A photo review

Because I am so festive I am going to do a little something special for this upcoming holiday (that and because I actually can). And it is this: a photo review of my past year. Yes. Yes. That is it. Exciting I know. I will start with a few today and then make it last for as long as I simply can.

It snowed a lot in January and February (though I suppose "a lot" is relative. For us it was a bunch). I mean, really, look at all that snow! (snow, snow, snow, snow ... it won't be long before we're there with snow, snow ... )

Over Easter I got to spend 10 whole days at my sisters' house way up north while she ran off to Mexico with her hubby. It was wonderful. The Easter Bunny came. We played at the park. Ate lots of candy. Visited. And there was lots of hugs and kisses. bliss. Shame I wasn't blogging back then cause I have a killer story. ... eh, I will just have to share it. one day. soon. Don't worry. It will be well worth the wait : ) ... I love the little ones ....

And then we went to adventure land ...

but that's all for today. ... I have to figure out how I can link older blog posts to a new one before I post more pictures (and I haven't the slightest idea how to do that...if you know, help would me most welcome!). But don't worry... there will be more blog. More pictures. And more stories. Soon. yes. yes.

Welcome Home Sweet Home

Thankfully I managed to gracefully munch on my soup and bread while the hubs was driving us home sweet home. Thankfully the trip was grand and passed by kind of quickly. Thankfully we made it home that night.

On the way home we talked about stopping and staying with some buddies in good ol' West Virginia, but decided that we just wanted to get on home. It was only a few more hours so we went for it. After stopping at a McDonalds and eating our packed lunch of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (for me), a meat deluxe sandwich (for the hubs), and some chips. Yes, we really are that cheap. Taking our own food into a place that sells food. Yep.

Anyhow we made it home and it was Wonderful! I love our home. It's simply wonderful, probably mostly because it is ours and home and just you know, home.

The hubs pulled into the dark drive and we grabbed some goods to haul inside. Naturally of course. But only a few of the most important things that we would need for the night. Toothpaste. Toothbrushes. Pjs. You know. Little did we know what was about to happen.

No. We did not. We did not know that the water in the upstairs bathtub was trickling. We did not know that the bathtub was slowly filling up with water. No. We did not know this. The hubs rushed up the steps and thought that maybe the water had just been left on (for the whole time we'd been gone?! Not a pretty water bill) and touched the knob to turn the water off. At which point the knob popped off and water started Gushing out. Wonderful. Curses. The hubs made a few calls to some smart people (his pops) and then tried opening the water thingy in the ground to turn off the water supply. It didn't open. The tub was quickly filling with water. I was running around gathering up all of our buckets and big bowls, just in case we needed them. After an eternity of the hubs fooling with the water thingy in the ground he made a call. To the Fire Department.

That's when the Firemen came to our house. At 1:22 in the morning. In 20* weather. After a 10 hour drive. They came with their lights blaring and sirens screaming. They came with their big fancy tools. They came in their heavy fire clothes. They came and saved us. Thank Jesus for wonderful Firemen. After another eternity passed they turned the water off. Just in time too, the tub was getting pretty full. Thank you Firemen.

And we had no water. After a 10 hour drive. After being outside and fiddling with dirty outside things. After drinking lots of caffeine. I could feel my teeth rotting. I could feel the dirt sticking to my skin. I could feel my slimy hands. ugh. I think I have never used so my anti-bacterial hand sanitizer at one time in my life. And I couldn't sleep. 1. Because I was nasty gross dirty. 2. Because I was paranoid our house was going to collapse from water damage. 3. Because I was worried a plumber wouldn't be able to come in the morning. brother.

Thankfully the hubs is a genius and thought of a great solution. I thought about calling every single person I knew in the whole city (not that many) and begging them to let me come take a shower or at least just wash my hands at their house. But the hubs' idea was better. We would go to the church, work out (for 5 minutes: so not really work out), and then take showers there. That is why I married him : )

O, I am so thankful for working running water. I love washing my hands with soap and water. What a treat it is. What a treat.

Welcome home hubs and cupcake, as a welcome home present you will get broken water pipes and a flooded house. Merry Christmas!

The Not Treasure Hunt

The hubs and I made an agreement. Yes. Yes. We did. The agreement was that I would take him to work in the morning, go back to the apartment and pack up all of our precious belongings, go eat some lunch by my lonesome while he had a lunch party with his co-workers, meet up with him after finishing and head on our merry way home. That was the agreement. That was the plan.

But, as most plans, this one failed miserably. Miserably. I took the hubs to work just fine, mainly because he was the one driving and he knew the way. I paid really close attention and took mental notes in my head of where to turn and where to go straight to get back home. Mental notes. That's a joke. They Never work for me. No. They do not. Because as soon as I make the mental note to "turn left on Kingstowne Street" I have to make another mental note to "turn right on Mayfield Drive" followed by several other streets to make turns on (or not make turns on). As you can see that's a lot of mental note taking in such a short time. But it doesn't stop there, because shortly after making all of these mental notes I am put to the test and have to follow them ... in Reverse! ah! Are you crazy?! No, the hubs is not crazy, but perhaps I am. But we already knew that...

So the hubs is dropped of at his work place (fancy shmancy if you ask me) and I hop over to drive back home. Not only am I driving back home, I am driving for the first time in weeks, I am driving for the first time in a crazy and very complicated city (really though, it is very confusing). It was for this reason (the confusing roads, the new city) that I decided I would NEVER drive there. Eat your words, Cupcake, you are going to drive home and then Back to meet the hubs after a soothing lunch. Right? Wrong.

My first success was pulling out of the parking lot and turning back on the road to get out of the army complex place. My second success was turning in the correct direction and driving down the familiar road for a few minutes. ...but after that it all went down hill. I was trying my best to follow the hubs directions with the mental notes I had taken, and kind of sort of not use the GPS until I passed the one road the hubs told me about. Well, it didn't work and I was headed right for the interstate (not where I wanted to go. you see the interstate up around those parts is stand still that time of day and I would have been sitting there idle in traffic for hours). I did not want to do that. So I drove on and "explored" part of the city I had never seen before. Then, after about an hour I was able to turn around, and pass the road I knew I needed to turn on. Good grief! So I made a u-turn (when the light was green and no one was coming) and a car pulls out of some drive and nearly kills me! Ah! ... see why I didn't want to drive?

Five hours later I made it home, took the pup out to play for a little bit, and then I packed like a mad lady. Well, most of the packing was done, I planned it that way. So I totted all of our bags to the front door and one by one dragged them to the car and shoved them in. After three more hours and an escape-y puppy, the car was packed and we (the pup and me) were ready to go eat some lunch and meet the hubs.

Or not. Because what happened next was I had to return the cable box and cords and all the crap that goes along with it to the store so we wouldn't have to pay a whopping $5000 fine for not returning it. No big deal, right? Wrong. I get to the store (the one the hubs pointed out on the way to his work that morning) and they claim they have never seen that cable or internet box before and my address is non existent. Won-der-ful. Or is it? It isn't, I'll tell you that much right now. But I smile and laugh and say, "O! that's ok! I must have misheard my hubs, I'm sure you're right and it belongs to the other major cable company in the area." Smile, Smile, Smile. I shove the cords and boxes into my flimsy little plastic bag and walk out the door.

Crap. Where the heck am I supposed to take the flipping cable crap? I don't live here. I don't know where anything is. double crap. Then I have an epiphany, I thought I remembered seeing another cable store on the way here. After testing my brain on how to get back there I speed off (well, not really speed) and find the sign "Comcast". ahhh! (that's a good ahhh!). After parking and stepping outside I looked around for the store. All of the other ones in the shopping center are labeled, clearly, the one I am looking for is not there. So I ask another shop keeper where it is, and she kindly pointed it out to me. Naturally it's on the far end from where I am currently standing. So I walk. In the cold. Without a coat. The closer I get the more fearful I become. Because this is what I see: white paper covering the windows and a sign that says, "For Lease." Are you kidding me?! As I inch closer still I see a tiny bit of paper on the door that says they have moved to Pickett Street. Where the heck is Pickett Street?! How am I supposed to know where Pickett Street is?!

Thankfully I'm not alone in this endeavor as there are two other people standing at the door reading the little bit of paper of a sign that says they are closed and to go to Pickett Street. I hear the nice lady telling the man where he needs to go, that she knows exactly where they are at. Right next to the Home Depot. I eagerly approach her and beg her to tell me how to get to Home Depot. I'm not from here and I don't even know where I live, so could she please o please tell me exactly how to get to Home Depot. Thankfully she does. She says there is only one turn. I repeat the directions she gave a hundred times to her and then I head for the car and set out. Again.

All the while I'm on my way I'm praying that the nice lady was right, that there really is a Pickett Street, that there really is a Home Depot., and that there really is the cable company. After turning on the street I kept driving, for hours there was no sign of a Home Depot. And those are hard to miss, there all big and orange and stuff. Well, there wasn't one. I started praying more and faster... then I saw it. A bright orange door. It could be Home Depot. But was it? Yes! O, thank the Lord! I have never in all my life been so excited to see Home Depot. Never. Then my prayers went to praise. Then quickly to prayers that there really was a cable store there and that it would be the one I needed. I pulled into the parking lot and ... Thank Jesus!!! I've never been so excited to see a cable store. Likewise, when the lady actually pulled up our correct address and said they didn't charge for the remote (because go figure it was the one thing I'd forgotten to pack up). O, thank you Jesus.

So after a year of packing up and driving around on an Easter Egg Hunt (for a cable store) I managed to only get half way lost on the way to meet up with the hubs. Except, at this point, he was the one waiting for me. I was sad I wasn't going to get to eat by my lonesome, but I found a little place that has soup in a bread bowl, I picked it and ate it on our way home (but that's another story altogether). O the soup. yummy yummy soup.

Christmas Shopping

With Christmas comes the joy of giving presents. Lots of them. And with presents come shopping. Lots of it. Kind of. Most years I start shopping after Thanksgiving, and when I start shopping I really only look around and think about what I should get the Mumsy and Papa and sisters and hubs. But that's all I do. Look. And think a little bit. But I usually never buy anything. Until it's really almost Christmas and I realize I only have a week left to get the stuffs I need.

Not this year. I am pleased to say that this year I managed to get all of the presents in one single day ... before Thanksgiving. yep. I know. It's a record. I even wrapped and mailed some of them off too. The reason I was so motivated to get this all done before Thanksgiving was because I knew that after Thanksgiving I wouldn't be able to get anything, well, unless I wanted to get everything from one store (that didn't have everything I wanted to get for everyone) and pack it in an already quite cramped car. I didn't want to have to think of ways to creatively pack our car for the trip home so I decided the best way to do it would be to shop and buy everything before hand. So I did.

Now all I have to do is wrap the pretty packages and stack them under my tree, and then I'll get to admire them for a whole day. Yep. One whole day of admiring. I usually like to admire the twinkling tree and the pretty packages underneath it, but I don't get to do that this year. Sad. But, true. And it's fine. I've come to terms with it. I will just wake up super early in the morning, wrap up the gifts and sit in front of the tree all day long. That way I will get maximum enjoyment from it. ... and hopefully the pup won't eat all of the pretty packages.

I'm sure he won't. He doesn't like to chew on anything. not.

Have I mentioned how excited I am for Christmas? I just love it! Not only because it's so pretty with twinkling lights and pretty trees and packages, but because you get to see family and eat lots of yummy foods and really enjoy being together. But most importantly it's perfect to remember what Christmas is all about. Yes yes. I'm thankful we have Christmas.

Upstairs Neighbor

We are currently staying in an old apartment building, quaint wouldn't be the right word, neither would nice or modern. Maybe smelly. That could fit, it is always smelly when we walk out of our front door. Never a lovely smell either. Sad, but true. So Old and Smelly. That's where we are (thankfully not for much longer! ah! I am sooooo excited!) for right now.

Anyway ... it's all fine and such. Except for one morning... I was sleeping. The hubs had gone to work and I was napping in bed simply because I can and I decided that since I have nothing pressing I would sleep (I do love it dearly after all). So there I was, in far off dream land, very much enjoying the back of my eyelids. Then I heard it. A creek. A squeak. A groan. ... Someone was in our apartment, standing at my bedroom door, staring at me. I was not prepared for this, no. I was not expecting someone to be in our apartment. I didn't think a strange person could sneak in without the puppy barking in alert, but somehow they did. There was another squeak. I opened my eyes and squinted (as I am blind) to see what I could see.

There was ... no one. Nope. No one was there (thankfully, obviously). Who knows what I would have done if there had been. And I heard it again. Incredibly loud and close. You know what it was? Upstairs neighbors. It's true. The building is so old I can hear every movement of the people above me. Wonderful. It is crazy how close they sound. I mean, it sounds like they are really in our apartment! It the sound you hear when you are at home and in the basement: the footsteps pounding above your head, the creaking of doors, opening and closing of closets... all of it.

I'm just glad that they were the upstairs neighbors. Now that I know what the sound is it no longer creeps me out in the morning (or the rest of the day).

And that's my little adventure for today.

he got kilt there

I have noticed that there are no interesting people up here. No. There aren't. At least not like there were this summer in Sunny Land. There are no people hanging out in the town square, no people coming and making speeches about how Aqua Man is going to end the world, no people wearing moon boots. No. There's none of that up here. I suppose there could be and I just haven't met any of them as there is no town square to go to. That would probably be because I have been being as lazy as is humanly possible, and also because, well, let's face it, there aren't very many interesting people up in these parts.

So to add some pizzazz (that is a word) to our lives the hubs gave me an early Christmas present. Very sweet and loverly, and probably no big thing to most people, but I'm a little bit weird. I HATE getting Christmas presents (or birthday presents) early. I choose to wait until it is actually Christmas day (or my Birthday day) to open any presents or cards I get. I just put the presents under the tree and admire them, along with the tree trimmings, until Christmas morning comes and I can open them. The hubs has told me I have a lot of self control ... he always tries to open up his presents early, I won't allow it. I won't stand for it. It is simply unpermitable. But he has learned that opening your presents on the real day is much more fun and satisfying. It's true. Anyhow... I didn't want to open the present early. But he insisted. He actually said, "No, I insist. You have too." So I did. I reluctantly took the little present from his hand and opened it. And there, in my hand, were two tickets to see "A Christmas Carol" at Ford's Theater (and yes, that is the famous one where President Lincoln was killed). The play was for Sunday, it was Saturday, I suppose it was good I opened that present early, it would have been very wasteful if I hadn't (and I hate being wasteful even more than I hate opening presents early ... kind of...) Anyhow. We went to the play.

And that's how our everyday ordinariness was pizzazzed up. We went up to the city and walked around in one of the many museums they have up there. Obviously some of it I found to be more interesting that some stuff ... and other things I found to be super neat-o. We went to a science part of the museum, I finished walking around in about 15-20 minutes (and that's with reading some of the bazillions of tags and labels they have on everything). While I was walking around I was aware that the hubs was lingering on something I had walked past already, but after walking through another part of the museum, I decided I should go back and look for him, and there he was, half way through. I love how smart he is. I do. Really. But when I saw him reading and listening and looking at all of the smart science stuff I felt kinda dumb which in turn made me admire him more. Anyway... we wandered and looked and ooed and aaed and then we went to see our play.

Now, the play is not only sweet and thoughtful of the hubs because it's a Christmas play, or because it was at Ford's Theater. But it was a memory. You see, the hubs gave me tickets to see "A Christmas Carol" for Christmas three years ago, after which he purposed. ...I'd go into all of the wonderfully sweet details, but I will save that for another day. He's just the sweetest hubs.

We went back to the museums and looked around some more, and we also went and saw the Abraham Lincoln Memorial, the White House, the Washington Monument, and other equally important sites. Then we decided that we were done walking around and visiting all of the important things we felt obligated to see. We also decided that we had a lot more fun exploring Lake Tahoe and Yosemite this summer... there was something that was just more exciting and fresh about it. I feel like a bad person to say it, but I really don't think walking around and seeing all of the museums and monuments is my kind of fun. I feel like it's something I need to do, since we are here after all. The hubs and I talked about going to a few other very important places around to visit them, and I said, "You know, I came here about 12 years ago (wow that makes me feel really really old) and I'd have to say it's all still really fresh." The hubs said the same thing (maybe we were here 12 years ago at the same time and never knew it! ... or maybe not. either way, it was still fresh enough in both of our minds that we got on the train and went to have some dinner.

o yes. the sights. the sounds. ... and I am ready to be home, to see my own happy cozy comfy sights, sounds, and smells. soon. soon.

The hubs and I went to Ford's Theater on the weekend. We also went to some museums and such.

Things I have done...

During this, my last class of the semester I decided I would post a blog about everything I have done during my classes this past year, while I am in class : ) o the wonders of taking online classes.

1. Posted a blog.

2. Chatted with my Mumsy and Papa

3. Chatted with my bruter.

4. Watched a show.

5. Talked to my sister.

6. Posted a blog about what I've done during class.

7. Talked to the hubs.

8. Brushed my teeth.

9. Made a comment in the class discussion.

10. Checked my email.

11. Checked my Facebook.

12. Written emails.

13. Uploaded pictures to Facebook.

14. Flossed my teeth.

15. Played with my puppy.

16. Watched Glee.

17. Became a little bit addicted to Glee.

18. Brushed my hair.

19. Listened to sweet tunes.

20. Watched movies.

21. Said a comment in the class discussion.

22. Read a book.

23. Trimmed my finger nails.

24. Painted my finger nails.

25. Painted my toe nails.

26. Gone downstairs and gotten water.

27. Paid bills.

28. Written cards.

29. Read the class discussion.

30. Tweaked homework assignments.

31. Eaten dinner.

32. Admired my Christmas Tree.

33. Sipped hot cocoa.

34. I did Not drive to Taco Bell and come back (I say that because one of my classmates actually did that once! ha!)

35. Written a grocery list.

36. Looked up recipes.

37. Read blogs.

38. Paid attention to class discussion.

39. Written out my Christmas Wish List (if you'd like a copy I'd be happy to share it with you : )

40. Crocheted an afghan (part of one, that is).

41. Baked bread.

...and that's all I can think of for now. Now, don't get me wrong, I have paid attention to the class discussion, and I have even made presentations. These are just things I've done because I am able to multi-task so well. I have also turned in all of my homeworks, on time, and have been able to maintain the highest GPA I have ever had. Ever.

And now is my Christmas break. I am going to enjoy the dickens out of it : )

cheers

micro

My Micro Blog (a tiny short little sentence about what you are doing, where you are, how you are feeling, ext. kind of like that twirping stuff I think):

I am DONE!!! With my homework. Wonderful. No more. Nope. Not for me. Not now. Not ever!!!! BAhahahaha.... woot hoo!! : ) so happy! : )

5 away ... almost there

I only have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 assignments left to do. Then I am done. I mean, done. Finished. No more. I will have nothing school like to do from now on, unless you consider student teaching school like (which I don't for the obvious reason that I will actually be at school and so that is hardly schoolish, know what I mean? right. I thought you would).

With the remaining assignments, I know exactly how long each one will take me to complete and so I am putting it off for that much longer. Don't worry, I won't wait until the last minute to get them done and turned in, I want the luxury of submitting my work early (before it is most absolutely due) so I can sit back and twiddle my thumbs and say, "I really have nothing to do." And it will be wonderful and I just might even do a little jig.

It's really quite exciting, the prospect of finishing up with my last class. I had forgotten what a wonderful feeling it was to finish something up. ...well, school I mean. Cause I've finished lots of things since I've graduated: an afghan, job applications, baby booties, house cleaning (although is that really ever done? I think not), making dinner, bread baking, baking cookies, candy making, eating all of the above mentioned yummies, walks, 3 mile runs (crazy, but true), and even a second afghan. Now, these aren't the only things I've completed, I've done lots of other things, but you get the gist of it right? I've done a few things with my days.

But it will be exciting and wonderful to be done being a student! O how I dislike school. It's a good thing I decided I wanted to be a teacher then huh? I know. pretty smart on my part, I'd have to say. but, eh, what can I do about that? nothin. I'll just keep baking my bread on the side and it will all even out. Maybe one day I can teach someone to bake some yummy bread, that would be the best of both worlds. ...you see, I was going to be a baker (a professional one) but then I decided to be a teacher. It was a toss up. Well, not really, but I do love both. A lot. So that is good.

Though, I will have to say I miss baking. I haven't done it in Forever! I'm even tempted to buy the bread kits at the store just so I can say I kind of baked something... but when I pick it up to put in my cart to buy I realize that I don't have any bread pans. So... that won't really work. I put it back and try to humm a cheery tune and forget about the wonders of baking.

I have been enjoying days filled of crocheting. I was going crazy at it too. ...until the puppy learned how to jump on the couch. And even though I tell him no and push him off, he bounces right back up. Eventually I relent and he stays on the couch. And really, I don't mind him being on the couch (especially since he has learned that it is not ok to chew my arm off) cause he will sleep or nibble on his bone. But, and here's the kicker... if I were to have my bag full of yarn up on the couch... ya, there's a sight I don't want to see. For a few reasons: 1. my sweet granny squares would be no longer. 2. the yarn would be no longer usable. 3. the living room would look like it was tee-peed only, it would be impossible to salvage my pretty blues and greens and oranges... yarn, that is. So far I haven't figured out a way to crochet in peace yet. ...if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear em : )

So anyhow. My homework. I don't want to do it. It's what I should have been doing the whole time I've been going on and on about how I despise school ... but like a good student, I was procrastinating : ) kehehe... or maybe that's not a good student. At least I will understand my students procrastination.

alrighty. I'm gonna go bake. a boxed pizza. o yes.

four plates

I've been trying to think of some wonderful dinner foods. ... ones that I don't fix on a weekly basis, you know noodles, tacos, and the like. I've cooked up a few new things, but am feeling a little bit constricted by the foods and cooking tools that I have (or rather don't have) available to me at the moment. It's probably not really helping that I've been watching the Food Network off and on a lot lately and it just makes me want to fix stuff. And I can't really do that. shame really.

So far I've thought of: noodles, tacos, pizza, and hot dogs. O, I need me something new to fix. Sometimes I want to just throw a bunch of this and a little of that, pop it in the oven and see what comes out. But I can't do that, some of us don't like things like that. Which is why I'm on this new recipe mission. It happens occasionally, unfortuantly I feel like it's been happening a lot more frequently up here. I like to think it's because I don't have the joy of using my own kitchen. ...o how I love my kitchen. It has more than four plates and spoons. It has a baking dish and cake pan. It has a sink that is divided so I don't have to fill it with an inch of water when I start washing dishes, and then empty when I only have three more things to wash. ooo.... It also has flour and sugar and mixing bowls and all kinds of useful things. I miss it. I especially miss having more than four plates and bowls. It is so tempting to just buy more plates at the store, if not real ones, paper and plastic ones. And silverware too. But I haven't. Maybe I'm too cheap. Maybe I feel bad for throwing away so much rubbish. Either way... I haven't done it yet, so when I want to eat or fix anything at all, I have to wash all of the dishes first. ...my favorite thing ever. Or maybe not.

so. there it is. I am stumped for dinner. think, think, think...

It's a Mystery

Once upon a time in Muffin Land where bunnies were pink and green polka doted and bears were blue and wore bow ties there live a little boy called Shooy. Shooy was a little guy with sandy blonde hair and a stout frame. Wire framed glasses rested on his nose and suspenders held his britches up. Worn brown clogs kept his feet cozy.

Shooy was as sweet as boys came. He always listened to his father and mother and he was kind to all of the animals he met. As an only child Shooy had a lot of friends: bunnies, bears, puppies, and ponies too. All of his friends loved him very much and Shooy spent most of his time playing with them. In Muffin Land boys and girls didn't have to go to school they could play all day and run through the fields picking cotton candy and wild gummy bears. Oh, it was a glorious life. All of the children were polite and the animals were as friendly as could be.

Now, Shooy loved playing with his buddies all day long, their favorite place to play was in the Marshmallow Mountains where they could run and jump and land in a pillow of fluff. Sometimes they would fall so hard they would be buried by a landslide of fresh marshmallows and have to nibble their way out. Of course the marshmallows were full of nutrition, so there was no fear of consuming too much sugar.

One day as Shooy and Toodles the peach grizzly bear were running and jumping and plopping across Marshmallow Mountain they caught a whiff of a strange and curious aroma. Shooy and Toodles hopped up from their marshmallow beds and stuck their noses in the air.

"What is it?" Toodles said after a long sniff.

"Taffy?" guessed Shooy.

"Licorice?" suggested Toodles.

"Chocolate?" stabbed Shooy. But none of their suggestions seemed quite right. They just couldn't put their nose on it. The scent suddenly became even more potent as the wind started blowing harder.

"Toffee?" they kept guessing, but still they couldn't figure it out. So they decided to call a meeting of their buddies and crack the mysteriously foreign smell.

"Eeeio! Eeeia! Eeooooo!!" Toodles yodeled across Marshmallow Mountain.

"Gaaa Laa Faa!" they heard yodeled back. It was Buttons the pink and white polka dotted bunny.

"Hooo Haaa Heee!" They heard next. Fluffy glittery blue pony was on his way. Soon they would all be gathered together.

Before Toodles could return his yodel, "Joo Foo Soo" Buttons and Fluffy were hopping up and down on the marshmallow right next to Shooy and Toodles.

"Wow, that was quick!" Shooy marveled.

"Well, you know, we were only munching on some fresh gummy bears, nothing too serious to keep us busy," Fluffy said.

"Thanks for coming, Chums!" Toodles chirped. "We've got a mystery on our hands. Do you smell that smell?"

Suddenly four noses were sniffing the air above them. They all looked at each other, eyes wide. "What is that smell?" asked Buttons.

"That's what we want to know," said Shooy. "We've never smelt it before in all of our seven old years. It's a mystery and we want to figure it out. Will you help us?"

"Yes, yes," neighed Fluffy.

"Of course!" chimed Buttons.

"Great! Thanks! We were hoping you would say that," bellowed Toodles. "Say, where's Puddle the red puppy?"

"Hey, yeah, where is Puddles?!" Shooy exclaimed.

"We don't know, but he wasn't munching on fresh gummy bears with us in Lolly Meadow when you yodeled, that's for sure," Fluffy stated matter of factly.

Buttons quickly bobbed his head up and down in agreement.

"Well, that is very uncharacteristic of Puddles. He sure does love picking those fresh gummy bears," observed Toodles adjusting his red and white plaid bow tie. "We will have to find him and the mystery smell."

"I wonder why he didn't come when we yodeled?" wondered Shooy sadly.

"I don't know," said Buttons, "but we will have to find him before we find the smell."

"What a mystery. Two in one day. That's more than we've ever had before..." Fluffy murmured.

"What a mystery indeed," agreed Shooy.

And it was. It was the biggest mystery that Shooy, Toodles, Fluffy, and Buttons had ever encountered in the whole of their seven years. Only time will tell where Puddles is and what the new aroma floating through Muffin Land is...

O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree...

How I love you. You make me so happy. Your twinkling little lights dancing across the room. Warm happy cozy loveliness.

We have a Christmas tree. It's small-big one, ...it's one of those 6 foot skinny trees that you have to fluff and fluff until there is nothing left to fluff. I fill it with shinny little red and silver ornaments that dangle and twinkle when the lights are plugged in. A few Christmas decorations decorate the rest of the house and it sings of cheer and delight.

This year, we don't get to enjoy the happiness of that wonderful Christmas tree. No. We don't. We weren't going to have Christmas here. Even though I love it so and it makes me terribly happy. We were just going to enjoy it when we went to the hubs' house for Christmas. Except, we don't have to do that any more.... we have ourselves a little tree. A 24 inch tree (it sounds bigger to say 24 inches than 2 feet : ) The hubs' mumsy got it for us when we saw her at Thanksgiving. It has little white snowflakes on it and it is fiber optic so it lights up the whole room, it changes from white to red to green to purple and it is simply wonderful. It makes me so happy I just sit on the couch right next to it and daze into the sparkly lights. I could stay and stare at it for hours and hours, it really makes me so wonderfully happy. There is just something about the pretty lights and snowflakes. And the angels that hang from it sweetly.

In my quest for making it Christmas here I went and got some stuffs that I wouldn't usually get. Christmas paper napkins, Christmas paper towels, and even ... Christmas plastic cups. They all have super cute Christmas trees and little penguins and snowflakes. I love them all. They all just jumped into my shopping cart the other night, and I get to enjoy their cheer : ) How happy.

thanks thanks

In honor of Thanksgiving (a week ago) I thought I would make up a little list of things I am thankful for. They are in no particular order...

1. I have spices. Three whole spices. Salt, pepper and garlic salt. I know it's no basil or cardamom (not that I typically use cardamom) or any of the other usual spices I sprinkle and dash in my dinners, but they are spices just the same. Some flava for my foods : ) It really is amazing how much more you appreciate a little salt and pepper after going a month without them. But I didn't want to buy a little thing of salt and pepper when we have a huge container of them at home, and we when we have little shakers full of them that would be put to perfect use for us.

2. We have the cutest puppy in the whole wide world. I would post a picture at this point, but since I can't hook the camera up to this computer I can't upload my pictures, and thus can't post pictures to the blog.

3. We got to see family and friends for almost a whole long week.

4. I get to sleep in. It's very nice. I've been a little sad about not having anything to keep me busy (like a job) but after weeks and weeks of not having a job I've decided to just sleep. While I have the chance. And it's nice. So I have taken on the job of keeping up our little home more seriously than before. Sometimes I will even vacuum. It is nice. It's also nice because I know that I will not be able to enjoy this for much longer. ...cause you know I will be student teaching in the spring.

5. I have a yummy smelling house. It smells like pumpkins and cookies and cider and everything wonderfully delightful. I keep the candles lit all day long and it smells like home. I love it.

And there are lots of other things, but those are the top five. for now. Maybe later I will think of some more. Or maybe not. either way... there they are.

5.

pumpkin patch

Today I decided I would make some pumpkin cupcakes. So I did. Since we are going to the hub's family for Thanksgiving I thought I would bring a contribution this year. Actually, this will be the first time for me to spend Thanksgiving with the hubs' family. Some how every year since I've known him I've always been somewhere far away or gone to other far off and exoticly frozen lands to spend the holiday. Then in the morning my sis and I go shopping... it's nice and I like it a lot. I wish I could go visit her again this year, but it's really just not possible, which is really sad.

Anyhow, I thought I would bring a gift to share, and since I Love to bake (love love love) I thought I would bake something to take. I also had a whole day all to myself (well, not really, but almost) and had all of my wonderful baking goods handy, I had to make the most of it. So I did and it was Wonderful! ah, the joys of baking yummies and the sweet wonderful smell that fills the house when you do...

I thought I would document this particular baking day since I've never tried to make these particular cupcakes before. I decided if they turned out I would post a few pictures, and if they didn't I wouldn't. I guess I think they turned out pretty well since I am posting pictures of my baking day. And so it goes...

First, I got all of the ingredients together. obviously.

Then I mixed 'em all up and baked the little suckers. The recipe said it would make 24... Apparently it was wrong.

After the cupcakes cooled and the icing was mixed up, I frosted them, all 48 cupcakes.

After the frosting I dipped them in sugar, but I forgot to take a picture of that step ...

So this is what it looked like with the sugar and the stem. They make me happy.

My little pumpkin patch. wa. la.

Happy Thanksgiving! I wish I could share my pumpkin patch with you and enjoy your company... sadly, not this year (unless of course I will be spending the day with you in which case that doesn't apply to you). so yes, yes.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Home Sweet Home

What is it that makes home home sweet home? Is it the smell? The memories? The familiarity? Comfort? I have been trying to pin point this for some time now and I just can't seem to do it. But it is true, for me at least, that home is a sweet sweet place.

This was especially clear to me after I was gone for a little while. The moment I walked through the front door I was greeted by a sweet cozy aroma that hugged me ... I was home. For the rest of the day I loved being able to close my eyes and sniff the sweet familiar scent that was home.

They make a candle that is Home Sweet Home. Yes. I'm pretty certain that's what they call it. I've burned it a few times at our home, but that's not the smell that does it. No. Because I've burned that same calm candle here and it doesn't fill the apartment, there are no warm fuzzies tingling from my head to my toes. So I have burned other candles, for hours and hours. But nothing happens. There is no homey smell that hugs the whole apartment. That welcomes you when you walk through the front door.

So then I think, well, maybe it's not the smell. Maybe home is the memories. But regardless of where you live you always have to have a first memory there. You are constantly making new ones. Memories like, the time my wonderful baking stone broke in two while a pizza was baking on it (really? really? ...yes. it did. oo... and I still do not have my replacement one). Or the time we hung a coat hook rack by the door. Or the time we brought a puppy home with us .... lots of memories. But I don't think it's that.

It could be that it's just familiar. All of your precious belongings are there and you know exactly where to find everything and how everything works. But I don't think it's that either. I've been to some complete strangers houses and I've felt like I was at home. It was warm and cozy, bright and cheery .... it was welcoming. Which I hope is what our home is like to others and not just us. How can something completely new be completely familiar?

I think it's the smells that get me. The smells make me think fondly of a place. Or not so fondly, like if it was a truly nasty smell, then I try to cover it up and when I do smell it again I automatically associate the smell with that one experience.... So I've tried to make our little temporary home a sweet smelling warm hugging place to be. It has yet to happen. This is a little bit some what worry-some to me as it is almost time to put out the Christmas Tree and all of the decorations that make it feel like Christmas. Again, it's that feeling that I just can't put my finger on. So that is why it has become my goal to do whatever it takes (within reason of course) to make our little temporary situation as homey and Christmasy and sweet smelling as I possibly can. yes yes. that's what I'll do.

Big Quilt

I was flying the other day, cause you know it's what I like to do ... for fun. Not really. In fact I really don't care for flying. It's boring and I'm always terrified I am going to plum-it to my death when I am on one. Which is why I make myself sleep whether or not I am sleepy when I fly some where. So anyhow, like I said, I was flying. For some reason on this particular trip I was looking out the window and thinking. Which I normally do when I fly. Both of them, look out the window and think that is. Although sometimes I just read, which doesn't really make me think very much, but I am using my brain a little bit so that's got to count for something.

When I fly my favorite seat is one next to a window for lots of different reasons.

1. You don't have to lean over five other people just to get a tiny glimpse of what you are flying over.

2. You have the perfect spot to rest your head with out worrying about waking up with your check smashed against the stranger man in the seat next to you and a little bit of drool sneaking from your lips.

3. It's a window seat.

4. People aren't climbing over you to get out to use the restroom (if you really want to call it that on an airplane...) and then climbing back over you to get back to their seat.

5. If you just can't hold it any longer you will be the one climbing over the other people (much better arrangement I think).

6. You can glue your face to the little window and watch the world pass by underneath you.

7. It's a better view of take of and landing.

8. It's a window seat. Obviously the best kind there is.

Thankfully when I was flying the other day I was able to sit next to the window - for all of my flights. It really does make time pass so much quicker, and it makes it not quite so boring. Well, I suppose there are other things that can make time pass quickly when you're flying: listening to music, watch a movie, read a book, play cards, play solitaire (also known as cards but hey...), color, crochet, sleep, pray your plane doesn't crash, eat, drink, and be merry ... ha. I couldn't resist that last bit : ) Anyhow, as I was saying, looking out the window is some of my favorite entertainment when I'm sitting by the window. That while listening to some sweet tunes.

Nearly every time I fly I do all of the above mentioned ways of entertaining myself. And there is always a significant amount of staring out the window. This past trip a new thought came to me. At least, one that I don't remember ever having before. It's possible I've had it before and just forgotten about it, but I can't really say that for certain and I didn't find it written down any where, so who knows... But I just got to thinking about how crazy creative God is. I mean really. The land changes so much and so vastly as you fly over it (especially certain parts, like from the green south to the brown north, blue blue ocean and blindingly bright white snow even further north. It's really pretty amazing. But that's just the big picture. I saw all of the farms and the trees that created a natural border between two different fields. Streams and rivers flowing straight through and then curving and swiveling every which way resembling a long blue like snake. The mountains that pop up towards you and the valleys that sink far below.

And this is what I thought. What a quilt that would be. I mean, I know that probably sounds really crafty and all and maybe a little bit nerdy. But I can't help it, I'm a crafty (somewhat at least) person. I thought about how quilts are so intricate and already require so much attention to detail and are sewn with great care. Then I wondered if it would be possible to make a quilt of the earth, or at least a portion of it, like what you see from a plane. Different shades of fabric could be stitched together to show how the land changes. The rivers and the streams could be blue silk ribbon and dance across the quilt. Little towns and houses would be tiny buttons that are significantly smaller than the trees and the fleece that would be gathered and tucked would be make mountains stand out next to the smooth farm land.

It would be a beautiful quilt. And maybe there is one already like it. Who knows, but o it would be something to look at on your bed each and every night. To sleep beneath the strength of the world. What would be an awesome pair it would be to paint clouds on your ceiling (though I'm afraid I might be a bit too old to paint fluffy clouds above my bed). Then it would be a great reminder that you are just one little person but that you are still so important and that there is a reason for your being and living. Because, if all of the mountains, peeks, valleys, flat lands, waters, trees, clouds, and land that is so big and important looking are here, and you are here too, well then, it is because you are here with thought and purpose. There is a Creator who is so amazingly creative that I can't even begin to draw a picture that would capture of the beauty I saw looking out that window (granted I'm a Terrible artist, but still...). Words can't even paint the picture I saw. Oh, I can (and did) try, but it will never be justified. No. My flowing silk rivers and seas, my fluffy white cotton peeks, my red orange and brown yarn trees will never be as beautiful as the ones I saw.

The world is an incredible quilt, sewn and crafted with such detail that it goes beyond what can be seen from thousands of miles up, to what can't be seen under the dirt that gives life to all of the trees, flowers, fruits, and vegetables. What a great gift it is to be able to enjoy living in a real live touchable breathing quilt. I love it.

Evil Test Round II

Today I am scared spitless. Or breathless. Either way, I'm scared. You see, in the morning I have to take another evil test. The one I thought was all over and done with. The one they lied to me about. Well, it's here now. And guess who has to take it? That's right, you guessed it. Me. o brother.

What's especially terrible about it is that I have been studying for it. And now that I have taken the whole practice test, I am even more terrified than ever before. I mean honestly. They really expect me to remember everything about every developmental phase about kids for every smart person there ever was. While yes, I have done well in my classes, it doesn't mean I will do well on the Evil Test PLT. No. Not one bit. Why? Because here is the difference: for my classes, I got to use my books and there was no time limit or pressure of having to make a certain score and pass it tomorrow because if you don't you're pretty much screwed. It's true.

My brain is jello. My heart is a bomb ready to explode. I would much rather stay home and make scones or something else equally yummy and enjoyable. But I can't. And this Evil-ness is all I can think about. And I want to study more (and I'm sure I will) but I don't. Because I wonder how much good it will even do me. None I am sure.

I talked to my advisor lady at school and she said I would pass it, that I would do a great job. Some lady in one of my classes said she didn't even finish the test and she passed it. Everyone is nice and encouraging (which I suppose I would much rather hear encouraging lies than the truth: you are not going to pass) and all. Which I really truly appreciate. But I can't help but be scared. And I just don't want to take it and I'm sick of reading and studying for it and reviewing and trying to remember who thought up the eight developmental stages and that you aren't supposed to slap a child if they exasperate you. I just don't know. I just don't want to.

It might not be so bad if I knew I had the luxury of taking it again, but I don't have that luxury. It might not be so bad if I didn't have to wait a whole month to find out my scores.

It might not be so bad if I didn't have to take it at all. Well, then it would just be really quite wonderful. But it's not.

And you know, for all this state makes it teachers do the education of the students isn't nearly as great as you would think (but don't tell anyone I said that because then I might get in trouble that would just be dreadful). O brother.

So. If you are up tomorrow between the hours of 7 and 10 you should try to say a little prayer for me that I beat the test into the ground and can celebrate my passing it in a month. I'm serious though. Cause those are the hours I will be driving to my unfamiliar destination and taking the test. You could also pray that I don't get lost. Cause that would be really quite terrible.

Anyhow. That is my most dreadful news and story for today and the past few days and that is all I can think about. What's sad about it is that I know worrying does absolutely no good, but I can't help it! ah! I just need to calm down. I just need to remember to breathe. I just need to pass that Evil Test. I just need to...

The Library

I love the library. It is such a happy place. There are rows and rows of books and books. All kinds of books. History books, picture books, recipe books, how to books, even books on tape. I mean, really there is anything you could ever possibly want. And all at your fingertips. All for the taking... for a few weeks at least. After which you have to take the books back because they aren't really yours, no matter how much you want to keep them. Even if it's a really great book and you know you would put it to good use and read it a bazillion times or use the recipes in it all the time... you can't keep it. It's just not yours. shame. And of course you're not going to buy it. Because that's not free. huh. Still the library is a wonderful place and it's full of stories and knowledge and things you want to learn about and things you could care less about. Which is why I love it so.

So naturally when I finished reading all of my books I wanted to get another book. for free. at the library. Since the hubs was home we thought we would go to the library and then go over to the puppy park right after. It was going to be a splendid afternoon. Free of work, free of school, free from washing the pile of dishes in the sink, and free of everything else I didn't want to do. Loverly. Right? Wrong. It all started after we browsed through the aisles and rows of books and picked a few that we wanted to keep (for a few weeks).

With our books in hand we went to the check out lady at the check out desk to get a library card. I figured it would be no problem, getting the library card. Like every other single library I've been to all you do is fill out a little paper with your name and such and wa-la. A library card. No biggy. Right? Wrong. Turns out the librarians name was Ms. Krank. How fitting that her demeanor matched her name. You see, when we kindly asked Ms. Krank for a library card she just looked at us like we were crazy for asking to get a library card. Her shrill little voice said, "You want a library card?"

"Yes, please. What do we need to fill out to get one?"

"Well..." she screeched and gave us death stares.

"You know, a card we need to fill out, with our names and address and such."

"I see," as she placed her palms firmly on the desk in front of her. I'm glad a desk was between us.

"Can we get one?" I mean really, Ms. Krank is Not very helpful. You would think a librarian would be enthusiastic when a person wanted a library card. I mean, if I were a librarian I would be handing those out left and right.

"Well," again in her shrill voice, "yes. You can. I will need to see a photo id with your current and local address on it."

"O. Right. Well, we are just here for a little bit but really wanted to check out some books. We have our home address. Will that work?" All the while the hubs is talking I'm praying, 'please, o please, I just want to get a library card!'

"No," she screeches as she shakes her head and glares at us over top of the glasses that are slipping down her nose. "That won't do. You have to have a photo id with your address on it for here."

Great, she's helpful on top of being so nice.

"I've got my military id with me," the hubs chirps up. Will that work? I'm just here for work, like I said, we don't have a permanent address here."

"Let me see it," Ms. Krank screams as she snatches his id from his fingers. Her beady black eyes scrutinizes his picture from behind her glasses. "No. It won't do."

What?! Are you kidding me woman?! We've given you our ids, the hubs has given you his special id, we showed you a hundred different things with our names and address on it, and she's not taking any of them! And her voice! It's like fingernails scrapping a chalkboard. eeew! Also, can I just say, that I have had a gazillion library cards over the course of my life, and never have I ever had to show proof of who I was, a photo id, or any of that other garbage! ah! Obviously I am ranting and raving at this point.

Then Ms. Krank takes the hubs' id and walks off with it. Great. Super. Hubs could lose his job if he loses that. A few minutes later she returns, with his id in hand - thankfully. She says, "She said you can get a temporary library card if you bring in a copy of your lease."

Again, are you kidding me? A temporary library card? What the heck is that and ... what? Also, a copy of our lease? We don't even have one of those! although, now come to think of it, we probably should.

Even though her voice was murder and she had long shrively fingers and beady black eyes I still begged her to give us a library card. Dumb move. She just glared at me even more with her little beady black eyes. I mean, really, all I did was ask for a library card. I didn't realize it was such a big ordeal. seriously. Which of course by this point I have shut my mouth, squinted my eyes, and crossed my arms. I am fuming. All I wanted was a little tiny library card. Seriously.

Thankfully the hubs is more level headed than I am and not nearly as taken back with Ms. Krank and suavely asks her, "Can you just put our books on hold and we can come and get them tomorrow?"

"Well," again, with the shrieking, "I suppose we can do that." She turns, as s-l-o-w-l-y as is earthy possible and reaches for a rubber band. An hour later she has turned back around and stretched it around our stack of books.

The hubs leaves his name and I march out the library. Bookless. I was not to happy. I mean really...

Thankfully we had adorable little Boady with us and we walked over to the dog park and he ran free and played with every dog there (and there were a lot). Except, when the big dogs barked or ran really fast, he came and hid between my feet. It was pretty darn cute. Not really reassuring... but stinkin' cute. It was quite entertaining to watch him trot and jump with the other dogs. All bigger than him. After a while his cuteness won me over and I started smiling again. Thank goodness for Boady and his sideways run.

pitter patter

This morning I woke up to the sound of the rain falling on the roof. Not really, I actually heard the hubs' alarm go off first. It was loud and beeping. A lot. He turned it off and that's when I heard the rain pitter pattering on the roof top and falling on the trees. The sweet soothing sound lulled me to sleep again. And the hubs' alarm went off, again. Thankfully he turned it off. For the reals this time and I was left to enjoy my sleepy rain.

The drip drip dripping and the pitter patter pattering have cast a spell over me. Quiet and melancholy. Most of my mornings are quiet, so I suppose that's nothing new, but melancholy is not so typical. So I sat on the couch, as I do most mornings, and I looked out the window. Fresh drops of rain dripping from the trees and leaves outside the window. Then the rain grew louder, and louder. I just sat and listened. Wishing I had a mug of hot something to drink, the only thing I have on hand is water, and I'm not a particular fan of hot water (I prefer mine cold, or at least room temperature). But since I didn't have anything to add to my hot water I sat and listened while I watched the rain fall.

And this is what I thought... I think I was born in the wrong century. I mean, really. Although, I suppose there is some reason I was born when I was and am where I am, right now. But spending the mornings alone, especially the rainy ones makes me feel like I should have been born hundreds of years ago. When everything was simple. When families had their own bit of land and grew carrots and squash and knew what herbs were good for you and what ones would kill you. When everything was fresh and untarnished. It was was it was. I feel like I would have been able to sit on the porch with my basket full of socks that needed darning (that's what all the books say... whatever darning is exactly I don't really know, I just know that I would have liked it) and pass the evening away working on them. Or with a basket full of green beans that needed stringing or corn that needed shucking (if that's a word) and I would have sat there with my legs dangling over the porch while stringing and and shucking my beans and corn.

Another thing I would have loved about it would be the fact that I could spend my days in the kitchen (some of them at least) cooking. And everything I cooked or baked would have been fresh and from scratch. I can and do try to do that now (although it seems to be especially difficult in this temporary house), but it's not the same as using what you grew or hunted (not that I hunt, I'd leave that to someone else) to make your meals with. But it just seems like it would have been so rewarding, working on the meal all afternoon and then enjoying it with friends and family. Yes, sure, you can still spend an afternoon working on a meal for you family to enjoy (and I do), but some how it seems a little bit different.

It just seems like it would have been a hearty time to be. Not that there's nothing to do these days or that there is too much to do, it just seems like it would have been more simple like way back then. And that's what I like. Simple. Even the cereal isle at the grocery store is a little too overwhelming for me.

I feel like it's the simple things in life that we miss out on. Or at least I do. I don't get to enjoy the rain falling so much, or watching the snow slowly cover the earth. I don't get to sit outside and see the stars hanging so bright and close in the sky. There are always "things" to do. Distractions. And while I'm sure there where things for people way back when to do, and there was probably a different set of distractions for them, I feel like it would still be a more simple, hearty time. When people had what they had and were happy with it. When they didn't need every new fancy toy or gadget that came along. They were just happy with a hook and some yarn or some other such thing and could spend the day crafting something beautiful and useful with their own two hands. And while they twisted their yarn and pulled it through with their hooks and needles, they would sit and listen to the rain falling, or the fire crackling, or the birds singing. And that would be ok. There would be no other agenda for them, it wouldn't be a hobby to pass the time, but a way of life.

So the pitter patter and drip drip dripping of the rain got me thinking...

they took it

The Fix it men came and took our stove away. It's true. They did. After they tried to fix it they decided that it was dead and that it needed to be taken away. For good. So they pulled it out of it's comfy little corner in the kitchen and totted it out of the apartment.

Now I have no stove and no oven. Perfect. That's really going to take some ingenuity. Cold meals. nice. My favorite. Well, actually, I could probably manage, but the hubs likes to have meat every now and then and I heard it's pretty important to cook the meat before you eat it. So, that would be tricky to do without a stove top or oven, right? Right. It would be. Very difficult. I suppose there is the precooked stuff you can buy, that that's really expensive and I just don't want spend my money on that. ...not that we would have much of a choice. I suppose I should be thankful for grocery stores with ready cooked meat. What a fun two month adventure this will be.

I hope they know they are killing me. I mean, my life is baking. That's what I do. I can't help it. So for them to take away my oven ... well, they should just kill me over dead. That's what. I suppose that could just mean that we have to eat really fresh foods. Lots of fruits, veggies, and precooked stuff. Like what they have at restaurants and such.

Thankfully Jesus knows that I would really probably die of not being able to cook let alone bake anything that ten minutes later the Fix it men came back with another over with a different stove and said it was mine to keep. for two weeks. Then I really will get a new one all of my own. Isn't that just the best?

Now the challenge is what do I fix for dinner when I have a very limited supply of food stuffs: spices, baking dishes, pots, and other such stuff. Ideas? they would be most welcome.

no food for you

I wanted to eat some lunch yesterday. That was my goal as I walked into the kitchen to get some food to eat. You know, I was hungry, and I had some left overs, I thought it would be nice to be able to eat them. Leftovers, yummy leftovers. So, I pulled them out of the fridge and plopped them down on the one and only cookie sheet we have. I mean, a plate in the microwave would have worked just fine and all ... if we had a microwave. like we were supposed to. but we don't have one, like we were supposed to. So I didn't put them on a plate and pop it in the microwave for a minute. nope. I went over to the oven and turned the knob to start it up. Nothing happened. No noise. No heat. No light. No nothing. I'm pretty sure that when you turn the knob the oven is supposed to come on. Right? yes. But it didn't. Nothing happened. I turned it off and tried again. Same thing. nothing happened. shame really.

Thankfully I am a little bit resourceful and decided I could eat something else instead. Except, we really didn't have very much else to eat. Cereal? I could, but that's all I'd eaten for the past three days straight. I really wasn't feeling it. again. I had a bag of pecans, but I really wanted something more. I opened the fridge and saw the yummy yummy leftovers. Sadly they would taste really terrible if I ate them cold. Thankfully we thought to get eggs at the store (one of ten items we bought). Thankfully I like to eat eggs. Sadly there was no salt or any other yummy fixings. Thankfully we also had some cheese. Sadly the cheese tasted like chalk.

I told the office people our oven was broken. They were nice enough to send someone over to fix it. The fix it man was nice, and he fixed it. Except not really. Because later that night when I went to start the oven ... it didn't start. It did make noise this time. It even clicked. And there was a tiny little red light. It also filled the apartment with a not so wonderful gas smell. Thankfully I was sensible enough to know to turn the oven off. I did not want to be the reason the entire building exploded. No.

The hubs called Mr. Fix it and after a few hours he came over with Fix it man number 2. They tried starting the oven. But it didn't work for them either. see, it wasn't just me being incompetent. After fooling with it for another five hours they decided that it didn't work and they didn't have the pieces they needed to fix it. super. Mr. Fix it said, "We'll order the pieces in the morning and they should get here the next day and then we can come and fix your oven the next day." I guess it was really all he could do. And since he was nice about it and all I let it slide. After telling the hubs that leftovers were out of the question he decided we should order a pizza.

Unfortunately it took two hours to order the pizza and another three to pick it up. Thankfully we were able to eat some dinner, sadly it was way past our bed time when we eventually ate. But hey, I can't complain. The pizza was yummy and we ate it and weren't hungry any more. Unfortunately the oven is still in disrepair. sad.

new adventure

It's time for a new adventure. It is true. We are on another one. We left the other day to start our adventure. And now it's really beginning. Not that it did start until today. It started a few days ago. Pretty much the start of it was like the other adventure we went on. Packing. That's what we did. And laundry. All day. loverly. I like to think that I did a better job packing for this trip, but that could also just be me trying to reassure me that I did, a better job that is. Although I am very happy to say that I packed significantly less then the hubs did. This much is true. :D I jammed all of my precious clothes and soaps into my one polka dot suitcase and sat back and smiled as I was once again reminded of a can of sardines. And as it fell over because apparently it was too fat to stand up straight. oh well. it's all in there. I also was a little bit sad. I mean, I was packing a lot of clothes, I felt like I could have packed less, but I didn't. O well. It will work. An other reasons too, but I won't start on those right now.

The drive up here was really actually incredibly Beautiful. The trees were changing and there were bright reds and yellows and oranges and golds. O, it was a beautiful sight. Hillsides covered in delicious bright fall colors. gorgeous. The grass was green and so so pretty! What a beautiful day.

The end of this trip meant that we were here. Or there. Which ever you way you look at it. But, still. We were somewhere. The outside of the building looked really nice, pretty, clean, and neat. I was actually a little bit impressed. It's true. After talking with the lady that gave us our keys and such we walked over to our new home. That's when it happened. The sketchy part of it. The door was ... old. not too nice. When we walked in we were greeted by a nosefull stench of mildew, old, mothballs, stale, recycled, and dirty air smell. I'm sure my lungs appreciate that little gift. not. Then we come to another door. Another old door. With an old door knob. Is this even safe. [I forgot to mention that we had to sign our lives away on a little piece of paper saying we were fine with the fact that there might be Lead paint in the apartment. wonderful. not. so obviously this is Not safe.]

Welcome home temporary home. I mean, it's nice enough. If you think that an old scary dark apartment is nice. Mostly dark. Very dark. But hey, that's what the lamp if for right? After lugging our bags inside, we tried to turn on the air. Bad idea. it was broken. Meaning, it blew out HOT air. No thank you. nope. not now. It was 90 degrees inside, the fact that hot air was blowing out of the air was not so happy. wonderful. I couldn't ask for a better start or welcome.

Also, they decided as a welcome gift they would turn off the water. I mean, it worked the first day. And when I say worked I mean, water would come out of the faucet. It would start out warm, then go to cold. After that it would be Scalding. I mean, really. I couldn't even wash my hair without the water changing from warm to freezing to scalding ten times. wonderful. I have a feeling I may be fasting from showers for the next few weeks. kehehe. seriously. Then came the gift of them turning off the water completely. Really? That's just not right. ... but hey... go ahead, it's not like I need water or anything.

But you know, other than that it's all good. I am spending my days in a dark hot waterless cave. joy.

a little bit of this and that...

Two things:

1. Today I was a calculus teacher. All I did was sit back and listen to the students explain how to do the problems. It was really pretty wonderful. I mean, what do they even need a teacher for? They seemed to know it all.

I was also an Advanced Algebra teacher. It's true. I felt smart. But not really. All I did was call their names out and hand out a work sheet. You know what one of my favorite things about subbing is? It's when the teacher leaves a seating chart. You see, when the teacher leaves a seating chart I know where they are supposed to sit. But they don't know that. And they think they can sit where ever they like. Well... they can't! haha. Because as I take roll I look at the seating chart to make sure they are there and when I see they are not in their seat, I look at them and say, "That's not where you sit." Then they get this incredulous look on their little face and say, "uh. ya it is." For some reason they always like to disagree with me. I don't like that part about subbing.

So I say, "No, it's not. You need to move to your seat."

"Really? I have to sit there? You won't be nice and let me sit here? Just for today? I'll be good. I promise." Although I know that they won't and they will probably be more trouble (which is why there is a seating chart). Why can't they just say, "yes, ok. I will move."? ...well, I guess some of them do. After I tell them they need to move, they look at me like I have magical powers because I know that's not their seat, and then they shrug their shoulders pick up their books and reluctantly shuffle over to their seat. What I like comes next... after the one kid gets called out for not sitting in their seat, everyone else in the room moves to their seat because they don't want to get called out. Which is good I guess. It amuses me to watch them think they can get away with something and then realize they can't. o yes. The one and only joy of subbing. maybe. probably. or not. I'm sure there's another.

so yes. there's that.

Then there's this...

2. I was at the grocery store the other day and a few interesting things happened. The first was this: I over heard a mom run into someone she knew and apparently hadn't seen in a while. I know this because she introduced her husband, Bob and then her son, Starfish, to the person. His name was Starfish. I'm not even kidding you. Starfish. poor kid. That's what the mother named him. I mean, that's just not right. I don't mean to offend you if your name is Starfish or if you happened to name you child Starfish. But I just can't but help be amazed that someone would actually give their child that name. I mean, a name is something they have to live with for the rest of their life. ya know? I know that, but apparently they didn't get that memo. that's why you do not name them Starfish or Jellyfish or Tuna or Casserole. ya know? seriously....

Also, when I was at the store, in the check out line I looked over and saw the lady in line next to me. She had a cart full of soda. pop. coke. soft drinks. soda pop. whatever you call it, that's what was in her cart. She had Coke, Sprite, Pepsi, Mt. Dew, Diet drinks of everything. There were 2 liters, and 24 packs... I didn't think it was even possible to buy that many of something at once. Maybe she had some really great coupons or something, who knows. But it was crazy. Really. I mean, she had enough to last 10 years. Or not. Because if she bought that much of it then she probably drinks it like it's her job. holy cow. I would not want to be her dentist. That's all I'm sayin'.

anyway. that's what I saw (heard). so yup. that's about it. for now. I'll probably cook something up later on so. yup. then there will be that. but for now, it's just this. yup. ok.

the post line

Today I went to the post office. Finally. I was supposed to go about a month ago, and even though it is only ten steps away from our front door, it still took me forever to get over there. O my. That is really quite pathetic. Really. I think part of the reason is maybe because I've just been being so lazy lately that I want to do nothing but stay home. eh. well. I went today. finally.

I had to mail a few parcels. On my way to the post office I stopped to pick something up that I was going to mail. And get an envelope. Well, the shop I went to didn't have the envelope I wanted, so I didn't get one. And I left. Thankfully I remember the other reason I was at the store. At the post office I was greeted by a super long line. won-der-ful. Now, I know sometimes the post office will have a super long line (like 20 people) or there will only be 3 people and that's really busy (to some of us). Most of the time when I go to my post office it is not busy. That means, there are rarely more than three other people there when I am. However, I have not been to the post office on a Friday afternoon. No. And here is my mental note to myself: "Do not go to the post office on a Friday afternoon. Just don't." I say that because... there were about 50 people in line. holy cow! It was pretty ridiculous. So, I cut the line. To get an envelope. After addressing my envelope I walked past 58 people and took my spot in line. When I was about three people from the counter and it being my turn, I realized something. I didn't fill out the customs forms. well, shoot. I debated getting out of line to grab two of them, but for some reason I decided that I didn't want to lose my spot and have to go to the back of the line, again, and wait for 69 people to go in front of me. No. I was not. So I didn't.

When it was my turn I walked up to the counter and said, "um, ya, about those customs forms... I just didn't want to loose my spot in line. Sorry." I think the post man was a little bit annoyed with me for not having them already filled out, but eh, oh well. What can ya do? So, I stood at the counter and filled out my customs forms. sheesh. I felt really terrible too. The other post lady at the next counter helped three people before I was finished. I really did feel bad, but not bad enough to get out of line and wait another hour and a half for it to be my turn. No. I was going to make the other people wait. Maybe that's a bad thing. I don't know. But, it's what I did. so, eh. O well. take that, people waiting in line... and sorry post man. I do still kind of feel a little bit bad. But not really. just a little. but obviously some since I keep thinking about it.

eh... life goes on. and I got my parcels mailed :) that is really a wonderful thing. because it means I was being productive.

Radar

I have secret powers. It's true. I do. I know no one would ever believe me in the whole wide world, but I do. I've thought long and hard about wether or not I should share my powers with you and I decided I might. Well, I decided that I would, I mean, That is after all what this post is about. So, I suppose now it's just inevitable. My secret is out.

Ok. So, are you ready for this? I mean, it's pretty wild and crazy. It's a pretty amazing super power actually. Brace yourselves: I find money. Not like to take from someone's wallet or anything like that. I mean, when I'm walking around and about, I see money on the ground. I have special radar. Some of the times it has Obviously been walked over countless times, or driven over, or rained on (and maybe some other slightly disgustingness done to it). But I don't care. It's money. A lot of the time I will see a penny just laying on the ground. It has been deserted, left alone, abandoned. I hate to see such pure abandonment, so naturally, I pick it up. Yup. I find nickels and dimes and quarters too. So true. I do. Pretty much every time I go out somewhere (to the store, on a walk) I will come back a richer lady because I found a quarter or a penny. This is how I make my living. I don't think I've told you this yet, but it's true. Finding money on the street and in shops is the way I bring home the bacon. Surprised? You really shouldn't be. I mean, if you think about it I'm sure you might see a penny on the ground occasionally. Do you stop to pick it up? I'm gonna say that most people don't, which is why I find so many of them. Which is how I am able to make my living off of finding monies on the ground.

The hubs always teases me about picking up my monies. I don't care. I tell him, "I'm richer than you are right now," which is kind of true ... I mean, I did just pick up a coin or two and he didn't. It's crazy. This summer when I was walking and biking all over town I became a billionaire. I really don't like to brag about my income, I really don't even like to share the way I make my living because I don't want to go out and not find any more monies. That's why I've debated so long in my head about this. The hubs reassured me I would still find my income. Anyhow. I was telling you about this summer. I think I found at least $5 a day on average. True. I told you have special super powers. One day the hubs and I were at the Farmer's Market and were at a booth tasting some plumes. yum yum yum. As I am always aware of what is on the ground around me I spotted it. ...at the same time the hubs did. green money. The hubs reached down and picked it up. $10. bam a ram. The hubs likes to take credit for being the sole finder of the $10 just because he is the one that picked it up. I always politely and sweetly disagree with. But I figured, I'd let him have this one since I find about that much in copper on a daily basis. And also, I am pretty proud of him, for being so inexperienced at finding bacon on the street, he did a pretty great job spotting that.

By now the hubs knows that when I lag a few steps behind it isn't because I've been gazing in a shop window or been hit by a bus, it's because I spotted a money and stopped to pick it up. yup yup. It's my radar. My secret power radar. I'm so happy I have it.

Though, the hubs is also a little bit worried about me. He says I'd be an easy one to trick, all you'd have to do is leave a little trail of pennies and I'm as good as gone. eh... what can I say? It's true. It happened this summer. I was walking around and I spotted a penny. I picked it up and as I did I saw another one right close to it. Then another one and another one! What a find!!! I was so very thrilled! Then a man that saw me pick up the pennies said to me, "A penny saved is a penny earned. It must be your lucky day!" and laughed a little laugh. I just smiled brightly back at him. If I would have known at the time I picked those pennies up that he was homeless I might have given them to him, but I didn't know, so I kept them and they added to my loot that day.

Last Monday the hubs and I went out for a hott anniversary date. After dinner we walked around the mall (cause that's where we went for dinner) and you know, were just strolling along. As we were walking past Bath & Body Works (I remember o so well) I made the spotting of the week! Green. I stopped, bent down, and came back up with a green dollar between my fingers! O wow! What a night! What a find! How terribly exciting! o yes, o yes, o yes!!! The hubs looked back at me (he had kept walking and stopped when he noticed I was no longer next to him) with a smile on his face. "What'd ya find this time?"

"A dollar!!" I beam, holding the dollar up in front of his face so he can get a really good look like he'd never seen one in his life before.

"Good one! I didn't even see that." And here's the truth, I wouldn't have minded if he had seen it, but secretly I'm glad he didn't. And the other part of the truth is, while I'm amazed and utterly shocked that hundreds of people walked right past and over and on that little green bill, they didn't see it and if they did see it, they didn't stop to get it. Why would you not stop for green money? Why would you not stop for shinny money? I mean really? It's too easy! All you have to do is stoop down a little and pick it up, and you are instantly richer! I should write a book on how to get rich quick. I know how. ... except, if everyone did that there would be none for the other people, namely me. And truthfully, I really don't want to share my monies with you. Sorry. But, this is my income we're talking about here. So, if you do see any monies laying on the ground and you live in my town, do NOT stop to pick it up. Otherwise I quite strongly encourage you do to so. Unless of course I am visiting you and we are taking a walk together. Then don't pick it up. That could be very bad. Very, very bad. But if I'm not there, you will be instantly richer! And who couldn't use a little extra moolah these days, huh?

You know what really kills me? Those fountains. The ones by the shops. The ones where people purposefully throw their money into. I would LOVE to clean one of those fountain pools dry. of coins, not water. I wouldn't even mind if the water were in the fountain pool, just so long as I could get the pennies. O, that would be a dream come true! Think of all the shinny pennies in there! wow. ...maybe one day, you never do know.

and now I just sound a little obsessed. I'm not. really. I promise. I just get excited thinking about all of the times I found pennies and about the possibilities that lie ahead.

killed over dead.

Today I drove myself to my doom. It's true. I did. It's probably one of the dumbest things I've done in a while. The whole way there I kept thinking, "I am headed to my doom. Turn around and go back home. Now." But I didn't. I kept on driving. To my doom. Why would I do that? What would possess me to willingly take myself to the pits of despair? I really wish I knew. But I don't. The whole way there I kept trying to figure out what had taken possession of me and what was making me to do such the unthinkable. The unfathomable. The most dreadful thing in the world. ever.

I ran. For real. I did. I do not run. I don't. I never have. Well, that's not entirely true. I ran once. Or well, a few times but it only lasted a few months. You see, it was for a class I was taking in college. My Heart Heathy class. My homework was to run. The class activity was to run. Run, run, run. You can catch me, I am the s-l-o-w-e-s-t runner on the face of this earth. seriously. It's true. However in my class, way back when, I made the most improvement on my mile. I knocked lots and lots of minutes off of my mile, the first one I ran took me three hours to run. When I say run I really probably really mean walk... maybe a speed walk. But by the end of class I could run a mile faster than you could blink your eye. well... that might be a little bit of an exaggeration, but I really did make a huge improvement. That is true.

But until today I had not run in ten years... or something ... So I really don't know what possessed me. It's a mystery. I can think of a few reasons but I'm not really sure if it's any one of those. It may be a combination of all of them...

1. I told the hubs the other night that I wanted to run in a mini marathon (or some such something). He laughed and said, "you know, you have to run to run in a marathon." I do not understand why he was so negative about my idea. I mean, it's not like I'm not capable of running. I just chose not to. That's all. He was thankful for the laugh though. Any time.

c. Which makes me think of something else... the hubs laughing that is. Apparently I've been pretty funny lately. You see I also told the hubs I got a sub job. The teacher called me up and asked me to sub for him. Of course I took the job. Who cares who or what I will be teaching. Now, I don't know if you remember this or not, but I'm pretty sure you know just how well math and I get along. We don't. I barely made it though Geometry, let alone Algebra. O, the nightmares I still have from those classes. It was really truly dreadful. Really really. The hubs knows how I love math (not at all) and how great I am at it (again, not in the slightest). So, when I told him I would be subbing Calculus he pretty much died. "YOU?! Teach Calculus! You're kidding, right?" Nope. Not in the least. Apparently I am quite the math teacher these days. The hubs is still recovering from this bit of shocking news. I'm quite prepared. I know what I will tell those kids (really huge kids), I will say to them, "If you have Any questions at all, DON'T ask me. I will NOT be able to help you. You know far more about this than I ever have or I ever will. So, just do your work and do your best. I can't help you. Also, if I see your iphone I'm gonna take it!" ha. I bet they like that. not. or maybe. who knows. I won't until after I teach the Calculus. How wonderfully exciting.

So. Yes. Running. That's what I did. Today. For 33 whole long minutes. I realized I had muscles I didn't even know existed. For true. Like, apparently there are muscles in my calves. Who knew?! Not me. That's for sure. Till now, and I kind of wish I didn't. eh, oh well. I am starting now so I will be able to run in a mini marathon or some other short race... one day... maybe. But, probably not. But, maybe. I mean, really, you never know. It could happen.

4. The hubs is getting new shoes. His are all worn out and down and he needs to get new ones. I like getting new shoes, so maybe if I run mine out, I will be able to get some new shoes like the hubs. That would be nice. Yes, I think that may be a secret reason I may start running.

5. O. Also, if I run, a lot. I could get some new clothes too. I got to get a treat at the store the other day (just for being a great wifey!) and I got a pair of super cute work out pants. I figured, if I got some cute ones, I would be more likely to work out. It's definitely more fun to exercise if you have cute clothes to do it in. And the only way I can get another pair of cute work out pants is if I keep working out, a lot. So, that just might be another factor. I just want another pair of cute work out pants. Yes. That is why I'm running. How incredibly shallow of me. Seriously. very shallow. eh, that's ok, I might get healthy along my shallow way...

h. My big sister has started running and she makes it sound so exciting! Since there is narry an exciting thing going on in my life I thought maybe running would spice it up a little (that or kill me over dead. Which pretty much happened today. It's true. I finished running and then I about fell over. I do know that I stopped breathing for a while, so that can't be good, but I'm fine now. Really. But man... it's pretty miserable not being able to breathe!).

Yes. my reasons for running. Wonderful. Great reasons. Maybe. ...I wonder if those reasons will actually keep me running... ask me in a week. Or two, or in a month. You could ask me in a month how I'm doing. yes. yes. do that. ask me. Or not. it's just whatever. you know. ok.