The Great Lotion Extravaganza

(I did this back on February 15 during my sort-of-a-blog-break. I'd had these mostly empty bottles of lotion sitting around forever. I finally bought the small shampoo bottle on February 10th, and then THAT sat around for a while. Finally, I put the task on my List of Things to Do and just did it. It took 10 minutes.)

Pump lotion is so convenient. Except when the lotion gets too low for the pump to work. And dang it this stuff is too expensive to just toss! So what do you do?

Firstly, you get some really good kitchen shears & cut the bottle in half.

See?

Then you scoop the lotion into a funnel (note my third hand there - a handy bottle from under the sink).

Mush the lotion down through the funnel into the bottle (I got the little shampoo bottle in the make-up aisle at the grocery store) & there you go!

Who am I?**

I'm baaacckkk... You can expect great things now. It might be great green gobs of greasy grimy... well, I won't complete that thought. Ew! So, we can already see the direction this is going. I hope to raise the level of future posts, but this one is already doomed.

Anyway, Low and Slow from Flight Plan tagged me in this Who Are You quiz. Thanks Scott - I just love talking about myself!

1. Where were you born?

Hickory, North Carolina

 2. Were you named after someone?

Nope. Unless it was Dana Andrews (note: he’s a dude. I’ve always been traumatized by that. Heh).

3. If you have children, how many do you have?

I’ll give my stock answer here: I have Dr. M. (although I think he’d agree that if anyone is the child in this house, it’s me!).

4. How many pets do you have?

See #3 above :)

5. What is your worst injury?

Broken tailbone. It’s the gift that keeps on giving – I broke it at the end of March 2009 & it still gives me grief every now & then.

6. Do you have a special talent?

Does the ability to mishear things in the most humorous way possible count?

7. What's your favorite thing to bake?

This:

or this (note: I always add chocolate chips to these):

Weight Watchers Pumpkin Spice Muffins

·  1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

·  1 (18 ounce) box Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Spice Cake Mix

·  3/4 cup water

·  nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

Mix pumpkin, cake mix, and water together with a hand mixer.

Divide batter into sprayed muffin tins. (I use an ice cream scoop for ease).

Bake at 350* for 18-22 minutes or until the muffins "spring back" when lightly touched.

8. Favorite fast food?

Taco Bell Cantina Bowl with steak.

9. Would you bungee jump?

Back in the day? Mayyybbeee… Now – um, NO.

10. What is the first thing you notice about people?

Their expression – whether they look welcoming or forbidding, interested or bored, happy or ready to tell me what’s wrong with the world…

11. When was the last time you cried?

I think maybe last week. Or was it the week before? Well, for heaven's sake - if I can't remember then I'm due. I guess I need to read a Nicholas Sparks book to get going...

12. Any current worries?

Not really, not today anyway. Ask me again tomorrow.

13. Name 3 drinks that you drink regularly:

Diet Sundrop, water, diet Cherry 7 Up

14. What's your favorite book?

Lately it's the Harry Potter series, which I just reread.  

15. Would you like to be a pirate?

I just recently watched Pirates of Penzance (the one with Angela Lansbury, Linda Ronstadt & Kevin Kline) & I’m afraid that I would be like them – a band of tender-hearted pirates.

16. Favorite smells?

Cut grass, baking bread, cinnamon

17. Why do you blog?

So that I won’t bug all the people around me with all these words – they have to go somewhere!

18. What song do you want played at your funeral?

I don’t really want a funeral, but I figure that they’re for the people I’ve left behind - so they can do whatever they want.

19. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?

My inability to let chocolate sit uneaten.

20. Favorite hobby?

Puzzles, crochet

21. What do you look for in a friend?

Someone who gets my sense of humor.

22. Name something you've done that you never thought you'd do:

Live in Africa. Get married. Have hip surgery at such a “young” age.

23. Favorite fun things to do?

Watch baseball (or, rather have baseball on in the background while I do other stuff). Ride around looking at sheep with Dr. M.

24. Any pet peeves?

Then/than, loose/lose, my inability to let chocolate sit uneaten.

25. What's the last thing that made you laugh?

Dr. M makes me laugh on a daily basis, but the last thing that made me laugh was one of those autocorrect mistake sites. I don't know why, but they make me laugh until tears roll down my face - that kind of whole body shaking, not making any noise kind of laughing. Oh man. I can't really post any because they're not very nice, but if you'd like to see what I mean, go here. 

**Not Jean Valjean or 24601!

2013 Project 365 – Week Thirteen

The week started out with snow and ended with a walk in our favorite fen. Today is Easter, so my semi blog break is at an end. We’ll see if my creativity has been restored :)

Sunday, March 24^th    

The State of the Bug: I wore one of my grandmother’s hats to church.

It started snowing that afternoon.

By that evening Dr. M was able to scoop some up.

Monday, March 25^th    

This was my view on my way to work.

Dr. M took these pictures in our back yard – such a pretty snow.

Tuesday, March 26^th           

Neighborhood snowman.

I swear this cow looks stoned! You can still see the weed coming out of her mouth. Heh.

Wednesday, March 27^th   

The Tax Time Pig is ready for Easter.

Little fox squirrels on Dr. M’s campus.

The story here is hilarious. Dr. M saw the burro chasing the llama around the cows. Then the burro stopped & rolled around on the ground. Then it decided to stare at Dr. M.

The moon!

Thursday, March 28^th    

Grackle – as I often say, so much prettier than its name (or reputation).

Friday, March 29^th  

I got some surprise Feryl Designs earrings in the mail – sweet! Rebecca makes some really fabulous jewelry. Check out her facebook or Etsy page.

I’m working on a prayer shawl for a friend.

Mr. Cardinal strutting his stuff.

Starling – another bird much prettier than his reputation!

Saturday, March 29^th    

Dr. M & I went to church this morning to help set up for Easter. I took a quick picture of the Good Friday almost bare altar (I used PicMonkey for the effect). When we left it looked quite different – but that’s a picture for next week.

Afterward we went to Siebenthaler Fen to see if any swamp marigolds were blooming yet. We didn’t see any, but it was still a lovely walk.  

I played around with the panorama feature on my camera (took 5 different overlapping pictures to get this scene). It’s kind of odd, because the sidewalk on the right of the picture is actually a continuation of the sidewalk on the left. It was behind me and then I turned around taking the picture.

I always have to get a picture of the cattails.

And Dr. M always has to take pictures of birds. Here are a red wing blackbird, a red bellied woodpecker and a robin.

It was a lovely walk, and the bare branches were in keeping with the tone of Holy Saturday. It wasn’t quite time to burst forth into life. Almost, but not quite.

Go to Mamma Fran’s blog here to see the blogs of all the other Project 365 participants. Have a great week!

Most of our photos are taken with a 12 megapixel Nikon D5000 DSLR, using a 55-200mm zoom lens. This is the camera that Dr. M takes with him most days. He also takes pictures with our old reliable 7 megapixel Canon Powershot A710.  The Bug uses our new Nikon Coolpix S6200 most of the time. If you’re interested in which camera was used for a particular shot, just ask! 

2013 Project 365 – Week Twelve

This week was COLD again. Although we had a few snowflakes, it was beautiful many of the days. But the beauty was deceptive – bright sunshine & 35 degrees. Rude! And they’re calling for 5 to 9 inches of snow in the next couple of days. Also my basketball bracket is already toast (why did I pick Georgetown to go to the final four – what was I thinking?). So after church tomorrow I’m going to hunker down & read a book.  

Sunday, March 17^th    

Squirrel Antics.

Monday, March 18^th    

Our raised bed in the back yard might need a little work before we plant anything :) Although I think the overripe cuties add some great color!

Tuesday, March 19^th           

Sparrow.

The Moon!

Wednesday, March 20^th   

See what I mean? The first day of spring & it was 22 degrees when I left for work. Rude!

Do you think these ladies are so well camouflaged because they know that they’re trespassing?

This is the fattest robin I have ever seen! I was amazed that it could even fly!

After choir practice we got a jump on Palm Sunday décor by putting the red veils over all the crosses.

Thursday, March 21^st     

Today was the 8^th anniversary of mom’s death. I can’t believe she’s been gone that long! Miss you Momcat…

There were snow flurries this morning. The State of the Bug: bundled up like it’s winter (I know – Ohio, one day after technical spring IS winter). I turned my head right as I snapped the picture. Hello? I can’t hold still for my own self when I’m taking a picture?

Dr. M took a picture of our little snow.

I love this picture of a goose walking through the shallow water, surrounded by Blue Winged Teals.

Friday, March 22^nd  

Just for Nance – and my favorite picture of the week :)

I was working on a note for our church newsletter & thought I would illustrate it – did you guys do this when you were kids? Here’s the church, here’s the steeple – open the doors & see all the people!

The moon!

Saturday, March 23^rd     

Dr. M has set up a punching bag in the garage – we’re both excited about using it (my arms need SERIOUS work!). He wrote a funny post about it – read it here.

We went for a ramble this afternoon. You’ll never guess what we saw!

Go to Mamma Fran’s blog here to see the blogs of all the other Project 365 participants. Have a great week!

Most of our photos are taken with a 12 megapixel Nikon D5000 DSLR, using a 55-200mm zoom lens. This is the camera that Dr. M takes with him most days. He also takes pictures with our old reliable 7 megapixel Canon Powershot A710.  The Bug uses our new Nikon Coolpix S6200 most of the time. If you’re interested in which camera was used for a particular shot, just ask! 

We interrupt this Lent…

The table is waiting.

It sits without judgment.

Bread and wine

and open arms

waiting.

What can I do?

Nothing but walk to

the waiting table

and say yes.

I’ve accepted a leadership position at my church. I just composed this long explanation of what it is (Junior Warden) & why I’m nervous about it (total lack of experience) & why I’m excited (I get to learn new stuff). But really, unless you’re an Episcopalian none of that matters. Anyway, prayers if you pray, good vibes if you vibe, nice thoughts if you think… Please and thank you.

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
    what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
    be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
    take God seriously.

Micah 6:8

The Message (MSG)