Karma is hot and sweaty..

Damn. That's what I get for complaining about the weather. In the past four months we've had crippling tornadoes, a frickin' earthquake - on the east coast! - and hurricanes.

The local meteorologists are so excited, they're wriggling around like puppy dogs.

And me? Once again, I have proof that God is not a woman...because She NEVER would have given me flabby triceps when I most need to go sleeveless.

Don't MAKE me get the winter voodoo doll out!

OK, I really can't complain. Well - I shouldn't complain. I actually CAN complain, and do, and do so in a really fine fashion, I must say.

So I shouldn't complain about winter. Other than the day after Christmas, when Mr. Lulu and I trudged to the store to get the requisite perishables in the 8 inches that fell that day, it hasn't been too bad here.

It was even over 70 both days this weekend. And we could really use some snow for the drought we're having....

It's just....grey and cold and wintery and icky. Everywhere! And I feel for all y'all with the snow again....yoiks.

So I'm getting the voodoo doll out again. Winter, take that. and that. and that!

BRIGHT and COLORFUL for SPRING!!

Yup - blog title shamelessly 'benchmarked' from fashion headlines....apparently, color is back in for the spring, which means that I seriously have to work out now, because if I can't hide behind my black skinny jeans, big black oversized sweater and black-patterned scarf any more......yoiks. Need to lose some winter elbeeeees.

Or I could just find the skinny canvas cargo jeans with the big oversized brightly-colored summer-weight sweater and a fresh scarf!

Speaking of bright and colorful - run and scamper to a new blog on my run/scamper list - Laura Treavey and her Bright, Bold and Beautiful blog. She paints beautiful watercolors and also has this great site where you can't help but feel very motivated to bring pretty colors into your life.....which I could really use this year....Oy.

Also - the firepit launch was great - we broke a few bottles of vodka and wine to christen it, and broke out the wieneround, the s'more maker and the marshmallow tree.

Of course, I then had to use the new Lulu washer/dryer combo (story to come) to wash the smoke smell out of our clothes, and then had to wash the sheets and pillowcases because they picked up the smoke smell from our hair....sigghhhhhh....quite the production.

But hey - being outside and relaxing with some friends around the fire really made it feel as if we are finally starting to come out of the winter dulls....

And last for this sunny Sunday - one of my watercolors is featured in this etsy treasury from zuzus world - thanks for checking it out!

(huh. only two exclamation points. and here I thought I was waaaay too cheery...)

Time to use the Wieneround!

Yes, that's right - Mr. Lulu has finished the backyard firepit, it is 75 toasty degrees here and it is time to fire up the Wieneround! This is quite possibly the best firepit tool ever - no need to exert yourself or even shift your beer...your hot dog will be perfectly cooked every time.

Here's the description:

This Wieneround Fork sets a new standard in gourmet hot dog roasting by rotisserie cooking hot dogs and sausages without piercing the meat—just slip the dog inside the coiled cavity and rotate by turning the thumbwheel. With a turn of the thumbwheel, the coil holding the hot dog rotates which in effect rotisserie cooks the dog

That's right! Just slip the dog inside the coiled cavity.....I'm not saying, I'm just saying....

Of course, bratwurst / chili (for chili-cheese dogs) / coleslaw / chips / beer will round out this fine menu!

How do you roast your weenies?

Can we ever get tired of seeing the red carpet fashion?

Ummm...clearly - no.

I am completely and totally attracted and fascinated and drawn to the fashions on the red carpet. So tonight it's the Grammys, previously it was the SAG awards and the Golden Globes. Pretty soon, of course it's the super bowl of fashion parades - the Academy Awards.

But honestly, I would watch the Poulan Weedeater 2nd quarter district regional support sales pencil sharpener of the month awards, if there were a red carpet on E.

Have to see the Gaga....

Yay! Body Slam tomorrow...AKA, Airport Security

Yay! I get to go through airport security on the day before the biggest travel day of the year! Jumpy and clappy!

Actually, I'm fine with the body scan. And trust me - after having spent 16 years in the radiology business? I know that the TSAs do not care what I look like under my Spanx.

Just keeeeep moving, lady. That's it. Do the twirl. Get the backscatter. Be scanned. Keep moving. Next?

We all look alike to them on the monitor and nobody has time to think about how I could use a little o'Jillian.

The Mother of all Holidays

So....here we are. My sibs and I, about to experience the first holiday as true adults. As orphaned adults, that is...which is what I feel like tonight, after having spent the better part of two days unpacking my 'Mom and Dad house stuff'' plastic tubs and realizing over and over again, that both of my parents have passed on, crossed over, hit the penthouse, moved into a higher level of being....ok...I need to say it. They have died.

Ummmm....they're in a big sixties lounge in the sky.

See? Can't quite say it yet.

Anyway........

And I have to admit, when I cut away the bubble wrap on some of the stuff, I'm thinking...WTF? Because I packed up three of the tubs in August, when mom had been gone less than a month and I was a huge bundle of raw grieving nerves and had become a mom memory hoarder and every post it note / envelope / cocktail stirrer had meaning.

So I have some things here that - if she were here - my mom would be telling me to "Dump already!"

I so get the TLC hoarders right now.

Holiday stuff to come....

Yummy Weekends

...are exactly like the one that I just spent in a major east coast city enjoying beautiful late fall weather and celebrating a big family occasion.

with juuuust enough family drama to provide juicy stories for other family members (*ahem..my sister) who will oh so satisfyingly exclaim "Oh my GAWWD!" and "are you KIDding me!!" and "shut UP!"

Love me some sistah dramafest.

Hellooooooooooooooooooooo

Hi...all y'all.

I'm not sure that I remember how to post! And I just realized that it has been four months since I posted anything...a very crazy four months.

We closed out mom's house this past weekend, and I no longer have a home anchor in my home town. Sure, I can absolutely stay with any of my siblings but it's not quite the same as being able to hang out at mom and dad's house. I mean, the first thing I did when I walked into the house was open the fridge and stand there staring at it, grumbling that there wasn't anything to eat.

I could do that to my siblings, but they all have kids to fill that void....sighhhhhhh.

I needed the break, and now I need to stalk - I mean stake out my territory all over again. Maybe I mean blogitory. Or terriblog. But then it would just be creepy and scary.

So, ummm, anyway.

I'm back!

I'm WELL

...well, not so good actually. But as Mom was a grammar goddess, she terrorized...ummmmm, I mean she influenced entire generations to use correct grammar, and this was a particular pet peeve....when someone asks how you are, you answer politely - I'm well, thank you.

Not, I'm good. Or I suck. She really hated that.

She diagrammed - no, not diaphragmed, she was not a greinacologist - she taught hundreds of kids how to diagram sentences.

And I have to admit that I still suck at it, Mom!

So that's good.

:)