Tagged! Christmas Traditions

I've been tagged by Lauren of LiveLaughLove. So...on to our Christmas traditions.



This is the 7th Christmas that Mr. P and I have spent together. (Holy cow!) We haven't really started any serious traditions of our own, but I expect that will happen over time, especially once we have kids. It's pretty important to me that our children are in their own home on Christmas morning (hopefully we have a fireplace)!

That said, the biggie in my family has always been Christmas Eve. Our tradition is to have a huge meal of appetizers - everyone gets at least one of their favorites :) This year's (partial) list:

1. Mini tenderloin sammies
2. Shrimp & cocktail sauce
3. Cheese tray
4. Swedish meatballs
5. Veggie tray
6. Spinach balls (personal favorite, sounds weird, but I am OBSESSED)
7. Toasted ravioli
8. Chicken livers wrapped in bacon (for the old people - aka my folks - GROSS!)
9. Dessert tray (complete with almond rocca made by yours truly)

There's more to the list, but I can't remember it - which probably means I'm not all that interested.

After dinner and dishes are done, we gather in the living room and open family gifts. When Schmoogie and I were little, we'd open gifts from Santa on Christmas morning. This usually involved games and movies to keep us busy during Winter Break (and out of Mom and Pop's hair).

This year will be a little different, not sure how it'll go yet, but I'm looking forward to Christmas day dinner at the folks' place with MomP joining us. And of course, it's Miss Bailey's second Christmas, so I'm sure we'll have fun with that, too.

I'm tagging Carrie, Jenn, N, Teresa, and the Pamster :)

Happy Holidays!

Oh, Walmart...

I'm at Wal-Mart (not a fan) waiting for my prescription to be filled, and there was a page on the overhead system:

"Customer needs assistance in little boys pants."

BLINK.
BLINK.BLINK.

"I repeat, customer needs assistance in little boys' pants."

Yes, I heard that right.

Sometimes there are ways of wording things to avoid sounding absolutely, ridiculously awful. And most of us have made the mistake of poor phrasing before, but hopefully it wasn't over a PA system, causing the customers to glance at each other to see if they heard what they thought they heard :)

Day 3: The New I-64

Door to door in exactly 30 minutes (weird). I think I can live with that.

Hanley N --> Page E --> Kingshighway S --> 40 E

To the Powers that Be:
Thank you for not letting this morning be another ice-filled day of snowy, slush-covered streets. And, if my leaving 1/2 hour later than normal and making decent time is any indication, you don't really hate me! I'll take it as a sign that I should start coming to work late everyday (and make every day a self-imposed "jeans day"), if that's OK with you :)

Day 2: The New I-64...Part II

40-->FPP-->(passed a van that had crashed into the median between the right lane of FPP and the Union exit) Union North-->Page West (inch...inch...inch...inch)-->Hanley South to HOME :)

Total Time: 50 minutes.

But it is what it is.

Today's been a relatively crappy day across the board. It has been for a LOT of people. So rather than being bitter (again) about my commute, I'll just say that I'm thankful I have a job. I'm thankful for my amazing friends, and my inspiring husband.

I can't say enough about the latter two, but it means the world to have such a great support system.

To those of you who also had crappy days...I'm continuing to think of you.

Day 2: The New I-64

This morning wasn't really any better, and I'm discovering that nasty commute time = possible rise in (childish, ineffective) road rage.

I took the alternate route suggested by MODOT. This means that from my house, I go up to Page, east to Kingshighway, and north to Hwy 70, east to downtown STL.

I have a slight aversion to this route, but I took it anyway.

Total Time: 50 minutes.

Reminder, this is up from the 20-30 minute commute I had up until yesterday.

Sure, the snow probably had some affect on the drive. It wouldn't hurt the City of STL to actually clear these roads a bit, especially during a HUGE construction project that requires people to drive roads they normally never would, but do because MODOT suggests them as "alternate routes."

And to the butthead driving the yellow Mustang who thinks it's funny to intentionally fishtail...HEY! ASSHOLE!!! NOT IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, OK?

So it's Tuesday. Day 2 of the craziness that has become my once pleasant commute. And I will be trying yet another option to get home this evening.

I'm wishing I'd taken Leftturnyielder's commute suggestion from yesterday. She let me borrow a couple of Jen Lancaster books, and I've already finished Bitter is the New Black. Got through the first few pages of Bright Lights, Big Ass last night, and I'm loving it, too.

Today's bright side? My hair was already dry when I left this morning :)

The New I-64...Part II

Ahhh, the drive home...that joyous part of the day during which I get to decompress and look forward to seeing Mr. P and Miss Bailey...

I hopped onto 40 from downtown, veered right onto FPP westbound, and promptly got stopped just after the Union/Lindell exit. And we inched. And inched. And inched. And inched, until I decided to say screw it and head up to Delmar.

(Well, I thought I'd head up to Page, but didn't realize that DeBaliviere stops at Delmar, so I just turned on Delmar instead.)

Did you know they're doing work on a bridge on Delmar? Right around the Delmar Metrolink stop? Um...I didn't. The two lanes merged into ONE FREAKING LANE!!! So we didn't even inch and inch and inch anymore. We...centimetered? Whatever. It sucked. Again.

Tomorrow morning, I will be attempting Route #2. I'd tell you what it is, but I haven't decided yet. Hopefully it goes better than today.

On the bright side, at least my car got fixed a couple weeks ago so I don't have to worry about the brakes anymore. And at least the heat works, right? Because I think that if the heat didn't work, on a day like today, I might be justified in completely giving up :)

Oh traffic, how I detest thee...

Anybody have any better luck taking other routes?

The New I-64...

...is annoying.

So this morning, I'm already running late. I go outside to start the car, and MY DOOR IS FROZEN SHUT. F@#K! Mr. P kindly helps me get the door unstuck, and then we spend a joint 30 minutes scraping ice off the car. (OK, let's be honest - we all know that Mr. P did most of the work while I called the office to say I'll be late, and try to deal with the mess of icicles that is my WET HAIR.)

I finally get on the road, and people A) don't know how to drive, B) can't figure out how to do ANYTHING without Hwy 40, and C) are generally just a pain in my ass.

My normal commute of 1/2 an hour (taking Forest Park Pkwy) turns into an HOUR LONG clusterf@#k. Most of this time, mind you, is spent between Big Bend and Skinker. Seriously?! How far is that, like, a MILE or something? (It's not even that far, but I'm being generous.)

Basically, it took me an hour and a half this morning to get to work. Sure, some of that can be blamed on a frozen car, and some of it can be blamed on people not knowing how to get where they want to go.

The way I figure it is this: I have about a year to find the easiest way to get from U City to downtown STL in rush hour traffic. By the time I finally find the route that works best, it won't matter anymore - the construction will be done. And unfortunately, even though I *may* have a few options available, there are some things I just won't do - like drive through scary parts of STL in the dark.

WHY couldn't the second half of this closure been done first? I honestly believe this will be much worse than the western half of the highway construction project was. And don't get me started on what happens when Big Bend and Hanley are closed at 40. I'm right between the two, which will put my major North-South options at quite the standstill.

Grumpy.

Oh, and for those who are wondering? Icicle hair is, naturally, a pain in the ass, and results in the frizzy mess that rests upon my head today.

Christmas Thanks!

I grew up in a 100 year-old home, complete with wood beams in the living and dining rooms, and a mother who loved nothing more than to get the Christmas decorations out. It was FABULOUS! There was something about that house in particular that was perfect for decorating, and around the holidays it always felt so warm and cozy and...dare I say it...festive without being overdone? One of the best parts of coming home for winter break was opening the front door and walking into such wonder.

So, I moved in with Mr. P, the folks moved to a new place (not nearly as conducive to holiday decor), and the wonder that was is no longer. I miss it!

Mr. P and I agreed that we're not going full-out with our Christmas decorations until we actually OWN a house...so it's going to be a while. We put up our little 3-foot tree on a side table (and for the love of me, I can't seem to get a decent picture this year), but outside of that, we don't really decorate :(

Anyway...the point: THANK YOU to all you wonderful ladies who've been sharing your Christmas decorations! I can't wait to do our own, but for now, getting to see everyone else's makes me all warm and fuzzy inside (and a teensy, tiny bit jealous!) :)

So, so excited!

I'm almost embarrassed to say how excited I am about He's Just Not That Into You. Seriously, the trailer makes me grin - I don't know if I can get Mr. P to join me, but this could be another fun afternoon outing for the girls :)

He's Just Not That Into You trailer


Anyone wanna go with me? I know I'm jumping the gun and it doesn't come out until February...I guess there's some time to figure it all out!

I'm Kreativ?

Thanks to Amy, I've been given a Kreativ Blogger award...so on to six things I am thankful for.

1. My family, both immediate and extended. Usually this would be super-cheesy, but this time it's definitely not. They've been extra-supportive lately through a few things that are going on, and I would be lost without them. It makes all the difference in the world to know that you have people in your corner, backing up your decisions and encouraging you through struggles.

2. Bailey. Since our front room takes forever to get warm, she makes an AWESOME cuddle-buddy, and she's pretty cute, too :)

3. I'm thankful to have a job. I know there are a lot of people out there going through some awful times, and it certainly isn't easy for us, but I have a job with great (for the most part!) coworkers, lots of flexibility, and (usually) something interesting going on. [We're headed into busy season - please remind me I said this!]

4. Warm chocolate chip cookies.

5. The dog park.

6. An amazing network of friends, most of whom I wouldn't know if it weren't for things like STLWed (or even this blog). It doesn't matter that I've grown up in and returned to St. Louis after college - many of my high school friends did not. I never knew how hard it could be to make new friends (especially girlfriends), and the internet has made it surprisingly easier.

I'm supposed to tag a few people here, but I think most people have already been tagged (based on the number of blogs I've already read). I've been a bad blogger lately ;)

35 best Restaurants in STL

I stole this one from Angie because 1) I'm craving something different, and 2) want to know your experiences with STL's best. Any you recommend trying out (or avoiding)? I need to update my list of places to try!

Blues City Deli
Gyros House
Pho Grand
The Pitted Olive
Pueblo Nuevo
Pumpernickles Deli
Rooster - YUM!
Steillina Pasta Cafe
Iron Barley
Guido's Pizza
Juniper Grill - I didn't think this was all that great
Royal Chinese BBQ
Tin Can Tavern & Grille
Acero
Atlas - YUM!
Chez Leon - good if you like French food, not so much if you don't
Franco - neat atmosphere, went for lunch w/coworkers
Frazer's - one of my favorite spots in Benton Park for a glass of wine
Mosaic
Nobu's Japanese
Oceano Bistro - great food, had a bad experience with the service, would definitely try again
Pomme
Sage
Sidney Street - on my list for a nice dinner with Mr. P
Trattoria Marcella
Vin de Set
An American Place
Annie Gunn's
Araka
Busch's Grove - why did I think this closed? (I know the old one did, I mean the new one, too)
Cardwell's - YUM
Citizan Kane's - went for Mr. P's birthday dinner - overrated
Harvest - haven't been in years, but remember it as VERY good!
Monarch
Niche
Tony's
Robust - neat for meeting a few girlfriends for drinks and apps, but not a whole meal

123 Mizzou Memories

Carrie reminded me of some of the fun memories of Mizzou, which is even better because I'll be in CoMO for Homecoming this weekend. Can't wait!

Some of these I remember all too well, some I honestly don't recognize at all, some I've chosen to forget, and some just bring a smile to my face.

1. Bought a bottle of Riverboat wine at the grocery store, just because it reminded you of the winery
2. Realized how much you missed spending all your Thursday nights (and yet very little of your money) at Harpo's
3. Know that there's no HoCo like the HoCo in CoMo
4. Don't capitalize the K in kansas because you still don't think it's a proper place or a proper noun
5. Remember going to the Hearnes for Men's Basketball, and not just blood drives
6. Still think Brad Smith was robbed of the Heisman
7. Will argue about which dorms by the football field were the best (Lathrop! No, Laws! No, Smith and Donelly!)
8. Spent meal points on take out pizza at Schurz or Eva J's
9. Have driven down Rollins during class hours and bitched about almost hitting someone
10. Have almost gotten hit by a car (or a crazy biker) when trying to cross Rollins
11. Drank beer at a frat house when it was 'damp' to do so
12. Have gone back for a football game as an alum and were shocked when you actually left the tailgate to watch the game
13. Didn't help whitewash the M as a freshman, but brag about the tradition as though you were there
14. Were more scared of Dry 2K than Y2K
15. Tried to do the Mizzou-Rah cheer in a bar, and then had to explain it to your non-Mizzou alum friends
16. Have checked in or out of the Jones Motel
17. Justified mid-20s alcoholism with the phrase 'I did go to Mizzou, you know'
18. Drank beer from a can at B&G
19. Have argued whether it's called 'Beruit' or 'Beer Pong'
20. Sadly remember the day you took 'drunk bus' out of your cell phone speed dial
21. Got all dolled up for ladies nights at George's
22. Have ever used the phrase 'It's okay, I'll just student charge it' to justify buying Mizzou scrubs, CDs, and Clinique make-up at the bookstore.
23. Realized you have no t-shirts or sweatpants that aren't black & gold, or that have something to do with a blood drive.
24. Knew to never wear flip flops to parties at McBaines
25. Crossed College Avenue at Rollins without using a sky bridge
26. Have cheered the Tigers to the Elite 8 in basketball
27. Have gone back to Columbia wanting to go to Flat Branch, Addisons, Sophias, Shakey's, Shakespeares or the Bistro just as bad as Harpo's and Shiloh.
28. Drank dollar pitchers at Big 12 Campus
29. Realized you can no longer pull off wearing tiger ears and/or a tail to a football game
30. Have had a heated debate about St Louis vs Kansas City, even if you were an out-of-stater
31. Sold your books in Brady, and then promptly went into the bookstore to buy Christmas presents for your family with your book money
32. Student charged those Christmas presents when your book money ran out 5 minutes later
33. Know the difference between Red Campus, White Campus, and East Campus
34. Knew whether you preferred the country side or the techno side of the Alamo house the best
35. Can tell stories about where you were when Mizzou beat Nebraska for the first time in 24 years
36. Get very irritated to see the quad torn up for the J-School expansion
37. Still don't pay any parking tickets you get on campus
38. Hung out at the Berg before the fire
39. Have gotten aboard a big yellow school bus to attend a party miles and miles from campus
40. Remember when Subway and the McCampus were your only fast food choices within walking distance of class
41. Fight a wild urge to rub the noses of statues when you walk by in the off-chance you have a test coming up
42. Wondered why there were so many Greeks at the annual GDI parties
43. Have seen the Brad Pitt composite at Sigma Chi ... and think he still looks hot even with a mullet
44. Wanted to live in Mark Twain or Johnston because they were the only suite style or ac'ed dorms on campus
45. Partied in Foxfire, Rock Quarry, and Juniper Ridge without actually knowing anyone that lived there
46. Have visited the dry bar at the Vu
47. Tried to explain pomping and fling to your friends and coworkers
48. Get defensive when people from other schools try to brag about their school's homecoming
49. Wonder how those guys got so good at Dance Dance Revolution at Brady Commons
50. Tried visiting Harpo's in STL or KC but know it's just not the same
51. Hung out at the Sigma Chi house before it was Lambda Chi (or at Lambda Chi before it was back to Sigma Chi again)
52. No longer think waking up at 6 am to tailgate is such an awesome idea
53. Still can't part with your collection of cups from Shakespeares and Harpos
54. Have a picture of yourself and your friends sitting on Thomas Jefferson's lap, hanging out with Beatle Bailey, or riding the tiger
55. Still have some form of M-I-Z, Mizzou-rah, or go tigers in your aim profile
56. Are reminded of pomp sauce every time you eat yogurt
57. Still find yourself asking people what house they were in ... and judging them by it
58. Know that 'Mizzou' is actually spelled M-I-Z-F*CK-k-U
59. Can remember where you were when the KA cannon got fired into the international student house ... or you laugh just thinking about it
60. Wonder if you'll ever find a gym that's as nice as the Rec Center
61. Refuse to acknowledge Missouri State University as anything but SMSU
62. Have kept your FB profile just to keep up with Mizzou gossip (and have started a conversation with the phrase, 'Today on facebook...')
63. Still associate Thursday's with Harpo's, Fridays with Fieldhouse, and Saturday's with Big 12
64. Considered volunteering for STRIPES just so you could make fun of the drunk people you drove home
65. Get upset when people talk out loud when walking under the Memorial arch
66. Ever shouted something out in Speaker's Circle, just to test the theory that it could be heard all over campus
67. Can remember the Tiger Spot before it was broken and had to be renovated ... wait, no one can do that
68. Crave El Rancho after 2 am
69. Don't think the walk from Harpo's back to campus is so bad after last call
70. Were outraged when Tonic went VIP, or just really smug because you were on the list
71. Know the value of extra swipes, and why you can't use them on just anyone
72. Studied at Ellis just for the face time
73. Think that Christian Moody is the only worthwhile basketball player to come out of kU
74. Have been accused of being a 'lustful sinner' just for wearing shorts walking through Speaker's Circle when Brother Jed was around
75. Swam Brady Fountain, streaked the Quad, rode the bronze Tiger, shouted 'I love Mizzou' in Speaker's Circle, and attempted to climb Jesse dome before you graduated ... or are a little disappointed that you didn't
76. Own more plastic cups from Columbia bars than actual glassware ... and you still use them with fond memories (or smile when you see a coworker using one even older and more faded than yours)
77. Are convinced that G&D Steakhouse was run by the Russian mafia
78. Still aren't sure why Tiger Stripe ice cream is so good
79. Think that it is perfectly normal to wear (or see someone wearing) basketball shorts and high heels together for an early morning weekend stroll
80. Know that Marathon Weekend has nothing to do with running
81. Get a craving for a Silver Bullet/Tiger Paw at the mere sight of a red straw and a white foam cup
82. Have had your night ruined when Jesus turned down your fake ID
83. Voluntarily ate at places you referred to as Dirty Dobbs and the Dud
84. Know better than to drink the AG Rho's soy beer
85. Tailgated at Reactor Field and Frat Pit before they were parking lots (and are a little outraged that they've now been paved)
86. Think that whichever famous alum graduated from your Greek house is obviously the best and most famous Mizzou alum on the planet (what do you mean you've never heard of Jann Carl?!)
87. Never stop to wonder whether or not it's silly for college-educated 20-somethings to agonize over the results of lip-synchs contests and/or skit competitions because after all, it's for philanthropy'
88. Are an LA Lakers or NY Jets fan just out of principle
89. Still think it's funny that the Greek Week blood drive got international press coverage for cheating on eligibility requirements
90. Have a piece of goal post on proud display in your home from a glorious football victory
91. Learned the hard way (or laughed at a friend who learned) why you never wear flip flops on campus in the rain
92. Wonder why employers aren't impressed that your resume lists multiple steer co's, blood committees, or skit and dance participation as leadership activities
93. Plan to do the Missouri Waltz at your wedding (and think the Tennessee Waltz is super lame)
94. Have stolen someone else's cab, sober ride, or STRIPES car outside of Fieldhouse
95. Can guess what someone's major was by whether they were in or out-of-state
96. Know that you will only see guys in Greek Town awake before 8 am (and most likely playing football in the front yard) during the first two weeks of August
97. Thought that the Tiger Walk was a little cheesy freshman year, at least until you did the Tiger Klaw as a senior and got free beer
98. Perfected the art of 'Pre-Party'
99. Bypassed the Freshman 15 and headed straight for the Mizzou 22
100. No longer look both ways to cross the street because you just assume pedestrians have the right of way everywhere
101. Wonder why no one throws Divorce Parties in real life
102. Are waiting for Santa to bring you a Border War victory this Christmas
103. Have yelled the phrase, 'Gary, ready in Plum!'
104. Saw more people from Mizzou on Spring Break in PCB than you did going to class every day
105. Get bothered around the Fourth of July because you just don't like seeing that much red and blue together
106. Would rather jab your own eyes out than send one of your children to kU
107. Know the night is not over until someone invites you to After Bars
108. Spend at least 20 minutes trying to figure out who you may know in common with other Mizzou alums/students when you first meet them
109. Have an adamant opinion for or against popping your collar
110. Fight the urge to chug a beer any time you hear something that could be a cannon firing
111. Were outraged when your STRIPES driver didn't believe that you actually lived at the address where the After Bars were happening
112. Know what a Pokey Stick is and why you want a middle one
113. Suddenly developed severe allergies as a freshman so you could request an air conditioner
114. Think that nothing makes a skit, serenade, or lip-synch better than a pledge in drag
115. Still think of yourself as a badass for being able to drink an entire large Silver Bullet at a tailgate or pre-party
116. Went to Brady for one reason, and one reason only: Chick Fillet
117. Miss dressing up like a prostitute/ pimp/ angel/ devil/ shool girl/ slutty nurse/ doctor/ 80s rocker/ golf pro/ tennis ho, etc for all those theme parties
118. Get lists like this emailed to you from coworkers
119. Suddenly possess a vast and in-depth knowledge of Mizzou football facts, stats, triva, play-by-plays, and history
120. Harbor a secret jealous of the kid in the motorized wheelchair because he had a soundsystem
121. Know the only real exercise you got was from doing the Walk of Shame
122. Have partied with Larry Eustachy and have the pictures to prove it
123. Fell in love with Chase Daniel in 2007 ... Brad Smith, who???

GO TIGERS!

Foreign perspective?

Many thanks to Lynn for making me laugh this morning. And even better, there's an actual POINT involved :)



Reminder: final 2008 Presidential debate is this evening at 8 pm. As for which channel to watch, well...we all have our favorites, and I'll be sticking to CSPAN.

I had lunch with a nun...

...and I was VERY nervous, but turns out I shouldn't have been :) (By the way, for reference, P was the first nun I've ever actually met. So, as usual, I was just afraid of the unknown for silly irrational reasons.)

Two of Mom P's college friends were in town over the weekend, because one of them had a conference at Our Lady of the Snows. It was like meeting extended family you've heard about for years (over 6 now) and never met before!

The three of them made me smile and think of some of my high school, college, and board buddies and the way we can laugh with (and at?!) each other. Three very different women, all sharing a strong bond over the years. You'd never guess they don't get to see each other very often!

Many thanks to Mom P for Sunday's lunch, and I'm so glad to finally have met P and B. The obvious friendship between the three of you in enviable.

Other weekend details: Saturday night, had a couple friends over and watched the Tigers break my heart. After a few beers, engaged in political and philosophical discussions that went nowhere. I know better than to get myself into that - all of us do - but it happened anyway. At least we're all still friends ;)

Sunday evening was our first book club meeting at Pamela's. It was a smaller turnout than expected, but I enjoyed myself. Looking forward to finding out what we choose as our next book. Since there were so few people there, thank God I got a discount on the pizza - but holy leftovers, Batman! At least I'll have easy lunches this week :)

Had today off, but feeling a bit lethargic. Cuddled with the BaileyBear on the couch a lot today. FYI - she makes a hell of a pillow, until she starts scratching her ear while you're laying on her :)

Back to the grind tomorrow. Have a good week!

Smile

I'm not sure what made me think of this today, but I didn't do an "anniversary post" for Mr. P about how much I adore him. He already knows that, and I prefer to tell him in person :) So instead of sharing that stuff, I'm going with something a little different.

I got to thinking about gas prices, and remembered my favorite wedding gift. I know - that makes no sense, right? Well, a family friend who is like a surrogate grandfather has Parkinson's. He and one of his neighbors drove to St. Louis from Florida for our wedding. (Why the long drive? He's in his 80s and afraid to fly - unless he's the pilot! He's building his own plane, and we all swear that's what keeps him going.)

Anyway, that's all sidebar stuff. His wedding gift to us was a check for $274. I'm thinking "Awesome - this is so generous of him, but what a WEIRD number!" Behind the check was a homemade card that read, "For the first 100 gallons of your life together. Love, Al" It was the most thoughtful, clever gift I've ever seen. (At the time, gas was significantly cheaper here in MO than it was in FL, but now $2.74/gal seems like a steal!)

The day we returned from our honeymoon, Mr. P's car had a flat tire...and two others were bald. (He hadn't told me because of how tight money had been.) Great way to start off married life, huh? We were able to put Al's gift to use for a new set of tires. Doesn't sound like much of a wedding present to most, but instead of 100 gallons, he was able to give us another 50,000 miles :)

Silly story, but made me smile so I thought I'd share. Sometimes it really is the thought that matters most.

Shhh! Don't tell...

...I'm sneaking onto the computer while Mom and Dad are out. I haven't gotten to blog in a while, and thought I'd update everyone. Dad's been working really hard in school, and always talks about things that don't make any sense to me. Mom's got some possible changes at work that she's really excited about (but I'm not allowed to talk about them)! Keep your paws crossed! But they're not what's really important here. I AM!



Back in May, we moved to a new house. I love it! I have a yard to play in, and I don't have to walk up and down all those steps anymore when I have to go to the bathroom! I have some new favorite spots - the yard is my favorite, but when I'm not outside playing, I like to lay in front of the picture window and look outside at the rest of the world. My folks finally let me stop sleeping in my crate at night, too.



At first, they were letting me sleep in the bed with them! It was wonderful, and I liked to sleep in between them and stretch out as far as I could! I'm not really sure why, but they stopped letting me up on the bed after a while. I have a new bed I get to sleep in that's all my own, and I'm even getting used to it. When Mom gets up in the morning, though, I still sneak up onto my parents' bed and cuddle with Dad while Mom's in the shower :) Mom doesn't even seem to mind too much when she catches me!

I've got lots of new toys, but more than anything, I like to run around in the backyard. Sometimes, I stop to watch the birds in our neighbor's birdbath, but they always fly away when I try to talk to them.



I really don't like to come inside when Mom and Dad say it's time. Sometimes, I'll come just close enough to look like I'm paying attention to them, but then I'll run away right when they think they've won! It's really funny (but Mom and Dad don't think so).

I also get to go to the dog park now, which is a lot of fun, but sometimes I get a little nervous. I love other doggies, but when there's a lot of them at once, it gets kind of scary! I just want to play, but they all want to sniff my butt, which is GROSS! I'm learning that it's OK, though.

I'm up to 42 pounds now, which is more that my parents thought I'd ever be. But I'm still skinny - a lot of lean muscle!

Other than that, Mom and Dad keep saying that they want to take me back to school. They say I've forgotten my manners, but they don't understand that I'm just trying to meet and play with everyone I can! I guess maybe I'm being a little rebellious sometimes...but not always! School wouldn't be so bad, though. I liked it a lot the last time I went, and now that my leg's all better, it might be fun to go back. I'll have to think about it a little bit :)

I'm a good protection dog, now, too. Somebody tried to take me from my Mom a few weeks ago, and I said NO! He said I was mean, but I was just trying to protect Mom from a scary stranger. I was scared, too, and wouldn't go anywhere near him, but I made my back fur ridge up and I barked really loud at him to make him go away, and he did! I snuggled with Mom the rest of the night so she'd know everything was OK.

I know I'm forgetting to tell some fun stuff, but I can do this again sometime if I need to. I've got a couple more cute pictures to share if you want to see them!

Here you can tell that my back left leg is always a little straighter than the right one, but I can run and play a lot, and I almost never limp anymore! (It's cuz I'm big and strong!)


Cooling off in the shade after a long run :)








Woof!

I'd been missing out :)

Our tube TV kicked the bucket. It's been pretty much dead for months now, and today, we decided to send it to its grave. Not that the Cards are doing much for me this season, but watching a game on TV and having the score reversed at the top (as in, the top 4 inches of the screen were being projected upside-down) finally did me in. I'm sure we could have taken it to get fixed, but with the new HD changes coming into effect in February 2009, we're better off getting a TV we expect to last more than this one. Seriously, we only had this one for 3 years. And it crapped out.

Goodbye, 27" Philips POS. Hello, Samsung flat screen :)



Of course, Mr. P has wanted to do this for a long time now. And, being the "typical" wife, I held out. Hardcore. There are so many other things we should be doing. But I gave in today (maybe because I found a sale I couldn't resist) and there's no turning back.

It's amazing what a clear picture will do when all you can remember in recent memory is horrendous lines at the top of the screen! Movie night with the Mr. will be a new experience, I'm sure...I can't wait!

First, though, is what I'm sure will be another memorable GNO this evening at Teresa's. And Mr. P will be participating in poker night with some of the other hubbies, so I can't wait to hear all about that :)

Keep an eye out for a post by the Bear a little later on. She's been dying to get back on the computer for some time now...

20 Questions

Using only one word answers:

Your hair? frustrating
Your mother? strong
Your father? rocks
Your favorite thing? hubby
Your dream last night? forgotten
Your dream/goal? happiness
Your favorite drink? water
The room you’re in? cozy
Your ex? laugh
Your hobby?
Your fear? failure
Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
Where were you last night? bed
What you’re not? perky
Muffins? pumpkin
One of your wish list items? clothing
Time? drags
Where you grew up? stl
The last thing you did? read
Favorite weather? fall
What are you wearing? pj's
Your favorite book? dog-eared
Your TV? broken
Your pet? bailey
Your computer? works
Your mood? sleepy
Missing someone? always
Your car? old
Something you’re not wearing? clothes
Favorite store? banana
Love someone? forever
Your favorite color/shade? green
Last thing you ate? fajitas
Your life? challenging
Your friends? supportive
What are you thinking right now? blank
What are you doing at this moment? typing
Your summer? amazing
Your relationship status? perfect
What do you do when you can’t sleep? read
When is the last time you laughed? earlier
Last time you cried? thursday

Thoughts Needed

Mr. P found out this evening that a couple weeks ago, his father had a(nother) heart attack. The details are all pretty fuzzy, but it's times like this that I know it's damn near impossible to be so far away from family (they're in Texas). Please keep Dad P and the rest of the P family in your thoughts and prayers.

Behind the Dream

Mr. P has been working hard on accounting (bean-counting, perhaps?). I wanted to go for a walk the other night, but couldn't because it was raining. I guess he just mixed the two and that's what he came up with?

Saturday, we headed over to the Jeff-Vander-Lou area to work on Habitat for Humanity's current build project. My office is helping sponsor one of the homes, so a group of us spent the day helping out. A bunch of folks laid the laminate floor, and I was working on painting baseboards and trim. The boards were in a pile in the basement, so while it was a little cooler down there, the pounding right above my head was a little annoying. Long day, lots of hard work, but pretty rewarding.

Sunday, Mr. P and I had brunch with Schmoogie, then drove her to a couple flooded areas for one of her photo assignments. It was bizarre to see roads and buildings we know almost completely submerged. I can't wait to see what she was able to capture, and I know she got some awesome shots.

So, time for another long week! Good thing Monday's already over - wasn't sure if I'd make it :)

Dreams are Funny Things...

I know, I know. It's been way too long since I last posted. It probably will be again, because life is crazy like that, but I had a awful doggy-mom/funny story to share...

We've been working really hard at teaching Bailey Bear to sleep on the floor or in her bed...but NOT in mom and dad's bed. She's gotten really good at it, and our sleep has improved immensely :) Not that we don't love puppy cuddle-time - we do! - but she likes to sleep in the VERY MIDDLE of the bed...HORIZONTALLY...like the cross-stroke of a capital H. Not so good for the REM sleep.

Anyway, around 5:00 AM today, she jumped up on our bed. It woke me up out of a deep sleep and I made her get OFF (I was very grumbly about it, too). All of a sudden, there was a huge flash of light and thunder almost immediately following. Bailey, standing in the middle of the room, tucked her tail between her legs and ran around the bed to Mr. P's side and CRAWLED UNDER THE BED!

(Guilty doggy-mom conscience enters HERE.)

So I get out of bed, walk around to Mr. P's side, get down on the floor in the dark, and try to coax Bailey out. This wakes Mr. P up, who rolls over to see me laying next to his side of the bed. He got up, helped get Bailey out, and up on the bed she went :) (Such pushovers, I know.)

Fast forward to about 6:00 AM, and we're both sleeping again. I hear a mumble, and ask, "Huh???" because I really couldn't believe what I had heard. So Mr. P repeated himself:

"If you put your bean-counting suit on, we can go for a walk."

Seriously? I nearly fell out of bed laughing. I know I've said some funny things in my sleep, but WHAT?! I'm hoping that this evening, he'll have remembered what he was dreaming about, becasue I certainly have no idea what it meant :)

Mr. P reminds me on occasion of my sleep-walking AND -talking episode that had something to do with red plastic cups. Apparently it was VERY important. Now, I'm excited that I can fire back :)

Enjoy the weekend!

Last Weekend

Woohoo for lake time! Mr. P and I both took Friday off of work to head to my folks' lake house for a much-needed getaway. I'd call it relaxing, but that might be a lie - I'm more exhausted this week than I was before we left!

We got up early on Friday, packed up and headed out with Miss Bailey in tow. Arrived at the lake, started getting the house opened up, and then M&C met us there at about 11 Friday morning. We spent the afternoon hanging out down by the water, and then cleaned up and went into town for dinner. One of my favorite Mexican restaurants is a little hole in the wall in Litchfield, IL (seriously), and I always try to make it a point to go for dinner when I have the chance. The four of us shared in the El Rancherito experience, headed back to the house, and proceeded to drink more than our fair share, play with the pup, play card games and dominoes, and then crash hard for the night.

Mr. P and I got a lazy start to our Saturday. Well, sort of. Miss Bailey had an early morning, and Mr. P and I woke up with her, but ended up falling back asleep on the living room floor after she'd eaten and gone out. Floor = SOOO UNCOMFORTABLE. Why did we do that?!



Mr. P's cousin, C, and his girlfriend, K, came to meet us about mid-day on Saturday. So the six of us (and Miss Bailey!) headed down to the lake and lounged away the afternoon. Fabulous weather. Mr. P and I even managed to get Miss Bailey on a mesh raft and float her on the water for a while. I think she's starting to warm up to it, but I won't say that with too much confidence. I can, however, say that she's an amazing swimmer. She'll let us hold her in the water until she's ready to get out. Then, she LAUNCHES off of whatever body part she can find (lots of bruises in bizarre spots) and swims back to shore. Looks like a little leezard-dawg :) I wish I had some pics of that, but water + camera = not so much.

Saturday night, more silly debauchery, a campfire, and s'mores. YUM!
I've always made fun of my Pop for collecting hats, but they came in handy this weekend...

C flaps his wings...


Someone's got M' goose!


Love this one of K&C, because C looks like he's going moose hunting :)


Mr. and Mrs. P


Just a fun weekend with a few friends, but lots of outdoor-time, lots of playing hard, and possibly too much sun. (I forgot to put sunscreen on the top of my left foot - so I'm pretty sure I got my right foot twice. As a result, I have one REALLY red foot, and one that looks like it's still never seen the sun.)

Back to STL on Sunday, and back to the grindstone on Monday. Next time, I'm taking Friday and Monday off, coming back on Sunday, and spending Monday as a recuperation day!

I've also realized that my pictures from the weekend are lacking, and those that do exist aren't much to write home about, either...oh, well :)

Two Weekends Ago!

It's been so long I honestly can't remember Friday. But last Saturday we had Mom P over for dinner, and I decided to whip up a new (to me) vegetarian dish in her honor. (Mr. P, born and [mostly] Texas raised, rarely eats a meal without meat. And I don't do much cooking to begin with...)



Mom P's visit merited a fun meal. I decided to go for stuffed portabella mushrooms! My original plan was to grill them, but in order to spend more time with Mom P we baked them instead.



RECIPE: Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms
(Ingredients below make enough filling for 8 mushrooms - we saved half to stuff chicken breasts for another meal)
1 red bell pepper (chopped)
1 yellow bell pepper (chopped)
1 orange bell pepper (chopped)
3 green onions, sliced
3 tsp. balsamic vinegar
4 tsp. olive oil
10 oz. blue cheese crumbles
16 oz. ricotta cheese
1 tsp. basil/parsley/italian seasoning (your pick)
garlic, salt, pepper (to taste)
bread crumbs

Saute peppers in a pan with oil for about 5 minutes. Add onion and balsamic. Cook just long enough for the peppers to remain slightly crunchy. Lower heat and add remaining ingredients (blue cheese, ricotta, spices) and stir until smooth.

Spoon mixture into mushroom caps, sprinkle the top with bread crumbs, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. (((YUM)))

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the cooked product. I just don't have enough willpower to stop the ravenous feeling and actually take decent photos before inhaling...at least I'm honest, though! We paired the mushrooms with a white wine (pinot grigio, I think?), a salad, and a dark honey-wheat baguette.

Things I'd change: I'd add a little more onion, and leave some of the bell peppers out to sprinkle on top. I love food with a little extra color, though these were absolutely divine, if I do say so myself :)

Wow. I've been MIA. I think I need to welcome myself back to the world of blogging, eh? Lots of days are starting to blend into each other, which makes it the closest thing to summer I've experienced in at least four years, and I'm loving it :) I'm going to attempt some real updates in the next couple of days.

Life

With the prospect of Mr. P's internship ending when summer's over (rather than continuing into fall, which was a possibility), I've spent my day on an emotional roller coaster.

You'll probably have to click on the image to get a better view, but it's a nice representation of the lovely ride I'm on...


I admit to being scared, and not knowing what our future holds. We don't have the stability I always thought would just naturally be there, and I work in a nonprofit organization - I'm certainly not rolling in the lifestyle I assumed would just happen! But you know what? We're still young. We're still fabulous. And EFF IT. Life's not supposed to be easy when you're starting out :)

I'm spending the afternoon having faith that things will work out for the best. Somehow, they always do, and we've certainly been through some doozies.

Hubby Rocks!

So Mr. P made a fabulous birthday dinner on Tuesday night: grilled steak and vegetables (mushrooms, bell peppers, squash & zucchini), duchess potatoes, and a sweet honey-wheat baguette! Then I found out he'd been trying for nearly a week to get my present...which finally arrived on the 9th, one day late :)


Bissinger's Dark Chocolate Raspberries


Heaven. Simply heaven.

I'm somewhat lucky that my birthday falls in July, since it's the only month Bissinger's does raspberries. And Mr. P's somewhat lucky, too, since he knows there's always one sure-fire birthday present :)

Weekend Rundown

Mr. P and I spent the weekend at the lake house with my family, setting off fireworks, eating a little too well, drinking a little too much, and relaxing just the right amount. Miss Bailey joined us, and to my relief, no more urka-gurkas. She has yet to decide how she feels about being in the lake, though. I'm not sure she digs swimming as much as I do :)

Unfortunately, I didn't take the time to grab my camera this weekend, so there's a shortage of photos. Hopefully that will change, since I received my birthday present a couple days early!

Canon PowerShot S5IS






Basic Features
8.0-megapixel CCD
12x optical zoom lens (equivalent to a 36-432mm lens on a 35mm camera)
4x digital zoom.
2.5-inch articulated color LCD monitor
Electronic Viewfinder
Program Automatic Exposure
Aperture- and shutter-priority modes
Full Manual exposure mode
Built-in pop-up flash with red-eye reduction
SD/SDHC card compatibility
USB high speed connection
Four AA alkaline batteries included
32MB SD card included
Software for Mac and PC


Special Features
Optical Image Stabilization: Shooting, Continuous, Panning
Automatic Face Detection AE/AF
Multiple continuous shooting modes, including Continuous Shooting AF
ISO from 100-1600 and High ISO mode
ISO Shift
Safety FE and MF options
Hotshoe
On-board red-eye correction (in Playback)
High resolution movies with stereo sound
Wind filter, audio capture adjustment settings
Shutter Speeds from 15 sec to 1/3,200 sec
Multiple creative options, i.e., My Colors
Contrast/Sharpness/Saturation/Red/Green/Blue and skin tone adjustments
Multiple White Balance settings, including Manual
Exposure Bracketing and AF Bracketing
Adjustable Flash Intensity
Multiple Metering and AF modes
Continuous AF
Selectable AF points
Live Histogram and Pattern/Grid Overlay
Wide angle and telephoto accessory lenses and filters available

This is above and beyond what I'd been using for the past few years, and I can't wait to really get a feel for everything. It's definitely more camera that I'm used to, but I'm hoping to take this as a sign to get back into the swing of things.

Mom knew I needed a new camera, and Pop was in charge of picking it out. I'd say that, combined, they did quite a good job with a surprise birthday gift ;) Thanks, folks, and enjoy the rest of your vacation!

Some people really blow me away...

Just a quickie before the holiday weekend :) Possible TMI to follow:

Miss Bailey's had a couple of weird nights lately, waking up and doing the infamous urka-gurka in the middle of the night/early EARLY morning. One ended in an urka-gurka-SPLAT (oh, sleep-induced fuzziness, thank you for masking my gag reflex!) and another was just "going through the motions" of getting sick, without it happening.

She seems completely fine - happy, playful - except for these events at 3 or 4AM. After her accident in March, Bailey's vet provided me with her email address where I can send questions, etc., which is AWESOME. So I shot off an email yesterday just to be sure. The vet responded promptly, letting me know what to look out for, and also offered a phone number where we can reach her if we have questions - and it's her cell - not the main vet number.

Seriously, people. I'm HUGE on customer service, and it just doesn't get better than this. She and I both know I'm probably not going to call, but having the option is above and beyond. Especially when we're leaving town this afternoon and don't have a regular vet by the lake house.

Anyway, I'm just completely stoked right now. Have a wonderful long weekend for the 4th!

There. I said it.

Those of you who already read the original post will understand (and hopefully respect) my decision to remove its contents.

Fiesta!

I don't actually own a sombrero. I said I'd be there with one on, but unless I find one in the next few hours (who needs work, right?), it just isn't going to happen.



However, I WILL be bringing my fabulous guacamole :)

Woohoo!

I'm totally doing the happy dance right now :) And I'm not embarrassed to share that it's because we've finally got stuff organized in the kitchen. We moved from a teeny tiny apartment (650 sq ft) with a decent kitchen (including a dishwasher, albeit a crappy dishwasher) to a small house (1000 sq ft) with a teeny tiny kitchen and no dishwasher (which I'm happy about, because the trade-off was getting a washer and dryer). Anyway. Finagling our way around in the kitchen the past couple weeks has been nuts, and I'm thrilled to have it in working order!

On Saturday, our new furniture is being delivered:

coffee table and end tables


dining table


with these chairs - a little less country


And, of course, a fabulous mattress that might just be the highlight of my year. (Is that sad?) I'm really looking forward to the opportunity to sleep through the night again!

I'm back!

Naturally, when I find the time to blog I forget to bring my camera with me...so I've got a few pics to post, they're just not "real" pics.

Mr. P and I moved a couple weeks ago, and we're definitely still trying to get out of boxes. My major accomplishment so far has been painting our bedroom. It used to be a soft mustard-yellow (dijon, maybe?), and I went with a cool blue-gray. Valspar's "Woodlawn Sterling Blue" - I absolutely love it :) Since my photos of the room haven't really turned out the way I want anyway, here's an idea from Valspar using their digital painter:



Our bedroom furniture is dark, but certainly no four-poster bed or anything (and for some reason, the picture makes the furniture look a little ashy, which it's not). Bought from Broyhill before they went under, but we saw the same collection at Rothman a couple weeks ago:



Eventually I'll get around to hanging pictures and tackling other stuff, but this was a good start. We also made a furniture purchase - new coffee and end tables, a dining room table, and a mattress! I'll save that for another post.

In other news, I did my sleep study - according to them, I'm an "efficient" sleeper - I beg to differ. Hopefully the new mattress will help. Also got bloodwork back - that's normal, too. Glad to know that I'm alright according to the test results, but guess this means trying another route to figure out what's going on.

Fell Off the Wagon...

...but got back on this morning.

Since I'm (mostly) done moving, there will be no more crazy frustration of sweating so much that my patch falls off! I'm going to allow myself the few days of slipping up, and now I'm back at it. I should've duct-taped that sucker on over the weekend, but I guess everyone makes mistakes.

Dear Nicoderm CQ:
Why is it that every day when I take my patch off, the adhesive feels like superglue ripping my skin off? And why is it that, when I REALLY need you to stick to my body, you just fall right off? You certainly aren't making it any easier to kick the habit.

Busy...but Good.

Mr. P and I took Bailey to the lake house this weekend (Litchfield, IL - Lake Yeager). Her first visit went smoothly, except she ran so hard that from Saturday night through the rest of the weekend, every time she got up from laying down, there was a HUGE puddle of drool under her muzzle ;) She was definitely one pooped pup, but I think she has a new favorite place to visit. That works well for me - it's one of my favorites, too! Once the weather isn't so rainy, we'll see how she does with the actual lake part of the lake house :)



She decided to ham it up a little, too.
"Hey, Mom! Do I have any bats in the cave?"



So the weekend went well, and tomorrow's moving day. I might be out of blogging commission for a while, but what else is new, right? Looking forward to Saturday, when I finally get a break from the next couple of days. Moving sucks. We've lived in our apartment for 3 years, and as much as I hate our place, I was happy to not move every year. I don't miss that part of college life :)

No rewards this week for not smoking, but Mr. P and I are still doing well. I've definitely hit some obstacles here and there, but gotten through them...I'm kind of proud of myself. We have been doing a little furniture shopping here and there, so maybe if that pans out we'll have a reward to show off soon :)

I've had a bunch of doctor appointments lately, and have had to do some follow-up blood work to get things figured out. A sleep study is planned for next week, and hopefully once all is said and done, I'll be (almost?) normal again. (I'm weirded out by the thought of trying to sleep through electrodes on my face and wires everywhere...if someone can sleep through that, they don't have a sleeping problem!)

One more pic of Miss B for your pleasure...it's a little abstract and random, but I absolutely love it (thanks Schmoogie for taking these!). I think Mr. P and I might frame it and put it up in our new bedroom.



Long day ahead at work today, but starting to feel energized and excited about the next few days coming up!

One-Week Reward!

After going one week without smoking...my reward to myself - a new work shirt:

Pardon the crappy picture. Didn't keep as clear as I'd hoped. Not quite as bright turquoise, but close enough, and the best part was that it was on sale!

Happy Monday. Keep your fingers crossed for more sun!

In other news: Mr. P and I set our moving date for next Thursday, May 29. That means that I'll be taking off Thursday and Friday to "supervise" movers and get the whole thing underway. I CAN'T WAIT for GNO on the 31st, because that'll be my break from reality ;) Mr. P can have that Saturday night to decompress with the boys if he wants (and Miss Bailey, of course), but I'm taking full advantage of the pre-planned Sex and the City GNO.

Elizabeth

We've had Bailey for nearly 6 months now, and have loved every second of it (even the traumatic accident). I thought I was home free when I agreed to get a dog, but now Mr. P's starting to hint at a second one.

Mr. P: Y'know, poor Bailey has to spend an awful lot of time alone...

Me: Yep. But she so incredibly loved and spoiled when we're here with her.

Mr. P: ...I really think she needs a friend.

Me: She's got LOTS of friends! She's got Dieter (lab mix), and Larry (boxer mix?), and Carrie & Matt's dogs (chihuahua and some kind of mix)! Plus, now that she's allowed to play again, we can take her to the dog park and she'll make even more! Don't forget that she and Lorenzo (dachshund) will get to play this summer at the lake. Seriously, she's fine.

I'm trying very hard not to give in. We just don't need a second dog until Bailey's older and more trained. I certainly don't have the time for another one right now! But, my willpower is starting to fail me...and I noticed that Bailey's mom, Elizabeth, is still available for adoption. Damn Petfinder and all its adorable animals!

Part of me really wants to bring Bailey's mom home with us.

News that Matters

Preface: Random musings and venting to follow. Slight persuasion included. Read at your own risk. I'm providing lots of links for those who are interested, and zero pictures, which is rather unfortunate. My apologies.

I’ve been pretty dismayed with the P-D lately, and think that many of its “new” and “progressive” changes are a load of crap. (The “Everyday” section should be just that – EVERY DAY – instead of woven into a different daily feature. It remains constant – the comics, advice columns, puzzles, and other bizarre non-newsy necessities. The daily feature should not be given an entire section, as it is a FEATURE, not the entire SECTION. Blah, blah, blah...I could go on, but that's not really the point here.)

I now direct your attention to the St. Louis Beacon (There’s a good Chicago Reader article that gives some of its background - I was too heated as I wrote this to find a better [local] explanation.)

FYI, the story behind name change from Platform to Beacon: the new online newspaper had registered www.stlplatform.org as its website and filed its nonprofit papers. SOMEHOW, the P-D decided to name its blog the “Platform” AND trademark the name (all the Beacon’s original papers had been filed). The P-D is NOT thrilled about this new possible competition, and is doing just about anything in its power to derail the Beacon.

Bill McClellan's April 14, 2008 column is a fine representation of the mounting disdain between the two organizations. While I frequently read McClellan's column, and often agree with him (or at the very least, respect his jaded perspective), I just can't help feeling like he's one more journalist jumping on the high horse headed out of town rather than supporting our city with its well-known, highly-respected journalistic history. When a Pulitzer openly strays away from the P-D empire to fund the organization of a new newspaper, there is reason to step up and pay attention. (Yes, I realize that Pulitzer sold the P-D to Lee Enterprises, but it's still the newspaper associated with the family name.)

In relation to this particular column, I have to say that McClellan probably has little fundraising and grant experience. Challenge grants allow an individual to encourage the rest of the community to join in - there is a higher probability of success when people join together as a community to take action. A single, large donation is wonderful, but if nobody else supports an idea through funding, the individual donation is worthless. Can Pulitzer afford to give more? You bet. Is she hedging her bet in the most strategic way? Absolutely. If you check out the Beacon's donation page and scroll through its list of supporters, you'll notice names encompassing some of St. Louis' most-respected individuals across all walks of life. In addition to prominent individual donations, the corporate and nonprofit partners stepping forward to lend their support also demonstrate a desire for change.

Check out the Beacon. Just take a moment to scroll and click your way through. I think it's unfortunate that the only available option is online, but when the cost of a daily paper steadily increases, maybe online access is one of the best progressive options to explore. It seems fitting in a world where blogging and internet chat rooms have taken the place of personal letter-writing and phone calls. (Though I must admit I have a slight obsession with newsprint, and would one day like to see the paper in hard copy.) If you agree that the Beacon is a welcome alternative to the P-D, let me know. If you don't, let me know that, too. I'm interested in hearing the various opinions on this subject (and I won't call you jaded for thinking differently, I promise).

Fun sidenote: On Mondays, the Beacon publishes “Nick’s List” which is written by one of my high school English teachers, Nick Otten. His column is a book and film critique (I was in his film club toward the end of high school). I have more respect for Nick than 99% of teachers I’ve ever encountered, and have him to thank for my current style of writing (which can vary greatly, I know). I also have him to thank for the fact that I can’t start a sentence with “It is” without hearing him yell at me. (By the way, Nick, that’s greatly inhibited my abilities in professional writing situations…)

I find the idea of a second, competitive St. Louis newspaper to be encouraging. Offering options to the masses is part of what makes our country great, and part of what challenges opponents to continue improving their ability to both provide and satisfy their target audiences. The Beacon offers that option, similar to the defunct St. Louis Globe-Democrat. Complacency has gotten our city nowhere, but an active attempt at change is taking the next step forward. While a new option may only be a small step, I like to think it's a step in the right direction of strengthening St. Louis.

I welcome any form of media providing me with news that matters to me as a reader. This became much more of a tangent than intended, but as the months and years roll by, I'm looking forward to see what happens next.

Edited to add: While I began this post earlier today, it's now 11:27 and I'm finally publishing. New goal - figure out how the hell to set my posting time to make it true to publishing time on Blogger.

Bacon & Basil Cups

For the ladies who attended the Girls Night Out - here's the recipe for the appetizer I brought (I've been meaning to post it for a while now...):

Bacon and Basil Cups

Ingredients:
1 package bacon
1/4 lb. baby swiss cheese, shredded
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
Tomatoes (Roma work well)
Mayo (1/2 cup at most)
2 boxes Fillo (Phyllo) cups - found in freezer section
1 package fresh basil (optional)

Directions:
Cook the bacon crispy.
De-goo (technical term = remove seeds and excess juice) and dice the tomatoes.
Shred fresh basil (if desired).
Put all ingredients into a large bowl.
Add as much mayo as necessary to hold everything together. (You can't really do too much or too little - it's just the glue.)

Spoon the mixture into the Fillo cups.

Bake in the oven at 325 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is gooey. (Best if baked, but can be microwaved in a pinch.) If desired, some of the shredded basil can be placed on top of each cup for a decorative touch.

The mixture can be made ahead and refrigerated for a couple of days, and if you have some leftover it's great on chips (cold or melted).

Wish I had a picture to share, but these always seem to disappear before the cameras show up :)

Dumbfounded

In relation to Mary's comment on my last post...

While we get plenty of lovely comments about Bailey, I have to share the conversation I had on Wednesday evening with a woman (hereafter referred to as Idiot Breeder, or IB) who was looking at one of the apartments in our building (Mr. P doesn't know, because I forgot to tell him!):

IB: Your puppy is so beautiful!

Me: Thank you! She's a wonderful dog...

IB: How old is she? Is she spayed? What kind of dog is she? You should really breed her...

Me (emphatically): YES, she's already spayed. I wouldn't want to let her accidentally get pregnant - I don't want to deal with puppies. Plus, she's a mutt.

IB: Well that's a shame. You could have made a lot of money off of her.

WTF??? AARRGHHH! SERIOUSLY!!! I don't understand people. Bailey is a mutt. Pretty, sweet, lovey, all sorts of wonderful things, but still a mutt. She is the result of other irresponsible pet owners. There are plenty of dogs JUST LIKE HER already in shelters!

Sorry, I just had to vent :) I'm a huge advocate of adopting and rescuing, as well as speutering. Yeah, I'm kind of a resident Bob Barker. There are too many animals needing love, and not enough loving homes to go around. (Not to mention that I'm not exactly thrilled at the idea of making my loving pet a business enterprise. SOOO not cool.)

However, all that said, I couldn't be happier with our mutt, and am flattered by every comment we get about her! I just wished I'd had enough courage to slap some sense into IB...

Pupdate

Life gets crazy, but I'm along for the ride. Right now, there just haven't been as many pit stops for blogging as I'd like.

Well, the cast has been off for a couple of weeks now! Bailey's pretty mobile (way too mobile, but that's just my opinion). She's supposed to stay calm for two more weeks (ha!), and then we're completely back in business. I should probably come clean - Mr. P and I haven't been overly diligent now that the cast is off. It's becoming increasingly difficult to keep a puppy calm during her first spring! Plus, she's started getting extra mouthy - it's not that she barks, but it's like she's talking back to us for not taking her out to play! Um, hello little missy, I need to put on my mom hat and teach you some manners!

But either way, she's still beautiful as ever:







Seriously, check out this scar - it's HUGE! Also exacerbated by the fact that Bailey's leg is soooo skinny in this picture ;) She's really started to build up the muscle again, and her back two legs are almost the same size now. If it weren't for the silly shave line, you might not even guess which leg had been hurt!


In other news, Mr. P and I went bowling with Pop and Schmoogie last weekend. Schmoogie plays on a league at school (do you "play" bowling, or do you just "bowl" a game?) and we fully expected to have our butts handed to us on a platter...



Actually, we all did pretty well, and I haven't laughed so hard in months. I think we may have to do it again soon :)

In other news, Mr. P and I have decided not to renew our lease and move out in June. The frustrations with our apartment are never-ending, and it's just not worth our stress anymore. G&A are moving to Oregon, so we'll be renting their house. While it's a little sad to think about not moving into a house of our own, it's just another step in that direction. So pretty soon, we'll be U City residents and say goodbye to Richmond Heights. I guess the newest life stress is thinking about the moving process - it's never any fun.

C has had a setback in her illness that I don't want to go into, but she's still hospitalized and I'm not sure when she'll be home. There are so many people who love her, and folks are taking off a week at a time to stay with her and make sure she's alright. I can't begin to tell you how much my family means to me - we have our dysfunctions, like most families, but when it comes down to it, there's nobody else I'd rather have in my corner.

This past Friday was Girls Night Out and I had a blast, as usual - the ladies are absolutely nuts, and I'm determined to stay longer next time. I have a sneaking suspicion that the later it gets, the raunchier and sillier it gets. My favorite thing is that we're all so different and have such different lives, but our common thread is the STLWed board. After so many of my old friends have moved away from St. Louis and as hard as it can be to make new girlfriends as I get older, I have to say that these get togethers hold a special place. Many thanks to Christie and Harvey for hosting, and to the rest of the ladies just for being there!

On Sunday, we made our way to South City Diner for brunch with Mom P. I just love this woman. Seriously, I don't think I could have been blessed with a better mother-in-law. Loved our meal and loved the company. Wish we got to spend more time with her than we do!

Mr. P's making me breakfast for dinner, so I'm gonna go enjoy that, but hope to be updating more again soon!

Earthquake?

I suddenly woke up out of a deep sleep this morning and shoved Mr. P to get him to close the window...

Me: "P, close the window, someone's on the roof trying to break in!" (because that makes SO much sense, closing a window because someone's breaking in from the roof...)

Mr. P: (groggy grumble, gets up and shuts the window)

Me: "Oh My GOD...it's an earthquake! Everything's shaking!"

Mr. P: "You're fine. It's not an earthquake. It's just the wind, go back to sleep. You're probably dreaming again."

I've been known to have some bizarre dreams which, thankfully, Mr. P is wonderful at putting up with. Lately, I've had more than normal - they really only happen when I'm stressed, and I have to be sleeping on my back...but when I woke up and showered this morning, I really couldn't remember dreaming anything last night. And I KNOW I slept on my side all night. I got dressed and went into the living room, where Mr. P was watching the news.

Mr. P: "Yep, earthquake last night."

Me: "Told you so."

Mr. P: "So you really felt the bed shaking?"

Me: "Uh, YEAH."

Mr. P: "Really??? 'Cuz I didn't feel a thing."

Me: "Oh, for the Love...seriously, it's like someone stuck a quarter in, and the bed started vibrating."

Mr. P: "Huh. Well, have a good day!"

I'm not really panicked about any of it, but it amuses me that for once, my bizarre behavior was actually validated by something real :) I'm even more amused that Mr. P couldn't feel any of it!

Quick update

Bailey got her cast off on Tuesday. (Sorry, no pictures yet.) Her leg's so skinny! Slowly learning to walk on it, but favoring the other three...the injured leg just kind of flops around for now. We really expected that she'd have it on for another two weeks - I was getting excited for a new cast :) So no new cast, and still supposed to be calm for another month (do the doctors even realize that she's only 6 months old?!).

C's surgery was postponed because apparently, she also has pneumonia. They drained 7 liters of fluid from her abdomen on Tuesday. Yep, LITERS. Yikes. Surgery rescheduled for Monday, probably. Not looking good, but there are a lot of people out there praying for C, and I can't help but believe that she can get through this. C'mon, we Irish folk are fighters!

Hopefully I'll have a chance to get some Bailey pics up soon.