Enlightenment

An "aha" moment occurred a minute ago. My daughters are sitting at the desk near me creating something on the computer. My eight-year old said, "I feel disgusting...I feel gross."

The 12-year-old said, "Why?"

Kristen replied, "I haven't had a shower in, like, forever!"

It's only been since Monday afternoon. It's Wednesday morning now. Oh my goodness. Cool. Maybe Christmas vacations are good for your kids' hygiene growth and development.

Snow day?!?!

The kids are out of school for a snow/ice day tomorrow. (You know, here in Texas, it doesn't take much to turn the roads into hazardous places, and you're better staying away from them and all those crazy drivers who don't have a clue how to drive on ice!)

I don't know whether to be happy, or sad that they'll be home. I think I should be very afraid. They turn into strange creatures in this situation. I should be fairly insane by 1 or so tomorrow afternoon. I'll let ya know.

How old are you? Me, too! Wanna play?

Isn't it funny how when we are kids, we spend a lot of time looking for other friends who are our age? My son reminds me about how when he was little, I'd try to get him to watch a movie because "it has a little boy in it your age," and he always thought that was lame, because that didn't guarantee it was a good movie. (I never knew he thought that...) When we join clubs, or churches, or go to parties, we tend to look around and figure out "who's our age" to see if we can hang out with them. I mean, I'm sure I must have everything in common with all the 40-year-old ladies out there. (GEEZ that number still sounds so stinkin' BIG.)

Well, today I'm thinking about how much we miss by trying to paint ourselves into the age=commonalities corner. I spent a really fun day (other than the fact that it was work and I had to ride a super-sonic elevator four times that messed with my equilibrium BAD) with my co-worker and friend. She's about ten years younger than me. One of my best friends is about 12 years older than me. I have more in common with both of them than just about anyone else I know when it comes to the things we like to do, read, watch, talk about, etc.

Take the path less traveled, you'll be amazed at who's out there. I am so thankful for these two.

Can someone loan me a 6X6X6 foot box of pennies?

We could almost pay for college for Ryan at a private university with it!

Check out this fun site!

http://www.kokogiak.com/megapenny/default.asp

Interesting news articles today

A lady who participates in a forum I am a member of for MDDS was featured in these articles in the UK today. She was featured in her local paper (Manchester Evening News) yesterday, and then the national papers picked the story up today. She is hoping that getting some national attention (in the UK anyway) will get more doctors or researchers interested in finding a treatment or cure for this yucky stuff. I consider myself very fortunate after reading her articles in that mine typically only lasts a month or so at a time, but the experiences and emotions she described when seeking her diagnosis as well as the way I feel many days are the same. I'm not suicidal, don't worry, but I can't imagine having this for four years!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/11/16/nsea16.xml

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=368808&in_page_id=1770

More from the "Right" Coast

My friend told me she was enjoying my postings about the Right Coast, so I thought I'd write more. I've never heard it called that. Have I been sleeping? One of the things I always enjoy doing when I travel is, as you know, taking lots of pictures. It is one of the especially fun things for me when I am wandering around alone because I know I'm not slowing anyone else down when I take the same shot 10 times to get it "just right." Todd was really patient with me in Newport, RI last Friday when we walked up and down the beautiful avenues where many people built "summer cottages" around the turn of the century (18th to 19th, that is!). I was going for that just right picture of the famed fall foliage. It was difficult because for some reason, the East Coast decided to stay green this year! There were just enough gorgeous trees and vines in dramatic shades of red, yellow, and orange to keep me busy, though. Another thing I like to do with photos is to capture smaller details of well-known locations. You should have seen me taking pictures of doorknobs and banisters this past spring at the capitol building in Austin. So, this time, I did manage to do that a bit and thought I'd show you some of those things. One of my favorite places on this trip was Salem, in spite of the train ride and resulting equilibrium issues.

I visited the House of the Seven Gables, which is directly across from the little house where Nathaniel Hawthorne was born, although apparently his birth house was originally located a few blocks away and moved to the current location in 1958. The setting for the book of the same name was obviously the House of the Seven Gables, and it was really amazing to walk through these houses that were constructed hundreds of years ago. I read The Scarlet Letter in high school, but never read the Seven Gables book. I bought a copy from the gift shop on the property (which by the way is in a house built in 1655!!) and started to read it last week. I was pleasantly surprised at how interesting it was after struggling a little with the other in high school. Imagine the look on my face, though, when I finished page 10 and went to the top of page 11 to continue and realized it had skipped to about page 252!! I went back and forth a few times to be sure my eyes weren't playing more tricks on me than usual. Sure enough, it skipped about 240 pages, went almost to the end of the book, then started back up at page 43 and to the end again. Pages 11 through 42 were completely missing.

I was really starting to think this whole trip to Salem was not such a good thing. I did visit the Salem Witch Museum, and it was somewhat interesting and sobering to hear about the history and stories of the false accusations leading to many people's deaths, but it was far too commercial. I was starting to wonder if all the warnings about Salem were true and I should have stayed away, though, between my mysterious health problem reappearing and this issue with the book! I'm smarter than that, though. :) I called the gift shop yesterday and they apologized and said they had gotten several calls about that particular edition and would be happy to send me a new one. I told them it gave me a good laugh. I'm hanging onto that book in case it becomes a collector's item!

So, here are some pictures of Salem and of the House of the Seven Gables and Nathaniel Hawthorne's birthplace from my perspective. I'll include a few photos of each in entirety, too, in case you've never been there! The charcoal colored house is Seven Gables; the red one is Hawthorne's birth place. Some of the shots of his birthplace are taken from the little "counting house" which is down a short path. This little building is apparently where the sea captains over the years conducted their business. Or something like that…you can learn more about all that at http://www.7gables.org/ if you'd like!

A black cat in Salem. What a coincidence! 

I was walking in the right direction and was pretty sure I could see part of the Seven Gables property in the distance. Turns out I was correct! That was the counting house. 

Yummy...are they poisonous? What are they? 

Small details make us women happy. 

The door was reinforced by pounding hundreds of nails into it in a diamond pattern. 

The House of the Seven Gables' "back yard" 

From the Counting House 

How perfect is that? 

Birthplace of that Nathaniel dude 

Who is Prithee? ;) 

Gardens between the buildings 

Happy Veterinarians Day

Kristen had to be at school a little early today. They were going to march out and gather around the flagpole and sing a song because it was veterinarians day at school. I thought that was a little odd, but thought nothing more of it. They have special guests sometimes. Later she mentioned she was supposed to wear red, white, and blue. I still thought nothing more of it until I overheard her discussing it with Emilie again this morning. Emilie said, "Do you mean VETERANS Day?"

So, Happy Veterinarians Day to ya.

I mean to post more about my Boston/Newport trip, but haven't felt much like it this week. I am working on some albums of the millions of photos I took on Photo Bucket and will post a link when they are finished. Lots of nature and architecture pics because I was alone most of the week.

It's been a weird week for a few reasons:

1) I have a hole in my laptop computer and nobody's confessing. Yes, a small chunk of the corner of the case is missing and nobody remembers picking it up and dropping it, or dropping something on it to cause this slightly larger than pea-sized hole. My kids are generally pretty honest and so I'm having to give the benefit of the doubt and believe the elves did it. Only other thing I can think of is it was already cracked somehow and the piece just fell out overnight.

2) My goofy equilibrium problem that I get after travel sometimes is back. It hit after I rode the commuter train to Salem last week (I didn't get to go with the companions group after all...long story...my life would be much better at the moment if I had!). It is extremely exhausting and frustrating. So, if you know me and love me, please pray for me that it will pass soon. Ask me how I'm feeling sometimes and let me tell you for a few minutes. I won't dump on you for too long, but it sure helps to talk about it a little. Even though there's nothing you can really do but pray, it helps me feel I can keep going because you care. :)

3) My son turned 17 and that makes me feel strangely mature. He is a lot of fun to talk to right now and I am very proud of him. He has lots of decisions to make about his future--college, etc.--and I am thankful that he wants to include me in those conversations. I love it that we can listen to music together and both like it! We are definitely cut from the same mental cloth, although there are definite natural variations in the weave, as those little tags say that come on certain pieces of new clothing. He may find that scary. :) He has some big dreams, and I hope that I will be the one who says, "Sure, you can!" and not, "There's no way."

Have a good one (you know, a good Veterinarians Day). Stop by and read Heather's blog. She wrote a very sweet post about her little addiction that made me weepy!

I've walked.

I have walked more in the last few days that I have walked since...well, Toronto! I think more, though! They don't call this the "City that Walks" for nothin'. I've done lots of touristy things and hopefully some more off the beaten path things and it's been fun! I rode a subway (The T) back and forth several times the other day attempting to get to Concord to see Orchard House, where Louisa May Alcott wrote Little Women, but never got there. I went to the wrong stop first, then went back, then was going to board the commuter train out there, then decided I didn't have time, so got back on the T and ended up at Harvard, where I wandered for a few hours! See train picture below!
Yesterday, I rode a trolley and got off near "Old Ironsides" (see another pic!), then walked up to Bunker Hill, and then walked UP the monument--all 294 steps! I thought I was pretty much going to die, or at least pass out, by the time I got up there. Even scrawny guys who said they were in shape were huffing and puffing, so I felt pretty good!
I decided if I moved to the Boston area, I'd have to live in the neighborhood where Bunker Hill is--Charlestown. It is a peaceful, "quaint" little area. Lots of pretty townhomes with all kinds of cool decorations on the stoops, and quiet! They have these weird little short doors on the lower levels...I'm still wondering about those.
Well, I'm off to Salem today with a bunch of women. I am spending this one day with the "companion" program for Todd's conference instead of alone.

My feet hurt.

I'm in Boston this week and mean to be posting lots of little anecdotes and incredible pictures, but I'm too tired! I have been trying to make mental note of things overheard while wandering around Boston (I'm mainly sight-seeing alone while Todd's in a conference).

Overheard Monday at the Boston Aquarium:
"Wheah's that shahk?"



Yes, folks, that's a real live shark. Click on it to see it bigger, but not nearly as big as it looked in real life swimming up to the window! The older man with the strong NY accent voiced what we were all thinking!

Overheard on Boston Common:
"You just need to find a girlfriend..." said the preppy college girl in plaid skirt as she stood and rounded the corner where I was taking a break on the monument on the hill, leaving some poor guy in her wake. I wonder what he looked like. She was obviously wishing he'd find HER from the little smile on her face as she walked self-consciously away from him...I had the advantage of seeing her from the front from my vantage point! Wow, that sky was blue!



More later!

That's what friends are for...

Well. Yesterday was it. The it day. The day it happened 40 years ago! Yes, it was my 40th birthday. (Oh, wow, did I say that out loud?)

The day passed with the usual pomp and circumstance--email greetings from friends and family, cards in the mail, a family dinner where my sweet husband brought me red roses and cooked Chicken Parma Rosa (good stuff) and a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. He gave me a copy of the DVD In Good Company, which was the only thing I could think of that I wanted that I didn't have that wouldn't break the budget for our Boston trip.

The girls gave me fun presents. Emilie gave me a lovely picture of a red flower that will be nice in my bathroom. The ONLY thing that gave away that it was from a garage sale was the linty dusty stuff along the top of the frame. I love that girl, she is one after my own heart. Kristen was having me help her make little ghosties from cloth and cotton balls before dinner, and lo and behold, they showed up wrapped for me! They look nice leaning up against the sterling silver candlestick holders and antiqued bronze tray filled with fall foliage on my formal dining table. My son gave me the gift of his presence after a visit to the hospital to see the youth ministers' new baby ("Jake the snake"). Oh, yeah, he also was looking at my old web site and commented that I looked much younger now than I did then. (About 8 years ago! Woo hoo!! Hope he was telling the truth and doesn't just want money...)

Heather, Fabian, and Ian were at dinner, too, and we made all the usual stupid jokes and did other silly stuff we do at dinner together. We were trying to come up with a good costume for Ryan to wear next week when the youth group goes Christmas caroling on Halloween...'cuz that's what they do. I won't tell you what Heather's idea was, but it was pretty dang funny. (It did involve a few people wearing t-shirts with certain letters on the fronts. Kind of like when you do a word scramble. That's as much as you'll get out of me.) One of the funnier ones Fabian came up with was for Ryan to dress like one of those little birds you used to be able to buy at Stuckey's when you were traveling. It bobs and bobs until it dips its beak into a little thing of red liquid, then starts over.

So, anyway, all in all it was a pretty good day. The highlight, however, was when my friend came over to eat lunch. I won't mention any names because she is pretty embarrassed about this, but I loved it! She and I share a birthday week, so she always remembers my birthday. She'll usually mention it a week or so ahead of time, and has sent me a card or email greeting many a time, but never forgets. I am bad about remembering hers, even though it's only a few days after mine!

So, yesterday, my friend gave me the BEST present a friend could give you on your 40th birthday. She forgot!!!! It was hilarious. When she mentioned coming over for lunch so we could talk some work stuff, I figured she knew it was birthday. So, she comes to the house around 11 and spends about three hours. I had bought these yummy sandwiches from Costco that we took our time over, and talked. We can pass a LOT of time just talking about stuff, and typically don't try to get together if we have lots to do, because we know time will pass. There wasn't anything obvious around the house to remind her about my b-day. Except maybe the birthday cards on the kitchen counter.

So, about 15 minutes after she left the house, my cell phone rings. My friend leaves a message because I can't get to the phone. It says, "Julie. Call me as soon as you get this." So, I am cracking up at this point, knowing what she is going to say. I call her and she doesn't even say, "Hello?" Instead she yells, "I am the WORST FRIEND EVER! JUST WRITE ME OFF YOUR FRIEND LIST!!" I am just laughing, and telling her not to worry, that I thought it was funny.

She doesn't believe me, I don't think. She will probably hate me for writing this post about it. Hopefully, she will forgive me. But, honestly, my friend of 18 years or so, who has known me since I was almost a pup, or at least since I was a "cute YOUNG mom" gave me the BEST PRESENT OF MY 40TH BIRTHDAY!!!! She forgot. I love you!!

Mum-ified

Well, this year was the third year Ryan and Whitney did the unique Texas tradition of exchanging "mums" and "garters" for homecoming. They decided that they had had enough of the cute little teddy bears and footballs and traditional homecoming decor, and this year was going to be "Random Mum" year. I had the honor and privilege of assisting my son (i.e. I made it while he watched) with building his. For your viewing pleasure, attached is a picture of him holding the completed product. The hanger is just for moving and storage, although it might have been a nice permanent touch. Apparently, it was a hit at good ol' Nolan High today (Whitney's school). She said people came up to her all day and said, "So-and-so told me I had to come see your mum!!" and a lady who works there that goes to our church found a camera and took a picture of her for the yearbook. I'm wondering if this is the first time in history someone has had this idea. I guess it's kind of like decorating your Christmas tree with kitchen gadgets and super-sized bottles of household cleaners and personal items, maybe? It's just not done. Well, it has now been done, and Ryan and Whitney have made it through another year together and both are known school-wide for their antics. Did I mention previously that Ryan won the best 80s costume and best spirit at his schoolwide pep rally a few weeks ago? See picture down a few posts. I couldn't bring myself to comment at the time. Forgive me for using the word "random" in three posts in a row. It was not intentional.

Figure of speech, anyone?

I get into these random discussions with friends, co-workers, my SPOUSE...about what figures of speech really mean. I guess it's my obsession with grammar and other wordy type preoccupations. Tonight at the dinner table, we had a debate on the REAL meaning of the word "next" in the context of the days of the week. I told them (those people who were arguing with me) that I was going to post a ballot on my blog. My husband said he was going to vote anonymously many times in order to win, but he can't get away with it. I don't have that many readers. >:-}

Here is the question. If it is Tuesday, and you say, "Next Thursday we are going to a concert." or some similar statement, are you referring to the Thursday two days later than today, or the Thursday falling 9 days later the next week? Please vote.

a) Two days later
b) Next week, i.e. 9 days later
c) Why are you people so flippin' obsessed with stuff like this? I have better things to worry about!

Thanks!

p.s. If you voted c, why did you take the time to vote?

Random farmer and little girl

Punkin' Patch

Wow. First picture I've been able to tolerate of myself in a long, long time. I HATE MY BRACES!! I am SO ready to be done with them. I love having teeth with warts. At least that what they look like to me! Oh, well. We had fun today. We took the girls and Ian to a farm out in the country and played with pumpkins and ate really expensive hot dogs and hamburgers while we were there. Supposedly, the money all goes to Young Life, so I guess I won't feel too cheated, but $20 for two hamburgers, a hotdog, three cokes and two bags of chips. That's worse than the fair! Ian found a teeny tiny pumpkin and made it his new pacifier. Pretty funny! I couldn't get a picture of it, but I have some other cute ones I'll post.

Yeah.

Crazy Boys

Just thought I'd dedicate an old favorite to my son tonight...the hippest 80s dude of them all. (More to come about that.)
--Love you! Mama

Jesus' Mom

"Wake up!" she said,
"you dreaming fool,
don't throw your life away.
Because life's too short
and you're too smart
to want to hurt yourself that way.

And what's this talk
about the fellow man?
Look, it's catch as catch can,
understand?
You muscle and struggle
and get what you can
or you'll never get anywhere at all,
young man.

And what's this talk
about loving everybody
and trying to be a neighbor
and helping out your brother?

Oh, fine and dandy,
but you're getting a little carried away,"
is what she'd say.
She said, "I'm not saying
that love ain't fine,
but every little thing's
got it's place and time.

Now there's people out there
who want what's mine,
and they're going to try to take it away.
So save your love
for those who care,
and buy some clothes
and wash your hair.

Just relax
and don't you dare
start dreaming about saving the world."

And Jesus said, "Yes mom."

© David Wilcox, all rights reserved

My new blogging hobby

I've found a new hobby for my blog! Of course, because I list myself as a writer, editor, and information addict, it has something to do with that. Rarely a day passes when I don't get at least a snicker from something reported in our local paper, the Ft. Worth Startlegram. Oh, excuse me, I mean the Star Telegram! So, I've decided to share these little moments with you, my faithful readers. All three of you. It's not the content itself. It's the manner in which it is printed. For instance, in yesterday's paper (at least, I think it was yesterday...it's one of several piled in the reading room), I found the following. Names have been deleted to protect the parties involved--I think I may know some of them and don't want to directly embarrass anyone.

Two major oil spills have been identified in hurricane-battered southern Louisiana. Reuters and National Public Radio said Tuesday that the largest spill involves 68,0000 barrels from the (company name deleted) storage depot in Venice, La., a facility connected to the (name deleted) family of Fort Worth. A 10,000-barrel spill has been connected to...

Amazing, yet true. The paper has invented a new number format! How would you read that out loud? Any and all suggestions welcome in comments.

So, Heather and I have spent the last two days sorting and folding donated clothing in my living room. Well, actually, Heather's sorted and folded while I've fielded phone calls and emails about the donations and tried to do a little work for pay in between with little success. We finally found my floor again this afternoon around five. Tomorrow a few more items are to be delivered and then we are going to try to take some of the things to one family, and then at other points this weekend, deliver them to the others. It's kept me from dwelling on the news quite as much. Between laughing over the newspaper typos and putting t-shirts donated by church members that read "Sexy women eat free" and "House of Blues New Orleans French Quarter" in the "Or not" pile, I think I'm regaining my sense of humor at least a little bit.

How do you decide?

Aaahhhh!! Who do you help?!?! I know many of us are experiencing frustration because of this question! I was listening to KVIL on the radio this morning and feeling frustrated because they were doing a phone-a-thon for one family who had lost everything in the NO flooding and they were helping her to furnish the apartment she was able to get paid for two months. I think it's WONDERFUL that the radio station was doing this, don't get me wrong, but doesn't it just make you feel helpless for the other 50,000 or so families who are homeless in Texas now? Our church is helping two extended families (7-8 nuclear families, I believe) that we know of through work or church members. Again, I feel frustrated...the donations are coming in at a very steady trickle (I'm coordinating this, so am seeing it all). Some are blowing me away, like the lady who is giving a $300 Target gift certificate. We will be able to help these two families quite a bit, but it's scary to think about questions like "Are we helping the right families?", "Are we helping in the right way?", and for me, most of all, "Will the church be satisfied that I made the right decisions in how to do this?" I guess we just have to be obedient to God and give without worrying so much, and be assured that he will take care of those details somehow. If only I weren't such a people-pleaser, my life would be much calmer.

Katrina and Morrie

This has definitely been a week to consider life and it's vulnerability. First, there's Hurricane Katrina. I keep hearing everyone say it's like a train wreck...you can't help but stop and watch the news on television, listen to the radio, read the newspapers and blogs. It's horrifying. Kristen had a new little boy, Paul, in her class yesterday and today from New Orleans and there are 16 people staying in the house where he is, but he told her today that he likes his new school and new friends. :) Little moments of feeling good like that help. I have a feeling Texas is in for its share of change over the next few months with 75,000 refugees expected to settle here at least temporarily (25,000 in Dallas/Ft. Worth alone). I hope we can be gracious and generous as these people attempt to re-establish their lives. I fear tensions will rise, though, before it gets better. Many of these folks had nothing to begin with--now they have "less than nothing", if that's possible.

Tonight, Todd and I went to see the play Tuesdays with Morrie at the Circle Theatre. It is a great play. The actors were excellent, and it was yet another reminder to consider our blessings. Morrie is dying, and his former student visits him every Tuesday and Morrie teaches him lessons about life. One thing Morrie said was maybe a quote from a poet, I can't remember for sure. He said something like, "When you're taking, you're dying; when you're giving, you're living." This play was a tearjerker, but they were the good kind of tears.

In about six hours, it'll be 12 years since my own Hurricane Emilie came into the world. She was born the same weekend Hurricane Emily came through, and we had already picked her name. We were thankful that hurricane didn't do much damage or cause any deaths. Probably not too many babies named Katrina this week.

Ian is one

Big birthday bash at the house today. Hard to believe that Heather's Ian is one today! Seems like just yesterday that Fabian and I were counting to ten while Heather pushed about a million times and he finally made his appearance. He was pretty funny with the cake and looked like a mini-Grinch when he was done. My wish for this year is that he will begin to call me the recently assigned name "Jammy" (get it Julie/Grammy) instead of Dog. Hehe :) Funny little guy. He had a good time helping with the decorations last night.

Check out this little guy

Check out this little guy I found on my hanging plant. Look at the intricacy of his wings and even the goofy little expression on his face (Click on the pictures to see them bigger). To paraphrase a scripture, if God cares so much for him (or her?) that he gave him such beautiful wings, imagine how much he cares for us. God is crazy good!

Look out world!

Ryan now has his own car...

Stunned

I sometimes worry about putting stuff on a web site or in the blog that gives too much personal information...then I read other people's blogs and am sincerely amazed. I ended up in a roundabout way at a girl's blog tonight and was transfixed for about an hour reading. She is 23 and a stay-at-home mom of 2, a baby and a toddler. She has posted names, locations, and even pictures of herself and kids. She has written all about her frustrations and stress and recently, that she had to go back to work as a stripper because her husband doesn't work much. She has written about her marital problems, and even about an affair she had a year or so ago--that her husband is apparently ignorant of. I feel so much pain for this girl. She is really in a world of hurt and needs help. She is apparently a Christian and goes to church regularly...but has all this junk going on in her life. How does she go on? Pray for Kristi...

Corn

Isn't it funny how sometimes when you cut corn off the cob it makes a little pile on your plate, and other times it makes a really big pile?

My little pretties...and their little nephew, too...

First day of school, 8/15/05. Eighteen emergency information forms later, I am shocked and appalled that I had more homework than they did! Because Ryan leaves for school at 6:15 a.m., I had to take his picture AFTER he came home and took a nap, but he wanted me to be sure and show you his new school shoes. The other one has a girl bee on it. Yay! Another school year is under way. I'm already tired.

Emilie gets braces, 8/1/05. Emilie before...

Emilie after! 

Okay, so whatever...

Well, I hate to admit it, but the movie just ain't that great. :) Durnit. So, one point for the guys on this one. But the one who said John Cusack wasn't cut out for this kind of movie must have missed Serendipity. I loved that movie!

We had a super-dee-dooper evening out anyway. After the mediocre experience at the movie theater, we went to eat at Simply Fondue. THAT was fun. I'm not sure we've ever been that full. We did the whole four course meal. The guy who was our waiter (and never quite looked us in the eye) brought us yummy salads, and then made our appetizer--Cheddar cheese fondue with chunks of dry bread, veggies, and apples to dip in it--right at our table.

When we were done gorging ourselves on the cheese stuff (every drop) and were already full, he brought the HOT POT! (which is what they yelled when they walked around corners carrying them) to our table. We had ordered chicken and steak and veggies. We got lots of chicken and steak and veggies. He showed us how to drop the red potatoes in the pot without the fork and said they would pop back up when they were done. Sure enough, they did. He then taught us how to stuff the mushrooms with the cream cheese and other things and dip them in batter and fry those puppies. Before walking away, he kindly advised us to dip all meats in batter before cooking them...if we found that we preferred them without the batter, we were to carefully avoid burning ourselves when the flames shot up from fonduing bare meat. Yummy stuff. Of the four sauces available for dipping, I liked (surprise!) the sweet 'n sour sauce the best. Todd thought the horseradish stuff rocked. The teriyaki and honey mustard were somewhere in the middle.

So, there we were after about an hour of that, full and groaning audibly. But wait! The best was yet to come. For dessert, we selected the (surprise again!) dark chocolate fondue. That was heavenly. It was "pre-heated" so there were no theatrics for this course. OH, but wait! When the guy who wouldn't look at us lit the pot, he recommended that if we wanted our marshmallows roasted, now was the time, because the blue flames rising from the yummy dark chocolate would burn out pretty quickly. He was right. The flames dissipated before the marshmallows even got soft, but we figured out that if you dipped them in the chocolate and let them sit on your plate for a minute, they got nice and gooey. Along with the strawberries, bananas, more apples, and sponge cake squares, this was the crowning finish.

The only thing that saved us from going home and dying of heart attacks immediately was exercise! Fortunately, there is a Half Price Books at a right angle to Simply Fondue, and we managed to drag ourselves and ten pounds or so of really good food over there. They were having the dollar sidewalk sale and I managed to not only dig up ten books from the racks, but also convince the manager that the other two books I found were worth the same price because they were the same size and by the same author! He actually went for it. I was quite proud of myself. Todd found one book for himself (I love men who read!), a Five Iron Frenzy cd for $2.99 that Ryan had somehow managed not to buy yet (that is a miracle in itself, if you know Ryan and his FIF obsession). We found a Mary Kate and Ashley video for the girls for a dollar (and knew it wouldn't matter that they've seen it at least 345 times), and boom, $26.00 later, we closed down the store. Is it any wonder that my son is such a good shopper at Goodwill? We'd obviously rather spend our money on movies and food than clothing and books that are perfectly good used! I think it must be genetic. I've never seen my dad quite as proud as the thirty minutes we all spent together at Goodwill in Moscow, Idaho last December. I'll have to dig up the group shot outside the store and post it sometime.

So, all in all, it was a really fun evening celebrating the third anniversary of our first date! It isn't officially until August third, but considering that's a work night and also church finance team meeting for Todd, we thought we'd celebrate early!

Oh, that picture at the top? That's the guy who introduced us three years ago! Here's thanks going out to Rhett Miller and the Old 97s.

Where are the female movie reviewers?

Have you ever thought about that? I believe they do not exist after perusing the reviews for the movie that I am going to see Saturday with Todd for the third anniversary of our first date. We are going to see "Must Love Dogs." Don't you think this is entirely appropriate considering the two of us met on match.com?
So, anyway...all the reviews are bad! I am thinking, surely one of these reviewers must like this movie. Well, some of them give it an "ok, but too cute" type rating. Then it occurs to me. These are all men. I am not usually a member of the man-hater club, but you know, all the good chick flicks get bad ratings. I think I have made a million-dollar discovery. If I could be a movie reviewer, all the chick flicks would get great ratings and all the shoot-em-up war and detective movies, not to mention the really obnoxious so-called comedies, would get the bad ratings. Maybe the world would be a better place.
Phew. I feel better!
I'll let you know how the movie was.

The party princess...and her little lady-in-waiting. Hey, what are you doing on the gas line!!!