Vacation, in a nutshell
Vacation at Emerald Isle was awesome. The house was gorgeous and the weather (after the hurricane) was perfection. Many fine meals were enjoyed (Dad's beach soup...mmmmmm)and many cool shells were found. We (the kids and I) swam and frolicked and got rolled by bone crushing waves and just generally had a great time in the ocean. I got a nice tan and some way cute freckles on my cheeks ( I hated the freckles for years, but have lately come to accept them--- I suppose because they make me feel youthful??). I had a wonderful time cooking a Mexican seafood feast for the family--2 nights in a row, by special request! *blush* And homemade margaritas were a perfect accompaniment. Another night I served shrimp marinara over angel hair with caesar salad and a lovely chianti. I just LOVE to cook for folks who enjoy eating a s much as I do.
I think the kids really enjoyed this year's Treasure Hunt (a sort of a scavenger hunt with scary parts and dress-up characters and lots of candy). Featured characters this year were the Old Sea Hag (a much-requested favorite), the Floating Skull of Death and the Pirate Ghost. Many thanks to Austin for his spirited portrayal (no pun intended) of the Pirate Ghost.
It was also great to have Uncle Roy join us this year. Unfortunately, he had to take off early to avoid Ophelia and had to evacuate his own home a few days later running from Rita. He said he just couldn't get away from all these women chasing him, LOL!
Really, despite the hurricane, it was one our more enjoyable beach vacations. The only thing that could've made it better was for Em's fam and Race to have been able to stay a bit longer to enjoy the balmy, post hurricane weather.
Just a few random happenings and what-not
*Saturday morning I met Melissa at the local nursery and bought a bunch of perennials in hopes of creating a nice flower bed in front of my house. I had to borrow a pick axe to dig the holes--the dirt is HARD! But it SHALL be worth it to see my beautimous flower garden next year.
*I gave a large, smelly lady who was stranded with a flat tire a ride to her house, whilst en route to Lowe's for mulch. Why wouldn't a person shower? I just don't get that.
*Driving along the other day, minding my own, I was accosted by the sight of a shirtless, overweight, retarded man buzzing along on his (obligatory) motor scooter with his pants hanging so low that the prominent display of the cleft of his behind gave the appearance that he wasn't wearing any pants. Alone in my car, I first screamed in horror. Then, seeing that he actually was clothed, I laughed hysterically. Several days later, while on the way to supper with my friend, I saw the same dude again, still shirtless, with his bum STILL prominently displayed, zipping by on his scooter. My Friend's only response to my startled scream of recognition and outrage was "Heeey, 'just say no' to crack".
* I'm almost finished with Atlas Shrugged. Wowee. Alot to digest, there. I started reading Don Quixote at the beach. And then stopped. I'm trying, I really am, but that book is just soooo loooong and wooordy. I know it's a classic; alledgedly the first "novel" ever written. I hate it that I'm not "getting" it. But, I guess I shall persevere and eventually get it finished .*Sigh*
I have a special prayer request for a member of my extended family whom I know is going through a terrible, heart-wrenching time. Please pray for him. Thanks SO much to anyone who does!
Well, the night is still young and I have tons of work to get finished. So I'd best get to it.
Goodnight.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Home Again
I arrived home yesterday after being on "vacation" for 11 days. I put that in quotes because the vacation was interrupted by hurricanes, car trouble and mysterious rashes. Don't get me wrong, it was GREAT! Definitely one of the best beach trips, ever, if only because it was so memorable. I'll write that whole story down later.
As I pulled in last evening it struck me how much things had physically changed around the ole homestead. Farmer Sammy has cut down all of the corn, returning to me my treasured view of the mountains. My lawn has begun to turn brown in preparation for the winter. The dogwood are already displaying their fall colors. There was a smattering of leaves across the front yard. I miss that little bite of crispness in the air, but I know it will be here soon. I love Fall!
There is a young lady whom I pay to dogsit my pups. I will hereafter refer to her as TheBestDogSitterintheWholeWorldPeriod. Not only does she take wonderful care of my dogs when I'm away (to the point where the dogs are happy to see me when I return, but not actually flipping out about it), but she cleans (scrubs) the house, does home repairs like replacing doorknobs and light bulbs and shower curtatins, waters my plants and gets my mail. I hired her to watch the dogs and straighten the house--everything else she did just because she's SO awesome. What a gem of a find! And how nice to come home to a clean house with lights and fully functiuoning doorknobs, where there were none before. That's what I'm talkin' about.
Well,I gotta run. Lots to do today--back to the old grindstone, livin' by the sweat o' my brow and all of that.
Later!
As I pulled in last evening it struck me how much things had physically changed around the ole homestead. Farmer Sammy has cut down all of the corn, returning to me my treasured view of the mountains. My lawn has begun to turn brown in preparation for the winter. The dogwood are already displaying their fall colors. There was a smattering of leaves across the front yard. I miss that little bite of crispness in the air, but I know it will be here soon. I love Fall!
There is a young lady whom I pay to dogsit my pups. I will hereafter refer to her as TheBestDogSitterintheWholeWorldPeriod. Not only does she take wonderful care of my dogs when I'm away (to the point where the dogs are happy to see me when I return, but not actually flipping out about it), but she cleans (scrubs) the house, does home repairs like replacing doorknobs and light bulbs and shower curtatins, waters my plants and gets my mail. I hired her to watch the dogs and straighten the house--everything else she did just because she's SO awesome. What a gem of a find! And how nice to come home to a clean house with lights and fully functiuoning doorknobs, where there were none before. That's what I'm talkin' about.
Well,I gotta run. Lots to do today--back to the old grindstone, livin' by the sweat o' my brow and all of that.
Later!
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
The MALL manicure
I went for a pedicure today. I just went over to the little quickie place at the mall. Melissa and Savannah met me over there--a little girl time together.
You don't expect Spa treatment at the mall nail salon. You expect a quick, okay manicure or pedicure and you expect a little pressure from your foreign nail gal about how "vay pwetty" some 3 inch, airbrushed gel nails would be on your hands. I knew this going in. I was ready.
Well. My particular foreign nail putter-onner apparently just really didn't want to be bothered with yet another richie "round eye" with bad nails on this particular day. Broken-English-Speaking-Miniskirt-Wearing-I'm-Better-Than-You-Nail-Girl decided that not only did I need gel nails to be put on over my own "no look good" nails, but apparently my eyebrows were just disgusting her with their blatant unevenness: "Dey look vay bad. I shape dem fuh you, reah fas".
After the third disparaging remark about my eyebrows and nails, and my third polite refusal of airbrushed gel nails and a "reah fas" brow waxing, she begins loudly chattering with the other nail persons in their foreign tongue. They laughed and bantered back and forth loudly with me sitting right there, gritting my teeth, rolling my eyes at Melissa and trying not to reach across and grab Rude-Foreign-Nail-Girl by her scrawny little neck.
I've never felt SO much like I was living a Seinfeld episode. I'm sitting there, knowing full well that I'm being verbally slammed behind my back--well, in front of my face, really--and knowing I can't nail anybody about it (no pun intended!). I would catch a word of Engish every now and then and concentrate really hard on what they were saying, trying to catch them dissing me.
No luck. They're sly, in their own foreign way. I'll give them that.
Melissa and Savannah were finished well before me and sat there snickering and exchanging significant glances with me, while their nails dried. Their finger and toenails looked very nice. Apparently their foreign nail personages weren't quite so bitter about their job as mine. Maybe it was just my atrociously uneven eyebrows that made her hate me, I just don't know.
Ah, well. Lesson learned. When going for the mall manicure, one must develop a thick skin.
It's not for the faint of heart! LOL! ;0D
You don't expect Spa treatment at the mall nail salon. You expect a quick, okay manicure or pedicure and you expect a little pressure from your foreign nail gal about how "vay pwetty" some 3 inch, airbrushed gel nails would be on your hands. I knew this going in. I was ready.
Well. My particular foreign nail putter-onner apparently just really didn't want to be bothered with yet another richie "round eye" with bad nails on this particular day. Broken-English-Speaking-Miniskirt-Wearing-I'm-Better-Than-You-Nail-Girl decided that not only did I need gel nails to be put on over my own "no look good" nails, but apparently my eyebrows were just disgusting her with their blatant unevenness: "Dey look vay bad. I shape dem fuh you, reah fas".
After the third disparaging remark about my eyebrows and nails, and my third polite refusal of airbrushed gel nails and a "reah fas" brow waxing, she begins loudly chattering with the other nail persons in their foreign tongue. They laughed and bantered back and forth loudly with me sitting right there, gritting my teeth, rolling my eyes at Melissa and trying not to reach across and grab Rude-Foreign-Nail-Girl by her scrawny little neck.
I've never felt SO much like I was living a Seinfeld episode. I'm sitting there, knowing full well that I'm being verbally slammed behind my back--well, in front of my face, really--and knowing I can't nail anybody about it (no pun intended!). I would catch a word of Engish every now and then and concentrate really hard on what they were saying, trying to catch them dissing me.
No luck. They're sly, in their own foreign way. I'll give them that.
Melissa and Savannah were finished well before me and sat there snickering and exchanging significant glances with me, while their nails dried. Their finger and toenails looked very nice. Apparently their foreign nail personages weren't quite so bitter about their job as mine. Maybe it was just my atrociously uneven eyebrows that made her hate me, I just don't know.
Ah, well. Lesson learned. When going for the mall manicure, one must develop a thick skin.
It's not for the faint of heart! LOL! ;0D
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Quick ,un!
I'm in NOVA babysitting thru Monday. I'm VERY tired. W didn't sleep too well last night and neither did I. This was my 4th night of not-enough-sleep, so I'm in a half-zombie state (sickness, work,etc. kept me up the previous few nights). Despite the groginess, it's been nice.
Other than throwing a whopper of a tantrum this morning over cream-of-wheat too long in the making, W has been good as gold. I can't believe how much he's talking now. He's funny and smart and silly and just SO cute. Q and I have spent the last 2 days catching all manner of living creatures and drawing zillions of pictures. He's such a great little kid. Sensitive and intelligent and opinionated and silly. It's great to get to spend time with these 2 little critters.
I'm heading back home tomorrow evening. There's SO much to be done before I can head off to the beach on Saturday. It's going to be a long work week, but I am SOOOO looking forward to vacation! :0)
Other than throwing a whopper of a tantrum this morning over cream-of-wheat too long in the making, W has been good as gold. I can't believe how much he's talking now. He's funny and smart and silly and just SO cute. Q and I have spent the last 2 days catching all manner of living creatures and drawing zillions of pictures. He's such a great little kid. Sensitive and intelligent and opinionated and silly. It's great to get to spend time with these 2 little critters.
I'm heading back home tomorrow evening. There's SO much to be done before I can head off to the beach on Saturday. It's going to be a long work week, but I am SOOOO looking forward to vacation! :0)
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