** Super Wednesday! **

i couldn't been more excited right now! BARACK the vote worked! i am elated that Barack Obama's won last night! I felt it could happen but just needed to hear it a few times to believe it! go out an buy a newspaper all, this is HISTORY in the making. it was emotional to witness on tv and i can only imagine how great it would have been to see it in real time at Grant Park in chicago.

it is time for all the bickering and name calling to end and for everyone to get down to business of fixing the economy, bringing the troops home ASAP (not in 5-6 years) and keep jobs here instead of shipping them overseas! ENOUGH SAID!

peace :)

** YEA! October!!

yes people, it is my favorite time of year! FALL! and might i add, my favorite pagan holiday?! haha HALLOWEEN! i am sooo excited and really slow with an idea of something creative this year. my office has a costume contest but i think we have to come up with a "theme", which is really lame. anywho...

i did hang a few things yesterday..ghosts, a witch, and vampire in my windows to "set the tone"!

my weekend was decent. saturday was some shopping, gym, mowing the grass, and some beverages! and it was 70s which was great!

yesterday was the RAVENS game, laundry, way too much vacuuming of dog hair, taking mick out, mopping the floor and hangin' with some fam. this was really a last minute thing. my aunt called me at 4 and said her and my uncle were in town and asked me to come to dinner at the cousins place in mt. washington. i had not seen my uncle since i believe june and it had been a while since i last saw my aunt (maybe last year). the cousins were their typical wild selves! always on the trampoline, it doesn't matter the season. we had some sweet potatoes, green beans and salad. the meat-a-tarians had something from the grill. not sure, but think it was pork?! yuck

i have roped my uncle into helping me fix the running toilet! this has been the case for at least 6 weeks now. i was going to wait until my dad came for visit in december, however, if i do that my bill may be outrageous by then! i am hoping this isn't more than a $30 "fix!" maybe by december i will get a NEW toilet..one that isn't pink and from 1970! haha

gotta jet now...c ya!

** Ok, so..I've been a slacker!

whoops..sometimes time just gets away from me! this will be short as i am on lunch at the new "jobby-job"!

thank goddess the weather has cleared! we had quite a NOR-EASTER come through on friday and for 2.5 days we had nothing but torrential rain and high wind! ugh, so not good for the hair!

speaking of hair, i finally got a haircut saturday and colored it myself friday night. it is my "fall color", light bronze brown. it is a little dark at first but will lighten up in 4-5 days.

on saturday, i met up with "meggy", "irongirl" and their kids at towson town center. mostly window shopping for me but it was good to get out of the house for a while. later that night, i drove to columbia and met up with "meggy", dom and my brother who i will call "skins' fan", and we went to sushi king in Columbia. a truly hidden gem located in dobbin center, conveniently located near the MVA! it was very good and we only had a 15 minute wait. we had discussions about the first debate, what we heard and what was clearly missing as well..

sunday was a typical day for me...gym, laundry, vacuuming, changing sheets, walking mick and football. oh and of course a short trip to the shop because, again, i get too easily bored inside. i got myself a cute little halloween votive holder with skeletons and some weightlifting gloves which i desperately needed (i have had callouses for at least 2 months now).

gotta jet now!

** Happy September!

so...it's been a while since i have updated the 5 or 6 people out there about my life. the new job is going well (i'm in the 2nd week) and so far so good. we are learning tons of new computer systems as well as the lingo pertaining to the commercial real estate business. the cool news is that each month if you're market is the top team, you receive a free lunch as well as half a day off! can't beat that with a bat...

i have had to change my gym schedule around a bit and now go in the evenings which is a lot more crowded but there is no way i can function at 6am on the elliptical machine or doing free weights. the point is, at least i am still going and seeing the benefits!

mick has also been fine, thank goddess! no more nasty surprises when i come in. that was thankfully only for 2.5 days and more than enough for me! he is enjoying his new lamb and rice food, (he will eat anything) and scarfs it down in 2 minutes flat.

the weather has been pretty nice as well. sunday was HOT (low 90s and 70% humidity) but we are now back in the low to mid 70s! my kind of weather. fall is my favorite season and halloween my favorite holiday so i really need to start brainstorming about my costume! oh and work has a costume contest so i am quite ready for that challenge and plan to win!! haha

my other highlight for september is the VA wine festival in manassas. it is at the end of the month and a good time. i went about 3 years ago. you really can't go wrong with 50 vineyards and unlimited tastings for $20!! whoop, whoop! my friends from NC will be in town then so i am looking forward to seeing them as well. VA wines are really pretty good and SOOO much better than MD.

** Plop, plop! Ugh...

yes...

i feel almost like a parent now! my beloved dog mick has had some major GI issues since wednesday morning!!! so not cool! i haven't a clue if he ate something he shouldn't have or was just not feeling so hot and now has a 48 bug.

i was treated to the overwhelming smell of "poop" upon my arrival home wednesday night. so gross!! let's just say that i was dry heaving so much that my throat still hurts..eyes watering..the whole 9 yards! i then gave him some pepcid ac and really shouldn't have fed him that night but i did and i came to regret that as well. i got up at 230am to let him go out (he was literally running). i decided to barricade him in the kitchen with his bed and water on thursday. i thought turning a chair on its side and pushing the trash can up against it would work..and it did, thankfully because i AGAIN had a larger, nastier gift on my kitchen floor last night!! just thinking about it makes me SICK!!! anywho, this time i decided to make him some plain rice to eat (thanks for the suggestion meggy). he did eat it and yes, he had 3 more "bouts" later that evening. this hasn't effected his personality though. we still went for a run and he was fetching and eating sticks and running into the creek to splash around as usual. the fact that we were out at the park and i wasn't about to attempt to "clean" that mess up was a good thing for me!

from 5-10pm he was great..things seemed to be getting back to "normal". i again, had to let him out at 330am this time but i think things weren't nearly as traumatic. he had more rice and i shoved another pepcid ac into a small piece of banana. he is smart and must have smelled it and spit it out. i then tucked the slobbery pill into some wheat bread and he ate it that time. about 1 hour later, he puked on my wood stairs. i, however, wasn't aware until i slid on it...

long story short, he was left barricaded in the kitchen for day #2! i am really hoping things will be okay when i get home later. i am going to switch him to a better food and hope for the best as
nasty "poop" cleanup duty is getting old and my nose and throat cannot handle it much longer!!

have a good weekend all!

** Ah, yes! Soon to be a full fledged "citizen"!

haha...

sorry, had to say it! what i mean is that starting next monday, i will have a new job! the "citizen" part comes from the fact that i will no longer have internet access during the day to check up on CNN, the weather, TMZ, perez hilton, myspace, etc.! what a bummer!

the name of this company shall remain nameless (to protect the innocent)...just know that it is about 7 miles from my house and i will be in a large office of about 80-100 people (by my estimates). ah yes, gone are the days of coming in at 1015 after my am trips to the gym, wearing flip flops and generally being the occasional slacker and getting up to leave run errands whenever i needed to. this will take me a little getting used to but a change of scenery was necessary and who knows..i could meet some cool new peeps to blog about too! we shall see...it will force me to get back on a "schedule". i believe i will be working 830-530 at least for the first 3 weeks of training. then, i think i can choose to come in at 730 or 8 if i like...i doubt i will be there any earlier than 8...that is just plain silly if you ask me!

** Hazardous omelet anyone?

haha! for those that know me well, know that until recently i wouldn't touch an egg! i mean scrambled, sunny side up, etc. couldn't stand them...it was the rubbery texture (only liked eggs in brownies, cake..you get the picture). i have always felt that if my food hits the floor, it shouldn't bounce back to me!! get my drift? anyhoo, about 2-3 months ago i started to eat them. i like to add pepper, hot sauce, garlic powder, cheese, whatever to make them taste better. that brings me to this am...

i was whipping a few in a bowl and had just poured them into the frying pan. i also just let mick out back for his "morning constitution". 2 minutes later, as i am reaching for a plate above me i decide to do the lazy grab! you know, where you don't physically lift what is above it but just pretend you are david copperfield and whip it out?!! ah yeah, that is when the porcelain crate and barrel bowl came tumbling down onto the counter and shattered into 20 pieces. it made a helluva noise and mess!! it went everywhere...sink, counter, floor and my omelet!!! ugh, so not impressed. i decided it wasn't worth trying to digest porcelain shards today so i threw it out and had a piece of toast instead with a handful of trail mix. i never said i could cook well...

** It is October already??

..it really feels close to it! i am not complaining here but for late august in b-more, 77 and rainy is unheard of!! it is usually 95 with 70% humidity and that isn't fun. last year at this time i went to the state fair with "meggy" her son "D" and 2 friends. it was 107 and horrible out!! we literally sweat after walking 5 steps and got on the "tilt-a-whirl" for a "breeze"!

you know the feeling when you see someone you know pretty well and wonder about them?! well, i saw someone today and am 95% certain it was him. we were both driving and he didn't see me but i trust my gut and think it was more than likely him. i kind of got the nervous butterflies in my stomach at first, then was jolted back to reality and the fact that he will probably stay single for a long time...whatever, life goes on.

nothing too exciting has happened this week. i did try to fix the SRS indicator light in my car yesterday. buffalo bill helped as well but no dice though. the info i found online was pretty straightforward but involved 13 "easy" steps and after trying 5-6 times, i was over it. no airbags for me right now! i do occasionally like to live on the edge and boat man reminded me that people didn't have airbags for 50 years so it will be like flashing back to the mid 80s for now...just need to find my jelly bracelets and splatter painted top!

** Philly weekend recap!

well, it's official now.."philly girl" is now married! "meggy", "CV" and myself drove up to philly thursday night. we had some drinks at their apartment then headed to the Lowes hotel bar to meet up with the groom-to-be and some of his out of town friends.

friday was pretty low key for me. the "wedding" party got up and left at 10 for mani and pedis. i eased into my day and checked email, make a few work calls and got ready. they came back at noon and we had subs for lunch. by 230 we were headed to the Lowes hotel to check in. by 430 we arrived at the bellini grill for the rehearsal dinner. very good food and for a small place it was decorated tastefully. we had salads, some calamari and mussels, penne pasta and a choice of entree. i picked the salmon with capers. it was very good as were the 4 glasses of wine as well!

saturday morning was a jolt for "meggy" and CV" as they needed to be up and in the lobby at 9am for hair and makeup. i feel pretty confident they were both still trashed as they probably only had 3-4 hours of sleep! i took myself out into the city and walked to some shops. in fact, i walked so much that i got myself lost! NO SURPRISE here. i asked the mailman and it turned out i was only about 4 blocks away at that point.

after watching some tv i got ready and met hillary and jack downstairs to walk the 4 blocks over to the ceremony. the ballroom was very big and old with gi-nourmous chandeliers. there were 160 peeps in the house for the ceremony which was maybe 20 minutes long! (my kind of show)
3 of her cousins sang and played the guitar and her mom read a poem. it was off to the cocktail hour after that! ice sculptures with shrimp cocktail, cheese n crackers, veggies, fruit and egg rolls were all yummy.

the wedding reception very nice and a great time was had by all! i would say in my top 3 weddings of all times. "philly girl" will now be called "mrs. philly girl" looked beautiful and couldn't stop smiling, there was an open bar (the bartender reminded me of bernie mack (RIP), very good food and music! oh, and a dessert room complete with chocolate fountains and 10 kinds of bon bons/cookies, wedding cake, mini chocolate cups with baileys and much more...

they flew to miami yesterday for 3 nights before heading to st. lucia for another week! i am really jealous and know that they will have a great time!

** Almost Friday!

it really feels like one! i cannot wait to blow this pop stand!

when you are doing the ol' "hurry up and wait" for others, it is really painful. 2 of the people are in Florida and are working from home due to tropical storm Fay!! THANKS FAY, great timing! another contact is in CA. we are know how they work....slow, and at their own pace. there is never a sense of urgency...

all i want to do is call the client and give her the updated info on what her payment is and what she needs to bring to the table for settlement. mind you, i have been here since 8 and am trying to leave in the next half hour.

enough work BS for now...i am headed to philly later today with meggy and "philly girl's" sister, we will call her "fred c" (she lives in frederick and name starts with a "c") for philly girl's wedding!! her and fiance have been together 4.5 years..so this is a long time coming. it will no doubt be a good time and change of scenery i so desperately need!! mick is going to cougar's house to say with them for 3 days. they are looking forward to his visit as he is always a joy to have around!!

richmond (my roommate) and his lady friend are staying local this weekend. they plan to hit up an O's game and some "brew pups" in b-more. i hope to GOD that my fridge doesn't have any issues again as it was last time he stayed in town (6/20) that we had a waterfall in the basement!!!

have a good weekend all..i will surly miss you! haha

** Olympics madness!!

well, the wonder boy has done it! 8 gold medals in swimming! he is really amazing and the amount of dedication and time spent away from his friends and family over the last 4 years has got to get lonely at times...what an inspiration to so many, regardless of whether or not your an american or a swimmer! kudos to the swim capped wonder...michael phelps! :)

the american women gymnasts also have done well. shawn johnson and nastia luikin are amazing! i am truly impressed at how strong they are for 90 lbs! the shear stress they put on their bodies to make it look so easy and graceful! sick,in a good way!

if i could only have an ass that actually stopped moving as soon as i did...haha

**just want to give a shout out to welcome meggy's son, to adolescence! he is 11 and i guess it was only a matter of time...she caught him looking at "inappropriate material" online last night. ugh, that has got to be a tough conversation from mom to son!! certainly more tricky than "clean up your room" or "don't forget your lunch today". she is a real trooper and powered through it and the awkwardness has now waned.

** Words you hate!

ok, so i think we all have a few words or phrases out there that make us cringe when we hear them! some more so than others...these can evoke strong emotions from disgust to sadness to anger. that being said, i felt i needed to make a short list for cathartic reasons! please enjoy below...

brilliant
"crazy busy"
"what i can say is..."
fester
pendulum
the "C" word....truly disgusting!!!
commitment

i sure i can think of more but i really felt that this topic wasn't worth more than 3 minutes of my time!

happy wednesday to all!

** It's FRIDAY again!

and i am sooo ready for it! been a tough week for me and that is all i will say about it. those that know me, know why. i may need a few drinks...

wanted to give a special "THANK U" shout out to "meggy"!! she treated me to an awesome dinner last night at The Bicycle in fed hill. for those that have never been, you are truly missing out! we have been there 3 times now and i am always impressed! the last time was almost a year and a half ago...it's a small place located in a row home so be sure to make a reservation.

we shared a great bottle of wine...a viognier from california (incognito) and it was really good. not too sweet nor dry. we had no problem finishing the bottle and yes, i got the hiccups for a good 10 minutes to boot! we also are really big fans of the tuna tar tar avocado appetizer!! it is amazing. it comes plated with micro greens surrounded in a sauce with little nuts and minced garlic and drizzled in a spicy chili sauce. i told meggy that i could just have eaten a plate of that and been happy!

i had the sauteed crab cakes and she ordered the tbone. i will take her word for it when she said it was really good. mine was awesome! all crab, no shells nor filler either. and what meal isn't complete without dessert?! she got the strawberry tart with blueberries, boysenberries and a side of banana ice cream. pretty good, but all of you know i am a choco-holic! i got the peanut butter cup. it came on a plate with caramel sauce and banana chips and the peanut butter cup was topped with meringue and a dark chocolate wand!! i am drooling just thinking about it again...

anyway, it is a nice day here and only supposed to be 82-83 this weekend!! i will be turning off the AC later and opening windows. i will also watch the Olympics too. i enjoy the gymnastics, swimming, track and field and some cycling.

** It's August!

this will be brief as i am in an odd mood. so far it has been a slow and low key day. boat man isn't in and buffalo bill is doing his own thing in his office. back to the grind as they say and that seems to feel more like the great wall of china today!

my weekend was uneventful. did lots of boring domestic things such as: laundry, vacuuming, washed my car, walk the dog, colored my hair, etc. decent weather though minus the 2 t-storms that blew through the area on saturday.

at this point in my life i try to make sure that those closest to me know that i think of them often and appreciate their friendship, love, guidance etc. i know this isn't something that most people think about nearly enough or feel completely comfortable expressing. it shows your vulnerability and most people really dislike that, "wearing your feelings on your sleeve" mentality. i feel i have gotten better about this over the last year or so and try not to forget that...

simple concept but challenging for most...
PEACE

** Monday, Monday

well, here is it, 3pm and i am waiting on others...when i say "others" i am referring to our title company. i have a deal closing tonight and i swear it doesn't take 3 hours to get a HUD!! i know it doesn't...

it is frustrating because i need to know the amount that the clients need to get a cashier's check for to close. anyway, enought of that. i am calling in 15 minutes and lighting fires if i need to.

friday was low key. left work at 130ish and went home briefly. finally had a haircut too! i really needed it...it had been close to 10 weeks and it was looking like a "rat's nest" (term from g-mom). now i just need to color it. ahhh, the things women have to go through...

saturday i went with cougar and her new son...we will call him "baby W" to a BBQ on the eastern shore of MD, Kent island. her husband "J" was already there setting up and there were lots of families with many kids. we had a good time and the weather was sooo much better than last year! probably close to 15 degrees cooler and that made all the difference. we stayed for about 3 hours and headed home as "baby W" (at 4.5 months) was needing a nap or food, or both. he is very cute. light hair and really blue eyes. he did well being passed around to people and mom and dad were very happy to show him off!

sunday i went to the gym and then headed over to caps' for lunch. we went to belvedere sq. and i got a delicious greek sandwich. i love feta cheese, olives, tomatoes, onion etc. we followed that up with some "uncle wiggly's" ice cream! the rest of the day was pretty low key for me. i read the paper, did some laundry, took mick out, etc.

** GRUNTS r US!

yes, i said grunts~!

i usually don't vent too often but i have to devote a small amount of time on this subject. the gym is always an interesting time. lots of sweaty people in all shapes and sizes wearing all different kinds of interesting get-ups to work out in. for example, there is a man in his late 50s that ALWAYS wears jorts (that's jean shorts for those that are a little slow)! there is also a man in his mid 40s, that is literally what i am sure he thinks is a BRONZE god! very, very, very tan and always wears faded black tank tops and baggy pants and work boots!! enough of a visual though..

my issue is the fact that sometimes these folks get so wrapped up in their AARP conversations and crowd around the weight machines that nobody is actually working out! this effects me because i am patiently waiting to use certain machines. they yap about the war, the baseball game, their next vacation, etc. PLEASE people, work out or move to another area! be courteous of others and take your "coffee talk" elsewhere. there is no need to hold up others that have a "job" (using that term lightly) that they report to 5 days a week!

the other topic of discussion today is the "grunting"! i know i have heard about this very topic recently on the news (some guy in a NYC gym got into a physical fight with another because he wouldn't stop the loud grunting, one sued the other, etc). this guy today (haven't seen him before) was running on the treadmill fast with headphones on doing his thing (good for him). i was cracking up and losing my focus because he was grunting so loudly i could hear him with my headphones on!! i seriously thought he was behind me having wild SEX, not running!! very odd indeed and i just about lost my grip and dropped my weights! anywoo, at least someone was benefiting from their $35/month gym dues!

** R.I.P **

this will be a short one...

RIP- Estelle Getty (of the Golden Girls)..she was 84. She reminded me quite a bit of my G-mom. She has been gone for 10 years now.

RIP - Morgan Feldman (Cougar and Jon's dog)...I just learned of this today. He left this earth about a month ago...

** Weekend re-cap!

happy HOT monday all! another 95 degree day in Balto-land (wipe brow)!

friday night, caps and I took mick to my cousins house in mt. washington for dinner. the girls, Ella (almost 6) and Freckles (10) were there as well. my cousin by marriage who we will call NY (that is where she lives) was also in town and there with her significant other (ni chi bi kai). this meeting was more so for mick and their dog dutch to "meet". dutch, however, wasn't too excited about another canine in his backyard! i went to put a bowl of water down and dutch went crazy! he was growling and batting at mick who countered with the same snarl (totally out of character for him). this happened again maybe 45 minutes later. not too comfortable with them rooming together if i do decide to go out of town for a long weekend...

dinner was great, we had veggie kebabs and couscous. we followed that up with a chocolate torte (to celebrate 4 b-days.. including caps). it was so AWESOME, i like to call it "hot love" or "my new boyfriend".

sunday i gave mick a bath outside (with my DOVE frizz control shampoo)! he looks shiny and smells great! in the afternoon, i caught the lightrail from mt. washington into the city for Artscape 2008! always a good time and ALWAYS super hot!!! met up with meggy, irongirl & hubby, baby n, dom and his 2 wild friends. i am happy to report that i used my SPF 15 and didn't burn...i do have more freckles on my arms though..

we walked around and checked out some of the displays: lots of paintings, jewelry, pottery, t-shirts as well as some interesting "street performers" including a grown woman in a cat suit with a collar and leash being "spanked" by her owner (this was slightly creepy and she had to be HOT in all that black spandex)! we also saw the "art cars" which are pretty cool. one was literally covered in about 100 of those "singing bass" fish and had animated lobsters swaying and flashing red lights in time to a popular song.

after i had a rockin' crab cake and ice tea/lemonade, we caught a group of break dancers performing. they were impressive especially the guy that had a mechanical leg! we all parted ways shortly thereafter and i caught the lightrail back to my car.

caps' invited me to dinner at his casa. he made a delicious sesame wasabi salmon grilled on cedar planks. don't think i had ever had that before but it was great! we also had some tomato (the salmonella ban was lifted), mozzarella and balsamic salad and sweet corn! yee haw, that is was summer food is all about! to end on a high note, i had a leftover cupcake (from caps b-day saturday) with about 2 inches of butter cream frosting! that pretty much put me in a food coma!! zzzzz

** Just because...

**just thought i would answer a few questions before i blow this pop stand today** u must only use one word though...
1. Where is your cell phone? desk
2. Your significant other? home
3. Your hair? frizzy
4. Your mother? KY
5. Your father? quiet
6. Your favorite thing? food
7. Your dream last night? nada
8. Your favorite drink? rita's
9. Your dream/goal? success
10. The room you’re in? office
11. Your hobby? crafts
12. Your fear? snakes
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? hawaii
14. What you’re not? thin
15. Muffins? delicious
16. One of your wish list items? health
17. Where you grew up? columbia
18. The last thing you did? internet'd
19. What are you wearing? capris
20. Favorite gadget? phone
21. Your pets? dog
22. Your computer? ok
23. Your mood? okay
24. Missing someone? indeed
25. Your car? dirty
26. Something you’re not wearing? stilettos
27. Favorite store? huh?
28. Like someone? many
29. Your favorite color? purple
30. When is the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? tuesday

** Scooter-ific!

yes, i said scooterific! pretty sure that is a made up word but i am going with it! it is mid 90s here and HOT, HOT again!

i know that with the high price of gas people are turning to alternative resources to get to and from wherever it is that they need to go....scooters included!! i'm sure they can be fun, after all they come in a bevy of fun colors (mint green, powder blue, electric blue, etc)!

i was coming out of the gym today this am and there was one (in maroon) parked on the sidewalk (actually the 2nd time i spied it). the man that sauntered over to it was really tall, bald on the top, reddish hair, in his late 50s and reminded me of the music teacher that will ferrell did skits about for years on SNL!

about an hour later as i was driving into the office, i passed yet another "scooter lover" on york road! here's where is gets interesting...she was in her mid 50s, wearing a bikini top and khaki shorts, and kelly green flip flops with plastic flowers. she had the skin of a leather bag and thankfully was wearing a nice red helmet! she was just bouncing all over the place and wasn't particularly fit. most people were just shaking their heads. i was thinking, why in the world would you put your life in danger on a super busy road?! at least wear a t-shirt and tennis shoes. it's hard to recover your skin from the asphalt when wearing little clothing and inappropriate shoes!

i really cannot believe i wasn't quick enough to snap a pic of this site on my phone! when i thought of it she was 50 feet behind me and i had already goosed her at a green light!

HAPPY TRAILS TO ALL!

** Odd and Sad day

well, it has been a year since my cousin Brian took his own life. so awful. it is still hard to believe and today it feels like it happened just last week. he would have been 34 now while his son Fergus is now 5. our family is determined to never let him forget who his dad was and all of the wonderful people whose lives he touched. it is just such a waste and shame that he felt so alone and helpless back then....i kind of have that weird feeling in my stomach. it kind of hurts and flutters all at the same time. it started yesterday and comes in waves. maybe just more of a reminder to how i felt last july. as they say, he is gone but not forgotten...

enough sadness for now. i am going to focus my energy more on reflecting on life and relationships. since this occurred, i don't take things nor people for granted. i try to let those around me know that they are a special part of my life as we all know that life can be far too short.

Brian Rubin 3/27/74 - 7/15/07

** Ole!

hola all...this weekend has been pretty low key so far. that is a great thing compared to the flood last saturday! yesterday was spent doing typical weekend things...going to gym, taking mick out (twice), laundry, cleaning the bathroom and vacuuming.

caps' came by here at 630 last night and i met his son. i will call him "alaska" since that is where he has lived for the last 3 years. he is being transferred to andrews air force base starting this week. he is a nice guy, typical 22 year old with spiky hair and laid back personality. i could see some resemblance to caps...similar in height and body type...

the 3 of us then headed over to his friends house for dinner (s & m's and little blonde guy). they have known each other for about 4 years and own a bike shop nearby. we had an awesome "mexican" casserole with beans, cheese, onions, tomatoes, peppers and soft tortilla shells. of course it isn't a complete mexican meal without the sour cream, avocado, chips, salsa and corona! it was really good! i give it 4 tamales! little blonde guy was entertaining and of course full of energy! he was running around, throwing toys, singing and hanging from the kitchen table as he was "sneaking" tortilla chips...he also was very comfortable around me although i had only seen him once before. he kept coming over to me and wanted to sit on my lap. think that had something to do with the fact that he saw my cookie and milk...

after dinner we had some rockin' double chocolate chip macadamia cookies from safeway. in my opinion, the best to end a good meal is with something sweet and preferably, chocolate!

today will be low key as well. i plan to take mick to the robert e. lee park for a mini hike! we haven't been over there in about a year and it is a perfect day for it! mick is all about running free and swimming and playing with the other canines along the trail...

** All Hail Monday!

that is what is sounded like late last night! at least outside my casa! lots heavy rain, deafening thunder and bright flashes of lightening! i was really impressed that mick wasn't phased. he got up and moved to a new spot on the floor and went right back to sleep. i, on the other hand, was hoping that my basement stairwell wouldn't be flooded this am. thankfully, it wasn't!

that brings me to the weekend activities. did lots of kitchen cleaning (stove, fridge, sink, etc)earlier on friday then went to ellicott city & columbia for a "non BBQ". no grilled meats, just good ol' dips, salsas, fruit, brownies and alcohol! my kind of party! iron girl, hubby and baby "n" hosted the small get together. the 10 of us headed over to the columbia lakefront around 7 and waited through 3 or so small bouts of rain before the fireworks started at 930. a good time was had by all...

woke at 745 saturday to let mick out and sure enough, it had HAPPENED AGAIN! my fridge water line had split and was spraying water all over the place! i knew that downstairs would be UGLY. the leak traveled down into the basement, through the floorboards. as i opened the utility door (which is always open), it was literally raining from the ceiling! water was everywhere...it covered half of the washer/dryer area, went all the way to the back door, & into "richmond's" bathroom. the 3 cardboard boxes that were stacked behind the door had collapsed from the weight of the water soaking into them. luckily, the top box was more empty boxes. the other 2 were my g-mom's china! they were spared though...

lots of bath and dish towels later...as well as a workout at the gym, i called kneecaps and he came over to inspect the damage. i was truly stressed about this. mostly because i thought it was fixed 2 weeks ago! we made 2 trips to home depot and 2.5 hours later, i think (knock on wood) that it is fixed. we replaced the entire water line and assuming the old one was as old as the fridge (93), it was absolutely necessary. just want to give caps' a shout out THANKS again! and for the leftovers and coffee double shot from starbuck's! you rock.

yesterday was low key for the most part. went the gym again and did laundry. played on the computer a while, took mick out and watched way too much FOOD tv Network! i really should be a pro by now but alas...

went over to caps' after 6 and we went to bahama breeze in towson. usually a good meal but we weren't really feeling the "island love" last night. a guy that looked like a younger, more fit (pre botoxed) kenny rogers was playing all the old buffett classics and we sat outside but it was kind of muggy. we ordered the coconut covered onion rings. they were ok. a little too greasy and the special sauces that came with them weren't great. my grilled veggie sandwich was a 7 out of 10 and caps' was sweating literally from his tostada salad! too much spice! it is hard to eat a big salad that has been coated in some sort of thousand island -like hot dressing!

anyway, that is all for now. got to get some sh*& done now!

**Red, White and Blue!

yeah, it is that time again! i still cannot believe the year is half over! it is hot again today...mid 90s but that is what the "4th" is all about! BBQ's, pool parties, pyrotechnics in all shapes, sizes and places, mosquitoes, etc.

slow day here at the office. boat man and buffalo bill are out. i am not doing much, spoke to 2 clients and don't plan to be here until 5, let alone 3! i have already caught up on CNN, weather.com, tmz, perezhilton, myspace, etc. the roomie, "richmond" is gone for the 3-day weekend so it will be a nice, quiet weekend for me and mick.

had an interesting tuesday evening. mick and i headed over to kneecaps' place for some grilled veggies and fish. when i got there, i took him out of the car and walked him around the side of the house. i let him in the chain link fence and locked the door. i went back to the car to get my kabobs and went inside. about 2-3 minutes later i walked from the kitchen out onto the patio. i couldn't find mick anywhere!! it was still daylight out and although the yard is a decent size, it by no means is a half acre! i called his name and then heard a weird noise...kind of like heavy breathing. to my amazement, mick had fallen into the pool! it wasn't, however, filled with water!! it had an old blue cover that was ripped half way across and i guess he just walked out onto it and tumbled to the bottom! i was clearly nervous. my first thought was that he hurt himself, maybe broke his leg. caps and i ran over to the cover and "unhooked" the sides. mick was happy to see us! he was wagging his tail and kind of running from side to side to try and get a running start to climb up! no luck though...

caps had to jump in (about 5 feet down) and hoist all 100+ lbs of dog out! he was wet and had gotten into the nasty, dead leaves and dirt and whatever else managed to get under that pool cover in the last 5 years! it smelled a little funky too! i thanked caps for "saving" his life and he was happy to be back on solid ground. i gave him some water and a treat. he stayed pretty close the rest of the night..probably more so because he was hoping for some dinner scraps but also since he had taken a tumble and probably knocked himself silly!!

** Don't look up!

yea, it happened!! the 2nd time in about 9 years. i was out walking Mick last night and not 2 minutes after we left the house i felt something warm on my forehead. i reached up to wipe it and looked at my hand. it was white! a bird SH*& on me!! ugh i was instantly grossed out and walked to the nearest patch of grass to wipe the rest from my hand. it also got on the top of my sunglasses! so NOT COOL at all! i powered on though and finished the walk, stopping only long enough to text "meggy" about this crazy stroke of what i called "horrible, messy luck!"

when i got home i went upstairs to survey the damage and was surprised! it had not landed in my hair at all. in fact, there was only a small spot remaining above my eyebrow. i then got my deep scrub mask from the cabinet and proceeded to burn the skin off with some quick exfoliation! i also washed my hands.

i have heard people say that it is actually GOOD LUCK! this came from deb (my mom) so i am not sure i can believe it but 2 other people told me the same thing today so i am going with it! now if i could just get that damn stimulus check in the mailbox today...

anyway, leaving this pop stand soon to head home briefly. then driving to the metro station outside dc to pick up "chi-girl". she is in town until early tomorrow am. we really only see each other once a year. last time she was here was mid october 07. we will have a low key evening...dinner somewhere local because her flight is early (730am) and i will need to drop her at BWI by 6am...(i hope to come back and sleep a few hours). she will also get to meet caps' so that is good. we plan to stop by his "new bachelor pad" later.

that's all folks..got stuff to do! PEACE

** "Knee-capped!"

that's right..this morning at 10! i was walking out the front door, (backing out really to lock the door) and somehow my heel got caught in the hem of my pants. it happened so fast too! all i heard was a "rip" then i was down! i landed on my kneecap and knocked my shoe off! (glad that my neighbors weren't around because they probably thought i was hitting the bottle early) not really sure how i haven't mastered leaving my home after almost 4 years but clearly i need to work on that! it will not only be a nice purplish bruise tomorrow but it will certainly give me character and a ridiculous story to boot!

work is quiet and slow here. talked to a few people, have read at least 40 emails already and responded to some and just finished a delicious cherry yogurt and then had some tomato soup! all i can say is..."don't believe the hype!" the "healthy request" campbell's soups aren't tasty at all! almost no salt and pretty much no flavor either. i added some pepper and still was only able to stomach half of it. we have some pretzels here (which i am sick of) but at least they have taste so i may need a few in an hour. waiting on an appointment at 3 that i really hope doesn't take longer than an hour since i won't get any new business from it...

calgon, take me away...to get an ENERGY DRINK, please! :)

** Thar She Blows!

haha, gotcha. please get your head out of the gutter now! i am talking about my fridge! apparently at some point yesterday, the water line that runs from the back of the ice maker down through the floor and into the basement broke and was leaking everywhere!! ugh

the ironic thing about this is that my roommate "Richmond" stayed in town this weekend because his girlfriend came for a visit. if he had been in home in VA, I more than likely wouldn't of discovered the FLOOD downstairs until this am when I typically do laundry!! he called to tell me this at 10pm last night when I was at "OC girl's" 30th b-day party (i will upload some pics soon)! right before my almost "american idol-like" rendition of pat benatar's "hit me with your best shot"! I was in no shape to discuss leaks/floods then...I did stay about another 45 minutes after that though..

it wasn't too bad, however, the water did leak for a good 6" onto the carpeted area and I now have 2 fans blowing on HIGH to get it dry as quickly as possible. I will need to replace the water line so for now, we have an "ice ban" here at casa de sharkgirl!

"OC girl's" party was a good time. I got there around 830 and stayed until a little after 11...it was a long day of lifting and sweating from the move and I was tired...most people had been there earlier but there were still a good 25 people when I arrived. she was feeling no pain and neither was her husband of 9 months! thank goodness they were sleeping there too. karaoke was in full effect and that seemed to get everyone up on their feet..well, kind of. some were swaying a little more than normal!

today has been a day of typical domestic sunday stuff. laundry, vacuuming, gave mick a bath (used my special hair-straightening shampoo since I ran out of his "coco bongo"), some light dusting, took him out for a run, etc.

** Smells like Summer!

just wanted to mention that a close friend of mine from chicago's g-mom passed away on wednesday. it has been tough for all of them and very emotionally draining as well. my thoughts are with them and I hope that we will eventually get to see them sometime later this summer as they were supposed to fly in today.

ah...the first full day of summer 08! so far, so good. the last 4 days here have been great! temps in the low 80s and low humidity. that doesn't happen too often this time of year so I enjoy it while it lasts. going to help caps' in a little bit with moving into his new place in towson. it's about 4-5 miles from here which is certainly better than 15 miles. his bro n law, daughter and her b-friend are also helping. i will have my SPF 15 on today! and will work up a sweat too so as far as I am concerned, this is my "workout" for the day...

have "OC girl's" 30th b-day party later. i am sure there will be a ton of people there and lots of booze! that is how they roll. their wedding was a blast back in Sept. 07. one of the most fun i can remember...well, sort of! ha

mick has been giving me the evil eye for a good 30 minutes now. he gets in this weird phase usually on saturdays where he doesn't eat his food in the am. this is odd for him because 97% of the time, he woofs it down within 2 minutes (he is 100lbs+ afterall)!! i could also hear his stomach growling loudly so maybe he needs a dose of pepcid AC today! when he got sick last october the vet said i had to give it to him for 5 days straight! it works though so as long as i still have some, a little "peanut butter" trick may be coming his way...

** Feels like Spring!

it is awesome here! it was in the mid 70s yesterday and the same for today! i was happy to turn off the AC and let some fresh air in! this is the type of weather that i could deal with 6 months of the year (i do like winter)...makes me happy to be alive and well.

quiet in the "office" today. Pirogi gal didn't show yesterday nor today. not a surprise to me since she gave her 2 weeks notice last week and she would just play online games and take smoke breaks! no reason to pay someone 8 hours to do that. also since her drive down from PA is at least 20 miles plus as well.

buffalo bill and boat man are working on a deal. we are also having a lunch "meeting" with some peeps later this am that are trying to "court" us to come and work for them. so it was quiet 3 minutes ago, now the "men" are yelling at each other! never a dull moment, i tell you. they really are like 2, 10 year olds! friends one minute and fighting and cursing at each other the next...fun stuff! :)

yesterday we took a field trip to superfresh for ice cream and pretzels (ugh). when we came back buffalo bill decided to lock us out of his office since boat man only gave him $5!! again, silly. that didn't stop the 2 of us from taking 2 bags of trash, a few chairs, some thick files, a large plant and office table and pushing it in front of his door! it made for a "mini" obstacle course when he emerged 15 min. later...haha! what other office do you know where you can do that and not get a warning or fired?!! here...that is it.

** Father's Day

and so it begins...this time of year makes me think of the start of summer, long, hazy days and almost daily trips to the pool (when i was 12)! those days are long gone for me...one too many sunburns over the years and i can no longer woof down 2 glazed donuts during "adult swim" and hop back in the pool 10 minutes later and keep my girlish figure!! such is life...

also wanted to mention tim russert's sudden passing on friday. kinda crazy that someone i can remember seeing for many years on the news and in particular on sunday mornings, is no longer around. sad, really because each person that knew and worked with him raved about how great and down-to-earth a guy he was. very devoted to his wife and son and really just loved his job and that came across on tv. i got emotional a few times watching the tributes to him and had to change the channel. makes you stop and think how precious life is and that people in your life can never be taken for granted.

i have also been thinking about my cousin brian today. after all, it is father's day and he is no longer around either. he would have been 34, while his son fergus is now 5. only a month from now will mark a year since his passing. this is still deeply emotional for me as it is for many other members of our family.

on a lighter note, it was a year ago that i adopted my dog mick from good ol' kentucky! we marked the occasion will our usual romp through the field and his eating of some grass and sticks. it is true that having a pet, does help to reduce some stress in your life. now if he could only get a part time job and help with the bills...

went to my friend "viti's" bridal shower yesterday. she now lives in philly and has for a couple of years. her wedding to "R" is in late august and i know that she is really looking forward to it. there were 14 of us at baldwin station for lunch. it was hotter than a hooker in church too! we sat outside and although we were on the patio, there was little to no breeze. we kept taking ice cubes from our glasses and rubbing them on our wrists. amazingly this works!! we had our choice of a crabcake sandwich or thai spiced shrimp salad. i went for the shrimp salad and it didn't disappoint! also had a raspberry tart with lemon coulis (yes, i am a foodie) and vanilla ice cream.

she got the usual stuff: china glasses, place settings, silverware, a mixer and some more fun items...nighties and some earrings (from yours truly).

** Quiet time at the Office!

ok, so today when I came in I decided it was best to keep quiet about yesterday. at this point, i certainly am not going to rely on someone else to assist with my loans!! clearly, that doesn't fly! that being said, i came in with a signed loan application today and was completely happy to scan it in myself and email it wherever it needed to go.

Pirogi gal was here and taking up space again..basically answering the phone maybe 8 times, taking smoke breaks and playing games! yes, i said PLAYING GAMES! anyway, she has left for the day and i am in a better frame of mind now...

just talked to my friend cougar (old coworker). she went back to work tuesday after 3 months maternity leave and was having a crappy day. she was transferred to another office and her boss had a meeting with her today and said something like the guy that she replaced "wasn't as lazy as her!" WTF?! who does that? she didn't apologize and just kept talking after that. people really have no filters these days. this is a 43-yr old educated woman and clearly went off the deep end! when cougar mentioned that she needs 2 30min breaks a day to "pump"...her boss then said "that must be annoying." wow-wonders never cease! you would think since she has an 8 year old, she would understand.

getting busy again..gotta jet!

*** I have fire coming from my eyes!!

no words can express how irritated i am right now with a sh**ty coworker! totally incompetent and useless as far as i am concerned! basically has done nothing with a loan of mine from a week ago but was very quick to try and place blame on someone else when i discovered this today! have been making calls all morning to clear this up and get things moving now... she gave her 2 week notice yesterday but has really been on a "mental break" since january. as i sit hit pounding the keyboard she is literally playing computer games!! NICE huh??!

i am going to go for a ride to clear the mind because if i don't, i may choke her..she is only 5 feet away from me and that ISN'T a good thing for her!

** Sunday, Sweaty Sunday!

still Africa hot here! moved my car under the 1 nearby tree and put up the "sunshield" as well. it is expected to be 97 today without humidity! very oppressive heat, the kind that just walking to throw your trash outside makes you wipe your brow. ugh

took mick out for a walk at 930 and was happy to go from the shade of one tree to the next. we lasted 15 minutes. he did, however, stop by the "creek" to get some water and splash around...also to chase a squirrel.

have done some more laundry and vacuumed again. 3rd time this week! this dog sheds like a GRIZZLY BEAR! i watched a little food tv network, did a quick 15-minute hair mask and showered. i will be staying in most of the day. i really need to mow the front lawn BAD! it has been close to 2 weeks now...i plan to wait until at least 7 when it might only be 90 degrees!

our pool trip yesterday was a success! i didn't get burned. that SPF 30 works like a charm! we sat under the trees for the entire time and no, i did not swim. the shade and breeze were sufficient enough for me. dominic and "meggy" finally ventured in after 90 minutes of him waiting to see if any friends would show. no dice though. his hair alone could probably cause heat stroke! i am pretty confident that he is looking forward to his" summer do" maybe next weekend..

came back around 430ish. we all got showered and then went to "Leelynn's" around the corner. the AC was cranking and that was a good thing! had a delicious salad with salmon, craisins, goat cheese and candied walnuts topped with a mustard poppy-seed vinaigrette! it was great! i felt like i hadn't eaten a single vegetable in weeks! it had probably been a week...naturally had to get dessert. that pretty much cancelled out my workout yesterday! oh well, it was a chocolate pecan pie with caramel!! ridiculously good but certainly not necessary...

** Hot as BALLS here!

haha, sorry. i felt the need to pretend i was 15 again! it gets my point across though. this will be brief as i am on a strict time schedule!

it is supposed to be 95 today and 97 tomorrow and it is only JUNE 7th! this does not bode well for the rest of the summer, especially for those that don't think global warming exists! WAKE UP PEOPLE! i am headed to ellicott city for a few hours to meet up with "meggy", and "iron girl". i cannot believe i am typing this but we are going to the pool! this body hasn't seen a temp of over 75 since December of 2006 (when i was on a cruise)! i will have my SPF30 on and will try to stay in the shade with a book and hat on....

taking my new camera with me (from caps') and hope to take some pics of baby nina, dominic, etc. hopefully the battery will cooperate.

more later or tomorrow...STAY COOL PEEPS!

**It really was a MONDAY!

ok...so to start my day, i was a complete buffoon!! i am not even sure what planet i was on but here goes. i leave to head to work and after i am in the car, i do my normal routine (put on seat belt, put lunch on the floor, adjust radio). when i looked in the rear view mirror, i see my neighbors car. it was 3 seconds after that when i backed right into it!!! i felt like a complete fool! i turned off the car and got out to survey if there was "damage". luckily, there wasn't. but i stood there shaking my head wondering what in the hell i was thinking about. i still am unsure. there wasn't anything on their car (thank goodness) but i had a small scratch (that is what happens when you back into another car and the license plate scrapes the bumper)! my car is pushing 6 years old soon and i couldn't care less about a scratch on the bumper. i have had a softball sized dent on front passenger side since 04' and haven't worried about it at all. end of story is that i didn't leave a note on the car and wondered if they watched me from the house. i was feeling quite guilty for a good 20 minutes afterward...

work was about the same. buffalo bill was back after a 5 day hiatus. he has a bulging disk in his L5 and apparently that is REALLY bad and horribly painful! he is on percocet and was cheering occasionally as well as singing and whistling at times so hopefully he is getting better. boat man was in better spirits than last week and things are moving in the right direction around here and that is all i will say about that.

pirogi gal was the same, eating a sleeve of crackers, taking smoke breaks, taking cell calls and playing computer games. that lasted until about 2...nothing new there.

at noon i was starving and decided to have lunch earlier than usual. it was then that i popped my soup into the microwave and walked away! it blew up all over the place and wasn't even that hot to boot! ugh.. i was able to salvage what little amount was left. i followed that up with a crappy diet yogurt! now i know why i don't but that brand..it tastes weird. i would rather have the extra 50 calories and have it taste good.

great evening here ...about 78 so i will be jetting soon to take out mick and enjoy it! it is supposed to rain for the next 3 days so you gotta make the most of every great weather day! and again no AC needed (i did break down saturday when it was muggy and 85 and turn it on).

** WTF?! I cannot figure this out!

ok...i really don't understand how challenging installing software for a new digital camera and then transferring the pics to my computer can be (i want to say thanks again to caps' for the awesome gift)!

it has been close to 4 years since i really have messed with a digital camera but don't we think in that time, not only have the cameras gotten more sophisticated but the software should be easier?! just a thought people. i have now had 2 rounds of this in between laundry, vacuuming, catching up on CNN, lunch, taking mick out and still no dice. so far, i know that the software was installed although i am beginning to think incorrectly if that is possible. the issue is when i connect the camera to the computer it "isn't detecting the camera!" when i do finally have my ducks in a row, there will be some pics added to the blog.

yesterday was a good day. it was sunny and humid and about 85! i got up way earlier than usual 7:45 and got myself a cup of joe. gave mick a bath (he smells great and is shiny but his breath is like HOT garbage), and went to the gym. came back and showered then took mick for a run (mostly so he can eat sticks and gag).

at 4ish kneecaps came by and we headed down to aliceanna st. so he could look for a futon. who knew that you have close to 40 choices as far as frames & mattresses go?? the fabric adds another 100 choices easily. the cheapest frame was about $250 up to $1000! anyway, we were there 20 minutes and the salesman was an oddball. he was darting from customer to customer asking if they needed help and after 2-3 minutes would dart to the next victim! maybe he was short-staffed and just didn't want to say that? regardless, we didn't have any luck.

we headed over to su casa in canton to search for a bed frame. the store is cool and i have been in there maybe 3 other times. all kinds of kitchen stuff, pillows, mirrors, tables, rugs and furniture. caps ran into a former co worker that works there part time so we chatted with her for 15 minutes and he has a gameplan for possibly getting a good deal on the frame and rug he liked (will not be disclosing this here, ha)!

we had dinner at RED STAR in fells' which was fairly new (to me anyway) but a great choice since it is off the beaten path and not super touristy nor crowded. had a ALT sandwich (avocado, lettuce, tomato) that also had hummus and mozzarella. it came grilled and was delicious! caps got the fish tacos which were equally good and we split a molten lava cake with vanilla ice cream! those are the kind of desserts i refer to as "hot love" or "my new boyfriend"...my ladies out there can attest to this! as we were finishing up caps decided to text another former co worker of his and we ended up meeting up with him and his girlfriend at little havana in federal hill. a great night to sit outside on the water and it was crowded. i will call his friend "21 jumpstreet" and girlfriend "cupcake" (she works in a bakery) seem happy. they both have kids from previous relationships. cupcake is an anomaly, however. she is 30 and has never had a driver's license, she walks everywhere and doesn't watch much tv either. can't say i have ever met anyone that age that seemed so sheltered! it was really interesting to me. after a few margaritas/mojitos and some political rambling we headed home.

** Ahhh, Friday!

i am home writing from mi casa and waiting for Brink's to make an appearance. we all know how these things go, they say they will be there from 8-12 and 99% of the time show up at 11:55 or they don't show at all! ugh, at least i am being productive and doing some laundry and other "domestic" activities.

that is how COMCAST always rolls! that is also why i will NEVER have comcast again! they are a monopoly and absolutely suck in the "customer service" department. when you call after the 4 hour window has come and gone to say that they never showed up, they don't even apologize but say "well we can schedule another time for them to come out"! i wanted to say...BI%$^, are you crazy?! i just sat here and waited and took 4 hours off from work for this BS! NO THANKS!

got to see some of the fam last night. my uncle was in town briefly and got 2 dozen crabs to commemorate the occasion! i brought some delicious black bottom mini cupcakes! you know me and chocolate...we go way back! i went to my older cousins place in mt. washington and the kiddies were there as well. they were jumping on the trampoline when i arrived by greeted me with a hug which is nice considering i didn't come with any gifts! haha two of them are 5 and the oldest just turned 10 going on 13! although she is a tomboy she knows what she wants. she was in the midst of a paper mache humpback whale project for school! it was quite impressive although not life size! i told her i would give her and "A" and she seemed pleased. ahh, to be that age again! what really could be so stressful?! they don't have jobs, nor any bills to pay or the thought of $4 gas! summer camp, ice cream and going to the pool are what they have in store for the next 2.5 months...

** Bush bashing book Wednesday!

well, it is all over the news today, the former white house spokesman McClellan has come out with a book that says bush didn't review all facts before heading into iraq! can't say i am surprised by that admission but is he out of work too?! it's a quick way these days to make a buck..write a juicy book! who knows how this will shake out..we all know that most people closest to bush will say it is crap and question why he waited 6 months or whatever to come out with this revelation!

it is awesome here...low 70s and sunny! great open window weather...and a nice breeze too! kept the windows open and fans on. mick was happy to see me at 130 when i popped home to mow the lawn. i wasn't able to tackle it last night because the kiddies next door were all about some sidewalk chalk and i didn't want to chase them in on such a nice evening!

i was "goosed" by the lawn pros, however. i rolled the mower out front and started the engine, within 2 minutes it crapped out on me again. meanwhile, a large white truck rolled up across the street with 3 "yard guys". they were no joke! 2 were doing the "edging" and the other was mowing. i was huffing because again, i wasn't sure what the problem was. pushed on the spark plug thing again, added more gas, no dice. then i decided i needed to raise the wheel height. that did the trick and 7 minutes later, i was done. the "mowers" were driving off at this point. they clearly were on a tight schedule!

came back into the office at 5 and had some delicious broccoli and cheese flavored rice! kinda sticks to your insides but tastes pretty good. ended on a high note with a chocolate eclair ice cream bar that boat man and i picked up from superfresh yesterday. now i am just making calls and browsing the Internet to stay on top of all the live, local and late breaking news!

**Muggy Tuesday

well, back to work after a nice long weekend. it is muggy and somewhat overcast today. and yes, another reminder that i havent mowed the front lawn in over a week! we are supposed to get t-storms today and think i may get outta here soon to tackle that.

saturday was a nice day. went with "meggy" to double dutch in hampden then got a bite a golden west cafe. good food and we got there at a good time because it starts to get packed at 630...

went to a "luau" wedding reception saturday night. lots of fun. plenty of people w/tropical drinks, laterns, tiki torches and of course music! there was also a UFC fight on as well...a little violent for my taste but 15-20 people were into it and watched for a while.

sunday i was lucky enough to be invited to 2 BBQ's. one in ellicott city and the other in columbia. they are good friends with "meggy's" bro and sis n law. they have an amazing place with a pool and are super nice to boot! the kids were having a blast in the pool and the adults enjoyed some sun, beer and beef! maybe not necessarily in that order...

after that we headed to "mandingo's" condo for a smaller get together. i hadn't seen her since xmas maybe and met her boyfriend and the dogs. "irongirl" and hubby were there with baby nina (10 days old). she is beautiful and very little, the perfect lady who slept the entire time...can't expect too much at that age though.

yesterday was another productive day. caps' came to get me around 1 and we hit up macy's home as well as bed, bath & beyond and crate and barrel. he was in a purchasing frenzy for his new place in towson that he will be moving into in about 2 weeks. he got some pillows and new silverware but didn't have any luck finding a new bed.

we then went to his sister and bro n law's place for dinner in federal hill. i am never disappointed! crab soup, mac n cheese, veggie lasagna, tomato n mozzarella with green beans and short ribs for the "meat-a-tarians"!

** Sunny Saturday!

well, it is awesome here today! low 70s and sunny, light breeze! great grillin' weather if that is your thing...

last night i met up with kneecaps at "VIN" in towson, kind of a funky, trendy bar with decent food. we sat outside on the deck area and has a great night for it. we were there because a friend of his is moving to austin, tx in a week with her boyfriend. this was her "going away happy hour". only knew 4 people but wasn't too concerned. i was, however, out of my league again. all those damn triathletes! in one place too! nice people but my god, eat a sandwich or something...please! haha

so far, a low key day. got up had coffee and waffles then headed to the gym at 9am. lots of peeps in there getting their sweat on! more than likely cause they plan to eat a ton in the next 2 days and not come back til tuesday! i, however, think i can get back in there on monday.

came back, showered, took mick for a run at the local h.s. field. lots of open space which is nice so he can run like a banshee! did i mention that when he runs he keeps his head down and runs slightly to the side?! he may appear rabid to some but that is just mick! he stops briefly to sniff things, pee on things and eat some grass. i found a tennis ball so that was entertaining to him for 5 minutes.

came back, had some lunch, watched little tv, read a magazine. i am waiting on "meggy" to come up here from ellicott city. we are gonna hit up "double dutch boutique" in hampden (well she is). i am there to check out the scenery. my cousin , we will call her "cool red" and her business partner have had the store for about 2.5 years now. fun stuff for the ladies..shoes, t-shirts, shoes, purses, jewelry, bath stuff, etc. not your everyday things from macy's, or target and most of their vendors are from the west coast.

that is for all now...getting bored. later gators!

**Memorial Weekend Friday

well...hard to believe we are almost in june! i really feel like the last couple months swept past me. oh well, one day closer to all things summer! margaritas, grilled foods, picnics and dare i say, swimming pools! haha

it is a shame that this holiday has been reduced to sales on furniture & shoes, cook outs, baseball games, and trips to the beach. i am not saying we all don't deserve a break away from work and to spend time with family and friends. what i am saying is that people need to stop and remember why we have a "memorial day". for the thousands of men and women who have lost their lives during war time...

mick had a stomach accident not once, but 2 times yesterday am! i wasn't too happy. went to let him out at 6am and as i was walking back upstairs i slid on something wet, beige and mushy! a pile of dog vomit. ugh...i found another patch on the opposite side of my dining room rug later. luckily i had "meggy's" steam cleaner and was able to get most of it up. it is hard to say for sure since it is shag and kind of thick.

maybe more later..got to get into the office.

** Hump Day!

well, it is sunny again! although it is about 10 degrees cooler than normal, the longer i can keep from turning on my AC, the better!

some sad news to report..."meggy" wasn't able to keep her non smoking quest alive! after 36 hours smoke-free, she caved! ugh..it is very hard to quit smoking, actually harder than cocaine and heroine. i know this from my days as a research assistant at johns hopkins! anyway, hopefully she will get back on the wagon soon...she knows that i am here to help in anyway that i can.

hard to believe that next monday is memorial day! it seems that a few months have slipped by me and also the weird weather makes it feel more like early april instead of late may. i don't have anything "on the calendar" but i know that i plan to be at home doing something constructive! if a BBQ is somehow in the mix, than so be it. i am not driving too far from home though.

mick is staring at me as i type. he cracks me up! he always likes to know exactly where i am and follows me all over the house. i think that is the "boxer" part of him. the "lab" part of him is good at relaxing on the floor in multiple places for 15-20 minutes at a time. he sometimes seems like he acts as if he is neglected...that however, couldn't be further from the truth! he gets fed regularly, bathed about every 6 weeks, treats almost daily and runs at the park...those SOB's that he "lived" with while in KY did nothing but keep him chained to a tree all year round!

maybe more later...

**Monday Mid-Day Shout Out!

**this goes out to "meggy" a friend of mine since we were 10. she has committed to quitting smoking and started using the patch last night!! this is a great thing and will not only save her lots of $$, will help to prolong her life! things will smell better, more than likely taste better and she will help to repair her poor lungs and keep the wrinkles at bay!! she has made alot of people aware at work so that will also help keep her on track! GOOD LUCK! that is the best news that i have heard in a really LONG time!

** Monday again!

wow...had a full but nice weekend! it is sunny again which is nice to start the week out with. friday night was low key for me...just some laundry and dateline! can't go wrong with a wacky murder mystery!

saturday i went with kneecaps to his friend's home that he plans to rent in a month. it is a tiny cottage in towson with a nice sized backyard and small swimming pool. it will be a nice change for him as he has outgrown his 1 bedroom apt. after 4 years...

we had a quick bite at one of the markets in belvedere square which has really undergone some major renovations in the last 5+ years. i hadn't been down there in close to 6 years myself.

after that, it was off to columbia so he could check in for the triathlon and drop off his bike in what i will call "the bike sea"! i have never seen anything like it! over 2000 race bikes, lots of skinny athletes in multiple colors of spandex, goggle-like sunglasses and funny shaped helmets.

sunday, i got up way too early (mick woke me at 5:24am)! i wasn't happy but decided it was better to let him out then, then risk having to clean up an accident later...

left my place at 9:20a to drive back to columbia and catch the end of the race. the area within a 2 mile radius of centennial park was now a "sea of cars". cars, parked on the side of 108, in neighborhoods, in the park, etc. i found a space what seemed almost a mile away in a neighborhood and walked over. watched some of the athletes do their "bike dismount" which is when they transition from the bike ride to the last leg of the race, the 6 mile run. some were clearly more smooth than others. some just jumped off flat-footed and then limped into the bike area to drop off their bikes. others appeared to have practiced this move in their sleep and didn't miss a beat!

i managed to make my way to the finish line and stood their taking in everything. it was again like something i had never seen. lots of super sweaty athletes in space blankets drinking crappy water from a hose, spectators snapping pictures of their family & friends who had finished, dogs that were dressed up in spandex, people holding florescent colored signs and the announcer calling the names of all 2500 when they came across the finish line!

kneecaps came across shortly after 10:30 and was clearly relived to have finished. he wasn't too out of breath which was pretty amazing to me and looked like he was ready for water and a power bar! i was really happy for him and he was glad to have a small cheering section to boot! we walked back, he picked up his bike and we headed to his car and blew that pop stand!!

we stopped by my brothers condo so he could take a quick shower then headed over to "wine in the woods". it is a yearly event, something different to do on the weekend and to get to sample several different MD wines. i have gone at least 6-7 other times and this was by far, the worst weather. it started raining within 15 minutes of getting there and was quite a challenge trying to hold a wine glass, an umbrella and eat a crab pretzel all while standing. i will say overall, i wasn't too impressed with most of the wines there and had probably tried 70% in years past. the sweet ones were delicious, but only if your intention was to pour it over pancakes or ice cream...

we left after about 2 hours and each drove home for a nap only after washing the mud from my pants and flips flops...all in all, a good weekend!

** It's raining again!

ugh...i appreciate the fact that this torrential rain washes most of the pollen away and helps with my allergies somewhat but good god, enough is enough already! everything is really green and there have been more earthworms and slugs getting into my basement stairwell than i care to remember...

the previously mentioned "preggy" isn't pregnant anymore!! although she was due on 5/5, baby NINA didn't make her arrival by c-section until yesterday, 5/15 @ 3:28am. she weighed 8.2 lbs and mom, baby & dad are all doing well. her new nickname will be "irongirl" going forward. i am going to attempt to attach a pic as well..

things are a little better with the roommate. he kind of does his thing and our paths usually only cross from about 7-9pm weeknights so that isn't bad. as long as he keep his crappy conservative views to himself..we will do just fine! he actually said that he "didn't think much of the 3 candidates we had to choose from" and as far as he was concerned, "we'd probably be better off to leave well enough alone!" yeah right buddy...dream on

kneecaps is in yet another triathlon this sunday. it is the columbia triathlon and is apparently an "olympic distance". i am still learning about all of the hoopla but as i understand it, it is a 1.9 mile swim, 25 mile bike ride and i believe a 6 mile run! makes me tired just typing all of that! i'll stick with my 45 minutes on the elliptical machine at level 6! that's about 3.5 miles and 400 calories. baby steps people!

**Tornadoes, Earthquakes, Flooding & Fires!

well that pretty much sums up the last week of the entire world's worst and most devastating weather! it is hard to believe the amount of lives that have been lost and the unbelievable chaos that has become of small rural towns, big cities and suburban streets. these are times when you stop and really appreciate what you have and realize that life is short and precious and cannot be taken for granted. i am off the soap box now and hope that you all will let those that are closest to you know what the mean to you...

thankfully, we are done with the horrendous rain here ...for the time being! it was 50 and rainy yesterday with high winds! i actually wore my wool coat to work again! today, sooo much better. sunny, low 70s and what spring is really all about! that being said...i will be heading home to mow soon..it has now been a week and i have a small jungle to tackle tonight.

buffalo bill had to jet early today. apparently his 4 year-old decided to flush something that didn't belong in the toilet and that has now caused a flood in the house!! if he were older..say 8 or so, i am SURE that he would be GROUNDED for a week! the plumbing bill alone could really be no joke! eeck

boat man said he was going to the "dock to meet someone." i interpreted that as, "i wont be back tonight and will be buzzed within the hour!"

**just have to vent here**

i have a new roommate (who's name will not be mentioned). he is very nice and is from Richmond VA. he is pretty much gone each weekend (at least so far). that is a nice thing really, because it almost feels like i don't have someone renting my basement. the issue i have is that he is a bit messy. i know people are different and i certainly don't expect things to be OCD, but for my sake, can we close a cabinet door already and not use 3 kitchen towels at the same time?! the pans that are left out on the stove as well as the toaster are all things that can easily be put away in a matter of seconds! i guess if i were renting someone's home, i know i would be cognizant of that, especially the shared spaces. anyway, like OPRAH recommends from time to time, i will just have to "surrender it to the universe!" haha

** Rainy, blah Friday!

just a quick note before i head into the office. i think it will be a longgg day! lots of rain and it is very humid so i am guaranteed to look like a chia pet in a matter of hours! ha

i wanted to include a pic of the new bouncing baby boy Connor! he was 3.5 weeks early and is very small (5lbs, 9oz.). if you know his father, he really does look like him! especially when he first wakes up! his mom, from what i hear is doing much better and hopes to come home today! what a cool mother's day indeed...

**Happy Hump Day!

...a pretty slow day in here so far. i am a little tired and bored and think my headache is from the barometric pressure dropping!! i am SERIOUS! i am like a weather vane and almost can tell when it is going to rain!! it is supposed to tomorrow and friday..and i am almost looking forward to it since my car is covered in a film of "yellow-greenish dust"!! my allergies are crappy lately and rain helps to wash away some of the offensive pollen for a few days.

kneecaps got back from st. croix last night. he said he is well rested but a little sunburnt as well. the IRONMAN race was last sunday..he finished but said it was the hardest he has ever been in. very choppy water, poor riding conditions for the long bike ride and got more sun then he planned despite using sunscreen.

he stayed in a beach house with about 10 others...in a remote area. the weather was warm, & humid and the natives were friendly. you do have to keep an eye out on your pockets however, when you are out and about in the town...

yesterday was my rents' (that parents for the slow ones out there) 35th wedding anniversary! it is hard to believe they havent killed each other yet! just like they say, some good times, some great times, some crappy, some sad...etc. that is LIFE my friends! my mom, who i refer to as the "gray squirrel" said she had her eye on a prk chop from "our best" a local restuarant outside of louisville.

in other news, my close friend meggy's older bro and sis n law had a son yesterday!! CONGRATS to them all! they really thought they were having a girl and were ready with a name but life sometimes throws you the ol' curveball...
little connor was 3.5 weeks early and was only 5lbs, 9oz but he is healthy and doing as well as to be expected. new momma had some complications yesterday afternoon and hopefully is doing 90% better than yesterday (my thoughts are with all of you).

**Cinco de Mayo amigas!

haha~ that is spanish for "another hallmark holiday" and "drink til you stink!"

pretty low key day overall. got out of the office for a few hours mid day to enjoy another sunny 70 degree day! took Mick to the school field for a quick run. he really doesn't listen worth a crap! if he is on a mission to eat sh*&, he will find it! he also likes to run at break neck speed towards people and their dogs! it is a bit embarrassing for me (yelling and walking fast to get him in check)..luckily he is friendly but they don't know that when he is flying up to them. most people probably think he is a little bit crazy because he runs slightly to the side with his head down!!

spent close to 4 hours this am "completing" useless courses as part of corporate's "online university!" what a waste of time...the music was unnecessary and i think there was literally 2 things that i didn't know!! shouldn't this have been required when you first start with the company?! not a full year after you work here?!

the only amusing thing about this little work"assignment" was that they included a small picture of each person at corporate that was "walking" you through each section! that was enough to put me in hysterics! it's funny when you have a picture of someone in your mind, then you see them in person and are blown away! they are either younger, older, or fatter than you expected! one chick that hasn't been with the company for at least 3 months was still "giving helpful hints" on our computer systems. she looks like WT (white trash) and literally looked like she had used an entire can of aqua net in that mess of a rat's nest she had on top of her head! sorry...i just call em' like i see em'!