Birthday Craziness

Okay, we're actually a tame bunch when it comes to birthdays. We always do something very nice but it's not a blow-out party with pony rides and clowns.
Steve's daughter had her 18th b-day yesterday and we put together a nice evening at a very posh restaurant.
It's Martini Bay, and it is a beautifully put together hip little joint that overlooks the water of the lake and the London Bridge. The decor is very modern, with low lights and metal and wavy furniture. We had Stormy's 16th B-day there and couldn't think of a nicer place to have this one. I reserved the private room that's off to the side, it has a long table and dark walls with fantastic vases and arrangments here and there.

But, oh, the cake....



My friend Heather and I designed a cake that had zebra stripes and polka dots. Heather worked her tail off to have the layers just right and she hand-cut the pieces for the decoration. And she added the little boingy balls as a bit of flair for the top layer.

And guess what was hidden INSIDE the cake....



Zebra stripes!

Yep, Heather, it's time to start doing the cakes a bit more. Time to start advertising!

Kitty Meow Meow is a Scofflaw

Pie Ideas

These ideas were posted on the Be Different Act Normal blog (I link to it down below on the right) and if my skills are worth ANYTHING in the kitchen, I will manage to do at least two of the designs next week on T-day. That's Thanksgiving, for you lay people.




A couple of years ago a pie was featured on the front of a cooking magazine and it had little cut-out cookies of maples leaves on the top of the pie. So I searched everywhere, paid waaay too much, got my maple leaf cookie cutters on the internet somewhere. And used them once. This year, they're coming out of the cookie cutter drawer.

Got Some Money This Week

Yes, after several months of barely breaking even I started making a profit again. So I promptly took that profit and spent it. Spent it ALL.

I got a new bike to ride to the kick boxing class, it's lightweight and it's foldable. So if I want to fold it up and put it in the trunk of my car, I can. Very cool. Shay decided to take it out and thrash on it. Sort of like giving it a stamp of approval:



Oh of course the front yard needed something. SOMETHING....hmmmm. How about a skull?
Yeah!!


Well, and probably the most important of my purchases was the camera I took these pictures with. I've been borrowing one since mine was stolen in June, and then Steve lost that one. Now I'm happily snapping photos again. Without using my stupid phone...

Twisted Intestines

Do you let things bother you, to the point of a stomach ache? I mean, like, a knotted, twisted feeling in the pit of your stomach and there's nothing you can do to stop it?
I'm always surprised to hear that many people do that. I certainly do. I let something bother me, then I worry about it, then I lay awake at night and worry some more. After a day or two I've got stomach problems that won't go away. And it's usually something bothering me that I can't just fix with a wave of a wand.
I like to joke that I worry about things out of my control like the fate of the little bunny who lives in the bushes across the street. But really I worry about EVERYTHING in my life. EVERYONE.
I've convinced myself that nothing lasts forever, and I get myself sick anticipating the moment when something or someone proves me right.
I have learned that attempting to minimize the worry only makes it worse. And it will take a freight train to drag it out of me.
I used to be so confident, but then things kept happening that made me realize there are very few things in life that a girl can be confident about. Death, taxes, etc.

Well that just stinks.

Redneck Parts Storage

I've heard of guys parking their motorcycle in the house. I KNOW someone who has an engine block in his bedroom.
But it's never hit home. Not till now.



I opened the freezer and saw this. After I'd been out of town for a few days. Hmmm...

Marilyn Monroe's Dress

After my training day down in Phoenix last week, I drove to nearby Mesa, Arizona to see some friends. I say "nearby" but what it actually took was 90 minutes to get there.

The neighborhood was having a fundraiser for the Rocky Point, Mexico animal shelter, and during some conversation I learned that one of the neighbors has Marilyn Monroe's black dress from her Playboy shoot.

So I snapped a photo with my camera. I was apparently unaware that my camera lens had a smudge on it. But you get the idea...

This Little Piggy

The Waldo's barbecue restaurant finally opened out at the airport this past weekend. And rumor has it, SOMEONE excitedly volunteered to be the dancing pig out at the corner of the highway.
Rumor also has it that this particular rump roast shook her tail so much she put her hip out.