Friday, July 30, 2010

the definition of vacation

I found this definition of 'vacation':
'leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure'
With no time frame attached to that definition, I think I had a mini vacation yesterday!
After work, I headed out to Auntie's for some good ol' fashioned summer fun.
One of my sisters lives nearby and was already there when I arrived at 1. My other sister lives on the property, but was at work, so I was able to borrow her bike. We biked down to the beach they frequent. It's a nice ride down the bike path along the Cape Cod Canal.
We spent a few minutes in the water, but it was pretty darn cold. As we lay drying off, we noticed a very dark cloud approaching. Instead of riding into the storm, we decided to stop at the seafood restaurant on the bike path. Just as we were parking our bikes, it started to pour. We still got to sit outside on the covered porch.
We sat with our 'lobster beepers', listening to the rain, and having a great time being 'tourists' and taking pictures of random things (like our bikes, beepers, and food!). Yummy fried fish and such!
On the way back I took a typical vacation shot of the bridge. Sometimes I forget we live on an island, but we are only connected by two short bridges.
To get from Auntie's house to the bike path, we cross over the railroad tracks. I don't know what it is about railroad tracks that I love. Maybe it's just the romance of rail travel?

Once back 'home' we jumped in the pool to cool off from the bike ride home! We played for at least another hour or so...laughing so hard I couldn't breath! Then we cracked open the beer I brought (I love stopping at the brewery for a nice cold micro brew!) and realized that my new dress matched Auntie's vintage glasses.
The sister who's bike I borrowed, works on a farm. Recently they had a new addition to the farm. A baby goat was born. Her mother and litter-mate, didn't make it (sad). The owners of the farm are away this week, but baby goat (Gracie) needs constant attention as she is still 'nursing'. So...she is staying with my sister! She is about the size of a small dog!
So that was my 1-8pm vacation. It seems like such a short period of time to have crammed so much fun into, but we did it and I was exhausted by the end of the day!

Monday, July 26, 2010

Now that it's official, I'm letting the cat out of the bag

This was our yard's major eyesore. A broken down hot tub. It came with the house. When we were buying the house, we tried to get a better price by not taking it (the seller said the price was negotiable with or w/o the tub...I don't think he expected anyone to not want it). Whatever happened, we took the tub with the house. It was pretty big...approx. 7.5' x7.5'...and could seat at least 6 people comfortably. After having it and using it, we fell in love with it.

The major problem we had was that it had a large cover, and we didn't have anywhere to put the cover when we took it off. So each time we set it on the ground, it slowly got scraped up and water eventually leaked in. We bought a replacement cover ($700). After that, the heater just kept heating and the water would reach temps of about 108. We spent another $600 to have that fixed. Shortly after, our new cover began to take on water. We shut it down just before moving to Nantucket several years ago, and since then it has just been collecting rain water and reminding us how much we would love to have a hot tub.

We got rid of it.
We bought a new one!
It's MUCH smaller (7x6'...seats only 3-4), but it's so much nicer.
We only did it because when we went in, the guy quoted us a price just out of our budget. Hubby and I said, well, we were looking to spend a little less than that so we'll have to think a little longer. Now, we have been shopping around for months and trying to decide if we should make such a large purchase...but we've decided to stay in our house and want to make it pleasurable while we're here. So of course he says 'let me see what I can do.' So we got one pump instead of two, though we can easily add a pump down the line if we want/can afford. He came down to our budget price, and threw in a cute little bar. The price included a years supply of chemicals, steps (which we never had with the old one), a cover AND cover lifter which will save the cover from getting ruined by being on the ground, AND disposal of the old tub! We think we got a good deal.
Part of the reason we got the smaller tub was so that I could have the lounge seat. This allows optimum massage for my weary legs. Most of the other tubs don't have them, I think. We also got the 'therapy' jets which was part of what I liked about the old tub, too. The dealer tried to talk us out of them (because it would bring the price down), but I wanted them, and he still made us a deal though I was willing to pay for the feature!
What really sold us on this brand of tub, versus the other area dealers, was the salt water system. It uses a salt mixture in the filter system so that you aren't adding chlorine/bromine to the water. I can't wait to see how it feels, but with this system, it takes several days for the salt levels to get just right. Once it's right, though, we only need to clean/adjust twice a year! It smells clean...not chemically. We're almost ready to start using it, maybe tonight if stuffs right.
It's also much deeper and once you're in, you can see trees and sky...no neighbors!
So that is our big news...now that it's official, I'm letting the world know!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

At long last...a dress is born!

I took on a project I was unsure of and made a mediocre dress that I can wear in the company of good friends only. But I have done it...actually, I am planning on working on it a bit more. Read on, and you will see why.
As you all know, I was troubled by the fact that I couldn't really decipher the patterns. I am less than a novice at sewing...I know that people do it, but that is really the extent of my knowledge...well, in all honesty, I have made a few wrap dresses, but come on...this is way beyond that for me!
After cutting the pieces, I made darts...my second attempt at darts, I think, but the first time has been pushed from my memory for the most part, so it could not have been a pleasant experience. This time, I think I did okay.

I was able to successfully pin and sew the basic pieces with virtually no trouble...from me OR the machine!

Of course, it would not be the usual sewing experience without some protest from said machine. I couldn't even tell you what happened here...?
The dress I made is sleeveless (I don't even want to think about making sleeves right now!). I thought that would make it easier but I had some trouble and I got some bunching around one of the armpits. Miracle of miracles, the other one went off without a hitch.
Some how, after sewing it in, tearing it out, and sewing it in again, I still managed to come up with a crooked zipper and extra fabric to bunch up at the bottom! Damn!
The neckline...I decided to go square, which I like, but clearly my sewing skills are in need of some serious practicing!!

This is the top of the zipper where things still don't quite match up...even after two tries!

The bunching and all it's glory!

Finished! Front view...

and the back view.

And the most annoying part of this dress: I worked so hard at the zipper; and, after trying the dress on mid-sewing I wasn't sure it was big enough. However, the finished dress slips over my head without the use of the zipper!! Good news: I will likely take the zipper out and simply sew the back all the way up. Problem solved!
Not bad for an old sheet!

An evening at the county fair

This post is loaded with pictures so I will try not to be too wordy!
We (I) had planned on going to the fair last night the MINUTE I heard the Gin Blossoms were going to be playing. Now, I'm not a die-hard, follow their every move fan...but they were popular during the time in my life when I was leaving my teens and entering 'adulthood'. So to get to see them for the $10 admission price to the fair was exciting to me. We had a few friends that were going to meet us there. Slowly they backed out, until the very last one cited 'rain' as his excuse. Yes, it was raining. Yes, it got heavier as we got closer to the fair. But, it had completely stopped by the time we got there, and I was glad we didn't let our friends' absences stop us from going.
We spent some time looking at the (few) animals they had...mostly sheep. A couple of them were very curious. So cute!

Then Hubby wanted to wander around and look at the rides. It made me sad because my favorite part of the fair is the rides but I no longer have any riding buddies. Instead, I just got some pictures.
I probably would never ride a roller coaster that is taken down and put back together so many times, but it's got lots of great curves to shoot.
I can't remember what this one is called, but it was 'the scrambler' back at the fairs we used to frequent as children, so that is what I always call it. One of my favorites. The 'tilt-a-whirl' is another fav, but I didn't see it...
I LOVE this swing ride, and I could've gone on it myself, but everything was wet, so I actually lost the urge to ride anyway. You sit in a swing and then the thing spins and you go really high...it's like flying!
The ZIPPER...I will NEVER get in this thing, but I just love to watch it...crazy people ride this one!
The Ferris wheel...a classic. I rode this once, and I think it was even too high for me...and just being up high isn't a thrill for me...
Then it started to rain again, so we waited it out in the 'exhibition buildings' and looked at all the prize winning quilts, cakes, veggies, photos, and so on. We ran into a friend of mine who was not actually part of the 'people we expected to see' group. So, at least we got to see someone we know...it always reminds me, 'this is your home'.
The rain let up and we decided to get some food. The band was coming on in about a half hour at this point, and the bbq Hubby wanted was right by the stage. I couldn't decided what to eat. Maybe it's too many choices and not wanting to get one of everything that made it so hard to decide? We ended up getting onion rings to split and I spotted root beer floats next door and that sounded really good.
And isn't anything with a giant pink flexi-straw delicious??
Just as we got our rings, it started to rain. And then it poured buckets as we stood under the food stand awning, eating and sipping. Once we finished eating, the rain had let up and we decided to find our 'seats' on the lawn.
Everything was mud, so there was no sitting!
This picture doesn't do it justice...the water was seeping it's way up my pant legs and I was wet up to my shins and my shirt was a bit soggy.
As we waited for the band, I looked over and thought how quintessential 'county fair' this stand was. I realized that from the very first fair I went to, some 25 years or so ago, to today...the food stands never change!!
At this point, my camera started flashing it's 'low battery' light. Of course! True to my life, it's already raining, which is my curse...and now, my camera's going to die.
I was able to get ONE picture of ONE band member (the guy in the green shirt). (Sadder than that, I didn't get any shots of how truly and unbelievably soaked we got!)
The band played for about 30 minutes. The rain had stopped just before they went on and began again just as they started to play. It POURED! I was very angry with the people with umbrellas because they kept blocking the view of the people who were actually braving the rain to see the band. Plus, they were still getting wet as it was raining sideways at it's most fierce downpour. So after about a half hour, the stage was getting dangerously wet...puddles almost to the mic stands...so they said they'd try to dry it up and come back out. We decided they would probably not come back out and we didn't really want to just stand in the rain for the sake of just standing in the rain...so, we went home. Luckily Hubby had a few dry shirts in his car, and a towel for me to dry off and sit on.
I had a blast, and am glad to have a partner who thinks it's fun to stand in the rain and see live music.
(sorry, I guess I couldn't limit my wordiness, after all!)

Thursday, July 22, 2010

no, I haven't given up yet

I'm SLOWLY working away at this dress project. It is very frustrating for me. And here's the *best* part: I bought the zipper and bias tape needed for one dress...and have cut the pattern and pieces to make THE WRONG DRESS!! So, I need to buy a shorter zipper and wider bias tape. Or...truer to my nature, I will just make due with what I have and not be surprised when the dress comes out looking like a complete mess.
I have already decided that the fabric I'm using (an old sheet from I don't know what era!) has a funky pattern on it (pictures only when the dress is finished as I want the fabric to be a surprise) and to make the neckline as the pattern suggests would be difficult as patterns would show through making an ugly mess. So, I've used my extensive skill set in the field of sewing to cut out a square neckline instead of the low cut 'v'. I can only imagine what the finished product will look like, but the next step is sewing.
My saving grace is that I was able to use the top end of the sheet as the bottom edge of the dress...no hemming! Making the darts was a challenge, but I pinned them rather quickly as to not get too caught up in the frustration (yes, you will likely see this word often in my sewing blogs until I start to consult the thesaurus for other terms).
I guess I should start my sewing as I wait for the delivery I'm expecting today.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Well, I cut some patterns last night. To be specific I cut out the front and back panels of one dress. After reading the instructions my head was spinning. SPINNING! I think I'm just going to have to do what I think needs to be done using my limited knowledge on how dresses are put together. Part of my problem is that I want to make a dress that is not exactly 'Dress A' and not exactly 'Dress B', but a combo of the two. In essence I am making a simple sheath dress, and it really shouldn't be hard. I'm just trying to do it 'right' and so in reading the instructions it is sounding like maybe it's not as easy as I imagine it should be?
(Even the instructions look more like something out of a biology textbook than a sewing pattern!)

I'm not sure about tonight. Hubby is off to play poker, but I need to be in bed by 8 (a mere 2 hours after getting home from work), so I don't usually have much motivation to get involved in anything on Tuesdays. Maybe I can manage to cut the dress parts out so that I can get to sewing after work Wednesday.

Wednesday morning I have my first review at my grocery store job. I found out that a friend of mine who started there just before me got a pretty nice raise. I also heard that she had complained to our other friend who has worked there forever that she never gets to 'work the floor' but always gets stuck on register. He said, 'it's because you're too slow putting product up.' (or something to that effect, I wasn't there...this is info from Hubby) So I'm hoping to get at least what she got, since I get kudos from my bosses on a daily basis.

In gardening news: things are mostly green. The tomato plant is getting more tomatoes, but not ripening yet. Cayenne plants actualy have multiple peppers, but nothing ripening. My snow peas are being crowded out by weeds I think as I have been TERRIBLE at weeding this year. Lots of blossoms on the pumpkins and squash, but no fruit yet. Lots of tiny cucumbers; and my bag of green beans to blanche and freeze is getting filled up nicely. My watermelons/canteloupes seem to be growning but not quickly and it's all still just leaves and stems, no flowers or anything more. I wondered if all the bees on the lavender caused a shortage on pollination action in my garden?
Maybe some pictures to come this weekend...I can't believe I have a Saturday off. And after an evening of fun with a 'mystery' group of friends at the fair!

Monday, July 19, 2010

I think it's the heat...

I'm just going to go ahead and blame the heat for my sudden departure from reality. What was I thinking...'I'll just sew a couple dresses.' Like it's no big deal!
I know, I know...'it's no big deal.' While that may be true for some, even MANY, here's how my experience has been so far:
Step 1: Jazzed about buying patterns for $1.99 each! This must be kismet! I can't wait to start.
Step 2: Pick the easiest of the 3 patterns so as not to get discouraged by a difficult pattern straight-away. Already I begin to feel the heart race...how do I have any idea which is going to be the easiest?? I have sew exactly one dress in my entire lifetime. As I recall, towards the end of that project, I got lazy with the button holes and skipped any finishing touches like hemming and any 'hidden stitches' inside the bodice. I'm still not sure which dress I will make first. I bought the patterns Saturday.
Step 3: Find those old sheets I was going to use as experimental fabrics. I can't justify buying any new fabric for something I am beginning to dread even doing, so old sheets should do the trick. I found a nice navy flat sheet with a light blue trim that I think will work nicely as the bottom hem of a dress...we'll start there.
Step 4: Find enough time in one block where I can sit in peace and concentrate on the task at hand. This is proving to be even more difficult than picking the right first pattern! I think the problem with this is that I just wanted to 'make a quick dress' but am not ready to face the fact that the first one (and probably the following 10 or so) will neither be easy nor quick. A few hours, even one whole day, will likely not be enough for me.
Step 5: Forget all other steps and just do it! For $1.99, who cares if i mess up the pattern, right!? I am using old forgotten sheets...if I cut it up and have to throw it away, well, then that's what happens, I guess.
So that's it...tonight, I cut up patterns.
Tomorrow, well, tomorrow is harder to find time as I have an early night...so, probably no work on Tuesday night.
Wednesday afternoon, cut that sheet to bits and start sewing it back together! Maybe by the end of the week I will have something to show for my stress...or possibly I will have a pile of useless paper and fabric?

Saturday, July 17, 2010

On my plate

I think I'm picking up speed. I have begun to DO stuff with what's on my plate instead of just moving it around and playing with it like a child who is face to face with a less than appetizing dinner. The past couple of days it has been straight down to the gym after work, then into the studio to do something...ANYthing. So far, the results are less than stellar, but there are bits and baubles to prove my hands have been working.
I made some paper beads the other day. I think they are really cute, though I have not decided what to do with them. It really was just something to get my hands dirty (or glue-y) again.
Hubby brought home a TON of scraps of paper from work several months ago. I decided to start small with these beads. A lot of it is too wrinkled to do much with, but it is high quality paper, so instead of tossing it, I will likely make new paper from it some day. In the meantime, I have these cuties to show off. I LOVE the tiny one in front that kind of looks like one of those old Renuzit air fresheners.
The super annoying thing is that I have lost it! The thing I made as a drying rack is just a sturdy piece of my handmade paper with some stick pins stuck through it. Then I put the beads on the pins to dry. Well, while taking photos this evening, I hit the paper, and everything went flying. That tiny blue bead is no where to be found. :(
These I made with some other scraps of paper and experimented with fancy scissors for the edging. I thought the brown ones reminded me of pine cones.
I also want to get some stuff in my etsy shop again. Right now I am in vacation mode so that I could use the summer to re-shoot some pictures. I REALLY wanted to have some new stuff, but have not gotten that far, as we all know.
I think I'm getting better with my camera, but now I can't decide...do I use a plain white background which makes exposure easier? Or do I stick with my old background that is sort of my 'signature' background which adds a little colorful interest to the picture? I mean, I want to sell the piece, not the background...but I want my stuff to be noticeable as 'my stuff'.
What do you think?
White background, or...
dotted background?
The strange thing is that the color of the bowl is closer to the color with the spotted background, but the background color is off of the original. The white is more washed out. Neither is exact though. I think I'll start re-listing things in a couple weeks though, so I can reopen the shop soon.
I'm in another 8 day work stretch so that I could get this coming Saturday off. We're headed to the county fair to see the Gin Blossoms on Friday and I don't want to have to be up at 4 the next morning to get to work. I'm planning on sleeping in and having an entire relaxing day with Hubby. But I may also start sewing!
I decided to check out some patterns at Jo-Ann's Fabric after work today, since it is just 2 doors down from where I work. It just so happened that Simplicity patterns were $1.99 each with the sale ending today. I found 2 pretty basic patterns I thought I'd be able to manage. Of course, upon opening the packages and looking at the instructions I thought 'why did I think I wanted to try this again??' It has been 20+ years since I last attempted to make a dress. I will also be using a very temperamental machine that I found in the attic of the house we bought. My theory was that if I could find a simple dress pattern, I could just make a few dresses to bring for our Vegas trip, therefore cutting down on unnecessary over packing and multiple pairs of shoes. Hubby and I are light packers. I don't think we have ever checked our bags. We are one carry on each kind of people. Although, we are flying directly...it might be nice to not have to deal with the overheads and cramped legs...?
Anyway, that project should start soon, I hope, but probably not seriously until after next weekend.
I got this one, because I thought I could make the sleeveless top, but in the longer 'mini dress' length, or as a cute top for jeans or capris.
This one is the best because it's just a simple dress that I think would still make me feel like I should be staying at the Flamingo waiting to see Sammy Davis, Jr. crooning with his pals while I sip my Manhattan. And, I think a friend of mine actually has the original pattern in her collection! (yes...Donna?)
I got a third one, too, but can't find it on their website. It's just another plain dress, but there's also a pattern for a little jacket to go over it. This may all turn into me saying to my friends, 'you want these patterns?' but I gotta give it a shot. I mean, with the patterns being so cheap and me sitting on a stack of sheets I never use, what's the harm, right!? :)
I'll keep you posted on my 'sheet dress'!
Until then, time for sleep!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

It's my Friday

I feel like blogging, though I don't have much time right now...so I will likely post again tomorrow.
Here's a list of random things:
1. My cat enjoys licking the handles of our reusable shopping totes and camera bags.
2. I was at work the other day and turned down one of the aisles to run into an old friend who I haven't seen since her engagement party about 7 or 8 years ago!! She now has twin girls, has moved BACK to Chicago for the second time after living in Texas, and was just home visiting her mother!!
3. One of my co-workers is back from vacation (14 days...who takes 2 week vacations anymore?? Lucky!) and said, 'you lost weight...you're tiny'. I am now in love with her.
4. We're getting Chinese take-out for dinner tonight. This is the first time in about a month that we've ordered out! I have been very good about 'make menu, buy food, cook dinner'. I'm getting the 'Kid's Happy Box'. That means small portions and no leftovers to keep ruining my 'diet'.
5. I REEEAAAALLLY want to get back into the studio, but I just don't know if I will ever be able to motivate myself to do it.
6. I have been working out diligently and loving it. Today, I did sit ups and push ups and took a nice walk to the beach with Hubby after work.
7. I am trying not to think about November, but it is really hard. I get up early anyway, but I like not HAVING to do it for awhile...4 am is getting difficult again.
8. A couple more friends seem to be up for the Gin Blossoms at the county fair next weekend. They may even ride rides...I've never ridden with anyone other than 'the girls'...not sure I really like the idea, but I guess we'll see.
9. We've had some nice rain the past couple of days. That means a handful of beans, stakes and twine had to be put up for the edammame, and the tomatoes are getting bigger, but still green.
10. I discovered film in my old SLR camera that still had film in it from our life on Nantucket. I have a few shots to take and then I can have the film developed to see what memories I might have lost if not for the camera.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

It's just a job

My job at the veterinary hospital is just two days a week. Two 11 hour days a week. Some days I feel like I am wondering around checking and re-checking the same two dogs and cats. Other days, I can't even get out of the building to run errands without getting side-tracked by another job to do. This week was one of the latter. And it's not just busy...it's usually gross. And when it's not gross, it's at least aggressive. Sometimes, it's both. Most days I'm good...hold on tight, things go fine and no body gets hurt. This week was different. Monday, I was working with a girl I don't usually work with. I was holding a dog for her to take blood. When she didn't get any with the first stick, she started over. This time, she held the un-capped needle pointing up. I moved to re-position the dogs head and jammed the side of my hand onto the needle. It hurt, but not like it hurt later. I now have a dime sized red mark on my hand and you can see where the needle went in. I got kinda nervous for a while when my wrist was hurting, but I think it's just because I actually think it hit the bone? But what had me nervous was the fact that it was in my hand AFTER it was in the dogs neck. On top of that there were especially gross things happening yesterday. Including a pet that had died at home on Saturday, was kept at home until Monday and even then, not brought in until the cleaners left the owners house. It has been brutally hot here, and this pet was NOT kept on refrigeration. It was disgusting! Then more nasty stuff I am not going to go into (since I think I may have already gone over the edge with that story?)
Well, that day ended so onto Tuesday. Not as gross all around, but not a super day for me. For one thing in the middle of the day I had to drive a half hour to get a part for the hair clippers that I couldn't find anywhere. For about 25 minutes before leaving for lunch, I was helping to hold a dog that was getting the side of his face shaved to clean up a festering hot spot. He was good considering we thought we'd have to sedate him due to the location and size of the spot, but he kept thrashing randomly and his head would come up. At one point, his head came up and I managed to get smacked so hard in the side of the head that if felt like my ear was bleeding! Plus, because he had been laying on his side, his mouth was drool soaked and it all got in my ear!! Oddly enough, the woman who was doing the shaving, grabbed a paper towel and not only wiped the side of my face, but also stuck the paper towel IN my ear! 'Thanks Mom' It's strange how comfortable you can get with people you only see two days a week!
Then I was helping with some ultrasound or something, which we do in the x-ray room, and I managed to hit my head on the overhead part of the x-ray machine!
It just seemed like a long two days and I am glad this is only two days a week!
Then I see on TV the couple of episodes leading up to the two hour special of Deadliest Catch...the memorial to Phil Harris...I'm crying my eyes out!
I'm ready for my day off!!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Exhausted!

I think I've mentioned before that Hubby and I do not go out a lot. Better put: I don't go out much with Hubby. I has been a regular social butterfly this summer, but I am more happy as a home-body. However, we have friends who have a house on the cape and a few weeks ago, we saw them for the first time in a long time at an art gallery opening. During dinner, they mentioned they had a couple friends they thought we'd have fun with, and said they would have us all over for dinner. I had no idea it would be so soon, but they are off work for a week and so are staying on in their cape house. That meant a Sunday night dinner, instead of a friday or saturday. That meant I didn't have to be up as early the next morning. Apparently that meant we needed to stay out until 1 AM! I had been up since 4 am, and worked til noon. That made for a 21 hour day, followed by 4 hours of sleep, and then an 11 hour day at work. I have no idea how it is that my eyes are still open, but I don't think it's going to last much longer.
I was 154 pounds this afternoon...i believe tomorrow i will be back to 158. It fluctuates SO much. I need to be better about working out.

Friday, July 9, 2010

this excites me

I know it's months away, but when you don't take vacation for years and then finally get away to celebrate your 10th wedding anniversary, you tend to think about it a lot.
We've booked our flight and room at the Flamingo Las Vegas for November. Our actual wedding date was November 23, 2000...but it was Thanksgiving day, so that is when we celebrate. When we were first dating, and even now I guess, Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day were the only days we were ever guaranteed a day off together. Since Hubby is a Jew turned Atheist and I am non-religious, Christmas is just a day off and an excuse to buy gifts, see a movie, and watch A Christmas Story over and over and over and...well, it's a religious holiday that neither of us partakes in 'religiously'. But Thanksgiving is a non-denomination holiday...and a day off. (I'm making a short story verrrry long...oops)
Anyway...
our trip/flight has been booked for months. This trip is coming 5 years after we had planned. Upon leaving Las Vegas when we got married we said, 'let's come back and re-new our vows after 5 years.' Well, clearly that didn't work out. But 10 years is better, I think.
I wanted to go old school and we wanted to stay on the strip. So we decided the Flamingo fit the bill and the budget.
We did our wedding 'rock star'...I wore suede lace front pants, metallic silver tank, and some great sparkly heels. Hubby wore leather pants that laced up the sides, a silver crushed velvet shirt, and well, he actually found a nice pair of black shoes with a little metal accent, but they were basic guy shoes.
This time, keeping with my old school feeling, I'm going to transport back to the Rat Pack days of the late '50's-early '60's. Think capri pants, flats or little kitten heels, 'wiggle dresses'. Hubby's trying to decide to rent of buy...he's probably going to wear a tux!!!
So that's all great, yes, I've been excited about going for a while.
But today! Today I started doing a little more research on a show we could catch. I would LOVE to see Tom Jones but he will either not be there when we are or they have not listed any show dates that far in advance yet. But I found a fun option for after our renewal ceremony...
Dinner and a show at the Plaza Hotel & Casino.
What's more old school than getting hitched at the Little Chapel of the West (yes, we'll probably go back to where it all began.) and then heading down to the other end of the strip, away from all the shiny new hotels, to the Plaza for dinner and the Rat Pack???
It sounds completely ridiculous but the image in my head of me sitting in my cute little dress, Manhattan in hand, watching Old Blue Eyes has me even more excited for this getaway!
It's four and a half MONTHS away!!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Nature

My cayenne pepper is getting bigger, but the plant itself is not getting any taller...?
Fuzzy bumble bee on the lavender plant.

Honey bees!!!
There has been a serious lack of honey bees. I'm not sure if it was has just been out here, or if it's nation-wide, but people have been worried about them, as they are the workers who pollinate our crops!
This year they are practically swarming around Hubby's lavender and thyme plants. They are so cute, working away, just collecting pollen and then off on their way. We suspect, since there are just so many of them suddenly in our yard, that someone near by has hives. Whatever their reason for stopping by our house, we are happy to have them!



Thursday, July 1, 2010

It was too darn hot!

I got my hair cut!! The past couple of super hot and humid days made me want to shave my head! Instead, I decided it was time to get a cut. As usual, I had to wait until I had my schedule to try to get in. The girl who cuts my hair is awesome. My husband used to go to one guy since he moved out here. The 'his guy' stopped styling, and he had to find someone else. He found Maria. When I decided to get my hair cut to donate to Locks of Love, he suggested her. And we have been using her since then. For about 10 years, we have followed her. From one salon, to the next, and now that she has opened her own salon...we still love her. For all you girls with crazy thick unmanageable hair, you know how hard it is to find someone who understands how your hair grows OUT...as in parallel to the ground...big and puffy.
Somehow, I always get in. Usually she waits to schedule me until someone cancels because I call after she's already booked.
She always does a great job. It is hard to find a super short cut that works, but she has it down and I can't find another style I like more! I had long hair forever, but since she first gave me this cut, I can't imagine me with another style. I wanted something Audrey Hepburn inspired. She told me once that she was watching Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium and said, 'Hey, that's Jen!' Flattered, but it was all her!
The only problem is that I start to feel bored with the same cut all the time...I'm tempted to bleach it out, but I think I would look terrible. Maybe my 'junior year auburn' would work again.
Anyway, here it is...