Fun Friday Idea

How fun is this? On Friday nights the Mad Potter, located on Tates Creek, has Live Music Fridays. You can bring a bottle of wine and friends to listen to live music, all of which should inspire the creation of a beautiful piece. ThaKing can't wait for me to drag him to this!

The Dooce

For those of you that may not have noticed the link to the dooce webiste on the right, I beg you to go there! It is Heather Armstrong's website and she is basically a professional blogger. What a great job! I think she is absolutely brilliant. In her posts, she takes sarcasm and profanity to an articulately enviable level. Unfortunately, I shall not cite my favorite dooce quotes, just in case my mom actually reads this post, even though she has been known to be quite creative in her use of profanity. But see the about link on dooce and you will find what I mean.

Must Have...

At the risk of sinking into mindless blogging about pretty clothes, yet out of desperation of something to post about, here goes. I can recall less than five times in my life that I have paid full price for clothing. Out of principle, I will try, try to wait for BR to knock 20% off this incredibly classic dress. I am sure that once I try it on though I would probably look totally pregnant.

Summer Lessons Learned

This summer I've learned several important lessons. Number one, don't dance on top of Lexington 'skyscrapers' because you will soon be confronted by the police. (See previous post). Also, impatiens apparently love the shade. I moved my impatiens basket from the full sun of the back yard, to the front yard, where the gnomes thrive, since there is never any sun between the closely set Ball Homes. Now its blooms abound.

Second, after spending $350 + at the vet's office on Friday, I learned the o' so valuable lesson of don't abruptly change your cat's food! Our vet prescribed Ms. Ripley Kitty special food to help her troubled kidneys. Immiediatly I stopped the servings of Iam's indoor formula for Iam's KD formula. I was really busy last week during the food swap so all I noticed was that Ripley's food was being eaten...but not by whom. After being awakened to Ripley heaving her guts out at 4AM last Friday, and finding her lethargic thereafter, it was concluded that R.C. (a.k.a. Big Brown, Budha Belly, Speed Bump) was eating Ripley's food. Ripley nearly starved to death! And I am contemplating having a child?! Call Child Protective Services and Animal Control now! Anyway, I dropped Ripley off at the vet's office ASAP. The vet called later and said the abrupt food change most likely caused the condition. She was given some fluids and $1.25/can food which must be like KITTY CRACK b/c she loves it. Fortunately, Ms. Ripley is nearly back to normal now. We have to keep a close eye on Big Brown so she doesn't eat all of poor, starving, Ms. Ripley's food though.

Interesting Scenes of Thursday Night Live

ThaKing and I went to Thursday Night Live last week with our good friend, Roger Schott, the Laurel Co. Circuit Court Clerk who was in town for a conference. It was a great time filled with friends, music, and the temperature was not 90 +. However, all that greatness made some attendees crazy. We noticed that several people in the crowd were looking up. There was nothing I could see in the tree nearby or the sky...then someone said look on top of that building. Then there he was! Some guy dancing on top of the First National Bank Building, which is about 18 stories, I think. The building exits were subsequently surrounded by police.

Two of my favorite prosocuteors, Carrie and Lindsay.

Me with Roger and Johnny 'Fed', Lindsay's significant other.

Tim Russeret laid to rest

On Friday, June 13th, 2008 the nation lost a great soul. I didn't even know Tim Russert, but I occasionally caught his additions to Today and Nightly News. In those vinets, I captured what a passionate person he was about his job, politics, and most of all, his family. His passing was so shocking. Yet, the response of his colleagues and friends telling stories of what a great person Tim Russert was, is nearly just as overwhelming as the loss itself. Further, his son Luke's bravery and compassion in being able to deliver a clear and an eloquent eulogy of his father is that much more telling of the job Mr. Russert and his wife did in raising such a compassionate and articulate individual.

I become angry thinking "why should such a great person, husband, and father, be taken away so abruptly." The only rationalization I can fathom is that if he had died at age 90 or greater, his life may have only made a small blurb in the daily news reels; yet, since he was called home so soon, we can stop and look at the respectable life he led and aspire to be half the person/parent he was, and then know, we did well.

Perhaps, I am so emotional over Mr. Russert's passing because of dealing with my father's ongoing battle with cancer. However, the bright side (if there is one) of cancer is you often times have the opportunity to tell your loved one how much you love and appreciate them. So please, stop and let the ones you love know just how much you care for them, because there is no guarantee that you will have the opportunity in the future.

Being stylishly green

Neela Bags are smart, stylish and, believe it or not, also shockingly affordable. The standard market bag is a whopping $5. Instead of wondering if it is ok to take the Kroger 'green' bag into Whole Foods, or should I use the Whole foods bag, take the Neela Bag, which is appropriate for every supermarket, farmer's market, etc. These would also make great gift bags that could be used over and over again. Hopefully though, unlike me, you can remember to actually take the bag with you to the grocery!

Addicted to Weeds?

Weeds returns for Season 4, tonight on Showtime. I can't wait to finish Season 3 on DVD so I can see what my favorite suburban drug dealer is going to do next. For those of you that have not seen Weeds, you must! Nancy Botwin (Mary Louise Parker) is a widowed mother of two who has turned to dealing marijuana to support her family and maintain her upper middle class lifestyle. To boot she makes a much more articulate and diplomatic gangsta' than Tony Soprano ever could have been. The show makes drug dealing look like a viable rewarding option. This is especially true since Mrs. Botwin never gets busted, unlike my clients in real life.

Gotta love the Onion

June 12, 2008

Big Brown Seen Leaving Belmont Carrying Large Sacks Of Cash

NEW YORK—Shortly after finishing in last place in the Belmont Stakes Saturday, Big Brown was reportedly seen leaving through the back exit of the Belmont stable locker rooms carrying several shopping bags stuffed with cash, which the 3-year-old colt placed into the back seat of his Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe. "I could hardly tell it was him because he was wearing sunglasses, a baseball cap pulled down low over his eyes, and a long trench coat, but I remember thinking he was so tall he had to be one of the athletes," said horseracing fan Jason Larson. "Still, I didn't figure it out until I saw the 'Big B' vanity plates on his car." According to numerous witnesses, Brown spent five minutes urinating on the windshield of trainer Rick Dutrow's car before driving off erratically at high speed.

New Doggy Daycare in town

Uptown Hounds recently opened off Broadway on Angliana. This luxury resort for your critters, includes spacious and comfortable private hotel rooms. If you miss your pet while you're away, then visit them through the marvel of video conferencing! Also, what pooch would not love the pool? For those athletic types, there is a dock to practice leaping, complete with a judging stand for immediate feed back. Currently, memberships are 1/2 price! The website is still under construction, but be sure and check back soon for all the info. I so want a dog!

SATC

I saw Sex and The City last Friday, with some of my favorite girl friends. The movie is great and the script did the series justice despite having a big screen window of time in which to air. I could have cried about five times! I am totally in love with Mr. Big (not so much so with Chis Noth's Law & Order character), even though he consistently disappoints. Yet, with that much money and old school charm, who could not forgive and forget, time and time again.

Predator becomes the prey

Speaking of Ms. Ripley Kitty, I NEED this cup from shopmodi.com... the Predator or Prey tea glass alters the "cat and fish" love/hate relationship by putting the cat inside the 'fishbowl'.

Creative Thursday

Speaking of Thursday, Creative Thursday is one of my absolute most favorite sites on the web. The paintings are so innocent and simplistic, yet heartwarming to the core. I particularly love this piece which looks just like Ms. Ripley Kitty wearing a fashionable polo.

Thursday Night Live

Thursday Night Live kicks off June 5 at 4:30pm in Lexington, featuring the Johnson Brothers who are famous for their classic rock covers. Be sure to stop by the Kentucky Ale Beer stand and tip generously, because all tips benefit the Lexington Humane Society!

Belated Birthday/Cinco de Mayo Post

thaKing celebrated his 32nd birthday on Cinco de Mayo. I am so jealous of his birthday! Everyone celebrates his! Anyway, despite having bronchitis and not being able to taste anything, let alone breath, I made thaKing a sombrero cake. I used a round cake pan for the bottom and a nifty mixing/pouring bowl from pampered chef to make the top. A la Barbie Doll cake. I found sombrero, pepper, cactus, and maraca candles at a cake decorating store in London. At least the candles made the cake look more recognizable of the true intent. It was a learning experience and enormous time consumer coloring the icing myself, but I heard it tasted good. Maybe someday thaKing will get another homemade cake, until that day comes, I am calling Magee's!

We went to dinner at Mi Piquena on his birthday. Our friends Mitch and Susan, as well as Russ and Julie joined us. BT and the College even made a rare appearance. We had a great time, but too bad we had to work the next day.

Home sweet home

I visited my parents this weekend in London. Growing up there, I never fully appreciated the wonderful place I lived. I grew up on 10 acres in the middle of the woods. Regular visitors included flying squirrels, deer, fox, wild turkey and of course that one raccoon which led to an unfortunate incident involving my leg and rabies shots. Yet, after living 10 feet away from my next door neighbors, and being within earshot of those living behind us, I truly appreciate my parents' home and where I was raised. My dad, as you can tell, simply can't understand why I would want to live anywhere else!

Dont' get me wrong. I love what we have done with our yard...but I have ran out of room to plant new things!

Below is my parents' back yard waterfall, next to which thaKing and I were married.

Mom enjoying the view from the top of the waterfall from a newly annexed part of the yard.

However, in mine and thaKing's tiny yard, we recently had the joy of waking up to two ducks resting in the yard.