Amber & The Hype

About two inches. Not horrible.

Amber & Master Burger Seminar

So, this evening, James, Nick and I furthered our patty & bun educations by attending a Master Burger Seminar.  In addition to sampling different cuts of meat to see the magic of the blended hamburger, we we served three burgers: the previously blogged Wisconsin Butter Burger,  the Mississippi Slug Burger (pictured above), and a classic-style 1950's smashed cheese burger with onions which looks less than appetizing in this photo, but was actually good.

It was alot of burger, but well shy of too much of a good thing.  I also learned alot about burgers, but I'm in a sort of beef haze and can't remember anything right now.  Burgers.

Amber & The Boys

Boys and their burgers.

Amber & Mississipi Slug Burger

Amber & Wisconsin Butter Burger

I am at a Master Burger Seminar. We just had our first tasting, the
Wisconsin Butter Burger. I can feel my arteries hardening.

Amber & Adductors

Who knew you had muscles that rotate your thighs called adductors?

Anyone who ice skates, that's who.

Speaking of which, I have decided to take my lessons more slowly and aim for the 2014 Olympics.  I mean, if I want to medal, then I shouldn't rush the process for this year's games.  Apologies if you already bought your tickets to Vancouver.

Amber & Soup

Soba noodles, assorted mushrooms, kale, and homemade dashi. And CVS Compare To Exederin Migraine Relief.

Amber & Rewards

As much as I hate Laundry Day, I sure like having fresh bedding to look forward to. A bed never looks as well made as on Laundry Day. And a kitty never looks as blissful.

P.S. I really am going to finish painting that wall soon.

Amber & Games We Play

Today, Woody and I tried combining our two favorite games: Fleece Wand and Sheet Tent.  To play, Woody went into the Sheet Tent and then I would flick the Wand just outside the main entrance to the Tent.  My buddy then darts out from his hidey place and grabs the wand, thusly:

Next, crazy head and tugging ensues.

This was great fun, and Ginger wanted to be involved.  That seemed fine with Woody: Ginger would stick his paw near the edge of the tent, and Woody would reach out and swat it.

This was another five minutes of kitty Play and Seeking Emotions, exactly what Dr. Temple Grandin would prescribe.

But then, Woody got overstimulated and lunged out of the tent.

This broke the rules as understood by Ginger.  There was a threatening posture on the back of the couch, followed by a Woody growl and a retreat back into the tent.

And thus ended Sheet Scurry.  I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday evening.  Or to use an unwashed brand new sheet.

Amber & They're On To Us

I am telling you (again): they're just biding their time.

Amber & Winter Wonderland

I wonder why I had mo idea it was going to snow?

Amber & Snow!

Who knew?

Amber & Tomanoocheese

Today is the kind of day where you just need alot of comfort stuff: it's cold and gray outside, and there seems to just be alot of stress in the air.   This might be the kind of day for which Jesus Air Spray was created.  But it is definitely the kind of day for which Grandma Louise invented Tomanoocheese.

Tomanoocheese is Campbell's Tomato Soup, any kind of noodle (by which I mean pasta), and melty molten chunks of orange cheddar cheese.  (See how clever I was at naming things when I was six?  Get it?  Toma-noo-cheese!)  And to me and my belly, it is THE comfort food.

Also, my belly is trying out a new kind of comfort today, the belly band.  These devices, available for sale on my BFF Etsy, are circular strips of stretchy fabric you wear around your middle under a shirt and over the top of your pants.  They are originally intended for pregnant ladies to help keep their bellies covered and warm when the babies inside make them expand and their shirts rise up.  Only, I figured they could offer the same service for non-pregnant ladies with bellies that expand, well, because of Tomanoocheese.

I got mine in purple, and I happen to be wearing a purple shirt, so it might be kind of hard to see in the photo.  But, I can assure you that it's great.  It's like a belly cozy.  Take that, too-low-riding-pants matched with too-short-shirts!

And take that and that, cold gray sad day!

Amber & Merry-Go-Round

Some days are hard, and you are very tired at the end of them.  And Pickles still wants to play fleece wand.  And you think you just can't because you're so tired, but then you do.

(Give it a second to load.)



And that jolly feeling you get was completely worth the effort.

Amber & Wish Fulfillment

My water was shut off when I woke up today.  The management folks said that there was "work" being done but couldn't really tell me when it would be back on.

So, I have spent all day just hoping to be able to shower, fill the kettle for tea, and change the kitty water dishes.  And lo!  Almost seven hours later, my wish has come true-- sort of.  The water is back on, but it's not what one would call potable.

Would someone please explain to Woody that sink hands are not a good idea right now?

Amber & My Literary Heritage

One of my new morning rituals is that I spend some time reading every morning while I finish my milky Earl Grey tea (Diana-style).

Now, it's not that I am suddenly jumping on the bandwagon of adults reading children's literature (and I don't really see anything wrong with that other than that they should be reading more crime dramas), but this book is actually one of the more delightful reclaimed artifacts from my youth.

How did I recognize the book and know it's not really some copy my parents picked up at a flea market and thought was my heritage?  It's inscribed.

This is the copy that my elementary school BFF, Valerie, her sister and her mom gave me on my 7th birthday.  (Good inscribing, Susan.)

The great thing?  Valerie is now my Facefriend.  And she has a daughter.  And I bet her daughter will read Charlotte's Web.

Sunrise, sunset.

Amber & January Searches

Another fascinating glance into the minds of my readers.

 I'm not sure what's more surprising: that someone went looking for a "sealizer" or that they wanted a shoe made of "body parts."  Or that I have my own day of fitness?

Amber & The Morning Funnies

Ha!  Those zany physicist jokes.  Get it?

Me neither, but it has dueling cats!

Amber & OMG LOLCAT

The one paw resting on the belly, just above the pink hairless part, really seals the deal of cuteness.

Amber & Starring Surprise Guests

This is my week for stars surprising me by guesting on my regularly scheduled programs.

First, there was my suave sweetheart Robert Wagner on NCIS, proving that fate doesn't punish you for killing Natalie Wood by taking away your hair.

Then, there was my BFF Scramble2 For Free by Zynga on 30 Rock.

And, tonight, I discovered my Empire Records and (much underrated Dick Wolf revamp of) Dragnet fave, Ethan Embry, on my much beloved House.

Despite the fifteen years that have passed since Empire Records, Ethan is still adorable, even when playing a culottes salesman.  But he seems to have less and less hair as time goes by in a hair cut kind of way.

Maybe there's some inverse relationship between notoriety and plushness of hair?  Maybe hair can get in the way of being taken seriously as an actor?  Maybe as he ages his hair just doesn't grow as long?

I sure don't take Robert Wagner very seriously with all that lushness on his head, but if Ethan's hair continues to shrink, I'll be scared when he makes his 80-year-old appearance on whatever procedural detective show I am having downloaded into my brain 2058.