Soooo.... lemme ask ya...

Did you do any shopping under the 

'New' Black Thursday for your holiday presents?

I mean really, come on.  

Why can't we save Thanksgiving 

for family and friends?

I was appalled at the retailers that

were open on this holiday and 

saddened by those that opened at 9PM 

on Thanksgiving evening.

As a matter of fact, for someone whose

favorite past time is shopping, I didn't

go out to stores on Thursday, Friday or 

Saturday!  Sunday I went out mid-afternoon

to my favorite garden center, Waterloo Gardens,

just to get fresh air and peruse the gift shoppe.

I am honestly considering not taking my 

hard earned dollars to those retailers who

opened on Thanksgiving during the ENTIRE 

holiday shopping season!

So tell me, are you with me or are you one 

of those folks who went out to battle for the 

deals? 

How'd you spend your Thanksgiving holiday????

Hope you made sure to 

add a little bit of F-U-N

to your celebration....

I WE did!

 

 

Oh, and milestone met and continues to grow..... over 10,000 page views!

May God's Wonderful Bounty Surround You This Thanksgiving

Thanking my blogging fans for

stopping by and leaving a comment

or two.

I am thankful for you this

Thanksgiving holiday!

Blah, Blah, Blah, Tuesday!

Here in the NE US, 

it's a dreary Tuesday.

Gray day,

Misty rain,

Cooler temps.

This is the kind of day that I love

to stay in my jammies,

curl up in bed,

and watch a great movie or four!

Great movie? you ask.... you know, like

     - Bridget Jones Diary

     - An Officer and A Gentleman

     - Pretty Woman

     - The Notebook

Heck, even the newer Star Trek could

be considered good if you have the 

right person there watching it with you!

Today, here at work, they are holding a

'Wellness Fair' with various benefit companies

in one room to sell their wares.  

Lo and Behold, what do you suppose

was awaiting associates as they navigated

the room of vendors????

Back massages!! HIP!

No lines!!!!! HIP!

20 minutes long!!! HOORAY!!!

My dreary Tuesday has 

all of a sudden turned into

MY

DREAMY

TUESDAY

Stay awake our there!


P.S. (Closing in on 10,000 page views, so exciting!)

So much to do....

New Kitchen Progress

Well, we're biting the bullet and forging ahead with getting me a
kitchen I can live with for the next few years.

My home was built in 1924.  Stone first floor (with 16" deep window sills)
and stucco second floor.  It's chock full of character.

When we first looked at it back in 1989, it was considered a 'handyman
special' and the only redeeming feature the Realtor could say was,
"The mosaic tile is pretty."  Needless to say that was one of the
many things we've changed over the years.  But I digress, and I
will share the evolution of our home at another point... back to my
new kitchen plans...

We're adding a modest 12' x 12"10 addition to the back of the house
just off the existing 'eat in' kitchen.  The new addition will now house the
kitchen and the existing kitchen will be an eating area adjacent to the
dining room.

Wall between dining room and kitchen is being torn down too to open
up the area.  I plan to have a buffet created where the current wall is.
Again, modest 3' x 5' buffet with cabinet on both sides; dining room side
to have glass doors with mullions & lighting to 'show off' my prized
possessions, kitchen eating area to have solid wood doors.

Cabinet shopping done
'L' shaped kitchen layout (changed from a 'U' shape) cabinets to
all be creme with a mocha glaze... details are oh so pretty.
Small slanted island to have prep sink with disposal and extended to
accommodate two stools.  Trash can will be hidden in the cabinet.
These cabinets will be stained wood with a glaze...same door details
as white cabinets.

Will look similar to this with darker glaze.  Same hood.

Buffet
As described above, cabinets stained like island.

All counters will have granite including island and buffet area.

Kitchen eat in area 
'L' shaped bench seats with heating radiators built into the base.
About 11' on one wall & 5' on the other, plenty of seating for
family and friends to set a spell and visit.
I think these will be painted and glazed to match the main cabinet area.
I will still have to make the cushions, choose fabric, etc....

Last night we went to choose flooring
Wanted cork flooring for comfort while standing but found them
to be available like a floating floor in planks of varying widths or
blocks of 16" squares.  Since my current floor is that style of flooring
that clicks together AND the fact that the dog's water bowl caused
the underlayment to expand, I don't want to have that type of system
in the kitchen again.

Cork flooring cost was about $6.50 sf not including installation and sealing.
I know, I have always been told I have Champagne taste and a beer pocketbook.
Guess I still do.

Alternative flooring I am going with is a Congoleum product that's super durable,
super comfy underfoot and super affordable compared to my cork floor... only $2.70 sf.
It also won't be damaged with water and no gluing needed.  The style I chose
looks like tile and is a great alternative choice.

HVAC
Today, I spoke to a HVAC company about having the Mitsubishi heating & AC unit
installed to supplement heating if needed but definitely will complement and boost
the retrofitted central air we had put into the house a few years ago.

Extra AC unit was not an option, it was a requirement!  And I believe it will increase
the summer comfort tremendously especially since we've opened up the space by
removing the walls.

HVAC will come over, hopefully before Thanksgiving, to provide info and schedule
install within the scope of the project.

Next up, lighting
Oh, sconces, pendants, chandeliers, can lights, under counter lights
Here I come!

Can't wait to get this party started!
I have redone the kitchen before so I know it will be a royal pain in the a$$
and inconvenient, but I also know I have an aggressive timeline in place and it
will be done and over with too.

Perhaps I'll post pix of my nightmares as we progress along...

Why Am I So Tired Lately?

I've started moving more,
Zumba classes & walking.

I've tried to choose better food options,
tuna salads, low fat, portion controlled meals.

I thought I'd get more energy.
Instead, I feel tired.
I go to bed early
(cause my eyes are closing on me.)
I have been getting sleep
(albeit not a full night's rest at one time,
but I sleep nonetheless.)

I have a lot of stress in my life,
I believe the addition of exercise
will help me better cope with and
reduce the stress level.
Stress won't go away, how
I cope with it will help.

I'll stick with it because I know I
am making positive steps but I
just want to begin to feel that difference.

Why am I so tired lately?

Thank a Veteran Today!

For all those who are currently serving,

For all those who served,

For all those who will serve,

My deepest gratitude for permitting

me to live in the land of the FREE.

Freedom does not come for FREE,

There is a price that gets paid,

Sometimes, it's the ultimate sacrifice,

a soldier's life.

Happy Veterans' Day 2011!

and for my Dad,

Semper Fi!

and a Belated Happy 236th Birthday to the Marine Corps.

Hubby's Surgery Went Well YAY!

Hubby had knee surgery today

(that's why I was up well before the 

birdies this morning  and in the office

before sunrise!). 

Dr. was able to fix the tears to the 

meniscus but there's arthritis in 

that there joint so eventually, 

it will begin to bother him again.

Heck, he may even need to have 

a knee replacement someday, but most

likely not until he's in his 60's or 70's.

I am happy there were no complications, 

he's been through so much since his 

injury in 1991.  Anything that can be 

done to alleviate any pains is greatly 

appreciated.

Thank you God!

I Love You!

Meetings, meetings, meetings, meetings & meetings

ARGH.... 

Finally out of marathon meetings!

Now I finally get to do some work...

with the last 45 minutes to my day

(I hope).

Just had to vent before starting to do 

that work!

Ciao!

Let's get ready to Zumba!!!!!!!!!

Ok, in my continuing quest to live a 

healthier lifestyle, I went to my 

FIRST Zumba class last night!

What a workout!

Reminded me of the Aeorobics classes

I used to go to but a little more

bootie shakin'!

I hope I don't throw out my hip

as I try to gyrate and shake it up!

I want to be ripped like the instructors.

Ah, those firm abs, mine are flabby,

firm arms, mine are batwings,

sculptured shoulders, 

mine are turning into Quasimodo!

(Really, if you knew me, you'd see the resemblance!)

I worked up a great sweat and 

left for home without so much

as a jacket on me.  

Opened the windows and the 49 degree

temperature felt oh-soooo-good!

I can feel my calves and thighs today...

Maybe I should have worn flats instead

of heels... nawwww!!!

Plan to attend next week's class.

Til then....my shakin' will be minimal.

Ta ta for now Dahlings!

For A Friend...

In the words of Billy Joel...

Don't go changing, to try and please me

You never let me down before

Don't imaging you're too familiar

And I don't see you anymore 

I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble 

We never could have come this far 

I took the good times, I'll take the bad times 

I'll take you just the way you are 

Don't go trying some new fashion 

Don't change the color of your hair 

You always have my unspoken passion 

Although I might not seem to care 

I don't want clever conversation 

I never want to work that hard 

I just want someone that I can talk to 

I want you just the way you are. 

I need to know that you will always be 

The same old someone that I knew 

What will it take till you believe in me 

The way that I believe in you. 

I said I love you and that's forever 

And this I promise from the heart 

I could not love you any better 

I love you just the way you are. 

Always have, always will.

Death, Taxes and Change

Well, there are three things you can count on in life;
Death, taxes and change.

I am trying to change my habits and behavior
and get back my life, little by little.

One area that I really want to change for the good
is my weight.

So last week, I walked four days and this week
I am now looking at day three! Yipee!

After I eat my lunch (at my desk no less), I lace up the
sneakers I received for achieving my health fitness goal
and go for a 1/2 hour walk around the business campus.

I've tried to be more careful of what I am putting down
my throat too.  Being more aware of what I am eating and
trying to choose the right things.  Easier said than done.

I have done it in the past with great success and maintained
the healthier lifestyle for a few years but when I went back
to school for my MBA, it all kinda fell apart since I had class
to sit through and home work to sit through and of course, WORK
to sit through.

But I am trying to make a positive change once again.
I hope this helps me reach my goal to not only feel better
but look better too!

Hmmmm, maybe I should shoot a photo log and when I
start to feel different, do a post with my pictures.... that's an
idea.... any one have any thoughts?

Any one want to join me?

~M

Time Capsule of Sorts

One day last week, I was seriously contemplating
whether to stop this lil ol' blog o' mine.

When I started,
I didn't set out with a plan to change the world.
I didn't think I'd ever get anyone to read my words.
I didn't think it was worth doing anymore.
After all, who gave a rat's a$$ about it?

No one, not a single person, nope not anyone
but me.  Then I went back and read through some
of the entries and they told me something.

They were a time capsule of sorts letting me relive
some moments I dared to post and share with the world
(and my blogging buddies ~ <3, Love you guys/gals!)

I am glad I never was able to save that post
bidding you all a fond farewell.  (I was trying to
do it on my iPad with tear-filled eyes, twice! but it
wouldn't save for some reason.)  I was in a rough
patch, a dark place, a place I don't like being in.

Like my heading states, this is just a place for me
to post things that happen in my life day-to-day,
some boring, some not...you be the judge.

If I decide to change paths and write something that
I think will serve mankind, I'll start a new blog to let
the world know I have come to SAVE THE DAY.
(Lucky you, you'll be one of the first to know so you
get a running start or at least you can choose to ignore!)

For now, I'll just plug away at my little blog for prosperity.

Thanks for being a faithful reader and sometimes, even
leaving a comment.  I cherish each and every one of them.

It's NoVeMbEr...ALREADY!

Turkey Day
Li's Birthday
Christmas Day
New Year's Day
all just around the corner!