Microsoft, lock up your cricket players!

Andy has the green light to move to Seattle! His visa was approved.

Because I'm lazy and it's 11:11pm (woah, all 1s), I'll copy/paste our gchat conversation below.

Friday, March 27, 2015 7:17 AM

Andy Williamson

hi lunk

Margaret Kay

YES

hi

should I call

Andy Williamson

I'm in s-bucks and et's pretty besy

so i cannae really talk

Margaret Kay

OH OK RAM

GOOD JOB

How was it?!?/1/!

Andy Williamson

so easy

total time in the embassy (including queuing) 2 hours

total time spent talking to embassy staff - 3 minutes

Margaret Kay

What!? Crazy! And they told you it was "approved"?

Andy Williamson

interview 1 was where i handed in all the forms, then I sat back down

then I got called through to the interview woman who asked very, very cursory questions

and then just said, yep, that's good enough for me

---

After all the hassle of getting the visa documents together (long story, but it involves some tax forms being dropped off and left for dead at a jewellery shop by an idiot postman), I was SHOCKED that he was approved in just a few minutes.

We were prepared for the worst, and expected the worst. But we ended up with the best case scenario, all things considered.

I told him we all wear American flags behind our ears (shhhhh! don't tell - it's a hilarious prank)

There is one thing. After the interview, Andy spent a lovely day in London with some mates before hopping on the Tube for London City Airport to make his 9:20pm flight back to Edinburgh. Only problem is that he was booked on the 7:45pm flight. All that visa success went to his head and he forgot he booked the earlier flight! Luckily, he was able to make it to the train station in time to blag his way into a first class ticket on the Caledonian Sleeper for the price of coach. In fact, he's snoozing to the sound of "Chugga Chugga Choo Choo" as I type this. 

Now, if you'll please join me in raising your glass to our newest United States resident, Andy Williamson! 

Hip hip? Hooray! 

Hip hip? Hooray! 

Hip hip? Hooray! 

Hmmm...should those "hip hips" have ended in a question mark? I'm second guessing myself. 

Egads. Two stream-of-consciousness blog posts in a row. 

Cheerio, Margaret 

P.S. The title of this post was a spin on "Mothers, lock up your daughters!" Just FYI. 

P.P.S. Remember a few weeks ago when I wrote about how my friend Tori and her sister thought the Kool & the Gang song lyrics were "Celebrate the Taj Mahal"? Well, today my nieces and I were having a dance party to celebrate finishing an alphabet jigsaw puzzle and a certain bro-in-law of mine starting singing, "Celebrations now, come on!" I mean, hilarious. Kool, you and your gang clearly need to annunciate better.

Celebrate the Taj Mahal!

My pal Tori once told me that her and her sister thought the Kool & the Gang song went like this: "Celebrate the Taj Mahal!"

Ever since, I've always preferred those lyrics.

Today, on this Monday the 23rd of February, I'm celebrating more than just the Taj Mahal. Here's what has me woo-hooing like Vicki Gunvalson right this very second:

• Coffee prevents skin cancer! (maybe, but let's go with it)

• We're having pesto gnocchi for dinner tonight with posh parmesan—the kind you have to grate yourself!

• It's freezing/windy/hailing outside, but I'm warm and toasty on the couch under a blanky!

• My new headphones came in the mail! Just £9.99 and they work like a charm.

• We have the latest episode of 'Better Call Saul' to watch tonight!

• I love my bowl cut!

• RHONY finally has a premiere date. April 7th!

• Andy's going to write a textbook for Scottish high school kids! 

Isn't that all just wonderful? Join me in the celebration!

OK, you got me. This 'find something to celebrate every day' Oprah-style post was just an excuse to use those low-quality gifs I made on ImgFlip.com.

Start with the gifs and work backward from there. That's my blogging philosophy.

Cheers,
Margaret


P.S. Enjoy this gif preview of my next list, 'Things I'm sick and tired of'

 

Pizza now, pizza tomorrow, pizza forever

OK, here we go again.

Day 3. Just 362 to go.

Reality is really starting to set in.

But let's not dwell on that! Time is a wastin' and I have a half-watched Mindy Project to get back to.

Today's topic: food! More specifically, pizza. If you know me at all, then you know how much I love the stuff. I've also been known to argue that pizza isn't that bad for you. Because it isn't! It's basically just tomatoes, cheese and bread. What's so bad about that?

Top tip: I like to sprinkle rocket, aka arugula aka rucola aka peppery greens on my pizza after it comes out of the oven! 

Top tip: I like to put my foot on the oven handle when posing for a photo next to my homemade pizzas!

It just seems like pizza gets a disproportionally bad rap. It might not be kale or roasted pumpkin seeds or acai berry (yikes, my health food references are so dated), but it's not a Krispy Kreme donut either. Yet, we—SOCIETY—have made pizza the villain.

Why am I so defensive? Because I'm going to have pizza tonight for the second night in a row. I made it last night with Andy, and Char's hosting a belated birthday 'za party for me this evening.

In the interest of balance and fairness, I will say that there's another side to the pizzathusiast lifestyle. A dark side. A greasy underworld. I've witnessed it first hand.

The year: 2007
The city: Spokane
The pizza joint: Eatza Pizza on Division Street

All you can eat pizza for just $5 each? Sounds too good to be true, we thought, as we pulled into the parking lot. Foreshadowing alert: it was. 

Fivers in our pockets and pizza on our minds, my friends and I headed into the no-frills family restaurant with high hopes. It actually felt like walking into the inside of a pizza. The velvety red carpet, the mozzarella-white curtains, the oily leather cushions in the curved bell pepper booths. It was like a pizza-themed ride at a budget amusement park. I had the sudden urge to blot my face with a napkin.

We approached the large buffet table. It ran almost the length of the restaurant, yet only three small pizzas lay before us. Enough for a couple slices each, without being rude to the other patrons. As the evening went on, we realised that this was a huge part of Eatza Pizza's business model. It was indeed 'all you can eat', but only if you had the time to sit around and wait for them to make the pizza, one scrawny pie at a time.

Back in our booth, we dined. Spongey crust, bland cheese and ketchupy sauce, but all in all, it was OK. The pizza was OK. 

Then, a pajama-clad lady in a reclining wheelchair was rolled into the restaurant by her carer. I had watched shows about obesity on TLC, but she was the largest person I'd seen in real life. She instructed her chauffeur to wheel her to the buffet, where she picked up an entire pizza and ate it on the spot. It was incredibly sad. 

It was also disgusting. 

But I knew that, if I let myself love pizza the way I knew I could, that would be me some day. We're all just a few bad months away from eating ourselves into an enormous pizza-shaped grave. 

Yelp tells me that Eatza Pizza is now closed. That's probably for the best. But I will be forever grateful for what that place taught me about the highs and lows of pizza eating, and the value of moderation.

A sign and an empty lot — all that remains of Eatza Pizza on Google Street View.

So, there you have it. Pizza, like all controversial subjects, is much more complex than the mainstream media makes it out to be. That's why you have Madgespace—voted top alternative news source by people who read—to turn to for the real truth.

Love ya,
Margaret "Pizza" Kay

P.S. Pizza

P.P.S. Just one more thing

A-Team: Engaged!

My big sis, Anna, and her long-time steady, Alex, got engaged yesterday!!

They are the best. I am SO thrilled for both of them.

Alex- you're going to be my brother-in-law!

Here's a pic of the ring (so lovely):

LOVE,

Margaret

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Here are some of Mother Nina's favorite things:

Greenlake/Alki/Discovery Park:

Books:

Net Flix:

Tamari Almonds:

Brach's Candy Corn:

Warm wash cloth on the face:

HAVE A FAB DAY!

Love, 

Madge

Belated!

HAPPY BELATED 26th Birthday Char and Francie!

Yesterday I had the honor of skyping with two of the greatest birthday-gals on the planet, Char and Francie. They were enjoying their bdays in Edinburgh- going out to a cute Thai restaurant and staying up until 3:00 AM to watch Gonzaga win (also, Ireland won the Six Nations Grand Slam rugby tourney! Quite a big deal- first time in about 60 years or something like that). 

In honor of my sistas, here are some of their favorite things:

CHAR

Ice Cream/Gilato/Frozen Yogurt/Ice Cream Bars

Cows

The Eagles

Earrings 

SALTED popcorn and Salt & Vinegar Rice Cakes

Americas Next Top Model Marathons

FRANCIE

Cheese of all kinds (often melted)

Coffee!!

Booter

Crosswords

Carmex

Home & Away (Australian soap opera)

AND, the story doesn't end there, folks! It happened to also me MY half birthday yesterday! My dear parents surprised me with an amazing carepackage, which I plan to blog about later. 

Now I have to go to class!

LOVE, madge

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNA JANE KAY!

In honor of Anna's 28 years on earth, here are some of her favorite things:

AMERICANO W/ A LITTLE STEAMED SOY FOAM:

WALKING GREENLAKE:

KITKATS:

MEET ME IN ST.LOUS:

CUTE KNIT HATS:

ORANGES:

PODCASTS:

RUBBING HER EYES:

Happy Birthday Sista!

Love, 

Madge

New Year w/ Old friends (rotund stomach & indigestion)

It is the first day of 2009. WOAH. Here's some perspective for ya: Center Stage came out 9 years ago!! Where does the time go? Anna should be comin' up on her 10 year high school reunion. The King Dome has been gone a decade! Facebook was started 5 years ago and I can't believe I ever lived without it. Also, happy 10th birthday to the Euro (which, despite fallin' a bit, is still worth about $1.40...so don't let its monopoly-ish look fool ya).

I sat around all evening waiting to decide on whether or not to go to a party with Anna and her friends, a party hosted by my high school friends, or a party with Barbie, Meghan and maybe other college friends. I read, napped, took a bath, ate an orange, sat in the living room, applied intense healing hand lotion to my dry hands, watched a bizarre HBO movie with my Mom and Dad called The Girl in the Cafe, and took a couple more baths. My stomach hurt, which is a bummer because I thought my new gluten-free diet was helping. Nay- the thing's still round, hard and angry as ever. I'm just waiting for the day I wake up with an "outie" belly button. Just preparing myself for the inevitable. HOW depressing. 

Anyway...when it came time to get ready and go out I just couldn't do it. 

This morning my Dad told me he "rang in the new year with a snore", and I answered "me too". His excuse- being near seniorcitizenship. My excuse- gas, a distended stomach and one heinously bad mood. 

Last year at this time I was in Edinburgh, wandering along the cobblestone streets, climbing the Sir Walter Scot Monument and watching the circling ice skaters, double decker buses, sale-bound shoppers, and street-corner bag pipers below. Hopefully on Jan 1, 2010 I'll be doing the same. 

My new years resolution: blog more. 

We'll see, 

Madge

Merry Christmas!

It's the best holiday around. Ab-so-lutely, HANDS DOWN, no argument there. 

The snow/cold/ice is all people around here can talk about and I'm a little tired of it, so I'll just say that due to weather conditions, this year's Christmas Eve was low-key- no ferry ride, no neighborhood walk, no mass (yikes!). BUT it was FANTASTIC nonetheless. 

Bobby flew into town after barely making his connecting flight in Houston (he had to cut in front of about 200 people to get through customs) and it's always great to have him in K-town for Christmas. We all (minus Max&Anne who're in San Antonio and Anna&Alex who are joining us tomorrow morning) sat around the living room, chatting and each opening one gift. As usual, my Mom tried to convince us to open more but we resisted. It's only the EVE after all. Next, in strict accordance to Kay Fam tradition, my Dad read The Berenstain Bears Christmas Tree aloud. Straying a bit from tradition, we then gathered downstairs to watch the Top Chef Holiday Special. Usually it's the Muppet's Christmas Carol, but it's good to switch things up every now and then. 

Here are some of my favorite pictures from around the world this Christmas season:

Visitors look at a 25 feet (950 centimeters) high Santa Claus sand sculpture created by Sudarshan Pattnaik at a beach in Puri, about 65 kilometers (40 miles) away from Bhubaneswar, India, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008. AP/Biswaranjan Rout

Runners, dressed as Santa Claus, are seen prior a "Santa Claus Run" in Hamburg, Germany, on Sunday, Dec. 14. More than 2,000 runners took part at the charity run. AP / Fabian Bimmer

A zoo worker dressed up as Santa Claus rides an ostrich at a zoo in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province, Sunday, Dec. 14. AP Photo

Danny Nichols, breaks into tears at the thought of sitting on Santa's lap during a visit to Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City, Dec. 12. The Oklahoman / Jim Beckel

The 22 meter high statue, Hammering Man, dressed in Santa Claus outfits, stands over a street, to celebrate a Christmas in Seoul, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008. The statue was made by U.S. artist Jonathan Borofsky of Boston, Massachusetts. Christmas is one of the biggest holidays to celebrate in South Korea. AP/ Lee Jin-man

Hmmm....that hammering man looks A LOT like the guy in downtown Seattle. So much for one-of-a-kind art!! 

Ok, gotta nestle in my bed- the sugar plum dreams await me.

LOVVVVVVE,

Margaret

Explorers of Various Frontiers

Halloween was a spectacular spectacle as expected. 

If I had to boil it down to a theme, I'd say it was "Explorers/Pioneers" because beyond even the obvious (Lewis and Clark) there were many different costumes of various pioneers throughout time. 

Isabel was an astronaut (Explorer of SPACE)

Barbie was Barbie, Alison was Rosie the Riveter, Clare was Sacajawea (all Womans-rights Pioneers)

Meghan was a bubble bath (Pioneer of polio-treatment....trust me, I read it in a book)

 

Meghan's basement was the BEST place for a halloween party. She decorated it with black lights, cobwebs and many a plastic pumpkin filled with candy. 

I love Halloween because everyone puts in SUCH a big effort- and it really pays off! Sometimes I think people are so set on being grown up that they forget how to be creative. But Halloween proves me wrong- I only wish people were this un-boring all year!

My favorite part of the night was my involvement in a random, spur-of-the-moment dance party with Martha, her friend Michelle and their cronies. It happened after I miraculously FOUND Martha, aka my dear counter-part Merriwether, from whom I'd been briefly separated. The reunion was joyous, and the expedition was refueled by some much-needed dancing to one of my fave euro-dance hits "Destination Unknown". Ridiculous!

Last night Martha and I wanted to "get away from it all- leave the hustle and bustle of the city for some much-needed peace and quiet" and so we went to Couer De' Alene (I DOUBT that's how it's spelled but I do not have the energy to google it). After quickly agreeing not to waste the money and calories on dinner, we went to a gas station to get a snack. We settled on a root beer (mar) and a tea (me) after MUCH deliberation. The indecisiveness was so abundant you would have thought we were in Blockbuster (I always wander the aisles there for about an hour before settling on "Center Stage"). Then we hood-ratted it up and sat on the dock with our beverages, playing the cliff-game as rain delicately fell on the lake. 

I have two papers to write. I am half-way though one and 1/6 of the way through the other. I'm considering setting my alarm and finishing them both during the wee hours dawn. I work best under pressure anyway, and my stomach is being weird right now, and I want to work on my Edinburgh app, and there's probably other stuff too that I just can't think of. 

November is always an awesome month, 

Madge