Au Revoir, Russell Thomas!

My apartment recently had an unwelcome visitor.  He was a little mouse.

One day, roommate S said to me, "I think we keep the place pretty clean, but...  I saw a mouse a few nights ago."  Roommate S is much more of a night owl than myself, so she spent many a late night hearing his "rustling."

After S told us about him, roommate K and I were watching television one night.  She startled and said, "Did you hear that?!?!"  I hadn't, but I went right to investigate.  After freaking out - may I remind you there was a mouse behind our microwave - I went to try and catch him.  And failed.  Miserably.  After chatting with K about what we should do, both of us came to the conclusion that we should name him.  Obviously.  K picked out "Thomas."

Upon discussing Thomas with S, we discovered she, too, had named him - Russell.  "Because he rustles!"  Hence, Russell Thomas.

I bought (humane) mouse traps, and set those up, probably a week ago.  After a few false trappings (probably it just got hit,) this morning I heard him.  Picking up the trap, I knew Russell Thomas was in there!

While this was exciting (as no one really wants a mouse around,) I then had to figure out what to do with him.  I wasn't going to outright kill him.  I considered throwing him in the trash, but that seemed really mean - he'd die, and slowly.  I wanted to release him, but I was really worried that someone would yell at me.  I mean, we didn't want a mouse in our apartment, others probably didn't want one being released outside of theirs.

Too bad.  That's what I ended up doing.

So, Russell Thomas, we wish you the best, but please don't return.  Pass the message along to your friends!

FOOD

This has been a week and a half coming...  I've been meaning to catch up on babbling about all the food my friends and I have made over the past couple of weeks.

Friday, January 16th

"Smushed" Potatoes, Veggies, Chicken.  M1 had a bunch of people over for "board" games - love them.  She made a variety of things, including "smushed" potatoes, which were my favourites.  She doesn't own a masher, so they had larger chunks than most mashed potatoes - the perfect combination of mashed potatoes and roasted potatoes!  It was a lovely dinner, and a lovely evening.

(We played Apples to Apples and Celebrity.  Both great games for more than six people.  It's just so hard to get six people crowded around a board...)

Sunday, January 18th

Garlic Bread, Pasta [Right.]  M3 made some bow tie pasta with vegetables (mushrooms and peppers, I think.)  And garlic bread, my favourite pasta side.

Bow ties are also one of my top pasta shapes.  Granted, there's a time for everything, but bow ties are almost always welcome.  I've never been a spaghetti person.  Holy moley.  There are a lot of pasta shapes.  Oh, bow ties are officially "Farfalle."  Other favourites are Rotini (spiral, for pasta salads,) Ziti, Ditalini (for Minestrone) and, well, lots of stuffed pastas (Ravioli, Gnocchi, Tortellini, etc.)

End feelings on pasta shapes.

Tuesday, January 20th

Tortilla Soup [Left,] Quesadillas, Pinwheels [Below right.]  My night!  Also, Inauguration Day!  Yay!  Possibly because I wanted a margarita, we ended up with Mexican.  I made Tortilla Soup, which was lovely, if I do say so myself.  (And I do.)  Quesadillas were simple enough - cheese, hot peppers, black beans and corn.

Dessert...  I made these "really healthy" Cream Cheese Chocolate Chunk Pastries.  Nevermind the fact that pastry sheets are absolutely terrible for you.  They taste delicious!

I would suggest a few changes to the soup.  Less oil!  (Or a sheen results over the top of the soup.)  Someone in the reviews suggested petite diced tomatoes - I was a huge fan.  Frozen corn - because I hate canned vegetables.  Two cans of green chilis (as three is just a bit much.)  Now...  Go!

Wednesday, January 21st

BBQ, Fries.  M1 made BBQ chicken for the omnivores, and a BBQ veggie burger for me.  And my two favourite versions of French fries - seasoned and curly and sweet potato.  Yum!

Sunday, January 25th

Polenta-Stuffed Peppers [Right.]  These were awesome.  They looked so pretty!  I just spent a few moments looking for the recipe M3 used for these, but couldn't find it...  Also, I had no idea what polenta was; that shall not be an issue going forward.

Another great discovery here was Newman's Own Roast Garlic Balsamic Dressing.  I'm not big on many condiments, including most salad dressings, but this one was great!

Tuesday, January 27th

Risotto Trio.  I made three risottos, which was a bit of a juggling act, as risottos take a fair amount of hands-on work.  (The "trio" part of it was planned without thinking.  It worked out in the end.)

I was most excited about the Mushroom Risotto, but it turned out to be my least favourite of the three.  It wasn't bad, just the other two were better.  My favourite was the Butternut Squash Risotto.  I made a few alterations (from the reviews.)  I roasted to squash, with some nutmug and salt - for 20 minutes at 350.  (I'm not big into onions, so I probably used only a quarter.)  Obviously, I used vegetable stock; and I used only 2.5 to 3 cups of it - nowhere close to five cups!  It. Was. Awesome.  Lastly, there was a Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto.  Here, again, vegetable stock and less onion.

And...  Now we're up to date.  With what I've been eating, at least!  It seems that family dinners are taking a bit of a hiatus for a week - M3 is off to Mexico, and M1 is heading to my home state for the weekend.  However, since the Super Bowl is on Sunday, I can see loads of FRIED in my near future!

Stroller Saturday #4

Today, we come to possibly the most-recognized stroller of the stars...

The Bugaboo Cameleon

First of all, why did Bugaboo insist on spelling "Cameleon" without the h???  Honestly, I have no idea.

Basic Stats: Includes chassis, seat / bassinet frame, bassinet fabric / structure, seat fabric / structure, underseat bag, raincover and carry bar.  Handlebar rotates so that either (lockable) swivel wheels are facing forward (normal) or large, foam-filled tires are facing forward (for rough terrain.)  Height-adjustable handlebar.  Reversible seat has three-positive recline.  Requires purchase of an adapter, but compatible with the Peg Primo Viaggio, Graco SugRide and Maxi-Cosi Mico car seats.  Tons of colour-coordinated accessories available, including footmuffs, canopies, diaper bags, etc.  Suitable from birth (using bassinet.)  Available in a zillion colour combinations.  (Reality: Base is available in six normal colours, plus denim.  Tailored Fabric is available in nine canvas colours, six fleece colours, denim, and, in a few weeks, four Paul Frank limited edition patterns.  Oh, plus the Bugaboo by Marc Jacobs, pictured below.)  Weighs 20 lbs., and will carry up to 45 lbs.

Who Drives These: Seemingly, all of Hollywood.  Claudia Schiffer, Matt Damon, Gwen Stefani actually owns one of the fifteen Cameleons designed by Marc Jacobs:

(I love the idea of a black frame, myself.)

Otherwise, lots of non-celebrities also drive this.  I have a hard time walking down the streets of the South End of Boston without encountering one of these.  (And, it's all but impossible to not encounter at least a Bugaboo of some sort, Cameleon, Frog or Bee.)  Cameleons have become something of a status symbol.

What I Think: Well, I can't not love all the colour options!  My favourite is the one pictured above, with the red base and orange fabrics.  This stroller is packed with features, between the versatile handlebar to the different wheeling options.  You can even take the swivel wheels off to pull it in the snow!  The coolest part, however, is that Bugaboo understood that a stroller with this many features was possibly going to be a little confusing, so they colour-coded it!  Everything white on the stroller represents some action - Push certain buttons, and the seat comes off.  Push others and the seat reclines.  Another white button is the brake, another allows you to flip the handlebar over.  Sure, it may take some figuring out what button is for what (though they make sense if you think for a hot second,) but you know you'll get it to work if you push everything white!

Overall Verdict: I really like the Bugaboo Cameleon.  The only problem?  So does everyone else.  For my stroller, I'd want one that I wasn't going to see everywhere.  I'm not asking for a one-of-a-kind, but I'd like to be able to walk around and not run into ten of the same in one stroll.  For $899, it's not cheap, but it does have a lot of great features, and it's cool-looking.  For those will to spend the money, it's certainly not a bad options, and certainly not one that you wouldn't already be thinking of!  It's definitely not an umbrella stroller - folding this guy is a bit of a bear (it involves removing the seat, sometimes the wheels, too, and then folding,) so it's not the most transportable, but if you're using it in the city on a daily basis, it's a smooth push!

[Final note here.  If anyone ever wants my opinions on strollers, please let me know, I'll definitely have them!]

Tattoos (aka, Catch Up, Part One)

Erm, it's been awhile.  It's been a bit of a busy week, but business leads to actually having things to write about.  In an attempt to a) not bore those that read this, and b) not bore myself, I'm breaking my catch-up post into a few posts.

Back to the tattoos first!  So, last Sunday, my incredibly brave friend, S, and I headed over to the tattoo shop, which I love.  (I swear, people-watching doesn't get much better than in tattoo shops.  Walk-in days are best, but, really, oddballs can show up at any time!)  We had appointments that began at noon, and it was snowing, so all the staff was a bit late, but we just hung out.  S had declared she was going first (get it over with!) so it was just a case of waiting for John to be ready, talking with S, drawing it up, getting it priced, John setting up the room...  And so on.  S was a champ, though!  There was a bit of time when she felt dizzy - which it totally normal!  Thank goodness, she said something!  John said that there are generally two things that happen if someone doesn't tell him that they're not feeling well - they either pass out OR they "power vomit."  I was thankful to avoid both of those scenarios.  But, after some glucose tablets and water, we were back in business and all went smoothly.  And the results???  A pretty flower!

... A pretty flower resulting in a hilarious story a few days later.  S is a high school math teacher.  Her students are, well, they're not the angels I was in high school, let's just say that.  (I'm not being sarcastic here.)  S tends to wear a sweatshirt to school, and then change into a more professional, blazer thing for work.  Wednesday, however, she forgot to change before her kids came into the room.  As she lifted her shirt over her head, apparently her shirt came up a bit, and her kids saw her tattoo, at which point they freaked out about it.  There were whispers of "I never thought Ms. H would have a tattoo!"  Seriously, they probably talked about it at lunch.  I kind of figure they may respect her a little more now; given the reason, I can't decide if that's a good or a bad thing.  Generally, they should have just respected her from the beginning...

After S was set and we had had some rejuvenating milkshakes from Ben & Jerry's, it was my turn!  (Also of note, every time we said the word "milkshake," John would go "Did you know that my milksha

ke brings all the boys to the yard?"  Hilarious coming from a thirty-something, heavily-tattooed guy.)  When John saw what I wanted, he said something along the lines of "Remember how we talked and laughed during S's tattoo?  Yeah, we won't be doing that with yours."  I should have realized this, but straight lines are a tattoo artist's nightmare.  Whoops.

Oh well, an hour and a bit later, it turned out sa-weet!  I'm loving it.  (And now beginning to think of what's next on my list...)

However, back to my chair.  I realized in my earlier post, I posted the Knoll poster of the chair...  But not actually what the chair looks like.  (In trying to explain what the tattoo was going to look like to a coworker, "It's from an ad for a chair.  But it doesn't look like a chair," apparently didn't really describe much.)  Here's the love of my modern design life, the Bertoia Diamond Chair:

I dream of having a bunch of these in black, with various red / orange / yellow seat pads.  In real life, I actually don't own one quite yet, but it's coming soon!  (Probably in chrome, a close second.)

The Diamond Chair was designed in the early 50s - I believe it went into production in 1952 - by Harry Bertoia, an Italian-bord designer known most for his metalwork.  Actually, I just learned (wonders of the internet!) that Bertoia designed the fountain at Marshall University that commemorates the plane crash victims (1970.)  Makes me want to watch "We Are Marshall" again.  (The fountain and the fact that it was a great movie.)  Anyways, the Diamond Chair has been amongst my favourites ever since I discovered the joys of modern design.

However, some joker named Douglas Homer thought that it would be funny to go from "Harry Bertoia" to "Hairy Bertoia," and made this abomination of my chair:

Ack!  I'm not impressed.  Between the garish colour and the fact that these sponge cords completely hide the beautiful design of the chair...  I just do not like it.  At all!  Give me the original!

I Officially Have a Tattoo of a Chair

YES!  Today was lovely.  It began a little earlier than I prefer my Sundays to begin, but I woke up at 7am, completely wired for the day.  Luckily, there were breakfast / brunch plans, so I met M3 at the bus stop, and up to Cambridge we headed.  Lovely food and coffee at Crema Cafe, where I had only been once before.  And, of course, lovely conversation.

Then...  To Chameleon!  I'll save the story for another day, but I just couldn't wait to share a) the fact that S, fearer of all things pointy, got a tattoo, and b) the pictures of them!

S's:

Mine:

[See earlier post for poster it came from.]

Short post, but I need to catch up a bit on sleep...

Stroller Saturday #3

Today, I chose my stroller.  Mainly because I forgot to run the random number generator on my stroller list at work...

The Quinny Buzz 4-Wheel Stroller

This stroller is new to the world in 2009, with a slight alteration on the original Quinny Buzz, which has three wheels.  The more the better?

Basic Stats: Includes stroller, adapters (for Maxi-Cosi Mico Car Seat,)bug net, rain shield, removable seat pad.  Adjustable handlebar.  Two-position, reclining seat.  Reversible seat.  Rear wheel suspension.  Adjustable footrest.  Awesome unfolding technology, using gas springs to automatically unfold.  Scotchgard-protected foam seat.  Suitable from 6 months; suitable from birth with use of Dreami Bassinet.  Available in four colors.  Weighs 26 lbs., and will carry up to 40 lbs.

Who Drives These: I see these strolling around the streets of Boston fairly regularly these days.  (Actually, that's a total lie.  I've never seen this 4-wheel version in the wild.  I'm on the lookout!  But, to group the Buzz 4 in with the Buzz 3 is not too big of a leap.)  I associate this stroller with chic, hip parents.  Chic, hip daddies, actually.  With the cool unfolding mechanism, I can't help but wonder if it was a dad out there that wanted to add a little wow-factor to his stroller...

What I Think: This stroller is definitely in my top ten for "general strollers" (ie, not lightweight, not jogging.)  I swing back and forth almost monthly on how much I love it.  It's definitely cool-looking, and it's definitely got some cool features.  I like the fact that Quinny came out with a four-wheel version of this, and the three-wheeled one always looked a little precarious to me.  However, I don't like the new colours.  2008 colours included my favourite - orange!  2009?  Black (classic, I know, but unexciting,) "Strawberry" (an ugly red-pink,) "Apple" (more of an olive green) and Gold (which is the most exciting colour, and a little on the daring side.  How many yellow strollers do you see around?)  Regardless, I miss the orange.

Overall Verdict: Luckily, I don't have a child yet, and can therefore hold out in the hopes that Quinny rethinks their colours on this stroller, truly bringing it into the running for me!  At $629.99 (see here,) it's not cheap, but not too ridiculous either.  (Cool unfolding feature!)  (Oh, of course there's a video of the stroller.  The lady is British, so that's fun.  It is a long video - the cool unfolding happens right at the end, I suggest fast-forwarding...)

And...  That's it for this stroller!

[No Title.]

I sat for a few moments trying to think of some sort of clever title.  And then realized I had more to ramble about and should just get on with it!

I work in what is probably one of the nerdiest groups at my company.  We embrace the nerdiness.  Today, in a little afternoon break, one of my coworkers sent around a little brain-teaser.  I can't find the exact image (and I'm not sure what image program I have on this new computer,) so I'm going to do my best to recreate it.

In the above image, the triangle is an equilateral triangle.  The length of each of its sides is 6.  What is the radius of the circle?

Go!

Wait, no one else cares?

Well, it provided a bit of amusement for us.  And then someone sent around a "Japanese IQ Test."  I highly suggest you try this.  It's not that incredibly hard, but definitely addicting.  And a little messed up - be sure to read the rules, but the parents beat the kids if left in the wrong combinations!  (Messed up, funny, I go back and forth.)

We did get lots of work done, though!  Really!

Mostly, it was nice to have a bit of a lighter day after yesterday.  And, thank goodness, tomorrow is Friday.  And Friday is game night at M1's!

Tough Day.

'Twas a tough day.  That's all the time I'm going to give that here.

On the upside: American Idol.  Does the show find the weirdos of America, or do the weirdos flock to the show?  I've watched most of he seasons (sans a few in the middle,) but I'm always shocked by the ridiculous people who think they can sing.  Or, they don't even think they can sing, but they have the stupidity (guts?) to go on national television acting ridiculously.  Truly amazing.

And, we're only two nights into auditions.  Which means there are at least two more to go.  I'm feeling smarter by the day.

Two Down...

(I was all proud that I had blogged for, what, eight days straight.  So much for that!)

So far, the dinner plan has worked out excellently.  Granted, it's lasted two nights so far, but it's a start!  M3 made enchiladas on Sunday night.  They were lovely.  Actually, I just looked up what enchiladas actually are.  M3's made them a couple of times, but, honestly, I didn't really know what they were.  You know, besides delicious.

Last night, I made Spicy Vegetarian Lasagna.  I believe I'd made it before, back in college when I did a similar everyone-cooks-once-a-week thing with my then bf's house.  A couple of notes: 1) I only needed, maybe, 3/4 of the noodles suggested, and 2) it's not spicy.  Good though!  It took longer than I realized (missed the sauce taking over a half hour to make,) but I had a random salad (spinach, tomatoes, apples and almonds.)  (And wine.)  Regardless, it was a lovely night full of good food and good conversation.

(Another goal: Take pictures of our culinary creations!)

I can't believe it's only Tuesday night.  Somehow, the week has seemed so much longer.  I had a doctor's appointment this morning, which was a bit of a shock as I prepared for it - got to get back in the (diabetes) swing of things!  Another goal for the year: Get A1C down to 7.

But, really excited for the weekend.  Due to weather, we didn't end up celebrating S's birthday (with S, at least) last weekend and decided on this coming Saturday instead.  There's also a possibility of a game night at M1's.  AND.  Most exciting???  Tattoo (#1 of 2009.)  I'm going to get the center Diamond Chair from this beautiful, old Knoll advertisement:

(The colours are showing up weird for me...  See here for the real deal!  Not that it really matters; I'm getting the larger, black-lined design in the middle.)  There is even more exciting stuffs to this story, but I don't want to jinx it, so I'll leave you on the edge of your seats for a few more days!

And, with that, to bed for me!

Resolutions and Dinner!

Tonight I had dinner with two of my closest friends - M1 and M3.  We had dinner at Ivy, one of my favourite eateries in Boston (even though they changed the menu...)

Another of my "New Year's" resolutions has been to spend less on food.  I do not mean "eat less" by this, but I do spend a fair amount on take-out and eating out...

So, we came up with a plan.  Since we all live fairly close to one another, we would all cook once a week and have the others over.  M3 claimed Sundays, I've got Tuesdays and M1 is going to do Mondays or Wednesdays, whichever is better.  Wicked excited about this plan - hanging out with friends (who allow my pup over) and home-cooked foods - what could be better???

Stroller Saturday #2

#2!  Unless I'm having a truly inspired Saturday, I've decided to randomly pick a stroller to write about each Saturday.  This week's lucky stroller?

The Kolcraft Contours Options 4 Wheeler Stroller

Basic Stats: Includes reversible stroller, cup holder and universal car seat adapter (compatible with Graco SnugRide, Peg Primo Viaggio, etc.).  Reclining seat.  Suitable from birth.  Available in Red and Blue.  Weighs 29 lbs., and will carry up to 45 lbs.

Who Drives These: These strike me as Bugaboo knock offs.  The seat shape, the frame shape, the wheels...  All screams "Bugaboo"...  Just not quite the same quality.  However, for $139.95, this stroller is clearly a deal.  I think that people driving these are looking for the modern style without the price.

What I Think: I think these are... okay for the price.  Clearly, if we're comparing them to Bugaboos, they're a lot lower on the quality scale, but they're also less than a quarter of the price of the Frog.  I definitely think there are better strollers out there - even for the price.  The Options Stroller has very few features, so it seems that much of what you're paying for is the shape.

Overall Verdict: I think there are better strollers out there for the money.  If it's strictly the style you're looking for, find a different favourite style or find some more money.  (Regardless, anyone who's seen a Bugaboo before will be able to tell the difference, so don't actually try passing this off as one...)

And that's it for this Stroller Saturday!  If you're in the Boston area, stay safe and warm tonight!

A Brief Update

Really brief.  BUT, I ran through five of my ten magazines tonight.  (Plus, a J. Crew catalog and a CB2 catalog.)  That's progress!

Along similar lines, new (or old) CB2 things I'm in love with:

bubble ball strand

sol console table

gigi stemware

Fun!  Now you've got a couple of ideas of what to get me for... MLK Day (?)

"This is 'Top Chef,' Not 'Top Scallop'!"

If you've met me, you know that I love reality television.  (I currently have the new season of "The Real World" on in the background.)  However, "Top Chef" is my current love.

My obsession with food reality television is a new one.  Partly due to the lack of cable television through most of my life.  Now, though?  Between "Top Chef" (favourite = Jamie... and Radhika,) "Ace of Cakes" (love Geoff,) "Ultimate Recipe Showdown," "Amazing Wedding Cakes" and "Iron Chef" (where I always root for Michael Symon,) it's a wonder I'm not a better chef...  Also, I'm constantly amazed by my intrigue in these shows - it's not like I get to try the food!

That being said, I occasionally come away with some good tips / tricks / hints.  While watching "Ultimate Recipe Showdown: Cakes," the winning "birthday cake" has turned into a true winner in my life.  I bring you, courtesy of Doreen Howarth, the Put-the-Lime-in-the-Coconut Cake!  (Slight changes: I used coconut extract instead of coconut oil.  Also, I used an additional 0.5 c butter instead of shortening for the icing.)  It's always awesome to see something being made on television and actually being able to execute it yourself!  I made this for S's birthday yesterday:

The coconut is green because it's grass, people!

Drop the Chalupa (!) (?)

Today is my friend's S's birthday.  (Happy 27th!)  It was a delightful evening, full of joy!

After consuming some delicious Thai food (from Lemon Thai, my favourite Boston-area Thai place,) we chatted for awhile, and then decided it was game time.

And by "game time," I mean literally that.  It was time to play a game.

The game du jour?  Catch Phrase!  I had never played this before, but it's similar to Taboo, in that you are trying to get other people to say a word or phrase.  Unlike Taboo, some of the "phrases" are a little more obscure.

We had "Swiss Alps."  We had "Numero Uno."  We had "Budget Cuts" and "Tom Brokaw."  But then:

Drop the Chalupa.

This was something I was supposed to get my friends to say.  A) I've never heard that

 before.  B) I'm not entirely sure what a chalupa even is, so how am I supposed to get my friends to say it?  So, I just busted out laughing and said it aloud.  This prompted theories of some stoned guy planning the electronic game having a roommate (named Frank) who worked at Taco Bell.  (Thanks, M1!)  All in all, absolutely hilarious.  (Perhaps less so in the retelling, but...)

I did get curious, though.  According to Urban Dictionary, "drop the chalupa" has two meanings:

1.  Give birth

2.  Take a large, ahem, dump (especially, and I quote, after consuming f

ood from Taco Bell)

And... I think that makes me done for the night!

Happy Birthday, S!  Inspiration:

"New Year's Resolution"

The quotes are because I generally try to make "resolutions" all year long.  This time, it's just actually close to New Year's...

(Also, perhaps if I document it, it'll happen???)

I would like to read my magazines in a timely manner.  That's what's supposed to happen.  Magazines are slightly fluffy, you browse through them... and then the next one comes in a month.

Right?

NO.

I currently have (unread):

- Three Real Simples

- Two dwells

- One Tattoo

- Three Bostons

- One Met Home

That's what I could find, anyways.  TEN unread magazines.  What?  I mean, many of these don't even apply anymore.  Thanksgiving and Christmas are over...

(In my defense, most of these are left to browse till I can really focus, as I was to get something out of them.  Apparently, however, I'm unable to focus.  Ever.)

But, seriously?

Camera Camera Camera

I just purchased a camera! YYYYEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

And, it is beautiful. Okay, possibly more expensive than I needed, but I just fell in love with it at Best Buy over the weekend. It's so pretty and cool...

I'll ramble more when it arrives. (Actually, the "estimated delivery date" is Thursday! If this happens, I'll be thrilled. And then I'll let you know the site I got it from. Or, I'll let you know the site, but be complaining about it if it takes longer...)

Also, bought a cute case.

Wicked psyched. Now whenever I think, "Oh, Code is being so cute," I can take a picture and show you all! (And by "you all," I'm assuming that someone may find my blog at some point in the future.)

Fun!

A Letter

Dear South End,

Please do something about your icy sidewalks. My walk with my dog took twice the normal time, and I freaked him out every time I slipped. Luckily, on my walk to work, I remembered what we do in "the south" - walk in the road. Cars love that.

Mainly, though, I just wish to avoid falling and bruising. Shortly after that, I wish to avoid looking ridiculous as I slip and let out random sounds.

Love,

Jennifer

Dog People v. Not Dog People

So, there is someone that comes over to my apartment fairly regularly. She / he comes in every time and immediately comments on how "smelly" Code is. Let's get something straight from the start, here. Cody smells like... a dog. For those of you unfamiliar, Cody is, in fact, a dog.

So, this person immediately complains that Code smells. Finally, yesterday, I yelled. "Don't come over if you think he smells!" "He smells like a dog!"

I know, possibly he / she was kidding and "bonding" with my dog. But, frankly, I was tired of hearing her / him say that my dog smelled. Hence the counter.

And then I felt a bit bad. Perhaps I wasn't being the best welcome committee...

And it got me thinking.

And I realized... (I think) This person simply isn't a dog person! She / he pretends to know a lot about dogs, but, frankly, she / he doesn't really seem to like dogs. This theory is supported by a recent comment. She / he recently met a "teacup Yorkie" (read: ridiculously miniscule dog,) and if she / he were to ever have an "indoor dog," it would be one of those:

(Can you feel me scoffing slightly?)

While this seems crazy to me, I can't help but understand it. I, myself, dislike many types of cheese, and I know this seems equally offensive to some! So, I can do nothing but respect this. Assuming, of course, that this person shut up about my dog "smelling."

I've grown to hear that people are either dog people or cat people. I don't think this is the case. It's got to be more something like you're either a dog person or you're not and you're either a cat person or you're not. This visitor may find dogs in her / his life that she / he may like, maybe even love, but she / he will never have the instant playfulness with dogs that I enjoy so much. And, she / he will probably never proactively go out to get a dog. I pity that she / he may never have that unconditional love thing. Dogs are so great for that.

Basically, this realization (no matter that it was based off of little research and my own personal opinions) reminded me that people differ and that my opinions may not spread to everyone. (Though, you know, the world may be a better place if that were the case.) As long as this person is nice enough to Code and survives me every time she / he says that Code smells, all will be okay.

I wish I had time to look up the theories and studies that have been done on this. (There must be some.) As it stands, though, it's time to begin thinking about reading and bed.

Seriously, though, check this guy out! What's not to love???

Stroller Saturday #1

Welcome to my newly-created blog.  Who'd've thunk?

Due to my deep-seated love for strollers, I'm going to set aside Saturdays to babble about strollers.  (Holy crap.  Did I just commit to blogging on a weekly basis?  About strollers?  I don't even own a stroller!)  (C'est la vie!)  Here we go!

Given that I've not done this before, I'm not going to start out with my favourite stroller.  Nor my second favourite.  I'm going to begin with one that is a solid stroller, just not one I'd ever see myself owning.  I am, after all, a total stroller snob.

The Bumbleride Indie

You'll find quickly that I am likely to focus more on what the stroller looks like, rather than the practical usage of it.  However, I'll be sure to give some basics as well.

Basic Stats: Includes stroller, footmuff, cup holder.  Includes universal car seat adapter (which definitely works with the Graco SnugRide and Peg Perego Primo Viaggio.)  Has an adjustable handlebar(!)  Front wheel can swivel or lock.  Four-position reclining seat.  Suitable from birth.  Available in five colours.  Weighs 20 lbs., and will carry up to 45 lbs.

Who Drives These: (This is the part where I tell you the connotations I have with this stroller.  Fun!)  I associate the Bumbleride Indie with hip parents.  Bumbleride is a fun brand, though not incredibly well-known.  I think the people driving an Indie are either wanting a stroller that isn't on every block (anywhere) or wanting a design-focused stroller...  But without too big of a price tag!  (Indies retail for $399.99.)

What I Think: So, I have a mostly-love relationship with this stroller.  It's fairly compact, love the aluminum frame for the most part.  I love love love the Ruby Red colour - the lining reminds me of some Knoll Textile, which I'm thinking must have been discontinued, as I can't find it.  In the end, though, it's just not quite sleek enough.  All the clearly-visible hardware just throws me off a bit.

Overall Verdict: For under $400 (see here,) versatile in its ability to work for light jogging, and really great colour choices, I love seeing these in the wild.  Great stroller with lots of included features...  Just not quite on my short list!

And that's it (on strollers) till next week!  I promise more single, childless, twenty-something-appropriate blabbering in the near future!