I know. I suck.

Seriously, I don't know what's wrong with me lately.

I keep having the almost-uncontrolable urge to cry. I'm having WICKED nightmares almost every night. And I have no blog mojo.

But I don't want to leave you empty handed. So pleae enjoy my latest YouTube offering: Our dog Shiloh doing her "happy dance"--now with SNEEZES!!

Quickie.

First off, I've got to just say that when I see seated anchors using HEAD MIKES instead of the kind they clip on their lapels, I just want to punch them. Really, Britney? You need a head mike? Ugh. Okay, now that I got THAT off my chest...Check out these three cuties: Thelma Jane's progency Ruby and Mary, and then of course, the goofball on the right is my little ham. We had a little pizza party at Thelma's last Sunday, and it was very fun hanging out and catching up.

Plus, we got to see this gorgeous sunset from Thelma's living room windows. Very nice.

Yes.

I'm still here. It's just that I've been KIDNAPPED by Facebook. I know, I know... I said I'd never do this type of social networking thing. But right now? It's pretty damn fun. Talk about people coming out of the woodwork. Yowzah!

But I am indeed alive and well. I've got a big bullet-pointy update brewing, so I'll be doing that in the next day or so. If I can just...pull...myself...awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

Come on in, the water's fine!

Dive into my stream of consciousness...if you DARE:


I caught Olympic fever, albeit a bit late in the game. The thing that caught me? The women's marathon finish this past weekend. I wept when the winner made her way into the Bird's Nest. And I don't even LIKE running!! But since then, I've been glued to the t.v. each night, staying up way too late to watch sports I normally don't care about. Damn you, Olympic fever! Let me be!


I scheduled and had a termite inspection done at the house today. Why? Well, paranoia basically. I'd had one done when I bought the house (back in late 2005), but not since then. Good news: We're termite free! Yay!


However, we DID kill a "roof rat" last night. I say "we", but really it was the brave and fearless BH who handled the whole thing (thank God). Being a wildlife biologist, he'd noticed some suspicious "droppings" on the roof of the house underneath where it and the deck roof meet. So he bought this evil looking trap and set it last night (with peanut butter) and when he checked this morning, grisly victory. I didn't look at the victim, but I could make out its outlines in the plastic shopping bag that served as its coffin, and that mofo was BIG, y'all. Ewww... BH claims we caught "the dumb one", but has set the trap again hoping for another, you know, capture.


Geej survived her first ever visit to the dentist yesterday. She was kind of freaked at the concept, but thanks to the VERY friendly atmosphere and totally kid-focused office space, she chilled out and did great. And how BIG does she look?

Why did I take this photo? So I could send it to her Dah who is on an Alaskan cruise this week. I'm SO jealous because it sounds like she is seeing some amazing sights and experiencing some exceptional weather. Today she took a helicopter tour of Glacier National Park. I'm so glad she's doing this!!



Today I also met with a cleaning service to see about getting them to clean our house periodically. Let me back up: my mom had a lady who cleaned our house FOR YEARS named Rosella. Anyway, she came once every other week, and did the big stuff that my mom couldn't get to b/c she worked full time and was a mom, etc. At the time, I was sort of horrified b/c I thought it was rather bourgeoisie. But, being a lazy teenager, I was secretly grateful that my lazy ass wasn't having to do the heavy lifting. Since then, however, I've been proud of how I've managed to keep a clean house and stay on top of things no matter how crazy busy my life has been. However, even though BH does his fair share of housework, the big stuff--cleaning the bathrooms, dusting, mopping the floors, etc.--eat up my weekends, and that? Sucks. So a couple of weeks ago, I'm on my way home on a Friday afternoon after a stressful week at work, and BH's boys were coming to visit, and all I could think about was, "I've got to get home and clean up the house." Like a sign from Jah, I ended up behind a cleaning service's van with its slogan: "Don't Go Home to a Second Job, " and I was like HELL YES, I shouldn't have to go home to a second job! I'm calling these people! I met with their rep today, and she couldn't have been more pleasant and professional. And their service sounds completely awesome and totally what I'm looking for. So we're starting them out at just a once-a-month cleaning, which should be plenty for us. If not--and if I can afford it--I'll bump it up to twice a month. I'm still feeling a bit guilty about having to enlist help for this part of my life, but right now, I really need it.


Speaking of stress relief...I finally went and got some acupuncture this week. I've done this before--for endometriosis and for sciatica, both times with great success--but it's been a while. I found this great local place, and hooked up with one of their practicioners, and am very happy with all of it. I'll be going for a weekly series of treatments for about a month and then go on maintenence. This is step one in Operation: Get Healthy Before I'm Freakin' Forty. Wish me luck.


Things at work seem a bit less grim this week, but there's still layoffs going on (in the regional offices) this week, so I'm feeling a lot of compassion (and worry) for my friends and colleagues who work in those offices. Just trying to keep focused and be productive and positive is my main goal at the moment.


I cannot wait until "Burn After Reading" comes out.


I'm happy that we've gotten a bit of rain this week. In fact, we got 1/2" in ye olde rain gauge yesterday. Wish we could get some more...


I won something!! Free lunch at this place (which is damn tasty, btw)! I put my business card in the proverbial fish bowl, and boom: I got an e-mail to tell me I'd won!! Why am I so excited? Because I swear that this is the first thing I've won since I won a strawberry sheet cake in the Kilgore Jaycee's cake walk at the city's Halloween carnival when I was 9. Honestly.


Okay. The U.S. just won beach volleyball gold, so I'm safe to turn off the tube and go to bed until I feel the fever tomorrow night.

Screw "Project Runway"! I want to watch "The Geej Fashion Breakdown"

"Baby with the action," indeed.

What my week looked like:

Not a fun week at work, people. This photo was taken at my desk on Thursday afternoon. I think I ingested my body weight in herbal anti-anxiety treatments, and threw in a couple of Ativans for good measure. Luckily, my team is still in tact, however, we lost some good friends and coworkers. I hope to God, we don't have to go through this again. Ever.

Going for the Gold!

In honor of the U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team, may I humbly present, The Geej, doing her thang at the end of gymnastics camp:



U.S.A.! U.S.A.!

Just in case you were wondering...

The Google searches that most often lead the curious and confused to my blog are:

• Bristol Stool Chart
• "Math is Hard" Barbie
• Masquerade Ball Prom Theme
• And my personal favorite: Reba McIntyre's Boobs

Oh lordy. What have I done?

Y'all I just registered for a 3-day Basic Motorcycle Riding Skills class that will take place the first weekend in October. Holy crap. I'm already scared.

In other news, The Geej and I got to hang out with my friend Kristen and her son Graham last night. I think the Geej may have met her match in Mr. Graham. She's usually the bossiest boss in the room--especially when it comes to younger kids. However, Mr. Graham held his own and let hew know who was boss in HIS house. Too funny, really.

While we were there, Kristen showed us this amazing tray she found at a thrift store. It's called "Beach Bunnies" in case you were wondering, and it was on sale for half-off of 95 cents. SCORE! I am very jealous.

Then when I got home, THIS was happening:Just laying there, showing off his creamy twinkie-like center. Of course I buried my face in there and snorgled him mercilessly.

That's pretty much all that's happened around here lately. That, and lots and lots of sweating because it's been BRUTALLY hot. That tropical storm "Eduoard" that the news channels got so excited about was supposed to bring us some rain and some relief, but all it brought was some wicked humidity, which is SO pleasant when it's 102 outside. Blech.

Speaking of "blech," I must say how horribly disappointed I am in John Edwards. I really liked him and thought he was a smart guy. I can't believe he couldn't keep it in his pants. Shame on him. And what does it say about the state of the world that this career-ending story was broken by The National Enquirer? Pitiful.

I am a busy, busy lady.

So here goes: a rundown of the haps in the past little bit of time.

Got my hairs did.

Y'all, I'm putting some blonde streaks into my red, and am loving it. And this assymetrical bob thing? Best cut I've had in a while.

Ordered my wedding dress.

You really have NO idea few age-appropriate, small informal ceremony-appropriate, flattering, elegant-yet-funky dresses there are out there. I'll give you a hint: not many. But I ordered mine today from an AWESOME local place, and it'll be here in 8 weeks--just enough time to have it altered before the big day.

Took Geej for her official 4-year portraits.

I can't currently afford the kick ass fancy photographer I've used for the past three years, so I opted for a photo-in-the-box type place. It wasn't a horrible experience, but my GOD they give you a lot of photos. And some of them are delightfully cheesy. Fake beach scene anyone? Why, yes!! I mean, if I endured countless Olan Mills fake country-meadow-leaning-on-a-fake-wagon-wheel photo sessions, I figure a bit of fake sea and sand can hurt her, right?

Made the Geej's first ever dentist appointment.

It's on August 19th. I'm sort of already dreading it.

Started on the thank you notes from Geej's b-day party.

I know, I know...you're supposed to get to this sooner. But I haven't had the time, and now? I've got PHOTO thank you cards thanks to the photo session mentioned above. Whoot!

Endured one HELL of a stressful week at work.

Let me just say that the mood around my company has been...um...tense and riddled with acute paranoia. But our earning's release came out yesterday (not good) and our stock tanked today (really, REALLY not good), and we all still have jobs (good). For now, at least.

Bought a "Lumbar Extender" at the Relax the Back Store so I could, you know, relax my back.

Have tried to use this Medieval torture device 3 times now:And my back is so effed up, I can only endure it for about 1 mintue. Yep, time to schedule a doctor's appointment.

Watched movies (some new, some not).

Hollywoodland. Wall-e. Bottle Rocket. Mama Mia! Super High Me. I think I may have a crush on Wall-e.

Went to see Peter Pan at the Scottish Rite Children's Theater.

Meh. Geej liked it. But it was pretty lame, even for a children's production.

Cooking/Gardening.

Made a divine Mediterranean couscous salad and--for the first time ever--fish tacos. Yum! And picked jalapenos and the smallish heirloom tomatoes off the plants in our backyard (so far our yields are as follows: Jalapenos--3, Tomatoes--5 (plus 3 that were eaten by grackles before we could get to them).

So yeah, that's what's been happening lately. And you?

Through the eyes of a 4 year old.

My mom got The Geej her very own digital camera (made for kiddos) for her birthday, and the kid's gone on a photo taking bender.

Most of her photos are blurry and/or blank-ish looking because she tends to get WAY too close to her subjects, but sometimes, she nails some interesting shots.


The dog.

The cat.

Me smooching the cat.
Me doing God knows what.

And of course, a ball of tinfoil sitting on the kitchen counter.
I'm sure there are many MANY more interesting shots to come. Stay tuned...