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Embarrassing Moments

We all have moments in our lives we’d rather forget. Right? C’mon, think hard. You know you do.

Perhaps it’s a photo? Like the one below, which just totally cracks me up every time I see it.

My brother, Tom, and father are in the back row. Left to right, of course. In the middle are Aunt Bertha, my sister-in-law, Sharen, and Mom. Front and center is my nephew, Joshua. They were waiting patiently, I thought, for me to get the camera set up so I could join them for a nice family photo. I tripped the shutter by accident. But I’m so glad. ‘Cause in my book, this is a classic. Those expressions are priceless.

Maybe it’s something you said you’d do. Something very public. Then you didn’t come through. So now everyone can say, “Ha! Remember when you said you’d do that!?!” Like me promising to exercise. You know, saying I was going to lose some weight. So I could get all svelte and stuff.

Confession time… I haven’t been exercising. I’m a loser. L-O-S-E-R.

I have an excuse, though. I’m having back issues. As soon as we get regular health insurance coverage and not this COBRA crap, I’ll get it checked out. I only have to hold out about two more weeks. Maybe then I’ll get back on track.

Until such time, go ahead and call me a loser. I don’t embarrass easily.

Maybe you have a funny story? I have lots. I’m not necessarily the subject of all of them. The first that came to mind (I guess because of today’s photo) as I was contemplating this post happened quite a few years back. My son, Eric (now almost 19), was about 7. Maybe a bit younger.

I was with the folks pictured in this lovely photo. We were playing cards and somehow got on the subject of old-lady pill containers. You know, those strips of little plastic compartments all fastened together with the days of the week on them in sequential order? We were telling my brother he needed one of those because he was getting OLD.

My darling son chimed in and swore I owned one.

“No I don’t,” I said.

“Yes, you do,” he insisted.

We went back and forth like that several times. He was quite adamant. Then he finally said, all loud (he may have even stood up)…

“You do, too. In your bathroom. You know, the little round one with the days of the week all in a circle?”

Everyone but Eric realized he was, of course, talking about my birth control pills. We were laughing hysterically. Not just because of what he said, but because he was laughing, too. Really hard. But he had no idea what was so funny. How do you explain birth control to a 7-year-old?

It wasn’t really embarrassing. But it sure was funny.

If you have an embarrassing moment to share, even if I am the subject, add it to the comments. I’m sure all of my faithful fans can use a good chuckle.

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Jumping for Joy


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Originally uploaded by odvrsovah

I don’t know these people. But they look like fun people.

I don’t know where they are. But it looks like a cool spot.

I don’t know what they’re so happy about. But it’s good to be happy.

I don’t know why I am posting this. But I’m going to do it anyway.

You probably don’t know why you read this blog either. But please come back. I promise to get more interesting in the near future!

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Eating at the Bridge

Hubby and I spent another relaxing weekend in West Virginia. Quite a change from last year, and the year before that, and the year before THAT when all we did was work, work, and more work.

Now, all we seem to do is sit around enjoying the cool little house we built, riding our motorcycles, and eating.

Speaking of eating… it seems like that was the highlight of our weekend.

Saturday, we hopped in the car and drove about 30 miles east to Capon Bridge, West Virginia. A small town about 20 miles west of Winchester, Virginia on US 50, Capon Bridge is home to El Puente, a yummy little Mexican restaurant. A place we didn’t discover until recently that serves quite tasty Mexican food. (NOTE: As I suspected, “puente” means “bridge,” which explains the drawing of a bridge incorporated into the restaurant’s logo.)

Sunday morning, we made the 45-minute drive to La Vale, Maryland, a smallish town just west of Cumberland, where there are quite a few dining options. Chain restaurants, mostly. Like Bob Evans’, which is where we ate. They serve up a pretty good breakfast.

Later, we hopped on the motorcycles to explore more of West Virginia’s back roads. It was mid-afternoon when we ended up in Paw Paw, West Virginia. Of course, by then breakfast had worn off. When we stopped to gas-up, we noticed a little Italian sub shop place called Anthony’s Jr. It looked like an okay place, so we went there for a late lunch/early dinner and had cheese-steak subs, which were really quite good. In fact, they were the best cheese-steak subs either of had had in quite a while.

That was our weekend. It makes for a pretty boring blog post, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

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Bits and Pieces

I stumbled across a well-written story on CNN, written by a woman, describing a motorcycle road trip. Imagine that. AND their trip included the Blue Ridge Parkway, which made it very reminiscent of the trip Hubby and I took in late 2007. Even down to the picture of Mabry Mill that accompanied the article. (The one shown here was taken by Hubby.)

Speaking of CNN… some of their headlines kill me. Especially the teaser-type ones they use on their “latest news” list. Like this one: State official resigns over underpants dance. Of course, I had to read the story. Boy, people can sure be stupid.

Post Secret is one of those blogs I read periodically. I even have a Post Secret book. In case you aren’t familiar with Post Secret, and even if you are, you should watch this video. I think it was made to promote some appearances by Frank Warren, the guy that came up with the idea. It’s an entertaining way to learn more about the Post Secret project, how it came to be, and how big it has become.

Some of the secrets people submit are heartwarming. There are just as many, if not more, that can be heart-wrenching. So read the blog at your own risk. If you have a propensity for depression, avoid it all together.

ToadMama fans who are interested in photography–taking pics, not just looking at them–might be interested in the Digital Photography School Web site I stumbled across. I haven’t spent a whole lot of time there, but it seems to be chock full of interesting stuff like Portrait Photography Tips. And not just your average, everyday run-of-the-mill tips everyone likes to share, but cool things like Posing Tips – Waistlines, Thighs and Bustlines. And Give Your Subject Space to Look Into. I’m going to have to set aside a whole day to absorb the info Darren Rowse, the dude behind the Digital Photography School, has chosen to share.

The very last “gem” I’ll share is this goofy site I found that sells all kinds of frog stuff (like the lovely Frog Poop pictured). It is The Frog Store.

Need some frog-shaped pasta? They sell it.

Got a hankering for some caramel creme chocolate frogs?

How about frog clothing with the dual purpose of celebrating frogs and telling the world about God? Like this shirt? Or this one?

There’s even a Useful Frogs category, which toadally restores my faith in humanity. The site owners know some of their stuff is a bit ridiculous, but also take time to point out USEFUL stuff like: this set of 6 froggy candles, and the CD holder, and this nite lite.

Those who know me can tell you I have my share of tacky froggy stuff. And if I stumbled across some of this stuff in a store, I’d probably buy it. I don’t know if I’d go on-line to buy a bunch of frog tchotchkes, though.

I have to admit, there was an interesting dice game on the site. And some fun wallpaper border. I might even buy this doorbell if I thought it would fit on our front door (it amazes me how many people knock instead of ringing the bell).

Happy Friday!

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I Made Something Interesting

The other day, I was lamenting the fact that I’d missed posting for two days because nothing interesting had happened. Shannon, my oldest, said I should try to make something interesting happen.

She was right. The problem is, I couldn’t think of an interesting thing to make happen.

Instead, I just made something interesting. In a Flickr interestingness kind of way. That is, an everyday thing I could photograph that would be cool because of the colors, and the angles, and the light (if I am lucky). Not to mention the fact, that not a lot of people would think to take pictures of…


… my lunch fixin’s!

I was hungry. Short on time, too. So I decided to multi-task.

I am not mimicking the Pioneer Woman! Although I do enjoy her blog. And she does inspire me to take lots more pictures. I am not sharing my recipe, though. Just my ART.

The tomatoes were given to me by my Dad Tuesday night. They’re home-grown. Store-bought tomatoes, even the vine-ripened ones, never look this red.

Seriously. Doesn’t that look like a yummy tomato?

Nothing says “summer” like home-grown tomatoes. Except maybe corn on the cob. And steamed blue crabs. And snowballs. And frozen blue margaritas! And eating Dolle’s caramel popcorn on the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland…

Um, moving right along.

I realize letting you see the salt and pepper is dangerously close to divulging my recipe. But I think the close-up is cool. It is sooooo red and juicy. Can’t you just taste it?

It was fabulous. Simple, but still fabulous. I forgot to mention I was having potato chips on the side, too. With a glass of ice-water to wash it all down.

Maybe something interesting will happen to me tomorrow…