buy buy summer. i'll miss you!

okay, so between work and the fair, i haven't had time to sleep let alone play on the computer. now that the purple rings under my eyes have receded and i can form entire thoughts that don't deal with vendors, pin designs or restaurant supplies, i am able to remember that i used to write on this blog site occasionally.
i was able to keep jared's blog alive slightly longer than this one, but now it's time for a trade off.
i promise to post pictures soon, and maybe i'll borrow some of the pictures from his page for this one (so you can see our vacation!)

taractures

tara sent me a few pictures... three are from the halloween party at the elks and two are from my birthday at the winery!

here's scott-steve, me and tara. there's a lot of hanky panky, right there in the picture, however the signs are very subtle. look closely and you'll see it, too!
this is me and tara indulging in our adult liquid refreshment. the winery was crowded and hot, so we refreshed ourselves quite a lot.
fairy princesses and vampires don't usually enjoy each other company, but the great thing about halloween is that for one night, they can put aside their differences and just have fun.

...and if you're really lucky cher will join the party! tara's "cher" was great! and her clothes were actually vintage, which makes the whole thing even better. ...sonny was there somewhere. and you can't really tell with the lighting in the club, but laura (my cousin the fairy princess) had these perfect pink circles on her cheeks that topped the whole look off!
and for anyone interested to know, this was the heaviest costume i ever made. it took more than a half hour just to put on with all of the hook and eye closures. the vampire teeth were my favorite part of the whole thing. very real-looking.

"dog days" of spring

so we went back to the dog park today. that puppy wasn't his usual self, in a good way. you see, in the past, he's spent the majority of his time looking over his shoulder to make sure i was within a forty foot radius of him at all times. he's never had a problem socializing, but the interaction lasts a few seconds, maybe a minute if the other dog is willing to chase him. so not the case today. he had no problem mingling, running, chasing, frolicking and any other type of interactive play that two or more dogs can casually engage in. there were a few times when he would loose me, and when he realized he couldn't find me he got a little worried. once when i was talking with a group he started looking for me, so i called him, which only made him frantic because he heard me, but he couldn't see me. finally i squatted down and opened my arms up while calling him. that silly boy nearly knocked my on my behind when he reached me. fun stuff!
here's one from when we first got to the park. riley's checking his peE-MAIL.
this was taken mili-moments after he did that whole ostrich/ elephant thing i wrote about a few days ago. he was showing off for his new friends.
"tag! you're it!"
this game lasted quite a while and a lap around the lake.
the part labrador retriever that doesn't swim. "look, mom! i can still touch!"
the part lab that doesn't swim with his new friend oscar... the rotti that doesn't swim. they were quite a pair. oscar and his lady were walking counter-clockwise while riley and i were slowly walking clockwise.there were lots of meetings like this.

riley's big day

is this not the most pathetic face you've ever seen? saturday we spent the evening at bow-wow beach. we must have done three hundred fifty laps around the lake. they put a big basin by the hose to wash the children off when they're done playing. no, he doesn't swim... but he does dunk this whole head into the water and then fling the water back behind him with his nose. it's rather elephant-like. spectators got a big kick out of watching him, and he got a kick out of them watching! for whatever reason the puppies love him. they come up to him and tug at his ears, neck, and tail, and he just looks at them as if they've gone mad.
after we got back to ravenna he got "furminated" and he was too whooped to fight it. sunday morning he didn't roll out of bed until after eleven, which made me half amused and half concerned (that he's just not getting enough prolonged exercise) for a dog his size. this picture was taken early sunday morning. and yes, i'm getting the "mom, it's early in the morning and i don't have anywhere to be right now. do you really need to be doing this at the moment?" look.

cold turkey?

i've gotten a few questions about quitting smoking, the one that gets asked first is "did you quit cold turkey?"
and the answer is "yes"
but what does "cold turkey" really mean
i mean... think about it. exactly how did that term originate? cold turkey?
hmmmmmm

The Stupid Test

OK. Pay close attention. Here is a very simple little test comprised of four easy questions to determine the level of your intellect. See if you have what it takes to be considered smart...

Your replies must be spontaneous and immediate, with no deliberating or wasting of time . and PLEASE no cheating!

On your mark, get set, GO!

1: You are competing in a race and overtake the runner in second place. In which position are you now?

Answer: If you answered that you're now in first, you're wrong! You overtook the second runner and took his place, therefore you are now in second place.


For the next question try not to be so dim.

2: If you overtake the last runner, what position are you now in?

Answer: If you answered second to last, you are wrong once again.
Think about it...
How can you overtake the person who is last? If you're behind them, they can't be last. You would have been last.

It would appear that thinking is not one of your strong points.
Anyway, here's another question to try. Don't take any notes or use a calculator, and remember, your replies must be instantaneous.

3: Take 1000. Add 40.
Add another 1000. Add 30.
1000 again. Plus 20.
Plus 1000. And plus 10.
What is the total?



Answer: 5000? Wrong again! The correct answer is 4100. Try again with good calculator.

Today is clearly not your day, although you should manage to get the last question right...



4: Marie's father has five daughters:
1. Chacha
2. Cheche
3. Chichi
4. Chocho
5. ?

Question: What is the fifth daughter's name?
Think quickly... you'll find the answer below..


Answer: Chuchu?
WRONG! It's obviously Marie! Read the question properly.

sunday morning lunch

well, maybe it was after noon, but i still say that anything before 4:00p.m. on sunday is morning.
so, after church on sunday my mom calls and asks if i want to go to dos coronas. (the little mexican restaurant in downtown ravenna) not really because i just had a sloppy joe. but todd and tara will be there so i change my mind pretty quickly. i can go be sociable and drink an iced tea. plus i wanted to gossip with tara about the masquerade / mardi-gras / semi formal that i decorated her a masque for.
well, when we get there i learn that todd's folks are coming, too. i was a little shy and nervous... for a whole three and a half seconds. let me just say that these may be two of the funniest people you could ever meet! todds dad led grace and somehow added, after asking for the blessing of the food, "that todd's offered to pay for". totally caught me off guard! and the next hour was full of similar jokes and anecdotes.
too much fun.
and to miss tara, looking forward to june 20th!