Thirteen Places I would like to visit (and what I would like to do there) before I die

1. See one (or fifteen) plays in New York City. I’d really like to spend a semester in this city.
2. Eat Pomme Frites in Belgium. I saw this on the Food Network and the thought still makes my mouth water.
3. Bicycle though Denmark.
4. See the tulip and windmills in the Netherlands.
5. Rent and stay in a villa in the south of France. I read this in a book or magazine, where two couple rented a home, walked to the farmers’ market everyday and cooked their own fabulous meals or visited local restaurants.
6. Drink a beer in Germany during Oktoberfest.
7. Visit Australia. Now I realize this is a really large country with so many options, so I am not sure if I want to visit The Great Barrier Reef or tour the outback. Someone out there help me with some specific destinations.
8. Take a Safari Tour in Kenya.
9. Do a pub crawl in Ireland.
10. Go from the Pacific Ocean to the base of the Andes Mountains in Chili.
11. See India. This country has always fascinated me. I would like to visit with someone who has lived there and knows what to see.
12. See the great cathedrals in St. Petersburg, Russia.
13. Visit Tiananmen Square in China.

Oh no, I have thirteen already, I feel like I have just begun. There are still so many places I would love to see.

Easter Conversations

I had the following two conversations with my youngest on Easter.

While going through his Easter Basket...

J: So what are we going to do today?

Me: We are going to go to church and then we are going to your Aunt's.

J: So we get the good presents there?

(Ahem, I think he has his holidays confused)


Later that evening...

J: Mom, I feel sorry for Jesus.

M: Well it is really sad what he had to go through on the cross.

J: Yes, but I am really sad that he never got married. Don't you wish Jesus could have found true love?

My garden on the first day of Spring

The closest bed is my herb garden.

The middle garden has been planted with lettuce.

The farthest bed still has the dead tomato plants from last year.

The Birthday Cake

This was my son's birthday cake. It is a penguin because he likes penguins!!

It was my first time using a silicone baking pan and I was really sketical if it would turn out or not.


I used the recipe for my boy's favorite (gluten- free casien-free egg-free) Brownies.

The big question was - Would the cake come out of the pan?

I cooled the cake completely (as long as I could stand it, I am not very patient), turned them over and...

Well see for yourself, they came out perfectly!

I used homemade butter icing (so much better than store bought). I didn't have any decorating stuff, so I used a ziplock bag with a hole cut out. (Now you know why when my niece and I decorate cakes, she does the icing.) Even so, I think he turned out pretty cute. (and artifical color free also.)

In Honor of the First Day of Spring--Thirteen things you can say to your friend named Robin

I want you to know I have always liked my name. I never went through a time of preteen angst where I wished my parents had picked something else that fit the “real me”. I did go through a phase where I tried spelling my name with a y, Robyn, but I couldn’t pull that off, and okay there was a brief moment when I dotted the letter I with a heart.



1. Look it’s the first Robin of Spring. Everyone who says this to me thinks they are the very first. When I worked at Denny’s as a teenager, the old men loved this saying.

2. And during the winter – Look there’s a Robin and it’s not even spring.

3. Hey Robin where’s Batman?

4. Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg. This one my cousin actually sang to me over and over and over on Christmas Eve until I cried. But I am over it now, it is behind me, I do not hold a grudge, really.

5. Robin, where are your merry men? Robin Hood references are many but usually limited to an older generation.

6. Another Robin Hood reference? Robin, where’s Little John?

7. Fly, Robin Fly—up up to the sky. This is an obscure song from the disco era.


8. Rockin Robin - tweet tweet. Now here is a song for all Robins to embrace. Once I had to introduce myself with an adjective with the first letter of my name and. I picked Rockin Robin.

9. We all know Robins can sing, so let’s listen to this one. This was the introduction at my first solo and ensemble contest in fourth grade.

10. Hey Robin, do you have a red breast? The old men at Denny’s loved this one too. Believe it or not this comes from a song .

11. When the red, red robin comes bop, bop, bopin’ along. I don’t understand it either, but it was a hit song in its day.


12. Red Robin – as in the restaurant. This is what my nephews call me – Aunt Red Robin.

13. Robin is a boy’s name. Robin Hood, Robin Williams, Batman & Robin, Robin Thicke? Maybe it is?

Spring Break?

Happy St. Patrick's Day

How to celebrate St Patrick's Day.

First- Find the appropriate outfit!

Second - You will need some Corn Beef and Cabbage and Green Snake Bread!

Third - If you have a birthday boy born on St. Patrick's Day your luck automatically triples!

Fourth - Remember to add family and friends.

Last - Don't be afraid to add new traditions

St. Patrick was an Engineer! He was! He was!

St. Patrick was an Engineer! He was! He was!
For he invented Calculus, so all good miner could learn to cuss.*
Erin Go Bragh, Hooray for the Engineers!

(Sung to - When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again)

*Second verse

For he invented the slide rule, so all good miners could measure their tool.

100 years of the BEST ST. PAT'S EVER!

This is how I remember it. Oh those were some good times! I am a proud MSM-UMR-MST Alum. This is a picture from a recent Greenest Person Contest. In my day, his ears and feet would be green too.

Safety Violation - Wordless Wednesday - UPDATE

Time for another geeky post...

I was visiting a local grocery store where there was some outside construction going on. This is what I saw. Can you spot the safety violation?

Anyone see a problem yet? Take a guess in the comments.

Sorry it took me so long to get back.

Here is a close up. A lot of you have really good eyes.

My first thought was - Why would someone hang their coat in the middle of the parking lot?

Then I realized what the coat was covering up. Safety cones are orange and reflective so that they are easy to see and avoid and so you are aware of the things or people that they are guarding. In this case the cones mark a work area for the men working on the new sidewalk. Now the cone has become a hazard itself. Oh and the men working there behind the "protective cones", whoops.

Extra credit for Cheri that forsaw the possible bloodshed from having only one door open on "Coupon Thursday". I am just glad I didn't have to witness the carnage.

The Day After the Marathon

This video is dedicated to my husband, Mr. Geek, who is currently training for a half marathon. I ran my first ever 5K this year, so I can say with some assurance that he is quite possibly crazy.

[Love ya, Mr. Geek, ya big hunk.]

How to make a geek cry

My last post did not amuse everyone as much as it amused me (Fellow Geeks, where are your comments). Yet it still makes me giggle.

This video is more an example of how geeks shock and horrify each other. Here's a warning -- the contents are kind of graphic. Come back tommorrow if that sort of thing bothers you.

You should know that I am preparing a new safety presentation and have been immersing myself into this sort of stuff 24/7.



Not enough? Here's five more. Don't say I didn't warn you....

How to make a geek laugh

If you were wondering how to make a geek laugh, check this out...

Show it to a geek and watch them laugh so hard they cry, laugh so hard their stomach aches, laugh so hard ... oh just watch it already.




What is PCR? According to wikipedia : PCR is now a common and often indispensable technique used in medical and biological research labs for a variety of applications. These include DNA cloning for the diagnosis of hereditary diseases, and the identification of genetic fingerprints used in forensics (Like on CSI) and paternity testing (When you want to know who the daddy is.)

Thursday Thirteen

The last Thirteen TV shows I watched (in reverse chronological order or as I remembered them).

1. Project Runway - The Finale of my favorite show. What a great season this has been, when Christian won, I nearly cried with him.

2. Sponge Bob - I was going to skip this and say my son was watching this not me when I realized I could tell you the plot. I guess that means I was watching huh? (The plot? Well I am glad you asked, see it was the one where Sponge Bob becomes "Normal", only to realize his mistake and try deparately to return to being weird. I think we can all learn a lesson from that.)

3. Millionaire Matchmaker - Yes I watch entirely too much Bravo. This show repulses me sometimes, like when Patty demands all the women MUST have long straight hair - No exceptions! And intrigues me, Patty also insists that there be no sex until the couple have chosen to have an exclusive relationship (decided in the light of day) waiting at least two to three months so there is time for a courtship.

4. Jon and Kate Plus Eight - The Gossleins Go Skiing It is also probably not normal how much I enjoy this show either.

5. Two and a Half Men - Absolutely no redeeming features, but it does make me laugh.

6. Eli Stone - A new show about a lawyer who maybe a prophet, or maybe crazy, my type of guy. We could really hang out together.

7. Make me a Supermodel - Pure mindless trash TV, but as William Shantner says in his commercials, "Sometime it feels good to be bad."

8. Dr. Phil - It was a Snow Day. They were in the Dr. Phil house, blah, blah blah.

9. Oprah - Same Snow day, right after Dr. Phil. It had lots a stuff, mostly promotions for the Big Give.

Which reminds me...

10. The Big Give - After the blitz of advertising, I had to at least see this once. My opinion so far (thanks for asking) is that the people can do some good things, but the vote one person off each week formula seems really tired. And the thought of people trying to out give each other (I am way more altruistic than you, etc.) is really really weird.

This is hard what else have I watched.....

11. Ace of Cakes -- When I am not watching Bravo TV, you will find me at the Food Network. I love all of them at Charm City Cakes, I feel like I could just hang out with Duff, Mary Alice, and Geoff. I am not a stalker I swear.

12. The Local News - with all the snow days etc. I've been watching this more than usual.

13. Saturday Night Live - Tina Fey was the host. It was pretty good until I fell asleep.


Well that certainly qualifies as a random list. Thanks for playing along.

Wordless Wednesday

Some pictures taken by my middle son.

I think he has some talent.

Monday in March

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