Montly archives
No whammies, no whammies!
I can't believe I just did what I did. One of my lurkers on this site (Hi Chris!) told me about a photography contest going on and figured I could enter. Of course the people running the contest made it wayyyyyy too easy to submit to their insanity... so after much drooling over the PRIZE I WANT SO MUCH I decided to send in my feeble attempt at an entry.
Nevermind that I could lose the contest and ENDLESSLY WEEP FOR THE CAMERA I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO AFFORD.
So I did it - I just emailed off my entry. If you'd like to reach me I will be the one endlessly crossing my fingers and doing my Happy-Winningest-Rain-Dance in hopes of winning such a beautiful her. Well, at least until June 15th when the contest is over.
I've also decided that when I win her, her name will be Maria. That way I'll have Nina, Pinta (my fisheye), and now (Santa) Maria. Get it?
The Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.
Oh man I kill myself. Send mama some love, won't you?
I will answer, if only ye ask
Another one of my lurkers (Hi Dave!) says I don't spill juicy enough info around here. Is that really so? I don't know what more he could possibly want from me - I mean hello, have you met my mouth? What juicy tidbits do all ya'll think I'm really keeping to myself anyway? What MUST it be like living in his world... ????
Until all the mysteries of life, the universe, mermaids, and Sophie's life are miraculously answered Friday's Feast will have to do. Serve warmed.
1. Appetizer: What comes to mind when you hear the word bizarre?
Britney Spears' grasp of reality. Ha ha. Ok no really.... Paris Hilton's grasp of reality. Kidding. KIDDING! (but uh... not really so much) I guess my final answer, Bob, is this life we all lead. Very, very bizarre indeed.
2. Soup: Using just a few words, describe your childhood.
Bizarre. No way man, I kid! I kid. Ummmmm this is a hard question. Just a few words - really? Gosh, making all these decisions are all hard 'n stuff. I guess my answer is, "safe, intellectual freedom, sunburnt, creative, and protected."
3. Salad: Name one thing you do each day that you feel improves your appearance.
I shower. Ye all should give thanks for such a routine as well. For without the shower vanilla or ginger blossoming goodness would not be blessing the world with my everlasting ethereal, gobstopping presence.
4. Main Course: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how would you rate your self-confidence?
9.2 - there's always wiggle room. You should check out my moves.
5. Dessert: Where did you last find a bargain?
Uhhhhhhh, I don't really do bargains I guess. I'm a hunter, not a gatherer. I go to the store for what I need, attack and kill the object of my desire, and take it home in my pretty, shiny, vacuumed, smelling sweet car. Factor in that I'm a minimalist and shop very deliberately -- and WHOALA! Guess that means I'm walking a parallel road to the bargain shopper.
Where do bloggers vacay?
Has anyone else noticed that the blog world has slowed to the pace of a snail lately? Seems like very few people have posted anything as of late - me *cough* included *cough*.
That's my, uh, random obervation for today. Come to think of it, maybe that's why no one's been posting lately. Because the best thing we can think of posting is that nobody's posting. Man I suck. This entry isn't even that long and it's already painful.
In other news, I don't think I've ever seen a picture of my mom when she was pregnant with me... so when she told me that my Uncle dropped off a picture of her 7 months pregnant I *begged* her to email it to me. Which of course she totally agreed to do as long as I didn't post the picture on my blog.
She didn't say anything about me not posting it on my photoblog though... *mwah ha ha ha*. Oh please, I wouldn't do that to her. Yet. I probably will eventually though. She really does look like a beached whale - I mean come on. I was over 10 lbs at delivery and the doctor was CONVINCED I was going to be twins. And after seeing this picture who can blame him for finally x-raying her in her final days JUUUUUUST to make sure. Too funny.
Must... get... new... material.
There might be a bit of a slowdown around here this summer as I've been busy with all kinds of other Margaret things. Then again, there might not. You never can tell with me. There won't be a slowdown on Lumiere though. That beyotch is still updated daily and will continue as such until well in to next year.
That is all. Happy first Monday of summer!!!!
Cuz I know there's some ruggers in the audience
Murderball. Holy. Balls.
I'm packing my bags
Firefox is on my last nerve right now. It keeps randomly deleting many of my bookmarks, and if it keeps up this behavior it's going to end up replaced by... by... INTERNET EXPLORER!!!! Oh god, can you imagine the horror? I cannot believe I just typed that. It's a sad, sad day indeed.
The first time it happened, the sneaky browser deleted the last 2 folders on my long list of faves. Dumbass that I am, I totally coughed up the incident to *perhaps* my own slight of the hand.
But when it happened again yesterday, there was nothing stealth about it. I'm so pissed. Soooooooooooooooooo pissed. It has probably deleted 4 dozen of my bookmarks. Gone. Sayonnara. I've done a google search for others experiencing this sort of problem and here's what I've found: a handful of other people have had this problem and no one believes them. Rudeness.
Seriously... if Firefox were my boyfriend this is the point in the relationship where we would be breaking up.
Dear Margaret...
This is a totally magnificent idea and I encourage each and every one of you to participate. Write the letter, lick the stamp, write a little message to your postman on the back of the envelope, and send it off.
Today is a day for magic.
"Between" the lines
You know how sometimes you look at a word so long or with such a high frequency that after a while it starts looking like Elvish to you? Making ZERO sense whatsoever. That just happened to me with the word "between".
Have a gander:
between
between between between
between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between
between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between between
between between between
What the hell is a "between" anyway? What a weird fucking word.
One of life's greatest mysteries
Why do shots always seem like a good idea at the time?
Blossomography™
In America it's "Say CHEESE!" When you want the subject(s) of your picture to smile you make them say "Cheese". And usually it ends up coming out more like "Cheeeeeee-takethegoddamnedpicturealready-se".
Other cultures and languages have their own version of this age-old trick of course, and in Sweden it's, "Säja OMELETT!" And when you pronounce it correctly it comes out like "Oh-mell-ette", producing a very large smile right on cue. It's a mathematical certainty that when you say omelette in Swedish smiles doth abound.
It's wonderful things to watch my friends, acquaintances, waiter at a restaurant, or anyone else I spend any kind of time with blossom in front of the camera. It only takes time, but this too is a mathematical certainty. And when you get right down to it, this is where all the fun and great shots are. Take for instance a few nights ago, downtown Minneapolis, me and Steve snapping away photos throughout the evening of this, that, and the other thing as drunkenly and happily as possible. Prutha was there too, and it has been revealed that her elapsed time of blossomage is about 5.5 hours. That's when it happened.
Here's Steve, holding up his Holga to take her portrait, when in a sudden jerk of the hands she swoops up her hair and gives the camera a sultry pose. A second later after the flash went off she exclaimed, "Oh my god... I don't know why I just did that." We then proceeded to clap and giggle. And order another round of drinks.
I can't wait to see that picture.
Just like a sleep number, everyone has their blossomography number. Mine is 2 hours. Le Serial Cynica's is 15 minutes and a pitcher of martinis.
What does it take to get you to open up in front of a camera?
Sue me.
I lied. No wait, I didn't lie!!! I just proved myself wrong. And there's a big difference. Yes I said the summer reading series was off this year, but apparently an entire winter without reading has neatly exploded all over my bookshelves, which of course means I've already been through 3 books epics in the past 4 weeks. If I may direct your attention to the left, we have the latest in my reading-series installments - Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon.
This was recommended to me by a co-worker, who so graciously brought in her old, tattered copy for me to borrow. I must admit I was skeptical, but she promised it was her most *favorite* book of all time and that I would love it. And, well... I didn't especially feel like reading The DaVinci Code again, ya'know (did they really need to cast Tom Hanks??? It said Harrison Ford-ish IN THE BOOK!). So I started this one on Friday... and um, today's Monday and I'm almost 800 pages in to it. Considering there's only a hundred pages left... carry the one, divide by two, and I'm officially a book-reading, romance-novel loving, worthless, epic-whording slug.
Oh that's right, you caught a "romance" in there. I'm feeling slightly run astray because my co-worker did *not* tell me that Ms. Gabaldon's books are neatly filed in the Romance section of the bookstore. Romance. Section. I didn't even know the bookstore HAD a romance section!!!!!!!!!
Goddess help me, I bought a romance novel.
Well, it didn't matter because I love this time-traveling, epic of a book soooooooo much that I'm going to read the rest of the trilogy, and the first 2 books of a second trilogy that succeed the first as well this summer.
And just so Steve doesn't kill me I'll also be reading Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. I'm told it's Harry Potter, meets Tolkien, meets Dumas... which sounds like a lovely combination to me.
But first I need to know what happens to Claire and Jamie!!!!
PS, No I didn't cry last night whilst reading the book. Er, well, hard at least. It's just... they were... it was... *sigh* ... all wonderful 'n stuff. I also cried at the movie "13 Going On 30".
You may now judge.
Le Serial Cynica is baaaaack
Someone got a new photoblog tonight, with a little help from her very best friend of course.
Now, ye must give credit where credit is due. For if her nagging, whining, bitching, and moaning had been any less incessant I wouldn't have done this re-design for her. Although I must say, that when a fellow designer comes to you to design their own site... well, *I'm getting all verclempt just thinking about it*. Sniff. She's my special girl!
She does assure me there will be regular posting because, well, pictures are easier than words and Le Serial Cynica doesn't *do* words, 'kay?
Go say hi, won't you?
Door #1 or Doorframe #2?
In case you don't want to listen to me go on about the stitches in my back, I recommend you reading me here. Steve's away, and well, I GET TO PLAY! Now, on to the stitching...
Yesterday I went to the doctor and had my back stitched up a bit. I'll spare you the gorey details, but I didn't think anything of the whole procedure until after it was completed. And by the way the conversation with my doctor went, neither did he.
Me: You're kidding right? Cuz the stitches are in that part of my back where I can't reach no matter HOW hard I bloody try.
Doctor: Oh yeah. Uhhhhhh. Well, just ask one of your neighbors to do it.
Me: Are you serious? (Oh my god. I am not having this conversation with you right now). Yeah, no.
Doctor: Right, so you can't get your neighbors to do it? Well then... hmmmmm.... well, I don't know what to tell you. I guess, just uh, clean it and bandage it up once day. I must be off - have a great afternoon!
Me: But ... !!!
And then the converstaion was over.
I'm not kidding. The stitches are just between my shoulder blades a little on the right side. This morning I used my cuticle-pusher-backer to help get the old bandage off, which ended up being a GOOD thing since considering the state it was in (be glad I'm so not going there). But after about 10 minutes of fumbling between turned mirrors and twisted (not to mention strained) arms, I may now officially call the Drop and Stick™ method my own.
Step 1:
Position self, back turned, in front of large mirror. Alternatively use the tiny, 2-inch mirror hanging in your, the world's smallest, bathroom under piss poor lighting.
Step 2:
Lean forward at a 45 degrees, prepared to adjust angle at any given moment.
Step 3:
Remove bandage from wrapping and hold as near to the area of concern as possible, translating to nowhere NEAR the area in question, but that's why you're leaning forward. To help aid the process.
Step 4:
Drop bandage and hope to holy fuck that it lands somewhere NEAR the wound.
Step 5:
Use cuticle-pusher-backer to rearrange as needed.
Step 6:
Rub self against doorframe to seal the deal.
Yeah, so it's not an exact science but at least it's covered. And when I get my hands on he-who-must-not-be-named but has a thick british accent, is about 6'2", tall, dark, and handsome, not to mention conveniently 4000 miles away at the moment... he better bloody well be ready for a verbal lashing, not to mention the possibility of physical torture, for not being here to take care of his woman. Be warned.
So if you'll excuse me, I have a wall I need to scratch myself against.
The ides of June
In lieu of posting a real post tonight, Dinah, Moby, Depeche Mode, Coldplay, and Britney will be my speaking agents. Please take any and all issues up with them.
But be warned that Moby likes it. He likes it a lot.
Right-click, save-as please.
-- Moby likes it a lot
-- Coldplay's got the need for speed
-- Dinah is all confused 'n stuff
-- Depeche Mode wants to cop a feel
-- Britney wanted one, so she got one
Do not disturb.
You don't want to talk to me tonight.
Trust me.
Living and loving
Yesterday someone very dear to me and my family died. He was a member of the family almost as long as I've been alive, and I've known life with him longer than I've known life without him. He died young but left his mark on the world in the form of 2 small and beautiful children.
Today's a day to tell the people who are dear to you how much you love them. Tomorrow they may not be here, and this is what life is all about. Love.
John will be missed.
Father's Day
It doesn't really seem fair that today, Father's Day, John's small children are burying him at a funeral. My father is at the funeral as well, grieving for the man who was the closest of friends and family.
I haven't spoken much of my father on this website, but he truly is the most magnificent of humans I've met in my short life. My mother has always been the heart of the family, but my father is the foundation, the bricks, the earth, and the air our family breathes. Unconditionally loving, protecting and nurturing, it is because of him that each of his children fight for each moment of each day.
Thank you dad.
I dug out some pictures of John for this post, taken Easter of 1998. Mitchell, his youngest had just been born and of course won't remember being coddled by his warm dad - but I remember. A 2 year old Grant probably won't remember playing basketball with his 6'6" father and his 5'11" grandfather (well dad, you're shrinking!), but I remember. And the rest of the family remembers.
Father's truly are an amazing thing. Happy Father's Day.
Raining, hailing, & flooding - OH MY!
We are having the COOLEST storm ever right now! Dark as night, thunder, lightning, hail, flooding. The streets outside are almost impassable the water is flooding so much. This is all cool 'n stuff.
And I will take the opportunity to announce formally that I'm going to buy my dream camera - the Nikon D70. I blame it on the extreme weather messing with my good logic... cuz uh, it happens. Guess that means I can't change my mind now. *shrugs* Oh well.
Hmmmm... it looks like I might be swimming home tonight. Well, since my hair dryer broke this morning and my hair is totally ridiculous I guess that means I won't mess it up.
Furthermore, if I weren't at work right now I would SOOOOO be at home splashing in the puddles. *splash splash* Methinks think the managers here wouldn't appreciate my wetness very much.
We all have them
I just realized that when I'm really into a design project or piece of particularly interesting code that I hold my breath. And I don't blink. Seriously, I think I have just been holding my breath for 3 minutes straight. Isn't that strange?
I wish I had a cool superhero habit. Like, when I'm into a really intense piece of design I lay golden eggs. Or that the longer I hold my breath the higher I get. Wouldn't that be sweet?!!!! Wait, did I just say that?
I MOST CERTAINLY DID!
I guess I'll have to settle for mortal habits that lead to normal things like dry eyes. You know what this means don't you? Vaaaaaaacaaaaaaaaation.
Princess Sophie
Poor Keira. Every time I tell her I'm going out shooting she does a massive and dramatic pout because she wants to come along real, real bad. Maybe one day she'll be lucky enough to have a friend that'll let her spend hours upon hours designing and re-designing his site - 3 different times -, before telling you that he wants a photoblog and then a month later telling you the photoblog he wanted didn't work and he wants a NEW photoblog... all for an afternoon of listening to his big mouth bitch about work and how much he longs for Seattle. Just you wait little Keira. One day you too can have such a friend!
For this particular outting we had Dave come along as a special guest. I don't think he realizes just how lucky he was to be allowed in to our cool group of photography-ho's. For one thing he hasn't spent NEARLY enough money on this stupid hobby yet. Sure years ago he might have bought a 10 lb. metal camera 12 years ago... but as Miss Janet says, "What have you done ... lately?" A very special privilege indeed. Truth be told, the real reason Steve and I brought along Dave is because he knows things. Things about f-stops and speeds of various shapes and sizes. I learned ONE thing on Tuesday afternoon, and if only for that one reason I'm happy he came along.
I told the guys I'd pick them up after work, which was basically my big excuse so to stop off at home and put on a tank top, jeans, and sandals before heading out in to the 90 degree weather. Always thinking, this one. You can't turn your back on me for even a second!
Overall the outting was fabulous. I'm pleased with how my pictures turned out but am slightly miffed I don't have a picture of me feeding my little birdie-friend Chipotle burrito. You'd think that the little guy wouldn't enjoy hot sauce, but if you did think that then you would be wrong. Those little guys must have tummy's of steel cuz *my* li'l buddy was diggin' it.
So this was basically us all evening:
Wandering around town with our equipment, doing lots of pointing, lots of looking up, and best of all making a *lot* of suburbanites uncomfortable when the lens was pointed at them. And there's nothing I like more than making suburbanites uncomfortable. It is my special gift. There was also the occasional (male) tourist who would stop and ask if we were photography students at the University. It pleases me to think that a near-28 year old can still pass for 22. It must be my beaming personality, of course! Alternatively, the other half of our species was just looking for a reason to walk past and completely ignore the 2 males of the group in order to talk to the woman in a little white tank top, fitted jeans, tinted sunglasses, and sandals who also happened to have wavy brown locks flowing down her back. I'unno, you figure it out.
Sadly, this is the most action that Dowager Nina will be seeing for a while. Sophia (my new Nikon D70) will be here soon and with youth comes beauty, attention, and a 1 GB memory card. I can hardly contain my excitement and have quickly found most of of the emails coming in to and going out of my Inbox have to do with either the D70 or the Canon DSLR Rebel XT. You see? I can't even blog properly without gushing about my new camera!!! I'M SO EXCITED I COULD JUST PEE IN MY PANTIES A LITTLE BIT!!!
My next hobby will be something cheap. Like playing jacks. Or hopscotch. Because Sophie must officially mark the end of the expensive-hobby-having-era and the dawn of the, "How in the HELL am I gonna organize my photoblog now that I have photos of such a kick-ass quality to post?" conundrum. I won't get in to it, but I have issues with my photoblog. So while Keira is attempting to keep on the wagon for the next 7 days, I'll be riiiiiiight next to her promising all of you not to talk about Sophie for at least a week.
Or until I get her. You know, whichever comes first.
Too much geek for a Saturday
If your name is Tishyra would you please, for the love of all that's holy, stop calling me. I'm not the person you think I am. I'm not housing your "man". And my favorite thing to do on a Saturday afternoon doesn't involve listening to you sing along (poorly) to songs by Ginuwine.
Back off woman. Please.
Now that that's settled I'm looking for some opinions on RSS readers. I'm looking for a clean, free reader that above all is dependable. I subscribed to Bloglines but am unhappy with the responsiveness of the system. It sometimes takes up to a full week for me to get notifications on new posts!!! Even when they're my own! Badly done, bloglines. So if you have any suggestions, please let me know. I will be most greatful and might consider exchanging a cookie for good advice.
Who wants a free cookie?!?!
In other geekery notables this weekend, I've just started futzing with my flickr pro account today. I realize Flickr is *the* in thing right now, but I have a perfectly swell photoblog that suits me just fine (and is a lot prettier, I might add). Still, Steve assures me that if for nothing else, the groups make the account worthwhile. So... I guess I'll give it a shot. Perhaps the influx in material with my new D70 will make it a nice compliment to Lumiere. That and my family is constantly hounding me for photos from family events.
Relax people... help is on the way!
Necessity vs. luxury
This morning I read an article on startribune.com about "what kids want" these days.
"I tried to get away with getting her an MP3 player that was $100 cheaper," Stangeland explained sheepishly.
"I was in the biggest dog box," she said, recalling Erika's crestfallen response. "She went to school, and everyone else had got an iPod for Christmas. It was like, 'How come everyone else got one, and you couldn't buy me an iPod?' So we got one for her birthday two months later."
Wow. A $300 MP3 player for Christmas AND her birthday? Ok, maaaaaybe I can see that. I mean, I was a little on the spoiled side myself growing up but I was a damn good kid who got fantastic grades AND did community service. It's not like I was out sniffing drugs and stealing my parent's credit card. What really blew me away was this:
I am almost 28 years old and I do not have a cell phone. Can you believe the horror? I don't have a cell phone and I don't have television - I should clarify that this is by choice. Sure it's pretty amazing I even know how to THINK without advertisements and shows telling me what to do every other second, but I have worked my ass off to get a job that allows me to drive a safe, spiffy car and take pictures with a even spiffier camera. Just in case anyone was wondering cell phones are not a necessity, they're a luxury.
I think everyone should "unplug" and go without a cell phone and a television for one month to see what it's like. None of that, "Oh, well I don't ever WATCH television" bullshit. No no, literally unplug your tv tv's and put it them away. Take the cellphone and stuff it in the back of an old cupboard. What would you do with all that extra time and silence?
In other news, Madonna has pulled all kinds of strings to get her 10 year old daughter a credit card with a $10,000 limit. To teach her the value of money, of course.
You know what taught me the value of money? NOT HAVING ANY. Has it escaped anyone's attention that she's 10? When I was 10 I wanted a new barbie. The one with all the peach ruffles.
Wow. I mean really, wow.
[As an aside, Steve is the onnnnnly person I've ever met that won't take a phone call while he's with me. You go Steve! Nothing irritates me more than, "Oh hold on a second, someone more important than you is calling me and I need to have a conversation with them about nothing that can't wait another moment!" Just as bad is the, "Yes I'm texting, but I'm tooooootally listening to what you're saying. Go on talking, eventhough I'm not making eye contact and my attention is completely focused on someone else... it's ok, I'm listening." Rudeness. Sooooo rudeness.]
G'day, aloha, buenos dias & Konnichi wa
I just wanted to say a quick 'Ello to the peeps over at mnspeak.com. They've linked to my 'stuff' once or twice and now have me in their spiffy new aggregator.
They run a slick site over there, keeping the world plugged in to the going's-on in Minneapolis.
Do check them out when you get a chance, won't you?
Someone put a block on amazon.com for me
Spending more money right now is probably not a great thing. Seeing as how I just signed over my first-born (hmmm, maybe not such a bad thing after all?) and then some for a camera, I'm quite surprised my family hasn't sent several physicians or Tom Cruise in the general direction of my apartment.
So why would I go and buy 2 new CD's today? I do believe Miss Cynica summed it up best when she said to me:
I ♥ you. You complete me.
... and god bless designer's too
Holy shit. Holy shit holy shit. I was just in the midst of lunch at my desk when, in the middle of a piece of sweet and sour chicken hanging out of my mouth, I got a surprise visit from a member of one of the department's at our hospital (a department who's website I just redesigned). After quickly removing remnants of the sauce on my face with my sleeve, she thanked me for doing such a great job on her spankin' new site. She thanked me with a big fatty gift certificate to Target.
*shock*
I mean, it's my job to do these websites - that's why I get paid the big bucks. But wow, that was classy. And now I get to buy myself something fun at Target!!! Shoes? Music? Camera stuff??? How will I choose?!
Maybe I should call in sick to work tomorrow?
It's here. It's here it's here it's here.
I'm trying so hard to contain myself but... it's real, real hard.
You can read what I've been up to when you look at tonight's photo.
PS, she makes the coolest clicking sound ever! A cool clicking sound is essential to a fabulous shot (they don't teach you that at photography school, let me tell you!).
Today I'm biting for my readers
A few things on the net you may not have seen but are worth a nod.
- Just like Greg said, this looks like a giant middle finger. Look at the design for the new World Trade Center Tower.
- I wasn't getting my hopes up, but this looks AMAZING. King Kong trailer.
- Oooooooh, look at all the people on the internet. Shaking in our little booties. Supreme court flattens file-sharing. Again.
- Photographing photographers. I've got about 107 photos of Steve to submit to this site.
- Know powerpoint? CIA is looking for a designer. Steve, see if they'll let you work remotely from Seattle. This job is so yours.
Incognito.
Recently on my dad's blog he's been talking a lot about the cottages our family owned. Between you and me, I think he's fishing for some lovin' and perhaps the submission of a few comments about our memories. Gotta give the guy a break. This is his first blog and he's still learning. Those houses were a big part of our lives for 20 odd years - how could we with the big mouths have nothing to say? In a desparate, last minute tactic he pulled out the whole, "I'll tell a story, but I'm going to change it a bit to provoke each and every one of you. Cuz I know all the right buttons to press and you WILL comment on my site." Daddy didn't raise no dummy - I had to learn my skills somewhere! Since it's the 4th of July weekend (and what my body tell me is the height of summer), I figured it was only natural to talk a bit about my love of water.
You can ask anyone who knows me to rate my City-Girl-ocity on a scale of 1 to 10, and I guarantee they'll all give me a 10. Yes, yes I talk the talk and walk the walk, but deep down the countryside is in my heart. Yeah, not so much the mosquitos. But you know, all the rest of it. Oh yeah, and the snakes too. Cuz ew. And by the countryside, maaaaaaybe I meant something more along the lines of a gorgeous house on a small, crystal clear lake with fish that won't bite.
Most people think of me as a city girl who doesn't *do* outdoorsie stuff. What no one knows is that being on the water in the middle of the countryside *IS* who I am.
Sophie's summer siesta:
cool, clear water from a spring-fed lake || driving through the countryside || taking pictures of cows and horses with my big sis || grilling out brats, hamburgers, and hot dogs || spending an *entire* day swimming || walking around in my damp bikini, damp of course because I'm constantly in the water || cool breezes || spreading a big towel out on the grass and enjoying lunch on the waterfront || seeing mysterious and ellusive family members I rarely see || sunburns (yeah well, it happens) || summer storms || the musty smell of a cottage || mosquito bites || Summer Mix-CDs || bonfires || 4th of July fireworks in Sheboygan, WI || long, several hour walks in which one discovers turtles, peculiar rocks, and the reason why rural taverns are located so near to golfcourses
I'm disappearing for a few days, taking a little vacation time for myself. I won't be around a computer so this will be the last you hear of me until Tuesday... albeit you'll still find your daily photos posted. Never fear! There's no shortage of photos in the house of Andrews.
Do try to enjoy your weekend, won't you?
[This just in: My associate in the east, aka Wellington, has purposely twisted my arm in to letting him guest blog over the next few days. Do expect lots of "m'kays", "bloody", and "Sophie's the greatest thing EVERRRRRRR even greater than Doctor Who" type of statements until Tuesday. I can't control him - you have been warned.]