Golden Compass

Courtesy of Michelle mouse over the image. You can take a quick survey that let's me know how other's see me.

I couldn't resist. Oh, and keep looking below for pictures from the weekend.

Photo Monday

Blurry Kitty - but I like it anyway

Hiding Lily


My first tulip - I planted bulbs in the fall and this is my first one to flower

Dappled light through the plum

Cassie and Sophie

Caleb smiling

Tulip - one of the few in the backyard to make it due to our odd weather

Toes exposed

Shades of spring

Plum blossoms

Max - no camera mom, seriously NO CAMERA

Some hubby bonding

Today was one of those catch up days with the loved ones. A hot shower, a little love, and then the always romantic weed pulling extravaganza. I have gone with the Darwinian theory that what ever can grow in my yard, great, fabulous, terrific. Go nuts. If you can't survive on your own, tough tiddly winks. So, as you can imagine that pretty much leaves three things growing in my English garden style front yard, dandelions, weedy grass, and cat mint. Everything else struggles to just grow a few inches. I am not a good gardener, I'm more of a half assed gardener. And maybe I don't even deserve that much credit. And this year, it's painfully obvious how bad a gardener I am. The grass like weeds have pretty much taken over. At this point if I want to fix this situation I have to dig it all up, put down some fabric and start all over again. Sigh...........And I have no one to blame but myself.

I do have to say I love laying on the thyme ground cover that we have, it's softer than a hotel mattress, and pulling out the little clover plants that seem to grow in and amongst the blanket of thyme. The hubster joined me and we sprawled on our sidewalk and pulled out the little clover runners. It was actually kind of fun and relaxing. Our little Sophie princess was out with us. She just plopped down on the sidewalk and kept her mommy company.

When I said a few posts ago that the plants literally grow before your eyes. I meant it. I can't believe how fast things are growing. I LOVE this time of year. I love that we have nothing but warmth for the next several months. I love that things are green again. And that the birds sing non-stop. I simply love being in the sun and fresh air.

I never used to appreciate the warmth and the sun when I lived in it all the time. I took it for granted. But now, now I relish every moment. Our climate really encourages us to live our spring and summer lives to their fullest. And that is marvelous. It feels just plain spectacular to be alive.

Now I will grab a bottle of brambleberry tea and curl up with a good book while basking in the sun. I think tomorrow I have plans to do the same.

Coffee thought

I went over to my *gasp* favorite coffee shop near work which yes, happens to be Starbucks. You know I struggle with this, but dang it, they really are the only ones with a reliable cup of coffee near here.

I curled up in a chair with my book and a mocha and found myself 2 pages later not having a clue what I had just read. This would be because a million thoughts were running through my head.

This absolutely adorable young couple were having coffee together and the chemistry between them was electric. They were sitting at a small table facing each other and while they talked they leaned in close. They only had eyes for each other. She was an absolutely gorgeous young woman. The kind of girl that wakes up perfect. No makeup, hair tossed casually up into a bun. And simply stunning. Not to mention that you could tell just from her smile that she was a sweet and genuine person.

Two friends of hers walked into the shop and they greeted each other warmly. Not the high pitched annoying girly greeting but rather just a sweet and honest warmth. One of the girls asked the little beauty if she would be doing a solo and the little beauty replied that she hadn’t been asked yet but she was hoping to. I have no idea what sort of solo, be it singing or musical, or dance but I could totally imagine her captivating an audience.

Her two friends, one was very tall, very elegant, and poised. The other was a tiny little thing with long hair and a sweet smile. She was a dancer I found out during their conversation.

I’m not sure why this little interaction struck me like it did. But one of the things I realized was that this was their time. They were the future. All the bright and beautiful possibilities of this world. They were the ones making things happen. Bringing change. Moving the planet forward.

And I started to feel my age. I never really have before. I kind of think of myself as always around 30. It’s not that I am even that much older. But I realized that my life has settled down. My life has pretty much found it’s course. I have a family, a mortgage, two cars, and a yard I take care of. Don’t get me wrong, I love my life. I wouldn’t change a thing. But my “time”, my possibilities, my bright star has found it’s place. It’s no longer shooting brilliantly across the sky.
I know you make life what you want it so I still have brialliance and possibilities, but it's not quite the same, not quite so pure and so unhindered.

These four people, their stars were blindingly brilliant. They were moving, and they were shaping what the world will become. I wish them well.

I can't believe I'm not dead yet

So today I went to "school" to get ServSafe Certified. And in 2-3 weeks my certificate might come in the mail. I sorta doubt it. I am not a good crash learner. I don't have very good short term memory. So basically I retained 10% of what they taught us. Probably not enough to get me through the test. 90 questions about Foodborne illnesses, symptoms and causes of diseases I can't pronounce let alone remember details on. You also learn about the importance of food temperatures, storage and handling.

After taking this class I did learn one major thing. The health department should have shut me down a long long time ago. You are supposed to get hot food down to 70 degrees within two hours and then refrigerate it and get it down to 41 degrees in under 4 hours. I leave dinner out till the next morning and then remember to throw it in the fridge. WAY WAY WAY past the safety time. I'm not sure if I have ever cooked a meal that wasn't time temperature abused. Not good.

So, like I said, I can't believe I'm not dead yet. I should have gotten a few major illnesses over the years.

And if you want to talk about preventing cross contamination. Yeah, I have never done anything to prevent cross contamination. I cut up my chicken and then my carrots on the same board with the same knife. I don't clean and sanitize the surface and the knife before switching food. I guess I like mixing up my micro organisms and spreading them as far around as I can.

About the only thing I don't do is smoke over food, prepare foods with my hands with open cuts, nor do I sneeze in the food. But aside from that, what can I say. You take your life in your own hands coming over for dinner at my place.

Or, perhaps for those that have been eating at our house for a while and have remained healthy, it's more of a immune system strengthening program. Our bodies get so exposed to little nasty creatures that we have become SUPER human. Yeah, that's it. I make my guests into super humans.

The good news for the world out there is that I don't actually work in the food industry. I just have to be able to advise people that do. I promise I will preach though I don't necessarily practice.

Hat's off to Mikey

Sometimes I have a mundane post that really isn't all that interesting.

It rained, Lily got scared. It thundered, Lily got even more scared.

It was also warm and sunny, we gardened.

See, mundane.

So instead, I will send you over to read this which made me snort tomato soup out my nose.

Photo Friday

New Tulip - planted the bulbs last fall - yippee some actually grew!
Tiny spring flowers in our back yard
Cosmos just starting to come out
Caleb - isn't he cute????
My dear friend Girl J's daughter Lil Al is going to her first prom this weekend. Lil Al asked me to make her jewelry and a garter for it. I was so honored. I forgot to take pics of the jewelry but here is the garter that I made her. It almost from afar looks like I knew what I was doing!

The runts in my life

So Tink asked us to throw down our “runts” those little stories that aren’t part of the big moments in our lives but yet are still momentous in some way.

Runt #1: Back in elementary school lunch came with a main course, milk, and a little container of peanuts and raisins. My friend and I thought it would be a great idea to gather up all the unwanted containers, put them in our now empty milk cartons and then snack on our bounty. Which we did. To the point where I was throwing up peanuts and raisins for what felt like days. I can’t touch either of them to this day without feeling sick.

Runt #2: When my family gathered up our lives and moved to Michigan we drove across the country. From California to our new home in Southfield MI. Three things happened on that trip that I will never forget. We made the drive in winter. And getting over the continental divide was hazardous. Several semi’s had jackknifed and the going was dangerous at best. When we actually got across and on to safer roads we learned that the highway patrol had shut the pass down. It was the first time in my life in which I remember being truly scared. The next momentous event on that trip was a stop we made at a diner. It was truly a truck stop location. Complete with a waitress that called everyone “hun”. I was enamored and awed by the experience. The friendly and down home little café. And to this day I believe the best pie I have ever eaten. Lastly when we drove through a chunk of Texas I picked up a souvenir, a book called Texas Tall Tales. I still have it 30 years later. And the stories in there still make me laugh.

Runt #3: We lived in Michigan for 18 months. And in that short amount of time I had more weird things happen to and around me than would normally happen in a decade or two. A portion of the school we went to burned down. All but the mother of a family that went to my school died from Carbon Monoxide poising. I suffered third degree burns from an accident and had to have skin grafts. And just days after getting out of the hospital I managed to get a splinter the size of my whole thumb up into what little skin I had left on my heel. Not long after my hospital stay I also got a really bad case of bronchitis that took me out of school for another couple of weeks. I had my first and only bully experience and got into a huge brawl on the way home from school. And I got my first kiss. (on the cheek, but still my first kiss) his name was Richard Cerbello. And to this day I have always wondered how he’s doing.

Runt #4: In college my roommates and I would often ride the bus into Hollywood to see a movie. It was a long trip but we would wander around the areas of each bus change. On one occasion we stopped at a pet store because we were early for our movie. Inside the pet store there was a table of bunnies. One of the bunnies was a big grey lop ear. She came bounding across the table to me and demanded ear scratches. Which of course I obliged. Then it was time to go to the movie. But as soon as the movie was over I headed back to the pet store and bought the little lop. I named her Miss Louise. Which is part of a title to a song from the Lost Boys sound track. She was the best bunny in the world. She trained herself eventually to only go potty in her cage. And she loved Apple Jacks more than any food in the world. In fact if we left the box of apple jacks on the kitchen counter she would figure out how to get to it, knock it off the counter and tear into the box. She didn’t do this with any other cereal. Not even something similar like Fruit Loops. It was only Apple Jacks. She came when you called her and loved people. She was far more like a dog or cat than what we typically think a rabbit would be like. I still miss her terribly.

Ok, enough of my little runts. How about a few from you?

Wild Child!

Hello sports fans! As a prowd Minnesotan I just had to share!
A little video entertainment and below that: some pics from last nights Hockey fight game.

The State of Hockey

MINNESOTA WILD ANTHEM

We were raised
With the stick
And a pair of blades
On the ice we cut our teeth
We took our knocks
In the penalty box
Our mother was the referee

This sport was here
Before we came
It will be here when we're gone
The game's in our blood
And our blood's in the game
Lay us down under
A frozen pond

We will fight to the end
We will stand and defend
Our flag flying high and free
We were born the child
Of the strong and wild
In the state the state
Of hockey
A big blue line runs around our state
A line that can't be crossed
The day they try to take this game
Is the day the gloves come off

We will fight to the end
We will stand and defend
Our flag flying high and free
We were born the child
Of the strong and wild
In the state the state
Of hockey.

During A Hockey Fight a Game Broke out

Stanley Cup Playoffs - Game 4
Minnesota Wild Vs. Anaheim Ducks.

Yeah baby! This was one hell of a game!

Thanks Boy J for keeping me as your "sports wife"!

Just Stuff

So, I know I have mentioned this before but I have to say it again. There are a bank of elevators in one of our buildings that completely freak me out. Rather than the old fashioned up or down buttons on the outside wall this elevator system has a panel with a button for each floor. Then you push the floor you want and a display tells you what elevator to get on. After that you walk around the corner to the actual elevator area. You stand in front of the designated elevator. It will open, you get on, and take a leap of faith that it will stop on your floor. I'm not sure why this freaks me out but it does. I feel somewhat out of control. Sort of like stepping into a horror film every time I have to utilize them. My imagination starts to run wild. But from simply loosing the visual control of choice? It's very odd. They are after all just elevators. They always work. You don't hear horror stories. Yet I get bothered every time I have to use them.

Now that I have been a regular bus rider I have noticed a few things. The people that ride the bus are from all walks of life. You can't assume any annual income or net worth range just because people ride the bus. But you CAN tell a lot about the person doing the riding.

Some are quiet commuters like myself. We don't talk, typically we read. Or in a few cases, apply our make-up for the day.

Then there are the apparent down and out. And those tend to come in two forms. Kind and courteous or downright nasty and "entitled". As in we are all apparently "entitled" to hear their conversations at full volume. Sometime they are only talking to themselves. We are also "entitled" to their opinion about everything going on around them. The bus, the driver, the people getting on or off, the street, a business, whatever. I've also noticed that riders will look out for other riders that might be seconds late for the bus. They will let the driver know that someone is trying desperately to make the bus. The driver will stop and the person will get on without incident. And then, like yesterday there are those that think that people are "entitled" to that particular bus regardless of where they are. Or how much this will hold the bus up from getting on with it's route in a timely manner. In yesterday's case the person was at the other end of the block and across the street. And sauntering slowly while waving their hands. They were not disabled in any way. They just felt "entitled". To hell with schedules, they were "entitled" to this bus. Thankfully for us all the driver didn't wait for the sauntering and thoughtless person. But BOY did we have to hear about it from someone sitting on the bus who was probably themselves one of the sauntering "entitled" She bitched for a good 3 miles.

There are also kids. Good kids and soon to be in jail kids. Kids that ride the bus quietly and respectfully and kids that scare you just a little bit because they are too young to look so angry and jaded.

And there are kindly elderly people that know the bus drivers by name.

For the most part it's an uneventful adventure. And I am loving the 40 or so minutes every day of undisturbed reading time. But I've noticed every once in a while we get quite the entertaining rider.

On the Puppy front we had friends visit us last night that just adopted a Grey Hound named Cicada. He's a beautiful and very sweet dog. They brought him over last night to visit our dogs. They muzzled him as they aren't sure how aggressive he is toward other dogs. But all seemed to go well. Of course he's 4X the size of any of our dogs so it was funny to watch the interaction. Every dog we have could actually walk under him. And I think Soc's our kitty was in love the second he saw him. I mean, Soc's LOVES dogs but man, he didn't know what to do with THAT much dog. He's was SO happy. Rubbing up against Cicada back and forth, back and forth under his legs. We could only laugh at the cuteness of it all.

Oh, and Caleb and Lily both greeted S & S. They did some fear barking and growling but over all they handled the strange company very well. S even commented on how much they have improved. She even got to pet them a little bit. Which is pretty huge considering the last time S&S visited the dogs hid in the kennel.

That's enough for today.

Hugs to everyone!

Deep Observations Of A Clueless Optimist

I really wish magic were real
I’ll even take the bad stuff that goes with it.
But of course I would probably not be one of the “gifted”
I would be a muggle.

Is it a coincidence that I love reading about two different Harry’s?

But I could only fall in love with one of them. The other one would land me in jail.

And if there really was a Stargate
I picked the wrong career to ever find out the secret

Same goes for Farscape. Only one man from Earth got lucky on that adventure.

Though if we had a Federation I would have joined the academy. And boldly gone where no one had gone before.

Legends too have their appeal. I’m beginning to wonder just what IS under Robin’s Hood.

I would have lived in Avalon. And made an excellent priestess.

I’d have made a good dragon rider too. Not keen on horses, but dragons, that’s a whole other story.

I’m a geek, what can I say???? These are the sorts of things I contemplate.

Post Title courtesy of:

This is why I like animals more than people.

On Sunday I was getting hooked on te BBC series Robin Hood. And they played this. And I cried. A Lot.

33 Ramblings for Thursday

1. If I forget to put my wedding ring on I feel naked.
2. The three people I rode the elevator with also had a cup of coffee in their hand
3. Obviously none of us had drunk any because we rode in silence, dazed, and confused.
4. I sometimes wish I was a teacher
5. Or a museum curator
6. Or a shuttle pilot for NASA
7. But I’m ok with what I do because I don’t hold either a life or a priceless artifact in my hands
8. I’m probably too warped to be a teacher anyway
9. I’d have high expectations for my students parents
10. And I’m sure they would all disappoint me
11. Far more than the kids would/could
12. Though having summers off would be nice
13. And I think to look at the earth from space would be cool
14. Almost as cool as looking into the window of a bookstore
15. They are similar experiences actually – nothing but dreams and possibilities come from gazing at both
16. Of course none of that compares to the joy of looking at shoes in a shop window.
17. Wow, that was a girly statement if I ever wrote one.
18. I hope Paul Blackthorne doesn’t mind that he is in my head while I read the first book in the Harry Dresden series.
19. Actually I plan to read the whole series so he’s going to be quite busy for the next several months. Making appearances in my brain at all hours of the day and night.
20. Does the last two statements make me a stalker? Or just werid?
21. It’s funny how the possibility of something new on the horizon can really change ones attitude and perspective.
22. I think it’s called “Hope”
23. I read while riding the bus. But only going home do I get car bus sick. What’s with that?
24. Bagels are one of my favorite things in the world but when asked to list my favorite foods I forget about them.
25. A toasted onion bagel with peanut butter is my favorite
26. Second to that would be pumpernickel with butter
27. They are pulling down all the cubes and offices on ¾ of the floor. It’s actually much quieter than I would have expected.
28. I might cry when they tear down the bat cave
29. If I need my breath to feel fresh the mintyness seems to disappear in a millisecond. But if I want the minty flavor to leave – such as when someone unexpectedly brought in bagels for everyone, the mintyness stays around through the ENTIRE bagel consumption.
30. This week has gone by super fast.
31. Does that mean the weekend will go by super slow?
32. I doubt it
33.Plans for the weekend include an art show and going to the bead store with Girl J’s daughter. She asked me to make jewelry for her first formal. I’m very excited and honored to get to do that for her.

Sex Parties, The Great Equalizer gets better, and an apology

First, the apology. Due to a whole mess of things I want to apologize to everyone out there. I have been doing a whole lotta lurking, and no commenting. Please don't think I don't love you, I'm keeping up, just not speaking out.

And now on to what you really want to hear: Sex Toy Parties.
Yes, they exist, and they are fun. They are a Tupperware party only well, um, with a whole different kind of rubbermaid product. Basically just like a Tupperware party, or a tastefully simple, or a pampered chef party someone comes to your house with lots and lots of cool things to show you. You pass them around. And just like tastefully simple you smell stuff and sometimes even taste it. Ask Girl J - her arm tasted deliciously like white chocolate. How would I know you ask??? I'll leave that one to your imagination...........

Anywho, so you learn about and pass around all sorts of flavored oil, sexual lubricants, sensation enhancers, body perfumes, massage oils, and yes, a dildo, a vibrator or 20, and even some things you didn't know existed out there to enhance your sexual pleasure. The items are meant for enjoyment alone or with a partner. It's totally crazy and totally fun. And you learn things about your friends you NEVER wanted to know.

So there you have it, a sex party.

And now on to the Great Equalizer gets better. Since the hubby started his new job which is of course in the opposite direction of my work we had decisions to make. If he continued to drive me into work our day ended up being close to 11 hours. If I drive myself in we are looking at parking fees upwards and over $100 per month. Or, for $40 I can get myself a bus pass, suck it up and start riding the Great Equalizer. Only ladies and gents, there are improvements to this great adventure. The Ipod is my best friend and greatest invention since the circus peanut. Yes, I mean those sugary orange peanut shaped things. I walk out the door and the Ipod is on. The walk to the bus stop (it's a block and a half from my house) is fabulous, as is the wait. I can't believe how wonderful that silly little bit of electronics makes this entire experience. Once the bus comes I grab a seat, change to classical music. Get my book out and happily read for the 20 minute ride into work. It's total and complete peace for the Newtster. I love it. I LOVE IT!

I miss the ride too and from work with the hubster, don't get me wrong. But still, if I have to do it, at least it is a wonderful and relaxing experience.

And speaking of the great equalizer. Since the hubster gets home before I do, he has been making me dinner every night. How absolutely wonderful is that? I come home and something hot and wonderful is cooking in the kitchen. And the food is pretty good too.

Say Hello to Caleb everyone, he's nosing the computer screen. If you could only see how cute my little man is right now.

Anyway, last but certainly not least, I picked up the first book in the Dresden series by Jim Butcher. It's called Storm Front. I didn't realize that the Sci Fi series Dresden Files was based on a book, or I should say books. This is so incredibly cool. I've read the first three pages and I'm hooked. I LOVE the guy that plays Harry Dresden in the show so I'm pretty happy just sticking the characters right inside my head as I read. It's almost as good as a sex party :-)
I'll let you know if it stays good past page three.

Hugs all around

Newt

The Rabbit comes hop hop hop'n

Ahhh, a quiet Sunday morning. The world is running around hunting for eggs. Celebrating the rights of spring. Babies are born, flower bloom.

It's still colder that a witches.....well, let's just say it's cold here in Minnesota. The tulips that had sprung so nicely are withered and dying. I have hope for a few though. They were still pretty low in the ground when all this cold hit.

I have been able to read voraciously for the past few weeks. The mind altering/numbing slump is over. In fact I entered the black hole known as Barnes & Noble yesterday and came out with three new ones I need to read. As many of you know, when a book lover goes into a bookstore all time stops. Worries remain outside the doors, and for however long we remain in our little vortex of timelessness, we are happy, content, and profoundly at peace.

As I was browsing the discount shelves yesterday I thought to myself "This, this is what I want heaven to be. A giant bookstore with endless possibility and adventure lining the shelves. And dead center in all that endless pleasure, a coffee shop." Pipe some classical music through the speakers, put a cozy bed in a corner, maybe a fireplace somewhere and I would never leave. Oh, forgot, also need a few kitties and my puppies. That, that for me is heaven.

My co-worker and friend Girl S invited both Girl J and I to a girls night last night. She was hosting a sex toy party and then dinner and girl talk. Girl J and I almost burst at the seams during the toy party. The lady that was selling the stuff was a bitter and slightly crazy divorcee. And I mean she dripped bitter. It oozed from her pores. Both myself and Girl J wanted to run outside and laugh. And be petty. It almost killed us to just have to sit there and be quiet and polite. No, really we had to be quiet. We got yelled at if we talked during her presentation.

Speaking of my friends, Girl S wanted to come up with a nickname for me. Somehow we decided that since there were three of us we should be the PowerPuff girls. So Girl S looked up descriptions of the girls and then we divided up which ones we would be. Stunningly enough the three personalities perfectly matched one of the three of us. So, I am officially Bubbles. Girl J is Blossom, and Girl S is Buttercup.

Ok, so it's not the most "mature" thing for us to do, but hey, every once in a while it's ok to bring out the kid in each other.

Happy Easter! Happy Spring!

With love,
Newt

Blog Contest Winner

And the winner is: Kell! Who correctly guessed Enya! We are both basically rock people, the hubster on the louder screaming side than me, but in general we both go for rock/pop bands. So it was a surprise that this was the one we had in common.

Final Clue

And it's a pretty good one.

This ethereal style artist does all their own singing and instrumentals. Recording on top of each recording till the song is complete.

Tuesday's Clue

This grammy winning artist is not from the US.
Ooooh I think that was two hints in one!

And on a side note - on the list of great inventions:

Sliced bread
Ipod
Post-it notes - just looking around my new cube I realized they are one nifty invention

Oh, yes, forgot to tell you, I got kicked out of the bat cave. Our floor is being remodeled so we are all now smushed into about 1/3 of the floor area while the rest is torn down and remodeled. It's strange to work in so much light and uh, air. I didn't realize the world was so bright, or full of oxygen for that matter.

Weekend pics, A movie Review, and a Clue

I tried to get a picture of Caleb Smiles

This one is sorta close to how cute his smile is
Mostly we just get the Awww shucks look from him

And I just liked how this one came out

Our three puppies that we got from the same puppymill rescue all have crimpy ears

Socs LOVES to give the puppies baths
And Lily just likes to look cute
She does it really well doesn't she?
Satan Kitty

This weekend we watched 16 Blocks. We had heard it was pretty good so I was excited when it arrived in the mail. And it was good. Everyone at the house - there were four of us - enjoyed this movie. And that doesn't happen very often. In fact I think Boy J and R want to add it to their DVD collection. It was funny, suspenseful, and endearing. All in all - a great two hours of entertainment.

The Blog Contest continues:
And now for Clue #2:

This artist has been making albums since the 80's and has released albums in each decade since.

A little blog contest

Question:

When the hubster and I moved in together we only had one music artist whose collection we both had. Name that artist and you will win a prize.

Rules:

Answer must be received by midnight Wednesday April 4th 2007.

Each person is allowed a maximum of two guesses total during the duration of the contest.

The management at Newt's Muse will post one hint per day till the contest closes.

Hint for Sunday, April 1st: The artist is not Meatloaf. And to answer your question, despite it being April Fools Day it really is NOT Meatloaf. Though that woulda been kinda funny if I just gave the artist name since it is April Fools and I could have been kidding that it wasn't the correct answer. But I digress, on with the rules..........

All winners will receive a prize in the mail so you need to be willing to give me your address.

I assure you any personal information given will be treated with confidential respect. I will not sell your name or address to anyone. Promise.

One person, and he knows who he is, is ineligible for this contest. He is also banned from communicating the answer or hints to any other person or persons out there.

Thank you
The Management of Newt's Muse