Hangin' 'Round the house....

So, just hanging round the house today recuperating from my ER visit. The dr. blithely told me that if I want to reach my 40th, I have to quit smoking. So, that's what I'm doing! Even Chris, ever my rock and support, is quitting with me which makes it a little easier!! I can't thank him enough for making this great sacrifice for both of our lives.

Tomorrow it is back to work although I could use the extra day off but tomorrow is short and I get to leave when it's time to take Chris to work!

OH, I posted a picture of what my wedding ring will look like. Chris wanted to get Turkish Wedding bands which are kind of like puzzles. If taken off the wrong way, you actually have to pay to get the solution to put them back together.

The guys are getting their wedding wardrobe together. Looks like I will be wearing my champagne colored sheath dress with Chris wearing a shade of green and khakis. With the other colors, I think it will be stunning and tropical and different and casual and fun and, most of all, comfortable! So, let me know what you think of our rings! :) Chris' is six bands instead of four like mine is and his is going to be gold, not the tri-color gold. I got these pics from the site we intend to purchase the rings from and that's Puzzle Ring. Check out the site because the craftmanship is amazing and each ring is handmade! It will definitely be cool to have wedding bands that no one else will likely have.

Our Family!!!

I realized that I had never posted the picture of Christopher and I and Megan and Rachel (his girls) while they were here for Christmas!
I hate this one of myself since my head looks WAY too big but I love this picture because it's the first family picture we have taken! :)
Enjoy!

I found it!!!

I found the wedding dress! For obvious reasons, I can't post it here since it's a secret until the wedding day! But, thanks to Jennifer, my best friend and Matron of Honor, she found it while the David's consultant continued to bombard me with ridiculous dresses that I would not wear even if they were free! But, somehow, Jen unearthed my perfect dress......only snag being that the sizes they had...one was just my size which makes me nervous because I would have to not eat for the next two months and that is not happening and the next size up (they were missing MY size) was like a gunny sack on me and too big for alterations. So, they suggested ordering. The first ETA on the dress was 12 weeks. I laughed a bit too loud and stated that I did not have 12 weeks.....they now think I'm pregnant or something and went back to recheck. So on March 10, that is the last ETA date my dress can arrive. And all they have to do is pull it from a warehouse, steam it and let me try it on. It's paid in full and it better look good.
I decided on no veil but either on a wreath of flowers around my up swept hair or one gardenia or something in the middle of the bun in the back or a simple tiara like a wreath.
The dress, I have to say, is fabulous. Simple with no patterns....just a sheath dress with a tiny train in the back which Jen, who I should refer to as St. Jen, will do the bustle on so I don't step on it and neither does anyone else. The shoes we decided on are flip flops. Since all the girls are wearing different colors and dresses, we can dress the shoes up as we please.
Anyway, that's it for the dress hunt. The largest thing has now been checked off the list and the rest from now on is details and making sure everyone sticks to the time line!

Let the Hunt Begin!

So, today with the help of my best friend Jen, we are setting out in search of my perfect wedding dress. Said dress will fit perfectly and need no alterations, will (of course) be free, and will be the only one like it in the entire world so no one else will ever be able to wear this style of dress again. HA!
I've been down this road before and I know how it works. Especially when David's Bridal is concerned. The only store location of David's in my area is 50 miles away in West Palm Beach. Dreaded place of malls, Nordstroms, i.e. places that require oodles of money which I don't have!
But, I am determined to have a great day with Jen and to ignore the snooty bridal coordinators who think they are the only ones on the planet who can get you into a wedding dress!
So, I don't have lots of time to post at the moment, but I will update you when I return and you can tell me what you think of the dress!
Keep your fingers crossed for me! :)

Wedding Update!!!

The countdown to the Englishman-Howlett wedding has commenced! Hence the link to our "The Knot" web page updating family and friends to our fast approaching nuptials!
So, check it out and keep updated on the level of stress and lack of money.


http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/view/co_main.aspx?coupleid=6406047240507321&MsdVisit=1

New addition

So, after 6 years dealing with the Dell I purchased in 2001, we finally got a new computer! :)
Computer, widescreen monitor, the works.
I feel human again.

Chillin'

So, sitting here, chillin' w/Chis, Deanna, and Mikey (on his way from work). They are watching "Cheaper By the Dozen II" and I can't stand that movie so I'm sitting here posting. What is wrong with me?
Too bad I didn't have a decent camera to take pictures of my iguanas mating. It's like Animal Planet porn or something! Not too bad, actually.....pretty interesting!
I'm already catching shit on posting from the significant other! He claims I spend 20 hours a day since we got the cable modem. Pish posh!
Anyhoo.....just a short post since I'm sitting here and can't listen to my music. Withdrawl!

The Hardest Decision

As I already have posted a million times, I love animals, and especially my two black cats, Felix and Oscar. Well, when Chris moved in, the boys moved to the porch which they LOVE! More lizards and such. They are eight years old and I adopted them from a shelter while I lived in Tallahassee. They are litter mates and neither them nor I have been parted from them.......through all my moves, hurricanes, etc. But, for about 5 years now, Oscar has suffered from a congenital condition which I will not get into here and this morning while tending to a beaten up Felix (it's Oscar every time) I really just can't put him through any more suffering and that's exactly what it is. He's never gotten over about 5 lbs. and he's losing weight and it would be selfish and cruel of me to keep him in this condition (which after many vet's opinions is incurable and painful).

So, I talked to Chris and I decided to have his put to sleep. I'm obviously upset and second-guessing this but it's the best thing. So, Monday will be the day. I don't know how Felix will react since he has never been separated from his brother or his Mom.

This really sucks. I am posting a picture of the two of them as a little cyber tribute to the Terrific Twosome they have been, not to mention the companions that saw me through MANY a tough time.

I love you, Oscar and I will NEVER forget you and I am so glad I took so many photos of you and your brother.

Oscar Englishman, 1999-2007

Pigs.........Literally

So, this pig, Petunia, is one hell of an alarm clock. See, being unemployed and tending to the relatively lazy zoo we had enabled me to at least sleep longer than Chris. NO MORE!
Somewhere around dark thirty, I hear the incessant (not to mention LOUD) grunting and little tippy taps of her tiny hooves on the wood floor. And, in the span of two days, she has learned (since she sleeps in the living room) to ram herself on the bedroom door in an attempt to wake me up so she, Princess Petunia, can be fed.
As I sit here, she is tormenting Iggy our beautiful red iguana. Eventually she has to learn that he will kick her ass regardless of her size since she insists on rooting around him while he lays on his "throne" near the DVD and PS2 collection. Apparently he loves that stuff. Typical man!
No matter how much I scold her and talk to her, Mother Nature has a way of taking care of these things by herself and then it's up to us to nurse said pig who will have had the shit kicked out of her.
Speaking of nursing animals, Bogey, Chris' parents' Golden Ret. will be joining us for the night. She is only 4, AKC reg., beautiful, but is now suffering of seizures and we need to keep an eye on here while the 'rents take a trip to Ft. Lauderdale for the evening. Now, Bear, our dog, and most dogs, esp. pure breeds, will have seizures, but Bo's are apparently really bad. She is undergoing tests to see what is causing them. Well, tonight, the pet motel is gonna be full!
Really, though, I do at least three loads of laundry a day, mostly towels and such from cleaning up after "the kids". And, believe me, there are many times a day I wish I would have just had a kid! (not a goat....tee hee) At least they get to a point where they can bring you coffee, do dishes, make their own beds, feed themselves, etc.....you get the point. Alas, no kids to be had 'round these parts. A) we have a small home and B) someone had a vasectomy 10 years ago!
(keep that last one quiet!)
OK, thx to Shumpy who added me (again) to his blogs......it's my own fault for not posting here with any regularity! And, to think, he was at the same Buffett concert here in WPB and thru all the mayhem and adult beverages in the parking lot prior to the concert, we didn't even know one another were there. Of course, I do remember a late night phone call he made to me stating he was coming down, however I was most likely in a state of some sort and completely blocked it out! My apologies! :)
Alright, the animals and Chris need to get up! More later!

Long Time Away

So, I can't believe it's been three months since I have posted anything! Horrendous and unacceptable! Won't happen again since yesterday we finally got the cable modem installed and so no more dial up for me! Needless to say, I am happy about that since I have felt a bit cut off between not working and the holidays and everything that we went through.
One new announcement.......November 14, at the Jimmy Buffett concert in WPB, Chris proposed to me! So, we are in the middle of planning our wedding which is going to take place on March 31, 2007. Yep, not a lot of time there! And definitely not a lot (or any!) money but whatever we scrape together will be just fine! You see, I learned the first time that it is the marriage and not the wedding that matters.
Our brood of animals have increased to include three iguanas all over 4 feet, a pot bellied pig named Petunia who is the newest member, Bear the Cataoula and our pride and joy (he's starting his therapy dog training soon!), two cats, endless fish and turtles. That doesn't include the ducks we had and promptly shoved off to another foster parent with the HSTC since I really don't do birds or snakes! Hey, there has to be a cutoff at some point!
Anyway, I'm back and better than ever. HA! Hey, just a year older with the grey hairs to prove it.
Later....and I don't mean months this time......pinkie swear!