Kitty Deschanel

Christmas is almost here, which means you have to give your mom a present...and your sister(s) and your sister(s)-in-law and your friends and your employees.  Need some gift ideas? These ideas are all kick-@ss.  In honor of the holiday, there's no actual swearing here, as my mom would surely not approve. Everyone seems to have a recommendation for the *perfect* gift.  Many ideas are 100% terrible . A $45 votive candle holder? Oh, thank you so much. I'll put it in the box with the rest of my candle holders. Now, where is it? Ah yes, the back of the closet in the spare bedroom, underneath these boxes. Lemme just blow the dust off it real quick. And, yes, I did put a lot of thought into the sarcastic votive candle holder example above. To my recollection, no one has gifted one of these to me. If you did give me a votive candle holder, I'm not talking about that one. I  love  that votive candle holder. Anyway, my holiday gift ideas only feature items that I have and enjoy in re

Here's a sneak peek at our wallpapered hallway bathroom. I'm writing up the big reveal blog post for it right now and couldn't wait one more moment to share a photo.  Pamir Garden by Sanderson Wallpapers Isn't this just the most whimsical and charming wallpaper ever? According to the information that was included with our order, this brand is the official wallpaper of Buckingham Palace. Fancy! What's that? You know I'm a procrastinator and you can't wait one more moment (okay, more like one more week) for my hallway bathroom reveal? Here's one more photo, just because I like you: That cute butterfly is hiding a little oopsie from the wallpaper installation. I'm pretty pleased with how our bathroom looks here, but it gets even better. There has been a BIG improvement since these photos were taken and, even better, it's a project that was so easy to do. You can even incorporate it into your own wallpaper projects, just like *snaps fingers* that. 

I received my second COVID vaccine on January 25th. It went much better than my first dose . ( Read all about it here. ) In New Mexico, we were randomly assigned a vaccination site with no input on which brand vaccine we were receiving. After being vaccinated the first time, it was revealed that I'd received the Pfizer.  It's not a big deal - I'd happily sign up for either brand just to get closer to a post-COVID world. (Come to think of it, that's exactly what I did.) Still, it seems I lucked out by receiving the Pfizer.  Moderna VS Pfizer This is just anecdotal evidence, so feel free to roll your eyes at me, but everyone I know who received the Pfizer vaccine has been perfectly fine after both doses and everyone I know who received the Moderna vaccine has gotten sick after one of the doses.  It's merely anecdotal...except I'm in the healthcare field, so I'm basing this on lots of people, including dentists and pharmacists. I follow a professional message b

Have I ever told you that Sexy Nerd is a beer brewing enthusiast? In our old house, he took over most of the garage and even cut into the wall to gain access to the empty space underneath the stairs, all in the name of expanding "Kitchen Pig Brewery". We even have an antique fire extinguisher that he has transformed into a dispenser for his keg. Years ago, fancy beer glasses seemed like a smart gift choice for him. However, I hate wrapping gifts. Even if I loved it (nope!), how the heck do you beautifully wrap 8 beer glasses? I had a better idea: Valentine's Day Gift Idea for a Beer Lover   I think the gift bag and the Sunday comics emphasize my gift wrapping point pretty well!

A disclaimer from Sexy Nerd: He would never say anything like this!

(2021 update) How long is the flight to Australia? Oh, not too long - just 16 hours (!) or so from LAX to Melbourne. Of course, few of us start in Los Angeles. Our journey took us from Albuquerque to LAX (5 hours because there were no nonstop options available), from LAX to Melbourne, and from Melbourne to Hobart (another hour or so, plus several hours to kill at the airport). By the time we arrived at our hotel, the fabulous Maylands Lodge in Hobart, we were understandably exhausted...and then my husband took me on a surprise, multi-hour hike. Uphill! Do I even need to say it was a surprise? Surely no sensible person would have agreed to strenuous activity after all that flying unless they didn't understand what they were getting into. Then again, after that much travel, is anyone still sensible? Can they understand anything? (Honestly, I think SN just got lost and he wouldn't admit it.) I'd been dreading the long flight even before booking it. I tried to convince

COVID Vaccine Tips Drink lots of water before and after your vaccine. Be sure to eat something before your vaccine, especially if you are nervous. Wear a sleeveless or short-sleeve shirt. Don't tense up - shake your arm loose and try to relax prior to the injection. Don't take an Ibuprofen prior to your vaccine. (I did because I'm a wimp, then read that it can make your vaccination less effective. Oops.) Decide ahead of time which arm you would like to have vaccinated. Do you sleep on your left arm? It's going to be a little sore afterward. Try to schedule your vaccine for later in the day so that you can just go home afterward instead of returning to work. I was tired. Exercise your arm after receiving your vaccine. 5 days ago, I received my first COVID vaccination. The experience went well, although it was also a little...traumatic? Just a little! I registered to be vaccinated through the State of New Mexico . (Be sure to register for the COVID vaccine , if you haven&