Things that make me happy on this Friday

Violet's upper lip hanging out

Emma wrapped in a towel after her bath

The daffodils on my desk - picked from the backyard

Bagel Friday!

Morning

Barry & Babs

I was watching Letterman last night interview Barbara Walters and it struck me that she and Barry Manilow look a lot alike.

Even Cowgirls get the blues

To borrow from Tom Robbins - it's true even cowgirls get the blues...especially when they have to say goodbye.But we put on happy faces this morning and tried on our dream boots and some cowboy hats at a shop downtown...

Stef's Nashvegas B-day

We had a great day yesterday...it started out waiting in line at the Pancake Pantry - totally worth the wait, the pancakes were delicious - DEE-licious!

Then we spent some quality time looking through the shops, stopped by Gigi's Cupcakes so Stef could pick out cupcakes for her b-day dinner.

Violet & Emma both had a lot of fun at the dog park - Emma squealed w/ delight watching the dogs run & play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nurFQsc1VZY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BjI77N-Qi8

Emma & VB have a special bond - VB makes Emma laugh and Emma makes sure she shares her food with Violet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EpKUR_gZgU

After the outdoor time we came home and 'called' Kristin over in Holland - good times! Stef made a wonderful lasagna http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/230941 - Highly recommend trying it - it's beyond good.

Sadly the girls head out this afternoon and back to Boston but it's been a wonderful visit with wonderful friends. Lucky me :)

Baby Fish Mouth - kisses from Emma

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paQJh34eC_4

Girls Girls Girls - Live in Nashvegas

Valentine's Grill & Chill

I don't get it

It's like the poster says...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090212/ap_on_re_us/octuplets

I detest this woman Nadya Sulema - the octoplet nutjob.

I'd like to say/think she's mental but that would give her disgusting behavior an excuse.

Of course through the news blubs I've been sort of keeping up with the freak show but this morning is the first time I've actually taken the time to read a full story on her and I kind of want to spit in her face. That's how much she bothers me.

I like how she doesn't think that the disability and food stamps she's getting for her first litter of kids isn't welfare. No, no?!! WTF is it then?

Random Hearts

Stef takes photos of random hearts and heart shapes whenever she sees them out and about - here are the ones I got today

I wonder...

I wonder if Bret Michaels ever gets tired of flashing the 'devil horns'?

Time to get new friends?

Here's part of a recent news story:

NORTH BERGEN, N.J. – A 19-year-old woman who thought she was going to a party was instead driven to a rural wooded area and abandoned in 8-degree weather in a long-planned attack by three friends angry with her over an insurance claim, police said Thursday.

The victim was wearing only a dress and one shoe, having lost the other in a struggle as she was dragged from the car, said Lt. Frank Cannella of the North Bergen police. A motorist soon stopped and let the victim use a cell phone but refused to give her a lift.

The victim used the phone to call one of the women who abandoned her, Cannella said. She spent more than an hour in the freezing cold before flagging down another motorist, who took her to a hospital, he said.

I may not be the smartest man but I know that if my 'friends' dumped me in the middle of nowhere to freeze to death and someone let me use their phone - I could think of a dozen other people I'd call BEFORE I called on of the b*tches that dumped my ass...say 911, my mom, any other friend in the world?!?!?

The "Ice storm" in Nashville

Thankfully we haven't had the bad weather everyone else is getting. They keep calling for snow and ice but here in Nashville proper we've gotten rain and a tiny bit of snow that melted straight away. Things are frozen in place (see the picture - raindrops frozen on the tree berries).

one very important question

how can we be expected to get out of our warm cozy beds on a morning like this...

Pets

Rese and Darren's Cat Thor - freshly shaven

Violet sleeping on my stomach last night

News of the week

Good morning and thank you for joining us. This is Natty B reporting from the #1 News Team. (that was my imaginary news team I used when I was a kid and used to record myself 'reporting the news' on my black cassette player - I rocked).


Anyway - found some interesting stuff in the news and thought I'd share

1. This has to be the topper - what an amazing miraculous outcome and one hell of a pilot: http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=6664939&page=1
2. Interesting article - (I'm so excited about Jan 20!) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/14/AR2009011402791.html
3. http://www.livescience.com/health/090106-exercise-obesity.html Exercise may not be the key fact in weight control/loss - sound the bells I may have a chance i n hell! Exercise has lots of wonderful other benefits but it may not be as important in losing /controlling weight as originally thought. Still gotta get out there and move your butt....but diet may be more the key when it comes to losing weight.
4. This is just downright scary - if you've never seen any of the "East This not That" stuff it's pretty eyeopening. http://www.menshealth.com/eatthis/20-Worst-Foods-2009/index.php?cm_mmc=Yahoo_Blog-_-ETNT-_-The_20_Worst_Foods_in_America_2009-_-The_20_Worst_Foods
   

And on a personal note - It's been a hell of week with the MWIT - sorry to be a broken record but it's been bad and long story short despite her best efforts Friday was awesome. Steve had a great birthday and got great gifts from the boys - thoughtful and fun, I got a hug from the little one - it surprised me and then about made me cry, and the cherry on top for me ~ I passed my CSP (Certified Safety Professional) exam on Friday morning!

Weather and sports when we return...

Violet's panty raid and shoe fetish

Violet has always liked sneaking away with our socks/undies and sniffing our shoes but it's reached a frenzied level of intensity this past week.

She chewed the insoles out of my favorite red shoes earlier this week (I had left them out and while I was at work she evidently had a really good time with them). This is the first time she's ever done anything with anything while she's been home alone.

Yesterday I was frantically searching for my other clog (running late for work) and found it in the living room - she had carried it off from the bedroom while I was in the shower.

This morning I found 2 pairs of socks scattered across the bedroom - keep in mind I did have the socks up on the desk and she usually doesn't bother with things up and away like that although she will nose around in the laundry basket for socks and undies. After picking up the socks I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and when I finished I looked into the bedroom and there she was - standing on the bed with my bra in her mouth and a GUILTY look on her face.

I so wish I had a camera b/c it was hilarious to see her face and ridiculous with my bra hanging out of her mouth. I laughed and chided her; she dropped it and dropped her ears back and got that pitiful "I know I'm bad I'm sorry but look how cute I am" look on her face.

This all leads me to the fact that I realized a few days ago that this is probably all part of boredom or loneliness so yesterday I got her a rawhide bone - she LOVES them but I don't give them to her often b/c I think they mess up her stomach.

This has been confirmed - She chewed it up in record time and sure enough - rawhide and Violet don't mix b/c she has the WORST gas this morning.

They really do have a Ribbon for everything

I saw a magnetic ribbon on a van today for Brachial Plexus Injuries. Who knew there was such a need? Of course I Googled it and found a website (one of many I'm sure) that has ribbons for everything you could think of and even more that you didn't know existed.

It's borderline ludicrous.

I'm going to get ribbons for sleep disorder, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, and TMJ, as well as a racial tolerance and motorcycle awareness ribbon so I can be covered when I sing my little song "Black man on a motorcycle". I sing it whenever I see, well, a black man on a motorcycle. Oh! And a gay pride ribbon to throw people off and of course the Pro-Choice one to piss people off!

Finally I didn't see one for the MWIT but I think I'll have one specially made for people who have to deal with totally insane evil brainwashing soulless verbally abusive heffers choking on a ham sammich.

Check out the link and pick your own favorites!

http://www.awarenessribbonclothing.org/awareness_ribbon_meanings.php

Skating Pictures

From our weekend roller rink outing