My parents are pretty active in the local Miata club. My mom and I were talking about their regular meetings:
Mom: What do you think about a Drive and Hike? We can meet at some park and have a picnic.
Me: Sounds ok.
Mom: We are trying to get younger Miata drivers to join our group. I'm not sure our Drive and Dines are doing that.
Me: I think there is a Miata club in Kentucky.
Mom: Yeah, they meet at bars.
Me: Well that's how you attract younger owners. Have Drink and Drives.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
Wedding celebration
I've never actually written about our wedding celebration. Oh my goodness was it fun! Like so much fun it should be illegal. We celebrated like crazy; we had a lot to celebrate. Our wedding. Ben was alive still. My mom was alive still and not only alive but walking and had hair! It was time to celebrate! And so we did. With dancing and friends and lots of laughter. I have never danced that much and meant it in my life! I loved our reception. Here are some pictures:
Bryan and Emily being all cute.
My parent's being all cute.
Ben and I being all whatever we are. In love?
My brother and sister. Bryan is quite the dancer.
More dancing.
Me watching Ben "bust a move".
Ben and I being cute. (Just be glad I left out the kissy pictures, ok?)
Oh how we had fun! God answered my prayer for a fun reception. The people who worked at the banquet hall even commented that they hadn't seen people celebrate like us before. Like I said, we had a lot to celebrate.
To end, here's a video of Ben and I cutting the cake. Ignore the fact that's it's like a baby cake, a wedding cake in training if you will. It looked bigger in the store, ok? I didn't think it would look so tiny on a mirror and a giant table.
....
And maybe not. I was going to load a video, but it didn't work out so well. Instead here's a picture of Ben and I getting out of the car at the reception hall. Much cooler and you don't get to make fun of my cupcake of a wedding cake.
Bryan and Emily being all cute.
My parent's being all cute.
Ben and I being all whatever we are. In love?
My brother and sister. Bryan is quite the dancer.
More dancing.
Me watching Ben "bust a move".
Ben and I being cute. (Just be glad I left out the kissy pictures, ok?)Oh how we had fun! God answered my prayer for a fun reception. The people who worked at the banquet hall even commented that they hadn't seen people celebrate like us before. Like I said, we had a lot to celebrate.
To end, here's a video of Ben and I cutting the cake. Ignore the fact that's it's like a baby cake, a wedding cake in training if you will. It looked bigger in the store, ok? I didn't think it would look so tiny on a mirror and a giant table.
....
And maybe not. I was going to load a video, but it didn't work out so well. Instead here's a picture of Ben and I getting out of the car at the reception hall. Much cooler and you don't get to make fun of my cupcake of a wedding cake.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
On why my day was soooo productive
10:45 - Computer mouse freezes, followed by the keyboard
10:53 - Have restarted computer 2 times
10:59 - IT guy shows up with new keyboard
11:00 - Explain there is something wrong with the computer, not the keyboard
11:01 - Get blue screen of death with the phrase "fatal system error"
11:13 - Leave to run errands
11:43 - Park at 30 min meter downtown
11:51 - Get copy of marriage certificate to change name
11:53 - Decide not to feed the meter because it'll be real quick
11:54 - Joke with the security guard. They take my phone.
11:55 - Presented with 4 options to sign in at social security office: 1. Have an appointment, 2. Social Security benefits, 3. Lost card, 4. Other reasons.
11:56 - Choose option 4 and get assigned number A186
11:57 - Realize I didn't bring my birth certificate or social security card. Hope I don't need them. Try to call Ben to see if he could look it up. Realize that security has my phone.
12:01 - Ask another couple there if they think I need my social security card. They think I do and should fill out that form on that table over there.
12:06 - Number A185 is called. Rush to finish form
12:08 - Finish form as A186 is called.
12:09 - Get told that I selected the wrong option when I signed in and was waiting in the wrong line. Get re-queued. Also get told that all I need is my drivers license and marriage certificate. Not sure if I believe her.
12:12 - Parking meter runs out. Decide to go feed it.
12:13 - Explain to security that they can keep my phone - I'll be right back.
12:15 - Go through security again. This time they take my mace. Decide I don't have that much stuff and should not keep going though security.
12:17 - Get back in waiting room. Hope that they didn't call my name.
12:19 - Notice all the interesting people. Government offices bring all of us together no matter how rich or poor. How nice.
12:20 - Watch some lady get really frustrated with waiting. She sighs loudly and crumbles up her number, slams it in the trash can and storms out. The rest of us hope that means we can get to the window sooner.
12:25 - Start to worry that my meter is going to run out again. Wonder how much a parking ticket would be. Decide it is probably more than the $4 parking lot I passed up for street parking.
12:30 - Lunch break ends and 3 more office workers show up.
12:31 - The couple who suggested the form to fill out gets called.
12:33 - The couple gets frowned upon because she's not a US citizen and didn't bring the correct paperwork. They are told to wait some more.
12:36 - The lady calls 190. Then 191. Then 192. Someone gets excited until they realize that they hold A192. The lady calls 192 again, I think just to be cruel. Then 193. She then stops calling numbers for a while.
12:38 - The lady calls my name.
12:40 - My name is officially changed. There is no fanfare or cheers. It is decidedly anticlimactic.
12:42 - My meter runs out.
12:44 - Get ignored by the guard who has my cell phone
12:45 - Still get ignored by the guard. See a police officer checking the meters near my car.
12:46 - Rudely and loudly ask for my phone. Get mace as well.
12:47 - Run outside, jaywalk and get in car before the officer gets to my car.
12:48 - Leave with a new name and no ticket. Success!
10:53 - Have restarted computer 2 times
10:59 - IT guy shows up with new keyboard
11:00 - Explain there is something wrong with the computer, not the keyboard
11:01 - Get blue screen of death with the phrase "fatal system error"
11:13 - Leave to run errands
11:43 - Park at 30 min meter downtown
11:51 - Get copy of marriage certificate to change name
11:53 - Decide not to feed the meter because it'll be real quick
11:54 - Joke with the security guard. They take my phone.
11:55 - Presented with 4 options to sign in at social security office: 1. Have an appointment, 2. Social Security benefits, 3. Lost card, 4. Other reasons.
11:56 - Choose option 4 and get assigned number A186
11:57 - Realize I didn't bring my birth certificate or social security card. Hope I don't need them. Try to call Ben to see if he could look it up. Realize that security has my phone.
12:01 - Ask another couple there if they think I need my social security card. They think I do and should fill out that form on that table over there.
12:06 - Number A185 is called. Rush to finish form
12:08 - Finish form as A186 is called.
12:09 - Get told that I selected the wrong option when I signed in and was waiting in the wrong line. Get re-queued. Also get told that all I need is my drivers license and marriage certificate. Not sure if I believe her.
12:12 - Parking meter runs out. Decide to go feed it.
12:13 - Explain to security that they can keep my phone - I'll be right back.
12:15 - Go through security again. This time they take my mace. Decide I don't have that much stuff and should not keep going though security.
12:17 - Get back in waiting room. Hope that they didn't call my name.
12:19 - Notice all the interesting people. Government offices bring all of us together no matter how rich or poor. How nice.
12:20 - Watch some lady get really frustrated with waiting. She sighs loudly and crumbles up her number, slams it in the trash can and storms out. The rest of us hope that means we can get to the window sooner.
12:25 - Start to worry that my meter is going to run out again. Wonder how much a parking ticket would be. Decide it is probably more than the $4 parking lot I passed up for street parking.
12:30 - Lunch break ends and 3 more office workers show up.
12:31 - The couple who suggested the form to fill out gets called.
12:33 - The couple gets frowned upon because she's not a US citizen and didn't bring the correct paperwork. They are told to wait some more.
12:36 - The lady calls 190. Then 191. Then 192. Someone gets excited until they realize that they hold A192. The lady calls 192 again, I think just to be cruel. Then 193. She then stops calling numbers for a while.
12:38 - The lady calls my name.
12:40 - My name is officially changed. There is no fanfare or cheers. It is decidedly anticlimactic.
12:42 - My meter runs out.
12:44 - Get ignored by the guard who has my cell phone
12:45 - Still get ignored by the guard. See a police officer checking the meters near my car.
12:46 - Rudely and loudly ask for my phone. Get mace as well.
12:47 - Run outside, jaywalk and get in car before the officer gets to my car.
12:48 - Leave with a new name and no ticket. Success!
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
How to make a long day longer
Or how to make the most frustrating skillet meal ever.
1. Start with a long day. Preferably one where you get home late and start cooking dinner after 6, you know, that time when you normally EAT dinner.
2. Start with this recipe:
3. Ignore the ingredients you don't have like corn and cheese. Also ignore the ingredients you don't know what they are, like, Kalamata Olives.
4. Peel potatoes. Ignore the fact that the recipe called for cubed potatoes and just cut them in large chunks. Drop several chunks on the floor and want to cuss.
5. Cook potatoes.
6. Chop up other veggies. Also drop some of these on the floor.
7. Forget about your new large skillet and cook veggies until the onions are clear in your smallish skillet.
8. Add cooked potatoes and cumin, salt and pepper. Realize 4 things:
1. the skillet is still way too small.
2. the recipe called for six CUPS of potatoes. Not six POTATOES.
3. the recipe called for five cloves of garlic. You added one. And one more at this point.
4. that this recipe is only spiced with cumin and salt and pepper and will probably taste like cooked butt.
9. Tell Husband that dinner probably won't turn out and he should eat out.
10. Add tomatoes (fresh not canned because...ewww), and tortilla strips.
11. Cook for 5 minutes to create the most bland Mexican dish ever. Also, have no idea how or willpower to want to spice it up.
12. Survey the small, messy kitchen.
13. Toss bland crap out.
14. Let kind husband make you a sandwich.
15. Eat on couch while watching bad T.V.
In conclusion: don't make this recipe. It's not so good.
1. Start with a long day. Preferably one where you get home late and start cooking dinner after 6, you know, that time when you normally EAT dinner.
2. Start with this recipe:
Mexican Vegetarian Skillet Dinner
Serves 6
6 cups peeled and cubed russet potatoes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 cup green bell pepper, seeded, de-ribbed and chopped
5 cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/3 cup sliced Kalamata olives
3 corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips or "noodles"
3/4 cup shredded low fat Cheddar cheese
Sour Cream, for garnish-OPTIONAL
Fresh cilantro, chopped-OPTIONAL
Cook potatoes in water for about 7 minutes; drain and set aside. Potatoes should be firm, not mushy and not hard.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat; saute onion, bell pepper and garlic until onion is translucent.
Add cooked/drained potatoes to onion mixture and continue to cook until potatoes are tender. Add cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Stir for about a minute, then add tomatoes, corn, olives and tortilla "noodles"; reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, add cheese and garnish with chopped cilantro and sour cream, if desired. Serve.
3. Ignore the ingredients you don't have like corn and cheese. Also ignore the ingredients you don't know what they are, like, Kalamata Olives.
4. Peel potatoes. Ignore the fact that the recipe called for cubed potatoes and just cut them in large chunks. Drop several chunks on the floor and want to cuss.
5. Cook potatoes.6. Chop up other veggies. Also drop some of these on the floor.
7. Forget about your new large skillet and cook veggies until the onions are clear in your smallish skillet.
8. Add cooked potatoes and cumin, salt and pepper. Realize 4 things:
1. the skillet is still way too small.
2. the recipe called for six CUPS of potatoes. Not six POTATOES.
3. the recipe called for five cloves of garlic. You added one. And one more at this point.
4. that this recipe is only spiced with cumin and salt and pepper and will probably taste like cooked butt.
9. Tell Husband that dinner probably won't turn out and he should eat out.10. Add tomatoes (fresh not canned because...ewww), and tortilla strips.
11. Cook for 5 minutes to create the most bland Mexican dish ever. Also, have no idea how or willpower to want to spice it up.
12. Survey the small, messy kitchen.
13. Toss bland crap out.14. Let kind husband make you a sandwich.
15. Eat on couch while watching bad T.V.In conclusion: don't make this recipe. It's not so good.
Monday, September 03, 2007
New Couch!
Ben and I bought a new couch this weekend. Finally!!! I hate the couch we have. It's old, ugly, small and falling apart. The new couch is new, pretty, brown (yea!), comfy, big enough without being too big and not falling apart. We'll get it in 6-8 weeks (sad).
I am happy with the couch we bought. It was in our price range, as opposed to the other couches we liked that cost over $1,000. It's what I had pictured our new couch looking like. I like the couch, I do not like the sales guys we bought it from.
When I spend hundreds of dollars on something that I am going to use for years and years and years, I want to not only like the item I am buying, but also the person I am buying it from. When I was mattress shopping I knew I would not buy a mattress from Morris Furniture because of that rude sales lady. The creepy guy at Ashely furniture made up my mind about their mattresses. The friendly and informative sales guy at Original Mattress Factory not only had a good product to sell, but doing business with him was good as well. He got my sale.
I wish we could have bought a couch from the local department store. The sales guy there did a great job of explaining what to look for in a quality couch without pushing any particular model he was selling. Unfortunately, we couldn't afford the quality they provided.
We bought our couch from Chris. He wasn't very helpful, but wasn't pushy either, so I could overlook that. My buyers remorse set in after driving home and realizing that the cost of the warranty was more than what he had quoted us.
I called Chris up to see about getting the price adjusted. Not only was he not helpful, he was downright rude. The difference is only $20, and we probably would have purchased the warranty anyway, but it really frustrated me that he treated me the way he did. I ended the call by explaining I was unhappy with the situation and hung up on him. I know that was childish, but I couldn't be on the phone with him one second longer. I wasn't going to fight too hard over $20 so I considered the conversation over.
I am happy we bought the couch, I just wish we had bought it from some other sales rep. From one I would have liked. Because for the next ten years I don't want to sit on my couch and remember Chris and that $20.
I am happy with the couch we bought. It was in our price range, as opposed to the other couches we liked that cost over $1,000. It's what I had pictured our new couch looking like. I like the couch, I do not like the sales guys we bought it from.
When I spend hundreds of dollars on something that I am going to use for years and years and years, I want to not only like the item I am buying, but also the person I am buying it from. When I was mattress shopping I knew I would not buy a mattress from Morris Furniture because of that rude sales lady. The creepy guy at Ashely furniture made up my mind about their mattresses. The friendly and informative sales guy at Original Mattress Factory not only had a good product to sell, but doing business with him was good as well. He got my sale.
I wish we could have bought a couch from the local department store. The sales guy there did a great job of explaining what to look for in a quality couch without pushing any particular model he was selling. Unfortunately, we couldn't afford the quality they provided.
We bought our couch from Chris. He wasn't very helpful, but wasn't pushy either, so I could overlook that. My buyers remorse set in after driving home and realizing that the cost of the warranty was more than what he had quoted us.
I called Chris up to see about getting the price adjusted. Not only was he not helpful, he was downright rude. The difference is only $20, and we probably would have purchased the warranty anyway, but it really frustrated me that he treated me the way he did. I ended the call by explaining I was unhappy with the situation and hung up on him. I know that was childish, but I couldn't be on the phone with him one second longer. I wasn't going to fight too hard over $20 so I considered the conversation over.
I am happy we bought the couch, I just wish we had bought it from some other sales rep. From one I would have liked. Because for the next ten years I don't want to sit on my couch and remember Chris and that $20.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
More of Hawaii than I wanted to see
Let's talk about naked shall we? Specifically naked people I didn't want to see. Specifically naked people I did not want to see in Hawaii. Because I encountered way too many naked people on our trip.
First there was the red sand beach. The red sand beach was amazingly beautiful. The rich reds of the sand and the cliffs and the bright blues of the water. See how beautiful it is:
We had to hike along a sea cliff to get to red sand beach. The hike was pretty and that picture was taken just before we turned the corner to the red sand beach. When we did turn the corner we were startled, not by the brilliance of the colors, but by the naked man sunbathing on the beach! On conversation went something like this:
Andi: Ben! There's a naked man down there!
Ben: (Double take) Are you sure it's a man? (We were still pretty high up from the beach)
Andi: Yes it's a man. He has no boobs.
Ben: Well, do you want to go back?
Andi: No, I don't want to go back. I am not letting a naked man ruin my red sand beach.
So we went on down to the beach where the atmosphere was understandably tense. People weren't really talking. There was a wide area of empty beach around the naked man. No one was swimming I wanted a picture of the beautiful beach but not the naked man, so I made Ben stand in such way that he blocked the naked man. While I was positioning Ben, I noticed the topless woman off to the side. What is going on?! There was way too much nakedness! It ruined red sand beach for us. Now when we look at this picture of the beautiful red beach here is what we are thinking:
(Click to enlarge)
As soon as it started raining most of us took it as an excuse to leave the revealing beach and head to more modest views.
Which is when we ran into our next bought of too much skin. We headed to a waterfall down the road. There was one spot left to pull off the road and Ben had to back into it. As he was backing in I looked over to see a man standing between me and his car with a towel wrapped around his waist changing clothes! This would have been fine if I didn't see him drying between his butt cheeks! Or if I didn't have to stand near him to tell Ben how close he was to backing into the tree. Butt, whatever! At least he had a towel.
We walked over to the waterfall and it's was very lovely. Here's a picture of me being silly in front of it:
Looking back, that's an appropriate expression since once we walked closer to the falls we saw a large man swimming in the pool. A man that we aren't sure was clothed. There was just a whole lot of peach in that water. We had learned our lesson and left. We didn't want to be around to see if he was wearing clothes.
First there was the red sand beach. The red sand beach was amazingly beautiful. The rich reds of the sand and the cliffs and the bright blues of the water. See how beautiful it is:
We had to hike along a sea cliff to get to red sand beach. The hike was pretty and that picture was taken just before we turned the corner to the red sand beach. When we did turn the corner we were startled, not by the brilliance of the colors, but by the naked man sunbathing on the beach! On conversation went something like this:Andi: Ben! There's a naked man down there!
Ben: (Double take) Are you sure it's a man? (We were still pretty high up from the beach)
Andi: Yes it's a man. He has no boobs.
Ben: Well, do you want to go back?
Andi: No, I don't want to go back. I am not letting a naked man ruin my red sand beach.
So we went on down to the beach where the atmosphere was understandably tense. People weren't really talking. There was a wide area of empty beach around the naked man. No one was swimming I wanted a picture of the beautiful beach but not the naked man, so I made Ben stand in such way that he blocked the naked man. While I was positioning Ben, I noticed the topless woman off to the side. What is going on?! There was way too much nakedness! It ruined red sand beach for us. Now when we look at this picture of the beautiful red beach here is what we are thinking:
(Click to enlarge)As soon as it started raining most of us took it as an excuse to leave the revealing beach and head to more modest views.
Which is when we ran into our next bought of too much skin. We headed to a waterfall down the road. There was one spot left to pull off the road and Ben had to back into it. As he was backing in I looked over to see a man standing between me and his car with a towel wrapped around his waist changing clothes! This would have been fine if I didn't see him drying between his butt cheeks! Or if I didn't have to stand near him to tell Ben how close he was to backing into the tree. Butt, whatever! At least he had a towel.
We walked over to the waterfall and it's was very lovely. Here's a picture of me being silly in front of it:
Looking back, that's an appropriate expression since once we walked closer to the falls we saw a large man swimming in the pool. A man that we aren't sure was clothed. There was just a whole lot of peach in that water. We had learned our lesson and left. We didn't want to be around to see if he was wearing clothes.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Jet Lag
It's 2:00 am and I can't sleep. It's 9:00 pm in Hawaii so I should be at least a little sleepy but I have been up for the last 2 hours. Today's 8 am meeting at work is going to suck.
We went snorkeling while we were in Hawaii. That was one thing that Ben and I both wanted to do on our honeymoon. We went about 5 times.
I was surprised at how easy it was to snorkel. I am not a very confident swimmer but I had no problems. Plus, I looked so hot in the snorkel gear, I just had to keep up appearances.
Ben and I were very cautious snorkelers. We don't really know the ocean that well and we didn't think drowning on our honeymoon would make for a happy story. So we stuck close to shore and swam in short burst. We still saw some crazy cool fish, a sea turtle and a reef shark. Well Ben saw the shark. He didn't tell me about it until we got out of the water because of how I reacted when I saw the turtle. I got so excited about it and was so worried that Ben was going to miss it that my body went into convulsions and I ripped the snorkel tube right out of Ben's mouth trying to get his attention. Ben thought for sure that there was a shark about to attack us, but no, the sea turtle was just swimming away.
We didn't get any pictures of the turtle or the shark because we took all our pictures the first two times we went out. We took the pictures of any fish we saw, not knowing that the cool fish were yet to come. So instead of iridescent fish and brightly stripped fish, we have pictures of fish like this:
Boring gray fish. But, whatever.
We didn't get eaten by a shark, I didn't drown Ben, and we got some fun pictures of each other. You can't ask for more.
We went snorkeling while we were in Hawaii. That was one thing that Ben and I both wanted to do on our honeymoon. We went about 5 times.
I was surprised at how easy it was to snorkel. I am not a very confident swimmer but I had no problems. Plus, I looked so hot in the snorkel gear, I just had to keep up appearances.
Ben and I were very cautious snorkelers. We don't really know the ocean that well and we didn't think drowning on our honeymoon would make for a happy story. So we stuck close to shore and swam in short burst. We still saw some crazy cool fish, a sea turtle and a reef shark. Well Ben saw the shark. He didn't tell me about it until we got out of the water because of how I reacted when I saw the turtle. I got so excited about it and was so worried that Ben was going to miss it that my body went into convulsions and I ripped the snorkel tube right out of Ben's mouth trying to get his attention. Ben thought for sure that there was a shark about to attack us, but no, the sea turtle was just swimming away.
We didn't get any pictures of the turtle or the shark because we took all our pictures the first two times we went out. We took the pictures of any fish we saw, not knowing that the cool fish were yet to come. So instead of iridescent fish and brightly stripped fish, we have pictures of fish like this:
Boring gray fish. But, whatever.We didn't get eaten by a shark, I didn't drown Ben, and we got some fun pictures of each other. You can't ask for more.
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