I went outside at 6:25am this morning and it seemed a bit darker than usual. In my foggy state I just thought "well, the days do get shorter" but then I heard thunder. I looked up to see a nice coverage of gray rain clouds blowing around in the sky.
I went in to watch the news and saw this wonderful line of rain working it's way across the west side of 820 and toward my house. By the time I left for work the ground was wet and there was a light sprinkle.
HOORAY!
It pretty much rained on me all the way to work but the coolest part was as I merged to a northbound route from eastbound I realized I was centered between big bright sunshine on the right and super dark rain clouds on the left. It was quite a site to see the buildings all lit up in the sunshine with the dark cloudy backdrop.
Then I saw a full arched rainbow shining colorfully against that dark background.
It was wonderful!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Long Vacation
Well I've been on vacation since the 19th and I'm back to work today. I spent last week at my parents' house on the lake and I am SORE. It's all good though. Being sore from tubing is awesome. I have at least 7 bruises too. As Dad said, "Living on the lake is hard." :)
I feel like I need to get back to business now. My head is full of projects, to-do lists and ideas. I'm going to write it all down to make more sense of it so I can empty my head a bit and get more organized.
There is still a lot to do in the house:
* It occurred to me this morning that we have a ton more storage space in the kitchen than I realized. There's a space on top of the cabinets where my grandmother kept her cookie jars. We've got lots of dishes we don't use everyday, along with smaller appliances that will fit up there nicely. So the kitchen will need some reorganizing.
* The bedroom needs to be finished in regards of painting. I also need to thin out my clothes and pack away the winter things. I should have done that months ago but it will be hot for many months more so I still think it will be a good idea to get those things put away.
* The hallway needs some major touchups. The paint peeled really badly when we pulled the tape off of the molding.
* The dining room hasn't even been started even though we have the paint colors chosen and bought.
* There are boxes in the living room that still have stuff in them that need to be dealt with. I'll be weeding through those again to donate some things that I thought I wanted to keep a few months ago when we went through them the first time.
* The closed in porch area is looking ratty again too. Things get stashed in there too easily. I want to make that room nicer. To brighten it up, I even thought about painting the wood paneling. We also need to finish the laundry area. The pipes are and dryer duct is an eyesore and we have plans to add shelves in there to hide them and also be useful for laundry needs.
And then there is the yard. This is all just stuff that needs to be done. I haven't even gotten to all of the things I want to do for me. There are a myriad of things I want to learn, I'd love to get a real garden going, install a rain water collection system and start a compost pile. I also just bought a bunch of patterns to make clothes, some for everyday wear and some for belly dance costuming. I've also got the urge to start being creative again with painting and drawing.
Oh yeah and I'd also got to find the time to loose 70lbs and change my entire eating lifestyle.
Some days this all overwhelms me and other days I'm glad I've got the energy and passion to want to do so many things. This is where the list and good planning comes in so I can take things one day at a time and eventually I'll get some things done that need to be done and along the way, do other things that I want to do.
No wonder I'm so tired at the end of the day. My brain is full tilt.
I feel like I need to get back to business now. My head is full of projects, to-do lists and ideas. I'm going to write it all down to make more sense of it so I can empty my head a bit and get more organized.
There is still a lot to do in the house:
* It occurred to me this morning that we have a ton more storage space in the kitchen than I realized. There's a space on top of the cabinets where my grandmother kept her cookie jars. We've got lots of dishes we don't use everyday, along with smaller appliances that will fit up there nicely. So the kitchen will need some reorganizing.
* The bedroom needs to be finished in regards of painting. I also need to thin out my clothes and pack away the winter things. I should have done that months ago but it will be hot for many months more so I still think it will be a good idea to get those things put away.
* The hallway needs some major touchups. The paint peeled really badly when we pulled the tape off of the molding.
* The dining room hasn't even been started even though we have the paint colors chosen and bought.
* There are boxes in the living room that still have stuff in them that need to be dealt with. I'll be weeding through those again to donate some things that I thought I wanted to keep a few months ago when we went through them the first time.
* The closed in porch area is looking ratty again too. Things get stashed in there too easily. I want to make that room nicer. To brighten it up, I even thought about painting the wood paneling. We also need to finish the laundry area. The pipes are and dryer duct is an eyesore and we have plans to add shelves in there to hide them and also be useful for laundry needs.
And then there is the yard. This is all just stuff that needs to be done. I haven't even gotten to all of the things I want to do for me. There are a myriad of things I want to learn, I'd love to get a real garden going, install a rain water collection system and start a compost pile. I also just bought a bunch of patterns to make clothes, some for everyday wear and some for belly dance costuming. I've also got the urge to start being creative again with painting and drawing.
Oh yeah and I'd also got to find the time to loose 70lbs and change my entire eating lifestyle.
Some days this all overwhelms me and other days I'm glad I've got the energy and passion to want to do so many things. This is where the list and good planning comes in so I can take things one day at a time and eventually I'll get some things done that need to be done and along the way, do other things that I want to do.
No wonder I'm so tired at the end of the day. My brain is full tilt.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Update
We got a couple of things done this weekend.
First, I remembered that my Aunt told me she had an abundance of Lily Turf next to her garage. She said I could have as much as I wanted, so I returned the 5 I bought from Lowe's earlier last week. I'm thrilled to be able to use free plants!
Secondly, I went ahead with laying the small pavers and planting the Mexican Petunias. I'll transplant the Lily Turfs in the near future.
Thirdly, we spent an hour outside laying the first row of extension we have planned for the existing porch. This row is made up of 4 2'x2' pavers that match the porch that my grandmother had laid many years back. The rest of the pavers to follow are 16"x16". We have them but it'll be a few more weekends before we're done with that project.
Slowly but surely!
First, I remembered that my Aunt told me she had an abundance of Lily Turf next to her garage. She said I could have as much as I wanted, so I returned the 5 I bought from Lowe's earlier last week. I'm thrilled to be able to use free plants!
Secondly, I went ahead with laying the small pavers and planting the Mexican Petunias. I'll transplant the Lily Turfs in the near future.
Thirdly, we spent an hour outside laying the first row of extension we have planned for the existing porch. This row is made up of 4 2'x2' pavers that match the porch that my grandmother had laid many years back. The rest of the pavers to follow are 16"x16". We have them but it'll be a few more weekends before we're done with that project.
Slowly but surely!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Gardening
Oh holy cow. I thought the gardening bug already bit me but I was wrong. Earlier this year I bought a book about garden designs in Texas. I looked at it initially and thought it was a great book with great ideas but for some reason none of it really stuck.
I picked it up again this week and man oh man do I get it now! I've realized that most of the plants I bought at last year's plant sale (at the botanical gardens) are perfect for Texas. Most of them are used in this book's layouts and most of them are perennial. That's what I wanted! I bought stuff willy nilly last year and this year I'm learning that they are exactly what I should have bought. Also most of the bulbs that were existing in the yard that need to be thinned are mentioned in the book too, so I've got an abundant supply of the perfect plants to transplant and put in new beds.
You'd think that I would already know that the plants that have done great in my yard are great for Texas, but to be validated by this book just lights me right up. I've got garden designs flying all over my brain and I'm already trying to figure out how to adjust my budget for the fall sale that I know is coming.
In the meantime though, I did buy some plants for the bed I started earlier this year. I had to get those irises in the ground but after I did, I didn't mulch and other than watering, didn't do any more tending to them. So this past weekend I cleared out all of the weeds and mulched the hell out of it.
So far this week I've bought 12 long skinny pavers to put between the mulch and the curb so if it rains the mulch won't wash away. I also bought 5 Lilyturfs and 4 Mexican Petunias. The Petunias will go around the front of the light post and the Lilyturfs will go around the back side. I'll adjust the existing irises back and more clumped together.
I'll update with pictures after Sunday!
I picked it up again this week and man oh man do I get it now! I've realized that most of the plants I bought at last year's plant sale (at the botanical gardens) are perfect for Texas. Most of them are used in this book's layouts and most of them are perennial. That's what I wanted! I bought stuff willy nilly last year and this year I'm learning that they are exactly what I should have bought. Also most of the bulbs that were existing in the yard that need to be thinned are mentioned in the book too, so I've got an abundant supply of the perfect plants to transplant and put in new beds.
You'd think that I would already know that the plants that have done great in my yard are great for Texas, but to be validated by this book just lights me right up. I've got garden designs flying all over my brain and I'm already trying to figure out how to adjust my budget for the fall sale that I know is coming.
In the meantime though, I did buy some plants for the bed I started earlier this year. I had to get those irises in the ground but after I did, I didn't mulch and other than watering, didn't do any more tending to them. So this past weekend I cleared out all of the weeds and mulched the hell out of it.
So far this week I've bought 12 long skinny pavers to put between the mulch and the curb so if it rains the mulch won't wash away. I also bought 5 Lilyturfs and 4 Mexican Petunias. The Petunias will go around the front of the light post and the Lilyturfs will go around the back side. I'll adjust the existing irises back and more clumped together.
I'll update with pictures after Sunday!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Got Some Things Done
Minus some curtains, curtain rods and hanging the mirrors the red room is done! The mirrors are in there though leaned up against the walls. We'll have to hang them later. The curtains and rods are all cosmetic so that will come in time. I should have taken pictures already but I moved my sewing stuff in there to work on a costume and I don't want those things in the photos.
Speaking of my sewing stuff, I have a table, machine and 3 cases/boxes full of sewing supplies that my grandmother gave me. It is so nice to have everything I need and I didn't have to buy any of it! There are things in one of those boxes that I still haven't figure what they are.
I figured out how to thread the machine and I worked on a costume I started well over a year ago. Most of the skirt is done now and I am highly impressed with myself considering I've never made anything from scratch and it is actually coming out as I envisioned it. I think the true test will be how I make some pants and a top using a store bought pattern.
I hope it all turns out okay and doesn't look too bad when I'm done!
Speaking of my sewing stuff, I have a table, machine and 3 cases/boxes full of sewing supplies that my grandmother gave me. It is so nice to have everything I need and I didn't have to buy any of it! There are things in one of those boxes that I still haven't figure what they are.
I figured out how to thread the machine and I worked on a costume I started well over a year ago. Most of the skirt is done now and I am highly impressed with myself considering I've never made anything from scratch and it is actually coming out as I envisioned it. I think the true test will be how I make some pants and a top using a store bought pattern.
I hope it all turns out okay and doesn't look too bad when I'm done!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Back on Track
Well we were going really good there with progress on the house and yard for a while then everything seemed to come to a screeching halt.
We've both been down and out for various reasons over the past 2 weekends plus the weekend before last was Father's Day and my Dad's birthday, so I spent Sunday at my folks' house for those festivities.
This coming weekend is open though and I HAVE to get the red room cleared out so I can start practicing a routine for the August belly dance show. I should actually do that before the weekend. We've also still got those pavers we bought just loosely stacked here and there in the yard waiting to be put down. I think we should lay at least one row down and get that process rolling.
The yard needs to be mowed and I've got weeds to pull plus some cleanup from a recent rain storm. There is also the stuff in the living room that is the last remaining remnants from the move that we started working on and now it's just sitting there collecting dust.
I think I'll work out a "to-do" list this week to give us a bit of a schedule to work from and prioritize it so we (read I) don't get overwhelmed. Oh yea and the fish tank needs so serious love.
In other news, I have cucumbers! I've counted 4 that have sprouted this week. 3 of them are pollinated and growing and the 4th still doesn't have a full open female flower, so I'll see how that one goes. Most of the carrots also look good and now that the weather has turned hotter the okra is starting to take off. I think we'll get some out of those sad little plants after all.
I'm not sure I mentioned it but the watermelon plant isn't actually a watermelon plant. It's another cucumber plant, so, there ya go. I have cucumbers x cucumbers + carrots, okra and zucchini. Oh that one is doing well too. Maybe not as good as it should but the flowers are starting to open so I think it is going to be fine. I might have over watered it but I think it's bouncing back now that I've backed off.
So! Back to it! There's plenty to do.
We've both been down and out for various reasons over the past 2 weekends plus the weekend before last was Father's Day and my Dad's birthday, so I spent Sunday at my folks' house for those festivities.
This coming weekend is open though and I HAVE to get the red room cleared out so I can start practicing a routine for the August belly dance show. I should actually do that before the weekend. We've also still got those pavers we bought just loosely stacked here and there in the yard waiting to be put down. I think we should lay at least one row down and get that process rolling.
The yard needs to be mowed and I've got weeds to pull plus some cleanup from a recent rain storm. There is also the stuff in the living room that is the last remaining remnants from the move that we started working on and now it's just sitting there collecting dust.
I think I'll work out a "to-do" list this week to give us a bit of a schedule to work from and prioritize it so we (read I) don't get overwhelmed. Oh yea and the fish tank needs so serious love.
In other news, I have cucumbers! I've counted 4 that have sprouted this week. 3 of them are pollinated and growing and the 4th still doesn't have a full open female flower, so I'll see how that one goes. Most of the carrots also look good and now that the weather has turned hotter the okra is starting to take off. I think we'll get some out of those sad little plants after all.
I'm not sure I mentioned it but the watermelon plant isn't actually a watermelon plant. It's another cucumber plant, so, there ya go. I have cucumbers x cucumbers + carrots, okra and zucchini. Oh that one is doing well too. Maybe not as good as it should but the flowers are starting to open so I think it is going to be fine. I might have over watered it but I think it's bouncing back now that I've backed off.
So! Back to it! There's plenty to do.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Weekends
Well I've been waiting to blog until I have pictures to post with it but I keep forgetting to take pictures of things so this time I'll just talk about the couple of things we've done over the past 2 weekends.
Last weekend my Uncle and I put in a border around the okra he has planted and made an area for the carrot seeds I bought. It's just a small L shaped area next to their house but it needed a border and it needed all of the weeds removed. Honey and I also went and picked up some free compost to spread in there as well.
This past weekend little carrot sprouts were showing! I knew it only took a week or so but it is still exciting when you see the little greenery poking through. Honey and I also went and bought the remaining pavers we needed to finish out the patio project. I'm not sure when we'll get to that but at least we now have the materials we need.
Also late yesterday afternoon we adjusted the water hose situation in the front lawn. We attached 2 new soaker hoses to the existing one and ran them around the "beds" in the front then attached a regular hose to the splitter so the regular sprinkler could be attached to it. Now my water process in the front is easier.
That's about it. Just a little done here and there. :)
Last weekend my Uncle and I put in a border around the okra he has planted and made an area for the carrot seeds I bought. It's just a small L shaped area next to their house but it needed a border and it needed all of the weeds removed. Honey and I also went and picked up some free compost to spread in there as well.
This past weekend little carrot sprouts were showing! I knew it only took a week or so but it is still exciting when you see the little greenery poking through. Honey and I also went and bought the remaining pavers we needed to finish out the patio project. I'm not sure when we'll get to that but at least we now have the materials we need.
Also late yesterday afternoon we adjusted the water hose situation in the front lawn. We attached 2 new soaker hoses to the existing one and ran them around the "beds" in the front then attached a regular hose to the splitter so the regular sprinkler could be attached to it. Now my water process in the front is easier.
That's about it. Just a little done here and there. :)
Thursday, May 29, 2008
The Home Outside
Oi. The yard.
Where do I start? I've done a lot to it in the last year. The first thing I did last April was prune and clear all the overgrowth in the back yard. That was a full day's worth of work and my first time at doing it. My hands were so sore the next day.
I planted a couple of lantanas back there too in August I think.
Shortly after that we moved in and the dogs moved in mid way through September. The lantanas didn't last through the end of the year. That's when I realized all my gardening would have to take place in the front yard. However, I noticed a couple of days ago, one of the lantanas is coming back. I'm going to dig it up and move it before the dogs destroy it again.
Last fall I bought a ton of plants and put new beds in around the red oaks out front.
Before
After
I plopped in a few other plants in blank holes and pruned the crap out of all the small boxwoods, one of the hollies and the two nandina clusters. A few weeks later I took out one entire boxwood and pruned the other holly next to it.
This spring I've hacked (severely pruned) the 3 remaining boxwoods off the front porch. They were massive. Now they aren't and they have pretty beds around them with flowers and plants for company.
Before
Hard to see After
I also pruned the pomegranate tree but it needs much more.
When I put in the beds around the boxwoods I also planted 3 vegetable sprouts. I have a zucchini, cucumber and watermelon plant. Last weekend I moved them to the ground and have been babying sitting them since. They need a lot more water than I expected.
Zucchini
Cucumber
Watermelon
Also a couple of weeks ago I added a new bed around the block light post and planted irises. They're looking hot and tired. I hope they make it.
I've got a ton of bulbs around the southeast side of the house. Amaryllis, iris and jonquils. They will all need to be thinned and separated this fall for next year's bloom. They were all there when we moved in and haven't been thinned in years.
We have plans to extend the beds around the entire front of the house as well as adding in a raised bed right in front. I hope to have that project done before the year is out. It'll take time though but that's okay, we aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
In the back, instead of planting, we're adding on to the porch. We'll be extending the existing 8x8 porch out another 12 feet to make it 8x20. It will enclose the two crepe myrtles that are there.
I also added a small brick pad just inside the gate so we'd have somewhere to step instead of the dirt or mud.
Before
After
One day soon I hope to get a sandbox out back for the dogs to dig in so I can reclaim my backyard and grow the grass back in where it's been destroyed. Leveling out the holes and hills that have been created will be what I'm most looking forward to. Mowing back there is hazardous to twisting ankle health!
It's all a never ending, yard changing saga. I love every second of it.
Where do I start? I've done a lot to it in the last year. The first thing I did last April was prune and clear all the overgrowth in the back yard. That was a full day's worth of work and my first time at doing it. My hands were so sore the next day.
I planted a couple of lantanas back there too in August I think.
Shortly after that we moved in and the dogs moved in mid way through September. The lantanas didn't last through the end of the year. That's when I realized all my gardening would have to take place in the front yard. However, I noticed a couple of days ago, one of the lantanas is coming back. I'm going to dig it up and move it before the dogs destroy it again.
Last fall I bought a ton of plants and put new beds in around the red oaks out front.
After
I plopped in a few other plants in blank holes and pruned the crap out of all the small boxwoods, one of the hollies and the two nandina clusters. A few weeks later I took out one entire boxwood and pruned the other holly next to it.
This spring I've hacked (severely pruned) the 3 remaining boxwoods off the front porch. They were massive. Now they aren't and they have pretty beds around them with flowers and plants for company.
Hard to see After
I also pruned the pomegranate tree but it needs much more.
When I put in the beds around the boxwoods I also planted 3 vegetable sprouts. I have a zucchini, cucumber and watermelon plant. Last weekend I moved them to the ground and have been babying sitting them since. They need a lot more water than I expected.
Cucumber
Watermelon
Also a couple of weeks ago I added a new bed around the block light post and planted irises. They're looking hot and tired. I hope they make it.
I've got a ton of bulbs around the southeast side of the house. Amaryllis, iris and jonquils. They will all need to be thinned and separated this fall for next year's bloom. They were all there when we moved in and haven't been thinned in years.
We have plans to extend the beds around the entire front of the house as well as adding in a raised bed right in front. I hope to have that project done before the year is out. It'll take time though but that's okay, we aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
In the back, instead of planting, we're adding on to the porch. We'll be extending the existing 8x8 porch out another 12 feet to make it 8x20. It will enclose the two crepe myrtles that are there.
I also added a small brick pad just inside the gate so we'd have somewhere to step instead of the dirt or mud.
After
One day soon I hope to get a sandbox out back for the dogs to dig in so I can reclaim my backyard and grow the grass back in where it's been destroyed. Leveling out the holes and hills that have been created will be what I'm most looking forward to. Mowing back there is hazardous to twisting ankle health!
It's all a never ending, yard changing saga. I love every second of it.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Fleas, Ticks, Tapeworms! OH MY!
'Tis the season. Since our winters normally aren't cold enough to wipe out the critters, flea season starts early and can get bad quickly. Fortunately none of our pets have ticks.
Honey took the cats³ to the vet yesterday for a general check up and any shots they may have needed. Miss Stormy had a tapeworm. We knew this going in, or at least that was my assumption and with the fleas so bad right now I figured that is exactly what it was. He said the trip was smooth and none of them have ear mites.
Thunder weighs just over 13 lbs.
Lightning weighs just less than 13 lbs
and Storm weighs just over 11 lbs.
They gave Storm a shot for the tape worm and then they sent Honey home with pills similar to the ones the dogs² get once a month. They also gave us super duty flea drops to put on their backs. We had tried 4 different types of treatments before this with none working. The vet said this season is especially bad (don't they say that every year?) and that the crap you buy at the store never works when it gets like this.
Mina
Milo
I hope what we have now works because those poor pups (in particularly) have been itching and scratching for weeks! I'm super glad we have pills to give the cats once a month now too. I had no idea they made those. I always thought they only had the ones for dogs to prevent heart worms.
Hooray for healthy beasties!
Honey took the cats³ to the vet yesterday for a general check up and any shots they may have needed. Miss Stormy had a tapeworm. We knew this going in, or at least that was my assumption and with the fleas so bad right now I figured that is exactly what it was. He said the trip was smooth and none of them have ear mites.
Thunder weighs just over 13 lbs.
Lightning weighs just less than 13 lbs
and Storm weighs just over 11 lbs.
They gave Storm a shot for the tape worm and then they sent Honey home with pills similar to the ones the dogs² get once a month. They also gave us super duty flea drops to put on their backs. We had tried 4 different types of treatments before this with none working. The vet said this season is especially bad (don't they say that every year?) and that the crap you buy at the store never works when it gets like this.
Mina
Milo
I hope what we have now works because those poor pups (in particularly) have been itching and scratching for weeks! I'm super glad we have pills to give the cats once a month now too. I had no idea they made those. I always thought they only had the ones for dogs to prevent heart worms.
Hooray for healthy beasties!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Long Time no Blog
I have been cuh-RAZY busy. A lot has happened in the last year. I'll try to be brief.
Mostly the news is about a house. Our house. Yes, we finally got a house. My grandmother decided it was too much for her so she moved into a home last spring (2007) and is selling us her house.
All of last spring and summer was spent helping her work through her things. We donated a ton, gave just as much away and then helped her move what she wanted to keep. After that we started painting. Our lease was going to be up in September so we wanted to get the house the way we wanted it before the move.
We painted 3 rooms and a hallway and pulled up carpet in 2 rooms and the hallway. We still aren't finished with the painting but that's okay. We'll be there a while.
Anyway, so we moved in last September and since then we've been adjusting to the differences in living in a house instead of an apartment. There are a lot more things that need taken care of as I'm sure many of you know. I love it though. I've planted, pruned, dug up, transplanted and landscaped so much in the last 9 months.
We still haven't perfected keeping a larger space clean though. That's an on going process at this point.
Well I'll wrap this up for now. Many more posts will follow with more details about the house, yard, life and everything in between.
Mostly the news is about a house. Our house. Yes, we finally got a house. My grandmother decided it was too much for her so she moved into a home last spring (2007) and is selling us her house.
All of last spring and summer was spent helping her work through her things. We donated a ton, gave just as much away and then helped her move what she wanted to keep. After that we started painting. Our lease was going to be up in September so we wanted to get the house the way we wanted it before the move.
We painted 3 rooms and a hallway and pulled up carpet in 2 rooms and the hallway. We still aren't finished with the painting but that's okay. We'll be there a while.
Anyway, so we moved in last September and since then we've been adjusting to the differences in living in a house instead of an apartment. There are a lot more things that need taken care of as I'm sure many of you know. I love it though. I've planted, pruned, dug up, transplanted and landscaped so much in the last 9 months.
We still haven't perfected keeping a larger space clean though. That's an on going process at this point.
Well I'll wrap this up for now. Many more posts will follow with more details about the house, yard, life and everything in between.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Bento Boxes - My Newest Fascination
Well it's been along time and I've got alot I could say but I think I'll just stick to bento boxes for the moment.
I heard about them for the first time in early March by the end of March I had one of my very own. :)
They make lunch time a little brighter some days.
Incase you have no idea what I'm talking about...
Wikipedia's Description
They come in all shapes, styles and sizes are fun to put together and a joy to delve into when it is time to eat.
I recently bought a few items to make the foods in my bento more fun (egg molds, shaped cutters, etc.) I'm still waiting for them to come in the mail but have continued to use my bento box for lunch.
There is even a whole flickr group dedicated to them.
Flickr's Bento Box Group
What fun!
I heard about them for the first time in early March by the end of March I had one of my very own. :)
They make lunch time a little brighter some days.
Incase you have no idea what I'm talking about...
Wikipedia's Description
They come in all shapes, styles and sizes are fun to put together and a joy to delve into when it is time to eat.
I recently bought a few items to make the foods in my bento more fun (egg molds, shaped cutters, etc.) I'm still waiting for them to come in the mail but have continued to use my bento box for lunch.
There is even a whole flickr group dedicated to them.
Flickr's Bento Box Group
What fun!
My Blog Worth
My blog is worth $0.00.
How much is your blog worth?
Well that sucks. I guess since I never post anymore it makes sense. BUT I AM gonna post in a few minutes... so... ;) Maybe it'll be worth something soon.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Wow, I Did It!
October 27th, 28th & 29th - 3 days I will never forget.
The actual mileage for the event ended up being 56.1 miles. I walked 29 of it. I couldn't be happier with myself for my accomplishment. Here's a link to my 3Day Photos. And below is the best I can do to describe what it's like to participate in an event like this.
When people say it will change your life, they don’t really explain how and until you do it you can’t imagine how. I’ll do my best to describe it because it really had absolutely nothing to do with being affected by everything that comes with breast cancer or any illness for that matter.
It was the whole collective consciousness of doing something good and right. There were 3000-ish people all together, doing the same thing for the same reasons. You can’t grasp the positive energy that comes with that many people doing something like that for 3 whole days. Everyone and I mean EVERY.ONE. was nice, pleasant, happy, supportive, encouraging and using every ounce of energy they had to walk. And if they weren’t walking they used every ounce of energy they had to support those who were. And the ones who were walking used every ounce of energy they had to support those who were supporting us. It was absolutely amazing.
Everyone thanked us for walking, we thanked ourselves and each other for walking, and all the walkers thanked everyone who wasn’t walking for doing whatever it was they were doing. Thank you for helping us cross the street. Thank you for serving me food. Thank you for bringing us toilet paper. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you for cheering us on. Thank you for playing this music to keep us going. Thank you for stopping to pick me up because I can walk no more.
And when it wasn’t thank yous, it was please, and good morning, and how are you? Do you need encouragement? You can do it! YAY!! GO WALKERS! Have a sticker! YAY! Here’s some water! You’re doing great! People driving by honking horns and waving, kids yelling “Thank you!” from the back seat of their family’s car. Constant encouragement, constant gratitude.
It was the hardest, most fulfilling thing I've ever done.
It was the world we all want to live in, for 3 whole days.
It was absolutely incredible.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
60 Miles, Here I Come!
I did it. I actually did it. I set a goal to prepare for the 3Day, 60 mile breast cancer walk at the beginning of November 2005 and over the last 12 months I've worked hard to train and raise the required money in order to participate.
Today I collected the final donation to push me over the required amount!! The walk starts this coming Friday and I actually collected the money before the event!
Not only that, I set a goal to loose 40lbs before this event. That's quite allot and was probably doable, but I didn't quite make the halfway mark of that number, but hey, I'm not gonna gripe about loosing 18lbs!
I've trained to the point of having little to no ankle pain when I walk any longer and feel ready to walk this event. I also have hope that I might actually be able to walk the whole thing! I had thoughts that I might not due to my pace being a bit slow, but I think I can actually pull it off.
Anyway, I'm super excited and sorta nervous and real, REAL proud of myself. I DID IT!
My Donation Page
Today I collected the final donation to push me over the required amount!! The walk starts this coming Friday and I actually collected the money before the event!
Not only that, I set a goal to loose 40lbs before this event. That's quite allot and was probably doable, but I didn't quite make the halfway mark of that number, but hey, I'm not gonna gripe about loosing 18lbs!
I've trained to the point of having little to no ankle pain when I walk any longer and feel ready to walk this event. I also have hope that I might actually be able to walk the whole thing! I had thoughts that I might not due to my pace being a bit slow, but I think I can actually pull it off.
Anyway, I'm super excited and sorta nervous and real, REAL proud of myself. I DID IT!
My Donation Page
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
The coolest webcam EVER!
I ran across this link today and haven't been able to stop watching it. Which is really bad considering I am at work.
It's of Pete's" Pond in Botswana. When I first clicked it I expected a bad stationary web cam where your only hope to see anything cool at all is to stare at it all day and hope something pauses long enough in front of the camera. But oh how I was wrong!
Not only is it not stationary, it's a really great connection and camera. Plus the watering hole is VERY active. Within 5 minutes of watching a pack of baboons came down for a drink. Less than 10 minutes later a bull elephant was there!
In the course of the afternoon, checking randomly to see what might be there, I've seen a warthog, giraffes, an ostrich, an elephant, baboons, lions, steenbok, elands and assorted birds!!
It's AWESOME!
It's of Pete's" Pond in Botswana. When I first clicked it I expected a bad stationary web cam where your only hope to see anything cool at all is to stare at it all day and hope something pauses long enough in front of the camera. But oh how I was wrong!
Not only is it not stationary, it's a really great connection and camera. Plus the watering hole is VERY active. Within 5 minutes of watching a pack of baboons came down for a drink. Less than 10 minutes later a bull elephant was there!
In the course of the afternoon, checking randomly to see what might be there, I've seen a warthog, giraffes, an ostrich, an elephant, baboons, lions, steenbok, elands and assorted birds!!
It's AWESOME!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Well, I'm back
The myspace shiny has worn off and I find myself wanting to blog here more and more.
I spent one afternoon reading back through most of my previous posts and found myself inspired to start again. I was also inspired by some of the things I wrote. I've made progress in alot of areas that I might not have noticed if it hadn't been documented over the last few years.
I hope I can get the word out to whomever previously frequented my blog so that they can again. It is always nice to get comments back on some of my posts.
Anyway, to catch up on some things. From my very first post I complained about some home improvement projects that needed doing... that were long overdo when I posted it over 2 years ago. Hehe, I can proudly say I've finally completed my bathroom and hung the kitchen light. Yes!
I also mentioned the 3Day Breast Cancer walk a few months back. The event is closing in and I've been training and working hard raising money. I can also proudly say that I'm ready, the money that hasn't been raised can easily be covered and I feel I've grown leaps and bounds better in the walking department. So I'm looking very forward to the 27th-29th.
I could go on, but for now I think that is enough of a quick update. All things are looking better, not that they were grim to begin with, but better is good. That's all I ask of myself these days... to just be better in whichever department I feel needs work. So it's all better. ;)
Oh yea! I almost forgot... I'm debt free! Yay!
I spent one afternoon reading back through most of my previous posts and found myself inspired to start again. I was also inspired by some of the things I wrote. I've made progress in alot of areas that I might not have noticed if it hadn't been documented over the last few years.
I hope I can get the word out to whomever previously frequented my blog so that they can again. It is always nice to get comments back on some of my posts.
Anyway, to catch up on some things. From my very first post I complained about some home improvement projects that needed doing... that were long overdo when I posted it over 2 years ago. Hehe, I can proudly say I've finally completed my bathroom and hung the kitchen light. Yes!
I also mentioned the 3Day Breast Cancer walk a few months back. The event is closing in and I've been training and working hard raising money. I can also proudly say that I'm ready, the money that hasn't been raised can easily be covered and I feel I've grown leaps and bounds better in the walking department. So I'm looking very forward to the 27th-29th.
I could go on, but for now I think that is enough of a quick update. All things are looking better, not that they were grim to begin with, but better is good. That's all I ask of myself these days... to just be better in whichever department I feel needs work. So it's all better. ;)
Oh yea! I almost forgot... I'm debt free! Yay!
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
In Case You're Wondering...
...where I've been.
http://www.myspace.com/nadirah6
I found a new toy. Or should I say, I finally gave in and joined the masses.
I might blog here or there, or everywhere... as Dr. Seuss would say.
http://www.myspace.com/nadirah6
I found a new toy. Or should I say, I finally gave in and joined the masses.
I might blog here or there, or everywhere... as Dr. Seuss would say.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Which SciFi Character Are You?
I'm Elrond
A stern yet benevolent organizer who often knows best, your wits are keenly fixed on aiding efforts you deem worthy.
"Now at this last we must take a hard road, a road unforseen. There lies our hope, if hope it be. To walk into peril to Mordor."
Elrond is a character in the Middle-Earth universe. TheOneRing.net has a short biography.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Photos
I love to take photographs. I have alot of them too and I FINALLY took the time to start archiving some on flickr.com. It's a great site. I even signed up for the 'pro' membership so I could have alot of storage space.
Anyway, I thought I'd share my stuff. http://www.flickr.com/photos/45026945@N00/sets/
Enjoy!
p.s. per the post below, I DID get my damn shoes! :D
Anyway, I thought I'd share my stuff. http://www.flickr.com/photos/45026945@N00/sets/
Enjoy!
p.s. per the post below, I DID get my damn shoes! :D
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Procrastination, but Good Thoughts
I have a list of things to do. Most of those things have been on that list for an embarrassing amount of time. It's not a physical list, but a mental list. Perhaps that is why it weighs down on me so much. The list gets longer the more I think about it. I should probably write it all down.
But I digress. I feel the winds of change coming. I can sense the motivation to do these things. I think I *will* right it all down so I can get it off my brain and digest it a little more. It will also give me the satisfaction to cross things off the list once they are complete.
Namely that damn bathroom is STILL not finished. I haven't touched it in months and months and months. Also the light fixture I bought for the kitchen is still in my closet. Both of those projects have been half complete for well over a year. That's just ridiculous. Shame on me!
Then there's the belly dance class. I'm bored with it, but it's my own fault. I'm still in the Adv I class and I'm ready for Adv II. The problem is I have to prove my readiness to a teacher. I have to schedule a testing session where I will solo dance 4 choreographies that I've learned in the class. Two things have to happen in order for this to happen.
1. I have to wait until they are testing people.
2. I have to practice the choreographies so I don't look like an idiot.
Neither of these things is happening at the same time. They are about to announce a new testing schedule, so I hope I can get the courage and motivation to just do it!
The last big thing on my mind is walking and the shoes required to give me the support I need to train. I WILL get new shoes this weekend. Honey and I already talked about it and I cannot put it off any longer. On the other side of that mission though, I still continue to loose weight. I'm down 8 lbs total! Almost 1/4 to my goal!! (40lbs loss by Oct is my goal btw) :D
Speaking of goals, I obviously have this big one I keep going on and on about. But a dear friend of mine asked me what comes after the walk? He hoped that I still have a goal. A longer term goal to keep me healthy and happy. I hadn't thought about that much. I've been using this 3Day walk as motivation to keep me going through the rough parts of trying to change how I live my life. I figure by the time October rolls around I will have lost alot of weight and have a routine set that keeps me exercising and eating right. After 10 months of doing those 2 things I figure it'll be habit and I won't go back to my old ways after the walk. But I'm going to take his thoughts to heart and think more on what other things I might want to do that I could only do if I were in shape and healthy.
Thank you for that, dear friend. You've given me something good to chew on for a while.
But I digress. I feel the winds of change coming. I can sense the motivation to do these things. I think I *will* right it all down so I can get it off my brain and digest it a little more. It will also give me the satisfaction to cross things off the list once they are complete.
Namely that damn bathroom is STILL not finished. I haven't touched it in months and months and months. Also the light fixture I bought for the kitchen is still in my closet. Both of those projects have been half complete for well over a year. That's just ridiculous. Shame on me!
Then there's the belly dance class. I'm bored with it, but it's my own fault. I'm still in the Adv I class and I'm ready for Adv II. The problem is I have to prove my readiness to a teacher. I have to schedule a testing session where I will solo dance 4 choreographies that I've learned in the class. Two things have to happen in order for this to happen.
1. I have to wait until they are testing people.
2. I have to practice the choreographies so I don't look like an idiot.
Neither of these things is happening at the same time. They are about to announce a new testing schedule, so I hope I can get the courage and motivation to just do it!
The last big thing on my mind is walking and the shoes required to give me the support I need to train. I WILL get new shoes this weekend. Honey and I already talked about it and I cannot put it off any longer. On the other side of that mission though, I still continue to loose weight. I'm down 8 lbs total! Almost 1/4 to my goal!! (40lbs loss by Oct is my goal btw) :D
Speaking of goals, I obviously have this big one I keep going on and on about. But a dear friend of mine asked me what comes after the walk? He hoped that I still have a goal. A longer term goal to keep me healthy and happy. I hadn't thought about that much. I've been using this 3Day walk as motivation to keep me going through the rough parts of trying to change how I live my life. I figure by the time October rolls around I will have lost alot of weight and have a routine set that keeps me exercising and eating right. After 10 months of doing those 2 things I figure it'll be habit and I won't go back to my old ways after the walk. But I'm going to take his thoughts to heart and think more on what other things I might want to do that I could only do if I were in shape and healthy.
Thank you for that, dear friend. You've given me something good to chew on for a while.
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