pug's new outdoor pad

and the winner is...
the rocking chairs!

Good choice y'all! I love them! Pug is loving them as well since we pretend his vote counts too.

I'm going to start letting you vote on all my decisions now.

It sucks me in everytime

Okay, so once again the Bachelorette sucked me in and took two whole hours out of my day. I'm a sucker for the reality television I tell you.

Did only 3 have to leave? I'm really disappointed with the outcome and thought we could have sped this up a bit and tossed out a few others. I thought surely there is no way that she will keep Twilley, but she surprised me and kept him. I found it a little creepy that he was standing outside her home waiting for her to return to chat. I'm not seeing the chemistry there. I think Chris was a much better match and would have liked to have seen him stay over Twilley.

Eric, seemed very sweet, but the boy just could not have a conversation without discussing Greece. He had to go.

Ryan, nice guy, I would have thought she would have picked someone else to leave over him like Robert.

So here are my favorites today, feel free to chime in (or make fun of me).
Graham
Jeremy
Jason
Brian W.

The patio is in need of some assistance

Happy Memorial Day to you! I'm having a hard time believing that it is already the end of May, but then I got my a/c bill and realize yes indeed it is May! The summer heat is upon us. So, I hope you get a chance to kick back and relax today.

On my Memorial Day agenda is to:
1. Fix my blog layout. I think I've finally figured out how to add a 3rd column in blogger. (UPDATE-I may hold off I'm reading comments with mixed reviews on doing this) So let's hope for the best in my fancy technology skills. Oh, and most importantly update my blog roll. Sorry it has taken me awhile to do that.
2. Laundry and Ironing- ugghhh!!!
3. Grocery store- We just got back into town and with no energy remaining we dined on a frozen pizza for dinner.
4. Read. I've started a couple books and would really like to finish at least one.

Okay, now I'm calling on y'all for your patio opinions. I have a little area outside that I want to spend some birthday money on and furnish it with a few chairs and maybe an end table. I don't want anything too fancy because this is where pug can be found working on his tan when he goes outside. So mainly a place to sip Dr. Peppers and read. Y'all pick an option and let me know because they are about the same in price and I'm to the point where I like them all too much.

Option 1: Bringing a little Tuscany to Suburbia


Option 2: Pass the lemonade


Option 3: Adorable seat cushions, but where do my arms rest?


Option 4: Not your grandma's rocker (black rocker with damask cushions)



You can vote above in the handy poll box. Spiffy!

Living on the edge

Last week a small miracle happened. Prepare yourselves. I thought I was doomed for a spout of food poisoning, but never got it. Whew! Let me back it up and first explain that any meat slightly under cooked freaks me out to no extent. If something looks even a bit suspiciously pink I pass it around the table getting every one's opinion. I take their feedback and then determine if I feel it's worth the risk. I'm not at all about living on the edge when it comes to my meat. And as my mom is reading this she's going "Oh for crying out loud I should have banned Dateline from the house!!!" And she's right because now the hotel beds, well that episode freaked me out too.

So, last week our sweet and very generous friends took us out for a birthday dinner to a common all-American chain restaurant. I won't say it's name because there is nothing worse than hearing a gross restaurant story and then having to go eat there while thinking about that stupid story the whole time. We've eaten at this place for a long time now and have no need for a menu, just the grilled chicken salad that's oh so yummy. The meal came and I took a couple of bites not really paying much attention. I bit in this last time and noticed the chicken was rather Barbie pink. That can't be good. My stomach dropped and I thought "well that's it...I'm either going to die before my birthday or celebrate it with my head in the loo". I passed it to boy, then passed it to friend 1 and friend 2. Conclusion: "I wouldn't eat anymore". And I'm all like thanks Sherlocks, but what about the live chicken that I just swallowed?

The waiter was extremely apologetic, took it off the tab and I sat and prayed silently that I'd be spared of the sickness. And whoa the Lord is good because I made it out alive.

And there you have it the 2008 birthday miracle.

The cutest oyster farmer I ever did see

Okay, so each season of the Bachelor I say I'm not going to watch it this year. It just really takes it all out of me to go through the whole season and then 24 hours after the finale find out in People that the lovebirds have broken up. I haven't watched in a while, but I've made a little exception this time for The Bachelorette because I've terribly missed the sound of Chris Harrison's voice and think DeAnna is just the cutest southern belle.

So in all it's cheesy reality show glory I have to say I am loving this season. So let's chat it up.
1. Did anyone else tear up a bit when they first talked about Jason, the single dad. His son is just adorable and Jason has a gorgeous smile, but I really sense that he is a genuinely great guy. He said in his interview at the beginning that he was going to be totally honest from the start and let DeAnna that he was a single father. He didn't though. I don't think it was the right time, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she doesn't get upset with that and send him packing.
2. Luke the oyster farmer. Okay, as nerdy as he was wasn't he just as sweet as buttermilk pie? I doubt that they had that much in common, but his heart seemed so genuine that I was rooting for him to stay just one more episode. Oh my stars it broke my heart he did not get a rose and hearing him talk about it at the end.
3. I also liked Jeremy and Chris. I thought they both seemed like real class acts and also they are from Texas so bonus points for that.
4. And last but not least, Richard. The science teacher...I love it. I'll be really shocked if she does not hang on to him for awhile. I seem to really find the shy and quiet ones to be my favorites because let's be honest most of the others were so loud and cocky it was embarrassing to watch, take Greg and his howling at the end.

Oh, and for any of you pregnant ladies out there looking for boy's names I think that Spero and Twilley would be excellent choices.

Because it's not a practical idea

Have you noticed that I'm suffering from some serious blogger's block? I think of things to tell y'all as I'm out and about but then sit down to write and all I get is the sound of loud cricket's chirping. It's getting kind of annoying.

But y'all know what's really annoying...the gas prices. Sorry you're probably feed up with the gas price talks, but stay with me I've got a real winner of a solution for transportation below. I can't complain too much because our Texas gas prices are not as outrageous as some parts of the country and truthfully we pay what $10-$15 bucks more, but that doesn't help the tears from flowing as that total soars. Each time I put the cap back on, get my receipt and grumble as I get in my seat I scream, "We are so getting a hybrid!!". And then the light bulb went off yesterday as I pulled out of the gas station. What's even better than a hybrid? A golf cart! And better than any old golf cart...a pimped out golf cart. And you better believe that they do make them because I found this site.

Check it out! We can save money on gas and look cool all at the same time. Now the hard top would be a must with the rain and hail, but I'm loving the AM/FM radio feature. Does it come with cup holders though?

Now I need to probably go ahead and add a disclaimer that no we will not be trading in our vehicle for one of these very fancy golf carts. I thought I should probably go ahead and add something before someone comments reminding me they are not legal on highways. But the real issue would be that in the event of a fender bender the newspaper headline would read "Today a girl in her golf cart that was just trying to save money and look stylish at the same time was plowed over by Dodge Neon".

So happy Monday and maybe the golf cart image will give you a laugh next time the gas price total says: "Hand over kidney".

Birthday Recap

Thank you all for your sweet birthday wishes to boy. He was truly blown away. Tam at Inprogress asked if we had any run in for 2008. No it really went off pretty smoothly if you don't count the dog getting sick on the carpet and boy having to call an ambulance for a friend at work. That friend is fine, so I'd call it a successful one.

One of the best things about boy's birthday is the fact that in exactly 7 days my birthday rolls around. Boy felt that we were truly meant to be together when he realized there would be no effort in remembering my birthday; it's not really too hard to remember a week. And for exactly 7 days out of the year boy is 3 years older than me so I run around exclaiming how old he is. But the better than best part is the fact that we get presents on each other's birthday, so we feel like those kid's that need presents on other people's birthday so they don't feel left out and cry.

Yesterday his parents came into town for his celebration. Hint the delicious ice cream cake from Carvel that I will be running off till next year. We opened presents then headed out for dinner. I don't know about y'all, but we are a little nervous heading out to a restaurant particularly the ones that sing to you. Boy and I hate having attention drawn to us, so before we get out of the car we beg and plead for no one to inform any restaurant staff member of the event and then we spend the entire meal making sure that no family member suddenly wanders away from the table or is alone with the waiter. We high fived it out the door yesterday when we bypassed standing up on a chair and flapping our arms like a bird for a free piece of cake (birthday 2004). No dessert is worth that public humiliation.

And if you make me do well then you might as well toss into the gift a free therapy session.