Sunday, August 29, 2010

Lazy Sunday



Note: I'm updating the video to a more current one: Jimmy Fallon Green Day impersonation with Lost show lyrics from the Emmy's.

Menu of the Day:

iTunes: "Time Waits for No One" by the Stones. (recent purchase from iTunes).


About the photos:This is a crab pasta i made last weekend with real Dungeness that i bought from Costco. It was very good! It has proscuitto, wine sauce and avocado.

In my glass: La Crema chardonnay.

The video: You all know it probably. The SNL video that put them back into play as a great show.

Book: Bad Things Happen. I finished John Irving's Twisted River book. I really liked it. He's gotten back to his style of Owen Meany and Ciderhouse Rules, just like the reviews said.

The Best Thing That Happened: Last night my whole family went to a fabulous wedding last night of the daughter of my brother Troy's best friend (who is like family to all of my family). It was informal and so much fun. The bride did wear a really beautiful wedding dress. But the ceremony was outside where we sat on bales of hay covered in burlap. The altar was made of barkless tree limbs tied together that the groom built. The food was wonderful pulled pork and their flowers were put together by her friends who just went and bought lots of huge bouquets and stuck them in mason jars. They had Christmas lights adorning the covered deck. It was beautiful. And the best part was that it probably cost about $3000. It was one of my favorite weddings i've been to (next to my own, which also cost only about $3000 or $4000.) They had a live blue grass band and we all danced. Kylee's friend Eddy (and my new favorite pick for her husband) was their photographer.

What i keep procrastinating about: dumping some of my clothes out of the closet.
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Randomness.

1. Why do i have to keep reading something about this Katy Perry? Who the hell is Katy Perry anyway? And can someone get her off of the internet? I'm sick of her already and don't even know who she is (I'm sick of her in the same way i am sick of Brangelina stories, Lindsey Lohan stories, and anything Kate Gosselin.

2. I keep trying to get my brother's son Brian, who is a writer wannabee (and he does have talent i believe) to start a blog. Yesterday he was saying something to me at the wedding, just rambling stuff while we were watching the blue grass band. And i must have looked at him puzzled at whatever it was he said (i forget now what he said) and so in his laconic, laid back way he responded with "Sometimes i say stuff.... just to say stuff." And i said. 'That's it! That's your blog name! '

3. Today was the first day i think i've been home and NOBODY has been at the pool. To me that is the first day of fall. I welcome the autumn season. I like running in this season the most. I like serving dinner too because the light isn't bright when you set the table and you can light the candles and maybe even have a fire that illuminates the mood. I sleep better at night. And i can drink red wine more often, which is more my favorite than white.

4. I love watching home TV networks during the weekend. I totally get inspired by the HG channel. Last Friday after watching a bit i got up and washed my windows and started thinking about what else i can get rid of in my closet/garage/drawers. I want to feng shui my life.

I am not very motivated today to do this blog so i'm just going to hit send and hope y'all come here and add whatever is on your mind. I just didn't like seeing that mudflap booby girl on my past blog.





Monday, August 23, 2010

Red Flags that he/she might not be the one for YOU.



I actually wrote up a new blog post yesterday but didn't like it - it was lists that actually were more like an extension of our profiles so i deleted it. Then on the drive over to go out to dinner last night Brian and i were following this car that had all these stuffed animals in the back window. You have all seen those people, right? Just like those folks who drive around waving two or more American flags on their car.

Anyway i said to Brian, "you know if i had accepted a date with a guy and he came to pick me up in a car that had a bunch of stuffed animals in the rear window, i would consider that a red flag." And together we thought of a few more and so i came up with this idea of blogging about red flags and people you shouldn't be dating.

So here are mine, and i hope you come and share your red flag stories.

1. This is actually more of a deal breaker and not just a red flag (hence the graphic). But if he drove up in a truck with those stupid mud flaps with the big breasted girl in silhouette.

2. His car sports a Rush is Right bumper sticker.

3. His vehicle is a Hummer.

4. He orders a glass of milk in high end restaurant before he even asks what you want. (This actually happened to me. it was the same bad boyfriend i blogged about before - the one who wouldn't let me wear his coat during his doubleheader baseball game because it started sprinkling and the coat was leather.)

5. That same boyfriend also ate with a fork like the cowboys do in Lonesome Dove. (Y'all know what i mean.)

6. He speaks in double negatives. I am not a grammar snob, but i really really hate double negatives i think because i grew up speaking that way because my parents still do.

7. He has been unemployed since before the economic downturn.

8.He still lives with his parents.

9. He isn't registered to vote.

10. He has never read a novel for pleasure.

11. Caddyshack is his favorite movie (another red flag from my bad boyfriend.)

12. He doesn't want to meet your friends.

13. A Confederate flag hangs in his living room.

14. He spends more time on his hair than you spend on yours.

That's all i can think of right now, but i'll be back with more later. What are YOUR red flags?

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Mild Rants....Mild Observations.... come add yours!


I don't care
too, too much if only 5 people are reading my blog these days: ms. hippie, eque, louie, susieatl, grits..... always good to see you.

But i do care a little. So what happened to Amanda and Amaretto? Lynnie? Islandpearl... EoDE, jennifer, sam, jaxie, for starters.... and then some girl named shazazz21 who only posted once on the Roman Gabriel post. (Do i know you shazazz? I do like your name.)

I like blogging because i need the writing outlet. And the bonus is that sometimes people come here with their own menus, opinions, lists, etc.

So I get not only get "kudoed", i also at times get ideas. But if nobody is reading, i will still blog, because blogging is like leaving something behind, even if you are gone tomorrow. and i like that better than if someone discovered my handwritten journals.

This photo: is scanned from a card that louielouie sent me and i have since mailed to equeyaya. eque, you need to forward it on to someone to a Facebooker/blogger who will get a kick out of it who will then forward it on to another cyber buddy... or we can keep swapping it with a new message. I loved the card.

Though i have been in a very positive mood lately, i do have a list of mild rants and some mild observations. I hope y'all come and share your own.

1. Mild Rant: OH those damn LED lights. On my alarm clock, on my fan, on my TV. I swear it feels like Friday Night Lights sometime in my bedroom with all the damn green lights. I need a remote for my armoire doors that hold my tv because those are the worst ones!

2. Mild Observation: FINALLY Jon Stewart shaved off that gawd awful goatee. You know Mitch Miller recently died and when i saw Jon with that stupid beard i thought of Mitch Miller. He looked about 65 years old with it.

3. Mild Rant: Actually this is not even a mild rant. This is bigger than that and probably a blog post all on to itself. STOP with the Anchor Baby stories!!!! What is wrong with us?

4. Mild Observation: Anderson Cooper. You are still my hero. You are showing the absurdity of the aforementioned Mild Rant.

5. Mild Rant:
The new Jonathan Franzen book comes out August 31. I really really wanted to read it over summer vacation. He wrote the book The Corrections which i really liked a lot and could be written about own parents in many ways.

6. Mild Observation: rabid liberal folks cover more square footage on their vehicle with bumper stickers than the average person.

7. Mild Rant: Modern hippie/Kylee where the hell are YOU? i am boycotting Facebook if you boycott my blog because of your posting issues.

8. Mild Observation: i am 53 years old and happily married but i still like watching a good looking young guy. Such as today: Julie and i were at the pool today after work and my older neighbor/pool buddy Barbara brought over her 29 year old godson and he was so cute. In the way i describe as Almost Better Than Johnny Depp Gorgeous. (Not quite, because no one is better looking than Johnny.) This Godson had very dark hair and very light blue eyes, which is a most beautiful combination. Plus he swam laps like a dancer. I could watch him swim all day. And before you think i am Mary Kay Letourneau just know that it's okay for me to check these young dudes out because i am always looking for husbands for my nieces.

9. Mild Rant: Why is salt bad for you?

10. Mild Observation: I have too many opinions. But i find that even when i have a bad judgment about something/someone, i can always find something that i like too.

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Ok, that's about all i have. Now i am on to check that gawd damn Facebook, which i know is ruining my blog.

If you are reading, please come add your own Mild Rants/Mild Observations....
Oh yeah:
My new favorite commercial.
i love commercials as long as i can remember (starting with Meet the Swinger...Polaroid Swinger commercials). And i am going to try and remember to include this on every blog. (I think i would have loved to have some kind of job in advertisement, even if i was only the secretary. )

My new favorite commercial on TV right now will probably make some of y'all sick. I love the Toyota minivan mom Sierra commercial. (I think that's the one? You know where she says folks think she is the babysitter and when the cute cop is waving at her it's only to tell her she left her diaper bag on the top of her minivan? ) Anyway, i like that chick.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Summer by the numbers. What are your numbers?


Menu of the Day:

drinking: Genesis syrah with this wonderful cheese from Spain called Campobello Iberico.

book: "Gonzo" - i found it yesterday in the used bookstores. It's fabulous. I'm more than halfway done.

music: Dustin Kensrue, new music i bought yesterday (at Troy's recommendation) from a Ryan Adams sound-a-like. (Best song: Pistol)

What i keep cancelling: going to to movies to see "The Children are All Right".

Why: Brian and are i too lazy to get up and get ready.

About the photos: Escape - has been my theme for most of this 6-week long summer vacation (which ends on Monday). Photo of my beloved iPod (playing 40 Dogs, a song sent by equeyaya) and this wonderful Gonzo book. Also i liked the way my flowers turned out this summer and this seemed like a waterfall of flowers so i took a photo.

On with the Numbers of Summer:
















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1. 10 or 11 - the number of books i have read during this 6-week long vacation. It started with "The Other Boleyn Girl" and is ending with "Gonzo". some thrillers in between.

2. 62 - the number of iTunes songs i have purchased. Best picks are Forest Sun's "Alchemy" and this cd by Dustin Kenrue called "Please Come Home".

3. about 22 - rough estimate of the number of bottles of wine i have consumed.

4. + 2 - really great margaritas from Chambers Golf course grill. Where you walk for an hour and drink for two afterwards.

5. 2 - number of seasons of Lost i was able to watch.

6. 1 - season of Glee. (LOVE that show!)

7. 16 - approximate number of naps i took.

8. 1 - the only movie i would recommend that i watched from netflix - "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee". Great acting by Robin Wright and even Keanu Reeves.

9. about 30 - the number of tv shows on TLC or HG channel i watched.

10. 47 - number of political phone calls on my voice mail.

11. 3 - the number of times i checked my work email each day.

12. 3 - the number of times i actually got out of bed before 8:00 am.

14. 120 - a pretty good estimate of the number of miles i ran/walked.

15. 400 - 450 number of photographs i took.

16. 7 - number of times i spent any real time at the pool. (That has changed so much over my past summers when Dorothy was still alive.)

17. 14 - number of gin and tonics at the pool.

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OK, if any of y'all are still reading this blog, please come and put your summer by the numbers down.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Stuff that comes to mind on my last week of summer vacation

Menu of the Day:

Book: i have read TWO books since Friday. The first one is The Last Child. The other is Look Away. They were both good summer books because they were page turners. Now i am reading Love is Mix Tape which is a pop culture book written by a Rolling Stone author.

This Photo: was taken by equeyaya from our Vashon getaway time. I love it. I was looking to see how to temporarily change my blog photo up top but couldn't figure it out. So here it is.

Latest iTunes purchase (and also playing as i type): Jackie Greene's Shaky Ground. I also bought this really cool song by Forest Sun called Alchemy.

What i have been procrastinating about: I have to write out a sympathy card for a person from work headquarters because her husband died suddenly at the age of 58 from a heart issue. He was very very fit, active and a healthy and handsome man. She had just been posting on Facebook with photos from their fun time a few days ago at his 40 year class reunion. It's a freaky thing. She just got over breast cancer and chemo and got the all clear in the past 3 years. And now this.

The best thing that happened this week: louie/sarah, Julie and i walked Chambers Golf course yesterday and then immediately had drinks afterwards for hours. The margaritas were as good as my very best shaken ones. I thought the drinks would undo that hour long hilly walk but when i weighed myself this morning i was 2 lbs less than the last time.

On with the randomness stuff.

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1. Today might have been my first day where i was a little antsy on my 6 week long vacation. When Brian came home and asks me what i have done that day i find that i sort of hate the question. So i simply answer. "I was very busy." He just laughs because he knows i'm lying.

2. Busy today meant i bought an iTunes gift card, some chardonnay and Windex at Safeway. Then i went to my favorite teriyaki place for late lunch/early dinner since Brian is not home tonight because of band practice. I took a nap. Ran this morning. Read a book. Shopped for music and now i am updating my blog.

3. I am exhausted .

4. I finished watching the first season of Glee. I LOVE this show and i say this not liking musicals at all. I thought it would be the cheesiest and wholesome show but it's so much more than that. It's really great.

5. My phone keeps ringing with political calls. It's making me crazy. I have to doorbell later this month for a local candidate i believe in. But that's all i want to do right now. I hate answering the phone.

6. I am loving my patio flowers and think i might be able to say i have a green thumb after all. I brought a half dead fuschia back to life. And healed my neighbor's fuschia i was babysitting for three weeks.

7. Please, if you decorate your house do not use fake plants or silk flowers anywhere. I can't be responsible for what i might say. Especially if you serve me wine.

8. I don't like to cook for vegans or lactose intolerant people.

9. i don't even know what made me think of that just now. I think it's something that louie was saying yesterday at our martini/margarita lunch.

10. If i had to eat one food for the rest of my life i think i might choose crab.

11. If i had to listen to one musical artist for the rest of my life it would be a toss up between Van Morrison and Ryan Adams.

12. If i had to choose one author i would pick Richard Russo.

13. Brian and I recently watched One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest the other day. I had not seen that movie in years. If you have not seen it either you might want to check it out again. It's really an amazing movie for the acting alone.

14. I am reading about all this American Idol drama. Ellen is out. The Kara judge may be fired? Steven Tyler from Aerosmith might be on, J-Lo too. And then they lowered the Idol age to 15. Good. I wanted to be done with Idol. This makes it all easier. Why is this the headline news on Comcast anyway? I am quitting reading anything about Idol from now on. I mean it this time.

15. Oh yeah, back to my day today for a second: besides my iTunes gift card and Windex that i purchased at Safeway today i bought grape tomatoes, center cut bacon, avocado and multi grain bread. The checkstand lady said to me "Are you having BLTs with avocado for dinner?"I know some people don't like it when the cashier comments on your purchases but i always do. i also love it that they call me by name when i am leaving, i know they are told to do that, but i still love it anyway.

16. Which is reminding me about Amanda's Safeway Man and did louie ever get to see him?

Ok, that's all i got for now. What are allofyall doing this summertime?