and know how to use them.
I'm taking it out on some metal today!!
Pictures later
Friday, October 22, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Tacos
YUM!!
In addition to not being a "change" kinda girl (see my previous post), I'm also not prone to spontenaity. Blame my New England/Puritan upbringing if you must, but I have always preferred a plan - you know where you are going and how you are going to get there. Yeah, I'm definitely a "plan" kinda girl. Stick with me, we are getting to the taco part.
A couple of weeks ago the local newspaper featured an article about a guy who spent the month of September sampling the local taco fare - 30 tacos in 30 days - how do I get that job?? But, I digress. The article was inspiration to try some of the local, off-the-beaten-track places here in Austin. And a lesson in spontenaity.
I walked in the house at about 10 this morning, all hot and sweaty from my mile walk with the neighbor. I was HUNGRY!! I had walked a mile on the treadmill and put in some time on the elliptical torture device before striking out with my neighbor for our usual mile walk around the neighborhood. Let me repeat - I was HUNGRY!! I was actually looking forward to my breakfast of cottage cheese and fruit - the same breakfast I have been eating for weeks - yes, weeks!! It's part of the "low-glycemic" plan I'm trying to follow (did you notice the "plan" word in there??)
"Let's go to Tacodeli for breakfast tacos" suggests DH - Tacodeli was one of the highly touted stops on Taco Guy's taco month. I freeze - sounds great, BUT that wasn't my PLAN... my mind starts whirling through it's checklist - I'm hot and sweaty, I need to run through the shower real quick, my hair's a mess, I look like something the cat dragged in, breakfast tacos are for the weekend, what's the glycemic load of flour tortillas, have I already had eggs this week.... DH is waiting for an answer ... I put the brakes on the checklist that is "pinballing" around my brain and realize that, while I have million stupid reasons not to jump on the taco bandwagon, I need only one reason (actually two reasons) to follow DH out to the car - I love breakfast tacos and who needs to wait for the weekend!!
Now, go have some tacos.
In addition to not being a "change" kinda girl (see my previous post), I'm also not prone to spontenaity. Blame my New England/Puritan upbringing if you must, but I have always preferred a plan - you know where you are going and how you are going to get there. Yeah, I'm definitely a "plan" kinda girl. Stick with me, we are getting to the taco part.
A couple of weeks ago the local newspaper featured an article about a guy who spent the month of September sampling the local taco fare - 30 tacos in 30 days - how do I get that job?? But, I digress. The article was inspiration to try some of the local, off-the-beaten-track places here in Austin. And a lesson in spontenaity.
I walked in the house at about 10 this morning, all hot and sweaty from my mile walk with the neighbor. I was HUNGRY!! I had walked a mile on the treadmill and put in some time on the elliptical torture device before striking out with my neighbor for our usual mile walk around the neighborhood. Let me repeat - I was HUNGRY!! I was actually looking forward to my breakfast of cottage cheese and fruit - the same breakfast I have been eating for weeks - yes, weeks!! It's part of the "low-glycemic" plan I'm trying to follow (did you notice the "plan" word in there??)
"Let's go to Tacodeli for breakfast tacos" suggests DH - Tacodeli was one of the highly touted stops on Taco Guy's taco month. I freeze - sounds great, BUT that wasn't my PLAN... my mind starts whirling through it's checklist - I'm hot and sweaty, I need to run through the shower real quick, my hair's a mess, I look like something the cat dragged in, breakfast tacos are for the weekend, what's the glycemic load of flour tortillas, have I already had eggs this week.... DH is waiting for an answer ... I put the brakes on the checklist that is "pinballing" around my brain and realize that, while I have million stupid reasons not to jump on the taco bandwagon, I need only one reason (actually two reasons) to follow DH out to the car - I love breakfast tacos and who needs to wait for the weekend!!
Now, go have some tacos.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Changes
I'm not a "change" kinda girl - I like things the way they are. But like it or not, I have been dealing with some changes - some big, some small, some welcome, some not. I look back over the last few months and all I see is change.
I am now a grandmother to a beautiful little girl named Makenzi. When did I get old enough to be a grandmother?? I've never thought of myself in the "grandmother" role. I chose to be called LuLu - a nickname my Dad had for me. It seems to fit, unlike all the other endearments reserved for grandmothers. DH is "Big", a name borrowed from a friend whose grandson calls him "Big". LuLu & Big - that fits!!
DH left the big, mega law firm this summer to branch out on his own - scary in this economic climate. But such the right decision. So we are running a small law firm out of the house for a while. I know the day will come when the comraderie of a law firm will beckon him back th the "real world" - but for now we are enjoying our time together and we can still pay the bills. Life is good.
I am now teaching jewelry making - WOOHOO!! I love to teach and I love to make jewelry - teaching jewelry making is the stuff of dreams for me. I teach locally at a glass studio, Blue Moon Glassworks, run by the most wonderful couple on the face of the earth - Jim & Rose Berry. They took a chance on this shy little jewelry maker and the rest, as they say, is history!! Then it was time to "man up" and submit some classes to Bead Fest and Bead & Button.... and I got accepted by both!! I feel like the dog whose been chasing that car and finally caught it - now what do I do!!!
Some changes have not been so much fun and certainly not welcome. If you've been to my blog previously, you will notice that I have changed the name. What was once "Missy & Sadie's Excellent Adventures" is now "Studio Gwen". The blog was originally named for my two dogs - sister mutts adopted from a rescue group 12 1/2 years ago. They have been some of the best friends a girl could have - I love that when I am alone here at the house, there is another heartbeat to keep me company.
Sadly, we lost Sadie to liver cancer on August 22, just 60 days ago. It still brings tears to my eyes to think about her. Fortunately, I have a beautiful picture of her that I snapped a few months ago when she wasn't looking - she hated to have her picture taken. I love that dog and smile everytime I look at the picture, remembering her fiesty self!! She was always the boss and guardian. She lives on in our favorite saying around here - "Don't make me go all Sadie on your a$$" - DH & I can't help but laugh every time we say it - thank you Sadie!!
Now comes another sad change - I will have to say goodbye to Missy very soon. I found out today that she has a very aggressive bladder cancer. Missy is my luvvy puppy - she is all happy and waggy-tailed. And she is no guard dog - LOL!! I have been trying to take some pictures of her today to have when she is gone. I'm afraid I will only see the pain and frailty when I look back on them. In my heart she will always be smiling and wagging her tail - always looking for the nearest creek to play in.
As a dear friend said to me today, this is so much for my heart to handle again.
Sigh....
I am now a grandmother to a beautiful little girl named Makenzi. When did I get old enough to be a grandmother?? I've never thought of myself in the "grandmother" role. I chose to be called LuLu - a nickname my Dad had for me. It seems to fit, unlike all the other endearments reserved for grandmothers. DH is "Big", a name borrowed from a friend whose grandson calls him "Big". LuLu & Big - that fits!!
DH left the big, mega law firm this summer to branch out on his own - scary in this economic climate. But such the right decision. So we are running a small law firm out of the house for a while. I know the day will come when the comraderie of a law firm will beckon him back th the "real world" - but for now we are enjoying our time together and we can still pay the bills. Life is good.
I am now teaching jewelry making - WOOHOO!! I love to teach and I love to make jewelry - teaching jewelry making is the stuff of dreams for me. I teach locally at a glass studio, Blue Moon Glassworks, run by the most wonderful couple on the face of the earth - Jim & Rose Berry. They took a chance on this shy little jewelry maker and the rest, as they say, is history!! Then it was time to "man up" and submit some classes to Bead Fest and Bead & Button.... and I got accepted by both!! I feel like the dog whose been chasing that car and finally caught it - now what do I do!!!
Some changes have not been so much fun and certainly not welcome. If you've been to my blog previously, you will notice that I have changed the name. What was once "Missy & Sadie's Excellent Adventures" is now "Studio Gwen". The blog was originally named for my two dogs - sister mutts adopted from a rescue group 12 1/2 years ago. They have been some of the best friends a girl could have - I love that when I am alone here at the house, there is another heartbeat to keep me company.
Sadly, we lost Sadie to liver cancer on August 22, just 60 days ago. It still brings tears to my eyes to think about her. Fortunately, I have a beautiful picture of her that I snapped a few months ago when she wasn't looking - she hated to have her picture taken. I love that dog and smile everytime I look at the picture, remembering her fiesty self!! She was always the boss and guardian. She lives on in our favorite saying around here - "Don't make me go all Sadie on your a$$" - DH & I can't help but laugh every time we say it - thank you Sadie!!
Now comes another sad change - I will have to say goodbye to Missy very soon. I found out today that she has a very aggressive bladder cancer. Missy is my luvvy puppy - she is all happy and waggy-tailed. And she is no guard dog - LOL!! I have been trying to take some pictures of her today to have when she is gone. I'm afraid I will only see the pain and frailty when I look back on them. In my heart she will always be smiling and wagging her tail - always looking for the nearest creek to play in.
As a dear friend said to me today, this is so much for my heart to handle again.
Sigh....
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Too Many Projects, Too Little Time
There is a lot going on here in Casa Gwendolyn - we are making plans to update the interior of the house. I guess it's something you ought to do every 11 years - Holy Cow!! Have we really been in this house 11 years?? How did that happen?? First, it seems like just yesterday that DH and I got married and moved into this house. Second, we were supposed to be here only a couple of years, until my daughter graduated from high school - she graduated in 2001. You know the old saying about how to make God laugh - tell him your plan!! Third, eleven years of dogs will take its toll on a house.
Nothing like an appraiser arriving at the front door to make you see the light!! The simple idea of refinancing to take advantage of the low interest rates has turned into one of my biggest embarrassments - the appraiser actually wanted to come in the house - all of a sudden I saw my house through her eyes - OMG!!!!
Ok, I see her point about the carpet - it's eleven year old builder carpet and it's nasty. And I get that the damage Missy did to our bathroom during a thunderstorm needs to be fixed - we are talking missing sheet rock and door trim (but who had the money after we had to spend 4 grand with the doggie dentist to fix her broken eyeteeth!! Yes, I said broken eyeteeth - there are teeth marks indented into the doorknob) But wallpaper?? Did you know that wallpaper was so 1998?? Obviously, I didn't!! And how did I not notice how dull all this builder beige wall paint was??(and dirty - nice grey stripe about two feet above the floor - thank you Missy & Sadie!!)
So, it looks like my house is going to be in complete upheaval for the next few weeks. I am beaking out in a cold sweat just thinking of all that is involved with painting the entire interior of the house and replacing carpet....UGH!!!
Thank goodness i have completely cleaned out and re-organized my studio - I think I'll just hide in there with the dogs until it's time to go to Bead & Button!!
Nothing like an appraiser arriving at the front door to make you see the light!! The simple idea of refinancing to take advantage of the low interest rates has turned into one of my biggest embarrassments - the appraiser actually wanted to come in the house - all of a sudden I saw my house through her eyes - OMG!!!!
Ok, I see her point about the carpet - it's eleven year old builder carpet and it's nasty. And I get that the damage Missy did to our bathroom during a thunderstorm needs to be fixed - we are talking missing sheet rock and door trim (but who had the money after we had to spend 4 grand with the doggie dentist to fix her broken eyeteeth!! Yes, I said broken eyeteeth - there are teeth marks indented into the doorknob) But wallpaper?? Did you know that wallpaper was so 1998?? Obviously, I didn't!! And how did I not notice how dull all this builder beige wall paint was??(and dirty - nice grey stripe about two feet above the floor - thank you Missy & Sadie!!)
So, it looks like my house is going to be in complete upheaval for the next few weeks. I am beaking out in a cold sweat just thinking of all that is involved with painting the entire interior of the house and replacing carpet....UGH!!!
Thank goodness i have completely cleaned out and re-organized my studio - I think I'll just hide in there with the dogs until it's time to go to Bead & Button!!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The Adventure Begins......
If you are not a dog lover (or at least dog-tolerant), there is only one thing I can say - "Move along - nothing to see here!!" Nah, not really - this isn't going to be dogs,dogs, dogs all day here - but, there will be some dog commentary along the way - Why? - because my dogs remind me everyday to enjoy the simple things in life. You know - a bowl of cold water on a hot day, your favorite blanket on a cold night, a good belly rub and chasing an armadillo just because it's there!! Also, I thought it would be a catchy title for these random musings - LOL!!
Missy and Sadie are ten years old and sisters from the same litter of puppies (at least that is the story they told us when we adopted them - it worked - we took both dogs!!). Sadie is real smart, but wound a little tight, if you know what I mean. Missy is really cute and sweet, but not all that bright. The joke around here is that between the two of them, we have one good dog!!
Missy starts everyday exactly the same way - with a move my husband and I have named "Cockroach" - don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about - you've seen 'em - on their backs, legs flailing in the air. That's how Missy starts her day - crawls out of her bed, flops on the floor on her back, legs in the air and wiggling across the floor - it is pure joy!! Sadie knows this is the signal that the day has begun - DH and I know that we have about 30 seconds before they are demanding our attention!!
I've put off walking on the treadmill as long as I can - I'm off to exercise then breakfast. After breakfast, I have to decide what project to work on in the studio!! DH has been after me to finish some cufflinks for him - I have a bunch of projects under way - decisions, decisions, decisions!!
Later this evening, I have a class at our local bead store, Nomadic Notions. Guess I better figure out what supplies I need to round up for class.
The treadmill is calling me - Ya'll have a great day!!
Missy and Sadie are ten years old and sisters from the same litter of puppies (at least that is the story they told us when we adopted them - it worked - we took both dogs!!). Sadie is real smart, but wound a little tight, if you know what I mean. Missy is really cute and sweet, but not all that bright. The joke around here is that between the two of them, we have one good dog!!
Missy starts everyday exactly the same way - with a move my husband and I have named "Cockroach" - don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about - you've seen 'em - on their backs, legs flailing in the air. That's how Missy starts her day - crawls out of her bed, flops on the floor on her back, legs in the air and wiggling across the floor - it is pure joy!! Sadie knows this is the signal that the day has begun - DH and I know that we have about 30 seconds before they are demanding our attention!!
I've put off walking on the treadmill as long as I can - I'm off to exercise then breakfast. After breakfast, I have to decide what project to work on in the studio!! DH has been after me to finish some cufflinks for him - I have a bunch of projects under way - decisions, decisions, decisions!!
Later this evening, I have a class at our local bead store, Nomadic Notions. Guess I better figure out what supplies I need to round up for class.
The treadmill is calling me - Ya'll have a great day!!
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