I need some QUIET!

I am so tired of noise! I'm currently listening to Scott yell into the cell phone (he can't manage to have a phone conversation at a normal volume).

I always forget about the noise of summer. At work I sit under a very loud air conditioning unit. At home we have an equally loud unit that cycles on and off, requiring the constant change in TV volume. In addition to the AC unit, we've got two fans running all the time. Then there are the boats, the jet-skiers, the lawn mowers - it's all more noise!

In the dead of winter, there's no noise - the snow muffles everything, even the random snow-mobile. I rarely remember how wonderful that lack of noise is in winter, all I want is a fabulous summer day.

I think a favorite quote applies here: "A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken." - James Dent.

Next winter somebody please remind me that I really do love winters!

Current Music: watching TV, Men in Trees re-run - still clearing off the tivo.

He's Home!

Current Music: How Am I Doing? - Anna Waronker

They're In!

Ok, I just got a call from Scott (so much for call me as soon as you get in!) - they're on the island. According to the website they finally crossed the finish line around ten to three this morning! The funny thing is that Scott and JR didn't even know who came in when (with the exception of the boat that was right in front of them) or what place they took. I gave them the sad news that they didn't do very well, but at least came in ahead of Griffin! From the looks of things, many of the boats aren't even in yet (the results to date), but at least they aren't the pickle boat and they won't miss the party!

I was on-line all day and all evening watching the results. The first boat in their class came in around 5:30 pm yesterday, and they were only 3 hours behind them at the buoy - so I figured I'd see their finish time pop up any time after 8pm. I was checking until midnight, and still only 3 boats were in - so I gave up and went to bed.

I guess I can breath easy now - he's arrived in one piece and getting ready to party (grr, wish I were there) and he'll be coming home tomorrow!

Current Music: Into Your Arms - The Lemonheads

Thanks Harry, it was fun.

I read the first two books in '98 or '99, because my Aunt was wild for them and I "just had to read them". It's a rare occurrence, but she was right - I loved them. I couldn't wait for the third book to come out after I'd read those first two. I was hooked.

And so, almost ten years later, it's all over for my love affair with the boy wizard - the tale has been told. I finished the book around 2 am last night, a box of Kleenex at my side. It ended much as I expected, but with a couple of twists that I did not. All in all, a good ending to the series.

So, I'm happy, sad and a little exhausted.

Current Music: Thanks That Was Fun - Barenaked Ladies

So far, so good

I got home Saturday after seeing Scott off for the race, and I didn't see my copy of Harry Potter in the mail box. I got down to the front door, still no book. I decided not to freak out, I would just sit down and have a bit of lunch and then I'd check on line - then I'd freak out! Just as I was getting on to the Amazon website I heard the pup start barking, and someone coming down the driveway. It was here!

So, after getting the box open, and getting situated to sit down for a nice long read - I began. At this point I'm about half-way through, and so far so good. It's been interesting, exciting, happy and sad. I've been talking back and forth with my BIL and good friend R - both HP fans, we keep checking up on each other, discussing the book to our respective points.

I have been taking periodic breaks to clean, allow my eyes to rest, shower and of course - check on the race! At this point, our guys haven't rounded the buoy according to the website, but apparently there are a few boats on the horizon (of course they're all the big/multi-hulled boats). The committee hasn't heard from very many boats yet, so hopefully the guys are just stuck out there with everyone else and no wind! JR is a great tactician, so maybe he'll be able to find some wind that the others won't.

Current Music: taking an HP break, and trying to clear off the tivo (again!) since I haven't been watching anything for the last 2 days - currently another episode of Good Eats (again, I know, but I've got a ton for some reason).

Boat Night!

Big party tonight! It's the night before the big Port Huron to Mackinac Race, and this is the night that everyone lets loose (though I seriously wonder how all those sailors can manage in the morning - some of them will be out till the wee hours of the night)! But this year is a bit different, we're gaining a designated driver - Scott is joining the race! J's boat is down a crew member, so Scott jumped into the breach. It's been 20 years since he's raced, but he's pretty stoked. So we'll need to make it a bit of an early evening so that Scott isn't too bleary eyed or hung-over tomorrow (though there's no reason why I can't be!).

At this point our schedule is totally booked for the day and evening. We're going to take the boat out with J & M and the kids and look at all the boats this afternoon, then we're hitting the parties around 6:30 (I know we'll be hitting the Yacht Club and the Vintage Tavern - I'm not sure what else!). It should be a bit chilly, but it will be a fun evening - looking forward to it!

My mom just called - apparently they were awakened by an earthquake this morning! The last two times I've been home there have been small quakes, wonder if this means I need to go home?

Oh yeah - and it's Friday - so here's a Friday's Feast:
Appetizer: On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest) how much do enjoy watching sports on television?
3, there are very few sports that translate well to TV - I am a fan of going to the game

Soup: If you could completely memorize any one work of fiction, which one would you pick?
Hmmm, this is a tough one - the thing that first came to mind was T.S. Elliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. It's a collection of poems about cats that they based the musical Cats on. I'm not a huge fan of T.S. Elliot or Cats, though I love my cats, but they are wonderful poems and I can't really see the use of memorizing a novel. Somehow it just seems right to memorize poetry.

Salad: What is your favorite breakfast food?
That one is easy - my favorite would be Eggs Benedict.

Main Course: Name something fun you can do for less than $10.00.
Jeeze, there's not much - but I guess go to the movies (as long as you don't buy popcorn). I like to go to our local paper store and crop - that only costs $10, but it's not for everyone!

Dessert: How long does it usually take you to fall asleep?
Usually about a half an hour, I've got to read for a while. It's a rare night that I just lay down and sleep.

Current Music: California Sun - Jem

Menial Task #342

That's what I've just completed - that's all I've been doing this morning. I have a TON of designs to do and as well as pricing and follow-up calls and orders to place, but I've chosen the menial, mind numbing tasks instead.

With as much work as I've got I'm not really sure what brought on this particular case of the "fuck-its" (as my friend calls them). Though I did wake up this morning thinking that it was Saturday, and that can lead to instant early-morning depression! I'm also slightly PMS-y and I still can't figure out what to wear out tomorrow night. Well it could be the fact that Scott gets to race and then party on Mackinac for a couple of days, while I sit at home for the weekend (I will have Harry Potter to keep me company!). Actually - now that I think about it, I can totally see why I'm bummed!

So I realize that this is just a barely disguised post on procrastination, but as I've said before - I'm very good at it.

Current Music: You Sent Me Flying - Amy Winehouse

Not... going... to... make it.

Yes, I am a super geek when it comes to Harry Potter (though I am not alone!). I get all excited when a new book or movie comes out - so imagine my current state this month with a new movie AND the final book coming out - WAY past excitement (bordering on apoplectic)!

In advance of the final book release, I thought I would re-read the entire series (just to get all pumped and ready!). I was doing okay - starting on the first of July, I managed to get through a fair amount of the first book, then managed to finish one, two and three on the 8th (yep all in one day), got started on the fourth and that's where I fell short. Now I'll be the first to admit that the Goblet of Fire is not my favorite book of the bunch, and maybe it's the 700 some-odd pages that got to me, but I just could not make any head way.

So, after talks with my BIL (who is only slightly less insane when it comes to HP) and Scott (who enjoys HP) I decided that the best plan of action was just to re-read the sixth book so that I was as up to date as on the current goings on. Then after I've read the seventh, I can re-read everything at a more leisurely pace.

Which brings me to another question - how quickly should I read the final book? I realize that if I don't read it all in one sitting on the weekend that it's released, I will probably have the ending spoiled for me by the time that I get back to work on Monday. But if I fly through it, I'll be done, really done - no more Harry Potter. It's a hard decision to make - and worse yet I know that, since I really don't want the story spoiled, I will be sitting on the couch (probably with a box of Kleenex) all weekend and plowing through it. Even if that does happen - I'll savor every last word of it.

Current Music: Alfie - Lily Allen

UPDATE: Saw the Order of the Phoenix tonight, it was quite good. They made some changes, but still stayed true enough to the story - well done!

New Nail Polish!

Shallow I know, but I do love a new bottle of nail polish - calorie free happiness in a jar, all for just $8! I picked up "20 Candles on My Cake" and "OPI Ink". And I bought them even though I'm still totally in love with "Licoln Park After Dark" and "Oh...To Be 25 Again!" - it's an illness really.

So far I'm liking the 20 Candles, it's a bit grown up (but then so am I sometimes), it's a nice pinky-red or redy-pink it's a good nail and toe color - who could ask for more! I haven't tried on the Ink yet - it's super shimmery dark, should be a good toe color, but I only just put on my "Romeo & Joliet" - and I haven't even pulled out the rest of my super fun summer toe colors! The good thing is there's a fair amount of summer left.

In my next life I want to be a color namer for OPI or Benefit - that would be crazy fun! I actually have a polish color called "Who Comes Up With These Names?" - but seriously, how do they do it?

Current Music: Brown Eyed Girl - Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

Karma

Yep, it's a bitch! I talked about random bruising and clumsy people and low and behold - I go ass over tea kettle last night.

I was sitting on the floor wrestling a kitten (trying to put a new collar on) when Scott yelled out for help. Since he was hollering at the top of his lungs, I figured there was something really wrong. So I got up, dropping the kitten, and ran for the baby gate that we use to keep the dog contained. As I got to the gate, actually half way over the gate, Jake ran right out in front of me - so in an effort to not kill the cat I went head long into the baby gate and the fireplace. A couple of bumps, scrapes, and ice packs later I finally got to the back yard to see what all the fuss was about - apparently our resident bunny had infiltrated the fence and George had it on the run. So not worth it!

Current Music: watching TV, trying to clear some stuff off the Tivo - currently it's an episode of Good Eats

Clumsy

There's all kinds of clumsy - there's the person that drops stuff regularly (I have a few friends that could do with an adult sippy cup, specially after a few drinks), there's the person that can't manage to stay on their feet, constantly tripping and falling, and there's the person that randomly runs into stuff. That would be me.

It amazes me how many things I run into on a given day - I just managed to swing my hand into the corner of a cardboard box. What I really love are the random bruises, I usually get a couple "mystery" bruises a week (and that's not including any that I end up with after a party night!). This week's mystery bruises included a strange one on my hand - at first I thought it was just a spot of tan in a can that I forgot to wash off, and a vivid purple number that I found on my knee this morning. And that's just the stuff that I can see easily - I fear for my back side and any other regions I can't see!

How is it that I can do myself enough damage that I can bruise (or better yet are the random cuts and scrapes) and NOT remember?! I can't say that I bruise easily, since it usually takes a pretty serious bump, but if it takes something so noticeable, why am I constantly surprised by new injuries?

Current Music: Tears Dry On Their Own - Amy Winehouse

So very HOT!

It is crazy hot here today. Happily I'm here parked next to the air conditioner, but the guys in back have to be baking! It's currently 90 degrees, but with the humidity it feels like 95 or more.

The heat index is something new to me - being from California humidity isn't really something you deal with. I was somewhat prepared for Wind Chill - I knew what it was and how it affected the weather - and I knew how to prepare myself for it (more clothes). But the heat index - whew, that just means it's bloody hot out and it's muggy - and there's nothing you can do about it till the humidity breaks.

I suppose that's one thing I really miss about California - dry summers and wet winters. Here in Michigan you get dry (but snowy and pretty) winters and wet (but warmer than California) summers.

There's no doubt that it's hot here, but I just noticed that the weather in Beaverton, Oregon is just as bad! Who knew - I thought Oregon was cold and grey and rainy all the time. A good friend of mine is out there melting away - when you live in a temperate climate you forget about little things like air conditioning!

Current Music: You're So Damn Hot - Ok Go

Itchy

I am soooooooooooooooooo itchy! I have a ton of bug bites, all over my legs, feet and ankles and I itch!!!! I've taken allergy medicine, but still no relief. Everyone is suggesting calamine lotion or cortisone cream, but I'm far too vain - the calamine lotion is ugly and rubs off on your clothes and the cortisone messes up my tan in a can lotion (and apparently I need my tan more than I need to stop itching). I tried a Benedryl last night and that seemed to work, but if I take one of those during the day time I'll be face down on my keyboard in no time.

Have you noticed how when you get itchy on one spot others start itching too? I'm now getting itches where I don't even have bites - grr!

I'm not completely positive how I got all these bug bits either. I was at a picnic for the 4th, and I remember my ankles itching - so obviously something in the grass was getting me. But I'm still a bit baffled on the upper legs and the few random arm ones. We were all commenting at the party how few mosquitoes seem to be out this year - hmm maybe it's because they were all on my butt!!!

Well, off to work and scratch, but maybe not in that order.

Current Music: A Cold Wind Will Blow Through Your Door - Bill Ricchini

June Round-Up

It's that time again! Here's the round-up for June

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?
Hmm, the usual suspects when it comes to magazines. As for books, I read a particularly bad mystery book about talking cats - and just finished another average mystery that I can't even remember the name of (it was that memorable). I am thinking about starting the Harry Potter series again, gotta get prepared for the final book!

What movies and/or TV shows did I watch this month?
The Closer started - love that show! Also watched the Starter Wife and started watching Burn Notice - looks like it should be good. Loved the Started Wife, but I think it's over, I sort of thought it was a real series. Other than that it was re-run city.
As far as movies go we finally got out to see Pirates 3, it was good, but I was a bit disappointed. It could have been better, and it did wrap everything up - but I still feel like they left a big opening for more movies.

What special days did I celebrate and how?
There were lots again this month! My dad's birthday, my BIL's half-birthday (we celebrate a half b-day since his real one is right around Christmas and he always gets jipped!), my parent's anniversary, both of my parent's dogs are born in June and of course Father's day. The only thing we really celebrated was Father's day - since the family is all out on the left coast, I just sent presents. We celebrated Father's day much in the same way we celebrated Mother's day, quiet and uneventful.

What gifts did I give and/or receive?
I gave my BIL the new Harry Potter book (well I pre-ordered it for him, so it will arrive on his door step on the day of release and then he'll call me and we'll geek-out over it). I gave my dad an interesting book about Oak trees and a handmade picture frame with a picture of the two of us at a ball game. We (the pets and I) gave Scott some shorts for Father's day, but then he really liked them so I had to go back and buy a second pair (so I think that counts toward his present).

Since my mom was out visiting we got some extra goodies - chili, bread and cookies from home (I just can't find it out here!). She also brought out a few random presents from my sister - scrapbooking paper, a cute hand bag and a funny cat calendar.

Super props for my sis - she managed to find the white wing rub-ons that I really need to do the scrapbook page of my nieces in the snow!

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
We were in good health again this month, Scott's still having trouble with his hell hurting, and we both had a wicked case of hay-fever, but all in all we are well.

What fun things did I do with my friends and/or family?
Yet again, we had another fun month, we went to the Barenaked Ladies concert, had a BBQ at D & R's house (their sons were in town too), my mom was in town for a week, we took mom to see a recreation of the Nina (you know, Columbus' ship), strolled the St. Clair Art Fair with mom, went out to dinner with J & M and mom and went down to have dinner with JC.

What new foods, recipes or restaurants did I try this month?
Not much in the cooking department - printed off a bunch of recipes I wasn't to try, but haven't tried them yet. I did try a new stuffed shell recipe that was pretty good and also made a very disappointing tomato and chicken pasta. But since it's summer and we had mom in town there's not a lot of cooking going on.

We did try a good Italian place when we went out with JC, but other than that it was just take out, salads and quick fix eating.

What special or unusual purchases did I make?
Happily, there were no special purchases - as usual I bought scrapbooking stuff I didn't need and a few clothes that I did need, but nothing out of the ordinary.

What were this month's disappointments?
No disappointments this month (well no more than usual) - still no baby and money is an ongoing concern, but no major problems this month.

What were my accomplishments this month?
Still doing really well on the WOMAN Challenge - this is the last week and I've already met my goal for the whole challenge! The group is doing well too - I think everybody had fun with it.

Our company was featured in a local magazine, and my interior design article was in it!

Anything else noteworthy to record?
Scott's class was featured in the quarterly College newsletter - complete with a picture of the guys working in class (Scott's not in it though).

Of course a thing to mention is my mom's visit - I know I wasn't very nice in the other posts, but we love summer visitors and it's good to see our family. We look forward to the next invasion in August/September when dad arrives.

Current Music: All That We Needed - Plain White T's