Another Story Altogether

Irrational Fear #1: Unintentional Plagiarism

2012-01-06T11:52:00.001-06:00

I wish I were a better blogger.

I wish I could always come up with something interesting, or complex, or insightful to post.

But I have this fear that everything I think and/or write is just some sort of regurgitation of things other people have thought and/or wrote. I'm even afraid that my "tone" or "voice" in any given post is just a ripoff of someone else's blogging persona. Does anyone else have this fear? Is it completely irrational?

I used to write a little bit, when I was a younger. Poetry mostly (oh God, I feel lame just typing that). Not that poetry in and of itself is lame, but I had the same fear about my poems that I have about my blog posts. I worried that everything that came out was just a combination of things subconsciously remembered, that I was unintentionally plagiarizing things I had read previously.

It was all very logical to me. There are only a limited number of ideas in the world; haven't they all been used up by now? How could anything I think of be new? My brain was just too full of all those memories for there to be any room for original thoughts. Of course I didn't apply this logic to anyone else; all their ideas were unique and I was the only one in the world reduced to mimicry.

Even this post has me worried. Who am I to think that this fear is original? Surely someone else has blogged about it. What about my "voice"? Is this what I really sound like or am I imitating someone else? How do I know what I'm supposed to sound like?

Before hitting publish, I hesitated. But, if nothing else, this post can serve as a big "eff you!" to Irrational Fear #1.

Am I alone in this fear? What irrational fears do you have?

This post contains an interesting picture and justified text thanks to yes and yes's most recent Blog Doctor post.

ABCs of Me

2011-09-14T10:53:00.002-05:00

This post was originally published on 9.14.11 but I accidentally deleted it today. Re-posting, even using the original date, made it come up as new in my RSS feed with today's date (1.6.12). Sorry for the duplicate post and annoyance!

A. Age: 27 (and a half, actually, as of today).

B. Bed size: Queen. Our tiny 1960s home has tiny bedrooms, and even the queen is a tight squeeze.

C. Chore you dislike: Dishes are pretty much the worst. I love cooking, but the potential dishes are sometimes a deterrent. Weeding the garden is a close second, which is why it ended up looking like a jungle this year. Much easier to ignore than a full sink!

D. Dogs: Two.* Vinny, a loveable, goofy black lab mix who likes to dance with me, and Ally, a neurotic, fluffy collie mix with bad hips and Grinch feet who barks at everything. She also wedged herself under one of our sheds yesterday, so we spent the afternoon digging her out. Love it!

* I feel I shouldn't leave out the other fur-kids: Rusty, a trouble-making, dog-like orange tabby, and Luna, a prissy, snobbish white cat.

E. Essential start to your day: I do need my coffee daily, though I hold off on drinking it until I get to the office (around an hour after I get up).

F. Favorite color: Gray-blue.

G. Gold or silver: Silver, always.

H. Height: 5’4". Perfectly average.

I. Instruments you play(ed): Piano and hand bells (at church). Shut up, hand bells were actually really fun (even if we did have to wear silly looking white gloves).

J. Job title: Database Manager. It's exactly as exciting as it sounds.

K. Kids: Eventually. Which is creeping closer to "soon please" as I start to freak out about nearing 30. But definitely not for another 1-2 years minimum at this point.

L. Live: Prattville, AL.

M. Mom’s name: Louise (also my middle name).

N. Nicknames: Muskrat (from my maiden name), Melly, Blue.

O. Overnight hospital stays: None.

P. Pet peeves: People who invade my personal space bubble, overpowering perfume/cologne, slow clappers.

Q. Quote from a movie: “Old and busted. New hotness.” (Name it!)

R. Righty or lefty: Righty, though I've been told I was ambidextrous as a child. I think that's fairly common, though, right?

S. Siblings: One brother, one sister, both younger.

T. Time you wake up: 7 AM on weekdays (6:30 if I don't ignore my alarm), whenever on weekends depending on how late I stay up. If I'm in bed by 2 AM or so, I normally can't sleep past 10.

U. Underwear: Yes? Are you asking what color they are? Um, personal!

V. Vegetables you don’t like: I actually like most of the vegetables I've tried. I do dislike raw carrots, celery, and broccoli/cauliflower, though I like them cooked.

W. What makes you run late: Underestimating the time it takes to do a lot of small things. Or just hitting the snooze for too long.

X. X-rays you’ve had: Teeth mainly, and a few of my chest for various cold/flu/upper respiratory ailments (once it was walking pneumonia!).

Y. Yummy food you make: I think all my food is awesome, but if I had to pick a couple of things, my German potato salad is a favorite (though that'll have to be an occasional treat if we go primal/paleo...). I also make PERFECT scrambled eggs.

Z. Zoo animal favorites: Big cats and birds of prey (Ocelots! Falcons! Awesome!). I've never worked with big cats, but I have worked on a volunteer basis with raptors. (I've also worked extensively, and professionally, with domestic rodents, but they're not exciting. And not zoo animals.)

Borrowed from Holly at Holly Would If She Could.

The Clearance Rack is My Natural Habitat - Fitness Edition

2011-09-05T21:43:00.000-05:00

So I'm kind of proud of my ability to snag great things on clearance. These are things that I already want and not just crap I grab because, "It's such a good deal!"

Today we went to Academy first for some (full price) fitness purchases: new running shoes and shorts for Robert, 10 pound dumbbells and a waist pack for me. I did happen to find individual Larabars on clearance for $0.88 each, so I picked up three to try (I'm looking into going Paleo/Primal and that would require finding a replacement for granola/Nutrigrain bars. While the ones with peanuts aren't strictly primal, they're certainly better than the grain-filled alternative).

Then it was on to Target, where I really saved a bundle! I grabbed a turquoise travel coffee mug for $6.98 (30% off regular price of $9.99) since some of ours have seen better days.

Then we picked up an orange and black Swiss backpack to replace mine from high school or college (which is falling apart). Robert will use it to carry his workout gear and it'll also double as a carry-on for trips. Cost: $16.48, 50% off regular price of $32.99.

Finally, I looked for some pilates DVDs and found two Gaiam starter kits marked half off. The first has a blue mat, turquoise resistance band, and a DVD with three 20-minute workouts for $14.98 (regularly $29.99). The second is Pilates Bootcamp with a 20-minute DVD workout and two 1-pound hand weights for $8.48 (regularly $16.99).

To recap: mug, backpack, pilates mat, resistance band, hand weights, and four 20-minute pilates workouts valued at $87.95 for only $46.92 ($51.38 after tax). That's a savings of 46.65%, which is not too shabby if you ask me!

Today

2011-05-18T13:25:00.000-05:00

Outside my Window... it's unseasonably cool for a May day in the Deep South (69 degrees). But don't worry. We'll be back in the 90s by Saturday.

I am thinking... that I wish I could be outside enjoying the weather. And that maybe I should open my office window blinds so that I can actually see outside.

I am wearing... Black dress pants, closed-toe black shoes, gray socks (I have the urge to spell that "grey"), and long-sleeved gray sweater. Unseasonably cool, I told you.

I am thankful... for quiet days in the office, when I feel like I have plenty of time to get everything done. Also, it helps when the phone calls are few and far between.

From the kitchen... I haven't cooked since Sunday (when I made my awesome scrambled eggs while my visiting mother made the bacon). I also made a fruit pizza (in bar cookie form). Robert grilled rib eyes on Saturday. Today, I carried my lunch since our dining spending is out of control! Leftover turkey club wrap from Monday (Flames Grille) with coleslaw from the weekend (Captain D's), in case you were wondering.

And in our garden... Things are growing! We already have at least one small green tomato on all three of the plants (two are Better Boys and one is a Husky something-or-other cherry tomato). The cucumber also seems to have two mini-cukes on it. The peppers have buds and flowers on them as well.

I am creating... a financial plan. Not exactly creative, but that's me. We need a clearer idea of where our money needs to go to allow us to have the things we want when we want them (i.e. new car, new bathroom, vacations, and eventually a new house). We're not struggling by any means, but we could definitely be using and/or investing our money more wisely.

I am reading... other people's blogs. I also read magazines, but I don't have any of those with me. I really ought to start reading books again. That's what grownups do, right?

I am planning... to get in shape. For real this time. We have a plan (Couch-to-5K + weights). It begins next week. I'm tired of feeling soft and floppy and out of shape. It's pathetic that my legs hurt for three days after a 15 minute walk. I need to take up pilates again. That stuff is amazing for your butt!

Format borrowed from Heartland Renaissance.

Gratitude

2011-05-06T19:44:00.002-05:00

I'm thankful that it smelled (ever so briefly) of honeysuckle in the parking lot behind my office.

I'm also thankful whenever my message light isn't blinking when I get back from lunch.

Or the bathroom.

I'm thankful that my wonderful husband lets me carpool with him to work most days.

Because Montgomery traffic makes me want to pull my hair out.

Also, my car radio only works when it wants to.

I'm thankful that we're a Nielsen family.

And for the the $32 they've gifted us.

I'm thankful that it smells like magnolias whenever you step into our backyard.

I'm also thankful that said magnolias are in our neighbors' yards so that we don't have to deal with that mess.

I'm thankful that our yard is large enough that we don't have to scoop every bit of poop our two (fairly productive) dogs make.

I'm also thankful that they choose to take their poops in areas that we don't routinely walk through.

I'm thankful that we can afford to have pets and that they love us unconditionally in return.

Even though they wake us up early every day to be fed, either by scratching the bejeezus out of the door to their room or by breathing excitedly in our faces.

I'm thankful for the space for a garden.

And for landscaping fabric, because, y'all, weeding is a total PITA.

I'm thankful for my health.

And for the ability to neglect going to both the eye doctor and the dentist for over three years. Ew, right? I need to fix this.

Finally, I'm thankful for weekends. Nothing says happiness like a glass of wine and the ability to sleep in past 7 am.

Six Months Later...

2011-03-15T22:42:00.000-05:00

Or, things that have happened since I last blogged in September.

Spent a week in NYC.

I'd go back in a heartbeat. :)

Replaced toilet.

HOLY. WOW. This was an ordeal. Not as big of an ordeal as it could have been, perhaps, but still. Borderline crisis. I may have had a teensy meltdown. The old toilet was still functioning, but the bowl had hairline cracks that continued to multiply. What we learned after removing said toilet: the important bits that toilets attach to were broken when toilet was last replaced in the 90's. Rather than repairing them, they jerry-rigged them and called it a day. We replaced the repair bits but will have to revisit the issue when we gut the bathroom in the near future.

The new toilet works fabulously and that's all that matters.

Pulled up vinyl in bathroom (unfinished).

I had the genius idea to start this while we we had the toilet out. I mean, half of it was already peeling. How hard could it be to just pull it all up? Answer: REALLY FREAKIN' HARD. Half of the room's vinyl seems to have been held down by nothing but a clear sticky residue. The other half is glued down, firmly, with some sort of off-white goop. And this goop just will not go away. Nothing seems to cut through it, not even Goof Off (can you say fumes?). It just smears around and sticks to everything that touches it. I've seriously given myself blisters and rashes from slowly scraping this stuff up with a putty knife.

Next step: paint thinner/mineral spirits. Hooray, chemicals!

Rearranged dining room.

I'm still not totally happy with it; two dog crates take up a surprisingly large amount of floor space, particularly in an already tiny room. At least the table is centered and we can eat at it now. Not that we have. Nope, not once.

Switched jobs.

Insert ear-to-ear grin here. After nearly two years with my previous employer, I'm ecstatic to be able to try my hand at something new. Those who know me best are fully aware of how much I disliked my last two jobs (same employer), but I left on good terms with proper notice and moved directly into this new position.

Today was my fourth and final day of training, and tomorrow is my first day on my own. Wish me luck!

So there's where we are. For now.

Meme Monday: Tuesday Edition (The Sequel)

2010-09-07T22:52:00.002-05:00

Six things I could live without, but it wouldn't be pretty:

The Internet: Melanie's favorite time-suck since 2000.
Eye drops and lip balm. I've got the dry-eye here, and my lips peel if I don't keep them moisturized.
Cell phone with texting capabilities. More often than not, I just don't feel like talking to anyone. Texting is much less draining.
Caffeine in various forms. I've given it up before, but I just like it so much.
Hand sanitizer. Public places are gross.
Quicken. I really, really like knowing EXACTLY where ALL of our money goes.

Six movies I've never seen before:

The Godfather series
Full Metal Jacket
Apocalypse Now
Nightmare on Elm Street
Rudy
All Hitchcock movies

Six pet peeves:

Loud breathing.
Open-mouthed chewing; also, those Hardee's commercials with the nasty chewing noises.
Buffeting.
Foods touching on my plate. A little touching is all right, though not preferred. I just like my foods to maintain their integrity.
Invasion of my personal space. I like to exist in my own little bubble.
People giving me an unapproved nickname. I like the name my parents gave me, thanks; there's no need to shorten or modify it.

Six things I really love doing:

Listening to mellow music and singing along.
Reading shelter/cooking magazines (just renewed BHG and am seriously considering getting Real Simple again).
Cooking, but not baking, as long as my kitchen isn't a total mess.
Cutting up fruits and vegetables. Seriously, it's a total stress-reliever for me (unless I'm in a hurry and then cut myself).
Taking long, hot baths while I'm home alone.
Clipping coupons, even though I rarely use them before they expire. It's another stress-reliever.

Six TV shows I really enjoy:

House
The Biggest Loser
Parenthood
Hoarders, even though the filth sometimes gives me the heebie-jeebies.
The Soup/Web Soup/Tosh.0
Conan (can't wait for November!)

Six jobs I have held:

Cashier, Moors Resort on Kentucky Lake (summer job in college)
Secretary at my childhood church (part-time summer job in college)
Team Member at Target (both Instocks and Presentation)
Auto Underwriting Clerk, Alfa Insurance
Animal Care Group Leader, Harlan Laboratories
Shipping Group Leader, Harlan Laboratories

The last four of those have been in the last 3 1/2 years. And I'm hoping to find #7 in the near future.

Six books I've never read:

Angels and Demons
The Lost Symbol
Harry Potter 5-7
To Kill a Mockingbird
Catcher in the Rye
Brave New World

Six movies I will always watch if they are on:

Back to the Future (any)
Indiana Jones (any)
The Goonies
The Muppets (any)
Independence Day
Ferris Buehller's Day Off

Via Holly would if she could.

...and another week begins.

2010-08-29T23:58:00.002-05:00

Today, I made a cheese ball for my husband's grandmother's 88th birthday party.

I adapted this recipe by halving it and using a combination of shredded co-jack and cheddar. I also used plain neufchatel in place of the two cream cheeses and added 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder. I rolled the finished product in co-jack and didn't add the pumpkin decorations. It went over well, and I even got to send some home with inlaws (who only asked when we're going to have kids five or six times).

There's still half left in the fridge though. Who wants it?

Then, this afternoon we spent hours, literally HOURS, trying to replace our cable line. Here's the deal.

The cable comes from the power pole in front of our house, attaches to our eave, then runs to a box to be split. The main cable then runs back around the front of the house, under then through the eaves, emerging again above our living room window. Then it runs down beside the window, entering the house just below the sill. Makes sense, right?

We were replacing the outdoor bits with quad coaxial cable with weatherproof connectors to improve our signal. Lately, digital and HD channels have either pixelated or stopped working completely at random intervals. Sometimes jiggling of cables fixed it; other times, we just had to give up and watch the non-HD channels.

We ran into problems with the connectors fitting through the holes in the wall, resulting in much frustration and cursing by all. Eventually, Robert found a solution (hint: it involved screwdrivers, damaged window trim, and finally a drill). Best of all, the cable actually worked! And there was much rejoicing.

Initially, we had planned to rearrange the living room too, but after that ordeal, we just put everything back where it was. I did vacuum the TV corner though, and I think I sucked up enough hair to cover another dog. We've postponed the rearranging until later this week. Pics will follow.

Finally, I think this is totally cute in a geeky way.

Source

How I Spend My Friday Nights

2010-08-27T22:32:00.001-05:00

I've revamped the blog layout in favor of something more handcrafted.

The header is actually a photo I took in Jamaica. I'm not completely happy with it (I can see some pixelation around the letters), but I don't think it's a terribly shoddy job considering I don't have Photoshop.

I also played around with some of my Europe pictures and got this number.

From Picnik Photos

Certainly not professional quality either, but I had fun messing with it anyway.

If anyone has any tips for me (or the dinero to buy me Photoshop), let me know. While you're at it, you could buy me a DSLR too.

Peter Piper picked a peck of ... you get the idea.

2010-08-26T21:57:00.002-05:00

Last night, I pickled my first peppers!

I did make hot pepper sauce (you know, the clear vinegar kind that you put on greens) with last year's jalapeños, but those peppers aren't meant to be snacked on since they still contain their seeds.

For these, I basically used this recipe for jalapeño bread and butter pickles, halved. Here they are after salting, chilling, rinsing, and draining.

All the peppers came from our garden; in fact, despite the rainbow of colors, they're all from a single "Giant Jalapeño" plant.

For the liquid, I actually used some left over after making AB's B and B's with the last of our garden's cucumbers. And I used a homemade pickling spice in that recipe. I'm a regular Susie Homemaker! I did add a few extra cloves while the liquid was heating.

Once it boiled, I tossed in the peppers and onions.

Final result: about a pint and a half of zesty pickled peppers.

As I don't have real canning jars or tools, these will just be stored in the refrigerator.

Today's taste test confirmed pickling success! They're hot but not fiery, and sweet but not syrupy. I think the heat would build up if I ate too many in one sitting, but they're definitely tasty.

Did I mention there are probably two dozen more peppers on that plant? Next on the agenda: pepper jelly.

On Grownup Decisions and Big Girl Panties

2010-08-25T21:39:00.000-05:00

While purging my dashboard of unfinished drafts, I came across this as-yet-unpublished post about my first day back on the job. Two months later, my feelings are largely the same. I'm still formulating that escape plan...

June 21, 2010

Today was my first day at my new-but-old-but-different job. How'd it go? Well, I didn't quit again, if that's what you're wondering.

Like I said on Friday [June 18th], mixed feelings here. I didn't really blog about my job before, and I can't really blog about it now either, at least not in detail. Controversial blah blah, proprietary knowledge blah blah, the crazies might read it blah blah blah. I'll just keep things vague so as not to give anything away.

I was totally dreading today, so much so that I slept really poorly last night. Why? Well...

I quit this job once before. Not this exact job, but a parallel job with slightly different responsibilities. I left on largely good terms (at least with my bosses) and kept the door open for future reemployment. Don't burn your bridges, my parents always said. Seven months later: the economy still sucks, and I've had zero interviews or firm offers and only a handful of calls or emails after submitting dozens upon dozens of applications.

I like to pretend I was overqualified for everything. It's possible that I was. Okay, not everything. But you have to admit that a resume containing a science degree and experience managing others doesn't really scream "bank teller" or "secretary" or "temp office worker." I don't think it really screams anything at all. More like it whispers "nerd" and "lab work" and "go back to school already because your degree is basically useless."

I might end up listening to that last part, but I'm not sure yet. If you know me, or even if you don't, do you think I could hack it as, say, a middle school science teacher? What about an accountant? Here I am, a grownup, and I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

I've read some stuff lately about my generation, those rotten Millennials, and it hasn't all been positive. This article in particular got me thinking.

Who am I to turn down a decently paying job with decent hours doing something that I'm competent at for bosses who think I'm the bees knees? How many future bosses will have enough faith in me to ask me to come back six months after I voluntarily walked out? And for that matter, who am I to quit a job that's mostly tolerable just because some people didn't like me and, OMG, were mean to me? What am I, twelve?

So that was my rationale. I'm a grownup. Sometimes I have to make grownup decisions. Not everyone gets to be totally happy with their job 100% of the time.

Also, being a stay-at-home wife is just about the most BORING THING EVER. I know if we had kids, it would be different. Or if we had enough money for me to go hat shopping all the time.

But sitting home alone all day with the pets, pinching pennies and planning my grocery trips while watching our savings shrink was not really my idea of a good time.

Beauty in the Everyday

2010-08-24T21:21:00.000-05:00

Our front flower bed is an unsightly mass of weeds for most of the year. The previous owners had put fake flowers (WHY?!) in it before we bought it in 2008. I quickly removed them and planted some petunias that I found on clearance.

They've proven quite hardy, coming back as volunteers for the second year now. This one is the first of the season.

As a semi-experienced gardener, I can honestly say that I wish all our plantings were this low-maintenance.

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

2010-08-19T00:16:00.001-05:00

Well, hello! It's been a little while, hasn't it?

I wish I had something interesting to say. Some great story, or even some terrible story, just to break the monotony around here. But I don't. Unless you count the fact that a can of condensed tomato soup fell out of the cabinet and hit me in the hip this afternoon. It even left a welt.

Work is work. I wait for the weekend all week long and dread going in every morning. I'm even putting off going to sleep right now since I'll have to get up in 8 hours and go back. I'm trying to work out some grand scheme to leave it all behind, but those things take time. And money. And unfortunately, we're not rolling in either.

I've been taking an especially hard look at our finances recently, and that's saying something since I've been known to update Quicken multiple times a day. In addition to all the decor and foodie and random RSS feeds I subscribe to, I've added some personal finance blogs as well. The Simple Dollar has been helpful so far, though I do pride myself on having a basic knowledge of money matters.

We're seriously looking into refinancing an auto loan at a substantially lower rate (as in, 3.65-4.8% instead of 7.5%) as well as our FHA mortgages through a Streamline Refi. The mortgage refi would allow us to roll our first and second mortgages into one while taking advantage of a lower rate. Since we've built very little equity in our home (which we purchased with 100% financing in 2008), traditional refi's aren't really an option. The determining factor will be the closing costs. By my unofficial estimates, we could save $100 a month on our payments; if closing costs are around $3K, our break-even point would be two and half years from now. So if we stay in this home at least another 2.5 years, the investment would be worth it.

In less boring news, I've been cooking more lately. On Monday, we had chicken fried steak with white gravy and garlic mashed potatoes; tonight, it was pork chops and glazed ranch carrots with leftover potatoes. I'm also still enjoying the fabulous peach cobbler from Monday. It's even great cold!

The garden is still plugging along. Since I was off today (to make up for working Sunday), I picked some tomatoes and peppers after watering it. I even updated my garden yields notebook, which I'd been neglecting for over two weeks. It's all right though; I haven't picked much and I let most of it go bad. Whoops. What can I say? I love tomatoes but I got tomatoed out! Hopefully I'm past that though.

I am planning on making these jalapeño B&B pickles with all the peppers sitting in our fridge; I just have to don my gloves to finish de-seeding them first. I definitely learned my lesson earlier this summer: Our peppers are HOT and they WILL make any body part that comes in contact with them burn fiercely.

Is it Friday yet?

Manic Monday

2010-08-02T22:00:00.011-05:00

Today, for the first time in who-knows-how-long, I clocked out ON TIME at work! Joyous day! I even almost met the deadline for my Monday report. Things are looking up. Although I'd be lying if I said I'm not dying to take a day off. I've been back six weeks now and haven't taken any time off yet.

While I'd love to lay around on a weekday, I really need to make appointments with a dentist and an optometrist. I haven't been to either in, oh, over two years. Bad, I know! Especially since I have a family history of glaucoma and notoriously poor flossing habits. But that's boring.

So the garden. Oh, the garden. Here in the Deep South, we've been in the grips of a heat wave for what seems like forever. Mid-nineties and above with scarce and scattered rain. This means that our once-a-day watering habits simply weren't enough for the peppers and tomatoes. While the jalapeño has held up nicely, the bell peppers were looking wilted and yielding unpleasantly floppy fruit. The tomatoes responded to the heat and insufficient watering in a different way: their lower leaves dried up and turned brown while the fruits split their skins:

Heyo! It's my own photo rather than one sourced from Google Images! Ugly, right?

Happily, everything seems to be on the mend now. Except the sad, sad strawberry. I'll be sure to take a sad, sad picture before I compost the whole thing. Just add it the list of failed plantings: yellow squash in 2009, and zucchini, cucumber (after a hefty harvest), and strawberries this year. At least I know I can keep tomatoes and peppers alive all season.

We've been up to some house-related things lately too, though we're only half finished with step one. Here are some progress shots:

Step three, in the not-terribly-distant future, will involve sanding-then-staining the floor and sanding-then-painting the baseboards. We're virgins at both! Before step three can commence, step one must be completed, which entails removing the remaining carpet padding glue from the floor. Can you say tedious?

You may be wondering about step two. When we moved in, all of our windows were painted shut (though we've been able to wiggle two partially open, neither of which are in this particular room). Staining the floor will require adequate ventilation, so we can't exactly start step three until the windows are functioning.

Needless to say, we're taking our time with this one.

Things I Love: Hump Day Edition

2010-07-28T22:31:00.003-05:00

The following items take my mind off the unpleasantries* of the day.

*Yes, it's a word. I looked it up.

Catalog Living: I honestly do laugh at most of these, and I'm not alone. One of my favorites? This one.
Various and sundry blogs in my feed reader: Young House Love, MWF Seeking BFF, Penelope Loves Lists, yes and yes
Cooking and lifestyle mags: Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes and Gardens, Taste of Home, Everyday Food
True crime show marathons (Snapped, anyone?)
Raw cookie dough (Nestle Tollhouse - New batch!) and Diet Mountain Dew

Things have just been so unpredictable lately. I'm one of those people who likes stability, and routine, and knowing exactly what I have to do every day. It hasn't been that way in a week and a half; and, unfortunately, it doesn't look like things are going to get better anytime soon. Don't you just love it when three people have to do the work of five? I know I do.

Don't get me wrong; a little occasional overtime is fine by me. And the money is nice too. However, I really love getting off after putting in my scheduled eight hours.

On a positive note, my week off in November was approved! Now we just have to figure out exactly where we're going to stay, what we're going to do, and, most importantly, how much money we're going to have to spend. There are just so many options! Plus I'm the type to stress over large purchases. Case in point: I'd like to get a new(er) car soon, before my '92 Honda kicks the bucket, but I can guarantee I'm going to freak out more than a little along the way. Honestly? I don't even like thinking about it, though the end result will be TOTALLY worth it.

Did I mention that my windshield washer fluid sprayers don't work? And neither does my radio? And there's a ticket-worthy crack directly through my line of sight on the driver's side of the windshield? Not to mention the rusted-out muffler, tornado-scratched paint job, and broken tail-light cover (that one's not ticket-worthy though). And all the recent dog-toting has deposited a layer of fur all over everything too. But she still runs, and that's all I really need.

Does anyone else feel my pain, or am I full of white whines? What takes your mind off a long day?

Music Monday: Now Playing

2010-07-19T22:40:00.004-05:00

I tend to fall into musical ruts. You can ask Robert. He's sure that I listen to the same three songs over and over.

Well, it's more than three, but I do have a short soundtrack-of-my-life loop going.

Jason Mraz - I'm Yours

I just love the laid-back beachy sound of Jason Mraz. I feel like I should be sipping a piña colada on the sand back in Jamaica.

Emiliana Torrini - Jungle Drum
I first heard this on the Inspired by Iceland video and I fell in love. It's just so fun and happy and great. P.S. Thanks to Sarah at yesandyes for sharing it!

Lady Gaga - Paparazzi
As soon as I heard this song, I was singing the catchy chorus. But then, I love pretty much all Gaga. (Robert does not approve.) I'll also admit to listening to some Ke$ha. Guilty pleasures FTW.

Taio Cruz - Break Your Heart
Do you see a dance trend here? And I do dance. Alone in our office-slash-dining room. Unless you count Vinny. He's got some moves.

blink-182 - Adam's Song
This one's a throwback to 1999. I was a freshman in high school at the time (Is my age showing?). For whatever reason, the lyrics continued to speak to that angsty teenager inside of me even into my twenties. And I still love it.

The Lonely Island - Boombox
Who doesn't love Andy Samberg? Plus the video is hilarious. Best line: I saw a Spanish guy doing the Bartman. And let's not forget the fingerless gloves and boiled goose.

La Roux - Bulletproof
A fun and bouncy sort of song. Although I did watch that video just now, and it's distractingly bizarre.

Anastacia - Left Aside Alone
Another flashback, but this one's to the summer of '04. I was lucky enough to spend a month studying (and partying) abroad in Spain just before my junior year at Auburn, and this was all over the clubs there.

Other Spanish discoteca hits? Dragostea din tei (before the fat kid danced to it), Black Eyed Peas - Let's Get Retarded (played at The Rove), and techno remixes of California Dreaming, the Grease Megamix, and the YMCA. Random!

Want to see what else I've been listening to lately? My last.fm can tell you that. I also have a Pandora station and listen to Grooveshark to get my current pop fix.

Disclaimer: I've left the music on during the day while Vinny is home alone, so I've not had much say in what's been played. However, I downloaded all that music myself, so I must have liked it at one time or another.

This Grown Up Life of Mine

2010-07-18T23:24:00.001-05:00

Well, I'm settling back into the whole work routine (but I do still count the days until the weekends). I'm even fitting some productivity into my free time! I have a feeling, though, that the coming week, in which I do the work of two people, will suck. A lot.

I'm still trying to keep up with the garden, although my laissez-faire approach appears to have done more harm than good. Just the other day, I had to pull up the whole cucumber plant after it was decimated by both squash bugs and vine borers:

That's okay though; 30+ pounds is more cukes than I ever wanted anyway.

Curious about our other yields? Check it.

I've also seen a couple of tomato hornworms:

and tons of immature leaf-footed bugs:

which have begun turning into adults:

Yesterday, I sprayed some insecticidal soap over all the plants that are still living, so I'm hoping for the best. I also weeded half the garden. I'm too embarrassed to even take, let alone share, another picture of it until it's properly weeded. It's THAT bad.

Even with the bug and weed issues, the garden is still producing ridiculously. I have at least a dozen cucumbers bagged in the fridge until I can figure out what to do with them all. I've frozen whole plum tomatoes, bell pepper strips, and whole jalapeños. I used eight cups of chopped mixed tomatoes to make a half-batch of this FABULOUS sauce (only addition: some red pepper flakes) and froze two pints of it. Then I froze another pound of chopped tomatoes. And yet there are still tomatoes all over my counters.

In other bug news, we spotted a few fleas in the house this week. Argh. We don't keep up a strict flea medication regimen year round, and we've never had a real problem in the two years we've lived here. Needless to say, everyone is now up to date (FYI: Did you know that some Lowe's now carry Frontline Plus? Ours does!), the house has been thoroughly vacuumed, and the yard has been treated with a very un-green insecticide. I really don't like the idea of all these chemicals, but I dislike fleas even more.

Wish me luck this week. Only five days until Friday...

The Return of the Prodigal Daughter

2010-07-02T09:17:00.000-05:00

No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth. I just became a wage-earning member of society again. And it is EXHAUSTING. The (vague and general) nature of my work and my feelings on this change deserve a post of their own, so that'll come later.

If you scan my archives, it's fairly obvious that my posting was much more frequent and regular during my period of stay-at-home-wifery (last November up until June 20th). I had an overabundance of time on my hands, to say the least. Now? Not so much. While I'm free in the evenings after work, I'm just so tired lately. I think I'm still adjusting to the new schedule. Most days, I work a typical daytime schedule, but I've got some extra time this morning because I go in late (and stay late) on Fridays for reasons pertaining to the nature of my work. So cryptic, right?

Besides increasing my weekly hours worked from zero to 40, not a lot has changed in my oh-so-average life. Still plugging away at the garden. The beefsteak tomatoes finally started ripening, and I picked over 3.5 pounds this morning.

Anyway. I'm boring myself. But I'm not quitting on this blogging thing; I'm just adjusting. Happy Fourth, Americans!

A Garden Update (of sorts): Week 10

2010-06-18T10:20:00.002-05:00

So I've been kind of busy this week. As it ends up, this was my last week of freedom and housewifery and whatnot, since I start back working full time on Monday. Yay? I have mixed feelings, but hey, at least we'll have more money.

That said, I didn't get around to taking a progress picture yesterday. This doesn't bother me too much, because (1) I still haven't weeded and it looks like HELL, and (2) besides the cucumber continuing to sprawl, the garden in general seems to have reached its maximum size.

For those of you who are still curious, I'll paint a little picture of the changes this week with words.

I pulled up the zucchini plant, finally. The bugs had just about eaten it through, and I figured it was doing more harm than good by that point (as some of the vine borers had migrated to the cucumber).
I moved the (completely unproductive, waste of space) potted strawberry to the zucchini's spot to give the cucumber more room.
I did not weed, so the grass continues to encroach.

That's about it. I know, exciting, right? I did pick quite a bit of produce though, and I've copied my handwritten notes into a spreadsheet.* Oh, you want to see it? Okay!

* Is it weird that I'm keeping such detailed notes about what I pick? Whatever, I'm letting my freak flag fly! I'm a list-maker, an organizer, an unabashed Penelope. I've also made a weekly household task spreadsheet to, hopefully, keep up with all that cleaning once I start working again. Maybe I'll share that next time. I know you can't wait.

(Click here to open the spreadsheet in new tab/window.)

That's a lot of produce! I'll continually update it, so if you come back to this post later, it'll be like I could see into the future!

And since I can't resist snapping some pics (and I can't stand posting without at least ONE), here are a few closeups.

Five for Friday + Wedding Album (Finally!)

2010-06-11T11:19:00.002-05:00

Sometimes the breeze from the ceiling fan in the dining room/office is annoying. It bothers me enough that I'd rather be hot than feel the face-tickles.
I tend to avoid watching videos on the computer, so I'll (initially) ignore those posted by bloggers or friends (sorry!). Later on, I'll go back and watch them all at once. Today, I'm catching up on things posted by Sarah over at yes and yes, and I've enjoyed them all! I have no rationale for why I wait to watch them.
Last week, I pulled out my old keyboard and played it for the first time in forever. I'm a little rusty, but The Rainbow Connection didn't sound too bad. If you didn't know, I took seven years of lessons from around fifth grade until graduation. Oh, and I was also in our church handbell choir (and school choir) during that time, though I've done nothing publicly musical since age 18.
I just recently realized that I've never cleaned our windows during the two years that we've lived here. Gross! They're always hiding behind the yellowed old mini blinds and closed curtains, so I never even think about them. But now I'm bothered...
I think I've mentioned before that I'm a pack rat. I hold onto a lot of things "just in case." This week, I threw out dozens of individual condiment packets that I'd been hoarding in the fridge for quite possibly YEARS. They included butter, jelly, honey, Arby's sauce, duck sauce, and mayonnaise (ew!). I did keep a few packets of ketchup, Taco Bell sauce, and soy sauce though.

The End of the Wedding Album Saga

Last Friday, we FINALLY received our professional wedding album. Yes, we got married over two years ago, and yes, we ordered the album within three months of the wedding. So after spending over $2000 and enduring a year and a half of drama (disappearing photographer, obvious untruths, threats of legal action, etc.) we now have something to show for it! And it's beautiful, so I'll just keep telling myself that it was worth the wait. Handmade in Italy, how fancy!

Here are some of my favorite pages. Sorry the pictures are terrible... Point-and-shoot camera + no flash + no tripod + my shaky hands = giant blur.

Silk cover (Engagement photo taken here)

The rings (including my engagement ring, since my wedding ring is a solitaire enhancer)

Ring exchange (reenacted)

Cake face smash + kiss

Dancing with my Dad

Garden Update (Week Nine)

2010-06-10T11:43:00.002-05:00

"Who loves a garden still his Eden keeps,
Perennial pleasures plants, and wholesome harvest reaps."
~ Amos Bronson Alcott

The past week has been eventful/stressful in ways not involving the garden, so it's been a little neglected lately.

Yeah, I know. I need to weed. And the grass around the edge is creeping in.

Progress, nine-week mark:

I just found out that Gickr, the site I had been using for the progress gifs, couldn't support this week's image. They also only allow up to 10 images per gif, and next week will be my tenth week of garden updates. In order to keep up the gifs, I poked around until I found Imator, which should support more images.

Yesterday, I posted about the cucumber inundation (Take some! Free!), and just today I discovered that the squash vine borers from the zucchini had attacked part of the cucumber plant. Noooo! I pulled three of them out of the vine using a pointy grass stem then squashed them. Nasty little grubby things...blech. I'll probably end up picking three or more of the seven cucumbers out there today, though I'm not sure what I'll do with them yet.

I did pick our first beefsteak tomato yesterday, but I'm not taking a picture of it. It's UGLY. I'm letting it ripen a little more in the window, but I'll let you know how it tastes once I try it.

And now for the closeups.

The Cucumber Affair

2010-06-09T15:53:00.001-05:00

Remember last week, when I told you about the cucumber bent on garden domination? Well, now it's attempting to escape from the garden and invade the rest of the backyard.

Also? There is NO WAY I can eat all these cucumbers! I've made microwave pickles and marinated vegetable salad twice apiece, and these refrigerator pickles are chilling. I've used them in Greek salads, eaten them as a snack with ranch dip, and even given one away. The yield so far: six full-size cucumbers weighing an average of eight ounces each. That's three pounds of cucumbers in just over three weeks!*

*Yes, I've been carefully documenting (and weighing) everything I've picked so far. I'm nothing if not a Penelope.

Add to this the fact that there are seven (SEVEN!) more just waiting to be picked.

I've asked my mom for her sweet pickle recipe, but until then, would anyone like to take some pesticide-free cukes off my hands?

Green Thumb Diaries: Week Eight

2010-06-03T12:10:00.002-05:00

In gardens, beauty is a by-product. The main business is sex and death.
~ Sam Llewelyn

Once again, this week has had its highs and lows.

Progress shot:

The Scoreboard

Strawberries: FAIL.
Since last week, we've had two nearly ripe berried thieved. As we speak, one misshapen berry is trying to ripen. And yesterday I noticed all sorts of holes in the leaves... from what, I'm not sure.

Look at that freaky little thing:

Zucchini: MASSIVE FAIL.
First we had squash bugs, and now I think we have vine borers. One plant rotted completely through at ground level, so I had to pull it up yesterday. The other plant is not looking so hot either. LAME. I did salvage one baby zucchini from the dying plant yesterday; hopefully it's tasty.

Cucumber: MASSIVE SUCCESS.
The last one I picked (after neglecting the garden for a few days since it rained so much ) weighed in at a hefty 11.2 ounces. A couple more are on the way. So far, I've eaten them in salads, with dip, and as a quick pickle, but I think I'm going to need more recipes to use them all up.

The single cucumber plant is bent on garden domination:

Jalapeños: HOT.
I used a few slices from the first one I picked last week in some black beans and it definitely had some heat. I've picked one more since then and the plant is covered in more of them.

A peck of (not-yet-)pickled peppers:

Bell peppers: BIG.
I picked a green one that rivaled those huge grocery store types, but I haven't tasted it yet. The reds seem to be having troubles but hopefully they'll improve.

This green bell pepper is well on its way:

Tomatoes: DELICIOUS.
I've now tasted a few Romas and one cherry tomato and all were winners. Homegrown tomatoes are always and forever tastier than store-bought, 100% of the time, guaranteed. The beefsteak and yellow tomatoes haven't ripened up yet, but I can't wait!

This cherry tomato is just about ripe for the pickin':

I can't wait for the rest of these still-green tomatoes to start taking on some color:

And in the name of redundancy, my most recent artsy-fartsy shot:

I still can't get over how wonderfully it turned out. Love. It.

May's Milestones

2010-06-02T04:41:00.001-05:00

Three months ago, I quit smoking (February 8, 2010).
Six months ago, I quit my job (November 19, 2009).
Two years ago, we moved into this house (around May 15, 2008).
Two years ago, we got married (May 31, 2008).
Three years ago, I graduated from Auburn (May 10, 2007).

Just thought I'd point those out. Sometimes it feels like this time has flown by; other times, three years ago seems like another lifetime.

It's even harder to believe that I graduated from high school eight years ago.

Edited to add:
Look at this picture. Just look.

I took that. Me! So proud. Also: that cherry tomato in the center was delicious.

In Which I Recaulk the Tub/Shower Surround

2010-05-28T11:21:00.002-05:00

So I've been staring at our dated, dirty, and literally falling apart bathroom with disdain for awhile now. There's moldy caulk, crumbling grout, and vinyl flooring that's peeling up from the original tile beneath it.

The toilet also has a leaky flapper, the tank cover has a huge chip out of it (whoops, my bad), and the bowl appears to be cracking in several places (not good, not good).

Finally, I've motivated myself to do something about it. If you don't like something, change it! As much as we'd like to gut the whole funky thing and start from scratch, that's neither in the cards nor the budget at this time. So, in the interest of workin' with what ya got, I've decided to do what I can to make spending time in there slightly more pleasant.

First things first. Home improvement store run for a 5-in-1 tool and DAP Caulk Remover (as well as a grout brush and grout cleaner for a future endeavor).

I used the 5-in-1 tool to scrape off the ancient moldy caulk in the tub, as well as the new caulk from my shoddy patch job that was covering it. The caulk remover loosened the hangers-on (it requires two hours of wait time).

Here it is partway through removal:

I made sure to clean all surfaces thoroughly before recaulking:

The finished product:

It's far from perfect but definitely much better than it was. The best thing: Since I did it right this time, I shouldn't have to do it again until we redo the bathroom.

Then I replaced the toilet flapper. Easy enough, no pictures required. However, the toilet is STILL running. Blargh. We'll probably just replace the whole deal in the next week or two rather than throwing money at an old toilet. Plus I'd really prefer that it not explode and flood the house.

Next up: the peeling vinyl floor and stained grout beneath it.

Gross! Stay tuned for that.

G: The Garden (Week Seven)

2010-05-27T11:44:00.001-05:00

Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration.
~ Lou Erickson

This week's highlights:

I picked the first cucumber and jalapeño of the season! A second cucumber (see photo) should be ready any second too.
I picked some green Romas because their weight was tipping the plant over.
One strawberry is beginning to redden (but it's pretty ugly looking).

This week's low points:

I had to toss a few baby red bell peppers because they had rotten spots on them.
I had to toss the first red cherry tomato because it had bugs eating it up.
There are squash bugs on the zucchini plants, but I scraped off every coppery metallic egg I found.
A second, less red strawberry appears to have had chunks eaten out of it. Curses!

But you're just here for the pictures, right?

Seven weeks of growth in .gif form:

Barely visible in the foreground is the previously-removed tomato cage, now upside down around the Roma. Why? Well, the plant stayed too short for the cage to help when right side up. So I took it away. But then the weight of all those Romas started toppling the poor plant over. So I brought it back, upside down this time, so that the branches could sit on that lowest rung. I guess it's helping since it looks slightly less sprawled than last week.

What's that? You want closeups? Well, if you insist.

The aforementioned ready-to-be-picked second cucumber of the season:

A pair of beefsteaks trying to break out of their wire prison:

This green pepper is becoming quite sizable:

The re-caged Romas:

And holy cow, look at all them yella 'maters!

Dear Walt Disney World: Love you. Miss you. See you soon?

2010-05-25T09:21:00.000-05:00

We have a thing, me and Disney World. I went six times throughout my childhood. If we'd lived closer, we probably would have gone more often. If I lived in Orlando now, I would no doubt have a season pass.

It's been a long distance relationship since 2002 though. My family planned the last Disney vacation of my childhood for right after my high school graduation (I left for Auburn two months later). They've been once or twice since, but I've yet to return.

And it's killing me.

I'm so obsessed that I used to order those free vacation planning videos just to watch them and reminisce. I actually just ordered a new one (my most recent was from 2006). Is that weird?

I have nothing but love for Disney and super happy family memories to go with it. Well, except for one.

I got lost in Animal Kingdom once. For the better part of a day. With no money, ID, cell phone, park ticket, or room key.

It was June of 1998. We were visiting the park for the first time (it had just opened that year). I was 14 and carried with me what I can only assume is the typical attitude of a teenage girl. I wasn't a bad kid, but I know I could be a little... let's call it "snippy." Well, my parents said something that ticked me off. I'm not sure what it was, but all parents of 14-year-olds are idiots, right? They don't know anything! They don't UNDERSTAND what it's LIKE. GAW. Anyway. I got mad, and, in a moment of sheer brilliance, stomped off into the crowd as we entered Africa. Brow furrowed, head down, tears welling, I marched forward, muttering My parents are so stupid under my breath. A nagging voice in the back of my head was literally screaming at me to stop, but I ignored it. A few moments (minutes? seconds?) later, my head was slightly clearer. I stopped, turned around, and stared into a sea of unfamiliar faces. I'd lost them.

For the rest of the day, I wandered the park hoping to run into them at one of the rides. At one point, I also lost my map. Why didn't I got to the lost child kiosk? Because I was 14 and not a child, duh! How embarrassing would that have been? They'd probably think I was only 10 anyway (stupid late blooming... I'm still waiting on that proverbial bloom, by the way).

Back then, there was a foot-deep pool in front of the Dinosaur ride (then called Countdown to Extinction). I spent awhile soaking my feet there. June in Florida is SO HOT. I rode that ride once also, the first time I ever rode something alone. I walked the whole park at least twice, and finally, FINALLY, ran into my family hours later outside Dinosaur.

So that's my one horror story. But it's not really so bad, just a hot waste of a day because I was a stupid, impulsive teenager.

I've been planning out my next trip since 2002. At one point, I was determined to have my honeymoon there (which didn't work out due to financial constraints, but was probably for the best since FIL was hospitalized at the time of our wedding). Of course, I didn't know my husband in '02, but it's a given that he'll come along now. He's never been, which blows my mind!

Here's how it'll go:

Fly to Florida (Totally beats 8 hours on the road)
Stay for one week (5-7 days) in Spring or Fall to avoid massive sweating
Get tickets to all four parks (Water parks and Pleasure Island too? Maybe)
Stay at Port Orleans - Riverside (if we're on a tighter budget) or The Polynesian (if we've got money to burn... yeah, right); I'm open to other options though
Get a dining plan
Go to the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show (aka the Polynesian Luau)
Go for the Food and Wine Festival, or attempt to "drink around the world"
Ride pretty much EVERY RIDE EVER. Except Dumbo. I never got into that one.
See a handful of shows (so as not to torture Robert with too many musicals), including Fantasmic!
Eat a churro in Mexico (Epcot)
Eat a chocolate-covered frozen banana in Animal Kingdom
Eat a smoked turkey leg in Frontierland (Magic Kingdom)
Eat a Dole Whip in Adventureland (Magic Kingdom)

Is it odd that I have such vivid memories of the food? It's not like they're gourmet masterpieces, but I distinctly remember eating those specific foods in those specific places. I'm getting hungry just thinking about them...

The Garden Report: Week Six

2010-05-20T16:15:00.001-05:00

It is utterly forbidden to be half-hearted about gardening. You have got to love your garden whether you like it or not.

~W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman, Garden Rubbish, 1936

Week six has brought with it some new difficulties, but first things first. Pictures!

And the progress .gif:

You can't see because of the massive tomato and zucchini plants, but I've had to move the cucumber vines at least once a week. They keep trying to grow into the zucchini.

So what's with that pot that magically appeared? Since the strawberry has been languishing for some time, I decided to dig it up and plant it in a pot with new garden soil.

Some of the leaves had been turning reddish (like this), which is possibly a sign of leaf scorch. They may have also been susceptible to verticillium wilt since we planted them where last year's pepper and tomato plants were. I think the soil may not have been draining well either. Hopefully moving the plant to a pot will help.

And maybe, MAYBE, this one will make it to maturity without the birds stealing it!

I've also got some worries about blossom-end rot on the yellow tomatoes and zucchini, as well as possible lack of pollination on the cucumbers, but I'm hoping those issues will sort themselves out in time.

Look for more closeups on Flickr tomorrow (if you like that sort of thing). I didn't get a chance to take many before the light got too harsh today.

The Best Thing I Ever Made (This Week): Greek Garlic Chicken

2010-05-19T22:28:00.006-05:00

Who doesn't like Greek food?

The Best Thing I Ever Made (This Week) was... Greek Garlic Chicken with Greek-Style Lemony Rice and Orzo Pilaf and Salad with Homemade Greek Dressing.

Greek Garlic Chicken
Makes enough for two large bone-in breasts, which serves two with leftovers. Adapted from Weber's Big Book of Grilling.

Marinade
1/4 c parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp dry white wine
(I used Sauvignon Blanc)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp chopped black olives
1 tsp chopped green olives
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

2 bone-in split chicken breasts with skin (about 9 oz each)

Combine marinade ingredients in zip-top bag.
Add chicken breasts and coat well. Marinate 4 - 6 hours, turning frequently.
Reserve marinade and boil for 1 full minute. Grill breasts skin side up over Indirect Medium heat for 30 to 40 minutes (until temperature reads 170° F), basting with marinade during last 10 to 20 minutes.

Greek-Style Lemony Rice and Orzo Pilaf
I followed this recipe almost exactly. The only changes: I halved the recipe and used the smaller amounts of oil, garlic, and pepper. I also omitted the feta. It made about five servings.

Greek Salad
This salad and dressing combo is tied for my favorite EVER (with The Pasta House Co. Salad). So good! Serves two.

1 1/2 c romaine lettuce
1 1/2 c iceberg lettuce
1/3 c tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/3 c cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 Tbsp yellow onion, chopped
1/4 c green bell pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp feta cheese, crumbled (~1 oz)
Black or kalamata olives (to taste)
Pepperoncini peppers (to taste)
2 Tbsp Greek Dressing

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Add more dressing if desired.

Five for Friday: ...Secrets

2010-05-14T08:59:00.002-05:00

You have to whisper it like on Conan.

...Secrets.

I procrastinate on going to the bathroom. To the point of bouncing my legs like a child. What? Using the bathroom is such a chore. Plus I'm conserving water. So there.
I hide dirty pots and pans in the oven. If I don't have time to wash them, I can't stand to look at them. Our kitchen is small and cluttered enough without dirty pans driving me crazy. I always wash them...eventually.
I hold onto random things for way too long. I have a huge collection of YM's at my parents' house from before I went to college in '02, as well as dozens of Beanie Babies and other stuffed animals. Here, I have my old college notebooks, the textbooks I couldn't sell back, wristbands from football games, a fishbowl and rocks from my late betta, five-year-old unopened Altoids tins, and every ticket stub, luggage tag, tourist map, and knickknack from every major trip I've taken since I started college. My justification for those last things is that one day I'll scrapbook them. Only I've never scrapbooked in my life.
I like braunschweiger. You know, that processed liver sausage that comes in the yellow tubes? Poor man's pâté! It's delightful on saltine crackers. Mmm, liver-y goodness.
I enjoy clipping coupons. It soothes me. It's something I used to help my mom with as a kid and it still takes me back, or something. I also organize them in a certain way. First, I sort into food and not-food piles. Then I separate each pile into those that expire this month and those that don't. Then I arrange them in chronological order by expiration date. If some share the same expiration date, I organize them by size, smallest to largest. The saddest thing? I'll only end up using a handful of those coupons before they expire. Proof positive that I have issues!

And I can't resist another "secrets" reference: I'll keep you my dirty little secret...Is it sad that I still love them?

How Does Your Garden Grow? (Week Five)

2010-05-13T13:52:00.000-05:00

You've been counting the days, right? The days until my weekly garden update? I know you have.

I can't wait until I can call it my weekly produce update! And you can bet I'll take pictures of everything I pick. Well, until I get overwhelmed by the sheer abundance of tomatoes. And I will. There are literally dozens of those suckers ripening out there!

Oh, and I removed the cage from the Roma plant since it's not getting any bigger (it's determinate; the other tomatoes are indeterminate).

Progress .gif número trés:

You can tell that the angle on this week's photo is kinda off, but I got tired of trying after the fifth attempt.

And here are the requisite closeups. I took some of the zucchini too, but they ended up looking too ... phallic. I giggle just thinking about it. That won't keep me from eating them though!

Giant jalapeño

Romas

Zucchini blossom

Beefsteak

Nothing has started ripening to the point of changing colors yet, but I have a feeling the Romas will start reddening soon. I mean, they're getting huge!

Meme Monday: Tuesday Edition

2010-05-11T00:29:00.000-05:00

It's another Monday Meme from Katie @ Special Snowflakes, who got it from a lust for words. And I'm chronically late, so it's technically Tuesday now. Sorry.

1. When you were a senior in high school, what career did you think you’d choose? Did you? Why or why not?
I wanted to be a zoologist and travel to all sorts of exciting places doing field research. I made it all the way through college and even minored in Spanish in case some of those places were in Central/South America, but I ended up passing on the whole world-traveler thing in order to settle down. I just recently realized that I ended up with an M. R. S. unintentionally. Sigh. I've yet to choose another career, though I've held a few jobs.

2. What one thing about the “real world” did you find most surprising once you were on your own?
How hard it is to get a job when you don't have relevant experience despite having a (relatively difficult but extremely unmarketable) degree. HIRE ME PLEASE.

3. Name 3 things you think your closest friends DON’T like about you.
1. I have a tendency not to answer my phone if I'm not in the right mood.
2. I'm a bit of a type A personality and can be OCD about certain things.
3. I can be a total tightwad. She get it from her mama...

4. In order to sleep, do you need background noise or absolute quiet?
I prefer silence, but Robert likes having the TV on. Luckily, he normally falls out first so I can turn it off.

5. Why do you choose to reside in your current city? Yes, you have a choice.
I chose Prattville in order to be with my now-husband. And... that's about it.

6. Are you close to your parents?
Physically, no. But I do talk to my mom on the phone once a week or so and text between calls.

7. What is your favorite fiction book? Poem? Blog?
Favorite book: I have a hard time picking books. I don't read like I used to, but I've always enjoyed The Chronicles of Narnia.
Poem: "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe maybe? I memorized it once.
Blog: I can't pick just one; Google Reader keeps me occupied for hours. Current faves: MWF Seeking BFF, Dooce, Penelope Loves Lists, Young House Love.

8. Do you enjoy cooking or is it a chore?
I love to cook, but baking is another story. I still haven't mastered the biscuit and had another meltdown this weekend... Tonight, for fun, I made sloppy joes for tomorrow and baked some muffins (from a mix...I cheat!).

9. Be honest. What one thing would (the majority of) your blog readers be shocked to find out about you?
Do I have readers? I think most people know me in real life and, hence, know everything about me. If you don't, you might not know that I was a valedictorian in high school and voted Most Likely to Succeed (so I have two years left to "succeed" before my ten year reunion).

10. If you were given your own national holiday, what would you require people to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the Day of You? Would there be a parade? Greeting cards?
Day of Melly Menu
- Breakfast: Real bacon (chewy, not crunchy!), WaHo hashbrowns, biscuits with butter and honey
- Lunch: A giant salad. Or sushi. Or both.
- Dinner: Grilled chicken, vegetable kabobs (zucchini, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, pineapple) and rice pilaf. Yes, they serve that at Outback. So?!

Parades are lame, and e-cards only (save the trees!).

Garden Update (Week Four)

2010-05-06T00:10:00.010-05:00

Let's keep this short, sweet, and photo-heavy. Here's the garden this morning:

I had just watered it, and I also weeded it the other day. It's growing so fast!

Here's my second progress .gif:

You can see the zucchini exploded (top right). Love it!

All the tomato plants have baby tomatoes on them now, though the Romas are still leaving everything else in the dust.

Here's the first beefsteak:

I'm so excited for fresh tomatoes. Yum!

I have a feeling we'll have a surplus, so if anyone local wants to call dibs now, let me know. Homegrown and pesticide-free*!

* We amended the soil with Miracle Gro Garden Soil and use insecticidal soap to keep the pest population low. Maybe someday we'll be truly organic!

Potential Produce and "The Future"

2010-05-04T10:00:00.016-05:00

I know it's too early for another garden update (I'll try to stick to Thursday for that from now on), but lookit!

More potential produce! Love it. (Sorry about the dirt splatters; it stormed here recently.)

So, what else is up in Mellyville? Two words: Job. Hunt. It's getting ridiculously frustrating. I mean, I know the economy is in the toilet, but seriously? Will NO ONE hire me? It's like I'm either over- or under-qualified for everything in this area. I have a Bachelors degree, and I supervised others for just under a year. But it seems like every job wants three to five years experience (I only graduated three years ago, and I've held three different jobs in three different fields since then) or a lower degree in a job-ready discipline.

If I can find something at least part time, I'm going to seriously consider going back to school. Unfortunately, my current degree is completely unmarketable here, so I'm looking closely at two options: (1) a second Bachelors in Accounting, or (2) an Alternative Masters of Education. Either one would probably take two to three years of full-time classes (longer if I only go part time).

So why those two options? As for the Accounting, it's certainly marketable and pays well. I'm also great with numbers and already have an unhealthy obsession with Quicken. I honestly don't mind staring at ledgers, budgets and pie charts all day. Boring? Maybe. Stable? One can hope.

Then there's the M.Ed. option. I've always considered teaching, though I'd thought it would be on the college level. I love learning and sharing information with others, but I've never actually taught in a formal capacity. Robert seems to think I would be good at it though. I'd probably go the Secondary Education route and teach biology or general science, since that's the information that interests me the most. But I don't know. I honestly think I could do well in almost any job, but I have no proof that I'd make a good teacher.

Blah. It's sad that, at 26, I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

Five For Friday...er, Monday: Songs in my Playlist

2010-05-03T09:45:00.003-05:00

I had a lot of trouble with my non-iPod personal music-playing device yesterday. To be honest, I hadn't changed the music on it in probably a year. Inconceivable, right? So I deleted everything off of it and formatted it (it's one of those flash drive-based ones) since it had been freezing up and acting generally bizarre lately.

Then I put a new assortment of (still old) music back onto it. Only once I turned it on, it told me it had no music on it. What?! Untrue!

Over the course of an afternoon, I Googled, deleted songs, added songs, reformatted, and even ran it in restore mode to update the firmware. Finally, success! Well, sort of. Attempting to change the song results in more bizarre behavior, so I just let it choose what it wants to play.

In other words, I need a new MP3 player, stat.

1. Gary Jules - Barstool

You just stay in the bar
For as long as you can
As long as you're drinking
Then you've got the world in your hand

2. Bush - Glycerine

I'm never alone
I'm alone all the time
Are you at one
Or do you lie
We live in a wheel
Where everyone steals
But when we rise it's like strawberry fields

3. Deep Blue Something - Breakfast at Tiffany's

You say that we've got nothing in common
No common ground to start from
And we're falling apart
You'll say the world has come between us
Our lives have come between us
But I know you just don't care

4. Guster - Two Points for Honesty

If that's all you will be, you'll be a waste of time
You've dreamed a thousand dreams, none seem to stick in your mind
Two points for honesty
It must make you sad to know that nobody cares at all

5. Regina Spektor - Fidelity

I never loved nobody fully
Always one foot on the ground
And by protecting my heart truly
I got lost in the sounds

Garden Update (Week Three)

2010-04-30T11:03:00.000-05:00

So I almost forgot to take my weekly picture of the garden yesterday. By the time I took it, the sun was halfway down and the shadows were all wrong and I just wasn't having that. Then I realized I got my days mixed up and was actually supposed to take the picture on Wednesday. Argh. Oh well.

Anyway, I took a proper picture this morning:

I told you everything shot up! The strawberry is still rather puny and the birds won't leave the berries alone, but the zucchini is monstrous! I think it actually ended but being two plants in one pot. The tomatoes are beefing up nicely as well. The Roma (bottom left) actually has at least six small green tomatoes on it already. See?

For a comparison, here it was on the first week, and here's the second week. And here's an animated .gif of the progress, courtesy of Gickr. How fun!

Full disclosure: It took me entirely too long to figure out how to get that .gif to show up here. Worth it? You bet.

The Best Thing I Ever Made (This Week): Jerk Chicken

2010-04-28T23:41:00.008-05:00

I like to cook. No, I LOVE to cook. Given my current surplus of free time, I cook dinner from scratch a few times a week.

Now, I don't claim to be a gourmet chef, but I can follow any recipe you give me. I'm also not afraid to adjust seasonings in savory dishes or cut fat in simple baked goods (yay, applesauce!). Before anyone calls me on it, I will admit that I'm still a novice baker. I'm afraid of yeast (I don't want to KILL it accidentally!), and I had a meltdown during my first made-from-scratch biscuit experience. Nowhere to go but up!

The following menu is the result of taking the best parts of multiple recipes, both from cookbooks and the internet, and putting them together to make something that's almost my own. It's one of our favorite meals to cook using our lovely gas grill, and I don't think we've found a grilled recipe that we like more (or make more often).

The Best Thing I Ever Made (This Week) was... Grilled Jerk Chicken Breasts with Pineapple, Red Pepper, and Onion Kebabs and Jamaican Rice and Peas.

Note: This meal was adapted to feed two adults, but each recipe can easily be doubled to feed a larger family.

Jerk Chicken Marinade

Makes enough for two boneless skinless chicken breasts.

1/2 tsp each allspice, cinnamon and dried thyme
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp brown sugar
1 pickled jalapeño, minced (remove seeds and membranes for less heat)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp each white wine vinegar and lime juice
3/4 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp each kosher salt and black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Reserve 1 Tbsp of marinade for kebabs.

Can be made in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.

Grilled Jerk Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (5 to 8 ounces each)
Jerk Chicken Marinade

Pour marinade over chicken breasts, and allow to marinate for one hour (but no longer).

Heat grill to medium. Remove chicken from marinade and grill over direct medium heat for 8 - 12 minutes, turning once. Be sure to check for doneness; thicker chicken breasts may take longer. Eating undercooked chicken is generally a bad idea.

Pineapple, Red Pepper, and Onion Kebabs

Makes four kebabs.

1 red bell pepper, cut into 16 chunks
12 canned pineapple chunks (~3/4 c)
1/2 small onion (red, yellow, or sweet), cut into 12 chunks

Thread 4 pieces of pepper, 3 pineapple chunks, and 3 pieces of onion in an alternating pattern onto each of four skewers. If using bamboo skewers, be sure to soak in water first.

Brush assembled kebabs with reserved marinade. Grill over medium heat for 5 - 10 minutes, turning once. The peppers and onions will still be crisp; for softer vegetables, increase grilling time but be careful not to burn them.

Jamaican Rice and Peas

"Peas" here refers to kidney beans, which are substituted for the pigeon peas traditionally used in this recipe. Pigeon peas are actually a type of bean as well. Makes four 3/4-cup servings.

3/4 c water
1/2 Tbsp oil (I used canola)
1/2 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk
1/2 (15.5 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp each kosher salt and black pepper
1 c long grain white rice
1 scotch bonnet or jalapeño pepper (whole)

Combine all ingredients except for rice and hot pepper in medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

Add rice and stir for a minute. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Place hot pepper on top of liquid and cover tightly for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove pepper and bay leaf before serving.

Credit where credit is due:
Marinade adapted from Weber's Big Book of Grilling, Cooking Smart for a Healthy Heart, and The Complete Mexican, South American, and Caribbean Cookbook.

Grilled chicken and kebabs adapted from Cooking Smart for a Healthy Heart.

Jamaican Rice and Peas adapted from EatJamaican.com, JamaicaTravelandCulture.com, and The Complete Mexican, South American, and Caribbean Cookbook.

I'm stuck in a rut...

2010-04-27T09:35:00.001-05:00

So, I have a new goal of increased productivity. Because, quite honestly, I've become a bit of a layabout. It's not like I have THAT much to do anyway. There are plenty of additional things I could do (organize junk boxes, shred old bills, copy music from old computer) but none of them are necessary or pressing.

I do the stuff I have to do. I buy groceries, pet food, and household necessities. I cook almost every night. I manage the finances and pay bills. I schedule vet visits and doctors appointments, and I pick up pet and human medications when we need them.

My problem is that I'm terribly inefficient about it. Since I don't have a deadline or a tight schedule, I can plan what I'm going to cook an hour before I cook it. Need something? Winn-Dixie is five minutes away. And I allow myself to get distracted by anything and everything. I've got all the time in the world, right?

I don't enjoy being inefficient and unorganized. I hate not having a set schedule. But I'm not sure how I can literally FORCE myself into a job-like routine when I have no time card to punch or boss to answer to.

I do get up in the morning with Robert. He or I will feed the dogs; I always feed the cats. I pack his lunch: leftovers, canned soup, or a frozen entree, plus a Pop-Tart, peanut butter crackers, and a chocolate chip granola bar. I fix his coffee: two packets Equal and three teaspoons non-dairy creamer in a travel mug.

If it hasn't rained, I water the garden. Before long, I'll be picking ripe fruits and vegetables too! (Watch for my weekly photo and update on Thursday. Since it rained this weekend, everything shot up!)

Sometimes I wash a few dishes (I let a mountain pile up over the weekend, so I'm dreading that.) or scrub out pet food cans to be recycled (These have also piled up. Ugh.).

I try to make the bed and open the bedroom blinds every morning. If it's nice out, I'll open a few windows. Then I settle onto the couch to watch the Today Show. Or I get stuck here at my computer, reading blogs and clicking links.

Not all my internet time is spent wasting time though. I periodically check job sites and apply to several positions every week. Besides a few acknowledgments of receipt, I've heard nothing positive back in, oh, months. While discouraging, this doesn't stop me from continuing to try.

Sounds great, right? Well, it was nice when I first stopped working, but the newness has worn off. I'm bored. I actually WANT to work. I didn't go to college so I could sit on my butt all day. I feel so much happier and more productive when my day is full and I have to schedule my time carefully. Plus we could use the money. Being a DINK (Dual Income, No Kids) household was much more fun and comfortable.

I'm hoping my luck will change soon. And once I'm working again, I can seriously consider going back to school. Until then, I'm stuck in this boring, penny-pinching holding pattern.

Meme Monday: Photo Survey

2010-04-26T13:41:00.001-05:00

Go to Flickr, preferably the creative commons section. Type in your answers to the questions in the search box, then copy and paste the image only (copy and paste the HTML for the ‘direct link’) as your answer - no words allowed! Use from the first page of results.

1. Name?

2. Where do you live?

3. What is your relationship status?

4. What is your favorite color?

5. What are you listening to right now?

Thanks to Katie at Special Snowflakes and Other Myths for this meme! Go on and check her out.

Five For Friday: Sounds that Drive Me Crazy

2010-04-23T15:27:00.003-05:00

Second edition of Five for Friday!

I should give credit where credit is due and admit that I've borrowed this idea from kayla aimee, whose blog I thoroughly enjoy.

This time, let's look at five noises that grate on my nerves to the point of threatening my sanity:

Two songs playing simultaneously. Robert has a habit of changing the TV to a music station (usually something metal), then playing a music video online at the same time. This literally makes my head explode. I have to turn off one or the other or I will FREAK OUT. Oddly enough, the sound of music plus a TV show doesn't bother me half as much. It's only music on top of music.
Commercials that are too loud. They don't even have to be that loud. If they're just loud enough that I feel like I have to raise my voice, even slightly, to talk over them, then the TV must be turned down. I can seriously feel my irritation growing until acceptable volume is restored.
Dogs licking themselves. Just. Ew. Even if they're not licking their doggy private parts, it's like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Especially Vinny. He has an underbite and makes this clicking noise while he licks. JUST. STOP.
Open-mouth chewing/Hardee's commercials. It literally makes me want to throw up. Once I notice someone doing it, it's like my mind completely focuses on it and I can't ignore it even if I try. And those commercials? WHY?! Who finds the sound of someone chewing appetizing in the least? Not this girl.
Excessive profanity bleeps on TV. I've never figured out the exact point that bleeping crosses over into excessive, but I know it exists. And I know as the bleep-count rises, I get increasingly agitated. Once it hits that magical unknown number, I'm downright angry.

There you have it. Now that I read them, I sound a little irrational. I won't completely deny that, but I'll add that I'm very particular. I like things to be just so, and I guess that includes the sounds I'm forced to listen to.

For my next Five, I'll try to pick something happier. With flowers and rainbows and kittens and puppies!

Garden Update: One Week Later

2010-04-22T09:49:00.008-05:00

So everything's still alive! Although, if you follow me on Twitter, you may remember that the birds have been thieving our strawberries as soon as they get a hint of pink on them. Must remedy that. Where would one find a rubber snake? Or maybe I'll just go with the pie pan/old CD method.

Here's a pic from yesterday, carefully taken from the same angle as last week's:

Also yesterday, I snapped some closeups of our azalea. It just wouldn't be the South if there weren't azaleas!

Later in the day, we walked the dogs. Oh, the dogs...

There's Vinny, who generally walks nicely but must stop to sniff and/or pee on EVERYTHING. Believe me, he uses all of his 65 pounds to stop you in your tracks.

Ally, on the other hand, just wants to pull and run and jump away from her harness (as if that's possible). I don't think she'll ever be a good walking dog. She could, however, be a great running dog. I just have to get in better shape so I can keep up with her.

Oh, and a happy Earth Day to everyone! I did my part yesterday and took two bags of cans and two bags of plastics #1 and #2 to the Prattville Recycling Center. Have you Picked 5 for the Environment yet? Every little bit helps!

Five For Friday: Things I Eat Straight Out of the Can

2010-04-16T17:20:00.000-05:00

This is my first Five For Friday! I wasn't really sure what to do, but I figured I could start with one of my many quirks. So here goes.

I eat the following things cold and unseasoned without even emptying them into a bowl:

Certain vegetables (including green beans, corn, and occasionally carrots)
Chicken (and, less often, tuna)
Diced tomatoes
Tomato paste
Artichoke hearts (plain, not marinated)

Earlier in my life, Spaghettios and condensed vegetarian vegetable soup would have also made the list. Yeah, I know. Bizarre. But I know for a fact I'm not alone in the Spaghettios department!

Life on the Farm

2010-04-14T15:16:00.001-05:00

On Good Friday, Robert and I planted this year's garden. I don't claim to have a green thumb, but last year we managed to keep our tomatoes and peppers alive. In fact, we were giving away produce left and right from only a few plants.

This year, we decided to diversify!

We've got four tomato varieties (in the cages): yellow hybrid, cherry, Roma, and beefsteak hybrid. In addition, we've got one red and two green bell peppers, one giant jalapeño, one cucumber, one zucchini, and one strawberry. The strawberry tends to fall over during the day then stand back up overnight. I'm not sure if that's normal, but below you can see a strawberry in progress!

Also today, the dogs got their first outdoor hose-bath of the year. And hated it, of course. You'd never know Vinny's a black lab mix by the way he cowers at the sight of water. They cheered up pretty quickly afterward though.

Last but not least, I mentioned last week that I (finally) realized our camera had macro mode. So I had to take some closeups to test it out, right?

I don't care what anyone says: Ally is adorable.

And Vinny strives to look unexcited in all pictures.

Melanie's Mundane Friday

2010-03-05T23:25:00.002-06:00

Today was a fairly productive (though largely unexciting) day. I...

fed food scraps and pasta water to the compost pile
washed a load of clothes (mediums, in case you're wondering)
made an appointment to get our taxes done
dropped cans at Prattville Recycling Center and decided to start recycling plastic #1 (soda bottles, etc.) and plastic #2 (detergent bottles, etc.)
dropped plastic bags to be recycled at grocery and even remembered my reusable totes
bought chicken broth, organic skim milk, whole wheat flour, and baking soda (for homemade carpet deodorizer)
cooked soup, using the ham-cheese-corn option, plus carrots, onions, peppers, and celery sauteed in bacon drippings(!)
baked biscuits and had minor meltdown (I've never called myself a baker...)
mixed up sourdough starter with leftover potato water (I hope it works because then I can name my yeasty friend!)

I did not, however, make it to the health food store YET AGAIN. On the list: nutritional yeast and l-lysine supplement (for pets), essential oils (to lightly scent homemade carpet powder and cleaners), and coconut oil (for cutting boards, cooking, and homemade beauty products).

I also snapped some pics of the fur-kids. Enjoy.

Rusty is not a fan of the hairdryer (I was drying his fluffy lamb toy after he drowned it in his water dish).

Luna is always chill.

Is Ally not totally adorable?

And Vinny is not exactly the most photogenic of the bunch, but we love him anyway.

Flea Mall Finds (?)

2010-02-21T21:31:00.000-06:00

I always feel like I should have journalistic intent whenever I post on this blog. Which is kind of dumb. From now on, I'm just going to post snippets of my (currently very unexciting) life.

Yesterday, husband and I wandered around a flea mall for an hour or two. The best find? This supremely creepy clown print. NIGHTMARES!

We also found a 1950s slot machine, which was seized from some establishment back then. The sign on it said it took slug quarters (What the heck are those?), and it was only $295. Given our current financial situation (of not being able to drop 300 bucks on random, useless crap), we did not come home with it. However, Robert has shortlisted it on my List of Things to Get Him When We Strike It Rich. In order, they include:

His EXACT purple 1980s Monte Carlo,
That slot machine, and
A Fender American Deluxe Precision Bass.

My list?

A Ford Escape Hybrid in a shade of green or blue,
A KitchenAid Professional 5 Plus Series Stand Mixer in black or chrome, and
A new house with a big kitchen to fit said stand mixer, as well as the wedding-gift toaster oven we've never taken out of the box for lack of space.

I'd say our lists are fairly equal.

Snow in the South

2010-02-16T11:45:00.002-06:00

Here are a few choice images of the snow we got on Friday. It was by no means a blizzard, but it was definitely pretty.

It's probably the first and last snow we'll get this winter, so I enjoyed it while it lasted.

First Foray into Plumbing Finds Epic Fail

2010-02-01T10:16:00.001-06:00

While working on my earlier DIY-recap post, I discovered caulk and grout failure in the tile surround, as well as a long-time leak beneath the bathroom tub. We'd always considered the possibility of a complete gut job in our tiny, outdated bathroom, but it looks like it might be sooner rather than later.

To stave off any further leaking from the shower surround, I made an admittedly-weak attempt at replacing the caulk. After stripping the old moldy caulk away in thick strips (with a Pro Caulk stripping tool), I realized I didn't have the right products or tools to clean up the remnants left behind. This made using my other Pro Caulk tools impossible, since they got hung up on every bump of old caulk in their way.

At that point, I realized that the only permanent fix would involve either repairing the tile and regrouting, or completely gutting the bathroom down to the studs. The repair option seems doubtful since several tiles feel "squishy," which seems to indicate that there's some sort of damage behind the tile. I can only assume that it's water damage, given the poor shape of the grout and caulk in that general area.

So I decided to caulk away and stave off any further leakage and, hopefully, damage behind the tub surround. My job is sloppy to say the least. It actually looks similar to the bad caulk job they show on the Pro Caulk commercial: I just used my gloved* finger to squish the caulk into every visible crevice with no regard for neatness.
*Did you know DAP Alex Plus Easy Caulk contains carcinogens and carries all kinds of scary warnings on the back? Eek!

Now, once I noticed the massive caulk failure, I looked in the access hole behind the tub, in the spare bedroom's closet. It's always been pretty nasty down there and smelled musty, but at this point it appeared that there had been standing water in there in the recent past. After testing running water, full tub, and draining tub, we discovered two leaks: a slight drip around the drain and a significant leak where the overflow pipe and tub shoe connected to the cast iron drainpipe in the foundation. Whenever water was running down the drain, a half-inch or so of water would pool around the drainpipe. Luckily, the water slowly seeped into the ground around the pipe, and the slab foundation is cut away in that area, so the pooling water had no chance to run to other areas of the house.

We decided we should replace the whole overflow and waste drain assembly, hoping it would be a straightforward fix. We had no such luck.

Problem #1: We couldn't get the drain loose from the tub shoe. Solution: Robert manhandled it until the drain was bent up enough to fit through the hole.

Here's the tub while the drain is being bent up, after the overflow cover was removed:
And here it is after everything has been removed and cleaned up:
While arriving at the solution, we discovered Problem #2: The pipe connecting to the iron drainpipe was broken at the joint. This made it easier to swing the whole overflow and drain assembly around in order to get it out, but unleashed a host of other problems after it was removed.

Here's the back access while the assembly is still stuck in the drain:
Here's the view with everything removed:
And here's the offender, a decades-old drain assembly:
Problem #3: The pipe going into the ground was the same size as our plastic drain assembly, 1 1/2 inches. Failed solutions: plastic reducer coupling, metal extension coupling, rubber flexible coupling. The reason none of these worked is that the height of the pipe in the ground plus whatever extender piece we used made the tub shoe sit at an angle, which meant the drain sat at an angle and leaked significantly.

Problem #4: The cutout in the foundation around the pipes was filled with tar. At first glance (and before buying a shop vac to suck out the wet mess under there, as well as thousands of springtails), the cutout appeared to be topped with a layer of wet dust. But no. It was tar. While rock-hard at first, upon chiseling into it with a screwdriver, it came away in shards and gooey clumps.

Problem #5: The tar was covering up a metal nut. This was obvious after a little chiseling and looking down into the drain pipe. The 1 1/2 in pipe coming out of the ground was actually a short piece of metal pipe inserted in the drain pipe and held in place by the buried nut. By the time we figured this out, it was late on Saturday night. Robert chiseled some more and tried to get the nut off without success. We decided to give up for the night. This was after several hours of work and two trips to the hardware store.

When Robert started working on the tar again on Sunday, we weren't sure if we'd be able to get the nut loose without a pipe wrench or another specialty tool. So, off I went to the hardware store again while he worked at chiseling. While there, he texted me this photo:
The nut was free! Hooray! No need for a pipe wrench or chiseling tool. Robert had managed to get it off with sheer brute strength, a pair of channel locks, and a hairdryer.

But this led to Problem #6: The short length of metal pipe was still stuck in the drain pipe. A fruitless search for some tool to remove broken pipe ensued. After wandering the aisles for awhile, I got this text:
Hooray! Pipe out! Again, the result of Robert's manly strength, pliers, WD-40, and a "can do" attitude! Now all I needed to pick up was a new drain kit (since we'd cut the bottom piece of plastic pipe too short to use in our other efforts).

While working to attach the assembly, we only ran across one other issue.

Problem #7, leaking around drain, was solved after much adjusting and plumbers putty around the drain piece. Apparently the old tub drain hole was just too rusted and dinged up to hold a good seal with only a rubber gasket. For now, it appears to be watertight.

Here's the finished product:
Now, I just need to scrub away that ring-around-the-tub...

I'm a Wannabe DIYer

2010-01-29T09:26:00.005-06:00

As you can probably tell from my sidebar, I follow a number of blogs on DIY home renovating and redecorating. I really wish I had the motivation to do all the great things that they do. It's not that I don't have the time or the energy (especially now that I'm between jobs). If anything, I have TOO MUCH time and energy and yet I've still accomplished relatively little.

In honor of my Happiness Project, I'm going to use this post to show the items we've purchased or fixed or changed out since we moved here in May 2008. That fulfills my Sixth Personal Commandment: Accentuate the positive.

Note that since I didn't really keep track along the way, these aren't necessarily in chronological order. And by "we," I usually mean Robert did it and I watched and/or helped. Unless it involved shopping or decorating, in which case I did it.

Changed out breakfast nook light fixture.
Found clearance dinette set and place mats at Target. (Dining room has been rearranged slightly since this picture but is still in progress.)
Found clearance rug for entryway, also at Target, and small art at TJ Maxx.
Planted a mostly-organic garden, where the tomatoes and peppers thrived but the yellow summer squash fell victim to squash bugs almost immediately.
Got patio set, gas grill (as a gift), and fire bowl (for half-price at Target) for outdoor excitement.
Had a pro repair carport after rain-induced structural failure.
Had a pro replace dip tube in gas water heater.
Had pros blow in attic insulation.
Added privacy film to bathroom window.
Replaced toilet "guts" and P-trap in bathroom sink.
Removed serious clog from bathroom sink (with help from a friend).
Repaired hole in water line just outside house and over a foot below ground (with the help of a friend and his coworker).
Got free laminate bookcase and cabinet from parents to add pantry storage to breakfast nook. (photo to come)
Received portable dishwasher as a gift from my wonderful husband to save my delicate hands from dishwater.
Replaced kitchen faucet so it would be compatible with dishwasher (with the help of my dad).
Replaced supply lines for kitchen and bathroom sinks.
Demo'd then replaced two sections of privacy fence in backyard after a post rotted at ground level.
Received composter from parents and got it up and running (Who knew you could compost shredder waste and pizza boxes too?).
Got new living room furniture and lampshade. Here's the before, and here's the furniture; "after" photo to come (it's still a work in progress).
Demo'd workbench in shed/mancave and partially disassembled entertainment center that was falling apart. (photos to come)
Removed and replaced failing bathroom caulk. This ended up being more of a utilitarian patch-job rather than an aesthetic one after discovering more serious issues...
Payed a pro to remove busted, leaking, 16-year-old gas water heater, at which time we discovered it was not installed to code.
Payed same pros to run new lines and put in (free) electric water heater in utility room to meet code.

Watch for another post on the water heater drama with details, photos, and future plans for the space.

When I list it all out like that, it seems like a lot! Even though the house looks basically the same as when we moved in, it has definitely taken some work just to maintain it. I guess that's what you get in a house that's 50+ years old.

In another future post, I'll list out some other things we hope to do in the short term as well as things we may do in the longer term (depending on how long we decide to stay in this house). It's good to have goals.

A (Dog) House Divided

2010-01-13T10:24:00.008-06:00

The following are old pictures (as you can probably tell by the date and by the vintage 70s loveseat, now replaced with a plush microfiber reclining couch!), but I felt they deserved a post. Ally's turned out better, IMO, but that's not because I'm biased or anything!

RTR!

WDE!

Poetry in Red & Green

2009-12-14T22:24:00.000-06:00

Here it is for all to see, our freshly festooned Christmas tree!

We put it up over a week ago but hadn't gotten around to hanging the ornaments. And yes, it's a little thin and lumpy and uneven... We'll invest in a nicer one eventually (this one was $40 at Walmart two years ago, pre-lit). We also don't have our star up yet since we have to finagle the cord somehow. It lights up, and it has tinsel. Oh my. Griswolds, here we come.

As far as tree interest goes, the dogs have ignored it. Luna likes to sit under it occasionally (since the space is not yet filled with presents). And Rusty... well, he hasn't gotten around to messing with the ornaments yet, but he's been trying to chew on the lower branches since we put it up. Which is why there are no ornaments dangling from those branches.

Oh and this is still my favorite ornament:

(There's nothing Bama on the tree as yet, but that's not intentional...)

And since she was left out of the last post, here's lady Luna doing her thing.

Lights & Loves

2009-12-14T00:24:00.000-06:00

Here's a snapshot of our outdoor lights. We're debating adding some more around the carport (though we aren't sure how to attach them since there's no gutter).

Sorry it's so blurry. It was cold! I also think some garland would look nice around those boring metal posts... (And, no, that isn't our SUV in the driveway.)

On the home improvement/redecorating front, today we made our first REAL, BRAND NEW furniture purchase! It's a plush tan reclining sofa and loveseat combo, partially gifted by Robert's parents for Christmas (we split the $1400 price tag down the middle). They look like this and will be arriving in a week or so. Exciting! Prior to today our ONLY furniture purchases have been a solid wood dinette set (on clearance at Target for ~$75) and a black metal and glass entertainment stand (also on clearance at Target for ~$50). Everything else in our house was a hand-me-down or purchased for us before we got out on our own.

In preparation for the arrival of mountains of furniture to our tiny house in the near future, we moved the desk from the office (cat room) to the dining room and the dog crate from the dining room to the ex-office. We'll also be moving the loveseat hide-a-bed into the cat room, and the old reclining loveseat to the shed/man-cave after fixing the broken bolt in the reclining mechanism. Currently, you have no choice but to recline.

I also feel I should mention our entry into the world of carpentry. A few weeks back, we replaced two sections of privacy fence after a beam rotted just below the ground and broke, leaving 16 feet of fence leaning precariously. I think we did a heck of a job for novices! I should get a picture of that.

And for those of you who love pictures of the furry kids, here you go.

Ally & Vinny chilling on the old couches.

Rusty in classic orange tabby sprawl.

Ally

Vinny

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas!

2009-12-07T11:47:00.001-06:00

Is anyone else really getting into this whole Christmas spirit thing?

We hung our lights Saturday (for the first time since moving into this house in May 2008) and it just happened to be about the most bitterly cold day so far this fall. I trimmed the bushes just in time for the decorating, and Robert sawed two small trees out of the holly bush. Yeah, it was getting a little out of control. (And I'll post a picture once I find that darn cord...)

Also, Robert has warned me that he'll reach Clark Griswold's level of Christmas decorating mania by the time he's 40. Oh, boy.

In other news, I lopped off my locks the week before last. I haven't taken a good picture but maybe I should. They took off over 7 inches, since I hadn't had it cut in a year and a half. I figured I needed a fresh start, what with my renewed job search and all.

All this free time has allowed me to cook more (which I love), clean more (which I don't love, but I do enjoy the house being tidier), and think more about the direction I want my career to go in. There are a lot of decisions to make, but I don't want to settle for anything that doesn't make me happy. I need to set real goals and work hard toward them, something I haven't done since I graduated from college.

I also want to get back into some hobbies, like cross-stitching and playing the piano, plus I really need to start walking the dogs. For now, there's time.

Picture-fest!

2009-09-01T21:41:00.002-05:00

Mister Rusty.

Ally and Vinny out in the pasture.

One big, happy family.

The Destruction Continues...

2009-07-31T17:00:00.004-05:00

In continuing with the theme from yesterday, here is what I came home to today. Latest victim: the couch.

The couch was stashed in the dining room until we had time to rearrange. It's a hand-me-down but was still in decent shape. Keyword: WAS. Notice the still-intact frog toy amongst the carnage.

Why?!

A Dramatic Before and After

2009-07-30T22:50:00.002-05:00

I was preparing a before post about our bland living room full of hand-me-downs. The draft is still saved on here, and I'll probably post it later, but there's been an exciting new development.

Here's the before:

And the astonishing after:

Apparently, Ally wasn't a fan of three of the five pillows.

The Ongoing Saga of Kitten No-Name and his Various Afflictions

2009-07-14T20:30:00.001-05:00

He certainly doesn't act sick...
Last Friday, I took him in to get his third kitten booster. As it ended up, he was running a slight fever and couldn't get it that day. His eye had started to goop back up the day before, and his nose hadn't stopped running since the last vet visit.

So, $130 later, he's now on two additional medicines. His daily routine goes something like this:

7:15 - Get up. Give Kitten a squeeze of Terramycin Ophthamic (oxytetracycline) in each eye. Feed him some canned food with Enysil-F (l-lysine HCL, a nutritional supplement from the previous vet visit) squirted on top of it. Leave dry food out for grazing.

5:30 PM - Give second dose of Terramycin in each eye along with 1 ml of Vibramycin (doxycycline) orally. Feed canned food.

10:30 PM - Give third and final dose of Terramycin. Feed canned food with another dose of Enysil-F on it.

Ally, Vinny, and Luna all get fed three times daily as well. Robert often gets the dogs, but I normally handle both cats and I do all of the medicating.

I swear, sometimes it feels like a second job... We'll try the booster again this Friday.

The Cost of Pet Ownership

2009-06-30T23:43:00.001-05:00

A Bit of Everything

2009-06-23T20:51:00.002-05:00

Normally, I like to focus my posts on a single topic, like they're articles and I'm a serious journalist. I'm pretty sure no one's reading this blog like it's a periodical.

On that subject, my fave mags: Real Simple, Better Homes and Gardens, and Taste of Home. There's something about getting reading material in the mail that I still love. Sure, I could get a lot of the same information or entertainment online, but it just feels different. Same with cookbooks, which I collect even though I use the internet for recipes most of the time.

Where was I? Oh, the topic of this post. There is no topic; or, the topic is everything. Why? Because I say so.

Kitten status: I've practically given in to the name Axl, even though I don't love it. I can't seem to think of one that really fits though. He's still under the weather, with lots of sneezes. I may have to carry him back to the vet on Friday when I'm off work.

So I finally downloaded Quicken 2009 Deluxe Edition. I had an old free version on my previous PC but hadn't gotten around to getting a new version. I think I went 3 months without it, and it was tough. I'm OBSESSED. There's something thrilling to me about knowing exactly where our money's going. Am I weird? Don't answer that.

In the old version, I tediously entered every transaction. This edition takes all the work out of it with One Step Update, where it logs into every bank and credit card account you have and downloads new transactions whenever you like. So easy!

I also enjoy the reports and graphs. Pie charts are my favorite kind of graph. Again, a visual representation of where our money went. Love! Maybe I should have gone into finance...

I'm still fiddling with the planning tools, and I have to figure out how to access Robert's 401(k) online so I can link it too (yes, I asked him first!). I don't have my own yet, since my company suspended matching contributions around the time I was hired. For now, I'm sticking with savings. Future financial plans: Roth IRAs, term life insurance, and a new(er) car for me, all while paying down truck loan, second mortgage, and student loan as quickly as possible.

In the past, I've posted about my Sallie Mae private student loans. Brief update: Both my 30-year $7,500 loan and 20-year $5,000 loan will be paid off in 13.5 years if I make only the minimum payments. Score!

By making additional principal payments nearly every month since December 2007, I cut the repayment period on my first loan in half and shaved 5 years off the second. And that's in only a year and a half. If I continue to prepay principal, the time frame will be even shorter.

In other news, Jamaica was AMAZING. I posted some of the pics on Flickr and updated the badge on this page to show them too. I added a few more pet photos too. For your viewing pleasure:

Wish we were still there...

Home Again + Kitten Update

2009-06-20T12:35:00.004-05:00

The week in Jamaica flew by. More details to come, but it was pretty much nothing but fabulous. And I finally have a little bit of a tan!

As for Kitten (who still has no name... I'm thinking Oz now, though Robert still likes Axl), I picked him up from being boarded at the vet's office this morning. He's grown even since Monday.

Bad news: He has some sort of virus making his lymph nodes swell and causing ulcers on the roof of his mouth. The vet thinks it may be a calicivirus infection, so she went ahead and gave him his next FVR-CP booster a week early (since the C is for calicivirus). She gave it intranasally so he could get some local immunity from it. He hasn't been running a temperature and has been eating fine, so I just have to make sure he continues to eat and act normally. I also have to give him the rest of his Clavamox antibiotic twice daily to protect against secondary bacterial infections until that clears up. Hopefully he'll get over that with no problems.

I'll try to get more pictures of him up soon, as well as post Jamaica pictures on Facebook, Flickr, or both. Watch for them!

Our Newest Addition

2009-06-08T20:24:00.002-05:00

In case anyone didn't know it, I'm a huge animal lover. As in, I cry at every one of those shelter commercials with Sarah McLachlan music in the background. Real, involuntary tears and my stomach gets all knotted. I know, pathetic.

So is there any way I could leave a poor, defenseless kitten crying on top of my left rear tire as my car sat under our carport? Absolutely not.

I found him Saturday and guessed him to be about 6 weeks old (which the vet confirmed today). That's old enough to eat solid food but several weeks before he should ideally have been taken from his mother. With no other kittens or momma-cat in sight, I couldn't just leave him to fend for himself.

As any cat-lover would, I took him in. He ate well, drank water on his own, and even used the litter box (filled with newly-bought kitten-safe pine litter) with only minimal encouragement.

I kept him separate from Luna, my 3-year-old cat, since she's indoor-only and not vaccinated against FIV or FeLV. For now, he stays in the cat carrier or the old dog crate when I'm not holding or watching him. It's not like I had to forcibly keep them apart though - Luna HATES him, along with every other cat on the planet. She hisses at the sight or smell of him. Maybe she'll warm up eventually.

Since the vet was closed Sunday, I took him in to be checked over today. The verdict?

He has a bacterial infection making his eye goo up so he's on antibiotics for a week;
He may have a viral URI so he'll have to go back if his sneezes get worse;
He has fleas so they killed the ones on him with a spray (since he's too young for Frontline, etc.) and I need to comb their dirt and dead bodies out;
They didn't get a good sample to test for worms so they dewormed him anyway; and
He got his first booster shot, with another due in 3 weeks, and the third and final in 6 weeks, at which time he'll get the rabies vax too.

It set me back $76 but it's totally worth it to me. The biggest downside to everything is that we'll be gone to Jamaica next week, so I'm boarding him at the vet's office. Luna can be left alone in the house as long as she's checked on every other day, and the dogs are staying with the inlaws, but no one would be able to keep such a little kitten. It's probably for the best, since he'll get tons of attention at the vet's and hopefully still love me when I get back.

Tell me this face isn't impossible to resist (his, not mine).

I still haven't decided on a name; I've just been referring to him as Little Guy. Suggestions so far are Axl and Sol. I was thinking something metal like Lars or Gunter. Any other ideas?

Regarding: Those Stubborn Old Windows

2009-06-04T21:26:00.005-05:00

Of our 16 total windows*, almost all are original 1960s wood windows that have been repeatedly painted white, and painted shut, for 30 years.

*Yes, sixteen windows is an inordinate number for a house this size (1100 sq ft). Nine of them are corner windows in sets of three.

One window in the kitchen breakfast nook and one in the bathroom have been replaced with aluminum ones, leaving 14 originals. And, to go with the theme of inconvenience throughout our home, the bathroom window is the non-opening kind (plus there's no exhaust fan in there...ugh).

On another subject, tiny remodeling victory #2: We put some film on the shower window to give it that frosted look. Poor husband was tired of watching the neighbors while he showered (I'm too short to see out). It cost less than $30 for the film and smoothing tools. Though we had initially purchased glass frosting spray, some bad reviews about how it holds up in humid spaces convinced us to exchange it. We ended up with a bubble or two, but Robert's just happy for privacy.

*Yes, I know the tile, grout, and caulking look rough... and the curtains came with the house; I haven't gotten around to redecorating the bathroom yet.

So, of the 14 original windows, we've been able to get two open. Thankfully we have newer storm windows on the outside because those two windows wouldn't close for months. We did manage to get them down eventually (i.e. two days ago) but not without damaging some of the wood frame. Good thing their replacement is imminent.

We've talked to some "people" but have not gotten any quotes on time or cost just yet. Unfortunately, it looks like the windows will have to be custom ordered as sizes in the '60s are no longer standard.

Whatever happens, we'll be going with an energy saving variety, both to save money (and the environment!) in the long-term and to claim on our taxes.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you're planning to do the same, do your research first. In order to qualify for the tax credit, additional rating requirements must be met. The Energy Star label alone is not enough.

The Road to Homeownership: One Year Later

2009-05-25T21:16:00.005-05:00

I've taken inspiration from This Young House before, and now I'm doing it again. John and Sherry are three years into homeownership and recounted how they found their dream home.

Robert and I are only one year in (and consider our house a starter home), but I thought I'd post our story too. I should add that we're more than two years behind them in home improvements, though we're hoping to get started soon.

April 29, 2007: Robert and I got engaged and began planning a May 2008 wedding.

May 10, 2007: I graduated from Auburn with my BS in Zoology.

June 2007: After briefly looking into buying a home and deciding we couldn't yet afford it, we signed a year-long lease on a 2 bed/2 bath apartment.

In the meantime, we continued casually looking at online listings of homes for sale, just to get ideas about what we could afford. When we learned our rent would be going up if we renewed our lease, the search intensified.

April 2008: Before we even spoke to a realtor, we learned of a for-sale-by-owner right across the street from Robert's grandmother.

The 1960s home came with some quirks, but the price was within our limited budget and the previous owners had kept it in good shape, making it move-in-ready. The location was also important to Robert and his family (his grandmother is elderly and lives alone).

We visited once, and the owners hoped we would buy it, given the family connection. They even declined another offer (with a deposit, something we couldn't afford) in order for us to get the house.

April 30, 2008: We signed all the paperwork and officially became homeowners. Two weeks later, we started moving in. The one downside: We couldn't get out of our lease early, so we ended up paying both rent and a mortgage for June. It did allow us to take our time in moving non-essentials to the house.

May 31st, 2008: Robert and I tied the knot in a traditional church ceremony, and he got to carry me over the threshold of our first home rather than a second-floor apartment.

Even though it isn't our dream home, it's a great starter home for us. However, being a smaller house (~1100 square feet, 3 bed/1 bath) in an older neighborhood means upgrades have to be made carefully.

We'll be living here at least another 4 years, so we intend to make a few equity-boosting updates. The list includes: replacing all 13 original painted-shut windows with energy-efficient ones, painting the all-white walls in some nice neutrals, ripping up the mottled beige Berber to restore the hardwoods underneath, and eventually doing minor, mid-range remodels on the tiny kitchen and single bath.

Green Choices: Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover

2009-05-09T11:14:00.003-05:00

My recent efforts to go green actually began with my pets in mind.

I bought a new butterfly mop on clearance for cheap and was going to mop the kitchen and bath using our old bottle of Fabuloso. Then I started thinking about the chemicals it contains. Our pets walk across the kitchen floor countless times a day and will no doubt end up licking some of the residue off their paws.

Then there's the chemical odor. When things smell strongly to me, a human with a poorly developed sense of smell, I can only imagine how strong they must smell to a dog or cat. Traditional cleaners also give off VOCs (some of which are odorless) that can be harmful to our health, not to mention our pets'. The EPA states that, because of the VOCs off-gassed by a variety of items used in our homes, the levels of certain pollutants are 2-5 times higher indoors than out. They list a few of the most common sources; the Minnesota Department of Health has a more comprehensive list.

I haven't decided on a green floor cleaner yet and may just stick with something homemade. However, in my internet travels, I came across a carpet spot remover than I just had to try: Folex.

It advertises itself as a water-based non-ionic surfactant that is non-toxic, non-flammable, odor-free, and CFC and petroleum free. And, though I'd never seen or heard of it before, apparently it's been around for over 30 years.

A few days after I bought it, I had a chance to try it out on a fresh spot left after cleaning up a kitty hairball (oh, the joys of pet ownership). The stain was several hours old, but the Folex brought it up with no scrubbing. All I had to do was spray lightly and blot.

Encouraged, I decided to try it on another similar spot. This one, however, was months old. I had used several applications of Oxyclean at the time of the stain but it had failed to remove it completely. The Folex dissolved it as quickly as the fresh stain.

Folex is earth-friendly, pet-friendly, and works great. It's also affordable - $4.99 for a 32 oz bottle at the home improvement store we purchased it at (though it may be less elsewhere).

This product is one of the best kept carpet cleaning secrets, and I can't recommend it enough!

EDIT: While effective on most faint spots, old or new, there is one thing Folex was not helpful with. This is gross, I know, but it couldn't touch fresh dog diarrhea on cream Berber. But I don't think anything could. I tried Folex, Oxyclean, vinegar, and hot water on it, and it still wouldn't come all the way up. We had to shampoo the spot multiple times before it finally went away.

So, Folex is effective on many things, but don't expect miracles on soaked-in stains of the fecal variety.

Holy Torrential Downpour

2009-05-07T22:41:00.003-05:00

The Montgomery area had some serious problems with flash flooding today. Though it was already puddling mightily this morning, I had no idea how bad it was until the end of my workday.

This is what greeted Robert and me upon arriving home:

Apparently, the weight of the rapidly falling water was too much for our carport to handle.

Hooray for homeowners insurance.

Green Choices: Organic Milk

2009-05-02T20:32:00.002-05:00

Since I've been making an effort for our household to eat more healthily and go green and whatnot, I decided to give organic milk a whirl.

I've bought organic foods before - things like Muir Glen tomatoes and the occasional piece of produce - but haven't made a rule of it. And I've never purchased organic dairy products.

So while at Target looking at earth-friendly cleaning and laundry products, I went ahead and picked up a carton of Archer Farms Organic Skim Milk rather than our usual jug of Market Pantry Skim.

Oh. My. Goodness. It is absolutely the best skim milk I've ever tasted. It doesn't even taste like non-fat milk, which to me normally tastes like 2% halved with water. It's creamy and not at all watery, and even gets those foamy bubbles on top when you pour it.

I think I'm sold. At $3.44 for a half-gallon, it's no steal (though name-brands sell for nearly $4 a gallon). But for the difference in taste and healthiness, I think it's worth it. Yum!

The Fall of the Hideous Gold Chandelier

2009-04-30T19:33:00.003-05:00

As promised, here's our first "design change," if you can call it that. Unfortunately, it occurred before I thought about documenting our home improvement process, so these are the only pictures I have.

The Chandelier:

Now it sits on the floor of our shed (along with some cardboard we intend to recycle - forgive the mess) awaiting its fate. We don't want to trash it, but we don't know who would want it. It's pretty much hideous and fitted with five super-bright, round, clear glass bulbs.

And here's the after picture:

*Yes, I hate the paneling. There will be a whole post about the kitchen and everything I hate about it.

This simple light fixture is from a two-pack purchased inexpensively at one of the two chain home improvement stores in our town. It's fitted with one 75-watt-equivalent compact fluorescent bulb.

It is missing one metal piece between the glass cover and the finial. Because of the way the previous homeowners rigged up the wiring for the old light fixture, it wouldn't fit. It's an easy eventual fix if we replace the outlet box in the ceiling.

The old chandelier hung down directly in front of that window, about an inch above my 5'4" head. Poor Robert, who's six feet tall, was always bumping his head on it.

That part of the kitchen was remodeled into a breakfast nook in the '90s, and the chandelier, though ugly, would make sense above a table. However, we use the space as a makeshift pantry since the house lacks one.

All in all, changing the light fixture cost maybe $20 and part of an afternoon. It would have been even simpler had the outlet box been standard-size and mounted correctly.

Because an eventual kitchen remodel may be in the cards, we didn't want to invest in an expensive fixture we might not want in the final design. This affordable one does the job and looks pretty good doing it. Plus, Robert can't hit his head on it.

It also saves a ton of energy by only using one CFL bulb instead of five incandescent ones.

Hooray for small victories!

Home Sweet Home: An Introduction

2009-04-24T22:18:00.006-05:00

Nearly a year ago, Robert and I purchased our first home: an 1100-square-foot, one-story 1960's yellow brick with three bedrooms and one bath.

It's great that we have our own privacy-fenced backyard, covered parking, and zero steps to climb (ok, so maybe half a step, but still), all of which are huge changes from my years of apartment dwelling.

However, there are some things about our house that I'm dying to change:

Gold doorknobs and light fixtures
White EVERYTHING: walls, molding, doors, doorframes, windows, shutters, carport.
Beige-and-white mottled Berber carpet everywhere except kitchen and bath
Linoleum or vinyl in kitchen and bathroom (it's peeling off of the original one-inch-square blue floor tiles in the bath)
Vinyl accordion closet doors in white "wood-grain" in all three bedrooms
Popcorn walls and ceilings (see below)
Outdated, mismatched wall outlets (some aren't even three-holed)
No cable wall outlets (see below)
The windows, period
The bathroom, period
The kitchen, period

I'll save the windows, bathroom, and kitchen for their own posts.

Walls/Cable
The walls and ceiling in almost the entire house are popcorn texture, on top of drywall, covered with a million coats of paint (and I'm sure there's some lead in there somewhere). This makes patching next to impossible, as well as installing cable in the walls.

Now, we do have cable, thanks to the previous homeowners using a creative, if not pretty, workaround.

The main cable runs into the living room through a hole beside the front window, where we have our TV. Two splitters later, our digital cable box and cable modem are hooked up. The remaining cable winds around the living room, climbs the wall in the corner, enters the attic, drapes across the rafters, snakes through a hole in the bedroom ceiling, follows the door frame to the baseboard to the corner and up to our old-fashioned "tube" TV (on a wall-mount similar to this number - it came with the house too).

The cables that came with the house were white, to match the unending sea of white we live in. However, we've had to replace some parts of it using black cables. Needless to say, they now stand out even more.

After much online research, I've come to the conclusion that de-bumping our walls would be a long, painful and possibly hazardous process. It would entail stripping paint and scraping bumps off every surface, not to mention that the "popcorn" popular at the time our house was built may contain asbestos.

I guess we'll just have to embrace our house for the '60s relic that it is. At the very least, we're going to paint every wall not-white, at some point in time, with low-VOC paint.

Have I mentioned we're going green? Watch for more posts on the steps we're taking to decrease the energy we use, the waste we create, and the chemicals we expose ourselves and our pets to.

Next time: Our first design change, small victory that it is, with more in store!

*This post was inspired a blog I found via The Nest: This Young House. Read it - I do!

Canine Ingenuity

2009-04-07T18:52:00.000-05:00

The culprits:

Vinny and Ally

Our oh-so-thoughtful pair of puppies* blessed us with the gift of a hole one day. We covered it with a gray plastic bun tray thing we had in our shed.

They proceeded to dig a second hole a foot away.

This past weekend, we filled in both holes with spare dirt, covering one with the plastic tray and the other with a circular brick patio paver.

The result:

Vinny and Ally decided to dig a moat around the paver.

Sigh. Dogs. Gotta love 'em.

*Only one is a puppy but the other thinks he is.

Drawing

2008-03-20T20:53:00.001-05:00

Drawing of Luna, inspired by photo. Yes, her ears are uneven; I'll fix that later.

Zoo bird

2008-03-15T10:58:00.002-05:00

Redd, the military macaw that's in love with me.

Picture msg

2008-03-05T16:09:00.001-06:00

flying squirrel

Mobile Post

2008-02-18T13:10:00.004-06:00

We're all alive here in Prattville. No major damage to our apt or Robert's parents' house. We're still without power, but we were very lucky.

Winter Storm '08

2008-01-21T10:44:00.002-06:00

Here in Central Alabama, we were hit pretty hard by that blast of snow from the North.

In this picture, you can see the snow falling.

Well, actually, you can't, but I promise it was. I wouldn't have taken a picture if there wasn't snow falling.

Notice the large puddles in the parking lot. Yes, puddles. Definitely not ice. It rained all night before it ever began to snow.

Here you (can't) see more (invisible) snow.

It really was snowing, I swear. That fuzziness in the images is the snow, not just my camera taking bad pictures.

Oh! There it is! Snow!

That must be, what, like a foot?

Notice the puddles are still in the parking lot.

Look at it blanketing the roofs!

My car is completely buried (the little Honda, bottom center).

And again, puddles.

I should add that I had no trouble driving it a mile up the road to open up the space for my friends.

They had no trouble driving from Auburn to Prattville.

We had no trouble driving from Prattville to Birmingham that night for the Foo Fighters concert (which was AMAZING), save for some patches of black ice on the drive back in the wee hours of the morning.

We also saw several dozen snowmen along the sides of the highway, especially around rest areas. I wish I'd had my camera for those.

So, all in all, I enjoyed my very first Alabama snow. I've been here since August '02, on and off, and I'd only seen one pathetic flurry before this weekend. You could say I was a wee bit excited. Yay snow. :)

I'm pimping this link.

2007-12-28T15:01:00.000-06:00

I heard about this website from a couple of different sources. In their own words:

Zootoo brings pet lovers together to...
Share and learn about all things pet
Connect with other pet lovers like you
Help pets and animal shelters

So because I'm cool, and a pet lover, I joined up. You can share pics of your lovely pets and review products that they love (or hate). You also earn points toward getting freebies and can use your points to help the shelter of your choice win a makeover.

And since this blog is SO widely read (average of 3 clicks a day, what what), I'm giving you the opportunity to join via my referral link. Click here to join and you'll automatically be my "friend" on zootoo (zootooer in their lingo).

Okay, so I'll also get 100 points for the referral, but that's not the point of this post. Promise.

You really should join, whether you use my referral link or not, if you have knowledge to share on any kind of pet. There's plenty of knowledge to be gained as well. And, as the site says, every click helps a pet.

Appalachian State is HOT HOT HOT!

2007-09-05T12:40:00.000-05:00

This is amazing. AMAZING.

Credit to my DFH for finding this.

Uncertainty and the start of something good

2007-05-03T21:32:00.000-05:00

I'm still caught up in the whole "Who am I now?" dilemma addressed in my last post. I'm halfway through my final finals and graduation is looming.

Today, I added another dimension to my worries: what am I good at? (Pardon the poor grammar; it just sounds better that way.)

I'm good at school. While it's true I haven't always performed to my full potential these last few years, I'm still fairly capable when it comes to school-type activities. Escaping with a GPA that is still over a 3.0 should be a sign of that.

I don't know what else I'm good at. I haven't worked since 2004, so I can't say with any confidence that I'm good at that. And even then, it was just an easy part-time summer job.

I'm good at having fun, and procrastinating, and the internets. I'm reasonably good at crafting. I can probably still play the piano decently as well. I can speak some very elementary Spanish and I'm fluent in Spanglish. None of those things are going to get me a job (while the internets could help, I doubt I'll get a job in that field with zero experience or formal education on the subject).

So. I'm about to go out into the big, scary "real world" with approximately 6 months of total work experience in cashier and secretary jobs, the most recent of which was 3 years ago. Did I also mention that I got both of those jobs through family or church connections? I've never actually applied for or interviewed for a job.

Rejection is another terrifying new experience I have to look forward to. Basically everything I've ever wanted for myself, I've gotten (and I don't mean that in a spoiled little girl way). I only applied to Auburn in my college search; obviously, I was accepted. Every scholarship I've applied for, I've gotten. I didn't rush a sorority or try to get into any competitive honor societies or try out for sports. I've never run for office or homecoming queen (I can't help but laugh just typing that). Basically, I've never attempted anything serious and been rejected. The idea of someone telling me, "Sorry, you're not good enough" scares the bejeezus out of me.

I know it's just a part of life. Sometimes people are going to tell you no. I guess I've been lucky to have avoided it for this long. Maybe I just never tried things that I didn't know I could succeed at. Uncertainty has always made me uncomfortable to the point of avoiding those situations altogether. Have I been selling myself short and depriving myself of important experiences all this time?

Hindsight is 20/20. That cliche seems to be holding true for everything in my life lately. I could have done more. I could have done better. If only I'd done something differently, then... But there's nothing to be gained by dwelling on the past.

Whatever happens, I know my life will be okay. I'll find myself and happiness along the way, with Robert by my side. While I'm losing the student portion of my identity, I'm gaining a whole new facet: fiancee and future wife. All the uncertainty feels a lot better knowing that he'll be there for me no matter what. And, despite all my whining, life is good.

On losing your identity

2007-04-28T13:50:00.000-05:00

Throughout our lives, our personal identities and how we view ourselves are always changing.

Most times, the changes are small and unnoticeable. The causes of these changes are as varied as our own personalities. They could be the result of something as tangible as moving across the country or something as deep and complex as reevaluating your belief system. The most popular explanation, at least at this point in my life, would be that indefinable mass of intertwining changes termed growing up.

We often mention this in passing, while half-heartedly doing things that just years before we literally lived for. "I guess I'm just growing up," we say. The definition of fun shifts with age, knowledge, and experience, together termed the dreaded maturity. We're all legal adults in the microcosm of college, but we're not adults. Here, maturity is feared as an inevitable sign of growing up, and the goal is to stay young (and free of real responsibility) as long as possible.

But I digress. I was talking about identity. My identity. It can be based on many things, but so often it's dependent on what you do. For over 4 years, college has been "what I do." I go to class, take notes, study, read, write papers and lab reports, do experiments, go on field trips. When I'm not doing those things, I complain about having to do them.

I'm a student.

But I won't be for much longer. Yesterday, I took my last in-class exams and went to my last lab EVER. As in, there is no next semester. There is no more registering for classes, planning out my schedule, choosing which courses I'll enjoy. No more stressing about my GPA or scholarships. A chapter in my life is coming to a close, and I'm losing the identity I've had practically my whole life.

We're students from age 5 on. For the past 18 years, I've been a student in some capacity or another. In less than 2 weeks, I'll no longer be a student. What will I be then?

I'll be a college-educated full-fledged adult. But what is that really saying? I need something to DO to fill that student identity gap. Having a degree in zoology will make me a zoologist by default, I suppose, but I won't be working as one yet. Having a role to play somewhere is the only way I know of to replace that student label I've grown so accustomed to.

Until then, I'm not sure who I am.

Link Pimping

2007-04-11T15:40:00.000-05:00

If you know me (or Kristen), you're already aware of our newly created blog on pet food, Pet Health: The Importance of Proper Nutrition.

Additionally, if you don't know me but have recently viewed my Blogger profile, you also would have seen this lovely new addition to my list of blogs.

If you haven't clicked already, you should. It's still very new and under construction, so don't expect anything too professional. We're doing this for free, remember? Someday soon, we'd like to have our own webspace, but we're starting small with the blog.

As I'm mainly in charge of the layout and technological aspects, let me know if there's anything you would change/add.

Enjoy!

In case you're wondering, I made this post for two reasons. One: to inform my (nonexistent) reader base about the new blog. Two: So Technorati will now show one blog linking to our Pet Health blog, even if it is only this one. :P

More nerdiness

2007-04-01T21:28:00.000-05:00

I'm claiming my blog on Technorati. Fun!

Technorati Profile

P-town, represent!

2007-03-27T14:17:00.000-05:00

There's a Paducah, Texas. According to this account of its history, it was named after the Paducah, Kentucky, hometown of a founding settler. Those are the only two cities in the world named Paducah.

According to the all-too-familiar legend to those of us from Paducah, it was named in honor of a Chickasaw Indian chief named Chief Paduke. The settlement had previously been called Pekin, but Lewis and Clark renamed it after taking control of the land using a $5 government-issued deed. Chief Paduke and the rest of his Chickasaw tribe were displaced to Mississippi.

There are Paducah Avenues in Dallas and El Paso, TX, and Hamilton, OH. There is a Paducah Street in Flint, MI. There are Paducah Drives in San Diego, CA; New Martinsville, WV; Frisco, TX; and Raleigh, NC. Because of the unique history of the word Paducah, I think it's reasonable to believe that all of these street names are in honor of Paducah, KY, or at least Paducah, TX (which is a tiny town of less than 1500 people; my hometown, by comparison, has a population of over 26,000).

Cool stuff.

Relocated from my LJ.

YMBALI (This is most certainly true.)

2007-02-15T18:18:00.002-06:00

Applicable excerpts from Old Lutheran - The Center For Lutheran Pride! (but not too proud).

You might be a Lutheran if... (bolding mine)

during the entire service you hold your hymnal open but never look down at it. Well, I didn't know all the words to all of the hymns, but by age 10, I'd memorized the Order of Worship, prayers, Agnus Dei, Thanksgiving, Benediction, and all that jazz.
during communion you hum the hymns so you can see who's at church that Sunday. Of course. You have to watch everyone going up for communion and wonder why some of the usuals aren't there.
you have your wedding reception in the fellowship hall and feel guilty about not staying to help clean up. My mom was in that situation. And I bet she did stay and clean up.
a midlife crisis means switching from the old hymnbook to the new one. They added some supplemental contemporary hymnal after I left for college. I'm sure there was an uproar.
you forget to put water in the baptismal font but never forget to put water in the coffee pot. My mom was in charge of "coffee duty" for years. I remember so many Sunday afternoons of washing coffee pots, etc.
the pastor skips the last hymn to make sure church lasts exactly 60 minutes. That's to make sure we beat the Baptists to the restaurants.
in response to someone jumping up and shouting "Praise the Lord!", you politely remind him or her that we don't do that around here. I've never seen that happen in my life. I guess all visitors I saw were properly informed about the etiquette of Lutheran churches.
you know what a Lutheran Church Basement Woman is. I don't know the definition, but I'm sure my mom was one of them, along with most of my female relatives on my mom's side. (Apparently, it has a lot to do with cooking and such, so that's a definite yes.)
when you were little you actually thought the Reverend's first name was "Pastor." I did! He was Pastor Donner.
it takes 10 minutes to say good-bye. For my mom, it takes longer.
doughnuts are in the official church budget. Not technically, but they were always there. Mmm Red's Donuts. Blueberry or raspberry jelly-filled were the best!
they have to rope off the last pews in church so the front isn't empty. They really did, on many occasions.
you're watching "Star Wars" and when they say, "May the force be with you," you reply, "and also with you." We can't help it; it's ingrained.
you doodle on the back of communion cards. Me and Yelly did that all the time when we were younger.
you can say the meal prayer all in one breath. Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen. Yep.
you hesitate to clap for the church choir or special music because "it just wasn't done that way in the old days." We briefly had a newfangled pastor who encouraged clapping. It felt weird. Once he left, there was no more clapping.
your house is a mess because you're "saved by Grace," not by works. Maybe that explains my parents' house. ;)
your mother reminds you often that she wishes you'd studied the organ. I think she liked that idea when I was still taking piano lessons, and I have to admit I've thought about it myself.
your mother could give any Jewish mother a run for the money in the guilt department. Yes. Just yes.
you think lime Jell-O with cottage cheese and pineapple is a gourmet salad. Well, not gourmet, but damn tasty.
you laugh out loud while reading this list, and relive your childhood at the same time. You bet.

Two books I'm interested, as a Lutheran, in owning: Growing Up Lutheran and Lutheran Church Basement Women (cookbook with anecdotes).

A review for Growing up Lutheran said that "you can't understand it unless you've had beets or Jello melt into your scalloped potatoes on a paper plate." I've definitely been there. Potlucks always have the weirdest foods, including beets, a variety of Jello salads, tons of casseroles, and always pickles and olives. On paper or styrofoam plates, of course. And desserts were served separately on their own little plates: brownies, cheesecake, pies, cookies, German Chocolate cake, and almost always lemon bars.

Other Lutheran memories (some specific to LCMS, some even more specific to St. Paul Lutheran, Paducah, KY): Oktoberfest, square dances, BBQ on the River, potlucks, congregational meetings, Chrismon tree, Huldah/Ruth/Dorcas circles, chili/soup suppers, church picnics, confirmation, memorizing catechism passages (What does this mean?), acolyting, Candlelight Christmas Eve services, Wednesday night services only during Lent and Advent, Mid-winter retreat, summer camp, Mother/Daughter Banquets, family reunions (all good German names, of course), Christmas programs, Superbowl sub sandwich-making, Easter breakfast casseroles, old-school VBS where we drank orange Kool-Aid in paper cups, bake sales, the Birthday Bank, National Youth Gathering in New Orleans (four years pre-Katrina), Midsouth District Youth Gathering in Nashville, McDonald's breakfast before Sunday School, the Hospitality Room, Handbell Choir.

I'm sure there are a a lot more stored away in my brain, but that's all I've got for the time being. Enjoy the monster dose of Lutheranism. If you were raised a traditional Lutheran in the Midwest-ish by the descendents of recent German immigrants, you should understand completely. This is most certainly true.

Random Photo Post

2007-02-09T21:34:00.001-06:00

Sad Sam, handcrafted by me (using a kit, of course). All hand-stitched.

(Photo removed)
Foggy evening in Paducah around Christmas.

(Photo removed)
Dismantled tire swing, with opportunistic weeds. Ah, the summer memories.

(Photo removed)
Little Bit, my hometown boo. Whiniest cat ever.

Luna, looking pensive.

She's a beaut!

2006-11-21T11:09:00.000-06:00

I'm tempted to delete that cell phone sunset photo, since that was prior to a brutal loss to UGA. I guess I'll leave it though. Since then, we've won our 5th straight Iron Bowl...the Three Musketeers continue their good luck streak!

On to the photo. It's Luna, of course, up close and pretty as ever. :) You know you're jealous.

Nick's Miller Coozie Man

2006-11-15T21:07:00.000-06:00

Multimedia message

2006-11-10T17:03:00.000-06:00

Food

2006-09-11T20:59:00.000-05:00

I made my family's style of chili today. It's not your typical spicy chili; instead, it's thick, sweet, and full of macaroni. I made this batch with ground chuck, kidney beans, Rotel Chili Fixins, various canned tomato products, onions, garlic, and leftover ditalini.

It's yummy, especially with colby and parmesan cheeses stirred in until gooey. I'll have leftovers for years.

Candy dots and Perler beads

2006-09-05T19:05:00.000-05:00

Rainbow!

2006-08-29T22:54:00.000-05:00

Fuzzy Cam-phone Pic of Luna Bella

2006-08-03T11:13:00.002-05:00

Auburn: Then and Now

2006-06-26T17:54:00.000-05:00

Don't let that title fool you; I'm not digging deep into Auburn's colorful past and sharing historical tidbits. This is way more personal.

For those of you who don't know me, I've been at Auburn for nearly 4 years, arguably the best 4 years of my life. That's 4 seasons of Auburn football (28 home games). It's hundreds of nights out, dozens of parties thrown, gallons of alcohol consumed, and countless memories made with friends who've become like family. Among us, there's been fighting, biting, hitting, spitting, and cursing that would put Colin Farrell to shame. We've sung and danced, laughed and cried, loved and lost. Mistakes were made, lessons were learned, and life went on. Somehow we still called each other friends at the end of the day, and that's the important thing.

It's been four years since we met each other, and our lives are a bit different now. But it's nice to know that some things don't change. Thanks for everything.

/mush

Sorry, I just had to get that out of my system. On to more nostalgia! This time it's in the form of pictures.

This is Cater Hall, on the Upper Quad near Foy. This picture was taken on November 13, 2002. Notice the unattractive landscaping in particular.

This is another photo taken from the same angle, but I took this one on June 14, 2006. There are lots of new trees, the bricks have been replaced by grass, and Cater itself has been slightly remodeled.

It's amazing what 3 1/2 years and billions of tuition dollars can do for the aesthetics of campus. :)

I'm not complaining though... Auburn is freakin' gorgeous.

Auburn is pretty!

2006-06-23T13:48:00.000-05:00

"Mmm this beer has bouquet!"

2006-04-05T16:49:00.000-05:00

Since I am currently living at home and not allowed to drink the massive quanities of alcohol that I would be consuming at college, I've decided to conduct beer tastings. Every week or so, I'll update this entry with another beer review. Each beer is purchased singly at World Market and then savored over a suitable period of time (approximately 30 minutes to one hour). While I've sampled many a beer in my day, unfortunately I don't remember what most of them actually taste like. During the next month that I'm here, I'll taste as many as my parents will let me get away with.

For future reference, the newest reviews will be added to the top of the list and put in bold.

If you have any suggestions on beer for me to try, feel free to comment.

4/4/06
Corona Extra (with lime) - warning, that site makes music!
Pilsner, 4.6% ABV

Who hasn't had a Corona, complete with lime wedge? It's the most appropriate beer to go with a meal at a Mexican restaurant. I've never been a huge fan (I've never purchased it at the supermarket), but I was surprised at how much I really enjoyed it. Sometimes when drinking a beer, even now with years of practice under my belt, I feel like I have to force down the first few swallows before I can tolerate it. While the first sip of this Corona was not my favorite, it was actually very easy to drink and tasted quite good. I could see myself drinking more than one of these easily.

3/26/06
Woodchuck Amber Draft Cider
Cider, 5% ABV

I think I may have had a draft cider at another time (Woodpecker Cider, perhaps?), and I'm sure this tastes much the same. It tastes almost like a blend of a light beer and apple juice. This created some confusion in my mouth. Apple juice, to me, tastes better slightly warmer than beer. But, as the cider warmed up over the hour that I sipped it, it began to get the warm-beer aftertaste. There didn't seem to be a perfect temperature where both flavors peaked at the same time. Overall, it wasn't terrible, but I can't see myself drinking it regularly.

Spring Break Pics!

2006-03-31T21:16:00.000-06:00

You know, a year ago, pictures under that title would have been so much more entertaining. Instead, this year will be my first "off year" since '03 (which I coincidentally spent in Paducah as well). Here are a couple of pictures to illustrate the "fun" that I had.

I kinda like this nice little artsy shot: Sunset through the trees, framed by Little Tykes swing on our old swingset. Lots of memories are attached to that piece of plastic. I'm not sure why we still have the whole swingset though. I'm 22, my sister is 18, and my brother is almost 16. Needless to say, we haven't really played on it in more than a few years.

A stump, you say? But not just any stump! It is all that remains of a beloved part of my childhood: a gigantic, ancient oak (thought I'm not sure whether it was a Southern Red, Northern Red, or Pin Oak) to which was attached a tire swing made out of a real tire and hung by thick black rope from a branch at least 2 stories up. The tire swing was there when we moved in (November of '86, I think), and the tree was cut down in the last year or two due to the fact that it was dead, rotting, and half-eaten by ants (notice the chunk missing from the lower left side).

And this is the only male who's spent any time in my bed. Doesn't he look comfy all cozied up on my pillows? That's my Boo! (aka Little Bit, Little Fatty, Boo-Bear, Idgit, etc.)

You know you're jealous!

Someone Needs Some Benefiber.

2006-03-12T20:43:00.000-06:00

I'm making an effort to bring more regularity to this blog, as I told Megan. I mean, who wants to keep checking a blog that's rarely updated (especially since no one would describe my infrequent posts as "thought-provoking" or "worth the wait")? A select few, that's who. I think they might only do it to humor me. But I want loyal readership, not pity! Ah, well, something to work on.

Actually, I think I'll take this opportunity to just pimp a few links. It's not exactly a LotM format, because I don't feel like writing that much about more than one link at a time. Oh, I know what I'll call it!

LotM Digest:

Look Look Look: MC Hammer Blog: Does this really need any explanation? I'm trying to remember what grade I was in when he was popular... Googling... I was in kindergarten. Good Lord. (Link courtesy of Kenny.)
Cute Overload!: Everyone knows how much I love those darn animals, especially adorable furry cuddly ones. Looking at those pictures just gives me warm fuzzies! (Thanks to Mary for sharing the love in a comment on the last post.)
Rurality: This one has been in my (newly rearranged) sidebar for a little while, if you didn't notice. Check it out for candid wildlife and pet photos, along with witty and entertaining anecdotes. (I think Kenny is responsible for this one as well.)
This last recommendation is actually three sites: toothpaste for dinner (by a guy named Drew), natalie dee (by a gal named Natalie), and Married To The Sea (jointly created by Drew and Natalie, who just happen to be married). All three are daily comics based around odd yet entertaining humor, which is just my cup o' tea.

This concludes my LotM Digest. I hope you enjoy them (or at least get a laugh out of the existence of Hammer's. I mean, come on!). For now, I'll leave you with something I stumbled upon:

Oscar Wilde is quoted as saying,

A man's face is his autobiography.
A woman's face is her work of fiction.

As a member of the latter sex, I have to say I can see some truth in his statement.

Adventures in PC Hygiene

2006-03-01T15:44:00.000-06:00

I cleaned my computer for the first time ever the other day.

Ever?

Yes, ever. And yes, this is the computer I've had all through college. Meaning nearly 4 years. There was DEFINITELY 4 years worth of electronic detritus in it.

I opened the side of the CPU so I could clean out the fans and found approximately 2 feet of dust and dust bunnies lining the bottom of it and all parts inside. I cleaned out what I could with tissues and isopropyl alcohol-soaked electronics cleaning wipes, then closed my eyes, blew hard into it, and ran away. Upon returning, I found another foot of sooty grey fluff settling. I repeated this process several times, each time fleeing the dust storm. It still made me hack up one and a half lungs on a few occasions. During this ordeal, I kept wishing I had one of those white nose/mouth-masks. You know, the ones that old people wear when they mow their lawns. It would have been very useful in preventing me from breathing in all the filth that my PC had managed to inhale in its lifetime.

After the inside looked relatively clean, I realized that I would have to remove the plastic directional shield behind the intake fan in order to properly clean it. Removed it, cleaned it, and proceeded to blow another foot of dust through the fan and onto the newly cleaned guts of my CPU. Blah.

Oh, I forgot to mention there was a small puddle of dried sugary drink in the back corner of the CPU as well, from when I spilled something (likely alcoholic) on it. I scrubbed that out and managed to clean all visible dust from the tower interior. This process took more than an hour. Afterwards, I wiped down the exterior with those handy aforementioned wipes.

CPU innards and "outards" completed, I moved on to my monitor, speakers, and printer. The monitor was really no problem, needing only a few passes of the wipes to clean off the dust and some smudges on the monitor. The speakers were even easier.

The printer was a little more work. It had splatters of spilt drink (likely alcoholic) across the front of it and the tray as well. Those took a little elbow grease to get off. It still only took me a few minutes though, nothing like the effort I invested in the CPU of death.

I waited until the next day (yesterday, Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday) to take on the real killer projects: my keyboard and mouse. Now, the mouse has been routinely cleaned (since it's a mechanical one and otherwise would cease functioning), so it was little trouble. Toothpick in the crevices to scrape out 4 years of what appeared to be cracker crumbs, then the usual ball-removal cleaning process. Alcohol swabs to the exterior and cord, and voila! Shiny, clean, good-as-new but still well-worn mouse.

Now, for the keyboard. *shudders*

Keep in mind that this is a fully functioning keyboard. All the keys worked; no keys stuck. However, if you looked down at it under any sort of light, you could see, gleaming between the keys, a shiny layer of...something. What, you ask? Why spilt drink (likely alcoholic), of course! Actually, I take that back. DEFINITELY alcoholic. How do I know? Because I specifically remember, about a year ago, having the majority of a very strong piña colada spilled onto my poor unsuspecting keyboard during one of our famously jumpin' throw-downs.

To begin the cleaning process, I turned it over, shook the loose dirt out, and wiped it down. I knew I was going to have to disassemble it anyway, so I didn't bother vacuuming it out. Now the fun part: I removed all the keys (even the big ones with the bars, 'cause Lord knows they need cleaning just as badly), starting with the NumPad, which was one of the most spilled-upon areas. My eyes beheld a sight no human should ever have the misfortune to witness: a layer of congealed tannish goo, holding within it bits of grey dust, linty fuzz, hairs (human, feline, and probably musteline), various food particles, and other presumably organic materials. Using a pair of tweezers, I was able to actually peel this shiny, membranous sheet of veritable skin off of the base of the keyboard.

Let's all join in a group case of "the jibblies."

I'd say 2/3 of the keyboard had this solid layer of gook on it. The tedious process of removing it, then swabbing what remained of it off with cotton swab, toothpicks, and alcohol took quite some time. And that didn't even include cleaning the keys. The large ones were the worst. The sticky congealed goo on the bars bore a striking resemblance to earwax. Some of the other keys had globs of this inexplicable substance on their sides as well. I really don't want to know what it's made of.

After swabbing all the keys individually and replacing them in their correct positions, I gave the surface of the keyboard and its cord a final swipe with a wipe, and my task was complete. How long did it take? Oh, I'd estimate at least FIVE HOURS. I spent 5 whole hours of my life on that stupid keyboard!

All in all, my quadrennial cleaning of my outdated and probably nearly worthless PC took a good 8 hours. That's like a day at work. I spent a 9-to-5 workday slaving for free on this. Yay?

At least I don't have much else to do with my time at the moment, so it wasn't a complete waste. And, hopefully, by the time it needs cleaning again in 4 years, I'll already have a spiffy new one. With a flat-screen monitor! Because, good God, do I hate that behemoth not-flat monitor.

LotM: The Return of the Link

2006-02-15T13:43:00.000-06:00

I just cracked myself up with that title. Yes, I am still a loser. Was there ever any doubt?

Because I'm seemingly unable to post the next installment about my cats, I've decided to revive my Link of the Moment (LotM). Oh, and also because I (re)stumbled across today's link yesterday. I first saw it some time ago but had forgotten about it. So here you go.

LotM: PostSecret.
Rather than repeating what the site says about the project here, I hope you'll just visit and read it for yourself. Currently up are Valentine-themed secrets. Some are very thought-provoking and artistic (but I claim to be neither a thinker nor an art critic). If you've seen this before but haven't checked lately (like me), I suggest you do so now. Go on!

Oh, and here's a bizarre picture of hail-snow from the other day.

First Installment of "Meet Melly's Cats"

2006-01-22T09:05:00.000-06:00

Because I have nothing of interest to post lately, I'm going to (attempt to) entertain you with bios and pics of my beautiful kitten-cats. Today's featured baby: my Tubbo!

Tubbo (given name: Swipes) is 8, going on 9, in people years. I don't know how old that is in cat years. Is there even such a thing? Tubbs is the "man of the house." Well, the "asexual feline of the house" - he hasn't had his yarbols since he was a kitten. Which could have caused him to be angry and bitter. Instead, he's the sweetest and most laid-back of our cats. He enjoys sleeping...everywhere. No place is sacred. He normally sticks to people-spots like my dad's La-Z-Boy. And he gives you an irritated look if you displace him from his spot of choice. He'd much rather sit next to you.

As you can see in the pictures, he squints his eyes funny for the camera. He may look retarded, but I promise he isn't. His tail curls like a question mark and we have no idea why. Nothing makes him happier than being head-butted or patted firmly. He's such a masochist.

I love to speak baby-talk to him because, well, I'm a crazy catlady-in-training. And because he's my baby and the favorite of all my cats. One phrase I say often sounds something like "zaza my bubbo" (I think I mean "That's my Tubbo"). I'm totally going to steal him and take him to live with me once I graduate and live on my own. The old man better make it that long!

Snow!

2006-01-18T15:26:00.000-06:00

Okay so it was only an inch, max. But isn't it pretty? I'm going to pretend that the only reason I stayed in Kentucky was to see snow. :)

Because I'm a certifiable loser...

2005-12-02T01:43:00.000-06:00

...I'll post again already.

A photo this time, and not a crappy cell phone one! This is rather up-close, so it may be hard to determine what it is if you don't know the happenings of recent weeks. Hint: car + big rock.

For the full rundown, visit my LiveJournal and look back a few entries. For more photos, visit my Yahoo Photo Albums (Toomers + Car is the specific album).

FIREFOX IS LOVE

2005-12-01T21:26:00.000-06:00

I just discovered the most useful Firefox tool ever.

Off-topic rant: Firefox gives me more pleasure than Flag Day, Columbus Day, and Pi Day put together. IE, on the other hand, makes me want to scoop my eyes out with a grapefruit spoon.

Okay, so I lied about the Pi Day part. My birthday = Pi Day. Until I am 30, there is no way that a computer program would give me more pleasure than the day of my birth. But after that, I know it's all downhill, so I think that even the oldest DOS version of Oregon Trail would rank higher in "pleasurosity" than my birthday.

Anyway.

Here is how you too can experience the absolute joy that I now feel!

1.) Bookmark all the pages that you check daily/hourly/every two seconds. This could mean Blogger blogs, LiveJournals, your 20 Emails, Facebook, H*R sb emails, NationStates, natalie dee and toothpaste for dinner, MySpace, and any other useless sites that you nonetheless frequently frequent during your free time.

2.) Sort your bookmarks by category, i.e. Blogs and Cartoons. Or Emails and Lameass Personal Networking Sites. Or Links that Prove I'm a Loser.

3.) Click Bookmark then hover mouse over your desired category. The list of links will appear magically.

4.) At the bottom of the list, you will see "Open in Tabs". Click this. IT IS PURE, UNADULTERATED JOY! All your guilty pleasures are now displayed in a row of tabs: easily clickable, viewable, and closable.

*stares in awe, mouth agape, at the marvels of modern technology*

Ahem.

I'm embarassingly excited and entertained by this. My daily rituals have now been made more convenient than I ever thought possible!

That probably says something bad about me. But instead of hiding in shame, I share my joy with you. May you derive as much pleasure from this as I do.