Smellyann Strikes Again

Saturday 9: How Do You Mend A Broken Heart?

Link up here if you're playing along with Crazy Sam and the gang today!

1. How did you cope with your biggest heartache?

 

I attempted suicide. Hey, don't ask the yucky questions if you don't want to hear the yucky answers. I was neither the first time, nor was it the last time.

 

2. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?

 

My husband, in November, when he was having his stroke scares and we discovered his benign brain tumor.

 

3. How many jobs have you held in your life? How many of those were part of your chosen career field?

 

Eight or so. Part of my field? Hm. There was my internship at Mote Marine Lab, my teaching assistantship at the U. of South Florida, and ... does the dive shop in Key Biscayne count? It was related, sorta. Other than that, they were just to pay the rent and bills.

  

4. How did you discover Saturday 9?

 

Probably from another blog? It's been so long now, I don't remember.

 

5. If you could take the train from anywhere to anywhere, where would 'anywhere' be?

 

Oh, I'd go cross-country across the U.S. I've always wanted a long train ride experience, with the sleeper cars and all that. What fun!

 

6. When was the first time you cooked for someone else?

 

I don't know, I was probably 10 or so. I don't want to think about that life, though, outside of my therapist's office.

 

7. What is the worst beverage you've ever tasted?

 

LOL, Jack ordered something like a Sprite with chocolate or something similar, at Sonic. It was gag-worthy. Oh, icky-puke! All five of us tasted it; all five of us agreed.

 

8. Is there anything in life you are "certain" about? Firm in your beliefs? Strong in your convictions?

 

Evolution. Anyone who doesn't believe in it, in my opinion, is stupid. S-T-U-P-I-D. It's an observable phenomenon. Sorry if you disagree, but, I think you're stupid for it. Heh. (Don't let the door hitcha... and all that.)

 

9. Do you know anyone who has as very unusual pet?

 

My mother had a pet monkey when she was a little girl. It died of pneumonia. Otherwise.... my sister has somewhere between 50-100 snakes in her basement, all varying morphs of ball pythons, and the requisite feeder mice and what-have-you. And she makes fun of me for having four cats!!

 

Well, that was fast. Nine questions just aren't enough; sometimes I feel like saying more.

 

Have a good weekend, if you're still here after #8. Haha.

 

Fin.

Friday Fragments

Link up here if your thoughts are all over the place and you think Mrs. 4444 and pals have just gotta read 'em anyway!

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I've been grateful to have a pretty low-key week both at home with the kids and extra-curricularly, since I'm still nursing a weeks-long migraine. It's a baddy. I need to call Neurology today to get back into the headache clinic. I was supposed to call Tuesday, but I haven't even been able to bear being on the phone for five minutes. Thankfully, the children "get it" and have been pretty hushity-hush when Mom is begging for them to be quiet. All three of them get migraines, too, so they're able to empathize, sadly for them.

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Anyway. I did manage to do some extensive deal-shopping and save (even make!) a few bucks this week, but that's about all I've left the house for, other than driving a friend to work one night.

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No one's answered my Aloha Friday question yet - won't you? - so I'm thinking people either don't get the question or I'm the only such weirdo. Now that latter thing wouldn't surprise me, nor does the confirmation of it smart, but it'd be nice to know that someone out there knows what I mean and has a similar feeling!

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Oh, I know what's happened since last Friday! On Saturday, my son Jack's Cub Scout pack ran their Pinewood Derby race, and he won first place for both his Bear den and the overall pack. Woohoo! Three years running, he's taken home a trophy (or two) and headed to the District race, coming up in March. You can see his grins here, if you'd like.

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Also, that night, I took my Daisy troop - and Chloë went with her Junior Girl Scout troop - to a local museum for their environmental activities and exhibits. I haven't blogged about that yet; perhaps I will after this, 'cause I'm wide awake this early morning and yet not energetic enough to, y'know, fold the dozen or so loads of laundry taking up space over yonder. It was fun, and I think they learned a few things, but my Assistant Leader and I both agreed it probably wasn't worth the cost. Meh. Whatcha gonna do, barter over Girl Scout programs? I don't think so. But we probably won't do that one again next time.

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So that's me for the week. Usually I can blather on 'til the cows come home, but my head aches, and if I told you anything else, it would likely be a complete fabrication!

Have a great weekend!

Fin.

P.S. Oh! I've been asked about my iron transfusion last Friday. It went great! It took forever, and I was humbled as I was by far the youngest patient in there and, judging from the bald and be-wigged heads of the others, probably the healthiest, relatively speaking. It took about six hours, so I did a little knitting, a bit of chit-chatting with the nurses and other patients, and mostly, I napped. I probably snored and drooled; okay, I know I did, but I didn't care then, and I don't care now! Ah was tarred. If it weren't for the migraines, I'd be feeling like Superwoman now, I think. That infusion made a huge difference. I'm already looking forward to the next topping-off in 4-6 months. Hee! Iron-piggy, me. Thanks for your concern, askers out there! Now cross your fingers I'm able to donate blood tomorrow afternoon; I'm O-neg and feel it's my duty, but I've been deferred every time I go in for a year now! Ayee!

This Week's Steals & Deals

I'm going to keep this short (ish), so if you want the details on anything, feel free to leave me a comment, and I'll be sure and help you out. See previous posts in this category for the lingo I use. As always, muchisimas gracias to Collin at Hip2Save for her help in putting my deals together!

Rite Aid

 

You can see my totals if you click to embiggerate the pictures, but I'll give you a few more details: These deals were purchased in two days, because in the top picture from Tuesday, I left the house with barely over a buck-fifty! I still managed to snag all that, basically paying only tax, so I did okay, eh? Overall:

I did three total transactions. My actual OOP was $3.86 for the above (yep, that's all I spent!) for $150.89' worth of merchandise. Plus, I'll get $15 back in rebates, and I received $18 in +UP rewards. NET for over $150xx = -29.14! Pretty good week at Rite Aid, I'd say!

Oh, wait, add another $4 to that NET (well, subtract, I suppose, for a total of -33.14, because I'm going to get a gift card in the mail for a coupon they refused to accept, since Rite Aid employees I encounter in this area are NOT well-versed in their coupon policy, and I had to call corporate. Ugh. But hey, I'll get it back regardless.)

(Note: All of that candy and gum goes in a lockbox, for special treats, occasions and yes, rewards; we don't load the kids up on all that junk all the time! Almost all of it I buy because it's either (a) free, (b) a moneymaker, or (c) a "filler" item to meet my coupon:item ratios, which you can read more about on Collin's site. Or ask me, whatevs.)

CVS

Hehe. Lame, I know, but I took the pictures, put away the groceries, and then uploaded the photos to find out the CVS one(s) had disappeared. What the?! I wasn't going to unpack everything from the fridge and pantry, so you can see what I purchased in the list above.

Deets: Single transaction, OOP $23.24 for $84.85' worth of goods, getting $16.99 back. For all that, I spent $6.25. Not negative, but when you add the three drug stores together, I still come out ahead. ;)

Walgreens

 

Details: (4) separate transactions. Why? Because if you buy something that generates Register Rewards, it will only print ONE RR for ONE of the items/deals, and I wanted at least four of those Flurry protein bars, there. The Butterfingers were used as filler items so I could use a $2 RR from last week to buy two of them in two separate transactions. Okay, so Rob could: I sent him up front to do the first two trans. while I kept shopping. He was all, "I don't have to do "deals," do I?" I was like, "Um, yeah! But you can do it!" And I kept it simple, and he did great. Anyway, the rest of the deets:

OOP spent: $15.39 for $83.83' worth of merch, and I got back $23 in RRs. NET total: -$7.61! Sweet. Could've gotten LOTS more at Wags, but they were out of a lot of my 'deal' things. I may or may not try again before the week is up; we'll see how I feel when I'm out & about.

Target

I haven't been doing big Target runs in a while, because we simply haven't had the money (I've been doing a lot of Schwan's lately for groceries), but I had two weeks' worth of deals worked out, and I wanted something to show for it, dang it! Obviously, that there is a lot of stuff, and it's hard to see all of it, so the totals are going to be higher than for the drug stores. Especially since Tar-jay rarely kicks back money into my hands for the following week, like ECBs, RRs, and +UPs. (Love those!)

Details: (1) transaction; spent $183.82 OOP with $94.09 in coupons, and I should've gotten about $5 more that he didn't ring up... but I don't have the time or energy to go back and haggle over it. I should call and all that, but really, Target is getting less and less coupon-friendly, and I don't want to get known as a trouble-maker there for that, know what I mean?  Still, saving almost a hundred bucks isn't bad, especially considering all I was able to get.

Anyone need some mustard? :P

So that's it... good luck with your deals, smart shoppers!

Fin.

Aloha Friday: What's The Opposite Of A Guilty Pleasure?

Link up here if you've got a question for Kailani and her pals today!

My question for you this week is:

Are there any famous artists you feel you're 'supposed' to like, but you just can't stand? Who?

As for me, I can not stand Stevie Nicks' voice - so grating! Martin Short is eyeroll-inducing; I cannot stand him. And for the life of me, I can't figure out why Daughtry is so popular. I hate their music!  Yet, I feel like I "should" like these people.

So what about you? Anyone?

Have a great weekend! Aloha!

Fin.

Wordless Wednesday: A Frequent Scene

Better late than never! Link up here if you're Wordless today!

Fin.

Oops, They Did It Again!

Welp, folks, it's that time of year again: the annual Cub Scout Pinewood Derby! Jack's Pack raced yesterday, after he and Rob spent the week hashing out the details of how to build The Car. Every year, Rob asks him, "Do you want it to look cool, or do you want it to be fast?" And every year, Jack goes for fast. It's completely his choice, as it should be, although there are some folks who, like my high-ranking Boy Scout Mama-in-Law said, need to be a "wet blanket" on that theory and always make it look cool. Whatevs! Jack wants to build the car, he doesn't necessarily want to watch the races, and he wants to take home a trophy. That's Jack. So, let's see how it went down, shall we?

First, the Tiger Den raced. It seems like just yesterday, that was Jack. Hard to believe it has been two years since he won that race! And those boys are so little and young-looking and eager and cute. (Rob took the kids to go do the crafts in the other rooms while I knitted a hexipuff or two, watched the races and times, and suffered a horrible migraine that I've been nursing for over a fortnight now...)

After that, the Wolf Den raced. That was last year for us, and whew, it has flown by since Jack won that race, too. Those boys are still so cute, just a little bigger, same amount of eagerness... just adorable.

Lunchtime was next. I helped serve the food, because I haven't really stepped up much in the Pack, and I wanted to be useful in some way to them. After everyone ate, the Akela gave out the Popcorn Sale prizes. Jack had chosen a catapult, but it wasn't in yet, so I don't have pictures of him earning that for now.

And finally... his den, the Bears ("da Bearz" as everyone kept saying) were ready to race!

There were six boys, and there are six track lanes, so each boy's car races on each lane once to account for speed differences. It's a calibration technique. You know. Anyway. They drop the slowest time and average out the rest to determine the places. Five out of six heats, this popped up on the screen, with this one representing Jack's fastest time:

It was all very exciting! (I purposely didn't bring the Nikon, so these are all iPhone pictures. I didn't want to risk losing/dropping/breaking the dSLR, so that was intentional.) I don't have any involvement in the races except to go there to cheer on the boys - all the boys - so I don't take any credit. However, I was fist-bumped and congratulated as much as Jack and his dad were, I think, and I enjoyed every second of it!

Here are the Top 10 standings for the Bear Den - that lowest score was dropped, remember, so basically, well, he did awright. ;)

After we cheered on the Webelos 1 & 2 dens, it was trophy time. Jack earned the First-Place spot for his den, which meant three things: (1) Trophy, (2) Smiles, and (3) Participation in the overall pack race. And yes, he was every bit as just-rolled-out-of-bed-rumply as he looks here. Ha! What a mess. His crooked, looser-than-loose front tooth, really needing a haircut, and sleepy eyes make me laugh, but his happy face makes me smile and warms my heart. This is a boy who enjoys his trophies, and he was PROUD of himself. That matters, "cool-looking" car or not.

 

Right after that, they ran the Pack race, and Jack's car whizzed down the track heat after heat, to take First Place again!! I'm so happy for all the boys, every single one, and it was a fantastic day of racing... but yeah, I was super-proud of my guys. ♥

 

Here he is with both of his First Place trophies! Whoo! We're hoping for a third one to add to the collection, from the Districts, now.

Finally, the traditional First-Place Akela (parents and Leaders, basically) vs. First-Place Cub Scout race took place, and it was back-and-forth for all six heats, as they went from lane to lane. Guess what? Jack's car DID NOT WIN! This guy, Mr. P, who is cool as HELL, won. That's Team P's car on the left, and Jack's green car on the right, with Mr. P checking that they were on the track right. His son, Junior P, moved up to Boy Scouts last year, but he was the One To Beat up until that point, so Mr. and Junior P have talked to us many times about tips for making The Car be fast. Mr. P was totally and thoroughly thrilled for Jack, and he'll be at the Districts to cheer him on! I'm a huge fan of that guy. Just a really nice man, truly.

On the way home, as he held and admired his new trophies, Jack asked if could keep them on his dresser instead of the mantel with the others. I was all, "No way, dude!" For one thing, that's their place of honor. For another thing, we have Sophia up there to lose or break them if we let him do that! So on the mantel they went, as soon as we came home.  They're up there on the right, with all the others, sandwiched between the girls' soccer trophies from a couple years ago.

So, not a bad day of racing and camaraderie. All in good fun. Everyone was a good sport. (But psst: YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY!!)

Grandma was very proud, too, to hear the news, and I loved sharing it with her!

This report will be continued on March tenth...

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: Never-Ending Meme, Parte Fin

Link up here if you're playing along this week!

Cheers to all of us thieves!

36. Have you watched American Horror Story?

Nope, I have no idea what that is, sorreh.

37. Baseball hat or toque?

Uhh... I have this beret I like to wear. So, toque?

38. Do you shampoo or soap up first in the shower?

Shampoo, wash face, rinse hair, condition, soap up, rinse hair. Since you asked. :P

39. Wet the toothbrush or brush dry with the toothpaste?

Wet

40. Pen or pencil?

Pen. I hate writing with a pencil. Hate.

41. Have you ever gambled at a casino?

Yeah, with someone else's money. I lost it quickly. Just as well; I'm not the gambling type.

42. Have you thrown up on a plane?

What kind of questions are these? It's like you just threw a bunch of words up in the air and let them land where they may. Um, no.

43. Have you thrown up in a car?

Okay, yes. I have done that. Couple times.

44. Have you thrown up at work?

Yesss... what's with all these upchucking questions? I threw up at the vet's office once too, when I was pregnant with my oldest. Embarrassing!

45. Do you scream on roller coasters?

I rarely go on roller coasters, because I'm chickenshit, but hell yes, I scream like a mofo.

46. How many shoes do you have?

Not a ton. I have a shoe organizer thingy on the back of my closet door. It's full. Mostly Crocs, flip-flops and slippers. I'm no fashionista, people.

47. Who was your first roommate?

Jen from Rochester. She was nuttier than I was, if you can imagine that. I liked her, for the most part, until she went total fruitcake on me and dropped out of university. Never heard from her again. 

48. What alcoholic beverage did you drink when you got drunk for the first time?

Multiple shots of Goldschläger, when I was 17. I was a wreck, but I bowled better than I ever did sober, so hey.

49. What was your first job?

Babysitting, if that counts, followed by working for my dad in his travel agency, if that counts, followed by a local small supermarket cashier gig. I loved that freakin' job. My customers were awesome!

50. What was your first car?

1991 red Ford Escort Wagon. I bought it in 1993. I drove it maybe half a dozen times. Long story. 

51. When did you go to your first funeral?

When my great-aunt Amy died, when I was about 15 or so. She lived in Manhattan, but the funeral was in Staten Island, I think. Or maybe we just went there as long as we were in the city, since my dad grew up on SI. We visited Aunt Amy a lot during her life, though, so it's... babble time, apparently.

52. How old were you when you first moved away from your hometown?

Six. We lived in Monroe, NY, until then, and moved up to the Syracuse area. When I moved away, on my own, after that, it was to Miami for college. Oh wait, I'm forgetting the summer between high school and college, when I lived in South Carolina with my dad.

53. Who was your first grade teacher?

I had subs all year long. My teacher was supposed to be Mrs. Sullivan, but she had a baby, like, the week before school started, and apparently they had no back-up plan. I had a different sub every day of the year until we moved up to the Syracuse area in April of that year. Then it was Mrs. Mullins at first, until I tested up to the "smart kids' class," and I can't remember the new teacher's name...

54. Where did you go on your first airplane ride?

From Newark, NJ, to Syracuse, NY. I was five. I rode by myself. My older sister was supposed to go, but she was scared to fly by herself, so they sent me instead. I loved it. Wait, that was my first solo flight. I don't remember my actual first flight. I've been flying forever, my whole life. I should be a damn pilot by now. Probably the same trip, though, in either direction.

55. When you snuck out of your house for the first time, who was it with?

Julie, who I was fortunate enough to reconnect with on Facebook years later, after she moved away that summer. That was three years ago, and we're still tight. She was sleeping over at my house, and we left in the middle of the night to go buy junk food at the grocery store down the road apiece. I was shitting my pants, I was so nervous! It was fun, though. That's the only time I ever snuck out, more or less.

56. Who was your first best friend and are you still friends with them?

Victoria Dixon. She was petite and beautiful, I thought. That was in Monroe; I haven't heard from her since I moved at six. Holy old memories in this meme, eh? 

57. Where did you live the first time you moved out of your parents’ house?

My dorm room at the U of Miami, and I loved it!

58. Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day?

My husband at work, if he's not home. If he is home, I just talk to him.

59. Whose wedding were you in the first time you were a bridesmaid or a groomsmen?

My dad's, with his third wife. (He's on Wife #5 now.) I was eight. My mother had died a year earlier. I hardly felt celebratory.

60. What is the first thing you do in the morning?

Try not to wake up, give up, and go pee.

61. What was the first concert you attended?

It was either Whitney Houston or Bon Jovi. This was the 80s, when Whitney was still the shiznat.

62. First tattoo or piercing?

No tattoos. Four piercings in each ear, though I rarely fill them. I got my nose pierced when I turned 21. I still wear it.

63. First celebrity crush?

Matt Dillon! That makes me laugh now, for some reason...

64. What's your favorite number?

64! Okay, I totally just added that question myself because, hello, it's my favorite number and I wanted to end on it. :P

Okay, I'm tired and have a headache, so no witty parting remarks. See you in a week.

Fin.

Saturday 9: Home

Bublé's so cute, isn't he? Anyway, linky here if you're playing along this week!

1. Do you live close to where you grew up? Why?

Hell naw. It's COLD there and Evil Incarnate abides there, still. No, thank you, as God is my witness, I will never live back in Syracuse again.

 

2. Have you ever been so angry that you almost lost control?

Almost? Yeah, uh, almost. Right. That's the word.

3. Are you a fan of a musical act that slightly embarrasses you?

Well, I like Lady Gaga and LMFAO, but I'm okay with that.

 

4. Is there a movie that always makes you cry?

Yeah, Steel Magnolias. Still ♥ it though.

5. Who is the most famous person that you've met?

Dave Barry, who is nerdy but awesome, like you'd expect.

 

6. Before you leave your home, what must you have?

Keys. Kids, usually. Clothes are a positive. Diet Coke. Chapstick. And last but definitely not least, the iPhone.



7. What do you miss the most about being a kid?

My awesome grandparents and being geographically close to my big sis.

 

8. Tell us about a passion of yours that your readers would not expect.

Picking Sophia (my 6yo daughter's) easily peelable nail layers. I do it every chance I get. She lets me, albeit reluctantly. I LOVE doing that. Weird, huh? 

9. At what age do you think you'd be to think, “I've had a great run”?

  

64, of course. My favorite number!

Fin.

Aloha Friday

Link up here if you've got a question for Kailani and pals!

My question for you this week is:

Chocolate: Milk, dark, white, or... (eek) none?

As for me, I'm trying to switch over to darker and darker (as well as organic and fair-trade, but sometimes you just get what you get and you don't throw a fit), but I'm a milk chocolate girl at heart. Don't even TRY to get me to eat white chocolate. Blech.

Have a great weekend!

Fin.

Friday Fragments

Link up with here with Mrs. 4444 if you've got bits and pieces floating through your brain today!

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Right off the bat, I have to say I'm excited that tomorrow is the day I'm spending ~8 hours getting my iron transfusion! It's my first one, and it's not unusual for gastric bypass patients to need them. I'll probably be getting my first of many Vitamin B12 shots, as well. My hemoglobin levels are abyssmally low, which means it's a struggle and a chore just for me to make it through the day, every day, let alone cover everything that's on my plate. I've been dropping a lot of balls lately, admittedly, and I'm hoping this will make a huge difference for me - and my family, who have to put up with me. Hopefully, too, I'll be able to stop consuming the massive daily amounts of caffeine that I do to stay functioning and focused. So, yay!

The only downside is I won't be able to knit during the procedure... but I have about eleventy-billion magazines to catch up on, so I'm covered there. And I can always nap. What I'm wondering about now is, when do I pee? And eat? (I'll let you know. Hee.)

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In awesome news, my kids have been focusing on their reading in our homeschooling so far this new year, and they have progressed dramatically. My oldest, a fifth grader, had to write her first book report, after much gnashing of teeth over it, and she did a splendid job. I had to make just a few corrections - all mechanics - but the content was fantastic. I was so pleased!

As for the two Littles, my son is in 3rd grade and came out of 1st grade public school hardly literate at all. So I remediated him from the Kinder level with our K-2 Hooked on Phonics program, and he just "graduated" from the program! It only took him a year and a half to do all three years' worth, so that's pretty great. Yes, I'm proud of him, but even more incredible is how visibly proud of himself he is! I love it!

The youngest, a first grader who was a late bloomer with regard to reading (she's the most active, physical of the lot), has suddenly pushed through the block and is now almost to the 2nd grade level of the program. So go, kids!! Starting next week, we'll slow down on so much all-reading, all-the-time, and focus more on math, with which all three of them also need remediation. No child left behind, my butt! But the buck stops here. :)

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We were supposed to go on a field trip to the Food Bank with our two respective Girl Scout troops today, but I found out two hours before the trip that they had to reschedule it. ARGH! I had no choice but to cancel our regular meeting, since I have it planned to have a guest speaker come in, and there was no way to get her on such short notice. It was pretty stinko (my word of the month), and I was bummed, since we're behind where I wanted to be in my Daisy troop at this point. But with the iron deficiency, I have to say, I wasn't too terribly disappointed to get a reprieve! Just sayin'.

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We've had Sophia to the Emergency Department 3-4 times this past week, as her breathing struggles have suddenly kicked back into high gear. It's not the weather, since it's barely cold here, and it started in the summertime anyway (in 2010!). We've seen 8 or 9 different doctors and gotten just as many "suggestions" about what it could be, with no real answers. It's frustrating for me, as her mom, to watch her go through this, so I can only imagine how much of an annoyance it is for her. My husband thinks it's entirely stress-induced, but I disagree. That may be a component, certainly, but since it frequently comes on when she's just sitting around, doing nothing remotely upsetting, how can that be?? I just wish I could help her.

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A local-but-online-only friend of mine is a potter, and she fashions these awesome, funkadelic business card holders that I've been coveting for a long time. Last week, she made this red one, and I KNEW it was the one I had to have. It arrived today. Do you love it?! I do! So cool. Check out Lisa's Etsy shop for more awesome clay-mations!

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We drove up the Eastern Shore of Virginia on Sunday (here's my view out the windshield of the Chesapeake Bay), for a high-paying mystery shop. Great, except I kind of screwed it up a little, and now I don't know if I am going to get paid for it. Argh. Well, if that happens, at least we had a fun trip and enjoyed lots of interesting scenery, right?

This is the kids in the back during the trip, watching Judy Moody and the Not-So-Bummer Summer, which they've been waiting for me to rent from the Blockbuster kiosk for ages. I waited until it dropped to $1, so I could get it for free (lots of codes out there, folks!), because I'm cheap like that!

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Speaking of mystery shops, Rob and I finally went out for a nice dinner - with the kids, so it was only semi-romantic! - to celebrate the 11th wedding anniversary we shared on the 2nd of this month. Here's my Appletini. The kids love cherries and all clamored for mine, but um, no. Not the ones all soaked in Smirnoff, kiddos! It was really strong, and I got drunk very quickly. I drink maybe once a month, if that, and wow. I'm such a lightweight since my surgery!

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And here's me, that night (tipsy), showing you my hair in its awkward growing-out phase. I can't stand my hair right now. I want it to be long NOW. I'm half-tempted to just chop it again, but it grows soooo slowly, I may never have another ponytail. Is 35 too old for ponytails, anyway? Not around the house, or in the summer at least, right? ;)

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Last week (which I can tell ya, because I skipped FF then, sorry), we totally kept the kids up and took them to the 12:01 AM first showing of the newly re-released Beauty and the Beast in 3D. It was AWESOME. I think I had as good a time as the kids did. It cost a small fortune; I had sticker shock, but it was worth it for the "cool mom points" I earned, I think. At least Rob managed to stay awake during the whole thing - he'd had a nap first to make sure! Have you seen it? It was great.

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Lastly, speaking of Etsy, I have to share this story. I bought this gorgeous yarn on clearance from Summer of Perfectly Handmade, and the whole situation quickly turned into a comedy of errors: First, she accidentally sent me the wrong yarn, and then she sent me the correct yarn after I mailed it back (and she was GREAT through this whole process, and I totally recommend her, so don't think I'm speaking too badly of her). Well, it was badly skeined, and when I wound it into center-pull "cakes" with my swift and ball winder, it took about two hours vs. the 10-15 minutes it should have, because it was such a mess. I finally got it, though, and managed to knit ONE hexipuff for the Beekeeper's Quilt I'm making before going to bed for the night. Well, I stupidly left that troublesome-but-lovely yarn out overnigh, and our two kittens decided to make it their plaything overnight. When I woke up early, before the kids, I went to go knit another puff with it... and it was GONE. So I instantly knew "the twins," as they are, were the culprits and headed upstairs to look for it. I found two 8mo kittens, each with a shred of the yarn hanging out of their mouths and looking at me guiltily. They immediately dropped it and went to go hide under my son's bed! Then I searched around and found the yarn strewn all over my older daughter's room, some of it chewed it into short strands, some of it just a gnarled, knotty mess, but all entirely wrecked. GAH!!  However, I kept plugging away at it, and look! Up there! I managed to eke out 13 or 14 hexipuffs out of the yarn, which I eventually sorted out, and they'll look great in the quilt. But what a pain!!

P.S. Summer sent me some more yarn as a gift, for all my troubles. So if you're a "yarnie" like I am, don't hesitate to check her out!

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I'll leave you on that note. No, this one: "All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

RIP, Dr. King.

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Fin.