Saturday, August 23, 2008

Gotta buck?

It’s a helpless feeling, watching someone you love battle Alzheimer's disease. So, I decided to take action. I am participating in a very special event called the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®.

I am walking for the more than 5 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. I am walking because I can, and because I should.

The Alzheimer’s Association, the world leader in Alzheimer’s research, care and support, is dedicated to finding prevention methods, treatments and an eventual cure for the disease.

I hope to be able to raise at least $500 to support the local Alzheimer’s Association, which provides consultation, information and referral, and support programs to those affected by Alzheimer’s.

I know I can do this with the support of friends like you. Would you please consider making a donation? Please visit my online fundraising headquarters at Team Lolly's Chickadees , to learn more and to make a donation directly online, or mail in a donation using the enclosed pledge form. Please note that checks should be made payable to the Alzheimer's Association, and are tax deductible.

Thank you in advance for your time and generosity. Please ask your employer if they have a matching gift program. They may double your donation.
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Sorry for the guilt-trippy form letter. But hey, whatever works.

I'm walking in honor of my grandmother..Alzheimer's Disease affected one of the funniest, brightest women I will ever know.

If you're close to Pittsburgh, join our team...we're a good time :)

I've been fighting with the website/sign-up stuff..if the links are screwy, let me know. I just got the damned thing to load!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

We're boring...and annoying!

After dinner, Michael and I were talking about cleaning the kitchen cabinets.
A 20 minute discussion on the best way to clean the cabinets.

He stops and looks at me, "Holy gods, are we boring?"
I froze.."Shit! We ARE boring! We're so boring my hair hurts!"


I think Michael's vacation days are starting to wear on us. 24/7 of..well..US.
Michael and I have been together for 13 years (!). We spend a LOT of time together, when he isn't at work. We like each other. Our differences knock the other out of their comfort zone, and yet we've got each other for a bit of safety net. We're disgustingly hand-holdy and kissyface.
Still...24/7 of anyone. I don't even want to be around ME that much.

I was cleaning our bedroom last night...Michael gathering trash for pickup day.
Michael: What do you do with all the lids from the bottled water?
Me: I lose them.
Michael: How?!
Me: Actually, I'm building a castle in the woods with them. To hide my lover.
Michael: I don't understand how you lose them on the nightstand.
Me: My lover is going to live in the plastic lid castle..and one day..we'll kill you and run away.
Michael: There's no logic.. the nightstand is RIGHT THERE.
Me: Is it still a nightstand in the morning? :D
Michael: exits, while muttering "Oh ..Jesus".

*I edited the sweet, loving part where I told him I was saving bottle lids to stuff them in a body part of his.

We agreed the last 5 days of his vacation should be spent eating great dinners, taking the dogs to the parks in our area and watching movies. No more home repair.

We're heading to a "new" park. I went there years ago..as a teenager..when I was still an Innocent *sniffle*.
To drink with my supercool boyfriend and his band...heh. We would pack up the cooler with cheap beer and spend an evening at the overlook.

Now, I'm packing a husband and 3 dogs..and poop bags. Annnd homemade organic dog biscuits.
I'm really ok with that.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Wild chickens ...and skim milk

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
with a side of HEHEHEHEHEHEHE!

I think..that is one of the funniest things ever. I nearly died.
"Roaming the streets"..like..thugs? Ahahahaha.
Federal agency?! BAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA


Moving on...
One part skim milk, to 8 parts water. That's the organic way to deal with powdery mildew. Spray the top and bottoms of leaves.
Seems to be working on the one squash plant affected.
Of course, that does leave the problem of raccoons showing up with their Oreos.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Presque Isle

Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pa...easily one of my favorite places.
It's a 5 hour round-trip, but it's an easy drive.

We had a good day on the beach. The dogs LOVE the waves.
Our very first trip to Presque Isle was with Isis. Bittersweet realization on the way there.




















Thursday, August 14, 2008

Our Amazing Girl

We chose to let Isis go this morning.








~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You are loved, Good Girl.

I rested well with you here, your big white head close to my side.

I am glad we could release you from lymphoma and old age...after all you've given us.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Paint, odd sky and Buddha

I starting painting our spare room this morning...Michael's *stuff* room/the cats' room/etc.
I let Michael pick the color.
Blue.
Of course.
It's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Softer...a Martha Stewart-ish hue.
Should be ok.
If left up to Michael, it would get painted in 2103, so I jumped in and went at it.

The color looks good on Voodoo's tail. *sigh*
~~~~
Very pretty sky this morning, but odd.
Wish I had taken a few minutes to fool with the settings, but I was in a rush.
~~~~
Picked up a birthday gift for my mom. $15 at Walmart. That amused me to NO end.
Buddha don't sell good in WV Walmarts. :D

Works for me, however. $75 at the trendy store where I first found one I wanted (well, my mom wanted).


FINE! Go ahead and pout!
We still aren't stopping for ice cream.


This thing weighed about 7500 pounds, so strapping it in was a safety thing.. and not just amusement. The cargo area of the Vue was full of freaking paint, or the Big B woulda been riding in the back!

Friday, August 8, 2008

How come...

When you say "I do not like -insert political figure-", most often the person replies "Oh and you think -insert opposing figure- would have done a better job?! At least ExampleA is worried about blahblah!"


Not to be impolite...but shut the fuck up already?
Your opinion is just that...your opinion.

So.. enjoy a big, icy cold glass of ShutYourPieHole and let me have my own misguided political beliefs, ok?
thanxmuch.

Is it...fall in WV?!

My toes are chilly? What the hell??? Our temp tonight will be 50 degrees. In August?! Global warming my ass.


Yesterday evening, a storm was coming in....STUNNING skies!









We had a brief, hard shower this morning.
(You know, views like this out my kitchen window...makes up for living like a freaking mountain goat on this hillside !).~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nica was yesterday's perfume test.
First sniff:
Freesia was very strong. Never detected musk, which was ok with me.
Later:
YUM. Blueberry/tangerine/sandalwood bliss.
Liked it very much. Not "buy a $150 bottle" liked it, but "wanna buy another sample" liked it.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

I smell, part 2- perfume reviews

Next up:
Tiptoeing Through The Chambers Of The Moon
Yes, I know how dippy that sounds. But, dippy smells damned nice!
--amber, tuberose (and secret ingredients that we are not allowed to divulge).
A tad worrisome? What the hell did I just put on my wrists?

Anyway, to my totally unrefined nose
First sniff:
Amber, for sure..tuberose, strong but not overpowering.
Something under it like sandalwood..?? Very quiet.
Very feminine and lovely, with no hideous powder.

I hate most floral perfume. With my chemistry, they tend to smell like powder and nasty-ass Victoria's Secret perfumes. GAG.
Now, if you wear Victoria's Secret perfume and you like it, more power to you.
It makes my sinuses burn like I was doing lines of Ajax...and, on me, it smells like powdery/perfumed vomit. Don't get all offended if I can't stop sneezing when you walk past. It isn't personal.

Here's a request:
If you wear perfume, cologne, whatever...
APPLY WITH A LIGHT HAND.
Going grocery shopping should not be an exercise in the powers of Benadryl. I don't want to smell you when I pass by (10 feet away!).

Save your scent for your intimates...
and yes I mean your beloved people, not your underwear.

I think Tiptoeing is a keeper. 3 hours on, and I'm still liking it. I just might not use the real name.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Scary, scary pit bull mix.



Nothing says fierce and terrifying like an 80 pound Pit/Rotti mix in magenta stripes.

I smell.

I ordered some perfume samples, trying to find a scent that doesn't make my sinuses burn or my head hurt.
Luckyscent has a trillion samples. W, wherever you are...I don't love you anymore.

I got my goodies in today.
I ripped open the package and tried the first one I snagged. Geisha Noire.
First sniff:
Powdery, teenage scent. GAG.
Michael sniffed. Not exactly a scent to drive my man wild
(I do that with baked goods)...especially since he said "It smells..like powder. Girly powder".
After half an hour or so:
Can definitely smell the amber and sandalwood now. STILL offensively powdery. I'm washing it off.

Next Up.. Chocolate Greedy
First sniff on skin.
Oh My God ...amazing.
VERY adult scent. This is not Bonnie Bell Lip Smacker chocolate (which I feared). I can't stop smelling this.
Warm, creamy high-end chocolate...orange peel scent keeps it up and a tiny bit sharp. Very complex, but still feels yummy and decadent.
Vanilla notes are NOT vanilla extract or Walmart candle vanilla...once again, I was worried about that.

~~Update~~
Michael just called me a sexy, expensive dessert. He's standing beside me and has one wrist held under his nose.
I so need a ROFLMFAO emoticon right now. I'll let you know how this pans out..as of right now...

Dayum. This is AMAZING.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Pahhh for Kpants.

As in pie (that was for my dear Miss K..who thinks I can't say cool, wolf or pool).

Michael and I picked blackberries and peaches today. Voodoo helped. We learned that Llewellin setters (at least ours) have no problem standing on their hind legs and carefully picking berries. Always the perfectly ripe berries.
Michael and I are standing in the brambles, swatting bugs and sweating, while Voo grabs the best ones.




Michael picking, Henry eating:



Picking peaches and blackberries resulted in pie:


note the broken crust on the top right. I snapped. I heart pie crust. Not so big on pies. I know.

I want it made clear, my pie crust was golden brown. The flash bleached my crust. Don't question me.

I would kill for some pie weights. Ya know, in case any of you are shopping for me.
Or, I could get off my butt and buy some.
I have a wish list 39 feet long at several baking sites.
For balance, I also have "new tattoo" ideas bookmarked.

I have a pic of Michael mowing down a slice, but he threatened physical harm if I posted. He's not a good sport.

Muffins, pasta salad and ..stuff

The garden is doing really, really well.
We have zucchini everywhere. Seriously everywhere. I realized this morning I had forgotten a zucchini somewhere in the house. Found it in the hallway on the windowsill. Yeep.
I've been trying out every zucchini recipe that sounds remotely appealing. If ya got one, please for the love of god, SHARE.
I made muffins this morning:



These are serious, full-bodied muffins. Honey, pecans, and apple pie spice. Very, very good!

Yesterday's early morning vegetables ended up in the muffins and the pasta salad. My yellow bell pepper gives some weird shaped peppers every so often. Ah well. This was what I picked in the morning...yesterday evening I picked a huge batch of stuff.




I hate pasta salad. A lot. Yet, by some warped twist of fate, everyone asks me to make it for gatherings. I don't know why...it's freaking pasta salad. Cook pasta, add stuff. This was 4 lbs of pasta...it got hoovered at a smaller family gathering yesterday.





Now, just some random shots from yesterday.



Voodoo's idea of Bliss:



Strider's idea of Bliss:

One side of my back porch is covered with Cardinal Climber vine...very pretty.

My lovely old girl, and her now constant companion. He knows she isn't doing so well. What a good guy, huh?