8 Weeks Pregnant Ultrasound!

Come on over and read my baby post at Hunnie Bunnie Babies!

Albino Otter in Norway?

NRK News, here in Norway, is reporting a sighting of may be an Albino Otter, although they are debating whether it could be an escaped Minx or a very large ferret. However, it seems much too large for a Minx - and the man who captured this furry creature on video, said that it had the behavior of an Otter (I hope!).

Apparently, it was sliding on the snow and playing outside - and devoured the 5 pound salmon he hung up for it in minutes. It had also made off with all the birdfeed they'd left out.

The story is in Norwegian but if you click here, you can see the cute furry albino friend enjoying a day in the snow!

Cat Business Trip!

I love this short Japanese Cat clip. It actually reminds me of what my brother Sockboy might look like working each day! I love it! Check it out!

Small Canadian Underwear Company Owns Rights To iPad!

It's being reported that there is a very long list of iPad-rights in just about every country already, so whoever was hired for name research at Apple should be fired! (no, just kidding) - but what about lesser known iPad apps; bra inserts and shoulder pads?

Well, this small Canadian company out of Markham, Ontario, created a small company called "Coconut Grove Pads" Inc. has been making a line of polyurethane bra inserts and shoulder pads registered as the iPad, since 2007.

Coconut Grove's president, Hylton Karon, described the products as; "you know, little quickies you ladies use to enhance".

Unfortunately for Apple Inc., some critics are making an association between the iPad and another intimate accessory.

After the new Apple gadget made its debut Wednesday, Twitter feeds and blogs flooded with people mocking the name because it evoked a certain feminine hygiene product. A MADtv sketch on that theme from 2006 enjoyed an Internet renaissance. The imagined tagline? "The new Apple iPad! Please don't make us explain how it works."

Maybe they read my blog from yesterday? (I wish!) Read the full story here! :D

Should MADtv Sue Apple for Stealing the iPAD Name?

Yesterday was the unveiling of the iPad and it was pretty exciting, until it reminded me of a MADtv episode - and I thought; "Wait a minute ... isn't that the MADtv's women's alternative to maxi pads?" Indeed it is! Will MADtv get to sue for stealing their original brilliant idea?

I am super pumped for the new iPad, as it will indeed be making it's way into our new house in Canada. It's as affordable as it is useful.

Word on the street is that the Wireless plan will cost 30 dollars a month without a contract. The only thing I could think of was buying the plan for a month when I'm travelling, to have access at the airport instead of paying 30 bucks for laptop access until your computer dies ... which is a ripoff. I like that no contract idea - strictly for that reason, as I don't see it ever leaving the house and the wifi.

It's pretty nifty, and it would have been cooler if it could connect to your home phone and take calls, so you could have a super phone, but that is probably in the future ... maybe.

Here is the MADtv ipad clip I was talking about, below!

The Extraordinary Benefits and Uses of Tea!

Tea really makes my life a little easier, and one of my friends (Fonda Lashay) showed me this cool article from The Reader's Digest that really needs to be shared with the world! :D

I found this quite interesting, as it tells us 23 ways to use tea, and very beneficial for everyone out there!

Cool sunburned skin
You can cool your skin with teabags! Yes! If it is all over and widespread, consider filling a tub and plopping in some tea bags for the skin soothing benefits.

Relieve your tired eyes
Revitalize those puffy or tired eyes. Soak two tea bags in warm water and place them over your closed eyes for 20 minutes. The tannins in the tea act to reduce puffiness and soothe tired eyes.

Reduce razor burn
To soothe razor burn and relieve painful nicks and cuts, apply a wet tea bag to the affected area... Very interesting, yes?

Get the gray out
Turn gray hair dark again without making a trip to the salon or chemical hair dyes. Make your own natural dye using brewed tea and herbs: Steep 3 tea bags in 1 cup boiling water. Add 1 tablespoon each of rosemary and sage (either fresh or dried) and let it stand overnight before straining. To use, shampoo as usual, and then pour or spray the mixture on your hair, making sure to saturate it thoroughly. Take care not to stain clothes. Blot with a towel and do not rinse. It may take several treatments to achieve desired results.

Condition dry hair
To give a natural shine to dry hair, use a quart (liter) of warm, unsweetened tea (freshly brewed or instant) as a final rinse after your regular shampoo.

Tan your skin with tea
Give pale skin a healthy tan appearance without exposure to dangerous ultraviolet rays. Brew 2 cups strong black tea, let it cool, and pour into a plastic spray bottle. Make sure your skin is clean and dry. Then spray the tea directly onto your skin and let it air-dry. Repeat as desired for a healthy-looking glowing tan. This will also work to give a man's face a more natural look after shaving off a beard.

Drain a boil
Drain a boil with a boiled tea bag! Cover a boil with a wet tea bag overnight and the boil should drain without pain by the time you wake up next morning.

Soothe nipples sore from nursing
When breast-feeding the baby leaves your nipples sore, treat them to an ice-cold bag of tea. Just brew a cup of tea, remove the bag, and place it in a cup of ice for about a minute. Then place the wet tea bag on the sore nipple and cover it with a nursing pad under your bra for several minutes while you enjoy a cup of tea. The tannic acid in the wet tea leaves will soothe and help heal the sore nipple.

Soothe those bleeding gums
The child may be all smiles later when the tooth fairy arrives, but right now those bleeding gums are no fun whatsoever. To stop the bleeding and soothe the pain from a lost or recently pulled tooth, wet a tea bag with cool water and press it directly onto the site.

Relieve baby's pain from injection
Is the baby still crying from that recent inoculation shot? Try wetting a tea bag and placing it over the site of the injection. Hold it gently in place until the crying stops. The tannic acid in the tea will soothe the soreness. You might try it on yourself the next time an injection leaves your arm sore.

Dry poison ivy rash
Dry a weepy poison ivy rash with strongly brewed tea. Simply dip a cotton ball into the tea, dab it on the affected area, and let it air-dry. Repeat as needed.

Stop foot odor
Put an end to smelly feet by giving them a daily tea bath. Just soak your tootsies in strongly brewed tea for 20 minutes a day and say good-bye to offensive odors.

Make soothing mouthwash
To ease toothache or other mouth pain, rinse your mouth with a cup of hot peppermint tea mixed with a pinch or two of salt. Peppermint is an antiseptic and contains menthol, which alleviates pain on contact with skin surfaces. To make peppermint tea, boil 1 tablespoon fresh peppermint leaves in 1 cup water and steep for several minutes.

Tenderize tough meat
Even the toughest cuts of meat will melt in your mouth after you marinate them in regular black tea. Here's how: Place 4 tablespoons black tea leaves in a pot of warm (not boiling) water and steep for 5 minutes. Strain to remove the leaves and stir in 1/2 cup brown sugar until it dissolves. Set aside. Season up to 3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) meat with salt, pepper, onion, and garlic powder, and place it in a Dutch oven. Pour the liquid over the seasoned meat and cook in a preheated 325°F (165°C) oven until the meat is fork tender, about 90 minutes.

Clean wood furniture and floors
Freshly brewed tea is great for cleaning wood furniture and floors. Just boil a couple of tea bags in a quart (liter) of water and let it cool. Dip a soft cloth in the tea, wring out the excess, and use it to wipe away dirt and grime. Buff dry with a clean, soft cloth.

Create "antique" fashions
Soak white lace or garments in a tea bath to create an antique beige, ecru, or ivory look. Use 3 tea bags for every 2 cups of boiling water and steep for 20 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes before soaking the material for 10 minutes or more. The longer you let it soak, the darker the shade you will get.

Shine your mirrors
To make mirrors sparkle and shine, brew a pot of strong tea, let it cool, and then use it to clean the mirrors. Dampen a soft cloth in the tea and wipe it all over the surface of the mirrors. Then buff with a soft, dry cloth for a sparkly, streak-free shine.

Control dust from fireplace ash
Keep dust from rising from the ashes when you clean out your fireplace. Before you begin cleaning, sprinkle wet tea leaves over the area. The tea will keep the ashes from spreading all over as you lift them out.

Perfume a sachet
Next time you make a sachet, try perfuming it with the fragrant aroma of your favorite herbal tea. Just open a few used herbal tea bags and spread the wet tea on some old newspaper to dry. Then use the dry tea as stuffing for the sachet.

In the Garden
Give roses a boost
Sprinkle new or used tea leaves (loose or in tea bags) around your rosebushes and cover with mulch to give them a midsummer boost. When you water the plants, the nutrients from the tea will be released into the soil, spurring growth. Roses love the tannic acid that occurs naturally in tea.

Feed your ferns
Schedule an occasional teatime for your ferns and other acid-loving houseplants. Substitute brewed tea when watering the plants. Or work wet tea leaves into the soil around the plants to give them a lush, luxuriant look.

Prepare planter for potting
For healthier potted plants, place a few used tea bags on top of the drainage layer at the bottom of the planter before potting. The tea bags will retain water and leach nutrients to the soil.

Enhance your compost pile
To speed up the decomposition process and enrich your compost, pour a few cups of strongly brewed tea into the heap. The liquid tea will hasten decomposition and draw acid-producing bacteria, creating desirable acid-rich compost.


So lots of stuff that we can do with tea! Will you fancy a try? I know my mother uses tea to antique her crafts, which I have known for quite some time. Pretty nifty, but the other things sound very exciting to try!

My New Favourite Show? Cougar Town!

Since I'm living in Norway, it takes a little time for shows to make their way over here. However, after the first episode, I was hooked and needed all the episodes I could get. I am updated now :D

Courtney Cox, as her character named Jules, is hilarious in her new sitcom. She plays a 40 year old, newly divorced, single lady, who decides to sell real estate in Florida. Meanwhile, her ex-husband still hangs around the house as if nothing has happened, but lives on his "Jealous Much?" boat in a parking lot.

Her best friend Ellie, played by Christa Miller (Drew Carey Show, Scrubs) is her next door neighbour and best friend, who is up on all of Jules business and vice versa.

Jules Cobb is introduced to the new dating scene while still raising her 17 year old son, which causes a lot of good laughs and awkward moments.

I am really happy to learn that Cougar Town has been confirmed for a second season, because it's fantastic! I was seriously surprised at how funny and great this show really is. They have 7 really strong characters that do an awesome job - and I love them all! Keep up the LOL's!

Have you watched Cougar Town yet? If you haven't, you should get into it!

Here is a good solid preview of the show, below!

Fever Ray Puts Lady Gaga to Shame! (Not Really)

I love Lady Gaga, but I am head over heels in Love with Karin Dreijer Andersson, who is also a part of "The Knife"- one of my favourite bands of life, hailing from Sweden.

I have written about her successful solo career, "Fever Ray", but like Lady Gaga with her lovely lace mask ensemble from her VMA acceptance speech, Karin tops her off in a really big, fantastic, and speechless (literally) way.

Watch her as she accepts her P3 award as Year's Best Dance Artist in Sweden, below!

Craziness!

Florence + The Machine Present MusicDNA Files of the Future!

I've been digging on Florence + The Machine's "Lungs" album for some time now, and I recently found an article on MusicDNA files and how they will become the future and the new .mp3 files (and of course - introducing it with Florence ;)

Stefan Kohlmeyer, the chief executive of Bach Technology, stated "Out of a rusted old VW Beetle we are making a Ferrari". He also talked about the new way of getting information on your favourite artists with a much intimate approach. He added; "We are taking an existing idea, giving the end user a lot more and making that file much more valuable – like transforming a tiny house into a huge villa".

I love this idea!

MusicDNA files will not only contain music but bring together a range of artist information, from artwork and song lyrics to tour dates and Twitter feeds.

I think that is pretty exciting. With Florence + The Machine, when buying MusicDNA files from them, it allows you to access recent live shows, pore over artwork and sleeve notes, find out about concerts and buy a tour T-shirt - while being able to follow any blogs or tweets the musician might write.

I am actually really excited about this idea, and have no problems buying material if I have more access than someone who doesn't have something from that artist. It's like having a connection on a whole nutha' level! This could be the key to fight Piracy.

They are still undecided on which format they will create to work with interactive use. Some of the contestants are CMX, which is being supported by 4 major labels, while MXP4, another music tech company, has created a file that provides multimedia content as well as interactive music applications both similar to that of the iTunes format.

"Tom Silverman, the founder and CEO of Tommy Boy, said MusicDNA would provide a much-needed boost to artists and fans because it would connect the two long after the initial sale.

"It is a boon for fans as it can offer multiple levels of artist stuff based on the fan's passion level. It's a boon for labels because this high-value consumer experience is not clonable, yet highly viral, and gives them full content and pricing flexibility. Their imagination is their only limit … If MP3s were the cassette, MusicDNA will be the CD.""

I am very,very excited about this! What do you think of this development? You can read the full story from the UK Guardian here.

This is the future, I also think it will offer more jobs in the industry as each artist will have a lot of more things involved around them, including maintenance on many levels, not just album release and touring. It's more than that and quite in-depth now - and it maintains a link between artist and fan. Perhaps I can still have a dream job in the industry again!

Brilliant.

While you are at it, and if you haven't listening to Florence + The Machine, you really should take a listen! I've included Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up). I love this song and not only because of the title ;)

Siouxsie & The Banshees: Celebrating their Brilliance!

Last night, I decided to dig into some old and inspiring music, as one of my idols is Siouxsie Sioux. I love her voice and some of her music is among my favourite tracks.

I started listening to London, England, based Siouxsie and the Banshees when I was 14, as a lot of the music I was producing at the time (and now) has a New Wave 80s sound to it. But I think they were leaning towards the Gothic Rock scene.

Although Siouxsie and the Banshees formed in 1976, their songs still have sounds of the future. I love the tracks "Peek-a-boo", "Face to Face", "Kiss them for me" and many others!

It's nice to rock out and reminisce and celebrate such amazing music! If you have never heard of them, you should check them out - you won't regret it. I wonder if they will ever go on tour again?

I added a couple of videos; "Face to Face" - not only because I love this dark and beautiful song, but she is a sensual cat-like lady! Rawr! I really want to own her claw rings and her cat suit in this video as well. :D

Enjoy!



... and for original falling-in-love-purposes, I will also add the brilliance of the first song I ever heard of and wish I wrote and composed myself, called "Peek-A-Boo"

OPI Presents: Alice In Wonderland Nail Polish Colours!

Yes! I am soooo excited to wear crazy, chunky sparkles again - like "Absolutely Alice" and "Mad as a Hatter" They also have a darker red called "Thanks So Muchness!" and a nice bright proper "Off with her Red!"

Will you be picking up a colour? I probably will, based on theme of course! ;)

Check it out and "Try it on" here. If you DO go to the website, you can enter a chance to win one of twenty-six prizes!

Gluten-Free and Dangerous: Dietary Specials Mozzarella & Tomato Pizza

And when I say dangerous, I mean that in a very good way! I finished the whole Mozzarella and Tomato pizza by Dietary Specials in one sitting today, which I am not very proud of - but it was a North American tasting pizza that my taste buds were missing.

I filled a very big and long-awaited void in my life today, and didn't spare any of it to waste (or save for later).

I was VERY impressed with this crust, as it was a nice change to my homemade pizza, which is also good - but it's nice to switch it up from time to time.

Dietary Specials also carries an insane amount of gluten-free products. I almost shed a tear at the vast choices I could potentially get my hands on. One of the other products I have had is the tortellinis, which are also meat-filled and surprisingly tasty for gluten-free as well :D

I am quite happy with the amount of gluten-free products coming out of the UK. They seem to know what is going on, along with the Swedes over here ;)

Now I will be officially on the hunt for more from this quality tasting brand. The mozzarella probably wasn't the best choice for me, being lactose intolerant - but it was well worth it! Check out their other products, as am sure they will please many of you and your taste buds, gluten-free living or not! They even offer you great recipes! I love this brand!

Oh my! I see they even have chicken pies!!! I must find a way to fly them in somehow! ;)

Gluten-Free and Delicious: Tyrrell's Hand Cooked Potato Chips!

Since I have been a little under the weather and tired almost every second of the day, I felt I was losing a lot of energy. It came to the point where it was getting really uncomfortable, where you are so tired - you can't sleep.

I figured being pregnant and anemic wasn't helping me absorb what I needed to, and the electrolytes seemed to taste even more gross as time went on.

I called the doctor and was told to eat chips ... I like chips, but I don't love them so much I could marry them or anything. Besides, it's so hard to find a good flavoured chip without it containing any sort of gluten in it ... or any kind that doesn't hold enough grease to run your car for miles (I learned you could run a diesel car on food fat on Fifth Gear!).

Well, I found my match yesterday. I have to admit I have tried this before at an airport, but it didn't state gluten-free at the time. However, I was so hungry, but I was also taking a big chance, especially before a long flight.

Now, I am happy to know they officially state the good news on the back of their bags. So I can eat these guilt and sick free! It's so nice to see them write things like gluten-free or lactose-free as if they really cared on a personal note. Perhaps they do!

Well, these chips taste awesome and are not heavy on the tummy! :D

I ended up buying the UK based Tyrrell's Cider Vinegar & Sea Salt and they are super tasty! They even have included the nutritional information for Europe and USA. So, the good news is, it seems to be available over the pond!

I suggest these chips! They are the gluten-free version of my beloved Salt and Malt Vinegar chips that I unfortunately can no longer have. So if you are in the same boat and want those crunchy salt and vinegar chips, these are for you!

I just checked out their pretty sweet website and they seem to offer an array of great treats! Check it out as it's also available to read in many languages! So impressed!

Enjoy! *crunch, crunch*

Nokia Brings The World's Biggest Signpost!

London, England, likes to go big - especially when it comes to creating World No.1s, sizewise. From the world's biggest mistletoe at Heathrow, to the new and wonderful idea that Nokia has created close to the London Bridge, making GPS fun and exciting for the whole world to see!

You can even catch a live glimpse of the sign via webcam to see what people are texting of great places in the UK! I'm giving credit to Endoplasmic for this sweet find! Thank you and enjoy!

Rare Photographs of Celebrities!

I thought this collection of photos was very interesting and portrayed a sort of nostalgic time, that sometimes I felt as if I was there. Like hanging with Brigitte Bardot, probably in the South of France (she has been my idol forever!) , or watching the Beatles jam out at 14 and 15 years old.

Or just admiring this really simple, but pretty, shot of Marilyn Monroe's hair blowing in the wind in 1946.

You should take a second to see this very interesting list of wonderful people (and not so wonderful, e.g. Charles Manson). It seems that baby Hitler kept the same haircut throughout his whole life ... Tis a shame ... How one boy cute look so cute and innocent - and end up, well ... Adolf. Check out the rest!

Chanel: The Bike of My Life ... or Another Life.

Well my top bike of choice (that is somewhat affordable) is a Paul Frank pink Scurvy cruiser, which I hope to get soon. The last time I received a bike was for my 9th birthday, pretty long ago, even though it was awesome in every way :D

Well, you might as well call me Chanelle Hermansen, because I can't seem to keep my mouth closed when it comes to anything Chanel, really. Especially when I laid eyes on this baby for the first time this evening.

My heart skipped a hopscotched beat, to think I could ride this bike in the perfect suburban gated community, because let's face it - anywhere else and someone would steal the little side bag or rip its precious skin of lovely material, I'm sure ...

I wonder if it is a good quality bike? I would hope they would only put their name on something of quality. I wonder if I will ever know? I am happy to know that I will get a new bike in time ...

Shiba Inu Puppies Cuteness Strikes Back on UStream Live!

Yes! Remember the last Shiba Inu UStream live event of the last puppy litter cam? Well - now there are new little puppies to enjoy and watch grow! It's cool how you can check on how they are doing, with a live stream every day - and see their amazing progress. They are adorable! :D

If you catch them now, you'll catch them at feeding time!

7 Weeks and Headaches.

If you want to check out my post this week and follow me on my pregnancy journey, come and visit here!