what was i thinkin?

Okay, this might be my last blog. I might very well die of heatstroke today. "Sure sign up for the Westchester Artfest" I told sis-in-law. "Lots of folk with money for jewelry up there" I said. "What else you doin until September?"
Hey I should've remembered that SW Ohio has it's hottest days of the year the last week of July and the first week of August. I'm as prepared as I can be. I have my lightest weight jeans on. A cotton t-shirt, sandals(which are gonna be a bear to set up and tear down in) 4 bottles of H20, 2 frozen, a bottle of tea and 32oz of Gatorade. I even splurged and bought a really nice 10" battery operated fan for the booth. I think I'll let sis use that,she's overweight and used to A/C, so I know she's gonna be suffering worse than me. I love her and would hate to see her get heatstroke. Not to mention I'd be tearing down by my self if something did happen.
After teardown, I have to run across town to sing in a contest tonight. It's called "Karaoke Idol" (how original) and it's been going on since June. You collect votes every week until September when they announce the semifinalists. I just found out about it last week, so I have to play catch up if I hope to make it. The finals are in January and you get to sing with the house band instead of the machine, which is kinda scary and cool. First prize is 5000, but I doubt I'll get that since most of these compettitons are based on how many people you cna get to come watch and vote for you and I don't know that many people willing to come out on Sunday nights, but hell it's fun to try. Well, time to go to the all day steambath.

things i've learned from my pets

Oh yes animals are wise about how to live life....
from my dogs I have learned that..
-Everyday that I wake up, it's a miracle. (Of course everytime I walk in the front door it's a miracle too)
- Be open to tasting new things, if you don't like something,you can always barf it up.
-Take time to stop and smell the trees, and the signpost, and the hydrant and the....
-Sharing is not only polite, but expected, especially at dinnertime
-Going to work is a privilege, not an obligation
-A warm,wet kiss is nice, but being licked dry is just kinky
-Bubble baths are great, but don't drink the water
-Sometimes the best thing to watch isn't on TV, but in the backyard ...there are no reruns in Nature.
-Nothing beats a comfortable bed after a long day

And from the cat......
- Not all humans are bad, some actually give you chicken when you beg.
-After a certain age, squirt guns cease to be fun
-Sometimes it's okay to do stupid things , just make sure noone's looking so your dignity remains intact...and if someone sees you, act like you meant to do it anyway.

Why I like winter

Mid-90's, heat alert,smog alert, more than likely a heat emergency later in the week.
But the greenhouses still need tending, even though it's 105 in there, the poor plants need water. Though not as much, because plants, like us go into shutdown mode when it gets too hot. They wilt because their little stomates can't dissipate heat fast enough, so I usually mist them down a couple of times a day. The heat plus another shipment of about 600 poinsettias, 500 cyclamen, 400 carnations and 300 ferns is gonna make for a long week. Think I'll buy my Gatorade stock now.

That is why I like winter better. I can wear a t-shirt, a sweatshirt or whatever and still be comfortable at work.

I mowed the front yard Thursday, but didn't cut the back because I wanted to wait until later in the evening when it got cooler. It's not getting cooler until next weekend.
That is why I like winter, no grass to mow.

It's too hot to cook, and my digestive system grows weary of salads and restaurant fare. I can't even fathom grilling out, it's too hot.
That is why I like winter. Long-cooked stews, chicken and dumplings. A steaming cup of coffee with Kahlua after work.

The dog's are restless because they haven't gotten any walks this week, it's just too hot for them or me.
That is why I like winter. Walking in crisp air, watching them play in snow, then coming inside toweling them off and enjoying a cup of hot cocoa by the fire.

I never did like swimming. I just don't like getting my back wet. Even in the shower I step in front first, yes I'm weird. Plus my figure just isn't bathing suit or shorts friendly.
That is why I like winter. I enjoy hot baths, and fuzzy sweaters that let you go braless if you want. I can always put on more clothes if I'm cold when I go out, but I can only get so naked.

Now when I start bitching about the cold and snow, I will revisit this entry and remind myself, I love winter.

No Sweat???

Yesterday I decided to go get an air conditioner. I had done some research on the net and decided on an LG 8000 btu unit from Best Buy for 150 bucks. Problem was, their website said the store closest to me was out of them. The nearest one was across town and I really didn't feel like driving in rush hour traffic to go get it. So I called the closer store and woo-hoo they had one left. I put an hour hold on it and made tracks. I lugged the thing into my living room, opeened the box and discovered they don't come fully assembled anymore. I had to put the stupid little side curtains on it myself.
I think the Chinese take great pleasure in torturing us Americans by writing confusing owner's manuals, because after an hour I still hadn't figured it out and the tiny illustrations were of no use. Sweat was falling in my eyes and I was frustrated. Hubby came home and in about fifteen minutes we finally had the damn thing put together. I went to open the window, only to find it was painted shut. I went outside, climbed on the ladder and cut the paint away. The window stubbornly opened. By this time I was so hot and tired, we decided to go to the pub and have a beer and cool off. So we left the window open and walked down the street. Around 10 we came home and finished the job. Finally! Cooler air reigns in my living room. Can't wait to get home from work today and enjoy it.

a pretty cool solution

After spending the day sweating and thinking (me at work, hubby here with the dogs) it seems we both came up with the same idea to get cool. Since we spend most of the time in our living room /dining room combo, we'll purchase a window unit for the downstairs area and use a sheet (tasteful looking one of course)to block off the kitchen. This should work good for a few reasons
if it's too hot at night to sleep upstairs, we can pull out the sleeper sofa,it's a fast affordable solution, and the big bonus....if it's too hot for me to cook in the kitchen, we get take-out :) The size unit we need can be had for less than 200 bucks. As for the upstairs, we'll get a window fan for each bedroom and draw in cool air at night, like I've been doing in my room with the box fan. Trouble is my window is bigger than a box fan and we have no screens so the skeeters waltz right in and the cat spends the night on the porch roof hanging out. So tonight after work, I'm off to Best Buy! Stay cool all!

dammit all

Man, just when I was getting a wee bit comfortable financially BAM!!! The "American Nightmare' house bites me in the ass. The compressor died on my A/C, it's hot and humid and there's no way I can use fans except at night and only on the second floor. The cooling company I called said not only is the compressor dead, but the blower is dying too and they can't replace one without the other and that's about 4100 total. So now I sit here sweating waiting for Prince Charming to get up from his nap so we can talk about what we're gonna do. Not gonna be a good night in Fraidytown I reckon.

feelin better

After sleeping most of Thursday night and Friday, I'm feeling much better. I truly believe that just laying in bed willing your body to fix itself can do wonders. That and chicken soup.
Went to see the new Pirates movie and was sadly disappointed. It had the right actors, but I don't know who wrote the script. It didn't have nearly as many light-hearted moments as the first and it was just too damn long. The story dragged on so much they lost my attention the first hour. Seems they were going for more "action" than "adventure" I only hope the third one is better.
Also hoping it stays cool around here until Tuesday when I get paid. I do believe my A/C needs a clean and recharge. There goes a couple hundred bucks. Oh well, I work to live sometimes. Luckily, while I don't want to spend it, at least it won't throw my whole budget in a downward spiral for months, just a couple weeks. If I didn't live in a neighborhood where I have to lock my doors, I would just use fans and open the windows. But I enjoy the things I own and don't care to share them with uninvited intruders. So I will call the man.

wish I was a kid again

Sometimes being a grownup can really suck. Like now. I feel horrible. I won't go into all the whiny details, let it suffice that I have a chest cold. I very rarely ever get sick enough to not want to make it to work.But today is one of those days. I started feeling blah on Monday and it has steadily gone downhill since. Luckily, it often happens that the day I feel the worst is usually the day I start getting better. Unluckily, I can't call in sick because Jo is off today and trying to find someone to cover for me is more of a pain than it's worth. This couldn't have happenend tomorrow when I have an actual day off and could lounge in bed, nope had to be today.
So I will drag my phlegm filled self to work, whilst daydreaming I am a kid lying in bed with a warm compress on my chest, watching cartoons and eating chicken noodle soup. Then tomorrow I can sleep a little later and hopefuly feel good enough to go catch the new "Pirates" movie.

Ricey-snara

finally a date!

It's been a hectic, hard week at work. I have been, filthy,sweaty and I have wanted to go postal more than a few times.But finally the sale is over (I'll find out Monday how we did). My future niece-in-law liked her shower gifts, and I started a "swear jar" for the weekend. If Hubby or I even mention Alan's name, in goes a quarter. So far it's empty.
Yesterday, before going to the bridal shower, I told Hubby to pick somewhere for dinner...no dogs in the car, no Mom or sister, just us. We wound up going to a kinda of pricey, well-known cozy steakhouse. It was a nice dinner and afterwards we went to a biker bar and had a blast listening to the band(until they got too drunk to play decent) and people watching.Seeing as I wanted to get a little tipsy, we came home and walked to the pub. Two other neighborhood couples were up there and we had a great time just hanging out with them. We all had great plans to go back to the house and sit around the firepit in our next door neighbor's backyard, but that didn't happen. I suspect we all went home and had our own little fires. It was a grand night, one like Hubby and I haven't had in a long time, and one which will be repeated more often.

And now on a different note.....
I FREAKIN HATE BLOG SPAM!!!!!
I have noticed this practice going on in the comments section of quite a few blogs I visit. This is disgusting! If you wish to advertise, buy a freakin website! Don't use my blog for pushing your crappy wares and then hide behind a fake blog link you cheap bastard!
That's my two cents.