Living just down the street from an amazing used bookstore I have been keeping my nose in as many books as I can get Joel to let me take home. I have come to organize my many books in stacks. One stack on the floor next to the bed of just finished reading, one stack on my nightstand of currently reading or to start reading soon, and a stack on the dresser of favorites to read again).
The Stack on the Floor:
The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Dead Silence by Randy Wayne White
Tell Me Something True by Leila Gobo
Look Again by Lis Scottoline
Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Stack on the Nightstand:
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy
Laughter in the Dar by Vladimir Nabokov
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
The Stack on the Dresser:
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Despair by Vladimir Nabokov
The Portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
I am also listening to an audio book of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. It helps to slow down my mind at night and get me relaxed so that I can fall asleep quickly and get the most out of my short evenings. Joel doesn't like it, because when he comes to bed, he gets to try to untangle my sleeping self from my iPod and ear bud cords. I try so hard to stop my iPod before I fall asleep, but I never seem to catch myself in time. Poor Joel, always having to take care of me.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
The Drive-though Drive Way, Ants on a Log, and Under the Bed Adventures
Nothing too exciting has happened in the last few days, but I can think of some few random items to share.
There is a house near my home that cracks me up every time I drive past. It is located right next door to a fast food restaurant and the drive way for the house is connected to the drive through for the restaurant. I wonder if the people who live there have to go through the drive through every night to get home? Hello, may I take your order? Nope, just trying to get home. I wonder if they crave fast food all day, or if they themselves smell like french fries every day because they live next door to fast food. It would be so obnoxious to try to sleep while people are getting their late night food right outside their window. I bet they have dreams of happy meals and combo orders. I wonder if when they have parties, their guests part at the fast food restaurant? I always look for this house during my commute, it always cracks me up.
The other day in the lunch room at work, I saw something I didn't realize was still being sold in stores. Remember Pizza Bagels? I still know the jingle... Pizza in the morning, pizza in the evening, pizza at super time, when pizzas on a bagel you can have pizza any time. Yep. One of my co-workers was eating some pizza bagels. I was so shocked, I had to say something. She was laughing at me. She told me that they do still sell them and thanks to her husband, they are well stocked at home. It still cracks me up.
Lunch time is very interesting at the office. I like to look and see what everyone brings for their lunch. Some people go out and buy food to bring back for lunch every day. One person really likes Taco Bell, while another one really likes Subway. Another person, eats a pot pie every day. That usually makes the lunch room smell pretty good. Someone usually has some sort of microwaveable lunch or something left over from dinner. I was made fun of yesterday for bringing ants on a log in my lunch. I can't help it, ants on a log is so good. I made a whole bunch of them, I filled up a tupperware container to go along with my sandwich and string cheese. I always look forward to eating my string cheese. There are riddles on the packaging for the cheese, so I get to read a joke every day.
Joel just came downstairs from chasing Jack out from under our bed. I know that something funny must have happened, because they are both out of breath and I have been hearing thuds coming from upstairs for the last bit. Here is the story Joel told me: he saw Jack go upstairs and he figured he better go make sure the bedroom door was closed. (background info: Jack loves to go under our bed. I think he pretends he is a wild bunny, hiding out in his burrow, somewhere out in the wild, doing rabbity things. This is fine, except the electrical cord for our heating blanket is under the bed and Jack just loves to chew on cords. So for his safety and ours, we can't let him be under the bed.) So Joel went upstairs to make sure that Jack wasn't under the bed. Sure enough, that is exactly where the rabbit was. Joel decided he was going to catch Jack, so when he went into the bedroom he closed the door behind him. When Joel got down on the floor, Jack saw him coming and made a run for the door, trying to make his escape. When he saw that the door was shut, he made a dash back toward the bed. Poor Jack continued in this circle for awhile as Joel attempted to get a hold of him. When Jack had enough of this cat and mouse game, he made a dash into the bathroom and through to the closet. Joel thought he had Jack now. Joel positioned himself at the doorway between the bedroom and the bathroom, waiting for Jack to attempt his escape. It wasn't long, and Jack was ready to tempt fate. Joel saw Jack coming and was ready for him, hoping to catch Jack right in his arms. But it wasn't too be; Jack called on his wild roots and sprinted right through Joel's hands. Back under the bed, Jack waited to see what Joel would do next. Joel gave up; he opened up the bedroom door and let Jack calmly exit. The two boys came back downstairs, panting and breathless to tell me their story of adventure. Silly boys.
Well, I better get off the computer and start making my ants on a log for lunch tomorrow. I can't disappoint the lunch room crowds.
There is a house near my home that cracks me up every time I drive past. It is located right next door to a fast food restaurant and the drive way for the house is connected to the drive through for the restaurant. I wonder if the people who live there have to go through the drive through every night to get home? Hello, may I take your order? Nope, just trying to get home. I wonder if they crave fast food all day, or if they themselves smell like french fries every day because they live next door to fast food. It would be so obnoxious to try to sleep while people are getting their late night food right outside their window. I bet they have dreams of happy meals and combo orders. I wonder if when they have parties, their guests part at the fast food restaurant? I always look for this house during my commute, it always cracks me up.
The other day in the lunch room at work, I saw something I didn't realize was still being sold in stores. Remember Pizza Bagels? I still know the jingle... Pizza in the morning, pizza in the evening, pizza at super time, when pizzas on a bagel you can have pizza any time. Yep. One of my co-workers was eating some pizza bagels. I was so shocked, I had to say something. She was laughing at me. She told me that they do still sell them and thanks to her husband, they are well stocked at home. It still cracks me up.
Lunch time is very interesting at the office. I like to look and see what everyone brings for their lunch. Some people go out and buy food to bring back for lunch every day. One person really likes Taco Bell, while another one really likes Subway. Another person, eats a pot pie every day. That usually makes the lunch room smell pretty good. Someone usually has some sort of microwaveable lunch or something left over from dinner. I was made fun of yesterday for bringing ants on a log in my lunch. I can't help it, ants on a log is so good. I made a whole bunch of them, I filled up a tupperware container to go along with my sandwich and string cheese. I always look forward to eating my string cheese. There are riddles on the packaging for the cheese, so I get to read a joke every day.
Joel just came downstairs from chasing Jack out from under our bed. I know that something funny must have happened, because they are both out of breath and I have been hearing thuds coming from upstairs for the last bit. Here is the story Joel told me: he saw Jack go upstairs and he figured he better go make sure the bedroom door was closed. (background info: Jack loves to go under our bed. I think he pretends he is a wild bunny, hiding out in his burrow, somewhere out in the wild, doing rabbity things. This is fine, except the electrical cord for our heating blanket is under the bed and Jack just loves to chew on cords. So for his safety and ours, we can't let him be under the bed.) So Joel went upstairs to make sure that Jack wasn't under the bed. Sure enough, that is exactly where the rabbit was. Joel decided he was going to catch Jack, so when he went into the bedroom he closed the door behind him. When Joel got down on the floor, Jack saw him coming and made a run for the door, trying to make his escape. When he saw that the door was shut, he made a dash back toward the bed. Poor Jack continued in this circle for awhile as Joel attempted to get a hold of him. When Jack had enough of this cat and mouse game, he made a dash into the bathroom and through to the closet. Joel thought he had Jack now. Joel positioned himself at the doorway between the bedroom and the bathroom, waiting for Jack to attempt his escape. It wasn't long, and Jack was ready to tempt fate. Joel saw Jack coming and was ready for him, hoping to catch Jack right in his arms. But it wasn't too be; Jack called on his wild roots and sprinted right through Joel's hands. Back under the bed, Jack waited to see what Joel would do next. Joel gave up; he opened up the bedroom door and let Jack calmly exit. The two boys came back downstairs, panting and breathless to tell me their story of adventure. Silly boys.
Well, I better get off the computer and start making my ants on a log for lunch tomorrow. I can't disappoint the lunch room crowds.
Monday, May 3, 2010
A Case of the Mondays
As much as I hate to say it, I definitely have a case of the Monday's. I got up this morning, took my shower, picked out some clothes, and straightened my hair. With a hot coffee in my hand, I got in the car and started the commute to work. Living in the greater Seattle area, I am one of the lucky few that doesn't have to fight traffic on my way into the office. I was busy the moment I set my foot in the door. Between running reports, drafting processes, and whatever else I had on my plate I could barely find time to drink my coffee. I was able to keep up with everything until about half an hour before I was headed home. I just wanted to sit there and stare into space. I didn't want to even look like I was working. I didn't want to try to keep working, I didn't even want to sit in my chair for a minute longer. I wanted to lay down on the floor and eat cookies.
But I didn't. I stayed in my chair. I kept the keyboard clicking as I pushed my self to keep working. I made it through the last half an hour and could hardly keep from skipping out to the car. As soon as I could get into the door of the house, I was on the couch under the blanket, relaxing to some good, old television. Jack was bouncing around the room, happy to be out and about. I was in bliss until it dawned on me, that I was going to have to make dinner. Now I am no longer happy. I am grumpy and angry. I can't think of anything to make, don't want to make anything, don't want to lift a finger. I am only twenty-five but the idea of making one more dinner, let alone hundreds more, is enough to make me go crazy.
I am having a case of the Mondays.
But I didn't. I stayed in my chair. I kept the keyboard clicking as I pushed my self to keep working. I made it through the last half an hour and could hardly keep from skipping out to the car. As soon as I could get into the door of the house, I was on the couch under the blanket, relaxing to some good, old television. Jack was bouncing around the room, happy to be out and about. I was in bliss until it dawned on me, that I was going to have to make dinner. Now I am no longer happy. I am grumpy and angry. I can't think of anything to make, don't want to make anything, don't want to lift a finger. I am only twenty-five but the idea of making one more dinner, let alone hundreds more, is enough to make me go crazy.
I am having a case of the Mondays.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Joel's New Car!
So, after hours of research on Consumer Reports, lots of talking and budgeting Joel and I headed out on Saturday morning to car shop. We headed down 405 and test drove so many cars I am not sure what all we drove. We tried the Prius, Camry, Corolla, Mazada6, Focus... so many that I was getting things mixed up. By three in the afternoon, we were so tired we headed to Starbucks to get some caffeine and to shift through all the options. One Dark Cherry Mocha and Carmel Macchiato later, we had made our decision.
We went back to the Kirkland Ford dealership and told Gordon we wanted to buy the 2010 Ford Fusion SEL. Yep, we bought a brand new car. In fact, we put mile 8 on the odometer. Six hours later, Joel drove his new baby off the lot. He was just full of smiles. I told him, he works hard enough, he deserves it all. The heated leather seats, in-dash six disc mp3-CD player, Microsoft Sync (it connects your blue tooth device with the car, you can answer a cell phone will a touch of button on the steering wheel, you can sync your ipod to play all your music, all sorts of stuff), heated side mirrors, ambient lighting in six colors, navigation system, satellite radio, 12 speaker Sony sound system, duel temperature control, blah blah blah... so many features we don't even know them all. Even in the midst of all his excitement, Joel was so kind to say to me, "You know, if I were to come outside one morning and find the Fusion gone, I wouldn't mind driving your car to work" (since I leave before him). I thought that was really sweet of him; to share his new found love with his wife.
We went back to the Kirkland Ford dealership and told Gordon we wanted to buy the 2010 Ford Fusion SEL. Yep, we bought a brand new car. In fact, we put mile 8 on the odometer. Six hours later, Joel drove his new baby off the lot. He was just full of smiles. I told him, he works hard enough, he deserves it all. The heated leather seats, in-dash six disc mp3-CD player, Microsoft Sync (it connects your blue tooth device with the car, you can answer a cell phone will a touch of button on the steering wheel, you can sync your ipod to play all your music, all sorts of stuff), heated side mirrors, ambient lighting in six colors, navigation system, satellite radio, 12 speaker Sony sound system, duel temperature control, blah blah blah... so many features we don't even know them all. Even in the midst of all his excitement, Joel was so kind to say to me, "You know, if I were to come outside one morning and find the Fusion gone, I wouldn't mind driving your car to work" (since I leave before him). I thought that was really sweet of him; to share his new found love with his wife.
Joel and the Fusion in front of the house.
Joel is really excited to have an automatic; no more clutch in traffic.
Just for the record, I asked Joel to stand out front by the car. He thought I was being silly, but I know deep down he didn't mind.
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