Who am I? Amy Winehouse?

I've been tagged! Go on....save yourselves....LOL. Kidding. It's been awhile since I have been blessed by Queen Mimi, and I took enormouse amounts of (self provided) pleasure in completing this wonderful *sigh* NEEDS meme.

The rules: All you have to do is Google your first name with the word needs behind it and post the results.

(I actually used my real name on this one.)

1. Andrea needs help finding stalker songs (yeah, my list is SOOOO 2001)

2. Andrea needs a profession in which she can express her inventive and idealistic side (Well DUH)

3. Andrea needs to read her Emily Post (cuz apparently my manners suck)

4. Andrea needs a brush (Ok, y'all seen my hair - does it LOOK like i can get a brush through it?)

5. Andrea needs treatment, not a death sentence (this one's a quote from my therapist...)

6. Andrea needs me close to her heart (welllll.....depends, are ya cute?)

7. Andrea needs all her wits and all the help she can get from the company's attractive operations manager to find and stop the perpetrators. (this makes my job sound a lot more fun than it actually is)

8. Andrea needs to take her game to a whole new level (yeah, cuz I can barely get past the first one )

9. Andrea needs a cute boytoy. (or two or three...)

10. Andrea needs to go into detox. (who am I? Amy winehouse?)


I would tag people, but I'm sure that Mimi's got everyone covered. On the off chance you weren't hit during her tagging spree, consider yourself tagged.

Stay sane inside insanity ~ and never forget your towel.

Seven Songs Meme - snagged from Trav (snogs to ya babes)

Ok, so not having a clue about what to write these days (as obvious since my last post was two weeks ago), I saw this wonderful little meme over at Trav's house, and thought I'd grab it for myself. So here it is. It's quite simple really.

List seven songs you are into right now.
Post these instructions.
Tag seven others.

Well, let's just open the Recently Played list on my iTunes and see what comes up.

1. Lips of an Angel - Hinder (LOOOOOVE this song)
2. Iris - GooGoo Dolls
3. I Kissed A Girl - Katy Perry
4. End of the Innocence - Don Henley
5. Under Pressure - Queen
6. Who Wants to Live Forever? - Queen
7. Boats to Build - Jimmy Buffet


Ok...let's see...hrm - tag seven others huh? Well, let's tag Dayle, Dana, Paul, Glinda, Anndi, Turnbaby, and Jules!!

(Now to see if they're all reading - tee hee)

Stay sane inside insanity ~ and never forget your towel.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesdays - me with a couple of...um...Things

(I look like crap - wasn't posed because Thing 1 burped in my ear just as the pic was being taken. But still very amusing)

Stay sane inside insanity ~ and never forget your towel.

Happy Birthday Canada!!

Not a lot to say on today - our Nation's birthday.


EXCEPT.....

We up here in the great white north have a LOT to be proud of. For instance....


1. Smarties, Crispy Crunch and Coffee Crisp!
2. Shreddies, Clamato and Maple Syrup!
3. Canadian Beer, Rye and Pure Water!
4. Beef, Salmon and Lobster!
5. Apple Pie and Superman…by a Canadian!
6. Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and Elvis…Stojko that is!
7. Guess Who, Tragically Hip and The Emeralds!
8. Celine Dion, Shania Twain and Amanda Marshall!
9. Michael J. Fox, Leslie Nielsen and Pamela Anderson!
10. The originators of Baseball, Basketball, Lacrosse, Hockey and Ringette!
11. Grey Cups have been around for 90 years with bigger balls,bigger fields and one less down!
12. Mr. Dress Up kicked Mr. Rogers' ass!
13. Tim Hortons kicks Dunkin' Doughnuts and Krispy Kremes' ass!
14. Our cival war was a bar fight that lasted a little over an hour!
15. Toques are cool!
16. We knew plaid was in far before Seattle caught on!
17. The Hudsons Bay Company once owned over 10% of the earth's surface and is still around as the world's oldest company!
18. The average dog sled team can kill and devour a full grown human in under 3 minutes!
19. We invented ski-doos, jet-skis, velcro, zippers, insulin, penicillin, zambonis, the telephone and short wave radios that save countless lives each year!
20. We all have frozen our tongues to something metal and lived to tell about it!

But most Important…

21. The handles on our beer cases are big enough to fit your hands with mitts on…OOOOO'Canada!


I will also add: Bob & Doug Mackenzie, SCTV, the greatest hockey rivalry in the WORLD (Leafs v. Canadians), Jim Carrey, Jeff Healey, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Hollywood North and WORLD HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS OUT THE WAAAAAAAAZOOO!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA!!

Edited to add: WHOOOOOOOPS. I did this last night so I was exhausted. Thank you to Dayle for pointing out that I was remiss in neglecting to mention these two incredible music acts that definately define Canada!!

RUSH

My baby - LAWRENCE GOWAN (but you can call him Larry!!)

Stay sane inside insanity ~ and never forget your towel.

Summer Breeze, makes me feel fine...

Well kiddies - it's officially summertime. And in my house, that means loading up the iPod or CD player with ALL Jimmy Buffet, and loading up the blender with Margaritas!!

Of course, for me, the main ingredient - tequila - is a mainstay all year round, but it's never more prevailant than in the hot summer sun.

So, when MSN decided to link to this wonderful article on today's homepage, I figured I would educate those NOT in the know about the many levels of tequila. So, pour yourself a cold one, lean back in the hammock, listen to the soothing steel drums on Jimmy's latest album, and learn about the wonders of this heavenly alcohol.

Taste Tequila

There's no time like the present to re-taste one of the year's most stylish spirits.

When it comes to tequila, most of us have some pretty fun (read crazy) memories. Unfortunately, the mere mention of the spirit usually sparks at least a few grimaces amongst friends. There are more tequila-induced Mexican-holiday-gone-wrong stories, never mind fraternity party mayhem, than most of us care to know about, or remember. But if any of the above resonates with you, keep reading, because if you haven't heard, tequila is making a serious comeback.

From Hollywood to Cannes, tequila is quickly becoming the spirit of the stars. To start off with, tequila comes in all styles and flavours; from the fresh and clean aromas, to the rich and complex tastes, tequila can be utterly delicious. So whether you're looking for a shooter or a sipper, get to know tequila once more, and start sipping in style.

Tequila History

Tequila was first produced in the 16th century and still finds its home in the Jalisco region of Mexico. The spirit is made from blue agave (pronounced ah-gav-eh), a cactus looking plant that is actually a member of the lily family. With soft blue hues and spidery arms, blue agave can take up to 12 years to mature. Once matured, the heart, or piña, is harvested, slow-cooked (to convert its starch to sugar), and then cut up and crushed to produce "agua miel", or honey water. Following fermentation, the alcohol is double distilled in a process similar to other fine spirits.

Tequila Styles

There are two types of tequila – 100% blue agave, and mixto. To display 100% blue agave on the label, regulations require that the tequila be distilled entirely from the fermented juice of the agave. Otherwise, for the mixto styles, the tequila contains as little as 51% agave juice, with a balance of other sugars and water.

Blanco or Plato (White/Silver)
This is an un-aged white tequila that has spent a minimum of 14 days in stainless steel tanks. As the name suggests, this tequila style is light and refreshing and often used for margaritas and mixed drinks
To try: Sauza Silver, Herradura El Jimador Silver

Oro (Gold)
Oro tequila is a combination of two ingredients: either blanco tequila blended with aged tequila, or blanco tequila with additional caramel so as to resemble the aged style. Smooth and a little bit sweet, this gold tequila is often used for shooters.

To try: Sauza Gold, Cuervo Especial Gold

Reposado (Rested)
Reposado tequila must be aged in oak barrels for a minimum of two months, although many are aged for up to 12 months in oak. A fresh taste accented with oak makes this a complex tequila great for sipping or in premium cocktails and margaritas.

To try: Cazadores Reposado, Patron Reposado

Añejo (Aged)
Añejo, pronounced ah-nyay-ho, is the "older" tequila which has been aged in small oak casks for a minimum of one year. Destined for sipping, this tequila shines with notes of caramel and light spice. Like a fine cognac, savour this tequila in a snifter glass.

To try: Sauza Tres Generaciones Anejo


Cool Cocktail

The Paloma

1 part Hornitos Reposado Tequila
½ part fresh grapefruit juice
¾ parts tonic
Squeeze of lime wedge

Simply fill a glass with ice, add ingredients and stir. Garnish with a twist of lime.


Whether you choose to enjoy tequila on its own or in a cocktail, hopefully this info gets you talking, and tasting, tequila once more.



Hey barkeep! Keep 'em coming! I'm ready to waste away...AGAIN.

Stay sane inside insanity ~ and never forget your towel.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY - my favourite dads

Dad, Mom & nephew Ryan in front of Cinderella's Castle in Disney last August.

Dad, Ryan, my bro Jay (Ryan's dad) and my hubby Rod (not yet a dad but will be an awesome one) resting up from walking miles and miles through Mickey's Kingdom

Awwww - ain't it cute? Jay, Dad and Rod having a "moment" at lunch.

My grandparents with Ryan (and mom trying to duck out of the way) at the mall. Papa is 86 and just as stubborn as he was when he was half that age.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY Y'ALL!!!

Stay sane inside insanity ~ and never forget your towel.

Dona Nobis Pacem

Don't know why everything came out so blurry. I tried to fix it, but alas, was not able to. The quote says

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

- Jimi Hendrix

Stay sane inside insanity ~ and never forget your towel.