JustLisa

I was quite happy a few years ago when clogs started popping up again. I remember having the coolest pair when I was in jr. high and have wished for a really good reason to get another pair. If I had a job where I was on my feet and good footwear was important, I'd buy Dankso shoes. This pair would be my style but I really don't even need shoes for the job I do.

These Dansko dress shoes would have been good for my courthouse job. I had to go up and down stairs from the courtroom to the clerk's office several times a day on court days and never had good shoes for that. Nowadays I just sit in a chair, usually with my feet under me so flip flops or tennis shoes do just fine.

As always, I'm a sucker for the free shipping so check out the links above if you need high quality shoes.

I went to a Mary Kay party tonight and put full makeup on for the first time in decades. About once every five years I will put on some mascara but never the full blown foundation and all that. Here it is....

I came home and Todd didn't notice so I am not sure if that means I did it right or what. No matter, I didn't buy any of the face stuff. I am pretty satisfied with my face I guess. (minus the jowls) I did buy some thigh stuff because Lord have mercy... my thighs need help. hahaha

This story again reminds me of why I steer away from organized religion. I cannot imagine digging up the grave of a loved one and moving their remains over something as trivial as taking communion. I realize that communion is a very important ritual in some churches and that is why I lean more towards the anabaptist religions. Low on the ceremonies and rituals and high on the faith. I don't think setting a time and place for communion with my Father makes me any more of a Christian than having a quiet communion on my own time.

I started eating yogurt a couple of weeks ago and it is helping with weight loss but in this same period of time, friends are getting all weird too. I've had a couple just pretty much kick me in the head and some others are smothering me. It has to be the yogurt because I'm still just sitting here at my desk most of the time, minding my own business. I made it into HyVee this week for the first time in forever. Maybe that threw off the balance of my universe. I think this time of year just makes people cranky and hateful.

My real theory for the yogurt is that it helps lose weight because it's gross. So gross that it kills your appetite for hours. Yesterday it took me over an hour to get down a 4 oz. container of peach yogurt and then I felt sick the rest of the day.

The boy saw the ortho yesterday and they hooked onto one of the teeth waaaay back in the bottom row and are working on bringing it up front now. The doctor used a thread to tie onto it then he tied that thread very tightly to the spring and then to the wire. It looked very painful and about bedtime, the pain got to be too much and the boy asked for one of the pain pills left over from his toe surgery. This morning he is up and ready for school but there's a lot of moaning going on. I do hope he is not one of those boys who refuses to wear his retainer years down the road when we are finally done with all this pain and expense.

It's that time of year where Lucy supposedly earns her keep. Pheasant season started a couple of weekends ago and that's her lot in life - to find birds for her master. Unfortunately that's only a weekend thing and the rest of her time is spent driving me insane.

My dog, Dozer, is fat and lazy and is very content to hold down a chunk of floor all day long. Lucy has to go, go, go and chase things and run around. Every morning I have to take her outside and exercise her for at least an hour or she will make me crazy all day. We've got a routine going now where I wear her down and she is pretty settled through the day while I work. At night she goes back to driving me crazy again by spinning on the bed all night.

It's totally my fault that she is in bed with us. When she was about four months old, she would pace the floor all night. Anyone with weimaraners know that they shuffle when they walk and it sounded like an old granny shuffling around in house slippers. I got mad and said "Dammit Lucy, get up here and lay down!" and she's been there since.

Dozer used to have a dog bed but now he just lays on a blanket on the floor. I've thought about getting Lucy a dog bed but I don't know that she'd use it. Weims like to be with their owners. She might lay on a dog couch. That thing is cute!

I am certainly going to show this seat cover to Todd. Right now we have just an old bench seat cover from a pickup truck to keep the dog hair out of the Surburban. Doesn't work near as well as it should. Now is the time of year she is in and out of the truck a lot and dragging in leaves and mud. So far she has not found any birds to make her worth the hassle. Her only saving grace is that she's dumb and good for laughs when she runs into walls and she can be soooo sweet and lovable.

I'm a little late with this because work has been crazy busy. Eva and I are precinct captains for Barack Obama so last Saturday we were invited to the Jefferson Jackson dinner and pre-rally in Des Moines.

The day started with a precinct captain meeting with Michelle Obama. I was so impressed by her. What a lady! She is strong and confident without being overpowering and she can stand BY her man instead of behind or in front of him. She started out with his rally cry "Fired up! Ready to go!" then she said that was his line. Hers is "Are YOU ready?" She spoke of the change that would come with an Obama White House and how scary that change would be, how it would take courage and strength to get out of the familiar rut. I believe a lot of people are too afraid of change but we sure need to buck up and bring it. One of the best things she said was something like "I'm worried for this country. I am not worried for the Obamas. We will be okay." Now I know my Republican friends are thinking that's just political talk but if you ever stand in a room with either Barack or Michelle, you can tell it's not just talk. They are both really concerned. Concerned enough to give up their already great lifestyle to try and change our country for the better.

After Michelle, there was a rally with Barack and Michelle. John Legend played. We were less than four feet from him during his performance and he even shook Eva's hand. When Michelle introduced her husband, it was so genuine. You can tell they really love each other and have a deep, deep respect for one another. They are not just a political couple which makes them extraordinary in the world of wives who can forgive blowjobs. Now, don't get me wrong... I love Bill Clinton. Absolutely adore the man and his viewpoints but I'd have kicked his ass to the curb so fast. I really cannot respect Hillary based on her handling of that whole situation. Anyway...

After the rally we marched with Barack and Michelle from the conference to the auditorium where the dinner was held. It's always a site worth seeing when the noisy Obama supporters get organized into a group and march for their man. Once again the Obama people really outweighed the others. We are a joyful and friendly bunch. Eva and I talked to many people that day and everyone is really "Fired Up!"

His speech was great as always despite it being past 11PM when his turn rolled around. His message is consistent and strong. I am ashamed that my political interest comes so late in life but I am so proud that my first campaign involvement is for an honorable and decent man.

We don't have snow yet so I made some.

This is the mixing process. Easy as dumping water and the powder into a bowl.

Here is Ben as the final product falls down around him. So much fun! I can't wait for the real stuff to get here.

If anyone needs a gift idea for me and can't afford to send me to Tennessee for vacation, here's just the ticket. This LightWedge Reading Light lights only the page. Todd would appreciate that as right now he is subject to my bedside lamp as I make my way through my Obama books.

Not even kidding when I say I'd like some of these student driver signs. Some days it seems the boy has forgotten everything we've shown him. We have some of these colored flame candles to try later tonight. Right now it's time to go to a party. Maybe we'll take a couple of them with us.

We are under a snow advisory for tomorrow. Nothing spectacular like the original 8" forecast but we may see some nonetheless.

That jolt you felt in southern Iowa this afternoon was when Eva signed up for the Air Force. Maybe it was only me who felt it. I'm very proud of her for making a very responsible, adult decision but who can't help but be a little terrified given the state of the world today?

Todd wears a uniform more than half the time and therefore doesn't need a lot of jeans or dress pants. He used to have a pair of "tactical" pants that he wore to gun schools and law enforcement seminars that were nice enough to double to family dinners or funeral visitations. He has gained a little weight (haven't we all?!) and those pants don't fit anymore. With the holidays coming up and the chance to "dress up" approaching, I've been looking at pants he'd find acceptable.

Found some at 511 tactical that are almost exactly like what he had. I am not sure what "''Billy Goat'' Tactical Canvas" is or how heavy it would be but they do look the same.

How funny! Todd just came in and I was showing him the Surefire flashlights. He looked at the page and said "Hey, 511 Tactical is who makes my pants!' So I guess I was closer than I thought!

Was reading other blogs this morning and came across this entry where Joe describes his wife not liking how he was cleaning. It was like reading about myself.

A situation happened just last week in my own house that has been eating at me. Todd came in from work and started running water. Usually he gets a drink first thing in the door so no big deal. This time the water kept running for a very long time then I could hear the sprayer going and going then more water. I'm sitting in here thinking my money is going down the drain so I got up and asked what he was doing. He was "rinsing" my skillet from where I made an omelet for lunch. In the part of my brain that is the household banker, I was only seeing a spinning water meter so I said, (from the domestic goddess side of my brain) "Can I show you something? I don't want to be a bitch but this really works better and gets more done." I then proceeded to run just a tiny amount of water into the sink with the plug in. Squirted just a bit of soap in and then washed the pan completely, rinsed it and put it in the drainer. Then I took the rag and washed off the counters and the stove, drained the water and said "See, less water, more work done and the pan is more than just rinsed." Pissed him off and I really don't understand why. I was not confrontive. I probably should have just sat here and let it go but damn, every dime counts nowadays. Our water bill is outrageous enough already.

In the situation with Joe and his wife, I can see myself doing that too. I'm not saying I like that trait but I am quite capable of doing that. It's not out of malice. It's just a frustration with not being in control of the overall big picture so you grab onto the things you can control and drive your loved ones insane in the process I guess.

While we are on the differences of how men and women perceive things....

I was with my friend PB the other night and he started telling me about his brothers' garage and how it had astroturf installed in it. What a man space! Astroturf, a wood stove, beer fridge, etc. His wife said she just didn't get it and he said it was like us women and our walls. We paint one wall red and then accentuate accordingly and go on about colors popping and such. That makes no sense to men at all so we should not expect to understand astroturf and the coolness that it is.

I do wish we'd have looked at products for garage floors when we poured our concrete. The contractor said "It's not a matter of IF it will crack; it's WHEN. This is Iowa." He was right and we have three big cracks now I think. Of course the garage is packed full now so emptying it out to improve the floor would be a daunting task.

We had a bit of snow for Thanksgiving and now every morning has a little more bite than the previous. My face actually hurts after this morning's walk so I need to remember where I put all of my winter finery. I have so much that I can layer that I actually survived a walk with a -21 wind chill last winter. Look great all bundled up too. I am a winter supermodel. Confidence - don't leave home without it.

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