Pinterest

Hello Pinterest! My friend recommended I start utilizing this application/social media phenomenon. I didn't get it at first, but once I played with it for 5 minutes I was hooked.

Everywhere I look - Twitter, Facebook, someone has just joined, and the most common status update is:

"I'm obsessed with Pinterest"! People are tweeting that they "need a Pintervention!

It's been fully up and running since August 2011. I've never seen anything/webpage catch on faster than Pinterest. According to Wikipedia: It had more traffic than the social network giants like Linked In, You Tube and Google+ on January 2012. 


Thanks to social media, Pinterest has spread like wildfire. I'm still a "virgin" when it comes to this website. I only have 12 boards, 181 pins, and 7 likes. I have 23 followers and I'm following 33 people. I think it is just the beginning.

My most popular "repin" (almost 30x) is:

http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2011/03/24/lasagna-soup/

Forget the Facebook IPO, Pinterest is here to stay!

Superbowl Sunday

Rematch time! Patriots-Giants!

I remember the last time these two teams played in the Superbowl. The Patriots HAD IT! It was going to be a WIN!! My dad even called to say "Congratulations, your team is going to win". And then the unspeakable. The Giants win by 3.

I told my dad this year not to call. AT ALL. I won't answer the phone if he does. Now I'm not superstitious. Not really. Except for when it comes to football and baseball. Not as extreme as: I'm going to wear the same Wes Welker jersey to every game because they keep on winning. But close.

Do I like that Tom Brady is on the cover of SI? NOPE! Everyone knows it's a curse to be on the cover!

I quote wikipedia: The Sports Illustrated cover jinx is an urban legend that states that individuals or teams who appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated magazine will subsequently be jinxed (experience bad luck). This is an example of confirmation bias.


Here is the current one:

Should I be worried?

I'm not worried. At the end of the day, Brady is one man, the other 45+ players and Coaches make the TEAM. Defense, Offense, Special Teams. Each one of them will either win or lose on Sunday. (I'm for WIN)

9 days and counting. I hope to say goodbye to the 2008 memory of that horrible loss. And HELLO Vince Lombardi Trophy #4. (I think someday they should have a Bill Belichick Trophy..I'm just sayin')

Cinque Terre, Italy

Sunset in Mararola

MH (My Husband) and I said HELLO to the  Cinque Terre for our honeymoon last Sept, 2011. It's one of the most beautiful places I've visited. We visited all five (Cinque in Italian) towns, and I highly recommend it as a place to vacation to for R&R and a little bit (or a lot) of hiking. And LOTS of eating and drinking, but I'll save that for another blog. 

More importantly, I'd like to let you know about the disaster that hit Cinque Terre on October 25th, 2011. A massive flood hit the towns and several of the residents had to be evacuated and are still unable to return.

I've been following the tragedy and the repair efforts. I've told myself how lucky we were to have visited and experienced such a beautiful place before the flood. The people are generous, the stories behind the towns are enthralling.

Riomaggiore

The views are breathtaking....

Sunset from our balcony in Manarola

Lovers walk from Manarola to Riomaggiore

I recently read an article from Rick Steve about the efforts the community has taken to restore the towns. More than 50 artists gathered in Vernazza to paint the boarded up store fronts.

Take a look at these article when you have a moment. The pictures say volumes - here is a sneak peek at their work (photo credits within the article).

http://www.ricksteves.com/news/cinque-terre/art-reviving-vernazza-slideshow.htm

I'll say goodbye to Cinque Terre for now, but someday we will come back - and hopefully soon.

This is how I'll always remember Vernazza:

Don't wait for "some day" to visit "some where." GO NOW!

The Work Workout Challenge

THIS is MY Elliptical

I bought an elliptical over 2 years ago. I easily justified it's cost by saying if I use it X number of times it would easily pay for a gym membership. I've used it. Just yesterday. After say 6-8 months of being a clothes dryer.

I've used it because we have started a workout challenge at work. It's not about losing weight, and who loses the most pounds. It's just about trying to get motivated again to even be fit. 30 minutes of uninterrupted activity. It can walking, running, elliptical - any speed, any resistance, anything as long as you are moving for 30 minutes. I wanted to make it easier for everyone in our office. Ok, easier for me. 

There are 6 of us, plus my sister. $10.00 each person, the one who works out the most in 4 months (Jan-April) gets the pot of money. It helps to have incentive!

Not a New Year's resolution, but my metabolism betrays me even more every year. And I like food. I like alcohol. To eat and drink the same, I need to get moving more than I do. 

Hello challenge, and being healthier. Goodbye pounds (I hope!).

Wish me luck!

MH (My Husband) vs. the Screaming Lady

Published in 2003, and sells on Amazon for $25.00. MH bought this to learn about our heating system

My husband disappears every now and then when we are in the house. All of a sudden he gets up from the couch, grumbles and goes into the depths of the basement. There is this huge knocking in the house and the floor shakes a little. Welcome to Steam Heat.

When we first moved in, we didn't even have insulation. Did I mention our house was built in 1900 or so?

We just switched from oil to gas and have a fancy brand new furnace, tankless hot water energy saver system. And it knocks, and screams. We had the screaming lady in the bedroom. Every morning the heat would come on, and the vent was turned just ever so, where it would literally sound like there was a lady screaming to her death. EVERY MORNING.

Hours on the internet later, we have the most expensive vents ordered. And I have to give him credit (yes MH, write this down), he learned how to change the vents. Now the Screaming Lady is gone. MH 1, Steam heat 0.

Oh wait, we have radiators that only heat up 1/2 way, and some that don't heat up at all. Have you seen MH lately?

The Traffic Signs of Life

Start a project, stop a project. How many projects, ambitions have we all started and then just forgot. Unfinished scrapbooks, photo albums, knitting projects (I don't knit). My last entry was on Feb 2 of 2011. Almost a year later, here I am. I'm pretty good at that - starting something with such ambition, and then it comes to a screeching halt. I don't believe in New Years Resolutions, but it is a good time START again.

The question of blogging came up at the office - Why do it? Why not?  I like to write (when I feel like it) and I like to be creative. Am I "entertaining enough" in my writing? Will you, the reader, continue to follow me?

Today I challenge you to start something you have stopped.

Grand Central Station

I found myself in Grand Central Station yesterday at 6:55am. It wasn't as busy as this photo, but about 20 minutes later it was! I wasn't supposed to be there until 7:20am , but I couldn't sleep. There was a snow storm/ice storm coming through NYC and I needed to get out to CT then home later on that afternoon. I was worried about getting home. I found myself with time to kill in one of the most beautiful buildings in NYC. I usually take NYC in stride, at times more as a second office for me. So I never stop to look. Until yesterday morning. 

The detail of the brass window coverings. The chandeliers, the hustle and bustle. I sat down at the local coffee shop near track 102A. The details in every part of the building were beautiful. I wish I had my camera. What I also noticed were the commuters. Everyone in the same routine. The people behind the counters knew their orders before they said anything. They greeted them with a smile. I hadn't seen that for a while, maybe the last time in a move. It was refreshing. 

Needless to say, I made it home through ice and snow, and only 20 minutes late. 

Next time I'm in the city, maybe I'll take an official tour, or if time doesn't allow it, maybe just wander around. Never know what your eyes can see or find.

So I leave you with one of the more recognizable photo's. Next time you are in NYC, take a look around!

Snow Daze or Days?!

Snow Men (and nephews)!

One of the best things about New England is the snow. We didn't get much of it where I grew up unless you hopped in a car and drove for 1.5 hours. Here you get plenty of it depending on the season. Well, this season we have already received over 50" of snow, with another potential blizzard on the way. To put it in perspective, one season's average is 48" or so of snow. FOR THE WHOLE SEASON! Yes, we are well above that.

Blizzard #1 - total snow 18"+

So, I'm trying to take it all in stride (and thankful to the person who invented snow tires, and the snowblower!) and go with it. I live in New England so it's just something you learn to live with.

sledding down our "hill"

For now, we get to build snowmen in our back yard with my nephews. The one on the left in the first picture,...those "dot's" (which are coffee beans) means "he's a leopard snowman auntie". Why do you have a branch on his head? "Why that's his hair!". Enjoying the snow with kids helps me to stay a kid.  We crawled around for hours outside, making snowmen, building igloo's (thank you FH), and making snow angels.

my nephews "air guitar", aka tree bark

on top of the "world!" (igloo)

inside the igloo

another snow-girl!

So, we welcomed the snow this season with visions of a white Christmas (it was one day late), but I have to say, after 50+ " of snow already, I can't wait to say goodbye winter, hello spring! In the meantime, we'll just have an army of snowmen in our backyard!

Lola and Zoey

Lola and Zoey

Lola and Zoey, our two adorable cats. I decided to write this blog about them while I heard them running down the hallway, and trollop-ing down the stairs at full speed. When FH and I bought our house and we kept waiting for the close date, and the move in date, all we could imagine was them having SO MUCH room to run around in. Our dream has come true.

I love to hear Zoey thunder down the stairs, turn the corner and come bounding into the kitchen. She is like Tigger but on speed.

Lola on the other hand, is our tentative, and sometimes "special needs kitty". She is shy, moody, and sometimes, well...a cat. She is the younger of the two. At first they didn't get along at all, but now we call them the little love bugs.

When they are both in playful moods, which is right about now (10pm practically every night), they chase each other, pounce on each other, and generally play hide and seek from each other. They love to terrorize each other, and I giggle every single time I hear them. They are like our children, and we (ie FH) spoil them rotten!

Both were rescue kitties, Zoey from a shelter, and Lola from a friend who rescued her and all her siblings. (all happily adopted and in good hands).
My FH has taken to giving them nick-names.

Zoey is: Zo-Zo, or Zo-ci-pher (when she pounces on his feet in the middle of the night)

Lola is: Lola Bee, Beetle Nut, Beetle Juice, or just plain The Bee. Very rarely does she respond to Lola anymore, but like I said, she is a moody cat and only responds when she wants to anyway, so we just call her what we want.

They are trouble makers with a capital T, but lovable ones too. I said goodbye to my beloved Scout and Bumpie after having them for 16 and 14 years respectively. They were my kids with me through 3 states, countless boyfriends (shhhh, don't tell FH), and the beginning of my adult life.

Lola and Zoey, I said hello to right before I met my FH, and now, they have been with me through our dating, engagement and marriage!

Just shy of 2 months...

Well, it's been a long time since I've blogged. So far the New Year, "I'm going to do more of ________"....statement has gone by the wayside.
However, I must admit, we have been in the house for less than 2 months and have already:

1. Gutted and remodeled a bathroom
2. Alarmed the house
3. Guttered the house (lifelong gutters that we will never have to clean....ever!)
4. Fixed the oil line so it was up to code
5. almost filled up the oil tank...twice!
6. Put in a Storm Door (thank god we stopped heating the outside through the front door)
7. Put in a brand new basement door
8. Painted 2 walls of the 3rd bedroom, that is now a
9. Elfa Closet from the Container store (HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS)
10. and by next Friday our house will be insulated (1 day over the living in it for 2 months mark).
11. and most importantly, had a House Warming Party

I think we have done well for 6 weeks to 8 weeks worth of work!
Did I mention we are getting married in 4 months and 5 days too?!

I can't wait until September when it is our Honeymoon, and all we will do is pack a bag and enjoy Europe!

The Annual Holiday Letter

Every year for probably the last 10-12 years, I've written an annual holiday letter. I usually start this process around Thanksgiving and write about 3 to 4 drafts before actually publishing it and writing it. One year I contemplated not writing it and was told by many friends that they actually look forward to it. "DON'T stop!!" they said. So I didn't.

This year, I just banged out the letter on the computer, no drafts, no editing, no gimmick. Just, here's to 2011, I'M GETTING MARRIED, and oh yeah, you all have a Happy 2011 too. For once I actually know what the future will bring!!

I started writing the letter since I have friends all over the county...I started writing it way before Facebook, or Twittering, or Blogging. I always find getting "snail" mail to be like opening a present. (see the postcard post) It's a nice gesture to get mail, a card, or a note just because.

So, for you nay sayers that always complain about the holiday letter that so and so sent, just remember they thought of sending it to you to say Hello, and keep you in the loop of their lives. Drop them a card too with a little note. I'm sure they would appreciate the gesture.

Now, I have to go, to re-look at my 2010 letter one last time...Happy Holidays!

Winter!

My 36" prelit "FROSTY" the snowman

Well, winter came quickly upon us, and my fellow blogger from the deChicken family suggested I write a blog about this guy. I don't know about you, but he makes me smile when I just walk by him. Of course he is turned around and plugged in at night so all the neighborhood kids can see his cute fuzzy smile. If my FH gets home before me, then he plugs little ole Frosty in so I can drive up to him at night.

So far this winter we haven't seen any snow. I'm looking forward to the first snowfall...we got our Snowblower delivered. Now if only we can figure out how to use it! I can't wait until we can make our first snowman in our front yard!

Hopefully next year, I can get an electrician to put some outlets on the outside of the house and Frosty can be enjoyed appropriately by all!

Happy Holidays!

Hello Home!

The day(s) finally came! Our first house, my first house. Well, we own a small percentage of it, but we get to live in it, put holes in the wall, anything we want! I have a driveway!!! Whoo Hoo!! Through this whole experience, I didn't really sleep, I got a cold once, and managed to fight off 2 others. All in a span of say 21 days. But worth the time and stress to have something we can call HOME!

We got the keys on 11/8, and moved on 11/20. I met my FH 2 years ago that Saturday, and 6 months from 11/21 we will be married. MARRIED!!! No more calling him FH!!
Anyway, I digress. I have to go back to unpacking the several boxes that moved here, purge some more stuff from these boxes, and get my life back in order. Somewhere I have to find the birthday card I purchased for my friends birthday (which is today and it still has to get mailed) AND my mother's birthday which is on Friday. Wish me luck!

Milestones...

I've been thinking about this word a lot. It's a word that can only be defined by you. Here's a few milestones I've lived to tell about:

1. turning 16...back then anyone  could get a driver's license at that age. Now, I think it's 18?
2. graduating High School. Needless to say, I would never want to go back in time to relive that!!
3. 12 more quarters of college, equals a bazillion more tests before I graduate...and then poof, I graduated college
4. TURNING 21 - I thought that day would never ever come!!
5. Getting your first job out of college - for me it was in SF - the best place to be in your 20's!
6. "How old will I be in the year 2000?"
7. Then came the hard ones to achieve....

A. Get Married

B. Buy a House

These are the questions my accountant would ask me every year...."did you get married yet? buy a house? nothing's changed...ok, I don't need an appointment to see you. Just drop your papers off". HA, now I need to call and make an appointment!!

Well, Milestone Monday is almost here - my FH and I will be home owners on Monday. I've saved 8 years of bonuses, squirrel'd away money here and there, and managed to find my Best Friend/Future Husband AND my dream home. We laugh that we should "Get Married and Buy a House, but not in that order..."

So, we all count our own milestones in our own ways, I'm just happy to put another marker in my memory on Monday. Hello house! (and goodbye savings account!).

Pumpkin Carving

My 7 year old nephews pumpkin of choice. We did most of the carving!

It's that time of year that I look forward to. Ever since my nephews could even have any concept of Halloween, we've been carving pumpkins together. I guess I've been going on 5 years now. There's something about the ritual. My four year old nephew woke up last Sunday morning and the first thing he said to his mom: "Today is the day Auntie comes over to carve pumpkins!". How cute is that?

My 4 Year old nephews pumpkin of choice!

3 years ago, I had a carve your pumpkin party - prizes, tealights, winners. It was a tradition I was looking forward to having every year thereafter. And then life got in the way. My boyfriend, now fiance (aka FH) moved from NYC to be with me. And now, we are buying a house and moving in a few weeks. All good things. But that doesn't stop me from carving up some pumpkins this year with our without a party!

Here's what I accomplished last night - what you can't see is his "blingy" eye patch - I bought the black rhinestones at Pier One - super cool and different!

I added the "ARGH"!

I've never been a big Halloween person, but I love carving up some pumpkins! I'm hoping next year to have the long awaited pumpkin carving party...prizes and all. I seriously start thinking about it 6 months before hand. I like to see everyone's creativity!! So, everyone get ready for bringing out the best design next year. Enjoy the Holiday!!

My Fall Day...

Today consists of nothing much but running around. I'm currently trapped by love ...My 2 year old part Maine Coon cat is a luv bug and purr machine. She is happily laying in my lap purring away.

Today I..

1. Kissed my Sweetie Goodbye - he is going to his HS reunion
2. Donated a bunch of stuff
3. Looked for a Vanity at Lowe's (one that doesn't cost $700 for just the wood, and no sink!), and bought more packing supplies
4. Donated Canned Food and bought some more food..
5. Unloaded the dishwasher
6. Threw out the recycling
7. Got my hair cut and colored
8. Researched our honeymoon - Cinque Terre (please email me ideas if you have been here!!)

Still yet to do today..

1. Purge unnecessary paperwork
2. Pick up my sister at the airport
3. Recycle the unnecessary paperwork
4. eat dinner
5. Squeeze in a movie (Letters to Juliet...Better to watch while FH is gone)
6. Work

Whew - and it's only 4:00!!

The BEST part of my day today was discovering this!!

FH to me: "Super Heroes AND JOKES?!"

So far, a very good day!!

PS - Joke of the popsicle...What happens when you go inside with a snowsuit on?

Apples Apples and more Apples!

I went apple picking with my sister and two nephews over the long weekend. It was a beautiful fall day - perfect sunny skies, and the boys were so cute in wanting to pick the right apple!

I think I've had more apple foods this weekend then I do over an entire month, and it was all delicious!!

1. Fresh Pressed Apple Cider - seriously! (I'm throwing in some dark rum tonight!)
2. Carmel Apple - with nuts.
3. Regular freshly picked Jonogold apple - Mmmm, Mmmm
4. Cider Apple Donuts - OMG - warm and delicious
5. and the best of the weekend, homemade apple crisp.

Made by yours truly!

Hot out of the oven

Almost gone!

I am normally not so ambitious, and my brother in law makes a mean apple pie, but I thought I would try it myself - I got the recipe from allrecipes.com..

Here's the link. Enjoy!! (I would take out about 1/4 cup brown sugar, otherwise amazing).

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/apple-crisp-ii/Detail.aspx

I don't think my FH and I are going to eat dinner tonight, but at least we will get our 5 servings of fruits today!

Hello House!

As if planning a wedding weren't enough, FH and I decided to buy a house. THIS HOUSE. Cute right? OK, I'm a little partial to it.

Well, I've learned a few things about buying a house, our first house...together.

1. Buying a house is like on line dating. Looks good in the pictures, but then you actually get there, and the view all around your yard is of a huge parking lot, or Bob's auto store. Kind of like your first blind date - looks good in the pictures...but then you meet and you realize the picture posted of said date is from 1996. (Good thing I met FH through a friend!)

2. Buying a house is like shopping for a wedding gown, just a lot more expensive. Like they say, you try on a lot of dresses, but when you find the one of your dreams, you just know it. When FH and I walked into this house, we just knew it was for us.

3. The house, like the wedding gown, needs a few alterations. And that costs money. What I find funny is, I need to have my wedding gown altered, and I can get an estimate on how much that might cost, but I won't know until they pull it apart and put it back together. Well, that's kind of like the repairs we need to do to the house. We know we can get an estimate from the contractor, but we won't know the true cost until the job is done.

4. What I do know is this, I still love my wedding gown, and I still love this house. Alterations and repairs included!

5. Trust - I've learned to not have to control everything and trust my FH to help me make the decisions, and to make decisions for our future on our own. We have survived with hardly a fight...we should get married!


6. We imagine entertaining in this house (great back yard and kitchen) with friends and family. But the funny thing we can't wait for is to see how our two kitties will be running around with all this space!! We imagine they will get lost in the house and we'll be calling them for days. I'm sure they will be off exploring something somewhere!

As the process goes along, I'm sure I'll learn a lot of new house terms, like joints, and lally's (yeah, look that one up). Kind of like I learned what ruching was for a wedding dress....

***BING!***

BING is a new search engine that I never have used. I suppose I should try it before I post this blog, but where is the fun in that?

What I really want to know is, do you know anyone who is like a human search engine? Someone who can recite semi-useless, but in some instances interesting information.

My boss is exactly like that...the other day we are in a meeting and we were discussing Coastal Art, and various other work related issues and here are the 3 things she comes out with...

1. "Did you know a sandpiper can't swim? That's why they run so fast when the waves are coming at them, but they can float.."
2. while measuring the doorway..."Yea, that's about 36"...regulation doorways for a wheelchair (my boss is not in a wheelchair, she just knows this info.)

At this point I start calling her BING! YUP, at the end of a useless fact, I just say "BING" like a chime or a ring. I told her I needed a 3rd useless fact so I could add it to my Blog...and she came up with...

3. Do you know what bird can fly backwards?

At this point, I was told the answer, but perhaps you should "BING" it...let me know what you find out!

As a matter of fact, I'm going to BING it myself and see what comes up (even though I know the answer).

For your viewing entertainment, I have placed one of the ads that "Made Me Go BING!" And no, I am not getting paid by Bing...

The Drink

Around 4:30 today I found myself saying "I could really use a drink!"...then I thought, wow, "I could really use a SHOT of something". Needless to say, no shot, but I do have a nice cold drink in hand while typing up my blog with my kitty cat blocking the computer.

It was an interesting day ...big meeting with what I've coined "The Big Boss" (ie - my boss' boss). My Boss wasn't there, so it was just me and the Big Boss. The meeting went well, but I was a wreck.

After it was over, I got kudos and compliments. I sat back down at my desk and thought about that drink. I left early so I could get home and clear my mind. Yes, I left early so I could get a drink. At least I'm not like Don Draper from Mad Men, and have one stashed in my desk drawer.

Thank god for Absolut Boston. It is Mmmmm, Mmmmm, good! It's a limited edition, so for today, I said hello to it, but I also said goodbye, it was the last pour of the bottle. BUT, good thing I have a back up bottle waiting for another day! Helllloooo!!!