HOT

It has been so HOT ... I mean AFRICA HOT. It's exhausting to walk from the car to the house or the car into my building.

I haven't felt like cooking, cleaning, nothing ... not even blogging. I apologize for my absence. I do feel like the world is ending or something.

First Ed McMahon, then Farrah, then MICHAEL of all people - my one true love, at least when I was 11 - and now Billy Mays? I mean WHAT IS UP ? .... and then you know N Korea threatening to drop the bomb, the Pres of Iraq losing HIS mind and now the Pres of Hondras has been run off to Costa Rica.

I'm confused about the state of the world as a whole, I guess. The Michael thing really did hit me hard. It's like part of my childhood is gone. Through the years you lose enough of that as it is, you never expect to lose your idol when they are so young and to what appears to be their own hand. I told Conrad, this is clearly our generation's "Elvis".

Anyway, RIP Michael wherev-ah you are.

Kah

RIP

Well ... no big news to people now. but Michael Jackson has passed away. I'm in shock - and I AM surprised, regardless of all the people on TV saying it had been coming for awhile.

I just remember listening to him all the time and my somewhat bewildered grandmother going to the store to buy me the Thriller RECORD to play on my RECORD PLAYER ... I can't even believe I'm that old. She looked none too pleased to see this young man showing his chest, laying with a tiger - and her granddaughter's reaction to him. I absolutely LOVED Michael Jackson. Rest in peace - I hope you're truly in peace - and blessings to your poor parents, siblings and especially your three little kids ... I am so sad tonight.

In other news, I heard of this coming back from the doctor- flash back to my STRESS TEST post from last week. The news is that the doctor doesn't think it was meant for me. The request was on a sticky note on my folder. He thinks it was meant for someone else. He said my age and the fact that I'm not really having any symptoms- make the stress test not necessary.

So ... I'm relieved to hear THAT news! ok ... well, off to mourn.

Kah

Back

Hey, sorry I've been absent. Conrad's sister and her fam were here for a few days- they are back safe in Dallas!

We had a lot of fun- garage saling for one thing! I finally got a JUICER! One of the old fashioned hand-held bowl ones. I needed one a few weeks ago- and I got this one for 50 cents. Good thing I didn't spring for a new one!

Anyway - we are watching Rise of the Lycans - so this is a short posts, but more coming tomorrow!

Kah

Sales

Shhhhhhhhhhh...........

It's 7AM and the whole house is asleep ... Conrad's sister and her family are here. There is something about my internal clock- I ALWAYS pop up earlier than anyone else. Even the kids. But Mikel is getting up and going garage saling with me this morning... and boy is it going to be HOT ... I already know we'll be running for the showers when we get back.

Nothing really planned today. I may sleep some. I haven't gotten much rest the past few days - I think because it's so hot. Our room absorbs all that afternoon sun and even with solar screens and fans and AC- it seems like it's late into the night before it cools off in there. I really am NOT a summer person.

On the weight front - I think I'm losing. My stomache is shrinking and two of my "go to" capris are getting pretty lose in the tummy area. Thankfully I've held on to a lot of clothes I came to Houston with. It's going to be like going shopping in my own closet!

Happy weekend to you all. Maybe I'll find some treasures and post back again.

Kah

Stress Test

I went to see my thyroid doc a few months ago- for my tri-monthly blood test. At the end of the visit, as I was checking out - the lady said the doc wanted me to sign up for a stress test. Like a CARDIAC stress test. So I did - for June 18- tomorrow ... the thing is he never TOLD me during my visit he wanted that, or why ... and when he listened to my heart he didn't say anything or seem concerned. My BP is 110/75 which is GREAT, my heartrate is about 77 at rest and my cholesteral is 138. So what the HECK?

....and today I canceled that stress test appt and that's ok because I had a follow up appt for the next week and I'm keeping that appointment - because the more I thought about it, the more I am like WHY DO YOU WANT ME TO HAVE A CARDIAC STRESS TEST? I asked the nurse today when I canceled my appt and she asked me all these questions and the answers were NO- are you sick? Are you having chest pains? Are you short of breath? Do you have diabetes? NO NO NO NO NO ... and I said I am only 33! The only thing I can think of is that I had started my exercise plan with Big Al and I told the doc- so maybe he was wanting to see how much exercise I could really handle. Maybe he just wants a nice baseline so we can go off that as I age - thyroid and endocrine diseases really do contribute to heart problems and all that later on.

I don't know- but all I do know is that I am sort of half way freaking out.

I see the doc next Thursday the 25th. Any ideas?

Kah

Good Weekend

I'm feeling relaxed ... and very happy!

I had an old friend look me up on Facebook on Friday. Tina and her brother- we were very very close as kids in Beaumont. They were my best friends ... and I missed them these past 20 years. They went to live with their dad and I moved to Dallas and time just sort of took over. So I am VERY excited to have reconnected and I'm hoping Tina and I can get on the horn this week and talk! It will be so weird to hear her voice again.

We have Conrad's sister and fam coming in Wednesday or Thursday - so I did some straightening up - Conrad did the yard ... we're ready. No idea what all is planned yet, but it's probably hard to plan with two little kids. I know they have some stuff they want to do while the two of us are working this week ... and so we'll work on planning fun stuff for the weekend. Or heck, maybe we'll just lay around. You never know. I DO know I'll have a female companion for garage saling this week which hasn't happened since Conrad's mom went with me last year. Excited!!!

Have a good week e'ry one!

Kah

Cool Stuff

Yeah. Don't be jealous. I've got some cool stuff.

Conrad bought me these for Christmas this year - I had asked for a hair straightener - and because he is so thoughtful, he got me the matching hairdryer. I just love the polka dots - in pink and white of all things!

You know what else makes these so beautiful? He cut a coupon out of the newspaper and bought them with it. That makes them 400% more attractive. You know I love a good deal! Oh- and just a tip. He got them at Ulta and you can find Ulta coupons about twice a month and even more at Christmas. Some good deals to be had there. Think STOCKING STUFFERS!!!

No seriously ... look how HAPPY these guys are. I'm such a lucky girl. To get to use these every morning and also because I have Conrad.

Thanks Uncle 'Rad!

Kah

Back - sort of

Sorry I've been gone so long.

Monday and Tuesday I thought I was dying. I had some major acid indigestion. I ended up doubled over in the kitchen at one point with Conrad threatening to take me to the ER. NO WAY! So I gave it a few days and some advice from Lori and now I'm back to shipshape! I have no idea what it was or why it stayed with me so long. No matter what I ate or drank (including water!) it was like fire burning in my tummy!

I made chicken salad sandwiches tonight. We had those at Lori's shower and I was craving them again. I used chicken, mayo, celery, onion, S&P, cranberries, pecans and roasted red bell peppers. WHEW! Super yum - it hit the spot!

Tomorrow's Friday and I'm looking forward to the weekend. Not a darn thing planned and that makes me happy. I am getting off at 3 and heading to the library. OH and my friend from work has convinced me to read the Twlight series. I have the first book here at home. Let's see if I'm like all the other old ladies out there who falls in love or some SERIOUS LIKE with a teenage vampire ... Maybe I can catch up on my reading and sleep!

See ya back here this weekend.

Kah

Lori's Shower

Well, yesterday has come and gone. I had been waiting FOREVER for my friend, Lori's baby shower. She doesn't live here in Houston, but she used to- so she came back and let us spend the day with her- her baby boy is due in about 10 weeks or so. We are so excited for her!

So the day started off with me making some homemade blueberry muffins with our berries from last week we picked. YUM!

I actually spent LAST weekend getting Lori's gift together and now that her shower has passed, I can FINALLY post on it- because Lori reads this blog and I didn't want her to see! So I worked on it last weekend because I'm not so good at getting things done during the work week and I didn't want to be running around Saturday morning before the shower. I sooooo love a party and I didn't want to be stressed!

My speciality seems to be baskets - and I really enjoy putting them together. I like getting them too! It's almost like a grab bag which I just love ... so I went to Target and got or 5 small things she had registered for and then I just added stuff I liked- HA! .... so I started the basket with a blue blanket that said BABY BOY - and I laid the blanket in there in such a way so you could see it.

I layerd it with two cute little baby hand towels with cute little froggies on it. Then I just started piling on! I got some onesies in several sizes (one in cammo!) and some little nail clippers, a crib mirror, a pair of cammo shoes, and a few more little things - like a ceramic cross that says SWEET BABY and I also made her some thank you notes to use at her other showers - with ribbons with little blue footprints. I wrapped it up and tied it off with a blue cammo bow! I thought it was super cute ...

I took some great pics of Lori, but I'm only going to show the one with her and my basket - if she wants to post the rest on her blog, Mommy To Be, she can and you can see them there ... I know I wouldn't want people posting pics of me all over without my approval. This one is cute- so I think she'll approve. We had a GREAT time and I just love Lori. We've been friends about 9 years now and she's one of the oldest friends I have. I am so happy for her and Robbie and so proud of all the things she overcame in her life. She was one of those people who was 21 in years and 38 in experience and maturity. We really clicked when we met and I really do adore her. I don't get to see her much, but I know she knows I care ... so congrats Lori! I am happy and proud for you guys!

Kah

Thinking Back

I've spent more years in Dallas, than anywhere else- so I still have friends there ... and one of my friends was mentioning that the Texas Rangers have the best record in the America League this year ... which is cool. I do NOT like the Houston Astros and let's be honest, the Texans are a JOKE! GO COWBOYS

... and that got me to thinking - I think this happened once before ... many years ago and I THINK I was at the game when we clinched the title. Hmm ... yes, yes ... yes I was at that game .... and then I started laughing. Let me tell you about the game.

So my friend Sunny and I used to be patrons at this place called Cutter's - it was a little family owned country bar right outside of Dallas. The same people were always there, and shoot, they got to be like family to us. Until one night when this guy showed up-Chris ... and you have to remember, I was young - I'm not even sure I was legal ..... but I liked and trusted everyone and so when Chris showed up, he was just part of the family ...

and I remember Chris would NOT leave me ALONE !!!! No matter what I did- he was calling, coming around. UGH- Sunny and I started calling him "Crazy Chris" ... because he was mildly psychotic and TEMPER- lord, he had a temper.

But he rang me up one night and said he had tickets to the Ranger game. This game went on FOREVER - until 2 AM ... and we didn't even WIN the game- Seattle lost THEIR game, so we won American League by default. Even though we lost the game and even though it was the longest game in the history of TEXAS - we made the Ameican League and confetti poured from the ceiling. It was a good night.

But it got me to thinking about Crazy Chris and how he just disappeared and I wonder where he went ... and now that I'm looking 34 dead in the eye, I'm thinking about the people I used to hang out with and WOAH ...

I am now, in my old age, remembering why we called him Crazy Chris. Crazy Chris, at the time of our aquaintence, had just gotten out of prison. Not county jail- I think he was in the po-po, you know what I'm saying? He was in there for stalking his ex-girlfriend and now looking back, I remember him on the payphone at Cutter's screaming into it ... and I remember reminding him um, this is how you ended up in jail- STOP calling her, and I remember him telling me "she likes it" and I remember him calling and calling and calling me- nonstop. I didn't like it.

and mostly ... I remember I used to think it was funny to make him mad. This was back in the day, and he had a pager- so I'd call him all hours of the night, but instead of putting in my number, I'd put in the 4377, so when he turned his pager over it spelled HELL and it would make him SO mad and he'd know it was me- he'd spend a few minutes blowing up my phone yelling.

Ah (shaking my head) good times ... gracious sakes alive, I have no idea how I ever calmed down enough to get myself a husband - especially one like Conrad - or how I never got myself killed. I am almost certain Crazy Chris ended up back in the hoosgow ...

I rememer the last time I ever saw him. He came to my apartment in Arlington to watch a movie and he was looking at the TV, glanced at me and said "You know, your entertainment center really doesn't match the rest of your furniture" ... and I was like WHAT? GET OUT! ... and I made him leave. I was so beside myself.

Wow, maybe I was a bit of a "Krazy Karyn"

Lights

I had promised this post for awhile- just now getting around to it! So ... we had these lights in the guest bathroom and we didn't like them. The silver was ok- at least it wasn't gold - but the "Hollywood" look went out some time ago ...

Conrad found a nice replacement set at Lowe's on the clearance table for $15. Typical of us, it sat for months ... until one day we got a wild hair and decided to put the light up ... but alas, when we took down the Hollywood light, there was a huge hole the size of Conrad's fist behind the light. Now we have talked about this- there are some great things about this house- crown molding, garden tub, french doors, etc ... and then there are some awful things about this house- the way it's so cheaply built, for one. SURE, it withstood a hurricane - but things like a hole in the wall - commonplace.

So. Conrad went to install the light, but it didn't cover the hole. It would have needed a nice patch job. So he went back out and bought ANOTHER light that would actually cover the hole. There was a small hole still there, but we patched it pretty well and I painted around the new fixture and ta-da! It looks GREAT!!!!

See for yourself.