By the firelight

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"Fires are a big deal when we go camping!"
(taken at Ginnie Springs)

My Pinterest Addiction

Have you all started using Pinterest yet?  Pinterest has apparently  been around for ages (OK 2 years), but I only heard of it a few months ago (OK Maybe 6). 

If you have no idea what I’m talking about it’s a website where you create pin boards.  You know, like cork boards of the olden days.  YOU know that you used to cut comics out of the paper and put them up in your office.  It’s like that, but the WEB is your source.  There is SO MUCH stuff out there.

If you are on Pinterest, you already know what’s up.  If you’re not, you are missing out.  Hit me up and I’ll send you an invite.

Char

Reading

Are there any readers out there.  What books are you reading.  I’ve almost lost track now.  I have to refer to my account at Goodreads.com… be right back.

I have currently started reading the following books:

How to Talk So Teens Will Listen and Listen So Teens Will Talk , by Adele Faber

started on November 07, 2012

The Dance of Intimacy: A Woman's Guide to Courageous Acts of Change in Key Relationships , by Harriet Lerner

started on November 15, 2012

The Zen of Max , by Lou Belcher

started on October 30, 2012

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane , by Katherine Howe

p. 48 of 376 (13%)

The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2013 , by America's Test Kitchen

started on September 29, 2012

Destination Frightville: 13 U.S. Haunts to Visit if You Dare , by Harrison Clancy

started on September 29, 2012

Vet tech Tales : The Early Years (Vet Tech Tales, #1). , by Phoenix Sullivan

started on September 13, 2012

We're Just Like You, Only Prettier: Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle , by Celia Rivenbark

p. 15 of 288 (5%)

Completely Restored , by Robert Kerr

5%

started on August 29, 2012

That Bear Ate My Pants! , by Tony James Slater

3%

Snake Skin , by C.J. Lyons

41%

My plan is to finish at least one of these this weekend.  Wish me luck!  What are you reading?

Charlene

Have I mentioned that I love bacon?

Because the delicious skin on this turkey just isn't enough.  I'd like to gild the lily.




Char

Weekend Warrior

My weekend started off great, we went out with friends whom we set up on a blind date.  Cutie Pie (CP) is a long time friend of mine and Mr. Nice Guy (MNG) is a long time friend of John’s.  CP and I started off at her house with a bottle of wine.  Which turned into two, only because I brought a Riesling and she didn’t like it and so she opened a bottle of pinot grigio.  We had a couple glasses while she got ready, and she loaned me a smaller purse and some earrings, since I hadn’t come prepared, as per usual.  We eventually made our way downtown and stopped in at Off the Traxx which is an ok bar with ok bar food.  I crave the fried green beans though and the crabcakes were unique in that they were made with mozzarella cheese.  They were awesome.

We had a pretty spectacular night, and CP and MNG hit it off and seem to like each other.  I’m so happy for them!

Saturday J and I got up and went to get breakfast at Bob Evans, and then we picked up the car from Friday night, and we came home and started picking up the house.  We got a few things done and then watched some TV and went to dinner at our favorite restaurant – Squid Lips.  The food was great as always, and the drinks sucked.  It’s really too bad.  We won’t order drinks from there again.  The beer isn’t cold enough and the cocktails are crazy expensive and tiny.  We stopped at Pubix to get some more marshmallows to dehydrate for our upcoming camping trip, and stuff for Sunday breakfast.

Sunday morning we cooked bacon, eggs and toast.  We tried the eggland’s best cage free eggs, and we definitely noticed a difference in the flavor and consistency of the egg, especially the yolk.  We watched Harry Potter and went on to lunch and run some more errands.  It was a great weekend with just the right mix of hanging with friends and getting to spend one on one time with my honey.

Char

Cha Roo shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

Cha Roo just shared an Instagram photo with you:

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"Beautiful bloom from our cactus"

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

Cha Roo shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

Cha Roo just shared an Instagram photo with you:

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"Crockpot Balsamic glazed pork with broccoli and rice"

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

My favorite quote

A few days ago I said that my favorite quote was "An optimist is someone who goes after Moby Dick in a rowboat and takes the tartar sauce with him" by Zig Ziglar.

Ever since I heard this quote I have loved it.  I love whales, I love the sea, I love tartar sauce, I love the idea that one day I could be an optimist.

I don't know what it is, but I have never considered myself an optimist, though I do strive to be one.  Kind of like I've never been a morning person, but I strive to be one.

Char

Good Friends

I love these two :)

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"My good friends :-)"
(taken at Meg O'Malley's Restaurant‎)

Pretty eyes

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"Pretty eyes"

Spooks

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"Spooks the cat in his home habitat!"

Where I'm From

Where I’m From

November 8, 2012

I am from clothes hanging on the line outside, from Hellman’s mayo and great grandma’s sweet pickles.

I am from the hot, un-airconditioned SOUTH, playing in the sprinklers, getting a suntan on the boat or the back deck or the hand-dug pond in the back yard that is warmed with water that flows through a pipe that goes through a fire pit.

I am from the Aralias, Gerbera Daisies and the marijuana, the crinkly leaves, the stunning gem colors, and the curious cages.

I am from Ginnie Springs camping at Thanksgiving and Standing Rib Roast at Christmas.  I am from Great Grandma Wood and Great Grammie Glidden and across the Northeast US and across the pond.

I am from the alcoholism and deep stubbornness .

From “Don’t make that face or it’ll get frozen that way” and “Because I said so”.

I am from going to churches with friends and relatives and on special occasions. I am from Montessori School to Sunday School.

I'm from Florida, Germany and Scotland, Great grandpa’s refrigerator Velcro soup, Entenman’s doughnuts and fresh fish and lobster on demand.

From the time on the Peace River when it was “TOO DEEP”, the times the fire department was called to the house because of shenanigans that were too obvious to ignore, to cozy, fun, loving sleepovers at JoJo and Aunt Sandy’s houses.

I am from Great Grandma’s book of our genealogy, The Wood family wall in JoJo’s house, and the love that was never lacking.

Another Random Survey of my favorite things

What is your favorite movie?
Pretty Woman

What is your favorite tv show?
Criminal Minds

What is your favorite song?
All I wanna do is make love to you - Heart

What is your favorite book?
Any cookbook

What is your favorite type of music?
Country

What is your favorite type of movie?
Comedy

What is your favorite tv channel?
Cooking Channel

What is your favorite animal?
Cat

What is your favorite color?
Purple

What is your favorite drink?
Caramel Appletini

What is your favorite fod?
Seafood

What is your favorite time of day?
6pm

What is your favorite place to be?
Home

Who is your favorite actor?
Jake Gyllenhal

Who is your favorite actress?
Julia Roberts

Who is your favorite author?
Janet Evanovich

Who is your favorite singer?
Pink

Who is your favorite director?
I dunno

Who is your favorite friend?
I can't pick a favorite

What is your favorite car?
Bentley

What is your favorite sport?
Nascar

Who is your favorite team?
Tony Stewart

Who is your favorite musician?
Pink

What is your favorite website?
Facebook

Who is your favorite band?
Bon Jovi

What is your favorite subject?
Food

What is your favorite memory?
Swimming at great grandmas

What is your favorite quote?
"An optimist is someone who goes after Moby Dick in a rowboat and takes the tartar sauce with him (or her)." --Zig Ziglar

What is your favorite thing to do?
Sleep

Who is your favorite teacher?
Mr. Griffin

What is your favorite brand?
Hellman's

What is your favorite clothes?
The ones that fit me

What is your favorite store?
Publix

Who is your favorite athlete?
I dunno

What is your favorite word?
No

What is your favorite electronic?
My iphone

What is your favorite holiday?
My Birthday

What is your favorite country?
USA

What is your favorite verse?
“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.” ― Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Road to Daybreak: A Spiritual Journey

Who is your favorite girl/boy?
My husband

A friend and a dog

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"My beautiful friend Chrissy hanging with Diesel and us by the pool this past Summer"

60 things no one asks

I haven't done one of these internet surveys in a while.  Feel free to do it and pass it on if you want.

60 things no one ever asks...

When's the last time you ran?
Never

Do your jeans have rips, tears, and holes in them?
No

What are you dreading right now?
Waking up in the morning

Do you celebrate 420?
Only by wishing my brother in law happy 420 :)

Do you get the full 8 hours of sleep a night?
And some

If anyone came to your house on your "lazy days" what would ya'll do?
Watch movies and drink martinis

Who last grabbed your ass?
My husband

Have you ever been on your school's track team?
Uh no

Do you own a pair of Converse?
Hell no

Did you copy and paste this survey?
Not yet. I will though.

Do you eat raw cookie dough?
Oh yes.

Have you ever kicked a vending machine?
Hmmm, not kicked, but might have wobbled it.

Don't you hate it when the radio ruins good songs by playing them over and over?
Nah, that never bothered me.

Do you watch Trading Spaces?
What is this from 1990?

How do you eat oreos?
Open, crunch, scrape, crunch, crunch, crunch

Have you ever stayed online for a very long time waiting for someone?
Unfortunately

Are you cocky?
No

Could you live without a computer?
I suppose I could, though I wouldn't be happy about it.

Do you wear your shoes in the house?
Nope

Who or what sleeps with you?
My husband, my cat and about 20 pillows

At what age did you find out that Santa wasn't real?
He isn't real?

How many phones, house phones and cell phones are in your house?
4 house phones and 2 cell phones.

What do you do when you're sad?
Eat. Although I'm trying to change that.

Who would you call first if you won the lottery?
My husband, then my mom.

Last time you saw your best friend?
Last week.

Are you in high school?
NO, thank God.

What jewelry are you wearing?
My wedding rings, another ring and my watch.

Is anyone on your bad side now?
No.

What's the first thing you do when you get online?
Check facebook.

Do you watch Grey's Anatomy?
Love it.

How do most people spell your name?
Charleen, so annoying

Would you wear a boy/girlfriends clothes?
yes

Where do you work?
In the grind.

What are you doing tomorrow?
Working

Is Justin Timberlake becoming the next Michael Jackson?
Uh no.

Favorite name for a girl?
Priscilla

Favorite name for a boy?
Walter

Will you keep your last name when you get married?
Nope

When was the last time you left your house?
This morning.

Do you return your cart?
Not usually

Do you have a dishwasher?
Yes

What noise do you hear?
The alarm beeping because John just opened the door.

Would you survive in prison?
I suppose. I don't want to find out though.

Who is the youngest in your family?
Trey

If all of your friends were going on a road trip, who would most likey overpack?
Me.

Do you know anyone with the same name as you?
No.

What's the last thing you purchased?
Groceries

Do your siblings ever pay for stuff for you?
Yes.

What brand are your pants right now?
Hahaha they are pajama pants.

Ever been to Georgia (the state)?
Yes.

What irritates you most on the internet?
Politics.

What brand is your digital camera?
Nikon.

Do you watch movies with your parents?
Yep.

What song best describes your life right now?
Good question, have to think about that one.

Do you own expensive perfume/cologne?
Yes.

Are you taking college classes right now?
No

Do you like sushi?
No, I like Nigiri

Do you get your hair cut every month?
No

Do you go online everyday?
Yes

Will you pass this survey on to 5 people?
No.

Char

If I were president...

Since I'm doing NaBloPoMo and having trouble finding stuff to write about, I've decided to use their prompts when I can't think of something on my own, or if I can't find a meme.  Dying to find a good meme, they don't seem as popular as they used to be.

I digress.  Today's question is What would be the first thing you would do if you became president.  I've thought about this for most of the day and one of the most important things to me is that women continue to have freedom of choice.  It's incredibly important to me that Roe vs Wade never gets overturned.  Therefore the first thing I would do is start researching what can be done in order to preserve this hard earned freedom for women.  I can't say that I would ever get an abortion, but I certainly feel like a woman should have a right to choose what happens to her body. 

Of course I would also want to find a solution to the horrific healthcare system we have in this country where the insurance companies have all the power, and if that wasn't bad enough, millions of people don't even have insurance so they can't get care that they need.  My mother is one of those people right now.  It scares me to death that she is insulin dependent diabetic and she has no way to get her medication right now.  

I'd also like to find a way to keep corporations from funding politicians coffers in exchange for favors.

What would you do?

Link to your blog and I'll check it out.

Char 

Election tomorrow

There isn't a whole lot to say here.  You have the right to vote.  You should go and vote.  At this point, I don't care who you are voting for, and I'm not going to get into the politics here, because it's not my forte.  I just know that as an American, I was given the right to vote, and I have exercised that right.

I voted by absentee ballot.  If you haven't done that, it's wonderful.  The ballot is sent to your home, so you can actually take your time and thoughtfully fill it out.  You can read about the amendments, about who is running for mayor in your town.  You can take time to decide if you should really vote to allow them to put slot machines in your local dog racing park etc.  I am completely for absentee voting.  Take advantage of it if you can!

My boss asked me who I voted for.  Can you believe that?  He actually wanted to know, and then since it was different than who he voted for, he basically wanted to know why I voted that way and back up my choice.  It was surreal.  THEN he asked me who the girl I work with voted for too.  I have very strong opinions, and I'm not always that great at putting them into words, but I was very proud of myself for defending my vote today.  (Not that I should have had to, but that's another show.)

I'm very proud to live in America.  I am blessed with many things, and the right to vote is something I never take for granted.

Get out there and vote!

Char

Happy Anniversary Spa Day

This year for my anniversary I went to Essentials and had a massage and a much needed facial!  My friend J went with me and she had a facial and we ate lunch together.  It was a wonderful, relaxing experience.  I did notice that it is much more wonderful and relaxing when you aren't the one paying the bill though.  I do miss those days when my boss would take us for a spa day after a particularly good quarter.  Must be something about having a female boss.  The guys I work with know barely know what a spa is, much less would they spring for a spa day.

I went and visited my mom and dad after and then went home and started to read, but ended up sleeping the rest of the day away.  I can't say I'm too happy about sleeping so much, but I guess I needed it.

Sorry for the phone in post today, but this is all I have.

Char

Saturday - Fun Day

So after sleeping in until almost noon, I finally rolled my butt out of bed and got on with the day.  I had a few errands I had to run today and my mom called me so I asked her if she wanted to join me.  She's always up for some shopping so off we went.  First we went and had lunch at Tijuana Flats.  I had the chicken flautas.  They were ok.  Mom had some kind of rice bowl which was way better than the flautas.  I don't get the love for that place.  That's the second time I've been and I have to say, I'm just not that impressed.

After lunch we went to Target, I needed to buy an air mattress for our camping trip that's coming up at the end of the month.  I ended up with a queen sized coleman - it was a decent price and it should be a little sturdier than the Serta that was ten bucks more.  While at Target, I spied the new PINK CD, which I had to have, and some halloween marshmallows that i'm going to dehydrate for the camping trip for us to have in our hot chocolate.  I have a few friends coming this year on the camping trip and I'm really excited about it.  More on that another day.

After Target, we went to World Market to look around, and I ended up with some orange chocolate truffle cookies in my paws.  We munched on those afterwards and they were delicious!  Onward to Yankee Candle where I procured two giant whoopee pie candles for work.  We bake cookies for our clients, but they don't always smell as cookie-like as we want, so I thought the chocolate candles would enhance the scent of the cookies a bit more.  Don't you wish your financial planner baked fresh cookies when you came in to an appointment?  Uh huh!

Finally we went to BJ's where I got a bunch of stuff for work, water, coffee, TP, paper towels etc.

Mom got a half price costume at Target for Halloween next year.  She tried it on when we got home and it looks super cute!  It's held together in the back by velcro, so she's going to have to be careful! LOL!

Now I'm home and just finished watching Private Practice from last week and I'm wishing there was a Pioneer Woman to watch from this morning.

I'm pooped!  How was your day?

Char

It's only the second day

I have nothing to write about.  This is not good.  I am working on trying to get out of a funk.  I think I'm doing well.  I've listened to Christmas music twice, excuse me, three times in the last week.  I didn't even have the urge to stab anyone afterwards, this is such progress. 
My mom is going to give me her 9' tall Christmas tree, because it won't fit in her new house.  I'm very excited about this.  It's prelit.  This is the bomb y'all.  I absolutely hate putting lights on the tree, and taking them down is worse.  I hate it so much I'm willing to put up a fake tree!  Don't worry, I'll get plenty of Christmas scented candles, no.one.will.know! :)

Right now I am waiting for my friend to bring me back something for lunch.  I was just talking to some people the other day about how I should be making better choices... oops, I said the should word...  ummmm I was just talking to some people the other day about how I have the option to make better choices when it comes to what i'm eating.  Lets just say that for lunch today, I failed.  I mean, ummm... I chose to make a bad choice?  heh.

Am I the only loony out there that has been listening to Christmas music since before November 1st?  Please tell me there are more of us out there, or tell me I'm loony.  I don't care.  Is anyone still reading this thing, is this thing on??  Bueller?

Char

NaMaBloPop

You know, that thing where you are supposed to blog for every day in November.  I'm going to try that.  Pictures from instagram don't count either.  I'm already a day late, and more than a dollar short, so I'm going to cheat and back date this, because I just thought of it.  Don't hate ok, I'm trying here.

My wedding anniversary is November 1st.  I'd love to tell you about the beautiful flowers I received, or the copious amounts of candy I was showered with, or even the great meal I shared with my husband, but I can't because none of those things happened...

He did however get me an awesome card.  It has Snoopy on the front holding the little yellow dude, Woodstock is it? Anyway, they are hugging and are awfully cute and it says "I love you", and inside it says "You are the best thing that's ever happened to me!"  Awww!

We also didn't get to go on our annual anniversary trip to Vero Beach this year, but I'm already over that, so lets not rehash ok? OK.

We did go out to dinner last night, and the disappointment was fierce when we went to our favorite restaurant Squid Lips in Sebastian to find out that they closed early - we are talking 8:30 here people... they closed because they were dead.  WTF.  Three other cars were there when we were, they could have made a $150 bucks probably if they had stayed open a little later.  Too annoying.  Then we went to two other places and said no, and then we finally went to Captain Hiram's which we knew was going to be overpriced and not very good, and guess what!?  We weren't dissapointed, they were over priced and not very good!  We ordered the sticky fries which were good, the crab cakes which were good, the grouper fingers which totally sucked, and the seared ahi which sucked.  I did have two drinks that were good "Sebastian flamingos" or some name, and John had iced tea that was good.  The most important part was that we spent some much needed time together and we had fun.

Char