Here's To A Very Happy 2007

Dear ever-lovin' cousins, Natural Blonde and family, and all other family that checks into RTTB, may 2007 bring peace, happiness and good health to you all.
Love,
ELC

H ours of happy times with friends and family
A bundant time for relaxation
P rosperity
P lenty of love when you need it the most
Y outhful excitement at lifes simple pleasures

N ights of restful slumber (you know - dont' worry be happy)
E verything you need
W ishing you love and light

Y ears and years of good health
E njoyment and mirth
A ngels to watch over you
R embrances of a happy years!
~ Author Unknown

And they say Bambi is traumatic!!!

Ok, so I'm totally hooked on the Family Channel for the holidays. I wish they were not so Harry Potter crazy - even though I love him - because he doesn't seem to be part of the classic holiday collection. Anyway....tonight I watched Nestor the Long Eared Donkey for the first time. It's in the same vein as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is coming to town - part of the ever popular Rankin Bass stable. HOWEVER, Roger Miller narrates it and sings (yes, the song is called Nestor the Long Eared Donkey!), and Nestor is subjected to all kinds of horrors (slave beatings, sandstorms, being bullied in the farmyard) before he has a christmas epiphany (if you will) that his giant ears are good! Instead of putting me in a good mood, I may have to go sit in a dark room and rock back and forth. Wow - that's a bit dramatic, but I'm still Nestor-disturbed!!! Watch at your own risk!

What will THIS year hold?

Repost from last year:

Low-Singing Christmas Decoration Tour NEVER disappoints!

Let's see --
Starbucks trying to pawn off the MOCHA peppermint cocoa, AGAIN!
"Oh no! Not the blue lights again."
"Look! Its waving Santa! Hi Santa!!"
"Look, its waving Santa again. Hi Santa."
"Oh no, not waving Santa again. Turn the other way!"
"That's the creepy creche."
"Didn't you like that inflatable tree last year?"
"Creche on a picnic table!"
"The end of Chris's street is creepy."
"The albino creche." (we're definitely going to hell!)
"Where is the creepy street from last year?" "Why did we think this was creepy?"
"Remember where I thought it was a drug deal going down? Let's go there!" "Its a park -- AAAHHHHH!!!"

ahhh, the fun. Can't wait until next year!
(when I spellchecked this, it wanted me to replace "ahhh" with "ahoy." Isn't that excellent?! AHOY!

And the winner is.....

CARIDEE!

Here is her winning CoverGirl shot.


America's Next Top Model crowned its 7th winner last night. ELC and I watched together by phone and enjoyed it thoroughly. Twiggy called her a "loose cannon." Miss Jay said she was crazy. But the judges clearly thought she was better than the dead-eyed, phlegmatic Eugenia and the calculating, overconfident, annoying Melrose. Congratulations Caridee!


Here's Caridee as a circus freak (of course!)



Our two favorite moments? When Eugenia was eliminated halfway through, she and Caridee, who had become close friends, shared a sad hug. Then Melrose, hated by ALL the contestants, awkwardly tries to join in on the embrace. The other two girls COMPLETELY ignore her. And the camera stayed with it to capture the delightfully uncomfortable nature of Melrose's awkward embrace. EXCELLENT!

Look at those dead eyes! Isn't this a dreadful photo?

The second best moment was at the end when Caridee is announced the winner and we see how bitter and graceless Melrose really is when she turns away from the winner and basically just walks out. EXCELLENT TIMES TWO!!






Pretty, but annoying. A little too pleased with herself.

Wishing Star

Today in my kindergarten class we did a project where the kids made a Wishing Star. They traced a star on wrapping paper, cut it out and wrote their wish for the world. Well, when we were sitting on the rug to hear the directions beforehand, Kathy asked the kids to tell us what their wish for the world was. There were some wishes about not littering and polluting as well as a couple for being nice to each other, and even one for everyone to become superheros! But one boy said,

"Well because a lot of people in the world get hurt. They get hurt because the world is hard. I wish the world was more soft."

Isn't that the most beautiful thing you've ever heard? I think he actually may have meant it literally, like "when i fall on the playground it hurts because the ground is so hard." But, of course, I thought of it more metaphysically, and I agree. Sometimes the world is too hard! It took a little effort on my part to hold back the waterworks, but I did.


And one of the things that makes the world a little easier? THE SEASON FINALE OF AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL!!!!! TONIGHT!!! Woo hoo! Don't miss it!

I'm Crabby!

I was in the lovely community of Baltimore this weekend. I was there for a job interview for a counseling position at a school outside of London -- their U.S. headquarters is in Baltimore. The woman I met with was delightful and, of course, very British! So they won't know anything until after Jan 31, when their staff has to give notice. So I don't know -- it would be an amazing adventure but being away from family would be TOUGH! Anyway, I don't have to think about it until/unless they offer me a job.

So I treated myself to a harborview room at the Hyatt on Baltimore's Inner Harbor. I'm so glad I did. The room was comfy and clean and this was my view:



Nice, eh? So after my interview, I walked around the harbor a bit. It was cold and crisp, but sunny. I went to Phillip's for lunch, where I had Crab Soup, a Crab Cake and a Chesepeake style Cosmopolitan. I know, the cosmo sounds weird, but basically its a regular cosmopolitan with a little pineapple juice -- because of all the pineapples that grow in the Chesepeake Bay area?!?! -- I don't know. I'm just glad it didn't have crab or bay seasoning. It was, in fact, quite yummy! As was the soup and crab cake. Here is the soup and my delicious, though strangely named, cocktail:



So last night was also the Baltimore Boat Parade of Lights, where boats with holiday lights go around the harbor. So I also had a great view of that, although it moved a little slow, which I suppose is a safety precaution. You can't have all those boats cruising fast and close around a small body of water -- although it WOULD be a LOT more exciting that way!!

The Orange Menace

Trying to post video to the blog. Hope this works! The poor big kitty.

Happy Thanksgiving

To all of you Thirsty Bridegroomers and extended family, I just wanted to wish you a wonderful season, and let you know I'm thankful for you.
Much love,
ELC

QUESTION FOR THE AGES!

Dear RTB members, can you remember the origin of "KWEEEE KUUUUU." I thought of the sound the other day and, while it is very vivid to me, I can't for the life of me remember where it came from.

Lazy Sunday Morning...

Sometimes its hard to get started in the morning...



ehn, I'm going back to sleep...zzzzzz....

This is for you, Sistah!

Here he is, the man, the myth, Ming Tsai!



He was on Bravo's Top Chef last night as a celebrity judge. He is yummy and does seem soooo nice. Um, I might have to cheat on Tyler Florence. Sorry Momogus. We might have to fight over this man. It was a good show.

As for ANTM, did you watch it ELC? Did you get my kerrazy messages? I really don't like Melrose -- I'm fairly confident that eventually she'll get her comeuppence. I hope so. I like Anchul, but she'll most likely be sent packing for her self-esteem issues. But that girl is exquisite. She's the Indian lass on the bottom right.



So tomorrow our class is off to the apple orchard!

You know who's funny?

Ok, you know who's funny? Alec Baldwin. Yes, Alec Baldwin. I just watched "30 Rock" and he was very good. I had no plans to watch the show but they were showing a repeat on Bravo and I must say that I laughed out loud several times. He did a guest shot on Friends a while back and he was hilarious. I'd forgotten about it. I may have to put "30 Rock" on my watch list.

Project Runway. While I really disliked Jeffrey's behavior (particularly towards Angela and her mother), I do think he was the right choice as winner. I LOVED Laura's collection -- everything was beautiful and classic. But I do think PR prefers a more innovative point of view. Uli's also was pretty, but fairly predictable. And Michael, oh Michael, it was kind of hootchie and all wrong. Oh well.

Here is my personal version of "Happy Birthday" in our kindergarten classroom:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! stop it! (to two kids poking at each other)
HAPPY BIRRRRTHDAY DEAR MOLLLLYYY!!!! I said stop it!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!

Tomorrow is cookie day for The Boy and Me (although I NEVER told him he could eat nothing but cookie dough at my house!)

Guilty Pleasure

Project Runway finale tonight: Is anyone in with me?

The Great Technology Horizon Event!

So here I am posting on our blog, using my new high speed internet, uploading a picture that I took with my new camera phone of my new car that has XM satellite radio! I feel so gadgety I may just pass out. I would like to thank MM and Mother for your kind offers to pick me up so I could open all of my new bank accounts. It helped to make me feel less isolated up here in the mountains. I'm reveling in my revitalized sense of independence with my sporty new little red car. Zippy is the feeling I'm trying to describe - zoom, zoom!

Um, we can still see them!!!

Dad and I went to NYC today to see Madama Butterfly at the Met. It was a wonderful new production by Anthony Minghella. The experience was bittersweet since Dad had originally purchased the tickets to take Mom. It was one of her favorite operas. So it was a bit of a weepfest for me since every time there was something that moved me or delighted me, I kept thinking how much Mom would have loved it.

So let me say this -- it was visually stunning and the lighting and staging was spectacular. The use of deep color lighting was brilliant and dramatic. This is from the opening (that is an actual person in silhouette!)



Ok, there was a small problem. I've been checking reviews and apparently some people really loved Minghella's use of a puppet or banraku for Butterfly's small son. Um, no. I found the puppet and its two to three human handlers (also known as puppeteers!! wa ha ha!) very distracting. Even though they were dressed in black (which does not render them invisible!), I was very aware of the clump of people involved in these intimate scenes between Butterfly and her son. You can see for yourself.







Dad and I agreed that, even with the puppet, we would still give the performance an 8 or 9 out of 10. I am choosing to forget about the weird puppet (a small child actor could NOT have been any more distracting than a puppet!) and remember the beautiful presentation and music. It was a wonderful day.

OH MY GOD. You must go here Please note the second family. You WON'T be disappointed!

School Photo Day Doesn't Get Any Better...

You've been waiting and they're finally here! Three mighty afros!



Little 'Fro




Rockin' a little red in the back!



Now big brothers do it with a little more subtlety...

A little blue'll do.



Just a jaunty orange cap.



Have a great school year boys! We LOVE you!!!

That's MRS. Disk Warrior to you!

Well, I've been waiting to post because I wanted to include photos from my mighty birthday celebration. So I finally got the pix developed (yes, I don't have a digital camera!), and my new husband, Erik Disk Warrior fixed my computer which unexpectedly went on the fritz on Thursday. But now the scanner seems not to have recovered from whatever was wrong with computer. Sigh. So no birthday pix, yet.

So here is another entertaining photo for you to enjoy...



Could I be more impressed by my talented sister?? Come on! She can stick a balloon to her face! And it just stays there! No hands! I might even let go of my pencil collection (wah???) I'm so distraced.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up in Strings.....

These are a few of my favorite things....
Cugine, check your mail in about three or four days....heee, heeee.....
A little something for the MMNNF, Rodman Ave and downtown Philadelphia!

ELC!

Paraphrasing Quincy Jones - Back on the Blog

Hola Cugine!!

I have missed our RTTB conversations. While the Mighty Momogus Blog is indeed "mighty," I thought perhaps we could get back to this one again as well.

Let's see.....Okay, I watched Beauty Shop this weekend, and I thought the critics were simply mean about it. Why can't a movie just be fun to watch????

I have set out my thistle feeder, my suet block (replaced after a crafty squirrel got it "to go" the first time!), and Miss Gibbs and I have just put in a delightful mix of fruit and nut feed in the original feeder. We'll see what happens. No one is around after a tremendous surprise electrical storm. Miss Gibbs is moving slowly as she traveled to Albany with me this week. She was very busy protecting the entire Holiday Inn!

I must ask - CousinL - how was your first official week? I loved that you and my other little cousin waved to each other twice. How great is that????!!!!! And I was absolutely awed and appropriately frightened by the picture of the scorpion cake. Tell me about your location of the blue sand.

DJ - I am starting a new dog sweater and will let you know how well I do. Max is 15 and has started to feel the cold already.

That's my post to get us back on track again. Join me with a little frommagio and cartolina (post card and cheese - wine doesn't hurt the inspirational spirit either!).

I miss you all,
E.L.C.
(everlovin'cuzin)

Jotto-itis

I arrived at my cubby today filled with vim and vigor. About 45 minutes later I found myself wondering what had sucked the lifeblood out of me. The only other time I had been so drained of my ability to function was (remember when?) we played Jotto!!! Because I only play a doctor on TV, I needed to find information to officially diagnose my malady. And sure enough....here it is! I "totay" loved the Mastermind addition to it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jotto

Not Druids or Anything...

Cuz posted!! It was a lot of fun, wasn't it? I like an evening celebrating me!!

So last night when the storms rolled through, we lost a bunch of tree limbs that were too big for Mom and me to move ourselves. So she called the tree people (not druids or anything, or the creepy red-eyed creatures from the x-files, but people who trim trees for a living!) They have been up in our trees for a good hour now cutting out dead/dangerous limbs. Its so interesting to watch! And a little disturbing to see all the daggers that have been apparently dangling overhead while we've been enjoying our lawn.

And in other disturbing news, Earl licked the heel of my flip-flop until he got so tired he had to take a nap. Weird.

Do we need to discuss the president? I have to say that for me it was more disturbing to see him chewing with his mouth open than to hear him swear. Sigh.

Hey, remember when I was in Napa?

Remember when....

....Dan was my boyfriend?
And we had a young NASCAR cab driver?
And the Conrail building lit up for Curlygirl's birthday?
And we had coffee in the lobby of the Four Seasons in our terrycloth robes?
And we went skinning dipping in the Blank, Rome fountain?

Were you all there?

Peeps and a non-Curlygirl post!

Because I was so frightened by crabby cousin, I submit to you a new post, introducing the world of peeps. They are the delightful and delicious (yet of mysterious origin and composition) treats of Easter. As with many new world marvels, they have been bastardized by mass marketers, trying to make them appropriate for any holiday, such as orange pumpkin-shaped peeps, or white ghosts, etc. However, as the name implies, the only true original is the beautiful yellow, chick-shape peeps!!! And the true 5x4 row/column layout of the box o' peeps is unmistakable. Some like them soft and chewy and fresh out of the box. The sound of the cellophone breaking open, a siren's song bidding one to gluttony. Others prefer to open the package and give them a day or two to be exposed and to harden and become oddly like styrofoam. I fall into the first group, and I have no idea why people prefer them the second way! I believe there is pending legislation to outlaw this, as it is simply so wrong.
The site linked to this post (which Curlygirl did not have to provide) details several important medical studies on these tasty little critters. So a great big shout out for me peeps - PEEEP!
(Wow! That actually made me uneasy!)

My sign is the Crab. Can you tell?

Ok girls, I have posted the last FOUR entries on this blog. What's up with that?

I'm really looking forward to the birthday celebration and SO excited that Cuz is joining us! Other Sister made dinner reservations for 8 p.m. I wonder how early we can go to the hotel. Cuz, I hope you're planning to leave your house in the morning -- then we have the whole day! Woo hoo!

Um, what is up with Ann Coulter. I do believe she is SATAN! I've never heard anyone so mean (well except for the whole Fox News Network and the religious right, but you know what I mean.)

And somebody smashed a beer bottle in our driveway the other night. Isn't that rude?!?! Dad drove the car over it and Owain and I walked over it before we realized it was there. Thoughtless drunken neighbor kids. Hrmf!!

Wow, except for the birthday comment, I sound a little out of sorts. Maybe even...Crabby?? I'm not really.

Tiny Fondant Flipflops

Here's some more cake for you. Notice the teeny tiny fondant flipflops! So cute!

Cake!

'nuff said.

Two Cats, Four Cats, Got Any More Cats?

The Dopplegangers!

Do the Charleston!

Hola Cousin! I think that whatever the "good" daughter is thinking is probably right. (But its got to be a little weird!)

So Momogus and I are learning how to play Mah-jongg. You MUST learn!! Its a little bit of a brain twister but I think we're hooked. I just got a Mahjongg set from Ebay! Did you know that there are a series of passes in Mahjongg that is called The Charleston??? Excellent!

And in other news, I'm doing a wedding cake for a co-worker of Momogus's. Her wedding is in June. I'm doing a dry run this weekend. So if you feel like popping down on Sunday, there will be LOTS of cake!




"Oh no! We've got cats in the refrigerator again!"

Romance

Hola chicas,
Any comments from downstate on the upstate new romance? I'm of two minds - the good daughter and the evil daughter!

Scary, kids!

"Why aren't you eating the leftover Easter Bunny Cake?"



"Cause we're ascared of it!!!!!!"

What's next? Baby Asparagus?

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin had their second baby over the weekend and named him...... wait for it.....
MOSES!!!!! Moses and Apple?!?!?! Come on!!!!

Where is our dear cousin? I wish she would post. Sigh. Do you think she even reads the blog anymore? Hmmm.

Aggressive Carrot

Remember when Dad said that the dancing Easter rabbit was holding an "aggressive carrot for balance?" Wa ha ha ha!!! By the way, the little glass Easter decorations were put away within the hour of putting them out. Thank you Earl!!

Okay, I'm gonna say it...

its a mini Lap-Ass.
(and a cat)

Um, YEAH!!!!!

WA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!! This just kills me!!!! Ha ha ha.

This was my day. Sigh.

I WILL be glad when the t-shirts are done.

Hey, thanks for the donuts this morning. That was a wonderful surprise!



Hee hee.

ok, for some reason I am really bothered by all the figure skaters grabbing their skates. They seem to be doing it more and more. Like so...

or this...


I don't know why it bugs me, but it does. Girls, what do you think?

Oh! Did you watch the ladies short program last night? Some skater from Europe was performing. She was so-so. Sandra Bezic (sp?) was saying how she's 27 and this is her third Olympics and she's been competing for 12 years. And to toss a nice comment the skater's way, since the skating wasn't that great, Sandra says something like, "There are some athletes who just love to go to the rink and practice everyday." You know, the skater just loves to skate and compete and winning isn't the end all be all, blah, blah, blah. So Dick Button replies, "Well maybe instead of just practicing everyday, she should think about what she's doing." Wa ha ha ha ha!!! There is silence in response to his comment. (You know Scott Hamilton and Sandra Bezic are like, Whoa Dick! Ease up!) So then Dick says, "I hope that doesn't sound unkind." More awkward silence. IT WAS EXCELLENT!!!!

Men's figure skating is on Feb 14 and Feb 16. Tell Hub that your Valentine's Day and Birthday gifts are that he doesn't have to watch men's figure skating with you since you'll be in J-Town watching it with me! Woo hoo! Cuz, take a few sick days and come on down -- you know you won't regret it!



Come on!!!!

Where did everybody go? Cuz? Momogus?

This is how I'm feeling about a certain place that did not hire me. Grrrrr.

geggghhhghghhhhhh!!!!!!!!

"I don't want to dive near the GIANT jellyfish!"

'Member? Wa ha ha ha ha!! I don't understand why this isn't the most popular blog on the net. WHY?!



(Cuz, this is a Patrick balloon that had apparently escaped its moorings and ended way up on the ceiling of the grocery store, and, of course, I had to take a photo of it with my cell phone, despite the odd looks shot at me by my fellow shoppers.)

Remember?? Did you know that apparently you can see Cadillac Ranch from THE HIGHWAY??? It makes my blood pressure go up just thinking about it. EVERYONE is going to the Cadillac Ranch! Sigh.


But look! Now we must take a road trip to Nebraska where they have CARHENGE!!! Woo hoo!


Quiz: Where is the Mystery Hole? Hm?

I just got an email from Amy's Candy! It said a chocolate covered apple was the perfect cure for cabin fever -- I agree!!

You do realize that your "resolution" makes me NOT want to post so that I can see what weird photos you'll post next!

No real news. Notice in Unzipped how annoyingly whiny Linda Evangelista is!! Do you know that he has a show on the Style channel? I think its on at 7 p.m. Tonight is Project Runway. Woohoo! Now that ANTM is over for now, you should join me in my next fashion reality show addiction! The new episode is at 10, but the two previous episodes air at 8 and 9.

I couldn't figure out why you were posting a picture of Vivian! Weird doppleganger cats!

I had a successful venture to the mall today -- I had to get a suit, shoes and a new handbag for my job interview tomorrow. There were a LOT of people there. I didn't like that. Too crowded. Personal space issues.

Ming Tsai rules!! and Bobby Flay? Lahoosaherrr! Good defeats evil once again.