Saturday, September 19, 2009

The City of Brotherly Love


I just got this post card from my parents whose flight was delayed overnight in Philadelphia. Besides the year or so that I lived there (when Jessica was born), I've never been there...

Monday, July 20, 2009

Nice things!

Last week when I was visiting the Palatine store, I was happily surprised by the sweetest "welcome" sign hanging for me (and Ray, my partner in crime, I mean, my co-worker.)

Then, today another co-worker (thanks Marlena!) surprised me by finding my favorite flavor of Orbit gum (which I look for all the time and can NEVER find anymore!!) If anyone finds packs of Mint Mojito, please let me know pronto!



Sunday, June 21, 2009

Happy Father's Day


I wish I could be with you today Father. I found this old picture that I took of you (circa late 80's?)

Besides how cute you look, I think one of the best things about this picture is this mug...do you still use it? We need to find you a new one with a white beard!

Friday, May 22, 2009

My first week


It has been a great first week at my new job at Lakeshore Learning Materials. I have never felt so welcomed before at a new job!! The picture above was waiting for me and another new employee when we walked in on Monday and has been up all week. Several people have taken me to lunch. We celebrated a birthday with carrot cake that rivaled Publix (I am serious & if you know me at all, you know how I feel about Publix carrot cake!!) Fridays are "snack days" where people alternate as a team to bring in all sorts of goodies to eat. Today one girl brought 4 different quiches that she made herself! Plus, there was doughnuts, mixed fruit, a homemade pasta salad, a homemade casserole (yummy), brownies, etc. THEN...for lunch today there was fried chicken and all the fixin's brought in for everyone for Memorial Day. Yes, this is all in the same day!

One thing I know for sure is that I am going to start working out every day after work. Did I mention how close the office is to me?? 15 minutes!!

I take my first trip in a few weeks to visit a new store opening in....East Cobb!! Yes!! Near Merchant's Walk. How awesome is that? Can you tell I am excited?

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day USA



My Mother is the best. She routinely lets me celebrate Mother's Day later in the month (May 31 or should I say 31 mai?) via Fête des Mères (French Mother's Day!!)

Since she is still waiting for my very thoughtful gifts to arrive in the mail in time for Fête des Mères, I thought I would post some pictures of Mothers...

I took this picture of Mother and Grandma
 in our front yard in Marietta, GA in June 1987 when 
Grandma was visiting for my high school gradulation.


I took this picture of Mémère in a cafe in La Samaritaine
when I was vacationing in Paris with Jessica in July 1981. 

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Opposite Marriage

Just to keep all of you in the know...I copied Wednesday's Word of the Day from urbandictionary.com : opposite marriage

The P.C. way to specify the legal union of a man and a woman, as made popular by Miss California at the 2009 Miss USA pageant.

MISS CALIFORNIA: "We live in a land that you can choose same sex marriage or opposite marriage"

After witnessing some horrible behavior by The Donald, I refuse to watch anything that he is a part of or will profit from, so I did not witness California's great representation of our state the other night in the Miss USA contest. (Although I am being slightly facetious, Prop 8 did pass so she is indeed an example of an average Californian, right?? Uuggh... And no, she's NOT from LA!) If you want to see the video or read more about the whole debacle, click the picture to be linked to the whole report.



So was this another political rant post or a post
making fun of a pageant girl who can't communicate?
(Seriously, "opposite marriage"?)
You decide.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

My trees are blooming...

I love, love, love the red puffy blooms on these trees. I am so lucky and grateful to have one of these luscious trees right in front of my condo.
I think Spring is in the air...

Thanks to everyone who helped me figure out what kind of tree this is! It's a weeping bottlebrush!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Happy Bunny Day!!


Quack, quack!!

Saturday, April 11, 2009

And speaking of calendars...

For Christmas, I gave to my parents and to the Ohio Thomases each a super expensive* calendar of Long Beach that is mostly pictures taken around my part (ahem, the good part) of Long Beach. This way every month they can reminisce about me and places we've been together in the LBC.

When Scott was here, we mimicked the January picture. While my parents were here, we were able to capture March and April.
Any volunteers for future months?

JANUARY (In front of the Bayshore library - 2nd Steet - Belmont Shores)


(The day we took Scott's picture it wasn't as clear as the calendar. If you look really closely, you can see the mountains in the background.)

MARCH (Rancho Los Cerritos)

Looks like we had much better sun than the calendar photographer!!

APRIL (Hilltop Park - Signal Hill overlooking Long Beach)
Obviously, we didn't take these pictures with the calendar in mind, so the shots aren't exactly the same. Can you find the oops??





*Okay, the calendars were actually free from the Gas Company, which is funny because I haven't used gas since I've lived in the LBC. (Yes, I have electric stove and electric water heater - but I digress.) I did have to drive over 4 miles to pick them up (more like beg for them) at the Gas Company...

My two nephews love...

They LA! They love it!


Monday, April 06, 2009

Yikes...Yargo



When I was at my parents house, I brought back a few things from my old bedroom. One of the most important was a Jacqueline Susann book that I HAD NOT READ. For those of you who really know me (and my worship of anything Valley of the Dolls ), you must be shocked. I should have warned you to sit down first. It is her first manuscript which was published posthumously. I guess I never read it because it was her first (and sadly, only) foray into science fiction or so I thought. I am not a big fan of that genre (sorry, Tinu). So I read it and I liked it - it was still a JS novel but maybe a little less sleazy and more romance novel-ly but still good. I could definitely tell that she wrote it in the 50's. (Too bad my copy isn't new...not that I could bare to part with it...)


It has been added to my wall/shrine. Believe it or not, I still have a few things to hang there!!

Flurries for my friends in GA


Instead of complaining that it was a little warm today (high 80's), I thought I'd let my friends and family in Georgia know that every time I look at my bunny calendar this month I think of them!!
to see picture up close.)


If April showers bring May flowers,
then what do April snow flurries bring?
Just wondering...

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

My eyes, my eyes!!


I know. I have no excuse. I just couldn't resist!!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Birthdays and Cupcakes

My parents have been visiting with me this past week. My mother's birthday is in March and my father's birthday is in February, so we celebrated them both while they were here. I let them each request a special cupcake...Father requested a groundhog and Mother a frog (big surprise, right?) I also made a "G" cupcake in honor of Greg's birthday which was Saturday. (I ate it for him too!!)
I had a lot of fun making these cupcakes. And since they were double chocolate Kahlua cupcakes filled with a Starbucks liquor cream center, we had lots of fun eating them.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Father has a new friend

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Happy Valentine's Day

My parents sent me these cute teddy bear peeps (plus, some heart peeps but I ate those before I could turn my camera on.) They are always doing the nicest, most generous things for me.
This past month I was reminded how important it is to tell the people important to you that you love them and are thinking about them. Obviously, we should do this as often as we can but sometimes life gets in the way and we put it off until later. (Not all of us - my friend Sherri and my aunt Ruth are the BEST at keeping in touch with me whether I deserve it or not.) Let's use Valentine's Day this year as a reminder to tell the people who we haven't spoken to in a while that we love them. I ♥ U!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

I really was in Ohio last week


As many of you know, I went to Ohio to visit family with a sad detour to GA. The trip to Ohio was very quick and brief with little sleep (though I got way more than Jessica who works crazy long hours). All this is to say that I didn't take any pictures in Ohio. I only took pictures with my camera once and that was of Desmond on the sofa bed at my parents' house after showering (him, not me). I took two quick blackberry pictures of Jessica and Desmond on the tram at the ATL airport because Desmond was so funny every time the tram started. He wasn't so much scared but very startled. Too cute.

(Did you notice the sa-weeet diaper bag in the corner?)

I plan to go back in a few months and will take pictures then. Really, I will.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

It's beginning to look like winter


Today it is only in the 70's...brrrr...okay, okay, I am teasing my East Coast friends! However, it was in the mid-80's just a few days ago. Even though it feels like spring, if I look out my window (actually - sliding doors) of my condo it seems like the dead of winter. "Why?", you may ask. Because for some reason that I don't understand, the city of Long Beach has cut all the greenery of the tree in front of my view. It took them several hours and 4 men. They are continuing down the street with more trees. I know this because it is so loud.

The tree looks so sad. There used to be lots of birds in it and now it is bare. Plus, there is a street light across from me that is no longer blocked by the tree. It feels like it is daytime 24 hours a day in my bedroom, even with the curtains drawn. And with the lack of shade, my condo was still 70 degrees at midnight last night!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles


This past Saturday, after listening to some really good karaoke at Liquid Lounge with the girls, we went to the famous Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles. I have been hearing about this place ever since I first moved here - that it was a landmark and a place I just had to try. I was told that it was by LAX. Little did I know that there is also a location in Long Beach. Really, Long Beach just has it ALL!
Anyone who knows me knows that the only waffles that I generally eat are my Hello Kitty waffles.
(That is Ford's hand forking a HK waffle.)
So although I was told that I should order chicken and waffles, what I really wanted was a chicken biscuit. Like you can get anywhere in Georgia, right? Well, they do NOT have that one their all chicken and waffles menu. Never fear. I ordered side orders - a chicken breast, which I had to tear apart because it was so huge and another side order of a biscuit. Ta da! A chicken biscuit!!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Happy Birthday Jack!

Monday, January 12, 2009

What happended in Venice Beach?


I love this picture of Scott aka Ford on the rocks in Venice Beach this past Saturday.Click on the picture to see it real size to get the full impact.

Friday, January 09, 2009

Rachel and Scott/Ford

My cousin Scott aka Ford is visiting me this weekend. He brought along his adorable, witty, smart and beautiful girlfriend, Rachel. Here is a picture of them at Taco Surf on 2nd Street, where we ate dinner tonight (I had the usual fish taco - yummy, yummy). And yes, Scott always looks at me that way.

Jessica and baby Miska


I came across this picture today and had to share...I hope Jessica doesn't mind.

Monday, January 05, 2009

Who needs a key?


I have this red fireproof box that has a Master lock on it. I've had it for years and years - I think since high school. Sometime during the move from Vinings to Kennesaw, I lost the key. So I moved it back to Vinings, across the country to CA and to my new place without being able to open it. For those of you keeping track, that's over 10 years that it has been locked.

The other day I decided I was going to open it, damn it! I tried wire cutters on every piece of metal I could attempt to cut. Too thick. I tried prying off the metal enclosure but I barely moved it. Finally, I thought maybe I can pick the lock. I did an internet search and sure enough I found an instructional video on YouTube. I was able to pick the lock with a paperclip in under 3 minutes!!!

Being extremely proud of my lock-picking prowess, I took some before and after pictures. Stormy also got very excited, hence the cat food all over the floor in the background!

Happy 2009

My New Year was completely uneventful. I had plans but had to cancel because I was yucky sick. So I just stayed home and celebrated with my cats and coughed and sneezed and sniffled, etc...

I hope you all had a great New Year celebration, no matter what you did. As for this blog, I know it has been a little neglected lately. I am going to try to post more regularly, really I am going to try even harder than last time! For the few of you who actually read this (and I thank you!!), I would love some input as to what you would like to see on this blog in the coming year. You can comment or send me an email (as I know some of you are frustrated with my comments procedures.)