Manic Monday 41 – Bird

I was shopping at an adorable little store in town a couple weeks back ~ we were attending a party at a friend’s house and I wanted to bring a hostess gift ~ so while browsing through the store I happened to notice a quiet chirping from the back of the store. It turns out that they had a little bird in a lovely antique cage.

Listening to that tiny bird tweeting made me think that I really want a bird.  But then I realized I have enough to do with the my two gremlins, fish, and two dogs.

Enough for now,

Ciao

P.S Thanks to these peeps for the image used above.

Manic Monday 40 – Wet

I only wish I could claim responsibility for taking this photo. Unfortunately for me, I can not. I don’t have the time or the skillz to capture such an image. Thank you google image search and these peeps. But isn’t it fabulous? And what a great representation of wet, don’t you agree?

Enough for now,

Ciao

Manic Monday 39 – Waffle

Mmmmmmm, waffles. It’s been a good couple of years since I’ve made waffles with a waffle maker. Why? Time -or lack thereof- would be the main reason. There is always so many things going on each weekend. And making waffles on a week day is completely out of the question. Clean-up is the other main reason, I suppose. Just call it laziness.

When I was a young girl my step mom would make all of us a huge breakfast every Sunday. And there are 5 of us kids plus there was generally a friend or cousin sleeping over, too. So, we’re talking about eggs, bacon, waffles, toast, potatoes. Yeah, that’s a helluva lotta food. But every morsel of it was eaten, let me tell you.

I make the gremlins toaster waffles all the time. I think they’re just as good in a pinch. And usually all the time we have in the morning is spent arguing ~go get dressed, go brush your hair, you better brush those teeth, and for the love of Pete please turn off your bedroom light.

After typing this post, I’m now thinking about making  waffles at some point in time, sooner rather than later. But I can’t commit to a specific time. It’ll have to be on a whim. We might not have anything going on this weekend. Perhaps, this will be the weekend for waffles! Better not tell the gremlins or I’ll never hear the end of it… just let them be surprised when I pull out the ol’ waffle maker & start whipping up the batter.

Enough for now,

Ciao

Manic Monday 38 – Fire

I was searching on Flickr for the hell of it using the explore the last 7 days – which B the W is a way cool feature – and look what I happened to find:

Isn’t this a phenomenal photograph of fire??!!! I love how you can see the movement and tones and temperature of the fire.

The husband & I went to Maui for our honeymoon, eons ago, and while there we went to the requisite dinner/hula show. And, of course, the men performed with fire. Sadly none of my pictures came out like the one above. Probably because I was using a crap camera from the stone ages but that’s besides the point.

Enough for now,

Ciao

****Biggest of big thanks to cat segovia for the image!****

Manic Monday 37 – Candy

I love candy. Hey! That just reminded me of the song from the 80’s, I Want Candy by the group Bow Wow Wow, unintentionally. But since it has been re-introduced to my conscious I might as well discuss it, the song, that is to say. Do you remember it? Are you old enough to remember it? I have no idea what your age is – so this may be WAY over your head. And just like candy, the song is as sweet & full of empty calories. But SO WHAT! It’s delicious. And in this case I’m referring to both candy & the lyrics to the song. Go look ‘em up if your so inclined. You’ll understand what I mean.

My all time favorite candy has to be the Snickers Bar. I am a caramel & chocolate fiend… so anytime a candy has both those things together, then I’m on it like white on rice. Well, to be honest I’m not terribly picky when it comes to candy unless we’re talking about See’s candy with maple inside… BLECH. That’s one of the ONLY times I will actually throw a piece of candy away.

The gremlins got quite a bit of candy from their school friends for Valentine’s day this year. Mostly red lollipops or Sweethearts -of course. Though they did each receive a small heart shaped box filled with three pieces of chocolate candy. Thankfully the husband didn’t get me any candy for Valentine’s Day. I think he pretty much knows by now not to EVER buy me candy. But he did get me a beautiful bouquet of red roses.

Now, I have to limit myself to the amount of candy that I eat. Don’t ask me why I torture myself in this manner. It might have something to do with attempting to stay fit. I know, how boring.

Enough for now,

Ciao

Manic Monday 36 – Cloud

You know what would be nice? To have the time or even just to take the time to really look at a cloud. I haven’t done that in years. Besides looking out the car windshield & seeing the clouds in the sky while driving to work or picking up the gremlins or going to the grocery store. I’m talking about really watching & observing the movement & flow of a cloud.

When Honey bunny was younger we would lie down on the grass & watch the clouds go by in the sky. Now, that is almost an impossibility. How sad is that? VERY. I think I will make this a goal – as silly as it sounds – to take the time with the gremlins to watch the clouds float by. And yeah, even look for formations or animals or airplanes or faces in those clouds. To laugh at the crazy things we’ll find. We are so often running, running, running that this would be a fantastic change of pace. For myself & them!

Sure it will mean letting things slide for a bit. No, the laundry doesn’t have to be finished by a certain time or the world will end. Just let those dishes sit in the sink for another 30 mins. Take some time and do this for yourself & the gremlins. Realize how fast time goes by. It will keep going by as fast if you don’t stop to enjoy something as simple as looking at a cloud.

Enough for now,

Ciao

Manic Monday 32 – Season

‘Tis the Season to be jolly and all that BS.  No, I’m just kidding.  I love this time of year.  Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of my favorite holidays.  I know.  I’m unbelievably unoriginal.  EVERYONE and their grandmother loves Thanksgiving & Christmas.  But if I really think about it, I’d have to say that I love all Seasons of the year.

There is just something about the beginning of each season that I love.  Surely you know of what I speak.  The beginning of the Fall season when the air has a chill to it, a freshness to it.  The leaves are changing colors.  The beginning of Winter season when it is cold for the first time or when it rains for the first time (or in some locals – when it snows for the first time).  This is only good, though, if I can be sitting on the couch covered in a warm blanket & reading a book.  Possibly with a fire blazing in the fire place.  Oh, and a huge glass of wine.  With children surprisingly absent.  Heh.  And I love the beginning of Spring season.  Just when I’ve had it up to *HERE* with Winter, Spring comes & brings with it all the beautiful flowers.  But the best is the Summer season.  When the temperatures start to climb.  All the cool Summer clothes that have been packed away can be pulled out for use again!

Ah, yes, the seasons.

Enough for now,

Ciao

** And thanks to Janna for the awesome season graphic I used above!**

Manic Monday 31 – Bounty

When I hear the word Bounty, I immediately think of Bountiful harvest. Hell if I know why. Or I think of Farmer’s Bounty. Maybe because I’ve watched Kate & Leopold too many times. Hugh Jackman, yum. Have you seen the movie? Do you remember how he does the commercial for the Farmer’s Bounty butter? Or a bounty in a poker game. We play Texas Hold’em poker once a month and at times we set up the game with a bounty chip. Extra fun! Or the bounty hunter series that I’m reading – Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.  Great series of stories, by the way.  I’m already up to the eight book and it’s a laugh riot. She’s a completely inept bounty hunter but still manages to solve the case every time.

Finally, I think of the bounty of gifts that I have been blessed with in my life.

Enough for now,

Ciao

Manic Monday 30 – Colorful

This -to me anyway- is the epitome of colorful.  It is a photo from Butchart Gardens in Canada.  And talk about colorful!  It is stunning.  By far one of my most favorite pictures.  Sadly, I didn’t take it.  In fact, I’ve never been to Butchart Gardens.  Perhaps one day I will have a chance to visit and I’ll make sure to travel there in the Fall.  As apparently, that is when this photo was taken.  Oh, to see such a colorful display!

Enough for now,

Ciao

Manic Monday 29 – Ghost

While I’ve never really had any experience with ghosts – many people believe they’re out there. My BFF from HS is one such person or at least she was nearly 10 yrs ago. Here’s the story… she was getting married, I was the matron of honor, and they were having the wedding in South Carolina since most of the groom’s family is from there. Anyway, so the night before the wedding we stayed in an old house that was purported to be haunted by ghosts.

To start things off just right, we were treated to a huge thunder storm with lighting and all. Being from California, I’m not used to thunderstorms so this one seemed to be monstrous and directly over our heads. You should have seen the picture of four of us huddled together alternately giggling and screaming as the storm raged. After what felt like an eternity, the storm moved on allowing us to slowly fall asleep. My BFF & I happened to be sharing the same room and she woke me up because she said she saw a ghost. Thankfully I was half asleep so her words didn’t affect me too strongly. If I had been fully awake, then probably I’d have shit bricks.
Well, her ghost never came back and we managed to get a semi-decent night sleep.

Enough for now,
Ciao