a sorta fairytale

Congrats to Courtney, an aspiring muralist, on her new website! I knew she was talented a long time ago, when she used to draw crazy pictures in my Australia journal. That was just over 10 years ago. She has grown so much since then, so please go check out Courtney's Murals. I plan to hire her as soon as I decide what to do with my house. Either that or babies start coming. HAH! JUST KIDDING!

The Latest Addition

Monday night when I came home from work, Kevin told me he had to go back to work for a meeting. I wasn't feeling well, so while he was gone I went to bed to rest for a spell. He comes home, opens the door to the bedroom, and presented me with the sweetest little KITTEN I've ever seen. Instantly I felt better.

After spending a few days with the little one, last night we finally decided to name her Isabel. We've been calling her Izzie for short. She's pure black with huge yellow eyes, very playful and lovey, and very much fond of her 2 older brothers who want nothing to do with her. Last night, all 3 of them got baths, which were very much needed. I had smelly babies. Anyway, it's a good thing Kevin brought her home to me, as I'm sure she will keep me occupied while he is busy conquering Grand Theft Auto 4. My TV privileges have been revoked for the next month.

just an empty cage, girl

Here's the weekend update from last weekend:
Friday...Kev and I spent our Friday evening cleaning the basement after Dave got everything out. We moppoed, we scrubbed, we ripped up more carpeting which we threw out. The basement bathroom was a sight to behold...it's still not clean yet. *shudders* I don't know how anyone could live like that. On top of all the cleaning, our washing machine decided to stop working on us, right in the middle of a load of towels. Luckily, my in-laws happened to be in the neighborhood so they stopped by to take a look. My father-in-law designs and installs heating and A/C systems for a living, so he's pretty handy to have around. He was able to fix the machine temporarily till he can get a part for it. In the mean time, I have to be extra careful not to reach into the washer during the spin cycle, or I could potentially lose my arm.

Saturday...Finally talked to my sister today. I had been waiting for her to call since Kevin and I had gotten married. We had a nice chat, which was long overdue. Saturday night we went to Northfield Lanes where we met some of Kevin's friends from work. I do not volumtarily set foot in bowling alleys without good reason. And Kevin buying all the beer for me seemed like reason enough. We had a good time- it's been a while since the two of us went out without our usual circle of friends.

Sunday...Spent all day working in the yard today. Cut back my rose bushes, ripped out my out-of-control tomato plant which I nick-named Seymour. The resemblance to Little Shop of Horrors was too obvious. Kevin and Frank went and got rocks to landscape our front yard. When they finally came back with about, oh, 4 tons of them, I went in the house. Kevin spent all afternoon and most of the evening landscaping the front yard around the flower beds. Finally I had to drag him inside, as it was too dark to do anything else.

Merlin likes Mendelssohn and even Mahler!

According to this article at the Discovery Channel Website, dogs are more responsive to Classical music than any other type of music. Next time Merlin is terrorizing the kitties I'll have to keep this in mind...maybe put something real sedate and boring on. Nielson's 2nd Symphony maybe, or a Machaut motet. It doesn't get any more boring than that.

"emma" was a cornflake girl

Our usual routine after work is this: we come home, have a couple beers, smoke a few cigarettes (Kevin, mostly), and talk till it's time for dinner. Yesterday, we were ambushed by our roommate Dave (rented the basement from us shortly after we moved in) while in the garage having our usual after work pow-wow. Out of nowhere he came in and exclaimed he was moving out because he felt ignored by us and that he just didn't feel like he was part of our world. *shakes head* He also accused me of snooping in his bathroom 2 nights ago. I was extremely offended by this...me of all people. I was in his bathroom the other night, but only to turn on the light so I could see to turn on the clothes drier without turning on the big overhead light which would surely wake him up. I couldn't believe the things he was saying to us. Did he think when he moved in that it was going to be like Animal House- a frat party 24 hours a day? Or did he think it was going to be like a happy little family, the 3 of us living there? Get real. We work, we come home, we eat, we talk, we go to bed. It's slightly more exciting than that on the weekends. I'm glad he's gone now. We have the house to ourselves, but I wonder if I shouldn't get the locks changed. I don't trust Dave any farther than I could throw him.

Last night Kev and I made a quick trip out to DrugMart to pick up a few things. I brought along my copy of the Cornflake Girl single. Pulling into the DrugMart parking lot, Kevin was singing "Emma was a cornflake girl...." at the top of his lungs, not stopping when we walked into the store. This continued through the Wendy's drive-thru on the way home, at every red light out the car window, and in our back yard when we finally got home. He refused to listen to me when I pointed out that the lyrics are "EVER was a cornflake girl". I can't complain, though...my husband likes Tori and knows all the words (except one) to Cornflake Girl.

poppa, i know there's a frog on my toe
maybe i'll call him jethro

Yesterday evening I met Kevin's maternal grandfather for the very first time. He and Kevin's grandmother were divorced a few years back, and the family sort of shut him out.

We stopped by his house after having dinner at the Outback Steakhouse and subsequently chasing after a stray cat on the way. (I spotted the kitty darting across the road and pleaded with Kev to pull over so I could rescue her. Guess she didn't want to be rescued, because I have never seen a cat book it that fast away from me.) Anyway, on a whim and since we were in the neighborhood, Kevin said he wanted to stop by his grandfather's. It was interesting but a little awkward as Kevin introduced me as his wife, meanwhile his grandfather was still getting over the initial shock that we were standing in his living room. After the visit, on the way back out to the car Kevin thanked me incessantly for agreeing to the visit. I didn't think I needed to be thanked for that...I would never try to keep family apart. I have such a wonderful husband! :o)

and as i twist i hold tight
and i ride to work every morning wondering why

Well, back to normal it is. It was strange getting back into my regular routine yesterday. I don't feel any different being married- I feel the same as I did last Tuesday. But everyone at work has been heckling me a little, all in fun of course. Marcia brought me pie and balloons; Phil insisted on calling me Mrs. W******** all day. Of course everyone wanted to see pictures. Even my boss was ok yesterday. Imagine that. Everyone was a little shocked, however, because no one knew about this weekend except for Marcia and my boss. To everyone else it was a complete surprise.

Birthday Wishes...

...go out to Julia today! Happy Birthday, Julia! I won't say how old she is, but I'll be thinking about her all day. And about her 13th birthday party, which I always think about on her birthday. And the incident where I convinced her father I had flushed a sneaker down the toilet. We still get a chuckle out of that, despite the fact that her father was royally pissed at me, I'm sure, for a very long time following.

you see her olives are cold pressed
and her best friend is a sun dress

Continuing on..the rest of the weekend went by so fast, I can't believe now that it's all over and I'm back at work. Saturday afternoon, Sue, my Mom, and I went out to do a little shopping. I tried on several wedding dresses, all of which were way to formal for me. I think I still want to stick with my original sun dress and flip flops idea. We went to Pat Catan's where we were attacked the moment we walked in the door. Talk about obnoxious! Everything about that place was pretentious. Although, I have to admit it was fun trying on dresses. One of them was gorgeous....very Renaissance Era-looking. My Mom cried the whole time, but Sue and I had a blast taking pictures.

That night we went out to dinner at Quaker Steak & Lube, which I thought the boys would enjoy. Classic cars everywhere, very nostalgic. Who wouldn't love that? Afterward, as a group, we went to see My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Everyone loved that, including my Dad, who guffawed throughout. Kevin fell asleep so I had to continually jab him in the ribs.

All in all, we had a really great weekend. The nice thing is that we'll get to have 2 weddings, which means twice as much fun. So, now it's back to the planning for July.

We did it!

Well, guys....I'm married! It was a gorgeous day yesterday- the sun was shining, we were surrounded by family and friends, and Merlin. :o)

Yesterday morning Kevin and I went downtown to get the marriage license. It was funny because while we were in the office at City Hall doing the paperwork, another couple came in. They were asked if their marriage license would be used within 60 days, and the prospective Groom said "Yeah, we're getting married in a week!" Being as overzealous as I am, I blurted out "We're getting married at 11:00!" Kev was so embarrassed he turned bright red.

We had to be at Parma City Hall a little before 11. Our ceremony was held up so they could get the prisoners out. We went in, took some pictures, met the Judge, and then proceeded with the ceremony. Kevin looked like he was going to pass out before we went in. It was a very short ceremony...we exchanged vows in front of the judge which lasted less than 5 minutes. Then we were married!

We had brunch at the Olive Garden, had loads of champagne and food, and even a small little wedding cake. We came back to our house and spent the rest of the afternoon having cocktails. All our friends came over to visit, so my Dad cooked stir fry for about 15 people. He's so good. It was such a busy day that we ended up passing out fairly early, and we even forgot to open the other 2 bottles of champagne.

Sue's beau, Andy, took lots of pictures with his digital camera and will post them on his website as soon as he can. I'll post the link when it's ready to go, so you can all check out the photos of our big day.

in the last extremity - to advance or not to advance -
i hear you laughing

My last day as a single woman. This morning I drove to work for the last time single. Tonight Kevin and I will eat our last meal as single people together. Tomorrow morning I will take my last shower as a single woman. In about 24 1/2 hours I will be married. No wonder I feel a little sick to my stomach today! Just nerves.

I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my parents for this. Sue is also coming, as my witness, and bringing her beau. This weekend we're going to party until we all pass out, I'm sure. :o) It's all good. Forgive me if I don't post till Monday. Wish me luck!

It's True!

Sex really does sell, but this is ridiculous!

crazy again

Got a secret...we're eloping on Friday. To some, it's not a secret, but to others, well, now you know. My parents know. Kev's parents know. We're going to City Hall on Friday. Why? Why not? We just want to do it. We'd throw the whole wedding now, tomorrow, if we could. But that takes a little more time and money than we have at the present moment. We're both excited. I'm a little apprehensive about changing my name. he's gonna change my name/someody leave the light on/just in, just in, just in case I like the dancing... Anyway, we're having a huge party Friday night out here. My parents will be here. I'm wearing denim to the ceremony. How's that for defiance of tradition?! HAH! Last night I had a crazy dream again. I dreamed that we woke up late Friday morning- too late to get the marriage license and we missed going in front of the judge. I cried the entire time, meanwhile my parents were still frantically running around saying "we can still make it!". Uh huh. I also dreamed the pastor from my church was there. *Shudders* That'll never happen.

StrangeLittleGirls

Sue got our Tori tickets over the weekend. After we chatted about the concert, we spent a good 2 hours or so trying to come up with Tori-related things to put on license plates. *shakes head* We are freaks.

the countdown begins...

271 days till the wedding; exactly 10 months from this past Saturday. I'm not freaking.

Heidi is...

..."a key-ring that does exactly what it says on the tin! It emits heat." Hmmm.
And my betrothed? "Kevin is a bedside table that comes in seven different colours! It tells the time and looks bigger than it really is." No kidding! (Courtesy of this little random product generator called The Prior-Art-O-Matic.)

carnival time is here ~ magical time, i’m near
and as the time draws near ~ dreams fill my heart

I seem to most often dream in spurts. I'll go for several weeks without remembering a single dream, and then suddenly I'll remember everything for a week straight. Last night I had the most bizarre dream yet. I dreamed I had a daughter- a toddler with curly blonde hair. She was beautiful, except for the fact that she was missing one of her hands.

According to this dream interpretation, my dream may have had wish-fulfillment content, as I am in my prime child bearing years. The disfigurement aspect of it might have signified my dissatisfaction with something...perhaps not having children yet? Kevin and I have had lengthy discusions on child rearing lately. We've even gone as far as choosing names.

On the other hand, last night at choir practice we were discussing pregnancies, etc. There's a member of my choir who is due in January. It's fascinating to listen to her describe her feelings, her physical reactions to the pregnancy. All that stuff. I realized last night that, being the youngest female at practice, I was also the only one without children. All in good time, though. :o)

My Wedding Style Is...

According to this quiz, my wedding style is:
Tradition Meets Trendy
Your style is "tradition with a twist" -- you're not ready to forgo tradition, but you feel strongly that your wedding reflects your personality and your groom's, as well as your modern lifestyle and relationship. While you can't imagine forcing all your single female friends to fill the dance floor and scramble to catch your bouquet, you like the idea of sharing a first dance with your new husband. Nowadays, it's completely acceptable for brides to question customs and revise traditions; in fact, it's a must. That way, you can include some of the common and familiar elements that work for you and still have the freedom to make changes where necessary. After all, most brides have to figure out a way to involve parents, stepparents and often children in their wedding day.

we're painting our faces and dressing in thoughts from the skies, from paradise
but they think that we're holding a secretive ball
won't someone invite them, they're just taller children
that's all, after all

So, what is proper wedding invitation etiquette? I know I'm not obligated to invite certain people, but where does one draw the line between politeness and diplomacy? For instance, I have a co-worker whom I cannot stand. She's uncooperative, beligerant, non-communicative, and an all around pain in the ass to work with. Several other people from work will be invited and most likely will attend. Do I invite her also because it'll look bad if I don't and pray she doesn't come? Or, do I not invite her and hope it doesn't cause any problems at work? Help!

om la boomleigh

I was talking to Sue over the weekend and she gave me a great idea for music at the reception. Kevin and I plan to hire a DJ who is willing to play music we select ourselves, and none of that other foofy, cheesy, hurts-to-listen-to music you sometimes hear played at wedding receptions. We are very anti-Chicken Dance/Electric Slide, etc. Ew. Sue said that when we send out invitations, on the RSVP card we should ask each guest to request a song or two that they would like to hear played at the reception. This way, we'll still have a wide variety of music to suit everyone's tastes. I've already started on the list of music Kevin and I would like, but I welcome any and all suggestions.

Immortal Beloved

Exactly 200 years ago yesterday, in a letter to his brothers which was later titled The Heiligenstadt Testament, Beethoven announced he had been stricken by deafness. This was the first time Beethoven's affliction became public, when in actuality, he had become deaf six years earlier. In his letter, Beethoven blamed his deafness for his moodiness, depression, and volatile temper. Beethoven's hearing loss brought on intense feelings of inadequacy which plagued him the rest of his life. He thought that he, above everyone else, should possess the ability to hear his own creations.

Which Tori Amos B-Side are you?





"Just the two of us"

Which Strange Little Girl would you be?

boats made out of paper float
dreams made up for the banana king, darling

Ok, so I want to make my own wedding invitations. I love the look of handmade paper and I'd like to try and incorporate that sort of material into an invitation somehow. I found paper-making instructions here, but it seems like an awfully messy task. Maybe put in some dried flowers, or flower petals. But do I really want to get my blender involved in this? I'm not so good with household appliances.

up on the 101

Yesterday marked the third time in a week that I have heard a sorta fairytale played on commercial radio. Well, ok, so Baldwin-Wallace College's radio station WBWC The Sting isn't exactly commercial, but it's close enough. Anyway, this is the most I have heard Tori Amos played in regular rotation anywhere in Cleveland since 1998 when from the choirgirl hotel was released. (What does Cleveland have against Tori?!?) While I was listening yesterday on my way to the post office, I almost got in an accident because Tori came on and I got so excited that I swerved into the post office parking lot, narrowly missing an unsuspecting pedestrian.


Sue and I have started making plans to go to Columbus in November to see Tori in concert during the Scarlet's Walk Tour. Again! I love going to concerts with Sue. She gets just as excited as I do. We've been to several Tori shows and Ani DiFranco together. She respects the fact that I become totally mesmerized by these females, which causes me sometimes to forget where I am and what I am doing. Last year at the StrangeLittleTour I forgot that we weren't allowed to bring in cameras to the theatre, so she encouraged me to shove that sucker right down the front of my jeans. I did, we got in with no hassle, and now we have great pictures to help us remember what a good time we had.

The Whimsical Riviera Bakehouse

I saw this one morning on NBC's Weekend Today and thought it was the coolest looking cake. Then I was browsing around and found a whole bunch more! I love the Birthday Cake in the lower right hand corner. These are just too gorgeous to even think about eating!

Baker, baker, baking a cake; make me a day...

I marvel at the number of connections I've made through networking out here since I moved to the Cleveland area permanently in 1999. For instance, all the professionals who will be assisting in various activities come wedding day are people I know personally. The photographer I booked sings in my choir, and I give her daughter piano lessons. I work with a baker and a travel agent, not to mention a whole host of musicians.

My Travel Agent co-worker will help us book our Honeymoon to Aruba, probably in January 2004. We won't have time to go right after the wedding, nor will we want to, I suppose. Most likely we will spend the rest of the summer after the wedding doing things around the house, i.e. landscaping around where the pool used to be. I miss that pool.

Tonight, Kevin and I have plans to go check out a bakery upon my co-worker Baker's recommendation. I just hope the wedding cake baker is willing to give me exactly what I want. I'm envisioning tiny terra-cotta pots on a wedding cake to go along with the Garden Theme. We are still undecided on the flavor. I vote for cheesecake. Kevin votes for chocolate. Hmmm. Maybe we can have wedding pie instead.

a Bouvier till her wedding day...

I recently started reading Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot by J. Randy Taraborrelli. After finishing the section on "Whitehouse Infidelities", I could not get to sleep. (I have always been fascinated by the Kennedys. During the first trip I ever made to Cape Cod, I insisted upon visiting the Kennedy Compound in Hyannisport. I had hoped to catch some glimpse of something or someone, but I never did.) Anyway, last night I wondered about happy marriages. I thought about my parents. I thought about Kevin's parents. I thought about the parents of all my friends. All this thinking was probably why I slept like crap last night.