More Google That Sucka

Back in Feb. I told you about some things I learned on Google.

Since then I've learned a few more things that I can share with you.

1. Race you, Race you...Have you heard the amazon.com TV commercial? The words are "I'm gonna race you, race you, race you, race you back home". I wondered out loud if it was a real song, but nobody knew. So I googled RACE YOU AMAZON COMMERCIAL and found out that it is a real song by Elizabeth and the Catapult.

2. Hairy Legs... The last time I was at the beach with a friend, she remarked that since we are in our mid-50's now, we don't have to shave our legs as often. I decided to find out if it was true. I googled LESS LEG HAIR AS YOU AGE? I was lead to the livestrong.com website that is partnered with Lance Armstrong's foundation. It's true, your leg hair growth slows down as you age. The pack of 16 Venus cartridges that I bought yesterday will probably last the rest of my life!

3. KNOW ANY TAINO?... I was behind a car with a bumper sticker that said PROUD TO BE TAINO. I had never heard of Taino, so you know what I did? I googled TAINO and found out that Taino are the indigenous people of Puerto Rico,Cuba, Dominican Republic, Bahamas and other islands of the Caribbean.

4.KNOW ANY BLOGGERS?...Since the Great October Computer Crash I have been trying to recreate my bloglist. I don't remember the names of a lot of blogs I used to read. I would usually just go down my list and click. I've been googling them the way I remember them and have found about half of your personal blogs and very few of the cooking blogs I used to read. If I haven't left a comment on your blog in a long time, I may have to wait until your blog name pops up in my brain or I see you comment on someone else's blog.

Rock My Socks and Float My Boat

Here's what's been rocking my socks and floating my boat. Nothing life-changing.

Library Books, 5 mile walk, Gorgeous sunny days

Coke Zero, American Idol, Orange blossoms blooming

Panko, Word Mojo, Strawberry season, Happy Offspring

Mama's got a brand new bag. Check out their blog. It's very cool!

Sweatin' To The Newbies (and some Oldies)

Since I was diagnosed with diabetes I have really kicked my walking up a notch. I had never walked more than a mile and a half at a time. In the past 7 months I have worked up to 3 miles. There are 2 essential elements to this...

The first is my new NIKE cross-trainers. They are much more comfortable than either walking shoes or running shoes. The second is my beloved green iPod. The walk goes so much faster and I can pace myself with my playlist 

This is my current playlist. It starts out with some slow stuff and works up to songs that make me walk really fast and break a sweat. Then I cool down.

1. CRUSH by the Glee cast
2. COWBOY CASANOVA  by Carrie Underwood
3. RHYTHM OF LOVE by Plain White T's
4. DOG DAYS ARE OVER by Florence + The Machine
5. BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP by The Foundations
6. MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT YOU by the Glee cast
7. STAND UP by Sugarland
8. AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG by The Temptations
9. LIVIN' ON A PRAYER by Bon Jovi
10. F%$# YOU by  CeeLo Green
11. IN THE AYER by Flo Rida
12. JUMP by Flo Rida
13. RIGHT ROUND by Flo Rida
14. CLUB CAN'T EVEN HANDLE ME by Flo Rida

(Take if from me...Flo Rida will make you SWEAT!! At this point it is a true POWER WALK)

15. WHO KNEW by Pink

16. STUCK LIKE GLUE by Sugarland

17. MORE THAN A FEELING by Boston

18. VIVA LA VIDA by Coldplay

19. GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN by Cyndi Lauper

20. I'M YOURS by Jason Mraz

21. DAYBREAK by Barry Manilow

This is about an hour's worth of music. Sometimes I mix it up and do a whole BLUES WALK with Delbert McClinton and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Other days I walk to all my favorite QUEEN or BILLY JOEL songs.

I'm off to eat a little lunch and tie on the Nike's.

What's In A Kid's Name

How did you choose your kid's name?

I recently read an article that said most people choose their child's name because they heard a celebrity with that name and they liked it. That usually means your kid will start kindergarten with the same name as 6 other kids in the class.

When I was pregnant for the first time we kicked around family names. For a girl, I liked Amy Bernadette (Amy is my best friend, Bernadette was my grandmother). For a boy we didn't want a Junior, so we changed one letter in Mr Sunshine's name. When Sorority Girl was born I actually chose her name from a song I liked (here's a hint...Elvis Costello) and her middle name is the same as my sister and my mother-in-law.

We looked at the baby name books. I didn't want anything too popular. Cape Cod Kid was #26 in 1985. In 2010 he wasn't even on the list. Sorority Girl was #47 in 1988. In 2010 it was #51. My father-in-law had one request..."please choose a name that will be dignified when they are 65"

Some parents are naming their kids after some of the girls on a TV show called "16 and Pregnant" (which is a whole other topic). Explain to your child how you chose THAT name. If we had chosen names based on TV characters of the time, my daughter might be Winnie (Cooper from The Wonder Years), Sue Ellen (Ewing from Dallas), Murphy (Brown), Darlene or Becky (from Roseanne). My son could be Ben (Seaver from Growing Pains, but there were already 3 Bens in the family) Norm or Cliff (from Cheers) or Bobby (Ewing from Dallas, but there were already 2 in the family)

We also decided to rule out all the ones that rhyme with our last name, so none of my kids are named Gerry, Harry, Kerry, Larry, Mary, Sherry or Terry.

Out of the 2010 popular names I actually like the girl's Top 5...Sophia, Isabella, Olivia, Emma and Chloe. The boys are Aiden, Jacob, Jackson, Ethan and Jayden.

 I knew of a kid named Justin Case and a girl named Candy Kane.  You couldn't have paid me to pick either one of those.

My One Word Challenge

Last week, I told you that Bunny had given me two awards. I fulfilled my first challenge, but then Massachusetts house guests, a Space Shuttle launch that was scrubbed (of course it was, I was THERE!) and things happened at work that I can't discuss (yet).





This is my second award. The rules are that I have to answer the following questions with one word. After I list my answers, I'll pass on the award.



Cell phone? Basic

Hair? Unruly

Mother? Kind

Father? Missed

Favorite Food? Carbs

Dream last night? Forgotten

Drink? CokeZero

Dream/Goal? Retirement

Room you are in? Living

Hobby? Internet

Fear? Speed

Where do you see yourself in 6 years? Grandmother

Something you are not? Quiet

Favorite Muffins? Blueberry

Wish list item? Cruise

Where did you grow up? MA

What is the last thing you did? Eat

What are you wearing? Sweatshirt

Favorite TV Show? Glee

Pets? Tigger

Friends? Loyal

Your life? Changing

Your mood? Optimistic

Facebook? Yes

Favorite place to eat? Alfonso's

Missing Someone? Dad

Your vehicle? SUV

What you aren't wearing? Shoes

Favorite Store? FreshMarket

Favorite Color? Green

Last time you laughed? 1:00

Last time you cried? Monday

Best friend? AJO

Place you go to over and over? Work



I'm choosing 2 new (or new to me) bloggers. I'd like to learn a little more about them.

catstevens

Ain't Miss Beehaven

Gracias Por Todo 2009

2009

Wasn't too bad, as far as years go. No major illnesses or disasters for our immediate family.
We moved to a new apartment that we really love. We have jobs.

Here's some of my FAVORITES OF 2009

TV: GLEE. I was a teenage chorus and band room geek. I love the characters (especially Kurt. I want to adopt him). I DVR the episodes, so I can watch a second time.
SONS OF ANARCHY. Sometimes I have to cover my face, because it is that violent, but once again, I love the characters and the storytelling.

BOOKS: SACRED HEARTS by Sarah Dunant. A young woman is sent to a convent against her wishes, in 1570, in Italy.
BITTER IS THE NEW BLACK by Jen Lancaster. She made me laugh out loud, so I read her first 3 books and enjoyed them all.
THE MIDDLE PLACE by Kelly Corrigan. If you have taken care of a parent, you can relate.

BEAUTY PRODUCTS: I started using Patricia Wexler products. We sell them at work, so I was able to sample them before I bought them. They're more expensive than the corner store, but less than department stores. I am completely addicted to her SKIN REGENERATING SERUM (makes your skin feel like satin) and TINTED MOISTURIZER (spf 30 and I threw away all my foundation).

RESTAURANTS: We were in South Beach for the Patriots-Dolphins football game a few weeks ago. We asked the concierge for "the best burger place in South Beach". She sent us to BURGER AND BEER JOINT. It was soooooooooooooo good. They make a 10 pound burger that is the size of a manhole cover. We skipped it, but we heard it had been featured on a Travel Channel show.
In our search for local, authentic Mexican food, we have had a few disappointing meals. Our favorite place went downhill when new owners took over. We recently found GARIBALDI in Apopka FL. This week was our third trip and every meal has been really good.

ADULT BEVERAGE: I'm not a big drinker. YUENGLING will do for beer. PINOT GRIGIO is probably my favorite wine. AMARETTO is my liquor of choice. I have recently discovered I love Amaretto even more when you throw it in some cranberry juice. I'm stocking up on Cranberry juice during the holiday "Buy 1, get 1 free" sales.

FAVORITE BLOG POSTS: The ones I wrote for SORORITY GIRL and CAPE COD KID's birthdays. (Go meet my kids)

BEST NEW EXPERIENCES OF 2009:
Eating an orange I had just picked at the orange grove.
My first NBA basketball game.
My first college football game.
I ate gator and went on an airboat ride.
Joined facebook.

BEST WORK ON A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION: 1-1-10, I weighed in at 16 pounds less than I did on 1-1-09!!! 46 down, 24 to go!

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, 2009

*this post idea was inspired by my new favorite bloggy friend, Bunny* (Go meet Bunny)

Contents Of My Brown Suede Day Planner

Back in Nov of 2007, when I was a baby blogger, I posted the Contents Of My Pink Purse.

Today I will show you the Contents Of My Brown Suede Day Planner.

• $3 off coupon for Hair Cuttery. They are affordable and 2 doors down from my workplace.
• 20% off coupon for Bed, Bath and Beyond. I bought a gorgeous pillow cover from PotteryBarn, but I won't pay $24 for a pillow insert.
• 3 coupons for $10 off a $30 purchase at Bath and Body Works. That's a better deal than my employee discount. I legitimately earned the coupons with previous purchases.
• An index card with a Weight Watchers list of points for servings of fruit
• A coupon for $100 off when you hire the company to Holiday decorate your McMansion if it costs more than $1000. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Oh, that's just precious!
• A cheat sheet for pairing wines with your Holiday food.
• Nutritional info for Subway
• Checkbook
• Bank deposit slip for the $40 that flew from our account to Sorority Girl's account.
• A 2010 calendar from Mariah's Medical Spa. She is my doctor's daughter. All procedures done with a doctor on the premises. No, I'm not getting Botox.
• A prescription for my Very Important and Very Expensive Cymbalta The Miracle Drug.
• An order for a buttload of bloodwork to be done before Feb.
• A CVS coupon
• Costco receipt and a Winn-Dixie receipt.
• Fresh Market receipt. If I can't go to the Dekalb Farmer's Market, The Fresh Market will have to do.
• Post Office receipt means I mailed a package this morning. Hey!! It's going to BUNNY!

It Adds Up To 250!

For my #250 post, I'm sharing 250 tidbits about me.

52 years old
5 years of dating before
30 years of marriage
24 years of being a Mom
2 children
-----------
113+ I've lived in
9 different houses in
2 different states (MA and FL)
-------------
124+
3 hospital admissions
2 surgeries (one on my head, one on my foot)
7 times I've had stitches (I AM the KlutzPrincess and I've had 2 kids)
4 ear piercings
------------
140+ a few cats through the years
5 cats (Meenoo 1, Meenoo 2, Bud, Miller, Tigger)
-----------
145+
11 jobs (Tennis club,A&W,Liquor Warehouse, Doctor's clinic Lab tech, County Hospital lab tech,
Insurance examiner Phlebotomist and EKG tech, Pharmacy tech, Barnes&Noble, Home Caregiver
for elderly with Alzheimers and hospice cases, Pottery Barn, Bath and
Body Works)
10 cars (Karmann Ghia, Vega, Mustang,Audi,Isuzu Pick-up,Mazda 323,
Mercury Sable, Volvo, Nissan Altima, Mitsubishi Montero. The
323 and Pick-up were the only ones bought new)
3 trips out of the US ( Mexico, London, Canada)
-----------
169+
7 nephews (Hi! Nick, Chris, Jon, Andrew, Ryan, Scott and Thomas)
5 nieces (Hi! Millicent, Kris,Katherine, Rachel and Erika)
3 are my Godchildren
-----------
184+
56 the most books I've ever read in a year
8 years of piano lessons with
2 different teachers
----------
250!!

My Life According To Elton John

My daughter found this quiz on facebook.

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think!

Are you Male or Female?
Little Jeannie

Describe Yourself:
Island Girl

How Do You Feel?
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues

Where Do You Live?
Driving To Universal

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
Made In England

Favorite Form Of Transportation?
Let Me Be Your Car

Your Best Friend?
Amy

Describe you and your best friends:
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters

Describe The Weather:
Thunder In The Night

Favorite Time Of Day?
Someone Saved My Life Tonight

If they made a TV show of your life, what would they call it?
I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top

What is life to you?
The Big Picture

Describe an ex-relationship:
Don't Go Breakin' My Heart

Describe your current relationship:
Blessed

Describe your job:
She Sold Me Magic

Your Fear?
And The House Fell Down

How would you like to die?
Dancing In The End Zone

What is the state of your soul right now?
Heart In The Right Place

Best Advice?
Turn Out The Lights When You Leave

Thought Of The Day:
Are We Laughing?

Motto:
I'm Still Standing

Like/Not Like/Don't Care

Blackbird started it. Badger ran with it. I'm giving it a stab.

10 things I like:

• Sparkly clean store from 2 after-closing sessions of deep cleaning
• Home-brewed french vanilla iced coffee
• Planning my Mom's 75th surprise birthday bash
• So You Think You Can Dance
• Going to Atlanta next week to see Mr SS's sister and her husband and my 2 delicious nephews.
• My craigslist $75 clothes dryer
• Crepe Myrtle in bloom
• Celtic Thunder
• Facebook
• The necklace I received as a gift from The Women's Colony

8 things I don't like:

• The brand new 5 inch wrinkle running across my forehead
• Half-assed menopause that won't commit to getting the job done
• People who break my daughter's heart
• The BLACK SNAKE that is living in the foliage outside my bedroom window
• Spring+Long-haired cat=fur sticking to the ceiling
• My toes. I'm holding out on getting a pedicure until next week
• The price of gas
• Non-restful sleep

5 things I don't care about

• Jon and Kate trainwreck
• Sarah Jessica Parker's twins
• All My Children stupid summer storylines
• The heat. I'm not bothered by 100 degrees.
• The fact that I can't think of 10 things I don't care about

The 6 Day Manager-Induced Vacation

When hours had to be cut from the payroll at work, I found myself on an unplanned, unpaid, unexpected 6 days vacation.

There are things I can do to fill the time. That's never a problem with me.

I need to freeze the newest batch of blueberries I brought back from the farm yesterday, find a decent Tuna Casserole recipe that doesn't involve Cream Of Anything soup.

I plan to write an email to my nephew who is spending his summer semester in Australia. I'd like to do a blog post on the last few books I've read.

I get to go to a friend's birthday party at a swanky bowling alley. She's a little bummed about turning 36.

I need to do some exercising in the pool, in between vegging out in a pool chair.

I really want to visit an old family friend. She has been dealing with her husband's Alzheimers for a few years and now has been diagnosed with cancer.
She lives 2 hours from here, so the visit would be possible, if she is up to it.

I have a stack of CD's to be downloaded into my iTunes....James Taylor, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Credence Clearwater Revival, Norah Jones, George Michael and Sacred Ritual Music of the Tibetan Monks.

Will I get the whole list done in 6 days?

What's In Your Music Rotation?

It's been a long time since I cleared out the CD holder in my car, so today I tackled that item on my To-Do list. Here's the current selection for my driving pleasure. Since I work one mile from home, this should last for the summer!

John Mellencamp-Cutting Heads
Aerosmith-Big Ones
Augustana-all the stars and boulevards
Three Tenors in Concert
Josh Groban
Pottery Barn Summer Fun mix
Pottery Barn Road Trip mix
Bob Marley and the Wailers-Legend
Leona Lewis-Spirit
Wicked Soundtrack
Jimmy Buffet-License To Chill
Beatles-1
Best Of Queen

Sorority Girl makes me mix CD's and gives them appropriate names like
Mom's Mission To Miami, Trip To The Beach.
The 2 that I currently have in rotation are
Girly Music and
Buzz Ballads Ain't Got Nothing On Me (the 90's mix

6 (un) Important Things

I was tagged by Missy of Suzie Said I Should. I'm supposed to list 6
(un)important things that make me happy.

Would you believe I'm having a hard time coming up with 6? Most of the things that make me happy are NOT unimportant. Some things that make me happy might be unimportant to other people, but with my wonky body and weird way of looking at things, they are important to ME.

1. Sunshine- When I step outside and I can feel the warmth of the sun soaking through all the layers of skin and muscle, right down to my bones and joints.
2. NY Times Sunday Crossword- Damn, it's hard! Sometimes it takes me 3 days to finish. Sometimes I can't finish it and I slide it into the bag of newspapers, where it will be tossed with the classified ads and store fliers. My personal rules are no looking at the answers and no dictionary. When I finish an entire puzzle, it makes me really happy!
3. Pedicures- This is one of those things I physically CAN'T do myself, so it is such a treat for me when I go, once a month.
4. Candles-I'm sensitive to strong smells, so I rarely I find a candle that I can light without starting to wheeze or getting a migraine. Right now my Slatkin & Co Fresh Bamboo is making me happy.
5. Lip Gloss- I hate lipstick. I hate chapstick. I hate sticky stuff on my lips. But I LOVE lip gloss that is slick and shiny. I use the C.O.Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine in either Spearmint or Cinnamon. If I want a little color I use Liplicious in either Cranberry Cocktail or Frozen Blackberry. YUM!
6. There is no number 6.

This Weekend's Meme

Borrowed from blackbird and badger.

What are your current obsessions?
Soft bedsheets, teeth-whitening toothpaste and tinted moisturizer.
Which item from your wardrobe do you wear the most often?
My black pants that I got at Kohl's (damn I wish they had pockets)
What's for dinner?
I worked and my dude wasn't feeling too good, so it was Kraft Mac and Cheese.
What is your greatest fear at the moment?
I think my wonky Thyroid is wonky again.
What are you listening to?
Celtic Thunder. I saw them on PBS, but this is the CD made before the TV special.
If you were a god/goddess what would you be?
I would be Helios, the Greek god of Sunlight
What are your favourite holiday spots?
Places I've already been would be London and San Francisco. Now, it's anywhere with a nice beach.
What are you reading right now?
I just ditched Plum Island by Nelson DeMille. Sounds like a good story, but spare me the sexist descriptions every time a female character is on the page. I just picked up On Bear Mountain by Deborah Smith.
What is your guilty pleasure?
I watch Dancing With The Stars, but I don't feel guilty.
Who or what makes you laugh?
Text messaging with my daughter. I'm SO bad at it.
What is your favourite spring thing to do?
Get back in the pool.
What is the best thing you ate or drank lately?
We tried a new Mexican place last week. Really good.
When was the last time you were tipsy?
Dos Equis on an empty stomach at the same Mexican restaurant.
What is you favourite ever film?
Love, Actually or Philadelphia or The Sound of Music
What is the biggest life lesson you've learned from your kids?
Don't sweat the small stuff and LIVE FOR TODAY.
What song can't you get out of your head?
Mercy by Duffy. We listen to it at work.
What book do you know you should read but refuse to?
I don't think there's any book I SHOULD read...except for the 6 that are sitting on my bedside table.
What is your physical abnormality/abnormal physical ability?
I have those bumps on my knuckles from arthritis/I can burp on demand.
What is your favourite color?
Green.

My Letter Is J

Jen did the meme and I asked for a letter. She assigned me the letter J.
Ten things I like that start with J? How about just 10 things?

1. JEANNE. I love that my Mom spelled it that way. If it was JEAN I would have the same name as a male cousin. It requires a lot of explanation and spelling it out loud. I will answer to Jeanne (1 syllable) or Jeannie. But not to JEE-ANN or JO-ANN.
2. JAM. Especially strawberry with big chunks of strawberries.
3. JAMBALAYA. I got the recipe from high school friends who lived in Louisiana, so I guess it's authentic. It won me a Microwave/Convection oven in a cooking competition.
4. JAW. One of the first places I got arthritis. By the time I was 16, the right side of my jaw was locking and I had the cartilage removed. It got me out of gym class my entire Junior year of high school.
5. JULY. It's a big birthday month. My brother-in-law on the 1st, niece on the 3rd, twin nephews on the 5th, Dad's was the 16th, sister on the 22nd and me on the 26th. Yes, I WILL eat cake on all those occasions.
6. JEWELRY. I have a big box full. I usually wear one small diamond and 2 smaller rubies in my engagement ring, one wedding band, usually 3 earrings in my left ear and one in the right. I wear a cheapo watch. The rest is funky beads on stretchy cord, a few very amateur pieces I've made (someday I'll blog the contents of my jewelry box, junk and all)
7. joy of cooking. I took it out of the library last month. I'll look through it one more time before I take it back.
8. Juicyfruit. I loved it when I was young. I wonder if it still tastes the same.
9. Jury Duty. I've been called to Barnstable County twice but wasn't picked either time. I've been on standby twice and didn't have to go. I got called to that court in Boston where you have to serve for a month, but I had an infant who had surgery a few months earlier and no family living within an hour and I lived an hour from Boston. I was excused.
10. J in my iTunes. Billy Joel, Elton John, J J Cale, Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, Julia Fordham, James Taylor, Jefferson Airplane, Jewel, Jon Secada, John Lennon and John Mellencamp.

That's Weird

Weirdest song in my iTunes-If I Had A Million Dollars (Runner-up Fat Bottomed Girls)

Weirdest thing that's been in my pocket- A patient's tube of blood

Weirdest thing in my car right now- lots! A Hot/Cold food storage bag, a box cutter, a clip-on air freshener in Island Nectar scent.

Weirdest place I've ever peed-Behind a rock on I-95 in Connecticut

Weirdest movie I've ever seen- A Clockwork Orange (Runner-up The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz)

Weirdest hairstyle I've ever had-The 80's version- A permed wedge that got cut into a permed mullet.

Weirdest outfit I've ever worn-The 1972 version- Purple Hot Pants, a white blouse with very puffy sleeves, a purple vest(longer than the hot pants), black fishnet stockings, black platform shoes. I was a Groovy Girl in 9th grade.

Weirdest thing I've ever seen anyone do- I knew a guy in high school who was a magician. He put a bunch of sewing needles and a very long piece of black thread in his mouth. He rolled it around in his mouth, then pulled it out with all the needles threaded onto the thread.

Word Association

Velocibadgergirl had a free association word game today.She got it from The Friggen' Cathouse. She got it from Luna Nina.

I chose an older one.
I say...and you think...?

1. Spit it out:: You don't know where that's been!

2. Shadow:: Knows.

3. Database:: Is not yet full.

4. Expression:: of my OCD tendencies

5. Boss:: Bossy

6. Baby:: Makes 4

7. Mystic:: Connecticut

8. Kate:: Holmes is way too thin

9. Boobies:: Saggies

10. Raid:: Kills Ants Dead

The "B" list

To-Do List that starts with a B

• Bank- because Bank near work doesn't open on Saturday
• Buy Blankets- because Sister and Sister-in-law are coming for a vacation. They are skinny women. They will be cold in my air-conditioned apartment. The Sunshine State couple are "fluffy people" who generate body heat. We don't need no stinkin' blankets.
• Bake Banana Bread-because there are 4 bananas in prime banana bread condition .
• Black Button- sew on the one that fell off my black cotton sweater at work Friday afternoon.
• Baby- mail the baby gift I bought for my cousin's new little munchkin
• Box- the large one in my kitchen needs to go to the dumpster.
• Bathroom- shower curtain in guest bathroom needs a new liner before the sisters arrive.
• Book- Run by Ann Patchett is due back at the library this week.

Taking Inventory

It was inventory day at the Barn. Counting-everything-that-didn't-walk-away Day.
I got 3 hours sleep, woke up before the crack of dawn and promptly clocked in at 5:45 AM.

I think I counted 5000 curtain rings, 200 drapes,24 sets of rod finials, 20 sets of drape holdbacks, 75 wood swatches, 50 rug swatches, 75 oil diffusers, 10 sets of diffuser sticks, 32 bottles of room spray, 75 candles, 90 picture frames, 60 pillows, 60 down pillow inserts, 16 large books, 5 large vases, 4 sets of nesting side tables, 20 woven baskets, 2 mirrors, 1 cube side table, 5 lidded wooden boxes, 6 stems of faux hydrangea.

We do KILLER pot-luck at the Barn.
I know I ate 1 square of egg and sausage casserole, 1 spoonful of cheesy potato casserole,1 slice of turkey, 2 brownies. 5 peanut butter blossom cookies.
I know I drank 2 cups of coffee, one fresca, 4 glasses of water.

I clocked out at 4:35 PM. I had a phone conversation with my daughter. I picked up the hubby at work, went to the REAL MEXICAN take-out place, (real Mexicans cook real Mexican food, open 24 hrs a day)

Any minute now I'm going to bed to read a few more chapters in Alan Alda's latest book.

Insomniac TV

I took 4 days off to get Mom settled into her tin-can-in-the-retirement-village. Followed by a 9 hour shift in the Winter Retail Forest. So today, I'm all beat up and posting a rerun.

So....I have this chronic illness. I never know when it will flare up or settle down. .
Someday I'll blog about my wonderful life with FM.Anyway....flare-up=not breathing well=not sleeping well=increased pain=not sleeping well=vicious circle.

This morning at 1:45 I realized sleep was not going happen so I started channel surfing. It's crazy out in TV land at 2AM.
TORI AMOS on Craig Ferguson. wHOO-wHOO. I recently discovered how much I love her and 10 minutes of Tori was NOT ENOUGH!
Chuck Norris punching the crap out of someone.
Lady on the Valencia channel doing origami
Dude talking about Jesus en Espanol
Gangsta wannabe dudes selling cars
Old dudes talking about Erectile Dysfunction.
OH, it's ELLEN on OH. I saw it at 3pm
Poker.
Burping Camel on Animal Planet. He's actually regurgitating.
A soap opera I don't watch during the day
Commercial for Chewable Birth Control-are they marketing to 9 yr olds now??
History of Salty Snacks on History Channel
Futurama-that lady with one eye and Peg Bundy's voice creeps me out
Poker.
Dude talking about Jesus in English
CNN- discussion about American Idol...now that's NEWS!
Poker
Movie with Melissa Gilbert by Danielle Steele about some Russian Countess with a horribly sad life and WILD and CRAZY RED HAIR. 3AM....not over yet....4AM not over yet...Holy cow it's Jennifer Garner (age 16) as her sloppy drunk daughter who feels like Mom is neglecting her. 4:30AM....Why didn't they tell me it was a Mini-series!!