Pictures Galore!

Suetee's husband conceded....the baby's name is officially Sophia! Baby Sophie and Mommy are both at home and doing just fine. We finally got pictures of her and she's a cutiepie...just like her Momma...I'll let you see for yourself!
Baby Sofie with big brother JP...

This weekend, I went on a very quick trip to New York...for my cousin Benji's engagment. It's still hard to believe the boy is getting married. But, I have ten months to let that thought settle in. I had the opportunity to briefly meet my new cousin-to-be, Rolly. I can see why Benji likes her so much....she's a sweetheart! Pictures of the new couple below....

A blurrier picture of the two...

My mother's side of the fam....

The ladies....

My artistic shot of the day...

My mom and aunt...

Next up...I found some pictures that I never posted from my anniversary trip to West Palm Beach/Ft. Lauderdale/Miami. The thing I love about Florida is that there's a lot of beautiful places here where you can take mini-vacations to.

West Palm Beach

Us...

Matt...

Paw prints in the sand....(not Moussey's)

Matt in Ft. Lauderdale...wishful thinkin'

Me and Matt flying the friendly skies....ha! and if you believe that...You'll believe anything.

Sushi in Miaimi

That's all folks!

HOW RUDE!

I've been getting rude commentary about my blog lately. One person...who shall remain anonymous...told me to either blog or shut it down. Another person said that when I do blog...she wishes I didn't....that my blogs suck. (Such fanfare!...geez, it makes me totally wanna blog on!).

I've decided that I can't shut her down. I'll regret it too much when I finally do snap out of my non-writing funk. I have too much history stored here. In the meantime, I'm sorry that my lackluster life falls short of entertaining you. =/

I want to write about the election. But, somehow it feels like I'm a day late and a dollar short. I will say that I'm excited to see how Obama will impact this nation over the next four years. Apparently Busta Rhymes is excited too because he came up with some rhymes to celebrate the occasion. "Pop champagne for the Barack campaign." Uh, come on Busta!...could you not think of anything a little less cheezy?

In other news...I'm an aunt again! Suetee had her baby girl Sunday night. They named the baby Asha...but I will be calling her Sofie. I like it better. =) I will post pictures of the newest baby in the family as soon as I get one....so stay tuned!

Grocery Store Etiquette 101

There's no such thing as a quick trip to Walmart. There's nothing quick about Walmart. Either you spend hours roaming around looking at/purchasing things you don't really need or you spend all your time dodging carts and people or you spend your time flipping through a magazine or ten while waiting in line.

This is precisely why I try to avoid Walmart at all cost. The other night, I was desperate and didn't feel like driving too far for the french bread I desperately needed. I packed Mousse into the back seat and went to Walmart. I knew it was a bad sign when I couldn't find any parking spaces! So, I said..."to heck with this!"

I opted for Target instead. Yes, I'm the same person who wrote that Target was for yuppies a few years ago. That blog cause a bit of an uproar. Now, I know that Target is for those who can't tolerate Walmart...yuppies or not.

Sadly, my trip to Target wasn't a quick one either. As I stood in line for 30 minutes, I pondered on grocery store etiquette:

1. Do not park your cart in the center of an aisle as you try to decide which kinda of spaghetti sauce you should buy. There are people who actually need to move down the aisle, so scoot it over.

2. If you're checking out and you know that you have 5 people waiting behind you...and there's only two checkers open. Don't argue about a 20 cent coupon. Let it go. Is it really necessary to dig through your cart full of bagged food to dig out the product to prove it to the cashier?? All for 20 cents?!?

3. There's a new invention called the debit card. Try it. It's a lot easier and quicker to use than a check book. Oh, and if you're totally against debit cards...pre-write your check, so the only thing you have to do is write the amount and sign. (I can't count how many times I've been behind someone who is writing a check and asks..."what's the date? Where am I? How much was it again?-get a clue and a debit card, lady!)

4. Control your children. I know it's easy for me to say since I don't have one. But come on...Is it that hard to keep your kids from darting out from underneath the cart or running around the store? They will get run over by a shopping cart intentionally...err, i mean unintentionally.

5. Hang up the cell phone and shop. As you stand in front of the spaghettios having a conversation while you try to figure out if you want the ones with meatballs or without...not only are you holding up traffic...but you're blocking the spaghettios! Move it...or lose it.

For the gang at BOC!

I’ve got some pretty brutal text messages regarding my blog…or more like “lack of a blog.” I won’t even try to think of any lame excuses as to why I have abandoned my blog the past few months. All I can say is sorry. Sorry to the few, faithful readers that I have. Sorry to my sweet friends who relentlessly check the site in order to know what the H is going on with me these days. And sorry to my poor blog, which has been my faithful soapbox over the past several years.

So, for the few inquiring minds who want to know…I decided to post the “goings ons” of the past few months. September and October were very busy birthday months...I celebrated my own at work. (oh so joyous!) My sister had a very special birthday this year. I would tell you, how old she is, but I fear for my life. Let’s just say it rhymes with shorty. ;) She wanted to try something new on this special birthday, so she opted to go to a Greek restaurant she discovered while surfing the web. Full of anticipation, we drove 20 minutes to the place, only to discover it was a hole in the wall. My brother-in-law went inside to scope it out for us. He came back to report that it has the same musky “old” smell that my 70 year old piano teacher’s house had. We then officially decided to go somewhere else. So we went a Lebanese restaurant. My nephew ordered “khebi balls.” He asked the waitress what “khebi” meant…and she said “goat.” I looked at my nephew and he looked at me, and I knew that we were wondering the same thing. Literally goat balls?!?!? When, he got his order, we discovered that they were meat balls made of goat meat, but the resemblance was uncanny!...Needless to say, he didn’t eat much.

Matt has dragged me to all the Disney Parks on the weekend. Thankfully, we have free tickets, so he wanted to experience each park. I never was much for the mouse or his friends….so I wasn’t all that hyped up about going. But, I must admit that it’s actually been kind of fun. This weekend we go to our last park…Magic Kingdom. I’m thinking about dressing Moussey up in a princess costume and taking her with me, so I can be like all the other moms.

Maddicakes has been in Oklahoma for the past month. I’m having new baby smell withdrawals. Her Mommy reports that she is doing just fine! It seems that she’s very much like her mom…very social, a smiler, and a giggler! She’s having her church dedication next weekend with a lil shin’ dig afterwards…Sadly, I’ll be missing out on the festivities. But, just a few more weeks until she’s back home in sunny, Florida…and going over to her house to hold her is definitely on my priority list! ;)

I will be heading off to NYC in just a few short weeks. It’s a quick weekend trip, so there will be no sight seeing this time. My cousin Benjamin is having his official engagement party. I’m looking forward to braving some cold weather for a change. I’ll have to dig out my coat from a box that I have it buried in! This will also be the first time I’ll be wearing Indian garb in five months! I’ll have to dig that out as well. What to wear…what to wear…tis the question!

And now for your viewing pleasure....

Matt took me to see the Blue Man Group as a pre-birthday birthday celebration! It was insanely fun! I sorta think Matt would fit right it in with the Blue Men if he were only blue!

Me and my Moussey...She's all ready for Halloween!

Welp, that’s all for now…maybe more later!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Sometimes...

It’s off-season for vacations, so business has slowed down quite drastically. This is good and bad. It’s bad because the nights are now as slow as molasses and because I’ve lost that sense of job security. But, it’s good because people around me aren’t quite so stressed because there is actually time to breathe and visit with each other.

Today’s topic of discussion in my quad was…….”having an occasional girls night out.” I remember when I was single and my married friends said they didn’t have time to call their friends or go out anymore because most of their time was spent with their spouses. I wondered if I too would become that way with the prescence of a husband in my life. After one year of marriage, I can safely say that I don’t think that I’m too busy to call my friends or hang out with my friends because I’m too busy with my husband. The problem is more about my odd work schedule and my lapsing memory….but definitely not my spouse.

Now, that I’m married…all of my “married friends” are now mommies….which is an entirely different ball game. Even the husband gets thrown to the curb when the babies arrive. Life becomes all about the babies and there is even less time for those friends that were once considered lifelines. I’ve watched enough TLC baby shows and known enough Mommies to know that babies monopolize one’s time. However, as we discussed in my quad today, it’s important to have a little good ol’ fashioned time with the “girlz.” It helps to keep one sane. It keeps you grounded so you don’t lose sight of who you are. Mommies aren’t just care givers who clean spit up, make meals, do laundry and dishes, and shuttle kids around…Mommies are people too!!

My BF is a brand new Mommy…and since she happens to be baby Maddi’s food source, we haven’t gotten to have our “best friends day out” in a few weeks. But, she makes time to call or text me daily. I’d like to think that our conversations are good for both of us…our chance to vent, chat, cry, laugh…etc, etc. CCL and SueTee are also two mommies that I chat with every day. It amazes me how they can juggle the phone, carry on conversations with me AND their kids…all while lil’ ones are hanging on their arms and legs. But, the point is…they make the time.

Basically, our time is what we make of it. It's important to be devoted to your family...to make sure their needs are met and the household runs smoothly. But, it's also important to connect with people, have a good time, laugh, share, and let loose. Suddenly...I feel like watching Sex and the City....I'm sure there's a re-run playing right about now if I hurry!!

I love Reality TV…I find it fascinating even though my spouse tells me that even the most convincing shows are staged. Yes, I do think it’s a strange coincidence that Speidi seems to show up to the very same clubs that LC and crew decide to hang out at on any given night (despite the fact that they live in LA, the epicenter of clubs and lounges). But, that doesn’t really bother me, because I find the drama intoxicating. It reminds me of the drama that ensued in my younger years…but more fabulous.

And although I admit that reality TV is my guilty pleasure…even I have to draw the line somewhere. I didn’t draw that line for the million seasons of the Bachelor/Bachelorette that I invested my time and emotions into, or the Flavor of Love, although I found him repulsive, or I love New York…as annoying as she is, or the plethora of MTV reality shows that I can watch repeatedly. But, I am drawing the line now…Paris Hilton’s search for a new BFF?

Come on!!! Where do they find the idiots to WANT to be her BFF? Why does MTV think America cares? Why do the rich keep getting richer by doing stupid things on television? Every time I see the commercial for this crock of crap, I want to scream!

I must admit, even though I love me some reality television, I miss TV shows…good ol’ sitcoms. The only new show I watch nowadays is “The Office.” But, I miss good, quality humor that shows like “Friends” and “King of Queens” possessed. I’m up for suggestions…so if you’ve seen something funny…let me know!

Word of the Day:
scion \SY-uhn\, noun:1. A detached shoot or twig of a plant used for grafting.2. Hence, a descendant; an heir.
Sentence: Mousse is the scion of a chocolate lab named Hampton and a blonde lab named Harriette.

I’m back from my 4 day get-away…which was much needed and much appreciated. It made me realize that everyone needs to take a breather once in a while…and just treat themselves to a little fun and R&R…or life will definitely get the best of you.

The resort we stayed in had an amazing swimming pool that always seemed to be the perfect temperature…and felt as if you were stepping into a pool of silk. It was very difficult for me to pull Matt out of there on most days. The very first day of our trip, he jumped in and I sat poolside reading some gossip magazines. He kept insisting that I didn’t know what I was missing, but I didn’t have the proper attire to be swimming in a public pool.

Now, in my pool at home I wear shorts and a tee-shirt. But, I felt dumb wearing shorts and a tee when everyone else was bikini clad…even gray-haired woman in their mid sixties. So, Matt took me out swimsuit shopping the very next day. I was dreading the little shopping excursion like the bubonic plague. Me…SueVee-gone-Tee wearing a bathing suit? I’m the girl who wears black sweaters in 90 degree weather!!

I’m happy to report that there are great selections of decent swimwear these days. And, now’s the best time to buy it…since the season is over and swim gear is on sale. I was able to find something that covered me…completely…except for my arms and part of my legs. I was quite pleased to be the most covered girl in the pool! Matt wanted to take a picture of me in my new suit, but I threatened to break his arm off and then slap him with it. So...needless to say, we have no pictures. ;)

Live Blogging from West Palm Beach...

Word of the day: misprize \mis-PRYZ\, transitive verb:1. To hold in contempt.2. To undervalue.
Sentence: Taking off my Oklahoma State tag and replacing it with the Sunshine State tag made me realize that I misprised my hometown...and maybe it ain't so bad, afterall.

Hello Blogosphere. I am alive. (And no, Shelleybelley...Gustav did not carry me away. ;) I wanted to blog all week...but I didn't seem to have the time to make it to the computer write...this is partially because mine and my sister's "secret project" and partially because I've been spending lot of my spare time catching up on watching TV. Oh TV, how I've missed thee!!

Last Monday, September 15th, was my FIRST anniversary!! Time fliesss. Matt and I have survived our first year full of lots and lots of changes!! Unfortunately, I had work...and he was off, so we were unable to celebrate. But luckily...I have an awesome brother-in-law,..who so graciously let us use his time share...so we took a few days off of work to come hang out at Marriott's Ocean Pointe in West Palm Beach!! It's beautiful and relaxing...and so nice to chillax with NOTHING to do for few days. I'm sure curious minds are wondering what we got each other for our first anniversary....

Well, I got him a remote control airplane and helicopter. In fact, I'm hearing the whirring of helicopter blades as I type. And I can't help but crack up because I see him trying to the plane, but it keeps crashing....into the floor and into his face. Too funny.... Ever the romantic...(not) Matt got me....ehh, he's waiting for me to pick out the gift. I've got my eye on Bare Minerals make up these days. =)

Other than all that jazz....I'm liking my job lots better. I finally feel like I somewhat have friends. I mean, maybe I don't go to lunch with anyone...but...I talk to people. And this week...some of the girls actually dubbed me with a nickname....I think that means I'm officially "in" now!!! In case you're wondering...my nickname is Suzie Su....kinda like Lucy Lu...but not. ;)

Welp folks....that's all for today...perhps I will write more tomorrow. Maybe now that I'm stress-free livin' for a few days...I'll be on a roll!!!

I'm ashamed....

It's been an unexcusably long time since I've blogged. I'm actually at my BF's house right now, and Matty locked me in the room and told me that I can't come out until I write a post....so here I am.

Life's been busy...my sister and I have embarked upon a new project which is eating up most of my time. In due time, I'll share it with the rest of blogosphere, but currently it's still under construction. =)

Last week...Sheryl, Sujith, and Elijah came to visit. We had a great time at the beach...Elijah has grown up to be such a delightful, happy little baby boy....and he's quite edible too.

See?? What did I tell ya?? I guess his mom ain't half bad either. ;) It was nice to have friends from home with us after 4 long months! We all went out to Daytona Beach, where Sujith was able to do something he's wanted to do his whole life....jet ski! Speaking of Sujith...he's the newest blogger in the blogosphere...Check him out!

From Tornado Alley...to Hurricane Hell...

gubernatorial \GOO-ber-nuh-TOR-ee-uhl\, adjective:Of or pertaining to a governor.

So, thehe gubernatorial race is not a bunch of goobers racing towards the finish line, as I had assumed.

So far, I'm figuring out that Sunny, Fl...isn't always so sunny. In fact, over the past 3 months, I've stepped in more rain puddles than I have in my entire life. I thought I was leaving the bad weather behind when I left Oklahoma. But apparently, I moved to Florida just in time for hurricane season. Lucky. Me.

It looks like Gustav is bringing more rain and winds into town. He definitely put a damper on weekend plans with Sunu...and hurricane Hannah looks like she'll be whipping through town to put a damper on weekend plans with Sheryl. Gotta love it.

Now that you've been updated with weather conditions...let's move on. For those of you who have asked, BF and Baby BF are both doing well. I would post pictures, but the munchkin refuses to open her eyes when I visit. Who can blame her? I'd sleep all day too if given a choice!!! However, check out Madison's blog for her latest adorable pictures...

Shout out of the day goes to............

Miss Sheryl Jenkins James Jacob. Sheryl to me is like the itch you can't scratch...the fly that's too fast to swat...the annoying little sister I never asked for but somehow inherited. Now, that seems a bit harsh...I know. But that's just the dynamics of our relationship. The harsher I am, the more she likes me!

People who don't know us....hear us conversating and are apalled by how brash we are to each other. People who do know us just laugh.

Happy Birthday, Shrekky....If I was still in town...I'd make you some of your favorite brownies....(although I'm sure you'd call me a few hours later to tell me they gave you gas.) Enjoy your day....I'll see you in Sunny, Fl soon!

Saturday!

supernumerary \soo-puhr-NOO-muh-rair-ee; -NYOO-\, adjective:1. Exceeding the stated, standard, or prescribed number.2. Exceeding what is necessary or desired; superfluous.

My supernumerary safari expedition was the highlight of my trip to Magic Kingdom!

I finally found my camera adaptor, so I was able to upload a few pictures that were in my camera's internal memory. I will now post them for your viewing pleasure....

Aaron's 14th birthday back in June...and the lopsided pink cake with the funky candles that I baked him.

The phenomenal ribs his dad made for the occasion. Is your mouth watering?? Mine is... Missy with her cousin Moussey...parting from each other was such sweet sorrow

Andrew and Moussey...

3 of my mom's 4 grandkids layin' down watchin' TV at Amachi's house. Matt and I went to Animal Kingdom on Saturday...It was probably the most fun day I've had since I've moved to Orlando! We had a wild time...get it? ha! Animal...wild... ;)

He might not have shown it, but he was excited to be there.

The famous tree...

If you ever go to Magic Kingdom, I suggest you go on the safari ride...you'll have a wild time...haa...(that joke never gets too old for me). There are lots of animals to see and you can see them pretty close. Here are a few I saw...

Mr. Crocodile

Mr. Giraffe....

Mr. Elephant...
Mr. Lion...who looked pretty harmless...almost as innocent as Moussey when she's napping on my kitchen floor.
Mr. Ape. He seemed a lil' depressed...

I got this nifty leather id bracelent from Animal Kingdom. I saw it at a shop, and it took me back...way back to when I was 4 years old. My dad had taken us on a family visit to Wisonsin Dells. I can barely remember it, but I do remember him buying all 3 of us leather ID bands...and I do remember wearing it for years to come...until finally the snap broke. So, I thought I'd buy another...in memory of the first one.

Last but not least...no set of Disney pictures would be complete with out the mouse...
Maddicake update....Maddi and Momma are doing good. They got to go home today! I get to see Maddi in her new habitat tomorrow...Pictures soon to follow!

She's here...she's here...she's here!!!

After a long night of waiting at the hospital...Madison decided to show up at 7:30 this morning. She has all 10 fingers and all 10 edible lil' toes...and she's absolutely precious! I'll let you see for yourself!!....

Isn't she a doll? I think she's a smiler like her Momma...because she was smiling so much while we all held her! I'm sure she will be gracing my blog...and her daddy's...and her own...with a lotttttt more pictures in the days to come! ;)

Bringin' it back...

The other night I looked back through my old blogs in search of inspiration. I can't seem to get it together to post faithfully these days, so I went back in time to see what it was that I used to write about all the time. I discovered a few features in my blog that I really enjoyed and want to bring back.

One...the word of the day! I decided it was a fun way to learn new words...that being said....

provenance \PROV-uh-nuhn(t)s\, noun:Origin; source.

Sentence: The provenance of the strange odor was the furry, brown labrador retriever who was remitting gas while she was sleeping. ;)

Another feature of my old blogs that I enjoyed were character profiles. This was something my friend Matty suggested I bring back to the blog as well. I told him that I felt like it would be too hard at this time since I don't know anyone!!! But, then he suggested that I profile my friends back home. So, I thought I'd do a little re-vamp to the character profile and make it "Sue's Shout Out"...to "holla" at the people I miss or have been thinking about a lot lately. So, here it goes....my very first shout out....

goes to.....T'Dub...also known as, DT (Detective Terry), Terrence Trent Darby, Mrs. Roper, Spider Pig....or just Terry. She always had a way of making my work day entertaining...whether it was her magazine clippings or her strange illnesses or her commentary on the rest of our associates or even just her evening updates on what she had for dinner the night before. I know she is feeling blue right now because her bestest friend moved out of town. First she had to deal with the heart ache of losing me...and now another friend!?!?!? Life can be cruel. =/ T'Dub, I miss you, pretty girl!!

Life with out a Television...a Sad, Sad Life.

I will never forget that day...the day I said goodbye to my TV. I was standing on my old driveway in Oklahoma City, watching the movers telling Matt that we would be charged for every square inch we used on the truck. I saw the wheels spinning in Matt's head as he tried to decide what we wouldn't be taking. Helplessly I stood there...praying that my favorite possessions would make the cut and join me in sunny, Florida. Matt made his way toward me...and by the look on his face, I knew I was about to hear some bad news.

"We can't take the TV. There's no room."

My heart dropped to my toes. Immediately I ran to the CRV, and tried to reaarange the jam packed truck to fit my 26 inch TV. But, there was nothing I could do to make enough space for it. I had to decide...Either the TV would be in the back seat or Moussey would. It was a hard decision...but the living being got first preference. I never thought I'd last 3 months with out a TV...I thought would buy one as soon as I moved in...but instead, my money went to things like soaring electric bills and $4 gallons of milk.

Thankfully, I have a sister and a BF who have DVR and are kind enough to record shows they think I'd want to watch...and MTV.com helps me stay tuned to the Hills, America's Best Dance Crew, and Real World. But, major things have been going on in the world that I never knew about. For instance...THE OLYMPICS?!? Really?? I was wondering why Google.com had strange little characters holding flags of different nations on Friday, August 8th. I happened to hear someone say he was going to China and was going to catch the end of the Olympics...and that's when I knew! Nor did I know that Bernie Mac died! WTF?? Tragedy! And the Last Lecturer died too??? How sad!!! And...John Edwards really did have an affair?!? Geez...So much going on!

The good news is...I should be getting my TV soon...and I'll be back in business. Matt's not too happy about it...but hey, he can use his time "wisely" and ignore me as I waste my time crackin up at my favorite shows once again! I can't wait!

In other news...the kid has not yet arrived. Matt's finally off next Saturday and we're planning on taking a little expedition to Tampa. Something tells me, that that will probably be when she decides that she's ready to come out and see the world!! Sigh....

I usually have a quiet period when I meet new people. It takes about a month for someone new to break through my "tough exterior." A month passed...and then two...and I still had no friends at work. I must admit that I used some pretty low tactics to try to make friends at a certain point. Yes, I baked them brownies...but still...no dice. I began to rationalize it by saying it's too busy of an environment to be chatty and have friends. A few people around the office passed comments about how quiet I am...and in my head I thought..."man, if they only knew!!"

I'm coming upon 3 months at the new job. And today...I finally had a moment when I felt like I too was part of the gang. A few people were sitting around talking since it was an unusually calm day, and I happened to walk into their conversation. Next thing I knew, they started asking me questions and we bonded. Ok, so maybe it was "bonding"...but it was pretty close. It even lead to me going on break with one of my team members. I was insanely excited.

Maybe in 3 more months...I'll actually have someone to go to LUNCH with!

I'm ashamed to admit I have no pictures to post from this weekend's assignment...because I haven't had any inspiring subjects as of late. But, as usual, my cohort, Matty took some fantastic shots, so take a look at his!

This past week has been a retrospective one. My nephew had made a cd of 80's song, and listening to it somehow flung me into the past. I found myself digging through boxes to find old pictures and reading some of my old writing. It was kind of nice reflecting back on a time when worries were minimal, friends were plentiful, and money wasn't spent on rent/utilities/and a $4 gallon of milk.

I remember dreaming a lot of the future back then....and I have discovered that a lot of those dreams have been lost in the shuffle...stuffed in a box labled "some day." I didn't think that I would become a person like that "when I grew up." I thought I'd be someone that pursued my dreams at all costs and didn't let life get in the way.

In a way, the little flashback to the past was exactly what I needed to inspire me to not get stuck in a rut...but to figure out a way to still do and pursue the things I love. Hopefully it will be a lesson that I will remind myself of on a daily basis...

In other..fantastic...news...Madison Sarah Mathew will be gracing us with her presence ANY day now. (from the looks of her momma's belly...sooner than later!!)

Undeniably Malu

So for those of you who are reading this blog post and have no idea what "malu" means...let me explain. My family is from the southern tip of India...a beautiful, lush state called Kerala. The people who dwell in Kerala are called Malayalees...or "Malus" for short.

I hate lumping people into categories...or making blanket statements about people within a certain culture. So, I'm going to try to say this very carefully...as to not offend anyone... That being said...A few weeks ago, my mom and I were walking through my neighborhood. I saw a women walking up her driveway with a newspaper under her arm. She had frizzy black hair, which she tied up in a bun...and a pair of gold earings and a thick gold necklace which I could spot from several feet away. Instantly, I turned to my mom and told her that Malus lived in my neighborhood! She asked me why I was so certain that the woman was a Malayalee...and I explained that the hair and jewlery were two major give aways. As we got closer to her house....I noticed that their garage was filled with Japanese cars....a Honda and a Toyota...."See! I told my mom...there's another sign!" She looked at me as if I was crazy. But then, I saw something that solidified my suspicions....an unruly rosebush in the front yard. Upon seeing that, even my mom agreed that they definitely had to be Malayalees.

I hadn't seen the Malayalees again for a few weeks. A part of me wanted to see and befriend them....hoping the lady might invite us over for some home cooking! Then, last week as I was driving home, I saw the man of the house checking the mail. He had on blue slacks, a black belt, and a wife beater. If I had any doubts they weren't Malayalee, all doubts were now washed away!

Today, I was walking Moussey in the morning. As I was walking up the sidewalk, the Malayalee man and lady were walking down the sidewalk. I thought "this is my chance to befriend them!" They'll ask me where I'm from in Malayalam...and I'll respond with my usual village idiot response!!...They'll chuckle at my feeble attempt...and we'll all become friends! (As you can see I'm desperate to make some friends around here!) So, as they approached...I began smiling...And when they were close enough to hear me...I said "Hello!"

They didn't smile or respond to my pleasentries...they just maintained a stoic expression and walked right on past me. I was bummed...and kept walking. Maybe they didn't know I was Indian. Afterall, they hadn't seen my driveway with 2 Hondas parked in it...and my hair had been de-frizzed before my walk...and I never walk with my bling on...it just ain't safe these days!!

On my way home from our walk...we passed the couple's home again. This time, they were both standing on their driveway....almost as if they were waiting for us to walk by. The man stood there with both hands on his hips and the woman stood beside him curiously. As I walked by...they just stared, not a word was uttered...Just a silent stare.

"Undeniably Malu," I muttered to Moussey...as we turned down my street and walked home.

My "Why So Blue?" picture of the day!

Pick-chas...

Matty and I have decided to keep working on our photography interest. We thought we'd make each week a particular theme and take pictures accordingly. This week's theme is "why so blue?" I'm not quite sure what this means, or how I'm going to take pictures to go with the theme...but it should be fun trying to figure it out. This weekend, we had another photography expedition. This shot was my absolute favorite! It wasn't posed at all. I just happened to see my BF...the good sport that she is...sitting on a bench, 9 months pregnant...trying to find a little reprieve from the Florida sun. Isn't she cute? Maddison will be here in just 3 short weeks!Ever the competitor...Matty is always looking for a way to get a better shot than me. Infact, I usually have to go through this schpeel while we're driving.

M: "Susan, you have to admit...I'm a better photographer than you."

S: (in order to shut him up) "Yes, you absolutely are...Your shots and your camera is much better than mine."

Although I tell him that each time...I take a shot like the one below...and post it...knowing full well that it totally blows his shots away. ;)

This was just an interesting shot to me...it was the ceiling of a pagoda that was in downtown Orlando...in the Lake Eola area. One things for sure...These photography expeditions are exposing me to lots of Orlando!
Sometimes you can find something interesting in something simple...like a piece of wood!

Irony...

So, I've been noticing a few ironic things in my day to day life....1. I've moved to sunny, florida....yet, it rains every day!! It's usually bright and sunny throughout the day...you know, while I'm at work and unable to enjoy it! But as soon as 6 pm hits, the rain pours. (Just in time for me to sail home through traffic). 2. Florida has a very large population of Hispanics....yet the one thing I have not eaten so far is Mexican food...not even good Mexcian fast food! (Oh, Taco Bueno, how I miss thee) I'm sure there are quite a bit of authentic Spanish restaurants, but I can't stomach that. It has a little something to do with my missions trip to Mexico in 04, in which I encountered some really bad chicken mole...(pronounced molay)..wait. is it spelled molay? oh, who knows...anyway, what I'm in search of is some good ol' tex mex. sigh. the search continues. 3. Matt and I both work for a vacation club, but we can't afford to take a vacation! ha! I guess our move will be considered our vacation this year. Maybe in 09 we'll have some potential traveling possibilities. One can hope. Speaking of hope, I hope my friend Matty keeps up with his latest attempt with blogging! Check him out and welcome him back!

The Farmer's Market with Friends....

Matty got a new fancy, schmancy camera a few weeks ago and had been itching to get out there and practice before Maddison's born. So, I suggested we go somewhere on Saturday to take pictures. I've been wanting to work on my camera skills too! So, Matty and BF took me to Winter Park, Florida, where they have a Farmer's Market every Saturday. Matty and I had lots of subjects to take pictures of!

A thorn among the roses...Ha! I kid. His pictures turned out a lot better than mine...I say it's his camera...he says it's his talent.BF was such a good sport. She walked around in the heat just so we could pretend to be photographers for the day!

This is Yeager. He was looking for a tree to rest under for shade...but found the next best thing!

Dog days of summer in Sunny, Florida...

I wish had bought these cherries instead of just taking their picture!

The Great Depression...

I walked into the grocery store the other day and was horrified to see that the gallon of milk I needed was nearly five bucks. I left...with out it. Is it just me...or are the sky rocketing prices of gas, food,...and everything else for that matter... making the rest of you greatly depressed? Right about now, the one thing I'm grateful for is my car purchase last year. Thank God for imparting a bit of wisdom on me....that I would select a fuel efficient car instead of a guzzler. Seriously...if I didn't have my Fit, I would have a fit every time I pumped gas! (No pun intended)

I don't know how people are surviving these days. Everything's going up...other than salaries, of course. It never ceases to amaze me that people do still survive...and they do still shop till they drop. For instance, a few months ago, SueTee took me and CCL to a Coach outlet. I looked around the store and saw women swarming with coaches in all shapes and sizes and random colors in their hands. I stood in line with a patent leather, wristlet that Sue found for me at a steal of a deal for only $30. The lady in front of me had a bright green and white purse (which I thought was not a very practical buy considering it wouldn't match much) that was big enough to carry my dog, a coach scarf, a coach umbrella, and a coach key chain. At that moment I thought to myself...am I the only person affected by this recession?!?

However, I know I'm not because I hear people complain about it every day...at work, at the gas station, at the produce department of grocery stores. I guess what goes up must come down...and right now, we're just on a downward slope. We've just gotta hold on for dear life, and hope "up" comes around soooooooooooon!