silver lining saturday

Okay, I'm going to try this thankfulness thing two weeks in a row and see if it becomes a habit. Terri is my idol!

Things have settled down some around here with our kids all ensconced in their schools now. My tutoring has slowed down as well since those kids have to go to "regular" school now too.

• So I guess that's where I'll start. I'm thankful for my fulfilling job, and also thankful that it allows for some breathing room in my schedule.
• Brandy had a medical scare earlier this week, but tests came back favorably, and for that I am thankful.
• I'm thankful that there are people like this in the world.
• I'm thankful that our kids are healthy and active and that they have active friends in the neighborhood. And I'm thankful that Chaco knows me well enough to know to ask to go to the second-hand sports stuff store to get him some football stuff.
• Also on that note, I'm thankful we don't have a bunch of food allergies. A friend of Meego's is playing over here, and we have to go through the ingredients lists on every snack before he can dig in. He was all set to have a cookie, but then we discovered a no-no. My kids can eat all that crap.
• I'm thankful for the nice weather we have here in Colorado. I know of people who bicycle commute year-round in Alaska *shivers*, not to mention the folks in Gustav's path...
• And I'm thankful for my blog friends. Always good for laughs, inspiration, advice - a great bunch you all are!

Uhm.... Hello? Anyone there?
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tell me all your thoughts on God

I just finished reading a novel and it's bugging me. That said, I'll give it credit for the fact that I finished it in about a week. Many books go unfinished due to lack of interest, or take me the full 3-week library checkout period to complete.

But, like a green potato chip, it's left an icky taste in my mouth. The plot was intriguing, the writing was.... well, the plot was intriguing.

The book is "Uncharted" by Angela Hunt. It's touted as a blend of Castaway and The Big Chill, with a touch of the television series Lost. But that's not really what made me pick it up. I have seen Castaway and really liked it, never seen The Big Chill, and I am one of the few people on the planet that has never watched a single solitary episode of Lost.

I'm not going to pick apart the plot and all that, but I was about halfway through it when I realized that there would be a message, and I suppose that's what kept me reading. Where was she going with this? I read some of the unfavorable reviews about it, and most of the reviewers were miffed about the fact that they felt duped into reading Christian literature without knowing it. Although I didn't know it at first either, that didn't bother me.

What bothers me is that, in the end, I didn't like the picture she painted of God. Now, I typically avoid getting religious or political here on the old blog, but I'm writing this now, I suppose, because of that green potato chip feeling.

So I'm not going to get all deep into my thoughts on God, but bottom line, I've been taught and have come to believe that God is a loving Father of all his children (us). He doesn't spoil us rotten, but allows us to experience this life including all the interwoveness of good/evil, happy/sad, rich/poor, etc., and to choose our own paths while always leaving the door open to us.

The God in "Unchartered" should have CPS called on him. Screw up once, even just a little, you're out. Don't show your face again. No prodigal sons and no fatted calves for you!

At the same time, though, it does prompt the readers to take a look at themselves and the congruency of their thoughts and actions, so for that it is useful. I'll give it 2 'tater chips out of 5.

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picture perfect

School picture day at the middle school today. Wolfgang forgot his money. *big exaggerated sigh*

Yep, saw the envelope hanging there, tacked to the bulletin board just where I'd tacked it, right after I filled out the form and wrote out the check. All this was, of course, done while Wolfgang sat right next to me as we chose the one of the gazillion packages offered.

Surely he wouldn't forget it.

I expected the phone to ring this morning, him wanting me to bring his picture order and money to school, but it never did. This was either because:
(A) He was still clueless that it's picture day
(B) He figured they'd let him bring the money late
(C) He remembered the wise words spoken by his mother, "If you forget something you need for school, don't call me, I ain't bringin' it".

I considered the options. I could: (bare with me, I seem to be into multiple choice today)
(A) Let it go and try again on retake picture day, or just have no 8th grade pic of Wolfgang
(B) Order the package after the fact, which I learned requires a "processing fee"
(C) Just run the dang order over there already

I ended up going with choice (C). I guess the school picture thing is as much my thing as his. I have one of those 3-photo picture frames that houses the most recent school pics. Meego and Chaco have already successfully completed their picture days this year, so I couldn't have an incomplete set, right? Actually, I could, but it might scar Wolfgang for life, so I decided to take the envelope to school.

Now, we know that I am averse to driving unless absolutely necessary. The 260 hp, all wheel drive vehicle is not necessary for delivering an envelope with a check in it to a building 3 miles away. But it's like super duper windy today. Must be all the hot air blowing out of Denver this week *cough COUGH cough*.

Oh well, I got on my bike and headed out, wearing Wolfgang's fleece pullover. He would pay for this somehow, I guess via me sweating up his fleece. I arrived at the school and was told to fill out the "item drop-off" sheet. Looking at the entries before mine, I read, "picture money... picture money... picture money... picture money... picture money... swim bag... picture money... picture money... picture money".

Sheesh, who's the "swim bag" kid? Doesn't he know he's supposed to forget picture money today?
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not just a yo-yo trick

What's that? Feeling at a loss? No more "Live from Beijing"? The Olympics are over and now there's nothing else to do, so might as well just go to bed? I've got the next best thing: the dog!

Well, her name IS China after all. A little story about her name. No, we aren't particularly partial to fancy dinnerware nor communist governments. China came to us from the Humane Society. There, her name was "Haley".

We went there and looked over the line-up and Haley/China stood out to me. I took her out for the test drive and she was just as sweet as I prejudged her to be. She cozied right up to me and said "Please, please PUH-LEEEEEZ take me home with you! And by the way, my name's China, not Haley".

Okay, easy enough.

We requested her hand in family-dog marriage and the paperwork was begun. But wait! A little while later we got a call. There'd been a mix-up. Haley/China had already been promised to another family! Okay, fine.

But wait! A couple of days later we get another call. Haley/China has been returned to the shelter. Wasn't getting along with the first family's other pooch (uh, no doubt that alpha bitch thing I mentioned the other day...). Still want her?

YES!

Could we go get her that day? Like in a coupla hours? Otherwise they'd have to snuff her out? (not their exact words, but that was the long and short of it.)

YES!

So that was about six years ago. Our other dog, Domino, who has since gone to the big running-around field in the sky, didn't seem to mind the alpha bitchness. What a guy he was. *sniff*.

And I was glad to have her in the family. It's wasn't easy being the lone bitch around here. We get in our girl time, and I'd like to share a bit of that today. SO, lace up the shoes and load up on some plastic bags! We're going....

W A L K I N ' W I T H C H I N A !


Enough chit chat. Let's GO!

Blogging. Doggie style.

The dam view from the dam walk
across the damn dam.

Thanks a bunch, everyone,
next time,we'll do the Dumpster tour!

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are ess vee pee?

The father-in-law side of my dual in-law (lucky me) squad is planning a family gathering thing for next year. Sound like fun? Actually, they're not.

I won't go into a bunch of in-law family dirty laundry, let me just say that most of the time, I find it really hard to believe that this is the family that spawned my husband. I mean, he's a polar opposite of everyone in it. He sort of looks like them, but that's where the comparison ends.

And well, I like him - the husband. So, by default, the in-laws kinda freak me out.

So last night we were sitting around the dinner table and he reads something in the newspaper about some weird people and shares the story with me.

Me: Oh, that reminds me. SMIL (step-mother-in-law) sent an e-mail about the gathering thing. I put it in your e-mail folder.

Mag: Hmmm, so should we just say, "no thanks"?

Me: We could say, "We'll pass".

Mag: Hmmm, "No thanks, we'll pass".

Me: I'm sure it won't end there.

Mag: I don't even know why they invite us. Why do they invite us?

Me: Why, for the group photo of course!

Mag: Oh yeah.

It is kind of sad to find it nauseating to spend a few days with the extended family. We complied for another such gathering about 3 years ago. Then there was the sis-in-law's totally whacky tacky wedding soon afterwards. I don't think I can do it again, not without totally screwing up the group photo.

Hmmm, "No thanks, we'll pass, and here's a PhotoShop tutorial"?
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looking for a sign

Friday, I was at the mall with Meego. He had the day off from school - yeah, already a day OFF. That must be why we start school so early out here: all those days OFF. So anyway, we went to the mall because both of us needed socks. We were sock hunting.

We stopped at the pet store to look at those poor little mall pet store creatures. Meego was engrossed in the creepy-crawlies section while I silently wondered why anyone would pay money for such things. Two young guys - early 20's I'd say - were also looking around.

"Dude, check it out!", one says to his friend while holding up an Empire Scorpion container.

"Whoa, Dude... that's my horoscope".

Dude, that's my horoscope too! I mean, that's my astrological sign. I'm sure that's what he meant, right? Fellow Scorpio?

So anyway, I was remembering that this morning for some reason and decided to check my forecast for today:

Daily Overview: August 25, 2008
SCORPIO
October 23 - November 21
Small stuff may be boring to someone like you, but you need to pay close attention today.....

Okay, stop there! I'd just gotten back from taking the dog for her walk. While out walking, I found a penny! A Penny! Heads up 1978! I picked it up and kept it just in case that thing about pennies being good luck is true. I mean, what are the chances of finding a lone penny laying around RIGHT where I'm walking the dog?! Who even carries pennies around anymore?! And why don't they ever drop... say... twenty dollar bills in my path?!

Something should jump out at you that may necessitate a whole new way of thinking about the problem.

Again! Yes! Something jumped out at me already today!

No sooner had China and I left the back yard and gotten onto the walking path that I see this guy heading towards us. He's got one dog on a leash, another leashless dog, and he's on roller blades. What a talent!

Except he's not that talented.

"Don't worry, she's harmless", he says referring to the big leashless dog - thus implying that the one on the leash is harmFUL? Probably, guessing from the sudden strain on his leash and the raised hackles of the leashed, rather strong-looking mongrel. Note to anyone who wants to try this: Rollerblades don't exactly counterbalance a dog who really wants to go somewhere.

Now China, while being uber submissive around humans, sees herself as the alpha bitch when it comes to other dogs. It's the main reason I don't take her to the dog park. So there I was with alpha bitch China on the end of my leash while this truclulent cur is heading for us while giving a guy a nice ride on his rollerblades.

Still, I'm thinking the guy knows what he's doing and is in control or else why would he put on rollerblades to walk two large dogs, right? Appropriately, he does a quick maneuver over to the grass to give him some traction. Meanwhile, I've gotten obedient China to leave the nice puppy alone. I exchange some pleasantries with Mr. Rollerblades and noticed that he's kinda nervous looking and has dropped his bag of dog poop. Not a good sign that he'd dropped his poop. Maybe he'll wear shoes next time.

But anyway, what was my point? OH yeah, the horoscope. It's all true, you see? I found a penny (small stuff) and had a strange encounter with a guy and his dogs (something should jump out). All foretold by an Empire Scorpion at the mall!

It's gonna be a Monday, I can feel it!
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does this make my butt look big?

I so want one of these. Seriously. Would I joke about this?
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the week that was

Okay, I think I've got a theme for MY mural. I won't say what it is, I'll just see if I actually accomplish it and, if so, I'll take a photo as proof.

Looking back, it was a good week. Terri does this thing on Fridays where she blogs about things that she's thankful for from the week. Maybe I should do a similar looksee:

I'm thankful that the kids are back in school and all are enjoying their schools/friends/schedules/teachers. I have a friend who has a daughter the same age as Chaco. So far the daughter "hates everything" about the high school. Chaco, on the other hand, seems to love love love it.

I'm thankful that my husband's job and the flexibility of my job allows me to do volunteer stuff. Picture day at the elementary school was draining, but we had a good time. It's nice to be favorably recognized by the kids as that Run With Lumber lady, nice to say hello to returning teachers, and I must admit that the other volunteers are a hoot to work with.

I'm thankful that, through a combination of Brandy extolling the virtues of her juicer, my kids watching too much Paid Programming over the summer, and my not knowing what to do with the bounty from Mag's garden, we are now proud owners of our own Power Juicer (as seen on TV). We tried it out yesterday where I made my own version of V-8. None of the kids were interested in drinking much of it but all were highly entertained by the lifelike blood and gore effects of the juicing process.

I'm thankful that a very good friend of mine from high school that I haven't heard from since... well.... high school found my facebook page and contacted me. So many fun memories! Not that I'd want to go back, but still, it's fun to catch up.

I'm thankful for my trusty bicycle. It gets about 53 miles to the burrito.
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the bucket-of-summer list

At the beginning of summer, when we were all motivated and gung ho and stuff, the kids and I sat down and brainstormed a to-do list for the summer. We've learned from summers past that those 12 weeks or whatever tend to go by faster than expected, so we (I) thought that we should officially write stuff down, then we'd actually DO it rather than get to the end of summer going, "what about the...? We forgot the....?"

I then took our brainstormed list and printed up an offical schedule like those of project planners. I'm a nerd, it can't be helped. I'm looking over that schedule now to see how we did.

Eighteen items were on the list. Eight things were checked off. That's about a 44% success.

Okay, well at least it wasn't a total loss. We had our fun. One of the listed things that is still on my mind is "paint a mural". Now, we were going to do this mural on one of the walls in the room-of-all-trades. It's just a big room in the garden-level basement that is used for everything that the dining room, living room, bathrooms, and bedrooms are not used for. I'm sitting in it now as I type.

To my left is a big punching bag, behind me is the PS2, over there is an electronic keyboard that sits on an ironing board that sometimes functions as an ironing board, behind me to the right is a large table used for model building/jigsaw puzzling/pile stuffing because we're too lazy to put it away/etc.. Basically, it's a safe enough room to attempt a mural.

The main reason the mural didn't get painted is because we could not agree on a theme. Chaco wanted a space theme. Meego wanted a geography theme (?). Wolfgang wasn't sure, but he knew he didn't want space or geography. I was rooting for an ocean theme, mainly because it's pretty hard to mess fish up.

School's back in session and all the walls are still the same old fingerprint streaked beige. *sigh*. So maybe I'll just do my own little mural. I just need to decide on a theme. Hmmmm.... suggestions?

No fish.
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cheese, yeah, whatever

On that note, I'm spent.

I spent about 5 hours herding elementary school children through class picture day today. I've done this before, I know the drill. And still, I return.

It's not really difficult, it's more of a stamina thing. Every grade. Every class. Every student. Remember class pictures when you were a little kid? I do. We went to the gym or auditorium with our classes. One by one we stepped behind the curtain. Every year it was the same photographer guy. I can still picture him in his flat top crew cut and birth control glasses.

Sit. Smile. Camera flashes. "NEXT!" A few weeks later, the envelope of pictures arrives. Same as everyone else. Move on.

Now, there's like 24 different package choices, 6 different background color choices, 4 different pose choices, 5 diffent "extras". *GASP*. I think it would be easier to herd wolverines. And don't forget the kids with divorced parents with the Mom package and the Dad package. Different background colors, different poses, different package combinations - no wonder they're divorced.

But we got them all through. Wiped plenty of faces, combed plenty of cowlicks and bedheads, realigned plenty of buttons. No lunch-on-the-shirt issues, no tiaras, and thankfully, no glitter make-up this year.

It's a good thing there was no group photo of the volunteers at the end. Just sayin'.
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snug as a bug

Gee, I remember thinking last week sometime, "welp, once the kids are all back in school, I'll have more time to get stuff done". Okay, they're back! I'm waiting!

Actually, if I stop to think about it, I have been quite productive. Plus, they've only been back for 3 days. It's just the stuff I've gotten done is that magic stuff that I do around here. Some examples:

• You write something on the grocery list and POOF! It magically appears in the pantry
• You request a book from the library and POOF! It magically appears on your desk
• You put dirty clothes somewhere in the vicinity of the laundry basket and POOF! They come back cleaned, dried, folded and oh so pretty wrinkle-free
• Dirt and grime? POOF! All gone
• You want dinner? POOF! It's usually edible.

... and so on it goes with hardly even a hitch. BUT, should I, say, get a new rug to replace the hideous one that has adorned the living room since I-don't-remember-when -- the phlegm and booger colored rug with the waffle pockets that make cleaning it a pain in the A$$, the rug I have never really liked and can't for the life of me remember why I bought the thing in the first place, the rug that was SO fun to roll up and toss into the dumpster because I'm pretty sure Goodwill wouldn't even want it. Should I replace that with a tasteful, simple, low-maintenance
new rug, all of a sudden everyone notices what I've been up to.

"But we've had that other one forever. It's older than Meego." (that's a good thing?)

"It's too smooth" (all the better for you to clean up your annoying crunchy noodles!)

"It's too dark" (any color is better than phlegm, and dark hides YOUR stains)

"The new one doesn't go with the furniture." (the furniture doesn't go with the furniture)

.... and so on it goes. They'll learn to like it. My busyness may go unappreciated at times, but we all know who's Queen of the hive.
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something for a rainy day

I'm here drying out. NO, didn't go on a drinking binge, I think I'm too old to survive one. I went out running this morning despite the fact that it's been raining for OVER 30 HOURS STRAIGHT. What's up with that anyway?

But oh well, I like being outside, and since there was no lightning, I went for it and got thoroughly drenched! It was actually fun. My cotton gloves were a total waste of time, though, other than them serving as hand weights. Anyway, all of my drenched running clothing is in the washing machine, mainly because it needed the spin cycle.

So, as I sit here and dry out, I thought I'd do this sentence completion meme I got from Judy's. It looked more fun and more therapeutic than doing SAT Sentence Completion questions, but just my opinion...

•I'm happiest when... I know I've been a postive influence on someone.
•When I'm really down, what I want to do is.... be with upbeat people.
•I feel anxious when.... I have that dream where there's a big test and I didn't study!
•I'm afraid that... I'll die with unfulfilled dreams.
•I like people who.... are authentic and happy just being themselves, unless they are authentically obnoxious.
•All it takes to make me happy is... warm dry clothes on a rainy day, well today anyway.
•What I really want to do is... finish this meme already.
•I wish that... not telling, or else the wish won't come true. Isn't that the rule?
•I don't like people who.... don't mean what they say.
•A person really should.... relax and realize his/her own potential
•I just hate it that.... my kids are such slobs (dunno, that was just the thing that came to mind at this moment *ahem*)
•I have everything I need, however... I've got some junk I'd like to unload.
•If I could do whatever I wanted, I would... Heal the sick! Feed the poor! Educate the uneducated! Turn invisible and go snoop on people!
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not the dog and the butterfly

Okay. Here I am. There's no one else here. I'd almost like to say that it's eerily quiet, but I can't because of the washing machine noisily going through it's routine.

Chaco and Meego both started school yesterday and that pretty much went off without a hitch. I soon noticed that Chaco had forgotten his lunch. It's like getting the first dent in a new car, might as well get the first forgotten lunch out of the way for the school year.

Normally, I'd just let him suffer the consequences, but since Wolfgang was home and I was taking China out for a walk anyway, I decided we'd walk to the high school and bring Chaco his lunch. Wolfgang could keep China occupied outside.

So we walk over there, me toting the lunch. I enter the building and approach the office. There's some ladies - "staff" - in there shooting the breeze. I walk in and they look at me expectantly like, "what the hell? it's the first day of school..." I set the lunch on the counter and explain that it was forgotten and I'm just dropping it off.

"Oh, well, there's a free barbecue today", the woman behind the desk says. Oh yeah, I vaguely remember something about a freshman barbecue. So I'm all thinking, crap, I just carried this lunch here for nothing.

"We'll get the lunch to him if you don't want him to have the barbecue", The Crackhead continues. I say, "The Crackhead" because I realized that the woman I was speaking with is "The Crackhead" that some neighbors mentioned at one of our neighborhood block parties over the summer. A few neighbors have either been students at this high school or have had children as students there, and this office woman is affectionately known as "The Crackhead". She'd been mentioned in a strictly just-a-few-things-to-be-aware-of-at-that-school kind of way.

I stand there in a moment of stupor, then I reply, "No, that's okay. He can eat the barbecue", and I'm on my way again, having met The Crackhead and still carrying the blasted lunch.

Outside, I look for Wolfgang and China, but all that's there are these groundskeeper guys with their gas powered groundskeeper tools. Now, China, our dog is sweet, but a bit mental. We're pretty sure she had a rough childhood that we've surmised involved a man or men and loud noises in evil combination. She doesn't like men. She doesn't like loud noises.

Men walking around with gas powered groundskeeper equipment throw her into PTSD.

I locate them in a remote spot. "China was freaking out from the weedwackers", Wolfgang says, not that I hadn't figured it out.

We turn around and walk back home. China all too happy to be out of there, and me still toting that lunch. We counted nearly 50 stinkbugs on our walk.

I'm hoping that's a sign of something good?
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beginning of a new error

School starts tomorrow. For everyone here except Wolfgang. Our school district allows the middle school and high school newbies to have the schools all to themselves on the first day. This means that only 6th graders have middle school and only stupid freshmen have high school tomorrow. Wolfgang's a stupid 8th grader, so he gets the day off.

Last night we had the finals of the check-ins with Meego. Met his new teacher and had some ice cream and I helped sell nearly $500 worth of t-shirts. I think his teacher will be a goodie. She's brand new to the school. Brand new to the state in fact. She seems upbeat and ready to get going, unlike some teachers who have obviously passed the point of burnout (come on, we all have at least one of those we know of).

So this past week has been busy with checking into 3 different schools, the dreaded trips to shop for school supplies, along with the usual housewifery and tutorage responsibilities that are my daily existence.

I think they're all excited to go back. I remember feeling the same way when I was a school kid. Yeah, sure the novelty of it all wore off after a short while, but still, that first day... Chaco even "practiced" getting up on time this morning since he starts school earlier than ever before in his life. School starts at 7:14 a.m. Not 7:15, not 7:10, but 7:14. He was up this morning at 5:45, got showered, dressed, fed, and was ready to go on time.

How long before I have to throw things at him to get him out of bed? Any wagers?

fire and ice

I was at the library last night proctoring a test for one of my students. Yes, that's how I spent the evening of our wedding anniversary. Mag was home being both Mom and Dad and burning my favorite cast iron skillet. Yes, that's how he spent the evening of our wedding anniversary.

So anyway, yeah, I was proctoring this 4-hour test. That's just a fancy way of saying that I hung out at the library like a vagrant while my cell phone alarm went off every 25 minutes or so, so I could crack the whip on the aforementioned student, "Five minutes left, Bucko! Shake a leg!"

It could've been a productive time if I was in a productive mood, but apparently I was not. I spent most of the time reading a book (library, remember?) about a family that moved to the Alaskan bush and went all primal.

I learned that styrofoam makes for a relatively toasty outhouse seat in the middle of arctic winter.

I learned that bunnies are easy to skin while foxes are not.

I learned that one should never ever ever never ever get between a mama bear and her cubs. Or a mama moose and her... moose kids.

I learned that large bull mooses are easiest to shoot when they are distracted by hot girl mooses (meese?).

I learned that a gut pile the size of a recliner can be removed from a good sized bull moose.

I learned that people can happily survive without TV or the internet.

Would I do it? Hmmmm..... I think I'd rather just read about it. Either way, I learned some stuff that, who knows, might be useful someday. And it cooled me off just reading about it. So as I think about it now, my reading indulgence wasn't a total waste.

Hopefully, the same will be true of my skillet.

eight eleven

There we were. Eighteen years ago, walking down the aisle. It was a done deal at that point. Why did I look so scared?

Oh well. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

sunday procrastination

Here I am pretending to be doing some work. The menfolk went out to the shooting range. Meego doesn't yet count as "menfolk", so he got stuck home with me. Just as well, he and his neighbor buddy are over having a rip-roaring time on a pile of gravel. Gotta love landscaping season.

So I finally heard from the elementary school PTO bored (yes, I can spell) president. They had a meeting last week. WITHOUT me! Apparently, an e-mail was sent out. I never got it. She never got it back. Anyway, I have to e-mail her some stuff, so I'll know she has my correct e-mail addy. There's probably someone out there with a very similar address to mine wondering, "WTF?"

But I'm just glad to know that ice cream night is planned. There WILL be ice cream, we WILL have our shirt slinging table. I'll be working second shift at the t-shirt table and I WILL force Chaco and Wolfgang to help dole out ice cream. It just wouldn't be the start of school without some forced volunteerism.

Seems strange to be talking about "the start of school".

Okay, back to work. Mag will most likely come home with a new gun he's been planning on getting, him being the resident firearms and gardening expert and all. Plus Dragon Man's a good guy, and I'd just as soon we make such purchases from him. I'm quite sure that he's no relation to The Captain from "The Captain and Tenille"...

... not that that's relevant.

another trip around the sun

I was just at another blog where the woman was gushing about it being her wedding anniversary. Yeep! That reminds me, mine is coming up.

This year will be our 18th, or rather EIGHTEENTH (it's longer if I type it all out). I don't know how we will possibly top last year's. The SEVENTEENTH will certainly remain a most memorable one. I am remembering it now. It was the year of the fridge.

Nothing like going two weeks without a refrigerator in the middle of summer to make for a memorable wedding anniversary fridge delivery.

I watched the Olympic opening ceremonies last night and was thinking about how they continue to get more impressive than ceremonies that have gone before. That will make it tough for future opening ceremonies planners. Much like us with the anniversary refrigerator of last year. How will we top it?

Maybe if I work quickly, I can totally trash some other appliance and have it replaced in time for the anniversary.

08-08-08 lucky?

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Okay, here it is. My new home. Mmmmmm.... new blog smell.
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