Krispy Fry and Other Sundry

Once upon a time we went to the fish store. And then afterward, we went to Krispy Kreme for a donut. (Because Krispy Kreme is the other side of the city from where we live and when we're anywhere nearby, let alone next door, I do NOT turn down a good greasy donut) And then C-man named his new fish Krispy. Fast forward a couple of months for that tiny speck of a fish to mature and discover that he was put in the tank with a female version of him, and we now have Krispy fries. Lots and lots of little tiny kribensis, much to C-man's delight. I was expecting a lot more questions about how that happened, but haven't gotten any. For now, we're just all excited we have a tank full of baby fish.
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I'm home today with C-man. We went into the walk-in clinic yesterday because he was in such awful pain and his ear was oozing gunk. Apparently he has inner ear AND ear canal infections. Which is delightful. And not at all gross since I'm the one he's deemed to be the only one who should regularly clean it out for him. (Dry heave) He's quite a bit better today mood-wise and was able to mostly sleep last night, but it was a hard sell sending him to school when his ear is oozing all that nastiness onto his shirt. Plus, I think one more day of playing bowling and watching the Pink Panther episodes will probably do his body some serious good.
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Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. At least C-man has all his Valentines written out. I wish I did.

Free Day

The boys are at Cub Scout camp today. They aren't doing the overnight because C-man has been sick - snotty nose and a fever this week with what we suspect is an ear infection. But I almost teared up a little when they left, because they're at the camp I was Director of for a few years. That was one of the hardest jobs I've ever had - starting at 23 years old with only 2 weeks notice, managing both a Boy Scout and Cub Scout program that I'd never personally experienced, in a camp filled with repeat campers and their expectations, a kitchen that served lunch each day with a "chef" who was less than worthy of the job, a cantankerous camp ranger I had to win over, a staff of 25, all while wearing olive green socks. And it was also one of the jobs I remember with most fondness. I had to quit because I met and got engaged to Beerman, and he quickly informed me he wasn't moving out to Boy Scout camp 4 months a year. The things you do for love, I guess.

I am well aware of what the problems are with the organization. But there is so much good to it, that I feel it way outweighs the negative. I saw kids who were constantly fighting with their parents come to camp as a counselor for the entire summer and be my absolute best kids because they had a specific purpose and we trusted them wholly. I saw kids come to camp and sob the first night with homesickness and by the end of the week ask if they could stay for another. I saw kids learn to do things they wouldn't have learned elsewhere. And while I don't know if learning about beekeeping changed any of their lives, it did mine. Because those summers taught me so much then, that I find I'm still using those lessons in how I deal with C-man.

So now, I have the day free to myself. Well, except for the time I need to spend taking Harry to the park, because he's not letting up on that idea. But I sure hope they have a smashing good time at one of my favorite places.

Quiet snowfall

Strangely enough, I've missed the snow. The lack of cold is fine, but that overall mucky, brown, yuk hasn't been fun. And there's something so insulated and hushed when the snow falls that is kind of nice. It's been a really pleasant morning, working in the quiet at my kitchen counter, watching the snow fall. I really needed this.

Jiggity jig

I am home. In the land of the brownish muck and winter jackets. No more palm trees. No more warm breezes and sweet water sounds across my balcony. And I couldn't be happier. I was so tired of this week's work stuff. More than I ever have been. My crappy health definitely has something to do with my irritability about it all. As does the fact that this isn't my first trip this month. So now it's time to hug up my boys (the littlest one seems to have an ear infection), eat some comfort food, and throw the stinky clothes down the chute for the house elves to resolve later. It's good to be home.

Time to go

It's been a long week. I've been working in Orlando. Long, long days of meetings followed by forced fun activities with co-workers who drink in abundance after. Two beers and I'm so uncomfortable and swollen, that it isn't worth it. But I did get to eat outside a couple of times, something I'm not doing in Wisconsin. And I did get to see Tom Papa and Jerry Seinfeld, which was great. I've taken no photos, because it's hard to explain lugging a big camera around. And quite honestly, a day without photos is kind of sad. And today, C-man was sick, and I was here. That sucked. So it's fair to say that I am more than ready to get back. Maybe next year we'll make it a Disney weekend, but for this year, I'm heading home to my family. And I can't wait.

Wordless Wednesday: Wishes

Kind of exhausting

I'm at a week-long work annual meeting in Orlando. I find these things so exhausting. There's the all-day sitting and listening. And then the all-night partying. Neither of which I'm in to these days. Partly because i feel like garbage and can't drink even one drink or i get really ill, and partly because i just don't enjoy partying with co-workers. Bleh. Last night was a little more subdued, as I opted for dinner with a few co-workers instead of a grand affair at Epcot or Downtown Disney. Tonight is the mandatory fun event. The headliner is secret, but I've been told by a solid source that it rhymes with Seinfeld. Or maybe that's his real name. But shhh... don't tell, because it's a secret. It's always a big competition about what you wear. And since I'm chubby, I am not really feeling that either. At least the food has been good. Hmmm... Maybe that's why I'm chubby. Only 2 more days of this...

Traveling Man

I'm heading to Orlando today. Whoopee. 4 crazy days in a hotel with co-workers. At least I don't have to share a room.

Super Sunday

It's baseball practice followed by a Superbowl. Not that I care about these teams, but a party with friends who highly encourage everyone to gamble on the game is always worthwhile.

Helpfulness

People often try to be helpful. Like the lady in the Target check-out line who kept grabbing my stuff to put it in my cart after it was scanned. Except she kept putting it on the bottom of the cart or in the corner of the cart to make sure there was enough room without anything being piled on top of something else.

Normally, I'd take this as someone trying to be helpful. Today is not normal. Well, maybe it unfortunately is.

I'm in rough shape. My hands are stiff and my body hurts. Going through the nightmare of Target was enough of a chore (I couldn't put off getting toilet paper and paper towel another day though) without the added burden of having to bend down to get things out of the recesses of the cart. But that's what was happening. And I don't know what to say when stuff like this happens. If I ask her to stop, I sound like a jerk. If I say, Hey, I know I'm 35 and you're much older than me, but bending over is kind of a process today, I sound like I'm asking for pity. So I let it happen and get considerably annoyed by it as it happens.

It's just one more piece of this disease. I can deal with the pain. But when others get in the way of me being able to function, I don't react very well. It's a true lesson in patience that I guess I haven't quite mastered yet.

Rambling along

I got my fix-it ticket for not having a registered plate, fixed. (Follow that?) But now I have to get my engine light that is simply a sensor error and not something wrong with the vehicle but I haven't fixed it because it's a $1500 repair fixed or the car won't pass emissions. I don't know what I hate more - the DOT or this vehicle.

Harry and I both got groomed today. Me to get rid of my grays, him to enhance his. We're both stunningly beautiful now, although he smells decidedly better.
C-man really wants to spend his allowance money on hermit crabs. They seem relatively easy, but they stink a little. I don't know if I want stinky crabs in my house. But he's sort of stuck on this. Maybe for his birthday if he's still on this kick in a month.

I've discovered another reason I love the Roku player Troy bought. There's a Pandora app that I can play through the TV while I'm working at home. Sweet!

I'm quitting acupuncture. I bailed on last night's appointment. I just don't see the point. But these offices are so cultish, I don't know how to do it and then have them leave me alone.

I've been feeling like total crap this week. I'm due for another shot on Tuesday. Maybe I'll cheat and shoot up on Sunday, since it's either that or Thursday when I get home.
 
Which sucks, because I'm kind of mentally obsessed with getting my sweater done and can't because my hands are so stiff. You know, since I only started it in August on my way to Japan and all.
 
Enjoy your weekend. And Go Pack. Oh yeah, right...

Thursday Thirteen Thingies

1. I decided to be done with acupuncture. I'd given my twice weekly for 3 months commitment and returned with zero results. So they switched up the routine and are giving me 3 weeks for free. Who am I to turn down free?
2. I'm pretty sure I'll be done with acupuncture in 3 more weeks.
3. The chiropractor is the only one who makes me feel good. I just need to have a standing date with that guy.
4. It's groundhog's day. The day when a rodent determines whether we'll have 6 more weeks of winter. But I want to know which rodent is going to explain the last 6 weeks of mostly non-winter!
5. I've been faithfully running to Being Human each Monday. I could easily stream it the next day, but this way is better. I need to find another show on Wednesday or Thursday to get me to do it a second time each week.
6. Harry had his annual checkup on Monday. He is showing no signs of a heart murmur (he has a hole in his heart and we were told he wouldn't make it past 5 when we got him), no cataracts, and zero health issues. Apparently lots of love, a regular second dinner, daily walks, and many naps is the secret to success.
7. I've been working on C-man's Valentines. Nobody else is as thrilled about them as me. Figures.
8. We got invited to three parties on Sunday. I feel obligated to attend one because it's the Superbowl, but I really don't care about any of it. At least it'll be fun with some good friends.
9. I'm on the road again next week to the blight on the earth that is Orlando. I'm hoping for good sunshine during the breaks, at least.
10. Today is dress up and grandparents day at school. C-man was so excited to have ice cream with his Nana. He was also excited to wear a sweater I'd knit for him. I was just happy it still fit.
11. Because the shoes I bought for him to go to the Christmas concert in December don't fit anymore. Oy!
12. I volunteered to start and run a plant sale fundraiser for the school. I have the wholesale prices, but am at a loss for how much to sell them for retail + fundraiser. Any idea what a flat of annuals goes for? I really should have paid more attention when I bought them last year.
    
13. I really don't want to do another school fundraiser, but it officially gets me out of the rummage sale business. And if I can make another grand or so for the school, it's worth it.

Wordless Wednesday: Ongoing projects

Quirky

It's that time of year again. The time when I'm on the road a lot. Most of the time, I have to fly to an airport and then drive to some place God forgot. Because I'm glamorous like that. What it means, is that I am more often than not, in a rental car. And no matter how many times I do it, no matter how many different cars I get, no matter how many miles I drive, I have to return the car. Over one of these nail bars. And every single time?

I have the strongest urge to slam on the reverse and blow all 4 tires in some grand announcement of my presence. Can you just imagine it Ka-BOOOOOOM!

I don't know why I want to do this. And I've never actually done it. But someday...

So cute I could eat him up

I don't have anything to say today that anyone would want to read. (My review of A Wrinkle in Time? My thoughts on the curried cauliflower Beerman made me? The movies I've watched since we got Roku? That I forgot Harry needs a stool sample for tomorrow morning's vet appointment? Yeah, didn't think so.) But since my child is about as cute as they come, I'll give you a bit of him instead.

Home again, home again

I'm back home again. This trip was harder on me than any have been in a long time. I feel like I've been run over. At least it's the weekend. Time to be lazy.

Exploring Winchester

It was cold and rainy, but I finished my class early for the day and decided I couldn't just go sit in my hotel room. Instead, I went walking around the historic downtown of Winchester, Virginia. There is tons of old stuff from the Civil War to see, as every house or business has some plaque on it commemorating something important. The story is the town switched hands 70 times during the war, so it's got some incredibly interesting history. My mom would have been in historical hog heaven. It was a lot better than my hotel room, at least.

70 is the new 21

Today, Harry the best dog ever turns 70.

The secret to his youthful success? Regular baths in the spring.

Followed by repeated snow angels with his face.

Happy birthday, sweet friend. I get happier just looking at you. Enjoy your liver cake.

Road tripping

I'm on the proverbial road again. Virginia, this week. I was going to stop and have a chat with Obama about some of the finer points of his last night's speech, but then decided I was too busy. Maybe next time I'm in town.

Piles of laundry

A friend of mine is a fellow autoimmune problem child; a different autoimmune issue, but autoimmune, nonetheless. And she made the comment the other day that she's come to terms with having the disease, but not with the total lack kof energy that it causes.
And that hit home for me.

I have arthritis. I have days that are painful. There are things that hurt a lot to even think about doing. Waking up in the morning is tough. And lately, I've been having feet pain again, which makes even walking difficult. All that I can grasp. All that I can come to terms with.

But the inability to keep going when everyone around me seems to be able to; the total lack of ability to exert myself, that's where I just can't wrap my brain around. Each morning, before I open my eyes, I think about what my day is going to look like. I assess how many things I need to get done, how much energy each is going to take, and prioritize how many of them I can get done and in which order. Which sometimes means the laundry will sit for 3 days until I can get to it. I tend to have more energy in the morning, before it's been wasted on stupid stuff, so if I need something done, have to get it done immediately. Sometimes I get irate when my family doesn't get on my schedule. Of course, because I'm impatient, but also oftentimes, if I'm honest with myself, it's because what I really want to scream is, "I won't have the energy to keep going later, so move your asses now!"

I've always known my energy level is low, but until my friend made that comment, it hadn't occurred to me what that meant for me emotionally and mentally. It was a good aha moment, and something I need to ponder for a bit to figure out how to deal with it better than I have been.

A day off

We had the day off today. In between C-man art directoring my shots, we spent the day at a water park with some friends. Now he's off to math tutoring, and I'm off to see Being Human while working out because I'm too cheap to buy ScyFy. I can't decide if I should bathe before going to workout to get rid of this waterpark yuk or just wait it out until after. Big decisions of my day. Good stuff.

Routine Sunday

Another routine Sunday around here.The good news is Cman and I have tomorrow off to play.

And Happy 46th Anniversary to my parents.

Sirius Black and other stuff

Behold, the (hopefully) fastest pinewood derby car the North Shore has ever seen, Sirius Black. Weigh-in and inspection are at noon. The suspense is thick. After all the work that's gone into this car, I sure hope it doesn't come in last.

I made my own hand soap last night. I also made overnight crock pot oatmeal. The two aren't related in any way other than I am doing some pretty uncharacteristically domestic things lately.

I got a new pair of snow pants delivered yesterday. Holy moly, are they awesome. Why have I been dealing with the cheapo version this long? I took Harry to the dog park this morning, and was actually hot in this balmy 7 degree heatwave we're having.

I was forced to watch Yugioh this morning. Why do all the Japanese characters talk in a growly whisper?

MU is "versing" (as C-man would say) Providence tonight at 6 pm CST. Time to Febreeze the flag and get it up!

A moment in time

5 inches coming down and a half day of school = ice cream, of course.

Slump

I am in kind of a January slump. The kind that makes me want to crawl under a blanket and watch movies until the groundhog and I both agree that it is Spring. Alas...

It was a cold and snowy night

It's snowy, cold and wintry. Go figure, it being January and all. At least Marquette is winning and the Brewers signed Aoki, so Hart can play 1st. (Beerman and I were discussing the merits of taking umbrellas to the game like the Swallows, but then thought maybe we'd look a little crazy.) Beerman has been working hard on his C-man's pinewood derby car. (Seriously - how is a 6 year old supposed to cut, shape, sand and paint a car on his own?) The big race is Saturday night, after mass and a delicious hot dog dinner. Wow. Life sure is exciting around these parts.

A mother's love

I know a mother's love for her child is not abnormal. But the love I have for this kid, the one who gets that sly little grin just before he's going to do something like throw a snowball at his dad when he thinks he isn't looking, is so big, it doesn't feel like I can keep it inside me.

It's kindness and justice week at school in honor of MLK Jr. Day. So he decided to give up this week's allowance to a homeless shelter. That's 3 whole dollars that he's been counting on to get the next Lego set he wants so very bad. It about killed him to know he'd be a week further from getting the Burrow, but he did it because he said it was cold outside and everyone needed to be inside.

I really, really love this child.

Back at it

We got C-man through yesterday's loss (he cried throughout the 4th quarter) and are now back at our typical routine, counting down the days until pitchers and catchers report (34). At least MU beat Pitt, so not all was a loss.

Being Human starts its new season tonight. Not having cable, it's been killing me to know I won't see it. (I burned through Season 1 via Netflix) And then this weekend, while at the gym, a perfect solution to my problem arose - the gym has ScyFy. So it's a double win - I get to see Being Human, and I have a commitment to work out.

And other than that, we're just back at it. Hope your Monday is smooth.

Macaroni and Cheese

House party

Luzern, Switzerland

C-man is still feeling iffy, Beerman is getting something ugly (probably airplane cooties), and I slept 12 hours last night and am debating going in for more drugs today. It's a regular party at the house today. I think it's going to be movies and pinewood derby car making day. (The big race is next week.)

Friday the 13th

I don't care if it's Friday the 13th. It's Friday on the first 5-day work week in quite a while. What a relief. It was a struggle for everyone to get up this morning, so I'm thinking we could all use a nice, quiet weekend. After tonight's wine club, of course. Anyhow, enjoy the weekend.

Slogging through it.

January is always such a long slog. It's the time when the weather is the news and there are no days off work. (Whatever happened to celebrating MLK Jr Day?) I've half-looked at Easter vacations, but since we need a new car and new windows for the whole house, think it might not be such a smart decision. I really need to get out and test drive some vehicles, but the thought of a car dealership turns my stomach so violently, I've been putting it off. Gas is supposed to skyrocket again this year, so a tiny car is looking more and more appealing.

But in good news, Beerman is on his way home, back from the rodeo. (Welcome home, honey. Go snow blow the driveway!) I've got an overdue lunch with an old friend. And I'm working from home today. All good things.

Wordless Wednesday: Feeling crabby

I'm so boring

I have so little to add these days. It's January, when not a lot happens outside of the regular routine. There isn't much to photograph. But in my cube redecoration of poster-sized photos I've taken, I did come across some fun ones I'd forgotten existed. So join me and watch the surfers for a bit...

It's Monday. Whoopee.

My back and shoulder got mysteriously better yesterday during the day. I haven't been able to move my shoulder without pain and haven't been able to sit without excruciating shooting pain since the first week in October, and suddenly yesterday, it was all better. I had troubles again while sleeping last night, and it's achy today, but is NOTHING like it's been. I thought I was going into a flare when I woke up Saturday, my hands were puffy and my joints all stiff, so went to the pool with two little boys for two hours in the afternoon. So was that it? Or was it that I started going back to my chiropractor last week? (But would that affect the shoulder improvement, too?) Or was it that the acupuncture regime changed a week and a half ago (and I actually feel something moving around while I'm there now instead of being annoyed and cold)? I'm due for my injection later this week, so that's all worn out of my body by now. Was it just a coincidence of time? Combination of it all? I don't know, but Beerman said, "Just keep doing it!" Here's hoping it isn't a fluke.
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C-man starts his math tutoring tonight. (He's going because he likes math and we want to encourage it, not because he is having trouble.) Which is a good thing, because last night he was doing the math homework he got assigned while being off sick on Thursday (seriously?), and I had to look up what "mode" meant before I could check his work.
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I've been reading about different bad things that we use in our everyday products. Most I knew about, but one I hadn't thought about was laundry detergent. Apparently Tide, which is what I use, is one of the worst. While it cleans delightfully, it's not really helping us health-wise. In what I realize is only a half step away from beating it against a rock in the river, I am going to attempt to make my own detergent. If this experiment fails, or is just too much work, I'll go back to conventional stuff, just something with a little less yuk in it.
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I'm going to redecorate my cube today. It's kind of all I have in me right now.

There is no crying in baseball

It's January 8th and 40 degrees with no snow. So it must be baseball season. (I'd like to point out that we sat through 2 games last May that were 32 - 34 degrees and sleeting, so it really isn't so far off.) Actually, it's baseball camp time. And I screwed up. I signed him up for this camp that is supposed to be really spectacular. He was all excited for it. But what I thought it was (a different baseball camp than he'd been to before that came highly recommended) was not what he thought it was (the camp he'd been to last year that was sponsored by HIS Little League and knew people from his own team participated in.)

The result was that we got to the camp in a suburb north of us sponsored by a different city's Little League with a couple of hundred kids and their dads (no lie - I was the only XX in the whole gym), and there was not a soul he knew. And he started to get upset. And then he broke the cardinal rule of baseball - the tears came. And then I got annoyed, because seriously, it's baseball which he loves and has been begging to do, and he's crying?!? And then they called his group to get together, and he was fighting back the tears. And I alternated between being incredibly annoyed I'd spent all this money on something he loved and was being a jerk about it and feeling totally awful that I put him in this situation because not being with friends is about the worst thing in his 6 year old life. And then he missed a grounder and started to cry, and 2 coaches came over. Clearly, they thought he was hurt. He wasn't. (I later learned the coaches asked him if he wanted to go over by his mom, and he said he would stick it out. I'm guessing he figured that would have been way worse punishment.)

About half-way through the hour, they had to get into groups of 4, and 2 boys immediately grabbed him to be in their group. And then all was well. He fielded every ball and was talking to other kids.

So now, he happily went back at the hitting portion of the day with his brand new bat and his dad - 2 things which are infinitely better for him in these types of situations.

Ring out a hoya...

I woke up this morning to learn I'm starting an arthritic flare. Oh goody. We'll be heading to the pool for some float time, for sure. It doesn't fix it, but it always feels better while I'm in. Plus, the child loves to swim laps now, which I want to encourage. But now that we switched to the Jewish Community Center (There is a ton for C-man to do there throughout the winter), we have to follow Jewish rules, which means we have to wait until noon for it to open.

So the plan is to swim, oversee him finish the homework he missed while being sick (wh and ch words), and cheer on MU in what is probably a futile quest against Syracuse.

Enjoy your day.

Go! Marquette! Go! Go! Go! Go!

Friday wrap-up

I had this long boring post written about daily crap. And I decided that I wouldn't bore you with it, as it could be reduced to this: C-man is now on antibiotics for sinus infection and probable strep. He also got a flu shot because the pediatrician made me paranoid and can't get the nasal mist because it's live virus and I'm immunocompromised. I'm on antibiotics for sinus infection. We were both home yesterday and watched 3 movies. He has Cub Scouts tonight and can't wait. Apparently the drugs are working for him. Baseball practice starts Sunday. The end.

Enjoy your weekend!

Thursday Thirteen things I think about

1. In movies where the non-English speaking characters are speaking to one another in their own country, but are speaking in English so we understand them for the purposes of the movie - Why do they have accents? I mean, we all know if 2 Russians are speaking together in Russia, they are speaking Russian to each other, not English. So why the pretense of all the "Vot do zou need?" nonsense?
2. Who was the person all those years ago who said, you are hurting; I know what would make you feel better- if we stuck a gazillion needles in you and made you lie there and endure it for a while!
3. Who was the idiot who decided skinny jeans were a good thing? Or really pointy shoes? And how long before they wise up and decide they aren't really all that great?
4. When you get an email telling you the vial of ants you ordered for the child's Christmas gift ant farm is preparing to ship, does that mean Cletus is out in his backyard digging them up?
5. Why is it when you say you are done volunteering for something, people don't believe you?
6. How is it my kid has more on-hand cash than I do at any given time?
7. Why is it every time there is something cool like a meteor shower, it is at 2 a.m. when I'd rather be sleeping? Don't these things happen at 10 p.m. when I'm more awake?
8. How can my kid's school uniforms (which are incidentally only about 6 weeks old since the latest round of purchases to replace torn knees and chewed off sleeve ends) fit just fine on December 22nd but not January 2nd? This growth spurt thing is expensive.
9. Why is it that when I go online to purchase new shirts and pants at a larger size, they don't have anything for winter, but it's all short-sleeved? Hey department stores, it's only the first week in January!
10. How does the kid get so sick on the one day I have waited for to get my overdue hair cut?
11. Why is Harry Potter the only one out of all those Hogwarts kids who wears glasses? And why can't he just do a spell to fix his sight? Heck, even muggles have Lasik, after all.
12. When someone says, "That doesn't make a lick of sense," What exactly are they licking? And does this mean they know the answer to how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop?
13. Why do Legos have to be so darned tiny?

Wordless Wednesday: Don't leave your Legos out for your parents to play with

I've got answers

Several have emailed me with questions, or left questions in the comments. Because I'm apparently too lazy, I'm going to answer the, all at once today.

Yes, I think I have an inner ear thing attached to whatever bug I've taken in from my six year old living petri dish. My hearing keeps fading and the dizziness is annoying.

I was diagnosed with bronchitis right before Christmas. He prescribed a z-pack I didn't fill, because he said it was viral. I just filled it yesterday. I'm going to give it everything I can just in case.

I use a neti pot daily. It helps, but obviously isn't a cure-all, since I currently can't hear out of my right ear.

Acupuncture continues to do nothing for me. I committed to 3 months of it, though, so we'll see.

We need a new car. Beerman is driving the very first new car I ever bought, a 1999 Dodge Avenger. It will take about $2000 to fix, and I'm quite sure that is about a grand more than it is worth. Plus, our minivan is 6 years old and approaching 100,000 miles. Unfortunately, it is time.

We aren't sure what we want to buy. Despite loving the BMW 3 series, I won't buy a "foreign" car. I worked too many years in the American auto industry to turn my back on it. And yes, you can give me all the gobbedly gook you want about "all cars are foreign" or "foreign cars are really domestic", but I don't want to hear it. At the end of the day, the vast majority of the profit made stays in the country of the company's headquarters. And this day in age, when middle class jobs are scarce, I will not contribute to the hollowing out of the American manufacturing industry.

I'm leaning toward a Ford Escape or Ford Flex, but the Chevy Traverse reviews have been good. I need to test drive them first before I make any solid decisions. I do know it needs to be comfortable to get in and out of, quiet, not be ridiculously priced, and get reasonable gas mileage. Something that is not all that easy to find.

I'm dreading the whole slimy experience. I've never not known what I wanted going into a dealership before and the experience has never been good. Ick.

Harry gets a bath almost every Sunday. He does not enjoy it, but like all things in his life, he tolerates it. The fact that he gets hugged and kissed the whole time and then given an inordinate amount of treats doesn't hurt either. But if he's going to get filthy like he loves, he's going to get bathed like I love.

I'm starting with the classic Catch-22 as the first of my classic reads. I've read 100 Years of Solitude, To Kill a Mockingburd, Lord of the Rings and Charlottes Web. (Incidentally, 100 Years of Solitude is a favorite.) The full list of Kansas City Library books are listed HERE.

And that concludes answer time for now.

Ending on a downer

I sort of feel like Harry looks in this shot. Well, except for the extraordinarily happy part.. It figures that on the last day of my vacation when I had real grown-up plans while C-man was back at school - to take down Christmas (except the nativities), test drive a couple of cars, clean up the house, and do the laundry - I've been so dizzy that I can't stand, and even barfed once when I tried.

The good news is it was a really spectacular winter break up until this point. It's just too bad I have to end it like this. At least we have lots of movies to watch and the Rose Bowl to cheer about. And it's only a 4-day work week. See - lots of bright spots.

I resolve

Well, after ringing in the new year with an awesome snack dinner and the Indiana Jones trilogy, it's that time again. That time to make some resolutions. So here are my 4 resolutions for 2012:

• To read all 22 of the books in front of the Kansas City Library. (For the record, I've read 4 of them, so won't be re-reading those. Technically, that means I have 18 classics to get through.) I'd also like to actually see the front of this building. Next work trip to KC, I'll find it. That second part isn't really a resolution, but just something I want to do.
• Call it cliche, but I need to drop 10 pounds. (Well, 20 if we're being honest, but let's not get picky.) That's not my resolution, though. My actual resolution is to keep to a twice-weekly gym visit. I'm hoping one will lead to the other, but feel the strength building one is necessary to my overall health.
• Start to learn German. I know I won't get near to fluency in only a year of self study, but it's time to learn the language of my future homeland, after all.
• Finish knitting the sweater I started on the trip to Japan. The pattern is translated from French, and written so poorly, I've had to undo and redo it several times. (It's not just me being stupid. The super knitter ladies at the yarn store were perplexed by it, too.) I have the extreme urge to throw it in the trash, but know I'll love it if I stick with it.