inside your bathroom

cabinet - it isn't the most exciting thing to see but it was the challenge so here it is.

This is one of the cabinets.  A while back I decided to make labels.  It isn't that I need a label on something but a label just seems like it's easier to put something back where it belongs.  I'm learning here.

In the process of labeling I also did some rearranging.  I'm only 5'5" and the cabinet goes up to the ceiling so anything above the second shelf requires a ladder.  Everything is just about perfect for me now.

Yes, I have the old towels labeled too.  This is so Cosme can use those for his workouts and stuff.  (Notice they're also on the top shelf, not wasting any of the short people space.)

Today I have to drive to Webster or League City or somewhere over that way.  I never go that way so I don't really know which towns are which.  Alex Rodriguez Mercedes is there and my car needs an inspection sticker and a look over.  I don't mind taking my car to them because everyone there is so friendly and I know I'll drive away with a washed car.  Let's just hope that all goes well.  I'm also going to a Pampered Chef party tonight.  I'll finally get to order the small mixing bowl I've been looking at for about a year now.

yeah, yeah,

I know I just posted these shoes not too long ago but the topic for today is "your shoes".  I wear these shoes all the time and have been out running errands this morning and it's what I'm wearing now.

I feel a little bad now.  Not only do I not really have anything to talk about but I've posted a pic of something I've already shown.  Here, I'll make up for it...

A sleeping cat.

where you work is

today's topic.

Just because I don't leave the house for work everyday doesn't mean I don't work.  I work at home, unless I'm out running the roads to take care of business.  They don't call it housework for nothing.  When it's time for photography, I do it here.  I am always working at home.

Yes, I realize my front door looks bare.  I did have a potted topiary there for a long time but it was looking pretty bad so I waited a few months and threw it out.  I've been on the lookout for something I like.  Speaking of sprucing up the front door, my doorbell button is messed up so I bought a new one.  I found this one online and I really like it.  I wanted something more ornate than what's up there now.

I've researched how to change one out and it looks pretty simple.  It looks like all I need to do is flip the breaker off, unscrew the old, put the wires on the new and screw it on.  My only problem is I don't know which breaker cuts the power off to the doorbell.  Since the current one doesn't work, I can't flip and see which turns the lit up button off.  You know what though?  Now that I look at these two pictures of the door and the button, I'm wondering if it even matches.  UGH.

do you know how

hard it is to find a favorite photo of yourself?  That's the challenge for the day.  I don't even have a favorite photo of myself.  I'm pretty sure I've never sat around thinking about which photo of myself I like the best.  I just went through a box of my grandmother's photos and picked one.

I don't think I've changed much.  It's not the best quality since it's an old picture and I took a picture of it through Instagram.  I sure hope tomorrow's topic will be easier.

today it's about

handwriting.  Since I always have food on the brain and am in the middle of making lasagna, my grandmother's recipes came to mind.  My grandmother was always cooking and it was always good.  She even made liver when I was a kid and I liked it.  This recipe isn't one of my favorites but it's been through a lot and some of the handwriting has taken a hit.

I personally hate bread and butter pickles.  Another thing they always made was fig preserves.  I use "they" because I think the pickles and preserves were mainly my grandfather's thing.  I have my grandmother's recipes but I've never been able to find the one for fig preserves.  I don't like those either but Eric does.  I always wanted to make some for him but until I come across that recipe, I won't make any.  I know he likes this one and that's the one I will use.  If I never find it then I will never make fig preserves.  (Stubborn?  Definitely.)

something you don't like

to do, that's the theme for today.  I thought about household chores I would love to do without but then I thought of something else I REALLY don't like to do.  I hate using public restrooms.

anyone could have

guessed a cat would eventually get into the photo-a-day challenge.  Today's word is drink.

time is the word of

inspiration today.

Not only does the watch represent time but I just happen to have this old Emily Post book out.  (Yes, I was looking something up earlier.)  This book is Emily Post's book for young people.  It is clearly from another time.

Last night we were watching tv and a Mazda commercial came on.  I really liked the song so I had to search it immediately.  This is it.  The crowd is a little obnoxious but the song is good.

Speaking of guitarists, when we saw Buddy Guy a few years ago, there was a guitarist that opened for him.  We saw Honeyboy Edwards.  There was a lineup of everyone that died in 2011 during the Grammy awards the other day.  (Not that died during the awards but throughout 2011.  The lineup was shown at the Grammy awards.)  Honeyboy Edwards died last year.  You know who also died?  Doyle Bramhall.  I saw him perform in Surfside in 1993.

once upon a time

I needed a drill.  I wanted to hang something in the guest/cat room and I wanted my own drill.  I went down and bought a drill.  It was all mine.  I put it back in its box and that was it.  That drill wasn't around for too long.  Somehow it got used and disappeared.  I went and bought a new one.  None of this really matters but I just wanted to give a little back story to the picture for today's challenge, something new.

"Drill, baby, drill."

the daily inspiration is

phone.

I've gotten a lot of use out of this phone.  It's been photographed MANY times.  I know I've probably posted several pictures of it but hey, be thankful the word for the day wasn't "cats"...

in honor of

Valentine's Day, the word of inspiration is "heart".

I opted to not eat out but make burgers just so I could make heart-shaped burgers.  Eric has class this evening so I had to get to grilling pretty early.  Earlier in the day there was a special on Valentine dinner options on tv.  About that time I was questioning the heart burgers and was really wishing I was going out to have a filet mignon with maybe a side of bernaise for the occasional dip, along with a delicious side of creamed corn with pancetta...  sigh...  I can have that any old time though.  It's been cold and rainy a lot lately but today is a bright sunny day with a high of 73.  It's the perfect weather for grilling.  I didn't stop there.  I had to make heart-shaped brownies too.

saturday's inspiration

was "what makes you happy".  What made me happy on Saturday was doing absolutely nothing.  I went that morning and bought Breaking Dawn (which had been released at midnight), came home and plopped and started a Twilight marathon.  I enjoyed every minute of it.

Sunday's photo challenge inspiration was "inside your closet".

Today's inspiration is blue.  Since we saw Star Wars Episode 1 yesterday in 3D, the movie is still on my brain.  Today's pic is Eric's blue lightsaber chopsticks.

self portrait

for the 10th day.

I did it this way because I never have before.

I decided to make cinnamon rolls to send on my parents 40th anniversary camping trip this weekend.  I called my aunt and told her I was bringing some to her to take.  I then told my mom but she said someone else was bringing some along.  I sent a text to my aunt letting her know I wouldn't be sending them.  I had already started the dough but decided to just put it in the fridge and work at a slower pace and finish them today.  I talked to my aunt this morning and she said she knew the others would be there but she wanted mine too.  Oh well, it's too late.  They're leaving in an hour and I won't have them ready by then.  Now I'll have way too many pans of cinnamon rolls.  I think there might be a giveaway on Facebook to anyone willing to come pick them up in this nasty weather.

today's challenge is

front door.  Since it's a little chilly out I decided to get the inside view.

What surprises me most about this picture is that there isn't a cat staring out the door.

the word of inspiration

is sun.  I was having a hard time finding any.  But of course after I got my picture and shared and tagged it, boom.  Here comes the sun.

In the process of trying to find something out in the yard that looked interesting, I decided it was too cold for a walk today.  I got in my car and drove to get the paper and stopped at the park along the way.  People walk on a path at this park so I probably looked a little creepy getting out and going to the playground without any children.  Looking even creepier is the only thing that stopped me from sitting on one of the swings for a bit.

i didn't get around to

yesterday's picture because the word of inspiration was dinner and it was a little late by the time it got here.

It was fried shrimp from La Casona.  Yeah it seems a little weird to get fried shrimp and french fries from a Mexican food place but the La Casona in town has really good fried shrimp and they're even better when dipped in hot sauce.

Today's inspiration for the photo-a-day is buttons.  I was filling the car up this morning and saw some buttons.

today's inspiration

was 10am.  At 10:00 this morning I was getting set up for pics so I picked the end of my lens for the photo-a-day.

After two weeks to prepare, we finally had Senior Serve last night.  We were exhausted.  Eric made it in from his trip to Austin a few minutes before the show started.  I know he was stressed not only from running late but also because it was left to his friends to set up his equipment and check it all out and he was wondering if he remembered The Star Spangled Banner.  Although he was a little irritated with how it went, I thought it went well.

Lauren left this morning, Cindy and Earl came for me to get pics of Bailey, Mom and Dad stopped by on their way back home and after everyone left I got on the couch and took a 1.5 hour nap.  It was much needed and totally enjoyed.  I think I could use another day like this one.

Here's a pic of Bailey from this morning.  She wanted the camera.  I wish we could have gone outside but it it was a little chilly and windy.

the word for the day is

stranger.  Considering this person died way before my time, it is a complete stranger.

On another note, I've been busy all day getting ready for Eric's Senior Serve.  I'm exhausted but almost ready.  I need to make one more trip to the store and that should be it.  I don't know what I'd do if Lauren wasn't here helping me.  Oh wait, I'd probably be crying and taking Nerve Tonic every few hours.  As it is, there was an "oh crap" moment but we solved the problem and avoided any meltdowns.  I hope the rest of the evening goes as smoothly.

today's inspiration is

hands.  So because it was raining cats and dogs earlier and I was running around like a dog and now I'm as tired as a dog (but I'm pretty sure I won't be begging like a dog to eat out tonight), I give you my hand... as a dog.

two days

in and I'm still on top of things.  I really hope it lasts.  Today's inspiration for the photo challenge is "words".

Lately, these are words I am VERY familiar with.

Apparently the groundhog saw his shadow so we'll have six more weeks of winter.  Considering the high for the next few days is 72, I say bring it.  It might extend the use of antihistamines but I'd prefer that over the 100+ temps coming up.

first day of the

month and here's my first for the February photo a day (challenge here).  The topic was "your view today".  Since it's only 8:30 and the day is just starting, I haven't seen a whole lot.  Where most people have regular morning routines, I really don't.  If there isn't a Real Housewives episode or Project Runway on dvr, I like to sit at the computer and eat my breakfast.  A lot of those mornings I get sucked into Pinterest.

As much as I'd like to wash my breakfast dishes and get back on the computer, it probably won't happen today.  There are clothes to be washed, floors to be swept, Senior Serve plans to be made and Netflix movies to be mailed back.  Guess I better get started.

tomorrow is the

first day of February.  I will try a photo challenge.  Remember how I wanted to do one for January but the month had already started?  Well, tomorrow I will do it.  It might not be with my camera and only with my Instagram app but I will do it.  Who knows.  Maybe I'll do it ONLY with Instagram and make that part of the challenge.  We'll see...

in about 1987

everyone (or at least a lot of people I knew) wore kung fu shoes.  I had some.  Although a lot of people wore the basic ones, I opted for Mary Janes.  Guess what I did.  I went and ordered me two pairs of kung fu shoes... Mary Janes, of course.  This time I got some with a print.

But I also had to get my 1987 basic black.

Next I think I might go for brown or leopard print.

excuse me for

my absence but it's been a little crazy around here.  You know those nights when you get in bed and you just think and maybe say, "ahhhhhh"?  I've had quite a few of those lately.  We've had Eric's 18th birthday lunch celebration, the actual birthday dinner, Mom ending up with pink eye, several trips to Houston and one of those trips being a full day of shopping and then there's the normal stuff that goes on each day.   I do have a couple of pictures from yesterday.

I heard clanking and knew the cats found something to play with.  I figured there was no harm in that.  When I made it to the living room I saw the clanking was a cup of water that had been knocked off the table.

After we got Mom into a doctor and back home with medicine, I drove to West Columbia to pick up egg rolls and a pan of noodles from our favorite manicurist.  I got to drive through this.

Last night we had Eric's birthday dinner.  He wanted Chinese food and banana pudding.  I ended up not making the dinner but drove to Pei Wei and picked up a family order of sesame chicken (his favorite dish) but we also had Vietnamese egg rolls and chicken with noodles that I picked up from the manicurist.  I know it was an unusual combination but it was his birthday and that's what he wanted.  If anyone is questioning why there aren't any pictures of the birthday boy then they've obviously never had a teenage boy.  Pictures are rare.

Now to get going for everything on the schedule for today...

i finally got the

picture I wanted... sort of.  Mom drove me around the block last night and I had my camera set but it wasn't going to happen.  I could've tried to work a little harder but we were stopped in the middle of the street in front of a stranger's house.  (Making us seem almost as creepy as the tree.)

Here's what I got with my camera.  You get the idea of how creepy this tree looks.  I really think this is the creepiest tree I've ever seen and the lighting only adds to the creepiness.  One could possibly imagine this tree coming to life, talking and grabbing a person.

As we drove off and got too far to back up down the dark, winding road, I remembered my phone in my pocket.  We drove back around the block and I got a better image.  It's not what I wanted but it's better than what I got with the camera.  Pretty creepy, huh?

To end this post on a lighter, cheerier note, I give you Strat.

okay, i did end

up with a picture for today.  Mom called and I made an unplanned trip to Houston to pick up a part for the RV.  I didn't take my camera since the battery needs charging but I did have my phone along with its many apps.  I pulled off on 521 and took this app enhanced photo of the dreary weather today.

If that doesn't make you want to curl up with hot chocolate, a blanket, the remote and lots of good tv, then I just don't know.

i have no picture to

show.  I wanted to show one but wasn't able to get it because the lights were out.  I'll try to get it tonight.  Even though I don't have anything to show, I do have a few things going on.

It's that time of year where I rely on Zyrtec D to get me through the day.  Sinus pressure, itchy watery eyes, sore throat from drainage, it's all here.  The problem with Zyrtec D is I can't take it at night because it makes me restless.  I have the same problem with Tylenol PM.  I toss and turn and feel itchy.  So since it's a 12 hour pill, I take one early and hope it gets me through the day.

Today is the first day of Eric's last semester.  I'm positive I'll cry at graduation because I'm a cryer.  I get angry and I cry.  I get sad and I cry.  I get stressed and I cry.  I get scared and I cry.  The strange thing is, sometimes I react by uncontrollable laughter.  I'm one extreme or the other.  Don't judge me.  Nobody's perfect.

I'm excited but feeling a little sick because we're getting rid of cable this week and getting AT&T U-verse.  I'm excited because AT&T has so much more to offer and U-verse sounds pretty awesome.  It has so many more channels and so many more HD channels compared to what we have.  And however internet awesomeness is measured, it'll have more of that too.  It makes me feel a little sick because I have to call and end the relationship with our local cable company.  I dread going in and turning in our equipment and facing them so I think I might send Eric.  They've always been nice and helpful and quick to respond to problems.  One time I had the cable guy come and fix whatever I messed up on with our sound system and wiring.  He came while I was out Christmas shopping and I called home to ask Eric if he'd come yet.  Eric told me he finished and they were playing video games.  Well, it wasn't just the friendliness of the cable guy because that always seems to happen to Eric.  Anytime someone comes to deliver or do work, they always start conversations with Eric.  He even made an online video game buddy with the pizza delivery guy.  He doesn't get that from me... or Cosme.  Anyway, I hate to break up with the cable company.  I don't think it'll be as bad as breaking up with the yard guy.  It's not like the workers at CMA have any control over what channels they offer or the quality of the reception.  For now though, I need to catch up on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.  Speaking of which, next time I dvr it, it'll be in HD.  Woohoo!

for the past few

days I've wanted to go for an early morning drive with my camera.  I really thought it would happen this morning but it was way too cold.  I stay colder than everybody else so lately I've been doing a lot of layering.  Right now I'm wearing two shirts and one of those is warm and cozy like a big fleece blanket.  I was doing fine but my feet were freezing, as usual.  I remembered the emergency nor'easter friendly socks I bought in Boston and now I'm wearing those on top of my regular socks.  The bad thing is if anybody else was here, they'd be fine.  I'm sure they'd be wearing shorts and t-shirts.  The good news is that green is showing back up on the plants and winter will be gone soon.  The bad news is that green is showing back up on the plants and summer will be here soon.

i was carrying

the recycling things out to the garage but put them down for second.  I came back to this.  I think Lucille wants to be recycled.

here's a little back

story for you.  I have my grandmother's china.  I really like it and it looks like me.  A while back Mom mentioned some glasses that Grandma had that I also wanted.  When everyone came down for Christmas she found them boxed up in the shed.  Lauren brought them by and I knew something was up when she wanted me to get the box out of the trunk but had a smile on her face.  I could see the box had clearly been sitting in a backyard shed by certain debris left on it.  I did my best not to touch it and put it down just outside the garage door.  Once I put it down Lauren so kindly informed me of the snake eggs in the box.  AAUUGGHH.  The box has been sitting outside ever since.  I felt like anything that might have been living in it might be gone by now.  Plus, there is some nasty weather expected today and the glasses probably would be better off inside.

(Looking at the radar and out the garage, it looks like everyone but us is getting rain.  I know it has tornadoes and hail mixed up in it so I'm playing it safe.)  Anyway, bad weather and garbage day meant it was the perfect time for me to put gloves on and get the glasses out of the box and in from the weather.

This was mean of my sister but I guess I had it coming.  I've been known to do some pretty mean things...  which I've since apologized for and didn't really think something like this would be necessary.  I'm just saying...

This box apparently was nesting a whole village of snakes.  I put my gloves on and pulled the glasses out one by one and unwrapped them.  The newspaper was dated February 20, 1994 so these glasses had been packed away for a while.  I don't know how the whole snake egg-laying process works but that's a lot of eggs.  It was worth it though.  Although I haven't been able to bring them in from the garage just yet, the glasses are all unwrapped.

I don't know.  Part of me feels that letting them air out will serve a purpose.  I'm sure that's just some illogical thinking on my part but it makes me feel better so that's how I'm doing it.  Now I just hope they look good with my everyday dishes.

so i haven't

actually gotten around to the 30 day photo challenge.  At this point, being the 5th and all, I figure I should probably just wait until next month.  Only then I guess it won't be a 30 day challenge.  Oh well...

So here's the new lens towering over the 50mm that stayed on my camera 85% of the time.

I love it.  I haven't taken pictures of anyone in the house yet since that was part of my promise if I were to get it.  (You know, because everyone around here is aching to have their pictures made.)  So guess who the victims are.  Right.  After Lauren stayed in bed sick, I washed all the bedding.  First let me say I keep a plastic cover over the bed when not in use so the cats don't lounge around and get their hair all stuck in freshly washed bedding.  I got the sheets back on the bed but haven't gotten around to the quilt yet so the sheets are back on but covered with the plastic drop cloth.  (Give me a break, it's not like it's a room that people normally go in.  It's not like I have plastic on my couch.)  Anyway, the other day Eric noticed Lucille had pulled back the plastic to lay on the sheet.  I moved her and fixed it.  This morning I walked past the door and saw the same thing.

I reminded her she shouldn't do that.  (You know, because the cats understand everything I tell them.)  Then I look to Strat who is on the quilt that hasn't been washed.  He looked up at her and I asked why he let her do that.

He said, "HEY! How many times have I told you not to do that?"

Yeah, I don't expect anyone to believe that but you have to agree it kind of looks like that.  And it does fit into the story.  Anyway, he just looked up at me after that, knowing that he didn't need to get up from the quilt because now the sheets need to be washed again.

And those were the first few pics made with the new lens.

and...

photo-a-day fail.  Oh well, I came close.

And as fast as it came, Christmas went.

I asked for a new lens for my camera.  I opened a box to find this kid's camera inside.

I was sincerely stumped.  I know the look on my face was blank.  It was a gag gift and my lens is out for delivery.  Needless to say, I'm pacing today.  I keep walking past the door, knowing I'll have to sign for the lens.  I'm so excited.  And I think tomorrow I'll start with another photo challenge.  This time I'm taking baby steps and doing a 30 day challenge.