Fantastic Fourth Fun

Joe: "Now is the time on Schprockets when we dance."
William: "Would you like to touch my monkey?"

The above picture was taken at Austin and LL's wedding. Joe and William are making gang signs, but the captions are funnier, don't you think? I know it's "Sprockets" but we're taking some creative liberties and adding our own Williamesque touches to the pronounciation. Send me your caption ideas and I'll add them.

Good news folks! DCVS made me the long-awaited job offer I had been hoping for since my extended summer vacation began May 13th. This came just in time, as John declared he would no longer support a dead beat like myself (just kidding!). Actually, John has been so awesome through this ordeal and I never would have made it out of bed the morning after I was terminated from ATS if it weren't for him. OK... so we did have to get up at the crack of dawn to catch a flight to Dallas for Heidi's birthday celebration weekend, but John was my rock.

This weekend will be very busy, as usual. We're heading back down to the beach house and doing a long overdue mini makeover on the bathroom attached to our room. I believe everything in there is original to the addition when it was put on in the 1960's. I must remember to take a "before" picture. I'd love to rip down the gold speckled tile (capped with lavendar tile) but I think we can work with it. The floor, vanity, medicine cabinet and shower curtain are very dated and that's what we'll be changing. This weekend, we'll start with the easy stuff. The color scheme will be more "beachy", thanks to the striped shower curtain and towels we got at Target. We bought some vinyl floor tile in a light marbled white, gray and tan which should be a big improvement over the gold speckled flooring. We still need to pick out the bigger stuff (faucet, vanity and cabinets) but so far, it's been really fun looking at all the options!

About 20 Chumados and friends are coming down on Sunday for boating, volleyball and bbq. Maybe there will be some other surprises too!

Will keep you posted on my new job (YEA!!!!) and look for pics of the bathroom renovations in the next post. Till then, have a safe and happy 4th, everyone!!! Cheers!

First Dance

Introducing... Austin & Linda Lan


Happy wedding guests at Meadowlark Gardens

Another busy weekend started on Friday evening at B Family Fun Night hosted by John's brother, Mike, and his wife, Diane. Burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, cucumber salad, chips, watermelon, german chocolate cake and apple pie were on the menu (YUM!). Diane's stepfather showed off his newly acquired Corvette.

Saturday, we headed down to the Leonardtown beach house. Mike & Diane and their kids, Joss and Griff, were already there and we were later joined by my friend, Susan, who came down for the day. While Mike and John tried to get the boat started, Susan and I went out to a couple nearby antique shops. When we returned to the house, we had some leftover Texas Caviar and chips and then enjoyed some yummy crabs, steamed shrimp, burgers and dogs. After dinner, we took a walk down towards the pier, watermelon slices in hand. Susan described the watermelon as a "little slice of summer". How appropriate! It was a beautiful evening and Susan got some pix of the osprey that had built a nest on top of the tv antenna on someone's roof. After a round of ping pong in the clubhouse, we bid Susan goodbye.

Sunday started very slowly but we headed home at 11:45. We got dressed and headed out to Little Linda's wedding, which was held in Virginia at Meadowlark Gardens. The wedding was to take place outdoors, but it was so hot that afternoon they had it inside the atrium. It was a lovely ceremony and we enjoyed seeing our friend, Randy (aka Mangey), who was the wedding photographer. Nate was a dancin' machine that evening. My digital camera couldn't keep up with his moves, so I have no photos of him in action. LL and Austin looked so happy and are a wonderful couple.

Monday, John took the day off due to the late Sunday night. We headed out to take care of some personal business (more details to come), run some errands and buy stuff to prep for a bbq with our parents. We had some lunch, went to Target to buy stuff for the beach house bathroom makeover, to Home Depot and Lowes to look for flooring and the grocery store. We had a very nice evening with our folks but were sad to return to the reality of having to go to work the next day (or in my case, returning to the job hunt!).

Must go dig out my old PC now and look for some writing samples to send to one of the recruiters. Have a good one!

Texas Caviar

Unfortunately, the Chumados lost their 3rd game of the season after a 7-game winning streak. The team was short a few players but the opponent seemed to have added a few ringers from the last time they played. The other team was overheard congratulating themselves for beating the best team in the league (that's right, the Chumados!!!), which is actually pretty cool, despite the loss.

I'd like to share with you one of my favorite summertime recipes, TEXAS CAVIAR. This was given to me by Norma Lampariello, a fabulous cook. I've gotten a few no-fail recipes from Norma. This one is a little labor-tedious, as there's a lot of chopping and dicing, but well worth the time! It can be served as a side dish or with tortilla chips as a dip.

2 cans black beans - drained & rinsed
2 cans black eyed peas - drained & rinsed
4 spring onions - chopped
1 cup cilantro - chopped
2 ribs celery - diced
1/2 cup pickled jalapenos - diced (adjust amount to taste)
2 bell peppers - diced (used any color to make it pretty)

Dressing:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (balsamic is very tasty too!)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
2 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 teaspoon salt - optional

Mix beans, peppers, jalapenos, cilantro, onions and celery in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over bean mixture and combine gently. Refrigerate overnight, making sure to gently stir the mixture at least once while salad is marinating.

So there you have it! Hope you'll give this a try for your next bbq or picnic. Till next time, happy weekend! Hopefully, I'll have some beautiful pictures to post from LL and Austin's wedding this Sunday.

Summer Showers

Last Train Home

Athough the Strathmore Arts Center has been holding free summer concerts and movie viewings on their lawn for 13 years, this was the first time I ever went to an event. The evening looked like it was going to be a wash out due to a late afternoon thunderstorm, but the skies cleared and the show went on. The rain probably was a plus, as I'm sure the crowd would have been a lot larger had it not rained.

The main attraction was Last Train Home, which is a DC area band. I'm sure John has probably played their music for me before, but I wasn't familiar with the songs they played. A lot of folks were prepared with picnic dinners in hand. Had I been more on the ball, I would have gone to the Thai Market and gotten some pork skewers (a favorite of DE pal Bill C.), sticky rice, fried plantains (Linda's favorite) and maybe some Pad Thai noodles. I'll have to remember that for the next concert. Instead, William bought us some yummy bbq ribs from the food vendor on site and Freddy brought a bucket of KFC. MaryBeth and Eric brought a cooler with drinks and snacks. A good time was had by all but we greatly missed the B brothers' presence, as they were at home taking out the engine on the Camaro.

My day started with a trip to the PG County admin offices in Upper Marlboro to obtain a marriage license. John and I can get married on Friday at the earliest and X-mas eve at the latest (the license is good for 6 months). So look out, people... it could be tomorrow, it could be 12/12 or somewhere in between!

Before I go, wishing my sister-in-law, Ann, a happy belated b-day (June 18th). Your present is coming... I'm not finished making it yet! Also, a happy birthday to my aunt Vongchan (June 22nd). Ma and Pa J took her to Atlantic City to celebrate with two of their golfing pals. Hope they're having fun and I hope you have a Buddha Blessed Day!

End of the School Year

Gabrielle takes a dip

Last Friday, Diana had a little end of the school year pool party at her parents' place. It was just Linda, Diana and Chantal with their girls and me. It was wonderful to spend the afternoon with my aching tootsies in the water (see the last post for details).

Remember when you couldn't wait for summer vacation? I pretty much have that scenario going on, but for some reason, I'm gonna blow my opportunity. As I'm one step closer to employment, I'm starting to regret not "taking the summer off" like many have suggested. What if there are no jobs in September because all the newly graduated college kids have taken them for a lower salary? I found out today that if I get the job the staffing agency has in mind for me, I won't be able to take any vacation time for a year (rules of the staffing agency). There goes the extended Labor Day weekend and any time off I may have taken for wedding purposes. I'm actually secretly hoping I don't get this job! Tragic.

Tomorrow is the Summer Solstice and the 3 year anniversary of the day Freddy moved into his house. Seems like forever ago! The gang will probably get together to celebrate, I'm sure. I'll let you know if anything exciting happens.

Employment in My Future

A staffing agency saw my resume on Monster.com and called me up to come in for a couple tech writer positions they were looking to fill. This staffing agency works mainly with the federal government, and they oddly don't seem to have a problem with my citizenship status... which is excellent for me, as the government scale hourly pay for this postion is more than what I was making at ATS. Although I am very anxious to get back to work, I'm torn between making $$$ to pay the bills and having the summer off. It's only a 6 month contract, so maybe I'll have an extended new year!

So I went to this agency in DC today and I have to tell you I'm not cut out to wear little pointy heels. I was planning on wearing these shoes to LL's wedding next Sunday, but I may have to rethink this plan. They're not even that high! In the past, I've worn them with hose, so that may be the difference, although I don't think it matters at this juncture. My Fred Flintstone feet were made for clunky square-toed shoes, not dainty feminine heels. Luckily, when I got back to the Metro station where I had parked, I found some Birkenstock-type sandals in the Jackass (my vehicle) and have never been so happy to see a pair of sandals in my life!

The afternoon was spent at Diana's parents' house at a little pool party to celebrate the end of the school year for the various moms (and kids) we know. Afterwards, John and I had family dinner with my folks and we were joined by my brother and his family. I haven't seen them in a very long time. They were very happy to hear about the engagement. I assumed my mom would have told them, but I'll know next time a major event occurs, I'll call Jim & Ann directly (sorry guys!). After dinner, we headed out to the Corner Pub for a beer or two with Freddy and William... and of course, "Dinner B". As stuffed as we were, John and I couldn't resist eating some yummy pizza. For some reason, it was particularly tasty this evening!

A very busy day and I'm beat. There's a party for Edgar Pedgar's 50th at Robert's tomorrow and possibly meeting up with John's friend, Mark. So sleepy... zzzzzzzz

Freddy's Birthday

Freddy enjoying a birthday beer at the Orioles game (06/14)
Thanks for the sandwiches, B!

(from left): Robert, Lena, Pokey, Natalie, Freddy, Bianca
Not Pictured: Jake, Mike, William, Tracy, Jal, John, Nate

Today's Activities

This unemployment thing is getting old! Luckily, I have something to do today (pick up my Aunt from work and go to the Amish Market). Woo hoo! Best pal, Schweelay Magillay (aka William), suggested I go downtown and take in some exhibits or something. I may have to look into that!

Tuesday was Freddy's birthday and we celebrated by going to an Orioles game. This was only my third time at Camden Yards -- the first time was courtesy of my former employer and their luxury suite. I had the Takoma Park crew (William, Freddy and Nate) in tow and it was Cal Ripken's next to last game. William even got a foul ball that came up into the box! The last two games, however, we've managed to select the most humid and hot evenings to go. We celebrated Freddy's birthday with Bailey's and Jameson shots at the bar (aaaah! A/C!). Good times!

Many thanks to everyone who either e-mailed me or left comments regarding my last post. I greatly appreciate your support! Both John and I have siblings who are married with kids, so the pressure for a grand event is off us. Our folks already went through that and they already have grandkids. It's a beautiful thing to not have that pressure from the family. John's mom even said, "Just elope!". Our friends? I'm sure they'd support whatever decision we made, although some will be disappointed. Eh, we'll just liquor 'em up at the post-nups celebration and they'll be fy-nguh (fine - sorry, inside joke pronunciation).

Did I happen to mention some of our male friends are vying for the Best Man position? So far, John has gotten a meal or two and a beautiful pen with flash drive out of this, moving those in contention up a few notches for their efforts. None of the girls have been asking to become Maid/Matron of Honor though. I wonder if it's because they're scared of being put into a really hideous outfit. I never realized until Nate & Linda's wedding how much a responsibility it is to be Best Man or Maid of Honor. William threw a day-long bachelor party that began in the wee hours of the morning with a golf outing, a bbq/pool/volleyball party at a friends house in the afternoon and strippers (for the guys only) to end the night. He also rented a limo to pick up the bridal party from the hotel where Linda was getting ready and take us to the wedding location.

Well, I'm off to prepare for my very exciting day. Some family errands in the afternoon, a Chumado's softball game tonight at 6:00, and then off to Ron & Karen's to cut a mat for a framing project. Chumado's are 6-2, in second place behind the team that gave them their 2 losses (a double header on the first day of the season). Go Chumados!!!

The Big Day

You may think this is weird, but I never grew up dreaming about my "perfect wedding day". The traditional wedding thing -- walking down the aisle, 500 guests, big dress, tuxes, flowers -- not a big deal to me. I'm not saying wedding ceremonies aren't special, just that I should be able to get married by Elvis if I want.

I pose this question in a Carrie Bradshaw-isque way... Is the modern-day wedding more for the friends and family of the couple getting married? John and I are very low key people and talked about being married in a civil service with just family instead of a big wedding extravaganza. The other day, my friend, Linda, was trying to persuade me to have a wedding ceremony to include all our (mine and John's) friends and family as I would probably regret not having ALL the people we love around us to witness the special occasion. Isn't the celebration of that wedding (a party or reception) just as special and meaningful?

So, here I am, trying to come up with a way to make everyone happy. I know, I know. I'll never be able to make "everyone" happy. Stay tuned for the continuing wedding saga...

The Waiting Game

Another exciting day in the life of unemployment. Laundry, wash dishes... I found out today that I missed out on my first unemployment payment, as I was playing that waiting game for two possible job opportunities to come through, which haven't. No more, my friend! I had to reopen my claim as it expired Sunday (NUTS!) and will hopefully receive some relief (beyond the support of my awesome hubby-to-be!) in the near future. Applied for two jobs this morning to fulfill my claim requirements. The hardest thing about the DC area is all the military/government contract jobs that require either US citizenship or security clearances. Maybe that will be my goal for the remainder of this year (to obtain my citizenship).

Lots of events coming up very soon: Lena's 24th on Thursday, Freddy's 44th on the 14th, Ann's b-day on the 18th, my aunt's b-day on the 22nd, LL & Austin's wedding on the 26th. Whew! And the gang wants to celebrate the 4th of July weekend at John's family's southern MD house at Breton Bay. Some day, I have to reschedule John's belated 40th bash. And a wedding or marriage celebration of sorts... as long as William doesn't do the bridesmaids' hair.

Must go get the laundry out of the dryer (wahoo!). Tonight, John and I are going to dinner with John's mom, Becky, to celebrate our engagement. She is so excited for us! Till next time...

9 Days and Counting

NOTE: Please read with a British accent, as this is how William seems to think my blog is written.

I am very lucky to have a close-knit group of friends that can survive seeing one another 9 days in a row. Some of us don't even see our own family members that much! Since the beach (May 28th), John and I have seen Freddy every day since, William and Mike almost as much. You'd think we'd run out of things to talk about by now!

One of the things I really cherish about my friends, especially the Morenos, is their sense of family. Coming from a culture where family and elders are so important (and respected), it's awesome to be a part of a group that shares those same values. With the Morenos, however, it isn't just their closeness as a family but how they welcome everyone in. This is also true with John's family and I am very lucky and honored (someday officially!) to be part of the B family.

Another busy weekend after a much needed vacation at the beach. Thursday, John and I went to have the ring reset and saw Star Wars (awesome!). Then we saw the Chumados win their 6th game (that's 6 in a row, people!). Last season, the Chumados won 3 games total... 2 due to forfeit. Tragic. Friday, I had to pick my aunt up from Dulles Airport. She returned to the US after 7 months away in Thailand. That evening we met the gang at the Quarry House for a couple beers. I was looking forward to a nice steak, but apparently, I must have been the only person ordering a steak at the Quarry House, as they stopped serving their "Steak of the Day" special. I settled for a Grotto Grill (ginormous burger with swiss and shrooms) instead.

Saturday, 5 of us took a jaunt up to Newark, DE to see Heidi, her mom Nancy, Aunt Barb, and Grandma Doris. Heidi's aunt Amy was at Christiana Hospital with kidney failure and complications from anemia. She was set to move to Phoenix, AZ right when the illness struck. Our prayers are with Amy for a speedy recovery.

Sunday afternoon was spent at Bianca's for a the first crab feast of the season. Yummy crabs, burgers, dogs, corn on the cob, spiced shrimp, guacamole, B's famous bacon mac and cheese, potato salad, apple pie, chips, beer and soda were on the menu. Although it was 87 and humid, a good time was had by all.

Although inquiring minds want to know, John and I have not set a date for a wedding yet. We have some ideas about a wedding and/or celebrations but still in the brainstorming phase. It would be awesome to have it on 12/12, our most revered holiday, but it falls on a Monday this year. NUTS! Maybe we'll do one of those "surprise" weddings where we throw a party but don't tell anyone it's the wedding too. Keep everyone on their toes as to when/where! When did wedding planning turn into scheming to punk our friends?

By Popular Demand...

Here's a picture of the ring! Please excuse the lint stuck in the lower prong. The original ring belonging to Grandma B was set with the center stone on a gold band. The new setting has an "antique" feel with 5 little diamonds in the teardrop shape along each side and 5 diamonds running down the band. This picture doesn't do the diamond much justice. It's very sparkly in real life.


The Ring

Engagement Celebration Crew

From Top Clockwise: John, Fred, Sean, Mike, Val, Jal, Eric, MaryBeth, William

OBX News

Good news travels fast, it seems! On our way back from Corolla, Outer Banks, I got a voicemail message from Booga Bill in DE. He initially called me to say he saw an old co-worker (and former Booga, Marie) but when I called him back, it turned into, "Why didn't you tell me... ????". I won't go into how the news traveled, but the Cliff Notes version is that yesterday afternoon, on top of the Currituck Lighthouse in Corolla, NC, John asked me to marry him!!! He gave me his grandmother's old ring, a beautiful solitaire. Too bad my sausage fingers only allow me to wear it on my pinky at the moment.

Other than that exciting news, we had a wonderful, relaxing time. The group was a little smaller than usual (9 adults) but it was nice each couple and each single had a bedroom and bathroom. I think this is the first time the singles had their own rooms from day one. Usually, that only occurs after the weekend when people start leaving and there are fewer people in the house.

On Monday, William, Freddy, Mike, John and I went to Manteo to check out the Lost Colony, the Aquarium and a replica of the Queen Elizabeth II. Fascinating history in that area! It was funny to hear Linda say, "You guys are getting old!" when I told her where we went. Normally, we don't do any sightseeing when we go to the beach. It's mostly about relaxing on the beach and drinking all day long. Even that aspect was different this time... beer consumption was down and the mixed drink consumption up. Margaritas, Cranberry & Vodka, and White Russians were the drink of choice. Freddy elected MaryBeth MVD (Most Valuable Drunk) two nights in a row. She didn't technically get drunk, but no one else was close to MVD status of past years. Another sign we're getting old is most nights, we were all in bed and asleep by midnight. Tragic.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!