Long Weekends Rock!

We had a rockin good time this weekend at ye' oldey camping ground. Pictures coming soon...but for now, 10 things I learned this weekend...

(1) Road atlases are really neato, and mega functional - especially the one we had, which not only got us there and back, but also highlighted some really great points of attraction.

(2) Inflatable mattresses may be an indicator of 'selling out' in the world of camping, but they sure make for a more comfortable night's sleep.

(3) In the car-camping situation, hand-held flashlights are pretty much just as good as headlamps. But head lamps look cool; especially the ones made circa 1980.

(4) Date of birth is a big indicator of Saturday morning cartoon knowledge.

(4a.) The Gummy Bears rock(ed)!

(5) 2*(le Petite Ecolier) + 2*(melted marshmallow) = 1,000,000*(yummers)

The laws of math don't work in this case:
(le Petite Ecolier) + (melted marshmallow) IS NOT = 500,000*(yummers)

(6) Some people in this world are a little too high strung.

(7) When there's more up-hill ahead, it's better to think "it's all down hill from here" than "miles of sun-exposed upward-moving switchbacks to go".

(8) Shower? Nah.

(9) Me and the folks I hang with are labeled "environmentalists" by the wine-tasting types of the world.

(10) Cottage cheese pancakes taste just as good, if not better, when prepared outside.

A Wednesday with no new Lost is a poopy Wednesday, in my book.

Arroyo Seco or BUST!

Hey now!

Jiggity and I are packing up for a long-weekend camping trip. Arroyo Secco is our destination. Given our misadventures in travel 2 weekends ago, we bought a 141 page road and 'recreation' atlas of California. If we can't get there smoothly with the atlas, there' s no hope for us at all. Cross your fingers.

Monorail, Monorail, Monorail!

Dilemma

Oh man!! It's Wednesday, and you know what that means! I have to make a decision: ballet or Lost. And today's decision-making process is particularly challenging because (1) it's the season finale (what's going to happen to Loch?? will he die?? will he rise again, like the messiah?? will Michael come back just in time for the battle between the plane folks and the others?? will Ben look really creepy?? SO MANY QUESTIONS!); and (2) the ballet teachers have noted my absence of late and I particularly like the Wednesday night instructor. And here are two solutions, one for each side of the argument: (1) Jiggity has set up TiVo to record all new Lost episodes (although it doesn't always work...stupid TiVo); and (2) I can go to Thursday night's ballet class (easier and more appropriate for my skill(less) level).

Torture!

Thankfully, it's the last time I'll be tortured with this choice for several months.

Yea, y'all have probably seen this already

....but it makes me laugh every time I look at it....and now I'll get to see it each time I take a tour through the blogring. Woo!

C of M

Jiggity are about to sit down to a viewing of Children of Men. I'm guessing we're in for a treat - albeit a depressing one.

Get out your ballets, folks. It's time for a vote!

Rank these animals in order of cuteness level, from highest to lowest! (It's torture, I know.)

Contestant #1:





















Contestant #2:














Contestant #3:




















Contetstant(s) #4:















Contestant #5:








Contestant #6:

Toast-R-Oven

When it comes to toasting bread, bagels, and other food products (yes, Jiggity, creepy waffles are included), I strongly prefer a toaster oven to a pop-up toaster. Only with a toaster oven can you make a tuna melt or a warm/melted ham & cheese. And beyond toasting, the oven provides so many additional options, including warming, baking and - my personal favorite - broiling. When I was a kid, I was jealous of families with pop-up toasters (especially the ones that required close observation in order to catch the bread as it flew through the air post-toasting). But now, I'm all about the wonders of the toaster oven.

Jiggity and I got our first joint Toast-R-Oven last weekend. We used it for the first time last night, preparing potato wedges (Trader Joe's style) sprinkled with salt (which we ate while watching Lost, by the way). We couldn't have made THAT with a pop-up toaster!

We'll see how long this toaster lasts.

Meatloaf

I feel like Meatloaf is highly underrated. Granted, it takes less than one hand to count the number of Meatloaf songs I love, and he lacks originality in naming his albums (with most incorporating "Bat Out of Hell" in one way or another). But his memorable tunes are CLASSIC. When Jiggity and I are in the car and a 'loaf tune comes on the XM radio, we don't switch stations. Oh no. Instead, we pull out all the stops with dramatic singing and passionate fist-pumping.

We* just LOVE the Meatster.


* I cannot say for sure that Jiggity agrees because my singing/screaming is loud enough to drown out any opportunity for him to protest

Zip It!!

Nobody post about Lost tonight/tomorrow!!! I'm going to ballet - for the first time in 3 weeks - and I won't be able to watch at the regularly scheduled time. TiVo will be working its magic and I'll be viewing at a later date - and blogging when appropriate.

BUT PLEASE - don't make me avoid your blogs until viewing occurs!

All the Fun's In Getting There

Jiggity and I went camping Saturday night with a group of public healthers in a campground located around the red oval on the map. Neither of us looked at a road map before leaving (we just memorized really bad instructions from the park's website) and we ended up driving to Tracy (one third of the way to Yosemite!) before realizing that we must have done something wrong. After turning around, we ended up passing by the red oval and circling around a small area of Oakland (outlined by a box on the map) trying to find an exit that doesn't exist for 45 minutes. When all was said and done, and we finally made it to camp, we spent a total of 3.5 hours getting to a place that should have taken 40 minutes. We're buying a road atlas. Soon.

LOST?!? OMG!

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Irritation

Nothing irritates me more than someone having a long and loud coversation on their cell phone during my daily commute on the train. Today I was lucky enough to have the cell phone conversationalist sitting right next to me. She didn't get the hint when I glanced at her - repeatedly. Ugh.

What to do about such cell phone rudeness??

Sauna.

It's hot as the dickens in the Bay Area today. I wish I could cut class (work) and see the Flying Scotsman....or the Flying Dutchman, for that matter. Any activity that promises air conditioning would do just fine.

Today was my (one?) chance to wear my summer duds in the ci-tay, but I left the house in long pants and a sweater. I suppose a little check of the weather report would have been helpful. 92 degress is the projected high. Ugh.

Jiggity Wants One of These. Thoughts?

Ye Olde Locale Newsie Gives the Flying Dutchman....

Calibrate that to the

given to Spice World circa 1999 and you get the idea.

Favorite Bar

Bars and cookies are not the same thing.

If I were to choose my favorite bar, it would have to be the famed "Minnesota Bar" created by L.Kes at OAM.

Anyone who entered a favorite bar in the favorite cookie category must amend their choice. That means you, Spice.

Favorite Cookie

So as it turns out, only TOWWAS and Jiggity are interested in commenting on their favorite sandwiches. I bet there will be more interest when it comes to the subject of FAVORITE COOKIE!!!!

For me? Pinwheels. Remember them? Big mounds of marshmallow atop a doughnut-shaped sugar cookie, all covered with a shell of chocolate. Mmmmm......