Winner: Best Costume

Seriously...hands down...dressing up the dog is waaaayyyy better than any kid's costume!

Super size (me) please

Just curious...

I wonder if the guy at the next table will mind if I steal one of his french fries???  Seriously...it will only take me a millisecond to swipe one and he won't even notice it's gone.  Unless I get caught in the act.  Ummmm...can you say awkward?!?!!!

Pumpkins

In honor of Halloween we carved some pumpkins.  And they are soooo fabulous that they are on display at a local historic estate.  Well…sort of.  They actually are on display but a few of our pumpkins turned out less than fabulous.  The hubby and I could use a bit more practice.

Our friends, however, carved some expert pumpkins.  Especially J…he’s the over-achiever of the group.  Even down to the details-smeetails of taking a proper photo of his pumpkin.

Yep...his pumpkin could only be photographed without the flash after he lit the thing up with his iPhone.


Such a diva!

Sequel? Photos 365ish

Photo day 365 was on 9.30.11.  I started it originally as a year long project.

Ummmmm...now what?

Do I just continue counting until infinity?  No way!!  That is totally not an option since the math of converting calendar days to photo days just about used up the last of my smart brain cells.

Hummmm...this appears to be quite a conundrum.  It calls for some serious decision making skills.

Sooooo I'm just gonna flip a coin!  If I don't like the call, then it's best 3 outta 5.  And if all else fails, I'll consult the magic 8 ball.

Tebow!

Football?

Yes please.

Zoey is really crushing on Tebow right now so I had the hubby break the bad news to her that we would be watching the Jets play because the Denver game wasn't on in our market.  She meowed something about Sanchez not being quite as cute as Tebow.  Hummm...my girl has a valid point!

Lost: Stroller.

Strange.  I spotted an abandoned baby stroller on the side of the road on my way to work.  8+ hours later and it's still there.  Hummmm....that's not normal.  Makes me think there's some angry baby out there asking "yo...what happened to my ride bro?"

An apple a day

Don’t blink!  

Bummer…I blinked and totally missed summer.  

Well don’t blink again!  

Crap…there goes fall too!! 

Well at least we got to enjoy a perfect day at Bayfield’s Applefest….cutest-little-town-ever!  We took the scenic route along Lake Superior so we could take in all the fall colors.  Darn it!  I blinked…they’re gone!  Anyway…gotta love the entrepreneurial spirit of the locals…charging $10 buck-a-roos to park in their yards.  Ummm…no thanks…we’ll just park on the street and walk the extra 2 blocks.  Probably should have parked a mile away in an effort to walk off all-things-an-apple-eatin’ that took place.  

Apple pie.  

Apple cider.  

Apple butter.  

Apple wine.  

Apple brats.  

Apple funnel cake.  

It was like the Forest Gump of apples.  But of course my dad's apple pie is still the best-est  ever!!

Don't ask...just don't ask!

8 years 10 months 18 days of marriage.  


Plus an additional 3ish years of dating. 


And yet….just when I think I have the hubby all figured out, he does something that leaves me totally baffled and confused.  To which my only response is… "why didn’t you come with an instruction manual?”

Anything in those bags for me?

Soooooo...if this kind of stuff happens right in front of me...

what the heck goes on when I'm not home?!?!

And I specifically hung my shopping bags on the door handle to keep them away from Ziggy and Zoey.  Once again...I was outsmarted by the little bads!!!

 

From Miami to Minnesota

Holy Crockett and Tubbs!  


That is one very large 1980s-inspired piece of art. I recently acquired this masterpiece from a rummage sale for only $2. So only a buck each for the huge frame and canvas. Or the equivalent of 2 McD’s sweet teas that I didn’t drink (yep I’m trying to cut back and it’s crazy hard)!! Anyway…I’m not quite sure how that thing made it up to Minnesota but I’m pretty positive it lived in Miami at some point.

And upon closer inspection I found that it was painted by Peggy in 1970. Whoa!!….she was totally ahead of her time…a neon turquoise trend setter…a whole decade before Miami Vice inspired decor. Like…totally…like…awesome…Peggy!  


I was so shocked that no one had snapped up the $2 art already. I guess it’s not always easy to see the potential in something that evokes images of plastic pink flamingos, white blazers, and poofy side-ponytails.

So I snapped up the Miami Vice art and went in search of the hubby.  Only to spot him coming toward me with a few golf clubs in his hand.  Hummm...didn't we just down-size all the clubs to a reasonable number during our yard sale???  Decided to go with the...."I won't ask you about the golf clubs if you don't ask about this cah-raz-zyyy art." 


Of course, I couldn't wait to spray paint that sucker.  I think I was going through spray painting withdrawal. 

Although, I may have inhaled too many fumes 'cause I remember introducing my frame to the paint. It went something like this:  


“Hello $2 frame. I’d like you to meet my $3 can of spray paint. You are going to be the best-est of friends.”  


I really should seek out some kind of therapy for talking to inannimate objects!  Oh well...I'm probably beyond help at this point.

Next up was Peggy's beloved painting.  40+ years old and I didn't hesitate one milla-second before dumping a bunch of primer on that beauty...minutes later she was white and bright.  Buh-bye Miami Vice! 


Then I decided to try my hand at decopaging.   So I ripped a bunch of pages from one of the hubby's textbooks (not really...just seeing if he's paying attention.)  I actually used a book from our local free-cycle spot.)  Then I mixed up a glue/water solution to "mod podge" the paper to the canvas.  

Of course, like every worthy project...I ruined my manicure.  Oh well.  Guess that's the real cost of $2 DIY.


And now my girl Peggy is lookin' all fresh and young again with her full-body makeover.  Amazing what a little paint and glue can do!

Feed me!

What can I say...my girl likes to eat!

The hubby and I got home a little later than normal so I was greeted by two hungry kitties when I walked through the door.  Well after they tried to make a run for the basement.  And like most days...one always succeeds since I can't seem to catch them both.

Just another instance of being out-smarted by the little bads.

So after we were all safely locked into the house, I realized the little bads were in need of food.  Mealtime means a I get a few minutes of peace while they are distracted and stay out of trouble.  Or so I thought.  Guess I was too slow for Zoey.  And to think I only looked away for a second....ahhhhhh!


Of course...a responsible adult would have immediately fished Zoey outta the bowl.  But that's so not me.   I laughed and went running for the camera.  Priorities people priorities!

The Coffee Table (Part 4) aka The Bench (Part 1)

Yep.  I totally lied.  I vowed there would not be a coffee table part 4.  But I couldn't leave it alone.  It needed modifications.  And since the makeover happened in the table's new life as a bench...maybe I can call it Bench Part 1 instead.  So then I'm not a liar.  Whew!  Glad I sorted that all out!

Ok...Bench Part 1...
It turns out that the coffee table I build is the perfect height and width to be a bench for my dining table.  Gotta love happy coincidences!  Especially since it wasn't working for me as a coffee table.  But...as a bench...I love it. It just needed a little something extra.  And what's my fix for say ummmm everything....more paint of course!  So while I was waiting on the wall paint to dry in my office, I added a little bling to my bench.  Stripes!

And my bench thanked me since vertical stripes make everything look a bit slimmer.  The bench was feeling kinda pudgy with some slender 1x2's hanging out nearby....

Cheesy wood building humor...man I crack myself up!!!

Tech Support?

What’s worse than dealing with tech support…..thinking I’m dealing with tech support only to find out I wasted 20 minutes chatting with some yahoo in the sales department (who by-the-way never bothered to tell me how to contact tech support).

Awesome.

Well…if I do need a new printer…guess who I’m soooo NOT calling!

2:37:49 PM  I have a 1320c dell printer that is giving me error message 091-935


2:38:58 PM  sorry to hear about that, may I ask how long have you had the printer?


2:43:24 PM  At least 2 years. I am unable to find the solution to this error code. I'm trying to find if there is a part I can replace to fix the printer and if so, how much? That will help me determine if this can be fixed or if I need to purchase a new printer.


2:44:03 PM  may I ask no other errors, or anything you have noticed in the printer?


2:44:41 PM  Nothing else appears to be wrong.


2:45:33 PM  when was the last time you replaced the toners for the printer?


2:46:47 PM  Maybe a month or so ago...I only replace each cartridge as they run out.


2:48:38 PM  I see


2:49:08 PM  may I ask what type of warranty did you get for the printer?


2:49:42 PM  none that I know of


2:50:43 PM  I see


2:54:19 PM  Sorry to keep you waiting Michelle

2:57:59 PM  I'm sorry but I only have limited info about the error since I am from the Sales department. However, you can call our technical department that can assist you for the possible diagnosis and repair

Local Gang in Our Hood

Recently, a gang moved into our neighborhood.  A gang of two, reminiscent of Bonnie and Clyde, except much worse.  Much much worse!  These two gang members even have the street-savy hubby looking over his shoulder to make sure he doesn’t get jumped.  Literally.  

The gang name:  The Little Bads.

Their colors:  White, Orange, and Gray. 

Be warned.  They are armed with sharp claws and alligator-like teeth.  They are considered by the authorities to be extremely dangerous.  However, on occasion, when encountered…they can be bribed with toys.  But if you have strangs (strings)…forget it…nothing deters their love of strangs!  They will stop at nothing to play with strangs.  Always hide your strangs from this gang.  If spotted, it is impossible to out run them. 

Also, the duo are usually found together, plotting their next crime spree.  Currently…toes, noses, and ears are not safe.  Pouncing and biting are commonly used methods in their attacks.  All people living in the vicinity should be on the lookout for any suspicious activity and report concerns to the proper authorities.  (Translation:  We have to stick together people ‘cause the little bads are ruthless and take no prisoners!)

The Console Table (Part 3)

Amazing.

It's been 6 months since I built and stained the console table.  And get this...I haven't altered it.  Not one inch.  Can't say the same for the accessories though.  The duck...I love him.  He hopped into my shopping cart and quacked some kind of threat if I didn't take him home.  I know...he looks so innocent.  Who woulda ever thought?!

And the scarf...yep I've been knitting that thing for say a million years.  Seriously...I started it while living in FL...4 years ago.  So that could make it my oldest-and-still-not-completed-to-date project.  But now what I'm really trying to figure out is why in the heck did I need a scarf in Florida!

Photo Day 364: Tempting Fate (9.29.11)

Photo Day 364:  Tempting Fate (9.29.11).
Logic says it's only a matter of time before this tree branch finally snaps off and comes tumbling down.  And yet I continue to walk under it every day.  I mean...really...what are the odds that it will actually land on my head??

As I write this sprawled on the concrete sidewalk like a bug hoping someone will come to my rescue and remove this gia-normous tree limb off me.  Not really.  But it would have made for a funny story.

Kinda like being hit by NASA's 6.5 ton satellite that fell out of space and plummeted to earth.  NASA couldn't say for sure where it would land.  But odds were no one would be struck by the falling debris.   In fact, they said I'd have better odds of winning the lottery.  Hummmm...well then...sounds like I just hit the mega millions jackpot 'cause I'm gonna sue the $#!? outta NASA when their satellite lands on my head!

Photo Day 356: Carving Squash (9.21.11)

Photo Day 356:  Carving Squash (9.21.11)
Prepping my spaghetti squash for dinner reminded me a bit too much of carving a pumpkin for Halloween.  Not so sure how I feel about that.  Eating some evil faced gourd that should be rotting on my porch for the next month.

And...there was no one around to throw the slimy seeds at.  Boo-hoo.  (Get it...halloween...boo.  Well...I laughed.)

Photo Day 350: No is a universal language (9.15.11)

Photo Day 350:  No is a universal language (9.15.11)

No thank you.
Oh, thank you, but no.
Not today.
Thanks but I'll pass.
Nope.
No.

WHAT PART OF EFFFFING NO DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND!!!!!

Guess I haven't quite mastered the whole "minnesota nice" thing yet.