Well, needless to say the most 'exciting' thing that's happened here recently is the shooting incident on I-64. I only worked the day of the actual shootings, so I didn't have to deal with the media in all of the arrest aftermath. The media can drive me crazy--they are relentless and rude, for the most part. I knew it made national headlines when my dad sent me an email about it. It's also amazing, as my brother Phil pointed out, to take note of how much the story changes from the press conference to the AP story. National media jazzes it up a bit!
Yesterday we got the USB wireless card deal for my computer. I have been using Embarq for a while now, and have never really had great service. If it rained, I'd lose my connection and have to restart my modem. My dad did pretty much all of the research and we picked Verizon. I installed the software last night and it works!! According to the Verizon map, I'm right on the line of service, so we weren't 100% sure I would get a good signal. Since it was over an hour past my bedtime, I didn't play online too long, but the speed isn't any slower than my DSL had been. I might have to try downloading something--watch a video or download a song--to check it out more and see if it's any faster. With Verizon you have a 30 trial period, so if you don't like it you can return it all! We wanted to set this up now while my parents were here, because my dad might switch to Verizon in the fall if he likes this.
Hmmm.....maybe I'll move my desk back into the living room now that I don't need the phone line for my PC anymore!!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
An eventful Easter
Alas, the time has come for me to part with my tulips. They opened beautifully and looked lovely for almost two weeks. Approaching spring will bring more flowers of all sorts.
We had an enjoyable Easter dinner here. My mom and I baked some of the goodies on Saturday night. We made an Easter Pie, which if you've never had it, is wonderful! Another great Italian invention. You make a pie crust to line a baking dish, the filling is a gazillion eggs, ricotta cheese, cubed mozzarella, basket cheese, hard salami, pepperoni, prosciutto and then all covered with another pie crust and baked. I also made a cheesecake from scratch which turned out perfectly!
Mom had made a butterscotch crumble cake, but we were deprived the enjoyment of that dessert thanks to my mischievous mutt, Jill. Sometime between when I left for work on Sunday morning and when my mom came into the house a few hours later, Jillian pulled the entire cake off the stove and devoured it. At least she was neat and tidy. If she could have managed to return the dish to the stove, my mom would have thought I moved the cake to another plate as not a crumb was left behind. That Jill didn't get sick amazes me.
My two VA-bound brothers came over for dinner and we all (as far as I know) enjoyed each other's company!
We had an enjoyable Easter dinner here. My mom and I baked some of the goodies on Saturday night. We made an Easter Pie, which if you've never had it, is wonderful! Another great Italian invention. You make a pie crust to line a baking dish, the filling is a gazillion eggs, ricotta cheese, cubed mozzarella, basket cheese, hard salami, pepperoni, prosciutto and then all covered with another pie crust and baked. I also made a cheesecake from scratch which turned out perfectly!
Mom had made a butterscotch crumble cake, but we were deprived the enjoyment of that dessert thanks to my mischievous mutt, Jill. Sometime between when I left for work on Sunday morning and when my mom came into the house a few hours later, Jillian pulled the entire cake off the stove and devoured it. At least she was neat and tidy. If she could have managed to return the dish to the stove, my mom would have thought I moved the cake to another plate as not a crumb was left behind. That Jill didn't get sick amazes me.
My two VA-bound brothers came over for dinner and we all (as far as I know) enjoyed each other's company!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Apparently, it's all about food
Good gracious, but I am becoming a pokey poster.
Last week I went to dinner with two of my friends and the young son of one of them. Neither Liz nor I had ever been to The Melting Pot before, and Kelly is always raving about it. It was very good and our waiter was fantastic! It's pricey enough to keep it from becoming a regular destination, but good enough to warrant the occasional indulgence. If you have one near you, I recommend going with your friends and suggest making a reservation as well. Also, ladies, you should try the Pomegranate Cosmo--YUM!!
I'm also excited about my new cookbook. A friend had given me a B&N giftcard for Christmas, and I finally got around to using it. I bought Giada's Family Dinners by Giada De Laurentiis, host of Everyday Italian on the Food Network. I've wanted this cookbook for a while now. I'm not a Food Network addict, but I had seen her show a few times. Everything she makes is simple, yet absolutely delicious!! It's actually because of one of her recipes I tried to do one time that prompted me to ask for a food processor for Christmas! I'll have to let you know how my experiments turn out. A lot of times when I want to cook something, I wish I had had more time with my grandfather and knew his family---Italian's are the experts!
Last week I went to dinner with two of my friends and the young son of one of them. Neither Liz nor I had ever been to The Melting Pot before, and Kelly is always raving about it. It was very good and our waiter was fantastic! It's pricey enough to keep it from becoming a regular destination, but good enough to warrant the occasional indulgence. If you have one near you, I recommend going with your friends and suggest making a reservation as well. Also, ladies, you should try the Pomegranate Cosmo--YUM!!
I'm also excited about my new cookbook. A friend had given me a B&N giftcard for Christmas, and I finally got around to using it. I bought Giada's Family Dinners by Giada De Laurentiis, host of Everyday Italian on the Food Network. I've wanted this cookbook for a while now. I'm not a Food Network addict, but I had seen her show a few times. Everything she makes is simple, yet absolutely delicious!! It's actually because of one of her recipes I tried to do one time that prompted me to ask for a food processor for Christmas! I'll have to let you know how my experiments turn out. A lot of times when I want to cook something, I wish I had had more time with my grandfather and knew his family---Italian's are the experts!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Family Times
On St Patrick's Day, my brother Phil and his family came over for dinner. We hadn't seen them in a while, so it was a fun visit. It's a bit of shock to see how much my niece and nephew have grown, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that at 14, my niece has her learner's permit!!
In honor of the day my mom made Irish Soda Bread. She actually made two, using two different recipes. The best one was using my godmother's recipe: it makes sense that hers was the best seeing as how she's Irish (as in actually from Ireland!!). Soda bread is one of my favorite things, but I don't think to make it except in March.
After dinner my nephew Philip and my mother matched wits in a ruthless game of Othello. As Grandma started to close in on his lead, Philip sought the help of his big sister, Katlin. In the end it was a tie with an equal number of black and white chips on the board! But there was some serious strategizing going on...
In honor of the day my mom made Irish Soda Bread. She actually made two, using two different recipes. The best one was using my godmother's recipe: it makes sense that hers was the best seeing as how she's Irish (as in actually from Ireland!!). Soda bread is one of my favorite things, but I don't think to make it except in March.
After dinner my nephew Philip and my mother matched wits in a ruthless game of Othello. As Grandma started to close in on his lead, Philip sought the help of his big sister, Katlin. In the end it was a tie with an equal number of black and white chips on the board! But there was some serious strategizing going on...
I also found some beautiful tulips for my table. Tulips are pretty high on my list of favorite flowers.
Today was back to work as usual. A busy day, but I got to see some people I don't get to visit with all that often. I had to do a thing or two after work, and then home for a peaceful evening.
Tomorrow is a new day with new possibilities!!
Today was back to work as usual. A busy day, but I got to see some people I don't get to visit with all that often. I had to do a thing or two after work, and then home for a peaceful evening.
Tomorrow is a new day with new possibilities!!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
An expedition...
It's apparently been quite some time since I've added my musings. The funniest part of it all is that I really can't even tell you what I've been doing this past week. Since my parents' arrival, I've not had much time between work, spending time with them and keeping up with my daily chores.
On Friday my mom and I putzed around Gordonsville. It's an endearing little town about 20 miles from my house. The speed limit is 25, and everyone obeys it! There are some shops in which we stopped, but they apparently aren't seeking patronage. Overall they weren't a friendly lot, and in one boutique we never even saw a shopkeeper. That might not be an accurate assessment, and I don't want to cast a shadow on the stores that were friendly. The Gentle Gardner was a happy, cheery spot with friendly and helpful folks. Admittedly I had a moment's hesitation before entering since, propped up in the front window, was Al Gore's silly book. The two southern-most stores had more sociable people manning post: one a sweet home store and the other an antique store which offers each customer a cup of tea or coffee.
Our best find, however, was in the jewelry store. While chatting with the owner, we discovered that she lives just down the road from me! Even before that revelation, she was by far the friendliest person we encountered. Before we left, she gave me her card with her home number so that in the event something happened to me or at my house, I could call and either she or her husband would come over--and she meant it, too. I thought that was very nice.
On our way back home, we stopped in a couple of 'antique malls'. The second was rather bare, and the first...I swear it is run by Norman Bates' cousins or that family from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. You think I'm kidding, but it is one of the creepiest places I've been in. As we approach the door, there is a woman with her young son. He's perhaps 6 with light blond hair, fair skin and pale, vacant eyes. When we walk in, it takes a moment or two for our eyes to adjust to the quiet darkness. At the counter is an elderly couple who neither greet us nor acknowledge our hello, but merely stare as though we are intruding upon their solitude.
As we head down the side aisle the check out the booths, we hear a third employee talking with customers. (how perfect that the radio just now played the Twilight Zone theme) We continue our way around the store, and we now hear him talking about the Tower of Babel and godly people and God's wrath. Of course, as he starts on this, Mom and I have just turned into a booth featuring old farm tools--scythes and ferrier/blacksmith tongs and all sorts of sinister looking items. The booth could just as well have been a basic, but well-equipped torture room. In the dim light everything looks menacing--is it rusty or is that dried blood from the last unsuspecting tourist? In the backgound, but near enough to be heard above the brimstone sermon, is the baleful buzz of a solitary fly.
Needless to say we hurry through the last few booths and return to the front, and seemingly only, door. The men have disappeared, and only the old woman remains. She does say goodbye and wishes us a good day, but there is no smile offered, and no warmth in her guarded eyes. The younger woman and her son are still outside. He stops his game and stares at us, blank and expressionless, as we walk back to the car. I've never been so grateful for the sunshine.
On Friday my mom and I putzed around Gordonsville. It's an endearing little town about 20 miles from my house. The speed limit is 25, and everyone obeys it! There are some shops in which we stopped, but they apparently aren't seeking patronage. Overall they weren't a friendly lot, and in one boutique we never even saw a shopkeeper. That might not be an accurate assessment, and I don't want to cast a shadow on the stores that were friendly. The Gentle Gardner was a happy, cheery spot with friendly and helpful folks. Admittedly I had a moment's hesitation before entering since, propped up in the front window, was Al Gore's silly book. The two southern-most stores had more sociable people manning post: one a sweet home store and the other an antique store which offers each customer a cup of tea or coffee.
Our best find, however, was in the jewelry store. While chatting with the owner, we discovered that she lives just down the road from me! Even before that revelation, she was by far the friendliest person we encountered. Before we left, she gave me her card with her home number so that in the event something happened to me or at my house, I could call and either she or her husband would come over--and she meant it, too. I thought that was very nice.
On our way back home, we stopped in a couple of 'antique malls'. The second was rather bare, and the first...I swear it is run by Norman Bates' cousins or that family from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. You think I'm kidding, but it is one of the creepiest places I've been in. As we approach the door, there is a woman with her young son. He's perhaps 6 with light blond hair, fair skin and pale, vacant eyes. When we walk in, it takes a moment or two for our eyes to adjust to the quiet darkness. At the counter is an elderly couple who neither greet us nor acknowledge our hello, but merely stare as though we are intruding upon their solitude.
As we head down the side aisle the check out the booths, we hear a third employee talking with customers. (how perfect that the radio just now played the Twilight Zone theme) We continue our way around the store, and we now hear him talking about the Tower of Babel and godly people and God's wrath. Of course, as he starts on this, Mom and I have just turned into a booth featuring old farm tools--scythes and ferrier/blacksmith tongs and all sorts of sinister looking items. The booth could just as well have been a basic, but well-equipped torture room. In the dim light everything looks menacing--is it rusty or is that dried blood from the last unsuspecting tourist? In the backgound, but near enough to be heard above the brimstone sermon, is the baleful buzz of a solitary fly.
Needless to say we hurry through the last few booths and return to the front, and seemingly only, door. The men have disappeared, and only the old woman remains. She does say goodbye and wishes us a good day, but there is no smile offered, and no warmth in her guarded eyes. The younger woman and her son are still outside. He stops his game and stares at us, blank and expressionless, as we walk back to the car. I've never been so grateful for the sunshine.
Monday, March 10, 2008
That famous calm, perhaps?
Well, today was Monday. Is there really a need to say more than that? That's neither fair nor accurate; shame on me. It really wasn't a bad day, if I'm going to be totally honest. Work was pretty good--a couple of real winners came through, but I, luckily, wasn't the one who had to deal with them. I got to spend some time with one of my friends, play with my dog in the sunshine and patiently await the arrival of my parents. My parents weren't supposed to get here until tomorrow, but decided to make the drive in one day instead. We'll see how the next couple of weeks unfold!!
Oh, I swiped another site from Sue's blog. It's a bunch of quotes people have overheard in new york. Some of them are pretty funny. It's amazing how dumb some people are, and I'm sorry, but I mean dumb. There are also some of questionable content and all the bad words are included. (just a warning to some)
Fortune cookie: Be mischievous and you shall not be lonesome.
Oh, I swiped another site from Sue's blog. It's a bunch of quotes people have overheard in new york. Some of them are pretty funny. It's amazing how dumb some people are, and I'm sorry, but I mean dumb. There are also some of questionable content and all the bad words are included. (just a warning to some)
Fortune cookie: Be mischievous and you shall not be lonesome.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
mmm, mmm, tasty!
There's nothing worse than losing an hour of sleep and then not having any creamer for your coffee in the morning. I nearly wept. However, the guys I work with are very good to me and a couple of them went to Starbucks and bought me my yummy peppermint mocha.
I love Sunday.
I love Sunday.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Trying to travel right
Today was a rather uneventful day, teetering on the verge of being...dare I say it...boring. The morning was actually pretty good, but then it stumbled down to hum-drum after that. The afternoon was disappointing as things I expected and hoped for didn't materialize. But that's just the way things go, right?
Tomorrow's events are still up in the air. Teri and I have rescheduled our get together for a couple of weeks down the road, and I'm now also working the evening shift. SO, I now don't know what I'll do with the first half of my day. Since I'll be working in the afternoon, I can't take care of errands I otherwise would have done. I guess it will be a clean the house kind of day. I'm just oh-so-giddy with excitement. But with my parents arriving in a few days and only one full day off before then, I guess the earlier I start tidying the better.
Quote of the day: Happiness is not a station to arrive at, but a manner of traveling.
(Margaret Lee Runbeck)
Tomorrow's events are still up in the air. Teri and I have rescheduled our get together for a couple of weeks down the road, and I'm now also working the evening shift. SO, I now don't know what I'll do with the first half of my day. Since I'll be working in the afternoon, I can't take care of errands I otherwise would have done. I guess it will be a clean the house kind of day. I'm just oh-so-giddy with excitement. But with my parents arriving in a few days and only one full day off before then, I guess the earlier I start tidying the better.
Quote of the day: Happiness is not a station to arrive at, but a manner of traveling.
(Margaret Lee Runbeck)
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Celebrations and crustaceans
Well first of all, Happy Birthday to my brother Shane!The last couple of days have been absolutely gorgeous. It was sooooo nice outside. Actually, it was a bit overcast, but in the cozy sort of way as opposed to the dreary kind of way. But it did start to drizzle, and then overnight it sounded like a hurricane. It had my 100 pound guard dog so upset that she felt the need to wake me up at 3am. Apparently there were tornado warnings, but I don't pay much attention to the weather reports, so I didn't know about those until this morning. Oops.
Speaking of morning, as I was rushing out the door I nearly stepped upon the fellow pictured above. He was on one of my stepping stones and barely avoided being squished by yours truly. I still get the heebie-jeebies thinking about if I had stepped on him--bleh, that's just messy. By the time I took my camera out of my bag he had already crawled onto the grass. Since I was running behind, I didn't have time to set up the shot or put anything in the photo for scale. He was about 7 inches long or so. I am most curious about his origin as there aren't any streams or creeks or ponds within crayfish (that's what they're called, right?) walking distance. My first thought when I nearly broke my neck to avoid him had actually been, "Scorpion!" but that was just too far fetched and quickly discarded. I've decided he had a whirlwind adventure which brought him to my doorstep!
I had to add, after just now looking at the local news online, that apparently I do live in a bit of a bubble (and my dad just laughed). My house is right along the county line, and the governor has declared a state of emergency for both my county and the neighboring county due to last night's storm! Sounds like I'm lucky the tree didn't fall on my car (near miss by a limb, though) and my roof is still on! And if it was really that crazy outside, my dog is forgiven for her panic attack.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Wonderful weather
Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous! Low 70's and wonderfully sunny. I enjoyed every minute of sunshine that I could. This morning, however, is cloudy and rainy, but still warm. That's ok, though. Sometimes the drizzle is just as enjoyable as the sunshine. It would only be better if I could stay home with a cup of tea and my book...the downside of adulthood.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
It's in your heart
On Sunday mornings, my usual radio station has some radio program on. I don't ever pay enough attention to know what it's called, but each week it seems to have theme--always uplifting or encouraging. Today's theme seems to have been happiness. The first thing that caught my attention was when the host said that only 20% of people claim to be happy. I thought that was kinda sad (I do see the irony), that so few Americans claim happiness for themselves. But I did love this next quote, and I hope I've remembered it correctly: Happiness is in the heart, not the circumstances.
To say that one can choose to be happy is both true and over-simplified. I am very happy in my life and in my heart. Are there some circumstances I wish were different--of course! And not to be cliche, but it is a matter of knowing what you can and cannot change and coming to terms with those that can't be changed. It's also a matter of being able to let go of the past, recognizing the present, and, while not ignoring it entirely, realizing the future isn't here yet and isn't guaranteed. I try to change what I can, when I can, but realize that there are certain things in my life that are just the way they are. Worrying or whining over it won't change that and would accomplish nothing more than making me miserable. Been there, done that.
Now, a happy person can say happiness is a choice, and truly believe it to be that straightforward and easy. To them it is. They're not looking through rose coloured glassed with naivete, but the world does indeed bask in a rosy glow. However, to someone who is unhappy or depressed, they can only wish that happiness was so easily attainable. If a pit (of despair) is so deep, it doesn't matter how wide the opening is, the light doesn't reach to the bottom. It takes a strong heart and a determined will to climb out of that. Some need medication to pull them out or at least give a leg up. Not all need it, and for some it still won't be enough. But regardless of the ladder they choose, it is a choice. I choose not to be unhappy; I choose to get out of this hole; I choose to enjoy my life.
I found my way out in part because I have a great family who make great friends, and in part because I finally said, "Enough." There's a joke I have with one of they guys at work. Every morning when he'd come in, he'd ask me how I was doing, and every morning I answered, "Fantastic." And I meant it. I've earned my right to be happy, but I work at it every day. Some days it's more of a battle than others, some days I don't win, but most days I do. It's still a choice I make each day--easier now that I've found happiness than when I didn't. And my circumstances are better now, but they're better because I changed my heart first. Finding joy and happiness in what I already had and where I was helped me start changing the 'dressing' of my life.
I am no longer content. I am happy. Live in the moment---carpe diem.
To say that one can choose to be happy is both true and over-simplified. I am very happy in my life and in my heart. Are there some circumstances I wish were different--of course! And not to be cliche, but it is a matter of knowing what you can and cannot change and coming to terms with those that can't be changed. It's also a matter of being able to let go of the past, recognizing the present, and, while not ignoring it entirely, realizing the future isn't here yet and isn't guaranteed. I try to change what I can, when I can, but realize that there are certain things in my life that are just the way they are. Worrying or whining over it won't change that and would accomplish nothing more than making me miserable. Been there, done that.
Now, a happy person can say happiness is a choice, and truly believe it to be that straightforward and easy. To them it is. They're not looking through rose coloured glassed with naivete, but the world does indeed bask in a rosy glow. However, to someone who is unhappy or depressed, they can only wish that happiness was so easily attainable. If a pit (of despair) is so deep, it doesn't matter how wide the opening is, the light doesn't reach to the bottom. It takes a strong heart and a determined will to climb out of that. Some need medication to pull them out or at least give a leg up. Not all need it, and for some it still won't be enough. But regardless of the ladder they choose, it is a choice. I choose not to be unhappy; I choose to get out of this hole; I choose to enjoy my life.
I found my way out in part because I have a great family who make great friends, and in part because I finally said, "Enough." There's a joke I have with one of they guys at work. Every morning when he'd come in, he'd ask me how I was doing, and every morning I answered, "Fantastic." And I meant it. I've earned my right to be happy, but I work at it every day. Some days it's more of a battle than others, some days I don't win, but most days I do. It's still a choice I make each day--easier now that I've found happiness than when I didn't. And my circumstances are better now, but they're better because I changed my heart first. Finding joy and happiness in what I already had and where I was helped me start changing the 'dressing' of my life.
I am no longer content. I am happy. Live in the moment---carpe diem.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Happy Birthday Teri!
Amazingly, despite being more than 3 months older than me, Teri is just 22 today! Seems like we've been friends for almost 19 years; it's apparently just 10! :)
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