Where Did My Day Go

I only worked half day today, because of the rain.

Don't you just love jobs that depend on the weather?

I didn't do much of anything.

I went to the Y, did some grocery shopping, cooked dinner with mom, went to Starbucks and watched telly.

Not a whole lot of anything.

I should have got something done.

Did I?

Nope!

Cos that's how I roll.

I'm lazy like that apparently.

Ah well, tomorrow's Friday! Can I get a Woo hoo for that?

Words Of Wisdom For Thursday

There's a group on Facebook, called Assbook and believe it or not, it comes up with some zingers.

Today's best zinger by far:

"The trouble with political jokes is that very often they get elected!"

This is how I feel about all the tea party candidates.

I would like to slap John McCain for unleashing Sarah Palin and her brood of huge wingnuts on this country.  Actually maybe not John McCain, but whoever vetted that scary broad! Mama Grizzly scares the fuck out of me. I can't say that enough.

Today Was Horrid

I was on my way to work and a little fluffy dog was scurrying along the road. I saw him go on the sidewalk so I thought it was safe to go, and he darted in front of my car. I just missed hitting the little guy.

This is not the way I like to start my morning.

If I had hit the dog, I probably would have had to go back on anti-depressants.

No joke.

Then this afternoon, I had to go to the bank for my boss and on the way back, a groundhog shot out into the road.

He wasn't so lucky. I know I hit him, but I saw him run back to the other side, so I don't know if I just grazed him or what.

This was not a good day for me. Not a good day at all, but it was obviously a worse day for that stupid groundhog that didn't look both ways before crossing the street.

Tuesday Tunes

From Music Memoirs:
If you could travel back in time (perhaps in the Tardis with The Doctor) which musical piece of history would you like to witness?


This is a hard one. I'd love to see the Beatles perform in Pittsburgh, but I know from what I've read that it was next to impossible to hear them perform, and what good would that be? So rather than that, The Doctor and I will somehow manage to land on the rooftop of Abbey Road Studios so that we could witness one of the Beatles final performances.  Basically I want to somehow see the Beatles perform. Maybe The Doctor and I could  put a bandaid on the band and save them from themselves? Oh wait, that's the next question.

If you could change history and prevent a musical tragedy from happening, what would you change?

Both of my answers involve John Lennon, because I don't know which one would be better. Going back to the 60s to make sure Lennon never met Yoko, thus possibly saving the world's finest pop band, or keep John from Mark Chapman's bullet. Or maybe if I did the first, it would ultimately keep the second thing from happening.

Ahh John....I miss ya!

On A Clear Day...

You can see the Meyersdale Wind Farm from the Mill Run Windfarm.

I think I mentioned that already, but I had to share it again, because I still can't get over seeing the turbines in the distance when standing under one in Mill Run.

I actually had to do some research to figure out which other farm I was seeing. There are three in Somerset County (one runs right along the PA turnpike as Bilbo most likely knows). I knew this one couldn't be that one, because the turbines were lined up in a row.

So a Googling I went and discovered the Wind Farm @ Meyersdale in Somerset County, which runs parallel to Rte 381, which is the road that runs through Ohiopyle and goes towards Connellsville.

So Yay for Wind Farms!

And Yay for sleuthing!

And yes, I'm obsessed with Wind Farms

Today Was Very Busy

My weekends are always crazy. Yesterday, my friend Jennifer, came down and we bummed around the Belle Vernon area. Today my nephew and I went to the Christian Klay Winery Chili Cook Off and then to Ohiopyle.

So what that all means is: I took a lot of photos, ate a lot of chili and drank some really delightful wine.

The pictures from the winery can be found here

The pictures from Ohiopyle and the Mill Run Windfarm can be found here.

Oh and on a hilarious note: I milked a goat, and both the goat and myself lived!

Camera Critters!

If you want to play along with Camera Critters just go here

I'm going with some pretty butterflies and moths this week.

Photos Of All Fids!

There's a new meme in town! This one is called Photos Of All Fids

This is where we share pictures of our "furry kids"

Since I have more furry kids than most people, I'll share a few pictures.

Here's Bootsie and Gummie reclining on my bed



And here's Lady Sugarplum von Buttonhead trying not to look too enthusiastic

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 songs that you have liked "forever"


You guys know the drill. Play along in the comments or in your journal. This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other weekly memes and play along.

This one is easy for me, since there are at least 2 that I can remember loving since I was at least 5...no wait...make that 3...

1. The Monkees - Daydream Believer: Still one still tops my list of songs that I can't live without. Davy Jones....sigh....I love that man!

2. The Beatles - I'll Follow The Sun: I fell in love with this one the first time I saw it on The Beatles Cartoons!

3. Olivia Newton-John - Xanadu: My nieces were obsessed with this movie when we were little and so was I!

4. Olivia Newton-John - Physical: Hey! I was a child of the 80s!!

5. Culture Club: Karma Chameleon: No explanation for this other than it is freaking catchy and I love it still!!!

Sometimes Its Best To Be Alone

I love my friends, but sometimes it is better to be solitary. I do solitary well. I always have. I'm not sure why.

If asked what tv character I identify with the most, I'd probably have to say that little boy Brick on The Middle. I'm not athletic and my nose as always been buried in a book. Not to mention I have always had anti-social tendencies.

I've also always managed to have friends that ditch me when they get involved. Funny isn't it? Granted I believe that your significant other should always be one of your best friends, but I don't believe that they should be your only friend.

I guess it leads me to be a not so trusting individual when it comes to friendships, and I do prefer being on my own to being in a group.

I'm going through a period right now where I'm kind of enjoying being alone and doing stuff with family. I'm sure that will change again and I'll want to be a social butterfly for a bit, but right now I'm enjoying some "me" time.

Oh and the YMCA...I'm loving the exercise and the lending library!!

Stink Bugs Make You Crazy

I had every intention of going to the YMCA to exercise after work today, until my dad had to go on the "Great Stink Bug Removal."

Sweet bejeebus! You would think we had an infestation of these ugly critters, but from what I've heard the few that we have sneaking in our house are nothing! But lordy, he's tossing them out windows, flushing them down the toilet! You name it! He's doing it! Anything to get rid of the dreaded STINK BUGS!

Better stink bugs than bed bugs, I'm thinking.

But back to my story. I was just getting ready to leave...but a storm was coming through, and my mom thinks she hears my dad say, "There's something on the door down there." Down there being my grams/my house.

So I grab a pair of sandals and nearly get blown to the other end of town to find NOTHING on the door!

Why?

Because what my father said was "There's a stink bug on the door!"

After he gets all twitchy about the bugs I tell him if he really wants to see stink bugs, he should come upstairs, as that's where the screens are, and there are scads of the ugly little Mofos.

Big mistake!

He set out to rid the upstairs of every stink bug.

I think he needs a 12 step program.

Exercise Helps!

I'm really feeling so much better now that I'm going to the Y and exercising regularly. They have two workout areas; one main gym with all the equipment and an express gym that really kicks butt. Its a bit like the Curves circuit only with weights, so that you can build your intensity.

In the last week, I've managed to go 5 times, which is actually better than I ever did with Jack's. Usually there, I was lucky to get three workouts in a week. So I'm proud of myself.

Hopefully in time I'll see myself shrinking, cos lord knows I need to shrink.

I know I certainly feel this exercise more than I have in ages. My muscles a properly sore after the workout which is much different than the feeling I had after I left Jack's and that doesn't make a lot of sense as the equipment was pretty much similar.

Ah well, I guess I'll know in time if it does me any good, right?

I do know that it makes me feel good when I'm doing it, even if it makes me achy!

Monday? Now? I Didn't Order It

I really don't understand how the weekends fly by so quickly anymore? I guess its just that I have so much that I need to cram into those 48 hours that makes it worse.

Saturday was more me time. I did get to the Y to exercise, and I got to make the down payment on the trip to Berlin, Ohio next month.

Whoo to the hoo!

I'm just not ready to head back to the same old same old today.

This could get me started on my "I need a vacation rant" but I know that gripe is old as Methuselah, so I'll let it go this time, even though it is true.

It doesn't seem fair that all my vacation days always have to go for doctor's appointments.

~big sigh~

Aw well, can't change it...so I gotta deal with it.

Covered Bridge Festival

20100919_27
Originally uploaded by moodylady

I made my yearly jaunt to Mingo Park to the Covered Bridge Festival. You can see some of the goodies that could be had there here.

The sad thing thing is the drought has really affected the creek. We actually walked through the creek to take pictures of the Henry Bridge, and there was no water there. Where there was water, it was barely a trickle.

I'm a bit apprehensive of going to Ohio Pyle next weekend, because the drought is sure to have made an impact on the waterfalls there, especially the Cucumber Falls.

Here's hoping we get some real rain soon.

Camera Critters

If you want to play along with Camera Critters just go here

Last weekend I went to Phipps Conservatory and though its mostly flowers there are some finned critters there.

Like this little guy

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 recent musical discoveries

~ This can be bands, songs, albums a mixture of all of them

You guys know the drill. Play along in the comments or in your journal. This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other weekly memes and play along.


Here are five awesome artists I discovered through my work with Review You and Aerial Publicity:

Annie Fitzgerald  : Singer/Songwriter Annie Fitzgerald combines tender lyrics akin to Shawn Colvin, a timeless sound like that of Ray Lamontagne, a soulfulness kindred to Patty Griffin, and a quiet intensity similar to Damien Rice, then stirs the pot into a sound that’s all her own.

Davy Mooney : ~ Davy's music is a bit jazz with folk. Really gorgeous chillout stuff.

Maree McRae I've described her in one of my reviews as a touch of Joni Mitchell and a smidge of Dar Williams.

Leyla Fences OMG this is awesome new country! She has a twang and a sense of humor!

Wendy Waller: This lady's voice is like buddah! Diana Krall may have some competition in Wendy!

I'm So Out Of It

Last week was the holiday so you would think that I'd have my days mixed up then, but no...its this week that has me befuddled.

I keep thinking...wishing...hoping...that today is Friday.

I think it has more to do with this stupid cold that I have than actually being excited for the weekend.

I really just want to be able to sleep past 6 o'clock and without the help from two tablespoons of Nyquil.

I'm not even getting the crazy Nyquil dreams. (That's really quite odd)

So can we please bypass Thursday please and hop straight to Friday so I can get some sleep?

Gumdrop Has Earned Her Keep

Miss Gumdrop found a mouse in our basement.

Now the last time one of those critters was spotted in our house, I was in high school, so you have a general idea of how long its been since we've had a rodent that wasn't caged in our house.

Miss Gummie of all cats, killed the mouse and brought it up to the kitchen to share with us!

Ewww, thanks but no thanks Miss Gummie!

And that's how my day started!

Oye and vey!

Sickness, I Has It

OMG the sinus issue I've been dealing with all summer has finally come front and center today and with it came the cough from hell.

Big F-off world!

I wanted to go to the Y today, but I've learned about exercise and sickness.

Don't do it, unless you want to be really sick the next day.

Trust me on this. I learned this the hard way.

So tonight I'm hitting the sack early with a swig of Nyquil and hopefully I'll be ready to go tomorrow night.

Frustrations

I've got a whole lot of frustrations in my life right now, and I think that's why I've not been posting many "real" posts lately.

I'm trying to get things situated for the holidays. I know, ALL READY?

Yeah.

We're going to scale back this year, and that's fine with me, but I want to have a game plan going into the season, so that we don't screw up and over spend and then feel guilty about it later on.

The problem is from Oct - December I have so many friends and family members with birthdays that everything is a huge expense. My mom, sister and brother all have birthdays, my other mother (a good friend that I've adopted as a bonus mother), and my two best friends have birthdays in these months, actually those friends have birthdays 4 days between each other..and other mother and sister have one day between them!

ARGH!

I need a financial planner to deal with all of this.

This holiday I want a pretty tree, some good music and books and some good food and I will be happy as a clam!

Now to figure out how to do that without going INSANE...or getting committed, or BOTH!

Gargoyles In The Garden

The rest of my pictures from Phipps can be found here

Camera Critters

If you want to play along with Camera Critters just go here

Last weekend I saw a lot of "critters". On Saturday I went to the Good Zoo in Oglebay Park and on Monday I went to Critter Country Animal Farm in Smithton, PA.

This little guy is one of the many llama/alpacas that they have there.

What is the difference between the two?

I checked Wiki and I really couldn't figure out the difference other than size? So I'm thinking this little guy is an alpaca. I may be wrong though.

One thing I do know though is, this little critter is pretty darn cute!!

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 "peaceful" songs

~ Interpret as you see fit

You guys know the drill. Play along in the comments or in your journal. This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other weekly memes and play along.

John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band - Give Peace A Chance
George Harrison - Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)
Elvis Costello and or or with Nick Lowe - What's So Funny 'Bout Peace Love & Understanding
Paul McCartney - Pipes Of Peace
Cliff Richard - Peace In Our Time

I Love My Nook

eReaders are wonderful. My nook is now my new best friend. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it after I bought it. Would it just be another gadget collecting dust? But no. Once I got used to the feel of the Nook, it really became a fun thing.

I finished my first eBook, Jane Eagland's Wildthorn, this morning and now I'm started an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of Debbie Macomber's Call Me Mrs Miracle and I'm halfway through it.

You can check out my review of Wildthorn here

Now if you don't mind, I've got lots of reading to do tonight!

I asked this on Facebook this week; What are you reading right now?

~ Note to Mike: Saying this post will get the raspberries blown in your general direction :P

It's time to get off my butt

I'm going to join the YMCA today, much to my chagrin I need structure or I will never be able to get the weight off. My gym closed at the end of June and its been a steady climb up the scale again.

I guess I can find a way to balance the budget and get rid of the bulge.

Insert big sigh here.

I guess sometimes you have to cut back to get what you want, right?

I just wish getting fit wasn't so expensive, but like I said, if I don't have something that has some structure, I just don't do it. I sit on my lazy butt and read or play on the computer. I need incentive to get myself moving.

Tuesday Tunes: Week 149

From Music Memoirs

Let's talk about tv and music this week.

Give us your favorite:

TV theme song: The Friendly Indians - I Know, You Know: Psych Theme
 

Music related tv show The Monkees! You didn't have to ask me twice about this one.


Show with the best background music Castle has the best music that you almost don't notice.


Music show from yesteryear:  Solid Gold

Weekend Photos

I had a rather productive Labor Day Weekend.

Saturday was Oglebay Park and The Good Zoo.

Today was Critter Country Animal Park

All in all about 249 pictures taken this weekend.

I was a busy little shutterbug!

It Costs How Much?

This is how you know I spend a lot of time at The Dollar Tree. I was looking for body wash at Shop N' Save today, thinking I would pick something sweet smelling to tide me over until my Yves Rocher order comes in. I looked at all the various brands out there and my jaw dropped to the floor.

Oil Of Olay body was was almost $7.00

No joke!

That's more than most shampoos sold in the store and the bottle is about the same size.

The mind boggles. I don't pay that much for body wash ever. $3.50 is the most I spend usually and that's at Yves Rocher because I love the scents. I never buy them at Bath And Body unless they are on sale. I usually buy the body sprays there because I don't usually like heavy perfume.

I guess I'll be off to one of the dollar stores, because $7.00 is entirely too much money for glorified liquid soap!!

Camera Critters

If you want to play along with Camera Critters just go here

Today I went to Oglebay Park in Wheeling WV. One of the highlights of the Park is The Good Zoo. I don't know why they call it that. It always makes me wonder if there's a Bad Zoo or a Mediocre Zoo out there somewhere.

But here are some of the critters I saw today.

Off To Oglebay

I'm obviously out of my mind, but I'm taking both Raymond, Michael and Michael's girlfriend Mandy to Oglebay today and then to Triadelphia to Books-A-Million and all the other amusing places today.

Will I be able to survive this?

I don't know.

I have my cameras ready.

My mp3 player charged.

My credit cards are ready to get a small workout.

Wish me luck

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 albums you'd recommend to a friend

You guys know the drill. Play along in the comments or in your journal. This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other weekly memes and play along.

1. Loomis and the Lust - Space Camp

I reviewed this EP for Mossip a few weeks back and it is really great, especially if you are a fan of 80s music. All the tracks on this one are good. That's rare these days.  It is definitely worth the $5.00 to download it from Amazon or iTunes.


2. Gordon Lightfoot - Harmony

This is probably the last album of new material we'll see from Gordon. From what I've heard at concerts, he's mostly concentrating on touring.

He told me that this album was thrown together really quickly but if you give it a listen, you'd never guess. One of my favorite Lightfoot tunes is on this album and that's Inspiration Lady. Sure his voice isn't as strong as it was 20 years ago, but it is still good, and this album is more than worth the money to listen to it.

3. Bombshel - Fight Like A Girl

This is acutally some pretty good country pop for people that like Sugarland, The Dixie Chicks and SheDaisy.

Its a little more country sounding than Lady A, but its fresh and fun and not really so twangy as to annoy.  My best description is Gloriana and SheDaisy only without the guys on vocals. Fresh and young, but not tween sounding. Dose that make any sense at all?

4. Judd Starr - Spirit and Skin

I can list many reasons besides his talent that any red blooded female should take.

Oh mylanta this man is gorgeous and he can sing.

There are so many good songs on this album, What If I'm Fine, Please Penny and Borrow You.  He's another artist with a bit of an 80s vibe. This was truly one of my favorite albums of 2008.

5. Nu Shooz Orchestra - Pandora's Box

Another album I reviewed at Mossip and a really great one too. A little bit jazz, a little bit chill out and a whole lot of mystery.

This duo has come a long way since their days as a new wave band in the 80s. Pandora's Box is a must listen!

Click on the album covers to get more info on each of my choices!

Sarah Palin Scares Me

I know I've mentioned this before, but every day I get more fearful that she will be the Republican nominee in 2012 and that she'll win.

This woman's picture is in the dictionary next to the word wingnut, and yet she has legions of followers.

I realize we're all dissatisfied with the government, but lordy, why do the people that the country at large chooses to follow blindly have to be INSANE! I won't even go on about Glen Beck. I might have an aneurysm.

Are there any politicians out there that actually care about the constituants. Do any of them actually care about the working poor. I know that's where I fall, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I do what I have to do to survive.

I'm so sick of seeing the ads bitching about the bank bailouts. I wonder how we'd all feel if the banks didn't get bailed out? Or GM. What if all those banks failed? Or GM went belly up? Yet people like Palin will blame the current administration for doing what they thought was right at the time. You know, preventing a total economic disaster.

And because most of the country is uninformed, they nod and blindly follow her, forgetting what happened to cause the bailout.

Oye.

And when they all start preaching moral values I get sick to my stomach. Excuse me Mama Grizzly, maybe take a look at your own before you take a stab at the rest of the world.

Lady Sugarplum Von Buttonhead Tells It Like It Is

Hello world. I am Lady Sugarplum von Buttonhead and there are a few things I'd like to let you know right now.

I'm not sure I like these people who have adopted me. OK, I like the old man. He has a good lap.

I want the whole house to myself, but no, they have other animals and sometimes they really annoy me. I just want to be left alone so I can get my beauty sleep. Then I have to actually share my food bowl with them! How horrific! Let's not even start with the litter box! I don't like any of them!

But I do have all of them under my paw, because I'm so cute and they just love that. I can get away with most everything, except scratching the couch. If I do that they get really peeved at me. I don't know why. Its an upright object and it is perfect for scratching. Those scratching posts they paid lots of money for do absolutely nothing for me. Let those other foolish kitties play with them. I want nothing to do with them.

Now if you don't mind, I think I need to get back to my beauty sleep. Fill my food bowl, while I do that, or feel my wrath later.