Meow

A make-up artist I am not.  But it's all fun right?  I can hardly wait for the other girls to get here to see what they did.  I sure hope they did...but if not, it won't be the first time I was goofy all by myself.  In fact, it is kind of a daily occurrence for me. ;)

Happy NaNoWriMo Eve

Happy Halloween!!

I have to say that this month has been interesting.  Trying to find 'stuff' to blog about was a challenge. My life is not that interesting.  I applaud those who can do it day in and day out.  However, I don't think that I am one of those people. So I will go back to my typical blogging patterns.  It is a more hit and miss approach, but at least I'm not on the prowl for 'blogger fodder'.

And now without further ado, I'm off to enjoy one last day of freedom before Nano begins.

Getting Ready for Halloween

I work for Preferred Title - Boss hates the word  Pussy and I'm going as a Cat....
I will upload a picture when I can.

Do we not love the 'Naughty Hello Kitty' on my shoulder?

Update - Flock Alert

I saw this and thought of Julie...

A Helpful Hint/Warning

Check your shampoo bottle label.

I don't know WHY I didn’t figure this out sooner!!!!
It’s the shampoo I use in the shower!

When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body and (duh!) printed very clearly on the shampoo label is this warning,

*FOR EXTRA VOLUME AND BODY!*

NO wonder I have been gaining weight!!!

Well! I have gotten rid of that shampoo and I am going to start using Dawn dish soap instead.

Their label reads,

*DISSOLVES FAT THAT IS OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE*.

Problem Solved!!!

If I don't answer the phone I'll be in the shower!!!

This was an e-mail I received - I found it funny and had to pass it along.

Follow up

1. Finish stocking up the house.  Check

2. Hair cut? No Hair cut?
Two people said they liked my hair.  Hair cut? Major NO!!

3. Get the car oiled.
Oh gods, the dude did not know what he was getting into.  They changed the oil, did the rotation and some winter check-up thing.  Picked up the car and my 'check engine' light came on for them.  They asked if it had been on.  Thank the gods that Jake was with me - I was blink, blink, blink - what? I am such a freak when it comes to the car.  Suggest it might have issues and I find the fetal position.

Then I'm 'I am going to cry." Because I don't know what is wrong with my car.

Probably nothing... but he felt compeled to tell me.  They reset it and the check engine doesn't show... but what if it comes on again???

Jake says, "and you came in getting this done to make you feel better."
It's true I did.

It is hard to explain the 'freak' that is me over the car.  Suffice it to say ... I should be on medication.

Jake says, "you have AAA.  You have a phone.  You will be fine."
He still called to check up on me.
Have  I mentioned what a gerat kid I have?

Doug and I are going to drive the car all over the place to make sure the light doesn't come on.
Did I mention I have a kick ass husband.
Did I mention he didn't mention how neurotic I am.
Freak.



4. Shoes would be a good thing.
Before the car debaucle I found shoes....

Cute... yes?

5. Clean the house.

eh, working on it.


6. Plot - a plot would be nice.

Still working on that too!!!

Stuff I still gotta do

1.  Finish stocking up the house.

I find it much easier during Nano to have things readily available - important things like, toilet paper, dog treats, cat food, laundry soap and coffee - not necessarily in that order ;)  The goal is to minimize going to the market.  When I do go it is for just a few items that need to be bought weekly.  Get in, get out, get back to writing.

2. Hair cut?  No Hair cut?

I'm vacillating on this one.  I should probably cut it, but my hair is so wacky that a hair cut can turn it into an unruly mass that will take more time to try and tame than it is worth.  I think I've decided then. 
No.  Just say no to hair cut.  But then again...

3.  Get the car oiled.

That little odometer is saying it is time, so I'll get that done this weekend.
(Actually I'm out of washer fluid - funny how that always coincides with needing to change the oil;)
4.  Shoes would be a good thing. 

Despite my best sandal efforts and it does appear to be working as the temperatures are climbing-- I don't see the weather staying sandal worthy for all of November.  Must. Buy. Shoes.

5.  Clean the house.

It will be a month before it sees any serious cleaning happening.  A thorough once over is a good thing.

6. Plot - a plot would be nice.

It is Nano so I know the whole 'no plot, no problem' thing.  But a plot would be nice, just say'n.  I was hoping for a bit of an outline too, but you can't always get what you want.  I have some pretty awesome, quirky characters.  They just can't decide if they want to be serious or silly.

Guess I'll find out on November 1, unless of course the Muse comes a calling and helps just a wee bit before then.  **Oh Muse-y - You can find me at the Jiffy Lube - I'll be stuck there for 30 minutes or so if you'd like to stop by.  Muse?**

Enough blogging, there is work to be done.

Nanowrimo in 3 Minutes

Nano explained for those non-Nano-ites.
I mean really, how could anyone say no to Nano?

Wardrobe Malfunction

We were planning what to wear for Halloween and we came up with cats because my boss has issues with a certain word that cats are sometimes called.   We thought if we all dressed up as pussy cats it would be hilarious.  I'll let you know next week if I still have a job.

At lunch Nan went out to find us ears and we were playing around with them. 

Tell me what's wrong with the picture below?  The girls said they could tell something was off but couldn't figure out what it was until we were looking at the pictures.

I has a sinus condition - it's rude to laugh. ;)



Taking one for Val

I went to lunch with an old friend and she commented on the weather turning cold. 
I said, "I know, I need to get me some shoes." 
She said, "Please don't. As long as one person is still in sandals, perhaps the warm weather will come back."

Okay Val - This one's for you... and because I have nothing to blog about. 

I asked my daughter, "How strange will it look wearing a sweater and sandals?"

She said, "Well, if you're with other crazies you'll be okay."

I said, "I'm just going to work."

She said, "Then you'll be fine."

NaBloMo - Day 25

Must. Be. Desperate.

One Lovely Blog Award

Thank you Murees for the One Lovely Blog Award.

This one has rules... well the other one did as well, but I was having a week and... yeah.

Rule 1 - Thank the wonderful person who gave you the award.

Thank you Murees - Dailiy Drama of an Aspiring Writer.

Rule 2 - Pass the award to 15 other bloggers.

Raige Creations

Jan Morrison

Daily Dodo

Fantasy Nibbles

Drama Dice and Damesons

There's a Place I Dream About

The World is My Oyster

Over Yonder

The Querulous Squirrel

Have You Heard?

Okay - so it's not 15 - but a good start - some of the blogs that I would like to share with you are not playing well with others this morning - or it is our computer - or it is me - which is probably more likely, and some had already received the award. 

Thanks again Murees - I didn't know what to blog about today ;)

You want me to do what?

I am not a good cook of the usual sustenance people consume to keep functioning on a day to day basis.

In my youth I could bake fantastic cookies, pies and goodies delightful. But when it came to dinner, even my brother who would eat almost anything drew the line at my cooking. The sibs would bribe me not to cook. It didn't hurt my feelings. I could bake and at the end of the day when they were begging me to make an apple pie or cookies - what was a measly meal compared to that?

As a mother, I muddled through with the cooking - nothing great but I had fun with it. I would try new things, probably too often - but it is fun to play. Then one day many years ago my children took over cooking Thanksgiving dinner because they couldn't take it any more.  They now slave away in the kitchen and I get to be the one under foot sneaking a bite of this and a taste of that. 

I get it.  I'm okay with that. I know I have a few things that I can cook and no one wants chili for T-Day.  My daughter surpassed me with her potato salad creation - so even my once famed potato salad is no longer a must have. Hers does shine - it is her secret recipe that involves bacon, bleu cheese and way to many egg yolks to be considered healthy.  But when you are eating potato salad heart health is probably the last thing on your mind.

One Christmas I put together a Family Cookbook.  It contained my cookie recipe and coupons to local restaurants.


For our anniversary I teased about making Doug dinner because he always cooks. But I kind of like the man, why poison him?  I told him this laughingly and he said, "Might be kind of nice."

Aha, aha ha ha ... What? Really? O-kay.

So I went on line and found a recipe for stuffed peppers.  Having stated that I don't cook you would think that I would stick to the recipe.  Oh no, not me.  I added this and that and... I was going to have Stavo season it for me, but then it wouldn't be mine and if I was going to poison my man, it should be all me. ;)

How was it?  On a scale of 1-10? eh - maybe a 5.  Nothing to write home about.
I'd say the presentation was good - When you know you suck at something gotta distract with the glamour - and the wine.  Ply them with enough booze and anything tastes good.

How's Doug?
Last I checked, he wasn't twitching or making hurried trips to the bathroom.

Yep.  Warned the man and he still ate.  He loves me.

Sense of humor?

As I mentioned Doug was in the hospital. He needed a prescription, so I wandered to the hospital pharmacy and this is what I saw:

Okay - first off, it is a hospital and anyone who has ever stayed in one or knows someone who has, knows that there is no resting and no peace.

Second - Of all the decorations you could have chosen - That's the one you picked? 

More Random

Okay - it was a crazy day yesterday. Doug was in the hospital for his snozola, seems he likes to breathe and needed help facilitating this function. It was a planned procedure, he's doing well and is recuperating.

I didn't know what to blog about so I typed Random in Google and got this website. It just said Random Facts and I thought okay, that works.

Here you go. 

If you have 3 quarters, 4 dimes, and 4 pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar.

I would also have enough for a peach ice tea. Alas, I have neither.

President Kennedy was the fastest random speaker in the world with upwards of 350 words per minute.

Wait - What did you say?

The sound of E.T. walking was made by someone squishing her hands in jelly.

A sound every mother knows. ;)

Cats sleep 16 to 18 hours per day.

Guinea Pigs aka Penny Kids sleep in 10 minute increments. Learned that from the pig book. Seems they don't want to sleep for too long for fear of being eaten. Imagine that.

The first known contraceptive was crocodile dung, used by Egyptians in 2000 B.C.

Yep - I can see how that would work marvelously!! Much better than ,"not tonight dear..."

There are two credit cards for every person in the United States.

I have one, who has my other???

The Neanderthal's brain was bigger than yours is.

They must have read my blog yesterday. I admitted to the lacking of IQ points, but pointing it out to everyone is a bit rude.  Just say'n.

NaBloMo Day 20

Not a clue what to blog about.  This every day thing is tough.  So I guess it will be random thought day.

Have you ever had one of those days when you wake up and KNOW you've lost IQ points in the night? Well, that was me this morning.  When I was walking Chester my mind wasn't on my story or looking for predators lurking in the dark.  Nope, I was just blissfully walking along noticing the Halloween decorations and commenting on them to Chester. 

I was talking to random cats who listened patiently.  Now generally when I talk to the cats it is Chester's clue to go "Cat? Cat? Where?" waggle, waggle, romp, romp.  Not today, he just kept on sniffing and doing his own thing.  I guess because I'd been prattling on about the decorations Chester had stopped listening.  Typical man!

Exercise is important...

Jess and I exercise in the morning and we noticed that Autumn exercises with us.  I wanted to catch it on film because it is so funny to watch her run around and around.  I was ready to film but she just sat there, waiting.  Jess said, "Maybe I should start walking."  You'll see her feet in the mirror.  Well, that was Autumn's cue and off she went. 

It is a bit dark, but at that time of the morning it was the best we could do.

Her sister Pumpkin Pie had the good sense to stay in bed.

Days to be remembered.

37 years ago I met my husband. 
He asked me out on a date.
I turned him down.

He was patient and asked me out again.  We became high school sweethearts and the rest was history... but not exactly the way you might be thinking.  Sometime during the college years we wandered away from each other, married and raised family's of our own.

We found each other again several years back.
When he thought the time was right he proposed. 
My response, "I'll try."
I had been through a couple of disastrous marriages. Marriage was a bad word.

Now one might think that this would be the end of the road for me... but he is patient and it was an honest response.  He was after all a good man and not the typical bum that seemed to catch my fancy.  Perhaps I'd grown up a bit in the 18 years of raising children on my own. 

We did eventually tie the knot, and it all started almost four decades ago.

Signs

When you don't pay particular attention, the things you read can be pretty funny.

Be Prepared to Stop  -the big orange sign declares in our orange cone infested city.

I saw Prepare to be stopped. I hear it in an overly loud robot kind of voice. Ya know the 'Danger, Danger Will Robinson', robot voice.

Yes, I just dated my self
and
No, I have nothing better to write about.

May tomorrow be more interesting.

Wandering Lady Bugs

I have a collection of nick-knacks -- lady bugs are part of that collection.  I have six.  Sometimes they remain where I put them and sometimes they do not.  The other day I noticed that they were on the move.  I asked them where they were going, if they responded I didn't hear.

In trying to come up with something to blog about I thought the wandering lady bugs might be mildly amusing. 

This is an old picture.  It was rearranged a couple of months back.  Some things stay, some move to other shelves.  What ever feels right is how things get placed.  I'd take a current photo of my desk, but it is in reluctant mode and every  photo I tried to take of it came out dark or blurry.  So I grabbed this old photo from the blog to see if the lady bugs could be seen and this is what I noticed.

They are in basically the same configuration, now.  They didn't start out that way. They all started in the middle crate.  Now three have moved to the left crate, two have moved to the first crate and the little loner bug is out on the doily moving towards my desk.  Every day she gets a bit closer.