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Where did the month of June go???
I get a little queasy just thinking about this.
I had to rip out all the purple basil that I'd planted, because it was full of what appeared to be aphids. I think I need to start getting my herb plants from a different vendor at the farmer's market. That's twice I've gotten buggy plants from her. Hopefully I caught it before it spread to the other stuff.
Picture of the day:
It looks like little house on the prairie, doesn't it? It's actually the hill next to the onramp on I-94 east in Minneapolis. Just goes to show you... beauty's where you find it.
Have a gorgeous day. Ciao.
There are two very naughty cats who will soon find themselves out on the street if they ever wake me up by running across the bed at 4:15 again!
Note to self: throw away television.
When I retrieve my TV from the trash, though, I may just have to get HBO so I can watch this.
The Naked Gun movies are so silly... but I'll watch 'em every time! Why? Because although I appear to be an adult woman, I'm actually a 12 year old boy in disguise!! (which also explains my secret love of "South Park").
This therapist may want to seek a little therapy...
Coffee done, gonna start the day. Ciao.
Wrapped up the weekend with a little steak, a little wine. Now it's back to that work thing I do. But here's one of the best things I accomplished this weekend:
Have a good day. Ciao.
I dug out the french press coffeemaker this morning. When I need REAL coffee - real STRONG coffee - it's time for french press. Soon I'll have the good caffeine buzz on!
The weather was excellent for a garage sale yesterday - but there just weren't as many customers as in years past. We took it all down at noon, and I made one trip to Goodwill with some of the better stuff. The rest is either sold or dumpstered.
Later on in the afternoon I walked over to the coffeeshop for some mocha and journaling time. (a blog is great... but I need a place to write the uncensored stuff). I had a couple of good "a-HA" moments while writing - that way I know I'm getting at the good stuff.
Light rail started up in the Twin Cities yesterday. I don't know... I just don't think we're train-riding people here. I'll ride it once for fun, I know. But it just doesn't go anywhere NEAR where I would logically go. Why would I take the train from Downtown Minneapolis to the Mall, when I can drive myself there in 10 minutes?
Speaking of the Mall - I don't know what's on tap for today. Maybe a trip there? We're back to cloudy weather again. I keep waiting for REAL summer to start... but maybe this is gonna be all we get. So make the most of it. Ciao, Bellas. Have a good day.
We've got everything priced and ready for the big garage sale tomorrow - everyone who's anyone will be there! My goal is to go home with cash only. If it hasn't sold by noon, I'm gonna start to give it all away for free.
Otherwise I just did an awful lot of running around today - I love getting my errands done on Friday when not as many people are around. I picked up one of these really cool corkscrew sets for Mac - I got one like it a couple weeks ago from Bed Bath & Beyond.. the days of cork in my wine bottles are over! I could shop there all day - very dangerous.
I have to be over to the sale at 6:30 AM - I'm going to watch a little TV and head to bed. Ciao.
This is my favorite thing. When I'm on vacation, and my cell phone rings at 7:00 in the morning. It's one of my co-workers, who asks if I'm at work yet. I say "No, because I'm on vacation today." And he says "Well, as long as I've got you on the phone...."
But it's a beautiful day, and I think I'll just make the most of it. I'll post more later. Ciao for now.
The school where I did my student teaching is closing.
What the heck is this about?
Look! It's BamBam Rubble.
I've been so tired the past couple of mornings. But there are some benefits of getting up this early - sometimes, the city never looks better.
Ciao.
Oh, sad. Mattie Stepanek died.
Hold on, while I tip over from NOT surprise. Have a samich, girl!
One of my new favorite cable-TV shows is Monk. I watched the second half of last season, and then caught up on the rest of them during the marathon last week. (not all at once. Thank you, TiVo!).
This freaks me out just a little bit. They don't even look HUMAN!
The song that's playing right this second: "WATERLOO" by ABBA! ::doing the little chair dance:: I love iTunes!
Cross your fingers - Manny Frenandez will be back in goal next year.
That's what I know so far. Have a most excellent day! Ciao, Bellas.
5 random reasons why I'm lovin' life:
1. It's already getting light outside when I get up at 4:45.
2. New Lisa-Loeb type glasses on the way from 39dollarglasses.com.
3. Un-sticky keyboard (thanks, Mac!).
4. Yellow Tail Shiraz.
5. Newly discovered favorite Indigo Girls song, Come On Home:
Come on home, the team you're hitched to has a mind of its own
But it's just the forces of your past you've fought before
Come back here and shut the door
I'm stacking sandbags against the river of your troubles.
Indeed. Ciao, Bellas.
It's my favorite day! I love the first day of summer... the longest day of the year.
Wow. Over 1200 hours of Olympic Coverage? I've never been a big watcher. But hey - badminton! I'll have to watch every minute of that. (or not-so-much...)
The Essential Dean Martin has been in my iTunes shopping cart for a while now. Might have to purchase it this week.
When they're so readily available - I can't believe that women don't get regular mammograms. People! They will save your life! (and thus ends chele's PSA for the day)
It was a quiet weekend, but I did lots of running around. CuzGirl and I went to Pazzaluna on a whim on Saturday. 3 words: Chicken. Asparagus. Pizza. On Sunday I went to National Cemetery to bring Dad a Hershey Bar (why bring flowers when he liked chocolate so much better?!). Bought herbs for the last planter on the balcony - basil and rosemary, which smell unbelievably good together. And Mac fixed the sticky keyboard (I solemnly swear never to spill on it again. really.)
And now it's back to work. Well, the fun's gotta end sometime, right? Heh. Try to make the best of the day. I know I will. Ciao.
We went to the Back to the 50s Car Show at the fairgrounds yesterday. It was a perfect day to wander around and look at those big beautiful machines!
When I see those cars, I can't help but think of my dad.
Watched it coming up Winslow
Down South Park Boulevard
Yeah it was looking good from tail to hood
Great big fins and painted steel
Man it looked just like the Batmobile
With my old man behind the wheel
Well you could hardly even see him
In all of that chrome
The man with the plan and the pocket comb
But every night it carried him home
And I could hear him sayin'...
Don't gimme no Buick
Son you must take my word
If there's a God up in heaven
He's got a Silver Thunderbird
You can keep your Eldorados
And the foreign car's absurd
Me I wanna go down
In a Silver Thunderbird
He got up every morning
While i was still asleep
But I remember the sound of him shuffling around
Then right before the crack of dawn
I heard him turn the motor on
But when I got up they were gone
Down the road in the rain and snow
The man and his machine would go
Oh the secrets that old car would know
Sometimes I hear him sayin'...
Don't gimme no Buick
Son you must take my word
If there's a God up in heaven
He's got a Silver Thunderbird
You can keep your Eldorados
And the foreign car's absurd
Me I wanna go down
In a Silver Thunderbird
(Marc Cohn - Silver Thunderbird)
Felice Giorno Del Padre, Michele. Siete il papa piu grande nel
mondo! Ti Amo.
Ciao.
Heh. It's Friday. It's a vacation day. It's cloudy. What else is new???
Happy Birthday Isabella Rossellini. I want to look that good when I'm 52 years old.
Just try to read this story and not tear up just a little bit. There are pictures, too, but you have to register for them. (well worth it, Dame!). I'll be following their story.
What a surprise! (or, not so much).
Do you think that Melissa Etheridge was a bridezilla, too?
Oh, for the love of God (literally!).
Well, Dame, here's a new place we have to try for dinner sometime.
Here's today's winner of the "I have no words" award.
In the time it's taken me to cruise through all the news the weather has cleared up a bit. I'll get a nice day off after all! Have an excellent day. Ciao, Bellas.
What the heck?
There really wasn't anything else the guy could do but give the kid the ball, otherwise he would be among the most hated guys around!
Note to Grandma: don't shoot the squirrels.
My building doesn't have a 13th floor. (well, it does. it's just CALLED 14). At work we have a 13th floor, though. I never understood the unlucky number thing. Although, I guess, I wouldn't want my address to be 666 Main Street.
I have no words.
I thought there was something wrong with my computer speakers. I kept hearing this weird hum/buzz-like sound. I turned them down, I could still hear it. Where was this noise coming from?
It was Issy-Cat, sleeping on the floor next to the desk. Snoring.
Ciao.
Alanis Morrisette is engaged. I just have one question: exactly how do you begin dating by e-mail? I can see MEETING by e-mail..but the actual date itself? Don't you have to go out and be with people to do that?
My keyboard is really wonky (that's the technical term for it) today. Why, you may ask? Well, it's what happens when you try to do too many things at your desk and you spill your glasses of milk AND water onto it. Grrr. It took an hour and many paper towels and q-tips to clean it all up. Now the left shift and control keys are sticking. I asked Mac how to fix it. "First you unplug it. Then you get in the car and drive over to my house and I fix it". heh heh. That is why he's the greatest.
Is it just me, or does Glen Campbell now look just a little bit like Uncle Joe from Petticoat Junction?
Oh NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Remember the days when NBC could have televised paint drying and they would have one the ratings race? Now CBS beat them out with reruns.
Will Bjork's new album be good, like Vespertine? Or weird like Homogenic?
Oh, c'mon. This is just a little funny! Hey - he had a designated driver!
Behave yourselves. Ciao.
The news is just full of stories that make me mad today, so I don't want to write about any of them. So I've been saving up this music quiz that I found lately on Mitch Berg's Shot in the Dark.
1. Your favorite song with the name of a city in the title or text.
"Anchorage" by Michelle Shocked.
2. A song you've listened to repeatedly when you were depressed at some point in your life.
"Closer to Fine" by the Indigo Girls.
3. Ever bought an entire album just for one song and wound up disliking everything but that song? Gimme that song.
"Summerteeth" by Wilco. All I liked was "Shot in the Arm".
4. A great song in a language other than English.
"Guero Canelo" by Calexico.
5. Your least favorite song on one of your favorite albums of all time.
"Prince of Darkness" off the Indigo Girls first album. I've tried to like it - I just can't.
6. A song you like by someone you find physically unattractive or otherwise repellent.
"Everyday I Write the Book" by Elvis Costello. He's not repellent - he's just weird looking.
7. Your favorite song that has expletives in it that's not by Liz Phair.
Hee hee - she does like the f-inheimer, doesn't she?! "Sari" by Nellie McKay.
8. A song that sounds as if it's by someone British but isn't.
I got nothin' for this one.
9. A song you like (possibly from your past) that took you forever to finally locate a copy of.
The ORIGINAL "Lady" by Styx. It's available, it just hasn't shown up on iTunes yet.
10. A song that reminds you of spring but doesn't mention spring at all.
"Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight and the Pips - because the first time I heard that song (when I was just a kid!) was the day that school let out for summer.. so really, I guess it reminds me of LATE spring, but that's just a technicality!
11. A song that sounds to you like being happy feels.
"Conga" by Miami Sound Machine. Can't help but dance around when that song comes on.
12. Your favorite song from a non-soundtrack compilation album.
Nothin' here, either.
13. A song that reminds you of high school.
"Lido Shuffle" by Boz Scaggs. (shoot. now I have to go buy that one or it'll be stuck in my head ALL day.)
14. A song that reminds you of college.
"Dust in the Wind" by Kansas
15. A song you actually like by an artist you otherwise dislike.
"Take Me With U" by Prince.
16. A song by a band that features three or more female members.
"Broken Places" by the Roches.
17. One of the earliest songs that you can remember listening to.
"You've Got a Friend" and "I Feel the Earth Move" by Carole King.
18. A song you've been mocked by friends for liking.
Oh, so many here! "MMMbop" by Hanson, and pretty much my entire David Cassidy and the Partridge Family collection. Commence mocking me now, please...
19. A really good cover version you think no one else has heard.
Let me get back to you on this one.
20. A song that has helped cheer you up (or empowered you somehow) after a breakup or otherwise difficult situation.
"Video" by India.Arie
So back to work yesterday. When I walked in the door, I told myself that I was going to have a POSITIVE attitude, and that nothing was gonna bother me. Well, that lasted about 30 minutes, then I was sick of all of 'em again! It's fine, though. I have a short week (they're all short, with Fridays off through August). And it's summer.. so life ain't all bad. I have another follow-up check-up tomorrow (those come around quickly). Everything will be fine, I feel great.
Have a great day, Bellas. Ciao.
Back to work. I'm up. I'm not exactly HAPPY about it, but I'm up.
I've never seen a single episode of Sex in the City, because I'm one of the geeks that doesn't have HBO. I'll watch at least the first couple of episodes, just to see what I've been missing.
Like his politics or not, it's really cool that an 80 year old goes skydiving on his birthday. I want to do that someday.
I think that the booya is strictly a St. Paul thing. I confess, I've never had it. Stew cooked underground? No, thanks...
Courteney Cox had a baby at 40. Gee, maybe I should do that. Or not!
Have a great day. Ciao.
It was a perfect day yesterday. First I was here:
Then I was here:
Need I say more? I'm going to go have another perfect day. I suggest you do the same! Ciao.
Well, would ya look at that. The sun is out, not a cloud in the sky. How ironic - my vacation is officially over (because I only count work days) - and we get nice weather. Beware, folks: I have every Friday off for the rest of June and all of July. We'll probably have the longest streak of stormy Fridays in history!!
I'm going to spend as much of the day outside as humanly possible. I have books, notesbooks, pens, water bottle, camera, cell phone and iPod in the backpack. I'm ready! Ciao, Bellas.
Heh, it really happened. It's rained for part of EVERY day of my vacation! But a rainy day of vacation is still better than a sunny day of work. Although I did dream last night that I went in to work and there was a bathroom in the middle of my office. I don't know exactly what that might mean..
RIP Ray Charles. Thanks for the great music.
Oh man - is this family Jerry Springer material or what? Makes me think that my own family isn't so very screwed up. At least we've never tried to kill each other...
I've gotta cancel all plans so that I can watch Paris Hilton on David Letterman. Or not.
What the hell is wrong with this guy?
Darby Hendrickson signed with the Avs. Still hard for me to imagine him in anything but a Wild uniform.
I confess - I'm going to go see The Stepford Wives. It looks kinda funny!
Off to go see CuzGirl's potential new house! Ciao.
Wow - I had a lot of caffeine yesterday. Hence, went to bed at 2:00, woke up at 6:00. I will probably be hitting the wall at about 3:00 this afternoon...
Now this is one scary lookin' woman.
Eeek! This is my nightmare come to life.
Another eeeek - Bridezilla is alive and well in Austria.
Ho Hum. The Tampa Bay Lightning wins the Stanley Cup. (It's somehow not right that a Florida team got there before we in the State of Hockey did).
It's not a good sign when they're already dropping characters from the Joey show. I predict the first couple shows will have big ratings, then it will go away forever.
St. Paul wants to basically ban smoking in bars. Well, people can smoke in tiny, closed off rooms, and waitstaff won't serve in the rooms. What are they thinking? I'm not a smoker... but last time I checked, smoking was still LEGAL. It's a little too much government. But on the plus side, if you're in the psychiatric unit of HCMC you CAN smoke.
May Department Stores bought Marshall Fields (which will always be Dayton's to me..) - but bye-bye Mervyn's.
Just exactly how many cloudy days can we have in a row, anyway? I'm getting a lot of cleaning and organizing done, anyway. I guess that's a good thing. Have a good day. Ciao.
This is a man who needs to admit that he has a problem!
I'm not moving. The rational, grown-up chele (the one who takes care of the money!!) finally realized that I should just save for another year and make a move into a house. So I'm putting my moving energy into still cleaning and organizing, just because the place needs it, and I'll just trick myself into saving more money by putting away what the difference in rent would have been. I can be very disciplined when I need to be... surprising as that may seem.
Another cloudy day, but I'm going to spend much of it indoors, anyway. Lunch with CuzGirl and a trip to the Mall are on my agenda.
That's all I want to say for now. Maybe more later. Ciao, Bellas.
Say it with me: "chele's on vacation! chele's on vacation!" YeeHaw! I'm not going anywhere, and I'm deliberately not planning too much of my days. The only certainties are NOT checking work voice or e-mail. Woke up to a cloudy day (of course.. because I'm beginning to believe that seeing the sun is a rarity here in the Twin Cities), but it's warm and it's not raining. And, most importantly, I'm NOT at work!
Dr. Corday should have known her ER days were numbered, anyway. She kinda turned into the shrill bitchy woman just before Mark Greene died - so it was hard to buy the grieving widow thing anyway... then they just didn't know what to do with her. How much longer can that show possibly go on?
I'm a secret space-geek, and I love this stuff - Venus crossed the sun today. I also found this page, that has a daily picture of the sun. Cool..
This girl has to just stop getting married!
And this man has to just stop throwing chalupas!
Another picture from my neighborhood, and then it's time to start the day. Ciao, Bellas!
Just because it's an important passing - RIP Ronald Reagan
Coach Tice has gotta be roarin' mad over this.
As if I needed a few more reasons to move - I now have the loud-heavy-thundering-walkers living either above or next door to me (I can't tell where all the banging is coming from..), and someone else in close proximity is the weird-smelling-food-cook.. I got off the elevator the other day and I had to rush into my place just to make sure that the kitties were both still here (heh). It's like living in the circus. I can tell that I've totally made the break and I'm ready to move. It'll be easy to go.
While I was taking Snoopy pictures yesterday, I also just took some random pictures of the neighborhood. This is why I love my city:
Have an excellent day. Ciao, Bellas.
Afternoon Update
It's a beautiful day, and the SNOOPYS are out! I took pictures of all those within walking distance.. the rest will come at the end of summer when they bring all the ones scattered throughout the city down here. Here's a preview:
and the rest of them are here.
We're going outside to enjoy the rest of the day now - you do the same. Ciao!
Beautiful day Thursday! Just as nice Friday. Now it's Saturday, so of course it's only right that it's cloudy. I can't take it!!
Man, I've never been angry enough to drive through town with a bulldozer. Unreal.
Ewww! Ewww! Scary visual here.
In the half hour since I started looking through the news, it's starting to get sunny. Maybe the day won't be a total wash-out after all. I'm going to yoga, then a few errands, then CuzGirl and I are treating ourselves to a fabulous dinner and umbrella drinks. More updates as necessary.. that's all for now. Ciao, Bellas.
Obviously someone wasn't thinking clearly when they bought the prom favors.
First there was road rage. Now there's bus rage.
Former child star DUI alert!
I have 2002 songs in my iTunes list. Exactly one is by Avril Lavigne. Maybe I'm missing something.
The Snoopys have started popping up around town. I'm a dork.. I love these! I really hope this continues for a few more years.
A guy with too much time on his hands: typewriter art.
Gotta love the short week of work.. and next week is short, too, with vacation Tuesday - Friday. So help me God... if it rains everyday - well - there's nothing I can really do about it, but I won't be happy! heh heh. It will just be good to get away from the place and re-charge a little. I'm going to try a different yoga studio this weekend. Hopefully one that won't make me try to stand on my head on the first day.
Have an excellent day, Bellas. Ciao.
Diana's album will be out in a couple weeks. Eh - I might pass on this one.
Ewww!. Crazy woman...
Well, that's one way to get cleaned up!
My new favorite singer: Liz Phair. (yeah, yeah, I'm a few years late on this one..) And my favorite lyrics? "Oh baby know what your like? You're like my favorite underwear. It just feels right, you know it" . hee hee! That's me! It's all about the sameness and familiarity thing. (aside - Mac said the other day 'it's all about the THINGS with you, isn't it?'. why yes, yes it is.). I used to say that my friends were comfortable, like old shoes. Now I'm going to say that you're all like my undapantz! (yes, Dame, that's you!). And now I'm going to go to my same old job thing. Have an excellent day. Ciao.
Ciao, Vinny Testaverde! I didn't realize he was 40.. That's like a grandpa in football years. Adios, Kurt Warner! (just a few years younger than Vinny). And it looks like Denny Green is starting to clean house in Arizona. Ah... football news. That's gotta make Mac happy!
Boys will be boys and all that... but here are two ten-year-old boys who went a little too far.
I've got a completely insane day at work ahead of me. One of those where the alarm goes off and I'm immediately hit with that knot-in-the-stomach sense of dread. When I was a kid, I thought that work was a glamorous thing that adults did every day. Meetings sounded glorious! Now, I sit in "glorious" meetings and I wonder what exactly we're doing here... and if everyone else is as bored/tired/stressed/whatever as I am. Say it again: Work isn't my REAL life. Work is what I do so that I can have money to live my REAL life.
And so the day begins.
Ciao.
Wow. The month of May just flew by, didn't it? My dad used to say that the older you are, the quicker the years go. I never believed him when I was a kid... but as always, he was right.
In the world of hockey, this headline says it all! Calgary and Tampa Bay?? Are they still even playing?
NOT that I'm on the bandwagon, but it was hard watching the Timberwolves get knocked out of the playoffs. Maybe I'll start watching a little more basketball. It still just looks like a lot of running back and forth to me.
It was a day of death and mayhem in St. Paul yesterday! I came upon the overturned car on Grand Avenue yesterday just after it happened. It was surreal - the car upside down on the sidewalk, police cars with lights flashing, people and officers all milling about, a guy handcuffed in the back of a squad car... on an otherwise beautiful, sunny morning. Stuff like that just doesn't happen on Grand.
In case I forgot to say it over the weekend (which I know I did) - Happy Memorial Day. And thanks, guys, for all you've done to keep us free.
Ciao.
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