Trans Siberian Orchestra

Each year we go to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra we think "wow, that was the best show yet!". This year was no exception to that rule. In fact, this was the first year the Bradly Center SOLD OUT. They were SO rockin' this year that they even had one of these guys make a special appearance to crank out some tunes.

There's something for everyone at these shows. Yes, even those that don't like Christmas music will probably enjoy TSO.

I don't know how they're going to top it next year.

New Year's Resolutions

So what are YOUR New Year's resolutions?

Ride more? Eat Less? Drink more? Drink less? Continue to hide from the law? Become a "better person" (who defines 'better'??).

Let's hear them. This will be for my entertainment. . . .and then I'll pick the REALLY good ones and make those mine too (maybe).

Merry Christmas

We have no children. . . .what else do I have to do on Christmas Morning but wish you all a Merry Christmas? I think I'll go back to bed now.

Looking Back

Last night we did a night ride at Blue which once again proved to be a good time. Only a couple casualties. . . . . nothing TOO serious. We were out about 1:43 and came home to stuffed shells for dinner. Delicious!

I'm an "organized" fitness freak, with a spreadsheet that charts my workout plans, my weight, my fatigue level, my stress level and my sleep. As I input my workout last night I commented to Bill how "funny" it was that I was putting a "3" down for fatigue (on a 1-5 scale - 5 being the worst). Looking back just about all my workouts have been 3's recently, which is odd because I haven't BEEN working out! It's sad when you lose your fitness. . . . .every workout seems 10 times harder than it really is.

As I flipped back to October and November, I see a sad, SAD trend. Two months full of 4's and even 5's in ALL categories, low workouts hours, lots of "off" times. . . . . .no wonder December's workouts seem SOOOOO hard!

This will be my lowest year in terms of hours on the bike since I started riding. Much lower mileage, much lower time training, higher fatigue & stress. . . .but lower weight, if that counts for anything. :-)

2007 is just around the corner and yet I still don't know what it will bring for me. A full WORS season? A GOOD WORS season?? Mediocre at best??? Or will the body turn around and this will be the year I rock out? Given it's already almost the end of December. . . I don't see that option on the horizon for 2007. But I'm learning to live my life for the day and not worry about the future as much. It's not an easy transition for me to make. . . .but as long as I WANT to be on my bike (which I do) and as long as I CAN be on my bike (even if only for half the time as in years past) really. . . .that's what it's all about. Maybe the "results" won't be there again. . . . .but if it's still FUN, I think I'm in.

Spring?

Is it time to start racing yet?
Geez, I hope I'm ready when Spring rolls around.


Until then, I think I'll eat another cookie. . . . . . ."bulk up".

Let's go hiking!

After 2 hours on the road bike Saturday, the body wasn't going to appreciate another bike ride, so we decided to go hiking.

The virgin showed up with a dead animal on her head. . . . . .
There's something to be said for having athletic friends. When one says "let's go hiking", you know it isn't going to be a simple "walk in the park". When everyone breaks out their water bottles to take along to "hydrate" you know it's going to be a "HIKE".

We thought about jumping into this buggy about 45 minutes in to the hike, but there wasn't enough room.


So we held out and managed to "climb on!" with a few photo opportunities in between.

The girls. . . . .


The boys. . . . .

Two hours later we arrived back at the parking lot at New Fane. A bit tired, hip flexors screaming (at least mine were), and ready for a nap. We all broke a sweat. . . . .some of us even hit our LT (or so it felt like). See, cross training can be fun.

Friends

The boys made friends. . . . .

The girl's were popular. . . . . . . .

Yum!

Margaritas!


Hhhhmmmmm. . . . . . . .

Saturday

Tickets to the ballet . . . . . . $186.00

Endless pictures of Margaritas . . . . .$100+

Seeing THIS on the streets of Milwaukee. . . . . . .

PRICELESS. . . . . .

I'll never be Miss USA. . . .Mrs Universe. . . .or any of those. . . . .

THIS is why.

I live my life by my own rules and if others don't like them. . . . . then they're probably not the people I want to "hang" with. If I have to change who I am in order to gain someone else's approval. . . . .I'm out.

Nuff said.

Thursday?

Well, I'm not sure where the week went. I started my official workout plan on Monday and of course I apparently jumped in with both feet. . . .and that was the window my body was looking for. It unleashed the wrath of soreness and flu like symptoms on Tuesday. The stomach cramps were so bad I curled into a little ball on the couch most of Monday night and all of Tuesday. I even missed our office Christmas party, which I never do. I'm usually the "life" of those parties. . . .and I didn't even get to go.

Thankfully all the rest allowed me to venture out Wednesday for the "CSS" training in Brookfield. Yes, I'll soon be an official "Certified Senior Specialist", able to work with "the aging" population through their real estate transaction. How exciting. The body still felt crummy and I barely made it through the class without a nap. . .thank goodness I didn't drive.

Today I woke up still feeling a little "off", but much better than the last couple days. "The plan" was to start the Christmas baking today but being sick on Tuesday put me WAY behind "the plan" so instead I focused the day on getting caught up with things . . . .AND. . . .doing my next "installment" of my workout plan. We'll see how that feels a little later, as I just got back.

Thank God tomorrow is Friday. Maybe I'll actually catch up on everything and have that day of DOWN TIME before Christmas. I'm going to sit and stuff my face with Christmas cookies. I think I can afford to gain a few pounds back. Sweet.

Adios!

My Desk

I had to shuffle a few things around. . . . . . .but now I can proudly display my limited edition, autographed print from "The Goat".


I hope nobody steals it when I'm not around. . . . . .

The Scavenger Hunt

Ahhhh yes. The "winners" (aka - the BEST looking team).



The love birds.

"The President" trying to make the evening a little more tolerable.


The "hottest ass in WORS". . . . .OBVIOUSLY. . . .

The card shark who played it tough for 3 rounds and then laid it down to the hottest ass in WORS. . . . .

Not really sure what's going on here. . . . . .

I think this guy was telling us about "natural male enhancements" here. . . . . .

Sweet. A good time had by all. . . . . .except for poor Barb. Take away that little "bathroom incident" and it would have been a little better night. And we missed the 9:00 mooning, I'm so upset about that. But we sure were entertained by the cars trying to parallel park outside. What can we say? We're just simple country folk.

My horoscope

Sometimes, just for fun, I see what my horoscope has to say about my life. Here's what it has to say today:

December 8, 2006
Are you feeling overworked and stressed? A lot of good things may be happening for you on several different levels, Brittany, and you may feel as if there are too many things happening at once. Nonetheless, if you make the effort to remain grounded you'll probably find that what needs to be done is no more than you can handle. Don't panic. This is only a temporary situation, and the results should be worth the effort.

Well, I think this is a perfect excuse to take a day of "down time". Even the STARS think I'm working too hard and TOO much is happening. I need to "make an effort to remain grounded". Hhhhmmm, that's not something that comes easy for me. I am an "in the clouds" type of person. I run from the law. . . . .I change my name to an alias. . . . .I sit and daydream any time I'm not working . . . If I wasn't allergic to cats I'd probably be one of those people who have 27 cats and fall asleep one day and the cats eat their eyes out.

Yep, that's me. . . . .living life on the edge. Never worried about tomorrow. . . never worried about others. . . never worried about where I'm going to find my next meal or alcoholic beverage. . . I never think about anyone but myself. . . .I'm a rebel. A rebel without a cause. What more would you expect from the "Princess".

Sure, I'm "grounded". It's all about ME. Screw "the others".

Tequila Chistmas Cake

I think I'm going to make this sometime in the next week. . . . . .

Tequila Christmas Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
Lemon juice
4 large eggs
Nuts
1 bottle tequila
2 cups of dried fruit

• Sample the tequila to check quality.
• Take a large bowl, check the tequila again. To be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Repeat.
• Turn on the electric mixer.
• Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
• Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again.
• At this point it's best to make sure the tequila is still OK. Try another cup... just in case.
• Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
• Pick the frigging fruit up off floor. Mix on the turner.
• If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver.
• Sample the tequila to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something.
• Check the tequila.
• Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
• Add one table. A
• dd a spoon of sugar, or somefink.Whatever you can find.
• Greash the oven.
• Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner.
• Finally, throw the bowl through the window.
• Finish the tequila and wipe counter with the cat.
• CHERRY MISTMAS!

Finally. . . . .a breath

Finally. . . .I catch a break from working ALL the time. Thank goodness, I think the Captain was just about ready to commit me. Now I may just get the Christmas decorations finished before it's CHRISTMAS! Yikes.

Actually I'm catching up on my continuing education classes now. In real estate we're required to take 12 hours of CE every 2 years (yes, that's pathetic as there are many agents who do NO business and struggle through this loose requirement to fulfill your license). This year, I am simply a TOTAL procrastinator. There are 4 modules that need to be completed prior to December 31st, prior to renewing my license. I waited so long I have to take them on-line now and I JUST finished my first one. Only 3 more to go. But have no fear. . . .I did score 100%. Contrary to popular believe, I am not only PRETTY, I'm SMART too.

Thank GOD it's Friday. Oh wait. . . . .it's only. . . . .oh crap.

Monday humor

Is it Tuesday yet??

Just a typical Saturday night

Just your typical Saturday night. . .. sitting around decorating Squirt's house for Christmas.

She's a little picky about how her decorations go up. . . . . .I think she has some pent up aggression. . . . .

Three dorks. . . . . .well, two dorks and a mouth. . . . .




The finished product. . . . ..

And then some down time with Jenga. All I have to say about that is "LIKE A BANDAID". Of course I had no patience and lost about 3 times. Then it was time to go home.

Sweet. A fun time had by all. . . . . . .of course some more than others. I'm enjoying getting back in touch with my true inner self. . . . . .my true inner dorkiness. What can I say? I am what I am. . . . . .why fight it?

Yes, I am ALIVE

Ok, so I guess everyone misses me. . . .sorry. I needed to take a break to figure out my purpose in life. . . . . .then I realized I don't have a purpose. . . . . . .so I'm back now.

Today's the big 3-0 for my little sister. Happy birthday Heather. You are officially "OLD" now.

But not as old as me, I know. And that was proven by our morning activity today. Picked out the Christmas tree. What a chore that was. Bill's parents came for breakfast and mimosas (yummy) and then all 4 of us set out to find that "perfect" tree.

What a bunch of dorks. And let me tell you. . . .. .the "perfect" tree does not exist. So we finally JUST picked one and we'll make it work.

Today we'll rearrange the living room to fit the monster in. . . . then tomorrow will be the official decorating day. Tonight we've got to get Squirt's house taken care of. . . .maybe leave a little surprise for the LOVE BIRDS who are on their mini-honeymoon. . . .we'll see.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates on our FABULOUSLY interesting lives.

Yeah. . . . .I have GOT to find a purpose. . . . . .