Damn and then some

Do you ever look at your girlfriends and think, "You shouldn't be wearing that" and silently cringe for them. Well, I do and if you don't then pat yourself on the back and stop reading this blog now, because we don't have much in common, you fabulous person you! Now back to my point. Anyway, you know that your friend has been working out hard, watching her food and wine intake and has lost some poundage, but she prematurely puts on a pair of jeans that she shouldn't be wearing yet. Well, I have been wearing the same pair of jeans for the past month?! The reason being my ass won't fit in any others. I refuse to buy a new pair to accommodate my--- because that is settling and lazy. The next time it could be elastic. Now I will buy a new pair when my --- is smaller and the cycle of maintaining starts all over again. Now there is that friend, who is skinny and works out all the time, but wears things that are too tight, which makes her look fat. That is just sad and wrong.  Then there is that friend who does not eat period.  I try to avoid those types of friends all together.  They are usually a head case, and life is too short for all that mess.  Well, today I am "that friend" who is being premature.  I just put on a pair of jeans that are too tight! Please Mirror say it isn't so. I'm tired of wearing the same jeans. I have been doing yoga , walking, and even a little running. If I just hadn't drank that bottle of vino last night. Damn.

When I got back from Scotland, my husband had bought a new scale. Harsh reality. How many fish and chips did you eat? I liked the old scale. You could bounce on it a couple of times and make it fluctuate five to seven pounds in your favor. Damn fish and chips(Scotland). Damn lobster with drawn butter (Maine). Damn good though. Damn you digital scale(Husband). While I am on a roll, Damn Scott Schuman( thesatorialist.blogspot.com) for making me even care about all the above in the first place. And Damn for good measure, and yes, I am going to go change. Damn!

Nan

Scotland, August 2009

What I loved about Scotland was it's pristine, natural beauty and the fact that it was undisturbed by man.  The views were amazing and all I could think was if this was America, it would have been trashed by development after development, billboard after billboard, fast-food chain after fast-food chain.  The Scottish people "get it".    It seems like we Americans are always spinning our wheels,  consume, consume, consume, which is just such a waste, waste, waste. I think a lot of Americans were consumed with creating this allusion of wealth, which in turn would create social status, which in turn would make us happy.  When in actuality, nothing could be more false- false wealth, false friends, false happiness.     I think the recession  with all it's bad has caused good, in an awareness of less is more and what is truly important. I think the economic downturn was inevitable; The country was up to its eyeballs in EXCESS, and yes, I wanted to say a four letter word.   It's not the new car, the characterless 5,000+ house, the media room;  It is the "slowing down" and going on a bike ride with your children, preparing a good meal, hanging on the porch with your neighbors.  It's about quality not quantity.  Luckily, I have never aspired to the big new house, or new cars.  I think the television is an idiot box, as my mom likes to call them.  After living beyond my means,  I sincerely appreciate living  within my means and living with a peace of mind.  Alright, that was a digression.  So much for just a pictorial diary of Scotland.   Anyway,  Scotland was lovely.  Literally very "green" and they live "green" too,  without even trying.  It's not a trend there, it's a way of life.  America is young and we are still growing up, and we'll get there too, especially if we can remember the valuable lessons that this recession has taught us.  If we can also remember as  individuals  that pigs get fed and hogs get slaughtered that wouldn't hurt either.  Too much is just too much.  

 

The last three pictures of this series were literally taken outside of our backdoor and the view was literally 180.  Amazing.  The next couple of posts will be more pictures of Scotland, hopefully without me getting on a "soapbox", but I can't make any promises.  Nan

Compost Cupcake

Compost Cupcake.  Yummy.  Clearly, I have a million things to do like pack for my 6:50 am flight in the morning...See y'all next week,  Nan

Playing possum

I pose a question.  Do all children like to play dead, or is it just mine?  Actually, it is just one of mine.  He loves to get out of the car and play possum.  Highly amusing and sort of strange.  

Closet Cat Lover

I know it probably appears that I have the potential of looking like a "freaky cat lady" by posting pictures of my cat.  Twice in three postings.  Crazy. Heaven forbid.  Here it goes...I love CATS.  I like DOGS.  That is seriously TABOO in the Ville, I know, but there you have it.  Indie, the cat had some particularly cute moments today and I of course being that "freaky cat lady" took some pictures.  I say that in jest, but this is a dogie dog town and you are in the dog house if you don't like them.  I have one dog.  His name is Jack.  He is a great dog.  We adopted him as an adult.  Why?  I prefer not to go through the puppy phase.  They can't be cute enough, especially when we had a two year old.  When you get a kitten, house training/breaking takes all of three seconds.  You put them in the litter box and voila you are done.  Keep them inside for a couple of months, so you can worry less about owls, hawks, cars, etc...and then get rid of the litter box altogether.   Now you can have a lame cat.  I currently have two.  They stay outside.  Indie does what she pleases.  She just turned one last month.  My boys spent two days trying to catch her.  It finally took a trip to the Humane Society for a trap to get her and she has been a kick ever since.  She loves high places- tops of closets and now much to my husband's chagrin, the newly completed bookcases.  That darn cat...we love her.

teaser

Indie

I literally just got back, and the boys are on their way from their grandparent's house. They have been gone for a week visiting them.  Anyway, our cat Indie has been deprived of some serious love and is losing her sweet little mind, and is making it seriously difficult to type, so I will post a sweet picture of her with promises of lots of great pictures from Scotland to come.  On Indie's name, she was named by the boys, after Indiana Jones.  We also  have a Tom (Cat), had a Bob(Cat), both girls.  Boys... and boy do I love them and I have missed them dearly.