Snow leaves

Yesterday was the first significant (meaning it stuck and didn't melt) snow of the season. There's still snow out there, lying smugly on top of roofs, on leaves, reminding us of what's to come. Of course, we had a full complement of leaves on our lawn. All our other neighbors had been Good Citizens and raked Friday, when it was sunny and dry. It rained on Saturday, but since I was sick both Friday AND Saturday, it didn't matter: I had a lawn full of snowy leaves. Mr Handsome seems easy going to the point of being a push-over, if you don't know him. Don't let his laid-back, mellow attitude fool you. If the man doesn't want to do something, the man won't do it. Doesn't matter how one begs, demands, or bribes. He's immoveable. Unmoveable? Whatever.
Anyhoo, he sure as shit wasn't (and isn't) going to rake until every leaf has fallen from every tree. I can't wait that long. I feel so ashamed, being the only house with a golden carpet for a front lawn! I know, I know... I shouldn't let the opinions of others blah blah blah..., yeah, yeah, I know. But there it is. It is what it is.
So, I raked just about half today, from the (rather long, hilly and slippery) driveway and the front yard. The leaves were many, and determined to stay in their comfy bed on the lawn. And they're heavy. So, I did half. And I'm FREEZING! And nicely tired. Hopefully, I'll sleep well and dreamlessly tonight. The nightmares are getting bothersome again.
I was just thinking about some soup for lunch. Campbell's regular old red and white labelled stuff is what I've got in my cupboard. I looked at the calorie content. Did you all know that regular old Chicken Noodle has fewer calories that Tomato or Vegetable Beef? Also, fewer calories than the "25% less sodium than our regular product" Chicken Noodle! They increase the fat but lessen the sodium! Cheaters. Read your labels, People.
I think I'll ponder my soup choice over a beer. mmmmm.... beerrrrrr......

YES!

Family Fun!

Last night, we went over to the Bean Patch! Lima made DELISH cheesy potatoes and Eagle grilled and BBQ-ed some lovey, thick, tender pork chops. MMmmmmmmm.....!!! With ice-cream sundaes for dessert, with lots of toppings. The Beansprouts, Sweet Pea and Sugar Pea, were so much fun to read with and play with!


















Here's Sugar Pea reading to Mr. Handsome. Sugar is a reading machine!











Sweet Pea and Sugar Pea and I played Candyland. It was a VERY competitive game, with lots of back-and-forth. Eventually, Sugar won, Sweet Pea came in second and I was a distant third.

After the sprouts went to bed (I got to read Sweet a couple chapters from Junie B. Jones and the Stinky, Smelly Bus), we grown-ups enjoyed the nice autumnal night, with a fire in their chimneria and then played euchre. Eagle and I were teamed up and, oh YEAH, we smoked 'em! heh heh!

Lima took down a Play House to set up the card table - can you see her head poking up the top?







Eagle did most of the work in their house, including these gorgeous built-in bookcases. He laughed when told us about his learning curve for building a built-in, though: He forgot to allow extra space to lean the cases into their cubby, so they were too big! He had to cut off several inches to make them fit. Frustrating at the time, funny now!





















Mr Handsome and I were late last night because there was an unfortunate event with the dishwasher involving a leak that turned the basement into a rainforest. He thought he'd fixed it last night, but, lo and behold, the dam# thing isn't draining properly this morning. So, here he is, trying to figure out what the problem is.
Here's hoping he won't have to do any plumbing! It's his Absolutely Least Favorite Thing In The Whole Wide World.
















The kitties are unconcerned with any human drama going on in the kitchen.
Cleo just has her lunch and Bubba monitors the street.

Once again, I feel uncomfortably chubby. Mr Handsome and I were watching "House, M.D." and I was saying how pretty the actresses were. And how tiny. He didn't say anything. I said, "Would you like it if I lost weight?" (poor guy. how's he supposed to answer?) He replied, quite easily and cheerfully, "Yes!" So, I said, "Tell you what. You bulk up and I'll slim down! How's that?" He answered, "Sure!" I've got motivation now!


And a goal. I'd like to look more like Eva Longoria-Parker.




She's my height (5"2" - I've got a half-inch on her, though!) and not surgically altered, at least I don't think so. I think she's a good goal for me!




Also, I love this suit and would love to be slim enough to wear something similar, but right now, if I wear anything cut like this (peplum), I'll look like a clown!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is my FAVE holiday (next to my birthday)! It's just all about the fun, and playing, and CANDY! We had a Halloween Party for kids last week at the bookstore. It was CRAZY! Little kids all over, eating chocolate donuts and playing with the Hugg-a-Planets and making pumpkins and getting candy and having a great time! The parents enjoyed watching their little treasures have fun, too. And it was fun for me and The Writer (my co-worker, who has written more than one book) to watch everyone have a good time.


I went as a 1950's Sock-Hopper, complete with poodle skirt






The Writer was an EXCELLENT Mrs. Dracula. I totally coveted her billowy, flowy, cape.









And Lima's Beansprouts were The Red Power Ranger and a Disney Princess (Ariel? I can't remember! Sorry Lima!)








Today, I went as a Witch: my AQ grad robe, really bad black wig, lots of eyeliner and also eyeliner for lipcolor. Easy, peasy.



When I took off the wig, my hair (which I'd sprayed with orange glitter) looked a lot like Edward Cullen's!



I have to admit, though, that the '80's Girl in me looooves the heavy eyeliner!

What did you all do for Halloween?

Why?

I've been asked, several times, "Why do you have a blog?" I've always just kind of shrugged sheepishly, and mumbled something incoherent. But, I think, for me, it's a way to affirm my life, to review where I've been, what I've done, even if it IS just having cereal for breakfast.

My life is not extraordinary. I don't think Great Thoughts. I'm not trying to save the world or inspire people or become famous. I'm just noting banal things that are going on. Maybe occasionally, there WILL be Great Thoughts or Amazing Occurences. But, in general, my life is uneventful, smooth, quite pleasant, really. My past is full of chaos, excitement, drama... I like this current life much, much better.

And I've decided to return to the blog. I don't like Facebook. I'm not interested in the online games or making new "friends" whom I've never met. I'll stick with the ones I've got and welcome new ones as they come along. And maybe I'll write about it here!

ok, that didn't last long...

Well, what can I say? I just don't like Facebook.

Your results:You are Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command)
Dependable and trustworthy.
You love your significant other and
you are a tough cookie when in a conflict.

Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command) 75% Alliance 65% Wash (Ship Pilot) 60% Malcolm Reynolds (Captain) 50% Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic) 50% Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic) 40% Derrial Book (Shepherd) 40% Inara Serra (Companion) 35% Jayne Cobb (Mercenary) 35% River (Stowaway) 25% A Reaver (Cannibal) 10%

Click here to take the "Which Serenity character am I?" quiz...

Bye for now.

oh my god, I'm gonna cough up a lung. No, a kidney. THAT'S how deep and painful these coughs feel. Sucks. Man, it's really super-duper rainy here. I feel like I'm with Sissie in Seattle!

Ok, I think this will be my last post for a while. I'm gonna give Facebook a try. Gina loves it. JB loves it. Maybe I can promote the bookstore, too. I dunno. It's not my store, though I love it. It's odd how friends tell ME how to advertise and shit for it. Not my call. Not my store. Book Doctor has her own vision and plan.

Anyhoo, this is it for a while, maybe forever. So, if you want to follow me on Facebook, you're welcome to! Just email me and let me know.

Happy 'netting!

I need some cheese to go with my wine

Went to the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association Trade Show (DANG! helluva long name!) last weekend and caught a miserable head cold that has now migrated down to my chest. Resulting in the kind of coughing that you can see and feel in glorious Technicolor. meaning it hurts. a lot. The trade show was fun, though! Lots and lots of books! And authors! And food! It was good! We got quite a few autographed copies of books. Museum Girl came to the bookstore today (yay!) and bought one of the signed copies we got. I knew she'd like it; I was actually going to give it to her as a late b-day gift, but now I can give her this OTHER book instead! BOOKS GALORE!

On a completely different subject, I'm considering going to the Dark Side: Facebook. That would require anyone who's interested in my goings-on to ALSO join Facebook, which I think is bogue (to make them do). I'm also considering just stopping the blog. I mean, is anyone out there? If so, why don't you leave comments? Maybe it's just all as boring as I feared: "I had cereal for breakfast today...."

Anyhoo, I was going to go to Indiana this weekend and now that's off, so I guess that means

DUHN DUHN DUUUUUUUHHHNNNNNN

I'll have to work at the cottage.

Bummer.