Eat More Pork!

If I hear the term "swine flu" again - I think I am going to throw up! Lately, that is all I have been hearing. I even took a call today that said something like this:

"I know you'ns been sayin' I can eat porkchops and stuff. But what if a hog breathes on me? I mean, there's them there trucks drivin' down the highways full of them there pigs. If one of those pigs breathes on me, will I get sick? Shouldn't we be just a shuttin' down the border to my county so I don't get sick?"

After I reassured Mr. Bill (made up name to protect the innocent) that he was not going to catch the notorious H1N1 virus from pigs, he asked me who appointed me State Veterinarian. When I told him that I was not the State Veterinarian, I became as dumb as a box of rocks. Honestly, it kind of made me giggle - maybe it should have made me mad - but it didn't.

After our trusty State Vet gave Mr. Bill a call and repeated my same statements, "pork is safe to eat. No pig in the entire world has tested positive for this strain of flu. You will not get this virus from a pig passing through town" he was quite content. I guess it takes the State Vet to make a strong argument and convince some people.

Dear State Vet - can you call my husband and convince him I need a new Cadillac CTS? Just asking......

Miss USA - one hot mess!

I did see Miss USA on NBC on Sunday night - via DVR - and I do also have an opinion (Shocker!) on what Miss California reluctantly mumbled from her mouth during her Top 5 question. If you are a non-pageant loving hermit, you missed the whole thing and I am not even going there to try to explain - you should just keep scrolling.

But if you saw the pageant, read the headlines or saw the latest on every morning show in America, you know by now that a contestant, Miss California, answered a very controversial question regarding gay marriage. Carrie Prejean answered her question stating that "We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite. And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised.”

I agree with Miss California (and President Obama for that matter) that marriage should be between a man and a woman - BUT what Miss Cali failed to do was answer her question in an eloquent way. Fear got the best of her and she clearly was not prepared to stand up to the D-lister, Perez Hilton. Perez's question clearly was self-gratifying and a way to get his name out there more - as if we haven't heard it enough already......anyone that mimics their name after Paris Hilton needs help anyway - in my opinion.

The ONLY thing I agree with Perez on is - she was MISS CALIFORNIA - from the state that legalized and now dethroned legalization of gay marriage (hello...proposition 8). Miss California should have had a canned answer for this. Besides, the whole pageant industry is full of gay men – I have met and become friends with many over the years.

Before I jump off of the soapbox - let me just say - GIVE IT A REST!! This girl did not say, “I hate gays!” and did not line up all of the gays across America and put bullet holes in them. She clearly stated her opinion at a beauty pageant about the union between gays - for crying out loud. Quit listening to drama queens such as Perez Hilton who are trying to make a buck (or lots of bucks) on someone else's misfortune.

Although Miss Cali didn't give the best answer in pageant history - it clearly wasn't the worst either. She is a beautiful girl that stood on a stage in a gown way too tight sucking in every inch of gut she may have (believe me I know), trying to overcome the increasing anxiety that has been building over the past 14 days while she was there and gave a 20 second answer to a VERY controversial question.

Good for her for standing up for what she believes in. Now Miss Cali - keep your mouth shut, let it rest, quit granting interviews and it will be gone tomorrow. Stay under a rock for a week - and you will be WAY better off. To Perez - just shut up.....you have stated your opinion, we get it, we don't want to hear you cry anymore!

** On a side note - I was a pageant contestant once. And I managed to tell a judge that I had no respect for defense attorneys - and they were clearly out for money when they could defend murderers, child molesters and people that shouldn't be walking on this earth. That judge just so happened to be a defense attorney....but he loved me. He actually respected the fact that I stood up for what I believed in - in a way that was eloquent, professional and I fully explained myself and my belief.

April 15

What does April 15 mean to you? Most shudder at the thought, tears stream down their face, their fate is sealed for yet another year. And that is what Dad feels today - Dan the Man is turning another year older.



Put the binoculars down, Dad! There is no need to search for your youth..... Lucille Ball once said, "“The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.”

That's what I intend on doing - brilliant idea! (And if anyone asks, I am only 28.)

Happy, Happy Birthday,
Dan the Man!

Landscaping

Here is what is consuming me & Blaine's lives lately - landscaping. It is still very much a work in progress, but we will eventually be done!!



The first photo is our main flower garden. I swear we had this tree placed about 45 different places in the yard before it found its permanent home right in front of the laundry room window. Decisions should be this hard. As you can see - some of the other plants are not in the ground - and aren't strategically placed yet. They too are roamers.
These are two of three of our Cleveland Pears between us and the neighbors. Yep - they have a pool. No we do not. I am not sure why I felt compelled to put a tree boundary between us - it kind of sends a message of "stay away." But I am certain that is the message that they should be sending me - since I love pools especially other people's pools that I don't have to clean.

Blainer worked very hard on building all of the retainer walls in our yard.

Blaine said I should take a picture of my teeny tiny blisters on my hands - since that has never happened before - and may never again. Blaine also says, "you are just like a blister - you show up when the work is done!" (That actually comes from Mr. Sherrow, our pal from the lake.) For the record, I showed up every single day - okay...maybe I didn't lift a finger too many times except to say "Put that there bush over there" (pointing). But I was there, by golly!!

Nursery Shopping

This was the first Easter that Blaine and I did not spend with family - ever. It was odd - I thought I was going to be fine with it, especially since we have been so swamped. But the more I started thinking about it on Saturday night - the more it bothered me. I knew I had plenty to do on Saturday and Sunday to keep my mind off of it - we had some nurery shopping to do.

To make me feel better, Blaine promised me a special meal on Sunday - smoked everything. We had chicken, beef, sausage links - and now we have full meals every night this week....more beef, more chicken, tri-tip and pork.

(See Blainer cutting some ribs for dinner....mmmmm.)

Saturday Blaine and I went nursery shopping.....not THAT kind of nursery shopping. We were shopping for trees, bushes, flowers and other landscaping necessities. (And you thought for a minute I was pregnant? - Just a late April Fool's on you!)

Sunday, we hit Lowe's for the second time in two days for more landscaping needs. Our yard still needs lots of work but is beginning to look fabulous! Love it! We now have 5 trees planted in the front yard, several rose bushes, boxwoods, other bushes and an entire selection of tall grasses and flowers just waiting to enter the ground. Top that off with about 5 more trees - and we will be officially landscaped! Yay!

I will have to tell you - I am sore today. I donned my winter garb and pink rainboots yesterday and fought the elements of chilly weather and drizzle. But our hard work is paying off - and that is all that matters. I will post pictures later.

47 days & counting...

It is only 47 days until Blaine and I meet my family in Gulf Shores. I don't know about the rest of them - but this vacation is more needed for me than ever before. I have a tendency to drag my laptop & blackberry along on vacation and try to get some work done - just so my office isn't a disaster when I return. But I think this time, I am going to wipe out all OCD in me and take a break. For the sanity of myself and the safety of my co-workers, I am positive between now and the end of the 47 days, I will need that break. (Okay - we all know that my obsessive scheduling will still come in to play on vacation - and I hope by now the family realizes that I really do try to relax......but I just need a plan, man!)

Other than work, life has been all about the house. Blaine and I have been working tirelessly (okay...fine....Blaine has been working; I have been bossing) on the yard. We now have a retaining wall for a flower bed, what I call an island flower bed with small retaining wall and two out of three small retainers where I am putting Cleveland Pears between me and the neighbors. Things are looking fabulous.....thanks to Blainer. (Just don't tell him I am praising him too much!) I will post photos when we are done - in about a month.

We are also beginning the planning process of designing our bar for the basement. I have lots of ideas - so we will see who wins this one: me - the spend thrifty one OR Blaine - the stingy one. Either way - I will just be happy to get it complete!

So here's to beaches, flowers and bars - all things I need very much right now! Cheers!