My Preciouses

It’s a simple tale. One of a new hope that I would score the new Darth Vader ornament from Hallmark™. Alas, the stores around here would sell out of the very few they would get in stock, for the demand was high, and the lists were long. But hope refused to die, and so I placed my name on the list just this past Friday, thinking that maybe, perhaps I would get a call from the imperial salesperson.

I perused the interwebs looking for the ornament. Alas again, eBay™ was the least expensive alternatives to be found in the shopping empire.

The cheapest being $40 starting bid.

I love you like a father, Vader, but there’s a limit.

But Life is funny, and strikes back when you least expect it!

BEHOLD MY NEW PRECIOUS!!!!!!!!!!

I received the call that the store had but one in their stock, and I was next in line!! As soon as Hubby was home we went to get it. The imperial saleslady was *ahem* less imperialistic when she explained that she had forgotten to call on Saturday. I was too happy to care. And because I was too happy, I got him a minion, too.

My tree will be EPIC!!!

The Force™ was definitely with me 😉

Hello, Monday…. We Meet Again

I would say I am happy to see you, as I usually am after the weekend, but not today.

You made me very unhappy. Seriously?? A cold front to greet me?? What have I ever done to you, to deserve such treatment? I cheer for you every Sunday night as my kids drag themselves to bed. I wake up with a smile to greet you. I hail your presence as I eagerly drop them off to school. And yet, today you decided to just… forsake me!!

The 54*F (12* C for my foreign readers) doesn’t bother me. But that 28*F (-2* C) ?????

WHAT THE HADES???

I’m sorry, Monday. I’m breaking up with you. It’s one thing for a cold front to come in any other day, but heartbreaking when it comes on what was my favorite day of the week. You’ll have to shower me with sunshine next week to make up for it.

Or shower with water. We sure could use either 😉

Words Fail Me

Sometimes friends know me too well. There was that time when I was trying out for a school play and my friend said I would be no good as the main character, but the witch was a sure fit for me because I could cackle. Things like that. But there are times when they know me so well, that words just fail me.

My friend Teresa is amazing. This is why:

That, my friends, is a Darth Kitty Pincushion!!!!!

Complete with pipe cleaner lightsaber!!!!

When I opened the box last night, and saw what it was, I started to laugh, and cackle, and wheeze, and hurt a lot. And it was completely worth it!! Truly I have wonderful friends.

The only quandary is, do I use it as a pincushion, taking a risk on voodoo, or do I let it reign supreme over my Sithy work area?

Decisions, decisions 😉

I Love a Good Bargain

I was at the outlet mall this afternoon, searching for that elusive perfect gift for my in-laws.

I did not find it.

Seriously, they are very difficult to shop for, mostly because they own everything that house can possibly hold they could possibly want. But on a lark, I decided to peruse the Williams-Sonoma™ section of the Pottery Barn™ outlet. And you know how sometimes salespeople find old stock in the backroom, and bring it out at a super reduced price, because it was discontinued a looooong time ago? Well, that happened, and I was there at the right time!!

That is a 1 quart Le Creuset™ Round French Oven. It retails for $105.00. Yes, you read that correctly. The original outlet price was $65.00. And the marked down price was $22.00.

And it was 30% off.

AND I got a 10% military discount.

AND I AM ONE HAPPY CAMPER!!!

I would have given it to my in-laws, but they only like the blue Le Creuset™. Pity, isn’t it?? 😉

Outta Here!!

Today we are going out of town, so y’all will have to rely on social site games and football to tide y’all over. And from my friend roamingfirehydrant:

Well, I do speak Fwench, you know 😉

Have a wonderful Saturday!!

Cupcake Overload

Today, Little One will be having a sleepover and instead of cake, she requested cupcakes. As if that wasn’t bad enough, last Thursday was Chocolate Cupcake Day at the local bakery, which meant I had to get a dozen of their assorted chocolate cupcakes, like chocolate cherry and triple chocolate. Those didn’t last very long, so obviously we needed more for the party.

And boy, did we score!

Chocolate chocolate, Italian cream, chocolate raspberry, pumpkin pecan, peanut butter chocolate, and the pièce de resistance:

Guinness Beer Cupcake!!!

I only got one, and no, not for the girls. This one is for Hubby. I’m hoping I get a bite of it, though. I love to cook with Guinness, so this may be awesome, or just this side of “What the heck were they thinking??” I almost got the maple and bacon cupcake, but Little One wanted something fancier, and more normal.

Ok, time for me to start getting the upstairs ready. Manicures, flower making, and hairstyling is in my future.

And so is wine 😉

My Heart Hurts in a Good Way

Today…

*sob*

Today, Little One turns THIRTEEN YEARS OLD!!!

*sniff*

How did this happen??? I specifically told her she was NOT to grow past the age of ten. I know I did! I even made her sign an agreement. So what if she was asleep and it’s not her signature? That’s irrelevant!! The point is she is supposed to stay my little one, my punkin, my baby, especially since the other two disobeyed me as fast as they could.

But no…. She just HAD to go and start growing up. And not just in age, but in height, too. I am officially the shortest person in the family.

*wails*

But I will get over it. A birthday means cake, and fun, and happiness. And even though she is commencing her path to adolescence and leaving her childhood behind, that just means I get to throw fits and cry like a baby get to enjoy her new-found confidence and charm.

That is, until she makes me mad. Then all bets are off 😉

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LITTLE ONE!!!

Trash to Treasure

My neighbors are moving, and decided that their new abode would never contain the amount of furniture and sundry stuff they owned, so they decided to have an estate sale. He fixes and collects clocks, so you can imagine the bounty he had.

Also imagine being inside the house when ALL THE CLOCKS STRIKE TWELVE.

After the ringing in my ears subsided, I made my way over to the crafting room, which in truth is a detached garage. MORE CLOCKS!!! But boy howdy, did I score!

LOOK AT ALL THOSE GEARS AND COGS AND GOODIES!!!

Just the thing for a collage for Eldest’s room. Oh, and they had a small table that, with a bit of care, will fit right in. Time for me to jet, since I still have to turn my Dollar Tree™ finds into Victorian Steampunk masterpieces. I’m pretty sure I’m more excited than she is, but I don’t care. As long as she leaves some of it behind when she moves out 😉

Aggie Tam

If y’all aren’t familiar with the TV show Firefly, and the film Serenity, then the title means nary a thing to ye. So, to explain:

The character is River Tam, and she is deadly. Especially with a reaver sword.

Anyway, this Monday I was scrubbing dog barf from the carpeting when the doorbell rang, causing said dogs to bark and jump and wag and generally make a nuisance. I had been warned informed that I was going to receive a package from the Lemur Compound™. I thought it might be in retaliation a thank you gift consisting of chocolate or turducken, in return for the gift I had sent. I was so happily wrong.

Behold Serena, my very own reaver sword!!! Yes, I named her Serena, after Serenity.

Look at that blade. JUST LOOK AT IT!!!!

Makes you feel tingly inside, doesn’t it?

Yes, the photos were taken with my iPhone 3 GS, which does no justice to the absolute beauty of the steel. And yes, the blade is very sharp. This isn’t just for looks. It’s for life.

I think this would look great with my Steampunk costume, don’t you? 😉

A Little Fun Between Strangers

My poor dog Lenny had a miserable night. Her ears are infected, and that necessitated a trip to the vet. Thankfully, she loves, and I mean LOVES going to the vet. That wasn’t going to be the issue.

But Hubby’s car is in the shop, and the van has issues, and so Hubby took my Pathfinder to work this morning, which meant I had to borrow a vehicle, which meant my niece’s Isuzu. My niece is 18, just graduated from high school, and does all the seniors-are-cool stuff to her car.

1. Tassel on rear view mirror: check!
2. “Acquired” Whataburger™ table number*: check!
3. Obligatory “2012” signage: check!
4. Phrase written in shoe polish: check!

Wait, what??

Great….just great. I get to drive all over town with this. The good news is, no one will recognize me while driving around. It’s a big enough area. Anyway, I get to the vet’s and Lenny is beside herself wanting to make several new friends, including two parakeets, a trio of ferrets, a Scottish Terrier, a huge dog probably bred from bears, and a very nasty cat. I say nasty as in mean, not icky. Her own owner doesn’t like her. Moving on, I go outside to wait for them to bring me Lenny, since the place is packed, and the gentleman that arrived at the same time I was parking struck up a conversation.

Gent: I take it you like to dance?

Me: Well, yes… like most people, I guess.

Gent: Country dancing, huh?

Me: No, more along Big Band and Waltzing, why?

Gent: *points to niece’s vehicle*

Me: OMIGAWD!! Sorry, I didn’t write that. It’s my niece’s vehicle, and I had to borrow it today.

Gent: So does that mean you’re a waltzing babe?

Me: No, it means I am taking that car to the nearest car wash.

Gent: *laughs*

I must have turned three different shades of red. But he had a good laugh, and if I helped to make someone happy, then I win, right?

*For those not familiar, Whataburger™ is a Texas chain, and a lot of graduating seniors always feel compelled to abscond with one of their little numbered table signs. It’s a right of passage 😉