Thanksgiving

So - I no longer have internet at my house. Long story, but I needed to cut some bills and it had to go. And the one that was free in the neighborhood is gone - apparently, they felt the need to cut bills at the same time.

So, here I sit in Panera Bread, blogging, pathetically.

I'm actually here because Cowboy and I started tiling my kitchen yesterday. Well, we removed the frightful linoleum (Sheet vinyl). It ended up being a VERY EASY PROJECT because Cowboy had the brilliant idea of pouring water on the part that wouldn't scrape up (which was the frightful part). We heated the water up in my magic electric kettle, and then poured the magic water on the sheet vinyl and VOILA!!! seriously, scraped up like butter... Finished in under three hours - and we both secretly thought this project would take the better part of a day (actually, we HOPED it would take only the better part of a day)

And then for the downside... I only have half as much tile as I need. And Lowe's discontinued the tile in August. So the REAL reason we're at Panera online is to order the rest of the tile. Which very well may not match. Which, in all honesty, Cowboy is having a difficult time procuring even online... heavy sigh.

Thanksgiving was fun. A delicious catered meal with friends and the Annual Gingerbread House Decorating Contest and Mexican Train Dominoes. You know, I have pictures of ALL OF THIS, but my camera is not with me here at Panera... it's at home...

SO - I have NOT been able to blog every day of November... BUT... I have blogged more than usual, and will continue to do so.

Really. Pictures will be up later.

Steel Creek Cabin Part Two

We got up Monday morning, and decided to go to Hawksbill Crag/Whitaker Point. (I know I already told you that)

But I didn't show all of the lovely photos from the little hike. I have 63 of them. Ready?

OH wait... can't show you photos of Cowboy. That takes the number down considerably (since he looks good without make up... which is a good thing for so MANY reasons, and I don't...) plus - I had the camera in my special secret pocket.


View from the crag.


Sitting on the crag.


Resting on the crag.


Making me nervous because he's a man and does man things, like exploring right up to the RIM of the mountain...

And then we sat on the porch swing in the back and drank hot chocolate (just plain, Karen, not spiced up like when you and I went to Jennah's soccer match that one time and I pretended to have a hook hand...)


and this was our view. (I had some pretty color pictures, but can't seem to locate them)


and that is disgusting..

Steel Creek Part One

Some pictures from our time in Arkansas.


We arrived on Sunday, checked out the cabin, and went for a hike in the Lost Valley. Doesn't that cabin look great?!


There's a cave. It was really dark. As it is in a cave. Forgot about that. Luckily, Steve had a flashlight in his glove compartment. Luckily, he drove. Unluckily, the batteries were on their very last leg. Luckily, my camera has a flash...




Inside the cave. I actually have some fun pictures of Cowboy AND me in the cave, but you know how he is about pictures on the internet... (heavy sigh)


This is me inside a hollow tree.


This is what happens sometimes when people take a long time to take my picture. (Karen, don't you know the girl I look like in this picture? The Runaway Bride?)


Or when I'm thinking of Karen..


There is an Elk Reserve in the area. There were a lot of elk. The zoom on my camera doesn't really capture them the way I wished it would.


However, it doesn't really work to take a picture through binoculars...


We went to dinner at the Ozark Cafe, in Jasper, AR. It was established in 1909. Sadly, they no longer have karaoke. Happily, their chicken fried steak is still delicious. Sadly, we didn't leave room for the cobbler. Happily, we got to see some really odd looking local folk...

The next day we went for a hike to Whitaker Point. Some people call it Hawksbill Crag. I don't know why it has two names. Nor do I know who Whitaker was.


Most of the leaves were off the trees, but I still thought it was beautiful. I liked the way the leaves that had fallen off, showed through the bare branches of the other trees. See?



More tomorrow.

And So It Begins

The cabinets are finished. The cabinets have BEEN finished...

When I moved in to my little home in 2005, the one thing I really REALLY didn't like was the tile in the kitchen. It's the thing I liked least about the house. Possibly more so than the CARPET in the dining area... really swell plan, that one. Put carpet under the table. Oh - and it'd be really nice if it was also in the walkway where you come in from the garage...

So - over a year ago I purchased tile, grout, kwikset, a tile saw... and I went to the Tile Class THREE TIMES at Home Depot. AND... I took notes.

So - I am reh-DEE to tile my floor.

See? Ugly, HEINOUS tile.


Now. Please don't insult me and say, "It's not that bad."

Look a little closer. It's 9 inch tile. That's a nice little touch, don't ya think? SERIOUSLY?! Who DOES that?


And here's the carpet.


Because I REALLY want to make a believer out of you, I'm giving you a close up. (I have no shame. This is after a SERIOUS steam clean... and yes, I wipe my feet BEFORE I enter my home) But, you may notice the NEW tile I am going to lay down - it's on the floor, next to the cabinet. Pretty, huh?



SO... when Cowboy and I got back from the cabin in Arkansas on Wednesday, he thought he'd pull up the carpet for me. Very sweet. I know, at this point you expect nothing less, and I haven't painted an untrue picture of him.

Carpet pull we did...

And then we discovered WHY the area had carpet... (and yes, that is Cowboy's hand - I'm revealing him in a manner akin to Wilson from Home Improvement...)

Now this house was built in 1984. That is not sheet vinyl from 1984. There is no way. That harkens back to 1971 at the EARLIEST. I'm not kidding. It's the frightening garbage that's in the back bathroom and under the washer and dryer.

And let's talk about pulling it up. I've decided I can keep the temperature in my house at 55. If I get cold, I can just pick up the scraper and work away. In 20 minutes I will have worked up a sweat, AND cleared a 6 inch swath... it might be a very. long. winter...

Lili's Wedding

Trisha and Asher came down (over?) from Miami (Oklahoma, not to be confused with Florida - this one is pronounced "My-AM-uh" - seriously...)


We hung out for the afternoon. Asher is a smart little boy - really. At 16 months old, the boy is potty-trained. Completely. Wears little boy underwear. Not a drip.


Don't you just want to eat him up?!


Cowboy and Asher


AHHHH! Just can't stand it! So adorable!

The wedding was beautiful and the reception was at a place called The Barn. Cool place. Figuratively and literally. It was a sparkly clear night - and freezing cold. But fun, nonetheless.


I taught Lili when she was a Junior and Senior in high school, and was thrilled to reconnect with her June 2009. SHE'S the one who got me started running with Fleet Feet.


Her husband Michael REALLY seems like a wonderful man. A former Marine. That shoots him to the top of my book any old day.

Sunday morning Cowboy and I went to Steel Creek - which is on the Buffalo River, which is between Ponca and Jasper, AR.


More later.

Kimberly and Seth

A LOT of my friends are getting engaged - all in the past year, and through really fun and unusual circumstances.

Kimberly and I were Freshmen together. I LOVE her. We have been friends ever since. EVERY year when I have a day or two between tours, I make sure to stay out in DC so we can do a catch up. (She lives near Baltimore)

She is one of the MOST JOYFUL people I know. TRULY - in the face of many difficult life circumstances, she has always walked her way to joy. I wish I could REALLY convey this to you, but you will just have to take my word for it.

And - she is ENGAGED!

To Seth!

YEAY!

BAD Blogger

The movie is "You, Me and Dupree." Very funny movie.

I know I am SO pathetic with the posting every day. But I have LOTS to tell you.

We went camping (HAH! Stayed in a wonderful cabin) from Sunday until yesterday afternoon, and then we pulled up the carpet in my dining area, and Trisha and Asher came and stayed Saturday afternoon until Sunday morning, and we all went to Lili Dodd's (now Sauter) Wedding...


so my plan is to blog every chance I get this week and MAKE UP FOR MY LOST FIVE DAYS.... Not that that's the point of blogging every day, but...