Belated Most Merriest Merry Christmas Greetings!

Okay, it's New Year's Eve day, I know... and I'm just finally online to wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas! We've been out of town, just back to Vegas last night.

BUHT, I do hope everyone had a good holiday, the best to you and yours!

And the Preliminary Results?

So, I'm 32 and I've had a colonoscopy - no one in my family can beat that, suckas!

We got up before 6am to be there by 7:30am... and it wound up taking less than 15 min. to drive there, so we cuddled on the two-seater bench and watched the Today show on the big LCD screen TV in the waiting room, and we were reminded why we don't watch TV.

I went under at 8:50 am.... the plebotomy effort for my IV took longer than the colonoscopy itself. They had to stick me in 3 different places before the IV worked. I was released from the recovery room by 9:30am, and I have ZERO recollection of the bummy procedure, and I thank my lucky stars for that.

And so, did they find anything? Yeah. I've been told I have "rectal erosions."

Say what?

Neither Google or Ask.com, nor WedMD offered much information, so I'll leave it at what the RN said, something along the lines of "your rectal tissue has crater-like ulcers." Now, how do crater-like rectal ulcers cause chronic constipation, I dunno. And why I have them at all, no explanation was offered. I have to wait 2-4 weeks before I can set down with anyone to be told more and to hear the biopsy results. - Wish me luck -

Why I Love Mah Honey-Man ~ Reason 18

Not only does my honey-man wish our fuzzy babies a sweet goodbye when he leaves the house, he tells them "Bless you" whenever either one sneezes.

Nuthin' But 'Clear' Liquids

Today's the day before I have a colonoscopy ~ what fun! So far today, I drank a 10 oz bottle of lemon magnesium citrate by 9am, and I took 2 Ducolax pills at 11am, and thereafter, I've had 64 onces of 'Mountain Blast' Powererade infused with 255 grams of Miralax. For breakfast? I had a mug and a half of beef broth (yuck!), and for an early dinner, I just finished a mug of chicken broth...along with 32 oz of diluted, but really nummy, White Cran-Peach juice from Ocean Spray, also infused with Miralax.

In the last 3 hours, I - - well, I could say a lotta different things... but I won't!

You Look So...Butch

We were in Burbank for the past weekend for one of our favorite parties of the year, a white elephant party held by my honey-man's business partner and the fellow's lovely wife (who's a fantastic cook!). We had a wonderful, wonderful weekend - - and it was our first chance to unhook, to remember what this upcoming holiday season is all about ~ family and friends!

Before we left, I got my haircut yesterday... the chicky I saw did a wonderful job thinning and 'chunking' the texture, unlike the woman I'd seen for my 2nd cut, post-long hair. Last night though, on our way home, we'd stopped at a Starbucks, and I caught a glimpse of myself in their public restroom mirror, and I was, um, kinda shocked upon closer review of my new hairstyle, yet I couldn't put into words what exactly was wrong with it, but something was definitely wrong. Once we were home in Vegas, and we'd had dinner, and we'd taken a shower, and taken care of the kitties, and we were back upstairs to get ready for bed, I was staring at my reflection in our bathroom for a moment, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I spoke my realization aloud with my honey-man off to the side, not far away, lying on our bed:

"I look totally butch"

And then? - My honey-man confirmed that that is exactly it... I look totally butch with this haircut. All I'd need is to give up the make-up, dress like a man, and don some leather choker-type necklace.

My honey-man told me to not say or do anything about it, and to just wait and see what people at work would say to me, as no one there is too shy about holding back, if they like something or not...

Well, I'm about to leave work for home, so I just called my honey-man, and he asked me how people had responded to my hair... We didn't have many people in today, but here were some of the comments offered, the first listed being the very first of the day before I'd even unlocked my office door:

1) [apply sing-song, baby-talk voice] You look like a wittle boy.
2) [apply questioning inflection] You look so tomboy-ish (?)
3) [apply peppy tone of forced reassurance] It'll grow out fast.
4) [apply 'matter-of-fact' tone] You look like a boy.
5) [spoken as if my dog died] In two weeks, you'll be fine.
6) [spoken w/slowly mouthed awe] Wow, a lot of 'face' to see now.
7) [spoken nervously] Well that's sporty.
8) [spoken as if trying to convince oneself] I think it's cute.
9) [asked to avoid stating an opinion] Does your husband like it?
10) [spoken as if discussing lawn care] Good thing about short hair is it grows out fast.

And the best one for last...
11) [spoken w/ jabbing amusement] Just in time for the holidays, eh? This one's gunna be well documented.

I think if the bangs and sides around my ears had been left longer, um, the above comments would not be so very, very applicable. But yes, thank goodness short hair grows out fast! And yes, dammit, I hope everyone forgets to bring their cameras this Christmas!

Now with Even More 'Christmas'

I had my French final yesterday (and I believe I'll be getting an 'A' on it by the way = YAY!!! + a huge sigh of relief!), so last night, after getting home after 9pm for my first totally french-free evening in months, I took the chance to catch up a bit... I finally decorated our banister with the remaining pine boughs I'd kept outside for the last 12 days! It's a bit more than my honey-man was expecting though. CORRECTION: It's A LOT more than my honey-man's used to in terms of holiday decor...

When I first began with only a couple bough pieces set on the lower banister, I could tell he was rather, um, concerned, asking questions about their placement and would the wire damage the banister rail, and what about this and that, and, and... and I had an answer for each question, and, thankfully, he returned to his office to work! [now apply baby-talk voice] = He's sooo cute.

Anyhow, once the lower banister was covered, I'd called for him to come peek at my progress, so he came down and expressed his full skepticism... and again, he returned to his office to leave me at it. [again, apply baby-talk voice] = He's too cute.

So anyhow, cut a bit to the chase here, eh? Well, once the boughs were all spritzed and it was all done with pine cones added and satin ribbon placed and coiled, I called my honey-man for a final time, to come down and take in the full affect...

Again, a lot more than my honey-man's used to, but HE LIKES IT!

[Note in the picture, the very cute Owen, sitting on a spindle base, inspecting the job]

And here's our chrimpus tree: I must mention I have new-found hatred for our chandelier...Mind you, I have never been fond of it at all, and now? I want to rip it outta the ceiling! = It entirely blocks the view of our gorgeous sterling silver star tree topper we'd bought in Ireland as our wedding gift to each other.
Both pictures are fuzzy due to the low light... Our tree doesn't look even half as cute in this pic as it is in 'real life!'

If I Were a White Elephant...

...I'd be a set of 8 crazy, curly, brightly colored drinking straws, enough to accompany 8 formal place settings....


This coming weekend, my honey-man and I will be off to L.A. to attend our favorite Annual Holiday White Elephant party hosted by some dear friends of ours in their Glendale home. Of course, a weekend to L.A. means we'll be seeing the angel boy-O, who also attends this party, along with his mommie, Wendy and his Batman-Dad. EXPLANATION: 'Batman-Dad is the new alias I've chosen for the great guy who's also known as Wendy's new hubby's and the angel boy-O's step-dad, but refering to him as either "her husband" or "his step-dad" seems insufficient, lack-luster recognition, and I can't think of a more normal alias, like 'Bob' or 'Tom.' Oh! Oh! I know! We could call him "Bowie"?! = he's a HUGE David Bowie fan (understatement), or would that be kinda sacreligious? I guess I should ask him how he'd like to be refered to here, since I don't use their common names... END OF TANGENT.


Anyhow, so we'll all be at this white elephant party together! And actually, since my honey-man's relocation to Vegas last June, whenever we go to L.A. now, we stay with Wendy and her lovin'-man. Hmm... "lovin'-man" might be a good alias... I got my honey-man, and she has her lovin'-man? I'll still ask.


We also have plans this weekend to see The Golden Compass on Saturday morning, all of us together, as the angel boy-O's tribe of parents. We even had a vote... The Golden Compass vs. Alvin & the Chipmunks. The decision made was a fun lil' development...

Tossing Out an 'Update'

Okay, so um, where have I been lately? #1, I've been studying for my French final exams!!! All day yesterday, I studied my French, and although I did do my hair and make-up, I never got dressed! I never left the house, yesterday. I was in my night top and bath robe with slippers on, allll day long.

What else? Um, we put up our chrimpus tree the weekend before last -- I will someday post pictures, once I have at least taken some! - - so unlike me to have not taken any! Uh, and this morning at 7am, I was at the dentist getting a chipped front tooth on its 7th or 8th chip all fixed up for the 3rd time, since the two other for-free fixes hadn't kept. My DDS told me I can't eat my crisp granny apples anymore without cutting them into slices first!?! *sniff, sniff* I LOVE EATING WHOLE APPLES! That's part of the 'whole' experience! And what else? Oh yes, my honey-man and I, we have managed to gain 10 lbs each since we got married 3 months ago... a mixture of happy fat, plus alotta stress at work (both of us), and several parts achy-heartache, missing the angel boy-O. Oh and on Saturday, we received a disc of our recovered Honeymoon pictures! Almost all of them were recovered! Haaaah-llelujah! And what else? Um, I've been studying my French? And I've been talking on the phone with friends and family, whenever I can, still trying desperately to catch up with everyone I haven't spoken to since before and after we got married!?! Oh, and I managed to holiday shop online for over two-thirds of everyone on my gift list. Oh yeah, and I finally got a new phone to replace my sad lil' Nokia brick, who's LCD screen had gone a bit whacko on me... I'm now a reluctant owner of a flip phone. Yes, I've finally joined the rest of the masses; my new cell is a flip, it's got bluetooth and it doubles as a camera, BUT it's a Nokia still, nonetheless.

My current to-do list:
Grocery shopping and buy new kitty food
Change kitty litter boxes
Trim kitty claws
New air filters for Matrix and Echo
Order rear windshield wiper blade for Matrix
Launder darks and synthetics
Mail off Netflick and Columbia DVD return
Buy LOTS of postage stamps
Mend my slippers
Send Letter to CIE Tours
Send Letter to Theatre Banshee
Write out my Heal Your Body affirmations
Decorate the handrail w/ pine boughs and ribbon
Get my hair cut again (so not used to this), dammit!
Locate and purchase the 'biggie gift' from Santa
Locate and purchase gifts for the ladies in my office
Sweep out the garage sooo...
...we can put christmas decor storage boxes away
Replant the mint and jade plants
Send out wedding gift thank you notes, dammit!!!
French Final this Wed. @ TEN AM
MS Captains Rally also this Wed.
Maria's image modeling competition also on this Wed.
Locate White Elephant gift for this next weekend
Locate a 2nd White Elephant gift for Idaho
Leave for L.A. this next weekend
Make & Send Holiday cards = over 110 this year
MS Walk Committee meeting, Mon. 17th
Prepare list of baked goods for xmas give-away
Bake the list of xmas baked goods to be given away
Sew Father & Son matching PJs for Xmas
Renew Matrix auto registration - go get SMOG test
Pregnancy test before colonoscopy on the 20th
Colonoscopy the 20th, joy-oh-joy!
Gift exchange w/ my sister before leaving for Idaho
Rinse the AC's airfilter - gotta do this before 'next year'
Flush water heater - looks like not until 'next year'
Clean refrigerator coils - also looks like not until 'next year'
Clean dryer's vent track - " " 'next year'
Finish the Enlightened Stepmother 4-heaven's sakes! (only 1 ch. left)
Finish Wedding Book via Shutterfly by Dec. 31st
Finish our Cruelty-free Home Products list (another story)
Write & Send Letter of Complaint to Luxor

Trim the Tree & String the Lights!

This week, post-Thanksgiving, sure is a BUSY one! My goodness! K, enough said.

This coming Friday, my friend Ry-Ry is going to come over and help me dig through all my storage boxes full of christmas decor before the angel boy-O flies in that night! I can't wait to decorate like mad, I tell you!

And Saturday evening [drumroll going in my head], we'll be shopping for a Christmas Tree! WOO-HOO! And Sunday [drumroll firing up again, with greater intensity], it'll be time to trim the tree and string the lights and to turn our home into Winter Holiday Central! [CLARIFICATION: In no way, will we be reaching 'Griswold Family Christmas' heights of holiday decor, however!]

Gobble-Gobble in L.A., Man!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Gobble-gobble to all fellow bloggers, family and friends! We spent Thanksgiving in L.A. again this year! We had a wonderful, most delicious spread ~ Most of the pictures taken include a family member, so I can't post 'em for all to see, sorry! However, Wendy gave me permission to post this beauty of a shot!

I so love it - makes me crack up every time!

And do you think we had enough dessert options?

""Everything Comes Down to Pooh" or "We're in Business, Baby"

Time for a Health Update: The latest is that they're really not sure whether or not I have a spastic colon, considering my pain is almost always localized in one area, among other things that all basically amount to a "No, it can't be a spastic colon." The general gist: They still don't know what's wrong, and so, about 4 weeks ago, I was scheduled for a colonoscopy late next month (geesh, not too fast people, come on, eh?). And for the most truly up to date info, as of this afternoon, I've gone to the bathroom more in the last 24 hrs than I had in the last 2 months combined = 9 times?!? Yeah. And I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to be doing that either.

But time for some truly good news (and then we'll get back to the poo)! Today, I saw my gyno and after checking out 'clear' for a full year, and now officially off 'The Pill,' despite ovarian cysts galore on both the left and right, my doc told me today that I'm ovulating without issue. We could soon be in the business of making a wee baby! Yay! Not right now, not right away [SIDE NOTE: We can't with my colonoscopy scheduled first.], but relatively soon [TRANSLATION: 'Soon' being some time this next year, which ain't that far away.].

But Back to Poop: Considering I've got a colonoscopy around the corner, I think this video on YouTube from the TV show, Scrubs, is rather appropriate, don't you think? Wendy had told us we should seek this one out...

Purring Like a Motor

Both of our sweet kitty-boys, Otis & Owen, they're happy little purrers, but Otis is particularly loud at night, and while lying in bed before falling asleep, we often make comments to each other, amazed how loudly Otis can purr like a lil' motor.

Here was last night's conversation:

My honey-man: "You hear him?"

Me: [Pausing a few seconds to listen first, before answering] That's a motorcycle.

And bed-shaking giggling ensues...

Googling for Cranberry Fluff

So, I get the site meter report for this blog emailed to me once a week, k? Well, normally, it just gets checked off for 'Trash' without my ever opening it for even a mere glance, UNLESS, in the subject line, I see an unusual surge in the number of my average daily site visits. One of the last times it'd happened (and it's been a long time), it was because of my "I Hit a Cow" story. And one of the times before that, it was because I wrote a post about my Popa-sahn and Katherine McPhee.

So yeah, the average daily number of visits to my blog this week? There's been a definite surge.

And this time? Apparently, I'm the #3 Google search result for Cranberry Fluff [RECIPE HERE]!?!

How appropriate.

And how cool is that?!?

(I am such a nerd, I know, I know.)

All the 'Strip' Shows I've Seen

I first began this post a lil' more than a year ago, after having gone to see Mamma Mia, but for some unknown reason, I forgot to post it. After we recently were given tickets to The Producers at The Paris, it occurred to me that this was still sitting in my Drafts folder. There's a good number of shows I've seen here on the Strip since I moved to Las Vegas in 1999 ~ Anything with an asterisk, I scored the tickets somehow at no cost, and those shown with a double ** were comped through work! I'm still hoping to someday see the Beatles-themed 'Love' at the Mirage, and Mystere, Ra would be cool too, along with Spamalot, and the Bodies Exhibit! UPDATE: Daly just suggested I somehow highlight my top 5 or 10 - so, using rainbow order (red, most preferred)!

The Producers** at The Paris - 11/2007
Everclear** [what a horrible show] at House of Blues - 01/2007
Mamma Mia* at Mandalay Bay- 10/2006
Hall & Oates* at the Mirage - 11/2005
George Clinton & the P-Funk** at House of Blues - 5/2005
Avenue Q** at the Wynn - 2005
Hairspray** at the Luxor - 2005
Dinner with The Sopranos - 2005
Celine Dion** at Caesar's Palace - 5/2005 [this was for a 2nd time, sitting at the center sound booth]
'Le Reve' of Cirque de Soleil** at The Wynn - 2004
Jason Mraz at the House of Blues - 6/2004
Freddy Perez at the House of Blues - 2004
Celine Dion* at Caesar's Palace- 2004
'Zumanity' of Cirque de Soleil* at NY, NY Hotel & Casino - 2004
Sarah Brightman* at MGM - 2004
Excalibur's Tournament of Kings* - 2004
'O' of Cirque de Soleil** at The Bellagio - 2003
Tim McGraw* at Mandalay Bay - 2003
Michelle Branch* at MGM - 2003
Dixie Chicks** at MGM - 2003
Buddy Guy* at the House of Blues - 10/2002
The V Show* at what was then the Aladdin - 2002
Paul McCartney* at MGM - 2002
Bjorn Again* at The Palms- 2002
Cranberries* at The Palms- 2002
Marilyn Manson at the House of Blues - 2001 [a big shocker for most]
Kid Rock at The Joint - 1999 [took my uncle Loren who, I knew, wanted to go very BADLY, but wouldn't ever go by himself]
Poweman 5000 at The Joint - 1999

Why I Love Mah Honey-Man ~ Reason 17

I've been working kinda late this week, every night this week. Well, one particular night this week, my honey-man called to see if I would soon be on my way home. I then told him about the annoying last minute 'I-gotta-do-it-now-before-morning' task I'd been given...

He said he'd be right over with dinner, and to help me out! Once he arrived, he inhaled his food (as he almost always does), and then he did 30+ tri-fold brochures for me while I finished my dinner. What a sweetheart, eh?

I told him he'd be paid for his time in kisses.

Time for Cranberry Fluff!

About a month ago, when I'd gone to Trader Joe's for some of our grocery favorites and I saw that they had fresh cranberries in stock, as soon as I was home, as I walked in the door, I excitedly announced to my honey-man "THEY HAVE CRANBERRIES ALREADY! CRANBERRY FLUFF, HERE WE COME! I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL TURKEY DAY!!"

So far, though, despite three different trips to Trader's since the discovery of their fresh cranberry stock, I've picked up a package each visit, tempted to throw it in the cart and run home to make me some Cranberry Fluff right now, before Turkey Day...and each time, I've put the package back down. Three strikes yer out!?

Well, ya know what? This is my chance for Cranberry Fluff [RECIPE HERE], man! Next trip to Trader's, I'm gunna throw a package (or two) of fresh cranberries in the cart and make us some Cranberry Fluff, whether it's in time for Thanksgiving Day or not!

Guilty Confession #5

So far this week at work, I've been living on handfuls of snap peas and carrots sticks with spinach dip... and several snack size Snickers bars leftover from our Halloween candy. Oh and one granny smith apple yesterday afternoon!

I'm hoping this confession will help me feel the shame of it (and not deny it any longer) and finally knock it off for the remainder of this week!

OR - - I do have another package of snap peas and more carrots, with over 1/2 of the spinich dip container remaining... and at least a dozen Snickers bars left!

Just Call Me 'Red'

Me and my dear friend, Daly-girl, now also my private colorist!

All the blonde highlight "lifts" released - - still waiting on the "intense dark red" to get as much time as we can give it...

Okay, so it's really not all red - - not enough that anyone could call me 'red' - - but it's certainly different for me! I don't yet have a picture that truly shows off the end results... Turns out my hair is dark enough and naturally shiny enough that unless well lit with some overhead lighting, but not too bright, you can't exactly tell what was done. I'll probably toddle off to the bathroom in a sec to take some pictures in the mirror.

Okay, about 15 pictures later, most of them too bright and too close, etc... these are the best I got. This was the first time I've ever had my hair highlighted before, unless you count my personal affair with hydrogen peroxide at the tender age of 12 in 1987 - ?

Daly's already planning her strategy for thicker chunking, next time around.

Why I Love Mah Honey-Man ~ Reason 16

Because in the passing of one day over a weekend, I can delight in the fact that I'm married to a man who wanders around the house happily singing little french songs to himself, who may have been a noisy pirate in a former life (arrgghh!), who also doubles in the evening as an italiano cinema voice over pro, who frequently whistles christmas songs all the year-round, to which the latter, many can attest to this. The rest of it? I think I may be the only one privy to these moments of his - - well, all except the year-round x-mas whistling and the pirate thing = He can be quite the grump when he's working on his geeky tech stuff, and the angel boy-O sure loves The Pirates of the Carribean, so Daddy's had a lot of practice fine tuning his inner pirate!

I'm Sorry, I missed that... you were saying?

Too many times to count, sadly, this was me today: "I'm sorry, I just wasn't with you there - - what were you saying?"

Man (heavy exhale).

The last couple weeks have been mentally and emotionally exhausting. Can't got into detail, sorry. (Dooce has provided more than adequate 'what will happen if you blog about work' warning for us all).

Hopefully, once everything settles down (and my next French exam has come and gone), I'll be in the right mind to post. I'm going to go home now -I plan to gorge myself on all the leftover Halloween candy we have. We didn't get a single trick-or-treater last night?!? = NOT ONE :(

(just kidding about the gorging - - kinda)

Why I Love Mah Honey-Man ~ Reason 15

Because the other day, when I was in a downright foul mood, dealing with work, my honey-man came by my office for lunch (or was it dinner?), and like a giggling kid, he ran ahead of me, down the hall and out into the lobby, through the closing doors of a elevator about to leave... and then, as I was about to catch up, wondering why the heck he'd ran off like that, I saw my honey-man begin to frantically push the "Close Door" button over and over again, trying to close the elevator doors before I could get there - - ?!? And when I ran into the elevator, he squawked at me like a kid and tried to push/wrestle me (gently) out of the elevator - - !?!

No, he was not trying to race me to the first floor or anything like that - - he was only trying to make me laugh. And it so worked.

One Year, Today: New Meaning Given to the Words... "Holy Cow!"

Well, well... So it was a year ago today, less than an hour from now, that I'd hit a full grown, black cow's broadside, straight on, when driving 70 mph on a country road in Bear Lake Lake Co., Idaho, with my grandma in the passenger seat and my cousin's wife and 2 year old son in the back.

And the outcome? It could have been the very worst for us all, but it wasn't.

And even though I could bitch about the fact that it took until 3 weeks ago to receive my final reimbursement check, nearly a year after the accident, it all could have been far, far worse - - can't forget that fact.

Sleigh Bells Ringing, Already?

I went to Michael's to take advantage of their 50%-off sale for all wall frames (cuz we got wedding pictures to hang, baby!). All of their Halloween gear was on sale too, but I was a very good girl and bought none of that stuff... the frames, however? Anyhow, they also had their Thanksgiving holiday displays set up in full glory, ready for the next major winter holiday... along with Christmas and Hanukkah -?!? What the?

At some point, a woman standing in the same framing aisle turned to me as Bing Crosby began to swell over the store intercom system, and she said she couldn't believe they were playing Christmas music already - - and I agreed, and told her it's totally freakin' me out too. Then, another woman, much older than us with a high class, well put together look, with a very Better Home & Gardens magazine-like appearance, who we hadn't noticed standing just behind us both, she spoke up next to say the following: "If you ask me, it's just f***ing absurd."

Um, yeah - what she said...

I'm Okay, Really!

OH MY GOODNESS! I got to work this morning and found a handful of 'are you okay' inquiries since last night's post. I'm okay - - much better. Don't worry - - I am fine. Life is difficult - - that's no secret. And there's A LOT of good stuff out there! There are reasons to go on, despite the pain and loss. Life is good.

I'm okay, really! But THANK YOU for your words of concern, comfort, reassurance and love! Now let's all have a good day!

Real Problems

Things have been so hectic since we got married - - [BEWARE: This begins as a whiney post, that turns quite serious.] It's really been an ongoing struggle -- admittedly, a minor struggle, yes, but a struggle, nonetheless; [Here begins the big run-on list.] Trying to keep on top of my French studies amidst two different weddings scheduled barely one month apart from one another, so that I don't have to pay back the pre-paid tuition (which is what I'll have to do if I get anything less than a B ~ and by the way, I got an A- on my midterm last week, a miracle in itself!); catching up at work since our return from our honeymoon; and things at my work and more stuff at work; and WAY, WAY too many cupcakes devoured from the Cupcakery after work; and a lot of crap at work; trying (and failing) to workout regularly; and two weekend trips to LA in a row [SIDE NOTE: Although greatly appreciated, I never knew how my honey-man could drive back and forth from L.A. to Vegas every week for months at a time over the last 3 years!]; and trying (and failing until last night) to get our wedding announcement website up and running so we could FINALLY send out our wedding announcements to everyone who hadn't been a part of our big day, who were already feeling left out enough as it was; and calling and running around to a gazillion different locations to get my blasted name change final; and trying repeatedly (and failing repeatedly) to help my honey-man feel connected and complete in the absence of his angel boy-O, since the lil' guy's return to his Moma's in Burbank; and a lot of stuff going on at work; and trying to personally catch up with a gazillion different people since the wedding; and trying to do all that personal connecting with the crappy 'upgrade' cell phone I'd had for the last 3 weeks (which I finally returned to AT&T last Saturday); and waiting and waiting (and failing and failing) to experience some normalcy in the bathroom for the last several months; and a lot of shit to do and deal with at work; and waiting and waiting for my appointment with the gastro-intestinal Doc this coming 30th [SIDE NOTE: I keep telling myself it can't be serious, cuz they wouldn't have made me wait this long if they'd seen something in the CAT Scan results, right?]; and worrying that I'll have difficulty getting pregnant with all my female issues; and have I mentioned things are difficult at work? Can't say much more than that though, about work, of course.

Now listen: None of the aforementioned is big, terrible stuff - - NONE OF IT! - - All mere inconveniences really, in that all our needs are met and then some. Now, indeed, some of these 'inconveniences' are extremely painful ones, but real problems involve things like, oh, not having a roof over your head, losing one's livelihood, having no food to eat, the diagnosis of a terminal illness, a death in the family, etc. - - those are real problems. And this fact, that I still can't seem to find a balance, even with so little on my plate right now? I already knew that with one exception only, all this is rather pathetic, even in terms of any excuses I could muster. Well, all this was made to feel supremely pathetic come last Friday morning... and I am ashamed of myself.

A friend of ours lost his 19 year old son late last Thursday night to a horrible, dreadful freak accident. His son had had a condition, prone to seizures. His son had gone outside to sit in the backyard near the pool for better cell phone reception, and his son had an epileptic episode and slipped into the swimming pool and drowned, found by the eldest son, hours later.

Friday after work, after my honey-man had covered that entire workday for our friend, we walked to our mailbox together in silence. And on the way back to our home, we discovered that we were both thinking the very same thing: We both were wondering [not for the first time in either of our lives], if we could somehow comprehend all that goes on in the world at any one given moment -all the accidents and all the crime, all the personal, individual loss, all the neglect and wrong-doing, all the hurt and all the pain- if we could somehow have it all come into consciousness, how could we even function? - - how could we function at all?

My Grammie Joanie lost her youngest son to a tragic car accident when he was 19 years old - - and my step-mum's mother lost her eldest son when he was 22 years old, also to a car accident. And my Grams lost her 2nd eldest daughter, my own mum, age 33, to Hodgkins disease.

How does one go on when they've lost a child? Parents aren't meant to outlive their children.

Why I Love Mah Honey-Man ~ Reason 14

Because as he was walking out our front door this morning, backpack loaded, his travel coffee cup in hand and water bottle dangling off his thumb, closing the door behind him with his free hand, Owen ran towards the door and gave a cute lil' pleading 'Where are you going, Daddy?' meow, and my hubby-man stopped and reopened the door to sweetly say "Goodbye Owen."

Our Mornings with Otis, Minus the Bat

Found this via CuteOverload.com (love this site!)

Until Daryl or was it Uma? Yeah, Uma

Your results: (I have no idea why this won't format correctly!)
You are Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy 57% Mystique 56% Riddler 46% Catwoman 39% The Joker 37% Magneto 35% Mr. Freeze 30% Apocalypse 30% Dr. Doom 26% Dark Phoenix 25% Green Goblin 24% Lex Luthor 20% Juggernaut 16% Two-Face 16% Venom 15% Kingpin 14%

You would go to almost any length for the protection of the environment including manipulation and elimination.

Click here to take the Supervillain Personality Quiz

(I did this BlogThingy back in August for Kati, but had problems with its publishing format, so it was forgotten in 'Drafts' along with a lot of other forgotten posts that month - - the same for the month of September!)

Recent Busy Bizzy-ness

Okay, okay (I can just hear you now, Don) - - I've got A LOT to write about from over the last, oh, the last TWO MONTHS? Like, ohhhh, more about our wedding in September? um, anything at all about our honeymoon in Ireland would be nice... And there's this past weekend's wonderful, wonderful nuptials between my hubby-man's former spouse, Wendy and her lovin' man [Although it's not a subject I should be the one writing about - - hint, hint - - nudge, nudge - - ah, okay, I'll be frank: Wendy! It is time for your loooonnnng blogging hiatus to come to a freakin' end! - - well, okay, at least once Loyal Women is through!], and there's a bunch more to write about, but I'd been catching up at work from having taken a week+ away for our wedding/honeymoon, and I've been working on my french whenever I can (instead of blogging), and this past week, I've been studying like a crazy person for today's midterm exam [oh yeah, I'm taking a college level French course this semester!], and well, a big factor (big understatment there) is that things have been a bit sticky at work [In just the last 24 hrs, alone, omg - - can't say anything more!], and all the while, this very week, my Grams is in town [a wonderful thing, but kinda makes tricky matters trickier, so I've found myself to be a titch guarded].

Right now, honestly, I'm living for my morning cuddles with my hubby-man and for the angel boy-O's next visit, not this weekend, but the next. Things are by no means terrible or truly bad or anything truly serious/life threatening... I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed and pooped out with work. Tends to overshadow all the good stuff, unfortunately - - and I can't let that happen when I got it so good!

Note to self: BREATHE

For Wendy & Her Loving Groom

Okay - how do I explain this one... The label on this post is "Gettin' Hitched," but it's not at all about my wedding...

This past Sunday in Glendale, CA, I drove to LA so I could attend the bridal shower of my husband's former wife, Wendy. For some people out there, and those new to my writing, I realize this concept could blow one's mind, but I really didn't want to miss it for the world!

As 'showers' go, hers was absolutely awesome! The spread was magnificent! If she gives me permission, I may post some pictures later! At least of the food! UPDATE: I GOT PERMISSION!

Check out this spread!

We did play one of those shower games (it was one of the truly fun and worthwhile ones!), and one of the 6 questions that I'd guessed correctly (so proud of myself), as to what all her fiance' had given for answers to various questions asked about he and she, it was to guess who he thought her favorite poet is: I wrote Kahlil Gibran

He's certainly one of my faves, that nifty Kahlil fellow. And so I offer this to the gorgeous bride to be and her tender lovin' groom, who will marry this coming Saturday, October the 13th:

You were born together and together you shall be forevermore.

You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.

Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,

And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love:

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.

Sing and dance
together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,

Even as the
strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.

For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together yet not too near together.

For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

And the oak tree and cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

~ from Kahlil Gibran

Lovin' the Wedding Present Paper

You can't tell at all in these pictures, since Owen looks so very well composed, but inbetween takes, he was absolutely spazzing out, rolling and scooting around in this wrapping paper as if it were liquid ecstasy.
We've got two other big, loose pieces of discarded wedding present wrapping paper strew elsewhere in the house for Owen's attacking, rolling and scooting about pleasure.

One Month Ago, from Today...

... we got married!

I think neither of us can believe it's been a month already since the big day, nor can we believe it hasn't been a year since! Many have asked me how married life is treating us thus far ~ and honestly, I love it and all that came before it, and all there is to come. We're very, very fortunate.

Being married to one another feels like nothing but the right way to be; it feels sooo natural.

Why I Love Mah Honey-Man ~ Reason 13

Because last night, after we'd walked out from the theater, into the lobby for a 15-minute long intermission, out of the blue, he offered me Pop Rocks!

Me: Pop Rocks? You're kidding. You have Pop Rocks? Why do you have Pop Rocks?!?

With the grin, he revealed a packet of Pop Rocks from his shirt pocket and gingerly ripped it open and told me to open my mouth. He then gently shook Pop Rocks into my mouth, then half the packet into his and the rest into mine. He then put his open mouth beside my right ear and we stood in the lobby together, giggling like school kids, our mouths to the other's ear. Still popping away, we decided to wander outdoors while waiting for the intermission to end... Passing a very tall, very blond and beachy looking younger fellow, he turned to watch us walking towards the exit and then, in a very audible and confident tone of amused recognition, he said, "Pop rocks. Nyce."

Dah Best Excuse for Fresh Flowahs

For me, a wedding is the very ultimate bestest most justified excuse for blowing a wad of dough on fresh flowers ~

I absolutely LUVed my wedding flowers, which I purchased from Flowers2U.com and arranged on my own!! ~ Yup = We had 3 gardenia corsages (my step-mum, my mum's eldest sister, Radeane, and my sister), 10 boutonnieres (1 groom, 1 darling ring boy, 1 best man, 1 'man of honor', 1 officiator, 2 proud fathers and 3 brothers), 4 luncheon table vases, one larger vase for the photo display and signing table, greenery and stems of creamy button mums for the cupcake display table, 4 pink glass hanging vases for the arbour and one gorgeous (I must say so) bridal bouquet. And the BIGGEST thanks (again and again and again) to dear Wendy for willingly and so happily arranging all the table and arbour vases, and thereby, saving my butt and preserving my sanity ~ mmmwah! You so rock, Wendy! Yes, my honey-man's dear-honey-of-a-former-spouse helped me until late-late-late hours of the early morn, arranging our table vases and the arbour vases for our wedding! AND she and her dear fiance' were quite the team the morning of, wrapping the ivory satin ribbon around my bouquet! Can I tell ya? She so rocks! Thank you guys!

This pic is currently my laptop's desktop background...

The groom's boutonniere
One of the four hanging arbour vases...

...and my bouquet (again)...

And this is one of the table vases, post-wedding... almost every room in the house had one within sight, to enjoy each day throughout our home before we left on our honeymoon!

"Mah New Do!" or "Lockin' for Love"

Okay, so the 'short' of it is this:

I cut my hair and short, and here I am now!

The 'why did you do it?' should be the interesting part:

My mother died in 1987 of Hodgkin's Disease (lymphatic cancer). Before then, my mum lost her hair twice in the time I knew her. Consequently, she owned an eclectic array of scarves, knitted berets (those were the best!) and several colorful bandannas, and she also wore a wig. The first time she lost her hair, I was about 6 years old. I can remember hearing her cry in the bathroom at night and discovering big chucks of her long chestnut hair discarded in the bathroom trash, and then one morning, all of the sudden, she revealed herself with a short styled wig.

Our kitchen back then, living in Salt Lake City in our first home, it had a swinging door to some stairs that went down to our back door, out to our back yard and the unattached garage. One night, after coming home and inside from the back, I'd gone ahead of her and up the stairs and through the swinging door, into the kitchen... I turned to look behind me and that door was swinging back and forth, and each time it swung, I caught a glimpse of my mum who was standing on the stairs with her back to me... one moment she had hair and the next swing of the door? - It was all gone, as she had removed her wig! It was the first time I saw her bald head - - I don't remember at all what I did next, if we talked about it, or if I burst into tears or not, or whatever... but I distinctly remember the feeling of sheer and total panic rising up inside me. For as long as I can remember, I had been told my mother was very sick, but it really gut-punched me in that moment that she really was, indeed, very sick - - sick enough that she could die, as I'd also been told this, but it'd never really sunk in until that very moment.

After she lost all her hair, even though she had already been deemed terminal upon diagnosis at age 17, found in the 3rd stage of cancer development, it was when she lost all her hair that people truly began to treat her as if she were sick and dying. In fact, one of the reasons my longtime and dearest childhood playmate and I had hit it off so well when we met in kindergarten [Anna Dilemna is her blog alias], is that she, unlike most kids, was completely and totally unfazed by my mother's lack of hair, because her mother, too, had lost hers during treatment of a benign tumor... so I never had to defend my mother with her, and she would happily come over to play, even though my mum had no hair.

Anyhow, a few years ago, in the same town where my own mother grew up, a younger cousin of mine who was in high school at the time, Whitney, she had a friend diagnosed with Hodgkin's, and as a amazing sign of support, when her friend lost all her hair due to cancer treatments, my lil' cousin cut off all her gorgeous long hair and donated it to Locks of Love (go check it out!)... and I thought, of all the people to do that, I should do that!

And so, a couple years ago, I told my honey-man,
"After we get married, I'm gunna do that!"
And so, I did! Some child out there somewhere is going to be wandering around wearing a wig made of my hair!
It's true, I could have had kept my hair in a short bob, as it was long enough after cutting off a foot-long ponytail of hair for donation, but I told my hairstylist (the same who styled my wedding updo) that she could do with me whatever she pleased, which made her so happy!

And lucky for me, I love the results!

P.S. Just before boarding the plane at LAX for Dublin, about to leave on our honeymoon, I called my hairdresser to make my appointment for the same day we were to return to Vegas, just to be sure I wouldn't chicken out!

The Exact Count

September 8th, there were NINETY-EIGHT bobby pins in my hair that morning! This shot was taken less than 3 minutes before the Bridal Processional, when my friend Shelan called to wish us her best, not at all expecting me to answer the call - - Ryan, mah 'Man of Honor' (rather than a Maid of Honor) answered it for me and kindly held it to my ear, as I had my hands full with my wedding dress skirting!

Sarry, Ye' Kahn't Hav'That

We've been giv'n o' listah aye'tems we're naht ahlowed tah take on tah'tha plane, 'n' listed amongst summa-dose listed aye'tems...

No Harpoons nor any Spear Guns (big surprise!)
No Axes or Hatchets (we'll juhhst hav'tah forego gettin' we're owyn firewood)
No Meat Clevers (good to know - - I 'adn't been sure on dat one!)
No Hurley Sticks and No Cricket Bats neither
No Catapults (ahh, shoot!)
and Absolutely NO Kilt Pins (yer just gunna hav'tah risk a frontal flash, mah hubby honey-man!)

We're Officially Hitched!

WE GOT MARRIED ON SATURDAY! and it was WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL!
We haven't yet seen all the real-deal photographs from the big day, but here are a few of my own taken before the big event... our arbour and table flowers, and a "before my big updo" shot...

Post-nuptials, back in our home, chillin' with some of our family before gathering for dinner, we let my hair down, literally, and all these had been in my hair!

3 Days Until The 'Big Day'

I'm home from work today - - doing French homework right now (well, blogging right now) for my 11:30am class, and have updated my things-to-do list for this afternoon. Gots LOTS to do today for our WEDDING on SATURDAY! Yes, it's this next Saturday!?!

So far, so good, everything that had been soooo out of place at so close a time to our wedding date has been settled: #1, I called to pick up my wedding dress after its cleaning and pressing, to be told it couldn't be found (not something anyone should ever tell a bride-to-be unless they're absolutely sure the damn thing's gone forever), but after 3 more calls and a internally panicking trip straight to the store, it was found; #2, our dear friend from Glendale, CA, who'd applied for a temporary Clark Co. officiator's license was denied just 2 weeks before the wedding, but now, we have a very willing and gracious local minister, a friend of a friend, who has volunteered to stand in as the required legal officiant for our marital contract, thereby, allowing our friend to resume his original post; #3, I found out the only to-attend member of my mother's family had decided she and her husband weren't coming, but in trying to convince her to change her mind and realizing she was not budging, despite loads of logical and emotional argument, I burst into tears and the tears wound up sealing the deal = she's coming; and then #4, I found out we'd lost her husband already, who'd gone ahead and made loads of new can't-be-cancelled plans, after their not-going-to-the-wedding decision, and thereby, we also lost our photographer just one week before the wedding [SIDE NOTE: My first wedding, my uncle took some of the best pictures we had had of the whole lot, so I'd been really excited to have him work his magic again, this second time around.], but my resourceful honey-man scored us a professional wedding photographer in less than a couple days, and without the outrageous Vegas Wedding photographer's pricing. OHHH! And up until today, we weren't entirely sure whether we'd get to go or not, on our honeymoon to Ireland!! Not until my honey-man got his hands on his newly, finally issued Canadian Passport!

Much elated cheering and hooting and hollering the last couple days, let me tell ya.

Okay, so there's the update! Now I gotta get back to my French workbook, so I can leave in 30 min.

One of a Kind

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 0 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

I got this one from Kati ~

The Most Interesting Version Thus Far

This is fantastic - I LOVE IT!!! I so, so, so LOVE it!
And it's especially funny right now, as we're still working to finalize our wedding music... I'd thought I'd heard every version there is of Pachabel's 'Canon in D.' In fact, I've listened to over 150 different audio clips of the tune, and that's NO exaggeration - - try the search for 'Canon in D' on iTunes! Just try it!

Although this is definitely the most interesting version I've found thus far, I don't think this one will make the cut for our wedding mix, even if it did make me cry (I'm such a freakin' sap).

That's All!?!

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Like a Record, Baby

This morning on the way to work, I found myself stopped at the usual way-forever-long intersection light on the only road to work that spans across SEVEN lanes of ONE-WAY traffic, but today, despite having been caught at the longest and very last light before I can turn into my place of work, I was juhhhst fine with it because it meant I now had more time to bop around in my car, singing along to the lyrics of the most infectious "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" by Dead or Alive, playing on Jack FM radio at the time [SIDE NOTE: I was taking a much needed break from NPR this morning].

So, I'm boppin' away in my car, enough to make the car shake, and beside me on my right, there's a large, metallic charcoal colored Chevy Surburban which also seems to be shaking, but I can't tell if it's me or if it's them, so I stop my own bopping long enough to glance over and do a double-take at the apparently gyrating driver. Although I can't hear her, she appears to be signing at the top of her lungs, "...right round, baby, right round, like a record baby, right round, round, round...", as I am singing the very same words. And so I laugh and face forward, still laughing, to then realize that 2 cars ahead of me and one lane over to my left, another car is shaking to the same beat. I laugh some more to then look directly left, one car up and 2 lanes over, and there's some dude in an old rusty, burgundy colored Buick, sunk low in his drivers seat, vigorously boppin' his head up and down and all around, singing the same chorus in synch with both me and the Suburban chicky.

I love it!

I Think I Might Be Tired

You know what I just did?

Knowing I'd be staying late at work tonight, I went back into the Front Office to top off my travel coffee mug. Now, I always get my creamer first, and so, with the THREE POUND bulk creamer container's lid in hand, I grabbed for the "community scooping creamer spoon" from inside the creamer container and began my scooping. Then, placing the creamer lid on the counter, I grabbed the coffee carafe for my top off and returned it to the burner once done. Then, bending to my left to toss the creamer spoon back into the creamer container, while at the same time grabbing for my mug's lid to then make my move to secure it, something went wrong...

I turn to look (as if I couldn't FEEL what was wrong!) and see that I have set the bright red, VERY LARGE creamer container's lid atop my travel coffee mug...

Playin' Wit Dah Boyz

My honey-man is venturing out on his own tonight...well, not all alone; just without me. Yes, for the first time in many, many months, he's finally gunna go spend some 'guy time' with some friends [SEMI-RELATED TANGENT: Guys out there, it's so not my fault! I have encouraged (more like begged) him to go anywhere without me, but he just don't want to... He moved to Vegas and has had lots of work to do, and a need to spend time with the angel boy-O, and he likes spending his free time with me too! END OF TANGENT.], however, [drumroll puhleeze] tonight, he's going out for his impromptu bachelor's party!

A moment ago, he called me at work to tell me I didn't have to try and make it home before he'd leave at 6 o' clock. I then tried playfully to get into the role of the suspicious, jealous bride-to-be, pretending to guilt him, that he just didn't want to have to see me right before going out on his last ditch effort to sin freely or whatever - - I failed miserably at trying to guilt him, in that I'm just not a guilting type of gal, nor am I the jealous type, and he knows it. I didn't fool him for a second. And anyhow, I've already overheard him on two occasions explicitly threaten his Best Man to the ninth degree, that he has ZERO aspirations regarding any desired exposure to strippers, lap dances, strip clubs or anything of the like. He's a good boy.

And I'm gunna marry him, two weeks from tomorrow!?! YAY!

Distraction, Deeelivered!

Okay, so here it tis' - - Our latest distraction in life!

E.T. has come to live with us the next few days!!!
[that's how it looks and feels to me]

The builder of our home apparently made some repeat boo-boo's, all to be fixed amongst the many structures already built, including ours. This stuff should be up until possibly Saturday. The change is an amusing one thus far [SIDE NOTE: Well it was amusing initially for my honey-man, yes, but not after they began actually doing the work to be done, while he's at home trying to get his own work done.], thanks to all the protective plastic they've hung up (what a nifty gadget they used to hang it! I sooo want one!), protecting our main floor from drywall dust...
Otherwise, I'd be throwing GARGANTUAN fits!! - or, well, I'd be really perturbed!

One lil' downer is that the kitchen, including the fridge, is totally inaccessible until this work is done - - I mean, until E.T. finally goes home...

And we can't use the garage either...