From Manilow to Metallica . . . .

I really really REALLY like music. As the title hints, I love all sorts of music too. I make music videos in my head, pretend to play the piano or lead the orchestra quite often. I used to carry what was lovingly called my 'suitcase' full of almost 300 CD's to and from work (yes, they were cataloged via a spreadsheet).

My boss knew that I didn't have an iPod, he'd mentioned it only about a dozen times. One morning I showed up to work and this was on my desk. I found him an hour later and asked if he was responsible, he said yes and that he hoped he didn't step on any one's toes by getting it for me, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? (fyi - my husband thinks this man could walk on water, ie NASCAR tickets) He had had a very successful meeting with an owner the day before and felt like I deserved some of the celebration.

I studiously started importing all the CDs I had, this took weeks and a lot of patience from the fam. Not just me being distant but also hogging the computer for hours at a time. I love organizing, creating and doing new things with it. My kids told me I have a problem. I said yes, it's an addiction, but it's the iPod or drugs, you choose.

I'm proud to report that my iPod is currently the home to 5,147 songs by 479 artists on 483 albums; 50 movies, 13 TV shows, 10 music videos and 1 audio book. Yeah, I'm hooked.

ps - Christmas is coming, stuck on what to get me? Easy, iTunes gift cards.

Damn Women Parts . . . . .

I have been a raging "female dog" the past two days. I can't get enough sleep, get frustrated / cry at the very thought of confrontation and even snapped at my boss today.

I don't have the main sign that a certain womanly event still happens every month. I took a glorious week off in May 2005 and fixed that problem, lucky me! Though APPARENTLY I still morph into something that is not me, a "me" that I don't even like to be around. A coworker gave this new "me" today a name, Beatrice.

So go ahead ask "are you hormonal?", I guess I am.

YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?

Update: After an evening of Kid's Meals and cartoons I'm a little better, but don't push it.

OM. . . . . DOG!

I have always laughed at people who dress their animals in clothing. I mean come on, get a life, they are animals not humans. I have crossed to the dark side, again.

This is our Lily, our baby. We brought her home in August '07 with severe discontent from Bubba (we're talking a crying, cussing fit). He has since become very smitten with her, as we all have. When she was "fixed" in December she had a cone and wouldn't move, walk or eat with it on her head, she just stood there head down. We ended up having to put her in baby onesies so she couldn't get to her incision. Ahhh, it was super cute.

Well, last weekend my Lobster and I shaved four dogs, my two and her two. I know this sounds like an awful task but we could do anything together and have a great time. Anyway, I thought I had the 1/4 inch guard on the razor, nope, the 1/8 inch. Needless to say at the end of it all Lily was pretty naked. We laughed, oh it will grow back, not expecting a foot of snow the next morning!

After she shivered all day and night Sunday I decided to promptly go buy her a sweater Monday after work. Bubba was disgusted that I would do such a thing! It's a damn dog! It took me about 15 minutes and going threw the rack at least 7 times to find the perfect outfit for her. Once she had it on she was warm and cozy.

She looks adorable! Help! I think she is gonna need her own closet!

And I Lost It . . . . .

One of my biggest pet peeves is that a garage is for my car, not crap. This is what I found when I woke up this morning. The reason she was outside you ask? We sold our trailer two weeks ago very quickly (it was in our driveway for only 7 hours) and in order to get it ready for the new owners we unloaded everything straight into the garage.

We purchased some bins, I got out my label maker and we went to work. D-Rock and I spent four hours cleaning, organizing and going through all sorts of stuff filling our both recycle and regular garbage can.

During the cleaning spree we would randomly come across items that would send us back. Baby cowboy boots, old music tapes and then this . . . . .

The Nose Knows . . . . .

For K.

Some of us are sensitive to smell, other's aren't. There are a few very distinct smells that I will never forget and will always scream home.

Cypress Street - I could sit for days, months or even years in that back yard.

Pipes - Hmmm, Papa.

Numi's Garage - Ok, I know this is a weird one. It reminds me of the house in ID that my grandparents lived in MANY years ago.

Hair Grooming Grease - Numi's dad put this stuff in his hair and when we were small children he used to lay there and pretend to sleep while we put newspaper rubber bands all throughout his comb-over.

Dog - I love the smell of a wet and/or warm dog.

Last night we had an October babies birthday party at my aunts. As we were leaving Aunt P gave Jubee a big hug and was almost instantly in tears. Jubee smelled just like K. Once we nailed down that it was the same hair product that K uses Aunt P had tears in her eyes. K we miss you and hope all is going well!