Love/Hate...What a Fine Line

I have quite a few things that I LOVE on one hand, while on the other, I hate those same things. I am sure that all ya'll know what I'm talking about. For instance, I love lists. They put things in perspective and helps straighten out your thinking. On the other hand, I hate attempting to be organized. I always get half way through my organization attempts and then ADHD, that I'm convinced I have, kicks in. So now that you know what I mean, as if you didn't already, here's my list (told ya I loved 'em).

1. Gardening - I love to work in my flowers and mow my yard. It is so soothing to me. If I am stressed, I can go work in dirt and plant my flowers and pretty soon I know the solution to all problems (all those but how to attain world peace). On the other hand, I hate frickin' japanese beetles and weed eaters. The japanese beetles eat everything, my roses, my cherry tree, my snowball tree, my geraniums, my hibiscus, etc. The weed eater could make Mother Teresa (if she was still alive) curse and swear. That thing is pure evil and attacks the ground whenever I use it. Because of these things, I ATTACK the beetles with dust and refuse to use the weed eater.

2. Pimples/Zits/Acne - Whatever you call them, they mar your face. I hate them. Sometimes they are painful and it always happens that when you have a big important date or appointment, they appear. IT NEVER FAILS. On the other hand, I love my new face wash by Neutrogena. It is the grapefruit oil free acne wash. It smells so clean and fresh and makes my face feel the same way.

3. Shaving - I love the way my legs feel when I shave. They feel so smooth and it makes you feel sexy ;-) . On the other hand, I hate the act of shaving. It takes up precious time, and if I rush, I always nick myself somewhere.

4. Cooking - I love to cook. I like to put things together and find them tasty. Its so fun, almost like a puzzle. On the other hand, I hate to clean up. I hate to clean up the dishes and the pans that I mess up in the process of cooking.

5. Work - I love making OT pay. I love my husband making double time. I do not however love working 10 hours a day, nor do I love not seeing my husband but 10 minutes a day. :-)

These are just a few of the things that I have a love/hate relationship with. One thing that I LOVE without any HATE relationship is Will Smith and Martin Lawrence movies, especially Bad Boys and Bad Boys II. As of right now, I am watching Bad Boys II and laughing so hard I can't hardly see, but ewwww I just got to the yucky part where the drug guy cut up the mafia guy. EWWWW!

So as I was saying these are some of the things I have a love/hate relationship with, and I'm sure I will come across more. Do you have any of those?

Life, and the Pursuit of it

Ok. I returned from my short, need I say very short, weekend trip to Tennessee. Let's face it. If I didn't live in SC, I would be a Tennessean in a heartbeat! I love that state. Memphis, Nashville, Pigeon Forge...the list continues. Rob and I went up with my mom and her best friend Mimi, and of course our two doggies because we do not kennel them or leave them with anyone. It's sort of inconvenient,although worth it since I love 'em so much, because we can't always take them so either mom or Rob stays home depending on the nature of the trip, but I digress.



Back to the weekend. I worked until mid-afternoon Saturday and then we took off. It takes about 3 hours total and this trip was no different. We've made it in less, but don't tell the cops ;-). We piddle around in TN as it rains ALL weekend off and on. We shop, and I must insert here and Bri will know what I mean, my mom is too good to me. She always babies me, but that's ok since it was just the two of us for so long, because I baby her too as I give in to a lot with her. Again, I digressed....we ate, we joked, we slept (not as much as I prefer, but then I swear I was a bear in a past life because I like to hibernate), etc. We had such a good time doing not a darn thing other than goofing off. I realize now more than ever that this is where the goodness of life lies. In the goofing off. You don't have to have tons of money or excessive beauty or lots of possessions or anything, other than good friends and family who you can laugh at or with (depending on the circumstances).



In fact, the funniest thing I have ever done to my husband was from this weekend. I decided I needed some toe nail polish so I painted my toes with my favorite bright red polish one night while we were watching some tv in TN. I raked the brush across my husband's big toe. He never moved, so I looked up to see that he was totally and completely engrossed in the movie. A little while later, I did it again and discovered the same thing so I wink at my mom and lean down pretending to continue painting mine, but I paint all of the toes on his left foot. I started snorting as I tried to hold in the laughter (very ladylike I know but it was just too darn funny). I look at my mom who still hadn't quite figured out why I winked and she looks down and almost fell off of the couch. We both start laughing, then Mimi sees it and starts too. My husband, God I love him, is completely oblivious. He's like what's so funny. I just continue laughing, by this point, I am crying with laughter. I manage to gasp out that he should look at his foot. He holds it up and being my wonderful loving husband, he starts laughing and says that's not really my color. It was so funny, so much in fact that I included a picture.





As you can see, we had fun. (Red really isn't good for his toes, he found out how hard it was to remove the color completely the next morning) Rob and I didn't have a lot of money to spend this weekend. In fact, we had food money and very little free spending money. We were fine with this. We had a great little mini vacation and did nothing important other than spend time with one another. This to me is what life is about. Enjoying the living of it. So I don't know about everyone else, but as for me, I plan to pursue life and enjoy it because it is much too short and holds too much fun and blessings for me to pass up. Enjoy!

Love List

Ok, so I have like a list of things that I have realized today I absolutely LOVE. Here goes.

1. Woman's Day magazine (see my link at the bottom of the page) - they offer uplifting advice, money saving tips, and wonderful recipes. I receive the magazine in the mail, but their website is just as good. They also offer a free $25 to anyone who opens an online savings account with ING Direct. Who can beat that? As the old saying goes, if it's free it's for me!

2. Dirty Dancing (the movie) - ok Jennifer Gray is a bit corny, but it just sends chills down my spine when Patrick Swayze says "Nobody puts Baby in a corner". OHHH! How romantic and sexy.

3. Rereading novels I am absolutely familiar with. Ok so I can probably recite many of the scenes, but they are still as good the second, third, fourth, nineteenth time around.

4. Summer vacation - no school, freedom to goof off, fun straw purses and hats, need I go on?

5. My mommy's macaroni and cheese - let me just say that NO one can make it like my momma. She gets just enough cheese in there. Ok so I will probably have clogged arteries by the time I'm 30 from all the butter and cheese, but let's face it...it's worth it totally! OMG it is so super yummy!

6. Friend time - my hubby and I have gotten lots of invitations to lots of fun stuff this summer already. I can't wait for all my times out. Fun Fun Fun

7. Wine - any kind, just about, from white to blush to merlot. all are yummy and I am desperately in need of restocking my cabinet and I so need to get to Biltmore to get their Spring Festival wine. It was great last year so I'm sure it is this year too.

8. Golden Girls - YES I am a serious addict, to the point that I own the first three seasons on DVD and would own all of them if I could afford it. It doesn't matter how bad my day is, I can come home, watch them and all is right with my world. Who could help but laugh at a tramp, an airhead, a bossy woman, and in Dorothy's words about Sophia a "little sea monkey"?

9. Rocking out as I drive down the road (trying not to speed) - I mean what is better than cranking up the stereo, putting the windown down, and having the wind blow in your hair. Dierks Bentley, AC/DC, Def Leppard, Montgomery Gentry, etc. Oh it's wonderful to end a day like this.

10. Finally, but not last or least something I think is so true, "God is great, Beer is good, and People are crazy". This is a country song by Billy Currington and just awesome because folks, believe it or not, GOD IS GREAT. He answers our prayers and loves us unconditionally. He forgives us and allows us to live this wonderful live everyday. Beer is good if you have an acquired taste for it. I like it but am picky about what kind it is. And PEOPLE are crazy :-) Being crazy isn't necessarily bad, maybe you are just crazy about life, or your family, or your job. At any rate, this song is wonderfully true.

These are the 10 things that I realized today I absolutely love. Here's a quest, see if you can think of 10 off the wall things you love (other than family, pets, and friends). Bet you can, and you will definitely smile as you think of them.