So What Have I Been Doing?

Cleaning out my closet...literally and metaphorically. Much love to Bear and Aimers for helping with the heavy lifting in its various forms. You gals are the best. Also, can I just say how much I love having matching wooden hangers? It makes me feel very zen.

Two Faced

So on the left is me left to my own devices. Can you say "HATCHET FACE"? On the right is after my lovely sister intervened, channeled her inner Tyra Banks, and told me "Know your angles, chin down, and shoulders back." I think Tyra would be really proud, much less hatchety in take 2.

My Summer Vacation by Vanilla Bean Counter

The Good: Gorgeous weather. Found a couple of geocaches. Circus World was pretty entertaining and everyone had a good time. Gluten Free birthday cake from The Silly Yak bakery. Glamor shots for match.com were obtained. Carefully posed and selection to make me look as fun and interesting as possible. I've decided to go the false advertising route, a little bait and switch action. Laoation is always so tasty. Sleeping on S's couch vs Aimers' (Sorry Aimers, much love for you, but not your couch. But really, I am damn near 30 years old, maybe I should spring for a hotel room). Live music on The Terrace Saturday night.

The Bad: No babies in slings sightings, none! The planks ("hash browns") at The Dairy Barn. Picking Caramel Cappuccino instead of my usual Butter Pecan. The freaking roads in Illinois. Little Puppy Maia was not along for Circus World. She will have to be photo shopped into the Christmas card. Having to watch animals perform unnatural behaviors. Elephants aren't supposed to roll on balls!

The Ugly: My legs, oh the damage the mosquitoes did. Geocaching in shorts, dumbest move I have made in awhile.

Best Laid Plans

Friday was a beautiful evening in Peoria. Xena and I, in an effort to eat healthier, decided to cook tacos at her house rather than going to Jalapeno's. That was all well and good until my will power broke down and I had "just a half glass" of Cuervo already mixed Margarita. I hardly ever drink, but that Margarita was good. Xena, realizing the rarity of the event started having more as well. Before I knew it, I was like 6 half glasses gone and we were moving our party of two out to the roof top deck. There we inhaled a bag of baked Tostitos, half a jar of queso, and the entire handle of Margarita while listening to R & B/hip hop/pop hits from the late 90's early 00's. Good thing we decided to be healthy, right?

Although if we hadn't done that we would have missed the excellent fireworks show. From the deck you can see the fireworks from the baseball field, but Friday night there were additional fireworks just south of the Bob Michael Bridge. The show went on for over 20 minutes. Not just random amateurs, an actual coordinated show. I have no idea what it would have been for or who paid for it. Google fails me. Anyone local know what those fireworks were about?

I Got Nothing

I am so freaking bored. I don't know if I have more energy these days or what, but man I have never been so bored in my life. Bear and Yosh will be arriving in a couple of weeks, so that will be nice. They are fun people, well Yosh is :)

In a couple of weeks I will be going to see my beloved Madison (and her inhabitants) for a long weekend. That is always a good time. Mixing things up a bit with a quick side trip to the Circus World Museum in lovely Baraboo, WI with my family. We all happen to be in Wisconsin at the same time so we thought why not meet up for some circus fun (Mom LOVES anything circus). Well Tottie and RR will not already be in Wisconsin. They have to drive from Iowa City Saturday morning; sucks to be them. But they are abandoning us for Arizona so we have already begun passive aggressively punishing them. Some people go to Disney for a week with their families; we squeeze in a Saturday in Wisconsin. Really, we see each other all the damn time, so no need for extended meet ups away from home. I am kind of bummed about missing the Farmer's Market in Madison on Saturday, no fresh cheese curds for me. Although I am looking forward to fetalicious pizza and board games upon my return. (Did you get that Aimers, make it happen).

Reflections on Tottie's Graduation

1. The ASL sign for "robot,' looks like the robot dance. Seeing a chubby, middle aged woman doing the robot in the middle of a boring speech is hysterical.

2. For some jacked up reason the alphabet in Iowa ends with the letter 'G'

3. The Iowa Power Company made me miss The River Station.

4. Grandpa G kind of has a lead foot. After hour 2 in the car and hour 6 sitting on my ass in general; it was greatly appreciated.

5. There are some really shitty roads in Illinois.

6. Peoria needs a Von Maur, their bathrooms are always so clean.

Greekalicious Update

The Romanian sweet was excellent, almost like a bar cookie with an apricot filling. I love apricot, it was softer too, possibly made with semolina instead of white flour. It was kind of yellowish. The spinach pie was awesome. I should have gotten the spinach pie dinner rather than the gyro dinner and one a la cart pie. The gyro was very good, but really I just love spinach pie. I could have eaten a whole tray of them. So if you are local, get over there before it is over Saturday evening.