Last night D came over and I made a FANTASTIC dinner: chicken breasts (bone in, skin on) with a goat cheese/herb mixture under the skin (garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, parsley, a little olive oil), olive oil and salt & pepper on top. Roasted asparagus, with olive oil, salt & pepper. Couscous with green onion and currants. We demolished it all.
Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Goat Cheese
2 chicken breasts (with skin & bones)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 handful parsley
2 oz. fresh goat cheese (half a small log)
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400°.
In food processor, chop garlic, rosemary, lemon zest and parsley. Add in the goat cheese and a little salt & pepper, then spin again. With the processor running, add just a little olive oil, enough to make it more "spreadable." Loosen the skin on the chicken breasts and put half the goat cheese mixture under the skin of each breast. Smooth the skin and then coat with olive oil, salt & pepper. Place chicken breasts in a roasting pan on a flat rack, and roast for about 35-45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer measures 160 at the thickest part (without touching bone). Let the meat rest for 5 minutes or so under foil, and then dig in.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Day 4
Feeling much better today. Last night D came over and I made a FANTASTIC dinner: chicken breasts (bone in, skin on) with a goat cheese/herb mixture under the skin (garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, parsley, a little olive oil), olive oil and salt & pepper on top. Roasted asparagus, with olive oil, salt & pepper. Couscous with green onion and currants. We demolished it all.
Then we watched American Idol (I know! He HATES Idol!) and went to bed.......mmm....got to sleep pretty late though. ;-)
Today I woke up feeling much better (probably due to all the orgasms, LOL) and worked for a while this morning while he watched TV. Had a nooner (on the couch and then the stairs!!), then some lunch (and he watched AMC with me!), and he just left a little while ago. God, it is SO hot between us. I want him all the time, y'all.
He said he's falling for me.
Then we watched American Idol (I know! He HATES Idol!) and went to bed.......mmm....got to sleep pretty late though. ;-)
Today I woke up feeling much better (probably due to all the orgasms, LOL) and worked for a while this morning while he watched TV. Had a nooner (on the couch and then the stairs!!), then some lunch (and he watched AMC with me!), and he just left a little while ago. God, it is SO hot between us. I want him all the time, y'all.
He said he's falling for me.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
I have lost my everlovin' mind
The roosters woke me up at 6:30 this morning and I put on my robe and slippers and stomped next door and banged on their door for about ten minutes. Even though there are two trucks in front of their house, nobody answered the door. I don't know if they just don't answer their door, or if there really was nobody home. So I came back and called Animal Control, but the phone line doesn't even open until 8 AM. So I called the police non-emergency line. And I completely lost it. Started sobbing and freaking the fuck out and the dispatcher said they could send out a policeman to talk to the people but that the police couldn't cite them or anything because it's under the jurisdiction of Animal Control. Then she hung up. And I thought they were going to actually SEND A POLICEMAN OUT, so I called back so they'd know where to go, and the supervisor answered. She said, no, they WOULDN'T send anyone out, because there's really nothing they can do, and of course I lost it again. She just kept telling me to call Animal Control when the phone lines opened at 8 AM.
So then I called my dad, and begged him to come out and bring his rifle and shoot the goddamn roosters. And I started sobbing again, and told him that I quit smoking, and he's all "Ooooohhhhh, so THAT's what this is all about." And he talked me down from the ledge a little bit.
I finally made Rugrat's lunch and took him to school and then I started putting away clean laundry and changing the sheets on my bed. D called while I was in the middle of this, and thank God for him. He always knows how to make me laugh. I warned him that I am completely insane today, and told him what happened this morning and he laughed and joked me out of my funk.
So then I came back downstairs and called Animal Control again, since it was after 8. Joy! They sent out a letter yesterday to the neighbors, and they should get it today or tomorrow. Thank GOD.
So, I took a shot & a half of codeine cough syrup, and started watching Prison Break online. The helpful folks at DeltaPOST reminded me that it's available free, uncut & without commercials, online. Duh. I knew that. So my little temper tantrum last night was all for nothing.
So then I called my dad, and begged him to come out and bring his rifle and shoot the goddamn roosters. And I started sobbing again, and told him that I quit smoking, and he's all "Ooooohhhhh, so THAT's what this is all about." And he talked me down from the ledge a little bit.
I finally made Rugrat's lunch and took him to school and then I started putting away clean laundry and changing the sheets on my bed. D called while I was in the middle of this, and thank God for him. He always knows how to make me laugh. I warned him that I am completely insane today, and told him what happened this morning and he laughed and joked me out of my funk.
So then I came back downstairs and called Animal Control again, since it was after 8. Joy! They sent out a letter yesterday to the neighbors, and they should get it today or tomorrow. Thank GOD.
So, I took a shot & a half of codeine cough syrup, and started watching Prison Break online. The helpful folks at DeltaPOST reminded me that it's available free, uncut & without commercials, online. Duh. I knew that. So my little temper tantrum last night was all for nothing.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Oh OF COURSE!!
Of course today of all days my TiVo decides to crap out on me. OF COURSE it does. Not like I'm not already on edge. Not like it isn't the fucking season finale of Prison Break!
Losing my shit
These goddamn roosters are going to drive me to drink!
Rugrat is not helping. I asked him over and over to be quiet, that Mommy just needed a little silence, and he kept pestering and harping at me. Then I told him to do his homework and he sat there at the goddamn table and farted around until I came and yelled at him, and he started whining and said he couldn't do his homework because he needed paper and a pencil and THERE WAS A FUCKING GODDAMN PENCIL AND A STACK OF PAPER RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM!!!
I am totally fucking losing it. So much for the patch being helpful.
Rugrat is not helping. I asked him over and over to be quiet, that Mommy just needed a little silence, and he kept pestering and harping at me. Then I told him to do his homework and he sat there at the goddamn table and farted around until I came and yelled at him, and he started whining and said he couldn't do his homework because he needed paper and a pencil and THERE WAS A FUCKING GODDAMN PENCIL AND A STACK OF PAPER RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM!!!
I am totally fucking losing it. So much for the patch being helpful.
Day 2
I quit smoking yesterday at 11 AM. I know, on April Fool's Day! How weird is that? So far, so good, but if I remember correctly, it was about day 2 or 3 that I started really feeling the cravings. Hopefully I won't get all sick with the flu this time. I'm using the patch, so it should alleviate the worst of the withdrawal symptoms. Not the cravings, of course, but the physical withdrawals. And tomorrow night D is coming over to spend the night while Rugrat goes to Babydaddy's house. So I'll have awesome sex to distract me. :)
I tell you what, though...that fucking rooster is driving me batshit. I think there's two of them. Since 9:28 this morning I've been logging on an excel spreadsheet every time they crowed...it's been 104 times. One hundred and four!! In just over two hours!! I called Animal Control again and they said it usually takes about 2-3 weeks for them to check things out. *sigh* There's 105.
I tell you what, though...that fucking rooster is driving me batshit. I think there's two of them. Since 9:28 this morning I've been logging on an excel spreadsheet every time they crowed...it's been 104 times. One hundred and four!! In just over two hours!! I called Animal Control again and they said it usually takes about 2-3 weeks for them to check things out. *sigh* There's 105.
Friday, March 30, 2007
CPSIL update, again
The latest news in the CPSIL saga is that she's thinking about moving to Boston - WITH the kids - and living with some guy, who is apparently going to support her and yet not expect her to sleep with him. She is completely insane if she thinks that some guy is going to pay for her room and board (not to mention supporting her children as well) without expecting something in return. And the fact that shortly after abandoning her children she's decided that she needs to uproot them from their family and take them all the way across the country, away from their father who's been the only stable parent in their short lives...I am just speechless.
On a happier note, I went out to D's house last night and spent the night. It was so nice to snuggle up and sleep with him, but it was horrible torture not being able to have sex! (Although I did manage to help him out a bit. Ahem.) Thank goodness on Tuesday I'll be done with the BV treatment, because he's coming out here to spend the night, and I am going to pounce on him. :)
On a happier note, I went out to D's house last night and spent the night. It was so nice to snuggle up and sleep with him, but it was horrible torture not being able to have sex! (Although I did manage to help him out a bit. Ahem.) Thank goodness on Tuesday I'll be done with the BV treatment, because he's coming out here to spend the night, and I am going to pounce on him. :)
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
By the way...
When I went to the doctor's office yesterday, they weighed me, and I am down to just under 130. Dude! Seriously! I have met my goal, in only about 2 months.
But now I'm getting kind of worried. It is not normal for me to drop ten pounds in two months. Maybe my thyroid is going batshit? Or maybe it's a side effect of the cholesterol medication or something. Because seriously, the pounds just MELTED off of me, and I can't believe it was all due to just knitting in the evenings. I've only been to the gym like twice in the last two months, so it's certainly not that. And I'm not eating any healthier than normal, other than just not snacking as much at night. Is it really possible that I dropped 10+ pounds in two months just by not snacking in front of the TV?
But now I'm getting kind of worried. It is not normal for me to drop ten pounds in two months. Maybe my thyroid is going batshit? Or maybe it's a side effect of the cholesterol medication or something. Because seriously, the pounds just MELTED off of me, and I can't believe it was all due to just knitting in the evenings. I've only been to the gym like twice in the last two months, so it's certainly not that. And I'm not eating any healthier than normal, other than just not snacking as much at night. Is it really possible that I dropped 10+ pounds in two months just by not snacking in front of the TV?
iTunes shuffle as oracle
This is a meme that's probably really old in the blog world, but I found several instances of it when Googling "iTunes shuffle oracle" after reading Sars' iChing piece.
Go to your music player of choice and put it on shuffle. Say the following questions aloud, and press play. Use the song title as the answer to the question. NO CHEATING.
How does the world see you?
I Shall Believe, Sheryl Crow -- so the world thinks I want to be lied to? Not sure I'm liking this.
Will I have a happy life?
Just Another Day, Oingo Boingo -- that....is not very encouraging.
What do my friends really think of me?
Spanish with Michel Thomas, lesson 8. Wait, that makes no sense. Re-try: Black, Sarah McLachlan -- ouch!
Do people secretly lust after me?:
Baby I Love You, Aretha Franklin -- now that's more like it!
How can I make myself happy?
I Wanna Be Like You, Jungle Book Soundtrack -- OMG ROFLMAO
What should I do with my life?
Everyday Is Like Sunday, Morrissey -- OK, honestly I first got Elvira saying "Hello Darling," but that couldn't possibly count right? So if this is the "real" answer, I should...curl up in a ball and feel sorry for myself?
Will I ever have children?
God Don't Make Lonely Girls, The Wallflowers -- well, that seems pretty straightforward to me. Because, yanno, women can always get laid. Of course this is all a moot point since I already have the Rugrat.
What is some good advice for me?
If I Can't Have You, Yvonne Elliman (Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack) -- so I should just give up and become celibate if it doesn't work out with D? WTF?
How will I be remembered?
Don't Phunk With My Heart, Black Eyed Peas -- Hmm...so I will be remembered as a tramp?
What is my signature dancing song?
Wolfman's Brother, Phish -- ummm, yeahhhh.
What do I think my current theme song is?
She's Got a Way, Billy Joel -- aww, that's nice.
What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
Peaches & Cream, 112 -- damn, I really WILL be remembered as a tramp, won't I?
What song will play at my funeral?
The First Noel, NSync -- God, let's hope not.
What type of men/women do you like?
Live To Tell, Tori Amos -- so I like guys who are liars and and will fuck me over? iTunes really doesn't think much of me, does it?
What is my day going to be like?
Moments of Pleasure, Kate Bush -- I can live with that. :)
Go to your music player of choice and put it on shuffle. Say the following questions aloud, and press play. Use the song title as the answer to the question. NO CHEATING.
How does the world see you?
I Shall Believe, Sheryl Crow -- so the world thinks I want to be lied to? Not sure I'm liking this.
Will I have a happy life?
Just Another Day, Oingo Boingo -- that....is not very encouraging.
What do my friends really think of me?
Spanish with Michel Thomas, lesson 8. Wait, that makes no sense. Re-try: Black, Sarah McLachlan -- ouch!
Do people secretly lust after me?:
Baby I Love You, Aretha Franklin -- now that's more like it!
How can I make myself happy?
I Wanna Be Like You, Jungle Book Soundtrack -- OMG ROFLMAO
What should I do with my life?
Everyday Is Like Sunday, Morrissey -- OK, honestly I first got Elvira saying "Hello Darling," but that couldn't possibly count right? So if this is the "real" answer, I should...curl up in a ball and feel sorry for myself?
Will I ever have children?
God Don't Make Lonely Girls, The Wallflowers -- well, that seems pretty straightforward to me. Because, yanno, women can always get laid. Of course this is all a moot point since I already have the Rugrat.
What is some good advice for me?
If I Can't Have You, Yvonne Elliman (Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack) -- so I should just give up and become celibate if it doesn't work out with D? WTF?
How will I be remembered?
Don't Phunk With My Heart, Black Eyed Peas -- Hmm...so I will be remembered as a tramp?
What is my signature dancing song?
Wolfman's Brother, Phish -- ummm, yeahhhh.
What do I think my current theme song is?
She's Got a Way, Billy Joel -- aww, that's nice.
What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
Peaches & Cream, 112 -- damn, I really WILL be remembered as a tramp, won't I?
What song will play at my funeral?
The First Noel, NSync -- God, let's hope not.
What type of men/women do you like?
Live To Tell, Tori Amos -- so I like guys who are liars and and will fuck me over? iTunes really doesn't think much of me, does it?
What is my day going to be like?
Moments of Pleasure, Kate Bush -- I can live with that. :)
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Correction
Not a yeast infection, it's the goddamn BV again! Jesus H Christ on a fucking pogo stick.
So...diaphragm is out. It would cause the same bacterial infection. I'm going back on the pill. *sigh* I really quite liked being in touch with my body's rhythms & changes, but chronic BV is totally unacceptable.
So...diaphragm is out. It would cause the same bacterial infection. I'm going back on the pill. *sigh* I really quite liked being in touch with my body's rhythms & changes, but chronic BV is totally unacceptable.
Gosh diddly darn it
Stupid sponge gave me a raging yeast infection. Arrrrrgh. And today I go for my diaphragm fitting. Well, at least I can get the doc to give me diflucan.
Monday, March 26, 2007
The big weekend
I am SO sore. Seven times in one weekend? Yeah, I'm a little bit beat. ;-)
We had a great time though; went on a couple of wild goose chases in the car, had fabulous jambalaya on Friday (that took much longer to cook than it should have) and went out to dinner with K on Saturday night, so she got to meet him. (And of course she totally approves; thinks he's really cute and sweet and is very happy for me.) I barely smoked at all because the cough was driving me batshit, and I was drugged up on codeine for much of the weekend, but...all in all, I'd say it was a success. Even if I did blurt out the "L" word during our last...*ahem*...session. He was very cool about it and didn't even flinch. Heh. It appears that I have some sort of hangup about it though, because I was trying to repress it all weekend and it was having an adverse effect on my...um...enjoyment of certain activities. Once I said it, I pretty much exploded. So while I may not be totally head over heels in love with him in every respect, my hormones think they are and apparently the hormones must have their way.
Oh, and on one of our wild goose chases, we went to SF. We went to the Ferry Building and I got to go to the Cowgirl Creamery shop, which...OMG. Nirvana. Absolute heaven. I bought $40 worth of cheese and am totally pigging out on it.
We had a great time though; went on a couple of wild goose chases in the car, had fabulous jambalaya on Friday (that took much longer to cook than it should have) and went out to dinner with K on Saturday night, so she got to meet him. (And of course she totally approves; thinks he's really cute and sweet and is very happy for me.) I barely smoked at all because the cough was driving me batshit, and I was drugged up on codeine for much of the weekend, but...all in all, I'd say it was a success. Even if I did blurt out the "L" word during our last...*ahem*...session. He was very cool about it and didn't even flinch. Heh. It appears that I have some sort of hangup about it though, because I was trying to repress it all weekend and it was having an adverse effect on my...um...enjoyment of certain activities. Once I said it, I pretty much exploded. So while I may not be totally head over heels in love with him in every respect, my hormones think they are and apparently the hormones must have their way.
Oh, and on one of our wild goose chases, we went to SF. We went to the Ferry Building and I got to go to the Cowgirl Creamery shop, which...OMG. Nirvana. Absolute heaven. I bought $40 worth of cheese and am totally pigging out on it.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Today's the day
Or, perhaps I should say, tonight's the night.
So...I think I'm ready. Almost. The sheets are in the washing machine and my house is still pretty neat & clean (amazing), legs & armpits are freshly shaved, I've got all the food to make the jambalaya...what am I missing? Oh yeah, hair. Bad hair, but it's OK because I'm going to take another shower at lunchtime so I can be super-fresh and clean, and so I can exfoliate and moisturize the hell outta my skin. I'll do my hair after the shower. The iPod playlist is complete, and I've been listening to it for days.
Oh HOW am I going to get through the next nine hours???
So...I think I'm ready. Almost. The sheets are in the washing machine and my house is still pretty neat & clean (amazing), legs & armpits are freshly shaved, I've got all the food to make the jambalaya...what am I missing? Oh yeah, hair. Bad hair, but it's OK because I'm going to take another shower at lunchtime so I can be super-fresh and clean, and so I can exfoliate and moisturize the hell outta my skin. I'll do my hair after the shower. The iPod playlist is complete, and I've been listening to it for days.
Oh HOW am I going to get through the next nine hours???
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Holy Mary Mother of God
I finally figured out what was dragging my computer down. I've been having horrible problems with my computer in the last couple of months. Things have just gotten slower and slower until finally I was waiting actual MINUTES for my computer to respond to stuff, especially on Firefox. Today I realized (lightbulb moment!) that it wasn't happening with IE. Just with Firefox. So I went into the Mozilla forums, and lo and behold, what do I find but a bunch of threads talking about how Panda (anti-virus software) is conflicting with Firefox. It seems that Panda kept thinking that the web pages were throwing out spyware, and so it was slowing down my computer to a crawl. No, not a crawl. it was worse than a crawl. It was slowing my computer down to almost a full fucking stop. So, that's it. No more Panda for me. I finally uninstalled it and installed the free AVG anti-virus software, and my computer is like brand-new. There may be a hiccup or two but NOTHING like I was dealing with for the past few weeks. And it's probably only slightly slow now because I am running the scan - and yet I'm still able to work and get decent response times while the AVG is scanning my entire computer.
Speaking of irritations, I got my first bikini wax yesterday. Preparing for the coming weekend that will consist of mass quantities of sex, I hope. And actually, the bikini wax wasn't bad AT ALL. I'm thinking about getting a Brazilian next time, because this was really nothing.
Much more irritating is the damn cough that is still hanging on for dear life. I finally went to the doctor this morning because I just cannot take it anymore. He hooked me up with an albuterol inhaler (which doesn't seem to really do much of anything for me, thanks) and cough syrup with codeine. I took a shot at about 11:30 this morning, and to be honest, I'm not feeling much decrease in the coughing, but at least I'm high as a kite and I don't care. Heh.
Tuesday night I went out to visit D. We went to a new Vietnamese restaurant in town, a little hole in the wall place in Springtown, and it was FANTASTIC. Really excellent food, especially the curry chicken soup (which I tried to sort of duplicate last night with the Thai red curry paste; it turned out pretty good!). Then we went back to his place to drop off the leftovers. I met his roommate, who seems like a pretty cool guy. Apparently he remembered me from high school; he was a year behind me at LHS. I had absolutely no clue who he was. Heh. Then D and I drove out Patterson Pass and "parked" - how high school is that? Totally made out in the car for an hour or so. It was awesome, but we were both so goddamn horny afterwards, it's not even funny. We'd made a pact to refrain from...um...releasing our passion...until our big night on Friday, but we decided to take a night off from the celibacy pact because it was just too hard. No pun intended. ;-) So anyway...tomorrow night! In fact, he'll be here in 26.5 hours. And it will be fabulous.
Speaking of irritations, I got my first bikini wax yesterday. Preparing for the coming weekend that will consist of mass quantities of sex, I hope. And actually, the bikini wax wasn't bad AT ALL. I'm thinking about getting a Brazilian next time, because this was really nothing.
Much more irritating is the damn cough that is still hanging on for dear life. I finally went to the doctor this morning because I just cannot take it anymore. He hooked me up with an albuterol inhaler (which doesn't seem to really do much of anything for me, thanks) and cough syrup with codeine. I took a shot at about 11:30 this morning, and to be honest, I'm not feeling much decrease in the coughing, but at least I'm high as a kite and I don't care. Heh.
Tuesday night I went out to visit D. We went to a new Vietnamese restaurant in town, a little hole in the wall place in Springtown, and it was FANTASTIC. Really excellent food, especially the curry chicken soup (which I tried to sort of duplicate last night with the Thai red curry paste; it turned out pretty good!). Then we went back to his place to drop off the leftovers. I met his roommate, who seems like a pretty cool guy. Apparently he remembered me from high school; he was a year behind me at LHS. I had absolutely no clue who he was. Heh. Then D and I drove out Patterson Pass and "parked" - how high school is that? Totally made out in the car for an hour or so. It was awesome, but we were both so goddamn horny afterwards, it's not even funny. We'd made a pact to refrain from...um...releasing our passion...until our big night on Friday, but we decided to take a night off from the celibacy pact because it was just too hard. No pun intended. ;-) So anyway...tomorrow night! In fact, he'll be here in 26.5 hours. And it will be fabulous.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Girlfriend????
I miss D. I haven't seen him for over a week now. But the other night, while we were talking on the phone, he referred to me as his girlfriend. I didn't really react to it, because he just threw it out so casually like it was understood. Is it understood? I mean, I guess it is. We have agreed that we are dating exclusively...but we haven't even slept together yet! It just seems so odd. Anyway, it was a nice surprise. I think. Am I becoming commitment-phobic? Maybe I'm just out of practice, because I haven't had a boyfriend in about three years, and that was my second go-round with Babydaddy, which...we were not exactly exclusive. Well, I was, but he wasn't. Not that he was running around behind my back or anything; I knew he was dating other people and I was OK with it, God only knows why. Anyway...tangent. Yeah. So: girlfriend. I'm somebody's girlfriend!
I am trying to keep my footing here, but I feel myself really falling for him, and I don't know that I'm ready for it yet. I've been single for so long that I'm kind of struggling with how much to let him in, and how far I should go, emotionally. It's been a long time since I've depended on a man for anything. Well, you know, except for the rare one-night-stands, where all I'm expecting is (hopefully) an orgasm. And Babydaddy, for fixing stuff around the house. Heh. But I haven't depended on anyone for emotional support since...I can't remember when. Probably the first time around with Babydaddy. Even Bob (not B.O.B., but the actual guy) was all about mindblowing sex, not emotional support. Not that I'm not hoping for mindblowing sex with D - I am! Very much so! But I feel comfortable with him, and I think about him ALL. THE. TIME. He's the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I think about before I go to sleep at night.
I miss him. I miss...my boyfriend. There, I said it. :)
I am trying to keep my footing here, but I feel myself really falling for him, and I don't know that I'm ready for it yet. I've been single for so long that I'm kind of struggling with how much to let him in, and how far I should go, emotionally. It's been a long time since I've depended on a man for anything. Well, you know, except for the rare one-night-stands, where all I'm expecting is (hopefully) an orgasm. And Babydaddy, for fixing stuff around the house. Heh. But I haven't depended on anyone for emotional support since...I can't remember when. Probably the first time around with Babydaddy. Even Bob (not B.O.B., but the actual guy) was all about mindblowing sex, not emotional support. Not that I'm not hoping for mindblowing sex with D - I am! Very much so! But I feel comfortable with him, and I think about him ALL. THE. TIME. He's the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I think about before I go to sleep at night.
I miss him. I miss...my boyfriend. There, I said it. :)
Friday, March 16, 2007
EIGHT!
I went to the gym last night to try and work off some of this nervous energy. It's been a while since I've been there; I don't think I've been since Mom was in town and we went together. It felt good to get back in the swing of things, but the best part? The BEST PART? Was when I weighed myself after I showered and changed. I have lost eight pounds! EIGHT!
I had no idea that the evening snacking was quite as insidious as all that. I'll never go back to it, never. Eight pounds, y'all! I am two pounds away from my goal and I've only been to the gym twice since I started the "knitting diet."
And to top it all off? I came home and managed to squeeze into my skinny jeans last night. Gap size 2. I've still got a bit of muffin-top when I wear them, so I won't be taking them out in public just yet, but...they zipped up! Skinny jeans! EIGHT POUNDS!
Best day of my life, y'all.
I had no idea that the evening snacking was quite as insidious as all that. I'll never go back to it, never. Eight pounds, y'all! I am two pounds away from my goal and I've only been to the gym twice since I started the "knitting diet."
And to top it all off? I came home and managed to squeeze into my skinny jeans last night. Gap size 2. I've still got a bit of muffin-top when I wear them, so I won't be taking them out in public just yet, but...they zipped up! Skinny jeans! EIGHT POUNDS!
Best day of my life, y'all.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Holy frijoles!
Damn, my house is clean! I mean really super spic-n-span clean. Yesterday I called a cleaning lady who came highly recommended by someone on the local parents' mailing list. She came this morning with her sister and cleaned the FUCK outta my house for three hours. They did the windows and the blinds. They cleaned the grody shower door track. They made the beds and neatened the place up. They even got the cobwebs that hang out in the highest reaches of the two-story cathedral living room ceilings. They folded all the toilet paper rolls into little triangle ends - and the paper towel roll too! And the woman only wanted to charge me $100! I gave her $200 - seriously, they cleaned the place so well I think I could happily eat off the floors. I asked her to start coming every other week and it is going to be so nice to have it done professionally on a regular basis. Because, yanno, I am a total slob and lazy to boot.
Oh, and my computer is dying a slow, painful death. Last night the speakers went all wonky, and so I ran the anti-virus software, thinking maybe it was a virus. Halfway through the scan, I got the Blue Screen of Death. *sigh* Boss is meeting me tomorrow afternoon to take the laptop and have the hard drive replaced - hopefully that will help a lot.
Oh, and my computer is dying a slow, painful death. Last night the speakers went all wonky, and so I ran the anti-virus software, thinking maybe it was a virus. Halfway through the scan, I got the Blue Screen of Death. *sigh* Boss is meeting me tomorrow afternoon to take the laptop and have the hard drive replaced - hopefully that will help a lot.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Resorting to bribery
Last night I bribed Babydaddy with meatloaf and smothered mushroom gravy. I made one of Rachael Ray's 30-minute meal recipes but sort of altered it, because I didn't want mashed cauliflower; instead we had roasted cauliflower with a little shaved asiago cheese. The little individual meatloaves were quite good - you cook them in a skillet instead of baking them, but I think they needed a little something extra. Babydaddy suggested throwing in a little horseradish next time, which sounds fantastic to me.
Anyhoo, I made him this special dinner and then hit him with my request - I want a night off each week. A real night off, where he takes Rugrat back to his house and I get the whole night to myself. I asked for Thursdays, but he pointed out that it's difficult when he's got Rugrat for the weekend, because it means he has to drop him off out here at school in the morning on Friday, go to work, and then get back out here in time to pick him up. It's just too much commuting, especially with the horrendous traffic we have out here. He suggested Tuesdays. We finally compromised: Thursdays one week, Tuesdays the next.
I haven't been horribly unhappy with the custody arrangement this past year, but now that I'm seeing D pretty regularly, it's disappointing to have to finish a date at 9:00 pm so I can get back home and let Babydaddy go home before it gets too late. And it also means that I am always going out to visit D, rather than him coming out here sometimes, because Babydaddy and Rugrat are here at the house so we'd have no privacy (and I'm not ready for D to meet Rugrat yet anyway). So...this will give me some more options, and Rugrat will get to spend some quality time with his dad, and I will get to sleep in an extra hour once a week. Nice!
Anyhoo, I made him this special dinner and then hit him with my request - I want a night off each week. A real night off, where he takes Rugrat back to his house and I get the whole night to myself. I asked for Thursdays, but he pointed out that it's difficult when he's got Rugrat for the weekend, because it means he has to drop him off out here at school in the morning on Friday, go to work, and then get back out here in time to pick him up. It's just too much commuting, especially with the horrendous traffic we have out here. He suggested Tuesdays. We finally compromised: Thursdays one week, Tuesdays the next.
I haven't been horribly unhappy with the custody arrangement this past year, but now that I'm seeing D pretty regularly, it's disappointing to have to finish a date at 9:00 pm so I can get back home and let Babydaddy go home before it gets too late. And it also means that I am always going out to visit D, rather than him coming out here sometimes, because Babydaddy and Rugrat are here at the house so we'd have no privacy (and I'm not ready for D to meet Rugrat yet anyway). So...this will give me some more options, and Rugrat will get to spend some quality time with his dad, and I will get to sleep in an extra hour once a week. Nice!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Wonderland
So I have been tasked with creating the "soundtrack" for our first big night. In a little less than two weeks, D and I will have a free weekend together - and by free I mean: no work, his daughter out of town on vacation, my son at his dad's house, a full freaking weekend in which we will both have our test results and nothing to stop us from getting totally jiggy with it.
It can't come soon enough for me. After Sunday night I seem to be in a permanent state of arousal that B.O.B. and the shower massage cannot seem to quench.
So...the soundtrack. He wants me to create an iPod playlist for background music, and I am struggling. I mean, there are some obvious choices (Sexual Healing, heh) but some that may be too mushy. I don't want a whole bunch of lovey-lovey crap because quite frankly I don't think we're there yet. And should I stick with a slower theme or should I mix it up with some higher energy, do-me-up-against-the-wall kind of stuff? *sigh* Choices, choices.
Suggestions would be very welcome. :)
It can't come soon enough for me. After Sunday night I seem to be in a permanent state of arousal that B.O.B. and the shower massage cannot seem to quench.
So...the soundtrack. He wants me to create an iPod playlist for background music, and I am struggling. I mean, there are some obvious choices (Sexual Healing, heh) but some that may be too mushy. I don't want a whole bunch of lovey-lovey crap because quite frankly I don't think we're there yet. And should I stick with a slower theme or should I mix it up with some higher energy, do-me-up-against-the-wall kind of stuff? *sigh* Choices, choices.
Suggestions would be very welcome. :)
Monday, March 12, 2007
Oh. My. God.
D came over last night after dropping his daughter off at her mom's. We spent two hours making out, and I have never been so freaking horny in my whole entire life. I can think of nothing but his lips, tongue, hands...
Test results came in the mail this weekend, and I have the all-clear. Woohoo! Now just waiting on the diaphragm. D will have a whole weekend free in two weeks as his daughter is going to Disneyland, but I won't get the diaphragm until 2 days later. So...I'm thinking about the sponge. Anyone used it? All I know about it is from that one Seinfeld episode where Elaine hoards them and will only sleep with men that she deems "sponge-worthy."
Oh, and I packed up FOURTEEN boxes of books over the weekend! About 1200, boxed and scanned.
Test results came in the mail this weekend, and I have the all-clear. Woohoo! Now just waiting on the diaphragm. D will have a whole weekend free in two weeks as his daughter is going to Disneyland, but I won't get the diaphragm until 2 days later. So...I'm thinking about the sponge. Anyone used it? All I know about it is from that one Seinfeld episode where Elaine hoards them and will only sleep with men that she deems "sponge-worthy."
Oh, and I packed up FOURTEEN boxes of books over the weekend! About 1200, boxed and scanned.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Eeeeee!
I am so excited. Earlier this week I was perusing the chicklit boards and one of the threads was about organizing your books. Now, my books are decided UN-organized. Ever since I put out the word among family & friends that I'd like to open a used book store, I've been inundated with loads of books. I have thousands - taking up practically every square inch of storage space in my home. There are bookshelves in nearly every room, with books double-stacked on most shelves. There are boxes and bags filled with books in the garage. There is no sense of order or reason; everything has just been shoved willy-nilly, wherever it will fit when I acquired it. My two-car garage barely fits my little old Honda Accord anymore, because it's so overrun with books. And to make matters worse, I set up a database with the intention of cataloging all those books in order to keep track of what I have and what I plan to sell it for, but I couldn't keep up with it because: thousands of books, yo. All having to be entered by hand. NOT HAPPENING.
So on Tuesday, when I was reading through that thread about organizing your books, I got a bug up my butt. I found some great, cheap software from collectorz, and ordered it as well as a BARCODE SCANNER! The scanner will store up to 500 codes in memory. Then you just hook it up to your computer, and it downloads the barcodes into the book collectorz software. It automatically puts in the details of the books (author, title, cover price, etc), and you are free to go run off and scan 500 more books. Is that freaking awesome or what?
So the barcode scanner just came in the mail, and I am totally jacked. I'm spending the weekend organizing my book stash, y'all! Scan the books, put them in boxes, tape 'em up, and store them OUT OF SIGHT. Ahhh...I am so looking forward to less clutter.
So on Tuesday, when I was reading through that thread about organizing your books, I got a bug up my butt. I found some great, cheap software from collectorz, and ordered it as well as a BARCODE SCANNER! The scanner will store up to 500 codes in memory. Then you just hook it up to your computer, and it downloads the barcodes into the book collectorz software. It automatically puts in the details of the books (author, title, cover price, etc), and you are free to go run off and scan 500 more books. Is that freaking awesome or what?
So the barcode scanner just came in the mail, and I am totally jacked. I'm spending the weekend organizing my book stash, y'all! Scan the books, put them in boxes, tape 'em up, and store them OUT OF SIGHT. Ahhh...I am so looking forward to less clutter.
Difficult conversation
Last night D & I had our fourth date - a mellow evening on the couch with Borat and some supermarket salad & rotisserie chicken. The movie was hilarious, in a totally cringe-worthy way. And the food was tasty. And the making out was excellent.
Mom, Grandma...y'all might want to stop reading here. HUGE oversharing ahead.
Since it was our fourth date, I kind of expected that the sex issue would come up. And I totally chickened out about initiating The Talk, but gently stopped things from going too far anyhow. Almost immediately after I got home, he called to make sure I got home OK, and I took a deep breath and jumped in. Now, I've never had The Talk before. In the past several years, sex has been a very casual one-off kind of thing, with condoms playing an integral part of the equation. Before that, I was in a couple of short (<6 months) relationships that also featured condoms. And before THAT, well, I was with Babydaddy, and I was on the Pill (until I wasn't...and we know how that turned out, don't we?). But with D...OK, let me just say it. I hate condoms. Hate, hate, hate. Yes, I realize that they are a necessary evil in today's society, and they have certainly kept me safe for many years. But I've waited almost two decades to have sex with D, and I really don't want anything between us (literally) when the moment arrives. So, I kind of blurted out that last week, when I visited the doc, I got tested for the whole lineup of bad juju. Results are not back yet, but I'm not exactly concerned about it; I'm fairly certain I'm in the clear here considering my track record and previous test results. And I set up an appointment to get fitted for a diaphragm, because I've gone that route before, it's non-invasive, and doesn't play havoc with my hormones, so it's a good option. And...he was totally cool. Very reassuring, told me he would get tested himself (yay!) and assured me that he is not seeing anyone else, and would not do so while we are in a relationship. So...once we have our test results & diaphragm in hand (so to speak), we will be free to forge ahead with what I sincerely hope is going to be some totally kickass sex.
Mom, Grandma...y'all might want to stop reading here. HUGE oversharing ahead.
Since it was our fourth date, I kind of expected that the sex issue would come up. And I totally chickened out about initiating The Talk, but gently stopped things from going too far anyhow. Almost immediately after I got home, he called to make sure I got home OK, and I took a deep breath and jumped in. Now, I've never had The Talk before. In the past several years, sex has been a very casual one-off kind of thing, with condoms playing an integral part of the equation. Before that, I was in a couple of short (<6 months) relationships that also featured condoms. And before THAT, well, I was with Babydaddy, and I was on the Pill (until I wasn't...and we know how that turned out, don't we?). But with D...OK, let me just say it. I hate condoms. Hate, hate, hate. Yes, I realize that they are a necessary evil in today's society, and they have certainly kept me safe for many years. But I've waited almost two decades to have sex with D, and I really don't want anything between us (literally) when the moment arrives. So, I kind of blurted out that last week, when I visited the doc, I got tested for the whole lineup of bad juju. Results are not back yet, but I'm not exactly concerned about it; I'm fairly certain I'm in the clear here considering my track record and previous test results. And I set up an appointment to get fitted for a diaphragm, because I've gone that route before, it's non-invasive, and doesn't play havoc with my hormones, so it's a good option. And...he was totally cool. Very reassuring, told me he would get tested himself (yay!) and assured me that he is not seeing anyone else, and would not do so while we are in a relationship. So...once we have our test results & diaphragm in hand (so to speak), we will be free to forge ahead with what I sincerely hope is going to be some totally kickass sex.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Quick Veggie Pizza
We made homemade veggie pizza for dinner last night. I bought one of those premade thin-crust pizza shells, and we filled it with ranch dressing (instead of marinara, because neither of Rugrat nor I like tomato sauce on our pizza), baby spinach, mushrooms, olives, marinated artichoke hearts, slivers of onion, garlic, and standard bagged "pizza mix" shredded cheese. Rugrat's side only had spinach & olives, but my side had all the goodies. And BOY was it tasty! It earned one and a half thumbs up from the Rugrat, although he said that next time he'd prefer it without the ranch dressing.
Weekend notes
This weekend I got a bug up my butt about the yard. On Saturday, I spent five (!!) hours outside - weeding, putting down bark, cutting off dead leaves from the elephant ear plant thing near the front door (which left no leaves at all; we'll see if it survives), planting stuff in the pots in the backyard, and cutting back the fuschias on the other side of the front door that were also doing quite poorly thanks to the hard freeze we had a few weeks ago. On Sunday I had someone come out to dethatch and aerate the front lawn, and they will be reseeding it today. So at least the front yard will look presentable in a few weeks. I'm also definitely getting a gardening service, because God knows I don't mow often enough (or fertilize, or weed, or anything).
As a result of working my butt off on Saturday, I was pretty sore yesterday. But I dragged Rugrat out to get some new clothes (pants are a particular issue with him, as we have a hard time finding jeans that fit the length while still being small enough in the waist to fit his skinny bod), and to the grocery store. Rugrat's friend K came over for a little while to play, and when I told the kids that it was time for her to go home, Rugrat shouted "Oh, shit!" He is EIGHT. That is way too young to be cursing at the top of your lungs. Soooo...to punish him I made him not speak for an hour (and if you know my Rugrat, you know that this is very difficult for him, since he's a major chatterbox). I told him if I heard him curse again, he'd be getting his mouth washed out with soap. Of course it doesn't help that I'm a complete hypocrite and curse fairly often myself; when he brought this up I told him that when he is twenty-five years older than someone (as I am older than him) he can curse all he wants. Heh.
The weekend ended on a good note though, as we made homemade veggie pizza for dinner last night. I bought one of those thin-crust pizza shells, and we filled it with ranch dressing (instead of marinara, because neither of us like tomato sauce on our pizza), baby spinach, mushrooms, olives, marinated artichoke hearts, slivers of onion, garlic, and standard bagged "pizza mix" shredded cheese. Rugrat's side only had spinach & olives, but my side had all the goodies. And BOY was it good! It earned one and a half thumbs up from the Rugrat, although he said that next time he'd prefer it without the ranch dressing.
As a result of working my butt off on Saturday, I was pretty sore yesterday. But I dragged Rugrat out to get some new clothes (pants are a particular issue with him, as we have a hard time finding jeans that fit the length while still being small enough in the waist to fit his skinny bod), and to the grocery store. Rugrat's friend K came over for a little while to play, and when I told the kids that it was time for her to go home, Rugrat shouted "Oh, shit!" He is EIGHT. That is way too young to be cursing at the top of your lungs. Soooo...to punish him I made him not speak for an hour (and if you know my Rugrat, you know that this is very difficult for him, since he's a major chatterbox). I told him if I heard him curse again, he'd be getting his mouth washed out with soap. Of course it doesn't help that I'm a complete hypocrite and curse fairly often myself; when he brought this up I told him that when he is twenty-five years older than someone (as I am older than him) he can curse all he wants. Heh.
The weekend ended on a good note though, as we made homemade veggie pizza for dinner last night. I bought one of those thin-crust pizza shells, and we filled it with ranch dressing (instead of marinara, because neither of us like tomato sauce on our pizza), baby spinach, mushrooms, olives, marinated artichoke hearts, slivers of onion, garlic, and standard bagged "pizza mix" shredded cheese. Rugrat's side only had spinach & olives, but my side had all the goodies. And BOY was it good! It earned one and a half thumbs up from the Rugrat, although he said that next time he'd prefer it without the ranch dressing.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Clarity
I am no longer uncertain about D's intentions towards me. They are most definitely of the naughty variety. :)
By late Monday morning I could no longer deny the existence of the head cold. It took over and beat me into submission, so D & I rescheduled our date for Thursday. Luckily, due to the glorious combination of Cold-Eeze, NyQuil, and Babydaddy bringing me chicken soup and orange juice Tuesday night, by Wednesday I was feeling much better. And yesterday, Thursday, I was basically back to normal.
D & I met up in my hometown (where he lives), about half an hour away from me, and had Mexican food for dinner. Then we headed out to play pool, which...I honestly am not very good at, especially since I don't play often. But it was my suggestion, because it's fun and doesn't preclude conversation. And it gives me great excuses to bend over, putting my assets (so to speak) on display. Heh.
At the end of the night, he walked me to my car and finally, FINALLY kissed me. It was very sweet. He asked me, "How shy should I be right now?" and I promptly responded, "Less shy than you've been so far!" Hee. And...yum. Very good kisser. Plus he has an incredibly strong upper body that just makes me want to melt. I don't usually go for the muscle bound type but holy god, do I feel safe and squishy in his arms.
I woke up in a really good mood this morning, bounding out of bed before the alarm clock even went off. Wonder why? ;-)
By late Monday morning I could no longer deny the existence of the head cold. It took over and beat me into submission, so D & I rescheduled our date for Thursday. Luckily, due to the glorious combination of Cold-Eeze, NyQuil, and Babydaddy bringing me chicken soup and orange juice Tuesday night, by Wednesday I was feeling much better. And yesterday, Thursday, I was basically back to normal.
D & I met up in my hometown (where he lives), about half an hour away from me, and had Mexican food for dinner. Then we headed out to play pool, which...I honestly am not very good at, especially since I don't play often. But it was my suggestion, because it's fun and doesn't preclude conversation. And it gives me great excuses to bend over, putting my assets (so to speak) on display. Heh.
At the end of the night, he walked me to my car and finally, FINALLY kissed me. It was very sweet. He asked me, "How shy should I be right now?" and I promptly responded, "Less shy than you've been so far!" Hee. And...yum. Very good kisser. Plus he has an incredibly strong upper body that just makes me want to melt. I don't usually go for the muscle bound type but holy god, do I feel safe and squishy in his arms.
I woke up in a really good mood this morning, bounding out of bed before the alarm clock even went off. Wonder why? ;-)
Monday, February 26, 2007
Laughed until I cried
Sars' latest essay over at Tomato Nation just killed me: iTunes as prophet. I loved, loved, loved the section about her haircut. And the ending? Priceless.
Befuddled
I'm a little confused as to what's going on with D. Is he just taking it really really slow? Or is he only interested in being friends? Every once in a while he'll say something that makes me think he is interested in me (as more than a friend) but now we've seen each other twice and there have not been any unequivocal signs that he's warm for my form, as the saying goes.
OK, back up.
Yesterday evening as I was chillin' on the couch watching American Beauty and transferring it from TiVo to DVD, D called. He was heading out this way to drop his daughter off at her mom's, and I suggested he swing by on his way home. He called again at 9:30 to get directions and was here moments later. I was definitely not smokin' hot or anything - hair pulled up in a clippy thing and glasses on (although I actually think those are hot) and we hung out on the couch chatting for a couple hours. Not once did he make a move to get a little closer on the couch. At the end of the night, though, we had the patented hug...he is truly the most amazing hugger on earth, all full body contact and everything. And I swear there was a zing - a little split second when I thought he was going to kiss me, or I was going to kiss him, but then he left. Arrrrgh!
But...we are going out on Tuesday. So...? I'm starting to think that if I don't make the first move it will never get made. But at the same time, it is kind of fun not knowing. I'm enjoying the anticipation. My blood pressure, on the other hand, is sky high because I'm totally freaking out all the time over whether he likes me or not. Heh. I feel like I'm back in high school again.
And the bad news is that I'm coming down with the wicked cold everyone's been getting. Lloyd's had it for a while now and I am pretty sure he's the one who gave it to me. I am frantically taking Cold-Eeze (zinc lozenges) and NyQuil at night, hoping to stave off the inevitable. At least until Wednesday. Because I don't want to cancel my Tuesday night date with D!
OK, back up.
Yesterday evening as I was chillin' on the couch watching American Beauty and transferring it from TiVo to DVD, D called. He was heading out this way to drop his daughter off at her mom's, and I suggested he swing by on his way home. He called again at 9:30 to get directions and was here moments later. I was definitely not smokin' hot or anything - hair pulled up in a clippy thing and glasses on (although I actually think those are hot) and we hung out on the couch chatting for a couple hours. Not once did he make a move to get a little closer on the couch. At the end of the night, though, we had the patented hug...he is truly the most amazing hugger on earth, all full body contact and everything. And I swear there was a zing - a little split second when I thought he was going to kiss me, or I was going to kiss him, but then he left. Arrrrgh!
But...we are going out on Tuesday. So...? I'm starting to think that if I don't make the first move it will never get made. But at the same time, it is kind of fun not knowing. I'm enjoying the anticipation. My blood pressure, on the other hand, is sky high because I'm totally freaking out all the time over whether he likes me or not. Heh. I feel like I'm back in high school again.
And the bad news is that I'm coming down with the wicked cold everyone's been getting. Lloyd's had it for a while now and I am pretty sure he's the one who gave it to me. I am frantically taking Cold-Eeze (zinc lozenges) and NyQuil at night, hoping to stave off the inevitable. At least until Wednesday. Because I don't want to cancel my Tuesday night date with D!
Friday, February 23, 2007
Party time
Yesterday was Babydaddy's birthday. I cannot believe this is his last year in his 30's. Poor guy was sick and feeling like crap but he took Rugrat to karate class anyway, while I made him a fabulous birthday dinner of thick boneless pork chops (brined, natch), roasted asparagus, and cauliflower with gruyere cheese. Funny, was going through some old blogs yesterday and discovered that I made almost the exact same meal for him last year on his birthday.
Today is K's birthday, and to celebrate we (a fairly large group of us) are going out to dinner at some Italian place in D'ville, and then climbing aboard the party bus to SF, where we will imbibe copious amounts of booze at the Bubble Lounge, and possibly go elsewhere for dancing/whatever. I will be bringing sleepover stuff, because I'll undoubtedly be unable to drive home after such a night of debauchery.
But the best news of all is that I have lost almost 4 pounds over the last couple of weeks, thanks to the knitting diet. The knitting diet consists of knitting my sweater in the evenings while watching TiVo, instead of stuffing my face (which was the usual routine). And the icing on the cake is that I've made about 6 inches of progress on my sweater so far. :) I fully expect that it will be finished long before Christmas. I am racing along! Can't wait to start something a little more challenging next time (like a ribbed v-neck or similar).
Today is K's birthday, and to celebrate we (a fairly large group of us) are going out to dinner at some Italian place in D'ville, and then climbing aboard the party bus to SF, where we will imbibe copious amounts of booze at the Bubble Lounge, and possibly go elsewhere for dancing/whatever. I will be bringing sleepover stuff, because I'll undoubtedly be unable to drive home after such a night of debauchery.
But the best news of all is that I have lost almost 4 pounds over the last couple of weeks, thanks to the knitting diet. The knitting diet consists of knitting my sweater in the evenings while watching TiVo, instead of stuffing my face (which was the usual routine). And the icing on the cake is that I've made about 6 inches of progress on my sweater so far. :) I fully expect that it will be finished long before Christmas. I am racing along! Can't wait to start something a little more challenging next time (like a ribbed v-neck or similar).
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Fear & Insomnia
I've been dealing with some wicked insomnia the past week. My usual routine is to go to bed shortly before 11 and read until I get sleepy. This usually takes about a half hour - less if the book I'm reading is particularly boring. But in the past week, I haven't been getting sleepy, or if I do, then as soon as I put the book down and shut off the light my brain starts going a million miles an hour. Yes, it's been a busy week for me, but I'm not under a lot of stress or anything.
Anyway, last night I tossed and turned for probably an hour before finally falling asleep. A few times I started to drift off, and then I realized I was drifting off, and of course that woke me right back up. I finally fell asleep and then at about 2:30 I woke up to a banging, rattly noise. There's been quite an increase in crime around here lately, so my first thought was that someone was trying to break into my house or the neighbor's. I went to the window and peeked through the blinds but couldn't see anything suspicious out front. I lay back down and the banging & rattling continued. I listened really hard and decided that since there weren't any human noises (like cursing or whatever) that it was probably an animal getting into the garbage cans. This isn't normal, although we do get quite an assortment of wildlife in the backyard. Finally I realized that the problem was that Rugrat had pulled the garbage cans in yesterday evening, but neglected to close the gate all the way and the gate was banging against the garbage cans. Of course a couple hours later, the noise woke Rugrat up and he climbed into bed with me. *sigh*
So all in all, not a great night last night.
Today has been better though: D called me about an hour ago and we made plans to meet up next Tuesday again! :)
Anyway, last night I tossed and turned for probably an hour before finally falling asleep. A few times I started to drift off, and then I realized I was drifting off, and of course that woke me right back up. I finally fell asleep and then at about 2:30 I woke up to a banging, rattly noise. There's been quite an increase in crime around here lately, so my first thought was that someone was trying to break into my house or the neighbor's. I went to the window and peeked through the blinds but couldn't see anything suspicious out front. I lay back down and the banging & rattling continued. I listened really hard and decided that since there weren't any human noises (like cursing or whatever) that it was probably an animal getting into the garbage cans. This isn't normal, although we do get quite an assortment of wildlife in the backyard. Finally I realized that the problem was that Rugrat had pulled the garbage cans in yesterday evening, but neglected to close the gate all the way and the gate was banging against the garbage cans. Of course a couple hours later, the noise woke Rugrat up and he climbed into bed with me. *sigh*
So all in all, not a great night last night.
Today has been better though: D called me about an hour ago and we made plans to meet up next Tuesday again! :)
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Miracle Worker
Yesterday I got a haircut with K's hairdresser, J. I have been going to JW for a couple of years now (and was quite happy with her), but one night a couple of months ago I got totally frustrated with my newly short hair and could not do a freaking thing with it. I was at K's house, and J was there with his wife as we were all going out to celebrate something or other. Anyhoo, J styled my hair and made it look darn good, so I swore that he would be getting a visit from me the next time I needed my hair cut.
I sit down in the chair with my hair all up in the clippy thing and proceed to tell him that I don't really want it any shorter, because I like it better long, but SOMETHING has to change because I hate the current haircut and I get these weird lanky bits in the front that don't do anything. An hour later, I walked out of the salon looking like a freaking goddess, because J is a TOTAL FUCKING ROCKSTAR. My hair looks SO good. And just like that, I've found my new hairstylist. I don't even care that the salon is half an hour away in WC.
Also last night, I met up with D, the guy I hadn't seen in ten years. It was great - we met up at the Cantina for Taco Tuesday, had a couple of drinks, a couple of tacos, and talked nonstop for almost four hours. He was just as I remembered him - except that he's shaved his head! It was quite a change, but it looks good on him.
Mom came to visit last weekend and we had a lovely time. Saturday we went grocery shopping and I made her the fabulous Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole (which I am getting pretty darn sick of now, heh). Aunt L came over to visit in the afternoon, and then the next day, Sunday, we went to the movies (Bridge to Terabithia - sob!) and then to Aunt L's for dinner. My cousin K was there with her boyfriend as well, so we all had a nice visit. Then on Monday (President's Day holiday) I dropped Rugrat off at daycare in the morning so Mom & I went to the gym and then to the salon for pedicures. And then, unfortunately, it was time to take her to the airport. As usual, the visit was too short. :( But it was nice while it lasted.
I sit down in the chair with my hair all up in the clippy thing and proceed to tell him that I don't really want it any shorter, because I like it better long, but SOMETHING has to change because I hate the current haircut and I get these weird lanky bits in the front that don't do anything. An hour later, I walked out of the salon looking like a freaking goddess, because J is a TOTAL FUCKING ROCKSTAR. My hair looks SO good. And just like that, I've found my new hairstylist. I don't even care that the salon is half an hour away in WC.
Also last night, I met up with D, the guy I hadn't seen in ten years. It was great - we met up at the Cantina for Taco Tuesday, had a couple of drinks, a couple of tacos, and talked nonstop for almost four hours. He was just as I remembered him - except that he's shaved his head! It was quite a change, but it looks good on him.
Mom came to visit last weekend and we had a lovely time. Saturday we went grocery shopping and I made her the fabulous Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole (which I am getting pretty darn sick of now, heh). Aunt L came over to visit in the afternoon, and then the next day, Sunday, we went to the movies (Bridge to Terabithia - sob!) and then to Aunt L's for dinner. My cousin K was there with her boyfriend as well, so we all had a nice visit. Then on Monday (President's Day holiday) I dropped Rugrat off at daycare in the morning so Mom & I went to the gym and then to the salon for pedicures. And then, unfortunately, it was time to take her to the airport. As usual, the visit was too short. :( But it was nice while it lasted.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Old Skool
I found an old friend on myspace a couple weeks ago - a guy I haven't talked to in ten years. Turns out he lives only half an hour away from me, and also has an 8-yr-old child. We've talked on the phone a couple times but haven't yet gotten together; it will be interesting to see him after all this time. He was a really great friend to me back when I was young and stupid and in a very self-destructive phase, so I'm really looking forward to seeing him again.
I found the high-end yarn shop in WC this weekend, and spent a good hour and a half in there, browsing the gorgeous yarns and finally settling on some skeins of lovely brown and olive-green wool to knit my first sweater. I also got a set of double-pointed needles and a circular needle, and I'm off & running on the project. I hope it turns out OK; this is my first non-scarf project so I'm hoping I don't screw it up too badly. It's about an inch long right now, so I figure I might be done with it by next Christmas. Heh. Unless, of course, it goes the way of my counted cross-stitch project (the stocking that will probably not be finished until my first grandchild is born).
Rugrat is losing teeth left, right & center. He's almost got more gaps than teeth, these days. Doesn't do much to help his babyish pronunciation either. ;-) He's doing well in karate though, and currently is the only one in his class (gold belt), so he's getting some great one-on-one attention with the instructors. He'll be moving up to orange belt in about another week, so we're enjoying the individual instruction while it lasts.
And mom is coming to visit this weekend! Yay! Which means I seriously need to clean the house. Boo!
I found the high-end yarn shop in WC this weekend, and spent a good hour and a half in there, browsing the gorgeous yarns and finally settling on some skeins of lovely brown and olive-green wool to knit my first sweater. I also got a set of double-pointed needles and a circular needle, and I'm off & running on the project. I hope it turns out OK; this is my first non-scarf project so I'm hoping I don't screw it up too badly. It's about an inch long right now, so I figure I might be done with it by next Christmas. Heh. Unless, of course, it goes the way of my counted cross-stitch project (the stocking that will probably not be finished until my first grandchild is born).
Rugrat is losing teeth left, right & center. He's almost got more gaps than teeth, these days. Doesn't do much to help his babyish pronunciation either. ;-) He's doing well in karate though, and currently is the only one in his class (gold belt), so he's getting some great one-on-one attention with the instructors. He'll be moving up to orange belt in about another week, so we're enjoying the individual instruction while it lasts.
And mom is coming to visit this weekend! Yay! Which means I seriously need to clean the house. Boo!
Thursday, February 01, 2007
HP7!!
The seventh and final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, has an official release date now: July 21, 2007. You can bet Rugrat and I will be down at our local B&N for the release party the night before!
Monday, January 29, 2007
Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole
My sister and her family came over yesterday for a visit. They are moving from Phoenix to Portland, and I was sorta kinda on the way. ;-) It was great to catch up with my sister, because I just don't see her very often; once a year is about all we can manage. Her daughter, who is autistic, has made a LOT of progress since the last time I saw her, and I was really enjoying spending some quality time with my niece. I didn't get to spend as much time with my BIL and my nephew, as they took off to visit BIL's Bay Area friends shortly after they arrived.
Anyhoo, I thought about making chicken enchiladas but then discovered that I didn't have enough tortillas to make enough for us all. So Sister & I improvised, and came up with the NOT DIET-FRIENDLY Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole:
2 cooked chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 jar enchilada sauce
2-3 tortillas, cut into strips
Shredded cheddar (or Jack, or Mexican Mix - whatever you have) cheese
Fritos
Sour cream (optional - for serving)
Preheat oven to 350°.
Take the 2 chicken breasts & shred the meat with forks. Mix together the can of soup, plus 2 or 3 chiles (minced) and a little of the adobo sauce (you will have TONS of the chiles left over; save them for another recipe). Mix enough of the soup/chile sauce in with the shredded chicken to make it like chicken salad or tuna salad consistency. You don't want your chicken swimming in the soup stuff, but you need enough to keep the meat moist & tasty.
Spray a 9" square casserole dish with nonstick spray. Pour in enough enchilada sauce to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. Lay slices of tortilla over the sauce to cover, then carefully spread the chicken/soup mixture over it. Top with more sliced tortillas. Pour more enchilada sauce on top (you'll probably have a lot left over - I think I used half a jar). Then add a layer of shredded cheese. Finally, crunch up some Fritos and put them on the very top. Pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes, until the cheese and sauce is bubbly. Then broil the casserole for a couple minutes to make the Fritos golden brown. Serve with sour cream. Will serve 4-6, depending on how often you go back for more. Heh.
Anyhoo, I thought about making chicken enchiladas but then discovered that I didn't have enough tortillas to make enough for us all. So Sister & I improvised, and came up with the NOT DIET-FRIENDLY Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole:
2 cooked chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 jar enchilada sauce
2-3 tortillas, cut into strips
Shredded cheddar (or Jack, or Mexican Mix - whatever you have) cheese
Fritos
Sour cream (optional - for serving)
Preheat oven to 350°.
Take the 2 chicken breasts & shred the meat with forks. Mix together the can of soup, plus 2 or 3 chiles (minced) and a little of the adobo sauce (you will have TONS of the chiles left over; save them for another recipe). Mix enough of the soup/chile sauce in with the shredded chicken to make it like chicken salad or tuna salad consistency. You don't want your chicken swimming in the soup stuff, but you need enough to keep the meat moist & tasty.
Spray a 9" square casserole dish with nonstick spray. Pour in enough enchilada sauce to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. Lay slices of tortilla over the sauce to cover, then carefully spread the chicken/soup mixture over it. Top with more sliced tortillas. Pour more enchilada sauce on top (you'll probably have a lot left over - I think I used half a jar). Then add a layer of shredded cheese. Finally, crunch up some Fritos and put them on the very top. Pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes, until the cheese and sauce is bubbly. Then broil the casserole for a couple minutes to make the Fritos golden brown. Serve with sour cream. Will serve 4-6, depending on how often you go back for more. Heh.
Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole
My sister and her family came over yesterday for a visit. They are moving from Phoenix to Portland, and I was sorta kinda on the way. ;-) It was great to catch up with my sister, because I just don't see her very often; once a year is about all we can manage. Her daughter, who is autistic, has made a LOT of progress since the last time I saw her, and I was really enjoying spending some quality time with my niece. I didn't get to spend as much time with my BIL and my nephew, as they took off to visit BIL's Bay Area friends shortly after they arrived.
Anyhoo, I thought about making chicken enchiladas but then discovered that I didn't have enough tortillas to make enough for us all. So Sister & I improvised, and came up with the NOT DIET-FRIENDLY Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole:
2 cooked chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 jar enchilada sauce
2-3 tortillas, cut into strips
Shredded cheddar (or Jack, or Mexican Mix - whatever you have) cheese
Fritos
Sour cream (optional - for serving)
Take the 2 chicken breasts & shred the meat with forks. Mix together the can of soup, plus 2 or 3 chiles and a little of the adobo sauce (you will have TONS of the chiles left over; save them for another recipe). Mix enough of the soup/chile sauce in with the shredded chicken to make it like chicken salad or tuna salad consistency. You don't want your chicken swimming in the soup stuff, but you need enough to keep the meat moist & tasty.
Spray a 9" square casserole dish with nonstick spray. Pour in enough enchilada sauce to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. Lay slices of tortilla over the sauce to cover, then carefully spread the chicken/soup mixture over it. Top with more sliced tortillas. Pour more enchilada sauce on top (you'll probably have a lot left over - I think I used half a jar). Then add a layer of shredded cheese. Finally, crunch up some Fritos and put them on the very top. Pop it in the oven at 350 or so for about 30 minutes, until the cheese and sauce is bubbly. Then broil the casserole for a couple minutes to make the Fritos golden brown. Serve with sour cream. Will serve 4-6, depending on how often you go back for more. Heh.
Anyhoo, I thought about making chicken enchiladas but then discovered that I didn't have enough tortillas to make enough for us all. So Sister & I improvised, and came up with the NOT DIET-FRIENDLY Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole:
2 cooked chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 jar enchilada sauce
2-3 tortillas, cut into strips
Shredded cheddar (or Jack, or Mexican Mix - whatever you have) cheese
Fritos
Sour cream (optional - for serving)
Take the 2 chicken breasts & shred the meat with forks. Mix together the can of soup, plus 2 or 3 chiles and a little of the adobo sauce (you will have TONS of the chiles left over; save them for another recipe). Mix enough of the soup/chile sauce in with the shredded chicken to make it like chicken salad or tuna salad consistency. You don't want your chicken swimming in the soup stuff, but you need enough to keep the meat moist & tasty.
Spray a 9" square casserole dish with nonstick spray. Pour in enough enchilada sauce to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. Lay slices of tortilla over the sauce to cover, then carefully spread the chicken/soup mixture over it. Top with more sliced tortillas. Pour more enchilada sauce on top (you'll probably have a lot left over - I think I used half a jar). Then add a layer of shredded cheese. Finally, crunch up some Fritos and put them on the very top. Pop it in the oven at 350 or so for about 30 minutes, until the cheese and sauce is bubbly. Then broil the casserole for a couple minutes to make the Fritos golden brown. Serve with sour cream. Will serve 4-6, depending on how often you go back for more. Heh.
Monday, January 15, 2007
*sigh*
The lockout karma is apparently still in full effect. I went out back this morning to have a smoke, and *somehow* the sliding glass door LOCKED behind me! How do I get into these situations? I was still in my jammies and robe (actually robeS, plural, for warmth) and had to go next door to the neighbor's to borrow a cheap butter knife. I managed to pry the damn door back open but this is seriously ridiculous, y'all. I couldn't use my hidden spare key because I have one of those slide-bar lock thingys on the front door (that I lock before going to bed) so there was NO other way to get back in the house except through that f'ing back door.
In other news - New Year's was meh, but I did manage to get myself laid at just about exactly the one-year mark (two days before New Year's). I basically set out to have meaningless sex simply to break my unending dry streak, and achieved exactly that: meaningless sex. Not great sex, but hey, it served the purpose. I couldn't leave 2006 without having sex at least once. It's just...unnatural. Mom asked me the other day when I'm going to have another kid. Ha ha, Mom. First I have to find someone I like, then I have to actually sleep with him. These days that's a herculean task in and of itself. So I'm pretty sure my childbearing time is far, far behind me.
On the plus side? 24 last night rocked. I was waiting for Jack Bauer to mention "fava beans and a nice Chianti." Yay for the new season of fabulous no-repeat TV!
In other news - New Year's was meh, but I did manage to get myself laid at just about exactly the one-year mark (two days before New Year's). I basically set out to have meaningless sex simply to break my unending dry streak, and achieved exactly that: meaningless sex. Not great sex, but hey, it served the purpose. I couldn't leave 2006 without having sex at least once. It's just...unnatural. Mom asked me the other day when I'm going to have another kid. Ha ha, Mom. First I have to find someone I like, then I have to actually sleep with him. These days that's a herculean task in and of itself. So I'm pretty sure my childbearing time is far, far behind me.
On the plus side? 24 last night rocked. I was waiting for Jack Bauer to mention "fava beans and a nice Chianti." Yay for the new season of fabulous no-repeat TV!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
HAAAAATE
I am FURIOUS with the fuckers over at Integrated Alarm Services. I called back in July, wanting to cancel my account with them because I never use the damn thing, and they told me "Oh, your contract doesn't expire until January 16, so you can either pay us a big ass block of money now to get out of the contract, or wait and send a letter and cancel it then." So I opted to cancel it later. They told me to send a letter 30 days before the contract expires. Fine, I sent off a fax today - yes, it's a couple days late, but it's JUST a couple days. Now they're telling me that I needed to send the letter 90 days before the contract expired. NINETY days. No. They are giving me the fucking runaround and I am sick of this shit. It's not like they didn't know I was going to cancel. They did have notice, y'all. I am FUCKING PISSED. I am considering actually changing my bank account to keep them from getting their grubby fucking hands on any more of my money. Haaaate!
And if that's not enough, Rugrat's GATE teacher is retiring in January, and nobody seems to know what's going to happen to the program. They're certainly not hiring anyone yet. They are taking this time to "re-evaluate" the program. Translation: they can't afford to do anything and they are stalling. Haaaate!
This is not a good day. Not good at all.
And if that's not enough, Rugrat's GATE teacher is retiring in January, and nobody seems to know what's going to happen to the program. They're certainly not hiring anyone yet. They are taking this time to "re-evaluate" the program. Translation: they can't afford to do anything and they are stalling. Haaaate!
This is not a good day. Not good at all.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
CPSIL update
OK, CPSIL has gone off the deep end. Babydaddy tells me that she told PBIL she "made a mistake" when she left him. So she...wants to get back together now? After being separated for over a year. And after having vicious screaming matches with him all the time, in front of the kids. And after deciding that her kids are expendable and she doesn't want to deal with them anymore. And after making every excuse she could think of to get more money out of PBIL and at the same time spend less time with HER OWN CHILDREN.
And now she wants to get back together?
I hope PBIL tells her to go take a flying leap. The woman needs to be institutionalized.
And now she wants to get back together?
I hope PBIL tells her to go take a flying leap. The woman needs to be institutionalized.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Books, books & more books
Last year I started keeping track of the books I read. This year, so far, I've read 133 books (although seven of them I either did not finish, or am still reading). I knew I read a lot, but more than 11 books per month, on average, is probably a little excessive. Maybe I should cut back next year and do something a little more productive with my time, like keep up with housework or, maybe, find a date. Heh.
Anyhoo, the standouts on my list this year were (in the order I read them):
Anyhoo, the standouts on my list this year were (in the order I read them):
- The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini - this book was fabulous and heartbreaking
- Something Borrowed and Something Blue, both by Emily Giffin - fun chick-lit fluff, but with substance; taken together, the books form two sides of the same story
- A Million Little Pieces, by James Frey - not exactly non-fiction, but VERY well written and compelling
- Undead & Unwed, by Mary Janice Davidson - another fun fluff piece, this time about a rather shallow young woman who becomes a vampire
- The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls - disturbing non-fiction memoir
- Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger - a coming-of-age story about the bonds of family and duty
- A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving - another lovely coming-of-age story, focused on faith
- A Dirty Job, Christopher Moore - more fun stuff: a man who becomes one of Death's helpers (Christopher Moore is always a good bet for offbeat, humorous "horror" stories)
- Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, by Jonathan Safran Foer - powerful story about a boy searching for clues to his father's past after he dies in the 9/11 attacks
- Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro - creepy but hopeful at the same time
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Pulp Fiction...the really short version
You must click here.
I laughed for a full five minutes after watching this. Because I am twelve years old.
I laughed for a full five minutes after watching this. Because I am twelve years old.
Gossip
Remember crazy pseudo-SIL (CPSIL)? I haven't talked to her in a year, at least. But the other day, Babydaddy told me her latest psychotic tale. She's decided that she "can't handle" her kids anymore and is foisting them off permanently on her ex-husband, my pseudo-BIL (PBIL). Apparently, CPSIL is convinced that the kids hate her, they don't appreciate anything she does for them, and she's certain something is wrong with A, the youngest, although the doctor has told her repeatedly that he is fine.
I have major, major issues with this. First of all, knowing CPSIL as I do, she's probably just got a boyfriend who doesn't want her kids around and so she's dumping them. Or maybe they just cramp her style - she can't go out and party as often as she'd like with her friends. Doesn't matter, really, the point is: you don't get to delete your kids from your life and still be considered a decent human being. Those poor little boys are being abandoned by their mother and her excuse for doing this is that they don't appreciate her? THEY ARE LITTLE KIDS. Of course they don't appreciate what she does for them, no child under the age of 18 appreciates what their parents do for them (you know, not until they move out and have to fend for themselves). That is no excuse. And they probably do act up more around her, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. She's high-strung, impatient, and obviously not responsible enough or emotionally invested enough in her children to put them first. I'm sure they pick up on that. But what REALLY galls me, what absolutely horrifies me, is that she was desperate to have children. She pushed PBIL into it, she went through fertility treatments to get pregnant with those little boys, and now she is ready to throw them away like they're trash. And what will happen to those boys when she decides in six months that she misses them, or (more likely) her parents guilt her into trying to get the boys back? It will completely fuck with their heads, and then she'll throw them away again when she gets tired of being a mommy.
I...have no words. Just NO FUCKING WORDS. She is inhuman. I hope PBIL gets sole custody of the boys and a restraining order against the bitch.
Oh, and CPSIL was trying to get PBIL to carry more than his share of the load before this, and she somehow used ME as an example -- something about how Babydaddy and I have things worked out, and how CPSIL and PBIL should do things differently (obviously something to her selfish advantage) because what works for us must work for them. Ummm...no. I don't know what point she was trying to make, but she made it sound to PBIL like CPSIL and I are still great friends and talk all the time, when...no. Not happening. And for her to try and use me as leverage in her fight with PBIL is just totally fucked and completely irrelevant. What works for one family is not necessarily going to work for another family. And what she doesn't seem to get is that I LOVE MY SON and would NEVER abandon him, and both Babydaddy and I are committed to making things easy on Rugrat and therefore we get along and are flexible with each other. Plus Babydaddy is a good friend and a great person. Whereas CPSIL is completely fucking out of her mind.
That is all.
I have major, major issues with this. First of all, knowing CPSIL as I do, she's probably just got a boyfriend who doesn't want her kids around and so she's dumping them. Or maybe they just cramp her style - she can't go out and party as often as she'd like with her friends. Doesn't matter, really, the point is: you don't get to delete your kids from your life and still be considered a decent human being. Those poor little boys are being abandoned by their mother and her excuse for doing this is that they don't appreciate her? THEY ARE LITTLE KIDS. Of course they don't appreciate what she does for them, no child under the age of 18 appreciates what their parents do for them (you know, not until they move out and have to fend for themselves). That is no excuse. And they probably do act up more around her, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. She's high-strung, impatient, and obviously not responsible enough or emotionally invested enough in her children to put them first. I'm sure they pick up on that. But what REALLY galls me, what absolutely horrifies me, is that she was desperate to have children. She pushed PBIL into it, she went through fertility treatments to get pregnant with those little boys, and now she is ready to throw them away like they're trash. And what will happen to those boys when she decides in six months that she misses them, or (more likely) her parents guilt her into trying to get the boys back? It will completely fuck with their heads, and then she'll throw them away again when she gets tired of being a mommy.
I...have no words. Just NO FUCKING WORDS. She is inhuman. I hope PBIL gets sole custody of the boys and a restraining order against the bitch.
Oh, and CPSIL was trying to get PBIL to carry more than his share of the load before this, and she somehow used ME as an example -- something about how Babydaddy and I have things worked out, and how CPSIL and PBIL should do things differently (obviously something to her selfish advantage) because what works for us must work for them. Ummm...no. I don't know what point she was trying to make, but she made it sound to PBIL like CPSIL and I are still great friends and talk all the time, when...no. Not happening. And for her to try and use me as leverage in her fight with PBIL is just totally fucked and completely irrelevant. What works for one family is not necessarily going to work for another family. And what she doesn't seem to get is that I LOVE MY SON and would NEVER abandon him, and both Babydaddy and I are committed to making things easy on Rugrat and therefore we get along and are flexible with each other. Plus Babydaddy is a good friend and a great person. Whereas CPSIL is completely fucking out of her mind.
That is all.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Vegas recap
I went to Vegas this past weekend for a reunion of sorts - a bunch of people that I used to work with all got together to get drunk and gamble and stuff.
I arrived just before 10 PM on Friday and waited at the airport for a while as the people I was meeting up with were all on delayed flights. We caught a cab together to our hotel (the Strat, way at the far end of the Strip) and dropped off our bags and jumped BACK in a cab to the Bellagio for our midnight meetup with the group. Had a few drinks, some late night food, and back to the hotel to sleep at around 4 AM.
Saturday morning I awoke bright and early at 8 AM, not even hung over. Yay! We cabbed down to the Luxor for a semi-group breakfast buffet, and then folks went their separate ways. I did a little shopping at the Venetian, then headed for the Mirage and my spa day with A, one of my old project managers. She and I got luxurious pedicures, then I hung out at the spa (AWESOME steam room) until my 4:30 massage. Took a shower, did my hair, then hopped a bus back to the Strat to change for the evening into the lovely lavender silk top I bought at BCBG that day. I got ready in ten minutes (I know!) and jumped in another cab with the guys at the Strat, and we went to Ellis Island for a BBQ dinner with the whole group. Fantastic BBQ, by the way. Juicy chicken, delish beans & corn on the cob. Plus microbrew beers that were pretty damn tasty. A group of us left Ellis after a couple hours and headed to Mandalay Bay to drink some more at House of Blues, and then watched the guys play Pai Gow (while we drank some more). Had a nice conversation with JL, who managed to fly in from LA after his motorcycle broke down and he missed his meetup with JW, who was driving from LA. Then we moved on to the Monte Carlo, which was kind of funky because I was following part of the group and didn't realize that they were heading back to sleep at their hotel - the Luxor. I ended up cabbing separately to the Monte Carlo and meeting up with the group again as they played...craps? Blackjack? I dunno. I put three dollars in a slot machine and drank some more. There was (obviously) lots of alcohol involved in this evening, but I don't think I embarrassed myself too much. ;-) Stumbled back to the room around 3, I think.
Sunday morning I woke up around 7 AM and couldn't get back to sleep because H was snoring like a truck driver. LOL. Grabbed some coffee and biscuits & gravy at the cafe in the Strat and then headed to the airport with a group of folks. The airport was a mob scene, but I managed to check in & get through security in about an hour. I got separated from the rest of the group and they didn't make it to the gate until it was almost time to board! And...that's it. Flight home was uneventful. I took a nap when I got home, and Ryan was wonderful - played quietly in his room while I slept for a couple hours. Then I went to bed early. Ahhh, bliss! Sleeping in my own bed...
I arrived just before 10 PM on Friday and waited at the airport for a while as the people I was meeting up with were all on delayed flights. We caught a cab together to our hotel (the Strat, way at the far end of the Strip) and dropped off our bags and jumped BACK in a cab to the Bellagio for our midnight meetup with the group. Had a few drinks, some late night food, and back to the hotel to sleep at around 4 AM.
Saturday morning I awoke bright and early at 8 AM, not even hung over. Yay! We cabbed down to the Luxor for a semi-group breakfast buffet, and then folks went their separate ways. I did a little shopping at the Venetian, then headed for the Mirage and my spa day with A, one of my old project managers. She and I got luxurious pedicures, then I hung out at the spa (AWESOME steam room) until my 4:30 massage. Took a shower, did my hair, then hopped a bus back to the Strat to change for the evening into the lovely lavender silk top I bought at BCBG that day. I got ready in ten minutes (I know!) and jumped in another cab with the guys at the Strat, and we went to Ellis Island for a BBQ dinner with the whole group. Fantastic BBQ, by the way. Juicy chicken, delish beans & corn on the cob. Plus microbrew beers that were pretty damn tasty. A group of us left Ellis after a couple hours and headed to Mandalay Bay to drink some more at House of Blues, and then watched the guys play Pai Gow (while we drank some more). Had a nice conversation with JL, who managed to fly in from LA after his motorcycle broke down and he missed his meetup with JW, who was driving from LA. Then we moved on to the Monte Carlo, which was kind of funky because I was following part of the group and didn't realize that they were heading back to sleep at their hotel - the Luxor. I ended up cabbing separately to the Monte Carlo and meeting up with the group again as they played...craps? Blackjack? I dunno. I put three dollars in a slot machine and drank some more. There was (obviously) lots of alcohol involved in this evening, but I don't think I embarrassed myself too much. ;-) Stumbled back to the room around 3, I think.
Sunday morning I woke up around 7 AM and couldn't get back to sleep because H was snoring like a truck driver. LOL. Grabbed some coffee and biscuits & gravy at the cafe in the Strat and then headed to the airport with a group of folks. The airport was a mob scene, but I managed to check in & get through security in about an hour. I got separated from the rest of the group and they didn't make it to the gate until it was almost time to board! And...that's it. Flight home was uneventful. I took a nap when I got home, and Ryan was wonderful - played quietly in his room while I slept for a couple hours. Then I went to bed early. Ahhh, bliss! Sleeping in my own bed...
Monday, November 27, 2006
Bragging
Whose son is a freakin' genius? MINE! Rugrat was accepted into the Gifted & Talented Program last week. Students have to score 98% or higher on the exam to get in, and my kid did it! Wooohooo! Classes are held once a week - at another school, dammit - and it should be interesting to see what he thinks of it.
Yay, Rugrat! Way to go!
Yay, Rugrat! Way to go!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Ha ha, suckas!
The Republicans are scrambling now...vows of "bipartisan cooperation" are being made all over, now that the Dems are back in town. House? We got it - hell, we ROUTED those muthas in red. Senate? They're still counting (and recounting) the votes in Montana & Virginia, but it's looking good, y'all. Real good for the folks in blue. Finally...an end to the right-wingers running roughshod over the rest of us and our civil liberties.
And Rumsfeld resigned! Good lord, the joy just keeps on coming.
Two more years, y'all. Just two more years until we take back the White House.
And in other news, Britney finally, FINALLY lost 170 pounds of asshole and dumped that idiot K-Fed. I'm not a big Britney fan, but watching her sliding down the slippery slope from angelic, virginal teeny-bopper to sleazy, white trash, gum-poppin', Cheeto-eatin', overweight married mother of two was painful. Talk about disillusionment. In fact, I think it sort of mirrors the state of our nation. The last two years have been awful, but lo & behold, yesterday we pulled it out. We took the first decisive step towards turning it around - both the country and Britney.
And Rumsfeld resigned! Good lord, the joy just keeps on coming.
Two more years, y'all. Just two more years until we take back the White House.
And in other news, Britney finally, FINALLY lost 170 pounds of asshole and dumped that idiot K-Fed. I'm not a big Britney fan, but watching her sliding down the slippery slope from angelic, virginal teeny-bopper to sleazy, white trash, gum-poppin', Cheeto-eatin', overweight married mother of two was painful. Talk about disillusionment. In fact, I think it sort of mirrors the state of our nation. The last two years have been awful, but lo & behold, yesterday we pulled it out. We took the first decisive step towards turning it around - both the country and Britney.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Did you vote?
I cast my ballot this morning around 11 AM. I'm not going to get all "patriotic! woo-woo" on you, but I do think that it is a wonderful blessing to be able to vote. I'm not very active in politics - I don't go to city council meetings or anything - but I do believe that the ability to let your voice be heard, via voting, is an incredible honor and privilege. And a duty. It is your duty as a citizen of this country to learn about the issues on the ballot, to learn what the different politicians stand for (or purportedly stand for; we all know that once they gain office all bets are off), and to make the best choices based on your values and beliefs.
With all that said, WOOOO f'ing HOOO! Looks like the Dems are taking back the House...and the long, hard reign of the elephant will finally be over. For now, anyway.
Here's hoping for an Obama-Clinton ticket in '08!
With all that said, WOOOO f'ing HOOO! Looks like the Dems are taking back the House...and the long, hard reign of the elephant will finally be over. For now, anyway.
Here's hoping for an Obama-Clinton ticket in '08!
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Halloweeeeeeeeen
Guess it's time to play catch-up. I haven't done much in the last month, just same-old same-old. I did meet an old friend in Livermore last weekend - someone I hadn't seen since high school. He has gorgeous eyes, but a jacked-up grill. I totally forgot about that. Plus right now he's pretty much starting over in life - no car, living in a friend's "spare" room, working a low-paying job, etc. It was nice to chat though, and catch up on the last fifteen (!) years. I found out a bunch of people I knew in high school are dead now. God, that's depressing.
Rugrat's going as Blade (a vampire, who's a vampire hunter) this year for Halloween. The obsession with all things monstrous continues. He started karate classes at the beginning of the month and he loves it. It also seems to be helping quite a bit with his bossy-ness and his acting out at daycare. There haven't been any issues now at daycare or school for almost a month. Thank goodness.
The weather's turned cold, suddenly. It was in the 80's just last week, and now all of the sudden it's not getting above the mid-60s. Freakin COLD at night, too.
Dad & stepmom moved to Arizona last weekend. They bought a place in an "active senior community" and sold their house and moved. Active senior community. Gah. Hard to think of my dad as retired, but there you go. Time marches on, I guess. And it does sound like a pretty damn cool place, what with their state-of-the-art computer lab and fully stocked woodworking and pottery rooms and all that. There's a full gym there, and just all kinds of rooms geared towards specific hobbies. It's all included in the homeowner's association fees, and guests get free access too, which rocks. But, damn. Now I'm the last one left in the bay area. Sister & Dad both in Arizona, Mom in SoCal, and I'm left here all alone. :-(
So for Thanksgiving this year, since we won't be at Dad's partaking of the fabulous gourmet feast, Rugrat and I are going to volunteer at a church-sponsored soup kitchen. It should be an interesting change of pace. And it means that I won't be making a huge T'giving dinner for just the two of us. I need to talk w/Babydaddy and find out what his plans are for T'giving.
And lastly, I'm heading off to Vegas in a month. The people I used to work with, at my last (now-defunct) company, are organizing an alumni reunion there, and it should be loads of fun. A weekend of booze & gambling & partying with some great folks, hopefully celebrating the Democrats retaking control of Congress and leading us out of the Valley of Darkness that has been the US for the past several years. VOTE, y'all!
Rugrat's going as Blade (a vampire, who's a vampire hunter) this year for Halloween. The obsession with all things monstrous continues. He started karate classes at the beginning of the month and he loves it. It also seems to be helping quite a bit with his bossy-ness and his acting out at daycare. There haven't been any issues now at daycare or school for almost a month. Thank goodness.The weather's turned cold, suddenly. It was in the 80's just last week, and now all of the sudden it's not getting above the mid-60s. Freakin COLD at night, too.
Dad & stepmom moved to Arizona last weekend. They bought a place in an "active senior community" and sold their house and moved. Active senior community. Gah. Hard to think of my dad as retired, but there you go. Time marches on, I guess. And it does sound like a pretty damn cool place, what with their state-of-the-art computer lab and fully stocked woodworking and pottery rooms and all that. There's a full gym there, and just all kinds of rooms geared towards specific hobbies. It's all included in the homeowner's association fees, and guests get free access too, which rocks. But, damn. Now I'm the last one left in the bay area. Sister & Dad both in Arizona, Mom in SoCal, and I'm left here all alone. :-(
So for Thanksgiving this year, since we won't be at Dad's partaking of the fabulous gourmet feast, Rugrat and I are going to volunteer at a church-sponsored soup kitchen. It should be an interesting change of pace. And it means that I won't be making a huge T'giving dinner for just the two of us. I need to talk w/Babydaddy and find out what his plans are for T'giving.
And lastly, I'm heading off to Vegas in a month. The people I used to work with, at my last (now-defunct) company, are organizing an alumni reunion there, and it should be loads of fun. A weekend of booze & gambling & partying with some great folks, hopefully celebrating the Democrats retaking control of Congress and leading us out of the Valley of Darkness that has been the US for the past several years. VOTE, y'all!
Monday, September 18, 2006
Last night
I had a date last night (yes! on a Sunday!) with M, the bartender from Ruth's Chris. He's about five years younger than me, but we've always had good conversations about books, travel, etc. So I was looking forward to it. And...I don't know what it was. It was more like going out with a friend. It certainly didn't seem much like a date.
Exhibit #1 - he was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Not a nice solid color t-shirt; it was like a skater/surfer logo t-shirt. Glad I didn't spend forever trying to figure out what to wear or anything. :-P
Exhibit #2 - I offered to pay for half of dinner and he let me. I've never had that happen before. I'm not totally bent about it or anything, but it was kind of unusual for a first date, I thought. He did pay for the tix for the comedy show, though, and for the 2 drinks at the show (I did not drink any alcohol, and he doesn't either, so it wasn't a whole lot of money, but still).
Exhibit #3 - When he dropped me off at my car, he just gave me a half-assed hug and told me to come by the bar sometime.
WTF? Was this a date? I mean, I know I don't date much anymore (OK, maybe a few times a year) but this just seemed odd. He was very subdued - he said he hasn't gotten much sleep lately and was tired, but I thought maybe he was just stoned. Heh.
Do I give off a weird vibe or something? I haven't had a really good date in a long, LONG time.
Exhibit #1 - he was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Not a nice solid color t-shirt; it was like a skater/surfer logo t-shirt. Glad I didn't spend forever trying to figure out what to wear or anything. :-P
Exhibit #2 - I offered to pay for half of dinner and he let me. I've never had that happen before. I'm not totally bent about it or anything, but it was kind of unusual for a first date, I thought. He did pay for the tix for the comedy show, though, and for the 2 drinks at the show (I did not drink any alcohol, and he doesn't either, so it wasn't a whole lot of money, but still).
Exhibit #3 - When he dropped me off at my car, he just gave me a half-assed hug and told me to come by the bar sometime.
WTF? Was this a date? I mean, I know I don't date much anymore (OK, maybe a few times a year) but this just seemed odd. He was very subdued - he said he hasn't gotten much sleep lately and was tired, but I thought maybe he was just stoned. Heh.
Do I give off a weird vibe or something? I haven't had a really good date in a long, LONG time.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Growing Up
Sometimes I forget that Rugrat is still just a little kid, and then all of the sudden he'll mispronounce something or use a word incorrectly. For instance, he was talking about something the other day and mentioned that it was made out of "concreek". "Concreek?" I asked. "Yes, like the backyard," he replied. "Oh, you mean concrete, as in 'our patio is made of concrete'." He insisted that the word was "concreeeeeek." He gets so offended when I correct him. It's as if I'm personally attacking his intelligence. Honestly, though, I'm just relieved to occasionally have a reminder that he's still young.
It's like his teeth. He's 7 1/2 now, and has only lost two bottom front teeth. None of the top ones are gone yet - they're barely even wiggly. Part of me longs for him to lose the top teeth and see how he's going to look with a full set of adult chompers...but the other part of me is so happy to just have my boy be a baby for a bit longer.
It's like his teeth. He's 7 1/2 now, and has only lost two bottom front teeth. None of the top ones are gone yet - they're barely even wiggly. Part of me longs for him to lose the top teeth and see how he's going to look with a full set of adult chompers...but the other part of me is so happy to just have my boy be a baby for a bit longer.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Guess I know why he's single
OK, I know why my date from Friday is 32 and still single. He's an asshole. A hard-drinkin' asshole. The date started out fine - a couple of beers and dinner at Pyramid. Then we went to play pool. And he just kept up with the drinking. And trying to pressure me to come home with him. And grabbing my ass. And giving everyone "constructive criticism" - including me, for my poor pool-playing skillz, and the BOUNCER, for god's sake, for actually having the temerity to ask people for their ID when they came in. Then we went to Nation's for some late night fries & a soda (I wanted more food in my belly before the drive home, after having those 2 beers plus a shot of tequila at the bar). Yes, the staff at Nation's was being weird, calling numbers all out of order and for some reason not making fries at an adequate rate. But is that a good reason for him to JUMP UP AND START YELLING AT THEM??? I think not.
So, yeah...no more dates with this guy.
And by the way, when I left at 1 AM to head home, where did he go? To nearby Farringdon's - for another drink. Good lord.
So, yeah...no more dates with this guy.
And by the way, when I left at 1 AM to head home, where did he go? To nearby Farringdon's - for another drink. Good lord.
Friday, July 07, 2006
What can you say about a month?
Goodness, it's been a while since I last updated. Last weekend, over the 4th, Rugrat and I went to Santa Cruz to visit some old friends of mine (and their little rugrats), and to frolic on the beach and play at the boardwalk. It was fun, but I always seem to be so exhausted by the end of these little solo trips with Rugrat. There's just no break at all from the constant chatter. And of COURSE I got a sunburn. A real good one. Even after spraying on the magical Neutrogena SPF 45. Dammit!
The party jinx is still in effect, I see. The June book club meeting consisted of me and one other person -- not the same person as last time, but I think she may have had her baby, so I won't hold it against her. ;-) But this time I got smart and the book club meeting was held at Panera, a bakery/coffee shop nearby. So I didn't spend oodles of time cooking/cleaning/etc.
Father's day was nice, although Babydaddy was a no-show since he was busy unpacking (or at least that was his excuse). My father & stepmom came, however, and we pigged out (no pun intended) on pork tenderloin with chipotle sauce, fresh green beans, cheese & crackers, spinach/artichoke dip, vanilla ice cream with macerated berries, and plenty of wine & beer.
I got the most bitchin' cell phone. Yeah, I said it. Bitchin'. You wanna make somethin' of it? Heh. Anyway, it's a Motorola Razr. This is the first time I've ever paid money for a cell phone, y'all. I have always, in the past, gotten the "free" one that was available through my phone company. So I ran right out and bought a Bluetooth USB plugin thingy, and when the phone came (joy!) I uploaded my own ringtones, that I created using my MP3s and free Audacity software. Man, that's good stuff. My default cell phone ring is now the theme song to Kim Possible. Yes, the cartoon. Yes, I'm a dork. No, I don't care if you laugh at me.
And tonight I have a date! I actually have two guys in the works. One is a pipe layer (that is just MADE for jokes, y'all) that I'm kind of meh about, and the other one (the one I'm seeing tonight) is in the remodeling/construction biz and is very cute, just my age, and a book geek. Cross your fingers for me! It's about time the boyfriend drought ended.
The party jinx is still in effect, I see. The June book club meeting consisted of me and one other person -- not the same person as last time, but I think she may have had her baby, so I won't hold it against her. ;-) But this time I got smart and the book club meeting was held at Panera, a bakery/coffee shop nearby. So I didn't spend oodles of time cooking/cleaning/etc.
Father's day was nice, although Babydaddy was a no-show since he was busy unpacking (or at least that was his excuse). My father & stepmom came, however, and we pigged out (no pun intended) on pork tenderloin with chipotle sauce, fresh green beans, cheese & crackers, spinach/artichoke dip, vanilla ice cream with macerated berries, and plenty of wine & beer.
I got the most bitchin' cell phone. Yeah, I said it. Bitchin'. You wanna make somethin' of it? Heh. Anyway, it's a Motorola Razr. This is the first time I've ever paid money for a cell phone, y'all. I have always, in the past, gotten the "free" one that was available through my phone company. So I ran right out and bought a Bluetooth USB plugin thingy, and when the phone came (joy!) I uploaded my own ringtones, that I created using my MP3s and free Audacity software. Man, that's good stuff. My default cell phone ring is now the theme song to Kim Possible. Yes, the cartoon. Yes, I'm a dork. No, I don't care if you laugh at me.
And tonight I have a date! I actually have two guys in the works. One is a pipe layer (that is just MADE for jokes, y'all) that I'm kind of meh about, and the other one (the one I'm seeing tonight) is in the remodeling/construction biz and is very cute, just my age, and a book geek. Cross your fingers for me! It's about time the boyfriend drought ended.
Monday, June 05, 2006
All My(stic) Children
Good lord, I didn't think it was possible for anyone to abuse the Mystic Tan as badly as Walt Willey (Jack). But today, Leven Rambin (Lily) looked absolutely freakish. What, did she go in to get married and get a complimentary tanning session (or twenty) along with her wedding vows? She looked like Ross in that episode of Friends where he goes to the tanning salon and gets tanned only on one side...about a dozen times!
I really think that the faux-tanning is getting completely out of hand on television in general. What's wrong with looking natural? Alicia Minshew (Kendall) is gorgeous, and she's got that milky skin. So does Eden Riegel (Binks). They are downright pale, and incredibly beautiful nonetheless. There's no reason for abuse of the FakeBake. Orange looks lovely on pumpkins, but not so much on people. If you MUST faux-tan, PLEASE, for the love of God, do it MINIMALLY. Like, ONE session per week or two. Not twenty sessions in a day.
I really think that the faux-tanning is getting completely out of hand on television in general. What's wrong with looking natural? Alicia Minshew (Kendall) is gorgeous, and she's got that milky skin. So does Eden Riegel (Binks). They are downright pale, and incredibly beautiful nonetheless. There's no reason for abuse of the FakeBake. Orange looks lovely on pumpkins, but not so much on people. If you MUST faux-tan, PLEASE, for the love of God, do it MINIMALLY. Like, ONE session per week or two. Not twenty sessions in a day.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Grrr
Babydaddy is slacking. His brother has sold the house, although it hasn't closed escrow yet, and Babydaddy needs to be out as soon as they sign the papers. Brother has already rented a house and moved in. Babydaddy? Has not found a place yet, although he's been looking for a month. WTF? And now he's living in this empty house, with NO washer/dryer and NO refrigerator. So he just wants me to pick up Rugrat all the time at school and bring him home with me, which...no. I mean, I don't want to make Rugrat suffer for his daddy's sloth, but damn, Babydaddy needs to get off his ass and get things done. No REFRIGERATOR, for fuck's sake. Jesus.
And where is he moving to? WC, which is a 30 minute drive. And when he finally finds a place and moves there, he's decided that it would be ever so much easier if I kept Rugrat every day during the week and he just had him every other weekend. And maybe he'd pick him up a couple times during the week and take him out to dinner so I could "have the evening off." And he thinks that this will be essentially the same as our current setup. Which? No. It is not. It means I am getting up early every single weekday to drop off Rugrat at school. It means I have to be at home every weeknight by 8:30, so that Rugrat can sleep here. It means I have to pack his lunch every morning, feed him breakfast, deal with all the dirty laundry and the bathtime and the book-reading before bed.
And what really really chaps my hide is this: I never wanted to move out here. I wanted to move closer to WC, back when I sold my townhouse three or four years ago. WC has better schools, nicer neighborhoods, great restaurants and bars, clubs, etc. Here? It is fucking suburban hell. Families everywhere, crappy chain restaurants, no single life, and now the fucking ghetto is taking over the city, with the Section 8 housing and the pissy fucking teenagers everywhere. But I moved out here. And why? Because Babydaddy moved out here, and it was going to be easier and better for Rugrat if we lived close together, what with school and daycare and all that. And now he's fucking deserting us and moving to WC, where I WANTED TO LIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE, and my house is losing value and the market is drying up and I am just sick to fucking death of this whole thing.
Goddammit. Fucking asshole.
And where is he moving to? WC, which is a 30 minute drive. And when he finally finds a place and moves there, he's decided that it would be ever so much easier if I kept Rugrat every day during the week and he just had him every other weekend. And maybe he'd pick him up a couple times during the week and take him out to dinner so I could "have the evening off." And he thinks that this will be essentially the same as our current setup. Which? No. It is not. It means I am getting up early every single weekday to drop off Rugrat at school. It means I have to be at home every weeknight by 8:30, so that Rugrat can sleep here. It means I have to pack his lunch every morning, feed him breakfast, deal with all the dirty laundry and the bathtime and the book-reading before bed.
And what really really chaps my hide is this: I never wanted to move out here. I wanted to move closer to WC, back when I sold my townhouse three or four years ago. WC has better schools, nicer neighborhoods, great restaurants and bars, clubs, etc. Here? It is fucking suburban hell. Families everywhere, crappy chain restaurants, no single life, and now the fucking ghetto is taking over the city, with the Section 8 housing and the pissy fucking teenagers everywhere. But I moved out here. And why? Because Babydaddy moved out here, and it was going to be easier and better for Rugrat if we lived close together, what with school and daycare and all that. And now he's fucking deserting us and moving to WC, where I WANTED TO LIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE, and my house is losing value and the market is drying up and I am just sick to fucking death of this whole thing.
Goddammit. Fucking asshole.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Party Jinx
I am pretty sure I have a party jinx. Whenever I throw a party, invite people over for a get-together, whatever...if it's not family, they don't come. I had ONE person come to the book club meeting last night. Three people emailed to cancel the morning OF the meeting (like they didn't know it was coming up? Even though they got a reminder email a week ago?). Two other people just didn't bother. Whatever.
I, of course, spent the better part of two days cooking & cleaning. I bought $40 worth of wine. I made fantastic food: caramelized onion & goat cheese tarts, prosciutto & gruyere pinwheels, stuffed mushrooms, lacy almond cookies with fresh fruit. And now? I have half a bottle of wine leftover in the fridge (because the one woman who showed up was 8 months pregnant and I had to drink the wine alone), and I gorged myself on mushrooms last night so I wouldn't have to throw them away. I have a couple of the onion & goat cheese things left, and I sent the other lady home with most of the remaining pinwheels, half the cookies, and all the fruit. It's not like I can just keep this stuff around - I'm leaving for Washington tomorrow, for a family reunion.
I am never throwing a party again. It's just not worth the stress.
Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 4-oz log fresh goat cheese
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
Minced fresh thyme (couple teaspoons, I guess. "Just eyeball it," as Rachael would say)
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 425°.
In a heavy pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the olive oil. Add the onions, salt & pepper to taste, then cook over medium heat for a long time, stirring occasionally, until they get golden brown and caramelized. You can throw in a little sugar if you want (maybe a tablespoon), while the onions are cooking. This helps them caramelize and makes them even sweeter.
When the onions are done, roll out your puff pastry sheet until it's about 18" x 11". Trim off any uneven edges, and then cut into squares about 2-3" on each side. You don't have to get all anal about it, just make roughly the same size/shape for each tart. Put the puff pastry squares on cookie sheets (I use silpats with mine) and with a fork, gently pierce the squares at about half-inch intervals, leaving about a 3/4" border all around that is un-pierced. When you pierce the pastry, that part doesn't puff up; the unpierced part will puff up and make a pretty square border around the filling.
Put a little of the onions and goat cheese in the middle of each square, and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Bake for 15 minutes, until the puff pastry is, well, puffed and golden brown. Serve immediately or cool to room temperature. They're good either way.
Prosciutto & Gruyere Pinwheels
1/2 lb thinly sliced prosciutto
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten with a little water
Roll out the puff pastry sheet until it's about 18" x 11". Trim off any uneven edges so that it's a rectangle. Starting at the side closest to you, which should be a wide edge, lay strips of prosciutto on the pastry until it's all covered, leaving about a half-inch to an inch of the edge farthest from you uncovered. Sprinkle the Gruyere cheese on top. Then just roll the sheet up until you get almost to the end. Brush the bare edge with the egg wash, the finish rolling. Wrap the entire roll in plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for at least half an hour (up to a day or two, if you are making this ahead of time).
Preheat oven to 425°.
After the roll is chilled, pull it out and slice it into circles about 3/4" thick. Lay them down on a parchment- or silpat-lined cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown and puffed up a bit. These are also tasty warm or at room temp.
Stuffed Mushrooms
This is such a "whatever" recipe; the amounts below are really just guesses.
1 lb white button mushrooms (bigger ones are better)
4 Tbsp butter
Olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh minced herbs (thyme, sage, marjoram, whatever you like)
Salt & pepper to taste
Saltines, crushed
1/4 c shredded Parmesan
Preheat oven to 400°, or thereabouts. 425° is fine.
Gently clean the mushrooms (do NOT run under water) with a damp cloth. Pop off the stems and set aside. Lay out the mushroom caps, bottoms up, on a cookie sheet.
Over medium heat in a skillet, melt the butter and add a little olive oil, maybe a couple tablespoons. Chop the reserved mushroom stems finely. Add the shallot to the pan, then a minute or two later add the garlic and the mushrooms. Saute for a couple minutes, then throw in the herbs and salt & pepper. It should be pretty loose at this point, with lots of butter and oil. Add in enough cracker crumbs to soak up the liquid and bind it all together. I can't give you an exact amount here, sorry. It's just one of those things. If it gets too dry, add a little more olive oil. Cook it for another minute or so to keep the crackers from tasting too raw.
With a spoon, push the filling into the mushroom caps, mounding it up slightly. Really kind of pack it in and on top of the mushroom. You should have just about exactly the right amount to fill all your mushroom caps. Sprinkle the mushrooms with shredded Parmesan and then pop it in the oven for about 5-10 minutes, until the mushrooms are giving off their liquid and are cooked through, but still a little bit firm to the bite. For the last minute or two, turn on the broiler to brown the tops. Serve immediately.
I, of course, spent the better part of two days cooking & cleaning. I bought $40 worth of wine. I made fantastic food: caramelized onion & goat cheese tarts, prosciutto & gruyere pinwheels, stuffed mushrooms, lacy almond cookies with fresh fruit. And now? I have half a bottle of wine leftover in the fridge (because the one woman who showed up was 8 months pregnant and I had to drink the wine alone), and I gorged myself on mushrooms last night so I wouldn't have to throw them away. I have a couple of the onion & goat cheese things left, and I sent the other lady home with most of the remaining pinwheels, half the cookies, and all the fruit. It's not like I can just keep this stuff around - I'm leaving for Washington tomorrow, for a family reunion.
I am never throwing a party again. It's just not worth the stress.
Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 4-oz log fresh goat cheese
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
Minced fresh thyme (couple teaspoons, I guess. "Just eyeball it," as Rachael would say)
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 425°.
In a heavy pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the olive oil. Add the onions, salt & pepper to taste, then cook over medium heat for a long time, stirring occasionally, until they get golden brown and caramelized. You can throw in a little sugar if you want (maybe a tablespoon), while the onions are cooking. This helps them caramelize and makes them even sweeter.
When the onions are done, roll out your puff pastry sheet until it's about 18" x 11". Trim off any uneven edges, and then cut into squares about 2-3" on each side. You don't have to get all anal about it, just make roughly the same size/shape for each tart. Put the puff pastry squares on cookie sheets (I use silpats with mine) and with a fork, gently pierce the squares at about half-inch intervals, leaving about a 3/4" border all around that is un-pierced. When you pierce the pastry, that part doesn't puff up; the unpierced part will puff up and make a pretty square border around the filling.
Put a little of the onions and goat cheese in the middle of each square, and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Bake for 15 minutes, until the puff pastry is, well, puffed and golden brown. Serve immediately or cool to room temperature. They're good either way.
Prosciutto & Gruyere Pinwheels
1/2 lb thinly sliced prosciutto
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten with a little water
Roll out the puff pastry sheet until it's about 18" x 11". Trim off any uneven edges so that it's a rectangle. Starting at the side closest to you, which should be a wide edge, lay strips of prosciutto on the pastry until it's all covered, leaving about a half-inch to an inch of the edge farthest from you uncovered. Sprinkle the Gruyere cheese on top. Then just roll the sheet up until you get almost to the end. Brush the bare edge with the egg wash, the finish rolling. Wrap the entire roll in plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for at least half an hour (up to a day or two, if you are making this ahead of time).
Preheat oven to 425°.
After the roll is chilled, pull it out and slice it into circles about 3/4" thick. Lay them down on a parchment- or silpat-lined cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown and puffed up a bit. These are also tasty warm or at room temp.
Stuffed Mushrooms
This is such a "whatever" recipe; the amounts below are really just guesses.
1 lb white button mushrooms (bigger ones are better)
4 Tbsp butter
Olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh minced herbs (thyme, sage, marjoram, whatever you like)
Salt & pepper to taste
Saltines, crushed
1/4 c shredded Parmesan
Preheat oven to 400°, or thereabouts. 425° is fine.
Gently clean the mushrooms (do NOT run under water) with a damp cloth. Pop off the stems and set aside. Lay out the mushroom caps, bottoms up, on a cookie sheet.
Over medium heat in a skillet, melt the butter and add a little olive oil, maybe a couple tablespoons. Chop the reserved mushroom stems finely. Add the shallot to the pan, then a minute or two later add the garlic and the mushrooms. Saute for a couple minutes, then throw in the herbs and salt & pepper. It should be pretty loose at this point, with lots of butter and oil. Add in enough cracker crumbs to soak up the liquid and bind it all together. I can't give you an exact amount here, sorry. It's just one of those things. If it gets too dry, add a little more olive oil. Cook it for another minute or so to keep the crackers from tasting too raw.
With a spoon, push the filling into the mushroom caps, mounding it up slightly. Really kind of pack it in and on top of the mushroom. You should have just about exactly the right amount to fill all your mushroom caps. Sprinkle the mushrooms with shredded Parmesan and then pop it in the oven for about 5-10 minutes, until the mushrooms are giving off their liquid and are cooked through, but still a little bit firm to the bite. For the last minute or two, turn on the broiler to brown the tops. Serve immediately.
Party Jinx
I am pretty sure I have a party jinx. Whenever I throw a party, invite people over for a get-together, whatever...if it's not family, they don't come. I had ONE person come to the book club meeting last night. Three people emailed to cancel the morning OF the meeting (like they didn't know it was coming up? Even though they got a reminder email a week ago?). Two other people just didn't bother. Whatever.
I, of course, spent the better part of two days cooking & cleaning. I bought $40 worth of wine. I made fantastic food: caramelized onion & goat cheese tarts, prosciutto & gruyere pinwheels, stuffed mushrooms, lacy almond cookies with fresh fruit. And now? I have half a bottle of wine leftover in the fridge (because the one woman who showed up was 8 months pregnant and I had to drink the wine alone), and I gorged myself on mushrooms last night so I wouldn't have to throw them away. I have a couple of the onion & goat cheese things left, and I sent the other lady home with most of the remaining pinwheels, half the cookies, and all the fruit. It's not like I can just keep this stuff around - I'm leaving for Washington tomorrow, for the family reunion thing.
I am never throwing a party again. It's just not worth the stress.
I, of course, spent the better part of two days cooking & cleaning. I bought $40 worth of wine. I made fantastic food: caramelized onion & goat cheese tarts, prosciutto & gruyere pinwheels, stuffed mushrooms, lacy almond cookies with fresh fruit. And now? I have half a bottle of wine leftover in the fridge (because the one woman who showed up was 8 months pregnant and I had to drink the wine alone), and I gorged myself on mushrooms last night so I wouldn't have to throw them away. I have a couple of the onion & goat cheese things left, and I sent the other lady home with most of the remaining pinwheels, half the cookies, and all the fruit. It's not like I can just keep this stuff around - I'm leaving for Washington tomorrow, for the family reunion thing.
I am never throwing a party again. It's just not worth the stress.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Book club!
I've started a book club! We've got 7 members, and our first meeting is coming up a week from Thursday. I am so excited, y'all!
Monday, April 24, 2006
Could I BE any more stupid?
About a week ago, I was getting ready to go out with friends on Friday night, when I managed to lock myself out of the house. Great. Lovely. Had to go across the street and borrow the neighbor's phone (AND phonebook) to call a locksmith because Babydaddy's phone was going straight to voicemail (he's got a spare key for me...somewhere). About an hour later, the locksmith finally shows up, opens up my house in about 5 minutes, and hands me a bill for $130. Greeeeeat.
So, this last Friday (yes, exactly one week after the first lockout incident), I decided to go out front to await the Bee Man and escape the kamikaze bees in my house. And what did I do? What, oh what, did I do?
LOCKED MYSELF OUT OF THE HOUSE.
AGAIN.
Of course Babydaddy was on his way to LA with his brother. Literally, on the Grapevine, and could not help. And I was due to pick up the Rugrat at daycare in a half hour. And there I was, locked out again, this time in my slippers, in the pouring rain. So Babydaddy called his mom, who graciously picked up Rugrat and dropped him off here, where I was still waiting for the locksmith. Bee Guy showed up shortly after I get locked out, and sprayed his lovely bee-killing powder in my house, but since I don't have my purse with me, he says he'll bill me for the service (and I truly love that guy, he was SO sweet). An hour and a half after I call the locksmith (who said he'd be here in 45 minutes), he finally shows up, opens my door, and charges me $60. At least I found a cheaper locksmith this time. *sigh*
I swear to God, those Manolos I bought at Christmastime have truly vaporized at least half of my brain cells. Twice?? In one week?? How much of a loser could I BE?
Anyhoo, once I finally got in the house again, Rugrat & I grabbed our stuff and hauled ass outta there, headed for drive-through food and then my dad's house. I had many, many glasses of scotch that night (celebrating both my stupidity and Dad's decision to retire), and woke up painfully hungover.
Needless to say, I did get a spare key and hide it this weekend, FINALLY. Only takes $200 to smarten me up, I guess. Maybe I should sell those Manolos on eBay after all.
So, this last Friday (yes, exactly one week after the first lockout incident), I decided to go out front to await the Bee Man and escape the kamikaze bees in my house. And what did I do? What, oh what, did I do?
LOCKED MYSELF OUT OF THE HOUSE.
AGAIN.
Of course Babydaddy was on his way to LA with his brother. Literally, on the Grapevine, and could not help. And I was due to pick up the Rugrat at daycare in a half hour. And there I was, locked out again, this time in my slippers, in the pouring rain. So Babydaddy called his mom, who graciously picked up Rugrat and dropped him off here, where I was still waiting for the locksmith. Bee Guy showed up shortly after I get locked out, and sprayed his lovely bee-killing powder in my house, but since I don't have my purse with me, he says he'll bill me for the service (and I truly love that guy, he was SO sweet). An hour and a half after I call the locksmith (who said he'd be here in 45 minutes), he finally shows up, opens my door, and charges me $60. At least I found a cheaper locksmith this time. *sigh*
I swear to God, those Manolos I bought at Christmastime have truly vaporized at least half of my brain cells. Twice?? In one week?? How much of a loser could I BE?
Anyhoo, once I finally got in the house again, Rugrat & I grabbed our stuff and hauled ass outta there, headed for drive-through food and then my dad's house. I had many, many glasses of scotch that night (celebrating both my stupidity and Dad's decision to retire), and woke up painfully hungover.
Needless to say, I did get a spare key and hide it this weekend, FINALLY. Only takes $200 to smarten me up, I guess. Maybe I should sell those Manolos on eBay after all.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Holy Fucking Crap!!!!
What did I do to deserve this kind of karma?
I have a swarm of bees flying in through my kitchen stove vent. They are coming out through the recessed kitchen lights.
WHAT THE FUCK????????
I called pest control - they won't do it. It's not covered in their liability insurance, apparently. So I had to call a beekeeper. They'll do it, but it will cost me $240 dollars, and they won't be out until late this afternoon/early evening. Greeeeeaaaat.
In the meantime, I haven't had anything to eat for lunch because I'm too chicken to go in the kitchen while they're all diving out of the lights. You can HEAR them buzzing aorund in the ceiling. It is freaky as hell. So I'm holed up in my office, trying to stay away from them.
I have a swarm of bees flying in through my kitchen stove vent. They are coming out through the recessed kitchen lights.
WHAT THE FUCK????????
I called pest control - they won't do it. It's not covered in their liability insurance, apparently. So I had to call a beekeeper. They'll do it, but it will cost me $240 dollars, and they won't be out until late this afternoon/early evening. Greeeeeaaaat.
In the meantime, I haven't had anything to eat for lunch because I'm too chicken to go in the kitchen while they're all diving out of the lights. You can HEAR them buzzing aorund in the ceiling. It is freaky as hell. So I'm holed up in my office, trying to stay away from them.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Wasps
The rain has cleared up - for a few days anyway; we're supposed to get more this weekend unfortunately - and now, just when I'm enjoying my backyard in all its wildly overgrown, sunny splendor, I've discovered that we've got a wasp problem.
Not a fat, lazy, buzzing bumblebee problem. A wasp problem. As in: silent, evil, elongated flying things that seem to be strangely attracted to the old wooden adirondack chairs in my backyard, the chairs I love to sit on while I'm smoking. Scary things that can sting you over & over & over again, without pulling their insides out through their butt (unlike bumblebees, which will think twice about stinging you because it is a kamikaze mission for them).
Thankfully, they haven't stung me yet. In fact, I've never been stung by a bee of any kind. But it's really making me nervous to sit out back for my periodic cigarette break.
Not a fat, lazy, buzzing bumblebee problem. A wasp problem. As in: silent, evil, elongated flying things that seem to be strangely attracted to the old wooden adirondack chairs in my backyard, the chairs I love to sit on while I'm smoking. Scary things that can sting you over & over & over again, without pulling their insides out through their butt (unlike bumblebees, which will think twice about stinging you because it is a kamikaze mission for them).
Thankfully, they haven't stung me yet. In fact, I've never been stung by a bee of any kind. But it's really making me nervous to sit out back for my periodic cigarette break.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
The Tax Man
That time of year again...taxes. I hate doing taxes. And I hate waiting for Babydaddy to do HIS taxes, so that we can figure out if it's more advantageous for me to take the Head of Household status or him (depending on who has the larger difference in refund amount). It's always me, so I always end up as HoH. But every year I have to wait for him to do his taxes so that we can figure it out, and every year he waits until the last minute. My taxes have been done for a few weeks (thank you, TurboTax!) but I have been waiting to file until I hear from him. It would be so nice, just once, to file really early and get that refund in February or March, but nooooo...gotta wait until the very last freaking second, even though we both get refunds, because Babydaddy is a procrastinator extraordinaire. I mean, I hate sitting down with the forms and the receipts and all that and doing it, because it's a boring couple of hours entering in numbers and going through all the ridiculous questions that never pertain to me (farm equipment?), but still...that $5K would be much better off earning interest for an extra month or two.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Arrrgghhh!
I cannot take it. The rain is driving me batshit crazy. And on top of that, we went on daylight savings time this last weekend, and I'm exhausted. I feel like I'm coming down with a cold or the flu or something. I mean, seriously, why are we still doing this? It's barbaric! It's simply ridiculous and totally unnecessary. And it causes accidents because people are tired.
But mostly I'm just sick of the rain. We've already exceeded our average rainfall for April. Less than a week into the month and we're OVER our average amount. That is just wrong, folks. Looks like there won't be any relief from it for the next few weeks either. I am so ready for summer - even spring! I'd welcome spring right now. Even though I'll be sick as a dog with allergies this year - at least it means SUNSHINE!!!!
Oh, and I am sore from yoga last night. Yikes! Learned the "salutation to the moon" though, and that's a good short routine that I can do a couple times a day to de-stress.
But mostly I'm just sick of the rain. We've already exceeded our average rainfall for April. Less than a week into the month and we're OVER our average amount. That is just wrong, folks. Looks like there won't be any relief from it for the next few weeks either. I am so ready for summer - even spring! I'd welcome spring right now. Even though I'll be sick as a dog with allergies this year - at least it means SUNSHINE!!!!
Oh, and I am sore from yoga last night. Yikes! Learned the "salutation to the moon" though, and that's a good short routine that I can do a couple times a day to de-stress.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Surprise! More rain...
OK, the rain is really starting to get to me. We've had more than 20 days of rain this month. And if you believe the online forecasts, it's not going to get any better in April. I believe the weeds in my backyard now outnumber the actual blades of grass. The biggest ones are about three feet tall. The yard hasn't been mowed in six months.
But the worst part is the depression...when the weather is like this, all I want to do is crawl back into bed and snore the day away. Seriously, who has energy when it's overcast and cold and rainy all the time? Well, I guess people in Seattle do...but I live in California for a reason. And that reason is: NO RAIN. Or at least not much of it. You know, maybe two or three months of "winter," where it rains for a few days and then we get two or three weeks of sun before the next "storm." This year, we've shattered rainfall records, and the Sierras have gotten dumped with feet upon feet upon feet of snow. I guess I could be happy about it if I liked skiing or snowboarding or something. But what I like to do is go out and drink with my friends. Or maybe go dancing. What I don't like to do is sit on my couch moaning about the fact that we've got yet ANOTHER rainy day and if I go outside my hair is going to frizz like crazy and so why even bother blow-drying? And my rainy day coat is an ugly light-blue hooded parka thing, which is not in any way, shape, or form able to be construed as "cool." So if I wear the raincoat, I am fugly. If I wear the black wool coat, my head gets soaked, and see above re: frizz. Not to mention the loveliness that is non-waterproof mascara when you're slogging through a downpour.
God, I'm just freakin' DONE already. Bring on the sunshine, dammit!
But the worst part is the depression...when the weather is like this, all I want to do is crawl back into bed and snore the day away. Seriously, who has energy when it's overcast and cold and rainy all the time? Well, I guess people in Seattle do...but I live in California for a reason. And that reason is: NO RAIN. Or at least not much of it. You know, maybe two or three months of "winter," where it rains for a few days and then we get two or three weeks of sun before the next "storm." This year, we've shattered rainfall records, and the Sierras have gotten dumped with feet upon feet upon feet of snow. I guess I could be happy about it if I liked skiing or snowboarding or something. But what I like to do is go out and drink with my friends. Or maybe go dancing. What I don't like to do is sit on my couch moaning about the fact that we've got yet ANOTHER rainy day and if I go outside my hair is going to frizz like crazy and so why even bother blow-drying? And my rainy day coat is an ugly light-blue hooded parka thing, which is not in any way, shape, or form able to be construed as "cool." So if I wear the raincoat, I am fugly. If I wear the black wool coat, my head gets soaked, and see above re: frizz. Not to mention the loveliness that is non-waterproof mascara when you're slogging through a downpour.
God, I'm just freakin' DONE already. Bring on the sunshine, dammit!
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Mama-san
Mom came to visit this past weekend. We had a nice time, although the weather suuuuucked and Rugrat was being a pill. But we still got to have some nice chats. Mom, citing a need to not sit on her ass all day, ended up doing my dishes and laundry all weekend. While it was certainly welcome, I did feel just the teeensiest bit guilty at her doing all the scut work around here. However, I didn't spend the *whole* weekend on my butt -- I made dinner Saturday & Sunday, and whipped up a luscious maple cake for Aunt L, who came over to visit for a little while Sunday night to celebrate her birthday (actual b'day was a few days before).
I'm done with the sick thing now, except for a lingering dry cough occasionally. I did manage to spread the love though - Babydaddy came down with it last week and was looking like hell. In fact, he didn't even take Rugrat to school on Friday because he couldn't drag his ass outta bed. Rugrat hasn't gotten sick (knock on wood) although he did have a weird pink rashy-thing around his eye Friday night. I thought he might be coming down with pink eye since that eye was all watery and drippy. Of course I had to drag him to the airport to pick up Mom at 8:30, and damned if he wasn't the whiniest thing on two legs. "Mommy, I'm cooooold." "Mommy, I'm thirsty." "Mommy, I can't walk." Blah blah blah. Yeah, OK, so it was bedtime - but still! He was in TEARS at the airport, and I was feeling like the world's worst mother. And it wasn't that cold. I knew he was feeling really crappy when he fell asleep in the car on the way home - only ten minutes into the drive and he was out like a light! So Saturday I decided to try Benadryl for the drippy pink eye, and lo & behold, he was cured. It must have just been an allergy thing. Very weird.
I'm done with the sick thing now, except for a lingering dry cough occasionally. I did manage to spread the love though - Babydaddy came down with it last week and was looking like hell. In fact, he didn't even take Rugrat to school on Friday because he couldn't drag his ass outta bed. Rugrat hasn't gotten sick (knock on wood) although he did have a weird pink rashy-thing around his eye Friday night. I thought he might be coming down with pink eye since that eye was all watery and drippy. Of course I had to drag him to the airport to pick up Mom at 8:30, and damned if he wasn't the whiniest thing on two legs. "Mommy, I'm cooooold." "Mommy, I'm thirsty." "Mommy, I can't walk." Blah blah blah. Yeah, OK, so it was bedtime - but still! He was in TEARS at the airport, and I was feeling like the world's worst mother. And it wasn't that cold. I knew he was feeling really crappy when he fell asleep in the car on the way home - only ten minutes into the drive and he was out like a light! So Saturday I decided to try Benadryl for the drippy pink eye, and lo & behold, he was cured. It must have just been an allergy thing. Very weird.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
What happened to February?
It's been over a month since I've posted...I can't believe how time flies.
The house remodeling is nearly done (well, at least the downstairs). The bathroom is done, with everything new except for the toilet. The kitchen is almost done as well - new lighting, flooring, paint, sink, and...almost all the countertops. Stupid IDIOTS keep screwing up the bar. We ordered the bar countertop at home depot, along with everything else. The bar was to be 80.75 inches long. They delivered it (along with rest of the countertops) several weeks ago...but the bar was only 80 inches long. Even though it said quite clearly on both the original order AND the shipping manifest: 80.75 inches. So Babydaddy & I went over to Home Depot and told them that they sent the wrong size. Of course they got all confused and it took a good half hour to straighten them out, but they sent off the order again. Two weeks later, the new bar was delivered: 80 inches AGAIN! Are those people on dope? And if they are, can they get me some? Because it must be some good shit. So they called again this last Tuesday, wanting to ship it out (only a week later this time) and I asked the girl, is it 80.75 inches this time? And she's all, let me check. So I hold on for fifteen minutes while she putzes around, smokes a doob, and gets back on the line to say, "Oh, sorry, I was looking at the old manifest; yours should be in next week." Sigh.
Also done: new fireplace surround (slate tile - yay!) and mantel custom-built by Babydaddy. New six-panel doors - painted & almost all new doorhandles installed. Bought some tumbled stone mosaic tile for the backsplash in the kitchen, which just came in yesterday at HD. The end is in sight....I'll just take a break for a while and then we'll tackle the upstairs bathrooms, which should be fairly quick & easy.
Last month there were two birthdays: Babydaddy's, and my friend K's. For Babydaddy, I made him a special dinner. His requests? "Something with cauliflower, some asparagus, some pasta (so Rugrat will have something he'll eat), and some meat." He bought some delicious pork chops from Kinder's and I seared & roasted them. I made roasted asparagus with sea salt & pepper & olive oil, and cauliflower au gratin (which was super-yummy), and pasta with sauteed crimini mushrooms and olive oil & spices. Oh, and I got him a cheesecake too - his favorite.
For K's birthday, last weekend, we went to Vegas. We drove out and stayed at the casino where her mom works, and went to a couple of clubs. We had a bunch of stuff comped - free dinner one night, loads of free drinks, free hotel room. We also got VIP entrance (no line, no cover) at the clubs we went to. It was awesome (and cheap!). The club we went to on Friday was amazing, too - Body English in the Hard Rock casino. I have never seen so many gorgeous people in one place - that casino was just CRAWLING with hotties! Oh, and I saw Z & N (my step-siblings) at the Hard Rock -- they live in Vegas so they came out to meet us for drinks. The club on Saturday, Jet at the Mirage, sucked though. The DJ was awful, and we were tired and sore from the night before. Oh well, can't be fabulous all the time, I guess.
Unfortunately, between the super-dry air of Vegas and all the alcohol, I ran down my immune system pretty hard and when I came back home I got hit with a vicious flu bug. With a temp of 103, I went to the Doctor's office on Tuesday afternoon and got a prescription for Tamiflu. This is my new favorite thing. I took some that night, and by the following morning I had nearly recovered. Little to no fever, body aches all gone - just stuck with the stuffy nose & cough that sounds like I'm an emphysema patient. I decided to try & do some work today since things are so busy, but I'm feeling really beat now. I'm definitely going to shut down early and take a long nap this afternoon.
The house remodeling is nearly done (well, at least the downstairs). The bathroom is done, with everything new except for the toilet. The kitchen is almost done as well - new lighting, flooring, paint, sink, and...almost all the countertops. Stupid IDIOTS keep screwing up the bar. We ordered the bar countertop at home depot, along with everything else. The bar was to be 80.75 inches long. They delivered it (along with rest of the countertops) several weeks ago...but the bar was only 80 inches long. Even though it said quite clearly on both the original order AND the shipping manifest: 80.75 inches. So Babydaddy & I went over to Home Depot and told them that they sent the wrong size. Of course they got all confused and it took a good half hour to straighten them out, but they sent off the order again. Two weeks later, the new bar was delivered: 80 inches AGAIN! Are those people on dope? And if they are, can they get me some? Because it must be some good shit. So they called again this last Tuesday, wanting to ship it out (only a week later this time) and I asked the girl, is it 80.75 inches this time? And she's all, let me check. So I hold on for fifteen minutes while she putzes around, smokes a doob, and gets back on the line to say, "Oh, sorry, I was looking at the old manifest; yours should be in next week." Sigh.Also done: new fireplace surround (slate tile - yay!) and mantel custom-built by Babydaddy. New six-panel doors - painted & almost all new doorhandles installed. Bought some tumbled stone mosaic tile for the backsplash in the kitchen, which just came in yesterday at HD. The end is in sight....I'll just take a break for a while and then we'll tackle the upstairs bathrooms, which should be fairly quick & easy.Last month there were two birthdays: Babydaddy's, and my friend K's. For Babydaddy, I made him a special dinner. His requests? "Something with cauliflower, some asparagus, some pasta (so Rugrat will have something he'll eat), and some meat." He bought some delicious pork chops from Kinder's and I seared & roasted them. I made roasted asparagus with sea salt & pepper & olive oil, and cauliflower au gratin (which was super-yummy), and pasta with sauteed crimini mushrooms and olive oil & spices. Oh, and I got him a cheesecake too - his favorite.
For K's birthday, last weekend, we went to Vegas. We drove out and stayed at the casino where her mom works, and went to a couple of clubs. We had a bunch of stuff comped - free dinner one night, loads of free drinks, free hotel room. We also got VIP entrance (no line, no cover) at the clubs we went to. It was awesome (and cheap!). The club we went to on Friday was amazing, too - Body English in the Hard Rock casino. I have never seen so many gorgeous people in one place - that casino was just CRAWLING with hotties! Oh, and I saw Z & N (my step-siblings) at the Hard Rock -- they live in Vegas so they came out to meet us for drinks. The club on Saturday, Jet at the Mirage, sucked though. The DJ was awful, and we were tired and sore from the night before. Oh well, can't be fabulous all the time, I guess.
Unfortunately, between the super-dry air of Vegas and all the alcohol, I ran down my immune system pretty hard and when I came back home I got hit with a vicious flu bug. With a temp of 103, I went to the Doctor's office on Tuesday afternoon and got a prescription for Tamiflu. This is my new favorite thing. I took some that night, and by the following morning I had nearly recovered. Little to no fever, body aches all gone - just stuck with the stuffy nose & cough that sounds like I'm an emphysema patient. I decided to try & do some work today since things are so busy, but I'm feeling really beat now. I'm definitely going to shut down early and take a long nap this afternoon.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Crazy kid
Rugrat's teacher just called me. He just started back "on track" today, and she called me up, very concerned. She said that he'd told her this whole detailed story about his baby brother who'd died in a fire at home when Rugrat and I went to the grocery store. He had a name for the kid and everything! She said at first she thought he was just telling a story, and then he started to convince her that it was true because he had so many details...and then as she continued asking him questions about it, he started pausing more...and she realized that it was, after all, just a story. Then he said that it wasn't a baby brother, that it was a baby sister. Finally, he said that he'd heard the story from a friend.
WTF???
I assured her that all is well, that he doesn't have - and never has had - any siblings; that he lives with cousins half the time but none of them have DIED, fer chrissakes.
What a strange kid. On the plus side, that's an amazing imagination he's got.
WTF???
I assured her that all is well, that he doesn't have - and never has had - any siblings; that he lives with cousins half the time but none of them have DIED, fer chrissakes.
What a strange kid. On the plus side, that's an amazing imagination he's got.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Turmoil...of a different sort
OK, the job turmoil is over. I talked to CurrentBoss and he said he really didn't want to lose me, and offered me a 10% raise. Sweet! This covers my monthly deficit & then some. So I backed out of the other job, and things have calmed down now on that front.
On the other hand, though...house turmoil. Babydaddy is out of work now, having left the body shop and his brother's asshole ways. So he offered to come work on my house while he's got all this free time, and I jumped at the chance. He's really good with this stuff, and I was happy to get things moving finally. So for the last couple of weeks I've had no downstairs bathroom. First he ripped out all the old crap, and we shopped for a new sink & light fixture & faucets and all that other good stuff. He had to do some drywall stuff because the old light fixture was one of those fugly flourescent things in the ceiling. But it's all coming together now...it's painted and the new light fixture is in, and the new mirror is up. Flooring will be going in later today (a nice stone-looking vinyl tile), and I'll have a toilet downstairs again either tonight or tomorrow. Yay!
In the meantime, he's also been working on the kitchen. He ripped out the ugly (again, flourescent) light fixture and put in recessed cans, which look great and put off a lot more light. I bought some laminate tile-look flooring (it's a lot nicer than it sounds) and that should be going down in a day or two. AND he started ripping up my countertops. The horrible white tile will soon be gone! Woohoo! For the time being, I'm keeping the cabinets I've got and just buying a laminate (granite-look) countertop. Eventually I'll replace the cabinets, because the ones I have now don't give me nearly enough storage space, and at that point I'll spring for the nice granite countertops. But this will at least tide me over and make the place look a lot nicer in the meantime.
On the other hand, though...house turmoil. Babydaddy is out of work now, having left the body shop and his brother's asshole ways. So he offered to come work on my house while he's got all this free time, and I jumped at the chance. He's really good with this stuff, and I was happy to get things moving finally. So for the last couple of weeks I've had no downstairs bathroom. First he ripped out all the old crap, and we shopped for a new sink & light fixture & faucets and all that other good stuff. He had to do some drywall stuff because the old light fixture was one of those fugly flourescent things in the ceiling. But it's all coming together now...it's painted and the new light fixture is in, and the new mirror is up. Flooring will be going in later today (a nice stone-looking vinyl tile), and I'll have a toilet downstairs again either tonight or tomorrow. Yay!
In the meantime, he's also been working on the kitchen. He ripped out the ugly (again, flourescent) light fixture and put in recessed cans, which look great and put off a lot more light. I bought some laminate tile-look flooring (it's a lot nicer than it sounds) and that should be going down in a day or two. AND he started ripping up my countertops. The horrible white tile will soon be gone! Woohoo! For the time being, I'm keeping the cabinets I've got and just buying a laminate (granite-look) countertop. Eventually I'll replace the cabinets, because the ones I have now don't give me nearly enough storage space, and at that point I'll spring for the nice granite countertops. But this will at least tide me over and make the place look a lot nicer in the meantime.
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