A wicked week/end

The week started off slow since my allergies kicked in, but it picked up momentum -- lunch with my co-workers on Wednesday (since I'm working business hours during spring break) -- kickboxing aerobics on Thursday (I miss it so much and can't wait to start again in the summer) -- dinner and a movie with Michael on Friday (we got stood up by my student workers) -- a shopping spree on Saturday (I bought The Phantom of the Opera and Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter, yeah!) -- and house cleaning on Sunday. I even got an added workout walking Keala and Ikaika (when he wanted to) every day except yesterday (because of hail and snow). Now I'm back to my regular evening shifts! And I'm exhausted!

Aaron's been living it up in OKC with his classmates. Since the FAA gives him a living allowance, he can eat and drink out every night, and more. He even went to see a local band in concert.

Just one and a half more weeks of freedom left, oh I mean days before my hubby comes home!

Flower Power 09-03-28

Log... March 28, 2009

I took pictures of all my flower beds. I know they look barren and that's because it's still feels like winter. At least I removed the thick layer of mulched leaves I used to protect my bulbs from the snow. I plan to take pictures of the same beds each week to see how my flowers progress.

Right now my Sidewalk garden is winning the race with early blooming crocuses in four colors. It is located from the driveway to the front door along the right side of the garage.


The Circle garden comes in second -- it seems the crocus bulbs I thought I dug up to transfer to my Sidewalk garden was not all dug up. It is located in the front lawn and it includes a pine tree and a light post.


I also have my E. River gardens located on the left side of my garage;


The Calann gardens located in front of the front door and under the front windows of the house;


My Abbe garden located to the right of the house around our fireplace chimney;


The Prospect garden located behind our backyard gate and to the right of the back porch;


My Michigan garden located under the kitchen window in the backyard;


The Georgia garden located under our bedroom window in the backyard;


My Park gardens located on the right side of the backyard fence;


The University garden located along the back of the backyard fence;


And finally my Colgate garden located along the right of the backyard fence and under the Maple tree.


Boy the grass in the backyard looks awful! Time to take out the rake and get rid of the dead patches of grass! That's what happens when you have dogs, no two big dogs to take for.

GIRLIE UPDATE: Las Vegas 2009: We're going to Vegas, baby!

It's official! Me and my girls -- childhood/college BFF Lureen, college/library BFFs Carrie, Jen and Kelly, and current BFF Michael -- are getting together for a girls-week-out vacation in July! Thank you Tita for lending us your timeshare! We are going to have so much fun!


Tahiti Village, Las Vegas, NV

GIRLIE UPDATE: Watchmen: The Tale of the Black Freighter

Two DVDs came out today that I've been waiting for... Quantum of Solace and Watchmen: The Tale of the Black Freighter. I managed to get a copy of QoS from the public library. D.C. is so fine! TOBF was not shipped yet so I'll have to wait some more. What's a girl to do without some Butler magic? Perhaps I should just buy a copy!

Spring break circulation outing 3/22/09

We didn't eat at Seoul Hot Pot as planned since it was closed on Sunday. We drove down the street to Siam Cafe for Chinese food instead. After the never ending 10-course meal, we stopped at the Koko Bakery for Taiwanese desserts and bubble tea. Yum!


My students Jane, Jo-Han, Ploy, Renee and Anjali.

GIRLIE UPDATE: Oh Crikey... Mr. Jackman

I always thought the man was hot. And he didn't disappoint in the movie Australia.

GIRLIE UPDATE: Introducing... Mr. Goode

No, I'm not replacing Mr. Butler anytime soon!

But I re-discovered Matthew Goode after notcing him in Watchman. I went into my movie vault and pulled out Chasing Liberty to watch with Michael. Goode is a delight to look at -- he's a bit on the boyish side for me but his deep voice, Brit accent and innocent smile makes up for that!


He is the chap that was in Brideshead Revisited which Michael and I saw in the theater. We also watched Imagine You and Me where this photo was taken from.

GIRLIE UPDATE: My BFF Michael

OK so I mention Michael a lot in my blog. Here's his official circulation department picture!


And here's mine... what a sassy pants!

The end of first module...

The first half of spring semester is coming to a close, which means spring break is here!

Me and Peggi Ignagni
I'm starting off the weekend going to see a movie with Michael then dinner with our friend Peggi on Friday. I'm taking them to Krazy Mac's in my home town of Elyria. It specializes in fancy mac-n-cheese dishes. Hopefully the weather will be nice so I can work on my flower beds on Saturday. And I'm taking my library desk crew out to dinner Sunday night since the library is closed and I don't have to work. The 7 of us are going to try a Korean restaurant, Seoul Hot Pot in Cleveland.

Luckily I scheduled myself to go aerobics on Tuesday AND Thursday next week. I'll need to work off all the good food I'll be eating!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

If you get a chance, watch The Today Show on NBC today because they are in Dublin, Ireland and are showing places Aaron and I went but didn't have the chance to take pictures or videos.

Now I can finally say... I've been there!

Aaron's going to OKC

Aaron's off tomorrow for more FAA training. It's just me, the dogs and all my Butler movies for the next 3 weeks! Anyone wants to visit me? Oh wait, that means I'll have to give up some of my movie marathon time... ha!

I suppose I could go to the Friday aerobics now...

OPERA ALERT: The Magic Flute

Michael and I went to see The Magic Flute tonight at Hall Theatre, Oberlin College, Ohio. I didn't study up on the opera before I went but I did recognize a handful of songs. I wonder if those are some of the songs played in Warner Bros. cartoons? That's when we all heard our first opera music, right? In the cartoons...

Off with my hair!

I chopped off 6 inches of my hair today and boy does my head feel much lighter! Michael took a picture because my hair will never be styled like this by me! My hair always looks shiny and healthy when it's blow-dried straight! But it'll be curly and bouncy tomorrow!

Such flaky weather

I wish the weather would make up its mind and stay warm or stay cold. My sinuses can't take the hot-and-cold change! I still want to hibernate since it's not warm enough outside -- there's a chill in air -- and have missed some nice sunny days because I'm cuddled up under my blankets. Who am I kidding... I love to sleep -- whatever weather's out there!

Go out weekend...

It was another busy weekend for us.

Aaron met up with his high school friends Thursday night. Michael and I went to see "Confessions of a Shopoholic" Friday night.

On Saturday, Aaron went with his biking buddies to Mohican Park in South Ohio for a bike ride while Michael and I did some shopping. Later, Aaron and I went to BW3 (BBQ wings/sports bar) to meet his high school friends again because Aaron Boggs was leaving town and they wanted to watch ultimate fighting. After I ate and the fighting began I left. I just don't have the stomach for that kine of fighting. But I did go out later. I chaperoned a swing dance event for two of my library workers on campus. My kids can dance! I just wished I was feeling better and that it was held earlier in the night (I watched the 12:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. shift!).

Of course when I woke up today, I felt awful... so I'm staying home from work.

With good intentions...

Today is aerobics day and I got off to a rough start. No, I got up early and had breakfast. I even started a new project on my laptop. No, time flew by so quickly I didn't have time to take my shower and I arrived at work 15 minutes late!

Do you know how much one needs to pack up on aerobics day? I had pasta noodles to boil and pack for dinner. I had a big bag of cardboard to load for recycling. I packed my small library bag with public library returns. And I had two sets of clothes to consider -- my aerobics tee and pants, which is too thin to keep me warm on the 12 degree weather we're having today -- the jeans, sweatshirt and navy jacket to wear over the thin clothes, and the extra undies and tee to change into after aerobics. I also had my usual laptop bag and hangbag and wallet to carry. And don't forget the big bag of candies already sitting in my car for my student workers. Whoo!

See, I go to work for a couple of hours then take off by to Elyria for my bootcamp aerobics class. The weather is still cold so I need to change my shoes and shed some clothes at the gym. When I'm done I head around the block to the Elyria Public Library to visit Cookie. On the way there, I drop off cardboard at our city recycling bin. Then I drive back to Oberlin and work the rest of the night until midnight.

Seems like a long work day but I actually work less hours on Tuesdays and make up my hours on the other days (short dinner breaks on Sundays and Mondays).

So today went by in a flash and I'm ready to go home now...

Go out weekend...

On Friday, we went to the Elks in Elyria and met Jay, Jen, Dave Ransome and Nicki. Had the chance to share our trip with them over some drinks. Well I had none. I was the designated driver. We also talked a lot about cars and the BBC show "Top Gear".

On Saturday, Aaron found out Aaron Boggs was in town so we met up with him, Big Al, Tasha and James at Dave Andras' bar Bullfrog's right out of Elyria. Drinks were flowing again. I went out on a limb and drank diet Coke all night, woohoo! Designated driver again. OK I'm just not a drinker!! Thank goodness we know the owner -- we saved a lot of money with the non-existing tab bill! No worry -- we gave Dave a great tip!