CHRIMMAH!!

I wasn't going to decorate, since we're going home (dogs and all! Crazy if you know my parents!) but then I ended up doing it anyway because it's mutha-flippin' CRIMMAH. (Festive, I know). But before I show you pictures, I'll give you a story. About three weeks ago, I worked on Saturday, and after being there for about 2 hours, the neighbor came over to enquire about who owned the red car. Why? Because he backed out of his driveway directly into my door. I don't understand people who can't drive. Yes, accidents happen, but this was impressive. However, he was honest about it, settled up for the damage, but still, still, I wanted to start with the Tyrone scene from Snatch (NSFW, and likely to offend some people, what with the swearing and what not). The rest of the day went pretty well, and when I left I wanted an Egg Nog Latte. That's all I wanted. Completely forgetting that it was the Saturday of Black Friday (does that make sense?) I went to Dartmouth Crossing. Oh God, I hate that place. It took forever to get into, I couldn't find what I was looking for, and due to the complete lack of signage anywhere, I ended up back on the highway before I even found Starbucks. I'm pretty sure the city planner for that marvel was, oh, I don't know! Satan?? So I figured I would just go to the MicMac Mall, go to the Starbucks at Chapters since it's not even IN the mall. I thought I'd be safe. I was wrong. (And why are parking spots so small now??). I had to circle to find a spot. I should have gone home. But by this time, by durn, I was on a mission (Indiana Trudy and the Quest for the Nogalatte, I would call it!) so I went in. From whence do these people come?? There were about 20 people in line for Chapters, so I quickly abandoned the idea of getting any early Christmas presents, and went directly for coffee. Sweet, sweet Christmas coffee. Now, for future reference, when I hear the girl behind the counter (I refuse to call anyone a barista) say, "I think I need more egg nog, I don't know if I have enough for one more," I will admit defeat. Because for all the traffic and the crowds and the screaming kids, that was some awful coffee. But I drank it, and drove home with the moulding from my door wrapped in brown paper in the backseat. Next time they ask me to work on Saturday, I think I'll say no.

{And now, for everyone who stuck with me through all that, onto the festive goodness!}

Snuffleupagus and a Doodlebug! Srsly!


Festive bookcase <3

Let me explain... new tv doesn't fit in the entertainment centre, but a new one is not high on the priority list right at the moment, so the tv is on the top and the cubby... well... festive cubby!

So bright. Don't look directly at them.

(Scotch tape not part of the "theme").

In keeping with the festivities/holy-poop-I'm-broke, I'm giving cookies and fudge for Christmas (which I think is how Christmas should be btw. I'm becoming very anti-consumerist in my old age). So, the fudge is not done, but this is what my table looks like (Adam's home now, so I need to get these packaged before my stocks become severely depleted)

(pumpkin drop cookies (eagerly awaiting icing), whipped shortbread, and pretzel shortbread).

Rocco really, really, really, wanted the cookies. He sat there just like that for about 25 minutes.

"Ooooooow there are cookies. Right there. I can smell them. Please, please give me the cookies."

"Yea, we can see the cookies. Can we, like, have the cookies? Those ones? Right there?"

"Pleeeeeeeease??"

Yea. They got a cookie. How could I say no??

Eight more sleeps, people. I hope you're all more ready than I am!

I'll be outside for the season...

I have no time.

So I'll give you a picture...

See, I have a post that I started about my 3-hour tour to get an egg nog latte, and a rant about something else, but then this Christmas thing came along that has been taking up a lot of time, and even though I'm probably 80% ready, there's still so much to do, and I have no pictures of the decorations here (yet) but there will be a longer update this weekend, I swear, and until then (deep breath) just one more picture (this is just about how I felt last Sunday when I was trying to decorate, and it was 7pm and I was still surrounded by rubble and boxes...).

10 more sleeps!

Cold November Rain

... I was in it all morning. Brr.

First and foremost. I am in love. With Lee Valley. Best customer service. EVER. I took a block plane in that I bought there about 7 years ago. I had dropped it, which I explained to him, and the plate shattered around the blade, making it completely useless. So they replaced it. Just like that. Tradesies. Sweetness. I spent a while ogling the polished chrome plane. Sweet Jesus, it's beautiful.
I digress...

I did go back there tonight to pick up some stocking stuffers (and one schweeet batoning chisel for me), in the hopes of being prepared this year. There's always a first time, right? In closing, let me just say if you have a local Lee Valley (or if you're an internet shopper) check them out, because they have some very interesting things.

While I may be trying to prepare for Christmas, I just want to say, what the hell, stores? Is it really necessary to be decorated already? I mean, merchandise I can understand, but carols and lights and trees? That's just not cool. The only place that should be prepared for the Holidays is Starbucks, and that's because of the Egg Nog Lattes. However, I come bearing a warning: beware the Peppermint Brownie Pop. Delicious? Yes. But the peppermint pieces are reminiscent of glass shards and the pain outweighs the pleasure. Er, I think. Let me try it a few more times and I'll let you know for sure...

I think way back when I promised you something crafty, so here it is: Marcia's Hallowe'en present, a witches heart in a jar.

It really is indestructible!*

*Also titled: Dear God, stop eating the trim!

http://www.westpawdesign.com/articles/pet-care-products/buyers-guide-your-pets-well-being/indestructible-dog-toys

If you have tough chewers, these really are the best...



Now pardon me while I go sit under my desk for a bit, as the internet has eaten a post that took me 45 minutes. I'll re-do it tomorrow. And may I just say SONO'BENORE!!

I'll leave you with this, especially for Marcia:

It's been so long...

Ahh, Crush. PS. Lori, come back! We will go to the Lower Deck this time!!


So... update... update...


Lori was here. Best. Birthday. Present. Ever. We sang. We danced. Well, we didn't, but it was an awesome visit, nevertheless. We did see a duck swimming in the middle of the road. Yea, we got a lot of rain. Some awesome food, and a trip to Neptune Theatre to see Frankenstein (which was soooo good), many gifts, and lots of dog love later, she left me again. Sad face, sweetie. Remember to keep the crotch of your bodysuit snapped up. Bwahahaha ;D. (That's me, my sister, and my b(i)fl.)

We got portraits taken, because... yeaaa... I'm one of those people now.




I'm not ashamed. I love those hounds. All three of them. Heh.

I made a Plinko Hallowe'en costume for a friend. I have to say, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, and more importantly, so was she.

And most importantly, this time, I didn't accidentally drink the brush cleaning water...

I'm making peanut butter bars, and I have no idea what I did, but they came out weird. Checked and re-checked the amount of everything before I baked them, but they were... sticky... softer than normal.... fluffy almost. We'll see how they are when they cool. Hopefully they're good, because all baking and no food makes Trudy a dull boy. Or y'know, a little crazy.

My sewing room is an atrocity. (That is all).

Stay tuned for a Hallowe'en update. And also one from the VV Boutique.

What's everyone else been up to?

Get me off this crazy thing. Called Love.

Two weekends. Two weddings. I'd like to not have to do that again for awhile. They were lovely. Good people. Good times. Good grief, that was a lot of wine. Today, my sister thought I was emotionally distraught; however, I'm just hungover. She understood, and said she just couldn't tell the difference between me being emotional and nauseous. Which makes sense, I usually can't either.

Update:

• 5 sleeps until I pick up my BiFL (that's "best friend for life"; little something I picked up from a 12 year old. Yea, I'm cool like that) from ye old aeropuerto. Exciting because we haven't seen one another for 3 years!! OMG!! It's ridiculous. We met at University, and my first impression was 'How can anyone be that f*&#ing chipper and perky?' Turns out she was just nervous, and it turns out she's quite cynical and sarcastic as well, so we got along fine! We lived together in Halifax for 5 years, and then drove to Winnipeg in 2008 when she was going to northern Manitoba for work, and NOW she's coming back to me! Best. Birthday present. Ever. I'm stupid excited, and I have a lot to do before Friday!


• That's us being smaller than a nickel....
  ...dranking in The Brady Bunch hotel (hahaha)....


• ...and Lori's last day in Halifax. Sad face sweetie...But 5 more sleeps!!

• I accidentally made purple beef stew tonight. It should be delicious, but I made it with fresh home grown purple haze carrots. Which turned the turnip and the onions and the potatoes, well... purple. It'd be great for Hallowe'en!

• Speaking of which, I need to start my costume if I'm going to be a sock monkey. ;)

• I just got a message on facebook about a fundraiser for Litters and Critters (a local animal rescue) called Howl-O-Ween. There are prizes, and bobbing for hot dogs! Would it be wrong of me to dress them like the Blues Brothers? Or maybe the Snooze Brothers. Y'think?




• Adam's aunt gave us an old dresser, 3 drawers with casters on the legs.... I have a plan! (but no pictures yet!)
  
  
  
• I would like to remind everyone that the Roast of Charlie Sheen is tomorrow.

Erm. Yes. I believe that is all. That comes to mind right now anyway. I'll leave you with a picture.

Water Dogs

Pantyhose are the bane of my existance.

So I'm rushing around trying to get ready for a wedding, last minute of course, because of course I couldn't be relaxed and early, so I pull up my thigh highs and pull the lace half off one. I figure I can go with this, it won't be so bad. Then I put my thumb through it and BAM runs right to my ankle. So I decided I would give-in and wrestle into some pantyhose. So along with breaking out in a sweat, I got angry right away, because seriously, f*@k right off. It's like trying to wrestle yourself into a baby's onesie. Also, I'm so short the only way they don't cut me in half (which leaves a lovely silhouette under a dress)is to haul them right up. Like, right up; picture the pants of an 80 year old. *le sigh.* Alas, this was not the fate of these hoses. Because as soon as I got them to waist level.... wait for it.... BAM! runs from my thigh to my knee. Honestly. Who came up with this?? And don't even get my started on the spanx I tried on yesterday. I'll just haul on a slip, and let it all hang out, thanks, because those things would send me into a homicidal spiral. Y'know... if I could have hauled them up all the way....

Anyway, the wedding was lovely, it was great to see everyone, even if I hate that I'm at the age when this is what brings us all together again. And we had to leave a little earlier than normal because I feel bad when we leave the dogs.... loser.....


There are no pictures of us... whoops... but we get to do it all over again next weekend (yay) and I'll be rocking my awesome $10 clearance dress, so I'll make sure some pictures are had. I haven't been making anything, and I have 2 weeks to get my sewing room cleared up, because my wife is coming to visit after three years apart omgwthbbq. so excited!! How about a veggie harvest picture? Adam just pulled a few of the carrots, and the leek to test them out. I think our zucchinis are just about finished up, and... well... a moment of silence for the peas please... This week at work, we're renovating a bathroom in an old building, which is an awesome part of doing what I do: I get to take garbage home! Exciting, I know. Antique brass drawer pulls and cast iron bathtub feet:

Okay. We're off to buy a washer... Crafty updates... well... someday, maybe....

Weely Update without Kevin Nealon

On with it then. Rocco loves his life jacket. Or, since he hasn't come out and said that, I'll say that he doesn't mind it, and hasn't sunk helplessly again, so I love his life jacket. Even if I have had to explain approximately 62 times why exactly he's wearing a life jacket (I thought it would be self-explanatory). So far I've fought the urge to tell someone that he's terribly afraid the ship will sink, and refuses to take it off.

So lets see... the week was full of stupid, stinky work, and not really anything else.

This weekend we took the the dogs to the park, and to the lake, and I saw my first leech and ohmygodohmygodohmygod I would rather face a shark ohmygodsogross. (I'm ignoring that I had to work this morning because it was only for a few hours, and it wasn't so bad).

Does anyone else read Tess Gerritsen? I enjoy her a great deal.

I've replied to an ad on kijiji about a book club, and I am intrigued. I posted an ad about starting a brown owls type club as well, so hopefully there's enough interest. They're starting to take applications for the winter Halifax Crafters market, and I'm definitely, for sure, applying.

Oh man, I love almond M&Ms.

Yesterday, I finally managed to convince Adam that yard sales are just the shiz-nit. He got some golf clubs, but what sold it for him was the $5 sub. Also not pictured is my $1 yard stick (I'm collecting them to frame the chalk board in the kitchen). The afghan was $3, the cabinet was $5 (I'm going to paint it, and we'll use it for tools in the basement)....

(now up close and personal...)

...the grater/peeler was free and I have a Christmas plan for it, the book was $1 and will be used for crafting, and the glass insulators were $1 each (weird because I had just been thinking about them the other day).

Any day now, I'm going to be organized and start making things. Just as soon as it gets cold, and I don't feel like I need to be outside soaking up every spare second of summer. I mean, how can you say no to these faces?

Royston was 12 weeks yesterday... I think we're gonna need a bigger place... ;D

Whatchu doing?

Work work work. There's got to be a better way. Or maybe I'm just bitter about patching drywall for the last 3 days. Note to self: don't admit to anyone else that you know how to mud and tape. And check your lotto ticket.

So, not much new here. Up at 6.30 on a Saturday (can someone come by and beat me with a sock full of nickels?). Adam is working, the dogs are outside, most likely spreading more fluff around the deck, and I'm trying to get up the ambition to finally clean the sewing room. And the rugs will be shampooed. And once Adam is home, the insulation will be cleaned out of the storage room (maybe if I put it in writing, it'll happen? Maybe??).

I should say not much good is new here. We can't seem to get rid of the musty smell in the house since it flooded, so now I'm scared we'll have to rip out the wall in the sewing room and see what's happening in there. Also, the washer shit the bed on us. I'm assuming all the work Adam needed on his car in the dreaded #3. So also up later: shop for a new washer.

Honestly.

One thing is new. Rocco hated the water since we first got him. When we got him a kiddie pool at the first of the summer, he wouldn't get in it. He thought it was a big water bowl. So we threw a few balls in it, and he did his best to get them out without getting his face wet, which was quite funny to watch. So imagine our surprise when we took him to the lake, and he jumped in. Royston, of course, was right on his heels.

There's only one problem: Rocco can't float. He's a meathead. Soon as he stops, he sinks. Fast. So scary, so now he has a lifejacket. We'll be trying it out later, I'll let you know how it goes. We got it from Brenda's Doggie Dudz, and if any of you are close, and need anything from biker jackets to tutus, check her out. She's lovely, and very helpful. We also got a Lupi harness for him because while the Volhard works, it does stop him from pulling constantly, he does still pull, and I hate to see him choke himself. The training isn't going so well, because he has no interest in anything when we're outside and there are so many things to see and smell and pee on. So. Hopefully this will help.



Happy weekend!

Remember how my house was clean?

Well, first we had a very bad thunder storm
(Courtesy of The Weather Network). Which led to a whole lot of rain, which led to my house flooding. Oh dear God. The roof drain leaked, or backed up, or exploded, undetermined as of yet, which meant that the house flooded from the roof down.
This was our living room floor the next day. It did dry, but the tiles are ruined. The basement flooded, so it has to be re-insulated, but thankfully we didn't lose anything. The only thing that had to be replaced was our bed, lovingly sponsored by my awesome parents (I think they took pity on me and my horrible luck, evident because they keep calling me Schleprock). The bed was ruined because there was so much water pooling on our bedroom ceiling that it ran out of the pencil-diameter sized hole (from a hanging plant, I assume) that's over our bed. And to insure our ceiling wasn't still soaked and growing mold, this is what our ceiling looked like: Yea, those are holes. Plaster dust everywhere. Sonobenore. I wish I'd had the composure to take a picture of the water gushing from the roof drain, over the top plate, into the storage room, but I did not. Picture a fountain. In your basement. Running. All. Over. Your. Stuff.
Whatever. Two (or more. Many, many more) tears in a bucket. Over and done with.
Moving on, got a new awesome camera! A Panasonic Lumix, for only $150! So I finally sewed something, a new case. Shazaam!, right? (Photos courtesy of my poor, broken old camera)

And when you're sewing, and you think your puppy is being very quiet, this might be why:
And yes, he was stuck, every attempt to get out just spinning him around like the furriest
stooge. One more, so you don't have to just see the rear view:

On Sunday, Marcia and I went to see HP 7.2 which was, in my opinion, so very very good. We stopped in the VV boutique, where I snagged another dirty plate, no pictures, but I'll update with the entire collection. I got some good books though, including Lamb for $4. I love that book, but I refused to pay $20 for a paperback.

(New sunnies! Egg shaped lippy! EEEE such are the essentials of summer!) Inside of a Dog is very good (not from VV, but 40% off at Wally World), and the others seem quite good as well, but I'll have to review at a later time. And in keeping with the book picture, I bought (yea, I know! I actually bought a bag for myself!) this bag, but can you blame me? ;D

I should post....

.... but I'm trying to organize some things so the government bastards won't take all my money (anyone in Canada with a student loan won't need an explanation to that). Anyroad, since I posted last, we had a really bad thunderstorm, my house completely flooded (from the roof drain, so from the top down), I got a new camera (for $125 off) and a hot pink vacuum, and I actually sewed something. But I don't have time to talk about all that, so here's a picture, and I'll be back tomorrow, I SWEAR!

(Hey, look who can get in the hammock all on his own!)

Dog1 Dog2

My house is clean! Which is amazing considering that the Royston has taken up residence.

I mopped the floor, weeded the flower cot (since it's not big enough to be a bed)
(That's Sam and Ralph)
and the veggie patch

(look at the zucchini, not at the weeds I missed! I swear the rest of the garden looks better!).

I'm attempting to grow an avocado... er... plant? Tree?
And we have a resident crane. I will call him Cyril. And Dog1? He's dealing pretty well with Dog2.