Country and who's queen?

A friend of mine, http://notesfromthefrugaltrenches.com/ lives in England, and although I've no desire to go back and live there, (been there, done that, have the ex-husband and chicklet from there, moving on...) I do miss the countryside. We lived near Marble Arch in London proper and when we did make a trek out country way, I was amazed at how much I secretly loved it and wondered if someday in my oldness I would ever want to live in the country. The views are spectacular, the people, for the most part, warm and friendly, and the slow steadiness of it all was and I must say is still now, quite appealing. I am a suburbs girl at heart, I know, not too much in the city but close enough to get my nightlife on. Country living will have to wait a little while longer, meanwhile, I live vicariously through her photographs of the gorgeousness that is Devon, England
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The chicklet and I had lunch with a few of her friends on Saturday before Founders Ball (a formal dance at her Uni). It was good fun, her friends were lovely to meet finally and I still miss her bunches. Good things she's coming home for the weekend in two weeks. She's sent off letters to some med schools to find out if the track she is on at uni is filled with the prereqs for admission when the time comes. Who knew, my chicklet, a D.O. ( http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?pageID=ado_whatis )
I'm kind of dead proud really.
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My friend http://www.remodelingthislife.com/ had a link love post up the other day, I was brave today and added a link to here -- I don't do much in the way of promoting the blog, because a)I think I should probably have more photos in it and b)it's just me, it can't be all that exciting... but I took a leap of faith and I appreciate that she offered the opportunity. You should go visit her, she does always remind me that indeed, simple is beautiful
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Tris Cabin from Ideal Standard
There isn't much more decadence that I need if I had one of these. I have been having neck/shoulder pain for the last three years now, I have nerve problems and have found that a sauna treatment every once in a while does amazing wonders. Some people need meds, me, 30 minutes spent in a sauna, and I can take on anything. Yet another thing to put on my list for "when I am queen...I shall have/do/make happen..."
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Alas, I am not queen yet, and therefore, my day tomorrow looks like this:
1) Breakky with my most super fun, super smart friend, my sister Laura,
2) Take Buzz (the car) to get an oil change
3) Go to Walmart and pick up printer ink and a few other things
4) Grab my mother, go to Target and pick up a few things and drool over the Liberty of London new stuff that Target is only carrying
5) Pay bills
6) Work on logo and get pricing for cards, labels etc.
7) Purge paperwork and magazines still laying about
8) Kitchen floor - hard core scrub/mop
Yes, indeed not queenly at all I'd say, but a productive day nonetheless. To end it, I am rewarding myself with the some episodes of "Carnivale" (Love Nick Stahl, I do), Thank God for Netflix :) Have a brilliant brilliant.

Link Love, Stolen 26

I just read a really interesting post at http://www.bripblap.com/ .. Wealth Work and Life Success The Brip Blap blog -- about quitting soda. I am a Diet Coke fiend and am having the absolute worst time at trying to even cut down much less quit it all together, so this was a good read and inspiration for my resolutions. I am trying to break up with all soda (and as I don't care for lemony-lime drinks like Sprite or Sierra Mist, Diet Coke is my one arch enemy) in the New Year, so I will refer back to this post again I am sure. I love the blog anyway, but this hit home for me.
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Things have been so very busy, I feel bad that I haven't been blogging as much as I would like. I promise that I will do better. Come the New Year, the house wifi and computers etc. will be all sorted out and I will be able to do posts at 2 a.m. if the mood comes over me, alas, right now, that option isn't available to me unless I move in here, my parents house, and that, my friends isn't going to happen. Bear with me.
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http://myparentswereawesome.tumblr.com/ While giving link love, I thought I'd bring this one up. Photos of your parents are priceless and fun when you look at them, now think if we all were able to look at them as well. "Dude! Your parents WERE indeed awesome!"
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Today-more holiday shopping, cards finished up so I can mail them on Monday, bank deposits, bookstore, laundry and trying to keep dry. We got hit with some serious rain and lightning the last few days. Chel is in the lightning capital of Florida (I think it might be the Lightning capital of the USA- Lakeland, FL) AND she has been sick and achy the last week and a half so the storm didn't help her out at all either. I know we need the rain, but come on, I think we've cleared the deficit now. I suppose I shouldn't complain as there are friends up north, who are shivering the night away as it's already snowing.
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http://www.myspace.com/anthonyraneri -- "Ballad of Bill The Saint" on Ant's player. Quite possibly the best I have ever heard him. yes, it's Ant from Bayside. I know, you were surprised weren't you?
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Stole this from Frugal Dreamer http://www.frugaldreamer.com/
Last Movie I Saw In A Movie Theater? I'm seeing Boondock Saints on Sunday, so I'll go with that one, but I know it was "Fantastic Fox" or something like that with George Clooney in it.
What Book Are You Reading? Been WAY to busy to read books, but was able to get through The Goddess Guide - Gisele Scanlon http://www.amazon.com/Goddess-Guide-Gisele-Scanlon/dp/0061434957 I can flip through a magazine quickly and read blogs like there's no tomorrow but haven't read a book in a while.
Favorite Board Game? Monopoly
Favorite Magazine? I read WAY to many, but I do love Lucky, Vanity Fair, Allure and First the best.
Favorite Smells? French Vanilla Candles from White Barn Candle Company - alas they are no more, so now just french vanilla candles.
Favorite Sounds? Good live music, Soundtracks to films I love, my daughter's laugh
Worst Feeling In The World? When I have to say no to my daughter
First Thing You Think of When You Wake? I hope it’s not raining! ( Stole that one from Frugal dreamer as well ;))
Favorite Fast Food Place? McDonald's
Future Child’s Name? Boy: Liam Girl: Evelyn (Evie)
Finish This Statement—“If I Had a Lot of Money,” I'd buy you a green dress... (Barenaked Ladies... - "If I had a million dollars") - No really, I would give 2/5 to my parents, 1/5 to my sister,1/5 to Chelsea and put the rest in a savings account so I will have something to live on when I am old and grey :)
Do You Drive Fast? For the sake of honesty in this blog, I'll go with yes.
Do You Sleep With a Stuffed Animal? No
Storms—cool or scary? It depends, am I outside in them, either in the car or physically outside, the WAY NO!. If I am inside (and hopefully all my loved ones are as well..) and preferably in bed, then MOST Definitely.
What Was Your First Car? Chevy Malibu my father handed down to me.
Favorite Drink? Diet Coke. preferably from a fountain soda machine
Finish This Statement—“If I Had the Time, I Would…” Take more photos
Do You Eat the Stems on Broccoli? That's pretty much the only reason why I eat broccoli.
If You could Dye your Hair Any Other Color, What Would It Be? This makes me laugh as I have been dying my hair since I was 13, so I'll go with the light brown with blond highlights that I usually dye my hair now with.
Favorite Sport to Watch? I don't usually watch sports anymore, but if I was back into it, Baseball, Tennis, College Basketball (GO DUKE, GONZAGA and FLORIDA SOUTHERN!)
What’s Under Your Bed? NO IDEA, I'm not going under there to look either... no, really, dust bunnies I think.
Would You Like to Be Born As Yourself Again? Only if was allowed to know what I know now and be able to make some changes in decisions.
Morning Person or Night Owl? HOOT HOOT - Night Owl ALL THE WAY.
Over Easy or Sunny Side Up? I can only eat eggs scrambled well.
Favorite Place to Relax? In bed, with piles of notebooks and magazines and books, and catalogs surrounding me.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor? I quite like Mint Choc chip, but I do love Haagen Daas Strawberry
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My mothers house is all decorated. My sister deserves all the credit. Not only are all my mother's Santas up, the tree is done, some of the presents are wrapped and on the living room coffee table anxiously waiting their turn to be put under the tree, (we don't put them under the tree till much later as they have to be arranged as we all take turns opening one by one, youngest to oldest and we don't want all the presents for one person all in one corner of the tree skirt-- it's all very complicated, but it's tradition and it works for us, so...) I'm so excited, Christmas, for me by far, is the best holiday ever! I hope everyone is having fun with their holiday traditions and celebrations. Have a brilliant brilliant tomorrow!
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Sunday Sunday and who made you God?, GBC

Excellent music on the ride home Friday! "Keep Me Hanging On"-Kim Wilde's version, "Chains Of Love"- Erasure, "Too Shy Shy"- Kajagoogoo and "Sentimental Street" - Night Ranger to name a few. Yes, it was Friday night 80's on Mix 107.3, and yes, I knew almost every word of all of those songs. Who doesn't love the 80's?!

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Not usually political or uber religious in this blog, or in my life but I do have a few points I stand strong on and this is one of them. The fact that Patrick Kennedy has been denied his right to take communion by this jackass Dioceses Bishop (on the left Thomas Tobin)because of Kennedy's stance on abortion rights has me steamed beyond all means. This means Kennedy cannot take Communion in Rhode island, he'd have to leave his own state to participate. I am pro choice and not a catholic, but even if I was catholic, I would still be pro choice. No Bishop, Priest or Altar Boy is standing in my way of taking Communion if I so choose to do so. By the way, I was baptized Baptist, and although I don't attend church as often as my mother would like, I still maintain a relationship with God, and HELLO, a BISHOP is NOT GOD, (and in my opinion is unnecessary in one's relationship with GOD) therefore, I would still take communion on the first Sunday of every month if I so choose. Church and State people, Church and State.... where does he get off?
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Black Friday is coming! I will be working so I will not be participating in the chaos that is this fine tradition of consumerism. As it is, the majority of my shopping will be done online, with a few things bought here and there as I can get to them on days off. I am lucky in that my family sends each other and email or tells each other clearly what we'd like or need and then we all work from that list. Just because something is on the list, doesn't mean you'll get it, but you might so put it on the list is pretty much the rule. It works for us and that way nobody is running around trying to find "The Perfect Gift" for someone who just can't make up their mind of what they want.

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My L wrote that we only have 6 weeks to go till the end of the year. Can I tell you something? I looked at a horoscope sometime in September 2008 (when I was still unemployed) and it said that all the job drama would be finished by end of October 2009. I was offered the job on the 30th of October and started the 9th of November. Freaky? I think so. 6 weeks and I don't feel rushed, I don't feel like if I don't finish everything will go up in smoke. There's always next year. 2010, we have so much we can accomplish, I cannot wait! I have so many plans and you know what, this year I'm actually able to accomplish pretty much everything I have set out to do for me and mine. You can't imagine the peace that gives me. It's been a long 2 years, and I have learned soooooo much from those two years. Mistakes made, actions noted, won't make them again. I can assure you that.

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Just got back from Target - clothes shopping for work, haven't done that in a long time so it was nice to buy some clothes for me and not have to justify it to terribly to myself.

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Got a lot accomplished last night - dishes done, laundry two loads, the GBC in the family room as far as magazines is almost done, cleaned out both cars, took out trash, will continue on tonight. I know Sunday nights are supposed to be to relax before the chaos that is a Monday morning, but I'd rather be able to come home to a cleaner, more organized house. Have a Brilliant Brilliant.

Halloween 2009

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! I hope everybody had a brilliant time! I know we did.

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Popped into the new H&M store in Florida Mall today, so many cute clothes. In fact in the back there was a whole wall display that for all intensive purposes could be my Fall wardrobe once I lose more weight. I need to get down a size and I should be good to go. So many gorgeous sweaters and vests and jackets and L had this sweet wrap dress that looked amazing on her. It's been so long since I had a good clothes shop, but I'm not prepared to do it until I am back down to my reasonable weight/size in my head to spend that kind of money. When I do though, watch out H&M!

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This is my mother and father on Pirate night on Disney's cruise ship The Wonder, it was my mom's 2nd cruise. She loves traveling anyway but to be on a cruise, she enjoys it even more. When you can get my father stoked about stuff like that as well, it's amazing, so YAY! Crazy people, I love them. My mother came in yesterday, then my father comes home end of December, Chel will be back for Thanksgiving and Christmas as well, but till then it's just my mother, my sister and I, and that means a LOT OF LAUGHTER. I am stoked to see her. I show you this photo because this is what she wore last night when she and my sister went to Downtown Disney to do the trick or treat thing. My mom...is awesome.
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November, here we come :)