not so MANIC MONDAY

REPEAT: BECAUSE OCTOBER IS "ADOPT A SHELTER DOG MONTH"

"dogs are everywhere almost everywhere i go..."

FLASHBACK october 2007
rufus appears on our deck, early one fall morning.

FLASH FORWARD january 2008
first came charlie. cody and his girlfriend went to the local animal shelter and came home with a huge puppy. HUGE puppy. charlie is collie/st. bernard mix. and he's scared of everything. i call him the cowardly lion.
then came maddie. she's tiny. she looks like a mutant chihuahua. her paws are HUMONGOUS. we are told she is pit. as she gets bigger it's clear she isn't. she's greyhound/english pointer mix. she is a princess. she rules the house with an iron fist. rufus could care less. charlie bows down to her highness.

FLASH FORWARD today
maddie lives with me and bk now. no dogs to boss around. no boys to boss around. and bk refuses to be bossed around. she attempts to boss e'beth around...e'beth reminds her that she is, in fact, the queen. she is an amazing dog. she is loving. she is calm. she rarely barks. she does have her issues: #1~she still thinks she's a chihuahua (but why CAN'T i sit in your lap?)...#2~she hates when she is sent to time~out (yes, she gets time~outs, and, just like any kid, she tries to get out early...maddie's version? military crawls out of the room)...and #3~she firmly believes in "no means no" (so a word to all male dogs...keep your distance...she will punch you in the throat).
october is "adopt a shelter dog" month. we've all seen the commercials. sarah mclachlan sitting there, with her healthy yellow lab, making us cry over all these sad, abused animals. well, she's giving you some important facts...according to the aspca,  5~7 million companion animals enter shelters each year and 3~4 million are euthanized. 25% of dogs in shelters are purebred. and only 10% of animals, received in shelters, have been spayed or neutered. so, why listen to sarah and ADOPT a shelter dog? for one thing, you will be saving a life. the number of dogs being euthanized would be reduced drastically, if more people adopted rather than purchase from a pet store. your pet will, most likely, be healthier. most shelters examine and vaccinate animals when they are dropped off. and, often, they will spay/neuter the animal at adoption. and this also means...you'll save money. think about it...the cost of the adoption fee including first shots, and spay/neutering (go purchase a pet from a breeder or pet store and try to get a deal like that!)? and, don't forget, studies show that pet owners live happier, healthier, lives. so basically, you've saved 2 lives (the shelter dog and your own!!).
adopt a shelter dog...it does the body good...

**Update to gallery...our newest shelter dog**

                      

 

               

 

need help finding a shelter or rescue near you? check out petfinder.com

FLASH BACK august 16, 1977

"there will be peace in the valley..."
35 years ago, today, the world lost the king of rock 'n roll. i was 11 when elvis died. i'm not gonna lie. i have no idea where i was, or what i was doing, when i heard the news. and it would be years before i would realize how much  i love his music (mostly because i love vince vaughn, but that's a whole other story). 
hail to the king baby!!

FLASHBACK 1976 *or possibly further*

 
REPEAT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT:
"a very merry unbirthday to me...to you..."
i'm not sure when she started...my earliest memory of my grandma marge reading "alice in wonderland" to me was when i was 10. but we had just moved back after 4 years, so it's very possible she had been reading it to me before. she told me i reminded her of alice...i was easily distracted. 
FLASH FORWARD july 2004
grandma marge passed. we start going thru her scrapbook. we learn some very interesting things...she was on the ohio state homecoming court in 1938. what?! that's cool! she was a licensed pilot. what?!!!!!!!!!!! okay!! grandma!! how do you not mention these things to your granddaughter(s)??!! grandma lillie says it best "ladies never brag...and marge was a lady...". i picked up a copy of "alice in wonderland" soon after. i read it at least once a year (or did until i mis-placed my copy...time for a trip to the book store!! yay!! or better yet...someone can get me this louis vuitton edition from penguin publishing...thanks for bringing it to my attention paige!!!). it keeps her close to me.....
FLASH FORWARD today
today is "mad hatter day**"....today is a day that all the stuff we do everyday, that most people would consider sane (going to work, paying the bills, cleaning the house), is complete and utter madness...and all the stuff that makes us happy, that most people would consider madness (playing in the rain, singing at the top of our tone-deaf lungs, dancing with the devil in the pale moon light) would be deemed completely sane!! just for today...
so put on your favorite hat...and get out there and do something completely...sane!!

                                

 

a gallery of silly hats:

      

 

                          

                  

 

                         

 

                                   


**interesting factoid: in the illustrations, the hatter is always seen wearing a top hat with a slip reading "this style 10/6" (meaning that style hat cost 10 shilling sixpence)...so we here in america took it as a sign to act like the hatter on october 6...the english? yeah...they read the date backwards, which means they act like the hatter on june 10...since i like to write my dates backwards but am, in fact, american, i think i will act like a hatter on both dates...XD     

FLASHBACK valentine's day 2012

REPEAT: originally posted to provide christmas gift options, but valentine's day is only 10 days away. if you're too lazy to make this super easy gift, you can always buy one of the gifts i've linked...extra bonus: a hilarious video of ideas!!
"there's the strangest excitement today...if you're awake then you're welcome to hear...i got a gift and it blew me away" 
the bk and i don't really do valentine's gifts...#1~i hate roses. i HATE roses. not knocking you girls that love them, they just aren't for me...and #2~what do you get someone that feels like they have everything?...besides. st valentine's day is about celebrating love. so we do just that. this year we get up before the sun and go to valentine's day breakfast. we are the only people in cracker barrel at 6am, when it opens. we sit by a crackling fire...sip on bottomless cups of hot coffee...and i get to hear about how beautiful i am with no make~up, a messy bun and my glasses on...
but, the bk is unaware of something. i have tucked a small gift in his work bag. something i know he doesn't have. and something i'm sure he will think is stupid, but i do it anyway. i found it on pinterest...a book made of playing cards entitled "52 reasons i heart jamie"...
all you need:

• a full deck of cards (preferably worn and tattered, but you can rough new ones up with sand paper)
• a black sharpie marker (or a computer and printer labels if you're too lazy to write)
• labels
• a hole punch
• binder rings
• your brain

make a cover for your book with the jokers and simply write the title on one with your marker. use your brain (and heart) to come up with 52 reasons why you love him/her. write them on the labels and attach one label to each card (fronts only). punch two holes in each card (make sure they are aligned). and clip together with binder rings. voila!!!

FLASH FORWARD today

we are only 23 days away from christmas...every year it gets harder and harder for me to find the PERFECT gift for my bk. and i know it's gets harder for him. our answer every time one of us asks "what would you like for christmas?"? i have everything i need. which is completely true. this year got a little easier for him...my day job has turned me into a bit of a handbag queen. truth is...i always have been, but i've always been able to find the trendy bags for very cheap (let's not talk about how) so i refuse to pay full price for a designer bag. so, when macy's had their friend's and family sale, this week, i got a michael kors bedford bowling satchel. eek!! merry christmas to cardinal!! but, now...NOW!!...i have to find the bk the PERFECT gift. and he is still saying "i have everything i need/want". DILEMMA!! i m sure many of you are in the same boat so, i googled ideas and found these great gift ideas for under $100:

PARA ÉL:

j. crew classic spread collar shirt: $68 (reg $88); because every guy needs a classic white button up in his closet...

sunspel boxers: $39: come on...your guy needs to get out of the tighty whities...and you don't want to get him hanes at christmas!!

kenneth cole new york watch: $95; help him keep track of the time this christmas so he's not late for the schmancy fancy holiday party!!

art of shaving chrome futura safety razor: $95; because it's no longer NoShavember!!

coach bleeker bull usb keyring: $98; it's a keyring AND a 4GB usb flash drive...cool

                 

                           

         

PARA ELLA:

coach madison op art sateen large wristlet: $98; because sometimes all we need is a lip gloss, a credit card, and our cell phone.

michael kors holiday watch key fob: $48; because, if you aren't gonna have a jag in the driveway on christmas morning, at least make our keys look fancy!

guess multichain bracelet watch: $85; cause it's a watch AND a bracelet!

victoria's secret pillow talk tank pajama: $49.50; because we like to be cute when we lounge around...bonus! free slippers with every pair!

lady gaga fame perfume gift set: $84; because every girl should smell like a rock star...(actually, i wear this and it smells delicious..)

                   

 

                          

happy shopping!!!

FLASHBACK february 2, 1887

UPDATE: 2/2/2014~PUNXSATAWNEY PHIL SAW HIS SHADOW...GEN. BEAUREGARD LEE DID NOT. HMMMMMM....

"they say it's gone say winter's done...that don't mean a thing...'cause i'm the one that moves the sun...for you i'd turn it into spring"
german settlers to pennsylvania bring the tradition of candlemas to america (the legend of candlemas says "for as the sun shines on candlemas day, so far will the snow swirl in may") and discover that groundhogs are very intelligent and perfect to carry on the legend...so they find phil. every year, on candlemas, they pull phil out of his home and watch. will he see his shadow and run back to his lair? if he does, we have 6 more weeks of winter. or will he hang out for a bit? a sure sign of an early spring. but phil only has been right 39% of the time. hmmmmm.....

FLASH FORWARD february 2, 1990

general beauregard lee starts predicting spring in lilburn, georgia. he claims an accuracy of 94%. yeah. i said 94%.

FLASH FORWARD february 2, 2013

punxsutawney phil hangs out at gobbler's knob for a bit and everyone i know rejoices for an early spring. seems they've had enough winter. me? i didn't see enough snow. didn't have enough cuddling by a cozy fire while old man winter blows outside my window. i am super excited by general beauregard lee's prediction. he sees his shadow and goes into hiding! yay!

FLASH FORWARD march 5, 2013

and so it begins...up to the minute forecasts from every. single. person. on facebook. there's a winter storm a brewin'!! schools close in anticipation of a foot of "the white death". rain turns to snow, just as all the meteorologists predicted, around 9pm. and we all wake up to a beautiful marshmallow world.

                        

and so, it appears, the groundhog to listen to is general lee. and, as he predicted, spring will arrive, as scheduled, on march 21. 

BECAUSE IT'S THURSDAY?

"puff the magic dragon lived by the sea...."

dragon: a mythical monster like a giant reptile. in european tradition the dragon is typically fire-breathing and tends to symbolize chaos or evil, whereas in east asia it is usually a beneficent symbol of fertility, associated with water and the heavens.










just a quick list of my favorite dragons in honor of "appreciate a dragon" day:

1. puff the magic dragon

2. falkor (the never ending story)

3. elliot (pete's dragon)

4. smaug (j.r.r. tolkien's the hobbit)

5. the hungarian horntail (j.k. rowling's harry potter)

6. maleficent (sleeping beauty)

7. (and my all time favorite) h.r. pufnstuf

have you appreciated a dragon today? 

                                        

TUESDAY MORNING

"let's watch the old year die with a fond good-bye...and our hopes as high as a kite...how can our love go wrong if we start the new year right?"

it's new year's eve. time to bid adieu to the old and welcome the new. so, how do you make sure the new year will be more amazing than the last one? by following ancient superstitions, duh doy! these superstitions say what you do on new year's day, you will do all year long. be sure to do only things that make you happy and follow cardinal's rules for an awesome 2014:

• make sure all your laundry and housecleaning are done new year's eve day. who wants to be washing clothes and cleaning house all year?!
• do your cooking the day before, and be sure to cook the following: black~eyed peas (for luck), greens (for financial prosperity), and pork (because chickens scratch backwards, cows stand still, but pigs root forward guaranteeing you will move forward thru the new year).

                      

• nothing goes out of the house on new year's day, or you will be losing things all year long.
• fill up the cupboards, fridge, and freezer the day before. if the cupboards are bare you'll be starving all year.
• kiss someone you love at midnight to ensure affection all year long.
• set a dollar bill outside on new year's eve and bring it in new year's day. this will ensure you have money coming in all year.
• the first person that enters your home, on new year's, should be tall, dark, and good looking. no joke. so i will be sending the bk out the door at 11:59 and letting him walk in at midnight...

• open your doors at midnight, to let out all the bad from the past year. and noise. make a lot of loud noise to scare off evil spirits.

so. spend today doing all these things, while you watch the walking dead marathon on amc, and you will have a bright and shiny 2014!

happy new year!!