Friday, December 07, 2012

Things that creeped me out while shopping...


I'm always fascinated by the random things that catch my eye in retail stores. A shopping trip to my fave big-box retailer yesterday, was too good not to share. Here's a few things that creeped me out!
 
 
Henna I can understand, but placenta! Gee, I've always dreamt of that "I just washed by hair with afterbirth" look for my hair and now I can finally get it for the bargain price of $0.98! 
 
 
I confess, I sniffed socks at the store They still had the sticky wrapper on them, so hopefully I didn't inhale scaley bits of human toe jam. Who can resist the siren call of "Aromatherapy liners" aka - socks that might smell like old lady Avon potpourri till this first wear and wash. Who are these marketed to?  This sounds more like something you'd put in your underwear, not your shoes. And just who is going around sniffing people's feet to make scented footwear a necessity. Wash your feet and mind personal space! If someone asks to smell my foot they deserve the torment they get.
 

I think they spelled the name of these wrong. It's SATAN, not Santa. Now you too can have nightmares about your snack cakes. Send them to school with your kid so they can connect with fellow demon worshippers in a non-threatening way!  Last time I checked the jolly fat man had rosy cheeks, but didn't look like he'd been skinned. Let me guess....  you have "Star of David Brownies" for Hanukkah as well, they just happen to look more like a pentagram. Little Debbie, I'm disappointed and a bit creeped.

Thursday, December 06, 2012

A very belated haunt season summary

 For the second year in a row, I worked as an actress at Forsaken Haunted House in Mentor, Ohio. It's my sanity-saving fun! This year I was also a makeup artist, and had the opportunity to represent the haunt on the Fee's Kompany morning show at Q104. Here are some photos from this year's fun and festivities.
 
 

Before the Better in Mentor Days parade


2012 Cast Photo

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

exploding dog butts aren't fun...

Poor Gato, our 10 month old boxer lab mix was not feeling well last night. He gave my hubby some on-the-job parental training by exploding excrementorily on the faux wood kitchen floor. He then went on his merry way and proceeded to act like nothing was wrong. So what did the hubby do?  Continued to let him play in the house.

We've all had those days where we were sick and weren't quite sure if we could trust a fart. Well, with dogs, they don't know quite what to do when that happens, so they let'r rip!

You only get lucky to have poop on a hard surface once. Next bomb went off in our carpeted living room. Now we have a stinky carpet to shampoo, a frustrated/grossed out hubby and a dog who looks miserable and sad. (but at least now he's in his crate where we can contain the epidemic.)

Let's hope a day of no solid food, lots of water and some canned plain pumpkin do the trick!


Monday, December 03, 2012

Puppy dog tails

Remember my post about the dogs? I've decided the littlest one has a plan to take over the world by destroying one crate at a time.

But he looks all sweet and innocent while doing it!

See that shiny thing in the crate? That's an 'indestructible metal crate tray he bent in half and turned into a roof.



Tuesday, October 02, 2012

The Girls...

Seems like only yesterday we picked up 6 sweet balls of fluff from Tractor Supply and took our first steps into the lives of urban farmers. That was March 17.
 
Here's all the cute little chicks in the temporary home...
 
Our girls all boxed up and ready for the ride home.
 
They started out living in a rubbermaid tote in the house...  getting bigger, and bigger each day. Needed to be sure they were warm, safe and full-grown before being exposed to the elements in their outdoor coop.  The house was full of cheerful chirps and a film of cedar chip dust covered pretty much everything in the room that wass their home for the first 2 - 3 months. (The kitties were far too intrigued with their cuteness and possible tastiness.)
 
 
My boss was also interested in rasising some hens, so the girls were split 3 and 3....  with 3 now happily living at her house, and 3 staying with me. Splitting them up was tough, but I knew they'd be well taken care of and loved. And I get to see them every now and then and always get updates on how they're doing.
 
But, I wanted a bit larger chicken family. When I saw an ad posted on Craig's List that someone had barred rock hens and easter eggers of a similar age to the girls that were free ranging, for only $8 each, I knew we had to add to the flock! And boy, am I glad we took a trip to this guy's house!
 
We saw a small flock of 20 or so chickens as we pulled up in the drive, and as we walked towards the back with him I casually asked how many chickens he had.  His response - "Over 1,000"!!!  Then they heard his voice and it was like the Pied Chicken Piper had played his magical instrument and they started coming out of the woodwork from everywhere.
 
 

 
He's a beekeeper and has the chickens to keep the area around the hives clean and pest free. It's the safest way to care for the lawn aroudn the hives as well. The chickens also provide eggs whech he sells to support their care.

Meeting Gertrude for the first time. She flew right up on my arm and rode around almost the entire time we were there. It was love at first site and I knew she picked us and was going home that day.
 
So, here's the entire flock:

Gertrude, my sweet zebra girl. She still likes being cuddled and enjoys riding around on a shoulder or arm.

Opal, who gave us concerns as a teen. Her waddle and comb were oversized compared to her sibilings and bright red. We were afraid she was a rooster (which is nto allowed in our city). Was so happy when she laid her first egg.

Betty White, the trouble maker of the bunch. She likes to escape from the pen and runs around delgithed with her accomplishments. She also tends to be bossy.

Beatrice, the ringleader and queen hen. She rules the roost and the other girls follow her lead. She is also very affectionate.
 
I love watching their quirky antics and am so glad we added them to our little family. We're currently working on building them a bigger and better coop, and may add one or two additonal flockmates once that project is completed. Watch for updates on that soon!

Farewell sweet Mabel...

We lost one of the girls this month.  Mabel, our easter egger, sadly became eggbound and passed away. She was not one fo the girls we hand raised, but I still loved her just as much as our other chicken kids. The other four girls are doing well. though you can tell her sister Gertrude the barred rock hen misses her a lot. They were two peas in a pod who would cuddle to sleep and walk around the yard together.

Sorry I wasn't able to help, sweet girl.

Friday, July 06, 2012

My new walking partner...

I have a new walking partner... and hopefully soon I'll have two. Both are rescues....

Meet one of the newest members of the family, ZIGGY! He's estimated to be 1 - 1.5 years old, weighs in close to 60 lbs and is a pibble/Am staff mix. He's got some commands down great, but we're still working on the leash manners (and not chasing kitty siblings and a few other things). He's smart, all muscle, very high energy and a total love bug. He loves to do something called a "zoomie" whenever he's in the backyard. It's kinda crazy to watch and know how fast he is.


And his baby brother (Who's still a bit too wild child for walking with more than one person or animal at a time) GATO! He's a 5 month old, 28 lb ball of energy - boxer lab mix. Some days we swear he's part flying squirrel. He loooves his stuffed animals, especially his flea and elephant and has intersting hobbies including chewing his "chicken wings" (back legs), flying leaping off the sofa and bed and sitting on his head with his tush high in the air. He also thinks he is so cute that anyone within visual distance should pet him and fawn over him.  I tend to agree about the cuteness - look at that face!



So, these are my walking buddies. I'm hoping Ziggy and I can learn to run together at some point, but we're gonna take baby steps. :-)

Thursday, July 05, 2012

155 gone and I need YOUR help on the next one....and the next....

This was me in 2006...


At almost 400lbs I was tired, my knees and back and ankles hurt all the time. I'd get out of breath walking in from the parking lot to work. I was a sad state of affairs.

I've lost more than 155lbs. It's amazing and I'm thankful and excited I've come this far. But, now I'm on the plateau of doom. My big first personal goal mentally was to weigh what I weighted in high school. I'm 24 lbs away from that on a good day. I'm 60 lbs away from my dream goal. The place I really, really, REALLY wanted to be that I would consider myself a success in weight loss.  60 lbs?   Are you KIDDING me!?  Compared to 155 this should be peanuts and it's NOT. Anyone who tells you weight loss surgery is anything but a tool is a LIAR. It's a tool that helps you towards your goal. It's NOT easy and it's no magic wand. I knew that when I got my RnY Gastric Bypass surgery. And I committed to the lifestyle changes required to succeed with it. But, just like with anything I've had my bad days and I need a little kick in the arse.

I recently signed up for a biggest loser competition at work. First weigh in is next Monday. I have 12 weeks to kick my own butt and lose this last 60 lbs.  And I need help. If you are reading this it means I need your support and encouragement - to eat right, workout, sleep right and send some lbs kicking and screaming to a retirement village far, far away from my body.

I once read that a man had friends and coworkers "sponsor" a lb of weight loss each. They encouraged him and helped mentor him till the lb they sponsored was gone. Doing this by myself I've been lazy. Would you consider sponsoring a lb as my friend.... you can email me, call me or show up at my door and drag me for a workout during your lb. If you're interested, please comment below and claim your LBs in increments of two (since I'm not sure 60 people wanna kick my butt... but I'm hoping 30 do LoL) example"  I'll sponsor 1 - 2 lbs, 2 - 4 lbs etc....   I'll post here and on facebook once a week what the scale says and what my successes and failures were for the week. 

Thanks in advance for joining me on this journey to an even less fat, fat girl in flip flops.  :-)

~C

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Great savings at a new store/Restaurant Week! - check it out


I went to EarthFare in Fairview Park last night (Old Westgate Mall area).  I got $60 of groceries for $27!!!

Before I went I signed up for their weekly email newsletter http://www.earthfare.com/ (which gives you a weekly freebie) and that gave me:

-          A coupon for a FREE whole chicken (value around $10) or a pack of veggie burgers (value $3)
-          A FREE 1 lb fresh boneless, skinless chicken breast from the meat dept. ($5.50 value)
-          These are both with a $10 purchase but it can be the same $10 purchase!

I texted “eat” to 71700 and they texted me a code to show at the register to get $10 off a $25 purchase, (which combines with the above coupons)

I also used in-store coupons that are hanging right in front of products for more savings.

All in all, a very awesome trip to a new store.  Some things are pricey, but most of their prices are fair and the food is good – a lot of organic and gluten free. Nice bulk section and fresh/prepared foods section as well.  If you are vegan/vegetarian they have these AMAZING soy delight vegan nuggets that I tried and loved. Amazing flavors of Thai chili, blackened and a few others. If you ask they will let you sample one before purchasing to see if you like them. Since it’s Lent, this is a nice option for a Friday dinner, if you participate in that.

Well worth the drive to check out and get some freebies.  J

DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND RESTAURANT WEEK

Kicks off February 27 and runs through March 4.   This is a time to check out some of those fancier restaurants we all drool over but our wallet panics at thinking about!  Over 40 restaurants will be participating. Once again each restaurant will be offering diners $30 3-course menu for one or two diners and a $15 lunch option (at select restaurants)

New restaurants participating this year include: Pura Vida by Brandt, Taza, Prime Rib Steakhouse, Pacer’s Ribhouse, and Noodlecat. Click here for the complete list, including menus:  http://www.downtownclevelandalliance.com/events/restaurant-week/participating-restaurants-.aspx

Several downtown parking facilities will offer special $2 parking to diners who show their special Restaurant Week parking voucher, available on the DCA Restaurant Week. Parking at select lots will begin at 5 p.m. each day during Restaurant Week. Click here for details (scroll down a bit): http://www.downtownclevelandalliance.com/events/restaurant-week.aspx

If anyone wants some dinner or lunch company, give me a call!   

Thursday, February 09, 2012

Looks funky, but so tasty...

Cherry almond clif bar. Yum! One of my fave snacks/meal replacements on the run.



Eleven Things...

Poise in Parma recently posted this meme and said we could "consider ourselves tagged" if we wanted to participate. Ok!

11 random things:

1. I love Halloween. It's my fave holiday. It's an even bigger deal to me now that I work at a haunted house as an actor (and this year I get to do make-up, woohoo!)

2. Working at a haunted house does not make me any less scared of going through them. I'm a chicken. Can't watch horror movies either.
3. I could eat sushi, Taco Bell, chinese or Indian food everyday and be totally happy. (Though I may need a chocolate fix now and then)
4. I talk to my 3 cats like they can understand me. They are our furry children and they seem to be ok with my kind of crazy. Thankfully my husband is ok with it, too. I also "make" them sing for their supper and play fetch. (as if you can make a cat do anything it doesn't want to)

5. I'm a gastric bypass patient and I've lost 155 lbs so far. I'm stll a chunky chick and get funny looks when I eat like a bird out in public. I always feel like I have to reassure people that the food was good, I'm just full. I don't think they always believe me.
6. My most girly attribute is I love painting my nails, but sadly I also bite them when I'm stressed. really trying to break that habit again this year so I can use some of the super-sweet ideas I've seen on Pinterest.
7. I'm a Christian, I love God and help with the youth group at our church. I feel like I can relate to the kids because I know I have to keep growing in my faith and I will always have a lot to learn. I still struggle with being comfortable praying out loud or accepting that I won't always have the answer or know what to do. But I'm pretty sure that's why it's called "faith" not "easy".

8. I have a collection of those fun neon-colored clip in hair extensions that i wear randomly. This is just one example of why I doubt I'll ever grown up totally.

9. I probably own more zebra print clothing and accessories than I should. I love it. My wedding dress had zebra print incorporated into it.
10. I have the best darn husband a girl could ever ask for. I love that we can do anything together and have fun. We understand our warpedness/randomness/squirrel moments and appreciate them. The only time this sucks is when we're cooking - because we don't follow recipes and never write down what we did, so if we love something trying to recreate it exactly is never going to happen.

11. I'm training for the Rite Aid Marathon 5K again this year. This time I'm going to run the whole way! (Someone should probably wait for me at the finish line with oxygen and some coffee-flavored gatorade) have to admit that running is a lot les


Additional questions from post:



What is the most adventurous thing you have ever eaten?


Beef heart bruschetta at Lolita (Was super tasty) or sour cream and onion  crickets (not so tasty)


What would your last meal be if you had a say in it?

As much sushi as I could scarf and a divine chocolate dessert.




What is your all time guilty pleasure food?



What are you currently listening to?

A crazy mix of Christian artists and top 40 music that would confuse most people.




What is your favorite sport (to play, watch, or both)?


To play - volleyball. To watch - Football.
One thing you are dying to try (this could be anything)


I really want a tattoo!  Just need to commit to what I want o I want it to be. Leaning towards getting a permanent wedding band or an old-school gerdening book illustration of catnip right now (if you knew my maiden and married last names, this would make a lot more sense to you)
 Fill in the blank: Food makes me _________.


inspired, full and creative!


If you could have dinner with just one person, dead or alive, who would it be?


My grandfather. He passed away when I was in 8th grade and I still miss him everyday.
What is your “go to” restaurant for taking out of towners?

I can't just pick one!  Melt, Pacific East, Farenheit, Momma Roberto's in Mentor, Rocky River Brewing Company, Joe's Deli - just depends on mood and side of town we're on.


What is your favorite holiday?


HALLOWEEN.



What quote sums up your life right now?



“Ya ehnnah!" (Only my hubby will understand)
 If you want to answer these yourself, consider yourself tagged!

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