Shannon Randol

SMHS – Noodle Arms

SMHS – Sh*t my husband says.

There’s something special about being married and by special I mean hilarious. After a certain amount of time has passed you begin to get into the deep minutia of life and crazy metaphors, conversations, and ridiculousness get exchanged.

And I’m going to turn mine into a bi-weekly cartoon sitcom. Well, cartoon may be generous but I can’t say graphic sitcom because that implies a whole other situation.

Every other Friday keep a look out for the Sh*t My Husband Says. Hope you enjoy him as much as I do.

copyright @ramblinrandol 2018

Washing Guilt Dry

I’m on book 3 of the #ReadWithRD for 2018 and it’s Rupi Kaur’s The Sun and Her Flowers book of poems. Reading poetry hasn’t been my thing, the last time I read anything that rhymed it was underneath the title, Where The Sidewalk Ends.

Why wasn’t I ever interested in poetry before?

Maybe I strayed away because the word seemed too feminine and had over the top emotions, corny jazz music and far out artists weaved beneath its definition. And there was no way I’d fit in there…

So imagine my surprise when I began to enjoy it, which then lead to an embarrassing amount of Google searches to gain some perspective and history on the art of poetry.

My searches led me to Blogging University’s Intro to Poetry course and on a whim, I signed up. Its follow-up email sealed the deal by stating, “Sometimes we need a little nudge to get in touch with our creative side.”

I have my own theme I’d like to conquer by using poetry and would like to see if it helps.

This week’s prompt involved water:

Grandma’s death washed me dry
and left me without any layers.
I spoke the truth but it felt twice removed
because she kept secrets like a gypsy.
Guilt crept in and rinsed my skin
clean of any wrongdoings.
Because truth be told, none of us knew
the real J. Ruth in the beginning.

Tell me poem readers, what do you think?

copyright @ramblinrandol 2018

Black Star Canyon Falls Trail

If you were asked, “what are you best at?” what would your answer be? The first talent of mine that pops front and center in my mind, is my ability to find fun in the cheapest of places.

There are a slew of ways to enjoy life that don’t break the bank. All you need to do is put some effort into it, like taking a hike.

Spending the day outside is free. Some parks will charge a $5 parking fee but those are easy to avoid. Black Star Canyon Falls is a challenge, but worth the sweat and sore biceps.

Go take a hike is probably what you’re thinking, right? How you going to tell me going outside is your big bright idea of free fun, like I didn’t know that already.

Hey-hey, calm down. I just want to reiterate the importance of the sweat and sun combo. I can’t remember who, but someone said there is nothing better for your soul than spending time outside.

But how do you find trails near you? Glad you asked!

I use the AllTrails App to find hikes I want to do every weekend. This weekend we ventured out to the Cleveland National Forest and took on Black Star Falls Canyon hike.

Here’s a few photos from my trip to the top of Black Star Canyon Falls.

We started at 8AM and the sun wasn’t an issue until the last 2 miles back to the car. If you’re going to bring your dog, I’d suggest starting out at 6 or 7AM at the latest because the trail is less crowded.

You are walking on a paved road for quite some time but once you hit the river bed it gets interesting. I personally wouldn’t rate this hike as difficult when it’s dry, but can understand during the rainy season how it could be hard if the riverbed was flowing and cutting down trail options.

With that being said, there is an alternative dirt path that runs parallel to the river bed. My husband and I brought six bottles of water and were fine. OC Parks suggests a gallon of water per mouth.

Once you get to the Black Star Canyon Falls there is a path up and around the cliff to get to the top of the falls. It’s steeper and requires pulling yourself up on rope. The path to the top is up and to the right of the falls.

Despite the buckets of rain Southern California got this year, the falls were reduced to a leaky faucet by the end of August. No matter, I’d still recommend this hike, because who doesn’t enjoy climbing 30 foot boulders?!

Rain Bird 32ETI – Easy To Install Review

Any good pet owner wants to give their animal the best life possible. An open meadow for your horse, a jungle gym for your cat and a big fluffy green backyard for your dog…

Unfortunately the grass isn’t always greener when living in an apartment. I shouldn’t complain, I’m probably a part of the slim percentage in Southern California who have a backyard and is renting.

My problem is the included backyard is not what it looks like in the listing pictures. Buyer beware.

It’s a giant dirt patch during the summer months when all the hard work I put in during the damn winter and rainy season gets fried out by the summer sun.

I want my dogs to have GRASS DAMMIT!

Unfortunaltey I said this wish a little loud one day and it sent my Hubs straight to Google to search water system for apartments which then led to a small argument about wasting money. Ya know, the usual.

Doing any kind of manual labor to enhance any part of a rented home (especially apartment) is a waste, personally speaking of course. This is not an idea the Hubs agrees with full heartily.

After a day’s worth of negotiations, we came to an agreement. I’ll jump on board for this if he agrees to me never letting him live it down if he doesn’t want to dig it up after we move.

It only took an afternoon to install, probably would’ve been quicker had we had all the right tools to begin with. Our ground is tough because we live up in the foothills, so parts of my yard is like digging up dried rock. We needed a pick to speed up the afternoon project.

I would highly recommend something other than a shovel. Unless you want to have the most miserable 4 hours of your life, have at it.

But guys, in only two flipping weeks this is what my grass looks like! My dogs love it! There is less dirt coming in through the doggy door and they aren’t laying in the mulch anymore.

I’m the cheapest. My husband hates it, but I can’t help it. I don’t like spending money on unnecessary items, but this is the best $100 I’ve spent in a while and would recommend it to anyone desperately in need of grass for their pet’s enjoyment.

Dear Diary: I Pick Spy

Please tell me you remember the movie Harriet The Spy. That movie replaced my obsession with Greece and while I’m sure my mom was grateful for the Go Greece Lightning, break, I don’t think it lasted long. I have a nasty habit of wearing stuff out ….

My old roommate’s boyfriend will tell you how much he hated listening to Mariah Carey’s Obsessed over and over again. Can’t help it guys, I like what I like until I don’t like it anymore.

This Dear Diary series came about to help me find out who I was as an adult, by reading the secrets I kept safe from my past. So far it’s been refreshing to know I haven’t changed very much at all, I do know who I am and can become more refined as I grow. Kinda like fine wine, better with age ;).

dusty wine bottles — Photo by Marco Mornati

Dear Diary Recap: I want to be sexy like Sandy (still haven’t figured out how I knew what the word sexy meant at 8-years-old!) and I have the hugest crush on Mr. Sheffield from The Nanny (the OG of silver foxes) and just discovered the show Blue’s Clues.

How could life get any better? Let’s find out.

Dear Diary: I Pick Spy

February 4th, 1998
I love 
Homeward Bound!
and the Dogs
and the Cats!

I am a Musketeer!

February 8 1998
I am Meg and I 
love hercules.

I love his 
flying horse!

February 98
In Willy Wonka
and the chocolate factory
and I feel bad for
the old man that 
is in
Willy Wonka
and the chocolate factory

-----

I Love Kevin!

It’s officially official. We’ve made it through my ENTIRE diary. My purple secret keeper is out of pages and we can move on to other works of art…

Dear Diary Series Diary — So long, farewell.

Should we dip into my high school notes or my middle school slam book? You’re going to have to make it back in two weeks to see what I decide.

TWO WEEKS? Yes, the Dear Diary series is going to every other week to make room for a few other topics I have in mind. Until then, see you on social media.

PS: I have no idea who Kevin is …. but is it weird I did end up dating a Kevin? He was the biggest loser. I finally broke up with him after he told me I was immature… while standing in my apartment ( I was 18) and getting ready to go home (to his Dad’s house, at age 23). See ya later sucker!

3 Camping Tricks To Upgrade Your Vacay

About to head off into the wilderness and afraid you’re going to forget something essential to living without wifi for a week?

What if we run out of food on day three out of six!?

Don’t panic just yet, with these 3 camping tricks to upgrade your vacay, becoming one with nature is going to be a breeze.

1. Ditch Ice & Freeze Water Bottles Instead

You’ve planned meals ahead and prepped certain foods you don’t want to be responsible for without electricity, now it’s time to pack the cooler.

Skip picking up bags of ice at the grocery store and freeze bottled water, instead. It’s cheaper and doesn’t make everything in your cooler soaking wet after it has melted. I lost a whole bag of bagels to a pool of melted ice, once. #saddestdayever

I tried out the frozen water bottle idea this past week in Yosemite and was pleasantly surprised when the bottles kept my food cool and stayed frozen for almost 4 days!

2. Pack Lined Work Out Shorts & Save Space

Anyone else out there a last minute packer for long trips?

A few days before a trip I pretend like I’m going to get a head start, but really I know I’m going to do anything possible to avoid packing (like sweeping the entire house INCLUDING moving the furniture) and end up rushing last minute to make sure I have enough clothes to wear.

Due to my procrastination, I think I stumbled upon the best solution for, “what do I bring for clothes?”

I didn’t do laundry in the knick of time, so I was forced to get crafty with what I brought. I’m a firm believer of never having too much underwear, but not wanting to bring a full suitcase, I cut down.

You know those work out shorts that have underwear already a part of its fabric? Well, pack a few of those bad boys and never worry again about running through all your good underwear for the trip.

It was extremely easy to ‘wash off’ with my ‘better than a shower’ wipes, and wear to bed the bottoms I would hike in the next morning and know I had an extra pair of underwear just in case.

3. No Hot Water? No Problem. Instant Coffee Scrub.

I get it, it’s camping and this shouldn’t matter. BUT, after 3 nights and 4 days without running water, ya girl could use a hot bath or at least a face and foot scrub.

Don’t tell my husband, but the camp coffee maker works as a really good sink (don’t worry I washed it out before the next morning’s cup). I put water in the percolator, put it over the camp fire for 10-12 minutes and gave my face a good scrub with hot water.

I poured hot water over my feet and did the same thing, the dirt NEEDED to come out of my toe nails people, quit judging me!

Camping requires a slower pace and it promotes a simpler vacation with less hassle, well semi-less hassle. Let’s be honest, the stress of bringing enough food for the entire duration of the trip can make anyone go a little nutty.

Regardless, sleeping outside with the crickets and stars forces a sort of slow calmness we all need. If you want coffee in the morning, you have to wait at least 15-20 minutes until the water boils and then another 10 minutes for the hot water to bubble over your coffee grounds.

Your insides will be screaming CAFFEINE NOW, but it’ll probably be the best cup of coffee you’ve ever had.

Camping is a vacation from the noise, hustle and bustle of life and good for the soul to reconnect with life’s most precious moments.

But with these three simple hacks to upgrade your camping experience, your easy vacation just got a little easier.

3 Ingredient Banana Fudge | Is It Worth It?

All those healthy recipes on Pinterest photograph well, but do they taste as well as they look? I’ll let you know. Today’s case involves a three ingredient banana fudge recipe.

Healthy alternatives and paying attention to what we put into our bodies is important. I’m an advocate for health and fitness, but I won’t front. A pint of Everything But The by Ben & Jerry’s is not safe in my freezer.

I like to eat. I like to eat good food. I don’t want to give up brownies for the rest of my life, but I do follow the rule everything in moderation and believe having a healthy relationship with food is just as important as a healthy balance of fitness and diet. I struggle with the latter, too, but I’m getting better.

Now, Let’s get to it. Are these 3 ingredient banana fudge cups worth making and eating as an alternative?

What are the three ingredients?

1 cup of almond butter (or any nut butter)
1/4 cup of coconut oil
2 mashed bananas

I mixed the ingredients and popped them into my LINED muffin tin. I emphasize the word lined because it was shocking I didn’t have to grease the tins individually and then hope it all came out of their individual homes. The true test of ‘greasing’ skills.

Here are a few examples of what they looked like when I was making them.

3 ingredient banana fudge — This made 2 dozen Banana Fudge cups

And for the moment of truth, did I like the “fudge.” Watch the video below for my real time analysis, complete with honest facial expressions.

I want to reiterate the choice word fudge. This isn’t fudge and it ain’t gunna taste like the dense chocolate goodness grandma makes, either. It’s good, but not fudge. So don’t take my reaction as hope it will taste like fudge.

If you try it, let me know how you enjoyed this 3 ingredient banana fudge recipe in the comment section.

|EDIT| What you should know:

The Hubs couldn’t finish his banana fudge cup, one bite was all he needed to determine this wasn’t the life for him.
I ended up only eating two cups and throwing the rest out a week later. Guess it wasn’t worth it for me in the long haul.

Dear Diary: Party Like It’s 1998

My husband has recently rebooted our old desktop so he could clean it out and trash it, so we could finally stop lugging it around each time we move. What we (maybe mostly me) forgot was how many memories it was keeping safe for us.

Over 20,000 photos to be semi-exact and each photo sent a small burst of warm light straight to my heart that I didn’t know I needed. Have you ever had a wake up call that knocked you on your ass and made you happy cry at the same time?

I needed to be reminded of the early stages of love with my then boyfriend, now husband. A lot of time and effort has been spent running from the memories of my early twenties.

Matt and Shannon at Jax Beach 2008 — Remember when it was our ‘thing’ to go out to the beach at night and walk? I pushed away from you for a long time, this picture is more than 1,000 words.

A slew of pain and bad choices cramp age 18 through 25, so I’ve forgotten about the magic of our firsts.

And it’s because, fast forward eight years and life has become more difficult. The monthly bills are more expensive, pressure of career choice weighs heavy on shoulders and the dinosaur-old-age trouble with money rears its ugly head more regularly.

Randol family & Shannon — That one time I flew out to California as your ‘friend’ and met your entire family. Our first trip together, three months after meeting for the first time and my first trip out west.

New Year's Eve 2008 — I needed a dress and was nervous about going to a fancy and very upscale restaurant with you and your dad for New Year’s Eve in 2008. We got back from the mall and my dress still had the ink tag on the side, we only had an hour to get ready and there was no way we could make it back to Wet Seal to remove the security device. I started to worry and get upset that my lack of nice clothing was going to ruin the night. You found a hand saw and carefully removed the ink tag while ignoring my frantic reasons on why I wasn’t going to be able to go and reassured me everything was going to be fine and it was, our first New Year’s Eve together was going to be our first of many.

In last week’s Dear Diary entry, never forgetting to dream was the central topic and it applies again to this week’s diary post. My husband and I have forgotten to dream, together. Instead, we’ve been consumed with money quarrels that has put us in separate deep, dark graves and it’s lonely down there.

St. Augustine Ghost Tours group photo 2008 — It was your birthday and you were far away from home, so we took you to St. Augustine and did a ghost tour. It was only 2008, but still cheesy. Don’t forget to wear your sticker, otherwise you might be confused for a ghost!

So enough is enough. It’s time to appreciate all of the trial and tribulations of life because it’s the only one you’ve got.

This is Dear Diary: Party Like It’s 1998. We’ve finally made it in to the new year.

Jan. 2nd 98',
I wish
I was
sexy like 
Sandy
I Love Danny!

Jan 9, 98
Remember the whale
that I got from GrandmaR

I love Grandma R!

Jan. 14 98
I love the cute guy 
on Mrs. Fine.
not Niles
Mrs. Shepfield!
<3<3<3

Jan. 18, 98
I love Camp Nowhere
Bluse's Cluse
JaberJaw and Clifford!

January 30th, 1998
I am a Spy!!

How does a EIGHT YEAR OLD know the word sexy? Lawd help me if I ever have a little girl!

Also, how cute is it that I keep referring to The Nanny as Mrs. Fine. Did you ever watch that show? Mr. Sheffield is the OG of silver foxes, amiright?!

Jabberjaw was an old 30 minute television show which aired on Saturday mornings and featured a great white shark who continually saved the underwater sea community.

What, you don’t remember it? Neither did I, Google does wonders, so here’s a refresher clip for you, too.

Saturday mornings and the WB hold most of my favorite childhood memories. What were your favorite television shows growing up? Was anyone else a fan of Ghost Writers, Ahh! Real Monsters or Hey Arnold? Oh, oh! What about Arthur?

PS: I’m a spy because the movie Harriet The Spy had entered my VHS rotation and immediately became my number one movie. I was obsessed with learning how to be just like her. SO much so, many mornings and night were spent behind a couch spying on the family. #whoops

Dear Diary: I love that funny guy

At eight years old I noticed not everyone lived the same way and wanted to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Reading that last entry Dear Diary: I live in Walden, made me happily pause to re-read what I had wrote 20 years ago.

This Dear Dairy experiment started in hopes to figure out who I was as an adult by reading the diary entries of my past. It may be too soon to tell and I don’t want to jinx it, but I think it might be working.

Have I always known exactly who I wanted to be? Maybe I just needed to force myself to remember.

Dear Diary: I love that funny guy …

December 23, 1997
I love that adein sanders!

December 25, 97
Today I saw the real
Santa Claues on T.V.
Now I know there is a
Santa Claues in the world. 
tell my children that.

December 26, 1997
I LOVE THE SPICE GIRLS

December 29, 1997 
Rember the claddaugh neclies 
to the symbol, hart symbol of love, hands - symbol of friendship
crown - symbol of loyalty. It was from Grandpa and Grandma S!

December 29, 97
On grease I am Sandy and I love Danny! <3

December 30, 1997 
Rember I can fly in my dreams. 
Those are the best <3

Happy Gilmore had probably just came out and it wasn’t his one liners that stole my heart, it was the saving grandma’s house story line.

I’ll tell ya what I want, what I really really want… and I wanted to be Scary Spice. She was and remains to be, my favorite Spice Girl. Sorry in advance for getting the song stuck in your head.

*Giving bunny ears to Scary Spice at Madam Tussauds Wax Museum in New York City.*

Did you walk to the gas station after school every day to buy a Spice Girls sucker, with high hopes you’d get the final sticker you needed to complete your collection? #guilty

Everyone loves Danny Zuko, enough said.

Dreaming is important, both figuratively and literally. As time has passed, I’ve forgotten to dream about possibilities of the future. Life can be hard, but it’s important to keep on dreaming. Don’t allow bumps in the road to determine your overall goal.

Dear Diary Series Signature - Love Shannon

PS: What happened to Sporty Spice?

PSS: RIP to armband tattoos.

Dear Diary: I Live in Walden

The first big move has happened. I no longer attend Wolcott Street School in Le Roy, New York. Corn fields do not elongate my backyard or catch my model rockets durning the summer. We livin’ in the big city now.

[insert car brakes screeching, records skipping or nails on a chalk board]

Walden wasn’t big city living, it was bigger small town living compared to LeRoy. Another bonus was my bus ride, I wouldn’t be stuck on an hour long route. Walden is also where my Mom achieved Mayor status.

Well, not actually the Mayor but if she would’ve ran for Mayor in the town of Walden, she could’ve won by a landslide. Tu Madre knew everyone in town and there was no such thing as a quick run-in to the grocery store with her, she’d get stopped two or three times to chat.

Walden 2 — Welcome to Walden, New York. Look at all those houses!

My uncle (her brother) used to ask if she wrist cramps for all her pageant waving. I moved out of Walden four years later and have only been back once, same goes for LeRoy. It would be interesting to go back, even better with my Orange County husband. He thought Florida was country ….

Something interesting has happened since beginning this odd journey down memory lane. The narrative inside my head has began to change. Instead of constant self-doubt, a thin sliver of confidence has cracked my inner voice and it’s getting louder.

But let’s not jinx it.

Dear Diary: December 1997

December 19, 1997
rember Tammie's family. 

December 20, 1997
My first sleepover in Walden. 
You know taly Ho in Midlda and the girls seid it to.

December 21, 1997
I love Mrs. Clements the hamster!!
And Pepper!! <3

December 22, 1997
I love Grampa in heven!!! <3

December 22, 97
I like that guy on smooky mouton christmas!

December 20
I feel bad for poor people maybe
one day I will make a sand of food and poor people can eat
and I would give some of my clothing for them!
Maybe when I grow up I will do that if I rember!!

Yeah, so I named our family hamster after my Kindergarten teacher and then told said teacher I had named a rodent after her …

There is no better flattery than a 7 year old loving you so much they want to name their pet after you, at least here’s to hoping that’s what she thought.

The last diary entry gave me a whole lotta pause. It’s incredible how small children can have such huge (greater than themselves) thoughts.

Of course there’s no memory of what prompted this post, but little Shannon would be pleased to know I beelined for nonprofit work after college and haven’t stopped helping those who can’t help themselves.

PS: Smokey Mountain Christmas, who?

PSS: ‘I love Grandpa in heaven,’ makes me a little uncomfortable, almost so much that I wasn’t going to acknowledge its existence. Grandpa in heaven was hardly mentioned after my Dad’s dad passed and is never talked about now.

It freaks me out that this person (who I only knew for 6 years) gave my own Pops life and has been erased from conversations. Death is weird and everyone copes the best they can.