This Would Make Me Poo My Pants

A family were on holiday in Australia for a week and a half when husband, wife and their 15 year old son decided to go scuba diving. The husband is in the navy and has had some scuba experience. His son wanted a picture of his mum and dad in all their gear so he got the under water camera ready to go. When it came to taking the picture the dad realized that the son looked like he was panicking as he took it and gave the ‘OK’ hand sign to see if he was all right.
The son took the picture and swam to the surface and back to the boat as quick as he could so the mum and dad followed to see if he was OK. When they got back to him he was scrambling onto the boat and absolutely panicking. When the parents asked why, he said ‘there was a shark behind you.’ The dad thought he was joking but the skipper of the boat said it was true but they wouldn’t believe him.

As soon as they got back to the hotel they loaded the picture onto there laptop and that was what they saw.
 

(via yanilavigne)

Dear readers, have you ever scuba dived with sharks?  Scary. PS. Do you think this picture is real or Photoshopped? Why or why not.  I found this and agree that it is fake.

Paul Playing With Lion Cubs

This is awesome.

South Africa Beauty

Today I ask myself "Why in the hell did I not go on this trip with Paul?"

Penguins in South Africa

I kind of hope Paul brings me back one of these from his trip.

Paul in South Africa

Paul left on Monday to go to South Africa with about 7 other students from his conflict resolution program at George Mason University to study and research the conflict in South Africa and how to build national identity and unity. Paul's research is on the how sport has helped reduce conflict in South Africa.  Anyways here is what Paul sent me in an email today.

I am missing you. Traveling without you is not nearly as fun, although some of these people are already getting at each others throats - so at least that will be exciting.  The flights were not as bad as I figured they would be.  I was able to stay busy doing sudoku and reading.  Movies make the time go slower and give me headaches.  I watched the A Team, maybe that is why I had a headache on the way to Amsterdam.  I also walked laps for about an hour during the flight to Cape Town.  I'm sure that helped. 

Cape Town is a really neat city.  I kind of feel like Im in Australia except the accents are much different.  Just outside our hotel is an outdoors mall that is a lot like Rundle Mall in Adelaide with a lot more local vendors.  The people are pretty nice, but there seems to a hesitation of trust as you approach them for directions.  The weather is great, couldnt be better.  There were no clouds in the sky and about 80 degrees.  We had a slow start this morning, at least I did.  I was bright eyed at 6:00 AM with the sun, so I sat around for an hour or so until the continental breakfast was open.  Then I ate yogurt, fruit, yogurt and more fruit.  Then had a small bowl of bran flakes.  After that, I was tired of waiting for everyone (they were going to meet in the lobby at 10) so I went for a stroll.  I walked around all the government buildings and felt very safe because of all the police that patrol the neighborhood.  Took lots of cool photos that I will pass along when we get to Joburg.  We finally got together around 11 and went to the beach and was religious about putting on sunblock.  Unfortunately, I still got burned really bad - apparently the sun is still bright on this end of the world.  Maybe the sunblock I packed was past its shelf life.  Oh well.

The drastic different from sea to mountain is pretty cool.  I know we saw pictures online, but it really is breathtaking.   While on the beach, I looked at the waves and imagined surfing the waves and scuba diving, then turned around the daydreamed about rock climbing and mountain biking.  Pretty neat to have that combination.   

I love you and miss you!

I am wicked jealous. Argh. I want to be there in 80 degree weather hanging on a beach in Cape Town. No fair.

I want to Move Somewhere Warm

I want to go somewhere warm.  January and February are I think my least favorite times of the year.  After the excitement of Christmas and New Years, I feel like January and February are a big let down. Now I realize that is because I live right now where it is insanely cold, yet no snow to actually go and do something outside in the snow. If I lived in Utah or Colorado I could go snowshoeing, or skiing, or maybe cross country skiing. Instead I am just stuck in the house or made to wander the mall or something as painful because it is to darn cold to be outside.

Can someone please go somewhere warm with me?  Seriously.  I don't start school till Jan 24.  I am thinking like Hawaii minus the long plane ride.  For this reason I will post this beautiful photo. Does anyone have a favorite hot spot they like to vacation in?

Pisa

 

Saw This, which made me think of this

which made me laugh out loud! Ah to be a tourist. Got to love stupid people. Like ME!

Please share the link if you have a funny holding the tour of Pisa picture. I want to see it.

Great Minds Think Alike

Today I am grateful for Best Friends.  One of my dearest friend's birthday is this weekend-you know who you are-and I am always amazed by our similar interests. For the longest time I have wanted to post about this country farmhouse that I love. I even bookmarked the photos, which are exactly the same as the ones my friend Jo just posted on her blog Little Jo Home.  I think Jo beautifully describes one of my secret little passions, to live the quiet country life.  And then I think about all the quiet in the country and my alter ego says YOU WOULD GO CRAZY and so I dream of living in Manhattan. So there you have it.  In honor of my conflicting worlds, I give you a couple of photos.

The Emerson Farm

Check out the rest of the photo shoot of the Farm here.

And ah-Beautiful NYC

Central Park in the Winter

The beautiful Lincoln Center

Does anyone recognize this?  This is the street Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City) lived on.

(And on a side note-Jo you wear those cowboy boots with pride - cowboy boots will always make me feel sexy).

Leaf-Peeping 2010

1,776 miles driven over 12 states in 4 1/2 days

Here is where we went Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Canada (Montreal and Quebec), Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut.
full photo album

Thurs night:
left around 9:00 pm and drove until 12:00 and slept at a rest stop in New Jersey

Friday:
Headed north through New York State. Saw upstate New York which was absolutely beautiful this time of year. We drove through the Adirondack State Park, through Albany and into Canada.

Drove all around Montreal. Found a Starbucks for free wi-fi and realized that Montreal was not where we thought we were going and actually we were hoping to see Quebec City.

Ate dinner in Montreal at the most charming restaurant called Juliette & Chocolat in the hippest most fabulous neighborhood.

377, avenue Laurier Ouest
Montreal, QC H2V 2K3, Canada
(514) 510-5651
julietteetchocolat.com‎

I ordered in French. It was fabulous. We had a jambon and fromage (ham and cheese) crepe and a dulche de leche pear desert crepe. Yummy.

We got back in the car and drove 3 more hours and slept at a beautiful rest stop outside of Quebec City. Man it was cold that night in the car.

Saturday:
Drove into Quebec City. I was giddy like a school girl. I loved it. I loved the language, the people, the food, the architecture, the experience. Words can not do justice to the European quaintness of old town Quebec, but maybe photos can.

Around 2 pm we jumped back into the car to head back to the USA and drove through Maine on a small highway and past a gorgeous lake called Wayman Lake. The leaves were bursting with color.

6 hours later we made it to Portland, Maine where we ate lobster at Jay's Oysters. Neither Paul or I had even had lobster before, so it was quite comical to watch us try to figure out how to shell the thing. I will say that it was amazingly delicious, but Paul and I agree that we will never eat food again where we can still see its body as we are consuming it.

Sunday:
Woke up early to find a shower. We found a YMCA in Portland and they gave us a shower pass for only $3 a person. So off we headed to our respective locker rooms only to find out that the ladies showers were communal. I am not a nudist and felt a little awkward to shower in front of a bunch of ladies, but my pits stunk and my hair was a bit oily so I had to just do it.

We spent most of Sunday in Maine driving down the coast and looking at small towns and saw the famous Portland Headlight as posted about earlier.

We stopped in Kittery, Maine and took the dogs to an amazing park/beach where we let them run off leash. Jack kept drinking the salt water and shortly thereafter realized it didn't sit well in his stomach as diarrhea shot out of his bum. Poor Jack. I had to actually wipe his butt with a towel, it was really awesome. Paul made me do it cause he was gagging.




From Maine we headed into Salem, Massachusetts to see the famous Witch Museum. I must say I was a bit disappointed. I was expecting something more horrific and spooky. Lots of people were dressed up though, but not my favorite part of the trip.

Around dinner time we rolled into Boston. I was told we had to eat Italian food in Northern Boston and googled to find a well recommended restaurant calle Giacomos on Hanover Street. We drove past and it was packed. The line was out the door and the wait was over 2 hours. So I called them up, got the order to go in 15 min flat and we ate in the car. I would highly recommend this restaurant. We got pumpkin sage tortellini with a marscapone sauce and it was definitely enough for 2 all for $14. It was heavenly.

Monday:
Headed to Cape Cod. Found some magical deserted beach and ran the dogs for a while.

Continued to New York to see some friends and got stuck in horrible holiday traffic. Ate dinner in Westchester New York outside of the city and began our return home. We made it as far as New Jersey and slept at another rest stop.

Tuesday:
Drove home and had 6 hours of class that evening.

Wew, I am tired.
Click here for more photos (all 200 of them! Enjoy.)

Boston In the Fall

Beautiful. Have a Happy Weekend and make a yummy treat like one of these from Martha Stewart tonight. Yum.

I Want To Go On a Road Trip

I can not even contain my excitement for the fabulous East Coast Fall. I want to pack up the car and head on a Fall Foliage adventure hunt up the New England coast. No exact plans, but I have a couple of ideas.

I want to go see Salem, Massachusetts where the Salem Witch Trials were cause I hear there is a really spooky haunted house thing called the Witches Cottage and it details the evil of the Salem Witch Trials.

Also, I want to go apple picking in Sleepy Hollow, NY and eat pizza at Grimaldi's in Brooklyn and maybe walk across the bridge.

And see Boston and Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod and end up in Portland, Maine. Whew this is going to be a busy trip.


(I stole this picture from my friend Jo's Blog and I don't know where it is from--thanks Jo)

Charlie and I Went to Monticello

Click on Picture for photos and story.

Attack of the Escalator 3... Eddie Bauer

We received the refund check yesterday and a gift card for $100. Sadly not $200 like I had wished for, but hey it is $100 more than we had the day before. Paul has already gone online and found a winter jacket that he wants.

Thanks Eddie Bauer for being so efficient and easy to work with regarding this accident. If you are reading this and are unaware of what I am talking about then see

Attack of the Escalator 1
and
Attack of the Escalator 2

Have a Happy Weekend. I know we will enjoy our last weekend of freedom, we must enjoy it, because for the next 14 weeks we have grad school. Starts on Monday. Yuck and yeah-- depending on how you look at it.

Here is a yummy recipe to make this weekend.

Peanut Butter Crispy Bars. click on picture for recipe. YUM.

I want This--Scratch Map

Where have you been in the world. Buy this scratch map, grab a penny, and scratch away the countries you have visited.




Mine would have...
France, Italy, Germany, U.K., USA (Hawaii and Alaska too), Canada, Mexico, Czech Republic and sadly I think that is it.

At least Paul could add in Russia and Lithuania.

I guess I need to plan another vacation. Let's go to Greece or maybe Ireland.

Going To Another Wedding

Utah here we go again!

Paul's brother Robbie just announced that he will be getting married over Labor Day weekend, which means that Paul and I will be heading back West in 2 weeks. The wedding is a Vintage 1950's Garden Party. So now I have to find something to wear. Sarah-the soon to be Mrs. Robbie Stone-emailed me these photos as a reference as ideas of what to wear.



I know for sure that I wont wear that ridiculously gigantic bow on my head-so scratch that off the list.

I have scoured my closet and have thought that maybe one of these will work. I am posting to get your opinion. So don't be shy about the comments. Also, I am totally stoked cause maybe I can make my wedding hat after all and have somewhere to wear it. See post Wedding Hat for reference.

Wedding Hat

Outfit Options
this is really cute...is it enough of a garden party?

I just love this dress and have never worn it cause it is a bit, crazy, but maybe I could give it the right flare and wear it to a fun, garden wedding with lots of frills. Yes or no?



I could add the belt (it wouldn't stay on as it wasn't on a body)


I am not sure I like this cardigan on the dress.

Will any of these work???

Have a Great Weekend!