Thursday 13

{Yes, there are more than 13
on the list but the 13 IS in there.
Don't you judge me. ;-) }

1. Turkey - roasted upside down. {end result is supposed to be a much more tender and moist turkey breast. We shall see}
2. Crescent Rolls - with Thankful notes baked inside to be read around the dinner table. {hopefully grandpa doesn't eat his. That really happened. ;-) }
3. Cranberry sauce - jellied. {I don't care for chunks in my sauce}
4. Olives - black and green with pimentos. {Do they come without that?}
5. Butter Pats molded in the shape of leaves. {molded myself with the help of the freezer}
6. Apple Pie baked by the kid's girlfriend. {I need a name for her, yes?}
7. Sweet Potato Casserole {a first try with this recipe so we don't know how it tastes. Hopefully good!}
8. Cake. {It isn't a lie.} Frosted with buttercream and decorated with fall sprinkles. {Or they will think Fall sprinkles but in reality the yellow are lightening bolts and the orange are nimbus 2000's from the Harry Potter sprinkles collection. The brown is just your normal every day sprinkle. ;-) }
9. Deviled eggs. {I am not sure when we started making these for Thanksgiving but I would be in deep trouble if they don't show up on the table today. Plus they are yummy! }
10. Wine. Of course. How could there not be wine? I have two bottles of Pinot Noir, a white zin,a chardonnay and a Riesling. {I wonder what the other people are going to drink. ;-D }
11. Green Beans. I have no idea about this. The marrieds are in charge of beans.
12. Potatoes. Yukon Golds I have been told. My sister is in charge of those.
13. Pumpkin Pie - The marrieds other parents are in charge of pumpkin. {My daughter refers to them as Warilynn. A combo of their names. ;-) }
14. Stuffing. My sister makes this as well because she makes a vegetarian dish using the stuffing for her vege people. {And a regular one for the rest of us. }
15. Sparkling apple and grape juice for those who don't drink.
16. Gravy. I don't make it from scratch and hopefully you won't tell. {crap. I wonder where my gravy dish is. *sigh}
17. Extra dinner rolls for when the crescent's run out. {can there ever be enough bread? }
18. 13 people for dinner. {plus one in Alaska - We Miss you Rudy! }
19. We are blessed.

Thursday Thirteen:

Meet the Pack.

1. Ronan - {Irish}"ro + nan" means little seal
2. O'Reilly - {Irish} minus the *O* means courageous, valiant.
3. Born early December 2006.
4. Best trick is his "Ain't I pretty?" Johnny Bravo impersonation.
5. Has been known to eat an entire {stolen off the counter} pizza and then wonder where his suppertime is.
6. Can pick up an item of interest, take it to the door, set it down, open the door, go outside, nose back inside and pick up item to take it outdoors. THIEF! LOL!
7. Truly believes he is a 100 pound lap dog and will climb in your lap, given the opportunity, to prove it.
8. Neighborhood welcome wagon when he manages to Houdini his way out of the yard. {The Alaska yard. No chance to escape in the SoCal yard}
9. Loves his belly rubs.
10. Hangs his head when he has been caught doing something he shouldn't be doing.
11. Puts himself in his kennel when he has been scolded or before bedtime most nights.
12. Hilarious to watch him chase his tail.
13. Loves to give many slobbery kisses.

Thursday Thirteen:

Meet the Pack

1. Ciara {"kee + ra"} from the Irish ciar meaning "dark" and implies "dark hair and brown eyes."
2. Siobhan {"shiv + awn"} is another Irish form of Joan meaning "God is gracious."
3. Born early 2004.
4. Rodent chaser.
5. Trickster when told to go to her kennel.
6. Loves to dig holes to get to the cool damp dirt for a napping nest.
7. Can say *want one* to get a snack.
8. Shakes with either paw but you must change hands to get her to shake with the other.
9. Will give high 5's but be careful cuz it can hurt.
10. Believes she is queen of the yard.
11. Will reluctantly give kisses and allow petting, but then wants a snack after.
12. Very independent and not inclined to cuddle.
13. Thinks the kid is hers and grouches at Ronan {the other of the pack}and puts herself between him and the kid if at all possible.

Thursday Thirteen:

This is My Morning.
{any of 'em, all of 'em}

1. wake to cats tapping me on the face.
2. roll out of bed and feed cats.
3. make coffee.
4. get dressed.
5. get iPad and iPhone.
6. find glasses.
7. unleash the hounds.
8. get kisses from and tramped on by said hounds.
9. sit under arbour.
10. drink coffee.
11. check email.
12. play angry birds.
13. watch the dogs play.

Thursday Thirteen:

Scraps

1. Ever Thine.
2. It's cold with sun
3. Point Taken.
4. A day Behind.
5. Fair Weather Friends.
6. Lots to do.
7. Ever Mine.
8. Soy Latte will suffice.
9. Pussy whipped?
10. Need more Angry Birds!
11. Vote. {over there}
12. Grow, Garden, Grow!
13. Ever Ours.

Thursday Thirteen:

13 To Do

1. begin a search for wedding rings.
2. prep yard for two very large dog kennels.
3. plant my garden. Late but better than never.
4. make honeysuckle jelly. {doesn't that just sound delicious??}
5. finish the bottle of pinot that is on my counter.
6. weed flower beds in the front yard.
7. make a trip to the pet store to recon food and food/snack storage for Malamutes.
8. continue to battle the gophers. {think caddyshack}
9. simplify my online life.
10. check for an update to angry birds. {I do this daily even though I know there isn't an update due out any time soon. I am ever so slightly obsessed.}
11. finish the 3 books on my kindle/ibooks app.
12. research Eco Friendly laundry soap.
13. begin planning a wedding. {T minus 10 {months} and counting}

Thursday Thirteen -

13 ways I am trying to live green:

1. Recycling - Cans, plastic & glass for cash. Everything else recyclable goes in the bin to be picked up once a week
2. Cleaning with a mixture of vinegar and water
3. 100% recycled paper products
4. Buying organic produce when I can
5. Nalgene water bottles
6. Brita filter pitcher
7. Vinegar to kill weeds
8. Paraben free hair care products
9. Replacing plastic storage containers with glass containers
10. Composting bin under the sink
11. Cold water wash for clothing
12. Drinking organic milk
13. Catching rain water to be used to water plants

Thursday Thirteen:

Streams of Consciousness.

1. it is freezing,literally,this morning
2. but the sun is out
3. which is better than the dreary rainy day we had yesterday.
4. it is quiet in here
5. facebook has truly killed my bloggy
6. makes me sad
7. but nothing I can do about it.
8. my daughter says
9. "Facebook is an interesting study in human behavior."
10. ITA {I totally Agree}.
11. so many twists
12. so much subterfuge
13. truthful much?

Thursday Thirteen

1. 32°
2. may
3. not
4. bother
5. you
6. but
7. blondie
8. is
9. freezing.
10. don't
11. you
12. judge
13. her.

Thursday Thirteen.

13 things I should be doing
but can't seem to find the energy
{or motivation} to do.

1. put away the last of the Christmas things {there isn't much left}
2. fix the wind-chimes {at least they are in the garage since the kid took them down for me last night due to the high winds and the ridiculous amount of noise they were making.}
3. grind coffee to make a fresh pot {that needs to happen asap - the lack of fresh coffee could be contributing to my slackassery}
4. hem my jeans {two pair to be exact. Plus there is a stack of mending that also needs doing.}
5. clean through the boxes {yes, the ones in the garage. The ones that still hold all the crap I can't find}
6. juice the last of the pomegranates {juiced a bunch this past weekend and made jelly. Really seriously good jelly.}
7. edit some photos {I have a lot backed up but have allowed someone's comment a while back to stifle my creative energy}
8. write {I read an old bloggy recently. It was interesting. I am not bad in the writing department and need to get back to it}
9. take some photos {but if I take photos then I need to edit them. See #7}
10. deconstruct and recycle packing boxes {there are a lot of empties in the garage. I need a bigger recycling container I think. Or to break them down more often. Or something}
11. organize the cupboards in the garage {they are a jumble after the holidays due to moving things around to access other dishes}
12. make a page on The Knot {I should have done this a long time ago but didn't. Rudy and I talked about it briefly last night. Once I get started it should be fun. Problem is getting started. Which you know from the title is the subject of this 13.}
13. go to the grocery {I hate shopping. Of any kind. I am probably going to put it off until tomorrow morning. That should send my Friday into a lovely fit of confusion.}

t-13

1. yesterday
2. sucked
3. today
4. isn't
5. much
6. different
7. tomorrow
8. will
9. suck
10. on
11. a
12. different
13. level

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.

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.

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.

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

Thursday Thirteen.

13 Things Blondie Is Looking Forward To.
In Alphabetical Order - Because She Likes Order.
{don't you judge her.}

1. A trip to Alaska with the kid in six weeks. His first. My second. We get to meet Rudy's Son on this trip. Cool!
2. Dinner with Rudy and the Creature in September. I asked the Creature today for dinner recommendations. He supplied me with quite a list. Now I have choices to consider. Not sure if this is a good thing.
3. Drinking. Cuz I am not really lately.
4. Marrying Rudy. *sigh* I love Rudy. He's my hero.
5. My Roma's ripening. Last count there were 5. Finally.
6. My next cup of coffee. Starbucks would be nice. Cinnamon Dolce Latte. mmmmm. I can even smell it now. Maybe I will go get one after the grocery tomorrow. {If I am lucky I will see the cop who gave me the effing fix it ticket last week. Course, that will only be if they still have sprinkle donuts. *rolling eyes*}
7. Reaching my goal weight. Go Team WiiFit!
8. Rudy finding a job in SoCal. {He is working on his resume as I type this. And applying for a job nearby on Friday. All good thoughts and prayers are gratefully accepted and appreciated}
9. September 25, 2010. Although I am a bit nervous about being the main photographer. I hope I don't disappoint. :-/
10. Staying at The Pemaquid. And not making too much noise and bothering the other guests. {That's what she said}
11. Tastycakes. Butterscotch Krimpets to be exact. I told Rudy I am bringing an empty suitcase and filling it with Tastycakes. I am seriously serious about this.
12. The little tiny airplane. NOT! It's really tiny, you guys. It freaks me out a bit. Good thing they sell booze on it. And this time the kid will be with me.
13. Traveling with Rudy. By plane. Again with the little tiny airplane. GAH! But we have never traveled by plane together so it should be fun. Or something. I will have to get back to you on that one.

Thursday Thirteen:

Reasons Why Blondie is Disgruntled

1. My house is hot because the cooler is broken. Again. {The kid has since come home and fixed the cooler but my house was a bit warm for the past 48 hours.}
2. I haven't had a drink in almost two weeks.
3. There is a drip from the faucet on the front porch.
4. My checking account balance is disgustingly low.
5. I don't know what to have for dinner.{I started this list last night. I decided on a turkey sandwich. It was very good and only 300 calories.}
6. Summertime TV sucks ass.
7. I have a headache. {headache is gone}
8. Have I mentioned I haven't had a drink in two weeks? {after today I believe I will treat myself to a drink this evening.}
9. The scale says I have gained a pound. I am calling foul on that one.
10. I spluttered coffee all over my yellow shirt this morning. {oh. wait. That was Rudy. tee hee!}
11. For the first time in my 33 year driving experience I got pulled over and got a ticket. Granted it was a fix-it ticket for my front windshield but still. My record is broken now. grrr!
12. There was not a single package of Angel Food Cake in the store. I need it for Saturday. I hate that I now have to go to another store later. How is this helpful?
13. It is 1130 and I just realized that I haven't had any coffee today. There is way too much blood in my caffeine system today.

Thursday Thirteen: {early edition}

13 Traveling Tips for Eric.

1. Stop to pick up Starbucks.
2. Phone a friend.
3. Don't forget your car phone charger.
4. Snacks: Trail mix, gummy worms, fruit.
5. Never pass up an opportunity to pee.
6. Don't be afraid to ask for directions. Sometimes the Garmin effs up.
7. Stop for coffee. {no, there is no such thing as too much coffee}
8. iPod fully charged for your listening enjoyment.
9. Go with the flow of traffic.
10. Smile at the driver that cuts you off.
11. Stop and stretch your legs and back.
12. Think. Plan. Dream.
13. Arrive Safely.

Please add to the list in the comments if you have any additional tips for him.

Be safe Eric.
*hugs*
~ blondie

Thursday Thirteen.

It's all about I.

1. I have had a most difficult week which included writing an extremely sensitive and pain-filled email to my siblings.
2. I did so because my brother and his partner added my X to their personal fb pages.
3. I told them of the abuse I suffered by my X's hand.
4. I told them that my X cheated on me repeatedly.
5. I told them how sad and hurt I am.
6. I am outraged that my brother ordered my siblings to delete the email without reading it.
7. I am confused yet not surprised at the obviously powerful hold my brother has over the others.
8. I am laughing about the fact that my brother is telling me that I must have an adult conversation with him and my siblings. Apparently email discussions are not Adult-like. Go figure. I bet the real business world will be shocked when they are told about this. HA!
9. I have not spoken to any of my siblings and have no plans to do so. I have not lost anything but rather just confirmed what I already knew. They are horrible people and I am better off without them in my life. Sadly this is a choice that they have made but I will respect their obvious wishes on this. Don't get me wrong, I am sad that they have chosen not to be in my life. I will miss the parts of them that is good. I am just, after all these years, finally strong enough to stand up for myself. It feels good.
10. I have deleted them from my FB. As has my daughter. The kid refused to friend them in the first place. And technically I only deleted the partner. My brother deleted me from both his personal page and his business page. My X remains on all their pages for those who are wondering.
11. I am laughing at the bit of Karmic retribution that I saw happened to my brother on Monday. Nothing like a flat tire on a snowy/rainy day to put a kink in trying to run a business that depends on the ability to get from here to there. HA! {Yeah, its petty. Don't you judge me!}
12. I am relieved that it is all out in the open and I no longer need worry that something may slip.
13. I am basking in the outpouring of love and support I have received from my children, my Rudy and G.{and all of you as well as I know that you would have been right there with me had I made you aware of what was going on with me} Y'all may never understand just how grateful I am to have then {and y'all} in my life.

Thursday Thirteen.

13 things I can see from my sickbed

1. Rudy's *first visit to Disneyland* pin.
2. naughty crosswords book
3. Concentric Circles
4. a cherry blossom tree in full bloom
5. grey skies
6. All 10 seasons of F·R·I·E·N·D·S
7. box of tissue
8. Stuart Woods *Kisser*
9. Photo of Rudy and I in Alaska in an Alaska frame
10. Candles
11. Bath & Body Works *Warm Vanilla Sugar* Lotion
12. 4 remotes. TV. DVD. Media Server. Bose.
13. empty wine bottle