Chocolate Fun

I've posted this before - but I don't care. It's still funny...

Searched and Found

It's almost Easter again but I don't need a calendar to inform me of this. Other than the special Easter candy showing up in the stores, my signal is the keywords sending new visitors to my blog. For one specific keyword search on Google, a born-a-girl post is #1 in the Google search and the other is #2. It's amazing to me that out of all the websites the Google spiders crawl through in the "interwebosphere," that my 'lil old posts would come up so high on any list.

When you type in the keywords "leftover easter egg dye," this post comes up as the #2 choice. It was a fun improvisation my nephew and I dreamt up and I think I'll need to go get some dye, eggs and Bounty paper towels just to play again.

And, when you type in the keywords "easter bells" I come up number one because of this post. Instead of an Easter bunny, Europeans have Easter bells. I only found out about the tradition from the David Sedaris essay from "I Talk Pretty One Day" which I quote on the page. It's a fun read if you have a few minutes.

How about you? What Google keywords bring new visitors to your blog?

Hello to Birds

Yet another sign of spring, some of my old bird friends are returning. The starlings have made their home yet again in the two unused chimneys on the hill. They make the strangest noises and must have a vast vocabulary compared to most birds. Either that or maybe, like some people, they feel it necessary to chatter on about nothing and fill the quiet moments with jibber jabber. I've known some featherless two-leggeds with similar traits.

The purple finches have been busy working on the plethora of pine cones our pine trees dropped this winter. This is the heaviest drop of cones we've noticed in the 20 years we've been here. I recall a few winter mornings where the white snow under the pines transformed into a round carpet of little brown pine cones. It's fun to watch them work at getting their seedy rewards.

Back to featherless two-leggeds...there's a new "bird-song" I've been enjoying. I was just introduced to the beautiful, haunting music of Andrew Bird. I am admittedly infatuated. He is a "Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist, lyricist and whistler." It was the whistling that sealed the deal. A good whistler will always turn my head.

When I went to the show listing on his website, I was excited to see that he is playing in Minneapolis April 11th. Only to be followed with quick disappointment when reading the show was sold out. I'll be on the watch-out for future local performances.

Here are a couple of videos. Enjoy!

Oh Happy Day!

The hubby walked outside with the phone when the call came. At the first interview the week before, he came home with the gut feeling that he was their top pick. He's pretty savvy with those gut feelings. After the second interview, he said he was pretty sure he had the job but they hadn't said the words yet. Owner had to talk to the #2 guy yet. I was listening as hard as I could to hear the conversation outside but my walls are too well insulated. I refocused on my work. He came in, ignoring my "tell me right now or I will die" gaze, sat down at the computer and plinked at the keyboard and said "So I suppose I better send an email to cancel that test I was scheduled to take for that other job." His jokester way of saying he got the job! There was much hugging and my waterworks turned on.

Watching the news I feel like we won the lottery in finding a new job in just two months. There are so many out of work for months and months not finding jobs. Although, hubby assured me time and time again that he was never worried and just knew his amazing talents, good looks and winning personality would win everyone over. Always the modest one in the crowd. ;)

He just finished his first week at the new job and is in the midst of learning all about the intricate workings of hydraulic systems and air compressors. He worked with heavy equipment before but his mechanical know-how translates to many platforms. It took him a while to realize he needed to open his horizons and not focus on one industry when searching for job openings.

We're breathing easier here on the hill, breaking out in an occasional happy dance and realizing we need to count our lucky stars hubby was blessed with amazing talents, good looks and a winning personality. And because the job is within an easy commute, we won't have to worry about selling this place right now. Thanks to all for your concern and kind words. Let's keep all of those still searching in our thoughts and help others as we can.