Happy Royal Wedding Week!!

The insurance company down the street from my house always has the most creative little sayings on their sign. Last summer during the baseball playoff series, it said, "Welcome to Morton-Home of Roy Halladay" This Easter past it said, "Welcome to Morton-Home of Peter Cottontail."


Driving with my littlest bro tonight, we spotted the newest version (by far my favourite):

Royal Wedding Fever

I want this mug SO BADLY!

Commemorative Royal Wedding Mug

Seriously. I've been staring at it all day. I will probably stare at it tomorrow as well.

It's so much lovelier than a lot of the other cheesy souvenirs people are making. So what's holding me back? Nothing except the fact that the shipping costs are more than the mug itself. :-( I suppose I could buy something else and get the discounted shipping cost... Does that defeat the purpose?

Also, how silly is it that the one time I'll be in the UK, Wills and Kate will be touring Canada?

College Student Graffiti

On a recent library-related trip to Villanova University, I noticed a decorated coat hanger in the bathroom. 

Only university students would use the word "anthropomorphizing" as part of their bathroom graffiti.

You might not be able to see it, but in addition to the tiny stick man saying "stop anthropomorphizing me" the octopus is responding, "octopomorphizing!"

Bakery Love

One of my earliest memories was walking to the local bakery with my mom and getting a cupcake shaped like a Sesame Street character. 

After having lived in the black hole of South Jersey for twenty years, I think my mom and I had given up on the dream of finding a real bakery. Living in the Philly suburbs for all of her life (until the Jersey move) kind of spoiled my mom for good sweets. I know that's why she was so excited when I discovered a good bakery down the street from my house in Morton. 

They even make the Sesame Street Cupcakes of my childhood:

(These are from my birthday March past)

(I found this frog cupcake for my sister's birthday; she loves fondant)

Cakes and cupcakes like these just beat the crap out of supermarket cakes. I'd actually stopped eating a lot of cakes because everyone seems to just get them from the grocery store. Not many people make their own cakes or get them from a bakery....even birthdays celebrated at my office in Philly depended on greasy, heavy cakes from Superfresh. 

Not super. Or fresh.

I'm normally not a person who can't stop eating sweets, but these cupcakes are so good that I can't help it. Having them around is dangerous!

(Jake loves the Cookie Monster)

Wham! Bam!Thank you, Ma'am!

Today, Hank had an accident. Lately, he likes to hang out on the curtain rod, and I'm always afraid he's going to crap on my curtains. So I let him sit up there for a few minutes, but then he's got to come down. I choose the feather duster for this task as I am not tall enough to grab him, and the duster is much less threatening than the broom or the snow shovel.

But this time, even though I only put the duster next to him (in case he wants to climb on), he freaked out and wouldn't land. He flew around the apartment like he was being chased by one of my neighbour's cats. It was intense; I literally had to duck and cover. Until...

SMACK! 

(The mark on the mirror)

(A closer look...note the outline of his lower torso and a leg)

Hank slams right into the mirror above my couch. He recovered without falling onto the couch (I was impressed) and landed tentatively on the top of the door frame.

When he took off again, he smacked into the tiny kitchen window. I can only assume that the reason he hid among my African violets was from shame. And possible fear of glass.

(Can you find Hank in this picture?)

St. Louis, Louis

I got back from a trip to St. Louis on Sunday night (late, late on Sunday night). I was in town for a few days to visit my goddaughter Adrienne, her brother Ethan, and her parents Dan and Miya.

However, when my cousin Dan tried to take me to the top of the Arch, we found a sad little sold out sign waiting for us. I was under the impression that to get to the top of the arch, one took an elevator, but this is not the case. Instead, they put five people in a little pod thing so it can tilt as it goes round the bend of the arch. Maybe it was a good thing it was sold out....I can fight my fear of heights, but my fear of tiny spaces is much worse. 

(At the base of the Arch, looking straight up)

Instead we went to the St. Louis Zoo (so clean! And the animal habitats seem so much nicer than what I remember from my childhood trips to the zoo), flew kites in the park, and had the perfect weather to be outside. It was so nice to visit them all and see where they live.

(watching the camels)

(Ethan and myself on the merry-go-round)

(Ethan flies a kite while wearing his cool hat)

(Ethan avec kite)

(Smiles!)

For the Love of Cheese

Last week, one of my favourite bloggers posted a really interesting bit about how to create the perfect cheese plate. Cheese, along with wine, is one of those things in life that I wish I 1.) knew more about and 2.) was a little more adventurous with. This blog covers some really delicious looking cheeses, but she also gives a few tips- like dried fruits that can compliment a cheese's taste. 

Check out Jo's cheese-lovin' blog here: The Perfect Cheese Plate

It has inspired me to be less intimidated about cheese.

Also, sorry about being so way behind with this; you can see Jo posted this a little bit ago. I've been struggling with schoolwork and The Cold That Won't Die. Also, certain aspects about my workdays haven't been helpful either. Let's just say it has been a long week.