Tuesday, March 24, 2015

"Yes, London. You know: fish, chips, cup 'o tea, bad food, worse weather, Mary "F#$%#*$#" Poppins... LONDON."

It's another gray day here - yesterday brightened up - then today it got gray and damp and gloomy...Foggy, lots of FOG.... I felt like I was in London...

To brighten up my gloomy day... for some reason I thought of scenes from my favorite movie.  I don't know anyone, but myself, that Snatch (Guy Ritchie Film), from 2000, with Brad Pitt, was their favorite movie - it's mine.... I have to say, it's definitely mine....


Today I just took a few minutes break and sat here and watched the funny scenes from the movie.... I had to hold back the giggles, but couldn't contain the big smile.... I'm still trying not to giggle out loud... I think the kid and I need to see the movie from front to back this week over dinner... and have a good laugh...




Monday, March 23, 2015

Off Coffee and On to Tea....

I have been stocking up on tea bags... trying new ones, and finding out what I love the most... Tea is outrageously expensive!!!!  So, I go to places like Whole Foods or Fresh Market or even Trader Joes and look for what teas are on sale each week, and buy new ones or my favorites if they are on sale - whether I need them or not...

My absolute favorite tea - over everyone that I've had over the past few months - remains:  Revolution Sweet Ginger Peach.  It smells like a sachet bag when you pull the teabag out of the little ziplocked sealed bag they come in - inside the box... and it is good hot or cold, sweet or unsweet...it's perfect!!!!

I also love Revolution's Lavender Earl Grey..... I swear it is so soothing after a stressful day at the office and having to deal with awful bumper to bumper traffic with aggressive, crazy drivers out to ram you or run you off the road...
Then after a few duds... I came across a sale on Stash teas - and my favorite now in the mornings and it makes a wonderful Iced Tea.... Breakfast in Paris!!!!
And.... my favorite of all Green Teas.... is the Tazo Green Iced Tea (Unsweetened) from Starbucks... At lunch I tend to go there and grab up a TRENTA sized Iced Green Iced Tea - no syrup/SF... and drink that for the rest of the afternoon.... it has a wonderful minty refreshing flavor!!!!!!

Friday, March 20, 2015

Foggy First Day of Spring...


It took a very long time for the fog to lift and burn off today... though the sun has finally come out, it's very steamy and hot outside.  Very Summer-like rather than First Day of Spring-like.

I've received two invitations to Spring weddings.  One in April and one in May.  I'm now going to have to find something new to wear... "Love is in the air"... so the hunt begins for the perfect outfit and shoes.  I wish they were English weddings and I'd add a "Hat" to the list of things to buy!  It would also be wonderful to go to a wedding, like the one's shown in "Four Weddings and a Funeral"... I love that movie, and it just never gets boring or old to me.

Happy First Day of Spring!!!!





Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Two More Days Till Spring....

Trying to be a bit artsy and funny with Noomi... we decided to do a selfie together... She's been a total Mama's girl the past couple of days, sleeping with me, washing my face and hair, jumping on me (hurts because she's about 25 lbs. now!)...


I have Frühjahrsmüdigkeit!!!!!!!!!!!  Seriously.... I'm not depressed - but after having been on such an energy kick, so furiously wanting to do so much and see so much and move and be outside... all of a sudden these past two days, my mood hasn't been so sunny (just a crab-apple like mood) and my energy level dropped to nothing by 5:00 p.m. last night...my joints were aching, I had a headache, and sure enough, it will be Spring in two days... WELL, I'm not going to let it get me - I'm going to be energetic and happy go lucky no matter what!!!!!  So back to the MANIC me!!!!  



Last night I watched Magic in the Moonlight, a Woody Allen film, the story taking place during the 1920s in the South of France on the coast, and Provence... it was breathtakingly beautiful, the story was simple/sweet, though I didn't really find any great sparks or chemistry between Emma Stone and Colin Firth - as I watched the film, I kept thinking how absolutely phenomenal it would be to have a home in Provence...with gardens full of sweet smelling beauties, herbs, ... to just lie on a blanket with a good book in the sunshine and not have to worry about Fire Ants eating me up... 

Makes me wonder - does my son remember all the times on vacation when I saw beautiful grass lawns in parks and coaxed him into lying on it and rolling around and laughing because we would not be bitten up or stung - like here in Florida where he's learned you don't do that unless you want to be covered in bites and welts... We rolled around some of the best parks.... Hyde Park right near the enterance by The Royal Albert Hall and the monument....


or one of my favorite roll in the grass times in Brussells Park.... that's where I saw my very first Magpie!!!!  


Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!!!!


There's a smidgeon of Irish blood running through my veins... sadly, this morning when I was putting make up on, I actually grabbed up the green eyeliner and shadow set, and then "poo-poo'ed it" and put it away, because I decided on neutrals... then I wore black and white... those little Irish genes of mine were trying so hard to come out for their special day, but I think the English, German, and Welsh genes prevailed.... I totally forgot today was St. Patrick's Day!!!!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all... I'll be home watching a movie, eating cauliflower, and relaxing with the cats... what an exciting life I lead!!!!!!

Monday, March 16, 2015

Feeling Better and Better....

This weekend was a whirlwind of activity and accomplishments...

The kid's bed was delivered and set up ...

Got my hair done...

Went shopping for vegetables and fruits at the market...

Have a sparkling, dust free, clean home that smells so sweet and clean...

Went SHOPPING... HAD a Blast!!!!  I managed to find the perfect, and very good quality comforter set, bed skirt, pillow cases, and new bathroom rug all at least 75% off without breaking my bank!!!!  We are almost finished!!!  We just have to mount the TV and game set on the wall and shelving - and some inexpensive curtains - hang his artwork up, and buy a wallsconce for beside his bed for lighting and FINISHED!!!  I couldn't take any photos because he had piles of laundry here and there - and I really didn't want to share that... with anyone.  Tonight I'm going in there and put the laundry in its rightful place and take some pictures to show the progress....

I have cooked one incredibly delicious meal after another for the kid and I... He's been told - to live in my home as he has, means nothing with sugar, processed white flour, etc., is allowed in my home... he has to eat the way I am in the house.  I don't care what he does when he's out and about... Just nothing to dirty up my food storage and cause me to move over to the darkside again... and you know, he and I are both feeling much better, lighter, happier, sleeping better!!!!!  It's benefitting us both to eat better ....  Last night's dinner was Cajun Chicken stuffed with Spinach and Pepper Jack Cheese.  It was wonderful... I love Spinach!!! I love veggies.

This morning - Habibi was very appreciative of my energy and feeling good.  I woke up before the alarm and took him into the bathroom and groomed him... his allergies are terrible, so his eyes are really icky bad.  He has no sinus cavities from being so severely pug faced, so it makes his eyes weep and get crusty, icky... I wish I could give him Allegra for Kitties, though I don't know that they have such a thing!


Thursday, March 12, 2015

BUNCO!!!!!

Tonight I accepted an invitation to join a group that play BUNCO!!!! at a beautiful (my favorite) country club... the salads and soups they have at this country club are wonderful - I'm looking forward to it... but mostly for the fun of playing the game and meeting new people...  This group meets one Thursday every month... I'm in... it's better than sitting around with cats, watching tv, and doing nothing because I'm tired or bored or not feeling well... I'm not having that anymore... now... I don't have time for feeling bad... it's time to move!!!!

So you ask, What's Bunco?  Well here's a tutorial....  (Our Winning Prize is the pot of money collected by every player)

PLAYING THE GAME

• Take 12 score sheets and secretly draw a star on four of the sheets. Have each person pick a score sheet, this will tell you who will be starting at the head table. The remaining 8 players can sit at the "Middle" or "Losing" tables.

• Each table is randomly divided into 2 teams. Team couples sit across from each other. Pick one person on each team to tally points during each round. Keep track of team points by using the tally sheet--these points are only used for each number round. To save paper, just cross out previous rounds tallies and continue with new round on the same paper .

• The "Head" table controls the pace of the game. The game begins when the "Head" table rings the bell. One player from each table starts the game by trying to roll "ones" with the 3 dice. Always take your roll using 3 dice. If 1 of the die shows the number currently "up" tally 1 point, if 2 of the dice show the number currently "up" tally 2 points.

• When you roll "three of a kind" of the number you are currently rolling this is a BUNCO !!!(21 points). Keep rolling and collecting points. Do not forget to give yourself, not your teammate, one BUNCO !!! point on the bottom of your score sheet after your turn is finished.. If at this time or any other time a player at the "Head" table rolls a BUNCO !!! the bell is rung & the round stops. The other players currently rolling finish their turn and continue collecting points .

• Remember, the fuzzy die is passed from player to player as BUNCO'S !!! are rolled.

• If you roll "three of a kind"--of another number--give your team 5 points and keep rolling and collecting points until you do not roll the number that is "up".

• If you do not roll the number that is currently "up" the person to your left takes their turn.

• When the "Head" table reaches 21 points or rolls a BUNCO !!! they ring the bell to signal the end of that round. The number currently up changes to the next number (1 to 2, 2 to 3 , etc.).

• The winning team stays at the "Head" table. Have one teammate move over a chair so they will have different partners for the next round. The losing team from the "Head" table goes down to the "Middle" table.

• The winning team from the "Middle" table goes to the "Head" table & the winning team from the "Losing" table goes to the "Middle" table. The losing team from the from the "Middle" table goes down to the "Losing" table & the losing team at the "Losing" table stays at the table but one player moves over one chair so they will have a different partner..

• At this point write W or L (Winner or Loser) on your own score sheet for that round. Keep your score sheet with you at all times. Do not stay with your partner--your new partner will be one person from the winning or losing team joining you at the "Winning", "Middle", or "Losing" table.

• The "Head" table rings the bell to signal the start of a new round.

• If the teams have a tie score there will be a roll-off to determine the winner. ( See roll-off--BUNCO !!! Lingo)

• Play continues for two complete sets. At this point, take a break for dessert and then continue the last 2 sets.

The game ends when all 4 sets of BUNCO !!! have been completed. Each person then adds up the their total BUNCO'S !!!, Wins, & Losses from each round and writes the totals at the bottom of their score sheet. Prizes are awarded at this time.