Happy New Year!

Wishing you

Comfortable.

The Girl: {as she settles down into the sofa}
Mom, your house is SO comfortable.
Me:
What do you mean? {thinking she is talking about the furniture but not quite sure}
The Girl:
There are no babies. They are so cute but they are a LOT of work. And there isn't any squabbling either. It is just comfortable.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love and hugs,
~ blondie

I am 49.

Don't make me drink alone. ;-)


Yesterday:
That kid is my favorite!

Truly Wordless Wednesday

Thank You:

Daddy, Rudy, Ryon.

Courage is almost a contradiction in terms.
It means a strong desire to live
taking the form of readiness to die.

~ G.K. Chesterton

Wordless Wednesday.

Happy Get Candy Day!

The least we can do is care.

Meal at the Manor: The Halloween Edition

Appetizer ~
What is your favorite Halloween Costume from your childhood?

Soup ~
Are you dressing up this year and if so what are you going to be? If you aren't what might you be if you had somewhere to go and show off your creativity?

Salad ~
Did you or will you watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown?

Entrée ~
Last year I had exactly zero trick or treaters. Does your community support Trick or Treats or do they have a Fall Festival?

Dessert ~
What is your favorite Halloween Candy?

Digestif ~
Do you have a Halloween or Fall Cocktail recipe you want to share with the group?

Happy Little Halloween Friday!

*sigh* YaY Blustery!

Today is:

Yesterday was:

Two Days Ago:

Meal at the Manor.

Appetizer ~
The weather in my land today is _______.

Soup ~
Do you think you spend too much time on the interwebs?

Salad ~
If your personality was a ride at an amusement park, what ride would it be?

Entrée ~
Once upon a time I _______.

Dessert ~
If you found $10 today, what would you do with it?

Digestif ~
If you had to move to a state besides the one you currently live in, where would you move?

A Caught in a Downpour Rainy Day Story

Dear Lady in front of me on line at Starbucks,

Seriously? You may think you ordered two of the same drink but neither the guy behind the counter nor I heard you do so. This isn't the guy's fault. It is yours. And no, they did not change the size of their cups. A tall has always been the small unless you wanted just a teeny drink. That is called a short.

The guy behind the counter knows when you order your drink Half-Caf that you want half regular espresso, half decaf espresso. You don't need to school him. I think hes already been to Starbucks school where he learned that.

Even if the guy behind the counter {who, btw wants to smack you at this point but he may have to get in line because now the queue behind you which was only 1 deep when you started is now about 6 deep} tells you that he can't give you cash back when you use your debit card you can STILL use the damn thing and gtfo. You don't need to then put it back away and paw through your bag looking for your Starbucks cards that you don't even know how much is on them causing him to have to figure it out for you. Then being confused that you still owe him $7.10 you must dig through your bag once again for the cash. Seriously. This could have all been avoided had you just swiped your debit card from the beginning.

Holy crap on a cracker lady. Did they just let you out alone this morning? Oh, and thanks for trying to run me over on your way out of the parking lot. I appreciate the extra jolt of adrenaline that the venti psl I almost spilled all over myself didn't offer.

Sincerely,
The increasingly disgruntled blonde behind you in line.

Wordless Wednesday.

Word{s}

1. grey ~
2. drink ~
3. skin ~
4. bat ~
5. straight ~
6. I am ~
7. discretion ~
8. shocked ~
9. blah blah blah ~
10. surprisingly ~

Happy Sunday Cowboys beat the Vikings Day!

No Wonder there has been a shortage!

Whatcha Got?

happy

love and hugs,
~ b

Wordless Wednesday.

;-)

101010

is



Have a Happy!
love,
~ b

Today's Adventure:

Two Blondes and a Mechanical Engineer build a fence.

It could get quite comical real fast around here.

Stay tuned for updates. Maybe even a photo or two.

Meal at the Manor

Appetizer ~
What is your pain medication of choice?

Soup ~
The three things I just haven’t gotten around to doing but probably should are:

Salad ~
Answer this statement: Not even if you paid me.

Entrée ~
What do you just not understand, no matter how hard you try?

Dessert ~
I have no control when it comes to coffee. What do you have no control with?

Digestif ~
In your opinion, what time of the day do you feel it is acceptable to begin drinking? 9am? Noon? 5pm? 8pm?

Little Friday.

This isn't my story but I found it to be quite endearing and thought I would share.

A very good friend of mine that used to live in our neighborhood and is happily married used to take time out once a week with his wife. We all had the same demands on our time, work, house, kids etc. Frank is a person who lives life to the fullest always and lives in the moment, I truly admire him, he is a real "life of the party" kind of guy.

He would make sure to help his W get the kids fed and to bed early or at least on time on Thursday nights. Once the kids were down, they would have a late dinner that he fixed for just the two of them. They would have a bottle of wine and unwind and talk to each other uninterrupted for a couple of hours at least once a week. They also put on music that took them to another place even though they never left the house. Sometimes they would talk, sometimes they would laugh, sometimes they would dance, sometimes they would just sit and listen to the music......together. Frank always said he and his wife liked to welcome the weekend a little early and thus the name "Little Friday."

Frank shared this practice with me a number of years ago and my W and I did this but did not quite grab the concept of maintaining the connection with each other. We made it more about a night to socialize during the week which is not bad but the point was to have uninterrupted "quality" time with your spouse.

I have now made it the one day a week I give to myself, a day to recognize that life is good and it is good to be alive. For me sometimes I want to be alone, sometimes I want to have friends over, doesn't matter it is my day to be happy no matter what! A day of affirmation if you will. I like to put on music that takes me to a different place, for me I prefer to go to the Caribbean so I tend to lean towards that music that reminds me of being on vacation.

So what are you going to do for yourself today to welcome the weekend a little early?

Happy Little Friday, my dears!
*hugs*
~ b

Vacay.

Snippets.

• 'Devils lost by one point. Not bad for an unranked team against the #11 team. We had a good time watching the game. 'Devils are showing some promise this year. YaY!
• Brown is not in. That being said, after searching in over half a dozen stores I finally did find a little brown handbag to go with my cute brown shoes. FYI - if you are looking for one - It's at Davids Bridal.
• I am the proud, albeit spoiled, owner of an iPad. It isn't pink but has a cute pink case to keep it safe. {Compliments of the State of Alaska PFD and my generous husband to be. Thank you, darlin. Yes, that smell is me. tee hee!}
• I will have to get back to you for sure but I think that leaving the house to go anywhere at 430 in the morning is just too flippin early. Even for a morning person. {I sure hope Rudy doesn't come in behind this and tell me it will be earlier than that. tee hee!}
• Boston and The Creature tomorrow! Oh...and tastykakes!
• I am not a shopper. Yesterday we shopped until I almost literally dropped. I am now the proud owner of a knee brace also too. *I roll my eyes*
• I have put my coffee in the micro for a warm up twice since making it less than an hour ago. I have hit the ground running this morning and keep forgetting where I put it.
• I think that Facebook is killing my bloggy. I will get back to you on that one also too.
• I may or may not be freaking the hell out about being the photographer {ok, 1 of 2} for the wedding this weekend. It really depends on the hour. LOL!
• I have a lot to do. Why am I sitting here?

Versus.

Thursday Thirteen:

A September Bucket List.

1. Enjoy a cool morning on the front porch.
2. Take our first plane trip together. {little tiny plane included.}
3. Share a meal with The Creature. {Not Your Average Joe's - provided we get there in time}
4. Find a comfortable Starbucks to hang out in.
5. Plant fruit trees in our backyard. {Washington Navel and Meyer Lemon are already bought and waiting to be put in the ground}
6. Practice honeymoon behaviours. ;-)
7. Spend time with the kids.
8. Put a fire in the fire-pit out back in the evening.
9. Play dominoes.
10. Try out the Thai place down the street. Rudy says it must be good because it always has a lot of cars around it.
11. Watch Blondie's 'Devils beat Rudy's Badgers. {vote your choice in the new poll!}
12. Celebrate with our friends in Maine.
13. Savour every moment.

Wordless Wednesday. {truly}

Situational Comfort.

She sat quietly off to the side and observed him as he walked in. Perhaps walked in doesn't properly describe what she saw. If you were observing alongside her you would have seen a 48 year old man with a greying beard and hair and a paunch covered by his usual Hawaiian print shirt, strutting into the room in proud peacock style carrying his feathers in his arms for all to see. That is what she saw as he entered the room. The feathers in his arms were one half of his almost two year old twins boys.

She saw him give his condolences. She noticed his wifey standing quietly holding her half of the twins. She delighted in seeing her own children swarm in to greet their little baby brothers. The babes eyes lighting up as the recognized their sister and brothers. So sweet. So touching.

And then it happened. He locked eyes with her. He turned and made his way to her side. Nary a word was spoken as he reached her and rotated his baby for her to admire. Truly, that is the reason he walked her way. He didn't introduce the child to her but rather appeared to want her approval and congratulations. She gave neither. She met the babes eyes with a sweet smile and greeted the little guy by name. And then she turned back to the conversation she had been involved in, dismissing him silently without giving him the praise he clearly desired.

She observed him later chasing after the two adorable little guys while watching her children offer him little help. The wifey seemed to have disappeared for a time. She later passed the wifey on the walkway and while she smiled and nodded the wifey refused to acknowledge. Which made it even more odd that as they were leaving hours later, the wifey was the only one to speak briefly with what seemed to be a forced "bye, blondie."

3 plus hours at the same function. Blondie spending extended time with his family by their invitation. One ridiculous display of peacockery. Two words spoken directly.

and Blondie will say once again - In any given situation where they are thrown together, she will always be more comfortable than they will ever be.


*snark*
and the new wifey totally looks pregnant again
*/snark*

Seriously?

Shopping over Football? Can you believe it?
Well trust me - it is only out of necessity.
We have a plan.

Get in.
Get what we need.
Get out.
{the words *speedy quick fast* are implied throughout the list}

Cross your fingers all goes as planned.


p.s. remind me later and I will tell you a story.

Thursday Thirteen:

stream of consciousness

1. Find a penny, pick it up, all day long have good luck. What do you get if you find a quarter?
2. Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Scone isn't even soothing my soul today.
3. Early is early.
4. why?
5. Week 2 down.
6. One is not the other. Seriously.
7. Cannot come soon enough.
8. Sonny and Brenda on General Hospital! *sigh* {don't you judge me}
9. Grief must be dealt with before one can move forward.
10. I long for you by my side.
11. Leshanah tovah tikateiv veteichateim {May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year}
12. Football tonight - isn't even exciting me.
13. tears. just tears.

Happy Tuesday Wednesday.

Fear the Fork!

Thursday Thirteen:

things I need to do.

1. put away the groceries. They are still on the counter where I put them when I got home an hour ago.
2. savour my grande non-fat easy whip pumpkin spice latte.
3. check countdown timer {again} to see how many days until I pick Rudy up from the airport.
4. weed my garden - what a freakin jungle that is.
5. finish the loser trophy for our Fantasy Football League and ship it to the loser.
6. upload disc 3 and 4 from the 5 Love Languages book for Rudy to pass on to his son.
7. make beds.
8. drink more coffee.
9. find a word worth enough points to score big and win my Words With Friends game against Rudy.
10. sweep floors.
11. watch The Tudors on Netflix.
12. finish this list.
13. figure out why the HELL I think today is Friday.

Wordless Wednesday.

Convince me otherwise.

No Words.....

just tears.

TGIF

Wordless Wednesday

{click it}

A Roll of the Die.

Happy Birthday, Rudy!

I love you my darlin!
*kisses*

I Am

Must See TV - errr - Youtube.

"It's okay. He has bandaids"

Wordy Wednesday.

tick. tock. tick. tock.

Wordless Wednesday.

A View of Things to Come

*sigh*

it's been so long.

Good Morning.

Happy Sys Admin Day!

love you, darlin!
~ b

Wordy Wednesday.

As you all know my X decided to start a second family two+ years ago and now has adorable 21 month old twin boys. I enjoy hearing my kids talk about the antics of the little boys as well as the unfortunate happenings that befall the new parents.

Cut to tonight. The kid attempted to phone his father. His father didn't pick up which is really nothing new. What was new was his father phoning him back a few minutes later with an explanation. The reason excuse was that his phone was in the master bedroom. Behind a locked door. That the adorable two year old twins turned the lock on. And then closed the door behind them as they left the room.

To add insult to injury apparently the CS has doorknobs on the doors that are supposed to be difficult for little kids to lock. And he had to disassemble the door in order to get in and free the imprisoned cellphone.

So tell me CS - How are those fancy doorknobs workin for ya?

p.s.
If we were friends on FB I would totally post this card on your wall.

An-Cay ou yay?

Meal at the Manor.

Appetizer ~
In your opinion {and with the understanding that this is just a silly question} can Vegetarians eat Animal Crackers?

Soup ~
What is the last thing that caused you to have buyer’s remorse?

Salad ~
Do you like Pesto?

Entrée ~
Do you feel the following statement is True or False: All good things must come to an end?

Dessert ~
Have you ever bought something after seeing a commercial advertising it?

Digestif ~
You need to quench your thirst and water is not available. What liquid will you choose?

Wordless Wednesday.

Limericks

There once was a blog full of fun
Brain-child of the blonde geeky one
Games,caffeine,sex and wine
Anecdotes to combine
Entertainment oft meant to stun

©blondie16~2010

Your turn.
Have fun!

Whatcha got?

{HT to Rudy for the great graphic}
{click it to big it}

Happy Caturday!

p.s.
check out the new poll on the sidebar.

Wordless Wednesday.

Word{s}

1. exhausted ~
2. x ~
3. hinder ~
4. acute ~
5. unable ~
6. snoring ~
7. tired ~
8. empty ~
9. drowsy ~
10. ! ~

Prompted.

Usually when I blog I like to write about sex, drugs and rock and roll {okay not really but rather sex, my idiot x,coffee, wine and the fact that Sarah Palin is not as harmless as she would like you to believe} but today is a little odd,because the prompt that T left me in a comment last week has been on my mind since reading it.

I have mentioned before, to Rudy, that I should make good use of a couple of websites I know of that have nothing but writing prompts. I obviously enjoy writing but have gotten out of the habit of doing so. T prompting me just might be the kick in the pants I needed to get me moving.

I think that my problem with the lack of writing is that I am generally happy and most of my previous writings come from a dark sad place where I am filled with angst. I need to find a way to rewire my thought process to enable me to write about things flowery and bright and happily ever after since that is the path my life is on. Using a prompt several times a week to just write could most definitely help me find a new comfort zone for getting what is in my brain and heart out onto the screen.

To that end I am going to start using prompts. I will probably up my writings here for you to read and critique. Don't be shy. {I know you aren't and I won't judge you while you judge me. tee hee!}

Thanks my dear T, for the prompt. It certainly did impact me even if it took the slacker me a week to respond to it. LOL!

Happy Monday!

That's Mighty Unfortunate.

Thursday Thirteen.

13 necessities for a man's success
{according to country music}

1. faith
2. sweat
3. the heart of a faithful woman
4. always treat your woman like a lady
5. never get too old to call her baby
6. be a best friend
7. tell the truth
8. overuse I love you
9. go to work
10. do your best
11. don't outsmart your common sense
12. never let your prayin knees get lazy
13. and love like crazy

Wordless Wednesday.

. . . .

Happy 4th of July!

The Unanimous Declaration
of the Thirteen United States of America

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.

He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.

He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.

He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing taxes on us without our consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:

For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:

For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.

We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton