TMI

At the risk of becoming a meme blog... my answers to this week's TMI Tuesday. (Sorry, but I just couldn't resist.)

1. Toilet paper: over, under, or what the hell are you talking about?

Over darnit. Don't you go messin me up by putting the TP in the wrong way. Have you ever, EVER been in a public loo where the TP goes under?!! Yeah, that's what I thought. It's always over, or it's just wrong.

2. Toilet when you are done: everything up, seat down but lid up, everything down?

Everything down. I have a dog and she makes a MESS if the seat is left up. I love her but... GROSS.

When we built this house I specifically ordered slam-proof toilet seats because the "clank" scares the bejeezus out of me... even when it's my fault. So no one (not even I) have a valid excuse not to leave everything in the down position.

Whatever you do, in my house never EVER let the yellow be mellow. And put the seat(s) down. Please and thank you.

3. When was the last time you kissed someone not your significant other? [I am talking about a kiss with some gusto not just a little hello or goodbye peck]

Um. Hmm. You mean this sig other, my previous sig other, or one of the guys before that. If nothing else I am a serial monogamist. Not that Scott would object to watching me... ohhhhh so that's why they call this TMI Tuesday??? ;)

4. Would you rather have your significant other have sex with someone else or fall in love with someone else? You have to pick one.

Gee, how unfair is that? If I had to pick one I guess it would be sex, because the ultimate rejection is finding out "the one" doesn't feel the same way you do.

But I can't think of anything that would make me fall out of love faster than finding out my guy had been with another girl. Unless maybe I found out he was with another guy!

5. If you had $1,000,000 to give away, how would you divide it up? Who and how much?

I have three kids. Can you say "college fund"? Because I am pretty sure that's what it will cost me to send my smart, but not "scholarship material" kids to college some day. Hopefully I could also sneak in a family membership at a local golf course and/or a nice vacation. Maybe.

Bonus (as in optional): Tell us something that very few people know about you.

My current favorite cocktail is Blueberry Stoli and lemonade. Yummmm...

Froggy

One of the things that the kids brought back from camp was "The Froggy Song". Actually it's not so much a song, as a chant. And now it's stuck in my head.

My froggy is purple
Your froggy is YUCKY GREEN!
My froggy is purple
Your froggy is SICK! HAH!

My froggy eats oatmeal
Your froggy eats CORNMEAL MUSH!
My froggy eats oatmeal
Your froggy is SICK! HAH!

You get the idea, right?

The kids sang some new verses that I don't remember from my days of playin' in the woods.

Any suggestions for a new annoying song to get stuck in my head? Or any cool Froggy comparisons I might not have heard yet, just to mix things up a bit?

(Help!)

Mouse

The plane tickets were reserved ages ago. I got a great deal on a hotel room, but am still watching prices in case a screaming deal comes up. Don't have to reserve the transportation from the airport. And... on Friday I bought our tickets.

Now the only question is... when, and how, do we tell the kids we are going to Disneyland?

That's right... they still don't know. And last night while watching "Pirates of the Caribbean" JJ mused that she really wishes we could go. It's getting hard not to burst out and just tell them. Part of me wonders just how long we can go before they figure it out. Part of me wonders if they have figured it out, and are just stringing us along. But I don't think so.

It's been a secret for so long. Anyone have a suggestion for a great "reveal"?

....When they pack?

........When we get to the airport?

............When they see the big bus that says "Disneyland Express" on the side??

What do you think?

Dog

"Dog Days" (or... dog's days)!

First day, already wiped out!

Still tiny...
Stuck!

Divot's chair

Peek-a-dog

Every good dog deserves a cat to mess with them

Getcher stick!

Streeeeettttch!

Camp!

When I arrived on Saturday morning, kids with wildly painted faces ran to greet me - Stinky's was blue and the girls' were green. I shoved laundry bags, overflowing with damp, musty smelling clothing, into the back of my car. I talked with Clover, Baloo, Brownie, Whipsplash, and Beowulf. Bullphrog and Z are still there. Stinky's towel was retrieved from the lost and found. After a visit to the camp store, we paused to pick huckleberries from the large bush in the middle of the gentle hillside.

The kids finished a week of fun at Camp Silver Creek. This was Stinky's fourth year so he is officially a camp rat. It was JJ's second turn. And... It was Boo's very first time at sleepover camp.

Stinky lived in Bear Creek. He was extremely disappointed that he didn't live in Hemlock - the only unit he hadn't lived in so far. He was very jealous when he found out that was where Boo would be living! JJ was assigned to Hillside but by the time I picked everyone up on Saturday she had been moved to Bear Creek.

Every Thursday the groups to go on an "outpost" - an overnight hiking trip. Some of the hikes are very short - just far enough to get away from the main camp. (You don't have to wander far to get to the deep woods at Silver Creek!) This year JJ went on the "iron kid" hike to Shelby Falls - 9 miles each way. Everyone ate grilsch for dinner on their overnight trip... so the tradition lives on! This year JJ had a more favorable opinion of the dish, and all of them asked if I would make it for dinner some time. (Ummm.. NO!)

On Friday night they played an all-camp game of Capture the Flag, which was the reason for the face paint. They were exhausted and exhilarated. They talked nonstop until about Marion Forks - when suddenly sleep overtook them!

They all had a blast!

Boys

My "Boys of Summer"


The Scott


The Stinky


The Kinzua Kooks (Scott, Paul, and "Willie")


The Sherpa


The Sim and "Timber Jim" at... the Timbers game

Done

I'm done. It was amazing. Will probably re-read in a month or two. But for now I am Potter'd out!

Book

Still no book. It was supposed to be here by 10am. Where oh where is my UPS man?

Updated... It was in my mail box the whole time, even though Amazon said it shipped via UPS. I didn't know that UPS could deliver to my mail box!!!

Anyhoo... the box is cool. It's a keeper and a souvenir and Scott is NOT allowed to throw it in the trash. Pics soon... probly tomorrow night as I am busy reading!

Spoiler... Page 62 and it's already sad. It's gonna be a long night!!!

Rory

Has anyone else (besides me and BOR) been watching Next Food Network Star?

(spoiler alert - click here to keep reading)

After watching the penultimate episode of NFNS I was confused... and concerned. I don't think I was alone, thinking that Rory and Amy would be the final two. Their food has been pretty consistently good - with the exception of Rory's disastrous and HYSTERICAL cake. They both seem to have good personalities and pretty down to earth - when Amy isn't playing up her "French twist".

Even after watching their Rachael Ray appearances (how did they pull that off, anyways?)... I was sure that Rory and Amy were a cinch for the final two.

So, there they were in the final evaluation. And Bobby named the first of the final two, er, finalists.

Rory

I almost cried with happiness along with Rory. I really want to watch a Food Network show starring Rory. She just seems like my kind of gal and I think that she totally cooks "my kind" of food. Yeah!

And then they named the final, er, finalist

Jag

Huh? Sorry, Jag. No offence (or offense?...jk) man, but I was totally shocked that Jag wasn't eliminated a long time ago. There must be something going on that isn't showing up on TV, because the guy just doesn't seem that good. His personality is a bit too much to take for me, and his food is pretty complicated (and even he admits it). For me, if it takes more than a lucky 7 ingredients I probably won't cook it. I have no doubt that his food is excellent. And as much as he seemed to get along with the other contestants, I have no doubt that he is an all round good guy. I just don't see him as a "Food Network Star".

Now here's when things got weird. Last week I noticed a few articles floating around our interwebs about some inconsistencies between Jag's claims and, well, reality.

Sure enough, he was "called back" by the Food Network to discuss these inconsistencies. And in a very uncomfortable and rehearsed-looking "conversation" between Jag and the judges, he resigned from the competition. The whole thing just looked... wrong.

But... it did bring Amy back into the final two.

As I have from day one... I am still rooting (and voting) for Rory to win. Amy's food looks good, and I would probably give her recipes a try, but I just don't feel any connection with her. The only episode where I felt like I would enjoy her show was during the Iron Chef challenge. Which, coincidentally, was the ONLY challenge where I didn't feel a connection with Rory (she was really snarky and sarcastic).

Go, Rory!!!

Defence

Has anyone else seen the new Harry Potter movie yet? If you haven't, no worries, this isn't a spoiler-ish post. It's more about this little issue of mine.

It's a curse, really. For some reason I have an eye for misspellings. And they bug me. A lot.

So when Harry and his friends received their new Defence against dark arts textbooks I was irritated. Why? Because it's spelled Defense darn it! I was probably the only person in the theater (and possibly the city... county... state...) that noticed the spelling on the cover of the book in the movie. After all, why should anyone notice?!

And this error distracted me for some time, while I watched the movie. I wondered, was it on purpose? Or was it completely by accident?

Turns out... it was neither. "Defence" is a perfectly legitimate British spelling.

I feel much better now. But it still looks wrong to me.

Explanation of American and British English Spelling differences
Dictionary entry... with both spellings

Indy

Hat? Check. Jacket? Check. Bullwhip? Check.

In case you didn't already know...

He's ba-ack!


Be still, my heart. I know where I will be on May 22, 2008. Will you be there, too?

Beef

Look familiar?


As soon as I saw Rory's demo on the Rachael Ray talk show, I wondered if she has been hanging out with BOR at Zydeco, eating mystery steak.


Hmmmm....

I do know I want me some of those Chuck Wagon Potatoes! Yum-O!!!

Speed

This evening we went downtown for the Crit. We weren't rooting for any rider or team in particular. We were there for the fun of the event and to cheer on all the riders.

The girls cheered especially loudly for "the pink dude" (wearing the T-Mobile jersey). There was some excitement when he led the pack with about ten laps to go, but unfortunately he couldn't hold on and finished 41st.

We found a nice shady spot, across from Giuseppe's. It didn't seem as crowded this year, but maybe that's because we stayed away from the finish line until the very end. There were plenty of people in that area!

We didn't sit in the best area for great pictures... but it was just too darn hot to sit somewhere with nice lighting. It was freakin' hot, even in the shade! The bikers whizzing by stirred up a nice breeze. ;) Still, I managed to get off some nice shots including the ones here:





Note to Duncan... Stinky wandered down to your shop about halfway through the race, hoping you were open late. He was disappointed... so hopefully we will have a chance to swing by next week.

Crit

This week is the Cascade Cycling Classic, which means it's time for the Downtown Crit!

We watched for the first time last year. If you haven't been, I recommend going, but bring something to entertain your kids in between laps. The race lasts about 90 minutes and the first and last 15 minutes are the most exciting... which gives you an hour to kill in the middle.

Don't forget your cowbell!

What: Desert Orthopedics/Rebound Physical Therapy-Downtown Criterium
Where: Downtown Bend (map)
When: Friday, July 13th (Kids at 6:15pm, Men at 7pm)

Oregonian

Take that, Jake! :)

You are 100% Oregon

Congratulations! You are a native Oregonian. Pick up your honorary singing salmon plaque at City Hall.

How Oregon are you?
Quizzes for MySpace

Slurpee

Don't forget that tomorrow is 7-11 ... aka Free Slurpee® Day*!



Here's the scoop. Usually the 7-Eleven stores have special "Free Slurpee®" cups that are 7.11 ounces. The regular size Slurpee's® are not free.

For your convenience... here is a map of the six Central Oregon 7-Eleven locations. I don't know if all of them will offer free Slurpees. Last year I got my free Slurpee® at the Galveston location.

I wonder if the special Kwik-E-Mart themed location will be giving away free Squishees instead?

*Not guaranteed! If you don't get a free Slurpee® don't expect me to buy yours or compensate you in any way. Let me know if a location isn't giving away free Slurpee's® and I will remove them from the map.

Kinzua

This weekend Scott and I played in a couples' golf tournament at Kinzua Hills Golf Club. Where's that? Well... it's here. About as close to the middle of nowhere you can get in Oregon. And yes, there is a golf course there. It has six holes so you play it three times around.

Saturday
We left Bend early and arrived at the golf course at about 10am. Our group wasn't due to start until 1-ish, but by arriving a few hours early we had the opportunity to settle into our accommodations (set up a tent), rent a golf cart (no pink ones available), and start drinking. Exhibit A:
It was a warm day, so we were plenty thirsty. Our friend whipped up a batch of very refreshing mojitos. By the time we tee'd off it was (surprise, surprise) about 75 degrees outside.
We played scramble format, and things went OK. We started off with a birdie, and things went up and (mostly) down from there. I could tell the golf lessons I took last month helped tremendously. But I still have a lot to work on - consistency being first and foremost. Scott won both the men's KP (closest drive to the pin) and the men's long drive contest. That should tell you something about Scott's golf game.

After dinner it was time to socialize. And at Kinzua that means...KaraokeDancing and, well, much more.

Sunday
After a great night's sleep, we awoke refreshed and ready for the morning round. Ha! More like after going to bed much later than we should have, we spent the night tossing and turning on our under-inflated air mattress, freezing our a**es off during a 40 degree night. When I got up I had exactly two things on my mind and neither of them were golf. Coffee and Advil. Good to go. The format was Scotch which means that Scott & I shared a ball, and alternated who hit it. So whoever didn't putt the ball in, made the next drive. Confusing? Yes. Wish I had rested better the night before? Definitely.

Let's just say, there were highs and lows. My lowest was a stunning 4 inch drive off the 11th tee. On that particular hole we got an 8 (aka "the snowman"). Scott's lowest was at the 5th hole (yeup, same one since the course is only 6 holes). His first shot went waaaay off to the left. Who knows where it went, but it was definitely out of bounds. Then his second attempt (now stroke #3) went into the rough about 20 yards away from the tee box. On that hole we got... a perfect ten. Yikes.

But the good was really good. Good enough that we could just sit and laugh about the lows. On the first tee I was driving yet again (since we started on #6, this was our 14th hole). I am getting better with my driver, but things are pretty inconsistent (thus, the 4 inch drive). I smacked the ball about 200 yards, right at the pin. Wow! At that hole the tee box is up a hill from the cart path, and the guys had waited for us down below so I had to shout "that was JEN'S drive!" just so they (and everyone else) knew. We drove down and Scott took his shot, which landed about 10 yards from the green. I stepped up with my wedge (which had been working pretty well for me on BOTH days), and hit the ball. It bounced up to the green and rolled... right into the hole. I think everyone in Kinzua (and maybe even some folks in Fossil) heard my "Woo hoo!!!" It felt really REALLY good to write down that birdie!

In the end... we weren't first but we also weren't last. It definitely felt good to be a contributor to our team score, instead of Scott having to play it well and play it safe in order to make up for my golfing deficiencies.

And it was a BLAST. We are definitely going to make it back to Kinzua for the tournament next year, if not sooner. If you like golf too, maybe we will see you there some time. And if you go... tell them Spike sent you.

Kickball

Some favorite pics from tonight's kickball game...

Scones

It's always good to have something around to snack on when it's a holiday. I saw Rachael Ray whip up a batch of these on her show last week. They turned out extremely light and tasty. Yummm... I will be making these again! Here is my "spin" on her recipe.

Fireworks

Happy Fourth of July, all!

Tonight Scott, Divot and I walked down to the park to watch the fireworks at Pilot Butte.







And to watch the semi-annual burning of the Butte.


Hope you had a safe and fun holiday!