My Etsy

Hey! Go visit my Etsy shop. Either click this link, or type in "mamasoo" in the search box on the homepage.

Items for sale:

SKULL TOTE BAG

This bag is so cool." says my daughter Zombiegirl. If she didn't already have a backpack, she would use this for school. You can use it to take to the store, bring books to the library, tote your shoes back and forth to work- all in cool skull style. With flames!Cotton 15" wide x 13" high, with 10 1/4" high handles from top of bag to bottom of handle, perfect as a shoulder strap. Black ribbon with a glass skull bead adorn the side. Inside divided 3 1/2" x 5" and 3" x 5" pockets are great for a cell phone or mp3 player. Straps are triple stitched for added strength. Black cotton interior.I used the soda bottle as a reference. You can easily fit two in this bag with room for more groceries.Made in my smoke-free home. International buyers, please convo me regarding shipping rates.I love custom orders. If you like this bag but the print just isn't for you, or if you love the skulls but need a different size, please convo me so we can work together to make you happy.

SOCCER MINI TOTE BAG

These bags are great as gift bags, or to tuck a little something in when your favorite soccer player scores an awesome goal. The longer handle goes through the short handle to keep it closed and keep whatever's inside a secret.This cotton bag is 8" wide x 6" high, and the long handle is 8" from top of bag to bottom of handle. Let me know if you like the blue or the orange. Stay tuned- more colors coming!Made in my smoke-free home. International buyers, please convo me regarding shipping rates.I love custom orders. If you like this bag but the print just isn't for you, or if you love the soccer balls but need a different size, please convo me so we can work together to make you happy.

BLACK BANDANA SKULL TOTE BAG

At first glance this tote looks like it was made using a black bandana. Take it to the mall! Take it to Grandma's! Take it to the PTA meeting tomorrow night. It's bound to get compliments. Imagine when they look closer and see the pattern has skulls running through it! How awesome can you be?This cotton 15" wide x 12" high bag can easily hold two 2-liter bottles of soda or a bunch of library books. The handle is made to throw over your shoulder, 10" from top of bag to bottom of strap. There is an inside divided 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" and 3" x 4 1/2' pockets that are are great for a cell phone or mp3 player. Straps are triple stitched for added strength. Black cotton interior.I used the soda bottle as a reference. You can easily fit two in this bag with room for more groceries.Made in my smoke-free home. International buyers, please convo me regarding shipping rates.I love custom orders. If you like this bag but the print just isn't for you, or if you love the skulls but need a different size, please convo me so we can work together to make you happy.

GIANT STUFFED T-REX- CUSTOM

What kid wouldn't want this huge T-Rex to hug? See- his arms are already posed for one!Weighing in at around 22" tall and about 22" from tip of tail to the tips of his toes, he has cute "claws" and "scales", and is comfortably stuffed for hugging.This dino is my sample. Your dino will be customized in any color you want. Blue, red, green, yellow, pink- whatever is your child's favorite colors. His arms will be one pattern, his legs another. His claws will be 3 different pattern material as will his body and scales. I will email you samples of the material in the color you request within 3 days of your order. After approval from you, the dino will take approximately a week to finish and ship.Please see my other dinosaurs for examples of other colors, as well as the matching t-shirts!Made in my smoke-free home. International buyers, please convo me regarding shipping rates.

GIANT STUFFED STEGOSAURUS-CUSTOM Isn't she adorable? She's so round and plump!Weighing in at around 17" tall and about 25" from tip of tail to the tip of her nose, she has cute "scales", and is comfortably stuffed for hugging.This dino is my sample. Your dino will be customized in any color you want. Blue, red, green, yellow, pink- whatever is your child's favorite colors. Her legs will be one print, her body another. Her scales will be 5 different prints as will her spikes. I will email you samples of the material in the color you request within 3 days of your order. After approval from you, the dino will take approximately a week to finish and ship.Please see my other dinosaurs for examples of other colors, as well as the matching t-shirts!Made in my smoke-free home. International buyers, please convo me regarding shipping rates.

Stay tuned for more items!

My 101 in 1001 days

I recently found this awesome idea on this blog. Y'all know how much I like making resolutions and how much I like NOT keeping them! But I'm going to try this and roll all of my resolutions into one list. I think my problem is not setting a deadline. My resolutions are more like life changes, but life moves on and I "forget" or become preoccupied with something else. This way I have a list, and a deadline to think about. I think I can clean up my life in three years!

Here goes:

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific with a result that is either measurable or defined.

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as new year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows several months or seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Start Date: August 5, 2009

End Date: May 12, 2012

Body
1. Lose 30 pounds (0/30)
2. Fit into old pair of jeans- the ones in my bottom drawer.
3. Complete 6 sessions with Mike, my trainer. (9/17) Okay, I now have 24 sessions, due to the kindness of Synergy Gym!
4. Maintain a workout schedule of at least 3 days a week at the gym.
5. Practice yoga at least 4 days a week.
6. No cheating with bacon. Or meatballs. Unless it's deer.
7. Have a green salad once a day.
8. Cut back the pre-made veggie burgers to once a week.
9. Buy and use the Diva Cup. (Done! 09/09)
10. Continue going to the dentist to have my teeth fixed.
11. Take my vitamins and herbs daily.
12. Put makeup on everyday. At home, before I leave. Not at work or on the train.
13. Blog about the progress of these Body items on the first of every month.

Finances
14. Build up savings account to equal 6 months of salary.
15. Fix credit report. (Done 1/18/10)
16. Refinance the house.
17. Get quotes on new insurance for house and car.
18. Secure 2 more years of student loans for Beena.
19. Sell stuff on Ebay.
20. Transfer coupon savings into ING account. Try to save $700 a year.

Family and Friends
21. Arrange ceremony to scatter Mom's ashes. (Done 10/25/09)
22. Spend more time with Dad.
23. Attend Beena's college graduation. (Done 5/18/10- Congratulations, Beena!)
24. Attend Zombiegirl's 5th grade graduation.
25. Communion for Zombiegirl. (Done 4/11/10)
26. Celebrate Beena's 21st birthday in a big way.
27. Be active in PTA for 5th grade. I really don't like the PTA board/participants this year, so I'm revising this to read "Be more active in PTA in 6th grade."
28. Write or email my aunts regularly.
29. Make and follow family meal plan. Remember to keep it healthy.
30. Meet a long lost friend for lunch.
31. Have a "no reason" dinner party.
32. Go shopping more with the girls. (Coats, Shower gifts, birthday shopping)
33. Yearly camping trip or rent a house with soccer families. (1/3)
34. Yearly "Mom's" overnight trip. (1/3- Vermont with one of my "Moms")
35. Go out with "Mom's" once a month. (0/33)
36. Plan MR and my 50th birthday party.
37. Send handmade birthday cards to everyone in my calendar. And NOT late.
38. Do not gossip or rant about friends to friends.
39. {Private}

Craftiness
40. Finish all the alterations on that pile of clothes in the sewing room.
41. Build up my Etsy shop and sell something.
42. Make all my own Christmas cards. (1/3)
43. Make 50% of all my Christmas gifts. (1/3)
44. Make enough merchandise to rent my own table at craft sales.
45. Make an article of clothing and wear it to work.
46. Clean out and organize sewing room.
47. Make mirror for living room using broken Fiesta pieces.
48. Learn how to crochet a granny square.
49. Finish MR's Christmas stocking.

Recreation
50. Visit 2 states I've never been to before. (0/2)
51. Hike 2 more sections of the Appalachian trail. Overnite. (0/2)
52. Take a "real" family vacation. (0/1)
53. Play "tourist" in NY once a month. (1/33 Howe Caverns/Albany trip)
54. Try five new restaurants. (4/5- Ted's Montana Grill, Cool Moose Cafe, 4/21-Brick Lane Curry House, 5/1- Texas Roadhouse, 5/18- Carmella's in Franklin Square)
55. Go to new Citi Field and new Yankee Stadium. (1/2- Let's Go Mets! Citifield 5/10/10- Mets vs. Nationals)

Just for Me
56. Get my Pistol Permit
57. Upload all our CD's into our hard drive
58. Scrapbook 2008 photos in 2011.
59. Scrapbook 2007 photos in 2010.
60. Scrapbook 2006 photos in 2009.
61. Finish Beena's school scrapbook.
62. Help dad get the Mustang on the road.
63. Get passports for the whole family.
64. Cross 3 things off my bucket list. (0/3)
65. Learn the basics of Photoshop.
66. Learn how to make a blog template using html and Photoshop.
67. Get my 2 tattoos. (1/2) I might actually change this to only 1 tattoo. That really hurt!
68. Organize my computer files. Including flash drives. (Done 8/6/09)
69. Find a therapist. (I'm changing this to Acupunturist. I don't need a Therapist. Everyone else does.)
70. Read the newspaper everyday.
71. Watch Gone With the Wind, Doctor Zhivago, Great Expectations, The Maltese Falcon, La Dolce Vita, Casablanca , North by Northwest (didn't like), Rear Window, 39 Steps, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Psycho, Notorious, Dial M for Murder (liked!) and Spellbound. With popcorn. (0/14)
72. Re-read Sherlock Holmes.
73. Blog about each completed item.

Greening my life
74. Make net produce bags.
75. Compost. (Produced my first batch of good compost Spring 2010)
76. Collect rainwater- ask for barrel for Christmas! (MR bought me a barrel for my birthday 2010)
77. Grow herbs every year.

House stuff
78. Balustrades and newel posts for the upstairs stairwell. (Done! Thanks Dad!)
79. Replace the ceiling and tile in the upstairs bathroom.
80. Change the theme of the upstairs bathroom.
81. New baseboard molding in the kitchen.
82. Start cleaning out the basement for TV room.
83. Start demolition on the downstairs bathroom.
84. Make the fountain for the backyard.
85. Finish walkways in backyard.
86. Follow Flylady everyday.

Spirit
87. Renew relationship with St. Andrew's. I'm revising this one too. I need to go back to church. I don't necessarily NEED to go back to St. A's. I've been going on and off (mostly off) for a year now. Has anyone contacted me to see how I am? Noooo...
88. Engage in 25 random acts of kindness. (0/25)
89. Read the Bible.
90. List 100 things that make me happy in a blog. (Done 10/2/09)
91. Participate in 5 community service activities. (0/5)
92. Maintain St. A's website.
93. Sketch and doodle in new sketchbook.
94. See beauty everyday. Blog or put it down in sketchbook.

Purchase
95. New digital SLR camera (Done 10/26/09)
96. A pistol
97. A drawer dishwasher
98. A dual flush toilet for the downstairs bathroom
99. A sink for the downstairs bathroom
100. A new refrigerator for the basement (Bought a freezer instead. 10/26/09)
101. A new hybrid car

Links I love

Links that inspire, humor and invoke intense feelings of jealousy...

Awkward Family Photos- I could so submit some of my family photos.

Angry Chicken- Amy Karol of "Bend-The-Rules Sewing" fame has great sewing projects and fabulous crafting ideas.

Ask And Ye Shall Receive- A Quixotic quest to improve the quality of the blogosphere.

The Bitch Sessions. More snark. I love snark.

Cakewrecks- When professional cakes go horribly, hilariously wrong.

Cockeyed.com- The king of pranks and weird experiments.

Confessions of a Renegade Mom- so not mommybloggers.

Emails From Crazy People- I think some of the People from Walmart wrote these.

How About Orange- Jessica Jones designer extrodinaire. And fellow orange lover.

I Can Has Cheeseburger- LOL cats cheer me up. Also, check out the World of Cheeseburger!

Mental Floss- Where knowledge junkies get their fix.

Neatorama- Trolling the internets to keep us amused.

Passive Agressive Notes- More craziness. I think some of these people work in my office.

People of Walmart- Be afraid. These people might live in YOUR town.

Scouting NY- A location scout with a good eye for the unusual in NY.

Sew Mama Sew- Sewing tips, contests, reviews and inspiration.

Super Eggplant- Adventures in knitting, sewing, baking and life.

The Sneeze- Half zine. Half blog. Half not good with fractions.

WaiterRant- Do you want pommes frites with that?

Woot- One item a day.

Zakka Life- One crafty lady.

Freaky Friday

Wow. It's been awhile. It's 3:51 pm on Friday afternoon, and I don't feel like doing a lick of work. And my programs keep crapping out on me. So let's have a little fun!

Try to spear the biggest fish in Harpoon Lagoon. Earn money and buy faster boats!

EveryBodyPanic is a quick, infuriating, totally addicting game. Try not to touch the walls!

Reverse 2 freaks me out! Same theory as EveryBodyPanic, but the direction your cursor goes is opposite of the direction of your mouse! I think only Biggz will be able to do this- something about the left/right brain...

Boomshine sets off a chain reaction when you blow up your balloon close to the dots. They give you goals for each level, and if you miss a goal, they're are slightly insulting.

This game is one of Zombiegirl's favorites. Shown to her by the most influential person in her life- her dad. And she doesn't like it only because there are zombies in it. She also gets to shoot them. She's 9, and already loves to kill. I'm keeping her on my good side. Play Deanimator, and help out my kid.

Hope this makes the afternoon go by quicker. Because I actually think I saw the clock tick backwards.

Happy Friday.

New Habits

There is alot of talk about it taking 30 days to change a habit, or something about yourself. This is not good news. There's so much about myself I want to change, it'll take 10 lifetimes for me to achieve perfection, or at least a state that I'm happy with myself.

But every achievement starts with one small step, right? Flylady says to start with babysteps. You can do anything for 15 minutes a day. I've been babystepping for a month now- literally. I stopped taking the LIRR, and walk 30 minutes a day to and from the bus stop. My calves don't hurt anymore, and I actually look forward to that alone time twice a day. So. What can I focus on now for 30 days? What's the next challenge for myself?

I started going through my day to see where I can improve, and the very first thing I do in the morning jumped out at me. DON'T HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON! I can go some days smacking that button 8 or 9 times before I drag myself from the bed. And I end up feeling worse that day, run down, crabby (I know, how can you tell)? So my next 30 day challenge is going to be to set a morning routine.

Right now, my routine is to get out of bed at 6:00 am, go to the bathroom, get a drink of water and plop on the couch, after moving Spencer out of the way, and turn on the tube. If there's something on that interests me, I'll more often than not watch until 6:30 or 7:00, causing me to have to take the late train in. Then I'll take a shower, get dressed, put my stuff together and get to public transportation. What a waste! If I get up when the alarm goes off at 5:00 am, I have an hour to do something productive. Here's my plan:

Morning Routine

1. Wake at 5:00 am

2. Drink water.

3. 15 minutes of exercise.

4. Water plants or weed garden. This is to get me out of the house for a little while. 15 minutes, while it's still nice out. This task will change in the winter.

5. Prepare dinner for that night.

6. Prepare lunch for that day. Once Zombiegirl starts school, I'll include her lunch in this.

7. Set 3 Most Important Things (MITs) for the day.

8. Eat breakfast. Brew and have cup of coffee. I can do this while setting the MITs, or read the paper.

9. Shower.

10. Get dressed.

11. Out of the house by 7:00 am or earlier.

The MITs that I set for the day need to include one item towards one of my goals. But that's a whole 'nother post. The other MITs can be wither work-related, if I'm on a deadline, or life-related. The goals of each day is to finish my morning routine, and finish all 3 of the MITs.

Think I can do this? It's not too far out of reach. I just need to get my bootie in gear, and stop being lazy.

I'll keep ya posted.

50 Things you probably didn't know about me:

1. I can't use toilet seat paper liners. I don't know why- I can't get them to work.

2. I'm a coffee freak. Espresso is my new addiction.

3. I dunk chocolate cookies in ice water instead of milk.

4. I lost my virginity by accident.

5. I destroy my cuticles. I pick at them when I'm nervous, when I'm bored, or when I'm talking to someone.

6. I can't balance my checkbook. Bank statements are a mystery to me. I end up bouncing more checks than I should.

7. If I'm ever in a boating accident and a shark devours me and leaves my foot, I can be identified by a freckle on the underside of my second toe on my right foot. Zombiegirl has the same freckle.

8. I have exactly 3 scars. Only 2 are visible.

9. I can't lie to my kids. They always know.

10. I cry at commercials, weddings, certain hymns and sappy movies.

11. I pass out when it gets too hot. I've passed out at my Junior High School Graduation, and a few times in church.

12. I have a fear of driving over bridges. I'll do it, but I'm not happy about it.

13. I collect Fiestaware (Vintage and Post-86), cow creamers, Garden Gnomes and Webkinz (only Lil Kinz).

14. I read voraciously. My commute is 2 hours each way by bus and train, so I could plow through two books a week. Sometimes I read a book commuting, a book at home, and a book at our beach house. All at the same time. I usually don't retain much of what I've read. It's mostly an escapist moment for me. BTW- all recommendations are appreciated!

15. My family owns a beach house in a little community on the North Shore of Long Island, NY. It's my sanity. Just thinking about it calms me. It's a 2 block walk to the private beach of Long Island Sound, and the house is comfortable- sandy and fishy.

16. I've started 2 businesses, and pretty much failed at both of them. I owned an incorporated kid's party place, which I had to close when my evil landlady raised my rent, and a home based business selling Adult Toys. From one end of the rainbow to the other. Advice to anyone opening a business? Take stock of how much capital you need, then double it.

17. I'm supposed to wear glasses.

18. I've perfected my cross stitch method, kind of a "speed method". I can knock out a counted cross stitch pattern in practically half the time as usual, and anywhere- on the bus, at work, or on the train.

19. I don't have a favorite food, specifically. My favorite type of food is Indian. The spicier the better.

20. Speaking of spicy, I put hot sauce on almost everything, and have a pretty high tolerance for Scoville Units.

21. I listen to show tunes when I'm home by myself.

22. I've never had a bikini wax, lip wax or a brazilian. From what I hear, I'm lucky.

23. Well, not really lucky. I can count on one hand the amount of things I've won. I used to be so jealous of the girls down the block. They were the ones always winning bikes and stuff. I truly believe that if I scratch an instant lottery ticket, I won't win. I'm better off giving it to Biggz- she usually wins something. Zombiegirl has also, in all of her 9 years, won more things than I have in my lifetime.

24. At one time in my life, I wanted all boys. I got all girls. Now I'm glad.

25. I regret not breastfeeding my older 2 girls. The decision was purely selfish- I wanted my Ex-Asshole to share in the feeding of the babies. I didn't know about pumping, and using breastmilk in a bottle. All I knew was that baby-feeding was NOT going to fall solely on me, like everything else in our sorry-ass marriage.

26. I watch tons of cooking shows, collect recipes, buy cooking utensils- but my cooking sucks.

27. I love looking in people's windows when I drive by their homes. I am obsessed about how other people decorate. A perfect night for me would be for Mr. to drive while I look in everyone's windows in my neighborhood, maybe while sipping wine.

28. Speaking of wine- I can't drink red wine. A migraine will hit me the next day if I have one glass of red wine. So I drink white. Or anything else. The only red wine I can drink without suffering the consequences of migraines is the spicy wine at our Indian Restaurant.

29. I wanted to become an architect because I was loved the Brady Bunch. If Mike Brady could support 6 kids, a huge house, a housekeeper and go on cool vacations on an architect's salary, that's what I wanted to be. Plus, I always liked carrying around rolls of plans.

30. When I was in grade school, my parents had me convinced spaghetti grew on trees. There was a commercial that showed Italians harvesting spaghetti from trees. At the end of the commercial, someone held up a napkin that said "Spaghetti doesn't really grow on trees." My parents always got me out of the room before that napkin went up, and had me going for a few years.

31. I'm a klutz. I fall upstairs, downstairs, walking, riding. I never seriously hurt myself, though. It runs in the family.

32. I haven't worn a belt in 20 years. My belly won't allow it.

33. My favorite colors are chartreuse and tangerine. They are also the names of 2 colors in the Fiestaware line.

34. I can ride a unicycle. I had one as a kid.

35. I've never danced on a bar or flashed my boobs. But- I have taken pole-dancing lessons and received a lap dance at my bachelorette party by a gorgeous Puerto Rican transvestite.

36. One of my pet peeves is to be late. My family was always late to things. It ticks me off when people are late, and when I'm unavoidably detained.

37. Stupid people piss me off. Lazy people piss me off. Irresponsible people piss me off. Inconsiderate people piss me off. If you're any combination of the above, stay away from me.

38. I have my degree in Architectural Technology- that only means I didn't do my thesis. I've taken the Registered Architectural Exam about 6 times, and passed 2 of the 9 parts. It's harder than the bar exam, and the medical exam. I don't need to be registered for the job I'm doing now. In fact, I pretty much feel all architects are whores anyway.

(Wow- I looked at the last 3 items- I'm pretty angry today!)

39. I have a dollhouse that my dad built me when I was 12. I've started to totally overhaul it and electify it. It's on my "Things-to-do" list.

40. I also have a '66 Mustang convertible that I plan to work on this summer (finances willing) so
that Beena can take it to school in the fall. Or next spring. It's on my "Things-to-do" list, too.

41. I hate NY. I hate NYC even more. I would move down south or out west in a heartbeat. Zombiegirl won't let us. And I would miss my soccer moms.

42. When I worked for NYC HPD, I renovated brownstones for low-income housing. Mostly in the Bronx. About 5 years before, just after Beena was born, I went blonde. Needless to say, I stuck out in the Bronx. One day, I was waiting in the front lobby of a building we were going to renovate when 6 or 7 little girls came up the stair- all about Beena's age. They asked me all kinds of questions, and I told them I had a little girl their age. That brought on even more questions. The oddest one? Could they could touch my hair. I honestly felt I was in a Third World Country that day, with a gaggle of little girls stroking and playing with my hair. It makes me appreciate the fact that my girls today are totally "color"-blind.

43. I pick up the tab in restaurants and bars way more than I should. And I tip too much, too.

44. I love to garden, but unfortunately, my property is 85% in the shade. I've learned to garden with shade perenials- I won't waste my time buying annuals. My favorite flowers are Rudbeckia hirta or the "Black-Eyed Susan" and Leucanthemum x superbum, or the "Shasta Daisy". Don't give me roses- give me daisies!

45. I hit the snooze button at least 6 times every morning before I finally get up. My best dreams are in those 9 minute intervals. Maybe that's why I'm so tired all the time.

46. My blood type is AB- which is pretty rare. 0.6% of the population have this type. I get free offers to give platelets (they don't want my blood- not many people can use it.) I've received shirts, gas cards, jackets, and Home Depot gift cards. I wanted to renovate my bathroom by giving platelets, but they don't do this promotion anymore.

47. I don't speak well in front of crowds. Even small crowds. I thought selling Adult Toys would help with that. Or acting in my church play. I still get tongue-tied, and forget about learning lines!

48. I had alot of fears as a kid, but I got over them. Spiders, needles, heights, stopped escalators, elevators, dentists, and snakes. Well- I still don't like snakes. Or bridges.

49. I love to sing, especially hymns. Don't stand next to me while I'm singing, though. I get the lyrics wrong, and I'm tone-deaf. I dont' "get" song lyrics. I mis-hear alot.

50. It took me over a week to compile this list. I'm probably the most boring person you're ever going to meet. And if you DO know me, and know of something that SHOULD be on this list, thanks. You're too late.
Now you try.

Freaky Friday

I missed posting some games last Friday due to my falling out of a bus. That was pretty Freaky in itself!

I love flash games. You've probably seen all of these already, but it's good that I'm immortalizing them in my blog. I'm giving you two sites today, with lots of games. Gives me time to find the rest of the ones I want to post! Check these out:

Samorost, and Samorost 2, created by Jakub Dvorsky while he was a student of the Academy of Arts, Archituecture and Design in Prague. Beautiful, haunting, lots of fun! By the same author- Questionaut! Hit the link on the BBC website here.

Eyemaze has all the Grow games- try to "grow" the cube by placing the objects on it in the correct order. Each object has an effect on the next!

TGIF, and it's Friday the 13th, to boot! Stay away from buses!

Food, glorious food!

I watch Food Network. I have tons of cookbooks. I have utensils galore. Can I cook? Ask my family and they'll tell you- NO! I make passable dinners, but nothing to write home about. So I continue my quest for more recipes, and more ideas to torture my family with. Here are some of my favorite food websites:

• Smitten Kitchen- Deb writes this food blog out of a 80 square foot kitchen she shares with her husband in Brooklyn. Great recipes. Check out the entry for May 22nd-30 ways to be a good guest. 30 recipes for great potluck dishes!


• I love Daisy Cooks! I started watching her on PBS because of all the FiestaWare in her TV kitchen, but I continue watching because her recipes are so easy.


• My friend SoulSpeak23 (SS23) turned me on to Desert Candy, and the month of ice cream making in August of 2007. I have yet to try any of the recipes, but it's on my Bucket List!


• Of course, then there's Pioneer Woman. Ree blogs some of the best recipes. I've personally tried the Pineapple Shrimp kabobs, and SS23 can attest to the yumminess of Marlboro Man's favorite sandwich. I plan on trying the apple dumplings at Biggz graduation party.


• The Black Oven has some great dessert recipes. She's dark, and I suspect she likes skulls.


• Spicy Ice Cream- absolutely yummy recipes that I'm dying to try.

• And of course you can use these websites with databases FULL of recipes: RecipeZaar, RecipeSource, CDKitchen, AllRecipes, Foodnetwork, Chef Matthew (I think you have to register to access his hundreds of recipes) and Epicurious. If you can't find the recipe you're looking for anywhere here, it doesn't exist.

If you're looking for a way to save all the recipes you find online, or finally sit and organize all your magazine clipped recipes or the recipes your aunt sends you, I suggest setting up a Google email account. One specifically for recipes. Now, when you find a recipe you like, you can email it to yourself. Once in your Inbox, you can archive the recipes based on food group- apps, desserts, etc. I bring my laptop into the kitchen and bring up the recipe I need- no more searching around on the Internet or in a recipe book!

A funny thing happened on the way home from Hoboken...

My co-workers and I went out in Hoboken to celebrate Jackie's straight A's in college. After drinking margarita's and Corona's at East LA on Washington Street , I needed to get home at a decent hour- we had Soccer Awards in the morning.

George dropped me off at the ferry in Lincoln Harbor, and I had a nice evening boat ride back to Manhattan. I hopped on the ferry bus to take me to Penn Station. All was going fine, a really nice night out.

As we approached 6th Avenue and 34th St., I buzzed the buzzer to get off, gathered up my things and stood up to move toward the front of the bus. I was a few seats back from the front when the bus driver slammed on the brakes, going from a decent clip to absolutely stopped.

I wasn't standing for long. As I went flying down the aisle, as I approached the front, I grabbed the pole in the front, and swung around headfirst down the bus steps! My head slams through the front doors, and I end up with my head and shoulders outside of the bus, reading the ad on the side, which by the way, was for "Don't Mess With the Zohan".

(Yes. I know you're laughing. I think everyone in front of Macy's on 34th St. was laughing. I'm laughing now too. You know you can't make this stuff up...)

This very nice man comes up the aisle and tries to help me up, managing to get my head back in the bus. He's trying to help me up, since I can't contort myself in the narrow stairweel to turn around and get back on my feet. He's pulling me up, but I'm not going anywhere. My hair is stuck in the door! I tell him this, and he yells at the bus driver to open the door so I can get up. The bus driver, by this way, is apologizing all over the place, but never got out of his seat. Now the door is open, and EVERYONE can see me upside down in the stairwell! Another very nice man outside now comes over, and between the two of them get me standing.

I'm trying very hard not to cry, and to try to focus on the two gentlemen helping me, but everything is blurry and messed up. They find my shoe, which I literally FLEW out of when the bus stopped. They find my bags- one that fell off the bus, the other still left in the aisle. They asked again if I was okay, and I assured them I was. I wanted to get out of there- I was so embarassed!

I get down to Penn Station, get on my train, call Husband and immediately burst into tears. As I'm sobbing out my story to him, I notice the blood dripping down my arm! A cute couple gets on the train, looks over at me, and turn around and head the other way. I don't blame them! Another couple sit down near me, with their kitten, and ask if I'm okay. I smile at the kitty, and tell them I fell out of a bus. She gives me a napkin to wipe the blood off my arm. New York City- lots of strange people (a kitten?) but very nice...

Taking inventory, I have a bruised left shoulder, radiating pain down to my elbow, bruised tendons on my right arm, maybe from grabbing the pole, a 13" bruise on my butt 2" wide and straight across- right where I hit the step, a sore head and for some reason my knees hurt. God looks out for klutzes, He doesn't let us seriously hurt ourselves.

Somebody Google "Lady falling out of bus at 34th st NYC". Let me know if you find anything. This might be worth framing!

Shopping Lists

Over the years, I have bookmarked websites where I can buy "the Perfect Gift". I just can't figure out who to buy these perfect gifts for! No, really- they're great websites if you need a unique gift or that somethin' somethin' you can't find in the stores. Now they're off My Favorites and listed here for eternity!

• Aloha Orchid Nursery- I have purchased Orchids here before for Mom. They are beautiful, and have a great selection.
• The Perpetual Kid- Entertain your inner child. I especially like the WineLines, and the Demeter Fragrances
• I Want One of Those- stuff you don't need...but you really, really want!
• Offensive + Delightful greeting cards. If only I had the nerve to send some of these!
• I want to buy these Full Bloom Teas for SOMEBODY! I want to see how they work. But you'd also have to have the clear teapot to really appreciate them.
• My charm bracelet was stolen when we were robbed. I would love to start a new one with these cute charms from Charm Factory.
• Mrs. Prindables Handmade Confections. One apple feeds 8-10? They look as good as they probable taste!
• Cheap stuff for your pets at Pet Edge. I think there is a minimum on the orders, though.
• Boca Java Coffee club. They have Maple Bacon coffee. Need I say more?
• Soaps Gone Buy. Okay, why do I have a vintage Soap website on my blog? Well, I do use 20 Mule Team Borax in my laundry, but mainly I order Fels Naptha soap. Yes, brown soap. It's the only thing that cuts the oil of Poison Ivy.
• Fetpak has great jewelry displays, boxes and bags. I've ordered a few of their displays for Husband to show off his metal detector findings.
• Paula, my sister-in-law, gave everyone these beautiful photo holders for Mother's Day. Shomee even wraps them in beautiful boxes, bags and tissue paper!

I have a few more I have to add- I'll edit this post tonight. Who needs Target?