Five More Ks Down!

This morning, KB and I completed another 5K .  It was hilly and it was rather warm, but we managed to do it.  I would like to believe that I burned off all those calories from last night's pig trough meal, but then I would have to not let it count for the pig trough breakfast we had post-race.

5K racing - it's not the 3.1 miles that's the problem - it's figuring out where to apply all those burned calories!!

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Today's blessings:  Music Row Road Race 5K with KB; breakfast at Athens with KB, Molly, and Steve; post-race hot shower and nap; afternoon Lindley time

Autopsy of Tonight's Meal

Hamburgers on the grill and dinner with the whole family = GOOD!!

Home cooked dinner with veggies and crudites/ranch dip and chips/cheese dip = GOOD!

Chocolate of any kind for dessert = GOOD!

Gallon of iced tea to wash it all down = GOOD!

Eating all of it in one meal =

I guess it's a good thing I signed up for a 5K tomorrow??

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Today's blessings:  breakfast with Gloria and the Karens; dinner with Steve, Molly, Adam, Maribeth, Mathieu, Sam, Lynnette, and Lindley

I Definitely Need This Button

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Today's blessings:  3 miles with KB on pace; Lindley and Sam visit; Mathieu's safe arrival in Nashville

Spring Cleaning - Phase 1?

Today we had a window washer and his assistant come over and clean our windows, inside and out.  They also pressure washed the gutters and the house.  I won't bother even attempting to explain why my windows and gutters were so dirty that they needed professional help.  Let's just say I don't do windows (like a lot of other cleaning stuff around my house).

When Mr. Window Washer was cleaning the inside of the windows, he mentioned (very delicately) that perhaps I might want to take down my curtains, as they were a bit dusty (as in "really lady - you want clean windows and then you're going to hang this dust rag from it?").  So, we took down the curtains (which wasn't that hard, as they were handmade by me a few hundred years ago and were pretty basic panels).  I washed them and hung them up, and everything just seemed so much cleaner.

I'm not sure what the moral of today's story is.  Maybe it's that clean is as clean does.  Maybe it's that to do a thorough job you have to do all the jobs that are associated with it.  Maybe it's that if there's something you don't like to do, there's somebody that will do it - for a fee, which makes everybody a winner.  Maybe it's just that on a great spring day when you want to open your windows, the spring air is a lot better when it is blowing through clean windows and curtains.

I would like to say that now I am all invigorated about spring cleaning my house.  I would also like to say that I am all invigorated about exercising and eating right and losing weight.  But I won't.  I'll just say that they all seem like good ideas to me, and maybe tomorrow I'll get started on at least one of them.

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Today's blessings:  Window washing crew and clean windows inside and out plus clean (but raggedy) curtains; picking up Lindley at day care and going to the park with PawPaw and BoBo; granite details with Maribeth

What Exactly Is My Sickness??

There are many things that I do, but not necessarily well.  You know, the crafty type things.  I do them well enough to finish them, but they would certainly win no awards (unless it's the kind of award that you get just for entering).

So the question remains, if I don't do them exceptionally well, why do I continue to do them, and especially why do I give them as gifts?  I ask this because I continue to come up with "good ideas" for people and proceed to complete them, often with hilarious/disastrous results.  But does that stop me from giving the finished (so to speak) product as a gift?  Heck no!!

So, the question remains - am I oblivious to the state of the finished "gift", or do I need some sort of medication/intervention?  You better come up with an answer quick, because you may be next on my list (heh, heh, heh!)!!

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Today's blessings:  3 miles with KB; Disney room cleaned and straightened for future guests; MB's new cabinet; sweet card from KB; Udderly Pink fundraising progress; beautiful spring day

It's Spring!!

What I Should Be Doing:

What I Feel Like (and am) Doing:

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Today's blessings:  Wal-Mart/Michael's/Staples shopping excursion; MB's cleaning dude; Krogering with Maribeth

Why Is He In A Pink Tutu?

Because he has an amazing way to support and help those with breast cancer.

One man, one tutu, and a whole bunch of love.

The Tutu Project

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Today's blessings: Lindley visit; reclaiming the sunroom; Shoneys, Home Depot, and Kroger with Steve; Tiger wins Bay Hill

We Organized, We Sold, We Made Some Money

After hours of sorting and organizing and pricing, we finally declared our yard sale open.  We assembled beginning at 5:30 am (when KB brought doughnuts and champagne) and soon the rest of the the team trickled in.  Molly and Steve put out our bright pink signs and KP brought the Starbucks.  Soon Sharon and Jo rounded out the team, and we were in business!!

We had our share of Scrooges, like the dude who wanted the weedeater for $2 (okay, so he did go up to $5 - he still didn't get it) and the chick who wanted everything else for a quarter (which she succeeded in, mainly because she came at the end and we were ready to end it all).  KB kept her blood pressure under control with those cheapskates, but it was probably due to Molly's mimosas.  Steve brought us lunch, albeit at 10:30, mainly because we were starving and it was for the good of our customers.  The weather was beautiful and the rain held off until after lunch

Many, many people donated just for the cause.  Two men from Tip Top Roofing came by (we've had a lot of such companies coming through our neighborhood due to hail damage) and took a donation sheet because they plan to donate to our cause with a company check.  We met many breast cancer survivors and added names to our "walking in honor and memory" posters.

In the end, we raised almost $2000 for our 3-Day Walk in San Francisco.  We boxed up the leftovers and Steve and Daniel hauled it off.  We were exhausted and ready to go home for naps.  All in all, it was a most excellent day!

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Today's blessings: Udderly Pink team and yard sale; my neighbors' donations; customer man who donated $20; Tip Top Roofing; Steve picking up lunch and grilling steak for dinner; Marilyn's Edible Arrangement delivery

The Good News Is That The Yard Sale Is Ready

Now all I have to do is (a) shower to get all the yard sale crap residue off, (b) watch the weather channel for any sign of rain, (c) get out my water gun to thwart any early-shoppers (like the doofus couple who walked in my sunroom while I was cleaning my kitchen and said, "Oh, the yard sale is tomorrow?"), and (d) get some sleep.  Oh well, three out of four isn't bad!!

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Today's blessings:  Stupendous yard sale prep by Udderly Pink team of:  Shift 1:  Molly; Shift 2: Jo, Sharon, and Molly; and Shift 3:  Karen B, Karen P, and Molly; some afternoon Lindley time; donations from Nan and Cindy

Yard Sale Reality

   

What we think we are selling at the yard sale.       What we are actually selling.   

     

Money we hope to make at the yard sale.     Money we will probably make.

        

               Our desired customers.                    Our probable customers

           

Our stated reason for doing the yard sale.          Our actual reason - we be crazy!.

See ya Saturday!!!

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Today's blessings:  Maribeth's house and granite progress; Jo delivering her yard sale stuff; cleaning out the carport; cruise plans with Anne

I Shall Be At The Thee-a-Tah Tonight!!

Jellus much?!!

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Today's blessings:  Start on organizing yard sale; 2 miles with KB; Lindley coming over to visit; Mary Poppins at TPAC with Lynnette

My New Mantra - For Tonight, Anyway!

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Today's blessings:  Amerigos with Steve, Maribeth, and Molly; Costco with Steve and Maribeth; picking up Lindley at day care; dinner with most of the family; more yard sale stuff; catching up on race scrappyM

Don't Mess With Lindley's Capt Crunch!!

I was going to blog about cleaning out the unused litter boxes in anticipation for selling them in Saturday's yard sale, but I thought a Lindley pic was much better!

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Today's blessings:  Lady at Art Pancake's table rentals; finishing most of bedroom clean-out; Steve bringing lunch after his golf; seeing Nicole and kids at the post office; picking up Lindley at day care and going to the park

Whatevs ...

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Today's blessings:  getting the bedroom a teeny bit straightened up; safe travel home for Steve, Sam, Molly, and Lindley; Lindley time at the Doik; putting up curtains at M&M's

Everyone Needs Something To Look Forward To

Unfortunately, this is not one of them - for me, anyway.  

My 3-Day team, Udderly Pink, decided that having another yard sale would be another major fund-raiser (our first one was just after we decided to do the walk and we decided to have a garage sale the night before we had it).  Originally we had scheduled this one for the weekend after Easter in April.  However, this morning, KB (AKA Tall Karen, AKA Blond Karen) and I decided that since the weather has been so fine in Nashville, that perhaps we should move it up to a weekend in March.  I should mention that we had just finished wogging a 5K (undertrained as usual) and our brain cells were not functioning (as if that were ever a consideration for our thinking). 

 Anyhoo, we sent out a group email (meaning Molly sent it out on her fb and my phone) to get everyone's opinion on this schedule change.  I think at this point, the realization that there were two weekends left in March started to sink in.  Everybody seemed to think it was a good idea, and KP (AKA British Karen) said that she could only do March 24.  Which is this Saturday.  Which means I am having a major yard sale at my house in 7 days.

Mind you, my house is in consideration for a new reality show called "Hoarders or Just Plain Sloppy - You Decide."  I have been collecting everybody's stuff for our future garage sale, and it's all piled in my sunroom.  The piles are pilfered, as I had to go through the boxes, sacks, and piles to unearth prizes for our other major fundraiser, Boobie Bingo.  In addition, I have been moving stuff down from the upstairs in anticipation of our future remodel/spruce up of the upstairs (which I have been anticipating for over a year yet have yet to get anybody to do), so I have additional junk all over the place.  And I won't even mention the other piles of unpacked stuff from spending the past two months skedaddling from one place in Florida to another.

Yes, this is a golden opportunity to clean up my house.  And my act.  Or as Molly suggested, just put a price tag on everything and see what's left.  And I won't mention how stoked I am having the team over to my house to see my collection of dust and dirt.  

Oh well, it's all for the cause.  Or in my case, there's always a reason for a messy house!

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Today's blessings:  Lindley time before their trip to Columbus; Steve, Molly, Sam, and Lindley's safe travel to DGiz's birthday; 5K with KB; Mathieu and Maribeth's house remodel progress; dinner with Mathieu and Maribeth

Barnabas Collins - I'll See You This Summer!!

Back in the olden days when I was in grade school, I'd come home to watch "Dark Shadows."  It was a scary soap opera, all about Barnabas Collins (one scary dude), his love Josette, and scary Angelique.  I would explain it better, but I didn't always watch it - it was dark and scary (and in black and white, which was ever so much more scary).  Anyhoo, it would appear that Barnabas will be back this summer, incarnated in the body of Johnny Depp.  Need I say more?

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Today's blessings:  Lindley time, getting 3-Day stuff done

The Madness Has To Stop!!!!

So maybe tomorrow I'll get back with it ....

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Today's blessings:  sleeping past 6am; chili and cornbread for dinner; lazy day

I Think I've Said This Before ..

... but it bears repeating.

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Today's blessings:  Fish n Grits with Molly and exuberant waitress; Steve's burgers and dogs for dinner with most of the family; Lindley time

I Am Woman

I gave a pint of blood.

I straightened up the den (cleaning is too strong a word).

I made dinner from scratch (if that means cooking fettuccine noodles for spaghetti because I picked up the wrong box).

I picked up Steve from the airport.

It ain't much, but I sure am tired tonight!

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Today's blessings: Red Cross blood center personnel; Fish and Grits excursion with Molly; spaghetti with Maribeth and Mathieu and seeing kitchen progress; beautiful spring day

No Bach For Me!

Of all the idiot "reality" shows that I watch, "The Bachelor" is not one of them.  Apparently my sister does, so I tuned in tonight because it seemed that tonight was "the big night."  The two minutes that I could watch before my brain exploded consisted of a girl giving Bachelor Ben a scrapbook with some pictures of them stuck on the pages.  I think Lindley could have done a better job, because it looked like Girlfriend threw the scrapbook together just before she gave it to BB.  In the bedroom.  Where she gushed about how much she loved him.  Anyhoo, I just googled and found out he didn't choose her.  Probably because the scrapbook sucked.

Oh well, I enjoyed Ellen's updates ever so much more:

Now if she would just update "Biggest Loser" and "Housewives of Orange County," I wouldn't have to watch them, either!!

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Today's blessings:  lazy day at home; Molly getting cruise details fixed

The Sun and I Still Want Our Hour Back!

I changed all the clocks

To the time that is new;

I can't wait for the fall

For the hour I am due.

As old as I am

My beauty sleep is needed;

With an hour's less sleep

My beauty is impeded.

Maybe by tomorrow

I'll be used to the time;

And my eloquent blog

Will need no more rhyme.

So here's to the Sun

I'll be seeing you a lot;

At least an extra hour,

So give it all you've got!!

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Today's blessings:  Lindley's playhouse party; moving couch cushions with Mathieu and Sam; Kroger-ing with Molly; dinner with Maribeth and Mathieu

Ode To Daylight Savings Time

The time is here, 

The time is now;

To change the clocks

I know not how.

To spring ahead, 

Or fall right back;

When it comes about,

I'm in the sack.

We're saving daylight

From what? I ask -

To have more sunlight

In which to bask?

I want my hour

To sleep and dream;

I do not like

This daylight scheme!

But this I know,

With one less hour;

Tomorrow's demeanor

Will be quite sour!

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Today's blessings:  Sonic and yard sale with Maribeth and Mathieu; Factory lunch with the fam; Lindley time strolling and playground-ing (with Molly), and sitting

Important Tea Party Etiquette Via Lindley and Friends

1.  One must wear stickers.  The more, the better.  Coordination with nail polish color is optional.

2.  Must wear Disney apparel - if it is to be hidden underneath jumper, part of ears must be showing.

3.  Hair adornment mandatory - if fascinators are not available, hair bow will do in a pinch.  Especially if  aforementioned bow involves some sort of Mickey pattern.

4.  Brown blobs should be foisted on to others.  Be sure to choose pretty food.  And if there is only one cup, be sure to snag it first.

5.  However, should you not get a cup, do not be dismayed - just swig it straight from the teapot!!

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Today's blessings:  Bongo Java with Molly, KB, and Jo; catching up on bills and paperwork; lunch and dinner furnished by Molly and Mathieu and Maribeth; race picture ordered

Bingo for Boobies!!

... was a great success!  We ended up raising over $2000 for our 3-Day walk.  Special thanks goes to KB for arranging the whole soiree at her office, and Jo for being an awesome bingo caller.  And here are the pictures to prove how great the evening was!!

Drinks - the best way to start things off!!

Chocolate cupcakes - the second best way to get things going!

Pink ribbon cookies - made by Molly!

The silent auction - which pulled in some big bucks!

Lucky Duckies - so what if you claimed your prize and then picked the ducky!

The accountant and money-manager of the team.  And cookie maker.

Our poster about us - our favorite people.

Our tip jugs were a big hit - mainly due to Molly's and KB's bras, though!

B-11, B-B-11!

We be done - but we had a great time!!

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Today's blessings:  finishing projects for Boobie Bingo; Boobie Bingo and meeting new friends; Mathieu's safe travel to Nashville

Busy-ness

I've had lots to do today, mostly little stuff, to get ready for Bingo for Boobies tomorrow night.  It looks to be a fun evening, even with the rain that's predicted.  Team Udderly Pink is hoping the weather doesn't keep people from attending a night of bingo, food, and fun.  I would write more, but a recap with pictures is always better, so I'll sign off for now.

Besides, I have another sign to assemble and Lucky Ducky prizes to collect.  Don't you wish you were coming?

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Today's blessings:  Steve's safe travel to Orlando; progress on Maribeth and Mathieu's kitchen; Maribeth's BP normal; snuggles with Maggie

Why I'm Procrastinating Cleaning

 

Did I mention Maxine is my hero?

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Today's blessings:  a few miles down Belmont with KB; Molly and my letter project complete; cabinets hung on Maribeth's kitchen; Molly's afternoon visit

Getting Back to Normal

As if I know what normal is ...

After being in Florida for 35 of the last 60 days (in three different cities on four different trips), I'm glad to be back home.  It means unpacking without the notion of packing again, at least until May (we're on grandbaby birth watch for the next few weeks).  But it also means unpacking from the current trip plus unpacking all the stuff from the other trips that got shoved in various "holding places."

Today I had plenty of stuff that needed to get done, so I put first things first.  I went to the mani-pedi place to get my scraggly toenails prettied up and then went to the hair place to get my scraggly hair trimmed up. Having been de-scragglied, I am now ready to tackle the stuff I have to do at home.

Wonder if there's a place where I can take my scraggly house ...

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Today's blessings:  pedi from Tim; hair trim from Pregi; Udderly Pink meeting with the girls; MB's cabinet drama solved; Steve's Bubba burgers for dinner

What you do after a crazy dream night ...

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Today's blessings:  Sunday with the family

Welcome Home

Okay, so I'm posting this as Saturday, even though it's actually in the wee hours of Sunday.  Here's why:

We decided to return home yesterday (the original plan was to go halfway, spend the night, and get home Sunday).  Apparently one of the souvenirs I was bringing home was the beginnings of cold (this is what happens when my body rejects the notion of going from 90 degree weather to 45 degree weather in just a few hours).  As we were leaving Chattanooga, Steve stopped for gas and I went in the market for some cold meds.  Naturally it was some off-brand (like "Cousin Bubba's Sniffle Go-Away" - compared to Tylenol cold med but obviously was made in the still in the backyard) but apparently it worked, because I promptly passed out cold on the couch while waiting for LiLo (Lindsey Lohan for you oldsters) to host Saturday Night Live (which I haven't managed to stay awake for since the 70s).  Anyhoo, when I awoke this morning (Sunday, not Saturday as per this post), I actually remembered this dream, which is the subject of this post.  Whose moral is, "Kids - Don't Do Drugs."

In my dream, I was taking Molly to the pediatrician and my dog (which I don't have) to the veterinarian.  Molly was a baby, but she wasn't because she was the age she is now - 25.  The unknown, unnamed dog was a big hairy sheepdog variety.  The pediatrician and veterinarian were in the same building.  The dog got in to the veterinarian, the details of which I don't remember.  We (me, Molly, dog) were in the waiting room waiting for the pediatrician, when he came out and said it was our turn. I asked if I could bring the dog in, but he (the doctor) said no because of health regulations.  So I turned and asked some random stranger to watch the dog, which she and her little kid did, after I tied up the dog to the end table.

Next we go to check in with the receptionist, who was asking me questions and I realized she thought I was in to see the pediatrician, which I promptly corrected her on.  Suddenly Molly was back from her appointment and the same receptionist was checking us out and whispered that since Molly had gained weight (which dream Molly told me was fine because it was within her 15-pound permissible weight gain), the doctor had given Molly a prescription - FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA!!!

All this was fine, because then all of a sudden I was at my middle school/high school band directors' house (both are deceased now) watching old movies of band performances with alumni and the band directors' son.  When all of a sudden, two former classmates started to do one of our old routines.  Then all of a sudden I was waiting for the band to march in a Christmas parade.  It seemed that I was going to miss it because somebody (my dad or some such person) said we had to leave.  But then I heard the band and waited and they came marching up.  And then the majorettes started doing a dance with the PE teacher I used to teach with.  And then my high school boyfriend (who apparently is Marshall on "How I Met Your Mother") came out of the band (dressed in regular clothes although the band members were all in uniform) and hugged me and told me how much he loved me.  I in turn told him he was really drunk, which he was.

And then I woke up, realized it was 4:40 (which is 5:40 Florida time and time to get up-ish) and didn't feel the need to return to sleep.

Welcome home.  And buy name brand meds!!

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Today's blessings:  safe road trip home; improvements to Maribeth and Mathieu's house; Molly's new haircut; Truitt's dinner with Steve

Hopefully, You've Already Had Dinner

Tonight I was in the mood for a delicious cheeseburger, but since I had already eaten, I decided to just find a picture and just salivate.  In my search I found this:

Yes, it's a Krispy Kreme Bacon Cheeseburger.  There was no salivating on my part, mainly because I had read the rest of the article that was affiliated with this picture.  It was enough to make me swear off fried food.

At least for tonight ....

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Today's blessings:  beautiful day; no weather problems for my Nashville friends and family; Ghiradelli and Downtown Disney with Steve

Whaddaya Mean, It's March?

When did that happen?

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Today's blessings:  a little shopping, a little sewing, a little lazing around doing nothing