Land that I love...

So, I don't get to blog surf much - but when I do, one of my very first stops is to Suldog. He's over there in the Guest List, and you should check him out if you haven't already. Anyway, last night I had a few minutes to surf and he had this great post about 100 things he loves about America. Fun, right?

I felt compelled to play along, natch.

Some are specific, some are more vague - and while some may not be American exclusive per se - they're still on my list. Let's play, shall we...? I have to be honest, I can't come up with 100 for tonight, but I can do 50 anyway.
(By the way, if you do a list - please feel free to share yours with me!)

1. Apple Pie. Though not my personal first choice of pie - it is pretty darn spectacular if made right, particularly with a little caramel melted in. Just sayin'...
2. Baseball. Really, need I say more?
3. The freedom to say what we want, sing what we want, write what we want and protest when we choose to.
4. Our Government. Listen, it's not perfect - but it's ours. Besides, I can say things about my dysfunctional family members, but God help the other person who calls my family dysfunctional. You hear me clucking big chicken?
5. The generosity of the American people. It's seemingly never ending, isn't it?
6. Our hard-ass reputation. I'm sorry, other countries might dislike us (bla, bla, whine whine) - but who do they come running to when they're in trouble. I don't think it's France.... just sayin'.
7. We drive on the RIGHT side of the road.
8. English. Listen - I love, love, love foreign languages - but let's be honest, English is just easier to understand. There's nothing gutteral, it doesn't take fancy tongue movements, there's nothing muffled about it.
9. Hollywood. Really, there's nothing like the allure of the beautiful people.
10. NYC. Is there a city other than Boston that's more fun than NYC?
11. Boston. Beacause this is where it all begin.... we are the history, the tradition, the guts and the glory. We are the heart & sould of America. Because I "love that dirty water"....

12. Elvis. Sure, England had the Beatles - but we had the King.
13. The American Dream. This is the land of opportunity. It's all yours if you just apply yourself and try. You don't get nothing for nothing... but you can have it all if you work hard.
14. The American Spirit. Oh yes, there is such a thing. And it is inherent within us all. "Live free or die" is more than a state motto - it's a mindset.
15. Southern Cooking. Truly - does it get any better than fried chicken, grits, collard greens and sweet potato pie? Um, I don't think so...!
16. Key West. Does this really need explaining?
17. TV Culture. From Fonzie, to The Jeffersons - The Brady Bunch to Seinfeld and everything in between - our television culture rocks. Sure it bombs from time to time as well, but seriously - we've had some great tv.
18. FoodTV. Speaking of TV, we've got some kickin' master chefs to show us how it's done.
19. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Thank God for that little creation.
20. Doritos. Second best creation on Earth.
21. Stupid Celebrities. Seriously, you've gotta love them. Especially with fabulous soundbites like "Crack is whack!".
22. Patriotic Songs. We have tons of them! And they're all really pretty great; I don't know about anyone else, but I still get a little faklempt post 9-11 at times listening to them.
23. Sept 11th. Yes, it was horrible and tragic -- but we own it. It's ours, and I've chosen to embrace it. It's our day to mourn the losses, and celebrate the fact that we will never, ever, ever allow something like that to happen to us again. Own the tragedy - and take the power away from the beast. Yippie ki-yay Mo'Fo. Just sayin'...
24. BBQ. From Missouri, to Texas -- we've got the best BBQ foods around!
25. Folk music. Peter Paul & Mary, Joanie Mitchell, Joan Collins, Joan Baez...the list goes on and on from the more traditional to newer contemporary folk-ish. It's one of my personal favorite genres, and it doesn't get more Americana than that.
26. Doo Wop Diners. Maybe there are some elsewhere, but I'm thinking that's a little gem that's probably all ours.
27. McDonalds & Burger King. Sure - it's bad for us, but seriously - it still tastes pretty darn good even though we pay for it later after we eat it. And those two bad boys certainly have taken over the world...



28. Cheesy Reality TV. Okay - we may not have created it, but wow - we've certainly done well with it. Jersey Shore is living proof that only in America are people happy being famous for being idiots.

29. Friends. I know I said Television Culture earlier - but where else does a TV show create a hair style that rocked the world like the "Rachel" did? And so many mannerisms that we've all embraced? Friends is truly a standout.

30. Seinfeld. Seriously needs no explanation and just goes with the above.

31. Dollar Stores. How cool are they in a pinch sometimes? Truly, fun for a Mom with two young children. Where else can a parent give their child a pick of two things, come out without spending a ton of money - and have the kids feel like Kings & Queens?

32. Fantastic Stand Up Comedians. Call me crazy, but I've yet to see anyone funny from another country. Throw a name out there if I'm wrong.

33. Twitter. Love it for business use - and you got it, created right here in the USA.

34. Superman. The strongest man on Earth, who's all about Truth, Justice and the American Way. He's from another planet who happened to land in good ol' Kansas. Does it get any better than that?

35. Great ethnic neighborhoods. Little Italy, Little Chinatown, Koreatown, The French Quarter, etc... because we are America, we've got these great little neighborhood sections in all of our major cities to allow us to embrace not only what might be our own heritages - but other people's as well.

36. Boxing. I don't know if it started here in America, but it definitely is part of our roots with immigration.

37. New England Boiled Dinner. Thank you to the Irish Immigrants for introducing us to the Corn Beef & Cabbage feast.

38. Square Dancing, Line Dancing and the like. Remember when everyone square danced? I didn't - but my parents did! And I loved, loved, loved the skirts. So twirly and fun!

39. The 4th of July. It's all red, white & blue - and all about us!

40. The ball drop on New Years Eve. Sure, that might not be inherently ours -but the world watches ours!

41. Budweiser. Not my personal favorite - but it's definitely a warm, fuzzy American product. Or well, it used to be - before a Belgian company bought it.

42. American Airlines. Definitely one of my favorite airlines.

43. Cabot, Jasper Hills, Cowgirl Creamery. We have some freakin' delicious cheeses, just to name a few!

44. Starbucks. Probably not the best coffee in the world in comparison to some other countries, but for "fast food" coffee -- it's pretty good. Pretty, pretty good.

45. Christmas Tree Shops. I just love a bargain -- don't you?

46. Yankee Candle. The best smelling candles ever.... !!!

47. The Pledge of Allegiance. I love it the way it is - in it's original form. We are one Nation, under God (I don't care what you name your God - it's still a God), indivisible (when push comes to shove), with Liberty & Justice for all.

48. The Stars & Stripes. Forever....

49. The Statue of Liberty, and all that she stands for. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

50. The Declaration of Independence. "Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness"....

Why I love my job....

Well, some of the reasons anyway.


Sunday, we're having a fundraiser for Dana Farber Cancer Institute. In conjunction with a local Boot Camp, we're sponsoring a shopping day where 10% of our sales from Sunday will be donated to DFCI . I love that I'm now in a capacity to give back in so many ways -- even more than what I do on a personal level.

Monday, is the airing of the Chronicle special...!! Exciting, scary, fun, all at the same time.



And seriously -- look at just a fraction of the fun stuff I get to bring in and sell to people. Truly, does this not look just delicious?!?! Trust me -- it all is. And I love, love, love to share it with everyone.


And then of course -- there's the wine.....
(anyone know what Jason happens to like? anyone....?)

And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free....

Happy Independence Day.

I am thankful that I live in a country where I can disagree with my politicians without fear of reprucussion; a country where it is encouraged to think as an individual and be all that I can be.

I am proud to be an American.
And for those who aren't because the politics might not always be popular, well....
You can always leave.

I will always pledge allegiance to my flag, under everyone's God (because, God is God after all..), with justice for all (unless they are a criminal; so long as they are legally here in the country to be qualified for the due process upon which this country is based. Otherwise, their justice can be in the form of an escort out of the territory lines. Though I absolutely have compassion towards those who may be here incorrectly but are doing their damndest to make a good life and become a citizen.)

Have a fantastic day!

Can you feel it coming in the air tonight...

I should've known it was going to happen.

My son had a stomach virus last week...that unfortunately and very rapidly spread to my daughter on Friday. As we were in the movie theatre (my son to watch "Wolverine" with G, my daughter and I "Night at the Museum 2"), during the previews my daughter sat up and looked at me and said "I'm going to throw up"....and she did. All over me. And my popcorn. But hey - that's what us Mothers are for. While her being sick completely interrupted our birthday dinner plans, I drove home - bathed her - and then had to drive back to pick up the boys (complete with a bucket for her, poor thing) my son announced he didn't want to have dinner without us and if I just made him a bowl of spaghetti he'd be perfectly happy. Love him? Absolutely I do.

Fortunately, my daughter got only a touch of it and by a few hours later was fine -- and was perfect in the morning, bouncing down the stairs ready to go on her sleep over for the aforementioned wedding I was supposed to attend. Which, I did go to - and I did have a nice time at. (Note to future brides: Don't plan a wedding at the Castle on Crane's Beach and plan it to be a partially outdoor wedding reception until mid-July. M'kay...? Thanks! Can you say "freezing?!?!"). Here are a few pictures of the soiree... hamming it up for the camera of course.

(That's me on the right. The girl who was my flower girl at my wedding - to the left!)

The next morning I awoke to an ache in my stomach, that I definitely could not attribute to alcohol. Oh no, this was far worse than anything I could have drank. Wouldn't you know -- the damned stomach virus reared it's ugly head and I was a mess. I got it worse than both kids! So much so, I missed my son's birthday party...I don't think I have ever been more disappointed. (The only saving grace is that I generally have it at my house and there's anywhere from 60-80 people there with my manning the grill. Fortunately, with the second business possibility - we opted to do a party for just his school friends at a location of his choice, which was Rollerworld.)

So G had to do the party without me, because I was violently visiting the Goddess of Porcelain. And so not a happy camper about it either. I had a headache, and a fever -- the works. Sure enough, I get a phone call at 2:15 (the party started at 1) -- and G is now also in the bathroom at Rollerworld, sick as a dog. He somehow manages to drive home...I crawl downstairs to the sofa so I can be with the kids because I know he's got a loooong time of visiting the ol' porcelain fixture ahead of him.

And the kids were so great about just hanging with me and watching tv, not arguing too much until they both went into their rooms at 7 to watch a movie so I could crawl back upstairs and go to bed. Let me tell you, if I could erase Sunday from my memory bank, I would.

Yesterday we both felt great, outside of some residual stomach gurlgling (that's still lingering, truthfully) and went to Fanuiel Hall with the kids. They had a blast! And to top it off, my son got picked to be a "guest street performer" for one of the acts where he spent 20 minutes or so helping them out and was hysterical. He was so proud, afterwards people were stopping him and recognizing him from the show. Not a terrible way to end a birthday weekend that didn't quite go to plan.

I've got to tell you, I wouldn't wish this virus on anyone. It's some nasty stuff.

If you hear of anyone having it -- don't walk -- run, and hide.

Not a fun way to lose 7 lbs.

(Sure it's mostly water weight, but what the heck, I'll take it!)

Please come to Boston, for the Springtime...

Yeah, right. If it ever comes...

I'm not whining, really I'm not.

But this was us yesterday. Walking along the beach, playing in the tidepools - finding periwinkles and crabs.

And today?

Snow. Hail. Freezing rain.

Sigh.....

With more to come on Wednesday.

I stuck my fingers in my ears (la la la la, I'm not listening to you) watching the weather reports last night; I was convinced that it was far too warm for it to snow.

And then I remembered, that I live in New England - where we've been known to have snow and 70 degrees in the same day. We've had snow in May. We've had high 70's in December and January.

Anything and everything is possible around here.

After looking at it from that perspective, I wouldn't have it any other way.