m-o-o-o-v-i-n-g!!!

ladies and gentlemen, as I'm sure you've heard, the girl with the new set of twins is now expecting yet another new set of twins... except this time, they won't just be perky... they'll also coo, cry and poop. how's that for fantastic news?

so, without further or due (do? doo-doo?)... here's my new blog site. you know, for when i write like every 3 months.

http://amylouplustwo.blogspot.com/

see you on the flip side!

Mother Nature.... Seriously?

you appear to be playing all sorts of tricks with the metro boston area... do you think we want to live in costa rica? do you think we want to pretend we live underneath a bowling alley all night? do you think we enjoy walking briskly to the train, only to have our right foot land in a muddy, skanky boston puddle with our dear old (and completely inappropriate for both working and commuting, but wear them anyway) flip flops?

frankly i'm sick of you and your wet antics... i'm sick of carrying my silly umbrella, i'm sick of not feeling the sun on my back... i'm sick of having gigantic tomato plants that are taller than me, green as can be, with *no* freakin tomatoes.

i know when i said i like a good thunderstorm you really took me to heart, but seriously? quit it.

that is all bitch.

As Time Rolls By...

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted! (and judging from the zero emails I got wondering where my sensational literary pieces were... not missed) :)

The summer here has been flying by... I'm not sure if it's because of the new job or the busy weekends or even the wacky weather, but man, is it really almost 1/2 way through August? Wow!

Hmm... see? This is why I haven't posted. I have nothing to talk about!

Here's my one thing for the day: ... Jody, I hope you had fun and man... Jill? Hope you don't need too much therapy after that experience. :)

thou shalt not whine like a little bitch

piggybacking my friend kristen's posts

which is over here somewhere (my hyperlinks aren't working)

<---------------------------

(and who consequently is currently writing from liberia... not your typical travel destination)

i'm looking at the the pictures she posted... i first notice the idyllic palm trees, the crashing waves... wait, what are those? are those rusty little shacks butted up to the beach? yup, they are. is that barbed wire surrounding her hotel? why... yes it is. she tells tidbits of people selling whatever they can get their hands on in the hopes of keeping themsselves and their kin alive.

... and here i sit wondering if i have enough time to get a manicure this afternoon or if i should even bother if i'm going to make my swimming lesson or if my shirt is *blue enough* to match the skirt i want to wear. once i *really* take a step back and look at my life, i start to think, 'how retarded!'

here's a small list of various things i have thought about that make a case for me being a mentally challenged brat:

1) the first thing i thought about when i woke up this morning was how i couldn't stand that my mattress pad wasn't fluffy enough (i'm lucky to have a bed and a roof over my head)

2) i was fairly annoyed at the pulp in my orange juice (fachrissakes i probably paid *more* for the pulp and am lucky to have juice lady!)

3) last week when i was planning for a bridal shower at my home, i didn't just do some landscaping, i had to ensure that the colors of the forthcoming flowers were going to match the wedding colors (which thankfully were pink and green and orange) ...but seriously? perhaps it's just me, but i think i'm crazy. (people are living in squalor and i'm worried that my little plot'o'weymouth matches a color scheme?)

4) i tried on three outfits before leaving my house yesterday to pick up my share of vegetables... in case i met the organizer of the whole she-bang. (you know, because people who care about buying their veggies in an organic manner are particularly fashionable? all aboard the crazy train)

this list goes on and on... and the more i think, the more i realize i'm either a whiny little bitch or the most OCD person on record.

p.s. does anyone else need to have their toilet paper and paper towels hang a certain way? this is a source of contention in my house... and, of course, i'm sure i'm right. :)

i'll take my yoga hot thank you

did i just do what i think i did? yup, i did. i just signed up for an 8 week run of 6am (yes, that's am) hot yoga classes on mondays and wednesdays... in the back of my mind, i'm thinking 'ooh, i'll get up early and ride my bike there and back and it'll be great)... in the front of my mind, i'm thinking 'sweet jesus, kill me now!'

the back of my mind is determined to make me a morning person apparently...

anyone care to join? it's in weymouth. encouragement is welcome :)

pretty, pretty everywhere

as a kid, i didn't delight in the summer... i know it sounds weird, but the thought of *not* going to school everyday used to drive me bananas (if i only knew then what i know now... which is there is nothing better than laying in the grass in the backyard and staring at the sun through the fluttering leaves and thinking about, well, absolutely nothing in particular).

for the record, i was *that* kid that joined the library reading program and not only read the amount of allotted books, but turned it into a competition to see how many i could read and report on... i think one year i got an award for breaking the record or something... oh what a little nerd!

i hated wearing shorts as i always found them too short, some bizarre color (thanks to my cousins who thought i was some sort of fashion experiment) and always riding up my bum. i was always dirty and sticky and sweaty... my parents would tell me to not come home until the street lights came on and i always had a scraped knee, a consequence of growing up on a street that was all boys except me. playing firefighter, doing very dangerous tricks on my bmx and touch football (oh, and the ever-phenomenal breakdancing competition) was my game and i stuck to it. my parents had this cream colored buick regal (and oh how i date myself)... a 2 door car with the *hottest, stickiest* leather seats ever. getting in that car after it sat in the sun was torture. once they "upgraded" to a minivan, i was stuck in the back with my brother's monstrous smelly feet and my sister's fascination with some nickelodeon-style bunch of singing adults that sang in wittle-itsy-bitsy kiddie voices while we drove to some place here or there... there were no DVD players or pimped out soccer mom rides... just the plain ol' voyager with the wood paneling and spoked wheels. rock on m and d!

i really just liked fall leaves and halloween and the first day of school better... getting my new school books and wearing sweaters and that first chilly, crisp morning at the bus stop.

**but** with homeownership came this really bizarre change. summer is the time of vibrant life and living in my little postage stamp size lot on this earth. here are a couple of the smiling faces i found in my yard last night to brighten my summer day (even though i *still* find shorts way too short)

i steeeenk

ya know, i do... i stink... or, more specifically, i stink at keeping up with my sad excuse for a blog. i've had a lot of shtuff going on. nothing bad, of course; just your typical, run around/crazy/creating more work for myself type of months. awesome.

kitchen is coming along (pictures will follow at some point i promise) but my biggest conundrum this week is that my 1/2 share of my csa is coming (yay!) and i'm not sure what i'm going to do with some of the things being sent... for those that don't know what a csa is, look here --> CSA

I'm psyched about the strawberries and all that, but the first four or so? Any recipes are welcome!!!

Bok Choi
Mustard Greens
Collards
Red Kale
Bunched Cilantro
Zucchini
Romaine Lettuce
Green Leaf Lettuce
Strawberries
Potted Herb Plant

the little things

on a dastardly day such as today, i just *had* to cheer myself up (if only enough to convince me that taking a shower was a good idea). here are some things i thought of today that make me happy... it's the little things really

1) that first day of the year, when as you step out of the shadows of your house, you realize that the sun is actually warm and toasty

2) the time of day just as the sunset peeks through our many living room windows and floods the house full of warm, soft light

3) the smell of freshly picked macintosh apples mixed with leaves on an october afternoon

4) my new pillow

5) waking up in the morning and knowing *exactly* what i want for breakfast and *exactly* what I'm going to wear

6) first flip-flop day (regardless of how flippety-floppity and unprofessional i sound)

7) getting home from work after the cleaner has been fussing about. there is not enough time or effort in the world that could get my house as clean as she does... and it's so worth it.

8) sun roof open: check; favorite sun glasses: check; jimmy buffett: check

9) waking up on the weekend and having no plans

10) my self-heating, big red fleecy blanket - on the couch - watching a good movie - with a pint of ice cream (that might be pushing it)

11) watching my garden take shape and change each year

12) watching my ass take shape and change each year (ok, that doesn't necessarily make me happy, but i couldn't resist)

13) reaching the end of that road race

14) mom's mashed potatoes (reference ass changing above)

15) dance class (shut up...you know you're jealous of me and my tap shoes)

16) the new girls...how could i forget?

:) those are just *some* of the little things

my life as a see-saw

i say that because everything in my life runs the full spectrum from one day to the next: mental "place," weight, energy, happiness, hunger, motivation... you name it. one week i'm *that* chick; hitting the gym each day, eating healthier, trying to earn some extra funds (through tutoring...which is generating enough fodder for an entirely different blog) and generally ok with myself. the next week i'm that *other* chick; wallowing in self-pity on the couch with a pan of brownies, my bills and my style network, wondering if this is all there is.

well, this week i'm *that* chick... which basically means i've been pushing myself probably a little too much (as an aside... having a protein shake and a bag of vegetables for dinner? not a good idea... just trust me, k?) i *do* feel better, albeit in the form of barely being able to climb stairs without physically groaning and having to lay the toothbrush on the counter and move my head back and forth to brush my teeth i'm in so much pain from weight training, but it's all good. (i keep telling myself, 'that's a good pain') ...right.

i must admit that i have been feeling on the overwhelmed side... i started tutoring a bit to make a few extra bucks (because there's always a need for those) and have been slammed with a tutoring schedule that eats into my personal time. i keep telling myself 'it's over soon, it's over soon,' but i'm kind of wishing for a few hours to myself.

p has been a trooper in trying to get the house back together. (pictures to follow) what started off as a simple 'oh we'll just paint and change the hardware and maybe the countertops' has turned into, well, more of a 'wait, where did we pack the forks' and 'just use the measuring cups as a glass until we can find the box' kind of project. i think i've actually gone beyond the 'overwhelmed amy' stage on this one and have learned to accept it for what it is....a mess that i can't do anything about at the moment.

i haven't been a great help (see tutoring above) but feel perhaps that best thing i can do when projects get more difficult is to walk away and shut up... i'm an inherent micromanager when it comes to stuff like this and we all know how that goes over :)

on another note, i'm finding more and more that i lack willpower (which i believe, may not actually exist). willpower: there has got to be a better way when the main reasoning for letting myself get a cookie at lunch is 'well, wonder if i get hit by a bus on the home... i'll never get to eat a cookie again.' what in the h-e-double hockey sticks is that anyway? am i just mental or do others feel that way?

oh well, i'm in a good place today... good pain, my nails are painted, i'm finally able to wear my comfy (although wrinkly) linen pants for the first time this year... and i even shaved my legs this morning. what a concept! :)

what a day

it's a gosh darn beautiful day out, yet i can't seem to get it together today. i think it's because i went to try on some of my summer clothes this morning and found that i looked a little bit like an over-stuffed sausage link... should i be surprised? no... was i? yes... i have been *terrible* with exercising lately and need to get back on the stick. i'm cranky, tired, anxious and hungry all at the same time and i know that getting my rump in gear will solve my woes. so if someone could kindly show up at my house each morning with a cattle prod and get me out of bed, that would be fabulous... thank you

:)

*this* is how i feel right now... a 'hungry hippo' for sure!

i'm a toys'r'us kid

... i fully admit it... i don't wanna grow up.

in a salute to the fact that summer is around the corner (which always reminds me of being a kid and drinking lemonade and sitting for hours in my parent's backyard pretending i was 'queen of the world'... so me, right?), i bring you this picture of myself and my 30 something friends... proof that you can be a grown-up, but still not be 'grown up.'

hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil

I just read something stating that the Appeals Court decided the US was discriminating against blind people because they couldn't distinguish which amount of currency they were using... OK, I think we've gone a little far with our politically corrct motivations, haven't we?

Um, U2... you can't perform tonight unless you can figure out how not to discriminate against deaf people...

Um, burgeoning artist... unless you can figure out how to not discriminate against blind people in your painting, please don't even bother...

How in goodness' name did we all make it this far... just to see the world go down in flames by a bunch of ding dongs.

lazy daisy

i have been a lazy gal this past week or so... a lazy worker, a lazy exerciser, a lazy blogger...

oh... and i emailed some of my friends about this yesterday, but when deciding to look for flip-flops made out of a 'natural, cowhide material,' never type in 'leather thongs' into google and hit 'i'm feeling lucky.' just don't. i'm still waiting for the IT police to come and drag me off to the big, bad corporate detention lair in the sky...

have a good tuesday!

back to the main subject

here i sit looking at this darn blog and i've noticed that i haven't really taken the time to discuss and celebrate my small victories (no pun intended), my new girls! (and it's funny because i was talking on the phone to my mom the other day on the phone at work and i was using code word 'girls' and when i got off the phone, this guy that sits next to me was like, 'i had no idea you had twins!')

i was *going* to simply point at my perkies and say, 'Why yes i do!' ...but you know how big companies are with their darn harassment policies... can't even slap anyone's ass anymore. (I'm totally kidding... i have never slapped anyone's ass at work... on purpose... ok, maybe i have... or maybe i just thought about it... ok, maybe not a slap... more of a squeeze... a big, nice squeeze... or a daydream about a big, nice squeeze... ok, enough)

jeez buddy, if all you have to do all day is listen to my conversations, perhaps you should get a hobby. or maybe i'll just mess with his head and start being *real* explicit when i talk about them... 'oh, yes... you want me to talk about how they used a surgical grade exacto knife and carefully cut out my nipples like a diligent kindergartner?' that oughtta get him to stop listening. :)

so, a couple of weeks ago i got this wacky infection thing in my left boob. they said it stemmed from one stitch (crazy!) and i was all sick and tied and icky... they gave me some serious antibiotics and it got better. well, it also turns out that i had some sort of hematoma there too (which sounds positively, medically disgusting!)... guess i wasn't supposed to be raking the front yard or picking up my nieces after all...

so this hematoma (which is basically a big clot of pooled blood), um, exploded (ok, that's not a medical term, but i can't think of a better one) and turned my boob a bright purple...like a grimace from mcdonalds purple. n-a-s-t-y. it was scary and my darling p was making a face similar to a toddler when forced to eat brussel sprouts.

then it turned pink

then it turned yellow

and now... finally... it's back to it's former self except for one really bizarre thing. the scar, which kind of runs underneath the whole breast has retracted a bit (for 1.5 inches of my breast underneath the shape is like a frown instead of a smile...does that make any sense?) where the hematoma was. my doctor assured me that it will probably fix itself, or that we can go back in and do a *revision.* doesn't that sound scary :(

oh well... on a good, happy note... the girls have been happy and i've been hitting the gym almost every day! since i started about two weeks ago, i've lost ten whole pounds... that's two bags of potatoes... woohoo! :)

the last sentence cracks me up

from one of Kristen's favorite (and decidedly mine...it's like watching a train wreck) blogs, the Boston Police Department...

'RUNNING ONTO THE FIELD AT FENWAY NEVER A SMART MOVE
At about 9:56pm, on Saturday, May 3, 2008, officers, performing a paid detail at Fenway Park during the Boston Red Sox/Tampa Bay Rays game, were called to assist with a disturbance on the field. The suspect in this case jumped onto the playing surface after entering the field from an area near the right field box seats. The suspect jumped onto the playing surface while the game was in progress. Once on the field, suspect began running across the field. However, in short time, the wanna-be-ballplayer was run down and apprehended by Red Sox security and Boston Police detail officers. Officers arrested Greg Timmins, 37, of Tappan, New York and charged him with Disturbing the Peace. Any and all reports describing the aforementioned individual as a Yankees fan are, at this time, wholly unsubstantiated.'

The BPD has quite a snarky little blog writer, don't they...

there are no words...

well, other than i royally stink at keeping up with this blog...
but truly on a day like today? no words... just pictures of the public gardens yesterday...
take *that* stupid microsoft desktops! enjoy!

magically disappearing ink

ok, so it didn't disappear magically, but by some hard scrubbing by my delightful p... some simple lysol did it for inside the dryer (thank goodness as a new dryer wasn't in the budget) and remarkably enough *hair spray* worked on some of the fabrics... even more remarkable was that it was p's idea. like a little macgyver he said, 'where's the hairspray?' i was skeptical and asked what he needed it for... he said, 'well, it was my pen and i wanted to help... so i googled it.' what a darling :)

and it worked!

p and i went to three different grocery stores (in typical american gluttony, they're all next to each other, so we did think in advance about cost savings vs gas burning). we made a list, i looked through the flyers, and get this... what typically costs us about $130 cost (drum roll please) $58.71. Holy crap people! I'm now a believer in thinking ahead.

is anyone else secretly glad it's going to rain this week? i was getting nervous for my floppy and thirsty pansies. happy sunday y'all!

pens and ink and dryers oh my

last night i turned our dryer on before i left my house to run a couple of errands (in my old age, being efficient like this also makes me as excited as kid at christmas... oh boy do i need a life)

that clanking and rattling? totally ignored it in my haste... and what a mistake it was

p is now lovingly using some sort of 'hairspray-lysol' homemade concoction which he insists will work on the *INK* all over the inside of the dryer. somehow a pen made it through qc and proceeded to blow its proverbial load, well, all over my load of darks. thankfully, they're darks... but i'm secretly afraid to look for fear that there's some sort of big ink spot on my favorite jeans (i say favorite because they're pretty much the only suckers that fit right now)... a nice rorschach on my ass would be a nice touch, don't you think?

and i just heard p say, 'g-d this sucks. i hope i get something in return for doing this...' men... seriously?

well, it'll be two months (!) since my surgery this week... hard to believe. i have realized that they are quite the weather device as well (most people (including my mom) will say, ooh, my ankle is bothering me... must be going to rain)... now i get to say, 'oh, the perkies think it will be sunny and 65 today.' a veritable farmers almanac i say! i'll let you know the seven day forecast once i become more tuned in :)

off to try and do something (anything) with my backyard... it's been the bastard stepchild of my gardening foray so far...

random thoughts past my bedtime

oh, and for those out there who may be (or know someone) who likes being the extra special person on the train, plane, etc with the super phone that can do everything... take over my blackberry plan on at&t and get my blackberry for free!

i just don't need all of the features, but they are great and convenient!

look at it on: http://www.cellswapper.com/Cell-Phone-att-cingular-plan-1811.html

grassy ass y'all :)

ps... in other 'flashy' news... with it being so cold this evening, the girls were all about the headlights. while this might not mean much to most (or be downright embarrassing)... i'm not only excited, i'm ecstatic. not only are my headlights pointing up and out as high beams should... it's the first time ever i haven't had a head light out (meaning one of my girls has been fairly slow on the uptake)... for those that have no clue what i'm talking about? ...don't ask

dammit you personal trainer man

so yesterday i was an extra good doobie and took advantage of the gym in my building... they let you try out a 'get to know ya' personal training appointment on the house (which i think is super as all of the equipment is all different and they help you set up a program)

anyhoo... it went great (props to the 'nice on the eyes' hunk-of-a-trainer-man-boy (i'm fairly sure he's at least 8 years younger than me)) and he was really helpful. like a typical trainer, he pushed me pretty hard and i'm paying for it now...

why you ask?

i can't comb my hair, get ouy of my chair... and it hurt to brush my teeth this evening

(sigh... gotta start somewhere right?)

pocketbook panic

perhaps it's from watching gma's piece this morning on costco rationing rice... or perhaps it's from the random email sent down from the company g-d's reminding us that each of us plays a role in managing business expenses...

is the regular joe's world going to h-e-double hockey sticks in a handbasket or what? i've started freaking out about every last thing i spend and every last dime i owe, which is making me a frazzles, stressed out, downright bitchy person to be around. of course, in doing that, i realize that in order to fully right the proverbial ship, it may cause me to have to (1) donate all of my internal organs; (2) stand on a street corner in some hoochie outfit (which doesn't even exist in my vocab anymore; (3) relinquish my first, second and third born... or all of the above.

gas is sky high, food is sky high, it cost us $600 to **1/2** fill the oil tank in our house (and trust me, we don't even really use the heat) and just today (which may be what put me over the edge) the price of the sodas on my floor went up 125% from $1.00 to $1.25... who the fark did that?

i mean, my g-d people!

anyhow, i'm thinking of ways to cut back and generate some funds... i was thinking of having a yard sale, but feel that those attract people looking for something for nothing. i was thinking of posting some things on craigslist, but am scared of the dominant-submissive-horny-individual-looking-for-whatever emailing me...ca-reepy! i was thinking of selling stuff on ebay... i've done it before, but it's *so* much work (again, reference the l-a-z-y)

so, here's what i'm planning to do (once we get a plan in place that we think we can stick to):
(1) drop my cell phone and its contract... frankly i have a home phone and if i really feel i can't live without it, i'll get a pre-paid jobby
(2) sell my car... it seems drastic, but i walk to the train people. it's retarded to spend oodles of money each month to look at a pretty car in the driveway collect pollen
(3) reduce the phone/cable bill... how i'm not sure, but am going to
(4) get rid of *all* credit cards (except for emergency one)... i obviously lack the willpower to resist buying crap and therefore need to not have them with me
(5) bring my lunch every day... no excuses!!!
(6) plan the dinners on sunday for the week ahead... make 'em in advance if i have to

ok...that's enough for now... having no cell and no car? why, it'll be like being a college student all over again :)

i'm also hoping to attain a second little job on the side to ease the crunch for a bit... i'm super good with quickbooks and tutoring :)

oh, and i make baskets! lest i forget that. i make awesome baskets for baby showers, weddings, birthdays... anything really. i just did some for my husband's secretary for an event of hers and she loved them. so yeah... was that a shameless plug? perhaps :)

state of *my* mass

yup, i'm crazy. i took the spin class and it wasn't pretty. this tiny little thing who taught the class had a mouth similar to a truck driver and i was more scared to stop pedaling than to risk injuring myself. consequently... i'm currently walking around the office like i just got off a horse.

(and... who in g-d's name invented bike seats... they s-u-c-k big time)

i was so unbelievably sweaty after class that i couldn't get away without taking a shower and i'm just not a fan of the whole non-gratis changing thing in the woman's locker room... some women sort of loom about with their business all over the place... no need i say! you can put your eyeliner on while wearing a bra, i'm sure of it.

or the ladies that have full on conversations standing there in the buff? what is this? an 80s high school horror movie reenactment? stop it!

also, to further piss me off, the gym has these teensy towels (read: handkerchief) that the little teensy people can wrap around them twice over... i need like two of them just to cover my ass. i guess the gym considers it motivation... i consider it mean

anyhow i'm happy to say that i made it through and if i don't get to that walk tonight (as i'm hooking up my new fun hose tonight (read previous post for definition of 'exciting' in my world these days) i won't be too sad

enjoy this most beautiful day. (those of you who are teachers and have this week off?... i'm secretly giving you the middle finger)

:)

am i crazy?

i just signed up for a spin class to take over lunch... am i crazy? i went for a *walk* last night and was tired. oh well, no pain, no gain right? positive, motivating thoughts welcome :)

state of mass transit

my train was so slow today that i actually witnessed two pigeons having sex...

do you think if i wrote the head of the "T" he'd take me seriously using that reference?

so much to say, so little time

ooh, it's been awhile over here since i've written last. i must admit that while i've thought about writing, i've been far too (1) busy or (2) lazy, depending on when you catch me. i've actually had *so* much to do that i'm becoming a morning person... i'm getting at least an hour and a half more of productive time in the morning, rather than on the back end of the day when i veg and read all of the magazines and catalogs (of items i'll never be able to afford to purchase anyway) before drifting off.

why is that through the entire month of march, when i had nearly nothing to do, the weather stunk... and now that it's april and nice out, i'm up over my head in shhhtuff. (not to self: never start new position in the spring!)

i've had lots of exciting things happen (the word 'exciting' takes on a whole new meaning when you turn thirty i think)... let's see:

(1) My kitchen is being painted and prettied up. We chose a sunny, fantabulous yellow and are now splurging on some new counters, faucet, stove and island... ooh, and lights... i hope. i hope they're in the budget because i really want to do it right (but not go too wild on the spending)

(2) in not so fun news, i developed some sort of bizarre infection as the result of my surgery which made me super sick... like, 'thought i might as well die' sick... and it completely coincided with the painter being at the house. disgusting paint smell: check. feeling nauseous and only having one bathroom: check. i'm thankful that i never have to relive those two days.

(3) better news: my left girl is on the mend and has bounced back (literally) to her new and improved self....which leads me to...

(4) i returned to the gym for the first time in a very long time. to think last year i was prepping for a four-mile road race... yesterday 20 minutes on the treadmill was just about as much as i could handle. i keep telling myself to not push it and i'll get back into it, but i can't help but be somewhat disappointed. why does it take so long to get in shape... and so quickly to get out of it. disheartening!

(5) we woke up this weekend to two, count 'em, two little birdy couples fighting for the honor of calling 91.5 hill st. home. for those that don't know me (or don't already think i'm crazy), that's actually, um, my birdhouse. (told you i was crazy) i painted it two years ago to look exactly like our house and i've been waiting ever since to see some new occupants. well, after much waiting, p and i watched two couples beat the living crap out of each other trying to make it their little home. i think it was the little guys (the finches) who won out (which is super!) and when i'm in the backyard i can hear them building their little nest. it almost sounds like they're renovating with the knock, knock, knock

(6) volunteered at the boston food bank this morning. we helped sort and look through pallets of snacks (crackers, cookies) etc. which makes me realize just how wasteful i can be (they have a rule that as long as the inner packaging is not broken, they tape the boxes and send it along). very fulfilling, if not inspiring... well except for the man who said repeatedly 'i'm a'gonna kiss ya tonight' and the cat-calling from the prison across the street. other than that, it was great!

i'm going to start walking/jogging every night to get ready for Jod's wedding... after all, I have to fit into the dress! (here it is, but mine's in black) ...you likey???

freakin, frackin, frookin

well, another delightful day in the Hub. fa'chrissakes, i'm not sure how much more of this dastardly weather i can take. my wonderful husband, p, said that now that i have a view, i now know when to leave when it's snowing... when i can't see the buildings anymore, it's time to go... does that also apply on a day like today? or even on a sunny day? ('oh, the sun is so blinding i can't see the buildings... gotta go!!!) anyhow, this think grey, almost green cloudy blanket has once again dropped over my lovely little city and i'm bummed. i even wore a colorful fun spring sweater today... nothin.'


at least it's friday and i've had a couple of minor victories... i went for an albeit small jog yesterday and found that the new girls quite enjoy their new digs... they no longer try to escape and that is a very good thing (although p may beg to differ)...


ooh, and i got my 'i know i'm getting older when i choose these over heels' shoes fixed today... i've had them now for about two years and i've noticed my right toes have been getting on the damp side on rainy days... notwithstanding the cobbler man "fixed" them with a little crazy glue (no charge) i feel just that more confident jumping around in puddles this afternoon.

i successfully bypassed the 'grilled cheese and chicken finger' station at the cafe and chose a salad with some of the best cucumbers i've ever had!

it's the little things really :)


oh and ps..... this stems from another email thread off my blog, but i'm the new gal on the block here in my 'workspace'... and the freakin woman next to me is on the phone whispering and giggling all day non-stop... they say fences make good neighbors. i'm about ready to say that cement walls and sucker punches make good neighbors...

have a good weekend y'all

and one more thing...

i just received an email for our group to volunteer at the food bank.

wonderful. great.

then it goes on to say, 'oh, we'll get cabs over there.' nothing like expensing a little cab ride to go volunteer to make you feel good... sheesh

*then* it says, 'pick a size of your t-shirt S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL'

ok, people in glass houses should definitely not throw stones, *but*...

should you really be having someone who wears a 5XL shirt volunteer at a *food* bank?

i know, that's a terrible thought... bad amy

yet another rambling...

on a thirsty thursday afternoon

'how *does* she find time to do it all?'


i guess that term is always typically reserved for martha-stewart-like soccer moms with perfect eyebrows and unscuffed sneakers and grosgrain ribbons in their hair. considering my eyebrows haven't been done in over a month (can you hear the jungle drums?), i'm wearing black flats which may or may not have a hole in them somewhere as i notice my poor right foot gets wet in the rain and the left does not, and i wouldn't wear a ribbon in my hair if someone paid me (even *if* kristen thinks the contrary)... oh right and i'm *not* a soccer mom (no soccer-ing, no mom-ing)...

speaking of which, what *does* take up all my time? it's not as though i'm saving the world or have kids to take care of... we don't even have a pet for goodness sake. granted, i did just start a new job, just got finished with a three week leave from having life-changing surgery, volunteer for the alumni association, volunteer for the 'team' here at the bank (and oh boy is it a team! gag me) and am pseudo-studying for the cpa exam, learning french and dreamily set a goal of running a triathlon at the end of the summer... ok, so i have a *couple* of things going on... i'm used to being busy i guess, but sometimes at the end of the day i lay down and think, 'ah, the end of a long, long day'

.... followed up by, 'what the hell *did* i do today?'

does this bother anyone else that they're not exactly saving the world each and every day?

shoulda, woulda, coulda

Shoulda: Stayed in bed this morning

Woulda: Missed the commute from h-e-double hockey sticks

Coulda: Had me some nice sleep

That Bloomin' Place

Awww yeeaaaahh... that bloomin' place be Hill Street! Like the return of old friends, I came home yesterday to find these popping up through that brown, sallow ground. They literally popped completely out of the ground and bloomed all in a matter of nine hours... they're itching for spring, just like me :)

mehhh on the cell phone quality...call it blurry or call it art.

This last picture is of my fancy "small" spring wreath. I bought four forsythia branches at the craft store (fake, but 50% off!) this weekend and made one "big" wreath for my front door (not pictured) and had this one remaining. I basically wrapped it around itself and secured with floral wire. A nice decoration for $1.49. :)

The Girls Get A New View

So, started my first day here over in Enterprise Credit Risk (ohh, ahh)... I wasn't sure what to expect as far as seating goes as I always feel like a tool asking those kinds of things when I'm moving into a new job. I probably should just ask as these are the silly little things that keep me up at night (that and knowing that dry items are sitting and getting wrinkled in the dryer...is anyone else as insane as me about this?)

Anyhow, everyone seems to be on the nice side and I'm headed to lunch in a little bit. Who said there was no such thing as free lunch? Saaaweeet!

I head to the doctor for a check-up of the girls tomorrow afternoon. Here's to hoping she says I can get back to an exercise routine. This is getting ridiculous (and my tight jeans have to agree).

I'll leave you with this... it's not much of a view, but it beats staring at a wall. :)

OK, so I'm sitting here on the train on my crackberry next to an aptly spread out south shore businessman (see previous post for comparison to my ass). Anyhoo I just would like to state for the record that it smells like a cross between freshly baked bread and that smell of the old musty marching band uniforms... You know the one on the PVTA bus back to chapel after a game in 70 degree heat in *wool* uniforms... For those that don't know what I'm talking about, boy are you lucky. Ick.

Seriously...

Why is it that on my *last* day of work here at the old job, I am being bombarded with things and questions and answers and requests... I am not a people person right now and I don't care.

Why is it that every time my cube neighbor walks by my cube, he hits his hand on the little space they try to qualify as a doorway. Is it a non-verbal hello or is he just trying to drive me crazy? Considering the goddarn ringtone on his cell phone plays "More Than A Feeling" when it rings (and it rings *a lot*...I'm thinking he may actually be dealing drugs...after all, he doesn't do much else all day) I think the latter as I'm feeling a little closer to the mental hospital each time I come in here.

Why is that for the second day in a row I didn't hear the weather report correctly. I know those incompetent ass clowns can't seem to get even the following day correct on the weather report, but could they at least get the 'right now' forecast? I'm faaah-reeeeezing.

Why is that I want to lose weight, but can only think about what I want for lunch?

Arrrgh...

home saaa-weet home

dudes, i am so freakin excited to be home... it's amazing how much you can miss something, whether it be people or places or memories (or beds with amazing thread count sheets). it was difficult for me to get back to work this week, but i'm actually a bit glad i did. i got back into the swing of things (sort of) but i'm still super tired after doing just about anything, which makes me feel like a little old lady. i am, however, looking forward to feeling better each day.

i *also* hope i can get back into the gym soon because my bum-bum is spreading out like a south shore business man on the commuter rail.

ah, ok, off to watch 'uncle buck.' john candy (rip big guy) is a guilty pleasure of mine :) such an exciting saturday night, don't you think?

more boobie bits

ahh, the wonders of sitting in a hotel room with nothing on... the tv that is (nyuk nyuk)

so, i've been getting emails asking how i'm feeling and how the new girls are faring... i think my favorite is an email from Melissa (love you babe!) that simply said, 'how's the new rack?' to be honest, only in this past week could i really look at them. the gory details are as such:

ok, so breasts are always almost a little different... it's actually very normal to have fraternal twins out there strutting their stuff. mine, on the other hand, were basically a normal boob (albeit big, a D) and then a boob on steroids (a clemens-like tyrannical boob, dead set on taking over the nation... or at least trying to escape most clothing on a whim). living with them was dreadful. they attracted attention in all the wrong ways, they were uncomfortable and buying a bra meant picking a size somewhere in the middle, letting miss normal boob swim around like a lost goldfish, while the other clung to life as a virtual double boob, spilling over like a mini-muffin top... lovely.

about two years ago (although i had been thinking about getting this done since i was 19) i was on this big, awesome healthy thing. i was kicking some serious ass with my step classes and my spin crazy business and my running... ok, running might be inflating it a little... it was more like left, right, huff, puff, left, right, god this sucks, left, right, ooh a candy store... to prepare for activity i would have not only one sports bra, but two medieval-type torture devices. they'd squish all that bulk into one big uni-boob, which would continue to crash around in unison as if i were then just smuggling a ham hock.

then about a year ago, the back and neck pain were killing me. sitting at my desk, driving my car, riding the t, carrying my bag... all abnormally painful and driving me insane. i finally got the courage to go to the doctor and she referred me to a plastic surgeon. i went through all of the gyrations, only to have the insurance company nip it in the bud (no pun intended). they insisted i try physical therapy for at least six months (which seems retarded to me as they probably spent more on the silly pt than it cost for the total surgery). i obliged and then went back to the same surgeon. of course she was in a fairly aptly named posh little town on the south shore who decided that she didn't *need* to take insurance anymore... must be nice. hi, i'd like a facelift and a tummy tuck... oh no, i'll be paying cash... seriously? seriously

so *then* i went back to the insurance company and i asked for a list of approved plastic surgeons. i found a great doc, Dr. Terri Halperin. she is, in bostonspeak, wicked smaht. amazing in fact.

she's also very masterful. i'll write more about my new 'perkies' in due time as they heal, but they do have the potential to be outstanding. high and tight, i say, high and tight! :)

mind the new melons please

for those that don't know, my frontal, chestal (not a word, but so should be) region has been undergoing some fairly extensive renovations over the past month... and it has not been easy let me tell ya. i know that in the long run (oh, no pun intended there...but i will so be happy to not be running down the street smuggling two watermelons in a double sports bra contraption from hell) it will be one of the best decisions i've ever made, but right now i'm only like 56.8% pleased.

{sigh}

i had these rather (and in hindsight somewhat bizarre) visions that somehow the reduction would be a quick heal and be off on my merry way. of course, i somehow also thought that i'd wake up a size 8 or a 10 (excuse me, can you add an ass reduction to my order?)... unfortunately, i think what's happening is that by nipping and tucking one thing is causing other things to look even bigger. damn mirror.

what's worse is i *should* be primarily worried about my health and healing and all that... instead i'm wondering if my bathing suits will fit better this summer and if these bizarre, ridiculous shirts they're selling all over the place (which basically make you look pregnant...dangerous territory for a girl who's married for four years) will fit... god, i'd die if someone was like, 'oh, when are you expecting?' i think i'd positively go all karate kid on their ass.

*a-n-y-h-o-w*

rules, shmools....

after reading (which undoubtedly feels like snooping) other's blogs, i'm feeling quite popular. so, bowing to peer pressure, i now present you with {insert a muppets-animal-style drum roll here} ... my big, bad blog

before we begin, some ground rules:

1) i sometimes don't like using capital letters. perhaps i'm e e cummings reincarnated...or perhaps i have double-jointed pinky fingers that don't like pressing the shift key... or even perhaps it's because my parents (and especially my dad, who up until last year called his computer the 'solitaire machine,' continually write in all capital letters). Reading an entire email in that manner is rated up there with verbal abuse if you ask me... as in, 'HI HONEY!!! HOW IS YOUR DAY GOING??? DO YOU LIKE THE CLIENT THAT YOU ARE AT TODAY???' seriously...

2) i like using the word 'seriously.' i had a handle on it way before meredith grey boinked mcdreamy...

3) i also enjoy '...' you know 'dot, dot, dot' my friends call it way too informal... i call it way too fantastic

hmm, that's it for now... seriously