Three Olives And Some Yarn

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

is it just me ?

or does any one else find that burger king "king" freakish and almost clown like there for creepy as hell ? those commercials freak me out.. seriously .. i have this total clown thing.. who does their thinking.. there are lots of ppl that are coulrophobic you would think they would be more sensitive right?

at anyrate.. we finally got rain today .. my grass was getting brown and crunchy..

many apologies go out to sharon for delaying my trip.. i know she understands.. but .. hell i am disappointed as well .. but will see you soon.. thanks for being a great friend and getting it !!

i really cant wait for cheese curds saturday .. i have never had them .. i have been told they are the food of the gods !! so i have to see for myself! i love cheese so i cant see why i wouldnt love cheese curds.. so any way .. counting the hours !! ..

Monday, August 28, 2006

(Not So) Holy Roller

so tonight i went to witness my niece who is 11 get baptized.. that part wasnt so bad.. the sermon after pissed me off.. i was ready to get up and walk out in the middle but felt it would cause a scene.. and i didnt want to embarrass my sister or my mother ..

my older sister felt the same way .. we conversed after the service and we were both offended.. i dont remember the members of the church being such closed minded judgmental people.. but then again the last time i really went i was 11.. i am not saying all people that go to church are this way .. all i am saying is this particular sermon hit all over me in all kinds of wrong ways..

first off.. the pastor blamed the acceptance of same sex marriages on the fact women were allowed to become pastors.. i am NOT kidding you .. his logic went as such.. since those churches went against the ancient teachings of the bible and let women be in charge.. its made a weak link in the "system" so to speak that men would have never allowed .. and these such churches sympathize with homosexuals and condone same sex marriages.. so its the woman's fault cause she was allowed to lead men.. an OBVIOUS role she shouldnt have .. he went on to say that women in the church should NOT be allowed to teach men nor are they allowed to to know more than men ..if they had questions about their teachings they are to wait til they get home and ask their husband to explain... WTF? please let me tell you HOW much this pissed me off.. and i guess the part that made me most upset.. is that .. this is the kind of thinking my niece just got baptized into upholding.. i hope she grows up thinking for herself and decide for herself.. that is all i can say about that .. i respect my sister for wanting to believe in something and trying to do the right thing for her kids.. and i wont go and try to tell my niece what to believe or not to believe ..but i believe that women should be at least treated equally ..

i am still reeling ............and please make a note.. that i usually dont even discuss religion or anything..and i am not trying to blast religion.. i am just saying i think its very wrong to teach your children that women are some how lesser than men .. its archaic this is just very upsetting to me ..

Friday, August 25, 2006

and then there is this

why do i find Dennis Leary so fucking hot ??

Thursday, August 24, 2006

just stuff

have you ever stopped and wondered why it is the small things that give us so much pleasure.. a perfect cup of coffee.. the smell of freshly cut grass after the rain.. the feel of dirt between your toes..

i love these things.. and stop and think about all these people in the world that seem to have every thing they could ever "materially" want.. and they seem so empty.. they just keep wanting more and more.. and it never seems enough.. of course there are exceptions.. but those kinds of people dont make sense to me ..

i am not rich by any means.. i have some nice things.. and i love my house and my life.. and i cant understand those that dont take the time to find where they are most happy...and i also dont understand those that are so unhappy in their life.. that they have to pursue others that are and try to tear them down .. what gives?

and what is up with those ppl so scared to be alone that they stay in a place .. relationship .. etc.. just so they dont have to be by themselves? i dont understand being with some one just for the sake of being .. i would much rather be alone and doing something positive for me.. than be in a place that bascially sucked the life out of me ..

anyway.. just thoughts i have been having lately.. whilst finishing .. yeah i said finishing .. a shawl.. there will be pics tomorrow after its dry and blocked.. i think it turned out nice..

PS.. WTF is up with Pluto being demoted?

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Busy

or might i say productive already today .. i got up .. had my juice.. i have washed the dogs.. cleaned my kitchen.. made a batch of hummus.. started a load of laundry and still have a bit before the race starts today !! ..

woohoo.. i think i will take a shower make my bed and get a second load of wash in before i sit down and watch the race.. i might even try giving jezabel a bath.. its not too hard since she is still small.. and i can hold her by the nape of th eneck to make her calm down .. i dont think i would attempt this with the other cats but .. since she is less than 2 pounds i think i have a good chance of surviving unscathed..

still more decisions made on the kitchen.. all the decisions made on the bathroom.. i am j ust waiting for my tub to get here.. and once its here that can be knocked out.. i talked to a contractor friend of mine and he is confident i can get it done in a weekend.. i am not so sure about that .. cause of the flooring.. i am putting in the ceramic tiles but also the radiant heat under.. so i have to lay the sub floor.. lay the backer board.. lay the heating mat.. then thin set and the tile.. that has to dry .. then i have to grout .. that alone will take two days AT least.. so i am thinking 4 days.. cause i have to tear it all out.. set in some new plumbing stuff.. then i can do the floor .. the all the stuff has to be put back in .. gah! what a pain in the ass.. and of course i can do the bead board and all the "pretty" stuff after the essentials are put in so that part isnt the part that HAS to get done.. just all these decisions.. ok well i am off to be more productive before the race..

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Rennovation Chaos

i know my kitchen rennovation has you all entralled.. NOT.. i know its so snakes on a plane.. but if i dont get some of the thoughts out of my head.. i think it might explode today ..

the cabinets.. take about 3 to 4 weeks to get made..

i am doing my floor with the help of a few friends.. i dont think i would have wanted to conquer that myself.. so when i order my cabinets the time line starts.. once ordered the floor has to be done by the time they get here.. and did i mention.. umm a couple of my walls might need a little replastering.. and umm they put in a drop ceiling i have to tear out and do soemthing with as well ?

i have made more decisions today regarding counter top and placement.. once i get my rough sketch done i will be glad to share details.. i am fairly fortunate i have a decent space to work with in .. and its basically square.. no odd walls.. no weird stuff.. well ok every thing in an old house is weird.. but you know nothing MORE weird that what i consider normal

so i think once the cabinets are ordered i have to start the floor/wall/ceiling work and even with my help its gonna be a tight deadline .. well ok maybe not.. but still .. thats 3 weeks of torn up crap.. cabinets put in.. and umm they wont do my counters til the cabinets are installed.. yeah you heard me right INSTALLED.. so i will have a kitchen with no counters for oh 3 more weeks.. i had already planned a two month block of no kitchen but you know.. if i can get the floors done and at least the cabinets and appliances set .. then it wont be quite so bad right? at least i can cook.. and do my dishes in the bath room ..

which of course brings me to the project that HAS to be done BEFORE the kitchen but i am realistic.. i think i can do it all myself and be done with it in a weeks time.. there is flooring to put in .. radiant heat elements to put in .. bead board for the walls.. and yeah .. the TUB! .. i have to get all the existing stuff torn out.. and delicately take out my new toilet.. yeah i replaced it when i got back here cause the old one.. well it took 8 gallons to flush and still didnt do that great a job.. least of my worries to reseat a toilet.. so i checked on those really neat-O 1 inch hex tiles while i was at lowes today .. umm i think i will do the two inchers.. i saw the display i think the one inchers are too small and would hurt my eyes.. so here is the deal .. the old owners of this house were well how shall i say it nice.. tightwads.. when they updated the bathroom they didnt see fit to put sub floor under the existing tub.. so i have to tear that out.. put new sub in under.. lay the backer board.. lay the heating elements.. lay the tile.. grout.. and of course set in the new fixtures for the water supply and drain to the tub.. man i am either gonna be real smelly for a few days.. or beg my neighbor for a shower.. lol.. if its still warm out i can shower outside.. anything not to go to bed dirty .. so i mean not bad.. i have a plan and the bath is already designed in my head.. it keeps the other plans company and the voices LOL..

i really do see this all coming together .. any one wanna come help me ? i pay well.. dinner and wine !!

Kitchen Chaos

ok.. so who out there has totally gutted and done their kitchen? any pointers? anything you did .. that if you had it to do over you would do differently ..

i am currently overwhelmed with the amount of decisions i am having to make.. its crazy..

do you all know how many knob choices there are out there ?

counter colours.. and options?

kinds of wood and finishes.. not to mention door style.. and EXTRAS i might want.. even the glass options are dizzying..

so here is what i know so far..

i want maple.. i want a praline finish .. i want slab doors with full over lay to make them kind of art deco-ish..

i have the black slate.. i have a grey kohler sink.. porcelain over cast iron.. i ahve chosen..*gasp* a different refridgerator and range than i thought i would want.. both in black .. both LG..

now the hard part.. tearing out all the old stuff and putting in all the new.. and doing it in a timely manner.. and yeah .. choosing the counter ..

Monday, August 14, 2006

beyond lucky

i just have to say this..

THIS baby is making its way to my house the second week in sept... tell me.. who is the luckiest girl in the world ?? that would be me.. cause.. well.. it was a GIFT!! i didnt even have to buy it for myself..how great is that ??

Thursday, August 10, 2006

uummmm yeah

sorry guys no pics.. i am having technical difficulties with getting them off my phone and to my computer .. imagine that ..

the good news !! my talladega tickets came in the mail today .. they are BEAUTIFUL.. i mean that .. they have a picture and stuff on them .. just excited today .. that makes it real for me .. i am actually going !!

on another note

i picked up "big girl knits" .. yeah i am a big girl .. and even though i am losing weight and trying to become a not so big girl .. i would still use this book.. its got alot of info on how you should dress your body type.. and just tips and hints to help the woman of size.. i love it and out of the 25 or so patterns in there i would seriously consider 18 of them.. THAT is saying ALOT ..

i think my first two projects will be Bombshell and Trinity Bay Skirt.. off to yarn shop.. damn the luck !!

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Flying

by the seat of my pants..

i made a very impromtu trip to Cincinnati.. i got a call sunday evening that took me to cincinnati til today ..

let me just say a good time was had by all .. pictures and more tomorrow

and let me just say i am happy to see my MOODS back !!

Friday, August 04, 2006

Foodie Friday Easy Peasy Hummus

umm yeah .. i have been SO snakes on a plane about foodie friday..

and uh yeah .. i made a pun with my recipe title.. keep reading you will see why

this is one of my FAVOURITE spreads/dips/ whatever you wanna call it... its mulitpurpose and good for you .. and oh so many varieties.. so here you go .. not rocket science by ANY means

2 cans chick peas.. you can cook your own if so inclined.. too hot right now.. reserve about a 1/4 cup "juice" per can.. if you want to use more peas ..you can .. this makes it easy to figure out how much liquid you should have

open and dump in food processor or blender.. i use a blender cause i consider a FP wasted space .. too much crap comes with them.. i digress..

fresh garlic to taste.. i use about a half of a head for two cans of peas.. its really garlicky this way .. i peel and coarsely chop and throw it in the blender..

a good pour of olive oil.. i would say about a half cup..

i like spicy so i add a dash of cayenne.. some salt.. and some freshly cracked black pepper..

then i throw in a handful of hot banana pepper rings.. you can use mild.. you can use a few.. you can use roasted red bell pepper if you wish to have a milder version.. want hotter.. use habaneros.. or throw in a dash of habanero hot sauce.. i also put in a little of the "juice" from the peppers..

and that is it.. put the lid on the blender.. turn it on.. let it blend.. turning off and scraping the sides til well blended and smooth.. add a little water or extra chick pea juice to get the right consistancy.. serve with crackers.. pita points.. or use as a spread on a sandwich .. or as filling.. or dip baby carrots or celery.. its really tasty..

this can be kept in an airtight container for up to three weeks in the fridge or can be frozen with good result.. a batch around here doesnt last that long ..

you can use alot of different things... imagination.. can take you many places.. ENJOY!!

Words Of Wisdom

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with his friendship.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Hot

.. yeah its been that way every where.. and i am actually thankful.. that its really not been THAT bad here.. i mean i am in the south what do i expect from my summer weather but heat and humidity.. its just been oppressive the past couple of days.. and i do have to admit.. i giggle ever so slightly when talking to a friend in boston and its hotter there.. cause i was told at one point or asked rather "how can you live in the south with all that heat?".. well apparently its hotter there right now.. so .. you tell me ? LOL.. i am so bad..

despite the weather .. i have been walking.. it sucks but . you know .. i have to train or i will never make my 20 miles per day on the walk !

I did break down .. shut my windows and turn on my down stairs AC units the other day .. and boy am i glad.. i was just running it upstairs and at night.. but the past few days would have been enough to just kill me i think had i not done it. its pleasant in here and my units dont run near as much as one might think..

in case you havent heard.. Kari and I are going to YARN SCHOOL!!.. i cant wait its gonna be so much fun .. we are trying to recruit some more ~~victims~~ fun people to join us.. i cant think of a better way to spend a long weekend.. i think i will even take my kite and see if i can get some flying in the site shows a nice hay field suitable for that kind of thing.. i dont know what i am more excited about.. learning some awesome trick spinning or seeing and meeting ALPACA.. cause .. well i love me some alpaca!! We are both hoping to have our wheels by then too .. i mean they offer a package and its a SWEET deal.. i just dont want the wheel they are offering.. so i am gonna just bring my own ..

been fairly productive around here lately.. getting the foyer done.. boxes all unpacked.. i only have a ~~million or so~~ few more boxes full of crafty stuff that will probably have to sit a little while longer .. having an old house has drawbacks.. closet space.. or lack thereof .. is one of them .. i do have a plan though.. there is alot os space under my stairs not being used very well.. soo.. i am going to implement a plan and get that to be my craft /storage space..

at anyrate.. i wanted to post and let every one know the snakes on the plane didnt eat me !!