The Great Laundromat Showdown has begun!!

Ok,

Today I faced my fears. I went to the Laundromat!!

I am not afraid of the Laundromat people..I feel at one with them.

I dread it because of the time consuming, hot, torturous process of it all.

However, if there is one thing I have learned, it is that independence comes with a price.

Sure, I don't have the responsibilities of a home and family, but I also don't have the luxury of yelling "will someone throw my laundry in?" (then again, I don't know many married women who have that luxury either!)

Anyway, I decided rather than grumbling and whining I would face my fears head on..in that light, I present to you...

THE GREAT LATE SUMMER ROCKINGHAM COUNTY LAUNDROMAT SHOWDOWN OF 2010!!

I will visit all of the 3 or 4 Laundromats in the town I live in, take pictures, really get the feeling of the place, and then announce which lucky Laundromat has won my heart and my allegiance!!

Unbeknownst to you all, dear readers, the contest began today!! I give you...

THE SCRUB BOARD LAUNDRY MAT # 6!!

There is only one thing to say about my experience at the Scrub Board..

It was breath taking:) Especially the bathrooms and the threatening signs.

Lolee

p.s. Today I am announcing the very first SPINSTER CHRONICLES GIVEAWAY WINNER!! Hayley Miller!! You can check out her blog HERE ! Thanks for your quote Hayley, it actually is really meaningful to my clients and a few of them have already commented on it:)

There's a whistle up above..

Patrick the robot, in the trash

(Part of my "express yourself through artistic photos" activity)

One of the best/worst things about the life of a Spinster:

You have to work outside of the home.

Some days its amazing and I love my crazy job.

Some days it sucks and I wish I was home, tending little ones, while a husband earned money.

One of the funniest and most bizzare things about working outside of the home is

OFFICE POLITICS

It's a little like the movie "Office Space".

There are company wide emails about shredding documents, preferred seating at company parties, management spies, backstabbing, confrontational staff meetings, and much more.

Management has bathrooms that only they are allowed to use. There have been secret meetings at the local steakhouse, only workers allowed. Management has had secret meetings at the coffee shop. I have secret meetings with myself in the cleaning closet.

. (I'm getting a little irritated though, because I am the only one that signs up to bring treats to my secret meetings..come on, everyone needs to take a turn!)

Sometimes there are the strange promotions and mysterious firings. People come and go and move up and down in the company and you never know why.

(I tried to sleep my way to the top, but the lack of hotness in my superiors and my own dang morals kept that plan from really getting off the ground.)

I don't quite know how to end this post..maybe with a quote.

If you can smile when things go wrong, you have someone in mind to blame.

Lolee

Just a few more hours..aka the post with too many pictures!

This one line from Glee keeps going through my mind..

"Oh Bambi, I cried so hard when those hunters shot your mommy"

Someone ate my ENTIRE jar of olives in one day!!!

Someone could just not put them down, no matter how many times that someone said, "walk away from the olives"

Gosh, someone..get some self control!!

I am checking things off my "Bucket List" right and left...

Goals accomplished:

This one is a little blurry. It's my "see a sunset over the Pacific" goal

Goals still not quite accomplished:

Plus many many more.. Every time I accomplish a goal, I swear I add three new ones:)

Lori Ann

p.s.- If it was you that ate all of the olives, I forgive you..this time. Just don't let it happen again!!

p.p.s.- This blog title is dedicated to those babies in Pennsylvania. Thanks to Glee (how many times have I said that?) I love the Kiss song "Beth" and there is a line that says "just a few more hours and I'll be right home to you". I wish I could be home to see them.

It's Summer, Summer Time..

Dinner at Chez Lori

(yes, I eat at my coffee table)

(I know..I'm classy)

There are only a few perfect foods out there.

Cheese fries.

chocolate ice cream with sprinkles.

tamales.

and my summer favorite..

PASTA SALAD!

I decided to experiment and make my own pasta salad today.

It turned out AMAZING!

So, next step is probably my own cooking show. I knew I was destined for a life of fame!

Lolee

I am SO excited!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SO SO SO SO SO SO SO EXCITED!!!

Repeat to self: I can keep a secret, I can keep a secret, I can keep a secret!!

Lolee

Random Thoughts Thursday

It's time for Allison's Random Thought Thursdays again!!!

Here we go...

Today in group, we made lip gloss. This is an activity which I have had planned for a while, meaning to do it with a girls group.

There was a reason I wanted to do this in girls group. This is the reason.

Proving the age old theory that men and homemade beauty products DO NOT mix.

My lipgloss was kick-ass. It was a peach, cherry mix, made with poprocks (which I couldn't quite get to melt). You know you want the recipe!

The lipgloss is already working in my favor..a man is sleeping over at my house tonight!!

Unfortunately that man is my brother. Dang it!

I saw two little blond boys at a restaurant today and it almost made me cry. Not only did I miss my nephews, but I missed them as little guys of 3 and 4. It makes me think of that "sunrise sunset song" from Fiddler on the Roof. *sigh*

I need to move on to another one of my 100 greatest books..should I finish Walden or start Don Quixote?

I am probably the only therapist slash craft director in all the world.

It makes me feel kinda gangster.

Lolee

Give it Away Now..

My quote wall at work

There is a lot of buzz about this blog on the Internet.

I think the majority of people are looking to me to fill the void left by the series finale of "The Hills".

What can I say? Popularity is my cross to bear!

That being said, there is one thing that I have noticed makes a blog extra annoying popular..and that thing is GIVE AWAYS!!!

Oh yes, it is time for the first ever

Spinster Chronicles Give Away

Let's do this thing!!

Ummm...there's only one catch. You don't actually get anything..at least nothing tangible..here is what you receive..

Space on my quote wall!!

Somewhere between the words of Mother Teresa, hand made cards from the kids, notes from my clients, and my favorite Emily Dickinson poems...

Words totally inspire me. I have a thousand quotes that I love, but I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to hear the ones that inspire, motivate, comfort, or captivate you.

Just leave your ALL TIME favorite quote as a comment, and, after a few days, I will pick a winner and that quote will get posted on my work quote wall.

You'll be inspiring all the emotionally unbalanced kids who get trapped in my office. I will show your quote to each and every one of them .

But seriously, my next giveaway will be something awesome. Like a giant, hand painted wooden spoon that you can smack your kids with!

Lolee