Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Medley sounds so much nicer than random

I can see why Linda needed a break from hosting the weekly random dozen meme every Wednesday. Coming up with a dozen random bits of nonsense on a weekly basis is hard even for me. Especially when its the middle of a hot and sticky summer and you're not venturing out and about too awfully much. We'll see what I can come up with today....

1. It's hot and sticky. Did I say that already?

2. The Bachelorette. Oh my. Actually I could probably come up with a dozen comments on Monday night's train wreck show alone but I'll leave it at this....the drama feels so staged and crazy its not that much fun anymore. Oh, and I need a trip to Tahiti.

3. In keeping with my television theme...Pillars of the Earth begins on Friday. It is a 6 part mini-series based on Ken Follett's book which was fantabulous. Pillars of the Earth tells the story of the building of a cathedral in Kingsbridge England in the mid-12th century. I read this book before I ever had an inkling I'd live in England so that was not why I loved it. And the book is historical fiction which is not my favorite genre but I picked it up because it had generated so much talk. In reading the back cover my first thought was...bo-ring. Oh but it was not boring. It was a great story and I can't wait to see how the mini series is done.

4. Hubs and I saw the movie Inception last weekend. Wow. In the words of Rick James it was super freaky. It's long and in the first few minutes lots of things are happening that you don't quite understand but it soon makes sense. My husband said it was a little too long and he had to think too much. However, last night as I was getting into bed he said, "So explain to me how the architect part worked." Yeah, it kinda stays with you.

5. Sunday morning a ginormous hawk landed on the rock wall in our back garden...


We see hawks around here a lot but never down in the yard. He did something strange too...he spread himself flat out on the rocks. I took a picture but the combination of my not wanting to startle him, my stellar photography skilz, his camouflage, and the awkward pose he was in make it a little bit hard to see.


A family of chipmunks live in this wall...maybe an entire clan, and they are neighbors to a family of groundhogs so I suspect the hawk was looking for breakfast. I was sure we were going to have a Marlin Perkins moment but all the little creatures stayed out of sight and he eventually flew off to greener pastures.

6. You can see the tips of a five foot high tomato plant in that picture that to date has produced zero tomatoes. We were thinking of chucking the plant because its kind of like Jack's beanstalk in that it keeps growing and growing and growing but still, NO tomatoes, not a single bloom. Then suddenly, on Saturday, a bloom appeared. And another. And they are at the tip top of the plant so it will need to be staked yet again but still, tomatoes...yay!

7. Sunday night I clicked on my blog and saw I had six comments to moderate. Five of those comments were on a post I wrote back in May just before my daughter graduated and they were made on the date the post was written. They were all from readers who regularly comment and I have absolutely no idea why they popped up now. One of the mysteries of the internet universe I guess.

8. We had dinner guests last night, two co-workers of my hubs but they are both also old friends of ours. I had not seen one of them since we both moved away from NJ the first time round, 1994. He and his wife have sons about the same age as our daughters and when we all lived here before we used to get together for dinners and fun with our toddlers. The toddlers are all college or (gulp) post college kids now. Seriously, time? Slow down!!!

9. I made a delicious peach cobbler for dessert last night. I haven't had peach cobbler in forever since its not technically on my list of approved foods which, by the way is heavy on salads and light on desserts. Is there anything better than warm cobbler with a scoop of cold melty ice cream on top? No. There is not.

10. Daughter2 is working for a babysitting service this summer. This week she has been caring for a 14 week old baby boy and his 2 year old sister. She arrives at their house about 6:45 am and babysits until about 3:30. She is exhausted. Yesterday she said she got home about 4 and napped until almost 7 PM. A little taste of the reality that smacks you in the face when you are raising young children. Well, all except for the three hour nap bit...I'm pretty sure I was never able to grab a three hour nap during the dinner hour ever when my kids were that age, could you?

11. I read a blog post yesterday that I thought was hilarious..if you have toddlers or have raised toddlers and you have ever in your life been to a fraternity party click here to read...'Why having a toddler like being at a frat party." There are some really funny comments too.

12.

Cutest dog ever, yes?
Hey, I needed an even dozen.


21 comments:

  1. I just had a random comment pop up this morning. Very strange....

    And, NO, I have never been able to take a 3 hour nap ever. There may have been 10 minutes here or there during Bob the Builder when I only had one.

    And it's still hot:)

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  2. A three hour nap with toddlers? Impossible! LOL. I think you managed an interesting dozen medley, especially the hawk. I've never seen a hawk do that before.

    And yes, cutest dog ever. Tied with mine. ;)

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  3. Joyce, you do a wonderful job with your random dozen each week. I look forward to reading what you come up with!
    I can tell from your writing that I haven't missed anything by bailing out on watching The Bachelorette!
    Since I'm from GA, I am inclined to agree with your opinion of peach cobbler :)
    Have a great day!

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  4. Great job once again on your randomness!

    I guess if the Bachlorette is good for anything it's a good "what NOT to do" show for our girls. Trying to find some good here. Ha

    Oh that peach cobbler sounds so yummy.

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  5. I don't watch the Bachelorette and from your comments I'd say I'm not missing much. lol

    That hawk is strange. Never seen that before.

    Peach cobbler sounds delicious. It's been a long time since I've had that.

    That's the 2nd time I've heard someone mention Inception this week. Never heard of it before. I'll have to check it out.

    Cute dog!

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  6. What channel is Pillars coming on? I absolutely LOVED that book, along with the sequel to it.
    Middle son saw "Inception" the other day...said it was "insane"!

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  7. I also had a comment dated 4/2010 that just showed up this morning. Strange. Looks like Blogger had a bug that was just recently fixed.

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  8. Peach cobbler.....recipe? :)
    Please. :) (My mind stopped there and now I´m hungry!)

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  9. I loved that book and had not heard about the mini-series. Thanks for the heads up.

    Cobbler. Mmmmm. I always double the topping because the biscuity goodness is the best part!

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  10. I had lunch with 3 former co-workers (they retired, I resigned)yesterday and we shared a peach cobbler for dessert. It was soooo good!

    Another book to add my reading list! (I won't be able to watch the show, don't get that channel. Darn, because my husband and I enjoy mini series.)

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  11. I won't have time to watch Pillars tonight. I'll just DVR it so I can watch it another time. Loved the post on toddler=frat party. Great stuff. Thanks for sharing. Blessings, SusanD

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  12. Awwww, your dog IS cute!!!!
    A three-hour nap? Never. But now I don't feel so bad about being tired at the end of the day after taking care of Jaylon. (I'm 58) :-)
    I love your random dozen, Joyce! You are such a great blogger.
    Oh, and from what I've seen of her, I just think the bachelorette girl seems so fake. And I already mentioned the hair in a comment some days ago. Puhleeease. Do.something.with.it!

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  13. cacaphony? and where is my photo of the cobbler with appropriate recipe?

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  14. Joyce,

    I had a random comment pop up yesterday so who knows where God is bringing people to our blog from and where they are inspired to go. I love all your super cute shares with all of us, the most unusual is the hawk. Weird that it did that.

    I've been wondering about the Bachlorette too, I mean who does background checks on these guys or is it really a big ploy to get us, the viewers to tune in.


    Love and Hugs ~ Kat

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  15. Weird about the comments! Your dog is cute. :) I have never seen the bachelorette. You make it sound like a "must-watch!" Have a splendiferous day!

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  16. The Bachelorette? Agree. Inception sounds tempting. Hubs and I like shows that actually make you think (disregarding the fact that I may or may not actually watch The Bachelorette). You have National Geographic in your backyard. Seriously. I've never seen a bird of any kind do yoga. ;) Loved what you said about your dd babysitting. As parents, we are in a constant state of sleepwalk. Ha!

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  17. I enjoyed this. And the Bachelorette? I think it's staged too...that they know some of the guys have girlfriends and are just on the show for exposure to get famous. I think on some level Ali knows that too. What person in his or her right mind really thinks they will find the high quality, honest person of good character they will spend the rest of their life with on a show that is a platform for people seeking fame? sigh....

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  18. Beautiful dog. I saw Inception, it was different for sure. Who thinks those stories up! Peach cobbler sounds delicious.

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  19. Joyce, I think you did very well for not having anything to say! So here are my replies. Don't you often wonder what people really think of all twelve?

    1) It is amazingly cool here. Mid to upper 80's which is unheard of here in So Cal in late July. Course - they had the BIG heatwave for the 5 days we were camping at the beach - (hehehe)

    2) I don't watch the Bachelorette but I think Survivor is getting too staged too. I'm over it!

    3) Pillars . . . - I might check it out at the library and give it a try. I haven't had much time for reading lately . . .

    4) OK just the words "super freaky" made me crack up! :)

    5) That really was strange what the hawk did! I wonder what it was doing. Trying to be smaller? Maybe she was having a "bad feather day" and rebathed to see if they would dry correctly. LOL.

    6) This was my first year ever I didn't plant a tomato plant. But yours sounds like my hydrangeas this year. NADA! Narry a bloom on two of them. :(

    7) I had that happen to me once too!

    8) it won't! It just keeps speeding up!

    9) Peach cobbler - YUM! It is just the BEST!

    10) I made all my money before I turned 16 babysitting. Even full weekends! But I made LOTS of money - started out when I got paid 50 cents an hour! WHOO HOOO!

    11) I've never been to a frat party - I guess I better go check this one out . . . :)

    12) yup -pretty cute. My Harley and Jorja thinks so too!

    Ok, that was longwinded! While we were sitting by the campfire over the last weekend, my niece got up and I asked her to pour me another glass of wine. My sister piped in "No don't do that!. It makes her talk too much!" :) GO figure!

    I so appreciate all of your comments over the past year and ??? months of our blogging together. I love visiting with you and though I may not always comment - I've been there - stalking you, but see how long my comments can turn out?

    HEHEHE! Have a great evening!
    Karen :)

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  20. Pillars of the Earth is on my list of things to read. I just can't get over how many pages there are and haven't had the emotional fortitude to jump in quite yet.

    And I didn't plant any tomatoes this year - I just ingratiated myself to friends who did :)

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  21. I'm looking forward to Pillars of the Earth. And also Inception, which I plan to see this weekend. I like movies that make my head hurt. I'm not sure why.

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