I really like this time of year.

For some reason, when I look at this picture with the extension cord bent like that I get the sound effect from the Flintstones when they are trying to get away stuck in my head. Yabba dabba do!

Are You a Republican?

For as long as I have known my father-in-law, he has liked to play the "Are You A Republican?" game. He holds the record for the world's biggest republican. He thinks that since I was raised Catholic, I am republican too, he just hasn't convinced me of it yet. He thinks if he asks me the right questions, that I will one day realize that I have been republican all along. The game goes like this:

"Do you believe in the right to bear arms?"
"Do you believe in homosexual marriage?"
"Are you pro-choice or pro-life?"

The problem is, for as long as he has known me, I refuse to play his game. This just provokes him. Yesterday I was here alone with him, while John and his mom ran to the store. There was no escape.

The verdict? I'm still not a republican.

John carving the turkey

The cats are pissed off, freaked out, and hiding. We had to coax Tabasco out of the ceiling last night at 3:30 a.m. =(

There's a dog in the house.

Picture Perfect.

This is so perfect for me.

Turkey Dance

This is one of the cutest, funniest things I have seen in awhile. This turkey is singing my song.

Fun Night #2

John and I really don't "go out" much. We always seem to have something going on, and we do go out on occassion, we just aren't constantly hitting the streets. This weekend, though, we hit the streets in high gear, both nights.

Last night we went out with old friends (not that they are old, we have known them a long time.) We started the evening at the Tin Can where one can get like 50 types of beer in a can. I had a Pabst Blue Ribbon, and then an Olympian. The food there is awesome too, you can get fried bologna or BBQ pork steak sandwiches there. From there we put our name on the waiting list at Bailey's Chocolate Bar They said it would be a 45 minute wait, so we went next door to 33, a wine bar. 33 is probably my favorite place in St. Louis, because it feels like you are in California not St. Louis. I do love St. Louis, but I do love 33 as well. Finally we got seated at the chocolate bar, and it was really cool. The decor was really sexy, and the food was really good. I had strawberry and banana crepes topped with chocolate sauce and a white chocolate hot chocolate.

After these two great nights, I'm ready for our schedule to open up so we can go out again, really soon.

Fun Night #1

We just got back from a wonderful dinner with new friends. We went to Monarch Restaurant, and the food was superb. I introduced myself to the sommelier, primarily so he didn't give me the "you don't know anything about wine" schpeel. After dinner we all ordered desserts, and they brought out a whole tray and said dessert was their treat. Our new friends seemed to think it was because I introduced myself, and they thought I was somebody important. I should try that more often. Would definitely recommend Monarch.

Candle holder, apple stand, you name it, this thing is versatile.

John's blacksmith masterpiece

Anti-Dentite

Recently I have been to the dentist a couple times. I hate going to the dentist, they scare me. It's all in my head I know, plus all the sounds there drive me crazy; the drill, the spit sucker... Maybe next time I should go with ear plugs in, or my iPod on. The worst sound ever though, is the sound of the little kids crying. They hate the dentist as much as I do, I just have to be more dignified about it. They cry and seem scared to death. I can picture them gripping the chair, and some of them scream for their life. John doesn't like my dentist because we don't have our own separate rooms, we have dividers, or partitions. It's clear I feed off these kids' anxiety because I start crying too.

Maybe next time I make an appointment I should request a time when no kids will be there?

Rugged

We had an outdoorsy weekend, John in particular. On Friday John was invited to go blacksmithing with Joe at his friend, Beaver's, house in Ste. Gen. John came home with a hook for the weed eater and a candle holder thing. Joe made a candle wall sconce thing, and a lantern holder. Saturday and Sunday we went deer hunting. We didn't get anything except some nice pictures. The new camera is lots of fun, and I will admit I was skeptical. We also played poker. I can hold my own in Texas Hold'Em.

If you want to see a few of our pictures from the weekend, and experimenting with the new camera, click here.

moss

Woods

John's deer hunting buddy

John's blacksmithing day.

Conversation on the Way to the Farm This Morning

My nephew, Eric, spent the night at our house last night because he doesn't have school today, and I brought him to the farm this morning. John doesn't have school today either, he is blacksmithing with Joe. We dropped John off this morning at the Cracker Barrel in Herculaneum.

Eric: "Why is that building dilapidated?"
John: "It's not dilapidated, it's a storage building."
Eric: "Do you even know what dilapidated means?"
John: "Look here, Eric, I'll let you know right now, I have forgotten more words than you have ever learned."
Eric: "Well, that makes you more dumber."
Me: "Eric, 'more dumber' isn't correct English."
Eric: "Well, I have a stuffed up nose."

The new camera has arrived.

Today is the 5 year anniversary of my mom's passing. This is one of my favorite pictures of her and I together. This is in Myrtle Beach the summer of 1995. Joe is sitting next to us. We are waiting to be seated at a restaurant. We look so happy, and we are holding hands. It doesn't seem like she's been gone 5 years, since I carry her around with me everywhere I go.

My Sentiments Exactly

I'm pretty sure these guys are more upset about the lost of the game, but I agree with their mourning of Busch Stadium. Can't believe they are tearing down something that I have grown to love. IMO, the athletes are just greedy, and I know John says the new stadium will be better, but not in my eye. There's no replacing Busch Stadium.

Update: The link doesn't work, guess I waited too. long. If you go to www.kmov.com and click on the "For more information of Stories you've seen on KMOV click here." Then scroll down a little more than half and click on the Busch Stadium Memories page, then you have to register with KMOV, and then you can click on the video link to Busch Stadium's Saddest Fans. Sorry this is so much work, and you probably won't do it, but if you have extra time, the video is really good.

Julie, Chuck, and Sara

Germans