Oh Crap, why isn't the water going down?!?

What's been goin' on at my house lately? I'm glad you asked... This here picture below is what I've been dealing with lately.

We tried plunging, drain clearing liquids, plunging some more, boiling water, snakes (only to find out whoever designed the pluming in this house was really stupid), and more plunging. So Instead of just leaving the dishes piled up (see above picture) and just eating fast food every day I began to take the dishes here ↓

.

Yeah, that's my bathtub (sorry about the stains). Now I'm sure there are those of you out there that know how much fun it is to be on your knees for 1/2 an hour or so, but for those of you who don't know... It sucks pretty badly (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more). So we had to resort to:

They had to drill a new hole under my sink because the original pipe went down from the sink backward into the wall and then made a 90 turn right to meet up with where you can see the old pipe in the picture above. So now we have a pipe that runs straight down from the sink as you also can see above. We had to hook into the old pipe because we couldn't find the air vent, so we just ass-u-me-d it ran up from the old pipe.

Also as a bonus you get to see how very creapy gross my basement is (we call this area our "Dead Body Room"). This room is the old coal storage room. Can I just ask how smart it really was to put the sink plumbing right next to the coal shoot?

Wuthering Heights

Let me just say first that I haven't read this yet, just seen the Masterpiece Classic on PBS. I've got it on hold at the library as we speak (read?)

I've noticed in the past as well as recently that the classics are just that. There is a reason that they have sustained long lives. I've read several "classics" and most of them really tell a wonderful tale. Deep, insightful, clear... anyway...

Like I said I got to watch Wuthering Heights and it really touched me. Usually I can do without movies made from books. There are exceptions (as with most rules), but this was beautiful. I think I might have a hard time reading this book due to the pouring forth of tears, but I'm going to try anyway. As long as the language is easier to get through than Dickens, I think I'll be okay. (yeah, I know I'm a blasphemer - You don't like Dickens? - Whatever)

So, I guess as soon as I get this finished I'll bore you all with what I think about it, without telling you too much at all about the story itself. Cause that would just be too easy.

Anyway... are there any books that caught your interest because you saw the movie?

It's Thursday again!

Alright. Since I just finished Twilight last week I figured I should come up with something to drink while reading it. First I thought Bloody Mary, but then I was all "Obvious Much?" Then I thought, since it's a teen book anyway, let's go virgin! So, while we read Twilight, we'll be having Strawberry Kisses in honor of Bella's hair.

Strawberry Kisses

3 oz strawberry puree
1 1/2 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz whipping cream
1/2 tsp caster sugar

Blend briefly with half a glassful of crushed ice in a wine goblet. Garnish with half a caster sugar-coated strawberry, and serve.

For all of you that need the "hard" version just add an ounce of your favorite liquor. I personally would suggest a nice spiced rum. MMM........

Makeover?

I call this "The Posh"

And this one is "The Flapper" This one can just be "C"

This here's "The Bitch Hair"

That makes this "E"

And this "F"

And then we have "The Marilyn"

So yeah, here you go... A full on view of the face, no makeup, no nothin'. And I just noticed while posting this that I totally have "Charlie Brown" eyes with out my glasses. Can't you just see the weird eye parenthesis? Anywho... I think my favorites are, The Posh, The Flapper and F. Which is your fave?

The Big 3-0, that ain't shit!

Okay, I've been thinking about this for a little while now, and I really don't get the big deal about 30. I turned 30 (dahn, dahn, dahn) in August and really don't get the drama. Of course I really shouldn't be surprised, I don't generally get what all the drama is about. I must be dense. I mean ooh, I'm a whole nother year older... My age ends in a zero... Whatever. What gets me is when I randomly think of something that happened the other day (you know, or so it seems) and then I bother to figure out when that actually was... I realize hey that was like 20 years ago. Then I'm all, wow, Wow. No way.

So, I get that getting older is weird, what I don't get is why it revolves around "decades." Is it because we as a people just like to have all these landmarks to use so we can make people feel worse because they hit them? Maybe. I think we should celebrate each new decade we get to instead of dreading it. We need to embrace the wisdom that comes with age. Because really there is no other way to learn some things. I know this because I remember thinking at my mom that she should "just shut up already and let me learn this crap on my own." So it's not likely that listening to our elders is going to be an option.

We need to appreciate what life has taught us and the fact that there is no way we would know even half the shit we do with out it. Also something that life has taught me is that mom (or dad, or friend etc...) should not just shut up and let me learn it on my own. She should in fact tell me anything she can remember. Because now that I am no longer a stupid teenager, all of my elders can't remember half the shit they know.

It's kinda irritating. One of the oxymoronic things. When grasshopper is ready to learn, ant can't remember what to teach him. I believe we should call the people we know care about our welfare and get them to talk our ears clean off. Even if what they have to say is a story we have heard a kajillion times before. Maybe now there will be a new lesson inside. And from the state of the economy right now, I would suggest doing this with the oldest person we can find. Because 30? That ain't nothin baby! I'm waitin to rock out in my 90's!

I realize as I'm writing this that my Great Grandmother, she's gotta be like 90-something and she? She still walks around the neighborhood. She would still walk to church every Sunday if they hadn't moved it out to the highway. She is my hero. And I hope I have the balls to live like she has.

Hold on world... I'm only 1/3 of the way there. And I am burnin it up!

Thirsty? Good It's Thursday!

Alrighty then, this here is for when you want to read something very light. Very Light. OOh, like People or The Enquirer. You don't really want to have to pay too much attention, and really this is more of a "Hey everybody, party at my house!" kind of drink.

I don't really have a name for it, but if you come up with one it should probably have Southern in it according to protocol or something.

1 Fifth of Southern Comfort

1 Fifth of Ameretto

1 Gal Pineapple Juice

1 Large-ish Jar of Maraschino Cherries (juice and all)

Mix all together and let sit for an hour or so, so the cherries soak in some of the liquer (yum) Also if you're feeling particularly frisky (and if you're making this how can you not be?) you can add pineapple chunks too. Be sure to eat these, they will have quite the yum factor.

All in all a very sneaky kind of drink. So please drink responsibly. ;-)

I got nothin!

So, I know it's Wednesday, but I don't have any good pictures to put up. I guess I'm just gonna ramble on about nothing. I've never really been too good at stuff like that, but I've noticed that when you're new and you take time off, you lose readers. So, let's see what I can come with, m'kay?

Well, there's always that thing where I'm "Sweatin' to the Oldies" with the In-Laws. It's been really fun. We get to be entertained by Mr. Simmons (and not the one that can lick his own eyebrows either) and laugh with each other about how frickin' hard it is to keep up with some of the moves. And Holy Crap is that really my pulse??? Dude, Richard Simmons is a great (okay I'll level with you here, I know the word I want but I can't remember it so you get this one) "Lifter Upper." He has this accent when he's workin out that is so much fun. And (OH RIGHT MOTIVATOR! That's what I wanted.) So anyway, I'm just lovin' it. And it was totally cheaper than a gym menbership. I'm kinda worried about the 2nd DVD though, it's like 85 minutes worth of stuff, and were kinda losin' our drive around the end of the first one (about 45 minutes). We'll see though. When you know there are other people doin' it with you it makes it that much easier.

And then there's the snow... well really I guess there isn't a whole lot to say about snow. It's sticking. It's blowing. OMG it's a blizzard! Yeah, not so much. Maybe a little North of us, but no reason to cry wolf all over the place. We've had all kinds of warnings and watches and advisories. What happened to, "Hey y'all, It's gonna snow for a few days, but you'll be okay if you just drive slowly and stay home for a while." I kinda miss the days without all the drama. You know, when the news wasn't totally out to scare a puddle out of you. "Keep 'em Shakin" that's our motto. Whatever, I'm not gonna go all "The Media is EVIL" on you so we'll skip ahead. Shall we?

Yeah, I guess that's all I got for now, but stay tuned... Tomorrow's got a doozy of a drink in store.

I really did...

I picked up Twilight at the library on Thursday evening. Yeah, I know, but the book I wanted to read I had managed to get the Spanish version. So, I wandered over to the Express checkout section (these are the newer / popular books that can only be checked out for a week due to popularity) and saw it. Well I had to see what all this hype was about. Did I have another Harry Potter on my hands?

It's a good book, but it's definitely in the Young Adult category for a reason. I've read here and there that the heroine of the story is kind of whiny. And you know? I really didn't think she was any whinier than your average teenager. I read this book and was really pulled back into my own teenage years. The book has the right voice for its genre. Now, I haven't read anything but the first book (I expect to though), but I think these are great for the age group they were written for.

I also think they have some room to wiggle. It wouldn't be awful if say a 9 or ten year old were to pick this up and read it (it's very PG). And I think it kind of plays to the youthfulness in the "Older" adults (you kow as opposed to the "Young" ones). But so far it doesn't have the depth I look for. I won't say it doesn't show up in later books, cause I don't know. I will say that this is great if you are looking for a love story with all the feel of a FIRST LOVE. Stephanie Meyer did a fantastic job making you feel the freshness.

So all in all, I really enjoyed my trip to Forks, and I wouldn't be opposed to going back. Just not right now. I really have way too much on my plate to do that. (Cause I just know I wouldn't get anything done until I read them all)

Anybody out there read this and have an opinion? (No Spoilers please like I said, haven't read them all yet)

On the verge of pulling out ALL of my hair (not just some)

Who decided that a girl should start her period around the same time PMS is really kicking in for her mother? Also was that person put in front of a firing squad, or just quietly poisoned?

Also along the same note... when did it become okay for children to even have hormones that make hating their parents acceptable? What happened to the thing where parents were right and teenage girls were nice, you know like in all those shows from the fifties?

Oh, and my daughter is not quite there, I'm just terrified because of how much of a shit I was to my mother.

My Rant

Okay, now this might get me in some hot water, but I can't let it go any longer. In my neck of the woods, winters make for lots of icy roads. Now I understand that it is kinda rough driving on slick roads. I also know that usually if you slow down (and stop driving like a freakin maniac) it's not so bad. What I don't know is, When did it become standard operating procedure to EXPECT that the roads would be wonderful and easy to drive on during winter storms? Do we not live in a climate where freezing rain & snow happens during the winter months? What happened to expecting that it might take a day or to to get the roads cleaned off? Or some roads not even being touched if it so happens that the storm just keeps dumping more & more crap. Where did this sense of entitlement come from?

I live in the city and I know that if you live on a side street, you're lucky to get a plow truck down your road on the third day after a storm (unless it's something really nasty, then, well, don't hold your breath I guess). We had a freezing rain and some flurries that decided to stick starting some time yesterday, and I am getting calls from people on side roads already! (right, I guess I should say that I work for the road maintenance section of the county (not city) and I get to take all the calls from concerned citizens about their road being to slick to drive on and they could need an ambulance and how would it get to them in time and AGHHHHHH SHUT UP!) Now I guess I wouldn't be so irritated if it was really bad like on Christmas, but come on it's only a little slick! Fricken Slow Down! Don't tailgate, definitely don't use your cruise control, and grow some common sense.

Okay, now that I got that off my chest, I feel ever so much better.

I'm alive!

So, my vacation was good. Thanks for asking. It also happens that it was VERY busy.

I had to finish buying stupid Christmas presents. But let me say this right now, I love buying that present, you know the one. Where you just know the person you're giving it to might cry... Yeah, that one. I even love buying the presents that are kinda "just right." You know, not too expensive, fit in with what the person likes, easy to wrap... It's the presents that are only bought so some brat, that won't appreciate them anyway, has something to open along with the rest of the kids. Yeah, I hate buying those presents. But everyone had something to open (except Key - Sorry, I forgot it at home).

Once I had all the buying done, I had to wrap the stuff (I totally wrapped everything on Christmas Eve). And Goose even got a letter from Santa (hand written with a little doodle and everything).

Then we had a small family Christmas with Jonzey's immediate family. It was really nice, of course it usually is. The next morning we did our Christmas. Which consisted of presents for Goose. We got each other a stay out of town at a hotel. (More on that later). Then we had two more Christmas's (yeah all in one day), My immediate family & then Jonzey's BIG family Christmas.

It was really nice. We got to see all the people we don't usually see (even though we live within like 20 miles of each other). And I brought like 15 lbs of Mac-N-Cheese (with shells because the store was completely out of elbow noodles - even the healthy ones) that was almost gone when we left. If you talk nice to me, I might leave a recipe for it someday (it's completely fat free - he, he, he NOT).

Onto New Years... We gave ourselves a trip to the casino near us. And WOW, let me tell you I have never seen so many slot machines EVER. I was kind of excited about playing poker for money (you know like they show on T.V.) and we walk in and NO Live tables at all. It's all this:

And you know what? I had a lot of fun. Between the two of us, we totally broke even, and in my book, that is winning. Here's to winning for the whole year of 2009.