Because Nothing Says "Happy Valentine's Day" Quite Like....

A Very Small Army of Beady-Eyed, Mutant Hearts, originally uploaded by lla.

---

Wishing you all a Very Happy Valentine's Day!

Punxsutawney Who???

I make it a point to pay no attention to the prognostications of Yankee Groundhogs.

I mean, really - who are you going to put your faith in: the groundhog who started off his morning with an order of "scattered, smothered and covered" from the Waffle House, or the one who didn't?

It's a pretty easy choice to make, in my opinion.

Georgia's own Beauregard Lee declared that we'll have an early spring this year!

WooHoo!

2008

Bubba, Schecky & I wish you and your families a very Happy New Year...

---

Bubba and Schecky on New Year's Eve - taken by lla.

Welcome to Christmas at the House That Crazy Built...

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas - originally uploaded by lla.

---

Yes, it's true...
Here at the House That Crazy Built, even the tree is flying its freak flag.

(Does this count as getting a start on my decorating???)

Diversions, Part Duh....

Wh00t!

As of this typing, I am DoneDaddyDone with holiday shopping!

Did I already say "wh00t"???

Now I can start decorating, cooking, and addressing those darn cards that have been sitting on the dresser for over a week.
(Somehow, I was hoping that magic elves would come and get the cards started if I just ignored them. I was wrong...
Stupid lazy magic elves.)

It's hard to feel a lot like Christmas when it's been 76° every day this week. Don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining... Not when other sweet peas are having horrific ice storms! (Be safe and stay warm, ladies!)
I'm just saying: it's disconcerting to see people walking around in shorts and tee-shirts. IN DECEMBER!

Despite all the pre-holiday business going on - I did have time to find two more diversions that are amusing me today. Enjoy!

---

• I'm not sure if I should thank KBella, or curse her! She introduced me to SnowDays.
  I'm thinking that I'm going to thank her - although I have wasted more time in the past day...Thanks, KBella!
  
  SnowDays is another "Cut out a Virtual SnowFlake" site - but I like the capabilities of this one better. Even when I'm just mucking about, I'm impressed with the results...
  
  One funny thing - I was using the search feature, so that I could show Bubba all the flakes that Schecky and I had made, and you'll never guess what I uncovered...
  
  I had obviously visited this site once before, on New Year's Eve of 2002.
  I have no memory of this (perhaps not surprising, being that it was NYE and all...) but it cracked me up nonetheless.
  Yep - way back almost 5 years ago, I made a flake, left a dorky comment, and then never thought of it again. Until now...
  
  (Just to illustrate how old that flake is, it's flake number 10800. There are, as of today, over 5.5 MILLION flakes)


• If you don't know who Soulja Boy Tell Em is, then the chances are good that you don't live in Atlanta.
  Here?
  It's hard to escape that one song...
  
  So this YouTube video of SpongeBob Singing Soulja Boy? Totally. Cracking. Me. Up.
  
  Caution: lyrics not appropriate for youngsters. Except they are practically incomprehensible - so I've been letting Schecky watch with me...
  
  Additional Caution: if you aren't already familiar with Soulja Boy? Don't click on the link - you'll get that thumping bass line stuck in your head and it won't come out. It's totally stupid, and totally infectious. Don't say you weren't warned...
  
  (watch me crank it watch me roll....)
  

Diversions...

I spent the entirety of yesterday in front of the computer, working on Christmas shopping.

I love the idea of online shopping - but I always seem to idealize it in my mind. I forget that online stores run out of stock, or are designed poorly, or freeze up, etc. In my mind, online shopping should be easy-peasy-mac-and-cheesy every single time.

Suffice to say that when this is not the case, I get really frustrated.
Really, really frustrated.

Yesterday was one of those days.

Seemed like teh internets was just out to get me.

Everything was slow, I had a damn near impossible time finding THE ONE THING that Schecky asked for*, lots of things were out of stock, one website kept crashing my computer, blah blah blah, on and on...
You know the scene too well, 'cause sadly we've all been there.

I had to keep reminding myself that as frustrating as all that was: it didn't suck as much as actually having to GO to actual physical stores (only to deal with slowness, out of stockness, and - sweet cracker sandwich - parking lots! The horror!)

And when reminding myself of that fact wasn't working to take the edge off my frustration, I allowed myself a little fun...

These are the sites that kept me from becoming a total Grinch yesterday...

Enjoy!

---

Make-a-Flake - I love the look of paper snowflakes, but have never been that great at creating them... This site, then, is the answer to my problems! Virtual snowflake cutting - with the ability to preview often, and undo any unfortunate cuts. Love this site!

We Hate Sheep. We Love Holiday Sweaters. - heh!
3togetready introduced this to me, and it's HI-larious. You get to design your own tacky holiday sweater, or you can view the gallery of other unfortunate sweaters that other people have designed. (I swear, I think I've seen some of these sweaters modeled by some of Bubba's relatives!)

And, finally, Threadless has just released the last 18 designs for their $10 tee-shirt sale. I like the one that says "The Internet was closed so I thought I'd come outside today"

---

*Lego Set 6210 - Jabba the Hutt's Sail Barge. Virtually impossible to find. In addition to scouring the web, this also required calling every single Toys R Us in the metro Atlanta area. I learned that customer service at Toys R Us in Atlanta is truly, wholly sucky.

EDITED TO ADD: I've managed to get my grubby little paws on a Jabba's Sail Barge - or it least it will be in my grubby little paws when it arrives in the mail. I managed to find a seller on eBay who seems really nice (I hope!) and only had to pay $20 more than I would have paid had I been able to get it from the Lego website.

In one way, this absolutely appalls me - y'all know I hate spending money. But when I consider that pretty much every other seller on eBay has DOUBLED (or more) the selling price AND I don't want to spend another whole day trying to track one down? Well, in that light, it seems like more and more of a bargain!

Thanks to all you sweet peas who did some searching for this item for me - that is just the nicest thing (and a perfect example of why I think bloggers are just nicer than you average bear!)

Thwarted.... Or "Schecky Strikes Again"

In an attempt to remove the "adorable" label from my scary little pumpkin - I carved him a friend.

And then I set the two up together in order for Schecky to find them.

---

---

Which he obviously did.

Because when I entered the kitchen this morning, this is what I found:


Kind of changes the whole mood, doesn't it?

---

That kid cracks me up.

And, darnit.... he's totally right.
The lil guy?
Is adorable...



Have you ever seen a more guilty looking punkin???

Do You Want To See Something Really Scary???*

---

Although, according to Schecky - it's not scary at all. In fact, I think he said:

"Mommy! That's not scary at all! That's adorable!"

And if you could have heard the indignation in his voice when he said it?
Well, it would have cracked you up too...

What *is* really scary is just how much I've got on my plate in the upcoming two weeks...

Ay yi yi...

I swear, I need to go back to work (and get a full time job, while I'm at it!) so that I can quit volunteering for things!

Wish me luck!
:)

---

*Quick! Name that movie....

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Longtime readers will remember just how much I love Halloween in general- and the Little 5 Points Halloween parade in particular.

This year's parade was no exception.

I just went back and re-read last year's post, and while I am no author, I don't think that I could say anything much differently. This year's parade was every bit as fabulous (and the weather every bit as perfect - I swear, it's just a little bit charmed...)

So - if you're not sure what the L5P parade is all about, you can read what I wrote about it last year.

There is one big thing different from last year, though...
I got some really fun pictures...

---

Why do I love this parade so much?



Because *everyone* lets their "freak" flag fly!

---

---

---

---

---

---

Psssst - interested in more? These are just a few of the pics I took. You can see the complete set over at Flickr!

Enjoy!

In Which Thing Two Gets Ready For Halloween*...

Thing Two, originally uploaded by lla.

---

How nice is this? This is my cat, ThingTwo, covered in cobwebs.

And no, I didn't do this to him. He just showed up on the couch looking like this.

And yes, I *am* freaked out.
Seeing as how he's an indoor cat and all.
(Do you now see why I was soliciting housekeeping tips earlier a while back?)
(Maybe he's been hanging out in the basement with the possum?)

It's all fun and squalor here at the House That Crazy Built, I'm telling you...

---

So - now you know why it's been so quiet around here lately - I've been busy picking cobweb off my cat.

OK - that's not really why it's been so quiet around here.

It's more like I have found myself in a phase where I can either do what I need to do in "real life" *or* I can have fun on the computer. But I can't seem to manage both. So, the computer has fallen by the wayside a bit. :(
(and yes, I just resorted to putting a frowny at the end of that sentence. I actually tried to come up with words to express how I feel about my not having any time for computer fun, but the frowny summed it up best.)

I'm looking forward to feeling like I've got my head back above water - I'm so far behind on my blog reading, and there are a lot of people that I'm missing bunches! I'm actually kind of hoping that the fact that I found 10 minutes to post this is a positive sign - maybe I'll be fully back before you know it...

In the meantime, it's back to TCB.
And cobweb removal.

---

*He may be the only thing around here that looks like it's ready for Halloween... As I was headed down to the basement to start dragging out the boxes - yes, you read that right... boxES, plural - of Halloween crud that I use to gussy up the place, Shecky stopped me. He asked no, he *begged* me not to put up all the lights, bats, pumpkins, etc. that I usually use to festoon the house. "Please," he said, "can't we have a normal house just one year?"

How sad is it that at *NINE* - my kid no longer thinks that decorating ala Clark Griswold is cool.
And that at my advanced age, I still do...

Things That Make You Go "Hmmmm..."

Photo taken by Leo Reynolds. (Thanks, Leo!)

39?

How did that happen????

---

I'm sitting in the parking lot of Borders -- once again borrowing WiFi -- and eagerly awaiting Bubba to return with my copy of the new Harry Potter book.

It's good to be the birthday princess...

And as I wait, I am totally singing this song...

Happy Reading, and Happy Saturday to us all!

I Spent All Week Cooking, And All I Have to Show For It ...

...is this*: the last 2 inch square of "Magic Cookie Bar" that remained from the giant 9 x 13 pan of them I made.

---

Guess that requires a little explanation, doesn't it?

Well, last week was a flurry of not just cleaning, cleaning, cleaning - but cooking as well. For Bubba's 40th birthday, I rented him a cabin up in the Tennessee Mountains (Sewanee, for those of you interested in the details), then I strong-armed his three best friends from our college days to come from their far-flung corners of America and join him in Tennessee for the long holiday weekend. I love these boys, all of them, dearly...

Anyhow - two of the boys convened at our house on Thursday, to spend the night before making the trip up to Tennessee. Hence all the cleaning. And the beginning of the cooking...

Typically, I like to take people out to eat when they stop by Atlanta - but for some reason I felt like cooking. So we dined on Frogmore Stew, sourdough bread, and heirloom tomato salad. I also did something you aren't supposed to do: I made a recipe without trying it first...

I had planned on buying Bubba a birthday cake to serve for dessert, but the local paper had run an article Thursday morning about "Cooking with Coca-Cola" in honor of the opening of the New World of Coca Cola. And there was a recipe for Coca-Cola cake, which sounded pretty darn good.

Now, I've never made one of these before. Heck, I've never even tried one of these before, so don't ask me what I was thinking...
I had a particularly bad moment when I brought the cake out, and one of the guests cried out "I love Coca-Cola cake! It's my favorite and I've not had one in years!" Instead of thinking "yay - I did a good thing" I thought "Oh crap - he knows what this is supposed to taste like." Yikes!

I don't know if it is a fantastic recipe, or if I got a big old dose of beginner's luck - but it was fabulous. A total keeper, and one I will be making again...

The next morning, I packed up the rest of the cake - in order to get it out of the house (wishful thinking on my part. Thought that would keep me from overeating while Bubba was gone. Ha!) - along with a weekend's worth of "catering". In addition to the aforementioned Magic Cookie Bars, some of the other highlights were: baked beans, barbecued ribs, BBQ sauce, cole slaw, and breakfast casserole. I tell you, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen last week.

And photographed exactly none of it.

And then I let Bubba and the boys take my camera up the Mountain with them. So there are no pictures from Schecky and my's Big Weekend in Atlanta.

Which was a blast.
We decided to be tourists in our own town.
We ate out. A LOT! A lot, a lot, a lot, a lot. Like for every meal a lot...

We also did some sightseeing. We went to the New World of Coca Cola (short review: we loved it) We played in the fountains at Centennial Olympic Park. For hours. (Despite the return of the horrible smoke...) We wandered around CNN Center. We saw movies, we took walks. In short, we had a blast.

But, no camera**. Which was weird. I missed it dreadfully at first, but in a way it was nice to just live in the moment, and not worry about "capturing" it all. (but - oh! - the cool photos I could have taken... My heart hurts a little if I think about it...) I know Schecky appreciated not having a camera pointed at him.

So I might not have pretty pictures to share. And for that I apologize. But I've got some fabulous memories of a great weekend with my boy, Scheck. And that's hard to beat....

Although, cynically, that five pounds is going to be harder to beat, I bet...
Sigh.

---

*Actually, that's not wholly true - I suspect that I have at least 5 new pounds firmly planted on my booty, as well. Because in addition to much cooking, there was much eating as well....
So, unless I get medieval on my own ass here in the next few days, there will be no free doughnut for me on Friday!

**I also decided to spend the long weekend virtually computer free, as well. Which was also strange, but kind of liberating. But if I owe you an email - that's why I am (even more) behind on replying!

Low Key Mother's Day...

It was a very Pikachu Mother's Day.

Because, you know, I love him so.

Wait, you didn't know that?
You're in good company, because *I* didn't know it either.

But my handmade card, and the puzzle that accompanied it have made me a convert.

Pika Pi!

---

Aside from the Pikachu-ing*, it was perhaps the most low key Mother's Day ever. In fact, I'm almost embarrassed to tell you just how I spent it - because it makes me sound like the world's most crap mother...

I spent much of Mother's Day by myself. That was Bubba and Schecky's gift to me. And I know that that sounds awful - but it was so. what. I. needed.

Actually, I think that it was good for us all - I just desperately needed to be left alone, and Schecky desperately needed some "Dad time" - so they did boy stuff of a mysterious nature while I did my own things: some napping, some reading, some movie watching, etc. Nothing exciting, but it was what I craved. I drank it up like Schecky drank up Bubba's undivided attention - both of us gulping it in like water in the desert...

So, as awful as it is to say "For Mother's Day, I asked my family to get lost" - that's pretty much what I did.
Thank you, Bubba and Schecky for understanding...
Or perhaps, for not understanding, but for playing along anyway...

---

And as long as we're talking about what a selfish troll I've been lately... :)

Thanks to everyone who has commented lately, and the so many of you who have sent emails with suggestions, kind wishes, etc. A number of you have sent emails which begin with "Please don't think that I'm overstepping" or "please don't take this the wrong way", and end with "but have you considered seeing someone about this???"

And please, please, please know that I am not offended, nor am I taking it the wrong way. I am, however, deeply moved by how many of you have been so kind as to offer a helping hand! How could I possibly be offended by that...

Also - it's nothing that I haven't pondered on myself. I am hoping that this is situational, rather than a chemical imbalance - and that by changing the situation, I can pull myself out of it. So going to try that route first.

However, if I am unsuccessful - I will go and see someone or talk to someone real about this. I promise.

As much as I hate to sound like some June Cleaver-era woman, who can't survive without her man - things seem brighter already just knowing that Bubba should be home to stay. Also - Mother's Day doughnut aside, I'm also making a concerted effort to eat better, and get some exercise, etc. Just taking care of my sad neglected self. And - I actually slept well last night, for the first time in weeks. Amazing how much of a difference that makes...

Babysteps, you know...

---

*Bless You!
(is it wrong that I want to say that every single time that Schecky starts telling me about Pikachu???)

Happy Day...

---

---

Hope all you Mamas out there are having a simply fabulous day...

kisses!

Every Day Should Be A Holiday*...

Every day should be a holiday.

Fortunately, tomorrow is!
(and it's one of my favorites...)

---

HEY KIDS! COMICS!
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY
Saturday, May 5th
at a Comic Shop Near You!

---

I do love Free Comic Book Day - and it looks like this is shaping up to be a good one. Visit the FCBD website, to find a comic shop near you that is participating, and to see for yourself the books that will be offered.
Do be aware that not all comic shops will have all books to offer. Also - only the special "Free Comic Book" comics are free - you can't just walk in and pick any old book off the shelf!

There is a great selection of books this year; I'm finding a number to get excited about. No matter who you are, or how old you are, I'm willing to bet that you'll be able to find something to suit your tastes.

As for me? I'm over the moon that Andy Runton has an offering again this year. I've written previously about just how much I love his Owly series. These stories are truly amazing - for any and all ages. I simply don't have enough superlatives for describing them...

I'm very interested in this year's FCBD Owly title: "Helping Hands" - in addition to what I hope is a big old helping of Owly, it looks like it includes a new story by a new-to-me author: Christian Slade's Korgi.

The illustrations are supposed to be phenomenal, and since I'm a big fan of the corgi, I'm really looking forward to this as well!

Happy Free Comic Day to Us All!

---

*And many thanks to the Dandy Warhols for providing the soundtrack for this post...

Valentine's Recap...

I may have to rethink my whole "eschewing Valentine's Day" position. I made a bigger deal out of the holiday I typically do, and I have to admit that it was kind of fun...

---

I had fun making Valentine's Cards - I took a whole passel of those hearts that I couldn't stop knitting and felted 'em right up. Quite gratifying...

---

I can't decide quite what I think of this - Schecky took a shoe box into school last week, to decorate for use as a Valentine's mail box. This is what he brought home last night:



My son.

The "LUV DOG"?

I'm not really going to sweat this one. I'm telling myself that it's because there was a dog on the box (and aren't I the generous mommy, to let him have the shoe box from my way cute RocketDogs?) and not that he's got a street name and a rep for cruising the ladies of the ATL...

(I am going to keep my eye on this though... Sigh. That boy of mine can be a carnival ride. Maybe it would be easier if he were a "sit around and drink some tea kind of guy...")

---

And, even though I yelled at Bubba that if he came home with any overpriced, schmaltzy Valentine's crap I would kick his ass (because I'm just all romantic that way) he came home with a present anyway.

And a little part of me was cross that he bastardized my holiday - my simple, pure, not-giving-into-commercialism holiday.

But Bubba doesn't fight fair. He preyed on my love of the small and the square and brought home this:



Now I ask you, how am I supposed to stay mad at that? I mean, not only is it small and square, but it's PINK, too.

Plus, I'm more than half in love with it already. I named it "Fresh, Hot, Small, Square"* and I can tell we're going to be friends...

---

*Seriously, this is not quite as dorky as it sounds. You have to give them some sort of a name to register them and set them up with iTunes...

Yeah.

It's still pretty dorky, isn't it?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Little Felted Hearts...