living

The hardest thing I've ever had to do is live with someone. Cohabitation is not easy! J. & I have lived together for about a year and we're still working out the kinks. This weekend was a little hard, we had a new roommate move in and we're still adjusting to his new schedule. We got through it though and I think we're a little stronger for it. We just had to lay down a guide lines for weekend living, the major one being no bringing work home on the weekends. With opposite schedules we don't get to see each other during the week so weekends are now for "us" time. Lucky for me we don't really argue, we discuss ( at least that's how we put it ). We don't get angry just frustrated, but this thing called a marriage is a process and a lot of work. I know we're not technically married yet, but making a commitment to be with someone whether in a romantic way or not is an agreement to take the good with the bad and work out your differences. It didn't help that I'm about to get a visit from my monthly friend, so I was a little sensitive, poor guy! Anyway, the new roommate is moved in, more on that later, sending out the last of the invitations that need to be mailed today, school starts today, and all is good (if not a little hetict) in my little portion of the world.

A.'s Room

A.s room is done! Well for the most part, we still have a little work to do in the bathroom, but the room itself is done! Have I ever mentioned how much I hate painting walls!

That little black spot in the right hand corner is the dog, ever present and always underfoot =o)

The sconce was given to us by J.&D. for helping them move. It's meant to be outside on a porch or something but we're weird like that and think it looks awesome in the room!The mint in the window box outside the small window smells lovely!
And the view from the big windows is pretty amazing.

You're going to drink that?!?

I've started my new schedule today. Up at 7:30 and ready to go by 9. At least that's the plan. My class at the college doesn't start until 9:30, but I like to get there early to walk around a bit. Now these early mornings are a bitch and I am not use to them, I need a little something to get me going. I've decided to give up coffee during the week and have switched to green tea to cut back on some calories for the wedding, for a little extra kick in my diet though I've started making these:
Yummy green smoothies! I've already had a few people look at them with disgust, but they taste rather good! The thing that makes them green is just a little spinach and some Romain. You can't even taste that just the fruit. May look rather gross, but they taste delicious!

Porch Time

A slow weekend at home. A little painting, a little shopping, a little help moving some friends, and a lot of down time with my love.

So Sleepy!

They ( you know the ever present but never visible "they"), are planing inventory at my work and thus want us out of the way by 2 on Friday. Since night shift starts at 2 that pretty much means that "they" don't want us there at all. So me and my fellow vampires have been pulling 10 hour days all week. Now when getting paid overtime you won't hear me complain, but right now I have no energy. This really sucks since A. is moving in next weekend and his room needs to be finished. That means waking up, taking the dog for his walk and painting. So yes I am really tired!!

Dinner with friends

Happy Bench Monday!



So this weekend was a slightly productive one, with a lot of movie watching and working around the house. We started painting in A.'s room as well as cleaning up his bathroom. There was some grocery shopping and some house cleaning. There was mom's weekly Sunday visit (which I look forward to every week). There was also dinner with my best friend and his new girlfriend. I think I might have went a little overboard for such a simple dinner among friends, but it's rare that I get the chance to entertain so I took full advantage. I unfortunately did not take any pictures, but let me tell you I impressed my self. Since there isn't enough room for four to eat comfortably in the house yet I set up the picnic table outside. It had the whole nine yards, flowers, candles, place mats with napkins (and napkin rings!), bread basket, everything. Like I said I went a little overboard Dinner was sheperds pie, with cheesecake and strawberrys for desert. The night was a hit and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. V.'s new girlfriend K. seems like quite the catch and I hope she sticks around for a little while.
She even brought me flowers!

Beer, Beer, & more Beer

Yesterday was a somewhat uneventful day. Woke up, went for my walk with Ra, chore, a little sewing, then work. When I was cleaning out the back room for A., our soon to be new roommate I came across my old body pillow from before J. and I got together. Now rather then throwing it away, which is what most would do considering it's sad state, I decided to make a new cover and put it to use again. For some reason I always think I have more fabric around the house then I actually do. I ended up using some chart fabric that I had originally purchased with a quilt in mind. I also found an old pillow case that we had never used and that added just enough length and I didn't have to hem the top, easy!

The fabric is really awesome, it looks like an old star chart, might need to buy more in case I ever get around to that quilt I want to make.

The best part about yesterday happened a little while after I got home from work. Our cat, who has been enjoying a little freedom out of doors lately, decided to abuse that privilege and wander off last night. Now I know cats are meant to wander, but we live on the edge of BLM property that is undeveloped and full of predators that would love to make a nice midnight snack outta my little Calcifer! Sorry a little off subject there for a sec. So J. asks me if I want a beer to calm me down a little before I go to bed. I say yes (of course!). He goes out onto the porch and then silently calls me over. Here I am thinking that he had found the cat in some strange place and didn't want to startle him. I was wrong! This is what he wanted to show me:
He recieved his last paycheck from his previous job yesterday and decided that for once he wanted his beer fridge full! Now he already has found a new job so he wasn't being irresponsible, just indulging a little lol! He even got three of my favorite choices, hes so considerate!

Also a special HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! to A., he's finally outta of his teens. 20 yrs old today!! Tonight we're going to the casino for breakfast after work to celebrate ( yeah were strange people who love breakfast food at 10:30 @ night).

Happy Birthday A.!!!!

Wordless wednesday

Busy Day

Yesterday was a very busy day. First there was a trip to the gyno. That was an event what Dr. in his right mind stocks his waiting room with sports illustrated and golf weekly? Having to wait 30 mins with only this sort of reading material was not fun! Next came home to a shed that need to be organized, should have taken pictures of all the spiderwebs! I felt kinda bad for ruining their home, but with a roommate on the way I need more storage space! Then back to cleaning out the guest room for said roommate. Everything is cleared out soon on to the painting. I actually remembered to take a before pic:



Next we went to Target to register for the wedding. O.K. that was kinda fun. J. even got to register for the flat screen that he really wants, not that I think anyone's going to buy it. If anyone reading this is going to the wedding I really need new towels and not the flat screen lol!
When sorting out the guest room we found a need for a new storage system for our D.V.D's. Heres what we came up with:
From this:
To this:


And for today's to-do:
1. Finish Addressing Invites
2. Clean Porch
3. Dust House
Not a very long list for today

weekend recipe

So a few of our friends had a BBQ this past weekend. I really thought I was going to get away with just bringing a simple salad or perhaps some drinks... nope I jinx myself. I am now know for my deserts. No more easy throw it together salads for me. After some careful deliberation and a little bit of surfing on my favorite recipe website, http://allrecipes.com, here's what I came up with:


Glazed Almond Bundt Cake
It's nice and light which makes it a perfect summer treat, espically when you mix it with berries!
Here's the recipie:

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 2/3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1 cup milk
• 
  
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and ground almonds. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with 1 cup milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and invert on a wire rack. Cool 10 minutes longer. Place rack on waxed paper. Combine 1/4 cup milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and toasted sliced almonds; pour over warm cake.

I also added some strawberries, I thought it could use some color. Just slice strawberries, in a bowl combine them with enough sugar to coat and let sit covered in the fridge for about 30 mins. The sugar dissolves and makes a nice syrup. Fill the center of the bundt cake and enjoy! Lasted just long enough to get the plates passed out and got rave reviews. This one is going to stay in the recipe rotation for a while.

My Love

O.K. to get a little personal today, ( not that anyone reads this anyway). Things have been pretty tense around here lately. J.'s job has been dicking him around for the past two weeks, leaving us hanging as to whether or not he actually has a job. This morning to top everything off the HR rep for the company he works for calls at 6 o'clock! Yeah that 6 o'clock a.m. and for two night shift people that's just not cool! I've been trying my hardest to be there for him and put on a happy face so that he doesn't have to worry about me as well, but my smile is starting to wear a little thin. We're to the point that even though there's a good chance that his job is going to pull through and he'll still have a position he's looking daily at job postings for other places. Today's blog is dedicated to him and the wonderful man that he is. I love you so much and no matter what happens we'll pull through and come out the other side better for the experience.



The man of my dreams! My very own Dread Pirate Roberts

Wordless Wednesday

Garden Gnomes!

I love garden gnomes! I have a bit of a collection and during this time of the year it seems to expand! My grandpa had gnomes in his yard in Hawthorne. Every year when my mom and dad would have a drill on the same weekend my grandma would pack my brother Tye and I into here car and we would drive down there to take a mini vacation and swim in the pool that my uncles had dug out when they were teens. My grandpa passed a while ago and one of the things I remember about his house was the gnomes in his front yard. One in particular was mooning anyone who bothered to look. Growing up in a very conservative house I found this a little shocking when I was little and now I just laugh at the memory. Last year I started my own collection and today in memory of my grandpa Steve and just to document them for my own failing memory here they are:

This one is David, he was my first, something about a book toting gnome makes me smile.
(I heard somewhere if you don't name your gnomes right away its bad luck so all my gnomes have names)

These two are Steve and Percy, ( Pam if your reading this... Really Percy!)
This one was given to me in a recent swap and was made in Ireland so I named him Sean Patrick.
And here we have Fredrick and last but not least...

Hash
I tried to load this yesterday and it wouldn't work so here it is for today's post.

A year in pictures

8-1-08 to 8-1-09
Forever and a day I will wait for you, be there for you, love you...








One year and counting!