With The Greatest Of Ease

I held the ladder.  Does that count as helping?

Sweet Dreams?

Could there be anything sadder than coming in from the last dog walk of the evening, cheeks flushed with cold, swathed in layers of down and wool and heading off to the kitchen for one little bite of chocolate to find: no chocolate.

Daffodils, yes. Dirty dinner dishes, check, a hungry cat, double check.  But no chocolate.

Not one bite.  Not a biscuit, not a square of Ritter's Sports Bar, nada.  Even the plain biscuits were covered in Nutella and eaten by guests on Sunday.  And this was after they finished the digestives and the chocolate bar.  You know who you are.  I'm sorry I had to make this public.

I still love you.

What Goes Around Comes Around

In honor of Miss Pickering who has linked to me vis a vis her BIG pictures, I feel a new post is in order.

After all how many more of you want to read my full moon lament?  No show of hands, thought not.

And in all fairness I must link to Marie, who took time between her travels, and cooking and gardening to show me how to SUPERSIZE my previously puny shots.

I just returned from the garden hoping to find something to show you other than snowdrops, but alas, no.  I can report the daffodil greens continue to grow, there are whorls of green around the base of the sedum and that even though we have snow in the forecast for tomorrow, my freshly pedicured feet didn't freeze in flipflops.

And I can only hope there wasn't another ambitious blogger out there searching for a shot who found me, the dictionary picture of bed head, with a sweater clearly buttoned by a 5 year old wandering around with a camera and a Lab.

Indoors is a different story. I have just baked a batch of granola, the house smells of cinnamon and honey, a big pink peony has just burst open in the kitchen and I'll be off to marinate a roast and fold some warm laundry.

Not bad, not bad at all.  So I leave you with the question burning up the keyboards in Britain.  Should she or should she not get a tattoo?

Full Moon Madness

Have I missed out on all the full moon chatter?  Was it not incredible?  Did you also find it to be an extremely aggressive moon?

On Friday afternoon at work my boss and I raised our voices at one another, something that rarely if ever happens.  For 2 only children we did pretty well at being pissed.  She stormed out to go to the bank and I marched around like a storm cloud for about 5 minutes until I had the grace to remember we were both still totally exhausted from the St. Valentines Day massacre and were taking it out on one another.  I quickly called her to apologize, she quickly accepted my apology, and the rest of the day was a happy one. 
 
Later that day, GG and I were happily ensconced in pedicure thrones, reading and talking away.  The salon was packed,the mood was light and then kaboom, a big, fat SUV tried to wedge itself in between a Hyundai and GG's truck.  It didn't fit.  The driver stomped into the nail salon, snarled at the Hyundai owner, snapped at GG that she didn't touch the truck and stormed back out.  Luckily no noticeable damage was done to the truck and we could concentrate on the economic crisis in Ireland ( me), Cellini's My Life ( GG) and what color to paint our nails. All weighty matters...


We have stepped lightly through the rest of the weekend, enjoying the sun, the full moon and our peaceful home.

I think everyone should take a little time out of their busy lives and get some pampering.  A mani and a pedi would go a long way to promoting world peace.

Unload Spring from Camera

Update on spring: As advertised Thursday was warm and sunny.  People were smiling, clothes were lightly layered and many fresh pedicures were unveiled.

I left work early and rushed home to let out the animals and  to sit outside reading the newspaper. Yes, I said, I sat outside.

And suddenly we were surrounded.  3 neighbors, 1 bearing 2 children and a rottweiler larger than said children were in the yard.  And we were hanging out talking like it was .....spring.  The Lab was so excited by the handsome presence of Cato, the huge rottie, she raced inside and brought him her squirrel.  She tried to make it squeak but no squeak left.  He just wasn't that into her anyway.

From the alley behind the house we heard children playing, pit bulls barking and hip hop blasting.  Someday soon one of us is going to light up a barbecue.

We're back world, and shall be making periodic appearances as the weather permits.

I'm A Believer

That spring is on it's way.  I heard a rumor that we will have a 65degree day today and one reaching 69 tomorrow.

The snowdrops are up and the tete a tetes are showing green.

I have found the loveliest blog, Floret Flower Farm, that I have taken to reading like a favorite book before I go to sleep at night.  And open in the morning for a moment of sheer loveliness.

And I discovered a new thrift store full of affordable treasures.

Yesterday was our first hint of spring day and when I came home the Lab, of course rushed out to greet me with a mouth full of stuffed squirrel, and the cat stood in the doorway and took several deep breaths and then ventured outside, for the first time in months.  She made out with the boxwood for several moments and went back in the house with a happy gait.

I think she's a believer too.

Look Into My Eyes......

Good Morning, Today I bring you the 7 dwarfs all rolled up into one person.  Sleepy, grumpy, happy, bitchy,sneezy, grateful and slow moving.

Since my last day off I've worked over 60 hours, on my feet, up and down stairs, flying out the door after drivers, dodging customers, carrying buckets, yielding knives.


I have several alarming bruises and abrasions on my body, just enough to decide to postpone a massage for another time.  I look like a over the hill boxer or a junkie in training.

But it's done and over and I was graced with today off which takes me out of the line of fire for The Complaints.

Just to give you an indication of our level of exhaustion yesterday by 4:00pm the word potty sent us into gales of hysterical laughter.  Please don't tell anyone I told you this.  Seriously, potty, so we said it whenever possible.

Our housekeeper will be here in about an hour so I'm straightening up so she can clean up.  Then what?  Maybe down the hill for a new book and magazine, maybe a treat.  Then home for a nap.  Right now the Lab and I can't seem to leave the bedroom.  It's sunny and calm, no phones ringing, clean sheets on the bed.  You are getting very sleepy......