Sunday, February 26, 2006
The weather finally cooperated today (it was
gorgeous) and we were able to ride after 2 weekends off. We rode from South Austin to Buda to Creedmoor and back to Austin for a total of 24 miles.
I had my bike fitted (adjusted exactly to my body) on Thursday and it made a world of difference. The hills today weren't nearly as bad as they'd been in the past. I'm still slow, though, so now my goal is to try to strengthen my legs to get more power. On this ride, we passed an African animal sanctuary, so we saw emu and antelope which was cool. We also rode on a stretch of deserted road which was very reminiscent of Children of the Corn. Think no cars and lots of tall, dead vegetation along the fence line.
To make it even worse, on the side of the road there was a huge deserted tin barn with all it's windows broken out, but it was new enough to make you think someone still uses it. I half expected this man to walk out of the barn or come out of the fields:
We usually call that kind of area "Werewolf Country" because it just has an air of creepiness which would be the perfect setting for a movie. I usually ride just a little bit faster.
I have such a boring week coming up, so hopefully Desperate Houswives is new. DH, Intervention, and Celebrity Fit Club are my saving grace on Sunday nights. Sad.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
I got this from
Kether. I can't believe some of these answers. Engineering above Linguistics? Engineering=English=Mathematics? What's up with that. Theater at the bottom isn't surprising. I HATE public speaking.
So the new hot water heater was too large for our tiny, 70s HWH cabinet. Sheeeeeeeiiiiit. We had to go back to the store, "return" the old one and purchase a smaller model. Which now means we don't qualify for the 10% off because the cost of the smaller model was less than the original. Oh, and because the cabinet is so small, they have to build a new venting system. GREAT. So the cost of the hot water heater was $389 and now the installation will be about $400. Wonderful! The only bright spot in an otherwise crappy evening was 1) my husband bought me cookies at the mall when we were dealing with the hwh and 2) I got to watch Matthew Fox chopping wood on Lost. YUM YUM! I would make a baby with that man in two shakes.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
There are no words to describe
the email my sister just got from her acupuncturist. NO WORDS.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
The Blogger Blowout was great even though the weather sucked really bad. I had SO much fun meeting everyone in person. I definitely think we should make it a yearly thing. I hope everyone made it home safe and sound. (Dallas ladies: Did the outlet malls have anything good?)
Today the rockstar and I started watching the first season of Lost. (We recently got Netflix). I am sooooo hooked. I'm going to watch all 4 episodes today, and send it back tomorrow so I can get the next DVD. I'm also going to get all the Scrubs episodes since I didn't really see anything past the 1st season.
I inherited a chair from my grandma, and it was covered in a horrible yellow fabric. My sweet mom offered to get it recovered for me. I got the chair back yesterday and it looks GREAT! We have a sort of moroccan/indian thing going on in the living room and the chair fits right in.
We also bought a hot water heater today. Whoooopie! It was sad to walk through all the cool appliances at Sears knowing that we had to spend our money on one appliance you never see or actually use, but is REALLY important to have. Our current HWH is 33 years old and has so much mineral buildup, we can hear it in the house when it is refilling. It sounds like a rock tumbler.
Nothing much else going on here since the weather sucks. I just want to curl up on the couch and watch movies (or Lost).
Friday, February 17, 2006
This one speaks for itself:
"I think if you know what you believe, it makes it a lot easier to answer questions. I can't answer your question." -
In response to a question about whether he wished he could take back any of his answers in the first debate; Reynoldsburg, Ohio; October 4, 2000
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
My Grandmother, both of her parents and multiple siblings all died from
pancreatic cancer. Her sister had part of her pancreas removed because the doctors found some suspicious areas on it. She passed away late last year. Both my Grandma and her sister were amazing women; frugal, strong, smart and funny, not to mention incredible seamstresses. My Grandma lived in the country, alone, for years. She sewed all her own clothes, grew all of her vegetables, fed horses and cows, but during the last six months of her life, she was helpless. She had to have round the clock care. It was horrible and terribly sad to watch such a kickass woman reduced to nothing.
In my opinion, pancreatic cancer is one of the scariest cancers. Once most people find out they have it, there's nothing that can be done. There's no suggested routine screening for it. Most people get screened when they start exhibiting symptoms. Only about 10% of all pancreatic cancers are thought to be hereditary, so given our history, you can bet my dad keeps up on the state of his pancreas. I'm getting close to 30, so I'm starting to worry more about diabetes and cancer.
Tonight, I went to a memorial service for my dad's best friend, R. He died this past Saturday from pancreatic cancer which he strongly fought for 3 years. 3 YEARS. That is unheard of in the pancreatic cancer world. He was 61, and left behind his wife, two daughters and a beautiful granddaughter (who really misses her Paw Paw Fish---R was a HUGE fisherman). I'm sad that R had to leave us. I'm sad for his family, my dad, for all his wonderful friends that showed up tonight to celebrate his life. I'm just plain sad.
I hate pancreatic cancer. I am scared of it and angry that it takes so many wonderful people away from those who love them. So, if you are so inclined, say a little prayer or think a happy thought for R's family. They need it.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
She can always manipulate her way into bed with us. She's sneaky like that. Note the sunburned hand.
My husband has adopted many cute names for me, and this weekend he added a new one to the list. I'm not sure how I feel about it.
It all started when we were at the outdoor wedding on Saturday, and it was FREEZING. I saw a woman in her 20s and wearing open toed, strappy sandals with thick grandma hose. Now I was taught from a young age that open toed shoes and hose do not mix. Ever. (Although I did hear Issac Mizrahi (sp?) tell someone on his show to wear hose with open toed shoes, and I was HORRIFIED people! H-O-R-R-I-F-I-E-D!)
Okay, so back to the point.
I have a very expressive face and often make faces without realizing it. It's something I need to work on. I apparently made a face whilst looking at the shoe/hose combo and I hear my husband say, "Judgy." Um, excuse me? Judgy? I am not a judgmental person, I merely notice interesting choices that people make and like to internally comment on them. I looked up "judgmental" in the dictionary, and I suppose by technical standards I am Judgy McJudgerson, but when I think of a judgmental person, I think of a super snatchy, bitchy woman. Like Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls. It's not as if I'm thinking to myself what a horrible person she must be for making a bad shoe choice. It's not as if I won't be friends with someone who wears something I think they shouldn't. It's not as if I'm making judgments about her personality. I'm merely thinking that I wouldn't have made that choice.
Anyhoos, after the ceremony we sauntered over to the drink area where there is a keg, a margarita machine, an igloo cooler with iced tea, and punch. Again, I must have made a face because I hear a whistle from the peanut gallery and "Juuuuudgy." What?? I made a face because the keg was almost floated. That's not being judgmental? I just think it's poor planning when your friends drink a lot and you know they're going to be drinking out of the keg before the ceremony begins (when we showed up to the wedding, everyone already had drinks in hand AT THE CEREMONY).
So here's my question. What makes a person judgmental? Does having thoughts about other's fashion choices make one judgmental? I say it makes me opinionated. Judgmental? No. Thoughts? Comments?
Note: Of course, I let my husband know that he is also judgmental about other things such as people who have trashy front yards or wear blatantly trashy clothing. He agreed with me. The other night he told me it disturbs him that so many women show their breasts on Girls Gone Wild. He said, "Don't they have any regard for their bodies or who gets to see their breasts?" He thinks it shows the sad state of our country. Gotta love him.
Monday, February 13, 2006
I went to the mall on my lunch to return a few things. While I was there, I saw one of the worst trends for spring. Ladies, the PLEATED formal short. Yes, PLEATED. As if the formal short wasn't bad enough on its own. There in the BeBe window was the white stick lady with no face sporting the PLEATED formal shorts that you're supposed to pair with a silky button up top. If I see any of you at the BB on Saturday sporting a pleated formal short, I'll, well, I don't know what I'll do, but I won't be happy about it. (The following is not the pleated version, but I couldn't find what I saw in the store anywhere on the website.)
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Last night the hubs and I went to an outdoor, evening wedding. It's February. I know it's Texas so it's prone to being warm in the winter, but it was freezing last night. Thank god the ceremony was short and sweet because I couldn't feel my feet, and they served barbeque which I don't eat (I usually don't eat anything that ever had legs). We didn't even stay for the cake. Instead, we went by
Mozart's and got desserts and coffee to go. The desserts were horrible. The crust on the cheesecake had freezerburn, and the other cake tasted like it had just been defrosted and was stored with the garlic bagels. At $5 a slice, we should have taken them back but we were already home, and I was in my pj's.
Today, my sister and I spent 7 hours selling jewelry at a craft/vintage/arts fair. It was so-so, and now I am tired, grumpy, sunburned and windburned. The live music was grating on my nerves and the wind was a constant nuisance--knocking stuff over and making it hard to hear. Bleh, blah, bleh. If Desperate Housewives ain't new, I'm going to be one pissed lady.
Tonight, my husband reminded me that we forgot to eat the anniversary tier of our wedding cake on our anniversary. I got it out of the freezer, so I'm interested to see what it tastes like:
I'm betting not so good. I'm also not looking forward to going to work tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the day after that. Can you tell I'm just a barrel of laughs tonight? I'm going to leave you now, and go eat some cake and ice cream in the hopes that it will make me feel better.
P.S. I also just learned the VP of our country shot a fellow hunter. Why do I still live in a red state? WHY???
Update: Here's how the cake looks now:
It wasn't terrible, but it was super DRY. Oh well. The ice cream was great, and I feel much better. Here's my sunburn that's getting worse by the hour:
Friday, February 10, 2006
Yes, I'm very late, but I have a good excuse. I've been doing chores! Changed the sheets and two loads of laundry, done! No more VPL! Yea!! So here it goes.
~ What you love most about your home: Currently, it's our newly remodeled bathrooms. I love the way they turned out, and I can't believe we waited 2 years to do it.
~ What you love least about your home: The horrible linoleum in the kitchen. I HATE it. It was the same stuff we had in the bathroom, and it's just gross. I think it's supposed to be some sort of fake "marble". This will be our next project.
~ What you love most about yourself: I like my sense of humor, but if we're going with the physical attributes, it's my eyes. I like the color and I've never used a eyelash curler in my life!
Thursday, February 09, 2006
So I have poison ivy. Again. I never had it as a child or a teen, and now that I'm 29, I've had it 3 times. Here is a photo of the back of my calf. I know it doesn't look THAT bad (the light pink area is some medicine that is wearing off). It's not that it spreads over a large area, it's that it blisters and weeps and ITCHES like holy hell and weeps and weeps some more. It also scars like a bitch.
No comments on the hairy leg or dry skin. I haven't shaved this area in a while. I think you can forgive me.
I decided to try an anti-itch, natural remedy called "oatmeal". Basically you cook up some oatmeal thicker than you'd eat it, slap it on the poison ivy, and let it dry to a hard cement. Here are the results:
And here's what happens when you have dogs:
She followed me around all night, and I think she even got in a few licks. The oatmeal sure did work though! This is the least itchy and blistery and weepy it's been in days. Geez, this in addition to the VPL, I'm a mess.
Today, I am sad. I have VPL (Visible Panty Line, Glamour Magazine's #1 Fashion Don't), and there's nothing I can do about it. I had no other choice, literally. I won't go into why, but it has to do with my last post. I guess this is a learning lessing that is supposed teach me to keep on top of my household duties. So if you see me today, just know that I know, and know that I don't like it.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Here's how my week is going to play out. Bear with me, there's a point to this.
Monday: Got up at 7:30, left house at 8:10, worked from 8:30 to 5:30, got home at 6, ate dinner, talked to husband & dogs, left at 7:45 for yoga class, return home at 9:20, made some sleepytime tea, washed face (CRAP, huge pimple forming on forehead), brushed teeth, got in bed at 10, lights off at 10:30.
Today: Got up at 7:15, left house at 8:04, went to bank, work from 8:30 to 5:30, attorney is bringing down his kids to my cube, I will drive them to their house where I will babysit until about 9:30, drive home, wash face, brush teeth, get into bed.
Tomorrow: See Monday.
Thursday: See Tuesday.
Friday: Get up at 7:20, drive to work, work from 8:30 to 5:30, take bike to bike shop to get bike properly fitted to my short-legged body. Go home, eat dinner, watch movie, get in bed by 10:30.
Saturday: Wake up at 8:30. Eat big breakfast, wash face, stretch. Drive up to Cedar Park, do an hour/hour-and-a-half training bike ride at 11, drive home, shower, get pedicure with MIL (she offered it up as a Valentine's Day treat, so I accepted). Go home and get dolled up, attend husband's best childhood friend's wedding.
Sunday: Selling jewelry at an all day craft fair/market.
So here's my question. When the hell am I supposed to do laundry, clean my house, do yardwork or go back to school if I want to? Or have kids if I so choose? Does it mean that I have to give up doing things that I love like making jewelry or riding my bike? Am I supposed to spend my Friday nights doing all the things I don't have time for during the week? I don't get how women have time to have a life, a husband, kids and a full time job. I just don't see how there are enough hours in the day. I already don't spend enough time with the dogs or my husband. I always hear about this elusive thing called "balance", but I can't seem to find it. I always feel like something is suffering, the house, the dogs, my body, my relationships. How do people do it? HOW DO THEY DO IT??? If I didn't have my husband, I would be living in a house of filth covered in a layer of pet hair, dirty clothes and old Lean Cuisine boxes. Plus, then there are the women who LOOK perfect in addition to having kids and jobs. I'm lucky if my hair gets dried in the mornings. WHO ARE THESE WOMEN? I DON'T EVEN HAVE KIDS and I'm overwhelmed. It's days like today that it's a wonder I don't go postal.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Stolen from
Lori. This was soooo right on. Very me.
| You Are a Peacemaker Soul |
You strive to please others and compromise anyway you can.
War or conflict bothers you, and you would do anything to keep the peace.
You are a good mediator and a true negotiator.
Sometimes you do too much, trying so hard to make people happy.
While you keep the peace, you tend to be secretly judgmental.
You lose respect for people who don't like to both give and take.
On the flip side, you've got a graet sense of humor and wit.
You're always dimplomatic and able to give good advice.
Souls you are most compatible with: Warrior Soul, Hunter Soul and Visionary Soul |
I had this wonderfully long anniversary post with lots of photos, but even though I saved it, the ASSHOLE that is Blogger ate the whole damn thing. Then it wouldn't let me upload photos until just now (over 24 hours).
So yesterday was our first wedding anniversary. We went to Eddie V's and had a wonderful dinner, then came home and watched Love Actually. It was a really nice evening.
Here are photos from our secret trip to Vegas last year. 
Friday, February 03, 2006
This story sickens me so much. What is wrong with people?
http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/02/02/homeless.beating.ap/index.htmlI wonder what those teens' parents are thinking. This is where my mind goes: Was it something the parents did? Were the kids abused at home? Was is just a case of a bad seed raised by good parents? Do the kids need mental help? Were there signs? These are the kinds of stories that make me not want to have kids.....
From my George W. Bushisms daily calendar:
"A submarine could take this place out."
Surveying the Arkansas River while visiting the Clinton Presidential Center; as quoted in the Guardian
; Little Rock, Arkansas; November 18, 2004.Taking people out seems to be his specialty.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
I know a lot of you out there like this person, but personally, she drives me CRAZY. And this outfit is just inexcusable. I mean, come on. WHAT POSSESSED HER TO PUT THIS ON??? And she's considered a fashion icon? Sheesh. From
Go Fug Yourself:
"There are some outfits that are so complex in their fug that they defy words and require math. This is one of them. And I think we can all agree that Derelicte + harajuku x hormones + Gavin's manpris = CRAZY."
