Carolina On My Mind

my favorite backyard

2009-10-06T22:27:00.000-04:00

thing EVER in its new home

we bought a house

2009-09-15T23:16:00.000-04:00

it's a really cool house...we love it, the dogs love it, the cats love it...and apparently we aren't the only ones...inside our cool house is another house...this kind of house, not so much love for them in spite of the fact they were here first

but kinda neat photo ops...biggefying those pictures is not for the faint of heart.

why couldn't we just have had a ghost or house elf like normal people?

Huh

2009-09-14T13:27:00.000-04:00

I still have a blog...who knew?

Wow. January is over.

2009-02-01T20:31:00.004-05:00

and I think this blog may be reaching the end of it's run....at least in it's current state.

I'm pondering options.

In the mean time, here's my version of Zombie Beyonce's "Single Ladies"...if you've seen it somewhere else, sorry...that's part of my issue with here...the redundancy....not sure which online piece is driving right now.

a foggy morning

2009-01-05T21:14:00.002-05:00

seemed like an appropriate way to start the first week back after a long holiday stretch. bleh.

Old Pictures

2009-01-04T16:29:00.005-05:00

When we were visiting J's family for the holidays, her Dad gave her a bunch of old pictures of her Grandfather at the old Atlanta Zoo. He was the zookeeper there for over 30 years.

Set is here....really really neat stuff.

looking down

2008-12-28T15:11:00.002-05:00

looking down, originally uploaded by nuthinfancy.

did I mention we were on the 14th floor at the beach? and that I am deathly afeared of heights....

it gave me a few moments of anxiety...

there are pills for that, ya know?

A week of holiday traveling

2008-12-27T20:19:00.003-05:00

has worn us all out...I can say it was an exceptional Christmas all the way around

I have new toys....like a camera, viewmaster, robot and race track...oh yeah, it was a winner

bring on the New Year.

Gourd Babble

2008-12-16T20:21:00.004-05:00

I have an abundance of gourds right now...and I seem to have found some paints that give me a transparent base coat that I've been trying to get for a while...

purty I think

I've started some stamping on 2 of the smaller ones, don't know where I'll go from there..paint, texture, something.

I think these will be a series...or something

Is it really almost Christmas?

2008-12-16T06:55:00.004-05:00

I think I'm ready....

well, I'm ready to leave for the beach on the 23rd if nothing else.

Thanksgiving and Before

2008-11-27T21:25:00.009-05:00

I realized while clearing my camera to take to the family gathering, that I had a number of pictures that had not been loaded on my laptop because it was sick for a few weeks...it's much better now btw, thanks for asking....so anyway, here's what I haven't posted

pumpkin puree....really pretty, but lots of work for about 5 cups of puree

pumpkin bread...not too shabby, still a few chunks in the freezer

new feral kittens...ay yi yi, but they're so cute

oops, a sweet dog shot just snuck in here..how'd that happen?

and a sweet, giant kitty shot...where are those animals coming from?

a new custom-order gourd

lots and lots of fire shots....probably influenced by the amount of beer consumed around those fires

and lastly......worth the wait imo....a beautiful Baby...she looks just like her favorite Aunt Lee

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

times are tough

2008-11-22T10:20:00.003-05:00

everywhere

but this is a special Christmas drive that deserves a mention

Auntie Lynn's Slippah Project

even a few bucks buys slippahs for several kids...check it out :)

Transformation

2008-11-10T20:53:00.007-05:00

We've had this grill for a while...it was functional and fun to look at, but has since been replaced with something less...dangerous...

not wanting to get rid of a perfectly good keg that's been cut in half, I repurposed it...

at first as a potting bench.....only mildly functional

then it occurred to me that with shorter legs and no top, it might be a good firepit, so I gathered tools (friends also challenged the size of our previous fire pit, causing me to feel a bit...~~compulsive~~, ~~competitive~~, creative)

and sawed the legs off to what I thought might be a workable length

a little too long...

another cut and it was perfect

big fires are now possible in the fort AND I have the other half...now I just need a little welding machine...maybe I should write Santa?

my

2008-11-09T21:25:00.002-05:00

laptop monitor is dead....I'm on a loaner with a long ethernet cable and it's made me a little cranky this week...hopefully she'll be back and better than ever sometime before Friday...fingers crossed, sage burning, all that shit....I have important stuff like pumpkin puree and fire pit upgrades to blog.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T19:23:00.003-04:00

the eve of Halloween

2008-10-30T22:12:00.003-04:00

feel free to stop by for trick or treating tomorrow night....

we'll be waiting

this cuteness

2008-10-17T18:12:00.002-04:00

makes up for 2 weeks of no posts....right?

both gourds won blue ribbons btw :)

I know I should be ashamed for dressing up the girls, but I'm not.

Fair Part II

2008-10-01T21:25:00.003-04:00

so I finished this pitcher and went with it...the wood slices are from a wisteria vine pruned from our back yard and I strung stone chips in between and around the base

I also found out today that Popcorn (see previous post) was juried IN for it's division which means it WILL be on display in the fine arts division this year

I love fair season

Fair Entry

2008-09-22T22:04:00.002-04:00

done and delivered this is it unframed, it's a bigger piece than I usually do...

still have a gourd to finish

my drawing is based on this photograph of this guy

Because I Could

2008-09-19T15:11:00.002-04:00

I took the afternoon off and came home to spend the afternoon with my woman...

I believe we will enjoy our first fire in the fort of the fall season...

the weather is perfect for it...

and a grill could be involved...

I have high expectations for a relaxed evening

Heh. My Kinda Political Statement

2008-09-13T20:25:00.003-04:00

BEER!!

Magic Hat Brewery's Get Out and Vote Variety 12-pack

I'm for the beer dude that looks like Jerry Garcia

So

2008-09-11T20:28:00.002-04:00

cute dog picture has nothing to do with post...my dogs just like to have their picture on the internet

the Zap was fun for a few days...I'd have to give it a 2 thumbs down on comfort, speed, and practicality....total 2 thumbs up on cuteness though...that counts for something...

spent the last few days taking an html class...it appeals to my weird obsessive side in all the ways I hoped it would....

I'm ready to become a professional hacker, reclusive graffiti artist and spooky old cat lady now...please email me if you hear of any appropriate opportunities...

I have skillz.

arent the dogs the cutest thing EVER?

Day 1

2008-09-08T21:57:00.002-04:00

so I went about 10 miles back and forth to work today, I've kept it charging when it's not running....luckily I was able to plug it up at work...I probably never hit 30 mph, well maybe coasting down a steep hill, the speedometer isn't exactly accurate so I can't be totally sure of my top speed

it's worth a pretty so-so ride to see people's reactions...I drove it thru the heart of the USC campus (to avoid the inclines of course) and people definitely noticed it

right now it's charging for tomorrow's ride...J is so proud :)

the Little Yellow Zap Truck

2008-09-07T17:36:00.002-04:00

I'll be blogging my week with my Dad's Zap Xebra PK

Should be able to get about 30 - 40 miles on a charge, perfect for my 8 mile round trip to the office and back.

It's slow and I'm wondering a little about the hills on my drive to work...also no AC, but that's nothing new for cars I drive, heh.

No stereo either, but at least I have the mp3 player....wouldn't want to be slow AND tuneless.

Blog Fodder

2008-09-06T18:14:00.001-04:00

I haz it.

oh my, I'm excited...and it involves driving something....a bright yellow something.

Is that geek spirit I smell?

2008-08-24T16:07:00.004-04:00

Renfest and State Fair season are quickly approaching....we're readying entries, making reservations and ordering our elf ears...I won't be caught without them this year....

now it's just a matter of size

A Baby!!!!

2008-08-17T22:34:00.002-04:00

family birthday gathering today....I hogged the baby, it's my birth right

click on the picture for a slideshow and more baby cuteness

one thing leads to another

2008-08-11T21:50:00.002-04:00

this made me think of this

oops

2008-08-09T21:38:00.002-04:00

haven't been here for a while....spent the afternoon in bed, been working on a gourd (State Fair's just around the corner), spending lots of time on twitter, lazy summer in general....

oh! I did go to Nashville a few weekends ago, pictures here...

now we're just watching the Olympics....beach volleyball is the best sport E.V.E.R.

Bonus

2008-07-21T21:10:00.001-04:00

I forgot...new functional lesbian bag...

heh, I have a shiny green purse.

my friend Harry says it looks like a fishing bag....he may be right

Tough Choices

2008-07-21T20:58:00.002-04:00

I am traveling at the end of the week

all A.L.O.N.E...

for work.....

to Nashville...

oh, what will I do all by myself?

what oh what will I do?

one of the things I've been up to lately

2008-07-18T22:40:00.003-04:00

about 6 weeks ago, we started a produce co-op at work....anywhere from 20 - 35 folks pay $10 each and a couple of us go to the state farmer's market on Friday mornings to buy fresh fruit and vegetables in bulk....

we split it up into baskets and everyone gets a ton of stuff for a fraction of the cost it would be at the grocery store....

we buy local whenever possible, we've gotten to meet some great characters along the way and it's a great nostalgic trip for me, having spent a lot of time there with my grandfather as a kid...

I have pictures in a book somewhere of the original farmer's market in downtown Columbia, it's moving again soon I think, I'll follow it anywhere I think.

But back to the farmer's market...the co-op thing works out great for everyone....easy to organize and execute, great way to support the local guys.

ugh

2008-07-16T14:13:00.003-04:00

next week I have to travel to Nashville for a few days for a work related seminar.....

tonight we are going shopping for some appropriate clothing for me to wear so I don't embarrass myself or my employer while in attendance....

I hate to shop for clothes...I especially hate to shop for clothes for myself.

I think I'm gonna go for the Jane Hathaway (from Beverly Hillbillies) look....she's always been a favorite

South Carolina Is So Gay....

2008-07-14T21:48:00.003-04:00

Not.

I love this state and it's dedication to maintaining our image on the national and global stage.

In case there's any question, we don't like strangers and we don't like the high-falootin' fancy ideas they bring with them.....like tourists.

Bringing foreigners into our fair land is a sore enough subject, but trying to lure those queer travelers here in order to encourage their flagrant spending within our safe haven with their filthy homo dollars is just too much.

Thank goodness Palmetto Scoop broke the story over the misuse of $5,000 tax dollars (at least a portion of which is mine, since I'm a taxpayer...oh and gay) to attract queer London travelers to SC.

Don't miss Ian Johnson's, CEO of Out Now, response in the comments.

my Dad is so proud

2008-07-04T10:22:00.002-04:00

on Thursday a co-worker and I that have put together a farmer's market co-op at work were mentioned in an article in the local paper about the growing popularity of such ventures....

this morning, my brother the cop, was mentioned in article in the same paper involving a shooting incident that he was involved in yesterday (btw, no one was actually shot or hurt and the bad guy lost)....

my father emailed the articles to the family list this morning....wonder if they appreciated the irony?

Remember Me?

2008-07-02T21:17:00.004-04:00

Remember this car? Well, it lives with us now.

The MIL finally decided it was time to give up driving.

For that, we are most grateful...as are her fellow city drivers.

Anyway....it's been a happy transition so far....

okay I'm in love with our new old car....

we scrubbed and bleached and peeled stickers off until we got to down to a cute little Honda underneath....look

I'm all gansta and shit now...I even had a good stereo, speakers and satellite radio put in....nothing like being able to thump bluegrass at stoplights...I'm considering light kits and spinners...J is so proud.

And maybe another clip on fan since it doesn't have AC...those fans are smokin' hot accessories btw...

trust me - I have a skull on my car

hey look

2008-06-16T22:09:00.006-04:00

works of mine illustrating real-life, honest-to-goodness stories in one of them fancy ezines - SmokeLong Quarterly

click on the pictures to read the work....good good stuff

many many thanks to Rosanne Griffeth - she's a sweet talker that one

I lost $5 today

2008-06-03T22:29:00.003-04:00

In my bra.

Someone gave me the money at lunch, I was wearing girl pants sans pockets, so I figured I'd do what I see so many of my coworkers do...stick it in my bra

Thing is...I forgot it was there, at least until I was on my way home...I only looked so much while I was in the truck because I didn't want to appear perv-ish looking down my own shirt during rush hour, but sure enough...it was gone when I had the opportunity to look properly

Honestly, I was more frustrated by the fact that I see women pulling things out of their bosom all the damn time...not just money either, but cellphones, lipstick, gum, grocery lists and on and on and on....yet I couldn't even keep up with a lousy 5 bucks

I'm gonna have to work on my bosom's functionality

that is totally a self portrait btw

OMG

2008-05-22T21:27:00.000-04:00

today I hit thrift store gold....PUPPETS!!!!!! more videos to come :)

My Precious Baby

2008-05-20T20:40:00.004-04:00

Scout has a taste for bike pedals...the guy at the bike store said he'd only heard of one other dog that ate pedals...a Husky....

seems like a reasonable dog chew to me...perfect height for Scout and her very favorite texture....I couldn't really be mad that she devoured when I left all that within her reach...

anyway....I located replacements and have seriously intended to install them for the last two nights....oops....maybe tomorrow?

soon, we will have wheels again (and dorky helmets, but that's a safety thing - heads crack like melons)

we've also created a new storage spot for the bikes....out of temptation range for Scout...pedals don't grow on trees, ya know?

According to

2008-05-19T20:19:00.003-04:00

(click to enlarge)

my MIL, there are not only random jumpers from the roof of her building on a pretty regular basis, but active snipers apparently reside in the student housing below her windows....

none of this has been substantiated by any outside sources...you'd think that sort of thing would make the news

I forgot...she says she's not worried about the snipers (even though, she found a bullet hole in her window that we never could find) because her bed and recliner are both below the bottom sill of her windows...

she's a thinker

and lives on the 10th floor

Stumps Are Heavy

2008-05-18T22:02:00.002-04:00

but make great (free) yard ornaments....and the elves like them

I met a guy named Paul

2008-05-15T21:08:00.001-04:00

he was grumpy...so I drew him

I love Jesus

2008-05-10T19:57:00.009-04:00

but I have mobility issues (apologies to the fabulous Gladys Hardy).....

we spent some time with my MIL today...(early Mother's Day, late J's birthday combo celebration)......

there were gnomes (or Disney dwarves that we're calling gnomes).....

there was a trip to the thrift store that netted me a bunch of shorts that J hates AND a Slytherin t-shirt (for a quarter!!)....

now there's some of this and the evening continues to look up (not actually Bud Light, but beer)......

My New #1

2008-05-09T17:58:00.003-04:00

place I'd love to visit and/or things I'd love to have in my yard

Visit Pictures

2008-05-07T18:05:00.002-04:00

mine anyway....there are others....some of which I haven't seen....

I'm afeared

just what IS on my camera

2008-05-05T16:29:00.004-04:00

after a long weekend visit with friends?....anyone want to venture a guess or offer a bribe?

the possibilities are mind boggling.....for example....there were dogs, cats, foxes, black squirrels, beers, bubbles, gardens, monuments and much laughter...

unfortunately there were other cameras present and potentially ~~incriminating~~ unflattering shots of me taken so I'm going to have to exercise a great deal of restraint when deciding what to post....

maybe

Where are the Baptists Going?

2008-04-26T16:28:00.003-04:00

There was an article in today's local paper that says Southern Baptists are experiencing a decline in membership and baptisms...2007 being their least fruitful year in a decade

well...except here...SC Southern Baptists continue to represent in mighty ways...God's chosen people, ya know?

but it made me a little sad to see that the folks I spent so much of my childhood around are losing members....not everything about growing up in a fundie Southern household was bad...I learned about community in our neighborhood church, I learned all sorts of songs and stories that are still with me now, I was surrounded by people that were united in their beliefs and commonalities....

today, it's easy too easy to find fault in the ministers, in the doctrines, in the way a few represent the many...too easy to walk away from those things and miss out on the good stuff in the process...

weird....that I am so nostalgic about a part of my life that frustrated me for so long

totally off topic - but I've recycled some drawings lately b/c my sketch book has been very quiet lately...hopefully, that will change soon

there's a serious lack of

2008-04-21T21:10:00.002-04:00

robots (and content in general) around here lately....

the weather is warm, J's birthday is close and it's gonna be a fun one....

I need to test the wifi connection in the fort and start posting from there....heh, a fort podcast even....with puppets, I need more puppets on this blog...good thing I'm writing this stuff down...

however, tonite all I got is a robot

Prom Season

2008-04-14T20:39:00.003-04:00

normally that would never even register to me, but my 16yo niece is attending her first Junior Senior formal this weekend with her 17 yo boyfriend....

her dad, my brother, doesn't seem to be taking it well....

that amuses me in so many ways...

he's vowing to sit up waiting by the door until she walks in...and if she's not home by the magic hour, he swears he'll be out the door looking for her at one minute past....

he also said a lot of other things, but I'm a lady and don't repeat that kind of language....

poor kids, hee hee

well

2008-04-08T20:44:00.005-04:00

sometimes expectations just aren't anywhere close to reality

our weekend with The Lesbians was one of those times - in all the good ways

the chick in the chain mail bikini (who J swears I was gawking at, but really wasn't) was a (freak) bonus

my pictures here...maybe there are more....I just can't be sure

Renfest

2008-04-03T22:16:00.004-04:00

is THIS WEEKEND!

I hope the The Lesbians like our costumes

there will be photographic evidence

there may be elf ears

Kelly cont'd

2008-03-29T17:29:00.001-04:00

got to visit with her and the family for a while this afternoon...babies rule

there are a few more gratuitous pictures of her and other family members on flickr

#10

2008-03-28T21:03:00.004-04:00

my newest niece arrived today...a few weeks early but everybody's good overall...

her name is Kelly....

named after her late grandfather on her mom's side....5lbs. 14 oz., 18" long....

while under the spell of her arrival and the company of her 7yo sister...I purchased Kelly's first gift this afternoon....

a teeny, tiny, pink t-shirt, with a gamecock logo on the chest...

I couldn't help myself.

picture is from my phone, I didn't have my camera of all days

Mondo Dachshund Speaks

2008-03-26T16:20:00.001-04:00

I just never get tired of Lucy talking....well mostly I don't get tired of it

Give Aunt Lee A Break

2008-03-23T22:21:00.003-04:00

and stop playing all the inappropriate songs I have loaded on my phone during the family gathering on the most significant of Christian holidays....wasn't the marathon prayer before we ate a clue it might not be well received? stupid teenagers, pay attention

Southern Baptists don't seem to dig Afroman btw.....go figure

a milestone

2008-03-18T21:26:00.004-04:00

I now own more tennis shoes than at any other point in my life...2 Pairs!!!!!

I've been working out...at a gym...it's crazy

and look...my newest pair of shoes and gym pants....PINK! (or at least pink accents on the shoes)

it gets worse...I'm taking aerobics classes

if it weren't for the fort, I'd think aliens had possessed my body and stored my mind in a pod

games my animals play

2008-03-07T21:56:00.002-05:00

I took the day off for some alone time...the weather wasn't good, so the dogs, cats and I spent the morning cleaning and shopping and the afternoon experimenting with our recently acquired PS2....

Otis, our dog-like cat, lead the dogs astray by discovering he could open and topple the dog food bucket....

fun for all...of them.....

an afternoon of chasing them thru the house...for me

I hate my work PC

2008-03-05T22:03:00.004-05:00

it has been dying a slow, painful death for about a week....

I have the approval to get another (read: better, shinier, more powerful and versatile) computer, but there is a process....a longer than I care to wait process

so today I was reduced to using a tablet laptop, with promises from my techie buddy (not the one who suggested it was probably just my mouse) that he would tinker with the lemon tonite and get it rigged long enough to keep me from castrating his coworker before the replacement arrives

and of course if I'm not being completely lazy, I could take the laptop in.....yeah, that's not likely

Damn I love my woman

2008-03-04T21:21:00.004-05:00

this is NOT her btw, but....she sent me this link earlier

she knows me....oh she knows me...how much luckier could I be?

click on the chicken lady for the wiki of one my favorite movies of all time....go ahead, do it, don't be scared

Already?????

2008-03-02T11:55:00.009-05:00

yesterday was March 1st and I had to cut the grass for the first time....

actually it was mostly clover, regardless of that....it required cutting.....

as usual my trusty, little, hand-me-down mower cranked right up and my redneck neighbor helped me patch a few spots in our fence...

not that his giant dog (or 2 smaller ones) had anything to do with those holes, but that's another story entirely.....

my point?......it seems wayyyyyyyyy tooooooo eaaaarllllyyyyy to be doing that sort of yard work...

at least I can recline on the bench in the fort and enjoy this view after I'm done...

edited to add in my defense....the area the lawnmower is on, is a patch near the house that gets little sun and is constantly under attack by the dogs...there is a lush blanket of green covering the rest of the back yard under normal circumstances

If I were

2008-02-27T20:57:00.003-05:00

going to live somewhere that involved snow...it would need to be here

link - incredimazing

latest gourd

2008-02-24T11:48:00.002-05:00

another pitcher....the spout is part of the neck....the base is plaster, covered in twigs from the yard...J made beads that are partially attached to the handle....for some reason I have been unable to finish this one.....maybe later today....maybe not

Warm Wishes

2008-02-22T20:42:00.004-05:00

for those folks that won't be enjoying the 70 degree weather tomorrow (like we will be)....

cold sucks, warm winters don't....

seems simple enough....keep your sno-balls toasty

in lieu of real post

2008-02-21T21:00:00.002-05:00

a cute dog picture...that always works...

my mind is mush from an afternoon of BORING meetings and a really inappropriate request from someone that should know better...

someone that needs to learn quick...

I. Am. NOT. the ONE. (schooling starts tomorrow on that topic)

btw.....anybody buying the whole satellite shoot down story....not me....there's a conspiracy theory there just waiting to bust out - don't worry, I'm on it

damn....I'm an idiot

2008-02-15T13:32:00.004-05:00

I just realized I CAN in fact access my blog from work after all....

I'm a day late, but here's a VD worthy picture of me and J from 1990....

all together now....awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Multi Tasking Slugs

2008-02-12T20:24:00.000-05:00

we are watching American Idol while the Westminster Dog Show plays PIP (picture in picture)....

and I discovered the Blue Dragon Sea Slug

I am a whore for useless information

hehehehehehehe

2008-02-05T21:27:00.000-05:00

that's my maniacal laugh

for the next two days, I'm taking a Photoshop class.....

receiving some formal instruction on what is already my most favorite-est software in the world

I can't wait to find out how to do stuff I haven't even considered yet

be afraid....be very afraid.... hehehehehehehehe

a long awaited addition

2008-02-03T14:26:00.000-05:00

yesterday I finally got a tattoo, I've wanted for a looonnngggg time....my very own dragon

last year I turned 40 and refused to do anything to acknowledge that event...this year, J convinced me that I should celebrate this year and last year's birthday by getting tattooed....I agreed....

so a few weeks ago around my birthday (which is soo not the point of this post :)) I stopped at a shop on the way home from picking up my new glasses...I had a really weird experience there and had no intention of returning, but I googled them when I got home and found this artist instead, Phipps who is currently at this shop in Columbia, Animated Canvas

we met, we talked...I took him a sketch a few days later

a few more days later and he had turned my general idea into this

we set it up an appointment and here it is....some of the process and the end result...

I don't know why it took me so long to get a tattoo of one of my favorite things EVER, but obviously there was a reason for waiting and I got to work with a really talented artist who I am dying to have work on me again.....soon, LOL

if anyone gets here by googling tattoo shops in Columbia, SC - definitely check these guys out...excellent experience all the way around...

not thrilling

2008-02-01T20:46:00.000-05:00

but one of the reasons I love my brother D so much...

he called me today and one of the things we talked about was how bad my 5 yo nephew is....D said he was afraid that his son would never make it to 1st grade in the fall because he wasn't sure if precious little J was going to get expelled from kindergarten...seems he's high-spirited....

another thing we discussed was that he was on his way to buy Monster Truck Jam tickets for him and the demon....unfortunately, I can't join them this year, but will be in the neighborhood of the show and we may meet up before or after...great family outing btw

yep, the thrills keep coming in SC

Demorcratic Roller Derby

2008-01-31T22:02:00.000-05:00

that's how I want to see this election's candidate chosen...to hell with delegates...I'm sick to death of politics yet I can't turn away...

otherwise...busy IRL, things I should have blogged but haven't and something exciting (for me anyway) this weekend that I'll definitely post about after the fact

thrilling I know

tomorrow's the big day

2008-01-25T23:29:00.000-05:00

SC Democratic Primary....

that's how I feel...

anxious about taking my chances on any of them...

either way, the most conservative of conservative states will make history tomorrow by choosing a black man or woman as a presidential candidate....

and I'll be part of it in spite of not being more excited about either of them, like any self-respecting liberal should....

we should be dancing in the streets just to have this kind of choice, right?

why am I not feeling it?

ps - old picture, hair much longer now, last (and only) visit to a casino

I'm waiting for this call

2008-01-21T16:01:00.000-05:00

so....Senator Clinton if you're reading....I can clear my calendar to fetch you Starbucks, give Historical Tours or polish your pumps anytime between now and Saturday...your choice just let me know...

how lucky are we????

2008-01-18T21:26:00.000-05:00

the Circus and the SC Republican Primary are this weekend....how much more post-worthy does a situation get???

Go big RED! I only hope there's something just as amusing for the Democratic Primary next weekend....if not, I'll be forced to wing it

We had snow

2008-01-17T18:55:00.000-05:00

for about 20 minutes last night....

much to the disappointment of school children and government workers everywhere....myself included (guess which group)....it was not enough to cancel or delay anything and we ultimately just had a really really cold day with lots of cold rain

is it too much to ask that we get ONE damn snow day every 5 years or so????

I hate the cold, but I love days off............

I'm bitter and conflicted about the whole situation

Some Folks Think We're Weird

2008-01-15T19:34:00.000-05:00

because we drink our tea unsweetened....it's a choice and I'm not ashamed of it.... we drink a lot of it too... there's ALWAY a pitcher of fresh iced tea in the refrigerator....if you come by, you'll usually have a few drink choices...beer, water or unsweetened tea...if we have notice, we can make some sweet or even buy a lemon...but don't come here expecting nothing fancy...and that goes for coffee too btw, iced tea has it's own wiki...

Not a bad day

2008-01-12T19:05:00.000-05:00

I went and had the closest thing to an alien abduction I've ever had this morning....
(sans anal probes)

I had an eye exam.....there were twirling tables, pictures of my eyeball....and excellent new glasses....within 10 days, my vision will once again be more functional.....and I will look like the female version of the Man In the Horned Rimmed Glasses...
(at least in my mind b/c they don't look like his)

then I got to play with the airbrush and work on a new gourd at the same time....all the while waiting on a visit from my brother(s) to deliver a new (free) piece of hand-me-down furniture...
(we are the depository for unwanted things in our family)

now we are cooking a fabulous dinner...

January isn't' sucking

pick a direction

2008-01-07T19:42:00.000-05:00

I am totally and completely opposed to owning a GPS system...I prefer maps and stopping at seedy gas stations and just plain figuring it out when trying to get from one place to another...

J doesn't totally agree with this philosophy, nor do many of my siblings and their spouses....I spent a long time trying to convince my 13 year old nephew of the joys of during lunch yesterday....he wasn't buying it after getting enjoying the journeylost with his father (a fellow non-believer) the evening before...

To me there's no such thing as lost...there's just times when you might not be exactly sure of your location...

My dad offered to have navigation systems put into all of the grown kids cars for Christmas this year, I respectfully declined....sometimes not knowing where you are turns out to be not so bad....

weekend tedium

2008-01-06T20:35:00.000-05:00

this afternoon, I decided to pull out a bead loom I bought a year or so ago....how hard could it be? I wondered....

well the answer is...it would be much easier if the beads, thread and needle were BIGGER

I managed a few rows - it seemed much easier when I was drew this....I hate it when that happens

we started a bad bad thing

2008-01-03T21:28:00.000-05:00

over the holiday break, in a moment of poor judgment no doubt influenced by holiday spirits...

we let the dogs start sleeping in the bed with us

2 people + 2 dogs + 4 cats (the last 6 of which get up and down ALL night long) + a full sized bed = tired, irritable people

but they're sooooo damn cute

New Year - New Gourd

2008-01-02T17:26:00.000-05:00

a cannonball one at that....there was a little universe of space witches and warlocks battling dragons and spaceships hiding on it...

I've cleaned some more today (gourds, I mean) and have another box of them on the way....

J gave me some books on different gourd finishing methods and I think I want to try a banjo at some point....I can play it on my redneck pallet deck while swilling beer.....that's my kind of new year's resolution

edited to add the painting on this gourd was inspired by sci-fi illustrator Hannes Bok

last day of the year

2007-12-31T14:22:00.001-05:00

and what am I doing?

Starting a project....a redneck project at that....I'm adding a deck to the fort....made from used pallets....yee-fucking-haw......

at least I'm a green redneck

oh shit

2007-12-31T00:50:00.000-05:00

it's almost January....how did that happen? I hate January

gourd pitcher with wisteria handle

2007-12-31T00:11:00.001-05:00

gourd pitcher with wisteria handle, originally uploaded by nuthinfancy.

finished pitcher that turned into a Christmas gift for my dad and stepmother....handle and feet are from clippings in our yard

Quiet

2007-12-24T01:43:00.000-05:00

our State House earlier this evening...

my brothers liberated large Christmas balls from the State House tree some years ago...

there was beer involved....

Christmas Meme to pass the time

2007-12-23T11:47:00.000-05:00

tagged by Rosanne at Smokey Mountain Breakdown

“When people say ‘Christmas’ you immediately think…”

baking....lots of baking....it's something J and I have been doing every year since we got together...this was an especially busy baking season

“Favourite Christmas memory…”

the night time parades downtown when we were kids....Main St. was still a primary shopping location and all the department stores had fancy decorated windows....one in particular had giant choir boys on top of the canopy over the front entrance...it was a magical place

“Favourite Christmas song/carol…”

Christmas Time's a Coming I love Emmylou's version, but Ricky Skaggs does a good one too

and as for traditional songs I've always been a sucker for a pretty arrangement of What Child is This? (Greensleeves)

“Favourite Christmas movie…”

hmmmm.....I'm not sure....I have to see all the claymation animated ones each year....especially The Year Without Santa Claus....does that count

“Favourite Christmas character…”

Yukon Cornelius :)

“Favourite Christmas ornament/object…”

I have lots of favorite ornaments....from a sentimental standpoint I'd have to say the one I gave J when we were dating...awwwwwww

“Plans for this Christmas…”

lunch with J's mom and brother tomorrow, lunch and presents at my dad's on Christmas day and then we leave immediately for a mini vacation at the beach :))))

“Is Christmas your favourite holiday?”

no, I'd go with Halloween as my favorite

feel free to steal this and meme away!

how do I get

2007-12-22T00:31:00.000-05:00

on this Christmas card list?

really

Mr. Lucas, if you're out there......please...I'll send you one back....promise!!

and while I'm at it....let me put a holler out for volunteering to design the SC ornament for the White House Christmas tree next year...I'm available

in the mean time, I will dream about what 30 years of Star Wars Christmas Cards look like....

how I spent my evening

2007-12-19T22:29:00.001-05:00

assisting J make assorted candy and treats for her co-workers....including this....

and yes, we own that mold....

in years past, she's placed a pecan half in the crotch for that special touch....that detail got skipped this year....I think it speaks for itself

I should get some new molds for Valentine's Day

a little hectic and a little crazy

2007-12-17T21:36:00.000-05:00

for me anyway...

since last Thursday, I've attended 2 Christmas parties, shopped by myself and just tonight had dinner with my father and step mother....and more Holiday visiting planned for later in the week....I think all this socialization has messed up my head....

evidenced by the shoe choice I made Friday night...these are so not Lee boots

I think I probably looked like I was having a seizure when I tried to dance in them....oh wait, J says that's what I always look like when I'm dancing...

and one more thing

2007-12-16T01:12:00.000-05:00

who's been Christmas Caroling? door to door...large obnoxious group.......super festive kinda thing...extra points if you carried real candles......and had hot chocolate afterwards....

level of sobriety while aroling does influence the final score............

I will only say that J is a little troubled at the number of times I went caroling ...surely I'm not the only one?

Coffee Beer

2007-12-15T21:49:00.000-05:00

no kidding and it's good...really really good...

Terrapin Wake-N-Bake Oatmeal Stout....OMG...it's so smooth to be so dark and thick...a dessert beer maybe...I can totally see drinking it with a semi-sweet chocolate kinda dish.....yum...and it's from Athens...so it's crazy hip

I have holiday parties to post about and other stuff...like good bras and fuck-me boots and getting girly....but right now there are cookies to be made and beer to be enjoyed

no midget cartoons lately

2007-12-12T23:05:00.000-05:00

gotta fix that....I hate magicians btw...they creep me out

Crafts and stuff

2007-12-10T21:36:00.000-05:00

what I've been up to recently...

new gourd pitcher, wisteria vine handle, feet from some stick in the yard...

wisteria vine something....maybe a boat, maybe a basket...maybe a hat

ornaments for the trees at the office drop-in...that party is Thursday afternoon...the shells are actually very pretty with lights behind them....

stressful work party is Friday....but a vacation at the beach is only a few weeks away...and I managed to cover a big screw up that was totally my fault...crafts and traditional christmas panic attacks...this is how sweet memories are made....

the nut museum

2007-12-03T23:15:00.000-05:00

sounds nasty in a 12 year old boy kinda way, doesn't it?

but, we have one hanging in our foyer....and since I'm guessing not too many groupings of these nuts exist, I think it deserves to be referred to as a museum...better ring to it all the way around...sounds legit even

at any rate, we discovered - well J discovered - during our first year in this house that every so often she'd find a pecan with 3 sections instead of 2...or there'd be a particularly interesting shell or some other distinguishing feature....she started putting the special ones away to show me later....ultimately there were enough to partially fill a small shadow box....of course she had to put a coat of polyurethane on them to preserve their uniqueness...the placement in the foyer was a stroke of genius and I'm sure some feng shui miracle....

I have this secret wish that years from now, after we're dead and only bits and pieces of our fabulous collection of junk is scattered among remaining family members...that someone will still have the nut museum and wonder what the fuck were we thinking exactly....I want to be a family mystery because of my odd nuts....what lesbian wouldn't?

okay

2007-12-01T22:02:00.000-05:00

it's the 1st of December and no crazies in sight.....I'm encouraged.....

yard tree is up and house lights will be installed tomorrow (hopefully), there are plans for hitting the Zoo Lights next weekend....

possibly the night parade tomorrow, but too many unknowns in between.....

2 weekends after that and we're beach bound....looking forward to that in ways I can't begin to explain...

parties not withstanding....a few gifts to pick up, cards to send, all in all I see December moving quickly.....

lots in the midst of that other stuff, to be continued

Thanksgiving is over

2007-11-27T21:45:00.000-05:00

now it's time for the serious holiday crisis to begin....

my 3rd annual hunt for an outfit to wear to the office Christmas Party....

hoop skirts never go out of style, right?

please begin the ridicule now....

Santa getting ready for

2007-11-21T07:58:00.000-05:00

the holidays

geniuses

2007-11-19T13:10:00.000-05:00

a few weeks ago our water in the house was coming out of the faucet sorta dark....not uncommon, it's an old neighborhood with old infrastructure...a truck from the water department had come to check my redneck neighbor's water as it was also coming out dark....

well, I chimed in that we were experiencing the same problem....about that time another truck pulls up and a handful of ~~recently released convicts~~ water department employees get out...

they came to our door with a styrofoam cup and asked for a sample so they could test it....I obliged, filled the cup with orange water and brought it back to them....

I waited for the testing to start

one of them (maybe the supervisor since he had the testing equipment) shined his flashlight in it, they all looked at each other and nodded...."yep, it's dirty...run the taps for a while until it isn't"

thanks. I felt so much better

shot down

2007-11-18T23:01:00.000-05:00

heh.....my first attempt at our Christmas Card....not well received...

buttttttttt...just because there might not be semi-nude women on our Christmas cards, doesn't mean there won't be Christmas Cards without semi-nude women on them...because I'm a badass that way

abducted

2007-11-17T19:53:00.000-05:00

by the fish with the glowing mouth

there were NO anal probes...I'm sure of that

but there was beer and 38 Special