Every school year, as summer approached, I would tell myself that I would take an early morning bike ride at least a couple mornings a week. It only makes sense to get out there and ride while it's still cool and before some of the insane drivers get on the roads. (In other words, high school students who are too busy texting to concentrate on their driving. I'm glad they sleep in.)
It shouldn't be that difficult. When we are on BRAG, our goal is to leave by 6:30 every morning. That helps us avoid the worst heat of the day and arrive in camp usually by lunchtime. Never too early to start planning that next meal.
My good intentions don't always come to fruition, though. I don't mind getting up early. In fact, I kind of like it. But I usually sit down with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. That becomes two cups of coffee, the newspaper, Facebook, email, message boards, blogs, and some crocheting, and before you know it it's too late to do an early anything.
This morning I was a little more motivated. I knew I had to take my mother-in-law to the doctor, so the only way I was going to get a bike ride in was to get it in early. I left home about 8:30 with the goal of returning home at 10:30. I rode some old favorite roads, and I completed 32 miles at about 10:40. Not too bad for not knowing in advance what my route was going to be.
It felt good to get my exercise done early in the day. Especially since the rest of the day pretty much went to hell, but since this is a Favorite Things Friday post, I won't burden you with the details.
Have a fabulous weekend, please.
Showing posts with label Favorite Things Friday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Favorite Things Friday. Show all posts
Friday, July 6, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
Favorite Things Friday - Excellent Customer Service.....
My very favorite thing in the world (at least as of the moment of this writing) is excellent customer service. When a salesperson goes out of her way to make me happy, I am likely a customer for life.
I have discovered that finding an acceptable dog groomer is much harder than finding an acceptable hairdresser. I had a wonderful groomer who worked out of her home, took appointments in two-hour intervals, and was very reasonable as far as price.
Then she got married and moved to Texas. Butthead.
I tried a couple of other places, but they proved to be unsatisfactory. One told me I could drop Gus off at 7:30, but drop him off is what I would have had to do. There was no one there until well after 8:00, and I was late to school. Another wouldn't take appointments and was only open sporadically. Sort of like a business in a Mexican resort town. Imagine Gus's disappointment when I told him we were going to the beauty shop and he didn't get to get a haircut.
I finally broke down and took him to the chain pet store that starts with the word Pet and ends with Smart. (Or, as Larry the Cable Guy has wondered, does it start with Pets and end with Mart? I don't have a logo handy to check it out.)
I didn't really want to go that route. I was afraid it would be considerably more expensive (correct) and that Gus would receive less than personal attention (woefully incorrect).
I won't go into the details of each and every one of his appointments. He's already changed groomers even there, but at least the location has stayed the same.
I knew his "regular" groomer was going to be out of town at the end of May, when it was time for his next appointment, so I didn't make an appointment ahead of time. Things got crazy with bicycle rides every weekend and getting ready for BRAG, so I didn't get around to making his appointment when the end of May rolled around. (Heck, I haven't even made MY doctor's appointments.)
Last weekend, though, the folks from the pet store called ME and asked if I would like to make an appointment. I was astounded enough to text Hubby, "Times must be hard." The girl said Gus's regular groomer, Alyssa, wouldn't be in until Friday, and I said I needed it done before then, so I would just schedule with whoever was available.
Imagine my surprise when I went to pick Gus up, and not only was he beautifully groomed, but the girl who had groomed him was Alyssa. She said she was supposed to be off that day, but when she saw Gus on the schedule, she came in so she could be the one who groomed him.
It may be a load of malarkey, but it was a nice thing to say even if it was a lie.
Service like that is worth a little bit more money. Besides, they are open early and are only two miles from our house.
Because I'm in such a good mood and am excited about leaving tomorrow morning for BRAG, I'll share with you a bonus photo from my travels (and travels and travels - story later) with Roz this afternoon.
I have discovered that finding an acceptable dog groomer is much harder than finding an acceptable hairdresser. I had a wonderful groomer who worked out of her home, took appointments in two-hour intervals, and was very reasonable as far as price.
Then she got married and moved to Texas. Butthead.
I tried a couple of other places, but they proved to be unsatisfactory. One told me I could drop Gus off at 7:30, but drop him off is what I would have had to do. There was no one there until well after 8:00, and I was late to school. Another wouldn't take appointments and was only open sporadically. Sort of like a business in a Mexican resort town. Imagine Gus's disappointment when I told him we were going to the beauty shop and he didn't get to get a haircut.
I finally broke down and took him to the chain pet store that starts with the word Pet and ends with Smart. (Or, as Larry the Cable Guy has wondered, does it start with Pets and end with Mart? I don't have a logo handy to check it out.)
I didn't really want to go that route. I was afraid it would be considerably more expensive (correct) and that Gus would receive less than personal attention (woefully incorrect).
I won't go into the details of each and every one of his appointments. He's already changed groomers even there, but at least the location has stayed the same.
I knew his "regular" groomer was going to be out of town at the end of May, when it was time for his next appointment, so I didn't make an appointment ahead of time. Things got crazy with bicycle rides every weekend and getting ready for BRAG, so I didn't get around to making his appointment when the end of May rolled around. (Heck, I haven't even made MY doctor's appointments.)
Last weekend, though, the folks from the pet store called ME and asked if I would like to make an appointment. I was astounded enough to text Hubby, "Times must be hard." The girl said Gus's regular groomer, Alyssa, wouldn't be in until Friday, and I said I needed it done before then, so I would just schedule with whoever was available.
Imagine my surprise when I went to pick Gus up, and not only was he beautifully groomed, but the girl who had groomed him was Alyssa. She said she was supposed to be off that day, but when she saw Gus on the schedule, she came in so she could be the one who groomed him.
It may be a load of malarkey, but it was a nice thing to say even if it was a lie.
Service like that is worth a little bit more money. Besides, they are open early and are only two miles from our house.
Because I'm in such a good mood and am excited about leaving tomorrow morning for BRAG, I'll share with you a bonus photo from my travels (and travels and travels - story later) with Roz this afternoon.
 |
| It may appear this dude was sitting in a parking lot, but I assure you he was driving - DRIVING!!!! - in the lane right next to me. Sure, traffic was slow, but he was still in a MOVING VEHICLE! (The newspaper is either in Japanese or Chinese. I realize that has nothing to do with this story.) |
Friday, May 11, 2012
Favorite Things Friday.....Peanut Butter Granola Balls.....
I mentioned a while back about a particular ride Katydid, Rozmo and I do (and sometimes VT) that specializes in awesome rest stops. Not just the standard fruit, cookies, and sports drink (which are all appreciated, by the way), but homemade goodies.
My personal favorite on this ride, the Tony Serrano Century, are the peanut butter granola balls. This year when we got to the first rest stop, the peanut butter granola balls were ALL GONE. That made me ride like hell to rest stop #2, where they had plenty of PBGBs. I was still eating them when the ride was over and the rest stop volunteers were packing up to go home. I chased them to their cars, screaming, "Just one more! Just one more!"
Or maybe it wasn't quite that dramatic. They are good, though.
And the lady who makes them is kind enough to post the recipe on the internet for all the world to enjoy. I'll post the link here in case any of you want to make them. (By the way, I think the first ingredient is supposed to say 2 1/2 cups. It's a little unclear.)
Joyce's Peanut Butter Granola Balls
I decided to make some of these last night and take them to school. I don't think I came out with quite 96 balls, but I tend to grow impatient and the balls get bigger and bigger. The last ones were softball-sized. Not really. I did learn, however, that rolling the balls in my hands means the peanut butter gets all over them, and then the next ball won't hold together. I found myself washing my hands after every ball, and I was dismayed at the prospect of washing my hands 96 times (or however many times I actually wound up ... with ... balls ... I cannot make that sentence structure work, but you know what I mean). I discovered that if I dusted my palms with the graham cracker crumbs, it made the rolling of the balls much smoother. And since the last step was to roll the balls in graham cracker crumbs, it was sort of a short-cut.
I made ours with Splenda instead of sugar, not only to make them better for Hubby, but because we don't typically have sugar in the house at all. And I NEVER have powdered sugar. I also considered using powdered cocoa instead of the mini chocolate chips to cut down more on the calories and fat, but since it was my first time, I made them according to the recipe. I also think adding coconut might be an acceptable variation.
These were a big hit at school today, and several folks emailed to ask for the recipe. Our resource officer muttered something about being a diabetic and walked away before I could tell him they were made with Splenda. Butthead.
Joyce says on the recipe that you can make these ahead of time, and they will last in the refrigerator 2-3 weeks.
She must not know the same folks I do.
My personal favorite on this ride, the Tony Serrano Century, are the peanut butter granola balls. This year when we got to the first rest stop, the peanut butter granola balls were ALL GONE. That made me ride like hell to rest stop #2, where they had plenty of PBGBs. I was still eating them when the ride was over and the rest stop volunteers were packing up to go home. I chased them to their cars, screaming, "Just one more! Just one more!"
Or maybe it wasn't quite that dramatic. They are good, though.
And the lady who makes them is kind enough to post the recipe on the internet for all the world to enjoy. I'll post the link here in case any of you want to make them. (By the way, I think the first ingredient is supposed to say 2 1/2 cups. It's a little unclear.)
Joyce's Peanut Butter Granola Balls
I decided to make some of these last night and take them to school. I don't think I came out with quite 96 balls, but I tend to grow impatient and the balls get bigger and bigger. The last ones were softball-sized. Not really. I did learn, however, that rolling the balls in my hands means the peanut butter gets all over them, and then the next ball won't hold together. I found myself washing my hands after every ball, and I was dismayed at the prospect of washing my hands 96 times (or however many times I actually wound up ... with ... balls ... I cannot make that sentence structure work, but you know what I mean). I discovered that if I dusted my palms with the graham cracker crumbs, it made the rolling of the balls much smoother. And since the last step was to roll the balls in graham cracker crumbs, it was sort of a short-cut.
I made ours with Splenda instead of sugar, not only to make them better for Hubby, but because we don't typically have sugar in the house at all. And I NEVER have powdered sugar. I also considered using powdered cocoa instead of the mini chocolate chips to cut down more on the calories and fat, but since it was my first time, I made them according to the recipe. I also think adding coconut might be an acceptable variation.
These were a big hit at school today, and several folks emailed to ask for the recipe. Our resource officer muttered something about being a diabetic and walked away before I could tell him they were made with Splenda. Butthead.
Joyce says on the recipe that you can make these ahead of time, and they will last in the refrigerator 2-3 weeks.
She must not know the same folks I do.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Favorite Things Friday - Waiter.....
When I say I'm going to write about our favorite waiter, you may have an image of us eating at the same restaurant every weekend and having the same waiter almost every time.
That's not really the case, and the restaurant where we ate tonight isn't even my favorite place to go, but there is a waiter there whom I would cheerfully adopt.
In a rare case of the stars aligning themselves correctly, we got that waiter tonight, I took my purse into the restaurant, and my camera was in my purse. In an even rarer case, though, I got shy and didn't take Randy's picture. I didn't want to embarrass him, and I certainly didn't want to tell him it was so I could write about him on my blog tonight. I'm already flirting with being entered on the Stalkers' Registry as it is.
Yes, as a matter of fact, it's 6:10 PM and we've already had dinner and come back home, what of it?
Randy isn't cute in the Derek Hough or George Clooney or Johnny Depp kind of way. He isn't even Donny Osmond cute. He's cute in a goofy, friendly kind of way. But I'm not really here to write about his looks. Did I really just write about Derek Hough and George Clooney in the same sentence?
Back to Randy.
He is just about the perfect waiter. He is attentive in a way that doesn't make you think he's just being nice so he can get a bigger tip. (He WOULD HAVE gotten a bigger tip, but Hubby was watching me sign his name on the credit card receipt.) He pays attention and anticipates needs, but he doesn't hover until you want to scream at him to leave you the hell alone. For example, tonight Hubby's entree came with a salad, but mine didn't. No problem, I was too busy gorging on their little poppy seed rolls with cinnamon butter. When Randy brought the salad (Hubby chooses thousand island dressing), he brought an extra cup of dressing - ranch - because as he said, "That's a big salad and I didn't know if you might want to share it." He brought ranch dressing because I'm sure that's what 99% of American women order (I always choose honey mustard myself), but it was still a nice touch. He didn't have to do that.
He always addresses us as "sir" and "m'am," which makes me feel slightly old, but it's still a nice, polite touch. He's genuine about it, though, again not appearing just to say it because he's trying to kiss up.
I was sitting here trying to think of some more examples of what makes Randy so special, and they sounded so banal. So ordinary. They sounded like things ANY good waiter or waitress (I know, I know, the politically correct term is "waitperson" or "waitstaff" but I can't do it) should do in an effort to provide even minimal service. I can't exactly explain why Randy is exceptional. He just is.
We had a little ... situation, as they say in Jamaica ... at dinner tonight. Hubby found a rather large piece of plastic, probably chipped off a mixing bowl, in the cinnamon butter they serve with their delicious poppy seed rolls. (Did I mention gorging on them? I did? You're sure? Well, okay.) Hubby was NOT complaining, he certainly was NOT trying to get something free, but he did want to let them know there may be other pieces of plastic floating around in unknown places.
Randy was very professional, saying only, "Let me take this to my manager right now." He apologized profusely, but he didn't start running around like Chicken Little either. He later offered us a complimentary strawberry-something dessert, which we declined, and apologized again. The manager came over to apologize, Hubby said it wasn't a big deal and they shouldn't worry about it, and the manager gave us mother-in-law's take-home dinner on the house. Hubby was embarrassed, because that's not what his goal was in pointing out the piece of plastic, and he said the manager didn't have to do that. But the manager insisted, and we still felt kind of icky about it. (I know there are people who have made it their lives' missions to get by on getting free meals and merchandise in a similar manner.)
Randy came back by after the manager left and told us what a good guy the manager is. He said, "He's the reason I work here." He kept complimenting his boss over and over again. So refreshing to see an employee who appreciates his employer.
That is one of the many reasons why Randy is our favorite waiter. And it's not just us. One night when we went there to eat, I heard someone else who was just arriving ask, "Can we have Randy as our waiter?"
See what I mean? I think the young man might have a career.
That's not really the case, and the restaurant where we ate tonight isn't even my favorite place to go, but there is a waiter there whom I would cheerfully adopt.
In a rare case of the stars aligning themselves correctly, we got that waiter tonight, I took my purse into the restaurant, and my camera was in my purse. In an even rarer case, though, I got shy and didn't take Randy's picture. I didn't want to embarrass him, and I certainly didn't want to tell him it was so I could write about him on my blog tonight. I'm already flirting with being entered on the Stalkers' Registry as it is.
Yes, as a matter of fact, it's 6:10 PM and we've already had dinner and come back home, what of it?
Randy isn't cute in the Derek Hough or George Clooney or Johnny Depp kind of way. He isn't even Donny Osmond cute. He's cute in a goofy, friendly kind of way. But I'm not really here to write about his looks. Did I really just write about Derek Hough and George Clooney in the same sentence?
Back to Randy.
He is just about the perfect waiter. He is attentive in a way that doesn't make you think he's just being nice so he can get a bigger tip. (He WOULD HAVE gotten a bigger tip, but Hubby was watching me sign his name on the credit card receipt.) He pays attention and anticipates needs, but he doesn't hover until you want to scream at him to leave you the hell alone. For example, tonight Hubby's entree came with a salad, but mine didn't. No problem, I was too busy gorging on their little poppy seed rolls with cinnamon butter. When Randy brought the salad (Hubby chooses thousand island dressing), he brought an extra cup of dressing - ranch - because as he said, "That's a big salad and I didn't know if you might want to share it." He brought ranch dressing because I'm sure that's what 99% of American women order (I always choose honey mustard myself), but it was still a nice touch. He didn't have to do that.
He always addresses us as "sir" and "m'am," which makes me feel slightly old, but it's still a nice, polite touch. He's genuine about it, though, again not appearing just to say it because he's trying to kiss up.
I was sitting here trying to think of some more examples of what makes Randy so special, and they sounded so banal. So ordinary. They sounded like things ANY good waiter or waitress (I know, I know, the politically correct term is "waitperson" or "waitstaff" but I can't do it) should do in an effort to provide even minimal service. I can't exactly explain why Randy is exceptional. He just is.
We had a little ... situation, as they say in Jamaica ... at dinner tonight. Hubby found a rather large piece of plastic, probably chipped off a mixing bowl, in the cinnamon butter they serve with their delicious poppy seed rolls. (Did I mention gorging on them? I did? You're sure? Well, okay.) Hubby was NOT complaining, he certainly was NOT trying to get something free, but he did want to let them know there may be other pieces of plastic floating around in unknown places.
Randy was very professional, saying only, "Let me take this to my manager right now." He apologized profusely, but he didn't start running around like Chicken Little either. He later offered us a complimentary strawberry-something dessert, which we declined, and apologized again. The manager came over to apologize, Hubby said it wasn't a big deal and they shouldn't worry about it, and the manager gave us mother-in-law's take-home dinner on the house. Hubby was embarrassed, because that's not what his goal was in pointing out the piece of plastic, and he said the manager didn't have to do that. But the manager insisted, and we still felt kind of icky about it. (I know there are people who have made it their lives' missions to get by on getting free meals and merchandise in a similar manner.)
Randy came back by after the manager left and told us what a good guy the manager is. He said, "He's the reason I work here." He kept complimenting his boss over and over again. So refreshing to see an employee who appreciates his employer.
That is one of the many reasons why Randy is our favorite waiter. And it's not just us. One night when we went there to eat, I heard someone else who was just arriving ask, "Can we have Randy as our waiter?"
See what I mean? I think the young man might have a career.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Favorite Things Friday - Four-Day Weekend....
I don't have words to describe sufficiently the joy associated with a 4-day weekend. This is another of those weather make-up situations that our school board put in place after we missed an eternity in school due to ice/snow last year, and then we had to scramble to make up the time. Said scramble included requiring teachers to come in on a SATURDAY, so this year's plan is much better. Plus, we didn't have any snow this year after all, so the weather make-up days become holidays. (In all truthfulness, they become "furlough days," but I'd rather not focus on the fact that today is being deducted from my paycheck. We're almost used to it now.)
[If the Goddess of Irony is paying any attention, she will wait until after Monday, then sock us with a big snowstorm after we've used all the potential weather make-up days.]
My weekend plans call for donating blood this morning; traveling to almost-South Georgia with Rozmo this afternoon for a bike ride tomorrow; LISTENING to a gymnastics meet online tonight (puh-lease, that's desperate) because it's in Michigan and not at their usual venue, thus no video; riding in aforementioned bicycle ride tomorrow (with a century option, but we probably won't take "advantage" of that option); back home tomorrow night in time to listen to Hubby say "it don't matter" in regards to where we should eat dinner, because cooking on a Saturday night is not in my plans - EVER; the final home gymnastics meet of the season on Sunday; and I have blissfully left Monday open so I can do whatever I want to. Or nothing.
Happy weekend, however many days you get!
[If the Goddess of Irony is paying any attention, she will wait until after Monday, then sock us with a big snowstorm after we've used all the potential weather make-up days.]
My weekend plans call for donating blood this morning; traveling to almost-South Georgia with Rozmo this afternoon for a bike ride tomorrow; LISTENING to a gymnastics meet online tonight (puh-lease, that's desperate) because it's in Michigan and not at their usual venue, thus no video; riding in aforementioned bicycle ride tomorrow (with a century option, but we probably won't take "advantage" of that option); back home tomorrow night in time to listen to Hubby say "it don't matter" in regards to where we should eat dinner, because cooking on a Saturday night is not in my plans - EVER; the final home gymnastics meet of the season on Sunday; and I have blissfully left Monday open so I can do whatever I want to. Or nothing.
Happy weekend, however many days you get!
Friday, March 2, 2012
Favorite Things Friday....A WIN!!!!!......
I apologize for the second consecutive short post, but it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay past my bedtime. I had planned to write something with a little more substance and not resort to posting yet another gymnastics-related bit of drivel, but you know how plans go...
We had a huge win tonight in our next-to-last home meet of the season. (WHERE has this season gone?) We had several career highs, a couple of season highs (I think), and we knocked off the #3 team in the nation. (We are currently ranked #4, so it's not like it was a HUGE upset, and we were the home team. That means a lot in college gymnastics. But still, it was a win. And a win is a win. I just like typing "win.") We beat the same team that put up a ginormous score of 198 last weekend, though, so psychologically it feels good.
(Forgive me for saying "we." It's a terrible habit. Just to be clear, I didn't perform a single vault, I couldn't reach the uneven bars if my life depended upon it, I could probably get ON the balance beam but would only stay for a very brief moment, and floor....well, I just can't tumble. But I can't break the habit of saying "we.")
And I lost my voice. At a gymnastics meet.
I really need to get a life.
We had a huge win tonight in our next-to-last home meet of the season. (WHERE has this season gone?) We had several career highs, a couple of season highs (I think), and we knocked off the #3 team in the nation. (We are currently ranked #4, so it's not like it was a HUGE upset, and we were the home team. That means a lot in college gymnastics. But still, it was a win. And a win is a win. I just like typing "win.") We beat the same team that put up a ginormous score of 198 last weekend, though, so psychologically it feels good.
(Forgive me for saying "we." It's a terrible habit. Just to be clear, I didn't perform a single vault, I couldn't reach the uneven bars if my life depended upon it, I could probably get ON the balance beam but would only stay for a very brief moment, and floor....well, I just can't tumble. But I can't break the habit of saying "we.")
And I lost my voice. At a gymnastics meet.
I really need to get a life.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Favorite Things Friday - A Day Off.....
A Friday off from school. Woot woot! With a visit to my Sweet Girl and a gymnastics meet thrown in for good measure.
This one doesn't count against my "personal" days, either, because it's using comp time from last summer that we aren't really supposed to get but our principal knows we come in and interview students over the summer and she doesn't believe in making us work for nothing.
Maybe I can arm-twist Sweet Girl into doing a guest post tomorrow night.
Maybe.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Favorite Things Friday - Musical Group (That Isn't Named Billy Joel).....
I realize that Billy Joel does not constitute a musical group. He DOES have a band (albeit he and his long-term drummer, Liberty DeVitto, broke up several years ago), and I feel somewhat disloyal picking anyone other than Billy Joel as any kind of musical favorite, but he's still my all-time number one favorite.
There. I'm glad THAT'S out of the way.
My favorite group (at least tonight) from the late 70's and early 80's was the Little River Band. They hailed from Australia, and I had a serious crush on the lead singer, whose name I can't even come up with right now. I suppose I could go look it up and add to the 7 windows I have open on my laptop and the 2 that I have open on my iPad, but why get that technical? I mean, I had a SERIOUS crush. I was convinced that I was going to cross paths with that lead singer at some point in the future, and in spite of the lyrics in one of their songs that said, "I've never been romantic...and sometimes I don't care..." I just knew I could be the one to turn him around and MAKE him romantic. That's assuming he even wrote the stupid lyrics, and I have no knowledge of that whatsoever. My dream of running into him and turning him into a hopeless romantic and sweeping me off my feet (if he didn't peg me as a stalker first, that is) completely ignored the fact that I never saw the Little River Band in concert and only had two or three of their albums.
I didn't say it was a RATIONAL blog post.
I was reminded of my love for LRB (see, if I refer to them by their initials, don't they HAVE to love me back?) this afternoon on my bicycle when my iPhone shuffled through one of their songs. My absolute two favorites are "Cool Change" (the source of the lyrics referenced above) and "Reminiscing," my all-time favorite.
A real blogger would find some clips of the songs, perhaps a picture of the band. At least an album cover.
Aren't you glad you stopped by for THIS?
There. I'm glad THAT'S out of the way.
My favorite group (at least tonight) from the late 70's and early 80's was the Little River Band. They hailed from Australia, and I had a serious crush on the lead singer, whose name I can't even come up with right now. I suppose I could go look it up and add to the 7 windows I have open on my laptop and the 2 that I have open on my iPad, but why get that technical? I mean, I had a SERIOUS crush. I was convinced that I was going to cross paths with that lead singer at some point in the future, and in spite of the lyrics in one of their songs that said, "I've never been romantic...and sometimes I don't care..." I just knew I could be the one to turn him around and MAKE him romantic. That's assuming he even wrote the stupid lyrics, and I have no knowledge of that whatsoever. My dream of running into him and turning him into a hopeless romantic and sweeping me off my feet (if he didn't peg me as a stalker first, that is) completely ignored the fact that I never saw the Little River Band in concert and only had two or three of their albums.
I didn't say it was a RATIONAL blog post.
I was reminded of my love for LRB (see, if I refer to them by their initials, don't they HAVE to love me back?) this afternoon on my bicycle when my iPhone shuffled through one of their songs. My absolute two favorites are "Cool Change" (the source of the lyrics referenced above) and "Reminiscing," my all-time favorite.
A real blogger would find some clips of the songs, perhaps a picture of the band. At least an album cover.
Aren't you glad you stopped by for THIS?
Friday, February 10, 2012
Favorite Things Friday - Water Mug.....
Further proof that my imagination far exceeds my actual capability. I had envisioned taking different shots of this mug, different depths of whatever-you-call-it, different angles, blah blah blah. This is what I actually wound up with, and I'm not pleased with it.
I've had this water mug for at LEAST 16 years, because that's how long it has been since I have lived with my ex. I remember when I bought this insulated water mug from the grocery store (it was the first "real" grocery store in our town, and I was excited not to have to drive 20 miles anymore). The ex made some sarcastic, snide comment about me getting the mug as a gift for being a "frequent shopper." He was not-so-subtly making a comment about my weight, oblivious of the fact that he was pretty steadily eating those groceries TOO. Reason #3311837475 why he's an ex.
Anyway, back to the real subject.
I've had other water mugs, cups, and bottles through the years, but this one is the one I return to again and again. It has a lid and a place for a straw (which I insist upon having), and as you can see from the absence of part of the logo, it has been well used.
I even have a UGA mug that Katydid bought for me at a gymnastics meet that has FLASHING LIGHTS on it, but this is the one I use on a regular basis. It stays at home, either in the kitchen or beside my recliner, usually wherever I was last sitting. It holds about 32 ounces of water (the only thing I ever drink out of it), and while I try to drink it all between dinner and bedtime every night, I'm not always successful.
I don't know WHY this mug is my favorite. It's not particularly attractive, and it wasn't even when it was new. Those colors aren't my favorites, and I don't feel obligated to advertise for this grocery store chain. They get enough of my money every week to stay in business anyway.
I guess it's a habit thing.
Happy Weekend, everyone!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Favorite Things Friday - Dog That Isn't Mine....
I've written a good bit about Gus, the world's most wonderful dog. Like many dogs, he doesn't think he IS a dog. He's a people too, in his little bitty mind.
Outside of my own dog(s), though, I have another favorite. I guess you would call him my dogphew. Nephdog?
This is Chico. He belongs to Katydid. Or rather, Katydid belongs to him.
How could you not love that face? I make fun of him, saying his tongue is too long for his mouth to hold it all. Or maybe he's just sticking it out at ME for making fun of him. Either way, that tongue is always visible. I also call him "Taco" sometimes, but he doesn't seem to mind. At least he's never bitten my ankle for calling him that.
This is his Doggy Ride, which allows Katydid to pull him behind her bicycle. Now folks, that's love right there. Considering the dog weighs 5 pounds and the trailer weighs about 30, that's going above and beyond the call of duty. As much as I love Gus, he's never had the privilege of riding in a fancy trailer behind my bike. I once bought a wire basket for the front of my bicycle (when I still thought he was going to be a tiny thing), but the first time I put him in the basket, Gus clearly said to me, "I don't THINK so, Scooter." (Name that comedian.)
Chico isn't one of those yippy chihuahuas. He has a sweet personality, and he seems to like me, for some reason. He goes on BRAG with us, and he's not a bit of trouble. He's probably the sweetest pocket dog I've ever known.
Outside of my own dog(s), though, I have another favorite. I guess you would call him my dogphew. Nephdog?
This is Chico. He belongs to Katydid. Or rather, Katydid belongs to him.
How could you not love that face? I make fun of him, saying his tongue is too long for his mouth to hold it all. Or maybe he's just sticking it out at ME for making fun of him. Either way, that tongue is always visible. I also call him "Taco" sometimes, but he doesn't seem to mind. At least he's never bitten my ankle for calling him that.
This is his Doggy Ride, which allows Katydid to pull him behind her bicycle. Now folks, that's love right there. Considering the dog weighs 5 pounds and the trailer weighs about 30, that's going above and beyond the call of duty. As much as I love Gus, he's never had the privilege of riding in a fancy trailer behind my bike. I once bought a wire basket for the front of my bicycle (when I still thought he was going to be a tiny thing), but the first time I put him in the basket, Gus clearly said to me, "I don't THINK so, Scooter." (Name that comedian.)
Chico isn't one of those yippy chihuahuas. He has a sweet personality, and he seems to like me, for some reason. He goes on BRAG with us, and he's not a bit of trouble. He's probably the sweetest pocket dog I've ever known.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Favorite Things Friday - Picture of Hubby.....
I have many pictures of Hubby through the years, naturally. What I don't have is many pictures of me, which may not be a bad thing. When my screen saver starts scrolling through my pictures and I occasionally see one of myself, I look at two things: #1 - my weight; and #2 - my hair. The hair fluctuates almost as much as the weight. And I usually see pictures of my hair and think, "What in the hell was I THINKING?"
But I digress.
This is one of my favorite pictures of Hubby.
I took this photo several years ago, right after I got what I call my "big dog" camera. I took it from what I thought was a cool angle, and I like the look on his face. A better photographer would have arranged it so that the shadow didn't cover his face, but whatever. Naturally he's smiling because A) he's got a beer in one hand (that you can't see); and B) he's got a golf club in the other hand. Life is good.
I have some video taken on this same trip of a one-legged man playing golf. He was riding in the cart with Hubby, and he didn't mind at all when I wanted to take some video. I'll upload that on another day.
Happy weekend!
But I digress.
This is one of my favorite pictures of Hubby.
I took this photo several years ago, right after I got what I call my "big dog" camera. I took it from what I thought was a cool angle, and I like the look on his face. A better photographer would have arranged it so that the shadow didn't cover his face, but whatever. Naturally he's smiling because A) he's got a beer in one hand (that you can't see); and B) he's got a golf club in the other hand. Life is good.
I have some video taken on this same trip of a one-legged man playing golf. He was riding in the cart with Hubby, and he didn't mind at all when I wanted to take some video. I'll upload that on another day.
Happy weekend!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Favorite Things Friday - Calorie Counter....
I don't usually use my blog to tout products or websites, and this time next week this website may have fallen off my favorites list.
I took a suggestion from a fellow blogger, DJan, about writing down everything I eat. I'm still struggling with it overall, because I tend to eat things and then neglect to write them down if they will negatively impact my efforts. Note that I don't hesitate to EAT them; I just don't write them down.
One of my co-workers told me about the Calorie Count website. There are a gazillion websites out there for counting and tracking calories, and there are probably a ton of them that are better than this one. I go back to what I said a few weeks about about the concept of "favorite" being a fluid situation.
I like this site because it's user-friendly, it allows you to track activity AND food, and it has the usual communities and message boards for support. I'm a techno-geek, though, so the feature that I found coolest was the fact that you can download the app onto a smartphone and scan the barcode on a packaged food to add it to that day's log. I was at school when I downloaded it, so I walked around my classroom trying to find things to add to my log. Books, boxes of pencils, anything that had a barcode. If any of it had registered, I would have been forced to eat it. The one food item that WAS in my cabinet was sugar-free instant spiced apple cider. Its little barcode wasn't recognized. Buttheads.
There are quirks with the site. In the first place, when I entered my personal data, it suggested that I weigh 120 pounds. Hello? Did you see my birthdate? Do you really think a 50-year-old who has struggled with her weight all her life will EVER weigh 120 pounds again? I mean, without several amputations?
The site also suggested I stick to a diet of 1200 calories. And that was after I told it I was "moderately active." I can't stay under 1200 calories by 11:00 AM.
It was possible to change both the goal weight and the daily calories, though, and even with those changes the website said I could reach my goal weight by May 14. Of this year.
You knew I would find something to snark at regarding this site, though, didn't you?
You know how some websites take keywords and then related advertisements pop up in the sidebar when you're finished with whatever you're doing? I've noticed it on Blogger, on message boards, and now on the Calorie Count website. What I don't understand is where they're getting the keywords.
Today alone these advertisements appeared in the sidebar:
And the two most shocking suggested advertisements of all:
Have they freakin' MET me? Maybe they hijacked my computer and knew I was going to Tuscaloosa this weekend.
As a matter of fact, even as you read this, Katydid and I are on the campus of the University of Alabama for a gymnastics meet.
But that doesn't mean I'm going to buy any of their stinkin' championship gear.
I took a suggestion from a fellow blogger, DJan, about writing down everything I eat. I'm still struggling with it overall, because I tend to eat things and then neglect to write them down if they will negatively impact my efforts. Note that I don't hesitate to EAT them; I just don't write them down.
One of my co-workers told me about the Calorie Count website. There are a gazillion websites out there for counting and tracking calories, and there are probably a ton of them that are better than this one. I go back to what I said a few weeks about about the concept of "favorite" being a fluid situation.
I like this site because it's user-friendly, it allows you to track activity AND food, and it has the usual communities and message boards for support. I'm a techno-geek, though, so the feature that I found coolest was the fact that you can download the app onto a smartphone and scan the barcode on a packaged food to add it to that day's log. I was at school when I downloaded it, so I walked around my classroom trying to find things to add to my log. Books, boxes of pencils, anything that had a barcode. If any of it had registered, I would have been forced to eat it. The one food item that WAS in my cabinet was sugar-free instant spiced apple cider. Its little barcode wasn't recognized. Buttheads.
There are quirks with the site. In the first place, when I entered my personal data, it suggested that I weigh 120 pounds. Hello? Did you see my birthdate? Do you really think a 50-year-old who has struggled with her weight all her life will EVER weigh 120 pounds again? I mean, without several amputations?
The site also suggested I stick to a diet of 1200 calories. And that was after I told it I was "moderately active." I can't stay under 1200 calories by 11:00 AM.
It was possible to change both the goal weight and the daily calories, though, and even with those changes the website said I could reach my goal weight by May 14. Of this year.
You knew I would find something to snark at regarding this site, though, didn't you?
You know how some websites take keywords and then related advertisements pop up in the sidebar when you're finished with whatever you're doing? I've noticed it on Blogger, on message boards, and now on the Calorie Count website. What I don't understand is where they're getting the keywords.
Today alone these advertisements appeared in the sidebar:
- Special K Challenge (twice - duh, it IS a calorie counting website)
- Why Men Lose Attractions: 10 Ugly Mistakes Women Make (I don't have a webcam at school, so how did they know?)
- Prepare to Be Shocked: Take the FREE RealAge Test (I'm not ashamed of my age, so why do I want to take your dumb test?)
- Fun Brain Test Games (maybe they knew I was a teacher and, surrounded by teenagers, my brain has become mostly mush)
- Negligencia Medica? (uh...I've got no clue on this one.)
And the two most shocking suggested advertisements of all:
- 2012 BCS Champion Gear
- The University of Alabama
Have they freakin' MET me? Maybe they hijacked my computer and knew I was going to Tuscaloosa this weekend.
As a matter of fact, even as you read this, Katydid and I are on the campus of the University of Alabama for a gymnastics meet.
But that doesn't mean I'm going to buy any of their stinkin' championship gear.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Favorite Things Friday - Crocheted Scarf....
I've been wrestling with this concept of "favorite." Does the word imply permanence? Longevity at least? I mean, my favorite color is yellow and has been since I was about 14 or 15 years old. I can remember the book I was reading (the heroine wore a luminous yellow ballgown, and I was hooked), and it was almost a conscious decision, "My favorite color is going to be yellow."
Favorites can change, though.....can't they? That very idea got me in sort of trouble with my credit card not too long ago. My credit card company changed my account number and canceled my old one, so I was trying to deactivate the canceled one from my online sign-in. Then I got to the secret question. "Who is your favorite athlete?"
Wait...what?
When did you ask me that? Because the answer to that secret question is highly dependent upon which SEASON we were in. Heck, what YEAR did you ask it?
If you asked it during football season, the answer might have been Matthew Stafford. Unless it was that first year he was at Detroit, when he spent the whole year on the injured reserve list, and was nothing much to write home about. It may have been Aaron Murray, although until this year he didn't impress me enough to warrant a "favorite" label.
If it was gymnastics season, it might have been Courtney Kupets. Or Kat Ding, if it wasn't right after one of the five times IN A ROW that she fell off the balance beam. (But she more than made up for it on the uneven bars.)
If it was baseball season, it might have been Brian McCann. Or Jeff Francoeur (if it was more than a couple of years ago).
Or I might have thought more in a historical sense and chosen Hershel Walker.
Whoever was my favorite whenever I answered that question, I failed at guessing three times in a row and the credit card company locked my online account.
Buttheads. What stupid kind of question is "Who is your favorite athlete?"
I realize that so far I haven't even touched on the subject of tonight's blog post.
My favorite thing tonight is a crochet pattern, and it became my favorite...yesterday.
That's Hubby serving as my model.
I wish I had taken the time to take better pictures while I still had decent daylight. Since this picture was taken I have added fringe on either end of the scarf.
It's also a darker blue than the photo indicates.
I don't think I've ever had a pattern that came together so effortlessly and took shape so beautifully. (I may break my arm off patting myself on the back.) It looks like it has a border, but it doesn't - that was just how it came together. I love the cable-like design. I'm just in love with this scarf, if it's okay in a not-very-creepy way to be in love with an inanimate object.
Here is a close-up of the pattern, but it's still not a very good view.
My very, very, very favorite thing about this crochet pattern, though, is the fact that...
...I made it up.
I've never had much success at creating my own patterns. To be honest, I didn't COMPLETELY make this one up. I started a scarf for which I had PAID TO DOWNLOAD the instructions, only to learn that I'm not the intermediate crocheter I thought I was.
I could understand SOME of the instructions. I can ch with the best of them, I understand sc, and I know hdc. I could even figure out ch2lp (chain 2 loop, although I thought it was chain 21 p's). But then I got to bpdc (see stitches - YO, insert hook from front to back to front again around post of st indicated and pull up a lp, [yo and draw through 2 lps on hook] 2 times).
Huh? Okay, let me try that...
Then I got to a dbl-CHSPC, which was a paragraph long in explanation and had embedded WITHIN it a fptr, and I gave up.
In anger, I just kept doing the two stitches I understood, got to the end of the row and turned, repeated the two stitches in the same pattern ...
And by golly, it worked. It might not look like the "professional" one on the bottom left of the picture here, but it's pretty. And functional. And required almost no curse words.
That's enough right there to make it my favorite. Hubby even asked me to make one for him. That's high praise coming from him. And he wasn't even kissing up. I don't think...
Favorites can change, though.....can't they? That very idea got me in sort of trouble with my credit card not too long ago. My credit card company changed my account number and canceled my old one, so I was trying to deactivate the canceled one from my online sign-in. Then I got to the secret question. "Who is your favorite athlete?"
Wait...what?
When did you ask me that? Because the answer to that secret question is highly dependent upon which SEASON we were in. Heck, what YEAR did you ask it?
If you asked it during football season, the answer might have been Matthew Stafford. Unless it was that first year he was at Detroit, when he spent the whole year on the injured reserve list, and was nothing much to write home about. It may have been Aaron Murray, although until this year he didn't impress me enough to warrant a "favorite" label.
If it was gymnastics season, it might have been Courtney Kupets. Or Kat Ding, if it wasn't right after one of the five times IN A ROW that she fell off the balance beam. (But she more than made up for it on the uneven bars.)
If it was baseball season, it might have been Brian McCann. Or Jeff Francoeur (if it was more than a couple of years ago).
Or I might have thought more in a historical sense and chosen Hershel Walker.
Whoever was my favorite whenever I answered that question, I failed at guessing three times in a row and the credit card company locked my online account.
Buttheads. What stupid kind of question is "Who is your favorite athlete?"
I realize that so far I haven't even touched on the subject of tonight's blog post.
My favorite thing tonight is a crochet pattern, and it became my favorite...yesterday.
That's Hubby serving as my model.
I wish I had taken the time to take better pictures while I still had decent daylight. Since this picture was taken I have added fringe on either end of the scarf.
It's also a darker blue than the photo indicates.
I don't think I've ever had a pattern that came together so effortlessly and took shape so beautifully. (I may break my arm off patting myself on the back.) It looks like it has a border, but it doesn't - that was just how it came together. I love the cable-like design. I'm just in love with this scarf, if it's okay in a not-very-creepy way to be in love with an inanimate object.
Here is a close-up of the pattern, but it's still not a very good view.
My very, very, very favorite thing about this crochet pattern, though, is the fact that...
...I made it up.
I've never had much success at creating my own patterns. To be honest, I didn't COMPLETELY make this one up. I started a scarf for which I had PAID TO DOWNLOAD the instructions, only to learn that I'm not the intermediate crocheter I thought I was.
I could understand SOME of the instructions. I can ch with the best of them, I understand sc, and I know hdc. I could even figure out ch2lp (chain 2 loop, although I thought it was chain 21 p's). But then I got to bpdc (see stitches - YO, insert hook from front to back to front again around post of st indicated and pull up a lp, [yo and draw through 2 lps on hook] 2 times).
Huh? Okay, let me try that...
Then I got to a dbl-CHSPC, which was a paragraph long in explanation and had embedded WITHIN it a fptr, and I gave up.
In anger, I just kept doing the two stitches I understood, got to the end of the row and turned, repeated the two stitches in the same pattern ...
And by golly, it worked. It might not look like the "professional" one on the bottom left of the picture here, but it's pretty. And functional. And required almost no curse words.
That's enough right there to make it my favorite. Hubby even asked me to make one for him. That's high praise coming from him. And he wasn't even kissing up. I don't think...
Friday, December 16, 2011
Favorite Things Friday - Hot Toddy.....
It's more than a little ironic that I chose this topic for tonight's blog post. A hot toddy is a wonderful drink when the weather is cold and blustery and there's snow on the ground and you have a roaring fire going and you just want to curl up in front of the television and watch old movies or gymnastics meets. Oh yeah, or football.
When I got in my car to leave school today (thank you merciful gods and goddesses in heaven), it was 74 degrees.
I love living in the South.
Anyway, back to my favorite hot toddy...
Hot apple cider. With a shot of ... wait for it ... butterscotch Schnapps in it.
We had the packets of instant hot apple cider at a school function, and I read a serving suggestion on the back of the box. They must have known I was a high school teacher when they suggested putting alcohol in my apple cider.
While I drink the apple cider at school frequently, I have NOT stooped to using the butterscotch Schnapps. At school. Yet.
I'm not even going to apologize for the fact that it's INSTANT apple cider. The brand that we buy also comes in a sugar free version, which I'm pretty sure makes up for all the calories in the Schnapps. Pretty sure. Damn sure.
If you want to be really festive or formal or hoity-toity, you can put whipped cream on top and drizzle it with caramel syrup. That's what I did last year during the siege that was the blizzard of 2011. The REAL one, not this one.
Seriously, this hot drink has an uncanny ability to improve my mood mightily, even if it wasn't bad to begin with. And there's not THAT much Schnapps in it.
Who even knew they made butterscotch Schnapps?
P.S. Sorry no picture. It's too damn hot for hot apple cider, and I certainly didn't want to waste it.
When I got in my car to leave school today (thank you merciful gods and goddesses in heaven), it was 74 degrees.
I love living in the South.
Anyway, back to my favorite hot toddy...
Hot apple cider. With a shot of ... wait for it ... butterscotch Schnapps in it.
We had the packets of instant hot apple cider at a school function, and I read a serving suggestion on the back of the box. They must have known I was a high school teacher when they suggested putting alcohol in my apple cider.
While I drink the apple cider at school frequently, I have NOT stooped to using the butterscotch Schnapps. At school. Yet.
I'm not even going to apologize for the fact that it's INSTANT apple cider. The brand that we buy also comes in a sugar free version, which I'm pretty sure makes up for all the calories in the Schnapps. Pretty sure. Damn sure.
If you want to be really festive or formal or hoity-toity, you can put whipped cream on top and drizzle it with caramel syrup. That's what I did last year during the siege that was the blizzard of 2011. The REAL one, not this one.
Seriously, this hot drink has an uncanny ability to improve my mood mightily, even if it wasn't bad to begin with. And there's not THAT much Schnapps in it.
Who even knew they made butterscotch Schnapps?
P.S. Sorry no picture. It's too damn hot for hot apple cider, and I certainly didn't want to waste it.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Favorite Things Friday - Lonesome Dove....
Don't laugh. My favorite television series OF ALL TIME is Lonesome Dove.
I'm not a huge television watcher. Perhaps I've always found it difficult to sit still that long. Unless it's a football game. Or basketball game. Or gymnastics meet that I not only attended in person but I've watched a trillion times already. But whatever.
In a previous wifetime, my ex started talking about some western series that was coming on. I wasn't interested for a variety of reasons. #1 - I hated anything he liked. #2 - I wasn't fond of westerns.
But we only had the one television, so after I f-i-n-a-l-l-y got the kitchen cleaned up, I sat down to read or something mindless while the television droned on in the background. That was the first night.
The second night, I FLEW through post-supper clean-up so I could watch every last second of the masterpiece.
Well, masterpiece might be a little strong. But with a superb cast, wonderful writing, breath-taking scenery, and a captivating story line, it might not be far off the mark. Even the musical score was wonderful.
I had more than a slight crush on Gus, played by Robert Duvall. It is no accident that our dog's name is Gus. that way if I call out his name in my sleep, I won't get in nearly as much trouble.
Tommy Lee Jones played Captain Woodrow Call. If we ever get another dog, his name will be Woodrow, and we'll call him Woody.
Unless he happens to be black, in which case his name will be Deets.
We also had a dog named Newt, who was also a character in the series, played by Ricky Schroeder. He may have just been Rick by then, I'm not sure. He was the son of one of the town... uh... "sporting" ladies, and Gus claimed that Captain Call was Newt's father.
There was a very brief spin-off series with a grown-up Newt who became a bad-ass, and Hubby loved that series. It wasn't played by Ricky/Rick Schroeder, though, so I wasn't as enthralled. I like stories that keep the same actors in the sequels.
Jon Voigt replaced Tommy Lee Jones in Return to Lonesome Dove, and a beautiful young actress I had never seen before played in the sequel. It was only years later that I realized that character had been played by what had to be a very, very, very young Reese Witherspoon.
Gus didn't have to be replaced in the sequel, since he died in the first one. I watch Lonesome Dove every time it comes on (that Hubby will allow me to), and every single time I cry when Gus dies. Hubby says, "He's gonna die EVERY TIME you watch it."
Robert Urich played the part of Jake Spoon, a lovable, lazy gambler and womanizer who is too easily led down the wrong path and must pay the ultimate price.
I don't usually read a book AFTER I've seen the movie, but I did read this one, and there were parts of the movie that were word-for-word from the text of the book. I like that in a movie. The only obvious editing was because it was hard to compress an 833-page book, even into an 8-hour mini-series. I don't usually read book reviews, either, and one that I read AFTER I had finished the book summed up my feelings exactly. It said something along the lines of, "I've never been so angry with an author as I was with Larry McMurtry for stopping after a mere 833 pages." Or however many pages the book had.
Hubby and I are convinced McMurtry had someone else write Lonesome Dove for him, because we've
I don't have this mini-series on DVD, but it's one I would watch again and again if I did.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Favorite Things Friday - Favorite Snack.....
I'm going to post something in this blog that is my favorite snack, and I don't think even my SISTERS know about it. Hubby certainly doesn't. It's one of those things I only eat in secret, because it's too bizarre for anyone in my closest circles to know.
Except for you, my dear reader(s). I feel confident enough in our relationship that I can reveal something to you that I tell no one else.
One of my favorite snacks in the world is a.....
....Catalina sandwich.
As in Catalina salad dressing. On bread. Nothing else. Except maybe that really thick BBQ bread (the kind you tear apart, not the already-sliced kind).
Preferably the entirely-bad-for-you white bread, the fresher the better.
It's actually better if you only eat one piece (at a time) and put the dressing on it and FOLD IT OVER (that's a story from my brother's childhood that I'll share with you sometime, but it loses a lot in print).
I don't know how I happened upon this particular snack. We must have been REALLY low on groceries.
I'm sure I wouldn't try this with other salad dressings, even though when we were children it wasn't uncommon for us to have mayonnaise sandwiches for snack. Except we didn't use mayo, we used Miracle Whip. I guess I made the "salad dressing" jump and decided it didn't just have to be THAT kind of salad dressing.
Can't picture it with thousand island dressing. Or ranch. Especially not Italian... ewwwwwwww!
But a Catalina sandwich is the ultimate comfort food. I haven't had one in a while (until I prepared one specifically for this blog), since we only have whole-grain bread in our house, and the Catalina these days is fat-free.
It just isn't the same.
 |
| Plain old white bread would be SO much better, but whatever. |
 |
| Just pour the Catalina right on. Be careful, or it will ooze out the side. And you may just be wearing a crisp white blouse. I'm just sayin'. |
 |
| Slap the two pieces of bread together. Best accompanied by a cold glass of milk. Whole would be best, but 1% will suffice. |
I feel better having confessed to all of you. Happy weekend!
Friday, November 25, 2011
Favorite Things Friday - Coffee Mug.....
I go through spells in which I drink out of the same coffee mug every single morning. The only thing that makes me change mugs is if I break one or (in this case) I get one as a gift that takes a new place in my affection. If one can have affection for inanimate objects. (Of course one can ... I happened to have married two of them. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha)
Sweet Girl gave me this coffee mug a couple of years ago. Or maybe last year. It wasn't yesterday, so I'm fuzzy on the details. Tinkerbell has been one of my favorite Disney characters since I was a very little girl. I have a distinct memory of having a Tinkerbell placemat that I insisted be put under my plate at dinner every evening. This memory comes from a house that burned down when I was about four years old, so we're talking about a VERY old memory. Noah and the Ark era.
I remember watching The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday evenings, and I waited for Tinkerbell to appear at the end. That was the only part I cared about. She was beautiful even in black and white. My father used to call me "Tink" when I was little. I don't know if it stemmed from my fascination with Tinkerbell or if it was a shortened form of "stink." With my father, either one was possible.
I have a few Tinkerbell Christmas ornaments, and I used to have some Tinkerbell earrings. I lost one of them between my bedroom and the bathroom, and I never found it. Even when we ripped up the carpet to replace it, that earring was nowhere to be found. I understand there are black holes in outer space, but in my hallway?
I'm not a huge coffee drinker. At least I'm not one to drink coffee all day long. I have two cups at home in the morning, and that's it. We have a coffee pot at school, but I rarely partake there. If I want something warm to drink during the school day, I heat up some water and have sugar-free apple cider.
As you can see, though, it's kind of cheating for me to say I "only" have two cups of coffee. This is my mug compared to a regular-sized mug, which is still much larger than a regular-sized coffee cup. When I say I "only" have two cups of coffee every morning, it's probably equivalent to half a pot.
I'm not going to apologize for drinking those two gargantuan cups of coffee, though. I've given up chocolate, sugar, most alcohol, and almost anything that tastes good. I'll switch to decaf if necessary, but for now I'm going to enjoy my (almost) one last vice.
I remember watching The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday evenings, and I waited for Tinkerbell to appear at the end. That was the only part I cared about. She was beautiful even in black and white. My father used to call me "Tink" when I was little. I don't know if it stemmed from my fascination with Tinkerbell or if it was a shortened form of "stink." With my father, either one was possible.
I'm not a huge coffee drinker. At least I'm not one to drink coffee all day long. I have two cups at home in the morning, and that's it. We have a coffee pot at school, but I rarely partake there. If I want something warm to drink during the school day, I heat up some water and have sugar-free apple cider.
As you can see, though, it's kind of cheating for me to say I "only" have two cups of coffee. This is my mug compared to a regular-sized mug, which is still much larger than a regular-sized coffee cup. When I say I "only" have two cups of coffee every morning, it's probably equivalent to half a pot.
I'm not going to apologize for drinking those two gargantuan cups of coffee, though. I've given up chocolate, sugar, most alcohol, and almost anything that tastes good. I'll switch to decaf if necessary, but for now I'm going to enjoy my (almost) one last vice.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Favorite Things Friday - A Hand-Me-Up.....
This is one of my favorite pieces of clothing. (I promise all my favorite things are not going to be apparel. But some will. Obviously.)
This shirt is one of several items I call "hand-me-ups" because I inherited them from my Sweet Girl. In the case of this particular shirt, I rescued it from suffering the fate of the school's Lost and Found bin.
Sweet Girl picked this shirt out at what was then her favorite clothing store (and mine, which made it almost instantly NOT her favorite anymore) when she was in about the 7th or 8th grade. (And she graduated from high school in 2002, so that should give you an indication of how ridiculously long I hold onto things I really like.) It was one of those things she JUST HAD TO HAVE and immediately decided she hated. Unfortunately she made that decision only after leaving the shirt to die a slow, cruel death in her locker at school. For months.
She never used her locker much, so at the end of the year I had to get the assistant principal to open her locker when she couldn't remember the combination. Or couldn't be bothered, I'm not sure which it was. (I worked at the same school, so it wasn't like I was one of those freakish mothers who show up at the end of every school year to clean out their kids' lockers. Wait...)
Anyway, he opened the locker for me, and there was this shirt, languishing among the algebra worksheets and history notes. The poor shirt that she JUST HAD TO HAVE. Since it had clearly been abandoned by its previous owner, I took possession of it.
I love this shirt for so many reasons, DESPITE the fact that it isn't much to look at. It's really more of a jacket than a shirt, but it isn't confining like a jacket. I always wear it over something else, and it is one of the warmest things I have ever owned. When Hubby and I used to go pick up firewood (before we decided it was worth it to have someone just deliver it to our house), I would always wear this shirt because it was warm but also allowed freedom of movement. I also like the fact that it zips, and it has those wonderfully convenient pockets.
I'm certainly no fashionista, but it's that time of year when I gravitate toward clothes that warm my heart as well as my body.
This shirt is one of several items I call "hand-me-ups" because I inherited them from my Sweet Girl. In the case of this particular shirt, I rescued it from suffering the fate of the school's Lost and Found bin.
Sweet Girl picked this shirt out at what was then her favorite clothing store (and mine, which made it almost instantly NOT her favorite anymore) when she was in about the 7th or 8th grade. (And she graduated from high school in 2002, so that should give you an indication of how ridiculously long I hold onto things I really like.) It was one of those things she JUST HAD TO HAVE and immediately decided she hated. Unfortunately she made that decision only after leaving the shirt to die a slow, cruel death in her locker at school. For months.
She never used her locker much, so at the end of the year I had to get the assistant principal to open her locker when she couldn't remember the combination. Or couldn't be bothered, I'm not sure which it was. (I worked at the same school, so it wasn't like I was one of those freakish mothers who show up at the end of every school year to clean out their kids' lockers. Wait...)
Anyway, he opened the locker for me, and there was this shirt, languishing among the algebra worksheets and history notes. The poor shirt that she JUST HAD TO HAVE. Since it had clearly been abandoned by its previous owner, I took possession of it.
I love this shirt for so many reasons, DESPITE the fact that it isn't much to look at. It's really more of a jacket than a shirt, but it isn't confining like a jacket. I always wear it over something else, and it is one of the warmest things I have ever owned. When Hubby and I used to go pick up firewood (before we decided it was worth it to have someone just deliver it to our house), I would always wear this shirt because it was warm but also allowed freedom of movement. I also like the fact that it zips, and it has those wonderfully convenient pockets.
I'm certainly no fashionista, but it's that time of year when I gravitate toward clothes that warm my heart as well as my body.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Favorite Things Friday - UGA Sweater.....
Welcome to the first installment of Favorite Things Friday. It may be the only installment because -- who knows? -- by next Friday I may have forgotten completely that I wanted to start a new tradition.
Today's Favorite Thing is my UGA sweater.
This sweater is one of my favorite articles of clothing in the whole world. Now before you go saying, "Well of COURSE it is, it has UGA all over it...." that's not the reason it's one of my favorites. I have approximately a million different articles of clothing proclaiming my love for my alma mater, but this is one is my favorite for a number of reasons.
I've had this sweater since 2002, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. That was the first year UGA had any prayer of going to the SEC Championship game in Atlanta, and early in the season I told Hubby that if UGA made it, that was ALL I wanted for Christmas, was to go to that game.
As it turned out, Hubby WON tickets to the game through work, and I guess he felt guilty that the ONLY thing I wanted for Christmas was something he didn't even have to pay for. He may have also felt a little bit sorry for me because on the Saturday morning of the game, I had to go to school. And work. On the yearbook. On a freakin' Saturday.
Hubby decided while I was working he would run to Athens and buy me the sweater I had mentioned seeing at the UGA bookstore. That was his first mistake. He took Sweet Girl with him so he could make sure of the sizing. That was his second mistake. (Because it cost him a sweatshirt for her too.)
He surprised me with the sweater when I got home from school, and I was thrilled to be able to wear it to the championship game. He still looked a little shell-shocked from the price tag, but when we won the game, he considered it worth the sacrifice to do his part.
You can see it's a little rough around the edges, but for me that's part of the charm. I don't wear it to school as a rule; only big football games. I did, however, wear it today, and I plan to wear it to tomorrow's HUGE game. (Tomorrow could determine whether or not we return to the SEC Championship game.) In the picture above, you can barely see at the bottom of the sleeve where the stitching has come apart a little bit.
In this picture, the felt of the megaphone has attracted some fuzz from other parts of the sweater.
Mom had to help me replace one of the buttons once, and you can see the thread above where this one wants to come off too. Or again. Oh who am I kidding, Mom did it all by herself while I watched a different ballgame on television.
Sure, it's a little ostentatious.
Make that a LOT ostentatious.
The "G" in the picture above is on the BACK of the sweater. I guess they ran out of room after they put all the crap on the front.
I've never seen another sweater like this one, so I try to take care of it. I only have it professionally dry cleaned, and I always wear something under it like a tank top or a turtleneck. I wore what I THOUGHT was a black turtleneck under it today, only to discover after I got to school that the turtleneck was actually navy blue. If we don't win tomorrow, it will be all my fault because I mixed navy in with the red and black. (No, I'm not superstitious. Or psycho. Or a freak.) The first thing I did upon arriving home this afternoon was to make sure I knew where my BLACK turtleneck was for tomorrow.
Today's Favorite Thing is my UGA sweater.
This sweater is one of my favorite articles of clothing in the whole world. Now before you go saying, "Well of COURSE it is, it has UGA all over it...." that's not the reason it's one of my favorites. I have approximately a million different articles of clothing proclaiming my love for my alma mater, but this is one is my favorite for a number of reasons.
I've had this sweater since 2002, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. That was the first year UGA had any prayer of going to the SEC Championship game in Atlanta, and early in the season I told Hubby that if UGA made it, that was ALL I wanted for Christmas, was to go to that game.
As it turned out, Hubby WON tickets to the game through work, and I guess he felt guilty that the ONLY thing I wanted for Christmas was something he didn't even have to pay for. He may have also felt a little bit sorry for me because on the Saturday morning of the game, I had to go to school. And work. On the yearbook. On a freakin' Saturday.
Hubby decided while I was working he would run to Athens and buy me the sweater I had mentioned seeing at the UGA bookstore. That was his first mistake. He took Sweet Girl with him so he could make sure of the sizing. That was his second mistake. (Because it cost him a sweatshirt for her too.)
He surprised me with the sweater when I got home from school, and I was thrilled to be able to wear it to the championship game. He still looked a little shell-shocked from the price tag, but when we won the game, he considered it worth the sacrifice to do his part.
You can see it's a little rough around the edges, but for me that's part of the charm. I don't wear it to school as a rule; only big football games. I did, however, wear it today, and I plan to wear it to tomorrow's HUGE game. (Tomorrow could determine whether or not we return to the SEC Championship game.) In the picture above, you can barely see at the bottom of the sleeve where the stitching has come apart a little bit.
In this picture, the felt of the megaphone has attracted some fuzz from other parts of the sweater.
Mom had to help me replace one of the buttons once, and you can see the thread above where this one wants to come off too. Or again. Oh who am I kidding, Mom did it all by herself while I watched a different ballgame on television.
Sure, it's a little ostentatious.
Make that a LOT ostentatious.
I've never seen another sweater like this one, so I try to take care of it. I only have it professionally dry cleaned, and I always wear something under it like a tank top or a turtleneck. I wore what I THOUGHT was a black turtleneck under it today, only to discover after I got to school that the turtleneck was actually navy blue. If we don't win tomorrow, it will be all my fault because I mixed navy in with the red and black. (No, I'm not superstitious. Or psycho. Or a freak.) The first thing I did upon arriving home this afternoon was to make sure I knew where my BLACK turtleneck was for tomorrow.
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