Mac and Cheese

Several months back, thanks to my long-time friend Chuck C., I became the owner of a MacBook Pro.  He wasn't kidding when he said I'd love it.  I totally get the "I'm a Mac" thing.  I'll never own a PC again. After all, once you go Mac, you never go back.  Boom yow.  Score one for me in the cool department.  

Honestly, I wasn't trying to be cool.  I was trying to be smart.  Every really smart person I know owns a Mac.  Except for Cindy W.  She has a PC.  Her justification is that she works on Windows based programs as a computer-fixer-person for the state and it wouldn't make sense for her to own a Mac.  I think she's just trying to be difficult.  

Now that I think about it, Tara B. is pretty smart, too, and she doesn't have a Mac;  and I'm fairly certain Myleen L. is a genius and I don't know what she has.  Honestly, I don't know that many people who do own Macs.  And I know a LOT of people (526 according to the ol' Facebook profile).  So I should probably rephrase the "every really smart person I know has a Mac" to "I don't know a single card-carrying idiot who owns a Mac."

With the exception of myself. 

My Mac hasn't done a darn-tootin' thing for me in the smart department, but I'm totally ok with that.  Either you're born with it or you're not, right?  And the average people rule the world, so there.

Keeping with the theme...  a few days back, I bit the bullet and replaced my Blackberry with the new iPhone 4s.  The BB was dying a slow and sad death. My long time con-padre-in-commincation became completely incommunicado two days before the release of the 4s. Needless to say, it was a perfect time to bury the Blackberry (sniff, sniff).  

As we all know, weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

i love my iPhone!!!

If I could type that any louder or happier I would.  I love, love, love it!! 

So I made a super cool case to carry it in...  

I was right proud until I tried to slip my phone in it.  It didn't fit.  STINK!

I gave it to my mom.  Her iPhone fit perfectly.  Remember, I'm not claiming to be a genius.  But I am persistent. So I  tried again...

Round two is a dandy and I'm digging the detail a the top.  The clip is perfect for my purse or belt-loop.  And it's cute.  And I like cute.  

Speaking of cute...  Here's the pumpkin we carved this weekend...

And contrary to pop-culture, the L does NOT stand for Loser.  

I'm not a loser.  I'm a Mac.  Although a relatively cheesy one.  

Editors Note:  Karolyn is deeply and emotionally involved with the owner of a PC.  His name is Lee.  At times, their respective laptops sit side by side in perfect harmony.  No hating on the PC.  

Chicken make me wanna go "bawk, bawk."

I actually ate a Zaxby's one time because of that commercial.  Yup, the "bawk, bawk" commercial just reeled me in.  I liked the ad much better than the food.  Any-who...

Perched atop our chicken coop is this completely awesome, albeit rusted, rooster.  His name is Fred. 

A few years back, Lee had this chicken coop built for me in a shaded area near our house.  I designed it myself and it turned out almost like I had envisioned.  I'm hoping in the next few weeks that we'll tear the "run" down and rebuild it in an L-shape so we can enjoy our beautiful chicks.  

After sitting dormant for a few months (darn those pesky raccoons!) we have finally "re-chickenized" our coop.  Oh, the kids were soooo excited to hand pick their new chickens. We're starting small, but that's ok.  They each picked one.

 Zeb with Jessi; Henry with Super Diego;  Michal with Eleanor; and Liliana with Barbie. Henry's is the only rooster.

Everyone just loves the chickens, with the exception of our dog, Boney.  Or maybe he likes them a little too much (as in "For me??  Awww, you shouldn't have. Let's eat!").  Boney is a pit bull we rescued from starvation close to a year ago.  A few months back, I tried to give him away via facebook, and I didn't get the first response.  Not even a single "Like."  Whaaaa?  Who knew there were so many people out there who just don't want a bull dog?  

Probably the most excited about our chickens is Liliana.  She is just in Heaven with her sweet little chicken.  Thankfully, Barbie is nice and P.E.T.A. doesn't have a representative nearby.  

"How can that precious little girl ruffle anyone's feathers?"you ask.

"Mom, Barbie likes to stick her neck up like this...

See?

Hold on, I just have to pull on it a little bit. 

Isn't she cute, mom?  She's so cute.  Like a little baby...

She likes me to hold her like a baby, Wock a bye baby, in the twee tops...

This little chicken just loves me, Mom.  Really, mom, it does.

Look, mom, she likes to stand on the house.  

Take a picture of her butt, mom.  Ha...  A chicken butt!"

********

We're hoping to increase our flock a little at a time and add in some guineas and goats.  You never know, we may one day land on the front cover of the local news as Farm Family of the Year!

Rum Cakes: Don't Eat and Drive!

Enough said!

Junk Run...

I visited two, yes TWO, of the new thrift stores in our area this morning and found a few great buys!   

Promise Land ministries has a wonderful setup near GULF COAST LUMBER in Crawfordville!  And speaking of Gulf Coast Lumber...should you decide to build, re-build, or re-model in the next day or so, it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all if you visit GCL and spend, say...  50 or 60 thousand dollars.  Hint, hint. 

Moving right along...

The other thrift store is up near Iris Anne's in North Point Center.  I believe it's run by Harvest Fellowship Church (on 61).  Their pricing is phenomenal!  Most everything is $1.  

I also dropped by Goodwill, where I picked this up.  I'll use it in my sewing room.  It swivels and for some reason it just cracks me up.  I'm sure its held its fair share of mustard, mayo, and ketchup, but it'll hold pins, bobbins, and clips from here on out.  

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE these shoes from Promise Land Thrift Store!!!  They are even more amazing in real life.  By looking at the soles, they appear to be truly vintage.  All the markings are barely visible so I have no clue who made them.  Now to find the perfect pair of jeans...  (Squeel)  Can't wait!!

I also picked up a shirt to refashion into a skirt, an enamel container (maybe for a giant loaf of bread?), a glass, a new pair of Converse, and two books (also from PL).  How much?

I think I did great!!  

I LOVE it when I find a thrift store with reasonable prices. 

Happy thrifting, everyone!!

My fish killin' husband.

I met Lee a smidge over 14 years ago and he had a boat two boats.  Two pretty decent, offshore boats.  I would be lying if I told you I wasn't impressed with that.  We only had to go fishing once for me to realize those boats wouldn't benefit me one iota, therefore I was no longer so impressed.  Yup, didn't realize the joys of getting sea-sick.  For some reason or another we sold both boats and remained a Double-Income-No-Boat family until Zeb came along and POOF! Single-Income-No-Boat family, we were!  That was a lovely POOF! for sure.

I was fine without a boat.  Lee- not so much.  After all, he's loved the water longer than he's loved me.  I do believe salt water is coursing through his veins.  Soooo...  a few years ago, I bought Lee this boat.  And he smiled big...  

No, I didn't surprise him with an actual boat.  After all, they're not easily returnable and I had no clue what color he wanted.  Instead, I got him to pick it out himself.  Then I bought it.  With his money.  Because I don't have a job.

He loves his boat.  And he fishes on it as much as he can.  He doesn't really fish, though.  He hunts.  He hunts fish.  And he does it well.  Shall I prove it...  

This last picture is probably my favorite.  This cobia was huge!!  Its fin is almost touching the ground.  Lee and a friend did a tag team on this one.  Not sure how they worked it out, but somehow he and Jamie killed it together.  Awww...  

So this last weekend, my main man took first place in the Free-diving division of the 2011 Blue Water Open.  This is a pretty big deal.  Free-divers don't use tanks so they have to look, find, and shoot on one breath.  They dive sometimes 60 and 70 feet. I'll have to double check with Lee, but I think he's had one dive close to 100 feet -- at a diving class in Miami.  Impressive, huh?  Yup, that's the man I married!  

Anyway, here's a picture of the fish that won him first place, a trophy, and a really nice spear gun!  He gave his Amberjack away at weigh-in, so no picture of it.  

These are the teeth of a trigger fish.  These teeth bit Lee on the chest and left a nasty bite mark.  Never known anyone who was wounded by a 2 1/2 pound fish?  Well, now ya do!

I'm very proud of Lee and about to enjoy a huge bowl of fresh, home made Grouper Chowder-- my favorite way to eat Grouper when the weather is the least bit cool.  Ahhh...