I Spy

Last night, I was sitting on my couch watching, "Reba" with Taylor.   I looked down at the horrible rug we have on our floor....

oh wait a minute---let's back up.  I need to tell you about our rugs.  In our house, we have hardwood (laminate) floors in all rooms, with some rugs in each room.  We also have cats that like to pluck and puke on the rugs, so we don't spend a lot of money on the rugs.  We buy em, use em and chuck em when they become too gross.  Because of this, we buy rugs we might not normally purchase.  Translation:  we buy ugly rugs.  We now have a running gag that the uglier the better, and it's now become a battle to see who can find the ugliest rug.

Okay, back to the couch-sitting-Reba-watching.

I'm sitting on the couch and  I look down at my UGLYRUG and this is what I see:

We've had this rug for a couple months now, but I just noticed that square in the middle and closest to us.  I can only see one thing.

I see a man, his belly button and his teeny tiny weiner.  Steven saw a tree trunk.  I think I might have the mindset of a pubescent boy.  I'm starting to see penises everywhere.

Man, I hope I don't have to mark my blog with "WARNING!  ADULT CONTENT!"

Can you see it?  Or do I have issues?

Mid Week Mute

Mini Motor

The Lord of the house has a new vehicle.


He has wanted a Mini Cooper since I've known him.  Last week, his dream came true.


It's the cutest little car.  Er, um, I mean, it's the manliest ride.

Steven is a chess player, so he finds the checkerboard pattern amusing.

I'm just pleased that I fit in the seat.

It's fun to drive, and doesn't feel nearly as small as it looks.

The car salesman told me he was from a small town in Indiana.  I told him I had lived in a small town in Indiana.  Imagine our surprise when we realized we were both from the same small town and had gone to the same high school at the same time.  (although, he was younger than me)  You were right Walt Disney, it is a small world.

Say hello to Steven's mother, The Dowager Margaret.  Actually, I don't know what makes one a Dowager, so that may not apply.  What the heck, it's my blog, I'll call her what I like.  DM it is!

Oh, I had an epiphany recently---I don't like it when people don't see things my way.  Go figure, eh?  :-)

Happy Mini Day!

Sunday Happenings

Twas such a nice day today!

I was able to get out of the bed with minimal pain today.  Hooray!  I'm not good at being an invalid, lots of moaning and groaning.


Sir has a new car, and we went tooling around today.  He said his car is nipply.  I'm not sure what that means.  We tried to discuss the term, but it only made it more confusing.  But, I'm pretty sure it's a good thing.

We went to Jack's Cosmic Dogs for lunch.  GREAT decor.  Okay dogs.  My dog to bun to topping ratio wasn't quite right.

But where else would you find a cup and saucer chandelier?  With utensil things hanging down?  The decor was worth the trip!!

Then we ventured on to Trader Joe's.  You big city folk may have a lot of these stores, but we have but ONE here in the Lowcountry.  It stressed me out.  Too many folks trying to get their organic on, and I was just trying to peruse the cheese.  (good prices on cheese)  I did buy a bottle of $3 Chuck and some cheese, but wow, that store intimidated the heck out of me. 

I like the look of the old soda bottles, but I still treasure my teeny tiny ice cubes.

Add a later afternoon thunderstorm, a Missouri baseball win and it's been a grand Sunday for the Lord and Lady.

P.S.  The baseball Tigers made ESPN's Top 10 plays yesterday.  This doesn't happen very often.  If you're interested, here's the play.

P.P.S. (or is it P.S.S.??)  Special thanks to Sir S for taking such good care of me all weekend, taking these photos, and putting up with all my bellyaching because of the backaching.  xxx

Friday on the Couch

I switched back to the simple template.  I hope this makes it easier for everyone, me included!

I took the day off work today.  I was hoping to go to the beach, go to a movie, or just do some shopping with SS.

Only one of those things happened.  Let me show you my normal state of being:

Notice the sassy hand on hip, the big smile on my face, and my very stylish dress.

Well, at some point this week, little monsters went into my back and now I look like this:

I went to the doctor yesterday and he mumbled words about hip placement, spasms and all that crap.
Some day off.  I've moaned, groaned and been an unbelievable mess.  No beach.  No movie being shown that I want to watch.   I tried to shop, but that was just too much.  So, now I'm on the couch.  With wine.  [I just realized those things that are supposed to be lightning bolts look like I might be gassy?]

********

UPDATE!  Last week  (prior to back pain) Sir and I went to dinner.  On the way home, we saw a young man with a sign asking for money or food.  We gave him the Hobo Bag.  At first, he looked at us like we were insane.   (What in the world are these nincompoops handing to me???)  Then, I think it dawned on him and he was very thankful and filled with blessings for us.  I'm sure he wondered why there were gloves in there on an 80 degree day...  But, FINALLY, I was able to give it away.  More items have been purchased and I'm ready for the next giveaway.

And let me leave you with this one.  We've hired a new employee, and he is the epitome of OCD.  (have no fear, he admits this, and knows we all know)  I give you a concrete example:

He numbers his socks so that he wears the same pair together all the time.  Ahem.

I'm just happy if I have two clean socks!

Have a great weekend folks.  I hope this template will be more user friendly!  mwah!

Oh!  And, Happy 50th Birthday Pete Grimes!

Mid Week Mute

St. Patrick's Day Block Party

Happy Monday!   [oxymoron]

Did everyone celebrate St. Patrick's Day in style?  Or, did you get pinched for not wearing any green?  Sir Steven was anti green this year.  I forgot to pinch him.  I'll have to take care of that tonight.

Every year, a local Irish Pub puts on a block party, complete with bands, food, BEER, a mechanical bull (because that's so Irish), a dinky little parade, and fun for all ages!  This pub happens to be on the same block where Taylor's apartment is.   We invited some of our friends to meet up near her place, so we could use her potty without having to stand in line.  I tell ya, I'm always thinking.

Big Turkey Legs are an Irish Tradition?

This year was bigger and better.  The party actually encompassed two blocks!  There were two stages, food trucks, jump castles, slides, beer stands, and all the restaurants were open and serving food.  Green was everywhere!! 

I take that back.  Sir Steven is noticeable in his RED.  If I didn't know better, I'd swear he was trying to be noticed.  The goofball in the front is our friend, Mike.  He also likes to be noticed.  

It was March 17, and yet it was sunny and hot!  In case you don't believe me, check out the redness of my cheeks.    This is my pregnant friend, Mary, with her nuts.  Speaking of nuts, don't pay attention to the nut in the tree.

There were tons of cute babies and cute dogs roaming the party.  Well, these two weren't really roaming, but there were enjoying all the people watching.  And, oh, there was plenty of people watching.  Sunny weather + beer = all sorts of things to observe.

Here's proof of that equation:

 

This is Larry in the bush.  Could this be considered the,"wearing of the green???"

St. Patrick's Day Eve

 Here we are again, it's time for another holiday and holiday cards.  Let's spice it up a bit.  How about we combine a good old Irish holiday with some Japanese Haiku?  Not very many blogs will be doing that now, will they?  Let's drive right in!



Blarney Stone They Climb
Even though it's really short
They seem to need rope?

 WOW, look at these two.

They were hit with ugly stick.

A couple of times.

 Speaking of ugly-

Large headed women scare me.

The bird smokes a pipe.

Man has loads of money.

Found it under the rainbow?

One Rich Leprechaun.

Dirigible flies

With unsuspecting Irish

One word:  Hindenburg

Mid Week Mute (with music)

And, the BESTBroadway song ever.

The Tuesday Routine

Every Tuesday we follow the same lunch routine.

Sir Steven, Larry, and I leave the office at 11:30 and head to Kicking Chicken.  Larry holds the door for Lady Ju.  If Larry keeps up this behavior (which he has done for a long time now) he might just get knighted!


I sit in the back seat as we travel to KC.  I'm okay with this.  For one, I feel like I'm being chauffeured.   Second, I don't have to turn my neck around,  like a gawking chicken, to make conversation.  I sit in the back seat and enjoy whatever music of the day we listen to.  Today was Real Jazz.







Since we go there weekly, the folks that work there know us.  We think we're famous. ( I'm betting it's more like infamous.)  We don't use menus.

We have our favorite waitress, Kelly.  She knows our order (since we order the same thing 99% of the time) and we know about her kitten.  She turned 21 in July.  She and her boyfriend are Man United fans, so we always have something to talk about.  And the best part?  She doesn't take any crap from SS.







Most days, it's just Sir, Larry and me for lunch.  And most days, Steven sits by me, and Larry sits across from us.  It works for us.

Today, both the boys sat across from me:

We had a special guest for lunch today.  Fresh from the desert somewhere in the Middle East, the returning hero:

Welcome back Mikey Mike.  Don't sit next to me ever again.

Larry and I always enjoy unsweet tea, and Steven gets Coke.  I tell you this, because most of the wait staff at KC know our order ; and not just our drink order, our food order.   It's a little embarrassing, as all I can figure is they have our photos posted somewhere in the kitchen, with the words, "difficult" to describe us.

.

I get the Chicken Salad Plate.  Larry gets the chicken fingers with Gangsta Sauce.  How yummy does this look?  Oh, and their fries?  Really really good.  And that blur in the left hand corner would be Mike's finger trying to ruin my picture.  Thus why he never is allowed to sit next to me.

Steven gets the Parmesan Ranch burger, medium, no tomato, no onion, lettuce only, bacon on the side and absolutely, positively NO PICKLE!  The man hates pickles.  Pickles are B A D.  But, oh, the food is G O O D.

Now, every Tuesday, at 11:30 am, you can know exactly what I'm doing, and exactly what I'm eating.  Your life should feel a little more complete now.

Backyard Entertainment

I have wanted a bottle tree for a long time.  Of course, I'm too lazy to do anything about it, other than drink the wine. 

Sir Steven has collected the bottles for me (over the years mind you!) and has started the tree on our old grapevine fence.  So, I guess you would say it's more of a fence than a tree?  Either way, I love it and I really appreciate that he's making another one of my dreams come true.

(by the way, please pay no attention to the lack of grass in our yard.)

As I walked around to take more picture of the tree-fence, I thought I'd share with you some of the little creatures who have taken up residence in our yard.



As I first walk out the back door, I'm greeted by this little fella:

Many of his friends are scattered around the yard.  I have no idea why an alligator (crocodile?) would want to live ON a tree.

As we walk around the bottle tree-fence, we find a cat who obviously just returned from Mardi Gras.

Just what did he have to do to get those beads, I wonder...

Just below Mardi Gras cat sits this sassy little gal--

Don't hate her because she's dirty.  She hasn't had time to bathe properly while guarding the Mardi Gras Cat.

We then walk over to the bird feeder.  We've been here before, this is where the other alligators reside.

But what's that on top of the bird feeder?

Sir Steven has placed an out of date Sandwich Thin up there for the squirrels.  It's not torn up into pieces,and there looks to be another one on the back side.

I really hope to see a squirrel with a sandwich in his paws.  I'm picturing a turkey/ham/roast beef kind of sammy with cheese, mayo and lettuce.  (Do squirrels like lettuce?)

I hope he'll share with all the other creatures in the yard!

Date Night/Downton Abbey Night

Yay, it's almost Friday!

If you stopped by here yesterday, you saw a few pictures of Downton Abbey, PBS' new smash hit in the Masterpiece Series.  I had heard of this series from a good friend, and read great things on the show.  I finally caved and bought the Season One DVD.  Before I was finished with that one, I had purchased Season Two. 

I have nursed these DVDs like young pups.  My normal inclination would be to watch them all as quickly as possible.  But, I don't want this good thing to end.  I have two episodes remaining of Season Two, and then we'll have to wait until Season Three to air.  I have forced myself to turn off the TV so as to make this pleasure last as long as humanly possible.

But, tomorrow night will be the last showing.  We will watch the last two episodes, and the special features.  I will then sigh and pout and wonder how long before I find out what will happen to my friends.  I'm not patient and I'm not good at waiting.  This addiction replaced my loss of "All My Children," and now I feel like I'm losing my friends all over again.

So, tomorrow will be Downton Abbey/Date Night.  I've told Steven it will be a special evening.  We'll have a nice dinner and then enjoy the show.  Heck, I might even dress for dinner, as they do on the show.  Hm.  Where DID I put my corset?

*****

UPDATE:  In honor of Steven's English heritage and my love for DA, I've fallen into a nickname for him:  Sir Steven.  At times, I might shorten it to Sir, or even SS.  But, there you have it.  Sir Steven and Lady JuJu, and the tales from Bronwen Court.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions and help! 

Mid Week Mute