April 29 Part 2: Birthday Lunch - Courtesy of Paul Mintner

Due to scheduling conflicts, Paul and I couldn't go out to lunch on my actual birthday, so we went today. We ended up at La Fiesta and just as we were about the get the bill, Paul was kind enough to share that it was my birthday.

I have never had a birthday at La Fiesta. I don't know that I ever will again....

Here came the hat. The hat that has been on thousands of heads over the years. My scalp has been itching ever since. I'm just sayin'.

Here are the guys who sang "Happy Birthday" to me. At least I think it was "Happy Birthday" - it was a song, it had the words "happy" and "birthday" in it. And there was ice cream.

It was fun. And funny.

Here is my favorite photo of any day so far:

England, I promise, I'll be back soon.

Tell the Queen.

April 29 Part 1: The Royal Wedding

I got up at 3:01 a.m. so I wouldn't miss a moment of the wonder that was the Royal Wedding. Naturally, I had to brew a pot of tea - the English way. As taught to me by none other than my Princess Diane.

Here, I'll show you:

First, you put the kettle on and, when the water boils, fill up the teapot. It's important to heat the pot (or the cup) before you make the tea.

(This is my teapot heating.)

Step number 2: choose a tea. While some people use teabags, I didn't think that a simple teabag was suitable for such an auspicious occasion. I dug through my stash of tea and found a tin of spiced tea I picked up when I was in London. Perfect!

Step number 3: The amount of loose tea you use is determined by figuring 1 spoonful for each cup and one for the pot. My teapot comes with a handy strainer in the lid, so I put the tea in it and let it steep.

Step 4: Drink up! Drink up while enjoying the Royal Wedding!


Here is a photo I was able to sneak from my seat up front in Westminster Abbey. What a great couple.

Here's a shot of the couple leaving the Abbey. We were all so happy.

I couldn't find anyone to take a picture of me in my wedding hat. I'll try to recreate the scene and post it soon.

Since I, too, am a duchess (Sarah, Duchess of Lilac Lane, just ask anyone, seriously. Ask.), I am sure that Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and I will run into each other at the semi-annual duchess convention.

I'll teach her the ropes.

April 28, 2011 Damn Keys

There is nothing worse than going to the grocery store after a long day at work.

Oh wait, yes there is.

It's going to the grocery store, buying the groceries, forgetting to use your $2 off coupon, going to customer service to get your $2, going out to your car, digging in your purse, and not being able to find your #($#&* keys. I had them because I used my Dillons card.

But then they vanished.

I trooped back in and retraced my steps.

Yes, there they were, on the customer service desk.

But, by god, I got my $2.00!

April 27, 2011 IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!

I had a great birthday!

Highlights include:

Lunch with Sheila at the Hillside Cafe. I got my Mexican food fix! Yummy, yummy, yummy. She even brought a chocolate eclair, put a candle in it and sang to me.

When I got home from work, I walked on the treadmill for 40 minutes. I wasn't thinking that opening presents AFTER my walk would mean that pictures of me opening presents AFTER my walk would show how bad I look AFTER my walk.

But, I don't walk, sweat and swear so I'll look good in photos immediately after...hopefully the results will show up later!

My mom got me a great planter that is going to go in front of the house. I'll post a picture of it soon.

My mom also gave me some cookbooks/magazines. I love to meander through cookbooks. I bet I'm cooking up a storm in no time!


Several weeks ago when Mom and I went to Menards', I bought a bird house, thinking it was a wren house. (Turns out the opening is too big.) But, Mom kept the house and painted it for me.

It's too cute. I think I'll hang it outside anyway, and whatever birds settle in it will be okay with me. As long as they pay their rent on time, don't party all night and don't shit on the deck, we'll be fine.

And then there's Luke. He got me a pot shaped like a pitcher which is great because I collect pitchers. I can't wait to plant it. He also popped in some great shower gel, lotion and body spray.

Curtis gave me a game called "Name 5" - name 5 Tom Hanks movies, name 5 TV dads, name 5 sports you play without a ball, etc. It will be so much fun to play.

It was a great day.

Next year, however, I'll open presents and take pictures, before my walk.

Or after my shower.

April 26, 2011 CB's Salisbury Steak

On Sunday, Curtis found a recipe in the newspaper for Salisbury Steak. He cut it out and asked me to try it.

I did, in fact, try it tonight for supper and it was really tasty!

Ever since CB and I started dating, I would read recipes out loud to him, asking him if he thought something sounded good. He must have decided that it's my turn now!

Luke and CB both gave this recipe a thumbs up and, since I had some tomato paste left over, suggested that we have it again soon.

Very soon!

April 25, 2011 He Remembered - Sort of

Curtis sent flowers today - for Valentine's Day and for my birthday. A dozen beautiful roses of all colors.

It's such a nice surprise to get flowers at work, isn't it? There's more than a bit of pleasure when you get flowers in an office filled with women. Call me a bitch, but you know I'm right!

I'll bring them home on Thursday so I can enjoy them all weekend.

I'm taking Friday off. Yes, it's true, I am staying home to watch the Royal Wedding. I watched Diana and Charles so I owe it to Wills to watch he and Kate tie the knot. I will add here that I think Charles is a prick and should never be King. He and his horse face wife need to find a cottage in the country (NOT OXFORDSHIRE) and live out the rest of their pitiful lives.

I should mention that my office smells heavenly. Sort of like lilacs, only with roses.

April 24, 2011 It All Has To Go Somewhere

As we were filling shopping carts last night, I was having a nagging thought - "where the hell am I going to put all this stuff?"

I woke up this morning to cabinets full of canned goods - I was too tired last night to put everything away.

So, I decided to clean out the pantry shelves and get everything organized. I got it done, but it looked very bad before it looked very good.

Once the organizing was done, I got out the recipe book, divided the meat into batches, vacuumed packed it and labeled it with the meal name. It took a long time, but it will be nice to go to the book, see what's for supper, or what's available for supper, go to the freezer and put something out to thaw.

Got 2 lovely messages from my daughters, Priya and Louise, wishing us a happy Easter. They were here 6 years ago and celebrated Easter with us. It was Priya's first Easter egg hunt and she was a wild child! It was so much fun to watch those 2 college girls run around the yard grabbing eggs. I miss them.

April 23, 2011 Sarah and CB Go Grocery Shopping.

CB looks surprised, doesn't he? He had this look ever since I sent him to the front of the store for the second basket.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

CB played in a golf tournament today and I sat at the computer with cookbooks stacked next to me and planned out 6 weeks worth of meals. Then I did the shopping list. Then I copied all the recipes I'll need and put them all in a 3 ring binder.

CB was done with 18 holes of golf before I was done with the planning.

We went out to supper before shopping so we'd have the strength to get through the task.

CB did a pretty good job until the first basket was full and we had not arrived at the meat department or the frozen food aisles. When I sent him for a second basket, his eyes glazed over and he started muttering to himself.

I'm not going to tell you how much our bill was, but I will say that we saved $115 with coupons.

I belive CB has a new found respect for how the cupboards get filled at 901 Lilac Lane!

April 21, 2011 I HATE CATS.

I was having my coffee this morning, minding my own damn business. I was pissed off at the latest bullshit perpetuated by the repuglicans in this state and swearing at the newspaper. Just like every other morning.

I happened to glance out the deck doors and saw a cat in the tree next to the deck. The cat had to be about 25 feet off the ground. It was just sitting there, looking at me.

Could it tell that I hated it on sight? I had never seen the cat before, but that didn't stop me from judging it immediately. No good can come from a cat, as evidenced by "The Cat in the Hat." They smell and they puke and they shed and there's the hair ball thing.

And what was that damn cat doing in my tree? Staring at me. Giving me the evil eye.

Naturally, as soon as I got my camera, the cat made a run for it. He didn't want any evidence that he had been in my tree, waiting for some poor unsuspecting bird to be his breakfast.

I was tempted to let Buddy out and we'd see who had who for breakfast. I think the cat would find somewhere else to eat if he had to deal with Buddy every day.

Hell, I damn near find somewhere else to eat when I have to deal with Buddy every day.

Anyway, I hate cats.

The end.

April 20, 2011 I Can't Believe I Did It Again!!

I have court tomorrow morning so I loaded up all the files I need, my calendar, my lunch box and my purse and left the office a little after 5:00.

Stopped by the ladies' room first as it's a long drive from Manhattan to Wamego on a 54 year old bladder.

I was over half way home and realized that I did not have my files or my calendar. They were on the shelf in the restroom of Forum Hall in the Union.

CRAP!

I turned around and drove back to KSU, hoping that Forum Hall was still unlocked.

It was, and my files and calendar were right where I left them. Let's just agree that client confidentiality was maintained, shall we?

The picture is of me using my parking garage pass as I left for home for the second time tonight.

April 19 My Favorite Flower

I love lilacs.

I love that I live on Lilac Lane.

I love that I have a lilac bush in my front yard. When I'm in the front yard and the wind blows just right, the smell is heavenly. It's the smell of spring in Kansas. (You can't tell it's spring by the overcast sky and the temperatures in the 40s, that's for damn sure.)


When Curtis and I got married in May, 2004, I commented to the florist that when I was a little girl, I dreamed of having lilacs in my bridal bouquet. The florist put a couple of sprigs of silk lilacs in my bouquet which made it really special.



It's supposed to be cold tonight (freeze warning, I shit you not) so I may have to go out and cut some flowers. I think they are prettier in a vase than on the bush anyway! And smell way better!

April 18, 2011 Hard Work

Finally, the day had arrived for CB and I finish 2 projects that had been partially done for awhile. CB had done much, okay, all of the prep work. We went to Menard's yesterday and got the supplies we needed, i.e. rock. Lots and lots of rock. Heavy rock. Rock that weighs a million pounds.

I kid you not.

In the front yard, there is a corner spot that used to have a butt-ugly bush. When we re-sided the house, I asked the contractor to pull that damn bush out. He did.

I did not think ahead about what would go in that corner. We put some rock in there and hoped for the best. The best did not come.

So, we pulled up everything and started over. New rock is down and when the weather warms up, we'll put several pots of flowers there. In the winter, we'll put some bird feeders. It will be lovely.

Before: After:

In the back, there is a spot under the landing of the new deck. I can't figure out what to do with the space, but last summer it was full of weeds and looked like crap. CRAP. I didn't even want to be on the deck because it looked so bad.

When I priced rock several years ago, it was going to cost more than I wanted to spend to put new rock down.

Menard's, enter stage left. Along with Grand Opening Sales! One of the sales was river rock. So, CB did the math, square feet = x amount of cubic feet, etc. etc., and we loaded up on river rock.

He had taken out all the old rock and washed it. We decided to put it back in, after we laid down black plastic and weed guard fabric, then top it off with new rock.

Before:

During and after:

I'm thinking about putting a fountain in this space. Maybe some planters. Maybe just leave CB there.

I'm open to suggestions.

April 17, 2011 Ryan Loves Jelly Beans!

Luke and I met Ryan in Topeka at Red Lobster for lunch. We never need a reason to meet for lunch, but I took this opportunity to jack Ryan up on sugar - - and gave him an Easter basket.

Neither of us are believers any more, but a holiday that supports mega-doses of sugar is my kind of holiday! And Ryan's as long as he gets Starbursts jellybeans.

His shirt is for Dan Savage's "It Gets Better" project - reaching out to young gay people. It's a reaction to the many young gay people who have committed suicide. His message is that being gay does get better...it gets better when you are on your own, or not living in a homophobic small town in the midwest, or not under the hateful eye of judgemental parents.

I love Ryan for his courage.

April 16, 2011 Beautiful Day in Pottawatomie County

Luke helped his Uncle Jay with the Tulip Festival bike ride. The longest route was 65 miles and Luke and Will (Jay and Kim's son) put up signs along the way so the riders wouldn't get lost. When the ride was over and Luke had a chance to unwind from putting up signs, making sure signs stayed up and taking signs down, I asked him to drive the route with me so I could see where the riders rode. It was a beautiful day and the scenery was gorgeous. The Flint Hills in Pott County outdid themselves.

I imagine it would have be more beautiful by bike.

But that's the best I can do, imagine it would be more beautiful by bike.

April 15, 2011 WTF Mother Nature?

I'm not even sure I have words for these pictures.

When I got home from work, I turned on the furnace. The furnace. Turned on on April 15. Crazy.

After I post this I am going to clean up the kitchen (what exploded in there is one of the mysteries of the universe) and then I'm going to put on my flannel pajamas and watch a movie.

There may or may not be an electric blanket involved.

April 14, 2011 Morning Sun

This morning as I left the house I loved how the sun was brightly shining on the front, making the tulips, shrubs and grass very happy.

Yeah, that's the shadow of my car. You think I got out of my car to take the picture?

Nope.

April 13 Green Velvet

In the fall, CB and I had a new lawn planted. As it was growing, I thought it looked a little pitiful. But, spring came (sort of) and our lawn burst onto the scene!

WOW!

CB mowed tonight and the yard looked even better once it was all one length.

I wanted to take off my shoes and run barefoot but that would have involved 1) taking off my shoes and 2) running.

I decided to be satisfied just looking at it.

All the time I grew up, my dad had the best lawns in town. He and my step mom bought a newly built house that had no landscaping at all. Dad put in 3 yards (front, middle and back) and maintained them for years. Oh, they were magnificent.

That's my goal, to have a Don Smith yard. I might be on my way this year!

April 12, 2011 Do They Grow This Just for K State?

On my way home I've noticed many fields that are full of these lovely purple flowers. I don't know if they are weeds or the blossoms of some crop that is coming to life after a long winter.

Whatever it is, it looks like the entire county is decked out in K State purple (well, lilac, actually) and supporting the Wildcats.

It's kind of pretty.

Wonder what KU has?

April 11, 2011 Bat Phone?

It's a mystery to me.

I went to a rosary last night at a local funeral home. The mother of my secretary in the county attorney's office passed away.

As I was leaving, I noticed this phone hanging on the wall next to the front door.

As you can see, there is no dial. And the phone is red, presumably so it will be noticed, right there beside the front door where a bell should be.

Got me to wondering - - under what conditions would I find myself at a funeral home and need to use a red phone that calls only one place (no dial, you see). Doesnt' a red phone typically signify an emergency? I mean, if the person is dead, then there is no emergency - it's not like that person is going anywhere. I'm not driving the dearly departed to the funeral home myself hoping to save a few bucks.

I do not get the red phone. Now, there is a chance that I may get liquored up some time and have someone take me to the local funeral parlor so I can pick that receiver up and find out just who is on the other end.

If a blog post is delayed until someone posts my bail, keep checking back because it will be a great story.

Happy Birthday, Karin Barnes! You are amazing and a wonderful sister in law!

April 10, 2011

A boy and his dog. Buddy is a 50 pound lap dog and Luke's lap is just the place! Here is the Wamego dutch windmill, surrounded by redbud trees. It was a beautiful day although the wind was blowing like crazy. Actually, these redbud trees should be horizontal!

I love my little town.

April 9, 2011 My Mom to the Rescue

I went to see my mom this morning; hadn't seen her all week and we needed to catch up. When I arrived, I commented that her tulips looked pretty. They are on the side of the garage and she doesn't walk out that way very often. We walked out there and she noted that the flower beds needed to be cleaned up. So, we cleaned them up! It was a beautiful morning and the perfect time to putter around in her flower beds.

Around 11, the phone rang. It was an acquaintance asking if Mom could arrange some flowers for a 50th wedding anniversary celebration later today. Mom said she'd be glad to. She's a retired florist and has an eye for flower arranging.

The lady showed up with a bunch of loose flowers from a cut-rate grocery store and told Mom that she needed the flowers arranged AND a bridal bouquet put together with 6 white roses.

And, could it be done no later than 1:00?

Mom got to work and I was her trusty right hand man.

Here is the bridal bouquet.

And here is the large flower arrangement.

Mom did an amazing job with what she had to work with. I uttered the phrase "Silk purse out of a sow's ear" more than once!

And she finished at 15 minutes until 1!

April 8, 2011 Luke Glows in the Dark.

Luke borrowed my camera on Friday to take photos of a project he is doing in his nuclear engineering class.

Although he has explained said project to me more than once, using words with less than 3 syllables, I still don't get it.

I think this is a picture of a nuclear something that contains some kind of crystal that Luke made.

Just act impressed when you see him.

I do. Every. Single. Day!

April 7, 2011 Post Number 100!!!!

I've been at this for 100 days! WOOO-HOOO!!!! It's been fun.

This is what I want for my birthday. It's a game called "Name 5". You have 30 seconds to name 5 of something - like 5 Tom Hanks movies, 5 child starts, 5 animals from the movies, etc.

I cut it out of a catalog and put it on the bar in the kitchen. I also mentioned it to both Luke and Curtis. So, I'm hopeful and as we know, hope springs eternal.

I was at a dinner last night and someone mentioned "HineyHiders" as the name of the locks on the stall doors in the ladies' rooms. Made me smile because I knew exactly what they were talking about. And I had documented it for all the world to see.

Well, most of the world.

Sort of.

April 6, 2011 My Smile and my Bladder

I went to the dentist this morning. It was my first time with this particular dentist so everything was new and interesting.

Once I got in the chair, my camera was too far away so I didn't get a shot of the TV mounted on the wall which I could watch while waiting (that actually begs the question of how long am I expected to wait? Or, if there is something good on TV, can I stay until the show is over?).

I suppose it would be a bad sign if, let's say, I go in to see the dentist, and he puts "Gone with the Wind" on the DVD player.

Naturally, after being in a situation where I couldn't get up and go to the loo, I had to go when I was released from said chair. Had. To. GO. The bathroom in this dentist office is nicer than mine at home. That shouldn't be, should it? The color, the art, the "hoist my fat ass off the toilet" bar, all of it was perfect.

However, I have often wondered about the necessity of an easy chair in the bathroom. Who sits in that chair? Honestly. Who?

I would not be questioning the presence of this chair if there were a television mounted in corner.

I checked.

There isn't.

April 5, 2011 Satellite Office of my OB/GYN?

On the floor of the ladies room in the Union was this: While it looks like a bunch of condoms, it is really an examination glove. Why? Why was it on the floor of the ladies room? In the Student Union?

Could it be that my OB/GYN decided to open an annex, performing pap smears while we wait for an open stall? Is this the next greatest idea? Is this what ObamaCare is all about? (Ignore that question, I am all about national health care and admire President Obama for what he has accomplished and am pissed at what the repuglicans have destroyed.)

I want to know what, exactly was being examined and by whom. I'm just curious that way.

Hell no I did not touch it. You crazy?

While doing the dishes, I saw this out my kitchen window. I love Kansas. We have the best sunsets in the universe. The. Best.

April 4, 2011 Absent From Work

I didn't go to the office to work today. I did, however, work.

New rule for the kitchen drawers: if it's sharp and can cut off unsuspecting fingers, it goes in the left drawer.

If it's for baking, measuring or peeling, it goes in the right drawer.

If you cut off a finger in the left drawer, you have been warned.

Bandaids are in the downstairs bathroom. Please don't bleed on the floor.

Then, because Curtis went back to work today and will no longer be around to do the laundry, I got it all done and discovered that it's true, the laundry room has a floor!

Who knew?

April 3, 2011 This is what Sundays are for....

I slept late.

Woke up, read a book, went back to sleep, got up for good long after Curtis had left for the golf course.

Probably would still be in bed except that I spent the afternoon with Matthew McConaughey in Manhattan. (If you haven't seen "The Lincoln Lawyer", you should. Matthew McConaughey is a hottie. Hot. Eee.)

By the way, at the movie, there were 12 people in the theatre. AND SOMEONE SAT ONE SEAT AWAY FROM ME. WTF? I think they wanted me to share my popcorn but, as we all know, there are only a few things I won't share and one of them is my popcorn. The others? Another story for another time.

Got home from the movie and paid bills. Contemplated suicide but was too lazy.

Read a book. CB came home from the golf course and asked if I wanted to help with the yard work in front. Actually, he didn't say "help", he said "let's do the yard work in the front". Subtle difference.

While he was getting organized, I put out new mini solar lights along the sidewalk. Got them on sale yesterday at Menard's. We'll see how they work. After I was done with my little project, I supervised CB in the trimming of the shrubs along the front porch. He's only done this twice a year for 7 years, but, still, I wasn't sure he knew exactly what was expected. After all, he's a man.
Then, I went into the garage and saw the west window covered with those god damn Asian beetles that look like ladybugs but are. not. lady. bugs.


These little bastards stink when you smush them and travel in hoards. Frickin' hoards. I bet there were 10 million on my window. At least. No exaggeration. At all.



Now, CB is going to take me out to dinner. What a guy.


The things he does to keep himself on the golf course.