Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!

Its a great year when we get 2 "turkey days" in one month. Won't happen again for another 4 years.

However, it has been pointed out to me that if the Indians had given the pilgrims a donkey instead of turkey we would all be getting a piece of ass for Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Its getting hard to tell the crazies from the sane..

I am not a big fan of blue tooths. (Or is that blue teeth?)It used to be you could tell the crazy people because they were the ones talking to themselves in public places. Now everywhere you go there is someone holding a loud personal conversation with no one on matters that most people would not want broadcast to the world because they own a blue tooth.

I have been in a bathroom stall when I have heard a voice in the stall next to me whisper "Can you hear me?"
"Uh, yes."
"I really need some advice."
"Ok..."
"Do you think I should continue to date Todd, now that his best friend has told him that he likes me but thinks he might be gay and Tod's wife may be pregnant?"
"Um...who's Todd"
"Hold on a second, there is some crazy person in the next stall listening in on my conversation."

Its so hard to tell if you are the intended conversee. I have heard people discuss bodily functions, sex practices, yell at their kids as though no one else were around and use language that would make sailors blush. Its almost as if they have such a sense of self importance that the rest of the world does not matter. Whatever happened to common courtesy.

I guess I am going to have to start looking for the tin foil hats to know the true crazy people!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Things I love

Recently, my friend Kim tagged me with a meme to blog about 7 things that I love. That is pretty easy.

1. I love my husband.

Bob and I met online back in 1998. He was separated from his wife at the time and not looking to meet anyone. I had just got a computer and was enjoying meeting new friends on line. We e-mailed back and forth for a while and then he finally gave me his phone number so I could talk to him and finally be convinced that he was not some crazy axe murderer from Ohio. We finally met and I knew he was the one. After his divorce became final he moved to California. We got engaged in 2003 at a Fourth of July concert at Raley Field. He had got up to get something and when he came back, I looked over and he was on one knee. I thought he had tripped and then I saw the ring. My answer to his all important question? "Are you serious?" (he will never let me forget that.) I love my husband because I enjoy his company. I love the fact that we can talk about anything. We have fun together. I am so comfortable around him. I am a pretty solitary person, and if he were not around I would probably end up as one of those crazy cat ladies with about 50 cats. (My goal in life is to have enough money to be "eccentric" instead of just "weird") I sometime wish I had known him when we were both younger.


2. I love my parents.
I was the caboose child. Mom & Dad had a 13 year old and a 15 year old and were entering their 40's when I came in the picture. They took an active part in my life volunteering in school and after school activities. They were strict but loving parents. They expected much of me so I came to expect much of myself. Both of my parents were born in the 20s and lived through the Great Depression and WWII. They gave me a good solid grounding and life, a great moral compass, and good values. If someone needed a helping hand, they would do what ever they could to give them support. I don't mean money. They taught me the value of just being there for someone. I know as a teenager I struggled for Independence and thought they were fuddy duddies, but as I got older, I came to appreciate their wisdom and patience. I lost my Dad in 1999 and my Mom in 2002. There is not a day that I do not think about them or utilize some of the knowledge that they passed on to me.

3. I love a good book.
There is nothing like losing yourself in the pages of a good book. There have been some books I could not put down. Others, were so well written that I could visualize the locales, seeing the sights, smelling the scents and even losing myself in the characters. My parents encouraged reading. Lunch at home meant sitting at the table with my bowl of spaghetti O's and reading. Some of my favorite books are "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck, the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, "Under the Tuscan Sun", the "Harry Potter" books, and historical fiction.

4. I love the sound of cats purring.
When one of my kitties curls up on my chest and the purr begins, it is such a contented sound. All is right with the world.

5. I love being inside during a storm and listening to the wind howl and rage outside while I am warm and cozy inside. It reminds me just how blessed I am in life.

6. I love the ocean. There is something about the ocean that recharges my soul. I think it might be the blood of my Viking ancestors. I love the walking with my toes in the water. (Even when its freezing cold) I love sand between my toes, the roar of the waves, looking for shells and sea glass and the smell of the sea air.

7. I love to create/craft things. I enjoy the whole creative process be it sewing, knitting, writing or any other of my many creative endeavors.

I will now tag Serena, Clare, Hazel, Cheryl, Jamie and Jerry

Friday, November 14, 2008

Birthday B&B

This year for my birthday, my husband decided to give me a special treat. He knows that I get a little down on my birthday because that is one day I really miss my Mother. She used to make a big fuss over me on my birthday.

This year, Bob decided to take me away to a Bed & Breakfast. He asked me where I would like to go and I suggested the foothills. So Wednesday morning we headed up Interstate 80 for our little mid week get away.

Our first stop was Old Town Nevada City. Its a quaint little town along Highway 49, "The Gold Country Highway". There is a lot of history to be seen and many quaint shops and unique eateries.



Beer - its not just for breakfast anymore!

We then headed over to the Empire Mine. The fall colors were spectacular. It was so refreshing to see the cerulean blue sky and to smell the pine scented air. It was a gorgeous day to be outside!


Even Bob was excited to be outside.

Really.

The grounds of the Empire Mine are lovely. The owner based his home and garden designs on homes he saw in Europe so it has the "Old World" feel to it. You almost feel like you are visiting a European Manor House.




After exploring a bit, which for me did not include entering the mine as I am extremely claustrophobic (I am starting to hyperventilate just thinking about it!), we headed off to check in at our Bed & Breakfast.

Bob looked at a lot of sites for B&B's in the Gold country and finally settled on the Sierra Sun Cloud Inn. Its a beautiful home on 18 acres at the top of a hill in a private community.

We stayed in the "Sundance Room, which overlooks the pond. From our very comfortable bed

We could watch the sunset.

The owners Guy & Alysia were very gracious hosts and went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed. We drove into Colfax and had dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant called Bella Sera. The food was excellent and the ambiance wonderful. After dinner we walked through town and peeked in all the windows. Only one shop was open, the Whistle Stop Quilt Shop. They were having a small class but welcomed us in. Wouldn't you know it, I found yarn! I bought some 100% linen yarn at quite a steal.

We went back to the B&B and settled in to the game room to relax and watch "The Bucket List" which we thoroughly enjoyed. Guy brought up some homemade pumpkin pie for us to snack on.

The next morning we woke up to a delicious breakfast of pastries filled with sausage and eggs, yogurt with fresh berries, and fried potatoes. After breakfast we walked around the grounds and admired the views.


Even though you are only 2 miles from Interstate 80, you feel like you are far away from everything. The B&B backs up to the Weimar Institure with miles of hiking trails, but this was a relaxing trip so we did more eating, shopping and snoozing.

After leaving the B&B and bidding farewell to our gracious hosts, knowing that we will definitely come back, we went into Colfax to eat at the "Drooling Dog Barbecue". We ate ribs and made a mess but as Bob says, "if ribs ain't messy, they ain't good!" He also had a side of garlic potatoes. These people take their garlic seriously! It wasn't minced garlic but whole cloves of roasted garlic in there. Luckily he wasn't planning on kissing anyone but me.

After lunch we went to Grass Valley and did some shopping and yes, I found the yarn shop on the main drag. Fibers is a lovely little shop staffed with friendly people. They are getting ready to launch a web store. They also come up with some very unique kit ideas. Bob's favorite part of the store was a rocking sheep that bahh'd. It was so cute! He almost bought it.

We headed back home feeling tired but refreshed mentally. Can't wait to go back!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Lucky to Be Alive

I love my husband very much. That does not mean that I don't get the urge to kill him sometimes.

My husband snores. Loudly. In the time we have been married, I have gotten used to his snoring. In fact when he stops snoring it will wake me up and I will poke him to make sure he is still breathing.

The other night after waking up from a nightmare involving large spider webs and my cousins, I decided to visit the bathroom before going back to bed. When I got back in bed, Bob was not snoring. I put my hand on him and he was not moving. I felt in a different spot and still no breathing. At least I knew he had not been dead long as he was still warm. I am starting to panic a little so I go to check his pulse at his throat at which point he starts giggling "I'm alive!". He heard me get up and when I came back to bed he thought it would be funny to hold his breath to scare me. I did not find this very amusing at the time and called him a very specific portion of anatomy.

He is lucky I love him.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

NO!!!!!

Just when I thought it was safe to watch television again, free from campaign ads....they start showing CHRISTMAS COMMERCIALS!!!

NO NO NO! Not until after Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Election Over

The press is positively giddy this morning that the candidate they have been pushing for the past year has won the election. I am happy to see the high votor turnout and that in the popular vote, the race was a close one.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next 4 years.

One thing I do not understand is the almost worshipful attitude of Obama's suppoters. He is just a man, not the Messiah. Of course, I never could understand Kennedy's appeal either.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Its almost over!

Thanks goodness after almost 2 years of campaigning, the election is almost over! I will be so glad to not have all the ads, pundits, mailers, fanatics etc. for a while. I am happy that people are finally taking an interest in the electoral process. Voting is not just a right, its a responsibility.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Daylight Savings

No one bothered to explain daylight savings to the animals in our house. At 6:30 am Honey decided it was time for her to be fed. At 75 pounds she can be very persistent!