5 Hour v. 6 Hour

I'm not a coffee drinker.  It's not that I don't enjoy the flavor, I do.  It's just that I don't have the patience to wait for hot drinks to cool down so I can drink them without burning the heck out of my tongue.

I do drink unsweet iced tea, but that doesn't really pack much of a caffeine punch.  So, on days where I find myself needing a bit of a pick me up, I've been known to turn to the Five Hour Energy Drink.  Grape Flavor.

I like this little drink, mainly because it is a little drink.  I don't have to put a bunch of liquid in my body, and it usually does the trick quickly.  The grape flavor doesn't make me want to vomit, and hey, there's no sugar, so it fits into my oh so healthy lifestyle.

Let me introduce you to my little friend:

Notice the calm mountains on the bottle, the healthy looking bunch of grapes, and the simplistic words on the bottle. 

And remember this phrase:  If it aint broke, don't fix it.

Now, let me tell you how Steven tried to kill me this past weekend. 

Sir brought home the generic Food Lion equivalent of the 5 Hour Energy Drink.  It is, creatively called, the 6 Hour Energy Drink.  Because, you know we all need that extra hour.  Anyway.... meet my nemesis:

EXTREME ENERGY!  World's most extreme!  Flames!  Feel the Rush!  Works Blazing Fast!  WOW, huh?  Wow, no.  No bunch of grapes.  No peaceful mountains.  I should have known.

First of all, it tasted like evil ick.  Seriously, it was like Robitussin on Crack.  BLECH.  I hate to appear ungrateful, but I just couldn't imagine why he brought me this one (in a double pack) home to me. 

And then this happened:

hives  (hvz)

pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)

A skin condition characterized by intensely itching welts and caused by an allergic reaction to internal or external agents, an infection, or a nervous condition. Also called nettle rash, urticaria.

 

And that ↑ was the color of my skin, the elevated very itchy skin.  My body did NOT like the 6 Hour Energy Shot, and it did NOT enjoy the rush.  I could have gone all my life without that extra hour.

 

 

 

 Go for the Grape.

 

 

My Cup Runneth Over

Many years ago, I made the hardest decision of my life.  I like to think that I had a few guardian angels guiding me---

I've spent more time away from him than with him.  

Not being together broke my heart each and every day.

Getting this yesterday was a reminder that I did the right thing at a really wrong time of my life.

He was raised with love and light.

and somehow no anger or resentment.

 

Seeing "mom" in his handwriting?

Worth it all.  

Congratulations Jake.  I love you.  

Be very very happy.

HIJACKED!!

This blog has been hijacked by a Candy Crush Addict.

There have been relatively few posts on here because the author has been taken hostage by the evil game known as CANDY CRUSH.

 

She plays it from the time she gets to home until the time she goes to bed.

No intellectual conversations with the husband.

No reading of wonderful novels.

Not even the viewing of Chopped, Breaking Bad or some reality show.

Her life has been taken over by little candies, the horrible girl and man above, and the quest for lives, donuts and clearing of the jellies.

She hopes to be freed from this prison soon.  Just as soon as she gets past Level 45.

Dyn-O-Mite

Hi!  Remember me? 

I feel like I've been on the go for months!  Granted, it's only been four days, but this old body isn't used to so much action. 

Please don't take that literally.

What I mean to say is that this old body isn't used to not napping and being on the go go go.

My oldest (yes, I'm the young buck) brother, and his wife, came out to visit us this weekend.  They arrived Thursday, and headed back to St. Louis this afternoon.

In between, we've eaten just about everything Charleston (and Goose Creek!) has to offer.  Seriously.  I'm terribly afraid I've now gained back all the pounds I've lost.  OINK. 

Jeff and Kathy haven't been to Charleston since Taylor was born; you know, about fifty years ago.  It was great to hang out, eat, eat again, laugh, giggle, quote Seinfeld episodes, watch hockey, soccer and follow the Boston happenings.  (how very sad all that is--)

This is the first time a family member has been to our humble little abode in the Creek.  And, it felt very nice.  The animals were absolutely thrilled for the company. 

We took them to our hangouts and introduced them to our friends and some Lowcountry Cuisine.  I have great friends and Jeff/Kathy aint half bad themselves.  (if you tell him I said that, I'll deny deny deny!)

I do wish we lived closer, but I sure did enjoy spending the weekend together in my part of the world.

It was DYN-O-MITE.

Mid Week Mute

Friends of Ju

Welcome back to the second installment of Friends of Ju.  Tonight I feature Rosalie Marie Domagalski Jackson.  She is my forever friend and the best of the best. 

We met while both of us worked at Movies to Go, a forerunner of Blockbuster Video.  We hit it off immediately.  I mean, heck, we're both Polish, how could we not?  She gave me my first wedding shower.  She gave me my first baby shower. Oh, this is where she introduced me to the world's best potato chip dip.  Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the recipe for "Rose's Potato Chip Dip:"

 Rose's Potato Chip Dip

1 large tub of small curd cottage cheese

1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup mayo  

green onions

salt and pepper  (LOTS of pepper)

Combine with a mixer and refrigerate overnight.  

Trust me, you will LOVE this.

Besides the dip and the showers, she's the true definition of a friend.  She is kind and giving to everyone.  And, I do mean EVERYONE.  She has nine million members of her family and she knows and loves every single one.  But as much as she loves them, they love her tenfold.  She and her husband Mike (yes,  Michael Jackson) have been married for 32 years and have raised the two most wonderful daughters.  Now, she is blessed with a grandson, and the nicest family just gets bigger.

She packs a great cooler, has a FOLDER filled with Groupons, and has flip flops to match every outfit. She loves QVC, American Idol and Better than Ezra. She, her husband and another couple toured 95 wineries in Missouri. MY HERO.  She works full time but manages to keep her house spotless, decorated and ever changing.  She's a whirling dervish!

I met her when I was 19 years old.  She has stuck with me when no one else has.  She was my maid of honor when I married Jake's dad. Every year since he was born, she has sent Jake's birthday card to my house so I could share it with him; a small gesture, but one that acknowledged me as his mommy.  She stayed my friend when that marriage ended and another one started.  And then again.  She was there for me when my parents died.  She has entertained all my family in her home.  She has attended weddings, funerals, baseball games, graduations and a whole host of other events.  She is simply put, the best.  If I can ever be one half the friend she is, I will have done well.  You know how much I love my grandmother, right?  Well, she is this generation's version of Grandma Miki.

She's so much more than a friend, she's as close to a sister as I could ever imagine having; just without the arguments.  My Monday hope is that all of you have a Rose in your life.  Because if you've got one of those, you are one of the lucky ones.

 

A Boring Post on a Boring Sunday of a Boring Weekend

Don't get me wrong, boring isn't bad.  But, today is boring.  B O R I N G.
The whole weekend has been B O R I N G.

I accomplished nothing.  Well, there is one load of laundry sitting in the washing machine that I started two hours ago.

I did manage to get a few naps in, but is that really accomplishing anything?

I can't even blame it on the weather.  Yesterday was gorgeous.  Today has been overcast and icky, but no rain.

It's not like I don't have tons of things to do.

I could be paying bills.
I should be cleaning the house, especially mopping the disgustingly spotted floor.

Instead, I have been playing Candy Crush and Bubble Witch all weekend.  I'm not even making progress in either game, as I'm stuck on the same level and have been for days.

I bet Albert Einstein never wasted his time playing stupid games.  But then again, he had some crazy hair; maybe the frustration made it grow like that?

I've also spent more than a few hours looking at menus, trying to figure out where to eat this coming weekend.  My oldest brother (dude on the right in the pic below) and his wife are coming to Charleston for a little visit with his Sissy Poo.  (no, he has never in his life called me that)  It is overwhelming for me to try to pick a few places that personify Charleston.   It's also challenging to look at menus all day while still dieting and trying to be good!

Tim and Jeff, last weekend , in Athens, Georgia

So, here I sit with nothing exciting to report.  But, no news is good news, just not necessarily good for blog fodder! 

So, that's all I have until tomorrow,  when I introduce you to the next installment of, "Friends of Ju."

Boring Post on a Boring Sunday of the Boring Weekend completed.

(hey!  I did accomplish this anyway!!??!!)

On the Cutting Edge

Just in case you've been lying awake at night wondering what's trending in my world, I'm here to guide you through the "Things That Ju Thinks Are Cool" list:  2013.  So, without further ado, let's get started.

Any kind of mixed patterns.  I love feeling free NOT to match.

ANYTHING from this store. 

(of course, I order on line, but still...)

 

Yes, Laughing Cow Cheese.  35 Calories.  

 You get that cheese fix with zero guilt.

 I love my IPad.  

I might be playing too many games on there.

And, I'm not a game playing kinda gal.

I like nice sweet public displays of attention.

 

Arugula Lettuce.  

I could eat it on anything.  

 

 

Anything Black and White.  

Any shoes by Born. 

Capri Leggings.  I wear them with everything.

Seriously.

Okay, well, not jeans, but just about everything else.

Large margaritas on Friday Evenings.

And, two things that I will NEVER like, and will never make the cool list:

 

Crop Tops and Ugg Boots.

UGH.

What's on your list of COOL?

Mid Week Mute

Friends of Ju

I think I've found a new series to put on this here blog.  When I think about it, I realize I have so many interesting talented friends, I could have blog fodder for years!

I start the series with my good buddy, Larry.  Larry is one half the duo, "Mary and Larry."

Larry, Steven and I all work together.  He is of the Trio that lunches every Tuesday at Kicking Chicken.  (his order:  three chicken strips, fried, Hot Honey Gangsta, with fries, extra hot sauce and a side of blue cheese please) 

We may have started out working together, but have become friends over the years.  We often vacation together and go to the mountains yearly.  He's like an uncle/friend to Taylor and is one of the best daddies I know, and has two of the cutest kids currently walking the planet.

He's super computer smart, takes great photos and loves to skateboard.  A lot. A real lot.  He's been instrumental in the Columbia area in getting a nice skateboard park built. At one point, he and Mary had a skateboard ramp in their backyard, and most of the local skaters had been there at one point or another.  (NOTE:  not me.  Not that I'm a skater.  But still.)

He's an excellent cook, even though someone beat him in the recent Mountains Chopped competition. 

On top of all that he's accomplished up to this point, now he's discovered a talent in woodworking.  He has recently been creating cutting boards, cheese boards and wine holders. He also put in custom counters and made a TABLE for a friend.  It's all so pretty and artistic;  created by the same man who I literally saw eat a crab claw off the sidewalk when we were in St. Croix. Contradictory?  Yes, I do believe so.

 I was afraid to use my cheese board, but he swears that's the intent.  Sir used it this past Friday night, check it out:

And there you have it, you now know my friend, Larry.  He's one of the good guys.  If you'd like to see more of his work, all you have to do is click here.  Tell him the Ju sent ya.

My 8 1/2" by 11" Day

Mid Week Mute