Huntingdon PA

Dusk on a rainy day. . .

Cozy Cats. . .

I suspect this is exactly where we will find them 24 hours from now!

Mornin from Molly Muffin'

She reminds us to wag more and bark less.

Objects of Desire Series - Pretzel Slims

Trader Joes makes them in several flavors including dark chocolate covered! Thin, crisp, savory (and sweet depending). Hardly any points. They are like crack for this WW gal!

Objects of Desire Series - Humor

Hilarious little sign to share with your friends and relations. Why can't I come up with something so clever? How cute would this look as a cross stitch or as embroidery?

Objects of Desire Series - Lips!

Neither are expensive but they get it done. Love the pepperminty tingle of the clear gloss. Infatuated with all the options in the lip palette.

Objects of Desire Series - Sack Dresses

They are well made, forgiving, tremendously versatile, 3 season, and soooo simple. At 25 bucks a pop, I got it in 3 colors! I will live in these this summer!!!

Objects Of Desire - Paint Brushes

I don't just paint nails. Here are some of my pretty paint brushes.
I like the cheap ones and the expensive ones. I especially adore how they look gathered together in old glass jars: right at my fingertips and always serving as inspiration.

Kinda' reminds me of being a kid at the "crafts table." The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. That's a liberating feeling. One I believe we don't experience often enough in our "adult world."

Objects of Desire - Lincoln Park After Dark

Beware of imposters. This the perfect dark shade: Not too vampy - just enough. Apparently I'm not alone in this opinion. It's been around for years and I still had to visit 3 stores to find a bottle! Big puffy heart looooooove it!

Midnight means new points!!! LOL

Remind self 6 hours from now that you have already consumed a glorious dark chocolate covered pretzel thin. . .Or prehaps a laughing cow cheese wedge. Afterall, have you laughed today?!

Skinny wrist, skinny wrist, skinny wrists! hahahaha!

I think my wrist is thinner!

Yeah lovely wrist!!! LOL

I'm mocking weight watchers a lot but actually in terms of food-behavior-modification (no DIET - that's a dirty word) it works really well and I seldom am honestly hungry. And if I am? So I eat something. It's a commonsense approach. They don't have extensive vegetarian options on their online recipes but the good thing about veggies is they're hardly any "points" if prepared properly. I can eat celery until I turn green and can still have a point for a piece of chocolate or glass of wine.

Now.. .Here come the mind games. . .My version of hoarding. . .A dirty little secret I refer to as "point banking." I'm pretty sure point banking is not recommended in WWW (weight watchers world).

It's not rocket science. If I know I'm going to a cocktail party and want 3 dirty martinis with blue cheese stuffed olives for dinner, I'll "bank" the points. . .This seems to create a no doubt detrimental but still emotionally positive feedback loop for me. . .I am rewarded for basically sucking on orange rinds all day long!

Seeing as how I'm 32 and not 22, I'm trying really hard to stop this stupid behavior. If you eat what you're supposed to eat when you need it, chances are you won't feel like eating blue cheese stuffed olives for dinner. (Ok. . .For me that's a really effing bad example because I could eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. . .Damn those salty, creamy, juicy, meaty-textured sirens. . .)

So I'm trying to "break the points bank"-ing habit but it's hard. Esp when you're looking forward to a fun weekend with your Mom's family celebrating her birthday.

But thanks to stubbornness and a relative amount of bitchiness (likely due to lack of essential fatty acids), I'm going to for once in my life practice moderation.

Literally, for once in my life. .I'm not sure when that moment will come, but I'll let you know! hahaha. . .

Seriously, I'm no spring chicken. I endure an tremendous amount of stress at work and I do not want to give my dear husband the satisfaction of my early demise (and subsequent string of young lovely perky breasted girlfriends living off my insurance proceeds!). So I'm getting thinner - even if it's just an optical illusion of the wrist at the present - and I'm getting smarter.

I'm focusing on what's really important. I'm focusing on enjoying the present. Even if that currently entails eating the peppermint flavored lip gloss off my lips!

Eat a Rainbow and Go Away Hungry!

Will sauteed veggies and black beans make the Hungry Monster retreat?

Anyway nothing special about this dish a lot of crisptender veggies, black beans, cilantro, lime, chili powder and pepper. . .Maybe some salsa.

And if not for my reformed ways, shredded cheese, sour cream, and or guac and tortilla chips. Soooooo good. . .

Hungry is NOT this cute

I think I might be on the verge of hallucinations. I think he might be in my desk drawer! Hahaha!!

Hungry Monster

Is NOT scared of 10 raw almonds. But they contain all sorts or good for you stuff so they are worth the point. Sense my commitment - half a light beer is a point! In the first 36 hours I get an A for effort!

I Heart my Hair!!!

Have new 150 dollar every six weeks addiction. Have also vowed to pursue blowing my hair straight with a brush with the same intensity I pursued my law degree. Jessica the colorist is my hero (at least as long as this blow out lasts).

Also that little orange monster from the WW ads just appeared! That's right Hungry is here. I tried to give him a beat down with an organic macintosh apple (small 1 pt) but he's a tenacious little effer.

I wish I could fall asleep to dream about bleu cheese stuffed olives! LOL

Dexy is being a bully!

Never mind he is half the size of Allister!

Professional Intervention Part II

Ok. So far today I've consumed about 10 points. I'm at the colorist's now. Actually not hungry and Jessica seems completely competent. She even did my eyebrows!

I would actually be pretty relaxed if not for my worry about the shampoo girl. I'm hoping there isn't one but I bet there is - It's that kind of place. I never know how much or when to tip them! I think I might Google Ms Manners while this stuff ferments on my scalp!

I Can Admit It, I need Professional Intervention!

It's officially time for professional assistance! I'm a DIY type gal and my grooming is no exception; however, I can admit when I'm beat.

First of all I've been struggling with hair color. They quit making my preferred shade and after months of experimentation, I've realized I don't love the tri-colored results. So tomorrow evening I'm going to bite the bullet and hope like hell that Jessica the colorist-I've-never-met before-but-who-works-at-a-very-reputable-establishment knows what she's doing.

I've been burned in this respect before but I'm going to be positive. What's the worst that can happen? I mean, if anyone can laugh at themselves it's me.

Speaking of. . .I decided this afternoon after renewing my online Weight Watchers subscription - which I NEVER use - perhaps this could be the first summer since college where I wouldn't have to endure my thighs rubbing together sans Spanx?

So it begins. . .Eating carrot sticks until my fingers are orange and fuzzy math in point calculations. . .How freaking much is 4 oz. of Sangria?! 4 oz. is barely enough to gargle with.

My professional health and beauty interventionists and I will move forward towards my 33rd birthday. . .Which I'll no doubt be too bitchy from hunger and poor from my colorist to enjoy!

Now I have to go measure out a cup-full of cereal that resembles gerbil food. . .Which should fill me up. . .NEVER!!!

We Built this City

Key Bridge. . .Inner Harbor, Locust Point & Dundalk Marine Terminal. . . Kinda' reminds me of the Starship song. . .It was my first cassette tape and it made quite an impression! As did this city. . .It had me at Hello Hon! I heart Baltimore!!!!

I Don't Know How Much Time I Have. . .

Locust Point from the Key Bridge

I had the opportunity to spend some time with my Father this afternoon. His health isn't stellar. We were talking and he mentioned in passing "I don't know how much time I have."

At first, I wanted to be sad or angry about it. But the more I thought about it, it's a statement anyone could make. I don't know how much time I have. No one knows how much time they have.

Would you want to know if you could?

We put a premium on time in our society. "I have time for this. . .I don't have time for that. . ." We use it as an excuse to get out of things we don't want to do, we use it as an excuse to avoid people we don't care for (I don't have time for her - she's X, Y, Z). We use it like currency - we over extend ourselves with commitments, we waste time, we keep in touch in "real time." We demand "me time."

We measure our effectiveness and possibly worth on how much we can get done and how well we can do it in as little time possible. We over-extend our children. We over-extend ourselves.
We want fast cars, fast computers, fast phones, fast drying nail polish, fast meals, fast anti aging treatments. . .Why?

Because we don't know how much time we have? I don't think so. (You've heard me rant about this before - McDonald's mentality)

I think if I knew how much time I had left, the first things I'd Elvis from my life would be anything fast and instant gratification. . .

I know that seems counterintuitive but I'd focus on what I've always tried to focus on - good food, good company, creating beautiful memories for people. . .If I had one day left on this glorious planet I could very well spend it on the beach from sun up to sun down. I wouldn't try to over extend myself. (Is this a sign I'm finding faith?)

And if you follow my logic, we never know when our last day may be. . .I'm going to the beach! I'm going to give big hugs. I'm going to take copious photos. I'm going to laugh with abandon. I'm going to be thankful. I'm going to be graceful - if I feel like it. I'm going to be strong and lovely and kind. I'm going to embrace every day and every challenge. I'm still going to the beach damnit!!!

So basically, I'm going to live like a dog. . .Eat a lot, love a lot, play a lot. . .Sometimes it's best if you don't over-analyze!

Comfort Food with a Twist

We had an excellent lunch so now all we need for dinner is a quick nosh. Bean soup I made last evening plus gourmet grilled cheese:

The best Gruyere you can find, herbed Irish butter and really good whole wheat bread. Mmmmmmm Soooo Goood!

Molly and Dexter

Having a meeting of the minds. They often interact and I wonder what they are communicating? Are they gossiping? Plotting a revolt? Discussing the merits of an opposable thumb?

Paralysis of indecision

I've been meaning to tile the backsplash since MLK holiday weekend. The problem is I can't decide what tile I want! When you have too many options you are incapable of making a quick, decent decision. I'm done shopping. If I love 15 options, surely I should just pick one and be done right?!

Spring Cleaning My Closet

I want to be just like Barbie - That Bitch has it all! Hahaha

Spring Light in the Spare Room

The room faces practically west so the room gets some great late light.

Surviving the Winter

The pony tail palm and the Norfolk Island Pine made it through the winter and love the spring light

The vanity - clean for a nanosecond

Until one of the kitties decides to go exploring. Paw prints everywhere!

C and Allister conquer the "World"

Like Dr Evil in the Austin Powers movies C attempts to take over the world in his (wothless time suck) computer game.

Allister is now playing the role of Bigglesworth. He likes to sit with C and watches the action. He's especially fond of the mouse and corresponding cursor on the screen.

Sparrows Point - from Key Bridge

A Great Spring Afternoon

FS Key Bridge - headed home after a great lunch and fun visit with d's Dad.