July 01, 2005
OnThe Road AGAIN....
DH and I are in Harrison, OH: exactly 1 mile from what would be our 6th state of the day.... but that will have to wait until tomorrow.
For those of you keeping track, that's NC, VA, WV, KY, and now OH... and more different freeways than I can count....
The Princess has been very good so far, she even helped her Daddy get $$ today!
Next stop: La Crosse, WI, and if all goes well, dinner with my blogchild.
After that:
7/3 Rapid City, SD
7/4 Billings, MT
7/5 Spokane, WA and hoping to meet up with these folks
7/6 Medford, OR
7/7 Fresno, CA (my parent's house)
7/8 Pasadena, CA (to meet the potential landlords)
7/9 Fresno, CA.
You'll forgive me if I don't see you until the 10th or so :)
The moving went really, really well. The movers were really nice and very efficient and careful. I can't say enough how nice they were. It remains to be seen how well I like them after we get the stuff.....
One last funny before I go...
I couldn't get a photo of the sign because there was a truck in the way, but there is a State Park in KY called Big Bone Lick.... and it's in Richwood.
Draw your own conclusions.....
July 02, 2005
Road Diaries Day 2
Let it never be said that I mince words:
Chicago Sucks!
It took us 2 and a half hours to get from the toll road entrance in Gary, IN to Elgin, IL.
Arrgh. I suppose there was some consolation. The weather was in the mid-70's, sunny, and breezy, so when we were stopped in traffic we had the windows rolled down and had such a nice breeze. Also, western WI is just beautiful, except that whole tourist-trap-waterparks-and-casinos part in the Wisconsin Dells.
The Princess is doing well, and today she even seemed comfortable in the car, but how much of that is actual comfort and how much of that is the sedatives is not clear...
For those of you keeping track, today was OH, IN, IL, and WI. We're 2 miles from MN, which will be first thing tomorrow.
Oh yeah, and I had ACTUAL White Castle sliders for the first time (as in not pre-frozen) last night for dinner.
Tonight was chicken tenders salad and ice cream at Perkin's courtesy of this gentleman. Thanks, Paul!
Today's funny:
I don't think I would patronize this particular establishment.... Not sure exactly what goes on there.....
July 04, 2005
No WiFi sucks
Yesterday's cheap ass hotel didn't have WiFi, so we were completly out of touch (evidently there's no Sprint PCS service in the ENTIRE state of SD...... Sheesh...)
But, as a compensation, I have LOTS of pictures. Yesterday was WI, MN, and SD. We stayed in Rapid City and made a SMART decision to stay the HECK away from Mt. Rushmore's fireworks display last night, and watched The Wizard of Oz on TMC instead.
We left La Crosse and crossed the Mississippi into MN, where rained all the way across the state. The clouds were interesting, though. We even saw the starship Enterprise
Two interesting things about SD:
1) They like to make big animal sculptures:
2)You always have to drive through town to get to any landmark:
The Corn Palace at Mitchell
World Famous Wall Drug
They're also a little behind the times....
South Dakota is beautiful, but very very long and very very straight....
We got up early this morning and drove out to Keystone and Mt. Rushmore. We got to the monument at 8am, and beat ALL the traffic.
Here's a couple of shots:
After some wandering, shopping, and picture taking, we left and stopped in Keystone at an amazing rock store and DH bought some native rocks, and the nice lady in the store told us where we could go pick up some more (legally) for free, so after we left there, we went rockhounding for a bit, then we were off. Stopped in Sturgis for gas and a bike week shirt (for the Princess) and set off for parts unknown.
Today was SD, WY, and MT, and we're currently in Billings, MT. Tomorrow we land in Spokane, and hopefully to meet up with these people.
Happy Fourth of July, everyone!
July 06, 2005
Rest Stop...
We're in Medford, OR, crashing and resting up for our last big road day tomorrow. We'll have lunch with a friend in Stockton, and hopefully arrive in Fresno tomorrow afternoon sometime. Then it's off to Pasadena to meet the potential future landlords and then back to Fresno for a few days.
Last night was our stop over in Spokane, where we had dinner with Margi and Mitch and The Boy. Between pasta and ice cream, we had a really great visit and laughed so much I think we chased people out of the restaurant!
And don't let her tell you she looks like a horse or a house or a whale, or anything else like that. You look great, sweetie!
Tomorrow home, and after the 8th or 9th, more pictures from the road....
July 07, 2005
F*ckers
Why can't you just go about your business, huh? Were any of these people PERSONALLY harming you? I didn't think so.
I hope you all fry for this.
Frankly, I'm surprised it was an islamic group. I would have thought it would be crazy eco-terrorists, seeing as they've been more forward in the UK and it is tied to the G8 meeting....
Go get 'em Tony!
We're Hee-eere
We're in Fresno. Safe and Sound.
Pictures tomorrow when my brain works and/or I get the wi-fi all hooked up to Mom's computer....
Now, if the folks we're supposed to meet with will just call back so we can get into our house....
:)
July 08, 2005
London Reaction Roundup
recent BFL addition Independent Sources has a nice round up of BFL reactions to the London bombings, including a link to Rusty's exhaustive efforts....(just keep scrolling)
July 11, 2005
Thanks, Fluffy (and Pixy)
During my jaunt across the country I got hit with a minor tidal wave of spam comments and a few trackback spams. Since I had about ZERO time to deal with it, I marked all of the errant bits and left them in the mailbox to be dealt with later. Imagine my surprise when I sat down to clean up the old blog this morning and found that ALL of them had been wiped already, except for a trackback spam that arrived this AM. Fluffy (the MuNu anti-spam watchdog) had scared them all away already.
There's a reason we pay that dog in prime steak.
July 14, 2005
Still here, still pathetic
I'm ok. GMT is ok. Princess is ok. We're just recuperating from the trip and suffering a massive case of the blahs. Not to mention that things are a little disjointed since this is not our house and the majority of our stuff is somewhere in NC waiting to go on the truck...
Trying to help my friend get her wedding together (it's on the 30th) and find a house to live in. The one we wanted looks like it isn't going to work out, although it would be perfect for us....
Once life gets a little more back to normal (aka moved in to our own place) blogging will resume in earnest. Really. I swear.
Chill Out!!
It's going to be 106 (that's Fahrenheit, folks) today in Fresno, so I thought I'd post a great cool-down recipe. I love Pina Coladas, and this is a great Pina Colada punch recipe for those summertime get-togethers, backyard barbecues, etc. It can be scaled down to make just a pitcher or you can make the whole enchilada for a big group.
Pina Colada Punch
Prep Time: approx. 20 Minutes. Makes 30 servings. Originally from allrecipes.com
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple (or chopped fresh if you've got it)
1 (8 ounce) can coconut cream
1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice
2 cups light rum (can be omitted, just add more juice/soda to make volume)
1 (2 liter) bottle lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
Directions
1 In a large plastic container, combine ice cream, crushed pineapple, coconut cream, pineapple juice and rum. Mix well and slowly stir in the lemon-lime soda. Freeze for 4 hours or until slushy. If you don't have a lot of time, mix all ingredients and blend until slushy in small batches in the blender. Freeze until serving.
July 16, 2005
Another Muggle Abduction....
As if I needed another reason to be off the computer.... Light posting until the mystery of the Half-Blood Prince is revealed.....
Oh, yeah and tonight is my 10 year HS reunion.... maybe I'll post some pictures.
Finally, DH needs all your good wishes and thoughts as he sits for his CSET exam so he can actually get a teaching job here in CA......
July 17, 2005
Exhausted
DH said the test went pretty well, and the reunion was fun. People were actually getting along....
Two comments from friends really sum up the night..."Either the assh*les were plastered or they kept it to themselves.." and "Wow, your class has less of a stick up its a$$ than my class did..."
Who else has been to a reunion and found it extremely creepy that:
1. Everyone instantly breaks up into the same groups as before
2. Said groups gravitate to the same parts of the room as before
3. You're sitting with the people you ate lunch with every day when you were 15, and you're discussing kids and houses and law school and grad school.
July 18, 2005
Harry Potter #6-- A review
Ok, so I in fact finished the book at 5pm on Saturday (I read pretty fast).
Short non-spoiler version: It's good. A cliffhanger, but better than #5.
Spoiler version below the fold
Read More "Harry Potter #6-- A review" »Oh yeah, one more thing...
For those of you who have gotten through the book....
Who do YOU think R.A.B. is?
My guess below the fold...
Read More "Oh yeah, one more thing..." »Why Gun Control Solves NOTHING
Stolen from fellow MuNu and BFL'er Mad Mikey:
If you consider that there have been an average of 160,000 troops in the Iraq theater of operations during the last 22 months, and a total of about 2,000 deaths, that gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000.
The rate in Washington D.C. is 80.6 per 100,000.
That means that you are about 25% more likely to be shot and killed in our Nation's Capitol, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation, than you are in Iraq.
Conclusion: We should immediately pull out of Washington D.C.
July 21, 2005
Need your input
ok, so my postdoc job fell through. I mean spectacularly.
So now, should we take the house or not?
Neither one of us has a job right now, although it's looking like DH will get one first....
Our furniture comes on the 28th (it's being delivered to storage)
So what should we do?
July 22, 2005
bleg interrupted...
DH HAS A JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WE ALSO GOT THE HOUSE. We sign the lease this afternoon.
Now as for me..... well, I have time to look and not worry so much, now.....
July 23, 2005
pictures!!!!
Here's our new house! (lots of pics in the extended entry....saves bandwidth)
Thanks for all the sweet comments and good wishes. I am going to relax and focus on getting myself a job now....
Read More "pictures!!!!" »
July 25, 2005
Bang! Bang!
This one is for all of you (probably 2 of you) who know what it means when I say, "It's Campfire Time!" in my Mr. Ratcliffe voice..... And anyone else who appreciates dark humor and/or the Beatles.....
Maxwell's Silver Hammer
(h/t Contagion)
July 26, 2005
odds and ends
There are a lot of things to blog about, but life keeps getting in the way....
Sorry.
I was hoping to get a chance to write about the shuttle launch this morning, but this will have to suffice since I have to take DH for his physical so he can get paid in his new job:
lump in throat (check)
goose bumps (check)
heart stop at "throttle up" (check)
amazing relief at the main engine separation (check)....
Weren't those pictures from the outside camera amazing? Makes you wonder why they never did that before..... If you missed the launch you can see it on yahoo! video all day via this link.
Also wanted to bitch about the Supreme Court Nom(s).... Anyone else laughing at the Dems having to eat it because of the so-called "Ginsberg Rule"??? Thanks Ruth. Thanks a bunch. As a corollary, SDO'C is one of my favorite justices because she has always been sane, unlike some who are more extreme on both sides. More on her departure some other time.
Finally, a shout out to Tony Blair for trying to force his fellow Britons to see what they've come to, and that terrorism is nothing new, and will not go quietly away, no matter what the attitude of Britain is towards muslims.
discuss....
July 27, 2005
Well, Duh...
Except I can't friggin' stand Jon Stewart or Woody Allen. And I've never actually seen "The Office". Love Office Space, though....
| the Wit |
| CLEAN | COMPLEX | DARK You like things edgy, subtle, and smart. I guess that means you're probably an intellectual, but don't take that to mean you're pretentious. You realize 'dumb' can be witty--after all isn't that the Simpsons' philosophy?--but rudeness for its own sake, 'gross-out' humor and most other things found in a fraternity leave you totally flat. I guess you just have a more cerebral approach than most. You have the perfect mindset for a joke writer or staff writer. Your sense of humor takes the most effort to appreciate, but it's also the best, in my opinion. Also, you probably loved the Office. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check it out here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/.
|
 |
My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
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| Link: The 3 Variable Funny Test written by jason_bateman on Ok Cupid |
(h/t Ben)
