candy!

Today the Parcel Force (postie) guy woke me up at 8:30am from my sleep in (the nerve!) to give me a package that wouldn't fit through the letterbox (okay, you can live).  *I'd tell you how adorable he was with his blond hair and tallness and how awful I looked but I get depressed having to repeat that story replacing the postie for steve the electrician and other various neighborhood cuties - so I'm not going to tell you that.

Anyway, the package was a box from Jen over at Hamster Central.  I immediately opened it as soon as the door shut because I'm like a kid at Christmas when it comes to restraint (as in - without).  And what to my wondering eyes should appear... (why all the Christmas references on a Halloween post, Paige?)

CANDY!  From Japan!  Japanese candy!  Why are you not excited?  Oh.  Because I'm not sharing.  Right.

I'd say I'd share with you if you were here, but I barely share with the Bear.  It's candy.  I'm greedy.  THERE, I'VE SAID IT.

The orange box are milk caramels which were very tasty.  They remind me of the ones that you dip apples in after you've impaled them with a stick.  Except yummier.  The chocolate almonds were delish - the chocolate had crispies in it and I love a chocolate covered crispy.

The black chocolate was sinful dark chocolate.  The other two are hi-chews, grape and orange fruity soft chews - and my favorite.  I love fruity chewy candy.  Big fan of Starburst, over here. 

It was  great haul - both the Bear and I liked everything.  Thanks, Jen!  It was a nice candy day.

i fear

I’m not a normal person. The things I fear and don’t fear make no sense in a rational realm. Phobias, definition perfect. For example, I don’t fear flying, death or public speaking (that whole imagining the audience in their underwear thing is quite effective). Those seem pretty common and they are natural fears that make sense. And yet…they don’t bother me a bit. Heck, I could give a speech about death while jumping out of a plane – easy.

I, on the other hand, fear things like spider crickets. If you are so inclined, you can read about that here. Don’t laugh. Okay, laugh a little but at least do it behind my back. I’m told that they will not harm you but I don’t believe all of you liars who’ve told me that. I don’t care if you are a “scientist.” I maintain that spider crickets are aliens from the planet Killallhumans who’ve come to destroy us. But that’s just me.

I also fear the dark. I guess this is a throwback to my childhood or something. I like for it to be dark-ish when I sleep because I paid attention in biology and I know I need all the help I can get with getting enough sleep. However, dark-ish is very different from dark. The difference is about as long as I can scream to the top of my voice before passing out. I do not do well with total darkness. Or a dark alley with strangers who are trying to kill me. Or a dark alley full of spider crickets.

And here come the nightmares.

Another thing I fear is my piano teacher. Not in the I-think-he’s-going-to-kill-me-and-bury-me-under-the-front-steps way. More the he’s-watching-me-so-I-can’t-get-this-wrong-OH-CRAP-I-JUST-GOT-IT-WRONG way. If you met him you’d probably turn to me and say, “You’re afraid of him? But he’s so…nice.” And I’d respond with, “But you just don’t know.” To be fair, he is very nice. He’s one of the nicest people I know. But he’s a perfectionist and he’s very perceptive. He’s exactly the type of teacher I need, as I’ve said before. HOWEVER, after several months of lessons I still shake before I go in. Like I’m six years old. (Just in case I disappear, though, my piano teacher killed me and buried me under his front steps.)

And I fear buses. Well, not so much the bus or even riding a bus – just navigating the bus system alone. The moment I step on board I just know I’ll get off at the wrong stop, not know what to do and be lost FOREVER. So I don’t do buses alone unless I have it all worked out in advance. And I’ve made the journey before. With another person. So I won’t be lost forever AND alone. I haven’t always had this fear. Not sure when I developed it but it’s been within the last ten years because when I came to live in the UK the first time on a student visa I got on and off buses all of the time. I’d get off at completely the wrong stop, think, “Wow. This is a scary, scary neighborhood,” get back on the nearest bus and proceed to the next random location until fairies carried me home.

Oh and clowns. I really do fear clowns. I’ll run away and hide behind someone like a little girl if I see one. CREEP. E. That applies to all people in costumes where I can’t see their faces, too. Disney, I’m talking to you.

What do you fear? Do you have any phobias?

 

odds and ends (twelve)

Random today, methinks.

SUGAR/DIET. I decided that I’d try to give up sugar for a month just to see what happened. So on September 22, I stopped eating refined sugar. I thought it would be so difficult because for some reason I thought most of my diet consisted of the evil stuff. It turns out it wasn’t that hard at all. I did have sugar-free diabetic chocolate (thank you, aspartame) and Splenda, which helped. But really – I didn’t miss it. Also, I didn’t feel any different at all. I thought maybe I’d feel the difference when I added it back to my diet, but…nothing. So. I’m still going to cut way down on how much I used to include in my diet, but I guess I don’t have to give it up entirely to feel better. I think after the holiday season I might try to give up yeast and salt. Has anyone ever done anything like this? What effect did it have?

IPOD/HEADPHONES. For some reason I always, always but my iPod headphone earbud thingies in the wrong way around. I don’t know about you, but in my ears that makes a difference. I even do it after I look at them first. I’ll look at them and then get distracted because they are tangled into a massive great knot and by the time I’ve gotten that worked out I have them the wrong way around again and I put them in the wrong ears. Doh!

PIANO/BRITISHNESS. I have an impending piano exam looming and I’m nearly ready (sort of). When I first got the book, I got the one for 2011 instead of 2010 so I was learning the wrong stuff for a while. It wasn’t entirely my fault, though, because I trust my piano teacher implicitly and got the book he said to get. He felt really bad and apologized and all that but I think he just did it so I wouldn’t know he’s a perfect robot person from space. Anyway, he let me use his book until my new (correct) one arrived. He even brought it to my house. Service, right? So I forgave him. But mostly because in the lesson immediately following that he used the word “twas” in a sentence. In normal, everyday life. CUTEST THING EVER.

OLIVES/CRAZY SAINSBURY’S. Sainsbury’s has green olives in a jar. These olives are stuffed with bits of jalapeno peppers. They are delicious. We are addicted to them. If Sainsbury’s stops stocking them (and they are prone to) we might have to order in bulk from the distributor. By the way, has anyone ever noticed that Sainsbury’s messes with your head? They move things just when you get used to where they were (US grocery stores don’t do that, that I’ve noticed) and if there’s a particular product that sells out a lot, they just stop selling it….instead of restocking more often. WTH, Sainsbury’s?

Okay. I feel better having shared all of that. Going to play the piano and drink a cup of tea now. Except not at the same time. Well, kind of at the same time because I’ll take turns….okay, going.

chicken tikka…on toast

I made some food! But you need the background info first.

I love Great Britain. I love it a lot. One of the things I love most is the food. (Stop looking at me like that. It’s really nice. Except haggis. There’s no excuse for haggis.) Well, it’s more about the people and their preferences, but who wants to pick nits. There are a few things that puzzled me when I first arrived. One of them was what I’ve called the Great Curry Phenomenon of Britain. As I’ve said before, the people of this great nation tend to love a curry - it's quintessentially British. And by that I mean that if curry suddenly ceased to exist there would be anarchy, chaos and death.

Even saying the phrase, "I want a curry" confused me.  What's "a" curry?  Isn't that a spice or something?  And it doesn't always mean the same dish.  I was so confused. 

The fact that nearly every single Briton likes a curry was a fact that boggled the mind and, truthfully, kinda freaked me out. As did the frequency of such a meal. The Bear and his family used to eat it for Christmas dinner. Turkey? Stuffing? Roasted potatoes? Nope. Just curry.

For those of you not in Britain, there’s a dish called Chicken Tikka Masala which was basically invented for the British. (For those of you who are in Britain, you’ve probably eaten this dish within the week. Am I right?) To me it’s like a sort of Indian dish without the bang. Less spice. Less needing to gulp down gallons of water and pointing at your tongue while trying to mime the word “fire.” It’s nice, it’s just not spicy like good Indian food should be. Being foreign, I had never heard of Chicken Tikka Masala. Since moving here, I’ve been schooled.

Now, though I hate to admit it, I’m on board the curry train to infinity. I still don’t want it every week day meal, but the frequency with which I actually crave it has gone from zero to every couple of weeks in the last two years. I know. I’ve folded under the peer pressure.

So I decided I’d learn to make curry at home.

Fear me.

I’ve made several curry dishes and though I’m no Jamie Oliver, the Bear has loved all of it. (Which means it’s good. He knows these things. Because he’s British.) But until this weekend, I’d never made Chicken Tikka Masala.

Here is why I finally did…

I was having a conversation with someone this week about egg on toast, which is another thing I’ve noticed here in the UK. People will just have a fried egg…on some toast. That’s not so strange I suppose. However, beans on toast? I mean like baked beans out of a can, heated and poured on some toasted sandwich bread. Baked beans…on sandwich bread. Take a minute to wrap your head around that. I mean…am I the only person on Earth who thinks that just sounds nasty? Of course, a traditional English breakfast also includes baked beans, so maybe I’m just missing out on the baked bean glory just like I was missing out on curry. Beans on toast and egg on toast are the norm. The Bear also likes bacon on toast. Pretty much anything on toast is acceptable as a full meal.

Then I had a thought.

Why not combine the national dish (Chicken Tikka Masala) with the “everything’s good on toast” idea? Chicken Tikka Masala - on toast. GENIUS.

Stop making faces.

So I did it. And you know what? It was FREAKIN’ DELICIOUS. I even took a picture of the Bear's plate for you (my plate was the same but with tofu instead of dead bird). I’ve not really perfected the presentation – and tikka masala sauce just always looks nasty – but it was really, really tasty. I was surprised. Me joking around about this non-existent dish turned out to be a fun and yummy experiment.  (I did make this up, right?  I'm not going to find out people do this all of the time am I?  People of Britain help me out here...)

Has this ever happened to you? You've made something as kind of a joke and it turns out great?

it had to be ewe

This week for Alphabe-Thursday's letter "E" I thought I'd show you some pictures of the sheep I took a few months ago on a visit to Wales.  However, I can't just show you boring photos of livestock, can I?  No. No, I can't. 

So here's the jazzed-up version!

Too corny?  Not for the sheep!  Ha! Ha! ...ha.

How about a little sheepy paranoia?

Not racy enough for you?  Here you go.

*ahem*

Gossip!  Everyone loves some gossip.  Yes you do.  Don't lie.

I have no excuse for the next one.

Not all sheep tell bad jokes.  Some are cultured.

And some sheep just don't appreciate good humor.

I'm going to stop now. 

a typical day

My life is not a glamorous one. Well…most of the time it isn’t. Obviously I’m not counting the endless premieres of movies I’m in and the numerous book signings. And perhaps the ceaseless stream of fans screaming my name wherever I go. All of that is glamorous. But MOST of the time I just have regular days. Case in point…today. Jen over at Denton Sanitorium challenged her readers to post about a typical day in the life. As she says, my life isn’t perfect, but it’s very, very good.

Even though it involves animal feces of some sort on a regular basis.

So anyway, I decided I’d just do today. Today is just as good as any other.


7:05AM – Stumble (literally) out of bed in a sleepy stupor thinking I’ve slept in because of the light pouring in through the window. Look at the clock and realize that it’s 7:05 and light is streaming in because I live in England and mother nature hates me.

7:10AM – Finally move away from clock because the shock of being alive this early has worn off sufficiently for me to regain motor control.

7:10 – 8:00AM – Totally lose about fifty minutes to wandering around the house mumbling that I can’t find my socks.

8:01AM – Find and apply socks.

8:15AM – Having managed to dress myself in my running clothes, grab my guide dog puppy and head to the lake for a run.

8:45AM – Seriously questioning my own sanity as I begin to run and hear the sounds of mass protest from my joints and internal organs.

9:00AM – Look back to see my very happy and well-behaved guide dog keeping up the pace…and holding something in her mouth.

9:01AM – Realize said object in dog’s mouth is a huge horse turd.

9:01:20AM – Say in my calmest, most mortified voice, “LAURA. DROP.”

9:01:21AM - Laura drops offending object on the ground immediately, due to mommy's alarm.

9:02AM – Try to explain to my confused puppy that horse poo is not good eating.

9:03AM – Give up on explaining anything to a creature who eats horse manure and keep running.

9:15AM – Get home and take a shower because I feel dirty from the poo incident.

9:26AM – Jane shows up four minutes early to give Laura and I a ride to the Guide Dog Puppy Training.

10:15AM – Arrive at guide dog training. Laura is a star and we get lots of praise for a job well done. (From our supervisor's supervisor.  Le Grand Fromage.)

11:15AM – Laura basks in the glory of all of the attention by peeing on command.

12:00PM – Back home with an exhausted puppy.

12:01-3:00PM – Various bits of cleaning, reading, etc. [I can neither confirm nor deny the possibility of a nap having occurred.]

3:00PM – Ate some stuff.

3:30PM – Scurry around trying to find what I need to request my degree transcripts so that I can look into getting another degree.

3:45PM – Realize everything I need to request transcripts is on another continent.

3:46PM – Really wishing I hadn’t given up swearing so that I could do so right now.

3:47PM – Make plans to call mom to have her send me stuff. Realize I’ll probably forget to call.

4:00PM – Look around for my next book to read on NPR and Jenners’ blog. Make a list of all potential books.

4:30PM – Take a nap with my hot water bottle Phoenix on my lap.

5:20PM – Bear comes home and wakes me from my hunched-over dog-holding nap.

5:30PM – Tell the Bear that Laura is a star, I’m not giving her back to the Guide Dog people and ask him if we can move to Spain.

5:31PM – Witness the Bear’s panic attack.

5:45PM – Come to my senses and realize that she’ll do a good job one day and that I shouldn’t be selfish.

5:46PM – Look for plane tickets to Spain.

6:00-7:05PM – Chatter to the Bear about how British people are in denial about being European and how cute I think that is. And how people from Yorkshire are precious.

7:05PM – The Bear gets sick of me cooing about accents and makes tea. I take the opportunity to go and practice piano.

7:10-9:10PM – Practice piano until my fingers hurt and I can’t anymore.

9:15PM – Remember to call my mom and ask for stuff for my transcript.

9:40PM - Pat myself on the back for remembering to call my mom.  Smile at my cerebral prowess.

9:45PM – Make plans to see cousin Katie who looks like Olivia Newton John and her gorgeous husband and baby along with lovely cousins Sammy and Josie.

9:50PM – Tell cousin Katie that I forgot to mention that I hate her because she just had a baby and she’s already thin and still eats cake all day. And because she looks like Olivia Newton John.

10:00PM Decide to write this list of stuff I did all day before collapsing in a heap in my bed.

10:31PM – Post this and go to bed.


I know you envy me now, but we can't all lead the life of a rock star. However, I’ll be sure to mention all of my regular readers in my best-selling autobiography. It’s the least I can do.

hankisms

If you don’t already know, Hank is my best friend in the whole world after the Bear. We’ve been friends for nearly a decade and a half and he’s perfect. He makes me laugh. So I share.

Once upon a time, I wrote a blog about my weaknesses and my loving pal sent me this: “As someone who loves you, your weaknesses are as follows: 1) You go through hobbies like a guy. I mean golf, karate, archery (what ever happened to that one?), Hebrew, French, piano, blogging, etc., - and I'm leaving off about twelve others. 2) You get way too upset about bad drivers, although I will say you take an airbag to the face like a pro.”

I must admit, he has a point. I do go through hobbies like socks. I’m pretty sure he left off more than twelve, too. However, I do not have road rage except when people are stupid drivers. And do you want to know he knows about the airbag? He was the one driving. Yeah. He tries to kill me and then makes fun of me for surviving the airbag with both eyeballs intact. I love him so much.

Sometimes when I talk to Hank on the phone I forget that he’s a guy and I’m a girl. Therefore I sometimes start talking about things like flowers and fashion. Hank, being a good friend, will usually listen to me for a while before he reminds me that, frankly, he doesn’t care about lilies or handbags. Case in point: I was chattering away about some dish I’d recently cooked, complete with ingredients and the phrase, “You know what I mean?” His response to that was, “You know me and my wok. We’re tight.”

Okay, Hank.  Shutting up about Orange Lacquered Tofu now.

I wrote a blog post that was one big metaphor about how I feel about music. Hank’s response: “…by the way – what’s a metaphor? Is that what killed the dinosaurs?” Just for the record, he was just poking fun. He knows the definition of a metaphor. Maybe he’s just trying to keep me talking about flowers and handbags.

He really is a nice guy. Sometimes he just treats me like a little sister. But if he ever gives me a swirly*, I’m totally telling people he peed on his bed until he was fifteen.


*In case you don’t know, a swirly is when the bully puts the nerd’s head in a toilet and flushes. I’ve never actually witness such an event but I’m told it happens.

letters from furbabies: sleep

Dear Mommy,

You’re the best. I’m so happy when you let me sleep on your pillow between your head and daddy’s head. Sometime you wiggle and I do that thing were I sigh really loud like I’m completely frustrated with you. Sometimes I kick you really hard in the back because I want you to get out of the bed and leave it all for me…move over a little. Sometimes I get disgusted and just go sleep on the spare bed. But I love you and think you’re the warmest best thing in the world.

Love,
Phoenix

PS: Can we get a bigger bed for Christmas?

Dear Mother and Father,

The fact that I sleep outside is simply appalling. I demand that you build a feline complex adjacent to the house immediately. I’m practically royalty and I would like my diamond tiara and down feather bed delivered by the weekend.

Do it now,
Jessie

Dear Mommy,

I’m six months old. I like sleep. Pretty much anywhere. I feel tired. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Love,
Laura

d is for decisions

I couldn’t decide what to make my “D” post about today, so I’m making it about the decision. Isn’t that cheating clever? Plus you get some bonus randomness, as I’ve been far too coherent on here lately.

At first I thought I might do a post about my new Nikon D90, but I’ve already told you about that and I haven’t really taken any spectacular photos with it yet. (I hear the gasps of shock.) Most of the photos have been of my doggies and you’re probably sick of photos of my furbabies by now. On a related note, doggies was in the list of potential “D” post options.

Speaking of them, you know you love dogs when you hear yourself cooing in your best baby voice, "Who's a good girl for making a poo? Who's a GOOD GIRL? You are. You're mommy's good girl..." Too far? I mean do people really want to hear about doo-doo in a “D” post? Probably not. To get your mind off of doo-doo, here’s a photo of Laura on one of her free runs to distract you (even though I said I wouldn't):

Then I thought I could make “D” for “dear” as in:

“Dear British People: Please stop giggling when I say “pants” instead of “trousers.” You know what I mean. Thanks, Paige.”

But then I thought that I kind of like it when they giggle, so I decided I’d only use that as example instead of a real “dear” letter. Sidenote: Anyone British who is reading this blog (and I know you’re there) please disregard the above letter. This has been a false alarm. Sidenote to the sidenote: Anyone who is not British – they call underwear “pants.” So if I say, “Would you like to see the new pants I bought?” It sometimes results in big eyes and lots of laughter. And sometimes a few nods of acceptance.

Enough about underwear.

Then I thought, “OOO…I could write about something delicious!” Then I realized that I’m one of those losers who A) doesn’t photograph the food I make because I’m too busy eating it and B) have no real recipes because I’m not what you’d call a “measurer.” So that’s out. I did make this yummy swirly cake recently. I didn’t have any but the Bear said it was quite tasty.

Okay, that’s all I’ve got. I’ve been squeezed dry of all things “D.” I have a tiny headache that I need to take for a run around the lake now. If you hear sounds of struggling it’s because I had to beat it up a little to get rid of it.

Have a delightful day!

working out

So I thought I’d do Ten on Tuesday this week because I like answering questions. This week it’s about working out, which I (sort of) do.


1.What does your work out schedule look like?

It looks like me running around the lake a couple of times almost everyday (about five or six days a week). That’s pretty much all I do these days. I used to do yoga, but yoga and I are having a fight right now. We might get back together someday soon, though. I miss you, yoga.


2. What is your favorite machine to use at the gym?

I hate gyms. I’m an organizer but I need to let my free spirit soar when it comes to exercise. I go for a run everyday, but I go when the urge strikes me and I feel like it. If that’s 6am or if it’s 5:30pm – that’s when I go. Plus, I think I can get a workout on my own without the ridiculous prices of gym membership. I never use them enough to justify cost. I’d just go get in the sauna and be done with it (which is what the Bear and I used to do when we were members of Virgin Active).



3. What is your favorite class to take at the gym?

See above.


4. Where do you shop for work out gear and clothing?

Don’t care. As long as the clothes fit and function, I’m not really a prima donna about it.


5. If you can’t go to the gym, do you have a favorite outdoor activity?

Running. And photography. That’s a sport, right?


6. What about a favorite work out DVD? If so, please share!

I only have yoga dvds. I don’t think I have a favorite.


7. Are you more active now or when you were in high school?

About the same, in different ways. I was a cheerleader and I did lots of activities – always doing something – when I was in high school. It’s the same now except I run instead of cheer and I have to put A LOT more effort into it.


8. How has your dieting/working out philosophy changed since high school?

In high school I ate what I pleased and never gained an ounce. Now I try to eat much more healthy foods. I also write down every single thing I eat, including calories. It helps keep me on track with protein, calories, fat, etc. Since I’m a vegetarian I have to watch that stuff, I find. The massive spreadsheet I keep also holds the information about my exercise, water intake and overall monthly averages. I know, I’m a little OCD, but otherwise I’d just eat Krispy Kreme donuts and play the piano all day.


9. What do you do while working out– (i.e., day dream, read, listen to music, gab with a friend)?

MUST LISTEN TO MUSIC. Read about that in this post.  I like to work out alone because I don't like to talk to anyone.  I also daydream, though.  I can multi-task. 


10. What working out resolution would you like to make for yourself this year?

To not collapse in a heap at any point before, during or after. I think I can manage that. Maybe. Unless I’m in Peru. Read about that here.

my new (electronic) baby

A couple of weeks ago, my DSLR camera died.  It was a Nikon D40x and I loved it like a baby.  I was crushed.  Where was I when this happened?  Sightseeing in London, as luck would have it.  With my parents.  Who were on their first UK trip.  FAIL.  We had their compact camera for the rest of the day but it's so not the same.  I may or may not have cried a little.

Anyway, I have been going through a debate with myself about whether or not to stick with Nikon or make the switch to Canon.  Both have pros and cons, so I asked around and did some research.  Just to save you two weeks of your own life - they are pretty much equal apart from a few preferences.

I borrowed my lovely neighbor's Canon EOS 500D and loved it.  So much, in fact, that I had decided to make the switch to Canon and get the EOS 550D.  We went to the camera shop, I saw the Nikon D90 and promptly walked back out of the shop (sans camera) to do more research.

I like the Canons but the build just doesn't feel the same as Nikon. The D90 is more than a fps faster than the EOS 550D and I like the Nikon buttons and menus marginally better.  I think the big decision maker for me is that I already have Nikkor lenses and they fit almost all Nikon cameras, so I wouldn't have to start from scratch.

So I ended up with this:

{Image here}

I got the kit that came with the 18-105mm lens because it's slightly better than my 18-55mm in length and the fact that it has vibration reduction. 

{Image here}

I also have the Nikkor 55-200mm lens that I can still use with the D90.

{Image here}

NOW.  I was going to get a new lens, too, because at this camera shop you get amazing deals when you buy lots of things together (we got a polarizing filter for half price and 25% off an extra battery).  I wanted this macro lens, 105mm...

{Image here}

...but ended up not getting it because it was as much as the body of the camera.  Yeah.  No macro for me.  I do have big plans to get it sometime in the sort of near future, however.  I'll let you know when that happens.  You'll probably hear the squeals of delight all around the world. 

But for now, I'm a very happy girl with a new DSLR. 

c is for caption

I've been trying to decide on a caption for this photo for Laura's scrapbook for a long time (as evidenced by the fact that she's about three times that size now, possibly more).  

Any thoughts?  Here are some ideas I had (Laura is the lab and Phoenix is our toy poodle):

"Poodle, you're coming with me.  You have the right to remain silent..."

"I'm bustin' outta here, ya see."

"Don't do it! You have so much to live for!"

"It's over Laura. It didn't work out. Just let me go."

See - no good.  I hope you can do better!

questions from kat

My friend and fellow blogger Kat tagged me with some questions about Fall.  Now you all know I love to answer a question. About pretty much anything. So who am I to say no?

1. Do you like Starbucks? And are you a fan of their seasonal coffees?
Yes. I’m not sure what it is about their coffees, but they are better than other coffee. It might be quality. It might be psychological. It might be drugged. Either way, it’s better in my opinion. Also, they have sugar free syrups and stupid Costa doesn’t. STUPID COSTA. I love seasonal coffees, especially the pumpkiny one. Yum.

2. How do you decorate and prepare for Fall?
I used to decorate the house with all sorts of fall stuff. I don’t so much now. Back in the states I loved fall more than anything because it meant that the mean, mean, horrible hot summer was finally going to die for a few weeks. Here in the UK it’s fall everyday! So I don’t need to decorate or celebrate. Plus, people would look at me funny. So I don’t decorate but I do prepare by being really, really excited. On the inside.

3. Will you participate in your college's homecoming activities?
No, as it’s four thousand miles away. And they don’t have a football team. Although I’d probably be celebrating with my high school if I was there.

4. What is your favorite Fall clothing item or accessory?
Anything warm and fuzzy. I love warm clothing. Again in the states I had only a few weeks to wear sweaters and such. Here, in heaven, I have the whole year.

5. What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid?
Definitely the plastic lion mask costume. That was the best costume EVER.  (The little one is me.)

6. Do you like Halloween/Horror movies? Do you have a favorite?
Not really, no.

7. What is your favorite Fall activity?
I used to love playing in the leaves as a child. We did hayrides, too, which usually ended with a bonfire and marshmallow roast. I miss that a lot. I also love taking walks in the crisp weather. Fall is the best season EVER.

8. What is your favorite Fall recipe?
Too. Many. Recipes….. I’m doing a tour through pumpkin recipes this year around Thanksgiving and Christmas. If I don’t forget I’ll try to post some of the results. Pumpkin is the best food EVER.

Here are an extra eight quick ones:

1. What movie coming out soon are you looking forward to seeing?
No idea what movies are coming out. I’m in a movie black hole. Any suggestions?

2. What will you miss most about summer?
Normally I’d say nothing but I think I’ll miss the multiple sunny days in a row.

3. When do you start your holiday shopping?
As soon as possible. I try to be done before about the first or second week of December. But I don’t do it all year around like some people do. I can’t focus like that.

4. Favorite exercise/activity?
Running is my favorite exercise – or maybe squash. Favorite activity? There are too many.

5. Best book you've read lately?
I haven’t read anything since the Twilight series and I wouldn’t classify any of those as worthy of this question. No idea what I read before that. My favorite book ever is Moby Dick. I think.

6. Do you make your bed every day?
Yes, as soon as I get up. It’s easy with only a duvet.

7. If you could choose a personal chef over a personal shopper, which would you choose?
Personal chef

8. Which TV show are you most excited for this Fall?
None. Almost never watch tv. Even if I did, we have like six channels. And zero good ones.


Okay, so I’m going to tag some people if they’d like to do it. If not, just totally ignore me like. Also, if anyone else answers them let me know so I can see!


- Jen
- Jenners
- Jenny
- Mrs. Mayhem
- Tezzie
- Stef

one of those days

Have you ever just had one of those days when you want to blog about all of the fun and exciting things in your head and the fabulous stuff that's happened to you recently...but you just cannot be bothered?

I'm having one of those days.  It's not that I'm out of stuff to blog about, I just don't feel prepared to type it all out. 

So I'm going to wait until tomorrow. 

Right now, I'm going to bed.

an attitude change

Did you two do your chores today?

Oh, it's like that is it?

Did you forget who will be making dinner for both of you?

That's better.

Don't you just love it when you upload photos and they tell a story of their own?  The same thing happened on tomorrow's post on Laura's blog called "I'm a Lady."  Check it out!