ode to an appliance

DISHWASHER
It is very difficult to try to load someone else's dishwasher; everyone has their own method. Glasses stacked in this row, bowls this way, silverware facing up, down--it's a highly personal thing. The few times someone outside the family has loaded ours, I open it up and am disoriented, dismayed even, to find plates in the wrong slots, bowls on the top (the top?!), and even a skillet crammed in there. It's just too counter-productive and unsettling, even though it is nice of them to try and help.

(excerpt from "Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Mind" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, pg. 88)

if you know me at all, you know that i LOATHE washing dishes. you may also conclude that i have an on-going love affair with my dishwasher--my most favorite appliance *ever*.

what it is about the dishwasher anyway? i don't even like it when ken loads it. it's like i have this map in my mind of where everything goes & why. you can't mess with it. i don't even know how i came to this method of dishwasher-loading but it is just one of the "rules" now. i will actually go in there & rearrange things if someone else puts them in "wrong". i used to think i had issues but this entry confirms that i am not the lone freak on this topic.

this reminds me: time to go UNload this wonderful contraption. because if someone else does & the stuff doesn't get back into its proper home in cabinet or drawer, that will bug me as well. i really ought to make a little legend or tags or something so that there are no excuses for the misplacing of dishes anywhere & then maybe i could NOT do it all myself for once...

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Had to share...

...these amazing photos that my cousin Bob sent me of his trip to Holland & Belgium with his girlfriend Lyne. They are just too gorgeous not to be admired. Bob has always been one of my favorite relatives. He is actually my dad's cousin. He used to come & stay with my grandparents every so often when business brought him to CT from CA. He is just the nicest guy you have ever met & these photos make me so unbelievably happy. =) i hope they brighten up your day as well.

the Zuiderzee Museum


windmill at the Zuiderzee Museum


my cousin Bob & his girlfriend Lyne


Kuekenhof Flower Park


Kuekenhof Flower Park


Kuekenhof Flower Park


Kuekenhof Flower Park



Bob & Lyne at the Flower Park

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can't live without

in no particular order, i "can't live without":

**my computer/internet access
**300+ digital tv channels but i only watch the following: abc, nbc, cbs, fox, espn, tbs, wb, upn, tlc, cmt, the food network
**music with great lyrics
**scrap supplies--even when i don't use them, i need to at least have them close enough to touch
**my camera
**ice cream sandwiches
**my girls!
**unlimited long distance telephone plan
**photos of my sweet Catherine girl
**my man =)
**a warm puppy who will occasionally curl up into me & take a nap when i do
**email conversations while i work
**AOL instant messenger

well i am sure there are a ton more, but i just started my friday off with a smile. think of those things that make your life sweet & do the same. happy friday!!

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filler entry

filler entry till i can get on here tonight hopefully with some time to do better. sorry to disappoint anyone who's checking!

another baseball poster i like at beef o'brady's:

Some American institutions are constructed of brick & mortar.

One, however, was built from leather & pine tar.

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you light up my life

was having a frustrating evening. i hate when i can't make something work. just about at my wit's end & CRANKY. and then i see this face...and melt. baby girl, your mama knows just when i most need a smile i think. thank you for brightening up my night. *kisses for you* see you in 46 more sleeps! =)


sweet sunshine

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baseball & chemistry

as seen on a poster at my local Beef O'Brady's--liked it so here it is:

The effect of bat on ball can be explained by physics.

The effect of baseball on America?

That's chemistry, my friend.

ok so my red sox lost to baltimore last night. it's going to happen. all i know is we're better than .500 so far for the season AND our record beats the boohoo-yankees. life is good. here's to another season of Boston chemistry!

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WHA??!

48 DEGREES THIS MORNING! THAT'S A 4 AND AN 8. IN THE WRONG ORDER IN MY OPINION. HERE. IN FLORIDA. IN LATE APRIL NO LESS.

yes that was yelling. it's flippin' cold this morning. keep it up north huh? i'm not prepared for this...

yep, that's it.
till time allows for more....

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yeah i know

i've been here like 100 times now today & it's only noon. making up for lack of entries late last week i guess. ;-) i promise this one will be a little lighter than the last 2...though likely not as light as today's first little tidbit. lol all over again just remembering those furry beastuses. *grin*

just thought that i would share that it is one of those crystalline days here in the sunshine state. bright sky in that most vibrant shade of blue. brillant sun. crisp breeze. 62 degrees at the most recent check (like 10 seconds ago). brisk like an autumn day in new engalnd, minus the fiery foliage. and a bit too chilly for *this* floridian lol...

i probably shouldn't whine. today's high in detroit so far has been 31 & it's supposed to snow...ha! it's almost MAY! what is up with THAT?!

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you have *got* to be kidding me

first of all, that last entry was all too appropriate. i feel like i've barely sat down here long enough to check email before launching off into errands & activity again. i really do have a load of things i should be doing right this minute but i *am* being semi-productive--there's a load of laundry going as we speak. i do hear my kitchen mocking me though "clean me! clean me! someone is going to think Thing 1 moved in here during the night!" aaaaagghhhhhh!!! say it isn't so! LOL

i really just had to take the opportunity to make some football commentary in april. ;-) any good football fan knows that today is "nfl draft day". i don't pay one bit of attention to college football so i have no clue who any of these kids are. what i DO know is that somehow some arrogant punk named aaron rodgers decided he was worth millions & had somehow deemed himself worthy of naming the price he wanted to go for. i'm told he is talented enough that he should have gone early in the first round but a lot of teams overlooked him due to his demands. he may be a great player but no college kid, not even an nfl rookie yet, has proven himself a superstar that gets to name his own price. not in my book anyway.

and now i have to deal with the fact that my nfc team, my Green Bay Packers, will potentially be one day replacing the time-tested greatness of Brett Favre with this punky little brat. i have acquired this year's recipient of the "eli manning award"...and he's not even an original in his arrogance. he's a wanna-be egotist. i sure hope he proves to be a better investment than eli was for the giants...

*rolling my eyes* kids these days.

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busy

just thought i would share something else from that book i'm reading since i am too busy at the moment to get anything else down here. something to think about & i'll try to be back tonight sometime with something more...

"As kids, our stock answer answer to most every question was nothing. What did you do at school today? Nothing. What's new? Nothing. Then, somewhere on the way to adulthood, we take a 180-degree turn. We cash in our nothing for busy.
I'm starting to think that, like youth, the word nothing is wasted on the young. Maybe we should try reintroducing it into our vernacular. Nothing. I say it a few times and I can feel myself becoming more quiet, decaffeinated. Nothing. Now I am picturing emptiness, a white blanket, a couple ducks gliding on a still pond. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. How did we get so far from it?"

(excerpt from "Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Mind" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, pg. 46)

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randomness

ok so i'm supposed to be working. what can i say? i have a cool job & an even cooler boss (not considered to be sucking up since i am 99.9% sure he wouldn't be reading this lol) so when my work is done (for the moment) i can play online. anyway, i was surfing my favorite blogs this morning. started off on the blog link trail & found myself HERE. i love having little peeks into other people's worlds. i especially love when i find something that inspires me, makes me laugh, or causes me to stop all the pettiness & reflect or really think.

so here's what i came up with to "borrow" from another blog to entertain you, my faithful readers (lol...i feel ridiculous saying that cause i *know* people are reading this but only a few of you have said so! SAY HELLO already darn it! i'm curious who comes here...and who continues to come back...and i don't care if i know you already or not, ok?) so...what was i saying before that last tangent? oh yeah. i found something for my faithful lurkers' entertainment & to give you another glimpse into who i am, whether you know me well or you're just getting to know me here! (special thanks to txtricia who i don't know & who doesn't know me, but she gets the inspiration crown this morning! i'm sure she would be sooo excited. *grin*)

5 THINGS YOU LOVE
5. the smell of orange blossoms
4. sunsets
3. my friends & family & my sweet Catherine girl (my god daughter for anyone who doesn't know)
2. living in the USA
1. my man

5 THINGS YOU HATE
5. people who are mean to kids or animals or the elderly
4. bananas *gag*
3. inconsiderate drivers
2. feeling cold
1. being lied to

5 THINGS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND
sorry! need 6 for this one lol
6. MATH!!
5. why they put bran muffins in the "kitchen sink" ice cream sundae at "Beaches & Cream Soda Shop" on Disney's Boardwalk
4. how anyone can hate Disney World
3. why golf is televised
2. Americans who don't support our troops even if they don't like what they are doing--these people risk their lives everyday to keep us safe at home!
1. terrorist acts

5 THINGS ON YOUR DESK
5. big giant desk calendar that is my "work bible"
4. computer & accessories
3. bottle of water *always*
2. dish full of candy
1. photos of Catherine, Seamus, Tyler & Olivia--all my friends' babies! =)

5 OF YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS
**disclaimer: in no particular order! love you all
5. Andi
4. Gosia
3. Alison
2. Andie
1. Heather

5 THINGS YOU ARE DOING RIGHT NOW
5. thinking about what to put on each of these lists
4. answering the phone as it rings
3. listening to "work noises"
2. trying to decide which of my snacks to break into
1. wondering where the smaller eel on our fishtank just went! i saw him swim up but then he disappeared--and i should mention that he is 18" long so he's kind of hard to miss!

5 NEGATIVE FACTS ABOUT YOU
5. i do not forget as easily as i forgive
4. i am a stubborn pain in the butt
3. i don't have much self-confidence
2. i feel very shy & self-conscious in a crowd--the bigger the crowd, the quieter i get
1. i do not trust anyone very easily--very much the "guilty until proven innocent" kind of theory =(

5 POSITIVE FACTS ABOUT YOU
5. i am unbelievably devoted once you break into my circle of trust
4. i am very low maintenance
3. when i love, i love with everything that i am
2. i can get along with almost anyone
1. i am genuine--what you see is what you get! =)

5 THINGS YOU PLAN TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE
5. get married
4. own a home
3. have a baby
2. become a better photographer (hopefully with a digital camera lol)
1. see all 50 states

5 THINGS YOU CAN'T DO
5. do a cartwheel
4. ride a rollercoaster
3. be confrontational
2. stop myself from crying when i get mad
1. parallel park

THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX THAT TURN YOU ON
6. his voice
5. upper arms
4. a man who looks like he works hard...the pretty boy behind a desk does NOTHING for me!!
3. killer smile
2. ability to hold eye contact
1. unquestionable honesty & sincerity

5 FAVORITE MOVIES
6. Serendipity
5. The Notebook
4. Ocean's Eleven
3. Jerry Maguire
2. Shawshank Redemption
1. As Good As It Gets

NAME 5 THINGS YOU ARE SCARED OF
5. hurricanes
4. bungee jumping
3. needles
2. getting hurt
1. being underwater (when i had just learned to swim, i had an older cousin who held me under, thinking he was funny...wonder how he would feel knowing that that choice has resulted in me feeling claustrophobic at the mere thought of being submerged in water!)

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made me laugh

CAR WASH

Every time I go to my local car wash, the owner peers inside, throws his arms up, and says, "Oh Miss--very dirty. Very, very dirty." I'm sorry. I didn't know I was supposed to bring it in clean.

(excerpt from "Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Mind" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, pg. 50)

Not sure why this strikes me as so funny except that it fits well with my own dry sarcastic dead-pan sense of humor. That & my car needs a bath. Badly. Ha.

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i think this is why i blog

andie was kind enough to still loan me "Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life" when i saw her on saturday even though i was a bonehead & forgot to bring Paul Reiser's "Couplehood" with me to complete our exchange. i've been reading it slowly, just a section or 2 at a time. i would expect to see pieces of it here as what i read strikes me in one way or another--if you're not new to my blog, this doesn't surprise you at all, does it? lol

the section i'm talking about right now is this:

1986

Journal from year in Paris

I think 90 percent of what/who we are is never really

verbally communicated....

I like to write things down--moments, memories, lists, quotes, thoughts.

Compulsively sometimes.

I need to gather all the thoughts that are locked in my head and put them on

paper. Will my memory ever fail me? Maybe that's the precaution I'm taking.

(excerpt from "Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, pg. 15)

i truly believe that this is what drives me to keep this blog, a collection of my thoughts...

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for A & J

those "german" ducks i promised you ;-) lol
have to look carefully as i believe they were trying very hard not to be noticed.
(photo by me!)

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while i'm at it

i also have a couple of Cinderella Castle all sparkled up in honor of the 50th anniversary celebration of CA's Disneyland

cinderella castle decked out for 50th disneyland anniversary celebration (photo by me!)


cinderella castle details (photo by me!)

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small world makeover

as promised: roll of film completed & processed today! here are a few of the new & improved "It's a Small World"...

small world (photo by me!)


small world que (photo by me!)


small world que details (photo by me!)

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only a disney fanatic...

in honor of meeting up with my andie bandie bo bandie and J today over at disney:

which disney mobster are you?

my results:

You are Tigger "The Trigger". Your head is made outa rubber and your bottom is made outa springs. What's up with that? I think that all of your bouncing is just a cover for your secret life as the gunman for the Hundred Acre Wood gang. "Whacking's what Tiggers do best!" You are currently serving as a bodyguard for Winnie the Pooh who is being hunted by Heffalumps and Woozels over a honey "misunderstanding".

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casual fridays ROCK

i love casual friday. love it, love it. i am a girl happy in my levi's. levi's 505 regulars to be exact. mens. 29w 32l. medium blue. classic. i *detest* womens jeans. they either come up to your armpits or feel like they are so low they are going to make me look like a plumber. ;-) or well at least that's the way they fit on me. mens 505s though? PERFECT. snug, not too high, not too low & you can totally control waist & length to the inch. none of that obscure number sizes that no one can determine the meaning of that they call "womens sizes".

today also officially becomes known as Fun Fact Friday too. check out andie's blog!!

fridays are good.
=)

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the 50 question dare: dawn-style

Andie posed the dare in her blog to post these questions & answers that she was dared to do in April's blog so here we are & I pass the challenge along! If you post it in your own blog, let me know!

1. Your name spelled backwards.
nwad

2. Where were your parents born?
both of 'em in Bristol CT, same as me

3. What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer?
"Making Memories of Us" by Keith Urban

4. What's your favorite restaurant?
Venezia in Boston

5. Last time you swam in a pool?
LOL!! when i was about 6. i *hate* swimming.

6. Have you ever been in a school play?
IN it? nope. but i was stage manager with brian our senior year & i think we had more fun than anyone!

7. How many kids do you want?
idealistically? 2 or 3, realistically? let's get to one & then we'll see how much time we have to work with

8. Type of music you dislike most?
techno

9. Are you registered to vote?
yep

10. Do you have cable?
yep

11. Have you ever ridden on a moped?
nope

12. Ever prank call anybody?
well i was on the other line listening while someone else did if that counts

13. Ever get a parking ticket?
no ticket of any sort thank you very much (and now if i am smart i will be watching for FHP on the way home because i most likely just jinxed myself lol)

14. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?
sure...when there's enough ice in hell to go skating ;-)

15. Farthest place you ever traveled.
probably to here. but does that count?

16. Do you have a garden?
i have several plants by my kitchen sink that i am convinced are self maintaining. other than that no.

17. What's your favorite comic strip?
pooch cafe

18. Do you really know all the words to your national anthem?
Yes.

19. Bath or Shower, morning or night?
Shower in the morning...every morning

20. Best movie you've seen in the past month?
The Notebook

21. Favorite pizza topping?
just plain cheese

22. Chips or popcorn?
depends on my mood

23. What color lipstick do you usually wear?
usually just a hint of shimmer called "soft lips" in french vanilla but every once in a while "nutmeg" lip shimmer by Burt's Bees--just a hint of warm color.

24. Have you ever smoked peanut shells?
i've never smoked anything--unless 2nd hand counts

25. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant? BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

26. Orange Juice or apple?
ew...straight unsweetened cranberry only for me thanks

27. Who was the last person you went out to dinner with and where did you dine?
Ken, Ken Sr., Marie, Janet, John, someone whose name i don't remember & Joey...to Carraba's

28. Favorite type chocolate bar?
do reese's pb cups count??

29. When was the last time you voted at the polls?
how awful is it that i don't remember....

30. Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?
couple of summers ago

31. Have you ever won a trophy?
yep

32. Are you a good cook?
yes but those skills go to waste on a daily basis

33. Do you know how to pump your own gas?
yep but i would prefer not to cause i hate when my hands smell like gasoline

34. Ever order an article from an infomercial?
nope lol

35. Sprite or 7-up?
no carbonated beverages for me unless i need a caffeine buzz to not fall asleep at the wheel

36. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to work?
*shudder* don't miss those days one bit

37. Last thing you bought at a pharmacy?
almay intense i-color (eye make up lol)

38. Ever throw up in public? well sort of...i got sick at work once with an intestinal infection & i worked at a sandwich shop at the time. i did however manage to make it into the back room...

39. Would you prefer being a millionaire or find true love?
true love...no contest

40. Do you believe in love at first sight? absolutely

41. Ever call a 1-900 number?
NO

42. Can ex's be friends?
in very rare circumstances i think they can be

43. Who was the last person you visited in a hospital?
my Gram =( figures i missed all the *good* reasons to be in a hospital (as in all my friends who had babies within the last 15 months)

44.did you have a lot of hair when you were a baby?
nope!

45. What message is on your answering machine?
hi we can't get to the phone right now so please leave a message (how creative huh?)

46. What's your all time favorite Saturday Night Live Character?
ummmmmm...i haven't ever really watched it enough to have a favorite. even if it's on, i don't really pay attention to it.

47. What was the name of your first pet?
Squirt (she was a cat & the runt of the litter so she was "a little squirt" lol...i dunno. i was like 2, i didn't name her!)

48. What is in your purse?
everything under the sun. probably jimmy hoffa even. or elvis. i swear you can always fit one more thing in those black holes. just don't try to empty it & put it all back in organized cause it ain't happening!

49. Favorite thing to do before bedtime?
chill out in front of the computer with my favorite IM buddies =)

50. What is one thing you are grateful for today?
awesome friends, great weather & i will be kissing my god daughter's perfect little baby cheeks in less than 2 months!!

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a little sex...

...and the city that is. ;-)
something i wanted to capture before the words escaped my brain.

"and just like that, big's heart had closed again. maybe it would reopen in another 5 years. and maybe it wouldn't. but i realized that that isn't enough. for the first time all week, i didn't cry. life's too short."

amazing, the little nuggets of wisdom we find in the most unexpected places.

back to my spot on the couch for a little more sex. lol...sorry. hope no one's offended by my off hand humor this evening.

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