Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Grace in Small Things 251:365

1. the Sox have officially clinched their playoff berth. or, well, the Angels clinched it for them by beating the Rangers. in any case, i woke to learn that the Sox are in & a champagne celebration is in order. mimosas for everyone!

2. a huge grey crane hunting for his breakfast in the pond.

3. piano solos when your brain wants music but would rather not have the over-stimulation of words.

4. cooler weather! my a/c is off. my windows are open. i've been waiting for this day since the end of May.

5. heading to bed early (for me).


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I Want Wednesday: September 30, 2009

**Target has these adorable Autumn bathroom hand towels out right now. the one I Want isn't pictured here & i forgot to snap a pic of it when i was there but it has the pumpkin on the red background like the leaf shown here.


**I Want to replenish my stash of See's. it's been far too long since i had a box of this goodness to pick an after-dinner treat from.


**there's no way i actually need another Sox tee, but I Want this one anyway.

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Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Grace in Small Things 250:365

1. it was 70 degrees when i left for work this morning. SEVENTY! which feels a heck of a lot better than 78 at 7:30am.

2. this comment that Cyn left on Ted's Facebook page:
My favorite line from last night. We're all running up to get under cover when it started to rain and I hear these two guys behind me. One says "We should leave now" and the other says "Why? If they start up again, we're only 6 runs behind" to which his friend replies, "I hate Red Sox fans. Everyone else says 'Ugh! We're six runs behind!' You guys say 'We're ONLY six runs behind!'".

3. and this quote from the Grey's Anatomy writers' blog, on the post about the season premiere:
Growing up is crazy hard. Friends get sick and friends die and marriages begin and end. It’s so complicated and so beautiful and so painful and the best any of us can hope for, I think, is to have friends who will stick by us and laugh with us and cry with us and just be with us through it all.

4. somehow, without counting in advance, i managed to cut exactly the same number of cheese cubes as Wheat Thins i grabbed in a handful & shoved into a baggie this morning. i am clearly brilliant! it's those little victories, i tell you. ;-)

5. comment moderation. =P

BONUS: late-inning comeback attempt for the Sox. loss or not. it was good to be reminded that they *can* actually still hit the ball & bring in runs.


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turning it around.

Valerie was busy handing out awards today. with one of them came the requisite "share seven things your readers don't know & then pass it along" deal. well, my blogging community is very similar to Valerie's & i would just be duplicating what she's already done, so i'm going to just say "thank you, Valerie!" and leave it at that.

that other part, well... nearly five years into blogging, i can't even think of anything that you don't already know because i've shared it here (at least all that i'm willing to share, anyway) but i have no doubt that i'm not thinking of *everything*. so... rather than strain my brain trying to dig up tidbits i think will be new, i'm going to continue to break The Standard Award Rules & turn it around on all of you:

what do you want to know?

this is your chance to ask questions. every so often, i open up the floor to my wonderful readers & allow you to direct the show. (within reason. remember, i retain final veto power on what i won't discuss here. /disclaimer) what have you wondered upon visiting here but never asked? i know that i've gained some new folks since the last time i handed you all the reins, so maybe there's something i covered in the past that you missed out on. (there are a LOT of archives, no way do i expect anyone to sift through all that!)

ok, this is your chance, have at it. i'll let you pose questions til... Friday. and then i'll get on answering them!

ready...?
GO!

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Monday, September 28, 2009

Grace in Small Things 249:365

1. a really awesome comment left by one of my favorite fellow Sox fans. that comment made me smile. a lot.

2. watched the season premiere of Dexter tonight. so excited because this season looks like it's going to be another great one! John Lithgow looks like he is going to be a fantastic addition to the show.

3. the weather people on the news keep saying things like "cool front" (relatively speaking, of course), "80s" and "lower humidity," all of which is making it difficult for me to refrain from kissing my tv.

4. the sweet-spicy fragrance of Autumn-scented candles.

5. the Rangers are losing as i head to bed. if the Angels hold on (and it sure does look like they will), the "magic number" for the Sox is one. and then, if they win behind Clay Buchholz on Tuesday, they clinch the Wild Card.


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Sunday, September 27, 2009

Grace in Small Things 248:365

1. today is my mother's birthday. it's pretty impossible not to be grateful for that when without it, i wouldn't exist.

(June 10, 2006)

2. look!! look at this forecast!!


3. i got some incredibly good news from a family member today.

4. and also from a friend.

5. i am not at liberty to divulge said good news, but that feeling of practically bursting from happiness for the news-bearers is a deliciously joyful feeling.


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Saturday, September 26, 2009

Grace in Small Things 247:365

1. i got to meet Brandi! and she is every bit as sweet & awesome in person as she is online.

also? i swear we did not pre-coordinate our clothing for a photo op. it's just great minds, people!

2. and she brought me a present (which i still say was totally unnecessary but *completely* appreciated): i have a whole jar of Yankee Candle Lakeside Birch to enjoy now!

3. went to see Love Happens which was absolutely a chick flick but was actually pretty good too. sometimes you just need a chick flick.

4. Target. how can you not love that store? every time i go in there, i see so many things i want...

5. the season premiere of Grey's which was really good. i missed my "friends" in Seattle.


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Fringe: Season Two, Episode Two "Night of Desirable Objects"

times i jumped nearly out of my skin: 1
things that left me wondering: 4
laugh-out-loud Walter moments: 3
scenes i hid behind my blankie peering around a corner: 6

if you watch Fringe & you haven't watched this week's episode yet, you probably want to stop here.

---------------------------------

this show frequently scares the bejeezus out of me. i still can't stop watching it though, so i've taken to watching it during daylight hours, because i've learned that i need to not sleep for many several hours afterward if i want to avoid nightmares that wake me up in a cold sweat & with my heart pounding in my ears. so i watched this morning with my blanket close at hand. you know, because i need to have it at the ready to hide all but the corner of one eye behind when the action intensifies...or the music indicates the potential for something creepy to occur.

this episode, that included when:
1. the construction worker went investigating in the corn field.
2. the creature was scuffling around underground.
3. Olivia was in Hughes' farmhouse lab & heard breathing.
4. Golightly was curiously watching the blue glow approaching his car.
5. Hughes was preparing to hang himself (i *hate* hanging scenes; they skeeve me out horribly).
6. Olivia got yanked into the hole--which also qualifies as the time i jumped so high, i believe i was fully airborne.

it's good that they temper the show with comic relief, in the character of Walter, during which my heart rate can return to normal. like when Walter:
1. said "Well, we're all victims of our own gene pool. Someone must have peed in yours."
2. was in the corn field doing his little little jig of delight over all the possibilities.
3. told Peter he planned to use the bathroom in 23 minutes & would need help unzipping his fly because his hand was numb from some unidentified goo.

i'm also left wondering:
1. *what* is the deal with the typewriter room? where does that mirror connect to? who is on the other end of it?
2. "Charlie." are they going to figure him out in time? why does he look like he's in pain? was it from being shot at or is something else going on?
3. Olivia's advanced hearing & who is Sam? has he been to an alternate universe too? what will he do to "put Olivia back together" & help her with these side effects? and what other side effects are there, in addition to the increased sense of hearing & these headaches that are supposedly "coming?"
4. who else has been in an alternate universe? Nina Sharp, we assume? what about Walter? and Peter (at some point, at least once, if we are thinking that is where he originated)? and the "shape-shifter Charlie?" do they all suffer side effects? we are led to believe Nina possibly did, if she knows about Sam. what about the others?

man, this show makes my brain work overtime. which is precisely why i can't watch it before bed. i can't just forget about it in a half hour, so heading off to dreamland with it still fresh in my head...bad idea.

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Friday, September 25, 2009

Grace in Small Things 246:365

1. my Autumn iGoogle homepage theme.


2. the patter of rain on the roof.

3. counting down to things you're looking forward to.

4. when it feels like the weekend arrives just in the nick of time.

5. getting a good deal on a magazine subscription renewal.


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Friday 5: September 25, 2009



Getting to Know You

1. What are the titles of the last three books you read all of?
America Alone (Mark Steyn). The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (Stephen King). Mixed Blessings (Danielle Steel).

2. What are the titles of between three and five magazines you subscribe to or used to subscribe to?
Real Simple. Every Day with Rachael Ray. Redbook. Good Housekeeping. Better Homes & Gardens. (all current subscriptions)

3. What’s on your night table?
lamp. alarm clock. telephone. coaster. a bottle of Vanilla Bean Noel lotion. some deep moisturizing foot cream. two photos.

4. What are the three best things that happened to you in the past seven days?
my vacation plans fell into place. new tv started up again. the weekend arrived.

5. What was your senior yearbook quote, and what would your yearbook quote be this year if there were such a thing?
i haven't even the first clue where my yearbooks even are, and even less of an idea of what my senior quote was, though i am sure it was something appropriately cheesy. i think that now it would be: "As I grow to understand life less and less, I learn to love it more and more." (Jules Renard)

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Thursday, September 24, 2009

Grace in Small Things 245:365

1. this magazine cover makes me so.happy.


2. there is new Grey's on my DVR right now. just waiting to be watched.

3. i've been reading some really great blog posts lately. (you can see posts i deem to be share-worthy over in the right-hand sidebar, anytime!)

4. the way the sun shines through the clouds, making them glow golden, with sunlight streaming through the gaps.

5. the Sox ended up splitting with the Royals. normally not something to be proud of when you're making a bid for a playoff berth & you drop two games to a struggling team like the Royals, but a) one of those losses was to the rightful Cy Young winner, Zack Greinke, and b) the Royals, regardless of their overall performance in the standings, regularly embarrass the Sox & are one of only three teams to own an all-time winning record against the Sox. i'm just happy that we didn't get swept.


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Ten on Tuesday: September 24, 2009


(i know it's Thursday. i forgot. oops!)

10 Things You Need to Plan For

1. my next blog header
2. my vacation in November
3. my plan of attack for Epcot's Food & Wine Festival
4. finding a good photo for my Christmas cards
5. some upcoming blog posts
6. Christmas gifts
7. my 2010 (!!) budget
8. finalize my menu for next week
9. my grocery list
10. getting my apartment decorated for Halloween

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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Grace in Small Things 244:365

1. a bit of sparkly eye makeup. just because.

2. "You Save Me" by Kenny Chesney.

3. an overcast misty morning, without the fierce glare from the sun, making all the colors & landscape soft & muted.

4. feeling the spark of creativity.

5. Sean Casey in the NESN booth. if Remy announced his retirement, my first wish would be to have Sean Casey be his successor; he has been, hands down, my favorite Remy fill-in this season. he makes me laugh, sure, but what i really love is how thrilled he is. he isn't jaded or disinterested, just brings this childlike joy & wonder with him, still loving the game of baseball, even after a full career in it.


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I Want Wednesday: September 23, 2009

about a month ago, K started doing these weekly "I Want Wednesday" posts. i've been mulling over getting a few regular weekly posts into rotation on my blog, in between all the random drivel, especially now that i am in the home strecth of my Grace in Small Things challenge. i will admit that i loved the way the Grace posts made me really observe the details of my life that are so easily overlooked & i am very glad that i participated, but my regular-style posting has also taken a considerable hit. i'm looking foward to when i'm not composing daily posts of a specific nature, to be honest. but i do like the "predictable structure" of regularly-scheduled recurring posts (sort of along the lines of my monthly Snapshot posts) as well. i have some other ideas cooking, but they likely won't debut until the Grace posts conclude (try not to hold your breath, though i know it's tempting--heh!), however i felt compelled to get this one off the ground because wow! so many fun things out there that i'm discovering! mostly they are "pipe dreams" but i think it will be fun to look back & see what goodies caught my eye as time passes! (ok fine, fun for me, but that's really what we're all about here, no?)

and now without further delay (ahem. quiet in the Peanut Gallery.)...

I Want Wednesday presents:

**Shutterfly recently released their new holiday greeting card designs for 2009. i know it's still really early, but i had to browse just a bit. get some ideas churning in my head, see what kind of photo i can scare up for my cards this year & then somehow manage to choose a design to suit it! so.many.fun.options. brain.may.explode. but for just a passing moment, I Want to live in Boston, just so i can use this one! (with my own photo of course.):


**I Want to stock up on new Autumn Yankee Candle scents.

(top: Be Thankful, Almond Cookie, Autumn Fruit. middle: Lakeside Birch, Boo!, Vanilla Pumpkin. bottom: Moonlight Harvest, Farmers Market, MacIntosh Spice.)

**i think these little purses in the Japan pavilion in Epcot are so happy & cute! I Want one...but i don't know if i like the light pink one better or the darker pinkish-red...


**I Want this shirt from Disney because it makes me laugh.

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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Grace in Small Things 243:365

1. waking up to the news that the Yankees lost.

2. it's the first day of Autumn!! which means even if it isn't cool here *yet*, at least i know it's coming.

3. some good news for my friend Heather. i love when my friends get news that makes them happy.

4. watching new episodes of Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother.

5. de-cluttering my Google Reader. ;-)


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Monday, September 21, 2009

Grace in Small Things 242:365

1. there are vacation plans in the works.

2. Nichole is blogging again! =) even though i can chat with her via email or text, blogging is different. and i'm glad she's started it up again after a crazy Summer.

3. i saw my DVR recording new tv shows tonight!

4. my favorite blankie on my couch smells Bounce fresh & is super soft again.

5. it is the very last day of Summer.


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Sunday, September 20, 2009

Grace in Small Things 241:365

1. coming in "under budget" for the week. i *love* when that happens!

2. Autumn colors. they are popping up all over the stores now.

3. i have to admit i kind of feel bad beating up on the Orioles (a team i have no ill feelings toward, even though we share a division) but a sweep while we're still hot on the heels of the Yankees for the division? hooray!

4. and the Yankees obliged by losing today.

5. as did the Rangers, which helps to pad our Wild Card lead.


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Saturday, September 19, 2009

Grace in Small Things 240:365

1. some new reddish-brown highlights mixed in for something a little different.

2. receiving an important package in the mail that made me smile.

3. a quick catnap in a cozy spot.

4. collecting some new recipes to consider.

5. de-cluttering.


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Friday, September 18, 2009

Grace in Small Things 239:365

1. photos capturing baby yawns.

2. sharing in Google Reader.

3. direct deposit.

4. JayBay hitting a home run despite battling the flu. (why haven't we worked a deal with him yet??)

5. the invention of the Crock Pot.


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Thursday, September 17, 2009

Grace in Small Things 238:365

1. i got a box in the mail today. Grey's Anatomy Season Five & Private Practice Season Two that i pre-ordered from Amazon a couple of months ago!

2. Redbook October in the mailbox.

3. new Fringe!!! i haven't watched yet--the Sox were on--but i saw the DVR recording!

4. even though the Sox lost last night, Beckett is looking like he's getting into form again. and given the date, i am both pleased & very relieved.

5. my bed.


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i was on the right track anyway.

following the Patriots stunning late-game win on Monday Night Football, i was convinced that Boston sports would do its very best to kill me with a Matsuzaka start the following evening. i was half right. just a day early in my fears.

the sports gods took pity on me after that Patriots heart attack special, possessing Dice's body & sparing me from a complete cardiac shutdown. their good graces did not come cheap, though, and i paid a steep price for them *Wednesday* night instead.

make no mistake. i didn't think Paul Byrd's start would be a picnic. but when we tied the game late at 7, following an uncharacteristic lack of hustle from The Cap'n when a ball got away, allowing the likes of Vlad to go first-to-third, well... let's just say i may have frowned a bit. (i still love him though.) (oops. tangent.)

anyway, we tied the game. then the Angels scored again to take a one-run lead. (i may have proclaimed the game over here.) then the Sox came to the plate, bottom of the ninth, made two quick outs (i may have been pointing out that i "called it" at this time, i'm not proud of it but in my defense, i was getting deliriously tired)...

...and then, all hell broke loose. Papi drew a four-pitch walk & Gathright came in to run for him. what should have been a JD Drew force out ended up as both runners safe. i howled in ridicule at Tito's insanity for putting Jed Lowrie in as a pinch hitter--and was promptly reminded why i don't get paid to make those decisions when he somehow singled & bases were loaded.

Tito decided to mess with my head *again* by putting Nick Green at the plate* where, thanks to an abnormal showing of discipline, he managed to *not* swing at every pitch. down two swinging strikes (of course--and yes, i did say he would end the game striking out, fine, whatever, shoot me), he held off on Ball One, fouled off about a million (ok, three. it felt like forever though.) pitches before taking Ball Two, got a check-swing likely gifted to him (it was *really* close and i'm still not sure he held up, but that's thankfully not my job to determine) and then was given a walk on a ball i am all but *certain* was a low strike, to walk in the tying run. (i was kinda right about him striking out, but the umps didn't agree with me--and who am i to look a gift horse in the mouth?)

let me stop right here for a minute. i am the first to roll my eyes with considerable exaggeration at Mike Scioscia's all-too-frequent protests to calls made in a game (and no, not just against the Sox) (lest you think i am being biased) (and no, i don't have any ill feelings toward the Angels at all, unlike many Sox fans), but he did have one--and possibly two--valid complaints in that at-bat. i fully acknowledge that. (though it's hard to take him seriously when he argues several times per game, especially about things like Mike Lowell *falling* in front of the catcher after an ugly awkward hack at a ball & saying that he was interfering with Napoli throwing out the runner--the guy was FALLING. i digress.) but...BUT! there is no way that i am going to say i don't want my team to win. (barring cheating. and poor umpiring cannot be blamed on the Sox, sorry.) i'm not ashamed to admit that. ::shrugs::

back to the game.

Alex Gonzalez. he who is known for the glove-work & not so much the stuff at the plate (how many times can we say this, i wonder, when he's done nothing but prove this notion silly...?) somehow manages, with two strikes against him, to drop a soft fly ball in left field. now i have to say, if i'm Mike Scioscia, i may be a little perturbed with the umpiring, but there comes a point when you have concede that it's out of your control, even if your argument holds water. what i would be LIVID about is what happened after that soft flay ball that i am not certain wouldn't have been caught had Juan Rivera not BJ-Upton'd it. i mean, not even a dive. he just watched it fall right in front of him. i was stunned. i know you have to be ripping mad that your opponent just tied the game on some questionable umpiring but HELLO!! why wouldn't you do your damnedest after that to catch that ball, end the inning, and give your team a shot to win in extra frames?! it's one thing for the officials to give away an out & quite another to do it to yourself.

and there i sat, eyes struggling to stay open as i watched the unthinkable occur on my tv, heart pounding, adrenaline surging, in complete disbelief that the Sox just pulled off a small ball, ninth inning, two out, two strike victory. if that's not playoff-caliber ball, i can't imagine what is.

and now the Sox sit pretty with a seven-game win streak (won eight of their last ten) with 18 games left to go in the regular season & Josh Beckett taking the mound tonight, after looking much more like himself in his last outing. here are the Sox, picking a prime time to get fired up as the calendar threatens to flip to October do-or-die time. (although, as my brother so aptly pointed out on Facebook this morning, i'm not sure it's a good thing that we've given the Angels even more blood lust for the ALDS. i have a healthy respect for them, no matter what the history books say about the Angels playing the Sox in the post season.)**

i cannot even wrap my feeble brain around what my two Boston sports teams have pulled off in the last few days. all i can do is hold on for the ride. i live for this...even though i swear its goal is ultimately to kill me!

*i read this morning, on Twitter, that Green said he was fighting for his life with a dead right leg that he hadn't told anyone about. Nearly collapsed couple times. and also that he said "I almost collapsed every single swing, and almost collapsed walking down to first, and almost collapsed when I was leading off." which just makes that whole turn of events even more mind-boggling to me.

**sorry about all the parentheses.

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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Grace in Small Things 237:365

1. Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are"

2. getting frustrated with my hair in the morning & then remembering i have an appointment for Saturday morning.

3. the Sox game didn't kill me despite it's best efforts.

4. Alex Gonzalez, the defensive wizard, the player we picked up for his glove, spawning comments from Tom Caron like: "You put up with his fielding to get these kind of offensive numbers." in regard to Alex's .299 average & major clutch performance since returning to Boston.

5. holy crap, the Sox won that game?!


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i guess i should have been more specific.

i know that i complained that people don't use their signals & that they really ought to use them more. i didn't think i needed to spell it out. but using your left turn signal when you're turning right isn't really what i had in mind.

i wish i were making this up. we're reaching new levels of stupidity every day. =P

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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Grace in Small Things 236:365

1. the scratch & sniff pages in the Yankee Candle catalog.

2. there's just something peaceful about watching horses graze on green grass under the shade of a tree.

3. October Good Housekeeping! hoping there are some yummy Autumn tidbits upon which to feast my eyes.

4. feeling safe & secure.

5. Matsuzaka did not have the outing i feared. he was actually, dare i say, good.


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add this to the list of reasons why i hate that the MLB & NFL seasons overlap.

the Patriots tried to kill me last night.

shoddy defense.
Tom Brady looking decidely rusty, uncomfortable & out of rhythm, culminating in an interception.
a missed field goal from a kicker who rarely does.
down 24-13 with 3 minutes left in the game.

and then suddenly.

a touchdown.
a fumble recovery on the kickoff return.
another touchdown.
a defense that... well... managed to run out the clock anyway.

and the Patriots pull off a victory uglier that Steve Buscemi?
ummm...what??

and then i exhaled. and also swallowed my heart.

now tonight, we get the magical mystical highly-anticipated terrifying return of Matsuzaka to the mound. against the Angels. a team that can certainly hit. and also run circles around the diamond. especially if Dice performs his patented nibble-nibble-nibble routine to the outcome of loaded bases & no outs. (i swear if he could, he would stack 'em two deep on each base.)

i'm pretty sure my heart can't take this kind of sports-induced trauma two nights in a row.

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Monday, September 14, 2009

Grace in Small Things 235:265

1. the San Diego Zoo Panda Cam that Michelle & i check repeatedly throughout the day. because i ask you: what's cuter than a fuzzy little baby panda??

2. Alison's birthday. and with some people, the blessing of another birthday just feels that much more precious...


3. a dinner that you've really looked forward to all day.

4. a thoughtful gesture from a friend. it really is the thought that counts.

5. oh. my. Lord. even after they ran their best drive of the game for a late touchdown, i pretty much wrote the Patriots off. and the second i did, they recovered a kickoff return fumble, took over control of the ball, scored another lightning-fast touchdown for the one-point lead, the suspect defense managed to protect it, and they totally proved me wrong. it was about the ugliest win i can recall, but it was a win nonetheless.


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Sunday, September 13, 2009

Grace in Small Things 234:365

1. curling up for an afternoon nap between Sox games with football on my tv & rain tapping on the window.

2. the Sox have officially swept an entire three-game series in under 24 hours. absolute craziness!

3. i have had sports of one variety or another on my tv all day. yes, this is my version of heaven. yes, i am really a girl.

4. having friends who are willing to run "special mission" errands for you. ;-)

5. *love* this quote:
"Home is any four walls that enclose the right person."
(Helen Rowland)


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Saturday, September 12, 2009

Grace in Small Things 233:365

1. waking up listening to the rain falling gently on the roof.

2. fulfilled a milkshake craving.

3. couldn't decide between mocha & vanilla, i got both. love that Steak N Shake does side-by-side shakes!

4. Starfruit & Orange scented Yankee Candle.

5. Josh Beckett pitched a complete game win. and no i do not care that the game only went one out into the sixth inning before being rained out & called an official game.


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Friday, September 11, 2009

Grace in Small Things 232:365

1. i love that my friends can put me in such a good mood just by being awesome to each other.

2. sun showers. or, well, i guess sun monsoon would be more accurate. only in Florida!

3. a random compliment from the kid working checkout at the grocery store.

4. spending the day getting Lil Foot's Mommy all hyped up for her trip to Fenway this weekend. in case she wasn't quite excited enough. ;-)

5. ahhhh... hello weekend.


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Thursday, September 10, 2009

Grace in Small Things 231:365

1. October Real Simple! and it's a nice thick issue too.

2. my meatloaf recipe which i personally think is the best one ever. and the fact that making it lets me pretend that it's Autumn here too. ;-)

3. NFL Opening Night. on a night the Sox are off. perfect timing!

4. the tv sleep timer.

5. girl talk.


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excuse me?

this morning, as i turned into the driveway for work, i was behind a truck from our local electric company. it appears he was stopping to do a meter reading.

(let me interject here that we have six parking spaces in front of the main office building. three of them were occupied. the remaining three spaces were in one group between two of the parked vehicles.)

he pulls in to park and...

proceeds to park DIAGONALLY.

across. all. three. available. spaces.

i sat there, in the driveway, wearing an expression that i can only say felt like bewilderment crossed with disbelief. (you know, since i couldn't actually see my face to verify that's what it looked like as well.)

oh but it gets better.

as i sat there, slack-jawed, eyes bugging out of my head, he looked at me. i tilted my head, indicating his parking selection inquisitively. he started to walk away, toward the meters, i assume. i felt my eyes widen as my eyebrows smacked into my hairline, they shot up so violently.

and then. oh *then*.

he rolled his eyes at me, did this full-body shudder of disgust, AND HUFFED HIS WAY BACK OVER TO HIS TRUCK. because heaven forbid he actually have to park considerately at a place of business. how *dare* i be so demanding as to inconvenience him by needing to park my car?! i have some nerve, wanting to park where i work & thinking getting into my job could possibly be as important as what he was doing.

he kind of made me hope he'd step on a fire ant hill or walk through a stray spider web.

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Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Grace in Small Things 230:365

1. i made the cut. twice. ;-)

2. i solved a little mystery. i love when i get to the bottom of a problem!

3. emails that make me laugh. right out loud. at my desk.

4. this little Mike Lowell quote: "I’m expecting to, absolutely," said Lowell when asked if he was going to show marked improvement physically by next February. "I’ll be flying, like Jacoby [Ellsbury]."

5. October issue of Everyday With Rachael Ray. (yay! October! Autumn! it's really coming!)


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pass the popcorn.

i got this from somewhere. i forgot to copy the link, like an idiot, so now i can't link it. =/

General
What was the first movie you ever saw in theaters?
it was something Disney. Jungle Book or Lady and the Tramp, maybe?
What was the last movie you saw in theaters? Inglorious Basterds.
What was the best movie you saw in theaters? ever?? my list can't possibly be narrowed down to one.
What was the worst movie you saw in theaters? well, the first one that comes to mind is From Dusk Til Dawn. i *hated* that movie. i also fell asleep during The Matrix.
Who do you like to watch movies with? depends on the kind of movie i'm watching!
What type of movies do you like? drama. comedy. chick flick. action. whatever, as long as it's *good*.
What movie do you most want to see right now? next on the list: Love Happens.
Do you like horror movies? no. or rather... NO! they scare me. and i live alone. and then Things Go Bump in the Night.
What was the last movie you bought? Sex & the City.
What's one movie you can watch over and over again and not get tired of it? Sex & the City. good thing i bought it, huh?

List Your Top 5 Movies (in any order)
1. Sex & the City
2. Father of the Bride (the Steve Martin remake)
3. Ocean's Eleven (the George Clooney-Brad Pitt remake)
4. Fever Pitch
5. Serendipity

About #1
Is this by chance your favorite movie? why yes it is!
When was the last time you watched it? back in June, i think.
Who stars in it? Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon & Chris Noth.
Would you recommend it to others? if you like a good chick flick! otherwise, you'd hate it.
Why is it in your top 5? because i loved the show, but even more, i really identified with parts of this movie.

About #2
Do you own this movie?
sure do.
Where did you first see this movie? in the movie theater. long long time ago.
Could you possibly count how many times you've watched it? not even close. it was my favorite movie before S&TC.
Who stars in it? Kimberly Williams, Steve Martin, Diane Keaton.
What kind of movie is it? romantic comedy.

About #3
Did you go to theaters to see this movie?
yes, i did.
Who did you first watch it with? ya know...i cannot remember. seriously.
When was the last time you watched it? about a year ago-ish?
Who stars in it? OMG! who *doesn't*?? George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Bernie Mac, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Julia Roberts.
Can you watch it over and over again? can & have. also own it.

About #4
Who stars in it?
Drew Barrymore & Jimmy Fallon.
What year was it released? 2005.
What makes you want to watch it? it's about being a Sox fan. do i need to give any further explanation??

About #5
Did you go to theaters to see this movie?
yep.
Where did you first see this movie? somewhere near Abington, Massachusetts.
Why is it in your top 5? i love John Cusack. and much as i hate to admit it, i am a hopeless romantic. (there. are you happy now? =P )
Who did you last watch it with? myself. because i own it.
Who stars in it? John Cusack & Kate Beckinsale.

A Few More Questions About Your Top 5
Which movie did you see most recently #3 or #2?
two.
Which movie have you watched more #4 or #1? one.
Which movie is older #3 or #5? five. by two months.
Which has better cinematography #1 or #2? uhhh... one?
Which movie did you see first, #5 or #4? five.

Out of All Your Top 5
Which one did you see first?
Father of the Bride.
Which ones do you own? all of them.
Which ones did you go to theater to see? all but Fever Pitch.
Which is the oldest of them? Father of the Bride. 1991. the next oldest movie on that list is Serendipity which came out in 2001.
Which is the newest? S&TC.
Which one do you think has the best cinematography? Ocean's Eleven.
Which one do you think has the best overall cast? oh wow...Ocean's Eleven, i guess...
Which one did you watch most recently? S&TC.

In Case Some Didn't Quite Make It, List The Next 10 Runner-ups (in no order)
1. It's a Wonderful Life
2. As Good As It Gets
3. Ever After
4. Major League
5. The Nativity
6. Sleeping Beauty (Disney)
7. The Bourne Identity
8. Jerry Maguire
9. Rear Window
10. The Thomas Crown Affair (Pierce Brosnan & Renee Russo)

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Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Grace in Small Things 229:365

1. short work week. four days. i can make it.

2. discovering that when the Sox are off on Monday, the Patriots will be on Monday Night Football. that's rather convenient. because now i can watch. as much as i enjoy football, ummm, the Sox are in a Wild Card race.

3. learning of an old high school friend's surprise pregnancy. some things aren't up to us. they're just meant to happen.

4. a good old-fashioned beat down by the Sox tonight. (sorry to my Oriole-fan pals. we needed that so badly though.)

5. baby laughter courtesy of Pocklock.


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Monday, September 7, 2009

Grace in Small Things 228:365

1. not working on a Monday.

2. and still getting paid for it.

3. hot dogs & corn on the cob on the grill.

4. watching a couple episodes from Season One of The Big Bang Theory. i'm telling you, that show was funny right from the start.

5. chocolate. and peanut butter. 'nuff said.


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Sunday, September 6, 2009

Grace in Small Things 227:365

1. spontaneous trips to WDW.

2. having a Dole Whip for dinner.

3. seeing Magic Kingdom all decorated for Halloween.

4. traveling light (aka without my camera) & just enjoying being in the park.

5. when they light up Cinderella Castle in a pale blue-white. it's my very favorite of all the colors they use to light the castle & i almost never see it.


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Saturday, September 5, 2009

Grace in Small Things 226:365

1. Jon Lester had a great game.

2. and the Sox won.

3. and the Yankees lost.

4. and the Rays lost.

5. and the Rangers lost.


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Friday, September 4, 2009

Grace in Small Things 225:365

1. long weekends.

2. a cheeseburger from 5 Guys. yum.

3. having a really good day.

4. watching a movie that made me laugh.

5. finding a favorite episode of S&TC on tv while relaxing in bed.


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Thursday, September 3, 2009

Grace in Small Things 224:365

1. a frosted donut from Dunkin Donuts that had little Autumn sprinkles on it.

2. peanut butter M&Ms.

3. seeing two dolphins in the bay under the bridge!

4. the Sox won the game!!!

5. AND the series!!!


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Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Grace in Small Things 223:365

1. my favorite Lowell jersey.

2. a hot dog with sauerkraut at a ball game.

3. seeing the Sox play live!

4. in the really good seats!

5. getting some photos at the game that will make a friend smile.


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who's counting?

not too long ago, i answered a question in another blog post about using turn signals and how it irritates the ever loving snot out of me that people find them optional. on a whim, as i drove home from work yesterday, i counted the number of instances a turn signal should have been used but wasn't. for the sake of perspective, my commute is just under ten miles.

i counted FORTY-ONE instances a signal was not used & should have been, whether changing lanes, making a turn or merging into traffic. and i am certain i didn't see all of them.

seriously.

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catching up: Epcot

some favorites from my last two trips...

































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Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Grace in Small Things 222:365

1. surprises in the mail.

2. seeing an owl swoop from tree to tree. (even though i may or may not have jumped about a foot when he startled me.)

3. being able to laugh at myself.

4. receiving email confirmation that my car registration early renewal did, indeed, go through in time & i am renewed for the next two years at the old rate. i don't have to pay the new (considerably higher) registration amount til 2011 now!

5. the Sox won a game in Tampa! the Sox won a game in Tampa! know what *that* means? there is no way we can get swept this series now. (i don't ask for much.)


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Ten on Tuesday: September 1, 2009



10 Things You Hate About Traveling

1. turbulence. my least favorite part of flying.
2. lost luggage. my biggest fear when it comes to flying.
3. having to take your choes off in the security line. yes, i understand why it must be done. no, i don't want them to stop. but i don't have to like it!
4. delayed or cancelled flights. pretty sure i don't need to explain that one.
5. too-short layovers between flights. i hate feeling like i have no cushion to make my connection.
6. having to determine, days in advance, what the weather will dictate i should wear.
7. luggage fees. seriously. i can understand on oversized, heavy or multiple bags, but i think we should all be allowed one suitcase.
8. that one item you inevitably forget to pack.
9. hotel hair dryers. what a joke.
10. saying goodbye.

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catching up: Magic Kingdom

some favorites from the last time i was there...















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Snapshot from Along the Broken Road: August 2009

photo of me


1) current candle scents:
Vanilla Lime. Honeydew Melon.

2) what i am currently reading:
getting caught up on my magazines, as well as keeping up with the current season in Faithful (Stewart O'Nan and Stephen King).

3) newest music i added my playlist:
"Be Careful" by Brooke White. "Do You Wish It Was Me" by Jason Aldean. "A Beautiful World" by Tim Myers. "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift. "The Best Day" by Taylor Swift. "I Just Call You Mine" by Martina McBride. "Only You Can Love Me This Way" by Keith Urban.

4) movies i saw:
none this month but i do have a couple on my list that i plan to see soon!

5) something yummy i made this month:


6) the last place i ate out:
Macaroni Grill.

7) something that made me cry:
thinking too much.

8) something that made me laugh:
Nick Green coming out to pitch relief for the Sox & cracking up on the mound.

9) something i looked forward to this month:
getting through it? seriously. i've been so burned out.

10) something i am thankful for:
hugs. the really really good kind.

11) something i want to remember about this month:
i underestimate that people that love me. but that's only because i can't understand how they do in the first place.

12) a photo i took this month:
i couldn't choose. i had to pick two. i took a LOT of photos this month!

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