A Time Of Statues

Antiques are fascinating to me, they make me think about what will become of all of my possessions, both trivial and valuable, after I die. Well any antique that ends up at an awesome resale store is lucky :) this weekend while my mom was in town we explored an antique store near the city. I found a very awesome dog statue a tribute to my own dog children, which apparently was a popular prize at carnivals back in the day. I would have been much more excited about awesome statue prizes versus the current animals filled with cheap foam... Ah yes a time when people had more time and desire for detail. There are definitely downsides to living in past eras - more untreatable disease, less product protection for the public, looser sanitation standards...but detail, they definitely had that! I tend to love things that are more vintage than not, yes some things are just down right hideous, but there are always gems hidden among them. I really want to have more time to dedicate to the pursuit of creating crafts, paintings, etc. Thanks to my discovery of etsy.com I have an eventual idea of where I could sell them. We will have to see.

Flavored popcorn is wonderful. "Blue raspberry" may sound questionable to some, but I love it! All things blue raspberry are usually fantastic, and this did not disappoint. There was a lot of food this weekend...as we inch closer to the holidays I can feel myself slipping into holiday feasting mode...that will mean even more trips to the gym. 

The wind is gusting outside as I prepare to make my way out for another day of work. Today should prove to be rather interesting, I do hope that the rain holds off until later as I just washed my car two days ago. The dirt was really caked on last time. Hopefully I will have my head on straight as the week continues and will be able to create more coherent postings :)

TILM: Blue raspberry popcorn, good news for friends, FLORENCE, thinking about Christmas, good books, Thanksgiving break is almost here!!! 

Long Over-due

Well this has certainly been my longest stint without a new post. With my love of fall and beginning all things festive this time of year, it hasn't exactly been at the top of my priorities to keep writing new blurbs on here. But tonight if I go to bed too early I know I will sleep too long and feel like a zombie for Friday and that is not a good feeling.

So whats new? FLORENCE! Yes the album "Ceremonials" if FINALLY out and I am definitely obsessed (and actually listening to Never Let Me Go at this very moment. The album is certainly different (as Florence always is which makes her genius and unconventional) and some tracks took a few listens to appreciate, others were amazing from the get-go. Her voice is still amazing and "the machine" as it were, is definitely staying strong. The new album actually assisted me in completing my best four mile run yet! *I am considering a small running challenge (5k maybe...) I guess I want to keep improving my ability with distance to prove to myself that I can do it first before officially deciding. I have never found such good running music and I have to give that some credit for my running success this week.

Halloween has passed and it has proved to be another interesting year ;) This was the last epic year of "The French Maid" who is now retiring and a new costume will make its first appearance next year. Fall is naturally flying by and cold winds and gloomy weather make their entrance - ominous of the classic midwest winters we have all come to know. I don't mind chilly, but freezing and windy is another story. As I age I come to desire only mild weather more and more.

I feel oddly optimistic about things (despite the competitive and seemingly unstable nature of my current work situation). Work has little to do with my happiness - I must contribute that to my wonderful boyfriend, puppy children, friends, new music, book project, fall weather, etc. My dream in the future is to work unfettered by a boss or corporate structure, to create beautiful and meaningful things - that would bring me a lot of peace in my life. Joining the seemingly endless cycle of adult working has changed my outlook on things in a darker way - but I feel like I have been able to recover some of my original self slowly over the last six months. It is amazing how that changes things - depressing to think about....but when people forget who they really are and become slaves to their passionless jobs (even without meaning too) it can be a hard place to crawl back from. But I am working on that.

The holidays are my favorite times of the year so I am excited to decorate for Christmas no later than the day after Thanksgiving, per usual! I have ordered more candles and they even came with free "festive" holders so I eagerly await their UPS delivery tomorrow.

In lou of my continual love of Florence:

And the arms of the ocean
Are carrying me...
And all this devotion was rushing out of me...


Seems a heavy choice to make
But now I am under all...


And its over, and I'm going under
But Im not giving up
Im just giving in. 

The Continual Continuing

Yes this cupcake was amazing!

So far the "Autumnal Bucket List" is going rather well. I am continuing on with my reading of The Shining and I must say that it is fantastic! The detail is plentiful and it makes Jack Torrence (who I will always envision as Jack Nicholson) look even more deranged :) I understand the story and all of the intricacies of the story much better. Now when I watch the movie again this month (which needs to be added to my Autumnal Bucket List) I will have a greater appreciation for the subtleties.

In other news I did complete my very first batch of homemade chili - it did turn out slightly less like actual soup then I would prefer, very super chunky. But the flavor was great and with some Fritos added on top I was rather pleased with myself and my ever increasing culinary skills. Pumpkin pie will be on the menu in the coming weeks! HURRAY PUMPKIN! Also said trip to Lemp Mansion has been scheduled and I am super excited to indulge in their chicken, potatoes, biscuits, and other "homemade haunted goods".

Late last week my little grease ball (Mogli) who had become frighteningly unkempt due to his ear infection and castration...FINALLY got his sutures out and was properly groomed this past weekend. And what a difference! He smells like cupcakes and looks very handsome! He will have all the lady dogs swooning at the dog park. His training is slowly coming along - minus a few lite accidents and some hysteria barking out the window.

The weather lately has continued to be fantastic and my allergies are slowly (fingers crossed) beginning to lessen.

Here is my TILT update!
* Car washing, welcome change in schedule for the day, tea (always), feeling good about the future, Jane Eyre (can't wait to watch this!!!), my fitness pal (best free app ever!)

The Satisfying Weekend

Sunday is almost over, and sad as it is, I am happy that this weekend was enjoyable :) I am still loving this weather, many of the summer-fanatics are now feeling gloom and doom with the chilliness, BUT I AM NOT! I say yes to jackets, blankets, hot drinks, chili making, and hurray to cloudy and cool days.

Mogli has survived his castration and is now in the healing phase - you wouldn't know it by looking at him as he is bounding around the house and even though he does constantly bash his e-collar onto any and every surface, he seems to have no idea that he just underwent a surgical procedure. All is well in the recovery - we are just hoping that he gets over his ear infection so I can stop shooting that disgusting goo (that he completely loathes) into his ears. He looks much like Michael Corleone of The Godfather, with his black, greasy head of hair - there is just no way to keep that ear remedy under control! I anxiously await the day I can bathe him again.

Enjoying the small things this weekend played a huge part in why it was so great! Cooking successes and following through in our reduction in restaurant eating is going well and according to plan. We did let ourselves indulge in a weekend trip to the Olive Garden where we ran into our two good friends while still waiting for our table! Much fun was had as we chewed over the usual gossip and hilarities of life. We also FINALLY remedied that gaping hole in our ceiling! Just a little trip to Lowes and some handyman tricks later we have covered the hole with a vent cover complete with magnet vent seals to keep the moisture from destroying the top of the ceiling (clever invention I might say). I have also procured all the ingredients that I will need to fire up the crockpot this week and make my first every homemade chili! I cannot wait as this was one of the items on my "Autumn Bucket List" (yes I know, but still, a bucket list is a bucket list no matter how small...or seasonal).

Tonight has ended well, complete with HouseHunters and me working on writing :) Happy day indeed!

*Autumnal Bucket List - 2011*
- Make homemade chili
- Visit and dine at the "Lemp Mansion"
- Finish reading The Shining (Im working on it!)
- Carve pumpkins with Mogli for the first time
- Eat lots of homemade pumpkin pie (which I am a seasoned veteran at making)
- Wear my new scarf, and wear it correctly so that I do not look like a fool! 
- Continue to wear "autumnal" shades of nail polish 

The Luck of the Unlucky

Let me just say that I am in heaven with this weather! Fall is fabulous! Just this afternoon I needed to satisfy my hot chocolate cravings and stopped off at a cute new cafe and was impressed to find that the hot chocolate is to die for! HURRAY! This could be dangerous though...living in close proximity to deliciousness is always a struggle with temptation.

Even though this weather has lifted my spirits, I was in the depths of despair late last week as I discovered that my brand new car had been struck in the parking garage :( Oh yes, I am no stranger to the nightmare of car accidents...this is the eighth time that someone has hit me, the first time for this car, but the two before it were magnets for disaster. People really need to be more careful and stop hitting me! Especially when I am parked and not even in the car! Its very frustrating and after a week I am still waiting to get my car back from the repair center...I am glad that I have a rental, but miss having my own vehicle. My hope is that after I do get my car back that this does not happen again for a long time (or ever if I really had my way, but that just doesn't seem likely).

Today Mogli becomes a eunuch. It is essential for his belonging to the dog park, training class, pet hotel, really anything that he needs to be involved in. But I feel for him, the thought of my little baby undergoing surgery is sad and I hope that he does not rebel against the E-collar and heals quickly. I need all the luck that I can get after I pick him up this evening...Chloe's week after surgery was very unfortunate so I hope that this time it is less disastrous.

TILT: New music (and upcoming albums: Coldplay, and FLORENCE!!!), great weather, heated seats, wearing long pants, hot chocolate, more cell phone minutes, approaching holiday season, reading hilarious blog entries, fun plans coming up <3

The Ever Allergic Reaction

ATCHEW! Yes, sneezing and coughing have become part of my daily routine as the mold and ragweed counts continue to rise. Sad indeed that my body continues to attack itself for no reason and keep me miserable and sleep deprived. Ah biology.

On a good note the temperatures are beginning to drop and that makes me jovial! I love fall and I love to layer! I have quite the love of jackets and actually have more jackets now than shirts so I really need to start being able to wear them. I want to eat everything autumnal: pumpkin things, caramel things, hot things - such as tasty soups and chowders. If only I could sit at home all day honing my culinary skills that would be heaven! This fall I am determined to make a masterpiece homemade chili. My crockpot will certainly come in handy for that, just need to find the right recipe.

Recently I saw Contagion in theaters and loved it! Really not a movie I would recommend to anyone even slightly germaphobic, but the acting was great and Kate Winslet was in it so you know it was good :) It reminded me of the H1N1 scare and does a good job of showing us how fragile we actually are when faced with a mutating virus that came about through bizarre circumstances.

There are fun things on the horizon in the coming weeks: weddings, trips to Six Flags, birthdays, and camping excursions - fall is the best time of year and with the holidays approaching I could not be happier (well of course unless these allergies would just desist...).

TILT (last week): Hand breaded shrimp and onion rings, dog parks, wearing jeans, watching fun movies, continuing to get closing to finishing The Lost Symbol (IM ALMOST THERE!)

The Bug That Flew Out Of Its Air Duct Vent

Happy day today is...the air ducts were cleaned today! It was quite the ordeal as the temperature outside is breaching 100 and the front door had to remain open to allow for the massive vacuum to run through the house. The vacuum itself actually reminded me of The Grinch, as you certainly could have enveloped a christmas tree in it.

As they cut a hole in the mainline to insert the vacuum a giant bug took flight outwards and almost struck me in the face! It was shocking and after seeing that I was even more eager for them to create maximum suction force to eliminate creepy crawlies. I don't mess with bugs...

The dust and debris that the vacuum collected was audible - I could hear 15 years of nastiness being sucked up into their truck (thank goodness). Now it makes me thankful that after living here for over a year already that I can still breathe and that my lungs have not completely shut down.

There were some cosmetic casualties (much as I expected). When people paint layers over air vents, they can be difficult to pry off. No worries thanks to the paint people at Lowe's, we will be able to take in some paint samples and have the color matched to do some touchup work. there was also one corner of a wall that was badly marred as they drug the vacuum past it. But the air is noticeably fresher and that convinces me that it was worth it. After they left I was quick to turn the AC back on and then spent the next two hours cleaning due to the debris mess.

A worthwhile process indeed, but certainly a process.