Into A Barrel and Over My Life

A Bit of This and A Bit of That 25

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:02:00 +0000

*Cough*Cough*Cough*!

Wow! Such a lot of dust on my LiveWriter.

As you may have guessed, not a whole heck of a lot happening at the moment.

* Just before Christmas, my little netbook died. Instead of buying a new HD, I bought a new one. Not exactly the one I wanted, because that one they don’t sell anymore. Not a It’s an HP. My record with HP is not the best, but I’m hoping it’ll last till next year before doing what HP sometimes do. They don’t die outright. It’s always one little thing at a time, then becomes a big thing. At the moment however, I like it. Not the space bar, which you have to hit super hard. Lots of going back and separating words. Grrr. But as I said, overall, not bad. The screen is larger than the last netbook. It actually has a big ass HD so I’m not moving pictures back and forth from the desktop to the book. The keys are larger and have space between them. So there’s not as much wrong key hitting. So, yes, for the moment, happy camper.

*Went out a couple of times last month. I am considering taking up drinking as an actual hobby. But not the hangover part. That will have to be left behind. I have pictures over on FB, but I’ll put them up here soon.

*Also have pictures of the big snow from last week. It’s gone now, but it was wintery while it was here.

* I’ve been watching far too much TV. Even for my liking. Artic Air, Doc Martin, New Tricks, Once Upon a Time, and Grimm have been weekly staples. Am watching The River. Not sure how I like it, but there’s only six more episodes so I may just stick it out.

* I can’t wait to sit outside again.

* Went to the library. Haven’t been there in ages. I picked up dear friend Mike Hudson’s new book, Never Trust the World, which I will start tonight

* Once again I am loving TCM’s 31 Days of Oscar. I love TCM anyway, but this time of year usually shows all of my favorites.

* All things medical seem to be going along well. *knock on wood*

And there you have it from a soon it’ll be warm and I can go outside again barrel

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:15:00 +0000

No. Not dead.

Just doing the winter thing. We haven't had the awful weather we usually have (duh) and I have to say, I am okay with it. Is it probably due to global warming? Maybe. Should I be outraged? Maybe. But I'm not. I am so happy to not be frozen to the bone everyday. I am happy to not be trudging through three or four feet of snow. Or wondering how I'll get out of the house at 6AM if no one shovels. So yes, I am okay with this.
Still. Old habits. That means hiding inside, watching TV, reading, zoning on FB. A little drinking.

Yesterday was almost 50 degrees. I kept running out to the porch and just relished the Springness of the day. We even opened the window for an hour to bring in some of the warm.
I can't wait to sit outside again.

A tomorrow is the day.

The day.

The day we find out what is in store for us.

Groundhog Day.

No. Not Bill Murray groundhog day.

The real Groundhog Day.

Will he? Won't he? Day.

If he sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter. If not, early Spring. You'd think it would be the other way around. He sees his shadow, that means it's sunny. That should mean warm. An early Spring. But no.

We need him to not see it. That means that we need rain, clouds, a solar eclipse.

I'm rooting for the eclipse.

But whatever the little critter sees (or doesn't see) I know I'll be ready. Ready to sit on the porch and drink in the sunshine (or vodka :) .

So I guess what I want to say is...

Happy Groundhog Day everyone!

...from a waiting till Spring to be warm again barrel .

My Best of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:45:00 +0000

My list of the best from my Netflix for 2011 :

Winnie the Pooh

I don’t care what folks say, it was sweet and charming.
And I do love Piglet.

Heartbreaker

So funny. Especially Dirty Dancing.

Christopher Titus: Love is Evol

So true, so true. Hysterical. As he always is.

The Kings Speech

Colin. Adore.

Love Hurts

Crazy Stupid Love? No.
Richard E. Grant? Oh yeah.

Scott Pilgrim vs the World

I saw this in January of 2011.
Then I saw it about 200 more times.
My top favorite.

Happy Ever Afters

Such a charming little movie.
An ‘if something can go wrong’ movie.

Bridesmaids

Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig are goddesses.

The Perfect Host

Such a great little creepy as hell find.
David Hyde Pierce rocks it out. In every way.
Awesome.

Bad Teacher

This is the kind of movie that goes against my very being.
Offensive, crude, juvenile.
And still, I laughed. And laughed.
It was so wrong, it was right

I don’t get to the movies often and this year was no different. Though Jess and I did get out to see

The Help

Wonderful. Emma Stone is fantastic.
I love when a movie makes me want to read the book afterwards.
And it did and I will.

And there you have it from a sparkly New Year barrel, now go get your DVD on people

Three Years, Wow!

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:44:00 +0000

I have uploaded over 100 pictures from the camera. This will take a day or two to sort through.
In the mean time, I realized I have past my three year mark. Really. I know, right? I managed to keep up something for that long. Yay me!

And that made me feel nostalgic. I used to post these on my MySpace, but since I don't use that anymore, they fell away. So far away that I didn't even know that tickle was no longer. That made me sad. Sad face :(

But there are still sites like that around. Happy face :)

So here a bunch of those insane quizzes that I loved so :)

You Are "Don't Worry Be Happy"

You're very unique, but you meld well with a group. You are easy to get along with.
You are a positive thinker and a true optimist. You believe in filling your life with good things.

You do your own thing, but you're always thinking of the community around you.
You like to let loose every once and a while. You don't take yourself too seriously.

What's Your Motivational Phrase?

The First Rule of Blogthings Is: You Don't Talk About Blogthings

But I do. All the time. Maybe it should be Worry, But Be Happy...

You Are Mayonnaise

You tend to be a very quiet, introverted person.
You're happy to sit back and let stronger personalities shine.
You value loyalty and harmony. You try to bring people together.

Your taste in food leans toward simple comfort foods.
You love holiday meals as well as old school favorites like mac and cheese.
You get along with mustard and ketchup personalities. You have an unlikely alliance with hot sauce personalities.

What Condiment Are You?

The First Rule of Blogthings Is: You Don't Talk About Blogthings

Hmmmmm...I do get along with ketchup.

You Are 26% Evil

A bit of evil lurks in your heart, but you hide it well.
In some ways, you are the most dangerous kind of evil.

How Evil Are You?

Blogthings: Free Quizzes for Everyone

Oh that's not that bad. Get back to me when I'm at a good 70-90 percent.

You Are Apple Cinnamon Tea

You are a warm and friendly person. You have a compassionate heart, and it shows.
You are naturally sweet and kind. Your spirit of generosity is far reaching.

You love to be cozy and comfortable. You are a natural homebody.
And while you like to be at home, you're not a hermit. You love it when your friends make themselves at home at your place.

What Herbal Tea Are You?

Blogthings: Learn Something Surprising About Yourself

Well, duh...of course I am :)

You Are Little Red Riding Hood

You are a caring and kind person... sometimes a little too caring and kind.
People think you're brave, but you are also a bit naive to the dangers that lurk in the shadows.

You are willing to step up and be ruthless to save yourself and those you love.
Someone may fool you once, but it's unlikely that he'll fool you twice!

What Fairy Tale Are You?

Blogthings: A Fine Line Between Insight and Stupidity

Well alright. I'll take it.

You Are a Deer

You are trusting of yourself and others. You give people the benefit of the doubt.
You are grateful for this life you've been given. You feel blessed for what you have.

You see the world through the eyes of a child. You are rarely cynical or jaded.
You are unselfconscious and totally natural in your behavior. You are free-spirited.

What Forest Animal Are You?

Blogthings: Discover the Parts of Your Personality that Have Been Hiding

Crap. Then they shoot me through the head and eat me in a stew.

You Are a Jellyfish

You are a vulnerable person, but you also have a lot of inner strength. Sometimes you even surprise yourself.
You are very honest and open. You have nothing to hide and resent it when people don't tell you the truth.

You are illuminating and insightful. You understand and explain the world well.
You are energizing and enthusiastic. You get people up and moving.

What Sea Animal Are You?

Blogthings: Free Quizzes for Everyone

When you right, you're right :)

You Should Rule Saturn

Saturn is a mysterious planet that can rarely be seen with the naked eye.

You are perfect to rule Saturn because like its rings, you don't always follow the rules of nature.
And like Saturn, to really be able to understand you, someone must delve beyond your appearance.

You are not an easy person to befriend. However, once you enter a friendship, you'll be a friend for life.
You think slowly but deeply. You only gain great understanding after a situation has passed.

What Planet Should You Rule?

Blogthings: We'll Tell You The Truth... Someone Has To!

Hehehehe...Saturn will be mine! And we will control you all! I mean we come in peace. Yeah, that's what I meant.

I hoped you all enjoyed the nostalgia with me:) And that is all for now from a three year old barrel of joy.

How About A Meme For Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 06:06:00 +0000

1. As a blogger, what do you draw inspirations from for your posts?
Life, the universe and food.

2. If you could swap blogs with another blogger for a post, who would you switch with and why?
I can think of a number of bloggers I’d be honored to post on, but how many of them really want a post filled with cat and food pictures? That’s the real question.

3. If your blog had a theme song, what would it be? Why?
I have never been good at this. Pick a theme song. How about The Night Santa Went Crazy by Weird Al. Why? Because that was the last song I heard.

4. What is your writing process for a post?
I make some tea, I get comfy and then I just try to entertain.

5. Your blog requires a cute, new, mascot - what would it be?
Besides ME!? Let’s be honest, it’d be a cat. Or a naked mole rat.

6. Do you feel you express your "true self" on your blog?
I don’t think any one can be their true selves, I think we show parts that give an idea of who we are.

7. What is your biggest online pet-peeve?
Online trashing. People who tear others down for all to see. It’s petty and juvenile.

8. If you could live in a fictional universe, where would you live? Why?
Narnia. Hands down. Narnia. Because it would be awesome.

9. You're having a bad day, you're upset, you're angry, or you're sad - what is your go-to comfort?
Hot tea, jammies, a favorite DVD, Shag or Miss Firecracker. Chips and dip if present. The usual.

10. What is your favorite inspirational quote?
From the movie Shadowlands, “We read to know we’re not alone.”

11. If they were to make a movie based on your life, who would play you, your leading lady/man, your best friend, and your rival?
Well, clearly I would be played by Charlize Theron. Leading man, Alec Baldwin, and a rival? I don’t have one in real life (that I know of), but if they put one into the movie will they lose and suffer greatly at the end? Then I pick Michele Bachmann.

12. Do you think the world is going to end in 2012?
I have credit cards I’m paying off. So obviously, it won’t.

13. If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?
Anything? I would change myself into a Time Lord.

14. What is your favorite season and why?
I’ve answered this a million times, and it’s still the same. Autumn. I love all things about it, Halloween, candy, chilly nights, fuzzy sweaters, cider, my birthday.

15. You've been bitten by a vampire. Would you fight it with all your undead being or would you embrace it for all it is worth?
I would totally vamp baby.

16. Have you personally met any of your blogger friends?
Sadly, not yet. But hope springs eternal.

17. What does your favorite pair of underwear look like?
Wow. Really? Black. Cotton. Oooo.

18. Have you ever drank something right from the container in the refrigerator knowing other people will have to drink out of the same container later?
Ewww. No.

19. What is your favorite word and explain why?
A word with meaning? Happy. Because I think we all deserve it. A word I like the sound of? Shenanigans.

20. 2011 is soon coming to a close, is there anything you'd like to do different on your blog in the year 2012?
I just want to keep at it, hope people are entertained.Take more pictures.

Goodbye

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 02:09:00 +0000

I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all. Losing people I know. Especially so tragically.

It’s wrong.

A friend passed away this week in a terrible accident. I hadn’t seen him in a while. But when one (me) becomes a hermit, or stops drinking these things happen. You loose touch. But you always think in the back of your head, you will see them again, shopping or posting bail for someone.

The last time I see you is not supposed to be the last time I see you.

It’s like reaching for the last cookie and it’s not there.

It was an awful shock. And the idea that there is no later anymore is the hardest to wrap my mind around.

And yes, I have lost others. Usually in illness. When I knew it was coming. There was time to prepare. (Though you can never be fully ready, you know it’s happening.)

It’s the accidents. The out of nowhere. The WTFs that are the hardest. The scariest.

My friend was a good, kind guy. He loved darts, dancing, friends, and his wife and family.

He will be missed by many who knew him and by those who will wish they had.

Goodbye Marc.

Have lots of Triple Hats and good dance music.

R.I.P
Marc Lux
1976-2011

We are a sad and heavy hearted barrel.

A Bit of This and A Bit of That 24

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 04:14:00 +0000

* Went out with Jess for Halloween. I did take a few pictures, but they are the same ones she has. I do have this one:

and this one:

Where’s Waldo? I don’t see him? Where O where can he be?
and:

Ah the folks I know.

*Went to the the aquarium to see the Nickel City Reptiles and Exotics show. Again. Pictures where hard to get. I did get a little video clip. One of the show and one of the sea lions:

* Tomorrow mom and I will be starting the holiday fun. First up the NACC’s holiday day. The week after that the new Niagara Holiday Market will open. There will be stands, music and a tree lighting. It should be fun. I also hope city hall has a tree lighting like last years.

* Oh the Neopet fun :) Monday starts the yearly Game Master Challenge :) I do enjoy that. Even if some of the games drive me to insanity. No. Not to the brink. Full on ‘hiding in a corner whimpering something about keeping those Wockys with their items falling from the sky away from me’ insane. :)

* And finally. Mom and I did go to the newly opened Hobby Lobby. Yes. They did have some very nice items. If I was decorating. However, if you are called Hobby Lobby, I expect more hobby and less lobby. Just sayin’. I wasn’t overly impressed. I’d stick to JoAnne Fabric or just order from online. I did pick up a couple of items, because I had to do a lot of walking and was NOT about to go home empty handed.

And here is a pretty fall sky :) Just because.

And there you have it from a ‘getting out of the blue and heading for the holiday fun filled’ barrel :)

Wait! It’s November? Already?

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:34:00 +0000

I had completely forgotten about NaBloPoMo. Really. And it’s not as if it isn’t all over the place either. It is. Everywhere.

Yet. There it is. Or here it is. Already the 7th and I have one post up this month. Not even intentionally.

The problem is me I’m afraid. I’ve been hanging out in my head to much lately. Which is a nice place. It’s a place where I’m smarter, more graceful, talented. Where home is stress-free and comfy. And no one is having a meltdown every 48 minutes because their life isn’t what they thought it would be when they were 14.
It’s also in Hawaii.

What’s not to like?

Such a nice place. But it’s a pretty bog. A spiffy quicksand that pulls you in. Soon you realize you’ve been zoning for an hour and don’t remember a word of the last paragraph you thought you read a moment ago. Or what was I watching before that sixteenth local car dealership commercial? Was it a movie? No. Why was I watching Gunsmoke for heavens sake? I don’t even care for westerns.

Damn you bog. Damn you.

However. Before we start pulling out the meds, I have seen a spot of dry land. It’s called…The Holidays.

I know. Most hate them. But for me it varies. Some years I dread them and other times I really enjoy them.

I think this is an enjoy year.

Thoughts of making turkey are making me hungry. And there are also thoughts of a holiday party. Pepperoni, cheese, olives and vodka dance in my head lately. I’ve already started planning out my shopping. Last year I did this on Dec 18th. This year I think all will be wrapped by the 18th.

And tomorrow? Tomorrow is a sweet trip to the newly opened Hobby Lobby. Paint, felt, buttons, all sorts of stuff to want to make something out of. What can say get get out of your head if not crafty goodies? Nothing I say. Okay. Maybe vodka. But lets try crafty fun first. As we can see from my little pumpkin hat ( idea taken from here), crafts can be fun :)

Ah…..holidays.

Ah….dry land.

Oh yeah. Bring it ;)

A little of this is nice too.
(image from We Heart It)

And that is all for today from a light at the edge of land barrel :)

Pretty Autumn

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:33:00 +0000

At the moment it’s autumn around these parts.

And though i dislike the cold, it has been rather pretty out.

I went for a walk the other day and here are some river and tree picks.

It was very cloudy out, so all of these were tweaked a smidge. But only a smidge.

See? We can look pretty once in a while :)

There you have it from a not very active, but quite chilly barrel :)

Picture Days

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:54:00 +0000

It’s getting colder and that means hermit time is fast approaching. That means not a lot going on.

That doesn’t mean I’ve nothing for you.

Mr. G went on vaca last month and was gone for a good chunk of September.

And how did I enjoy this time?

I enjoyed it far more than I should have. The quiet! The peace! Wonderful. I watched TV, I ate when I wanted, the house stayed clean for days at a time.

I did have a night out with friends. A nice get together at Ed’s place. And of course, I forgot to take pictures.

I did however take pictures of other things.

And here you go, in no order at all :)

Mom and I saw this sweet car last week.              Pepperoni in a box. She has her crazy
My birthday is next Tuesday if anyone has                          eyes going on.
       no idea what to get me :)

Pepperoni in a box. At Denny’s for Mom’s Bday lunch
(her choice). Here is my coffee.

Mom choose a huge breakfast. Huge. I had a chicken ranch. So tasty.

A fall tree. The top is still green, making The fountain at the church. Pretty.
it looked like it was dipped in paint :)

Flowers by the fountain. More flowers by the fountain.

Mushroom w/swiss and scallions :) Veggie-ish tacos made this week. Yummy!

Leftover white chocolate chips with dried                   Early birthday pres from mom.
cranberries. Not bad. Might try with trail                   No more wireless mouse for me.
                mix next time.                                                            YAY!

Poster frame for posters I bought 2 months ago.
Only made interesting by the fact that I carried two of them from
Third/Rainbow to Buffalo Ave.
You may chuckle now.
Now you may stop.

And there you have it from a fall-like summer is over barrel :)

Friday 5: 9/30

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 05:08:00 +0000

A quick Friday 5 for you. Enjoy!

What’s better the sloppier it gets?
Joe.
Who gets more beautiful the angrier he or she gets?
Me :)
What turns out better when it’s less planned or less organized?
My life.
When do less focus, less motivation, and less determination mean more success?
A Friday night TV movie fest with a quilt.
When is impatience a virtue?
Clearly when waiting for the elevator.

Stay warm wishes from a chilly little barrel.

A Plan of Attack and a Few Friday 5s

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:05:00 +0000

I meant to work on a post. But with G on vacation, I sort of slipped into one too.

Not to mention there’s not a whole lot going on at the moment. Did some visiting and drinking with friends, went to the store with mom, bought a fall jacket that should be here in a few days.

It doesn’t help that I’ve never been good at picking out specific topics either. Or maybe I’ve just fallen into a meme groove and can’t figure out how to get out.
But what to do about it?

Well…

I plan on checking out the blog prompt sites to get ideas for the time being. Yes. There are such things. So if you tune in and see a heart felt argument about elephants losing to zombie ligers, well, you will know why. And it will without a doubt spark oodles of comments arguing for the elephants. As if they stood a chance against zombie ligers. Really.

For the rest of this post though, I will continue on with the Friday 5. There are two. Since I can’t seem to be able to answer 5 little questions in one week. I can however answer ten questions in two weeks.

I rock like that.

9/16:

This past week, what word would you have completed the “If I Only Had a _________” song title with?
Naked Mole Rat.
What have you recently seen that seemed less likely than flying monkeys?
Betty White not winning an Emmy.
If you could have shouted “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” sometime this past week, when would it have been especially appropriate?
When FB made it’s changes.
Who has been your Good Witch of the North recently?
Mom and Jess.
This weekend, where does the Yellow Brick Road lead?
To vodka.

9/23:

Some friends have invited you over to watch the big game. What do you bring for the snack table?
My best Taco Dip :)
What do you bring for a potluck lunch at work (or school)?
Cheesecake.
It’s a re-gifting party! Everyone brings some gift they never opened or used and leaves with someone else’s. What do you bring?
I have a number of candles I can’t use because the cats think the flame is a live toy. *head shake* I guess those.
You’re going camping for a long weekend with a bunch of friends. Everybody agrees to bring one thing that others often don’t think to bring. What’s your contribution?
My own bear. That way I don’t get attacked by some strange bear.
Road trip! The car in which you’re going to spend twenty hours with your closest friends only has a CD player. What do you bring?
An MP3 player and a bottle of valium.

Friday 5s: A Catch Up

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:06:00 +0000

It’s been a busy sort of week. And while I work on a post letting you know just what fun I’ve been having, I thought I would catch up on the Friday 5 that I meant to put up, but, well, didn’t. I hope you all enjoy.

Friday 5: 9/2:

What were the circumstances surrounding your most embarrassing (physical) stumble? The same as most of them. Alcohol, alcohol, feet.
As summer winds down and autumn makes its approach, what are you most looking forward to in the changing of the seasons? Birthday, Halloween, apple cider. tiny candy. I really can go on and on :)
What’s something you’ve recently fallen for? The Masterpiece Theater’s Sherlock Holmes. It makes Robert Downey Jr’s look ridiculous. And no, I’m not using that in the ‘I really mean fantastic’ way. I can’t wait for the next season. Get a move on that MT.
Of what has there been a shortfall in your life recently? Sanity.
Has there been any kind of windfall in your life in the past few months? Lots of crazy.

Friday 5: 9/9:

When you’re having trouble staying awake, what are some things you do to make sure you don’t drift off to sleep? Coffee, coffee, Farmville :)
What’s most likely to cause you a prolonged period of not enough sleep? Caffeine, stress, bad TV.
When you’re going through a prolonged period of not enough sleep, what parts of your daily routine are likely to change, and how? Dishes suffer. Sad, sad dishes.
Who in your life seems regularly to have not enough sleep? Me, mom, Jess.
In what ways does your personality change when you go through a prolonged period of not enough sleep? I am either over hyper or just irritable and snappish.

A Bit of This and A Bit of That 23:

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 00:36:00 +0000

* Ugg! What a month. I seemed to be spending money everywhere. At the movies, $18 for snacks. I thought I was getting a soft pretzel, small popcorn and soda. The pretzel was pretzel bites, the size of meatballs. The popcorn was what I would call a medium. The soda was so big I had to use two hands to lift it. There were enough carbs to get a small army through a cold winter. Insane. My jaw dropped. I didn’t know whether to pay or just run away.
Then I found out that the credit card bill didn’t get cashed. They never got it. So there’s $30 for a past due charge and $30 to stop payment on the lost check.
And I think I was over charged at the grocery store last week. The receipt is illegible so it’s hard to say. I’m pretty sure it was the pop.
After all that I ran out of my Xanax for dialysis. I’ve been cold turkey for the week. And still have tomorrow to get through. I hope tears aren’t involved.
Also? Bad personal situations have left me feeling very yucky because I don’t know what to do to make it better. And, no, it’s not even Gary. This time :)

On the upside of things:

* I have the doctor’s tomorrow after dialysis, so I can get my script.

* The movie was well worth the ticket. Jessica and I went and saw The Help. So good. So funny and sweet. Emma Stone is awesome.

* Mom and I headed over to JoAnne Fabric the other day. I picked up some curtain fabric for the living room. A nice green with an ivy pattern.

* And the week before we went with Jessica to the Castellani Art Museum. The exhibit had gone, but we picked up a few posters. There will be pictures later :)

* Gary’s family survived Irene. They were lucky enough to be just out of the main path. Yay! Also yay for the high speed internet they will soon have :) Finally!

* Three weeks of quiet.

* I bought the kitties a pointer light. They LOVE it! They hear me pick it up and start looking for the red dot. If they don’t see it, they look at me, they look at the hand I’m holding it in and then back at me. They want the red dot! Pepper and Sam run all around after it. Wyck watches it and if you put it on her paw she shakes it off :) Best toy ever.

* Last Friday I saw Tonya and her man. I haven’t seen them in ages. Really. Ages. Went to Foleys and saw buddy Chucky O. Then on to Uncs for a bit. All in all it was a very nice time. So very glad I got to see Tonya. Hopefully it will be sooner next time. Halloween is a’comin’.

* Now I want to say GOOD LUCK Karl! Karl will be having surgery on his rotator cuff next week. And he seems to be mildly freaking out. “Don’t freak. It’ll be okay. You will be so surprised in a week how easy you adjust to using one arm. And after all the physical therapy you will actually feel better. Then you will be amazed at how much pain you learned to live with.“

*Of course you’ve all “LIKED” Into A Barrel on FB!

*******************************************************************************************

And here are a few pictures I forgot to put up the other day:

The lamest Festival of Fools. Ever. The only fools on that day were us for putting pants on and leaving the house. No clowns. No musicians. No mimes! I expected creepy mimes at least. Nope. And it was about 88 and humid that day. Was not a happy camper.

A fire twirler. Twirling. He was okay. An artist. Arting.

The marching band was spiffy.

Little Freddie in a carrier. Waiting for the vet. Peanut giving us his “Magnum”

A veggie burrito. Chicken curry salad with dried
cranberries and cashews.

The big giant hole down the street. They filled it in about four days after I put up the picture. Coincidence? I think no.

It’s Time for More Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 03:37:00 +0000

A few weekends ago my friend Ed and I headed over to our other friends for a night of margaritas and food. As always, I was so into the eating the food, I forgot to take pictures of it. We had chicken, mac and cheese, garlic mashed potatoes and chocolate cake. (Don’t tell my dietitian :)

Not being a grill gal, I don’t get grilled food items very often in the summer. I forgot how yummy it is. Everything was so good :) Thank you guys!

I did take a few pictures of the house. It’s a converted family house. Now it’s a vacation rental. it’s called The Fischer House. Most of the rooms are pictured on their FB.

Next time I’ll do my best to take pictures before I drink :) And eat.

Margarita. A game of Trouble.

Pretty plates. The dining room.

Enclosed patio. Garden at night.

Birdhouse at night. Pretty painted living room.

Another wall in the living room. In the kitchen with food and drink.

Awesome cupboards and counter that I want.

Last week mom and I headed down to the Misty Dog (which I don’t think is as good as it was before. Just saying.The guy before did a better job.) Anyhow, we went with Carole and our godson, Zac. He’s getting old. And that makes me old. Not sure I like that part.

Godson. The Niagara Hotdog. It’s cheese.
Ish. And bacon. Sorta.

Then yesterday mom and I went out and I saw these guys. Our little yard kitties.

            Ruby hiding in the brush.                           Stripe. Named after the bad gremlin
                                                                             because of his stripe. And temper.

Taffy and Ruby. Lurking.

So there you have it. A few pictures of the summer fun while it lasts.

From a ‘not looking forward to Labor Day cause that’s the end of summer’ barrel enjoy the days of warm! :)

*******************************************************************************

I did want to say that even though I missed Miss Britt and her family while they were here, I am so glad they enjoyed the Falls. It really is awesome to see. And I hope one day they come back this way. It would be great to finally met them. Safe journeys Miss Britt and family :)

Friday 5s

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 03:28:00 +0000

Well. I tried.I really did. But last week for the life of me I could not get the site to load. So I just waited. It finally load last night. Yay! Now you get two 5s :)

You know you love it :)

Last week’s:

What was your most memorable alarm-clock failure?
Honestly. I don’t remember any. if there was one it would have been for school.
What item recently in the news do you find most alarming?
Hurricane! Hurricane! Hurricane!
Of car alarms, burglar alarms, and smoke alarms, which do you consider most effective or useful?
I think they are all useful. if you had asked which was most annoying however. well. There’s a question.
If the shoplifting alarm is tripped as you exit a store, what do you do?
I stand there and wait for a worker to do their rescan thing.
If you owned some kind of personality alarm to warn you upon first meeting someone of likely trouble in the relationship, what would be five qualities you’d set it to detect?
Violent, cruel, to rigid in his ways, no sense of humor and dumb assy.

And this week’s:

What kind of magnets do you have on your fridge?
There were many more really cool ones that may or may not have been lost in the move. I hope we just haven’t stumbled on them yet.
What’s your preferred type of glue?
Elmer’s stick.
When is it good to feel sticky?
Alright. This may be weird. But I think when the first really humid, hot days hit, I mean the very first ones, and I’m sticky from being warm, that’s a good sticky. It means winter is gone for a while. It means my core temperature has gotten back to normal. It means I’m not cold or chilly. Love that.
What was the last thing you wrote upon a Post-It?
I don’t have any Post-Its :(
How much pancake syrup do you put on your pancakes?
Oh my goodness! Far, far to much :)

We’ll see if this seems to be running behind barrel can manage a Friday 5 on a Friday next week.

******************************************************************************

On a serious note, this hurricane is bullying up the coast big time. I wish all my friends and family to be safe and sound. I’m sending all good thoughts your way folks. Super hugs to everyone.

Friday 5: 8-12

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 18:44:00 +0000

Okay. A day late. But better late than never. As they say.

Onward!

What could serve as physical evidence that you sometimes lose focus?
Besides this being a day late?

These are evidence of projects and books lost to my lack of focus.
What could serve as physical evidence that you are loved?

Friends and family :)
What could serve as physical evidence that you’re from wherever you’re from?

Food and fun.
What could serve as physical evidence that you went anywhere this past week?

A veggie burrito and books. Evidence of the grocery store and library gone to on Thursday:)
What could serve as physical evidence that you recently caved in to temptation?

Chips. Bad, bad chips.

Ah. Another Friday 5. I hope you all enjoyed it and from this Saturday barrel, have a good weekend everyone!

Friday 5: 8-5

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 03:25:00 +0000

Three weeks in a row! I am on fire! Okay. Maybe not fire. But I am definitely lukewarm baby!

What’s something you recently learned how to do on a computer?
Hmmmm…I haven’t learned anything new, new. But, I can tell you my favorite little trick. it’s the one where you push the scroll button down :) Awesome!
What’s something you recently learned in the kitchen?
I have learned that my little Pepperoni is a lonely kitten who has an imaginary friend. Well not imaginary. A stuffed toy she talks to, tries to feed and yells at.
What’s something you recently learned about the town where you live?
My little city surprised me by being more open and accepting than I thought it would be. Okay. They stand to make a nice penny. But I am sure that is just a coincidence.
What’s something you recently learned from television?
I learned that there are about a thousand different lemurs in Madagascar. And they don’t all want to move it, move it.
What’s something you recently learned the hard way?
If you keep putting off the manis and pedis, it takes ten x’s longer to get the job done. Eyebrows too.

And there we have it! Another Friday 5 from a fun in the sun summer barrel.

Have a great weekend all!

It’s Pictures. Lots of Pretty Pictures.

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:49:00 +0000

A group of pics.

Jessica’s little baby :) We have a T.G.I.F.! Well, it’s a big deal to us.

Jessica makes friends everywhere she goes. A wonderfully good tuna salad I made.
I don’t even like tuna. But this is yummy :)

We topped off the thermostat last week.           A big giant hole down the street. After
                                                                       a man died falling into an uncovered hole
                                                                       on the other side of town, they put more
                                                                       cones around this one. *shakes head*

From the NACC Art Fest in the Park:

The tents. Pretty fountain.

More tents. Chess players.

A few vintage cars show up. The kids drew with chalk.

And yet more tents. And again.

The program of artists. Pretty flowers.

Goats.

it’s the Italian Fest!

The eggplant parm I had. Insanely wonderful! Mom’s Italian sausage w/pepper and onion.

A woman who thought the barricade was for all but her. Ah. The bocce!Now that was cool :)
And no. She didn’t put it back. *More head shaking*

Measuring the balls distance. This gentleman is the playa of the bocce.
Men do like measuring stuff. Several of the folks had been taught by him.

The mayor takes his turn :) A scene of the court. Bocce is a lot like
curling. Without the ice.

This was a great shot! Down the strip
These balls were so close they should
have had a honeymoon.

And there you have it. From a barrel of summer fun. So far. Not to bad actually. Even with the heat.

Hope you are all enjoying your summer :)

Friday 5: 7/29

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 06:13:00 +0000

Well. Clearly the pictures have to wait until after the Friday 5. I couldn’t possibly do them until, oh, Sunday, Monday.

This week’s 5 are about public things.

When did you last use a public restroom?
Not since I’ve been back on dialysis. The one silver lining since many, many of them are beyond gross. Seriously. Barn raised?
When did you last ride public transportation?
Two days ago. Yes. We be bus people.
How far away from your home is the nearest public housing?
Being bus folk we know where everything is. The answer is about a mile.
Which of your public utilities is the least reliable?
I’m not sure what a public utility is exactly. Do roads count? ‘Cause that would be my answer. They are awful.
What did you last view on public television or listen to on public radio?
I watched Dinosaur Wars the other night. Marsh and Cope. Wow. Just wow.

And there is another Friday 5 for you. Hope you enjoyed. Until next time from a soon to be eating lots of Italian food barrel, have a good weekend everyone :)

It’s A Three Parter. Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 05:30:00 +0000

Wait! Wait! I’m here! Just running a wee bit late is all! Here ya go…Part 3!

41. Who was the last person you went shopping with? Grocery shopping, mom. Stuff shopping, Jessica.

42. What is something you need to go shopping for? Coffee maker. Kitty box. A life. Same ol’ same ol’.

43. Do you have the same first name as one of your relatives? Nope.

44. What kind of car do (did) your parents drive? I think it was the mini van.

45. Are you rich? In spirit, yes. In money, HA!

46. If you could spend one intimate night with a celebrity, no questions asked, never to see them again, who would it be? Zaphod Bebblebrox. He does have a third arm after all.

48. What famous person do you look like? Feel free to use this facial match program by clicking here. Show us at least the celeb photo. Oh hell. I don’t do pictures. I am Marshal from HIMYM. The camera hates me with a blind fury. But I will say that this is close to me. Yup. The only difference is my hair is reddish and not that long. Other than that, throw a vodka in her hand and bingo!

Really. I’m not even being funny. *shakes head sadly*

49. What is the most daring thing you've done recently? I watched Will and Grace while G was awake!

50. Say you were given a pregnancy test right now. Would you pass or fail? HAHAHAHA!!!

51. Which sex scandal of the last decade bothers you the most? *shakes head in disgust* Really. That we have such a large pool to choose from. Yuck.

52. Do you know anyone in jail/prison? Currently? Maybe. There are a few folks I haven’t heard from in a while. It can’t be ruled out.

53. What are your plans (or what have you done) for this weekend? This weekend is the Italian Fest. I plan on being there, eating my favorite artichoke dish, watching celeb bocce ball and taking pictures of those very things.

54. Have you ever woken up and not known where you were? Often. And I’m not drunk. Just naturally confused.

55. What were you doing at midnight last night?? I may have been sleeping. Or harvesting. Souls. Or strawberries. Maybe strawberries. Okay. It was souls.

56. Last restaurant you went to? TGIF with Jessica.

57. How many hours did you sleep for last night? A glorious 3 hours. It was wonderful.

58. Which is more distracting: Sexting while driving or sex while driving? Since I don’t sext or drive, I have no reference to even guess. I do find someone yammer while I type distracting though.

59. Do you think someone is thinking about you right now? I see the cats staring at me, so for sure them. It’s what they’re thinking that scares me.

60. Have you ever changed your clothes while in a vehicle? I honestly don’t remember. Probably.

60 1/2. If you haven't "liked" us (WTIT) on Facebook and would like to, click here. Thanks, friends! Good heavens! If you insist…

So there you have it. We have come to the end of this little meme. I hope you all enjoyed it. There will be more. Have no fear. Or fear. Up to you.

I guess that means I better get to work on the last of the pictures.

That’s it from a slightly cooler barrel.

Friday 5: 7-22

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 02:19:00 +0000

Since it’s so hot and I did not in fact die (yet) and the cats did not in fact, eat my face (thank you) I wanted to do just a little something in between the Parter meme and pictures.

That lead me to find this little meme for Fridays. And go figure it’s called Friday 5. I think you know where this is heading. Five questions every Friday.

What’s your best advice for someone who’s as drunk as a skunk?
Well first, am I drunk with them? ‘Cause my advice will be far different if I’m sober. For instance, if I am drunk my advice might be to skip the Grand Slam and go for a lunch item. Come morning the protein in a burger will feel much better than the sugar from the pound of syrup. If it’s only the other person that is drunk then I would advise to put the aspirin and two bottles of water by where ever you pass out. Also, it’s just paint on her tail, so leave the cat alone.
What’s your best advice for someone who’s as busy as a bee?
Stop and smell the flowers. Really. All that buzzing around. Getting pollen all over the rug. And the whole vomit thing? Ick! This is not the way to make friends. No sir. It is not.
What’s your best advice for someone who’s as nutty as a fruitcake?
Meds. Meds. Meds. Meds. Meds. And stay 200 yards away from me.
What’s your best advice for someone who’s as sick as a dog?
Awww. Poor baby. I am a fan of hot tea, chicken soup and/or scotch. Also get plenty of rest. And most importantly, above all else, stay away from me.
What’s your best advice for someone who’s as ugly as sin?
“Paris, Spencer, Heidi, it’s a big world out there. There are going to be people who don’t know or care who you are. You may want to start thinking about doing a makeover. Of your souls. Those of you that have one. If you don’t, check eBay. They have everything. Good luck.”

So there you go, my first Friday 5. Maybe there will be more. We can only wait and see.

From a stuffy, warm, muggy little barrel, have a good and cool weekend.

It’s A Three Parter. Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 04:35:00 +0000

It’s going to be about a 100 degrees today The heat index may reach 110. This does go well with my lungs. Or brain. Or any part of me. At this moment it’s over 90 in the apartment and my head already feels fuzzy.

I tell you this for two reasons.

!. If you don’t see part 3 in the next few days, I’m dead. Don’t let the cats eat my face.

2. I will do my best, but my answers may not be all that entertaining. Or they may be too entertaining. You don’t have to notify anyone in white coats.

Onward part 2!

21. Have you ever had a garage sale? Once. It was a two day nightmare that ended with about $80.

22. What color is your cell phone? Red.

23. What is the last alcoholic beverage you had? A Seagram’s Berry Escape beverage.

24. Are you happy right now? Blah.

25. Who came over to your house last? Jessica.

26. Do you drink beer? I am a WNY gal. Beer does happen occasionally.

27. Have your brothers or sisters ever told you that you were adopted? As a matter of fact, Laure did do that. Then i told her mom and I lived in France before she was born. One of us was more upset than the other. :)

28. What is your favorite key on your key chain? I only have three on my key chain. It would be rude to choose just one. But, I will say my favorite key chain is the one from St. Patty’s Day that says Luck Off.

29. What was the last movie you watched at home? Happy Ever Afters.

30. What is in your pocket? Don’t have pockets at the moment. But my pants pocket has some change and a dollar in it. You’re jealous. I can tell.

31. Who introduced you to your bf/gf/husband/wife? Roommate.

32. Where do you hurt? Is that a trick question? Cause it’s been humid for four days and my ankles and knees are very unhappy.

33. Has someone ever made you a build a bear? No.

34. What’s something fun you did today? I didn’t pass out from the heat. That was fun.

35. What is your favorite aisle at Target? I like Target. I have no ill will against any of their aisles.

36. When is your birthday? In the lovely month of October.

37. Is there anything hanging from your rear view mirror? Since I don’t have a car, it would be pretty weird to have a rear view mirror with things hanging off it.

38. How many states in the US have you been to? 2.

39. What kind of milk do you drink? Ferret. Not really. Maybe. You don’t know! I might.

40. What are you going to do after this? Lay in front of the fan and watch TV.

To Be Continued…

From a somewhat sleepy barrel, stay cool and be careful everyone.

Summer Pictures. Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:48:00 +0000

Part i of Summer pictures.

At the end of June, our little Main Street had it’s first Main Street Music and Art Festival. I didn’t take a lot of pictures there. I’m just not sure about what you can put up if it’s not yours. Even if the artist is in the picture. Someone should let me know about that rule.

Anyway, I took a couple of store front pics. Plus a couple of flowers.

Peonies and a rose.

The Bookcorner’s store display and The Rapids Theater ceiling.

It’s A Three Parter. Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Maffei) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 20:41:00 +0000

Since it’s so warm out and I haven’t posted much, I thought I’d give you a little meme. This is part 1. There are 3. :)

I will also be working on a ton of pictures I want to post during this time. And those will have to be done in 3 parts as well. So ideally I should have my next six posts all planed out.

It sounds really good in my head. I hope it works as well in action.

Onward!

This was picked up over at Sunday Stealing.

1. Your ex's car is on the side of the road, on fire. What do you do? Probably help. Begrudgingly. But I would help. Probably.

2. Your best friend tells you she is pregnant. What is your reaction? YAY!

3. When is the last time you wanted to punch someone in the face? About thirty seconds ago. Nope. Make that five. Four. Three….

4. What is the last thing you spent money on? Yesterday. Bought a card from one of the artist at the NACC.

5. Do you think you gained or lost weight this past month? Oh Heavens! I hope I haven’t gained!

6. Crunchy or Puffy Cheetos? Both have their time and place.

7. The first person on your friends list just called you a bitch. What do you do? As in a serious way? No one. In a joking way? No one.

8. Congratulations! You just had a son. What’s his name? Zaphod.

9. Congratulations! You just had a daughter. What’s her name?
Willow.

10. What are you craving right now? Attention. Or pie.

11. What was the last thing you cried about? The Tea Party Movement.

12. When you buy something and your change is 2 cents, do you keep it or tell the cashier to keep it? Keep.

13. What color is your tissue box? It has a lighthouse and seaside on it. It’s quite nice actually.

14. Do you have a ceiling fan in your bedroom, and if so, is there dust on that fan? Yes. And oh yes.

15. What was the last voicemail you received about? My account needs funds.

16. Have you ever blocked someone on Facebook? Not yet…

17. Scariest thing you’ve experienced in the last year? My little netbook slipped into a coma.

18. Do you wear a name tag at work? I wear a name tag at home. Silly.

19. What kind of car do you want? This:
Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato

20. What do you order when you go to Burger King? I don’t eat at Burger King.

To Be continued….