Rant and Rave Wednesday

Thanks to Little Ms Blogger for initiating Rant and Rave Wednesday so that I can get it all out and yet still find some good stuff too. If I want to find good stuff that is.

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Rave: I had a fabulous time checking everyone out at the Annual Willow Manor Ball. It was marvelously attended and my date, Otin, was quite the catch. Of course I think we all were quite fetching. It was fun and I can't wait until the 3rd annual Ball...

Rant: Stinkin Otin said he'd rather be there with Kate Beckinsale. Sheesh. That's okay tho, I had plenty of other dashing young highlanders lined up on my dance card.

Rave: I also found out that Otin is NOT really James Alexander Malcolm McKenzie Fraser (I think he might be Stephen Bonnet!!!). Thank my lucky stars for figuring out that one. Now I can continue my quest for the real Jamie Fraser Not some Irish/Italian thinking he can fool me into believing he's a Scottish Highlander. From the 18th Century, no less!! The nerve!


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Rant: I have these fabulous-looking shoes, they are Borns. I bought them because Borns are known to be comfortable and I have purchased in the past and they are great working on your feet all day.
However, these shoes suck. They are fine for an hour or so, but if I have to walk anywhere I'm screwed. In fact, they are so bad that the balls of my feet hurt long after I take them off. I wore them tonight for the Field Hockey Banquet and I about died. I haven't had them on for a good hour or more and I just went down to the basement to get a bottle of red (Pillar Box) and my feet still hurt!! What's the deal Born???

Rave: These are the only middle-heel black shoes I have that aren't sandals. I guess I need to go shoe shopping. Darn it all...Plus I really need some rain shoes...

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Rant: It's been raining for days on end...
Rave: I don't get out of bed to walk the dogs when it rains
Rant: Between all the rain and my working last week for my friend the dogs haven't been walked in almost 2 weeks
Rant: today I sucked it up and got out of bed and walked 2.5 miles in the rain
Rave: It only drizzled, so it was okay, and now my doggies love me again...

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Rant: I didn't want to go workout. My trainer is a she-devil.

Rave: I did it anyway. And now I feel good about myself. And she's really not a she-devil. I actually like her a lot -- after my workouts anyway.

Rave: Here's Barb working out with Snickers a couple weeks ago. Aren't they cute??



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Rant: Now I have to go pay my speeding ticket. I actually have to go to the courthouse and pay it. The reason for this is that I am a slacker. I got the ticket 3 weeks ago and didn't pay it. Today is the last day before they put out a warrant for my arrest. I really don't think I'd do well in jail. I like orange and all, but what if they made me wear horizontal stripes?? That just wouldn't do at all. Plus I'm not sure they would let me have my evening glass of wine. I am a much happier person with that.

Rave: Really, is there any thing to rave about paying a speeding ticket? I guess I can be glad that the police in my town have nothing better to do than to wait at the bottom of the hill on the highway to catch speeders leaving town.

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What are you ranting and raving about today???

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I just thought of another one:

Rant: I hate it when non-bloggers make fun of me for blogging. They just don't get it.

Rave: I am having a fabulous hair day :)

All About the Shoe Love

What is it about that perfect pair of shoes? You know the ones I mean. They are the shoes that can lift your spirits just by the sight of them. The ones that bring back memories of the perfect date. Or maybe they're the ones that inspire dreams of your perfect day, perfect job, perfect life. Whether that day is spent shopping, lunching with friends, out on the town, or the underbelly of a cruise ship, the shoes are an integral part of your life.

Recently several posts (here I'm combining everyone into the Blog Campers, actual or fantasizing, rather than name everyone) have been talking shoes. Chucks to be acurate.Yellow Chucks. As I've said before, I have purchased many pairs of Chucks in all different sizes and colors, however I have yet to own a pair of my own. Therefore I must be content with the shoes I can find in my own closet.

I don't consider myself a shoe freak. I'm not the type of woman that gets stopped on the street and asked about her shoes. However I often will stop other women and comment on their shoes, so maybe that makes me a freak after all.
I'm also not a brand hound on shoes the way I am with other things (jeans, handbags, makeup, cereal, wine...) but they do have to be decent shoes. I've bought my fair share of crappy shoes and they just don't last. But you have to admit, there is something orgasmic wonderful about buying those shoes you've been wanting needing eyeing for weeks. Actually, I do have one pair of Prada shoes. I have also purchased both Manolo's and Jimmy Choo's, but had to send them back. Europeans must have small feet!! Ahh well, at least they were mine for a day.
As a pharmacist, I am on my feet 8-10 hours a day. Very rarely during the day do I actually get the chance to sit down and give my feet a rest. Therefore, a good deal of my shoes are loafers, flats, sketchers, and sneakers. But I crave love heels. There's something about the way my legs look when I'm wearing heels that brings out my inner Audrey Hepburn. All I need is the little black dress and the pearls and I'm set.
Since yellow Chucks were the inspiration for this post, I feel obligated to show you my favorite (and only) yellow shoes.

If I were going to name brands, I'd say they were BCBG, but that's not the important part. What is important is that I was shopping with husband (and probably a couple teenagers) in Louisville, KY. I saw these shoes and they called out to me. JUMPED out at me actually. I initially wasn't going to purchase them, but I couldn't help it. I had to. These are actually the only shoes I can remember anyone commenting on...of course I was wearing pink fishnet pantyhose at the time (it's a long story, but a pretty cute costume).

These shoes (Anne Kline) were another impulse buy. It was late fall, heading into winter. I loved the red plaid, and I loved the black lace over the top. These shoes needed to be in my closet, and I needed to make them feel loved. This purchase occured probably 2 years ago. I've worn them once, but I love them and am ever hopeful of finding occasion to wear them again. Holiday party anyone?

Oddly enough, I bought these Micheal Kors shoes thinking I probably wouldn't wear them much, but I ended up wearing them several times last fall. Maybe it's the wedge shape, but they are really comfortable. Well, not pharmacist comfy, but definitely shopping comfy. And I love the brown zebra stripe. They are the perfect fall shoes, and Autumn is definitely my season. Oddly enough, I found a handbag that matches perfectly. Must be kismet.

These Coach shoes were also an accident. Well, like my mom says about me, they were a "pleasant surprise." I was out shopping with husband and teenagers and my jeans were just an inch or so too long. Like any sensible woman, I have jeans I wear with heels and jeans I wear with flats. Unfortunately, like any modern woman, I was waaay behind on laundry, so all my shorter jeans were dirty. It was making me insane with rage that my jeans kept dragging on the ground, so I went into a store, saw these, and bought them. Actually with the wooden heel I didn't think they'd be an important part of my wardrobe, but they turned out to be a great pair of shoes, and, like myself 30-something years ago, have become an integral part of the family.

Keepsake Award

Gidget from Figeting Gidget awarded me with my very first award, the Keepsake Blog Award. I am totally excited because it's nice to be validated, and we all know I need that. Thanks so so much FG for thinking of me!

Here are the rules:
1. Post a funny or sweet keepsake that tells something about you

I thought long and hard about what I should post. At first I was going to post a picture with me and my 2 kids (yes, there are 6 total, 4 of them are my Bonus children). Of all the hats I wear, Mom is by far the best. It's the hardest sometimes, and often I'll tell the girls "I quit" but, as most of you are moms (or moms-to-be) you know it is a forever job and the love is unconditional. But I figured that was too easy. Then I thought about posting a picture of Husband. Wife is also a hat I wear daily and with pride. But I have mentioned Husband in posts before, plus we all have, have had, or will have a spouse (or partner), so I decided against posting one of him. Then today the photo I wanted to post dawned on me. I spent 2 hours searching for a photo of me and my Dad. Not just any photo, but one that was taken in June 2003. I love that photo. I can't find a digital copy anywhere and it's making me nuts. Luckily I have a copy in a scrapbook so at least it's not gone forever. That photo was one of the last ones taken of the two of us before he died. I do have a few more of us from my wedding, but the wedding was about me. The photo I'm speaking of was about us. Alas. It's not here. *sigh*

However I did find one of my Mom and Dad. This photo was taken approximately 7 months before he died.
The reason why I wanted to post a photo of my Dad was because I think it tells a lot about who I am. And actually having my Mom in there adds to it as well. I am my parents child, and as they say the nut doesn't fall far from the tree. Since my dad is the one gone from this scenario I'm going to focus on him, just know that I am also very much like my Mom. Although Husband will tell you that I'm not enough like her (I don't dote on him the way my mom did on my dad). My Dad craved adventure. He was into cars, trains, airplanes, or anything that could get him from Point A to Point B. He traveled all over the world. He liked espionage. My parents were planning a trip that would take them from DC to Russia with many 'secret spy' stops along the way (think CIA, KGB and the like). Unfortunately he did not get to take that trip. He liked martini's before dinner and wine with dinner (except he liked real martinis, I drink cosmos). He was definitely a techie. We were the first people I knew that had a microwave (yes, I am that old), a cordless phone (it pretty much sucked, but we had it), a throughout the house intercom system, etc. He had a computer and a cell phone before I did. He loved his toys until the day he died. He liked kids and I remember his playing with us often, but I think he liked us much better as we got older. Well, minus my pre-teen years. They were rough on the whole family I think. I wasn't the favorite child -- I was the youngest (read: spoiled, bratty, did whatever I wanted, etc), but I am so thankful that he was proud of the woman I became. I'm not really sure I know what I believe as far as an after life is concerned, but sometimes I like to think he's watching over us. And I know he'd be proud of me, my kids (*cough* most days), and the life I'm living. So, Dad, this Keepsake Award is for you.

2. Pass this award on to 10 other bloggers you think are keepers

Picking 10 would be impossible so I have another plan. The way I see my cyber world is that there is this group of (mainly) women who I can totally relate to. This world centers around several of my favorite bloggers, and they all follow each other. Yes, I'm talking about the Blog Campers. I see these women as the center of my universe with Julochka at the helm. I have heard her referred to as the Queen of the Blogosphere (sorry I can't link that, I'm not sure who it was). Anyway, my point is that I'd be showing you all links to the same circle I think most of my readers are already in. SOOOO what I decided to do is give this award to some other bloggers that don't have quite as big a readership (I mean Jul has 821 followers!). But just know that all the blogs I regularly comment on, you guys are all Keepers as far as I'm concerned too!!

Here it goes, check them out!

Barb at Sassy & Ginger Chronicals

CBT at What is a Carbunkle Trumpet and I hope I don't get any on my shoes!

Ninja Trish at Think Tank Public Relations and Marketing I linked the post on a ninja's right to shoes...read it!

Otin at Wizard of Otin

Loredana at Escape into My Thoughts for Just a Minute