Hollywog's Pond

Soooooouper Bowl!

That would be better if I was having or making soup today. Instead it is Dorito filled fun and a buffalo steak. 'Twas on sale. Think I like the buffalo burgers more. Especially if bleu cheese is involved. And of course, moscato grapes are making another appearance as well. It's like heroin! Anyhoo, the super bowl is actually entertaining. Close game - 1 point so far. I'm voting for the underdogs, as usual, the Saints! Also because I was in their stadium once upon a time performing and I feel like that counts as only one degree of separation.

Got a fun, new toy for the kitchen - a mezzaluna. Basically a curved knife with a concave cutting board that makes mincing fresh herbs fun! It is my least favorite thing to chop and now it is fast, even and fabulous. I was especially pleased to find it with the same handle type as my knife set. Speaking of knives, I have discovered that I am wretched at sharpening them. After much crappy cutting after crappier sharpening I decided to get it done professionally. Am supposed to get it back tomorrow. I gave them just my santoku in case they aren't all they are cracked up to be. Fingers crossed!

Have changed plans. There were actually no manual Foresters to buy last weekend from my dealer and it seems like that was for a good reason. I got to thinking and decided that I should wait for a vehicle purchase and stick with what I've got for now. So the new car purchase has been delayed to make room for a possible condo purchase. Mortgage broker is running the numbers and real estate agent is on standby for loan qualification results. If I can get mutual agreement on an offer in April and close by June I can still qualify for the fabu tax credit. I'm not going to let that rule my decision. I'm not super picky so long as the resale possibilities are good. I can live anywhere with enough natural light for a few years. Here's hoping I see my 'wow' condo in the next month!

Cruise plans are still on and all flights have been booked. Wahoo! Just looking at hostels and trying to learn Italian. Bought a phrase book today and had waaaaay too much fun pretending to be Italian inside my head. Makes me want to live there so I can speak so expressively all the time. :)

Went to see a Rat City Roller Girls derby last weekend. AWESOME! Will be going back for mom's birthday (with mom in tow). So much fun and everyone is supportive of the ladies and having a great time. It was immediately clear to me that this would be a Halloween costume and that the clock is ticking for the perfect name. If I were going to be an unoriginal copycat I would be Jalapeño Business. Ha! Fabulous I tell you, fabulous.

This weekend I am waiting for the new apt to open up. I've got to find some way to prop up my bed (frame has wheels) so that the hardwoods are protected. Was thinking a rug but maybe those plastic bed lifter things would work short term.

Tried out a new breakfast place, a pancake corral. Was pretty good for diner food and is ridiculously popular. Followed that with a nice movie, Up in the Air, and then some cruise ship shopping. Trying to follow the packing for one bag theory. Decided to go with brown, white, purple and maybe magenta as colors to stick with. Actually finding some long sleeved light-weight things at Exofficio. The most fabulous travel store if you have never heard of it.

YES! The Saints won! Woo hoo!!!

Ahem, shopping. And then the mezzaluna came to me (been searching for almost a year) on sale! 40% off baby. Yeah. Good times. Followed by pho and Molly Moon's buy one get one. Goodness gracious, what is better than handmade ice cream and sorbet? By the way, order a split scoop if you get two flavors - double scoop is gi-huge-ic. And did you know they sell their divine, creamy fabulousness by the pint?!?!?! Fi dolla and heaven is yours.

And then came the purging. Of my closet anyway. Decided that if I am going to be moving twice in the near future I will be moving less stuff than last time. If I haven't worn it in over a year then it is gone! I have three bags of clothes and one trash bag + recycling of food stuffs that haven't been seen in years. Managed to hold on to a muffin mix that expired in 2002. That is just sad. And some butter flavored crisco that expired in 2007 so you can only imagine when I bought it. Eek! Followed that with some carpet cleaning (thanks for the machine, mom!) and some laziness to watch the Saints. Sugar is now inspecting the carpet cleaner's handywork after maintaining a crouched-in-the-shadows, wide-eyed stare for the entire cleaning procedure.

Didn't get to anymore sewing (those babies won't need burp cloths forever) or figure out how to come up with closing costs on any potential home purchase. In my head I get to have a crappy house instead of a slightly less crappy condo with home owner's dues. We'll see what happens.

Getting sucked into Undercover Boss so I'll have to continue this next week. Probably given you enough to read over anyway. Seems boring but random enough to make me happy. That's my life!