gigglechick.com

it's MarchFIRST!

don't forget to rabbit rabbit first thing in the morning!!

okay well... hello! i've been MIA the past couple of days, eh!?

yesterday was the Belmar/Lake Como St. Patrick's Parade.

so i headed over to meet up with the line up committee at 9am (mind you i had an ever so slight hangover from seeing the Bantry Boys at the Shillelagh clubhouse on saturday night...)

anyway, i get to the line up meeting and we had breakfast. then we all headed over to start lining the parade up.

had a blast - i really LOVE helping out with the line up and meeting folks and just making sure that this whole puzzle comes together (that's how i look at it... as a puzzle and trying to fit the pieces in properly.)

my section (Section B... whoooooop!) rocked! me and this woman Loretta worked it and we had everyone liked up perfectly, all of the groups and bands and everything were all present and accounted for.

I should've taken a lot more photos - but I was pretty busy. part of me thinks that next year i might bring my big ol' honking nikon down to the parade with me so i can get some great shots.

for now, all i brought was my 4 year old canon powershot (love it... but, it might be time for me to get a new lil' camera)

so... after the parade, i headed over to the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh Club to partake in some beverages. See, I was on my own yesterday pretty much because Jude had said she was going home and Fran was having a house party (which i'm sure was awesome, i just love crowds though and meeting folks on parade day)

so i went and ran into a ton of folks that i know and some who i haven't seen in a few years.

--- and i am getting progressively more intoxicated as the photos go on... of course, flickr has them posted with the drunkest first and then going to sober morning line up.)

so, i got home this morning at about noon and did some work but have been low key.

gigglemom is coming home on wednesday and you may have noticed that i haven't posted any photos of a sparkling clean house.

tuesday is cleaning like a nutcase day!!!

(my knees are KILLING me from walking up and down the parade line up and then all over belmar. and for some reason i have a sore muscle right below my left shoulder over top of my heart.... i woke up thinking "did i get kicked in the chest by a horse!!!?")

anyway... going to bed.

woke up with laryngitis (sort of. scratchy voice.)

actually beri started to bark at me at 5:30am... was ready to strangle her. i'm about to make some eggs and then start doing my tasmanian devil/whirlwind cleaning session

in the meantime... enjoy some new products... (this includes YOU, Pennsylvania!!)

it's not done. BUT, right now it's gonna have to do, because i need to move on to the living room.

BEFORE PHOTOS:

AFTER (well, after-enough-for-now... the cleansing and mopping will come soon when i hire a team of cleaning people) PHOTOS:

too tired to yap yap.

and the house is not to her liking. even though i already told her it was not 100% done.

what. fucking. ever.

nice kick in the teeth.

hey there! so, the first 24 hours back with gigglemom have passed.

she stopped being snippy about the house. wait. i take that back... she's still growly about it, but it's more of a quiet seething than the full-fledged "tsk"-ing noises and exasperated sighs.

the visiting nurse was supposed to come tomorrow to get her all set up with someone coming in once or twice a week to take gigglemom's coumadin levels and stuff.

just got home from the Jersey City St. Patrick's Day Parade. marched with the Belmar Parade Committee and had a great time!

then we all headed over to PJ Ryan's bar (which is where we go every year after the parade)

met a lot of folks, really had a great time! will post photos later or monday...

kinda made me miss Jersey City (a little)

a few photos from yesterday --- good fun was had. We'd marched then headed to PJ Ryan's and had a really good time. met a few different folks and also, well, there's someone out there that has one of my business cards that has a photo of a clown on it... if i hear from him, swellegant. if not... dang. (Let's just say his first words of "Jesus Mary and Joseph, get in there and get your drink like the strong Irish woman you are" made me smile.) We'll see...

i didn't take an awful lot of photos - but did drag the camera out of my pocket a few times

here are more photos...

that's right... even though after walking a mile or so whilst marching in the parade and having my knee hurt afterward (it started after the Belmar Parade actually --- because I was running up and down the line up for 5 hours) I went back to the gym today after a month and a half hiatus.

my knee is kind of killing me right now but i think if i have a stern chat with it, it will come around and feel better.

i only did cardio today.

hopped on the elliptical:
12:25 minutes
1.00 miles
1783 strides
111.4 calories

then i walked on the treadmill
20:00 minutes
1.103 miles (hit 1 mile at 17:08 min, but did 3 minutes cool down at 2mph)
118 calories

then i did some stretches.

planning on going there tomorrow - i've got to get back to the weight training program i was on before... kinda trying to avoid my old trainer though... don't know why. well, other than the fact that i don't want her on my case for not training with her.

in any event, i went back to the gym. i've got 3 months until my 20th reunion in june (also am ready to get back into the dating scene without having slight panic attacks about my 70 extra pounds.)

just ran around like a chicken with her head cut off - trying to spruce the place up. okay, maybe not so much a headless chicken as a person with achy knees and allergies who is trying to pick a few things up at the asking bellowing of the gigglemom.

the visiting nurse (different one from the other day) called at 10:30am --- gm answered the phone. either she'll be here between 11 and 2pm or noon and 2pm. gigglemom forgot which.

seeing as it's 11:38am, i'm thinking after 12pm she'll show up.

in the meantime, i have to go make gm some cereal or an egg sammich

[update: i made her cereal -- special k vanilla almond with banana and 1% milk for those keeping track]

i've got to hunker down on this one client's website today --- i've taken way too long getting this puppy done. what with all that's been going on, it's kind of given me designer's block. thankfully he's been pretty understanding... but i feel like hell about not finishing things in a timely manner.

hoping to get the brain wrapped around that thing today and then also after the nurse takes gm's blood and whatever, i'll hightail it to the gym.

i am slathered with tiger balm though --- but my right knee is feeling sort of better, not 100%, but, i know that if i keep working out it'll feel better (something about the muscles getting stronger around the knee)

the bedhead i was sporting today (technically couch head since i've been back to sleeping on the couch since gm got back... just in case she needs anything. i think i'll head back up to my bed tonight - my hips and back are starting to miss the bed again) anyway, the couch head was ridiculous today -- sorry, didn't think to take photos. i really ought to start taking my morning hair photos and do a 365 bedhead set on flickr. i'd have to do it with my canon powershot. i love the nikon, but it's a pain in the ass to do quick "self portraits"

i am thinking that it might be time to get a new lil' camera. the canon i have is 4 years old. while i love it, it's getting a little haggard.

created a new batch of products... http://www.cafepress.com/gigglechick

(i probably should add my signature to my illustration.)

okay... didn't hit the gym yesterday. actually took a nap that was supposed to be about 20 minutes... wound up being 3 hours. arrrgh.

then gigglemom was saying that she was craving Shepherd's Pie --- so i went to Farrell's Stout & Steak in Point Pleasant and brought home a couple of them -- as well as irish potato soup and potato skins...

yep. i'm on a high carb diet.

i ate way too much last night... and dammit, i'm okay with that.

of course, my stomach and the toilet are not pleased with me today. (i'm just sayin'.)

i've gotta make sure i walk gigglemom today (as well as feed & water her) it's nice out, so there's really no excuse. it's been too rainy out and windy and "cold" according to her. but right now, it seems to be lovely outside.

and i DO plan on trying to get to the gym later today.

Have I mentioned that I've been trying out this YO+ (Yo Plus) yogurt by Yoplait?

I've been buying the Cherry flavoured one - it's REALLY good. really creamy, tastes awesome!

I'm not a big yogurt fan.

Of course, I will admit that I bought it after Tina Fey said "The yogurt that makes you poop. Seriously, thank you for that."

She wasn't kidding.

I bought it just to see if one feels any different after eating it (they say to eat it for 10 consecutive days before you see/feel results.)

Not for nothing, I've not had any problems in that area, so maybe i shouldn't be eating this stuff (i've only eaten one 4oz thing of it a day -- but have NOT done the consecutive days.)

Why haven't I done the 10 days in a row? Well, let's just say I had a 4oz thing of it the day BEFORE the Belmar Parade.

The day of the parade, when I was trying to line up a thousand people/pipers/schoolchildren, the YO! part of the Yo Plus hit me.

All we had to deal with were port-o-potties.

I had a heavy sweater, a parade committee sash, jeans with my ID, camera, phone, money, etc in the pockets (basically I am giving you an idea as to the ordeal it was to head into the port-o-potty)

anyway.... YO!!!! that frigging yogurt works. luckily there were bagpipes blaring nearby so they couldn't hear the echoing of the 10 minute episode that went down. yeah i am not exaggerating. 10 minutes. Dying in there.

Not to mention that it was 37 degrees out at the time my intestines began to freak out on me... I think by the time I removed myself from the commode, it was about 50 degrees outside.

I did not eat the yogurt for 2 days prior to marching in the Jersey City parade.

YOPlus + Port-o-potties = HELL.

Bottom line (and yes. the word bottom was an intended pun) I like the yogurt. It's good stuff. Just don't go marching in any parades or lining them up for 2 days after you eat the stuff.

• if you enjoyed THIS post, you might also enjoy THIS archived entry of mine.

• if you enjoyed THAT post, feel free to contemplate this question I posed in 2003 here.

apparently this chick went to my high school alma mater.

go Crimson Knights!

stupid skank.

i am aching. why? did i go to the gym?

no.

the toilet's been leaking from the tank of the toilet and i have been trying to get the farking nut unscrewed from the one side of it (i've done this before)

anyway.

the flapper thingger thing has been being a bitch for the past year and i've been having to flip the flipper so it stops running. so i had planned on fixing that as well.

anywhooooo...

the goddamned screw thing on the back of the tank was giving me guff (don't mind me, i am sort of being incoherent as i type this) and the wrenches i was using along with the screwdriver were not cutting it.

i headed over to my uncle frankie's and he lent me a bunch of vice grips

which sort of worked.

apparently i have brute strength and when i held the screwdriver down on the screw, and held the vice grip on the nut, the thing turned slightly and then a huge chip on the bottom of the frigging toilet tank happened.

my forearms are killing me.

i've gotta get a new toilet ---- which was also being bantered around recently, so i think i've gotta go do that today...

of course, gigglemom doesn't want me to install a toilet on my own. whatever. something about the wax seal and not wanting me to fuck things up.

whatever.

anyway... at the moment... no toilet in the house.

yay!!!

looking for local decent plumber and into buying terlet.

the commode has been just lovely.

luckily the plumber fella and a new toilet (and new basin for the sink while we're at it) are coming to the house around noonish or so.

it's going to cost about $750 for everything including installation... it's a kohler one that they're picking up.

i'm warming up my checkbook as we speak.

(on the plus side, i CAN just sit in the living room and watch tv as i tinkle.... i haven't, but, with the portable commode, i COULD if i wanted to. okay, technically, i WANT to, but apparently that's "disgusting" according to gigglemom)

nope, i'm not hooking. the new toilet (and porcelain basin) has been installed. it's a purty white one.

so sparkling new that it'll be a shame to use it and abuse it...

alas, i just ate a cup of the YO+ poop yogurt.

the potty isn't going to know what hit it. (the toilet brush is on standby.)

anywhooooo... glad to have this gleaming porcelain piece of art in the house and at the ready.

the plumber guy was really nice. once i get the upstairs decluttered and cleaned up, i'll bring him back to fix the upper-terlet

in the meantime, i'm going to talk to my tummy and intestines and tell them that everything's alright now and it's time for a free-for-all.

you would have thought that i drew a cartoon of Mohammad and slapped it on a t-shirt. Ladies and gents i am not totally against Obama. At the moment i am Pro-Hillary and Pro-Making Cash. (as i said in the comments in the last post... my "I wish Obama was a Muslim" design is a lot tamer than most of the crap that some people are slapping up on cafepress) and not for nothing, i didn't call Obama a Muslim. Wasn't his campaign bitching and moaning about people thinking he is Muslim??? Let's think of it as a design that reiterates that he's NOT Muslim.

As for it being against Obama... do you KNOW how many products out there are anti-Hillary with the most sexist bullshit phrases etc on them? The woman has had thousands of emails with jokes and lies about her since the internet was born. But a lie about the Muslim thing and an email with a photo of Obama not placing his hand on his chest during the Pledge of Allegiance and an email with Obama in a photo op dressed in Somali garb and everyone is raising the pitchforks and freaking out.

I am not saying that those emails are right, or that his middle name should be said as a reason not to vote for him.

But, i AM saying that if Hillary got upset over every stupid, ignorant email/image that was sent out/created about her, the woman would never leave the house.

So when people start bitching and complaining to me about my one little "I wish Obama was a Muslim" with the actual photo of Barack with that Pastor of his, not for nothing, but, I really don't have any sympathy.

I don't care for Obama. I do think he's a smart fella. I'm sure someday he'll be President --- but, at the moment, my gut feeling is not keen on him.

I trust my gut. I feed it well and in return it growls and snarls when something seems awry.

In any event....

I've created some NON-CONTROVERSIAL PRODUCTS (oh and if anyone is still whining and kvetching about my Bitch shirts, give me a fucking break. the way that people are buying them, not too many have a problem with them.)

Behold the stuff for Pennsylvania and North Carolina:

by the way, i've "hidden" the DEATH TO GIGGLECHICK / OBAMA'S NOT A MUSLIM design from the public viewing it unless they have the direct link. 'kay?

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!!!!! (and go run and tell furiousball to have a happy birthday today as well!!!)

i would post a photo of a shamrock or leprechaun or something, but, instead, i will slap the image of my latest illustration (products) up here...

hey, the green reminds me of Ireland...

*click*

have a fantastic High Holy Day!!!

just to let you know, the combination of Corned Beef, Cabbage, Red Bliss Potatoes and Smithwick's is lethal and if the gas was bottled, could be sold on the black market to take out hundreds of thousands in one fell swoop.

oh. it is bad.

i will admit obama had a good speech today, but, i am still with Hill.

so, i've created some "pro-obama" stuff. as well as other stuff...*click click click*

Cheesesteak Egg Rolls have the same effect on my body as corned beef and cabbage does. (or maybe the CB&C is still in the system, screaming to get out)

i woke myself up.

I ran out of the YO+plus on sunday. maybe that's the issue. good lord.

[Cheesesteak Egg Rolls... holy moly! First time i had 'em. it's cheese, steak and onions wrapped in the egg roll dough stuff and deep fried. probably not on the weight watchers plan. Found at Jimi's Main Street Cheesesteaks in Brick, NJ.]

tomorrow gigglemom and i are heading to my aunt toni and uncle frankie's for Easter.

gigglemom has planned on making a billion cupcakes and also a fruit cocktail cake (no idea. she's got the recipe)

in any event, i have to run to the food store and pick up the ingredients.

then i have to bring them in the house.

followed by making this stuff. yeah. she gets too winded from cooking or baking, so i will be Chef Erin today.

I really just want to go to the local bakery and pick up 2 dozen brownies and some cupcakes there. Save me some money and time... but noooooooooo...

@#$*&!

[UPDATE: I also have to bake a chocolate rum cake]

okay am back from the food store. bought cupcakes. still doing the chocolate rum cake and the fruit cocktail cake.

so in the meantime i took a few minutes and whipped up this illustration (i need to spend more time in illustrator, i forgot how much i love drawin'.)

this is neither for nor against Obama... i created it because ever since i first heard his name it reminded me of a chicken going "Brawwwk brawwwk"

**click for the cafepress page with all products**

okay... i've been making cakes for the past hour or so.

not done. still need to get the fruit cocktail cake out of the oven in about 20 minutes. right now the chocolate rum cake is cooling (as you can see in my photos) and i have to ice them both at some point before i sleep tonight.

first off... HAPPY (or dare i say HOPPY) EASTER!!!

second... it's 2am and i just spent 2 and a half hours trying to get the martha-farking icing stiff for the chocolate rum cake...

okay. yes. that was an easy softball pitch for jokes with that statement

[insert your own joke about how rum makes everything difficult to stiffen.... then insert cheesy rim-shot]

In my Easter Bonnet with all the frills upon it!!!

anyhooooooo... it' good enough. it's in the fridge... i've got the layers together (4 layers. sliced the two cakes in half.) and the MF icing/pudding in between them. i will ice the sides in the morning ---- i really didn't want to wake up to a loose pile of brown mush waiting for me in the fridge.

see how nice i am? go for it... [insert loose brown mush joke. extra points for incorporating YO+plus into it.]

the fruit cocktail cake came out alright... God only knows what that's going to taste like - it looks like it's pretty moist (i hate that word, but...) i think that's because of a pound of fruit cocktail and pineapple being poured into the batter. will make icing (that doesn't need to be stiff in the morning... yes. another innuendo. don't you know that Easter is for innuendos and double entendres?)

that said. it's now 2:09am and i need to hit the couch... erm... bed.

HOPPYNESS AND HOLINESS. HAPPY EASTER.

okay - not so much an excursion, but, whatever.

my shirt for Beri came in the mail today (YAY!!) - she has a little spring in her step now when she's wearing it. Sort of like a "Damn straight, bitches get stuff done!" type of spring.