Autumn

Mr Handsome and I are (or maybe were - he's still in bed!) planning on going to the the 48th Antiquarian Book Show in Lansing today. I don't know if were going to make it, but I hope we do SOMETHING interesting today! He had to go into work yesterday, so maybe a day to just loll around is what he'd prefer. The kitties sure do like it when we just hang out - laps for everyone!

There is a LOT to do around here and at the Cottage, too. So much work. I really just want to sit around and read. Or watch a video. Or play on the 'puter. I should at least vacuum. I can't do laundry unless I go to the laundromat, 'cause our machine is broken. Luckily for our bank account, Mr Handsome is also Mr Handyman, so he can fix it! We're just waiting for the part to arrive. I'm in no rush. I figure, if I desperately need clothes, I'll go shopping! hee hee!

Today is supposed to be the last "warmer than average" day of the season. I'm ok with that! I love Autumn! This year, I want to go to a corn maze - I've never been! And I want to go on a hay ride. And pick some apples. I don't know where I'll get the time or energy for these things, but I sure do want to do them!

just murmurs

I've been overscheduling myself lately. The Blonde and The Boater came to the store, which was very nice of them, on my birthday. Since then (and including that day) I feel like I've hardly had any time to think! Or read! YIKES! I have to prioritize stuff. Like, sleep. Eating nutritious food. Exercise. That stuff. Not putting others first. Hard to do, 'cause most people just taketaketaketaketaketaketaketake until you're bled white. I mean, it's not their fault. They don't know when you're running dry unless you let them know.

Anyhoo, tonight was good, 'cause I met Lima for dinner and seeing her always lifts me up. She's has some major heavy-duty challenges (no joke, she really has), but doesn't beg for sympathy or cry in her beer (if you can call what she drinks beer. Gawd. It's so light, you could keep fish alive in it. HA! Funny! To me! Remember, I'm a beer snob.); she just gets on with it. And finds humor in it.






OOPS!! She's SIDEWAYS! I blame the second melon margarita that I had.

Birthday WEEKEND!

Ma and Pa Handsome came over this morning to drop off my birthday presents! They left a message on the machine last night, singing "Happy Birthday" and it was really cute, 'cause Ma Handsome was giggling in the background at the beginning of the message while Pa Handsome was saying they hoped I was having a good day. Ma Handsome is not typically a giggler, so that's why it was so cute!

So, Pa Handsome made some homemade mayonnaise for me, which I had particularly requested at one point, weeks ago (I'm not shy about asking for food!). If you've never had homemade mayo, you're missing out! It's wonderful!





Ma Handsome gave me this really cool ring (Bubba was curious about the ring)! It's a whole bunch of "leaves" of glass, attached to an elastic band which is inside a silver tube. It's really comfortable, because it's stretchy; and the "leaves" can move independently, so it's kind of a toy, too!

That was awfully nice of them. Sometimes I feel like a total outsider in Mr Handsome's family, but then, other times, they're so very sweet to me.... I appreciate them remembering my birthday and making that extra effort for me, it really means a lot.

Happy Birthday to ME!

(updated 9/21 with more pics at the end!)


Queen For A Day!

...





I'm working all day today, babysitting Samba










and working at the bookstore, but that's ok, 'cause it's still my BIRTHDAY! Sissie already sent me a box o' goodies, which I was going to wait to open until today, but I opened it last night. Except for the wrapped gifts! The Gummi Bears were NOT wrapped, so I immediately dove in!








AND she sent me "Robin of Sherwood, Season 1"which made me SQUEAL with joy! I loooooove that TV show and Michael Praed was such a good Robin! And so lovely to look at...




















At the bookstore, my AWESOME boss, Book Doctor, gave me delish chocolate cupcakes (which I shared with all the customers; I am SO generous! ;} ) AND sent me flowers from "Wealthy at Charles;" so NICE of her!












I also set up a shelf with some of my favorite things. I actually sold a copy of Persuasion from it! YAY!




When I got home, Mr Handsome had set up a cake (with my name on it! My first birthday cake to have my name on it!) and candles and flowers and champagne! Here's the cake and then my Birthday Haul.
















All in all, a really, really good birthday. The customers in the store were all very nice to me, happy to share my enthusiasm for my birthday (and my cupcakes), Mr Handsome and I watched ZULU, a GREAT film about a battle in Africa in 1879 at Rorke's Drift, and it was just, all around, a really great day!

fire, disease and hair

see Sarah Palin pictures




see Sarah Palin pictures




and then, just 'cause I'm still thinking about hair,









Hair of the '80's brought to you by:

Paint

How do you all feel about make-up? As in, cosmetics. I love 'em. But when I see pics of myself dolled up, I think I look rather plastic. But when I see pics of myself without the paint, I look faded and crumpled, like an old paper grocery bag that's been re-used too many times. I see hippy/granola chicks who look like super models, even without a zip of lipgloss. Of course, they're usually around 19 years old, have no worries beyond their GPA, and are having regular and fantastic sex with hawt young dudes. Orgasms do wonderful things for the skin. A real glow. Anyway....


Maybe it's just an age thing. Pam Anderson is looking pretty rough underneath her Max Factor.






And, despite the chaw of gum in her gob and her general expression of displeasure, Jessica Alba looks BETTER without makeup on. Of course, she's just a puppy, a baby, a young whipper-snapper.



Where are the pretty mature ladies? I want to be one of those! Not a mask-wearing, plastic-looking, high-maintenace MATRON.


Ok, Kim Basinger. Ok, not a fair representation. Girl chose her parents verrrrrry carefully! Also, she's super careful about being photographed without makeup. I couldn't find a single picture! But I chose one that looks close to bare.






And then one from some event or another. Lots of make-up, hair straightened, the works. Either way, she's lovely. It's just the way she's made. Lucky.





I think I'll try to just focus on not looking like I've given up.

I miss big hair

I'm an '80's teen. That decade was messed up for many reasons and I don't remember it as a particularly happy or carefree time, but do miss the hair. Big hair. Big, curly, arch-o-bangs; or feathered mullet, or spiky shag. I miss it all. I looked good with big hair. I mean, I THINK I did. And, y'know what? I think that family at the end there thought they looked good, too.















Lori Singer (Footloose)









Steve Perry (Journey)







Andre Agassi (Tennis Brat)













Demi Moore (pre plastic surgery, at 19 years old)














The Big Hair Family













Yikes.

It's ALIIIIIIVE!!!!

Yay! 'Puter's back! And it got a shiny new keyboard! Apparently, my enthusiasm for multi-tasking (i.e. eating pizza while playing on the 'puter) contributed to the demise of the Motherboard. Gunk got in. Also, many of the letters were blank, as the oils from our (my) fingers (food) removed the ink which told us which one was which. So, I've been told that I should reconsider my snacking-style. This is good. This is a good thing. Hopefully, I'll both eat less AND play on the computer less! And READ MORE!

Job is going GRRRRRRREAT! Loving it! I'm gonna have to get more bookshelves, though. I keep bringing work home! hee hee!

And a big THANKS shout-out to Lima, who has been so supportive and sweet to me, as I get even more comfy in the job. She and her beansprouts have come to the store several times. And even bought stuff! It just means a lot to me that she's come in. Thanks, Lima!

Mr. Handsome's mom came in, too! Which also means a lot to me, since she's got very little time of her own. She's waaaaay busy, so I was very pleased she came in.


more animals

withdrawal

Our laptop croaked! Literally. I was watching a video on YouTube about Wealthy Street Main Street and all of a sudden, it was stuck! It sounded like when a CD gets hung up, just repeating one sound, very irritatingly, over and over. But I couldn't get the cursor to move, or get it to "force quit" or even get the mute button to work. So, Mr Handsome used the magic button and tried for three hours to resuscitate it, but no joy. It's dead. He's got an appointment today with the Mac gurus to try to fix it, but I have little hope. So, I'll have to use the public library 'puters for all my internet fixes. IMDB.com! gofugyourself.celebuzz.com! News! icanhascheezburger.com! cakewrecks.com! It's very sad how addicted I've become to the 'net. Sad.



more animals

This will probably be my last post for about a month. Mr Handsome wants to wait until Mac reveals its latest and greatest thingy to buy a new 'puter. That will happen sometime in Sept. Which, if I know Mr Handsome (and I think I do) means October. He likes to think things through (usually; there are exceptions (cottage)) before acting.

Feel free to comment like crazy, though! I still wonder if anyone but me is reading this.

I had cereal for breakfast today, by the way.