Linkage: New Moleskine

Okay. The traveller in me thinks these are just cool! Click on the graphic to get a complete description.

Linkage: Dove Commercial

Here is a commercial for Dove. Don't watch it for the commercial bit though, watch it to see the progression this model makes from walking in to the photo shoot to being enhanced via the computer. Very interesting.

(Oh, in theory I should have been able to upload the video directly to blogger, but I tried several times and it kept not connecting. So, you've got to follow the link to see it. Sorry.)

Travel with Me: Peru

Well, darn. I can't remember where this is (other than it is in Peru). I remember there is a story about my husband Steve and his brother hiking around this peninsula, but for the life of me I don't recall the name. Perhaps he'll have mercy on me when he sees this post and remind me where this is. Until then, this is one of my favorite shots from my first visit to Peru last November.

Health: Skin Cancer

This morning found me sitting once again in my doctors office having a lesion removed. If the lab comes back and says "yes" on the skin cancer, this will be the third one I've had to be rid of in about eight years.

When I was a child my mom was very diligent in applying sunscreen to my fair, freckle-dy skin. A move to Texas during my teen years increased my sun exposure while I in my teenaged wisdom decided to decrease my sunscreen use. So, now I pay the price.

Are you familiar with the signs of skin cancer? The Skin Care Foundation has a nice web site with a lot of information on recognizing and preventing skin cancers. Check it out, especially if you are a fair skinned Irish lass such as myself (or lad).

UPDATE 24 OCT 06:

The biopsy came back normal, which really surprises me. (You can pray for me any time you want, Scott!)

Travel with Me: Lyme Park

This is Lyme Park in England. One of many, many houses available to tour thanks to The National Trust. During our time in the UK we went through lots and lots of wonderful old houses. This one gets the honor of being pictured here thanks to Jane Austen and A & E. This is the house that was used as the exterior of Pemberly in the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice.

Need I say more?

Linkage: Texas No. 1 in Sales

When we first moved to Michigan seven years ago, if I saw someone with a Longhorn t-shirt on, I could flash the "Hook 'em Horns" and get one in response. Lately however, I've noticed a huge rise in the number of Texas logo-ed garments wandering around West Michigan. I've quit trying to acknowledge them in any way though, because many of the people wearing the logo seem to have no idea what a Hook 'em Horns hand signal means and if asked have often never even been to Texas. I mentioned this to my folks when they were visiting, and my dad sent along this link:

Texas No. 1 in Sales

That at the least explains that. I was worried for a while that Texas folk had forgotten how to be proper UT fans!

Michigan in the Fall

Here's the view out our back windows this morning:



Now where did I put those snow boots?

Groan: Christmas Already?

It's barely October, yet there are several aisles full of Christmas stuff at almost every store I go into these days. I know I should be used to it by now, but it still appalls me and frankly, I just don't understand it. Do people really buy Christmas stuff in October? What on earth is compelling these stores to put out things for sale for a holiday that is more than two months away? It's got to be that people are buying it - why else would they take up good space on the showroom floor?

So, I think I'd like to organize a boycott of Christmas stuff. Let's all agree to not buy Christmas decor until at least a month in advance of Christmas and if anyone is interested in possibly picketing a few stores, let me know. And, while we are at it, perhaps we can get them to start carrying summer clothes in the summer and winter clothes in the winter.

Okay. I know. But a girl can dream, right?

Michigan in the Fall

I've been wanting to get out with my camera and get some photos of the leaves as they change this year. I spent a few minutes today in my neighborhood hoping to catch some of the vibrant colors before they all fall to the ground. Turned out that the best photo I got was of some leaves that had already fallen. Guess I could have waited!

One thing that has surprised me is that leaf watchers can get information about where to find the best displays of changing leaves online. They've got maps of driving routes for viewing the changing leaves. There is even a phone number to call for a recording of Michigan's current color conditions (1-800-MI-4-FALL). We've always just enjoyed the leaves as we encountered them, yet I can see why someone might want to make a concerted effort to find them.

Years ago when we were living in Connecticut, one October day I flew through Detroit on my way to California. I remember looking out the window as we descended into Detroit and being amazed at how gorgeous the trees were from the air. Looking at the changing leaves makes me feel thankful. I just need to remember to hold on to that thankfulness when it comes time to rake them all up!

Linkage: Brave heroes hounded out

The Sun Online - News: Brave heroes hounded out

This just took place in the village we lived in during our stay in the UK. I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like a house just a few home down from where we lived. Mercy.

Oh, and for your vocabulary building for today:

yob – n. British Slang.
a teenage lout or hooligan.
[Origin: 1855–60; a consciously reversed form of boy]

Food: Panera Bread

I just watched a man hand his cell phone to a cashier so the person on the other end of the line could place an order. Strange.

I'm at Panera Bread, having a little breakfast and waiting for new tires to be put on at a shop across the street. I knew Panera had a bakery, but had no idea the amount of business they do in the mornings. They've got six people working behind the counter and the queue has wavered back and forth from 15 people deep to four at the moment. I don't think the counter staff has had a break since before I arrived. I suppose some of the custom is just because Panera is trendy, but I can see why someone interested in a coffee and some fresh baked treat would come in here. The bakery selection beats Starbucks by a mile. I think I'd give Starbucks the prize for hot drink selection, though. So, I suppose it depends on what you are interested in. This morning I'm hanging out with the bakery crowd!

Computers: Overflowing Mailbox

I was just checking my e-mail and noticed I've to 1390 messages stored there. And that does not include the ones that are automatically sorted into different folders. Most things I can keep in fairly decent order, but I have an awful time remembering to sort and delete e-mails after I'm done with them.

How many messages are stored on your mail program?

Movie: Little Miss Sunshine

Saturday I went on a bus trip with some ladies from church. We went to Canton, MI to the new IKEA store there. After several hours there, we went to a mall for more shopping. Well, IKEA I can do for hours, but not the mall. So, since I was feeling under the weather and was exhausted from four hours at IKEA, I opted to go to a movie rather than shop more. This is, I know, a somewhat circuitous route to the title of this post, but explains a bit why I went to see a movie that I knew basically nothing about.

I'll start by saying the movie certainly deserves it's R rating. Then I'll move right into how much I enjoyed it. (No comments please about what this may or may not say about me.) It was laugh out loud funny (especially to someone who has previously owned a VW Bus). Watching the characters work through things, yelling and fussing, then ultimately keep going for Olive's sake was heart-warming. I thought Olive's dance routine at the Little Miss Sunshine pageant was an excellent commentary on the whole beauty pageant scene. I'd certainly recommend this movie if you aren't squeamish about the R rating (for a description go to: Kids-In-Mind).