Thanks Ya'll

Still new at blogging, but I have already found some blogs I must read everyday.

OhTheJoys usually posts early, so I read her with my cup of morning coffee which usually promotes coffee sprays hitting my screen and keyboard from laughter.(I'm serious!)

The mother-of-all-bloggers Dooce, posts at random lately, misses some days and not consistent in the time of day she posts, but still manages to deliver her hilarious, not always with intent, entertaining updates in her life.

After just having a baby, Maggie, has little bits and pieces coming in, but you can fill in the days she doesn't post by buying and reading her book.

I am just this side of stalking Mary. I enjoy her daily picture-included-posts and style of delivering her daily encounters and critiquing of products.

Although Willam (yes, I spelled it right, he corrected me) may not be for everyone's reading, he does have a very interesting life. I love him/her? in this YouTube video!

FanneeDoolee and Captain Obvious are from the family tree and a perfect way for me to keep in touch with their daily happenings.

Beth, Beth, Beth ... I love her self proclaimed white-trash sense of humor and if she lived closer, I would insist on a weekly girls night out.

This Just In reminds me a lot of myself. (so of course I like her *smiles*) We both have 21 year old sons named Bryan. (hers is Brian) and may I add her Brian is serving our country in Iraq ... please remember him in your prayers.

I still don't know all the blogging "etiquette." I love the comments left on my posts, if I don't reply back, it's not that I don't appreciate them, because I do.

Google ...

We've all done it, we google ourselves and anyone else we can think of. Friends, family, coworkers, ex-loves, classmates.

I just googled myself and had a laugh. So there I am, just two items come up.

An interview from five years ago with the local paper on why I have a CCW (concealed weapon permit) and my recent win of a thousand bucks in a Dooney and Bourke purse from a local radio station contest.

Claim to fame, I have a designer purse to carry my Glock in. *head tilt*

Go Google yourself. (sounds kinda kinky, eh?)





PS: No, I don't carry so go easy on the anti handgun comments.

Barbie, not Midge

In my March 18th post, I mentioned my Barbie tattoo and last night someone sent me an e-mail asking if I really have one. Yep, I do. I always wanted a tat, but it took me until I was 42 years old to get one.

I had started collecting Barbie a few years before. When I started to really look at the original 1959 logo, that's when it hit me to get the tat.

I have had over a thousand Barbie's, mint in the box, but I began selling them a couple years ago. I still have quite a few left, some that I will never part with. I'd guess I still have 200-300 hundred left.

Her white pearls have faded, they need touching up, and her red lips could use some new ink, but her hair has stayed Barbie Blond. And no, I won't be putting Ken on the other ankle.

Note to Caitlin:

"It's OK, I understand, really I do ... no its' OK, sure go ahead, kick those muddy boots off onto my cream colored carpet, I DO understand. Oh don't worry about the sticky orange juice you just spilled on the kitchen floor because your arms are flying in the air as you rant about how dumb guys are. Go right ahead, drop F bombs as you really are the only female in the world that suffers from cramps."

"I confess, it must be me that shrunk your jeans, it's not bloating. Darn it, I must have put them on an inferno setting in the dryer ... please forgive me. What? I forgot to get Oreo's to top the chocolate ice cream drowning in Hershey's syrup? Well it's only 11:00 at night, I could get dressed and run out to Meijer's for you! No that's not a pimple, it must be dirt spots on the mirror ... here, let's get out of this dirty bathroom!"

Hey Cait, there is a new diner in town ... PLEASE check it out:

Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes

I never was one to focus on the topic of a photo. I prefer to look at the oddities in candid shots. When I saw this photo of Prince Harry from his recent drunken scuffle with the paparazzi, the first thing I noticed was that this poor prince definitely has some miles on those shoes! Click on the photo for a closer look.

Records are Breaking

Weeeeee-ha! Today, right here, right now, it is 79 degrees! From what our local weather man says, we have officially broke a record for March 26th in the Detroit area. Which now brings me to my official records that need to be broken.

1. I need to break my record of trying for 3 months to stay on a diet and failing.

2. I need to break my record of trying to work out every day and barely making it to the gym more than three times a week.

3. I need to break my record of having dirty windows since last July!

4. I need to break my record of not reading anything more than tabloid trash on line and get to Borders to pick up a good book.

5. I need to break my record of staying up until after midnight and get myself some eight hours of much needed sleep at night.

6. I need to break my record of really thinking I will do all of the above and get outside to enjoy this beautiful weather ... after all it IS Michigan and we could have a foot of snow by Monday!

More Conversation Hearts

Caitlin as she is pilfering through the cupboards and refrigerator:

C: We have nothing to eat, nothing healthy.

Me: Everything you ask me to buy is in there,
your mac N cheese, your cheez-its, your
Mrs. Grass soup, your Stoffer's pizzas.

C: Well, I want to start eating healthier.

Me: Here is my debit card, go get healthy grocery's.
Make sure it is what you will eat. Get fresh vegi's for salads, fruit, etc.

Caitlin was gone for about an hour ... pulls up with
1 bag and 1 empty cup in her hand. *crumpled up, garbage*

Me: What happened to grocery shopping?

C: Oh, Jodie called just after I left, I met her for lunch.

*Gasp* Her idea of health food this afternoon:

T B S Part 2

I ran across this picture and have to wonder. Is this woman just happy that she has a gun to protect those melon's of hers?

T B S

I have had a few people ask me what the label TBS means on some of my posts. Simply put : Trivial BullSh*t

TBS can also be something that rolls around in your noodle for years that refuses to go away. I have a couple that won't find a place in the abyss of my brain, but I can't think of any scenario they would become of any use to me.

"CHIcken in the CAr and the car won't GO, that's how you spell CHICAGO"



"A Rat In The House Might Eat The Ice Cream" = arithmetic



"Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge" = lines on a standard treble clef
"FACE" = spaces between the lines



And what TBS rolls around in your head that you can't get out?

96.3 WDVD Deeee-troit!

I never play radio call in games. They are so frustrating. Always a busy signal and hitting redial a bazillion times just to hear a loud pitched default noise followed by an obnoxious voice saying "all circuits are busy, please try again."

This morning I am at work and I knew of their latest game. There are fifty purses, all designer, from Prada, to Chanel, YSL, LV, Dooney & Bourke, etc. Out of the fifty, ten have $1,000 in them.

The DJ announced that the 96th caller would definitely win a purse and it could possibly have $1000 in it. I dialed and got the expected busy signal. I hit redial a couple times, listening to the music in the background of my office thinking I should stop because they probably have the caller by now.

Then I got a ring ...it kept ringing, like 6-8 times before it was answered with "you are the 96th caller." Just like all the other dumb responses I've laughed at, there I am saying "are you are kidding me?" to which he replied, "I don't kid about that!" He had me pick a purse, giving me a choice of three random numbers 35, 40, or 42. I picked 42, and he announced I won a Dooney & Bourke brown leather bag valued at $285, then he opened it up.

Drum-roll please ... ONE THOUSAND BUCK-A-ROOS! I have never won a thing in my life. Sure feels good!

They're back! TMNT

Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello

Those pizza eating, heroes in a half shell, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

I remember round one of their popularity. My son Bryan is 21. When he was little, ever kid was so obsessed by these adorable ninjas, they were impossible to find.

No problamo, my darling little blond haired, blue W-I-D-E eyed son decided not to bother asking Mom and Dad for them, Santa would bring them. YIKES!

He wanted Leo, Ralph, Mic, Don, Shredder, Splinter, April, etc., all of them were a must to be able to properly reenact the stories from the movie and TV shows. So I made friends with the stock people, night shift, and dock hands at my local 24 hour Meijer store. I remember it took about 2 weeks of going there at 3AM every night before I got all of them. Santa pulled it off! I still have every pizza loving one, with all their frickin million little pieces stashed safely away.

The new TMNT movie comes out this Friday. I plan on seeing it, maybe Bryan will go with me. !!! COWABUNGA !!!

Pisces

Today is my 52nd birthday so here are 52 things about me:

* I have a picture of me with Mr. T * I read Shogun without stopping * I like window seats * Snakes scare me * There is a 1959 Barbie logo tattooed on my ankle * My first boyfriend was Jeff Wolf * Ben N Jerry's Cherry Garcia is my favorite ice cream * I'm a germ-o-phobe * I have worked for the same company for over 20 years * Sea food is always my first choice * I never miss LOST * I believe in God * I am on my fourth Ford Explorer * I have a C-Section scar * I prefer gladiolas * I use six pillows in my bed * I can SCUBA dive * I have a son and a daughter * Love Baseball - Go Tigers * I don't drink milk or pop * I floss daily * Ariel is my favorite Disney girl * "The Flame" by Cheap Trick puts a lump in my throat * Favorite Seinfeld episode, Sponge Worthy * I like Red Licorice * Ears pierced, three in one, two in the other * I love the smell of bacon frying * I've danced in public across a bar top * I have Middle Child Syndrome * I sneak Baileys in my Starbuck's while people watching in Royal Oak * I can only sleep on my side * I like Bleu-Cheese Burgers * I love rain storms * 34 is my lucky number * I can wiggle my ears * I don't like different foods to touch on a plate * I have no fashion sense * I'm a patient driver, impatient shopper * I like marcasite * I hitch-hiked to Mexico when I was 18 * I think Karen Carpenter had a great voice * ET still makes me cry * clowns creep me out * Breakfast at Tiffany's is a great Sunday watch-in-bed movie * I fall asleep in less than a minute in a tanning bed * I like the Veranda Font * I think Cheerio's smell like puppies breath * I never learned to dance The Hustle * I think Sandi will count to be sure there are fifty-two things listed here * I like merlot * My second grade teacher farted while sitting on my desk * I believe everyone has a soul mate *

Yea! I Buried My Realtor Today

The ground has thawed enough that I could dig a hole. Since I am selling my house by owner, Fizzzzbo, and it's Michigan, and the whole economy sucks, and no one is buying houses, I need all the help I can get. I buried this St. Joseph statue today, as per instructions, up-side-down. I have my prayer card that came with it, to help remind me to pray every morning for a buyer. In this market I know it will take a lot more than prayer, but I am covering all bases.

My sister had her house on the market a couple years ago and it wasn't selling. She buried a St. Joseph statue ... still months went by ... no sale. Then she found the prayer card and instructions that came with her St. Joesph statue. She hadn't been praying. I kid you not, her prayers began and in a very short time, [check comments, I am sure she will remind me how short of time it was] ... her house not only sold, she had two people fighting over it!

Erin Go Bragh !

With St. Patrick's day being this weekend, the temptation to start the partying tonight and continuing until you wake up sometime Sunday is a real possibility for some of us.

Go ahead, do a pub craw, guzzle green beer, eat some corned beef and cabbage, some boiled potatoes, guzzle more green beers, have a couple green hard boiled eggs, wash them down with a few more green beers. Hit the stage, grab the mic and join in with the Irish Band-O-The-Evening, toast them with some more green beers. Wear the green light-up shamrock antenna headband, down a shot or two of green tequila, climb on that high top table to show off your version of the Irish jig. Why not have one last round of green beer!

Have a fantastic celebration this weekend but at the end of your fun PLEASE remember ... it costs less for a TAXI than an attorney.

Why Men Get Lost

Me: "Good Morning [name of my company]"

He: "Can you tell me where you are located?"

Me: "Sure, we are at 123 Main Street, just north of Elm on the west side of the road."

He: "So are you before or after Elm? ... are you on the right or left side of the road?"

Me: *smirking now* "Yes, we are before and after Elm and we are on the right and left side of the road." " It depends where you are coming from, if you tell me that, I can give you precise directions"

He: "Thanks, yeah, great, I am at [gives me location].

Ms. OnStar: " I'll make this easier for you {Mr. Compass Head} ... go past Hamlin Pub, turn right at Burger King, go past the huge American Flag, and then turn left into the next driveway."

He: "Perfect, thanks, I know right where you are."

Hey at least this guy asked directions!

Gourmet, Nancy Style

Sandi has always been the gourmet chef in our family. I have a very limited ability to cook. My kids favorite dinner is my chicken, vegi, pasta casserole. It reminds me of mess hall grub. She has to call me everytime she wants to make it, so I am posting it here so she can just look it up.

Chicken, Vegi, Pasta Casserole

1 of those BIG ASS cans of cream of mushroom soup
1 small can of cream of celery soup
1 small cut up onion - Kroger has them already chopped in the frozen section,
no teary eyes or two days of smelly fingers
2 packages of the pre-washed, pre-sliced 'shrums :Rachel Ray 101
3 precooked diced chicken breasts
4 cup bag of finely shredded mozzarella cheese,
save time and knuckles, just open a bag.

Add the soups, chicken, 'shrums and what ever vegi's you want, or what ever is in the fridge that are on the brink of being pitched.

I use carrots, broccoli, zucchini, fresh green beans,cauliflower ... watery vegi's tend to mush like, celery, green pepper, asparagus .... and can vegi's are already mushy when you open them, so they don't work well.

Precook and add a box of your favorite pasta, elbow, bow tie, shells, etc.

I add spices to taste, like Mrs. Dash, pepper, garlic salt.
Mix well, put in huge lasagna pan, cover in finely shredded mozzarella cheese and then cover it all with foil. Bake at 350' for about 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake until cheese lightly browns, or to your liking.

Bon Appetit!

Dinner for two nights, then on the third night everyone is so sick of it, you simply throw the leftovers in the garbage disposal and poof, it's gone!

Conversation Hearts Part 2

I like to down load and burn my own CD's. I have them sorted by my moods.

Like the CD for summer nights in the car, when I have convinced myself I look like a MILF and can sing like a rock-star. Or the one to play when I am sitting on my pity-pot and want some tear jerking songs to feed my miserable soul. I have my songs I grew up with CD, and my current fav's CD. I have one to play in the background when I am reading, and a good old Rock and Roll high energy CD to play when I work around the house. I also have a CD of love songs that remind me of times in my past. So, last night I started to download songs, and I got an idea. I can't believe I am going to admit this, but I decided to burn a CD of songs to play while "gettin' busy."

I though it was coming along great. I had them downloaded and was sorting into an order before burning, then Cait came home.

C: What songs are you burning?

Me: Oh, nothing much, just some old favorites.

C: "Seduces Me?" What the heck is that?

Me: Ahhh, just a Celine Dion song.

C: *laughing* "Wicked Game?" they play that on VH-1 when they are making fun of songs.

Me: Really? ummm, well I think I just heard it once.

C: Mom, look at your list, looks like something you'd hear in the background of a cheesy porn movie.

Me: *thinking here* Cool, maybe I am on the right track?!?!?

You've Got a Friend

I recently got an e-mail from my friend Karin. It amazes me that no matter how many miles there are between us, there is no way to measure how close we really are.

Karin and I were best friends, 8th through 12th grade. After graduation, we went our separate ways, but continued to keep up with each others lives. She got married and moved to Florida while I stayed in Michigan. The distance has kept us from a daily continuance of best buds, but the bond of our friendship remains intact.

As young girls exploring all the experiences we could get away with, Karin and I have more stories and memories than I can explain and probably many we'd rather not have anyone read.

(Hey KEG, remember that huge party at your house when your folks were away? Or how about when we got your Dad's Mustang caught on the garage door hinge and scraped the side of the car trying to get it out? And the time we tip-toed back into your house way past midnight, only to see the glow of your Dad's cigarette waiting for us in the family room.)

In my senior year, I had a difficult and personal situation to try to deal with. As all girls did in high school and still do, Karin wrote me a note. It was the most sincere, and healing words I had ever read. She also quoted the words to James Taylor's "You've Got a Friend" in the note. That was 1973, I still have the note and when I hear that song on the radio, she is the first person that comes to mind.

Karin, I think Mokey Bear has watched over us through the years. We will always be friends ... cross my Red Wing patch!

Poop Bloggin

Being a new "blogger" I have been surfing around the net enjoying reading other peoples blogs. It seems there are many Mommy and Daddy bloggers and everyone has a few "poop" stories to share. As much as I chuckle about them, I've been happily void of those situations. My son is 21, doesn't live with me and my daughter is 18 ... poop days are long gone for me.... until last night.

The little boy next door, Kyle, is about 8 and the cutest kid on the block. He adores our dog Quinn (side note, his legal name is Quinnie the Pooh) and wants to play with him every chance he can. Quinn has a "doggie door" so he comes in and out as he pleases. Kyle has always been welcomed into the backyard, and hops the fence whenever Quinn is out there.

I heard Quinn go out, and I saw Kyle and his friend hop the fence, I assumed to play with Quinn. I never really looked out again, but I heard lots of laughter. Through the door wall I could see the boys running around the yard, Quinn chasing them and and occasional "thud" sound. I figured they were having a snowball fight.

When winter comes, I never go out and scoop dog poop. Come spring, I am guaranteed a bumper crop of it. It dawned on me I had better remind the boys to beware of Quinn's poop. Quinn is only 10 pounds, so he drops tootsie roll size turds.

I stuck my head out the door and saw Kyle standing there in just his socks, no gloves ... boots off, snow pants off, coat off, laughing hysterically. He had the lid to my garbage can, holding it as a shield. I asked him why he was half undressed and he said he got "some" poop on him. Just then, with precision, he raised his shield as his friend launched a poopball at him! It hit the garbage can lid, like a frozen fudgesicle. Needless to say, I had to halt their fun and advise them to go home and get in hot showers.

So poop it is, no matter if you have little kids in the home or not ... where there is poop, kids are involved!

*The Secret ~ 'The Secret to You'*

Nice ... I think I will buy the full DVD

Theresa

A few years ago, my sister Sandi and I went to a little shop tucked away on a side street in downtown Rochester. "Angel Treasures" is a store with nothing but Angel related items for sale. Pins to posters, all sorts of knick-knacks, jewelry, scarfs, angels, angels, angels. You name it they probably have it with an angel on it.

The artist simply called "The Angel Lady" was scheduled to be there for a few days. She travels around the country and will see you by appointment.

As you sit before her, she tells of her background, all the while, she begins a drawing. She claims as a very young girl, she was aware that she could see guardian angels around people. It wasn't until she was older did she realize that most people don't see them.

As she spoke and drew, she recorded the conversation on cassette for us to keep. My sister Sandi went first but I sat right there with her. Sandi's angel was very apparent to the Angel Lady, and she was drawing with no effort. Gosh, this guardian angel of my sisters is beautiful.

When it was my turn, she didn't began right away. She continued to talk to me, but with reservation and puzzlement. I figured it would be just my luck that I didn't have an angel watching over me, and she was having a hard time with it. She insists everyone has a guardian angel ... except ... yes, my life story, an exception. She said that what she was experiencing has only happened a couple times in her life. She went on to explain that I had once been a guardian angel, and the confusion she was having was determining my angel from me as an angel.

Once she began to draw the skeptic in me thought she was just going to make something up and be done with it. It took her a long time, longer than she took to draw Sandi's angel. She went into great detail and when she was done, she flipped the picture over for me to see for the first time. As quickly as I looked at it, she asked me who it was. Without hesitation, with instant recognition, I answered Theresa.

I don't know what it all means, I don't question it. We left the store and went to Kinko's and had wallet sized copies made and laminated to carry on us. To this day, Theresa is in my wallet.

Vickie's Secret

I'm just sitting here drinking my morning coffee wearing Caitlin's Hello Kitty slippers, a five pound shocking pink fluffy robe, dripping wet hair, and a mud mask on my face. Oh yea, and a pair of those little magnifying dollar store reading glasses are perched half way down my nose.

As I flipped through the latest Victoria Secret sale catalog, I notice Caitlin has circled something on just about every page. I like her choices. I think to myself, "those" are cute. Mmm, this is sexy. Hey, this is a cool new color, etc. It suddenly dawns on me, Cait is 18, I am 51, there is no way the things she picks out and wears has any business being part of my wardrobe. I start to look closer at these perfectly air brushed models, flawless skin, youthful faces and bodies.

I have a sudden epiphany. I have figured out Victoria's secret. It's the simple fact that you have to be under the age of 28 to be able to wear most things in her catalog. Unless of course, you don't have any mirrors in your house.

Everyday Words

They aren't naughty, why do we snicker when we say them?
*Admit it, you snicker*

Feel free to add to the list!

Peacock, Kumquat, Uvula, Pianist, Titanate, Obfuscation, Dingle Berry, and my favorite ... Bangkok

Mr. Clean and Mr. Impossible

My list for Home Depot today:

• Can of foam filler
  
• Light bulbs
• Vacuum belt
• Mr. Clean Magic Erasures
• Furnace filter
  

I came home with everything on my list and this handy dandy tool, think it will work?

Dinner With a Perfect Stranger ...

... An Invitation Worth Considering. That was the title of the play presented at Kensington Church tonight. A performance scripted from the book of the same name, by David Gregory.

Good, a play, I like a break from the usual upbeat, electric, powerful services I find at Kensington. *wink*

The drama team at Kensington is as professional as any local theater company and I am always impressed with their performances. This presentation was awesome. The story takes place in an upscale Italian restaurant with "Nick" answering to an anonymous invitation to dinner. Thinking it is a prank by coworkers or his best friend, he checks it out. When he arrives at the restaurant, he finds himself reluctantly dining with a well groomed, perfectly relaxed man in suit and tie, that introduces himself as Jesus.

Imagine that, an evening with Jesus. Eating fine cuisine, drinking fabulous wine, and playing twenty questions. Nick asked the questions I am sure most of us would have, and without hesitation Jesus answered them. There was the humor that you would expect ... like when Nick first approached the dinner table and asked Jesus if twelve others were missing ... or his request to have Jesus turn his wine into water, by which Jesus asked the waiter for another glass of water for Nick. But of course it was the message of seeking Jesus into our lives that this dinner date was conveying.

I am going to buy the book tomorrow and read it over dinner.

Prince

I have always been a Prince fan (maybe not as much as my nephew Patrick). I had no doubt he would out perform any expectation during the Super Bowl half time. I didn't want to write about him after the Super Bowl because everyone was and it was only about the "shadows." People missed the magic of his music while looking for the controversies. I just read this months Rolling Stone article on it and was pleased none of the sort was mentioned, thanks RS.

His eccentric life is off set by his electric mind. Some may not appreciate Prince as he presents himself, but may unknowingly like, sing along to, and have bought songs that he has written and composed for others. Nothing Compares To You, Sinead O'conner, Manic Monday, The Bangles, Tom Jones recorded Prince's song Kiss and most recent, music for the Batman and Happy Feet movies.

I am playing a Prince CD as I type and one of my favorite just started ... his cover of Along the Watchtower.

What I Had For Lunch

When I first decided to start my blog, I bought this blogging idea book No One Cares What You Had For Lunch, by Maggie Mason http://mightygirl.net/shop

I met my sister Sandi today for lunch. She has been my best friend since the first day she moved out of our parents home. Prior to that, she and I were sisterly enemies. I think for the most part, most of our disagreements were my fault. I took her clothes after she left for school and I snitched on her wrong doings but, I secretly hoped to be just like her.

Always the one person I can trust, tell my fears, secrets, and embarrassing moments to. Over the years Sandi has worn many hats for me. She can be the therapist, the devils advocate, the shoulder to cry on, and the friend to laugh with, but most of all she has been a beacon of center for me.

At times I can be way out there, or buried deep inside myself, or walking a thin line of uncertainty. When I spend time talking with her, from saying everything to saying nothing, I can regroup and come back to center. Today was one of those days, just a feel good lunch time, leaving me with a blessed feeling for having her in my life.

I concur, no one cares what I had for lunch today, the most important part is who I had lunch with. *smiles*