Something Haunting on Halloween

I'm taking a page from Katiebabs over at Kristie(j)'s place and giving you something haunting on Halloween.

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love-
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me-
Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we-
Of many far wiser than we-
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,
In the sepulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

-Edgar Allan Poe

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Par-Tay

This weekend me, Daph, my sister and one of her friends went to Arizona to visit my Evil Cousin and attend her annual Halloween party. EC is legend in our family for her costume parties and I was really excited to go to this one.

MM and I had originally planned to attend together, and we were going to be the SNL Spartan Cheerleaders. But on Thursday, MM found out he had to work Sunday and couldn't go to AZ with us. I was really bummed, because I wanted him to be there and because my costume was ruined. I mean, just one Spartan Cheerleader doesn't have the same effect that a couple would, you know?

I shopped last minute for something and found a Cat costume at Walgreens. Unfortunately, it was too small (I couldn't try it on in the store, you know) and I was at a loss. EC finally said she'd go get me one (She has a big costume store by her) if I figured out what I wanted.

I checked Party City online and found a really pretty Greek Goddess costume. EC picked it up for me Friday and said it seemed kind of big to her, even though she got the small. Saturday morning Daphne drove up from LA and I met her at my parent's house, picked up her and my sister and then stopped on our way out of town to pick up her friend. I think we finally hit the road about noon (later than I wanted, but not that big of a deal) and had a pretty uneventful trip down. We stopped at Sonic for lunch (it was Daph's first time) and it was so good I've been craving it ever since. Bad Holly.

Anyway, we got to EC's about 3:30(ish) and I tried my costume on. It was huge! Upon further inspection, we realized the package was marked wrong. It said it was a small/medium, but it was really a medium/large. WTF? We decided to take it back to the store and exchange it, but when we arrived the place was a mad house. I finally tracked someone down and asked how I'd go about exchanging it. The way it works in that store is there are pictures on the wall of all the costumes and they're numbered. You take the number up to the window in the back of the store, then they hand you the costume. It's a good idea, because then the costumes don't get ruined.

The problem? We got there about 5:00 the weekend before Halloween. The place was packed. The story is about the size of a medium department store and the line for costumes was backed up all the way to the front door. Oh hell no I wasn't standing in that line. The guy I tracked down to ask about exchanging told me I could go to the front of the line (thank goodness) and tell them I needed to exchange it. According to store policy, no refunds or exchanges are allowed after the 24th, but since they marked the package wrong, they were willing to make an exception.

Anyway, long story short, they didn't have any Greek Goddess costumes left, so I ended up with a Tinkerbell costume. Since the line was really long to try on the costumes (almost as long as the line to get them) I just pulled it on over my clothes to make sure it fit. It did and we finally got out of there.

My sister did my hair and her friend did my makeup and half an hour after the party started we were finally ready. DQ dressed up as a devil, her friend as a butterfly, Daphne as a peacock, EC as a barmaid and her husband as Braveheart. The costumes turned out great.

Now, I don't know how many of you have been to a Marine base - or more to the point, a party on a Marine base - but let me tell you..it's loud, smoky and the people get drunk. This was no exception. I can't say it was the best party I've ever attended, but it wasn't the worst. I had a good time and some of the costumes were great.

There was a keg and EC made Jello Shots in about 8 different flavors. I had wayyy too many, but I was dressed up and had no kids (they stayed in Cali with my parents) so I can't really complain too much.

We danced and drank and gossiped and overall had a good time. Daphne wasn't very comfortable (I think Marines make her nervous) so she headed to bed around midnight. I didn't follow until almost 3 a.m. EC, DQ and the rest were out even later than that. There was some drama with DQ (isn't there always?) but I'll save that for another day. I am really disappointed in DQ's friend, though. She totally disappeared from the party and..didn't come home. Like, at all. We had to call her at 10:30 the next morning to tell her it was time to leave. Hey, if one night stands are your thing, fine, but I think it's beyond rude to got out of town to the house of someone you don't know and just..not come back. I think the worst part is..she didn't even seem to care. It was just funny to her. Weird.

Meh, whatever. The drive home sucked, because we were all pretty much hungover, and I still haven't totally recovered yet, but it wasn't a bad weekend all in all.

ONLY One Dead?

The death toll in the Southern California wildfire crisis has started to rise. Just this morning I read that two additional bodies had been found. Authorities are trying to identify them, but haven't been able to as of the last report I read.

But prior to today, most reports I've read said, "Only One Dead..". I'm sorry, but this really, really upsets me. ONLY? The loss of life, whether it be one or a million and one, is devastating. Do you think the family of the 52-year-old man who lost is life in Tecate was thinking, I'm so glad it was ONLY him? Do you think his mother, sisters, brothers, cousins, co-workers, friends, wife, sons, daughters are thanking God it was ONLY him?

Please don't misunderstand, it is a miracle so few have been killed or injured, especially considering the damage that has been done to so many properties. But I can't help but get angry when I see, "ONLY".

These fires are devastating. Just this morning Rowena told us her sister's Mother-In-Law lost her home. So did many others. I can't imagine losing everything. Your house isn't just a structure you stay in, but a home. Your memories are there, your life. Please, please keep those who have lost their homes in your thoughts and prayers. Although it's a blessing their still alive, sometimes losing so much is almost as devastating.

One last thing I'd like to mention....

In times like these, with fires blazing, homes being lost and so many men and women fighting to keep us safe, to keep our memories safe, we remember our firefighters. We think of them, we thank them, we keep them in our thoughts and prayers as they lay their lives on the line for..us. But please don't forget, there are many other men and women doing what they can to help and risking their lives. From State workers to policemen to convicts, in times of crisis they band together for one common goal: To keep us, our loved ones and our homes safe.

When you say your prayers, or think of the firefighters, remember the other people working to help also.

In better news, we heard from Nikki today. She's fine and was able to return home. Her cousin was evacuated the other day and didn't think her house had made it, but she returned home today..and her house was there. I know it's hard for us to put ourselves in that place, but what an amazing thing, to know you have a home to return to, and your memories are still intact. That has to be an amazing feeling.

The BFF Saga: Part II

The Setup: Casee shared Part I with Jack, and for some reason he wasn't amused. He also seemed somewhat paranoid about the goings on in California, which worried Casee. Casee is also annoyed with Jack for some ill advised decisions he's recently decided to make. Naturally Holly feels the need to reassure her friend.

The Players: Casee and Holly who are annoyed with Jack. Jack, who seems to be suffering from some sort of Paranoid mental illness. An as yet unidentified selection of jurors, public defenders, government officials and in-home nurses.

The Way It Plays:

10/16/2007
Casee: I sent Jack the link to your blog. He wasn't very amused. He is very anti-California now. What's up with that? I told him that I'll move back there and make twice what I'm making now and he said good luck. Isn't he nice?

Holly: WTF? We need to work on that. I'll have MM call him. MM will make it allllll better.

Casee: I hope MM's really persuasive. Jack also mentioned something about So Cal stealing No Cal's water?

Holly: Isn't paranoia a sign of mental illness? Just curious.

Casee: I think it might be. I should really research that. Maybe I can get an in-home nurse for him when I move back to CA.

Holly: That is so kind of you. Not many spouses would be willing to pay for in home care. Does Jack know how lucky he is to have you, and not some other nag that would put him in some facility and only visit twice a year?

Casee: Oh, I was going to see if there were any state sponsored programs. I'm not paying out of my own pocket. Is that wrong?
No, he doesn't realize how lucky he is. Then again, he's a man. They never do.

Holly: Not wrong, smart. I mean, why pay for it yourself if you can get the government to pay for you? You're still better than most, who wouldn't even worry about in home care. Really, it brings a tear to my eye to see how loving and concerned you are. *sniffle* I'm so proud to have you for my very own BFF.

Casee: Aw. Don't make me tear up, b/c then I'll start sneezing.
Plus, why shouldn't I get help from the government when I'm a citizen and paying taxes?
Do you think they'd give me a good public defender if I decide to *kill Jack? I'm honestly considering it. He's really annoying me right now.

Holly: I can't see any reason why you shouldn't get help from the government. We're tax paying citizens, we should be able to get help when we need it. Especially since we're just doing what we vowed to do when we got married. You did say In Sickness and In Health, didn't you? We can't help it that Jack has a mental sickness.
There are some really good public defenders out there. If you find a woman, I'm sure she'd give you her best. We've all been there, you know. Do you need to borrow my car? It's not licensed yet.

Casee: As the day goes on, I'm more convinced than ever that you're correct in your assumption that Jack is mentally ill.
As I type this, he is planning on attending a World Series game in Denver. Denver is 11 hours away by car. A few years ago, the World Series was in San Fransisco, which was less than 2 hours away. He did not attend any of those games. Am I the only one that sees a problem with that?
Now that I think about, no jury in their right mind would convict me of anything.

Holly: I suppose he's a huge fan of the Rockies, which is why he's so gung-ho about seeing them in the World Series, right?
No, no jury would convict you. I think even the men would be sympathetic at this point.

Casee: You would think so, but that's not the case. He's just a fan of the underdog, which in the case happens to be the Rockies and may happen to cost me about $300.

Holly: See, here I am, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, and then he just ruins it. *sigh*
Although...I wouldn't mind seeing the series myself.

Casee: Didn't your mama teach you never to give men the benefit of the doubt?
I wouldn't mind seeing it either. LOL


*No husbands were hurt in the making of this post.

Alive and Well in this Part of So. Cal

The area I live in is completely unaffected by the recent fire outbreaks here in Southern California. I've heard from Rosie, Lori, Wendy, Rowena and Daphne, and they're all fine as well, though Lori is a lot closer to the fire lines than the rest of us.

Please send thoughts and prayers to all those who are in bad areas. A lot of people have already lost their homes and businesses, and many many others are worried they might. If you're in Southern California, please leave a comment or post something to let us know you're alright, will you?

Wendy has a post up about it as well. Check it out.

Share and Share Alike

MM and I have a strange relationship. Or at least it has recently come to my attention that our relationship seems strange to other people. We fight, we argue, we love each other, but the strange part is...we tell each other everything.

Yes, I said everything. I've actually blogged about this before. Remember Sharing 101? Sometimes I think MM takes the "Sharing is Caring" thing a little too far, but overall, this really works for us.

If I'm mad at a friend or family member, if I'm having a good day or bad, if something happens in blogland or if I get an email from a friend, if something of interest (or even if it's not that interesting) happens at work, if something happens with the kids, or dogs, or if I have a random thought about nothing, I tell MM. He does the same. Sometimes I surprise even myself with the things I tell him. Things I wouldn't tell anyone, things I'd tell my best friend, things that bug me about him or his family...all kinds of stuff.

But from what I understand, this is strange. Not every couple does this. Or so I've been led to believe.

So I'm curious:

What do you tell your spouse/significant other? Do you share everything? If you're mad at your best friend, if something funny happens in Blogland, if you're bloated and unhappy, if the girl who works in your office bugs you, do you share? Or are you a kind of "need to know" basis person? Do you only share the big stuff, the major things that happen in your life?

I like the way we are. I love that I can tell MM anything, no matter how small or trivial, and he'll listen and offer an opinion or whatever. I don't hide shopping bags from him, or my love of all things Romance, or the argument I had with my best friend.

Am I all alone here? Are MM and I really that different from other couples?

I Win

I'm going to tell you about an argument MM and I had recently, but before I do, I must forewarn you, this might be a little long winded....

This is something that started out small, but that I won in the end. I like winning, don't you? Even more than just winning, though, I love beating MM. He's so competitive, he even plays "I win" with the dogs. 'Tis almost sad, no?

It all started with silverware. You know, like eating utensils. You see, when I load the dishwasher, I always put the silverware in standing up. Well, except for the knives, those I put facing down. But anyway, this drives MM insane. He says he constantly cuts himself - although I don't really see how, since the knives are all facing down - and he hates it. My thing is, the silverware doesn't get as clean if they're facing down. So, I think a little pain on MM's side of things is worth not eating off of dirty silverware. I mean, we put those in our mouths. How nasty would it be to eat off of a dirty fork? *shudder*

So MM tells me I need to start putting the silverware in his way, and I tell him it's not going to happen. So he says, fine, if I'm not going to put the silverware in the way he wants - and he's not going to budge on this, because he man, he king of his castle - then he's going to start leaving the toilet seat up. I tell him to try it and see what happens.

Side Note: I have issues with the toilet lid being left up. No, not just the seat, but the actual lid. When the kids were little one of their favorite pastimes was throwing stuff in the toilet - I spent a ton on plumbers - so if I see a lid up, I freak a little. It's almost a phobia for me. I even do this when I'm a guest in someone else's home, or if I'm using a public bathroom (if the toilet has a lid, that is). So when MM says he's going to leave it up, he means the lid, not the seat. Even he's more well trained than that.....:End Side Note

Anyway, the other day we're in the kitchen and I'm doing the dishes. MM is getting a drink and turns just in time to see me putting the silverware in the dishwasher. He says, "That's it, I'm leaving the toilet seat up." I didn't get it at first, because it was totally random. I said, "Why, is it dirty or something?" and he said, "No!" and looked pointedly at the silverware. I just laughed.

A bit later, we're getting ready for bed and I go to take my nightly shower. Guess what? Yep, the toilet seat was up. I said, "Oh, it's like that, is it?" and MM laughed...really loud. So, I threw the toothpaste at him (hey, I never said maturity was my strong suit, did I?). He said, "What the fuck?" and I hopped in the shower real quick, laughing like a loon.

What he did next, IMO, is totally unforgivable. You'll agree with me, I'm sure. As I'm in the shower, I peek out the door at him and he's standing in front of the bathroom sink, scratching himself with my toothbrush. My toothbrush. Oh hell no.

It's on now.

I finish my shower and get my pajamas on, then I brush my hair and teeth (no, you dirty people, I didn't use that toothbrush...lucky for MM we keep extras in the house for company) and climb into bed while MM takes his shower. I thought about dumping ice water on him while he was in there, but I didn't think that was diabolical enough. I mean, that was my toothbrush. (Just so you know, I threated to do something every dirtier to his toothbrush, but I never would have followed through...that's just wrong)

In the meantime, Little Man had woken up (he wasn't feeling all that great and knocked out before dinner...about 7ish, I think) and was crying because his mouth hurt. The poor guy has a tooth coming in and it's really hurting him. I went and laid with him for awhile, then gave him a Tylenol to help with the pain. I felt just awful for him.

After that, I got back into bed and started reading while MM finished getting ready for bed. He brushed his teeth - after giving me a sideways glance - and climbed into bed. About that time, Little Man started crying again. I told MM it was his turn to take care of him and kept on reading. MM grumbled a bit, but went to check on him. He's really great about stuff like that. *sniff*

While he was gone, I had a bright idea. You see, I'd brought a glass of water with me into the bedroom before I took my shower. A glass of ice water. So there I am, annoyed with MM over the toothbrush thing and thinking....hmmmmm....

I grabbed my glass and dug an ice cube out...then I placed it on MM's side of the bed, right about where the center of his back would be when he laid back down. But I didn't think that would be enough, so I put another one right about where his butt would rest...and one more on the center of his pillow. Then, snickering all the while, I pulled the covers back over the bed and grabbed my book, while struggling to look innocent.

Only, MM didn't come right back to bed. As it turned out, Little Man decided he was hungry (since he'd missed dinner) so MM took him into the kitchen to get him a snack. While he was in there, he noticed some paperwork I needed to fill out for the kids was still on the table - incomplete - and hollered at me to come finish it.

I did, but I didn't bother taking the ice of MM's side of the bed first. Can you imagine what happened? Well, I'll tell you. The ice melted. Sort of. It didn't melt all the way, but it melted enough that there were wet spots on the bed. How did I figure this out, you ask? Well, when MM climbed into bed, of course.

Actually, it was sort of weird how it happened. However he worked it out, his head actually touched his pillow before his body settled into bed. So his body was kind of hanging off the bed while his head was resting on his pillow...on the giant wet spot. The giant wet spot a small cube of ice was resting on.

Please hold on while I snicker. Ok, moving on....

So, MM says, "what the hell" and jumps up. Then he laughs - in that sort of uncomfortable way he does when he knows I've got him - and says, "did you put ice on my pillow?" I said, as innocently as possible - and really, despite what y'all may think, I really pull off innocent when I want - "Of course not, sweetheart. I wouldn't do something like that!" and he said, "Did you put ice in my bed?" I just blinked.

He pulled back the covers and saw the rest of the ice - and wet spots - and jumped on me. No, not like that you pervs. Amid much giggling, we wrestled around for awhile. But once that was all done and we'd calmed ourselves down, MM realized the big issue.

His side of the bed was wet. Like, wet. And how was he supposed to sleep on a wet bed?

Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week. Genius, aren't I?

Well, naturally he couldn't sleep on a wet bed, so he said, "You sleep over there!" We argued for a minute about it - I mean, really, it kind of ruins it if I have to sleep over there, don't you think? - but finally I said, "alright baby, if it will make you feel better..." and we traded sides of the bed.

Side Note: For about a year and a half now, I've been trying to talk MM into switching sides of the bed with me. I sleep much more comfortably on the left side of the bed - MM's side - and always want him to switch me. He, on the other hand, hates my side of the bed and flatly refuses to switch.:End Side Note

I got all snuggled in with MM's pillow, which - if I'm being totally honest here - is much more comfortable than mine, pulled the covers up and got ready to do what I do best at midnight.....sleep.

As it turns out, MM doesn't take up as much space on my side of the bed as he does on his, so I had plenty of room to scoot towards the center of the bed and avoid the wet spots all together. Brilliant, no?

Anyway, MM tosses and turns for a minute and says, "I need my pillow" and grabs it from under my head. I have a muffled "oomph" as my head hit the bed and rolled over, ready to yell at him for disturbing me. Ahh, but Karma is sweet (and swift) because MM was already cursing and handing the pillow back to me. Cuz, it was wet, remember...

Ha Ha Him.

I snuggled back in and MM says, "Your pillow sucks!" and I said, "I know, babe" as I sighed happily. Hey, I was comfortable, what can I say? So a few minutes go by and MM says, "I hate your side of the bed." I said, "I know, babe." and he said, "It's weird over here. My stuff isn't where it should be. And the table's on the wrong side. Your side of the bed is scary."

Because, what, you've stumbled into Bizarre-O-Land?

I said, "I would just like to point out, before you say anything else, that this is your bed. Meaning, you bought. Long before you ever met me." He said, "What does that have anything to do with it? It's weird over here."

Yes, I busted up, too.

Anyway, eventually MM settled himself down - although he was still muttering under his breath about the table being wrong - and I started drifting off. Just before I took the final plunge, though, MM rolled over and wrapped his arm around me. I mumbled something incoherent and MM said, "Hey! You're not even laying in the wet spot! That's not fair!" I said, "Babe, first of all, yes, part of me is on the wet spot. And second, what does it matter if I'm on the wet spot or not? Either way you got the shaft and that's all I wanted out of this." Admirably I didn't snicker just then....though I really wanted to.

He said, "This sucks. You're over there and I'm miserable over here and if I hadn't decided to get frisky, I never would have known you were cheating!" I still haven't figured out how I was cheating, but more importantly, I haven't figured out how MM thought he was going to get some when I was almost asleep. Me and no sleep does not equal sex for MM. Jeez.

In any case, I'd like to point out that....I WON! Yes, I'm that good. And really, either way it was win/win for me. I got the good pillow and got my favorite side of the bed, and MM had to fume about his side of the bed being wet and him ending up in Bizzare-O-Land.

I'm so good like that.

Relay For Life

This year MM and I are participating in the Relay for Life, which is a 24 hour walk to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Normally I hate doing fund raisers, but this is something very near and dear to my heart. As most of you know, my mom was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago. We were very lucky in that it was isolated and easily removed, but not everyone is as fortunate. I've know several others who were diagnosed, and I feel the cause is a good one. I hope none of you mind that I'm posting this here.

Can you believe that more than 1.3 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in the United States this year? Those are staggering statistics, but there is hope. Each of us can do something to save lives and help those already fighting this disease. That's why I've decided to take action against cancer by supporting the American Cancer Society Relay For Life®.

Relay For Life is an overnight event that brings our community together to help support the American Cancer Society and its lifesaving mission to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. The Society works hard every day to prevent cancer and save lives by supporting groundbreaking research, affecting public policies that protect us from cancer, and educating people on how to prevent or detect cancer early. The Society helps people with cancer right here in our own community. And our efforts at Relay For Life can help the American Cancer Society to keep working toward a cancer-free future.

I want to invite you to show your support in the ongoing fight against cancer. Will you please visit the site and make a donation to support our efforts? You will make a real difference in the lives of people facing cancer – and in the lives of the people who love them. Thank you!

Donate Here!!

Please don't feel like you have to donate, but if you've got a couple extra dollars, every penny counts!

Spam-A-Lot

No, in this case I'm not referring to Monty Python. I keep getting TONS of spam mail in my inbox. My WORK inbox. WTF?

Have they ever told you this, "No way! Your penis is so small!"?
Didn't you just wanna run away?
Don't let girls prefer dildo to you ! Megadik will improve your situation once and forever! You should simply rely on this wonderful preparation!
"Oh! Your penis is so large!" Is it what you dream to hear every day?
Soon you'll be the only one girls will want! Megadik is your magic weapon!

Dude, last time I checked, I don't even have a fracking penis. Maybe I need a quick trip to the bathroom, just to make sure....

The BFF Saga: Part I

The Setup: Casee is frustrated with her job and wants to move back to California. Holly wants Casee to live close so they can be BFF's who actually live right next door to each other. Casee is worred her husband, Jack, won't go for the idea. Holly things Jack and MM could be BFF's, too.

The Players: Holly and Casee who are already BFF's. Jack and MM who will be BFF's when Casee and Holly are done with them.

The Way It Plays:

10/10/2007
Casee: I am in the worst mood ever. I'm trying not to kill anyone. I almost walked out of work today b/c I hate this job so fucking much. I almost want to try to talk Jack into moving back to CA. He'd never agree, but whatev. There are no jobs here.

Holly: WTF? Tell Jack to move to So Cal instead of No Cal. Then we can be BFF's. :P

Casee: That would be so fun to live close to you. I'd freaking love it.

Holly: Me too! And MM and Jack could be BFF's, too. :P

Casee: yeah. I'll go home and talk to Jack tonight. LOL. I'll use that argument.

Holly: I'm sure it will work. MM's a great guy. Any dude would be lucky to have him for a BFF.

Casee: Maybe MM should try to talk him into it. Tell him that Jack got a kegerator for his bday.

Holly: Kegerator? I won't have any trouble convincing MM to call Jack now. You just said the magic word.

Casee: Yup. Thought that would do the trick.

Holly: Is it wrong that we're essentially trying to set up a play date for our respective (soontobe)spouses?

Casee: We're trying to make sure they have a BFF relationship like us. What's wrong with that?

Holly: Not a thing as far as I'm concerned. Just making sure we were on the same page.

Casee: Yup, we're just looking out for what's best for them. It's what wives do.

Holly: Just so. I wonder if they realize what gems we are.

Casee: Most likely not. We can't give them more credit then they deserve.

Holly: MM just called me. I mentioned the kegerator and our desire to live nearer to each other and he agreed a call to Jack was in order. My fingers are crossed.

Casee: I'll keep my fingers crossed too. Jack just got home. I'll drop the idea on him. Tell MM to think of something he can bring to their BFF relationship so Jack will agree.

Holly: Is Jack a gun guy? MM has a lot of those. And he loves camping/outdoor stuff.

Casee: Does he like fishing? Jack is really into fishing. That's a good bonding thing.

10/11/2007
Casee: Jack was really disappointed last night. He was waiting for MM's call all night.

Holly: Sorry, MM got home late then I made him cook dinner because I had a headache. He couldn't call Jack because he was being my bitch. But you don't have to tell Jack that if you don't want. :P

Casee: That's okay. Jack just drowned his sorrows in his kegerator. lol

Holly: Poor Jack :(



To Be Continued....

I'm Weak

I've been doing really well with my diet, all things considered. I haven't been eating out at all and I've been careful with what I eat for dinner. I'm still doing fruit and yogurt for lunch, and snacking on raw veggies through-out the day. But today...I completely blew my diet.

I had yogurt for lunch, later. I think I finally ate for the first time around 2:30. Since I only had the cup of yogurt, I was pretty hungry by the time dinner rolled around. I was playing around online, looking for a new recipe to try and I found one that looked amazing.

Glazed Stuffed Pork Chops.

Cripes, they were good. Filled with stuffing and apples, baked and then topped with a raspberry vinaigrette/dijon sauce...YUM! I only ate one, but dude, it was huge. And so good. Ok, and I had a couple bites of Little Man's. And maybe a bite of The Girls.

I know, I know, I'm weaksauce. *sigh*

But that's not even the worst of it. Because my grandparents went to Julian this weekend. I bet most of you don't know about Julian. And I just have to say...you're missing out. Julian is a historical mining town in the hills above San Diego. They're known for their orchards and antiques, but the town itself is just beautiful. We try to go up at least once a year to look at the foliage and browse through the shops. But the main reason we go?

Julian Pie Company.

I'm not kidding when I tell you they have the most amazing pie...ever. Like, ever. The crusts are always flaky and melt in your mouth and the filling? Simply..to die for.

My grandma called me yesterday and asked if I wanted anything since they were going and I just couldn't say no. Honestly, I didn't even consider saying no. I mean, it's Julian Pie Company pie. You just can't say no to it.

She brought me a Strawberry-Rhubarb and a Boysenberry-Apple with a crumb topping.

I'm not big on sweets generally, or on pie, really. But there's just something about Julian Pie that makes my mouth water. If you ever find yourself in the area, you definitely need to pick one up. And if you aren't going to be in the area, I suggest you order one online and have it shipped. I promise you won't be disappointed, no matter what pie you choose.

Simply amazing.

So, I blew my diet. To be honest, I can't really be sorry. I mean, I might be if I tried my dress on again and it didn't fit, but even then...the pie was worth it. *sigh*

Next week it'll be back to yogurt and fruit and portion control, but for now, for today, it's all about the pie, man.

Yet More Random Things About Me

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Nope.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Yesterday
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No, it's messy. It's actually kind of embarrassing.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Hard salami. No comments from the Peanut Gallery please.
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Sure do. A boy and a girl.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Of course. I'm the cats pajamas, man.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A Lot? Me? Sarcasm? Never!
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yup.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Already have..and yes, I'd do it again. It was the most terrifying, exhilarating experience of my life.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Peanut Butter Crunch.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No!
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes. I learned the hard way that I'm stronger than I ever imagined.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Peanut Butter Cups.
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Hmm, body language..then eyes.
15. RED OR PINK? RED!
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My own insecurities. Yes, I have them too, ya'll.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Drew-Bean. It's been WAYYY too long.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO DO THIS? Sure, why not?
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Long jean shorts.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Hmm..does coffee count?
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The girls up front talking. I haven't gotten my iPod out yet.
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Green, probably.
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Fresh Cut Grass and Lilacs
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? The Devil Woman. I called her this morning to make sure she had coffee for me.
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I have no idea who sent this to me, but if I'm filling it out, probably.
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Football. Luuurve me some football. But if Greenbay EVER loses to the damn Bears again, I might throw a chair though my t.v.
27. HAIR COLOR? Brownish Blonde. It's been darkening over the years.
28. EYE COLOR? Hazel Green. They change colors depending on my mood or what I'm wearing.
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Nope, but I really need to see the eye doctor, so that could change.
30 FAVORITE FOOD? Just one? No idea. It changes daily. But if I had to choose one, probably I'd say Peanut Butter.
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? A scary movie that ends happily.
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Mine, Yours and Ours.
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Yellow.
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer. No question. Fracking hate cold weather.
35. HUGS OR KISSES? Both. Nothing compares to a bear hug and kiss from my kids.
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Cheesecake
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Don't know, guess I will have to wait and see.
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Not sure.
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Nothing. Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to get into a book. I just haven't been in the mood to read lately.
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? A race car. Shut up, MM.
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV.Last LAST NIGHT? Grey's Anatomy and House Hunters.
42. FAVORITE SOUND? A lawnmower on a Saturday morning.
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles all the way!
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Hmm, Cancun, probably. It was awesome.
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Well, I don't know if I'd call it a talent, but I have amazing intuition.
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Chicago Heights, Ill.

I'm not going to tag a specific person, but if you do decide to play, will you please let me know?

Thursday Thirteen: Thirteen Favorite Fast Foods

I haven't had time to do TT in awhile. I think it's been more than a month. SORRY! I was swamped with work and such, but now things have settled down again and...

..since I'm dieting right now so my fat ass can fit back into my wedding dress, I decided to do my TT this week about Fast Foods I can't have..but wish I could.

13 Favorite Fast Foods I Can't Eat

1. Chicken McNuggets from McDonald's with Sweet and Sour sauce. If no S&S is available, then it's not worth it. It's not really worth it anyway, but sometimes I just get a crazing.
2. Big Bacon Classic from Wendy's. I freaking love those. There was a scare awhile back when they introduced the Baconator and I thought they'd gotten rid of the Big Bacon Classic, but lucky for them (and me) they still have it on the menu.
3. French Fries from McDonald's. YUM.
4. Double Double Animal Style from In-N-Out. If it's not Animal Style, I don't want it.
5. Ultimate Taco from Del Taco. Generally I think Del Taco is nasty, but for some reason I occasionally crave the Ult Taco.
6. Fries from Del Taco. They're the best. All fat and crinkly.
7. Pizza Sub from Subway. Technically, I could probably eat stuff from Subway, because they have a pretty healthy menu. But I don't think the Pizza Sub is on it.
8. Thin crust pepperoni pizza from Dominoes. It has to be thin crust, because it tastes better. Of course, that also means you eat more, because there's less substance. I could eat a small one myself. Which probably explains why I can't fit into my wedding dress. *sigh*
9. Crunchy Taco Supreme from Taco Bell. Just a plain crunchy taco with Sour Cream.
10. Sliders from White Castle. We don't have White Castle here in Cali, but you can buy them frozen. Which isn't the same, but it's close.
11. Bacon Cheese Six Dollar Burger from Carl's Jr. This thing is HUGE..and so good.
12. Chili Cheese Dog from Weinerschnitzel. They're so messy, but so worth it.
13. Chicken Sandwich from Burger King. The original.

*sigh* Is it any wonder I couldn't fit into my wedding dress??

Ok, I'm off to eat my cup of yogurt and apple now. Dieting sucks ass, man.

Desktop Meme

Marg tagged me for this ages ago, but I haven't had time to play with it until now.

My background was stolen from my darling friend Andrea. It's the creek in my hometown. Isn't it gorgeous? If you look closely, you can see her and her son towards the back of the screen. She was my very first friend I moved in the 4th grade, and to this day she remains one of my best. Boy, I could tell you stories....but I won't. For now. Of course, I'm always open to bribes. :)



Here's how you play:

A. Upon receiving this tag, immediately perform a screen capture of your desktop. It is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun. You can do a screen capture by going to your desktop and pressing the Print Scrn key (located on the right side of the F12 key). Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, or Photoshop) and do a Paste (CTRL + V).If you wish, you can “edit” the image, before saving it.

B. Post the picture in your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop just below it if you want. You can explain why you preferred such look or why is it full of icons. Things like that.

C. Tag five of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktop as well.

D. Add your name to this list of Free Viewers with a link pointing directly to your Desktop Free View post to promote it to succeeding participants.

So, I am going to tag:

Jodi
Rosie
Lori and Anne
Nath
Daphne

The list of Free Viewers so far is:

* iRonnie - I Set No Corner
* Thess - Thesserie
* Rebecca - Skippy Heart
* Knoizki - A Dialogue With K
* Beng - Kauderwelch
* Tina- My Good Finds
* Rachel - Heart of Rachel
* Alice - Hello, My Name Is Alice
* Julia - Julia's Books Corner!
* Darla - Nichtszusagen
* Marg - Reading Adventures
* Holly - What Were You Expecting

Two for Two

Last night MM and I went to Cheesecake Factory for dinner. We had a fabulous time, talking about nothing and relaxing. Our lively dinner conversation included fascinating subject matter such as: If offered $1 million, would MM take it and allow me to spend the night with some other man? His answer? Hell no. If it were a woman, however, that would be a different story. He said it would be ok if I wanted to spend a night with a woman - for a million of course - but he'd need video of the encounter. From there we decided if I then decided to run away with said woman (we chose Angelina Jolie, because well..she's Angelina Jolie) that would be fine with him. He'd just call Daphne to console him.

Then we ad libbed conversations we might have in the interim. It was..interesting. The most interesting thing about it? We were there to celebrate our 2 year anniversary. I think only MM and I could celebrate our anniversary by talking about what we'd do in the event someone offered us an Indecent Proposal. We have issues, methinks.

Two years ago today, MM and I went on our first date. He picked me up at my office (I had some last minute work to do), then we went to Cheesecake Factory for dinner, people watched at Starbucks afterwards and saw the movie Waiting. We shared our first kiss in the parking lot of my office at just before midnight. It was a wonderful first date.

MM got home from New Mexico Friday afternoon. We relaxed at home with the kids, then spent Saturday running errands. We got the kids' Halloween costumes and went grocery shopping, stuff like that. While I was making dinner Saturday night MM gave me the shirt he'd bought for me in New Mexico. It's a Happy Bunny shirt that says, "Cute, but kind of evil". Fitting, no? Then he said, "Do you know what Monday is?" You might think this would be an odd question coming from a man, since traditionally it's the women who remembers things like Birthdays and Anniversaries, but not so with me and MM. Last year I completely forgot about our Anniversary. I had a mild hangover from the night before and avoided MM's calls most of the day. Finally, in the late afternoon he said, "I just wanted to wish you a Happy Anniversary." Well, snap. Score one for the Penis Team.

This year, I hadn't really thought about it. I didn't buy him anything, or make any romantic plans. Good thing MM was on top of it, huh? He bought me Waiting, the movie we saw on our first date, then took me to dinner. We decided to head home afterwards (I had to work today) and on the way home he gave me a dozen roses. Red ones.

*sniffle*

He's so cute.

He was really proud of himself for remembering, and to be honest, so am I. I feel guilty on top if it, because I didn't think of getting him anything. *sigh* Maybe y'all can help..any suggestions? I know, I know, I could be a man. It's sad.

Anyway, in between our talk of Indecent Proposals last night, I kept remembering little things from the last two years. The way he looked when he leaned in for our first kiss, the smile on his face when we met for our second date, the sweet, romantic way he told me he loved me, the tender, terror filled look he gave me when he proposed. I remembered our first fight, the way my tummy still jumps and jitters when he touches me, the way his face lights up when I walk into a room.

I remembered the night we met and the way his face turned red when he was embarrassed by a friend. The way he takes care of me and drives me insane and loves me. All of these things were swirling in my head as we joked with each other and laughed and just...were.

I was content with my life before I met MM. I could have - and probably would have - happily remained single for the rest of my days. My days were filled with good friends and my children and I honestly didn't want - or need - anything else. But despite that - or perhaps in spite of it - I can't imagine a day without MM. He's the center of my world. Yes, I could live without him, but I wouldn't want to. Instead I see our future together: our Wedding day, the birth of our future children (if we have said children), growing old together. I can just see him, with wrinkles lining his eyes and his hair gray and thinning, still smiling at me and loving me.

And isn't that an amazing thing?

Even more amazing, IMO, is that all of you have been here to share this journey with me. I feel so blessed to know all of you, and to know you've shared in my joys and triumphs, tears and sorrow. I know each and every one of you loves MM just as much as I do (although in a different way, I'm sure).

So today, I thank God for MM...and for you. Thank you for supporting us, and loving us. And MM, thank you for making my days brighter and my nights sweeter. I truly am the lucky one.

Happy Anniversary to us.

No Need To Diet, Just Get Sick

I have the flu. The Stomach flu. I woke up yesterday with it and it's still going strong today. As long as I don't eat or drink anything, I'm basically fine. Sure, a little faint and slightly nauseous, but otherwise just grand.

First, I want to say, this is Rowena's fault. She was ill this weekend while at my house, and I think she passed her bug onto me. Second, I think maybe God is punishing me for complaining so much that my wedding dress didn't fit. What better way to lose weight than get the stomach flu, right? I don't have to worry about my diet, because the thought of food anywhere near me makes me ill. Weight issue solved!

All joking aside, I really hate being sick. Yes, I know, y'all have heard me whine about this enough. But being sick and having the stomach flu are two totally different things. I would so much rather have a head cold. Or something. I think spending that much time staring into a toilet bowl is just...beyond wrong.

I stayed home yesterday, but decided to go into work today, because I felt fine this morning. Of course, that was before I'd had anything to eat/drink. That cup of coffee I had on my way to work? Not the brightest idea I've ever had.

Needless to say, not an hour after arriving at work, I was on my way back home. Now I'm lying on the couch in sweats, feeling sorry for myself. But since i haven't eaten anything or had anything to drink since about 10:00, I'm feeling pretty good. Maybe I'll go clean out the refrigerator?

Yeah, probably I shouldn't tempt fate.

MM comes home tomorrow from his 10 day business trip in NM. I'm not sure if I want to be better by then (for obvious reasons *ehem*) or if I just want him home to take care of me (misery loves to take advantage of those more fortunate, no?).

Ok, ok, I want to be better, but is it so much to ask that he be here NOW, so I can whine and cry and bitch and moan...and not to all of you?

that's what I thought.

Weekend Pictures

I finally got my pictures uploaded. For some reason my wireless internet connection doesn't want to work 90% of the time. It's annoying. Anyway, without further ado...

Lori, Nikkie, Rosie, Wendy, me, Daphne, Rowena




Here we are digging for books. Check out the load the girls brought. Talk about Heaven. LOL



I wanted to show y'all pics from my slumber party, too, but someone *coughRowena*cough* deleted them all from my camera. But we won't go there since it makes me unhappy.

Are the girls gorgeous?

Good Conversation, Good Food and Great Books

Makes for a wonderful blogger meet up with fabulous women.

We had our So. Cal Blogger Meet Up Saturday. It was fabulous to finally meet some of the wonderful women I've come to know from blogging. It's funny, but you'd think it would be awkward meeting someone for the first time, even though you've had conversations with them online. But it wasn't. Not at all.

I was running extremely late, so I missed the trip to the bookstore. But Ween was an absolute peach and bought Mine Til Midnight for me. Isn't she awesome? I haven't started it yet, but hopefully soon. I did make it to the Cheesecake Factory in time for lunch, though.

Everyone was pretty much exactly what I expected. Although, I have to tell you, for some reason I thought Wendy was a brunette and Lori would have shorter hair. I don't know why, but I guess I just had a picture in my head. Other than physical appearance, though, they were everything I expected from reading their blogs.

Conversation never lagged. We talked about the current goings-on in our lives, books and authors we love, plot devices that don't work for us, and etc. I had to laugh when Wendy said she hated The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning. Honestly, I'm surprised Rowena didn't leap across the table at her. And I snickered a little when Rosie got all fired up (again) about Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward.

I truly enjoyed meeting with these wonderful women and I can't wait to do it again..hopefully soon. I took pictures, but my computer kept freezing up on me last night when I tried to upload them. I'll try again tonight and post them if I can.

I also scored a ton of books. Being a bonehead, I completely forgot the pile I'd planned to bring (we talked about swapping), but Lori and Nikki really came through. Rosie and Wendy brought some (maybe 5 or 10 each?) but Lori and Nikki had boxes full. Enough to fill the back of a minivan. I only grabbed a few at first, just ones I'd been wanting to read or thought looked good, but before long they were throwing more and more on my pile. I think I ended up brining home about 20. THANKS LADIES!!!

I want to say thank you to everyone for coming. And I want to thank Rosie for taking the time to coordinate. Next time I promise not to be late. LOL

After lunch I headed home, with Daph and Ween following. We stopped at the grocery store to get Italian Sausage (I planned to make Spaghetti) then went to my house. I think we got there about 5:30ish. Everyone else was set to arrive about 6, so I held off on making dinner, just in case they were late. Good thing, too, since my mom and sister didn't get there until almost 7:15.

We had a great night. We had dinner, chatted, drank wine and margaritas and stayed up late playing Rummikub.

The only downside of the evening was when I tried on my wedding dress.

I just want to go on record right now and say I'm not fat. I'm not even close to being fat. But I have gained a lot of weight since I started dating MM. About 25lbs total, I think. That's a lot of weight to gain. Especially since I was at my perfect weight when we got together.

The thing is..my dress didn't fit. I just barely got it zipped, and that was after 5 minutes of my sister trying. And once it was zipped? Yeah, sooo couldn't breathe. Like, at all. I almost cried. Well, ok, I did cry, but not until yesterday. I've been depressed about it ever since.

But you know, I know this is my fault. I'm lazy. A lot lazy. And I liked to eat. I've struggled with my weight since I gave birth to my son, almost 9 years ago. I'm getting older now and I know I need to eat healthier and exercise more, but...well, I don't want to. LOL I know that sounds bad, but it's true.

I know I don't need to be a size 2. I would just look sick if I was. But not being able to zip up my wedding dress? The dress I just bought a few months ago? Well, that's just wrong.

So, today I started a new diet/exercise plan. I had fruit and yogurt for lunch, and I plan to continue on with that for..well, until the wedding, I guess. I don't eat breakfast (I had awful morning sickness when I was preggers with both kids, and to this day eating anything before 11:30 makes me sick to my stomach) so nothing needs to be modified there, but I plan on eating healthier at dinner, too.

I'm not big on sweets, that isn't my problem. Unlike 99.9% of women, I don't like chocolate. I don't like ice cream much, either. My two weaknesses in the dessert department are cheesecake and Peanut Butter Cups. So I'm cutting those out completely (trust me, it's not a hardship. I hardly eat them at all) and I plan on walking every night after dinner (I usually do this anyway, because the dogs need exercise, but I haven't in awhile).

My problem is junk food. I'm addicted to junk food. Chips, crackers, snacks, etc. If it's salty, I want it. That's going to be my problem. That and eating out. 90% of the time I forget to pack a lunch in the morning before work, so I end up eating out. I can't do that anymore.

Luckily I have 5 months before the wedding to lose this extra weight. Otherwise, I'd just buy a new dress and say screw it. J/K. Well, not really.

Anyway, pictures of the slumber party and blogger meet up to follow (at some point, it depends on my computer). I hope the rest of you had a great weekend.