My Boy

Keystone, my beloved boy, gets his teeth cleaned tomorrow, for the first and only time in his life.  We have been extremely nervous to do this, because putting a beloved furry family member under anesthesia scares the hell out of us.  But he needs it, and we've chosen a really good vet.  So, fingers crossed.

Keep Stones in your thoughts tomorrow!  I'll post as soon as I know he's OK.  I am going to be nervous all day.  He is such a GOOD boy.  Such a lover.  He'd rather have love=hugs & belly rubs, more than treats!

UPDATE:  Keystone made it through just fine!!!  WAHOO, I'm so relieved.  Can't wait to see his pearly whites.

Magical Marvin

This little guy is Marvin.  He's my boyfriend.  He loves quiet walks on the beach, candle lit dinners, tormenting his sister (or is it the other way around?), and keeping in shape.  He had me at his coy demeanor and cute little double curl tail.

Maybe I am so fond of him because of how much I love the Men In Black movies, or maybe it's just because he's a cool canine.

The resolution could be a little better but this is just so cool, I have to share.  Look, he really IS magic (care of Tricia):

Booze & Beads, Episode 2

This is a special edition of Brunch, Booze & Beads. Life is getting so busy that we didn't want the weekend to slip completely away without some girl time. So we got together to bead, brunch, and toast our wonderful creative badass selves with coffee, White Russian style. Fabulous, right?

Tricia and I have both been creative geniuses lately. And the woman just learned to wrap wires today. I give her an A+ for dedication. Or is it obsession?!? Yes, it does become an obsession. 

I whipped up a mean sausage, egg & cheese casserole and cute & tasty blueberry cream cheese bundtletts.  My favorite part was the coffee.  I ground up wonderful "City of Fountains Blend" KC coffee beans (thanks Suzie & Kevin).  To the brewed coffee I added: half & half, Kahlua & vanilla vodka.  Why have I never thought of this before, Hello?!?!  Amazing.  I really enjoyed it, but sadly didn't get tipsy.  I was very relaxed though.  Which in hind sight is a good thing because I'm still awake and did not nap.  Actually, I may be awake all night after two cups of that stuff.

I spent hours this past week in the evenings after the gym, wrapping sterling silver wires on my Angel Judy's necklace. I will publish pics of this T-best-ever-masterpiece ON her birthday. If she is reading this, she doesn't get an early peek. Let's just say that there are never any surprises under their Christmas tree on the 25th.

Pictures were demanded requested, thus I am fulfilling the request.  In this picture, in the upper left hand corner is a beautiful ensemble in shades of green (with cute little red HEARTS).  This was Tricia's first creation.  Today she completed the trilogy with earrings.  The bracelet on the top middle, is a beautiful blue kind-of-braided bracelet that Tricia made.  I wish you could see the detail.  It looks like little flowers, very glitzy and very cute.  The bracelet at the bottom right with the silver tubes, is a creation I made, and it will soon be on eBay!

Next up, on the left hand side is a necklace and earrings combination I made for Tricia.  My inspiration was the main tear-drop shaped stone.  Kind of a dark lime green and black.  It's a favored color, and I knew she'd have something in her closet to match it.  I like the little dangles at the bottom of the earrings so much, that I may make myself a pair of them.  On the right hand side, is a sterling silver trilogy I made that will soon be on eBay.  The little silver tubes are curved, and the mix of square glass beads should go with just about everything (or nothing?) for someone who needs a new set of "pretty's" (as my grandmother would have said).

Saved the best for last, a close up of a gorgeous black & silver ensemble created by Tricia.  She used the cutest beads that are like woven balls of silver & black metal.  So versatile, and so cute.  I have to apologize here and now for the overuse and abuse of the word cute.  I just can't help it.  I will, however, try to refrain from typing the phrase "super-cute" too many times.  But it is.  You can see a little more detail on the gorgeous blue bracelet, but because it is a profile view of it, you can't see the beautiful design.

So, there you have it.  The fruits of our labor over the past week.  And a perfect way to spend a Saturday morning/afternoon: looking at beautiful beads, brunching on goodies, dreaming up wonderful new ideas and ways to use our stuff.  I so wish we could have everyone over for a whole weekend of Booze & Beads.  Let me know if y'all are ever headed my way!!!

I Should Wear A Cape

I took one step closer to fulfilling one of my goals yesterday. I donated blood. I have a personal goal of donating SIX times in 12 months. Why, you ask? Because I can. And because I should.

Did you know that there is NO SUBSTITUTE for blood?  It can't be manufactured.  And that every two seconds, someone needs a blood transfusion? Someone out there needs my blood. I've got 10 pints in my body, I can easily spare one single pint. While doing research for a speech I gave last week, I learned that blood supplies in the east are low. This is due to the holidays being a time of low donations, and then the continual snow storms have caused havoc with planned blood drives. How can a blood mobile make it to the planned destination in a foot of snow? I learned that they like to have a 3 to 5 day supply of blood in reserves, and they have been operating under less than a ONE day supply for a number of months.  Blood is a very perishable product. It has a shelf life of 35 days. That's why we can't have like two major blood drives a year and have all that we need. 

This is the least I can do to help people I will never meet. I pray that my loved ones will never need donated blood. But if someone does need it, I've given my share. I can donate every 59 days. I've given 3 times in the past 5 months. I'm well on my way to fulfilling my goal.

I will always feel guilty for not having donated since my mid-20's when an inexperienced ignorant nurse who had to stick me several times recommended that I not give blood because I had rolling veins.  I don't have rolling veins, she just didn't have enough experience to do it without hurting me.  I am so impressed with the guys and gals who take blood in my local area.  They look like they are all of 12 years old, and yet they take such pride in their work.  They are very young adults, but they have been very well trained and act with the experience like people twice their age.  All 3 of my experiences have been painless.  Never again will I let an inexperienced nurse do anything to ruin my blood donating experience.  If you've had a similar experience, I urge you to try again.

The most AMAZING fact I learned is that with my single pint of donated blood, I may save up to THREE lives.  To reiterate a few of their motto's: http://www.unitedbloodservices.org/

Be a hero, donate blood. Not all heroes wear a cape.

Oh Hobby Lobby, How Thou Art Missed

I grew up in the Mid-West.  Having a Hobby Lobby in town was like having a Quick Trip on the corner or a grocery store down the street.  It was just THERE.  Now that I’ve moved out West, I cannot tell you how much I miss Hobby Lobby.  It’s a step above Jo-Ann’s, Michael’s, and Ben Franklin’s (what isn’t). 

Hobby Lobby has religious roots (see: Company Purpose), thus they are closed on Sundays.  The company started and is still headquartered in Oklahoma (see: Our Company).  Maybe that is why I’m so used to taking for granted that there will always be one somewhere nearby. 

For crafty people, their selection of STUFF is always amazing.  It’s the best place to buy a common sized picture frame, fabric, yarn, soap/candle making supplies, and JEWELRY MAKING SUPPLIES.  They not only have the cheap basics for the jewelry making beginner (favorite brand = Jewelry Shoppe Base Metal Jewelry Findings), they have an awesome selection of sterling silver options.  I LOVED hitting their sterling silver case when it was 40% off.  They had sales every week, and I could always wait for what I wantedneeded to go on sale.  Odds were that if it wasn’t on sale that week, it would be on sale the following week.

I live in Nevada.  H-e-l-l-o, we have legal prostitution in some counties, and gambling everywhere you look.  You think NV is high on their list of growth states?  I don’t think so!  The closest Hobby Lobby is Salt Lake City, UT.  It’s a bit of a trek for $40 worth of sterling silver findings.  Kind of defeats the $ I save on the gas I’d have to spend.

Hobby Lobby is not an “advanced” kind of company.  When I first moved here 4 years ago, online shopping was NOT an option on their website.  But in reflecting back, I am actually surprised they had a website.  It was not but just a decade+ ago that they upgraded to automated check outs—I remember going in to the store in Mission, KS, and they still priced everything manually, and the checkers would ring up everything manually (I swear I stepped into some kind of Twilight Zone episode).  So this company is not on the bleeding edge of technology, to say the least.  I am VERY HAPPY TO REPORT, that I just discovered that they FINALLY have some online shopping now!!!  I will be searching for all my regular supplies.  Maybe when they realize how much they end up shipping to NV, they will want to rethink their growth strategy.

Alas, we still have no Quick Trips.  :'(

Booze & Beads, Episode 1

This is my debut episode of Booze & Beads.  What?  What is Booze & Beads, you ask?  My Reno Besty has decided to get into beading.  So we are getting together to dine, drink, and bead.  Each event will have a signature celebratory drink of the evening.  Isn't this a fabulous idea?  Yes, I think so too.

I needed the motivational kick in the butt to start doing something with my stash again.  I have so many beautiful beads to utilize.  And I want to start making and selling jewelry again.  Hubby committed to helping me sell on eBay, so why not!

It's so fun teaching someone new to beading, and Tricia is totally excited about it.  The wonder and amazement at a finished product or a row of beads in a store is so exciting.  And hey, it's fun to go shopping with someone else!  So many bead shops... so little time.

Our signature drink of the evening last night was Root Beer Float Cocktails, and lemme just tell you, these are DEEE-LISH.  I LOVED them.  So much so that I had a bit of a headache today, but no, no sympathy for me, I can handle it.

Here's the recipe.  Root Beer Float Cocktails:
1 part Vanilla Vodka
1 part Galliano
1 part Cream (half & half works great)
8 parts Coca-Cola but we used Root Beer (novel concept, I know)
Top with whipped cream

Beware, that Galliano stuff is really strong--and totally tasty in this beverage.  Since the boys were with us, we didn't really finish anything, but started some fun projects.  Pictures I'm sure will be shared after some future Booze & Beads evening.  Recipes will definitely be shared.

CHEERS to you all!!! 

World Peace = Automobile Turn Signal Usage

I believe in developed nations where owning a car is the norm, there could be more peace on Earth, if everyone would learn to utilize their automobile turn signals.  I realize that it does take superior human motor skills.  You have to hyper-task by:
1) holding the steering wheel,
2) staying within the right and left lines,
3) keeping your right foot on the gas just enough to go the speed limit, but not over, and not so far under that you are a road hazard,
4) paying attention to what is ahead, behind, and on BOTH sides of you
5) OMG, flipping the plastic lever up or down to signal that you want to go right or left
ALL at the SAME time.

I totally understand how this just may be technical overload for some people.  They just can't do EVERY step At.The.Same.Time.  So I suggest planning ahead.  If this list of tasks just sends you into an immediate panic attack, perhaps you should:
1) Stay on farm roads.  (Better yet, drive your tractor.  Even better yet, ride your horse/cow.)
2) Mail order your groceries.
3) Order take-out and have it delivered.
4) Avoid all highways and any road with 4 or more lanes.
5) Don't drive.

There is nothing more irritating than being at a stop sign, and waiting on someone to drive past so that you can go and be on your merry way, only to see them slow down and turn before they even get to you.  Why, you could have gone 3 times by now, but you don't know if you can trust that little blinky-blinky-blinky light which isn't even turned on.  MAYBE they are one of THOSE drivers.  The OBLIVIOUS drivers, who forgot they switched lanes and didn't turn off their blinker.  They were busy being SO considerate so that we would know what lane they wanted to be in, that they forgot to tell us when they ARRIVED.  So they continue to blink.  This drives me crazy (and yes, Todd, I know it was a short trip).  Your hand was JUST on the lever to tell everyone where you wanted to go.  Would it be so much to ask that you keep it there for just a few more seconds so that you can turn it off, before you go back to 10-and-2?

Attention people, if we could all just PAY ATTENTION to our blinky's, I truly believe our world would be a more peaceful place.  It would at least be less irritating.  I'm not even going to start on people who wait at a green light... I'll save that for another post.

Warm thoughts

In the middle of winter, I love to look at pictures from last year's plants.  Today is pretty warm, and it reminds me that all the stupid weed seeds are currently out there germinating, and taking hold, in this pathetic sand we call a yard.  But with plenty of perseverance, my plants will mature yet another year.  Kind of like we do...

We grew pumpkins:

and sunflowers:

Here is my funky Echinacea/Purple Coneflower:

I have an agave that "had" babies!

And now, for my very favorite flowers.  These are my double-blooming iris.  Yes, they bloom TWO times a year, and they are just magical.  I had gorgeous flowers in June/July, and again in late September/October/and into November!  These pictures will make you have Spring fever!

Just wait until 2011 growing season, these beauties will have doubled their size and flower production.  Now to come up with a game plan for combatting those pesky weeds....

Happy Days

From a professional perspective, today was one of the best days I've had in 2011.  Heck, professionally speaking, today was the best day I've had in 2010 and 2011 combined.  I volunteered to help answer calls and help with a process.  Without getting into where I work or what we do (because this is a site about me, not where I work), let's just say that we have a setup process and I helped customers with the middle step.  In my normal day job, I don't work with external customers.

HOW MUCH FUN DID I HAVE AT WORK TODAY?  Seriously.  I had a few grumpy customers, and I had a few happy customers.  I loved the lady who told me that she told her son that there was only one solution--us.  How cool is that?  I am so proud of the organization for which I work.  How many people can really say that?  How many people can say that and mean it?  I made a tangible contribution to my organization today, and I feel so good about it!  I haven't even been there 2 months, and it already feels like home.

On my drive home tonight, I was thinking, why does this new place feel like home?  One of the reasons is because I am working with like-minded professionals.  There are so many intelligent (I am not tooting my own horn here), customer-oriented people with which I have the privilege to work.  It's refreshing.  It's exciting.  It's invigorating, motivating, and inspirational. 

I wish everyone could work in an environment like mine.  I know so many people who are unhappy in their jobs and they are essentially "stuck".  Until the economy gets better, the situation isn't going to drastically improve, and I hope and pray those who truly hate their jobs find alternative employment.  I know my "honeymoon" period will end some day in my new digs.  But hey, I'm going to work hard to make sure it lasts as long as physically possible.

Food Haven

We are starting off the new year with full freezers, thanks to a lot of dear friends and family.  Where to begin on our taste exploration.  How about the first one we received and going in chronological order, shall we?

We were the lucky recipients of a Lobster Gram from Todd's dad & step-mom for Christmas.  O-M-G it was HEAVENLY.  This is the second one we have ever received, and knowing what we might have in store was reason for utter giddiness.  I'm telling you, everything* has been exquisite.  We have enjoyed every item so far and they have all been fabulous.  I highly recommend anything from this place.  Ok, I was a little freaked out when I opened the cooler, moved the wet napkin, and realized two live critters were staring at me.  Ok, I was freaked out a lot.  But Todd was able to cook them the next day, and despite the animal lover in me, I really enjoyed them.  The lobster ravioli was everything for which I have ever hoped and then some!  The lobster cakes were dee-lish.  And we were lucky enough to receive filet mignon steaks, and they were just butter.  The only item we have not consumed yet is the lobster bisque, which I am saving for some special evening, because having it will be a reason to celebrate.

*the only item I did not care for was the chocolate heart shaped cake, however I know their plain cheesecake is wonderful.  If you are judging this fresh gourmet SEAFOOD delivery company by their desserts, something is wrong with you.

The next magical delivery to our doorstep was from Brett (& Annette) and it was.... Burgers' Smokehouse BACON!!!  We received a varied assortment of wonderful bacon, which just made our day (or week, or year).  If you know Todd, you know he's a bacon lover.  Thanks to his appreciation of the wonderful meat snack (it's not just for breakfast), I have developed a fondness for it too.  Especially the maple flavored, or the apple wood smoked kind.  We enjoyed some just this morning.

Then we received a huge delivery of awesomeness.  Kansas City Steak Company --MEAT-- thanks to my brother, Mike & Barbara.  Wow, we got an assortment of filets (my favorite), KC strips (yum), ribeyes (Todd's favorite), and steakburgers (think gourmet ground beef).  We have made "juicy Lucy's" with the steakburgers.  2 patties stuffed with your favorite cheese.  I used the included meat seasonings, which I find to be particularly tasty.  I had mine stuffed with cheddar, Todd's with American.  Add home baked buns, and you have a killer burger.  We will be having steaks soon.  Very soon.

The last wonderful cooler to be especially delivered was from Jack's Stack barbecue, care of Suzie & Kevin.  This brought us back to KC.  The beans had pieces of all kinds of meat that just make you drool, the ribs--OH MAN--the ribs.  The ribs were juicy, tender, succulent, savory and sweet all at the same time.  Really tasty.  And my very favorite part--the cheesy corn.  This is not just corn with some cheese.  This is a cream-cheese-base with other cheeses and pieces of ham in which they bathe sweet juicy corn nibblets.  If I were alone on a deserted island and had one wish and it had to be food, would it be cheesy corn?  Quite possibly.  We have burnt ends and pulled pork to savor soon.

We got a beautiful wine basket from Uncle Frank and Aunt Judy.  We received a tasty fruit basket from George & Sue.  Cookies and sweets from so many people I swear I feel my waistline expanding right now, but I love sugary treats so totally worth it.  I just had to tell you about all the awesome food in our freezer right now.  It was definitely the highlight of our holiday season.

Bon Appetite to you in 2011!