The Lamp Story

While hubby was in China we would talk on Skype. He usually sat in the same spot and in his room/suite there was always this crazy clock/lamp in the background. He even sent me some pictures of it after he first moved into the room.

It was the craziest/coolest thing. Garish and loud, but it was also unique. I loved it! They were buying him so many gifts that I joked that he should tell them that his wife loved the lamp and maybe they would buy me one. More and more we joked about getting the lamp.

I finally told him that if he could find one to try and get it.

His last day, in China, he asked someone to take him out to find the lamp. They went to a small mall that just sold lamps. There were about 11 shops and everyone sold nothing but varieties of lighting. He went to eight shops before finding out that the lamp in his hotel was a three year old style and that there was a "newer" version. He called me at 3:00AM, our time, to see if I still wanted it and naturally I said yes.

So, the lamp make sit back to the States, but I never thought about how it would make the 23 hour flight and get through luggage checking etc. Not only did he have three large pieces of luggage, but he came home with two VERY large boxes! He had put twine through the tops so he could wrangle them through the airports. The lampshade was so large that it had its own box!

Amazingly the shade made it here unscathed, but we will have to get a new table top. The glass was broken into many pieces. United may reimburse hubby. I think we are going to get Plexiglas. Safer. More so than the crazy Chinese wiring! Since there are no regulations there they just all hang out the bottom of the lamp. It is cheaper than even anything sent here.

Of course the directions were only in Chinese, but hubby knows how that kind of stuff works. After we both had cocktails and bought a transformer it was ready to light! I never even thought about the electricity difference!! Not only did I have to buy a transformer, but another plug to plug the lamp in to and then plug in to the transformer!!

I never thought about all the differences and problems we would come across, but I do love it and love the effort that the hubby put forth to make it all possible! I adore my tacky, kitschy Chinese lamp.

Chowder House

Check out the Chowder House!

Road Trip

I hate to drive long distances. That being said I did drive my mom to Indiana over Mother's Day weekend. We went to our hometown of Michigan City which is just an hour and 20 minutes from Chicago and right on Lake Michigan. Cold and nasty in the winter!

Only a five hour drive, but I have trouble staying awake driving long distances. My mom sold her car last year and doesn't have insurance, so I had to do all the driving. Getting there was not bad, but it rained all the way home and my mom kept drifting off to sleep!

We had beautiful weather, as you can see from our trip to the lake, and spent a good deal of time outside. Aside from the lake we also went to an awesome outdoor shopping place called Lighthouse Place also on the Lake. Outlet stores, great deals! That night we went to the F.O.P for a fish fry. My cousin is a Michigan City cop and his daughter works there. I had an all - you - can eat Walleye in a delicious beer batter. Best fish I have had in ages.

My Uncle Mike has been a model, almost all of his life, and he came over to see us from Chicago. As did his best friend and our family friend Trevor. It was a good trip. Ate food, played cards and slept late. Wish I would have had more time off.

Corkscrew Girls Meet at The Melting Pot

The Corkscrew Girls went to Ladies Night/Spa Night at the Melting Pot last night!

Happy Birthday Mom

My mom turned 76 last week. She is in such good health that her doctors tell her she is not her age. Most people can not believe how old she is. I am lucky. Lucky that she is still around, doesn't take a single medication, and still dances and has an active life. She volunteers at the local elementary school every week. Doing office work, grades for teachers and all their copying. Does all sorts of word puzzles and games as well as plying euchre on a regular basis. When the two of us get together we play Scrabble for hours!

So for someone who has all they need there is really nothing to buy them for a birthday, so we will often go out to dinner. I like to take her to places that she would never go to or spend the money on.

There is a city nearby that has a wonderful restaurant that I love. Crave.

Crave is the name. It is also what I do! I look for any celebration to get there. The atmosphere and menu are wonderful. Mom loves good food and unusual combinations as much as I do. It was hard to make a choice because I also knew that I wanted desert. Oh the decisions!!

I ended up having the BLT. Applewood smoked bacon, lobster, fried green tomato, avocado, arugula on Texas toast. OMG!!!!!!! Sensational. Mom had a blackened catfish po'boy. It was huge.

Mothers Day is coming soon......where do I want to eat?

By the way, I am drinking a blueberry cheesecake martini and mom is having a spice-tini. Hers has jalapeno stuffed olives!

Facebook & Jesus

I just found out that there is something repugnant to Jesus about Facebook. I know there are many who are not fond of the social web site, but I had no idea how high it went.

I heard on the news that many people were doing this and then someone I work with jumped on the bandwagon. I guess I am just furthering my quick passage to hell and eternal damnation.

Where the hell is the connection???? When did the "powers that be" send the declaration down that they were displeased with our social networking? That they care about what we "like" and "dislike"? That if we "LOL" at the wrong joke we will be damned?

It just makes me shake my head. I can't understand how it could be further from what the original intent might have have been.

A Fat Lip & Exhaustion

I went back to work this week, after six weeks of a medical disability, and I am exhausted!! I was never so happy to have a day off. First it was mental. Having to listen to so many people talking to me at once after so much time of just me & the pup! Then a day later came the physical exhaustion. The feet and legs. Twice this week I came home and fell asleep for 10 hours! Barely a single sip of wine.

Last night I ordered two pizzas and was going to have some pizza, wine and relax. I got my favorite spinach alfredo pizza with onions, fresh tomatoes and bacon. YUM! Hubby had picked me up and we were coming home together. The kid was home ahead of us and the puppy was already out of the kennel. She heard us arrive and was quite excited.

She was running around us. I bent down to untangle her runner and at the same time she was trying to jump. Her hard ass head hit me solid in the mouth. Luckily no teeth were loose, but I have one hell of a fat lip! I had to sit, for an hour, with an ice pack. All before my first glass of wine!! Sheer insanity!! I was ready to cry. Not sure if it was the lip, the exhaustion or the fact that I really wanted that wine. Probably a bit of all three.

Corkscrew Girls Gather

The girls got together last night for another round of food, laughs and cocktails. Seems that everyone was in the mood for salad. Rockne's does have a good salad and you can leave off the pita bread and add hard boiled egg. Yum.

Two of us had their Gyro Salad, which is my fave, that is made with gyro meat,
Greek olives and Feta cheese. Served with a delicious cucumber dressing. The other gals were in a chicken kinda mood. One had the Buffalo chicken salad and the other the chicken with raspberry dressing.

To finish it off, those of us not following Lent, had a mini dessert. I had the mini peanut butter pie and someone else had a mini cheesecake. Mmmmmm it was just enough!

Ahhh, another successful meeting down and the next one already planned and maybe even a future weekend at a gambling resort!! That would be fun.

Thinking About Lent

This post was first posted in Feb. of 2007. It caused quite a discussion! The TV, this morning, has been chock full of those beginning to discuss what they are giving up for Lent, so I am re-printing rather than come up with a whole new post. After reading this one I still feel the same in 2011 as I did in 2007.

This is always an interesting time of year, or at least it was when I was teaching. It just also happens to be a topic similar, but in noway the same, to what the Drew talks about over at his blog today as well. This whole season of Lent and sacrifice and proving that you can give somethging up.

I worked with a fella that taught Social Studies and he claimed to be a Catholic, although I guess, as the Drew points out, many Christian religions have this activity at this time of year. He would make it a big point to tell us how he was giving up beer for Lent. This from a guy who was also not very faithful to his wife. In the bigger picture how can the beer get you in to Heaven? I hope it is not that convoluted!! He never attended any church, except at the time of his wedding, but made it out to be a very special time in his life, this whole Lent process, as if the rest of us were infidels.

I have heard others recently talk about chocolate and other food items as their sacrifice. Is it just me or is this somewhat shallow? Isn't the sacrifice meant to be something a tad more relevant and isn't the person supposed to be more repentant? Isn't this behavior something you should follow all year long and not just at the time that leads up to Easter? I was even told, yesterday, that elderly or older people do not have to give up anything for Lent according to one ladies church. If this is so does that mean that once you hit a certain age that you get an automatic pass in to Heaven? What is that age? Does it come with the AARP or Golden Buckeye card?

Also, why does it have to be such a public display? Why does one have to go around and make themselves seem to be so grand and sacrificing because they ARE giving something up? I believe that even the Bible says that when you do your good works that you are not supposed to be bragging. I know many people with good hearts that do good works, but they do them all year long. They scarifice all year long. Are they any less special because they may not ascribe to the whole lenten ideal?

I have been having a personal question and much debate recently with Christianity especially since many others also have the same ideals. I just began reading " The Way to a Meaningful Life" by the Dalai Lama and he speaks about the same guiding principles. I have been to several web sites that say that one should learn of all the worlds religions and take bits and pieces of them all as opposed to ascribing to one particulare faith.

My mom made a big deal about having to go to work early so that she could go get her "ashes" today. I asked her why? She said just because that is what you do. There was no real reason or philosophy, just because it is the outward sign to everyone else that you believe in something. Does it have to be an outward sign or symbol? Can't you believe in something and have it be internal and go about your life and good works without needing the approval or accolades of others? Isn't that the more "Godlike" way? Can't we just do our good works or random acts of kindness without worrying about the thanks we will/or should get? Why does it have to be in the public forum? Can't we just simply be good people and not worry about certain readings and writings etc.?

Why do we have to deny ourselves to prove anything?

Finish My Book or Pack?

According to these guys I have 15 days to finish my book. Should I even bother? Why even go back to work? If I do, how can I pretend that I don't know what is coming AND how do I not tell everyone that I work with? Do I even tell those that I don't like?

What do I want to squeeze in theses last days? Do I quit showering? Do I really want to make up with those I no longer have contact with or just let them figure it out on their own.

Honestly, I can't believe that people continue to head off on these wild goose chases. Where do they get their info?

Sadly, I think that they have to be weak minded and lead by what they believe to be true in the bible. Folks that can not think or act on their own without being told. The sheeple.

Spot On!

Mixed Nuts

It's quite the dish of mixed nuts.

Sadly the first impression of Charlie Sheen is manic depression or bi-polar disorder. Drug use/abuse aside. There is a "mania" and abnormal affect to him. I can speak with a bit of knowledge from my teaching days. We did extensive drug counseling in our school and I attended many classes/workshops about various topics in that area. I know there is something just not right about his behaviors.

What is sad is that there are many small/young children involved. As well theses television/magazine people are basically just feeding his "mania" by continuing to put him in/on the news. Society continues to watch, but how many are actually watching the Middle East? How many actually care what is happening in the world? sadly, society seems to be much more interested in his crap, Teen Mom's, and what the "Situation" is up to.

Other nuts in the dish are the whacked out members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas. You know them. They are the nuts that show up at the funerals of dead soldiers with obnoxious signs.

"A Kansas church that attracted nationwide attention for its angry, anti-gay protests at the funerals of U.S. military members has won its appeal at the Supreme Court, an issue testing the competing constitutional rights of free speech and privacy. The justices, by an 8-1 vote, said Wednesday that members of Westboro Baptist Church had a right to promote what they call a broad-based message on public matters such as wars."

"Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and -- as it did here -- inflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority."

I know that the Supreme Court is right, but that doesn't mean that I like it. I really, really dislike these people and that they spew hate AND that they do it at such sad times. They are not good people. They use the disguise as a "church" to spread their hatred. It is disgusting and a disgrace what they do to these families.

OMG!

I guess at 20 you have lived enough of life to have so much to say that it must be put down in a book.

Seriously.... she believes that we need, or require, an "inside look at her life"? Yes. I imagine that there are millions just waiting to hear about the hardships of being 20 and the daughter of a reality star. That is what that entire family has become. How anyone can take Sarah Palin seriously any longer is beyond my comprehension.

"Bristol gives readers an intimate behind-the-scenes look at her life for the first time, from growing up in Alaska to coming of age amid the media and political frenzy surrounding her mother's political rise; from becoming a single mother while still a teenager to coping as her relationship with her baby's father crumbled publicly — not once, but twice," according to Morrow.

Riveting topics. Nothing will get me out to the bookstore faster than a story about high school and an out- of - wedlock baby! Teen pregnancy is so common that I can not imagine why Bristol thinks that her story is any more engaging. Unless she is going to focus on her Dancing With the Stars period. There is another captivating chapter!

"She speaks candidly of her aspirations for the future and the deep religious faith that gives her strength and inspiration.

"Plainspoken and disarmingly down to earth, Bristol offers new insight and understanding of who she is and what she values most."

Her deep religious faith must be something new. Where was it when she and Levi were having teenage sex? Must be values that she recently cultivated.

There also must be a ghost writer. Someone who barely finished high school, or just did with no higher education, can not be very capable of writing a book. I hope they don't plan to make this a hard cover, seems there would be just enough material for a leaflet.

Oscars & Hand

Getting my other hand done today. Sort of sad. It means that I will be going back to work soon. I had to admit that this time off has been refreshing and quite a bit of fun. I have had to deal with some annoyances, but spending time with friends, my dog and family has been worth it. The freedom of sleeping with no alarms has been soooooo freeing. The stress free feeling of going to bed when I want and not having to jump out of bed.

We watched the Oscars for lack of anything better to do. What a total bore. Everyone was kissing the ass of the big, boring English spectacle. The hosts were god awful! I mean so awful that I was embarrassed for them. I really think Jeff Bridges got passed over, in a very disappointing way, for True Grit. The same for the little girl that just carried that movie. All too predictable for me.

The Girls

Corkscrew Girls had a recent meeting and started it off with a very delicious Cabernet!!

As usual there was a plethora of food and fun!

Political Follies

It's not an issue that is confined to either side of the isle. Both sides are well known for their extramarital escapades. That brings us to today's topic...what the hell are these guys thinking?? The story is almost the same; married man with children seeking someone to engage in a fling.

Seems that he represented himself as a single lobbyist. Did he not realize by sending a picture that he was risking getting caught...and quite quickly.

I just do not understand the overwhelming urge to hook up versus your career! Not to mention your family. How little do these assholes care for their wife and kids that they can treat them like this? If this wife "stands by her man" I will be so pissed. At least Mark Sanford's wife had the strength to leave his sorry ass.

Then there is the career that is getting tossed aside. After all the time and years put in to the career washed down the drain. Is the life they are living so dull and unfulfilled that they have to look on Craig's List for excitement? Sad.

"(CNN) – Forget about Sarah. The next Palin to hold elective office just might be Bristol Palin.

The famous daughter of the former vice presidential candidate told E! News she "probably" will run for office some day if a pressing problem needs to be addressed."

After I finish laughing and pick myself up off the floor I will continue this rant.

The sad thing is that I believe that she is serious and takes herself seriously.

Part of what makes her statement, and Bristol so sad, is that she is under the impression that she could just jump in to office of some sort. Not mentioning the fact that she has had no other education than high school. Did she even graduate? Has her mother so skewed her vision that she doesn't realize the education and studying and years of serving that would be required before she could save the day.

Just another example how that family has become a "reality show" rather than anyone to be taken seriously either politically or otherwise.

One Down, One to Go

Right hand done. Left hand on the 28th.

The biggest annoyance was not being able to have coffee in the morning. Since I am such an addict. I had not been looking forward to that ever since the surgery dates had been set. Luckily I was not totally put under and was able to have can of cola while in recovery right away. She also gave me crackers and my first Vicodin.

I have started to break them in half. They were making me weird, or I should say weirder than my normal. I got that feeling that I was falling through the couch. Like I was seasick and my head was in a fog. I imagine that there were times, in my 20's, that I might have paid good money to feel that way, but now it just makes me sick!

The actual time in the OR was just about 15-20 minutes. It took longer to get ready and recover than the actual procedure. I could hear them making small talk and could have opened my eyes, but there was really nothing to see except the blue sheet with them on the other side.

The way it is wrapped I can move all my fingers quite easily with the pain really only on the edge of my palm. So far I really don't have any major pain complaints. Although it was just Monday, so I have a few days to see how it gets. Sadly though I seem to have a cold! I was getting it the day of surgery and now it is a full blown cold. That sucks. Hope it will be gone by the next surgery date.

Egypt

There is nothing more important, or riveting, than what is happening in Egypt. I have been watching news and reading as much as I can. Like many Americans I am not thoroughly aware of the politics in that area of the world, so I am trying to educate myself. It is a huge undertaking. Multi layered with years and years of history.

My hubby is due to travel into that part of the world, in a few months, and it is an area of great concern for me. We have to admit that Americans are not received with open arms. Why do we think the people were pissed when they picked up the tear gas canisters and they said Made in the United States!!

I don't have half the knowledge to post anything deep or involved, but I am aware and trying to stay as up to date as I can. A few friends and I have been meeting for coffee and discussing it at length, but they were Political Science majors and are more aware of the politics of that area than I and they provide me with great insight. I find it sad that many of the younger people I work with are not concerned and can not even discuss the issues. I guess if it's not on Facebook or You Tube it isn't relevant.

Simply Deranged

There is simply something terribly wrong with the members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas.

You know them. They are frequently in the news for protesting at the funerals of servicemen, those who have died of AIDS or those who are gay. Now they are planning to protest at the services of the two teenagers that were recently killed by their mother because their father is in the military.

It is hard to believe that these people even refer to themselves as a church or even try to convince anyone that they have a god. They simply come across as crazy, evil and just plain bad folks. They even have children among them. Holding signs and shouting crazy rhetoric while decent folks are trying to grieve.

I know that they are a very small church with limited members, but they sure make enough racket. You know how the squeaky wheel gets the grease, well they manage to garner a great deal of attention. How could anyone agree with the crap that they spread? I don't understand how anyone could find them a credible group/church to join. If there is anyone that needs to be protested...it is them!

Food, Wine & Friends

Check out the new blog that my three friends and I are doing together!!