1. How do you pronounce the word aunt? Does your pronunciation rhyme with ‘haunt’ or ‘can’t'?
Aunt is Ant. I grew up trying in vain to pronounce it like "haunt", but I'm not cool enough.
2. Do most of the people in your life know you blog? Or are you partially or totally anonymous?
A lot of people know that I blog, but I don't advertise my address so very few real-life people actually read my blog.
3. When you grocery shop, do you prefer to bag your own groceries or do you like it when the store bags them for you? Paper, plastic, or reusable bags?
I prefer to let them bag my groceries with my own reusable bags, and then I reserve the right to bitch when my eggs and bread ends up under all the canned goods.
4. Do you have a green thumb?
ha. Nope, I'm trying in vain to keep my flowers alive for this whole season.
5. If you watch the Food Network, which chef/show host is your favorite?
I used to love FN, but I never think to watch it anymore. Same with HGTV and TLC. I'm sure there are some good shows. I can tell you I love making RR and Giada recipes. That's all I've got.
6. Do you like to take baths? Do you take them very often?
Not really. I get bored.
7. What color are the walls in your kitchen?
Green.
8. Do you prefer to dine outdoors or indoors?
Outdoors, whenever possible. I concede most of the time though, because my dinner companion gets eaten alive by mosquitoes unless it's 300 degrees outside.
9. Describe your ideal weather.
73 degrees with zero humidity. I'm told I should move to San Diego.
10. If you could learn any foreign language, which would you choose to learn?
German. Ich spreche einen bischen.
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Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Can't wrap till the weekend's over
After reading that some of my favorite bloggers compose the majority of their posts on Sunday night, I sat down last night and tried to at least compose today's post. But nothing came. I typed out a couple sentences about how awesome the past few weekends have been, and summarily backspaced them out of the water.
Today? I think I'm composing a little better.
Maybe it's because basketball is no longer on tv (not that it was taking up much room on mine).
Maybe it's because my brain's just no longer on vacation.
…
Who am I kidding, maybe it still is.
My neighbors came over Friday night and we grilled out and hung out and it was all good fun – bacon and brown sugar-wrapped shrimp, macaroni salad and broccoli salad and crab cakes. I like them more, the more we hang out with them- they're crazy and funny and a little strange, but in a good way and I'm pretty sure they'd agree to my assessment.
Saturday I dragged myself to yoga, which wasn't nearly as fulfilling or good as M/W, even though it was the same instructor and the same heat and even some of the same crowd. I just don’t seem to work out as good in the mornings – I'm tight and easily overheated and irritable. I can't run for shit in the mornings either – a fact that does not bode well for my timed-running aspirations. But I did find out that the only difference between beginner's Hot yoga (which I did last week) and regular Hot yoga is the temperature, by 10 degrees, so I'm manning up and trying the regular class today. Yikes! We didn't do much of anything else on Saturday during the day except that I picked up a couple of pairs of shorts at Old Navy, and then at night we went to Outback to celebrate my FIL's birthday. Yo, that was the best salmon I've had in years (even making it myself). I'm pretty sure they may have drenched it in butter after pan-searing it, but I don't even care. I wanted so much more, it was so fabulous. I'm pretty sure I've never ordered anything else but the Outback Special ever except maybe the occasional Alice Springs chicken and I was obviously going for something a little healthier. Oh Lord, was that a good fish. And probably not healthier, but whatevs. It was worth it. We brought the party back to our place after dinner and had coffee and pie on the deck and it was good fun.
Sunday … did we do anything on Sunday? I'm pretty sure we didn't leave the house. Watched movies (Valentine's Day, It's Kind of a Funny Story, part of Zombieland) and tried to lay out and read (The Passage, book club) but it was hotter than the devil's backside so that was a giant fail. We played soccer/keep away with Spencer until Hubs hit the ball over the fence and I went pawing through the jungle that is our easement. Also a giant fail. Spencer took a three-hour nap and I got a nap too – giant success! I got my neighbor to run with me last night too – I did 1.2 miles before circling around to pick her up, and then we did a walk/run combo for 3 more miles because she doesn't quite have the stamina to keep going yet.
I think that is the extent of my weekend wrap-up. I'm finding the less I actually DO on the weekend, the more it feels like a mini-vacation. Not that I'm ever actually excited to leave my family and go back to work, it's nicer to do so when I feel like I've gotten time in with them. Till TOT tomorrow (and woohoo on the alliteration!)
Today? I think I'm composing a little better.
Maybe it's because basketball is no longer on tv (not that it was taking up much room on mine).
Maybe it's because my brain's just no longer on vacation.
…
Who am I kidding, maybe it still is.
My neighbors came over Friday night and we grilled out and hung out and it was all good fun – bacon and brown sugar-wrapped shrimp, macaroni salad and broccoli salad and crab cakes. I like them more, the more we hang out with them- they're crazy and funny and a little strange, but in a good way and I'm pretty sure they'd agree to my assessment.
Saturday I dragged myself to yoga, which wasn't nearly as fulfilling or good as M/W, even though it was the same instructor and the same heat and even some of the same crowd. I just don’t seem to work out as good in the mornings – I'm tight and easily overheated and irritable. I can't run for shit in the mornings either – a fact that does not bode well for my timed-running aspirations. But I did find out that the only difference between beginner's Hot yoga (which I did last week) and regular Hot yoga is the temperature, by 10 degrees, so I'm manning up and trying the regular class today. Yikes! We didn't do much of anything else on Saturday during the day except that I picked up a couple of pairs of shorts at Old Navy, and then at night we went to Outback to celebrate my FIL's birthday. Yo, that was the best salmon I've had in years (even making it myself). I'm pretty sure they may have drenched it in butter after pan-searing it, but I don't even care. I wanted so much more, it was so fabulous. I'm pretty sure I've never ordered anything else but the Outback Special ever except maybe the occasional Alice Springs chicken and I was obviously going for something a little healthier. Oh Lord, was that a good fish. And probably not healthier, but whatevs. It was worth it. We brought the party back to our place after dinner and had coffee and pie on the deck and it was good fun.
Sunday … did we do anything on Sunday? I'm pretty sure we didn't leave the house. Watched movies (Valentine's Day, It's Kind of a Funny Story, part of Zombieland) and tried to lay out and read (The Passage, book club) but it was hotter than the devil's backside so that was a giant fail. We played soccer/keep away with Spencer until Hubs hit the ball over the fence and I went pawing through the jungle that is our easement. Also a giant fail. Spencer took a three-hour nap and I got a nap too – giant success! I got my neighbor to run with me last night too – I did 1.2 miles before circling around to pick her up, and then we did a walk/run combo for 3 more miles because she doesn't quite have the stamina to keep going yet.
I think that is the extent of my weekend wrap-up. I'm finding the less I actually DO on the weekend, the more it feels like a mini-vacation. Not that I'm ever actually excited to leave my family and go back to work, it's nicer to do so when I feel like I've gotten time in with them. Till TOT tomorrow (and woohoo on the alliteration!)
Friday, June 10, 2011
Bits
-- I am sitting in a dark living room this morning relishing my five minutes before either a) kids wake up and need things or b) I have to head to work. It's nice.
-- I need to go water my plants though. The rain that was supposed to hit obviously side-swiped my house. No rain. Dry as a bone plants. My resolution was not just to plant them, but to keep them alive. Pretty sure that means water.
-- The elder child woke me up twice last night crawling into bed and kicking me (he's a very restless sleeper). No 1 is my middle of the night job, since he always comes to me anyhow, and I don't mind relatively. But boy, does it make for some groggy mornings.
-- Neighbors over tonight; grilled shrimp and they are bringing the sides!
-- We went to a local favorite restaurant last night because we had a Groupon (I always buy two for the place when they offer them, love that place). We gave No 2 his first taste of frozen yogurt. Big mistake, because then he just kept grunting for more and it was so funny that we gave him more ... let's just say he had a lot of fro-yo.
-- We need to get No 1 a new bed - he's not necessarily too big for the toddler bed, but he IS a restless sleeper so he hits the wall a lot and it's a) annoying b) I think that's what is waking him up in the middle of the night. The end game plan was for bunk beds, but should we get them now, or just a single and change to bunk beds when the Younger is ready?
-- I hear stirring from the other room. Better go water my plants before I have to gather up cereal, sippy cup and Disney ...
-- I need to go water my plants though. The rain that was supposed to hit obviously side-swiped my house. No rain. Dry as a bone plants. My resolution was not just to plant them, but to keep them alive. Pretty sure that means water.
-- The elder child woke me up twice last night crawling into bed and kicking me (he's a very restless sleeper). No 1 is my middle of the night job, since he always comes to me anyhow, and I don't mind relatively. But boy, does it make for some groggy mornings.
-- Neighbors over tonight; grilled shrimp and they are bringing the sides!
-- We went to a local favorite restaurant last night because we had a Groupon (I always buy two for the place when they offer them, love that place). We gave No 2 his first taste of frozen yogurt. Big mistake, because then he just kept grunting for more and it was so funny that we gave him more ... let's just say he had a lot of fro-yo.
-- We need to get No 1 a new bed - he's not necessarily too big for the toddler bed, but he IS a restless sleeper so he hits the wall a lot and it's a) annoying b) I think that's what is waking him up in the middle of the night. The end game plan was for bunk beds, but should we get them now, or just a single and change to bunk beds when the Younger is ready?
-- I hear stirring from the other room. Better go water my plants before I have to gather up cereal, sippy cup and Disney ...
Thursday, June 9, 2011
And furthermore...
Last night I had a series of extremely strange dreams that left me groggy and confused when I woke up this morning. I don’t know about you, but I dream very vividly (movie quality) and usually remember the bulk of them (however when I try to explain them, they usually come out all jumbled). In the first one there was a killing spree and then I was on the run so I dressed like a homeless woman and hung out with very dirty yet attractive addicts (who were surprisingly welcoming and supportive).
That dream was interrupted by the elder child, who came to bed with me at 2:30am and kicked for awhile until I walked him back to bed.
Then I had a dream about a friend who is having a baby next week. We were at a shower for her (not her real one, which was several weeks ago) and the cars were parked on top of each other so I had to pick them up and move them before I could get to my car. Then I was on my way to a homeless wedding … so evidently the homeless were on my mind.
All I can do is maybe claim exhaustion for my strange dreams, since I’ve been doing two-a- day workouts this week, my usual lunchtime weights/run and hot yoga at night. Why is it that enya is such the go-to soundtrack to yoga? I actually accidentally made a snide comment under my breath (me? Snide?) when Orinoco Flow came on because So! Cliché! I don’t remember the music before and after. At least t wasn’t Age of Innocence. Gotta save something for next time.
Speaking of yoga, have you ever seen He’s Just Not That Into You? There was such a Bradley Cooper/Scarlett Johansson moment last night, with this one guy that kept chatting up the with this one guy that kept chatting up the instructor. It really was funny. Probably had to be there. But not too close to the other dude who farted while we were working legs stretches.
That dream was interrupted by the elder child, who came to bed with me at 2:30am and kicked for awhile until I walked him back to bed.
Then I had a dream about a friend who is having a baby next week. We were at a shower for her (not her real one, which was several weeks ago) and the cars were parked on top of each other so I had to pick them up and move them before I could get to my car. Then I was on my way to a homeless wedding … so evidently the homeless were on my mind.
All I can do is maybe claim exhaustion for my strange dreams, since I’ve been doing two-a- day workouts this week, my usual lunchtime weights/run and hot yoga at night. Why is it that enya is such the go-to soundtrack to yoga? I actually accidentally made a snide comment under my breath (me? Snide?) when Orinoco Flow came on because So! Cliché! I don’t remember the music before and after. At least t wasn’t Age of Innocence. Gotta save something for next time.
Speaking of yoga, have you ever seen He’s Just Not That Into You? There was such a Bradley Cooper/Scarlett Johansson moment last night, with this one guy that kept chatting up the with this one guy that kept chatting up the instructor. It really was funny. Probably had to be there. But not too close to the other dude who farted while we were working legs stretches.
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Monday, June 6, 2011
Rock Lobster
So I’m a little pink. I’m a pink lobster. On the upside, I no longer have my strange farmer’s tan (since my legs have deviated from pasty white for the first time since high school), but on the downside it hurts to sit. Or lay down. Or do anything really except scramble back into the kiddie pool. I feel like a baby because I’m really not badly burned. I did wear some sun block, and my burn is actually a little strange. You know those little girl bathing suits from the late 80s/early 90s that were a two-piece but they attached on the sides so you ended up with a round tan belly and white sides? Yep, that’s me. Except replace tan with pinkish red.
I’m doing my part: moisturizing six times a day, wearing light breezy clothing. However, it is just this side of arctic in my office so I had to turn my space heater on and then put it really far away from me so I didn’t hurt. And my work chair is much scratchier than I remember.
My manager brought me some size 8 pants, which I wriggled into in the office bathroom despite the pain of my sunburn to try them on. Yay for new pants (especially ones I didn’t have to pay for!) I still have a little bit of muffin top on one of the pairs of jeans, but they’re comfortable. I’m not sure I’ll ever get rid of the muffin top because it stems mostly from my c-sections. It’s depressing, really. Is there any way to firm up that skin? Without a 20k tummy tuck? (A related question: how much do tummy tucks cost, anyhow? And do you think my insurance would cover it on the basis that it is detrimental to my mental health?)
I had a strange dream about my workout partner last night. Not a sexual dream (my workout partner is male) but just strange. Then today he left early to get actual lunch on our lunch break and left me in the gym with The Stalker and any fuzzy nice feelings I may have had for him disappeared into smoke. Ha!
And tonight I had Bikram yoga for the first time. I bought a Groupon for one month unlimited yoga, and I'm going to get my money's worth and go as often as possible this month. I needed something a little different to add to my workouts. I really enjoyed it, but that heat is no joke! The internet says "105 degrees with 50% humidity". I'm pretty sure that humidity was dripping off my forehead into my eyes. I wasn't going to wear my glasses while I stretched but I didn't know the poses completely (it's been 6 years since I tried yoga) and I can't see to know what I'm doing without my glasses. I do love me some pigeon pose.
And with that lovely image, I will take my leave.
I’m doing my part: moisturizing six times a day, wearing light breezy clothing. However, it is just this side of arctic in my office so I had to turn my space heater on and then put it really far away from me so I didn’t hurt. And my work chair is much scratchier than I remember.
My manager brought me some size 8 pants, which I wriggled into in the office bathroom despite the pain of my sunburn to try them on. Yay for new pants (especially ones I didn’t have to pay for!) I still have a little bit of muffin top on one of the pairs of jeans, but they’re comfortable. I’m not sure I’ll ever get rid of the muffin top because it stems mostly from my c-sections. It’s depressing, really. Is there any way to firm up that skin? Without a 20k tummy tuck? (A related question: how much do tummy tucks cost, anyhow? And do you think my insurance would cover it on the basis that it is detrimental to my mental health?)
I had a strange dream about my workout partner last night. Not a sexual dream (my workout partner is male) but just strange. Then today he left early to get actual lunch on our lunch break and left me in the gym with The Stalker and any fuzzy nice feelings I may have had for him disappeared into smoke. Ha!
And tonight I had Bikram yoga for the first time. I bought a Groupon for one month unlimited yoga, and I'm going to get my money's worth and go as often as possible this month. I needed something a little different to add to my workouts. I really enjoyed it, but that heat is no joke! The internet says "105 degrees with 50% humidity". I'm pretty sure that humidity was dripping off my forehead into my eyes. I wasn't going to wear my glasses while I stretched but I didn't know the poses completely (it's been 6 years since I tried yoga) and I can't see to know what I'm doing without my glasses. I do love me some pigeon pose.
And with that lovely image, I will take my leave.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Another day, another dollar
I'm running on a string of fantastic weekends, even though nothing serious has been done during them. It's been great. Every weekend has felt like a mini vacation.
One thing I have not been doing is watching the basketball finals. Am I the only one who hates basketball? I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who hates it as much as I do. And I do. I'm sorry if you like it, but the only thing I can stomach watching is a) Gators games b) celebrity games (they suck, and it's funny). It seems like basketball is ALWAYS ON and I think that I've realized that it's just because the NBA games do not follow the same season as the college games, so I always expect that when college is over, it's over, and that's not the case.
Speaking of sports, my son (the elder) was wearing his skates and hit bike helmet and kept falling on purpose. I'm pretty sure he's going to be a hockey player with all the dives he's taking. Dives ... maybe with the Capitals?
And Henry is still teething. I feel like a broken record (and a giant cliche) but it just seems never ending. We need to get stock in Infant's Advil and saline and those little nasal suction balls. I can see one of those top teeth coming through but it hasn't quite popped through yet. He's so happy ... except when he's not.
Anyhow, the hubby's cousin came over Friday night, who is one of my favorite people. And she got Spencer to eat squash (but not okra) so she might be a saint. There was a lot of wine, and a pork tenderloin and summer squash grilled outside and Hubby made okra and rotel (which was surprisingly good ... I usually only eat okra fried), and good conversation and a lovely evening in.
Saturday I tried to run but only got through 1.4 miles before I had to stop. The wine? The bruised toe? The morning? Who knows why. We finished replanting and mulching the front flowerbeds ... another resolution checked off! (Now to keep them alive) We also dogsat for a friend's chocolate lab while he was away for the overnight. It was a nice break from reality to have a dog again, albeit a well-behaved, doesn't-run-away-when-she-gets-out dog. Fun, but still a reminder that we do enjoy no longer having the added responsibility of animals. Holly played well with both the kids, and splashed around in the kiddie pool with Spencer on Sunday morning.
Sunday we spent all day out in the backyard, doing nothing. Spending a lot of time in the kiddie pool (all of us). I read a book, we had all our meals outside, and I ran 3.6 miles Sunday night in 39.50 minutes. It was the absolute end of my abilities - I ran the entire way except for about 10 seconds at miles 2.15. I run so much better at night than in the morning. I'm really not sure why that is, but I wish that every timed run was at night.
AND I came up with my favorite song. Which really is, one of my very favorite songs:
Five more days and I can do it all again!
One thing I have not been doing is watching the basketball finals. Am I the only one who hates basketball? I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who hates it as much as I do. And I do. I'm sorry if you like it, but the only thing I can stomach watching is a) Gators games b) celebrity games (they suck, and it's funny). It seems like basketball is ALWAYS ON and I think that I've realized that it's just because the NBA games do not follow the same season as the college games, so I always expect that when college is over, it's over, and that's not the case.
Speaking of sports, my son (the elder) was wearing his skates and hit bike helmet and kept falling on purpose. I'm pretty sure he's going to be a hockey player with all the dives he's taking. Dives ... maybe with the Capitals?
And Henry is still teething. I feel like a broken record (and a giant cliche) but it just seems never ending. We need to get stock in Infant's Advil and saline and those little nasal suction balls. I can see one of those top teeth coming through but it hasn't quite popped through yet. He's so happy ... except when he's not.
Anyhow, the hubby's cousin came over Friday night, who is one of my favorite people. And she got Spencer to eat squash (but not okra) so she might be a saint. There was a lot of wine, and a pork tenderloin and summer squash grilled outside and Hubby made okra and rotel (which was surprisingly good ... I usually only eat okra fried), and good conversation and a lovely evening in.
Saturday I tried to run but only got through 1.4 miles before I had to stop. The wine? The bruised toe? The morning? Who knows why. We finished replanting and mulching the front flowerbeds ... another resolution checked off! (Now to keep them alive) We also dogsat for a friend's chocolate lab while he was away for the overnight. It was a nice break from reality to have a dog again, albeit a well-behaved, doesn't-run-away-when-she-gets-out dog. Fun, but still a reminder that we do enjoy no longer having the added responsibility of animals. Holly played well with both the kids, and splashed around in the kiddie pool with Spencer on Sunday morning.
Sunday we spent all day out in the backyard, doing nothing. Spending a lot of time in the kiddie pool (all of us). I read a book, we had all our meals outside, and I ran 3.6 miles Sunday night in 39.50 minutes. It was the absolute end of my abilities - I ran the entire way except for about 10 seconds at miles 2.15. I run so much better at night than in the morning. I'm really not sure why that is, but I wish that every timed run was at night.
AND I came up with my favorite song. Which really is, one of my very favorite songs:
Five more days and I can do it all again!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Bits for Friday
-- I get to put Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on my reading list twice in the same year, even though I was only going to put newly read books only on it. Why, you might ask? Well. When I got my Nook for Christmas I was in the middle of reading the series, and I tried to buy them but Rowling has not published the Potter books to e-readers. So the hubby looked for them online so that I didn't have to cart my library books around. They were awesome. BUT THEN I got to the last one, and it was one of the worst things I had ever read. All the teenaged angst. All the terrible writing. I thought maybe it was a pirated pre-edited version. It turns out it was fan fiction. Ugh! Ugh! So I borrowed the REAL Deathly Hallows, and I loved it.
-- I got rearended Thursday morning at the exit to my neighborhood. It was extremely minor, a chip out of my already scratched bumper and I'm fine. But the woman who hit me seemed so nice and she's my age and lives in my neighborhood. I'm pretty sure it's weird that I want to be friends with the chick whose foot slipped off her brake. Right?
-- My 31st birthday is in 1 month and 2 days. I'm running a midnight 5k in 1 month and 1 day. I'm hoping to cut another 2 minutes off my time.
-- I've got nothing else.
-- I got rearended Thursday morning at the exit to my neighborhood. It was extremely minor, a chip out of my already scratched bumper and I'm fine. But the woman who hit me seemed so nice and she's my age and lives in my neighborhood. I'm pretty sure it's weird that I want to be friends with the chick whose foot slipped off her brake. Right?
-- My 31st birthday is in 1 month and 2 days. I'm running a midnight 5k in 1 month and 1 day. I'm hoping to cut another 2 minutes off my time.
-- I've got nothing else.
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