What friends are good for

Friends will get up at 7am on a Sunday and drive 45 minutes to your house to help you surprise-paint your mothers bedroom.

Friends will spill paint on the drop cloth within 2 minutes of beginning to paint, and will leave said puddle there and just walk around it.

That same friend will then step in the spilled paint, giving you a reason to laugh at them.




You will return the favor later by stepping in the paint puddle, too.




Now you are even.

Friends will reset your circuit breaker box for you when you get paint in the outlet holes and blow the fuses.

Friends will help you get all of this done by 1030am so that you still have the whole rest of your day to enjoy yourself.

I heard you were going to a movie.....

I have to go home and clean house.

Hey, if YOU were any kind of friend you would give me your movie tickets and go clean my house.

Friend?

Helloooooooo????

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

The perfect fall day begins with a Chai Latte and a slice of pumpkin bread. This is consumed while I drive through the fields and backroads to get to Linder Farms where we are going pumpkin picking. (For the record, I would like it noted that my pumpkin bread is better than Moxie Java's, thank you very much!)

I met up with Anthony's sister and 2 nieces and family friends with their children and grandchildren in tow. We trod through the dirt parking lot and into the farm to begin our search for the perfect pumpkin. They had lots of attractions that we could pay for, but being cheap we chose to entertain ourselves with free things. These included, but were not limited to, burying childrens heads in dried corn, taking pictures of unruly children, and making fun of each other. (When Ramona asked why it was that they invited me places, I was forced to remind her that I'm the one with the camera and that's why they have to put up with me. No one else remembers theirs.)




We got to hop onto a wagon loaded with straw to ride out to the pumpkin patch. You would think the kids would be excited by this, but they all look like they're on the Bataan Death March.




We picked out a bunch of pumpkins to take home (I got three) and then stood around in the rain waiting for the wagon to come pick us back up. Meanwhile, does anyone know why children always seem to pick out pumpkins that weigh three times as much as they do? You know who's going to have to carry them, right? Well, in this case, it was Henry. Isn't he just the big, strong man?



After unloading and paying for our pumpkins (holy moly! 17.00 for three pumpkins!), we headed back to Ramonas for lunch and visiting. We now have a stack of pumkins in the garage awaiting their carving day next weekend. I can hardly wait!

The Nice things Anthony Does for Me

I recognize that I'm not the easiest person to live with. Most people aren't easy to live with. We all have our days and no one is perfect. And there are plenty of times that Anthony and I have wanted to strangle each other. So for absolutely no reason, I would like to take a moment to say thank you for all the nice things Anthony does for me.

Last night I dropped my 8.00 digital camera batteries into the kitchen garbage can. Which was full. Anthony got them out for me.

Speaking of garbage, he also retrieved my brand new knife from the outside garbage can when I dropped it in there with a dead mouse. (See Feb post about mice)

He stops on his way home from work at 11 at night when we run out of a)dog food b)ice cream c)cottage cheese, or d) something for his dinner because I didn't make anything.

He went to the pharmacy 15 miles away twice in the same day for me when I was sick.

He buys me practical gifts to keep me safe, like a Blu tooth for when I'm driving and a car charger so I'll always have service. But then he buys me pretty jewelry, too.

He loves my pets and takes care of them and spoils them.

He takes care of my cracked heels better than any spa ever could. And then he doesn't yell at me when I run around barefoot and he has to do it again.

He lifts heavy stuff and carries it around the yard until I figure out where I want to put it.

He ALWAYS cleans the cat box.

He will do the grocery shopping for me when I don't want to, and he always gets everything on the list.

He doesn't judge me when I say I'm on a diet and I cave and have pizza.

He tries really hard not to say anything when I'm driving us somewhere and I take all the backroads because I don't want to drive on the freeway.

He shares his free movie tickets with me.

And most importantly,

HE HAS NEVER, EVER, EVER LEFT THE TOILET SEAT UP.

Football Loyalties

For the past few years, I have been a BSU fan. Go Broncos! And they are doing really, really well. Our quarterback's up for the Heisman, our guys are drafted to the NFL on a regular basis, our Coach is phenomenal. Most importantly, he's teaching these boys to be gentlemen on the field and teaching them good sportsmanship. Showing off when you score a touchdown? You're benched. Get in a fight on the field? Benched. We had one game this season where half of our first string was benched. Yes, we're there to win games, but Coach Pete isn't putting up with that kind of crap from these boys. And if they lose a game because they're behaving badly? Well, so be it.

I bleed blue and orange. I do. I watch every game. I wear one of several BSU shirts every Friday to work before a game day. I dread the day when we lose a game - because it WILL happen eventually. That will be a sad day for Bronco Nation.




HOWEVER - I have one conflict. I grew up in Nevada. I went to UNR (however briefly). So every Thanksgiving I have to sit through the torment of watching BSU and UNR lock horns and I don't know who to root for. I would LIKE to see UNR win....but then I'll be sad that BSU lost. I would also like for BSU to stomp all over UNR, but then I'll feel like a little part of me got beaten down, too.

How do men do it? I swear I have watched games (Fiesta bowl 2007 anyone?) where I just about had a stroke and had to leave the room because I couldn't watch anymore. This year I have a plan. TIVO. Then, if it gets to be too much, I can fast forward to the scores. Yes, I know it's cheating, but I can't stand the suspense.

Sometimes I miss the days when I just stayed in the kitchen and brought out sandwiches and did laundry while the guys sat in the living room watching the game. Now I'm the one yelling at the TV.

And I still have to get my own sandwich.

Something you never see

Here's something you'll probably only see once this football season.






It's Anthony.

Do you know why he's cheering?

THE RAIDERS WON A FOOTBALL GAME!!!!

I figured I'd better get this picture now. (I don't think there will be another opportunity this season.....)

Hmmmm......

Wonder what the spider is thinking........

Look what I grew!

I am so proud. I actually got some stuff.

Purple Podded Pole beans, green beans, and cherry tomatoes.







Green beans, tomatoes, bellpeppers and lemon cucumbers!






All right.

I grew them.

I picked them.

They are sitting on my counter staring at me.

Now what?