I Miss Green

The snow has lost its luster. It's been shovelled, plowed and trampled until now it is just piles stained black with sand and dirt. Gray landscape, gray skies, gray mood. It's dark when I go to work, dark when I come home; just a dull colorless world surrounds me. This morning the sun has made an appearance but it has done little to improve the situation. Everywhere I look it is just blah!

I'm not really depressed or blue. I'm just bored with my surroundings and craving the color change and variety of the other seasons. When A and I first bought our home I was never intersted in gardening or taking care of the yard. A liked that work and I was happy to let her have it while I focused on the indoor remodel. When our remodel extended into our yard I became more involved and we created a secluded outdoor patio space with flower beds that are constantly blooming in a variety of beautiful colors. We perused every home garden design magazine we could find for ideas and now get excited when the seed catalogs start showing up in our mailbox. Some may not consider it spectacular but to us it is peaceful and most importantly it is ours. We practically live out there all summer.

Every spring we return to fertilize, water and patch the dead and yellow spots created by the dogs. We know we're fighting a losing battle but by mid-summer the lawn is a lush green again. The neighbors must think I'm crazy the way I will roll in the cool grass with the pups climbing all over me.

Vacation is coming quickly and although it causes me a great deal of anxiety to prepare the house, dogs and petsitter for my absence, it will be a welcome sight to step off the plane and once again be surrounded by the intensity of all that color.

We're A Couple of Sexy Bitches..

...Looped up on NyQuil and slathered down with Vicks Vapor Rub.

A came down with the flu New Year's eve and my OCD went into overdrive New Year's day as I bleached and disinfected every thing I could. It was no use and Sunday night I started getting sick too.  I suppose I was already infected on Dec 30th when we were getting cozy here at home.

In my feverish state I had so many great ideas for blog posts. Now that my fever is gone, so are the ideas. Maybe I should start blogging on NyQuil. If things get really weird around here you know I'm developing a problem.

We are both on the mend and after staying home the last 2 days, I'm off to work again tomorrow morning.
But if you had all this sexiness at home would you ever want to leave? (*snicker and laugh) :)

So Much For Happy New Year

Right now I'm supposed to be finishing a fabulous dinner of Japanese food and then heading off to meet up with friends to ring in 2010. So why am I sitting here blogging? My sweetheart has the flu; headache, cough, sore throat, chills, fever-yeah, definitely the flu. She had to go to work for a few hours this morning and called to say her throat was sore and she had a terrible headache. She insisted we were still going to dinner at least. I knew better and cancelled our reservation. By the time she walked in the door she had the chills so bad I immediately put her in bed under the heating blanket.

• warm tea
• kleenex
• throat drops
• ibuprofen
• one old dog for comfort and cuddling

I'll be sleeping on the couch tonight. I wanted a stomach bug, not the flu.
It's cold but clear here in Minnesota tonight. At least I have a terrific view of the blue moon and can enjoy the Three Stooges marathon on AMC. I also have a bottle of champange so the dogs and I can toast at midnight.
Happy New Year to everyone!

Finally Meme

I was tagged by Ang over at "Grace Needs Freedom" to do this photo meme weeks ago. I decided I had to complete this mission before 2010 rolls in- I can't carry this anchor into the new year.

Rules:
1. Copy and paste meme from the person who tagged you.
2. Run a Google images search on your answer to the question.
3. Choose a relevant image that suits your taste and needs.
4. Add a description.
5. Tag four innocent bystanders to pass the damn thing on to and leave a comment on their blog so they know what's up.
6. Have fun!

1. The place where I was born:

My mother always refers to my birthday as the day I hatched. So there you have it!

2. The place I grew up:

I was hatched and raised in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

3. The place I live now:

The flat frozen tundra they call Minnesota. Here they park their ass in the middle of a frozen lake four months out of the year.

4. My high school mascot:

The Hillbillies---not really but it should have been.

5. The university I attended:

Minnesota State University.

6. My favorite wild animal:

Since I can't choose my sweetheart, I will choose any of the big wild cats.

7. Favorite vacation spot:

                                           

Key West, Florida and the entire lower keys. When we plan a vacation we keep finding ourselves drawn back. It's really gay friendly and open there.

And our favorite beach at Bahia Honda State Park in located just a short drive away.

8. My favoite sport:

Is skydiving a sport?  I have jumped a few times and would love to do it more. Life just keeps getting in the way. I don't watch or enjoy any professional sports.                                                     

9. My favorite movie:

It is hard to pick one movie but I chose John Carpenter's 1978 original Halloween.

10. My age:

                                     

11. My hobby:

                                    

My work with rescue takes up a lot of my spare time and doesn't leave much for hobbies.

                                     

But I do love to read and collecting books (especially old ones).

12. My favorite color:

                                    

13. My favorite song:

Now this was an extremely hard one. What music I want to listen to varies daily and sometimes hourly depending on my mood. I chose one song I noticed I ususally never skip over when it comes across my Ipod.

                                  

"Don't Fear the Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult

14. My favorite book:

                                       

This is one I find myself returning to over and over.

15. My favorite clothing brand:

                                 

"I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful" - Bill Murray in "What About Bob?"

I don't pay much attention to labels. I buy whatever I feel comfortable wearing and makes me feel good.

16. My job/career:

                                   

I do the job everyone loves to hate. I'm told on a daily basis how much I'm hated

17. My favorite TV show:

                                    

I LOVE Seinfeld and will watch it over and over and laugh everytime.

18. My addiction:

                                      

I think A is planning to stage an intervention. Watch for my episode on the A&E series.

19. My weakness:

                               

These cute little faces.

20. My favorite food:

                                

Most people would probably list chocolate or some other tasty snack but I have a weakness for breads, rolls and biscuits. I especially love them fresh from the bakery and slathered with butter (the real stuff). I'm such a carb whore!

So now I have completed my meme and since I hate rules and will break as many as I feel like, I say fuck it and I'm not tagging any other poor souls to carry this on. Pick it up at your own discretion because it took FOREVER to complete it!!

For Sarcastic Bastard

I Wish Santa Would Have Left A Bottle of Pepto Bismol in My Stocking

I feel disgusting, gross, bloated and generally foul! I'm going to have to fast and detox before I can feel like myself again; too much food, too many sweets and too much alcohol. I'm thankful the season for over-indulgence is over. I'm pulling my fat jeans out and looking at the calendar-30 days until I need to be in a swimsuit. I'm still holding out the hope I may contract a good stomach virus.

A and I hosted 2 Christmas dinners this year. Our original plan was to make a small dinner on Christmas Eve and go spend the evening with her dad then Christmas day here with my family. Of course the midwest was nailed with a massive snowstorm and here in Minnesota we were not spared. Dinner with her dad was rescheduled for Sunday. Christmas day my family's dinner went off without a hitch. Whew! Today we had our dinner with A's dad. Our small dinner for 3 or 4 mutated into dinner for 12 which left A and I scrambling a bit at the last minute to make sure we had enough food for everyone. I will admit I was a bit annoyed by the fact that some people invited themselves and didn't offer to help but just kept chanting, "It's the holiday and I will be generous to my GF's family."  It doesn't help that there has been underlying tension between some members of her family and I since the beginning. Those stories are best saved for another post.

A and I set a new record and lasted until December 23rd before we opened gifts. I have to make a confession: this is our 11th Christmas together and we have NEVER made it until the actual holiday. One year we actually opened our gifts on December 19th. Our rationale-we were flying out for vacation on December 26th and we needed time to play with our "toys". Another year we opened gifts before we were finished shopping. The next day we went shopping again, came home, wrapped gifts and immediately exchanged and opened them. Santa was good to me this year and in addition to my computer desk, I received books, movies, clothes and new PJs.

We spent our holiday shovelling and snowblowing. Thankfully the temperatures were pleasant and we could be out working and playing in the snow. I actually don't mind these days when it's the just the two of us with the dogs. The snow is higher than the dogs so there are paths that need to be dug in the backyard so they have an area to relieve themselves. A is such a good mama and actaully digs out mazes for them with little "rest areas" along the way. We had such a blast running the maze and having them chase us. This photo is what happens when you are standing on the deck taking pictures of your gf working and the snow blows off the roof into your face. That's what I get for not being helpful!

Part of the maze in our yard.

A and Timmy out for a run.

Our foster dog on the run in the snow.

Sia tries to help A make snow angels.

Our little girl, Sia, had snowballs in her fur but had an incredibly good time.

Merry Christmas From Our Family to Yours

(L to R) Orville, Gizzy, Sia, Popper and Timmy