It's over!

Congratulations to all the successful NaBloPoMo'ers. You did it! I don't know how you made it, but you did. Obviously, I didn't even try. Well, I actually started my blog after we were already into November, but I don't think I'd have done it anyway.

I just can't think of anything to talk about. Anything interesting, I should say. I could type out my grocery list, talk about all the numerous things that need to get done around the house but aren't getting done, or discuss any other mundane, routine things. But that wouldn't be much fun.

I think someone needs to start a website where you can go to get topics. It could be like Mike Meyers doing the Coffee Talk lady. When he got verklempt (sp?), he'd give a topic then say "discuss". The site could be called BlogTopicOfTheDay.com. Maybe there could be separate lists -- one for the brainy people who like to discuss politics and other high-brow topics, and one for us "regular" folk. Yeah, I like that idea. Someone get started on that right away.

Way to go Helio!! (Hey, that rhymes)

For the second year in a row, my girl crush, Julianne Hough, won Dancing With The Stars!! Helio, her partner this year, is kinda cute. I'm kind of surprised, though. I thought for sure Mel B. would get it. Congrats Julianne & Helio!

What the H. E. Double Hockey Sticks?

Marie Osmond's "living doll" dance on DWTS was .... I have no words. Just odd.

Life goes on

I'm a little bit melancholy. Five years ago today we lost my Grandma. She's the one I talked about on the sidebar. The one who had a thing for butterflies. Grandparents are great, aren't they? Love you, Grandma! (They have the internet in heaven, right? Ok then.)

On a lighter note, I'm even closer to being finished with my Christmas shopping. I only have 5 more people to buy for. Even better, I wrapped all the gifts for the other 29 people over the weekend. We won't get our tree till the 8th, but I can't wait to put them all under it! For now, they're sitting in the corner where the tree will go. And hubby got our Christmas lights put up too. Christmas. Bring it on.

It's cold enough here to be Christmas. It got to 27 overnight, and as of noon today, it hasn't even reached 32 yet. Brrrrr........

Links

On my sidebar, I've added links to sites and blogs I frequent. I'll add more as I think of them. Also, if you'd like yours added, let me know in a comment. If I link you, I'd appreciate the same in return. :)

Whaddya want for Christmas?

I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping. For some people this might seem early, but I feel like I'm a little late this year. I try -- emphasis on TRY -- to get it done before Thanksgiving to avoid the crowds.

The crowds! Maybe I've become an old fuddy-duddy, but my gawd, people. First there are the large groups who decide to have a caucus right in the middle of the walkway, and seem to have no earthly idea that there are actually other people in the mall trying to get by. Then there are the couples with children running freely, going where they please without a care. Now don't get me wrong, I do like kids. And that's why I don't want to trip over yours as he's zig-zagging back and forth down the aisles. That brings me to the screaming, sometimes screeching, kids. Ok, I know.... kids sometimes have meltdowns. I get that. I realize it can't be helped. But that doesn't make it less annoying. And last, but certainly not least, there are the old farts senior citizens. God bless 'em, but they have no clue sometimes. I'd hate to bump one while trying to get by and and cause a broken hip.

Oh, there are other categories. The teenagers, the people with strollers... Not to mention the help in some of those stores. Don't even get me started.

I have 29 names on my Christmas list. If that's not enough, I have 5 birthday gifts to buy between Nov 26th and Dec 28th, bringing my count up to 34. I end up spending over $1,000 each year. That's why I like to start early!

Come for dinner!

I haven't posted for awhile. Ran out of ideas, I guess. How do you bloggers come up with your ideas? Tell me, please.

Actually, here's one reason I haven't posted. Last time I tried, I typed this big, long, several paragraph thing (can't even remember the topic), and somehow I lost it. Didn't save it or some stupid thing, who knows. But it pissed me off enough to stay away for a few days. (Is that bad? LOL. Do I need counseling?)

I made soup today. I get in moods where I love soup. Must be the change of weather and all the RAIN. Anyway, last night we had one of those roasted chickens you buy at the store. I'm sure you all have them in your grocery stores. They roast them and they're still hot when you buy them. They cost about 6 or 7 bucks. I made mashed taters, stuffing, veggies & rolls to go with it. Delish. So today, with the carcass (that sounds disgusting, doesn't it? Like I found a dead chicken along the side of the road.), I made soup. Can I just say... YUMMY! I had some fettuccine noodles, so I threw those in too. Wow. Wish you all could've been here. But then, there wouldn't have been enough, and some of you would've gone without, and I'd feel bad, and then I'd really need counseling, so nevermind.

If you had to....

I found this at quibblo.com

If you had to, would you rather:

1. Be blind or deaf?

2. Lose an arm or a leg?

3. Become uglier or stupider?

4. Be more rich or more attractive?

5. Be blonde or brunette?

6. Have a 3rd eye on your forehead or a horn on top of your head?

7. Have it be Winter forever or Summer forever?

8. Eat only sweet things the rest of your life or salty things the rest of your life?

9. Live as an ocean animal or land animal the rest of your life?

10. Have the super power of being able to fly or move objects?

And why?

Snip, snip. Glug, glug

I have an appointment to have my hair cut tonight. I hate getting my hair cut. First, it's so hard to describe to them how I want it, so I usually end up saying, "just trim it up." Then they do, and I don't like it. First of all, they don't style it the way I do. Didn't they look at my hair when I walked in the door? I like it a little fluffy with the ends flipped up a little, they do it flat and straight. Yes, I know I could say something, but I usually get it cut in the evening, and I'm just gonna wash and re-do it in the morning, so why bother. And then when I get it all done in the morning, I see sections that are uneven, not enough layering, bangs could've been shorter, etc. Frustrating.

Filling up my car with gas is another task I could do without. Here in Oregon, we're not allowed to fill it up ourselves. You'd think that would make it better, but it just makes it boring. I have to sit in the car and wait till the kid decides to come over. Invariably, he ends up helping someone before me who drove in after me. Then I'm at his mercy again when the pump clicks off. I realize it's only 5 or 10 minutes out of my life, but for some reason it seems like an hour. My solution? Leave it near empty and hope my husband fills it up.

If only he could get my hair cut for me.....

Wildlife Sanctuary

We thought we lived alone, my husband and I. One look outside would quickly tell you how wrong I was. Apparently all it takes is to put out a handful of birdseed or a peanut, and you've got a virtual zoo in your front yard.

It first started with Ferg. (See how I did that? Switching the letters around? Clever, huh?) We have a small pond and he just showed up one day. He had a girlfriend, but after they hibernated the first winter, only he reappeared. We're not quite sure what happened there. Anyway, he's been here 3 summers now.

Next were the birds. Oh my... do we have birds! Hubby put out a little bird seed one time, and several came by to eat it. (Hey, free meal. I wouldn't pass it up either!) Some of them were large Blue Jays and he heard they like peanuts, so he put some of those out. Well, that attracted a squirrel.

Then we got bird feeders and a couple birdhouses. The lady at the store said it would take awhile to get the human scent out. Nope. A couple weeks later we had a little bird family living in it. Wildlife likes us, what can I say. Every day we have, no exaggeration, 30-40 little birds at a time eating from the feeders, a dozen or so Jays trying to get to the feeders (if the little ones let them), and recently, four Woodpeckers have shown up. (Remember Woody Woodpecker? Yep, the males look just like him!) Ferg has burrowed away already, but the birds and squirrel still show up for their three squares a day. Then there are the multitudes of cats that come by...

Throw in an elephant and a couple of lions, and we could start charging admission!

Storm Large in Cabaret

Did you watch RockStar SuperNova? If you did, you'll remember Storm Large. I think she came in 3rd place. Anyway, she's from Portland, Oregon (where I'm from), and she was cast in the lead of the Broadway musical, Cabaret, playing here at the Gerding Theater.

I went to see it on Saturday with my sister-in-law and mother-in-law. Can I just say ... OUTSTANDING! She was incredible in the role. There was one solo where she pretty much knocked our socks off. The whole musical was good. All I knew about it was that they spend much of it in lingerie, and that they sing that Cabaret song. You know... "Life is a cabaret, old chum. Come to the cabaret." So I didn't know what to expect, but I loved it. Our same trio had gone to see Molly Ringwald in Sweet Charity a few months ago, and -- eh, not so much. But Cabaret ROCKED!

Oh, and we were in the 3rd row!! Woo Hoo!!

Second Blog Post - Ever

No, I won't be enumerating all my blog posts! LOL.

Ok, I tweeked it a little bit, and what you see is what you get. It looks like a ginormous butterfly landed on your monitor. I've come to realize that the people who have the cool, pretty graphics have purchased software. Me? I'm a cheapskate. This is it.

I still don't know if anyone reads these. I mean, I can send emails to people I know and tell them to come here, but does anyone just find someone's blog randomly?

I read three other people's blogs. Heart And Thistle , Ficken Chingers and Idol Blog Live .

The first one is mostly about food. (One of my favorite topics!) It is written by a very dear friend of mine, Lisa, with whom I spent Kindergarten through 9th grade in Southern California. She's an awesome cook and generously shares her wonderful recipes.

The second one is also written by a friend, but one I've never met in person. She's a blog friend I "met" through the third blog I mentioned above. (I'll get to that one in a minute.) Her name is Angie, and she writes about whatever is on her mind that day. She's funny and has a unique way of looking at things. She's very much an open book when it comes to her family and her daily life. A fun read.

The third one is, well, a blog about American Idol. It's written by a guy we call Slim who lives in New York. His blog is THE place to go for anything American Idol. He posts pretty much every day, but the best time to visit is during the East Coast broadcast of the show. We all discuss our opinions of not only the singing, but what the contestants are wearing, how they did their hair, and whether they have "star" potential. Ok, so the girls on the blog discuss that stuff. The guys could care less. Correction... if a contestant is "hot", expect Slim to post her picture a thousand different times. Overall, it's just a fun community to be involved in.

Hey, this is kinda fun! Well, until next time...

First Blog Post - EVER

Ok, I've never done this before. I really have no idea what I'm doing as far as the template and setting this whole thing up. I guess I'll figure it out as I go along.

I'm not sure yet if this will be a regular thing for me. Everybody seems to have a blog these days and I just kinda felt left out. I thought I'd give it a go and see how it feels. If I like it, I'll be back! I have no clue what I'll post about, but I'll try.

Do people really read these things? How do they find them? Leave me a comment so that at least I know someone has read this! And please feel free to give me suggestions.