Friday, November 23, 2007

Like The Foxfire 5 joke, or playing "ketchup"

For a couple years before I left Virginia, I made an attempt at my own Thanksgiving tradition -I hosted a 'girlfriends' Thanksgiving. I invited my single friends over and started serving margaritas at 10am. I made a pot roast for Jodye, who doesn't like turkey, and home made macaroni and cheese. Dawn came and brought venison and other "Pennsylvania delicacies".


Everyone spent the night, and the next day we went to brunch and had mimosas and toasted our birthdays (early, but we only saw each other a couple times a year, so we had to optimize our time together as well as maximize the damage to our respective livers.)


When I moved here, Thanksgiving weekend happily became home improvement weekend. Last year, I painted my bedroom. This year my plans were far more ambitious. So ambitious in fact, I needed professional help. I had 11 unruly, pokey-leaved-holly bushes ripped out , and little odd looking trees chainsaw-ed down.. old stumps were removed, two bottles of round up went onto the odd-potentially human eating plant growing in the southeast corner of the yard. Other things on the list include replacing the front door and the back storm door (arguably the most important door in the house, as it's the one with the dog door in it) a hole in my bedroom wall will be patched and painted, a new light fixture hung over my kitchen table, new window blinds will go up in all the windows in the front of the house and some old, unused wood structures in my backyard were torn down. Grass seed will go down, mulch too. Also, I bought hardwood flooring for the living room and master bedroom. I've been getting estimates on a new deck for the backyard.

Pictures, they will be a-comin'. Those of the before and after variety.

If you're thinking I got carried away, you're probably right, but hush up, okay?, because I'm really happy. My non-traditional spending of a very traditional holiday leaves me pleased as punch.

For my birthday frivolity, I took the advice of the lovely Redneck Scottsdale Princess and went designer handbag shopping on E-bay. I came away with two Coach purses and one Coach wallet. I also blew more than a few bucks at L'Occitane. That's frivolous, and fabulous, and just what this girl wanted for her birthday. The actual birthday will likely be spent doing yardwork..because the paying of someone else to do the big stuff leaves the little stuff for me. Of course, I could always wake up on the day and decide I want to eat pie and wear my pajamas all day and make the yardwork wait. It's been known to happen.

I've been completely unable to finish a blog lately. I start them and then my brain turns to mush. I'm blaming it on my productiveness at home and at work which has been leaving me busier than the proverbial one-legged man in a butt kicking contest.

As usual, the end of the year always leaves me feeling like I can't catch up, but I never know what exactly it is I'm trying to catch.

Right now, though, I'd settle for 8 hours of sleep.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Ala Mandaroo, it's Trash Day.

I dreamt last night that I invented a new Barbie, her name was Freaky Varroom, and she was stylishly dressed (if this were 1980 something) in a black denim jumpsuit and trench coat.
I have no idea yet am somewhat afraid of what this means.

I am overwhelmed this fall by a sense of urgency to just get to the end of this year. I just want January to get here, and I have no real reason to feel that way. I keep catching myself looking at the calendar and wish I could flip the page, hang the new runner’s world calendar and get on with it.
Get on with what, I don’t exactly know.

I just heard on the news that Triple A expects this Thanksgiving to be the heaviest travel year EVER! Is it just me, or do they say this crap every year? Do you ever wonder if it stops anyone from traveling? Stop wondering. It’s probably going to stop me. I am not proud of this fact about me, but it is true that I often find myself praying for a fully automatic weapon when surrounded my mini vans loaded down with luggage and DVD watching children that want me to wave at them.
This probably makes me not a very nice person.

After reading the story of the 14 year old girl that killed herself after a MySpace relationship ended - a relationship that turned out to be a cruel joke played by A FULL-GROWN ADULT – the mother of a child that used to be friends with the dead teenager, I am even more convinced that having children should require a mental examination, and a license of some kind. Just because you can reproduce, doesn’t mean you should. This whole thing makes me ill. I’m pretty sure we should all stop with the “what’s wrong with kids today?”, and start asking “what’s wrong with parents today?”

After my disappointing seminar in Atlanta a few weeks ago, I couldn’t help but be a little happy (or maybe, a lot) at the fact that the woman who taught the seminar did horribly (for her) at the National Championships a few weeks ago. I’d like to say this was her Karma – but it’s probably just me being a small person.
I can totally live with that.

I spent a large portion of the day yesterday with a leaf blower in my back yard. It took me the first hour to teach the puppy that the leaf blower is not an evil thing trying to kill me, and he really shouldn’t bite it. I’m pretty sure I had more fun blowing leaves than anyone else on my block yesterday, well anyone but the puppy.

On a more together day, I probably could have written an entire post on any of these topics. Instead, I took a cue from Mandy, and left the clutter in my head out on the curb with all those leaves.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, They Do Exist....

I went to a wine tasting/art show a few weeks ago. The wine was way better than expected, and the art was, well art, which I’m pretty sure isn’t my thing. I often look at art hanging in public places and usually, it leaves me wondering; a) why someone was compelled to paint/draw/sketch that particular scene, and b) who thought it appropriate for the lobby/hallway/room of the building I’m in.
I usually never get either question. It’s just not my thing.

I had a great time though; the artist was pretty much every artist stereotype you can think of, including slightly drunk and overly affectionate to complete strangers; BUT, she was funny and gracious and it was very endearing. I hope she does well (and I hope someone was driving her home).

There was a funky guy playing guitar and singing everything from Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson to Green Day. He was far better than the average guitar-player-in-a-bar, but I remain quite sure the only person who should be singing Patsy Cline IS Patsy Cline.
It should be a rule.
Maybe even a law.

It was a quick date, but it was the date of my high school dreams.
He was on time, dressed nicely, and complimented me. He was charming and thoughtful, he opened doors for me and introduced me to the people he knew and I didn’t, he held my hand and stole kisses on the elevator.

I admit to being a little sad when he kissed me good night at the door, not because of anything that happened that night, but because it took me this long to find someone who treats me like this.

I've made plenty of bad calls along the way, sure. It's just that tonight, I'm equally sure that all of them together don't add up to not deserving this.

Thanks T.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

A little happy

This morning I got stopped on Main Street in downtown littletownIlivein.
Stopped by a police officer, who stopped traffic going both ways, then helped a guy push his broken down car across and down the street to the mechanics shop.

Everyone stopped, not one horn honked, and I saw the police officer and broken down car guy smile and shake hands with each other when the task was done.

Have I mentioned lately, how much I love living here?

Friday, November 2, 2007

Wordnerd Made Me Do It

A Thursday Thirteen that is… and I wasn’t off today and I’m not eating dove chocolates. I do however, have a bunch of random crap rolling around in my head and lack the drive to focus on just one of them and turn them into something meaningful.

So.. that means if you’re up for some meaningless drivel, you’re in the right place.

1. I saw/talked to one of my ex-boyfriends yesterday. Other than starting to lose his hair, he’s exactly the same person he was 10 years ago, and for that, he should be ashamed.

2. For the first time in I don’t know how long, I wanted to give out candy on Halloween and by the time I got the store to buy some, the cupboards were BARE. Everyone was disappointed.

3. I did get to see a ladybug, a cheerleader and a little red devil. Those kids made me happy.

4. The teenager lurking around my neighborhood dressed like the grim reaper almost made me pee myself.

5. The dogs had the same effect on him, though - that’ll learn him to walk up behind a girl in the dark with TWO German Shepherds. Heh.

6. I spent a ridiculous amount of time looking at thermometers and rain gauges online today, cause I secretly think they are cool.

7. I love pygmy goats.

8. I want to leave a bag of flaming dog poo on my across-the-street neighbors’ doorstep.

9. A friend told me today she’s expecting a baby in the spring. Her joy was infectious.

10. Next summer my best girlfriends and I are renting a house on the coast of North Carolina – I have the distinct feeling this will be one of the best weeks of my life. I’m already excited.

11.The only couple I ever set up is expecting their first child in January. I don’t think I’ve ever known two people more perfect for each other.

12. I want to buy something ridiculously extravagant and utterly useless for my birthday this year.

13. I’m taking suggestions for #12.

Happy Friday and weekend all.