The Entertainer!

Okay, even though I have seen him 5 times in concert….it just never gets old. Last night Erin, Sharon and I accompanied my mom and dad and 8 of their closest friends to the Billy Joel concert at Mohegan Sun. It was awsome, as always. He played for 3 straight hours and it was never a dull moment. At one point, he had his guitar roadie get on stage and do a version of Highway to Hell. Interesting…but it was fun. Billy is Spicin’ it up a little.

He played so many good songs:

Angry Young Man
My Life
The Entertainer
The Downeaster Alexa
Allentown
Zanzibar
New York State of Mind
Movin’ Out
Keeping the Faith
Don’t Ask Me Why
She’s Always A Women
Captain Jack
The River of Dreams
Highway to Hell
We Didn’t Start the Fire
It’s Still Rock n’ Roll to Me
You May Be Right
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
Only the Good Die Young
Piano Man

So Good. So So Good. We had a ton of fun and when we were done we went into the casino to play the “sluts.” That is what my Gram used to call the slots. Good Times. Good Times. I went bust on the Double Diamonds but my mom and dad did pretty well. I don’t think any of us will be quitting our day jobs to enter into a life of professional poker or gambling of any sort.

All in all, a great night out. However, not such a great morning having to get up for work after getting home and in bed after 3 am!

Awkward Flattery

So I am digging through piles and piles of exterior shutters at a Builders Surplus in CT. I look ridiculous because I am still in my work clothes (black capri pants, green silk top, 4 inch heels) but I was on a mission for shutters and didn't care that I was wearing impractical footwear. Anywhoooooooooooo, a young guy at the store comes out to help. Every 15 minutes while we are pouring over boxes of shutters he turns to me and goes "God, you are beautiful." I kid you not. He really blurted that out. Multiple times. I said thank you and continued to dig.

Is that normal? I mean, it is always nice to get compliments, but it just seemed so weird to me. Just blurting that out. ALOT. He was an employee at a store sent out to help me...and he just kept saying it. Once maybe..but every 15 minutes. I continued to dig.

I left with 15 pairs of shutters...and quite possibly a fan for life. Ahh..all in a days work.

The Invasion of the Stupid Box Store~

It really makes me batty that you can drive just about anywhere in the US now a days and you feel like you are driving down the same freakin’ road. There is a “Route 2” in every town and in every state and they are obnoxious. I can’t stand it, and I do my best to try not to shop at many of these stores. I am really making an effort to support the small businesses in RI and to avoid contributing to the delinquency of our nation’s economic instability. I mean …do we really need to have a Target 3.2 miles down the road from…a….Target? I could go on and on about this, but it really isn’t the point of this blog. I just needed to vent about that as a segway into the real meat and potatoes of this issue today.

Stain. Exterior House stain to be exact. Why Lesli, what could possibly be so vexing about exterior house stain? Surely there is nothing that could have caused an issue with this? Ahhh..but you would be wrong if you think this. And it all comes down to the stupid box stores on the stupid "Route 2s" of the world.

Now let’s think about this logically. When one is going to stain the entire exterior of their home, they may be slightly indecisive about the exact color they would want to choose. And seeing as how a house is a big undertaking, and staining the whole thing only to decided that you don’t like the color you picked is really not an option..what would you think to do. Hmmm…logical thought…buy some samples to try out. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. That is the funniest thought I have ever heard. Logical Thought. Buy Samples. Yeah….NO.

The racket that these stupid box stores have going is the dumbest thing I have ever seen. Or possibly the most brilliant thing I have ever seen. You can only buy 1 gallon or 5 gallon drums of stain. No samples. The gallon is the sample size. Ahhh, at $37.00 a gallon that is NOT a smart thing to do to test on one shingle. Oh and of course, it is mixed, so if you don’t like it…too bad. Stuck with it. No Returns. As this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, I clearly did not buy my stain from said box stores. Why would I? But then I thought... Someone must…or they wouldn’t sell it that way. Who are these dumb people and why do they exist?

Aggggggggggggggggggg. Seriously, people really think that it is normal to by a GALLON of non-returnable stain to try out on a house. Who are the marketing gurus who devised this scheme and then convinced Americans that this was smart. They should get a medal. The best scam I have seen in a long time.

Oh well. They’re not gonna lick me! I said screw and went to my local Pittsburgh paints.
Got 5 different samples for $20 and will be doing some happy staining this weekend. Ha Ha Stupid Box store. I’ll show you!

Baby Bonanza!

OKay, so this post should really by from the 17th of May...better late than never... I'm back-logged and I plan on posting it all so be prepared for some confusion.

Ummm, doesn’t matter how you spin it….my cousins have the CUTEST babies eva! And they were both out in full form this weekend. Why you ask? To celebrate Lucas Anthony turning the BIG 1. Oh yeah baby. PAAAARTY.

The party was originally scheduled for Castle Island in Boston, but Mother Nature did not cooperate at all so the festivities were moved indoors to my cousins digs. This could not have worked out better because everyone got to let loose…including the Guest of Honor. And of course there was some serious food. I looked like I had not eaten in a month by the number of times I went in to the kitchen to fill my plate. At one point I really thought I was going to get scolded and told to leave some food for someone else. But come on…it was soo good.

After we all ate, we all spent most of the time watching Lucas and JJ have a blast. Hmmm, I think they liked all the attention. I mean who wouldn’t. But JJ was very reserved when it was time for Lucas to open all of his presents. And Lucas did such a good job (of course with the help of mom!). I love it when little babies get more excited about the wrapping paper than the present that they just opened. Hilarious. But it was so cute to see how excited Lucas got when he opened his “Little People” presents. ( For those of you scratching your heads : Little People is to Lucas as Weebles and Lego people were to Us) They are adorable and he got so excited when he would see the box. Hee Hee!

Look at him go!

So, quick flash back necessary. One summer, many moons ago, at my beach house…puffy paint was all the rage. Don’t shake our head, you know you loved it. All the girls are inside on a rainy day and my mom and aunt go out and get white t-shirts and a tone of puffy paint for us to use. We all make these hideously ugly shirts with stick figures and rainbows and blobs that are supposed to be something but to this day we will never know what they were. And there…at the end of the table is my cousin’s shirt. With a full, spot on, mural of hummingbirds and flowers. No Joke people, I think it could have been framed. Who know one could do so much with puffy paint..it was unbelievable. A legend on the island.

Okay, back to real time. In the words of Marie Antoinette! Let them eat cake! Cake Glorious Cake. Ahhh but not just any cake. I walk into the kitchen and start to have visions of hummingbirds all over again. Why? Because my cousin had just free-handed and then airbrushed a Winne-the-Pooh on Lucas’s cake. Hard Core! Ummmm….mothers across the world are weeping now after seeing this cake. It rocked.

At first Lucas didn’t know what to make of it.. but then he got a little bit of frosting in his mouth and it was on! You could see his stages of joy. Ahhh to be 1 again!

Pure Joy

Aww come'on Lesli...how 'bout a hug!

Anywhooooooooooo……by far the coolest idea of all time…ready….. My cousin had beach balls set up all over the house. Attached to each one was a different picture in these adorable frame cards. Each pictures was of a different guest (aka our whole family) holding Lucas for the first time. And we got to take them when we left. LOVE IT! Totally LOVE IT.

(I'm not really sure what my dad was going for here?) Couldn't resist.

The Joys of Macaroni

So last night at dinner I gave a little monologue on the wonders of macaroni salad. Both my mom and my dad were laughing as I sat there and ranted because they both new exactly what I was talking about. Explanation: One of the best things about summer at my house is that we always eat outside and we love to grill. Nothing goes better with grilling than homemade macaroni salad. But this is not just any macaroni salad. There is something about how my mom has always made it that gives it that little extra umph. Al, Dad, Jay, you know what I am talking about....She makes this ginormous bowl of macaroni salad and guests look at her like she is crazy. Ahhhhhhh, but deep down we are all smiling inside because we know that it will only be a day before that entire bucket is EMPTY. And there is no exaggerating here. E-M-P-T-Y.

Dinner is done and you pack up the tuppers. A few hours go by and you think..oooh macaroni salad as a late night snack, how perfect. Then you wake up on Sunday morning and you say...oooh macaroni salad, just a nibble. Then the afternoon comes and you say, I'll just have a little bowl full, Then two, then three. Next thing you know~~~he sucker is gone. What is it about the macaroni salad? It tastes EXACTLY the same every time mom makes it. every time I make it! Not too much mayo...some mustard...that perfect type of Colby-Jack cubed cheese...is it the celery, the onions? What is it. But it is addicting. I Love Macaroni Salad.

I only felt the need to share this since it is only 11:46 and I brought Macaroni Salad for lunch. Wouldn't you know...it is taking everything I have in my body right now not to bust into that container and gobble it down. I can NOT give it. I must wait until lunch. I Must. Just 15 more minutes. Yeah, noon will be good. Not Uncouth.. 15 more minute...15 more minutes.

Ticking Time Bomb..Otherwise Know as Me!

No true pictures to post on this one...so cut me some slack okay!!!!!!!!!

Update: This just in (well actually it is from Thursday morning but oh well) I wake up on Thursday morning and my arms are the size of ham hocks and I am covered from head to toe in hives. I think to myself...I do believe I have having some king of allergic reaction. That said, I have already had two bad experiences with my own doctor's office with regard to my poison ivy. So I throw some clothes on, call into work, and drive my little self to the walk in clinic at the end of my street. Umm, let's just say it is a good thing I did. 2 hours later I leave with:

a.) 2 shots in the bum (cortizone and antibiotics)

b.) Blood work drawn for god knows ..MERSA (otherise known as the flesh eating bacteria)

c.) Diagnosis of Cellulitis (look it up..mayo.com) bacterial infection from the poison ivy. NOTE: can be life threateing if left untreated (thanks doc!!!!!)
d.) Hives due to allergic reaction to latex in the wraps used to stop the oozing from my arms

e.) 2nd Infection causing major swelling from the latex getting into the blood stream from the oozing blisters

f.) 1 perscription for steroid cream

g.) 1 perscription for oral Steroids

h.) 1 perscription for major antibiotics to fight the staph/strep cellulitis infection

i.) The feeling that I am the plague and will self distruct at any moment.

For those of you sick sick souls who are keeping track. This is the 4th round of antibiotics in 2 months. I have been sick continually since March 5... (happy lung day to me) and I am about 2 seconds from being banned from my office for fear that I will contaminate the building.

Happy Monday.

...You Can Look But You Better Not Touch...

Did you get my sly entry..

POISON IVY...POISON IVY.....Late at night while your sleepin' Poison Ivy comes a creepin' aaaarrrrounnd!!!

The corner of doom!! don don doooooooooonnnnnnnnnnn

So, my blog posts have been absolutely horrible, but I have them all ready to go. After the crazy long weekend of adventure I got home...kind of relaxed for one day and then had my friend Nick come to stay for three days... This brings us to Monday, the 26th! The Holiday. This is only 5 measily days after my last blog. However, After Nick left I decided to do some much needed yard work and remove the dead Lilac bush that was hanging into my neighbors yard. Umm Mistake. Big Mistake. Apparently this was covered in a poison oak and poison Ivy vine. Yep...had no idea that those two things came in vine form...just thought they were the little shiny leaves. So needless to say, I am HIGHLY allergic to poison ivy. One of the worst cases my doctor has seen. My arms are completely covered and at the time the oil spread to places where your upper arms my rub before a shower...ladies you get my drift :)

I blistered immediately and it was so bad that they continually ooze...all day and night. If I left them unwrapped they puddle at my feet. Isn't that just a lovely image. Go have breakfast now! Anywhooooo...I was totally out of commission last week since I was so wrapped up and sore I couldn't move my arms. AT ALL. Yesterday I was finally able to drive on my own! And the oozing is starting to let up. But now we have entered wave 2...more on the arms and now on the legs. (and in places I don't care to mention publically)

Oh..before I forget..some very useful tips for all of you and some myths you can toss aside like a dirty kleenex.

1. You can only get Poison Ivy from the Oil in the plant...not from scratching, touching someone who has the blisters, or by the ooze.

2. Poison does not spread. Once it is on the skin it seems to pop up after a few days in other places. It is a myth that this is spreading. It is just your bodies late reaction tot he oils.

3. Running your blisters under scalding hot water will initially bring out all the itchies...but it is releasing the histamines and it will eventually soothe your ivy for up to 6 hours! (tried it...works)

3. Placing Gold Bond medicated powder on the oozing blisters soothes the itch and pain and helps to dry the blisters.

4. The bastard can last up to 3 weeks before healing

5. The oils in your clothes and on the tools you used can last up to 5 years if you don't clean them thoroughly!

Don't you all feel so smart right now. I know you do! So I was kind and didn't post pictures of the oozing blisters....

The aftermath on my right arm (pardon my appearance it was hot out!)
And My left (don't I look so happy)
Trying to do work
I can't bend to type!!!

So, now that I can move my arms enough to type..blogging should resume.

Slacker Center

Oh Lord~ So much to add, so much to add. So far behind. Patience is a virtue~