Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life - B

B

Bijou - Bijou is the name I gave to my precious black pug. She's four and a half years old now and already started to gray around her face and stomach. I got her in the beginning of October 2004 and nicknamed her Boo. Somewhere along the way I dropped the Boo and reverted back to Bijou but my family still refers to her as Boo. I was living on campus as a dorm director when I bought her (she's the only dog I've ever purchased from a pet store. I usually adopt my animals but I simply couldn't resist when I saw her sitting in that glass box) and not allowed to have pets in the dorm. So I did what I had to do...I smuggled her in (a pug smuggler, ha!) and kept her a (relative) secret for the nine months I continued to live there. She's a big gal at around 28 pounds. Each year we go to the vet for her check up I get the same lecture...she really shouldn't be putting on any additional weight...but I stopped listening because he's been saying that for the last three years (and at least the last eight or so pounds!).

Bridesmaid, as in "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride." - I have had the distinct pleasure and honor of standing up at the altar with Amber, Deanna, Stephanie, Sarah, Mom, Jenny, Janessa, and Kristin as they've vowed to commit their lives to their men. This fall I'll be at it again with Courtney O. And while I hope to one day have my own wedding, for the time being I'm content with the fact that all these lovely ladies (I thought there was a 10th one in there somewhere) are happily married all these years later.

Bungalow - I live in a craftsman bungalow built in 1920. Her name is Loraine (from a sign we found in the attic). She's got 9-foot ceilings and incredible crown moldings (at least a foot tall in the living and dining rooms), hardwoods throughout (although they've been damaged pretty badly in the bathroom and kitchen), french doors out to the wraparound front porch and out to the side porch, a sleeping porch off my bedroom (that I use as a dressing room), and built in cabinetry and columns in my dining room. I love her, I love her, I love her, despite the cold winters and hot summers. But it's been a lot of work and there's so much more to go. I don't know that I'll ever get a profit out of her. But she's been worth it all.

Bunco/Bunko - No matter how you spell it, I have the pleasure of being a part of the greatest group of Bunko babes ever. I look forward to spending time with these lovely ladies every month, with or without Amber's Chinese acrobats. I have also been nominated to host October bunkos from here on out (See "H" for Halloween in a couple of months). I began playing bunko as a sub for my aunt's group some 10 or 15 years ago. Every once in a while our family gathers to play around the holidays.

Buttercup - My 2008 cream-colored Kymco People 150. I was hit with the scooter bug thanks to my friends Valerie and Doug. Ever since they sent out Christmas photos of themselves on their scooters five or so years ago, I knew I would one day own a scooter. And really, who doesn't want to be as cool as Val and Doug? Read about my relationship with Buttercup here.

Do Diaper Cakes Taste Like Crap?

This question was posed after I updated my facebook status awhile back. Hmmm...

I don't know if they're considered passe now or not, but diaper cakes are still my favorite baby shower gift to give and create. Here are a few that I've done most recently.

For baby Harper:For baby Cash: For baby Derek:

Inspiration Strikes

It doesn't strike all that often but I was sitting at home on Friday night and around 8:00 I thought to myself, "Self, it's about time you got around to painting those bottom cabinets in the kitchen." It should be noted that I decided less than a month ago that I should definitely paint my lower cabinetry black. To have conceived, started, and completed (!) a project within a month is a record. Procrastination is my middle name for sure.

Here's a before pic (please excuse the mess and disregard the dog-scratched door in the background):
And the after pic (Decidedly cleaner, no? And, yes Mom, I know I need to properly secure the insert between the cabinet doors under the sink!) :
Look at my little Wilbur peering up from the bottom of the photo. Ain't he cute?!

My favorite part of the whole process is that dirty old dishwasher. You can switch the paneling from white to black or almond to stainless. They sure were innovative back in the 80s, eh?

Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life

A couple of years ago I stumbled across this book by Amy Krouse Rothenthal. It's a memoir of her rather ordinary life all neatly organized and alphabetized. I thought it'd be fun to do weekly posts of my own ordinary life. This will hopefully also serve as an incentive for me to post more regularly. I'd planned on starting on Sunday and now I'm already a few days behind so we'll see if it really works. But at least I won't be able to claim writer's block. At least not for another 26 weeks...

A

Airconditioning - Loraine, my little old house, does not have central heat and air. Summers are horrible; I can hardly bear them. I have a couple of window units but it just isn't the same. I think it's partly to blame for why I spend all my money at the beginning of the summer. Just looking for somewhere to go to get out of the dreadfully sticky heat that is my house.

Airstream - I don't know when it started...10 years ago maybe...but it is my mission in life to procure a vintage Airstream travel trailer and fix it up. I'd be equally happy traveling to both ends of Route 66 in it or having it sit in my backyard as a craft studio/guest house. I am beginning to have quite the Airstream paraphernalia collection: I have an Airstream pendant necklace (one of my favorite pieces of jewelry), a couple of Airstream birdhouses, coffee table books, and a strand of Airstream porch lights. Oh yeah.

Altered Art - glass pebble magnets, mixed media collages, altered tins, altered books. I want to create!

Apple - I like apples alright. Red Delicious are my favorite, then Galas, then the Pink Lady. I do not like green apples unless they are submerged in caramel and chocolate and nuts (oh, Kim, I miss you and your apples!). But I would never, ever name my child after a fruit.

Australia - on my list of places to go to.

Home Sweet Home(s)

All my little furbabies have found their forever (I hope!) homes...

Dooney and Bourke ended up at a ranch just outside of Ada. I hear they're doing well despite the fact that it appears their names have been swapped.

With Kristin coming into town I was under the gun trying to find someplace for the other two before she arrived. She's allergic and since she was going to be in a wedding, it wasn't the best time for sneezing or puffy eyes. A friend at work (from whom I got Olive) thought she had some contacts but everything fell through so I asked another lady at work if she could at least keep them for the weekend. I dropped them off with her Thursday at school and a teacher who had previously declined my offer a super cute FREE kitten was subjected to their utter cuteness and ended up taking Gabbana (now Torres) home with her. Dolce went home, presumably just for the weekend, with Teri and when I called her this afternoon to see about picking her (or him, can't really tell yet) up, she said they wanted to keep her. Her/his new name is Gizmo. Yay!

Olive had been missing again since midweek. I knew I'd find her at the neighbors' and today I rescued her for the third time. These elusive neighbors of mine have returned home since my last rescue mission because curtains have been replaced and the crawl space access was boarded up. I assume that's how Olive had been getting in but maybe not because I would think that if she had been inside when they showed up she'd at least be kicked out if not shot. Hmm...She came home and immediately started looking around for Dolce and Gabbana. Started meowing and everything. It was really sad. But she seems okay now, especially since her belly's full again. From food, not more babies!!! So I guess I haven't found homes for all my furbabies quite yet...

Just One of the HOS

Last weekend I took part in my first organized scooter ride! There were eight of us HOS (Hooters on Scooter members) and we traveled from Brookside up to Skiatook. Having never ridden in proper formation and having just gotten Buttercup up and running since last summer (for shame, for shame!) I was a bit nervous. The way up we peaked at 45 mph and I think I handled it pretty well. We stopped at a Mexican restaurant in Skiatook and had a little snack before heading back.


The trip home, however, was a bit more nerve-wracking for me. First off, a wasp landed on my chest and I was trying not to freak out. I assumed it would fly off pretty quickly but it did not. It slowly crawled its way up my jacket and closer and closer to my neck. I was having visions of going into anaphylactic shock and careening into a ditch once again (the ditch part, not the anaphylaxis). As it crept to my collar and started its way INTO my jacket, I finally pulled over and swatted it off. The two girls behind me had to pull over with me and I felt a little silly explaining the situation. Crisis averted, I got back on the road and soon found myself doing 60 mph to keep up with everyone. Yikes! But I survived. And I even felt brave enough to scoot my way over to my second job later in the week.

Still Standing

Been awhile since I've had time to post. Mostly because I started a new job with the US Census Bureau. Who knew you had to be sworn in and promise to defend our constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, in order to call people, make hotel reservations, fax stuff, file stuff, and type? But at least I'm getting paid for it. I'm trying to knock out my credit card debt and decided to bite the bullet and get a second job. But it's been hard juggling the two jobs and taking care of all the other stuff there is to do. I didn't really realize all the other stuff there is to do until I had no time left in which to do it. Especially when my front door fell off its hinges. Thank goodness for handy stepdads!

Looking forward to:
* my first HOS (that's Hooters on Scooters) ride this Sunday. Finally got a new battery and ol' Buttercup started right up. Needs a bit of air in her tires and she's ready to roll! I can't wait!!!
*my BFF coming to T-town next week. She's in a wedding but is staying with me.
*finding homes for the rest of the kitties. I sent Dooney and Bourke to live on a farm last weekend. And I do mean that in the literal sense. Now they cohabitate with 27 horses, a bunch of pygmy goats, some dogs, and three FAT cats.
*summer vacation!!! Only eight weeks (ugh) to go...