There Is A Parable In Here Somewhere

A year ago, I can't remember if it is for my birthday or Christmas, I asked for a new down-alternative comforter for my bed. The one I had was one I bought on the cheap that wasn't quite big enough for my bed and had become compressed and un-fluffy over the years. My dad gave me the money for one but I couldn't find one that I liked. They were all either the wrong size or too expensive or too cheap, too heavy or too light for me to justify buying. I was the Goldilocks of Bed, Bath, and Beyond. So I just made do with what I had and set the money aside. Or, rather, spent it on groceries and assumed I would be in a position to buy a comforter when I found one. 

Yesterday, I went to Marshall's looking for a belt for a dress I have that is cute-but-plain and requires creative accessorizing due to a large collar. I did not find a belt. What I did find, was a Calvin Klein down-alternative comforter that was exactly what I was looking for for only $60.00. It was the perfect size, the perfect fill, big and fluffy, and on clearance. Practically perfect in every way. And since it was so inexpensive, I splurged on two new, deluxe pillows. I had a divine night of sleep last night.

The thing is, last fall and winter I was mildly discouraged by the lack of affordable comforters. I gave up, moved on, made do. I decided I wasn't going to spend my money on something that wasn't perfect or settle for something that was less than I wanted, even if what I wanted -- a fantastic, hypo-allergenic queen-size comforter for less than $100 -- seemed non-existent. It was something I wanted but something for which I had stopped looking. I kind of even forgot about the whole endeavor until yesterday while browsing Marshall's home decor section and a little voice said "Maybe you should see if they have a comforter."

Last night, as I was wrestling this perfect new comforter into my duvet, I was overwhelmed by how blessed and cared for I am. This minor want, frankly unnecessary and unimportant in the grand scheme of things, was filled. Not when I wanted it to be, not when I thought it should be, but when it needed to be. If this sort of thoughtfulness and care is apparent in the small details of my daily life, I need to stop worrying so much about the major things.

Things I Am Currently Obsessed With

I've been Debbie Downer on this blog a lot lately. Possibly because I'm one lost hour of sleep away from a nervous breakdown on most days. BUT I do have things (besides sleep) that keep me from that nervous breakdown which I thought I would tell everyone about. Because I can. And because it is abnormally slow at work today (knock on wood) and there isn't much I have to be doing right now. So, here are my random, yet happy-making, current obsessions.

• Ray LaMontagne - I love this man's voice. If you haven't heard him (which, hello, I'm always late to the music party, so you probably know him) I suggest you leave this page now and go listen to him on your choice of music providers. I find his voice extremely soothing; his is the go-to albums after a long day at work. Which means I listen to him pretty much every day. Songs I recommend: "Trouble," "Shelter," "Hold You in My Arms," "Hannah," "All the Wild Horses," "Let it Be Me," "You Are the Best Thing," and "Achin' All the Time." Just to start off with.

• Essie nail polish - I love the range of colors Essie has, specifically in the blue-green and red-orange spectrums. Also, the names are fun and the bottles are compact and aesthetically pleasing. The best part, however, is that the polish is thin and spreads really easily. It is not gloopy at all. Sure, it means an extra coat, but because it is thin and non-gloopy, it dries quickly. With a base coat and a top coat, my home-done pedicures last at least a week without touch-ups. A few touch-ups stretches that to two or three weeks. Which is fantastic, since I don't have time these days for doing weekly pedicures.

• Old Navy's plaid or gingham camp shirts - I apologize for sounding like a massive advertisement, however, I tried one of these on last week, loved it but put it back because I couldn't justify buying a shirt. Then I obsessed about it for a day or two and went back and bought one (the white with small red/blue/purple plaid). I received many compliments on it, plus it was just so comfortable. It was cut perfectly, with just a little nip at the waist to provide shape, but not too much so I felt like I should be wearing a corset with it. The bonus was I thought it was only a 3/4 length sleeve that had been rolled up, but it is long sleeve, which means it will be perfect for layering in the winter. So I went back and bought three more in different colors.

• Mystery novels set in Britain in the past - These are my brain-break books. When I need to check out, I will happily escape to the rarified (yet oddly dangerous) estates, manor houses, and small villages of England of the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Agatha Christie is obviously a fave, however, I also recommend the Lord Peter Whimsey series by Dorothy L. Sayers and the Flavia De Luce series by Alan Bradley. I recently found a new series, the Honourable Daisy Dalrymple series by Carola Dunn. I read the first book Thursday night and enjoyed it. Imagine Agatha Christie's Miss Marple as a young 25 year-old impoverished aristocrat (complete with tragic tale of a brother AND a true love killed in WWI) working as a society writer traveling amongst characters culled from P.G. Wodehouse and Dorothy L. Sayers novels. It makes me wish I were British and could say things like "topping," "spiffing," "old thing," and "cheerio."

• Beets, edamame, and chickpeas in salads - I'm semi-successfully trying to improve my eating habits, specifically eating more vegetables and less non-vegetables, especially meat. If I had the means I would spend every lunch hour eating from the salad bar at a local grocery, because they offer fantastic things like beets, edamame, and chickpeas that make a salad tasty make dressings unnecessary. I've had to use frozen and/or canned versions of them to make my own, as it is far, far cheaper. Plus, it adds some heft to the salad. Add some crushed walnuts or sunflower seeds and you have got yourself a delicious and filling salad.

• Costume jewelry, specifically huge cocktail rings - For some reason I enjoy wearing a massive ring. It gives me a sense of power for some reason. Try it - they are just fun, plus they are a trend right now so you can find them for under $10 in most clothing stores.

• Doctor Who t-shirts from teefury.com - Teefury offers t-shirts loaded with pop culture-y goodness with a large helping of geek. The catch of the website is you only have 24 hours to order, then they print and ship. I've missed some fun ones, which are saved as bittersweet reminders in the gallery, but I also have a growing collection that I rarely have the opportunity to wear. But who can turn down a $10 t-shirt?

• Finding surprises for my nieces and soon-to-be-born nephew - I love being able to spoil them and since their birthdays (and births) are all happening in the next few months, I get to spoil them rotten! Also, how can I resist buying superhero onesies when I find them at Old Navy? Start the geekifying young!

• Adding the color orange to my wardrobe - After years (possibly decades? Am I really that old?) of dying my hair a dark auburn, I let it go back to something resembling my natural color. I think. It has been a while. Anyway, now that my hair is not auburn, I have found I can actually wear colors in the red-orange/orange/coral family. Which is fabulous. I love the color, especially paired with turquoise or green-blue. I have been adding quite a bit of it to my wardrobe recently. Dresses, shirts, tanks, anything really. I'm now on the hunt for orange shoes because I want to recreate this look Obviously also in the hunt for a similar dress, but that really has nothing to do with anything.

• Tall, skinny, British men who act - This isn't necessarily a new obsession (see: Tenant, David and  Grant, Cary) but I've found some new ones to obsess over. Also, it isn't necessarily the fact they are actors that is part of the obsession, but they are the only tall, skinny British men to whom I am exposed, seeing as how I still haven't found a way to move to England. The latest additions to this sub-genre of the Fantasy Boyfriend League are Benedict Cumberbatch (who has, perhaps, the best English name ever!) and Tom Hiddleston. Benedict Cumberbatch is best known for being Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series. Also, he has a dreamy voice. IF you don't believe me, listen to this. Mr. Cumberbatch will next be heard as the voice of Smaug in The Hobbit in December and the villain in Star Trek next summer. Tom Hiddleston is best known for his role as Loki in last year's Thor and the record-breaking blockbuster that is The Avengers. He also played F. Scott Fitzgerald in Midnight in Paris (which you need to see if you haven't already - the movie is genius.) Mr. Hiddleston is currently working on adaptations of Henry IV (parts 1 and 2) and Henry V, which should be on British TV for the build up to 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth in 2014. Hopefully it will cross the pond shortly thereafter. He will also be part of Thor 2, which was announced recently. I can understand that if you are not attracted by men who are slightly (or more-than-slightly) unhinged and your only exposure to him is as Loki, you might not get my new obsession with Mr. Hiddleston. To which I say, do a Google image search of recent photo shoots and photo calls for The Avengers. You can thank me later.

Summer Vacation

I spent a few days on the Oregon coast for a few days this month for my stepmother's family reunion. It was so beautiful there - I want to permanently relocate to a tiny beach house somewhere along there in the near future. Can you blame me?

I went crabbing for the first time while I was there - thankfully the rain stopped shortly after we started. It was fun, but wet. And I don't eat shellfish, so I didn't partake in the fruits of our labors. 

A few days after I got home, my friend Tina Spahkle came up for a visit. We had a lot of fun, most of it when we left our cameras behind, but we did manage to capture a few fun pictures while exploring Larrabee State park.

Most of the rest of my summer has been spent worrying about student teaching, finding a job, and facing the real world again. And I have a stack of partially read books I need to finish in the next four weeks. Good times.

I Have Been Reduced To Tears, But In A Good Way

For the past little while I have felt a bit invisible, that people aren't seeing or hearing me. Sometimes it is because a professor seems to purposely misunderstand my comments in class or because the world of my ward seems to move in an orbit that I don't quite occupy or because sometimes when people call me to see how I'm doing we end up talking more about them or sometimes it is quite literal, like when the man in the truck pulled out right in front of me despite looking right at me. So I have been feeling a little neglected. Part of it is my own fault, I tend to operate in some sort of guilt-ridden caretaker mode in which everyone's need seem to be more important than my own and I don't realize how much I have alienated the people who try to take care of me. My mom was one of the few people who could force me to let her take care of me. I also tend to keep things to myself, to let the storm rage in my head while I put up a facade of calm. But, regardless of the source, I have felt invisible. I was feeling tired and a little put upon after a long day of running from 7:30 in the morning until I got home at 9 tonight. I walked in the door and noticed an unopened boxed set of DVDs of a British television series I love but only told, maybe, two people in Bellingham that I love it. I asked my roommate about them and she told me they had been dropped off, for me, by a family we know, a family who probably has as a tight a budget as I do if not tighter, with the simple explanation that they were for me because I deserved them. I haven't called to thank them yet, partly because it is late and partly because every time I think about it I start to cry. I don't know if I'll ever be able to tell them how much their gift means to me. It is just like something my mom used to do.

End Result

I took the plunge and called my stylist today - she had an appointment open this evening and by 8 o'clock I was walking out of the salon feeling like a million dollars. I LOVE my new hair. It feels wonderful and is fun and youthful and makes my glasses look cooler and makes me feel less dowdy. Behold:

I do apologize for the hasty, camera-timer, poor lighting pictures. I'm a little excited. All I can say is "Yay!"

How I Would Recommend Spending New Year's Eve

For Christmas I received a set that included Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve, and Ocean's Thirteen. My dad and I opted to have an Ocean's marathon for New Year's Eve. We took a quick break before midnight to watch the ball drop in Time's Square. I must say that being curled up in a warm blanket watching these movies, regardless of whether you prefer Brad Pitt, George Clooney, or Matt Damon, it is a great way to spend 6 hours on a cold winter's night. Hope you all had lovely evenings yourselves and are not too worn out by last night's festivities!

Quick Note

I realize I owe you all a very long post catching you all up on my many doings these past couple of weeks, but seriously, I'm fairly overwhelmed by the whole experience and haven't had time to process. Which means there is no way to explain it in any linear, understandable fashion. Once I get a routine down, I'll be able to organize my thoughts. Plus, I crazily decided to drive home this weekend, so I'm living out of a small bag and forgot half my homework back in my apartment and am generally consumed by chaos. BUT, I do have a little something for you guys - updates on The Gummi Bear and the Peanut!

The Gummi Bear

The Gummie Bear will be 2 months-old on Wednesday and is starting to look like a baby instead of a newborn. She woke her parents up at 4am the other morning giggling. And continued to giggle for quite a while. Which I think bodes well for our relationship! Her very talented mother took this picture, which I think is adorable.

The Peanut

The Peanut just turned 6 months-old last Wednesday. He recently outgrew his 9 month clothes. He loves books, which just makes my heart swell with pride. And anytime I'm on the phone with his mom, The Accidental Housewife, he has to 'talk' very loudly, just so we both know he is still there. Those eyes of his are going to break a lot of hearts someday, don't you agree?

There Will Be Bobbleheads

I had to cheer myself up, as dismantling one's bedroom can be a terribly depressing undertaking, so I headed over to Television Without Pity to see what could be found there. And, oh, how the universe rewarded me! There was a transcript of an interview with The Office's Paul Lieberstein (Toby) and Amy Ryan (the new HR person, Holly) about the upcoming season 5 of The Office. You can read it here. But the best part is at the very end of the interview, in which it was promised that EACH of the show's characters will be getting their own bobblehead. Now, I never understood the obsession with bobbleheads, but I know I love my Dwight K. Schrute bobblehead dearly. And now someone is promising me the possibility of owning a Jim Halpert bobblehead. How awesome is that?

The Olympics Make Me Cry

But in a good way. I try to convince everyone I'm tough, however I'm sure anyone who knows me knows I'm a big old softie. This is nowhere more apparent than when I watch the opening and closing Olympic ceremonies. I missed the Beijing opening ceremonies because I was returning home after a long day of apartment hunting in Bellingham, but I caught the closing ceremonies this evening and I must admit to tearing up.

Part of it might be that, despite my degree in international politics, my political motto can best be expressed "Can't we all just get along?" The Olympics seem to have the same motto, albeit more eloquently expressed. So seeing all the athletes enjoying themselves after accomplishing so much makes me a little misty (although not too misty not to notice that the Ralph Lauren Polo emblem took up a third of team USA's shirts. Nice.). But I nearly broke down into real sobs when the big, red London bus made its appearance to promote the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Sometimes I forget how seriously I miss London and England and how intense my homesickness for that place can still be, especially as autumn draws near and I start thoughts with "Nine years ago today I was in . . . " I so want to go back.

Whilst watching the London presentation for the 2012 games, my heart actually started to hurt. I am not exaggerating. Does that sound insane to you? Because I sometimes question my sanity when I think back about how much I loved it there. Would it be committing treason to say I felt like I belonged in London more than any other place I have lived? Is it totally naive to think that I do belong there? Am I just waxing nostalgic and looking at the whole experience through rose-colored glasses? Is it crazy to feel more at home in a foreign country than in m own? These are questions I ask myself on a regular basis. All because, when I see a red, double-decker bus I start to cry.

Things I Am Currently Obsessed With

1. Rockferry by Duffy.  She has a similar vocal quality to Amy Winehouse, but her songs don't remind you of how sad and lost the singer is.
   
2. Coldplay.  I bought their new album Viva La Vida and I found a used copy of Parachutes, which I didn't own because when it came out I thought if 107.5 The End played the song "Yellow" one more time, someone would have to die.  But I've spent the past few days listening to the four albums and I really like them.  Check out the band's appearance on The Daily Show here.
   
3. Making chocolate chip cookies.  I can't leave the cookie jar empty.  My secret recipe involves changing the 2 tsps of vanila to 1 tsp of vanilla and 1 tsp of almond extract.
   
4. Catching up on the first season of Burn Notice on hulu.com.  I caught an episode at my aunt's earlier this month and now I'm hooked.  Everything looks so pretty on my Mac!
   
5. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.  I loved this book.  I'm thinking of reading it again, just to enjoy the details that I rushed through to finish the story.
   

My One True Love

Other than George, of course.  Although, I can take this one to bed with me and no one bats an eye

Synchronize Your Watches!

Just wanted to remind all you fans of lush literary adaptations that the Masterpiece Theatre Austen-athon starts on Sunday. For me, it means that at 8 o'clock for the next ten Sundays I will be found ensconced on the couch in my flannel pajamas with some dark chocolate . I've heard good things about the version of Persuasion they are airing Sunday. Oh, and for you X-Philes, Gillian Anderson (aka the REAL Scully) is the new host of Masterpiece Theatre. Enjoy!

Birthday Cake

It was a lovely birthday weekend and to thank you all for your birthday wishes, I thought I would share a cake recipe I kind of invented and people really seemed to enjoy. Since we couldn't have a piece of cake together on my birthday, here is the best I could do:

Chocolate Cherry Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 8 oz can pitted cherries in water
• 1 8 oz can cherry pie filling (heavy syrup)
• 1 Devil's Food cake mix
• chocolate chips in your favorite flavor (milk, semi-sweet, or dark)
• almond extract

Directions:

Drain can of pitted cherries, save liquid and set cherries aside. Follow the instructions for the cake mix, substituting the liquid for the water. Once batter is mixed, add drained cherries, 1 cup choclate chips, and a dash of almond extract. Bake in bundt cake pan according to cake mix instructions. Also, be really good about greasing the pan, as this cake is heavier than normal and is liable to stick when coming out of the pan. Cool completely and top with cherry pie filling.

Enjoy!

The Wishlist

When I was in Utah several weeks ago, the lovel ZB asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I really had no reply. I've spent a lot of time lately focusing on what needs to be done and haven't thought much about what I want. Plus, all my dreams came true when The Accidental Housewife and Mr. Big gave me a plane ticket and free room and board for a week in CA. What more could a girl want? Well, I did some thinking and here is my birthday wishlist. Not that I expect anything, but since my brother Mime has proved that if you tell the universe what you want, sometimes it listens. Especially to him. (For those of you who don't know Mime personally, he has the luck of the Irish. Even as a kid, he ALWAYS won stuff. Today is no different, as he walks into The Store That Shall Not Be Named and wins a Nintendo Wii and finds internships that pay $16.90/hour). So this wishlist is mostly for the universe and represents no implication that I in anyway expect something from you lovely readers, because I would be completely mortified if anybody took it that way.

The Wishlist:

• The Office Season 3 DVDs
• A nice, reliable watch that goes with everything. Something like this only, you know, affordable.
• I realize this is completely contrary to this experience we call life, but I would really like to know that I have a secure future. I would like to know that I will be able to progress toward a real career, rather than be stuck in a series of dead-end, menial jobs that get me nowhere.
  
• Mary Kay Satin Lips lip balm. This is the best lip balm ever and it lasts and lasts. I love it.
• an iPod. I have a the iPod Shuffle, which is great for workouts etc., but not so much for creating a portable music collection. In black, of course.
• I would like to have friends that lived in the same zip code as I. All my bestest friends live two or three states away and it is turning me into an internet junkie.
  
• One of those iTunes cards. I'm afraid that if I just went searching on iTunes with my debit card, I would bankrupt myself shortly. It would be good to go crazy, within a limit. Also, it would make me much more discerning.
• North & South, both the DVD and the book. I'm totally obsessed with the story now.
• Someone to flirt with. Preferrably tall, dark, and British.
• The Suit from Banana Republic.
• My secret trust fund. I know it is out there somewhere. It would be a perfect birthday gift.
• One of these to go about town in. I'm sure it would help with the London withdrawls I go through this time each year.

There you have it, dear readers. The universe can start working on this list post-haste. And you all should start making your own lists to submit to the universe. If my brother can do it, so can we!

Lucky 13

I did an inventory of sorts on my blog archives and realized I have become negative in the extreme. Not that it hasn't been a magnificently unfortunate summer or that I should sugar-coat my blog entries, as it is the closest thing to a journal I will ever have. It is just that negativity is cyclical and can drag one down if you let it. So in honor of today, the 13th, thirteen having always been a lucky number for me, I will share 13 things that make me smile.

1. My Season 2 Supernatural DVDs, which I pre-ordered way back in June, are somewhere between an Amazon.com warehouse in Kentucky and my mailbox. That little box contains 22+ hours of the deliciousness that is Dean Winchester. Huzzah!

2. I realized that when I look at my closet I am satisfied with its contents. There isn't really anything I feel I am lacking, except of course that beautiful suit from Banana Republic I blogged about a while back. And maybe one of those cute shifts with the pintucked scoop necks that all are the rage this fall. But really, I'm content fashion-wise AND shoe-wise. That is something.

3. Public libraries and the lovely people like Miss Nemesis who staff them. Without these wonderful institutions, I wouldn't be able to afford my book habit. And also, any place that encourages children to slow down, turn off the noise and think is truly fantastic.

4. All my lovely friends and family who are embarking on new adventures great and small. They inspire me.

5. Having a positive bank balance five months running, being responsible enough to keep the check book balanced AND having my running balance match my banks. That hasn't happened in years.

6. My upcoming trip to California. I cannot wait to spend a week with The Accidental Housewife, Mr. Big, and their dog, Dudley. It is on the calendar at work, which means it is official, come hell, highwater, or jury summons.

7. Teaching 14-15 year-old girls at church. Sure they can be giggly and easily distracted, but listening to them reminds me of how big the world was then and the rush of feeling you could conquer it. Adolescence is hard, I still bear the scars, but it is also a time of never-ending hope and when I listen to them chat I wonder when exactly that was beaten out of me and what I need to do to reclaim it.

8. Rediscovering country music. I went through a country phase during junior high, and I previously commented on how even now I am drawn to it when I'm sad or not feeling well. So I have been listening to it a lot lately. And I realized I do like some of it. So here are some songs that you should listen to, just once, because they make me smile: Something's Gotta Give by Leann Rimes; Free and Easy Down the Road I Go by Dierks Bentley; Suds In The Bucket by Sara Evans; All My Friends Say by Luke Bryan; Online by Brad Paisley. You should really check out the video for Online for the cameos alone. Especially you Seinfeld fans.

9. Facing a weekend in which I neither have to travel anywhere, nor have anything scheduled. I will probably clean the house, as it is verging on seriously nasty, but I can do that in my pajamas.

10. The hint of fall in the air every morning. It won't be too long now until I can pull my beloved turtlenecks out of confinement. Also looking forward to opaque tights, knee-high boots, and leaves turning beautiful colors.

11. 13 days, 23 hours and 35 minutes until The Office returns to my television set.

12. Halloween falls on Wednesday, which means there will probably be a Church activity, giving me an excuse to bust out my seriously awesome Daphne (from Scooby-Doo) costume.

13. The thought of making a hair appointment to make my hair a lovely dark(er) auburn. It may not be natural, but I think it was the color I was born to wear. I'll post pics when it is done.

Can You Pick Up An Accent In 48 Hours?

I'm back from my whirlwind tour of Michigan. And by whirlwind tour I mean a 3 hour lay-over in Detroit, followed by a 45-minute drive from Grand Rapids to Grand Haven. (Side note that will expose me as a total geek/fangirl: When I found out years ago that Gillian Anderson, AKA the Real Scully, had lived in Grand Rapids and had family there, I was ecstatic and wondered if we were not distantly related. I know, obssess much, but I was having an identity crisis at the time.) I had great fun seeing most of the family and all the cute children my cousins are producing. Also, my cousin, The Nepalese Expert, and I bonded over a) being single and near 30 and b) men with British/Irish/Scottish accents, specifically Daniel Craig and Gerard Butler. It was great fun and here are some pictures from the weekend for your viewing pleasure.

Here are Mime and Mrs. Mime showing their work ethic at the Dutch Village in Holland, Michigan. There is a random little museum/tourist attraction in Holland that highlights how the Dutch lived a couple hundred years ago. Anyway, they make Delft-style items and you can buy wooden shoes, although I don't know why you would want them. They are heavy and seem hard to maneuver.

Here are some cute ducklings in a fountain in Holland. The ducks run wild and I'm sure become a nuisance at some point, but they are cute here. The village also had baby goats you could walk and Shetland ponies, but none of them were ready for a photo-op, so I had to settle for the ducks.

Here are my dad, Mime, and Mrs. Mime enjoying a little role reversal. Mime looks especially thrilled.

Here is the pier on Lake Michigan. Grand Haven is on the coast of Lake Michigan and has a really lovely beach. There is a long boardwalk and you can walk right to the end of the pier, which has always been one of my favorite things to do when we visit Grand Haven. My dad and Aunt Lo are the two walkers ahead of me. Mime and Mrs. Mime dropped from exhaustion some time earlier.

Here is a picture from the end of the pier looking back. You can see that it is a long walk, but what you can't see is how lovely the beach area is. I got many a 3rd degree sunburn visiting this beach as a child. Which is why I'm now slightly paranoid about skin cancer and wear sunscreen to drive to work.

Grand Haven is known as Coast Guard City, USA and every year, the first weekend in August, there is a huge Coast Guard Festival with visiting ships, shows, a parade, a carnival and fireworks. The family reunion is always planned to coincide with the Coast Guard Festival, to give people an added incentive for coming. Most of my Dad's family lives in Michigan or Wisconsin and we are the black sheep of the family for living west of the Rocky Mountains.

The Coast Guard Festival brings lots of boat enthusiasts and this is a pic of a huge sailboat you can reserve passage on and enjoy an evening of dining and sailing. Which sounded awesome, since from a distance it looks rather like something from Pirates of the Caribbean, especially if you went with someone who looked like Johnny Depp or Orlando Bloom.

Finally, here are few pictures of the fireworks show. I must say, it was impressive. These pictures don't do it justice, partially because my camera was being difficult and I got a lot of pictures of blurry streaks of light and partly because I only remembered to take pictures during the less amazing moments. But enjoy them all the same!

All-in-all, the weekend was great. The only downside was how many hours I spent in an airplane or an airport over the four days of the trip. Also, I spent so much time with my family that I picked up the Midwest accent. I endured no end of mocking from Mime and Mrs. Mime about the way I said 'coffee' in the Seattle airport yesterday. Until my brother said 'Costco' today, with the same flattened 'o' sound. And so Mrs. Mime and I mocked him. But seriously, was it immersion or some sort of genetic memory that brought on this Midwest accent?

Things That Are Wicked Awesome

Seeing as how I'll be out of town for the next 4 days and will be unable to obsessively check to see how many people like me, I thought I would leave you with a few things that made my day.

Getting rid of my Utah license. I have a Washington drivers license again. I didn't have to take a test to get it, either. In fact, because I used to have a Washington license AND I took Driver's Ed in Washington, I didn't have to show any supporting documents or do anything more than take an eye test. Which I passed, even though I think I had my contacts in the wrong eyes today.

Finding out I got a raise. I opened my paycheck today and the stub told me I had received a $0.75/hour raise. My first instinct was to call the woman who does payroll to correct the mistake, but then I remembered that the payrol is checked by at least two people, so it is a real raise. And I didn't even know about it.

Only buying gasoline once a month. Because I only drive around my small little town, maybe going out of town once a month, I only have to fill up my car's tank once a month. My monthly fuel budget is under $30.

Having a 5 day weekend. Even though at least 16 hours during that 5 day weekend will be spent on airplanes or in airports, I am still looking forward to not having to go into the office for 5 consecutive days. Huzzah!

Technically being paid to read a book. I had to sit and wait at the County Courthouse for an hour today while various people argued over whether or not a deal could close and documents could record, so I was being paid (my new, $0.75 more per hour, rate) to sit under a tree and read A.S. Byatt's Possession: A Reader's Guide which I have been wanting to read forever and finally, through the generosity of some truly lovely friends, got from Amazon.com. It is completely interesting and I would recommend it to anyone who has read Possession: A Romance, because that is one dense book, and there is no way one can pick up all the references and theory in it. And I got to read it on the clock. I believe the words you are looking for are 'wicked awesome.' Have a great weekend!

This Is Where I'm At

Things I'm Finding Infinitely Enjoyable:

• Saturdays with no scheduled events. It has been at least a month since I've enjoyed a lazy Satruday morning. And even though I just spent 3 hours cleaning the kitchen -- the heavy duty cleaning that involves the oven AND the deep, dark depths of cupboards -- I did it on my terms and because I felt like it. Which is a lovely feeling. Too bad I can't get around to cleaning Mr. Rochester's bowl.

• The following songs: Hey Julie by Fountains of Wayne, Creepin' In by Norah Jones and Dolly Parton, You Make Me Feel Like Dancing by Leo Sayer, Mexico by James Taylor, Have You Met Miss Jones by Robbie Wiliams, and Baba O'Riley by The Who. I think you should all check them out for yourselves if you haven't heard them.

• Ballet flats. I love the fact that you can find them everywhere these days and have acquired a basket full of them already this summer. They are perfect for work, especially in an office where every day is jean day.

• Target.com. I am 70 miles from the nearest Target and it makes it bearable to browse the store's wares from my bedroom. Also I ordered this adorable pair of ballet flats and this new messenger bag. My old messenger bag (the one I bought in a shop called Oasis in Whitely's in London) followed me through the past 8 years and has been to England, Ireland, Scotland, Washington D.C., Utah, and Washington state with me. Sadly it has seen better days and I would like to keep it as a souvenir, rather than let it disintegrate into oblivion.

• My bed. I know I've talked about how lovely it is before but I thought I should reiterate how much I love my bed. I'm seriously not in it enough and part of my reasoning in saving for a laptop is that I can be on the computer in bed.
  

• I'm hearing that there will be 30 episodes of The Office next season. How wonderful is that? I'm obsessed with the show and having that many episodes of Jim & Co. will make it so much grander.
  

• Still being able to be irresponsible. Thursday night I stayed up WAY past my bedtime to see John Krasinski on Conan. I'm sure staying up until 1:30 am is not the best thing for me, but not only is Mr. Krasinski rocking his new, shorter, hair, I also got to hear a story about George Clooney. That is killing two obsessions with one stone! Check out Give Me My Remote for the video.

• Graham crackers. I never bought them when I lived on my own and I forgot how much I liked them. It really is the simple things in life.

Things That Annoy Me To No End

• Overly air-conditioned offices that require you to wear winter clothes to work just so your hands don't turn blue and fall off.

• The band Hinder. Their lead singer always looks like he is in the middle of a seizure and they sing stupid songs about being two-timing toolbags. This only serves to remind me about my friend's two-timing toolbag ex whom I loathe with the passion of a thousand fiery suns.
  

• Making life-altering decisions. Even the smallest decisions -- like where to get my hair cut -- fills me with confusion. Making huge decisions about where to go and what to do with the rest of my life just make me want to curl into a ball under the covers and hide.
  

• People who insist you make friends with their children. Especially when said children are much younger and live very sheltered lives. It is also annoying for the parents to nag you about it at your mother's funeral. Incidentally, these are the same people who thought it appropriate to highlight my Singleton status at the funeral. Good times.
  

Reasons To Smile Today

1. The sun is shining and the sky looks like a movie backdrop.

2. My boss enrolled me in the company healthcare plan a month early.

3. He also gave me a raise.

4. My brother and sister-in-law are flying in tonight.

5. My mom's hospice nurse came today and told her that her lungs sounded clear and that her kidney function had improved ever-so-slightly. Which is awesome. We might be able to keep her around for a little longer.

My Lucky Day

Not only did I get a job today and manage to plunk out a recognizable four bars of "When the Saints Go Marching In" (left AND right hands) on the piano this afternoon, I found this in my junk email folder:

UK National Lottery,
PO Box 1010
Liverpool,L70 1NL,
United Kingdom,
Draw Date 15/04/2007
Ref: XYL /26510460037/05
Batch: 24/00319/IPD

WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the draw (#1167) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY, online Sweepstakes International program held on Sunday 15th February 2007.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545188 with Serial number 5368/02
drew the lucky numbers: 04 10 21 22 25 38 31(Bonus ball) which subsequently won you the lottery in the 1st category i.e. match 6 plus bonus. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £1,532,720 (One Million, Five Hundred And Thirty Two Thousand, Seven Hundred And Twenty Pounds Sterling) in cash credited to file XYL /26510460037/05 This is from a total cash prize of £4,596,411 (Four Million, Five Hundred And Ninety Six Thousand, Four Hundred And Eleven Pounds Sterling) shared amongst the Three (3) lucky winners in this category i.e. match 6 plus bonus.

To file for your claim,Please contact our Fiduciary Agent for VALIDATION.
Mr James Keegan.
Foreign Services Manager, Payment and Release order
Department,CLAIMS PROCESSING LOTTERY AGENT.
TRANS-ATLANTIC S.A LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 703 184 5461
E-mail :payofficerkeegan02@yahoo.co.uk
Yours faithfully,
SCOTT DAVIS.
UK Lottery Online Coordinator.

Now, considering the British pound is worth over 2 American dollars this could be the secret trust fund I've been whining about all my life. Because I'm sure an honest and above board pay officer from the British lottery has a Yahoo address. Hee.