. we've folded the sheets, put away the wine glasses and antique silverware, and are enjoying "ghostbusters." other than being too short, it's been fun, fabulous, and dare i say it, non-lazy. which is huge for us. huge.

It's A Good Thing Tomorrow Is Friday

because every day that goes by it's harder than hell for me to get out of bed. and i'm progressively crankier. could there be a correlation? you be the judge.

Solitary Time

if you think about, most of us spend a good of our day surrounded by others. me, for example, i'm in a miniscule cube, sandwiched on two sides, and with a network printer on the other. our group is not overly noisy and that's fine by me, but we have a lot of visitors so it can get boisterous. which again, is fine. when i worked at the toxic waste dump, our area was so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop on the plush carpet.

so i enjoy the fact that it's not a morgue and that we are free to talk with each other, laugh, have fun, etc. but when i think about the time that i really have to myself, each day, it's very limited. i drive to and from work (maybe 20 to 25 minutes), whatever little time i grab in the bathroom stalls, and any errand running i do.

what i have found that gives me great peace is floating in the pool. and by floating, i mean, just me, no raft. i discovered over fourth of july weekend, by accident really, that i do not need floatation devices of any kind as i am one heck of a bouyant creature. i knew i was kinda bouyant when the adorable and i took some preliminary snorkling/scuba lessons a few years ago and the instructor had to weight me down because all my body wanted to do was float to the top.

i guess the good news is that if you threw me out in the middle of the ocean i wouldn't sink. i'm just a little fatty floating machine and i have to say it gives me a lot of peace. as i float around, the water cushioning me, the only thing i can actually hear is the water burbling around from the jets. that's it. i can watch the birds fly overhead and the branches sway in the breeze, but it's almost like i'm in a sound proof bubble.

i wonder if floating softly along is anything like being in a womb. and the reason i say that is because there is a comfort and safeness and tranquilty, and i think there's a correlation there as to why i like the water so very much.

the hard part is that our pool season here is very short--in a couple of months it will be over as the days shorten and the days grow cooler. and i just hope i can hold onto a little piece of the peace, quiet, and solitude i've found.

I Saw One Of These At The Pool Last Week

my first meadowlark . . . how cool is that?

Who Doesn't Want To Be Martha?

martha stewart, that is. okay, granted she served time in prison and had to wear that wretched ankle bracelet. but i think she's come out smelling like a rose and making even more money. anyway, i've always wanted to make a roast chicken, so i decided to try her recipe, which is supposed to turn out like the lovely pic below. it won't be done for another hour, but if the adorable one likes it, we're serving it on saturday when my twin and her hubby come for supper.

There Are Dunces

and then there's the moron i met with after work today who works as a headhunter. although my best guess is she couldn't find her ass if it bit her. i knew going in that her intelligence was severly limited as she asked me three or four times in the same conversation what time i could meet with her and i patiently explained that i got off at 4:00 p.m. you know what she asked me? could i come in at 1:00 p.m. okay, i just explained that i worked until 4:00 p.m. hello? what part didn't make sense?

here's the deal with the place. i originally met with this great gal a few years ago when i was looking for a job. she wasn't able to place me but we became dinner buddies and i enjoyed talking shop with her regarding the recruiting business. anyway, when she left this firm, i got called in by her replacement to discuss the same topics as her predecessor (my gal pal). after that one left, another one called me. finally, i got called by the latest drone and being stupid, i agreed to meet with her today at 4:3o p.m.

sure enough, i had to fill out the same old paperwork i completed the last time i was there. only this time they wanted permission to do a background check. no thank you, sorry. unless i'm interviewing for some high-paying power gig, forget it. nobody is going nosing into my business, especially my past.

so i finally meet with idiot girl and she asks me a bunch of dumb questions and then says she has another appointment. i'm only too glad to escape the place. so, i'm walking to my car and who do i see? yay, idiot girl, who lied about having another appointment. nice.

lesson learned people, i'm d-o-n-e with that rat-trap.

One Day In The Garage

is all my car got to enjoy being clean. because naturally it rained like a mother all over the place today. glad i spent the $13 at the waterway since now all the windows have waterspots. oh well. at least the inside is vacuumed.

Not For Me, Thank You

i had dinner with my friend lynne tonight, who had emailed that she was doing a new part-time venture. i had a feeling it was selling candles, pampered chef, make-up, or tuppeware. as it happens, she's selling arbonne skin care. and i listened to her sales pitch, as she's only been at it for a week while holding down her full-time job as a sales manager at a sheraton hotel.

now, if you know me, i'm a no muss, no fuss kinda gal. my idea of makeup? vaseline on my lips. that's it. it's embarrassing how low-maintenance i am. i've tried at various times to use foundation, lipstick, mascara, etc., but it ends up taking me too much time, i'm lazy, usually running late to get to work early (i'm nuts, let's just move on), it all wears off by the time i get to work, and it ends up on my clothes.

i'm not really sure why a person gets into these schemes, because you're making money for someone else and no matter what you do, everyone is suspicious of the pyramid configurations that are bad news. we all want to make a lot of money. okay, most people i know want to make a lot of money. who doesn't love money? sure it's the root of evil, but it sure can make life easier.

the good news is, as much as i like to spend money on things like sushi, i'll never blow it on overpriced skin care products. plus, whenever i write my screenplay, i can name an evil character after the stuff, as it sounds like a positively loathsome person.

take that you dastardly arbonne!

So Far, So Good On Audio CD

It Could Have Been, But It Wasn't

a kidney stone. last night i wasn't very tired because i had not only slept in late (like 10:00 a.m.) and had taken a three-hour nap. so i finished my book and noticed my back was really sore, especially in my lower back, on the right-hand side. so i did what i always do, which is to take a pain reliever. i have a prescription from my urologist as i still have two very small stones in my right kidney and if they move around, at all, it can cause discomfort.

so i popped a couple pain relievers and was happy that they worked. and i probably would have had a decent night's sleep except that abby has exchanged personalities with nikki, in that she was extremely clingy and wanted to sleep right next to me, which is unusual for her--she usually disappears underneath the bed or the adorable one's dresser. but oh no, she decided she need to be petted for a good two hours, or so it seemed. finally around 4:00 a.m., she jumped off the bed and allowed me to get some shut eye.

somehow i hauled my sorry ass out of bed this morning. and managed to stay awake all day. which is why i'm going to beddy bye right about now.

Don't Need To See The Flick

since the trailers have given everything away, including the monsters. thanks warner brothers. thanks m. night shyamalan.

Never, Never Fuck With The King

Positively Highlarious

can't remember how i found this, but it makes me laugh every time i read it. nice to see people have a sense of humor about the vapidness that is hollyweird.

Two New Songs I Like A Lot

1. nick lachey's "i can't hate you any more"
2. pink's "who knew"

Cookie Perfection Courtesy Of Napoleon's Bakery

I'm A Vampire, I Think

yesterday i didn't get up until 11:00 a.m. granted, i had a helluva time getting out of bed from wednesday on. my snooze button took quite the beating as i just couldn't seem to get out of bed before 6:00 a.m., which is late for me. when we went to bed after midnight last night, which is late for us, it wasn't overly suprising that i didn't get up 10:00 a.m., except even that is kinda excessive.

so feeling like i didn't do anything yesterday (we saw "superman" and had dinner at a yummy healthy hawaiian eatery,) i went kinda beserko this morning. after putting away all the laundry, we tackled decluttering, which for us is actually a huge job. while it wouldn't like progress to anyone else, we actually got quite a bit done. i just have to get some boxes so i can continue packing stuff up.

after lunch at our favorite breakfast spot, granted it was after 2:00 p.m., i took a long nap. and didn't get up until almost 6:00 p.m. not really sure what exactly is wrong with me, but the last time i slept this much was about two years ago when i was unemployed and life was dismal at best.

the adorable one thinks i'm still in depression over our defunct pool. and because getting the house ready, even with the time we have, seems like an insurmountable task. people have told us to hire a professional organizer/declutterer, but i say that's bunk. we can do the job, it's just gonna take us time. and an effort not to be lazy.

which may mean less naps, although the call of the nap, really a siren call, is quite strong. i must resist, but i don't have any faith in myself. the reality could be is that i am a vampire . . . just not the bloodsucking type. which is good, as i don't really have a taste for it. and i like garlic.

okay, i'm not a vampire, but i sure as heck sleep like one.

The Theme Song For Corporate Life

my twin sent me this song, which sums up life in the cube farm. enjoy!

Good Chick Lit On Audio

can't imagine reading this, but in the car it was enjoyable . . . and partially responsible for my krispy kreme breakdown the other day. now, i'm onto "the rule of four."

Finally, The Hero We've Been Waiting For

and the preview for "spider-man 3" looks kick ass.

Your Mouth Is A Good Place For A Sock

just one of the great lines out of this flick that you should so watch.

I Gave In

every day i drive by one of these . . .

and i finally gave in and got a doughnut that doesn't look like it's spitting up.

We've Heard This Is A Stinker

Everyone Should Be Required To Read This

Truly The Best Fourth Of July. Ever.

the perfect ending to a perfect evening. and if you think about it, all ice cream should come with icing.

what more could a girl want? for dinner, that is.

extraordinary adorableness (note the cute t-shirt that says, "i do my bit")

my doubly silly and bestest twin

my twin's dreamy delish fruit salad (double and triple servings, please!)

brats, corn-on-the-cob, and burgers with butter . . . does it really get any better? i think not.

all hail our mighty happy grillmaster, matt

margaritaville (yum-mee!)

inexpensive and delicious

And One More Thing

i should have snapped up the very cool raymond waites red, satin comforter set with this neat design while shopping with my twin on sunday at tjmaxx, as i took the adorable one to see it after a lackluster meal at jen-jen's chinese restaurant and it was gone. i'm beyond bummed people. beyond.

which just goes to prove, once again, the adorable one's theory of buying something when you get the chance or otherwise, it will be lost forever. so true. damn, i hate it when he's right. again.

guess this means i will engage in the same obssessive compulsive psychotic behavior as the twin and visit every tjmaxx in the city, hoping to find another one. wish me luck people as i'm gonna need it.

In Other News

my mom has called for like the upteenth time this holiday weekend. it's like, "give me a break woman, i'm on vacation." the adorable one thinks she's bored and just calling because she has nothing else to do. which is odd because if you talk to her, she has like a gazillion things going on. especially since they are going to minnesota to visit my sister for a week, thank goodness, starting this sunday. it's going to be like a vacation for me.

i know, i'm horrible for writing such stuff. i just need to re-set the boundaries, but i hate, hate, hate having that conversation as she takes it so personally. jeez. it's not like our lives are so exciting that i have anything new or interesting to discuss, trust me. we're old married people. let's move on.

so, i've opted to go to the pool and promised the adorable one i would go see "cars" this coming weekend. oh, the sacrifices i make for love!

The Good News Is

i'm not going bald, according to my twin, who emailed me to say that her old hairstylist said that women shed an average of 100 hairs a day. thankfully, my twin has also pointed out that she has not located any bald spots. isn't she great?

in other news, the adorable one really wants to see "cars." and the thing is, when we were first dating, we loved, loved, loved to go to movies. it was our thing. but ever since we had to start trekking 20 to 25 minutes to the theater, which is coincidentally very close to my office, it takes, according to him, "an act of god." and so, stupidly, i said, "i really don't know what's wrong with me."

to which he replied, "i'm sure it's difficult to pronounce." so, he just bought us another squish dinner this week for insulting little ole me. sucka!

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

when i was in my early 30s i did something kinda radical (for me) and got an elfish haircut, which i loved. i am very much a "no muss, no fuss." seriously, i wash and go every day, without blow drying my hair, even in the winter. true. it was the perfect hair cut as i would shower, spritz in some kind of hair stuff that my stylist liked, run my fingers through it, and off i went. super cute and wonderful hairdo. loved it, loved it, loved it.

the only problem is, the frogs i met via the internet, didn't like it, nor did anyone else. not really. plus everyone was starting to think i was a lesbian (nothing wrong with that people, except that i'm strictly into dicks) because i had this short haircut, was bossy/bitchy, and most of my friends that i hung out with were gay (still are).

so, i grew my hair out to a chin-length bob, which i've had for awhile now. anyway, i noticed about a year or so ago, maybe longer, that i shed quite a bit. and by shed, i mean that i find the occasional strand on my pillowcase, on my shirts, chair at work, etc.

not to be horrifically rude or incorrect or sounding terrible, but some days i feel like a chemo patient. okay, it's not that bad, but what gives? i don't remember all this hair being everywhere when i was younger. maybe memory really is the first thing to go.

anyway, when i tell anyone this, like my stylist jim or my twin, they look at me like i'm nuts. or maybe that's the normal look they give me. it's hard to tell. luckily, my hair keeps on growing and other than buying into an occasional new hair product, i like my hair. it just needs to stay on my head.

I'm A Sucker For Fireworks

nope, i didn't take this pic (mabye one day i'll be talented enough to take night shots), but liked it so much i wanted to share. have a great fourth of july y'all!

Stop Calling Me, Please

my mom has called me like four times in the last 24 hours and i finally turned off my phone this afternoon. i made the huge mistake of telling her about a house that i wish we could buy, even though it's literally down the street from her. the thing is, we are months, and i do mean months, away from having our house ready for sale.

even if we were ready, the housing market here is extremely sluggish. like nothing is moving. houses just sit because there's too much inventory. and the dealbreaker with us is that having a pool (that is now defunct), we are moving to another house with a pool. if the liner hadn't ripped last summer with almost two of the walls caving (it's 3o+ years old), we could have repaired it. but not for $30,000 (ouch!).

okay, so my point is, i need to re-set the boundaries with the mother unit. otherwise, i will be going nutso. to which the adorable one will point out, i'm already there. sigh!

We Liked It

and milla jovovich trained her ass off because i would kill for a bod like that. and i do mean kill.