Oscar Night!

Modern Family's Oscar Charades

Posted to New York Magazine by video on February 27, 2011

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Pia hosted a combo birthday/Oscar party last night and it was a lot of fun (despite my dread at having to socialize during the Oscars, I enjoyed it)  Some of her friends brought their daughters along, and the girls dressed up for the big night in their best glittery duds.  Lucy also dressed up (in her Halloween pink ballerina/pig costume, which Katie turned inside out to showcase the satin-y side), and us three gals donned Disney Princess tiaras.

Our drinking game for the red carpet didn't work out too well, the designers we chose for the drinking part never got a mention.  So we pretty much stayed sober for the night in spite of our best intentions.  We had actually seen a number of the nominated movies, and were happy to see "The King's Speech" win the big awards (though there was a strong sentiment for "Winter's Bone" as well).  I still say "Inception" is stupid.

Happy Birthday, Kip and Megan!

Happy birthday to two more February babies!  Since I am not there to give you prezzies, I'm giving you this little gift: a picture of your mom.  I may have posted this one already, but it's so great I just have to give it to you again.  Lis & Kip, seems the apple does not fall far from the tree and now we know where Maddie gets her nakedini around the house...

Susna, what was our dog's name?  I'm having an old moment and can't remember. I also remember we had a black lab right? I do recall I used to eat his kibbles for some reason.  It's tough getting snacks when you have 8 siblings...

Happy Birthday, P!

On a cold night in Coeur d'Alene Id, 35 years ago, this girl made her entry into the world. 

She's still rocking the sassy look -- note that carefully mussed hair with perky headband, the slightly askew camisole under the stylishly baggy t-shirt/sweatshirt thingy.  And the smile, that is still the same.

Love you Peeps!  Quit getting older please.

Yep.

www.nataliedee.com

Snowpocalypse!

The view out our front door, just the beginning.  We are supposed to get 8" today.

Checking the price of a one-way ticket to Roatan...

Little Dog Turpie

Katie & I were debating over the name "Turpie" for a dog.  I put it in my top 2 (right after Sam Evans), while Katie says even GARY is a better dog name.

History: when we were kids, we begged our dad to tell us the story of The Hobyahs.  We LOVED this story, probably because it is super-grisly and lots of people get killed/dismembered.  Great bedtime tale.  Anyways, the hero of the tale is Little Dog Turpie.  Our oldest sister, the 4-H Queen, had a cairn terrier whose 'official' name was something like Dutch King of Bothell.  But we always called him Turpie, which infuriated her.  So we'd make a point of doing it all the time, natch.

Well, our Turpie was a fine dog, who met a sad end thanks to his mortal enemy Sam Evans (see above: Dog Names I Love).  And if I ever get a dog, it's going to have one of these names.  Or Gary.

The Lonely Doll

Certain things can take you straight back to childhood...

I was looking at new patterns on Ravelry, and someone had created a pattern for a scarf based on one knit by The Lonely Doll.  Wow, flashback.  I immediately returned to my childhood, the Herseths' house (our good friends who lived up the road in the BEST house ever, with the most wonderful parents, Dr. John the dentist and the incomparable Betty of the mega-dimples and warm heart), and this book.  The Herseths had it, and I must have read it a zillion times there.  I guess I really identified with Edith, the Lonely Doll, because I get tears in my eyes just looking at the picture.  I'm going to have to buy the book and knit the scarf.

Betty passed away recently, but I have so many wonderful memories of her and her home.  I didn't really fit in with her confident, boisterous gang of children, but she was always kind to me and I loved her dearly. Dr. John taught me to swim, fixed my teeth (though he was of the old school dental-wise, which has made me require nitrous for x-rays and teeth-cleaning).  Freda, Bia, Liz and Johnny, you guys figure in many of my childhood memories and I always thought you were just about perfect.

We're Not Fans

Katie & I worship Toddlers & Tiaras (aka "Prostitots").  Pia boycotts for some crazy reason.

The megastar of this show is 4 year old Eden Wood.  We call her "Tankersley".  And don't get why she is THE one to beat at all these pageants.  Her Las Vegas act is getting OLD, change it up, Eden! 

Lucy did ask me to buy her this, though.  I guess one of us is a member of her fan club.  Team Mackenzie and her "ne-ne"!

All Kinds of Awesome

Katie is my hero (you too Peeps, for providing the cable service), she recently figured out how to get Netflix on the wii. 

So I have learned how to use a wii controller (kind of, I still have the old lady shakes when I try to point the damn thing) and have all kinds of great stuff in our 'queue'.  Most of which wouldn't interest anyone else in the slightest (think a whole list of Ken Burns documentaries) BUT we have added these to our Must See TV list:

1. Dexter Season 1 (I was pretty creeped out on the first ep, but I'm hooked now)

2. The British "Office" with Ricky Gervais.  Brills.

3. One of my all-time favorite movies "Big Night", which is super hard to find and expensive on dvd, but voila! On Netflix.

4. "Pillars of the Earth" miniseries.

5. Some PBS shows that I enjoy so will save them for when Lulu and I are home during the day (she does love her British programs): Miss Marple and "Downton Abbey".  We'll be totes ready for Kate and Wills' wedding after watching these!

Heart

Susna just sent me this Valentine's Day Card.  LOVE.  Totes reminds me of the cards we'd give out when we were in grade school.  Good times.

Boo!

I had hoped to collect some unemployment benefits, but of course the state ix-nayed me, because I "didn't have a good reason" to quit my job.  I'm appealing bc I think I DO have a good reason (hours way reduced...) but will need lots of finger-crossing to get any bucks out of WA State, I'm sure :-(

Surprises

When you are poor, you have to get a little creative on gift-giving occasions.  So, Pia, I have a surprise for you!

Katie, I already put all your clothes away last week, so will have to come up with something for you...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you all have a happy V.D.  No plans here, other than walking with Lucy to the post office.  But she's excited about it.

Today's Favorite Flow Chart

Victorian Writers Club

There are all kinds of fun knitting clubs one can join (with all kinds of ways to part you from your hard-earned dollars).  I just got my first package from the Victorian Writers Club.  The idea is each knitalong is designed to go with a Victorian book; you get a fun package with a special yarn, an exclusive pattern and a bunch of little things that go with the book.

Our first readalong/knitalong is Sherlock Holmes' "The Sign of the Four".  I am listening to it on my Ipod, and my "Sherlock Holmes Mystery Kit" package just arrived.  It's so cute!

I received: one skein of hand-dyed Zen Yarn Garden Sock Yarn in "Hound of the Baskervilles" (a mahogany sort of color), a pattern for "The Sign of Four" socks, A Sherlock notebook in which to jot down my own curious incidents, a zippered pouch with clocks on it, a little round wooden box with clock pattern, an orange and clove scented Sherlock soap, a stitch marker, a Sherlock pen, a Sherlock bookmark, a Sherlock pin, and a Sherlock gift tag. 

Elementary, My Dear Watson!  I want to start this immediately, but have a long list of other projects I must do first.  But maybe I can sneak it in...

Karl Pilkington's Long Suffering Girlfriend

Katie & I, like countless others the world around, wonder what Suzanne looks like.  And how she puts up with Karl.

This is allegedly a picture of Suzanne's hand.  And here's a bit from "Pilkepedia":

"The couple met while they were working at Key 103, a radio station in Manchester. She gave Karl 20p for hot chocolate, and later he did some editing for her and she bought him another hot chocolate. "Next thing I know, she's livin' with me" said Karl. Ricky joked that because Karl hasn't spent any money on Suzanne in eleven years, he's at least 40p up"

Super Star!

I forgot to blog about this, but it's rich...

On our way home from San Antonio, Katie and I were in the bulkhead seats of the plane from Phoenix to Spokane.  Perfect place to watch people getting on the plane.

So I spotted our local weatherman (the one I think looks kind of like a pedophile).  And I leaned over and whispered to Katie (apparently uber loud) "ISN'T THAT GEORGE MAUPIN?"

George must have been pleased to know he was recognized, bc when he passed by our aisle, he tapped me on the shoulder and said "Happy to be going home to Spokane?"

LOL, I should have yelled "aren't you that pedophile weatherman?" But I let him have his moment in the spotlight.

PS. Thanks Katie for the perfect picture.

PSS. George if you google yourself and read my blog, JK buddy.

The Bar Has Just Been Raised

For our dogs. Chaser the Border Collie is amazing! I'm not sure I know 1,000 words...

Another Finished Project

Finished the Shedir Hat.  I love this color, it's a pale seafoam green (look more blue in the picture).  For some reason, my cast on edge looks kind of terrible.  Oh well. 

Do This. Today.

found this on Apartment 34 the blog I'd write if I were stylish, chic and rich.

Finito!

I finished my store sample sweater today and it looks pretty good.  Katie dreamed I finished it, so that came true.  However, the part of the dream where she was chasing me around trying to take a picture while I was wearing it has not come to pass.Way to go, Nostradamus Longinotti.

Super Sunday

I had a little Super Bowl Party yesterday -- Jon and the P. gang came over!  It was soooo great to see the boys, it's been over a month and I'm sure they have all grown into giants.  Here are some pix from our party (thanks Katie!):

For some reason, Lucy's kennel is a favorite spot, the boys always crawl in there and enjoy getting 'locked down'.  Hmmm, why didn't I bring this along with me when I was babysitting?  Love Mike P's ratty hair; he must rock  his head when he sleeps just like me.  We had lots of presents for the boys from our travels, including cool bracelets that Pia picked out in Roatan, Texas Longhorn Silly Bandz, a stack of Magic Treehouse books for my reader Liam, a "Ben 10" Legos set for Alex that I bought at the world's worst Goodwill in San Antonio (you had to pay five bucks to park there unless you bought something, and this was just about the only good thing in the whole store) and a bunch of assorted stuff left in my car from various excursions.  Mike tore apart my room looking for games for the X-Box.  He told me I could come eat lunch with him at school "as soon as you find the Star Wars Lego Game for our X-Box".  It's a date, Mike P!

I Heart Technology

One of the best things about having a computer is the ability to work the New York Times Crossword Puzzle online.  A daily pleasure, and one I am hoping will stave off my eventual gaga-hood.  When I can no longer work the puzzle, it's time for the black needle, kids.

Tired Little Teddy Bear

Lucy goes to "preschool" every week (aka doggy day care), and she always comes home absolutely spent.

Last night, she wandered around in a daze, begging us to go to bed so she could too.  She finally gave up and cashed out on the the couch.  With "TJ" (Texas Joan) clutched firmly in her paws.  This girl loves her toys.

Cute Lulu!

Worst Candy Ever?

Katie and I were discussing candy the other day (I seem to have this conversation often.  What can I say, I love candy). 

I contend the absolute WORST candy in the universe is Horehound Drops. Even the name is hiddy.  They taste like the world's worst cough drops. 

I must have tried them as a child, I'm sure the same pile of drops were in a bin at Meredith's Dime Store for the entire 85 years the store was in business (right next to the super stale Circus Peanuts).  I'm still scarred by the taste experience.

That said, my second choice for worst ever is Jujubes.  Or Jujyfruits.  Gak.  Sticky and terrible.

The Texas Report

We're back from our whirlwind weekend trip to San Antonio, Texas!  Katie & I had a grand time, despite her casting doubts on my claim that we are "super road trip buddies" (something about how I tend to drop everything out of my bag while shoehorned in a tiny airline seat, my inability to eat or drink without spilling, how I ALWAYS leave something behind -- this time my hoodie on the plane -- and my total uselessness when it comes to reading a map.  Whatevs.)

Here are some of the highlights:

We stayed right downtown at the Gunter Hotel, which dates from the turn of the century.  It was really nice, thank you Hotwire!

We were just a step away from San Antonio's Riverwalk, which has lovely paths along the river all through the downtown area.  Sadly, we just missed the annual draining of the river and the Mud Festival.  But we did enjoy a boat ride on the river with a tour guide.  A tad cheesy but fun nonetheless.

Saturday morning, we were enjoying our coffee out on the patio at our hotel when we learned that there was going to be a parade and Longhorn Cattle Drive right in front of us!  Excitement!!!  The parade was to mark the opening of the SA Rodeo, and it was lots of fun.  Longhorns are very impressive!  Plus there were lots of cowboys with mustaches.

Next stop, The Alamo.  I was expecting it to be cheesy, but it was actually quite interesting, with good exhibits and things to see.  Impressive!

Saturday night, Katie attended her friend's wedding, and I hung out in the hotel and watched the "I (Almost) Got Away With It" marathon on tv.  Two thumbs up.

We had a lot of time to kill on Sunday before our flight, so we tracked down the World's Largest Cowboy Boots (right outside of Sak's at the North Star Mall!), then saw "The King's Speech" (very good!), and had some Texas-style BBQ.  We also bought Longhorn shirts and a "Joan" (Texas Longhorn version) for Lucy:

It was a fun trip, loved San Antone and the friendly Texans there!