I'm getting a new patio...someday...

It seems like I've been waiting forever for a patio outside of my back door. I dream of days when there is a patio to sweep instead of mud and snow to shovel. I can't wait to spread my pots of plants around, arrange the lawn chairs, and kick back while the grill is cooking my dinner. Until then, all I can do is prepare and plan.
My backyard is very large and very shady. It is also cornered on two sides by the house and the garage, both of which had been painted gray until recently. It's a great place for growing ferns and hostas. However, I wanted to create a warm, inviting space in the midst of all that lush vegetation. I am using a four step attack plan.
Step one, warm up the walls. This spring, I painted the one wall of the garage a burnt-orangy-red color. It spiced things up instantly. While it pairs well with leaf green, I chuckle to think of what it will look like this winter against the snow.
Step two: Branch out -- literally. I've been experimenting with what flowers will bloom back there...inpatients and begonias are no brainers. Dahlias are doing well too. I've also got various geraniums, petunias, daisies, sweet potato vine and roses mixed in the bunch. I've also mixed in herbs...basil, oregano, thyme, parsley and cilantro. When the sun is out and you brush buy, the scents that come up from those herbs are intoxicating.
Step three: Flooring. This is where I'm stuck, cause I can't do it myself. It will require filling in an old well as well as pouring the patio. I have been looking into different ways to spruce up what will otherwise be a concrete slab. I never knew there so many ways to color concrete. Dye can be integrated into the concrete when it is being mixed (like adding food coloring to the batter), or sprinkled on top when the concrete is still wet (like sugar cookies!), or a stain or dye can be painted on top (ICED sugar cookies!!). I'm having a hard time deciding which is the best option, and now, I'm craving cookies!! Currently, I'm leaning towards tinting the concrete a goldy sand color.
Step four: Decorate. This should be easy, cause I've been collecting for years. Various things to hang on the walls, patio lights, lawn furniture...it's all ready and waiting.
When it's finished, I can't wait to have a "patio warming" party. I'll make sure to invite YOU!

Ocean's 13

In keeping with my new blogging resolution, here is an honest girl's opinion of Ocean's 13:

After trying to arrange to see this movie with several people, I finally gave up and treated myself yesterday. I ended up at the Easton AMC where, in case you didn't know, you can get in for $4.00 before noon. Who knew? Also, they've started a new concession gimmick where you can mix and match three items off a certain list for $7.50. Included on the list is 32 oz. popcorn, 16 oz, pop, bottle of water, regular sized candy bar and icees. So, I was in a pretty good mood even before the movie started, cause I felt like I was being thrifty (although not as thrifty as going to the $1.00 movies on half price night!)

The basic plot is that a bunch of cheaters are trying to cheat another cheater. It was better than Ocean's 12, but not as good as Ocean's 11. There was enough twists and toys to make it fun, but yet there was still some predictability.

But to be honest, when the cast includes names like George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, I'm not really going for the plot. Ladies, it's not just a piece of eye candy, it's an entire eye candy store!

Why do guys just get better with age? Remember when George Clooney used to be on "The Facts of Life" with a perm and overalls? Remember when Brad Pitt used to have bit parts on "21 Jump Street" and "Growing Pains?" Remember baby faced Matt Damon, when he won an Oscar for "Good Will Hunting" and took his mom to the show? Wow, they've come a long way. In fact, they've come so far, that for a few hours, I forgot all about their political views and how much I disagree.

Ellen Barkin was also in the movie. She had a really cute hair cut that made me want to cut my hair off. It was a blunt cut bob that flipped out on the one side. We'll have to wait and see if I can pull that one off.

What have I missed?? Al Pacino and Andy Garcia also star, but they didn't do enough for me to mention them before now. Although, now that I think back, Al Pacino's character is building a casino, and it's gorgeous! I'm not usually drawn to Asian inspired decor, but this was very rich looking. It gave the entire film a feeling of sophistication.

I know that I could give a rating...4 stars, 3 1/2 stars, etc., but really, what does that tell you? Nothing. In a capitalistic society, people can say a lot, but ultimately, you find out how they feel by how they spend their money. So, for my reviews, I'm just going with a simple "worth the price of admission" or "not so much."
Ocean's 13? Definitely worth it.

I'm getting complaints...

...about not blogging enough. It's not that I don't want to, it's just that I don't see most things as worth blogging about. I guess maybe the point is to write profusely, and let the reader decide if it was worth writing about. So, to encourage myself to write more, I'm devoting every day of the week to a different topic. I am asking for topic suggestions, so feel free to contribute any and all ideas.

Some of my own ideas are as follows:

1) Monday Morning Review -- an honest opinion on books, movies and everything TV.
2) Hobby Lobby Tuesday -- let's not only talk about what we're crafting, but home repairs, remodeling, gardening, and games.
3) Wednesday's hit list -- because I always am making some sort of list....
4) Rand and Roar Thursday -- just a place to air our grievances :)
5) Food Find Friday -- sharing new recipes

Again...suggestions are welcome!

All is Well...

It was a wild ride, but well worth it. I (heart) Harry Potter.
Sara

I'm so wild about Harry....

1:20 AM...in bed with my book...see you in 759 pages....
Sara

Still waiting...

It's 12:48...still waiting in chaos....
Sara

I'm waiting....

It is currently 11:43 PM, I'm in line for my Harry Potter book. I am
number 551 in line. **sigh** It's going to be a long night.
Sara

I"m Baaaacccckkkkk!!!!!

My trip to South Carolina was great! It was a perfect combination of laying around and being busy.

Toby and I spent the week-end in Charleston, or to be more accurate, on the beach at Isle of Palms. The rest of the time he was working, but I have no problem entertaining myself. I went to the South Carolina Aquarium (which pales in comparison to the one in Cincinnati), the Columbia Art Museum (they have actual Monet's -- who knew?), and became a James Patterson devotee.

There are some things that you can get only in the South....boiled peanuts, peach sangria, collared greens, sweet tea and grits to name a few. They make those things other places, but they taste best in the South.

It's nice to stay at Toby's house. It has most of the comforts of home, but no TV or Internet, so you don't get sucked in by the mundane. His dog Gervaise and I went for walks, sat on the porch and greeted neighbors, and discussed the humidity in the airless afternoons.

Toby also has a convertible, so if you get up in time to take him to work, you get to drive it for the day. It truly feels like a vacation in a such a sporty little car. I love to watch the reactions when I pull up beside people blasting some praise music or folk music. I get the strangest looks when I pull up singing along with the classical station. he he.

While it was great to be in the South, it's so nice to come home to my own house, Linus and temperatures lower than 95.

PS -- My experience on Skybus was great. I had no problems whatsoever and would recommend them to anyone who is looking for a cheap flight.

O Happy Day!!!

A list of reasons why I am SO happy today:

1) I fixed my stove -- I am woman, hear my roar!
2) Mom and I are going to the new Harry Potter tonight -- muggles unite!
3) Tomorrow, I leave for a week of vacation in South Carolina, with my dear friend, Tobin -- We're gonna have a peach on the beach!
4) Well, who needs more than 1 through 3?

A lesson from Penninah.

My devotional today focused on Penninah. She was jealous of her husband Elkanah's other wife, Hannah. Gien Karssen, author of "Her Name is Woman," writes so eloquently:

Penunnah had allowed her bitterness to take root in her heart. And since she hadn't guarded her heart, her life had become poisoned with envy. This envy stemmed from rivalry, selfishness and a lack of humility. Envy looks only after its own interests, not those of others. The Bible warns strongly against it. Envy is not one of those small character weaknesses that God will allow a man to live with. He puts it in a list of sins which society considers to be far greater: adultery, idolatry, witchcraft, etc.
"Jealousy is the rage of a man," wrote Solomon. It is like a fire. If not quenched rapidly it cannot be stopped, because it affects other parts of the body. This is especially true of the tongue. Peninnah is an example of how a person can use her tongue to vent her jealousy. Being one of the smallest members of the body, the tongue can cause a blazing flame which can destroy entire lives. No wonder that in such a case the Bible says a person misusing the tongue is "set on fire by hell."
Jealousy devours a person because it stems from Satan. In fact, it destroyed Satan himself. He envied God. In his pride he wanted to be like Him, and this caused his downfall. Therefore, Satan is happy every time a human falls into this snare he has prepared. Often he has a great success, for people are jealous by nature. It is ironic that men can allow the same member, the tongue, which they use to talk to God and to honor Him, to be inspired by Satan.
Jealousy begins in the mind. If it is not arrested in time and brought to God, it ruins one's thought life and hinders interpersonal relationships. It is also subtle. It is a far greater danger to the person who harbors it than it is to the person toward whom it is directed. Like a boomerang , it returns to the envious person.