To stalk, not to salk

I'm a confessed blog stalker. But really, who isn't? However, then when said blog decides to go private I'm very annoyed. What!? They don't want strangers looking at their blog? Whatev! So I thought I'd share a few of my new favorite victims. I stalk these in the name of things creative.

V and Co.

The Kingston Lounge

Aaron Lifferth's Painting a Day

yeah, i've got it pretty good

Rachivus March 09 commenced with a sisters weekend to Moab. And like any appropriately fabulous road trip, it entailed sufficient laughing, eating, eating some more, and random phrases such as: "Here, these are the ones that didn't touch my butt." and "Peach flatulence." There's a backup story but it's probably best that you don't ask. We even played ultimate tourist by getting matching ankle bracelets and taking pictures in front of the Moab sign.

The weekend rounded out with my 6th Anniversary. More and more I realize that we really are a good match. And, who else would put up with us but each other? Jeff knows me so well and is so good to me. Even with the random things, like letting me know that I should chuck my comb in the garbage because our contractor used it (ahhh!) and warming my car up for me in the mornings. And no one finds our twisted humor as funny as we do. Jeff's sweet-hearted sister once said that she wished she could be a fly on our wall to see what we're like at home. While it's probably best for her sake that such things don't happen, I must say that I've definately got it pretty good.

My ultimate demise

Artist Edgar Gorey brilliantly chronicled the Gashlycrumb Tinies, showing the "end" A through Z.

Unfortunate but true, I have a talent for drowning on dry land. Therefore, I've found my chapter:

R is for Rachel
Lost to a lazy epiglottis,
R is for Rachel
Who suffocated on spit.

Now, if onlyit were a lovely illustration.

1-801-GONNA-SCREAM

If I hear the ridiculously loud, three-toned "you screwed up" chime from my phone one more time, I'm going to go deaf! Yes, I am petty enough to complain about dialing three more numbers to always include the area code. Not to mention the fact that the phone number song used to teach preschool children their phone number does not accommodate an area code. How are they to know their area code? I'm going to lose it, but really, I'm only thinking of the children.

Rach-ivus: like Festivus but better

After a long week in the office and on the road for work I declaired Friday to be Rach-ivus. My own person holiday off of work. I've decided that Rach-ivus will be a reoccuring holiday happening every month in an attempt to keep a bit of my sanity intact.

For this Rach-ivus:

I slept in- mmmmm...

Blog surfed- catching up on all the blogs stalk

Shopped at Home Depot- buying recessed cans and browsing lighting

Bought 3 pairs of shoes- this could only be done in the name of a holiday

Ordered a webcam- yes mom, I'll be comming to a Skype call near you

Planned a girls weekend for my sisters

and watched Pure Country.

A good holiday all in all. Here's to next month.

Let’s just get this over with and shoot me now!

Hi. This is me crying “Uncle!” I’m done. The last week has been out of con-trol and I’m ready for it to settle some. And how do I deal with this? Blogging out my frustrations. Yes, it is very passive aggressive. And yes, there are starving children in Ethiopia that wouldn’t appreciate my pathetic whining, so it’s good that they don’t have a computer to read it. The following has all happened in the last 7 or so days:

• Jeff got bit by a dog while showing a house to clients.
• A roof leak, discovered by water filled bubbles in the bathroom ceiling dropping water. Call the roofer.
• Working late nights. Remind me that I love my job. Usually I do, just not particularly at the moment.
• 6 Days with NO HEAT in our house. Thankfully friends and family took pity on us to house us and our cat. Our cat repaid the kindness, by trying to run away and scratching my sister’s face. Sweet little thing.
• My body doesn’t seem to know what time of the month it is. It’s confused. Someone please send it a memo. Or rather a calendar.
• My office moved. Oh the joy of moving! I now have lost a bookcase. But don’t worry; the movers brought the shelves that go it in.
• I forgot to call my sister to wish her Happy Birthday. Happy Birthday Deb! I'm a bad sister.
• Now we’re home, but with no heat in the kitchen or Jeff’s office. Temperatures above freezing are over-rated anyhow.
• Jeff has a knee brace and sore back. Ice and Heat, ice and heat. I suppose the freezing temperatures in his office will cover the “Ice” part. Bonus there.

I thought I was dealing rather well with everything until today. TOTAL clog in the toilet and tub. Note: when we flushed the toilet, it came up in the tub. Completely disgusting and I’m pretty sure it’s not supposed to do that. The toilet had to be removed to snake the drain. Thanks to our neighbor who came to our rescue- as we literally didn’t have a pot to pee in.

Marketing works- even on reality tv

Not too long ago, Jeff and I were watching John and Kate plus 8. I gotta admit that it's a personal favorite. True, Kate is a bit scary, but there's something about that I enjoy and find amusing. And the kids are just too cute. So a few weeks ago they aired the episodes of the Gosselins going to Hawaii. Not ten minutes later Jeff, my personal travel agent, jumped online. Lo and behold, a cheap Expedia package later, we spent a week on the North Shore of Oahu. Thank you Gosslins! Can you go to Europe next? Maybe the Gosselins go Greek? I have to admit that the Gosselins are losing a bit of their cute factor since they moved into a $1.35 million dollar home, but their little show still influenced us to go to Hawaii- no complains here!

But now that we are home, here are a few of the things we will miss:

Farmers markets and the goodness of fried food things

Touring the North Shore:

Fresh roadside fruit, mini-pineapples, pineapple ice cream & shaved ice:

Hiking:

And getting a little R & R on the beach,

watching wales jump in the ocean, & sea turtles swim alongside the beach: