FunnyGal KAT: Turning to the Internet for marital advice since 2007

Sorry about that whole falling-off-the-face-of-the-earth thing lately. Work kicked my butt (I left the office around noon today because I was already well over 40 hours for this week). But now I'm back.

However, the "funny" seems to have been left back on the deck of my family's cottage, where we hung out with SJ and J and some other fun people for Memorial Day. What did we do? Well, nothing, and that's just the way I like it...

So, since I have no funny, let's play a little game called, "Is My Marriage Normal?" First the background and then I will ask the question and open the floor to your own stories, comments about how you can't believe I would even consider this, amusing anecdotes I can use as my own until something funny happens to me, etc.

I will try to make the background as succinct as possible. Basically, the Pretend Husband handles our finances and I stay in the dark about our fiscal health (numbers were never my thing). Anyway, the PH and I have very different spending habits and, in an effort to curb his a bit and take away my (self-imposed) guilt about buying new shoes or something like that, I have suggested we each open a checking account linked to our joint account. Each week, I propose we put an "allowance" into each account that we could use for expenses like going out to lunch, new shoes, a round of golf, new shoes, my soccer registration, a night out with the guys or new shoes. Expenses like gas and groceries would still be paid out of our main account.

So, what do you think? Is it weird to be an adult and have an allowance? I tend to like the idea (except for it being called an allowance...) because I think it will cut down on what the PH spends and will give me "mad money" so I won't have to ask the PH if it's OK to spend money (only because I don't want to mess up his budgeting by taking money out of our joint account, not because I need permission-- that would be weird). OK, enough of me trying to justify this. Do you do it? Do you have any better ideas? What do you think? Is My Marriage Normal?

sj needs -- well not really but i bought them anyway- a new pair of shoes

Tell me.

Do these make my unpedicured toes look fat?

One-and-a-quarter animals sighted in my neighborhood recently

I should start a pool to see how much longer the Pretend Husband lets up stay in our current neighborhood before insisting we move. I would put my money on "not much longer."

Remember the tail and animal intestines I found in our yard? Well, I was walking the dogs up the street two weeks ago when I noticed what I thought was a tree branch in the road (and yes, I should know better by now, but my mind just doesn't want to leap immediately to "animal part," you know?) Anyway, as we got closer, I realized the "branch" had a hoof. It was the leg of a deer (just the leg). It was gross.

Then, just last week, I was again taking the dogs for a walk when I heard some branches breaking in the woods next to us. Thinking it was kids playing in the woods, I glanced over and noticed a dark shadow moving around. Looking closer, I realized it wasn't a shadow, but a big, black bear. Luckily, it was moving away from the dogs and me, so I was able to just stand and watch it for a bit (instead of the alternative: running for my life) It was cool.

I can see how our new neighborhood is making the PH a bit nervous. And I can understand why he won't let the dogs out into the yard alone at night. But I'm trying to find a bright side to it, too. I mean, we'll never have to spend any money on visiting the zoo. (Yeah, I know... that's a small consolation. Feel free to send me your entries for the "How Soon Until the PH Makes Us Move" pool)

Just think how excited I'll be when he starts walking...

The day the Pretend Husband and I flew into Georgia for our nephew Peyton's baptism was the day the little guy mastered the art of clapping (uh, perhaps I should clarify that Peyton is the little guy here, not the PH). So, as soon as he showed off his new talent, I cheered, "Yaaaaay, Peyton!" And, because I want to encourage this skill (let's face it, at eight months, he doesn't have many of them yet), I cheered each and every time he clapped.

Clap, clap.

"Yaaaaay, Peyton!"

Peyton giggles.

Clap, clap.

"Yaaaaay, Peyton!"

Peyton giggles.

Clap, clap.

"Yaaaaay, Peyton!"

Peyton giggles.

Clap, clap.

"Yaaaaay, Peyton!"

Peyton giggles.

Clap, clap.

"Yaaaaay, Peyton!"

Peyton giggles.

And on and on and on... I wish I had counted, but I seriously think I cheered, "Yaaaaay, Peyton!" about 500 times in the six days we were there. To the point where kat's lil sis thinks the first time he claps after we leave, he's going to look around like, "Uh, hello? I clapped! Where's that lady who cheers for me?"

Don't get me wrong, I would cheer for Peyton 500 more times if it meant getting to spend time with him. But I am going through some withdrawal from all that encouragement... and I think the PH is wondering why I stood outside the bathroom door this morning cheering him on.

Are you there, Bloggers? It's me, SJ.

Well, I hope you all enjoyed my vacation as much as me. True, it wasn't the lovely Los Cabos that I had longed to escape too.

It was in fact New Paltz, New York.

It was a lovely mountaintop retreat in New York where j and I were the only guests under 60.

But still very pretty. See?


I know, right? So pretty. It had everything - a spa, a five star chef, canoes, lots of hiking, yoga and meditation classes, an art tour -- truly a diverse outlay of entertainment options.

But you know what this place didn't have?


Television and a decent internet connection. But, boy did I do some reading.

Someday, maybe I'll take a vacation where I can wear my ever growing collection of awesome sundresses and bathing suits. *Sigh. Someday.

The kind of busy that's just fine with me...

I've been very busy the last few days... way too busy to post. There's been a lot of eating in my life lately. Also, a lot of kissing, a lot of jumping, a little swimming, some burping, lots and lots of clapping and many smiles.

I'm spending a few days with the greatest nephew in the world. Look closely for the kick-ass bowtie and vest he wore for his baptism this weekend. Now I have to get back to the kissing, jumping, eating and clapping (lots and lots of clapping).

Every good breakfast includes whipped cream...

Waffles with brownies, mint chocolate chip ice cream, strawberries, chocolate sauce and whipped cream... the breakfast of champions!

I found the cord for my camera and you people are in trouble now! I hope everyone who asked me to hurry up and find that cord realized just how many ridiculous faces, weird costumes and strange poses SJ and I can come up with.

Just substitute "soda" for "margaritas" and "spaghetti sauce" for "guacamole"-- being practical can be no fun

I'm becoming an expert on aging. I feel like getting old is becoming something of a theme for me around here. And this post is not going to help dispel that.

Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo. Ole! The traditional Mexican celebration of... "I'm not sure, but bring on the Coronas and margaritas." We got together with the BAC family, as we do once a week during the "American Idol" season (before you judge, you should know that only Mrs. BAC and the Pretend Husband actually watch the show-- BAC and I are just there to get yelled at for making comments and talking while people are singing).

Anyway, we commented about how it was Cinco de Mayo and we should definitely order out for Mexican food and the guys would go to pick it up and stay for a margarita or two while the food was being prepared. And then we got all logical (this is where being old comes in) and thought, "But the Mexican restaurant is going to be so busy on Cinco de Mayo. But you know what won't be? The Italian place. Let's go there!"

So we celebrated the old Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo... with linguine in clam sauce and eggplant parmesan. But the PH did put a lime in his beer-- does that count for anything?

We have to do something about this naked blog

Blogs that have a lot of photos are cool. There, I said it. And you agree, right? And this lil ol' blog of ours isn't so cool because we rarely have photos. It's something that's been eating at me to the point where I am ready to do something about it.

On Saturday, the Pretend Husband and I slept late and then decided to make a big breakfast for ourselves. It started as waffles, which evolved to Belgian waffles when I realized we had strawberries in the fridge. But it did not stop there... in fact, it kept going until we had to call SJ and J to come over for Mimosas (when I realized we had champagne in the fridge and SJ was willing to pick up the OJ on her way) and waffles with... wait for it... brownies, mint chocolate chip ice cream and chocolate sauce. Cereal and eggs don't even compare to that kind of breakfast.

And, in light of my intention to post more photos on this blog, I took multiple shots of our creations. Because it's not enough to talk about ice cream for breakfast, you have to draw your readers in with photos of your delectable meal, right? And the photos turned out pretty good. You're going to love seeing them.... just as soon as I find the freakin' cord for my camera to move the photos over to my computer. The cord that was misplaced in the move. The cord that I haven't quite had the time to search for. Yeah, that cord.

I am going to dress up this blog and add photos of my day and the stupid outfits SJ and I are known to wear and the crazy things we do... just as soon as I find that stupid cord.