Friday, January 26, 2018

Thoughts about This & That

Just some thoughts that have been floating around in my head....
Gratuitous sunrise picture from the parking lot at work. 
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Who is the rocket scientist who thought it would be a good idea to make a front-hook bra in anything larger than an A cup???   Since I'd already found a bra that I liked, I went back and got several more in what I thought was the same style, just different colors.  Nope.  One of them is a front hook.  With 2 little bitty hooks.  It fits nicely - but all it takes is one wrong movement to pop the damn thing open at the most inappropriate time (like at the mall)!  Or I'll find that one or the other hook has come undone.  Grr.
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I was inspired to sign up for LinkedIn when one of the dispatchers at work told me she was approached with a job offer on that site (and accepted it).  So I did (and discovered about 2/3 the company is on there, too!!)  I was reading an article on there the other night and it got me thinking that I'm really not good at anything.  Good like "expert", where someone would actually seek me out for advice.  I feel I'm competent at my job, but it's just that.  A job.  I can do the whole backstage dance mom thing with hair & makeup & costumes.  I'm confident around horses and all their gear.  I can cook OK.  I'm no Bob Vila, but I can use power tools.   I know a decent amount about cars.  I can grow an adequate flower garden in my yard.  The problem is.. I'm not passionate about any of it.  What do I want to do with my life????  Can I make a living with Halloween?  
fat cat sigh GIF
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Speaking of hair - I stopped at the Salvation Army and bought this Barbie doll head so I could learn how to do Dutch braids.  Now I won't feel like a useless lump when there are 30 girls trying to get ready for a competition and have to wait around for someone to do their hair in these braids.  Only a few people knew how to do it last year, so I'll be right in the thick of things this year!   I had to watch a couple YouTube videos, but got the basics down.  Soon I'll graduate from doll head to Angel's head!  The first competition is in 2 weeks, I'll have it down.
With my assistant Rusty.
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I signed up to do a 'Spread the Love' gift exchange on the Blended Blog with other bloggers.  I'm pretty excited about this since my giftee is on the opposite side of the country.  I really hope she likes what I found.  I made a point of going to a non-chain type store to shop.  I totally got sucked into reading her blog, too.  I'll be doing a post on the whole shebang on Feb 26 when we share the love!
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So I've been looking into Veteran's Organizations. I've only been a fat & happy civilian for almost 18 years now so I don't know why I feel the need NOW to look into these, but I am.  Last summer when I needed to get my drivers license renewed, I did get my veteran status noted right on it - so I don't have to mess with carrying around personal documents & risking losing them.  But all I've done is get my 10% at Lowe's with it. 

Last spring, I went on a road trip to Cincinnati / Houston to meet up with my 2 bestest partners-in-crime from my first boat.  Gin (who was only in for 2 years) acts like she'd done 20+ years, taking every advantage she possibly can of her veteran status and Laura (who did 6 or 7 years) isn't quite as bad, but still does her share.  There's nothing wrong with it, the benefits are there to use, so why not??   But I haven't.  And they both plan their Veteran's Day activities on where they're going to get free food!!!

So I'm weighing my options and I'm kind of leaning towards the VFW, just because I didn't have to search all over their website for info about women veterans (and I find it hilarious that they have a thing called the Military Order of the Cootie)!  Several years ago, when Angel & I were involved in Girl Scouts, the local VFW post welcomed our troop at their Veteran's Day service and I had a nice chat with the post commander then, who invited me to join.  Soooo, yeah.
I talked to a lady Marine before who belonged to the American Legion and she encouraged me to join them since there aren't many females who are active members.  I wish I could have spent more time chatting with her, but a blood drive isn't really a good time to chat.  My brother belongs to Amvets but I don't like how they would group me in with the ladies auxiliary.  I don't know who thought THAT would be a good idea, but it's NOT.  Veterans & civilian family members are very different, 
especially females.
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Is it weird that I wonder how my veteran headstone will read?  My name was Owens when I went in, King when I got out & is Love now.
emoji think GIF
Hmmmmm.
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I sat there at work yesterday & watched the owner's wife & our operations director clean & purge the dispatch office.  I really want to do this at home, but we have so much stuff in the house that all I do is move things from one place to another.  I thought about renting a storage place for a couple months, just to get some stuff out of the way so I can figure out what I need to do.  But then I wasn't sure exactly what I'd put in there. So why bother?
I am happy that I FINALLY got all the Christmas stuff put out in the garage & things are looking back to normal.  The Angela Wall is back (I have photo shelving on one wall with 5x7s of her in ALL of her costumes from last season) I take all her pics down for the holidays, so I can put decorations up on those shelves.  They're perfect for nutcrackers! 
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This is both a blessing & a curse.  The many holes are filled in, yes, but until it's packed down, the patching is loose & gravelly and gets thrown up onto your windshield. 
Is it still a pot "hole" if it reaches across the entire lane?
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Tonight is the Bowling Fundraiser for the dance studio.  It's always a fun time!  The Booster Club lady asked for a list of baskets & things that people are offering to donate so we don't have duplicates & such.  I was reading the list & commented to Angel that I was considering a "date night" basket filled with sex toys & lube & edible panties & such.  Her answer was "MOTHER!!!! This is an event for CHILDREN!!"  
donald duck lol GIF
In reality, I'm doing 2 small baskets - a dog & a cat one, each with treats & toys & a gift card to Petsmart.   Not as cool as the Red Wings tickets or the giant "Spirit" basket filled with booze, but nice enough. 
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My snuggly furbabies.

What goes thru your mind?
busy animation GIF by joelplosz





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Friday, January 19, 2018

What UP, Weekend?!

Linking up with Lindsay and all the rest of the Fab Peaceful Posse.

Keeping things in a positive light, here are 10 things that made me happy this week.
happy best day ever GIF

1.  This morning's sunrise....

2.  Tuesday's meteor excitement.
I was sitting at my computer in the bedroom with the shades closed & desk light on, so I didn't see the flash, but I sure heard & felt it!  I thought something had hit my house, so I made Angel get her shoes & coat on to go outside with me, that way I could have backup to call for help if I needed!  

3.  The Google Art app
(why are 2 out of the 3 boys???)

4.  Jack helping with laundry (altho he's been a pain in the ass lately with his pacing)

5.  Getting back to the gym

6.  This stained glass Christmas tree I found at an antique / consignment store

7.  Sunshine!

8.  Getting dance costumes in - only 3 weeks til the first competition!  I already have my cowbell ready...  (Last year I heard another girls from another studio comment about DOS being the one with the cowbell - so I have a reputation of obnoxiousness to uphold before passing the torch in June.)

9.  Only minor alterations on said costumes - luckily the seamstress I call every year is very reasonably priced and fast, too!  So no pictures, yet.  We already heard that her solo costume won't be in for the first comp, so her teacher is going to loan us one of her old costumes - luckily they're close to the same size!

10.  My houseplants.
...some of them anyway.

...and a bonus happy - Rusty doesn't want me to put the last of the Christmas totes back in the garage.  These are the perfect height (and location) for him to demand attention from anyone who may pass by or attempt to do anything in the kitchen.  

 What has made you happy this week?

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Tuesday, January 9, 2018

New Year, New You (me?)

OK, so I've seen several of the blogs I follow link up with The Blended Blog  for this neat little January prompt-type thingy.  Sounds like fun to me!

1.  Resolutions?  We don't usually do resolutions - if we do, it's something ridiculous like "cutting back on heroin use" or  "no arson".  This is my first time choosing a word of the year, tho!  **Consistency**
2.  Snow?   Wellll. I live in Michigan so snow is pretty much a gimme.  It's pretty to look at when it's falling and fresh but it sucks to drive in / shovel.  And then after a couple days, it's all black along the roads and looks really nasty.
3.  A new place to go?  This is kinda easy - Miss Angela has dance nationals in Orlando this June, so the plan is to fly to Atlanta, then rent a car for the rest of the way.  I've been making a map with places I want to revisit from when I was stationed in Kings Bay, GA and some cool places Angel wants to see.
4. Cut or Color?  I'm thinking a new haircut.  I tend to let mine do it's own thing and do my own trims as necessary.  I already color it regularly because my natural color is mud brown.
5.  Something special?   Going back to #3 - I like to explore cemeteries and there is one near the base in St. Mary's that I didn't think I'd ever get a chance to go back to visit.  So that's #1 on my list.  And next December we'll be going to visit the MIL in Hot Springs, AR and while Randy spends some time with her - I'll take myself to Bathhouse Row to the Buckstaff and have a nice spa day!   
6.  Least favorite?  When all the Christmas lights come down and everything is all dull & dreary.
7.  Most favorite?  The days are getting longer!
8.  Decorations?  I just took the blowmolds out of the front yard Sunday and unplugged the lights on the house (we'll take them down later).  But alas, the tree & nutcrackers are all still standing proud in the living room.   
9.  Diet?  Yup.  I'm on Weight Watchers.  I was actually up a smidge at weigh in tonight, but I blame myself for stopping at Tim Horton's this morning and getting both a donut AND a muffin.
10.  Organization?  Oh, the whole darn house!  It's really small and we have a lot of stuff, so I'm seriously taking my sisters up on their offer to come over and help me declutter.
11.  Comfort food.  All of it, hence the need for WW!  It's too hard to pick just one, however the meatloaf I made for dinner tonight was pretty damn good, if I must say so myself!
12.  Guilty pleasure?  Rupaul's Drag Race and watching makeup tutorials on YouTube (funny since I don't hardly wear any!) 
 
Pop on over & check out some other blogs!  There's a bunch, I'm in the late 60s on the list!
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Friday, January 5, 2018

What Up Weekend - Happy 2018!

What's up, Weekend?
10 things that have made me happy this week...

1.  Fuzzy slippers (our floors are cold, dammit!)

2.  First Play Live - a show on the CBC (yes, we watch Canadian TV since we're close enough to Windsor to pick it up)  Randy & I watch these bands play a live set and we have a discussion about what the band members probably do as a day job - and it's hilarious!

3. Purring & snuggly cats.
Rusty is so happy to NOT be a barn cat anymore!

4. Getting involved in the Secret Reaper / Merry Reaper on  HalloweenForum.  Basically it's like a Secret Santa gift exchange where we submit our names with a list of likes & dislikes and in return, we get someone else's name and lists.  SR is all Halloween related, and MR is H'ween and/or Christmas.  I just got my MR gift (thanks USPS for holding it for 2 weeks) and my 'reapee' sent me a bunch of goofy, non-breakable ornaments.  A glittery chainsaw & smiling ham on my tree?  Why not!
5.  Spending time with family on NYE (dinner in Frankmnuth), yet still being home by 10pm to ring in the new year while wearing PJs.
The lights around Bronner's are so pretty!
I just realized you can see my crown!
Happy New Year with my favorite guy!

6. Being down another 1.4 lbs at my WW meeting and realizing I've haven't had any gains since mid-November!  I can officially say I survived the holiday season!

7.  Vegging on the couch most New Year's Day  (I seriously only got 1300 steps for the day!), watching the Rose Parade while Randy made breakfast, then the Winter Classic NHL game, then a bunch of old dance recital DVDs with the girl.
I love the Bronner's billboards!

8.  Sticking to our own tradition of shake & bake pork chops & mashed potatoes for New Years dinner.  I tried the black-eyed pea thing for the first couple years we were together and we decided that they're disgusting, so we decided on our own "good luck for the year" dinner.

9.  A fairly new furnace and solid(ish) walls & doors & windows to keep this crazy cold mostly out!

10.  I have never done a "word for the year" before, altho I do like the idea and love seeing what others have come up with.  But one came to me!
CONSISTENCY
It's something that I really need to work on in so many parts of my life....so it's perfect! 
I need to be more consistent with my blogging. 
I need to be more consistent with meal planning.
I need to be more consistent with following the WW plan. 
I need to be more consistent with going to the gym.
I need to be more consistent following Flylady to get my house in order. 
Gratuitous adorable cat feet picture. 

What has made you happy this week?

Linking up with Lindsay and all the other lovely peeps of the Peaceful Posse.....

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