A Perfect Day

Last night my family held a surprise birthday party for me. I thought that it was just going to be my family and my brother-in-law and his kids going down to my folks' house for tacos (a Saturday night tradition) along with my brother's family and a couple who are visiting from out of town that I've known most of my life. It was just going to be a nice Saturday evening of visiting and chowing down.

Before this said party, my brother's wife treated the two of us to pedicures and manicures---an early birthday present for me. It was a perfect way to spend the afternoon, a perfect gift! I had a great time with her, she went on ahead of me to my mom and dad's and I followed after, stopping to get some ice for dinner. So when I arrived I walked on in, calling out, "Knock knock". But before I could get the second "knock" out of my mouth, my brain scrambled to figure out what I was seeing and what it meant: a living room full of people facing me, shouting out "Surprise!" And a surprise it was, indeed. I had no idea anything had been planned. For however long, my husband and mom and sister-in-law and everyone else had managed to not give any hint. I was quite impressed.

Anyway. It was a perfect amount of people for this mostly-nonsocial person and I had one of the most enjoyable birthdays ever.

The best part is that it isn't even my birthday yet--not until Wednesday--so I get to stretch my fun!

Thanks everyone!

Here's One For Miss Manners

Yesterday I received the nicest little thank-you note in the mail. It was from one of our friends' daughters in this area who recently graduated. She thanked me for the nice graduation gift and how much she likes the journal. She thanked me for being interested in her life, etc.

I didn't get her a gift.

Not only that, I didn't even get her a card.

What a loser I am. So now there's several problems: I'm being thanked for something I didn't do, thus stealing the glory and credit from someone else. I'll now have to explain the situation and stumble over the awkward realization that will dawn upon her that 1) it wasn't me and 2) I didn't even acknowledge her graduation.

Who do you suppose will feel worse and more embarrassed?

I pick me.

Stuff By Number (kind of like Paint by Number, only different)

1. Summer stretches out. Sometimes it's long days of bored kids and nothing much to do. Days and nights turned around. Summer is different now than when I was a kid. We could leave the house early in the morning, take our bikes and go explore. We could build forts down the street, up the hill. We could be gone for hours, it seemed, and no one had to worry. Not any more. There's no way I'd let my kids take off on their bikes, be gone and be out of sight for long stretches of time. They're missing out on some summer freedom that we had. I wish it could be different.

2. My oldest son and I were interviewed by a local television news station and so we had our two seconds of fame. I was rather hoping it wouldn't air since I looked like the wreck of the Hesperus, but alas it did.

3. I'm reading a thoroughly enjoyable novel right now: "Hunting and Gathering" by Anna Gavalda. My to-read list is quite long and this book wasn't even on it, but I grabbed it off the library shelf and am really liking it. Amy, Darci, Lisa---I think it's up your alley. Also I checked out Tom Sawyer because it seems wrong, somehow, to become 40 and not have read such a classic. I was hoping to get that read and Huckleberry Finn but I'm not sure I'll make it before the impending 4-0. "Hunting and Gathering" moves along a bit faster than ole Tom so it seems to be monopolizing more of my reading time.

4. While I was driving today, I heard a song on the radio that I really liked. I wound up getting the album and I love it: "The Story" by Brandi Carlile. If you're a fan of Lucinda Williams, for instance, you'll like Brandi Carlile. She sounds a lot like Lucinda---she has more of a rock sound sometimes than a folk sound, which is what I prefer, but her voice is great and buying the album was a good move. Since I buy about one a year, I got my money's worth for sure.

5. I'm determined this year to learn how to play the guitar. My cousin bought me a quite nice guitar about twenty some-odd years ago and I have yet to play it. I've moved it around with me from place to place because it's one of the nicest gifts I've ever gotten and because it's a guitar, for cryin' out loud! and so now I have to learn how to play it. I can't stand to see it sitting there in its case any longer. For 20 faithful years it has waited and now the time has come. I may try, foolishly, to teach myself. We shall see how far I get with that.

6. Speaking of years ago, about 17 years ago I started a court reporting program. For various and sundry reasons I got off-track and didn't finish. I am now in the process of finishing what I started all that time ago. It's hard and it's a bit overwhelming---I tend to look ahead and think "I'll never be able to write that fast" and get discouraged---but I'm determined to do it and to finish. Not to mention that the hefty sum they bring home will come in right handy. Sometimes that's a decent incentive.

7. I don't think I have any more boring details to tell you about my life right now, so I suppose I'll close on this note.

Friday the 13th

Every now and then, we get a Friday the 13th.

Are you superstitious? If so, why? Do you believe in luck? If so, how come? Has anything bad really ever happened to you on a Friday the 13th? And if it has, do you really think it was because of the date?

It's all in your expectations. I decided long ago that Friday the 13th was a good day....and indeed it has been. See! Easy.

The Art Of Pointing Fingers

I seem to be quite taken with the news these days. Probably because there isn't really anything that exciting in my life to blog about so I have to comment on other people's lives. Anyway, I had several problems when this story first came out but now I have even more. Beyond the whole teacher/student problems and consequences and bad choices, the part where the parents reluctantly gave their consent has me puzzled. Hello! The girl was 16. This is a bad move. If it can't happen without your consent, then yay! You don't give it. But you certainly don't reluctantly give it and then sue someone else and say it's their fault the thing happened.

Just my opinion. And I concede that there are parts to the story unknown to the common (and not-so-common, ahem) reader but from what's been shared, there seems to be a bit of misplaced anger.

The SEVENTH Wonder

If you didn't believe in luck, this could possibly change your mind (I don't believe in luck and it almost changed mine). And if you do believe in luck, you might want to hang around this kid.

"After They Use The Bathroom They Will Be Very, Very Happy"

That's my favorite quote from this news story.

Also, if you're going to commit a crime as a tree, you might want to be a little leafier or something. Just a suggestion. A little tip.

Those news stories are a nice bit of lighthearted relief from the flooding in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas; from the drought and ruined crops in Alabama; and from stories like this and this.

Are there times when you wonder if the world has gone mad? Everyone's crazy except me and thee.

A Strange Phenomenon

A strange thing has been happening. I'm finding that I'm losing my taste and desire for Diet Coke. For those of you who know me, that's as likely as finding the image of Jesus in my pancakes (I know, I know. It happens. But it couldn't ever happen to me because I rarely eat pancakes and I've never even seen Jesus, so I really don't know what he looks like).

How can I stop liking Diet Coke?? How is this possible? I go and buy a Big Gulp out of habit, wanting and expecting the ole familiar comfort of a--well, a big ole gulp. And it just falls flat. Talk about disappointing!! I just read that one of the first signs of Alzheimer's is loss of smell---I'd be extremely worried if it had been loss of taste.

So....I don't know what happens from here. I'm not saying I don't still enjoy it now and then, but just not like before. How disheartening. And yeah, yeah, I know that it's a great thing for all sorts of reasons, health being a main one. But as far as vices go, it's a fairly harmless one. All I can say is that I at least better drop a quick ten pounds---I have to get something outta the deal!