before and after

so, i was able to grow 8" of ponytail - it's getting donated to locks of love via a friend's daughter who is working on a service project. Usually 10 inches or more is requested to make one wig, but donated hair less than 10 inches will be sold and those monies put towards wig production.

i think it's been about 7 years since my hair was this short. it will be a surprise to the kids and rob - well, not really b/c i sent a picture to them. they are in Lodi for the weekend. yes, that's right. i am sans children. besides the avon walk for breast cancer, i don't know the last time i didn't have a child or children with me. it's weird. i'm hoping to quilt baby jaxin's quilt - it's sandwiched and pin basted. just need to find some thread and start quilting. hopefully i will get that done and hopefully i won't freak out without my husband and kids w/in arms reach...i was getting that sort of hyperventalness (like that word?) as i was helping pack the car. as joshilyn jackson would say, my mental health number is heading toward the stratosphere *smile*

but i really am looking forward to sleeping until i wake up on my own!

food glorious fooooood!

this is from carrie - thanks :)

1.Canned peas: tasty and economical preserved veggie or olive drab pellets of vileness?

i love love love peas. i hate the olive drap pellets of vileness that come in cans pretending to be peas. canned peas are right up there with liver and kidney for me. just wrong.

2. Mayonnaise: delectable artery-clogging condiment or revolting mass of congealed gunk of unknown origin?

not such a huge fan of the mayo but i do use it in small amounts with things.

3. Sauerkraut: great topping for a hot dog or vomit-inducing social repellent?

i LOVE LOVE LOVE sauerkraut. it's delicious and crunchy and yummmmmy!

4. Head cheese: tasty deli meat or the remnants from a bad sinus infection?

ick. 'nuff said

5. Explain your theory on who would actually eat pickle and pimento loaf.

i'm not entirely sure - i haven't had it before, but really, it's got pickles - yum. pimentos - yum! i just might like it actually...not sure.

6. What would you do for a Klondike Bar?

nothing special. as i recall, klondike bars don't have the ice cream sandwich cookie like part. if i'm wrong, then i might do a little something for a klondike bar.

7. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

well, according to the Wise Old Owl, it takes "uh-one, uh-two, thrrrrrreeeeeee, CRUNCH!" i'm a cruncher rather than a sucker when it comes to lollipops and such.

8. While we are on the subject, how do you eat your cream cone?

um, i lick it? when it starts dripping, i lick around the bottom part.

9. What kind of ice cream cone is best?

the regular kind. i do not like the sugar cones at all. waffle cones are pretty good too, but really, just the regular ones make me happy.

10. Organ meats?

no thank you.

11. Why would anyone contaminate perfectly divine chocolate with shredded coconut?

b/c it's yummy! duh.

12. Then what should I do with this lovely bunch of coconuts?

we like them here. send them along.

13. Give me your thoughts on brussels sprouts.

i like them.

14. And artichokes?

LOVE artichokes! however, i had one when i was newly pregnant w/irene and it was a good year or more before i was able to have any.

15. Invertebrates as a food source?

yes. i don't so much like oysters or snails, but many others, you bet.

16. Describe a properly cooked and adorned hot dog.

er - hmmm...i don't love them all the time, but i do like them with some ketchup, relish, onions, and a bun. when they are bbq'd, i like them a bit burnt.

17. How did Wonder Bread get that name?

because it's a wonder that you can squish a piece of wonderbread into a very very small ball and pop it in your mouth. you could probably also squish the entire loaf and it would fit into the palm of your hand.

18. What possessed anyone to look at the droppings of a palm civet and think they should search through it for coffee beans to roast so they could market it as the highest priced coffee in the world?

god only knows. i enjoy coffee, but i don't want to spend 50.00 per cup of coffee for some coffee that has come through a palm civet! gross!

19. Twinkies: irresistible junk food or indestructible weapon?

i liked hohos better - but i think that everyone should at least taste a twinkie once in their lifetime.

20. What is the best use for olives?

what kind? my kids would say the black ones are good for putting on your fingers (actually, they might say that anymore. if you're talking about spanish olives, they are good anytime. kalamata olives are perfect w/some feta in a salad, i do like a good olive. not so big on the black ones in a can.

21. Normal watermelon or seedless?

er, well, a normal watermelon would be one with seeds. i like them both. i've always just swallowed the seeds. and like carrie, i often salt my watermelon. i cut the melon up into bit sized chunks and put them in the fridge. it makes it easy to enjoy it.

22. Have you ever had caviar?

yes. not my favorite. reallllly salty.

23. Tell me about a flavor experiment that went horribly awry.

er - i don't know. perhaps chinese surprise.

24. File this under 'why bother?'

aspic

25. What is one dish you tasted because it looked irresistibly delicious but it turned out to be really revolting?

hmm - i'm not sure.

irene made famous

:) well, she is if you go to TheLoanBeader's site! isn't that cool??? and did you see all of her beaded things? did you take a look at the firetruck that the loan beader is making? did you scroll down and see her size 22 seed beads for the dalmation? oh my goodness!!! they look to be the size of glitter! amazing!!

yesterday, for those that don't know, was valentine's day (heh heh). rhys and i went to irene's school and helped with the party - it was quite fun. i was quite impressed with the kids - after doing the craft rotations (irene took rhys with her to each station and helped him with this and that - very sweet of her!), it was time to eat and then open up their valentines. the kids were incredibly polite and were saying thank you to their friends for the valentines. this is not to say that they weren't also hopped up on sugar, but it was wonderful to hear so many kids thanking the other kids in their class.

after that we came home and irene sorted through all of her valentines, put the candies into a bag, and looked at them all :) yes, of COURSE i let her eat some! we went to black rock for dinner with mom and ken. it was yummy as always. we had a coupon for a free dessert, so we ordered the slice of italian wedding cake - the frosting is beyond divine. of course, rhys decided he was exhausted and wanted to leave. know, i *know* he was exhausted b/c he didn't even want to wait for the cake! so, i took him home and irene shared the slice of cake with her daddy. they were very very sweet and brought home the frosting'd top for me and some of the cake for rhys. i enjoyed the top last night, rhys will enjoy the cake today.

okay - just about time to take my beanie child to school.

quick answer getting to know you (me)

i still owe two of these from when deb was hosting - but i will just carry on with this one from swampgrrl. if you want to participate, please let me see yours (tell me about it in the comments) and go to create a connection and let them know as well.

Answer the following questions by intuition ... whatever comes to you immediately.

If you spend more than 2 seconds on the answer, leave it blank and move to the next question.

Ready?

1. You run into a friend who has just chopped off all her long hair (or suddenly has an Afro). What do you say?

oooooh! look at YOU!

2. You walk by a well dressed man with manicured hands who smells like a gin martini. He asks you for money. What do you do?

not in this lifetime.

3. Your brother or sister or best friend falls madly in love with someone you think is a jerk. What do you do?

keep my mouth shut and hope that either a) i'm wrong or b) my bro/sis/best friend realizes it before s/he gets too hurt, but i will be there to listen and support when the realization hits.

4. You get a terrible present from your husband, wife, girlfriend or boyfriend. Do you let it show?

i do my very best to love it anyway.

5. Who's your favorite Beatle?

er - paul b/c i like what he's done then and since, john b/c his words were like magic, ringo b/c he wrote a silly song (i love it when drummers write silly songs - think Paul Hester and Italian Plastic as well as ringo's octopuses garden), and george for his guitar gently weeping (what do you mean i can't pick all 4?!?!)

6. You walk by a disheveled man wearing soiled & tattered clothes. He politely asks you for money. What do you do?

i give it to him if i have it. if i have food, i give him some of that.

6. Skinny Elvis or Fat Elvis?

does anyone really pick the fat elvis?

Good job!

Next, go find an outrageous picture of your Elvis on the net and post it at the bottom of your answers. Be sure to give credit to the photographer.

i'm just trying to get this posted, so i'm going to skip the bonus round.

just ick.

didn't get into grad school. don't know what to do differently for the next go 'round b/c there AREN'T any required letters of recommendation or anything like that. frickafrackafruck. just bummed. and apparently at my wits end too.

wheeee.

edited to say - what a crappy 100th post, huh? i'm teaching today and friday, so i'll try to do a better one later.