Sunday, October 15, 2006

Drivin with the windows down...

The wind rushed in, bringing crisp, wet smells of asphalt, dirt, and grass.
My hair went Yahoo Serious,
and I grinned wickedly at the decadence of it all.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Happiness Is...

A trip to the home improvement store.

I had to pop into Lowes tonight to try to get a replacement garage door opener, since I so carelessly smashed to pieces my previous one (not really--it fell out of my pocket on a bike ride a couple days ago and the diode broke is all...but it sounds much better, and feels psychologically better, to imply that I willfully smashed it). I didn't get a replacement yet, on account of being completely clueless about whether we had an Intellicode system or not. Who knew you can't just take in the old one and say "Here, make it better!"? I'll go back tomorrow, now that I've done my homework, and pick up a nifty new remote that I will take much better care of now that I know how expensive they are.

Anyway. That second trip back will just allow me to bask once again in the glow of home improvement. I don't know if it's a "memories-of-the-house-in-OK"C thing, or just some wierd genetic "get things done around the house thing" from my parents, but I LOVE...LOVE...going into these types of stores. It's better than a candy shop. Better than a shoe store. Better, even, than an arts/crafts supply store. I love the smell of cut wood and paint and industrial strength cleaning products. I love to browse the powertools and make mental lists of stuff I want. I love to think about having our own house again and all the "customizations" we can do.

Tomorrow I may have to spend some quality time browsing. Although, I'll probably be too excited about coming straight home and programming my new Garage Door Remote. Good times. Good times.

Monday, October 09, 2006

...huh?

Creepy!

hrm. well. the page I initially linked to didn't require any memberships or secret handshakes. Basically, a genetically engineered to be less likely to cause allergies cat is just wierd. wrong. unnatural. google search it. you'll see.

Thanks Shannon!

I am a cliff hanger!
Find your own pose!



She always has the crazy quiz links, but I gotta say....It's true! It's true! We snuggle and chit chat, but when it's time to sleep--to the sides we go! Wacky stuff, this.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

I'm back!

From a jaunt to KCMO. That's my excuse for not writing, you see. Getting prepared for the trip, making sure the hounds were ready for the kennel, making sure all the loose ends were tightly bound. You know how it goes. But I'm back now, and I took notes (YES!) on Things I never Realised I Miss:

1) Giant fuzzy caterpillars crossing the highway. Giant. As in, "easily viewable from an oncoming car at 65mph", really really big, fuzzy, caterpillars. I think they're poisonous too, but that's a different list.

2) Barns. Real barns. Old barns. Barns with lots of hay in them. Or lots of rotting wood. I love and miss old barns

3) Redtailed Hawks. One on every highway sign, it seems. They are just a nice reminder of what is wild and just out of reach.

4) Not just green. Olive green, lime green, pea green, teal green...every colour of green you can imagine (and some I never would). And oranges, reds, and yellows. Fall had just started to happen in Missouri, and it is a lovely sight.

5) Everywhere ponds! Water water everywhere. Little ponds, big lakes, creeks, streams, you name it. It's pretty. It's wet, and it means FISHIN!

6) Wierd livestock. I'm sure there is some around here, but in Missouri you can't throw a rock without hitting an Emu or an Ostrich or some other form of exotic livestock. It's both completely disconcerting and totally natural at this point.

7) Roadside produce/nut stands. All along the highway--yes Interstate 71, even-- there are tiny little "stands" that farmers set up to sell their tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, pecans and whatever else they happen to grow. Often the "stand" consists of little more than the tailgate of the pickup and a patio umbrella. I've never stopped at one, but man I miss seeing them.

Things I Don't Miss:
1) Billboards. I never really realised it, but there are no billboards in Scottsdale/N. Phoenix. At least not on the main highway. North Kansas City has digital billboards now--aren't they swanky? I was pondering the fact that we don't have any digital billboards here when Russell pointed out that we don't have any billboards period. And there was much rejoycing.

2) A church every 100 yards. There are a LOT of churches in Missouri. You really can't get out of sight of one before you see another looming up. I'm all for people being able to worship as they please, but when there come to be that many churches you start feeling, well, put upon, you know? One house actually had the 10 Commandments attached to its mailbox. Another town was advertising "GIG Fest". Dad and I were thinking they were going to go down to the creek and gig some frogs, but no...it's "God Is Good Fest". That is something I don't miss--having religion shoved down my throat at every turn.


It was a great great trip and I wish I was back there now. It's a glorious sunny day here, and I've been for a bike ride and trimmed the bushes in the front yard already, but I'd sure not mind sitting on the deck at my folks' house, mosquitos or no. Or hanging out at Casa Leatherbury with my best friend and her crazy baby that I love so much.

11:11am. Time to make the day happen.