Loren's Life

It Was So Early Even The Dog Wouldn't Get Up

We went to the gym this morning at 5:45. George Lucas wouldn't even wake up.

We joined Power House about a week ago. We're trying to be better about exercising.

posted by Loren @ 12:51 PM

Darn That Dog!

George Lucas ate my last bra.

You are probably wondering things like why don't I keep my bra's where he can't get to them, or how could I get down to the last bra?

We have placed the dirty clothes basket on a shelf unit so it's another 18 inches off the ground. George Lucas can't reach inside, but Larry will pull them out for him. I will get out of the shower and find my bras all over the floor. I went to Target last Sunday for only an hour and left George Lucas out. I came home to find my bras all over the house. If you try to take them from him, he will run off. He even makes the naughty attempt of taking them with him on his walks.

So, yesterday morning I went to get a bra and I was all out. I went to the laundry room to see if the clean ones weren't put away yet and there were none. I went to the bathroom and found chewed up bra carcass all over and some in the entrance way.

I found one I could deal with for Saturday morning banking (only 3 hours, I am at work this morning) and after I will go and stock up on new, pretty and expensive toys for George Lucas.

The sad thing is, that it's not George Lucas being bad, it's Larry. Larry can open and close doors (even locked my sister out of the house once), open and close drawers, dig and pull for stuff and open the closet for George Lucas to get my shoes. My cat is an evil genius. I'm afraid he has the powers to take over the world.

I'm afraid of my cat.

posted by Loren @ 8:29 AM

Yahoo For Rocky!

One of the Beirut dogs I am sponsoring through Best Friends Animal Society has been adopted! I am so excited! I got the email this afternoon that he is on his way to a new family who has a home with lots of acreage for him to run around on and people who will take good care of him.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, if you can, go on www.bestfriends.org to sponsor a Beirut pet refugee. They need donations regardless, but this is a very worthy cause.

This is the best news I have received in a very long time. I feel so good right now.

posted by Loren @ 2:28 PM

Minivans

They are the most evil piece of machine on the road today. They always pull out in front of you, only to drive half the speed limit in the left hand lane. Now that you are trapped, you are forced to look at the decals on the back of their children's names and what sports they play, right next to the positive listening radio station bumper sticker and pro-life license plate (yes, Florida has them).

And on those decals, to me they are only serve as invitations to child predators to follow you and get to know what your kids look like, what they do and where they go.

Stupid minivans.

posted by Loren @ 7:32 AM

Brussel Sprouts Can Be Good!

Jeff and I are loving this new brussel sprout recipe. It's so good I will share it with you!

1.5 lg brussel sprouts
1 lb thick cut bacon (apple wood even better)
1.5 lb chicken tenderloins
2 gold delicious apples
2-3 tbsp of your favorite bbq sauce (I like honey bbq)

Cut the bacon and chicken in to 1-1.5 inch pieces.
Cut the base off the sprouts and halve them, quarter them if they are large.
Dice your apples to bite size cubes.
*The goal is to make everything the same size*

Toss the bacon in a large saute pan or skillet and cook until crispy or to your liking. Take the bacon out. Add the sprouts to the pan (if you don't want to cook the sprouts in the drippings, drain the pan and use olive oil). Saute until almost tender, now add the chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Once the chicken is cooked all the way through, the sprouts should be tender. Add the bacon and apples back to the pan and toss for about a minute with the bbq sauce and serve! Serves four, or two with leftovers for lunch.

For the vegetarians, use tofu instead of chicken and use bacon substitute from Boca or Good Start.

posted by Loren @ 9:45 AM

Well, That Makes For An Interesting Morning

About 7:15 this morning, I was halfway to work, listening to NPR and just minding my own business.

I cross this one intersection where there is a gazillion wrecks a day (I was involved in a hit and run a few years back at that intersection). When the light turned green, I was 3rd or 4th in line to go through. As I crossed, a white Econovan made a right hand turn faster than the speed of light into my car and just kept on turning in to my lane. I honked the hell out of my horn and cursed him up a tree in my car. To avoid being hit, I moved left, but since I was already in the farthest left hand lane, I had no where else to go. As I was moving over to avoid being hit, another car almost t-boned me pulling out from the other side of the intersection. When that car swerved I was still swerving and then another car who was already crossing the intersection almost hit me head on because at that point my car's brakes seized and I did a 180. Now traffic has stopped in all directions and I'm in the middle of the intersection with two other cars just inches from mine.

Two sheriff cars were in a parking lot next to the intersection. They came out to fix the intersection mess and to get me and two other cars off the road. I can't believe how nice they were. They wanted to make sure we were all okay, if we were okay to drive or if we wanted, they would call someone to come get us. They dispatched another car to get the van which they located before I even left.

I had to give them my license and contact information just in case there was a need for me to be contacted, but I was free to go. I was fine, I was a little miffed, but no tears, no shakes. Just my middle finger still in its position.

I still made it to work on time.

posted by Loren @ 9:46 AM

Genius

I used my leaf blower to clean out the inside of my car. Laugh all you want, but it's better than paying $100.00 to have my car detalied and it looks better, too! Those 12 amps blew the life out of every bit of dust and dirt from between, inside and under the seats and doors.

Besides cleaning driveways and detailing cars, I wonder what else my leaf blower can do?

posted by Loren @ 6:08 AM

It's The Little Things That Make Your Day

With work being crazy with the company merge, I have been living each day with a headache and mood swings. When you work 10 to 12 hours a day with no lunch, the headaches and mood swings only get worse.

Until now.

We have discovered this amazing pita place that makes the most amazing pitas and delivers! Not only do they deliver, but they are here in minutes with amazing and delicious pitas.

Pitas work well when you can't make a mess at your desk because everything stays in its neat little pita pocket. I don't have to worry about my pita spilling on my computer or paperwork or worse yet, getting pita on my clothes. I have also been getting creative with my pitas because it's a build-your-own kind of thing. However, my favorite pita is a simple chicken with bbq sauce, swiss cheese and tomatoes.

I usually eat my pita around 2 and it makes my afternoon so warm and fuzzy. I wish they made breakfast pitas. I wish they delivered pitas to my house.

You would think I would just pack my lunch, and I usually do, but since I have been consumed with work, Jeff is crazy busy and with house and pet matters, I don't really have the time to make my lunches for the week right now and the pita is very budget friendly.

So, cheers to the pita. If only I could pass the pita along to everyone. Some people could really use a pita.

posted by Loren @ 12:02 PM

Virginia Tech

How sad. How very sad.

My parents raised me to always believe that God decides your fate the moment you enter this world. Some will go quiet and in peace, some before their time, some in an unbelievable way. Death can be fair and unfair. Your life serves more as a purpose or a message rather than just you being here in this world to live. My father went in peace and without pain, my mother suffered for seventeen years.

When things like Virginia Tech happen, or any other mass tragedy, it makes me think of them and how I sometimes wish they were still here with me to remind me of how death is a part of life and even though how these people died in fear and by the unforgiving ways of the murderer, this was still their fate that was already decided for them.

I know that someday my own death will come and I just hope it will be a peaceful one, but you never know. All I know is that for now, I try to live my life to make some kind of difference, love all I can and as much as I can and hope that when I leave this world, I did something to change it for the better.

I also pray everyday that the people I love will never be in fear or in pain. I live my life to protect the ones I love and would rather suffer for them. My life is my family and friends, and without them I have nothing.

I know that things like this are few and far between. Events like yesterday, and years past are a rare occasion. However, since they are so out of the norm, it has a huge impact on us and, I believe that God wanted us to snap out of this false sense of security we all live in and to take better care of each other. We all get so wrapped up in our own little perfect worlds that we ignore what is really happening around us. We take for granted, everyday, on how lucky we our to even be alive, to have all the things we have, and we only concern ourselves with what we think we should be concerned about.

We all have something like this, that will try to make us live in fear. When I was seventeen and in my senior year of high school my school district leader was gunned down, a football player was shot to death and there was a bomb threat and it was all in the same month. Afraid of going back to school, my mother told me I was not a victim. I did not have the right to use the pain and suffering these people went through to fuel my own fears. I did not have the right to use their survivors grief. This happened to them, not to me.

Same for all the other gross events that happen everyday. We all dive into what happens, how terrible it is and how can we prevent something like this from ever happening again. If we fill our heads with all of this everyday, then we have wasted what life we have been given on wondering how our life will end. Just know that when it is your time, it's your time and nothing can ever stop it.

In a few weeks it will be business as usual. We will all file this back in the back of our minds with September 11th, Columbine, Kent State and the Titanic. Lets not let these souls go without living their message and that message should not be to live your life for you, it should be to live your life for others.

posted by Loren @ 5:25 AM

VH1 Needs To Take Out The Trash

I'll admit, I have been glued to VH1for The Flavor of Love and I Love New York. The Flavor of Love is fun because of Flava Flav and all the crazy women (if they deserve to be called women) that fight for his love.

It's like a car wreck, you just can't look away. It's gross, it's loud and it's a mess, much like the women who participate. I just want to know where do they find them and does VH1 encourage their behavior? Or, does VH1 encourage them to clean up, put some clothes on and stop acting like a skank? I do like Flava Flav, he's such a funny little guy.

Now, on to New York. What is so funny about this person is that she thinks she is above the rest, classy and fabulous. Maybe in another life or galaxy. She is such a freaky skank! I can't wait for VH1 to drop her back off at her street corner. She got her own spin of show, I Love New York, which she picks a dude to spend the rest of her life with.

She is so fake and dramatic and her mom is on the show, the ultimate she-male. I'm sure she will get a sequel since on the reunion show her dude dumped her. The best part of the show is making fun of her mom.

I'll admit it's fun to watch because it's like nothing I have ever experienced, but also pretty sad to see people living in such a sad life. If these people were to die tomorrow, they'll be remembered for this crap and not for some other kind of significant contribution made to the world.

VH1 has some blog for it. I think it's www.flavorof love.blogspot.com. Or just google it. Whatever it is, check it out if you need a good laugh.

You can't catch an STD through the TV, can you?

posted by Loren @ 9:36 AM

I Love Weekends

The weekend went off on a nice start. We had dinner at Harmoni to celebrate Meg. We love that place. I've never had a bad experience there yet.

Saturday I awoke with a killer headache because of the storm coming in. We went to get Jeff his new glasses and some lunch with an afternoon of napping. We wrapped up the evening with dinner at Harmoni with our buddy, Liz. It started raining during dinner (good thing we sat inside) and the weather change just melted my headache.

Sunday we stayed in our pj's and watch the first three seasons of Entourage on DVD. It poured rain for most of the day, which made loafing even nicer, but this morning I surveyed the damage while getting in my car to go to work and I have a huge mess to clean. I'll have to bust out my leaf blower.

Work has been insane for us and will continue to be until summer with my merge and Jeff doing every job in the department since the department jumped ship. So it was so nice to just ignore the world and enjoy each other.

posted by Loren @ 8:11 AM

My Sister Is The Ultimate Smart Ass

And I mean that in a good way.

My sister is only two years older than me, but was always about ten years ahead of me in school. She was the kid who was reading on a ninth grade level in the second grade (no joke) they wanted her to skip kindergarten and first grade but when she couldn't skip rope and didn't feel like socializing with the other kids, they dropped that idea.

She never made less than an A-, graduated at the top and was offered a full ride through her masters at UCF (not that it was her first choice, but it was only 5 hours from home and for free). She completed her masters by 22 and decided to take a few years off and work. She knew she wanted to further her education, but first of all needed mortgage money and second really wanted to be sure in what field before she dropped all that coin.

She returned to UCF this year to work on education and politics. Her goal is for better outreach education and kick some ass in administration. She just found out last night that she past her specialist exam which will allow her to complete the PHD. So she is looking at about another year with the program. She's more thrilled that she might complete the two year program in the actual two years.

I'm just really proud of her. She has worked so hard all of her life and she did all of this on her own. She is the smartest person I know and she deserves all the great things that come her way and will come her way. Plus, I can't wait to call her Dr. Faust. How cool will that be?

posted by Loren @ 12:10 PM

This Blog Is Dedicated To Amy E.

The website for the "Reading Is Sexy" shirt is www.buyolympia.com . Another good website is www.cafepress.com. Just put whatever you want in the search engine and they will have it.

It was good seeing you Sistah Sledge! If you and Scott are still planning to visit Orlando, make sure you let us know and we'll plan dinner.

I don't have your email and I tried to respond on your blog, but I got all confused with the signing in stuff. I couldn't get it to work. So this is my way of reaching out!

posted by Loren @ 8:06 AM

The Poopy Little Puggle and the Croupy Kid

George Lucas has been poopy so he went to the vet.

I knew it wasn't because of the pet food recall, because when that happened, the boys were sent to the vet for a check up.

George Lucas has an old man tummy. Like all dogs, he craves human food, but it tears up his system. He gets the major trots, gas and throws up. He usually gets a prescription and special food to calm his tummy down, but now he has to be on special prescription food. Yes, even the regular pet food makes him sick.

Unlike George Lucas, his brother Larry the cat eats like a trucker. We feed the boys the appropriate food, but every once in a while George Lucas will reach high enough to the counter for a treat, or Larry will push something off for him. Or while making dinner, Larry will try to sneak a piece of lettuce (his favorite). They tag team.

So, feel for papa Jeff, the agreement is he cleans up the dog and I clean up the cat. And feel for George Lucas and his ass-of-fire.

Zab has also had some trouble with the croup, so we need to send her some get well wishes. I'm sure that was a panic with her sick and on the plane.

All I can say is that Chris and Christina did an excellent job. They are awesome parents!

posted by Loren @ 1:56 PM

New York to London

This is off of Google Maps. Check out #23.

Yes I know, I should be working on this IRA SNAFU I recieved at closing yesterday (and a week before taxes are due), but I don't have the strengh.

Search Results

My Maps New!

Clear search results
Get reverse directions
From:
New York, NY
Change destination


Edit
Drive:
3,938 mi (about 29 days 10 hours)
1.
Head southwest on Broadway toward Warren St
0.2 mi
1 min
2.
Turn left at Park Row
0.1 mi
1 min
3.
Slight right at Frankfort St
0.3 mi
1 min
4.
Turn left at Pearl St
56 ft
5.
Turn right onto the F.D.R. Dr N ramp
0.4 mi
1 min
6.
Merge onto FDR Dr N
7.7 mi
12 mins
7.
Take exit 17 on the left for Triboro Bridge/Grand Central Pkwy toward I-278/Bruckner Expy
0.4 mi
2 mins
8.
Merge onto Triborough Bridge
Partial toll road
0.4 mi
1 min
9.
Merge onto I-278 E via the ramp to I-87 N/Bronx/Upstate N Y/New England
0.6 mi
1 min
10.
Take exit 47 to merge onto Bruckner Expy/I-278 E toward New Haven
1.9 mi
2 mins
11.
Take the I-278 E exit toward New Haven
0.3 mi
12.
Merge onto Bruckner Expy
5.0 mi
6 mins
13.
Continue on I-95 N
Partial toll road
Entering Connecticut
62.1 mi
1 hour 12 mins
...
14.
Take exit 48 on the left to merge onto I-91 N toward Hartford
36.8 mi
37 mins
...
15.
Take exit 29 for US-5 N/CT-15 toward I-84/E Hartford/Boston
0.4 mi
16.
Merge onto CT-15 N
1.7 mi
2 mins
17.
Merge onto I-84 E
Partial toll road
Entering Massachusetts
40.7 mi
38 mins
...
18.
Take the exit onto I-90 E/Mass Pike/Massachusetts Turnpike toward N.H.-Maine/Boston
Partial toll road
56.0 mi
56 mins
...
19.
Take exit 24 A-B-C on the left toward I-93 N/Concord NH/S Station/I-93 S/Quincy
0.4 mi
1 min
20.
Merge onto Atlantic Ave
0.8 mi
3 mins
21.
Turn right at Central St
0.1 mi
22.
Turn right at Long Wharf
0.1 mi
23.
Swim across the Atlantic Ocean
3,462 mi
29 days 0 hours
...
24.
Slight right at E05
0.5 mi
2 mins
25.
At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit onto E05/Pont Vauban
0.1 mi
26.
Turn right at E05
5.7 mi
10 mins
27.
Take the exit onto A29/E44 toward Amiens
Toll road
27.8 mi
23 mins
...
28.
Take the exit toward Dieppe/Amiens/Calais/A151/Rouen
Toll road
1.1 mi
1 min
29.
Merge onto A29/E44
Toll road
22.6 mi
19 mins
...
30.
Take the exit onto A28/E402
45.6 mi
37 mins
...
31.
Take the exit onto A16/E402 toward Boulogne/Calais
Toll road
44.3 mi
38 mins
...
32.
Take exit 29 toward Boulogne-Centre/Outreau/Le Portel
0.6 mi
1 min
33.
Merge onto N416
1.1 mi
1 min
34.
At the traffic circle, take the 1st exit onto N1
0.4 mi
1 min
35.
At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit and stay on N1
0.1 mi
1 min
36.
At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit and stay on N1
0.9 mi
2 mins
37.
At the traffic circle, take the 1st exit
0.6 mi
1 min
38.
Slight left at Rue Ferdinand Farjon
427 ft
39.
At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit
0.4 mi
1 min
40.
Slight right at Dover - Boulougne-sur-Mer
30.1 mi
1 hour 50 mins
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41.
Continue on Dover - Boulogne-sur-Mer
0.2 mi
42.
Continue on Eastern Service Rd
0.3 mi
2 mins
43.
Turn right at E Ramp
0.4 mi
2 mins
44.
Slight right at Dock Exit Rd
0.1 mi
45.
At Eastern Docks Roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto A20
0.6 mi
2 mins
46.
Slight left to stay on A20
0.3 mi
47.
At Prince of Wales Roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto A20/Limekiln St
0.2 mi
1 min
48.
At Limekiln Roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto A20
0.3 mi
1 min
49.
At Western Heights Roundabout, take the 1st exit and stay on A20
7.0 mi
8 mins
50.
Continue on M20 (signs for M20/London/Ashford)
49.7 mi
47 mins
...
51.
Continue on A20 (signs for London (SE)/Lewisham)
9.7 mi
15 mins
52.
At Clifton's Roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on A20
2.2 mi
6 mins
53.
At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit and stay on A20
1.3 mi
4 mins
54.
Slight left at A2
0.7 mi
2 mins
55.
Slight right at A2/Kender St
72 ft
56.
Turn right at Kender St
0.3 mi
1 min
57.
Turn left at A2
1.9 mi
5 mins
58.
At Brick Layers Arms, take the 1st exit onto A201/New Kent Rd
0.6 mi
2 mins
59.
At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit onto A302/St George's Rd
0.4 mi
1 min
60.
Turn left at A3203/Lambeth Rd
0.6 mi
3 mins
61.
At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit onto A3203
0.2 mi
1 min
62.
At Horseferry Rd, take the 3rd exit onto A3212

posted by Loren @ 8:24 AM

Easter

We spent Easter in St. Pete celebrating Zab and William.

We arrived in Tampa early so we spent time at the aquarium before checking in at our hotel in St. Pete. Location couldn't have been better. We were three miles from the church and about five miles from the after party.

The service was nice. A mix of the traditional Easter mass with the christenings. Afterwards we headed to the after party hosted at Chastity and Brian's house.

It was nice seeing old friends and catching up. I also got to re meet Geoffrey and his wife Jennifer. They were both very sweet and their boys were even sweeter. I also got to meet Zab and find out for myself what Jeff had bragged about from his introduction in Texas.

Sunday we met up with Chris, Tim, Teresa, Scott and Amy for breakfast and Starbucks before heading home.

I'm back at work this morning. Jeff is spending the day with the boys and having some quite
time. I'm preparing for the official merge at my work. It will be a hectic couple of weeks.

posted by Loren @ 6:23 AM

A Brilliant Idea

My sister has 3 gigantic cats. Like me, she was using the Booda Dome, but her one cat didn't seem to like it.

Dill would do a #1 in it, but for a #2 chose to make it outside the box. Even though she changes the litter every day! He never did this before with a litter pan. We concluded the dome was to small for his fat ass and should maybe get him a bigger box.

A suggestion was made that it wasn't only the size, but the whole covered box idea as well and that the three cats should go back to the litter pan. My sister hates seeing a dirty litter box and doesn't like it when company sees it, so we had to think of an alternative.

Rather than make a hole for a cat door for them to use a litter pan in another room instead of the kitchen, a friend suggested the pan be placed under the small sewing table under the kitchen window. Measure the height and width between the legs and hang small curtains with tension rods.

So we went to work. We hired my mother-in-law to make custom curtains for under the sewing table in my sisters kitchen. The sewing table has never been used since none of the Faust ladies know how to use the sewing machine. Rhoda the bird lives in a cage on top of the table. We then bought a deep litter pan for underneath. Six panels were made, two for each side so the cats wouldn't have a hard time getting through (the back of the table is against the wall under the window) hung them on tension rods between the legs and PRESTO, a covered cat box! Easy for the cats to use and a cute way to dress up the sewing table in the kitchen.

It worked. All the cats have used it and no mess on the floor. It wasn't too hard for them to find, the new box is right next to where the Booda used to be.

WooHoo!

posted by Loren @ 2:39 PM

All For The Apes

Saturday we borrowed Bud's gigantic Durango and loaded it up with supplies for our trip to Monkey Town (Center For Great Apes) along with our friend Liz and her stash of donations.

We made the drive to Wachula, unloaded the goods and began our day at the primate sanctuary. We toured the habitats, talked with the staff and had a nice lunch. For a fundraiser, they were selling paintings the chimps painted. Jeff bought me one!

We hit the road to home and stopped at Harmoni on the way for my favorite flat bread with truffel oil and roasted red peppers. Liz was a fan of the goat cheese and lemon cream. We had a few glasses of wine and toured the market.

Sunday Jeff and I saw Blades of Glory. Funnier than the last few Will Ferrel movies (I was not a fan of Ron Burgundy).

We have a very busy week ahead and even a busier couple of months with my company merge. But we will relax in St. Pete and visit everyone when we go to Zab's christening.

posted by Loren @ 5:24 AM