A Little of This

Posted on October 7, 2005 by Frog

Last night I had dinner with some friends and afterwards I went to Kroger. They had a ton of the Botan Rice candy. So, I’ve been looking for something for years and now it’s everywhere. I bought 4 boxes. Kroger was selling it for less than a dollar. The other store for a little over a dollar. At least it is still as tasty as I remember. Very orangey.

I also got some Halloween candy while I was out last night. This is the first year I’ve purchased candy for us to give out at our house. When we lived in the old house there was never a trick or treater in the eight Halloweens we were there.

I also got a cheap string of pumpkin lights to decorate the front porch. I hope kids show up. Otherwise there will be a ton of gummy body parts going down my gullet.

The best news yet is that it is finally raining in Virginia. Not only did we have the second warmest summer in recorded history, we also had the driest September. I let the shower run this morning. Bliss.

The National Folk Festival is playing in Richmond this weekend. And, if that wasn’t enough fun, there’s an Oktoberfest at the Raceway complex. Even with the rain, I think we may venture out for some of the Folk Festival. I’m not so sure about the Oktoberfest. It sure beats spending $25 to go to our neighborhood’s block party. $25 to hang around with people I don’t know and don’t want to know. I think I’d rather spend my cash going to a larger cultural event and eating something other than soggy hot dogs and limp potato chips.

Posted in Thinking | 1 Comment

My 30 Year Search Is Over

Posted on October 5, 2005 by Frog

Once when I was a small child (less than 8), one of my aunts gave me a piece of candy while I was sitting on the back steps. It was a sunny day and she had just walked out of our utility room. She told me that it was special candy from very far away and I could eat the wrapper. Eat the wrapper?

I ate the wrapper and I remember the candy was good. I remember the candy was orange. I remember there was a certain texture to it. I’ve remembered the whole scene for more than 30 years. I’ve never seen that candy since. Until last night.

Posted in Eating | 7 Comments

She’s Damaging My Calm

Posted on October 5, 2005 by Frog

Joss Whedon will you please keep making Serenity movies? The story was compelling and the dialogue witty. The better-half said after the movie was over that he missed watching the show every week. Me too.

Speaking of movies, while we were in the theater last night, I realized for a goodly amount of time I was the only woman in the audience. Then my sci-fi sisters rolled in just before the trailers. All told there were still way more men watching the movie then women.

Posted in Watching | Comments Off

She Could See The Sun

Posted on October 3, 2005 by Frog

Sunday morning at 5:30 The Niece called our names. She was standing right next to the bed peering through the darkness. She said she could see the sun. The better-half picked her up and put her in the bed with us. I told her she needed to snuggle up with us which she did for about 15 seconds.

I’m a master at bugging the better-half in the morning when I want to get up and he wants to sleep. We’ve mostly called a truce and he gets to sleep until 9ish on the weekends. The Niece made me proud with her bugging. She does the same things I do–touch his face, touch his nose, touch his ear, touch his neck.

It wasn’t until she sat on my bladder that I decided I needed to get up. By 7:30 she was finished with breakfast and watching Blue’s Clues. We sat at the kitchen table with our heads on the table.

When I got done with my shower the better-half was lying on the couch under the blanket and The Niece was sitting on his chest. It was really cute. I sat down at the end of the couch and the better-half curled up. The Niece sat on my lap and we watched Blue’s Clues together. The better-half started snoring.

We later found out The Niece took a long nap on Sunday. We weren’t the only ones who were tired.

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Mostly Because I’m Evil

Posted on October 1, 2005 by Frog

Last night my sister called to confirm the time for dropping off The Niece for her sleepover. I calmly said “what drop-off time”. There was a gaping hole of silence on the other end of the line. Then I laughed maniacally and said “kidding”. The better-half shouted out “Sucker”.

The Niece is due here in 10 minutes. We’re hardly able to stay calm. The day will be filled with superfantastichugelyawesome FUN.

Posted in Thinking | 1 Comment

Drunken Elephant

Posted on September 30, 2005 by Frog

I finally went to lunch with a co-worker today. We’ve tried to get together for lunch for a few months and it has become comical how many times we’ve had to cancel. Today the planets must have aligned because there we were tucking into two plates of Drunken Noodle with Shrimp.

The restaurant is on a busy corner just off campus and I swear there are more kids on campus in the Fall than there are in the Spring. Maybe I just think that’s true coming off a summer session that seemed pretty light to me. Once again, I’m thrilled to be working there and I’m thrilled to have a colleague who likes to eat on the daring side. Not that Thai is that daring, but at least it is different and SPICY. The Nam Prik Dang (or as I like to call it Hell in a Jar) rocked my boat.

Posted in Eating | 2 Comments

Before My Sister Gets Me

Posted on September 28, 2005 by Frog

Monday night my sister and I went out to dinner and while we were on the way home she said I had plenty of fodder for the blog. I figured it was about time I used all of that material up.

We went to a local restaurant that does a Cheap Date Night and we scored big. For $35 we split a bottle of wine, a house salad, a bowl of penne pasta with puttanesca sauce and bread pudding for dessert. De-darn-licious. My sister is a pretty good cheap date. As far as good material, all I’ll say is that she got a little loopy on the wine. Good times.

While we were headed to the restaurant, I asked if we could take The Niece to the State Fair this weekend. We’re babysitting and thought it would be fun to introduce The Niece to the thrills and chills of elephant ears, funnel cakes, cotton candy, corn dogs, greasy pizza slices and sno-cones. Oh, and all the animals too. We have permission to go and I have to admit we’re a little excited. I’m sure by the time Saturday evening rolls around the three of us will be cashed out on the couch before the sun goes down.

Posted in Eating | 1 Comment

The Roof is on Fire

Posted on September 27, 2005 by Frog

This, my friends, is a roof.

Posted in House Proud | 2 Comments

Where Do I Start?

Posted on September 27, 2005 by Frog

Amazon. I ordered items from you on 9/15. Where’s the quick delivery and shipping times I’m so used to? This is the last time I actually pay to have shipping expedited. And, why is it so hard to find out how to contact you? I don’t want to read a bunch of pages with links on them. Give me your damn contact info. Amazon you get a big fat F today.

Mother Nature. You suck too. It is September 27th. It is still hot and humid here. In case you hadn’t noticed September 27th is Fall. Oh yeah, we need some freaking rain too.

MSN Music. When I buy a song, I expect that it will actually be the song I paid for. You name them correctly but when I play them I get some other song not even by the artist.

And, finally, to the deadbeat who sold us this house. We got a phone call here today from a company with whom you have a breach of contract. I called them back and gave them the little bit of information I had about you. So, when LTD Financial hunts your deadbeat butt down, you’ll know it was me who put them back on the trail. When people steal it really pisses me off because theft makes me have to pay more for services. Karma will hunt you down, jerk.

Posted in General Spleen Venting | 1 Comment

P-P-P-Power

Posted on September 23, 2005 by Frog

I was behind one of these on the way home this afternoon and I purposely sped up just so I could give it the Look. I was afraid the driver was going to get on the interstate and I just didn’t want him to go without a Look.

Lucky for me, the driver was going the same way as I was and once we were alone I think he gave me a show. Maybe I just want to believe he was putting the car through its paces just to show me. I turned off the radio so I could hear his engine. The Wanda Honda tried to keep pace because what the engine lacks in pick-up the driver makes up for in driving skill on back roads. I know no fear and will take curves like I’m driving a muscle car.

He gave me one last demonstration and then responsibly used his blinker and turned off the road. I was grinning like a fool.

I blame this insanity on this car…my first. Mine was black with grey detailing.

Posted in Watching | 6 Comments