#16 Leopard Prints

Featured on Fashionista 1001, Fashion Clicks, Read My Lips, Shopping Roll

INFO

First nordic prints, now leopards!

Another bodycon dress or top up for grabs.

Very versatile, style suggestion: wear em with leggings!

Made of comfy cotton material.

A little stretchy.

Available in brown (ALL SOLD) or black (LAST PIECE).

Best fits sizes UK4-UK8.

'Un-Masqued' it @ RM29
 

#15 Sweet Doses

Featured on Shopper's Bite, Read My Lips, Shopping Roll


INFO

As sweet as pie.

Bodycon top.
Pleated pattern at the collar area.
Comes with self-tied ribbon.

Made of comfy cotton material.

A little stretchy.

Available in black ribbon (LAST PIECE!) and pink ribbon (SOLD).

Best fits sizes UK4-UK8.

'Un-Masqued' it @ RM29

Absolute steal!

 

#14 Burlesque

Featured on Shopper's Bite, Read My Lips, Shopping Roll

INFO

Don't have yet one? Get this!

Body fittin'.

Functional zipper.

Made of stretchy cotton material, padded bust area.
Comes with straps as well (detachable)

Best fits petites (XXS-XS-S)

'Un-Masqued' it @ RM38

SOLD OUT

NOT RESTOCKABLE

#13 It's Denim!

Featured on Fashionista 1001, Fashion Clicks, Shopping Roll

  

INFO

Notty + Rock

Limited edition denim crop top.

 Made of denim material.

Functional pockets.

Best fits sizes UK4-UK8.
ALL SOLD

'Un-Masqued' it @ RM35

Absolute steal!

SOLD OUT

NOT RESTOCKABLE

'Men" crew to be paid; Sheen calls it 'a start'

I'm sure many of you have watched the popular CBS TV show, Two and a Half Men. This comedy proved an extreme success until the producers of the show were forced to cancel the next 8 episodes due to actor Charlie Sheen's behavior. Charlie is an intense alcoholic who has been hospitalized 3 times recently for reasons pertaining to alcohol and other drugs. Due to his inappropriate comments toward the producers of the show and his reknowned hospitalizations, the producers felt the need to cancel the next 3 episodes. When interviewed, Charlie has shown no remorse toward the comments he has made, nor toward the immoral lifestyle he has chosen. He's proud of his 'epic partying' and believes he is simply ' living a life that everyone is jealous of.' After the cancelation of the shows, the producers have agreed to pay the cast for half of the episodes, but Sheen is still working toward payment for all of them.

-Jackie Wortman

Irina Shayk Vs Everti Eagle (11.4 lbs)



Dude...I'm Tired

If repeating an action and expecting different results is a sign of insanity, then what is repeating an action that you know will produce the same results...and those results will always be bad? I'm sure years of therapy could probably get to the bottom of this. Thus is Mongo's dilemma with pizza and cycling.

This past Saturday evening, my body starved for carbs after my "Three-peat" victory, Mongo gorged himself on some sweet, deep-dish pizza. I love pizza, but the older I get, the less pizza loves me. I immediately went into a gluttonous coma and planned on sleeping-in on Sunday and riding later in the day. Unfortunately, I checked my email late and saw that there would be a team ride early in the morning. I knew that I would have a food hangover and my legs would be like syrup, but I got up and went anyway...Bad idea!

I didn't eat before I left...I didn't take any SportLegs...I didn't dope-up on the NO-Xplode...and I felt exactly like I knew I would. And...the ride ended up being all climbing with guys who are stronger than me. One Roctane later, Mongo limped home a beaten man. On the positive side, I am noticeably improving my climbing as my weight drops and my fitness rises.

Today, Mongo tinkered with the bikes in the garage and changed a cassette on the F600...which I then rode for about fifteen miles before calling it a day. It's been a strenuous past ten days on and of the bike...I'm tired!

Flamingo Fun Facts

The flamingo is from the Phoenicopteridae.

They are about 4 feet tall.

They normally live 20-30 years, sometimes 50 years.

They live in shallow lakes, swamps, and places where the ocean mixes with fresh water.

Flamingos eat algae, insects shrimp, and mollusks.

Flamingos have a great sense of hearing, but almost no sense of smell.

When flamingos fly as a flock, they can get up to 37 mph.

They group together by the thousands.

The biggest flock of flamingos is in Africa.Flamingos are very sociable bird.

They are extremely good swimmers.
When a flamingo sleeps, it can do it standing up or laying down. They may fall asleep on one leg then shift their weight without waking up. It is believed that a portion of their break sleeps at a time so they do not lose their balance.

-Emmie Schultz

A Thousand Words: This Is Pro Cycling



(Photo:Bettini/CyclingNews)

Fifty Followers!

50. The Big Cincuenta. Or just a big "L" if we're dealing with Roman numerals...

Any way you represent it, I'm pleased to note that Rough and Rede reached another threshold last week when the "followers" odometer hit 50.

Is it possible to write about this without sounding egotistical?

I'd been stuck in the mid-40s for a long time but I noticed some movement shortly after the first of the year. Finally, last week, a new icon appeared, representing the musical interests of a high school classmate I connected with at our reunion last fall. JoElyn is a clarinetist, a lover of the outdoors and, much to my surprise and delight, a big-time baseball fan -- a rabid follower of the San Francisco Giants and no doubt still walking on air after their World Series win last fall.

Anyway, this seems a good time to express two thoughts:

1. I really appreciate the encouragement and friendship that come from writing this blog. I know that having 50 followers doesn't mean that everyone is reading regularly. Heck, I'm realistic to know there are probably several "one-and-dones" out there. So it means a lot to receive the feedback that comes from each and every comment you leave.

2. I have a hunch that some of you would get along really well with each other if I were to provide a virtual introduction. So I'm going to give myself permission to do just that -- while noting that it's already happened by itself in a couple of cases. Consider it a variation on the saying "Mi casa es tu casa." (My home is your home.) "Mis amigos son sus amigos." (My friends are your friends.)

Image: Ryan's 50 Word Short-Stories

Vada Murray

We wanted to put our humorous hat aside for a moment and turn to much more important matters.  As some of you may know, former Michigan DB Vada Murray ('88-'90) has been battling cancer since 2008.  The father, husband and Ann Arbor police officer is facing a tougher battle than any he ever faced on the football fied.

Title 9 pointed me to Vada's page on CaringBridge.com, a website for family and friends to share information and support throughout a significant health challenge.  There, his family revealed on February 18th that Vada's cancer had metastasized to his brain.

In the next update on the 26th, his wife provides the following update:

Vada is home from the hospital & resting comfortably.  He has finished radiation treatments to the brain & is undergoing treatments to his spine & pelvic bone.  Radiation makes Vada very tired.  I am still limiting visitors & will let you know when this changes.

We have never, ever, in our lives felt so scared.  We also have never felt so loved.  Thank you for the cards, emails, text messages, phone calls & messages on this website; thank you for your continued expressions of love & support.  Thank you to the Ann Arbor Police Department for their unwavering love.  They give true meaning to the phrase, "Whatever you need, whenever you need it." Thank you for understanding if we don't personally return your message.  We both want you to know, we love you back.

Sarah (and Vada)

We here at the MZone wanted to let Vada and his family know they're in our thoughts and prayers.

We also wanted to provide the Vada's CaringBridge.com info above in case any of our readers want to give any words of encouragement to Vada and his family during this most difficult time.

Summer

(In response to Katie's blog about year around schooling.) I disagree with her. I believe a two and a half month summer is a very important time of year. If we did not have this long break, when would we have the time to go to basketball, cheerleading, and other sports camps? There also would not be time for other camps. A long summer vacation is also a good time for families to go on vacations. Teachers do not like when students miss school for a vacation because these should be saved for our summer months!



-Emmie Schultz

Super Bowl Commercials

As you all probably know who won the Super Bowl, let's discuss the main point of watching the Super Bowl... the commercials.


Darth Vader- This commercial begins with a kid in a Darth Vader suit trying to use "the force" on different objects in his house. However, when he reaches his dad's car, the dad uses the remote starter much to the startle of the kid who believes he just used "the force"


Doritos Grandpa- This commercial begins with a teenager who agrees to watch and clean up the house for his buddy. When he forgets to after 3 days, the teen decides to sprinkle Doritos's crumbs on everything including his friend's grandpa's ashes. The grandpa comes back to life much to the surprise of the friend.



Chevrolet Camaro- This commercial has a background commentary that explains what is going on in the commercial. The scene changes from being in a car chase to driving in the desert while there are different types of women driving it she turns out to be a teacher.



These are my favorites commercials from Super Bowl XLV, what are yours?

Spring has sprung

HT: Go BlueBob. Tigers spring training games start today. In tribute to Ernie Harwell...

For lo, the winter is past,
the rain is over and gone;
the flowers appear on the earth;
the time of the singing of birds is come,
and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
~ Song of Solomon 2:11-12

Cooking Up Happiness

My kitchen is less than ideal. Oh how I would love a vaulted ceiling. An island with chair-backed stools. Loads of counter space. And marble counter space, if you please. An above-the-sink window that looks out on something more spectacular than my neighbor's driveway and patio deck would be nice. White subway tile. Loads of it on the walls. A few glass-front kitchen cabinets would make me smile. And a new floor. Ee-gads, my ancient linoleum screams kitchen makeover.

Yet as I stand at my stove (electric . . . ahhh, to have a gas stove again would be the bomb diggity), I look at the small shelf above it, and there is happiness to be found in its inhabitants. There is the baby food jar snow globe, one of many that Harleigh and I made one year for Christmas gifts. This one has a gold-horned unicorn and a bottle brush Christmas tree. I never tire of shaking it as I stir something stovetop.

The Bless This House tile is one that Harleigh gave me for Christmas one year. It was purchased at one of those makeshift Christmas bazaars that elementary schools have so that students can purchase gifts on the cheap. I love how each word begins with a capital letter. Makes me want to read it with emphasis on each and every word.

The ceramic turtle is. Well. He just is.

I've had the Lux timer since I first started keeping house as a college graduate. The ticking off of minutes conjures up a lifetime of kitchen memories.

The three vintage pieces are all thrift store finds. The two salt and pepper shakers are simply there to look pretty. The miniature cup holds toothpicks, a must for testing the doneness of cakes.

And the picture "Welcome to Baltimore HON!" is clipped from a very old edition of The Baltimore Sun newspaper. Seems that this Welcome to Baltimore sign on a Maryland expressway is constantly being edited to include the moniker "hon," which is what every waitress uses when addressing a patron in the diners of my hometown Bal-mer.

And the hodgepodge of trinkets hanging from a cabinet knob are things that Harleigh created as a little girl. You'd think that they'd get in my way, but instead, they seem like just a part of the kitchen hardware.

All in all, my kitchen will never grace the pages of Elle Decor or Country Living, but it sure warms my heart just by being . . . me.

Upstaged Again...But That's Okay

Mongo has re-focused his 2011 "Cat 5 Domination" training since the first race of the season last Saturday. I have decided to get as much variety and do as many different rides, on the road, dirt, and trainer, as I possibly can. Mongo has already seen some of my efforts pay off in solo rides, team rides, and my continuing domination of the Saturday morning, Cat 6/7, "Enemy Bike Shop" ride.

Today was no different. Mongo won again for the third time in the past three attempts. It was a much sweeter victory this morning as fellow teammate, "Danimal", came across the line in second place and two more members of the famed "Broomwagon Club", an elite sub-group of the SBCT, "Fast" Eddie and "Kaiser" Martin, both put in strong performances. Add to this that it was a beautiful day on a scenic course with lots of hot chicks getting their exercise on, and needless to say, we all had a lot of fun.

Of course, none of this matters! Why is that, you say? Well...on the same day that Mongo sandbagged his way to a meaningless victory in a second-tier group ride, fellow teammates, "MC-Lean" and "Tubular" Tom, were off racing in the most extreme and intense cyclocross race in the Southeast. And they did really well...with a first and fifth overall in the non-pro category. Mongo doesn't mind playing second fiddle to that!

Apple facts!

Apples come in all shades of reds, greens, and yellows

2,500 varieties of apples are grown in the U.S

Apples are grown in all 50 states

Apple trees take 4 to 5 years to produce their first fruit

The largest apple picked weighed three pounds

Apples are the 2nd most valuable fruit grown in the U.S. Oranges are the 1st

Apples have 5 seed pockets. Each pocket contains a seed

Apples ripen 6-10 times faster at room temp. than if they were refrigerated

It takes about 36 apples to create one gallon of apple cider

Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free.

The old saying "An apple a day keeps the Doctor away" comes from an old English adage "To eat an apple before going to bed, will make the doctor beg for his bread"

-Emmie Schultz

Arrested development: The Mickey Mantle story

It's that time of year when the sports pages are brimming with stories about spring training -- how this or that baseball team hopes to break through this year, how this or that waning star hopes to get a fresh start in a new city.

So it's coincidental that I recently finished a book (a Christmas gift from my oldest son) about what used to be known as America's pastime and one of its biggest stars on its marquee team. I'm talking, of course, about No. 7 -- Mickey Mantle, the Hall of Fame centerfielder for the New York Yankees, and one of the most popular players of the modern era.

"The Last Boy" is an exhaustive biography that purports to tell the story of Mantle and the end of America's childhood. Author Jane Leavy, a former Washington Post reporter and author of a well-received biography of Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax, grew up near Yankee Stadium idolizing Mantle and readily admits to a soft spot for The Mick. Yet over the course of 420 pages, including three appendices, she does an admirable job of distancing herself from the Mantle legend and boring in with deep reporting and clear-eyed commentary.

I'm a Bay Area boy whose introduction to Major League Baseball came in the wind-chilled seats of San Francisco's Candlestick Park. Willie Mays, the Giants' do-it-all centerfielder, was my favorite player as a young boy. I hated the Yankees and still do, especially now in this era of exorbitant spending for free agents. I didn't dislike Mantle but, for me, he was never the Golden Boy as he was for East Coasters or Yankee-lovers across the country.

Leavy writes about The Mick from every conceivable angle -- from the grinding poverty of his childhood in Commerce, Oklahoma, where his dad worked in the zinc and lead mines to the challenge of replacing Joe DiMaggio as a Yankee superstar to the soul-numbing aspects of a post-career routine that saw him travel constantly to autograph shows, golf tournaments and other public appearances.

She spares no detail in chronicling the good -- how he was revered in the Yankee clubhouse as a great teammate, a generous friend and a courageous player who excelled despite frequent injuries; how, as the recipient of a liver transplant, he became a national spokesman for organ donations. And she does the same in reviewing the bad -- lifelong womanizing, excessive drinking that drove him late in life to a stint in rebab, his near-total absence as a husband and father of four boys.

The Mick, 1950s.

Mantle broke in to the major leagues at age 19, fulfilling the dreams of his father Mutt, who died at age 40. Over the course of an 18-year career and the years that followed, he never quit traveling, as if life were a series of games to be played on the road and at home. Unquestionably, there were people all around him who enabled his bad behaviors, including members of the press, who at the time refrained from reporting on athletes' off-the-field antics.

That era is long gone and so, too, is the chance that any modern athlete (or other celebrity, for that matter) would profit from the kind of mythology that built up around Mickey Mantle. We've swung the other way to reporting every brush with the law, along with real or perceived character flaws, and details of gigantic contracts and product endorsements that make LeBron, Kobe, Tiger names and faces that are recognized around the globe.

"The Last Boy" is an enjoyable read. Every now and then, it's good to get away from the seriousness of everyday news and get lost in something of less consequence. I learned a lot -- probably more than I needed to know -- about The Mick that passed me by in my childhood. Had I known him, I probably would admired, detested or tolerated him, depending what stage of life he was in. Thanks to Leavy's meticulous reporting and sharp writing, I can appreciate him as a well-meaning kid from a small town who became a larger-than-life figure for generations of baseball fans...and through it all was a human being with good qualities, unrealized opportunities, and feelings and flaws like anyone else.

Listen to or read a transcript of NPR's interview with Jane Leavy.


Photograph by Bob Olen

Healthy Dog Treats!

How many of you are worried about your overweight pup? When training your dog, they tend to gain weight as a result of all the treats. Also, your dog can get a fever if he/she eats too many treats. This is a result of the excessive amount of dyes that the treats contain. My dog Rosie has recently suffered a fever from this exact cause!

The secret to fixing this problem is simple, homemade treats! They are fun to make, and nutritious for your companion! Also, there are several varieties of treats you can conduct so your dog won't get bored!

Massive Mastiff Munchy Muffins (for larger breeds)
2 carrots
2 3/4 cups water
1 egg 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 banana (can be substituted for an apple for a new flavor!)
4 cups whole wheat flour 1 tbs. baking powder
1 tbs. cinnamon
1 tbs. nutmeg
Preparation
Shred the carrot in a blender. Mix all wet ingredients together in a bowl, then add the pureed banana. Mix together thoroughly. Set aside. Combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix together. Coat a 12 muffin pan with nonstick spray. Fill each muffin hole 3/4 full. Bake about 1 hr. at 350 degrees.

Peanut Butter Presents (for all breeds)
1/2 cup water (add more later if required)
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
3 tbs. peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup oats
Instructions
Blend wet ingredients together. Whisk dry ingredients together and mix into wet mixture to form a ball of dough. Roll out and shape (you can use cookie cutters). Put onto a non-stick cookie sheet. Cook for 20 min. at 400 F. Turn off oven but leave biscuits in to cool until crisp and hard. Store in airtight container.

Enjoy :-)
-Katie Whightsel

Those aren't dolls! Those are Tosu teaching aids!

Oh, man.

Your kids call what's going on in the video below "playing with dolls." But at Tosu it's "a sexual harassment training video created for an employment law class of the masters of labor and human resources program at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business."



Yeah, obviously a masters level class. Undergrads in C-bus only get to use Play Doh.

Who's Doing What: A Few Of My Favorites

(Photo:CyclingNews)

1: "VDV"...Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Cervelo)

He was fifth at the Tour Of Oman against a good field. Looks fit and healthy, and if he can refrain from crashing out of big races he should have a quality season this year. One last hurrah and a top ten at the Tour de France is not out of the question.

2: "TVG"...Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Highroad)

He was second at the Volta ao Algarve against the strongest field of the year, so far. This kid is the "real deal"! He is the future of American stage racing. Nothing would surprise me this season, including a Grand Tour podium, but he is still a few years away from his peak.

3: "Shetland Jens Voigt"...Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack)

He was second at the Vuelta A Andalucia against an okay field. Levi can be as good as his tiny little legs and tiny little bike want to be. The trouble is that Mother Nature may have passed him by. If he can hang on the big climbs at the Tour de France, a top seven is still possible.

4: "The Canadian"...Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervelo)

He was sixteenth at the Volta ao Algarve. Hasn't ridden much early in the season. He and VDV will get all the GC love from their team at the Grand Tours, so look for him to possibly podium somewhere along the way.

5: "AK47"...Andreas Kloden (RadioShack)
He was fifth at the Volta ao Algarve. Can get top tens in his sleep at any stage race. In Mongo's opinion, if he is uninjured and fit, and not breaking the wind for Contador or Armstrong, Kloden still has an outside shot at the podium in all the big races.

6: "The Other Norwegian"...Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky)

He was second at the Tour of Oman. Quite possibly the best "all around" cyclist in the world. I would be very surprised if he doesn't win one of the "Spring Classics" this year.

Green Wedding Shoes

Bustin' at the seams with happiness over Ali and Matt's wedding being featured on the wedding blog Green Wedding Shoes. And they've even done a live link to my little ol' blog. Mercy me. (Photography by Jill Thomas.)

PIFF 2011: 'Illegal' invites compassion

Ivan and Tania

I left Tuesday night's journalism discussion with enough time to hustle down to Southeast Portland and catch one more Portland International Film Festival screening: the Belgian film "Illegal."

After seeing two five-star films within a week's time, it would have been asking too much for a third. Still, I'd give "Illegal" a solid 3 to 4 stars.

It's a serious subject, obviously, illustrating the plight of a single mother, Tania, a Russian national who's living illegally in Belgium with her teenage son Ivan when she is arrested on his birthday. Tania (played by Anne Coesens) is taken to a detention center, where her initial terror at being separated from Ivan eventually recedes enough for her to befriend fellow detainees in the midst of inhumane treatment.

Director Olivier Masset-Depasse could have made this a film about the politics of immigration but instead he keeps the story focused on Tania and her desperate efforts to avoid deportation. She  stonewalls authorities about her real identity only to later complicate her situation by giving the name of a friend -- a tactic that suddenly has her facing deportation to Poland.

Tania makes for a sympathetic character if you happen to believe in liberal immigration policies. If you don't, well, I can imagine you'd say she gets what she deserves.

One thing that stood out to me is that Tania is often presented to us in near-darkness, an effective metaphor for someone living in the shadows of society.

The film was Belgium's nominee for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. It didn't make the final five and I imagine that's a fair assessment. It was good but not great, a film that strives to be passionate but is also predictable in some ways. 

Photograph: www.indiewire.com

Cheerleading Facts

• In the beginning all cheerleaders were men



• 97% of all cheerleaders are female today



• 83% of cheerleaders have a 'B' grade point average



• 62% of cheerleaders are involved in a second sport



• The cheerleading capital of the US is Texas



• The most common cheerleading injury is a broken arm or a busted lip



• 80% of schools in the US have cheerleading squads



• The most popular sport for cheerleading is football



• 12% of cheerleaders are dancers

-Emmie Schultz

If the RV's a rockin'...it's probably because the shocks gave out

The picture and email below come from regular MZone reader, Phil:

Yost,

I'm on vacation in Florida (78 degrees tomorrow!) and Mascot Man pulls up beside me at a stoplight.  If it wasn't for the fact that the tires were bald, gray exhaust fumes where coming out of the tailpipe, the RV is at least 20 years old, it has a lighthouse in the back window and a super classy combo ladder/storage locker, this vehicle would be a real OSU chick magnet.  Hey, enjoy the off-season. 

GO BLUE!  

-Phil

Caption contest, anyone?

Talkin' about trolls

Skipped bowling last night to talk shop. Turned out to be a nice change from the routine (especially after hearing our team went down in flames -- again)

I was one of about 15 journalists who met at a Northwest Portland tavern for an informal discussion that centered around our interactions with online audiences. How and why do we do it, knowing how distasteful it can be, given the trolls who cause trouble for everyone?

Sponsored by a handful of journalists under the name Digital Journalism Portland, it was a good way to spend 90 minutes sharing information about our news organizations' practices and trading ideas about the overarching reasons for engaging with the largely anonymous readers who leave comments on news stories and opinion pieces.

I won't describe those differences in practices here, as it was an off-the-record conversation, but I can share a couple of thoughts concerning my own experiences at The Big O.

-- Anonymity on internet forums isn't going away. It's a different medium and it's part of the culture. While we can all wring our hands at how nasty some commenters can be, I understand the rationale for not requiring that people identify themselves. There are times when someone offers factual information in confidence because they fear repercussions in the workplace. That's legitimate.

-- Involving yourself in the discussion beats ignoring it. Asking for comments and then failing to participate in the conversation only reinforces the notion of an institution that doesn't care. The internet gives everyone a voice and I think a lot of commenters simply want to be heard. We can praise good comments, we can call out mean-spirited ones. But, mostly, we need to show that we are listening.

--Thoughtful, attentive moderating of the comments can yield some nice benefits. When someone's confidential information leads to a news story, that's a win-win. When you notice an interesting or different perspective -- say, from a minority group member -- it's worth reaching out to the commenter and asking if he/she would be interested in submitting an op-ed. (I've done that a few times and wound up with something we could publish.) When you add to the conversation, you help make the subtle point that journalists are people too. I think it's important that the public see that we in the media are not part of some monolithic institution and that there are huge differences among news organizations and the people who for work them. Same goes for independent bloggers, obviously. .

Already looking forward to next month's discussion, which will feature my newest Oregonian colleague,Cornelius Swart, on the topic of building a new model of cooperation between mainstream and independent news media.


Photograph: www.huntsmanlodge.com

Nesting has never been finer

With Chateau Gahan to myself (and dear Gideon, of course), the urge to nest has increased twofold. Sometimes it feels like I'm a little girl playing house; almost a surreal feeling of enjoying my home and being very deliberate about the tasks at hand, approaching each daily motion — whether it be cooking a meal or hanging curtains — with a joy and appreciation for the simplicity that I call home.

Last weekend while at the hair salon, I devoured all the magazines that women gettin' their do's done enjoy, everything from glossy fashion tomes to celebrity rags. One idea popped out of the pages, a simple home decor tip for taking the fireplace from Winter to Spring. Simply wrap logs in Christmas lights. I started with a fireplace cleaning, removing all the ashes and giving it a good vacuuming. Then with the logs in place, the lights out in the living room, the glow was lovely. Here is my favorite fireplace chair, a piece that co-worker Jenn found in the dumpster. It's the perfect height for snuggling up to the hearth.

The front door is dressed up with a Spring arrangement.
Gideon, with a heavy Winter coat (that will soon be shorn into warm-weather length) has taken to sleeping on the cooler hardwood floors. And finding a spot under the table has the added perk of a headrest.
You can see, the haircut is much needed. The poor boy can't see, what with the Justin Bieber bang he's got goin' on.
Here's a sneak peek at a project I'm close to completing.
And the foyer is enjoying afternoons of being bathed in sunlight, with outdoor weather to match the warmth inside.

CLEAN Pickup Lines

Since it is February, the month of love, here are some fun pickup lines to get you a sweetheart.



1.) Can you catch? because I think I'm falling for you.

2.)I must be in a museum because you are truly a work of art.

3.)Were you arrested earlier? It's gotta be illegal to look that good.

4.)Ya know, you look really hot! You must be the reason for global warming!

5.)Are you accepting applications for your fan club?

6.)Is your father a boxer? Because you're a knockout!

7.)Is your father a thief? Because he stole the sparkle from the stars and put it in your eyes.

8.)If you were words on a page you'd be what they call FINE PRINT.

9.)Date me if I'm wrong but isn't your name Bertha?

10.)Are you okay? You look a little sad and gloomy. You need a little vitamin ME!



Katie Bishop

Wallpaper Wednesday: Tim Hardaway Junior

Two straight Big Ten Freshman of the Week Honors deserves a wallpaper.

HAIL!

The Dirty Thirty On The Trainer: Haiku

Alone in my head

Cadence and timing focused

Going nowhere fast

#12 She's a Lady

 

Reviewed by Diary Addictions, Blogmuffins, Fashionista 1001
 

INFO

Hey sexay (back)!

Lose fitting yet flaunt assets. *wink
 Made of good lycra material.

Very much stretchable.

Best fits sizes UK4-UK10.

Available in electric blue (LAST PIECE!) and black (ALL SOLD).

'Un-Masqued' it @ RM42