Happy Halloween '07

So this year I decided to make my own costume.

When I first put it on this morning I felt completely stupid.

But I feel I did a good job with it, being my first time making one and all.

You should have seen me, I headed out my door and I heard a car coming so I ducked back into the house quickly.

When the coast was clear I headed for my car hoping that there would be no other cars around. I stuffed myself in the drivers seat and headed to work. I was laughing the whole way. I could only imagine what other people were thinking whne they passed me in their vehicles as they see this bright yellow things driving a red car!

Anyway, it is Halloween so live it up.

Here are some pictures of me and my co workers.

Enjoy!

First Frost

Monday October 29th, 2007.

I believe it will be an early winter. We have had our first frost of the year here in the Mohawk Valley.

I had to use my car starter. I have no heat in my apartment. I just can't afford to have them come fill my propane. The last time I had heat was about three years ago. That was a very long winter. They were coming to fill up by tank every two weeks and I was shelling out $200 each time. This is before the price hike in gas and heating oil. So I could only imagine what it might cost me now.

Last year I managed to make it through the winter with only little electrical heaters. But last winter was mild and short. The weather didn't get horrifically cold until mid January when we got blasted with snow.

Temperatures never dropped drastically and they didn't stay cold for long. With the Valentine's Day Blizzard (2007) We had an abundant of snow padding covering everything. It took a while to finally melt but it was livable.

This year here is it just about the end of October and we've had our first frost.

I've already had to find warmer homes for my Betta fish. I can't see my breath yet in the house but I'm sure that is only around the corner.

I'm still holding off plugging in the portable heaters only because that will spike my electric bill.

It's a struggle but it only makes me tougher (which is nothing new to my most wondrous life) At least I know that I could survive anything thrown at me.

If you don't hear from me for a while I might be a frozen Popsicle....... then I will see in the the spring when I thaw out! LOL

Rickardo

I went to the mall Friday night right after work. I needed to get a pair of white sneakers to complete my Halloween costume.

After I found my shoes I stopped over at Hot Topic and as I was coming out of the store this guy walks up to me and asked to see my hands.



So I show him my hands and he takes hold of my left hand and asks if he can show me something. He asked me when the last time I had said "WOW"?



I told him I I can't remember the last time I had said "WOW"



His reply to me was, "why, all you need to do is look in the mirror"



Of course this made me chuckle a slightly.

He asked me my name, I told him my name was Tracy. He said it was a pleasure to meet me and told me his name was Rickardo. (How fitting)


Oh he was smooth, suave. Not bad looking at all. He had one of those sexy Hispanic accents. Actually he sounded like Ricky Martin. But I had his number.



He was talking about my nails and how in no time at all I could have them looking smooth and shiny and I would only have to do it once a month.



So he smoothed, buffed and then shined my nail. Then went into his pitch of selling his product. All the while being very charming.



Now my nail did look very very nice. Took very little time. For only $40 I could have the whole kit.



I told him how it was nice but that I didn't have the money. So he grabs my hand and leads me over to his chair. He told me he would give it to me for his price but I couldn't tell anyone.
He takes a whopping $10 off. Now if he said he could give it to me for $20 I would have taken it but $30...... Not good enough. Besides I am very resourceful and know how to shop (for the most part) I can simply by similar products at the dollar store or Walmart cheaper and get the same results.

But Nice try Rickardo.

Melt In your Mouth Not In Your Hand

So Halloween is right around the corner.

Last year I skipped it all together. No candy to give out for the trick or treaters, no costume, no nothing!

This year I'm more festive and decided to be even more creative than usual.

So I decided to make my own costume.

Bet you can't guess what it is????

I've been working on it for two weeks now, off and on at least. I have come across some difficulties which just made me think of new ways to go about getting my end result.

As of right now I am almost finished.

I have to get an A for effort at least.

Next year I am buying my costume!!! LOL

Congratulations Are In Order

Big Congratulations going out to Baby Boo.


He just started a new job at Grandoe.

Normal 8 to 5 hours. He was so excited when I spoke to him Tuesday.

I mean to the point that he was excited about having office supplies at his desk.

You will do well, just believe in yourself because I believe in you.

Hugs and Kisses


Love

"Me"

Cider

Cider press at Sharon Orchards


Layers of shredded apples are spread in a cheese cloth material





Once they have all the layers filled they finally start to press


Close Up of the Cider Press








A big vat catches all the pressed juices from the apples


This is what is left over after all the pressing is finished

Sharon Orchards

It's That Year Again!

That's Right!

Apple Picking Season!

Just recently I went to Sharon Orchards. It is a yearly tradition. We always pick a bushel of apples, watch them press apple cider, buy fresh cider doughnut, and of course buy some apple cider.

Luckily they were doing a cider press while we were there so I was able to take a few pictures, which will be in a later blog.

Paully with some cider. Doesn't he look just oooh so happy?? LOL

Smile Paul It Wont Kill Ya!

East End

Tammy and I went out for a bit the other night.

It is nice to get away and not have to think about all the crap that goes on in our daily lives.

"Ody" Mickey Boslet was there again as the karaoke DJ.

There was more younger college looking kids there. I'd say mid 20's. The annoying "Dixie Chick" girl wanna be wasn't there, either was the lesbian. That kind of made for a less entertaining evening.

But the other older dorky guy who loves to sing was there for a short time. He even came over to Ody when he was talking to us to ask to sing a duet with one of us girls. Tammy quickly refused saying she wasn't drunk enough to sing and that she was more the dancing type (you know like on bars) LOL

Ody had stated that that was right, pointing at me that I was the singer and then pointing at Tammy that she was the dancer.

I did get enough courage to get up an sing again. Starting to come out of my box a little bit more..... Well depending on what it has to do with.

But I did get a compliment from this guy and girl at the bar. The girl was a bartender at East End. She wasn't working that night but she said that I did a very good job and told me how they have had quiet a few "Winners" attempting to sing.

So that made me feel good. LOL

There is a STAR in the making! LOL

Anytime

I can’t remember why we fell apart
From something that was so meant to be, yeah
Forever was the promise in our hearts
Now, more and more I wonder where you are

Do I ever cross your mind, anytime
Do you ever wake up reaching out for me
Do I ever cross your mind anytime
I miss you

Still have your picture in a frame
Hear your footsteps down the hall
I swear I hear your voice, driving me insane
How I wish that you would call
To say

I miss you
I miss you
(no more) loneliness and heartache
(no more) crying myself to sleep
(don’t want no more) wondering about tomorrow
Won’t you come back to me
Come back to me

I miss you

Evening In HELL

Being the nice sweet, wonderful person I am - I agreed to take Art and Paul to a concert at Northern Lights in Albany.


Totally not my type of music. This was death metal. Cannibal Corps was the main headlining band and there was three other bands before they came on. I was in Music HELL!!


The doors opened at 6:30pm, We arrived there about 6pm so we had to wait in line about half hour. Talk about freaks. There there kids with long straggly hair, spiked hair, piercings in all sorts of places, some had jet black hair, black lipstick, chains and big black combat boots.


Second band in the bouncers had to escort a couple of guys out. The was a swarm of people moshing and you could see was people jumping and smashing into each other.


I just don't get it.


I couldn't take much more of it so I headed outside for a bit.


I called Mike and sat in my car for a bit listening to Godsmack trying to detox from the horrible music my poor ear was enduring.


I went back in to catch the last band (Cannibal Corps) I couldn't even make it thought the first song without having to leave again.


It was quiet the experience. I would have chalked it up as such if it wasn't for Art Vomiting in my back seat.


All I could smell of was the JD, which almost made me vomit. Down the windows came.


Art was so trashed he couldn't walk straight if his life depended on it. I could barely make out what he was even attempting to say. He started mumbling something about us going to school together and being in kindergarten together. I laughed my ass off for a while until he puked.

Once I finally got both Paul and Art in the car we headed home. We couldn't have been in the car more than 10 minute before I thought I head something trickling like water. It took me a few seconds to realize what was going on, more so because I just didn't want to believe it was really happening. I asked Paul if that sound was what I thought it was. Paul was like, "Awe man, Arts puking all over the back seat."

I'm thankful that I couldn't see the damage at that time

He felt so bad about it that he gave me $100 when I dropped him off home. I told him he didn't have to do that and that I didn't want it but he kept insisting. Said it didn't even come close to what he did but that he wanted me to have it.


Well the next morning I saw just how much damage was done.

Sorry

Madonna said it best.



SORRY

I don't wanna hear, I don't wanna know
Please don't say you're sorry
I've heard it all before
And I can take care of myself
I don't wanna hear, I don't wanna know
Please don't say 'Forgive me'
I've seen it all before
And I can't take it anymore

You're not half the man you think you are
Save your words because you've gone too far
I've listened to your lies and all your stories
You're not half the man you'd like to be

I don't wanna hear, I don't wanna know
Please don't say you're sorry
I've heard it all before
And I can take care of myself
I don't wanna hear, I don't wanna know
Please don't say 'Forgive me'
I've seen it all before
And I can't take it anymore

Don't explain yourself 'cause talk is cheap
There's more important things than hearing you speak
You stayed because I made it so convenient
Don't explain yourself, you'll never see


I don't wanna hear, I don't wanna know
Please don't say you're sorry
(Don't explain yourself cause talk is cheap)
I've heard it all before, And I can take care of myself
(There's more important things than hearing you speak)
I don't wanna hear, I don't wanna know
Please don't say 'forgive me'

I've heard it all before
I've heard it all before
I've heard it all before
I've heard it all before

Getting Back to Me

The past week of so I have been slowly making a come back.

It won't happen over night and I am not rushing or pushing it but I need to find myself again.

Some how, some way I lost myself. Who I was, what I liked to do, the things that made me happy, my goals, just simply "me".

It started last fall and got worst throughout the winter months. By spring I was completely and deeply depressed. I don't mean that I just wasn't happy or just a little blah feeling. I mean I was clinically depressed. I didn't care about anything or anyone, I didn't care to do anything, go anywhere I tried my hardest to do the things that usually made me feel good and that didn't even help.

I finally went to get some help. Finding out that the majority of it was my medication I was taking for my BP. Within a matter of weeks I was feeling back to normal. (Not saying my life was great or better) but I felt human again. Like I can deal with whatever life throwing at me.

That was the start of being back on track. Like I said my life still wasn't the greatest. Still wasn't at the point of where I want to be. I am not the type that will or can idly sit by and just let things happen because for me then nothing happens. Depending on what it is I want I go out and make it happen.

If I want to be happy I must make myself happy. I can't and shouldn't depend on others to do that for me. I think this is where I started to go wrong. How can I put that pressure and that huge responsibility on someone else. Especially if they aren't Happy themselves. How could I possibly think that they could make me happy and vice versa.

No it is me. It is all up to me now. So I am starting my taking control of my life again. Getting my life in order. I need structure of some sort I can't just faulter. That isn't me. That doesn't mean I can't be spontaneous because I can and most of the time do things on the spur of the moment but I like to have a little guide line of where I am heading.

I realized things starting to shift when my GF and I went out one night. Girls night. We had fun, Lots of fun. I didn't get drunk and I still had a great time. That's what matters. I did what I wanted and liked doing for a change.

Then I spent some time at my other gf House just visiting but it was nice to shoot the breeze. Where she came over to my house last Friday for an hour or two. She needed to get away from her miserable life for a bit. So she stopped over and we talked and had a drink but it was nice.

I miss the old days of hanging out with my friends on the front porch or having a small little fire in the back yard. I need to get back there, to the place when I smile and laughed and just enjoyed myself and I will.