Summer « Piaku!

Could we BE any more Hoosier?

Though I’m originally from Ohio (Go Buckeyes!), I certainly feel like a true-blue, native, corn-fed Hoosier.

An outsider would most certainly agree. Especially after witnessing the events of our past week.

Let’s just say that there were copious amounts of animals and farms mixed in with some corn and blue skies, and you’ll understand.

It started with the Indianapolis Zoo

: Yakkity Yak NOT talking back

: Feed the birds - tuppence a….cup

: ICE CWEAM BWEAK!!!!

We then celebrated 60 years of wedded bliss for my grandparents - at their huge farm

: Grandpa’s barn

: 1st time ever at being 1st in line - they were forced

: 4-wheelers were ridden

: as were 3-wheelers

: alternative power

And the week was rounded off by a nice visit to the Indiana State Fair

: We saw piggies

: We WERE piggies

What? You were expecting a picture of ME being a piggy? Sorry, that happened too, but it wasn’t pretty, and I won’t allow such a picture for your viewing torture here.

: We were farmers

: and collected eggs

: We planted and cultivated

: and even “milked” a cow

: If that doesn’t scream “Hoosier” then I don’t know what does.

Hello, Miss Moosh. ;-)

P.S. I think Cal’s last day went out on a great note.

Farmer Cal

Published in:

on August 13, 2008 at 11:43 pm Comments (3)

Haiku Friday - sucking the life out of summer

Days are growing short

Calendar flipped to August

12 days until school

Attempting to make

the most out of these fading,

drowsy summer days

Making impromptu

trips to the pool and playground

Catching summer flicks

Enjoying picnics

and all of the delicious

summer season treats

Begging to stay out

until the yard lights come on ~

signaling bedtime

Postponing bedtime

and sleeping in the next day

Spontaneous naps

Heading to the store

with school supply list in hand ~

hunting for bargains

Computer time has

been temporarily placed

on the backburner

Must. enjoy. these. last

lazy, hazy, crazy days

of summer, oooooh yeeeaaaah

Published in:

on July 31, 2008 at 11:08 pm Comments (10)

Luck be a lady…with raging PMS

Wow, has it really been 11 days???

Yikes. Sorry about that, folks.

I assure you we didn’t slip into the depths of the Hoover Dam. (Though we did get pretty woozy on our “dam tour”. Whooo, is it dizzying for two admitted acrophobics. We were so brave!)

No. My absence can be blamed more on not only BEING on vacation, but also on squeezing every last moment out of our time together (partly child-free) upon our return.

That, and sheer exhaustion. *yawn*

We really did have an all in all fabulous trip to Vegas. The whole experience was partly what I had expected, partly not. Everything was very glittery and glamorous. Yet, it was clear to see why the place has been dubbed “Sin City”. Yikes.

The vacation as a whole? Can best be described as a roller coaster ride. It had its ups and downs. It had scary twists and turns. As well as unexpected dips and drops. Yet, it was entirely thrilling, and left me with a big smile on my face and unkempt hair.

We were really lucky our first night (morning) in.

First pull on the quarter slot machine? $120. Woo hoo!

Second machine? $45. We were on a ROLL! The winnings continued throughout the morning.

Then, hot and tired, we decided to cool down with a swim. Afterwards, we showered, and apparently with the dust and grime, we had washed away our good fortune.

The generous, loose slots of the morning? Now hungry and greedy - feeding upon our prior winnings.

Aw.

And so it went. Win, lose, win, lose, win a LOT, lose a lot.

But, we did a lot of really neat things along the way.

We walked and walked and walked and walked - my feet will never be the same the infamous strip - taking in all the grand sights, sounds, and even smells. (And this whole time I thought that acrid, floral smell in the deserts dome at the zoo was fake. Nope. It’s how the desert really smells. Who knew?)

We played Blackjack at virtually every casino. A personal quest of my husband’s. Check!

We toured the surrounding sights - Hoover Dam!

We donned our dress up clothes one evening for a fancy night on the town.

And all the while we were annoying tourists snapping a bajillion and one pictures lest our memories evaporate with the scorching desert heat.

We even had our “thing that stays in Vegas” moment. It won’t be discussed here, obviously, since it’s still, you know….in VEGAS. Let’s just say that mixing a very tired, uncomfortable Mandy with a very eager beaver, “the night’s still young, what’s your problem?” husband - miles away from our hotel at 3 am - VEGAS TIME - is not a good combo. ahem

Our last night there ended on a good note, though, as we won back the majority of our lost/spent money at the Blackjack tables of the Paris casino. Our dealer couldn’t have been more fun, either. A truly great ending to our teeter totter of a vacation.

The luck ended there.

Coming home after vacation is always suck-a-licious. I mean, really.

Back to life, back to reality was our theme song for hours days after returning home.

Bite me, reality.

In the middle of load two of thirtyfivebajillion, our washer decided to conk out.

Clothes? Who needs clothes?

Our dryer has been on the fritz for months, and this just confirmed the notion that we needed a new set ASAP.

So, a-shopping we went yesterday. A-same-day-delivery-fee’ing we went. A-let’s-get-this-bad-boy-going-since-I-need-clothes-for-this-long-week we went.

A-leaking-all-over-the-thank-God-you-got-a-new-one-drip-pan-the-new washer went.

Grrrrrrrr.

It’s not all bad, though. We were blessed with a sweet salesman, and he is taking care of us by having another new set delivered and installed tomorrow. Whew!

Then last night? As I was mowing my very. last. littleteenytinypatch of grass by twilight since we had spent so much $&*# time dealing with the washer, the mower ran out of gas.

Grrrrrr.

In my haste to fill the tank, I grabbed the wrong can of gas from the garage.

(In my defense, both cans are marked “gasoline”, so yell at me all you want, dear, but I don’t think I can really be blamed.)

I poured the oil/gas mix (for the weedeater) into the lawn mower’s tank. *sigh*

Aaaaaaand, lady luck is just laughing her ass off.