Art Day in Sarasota

There was much fun and amazement at the 17th annual Art Day in Sarasota. I saw Square Dancers, Boys Juggling balls, Clay works, Mosaics being formed and even glass beads being fired up to perfection (sorry forgot to take a pic of that last one...opps) A fun time was had by all and I even found a Gay Men's Chorus along with info on almost every Museum and Art House and Theatre. So watch out Sarasota I know where the party is now....wee....

Happy New Year and all that jazz...

Wow has it really been since Christmas Eve since my last post?
Well many things happened since and I really don't have enough time to get into too much detail; suffice to say I have been doing much.
And that much includes seeing my Sister in Houston!!!!
I just got back on the 9th which was my niece Kayleigh's Sweet 16!!! One shout out to you my sweetie.
The 8th was my Mom's 70th Birthday!!! Can you believe she's 70!!!Wow and wow again.
We took her to Maggiano's Little Italy restaurant for a blow-out killer dinner. Blow-out Killer because it cost me all my savings. I knew I should've saved more than 100 bucks. ;)
We also were there for New Years and we did this kick ass bon-fire and set off all these fire works too. One of the damn things was in a can that fell over and the thing became a rocket chasing everyone in all different directions. You never seen a group of people dart from side to side like you would've that night.
My sister is still going through a very bitter divorce and I hope and pray it ends soon before she goes nuts. Those kids of her's are really putting her through the ringer. I feel bad for them but that place is a powder keg just waiting for one more spark.
And Paul my freaking brother in law doesn't seem to care or understand what's happening. I hope he comes to his senses and give her the damn divorce already.
But enough of that just know that the New Year is here and I plan on having one hell of a year; what with my new car and me turning 40 it really feels like everything is coming together.
Now if only my Knight in Shining Armour would just stop playing games and come pick me up, I could finally have the fairy tale life I've been so desperate for.

On the Night Before Christmas....

As I sit here ready to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year, I'm reminded of how very lucky I am to spend some time with my Mom and just be here to hear her laugh and cry and scream and comfort.
Take a moment today to remember someone special and give them a call or better yet go over and visit and replenish your soul.
I know that when I'm sitting in church tonight that I'll be there mostly because of Mom but also just for a bit of Peace in my mind.
Happy Christmas everyone and Merry New Year. (yeah that's me, always getting it mixed up ;)

THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING!!!!

HIDE YOUR CHILDREN, BOLT YOUR DOORS AND HIDE UNDER YOUR BED!!!
The holidays are here and boy do I got plenty to say.
First off, I couldn't get my tickets that I won on Oldies cause I needed to wait a whole 30 days to play again.
Ooops. ;)
I just got back from Tampa where I saw my sister and niece and my great nephew and great niece. I saw Tommy and Erica, Mike and Michelle, Jim and his kids and everyone was just a pleasure to be with.
I really like Jim, my sister's new guy. He's cute and charming and just perfect with her. I hope hey can make it work. She really deserves a break like the rest of us siblings.
Speaking of the other sister, Rose is bouncing off the walls lately. She's just in the middle of a bitter divorce and...well its much too long and difficult to explain. Suffice to say it's not pretty.
BUT... we will be there in 2 weeks and I can't wait to see them. Her and the kids I mean. It's been way too long and the kids are growing much too quickly for my tastes. Stay young kids, you don't wanna grow up. Trust me.
I got new car mats for Christmas and they are the Scion mats so they fit like a glove. So nice. Yeah baby.
I am sure there are more things but my mind is fried so I'll just download a pic of this wild house filled from head to toe with lights and call it a night.

She blinded me with Scion-ce

For about 2 weeks now I've been looking at car left and right trying to figure out if I should buy a new car or a used car. This is because my poor Jeep has had its last legs torn out.
It's still a great car and will make someone very happy but it's just not strong enough to keep bringing me back and forth to Sarasota and back.
I looked at this BMW convertible that I was serious about getting until Leela my sanity bringer popped me back to reality.
I am at a stage of my life where I need a work car not a dream car, and believe me that BMW was definitely a dream.
Well I searched high and low for a new car that was good on gas and sporty but with lots of room for moving stuff and just plain head room.
Yeah I know, I thought it didn't exist too.
There were two cars that were at the very top of my list. The Nissan Versa and the Toyota Yarus with maybe the Honda Fit just in case.
Well on my search through the car lots of Honda, Nissan, Chevy, Ford and Toyota I came out with a totally different 2 cars. No longer were the Versa or Yarus anywhere near the top.
No now two cars that I hadn't even considered had taken the lead. The Chevy HHR and the Scion xB better known as the "Box on Wheels".
See not only did both cars fill my list of requirements but both were of a perfect height for my mom to scoot right in without climbing up or dropping down.
Now came the fun part. Research!
I checked on both cars in the consumer guide and found out that the Scion xB was actually very high on the list. In fact it was like the 4th or 5th car under such greats as the Honda Civic and Toyota Camry.
The Chevy HHR was a new car and had no info to offer, except that it shared the engine as the cobalt and the cobalt has a bad rating.
AND not only was it very highy liked but at Cramer of Venice they were offering a Lifetime warranty on all their cars.
Well with all this info how could I go wrong.
Only thing left to do was give it a test drive.
My plan was to pop in, test drive the car then test drive the HHR to see which felt better.
Needless to say once I got behind the wheel of that car I was sold.
Only thing left was to get a halfway decent payment so that I could pay my car payments without having to go bankrupt.
What I did I still can't believe. Right now I'm sitting here typing this and I still can't believe it...
BUT...!!!!
I PURCHASED THE SCION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just decided that I needed to get back and forth to work and just in case I wanted to go visit my friends in Miami I'll need a good car to get me back in forth.
So I drove off with the car and a brand new life.
The car is so cool too. Leela knows what I'm talking about when I say that sound system is un-frakin'-believable. And that "New Car Smell"! Oh what a feelin'. And I bought the very base line car, no bells or whistles-yet, but I did splurge on one bell...the ipod connector. Sorry couldn't help myself.
And did I mention the color. Its the cool looking metallic silver that shines and sparkles like a new car should.
Do you know when I got into my car the miles were 2. That's right 2. Can you imagine having 2 as your miles.
Anyway I posted all the pics of my baby and I have even named it.
Thanks to Julia's Hubby the name of my Scion is...the Sciontist.
Pretty cool huh? Scientist - Sciontist get it!
Of course you do!
Well I might just have to start a new blog and a new email.
So if a brand new Scion pulls up next to you, peek over and see if it's me.
If it is, beep your horn and say hi.

The Sciontist is here!!!!

winner winner winner part deux

Hey what would you say if I told you that I won at that My Three Songs game again on Oldies 108.
WELL I DID!!!!!
Julia and I were listening once again to Oldies and once again My Three Songs came on.
The threes songs were Mama's Pearl, Harbour Lights and some song with the word day in it.
Julia thought decorations were the common factor but I said "Pearl, Harbour" then Julia says "Pearl Harbour Day!!!"
By the way this was on Thursday Pearl Harbour Day.
I grabbed the cell and started to call.
Busy! Dammit!
I try again and this time I get a ring. I tell julia its ringing and we turn the music down. I'm listening and waiting then it happens,
"Hello do you know what the answer is."
"Pearl Harbour Day?"
"You got it! Winner winner winner!"
And this time I got another oil change and 4 tickets to the Marie Selby Light Show!
My luck is so good now that Julia and I decide to play the lottery.
Hey as I write this I could be a winner! Oh wow.
But wait theres more.
Just you wait and see....

art show and car flow

So the day has come for the Art/Craft show and Julia and Jim decided to come along for the ride.
Jim really didn't wanna come but he did wanna go car shopping/hopping with us.
We got down to the Show and about a 1/2 mile from the place Jim pretends to read on the ticket December 8th and says "today is the 8th right." Julia says "No its the 2nd and I flashed back to this day many moons ago when I traveled into Ft. Lauderdale from Miami to go to a show that I was a week to soon for.
"Is that really the date it says on the Ticket?" I reply.
"No it says the 1 thru the 3rd" replies Julia.
Very funny Jim, I owe you one. :)
We get inside and its very nice. Totally top notch stuff and high end nic nacs.
Mom and I of course left with like four bags full of stuff while Julia and Jim were empty handed.
Guess Jim got his way again. He really wasn't there for the show but for the car shopping.
And speaking of car shopping, No I didn't get the BMW. My friend/dream crusher Leela reminded me that this is a car thats going on 10 years and it will have to travel 100 miles a day to get back and forth to work.
Well I realized that in this stage of my life I need a work car not a dream car, and in 10 years from now I will have my dream car.
We looked at several cars and I have selected 2 for now ( I still need to check out the Saturns before I decide.) They are the Chevy HHR and the Scion "Box on Wheels"
The Scion is like 2000 less and both have a very spacious inside but the HHR looks alot better on the outside. The Scion is MUCH better in the inside.
My plan now is to put the car in the paper for the month and by the end on this month I'll hope and pray that it sells and that I will have my car by the New Year.
Oh God please let me sell this jeep so that I can put myself in a terrible debt where I'll have to scrimp and save just to make the payments.
Lets hope that the lottery ticket I bought today come in and Then I'll get that dream car I was talking about.
Come on God I bought a ticket. All you need to do and let it come out.

Winner Winner Winner

So I went to the Oldies 108 building today to pick up my tickets that I won yesterday.
Wow I won some good stuff.
I won a free oil change at Carl's auto and who can use a free oil change. It actually comes at a good time cause Mom's car needs a oil change, but it also needs a 30,000 tune-up which comes with an oil change so maybe I'll just wait. Thing is I just got an oil change on my Jeep about 2 weeks ago.
Oh well.
I also got four , yeah that's right a family four pack, tickets to this really huge art and craft show that travels across the USA. It's from American Craft Council and it's a huge deal. It's been going since the 1960's and supposenly is the top craft show in the USA.
Anyway I can't wait to go and the woman I carpool with and her hubby are coming along for the ride.
Looks to be a great time.
AND lest I forget the other reason I'm traveling 50 miles to see a craft show...I found a car I want to buy. It's actually my dream car if you can believe it. And it's real cheap, like 3000 less then Kelly Blue Book but about right if it would to be sold on the street. But through the dealership I'll get a 30 day 1,000 mile warrenty. Oh and the woman I work with bought a car from these people and the way she went on, well you would be just as excited as me.
So you wanna know what my dream car is?
Well it's my fav make, my fav type and the color is perfect.
Ok you've waited long enough.
Dean this one's for you buddy. ;)
It's a 1998 BMW 328i Convertible!!!!!
With hunter green exterior and leather tan interior with wood accents!!!!!!!!
and only 56,000 miles to boot!!!!!!!
So with some luck I'll be checking it out Saturday after the Craft show and let you know all about it.
Wish me luck!!!

here's a link to the car site
http://www.encoreautos.com/cgi-bin/showroom.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=encoreautos&keyval=encore.encore_id%3D1015