Thank God/Goddess that school is OUT OUT OUT. Finals are over and another summer vacation has begun. Well, not for me, but for the kids at least. Still… they’ll be around a lot (minus their annual vacation with my mom) and I am totally looking forward to that.

Anyway, kid/mom stuff aside I’m ready to bore you with more of my favorite things… aren’t you excited?

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Ok, I readily admit, I’m a foodie. I love food. Good food. Old school, gourmet, barbecue, Asian, Mexican… from biscuits and gravy to quiche or sushi.

But, the other day I was chatting with Crys (OMG, have you visited that site? Did you get a reading? WHY NOT!?!?! Do it NOW!) and we were talking about drinks. It was that moment that I had an epiphany, I’m a drinkie too! And, if that isn’t a thing, then it’s an Amy-ism and I can TOTALLY use it.

I like beer, but I’m more on the high-end of that one. Microbrews. You won’t catch me with a Bud Light or Coors Light in my hand. Blech. I love the flavor, I love how it goes with certain foods. I love drinking them and figuring out what different things I’m tasting in them.

I love tequila. I wouldn’t have said that a couple of years ago after a bad, bad night on Cuervo. But, I’m a convert now. I love Patron and Cazadores. Cuervo is ok if I’m making Margaritas. Hornitos isn’t bad either… but it falls below Cazadores.

Vodka is awesome. It’s so versatile! I love a good Bloody Mary with an extra shot of Tabasco and Worcestershire. Although, I had one really, really bad evening doing lemon drop shots. This would be when one takes lemon wedges, rolls them in sugar, shoots Vodka and then sucks on the sugar covered lemon wedge. Delicious. As long as you don’t have too many.

In the winter I like Colorado Bulldogs. This is 3/4 shot Vodka, 3/4 shot Kahlua, 1/2 & 1/2 (cream) and then top with Coke. OMG. Soooo good. Butterball shots go well with this… 1/2 Irish Creme Liquor and 1/2 Butterscotch schnapps. I think, were Starbuck’s to make a shot, the Butterball would probably be it. I also like whiskey in the winter. But, only Maker’s Mark, over ice. It’s niiiiiiiice.

I also love gin martinis, very dry, shaken. It’s a totally clean, sugar-less buzz that almost never causes a hangover. But, they aren’t very good for hot weather. In the summer I like Grass Skirts occasionally. 1 1/2 oz. gin, 1 oz Cointreau or Triple Sec, 1 ounce pineapple juice, 1/2 tsp grenadine. AWESOME.

When I’m feeling very tropical and whatnot, I love a Bahama Mama. Rum, Malibu Rum, 99 Bananas and pineapple juice. OMG. HEAVEN in a glass… with or without the little umbrella.

See? I think this makes me a drinkie. The first person to say, “No, that makes you an alcoholic, will guarantee themselves a full castration with a rusty spoon.”

Remember when it was all fun and games because MIKE was the one who got it?
Allow me to refresh your memory…

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Look, I’m a super protective mother. Violently protective if properly provoked. I will do almost anything for my children (except make their beds and clean their bathroom).

So it took me by surprise when Maggie tested me yesterday.

Maggie was playing with Brie (that would be the mouse, named after the cheese, isn’t that cute?). Maggie had been playing with Brie ALL AFTERNOON, while we cleaned out Brie’s cage, Sophie’s cage, and other assorted icky, having to do with poop, outdoor chores.

Brie was getting tired of it. For a mouse, the little thing is very docile and patient. Hard qualities to find in a mouse. But, even this mouse has limits and Brie reached hers. She bit into Maggie’s finger in a clear attempt to let Maggie know that she had no intention of going head to head with Maggie’s rubber lizard.

I don’t blame her because this is how the Lizard ended up the LAST time Maggie played with it:

So Brie bit Maggie. Maggie FLIPPED out. You would have thought she had just survived a grizzly attack in the backyard or something! But, I grabbed her, Kate rescued Brie and I ran Maggie to the downstairs bathroom to wash her hand and put a Dora band aid on it.

Only I was stopped in my tracks. Er, well, the DOOR stopped in its tracks.

Something was in the way. It was my CAT, Liza, crammed into Molly’s cat carrier and then locked in the dark bathroom!!!!!

And, there is only ONE person who would do that. The one person who might be a bit fed up with assaults on her beanie baby animals, her bird, and her mouse. Maggie.

Needless to say, I did what ANY good mother would do. I left Maggie screaming in the hall to rescue my poor baby who had been trapped for at least TWO HOURS in the bathroom, probably longer. Do you have any idea how hard it is to console a child who has it in for your favorite person in the house cat? It’s DAMN hard. In fact it comes out a lot like this:

“Margaret Kay!!! WHAT did you DO to Liza?!?!?! Maggie! How many times have I told you NOT to do that… stop crying… do you hear me STOP crying… look what you DID to her!!! Stop crying….”

Which is why I let Mike do the consoling.

Yeah, yeah, I washed her hand and got it bandaged. The paper cut I had last week was way worse anyway.

Damn kids.

I’ve seen these around and, quite frankly, I’m a little at a loss for blog words these days and this looked like a great way to make the next ten Mondays a bit easier. I might be crazy, but I thought an attempt at structure (once a week… ha!) might be a good thing.

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I have my quirks, my likes and dislikes, I’m sure you’ve heard a few of them around here. But have you ever wondered what sort of things I like when I’m not around the computer? You know, other than Harry Connick Jr., old movies, and uh, animals. Maybe just a little? Oh, good I thought you might!

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The pets have gone crazy this year. I have no idea what’s happened to them. Zander killed another chicken, which leaves us with two, Kodak and Chickie. I don’t know what has gotten in to that dog, I’m absolutely shocked at his behavior because he’s just not like that. Well, not until now anyway.

Then there’s Liza who loves Sophie (and not in that, gee, what’s for dinner? kind of way) but wants Maggie’s mouse (officially named Brie) like a crack whore needs a fix!

We won’t begin to mention the bitchy, pissy birds. Apparently they are the parakeet version of the Odd Couple (at one point we thought about naming them Felix and Oscar) because they bitch and argue NONSTOP. Thank God my MIL missed the dark blue parakeet (named Baby, trust me, he’s more of an Oscar than a baby! LOL) and decided to take him back. So, we’re keeping the light blue parakeet, who seems far happier with the cage to himself, but Maggie has insisted on naming him, Hawk.

Kinda like naming a Chihuahua “Killer” isn’t it?

But, I have a hard time thinking I’m as off as someone might have me believe.

This is my house (shortly before we moved in) I would have taken a new picture but a nasty dust storm has blown in and I am not going outside. Ok, so picture:

See the three windows (with the oh-so-helpful red circle?) right in the middle above my front door?

That opens on to an entry that is open to the second story ceiling. A lot of heat (during the summer) comes through those three windows. Lots of options (even inexpensive options) are available to handle this issue.

Yet, someone (who shall remain nameless to protect his/her anonymity) suggested painting a panel (perhaps cardboard?) and using a stick to put them up there in the windows.

When I objected (probably with a more horrified and offended look than I should have used) to this suggestion, I was told that no one else cares what I have in my windows, that no one else (other than myself) pays that much attention to other houses.

So, I ask you:

Do you pay attention to other houses and what things the owners may or may not have done to them or am I just strange?

How would you feel about having some sort of home made panel put in your windows that face the street?

And, yes, in case you are wondering, we DO have an extension ladder.

I’ve read “Men Are From Mars / Women Are From Venus” - I like it. I think it has awesome, practical information in it. I also have “Mars and Venus in Conflict” (check title, not sure if I have it right exactly and I’m too lazy to run upstairs and retrieve it.)

But, what I think is missing here? Even though both books contain some practical examples, is a guide to romancing your wife - written by a woman. Ok, I didn’t research this, maybe on already exists. I don’t care, I am pretty sure I have some pretty decent ideas. Maybe I’m strange, maybe this doesn’t apply to all women, but, I think everyone can find something useful here even if not all of it floats your boat.

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You know, there are always things that you wish you could say but don’t for whatever reasons. I finally decided to get a few things off my chest.

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