On This Date 29 Years Ago: Arkansas beat Texas

Actually....they spanked Texas. It was brutal.  How do I know this?  I lived in Arkansas at the time.  The state went absolutely nutso.  Now if I wasn't a football fan I would have thought they were going crazy over something far more momentous.....something super spectacular....something just off the charts. 

On this date, 29 years ago, I became a mother.  I became a mother to this cute and cuddling little creature.

 

Who grew up to be this dazzling creature.........

Yes, I truly think she was worth all the fuss.

Of course, 29 years ago, my doctor probably thought she was a selfish little annoying snot even before she took her first breath.  Which takes me back to Arkansas and Texas.  You see, after a long time of laboring, it was determined that she was not eager to enter the world by the conventional means. No, she wanted to make sure she was beautiful the very minute she made her entrance (hence the future obsessions with beauty magazines and staying out of the sun).  It was determined that there would be a C-Section.  The problem was this little ole football game which was important to all Arkansans, near and far.  Including, yes you guessed it, THE DOCTOR. 

Ummmmm.....ma'am, would you mind waiting until half time.  I can't remember my exact response at the time but I think that, in light of the pain I was in, it was something along the lines of "ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME?!?!?!?"  Because I have learned that laboring women (or at least this laboring woman) do like to cuss.....alot. 

Needless to say, we did not wait for halftime to be wheeled into the operating room and get that lovely spinal anesthetia (sp?).  Yes, my girl made me proud that day.  She inherited her momma's determination and she stood her ground....even on when she was coming in the world.  

I cannot imagine my life without her. 

Happy Birthday, Manda Panda Bear.  I Love You!!!



Criminal of the Week!

Here in the Phoenix area there is a morning talk show host who has a segment of his programs dedicated to the criminal of the day.  He tells the story of one of the many stupid criminals there are.  Well here at Casa de "Z" we had our own little criminal.  Or so my husband says.  Here is how things went down Tuesday night. 

At approximately 8 p.m., he informed me that we had just been the victims of criminal activity.  The crimes?  Criminal damage and theft.  I then got a tour of the crime scene. 

The first area was the cat box.  Roughly three-quarters of the kitty litter was out on the floor.  We quickly surmised that the culprit was a purveyor of scooby snacks.  I know......gross, huh?  Which is why there will be no photo.  This would be the criminal damage.

The second are was my craft room where I had been working on a halloweeny type decoration.  Well this is what it looked like after the perp got a hold of it.....

I called this a criminal damage.  Mr. Z insisted that it was a theft.  A theft of candy corn.  Hmmmm......

The criminal in question??????

This scruffy (note: badly in need of a grooming) little urchin.  Momma left the gate open and he went for a stroll around the house.  What gave him away?  Could have been the proud as a peacock prance after he thought he got away with it!!  No...he didn't.  He was just promptly placed back behind bars (fitting) where he could be chastised and monitored for a candy corn overdose. 

So there he is......our criminal of the week.  Just hope this does not become a weekly event!!

A New Post.....Finally

The truth is I've been busy. 
Well....kind of. 
In the past few months I have watched the entire LOST series while working on
little projects like this.....

And this.....

So far I am totally enjoying this retirement thing.

It's nice waking up in the morning with thoughts of....

"Hmmmm.....what am I going to do today."  

Of course, because nothing is perfect, there have been

not so good days....and at least one very tragic day. 

But, for the most part, I really can't complain. 

The truth is....I have debated as to whether I wanted to

continue to blog.  Really....seriously.....who wants to

hear what I have to say.  But then I decided that, if for nothing else,

I need to continue it for myself. 

Yes, despite the fact that I have no job to clutter my mind

I still forget stuff. 

So, what better way to remember it than to blog it. 

So, I'm back....hopefully to stay. 

With a new title and a little bit of a new look. 

I think I need to continue to work on the latter!!

Circles!!! Squares!!!

So with all this new found free time I have there is plenty of time to start working on all those projects I have lying around the house.  The problem is that there are so many projects that I have had a hard time deciding where to start.....this is where having Adult A.D.D. becomes a huge problem.   Hence, the reason for so many unfinished projects!  Yes, I suck. 

So I am trying (and I use that term loosely) to focus on just one project at a time.  I'll need plenty of focus for this.  Hmmmm....it will be quite a challenge.  So what am I working on now??  Circles.  Lots of them. 

And from these cute little circles they expand into grown up squares and join all the other circles!

There are a few more squares I need to add in order to fit this baby on the full bed in the spare bedroom.  The one currently occupied by my son.  He asked me about the blanket the other day and I told him it was for the room.  I don't know if he was too happy that I was already planning the decor for the room once he vacants it. Considering how long it takes me to finish this stuff....I don't think he has to worry any time soon.....

This is Hell.....

This is what the temperature gauge in my car said at precisely 2:52 p.m.

Of course, it is a miracle anyone can read it through all that dust!!!

Anyways, it is another lovely summer day in Arizona. 

So, lovely that my husband is, at this very moment, on the golf course.  Golfing.  Uh....yeah....Some people just love torture. 

Me???  I am hibernating in the house and debating if a margarita will make me feel better about the heat. 

Oh, what the heck, a margarita makes me always feel better on a summer day in hell!!! 

Oh....but it is a dry heat......

Vacation Flashback: Sam Adams----The Brewery

We couldn't leave the Boston area without visiting the Sam Adams Brewery.  After all, we did make those visits to Coors and Anheuser Busch.  We didn't want Sam to feel left out ;)  Of course, I was still feeling pretty yucky and was hoping that, perhaps, a little Boston Lager would be the cure.  Yeah, it helped out for a couple of hours.....

Anyways, when we got there we learned they were not doing full tours that day due to a commercial shoot.  So we got the abbreviated tour and then straight to the beer.  I'd say we were very disappoint but who are we kidding....we were really just there for the beer!!  And we did indulge in a bit of the brew with some documented evidence :)

Well I guess this is actually evidence that Russell partook since I was the only one taking pictures that day and I guess that Russell no longer needed to document proof that I was actually drinking beer. 

While we were visiting Boston, I was drinking the Summer Ale....but after the tasting I decided the Boston Lager was much better.  We also got to taste some test brew.....a little something they were working on.  Didn't care for that so much.

Now if I could just find a place to taste test margaritas......hmmmmm....

Be It Ever so Humble......

I'm sure everyone knows the rest....Yes, I am home and it feels so good to be here.   Although I will admit that after experiencing a couple of 114 degree days here in AZ, I am now itching for a beach day!!  Oh well, I guess I will just have to suck it up for a while. 

 

We have been home about a week and a half, and besides arriving just in time for hell in the desert, we were also greeted by some other things.  Some good and some, mmmmm, not so good.  Starting with the good......Our garden took off, or actually, I should say our tomatoes took off.  We came home to lots of these.....

 

 

I do believe I have more tomatoes than I'll be able to eat.  But I am going to try :)

 

We also found these two guys waiting for us. 

I tried to get them to pose together but Khalil didn't want to comply.  Khalil obviously

was not happy about having his picture taken while Nash, on the other hand, was very happy to pose and smile!! 

I was soooo happy to see them.  I was certain that the dog sitter was not going to relinquish them to me.

On the not so good side (pictures not included) we encountered the following:

• Weeds that were three feet high
• Air conditioning problems (A $700 fix!)
• The garage refrigerator was turned off and was growing mold (Yikes!!)

No matter what it is good to be home.  We have started getting back into a routine. 

We've been watching the World Cup and the Tour de France. 

We've also started this again......

Yes, I am back to cursing Mr. Horton.  Oh how I have missed him so....NOT!!  

I'm gonna say taking seven weeks off is not a good idea primarily because I can barely move.  

And I've been ready for bed by 8 o'clock...which reminds me, it's past my bedtime now

so that's all for now!! 

Till next time.....