My legs are so sore. We got out in the yard Saturday afternoon and apparently I spent 2 or 3 hours in “catcher position”, like baseball, squatting down. Pulling weeds, putting out pine straw, bending down to move things, and my muscles are now not at all happy about the position. My hamstrings started hurting Saturday night late, got worse yesterday and are about the same today. Ick. I feel very out of shape!
On the bright side, they ought to start feeling better tomorrow! 😉
Some days I am in a shopping mood, and some days I am not. I never know from day to day how that mood will shake out. I never know from shopping trip to shopping trip if I will walk in a store and feel the urge to spend money and buy things — or not!
Tim, however, is not of this wishy-washy frame of mind. If he sees something he likes, he knows right away, and usually has no qualms about spending the money and buying it.
I, however, like to think about things. Weigh it in my mind. Think about it. Think about it some more. Decide if it’s what I want, or if I need to look around at several different places, look online, then, look around some more. After all that, I often still have trouble deciding. It’s some kind of defective gene, but it is my nature and it’s not something that is easily changed.
Case in point – the wallpaper border we found yesterday at Home Depot. Tim was immediately sold on it. I was not. Tacked it up and looked at. Thought about it, slept on it, thought about it some more. So, I guess in an effort to spur me along (and because Tim has made up his mind that he likes this one, is ready to hang it up, has no desire to look around and find another one), Tim thought it would be a good idea today to go look and see if we could find a shower curtain, rugs and towels that would go with the new border.
Today was warm, grey, cloudy and rainy. It was, as I soon discovered, not a day that I felt like shopping or spending money. Tim was very patient. We looked at the new Target out on Lakeland. Then, he took me to a late lunch at the Mellow Mushroom (I had not been there before), and we had some really good pizzas. Then, we went to Linens N Things where Tim quickly found a shower curtain (wine/burgundy color) and rugs (dark green) that he liked and would have been perfectly happy to leave with. I, however, am not so quick to decide and plus, I didn’t have my coupon with me, so we left empty handed. Went and looked at the new Steinmart but found absolutely nothing there. Then, on a whim, he said “Let’s go look at Pier 1 and see if we can find a chair”. Which, after the torture he’d been enduring in the bath linen departments, seemed like a welcome relief.
So, we go in Pier 1 about 15 minutes before they are closing. 15 minutes later, we walk out with a new rattan chair and cushion for our bedroom. Nothing like dropping 200 bucks unplanned, in 15 minutes. It helps that I really like the chair. It helps that I have been planning to put a chair in the corner of our bedroom for about 8 or 9 months now. However, it will take me a day or so to get used to it in that corner – we’ve had a ficus tree there for several years that is tall, and now (visually), there is nothing of height there. But I do like the chair. I need one more pillow for the bedroom though. And, I think I will probably go back to Linens N Things soon and get the curtain and rugs he picked out. Towels are still up in the air.
Summary – it’s very hard for me to spend money. It’s very hard for me to make quick decisions. Decorating on any level is almost impossible for me, I’m no good with color, no good mixing things, etc. Most important point – I do not do change well. At all.
Well, as Scarlett said, after all, tomorrow is another day. Maybe tomorrow I will feel like spending money on towels, rugs and a new shower curtain!
Productive is a good word in my vocabulary. I like to get things done. Tim would say I like things done in my way, on my timetable. He’s probably right. But hey, who doesn’t? 🙂
Today turned out to be a productive day, considering that I wasn’t sure how much we would get done. I had lofty goals, and had made (heaven forbid) a list of things I would like to try to knock out today. Tim normally bristles at the sight of one of my lists. But, he was a patient guy today and worked with me on several of the things on my list. We didn’t get them all done (most of the stuff in the yard, but not all, and we didn’t get the outside freezer defrosted. Hate that thing), but we got a lot more accomplished today than I thought we would when we woke up this morning.
We went to Home Depot and found several things we needed. Allergen AC Filters (the older I get, the more dust bothers me). A light switch thingie for the bathroom. A glass cutter for Tim. Priced a big set of router bits he wants (now I have to get online and look around and see if I can find them cheaper). Found a shelving thing I wanted. And even found some new wallpaper for our bathroom.
I’ve been wanting to redo the bathroom to match our bedroom ever since we got a new comforter set last fall. Totally different colors, we went from sky blues and grass greens to burgundy, green and gold. The bathroom is still medium blue and our room is burgundy. Doesn’t really go. We found a wallpaper border at Home Depot that I liked ok, but I’m not completely sold on. (Tim, on the other hand, is already completely sold. It doesn’t take him long to decide if he likes things or not. Not like me, things have to grow on me). Anyway, we went ahead and bought several rolls, but I haven’t decided if they will go back or not. Going to wait and check out the new Lowe’s that is opening 3/1 in Flowood. Anyway, once we do find new wallpaper, that will be a Saturday project to get the old down and the new up. Then, I’ll be tasked with finding a new shower curtain, rugs, towels, doo-dads, etc.
Back to today. After a fairly satisfying trip to Home Depot, we decided to have a late lunch. We had both been wanting to try the new barbecue place in Madison called Udon’s, next to Blockbuster, so we went there. Tim had a Shotgun, single barrel. They call a hamburger loaded down with chili, cheese and slaw a Shotgun. The waitress told us that she had never really seen any person finish a double barrel, and he would be better off with the single barrel. She was right, Tim wasn’t even able to finish the single barrel. I had a pulled pork sandwich and we shared a big basket of home cut fries. It was all good. I’m debating now as to whether I like this place better than our regular bbq joint, the Haute Pig in Madison. I will have to ask Tim and see which one he likes better. Right now, I’m still leaning toward Haute Pig, although this place was good and we really enjoyed lunch.
Then, we went to Hollywood Video. Had coupons for free rentals (I cashed in some of our cashback from Discover for a booklet of free rentals). We rented “Friday Night Lights” and “Cellular”. Will probably watch one tonight and one tomorrow.
After we got home, we tacked up the border in the bathroom to see how it would look. I’m still debating. I don’t do change well. It’s new. Very dark in contrast to what is in there now and I’m not sure if it’s just different, or just plain too dark for the white counters, tub, shower, etc. Then, we went outside and worked several hours. Worked in the flower beds, pulling weeds, redoing landscape edging, putting out pinestraw, pruning things, etc. Tim also changed the oil in the mower and then changed the oil in the car for me. He’s got to do his truck soon, it’s past time for Clyde to have his oil changed in him. By then, it was after dark and we were about worn out. We came inside, and Tim is now working on two more jobs for me. He replaced the light switch in our bathroom (it’s been “wobbly”) with the one we bought this afternoon at Home Depot. And now he’s out in the laundry room, hanging the wire shelving basket I found, putting it above the washer and dryer. For storing our chips, since we eat so darn many Baked Lays and other potato chips. Well, not we. Tim is the potato chip eater around here. He loves his chips. Gotta have a variety, too. 
All in all, a very busy, but very productive day. 😛
Well, we had the best of intentions this morning. Got up and got dressed and then did some stretching and exercises in the den. Tim did push-ups, but I don’t like those, so I did some lifts with my arm weights. Head out the door, get down the street and back, then around the first corner and about 1/3 of the way down that street, and guess what…. it starts to rain. Well, we both had on fleece type of stuff, nothing water-proof, so we decided to come back. It drizzled on us constantly all the way back to the house. We made coffee and had banana bread for breakfast. I noticed as I was getting my food (we had been home about 10 minutes, tops), that it had already stopped sprinkling. I wonder if that’s the only rain we’re going to get today? We have such impeccable timing.
Gotta go get in the shower and get going, we’ve got some errands to run today. More later, maybe. 🙂 Or maybe not. 🙂
Well, I knew I was missing out on something, so that is why I started this blog! I just read online at the Merriam-Webster site that the word of the year for 2004 is “blog”. Seems it was the most searched for word on the Internet last year. I feel so behind, not getting my blog going until Feb 2005. My goodness, I hate to be behind a computer/techie/geekie trend.
You can go check it out by clicking Here
Well, I hated to see it come to an end, but I finished my copy of “The Wedding” by Nicholas Sparks. I had read “The Notebook” years ago, when it first came out. I think I probably should re-read it again soon, before we rent the movie. I want to rent it though. Tim, I think, is worried about it (not to mention it looks like a total “chick flick” and he’s not overly fond of those some times!). He remembers how I cried at the end of “The Notebook” and I think he’s worried the same will happen with the movie.
I just put a review of the book on the Hambones Review Board – click Here to go read it for yourself.
Gail – if you’re reading this, I have it tucked away for you. I hope you get a chance to read it on your trip!
I haven’t changed my “Currently Reading” block on the right sidebar of this blog yet. I am not sure what I am going to read next. I’m ready to dive into a new book, and hopefully, I will this weekend. There are several here that I have that I can read. I am way behind on reading Grisham books. About 5 or more, probably! And Tim has several Ludlum and Meltzer books that would probably be good. But, I’m not sure I’m in a “guy” book frame of mind. I may have to go to the library next week and check me out some “girl” books. 🙂
I love reading this time of year. I look forward to the time when football season is over, and before it’s really nice spring weather (and we want to get outside and do things in the yard, go geocaching, etc). I really like to fall into one of our big oversized chairs and curl up with a good book this time of year. I always really encourage Tim to read this time of year too. I love, love, love for us to read together. He started a new Ludlum the other night, so hopefully it will catch his interest and we can get some quality reading time in together, this weekend, and for the next few weeks. 🙂
From the site I like to use for Friday meme’s… this one usually have questions I like and don’t mind answering! You can click Here to go check out the website for yourself. When I cut and pasted this questionnaire into my blog software, 16 other people had posted their answers (in the form of links to their own websites/blog spots). Have fun!
Appetizer – Name 2 things you do that you consider beneficial to your health. Eating healthier and walking.
Soup – If you made a New Year’s resolution, how’s it going so far? I don’t make New Years Resolutions. Tim and I made a committment in April 2002 to eat healthier and start walking, to take care of our health and each other. Still doing our best. Some days/weeks/months are better than others!
Salad – Name something that has happened lately that bothers you. Not sure I will publish that here, may make a private entry for that one. Sorry!
Main Course – What is your favorite quote, and who said it? I have tons of favorite quotes – they are all on the main page of hambones.org under Random Quotes. Several from poems, several from famous people, several from movies. I don’t have one overriding one. My favorite thing lately, though, has been my new mantra – “You can’t control what other people do or say, you can only control how you react to it”. 🙂
Dessert – What do you collect? Scrapbook supplies and cookbooks! I used to collect Snow Village (Christmas houses), but we quickly ran out of places to display them, so I had to stop. 🙁 I wish I had some new pieces though!
Found this meme at a lady’s blog I was perusing… my my, it’s a long one (my favorite kind!). I get these kind of emails from time to time, fill out a quiz about “you”, so others can get to know you better. Yada, yada, yada.
Whatever. I love these things!
* WHAT IS YOUR MIDDLE NAME? Ann, when I was born. Keene, now
* WHAT COLOR PANTS ARE YOU WEARING? Grey
* WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? TV is on
* DEAD OR ALIVE, NAME THREE PEOPLE YOU WOULD LOVE TO MEET.. Jesus, my grandfather, hmm, have to think on the third one
* WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? veggie corn dogs, for lunch
* IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Green!
* HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW? Partly cloudy, about 56º
* LAST PERSON YOU TALKED WITH ON THE PHONE? Gail
* THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX? Eyes
* SHOES YOU LOVE TO WEAR. Tennis Shoes!
* HOW ARE YOU TODAY? Okey dokey
* FAVORITE DRINK? sweet tea or Dr Pepper
* FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK? I don’t drink
* FAVORITE SPORTS? Football, used to be tennis, but football now
* HAIR COLOR? Brown (with lots of help to hide all the grey)
* EYE COLOR? Green
* DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Nope
* TYPE OF VEHICLE YOU DRIVE. 2000 Pontiac Bonneville (waiting for my new Explorer, tho)
* TOP FIVE FAVORITE FOOD? Five, just five? Chinese, Seafood, Italian, Mexican, Japanese
* LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? We watched Pirates of the Caribbean a few days ago
* TOP THREE PET PEEVES. People crowding me in public, bad drivers, inconsiderate or rude people
* ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT? Yes
* SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS BETTER? Definitely happy endings.
* WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER, FALL? Fall and Winter
* HUGS OR KISSES? Ummm…. Both!
* RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STANDS? No question – total committed relationships
* CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? Chocolate
* THREE ANIMALS YOU WANT TO OWN. Golden Retriever, Black Lab, Dachsund
* NAME FOUR PLACES YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO VISIT. England, Scotland, Wales, France
* FIRST CONCERT YOU EVER WENT TO? I don’t remember! I would have to dig through my trunk, looking for concert ticket stubs 🙂
* LIVING ARRANGEMENTS? Tim and I own our own little cozy house
* WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Just finished “The Wedding” by Nicholas Sparks, not sure what is next
* WHAT IS ON YOUR SCREEN SAVER AT HOME? Lighthouses
* FAVORITE SMELLS. Towels right out of the dryer. Yankee Candles. Chocolate. Anything Baking. Coffee. Tim, fresh out of the shower or with his cologne on
* SMELLS YOU HATE. Cigarette Smoke! Skunk smells
* WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING? I wish I could sleep later!
* FAVORITE THING YOU LIKED ABOUT THE SINGLE LIFE. Not much, maybe the independence
* HOW DO YOU EAT AN OREO? Depends on my mood, sometimes big bites, sometimes I take it apart and lick the cream out of the middle
* WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG? Gail, probably, maybe Suzie!
Fun day today, got to go have lunch with my friend Wendy. Wendy, if you’re reading this – I had a great time and I’m sorry if I kept you too long! I just had such a good time talking and visiting (we’ll have to do it again sometime!)
Lunch was the brightest spot in my otherwise busy day. I left home mid-morning and went to the new Steinmart and big Target out on Lakeland Drive. When I walked in the women’s clothing section at Steinmart, I thought I was in a time warp back to the 80’s. Everywhere I looked, there were pinks and greens and bright tropical colors. Really reminded me of that preppy phase I have already lived through once. What’s it with fashion and all these cyclical phases? Saw some cute tops for spring and summer, but I had a sweater and coat on and was not in a mood to try on summer clothes! So, I walked down to Target and found some maternity pants Wendy was looking for (couldn’t find them at our regular Target). Got those, then left to meet Wendy at Applebees. We split an appetizer (some kind of potato chip/bacon/cheese thing that sounded really good on the menu but was not as good once it came to our table!), and then had an Oriental Chicken Salad. Very good, I would eat that again in a heartbeat! We talked and visited a long time, then Wendy left to go visit her mom.
I debated going back down Lakeland to Dogwood to shop, but decided to head back to Madison, and I stopped at the Walmart. I had found some Neutrogena stuff on clearance in Walmart on Monday (a 3 step system, exfoliating wash, eye creme and SPF15 all-day moisturizer) for 5 bucks and bought one. I asked Gail if she would be interested in it, and she said she was, so I headed back to get one for her before they were all gone. Also picked up a few groceries. Already working on next week’s menu! 🙂
Tim and I went walking when he got in, it was nice and chilly out tonight. We had a light supper since he weighs in tomorrow at work, then we settled in for my favorite night of TV. The new Survivor (Pulau) started tonight, along with new episodes of CSI and Without a Trace. I was really looking forward to Survivor – I am in a pool at one of my scrapbooking boards and was randomly assigned a player. Well – my player turned out to be Johnathan, the first one voted off the island. Darn, now I can’t play! Oh well, will have to find someone else to root for now.
All in all, a busy, but very good day! 🙂
Here’s the meme from a site I like that posts new ones every Thursday… thought I would give this one a go. Be sure to post your own answers in a comment, if you so wish! 🙂
Mountains, Valleys and Streams
Onesome: Mountains– What is the elevation where you live? Do you like it there or would you prefer something a little different? Umm, don’t think there’s any elevation here. If there is, I don’t know what it would be! I know New Orleans is below sea level, but I think we’re safely above! 🙂
Twosome: Valleys– When you travel, do you have any particular valley or area you like to pass through on the way from here to there? …and is there any route you’ll take just for the scenery even if it’s just a tad longer or more out of the way? Well, we’ve only been to the Smokies and Ozarks. My favorite would have to be through the Smoky Mtn National Park, some beautiful hills and valleys in there.
Threesome: and Streams– Do you have a stream you like to walk along and just think and enjoy the view? How about a netaphorical one if you don’t have a real one close by? Again, we’ve only been to the Smokies and Ozarks, but I have very fond memories of the Little Pigeon River outside Gatlinburg. We’ve stopped several times, including on our last trip where we took some great photos and really enjoyed the solitude of a gorgeous fall afternoon. Ah, what wonderful memories!
Well, I worked on the taxes most all afternoon, and I’m happy to say that I *think* they are about done. I have gone through them once good, skimmed a second time, and I’ll go through them at least one more time. I want Tim to go through them, and I also have a few questions. Some of these capital gains/losses things really confuse me. 🙂 I like Tim to look through them, I think you need a separate eye and mind to go through things like this. I translate everything the same way, every pass through.
Hopefully, we can do this soon, and get them e-filed and then I can breathe a total sigh of relief. It’s like that other thing I hate so much, going to the doctor every year — just as soon as it’s over, I think….Whew, I don’t have to do that again for another WHOLE year!
Gotta go watch Lost and Alias, then try to watch American Idol that we taped last night, and are going to tape tonight while Alias is on. Gee, do you think we like TV, or what? 😀
I wonder why some people are born procrastinators, and others are not. I was definitely born that way. Some kind of defective gene.
The latest form is to be expected – I dread doing the taxes every year. Hate it, despise it, it hangs over me like the blackest of clouds, following my every movement, day and night. Logically, I know if I just sat down, did the Nike thing (Just Do It), and got it over with, it wouldn’t bother me as much. And yet, somehow that defective gene always wins out.
I was supposed to work on the taxes yesterday. Somehow I managed to convince myself that I had a hundred other things to do so that I didn’t have to work on the taxes. Today, I woke up and told myself, “work on them today, try to get them knocked out”. Argh. Here it is after lunch and I have been doing the procrastinating thing again. OK, I am going to work on the taxes. I promise. Maybe. 😡
The meme for Wednesday did not appeal to me, and I found this daily question posted at a blog I visited this morning. I thought it was good, so here goes!
Name three hobbies, interests or pastimes that many people seem to enjoy but that you have absolutely no interest in.
Post your answers in a comment!
My answers are:
1. Golf
2. Nascar
3. Chess
Well, it’s a Tuesday night and Tim got a phone call from his boss at about 8:40. A computer at their office in Jackson needed some attention and so Tim just left to go into the office. He’s not on call this week, but he lives near the office and his boss does not. He left saying that he might be a half hour or he could be all night. You never know with his job!
So, I’ve settled in with my book (The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks) and a cup of herbal tea. I will read a while and hopefully he will be home soon.
I just read the following in my book – “But love, I’ve come to understand, is more than three words mumbled before bedtime. Love is sustained by action, a pattern of devotion in the things we do for each other every day.”
No truer words ever written.
What is it about certain smells that evoke such strong and immediate memories or sensations? Case in point, I just opened up a bottle of white vinegar and got one whiff. Immediately, my brain translates into Easter Egg dyeing. Something about that smell just makes me think of dying Easter Eggs.
BTW, the vinegar was for steaming the iron. My iron decided to spew icky stuff out of it yesterday, which it does from time to time. I think it’s all the stuff in our water. I always fill the iron with water and use steam to iron Tim’s clothes for work. After a while, I think deposits and stuff in our water build up in the iron, for it “throws up” from time to time. I use an old trick of Dodie’s – steaming the iron with a strong concentrate of vinegar and water. I hope it works. If not, I’ll be out the door later to get a new iron.
Back to the smells. Coffee is one of the other two that springs to mind. Most of my life, I never liked the smell of coffee. Growing up, I was around it. Worked around it and even made huge pots of it when I worked in a restaurant. Been many times to Cups or some such coffee spot with Tim and friends and couldn’t stand the smell. Then, suddenly, out of the blue, last summer, it actually started smelling good to me. Smelling coffee brewing in our kitchen is now incredibly comforting to me. It reminds me of Tim, it reminds me of home, and it’s an incredibly warm fuzzy for me. Smelling it in a store or coffee house is a very heady experience for me now, too.
The other smell I can think of is a bad one. And, like the coffee, it’s one that I used to have a completely different reaction to, when I smelled it. Growing up, I have always loved red meat. Still do, love to eat it once its cooked. But, in the last few years, I have had a growing dislike for seeing and smelling red meat when it’s raw. I think it’s something about the blood. It just totally disgusts and nauseates me now. Has really made me feel sick to my stomach to open up a ziplock of red meat and smell that smell. Ick. Makes me sick just thinking about it.
OK, time to end on a good note. I have a chicken stew in the crockpot. It’s already starting to smell good, and I know that by late this afternoon, it’s going to smell divine. It’s one of those comfort foods that I love to make in the winter. And, it makes me so happy when Tim walks in the door and smells it (he has an incredible nose, and a very intuitive palate too, he can pick out seasonings, foods, etc in all kinds of food) – Tim will walk in after work, and say “wow, that smells good. Is that x or y” — and most of the time, he’s right! 🙂 He loves to come in and smell fresh bread baking too. Another favorite scent.
