I should put it in a fortune cookie

"At the end of the day, if it was a mistake-at least we'll have learned from it."

~Sounds so meaningful, yet spoken about a $10 mirror and a $35 antique trunk.

I will update this thing soon with all of my Treasures from my weekend excursion along Highway 36. Be prepared to be amazed.

WTF

Garage Salein'

This weekend a friend and I are traveling north to Highway 36 for the Highway 36 Treasure Hunt. There are garage sales, bake sales, thrift stores, and basically anything you can think of on sale all down Highway 36 from the east edge of Colorado all the way through Kansas to the Missouri border, from Friday through Sunday. Now we're only heading out for Saturday and I expect to probably only hit a couple counties, but oh man-they had better watch out, those counties. We've got maps and highlighters and a plan. We've got quite the plan, let me to tellya! I've even got a list of items that I'm looking for. I hope that if I go with a list, I'll be less likely to make it home with a blue and green striped plastic tablecloth and popcorn bowls (true story!)

So here's my list:
(as of yet)
~Wide, ornate picture frames (to be painted when I get home)
~mirrors
~hallway table
~lamps
~Christmas decor (preferably nice-not tacky, but seriously what's tackier than garage sale Christmas stuff)
~baby clothes (Just KIDDING)
~simple, clear juice glasses

And that's about it-we shall compare the list when I return from the excursion with what I actually bought with my (husband's) hard-earned money.

Music Tuesday, Edition 2

I love listening to Jason Boland, Stoney LaRue, Randy Rogers Band-all those guys. And so when people ask me what kind of music I listen to I tell them Texas country or Red Dirt Country. But the problem is that that title for the genre is so geographically limiting. I mean really, what are we supposed to do about the great artists that are starting to come out of Kansas? Sunflower country doesn't quite have a good ring to it and despite my husband's suggestion of Red Wheat Country, I'm still not sure what to call it. But there are many different bands and individuals that I have had the great pleasure to listen to from open mic nights at Longhorns in Manhattan, KS to county fairs to opening for some of the big names like Jackson Taylor and the Stragglers or the Casey Donahew Band.

Some of the guys that are playing and getting a great following here in my home state, that I have listened to and really enjoyed are Jared Pete Gile, Russell Sawyer and the Lost Cause, Jared Daniels Band, or Callous Maddy.

Jared Pete Gile is one of the greatest songwriters I've heard. I love his shows-perfect for a good bar and some great friends hanging out. I couldn't even tell you the number of times that we've heard him, but I can tell you that if you asked my husband for his favorite song he would quickly tell you Old Back 40 Lover.

Just a half full whiskey bottle and this old beat up guitar
They’re the only two friends that I’m gonna need tonight
I’m gonna tell one my troubles and let the other wash them away
After a little conversation everything’s gonna be alright
I’m just a country boy that’s been locked down by the handcuffs of a bigger town
I still feel guilty bout leavin Daddy on the farm
He told me to go on off to college and make your Momma proud
Cause in 5 years this little farm’s gonna be long gone

CHORUS
I’m just an ol back 40 lover that got stuck on the other
Side of the fence and it’s got me feeling all wrong
I’m just an ol back 40 lover didn’t take me too long to discover
That the city ain’t where this ol country boy belongs

So, now I’m just a sittin here alternating shots with bottles of beer
Acting plumb crazy, getting all drunk and loud
With an average of 5 nights a week in Aggieville
Can’t seem to shake this guilt I feel
Sorry Daddy, but I don’t think I’m makin Momma proud

CHORUS

With a little luck I guess I’ll get a degree but it’ll just be another piece of paper to me
An education’s never made anybody more of a man
But a little hard work sweat on your back, hell some of these boys ain’t ever heard of that
But you can bet I’m damn proud of the calluses on my hands
I’m talking about clear water and spring fed fishing holes
The sunset on the leaves in the fall
How the open countryside becomes a little part of your soul
And how working alongside your family might be the best part of all

CHORUS
I said the city ain’t where this ol country boy belongs

I think there are a lot of people my age (my husband is one) that can really identify with that feeling about leaving the farm and trying to do something different but always knowing where you're really supposed to be. I love it.

And when you can get a songwriter that writes songs like that and will also throw in the good bar tunes like, Just How Drunk - you know you've got it good!

Just how drunk would you have to be
To go home with a guy who looked like me
We could satisfy a little more than just my curiosity

So just how drunk would you have to be
It’s easy to see that I’m no prize
We know you could have a lot of better looking guys
But everybody needs a little more variety
So just how drunk would you have to be

and will also give you his honest opinion on the direction of current "country" music-the Nashville pop/country. Some of my favorite lines come from the chorus of What Would Hank Williams Say and he puts it out there exactly what he thinks about the current "stars" of country.

CHORUS
What would Hank Williams say
About the crap that they’re calling country music today
Didn’t this used to be about the songs
Could somebody tell me just what in the hell is going on

And I hate when ol Kenny Chesney goes to playing air guitar
And I can’t believe the old lead singer for Poison was a judge on Nashville Star
And ol Toby Keith probably wouldn’t agree but I think that it’s wrong
When a tune called “Who’s your Daddy?” is considered a hit country song

Now I know this has been a really long post, and I did already get in trouble for not having my Music Tuesday post up so that people could actually read it on Tuesday! But hey, I got it done before 11pm-so we're good, right? But with all the painting and demolition and redoing of my house, I've really been just cranking up the music and having fun-and Jared Pete Gile has been at the top of my list lately and I wanted to share him and think about all the fun songs and the truthful, thoughtful songs he has. He may not ever make it far on the radio, but he and the other Kansas guys helped to influence my current music tastes, through all of those fun college nights.

Whatever Whatever Shoes

So it's Monday and I'm doing some other stuff on the computer, but I wanted to tell you all about some strange, funny, random things and I didn't want to have to think too much about it, so forgive me if none of this makes sense.

-I watched a man drive his lawn mower through the drive-thru lane for the ATM today.

-Most people keep a magazine in the bathroom-I have our local phone book. Sometimes you just want to know where people live.

-Ok, it wasn't always in the bathroom, I normally carry it in my purse or my car. But one day it landed in the bathroom and it just hasn't left. This way, I don't have to worry about reading a whole article.

-Why does looking at certain people's facebook statuses give me a headache? I mean really, so much drama, all in under 140 characters.

-I am beyond excited for the new fall tv shows to start. It's kinda unhealthy.

-Tomorrow is one of my favorite days. It's Make a Payment on my Student Loans Day! I know you think I'm just really backwards-but we're so close to paying them off that I love making those payments.

-I even have it marked down in my planner a little SM (not S&M you sickos-just SM for SallieMae) with a circle around it. Excitement!

-And tomorrow is edition 2 of Music Tuesday. Heck ya-watch me actually follow through on something, it just might happen.

-Course that's not till tomorrow, things could still change.

-I love Comedy Central. Kevin Hart, Mitch Fatel, Dan Levy- there have been some great stand ups recently that we've been watching. Oh my goodness-thank God for DVR, because how else would my husband rewind and listen to the same joke 12 times and laugh just as hard each time if it wasn't for DVR.
Please just watch this video (the one that says Dan Levy: Justin Timberlake) so you understand my title. Thank you.

Umm....I think that's all that I needed to get out tonight. I guess if there's anything else.....well then it'll just make for another post!

Truer Words Have Never Been Spoken

"Putting crown molding on the kitchen cabinets in a cheap-o ranch house is like putting a bidet in a trailer house."

Well now I can't say that I never learned anything while at work.

Bathroom Blunders

The Bathroom:

Now, I have to say-we're not actually working on the bathroom right now. My husband has this idea that we need to actually finish one room before going on to the next, which I vehemently deny-I mean come on, who doesn't want to tear those nasty spindles out?






The best part of that border is that the toilet seat matched.

Sad story though.....I don't have a picture of the toilet seat. The toilet seat was one of those cushy, sit down and the toilet seat sounds like you're letting the air out of it kinds. And so, to really help spruce things up-I bought a new toilet seat. A regular old white one.

And you know what, I kind of miss the cushy, exhaling toilet seat.





Did I mention, I'm allergic to cats?

So the After pictures for the bathroom will be really exciting. Except for the fact that we probably won't get around to that until oh, about 2012.

I found this on the new blog that I just started reading, "The Eye of the Hurricane" which is by one of the guys behind http://www.galleywinter.com/ , a Red Dirt Country website. But anyways-I loved it, and wanted to share it. This is what he said, "...there is something pure when God’s creations form something so compelling." What a beautiful way to put it, I couldn't have said it better.

Birds on the Wires from Jarbas Agnelli on Vimeo.

Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me

I just tried to shoo a fly off my computer screen with the mouse pointer. Hmmm....didn't work.

Music Tuesday's -Mark 'em down in your calendars

I have always loved music. I was a band nerd in high school and college, I will listen to almost anything, and I can still describe exactly how I felt the first time I heard Kansas' "Carry on My Wayward Son" - I know, what a cliche but I can get so lost in the moment of a good song. I have always wondered what I would have done had I actually been good myself at singing or playing an instrument or something. I love to hear new bands and different sounds and so I thought I'd try to once a week, on Tuesdays, talk about a favorite or new band that I'm listening to, and if anyone has suggestions or thoughts-I'd love to hear them (unless they're from a certain co-worker of mine who will probably just rag on all my Country-laden choices.)

So it's Music Tuesday. Cause Music Monday's too obvious, and well....I didn't have anything else I wanted to say today-so why not!

Today, in honor of the hour or so my friends and I spent just hanging out, drinking a beer, and listening to some music after the K-State game on Saturday, I want to tell you all a little bit about one of the classics, the originals, the best Red Dirt Country musicians-Cross Canadian Ragweed.

Ragweed, or CCR, or whatever you may call them is one of my favorites. Whether you're talking live shows, CDs, or whatever-there is a song for everything. Tons of fun bar tunes that you can dance and sing along to, unbelievable guitar, and the songwriting and chemistry is what I believe has kept them around with such a loyal following for so long. 15 years and 10 cds! They just released their 10th CD on August 31st.

One of my favorite songs on the new CD that I'm pretty sure I could listen to over and over again is "Pretty Lady." And I think my friend Chance's favorite was "Drag" and the first release is "Kick in the Head" - all solid songs.

Cross Canadian Ragweed × Discography: "Listen"

Another reason that I absolutely love Cross Canadian Ragweed is their live show. Un-frickin-believable.

This is better than any Rascall Flatts or Big & Rich "country music."

If you are not familiar with these guys, I suggest you head immediately to your local music store or their website and buy as many as possible. You will thank me later.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And, as I was thinking about this post and hopping around from one website to another, I came across an artist just right now, that I've been listening to for the past hour or so, and so far I've loved every song she sang. Bonnie Bishop I think that because I lean so much towards the Red Dirt Country, that I just don't hear that many female artists-but you can bet that I'll be looking for her more in the future.

Tissues Please!

Now I realize that I tend towards the emotional side and I may cry over almost anything. But seriously, you have to check this out.


And another good one, that I also cried to while watching.

Master Bedroom

the BEFORE Pictures

Yes, that's all wallpaper-all wonderful wallpaper, with a border to boot!

He's more excited about what's gonna happen in the master bedroom, than how it looks.

Ewww......sorry about that one mom.

And the Beginning of the After pictures

Two of my awesome in-laws, exhausted from their constant inhalation of vinegar fumes.

Yea! Look at that beautiful paint color-NO, don't look down at that carpet. Stop it! please don't let it reflect on your feelings toward my new home.


I will post more pictures of the AFTER later, but it won't be until I find my camera.....ya that's probably not good, huh? I need some sort of a homing device for my camera and my phone and my keys and my husband and my Mt. Dew. I'm always seeming to lose those things.