Happy Birthday to ME!

Everybody sing along now:

Happy Birthday to ME,

Happy Birthday TO ME,

Happy Birthdaaaaaaaaaaaay to MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE,

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPY Birthday, TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(hitting the high note at the end!)

Today, your fearless leader, moi, turns the big 2-9.

When I return from Milwaukee (stupid ass friends planning their wedding on my birthday weekend. I was here first!) there will be dinners at Zaytinya, karaoke (duh!,) and perhaps (if I am lucky/persuasive enough,) a trip to Medieval Times.

Hopefully someone will come home from Milwaukee to a lovely display of blue irises (her favorite!) If not, her Bestie will remember and bring some to dinner (she ALWAYS does!)

Hope you are all enjoying MY birthday! Have fun for me!!!

(Birthday) Cheers,

Sweet Bea

PS - Don't worry, I'll be back to my *slightly* less selfish self after the birthday festivities wind down and the countdown to 30 starts...

Why Tequila and Champagne are my BFFs...or why National Airport, Midwest Airlines, Alamo Rental Cars, and yes, even NASCAR, are on my bad side...

NOTE: This post was supposed to be done yesterday, but I needed some booze a day to decompress. So here it is, a day late (and 400 dollars short.)

Today, I flew to Milwaukee for a friend's wedding.

But, as with nearly all my air travel, it did not go without complications.

After staying up waaaaaay to late on Wednesday night playing on the blog and avoiding packing, I woke up at 9:00 a.m. to pack for my 2:00 p.m. flight out of National. Read: tired and cranky.

Side note: DC has 2 airports: Reagan National, just outside the city, and Dulles, about 45 minutes away (without traffic.)

Eventually I packed and showered and got ready to go to the airport. Florida took leave today so he could drive me - ain't he sweet? We decided that since he was off today we would use the day off to also get his new parking permit so he didn't keep getting parking tickets every night.

Florida drops me of at the airport and heads off to meet with my leasing agent to get the required proof of residency form that my agent said he would fill out for Florida.

I meanwhile check-in at Midwest and am informed that my flight is 15 minutes delayed.

15 minutes? No sweat!

I cruise through security (cutting my bare footsie on a shard of glass in the process...) and find a seat at my gate, get settled and comfy, and start reading Something Blue (FAB!)

A bit later I realize I haven't heard any announcement from the gate regarding the delay - which was now much more than 15 minutes late. But what I do hear is the gentleman sitting across from me talking to his neighbor, saying that the plane was at Dulles.

Dulles.

The other DC airport.

I am absolutely incredulous at this proclamation, so I decide I must head to the counter to verify for myself - because there had still not been any announcement from the gate.

Yup - plane at Dulles (DULLES!)

Nope - they have no idea when it is arriving at National.

Dejected, I return to my seat and decide a call to Mama Bea was in order. Yea, because she always cheers me up...

50 minutes later, Mama Bea and I hang up because my cell battery is somehow dying - still no info on when our plane is arriving, nor any official announcement from the gate.

I get a text from Florida:

Sorry to bug you while you're on the phone with Mama Bea, but you have to fill out the form so I need to wait until you get back to go to the DMV.

Wait - what??

Leasing agent SPECIFICALLY said that HE (leasing agent) would fill out the form and notarize it as he is a notary public (I think it what it's called.) And now he says that I have to fill it out?

So of course, I call the leasing agent and leave a very terse message: I am at the airport getting ready to board my plane (lie) and you need to call me back immediately to resolve this issue as you said you needed to fill out the form and notarize it.

Leasing agent calls back and informs me that no, my information (gotten from him!) was wrong and I actually had to fill the form out, sorry! (HATE my leasing agent.)

I call Florida back and just say - fill out the form with my info and sign it. I am not waiting to deal with this on Monday, and he needs the permit TODAY.

Oh, and still no announcement from the gate.

30 minutes later, Florida sends me this text:

I need a copy of your license before I can get the permit. And a copy of the lease with your name on it.

I swear I about lost it and replied with:

If ONE MORE THING goes wrong today I am going to SCREAM!

My plane is now 3 hours delayed (and was supposed to be touching down in Milwaukee and my magical plane was at the WRONG AIRPORT!) and Florida can't get the permit that we need today so he doesn't get any more tickets...I was about to lose it.

I finally hear an announcement that we are boarding (hmm, no one ever announced that our plane had arrived, but sweet!) I push through the line because I am in Row 9 and that is what the are boarding, and hand the agent my boarding pass.

She tells me I need to go to the next gate.

Huh??

Apparently they have CHANGED GATES. Awesome. Several people around me also then go to the "correct" gate, where they are boarding as well.

The idiotic boarding agent (who at this point is being so incredibly rude it was unbelievable. Lady - if you make an announcement, people won't individually come up to you every 5 minutes to find out what's going on. Not hard...) rudely takes my ticket while saying (not over the loudspeaker) that this is the final boarding call for our flight. What an idiot. No one can hear you! No one is here to board!

FINALLY on the plane I start to stress about getting a rental car when I land in Milwaukee. Yes I should have reserved online but frankly I was only home for one day and had to work most of it and then ran errands the rest of it and it slipped my mind. Sue me.

There is a fresh wad of gum on the floor directly in front of my seat - right where my feet or purse would go. Awesome.

Trying to ignore the horrible children sitting in the row in front of me shaking their seat so much that I literally couldn't read my book that was sitting on the tray table (and trying with all my might to not 1) yell at them/their mother, 2) punch the back of their seat to get them to stop) I looked at the drink menu.

I do not drink (on planes.)

I hate to fly, and I learned early in my aviation career that Bea + plane booze = a vocally terrified, neurotic, paranoid Bea. Not good.

But Jack Daniels looked mighty, mighty good to me right then.

Luckily for me and my still-full wallet, bu the time they came around (much too late in the flight, in my opinion) I just got a Diet Dr. Pepper and waited patiently for the baked on board chocolate chip cookies (pretty much the only reason I fly Midwest.)

Once I had cookies in my tummy, things started getting better. I finished Something Blue (the book I STARTED at the airport!) and set about playing with my ipod and doing the crossword.

Pretty quickly, we landed. Sweet Lord, I am finally in Milwaukee.

I get my bag (2 rows behind me in the overhead bin...a total plane pet peeve of mine. Don't put your laptop/purse/coat in the overhead bin!) and take off to the rental car area.

Now, I just rented a car in Florida last weekend through Budget, and I have a coupon for a free weekend day rental, yay! I also have a coupon for $15.00 off through Alamo, double yay!

I decide to forgo the line at Budget and go next door to Alamo...where I am promptly told I cannot use my coupon because I don't have a reservation. Who cares if I made a reservation!

I huff off to wait in line at Budget. After waiting a few minutes, I realize that their sign saying Cars Available wasn't to be seen. I hear an agent on the phone with a customer saying something about NASCAR being in town...and I start to panic (It's not even real NASCAR - it's Busch Series...like the minor leagues of racing. Stupid stupid Busch Series!)

I look at my Budget coupon - also needed advance reservation.

Shit. Now what?

I saunter back over to Alamo with my tail between my legs, and request a car (their Cars Available sign was up.)

My cost (without any additional coverage or anything): $400.

$400!

For the exact same car I rented in Florida last weekend for under $100.

WTF?

I grimace and realize I don't have a choice, and fork over my debit card.

The agent, Nancy, asks for the printout of my return flight.

HUH? Yea...I don't have that.

She (not terribly) politely informs me that without proof of a return flight I can't use my debit card. SO stupid.

I ask her how I was expected to go about getting her a printout of my return flight. She responds that I needed to go the Midwest ticketing area and have one of them print out my return flight information.

Yea...right. That ain't happening. I just spent over 3 hours dealing with awful Midwest people...am NOT going to deal with another.

I very angrily throw my credit card at her (yes I know I am not being mature but I was PISSED!) and she informs me that my card says it was not authorized to be used.

You have GOT to be kidding me!

I yank back my card and dial the stupid credit card company to raise hell because I already activated this new card! There is no reason this shouldn't be working.

Meanwhile Alamo Nancy has called for backup, and one idiot boy has decided that talking to me while I am CLEARLY on the phone with the credit card company is a wise idea. He informs me that if my card was declined they can't run it again for 24 hours.

Shiiiiit.

I tell him that my card wasn't declined - it wasn't authorized, and that they would be running it again as soon as I was off the phone (take THAT Alamo Nancy and friends!)

Sure enough, 5 short minutes later, $400 was dumped onto my newly-reactivated credit card and I was angrily storming out to get my stupid car.

Ironically, the car is bright red, and I was red with anger.

Finally I get to my friend's house and we head off to dinner where we are approached by 2 ladies bearing Jose Cuervo Platino tequila shots. Yes, please! (PS what is it with me and tequila lately? I HATE tequila! But recently it has been soo good!) It is apparently a very exclusive tequila...but I'll tell you exactly what it tastes like:

Regular Tequila + water = Platino.

I told the girls this...they didn't look happy. But it was terrible - and my tablemates all agreed with my assessment. Sorry tequila girls, your shit sucks. Not my fault.

(Not to say I wouldn't have taken another shot has they given me more free booze...)

Next I decided to order the cava, but they were out, so they subbed in some very yummy champagne, which I downed elegantly sipped a few glasses one glass of.

Finally the wave of booze calm washed over me and I sunk back in my seat and remembered how much I love being in Milwaukee!

So today, I am feeling much better (save for the minor headache) and am looking forward to tonight's wedding - even if it is cold and rainy and the wedding is outdoors...

I'm sure there is more I am missing, but I need to hop in the shower to get ready for the wedding!

Wishing you all a fantastical weekend and blue, sunny skies!

Cheers,

Sweet Bea

Badger? I don't need no stinkin' Badger...

...not when I've got this guy on my arm:


You'll have to trust me that he looks a LOT hotter when his face isn't all blurred out :) I must also admit that I looked very nice last night myself - my skin wasn't acting up too bad (nothing that 5 poundsa little of cover-up couldn't hide, at least) and I had dark smoky eyes and pale glossy lips. My hair looked pretty fab too - I have thick curly hair naturally (don't believe me, eh?? It's true!) and since it was rainy I knew straightening it was going to be out of the question. So, I curled it, poofed up the front part (my face is round so I need the height!) and pulled the rest back into a ponytail that I pinned up. And then sprayed the crap out of misted ever so gently with super soft hold hairspray.

Needless to say, I got tons of compliments on my outfit and look both at the dinner and the BBQ...it actually became a little uncomfortable after a while...but it was nice to be seen as a girl instead of just one of the guys for a change, ya know? (Didn't hurt that I overheard several people talking to Badger and around him about how good I looked. Suck on that, Badg!)

Am I being perhaps a bit immature? Of course. But I don't care. He needs to realize what he threw away. And I'm MORE than happy to remind him.

The best part of the evening - and the part I was most concerned about beforehand - was how the people who are our (Badger and my) friends would react to having all 3 of us in the same place. They all love Florida and he's one of those guys who chats with anyone and ends up having the most random conversations with whomever he meets...not at all clingy. But the birthday twins, who were hosting the BBQ, are also some of Badger's closest friends and former roommates...so I was very worried that they wouldn't be as warm to Florida as they usually are, because Badger was there. (Does that make sense? It does in my head...but I'm not sure if I'm expressing it correctly.) But my worries were for naught - they didn't treat him any differently at all, which was great.

Anywho, unfortunately Florida is leaving for Salt Lake City tomorrow morning to advance a Drill Team trip there for a few days, so I'll be all alone. Tear. Luckily, softball season starts on Monday and we had a scrimmage against another Hill League team and beat them 24-1...so I'm hoping this is the year the Natty Boh's make the tournament!! :)

Happy Saturday evening to you all, sweet friends - and thank you for the kind words about Badger and not making me feel bad for needing to be vain for a bit. I appreciate it, and ya'll!

Cheers!

Sweet Bea

PS - did anyone watch the Derby??? What a crazy awesome finish! Mama Bea and I watch the Derby together every year, via phone...but she didn't get home in time from a First Communion to watch with me...boo. It's only the 2nd year we've not watched it "together." Our dream is to go to the Derby one year...alas.

Old love, new potential love

Today is April 4th.

It is Mama and Daddy Bea's anniversary. They have been married for 45 years - can you believe it??

(Don't judge me, but I had to use the trusty laptop calculator to do the math...)

I'm so lucky to have them as a model and inspiration for how I want to live my life.

And speaking of new potential loves, FLORIDA GETS HOME TOMORROW! WHOO HOO!!!!

I am so incredibly excited to see him I can barely contain it!

Since he is a potential new love, and the relationship is blossoming, I decided to share some of my favorite blossoms with you - DC's famous cherry blossoms! (Lame segue, I know...) These pics are a few years old...I just haven't been able to get to the trees this year, and it has been so rainy and windy these past few days, I'm afraid they are almost gone already. The cherry blossoms are so fleeting...I suppose that adds to their beauty in a way - they are a brief reminder to live life as it comes, because it could all be gone tomorrow.

my personal favorite :)

the Tidal Basin with the Washington Monument

closer shot of the Washington Monument.
(See all the people underneath the tree? It is PACKED!)

the White House through the trees, and more tourists
(I've always wanted to get a paddle boat during the festival!)

the Jefferson Memorial, or as Mama and Daddy Bea like to call it, the Standing Man.
(The Lincoln Memorial is, therefore, the Sitting Man.)

Side note: If you live in the DC area, go to Giffords Ice Cream NOW. They have Cherry Blossom ice cream and it is HEAVEN!

Hope ya'll are having a wonderful Saturday afternoon!

Cheers,

Sweet Bea

PS I have to share a random memory with you. It was my first year in DC and the bestie and I were driving into the city from our apartment in Alexandria (about 20 minutes away.) I think we were going to look at the cherry blossoms maybe? I can remember what we were doing...but we ended up spending 3 hours in the car and couldn't get to where we were trying to park...and somehow just got dumped back on the highway headed towards home. BUT, the windows were rolled down, the weather was warm(ish) and we had Fleetwood Mac blasting in the car. It was a wonderful day.

It was, however, very similar to when we tried to have Ethiopian food around the same time - but that's another story for another day, sweet friends. Needless to say, Bea and Bestie are much better with directions after living here for over 5 years. :)

My 25

Like Ms. Mindless, I keep getting tagged, so I decided to post my 25 random things. Enjoy!

1) I love to cook. I love to make intricate things...but my roommate had to teach me how to scramble eggs last week

2) I am fiercely loyal to my friends, relationships, and jobs, even when it is to my own detriment

3) My mother is one of my best friends, but she drives me absolutely insane sometimes

4) I was adopted when I was a baby

5) I am Persian and Irish, with an adopted German last name, which in Hindi sounds like the word "love"

6) I have a horrible weakness for dark-haired, blue-eyed boys. Please keep them away from me

7) I have a little brother who is brilliantly smart - he's the reason I passed calculus. I call him Stupes :)

8) I am a state champion in Parliamentary Debate. Which basically means, don't argue with me, as I will make you cry

9) Speaking of debate, I chose Arizona State partially because that is where my coach Kevin went to college. He died when we were at Nationals my first year. Debate is what got my life on track (and it's fun to make people cry)

10) I'm not a huge movie person...I often say "ooh I want to see that" and then never, ever watch it. The one movie I watch any and every chance I get is Love, Actually. I watch it every night as I fall asleep over Christmas, because I'm a hopeless romantic and I love the airport scene in the beginning. It is actually filmed at an airport, and they are real scenes of people greeting each other - not actors or scripted

11) Children annoy me greatly, and I don't plan on having any. Mom swears that will change when I meet "The One" but I'm not so sure

12) I can be ruthless in getting what I want. I'm always respectful, but I don't back down until the job is done and I've emerged victorious. It really sucks to be on the other end of that...

13) I am horribly allergic to cats

14) If I were to leave DC, I would move either to LA or Wisconsin. I would not move back to the Bay Area. I lived in WI in 06 and fell in love with it...

15) ...but I HATE being cold and my goal in life is to live on a beach

16) I am apparently very clumsy. I dislocated my ankle 2 years ago while walking in heels, dislocated my hip at the Inaugural concert 2 weeks ago (still no sure how I managed that,) and fell on the ice last week and ended up with a concussion and bruised tailbone

17) I am a blogger [this was done for Facebook...ya'll get an extra one at the bottom!]

18) In the summertime, you can often find me with a bottle of Moscato sitting on my front stoop, watching the world go by

19) I am a karaoke FREAK. I love to sing, and I have no shame. I qualified for a karaoke contest this summer, and took summer. While I won the crowd portion, I decided not to sing on key that night. Le sigh... :( I took second place and won a guitar. First place was a Mexican cruise...and I really needed a vacation

20) Speaking of vacation, I've actually never been on an a vacation without my parents...

21) I love country music, classic rock, and good, loud, smoky Southern rock

22) And whiskey and water

23) I love pearls and try to wear some every day. It's very interesting when I'm at a dirty dive bar listening to some dirty Southern rock, drinking whiskey, and sporting a double strand of pearls.

24) My favorite flowers are blue irises and I love that my neighborhood has some of the most amazing iris gardens

25) Teams I love: Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Arizona State Sun Devils, Wisconsin Badgers, KU Jayhawks, and NASCAR's #26 Jamie McMurray. Teams I hate: Florida Gators, University of Southern California, Oakland Raiders, New York Yankees, New England Patriots, any team from Pennsylvania, and the Busch brothers. I'm sure there are many more, but those are the top ones.

And for my sweet bloggy friends:

26) I love laminating machines. I've been known to laminate my NCAA Tournament bracket so it doesn't get destroyed, and carrying it around with me at all times. I once also laminated the bracket of the Congressman I was working for, because he was going overseas on a trip and I wanted to make sure his sheet didn't get messed up :)

Tis all for my, sweet friends!

Cheers!

Sweet Bea

I've been TAGGED!

Yay! More fun games to play!

Katie, a new bloggy friend, over at A Hokie and a Wahoo tagged me in a Q&A game.

Here are the rules:

Step 1: respond and rework—answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own.

Step 2: tag—eight other un-tagged people.

1) What are you wearing right now? Well,it's noon on a Saturday and I am already awake, out of bed, showered and dressed! This is a big achievement for me on any Saturday, and since I don't go to sleep until like 3:00 a.m. last night I'm quite proud. Yay me!

2) What's the last thing I read/ are currently reading? He's Just Not That Into You. My bestie from college, KJ, made me read it while I was visiting her in AZ on my way back to DC from the campaign trail. As my relationship with Badger was literally held together by a thread. I finished it on the plan to DC, and needless to say, I was trying to claw my way through the plane window and jump somewhere over Oklahoma because I think I realized what I had feared through the campaign: Badger had fallen out of love with me.

3) Do you nap a lot? No, not usually, because I can't just take short naps...my naps turn into mini sleep sessions and I always wake up groggy. Now, if it's the weekend and there is no reason for me to try and keep by sleep cycle in proper working order, there is nothing I love more than an afternoon nap.

4) Who was the last person you hugged? My bestie when she brought me home from the hospital!

5) What's your current obsession/addiction? Umm, other than boys? :) I'm kinda obsessed with Lidia's Italy and Lidia's Family Table, on PBS/WETA. I don't have cable (grumble grumble) but we have 5 PBS stations...so I watch the WETA Create channel nearly all day and night. I'm sure my roommate hates me but whatever - she doesn't want to get DirecTv so this is her punishment. Oh - and Facebook.

6) What was the last thing you said out loud? "Why the hell are you calling me?" to my phone as it was ringing, and the name Roger Williams came up on callid. RW was a boy I "dated" during my internship out here...don't know why the hell I dated him other than that I was sad that LOML was heading off to a Teach for America site and hadn't paid much attention to me after I moved out here (turns out he had a girlfriend, whoops!) and RW was the cutest guy in my program. There were, I think, 5 guys TOTAL in the program, fyi. Ugh. He's in the Air Force and while my internship was 5 YEARS AGO he's decided that he wants to call me to randomly check in lately. He did it once on the campaign when I was driving home from work at 10:00 p.m. (which would have been 1:00 a.m. had I been in DC, where he probably thought I was) and just wanted to say hello and catch up. Clearly I didn't have his phone number anymore, but thought it could be a reporter, so good little worker Bea answered the phone. Ugh. Turns out he's stationed in NorCal and "wanted to meet up and hang out." I said "I'm on a campaign. I work 14 hour days, 7 days a week. I do not "hang out." Sorry." SUCH a biatch but I don't care if I ever talk to this guy again, eew. Sorry...had to share :)

7) What websites do you always visit when you go online? My Blogger dashboard to see who of you lovlies has posted something new for me to peruse, J. Crew, and Facebook.

8) What was the last item you bought? Well the last thing I paid for was my pain meds, but technically my bestie bought them for me. Last thing I personally purchased was groceries that now I can't use because it hurts to bend over and reach into the fridge. And a bottle of Moscato and a 6-pack of Leinies...neither of which I can drink since I can't drink alcohol on the meds. Woe is me.

9) What is your most challenging goal? Getting Mother Bea to be proud of me and to stop nagging me about everything. She's actually getting much better since this post.

10) If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished- anywhere in the world, where would it be? THE BEACH! A beach where it stays warm all year round, there the water is warm and clear. Perhaps on an island. I would be perfectly content living on a beach and owning a beach bar where expats come to tell tales of their political days. That would be heaven.

11) Favorite Vacation spot? Well...I have a confession to make. I've never really *been* on a vacation. I went with my parents when I was a kid (and when I was in college because they refused to admit that I really didn't need to look at colleges up and down California for my little brother...) but I've never had a grown-up vacation anywhere. But - I imagine my favorite vacation spot would be a beach, somewhere warm year round. :)

12) Say something to the person who tagged you: Katie I love that when I read your posts, I can see myself telling the stories out loud. Particularly the post about how you and Ryan met. I think we would be real-life friends, indeed!

13) Name one thing you just can't resist no matter how bad it is for you: Brown haired boys with blue eyes. In particular, a brown-haired, blue-eyed boy named 1T. I melt anytime I see him, even though the results are usually disastrous.

14) You are on the Oregon Trail. How are things going? (OMG who cam up with this question?? HILAR!) Things are going well, thanks! I'm a pretty darned good hunter, so we have plenty of food. My oxen are holding up well, as is my wagon, and it's pleasant outside here in Independence. Jolly good day for a wagon ride, I think!

15) Favorite pair of shoes you keep going back to over and over, even though your closet is over flowing with a zillion others? Ooh, tough. In winter, my Uggs. In summer, my KKG flip flops from freshman year of college (nearly a decade ago.) They have light blue straps with dark blue KKG embroidered on them...and while the light blue ain't really that blue anymore, they are so unbelievably comfortable that I lived in them on the campaign.

16) Name one thing you can not live with out: My laptop. It keeps me connected to everyone and everything.

17) Has a celebrity's haircut ever influence you on your own hairstyle? Certainly - I can admit it. Last year I had an angled bob, aka the Posh. It was longer than hers and not as severe...but it was pretty cute.

18) What is your most embarrassing moment? You mean, other than falling on the ice and causing a rukus? Update on that: I was talking to my friend who lives in the building next to me about what happened...turns out she was driving by and saw all the firetrucks and ambulance taking care of me. HAHA!

19) NEW QUESTION: What brought you to blogland? For me, it was my friend Lulu...I read her blog and thought "that looks like fun, and like she's met a ton of great people. Maybe I should try it!" And just like that, Sweet Bea was born! :)

And who shall be tagged this time around?

Freck

KAG

Kate

ASC

Megan

Liana

Daisy

Oh, Mother!

I love Mama Bea. I really, truly do.

But I swear that woman can drive me crazier than anyone else I know.

Just now, I was whining to her about how annoyed I am with all the Inauguration stuff. I mean, I'm so excited for our new President and excited to be in DC for this historic occasion...but seriously - it's a hassle for those of us who actually live and work here (not that I have a job yet...which is another grumble for another post.)

My friend from high school (really, elementary school) KT is coming down from Connecticut for the Inauguration...but we don't have tickets to anything so I'm not really sure what she wants to do or see while here...AND I don't know how she's going to get here from the airport in Baltimore on Monday night since my car is out of commission. AND she doesn't want to go to a ball, which annoys me greatly because I really, really do.

So I'm telling Mama Bea this, and she says that I should leave KT at home to watch TV if I want to go to a ball and she doesn't.

Which is ridiculous - I would never do that! That would be so rude...and I *TRY* very hard not to be rude to people.

Anywho, I ask her to please stop nagging, and she gets all pissy about how no one listens to her opinions or cares about her feelings...and how she is "dealing with so much and what I am finding is no one cares or is supportive of me." And then she leaves.

Sigh...I just can't deal with her sometimes! All she does is judge the decisions I make or my opinions and thoughts on things.

AND - I wasn't asking her opinion about the situation...I was just VENTING to her! Shouldn't I always be able to vent to my mom?

BAH!

>:(

ON a super-fun note however, I just heard that one of my buddies is in town for Inauguration and we're all getting together tonight, so I've got that going for me, which is nice.

Hope everyone's Saturdays are cheerier (and warmer - holy crap it's warmer in Madison than it is in DC right now!!!) than mine!

xoxo,

Sweet Bea

TAG! I'm it!

YAY! My first tag! In the holiday spirit, its a Candy Cane tag, courtesy of Lulu (double yay!)

The instructions are to Copy, Paste, Answer, Add a Question, Tag the 3 bloggers with the most recent updates on your blog feed/roll, let them know they've been tagged in a comment, and learn about your fellow bloggers.

So...here are the questions and my answers:

1. What is your favorite Christmas Movie? It's a tossup between White Christmas and Love Actually. Daddy Bea and I always watch White Christmas together, so it always makes me think of him. When I first watched Love Actually I wasn't crazy about it, but I watched it again and absolutely fell in love. Poor Brother Bea has to put up with me begging to borrow his copy (yes, HIS copy. I don't own either movie!) every single night when I'm home for Christmas (so I'll start begging him on the 22nd of this month.) The other sleepless night I was actually Googling Vera-Ellen, one of the female leads in White Christmas because she was such a beauty and was so under appreciated in her time. Very, very sad.

2. Favorite Christmas Song? Ummm, is it wrong that it's again a tie...this time between Santa Baby and Do you Hear What I Hear? I also love David Bowie & Bing Crosby's version of Little Drummer Boy. Tee hee :)

3. Favorite Holiday Memory? Hmmm, this one is tough. It would have to be the last Christmas where my whole, tiny family was together, before Grandma Bea went into the care facility and my cousin Jean passed...Christmas 2006. There was nothing particularly memorable about it per se, but we were together and it was just very, very nice.

4. What is your favorite cookie/treat to make? If I made them, it would be gingerbread men. I just love them!!! But we try not to have too many cookies and treat in the Bea household (NOT your dear Sweet Bea's idea!)...

5. Have you ever made an igloo? Umm, no? I'm from Northern California...and not the part that has snow, sorry :(

6. Do you love Starbucks? Not particularly. I don't drink caffeine, but I do like their spiced cider. I am, however, a HUGE fan of Wilson's in Racine, Wisconsin. Our 2006 campaign office was next door-ish and we were constant visitors. Their decaf soy chai latte was to DIE for...I've never had one so good in my life. Their teas were excellent, and THEY were wonderful people. I miss it! :(

7. What makes the perfect Snowman? Again...being from NorCal I would have to say snow? I've never made a snowman, unfortunately. Even here in DC we don't get enough snow for a snowman...just snowballs, which are very fun to make. I suppose I could make mini-snowmen next time??

8. Maids a-milking...(for some reason, no #8!)

9. Best gift you have ever received? Jeez, these are hard! I've had many Christmases in my advanced age! Let's see...best gift ever was probably my diamond earrings from Daddy Bea. They aren't big, but they were the first real jewelry I ever received from anyone, so they mean a ton. I wear them every single day (which reminds me, I need to buy some jewelry cleaner!)

10. What is the snowman's name on Rudolph? FROSTY, duh! Right? I mean, it must be Frosty? Those claymation or whatever movies frighten me...

11.Silver or Gold? In terms of what??? This is a trick question! In terms of decorating? Gold. (more like champagne gold, not gaudy gold.) In terms of jewelry, silver colored jewelry.

12. What is your favorite Christmas decoration? OMG I just found it on Friday too! When I had to spend Christmas here in DC a few years back, Mama Bea sent me all my ornaments...so all the Barbie collectibles that my relatives (who I think refuse to believe I grew up...) send me every year, and all the other ones that are "mine." But I don't do family keepsake ornaments and things like that...I like an incredibly polished tree, with white lights and ivory & champagne ornaments, ivory silk ribbons with gold trim, etc. So needless to say, the ornaments that Mama Bea sent me sit in their boxes year after year (apparently her idea of cleaning is shipping me things I don't want.) BUT - there is a vintage cardinal with paisley wings that I absolutely ADORE. It it meant to be clipped on to a branch or garland, not hung. I love, love, love this cardinal. So Mama Bea sent me that too, and it is the only thing that made it out of the big box of other ornaments that made it to the holiday party on Friday night. I'll take pics of it so ya'll can see and post back later.

Photos from Christmas 2004

13. What's your Christmas decorating style? Oh...well sugar! I should have read the questions more closely before answering the last one! Well, my decorating style is pretty traditional - I love fresh greens and soft colors and white lights. Very classy, very elegant, and very simple. OH and I LOVE wrapping presents in matching papers...this year I'm thinking toile with a gingham ribbon (I saw it in a commercial...don't remember what it was for...and I loved the look!)

14. Do you hang stockings? Yes...if Mama Bea can find them (its always an interesting hunt!) We've had the same ones since we were little, but Brother Bea's name is spelled wrong (well, they shortened his name, which we don't do in our family.) They are hand knitted, and soft and fuzzy. Just perfie! :)

15. How many days do you celebrate Christmas? Well I tend to put on the holiday songs the day after Thanksgiving and keep the tree up through New Year's at least. One year, however, I remember Mama Bea not putting the ornaments away until we needed the dining room table for Easter... (she'd KILL me if she knew I wrote that!)

16. What was your favorite ornament on the tree as a child? Oh this one is so easy. We have these thin metal ornaments that have very intricate, almost lacy, patterns cut into them, in gold, red, and silver (one color each.) There is one that is a box and you can actually open the box and put something into it. That was always fun to look for that ornament and see if there was anything in it (even though we couldn't touch it yet.)

17. Where will you be spending this Christmas? I'm going, going, back, back, to Cali, Cali :) I feel like I JUST left...but Mama Bea STILL likes to guilt me about Christmas 2004 when I stayed here...

18. When you do open presents? We open our ornament from June (family friend) on Christmas Eve night, stockings Christmas morning before parents get up (though these days I'm usually the last one up!) and then main presents once the whole family is together, but before "breakfast" (tee hee, usually around noon!)

NEW QUESTION 19. What is your favorite Christmas tradition? On Christmas Eve, we eat crab and chili with French bread. From what I remember, my godfather "Uncle" Ian's family used to do this, and somehow the tradition was passed from their family to ours (but I could be wrong about that.) On Christmas night, we eat "plum" pudding that Grandma Bea used to always make until a few years ago. I think it is supposed to be made with plums, but she couldn't find them one year, so she used persimmons, and its more like a loaf than a pudding. And then we have hard sauce (a thick, stiff rum & powdered sugar sauce.) And when she used to make it ooh-whee was it STRONG! Mama Bea has tamed the rum sauce a but, unfortunately. And the rule is: no hard sauce without pudding. But sometimes sneaky lil Bea's like to forage in the fridge for a nip of the hard sauce :)

Because I'm still new to this whole world o' blogging, I'm only going to cheat and only tag one lady: Newly Wed, Newly Bred.

Hope you all had a wonderful, fun, and safe weekend and a fantastic week! I just moved today, so I'll try to get some pictures for ya'll (now that my camera connector has been more-or-less located!)

Cheers,

Sweet Bea

Funny email of the day

This comes from Mama Bea, and was sent to her by her Bible study friend. I just couldn't resist - I would have laughed out loud but was afraid of waking up the faux-roomies :) This absolutely, and appropriately, tickled me!

There is a factory in Northern Minnesota which makes the Tickle Me Elmo toys. The toy laughs when you tickle it under the arms.

Well, Lena is hired at the Tickle Me Elmo factory and she reports for her first day promptly at 8:00 am.

The next day at 8:45 am there is a knock at the Personnel Manager's door. The Foreman throws open the door and begins to rant about the new employee.

He complains that she is incredibly slow and the whole line is backing up, putting the entire production line behind schedule.

The Personnel Manager decides he should see this for himself, so the 2 men march down to the factory floor. When they get there the line is so backed up that there are Tickle Me Elmo's all over the factory floor and they're really beginning to pile up.

At the end of the line stands Lena surrounded by mountains of Tickle Me Elmo's. She has a roll of plush Red fabric and a huge bag of small marbles.

The 2 men watch in amazement as she cuts a little piece of fabric, wraps it around two marbles and begins to carefully sew the little package between Elmo's legs.

The Personnel Manager bursts into laughter. After several minutes of hysterics he pulls himself together and approaches Lena.

'I'm sorry,' he says to her, barely able to keep a straight face, 'but I think you misunderstood the instructions I gave you yesterday...'

'Your job is to give Elmo two test tickles.'

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I just couldn't resist!

Cheers,

Sweet Bea