Spring...or Did I Just Jinx Myself?

Still here!

Considered leaving but....

Please, please, please go visit Em's running buddy's blog and offer only encouragement:

Sneakers and Stilettos

They will be running their half marathon next Saturday.  Pray that they finish and Emily doesn't poop her pants.  It happens.  They also want a dog to run with them.  It's happened.  Anyone in Wilmington, NC can go out with signs like these:

After my week of suck...well, it didn't get better.  We got a buttload of snow.  Hunter was backing out of a driveway, on the phone, drinking coffee, applying mascara when he put his truck in a ditch.  A few swear words later, he was out and trekking up the driveway to get some one to help pull him out. Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma'am, boy down.  They brought him home to me so I could take him to the hospital.  Oh, and we were expecting more snow and ice that evening.  Long story short, he tore his quad at the knee.  Knee, which we were worried about, is fine.  So instead of surgery and a tour around Italy on crutches, he will do therapy twice a week for four/five weeks.  Yay!

Good news:

Still in Em's bath as we are STILL finishing our bathroom

Cute little pockets

I got the J Crew Collection Featherweight Cashmere Waffle Cardigan, L, Heather Pink

My girls are not one for texture but this is so subtle and soft.  Yes, it is very delicate but I will do right by it.  I can do medium or large in sweaters.  Found the large worked best for my 34F wonder twins.  I decided to go with a cardigan because it will get a lot more use.  Really like it.

We are so close to being finished with the bath.  Shower door will be installed tomorrow.  Waiting for the doors...come in this week but they will need to be stained and installed.  

Sneak peek

I missed my potty!

My Big Week of Suck

Usually a week is Sunday through Saturday.

I'm going with Monday through Sunday for this week.

Monday: 

 Lovely day.  Work.  Dinner.  Bourne Identity.  Ice storm begins.  Power out 9:30 PM.  Off to bed.  Smoke Detectors set off at roughly midnight (no real idea since power is still out).  Smoke Detectors go off again roughly fifteen minutes later.  Damn batteries didn't last long.  Disengage all smoke detectors.  Wide awake.  Cold.  Suck.

All Ice

Tree down by my driveway

Tuesday:

Still no power.  We are on a well so we have no water either.  Thermostat says it is 54F inside.  Phone says it is 4F outside.  Start calling utility company.  Have breakfast on the gas cook top.  Start the gas fireplace (pretty picture but doesn't heat worth shit).  Walk to the office because we do have wood burning heater there.  Get warm.  So bored.  Hunter ventures out and finds where the line is down from a frozen tree branch.  Continue to call utility company.  Snow is coming tonight.  Head to inlaws for some warmth and a hot meal.  Snow and ice is coming again so we head back home.  It is now 45F inside our house.  Off to bed at 8:00PM...still no power.  Slept horribly.  Suck.

Yeah, this is what I wore all day.  Inside.  Outside.

Deer tracks

Two huge pine trees down on track

Coyote tracks

Wednesday:

Still no power.  Call utility company at 6:00AM.  They know about all of us (about 18 homes) and should get to us soon.  Wait.  Wait.  Wait.  Call utility company again at 10:00AM.  They are not sure they will get to us at all.  What?!!!!  Major Suck.  Hunter gets friend to bring a turbo heater and a big kerosene heater so the house will not freeze.  Now down to 39F inside.  Paranoid my whole home will burn so I stay watching my breath.  Can't take it any more.  Head out to my folks place (they are cruising around New Zealand and Australia, bastards).  On our way....Utility trucks are coming!!!!  Turn around.  Wait.  Wait.  Wait.  Fuck it.  Head to my folks house.  Shower.  Shave.  Watch Justified.  Call from utility company, power is on. Yay!

The trees looked like they had tinsel from all the ice.

Thursday:
I am warm.  I am toasty.  I am so happy!

Nothing can spoil my mood.

Friday:
Head out my driveway for the first time.  Go to grocery store.  Power slide into a small bank trying to turn back into my driveway.  No harm.  No foul.  Head out to my father in law's to pick him up so we can do Mobile Meals.  Turn off car.  Won't turn back on.  Suck.  He drives and I fear for my life everytime he slams on the brakes to stop.  Hunter fixes my car.  More snow.  More freezing temperatures.  Suck (but I've got power and heat and flushing toilets again).

Saturday:
Iced in.  Dinner with friend cancelled.  Hunter tries to get out.  Slides his truck down driveway into yard.  He's stuck.  Suck.

That's our office and the driveway we have been using to get in and out.

Slid quite a ways and then tried to get traction.  Nope.

Sunday:
I have never shoveled snow before.  I never wanted to do it.  I definitely don't want to do it again.  But Hunter wants my company..can't say I am much help.  We have to get the snow off so the ice will melt before it freezes again tonight.  Suck.

shoveling snow sucks

My driveway

Water leak in garage.  Sigh.

Hope the fish survived.

Wonder what the NEW week will bring.  Fingers crossed.

Hoot-N-Nanny

 

Ever been to a Hoot-N-Nanny?

 

 

Let me show you what it is....

 

 

The lovely Ms. M, our hostess

 

Mr. J, our host

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's a Hoot-N-Nanny

 

Both a bit flushed from the great time...not the alcohol.

 

A great way to spend Valentine's Evening.

 

Much Love.



Pinkie

Some people just never learn.

Equipment Cecile Cashmere V-neck.  A bit too big.

We are not even going to discuss fit.  We are here to talk about PINK!

They say if you find the right shade it will be like wearing blush and you will radiate.

Uh.....

Rag & Bone Cashmere Valentina  Sigh

 I swear I have the same bra on.  See my belly button?  Wow...again, we are strictly looking at color.

Am I radiating yet?

If I really feel like being beaten down, I may give this a go...

Not sure I've got it in me.

In the mean time I will stick with my relatively new classic navy v-neck jumper from Brora.
 Yes, Dani's incessant nagging finally wore me down.  I think it is wonderful.

Hmm, when are they getting it in pink?

Mama and Her Brand New Glasses

Well Mom and I went out last week to find her some new frames for her glorious face.

She wanted something a bit more bold.  Sassy Sandy she is.

 The issue is she wears bifocals.  The frames have to be a certain size to accommodate the bifocal lens.  Here she is in her old frames, which I do think look lovely.  

I got good genes!

 Our first stop was Lens Crafters.  I did not keep the picture we took.  The frames were $200 and then with lenses it would be $800...and they were having a 40% off on lenses sale.  Wow.  A bit more than my mom wanted to spend.

Next was Walmart.

Looking quite dapper in cheap ass frames

The frames were $9.  Yep $9 and the lenses would be $139.  Her previous pair of glasses were from Walmart and she was quite happy with the lenses.  We were both a bit suspect of the $9 frames.  $9!!!!  And they might be too small for the bifocals.

Finally, we went to some other glasses store.  We were both a bit over it by now.

Sassy Sandy!

These frames were $140?  and then lenses again were super high.  The frames were a bit bigger and would easily accommodate the bifocals.  So....

We bought the frames, she took them to Walmart for the lenses.  Under $300 for the whole thing.  She is picking them up today.

Oh, and I got a free lunch!

It's Alive!

After what seems like FOREVER suffering with "the hack", I do believe I am finally well, willing, able to take on the New Year.

This is what we have been doing:

Drinking, eating, repeat

We had some very generous family, friends, subs, and vendors.  We got a bit fat.  I am now training to run another 5 K this coming summer...this time I plan to run the whole way.  Em will do it with me.  She's now up to 10 miles in her training for the 1/2 marathon.  If you have some time, please visit her running buddy's blog here.  They need encouragement!

*****

 Yep, that's studly and I in Vegas...The Wynn, or maybe Encore.  We had a great time with the old people.  My folks have requested to be referred to as something besides "the old people".  I suggested Near Deads but they did not seem too receptive to that either.  Maybe Marvy Mike and Sassy Sandy? Suggestions are welcome.  The smoke filled casinos set me back with my creeping crud.  Alcohol seemed to help.  Won a bit of money.  Yay!

All flowers.  Makes me ache for spring.

Bellagio.  Year of the Goat/Ram.

Bellagio.  Who's ready to garden?  Anyone?

 That's all I have.  We did go see an Illusionist/Magician at Tropicana one evening.  Was silly fun.  I must have looked quite special (in my Hermes scarf from Chicago - still love it) because the guy picked ME from the audience.  I had to write my phone number on his bicep.  I made up a number...I panicked giving my number to a complete stranger.  I also got four separate comments about the J Crew elephant tee I have on above.  Okay,  I wore it two days but nobody mentioned that.  A hostess, a security guard, Marvy Mike, and some chick at the airport all said they liked it.  A winner.

*****

We are gearing up to remodel our bathroom.  I have everything picked out.  Just waiting on my builder and a few days of nice weather.

I am embracing the grey.

 *****

I bought the Massimo Dutti Snakeskin Messenger Bag:

It's pretty.  Finally got a bit of exotic in my life.

*****

I have seen in theaters  The Hobbit, Into the Woods, and American Sniper.  I have watched at home The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (?), The Equalizer, Lucy, and A Walk Among Tombstones(?).  I am presently reading Wild.  That about covers it all except...

These guys came to see me a couple weeks ago:

So how is everybody's new year so far?

Yay 2015!

It's finally here. 

Christmas was meh.  Just not festive and fun like I remember/wanted it to be.  Of course trying to decorate a tree while everyone is whining, having to do all the shopping, wrap all the presents (my tape challenged daughter did help immensely with this one), see the extended family and all the "joy' they bring, prep and make a meal for ten people, and deal with a sick husband did not help matters.  We took it all down (except for the wreath in the half bath I discovered yesterday) two days later.  I'm thinking a cruise next year, maybe.

New Years Eve with Hunters brother and wife was fun.  The wife had also been sick and was on antibiotics.  After two glasses of wine, she was toast.  Last year it was the crying brother, this year the really drunk...but fun..sister-in-law.

Yay 2015!

I have been sick since January 1, 2015.  Sigh.

This is how I have felt all year, so far:

So.................

LET'S GO TO VEGAS!!

Las Vegas Weekend by htharri 

I'm taking Hunter and the old folks and we are headed to Sin City for a few days.

I shall compare MY stories to Tyler's stories when I return.