Tuesday, February 28, 2006

The First Robin



Could it be?

Is it really almost spring?

I saw a robin today. The first one I've seen this year. I was out driving with my Mom, just enjoying the nice weather, and there he was....the first robin of the year.

It seems like there may still be something treacherous waiting around the corner. We haven't been pummelled with snow since before Christmas, and where's the ice been?

Don't get me wrong. I long for warm weather. The kind of weather where I can drive home from work at 11:00 at night and have my windows down enjoying the air and moonlight together.

I hope Mr. Robin isn't deceiving me....I hope he's not too early.........

Monday, February 27, 2006

work poop survival guide

I received this valuable little piece of info from a friend. I hope you all find it useful :-)

Work Poop Survival Guide


We've all been there but don't like to admit it. We've all kicked back in our cubicles and suddenly felt something brewing down below. As much as we try to convince ourselves otherwise, the WORK POOP is inevitable. For those who hate pooping at work, following is the Survival Guide for taking a dump at work.

CROP DUSTING When farting, you walk briskly around the office so the smell is not in your area and everyone else gets a whiff but doesn't know where it came from. Be careful when you do this. Do not stop until the full fart has been expelled. Walk an extra 30 feet to make sure the smell has left your pants.

FLY BY The act of scouting out a bathroom before pooping. Walk in and check for other poopers. If there are others in the bathroom, leave and come back again. Be careful not to become a FREQUENT FLYER. People may become suspicious if they catch you constantly going into the bathroom.

ESCAPEE A fart that slips out while taking a leak at the urinal or forcing a poop in a stall. This is usually accompanied by a sudden wave of embarrassment. If you release an escapee, do not acknowledge it. Pretend it did not happen. If you are standing next to the farter in the urinal, pretend you did not hear it. No one likes an escapee. It is uncomfortable for all involved. Making a joke or laughing makes both parties feel uneasy.

JAILBREAK When forcing a poop, several farts slip out at a machine gun pace. This is usually a side effect of diarrhea or a hangover. If this should happen, do not panic. Remain in the stall until everyone has left the bathroom to spare everyone the awkwardness of what just occurred.

COUTESY FLUSH The act of flushing the toilet the instant the poop hits the water. This reduces the amount of air time the poop has to stink up the bathroom. This can help you avoid being caught doing the WALK OF SHAME.

WALK OF SHAME Walking from the stall, to the sink, to the door after you have just stunk up the bathroom. This can be a very uncomfortable moment if someone walks in and busts you. As with farts, it is best to pretend that the smell does not exist. Can be avoided with the use of the COURTESY FLUSH.

OUT OF THE CLOSET POOPER A colleague who poops at work and is damn proud of it. You will often see an Out Of The Closet Pooper enter the bathroom with a newspaper or magazine under his or her arm. Always look around the office for the Out Of The Closet Pooper before entering the bathroom.

THE POOPING FRIENDS NETWORK (P.F.N) A group of co-workers who band together to ensure emergency pooping goes off without incident. This group can help you to monitor the whereabouts of Out Of The Closet Poopers, and identify SAFE HAVENS.

SAFE HAVENS A seldom used bathroom somewhere in the building where you can least expect visitors. Try floors that are predominantly of the opposite sex. This will reduce the odds of a pooper of your sex entering the bathroom.

TURD BURGLAR Someone who does not realize that you are in the stall and tries to force the door open. This is one of the most shocking and vulnerable moments that can occur when taking a poop at work. If this occurs, remain in the stall until the Turd Burglar leaves. This way you will avoid all uncomfortable eye contact.

CAMO-COUGH A phony cough that alerts all new entrants into the bathroom that you are in a stall. This can be used to cover-up a WATERMELON, or to alert potential Turd Burglars. Very effective when used in conjunction with an ASTAIRE.

ASTAIRE A subtle toe-tap that is used to alert potential Turd Burglars that you are occupying a stall. This will remove all doubt that the stall is occupied. If you hear an astaire, leave the bathroom immediately so the pooper can poop in peace.

WATERMELON A poop that creates a loud splash when hitting the toilet water. This is also an embarrassing incident. If you feel a Watermelon coming on, create a diversion. See CAMO-COUGH.

HAVANA OMELET A case of diarrhea that creates a series of loud splashes in the toilet water. Often accompanied by an Escapee. Try using a Camo-Cough with an Astaire.

UNCLE TED A bathroom user who seems to linger around forever. Could spend extended lengths of time in front of the mirror or sitting on the pot. An Uncle Ted makes it difficult to relax while on the crapper, as you should always wait to poop when the bathroom is empty. This benefits you as well as the other bathroom attendees.

Friday, February 24, 2006

to whom it may concern.........

I will be bringing the PINK jumpsuit picture to Grammy's tomorrow........

Music pick for the day




I've found a new CD that I was very surprised that I liked so well. It's the Curious George soundtrack. Jack Johnson has such a soft and tender voice that it's perfect for the type of music on this CD.

I've bought a few Jack Johnson CDs in the past, and I have always enjoyed them. He's got a real "feel-good" vibe to everything he does. I was a little skeptical when I heard he was doing this soundtrack, but I have been pleasantly surprised.

This is something that the whole family, from the kids all the way to grandma and grandpa, would appreciate. There are good messages in these songs, and the general happy go lucky feel that Jack adds to all his tunes is overly abundant. It's one of those CDs I can put in and it just makes me smile.

There are some soft, sweet lullabies. There are a couple of Jack's typical bouncy and happy songs. There is a cover of a White Stripes song that I was really impressed with. And he also does a duet with Ben Harper, who I LOVE!!!!!

His CD debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Magazine's top 200. This is his first No. 1 CD!!! Good job Jack!!!

I recommend it highly........

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Valentine's Surprise


This bright red room seemed perfect for Valentine's Day!!
The room with the red couch is the library right outside our room.




Ryan and I had a great weekend in Logansport, of all places. Sounds kind of weird saying we had a little getaway in Logan, but it turned out to be really nice.

I surprised Ryan and took him to a Bed and Breakfast for a belated Valentine's gift. He had to work Saturday night, so we only stayed Sunday. I would have loved to stay longer....there was so much to see.

We stayed in a B&B called The Inntiquity Inn. It was beautiful. It and the home next to it were originally built in 1849. The building that is used for the B&B was once the dairy barn. They have filled it with antiques from all over the world...it was amazing. The outside of the buliding had a little to be desired, but in the summer, I'm sure it's nice when everything is in bloom.

The inside of the house had beautiful things around every corner. It seemed like I would notice something different every time I went into our room. We had a little study area with a desk and a couple chairs. There was a huge antique bookcase full of books and old knick knacks. There was a huge library with a game board, an enormous selection of movies to take back to the room, and a beautiful marble fireplace. (There were three different fireplaces for us to use) We had a jacuzzi tub, so we enjoyed that after sitting by the fire and playing a little chess and some cards.

We had the entire house to ourselves for the night. The innkeeper, George, was there through the night to get us anything we wanted. All non-alcohlic drinks were included with the room, as was our huge breakfast. There was a restaurant in the bar downstairs, but we decided to go out to eat. The bar on the first floor reminded us both of the bar in the movie "The Shining." It had a lot of character, but it was a little creepy at the same time.

Our breakfast was absolutely delicious!! We walked down to the dining room at about 9:00 to find our table set, and our first course waiting on us. There was fresh fruit cups and a couple different breads. Our cook came out and asked if we wanted the "normal country breakfast." We didn't have menus or know what our other options would be, so we said yes. it was a good choice!! We had some kind of egg, cheese and sausage casserole, sausage patties, more bread, more fruit...it was almost overwhelming!!

Overall, I had a fantastic time, and I hope to go back when we can spend a little more time there. Ii would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a quick little getaway. This place would be great for anyone who likes antiques and talking history....George likes to tell lots of stories if given the chance. The website doesn't do this place justice at all, but this is the website. www.inntiquity.com

Creepy or Cute?!?!?





I was sent an e-mail about this...now, I'm taking a poll.....
Creepy or cute????

They are made of frosting!

These are made with marzipan.

Definition of Marzipan A, Almond paste: a sweet paste made of ground almonds and sugar, often with egg whites or yolks, used as a layer in cakes or molded into ornamental shapes.

MY VOTE IS: CREEPY!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, February 16, 2006

OH, that romantic man of mine!!!


Some of you got roses, some of you got romantic cards, was anyone as lucky as me? Did anyone else get the book called "I Love You More Than Beer" for Valentine's Day? (It's even shaped like a beer can...it reminds me of the old Hamm's beer that Dad used to buy) Coming from Ryan, that means A LOT!!!!!! :-)

So Ryan, being on the tight budget he's on, put together a V-Day basket for me with very little....but it meant a lot!!!

He even decorated the basket himself. He tied ribbons around the handles, and one around the whole basket. There was a little pink tissue paper in the bottom covered with some Hershey Kisses, a green leather journal, the book, and a framed picture of Ryan wearing a PINK....yes, PINK jump suit!!!! It was hysterical!!

At Christmas, I bought my neighbor a hot pink jump suit. When I sent Ryan in to look at the great bargain (like he cared,) he came out of the bedroom wearing it and strutted around the house unzipping the jacket, sticking his sexy little chest out with a look of either terror, or extremely overwhelming pleasure...and I got pictures!!! I had no idea he stole one to use for this occasion. And yes, once again, I did say PINK...how perfect for Valentine's Day!!!

So, along with the lasting memories I will have from the photo, I have this book.....which is filled with heart felt thoughts from a guy's perspective.

A couple good examples of the contents:
--"I love you more than beer. You taste better than beer (even those pricey microbrews). You're less filling. And when I've had more of you than the law should allow, I can still drive."
--"I love you more than hamburgers. You're juicy and meaty. Your buns are soft, never stale. And you don't need a lot of condiments to be tasty."
--"I love you more than Mcdonald's. You're more delicious than a Big Mac, saltier than a box of fries. And you know that a happy meal doesn't necessarily end with a toy prize."
--"I love you more than old westerns. You're always one of the good guys (even when you're bad!) I'd love to have a showdown with you at high noon. And if you ever showed up in chaps and a white hat, I'd slap my knee and holler "Yee Haw!"

Yeah, and there's 96 more to go with those!!! He's so crazy!!!

There's never a dull moment with this guy!!!! I love my Valentine!!!!!!!

Sunday, February 12, 2006

The Treck Continues.......



I'm sitting here at work recovering from yet another long night of good music.

Ryan and I met up with a few friends last night and went to Bloomington to see One Under. We had a great time. This was only the band's second trip to Indiana, and I'm happy to say I've been able to make it to both shows.

The band is made up of two of the guys from Ekoostik Hookah, and some other fellows from a band called The Shantee. They played at a bar called Uncle Fester's. I had never been there until last night. It was a pretty cool little place. There was balcony seating with a bar upstairs, and a small dance floor downstairs with another bar. Of course I was glued to the dance floor all night long. My legs and butt are killing me today......I guess it's good exercise to shake my butt, huh?

The band was excellent. They covered a Wilson Pickett song in memory of him due to his passing this past week. They also covered a couple Santana songs, which were awesome!! I guess Santana would be one of the different artists I could compare One Under to. They throw a lot of spice into their music.

It was strange to sleep on someone's floor last night. I haven't done that in years. The band didn't stop playing until nearly 3:00 A.M. so we opted to crash at my friend Tashanna's house. Ryan, being the boyscout he is, thought ahead and brought our air mattress, so it wasn't too bad. I got about four hours of sleep before we had to get up and get back to Kokomo so I could be available to be on call for work.......I love my job!!!!!

I've gotten my fix of Ed and Johnny from Ekoostik Hookah for awhile....now it's time for the other boys to come back out and play!!!!!!!

Thankful for the Little Things

So, I had a little battle with my toilet the other day!! (Isn't it weird how much we've blogged about toilets)

I decided to try out my plumbing skills because my toilet wouldn't flush. I pulled the top off the tank and tried a little handy work.....now I'm ready to flush...so, here we go, the top is still off the back, the lid is up so I can observe....Yeah, it's flushing...just like it should...but wait, all of a sudden, there's a nice long stream of toilet water shooting like a bullet across my bathroom. The wall is wet, the door is wet, the floor is a total disaster, but you know what.....that dirty ol' toilet water never once touched me!! Not my hands, not my face (YUCK!!)...nothing.

So that is the little thing I'm thankful for........

Moral to this story:
Always make sure the pipe that refills your tank is UNDER the lever for the handle...when the handle goes up, you don't want that pipe going with it!!!!!

Thursday, February 09, 2006

cast iron


Ok everyone, time to clean out your cabinets.

Do you or any of your parents and/or grandparents have any old cast iron skillets, or other cookware? Apparently they are pretty hot commodities in the world of antiquing. Maybe that's not a surprise to some of you, but I had no idea that old rusty stuff in my cabinets was worth anything.

I find stuff like this at the goodwill store all the time. Now, I think I'm gonna start buying it if I'm lucky enough to find the right brands because a lot of these (especially Griswold or Wagner brand) are selling for a couple hundred dollars a piece.

There's a pretty interesting website called panman.com that has pricing info, history, and cleaning instructions. It's full of all sorts of info about old cooking stuff.

There was a dutch oven on ebay going for over $500.00, so if you happen across any of theese items, it might be a good investment.

I'm going to Salvation Army and Goodwill after work. I'll let you all know if I get rich quick from this little mission....wish me luck!!

Sunday, February 05, 2006

floating babies

This was posted on "my Yahoo" page as one of the most e-mailed photos recently...pretty interesting, huh? It kinda freaks me out.....I think maybe someone did this to me as a child...maybe, that would explain my recurring dreams about water....weird!!!!


In this photo released by China's Xinhua news agency, babies have the swimming training at a Maternal and Infantile Health Care Center in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu province, on Friday February 3, 2006. Swimming for newborn babies, which is becoming increasingly popular in China, is not only good to the growth of babies' bones and muscles, but can strengthen heart and lung functions, Xinhua said. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Hang Xinghui)

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Oh, the memories......




Not having cable has been good for reminiscing the last couple of months.... I know at least Andrea will appreciate this!!

I pulled out a bunch of old movies the other night and came across Coal Miner's Daughter. I think this was the first movie I ever learned to quote. I can thank Andrea for that!! :-)

I remember pulling the old hide-a-bed out of the couch at Aunt Sissy's house and watching this movie over and over again. Watching it the other night brought back a lot of good memories.

It was always good times at Sissy's...at least when Andrea wasn't throwing brushes at me, or hiding nail polish bottles under my pillow case to smash my head on at night. Brent, or "Bee", as I used to call him, was usually a little nicer...sorry Andrea :-) I guess it builds character though, right?

Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that if they appreciate Loretta Lynn, Sissy Spacek, and/or Tommy Lee Jones, and they haven't seen this, or just haven't seen it in ahwile, you should take the time to find it somewhere. Sissy Spacek does such a great job, and you can't help but fall in love with this movie if you appreciate country music at all.

Brent and Andrea...this brought back a lot of warm fuzzy feelings for me. Thank you so much for giving me such great memories!!!!