tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14132725279998989482012-01-25T21:57:32.238-05:00New and Improved, with Less Boring Stuff!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.comBlogger1471100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-41736129179960761652011-07-21T14:19:00.001-04:002011-07-21T14:19:35.159-04:00

Happy Belgian Independence Day*!  Yeah, I didn't know either. But July 21, 1831 was the day that King Leopold was crowned as the first king of the new country of Belgium. Before that, they were part of the Netherlands. Evidently that wasn't working out for them. This might be a more exciting "faux-liday" for me than Cinco de Mayo. While I do like tequila (in fact, it's one of the few hard

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-2996188732139246312011-06-23T22:05:00.001-04:002011-06-23T22:05:01.843-04:00

Posted via email from Scurrilous Tosh

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-49996258518772895912011-06-09T11:08:00.001-04:002011-06-09T11:08:11.826-04:00

The business magazine Florida Trend highlighted a few Florida breweries in today's Daily Pulse, including our very own Swamp Head (with a very nice photo of cofounder Luke Kemper):   Swamp Head started when Luke Kemper returned to Gainesville from beer-crafty Colorado and wound up starting a brewery with a family friend who was a skilled home brewer. He now sells from Jacksonville to

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-21440846441027406522011-02-24T10:30:00.001-05:002011-02-24T10:30:29.571-05:00

The fine folks at Gainesville's own Swamp Head Brewery have opened a tasting room! Starting yesterday, Wednesday February 23, the tasting room is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 4-7pm. It's important to note that for now, it's CASH ONLY.   They plan to start offering growlers in the future! Yay!   Swamp Head Brewery LLC3140 SW 42nd WayGainesville, FL 32608(352) 505-3035

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-55671445328104549352011-01-28T09:59:00.001-05:002011-01-28T09:59:22.944-05:00

Walgreens is now selling their own private label beer and wine. Not surprisingly, it's really, really cheap. Like, Natural Light-cheap.   Delish.com reports (and provided the photo above) that the beer, Big Flats 1901, is brewed by Genessee in upstate New York for Walgreens. Now, I've actually had Genessee Cream Ale, and it's not good. Not that I ever imagined a beer by Walgreens would be

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-63811074383315937552011-01-04T14:38:00.001-05:002011-01-04T14:38:47.250-05:00

Beer writer Andy Crouch has a thoughtful post up on his blog, titled "Is It About Beer or Beer Politics:  The Brewers Association's Baby Step." The Brewers Association (BA), whose stated purpose is to "promote and protect small and independent American brewers" is changing their definition of "small" as it relates to craft brewers. From the press release:   "In the BA's craft brewer definition

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-67621779059716599342010-12-08T11:28:00.001-05:002010-12-08T11:28:10.281-05:00

"I wish you a Malty Christmas And a Hoppy New Year, A pocket full of money And a cellar full of Beer!"  --Anonymous To quote a suave Christmas crooner, it's the most wonderful time of the year. And not just because it's the holidays. Some beery goodness came to us in the past few days, including the Samuel Adam's Winter Classics Pack. As in the past, it includes the delicious Old Fezziwig

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-53136282197629254202010-11-02T16:25:00.001-04:002010-11-02T16:25:10.536-04:00

Last week I finally got around to opening the Southern Tier Creme Brulee Imperial Milk Stout. This is part of their Blackwater Imperial Stout series, and is a summer seasonal (!?!). Imperial stouts are typically higher in alcohol than other stouts - as is this one, at 9.6% abv - and are sometimes finished in liquor barrels, like whiskey or bourbon. Milk stouts include lactose, a sugar

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-59138811920515711012010-10-20T13:18:00.001-04:002010-10-20T13:18:13.590-04:00

I know I promised a review of the Southern Tier Creme Brulee Imperial Milk Stout, but I haven't drank it yet - things that don't combine well with sitting down and enjoying a beer thoroughly keep getting in the way. Like a seven-year old's birthday party. And co-ed softball games (which apparently match well with Jello shots and cheap beer).   But I was so pleased to see Ladies of Craft Beer

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-57003823791960960302010-10-14T17:45:00.001-04:002010-10-14T17:45:41.709-04:00

For the record, I didn't drink this beer - my husband did. I mistakenly bought it for him thinking it was an IPA. Left Hand Brewing's Sawtooth Ale is an ESB. I had to go look that up - "Extra-special beer?"   Nope, ESB stands for Extra Special/Strong Bitter. It's an ale (and, incidentally, ESB is an actual brand name is England). It's like a pale ale, but--despite the "bitter" in its name-

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-88109975356969197552010-10-05T12:34:00.001-04:002010-10-05T12:34:56.655-04:00

My husband and I recently visited friends in New York. Well, they actually live across the river in Teaneck, New Jersey, but we spent most of our time in The City. I was hoping to try several different kinds of beer while I was there, but most of the places we went to serve the standard Stella, Guinness, Blue Moon, and the typical light American lagers.   One exception to this rule was

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-5010704881879222972010-09-23T13:54:00.001-04:002010-09-23T13:54:57.103-04:00

It occurred to me while in the grocery store recently, that while my efforts to be cost-conscious and buy my beloved Cheap Beer are good for my budget, they weren't helping promote my efforts to write a beer blog. I mean, I love me some Miller Lite, but even I wouldn't read a Miller Lite Blog.   This epiphany came at just the right moment, too, because what should appear on the beer

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-53235162436978959882010-09-21T23:31:00.001-04:002010-09-21T23:31:34.155-04:00

Jay (hope that's not too familiar) at the Brookston Beer Bulletin listed the winners at the Great American Beer Festival, held earlier this month in Colorado. I can't say that I'm surprised, but it was still a bit of a bummer to see that Florida is only listed once. But, as I noted on his post, how many Florida entries were there?   So, on the sunny side, let's give some big congratulations

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-4070273123346077692010-09-17T11:24:00.001-04:002010-09-17T11:24:03.538-04:00

Today - Sept. 17 - is beer writer Stan Hieronymus' birthday. His blog, http://appellationbeer.com/blog/ (sorry, I'm typing on my phone from the airport) was very influential in me becoming a beer blogger. I have learned much of what I know about beer beyond Miller Lite from him. Happy birthday, Mr. Hieronymus! I'm traveling to New York this weekend to visit friends - hopefully I'll get to try

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-10396288267627219492010-09-09T14:36:00.002-04:002010-09-09T17:07:35.421-04:00

My parents go to Maine every year for two weeks to visit my mother's family. If you've never been to Maine, put it on your list of "Beautiful places in the United States I Should See Before Spending Tons of Cash on Europe." In my humble opinion, it's the most beautiful place in the world--in the summertime*.I've been hinting to my husband that we need to go to Maine, but he's not really good at

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-78447754211665541562010-09-07T11:51:00.001-04:002010-09-07T11:51:07.148-04:00

Happy September! (Can you believe it's September? Where'd the year go?)   A couple weeks ago, I was at a friend's house, celebrating his upcoming 30th birthday (yes, I hang out with the chil'rens). He's a bit of a good 'ol boy: hunter, owns a big truck and has several dogs running around, and is a proud fan of Natty Lite. But for some reason, he always seems to have one or two bottles of

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-78311430219067551082010-08-26T10:22:00.002-04:002010-08-26T11:05:59.589-04:00

With the house-buying, wedding, and puppy-training behind me, I no longer have an excuse for not exercising, so I've decided it's time to get back on the wagon. I've been to my gym's women's center three times in the last week. Right now I'm only running/walking on the treadmill, because I still feel pressed for time, and running is my goal.I've signed up for a 5K and a 4-mile run. The 5K is this

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-37983549449793901132010-08-19T17:03:00.001-04:002010-08-19T17:03:24.199-04:00

How is it that I had never heard about this? I was reading the Brookston Beer Bulletin, an awesome beer blog based in San Francisco/ Northern California (and thus constantly teasing me with all sorts of cool beer and cool beer events), and beer writer Jay Brooks was doing one of his regular "beer birthday" posts, where he features a notable beer person on their birthday.   "Today is also

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-47344113222829236322010-08-16T17:07:00.001-04:002010-08-16T17:07:46.704-04:00

My friend and fellow blogger, the Sassy Crafter, shared an article with me that she found online about a Tarpon Springs, FL-based brewery, Saint Somewhere. They're tiny and specialize in Belgian ales, which I have recently discovered. So it was with great delight that I found a bottle in my local beer shop, Dorn's. To add to the excitement, it turned out to be a saison - a style of beer I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-4337800585794204492010-07-30T01:13:00.001-04:002010-07-30T01:13:28.319-04:00

I just got back from an amazing conference on web design. Absolute gods of the web Eric Meyer and Jeffrey Zeldman started An Event Apart, and it featured them plus a host of other web design rock stars. It's two days of intense, mind-blowing knowledge about standards-based web design. Can you tell I'm still swooning?  Anyway, while I was there, there were several chances to drink beer,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-60064723465938623552010-07-23T17:40:00.001-04:002010-07-23T17:40:45.004-04:00

The first-ever beer bloggers conference! Doesn't that sound awesome? If you're a beer blogger, that is? Beer Bloggers Conference And it's in Boulder, Colorado, making it even cooler in my mind. Of course, it's in November, so I'm guessing it's going to be really friggin' cold. At least to a Floridian. But I have gathered--some from reading about beer, brewing, and breweries, but mainly from

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-1131262257824631212010-07-20T13:10:00.001-04:002010-07-20T13:10:15.355-04:00

What? It's Florida, people. It's HOT. Wait, it's hot everywhere this year, isn't it? At least on the East Coast. So here's a beer for everybody.   Anyway, my creative friend Kim (aka The Sassy Crafter) suggested this beer to me. It's Magic Hat Brewing Company's Wacko - a summer ale (maybe) with a pinkish/reddish tinge. I liked it; I was worried it would be sweet since they mention on the

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-79056293509601404482010-07-13T14:08:00.001-04:002010-07-13T14:08:34.382-04:00

For all my tightwad-ness, I do like to try new beers and drink some quality stuff every now and then. So I'm very lucky to have Dorn's only a few miles from my house. Their "official" name is Dorn's Liquors & Wine Warehouse, but I rarely buy liquor from them and while I do buy my wine from them, I hate the whole "warehouse" part - makes them sound like the Sam's Club of wine. They are not.  

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-91776427074833198192010-07-06T23:27:00.001-04:002010-07-06T23:27:40.194-04:00

I know I'm a little late in this, but I was too busy having fun this weekend to blog.   In the summer of 2004, I travelled to London - my first trip to Europe (does that count? I know it's not "the Continent"). While the highlights were definitely the Roman baths, Westminster Abbey, and the British Museum, the travelling pleasures of England are not the point of this post. The point of

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-26286139386538173932010-07-01T16:48:00.001-04:002010-07-01T16:48:30.686-04:00

Did you know that craft beer above 5% ABW is illegal in Mississippi? Neither did I! What a shame - they're missing out on some great beer (like all those Belgium browns I've been swooning over).   And now, thanks to dumb beer laws, the people of Mississippi--and Alabama--are missing out on a chance to support a good cause.   Abita is putting out a "Save Our Shores" pilsner, with a portion 

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-42140033753737318702010-06-30T14:34:00.001-04:002010-06-30T14:34:36.660-04:00

One of the great things about beer is that it's brewed in so many different styles - so many that there's easily a style for any moment. Hot weather in Florida is more than a moment, of course - it's half the year. So while I love my Guinness and spicy ales and holiday porters, once we get to May here, it's too damn hot for too much of that. Perhaps that's one of the reasons I'm a staunch

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-5467464557900858332010-06-29T00:33:00.001-04:002010-06-29T00:33:55.742-04:00

(My apologies, this is a repost. I'm not liking PicPosterous...) My friend Tabby took me out a few weeks ago for my birthday. My choice, she said, so it had to be Stubbies & Steins, a tiny little beer pub with a massive selection. I have a bad habit of getting the same thing (the Belgian brown ale Nostradamus or Young's Double Chocolate Stout), but we decided it was time to broaden our horizons

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-25313114348754966362010-06-25T09:36:00.001-04:002010-06-25T09:36:53.417-04:00

Posted via email from Scurrilous Tosh's Posterous

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-15039682741719831182010-06-24T19:36:00.001-04:002010-06-24T19:36:16.501-04:00

Posted via email from Scurrilous Tosh's Posterous

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-15515540745957071752010-06-23T14:56:00.001-04:002010-06-23T14:56:02.497-04:00

Posted via email from scurriloustosh's posterous

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-30011431424914362542010-05-06T10:16:00.004-04:002010-05-06T10:41:43.107-04:00

Okay, I made that up*, but I do have a blog I'd like to suggest you peruse:MWF Seeking BFFThat stands for "Married White Female Seeking Best Friend Forever," and it's by a lovely young woman named Rachel, who moved to Chicago with her husband, leaving best girlfriends behind:"I have two lifelong BFFs, Sara and Callie, who I met when I was 10 and 14, at camp and high school respectively. I have

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-81507181656198036942010-04-23T10:18:00.005-04:002010-04-23T10:41:38.186-04:00

Through the magic of blogging, I came across the most beautiful poster for a beer festival ever:It's for the Copenhagen Beer Festival 2010 (here's a link to their web site, but it's in ... Swedish?). The fine fellow who writes A Good Beer Blog received a few of these lovely things from yet another beer blogger, Knut Albert, who posted about the festival on his blog (named, aptly "Knut Albert's

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-15980839358523509452010-04-09T13:29:00.006-04:002010-04-09T14:09:22.667-04:00

Listening to the radio this morning, I got so angry that I was shouting and swearing. NPR was reporting on Newt Gingrich talking at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference this week. Gingrich, besides calling the current administration "the most radical administration in U.S. history," also made some comparison between the Republican party and its imagined rivals. The phrase that got me

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-6030126122548827362010-03-30T10:52:00.004-04:002010-03-30T11:38:07.762-04:00

I realize that anyone who lives north of Florida would smack me for this, but seriously - it was an unusually cold winter. No, really! Especially for us native Floridians. We're like strawberries - we can handle a freakishly cold day here and there, but successive cold days might actually kill us.So it's with a glad and humble heart that I welcome spring. It's been in the 70s for several days,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-59139499530347215272010-03-24T10:55:00.004-04:002010-03-24T11:19:44.790-04:00

First, did I mention I'm walking for babies THIS SATURDAY? And that I haven't made my lame fundraising goal? Hmm?Secondly, and weirder, a tiki art show!The Hukilau (warning: great site, but starts off with music - the player is at the bottom left of the page) is an annual event celebrating Hawaiian and Polynesian Pop culture while honoring the historic Tiki bar, the Mai Kai, in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-63308913367941442492010-03-16T11:17:00.003-04:002010-03-16T11:56:15.841-04:00

Were you thinking about giving a little bit to March of Dimes this year? If so, why not do so via me? Every little bit counts!

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-32102714681217969762010-02-16T17:28:00.005-05:002010-02-16T17:42:04.594-05:00

"I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-83878420838095213712010-02-15T13:21:00.004-05:002010-02-15T13:54:04.856-05:00

As I was trying to catch up on my favorite blogs, I stumbled across a December post from an excellent one, Pilgrim Steps, about a year-end meme. And while, yes, it is February, I decided to look back on the fabulous year that was 2009.1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?Got married! Went to California and Yosemite National Park! 2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-14715305533725812682010-01-28T14:47:00.004-05:002010-01-28T15:44:57.266-05:00

It was late Sunday morning and I was enjoying lunch in the den with a last cup of coffee. The weather was beautiful, sunny and warm, so Kyle was outside working in the yard. I had just turned my laptop on when Kyle came in. He went into the living room and came back. Calmly, he asked, "Have you been sitting there for a while?""Yeah, actually, I have. Why?""Come see what Murphy did in the living

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-62449649298846095162010-01-12T11:19:00.004-05:002010-01-12T12:02:23.569-05:00

So even though I now have a computer at home, I still didn't blog over the holidays. Frankly, I feel more isolated at work than at home. Perhaps I need a home office. It's hard to put your thoughts down when you're sitting on the couch being pestered by the dog ("Throw the ball! Throw the ball!") and have your lovely husband peering over your shoulder ("Why are you on the computer? Watch tv with

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-48439841280327264862009-12-11T13:24:00.006-05:002009-12-11T14:08:28.496-05:00

Wow, exactly a month since I last posted. How unprofessional of me! The holidays will do that to you. And by "holidays," I mean "college football."I was looking at some new photos I took of Murphy, and I can't get over how different she looks now, compared to when we picked her up in July at 8 weeks old.Her first photo (by phone) on the way home, the day we picked her up: Later that month:In

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-89572501056968661402009-11-11T15:07:00.004-05:002009-11-11T15:41:14.103-05:00

We have several loquat trees in our back yard. Also known as Japanese plums, these trees are a pretty common sight around here, almost to the point of invisibility - you kinda stop noticing them. Until something weird happens.I'm poking around with the dog in the back yard a few days ago and notice that one of the loquat trees is looking, well, pretty bad. Every leaf is drooping and turning brown

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-74784324963093926702009-11-06T12:33:00.003-05:002009-11-06T13:06:36.216-05:00

I found this fellow hanging out on our kitchen windowsill the other night, probably attracted to the floodlight in our back yard.It was pretty small (wish I'd taken a photo with something in the shot for size comparison), and quite calm. I thought his hazel eyes were beautiful, almost bronze.I called Kyle out for a look and he thought it might be a Cuban treefrog - which would be bad. They're

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-90897548464224135552009-10-21T10:59:00.005-04:002009-10-21T11:22:35.537-04:00

I know - it's me, ranting yet again about baking. But wait! They were so pretty, I had to share a photo, and they're so tasty, I wanted to share the recipe.These are Chocolaty Caramel Thumbprints, from Better Homes and Gardens, and they are delish! Yes, a wee bit time-consuming. You have to bring the dough together and then chill it for two hours. This is not a "Oh, look - it's 8:30 in the

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-64002178396005305772009-10-13T17:13:00.008-04:002009-10-13T17:46:28.074-04:00

I was walking across the "lawn" from the parking lot to my office building this morning, and came across this lovely flower:It's really quite pretty - if you look at the full-sized version of this photo, you'll see that each little blossom resembles a tiny little snapdragon flower.In reality, this plant is really small. The flower couldn't have been more than an inch tall, if that. And I'm quite

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-81458505680620608582009-10-01T10:57:00.006-04:002009-10-01T11:58:06.740-04:00

Yes, even a penny-pinching tightwad desires stuff sometimes. I love pretty much anything in the Arts & Crafts style. But I especially like crewel embroidery, also known as crewelwork. Crewelwork uses heavier wool for embroidering and usually sewn on a sturdy fabric (in order to support the weight), like linen. I like the style of early 20th century work done in a Jacobean fashion - stylized

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-79655836877901038102009-09-02T17:14:00.006-04:002009-09-02T17:57:31.956-04:00

I have no idea why or how, but a song my grandmother used to sing popped into my head. I started singing it out loud as I walked down the stairs in my office building (don't worry - no one else was there).Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy diveyA kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy diveyA kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?Now, if your elderly

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-32400502637689537922009-08-28T18:26:00.006-04:002009-08-28T18:45:53.806-04:00

Literally. For over a year now, the dining has been without over lighting, a gaping hole with dangling wires where a light should be. Mainly because we took down the hideous monstrosity that was the previous light fixture. It hung so low, you could see the light bulb. And way too modern for our tastes:We'd been putting off getting a new light forever, when Kyle went to turn on the kitchen light

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-59805803572333190002009-08-21T15:58:00.003-04:002009-08-21T16:04:43.900-04:00

(For those of you who received an e-mail, or saw my post on FaceBook, I apologize: I'm talking about this article friggin' everywhere. Feel free to come back next week when I'll regale you with tales of husbands doing fabulous things around the house and puppies making it through typical-yet-traumatic-for-me surgery.)I was supposed to be looking for gardening book reviews in the New York Times,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-79146312123927099212009-08-18T15:34:00.005-04:002009-08-18T16:04:47.500-04:00

Warning: Completely self-indulgent, horn-tooting, post.Kyle loves chocolate chip cookies. Given a choice when I'm in the mood for baking, he always goes with chocolate chip. I had just made a small batch a week or so earlier, so a few nights ago when we were planning on leftovers for dinner and I decided to bake, I thought I'd make something different.I was flipping through my Cook's Illustrated

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-66987957339692497862009-08-06T17:31:00.003-04:002009-08-06T17:43:51.879-04:00

My cousin Rich, who is stationed in Italy, sent me a wedding present!His wife is due with their first child any day, and I was tickled to see that items in the box were wrapped in baby diapers! Diapers have come a long way - did you know they have Velcro flaps now? Amazing. Anyway...They sent us two beautiful Italian crystal wine glasses (suckers are HUGE), a bottle of wine and best of all -

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-85144248082030735592009-08-04T11:14:00.002-04:002009-08-04T11:21:40.048-04:00

I open my e-mail Monday morning and find this:From: tkats@sonicstarrecords.comTo: me@hotmail.comSubject: RE: Never received my shirtDate: Sun, 2 Aug 2009 15:46:02 -0700Hello Jennifer,We sent another shirt out for you on Friday. You should be getting it in a few days. Thank youI think, "Oh, finally - they've sent the shirt out - great!"And it was. I came home Monday afternoon to discover the

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-62602241858557689472009-07-30T17:05:00.003-04:002009-07-30T17:23:02.272-04:00

Wow. It never ceases to take me by surprise when a business is rude to you.Especially when it was they who did something wrong.I ordered a t-shirt from a band I like, The Killer and The Star (they're new-ish; lead singer/songwriter is formerly of the band Cold). I paid via PayPal, and my credit card was charged that same day. This was June 25.Five weeks later, and I still haven't received my

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-50961509532205399562009-07-24T13:35:00.007-04:002009-07-28T17:09:19.254-04:00

Those of you who've been following the drama via Facebook or Twitter know how the story ends: I got the "galaxy gray" Mazda3 from Gainesville Mazda. After they snatched it from under the Ocala dealership's nose and charged me a bit more. But it was still under invoice and I'm very happy with it.So - pictures! This is in my work parking lot. The dealership slipped a "Gainesville Chevrolet" tag

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-31581880664868568292009-07-24T12:09:00.003-04:002009-07-24T12:50:20.799-04:00

I'm thisclose to purchasing a car. But damn if it hasn't been a helacious two weeks in between.I started with the assumption that I would want a Honda Civic or used Accord. What I did not realize is that there are very few cars available in manual transmission. Either they are stripped-down models, or they're expensive sports cars. I suppose about-towners such as myself are supposed to prefer

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-32626336251041959532009-07-15T17:32:00.004-04:002009-07-15T17:55:01.029-04:00

The Sentra is dead.I've had this car for twelve years. I leased it brand-spanking new in 1997, and start paying for it outright three years later. I've driven that little tan car (official color "champagne") all over Florida, putting 208,000 miles on her.She's been good to me - one major repair, and only a couple minor ones. Sure, the visors fell off five years ago, the "check engine" light came

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-74942512213026697572009-07-09T14:41:00.003-04:002009-07-09T14:56:22.417-04:00

I subscribe to Budget Travel magazine's e-newsletter. I did so initially to research California and Yosemite for our honeymoon, but I like it and thus have kept my subscription.They had a contest where you're entered into a drawing for a trip to Punta Cana if you submit a travel photo. So I submitted one of the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco and another of Yosemite Falls.They've included my

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-10667404279539121572009-07-07T18:01:00.003-04:002009-07-07T18:09:40.587-04:00

Our puppy is a vampire!Miss Murphy is slowly draining the life out of us. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: How the hell do parents of real-life babies do this? Kyle and I are exhausted and cranky, and all we've got a dang dog.A dog that won't sleep at night. That chews on everything except the toys we give her. Whose teeth are like tiny ceramic razors. Sigh...I'm not sure if I've even

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-58818796129202101852009-06-24T12:10:00.002-04:002009-06-24T12:58:34.097-04:00

Well, it's official - it's on the driver's license. I've changed my name.Wow. Thirty-six years of my life under one identity, and starting today, I have a new one.I've accumulated quite a bit of official-ness under my maiden name. A bank account, a mortgage, credit cards, a retirement account . . . I've been a full-on grownup with my maiden name.But it's not the loss of my old name, really, that

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-77282728986967162242009-06-18T14:42:00.007-04:002009-06-18T15:36:00.589-04:00

We have a shrub or small tree in the back yard, right in front of the master bath, that blocks the window nicely (when it has leaves; it's deciduous).I've always wondered what it was; it didn't look like anything I'd seen before. And this spring, the mystery deepened when small green pods appeared on the branches: Photo of fruit:Photo of foliage:After weeks of procrastination, I finally took some

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-77033029645154433442009-06-08T16:23:00.008-04:002009-06-08T17:10:09.815-04:00

Kyle and I attended a wedding this weekend in Clearwater Beach. We only met Kelly and Dieter a few months ago, but we've really become good friends. They came to our wedding, and I recently flew to Chicago (for the first time!) for Kelly's bachelorette party.They were married on the beach. Kelly looked beautiful (loved her dress!) and the weather was nice. Warm, but nothing Floridians, hardy

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-6668598303142226832009-06-02T10:43:00.004-04:002009-06-02T11:01:16.190-04:00

Hello, my tiny audience!(I refer to the number of readers, not your particular size. Wait, not that I'm saying you're not tiny - you are! Unless you're male, then you're manly and huge! . . . you get the point.)Since the wedding and honeymoon are over, I suppose it's time to get back on this particular horse.The wedding was lovely. The Baughman Center was beautiful, the ceremony brief and

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-38591835444147672692009-04-28T09:38:00.004-04:002009-04-28T10:00:23.561-04:00

I have never cared for the actress Keira Knightley; she always seems full of herself in interviews. She actually said something once about being "so British" -- as way of explanation for why some of us (presumably stupid Americans) don't "get" her or her bony frame.She was good in "Love Actually" though, wasn't she?And now she's gone and made the censors uncomfortable.From Frogblog, an eco-blog

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-69339320365550110242009-04-22T18:05:00.004-04:002009-04-22T18:21:12.932-04:00

I'm going crazy with wedding stuff right now; so busy that I don't even have time to write about myself! (That's pretty busy.)I did take the time to notice two lovely flowers blooming right now in our front yard, some sort of iris and a sweet orange gerbera daisy:Pretty, no?I wish I could take a decent photo that shows the front yard in all its glory. Kyle really keeps it looking fabulous. I'm so

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-33228860541902262802009-04-01T13:14:00.002-04:002009-04-01T13:18:19.265-04:00

Yes, I've been slacking as of late. I apologize, and as a filler, I give you the geek-cooliest April Fool gift evah:Tauntaun sleeping bag(With thanks to my friend Peter for finding first.)

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-23461682924876082302009-03-25T09:29:00.002-04:002009-03-25T09:34:24.516-04:00

A three-minute video - it will be brighten your day.Yosemite, There is a Season, Turning Spring from Sterling Johnson on Vimeo.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-66188374828267862812009-03-19T18:08:00.003-04:002009-03-19T18:14:16.082-04:00

1. I got the invites out! Phew! And I've actually received a few of my neat-o tear-off RSVP postcards already. Word of caution, ladies and gents: My invitations are of a fold-up and seal style. When I took them to my local post office, the counter employee told me that, if I didn't Scotch-tape up one side of the invite, they would, at best, get mauled in the machine and worse, they might not make

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-67755748374978573532009-03-13T18:54:00.010-04:002009-03-17T18:19:03.275-04:00

Seriously, everyone seems to be getting married or on the verge of delivering.My girlfriend Gail threw me an awesomely cliched bachelorette party a week or two ago. And she hand-made this veil for me:She sewed the little pearls on the edge of the tulle and everything.If you know me at all in the brick-and-mortar world, you know that I like to wear my sunglasses. Pretty much all the time. I feel

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-78010482021469771012009-02-26T19:12:00.003-05:002009-02-26T19:57:53.470-05:00

I can't believe the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired Derrick Brooks, along with four other "old" players: Warrick Dunn, Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard and Cato June.Derrick Brooks is arguably the best Buc ever, and inarguably one of the best. Guy's been to the Pro-Bowl eleven times. He's on the Florida State University board, for chrissakes! He's not only a fantastic football player, he's a nice guy to

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-44993807410066648672009-02-23T14:43:00.009-05:002009-02-23T15:30:15.918-05:00

Spring has arrived! Yes, I know it's probably a bit rude to rub this fact into the faces of anyone from up north - say, the 140,000 without power in Maine thanks to the snow storm, but I'm so excited and it's so pretty!The azaleas are really starting to crank the blooms out now. This is our largest azalea, out back besides the porch:(Speaking of azaleas, I think the Florida Azalea Festival in

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-91640770037191057332009-02-04T11:44:00.003-05:002009-02-04T14:57:31.023-05:00

We're going to California!I booked our flight to San Francisco for our honeymoon! I'm getting pretty excited. I received my 2009 Official State Visitor's Guide and Travel Planner from visitcalifornia.com and flipped through it last night. The highlights are the pull-out section on Yosemite and the big-ass map of California.Kyle had already drawn up a draft agenda:Redwood National Park(Which is a

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-29411248723409766752009-01-27T11:23:00.003-05:002009-01-29T12:02:20.518-05:00

Look who finally decided to make an appearance! My "Christmas" cactus finally started blooming! We had it inside for too long in the fall, so it wasn't getting the six-eight hours of darkness it needs to bloom. We only moved it outside around the holidays, so I knew it would be a late bloomer (Ha ha! Late bloomer! Get it?)

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-83094665275885409772009-01-27T10:31:00.005-05:002009-01-27T11:23:08.213-05:00

This past weekend, Kyle and some friends of ours went canoeing down the Rainbow River.We rented aluminum canoes at K.P. Hole county park and paddled upstream, towards the head springs (Rainbow Springs, where there's a much bigger state park apparently). We didn't make it all the way to the head springs, mainly because you have to return the canoes by 4 p.m.Having grown up around the Atlantic

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-6199284696102882202009-01-16T17:43:00.001-05:002009-01-20T15:08:48.057-05:00

We're so lucky. Our yard has some lovely winter-blooming plants, some of which I've never seen before. So of course, I take photos and ask my coworker, Tom Wichman, to identify them for me. Tom is the statewide coordinator of the Florida Master Gardener program, and is a capital-N Plant Nerd. (I kid 'cus I love!)He said the tree with fringy pink blooms in the back yard was commonly called a

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-74760078787283401972009-01-15T17:08:00.007-05:002009-01-15T17:42:04.616-05:00

Before coming back from the holiday break, Kyle and I went to Payne's Prairie to see the sandhill cranes.We saw almost as many alligators as cranes; okay, not really, but we saw a lot of gators. I'll apologize for the bad photography up front. None of this was close to us, and my zoom is only so-so. So I've altered many of the photos, upping the contrast on the fuzzy ones.Kyle decided he needed a

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-73367766390904692892009-01-08T16:04:00.014-05:002009-01-08T16:18:13.405-05:00

My wonderful friend and former colleague Mark Basse has agreed to photograph our wedding in May. Mark works at Florida Community College, but his real career is photography. He's amazing.I started working with Mark while interviewing students to feature on the FCCJ web site. After doing an e-mail interview, Mark and I would meet them on campus to ask follow-up questions and take their picture. I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-1707047238314521232008-12-29T13:08:00.001-05:002008-12-29T13:10:05.439-05:00

My family's beloved dog Benson has passed away.Faithful to the end, and a fierce protector of the family and home as long as he was physically able. My parents originally got Benson as not just a pet, but as a sort of alarm system as well - my neighborhood had quite a few break-in's at the time, our house included.I could hold him in the palm of my hand when we first got him, but he soon grew up

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-35127007661018453302008-12-23T09:31:00.002-05:002008-12-23T09:43:40.224-05:00

Today I was catching up on a blog that, due to alphabetical listing, hangs out near the bottom of my blog feed and thus doesn't get read nearly as often as it should. "PilgrimSteps" is written by a woman who is not only a great writer and photographer, but a chronicler of daily life with disability. That she manages to do this bravely, touchingly, with such generosity of spirit and without a hint

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-84361674635006454772008-12-15T15:39:00.003-05:002008-12-15T17:06:25.658-05:00

In defense of Christmas music. Specifically, "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Two wildly different blogs I read regularly mentioned how "depressing" the soundtrack is, and a friend made a similar comment recently.What, all Christmas music has to be one of the following?a) religiousb) ridiculously upbeatc) histrionicDon't get me wrong - I love Christmas music, all of it. I'm a huge fan of Bing Crosby,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-61685106163075355642008-12-11T10:18:00.004-05:002008-12-11T10:21:35.489-05:00

"One should never direct people towards happiness, because happiness too is an idol of the market-place. One should direct them towards mutual affection. A beast gnawing at its prey can be happy too, but only human beings can feel affection for each other, and this is the highest achievement they can aspire to."-- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, writer and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1970

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-38420844408418770912008-12-10T18:26:00.002-05:002008-12-10T18:31:48.081-05:00

I miss my friends.This is not a new topic for my blog, so feel free to move on if you've heard it all before.I'm feeling a little left out of the big deal of She's Getting Married. I have come to the realization that there are some things that I'll miss out on by going the solitary, online route, like trying on dresses with my friends.I was watching the TLC show about a New York bridal salon, "

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-27039900447606092782008-11-26T14:39:00.003-05:002008-11-26T15:18:51.495-05:00

Tomorrow, three-quarters of my family will be together for Thanksgiving (that's just counting the nuclear family of two parents and two kids).My parents and my brother work at the Wal-Mart Supercenter, and thus all three will be working on Thanksgiving, preparing for the retail nightmare that is Black Friday. Luckily, my parents don't have to be at work until 4 p.m., so Kyle and I are hosting our

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-19842431751436127852008-11-21T15:51:00.007-05:002008-11-21T16:04:14.228-05:00

I have a very lovely friend who just happens to a) have a sharp eye for editing, and b) be a master of English grammar. Oh, and c) be incredibly witty.After reading my post from yesterday about Busch Gardens, she wrote to me. She wanted to point out a minor slip in grammar she found, twice, in the post.I found it pretty damn funny (and, alas, spot-on). So funny that it would be a crime not to

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-64948869840090840172008-11-20T10:45:00.002-05:002008-11-20T11:13:04.038-05:00

Busch Gardens rocks in part because the Busch family was personally involved, pouring millions back into the parks (they bought SeaWorld in the 90s).Now that Anheuser-Busch is simply one more cog in the global machine that is InBev, the Busch family only has one seat on the board, and rumors are swirling that InBev is thinking about casting the parks aside; they need money to pay back the

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-62720702801555406862008-11-10T13:02:00.005-05:002008-11-10T13:26:14.061-05:00

Over the weekend, Kyle decided we should see what we could make out of the "bed" that's resting in three boxes in our garage. I have been uneasy with this. The company did refund my money, so in essence I do not own this bed anymore - I shouldn't make use of it. However, the prevailing argument (outside the fact that I'm being ridculous) is that the company did tell me to throw it away, so

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-85204572671644530572008-11-07T13:06:00.004-05:002008-11-07T14:04:33.875-05:00

For me, anyway.See, the Florida-Georgia college football game is always held on the last weekend of October. And my die-hard Gator-loving man has to go to that game, must go. So every other year* my Halloween weekend is focused on football, not Halloween.Which sucks, because I love Halloween! And no, it's not just the chance to dress sort of slutty - many of my past costumes have been pretty

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-68322530345924678712008-11-01T12:37:00.001-04:002008-11-01T12:37:00.688-04:00

After a few back-and-forths with Home Decorators about returning the bashed bed, I receive this e-mail:Dear Ms. McIntyre,Thank you for your email.I do apologize for the delay. Please discard the bed we are in the process of issuing a refund for the Mino Bed.Our records indicate that your credit card, ending in the last four digits of xxxx will be refunded a total of $722.99 within 7-10 business

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-82555801458288558022008-10-30T14:00:00.001-04:002008-10-30T14:00:01.711-04:00

I was up the other last night, unable to sleep and I'd read pretty much everything in the house. I trawled through my magazines: October "Vogue"? Can't find it. October "Real Simple"? Boooring. This week's "Entertainment Weekly"? Feh - I blew through that fifteen minutes after it arrived in the mail.And then I found it - a fat summer edition of the bridal magazine . . ."The Knot." And I started

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-83734571682353921022008-10-29T12:55:00.004-04:002008-10-29T13:43:47.015-04:00

Kyle's nephew Logan came for a visit last evening while his mother went to a birthday dinner. She left a pumpkin with us as well, so that Uncle Kyle could help him make a jack-o-lantern.I decided that I should probably cut Logan out of the photo until I ask his mom how she feels about showing her five-year to the blogosphere.Kyle put down some kraft paper and got to work - Logan got to pull the

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-18082451559051060752008-10-23T18:11:00.004-04:002008-10-23T18:22:38.308-04:00

We have this adorable black and white (mostly black) female cat living next door. I don't know if she's just unappreciated at her own home or what, but this cat loves us.The minute one of us walks out the door, there she is, running up to us and then lolling around in the grass - which is cat for "Dude, I am giving you the most awesome opportunity right now - do you see how I'm inviting you to

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-16620615364037970122008-10-16T19:48:00.003-04:002008-10-16T19:50:08.593-04:00

We're going to Kyle's grandfather's funeral tomorrow. So no more from me until Monday.********************************************The flowers out by the office building were so pretty, one of my coworkers brought some in as a bouquet:

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-16763763201700172162008-10-15T09:46:00.004-04:002008-10-15T09:58:03.691-04:00

After considerable delay and annoyances, the bed I ordered from Home Decorators was delivered yesterday.Broken.I noticed one of the boxes was smashed on the end. But it was taped up - so someone else had already seen this and decided it was fine and sent it on its merry way anyway. I waited for Kyle to get home; I just couldn't bear to look. And this is what we found: It's a shame, really.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-85776311498495880592008-10-14T13:34:00.005-04:002008-10-14T13:45:20.947-04:00

First off, I must make a correction: Kyle's grandfather, who passed away Sunday night, was not his last grandparent. His grandmother is still alive. In a nursing home and unaware of her surroundings, but alive nonetheless. I'm a little embarrassed. I guess I was thinking about how his grandfather would be the only grandparent in attendance at our wedding. I feel guilty forgetting his poor

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-88842337088042595522008-10-13T15:30:00.005-04:002008-10-13T15:57:28.623-04:00

After all that talk about grandparents, Kyle received a call last night - his grandfather had a heart attack. He passed away some time in the evening. He was Kyle's last grandparent.************************************************************************************Our frustrating efforts to get a bed continue. After ordering a bed from Home Decorator's in August with the expectations of an

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-88989817299454258512008-10-09T14:05:00.004-04:002008-10-09T17:54:36.246-04:00

I was thinking about my grandmother.If there had to be a downside to my age at the time of this wedding, it would be that none of my grandparents are still alive.At one time, I was incredibly close to my maternal grandmother. And I wish like hell that she could have been here for my wedding. That part of my family lives far, far away from me, in Maine. When I was little, I, along with my baby

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-39158052645301670172008-10-08T16:45:00.007-04:002008-10-08T16:54:04.503-04:00

We have two Gebera daisy plants in our front yard, and they've been surprising me with consistent blooms since we moved in. It's usually one at a time, so each time a bloom dies, I always think, "Oh - that was that." And damn if there isn't another little bud uncurling beneath all those heavy, lettuce-like leaves.This one came out . . . well, squashed. I thought as the petals unfurled it would

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-23708827534962123192008-10-07T17:05:00.006-04:002008-10-07T17:58:31.958-04:00

I am, by nature, a timid person.At first glance you wouldn't think so. I talk - a lot. Sometimes loudly. And I got my blog title the hard way - I earrrrrned it.(John Housman just rolled over in his grave.)And I've accomplished things of which I'm very proud. I worked my way through college. I bought my first home as a single woman on a public salary.But I'm afraid of so many things.I'm afraid to

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-5017457622909932582008-10-06T12:20:00.003-04:002008-10-06T12:30:05.029-04:00

The AC is broken in my office, and it's 82 degrees - in the office.Me and Emily are dying, while the rest of our coworkers are trying to make the best of it (easy to say when you've got a fan, adorable-coworker-who-shall-remain-nameless!).I don't mind heat. Hell, I grew up in Florida with no air conditioning. I love the beach. I like working up a good sweat. But sweating at your desk while you're

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-40608452583757713362008-10-02T10:17:00.008-04:002008-10-02T11:05:33.593-04:00

After a protracted battle with Best Buy (let's just say we're not big fans anymore), the new stand for Kyle's flat-screen television finally came in. This is one of those "Venus-Mars" things. Seriously, you would have thought it was Christmas around here when the stand was delivered. It's as if the kick-ass television wasn't enough; it just wouldn't be whole without its special stand. He had to

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1413272527999898948.post-89169669422020521892008-10-01T14:53:00.003-04:002008-10-01T15:40:45.620-04:00

Our building has a nice swath of nature around it. Thanks to our fabulous landscape instructor Erin, we have a beautiful garden right outside the door. We haven't taken photos since it got gorgeous (just installation photos of guys in jeans and camo hats with shovels and dirt). But I did take a photo of a butterfly feeding from our firebush plant.Most of our flowering plants are popular with

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075616729566415696noreply@blogger.com2