Play That Funky Music White Boy

The above photo was shot on my way home from a weekend trip in South Western Wisconsin.  While driving down a two-lane hwy in Amish country I spotted an old abandoned farmhouse, barn and smaller barn, along the side of the road.  Being the adventurous woman that I am, coupled with the fact that my heart *beats* for artsy photography shots such as this, we pulled over.  I cannot begin to speak of the wonders within this house.  It was astonishing to actually get in there and see and *feel* the history; to wonder what the story behind letting such a wonder fall into utter disrepair...

And so we went through the entire house, minus most of the shorter bit to the left - which I am kicking myself for NOT exploring!  There were so many amazing things within this small home...

No T.V. and no Internet

I now live in my storybook house.  The previous dwellers referred to it as their 'Gingerbread' house.  Maybe I'll use that phrase too.  The house is great.  It's very quiet, and very lovely.  Like me.  Or not.  Only problem is that I can't afford cable or Internet at the moment.  I'm still sorting those issues out.  Internet is more of a need in my book, as I can watch most shows from there anyway these days. 

Having said that, I trekked out to Wal*Mart for 'rabbit ears' the other night.  Twenty bucks.  My project, soon enough, will be to hook those bad boys (along with the converter box) up.  In the meantime, I watch DVDs.  I have completed Season One of 'Fringe', and Season Two of 'Project Runway'.  Next up is the first half of Season One of 'Glee'.  Oh yes, I am that cool.  Hard to believe.

This week all the hype is over the fact that soda *may* contribute to cancer.  Really?  Wow.  Shocking.  *as I pop open my Pepsi and toss my empty Dr. Pepper can into the trash*   It's not that I throw the baby out with the bath water, so to speak, it's just that pretty much anything that you do, or don't do, these days, causes cancer.  Well, guess what?  My odds of cancer or something else incredibly random are pretty high.  That just tells me that I have to do what I think is right for my body - and in all things, attempt for moderation.

These are times when being rich would be nice.  As if I have the money to buy fresh organic fruits and veggies and meats all the time anyway.  Besides, organic?  I mean, don't the people harvesting that crap still peeing the fields as they work, just like the ones with the pesticides do?  I don't know, I digress...

As the white snow continues to layer itself outside, I look forward to an evening of cooking and cleaning.  I am odd and I know that.  I have excepted this, please do the same.  Last night I cleaned the toilet.  I find great joy in cleaning bathrooms.  Mine.  I should clarify that I like cleaning my OWN bathrooms.  Love. It.  Now that that is done, I will sort through old clothes and makes some homemade Zuppa Tuscana soup tonight.

I absolutely love the quiet peace of staying "in" on a snowy night.

Painting Project

I have two weeks to complete a mural project on a wall in Racine.  The deadline totally instituted by myself.  I work best under a bit of pressure.  This is my first mural on my own.  Should be fun.  We'll see how it goes. 

Trouble

In fourth grade I was in love with Bart Simpson - partially because he was new, partially because he was a rebel.  I always went for the rebel-type, I suppose.  I still remember the 'Bartman' and it's follow-up 'Deep Trouble'.  Is it incredibly sad that I can still rattle off all the words to both?

Clearly this week started with a bang.  As in, bang, your window is smashed - deal with it.  Good times.  Only to be followed up by the fact that the remaining water that the shop vac *didn't* remove from my seat should have evaporated in a few days...but, again, it's winter in WI and nothing can be that easy in my life, right?  Right.  Sunday night brought back it's icy frozen tundra temps, and since then the top layer of my seat is a block of ice.  Granted it's not completely soaked, so you cannot see it.  But none-the-less, every time I sit on it, I feel the frozen fabric give as I proceed to ride on a block of ice, literally freezing my @$$ off.  Again, good times.

This week has also brought with it a struggle with my blog.  First the comments won't work because I used a new template.  Fan-freakin'-tastic.  So I change it back.  Comments denied.  So I spend hours searching, messing with HTML codes, resetting things, EVERYTHING...no help.  Eventually I change the layout/display of comments and voila(!) comments!   In a last ditch effort to resurrect the old/new background, I reapplied it.  Again, messed with HTML to get the stupid "click here for more layouts" thing NOT to show on my blog.  I'm so cool like that!  And now, well, now it seems like all is well with the world yet again.  So far, the comments seem to be working. 

Please tell me that they are, because if they are not, I may have to kick a puppy or something....

*no puppies were harmed in the typing of this blog.

New Post. New Background. New Year.

I've been lackadaisical with my posts this year. In England they'd call it lacksadaisy. Or maybe that's just my friend, Olivia. Could be. After all, I found great joy in teaching her ghetto slang, pickup lines, and saying Fanny May - just to see her turn three shades of red.

Today I've decided to clean the blog slate and begin my year. However, my lack of Internet at my new place is extremely *not* helpful! Please bear with me through the process.

My car window was smashed in Saturday night. Made for a wonderful, albeit RAINY, Sunday morning. My seat is soaking wet. My car was coated inside with a layer of tiny bits and pieces of glass. Awesome. But, just over 24 hours later, Beatrice is whole again and now I focus on the fact that I need brakes and am broke. Thank you, to the punk that smashed my window for absolutely no reason.

Could it be a jaded lover?.... A jealous ex?.... A story fitting for Lifetime?

No. It's me. Random act of violence. I like to consider it as a hate crime.

I mean, I hated it.

2010 - Here I Come!!!!

And with a dramatic entrance, I welcome the year of our Lord Two-Thousand and Ten. With this welcoming I ask myself the question of the decade; do I commit to join the band of jovial humans who insist on pronouncing it as 'Twenty-Ten'? Or, do I stick to my guns and hang on to actually saying the number correctly?

I think I'm going with the latter. If anyone calls me on it, I think I may have to start saying; "The year of our Lord, two-thousand and ten." Every. Time.

Happy New Year, friends!

So Let's Join in Just One Last Chorus...

Such a motley crew are we!

Well, ever the queen of spontaneity, I ended up back in Pembroke, Virginia a few weekends ago for the Patrick Swayze Memorial service. Yet another 'Dirty Dancing' themed weekend. This one was more spir of the moment, however. Amie and I shifted things around and were able to drive ourselves to Kellerman's to meet our friends for a weekend of dancing, great food, trivia, a dedication, and laughs!

The drive there was beautiful. Up the mountain with the sun streaming through the barren trees. Leaves blowing around. The scents of Fall were thick in the air and just like the opening of the movie, we pulled up to the hotel.

Walking through the doors we were greeted by the familiar, and incredibly friendly, staffers. The feel of the Holidays covered the hotel everywhere we looked.

Mountain Lake has had plenty of crazy groups of people over the years but I'm sure ours is one of the best. The staff all enjoyed their turn at harassing us but it was only because they knew we could take it - and that we'd dish it right back that them. They appreciated our eccentricities! Like dance parties in the gazebo, and randomly jumping for pictures.

This weekend was dedicated to the Memory of Patrick Swayze.

A film crew from Lion's Gate were there to video every moment of the 'themed' weekend. If it weren't for my own laziness, I wouldn't have missed being interviewed for the next anniversary 'Dirty Dancing' dvd that will be release in 2010.

I got over it though, and I purposed to make it into every other shot! Ha! I know I'll be in for the Marengue lessons. Dancing with the woman instructor. Good thing I looked like total crap at that moment. Hoping for that close-up on my blotchy red face and my no make-up! WOO! Oh, on top of that, Amie and I had sat on the wet ground ten minutes earlier, so my but was wet. Well, let's clarify. I had two cd-sized circles on either cheek of my pants. That's so hot. Leave it to me.

So when you see me attempting to dance on the dvd - now you'll know why I randomly have a black sweater tied around my waste!

Awesome.

Another great trip to Kellerman's. There are so many other fantastic tales I could tell from my visits there but I will leave them for another day. Needless to say, we're going back next August. Absolutely.