Author Archives: Just Call Me Mel

bring it back!

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I’m a citrusy-sweets girl. I prefer lemon over chocolate any day. Any time. Anyhow. (as a matter of fact, I can’t quite kill a craving for a lemon cupcake with lots of lemon frosting…)

That said, there was one wonderful chocolate confection from my childhood that would probably have me choosing chocolate over lemon…The Marathon Bar.

It was a long chocolate covered caramel braid. It was the funnest candy bar on earth to eat because you could take your chewy-gooey time with it if you wanted OR you could try to wad the whole thing up and stuff it in your mouth and see how long it took you to eat it. (not that I would ever do such a thing. Nope not me. I’m nothing but proper)

Best candy bar ever.

Apparently Cadbury has come up with a replacement called the Curly-Wurly but it can only be found in the UK and Canada.

Why am I being denied this morsel of tasty goodness? Is it because I have publicly denounced chocolate in favor of lemon? Are the chocolate faeries punishing me? Are they waiting until I take back my love for lemony treats before they reward me with the chocolate-caramel braid of love?

Well sorry to disappoint you, Chocolate Fae. I’m sticking to my gums guns. Lemon is better than chocolate. But if you bring back the Marathon Bar, I promise to rethink my position.

Now where’s my cupcake?

sweet anderson I’m tired!

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Sweet Anderson! is my new favorite utterance. It’s actually the name of a race horse but we’ve decided it’s just awesome to say. And so we say it. Loudly. With exclamation points.

Try it. You’ll be hooked.

What a weekend, y’all. I actually have pictures from the Arkansas Literary Festival and from the epic soccer event but they are all on my camera. And my camera cord is…um…somewhere. I did get one pic with my phone from the festival:

LOOK! I’m on a poster! Okay, my book is on a poster, but whatever. How awesome is that?

I also got a couple of pics of the #2 child. I’ve always called Rader my “little brown baby” because he tans like I used to: Quickly and very dark. This is from two days in the sun with a shirt on:

Okay, at first I thought that ring-around-the-neckline was dirt and I tried to shout it out by yelling SWEET ANDERSON! at it. But then I realized it wasn’t dirt, it’s his tanline. Yes, he has soccer tan. I’ve told him next weekend he has to play shirtless so he can even out a bit. That’s a little freaky…

Hmmm, what else went on this weekend? I met some great new folks, had drinks with my besties, spoke at the festival about writerly stuff with my pal Stacey Jay and another author who I’d never met until that day–Deborah LeBlanc. Epic soccer (oh wait, I said that already) and bade my pally Mark Griffin a fond farewell as he prepares to leave for his tour in Afghanistan.

Sweet Anderson!! No wonder I just wanted to stay in bed this morning. (okay, I’m not really sure how that is different from any other morning, but work with me here.)

So tell me, Internet. What did you do this weekend? Regale me with your tales of awesome and yay!

Zenyatta! Biggie! pictures!

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We had a great time yesterday! Check it out. I got a couple of great pictures of Zenyatta (click here if you don’t know who she is…) She’s still undefeated and she’s running in the Apple Blossom race Saturday today at Oaklawn and I was so excited to get to see her live and in person!!

And here’s Dee with Z
and here I am with Biggie. This horse was such a flirt. He liked looking for carrots in my pockets…pockets I didn’t have. So he lifted my skirt a couple of times thinking maybe I was hiding carrots under it. Um, sorry Biggie. No carrots hidden there. I promise!


meet Biggie

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This is Big in Argentina aka ‘Biggie’

We also sometimes refer to him as Mr. Big.

My friend DeeDee is part owner of Biggie and this pretty boy will be running this afternoon at Oaklawn.

And I will be there cheering him on. With gusto. And maybe even bells on.

I will be sure to take lots of pics. Of course our regular girls night out will follow after the big race. Here’s hoping Mr. Big brings home a big win!

If that happens, drinks are on me!!!!

it’s like this and like that and like this and uh…

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Let’s get the housekeeping out of the way, shall we?

There is a lovely review, interview, and a chance to win a copy of BITE ME! going on over at the Wayfaring Writer’s blog. Go forth, read, comment, and get a chance to win!

Team BITE ME! was again victorious last night, taking first place for the 2nd week in a row and claiming the #1 spot overall at Touchdown Sally’s. As always, we had a blast. And Brent, thanks for reading my blog yesterday and playing some of the songs I posted. Especially the Ida Maria song. It’s infectious.

Did I tell you I found a sock in my purse? It’s true. I’ve named him Lenny.

Yesterday I found 6 four-leaf clovers bringing my total to 10 found since March 18. Here’s a link to the album…I’m keeping track this year to see just how many I find.

Now onto the fun stuff…

Um, wow. I guess I got nuthin’ except for a pretty smile and an extra dose of sparkle today. So I’ll just sparkle on…. mmmmkay?

musical happiness

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There are some songs that just make me happy. No matter where I am or what mood I’m in if I hear one of these songs, I’ll start dancing and smiling.

Today I feel like dancing and smiling. Will you dance and smile with me?

I LIKE YOU SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU’RE NAKED (or nekkid as I like to say.) by Ida Maria

HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW by Toby Keith

ARE YOU GONNA BE MY GIRL by Jet

I’LL MELT WITH YOU by Mest (from Not Another Teen Movie. this isn’t the original version of this song, but it’s my fave)

Are y’all joining me in boogie-woogieville today? What are the songs that make you smile no matter what?

the weekend in review

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House: Cleaned
Laundry: Unwashed
Boxes: half unpacked
Taxes: work in progress
Weather: Un-freaking-believably Awesome
Friends: Luckiest girl in the world
Easter: Juciest turkey ever and a trampoline

This was a bit of an emotional weekend. Many of you know that Fishdog and I have been separated for almost a year. (We’re still great friends and I have no desire to air my private business in this blog, but since I’m moving, etc. I thought I’d let y’all know the circumstances. /divorcetalk) This weekend, I started moving into the new bachelorette pad. It’s a tiny little cottage that I’ve been cleaning, painting, and sweating over for the past 3 months. (Not quite sure how I’m gonna share 1 bathroom with 2 teen boys, but we’ll figure it out…) The move is mostly complete, now I’ve just got to finish unpacking and move all the personal items over, like clothing.

The clothing thing for me is a difficult task because I need to go through it all. I’ve lost enough weight that most of my clothing doesn’t fit anymore. This is a great problem to have…except that since I’m still only working part time, I’m not going to be spending any money on new clothes. But this weekend, I got lucky…it just so happens that one of my BFFs has been losing weight, too. And it just so happens that she can no longer wear a ton of her clothing…and it just so happens that we’re both hour glass shaped…and it just so happens that the clothes she’s undergrown are the right size for me!

I think I inherited 12 new dresses! OMG. And they’re all so damn cute! Just like me! I have a whole new wardrobe!! and a new house! and a new attitude! and… and I’m all out of new…

Anyway, this is a new beginning for me. A new phase in my life and I’m ready to take it on…and now I can do it in style thanks to my Fairy Clothing Godmother…

can I get a what-what?

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Yeah, I have no idea why that’s the title of this post…I just wanted to say it.

Had a great time with all my girls last night. Seriously, I don’t think I could survive my life if I didn’t have Thursdays.

This is short and sweet today. I’m headed to work, then off to finish up some painting and start the arduous task of moving. Pics to come soon!

For my friends…one of my favorite songs by Flogging Molly

it’s a bouncing baby….NUNYA!

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Okay, Internet. We need to talk.

Y’all are WAY too interested in the status of Melissa Francis’s uterus. Especially you nosy little people in Florida. “Is Melissa Francis CNBC pregnant?” has become my #1 google search hit of all time. And don’t get me wrong, Florida. You’re one of my favorite states. Some of the people I love the most in this world live there…but seriously? You guys have an unhealthy obsession with whether or not Melissa is in the family way.

Get over it. Gah!

FWIW, I did a fun little interview with my good twin back in the fall. Pop over and read it if you want. I even asked her back then if she was pregnant because all you looky-loos seem to need to know.

Now onto more important things…

Today is Thursday and you know what that means, Internet?


Girls Night Out!!

I love Thursdays, don’t you?

a head full of useless knowledge…but is it really useless?

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Tuesday nights have turned into one of my favorite nights of the week. (Not sure it will ever surpass Girls Night Out on Thursdays, but it’s a very close 2nd)

What started out as a one-time gig has turned into a weekly occurrence. Trivia Night is held at Touchdown Sally’s in Benton every Tuesday night. It’s put on by Challenge Entertainment of Little Rock and the host is Brent Jackson (he does a bang up job, btw). Last night’s trivia topics were movies, television, sports, animals, music, cartoon theme songs, US history, recent events, celebrities, weather, politics, solar system, technology, advertising and state capitals! Halftime category: US Geography Wager of Death category: Chart Toppers

Our team name is BITE ME! (gee, wonder why we chose that name? could it be that maybe someone one the team wrote a book titled BITE ME!?) And our first week, we kinda sucked it up. Like big time. But we started late and didn’t know all the rules.

Now, we’re in the top three and after our big win last night (2nd win overall) we might be #1. If not, we’re close…very, very close!

My oldest kid has been joining us and last week, Cmac brought his giant of a kid (14 years old and 6’2! Not even kidding) and last night, All-Caps Kristal brought her kid to join us. And let me just tell you, the kids helped out. I never would’ve known the capitol of Pennsylvania was Harrisburg without Kristal’s kid Hunter! And last week, both Dylan and Ian answered a couple of questions that we weren’t sure of. It was awesome!

If Live Team Trivia is offered at a bar/restaurant near you, I highly suggest you give it a try. Team BITE ME! is hoping to play for the $10,000 prize! How awesome would that be, Internet?

Pretty damn awesome.