I’m fairly certain we can out-squee the 12 year olds!

After all, I’ve been squee!-ing since before they were even born…

I started squee!-ing for New Kids on the Block and later graduated to *NSync.   I did quite a bit of squee!-ing over various celebrity AND non-celebrity crushes over the years, and definitely squee!-ed lots over the Harry Potter series.   Heck, I still squee! every time Stevie Nicks comes up on my mp3 player!

It’s no secret, I’m normally pretty vocal about the stuff that makes my heart beat a little faster and my smile stretch a little wider.  Why hide it?!

And what’s got me SQUEE!-ing today?  This:

A girl from work is going to go with me and I’m so glad because otherwise I might have gone alone!!  Squeeeee!!!!! 

anniversary goodness

I received my first email from Ush on 19 October 2004 and wrote this about a week later on my then-blog:

Random: I have a London friend! Via myspace, I’ve been emailing back and forth with this guy just about every day, and it’s so fun! He’s hilarious.. Makes me happy. He’s NOT one of those “oh baby, you so fine” shmoozers, which is a lovely change of scenery on myspace.  His band, which just split up after quite a few years, has played with Sum 41 and the Lost Prophets, just to name a couple. They had quite a following in the UK, apparently.  (PS – Amber, I asked him his full name.. it’s “Ushwin” )

Amber had come down to Illinois for a visit that weekend and giggled with me as we looked up Mumcuss and scoured their site for pictures of him.  I remember we found a poorly focused one that didn’t show him as the hottie that he so clearly is, and we were a bit.. concerned.

One year later, I’d been living in London for over a month and was loving it all.

And the year after that – on 20 October 2006, exactly two years plus one day after that first email – we were married! I still think this is a pretty perfect summary of the day:

Yayyyyyy!!! We’re married!!!

Our day was PERFECT. Perfect from start to finish in proverbial shiny, sparkly letters and a pretty font.  I’m working on a rundown of the pre, during, and post wedding events to share with you later, but for now here’s a quick one:

I had a wonderful time with friends and bridesmaids the night before; my family arrived safely and on time; the weather was ideal (which was worry #1); I was relaxed and excited; my groom wasn’t bricking it like he thought he’d be; I felt beautiful in my dress, hair (worry #2), and makeup.  The ceremony evoked tears in nearly every attendee (even the registrars said it was the best wedding they’d done all year); the pre-reception dinner was lovely; and the reception was an absolute blast and a half: speeches were hilarious and touching, dancing was insanely fun, food/drink was great, our friends are amazing.  Wedding night hotel was incredibly lush. The next day was family day with a bus tour around the city, lots of laughing, Thai takeout, and an amazing double rainbow.  Ush and Alex are really excited about being brothers

I’m so wonderfully blessed.

And now, 5 years later and 3 years later respectively, here we are!

We spent our first two wedding anniversaries on long weekends down in Seaford, but unfortunately it was not possible this year because of work and other such hoo-ha.

No matter! This year, we celebrated by going out to dinner and to the theatre to see ‘Wicked’, which really was, I have to say, wicked!!

I love you, Ushwin Pai… No one else has ever evoked from me such a broad spectrum of the things of life – passion and rage, fear and security, love and hate, contentment and pure bliss.  I just think you’re amazing.  And I look forward to another year of surprising you with random cups of tea

it’s not the same without the hay bales to sit on

Do me a favor, those of you who live anywhere acceptably near Mukwonago, Wisconsin.. Go visit the Elegant Farmer on my behalf, please!

I had a long talk on the phone with my mom tonight (while she was driving to Iowa.. I scolded her when, at one point, mid-sentence, she exclaimed “Whoops! I’m going 90!”) and I can’t remember what it was in our conversation that made me think of it, but I really miss the Elegant Farmer.

Specifically, making caramel apples.

You’d go into the barn and join the queue… Choose your apple from the various barrels, put it on a stick and have it dipped in caramel (or you can opt to have it cut up in a little paper tray and drizzled with caramel), move on to the ‘toppings’  (I always chose chopped nuts), and then go sit on a hay bale and enjoy!

(If you can get to this point while the caramel is still warm, that’s ideal!)  I always liked to first eat the bits of caramel+nuts that had dripped down into the tray.  Then, you pick up the apple-on-a-stick and get to work.  That first bite is always kinda tricky – it’s mostly caramel and not so much apple.  But once you take a good chunk out of the apple, it’s easy to chow down!

Sigh.  YUM!

If you don’t want a caramel apple, then there must be something wrong with you then at least go and pick up an apple pie baked in a paper bag!

–

EDITED TO ADD:
I don’t often miss ‘things’ from America – people absolutely, but not stuff.  Most things that I enjoyed over there I have either found here a suitable equivalent, replacement, or I just haven’t really missed them.
So it’s odd to be struck twice in two days with things that I really love in America and can’t get here – either of comparable quality or even at all.  Today’s American thing I miss is rootbeer!!
I was at the grocery store shopping for my dinner tonight (crackers plus ingredients for my guacamole – no need to eat REAL meals when the husband is away!) and was suddenly struck with a craving for a rootbeer float.  But I couldn’t find any rootbeer.   I briefly considered getting some Dr Pepper, but it would have been a poor substitute.   I’m sure IS possible to find here, having been imported from somewhere or other.  But still.  It temporarily bummed me out.

because I can’t stop listening to it

I was just introduced to Ryan Adams’ hauntingly beautiful cover of the Oasis hit “Wonderwall”

There’s nothing to watch in the video, so just hit Play, minimize this window, and go check your email or something.. Or better yet, lean back, close your eyes, and just let it soak in!

I enjoy plumbing so much!

Hoooo boy!!  The manly man, the only original intern who hasn’t at some point ended up on a Seattle Grace operating table, super macho Alex Karev… screams like a girl!!!

(the whole intro)

I kid you not, I laughed for 7 straight minutes over this! I couldn’t stop – the laughs kept coming, the tears kept pouring!  This is a perfect example of why it’s so much better to download/record your favourite shows and watch them later rather than live… I paused, rewound, and watchedit again about 12 times, laughing just as hard each time!

And then when Ush came in the room, wondering what kind of crazy person had replaced his wife, I played it for him and laughed again!

(short and to the point)

Besides not finding it as funny as I do (every time Ush has anything negative or even apathetic to say about Greys, I defensively assert, “You just don’t know them!”), he did add that it reminds him of R2D2, which I’m okay with.

Quote of the Weekend

Ush is good at making up words.  Often instead of just a plain old curse, he’ll shout out “Ass burps!”  or “Wank jungles!”

He also makes up words when he can’t remember what the actual word is.  For example, he used to tease me for my affinity for the music of “Jason Wiggleywam” (Mraz), “Michael Bubblehead” (Buble), and Dogturd McGinty (Gavin Degraw!).

This weekend, he spouted another beauty!

“Oh, hey, your favourite author has a new book out.”

“Which favourite?”

“Umm.. You know, Audrey something… Audrey Nippletassles!”

*dies laughing* “NIFFENEGGER!”

“Yeah, that’s what I said!”

Oh dear.

can I get a witness

Last night we went to dinner with a fantastic couple whom Ush has known for years and who have, from the beginning, been two of my favourite people in London.

They each played active roles in both of our weddings.. In October 2006*, at the actual wedding in London, Tiggy was a bridesmaid and helped plan my hen night (bachelorette party) and Matt was one of the DJs at our reception.  In April 2007, at the USA reception, they both flew out and splendidly represented our London family (along with Raj and Matt Luker).  Matt, again, played DJ.

They’re the types of friends that we don’t see all that often, but we have an understanding that that has no bearing on how much we matter to each other.

They got engaged last year, have a date set for next year, and last night they asked us to be their witnesses for the ceremony!! (Fun fact:  They said that was the first wedding decision they’d made without a hint of argument!)  So honoured, so very chuffed, and super happy for them!

—

* Whoa! Third anniversary is coming up soon!

you don’t have to read this, it’s not that interesting

I’m just in a really good mood right now and kinda in the mood to ramble!

Today was a rollercoaster.  It was pretty busy at work and I had demands for my attention coming from all directions.  Certain software issues prevented me from completing certain tasks, and that particular list of tasks is growing and I was stressing over when it would get done, etc same old blah blah blah.  At lunch time, I went into zombie mode in an attempt to relax.  (Not so much eating brains or anything, of course, just zoning out.)  I went back feeling slightly refreshed and ready to tackle the afternoon, which was just as busy but less stressful.  I really like the people I work with and often feel really thankful that that job practically fell into my lap.

Tonight was supposed to be ‘Steph’s Taco Salad’ night, but I haven’t had much of an appetite lately and so I’m trying to keep up the momentum in the hopes of losing a few lbs.  While I know that my taco salad would taste awesome, I’m not actually all that hungry so I shouldn’t eat it.  Thankfully Ush wasn’t very hungry tonight either – if he had been, I definitely would’ve caved.   I had a salad and half an apple instead.  And now I’m satiated.

Listening to “Pressure” by Skindred, which is an excellent song.  You know when you hear a new band and you don’t know any of their music, and then you hear that one song that just knocks you down?  This song did that to me.  I saw them a couple years ago when Ush [a la Orakai] opened for them at the Underworld.  I can’t remember particularly enjoying anything else from their set but this one!

I made an appointment today to get waxed, so by the weekend I will no longer have ‘yeti legs’ which is good!  I also need to make an appointment for a haircut – I passed the 3-month mark a few weeks ago!  (Forgive me, O Goddess of Hair!)

Speaking of hair, mine is r e a l l y long.  Longer than its ever been, I think!  I’m hoping to do the big chop around Christmastime.. my birthday at the latest.  But we’ll see if I can get there.  I need 10 inches, and I need it NOT to be 2 inches long after I cut off those 10 inches!!  So we’ll see how it goes.  Sometimes I really enjoy having it this long, other times I want to shave my head.  But I think everyone feels that way at some time or another.

Anyway!  I’ll leave you with this – because I found it hilarious!

Did I mention I’m a superfan?

Oh man… it’s just 27 days away… And I’ll get to see them again!!!

I’m just as excited as I was the first time!  She’s SO beyond fabulous…

Unfortunately this time it won’t just be my mom watching me make a squealing fool of myself… It will be my husband and two friends.  OH DEAR.

I told them, “What happens at Wembley, STAYS at Wembley.”

the extent of my sewing skills

And I use the word ’skills’ losely!

Basically all I know how to do is hem things, which I need to do fairly often because of my height deficiency coupled with my slight inability to wear heels.  (Eg: I bought a pair of red linen-ish trousers from the Next petite range – and I still needed to take them up an inch.  Le sigh!)

Anyway, Mom taught me to hem years ago and I can do it like a pro. (And by ‘pro’ I mean ‘well enough that it holds together and hopefully no one notices any errors.’)

Last night yielded my best ever hemming ‘creation’.

I took a skirt that I bought when I was 18 (for our senior banquet!) – floor length with splits to the knee on each side – and chopped it at the splits, hemmed it, and now it’s perfect!

Because of the way it sits across my waist/hips, from the front it looks a bit like a pencil skirt, but when I turn to the side, it looks like an A-line!!  Hooray for not emphasising the bum!!

Happy girl, right here.

And I’d post photos, but I still haven’t hooked my camera up to the computer to try to download (upload?) the photos. So… maybe someday.

(Woo! New old skirt!)