Mid Week Mute

Thanks for the help?

I'm pretty OCD about getting directions before hitting the road.  For the last few years, MapQuest has been one of my best friends.  Even when folks use their phones or their GPS devices, I would always trust the Atlas, or directions I found through Mapquest. 

I think I might be a bit stubborn when it comes to this--

A bit old school stubborn.

On our trip this past weekend, I just didn't get directions.  We've been to Savannah before,so I obviously knew the general direction.  But, I didn't know how to get to our hotel, or the quickest route to take. 

Our car is equipped with a GPS system, so I thought I'd wing it a little and we'd use it for locating the hotel. 

PLEASE REMIND ME THAT SOMETIMES BEING OLD SCHOOL AND STUBBORN IS OKAY.

---especially when your husband is English? We tried for a long time to just get anywhere near Savannah.   She wouldn't bite.  Steven tried.  I tried. We both tried.

Our GPS refused to give us any directions to Savannah.  We tried every possible combination of words and voices, streets, etc.  Let me just show you where that little trickster was trying to send us:

In case you are unsure, that is Reno, Nevada. 
42 Hours.
2500 miles

Even on my worst day, I know Savannah is only 100 miles from us.  Due South.

I think I'm gonna stick with my MapQuest just a bit longer...

24 Hours of Good

Well, I sure had a great weekend.

It started off with a little bit of this

Yeah, the gals and Sir went and painted to celebrate a friend's birthday.  My peacock is so shy and demure - just like her creator. I have no idea where to hang this little lady, probably in my office.  It's starting to look like a gallery in there. Well, a sad little gallery, but you get the picture!  (pardon the pun!)

After painting and celebrating, we took off for Savannah to see some of this:

No, Steven wasn't picking fights with passersby, we spent Saturday with Jake!

Jake's girlfriend, Grace, has a sister who attends the Savannah College of Art and Design. They had a mini family reunion there this weekend.  They were kind enough to share Jake with us this and so we spent the day with him.

We met up at Mellow Mushroom, had some food and some beer and some giggles.  It was great to catch up, in person, and just spend the day relaxed and chit chatting.  These moments are so few and far between--it was just absolutely marvelous.

I love both my kids.  But I'm so lucky and happy that I also really like them as well.  Jake is funny, intelligent, compassionate and kind.  I am so proud of him and who he is and the beliefs he holds.  He's cute as can be and just so darn nice.

Savannah is such a lovely city.  It's similar to Charleston, but truly has its own personality.  Spending time there with Jake (and Grace for dinner!) was such a treat.  I went into the day thinking about all the good food I could eat, but once there, all I cared about was hanging out with Jake.  I actually forgot about food for a bit.  (just a bit now, don't be crazy out there)

I'm a happy lady today.

And what did you do today?

Let me bore you with some of the details of my day.

The highlight is occurring as we speak - I'm watching Billy Elliot for the 573rd time.  This is one of my all time favorites.  I cry every single time.  "Let's give the boy a @#$ing chance!"  Sniff Sniff.   And then the final scene.  O M G. 

Prior to this wonderful 120 minutes, the excitement of my day included

-yet another Visalus shake this morning for breakfast and a commute accompanied by my newest book, "The Horse Dancer."  (I hate to get out of the car when I get to work!)

-submitting health insurance claim forms.  Is there anything more boring?

-plan making for the weekend.  I get to see Jake on Saturday!  He'll be in Savannah for the weekend, so we'll be making a trek down there.  I've got it planned so that I might get to enjoy three different meals while there.  Yes, I plan these things around food.

-I space bagged my first bag.  All by myself.  Steven had done them before, but this is my first.  I must say, mine don't look nearly as pretty as the ones on TV.  But, it sure is fun to suck out the air.

-I shopped at Ross, looking for a casual dress.  I bought one that doesn't fit very well.  Why do I do that?  I never return things.  How ridiculous is that.

-I took a great bubble bath with my favorite bubbles, Bliss Mint.

-I plugged in my new mini blender

-I put away the cup tower that was forming in my bathroom

-and I snuggled big time with my doggy.  Our dear friends had to put down their four legged baby today, and my heart aches for them.  Let's all hug our animals close tonight and say a little prayer for Ella and her sad family.

-And now my last bit of the evening is writing this post and realizing just how very boring my day was.  I'm ending a boring day with an even more boring post.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Mid Week Mute

The Shortest Parade

Let me tell you, if you're ever feeling crabby and need to find a way out, I highly suggest a block party celebrating St. Patrick's Day.

The 10th annual Madra Rua Block Party was held yesterday.  The weather was perfect, the sun was shining brightly, and it all began with the shortest little parade.

This baby parade had all the requirements of a grown up parade---

It started off with folks sitting in and on a convertible, waving to the crowds.

 Followed by ONE bagpiper

The mayor driving a golf cart

 

The obligatory picture where the child wants to get down and run around.

 

The CAS car covered with green fur?

 

The cute little buddy watching the parade.  Don't blink Joey, you'll miss it!

 

A dancing mattress...

 

Two fire trucks

 

One marching band, or rather, part of one marching band...

and many many interesting parade watchers...

It was the shortest little parade, followed by the funnest day, and today, we are all pooped.  Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

The Bratty Post

WARNING: This is written by an almost fifty year old woman who is feeling like a spoiled pouty brat. 

I want to go to my Grandma J’s house, sit on her horrible plaid carpet and watch MTV, circa 1981.  After that, I want to eat dinner with everyone at her super cool table with the Lazy Susan in the middle.  I want to look at her cups and saucers in her corner cabinets and then I want to sleep in the bedroom with the twin beds and the angel wallpaper.

I don’t want to see any more of Kim Kardashian’s expanding baby bump.

I want the world to be fair.

I want to go to my Grandma C’s house at Thanksgiving and have my entire family there, even my dad, because that one year he was able to make it and didn’t have a football game.  I want to sleep on the couch that everyone fights to sleep on.  I want to use Grandpa’s adding machine after my Yahtzee game.  I want to see Grandma pass the breakfast food through her kitchen window on to the porch.  I want to open her pantry door and look at the perfectly folded (and ironed) sheets, towels and bathroom necessities.

I don’t want to worry about retirement funding, funeral planning, or my health.

I want my ice maker to work again.

I want the animal hair to disappear, and not show so massively in the morning sunshine.

I want to go to my grandparent’s hotel room and see their travel bar set up with bourbon, vodka and mixers.  I want to look over and see grandma’s makeup suitcase perfectly packed.  I want to see her regular suitcase packed with tissue paper separating her clothes.  I want to see my grandpa in his suspenders and walking with his cane.

I want all my relationships to be on the level I want them to be on.  I want two way streets in those relationships.  I want to know I matter to those I matter to.

I want to eat a big bowl of chips and salsa without feeling guilty.

I want my kids to be little again.  Just for a few minutes.

I want the Pope to be as nice as he sounds right now, and for us not to find out all sorts of dirt on him in the years to come.  I also want him to change his views on a few things. 

I want people to remember NOT to leave gross disgusting things in their desk that their boss might find when they’ve been terminated.  (Still recovering from that one!)

I want to find a pillow that I like for more than two days. 

I want this crabby mood to go away and be replaced with a giddy, giggling Saturday.  Here’s hoping!

Mid Week Mute

Bulb In The Yard (or, where in the heck did this thing come from?)

As I walked to the mailbox today, I noticed a very plain green looking Christmas bulb sitting in the yard.  This is not something I see every day.  I mean, in my yard, I've seen cigarette butts from some rude litterbug, bread thrown for the birds, dog doo (love that word) and even pistachio shells, but never a lone green Christmas bulb.

As I headed back to the house, I wondered just where this Christmas bulb's journey began.  Had he been part of Santa's bag and was misplaced from his final destination?  Maybe the reindeer went through a bumpy turbulent patch and he fell out and tumbled down to Bronwen Court?  Maybe he ticked off Dancer, and was thrown off the sled? 

Or, maybe she escaped the Evil Queen from Christmas Bulb Land?  The Evil Queen made her life miserable, she made her shine all the time.  She was forced to sit at the back of the Christmas Tree and chose to run away to find a better life?  Somewhere along the way, she lost her Prince Charming, a lovely blue bulb with intermittent blinking. 

Or was this just some really goofy doofus Christmas Bulb that thought he was supposed to be lying in a yard, rather than lighting up someone's tree, house or shrub?  I'm even thinking he speaks with a French accent?  He's been known to wear a beret at times.

When I made it inside, after these twenty five seconds of fantasizing, I couldn't wait to show Steven my new friend.  So, showed it to Sir and he promptly told me that, "oh, he found it when raking the side of the house yesterday, and threw it in the direction of the garbage can, but it obviously didn't get that far..."

Really?  That's just so disappointing.  And, really, not very blog worthy. 

I like my ideas better.

Too Good Not To Share

I am friends with many of you on Facebook, so I apologize for the redundancy, but this is just too good (and to rare) to share.

Folks, apparently, UPS thinks I'm something special:

Mid Week Mute

Xammie Xamboni

(pronounced Zammie Zamboni)

Taylor has a dog at her dad's house.  This sweet pup is named Xammie.  Years ago, they adopted a dog named, "Max," but he succumbed to distemper after a very short time . Poor Max.  Poor Taylor. 

Shortly after, they adopted a dog and aptly named her Xammie.  (that is Max backwards.)  (Sorta)

Taylor has been living away from home for awhile now, but Xammie remains at her dad's house.  And when Dad travels, guess who takes care of the dog?

Well, that would be Steven and I.  If we go away for an evening, Rockett has a sleepover at Xammie's house, and if Taylor's dad (now to be called TD) goes away, we take care of Xammie.  Of course, Xammie can't spend the night at our house, because the three cats drive her a little bonkers. 

So, while TD is gone, that means Steven goes there in the morning and afternoon, and I go over in the evening.  The two of us split up the days and try to keep Xammie fed and happy.    This means I go into my old house with my new husband to take care of a dog.

That makes me giggle a bit.

So, TD left today for a trip to China.  We'll be seeing a lot of the X in the next twelve days.  And, by X, I mean, "Xammie," not the EX. 

Greetings from the Funny Farm

I live in the weirdest house and have the weirdest pets.  Ever.

For example - our big fat white cat, Charlie, likes to be dust-busted.

Seriously.

If he hears the whir of the vacuum, he comes running and cries until he gets sucked.

I can't make this stuff up people.