The combination of being ill and doing construction in the computer area of the house this past week has kept me from logging into wordpress.  I haven’t quit blogging.  Soon I’ll feel up to par and my desk will return (I am currently juggling a cup of coffee and balancing my laptop on my…lap.)

Something irrelevant to being sick and construction is the annoyance of certain phrases.  This topic was discussed on XE a few weeks ago where I explained my dislike of the phrase, “It is what it is.”   And now I want to add another, here, because the topic has left the XE forum and because it gives me something to blog about.

This is one of the most stupid and non nonsensical and definitely overused  phrases used today.  Here is why I think so:  Women rarely make history.  Don’t think this is a men vs. women issue.  Men rarely make history too.  Poorly behaved women rarely make history.  People, as individuals rarely make history.  But you will see this quote thrown around, on facebook especially, as though it is prolific.  It’s not.  But it seems that females will use this as an ‘in yo face’ feminist motto.  I’ll agree, some poorly behaved gals make history.   But forgive me for believing that it’s a stupid quote by which to live.

End rant.

Every weekday, I rush home from work so I can be present when he gets off the school bus.  Though, I really don’t need to be there.  You see, Max takes around a half hour to walk from the bus stop to our front door.  He is especially slow since there has been snow on the ground.  Max loves snow.  Max eats snow.  Max loves to eat snow.

Today I was peeking out the window and watching his walk as I do every day.  Only this time, I grabbed a camera.  And now, like a good mommy, I am pasting it on the internet.  Enjoy.

Christmas was awhile ago, but that is no reason to stop talking about it.  Remember last year?  When Mystie sent me that amazing package and I made a video of The Max and I rummaging though it?

This year, DJD drew my name.  Deej and I are friends, mostly because he plays songs I request on his radio show and because he left me that message one time on my voice mail.  (You can hear part of the message in last years Secret Santa video).

The Secret Santa gift exchange is between some of my XE-er friends.  We draw names in the first couple weeks of December and then we aim to get the presents to our draws by Christmas.

Today, I got my package in the mail because when DJD moved a month or so ago, he forgot to bring his calender.  Time was completely forgotten when I opened the box and saw a gift certificate, presented to The Max for Toys R Us.  Very thoughtful, DJD.  Below the gift card was a Styrofoam box.  I gingerly opened it, as the box had fragile stamped on it about twelve times.  And there it was:

Very awesome.  But the little writing on the bottom, what could it mean?   Well, flip over the mug and you’ll see this:
FANTASTIC!  My new favorite mug.  Advent calender mayhem every morning with my coffee.  Thanks DJD, Merry Christmas!

Last week, I was in an old warehouse that doubles as a storage unit for an antique dealer.  In a box I saw Suzie, and I grabbed her head and looked at the price tag.  Two bucks.  Well worth it.  I plopped 8 quarters into the box and hoped the dealer of antiques would find the money and understand the head was legally bought and not stolen.

She’s a little creepy, but I figured with a bath, Suzie could be fabulous.  So, I bathed her.

The lens of my camera got all steamy for this shot.  Now, it’s like the dream sequence in Grease when they sang Beauty School Drop Out. Very fitting.  Her hair was a mess, and I should mention she has human hair.  Don’t think it’s too gross, she has writing on her neck assuring me she is lice free.  I sat with an entire bottle of revolting smelling strawberries and cream conditioner and a wide tooth comb for almost an hour getting those snarls out of her hair.

Suzie feels much better since she could run her fingers through her hair if she had fingers.  Now let’s blow-dry!

Bad idea, I even tried  a straightening iron with zero luck.  Suzie is an air dry sort of gal.

Much better.  Her wild curls look sensational with the brightly colored scarf and the mountainous backdrop. Never again will she allow her tresses to become such a tangled mess.  🙂

Happy New Year!

I spent the day with my head in the toilet working the breakfast shift and pissy that I had to be there.   But last night was plenty of fun. I trust your adventures were exciting as well.

I began a new blog, CLICK HERE!!!

I haven’t proof read it yet, so count the spelling and grammar errors and whoever is closest to the actual number, gets a *prize!

Happy New Year!  2011 is promising to me, mostly because it is the first year in quite  awhile they cannot make those stupid glasses for people to wear at Times Square with the eye frames being two zeros.  Why are you still reading this?!?!  GO TO THE NEW SITE NOW!

*I have not chosen a prize nor have I counted the errors.  I am basically lying
.

Friday, I will launch a whole new site with a whole new theme and it has definitely taken me away from here.  But, after all my ducks are aligned and other cliches occur, I will be back, both here and the new there.

2011 will be fantastic 🙂

I haven’t written much as of late.  I don’t know why.  I feel extremely busy, but in fact, I have accomplished little.

Christmas was two days ago, and it was fantastic.  The whole holiday was a blur of visiting friends and family and wrapping flying through the air.  I got to see my nieces and nephew and hug them more than they cared to endure.  I ate too much and drank a little.  I saw old friends and drove a few hundred miles in the process.  It was hectic.

The last part of Christmas day was winding down, The Max, Mr. Pilver and I were gathered in our loft and watched Mickey’s Christmas Carol on my laptop, I realized this was it.  Theis was the last part of Christmas and the best.  Max was wearing fuzzy jammies and he let me hold him.   Mr Pilver was insanely giddy about watching Goofy’s sports follies and acting like a kid.  Me and my boys were having our first Christmas together.

So many years it was Me and The Max, only.  I loved those years and I will always tear up like a fool when I think about them.  But now we are a trio and we are a good one at that.  I loved all the changes we encountered this year and I welcome 2011’s adventures.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! (way late).

IN the past four years or more, I have developed a group of friends I have never met.  When I have no one to talk to, or if I am bored, I will hop online and talk to these people.    Most of the time I can catch one or two and catch up with their lives.  There’s a group of us, who are all friends with each other though almost none of us has met.   Last summer we had a fantastic meet-up planned and the week prior to said meet-up it all fell apart and we never did meet face-to-face.

But still, daily, we talk.  I have read many studies that say internet relationships (and I don’t mean romantic) can be unhealthy because you are losing out on true human emotion and reaction.  While I don’t want to ever rely solely on the net for companionship, I am sure as hell not going to deny these people whom I consider awesome.

After our plans fell through, my friends and I still talked.  And, I know someday, we will still all meet.  But today we tragically lost a member of our ‘group’.  I was sitting in a parking lot scanning through my facebook notices on my phone when I read the awful news.  Dan H.’s wife, Michelle, passed away this morning.  I burst into tears.  While I don’t know her personally, what I have heard of her is wonderful.  Anytime anyone has mentioned Dan or Michelle they cannot help but proclaim, “They are SO NICE!”  I was so looking forward to meeting them, especially Michelle.  And my heart hurts because that will never happen.

My deepest sympathies go out to Dan today.  He always spoke highly of his wife and I admire that in a man more than anything.  And when I was thinking about his ever kind words about her, I think about the words the others in our group use to speak about their wives/husbands and girl/boyfriends.  It’s always good.  Sure, everyone has troubles, and everyone has hard times with the ones they hang onto ’til death do they part.  But it seems I only hear positivity when it comes to these people and their relationships, and it is something I admire.  And furthermore, it makes me want to know these people better.

I don’t know how to end this, I just wish for peace for you, Dan.

Last weekend was my birthday.  Woohoo, 32, it’s so…32.  For my birthday I went over the mountains to visit family and Archie McPhee.

Archie McPhee is a store in Seattle where in their four walls is everything you will never need but will want regardless. Visit their website to see what I mean.  Bacon air fresheners, boxing nun puppets, and rubber chickens are among the most popular items sold at the store and online.  I was able to blow more money than I want to admit on two bags of goodies.  The first bag was full of items I carefully chose during my browsing session through the store.  The second bag was a “Mystery Bag”.  $24.95 was all I spent on the items enclosed in that bag, and the actual amount of the wares was substantially higher.  The items in the mystery bag were, for the most part, well selling items.  I am not sure as to why they give you so much for so little, but I am not going to complain.

I’ll start with the best, because I cannot contain my exctiment any longer:

I was peering at the items hanging on the wall and carefully deciding what to place into my shopping basket when I saw them.  Three Green Bamboo Mystery Peanuts.  I whisked all three off their hanger and into my basket and peered around to see if anyone was going to come up to me and steal my find, but nobody seemed to care.  Fools.  Upon checking out, I was asked if I found everything OK.  I paused, and then asked casually, “You got any more of these peanuts?”  When it was made known to me there was indeed more, I hesitated.  Do I ask for ALL the Green Bamboo Mystery Peanuts?  What if there’s a hundred in the back, do I really need a hundred?  “I’ll take three more.” I told the clerk.  I suppose it is best to leave some for others.

Then of course, I picked up a giant pencil.  This will be for Max for Christmas, along with the nose shaped pencil sharpener.  Though the two cannot work with each other.  I realize I should have set something alongside the pencil to show the true size of it, so I will just tell you it’s about a foot long.

Mustache clings for your mirror!   I cannot grow one, but now I can see what I would look like if I could!

So much fun…

In this terribly taken photo you will find Egg Nog Gum, Thanksgiving Gum, and a Bacon Gummy Candy.  As of yet, I have only ventured into the Thanksgiving Gum.  The cranberry was fine, it had a fruity taste.  The pumpkin was surprisingly unoffensive and almost fruity as well.  The turkey was the stupidest thing I have ever put in my mouth.  So bad.

I could fill a dozen blogs with the treasures I brought home from Archie McPhee last weekend.  But, I don’t have much blogging time lately, so this is the end.  If you are ever in Seattle, visit the store, it’s a good time.  If not, check out the web site.