Would you just look at that!

Take a look at this guy

First I have to say, Holy Carrots and Cabbages, Batman!  Have you seen anything cuter?

But if you read further into the story and see about the weirdo human who wants to look like Jessica Rabbit. wtf?  Why would you want to look like a cartoon?  And is this what she says to her plastic surgeon?  Because if it is, I think it would be time for a psych consult, don't you?

I keep picturing those wieners on Nip/Tuck saying "Tell me what you don't like about yourself" and she says "Oh, I just look too, um, you know, life-like.  Could you make me more cartoon-ish?"  No problemo!  What a nutter.

But the bunny, oh that bunny!  What a handsome guy he is!

De-cluttering

Our city management has on-going brush and large item pick-ups. Every neighborhood has 2 scheduled times a year that you can throw out anything your little heart desires to be rid of, and this is ours!  Yea!!!

When we bought this house it was from the original homeowner who drew up the plans and had it built. It was in 1977 according to all the custom made cornice boards that were atop each and every window in this house.  For those of you who don't know this, 1977 was a big year for gold and avocado green.  Guess what color all those cornice boards were?  Different shades of gold and avocado green, that's what!!

So back 5 years ago when we bought this house and we were re-doing things, painting, re-texturing walls, ripping up the 30 year old avocado green shag carpet, etc. I had the crew put all the cornice boards into the garage thinking that I would have them recovered and put up with the new draperies.  Five years later I still haven't put them up!  I am leaning another way on the whole window treatment thing and the cornice boards were just not part of the new plan.  So, out they went!

We cleaned and organized, and purged, and even mopped the garage floor.  We organized what was leaving, what is going to a thrift store as donations, and what is moving to one room from another.  We worked hard, is what I am sayin'.

I found things that I thought were gone forever.  I found projects that I hope I will finish in my lifetime.  Otherwise my kids will be stuck having to toss them and feeling guilty about tossing some of my treasures.

This is one of my main catalysts for purging; that my kids not hate me when they have to go through all this shit when I die.  Or pass away.  Or go to be with the Lord.  Or whatever euphemism they use in my obituary.  Have you seen the kids of the hoarders on those t.v. shows?  They are miserable.  They have real resentment for their parent and the fact that they chose piles o'crap over a quality relationship with their kids and grandkids.

My other reason is that I am finding that I feel lighter, free-er, and generally not as weighted down by all the possessions.  I find that instead of adding to the quality of my life, they are now just a burden, something I have to clean, something I have to keep on my inventory list.  Do y'all have inventory lists?  I started doing inventory when we were moving every couple of years to different countries.  They all require a complete inventory of your household goods that you are bringing in and out.  What a job that used to be!  Now there are programs that are soooooo helpful!  It will sort by room or by type of item or by $$ amounts, whatever you want.  Every few months I have to go in and update the inventory and it really keeps me aware of what we have.  What items are important enough to keep in your house, keep taking care of, and keep on your inventory lists?  What items can you let go of?  Better yet, how much better and unencumbered will you feel if you get rid of a bunch of junk?

When your possessions stop bringing joy to you and become just another thing to pick up and dust and hope the cats don't knock it off and break it, that for me is when they become "junk".  That is when they need to be set free and become a new treasure to someone else.  I have released all sorts of treasures this weekend!  Woot!!

Oh, and you know what's funny?  Everyone, including me, has always thought that 99.9% of the clutter, and junk in our possession is mine.  It is all me.  I am the one who can't let go.  No one else takes any blame for the piles o'crap.  And my son pointed out after we caught Mr. Big Ed going through the throw-away piles THREE DIFFERENT TIMES that it might not all be my fault!  Love it.  It is funny how my stuff is treasures and his stuff is crap.  And vice-versa.  : )

One more thing:  anyone remember the Tea Hoarding Challenge of 2009?  Well, I made it through and did really well and was well into the stash when 2010 rolled around.  And you know what happened? I started buying more tea, that's what happened.  And the shelves are just as full as they were beforehand. So I am issuing myself another Tea Hoarding Challenge.  NO NEW TEAS!

Here's the fine print on the Challenge:  If it is chamomile, sleepy time or joint comfort teas, things that are medicinal and for health and for others; they can come in the house.  If it is just a new and fabulous flavor of tea.  Nope.  I am going to work through the millions of teas here and that is that.

Wish me luck on my continual growth and releasing of items.  And most importantly the releasing of the need for items.

Goobers, they are everywhere!

And they are lucky Goobers, too!  Get a load of this guy.  Did you look at his picture?  Did you say to yourself, "Hmmmm, self, I wonder what he might possibly want to spend some of those millions of dollars on?  Hmmmm?  Maybe taking the girlfriend's kids to Disney?  Or maybe taking the whole darn family to, oh I don't know?  How about the DENTIST????"

And then take a look here:  Hilarious

And one more:  Even more hilarious

Happy Friday, everyone!

Nightstand Reading Redux

Yes, this is the book I am FINALLY reading!  I finished the Oscar Hijuelos book a couple days ago and picked up this tome and am now 10 Chapters in.  I have since peeled off those tacky Goodwill stickers so that the cover is all clean and pristine, by the by.

And this may be the last big book I read before my Kindle comes in!  Oh Happy Day!  I did receive a notice that my Kindle has been shipped.  I don't know from where it has been shipped.  Does anyone know where Amazon actually is?  Are there many locations around the country from which they ship?

I have been perusing the Amazon site to check out all the Kindle book selections to see which ones I want first.  Any suggestions?

Reading the Obits but later than usual

I can't believe it is already Wednesday and I am just now posting about the past week's obits.  But here goes!

Firstly, I got a real kick out of one for a 90 year old lady.  (Hurray for making it to 90!!)  Her name is Lorene.  She had a twin sister named Coriene, and another sister named Geraldine.  Ha!  I bet that never got mixed when Mama was yelling out the back door, or anything.

Then there was a really cute lady who never had her age mentioned or her birth date at all.  But here is how it started "was released from the cares of this Earthly Existence on the morning of  . . . .  Many were by her side as she approached the threshold of her new life."

Sadly there was a notice that a 44-year-old Lt. Col. who formerly lived here, had been struck by a speeding vehicle outside his home in NJ.  But get this, it was back on Dec. 14th.  I wonder why the hold up?

This next one was the most beautiful and moving tribute to a loved one I have seen yet.  Of course it is long so there is no way I am going to type the whole thing, but here is a little bit of it. "Liz who lived a large life with three careers, three ex-husbands, the globe as her playground and a passion for helping those in need, died on  . . . . . "

No small children or homeless veterans this week.  There were several cancers and Alzheimer's listed as cause of death.  And!  it was really nice to see only 2 full pages rather than the usual 3.  So there are a few things to be thankful for.

Talk about typos!

Hurry, quick, go read this article

Hilarious, right?  Did you notice this?

Calling it "nothing more than a silly mistake," the Penguin Group head of publishing said the book that called for "freshly ground black people" versus "freshly ground black pepper" was a typographical error that should have been caught by their proofreader, but was unforunately missed, reports AP.


They couldn't even get the proofreading done correctly when they were apologizing for the bad proofreading they had already done!  OMG!


Hire some real people and quit relying on spell check and the like.  Now.  

I did it!!

Yes indeedy!  After more than 2 years of planning and researching, I did it.  I ordered the Kindle DX with AMEX reward points.  It did take me more than 2 years of swiping that AMEX card for gas, for groceries, or whatever to have enough points accumulated to get the Kindle for free!!!

Due to arrive in 14 days or less.  Last fall I started wavering about this wondering whether or not I would prefer to have an iPad.  And the iPad is awesome for music, movies, surfing, all sorts of things, but as an e-reader it is not making the cut as I read in Consumer Reports

So since I have wanted a Kindle for more than 2 years, and since I was able to obtain one for free, I bit the bullet so to speak and spend the points!  Woot!!

Reports to follow as soon as it shows up.  Snoopy Happy Dancin' going on here!!