a very good day . . .

lunch out with a friend.

a little shopping for kidlet.

some time with my nose in a book.

a little play time on photoshop.

it was a good day in river city.

oh yes i did . . .

so a friend was chattering on facebook about getting creative and redesigning a jacket she loves.  my brain, what is left of it . . . she who made the strombolis tonight and forgot the sauce . . . zinged me to my closet and made me grab an old 70's jones of new york plaid fitted suit jacket from which i could never be parted.

i knocked off a layer of dust and tried that puppy on.  just as i suspected, the shoulder pads could easily protect the entire defense of the ny giants.  or, think linda evans in dynasty:

whatever.  i ripped out the seams and pulled out five pounds of padding on each side.  tried it on and after a trip to the dry cleaners, it is going to rock with a pair of dark wash jeans and a cami.  if i had riding boots, i'd look like an extra from Black Beauty, except i'd look more like mickey rooney than elizabeth taylor.

color me happy.

the house is quiet . . .

i have the weekend to myself.  just a little me time.  i love the k's but sometimes it is just nice to wobble around the cave on my own.  so when k1 headed up north to visit friends and k2 went home to her parents, a tiny part of my black pitted little heart did a fist pump and squealed 'yes'. 

last night was a little scotch on the rocks and a nice big fire.  today i did some unimpeded christmas shopping.  k2 is finis.  k1 only needs two more goodies.  everything purchased is wrapped. i did have help though:

best help ever.

and then i played:

it was for a challenge over at designerdigital.com using masks.  i know it looks a little odd but trust me, christmas in the south is nothing like christmas up north.  thankfully.

the munchkins will be home before noon tomorrow.  k1 is tutoring k2 in intermediate algebra.  her final is monday.  fingers crossed.  and yes, i will welcome them both with open arms!!!

finally . . .

the grinch finally let go of my ass butt bottom and my christmas spirit took over when he wasn't looking.  it was a tad bit of a fight but christmas won.  the grinch isn't all that after all.

and so i found myself out at the mall shopping for k1 and k2.  of course the shopping was a bit lopsided since k1 was with me.  it's hard enough to shop for her but ditching her in the mall is even harder.  i will tackle her presents again tomorrow when she is gone.

but i did major damage in the k2 department.  a couple of little goodies for her stocking and i am finished with her.  one down, five more to go.

still, the grinch seems to have won the christmas tree battle.  we have not had one since the 9TS departed this earth.  we had a ritual.  he would erect the tree and fiddle with the lights while i sat back drinking a spiked something something and then we would trade places and i would trim while he imbibed.  i miss that most of all.  and so we have made do with a rather glittery green mass of molded metal which sits on a table in the living room.  at least it is topped with a red star.  oh and by the way, there is still glitter on my yoga mat from where they shared trunk space for the short trip home last year, but i digress.

i was ready to cave and get a real tree this year but when i called craig for his assistance, it seems that merry old grinch is now very much attached to his  . . .  and he is hacking and coughing, sneezing and wheezing and is generally in no condition to go tree hunting and mounting.  i have a reprieve for yet another year.  i have though, committed to the k's to buy a fake tree of a more reasonable size after the 25th to be stored for the following year. 

and so i sit yet once again plugged into my laptop with Pandora blasting that which is christmas to my ear.  life is good.

p.s. i have a feeling the grinch stole my christmas card powers and i may be sending out happy new year cards instead.  or easter.  yes, maybe easter.  or fourth of july cards.  they sound good.  fourth of july cards it is.

santorini part two . . .

back to playing. 

this will be the right side of the other santorini layout once i get the album printed.

it's getting closer . . .

i must have food on the brain.  the chili is simmering on the stove.  the cubes of beef are waiting in the fridge along side the carrots until tomorrow when the temps go down and the stew comes up.  despite temps almost in the 80's summer is definitely over and everyone's appetites are back.

it's time to think about christmas.  still no real tree.  i just don't have it in me, but we have a funky little glitter tree to brighten up the living room. it needs some lights but otherwise, it's good to go.  i've started my shopping list but have yet to make a dent.  progress comes in small steps.

and of course we have an extra stocking this year even though she will spend the holidays with her parents.  christmas eve is a tradition so she can open hers then.

all and all, the season is coming up.  deck the hall ya'll.  let the fun begin.

food glorious food . . .

i think i mentioned our one-new-food-item-a-week mandate to tease the palates of the resident sloths.  if i didn't well, yes, we are.  translated that means i am going to get k1 and k2 to expand their culinary horizons whether they like it or not.  say thanks, mom.

sunday night i went to robin's for 'souper sunday'  good peeps, good food, fantastic hostess.  robin is a fabulous cook and made a green chili posole soup.  let me just start drooling now.  of course i stole the recipe and it is on next weeks menu.  spicy.  healthy. delicious.

i'm also copying a special from my favorite tuesday haunt.  it's a flat bread with an olive tapenade, grilled chickie, black olives, spinach, goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.  ok, so i will use fresh tomatoes.  can i get another slurp.

while we're on the subject of soup, i came across an old recipe for cabbage soup.  you know, the one everyone was gorging themselves with in the early 80's.  i'd forgotten how good it was.  served with some warmed pita slices and hummus. slurp-o-licious.

that should hold them for this week.  or at least it will make me very happy.  they, however, may be found foraging at mickyD's.