28 on the 28th

My mother-in-law recently informed me that I would be turning 28 on the 28Th of March. I hadn't really given much thought to the number equivalent, but astoundingly enough, she was right! (Example: Say you were born on October 18Th. Then your day would be turning 18 on your 18Th birthday. Get the idea?) She explained that everyone is allotted one of these birthdays,but only if they are really lucky. Here are some pictures from my 28 on the 28Th. Somehow, I managed to not capture my sister in these...

Tiffany made BEAUTIFUL cupcakes. They were almond frosting with yellow cake. YUM!

My mom and me. Posing by the food. We really couldn't help ourselves. Courtney made Brochette. We also had chips and salsa from Salsarita's, little smokies in bar-b-que sauce and Summer sausage with cheese and crackers.

Corey and me. Weird lighting inside, but I think the picture still looks kind of cool.

Me and Jackson. Look at his "sweet face"! Love that beard too.

Mark and Eric. I don't know how they come up with these pictures, every time, but somehow, they manage.



Tiffany, Courtney and me. Cheer poses followed closely by America's Next Top Model Impersonations.


My bestie. He brings me more happiness than 28 birthdays on the 28Th combined. Thanks for the soiree honey.

*I feel pretty lucky.

and now he wants to walk...

My sweet nephew Ryan is growing up so fast! I just seems like yesterday when the waiting room at the hospital was filled up in the anticipation of his arrival. In reality, it was almost a year ago! I can't believe it! Here he is. Now he wants to walk.

Here is the newest footage of Ryan.

As you can tell, (I hope- this video is a little dark) he gets a little mad when you let him stop.

To my favorite boy.

Love,
Aunt Hedda

Next Blog, if you please.

Have you ever wondered what the little button at the top of your screen that says Next Blog will do if you push it?

Well I did. I'm nosy. I mean curious. Anyway, it will take you to a blog you have probably never seen before. It might also be written in Chinese, Japanese, Indian or some other language hey failed to offer at your local high school. I tried to resurrect some of my Latin and figure out what some of them meant, but no dice. I did translate one thing, but it was in Spanish and was fairly easy: uno. I guess I get no points for that.

Here are a few blogs I found that I was sort of interested in. It's nice to read outside of your comfort zone from time to time. Check them out!

nonamefarmranch.blogspot.com
this one was about a farm in Texas where the livestock eat out of bathtubs. No really. I swear.

Christinasart.blogspot.com
Featured various pieces of art. It was different, but neat. The one of trees I particularly liked.

atsummer08.blogspot.com
A blog about a couple who hiked the Appalachian trail in the summer of 08. They encountered a rattlesnake and a terrible thunderstorm on their journey. They even came through Rocky Top!

Fixed.

My favorite little slutsicle, Bruisetta Mae got fixed today. She had two litters of puppies back to back, thanks to our neighbors: who can't keep their dog in their own yard. Enough about my neighbors. I took her this morning and the procedure went well. She's still stoned and walking around bumping into various items such as the doorways and tables.


Here's her before shot. Looking alert and excited to be in the car.



Here's an after shot. Groggy and sleepy....



And then she got comfy. Really, I don't know how riding in my backseat, on your back, with your legs in the air -just after having your uterus removed could be comfy, but she slept that way the entire ride home.

So, No more puppies for us for a while. Unless Saber has a litter, and that is unlikely. She's 8.

I think I will miss whelping, to be honest, but I think I am done. For a while, anyway.

From Economic Hardships to Earth Friendly Ways to Save!

As most of us know, the economy has seen better days. We are all trying to do our part around my house to keep the rising cost of essentials down. Examples: Mark and I (well, OK Mark) installed a "navy shower head" in the downstairs bathroom. If you haven't heard of or seen one, they look like a really small version of the one most people have in their homes. The cool part about them is they have a little button on one side you can push to turn the water off while you are showering. The idea is to turn it off, lather up, turn it back on and rinse. Believe it or not, this little guy has made a difference in our water bill! We have also been overly watchful to turn out lights in rooms we aren't occupying and leaving the windows open to compensate for cool air. Our electric bill was down $50 dollars when we first started doing this!

We also recycle. Plastic, cans and newspaper. We were doing glass as well, but they don't take it anymore at the recycle center we use- which was frustrating. How can you not have a glass receptacle at a recycling center?

Anyway, this week, Mark showed me a clip of people who are REALLY dedicated to saving the Earth and a little money at the same time. Have you heard of an Earthship? I hadn't until I saw the You Tube Clip about it. It's neat, but the water part would kinda freak me out. I would love to be able to live this way, but I guess it seems to good to be true. You be the judge. You can see the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TbxhpG-Y4Q Enjoy!

Spring Was in the Air

Last weekend and the early part of this week, spring was in the air. Mark and I opened up our back porch to enjoy some warm weather last weekend. We even worked in the yard! I decided it was time to make the spring cleaning list, 2009 Edition. I started in our bedroom, cleaning everthing that would stand still. The curtains got washed, the window sills cleaned off, fan blades dusted, etc, etc. We even threw open the windows to let the fresh air inside. Next I repainted the bathroom cabinets. Lookout closet doors, you're next!

Anyway, Mark sneezed his way through the weekend, and today I fugured out why....
This bush is called a Weeping Forsythia, I believe. Anyway, every year when it blooms, Mark's allergies go crazy. And so they have. I offered to dig it up and cut it down, but he thinks it's pretty and provides a nice buffer between our yard and our bad fence neighbors. So it stands. The picture isn't great, because it was dark, but here she is in all her allergic glory.



I captured this at sunset from the back porch. It's really quite lovely, I think.

And here is Mark enjoy some time on the back porch. I believe the expression is a by product of beer and allergy pills.

Last weekend was a wonderful break in the cold weather. Today we were way back down from the 70's, but I'll take it. It's March! And that means warm weather is on the way!!

Breaking Up is Hard to Do

Neil Sedaka had it right. Breaking up is hard to do.

Have you ever been in a relationship with a friend where you just weren't on the receiving end of that friendship in a really long time? You'd been there for that person for one reason or another, over and over again, but never really got anything in return? This is my status at the present. A person who I have thought of as more than just a friend, like family, really, has put me in this situation.

I think I may have to break up with him. I've put a lot of thought into this. I've asked myself how much does this person mean to me and is the thought of losing him as part of my life really so terrible? I have to say, it's still a little unclear to me at this point. When I think about all the good times we've had versus the bad, it's pretty equal. I have been watching him spiral down further and further. I have made my want to help him apparent, we've discussed it time and time again, but nothing has changed. Well, maybe that's not true. I think things have gotten progressively worse for him in the past year especially. What to do? If a person doesn't want to help themselves, you can't make them. Do you let the part of yourself that is connected to that person suffer as well? And how much suffering is too much suffering?

The part that I keep grappling with is that this person was THERE for me when my dad died. He was present in my home for weeks afterward, watching over me while Mark was at work. He was the best thing I could have asked for -aside from Mark, in the weeks that followed my fathers' death. Silent most of the time, but always willing to talk at the most inopportune moments- like at 3AM when I just needed to cry. I suppose I am just feeling guilty about toying with the thought of cutting him out when he was the one who encouraged me so much in a time that I need it the most. Which brings me to my next point. He was GOOD to me in that period of time, but I allowed it and let the goodness in. What if I am not the person he is going to let in to help him, no matter how much I would like to be? Not that this bothers me at all. I just want him to be that person again. The one I KNEW. I don;'t know this person or how to help him. He builds his wall up faster than I can take the bricks down. I don't want to be forced to break up with someone I consider family and that's what this feels like.

Any advice? I'm all ears.

Rachel Getting Married

One of the movies to see I wrote about in a previous blog was Rachel Getting Married. Anne Hathaway was nominated for an Academy award for her role in this film. I finally got to see it today, and it did not disappoint. I was intrigued by the topic of the film- I actually wasn't sure what it was about, so imagine my surprise when it turns out to be about a girl getting out of rehab just in time to attend her sister's wedding. Anne Hathaway was brilliant in this movie. It has lots of textures musically, which I always enjoy and I'm guessing it was a tough call for the academy this year when they chose Penelope Cruz for her work in Vicky Christina Barcelona. Penelope was FANTASTIC in her role, but I'm not sure she would have landed my vote over Anne.

Ah Anne. We love you so...

You gotta give 'em hope

Go watch Milk. It came out today on DVD and was on my list of acadamy award winners to watch.

It's message is moving and very real. It's hard to believe 30 years later, we're still fighting for Gay rights.

Are we starved?

Did romance die or just evolve? This question came from thinking about a certain book. A certain set of books, really. The Twilight Saga. You've heard of them, yes? Surely you have. Everyone who's anyone has heard of Twilight.

Sorry to insult of if you haven't- I'll move on, but this post will be boring for you people living under rocks without Twilight access. I was hesitant to really post anything about these books, having read them long, long ago, myself, I was a little bummed out when they got all hyped. I do that for some reason. I get all defensive and like to keep things small, because they are usually better that way. For the record, I loved these books. Every woman has that fantasy of being worshiped, right? Anyway, when the movie came out, I went to see it by myself. Apparently lots of other ladies did that Friday morning as well, because there was only one guy in the theatre (which was full) and I think they made him check his balls at the front door when he bought the ticket.

Back to my original thought. Are we starved for romance? Edward was that old fashioned, open the door for a lady, no sex before marriage, take her to a secluded field so she can marvel at your diamond encrusted body, kiss you on the forehead, give you anything you want kind of romance going on. Basically, everyone is salivating over this make believe man. And can we help it? I think the answer must be no. Those expectations are so unrealistic, no wonder teenage girls are running around with team Edward and team Jacob shirts. Don't get me wrong, I'm not man bashing here, just being honest. Do we really expect our husbands and boyfriends and lovers to be like this?. And what of we were all like Bella, whining, crying, falling down all the time, pitching a fit to get our way... or wait... are we? Is that why the romance died?

...Note to self. Be less like Bella, more like ....hmmm... I will have to get back to myself on that thought later...

Alas, I think the answer is simple. We may be starving ourselves through our own actions. They do tend to speak louder than words. Romance evolved because women and men have evolved. Does anyone know how to "unevolve" romance?

*Honey if you are reading this, I do think it's very romantic when you kiss me on the forehead just so you wont get lip "gunk" on your lips.

Into the time Capsule!

Recently, I have been watching what I will refer to as "Period Movies". Everyone has seen one, I am sure, but I have fallen into a rut with them. A rut I am very happy to never come out of, to be quite honest. Here are my recent faves:

Pride and Prejudice (with Keira Knightly)
Quills (with Kate Winslet- it's older and about a man in a mental institution who write scandalous love stories)
Amazing Grace (I didn't know any of the actors in this film, but it's about the abolition of slavery in England and freaking rocked.)
The Duchess (Keira Knightly again)
The Other Boleyn Girl (Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johanssen)
Marie Antoinette (Kirstin Dunst- it's about King Louie and his wife who said "let them eat cake")
Becoming Jane (Anne Hathaway- this one is about Jane Austen's life before she became a writer)
Atonement (Keira Knightly this one's about two people who fell in love and someone misinterpreting their love for one another)


All of these movies are set in England or France in between the 1700's and Early 1800's.
I love everything about them, the rich culture of Early France with it's gilded piping and floral patterns to English men and their way of always bowing to a lady. Love it, Love it, Love it.

If you are a geek like me, you will probably like these quite a bit.

P.S Why don't we talk this way anymore?

Past Nightmare comes to Life

One of the best perks about getting married is that your days of dating are behind you. No more creepy blind dates, no nervousness about what the perfect outfit to wear might be, no more having to shave your legs EVERYDAY and the best part for me personally no more fear of being stood up. (I'm sensitive and self conscious, so yeah, that was definitely a worry for me).

Apparently, I was wrong. I got stood up today for a lunch date. The funniest part about this situation is I was supposed to have lunch with a former boyfriend turned friend, of both Mark and myself. In case it is unknown to you, Monday is MY day. I don't set my alarm on Mondays, I don't really do anything on Mondays that isn't fun for ME. Judge me if you want, but I don't have kids, and I know that when I do, days like my Mondays will vanish into thin air altogether, so no, I don't feel guilty when right now, I sleep until 1 o'clock on Monday afternoon. So there. Anyway, Monday being my day, I don't usually arrange lunch dates, but I had to, and for the sake of privacy to my friend, I won't mention why. I SET MY ALARM ON A MONDAY. I PUT MAKE UP ON BEFORE NOON ON A MONDAY. I WASHED MY HAIR ON MONDAY.

You get the idea. So I was pretty pissed off when he didn't show. What makes matters worse is that he did return my voice mail later, saying "Did we plan that for today? I didn't realize we had set anything up concrete." I was irrationally mad. Seeing red and all that.

Maybe I sound like a really picky princess here, but I really don't care. Judge me if you will. I think I got the crappy end of the stick today, no matter how you look at it. Poor Monday was probably very lonely without me this morning. And I got stood up. Crappy and Humiliating.

I had a dream.. and it was weird.

I had a very strange dream the other night. Really weird. I dreamed that one of those buckets you get in to ride the Farris wheel on, fell out of the sky into my back yard. There were people in it. People I didn't know or recognize. They asked me if they could buy my camera. I sold it to them for 50 bucks. Mark took the money and bought me a new one at the Dollar General. I was really mad because He bought me a disposable camera and the one I sold was a digital.

Told you it was weird.

Also, the dream dictionary had nothing to say about my dream. Nothing about Farris wheel buckets, the sky, or Dollar General either. It was so unfair!