I have a new BFF......

Yeppers..I do. Her name is Juliet. A redhead. A little straggly, but nothing that a hot cuppa tea and a little pampering wouldn't fix...

No, it's not another pup..although that would be wonderful..nope. Lulu and Braxton think the living arrangements are just fine as it is...2 pups, a dedicated "staff" of 3 who cater to their every need...and 2 chickens in the next yard to bark at...

Yeeeeah, life is good.

No, this is another BFF..and here she is...


Her name is Juliet and she was purchased with a gift card that was expiring in a few days...so she really didn't cost a thing...and that's the best price...

{before make-over..}

ta da!

{after}

Now, I know some of you are probably thinking...What the heck?? But she made me ...smile.

And I thought, maybe I could use her for the carpool lane....I mean, she's pretty big. Her hands are about the same size as mine.

OK, I don't know why exactly I got her except...she makes me smile...and that's all I know...and all that matters.

And I like her philosophy...

"Simply become who you are"..

My inner-child is very happy...and that too make me smile.....

-me

So, how many calories do you think a "M" has...??

..when Mr. B poured his M&Ms in the jar..the plain M&Ms...the ones that I LoVE...one "escaped"..

I think it was a red one, too. The best. The reds ones..you know that, right? About the red ones?

Anyhoo you know me, can't let anything go to ....waist...I mean WASTE..no, actually, I do mean waist..

I popped that little M in my mouth so fast, I'm quite certain it lost a few calories on the trip. I felt bad, really I did..until I realized I had only had ONE..one M..can't be that bad, right??

Kathy, my sister found a fun site and I blogged about it a while back, but I've started thinking what would I look like in maybe another 10 pounds..then the next 10 (I think 10 is more do-able than the 45 I have to loose)

So, I did a couple of the "models" ....oh..here's the site in case you want to play:

http://www.myvirtualmodel.com/cs/

Oh yeah, and this is what I'd look like if I had ...ah...boosoms..boobs..hooters...and if they looked FAbulOuS..

So, go and have some fun..it's free and you can "right-click" on the pictures and save them of yourself..

Now.... where's that other ..M...it can't have that many calories...

-me

Confessions of a Fluffer...again...

(rerun warning...)

OK, I learned first hand that one CAN have too much fiber in one day...'nuff said..

So, this is a post from a l-o-n-g time ago - but it's still valid..I'll be back tomorrow with ..oh..lot of good advice..about how to NOT eat too much fiber in one day..

"Where's the Beano Mr. B??"

confessions of a "fluffer"...

Yes, I am.

A fluffer. And I'm fluffy but that's another post.

A pillow fluffer. Much to my dear husband's dismay. He cannot get up to go potty without me rushing to fluff the cushions, pillows and foot stools. Poor guy. He just wants the pillows to retain his shape so he can come back and settle in- not to have to arrange them again.

Even my sweet pups seems to be getting a tad bit frustrated with my fluffing obsession. Their little beds, complete with Lulu's sock collection, are getting fluffed daily. And they just don't appreciate it.

They say you know when a little habit becomes a problem..like drinking.

Well, not just like drinking - but, you know, when it hurts you or others. And I really don't think my fluffing hurts others, but I do know the other night when I was fluffing my bed pillow with all my might by punching in from both sides, the pillow slipped and I hit my own two fists with all my might.

Yeeeah...

...hurt ME like crazy.. I really thought I'd done some damage and wanted a little bit of sympathy.

Mr. B was laughing. I think the dogs were too. geesh...

Fluffing. The floors may not be sparkling, and dust may really not be a "protective coating" for my furniture, but my pillows are FLUFFED!

My work here is done.

Now to go an soak my knuckles......

-me

...a mind is a terrible thing to waste....

..and a waist is a terrible thing to mind..

So I'm not wasting my mind trying to mind my waist..



Mind: What??

Me: I'm TRiCkiNG my mind...ah..you..my mind...

Bwhahahaa!

Mind: Oh, do go on...

Me: I love love love LOvE Creme Brulee..yes, youbetcha.. I do.

I think I would do your laundry for a good Creme Brulee...or at least drive it to the cleaners.


However, I checked and searched and even "Googled" what's allowed on the Weight Watcher's plan..and can you believe it? No Creme Brulee..couldn't find it anywhere...

Bummer.

This is where the trickery comes in..I am pretty good at trickery when it comes to eating...

Mr. B got me some fat free sugar free Dulce de Leche pudding cups. Now, these are pretty good all by themselves, but I was thinking ...how could I trick my mind to think it's actual Creme Brulee?

Mind: Seriously..really, Colleen..you think you can have "faux Brulee"?

Me: Well, yes, seriously.. I think it'll be perfect, just wait and see.."

Mind: Give it your best shot - after all, I was the one who convinced you to see yourself with skinny eyes..

Me: I know.. You are partly-totally the reason I'm here - I didn't realize how far off you have been - I mean, I thought I was..uh..not so fa...I thought I was..thinner...you told me I was...

Mind: Yeeeah, sorry 'bout that. Now, go on about all this Creme Brulee silliness...

Me: OK, so I took out the pudding, I mean Brulee base...added All Bran for the faux-brown-sugar-crunch and topped it with Fat Free Cool Whip..


Mind: Hmmm..not bad...not Creme Brulee, but not bad.



Me: OK, now I need to work on a faux-face-lift...

Mind: Oh brother...

me:PS- No, DO NOT add the M&M's - those belong to Mr. B...and he takes them VERY seriously..

....seriously.

...very..

-me. again.

Fat Tuesday...

..ah..yes. Today is Weight Watchers. Again.

Seems like only a week ago I was there. OK, so it was only a week ago.

I have this "strategy" ...if I loose, I'll stop at Del Taco and get a bean burrito with onion and cheese (extra cheese) and a large Diet Coke to celebrate.

And, if I don't loose, I'll just get the Diet Coke..

So then I go in and loose like 1 pound and think, "I can't cheat now! Look what I've done! Oh joy!!"

And if I didn't loose. I think," Well, I'd better not have anything NOW and be better next week..bummer..."

So as you can see, Weight Watchers is a win-win for me.



But only because I have to be ...oh what's the word...accountable..

Yeah..it's hard to convince the weigher-iner-person that there really is another person standing behind you on the scale...

Or that you're retaining water (Lake Michigan??)

Or that it's because you haven't shaved your legs this week...

....bet they've heard it all.



Today the company had a "Farewell" party for one of the executives...with lunch at Bucca de Bepo..don't know if you have them near you, but they serve Italian family style. Big family style. Tonzzz of food - all cheesy and garlicly and buttery. Meatballs the size of your head..

I had 2 plates of...............salad. And a side order of steamed broccoli ...with basalmic vinegar. And ..water...

.... shoot me now.

Chocolate, pistachio and vanilla gellato for dessert. I had grapes.

Pluh-leeze...put me out of my misery.

Now, I'm no saint. Not even close. But, my weigh-ins are on...FAT TUESDAY people...After dinner..

Why, oh why, couldn't he leave on...Wednesday?? Would that be too much to ask, mister???

I would have had the whole week to get rid of the incredible Pasta with Italian sausage. the Supremo Alfredo, the Caesar salad, the garlic mozzarella bread....and the gelatto...

No. Had to be on Fat Tuesday. My Fat Tuesday.

Oh well. Maybe by summer the kids won't be running after me for shade. I'll be able to cross my legs...won't need my own zip code..or start singing as a group...

Yeah, right. I won't even remember the cheese, the garlic, the pasta or the gelatto...

Just shoot me now....


-me

Hey?...My life...? Are you out there???..YouHoo!

You know, with all our "communicating" I wonder if we have lost something...our lives.

I mean, everyone has blogs, which I love, because I as I write I keep the things that I love close to me..my friends..my crafting..the books I read and most importantly, the memories, new and old.

I can re-visit and re-read them anytime. Many times. It is saved - it is my history, in written form, and commented on by people I trust, enjoy and make me laugh...you know...friends.

But, there are so many new ways of communicating now - Facebook, MySpace,Twitter, email, cell phones, Instant Messenger (IM's) .

And all I can think about is if I had time to actually monitor all of these things, when would I have time to...think. Create. Play. Love. See. Hear...feel...

Everything in an instant. And for an instant-gratification girl like myself, that's great..to a point.

Digital photos, for example. Great. Love it. That's a good one - at least for me.

But sometimes the instantaneous-ness of IM's, the hastily composed emails..the looking-into- your-diary-feeling of Facebook...well..it sort of give me a headache.

***This just in! When I got to work today I found this on a genealogy newsletter and thought I'd insert it here - it's mind-boggling:

"This isn’t about genetic genealogy or even genealogy, but it’s too interesting to pass up.

A recent Fortune article titled “How Facebook is taking over our lives” points out that roughly 175 million people are members of Facebook, and that the total daily use of Facebook is over 3 billion minutes.

Here are some rough calculations using that 3 billion minutes per day value (and feel free to check my math, please!): three billion minutes equals 50 million hours, which equals 2.08 million days, which equals 5,707 years.

Thus, every single day humanity spends the equivalent of over 5,000 years on Facebook!"



And Twitter is just snippets of conversations- carefully monitored number of characters that can be typed in..

I don't know..maybe it's my years of experience of being 50 (9 years of experience..) that makes me wonder about all of this time spent..well..disconnected while trying desperately to be ..connected..

I want to use the time I have left on this earth actually connecting, living, experiencing and feeling all that I can. Face to face when I can.

I want to have quiet time. Mind-resting time. Resting my eyes time. Reading an actual book time.

And not an e-book, although that's great if you like that- but I want to feel the pages in my hands. Hear the turning of the page. Smell the newness of the book...

I'm rambling. I'll stop now. I want to leave you with a quote from an actress that I've always thought of as full of grace, beauty, peace and humility..Helen Hayes...

"We live in a very tense society. We are pulled apart...and we all need to learn how to pull ourselves together...I think that at least part of the answer lies in solitude."
~ Helen Hayes

Isn't she beautiful?



And look at this young photo of her..I don't think I've ever seen this before...she has the same smile..


Please have a restful, thoughtful and beautiful tomorrow, OK?

-me

Are you having an Oscar's party??

Me neither.

Did you have a full week-end?

Me neither.

Did you get everything accomplished?

Me neither.

Are you looking forward to Monday?

You're kiddin' me right?

OK, so I did the regular stuff - chores -and took just a few moments to make a notebook for work.







Oh, one more thing about work...we're moving into another building in 2 weeks...yep..that's right...

Hey, if they ask me to move, that means I still HAVE a job, right??

Yay me.

(the photos on the notebook are of my Mother and me..Mother's in the necklace..neat, huh?)

We moved to a new suite...

Yes, I know I just told you last week that I had been moved to a beautiful cubicle (is that an oxymoron??) with a window view...

..but, things change in the corporate world...instantly...sometimes even quicker that instantly..

..so I moved again. This time to yet another suite (from 208 to 206 and now 204)

...and, yes, my Hedgie moved with me..so all is well...

..got my reference book...my snack..Mr. B watching out for me...

..and a dry erase board to write daily quotes on...

..did I fail to mention...I'm now in the break room?? Oh yea, sorry, I am now...in the bREaKRoOm...

Yeppers...I can take phone calls, do a load of dishes, answer an email, clean the fridge and write a report...make a pot of coffee....all in the SaMe rOoM..hahahahaha..

But hey, when I walk out....

..this is what greets me...

Then, go home to this lovely salad..

...and this cute face....

and this sweet face, version 2.0

Oh, yeah..one more thing...I left a little message for anyone who comes into my office..uh..kitchen.....

We can make ourselves happy no matter where we are if we have the right mindset..

...now, who wants a fresh cuppa coffee??

-me

Didja feed my fish??

..on the swimming fish? In my pond??

Put your mouse in the pond and left-click it to feed the fishes... then just watch the feeding-frenzy :-)

OK, so have you ever had days where you just wanted to curl up, pull the covers over your head and just...sleep??

Here's a step-by-step tutorial:

So...just DO IT!

Hmmm....Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

And, if you don't have one of these, they are sold in sets of 2 - in their own self-filling hanging stockings just in time for that all important St. Patrick's day gift-giving!


(notice how sweetly they're holing their little hands.....uh..paws?

Aren't they adorable?

I want one...or 2 ;-)

**all photos are from Cute Overload (great name, huh?) at:

http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload

Have a great Saturday..I know I'm fixin' to!

-me

Home....

HOME - n.

1. A place where one lives; a residence
2. The physical structure within which one lives, such as a house or apartment
3. A dwelling place together with the family or social unit that occupies it; a household
4. An environment offering affection, security and happiness
5. A valued place regarded as a refuge or place of origin


Simply put, home is a place for escape, filled with art, books, color, scents, sounds, textures and memories.

It is a repository for keepsakes and dreams that help bridge past with future.

I am only now realizing what it must be like….

......to loose you home. And how very fortunate we are not to be losing ours.

You hear about it on the news, you see all the “for Sale – Bank Owned” signs or “Foreclosure” signs as your drive through town...



...but until the reality of it happening to someone you know as they are going through it, I never thought too much about how it would feel..



And everyone I know reading this blog loves their homes, spends great time and love fixing, decorating, cleaning, partying in and making memories in their homes.

To decide to sell your home is something totally different than the possibility of loosing it- and not just speaking financially- we know that part would be devastating – but this is deeper.

You make a decision to sell because it’s too big. Or too small. Or too much upkeep…but it’s YOU who decides. And you say good-bye accordingly..

..it’s not being taken from you.

Your decorating. You soft place to fall. Your memories. Your home…



Imagine.

To have someone who you don’t know, and who knows nothing about you or your life, say “you’ll need to be out of the house.. (it’s my HOME – not just a house.. you want to yell).. by such-and-such a date.”

To have to walk through that one last time – to say good-bye to the garden you tended – the porch where you sat and drank coffee…

To have to drive off and look in the rear-view mirror at not just a brick and mortar building..but your sweet...

.. home…

And know you’ll never set foot in it again..and someday someone else will..and you'll not be there..my heart hurts. My throat closes. My head aches..

It’s all too much.
It’s happening all too often.
It’s happening all too close.

And there is nothing we can do to help – except love them and offer our arms….

.and shed tears for the death of a dream…

-me

OK, so I feel an explaination is in order...

..the first commenter yesterday was April, my daughter. And she really is a sweet thing...really..even though she ConSTanTly reminds me of how forgetful, old, and "Mom-like" I am. (but I know she loves me to pieces..huh April??)

Bless her heart.

So, the comment was something about "Walgreen's" and a transistor radio...

Does anyone remember transistor radios?? They came in assorted sizes..some big with big batteries, some small with smaller batteries.

"Tran-sistor Radio"..that sounds like something out of a low budget Science Fiction movie

Anyway, as Mother got older, she and Daddy moved into one of those "senior apartments" - you know, with all that blue hair and scent of Ben Gay permeating the halls..

Where you didn't fear the skateboards, but the walkers?? With their walkers?? Yeeeeah.

Even though my Mother never drove her her whole life, on the better days she would walk to he market, the pharmacy and little cafes. She was somewhat independent..


On one of these walks, she went into the drug store with her beloved transistor radio.. and seeing the "young kids" on the registers, was on the defensive right away. She walked up to one young man behind the counter and said something about "young kids making fun of us old ladies" and "You sold me the batteries, I put them in, by myself I might add, and my transistor radio is still not working!"

"But, Mam.."

"Don't you "Mam" me..You said it would work..and it doesn't...."

"but you don't understand.."

"what don't I understand, Sonny?! I understand you sold me batteries that don't work. I used to be able to hear my favorite stations, I could turn up the volume. I could change station, for Heaven's sake...and now I can't.. look at this...it doesn't WORK..So just what DON'T I understand..??"

"but...but... um......this is a ..............camera.......................Mam.."

Oh. Hurmph...Well then..... thankyouverymuch.

Yes. Like Mother..like daughter....and daughter......Poor, poor April..........heeheehee




-me