Potato Vodka and Pioneer Woman

I talk to my dental hygienist all of 2 hours a year, but it has been several years now. We have a lot in common. Somehow I manage to do this while she is cleaning my teeth. 

So anyway, recently, we were talking cocktails. She said she likes Monopolowa potato vodka. I didn't know there was such a thing. So anyway, the last time I was at the liquor store, I'm having a conversation with the liquor expert, who enlightened me about the differences between American, Polish, and Russian vodka. So anyway, I bought a bottle of Monopolowa to try.


Whew. This stuff is strong. It is so strong, in fact, that it ruined the finish on my kitchen table. The picture shows where the 'measuring' shot glass was sitting. I have tried furniture polish and Old English furniture stuff for scratches. Nothing worked. Anyway, I think I like smooth American vodka. Nicky asked me "If you didn't like the potato vodka, why did you drink it?" I was like ...ummmm......because you kept mixing me drinks using it????


So Nicky was visiting this weekend. Sunday he was sleeping in. I got up early and cleaned the kitchen, swept the floors, dusted, took out the trash and recycle, cleaned up dog poop, and raked leaves. Afterwards, I walked in the bedroom while he was still half asleep and he mumbled something about how I would make a good Pioneer Woman. I stood there with a questioning look trying to figure this out. Then he rambled "You would have milked the cows already....if you had them."  He is right I would make a great pioneer woman. 

So Hayley's friend at the mall is still adding Peaches pics to her shirt.

A week or so ago

As of today

I hope everyone is having a lovely soon-to-be holiday season. Feeling grateful and joyous. Now, I wish I wouldn't have donated all my Xmas lights and decorations to charity. I just thought with Hayley getting older that I wouldn't want to waste my time hanging lights and decorating a tree. Not sure what I was thinking. Now, I've decided I need to at least put lights on the outside of my house. 

Roommates and My beloved Samsung Tablet was Commandeered

I've been applying for financial aid for Hayley. Not for the faint of heart. Aveda costs $20K, but is so much nicer than other school we visited and is actually a little bit cheaper. She wants to move to Dallas and I'm sure she would be hitting me up for money quite a bit even though she will be working. 

I could use a paying roommate when she leaves, but I doubt anyone would pay to live in a tiny, old house with my oversized Rottweilier, two cats, fish, and my bad habit of drinking wine and heckling. Oh and I blare today's top hits as soon as I awake. Sidenote: Nicky will strangle me if he hears Katy Perry's Hear me Roar one more time.....especially at 6am. 

The fun news about my house..I was on the Veterans Day Parade route so I was able to watch from my front yard.

So on another note, when Hayley got her mall job, she decided she should take my tablet to work every day. I've had my tablet since Black Friday 2012. I absolutely love it. I have really missed it the past few weeks.

I never use my laptop anymore...well until my tablet was commandeered. Why use a HUGE laptop with a 2 hour battery life when you can sleep with the tablet under your pillow and watch movies for hours? Or wake up with insomnia and play a game of Words with Friends. Granted, I can't type on it worth a hoot and I don't want to get a detachable keyboard...because then I'd feel like I was at work. I miss setting my tablet on my kitchen counter while I read recipes and cook. I miss watching Netflix with my tablet sitting on my stomach while I lie in bed.  

Hayley's birthday is this month. I've decided she gets NO choice in what she gets for her birthday. I ordered her a refurbished Samsung tablet with stylus for $100 cheaper than a new one using a Groupon.  Oh and I will never mention the word refurbished around my house. I can't wait for hers to arrive so I can have my 'old' life back.

The artic cold front blew in this morning. It was 32 degrees. So I'm at QuickTrip getting a snack and I'm in boots, slacks, a turtleneck, scarf, sweater, and jacket. Two guys gassing up are wearing shorts. WTH?

Mall Work and Invisible Black Dogs

Hayley has been working at a kiosk at the mall. She loves it. She takes my tablet and watches movies most of the day. There is a makeup kiosk close by that sells really expensive make up. The guy always tells her he will not do her makeup because she can't afford it. 

This same guy puts her down all the time. Fortunately, she has very high self esteem and we laugh about the mean things he says to her.  He told her the other day she looks 15. She told him she looked older than that. He said "I meant because your face is all broken out". Really?

So anyway, makeup guy has WiFi router and t-shirt guy has a microwave. Hayley talked the t-shirt guy into letting her and makeup guy use the microwave by giving him makeup guy's WiFi password. I said so what did you contribute? Basically, she contributed her big mouth so now she has WiFi and a microwave to use.

The other day she got to work early and hadn't done her makeup or hair. The makeup guy was nice (for a change) and did her makeup and the hair-straightener lady did her hair. She came home and looked really pretty even though she is currently sporting blue and purple hair.

So t-shirt guy is making Hayley a t-shirt. She sends him different pictures of Peaches. So far, he has put two pictures on the shirt (see photo below). Hayley said she was going to have him keep adding pictures of Peaches to this shirt. I said what about Zena? She said t-shirt guy said black animals don't show up well. This is Peaches lying next to her mommy's custom Peaches shirt.

So speaking of black dogs, do you see the camouflaged dog in this picture with Nicky? She was 96 lbs, but now Zena is a svelte 89 lbs. Nicky with his new birthday driver and invisible dog. When he talks about or picks up his new driver he emits a manly "er er" or maybe its a "woh woh" sound. Kind of like how you can't just say "Vegas". It must be "Vegas baby" in a throaty Elvis-type voice.