The Big V

Having Marine home is wonderful! 

It still doesn't feel real though that he doesn't have to go back.

On Valentine's day we drove about an hour away to go to the horse sale. Yeah we're romantic like that. On the drive Marine starts grinning telling me he knows where we can stop and pick up diner along the way.

The Big V. A sorta local mom and pop burger restaurant. 

I joked that we ate at the Big V for the Big V.

I'm corny, but at least I crack myself up :)

Tuesday night I decided to play domestic goddess and cook diner. The thought of me cooking diner makes most of my friends burst into fits of laughter. They like to say I can't cook. I mean just because a person makes a few mistakes should they be branded for life? Mix up teaspoon and tablespoon ONE time and they never let you forget it....

Diner was a success considering it is now Thursday and Marine is still alive and showing no side affects from food poisoning. 

Last night was the first night of house sitting for my co-worker that is out of town on a cruise. So far so good. The cats haven't killed me yet but sinus pressure is increasing. The daschunds have multiplied since the last time I house sat for her. She went from 2 to 4. They are cute dogs but give a whole new meaning to spoiled rotten!

Julie & Julia

So last night I cozied up with my bag of Oreo's and a can of Dr. Pepper and settled in to watch Julie & Julia.

I loved it.

As I creep closer and closer to my 30th birthday, I can totally relate to Julie's 30 year crisis! I mean here I am at 27 and like her I'm not really in a job that.... well imagine the scene where she is at lunch with her friends. All of them seem to be highly successful. And then there's her. She has a job but not one that she seems to think of as important or defines her. Yeah that's me. And that's my friends.

All of my friends are in careers in which they went to school for. Except me. So I can totally relate to lost feeling that I'm sure she was feeling at that exact moment.

Now I'm not being a Debbie downer here. Just stating facts. I know we all make our own choices. It was my decision to stay in my small hometown where a job in my chosen career field is not really an option. That is a choice I live with and don't regret. But we can all dream, right? Wonder about the what if's. Wonder what might have happened if we would have made other decisions in the past. Would we have wound up at the same place? Or would our lives be completely different?

I think everything happens for a reason. And even though career wise I may wish I would have made other choices, I would never go back and change a thing for fear that it may change other things in my life as well.

Back to the movie. I admired Julie. When she first set her goal of cooking the recipes in one year I did not realize it would be as difficult as it turned out to be. I mean the live lobster part???!!!! Yeah I would have so done the same thing as she did...... run from the room screaming!

I admired her for setting a goal and sticking to it. What a great way to celebrate and turn the 30 year crises into a positive thing.

This got me to thinking that I would like to do something along the same lines. Not cooking persay.... because let's face it I can't cook. But pick something and try to accomplish it within a year. Something that I would never really attempt otherwise. But what?

I have no idea.... I have at least another year and a half to think about it. A goal I will try to come up with around my 29th birthday.

The movie was great; positive, inspiring, and a happy ending. Plus Meryl Streep ~ which is always one of my faves! The only thing the movie left me wondering if Julie ever got to meet Julia..... it was amazing how two lives so distant could have such an impact. Even though Julie may have never met Julia it was amazing how she helped shaped Julie from the person she was at the beginning of the movie to the person she was at the end. ---- I also liked the fact that Julie got a book deal out of her blog. I mean really isn't that every bloggers dream? To be discovered and asked to publish a book?! Oh come on admit it, you know it's true!

It you haven't seen this movie, give it a shot. And perhaps join me in thinking of your own 30-year-crises goal.

"If no one's in the kitchen, who's to see?"

~ Julia Child ~

Isn't It Ironic

Last night after work I came home to pick up Hyper and headed to Punk-Rock-Chick's apartment for a fun night of pizza, beer, and card games with a big group of friends. I'm not much of a drinker but when I am I have always been a whiskey/rum/vodka kinda girl but as of lately I am trying to become a beer girl. Let me explain Vixen and I were the last two of our friends that refused to sell out to beer. But on the cruise in a stooper Vixen started drinking beer and to my dismay is still doing so..... And beer is cheaper than mixed drinks........ so I'm trying to make myself drink beer. I must admit to me all beer taste the same. But $2.00 beer vs $6.00 mixed drink..... yeah I need to drink beer.

So last night Hyper ran around the apartment enjoying having so many people to give her attention and I enjoyed hanging out with this laid back group of friends. All of my friends are so different, I think that is why I love them so much.

Anyway last night when I got home I crawled into bed and switched on the TV and of course Sex and the City is on TBS so I flip to it and settle in. I have always thought myself to be more of a Carrie; in that I'm the writer of my group, I'm a talker, like Carrie I am curious, also the only thing I've ever really made in the kitchen is a mess! I mean I've taken the quiz and I'm Carrie:

"You’re the star of the show! You’re vivacious and lively, confident in your own taste, and you know what you want (well, usually). That said, you’re not without your insecurities, and you can be a tad selfish sometimes. You’re ambitious, but you still want to find a good balance between work and life. You would like to have a long-term partner, but you realise that relationships take a lot of work." (take the quiz see who you are!)

But as I watched last night I started realizing maybe I'm a bit Charlotte as well. I had always compared my relationship with X to that of Aiden. In reality he may have been a Trey, well with out the bedroom problems. Ok well the more I think about it X is nothing like Trey except for Bunny. That was my ex mother-in-law and X was a total mommas boy. Which can be a sweet, endearing thing. Or an annoying thing that keeps him from ever growing up. Either way I've added this to my checklist of what I don't want in a future guy ~ no mommas boys (but he should have a good relationship with her and respect her ~ so maybe this rule's flexible).

The BIG football game was today.... I sat at the office glued to the TV texting play-by-play texts to friends who could not be watching the game. The final score my team lost by 3 points. Those 3 points ended a 7 year winning streak.... I of course noticed the irony of this. In 2000 my team lost. Early 2001 X and I started dating at that year our team won and for Christmas he gave me the winning game score t-shirt. This became a tradition and for the past 7 Christmas I received the shirt. So today as I watched the game I told myself if they won I'd have to buy my own shirt this year...... and they lost. So they didn't win the year before we got together, they won every year while we were together, now the year we split up they lost. Ok maybe no one else sees or cares about the irony but me.

"When it comes to relationships, maybe we're all in glass houses, and shouldn't throw stones. Because you can never really know."

~ Carrie, SATC ~

Black Friday

I sit at my desk gazing out the window watching the thick, grey clouds roll in. Rain is in the forecast with a chance of snow. Which means a lazy weekend is in my forecast! Tomorrow though is the BIG rivalry game for most college football teams. And like many others tomorrow I plan to be glued in front of a TV decked out in my team colors.

Unlike many others I am not out fighting the crowds today in search of deals, I am instead behind my desk trying to earn money for the upcoming holidays. And for lack of things to do I have caught up on my favorite blogs and browsed online sales. Not to say I have goofed off all day. I have worked hard.... well ok I've worked. I can't help it I'm good at my job and stay on top of things therefor getting them done in a timely matter leaving me with spare time on my hands. Thank you!

This year my Christmas list is rather short. Because a) I have no money, b) all my friends are broke to, and c) spending time together is more important than presents. My friends and I have decided instead of doing gifts we are going to have a Christmas party and just enjoy each others company. That being said there are a few I'm going to try and get small things for. Frugal Santa I guess :) I mean I am on a very tight budget with all the cut backs at work. But there are many things I can do I know they will enjoy yet will not cost a fortune. And as last year for family and family friends I plan on doing baked goods (always a treat ~ I can't cook but I can bake) and I have already received several requests from people making sure they were on my candy/cookie/goody list. Last year I hit the after Christmas sales buying tins to use this year. So all I have to do now is find the time to do the baking. :)

One holiday gift idea I would like to suggest is a Shutterfly photo book. I have made several of these on this site and they always turn out wonderful! This year I plan on making one for my grandparents. I mean there is absolutely nothing that they need or really want. But I have taken many snapshots over the year at family get togethers and this will be a perfect way to share those with them. If you have never made one, they are fun and easy to make! Also right now they are offering 30% percent off on books and if you search Google you may be able to find other discount offers.

"When you photograph people in colour you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in B&W, you photograph their souls!"

~ Ted Grant ~

Tee Time

After work yesterday (I'm sorry I'm always a day behind) I met Fire Guy and we headed to the local golf course. For the record I will state again I have never played "real" golf and I'm not even that good at putt putt, that added with my klutziness I was sure this would equal disaster. But I'm pretty athletic; always been into sports so how bad could it be? At least that is what I told myself. We pulled up to the club house and Fire Guy ran in to get golf balls and tees, then we proceeded to the driving range. Here he explained this would be my first lesson and next time we would actually go out on the course. He started out by hitting a few balls trying to show me form, how to hold the club, etc. With a smile he goes to his golf bag and retrieves a smaller iron (I think that's the right term) and hands it to me. I approach the tee and waiting golf ball cautiously trying to remember all he has told me in the last few minutes......... which while he was talking I was intently watching the birds flying overhead (a little to low) wondering if they ever got hit with a ball and if so would it actually kill them or just stun them........ I tend to drift occasionally. But I got this. I line up the arrow with the ball, swing the club back, and bring it down in one smooth motion making perfect contact with the ball. It goes a little ways, not the high arched - perfect shot - I'd hoped for but not bad for first time. We continued to hit for probably about an hour and minus a few minor goof ups, I did pretty well. I mean I didn't accidentally hit him with a club or anything so I would call it a successful trip......... and I had so much fun!!!

I have to give it to Fire Guy we have yet to go on a traditional date, you know dinner and a movie, but I always have so much fun! He's so laid back and when I did mess up he didn't get mad or frustrated, just laughed with me as I tried again. I like the fact that he doesn't stick with the norm and tries to take me to do new things or things he knows I will enjoy.

After golfing we returned to my house where I planned on cooking him diner. Fajitas. Now I am not much of a cook....... ok perhaps that's an understatement. I CANNOT cook...... I can bake....... cookies, cakes, etc. And I can marinate chicken and bake it (which is pretty much my speciality) but I can't really cook. And my friends love to give me a hard time about this...... oh yes there are stories but I will save those for another day.


I cut the chicken into strips and place it in the sauce and suggest we let it marinate and in the meantime take Hyper for a walk. So with Hyper running happily we walk down the quite road that runs thru my neighborhood. When we return I place the wok on the stove and wait for it to heat up. I have watched Vivi do this before and I'm convinced I to can do this.


[ Upon retelling this story to Vivi ~ she informed me that every cooking story I start out with "I did it the way I've seen you do it" never ends good. ]


Fire Guy is telling me a story and I, thinking the pan is hot enough, pour the chicken in. He makes a noise/smirk as I do this.


Me: "What?"
Fire Guy: "I don't think the pans hot enough."
Me: Puzzled look
Fire Guy: "It needs to get hotter before you put the chicken in or the outside will cook and the inside won't be done and it will overcook."
Me: "Gotcha." I pour the chicken back into the bowl it had been in previously, feeling slightly stupid.


He smiles and we go back to the previous conversation as we wait for the pan to heat to the proper temperature...... still not sure exactly what that is or how to tell. But after a few more minutes I decide its probably good. Before I can pour the chicken in Fire Guy informs me I need to pour a little vegetable oil in the wok. ???????? At this point I laugh, step back and let him do the cooking. And I stuck to what I know how to do..... prepare the side dishes! I made the rice, heated the tortillas, and made the cheese dip. The meal turned out excellent! So at least I know he can cook.......


Also on a side note ~ when we had first arrived at my house he informs me I have a break light out. I already knew this. It had been out for months. I know I need to get it fixed. But it's one of those things you kinda forget about. I know, I know. I tell him I know it's out and been meaning to fix it but (insert trail off here). He smiles shakes his head and turns to walk back to his truck where he retrieves a small tool box. He comes back to the 4Runner, lifts the back gate and removes the tail light. He takes the bad bulb out while telling me he'll pick one up tomorrow and fix it for me. I mean how nice is that?


Fire Guy is a great guy and I do kinda like him....... He's got that 'get it done' personality I have always wanted in a guy. Yet I'm still not ready to fall for him. It's to soon. He is also always such a gentleman. Meaning he hasn't even tried anything (you know what I mean) which for a guy our age is pretty impressive. And no he's not gay, in case you may be thinking that. He's just really respectful. Like he knows I'm not ready therefor just enjoys being with me....... And the problem with all this is X still has my heart. Fire Guy has all the qualities and traits that I longed for X to have plus some yet why do I still miss X? Cause we were together for so long? Habit? I feel like I take 3 steps forward and 2 steps back but that's ok I guess the point is I'm moving forward. And I feel really lucky to have met Fire Guy he's made it easier to move on knowing that there's no pressure and it's just one day at a time.

"That's the thing about needs.

Sometimes when you get them met, you don't need them anymore."

~ Carrie, SATC ~