Housework - Blech!

OK I just spent the better part of my Saturday cleaning this house! Scary part is I haven't even touched the 3 bathrooms yet! I moved all of the furniture in the living room, family room and dining room so I could get all the "surprises" that hide behind the cushions, etc. Gross - I live with such slobs! Best part is Mark says when I'm about halfway through "I didn't think the house was that dirty!" God forbid these fools live here by themselves! My reward?!?! A night out at dinner with my honey plus coming home to a clean house - Yea!

7 Random Thoughts

So according to my crazier than life friend Karen I am supposed to post 7 random things about myself and then go tag someone else's blog. At the end of their blog list 7 people you are tagging. Let them know that they are tagged by leaving them a comment.
So here goes:
1. I love when the boss decides to play hookey and go play golf. I can catch up o all my favorite websites while he's gone and not feel guilty. The best is when someone calls and I can act so professional even though I'm downloading a rcipe for tonight's dinner!
2. I really have the most uncontrolable sweet tooth! I would rather have just about anything sweet than eat what is good for me.
3. I went and got myself measured at Nordstrom for a bra this past week and then only ended up buying one. I went to another store armed with the proper measurements so I could get a better deal. I just hate spending money on underwear when polite society says I can't show it off!
4. I will do just about anything to avoid going to the gym. This week I have a cold and although I hate being sick I'm not missing being at the gym.
5. I'm so excited that Andrew is getting a haircut FINALLY tomorrow! He's getting it cut for a wedding of one of his friend's this weekend. Funny how a friend can ask him to do something that his mom has been asking him to do for over a year and he does it as soon as the friends asks!
6. I'm excited to go to Target by nyself today since almost everything I have to get is for ME!
7. I would love to have an apartment in London by myself one day!

This Weekend's Project

In just a few minutes I'm off to the backyard to start glueing down the tiles for my new fireplace pit in the backyard. Mark was kind enough last weekend to cut out the hole for the fire pit from some wood we had in the garage. He was also very patient with me when we went to Lowe's and picked through all the broken tiles to find enough to cover this. I love how no two sides are exactly the same. Shows just how random life (especially mine) can be. Here's a closer look at some of the tiles. I was sort of going for a "summer in Provence" kind of feel.

I'm going to do my best to get it all glued down this afternoon. Should be a great day for doing it too - not too hot out sort of a semi-June Gloom kind of day. Once I get it all glued down I'm going to let it cure for the rest of today and tomorrow and then grout it on Sunday.

Hopefully, it will be all set to have the first fire in it by Wednesday when Laura turns 19 and she has a few friends over. She reluctantly allowed older brother and fellow June birthday celebrant Andrew to also have a few friends over so we could make it a quasi-joint celebration. Good times!

Between tiling and my usual Friday fun stuff I also need to find time today to make a batch of "Sunday Gravy" for the baked ziti we are having Sunday to toast the farewell of our buddy Tony Soprano. Can't even tell you how much I will miss him!

To My Gal Bini!

Bini is what I aspire to be when I get older. She loves hanging out with her daughter Johnna and Johnna's friends while just having a great time. She never has an unkind word to say about anyone and most of the time has the snappiest comeback imaginable. Bini is a great fan of the Apple-tini and the comebacks are even snappier after she's had a few of these. Bini truly knows how to enjoy life.She can handle whatever lifes throws at her! Here's to you Bini!

I Can Almost Taste Them!

My tomatoes are so close to being ripe. I really shouldn't call them "my tomatoes" as I have had nothing to do with them this year which is why they are probably doing so well. For the first time in many years we planted them in the garden and not in container plants. They have really loved the chance to spread their roots all over the back planter. Mark told me yesterday he used some old dirt from a planter we suspected a neighbor's cat had peed in and now wonder if that is the"magic" ingredient our tomatoes needed. In any case these tomatoes are going to be awesome with some grilled corn on the cob. Yum - corn and tomatoes another sign that summer is here!
Oh and Laura tells me she can hardly wait for corn on the cob since it's now exactly one week until her braces come off!