Big “Do” ings

I’ve been busy…really busy. While I’ve been busy taking on the vendor sales world, dabbling in waiting tables, and, as always, being Mommy; I’m still working on my internet project empire.

Okay, I’m not really working that much on the website.

Fortunately, my brilliant daughter Sara has stepped in using her super-power of web-design and innovation. Hunnedo.com has taken on a new look and feel. While many of the original elements remain, Sara has pushed it to the next level.

I am very pleased and excited to see this new trajectory, I hope you will too!

Baby stingrays.

I think they are kind of cute! In a “damned” sort of way.

Lucky Otters Haven

They really do! 😮

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It’s Party Time!

I am told that it is perfectly acceptable to arrive late to a blogging party. Thank you Suzie81 for being a gracious hostess

Suzie Speaks

This week marks my two year blogiversary, and I decided that the best way to celebrate would be to invite you all to my blog party!

It has been quite a while since I last hosted a blog party, and I absolutely love them, so I’d like you all to put on your best outfits, grab a drink (mine is a Mojito for anyone that’s interested) and get your blog on! For those of you that have never participated in one before, the rules are simple:

1. Choose your favourite post from your own blog. The subject of the post can be anything you like – blogging, food, parenting, life, travel, thoughts, photography… Note: This should be only one post at a time or it will get sent straight to the ‘spam’ folder and I may not be able to find you for a while. I don’t have an issue…

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My Friday Blog Poses some questions…and other random musing

Happy Sunday Morning in the Blogosphere!

Finally, I am taking the time to catch up with the rest of the World. I took some time off yesterday because my work meeting was cancelled and the sun was out. Time to christen the lake season early. While Blondie and I parked ourselves on a beach blanket, my Mister and his buddy, Pete, were attempting to get our hibernating jet ski up and running. The jet ski needs some parts (obsolete ones at that), so the big boys were out and about in Pete’s boat. They traversed the lake to the South and picked up Blondie and I at Sunset Cove.

Riding in North Georgia

Another day in the mountains for me. This time it was for work training stores in North Georgia country.  I left home in the wee hours of the morning and saw the sunrise from Appalacia. It was a strange, foggy drive with winding roads, and a wonderful feeling when the sun decided to wake up to join me.

After I finished, I was  near my youngest daughter’s college, so we had dinner together. Then, back to the long, twisted road home. It was beautiful.

I have to confess to being a little tired tonight, so I will let the band who kept me company on the ride home close for me.

My voice is a little hoarse, not from the countless spiels I gave, but from singing at the top of my lungs all the way home.

Now I know why my Mom was so pissed…

…when we didn’t do our chores.

My Mom worked in the Emergency Room in a hospital outside of Detroit. She worked the standard hospital schedule. Seven in the morning until 3 in the afternoon, or three p.m. to eleven p.m.. She was that irritating lady who asked for your insurance and did all of the necessary evil paperwork to get sick and injured people back to see a doctor. After spending a day with delightful people yelling at and bleeding on her, she headed home sweet home.

My Granny and I were responsible for the household chores while Mom was at work. Granny cooked, I had the dishes and k.p.. After enduring a meal with four Hellions (my brothers and I having dinner contests involving not using our hands) my Granny deserved to not have to pick up another chore. Granny affectionately called us “the Devils from Hell”.

I wasn’t the best at cleaning the kitchen. I had other interests in mind. Listening to the radio, stealing and smoking cigarettes, general unspecified teen angst and getting out of chores. I hated to clean the kitchen.

Mom would come home and, whatever the hour, she would express her displeasure at my horrendous cleaning skills. I thought she was just being a bitch. My Granny gave me the nickname of “Ambitious”. I didn’t appreciate her sarcasm.

Still, it was better than my brother’s nickname of “Snake in the Grass”

Now that I am a grown up woman, I know the importance of a clean kitchen. It is both symbolic and hygienic. Why or when it became a perceived womanly art, I can’t answer. I have girlfriends who keep either an exceptionally tidy kitchen, and I know others whose dinner invitations are politely declined.  Truth of the matter? Yes, I judge. I know it’s not right, but I can’t help myself.

So, this grown woman now has a job that is keeping me away ten to twelve hours a day. And guess who is pissed when the kitchen sink is covered up in dirty dishes? Karma comes around and bites me in the ass, and deservedly so.

Sometimes, it’s little ways that we show our appreciation. I know that I show my family love when I cook and keep a clean house. When I have their favorite things waiting for them. It would have been such a small gesture on my part to have done as Mom would have if she didn’t have to work. Maybe Granny didn’t need to witness “No Fork Friday” .

The lesson that I learned is you can’t metaphorically beat people into showing their appreciation for you. Throwing things across a room is only momentary gratification, (oh so gratifying) and no one likes to do things for a bitch.  It has taken me many years to realize that I can be am a bitch.

Sometimes people show appreciation in different ways than me, I have to learn to see them.  And hire a maid.

disclaimer: not my kitchen. You can’t handle the truth

Almost Easter almost iPhone disaster

Happy Easter all!

I hope the holiday finds you enjoying your loved ones and I hope some spring finds its way to you. Today is a lovely GA Spring day, sun is out and I’ve eaten too many jelly beans.

This afternoon I’m checking in at the Little Cantina that Could, hoping that my affluent neighbors will feel like celebrating with tacos and margarita rather than the traditional ham. If not, I can hope for an early closing!

Yesterday was my day off from every job, my little family and I drove North in search of waterfalls. This is one of our favorite activities when the weather is nice and North GA and the start of the Appalacians have many waterfalls to explore. We decided to revisit Tallulah Falls and Gorge in Rabun County. We’ve been here before when my son was younger, but wanted to return when he grew to be steady on his feet and more mature to appreciate the sights.

After a quick stop at the Visitor’s Center (where they have many taxidermy animal displays)

it was down to the Gorge and the Hurricane Loop Trail we go.

Down wasn’t too bad, but you have to know that walking down 1099 stairs ascending 100 feet, you know up won’t be a pleasure cruise. The Gorge Floor trail was closed for water run-off so we dead ended at a suspension bridge.

After our strenuous trip back up, it was time to attempt another trail, the North Rim Trail that offered a great view down 750 feet into the Gorge. There is one of those viewfinders there (you know…where you put in a quarter?) My son wanted to peek and we had a quarter…It took both my husband and I to lift him and position the viewfinder. During this precarious operation, the iPhone I carried on my right hip came in contact with the iron fence. My butt knocked into the fence at the perfect angle to hit the otter box mechanism that secured my phone.

That’s right. My iPhone popped off of my butt and flew on to the wrong side of the fence.

I would show you a picture, but I was taking snaps with my phone. Fortunately, it landed on a ledge near where we were standing. Almost close enough to go get it…

This is my husband last fall when he went off the trail.

After debating about letting my husband retrieve it for less than a second, he hiked back to the visitor’s center where he fetched Ranger Jonathan. While he was gone, a group of eight college students came upon our vista and spied my phone. I fessed up that it was mine and that we sent for a ranger. I didn’t want one of them to be heroic and make an attempt. We shared a laugh, although it was a bit at my expense.

Ranger Jonathan came back with Hubs armed with a rake and a large set of tongs. The rake almost reached the phone (almost…isn’t). Our heroic ranger jumped over the spiky iron fence and used the tongs to fetch my phone. He says things like this don’t happen often, but they do happen.

Lessons Learned:

• Cardio. Got to work on that, those stairs kicked my butt.
• Leave my damn phone in the car. If my butt is so big that I can pop off my phone on an adjacent fence…then why am I eating jelly beans today?

Happy Easter to you all!

It’s 3:30 in the morning and I want a popsicle

I can’t sleep. I got out of bed this and headed for my living room, only to find a snoring little blond boy on the sofa. The Dog of Thunder followed me from his spot on the floor next to my bed to a new spot on the floor next to Blondie’s couch.

The rain outside is like the rain that you would hear on a soundtrack that one might buy to help with insomnia. The fan in the window has it’s own gentle hum that suggests a nap. Obviously, I’m not paying attention to those signs. I get to read posts in these early hours and eat the last popsicle in the house. Because sugar never interrupts sleep, right?

It is crazy to see how many of my WordPress friends are awake too. Some because of geography, others because of insomnia. The world is not a lonely place at this hour, and that gives me comfort. If I had any popsicles left, I would share.

Share a Post All Bloggers Welcome

Attention all Dragon Slayers and other cool cats, the Spring Party is over at Jason’s. You can bring your blog and your Easter Bonnet…and don’t forget your sunscreen!
I’m bringing my shameless plug for hunnedo.com and inventingreallife.wordpress.com and a nice jello salad with mini marshmallows

The Little Cantina that could (or should)

It is located in an affluent neighborhood with affluent people who should know better. A landscape that is peppered by fast food and chain restaurants, Star City Cantina’s status as an independent goes unnoticed by those who would rather drive thirty miles to eat within the Big City limits.

This wonderful place, is my home for Sunday nights. I wait tables on Sunday. I’ve found a good weekday job, but this restaurant is one I can believe in, one I want to succeed.

After work today,  my little family went there for dinner. Although I’ve tasted some of the food on their menu, to sit and enjoy it at our leisure was wonderful. For a Friday night, it wasn’t that busy, but much busier than it is on my Sunday night shift. They serve a la carte tacos and many other dishes, but I love some street tacos. I ordered one of these for my husband and I to share:

• Fried Chicken Taco
• Carne Asada Taco
• Baked Grouper Taco
• Mojo Pork Carnitas Taco
• Side of Plantains (Maduros)

I was blown away at the quality and flavor profile of these taco wonders. I would expect that kind of bang downtown. My hubs is smitten with the salsa verde, I have to bring that home with me at the end of my shift. Incidentally, all salsa are made in house. My boss, the owner, brought a big bowl of verde to our table. My boss is a really good guy.

That’s why I don’t understand. The Chili’s located a mile away has an hour wait to get in on Friday night. I think Chili’s food is crap. Who wouldn’t want to support a local independent in favor of mundane?

So, if you find yourself heading to Northern Suburban Atlanta, I know a great joint I’d like to recommend…