I just can't win.

I get a phone call today at work from Mot. It goes something like this....

Mot: Do we have string? (not hello, just do we have string) :-)

Nej: Hmmmm......ummmm.....no, pretty sure we don't.

Mot: (obviously disappointed) Oh.

Nej: What do you need it for? (my grammar is horrible, isn't it?)

Mot: Marking out where the deck is going to go in the back yard.

Nej: Oh...well. I might have some curling ribbon.

Mot: Some what?

Nej: Curling ribbon, you know, the stuff you put around presents...and then use scissors to "vvvvfffffoot" the end into a curl (yes, I actually did the sound effect, and acted it out....even though he couldn't see it...I'm Italian, I talk with my hands, I can't help it!!)



Mot: You're killing me. This is a manly project and you just girl-ified it.

Nej: It would work....that's all I'm sayin'.

(silence)

Nej: (pushing buttons) And you could curl the ends once you get it tied. It would be really pretty.

Mot: (sigh) Where is it?

Nej: (I tell him where it is, in the closet upstairs.)

Mot: I don't see any, are you sure you have some.

Nej: Nope, but it was the only thing I could think of. I'm not good at pop quizzes.

Mot: Yes you are, that's why I called. You always find things that no one else thinks of, things that will work perfectly.

Nej: Well...it would have worked. (big cheesy grin that he can't see over the phone)

Mot: Do you have fishing line?

Nej: Yeah, but it's clear, you are using it to mark something...it would be helpful if you can SEE it.

Mot: Nah, it will work. Where is it?

Nej: Turn around...it's in my beading supplies.

Mot: Where?

(silence)

Mot: Oh, in the box that said wire and string?

(silence)

Nej: You know, the dogs are going to run into it, because they can't see it, and rip up all your stakes.

Mot: They'll only do it once. (isn't he caring!)

Nej: You might just want to run up to Target and get some string.

(silence)

Nej: And a gallon of milk while you're there, we're out.

Mot: No!!!!!! I'm working on this now and not leaving.

Nej: Ouch, talk to you later. (hangs up)


I tried to help...I really did. :-)

Captain Obvious strikes again.

I'm on a quest. A quest for a smoothie recipe, like the one I get at my sister's gym.

With the world wide web.....being all worldly and wide and all....I figured I could find something similar in quick fashion.

Not so much. (sigh)

Mocha Java Peanut Butter smoothie

Sounds simple...but I'm very un-daring in the kitchen. I'm a recipe gal...100%.

(by the way, Brook, I'm making your banana muffins tonight if I have time...wish me luck.)

The smoothie ingredients are easy....it's how much to use that's the question. And....I'm not a mad scientist....I don't want to try, try and try different combinations.

I'm sure some other person out there has tried for this same goal? Right? I mean, I'm not asking for an anchovy, blueberry and chicken liver smoothie. (shoot me if that recipe exists) I'm looking for something simple....coffee, peanut butter, chocolate.

I have a tub of chocolate protein powder, I have regular coffee to brew, I also have instant coffee (as recommended on a couple of web pages I can across). I have peanut butter, I have ice cubes, and I have milk....well...I will, once I go to the store, we're currently out.

I'd actually like to get it to work without milk....because we drink a ton of it, and run out all the time. :-)

So....back to the title of this post.

One of the millions. Hundreds? OK, OK...one of the 10 to 20 websites that I've looked at so far today states....

" For a thicker shake, try using half a cup of soy milk. For a lower calorie shake, cut everything in half."

So...let me get this straight. If I want a lower calorie shake, I should just make less of it? Less of the same recipe = less calories?

Who knew?? :-)

It's Just a Flesh Wound.

I swear, I'm not drinking or doing drugs before I go to bed. I'm not eating right before hitting the sack. We have no gas leaks in the house (anymore - hehe), and I don't live next door to a nuclear power facility.

That being said...I've been having some of the strangest dreams lately. Or maybe I'm just remembering more of them?

Yeah, my vote is for the latter. I've had some doosies in my day.

So....last night goes like this.....

Mot and I are in Africa. Well....it's an "African Savanna" looking area. God knows where the savanna is located. Let's say.....South Dakota.

South Dakota has African Savanna vibes, don't you think?

Anyway (stay on track Nej, concentrate).....we're walking through tall grass....with a dog.

Actually, a pack of dogs I think.

And they are playing with a....what's that.....a......tiger? Um, OK. There's a tiger right there in front of us.

I wonder why it isn't a lion? Aren't there usually lions in the African Savannas? Oh well...it's got stripes, it's totally a tiger.

Hmmmm.....and it's playing with that dog. Isn't that cute?

No wait.....it's not playing....are they fighting?

Oh geez...it just ate that dog's leg. Holy crap!!!

Um......is that another tiger there beside it? Is it coming towards us?? Maybe if we ignore it, it will go away?

Nope, it's definitely coming this way. Maybe we should run??

No, too late to run...we have to fight it. It's just a cat right? We have guns.

Wait, why do we have guns? We didn't have these just a minute ago.

Oh crap....Mot...you seem to have a tiger attached to your arm. You think we should maybe get it to let go?

(sigh) Good, it just let go.

WAIT!!!

It didn't let go, it just left with your arm in it's mouth.

Well, that can't be good. You don't seem upset. Why is that??

Hey Sweetie....it's friend just took your other arm. I'm starting to get concerned.

No! We can't just pick you up a couple spare arms. Are you crazy?? Why would you suggest that?

They. Ate. Your. Arms.

Last I checked, you only get 2!!!!

Is this a dream? This has to be a dream?




Then I woke up. The End.


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Weekend Update #13, after the wedding

Mot had to work Saturday, and so did I. Yes, yes...working on Saturday....it hurt my soul. But, it was year end inventory time, and I had to go. (sigh)

I was there from about 6:30 to 9:30...so not too long. After things were under control at the office, and my part was done...I skedaddled. :-)

First stop, the vet office in my home town. We were out of Insulin for Rowan.

Second stop, Double Barrel across the street. A friend of mine and her hubby own the shop. She had just gotten shoulder surgery, and I wanted to stop in and see how she was. One shoulder surgery survivor to another.

I was there until noon....hanging around behind the counter. Listening and watching the customers who came and went....the store is never boring!

As I was headed out of town, I decided to go to the campgrounds where my parents spend their spring, summer and fall weekends. Neither of them were there, of course....so I waited around hoping they'd show up. Mom was in Omaha getting her hair cut, and dad was actually in town at home, on his way out...so I didn't have to wait long.

The three of us ate lunch, then headed to my home town (until 2nd grade) to visit my grandma and great aunt and uncle. We were there most of the afternoon, and finally left because dad wasn't feeling so hot. 'Tis cold season. :-(

I left the campground when we got back and headed home. I pretty much spent the rest of the night being lazy...and loving it!!!!

Sunday am, Mot and I were ready to get to work on the kitchen wall tiling. The counters look awesome...but they look pathetic next to the crummy torn up wall behind them. :-)

I taped all the cupboard doors closed to keep the dust from finding its way in...so I'd have to clean everything...again. :-)



When it comes to Mot, construction, and power tools...you know I'm never far away with my camera ready. Sunday's work actually did not result in any blood loss...what so ever! :-)



When we stopped for the night, we'd gotten the tile on the right side of the sink completed. Mot is home working on the other side today, while I'm at work. Once the tile is all in place, we can grout it up, and be done!!!!



It's getting closer and closer. :-)


(Never mind the different door handles on all the cupboards.....Danny stopped by with some he'd found on sale, and we put one on to see what it would look like. I loved them...and immediately went to the store to find enough for the whole kitchen. It was an awesome sale and didn't want to waste time and have them be gone when we were ready for them.)

Hopefully I'll have pictures of everything complete soon!

Weekend Update #13, Special Edition

This weekends' updated has taken a little longer to type...and is also a little longer in length...for two reasons.

1) I took Friday off, so the weekend started Thursday at 5:00 pm.
2) Robin and Aaric finally decided to take the plunge.

That's right folks....they done gone and tied the knot all official like!!!!!!!!!

But I'm getting ahead of myself....let's back up to Thursday night.....

About two weeks or so ago, against the better judgement of some here at work, Jean and I notified people at work about Robin's upcoming marriage, and the bridal shower we wanted to throw. It was a "super secret, we'll kill you if you blow it and tell her" shower.

It was scheduled to happen after work on Friday...in the new HR offices across the street. I wasted time here, in order to give anyone going a chance to leave work and get themselves to the spot.

At about 10 after 5:00, we left here on our way to go "shopping." As we were driving near the HR offices, I stepped on the brakes quickly and pulled into the parking lot. I told Robin our HR director had some benefits information for me, and I needed to pick it up quick. To get her to go in with me, I told her I wanted to snoop around the new offices and check the place out. Curiosity killed the cat.....and it also, apparently, gets the cat to her bridal shower without her knowing what's going on. :-)




I knew she'd kill me if we made a HUGE deal out of the shower....so it was small, and simple.

The usual items were present...cake, balloons, punch, cards.......

Victoria Secret gift cards.....



and you can't forget the deck of Karma Sutra cards.



(we had to have her flip through them...she had no idea what they were) :-)

After the shower was over...we cleaned up the office, and then left to actually go shopping.

She was going to handle the wedding very casually and wear something from her closet. Because of this, her Maid of Honor (MoH) hadn't looked for anything new either. Robin finally decided to buy a dress for the occasion...thus leaving her MoH without anything to wear. :-)

I found two dresses right off the bat....but settled on the more....um...occasion suitable dress. (the other one was awesome....kind of a black and hot pink go go dress....it was sweet!!)

From there we headed to the mall for a quick dinner, tie shopping for Mot...and then we went our separate ways. By then it was 9:00 and she needed to get home to get her stuff packed for the next day.

Friday 8:30 am....Robin arrived at my house. We grabbed a quick breakfast, then headed to my beauty salon to get her hair and our nails done for the day.

(to keep from typing to much..and making this post 4 million miles long....we'll make it a picture story from here)

Robin's hair before (and Becci in the background)...love that gal! :-)



Cutting her hair off!!!



Her hair 2 hours later....shorter and blond!!! She kept her eyes closed, this pic was taken when she first opened them. :-)



Getting her nails done.



OK...I have to type a little here...or the jump in time will make you dizzy. After we left the salon, we went to our house to change and get ready. The boys had been golfing all day, and met us there when they were done.

The four of us headed to the courthouse together. Since it was Arbor Day, the Nebraska government was shut down...but the judge Robin called was nice enough to come in and do the ceremony for her. No one was in the building except a few security guards (and one or two hookers complaining about the offices being closed). hehe

Tom outside the courthouse. We didn't tell him about the 80's popped collar under after I could get a pic of it. :-)



Getting hitched!!!!

(The judge let me stand behind the bench to get pics! I'd have sat in the chair, if she didn't scare me so much. There's a reason she's a judge!!)



The rings.



We stopped in a park to get some outdoor shots after the ceremony. It was 90+ degrees outside (WTF!) and the boys were melting in their suits.





Best Man and Maid of Honor in the park. :-)



Between the ceremony and dinner, Robin hadn't made a ton of plans. Actually, she didn't make any. :-) She wanted the day to be casual and relaxed. The restaurant is right across the street from Scheel's...so guess where the boys wanted to go? :-)

I was admiring a Benelli shotgun, when Mot snapped this pic.



This is in no way a reference to the wedding being a shotgun wedding. To be honest, I looked up the meaning of shotgun wedding really quick.....and it says something about it being forced. I always thought it was in reference to the quickness. Similar to an elopement, but without witnesses you know being present. :-)

Dinner was excellent!!!!



In case you didn't notice, the look on Aaric's face says "it's extremely dark in here, and when that things flashes we're all going blind...you know that, right?"



The four of us after dinner. The food was great...and there was lots of it. We were all EXTREMELY full!!!! :-)

From there, we went back to our place to change out of our "monkey suits" as Mot put it. They happy couple left not too long after to spend some time together.

Congrats you two!!!!!! May this marriage bring you all the love and happiness you desire! We love you!

Dust Storms? What could dust storms possibly mean?

I woke up this morning, and just stared up at the ceiling. It wasn't dread from having to go to work....it wasn't from lack of sleep.....it was from my dreams. I was feeling the effects of a dream hangover.

A dream hangover is the feeling you have when you wake up from the strangest dream....and either a) try to figure out WTF is going on in your brain or b) sort through whether the dream actually happened, or not.

Last night, it was a) all the way. :-)

Mot and I were on vacation. In some sort of barren mountains. You know, the ugly ones, with scrub bushes, and no trees. (yes, yes...some people think they are gorgeous!! -Mel- but I prefer either green trees or white snow on my mountains...hehe)

Anyway.....a dust storm moves into the area. We pull our shirts up over our faces...and wait until it passes. It was mildly annoying, but everything was good once it passed.



Time passes...it's later in the day.

Another dust storm comes up...but this one is much worse. We take cover in a nearby grocery store (in the mountains, in the middle of no where). The storm is so bad, it's opening the doors of the store, and throwing sand and dust in to the air inside. I run to a door to help keep it closed...while Mot runs to the back of the store to help with the loading door.

Time passes.....it's later in the day.

You can see a huge dust storm coming over the mountains....we decide to run to a friend of mines' house to ride it out. She lives in Iowa. (don't ask, it's a dream!) We knock on the door, say hi...then rush inside and slam the door shut. Apparently she's not experienced any of the other storms...they seem to be localized to where Mot and I are at the time. We lock, bolt, and barricade all the doors in an attempt to keep the sand out.

Time passes....it's later (same day? next day?)

We're sitting on the upstairs balcony of my friends' house. We decide it's time to leave...but know there is another storm on the way.

What is our solution?

We grab a mini excavator (I've been watching allot of landscape remodeling shows lately).



It looks like this one, but has two arms (with a bucket on each arm).

The plan....we take it with us...then when a storm comes up...we can put the arms low to the ground, turn the buckets flat, so that we can hide under them until the storm passes.

Yeah...um....well....it made perfect sense in my dream. :-)

We didn't want to have to rely on the help of others. We wanted to continue with our vacation, and be ready for the elements. Just like bringing rain gear, extra snacks, and a first aid kit.

Makes perfect sense....right?

And, surprisingly, the excavator wasn't heavy....in fact, we had to hold it down over us when the next storm hit, so it wouldn't fly away.

(It was either made of paper mache, or we are really strong in my dreams...take your pick.)



It's about then when I decide this must be a dream and I really should wake up.

It's not unusual for me to dream about tornadoes. But dust storms????



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T.G.I.T ??

Today is Thursday...but it's technically my Friday, as I'm taking tomorrow off.

"But Nej, you just got back from vacation and taking days off...what are you doing??"

Why dear friends, I'm going to a wedding. And not just any wedding...but my friend Robin's wedding. And I'm the maid of honor.

Her and Aaric (Switch) have finally decided to tie the knot officially....after living in sin for...how many years is it now?? I forget. 4, 5...something like that.



They're doing a small justice of the peace wedding tomorrow afternoon. Tomorrow morning we're spending the morning at the salon getting her hair cut and our nails done. The boys are going golfing, as long as the weather holds out.

Until today, there was a 0% chance of rain. Today it says 60%.

I want to be a meteorologist. What a sweet gig. As far as I"m concerned, the chance of rain, snow and sleet any day of the week is 50%. It either will or won't. And they get paid some serious bucks to tell us that!

OK, OK.....so maybe there's a little science to it? A little....but I swear, not much. At least, not in the midwest. We all should (and many do) carry in our trunks at all time.....a pair of winter boots, umbrella, flip flops, gloves, and numerous jackets in varying degrees of warmth.

We should always carry a shovel (for snow or mud), a snorkel (for flooding), and an ice scraper (for snow or mud) at all times.

Anyway, back to the wedding.

After the ceremony, we're going out to eat. I mean, isn't that pretty much what people in Omaha do....eat????

I don't know if the statistics are the same now...but it used to be Omaha had the most food establishments, per capita, of any city in the US.

Ugh!!!

I really should have called this post Random Thoughts Thursday. I'm having a hard time staying on track. :-)

I'm going to schedule this post to post at 5:05....want to know why? Because Robin reads my blog, and we're throwing here a bridal shower here, immediately after everyone gets off at 5:00. As far as I know, she has no clue.

Well, I'd better head out....I have some decorating to do. :-)

What IS that smell??

We had quests at our house Monday night, to celebrate our 9 year anniversary. Mot was also looking for a reason to cook for people using his new counters. (or is it counter...ah, never mind)

When we got up Tuesday morning, Mot was walking around smelling things. Literally...smelling things.

I couldn't smell anything different, but that's not saying much. After having a sinus infection for 6 years straight, my sense of smell leaves a little to be desired. He, on the other hand, has the super sniffer.

He even went as far as to walk all the way around the outside of the house...thinking the smell might be drifting in through one of our open windows.

He did finally leave for work, but wasn't happy...since he hadn't' found the source of the smell.

I finally caught a whiff of something not quite right before I left for work....but was just as unable to find the source as he was.

Fast forward to 5:30 Tuesday night.

I walk into the house, from the garage, into the kitchen.

Holy F*cking Hell!!! What is that smell???

It about made me ill...right then and there. Gagging, going to throw up ill.

OH MY GOD!!!

I wandered around the house for 10-15 minutes....smelling under every sink, in the bathroom, in the pantry, outside in the back yard....nothing.

I couldn't for the life of me, find the source of that horrendous odor.

And then it hit me. It was worse in the kitchen, right when I walked in. What is there?

Our stove.

Mot had left one of the burners on....from our dinner Monday night. It was on the lowest setting, and our open windows blew out the flame.

The stove had been seeping gas into our house all night, and all day. It's a good thing I'm not a smoker.

I turned off the burner.....and evacuated the area. All of our windows are open now due to the nice weather, thank goodness...but I opened the sliding glass door, and the front door, trying to get a draft through the house.

Oh course, it was then that mother nature decided to kill the wind that had been howling for three days.

I called Mot and left a message telling him I'd found the gas leak. But that's the only part of the message he got. He was seconds from calling the fire station in our area, and asking them to come check it out.

"Don't turn on any lights. Don't do anything that might cause a spark."

I acted all cool "Honey, I've got it...I'm not three years old."

When inside I was thinking "Maybe I shouldn't pet the cats either, sometimes that makes a spark?"

I'm sure the cat was paranoid the rest of the night...I gave her the evil eye any time she came near me.

(hehe)

Murphy, you suck!!!

When I went outside this morning to feed the dogs, there wasn't a lick of wind. Not a bit.

Zip. Zilch. Nada.

Now, many hours later...I'm looking out my window at work...and I'm just shaking my head.

Auntie Em, Auntie Em!!!!!

W.I.N.D.Y.

I just saw a lady with an umbrella and large carpet bag fly by the window.





Red bull has been deemed UNnecessary.




Do you get what I'm trying to say here? It's windy folks.


Why does this matter?



I wore a skirt today. Not something I do often!!!!

It's knee length, and it's rather full.

(sigh)


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Weekend Update #12 Kitchen, Twilight and Door Pulls

Surprisingly enough, I don't think I got my camera out once this weekend. Strange, eh?

Friday: Mot came and took me to lunch, and then left for North Platte, NE. Turkey hunting with his brother. I did quite allot of nothing Friday night. My head was pounding and my cough just wouldn't cease and desist.

Saturday: I woke up at my usual time, no thanks to my cats. Argh. :-) I watched some TV, ate some breakfast...and then headed out in search of tile for my kitchen walls. I hadn't even arrived at the first store, when my cell phone rang. It was Steve and Danny.

The boys: Whatcha' doin'?
Nej: I'm on a tile quest. Why? What's up?
The boys: We found some tile for you. Are you hungry?
Nej: I am! You did?
The boys: Yep! Meet us at Jimmy Johns and we'll show it to you.
Nej: K

The tile is perfect, of course. :-) So we ate our sandwiches, then headed out in our separate ways.

I headed for Home Depot to buy the tile...and then to Wally World for some misc shopping.

I had a cart with 10 or so items in it. I say HAD, because I couldn't deal with the stupidity of people shopping at Wally World. So I left my cart, and everything in it, in the middle of an aisle and found the nearest exit...post-haste.

Argh!!!!

I found everything I needed at Target, and then some!!!! Everywhere I go, I find these little things for our kitchen. I can't wait until it's completed!!! :-)

We were told that cooking oils could stain our counters, so my find for the day was a tray to put our oil on. I found it, of all places, in the bathroom section of the store. :-)



Mom and Bug arrived at my house not long after I got home. They were bored...and hungry. So we went out for pizza. While eating, I decided I wanted to hit Bed Bath and Beyond for a couple of organizational things for the house. Bug was less than thrilled (as any 12 year old nephew should be).

After shopping (we hit a few more stores) we stopped at Dairy Queen for some empty calories!

Once back at my house, we popped Twilight in the DVD player, and the three of us relaxed on the couch. It really wasn't that bad. It didn't drag, and kept us entertained. And isn't that what movies are for?

Sunday: I woke up at 10 am. Yes, you heard me. TEN. A.M. Holy smokes!!!!!

I had a to do list the length of my arm....of which I put a hefty dent into. Cleaned main floor of house from top to bottom...removing all layers of drywall dust from EVERYTHING! Started some laundry, and tried (yes, tried) putting up the new blinds on the sliding glass door.

I also figured out a way to take advantage of the metal containers I got for our spices. Currently, the pantry has a shelf dedicated to a million and three spices. The jars are all just thrown on the shelf...and any time I organize them, the chef (Mot) manages to get rid of an organization within minutes of cooking one meal. :-)

While World Market was going out of business, I got a steal on some of the magnetic canisters. And while shopping Saturday night, I figured out what I was going to do with them.

(ignore the blue tape...the glue still wasn't dry) :-)



Mot got home (with 2 turkeys for the freezer) at about 6:00. I made dinner...

Wait...before you freak out, let me mention is was a frozen bag meal from Bertolli. Nothing that actually resembled cooking!!!!

And we sat down to watch some TV and relax.

I Can't Stop Smiling!!!

I can't stop smiling, but how could I?

I mean, If you went to your mailbox, when you got home from the longest day, and most stressful week.......and this little guy was waiting for you!!!!



I have literally not been able to wipe the cheesy grin off my face since I opened the box, and he smiled up at me.

Well...maybe not so much as smile, and say "Yo, Nej" with a relaxed, nonchalant, mellow attitude. And then he winked. Really....he did. :-)

Brook....you rock chick!

YOU. ROCK.

You can cook anything you put your mind to, and you've got more creativity in your pinkie finger, than I do in my entire body.

What more can I say????? :-)

Before and After

It's begun!!!

After almost a month of waiting, the new counters for our kitchen are finally here.

Or is it more proper to say..the new counter is here? I mean...it's only one stretch of space...not multiple.

The new counter is here.

Sounds funny though, doesn't it?

Anyway....

This is where we started.



Nice working space.

White, white, white. I refuse to have a dark and unhappy kitchen. No creams, no blacks. White, bright colors. Although, even I'll admit when there's too much white! :-)

The counter is stained here and there....from 60 years of use. Who knows how many loaves of bread have been kneaded, how many cookies rolled out?



The boys (Danny and Steve) came over Wednesday night to help Mot rip the old counter out.



Morgan had to help as well.



The counter was glued down with some sort of sticky substance, I suspect to be Kryptonite based.

Mot had to climb inside and pound on it with a hammer just to get it to let go.



Eventually, after some cussing, and laughing (mainly from the onlookers), the sucker gave up the battle and came loose.



Then they ripped all the laminate "stuff" off the walls.

It looked really...um...nice...once it was done.

Yuck! :-(~



When I got home from work on Thursday....the counters were in...and Mot had almost all of the plumbing done.

He had to redo some of the copper lines, because the pipe cutting tool we purchased was crap. (sigh) The store granted us a full refund, and the project was completed with a functioning tool soon after.

We also went from a two tub sink, to a single...so he had to redo all the drain lines.

I was very impressed. :-) :-)

And, here's what it looked like when I left this morning.





We still have to pick out the tile for the wall, but that work shouldn't take us too long.

(famous last words)

If you look closely you'll see they didn't center the sink with the window.

It was a mistake, not a feature we asked for. :-)

If you knew Mot, you'd know how much it bugged him at first. I'm still impressed he didn't have them bring back counters that were correct.

Ultimately he decided the extra counter space between the sink and stove was awesome.

Sometimes the best things happen because a mistake was made. :-)

I'll post pics when all the work is completed...because these picks (and the lack of tile) just don't do the counter...counters.....whatever...it doesn't do them justice!

Dear...

Dear Cure for the Common Cold,

Where oh where are you? Are you shy? Are you afraid of the paparazzi that will surely follow you're every move once you show yourself to the world? Don't be afraid.

If you'd like, you can stay at my house. I have a nice guest room. No one will every think to look for you there. It can be our little secret. I even promise to pretend I'm sick once and while, to throw them off the trail.

This is just plain silly, don't you think??? You can help so many people!!!

COME ON!!!! Come out of hiding, you miserable excuse for a cure! Where are you already? We've been patiently waiting, and we're not going to wait any longer. If we can't find you, we'll find your family. Don't think we won't!!!

I'm SICK AND TIRED of snot rolling from my nose, uncontrollably. I'd like to talk and laugh without hocking up a lung. Is that so much to ask???

What do you want already? Money? My first-born? You name it, and we'll make a deal!

Signed,
Desperately Seeking the Cure
Omaha, NE

On My Desk This Morning

I'd like to take a minute to play, what is on Nej's desk this morning.....




Apparently Amazon sells them in 3 packs. :-)


And these in 12 packs.


Need I say more??? :-(





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Weekend Update #11...Authors, Dumpsters and a Movie Marathon

This weekend started a full day earlier...as our company gives us Good Friday off every year. I left work Thursday in a fairly good mood...despite the day being quite possibly the most boring day ever! :-)

I went home, fed the dogs, shot Rowan (one of our dogs is diabetic, and requires twice daily shots), changed clothes....then headed back towards work. Not TO work, but towards it. There is a Barnes and Nobles bookstore near work...and that is where Mot had spent the good part of his day.

We're bookstore junkies, but spending a whole day somewhere is still a bit much...and only happens for special occasions. In this case, a book signing. By one of our favorite authors....Missouri man, Jim Butcher. I read one of the series he writes....Mot reads them all. :-)

Anyway, Mot showed up at the store at 7:30 or so, to get in line for wristbands for the signing that night. He got #6...which was actually #1....as the people that got #1-5 actually picked him up at the airport. :-)

He went home...but then headed back for the store at about 2:30 or so. The event was scheduled to take place at 7:00 that night. First a Q&A session, then the signing.

I showed up at the store around 6:00, and stood with him...waiting. And, of course, if you know Mot, making friends of every stranger standing within earshot. He's such a social butterfly. Why he hangs out with me (the one who must give off an F-off attitude, because strangers rarely talk to her)....I will never know?!?!


(People starting to arrive for the signing.)

I'm really quite nice...and friendly....and all that fun stuff......but I'm the shyest person ever!!!

But anyway, back to the weekend. Butcher arrived on the scene promptly at 7:00 (or a little before) and the Q&A session began.

Holy hell!! He talked for maybe 30 minutes or so...and I couldn't wipe the grin off my face the entire time. We were standing right up front, and he's an awesome dude. Totally the kind of guy I would have hung out with in high school (and now, for that matter).

Fan: "Do you feel there is a tremendous amount of pressure trying to meet deadlines for your writing?"
Jim: "Pressure from deadlines? Nah. My editor calls me and says 'Jim, you have 4 weeks to finish that book. You're GOING to finish it in time, right Jim?' And I say 'Of course, editor lady, I'm almost done now.' And she says 'Good, because at 4 weeks and 1 day we send the ninjas.' And I say 'Oh....well then. No one wants to mess with the penguin ninjas.' "

I really wish I'd thought to either record his talk, or take notes. He had me rolling the whole time, and I can't, for the life of me, come up with examples of what he said. I'm such a nerd!! :-)



(The author, Jim Butcher.)


(Signing Mot's book.)

We went to Chili's for dinner after the signing, then home to bed. What a fun night!!!!

Friday am: Robin showed up at the house about 9:00 am, and we drove to my hometown to mom and dad's house...to pick up a wheel barrow. The project this weekend.....tackle the backyard if it's the last thing we do!!!!

We picked up the wheel barrow, then stopped at the diner for breakfast. We had no more than arrived back at my house, when the phone rang. The man with the dumpster had arrived.

I'd ordered a 9 yard dumpster for the next two weeks. When we moved in....we spent hours and hours and days and day and weeks and weeks working on the inside of the house. Virtually NO time has been spent working outside. And it's about friggin' time we started!!!

Robin heard what I was planning for the weekend and offered to help.

What can I say...she's either a really good friend...or a freak. Take your pick!

I mean, who else would offer to spend her day off from work to help do back breaking work in a yard that wasn't hers??? :-)

We started with a rubbish pile in the corner of the backyard. I'd call it a compost pile...but I really just think the lady that lived here before us was lazy...and blew all the leaves into corner, and didn't feel like bagging them up. For 8 years straight.

Since we've moved in, the pile has grown larger and larger....with branches, sticks, boards, and other misc rubbish we had no idea what to do with at the time. Mot is upset there wasn't a camera handy. Robin and I were literally inside the dumpster, on top of everything we'd loaded in....jumping up and down...trying to mash it down and make more room. :-)

The highlight of the day, though, was hands down the ugly tree thing removal. Yep, you heard me....we dug up this ugly tree like thing from the corner of the yard. Every year people tell me it's a lilac bush/tree thing. It's yet to bloom...and it's yet to look anything other than ugly.

So we removed it.

Slowly.

First we cut off all the branch like things.....then we started digging...and digging. We had saws out to go through roots. We broke a shovel.

When it finally came out of the ground, Robin held it above her head...dirt raining down in her hair...and screamed a war cry I'd never heard come from her mouth for as long as I've known her. My back was killing me, she'd gotten some debris permanently stuck in her eye, which now wouldn't stop watering....and we were whopping and hollering about getting this stupid tree thing out of the yard!!!

We called it quits then. :-)

I went inside, changed clothes, and watched TV the rest of the night.

Saturday am: Mot arrived home at 7:30 or so. We got showered, dressed, and headed out for breakfast. My allergies were killing me!!! I was sneezing, my nose was running....and my back hurt like nothing else. (probably more tree related, then allergies)

We ate breakfast, stopped at Walgreens for drugs, then came home. We caught up on all our DVR'd TV, and headed outside to work some more. (and all before lunch)

Mot and I tackled the other things that Robin and I hadn't gotten to. There's an old tether ball pole (near the tree/bush site) that needed removed. The people that put it in, were fond of their concrete. Really, really fond of it. 3 feet across, and 3 feet down fond. :-(

Then, we took out the old swing set. It's constructed with 5-6 inch galvanized pipe, welded together. It's still laying out there, but it's on it's side. We're having to borrow something from his dad to cut it up and such.

The final job was...well....it was...ummm....we'll call it the joys of being the parents of three dogs. Yes, when three dogs, live outside in your backyard for an entire winter....what do you think is left behind when the ground has finally thawed enough to take care of it??

That's right....poop. Lots and lots of it. You try to keep things as clean as you can....but when there's snow on the ground....and everything that hits the ground immediately freezes to it. Well....yeah.....there's one day in spring everyone hates. That was Saturday afternoon.

I took to the yard with a rake (it's easier to just rake the whole darned yard)...while Mot got out the riding lawn mower and the lawn sweeper. We actually make short work of it. (We've had these dogs for 10 years now, it's become a spring tradition. A really horrible, annoying, why do we own dogs again? tradition. :-)

When we finally called it a day, we went in...showered (again)...and waited for my parents to show up. Easter dinner (on Saturday) at Mot's folks was in the line up for the night.


(Mot and his folks in the kitchen.)


(Setting the table and pouring the wine.)


(My dad making friends with Bo, the dog.)

It was a wonderful night. Dinner was delicious, as always. The 7 of us (Mot, his folks and grandmother, my folks and I) sat around in their living room telling stories until about 10 pm.
Very nice night!!!!

Sunday am: I woke up, still miserable. Thinking it might be a cold, and not allergies. :-(

I've done nothing but watch movies all day. Imagine Me and You (the story of two woman, who meet and fall in love, even though one has just gotten married to a dude), Rachel Getting Married (a drama about a messed up chick and her family, after she gets out of rehab), and Just Friends (a goofy movie about a nerd in high school who grows up rich and gorgeous, and comes back home to get the girl he loved in high school - original, huh?)...then it was Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist (boy meets girl, boys' gay band mates kidnap girls friend, love ensues)....Lucky Seven (girl's mom dies, gives her plan for her life, girl finds love)...and Saving Face (I can't tell you the story, because the movie was in Chinese, with no subtitles...but it did have something to do with two woman falling in love).

So far, it's been a romance movie day. Lesbian romance seems to be prevailing. I feel the need to either watch a comedy, or some action adventure now. Preferably nothing that makes me wish Mot wasn't at work today. Romances make me sappy. Ick! :-)

I thought I'd better sit down and start my weekend update....so that's where I am right now. Typing and throwing Jelly Bellys at my cat....because she's getting into things, and I don't feel like getting up to make her stop. Instead, I'll now be cleaning up jelly beans from my living room for weeks to come. :-) :-)



My plan for the rest of the day and evening?? Laundry I suppose. (sigh) More movies I'm sure. I keep thinking about trying to put the blinds up in the dining room...but just can't get myself talked into it. I would hate to leave Mot out of the fun!!! :-) :-)

Next up I think.....Burn After Reading. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Francss McDormand, John Malkovich, and Tilda Swinton to name a few. Synopsis: A disk containing CIA information ends up in the hands of gym employees. Sounds very comedy-like.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend folks!!! Talk to you later!