It's a dog's life.

Last night, Matt and I watched Marley and Me. I’m not sure if any of you have seen that movie, but I was OBVIOUSLY crying like a baby. And sitting on the floor with my dog since he isn’t allowed on any furniture (couches, beds, etc) holding him and petting him through the entire second-half of that movie. I am willing to bet that dogs love that movie. Not only because it shows a wonderful story of a dog. And not only because they get a floor-cuddle while we’re watching it. But also, it stays with you. For example, the dog got a wonderful outing to the dog park after the movie (even though I was supposed to be making dinner). The feeling of wanting to be there for your dog just lingers.

This morning, I had a rare treat. I had a warm cuddle all through a loud, bright and down-pour thunderstorm.

As I awoke at 4:50-something to the familiar feeling of Matt getting out of bed, I tried hard to go back to sleep. As I was lying there, I heard it start to rain. Not a big deal, it wasn’t raining hard, it was just a light pitter-pat. “Sucks for Matt,” I thought. “He has to be out in the field all week long. Looks like he’ll be lying in mud.”

Minutes later, it was a fully-formed thunderstorm. The bright flash of lightning could be seen despite the blinds AND curtains being closed, and the thunder shook the house.

Obviously, I thought of Marley and Me and how scared that cute lab was of thunderstorms. Surely my cute lab would also be scared, and I should go save him.

As I opened the door to the living room (where the dog sleeps) I was not greeted by a dog lying on his bed, half asleep and wondering why I was waking him up so early (as is what usually happens any time I’m awake before 7). Instead a rush of fur brushed past my legs and the click-clack of dog nails on horrible 1960s tile went down the hall.

I followed the noise and fell back into bed. It wasn’t 10 seconds before a wet nose was trying to get me to pet him. I agreed for a minute or so, but when I re-adjusted to a more comfortable position the dog was abandoned.

For the first time ever, Barney jumped up on the bed. Instead of doing what I should have and gotten him down, I thought of poor Marley and how scared he was of thunderstorms and how I should comfort my dog in this – his hour of need. I told Barney to lay down and we’d cuddle. And it was nice to do something nice for my dog.

10 minutes later the dog had 2/3 of the bed on his side, and was still pressed up next to me. My arm was asleep from a large dog-head wresting on it and the right half of my body was warm from a warm puppy sleeping with me.

Matt may or may not have mentioned something about changing the sheets before he gets back on Friday and not to teach him any bad habbits as he kissed me goodbye on his way out to run in the rain for a week.

It was nice to get such a close and devoted cuddle in the morning.

Happy Rainey Day AND Monday, friends.

up, down, touch the ground!

Okay... so the last blog wasn't that fun.  True, but not fun...

THIS blog entry, however, makes me laugh EVERY time I see it. 

Every time...


http://kellogues.wordpress.com/2010/01/31/cinnamon-explosion/

a love letter...

Today’s experience was brought to us by Google Earth. If you haven’t played on it, you should.


Dear Home,

I followed you today. Down the winding streets of Cottonwood Heights. Past my parent’s house, my elementary school, and my high school. (I am glad we didn’t go past the Jr. High school because only bad things came from there…) I followed you past my favorite mall, and looked to see how many cars were at my gym. I followed you past my friend’s houses… the ones where I still know the phone number, even though they don’t live there anymore.

I followed you downtown, past my old office and down the trax line to favorite places to eat or detox on my lunch break. I followed you past the store where he bought my wedding ring, and past hotels I’ve stayed in. I missed you so much today that I cried.

I looked at pictures of the mountains – taken from vantages I knew and loved. I looked at pictures of Murray Park, where I have more memories than I know what to do with. I hiked up a mountain and saw views of the valley – just like I would if I were there.

Maybe it was the freak snow storm this weekend (in Georgia??? Really???), or maybe it’s the rain this morning… but my heart misses you. Misses your towering peaks and beautiful streams. Misses knowing where every store and back-alley is. Misses knowing who lives in the houses I drive past. It’s like an old love – a piece of your heart that you can never really get back.

Today I missed you.

-sarah-

obla de, olba da...

If you said to me "Sarah, we're going to Wendy's.  What do you want?"  I would tell you.  And depending on the day it could be...

1. Chicken Nuggets (with sweet and sour sauce), value fry and small frosty.
2. Chicken Nuggets kids meal (with sweet and sour sauce).
3. Spicy Chicken Sandwich value meal with a root beer
4. Chicken Nuggets and small Chili with cheese.

That's what I eat there.
At Chick-fil-a I would like...

1. #1 (original chick-fil-a sandwich) with a diet lemonaid
2. #3 (chicken strips) with a diet lemonaid (with polynesian sauce and chick-fil-a sauce)
3. Kids chicken strips (again, see chicken strips acoutrement above) no toy, larger drink.
1. Sometimes add to any one of these a small ice cream (AMAZING) or small oreo shake

I used to have oreo shakes all the time.  Then I ate a book called "Eat this, not that" and it gave Chick-fil-A an A+ because it's awesome and pretty healthy.  But it said definately stay away from the Oreo Shakes.  ... haters...

Subway

• #3 (turkey) 6" on white with spiniach, olives, pickles, salt, pepper, vinegar and lite mayo.

I think you understand what I'm saying here.  I know what I want when I go places.  It's tasty.  I like it.  And I'm willing to try a new thing every once and again to mix it up, but generally fast food isn't hard to figure out.  I hate people who take forEVER in lines at the drive-through because I think people should know what they want.  And order it promptly.  And if you're ordering for 8 people back at the office - go inside!

And today I went to Burger King.  Now let's say that in Utah there are Burger Kings.  But... in Georgia there are BURGER KINGS.  And some of them look really nice and/or fancy, and they are pretty much everywhere.  So today I went to a Burger King for the first time in... years.  In fact, the last Burger King I ate at might have been the day I graduated college (because I loves me some BK Breakfast - Crasanwich with ham).   But besides breakfast, I have no idea what to get there.  Experience as follows...

Lady: Welcome to Burger King, would you like to try our bleh blah blue blee blau?
Sarah:  ummm.... no?  I would like your... umm... #9.  Original Chicken Sandwich.  (sounds harmless enough, right?)
L: what would you like to drink with that?
S: Rootbeer.
L: We don't have rootbeer.  We have Dr. Pepper.
S: (how is that even close to the same???) Well then, can I get not a beverage?  How about just an original chicken sandwich and small fry.
L: The original chicken sandwich is 2 for $3 right now, so it's buy one get one free.  Would you like two chicken sandwiches?
S: NO!  I can't eat two chicken sandwiches!  Give me... (man, I don't want to turn down a free sandwich.  But then I'd eat it and gain 1 million pounds... or just be a food-waster and have an extra sandwich)  Fine, give me 4 peice chicken fingers and a small fry.
L: So you don't want the sandwich?
S:  (No rootbeer.  no sandwich...  (apparently))  Nope. 
L: That will be $2.73 at the first window.

Since when is it so hard to get lunch?

Also, have I talked about the lack of rootbeer here?  I have?  okay, I won't go on about it, but it's a SERIOUS problem.

I hope your lunch was better than mine.  Sarah = wish she had gotten the two sandwiches because she is starving + feels stupid for being unintentionally drive-through illiterate.

I'm missing you like... (candy)

Today is one of THOSE days. You know THOSE days. You can’t bring yourself to get out of bed, and so you hit the snooze button one (or three) too many times. Your boss asks you to do a task you would normally undertake with little effort or pressure but you just can’t find it in your soul to even start. It’s not even 10 AM and you’re already thinking about doing something really bad for lunch… like eating three doughnuts and the rest of the bag of candy you started from yesterday.

And so, in an effort to make the apparent 9 servings of candy in one bag last for at least two days… I give to you a list of the best holiday candy.  It's the candy you pine for all year long.  It's the candy that makes you feel like it's a holiday, and then drops you on your face when the holiday is past and you can't get it anymore.

• Cherry JuJu Hearts by Brach’s. Valentine’s Day.

Mock me not, this is my favorite holiday candy. Yum Yum Yum… They’re chewy. They’re sweet. They only kindof stick to your teeth (as an added bonus, my husband doesn’t like the “teeth sticking” factor of this candy, so I always know there will be some left… unless I eat it all... which seems to be happening a lot recently). This candy also comes in chocolate covered. If you can find it – buy it. It tastes like Turkish Delight. And I think we all know what a person will do for some more Turkish Delight (Edmond).

Ooh, but don’t forget just the plain old naked ones, too. They’re like two totally different candies. (in fact, I’m a little embarrassed I gave them the same bullet point and not two “sub-points” but that sounds a little nerdy – even for me.)

• Gobstopper Heartbreakers. Valentine’s Day.

I find regular Gobstoppers to be… well… I just don’t have the patience to wait until they’re the proper consistency to chew them. It takes SO long. Plus, I don’t really get too much of the “flavor change” the box says is supposed to happen. NOT SO with the hearts. Not only does the change in size help out on days I’m a little impatient, but also the flavor REALLY DOES change if you suck on them. It’s genius! The taste of these also makes me want to play Lego Star Wars… because I’ve eaten a lot of these playing Lego Star Wars… (Also, I have no less than 10 bags of these in storage right now. You’ve got to stock-up for the year.)

• SweetTarts Chickens, Ducks and Bunnies. Easter.

SweetTarts are generally pretty good. I like the “tart” (please see my fall-on-the-floor-excitement for a little thing called Sour Patch Watermelons). But the change in texture putting them in the Chickens, Ducks and Bunnies for Easter – BRILLIANT! Take an “okay” candy and turn them into “awesome.” It also takes a holiday that I don’t believe should be commercialized (we never had Easter baskets or other such commercialization in my house for this one, and I have to say that I agree with my father…) and helps me see the up-side of commercialization.

• Candy Corns. Halloween.

Let’s get first things first, I am talking about REGULAR candy corns. The candy pumpkin things are gross beyond all reason. Sure, it might be straight sugar (umm… what thing on this list ISN’T straight sugar…) but these little candies make my autumn-times some happy-times. They are pre-sectioned to make me eat slowly (because, yes, I eat one candy corn in three bites) and remind me of my favorite season.

• Orange Sticks. Christmas.

As a child, my father would freeze them and give us orders to leave them alone. I can distinctly remember being punished for not listening to that order. They’re just so good. (especially frozen.) Chocolate on the outside. Orange jell on the inside. (sure, they come in other flavors like “raspberry” but who needs that?) They taste like Christmas (and you don’t have to bake, or bribe your mother to bake, them).

• Lifesaver's Sweet Story Book (aka "The Sweetest Story Ever Told").  Christmas.

Sure, you can buy lifesavers at any time of the year.  But not all pre-packaged to make you try new flavors and have superfluous candy sitting around your room!  To be honest, if I buy LifeSavers in non-book form, it's rare.  In fact, I don't believe I've done it for years.  But the novelty, tradition and awesomeness (not to mention activity-included) of this little stocking-stuffer brings LifeSavers into my year.  And every year I vow to buy more through the year.  And 9 years out of 10 I fail.  (Don't worry, ButterScotch!  I'll remember you this year!)

Alright… all this talk of candy has got me thinking productive thoughts – I’m off to start doing something with my day. I hope you do likewise. And brush your teeth after all this gooey wonder. Mmm…

What are your favorite holiday candy selections?