Funny

I'm so funny. Every day posting. Haha. Well, at least it's more often than once a month.
So, new routine and all that. Yeah, lasted not even a day. I have no idea how to get myself motivated. It's just seems to come in spurts. I have tried so many things: making a schedule, making lists, acting like it's my job, playing games (set the timer for 10 minutes, or pick up 50 things, or work for 30 minutes and take a 15 minute break, or break the house into zones). Everything works for a day or two. Hey, maybe I should rotate each trick for 2 days. Hmm.
Anyways, that's not what I came here to write about. I came here to say that getting your tonsils out as an adult is no fun. J had his tonsils taken out on Friday and he's just miserable. On one hand, though, maybe this will make him more sympathetic if I ever have to have surgery again. After each of the three surgeries I have been through with him, he tells me "You have to push yourself." To which I reply, "NO. I need to rest and heal." Guess which one of those options he's doing? Ding, you got it, resting! He is such an awesome patient, though. He doesn't complain!
Also, today is my birthday. We are having ice cream for my birthday because J can't eat cake. But I might buy myself a cupcake. I haven't decided yet, the day is still young. I might even bake myself a cake because cherry chip cake is sounding really good right now! We are doing the real celebrating this weekend at a tapas restaurant. We've never been, but it's insanely popular and we've been meaning to try it for a few years. We're also dragging along my brother-and-sister-in-law so we can try more things.
I think it's time to hit the mailbox and see what goodies await me!
Happy My-Birthday everyone!

New Routine

I'm starting a new routine today. Part of that new routine is posting daily. So get ready for some really boring and mundane stuff, lol.
The purpose of this new routine is to get my apartment ship shape and keep it that way. I am on this computer way too much, doing basically nothing. So I am allowing myself an hour on the computer first thing in the morning, while I drink my coffee. Then breakfast in the dining room because I really do enjoy that, while reading or plotting my day. After breakfast is the get busy time until lunch (3 hours, I figure). I haven't decided, but probably I will eat lunch at the computer, to get my fix. Then the afternoon is for me. But trying to stay off the computer. I can take the dog for a walk, sew, organize and clean more, read, go grocery shopping, call somebody, take a nap [I try not to do that, it feels like a waste, but sometimes it just feels like the right thing to do :) ], or whatever my little heart desires.
Ok, so I've got that down here, let's put it into practice!
See ya tomorrow!

Memories

I have this book. This book that I have read countless times, memorized pieces of, thumbed through time and time again, studied the pictures, loved. This book was given to me for my ninth birthday and is almost officially 30 years old. It was my first ever "grown-up" hardcover book. It still has the paper cover, frayed from use and love, lots and lots of love. This book is the only book that has moved everywhere with me. This book is Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein.
It was given to me by my father's girlfriend at the time. I remember how I felt special for getting a hardcover book. I remember reading it for hours. I wish I could tell all this to the woman who gave it to me, but my father lost touch with her years ago. The last he heard she was getting remarried, so we don't even know her last name anymore.
So I decided to share here. After all, that's what a blog is for, right? Sharing?
Well, that's enough sharing for now. I think it's time to get reacquainted with an old childhood friend...Where The Sidewalk Ends...

It's Monday!

Can cold weather come out and play yet? It was in the nineties all weekend! BOOO! And the 10-day forecast only has upper 70's and 80's in it.
Irregardless of the weather, this was a comfort food weekend. J has tonsillitis (goes to the ear, nose, and throat guy tomorrow) so I cooked up batches of soft, yummy comfort foods--meatloaf, chicken matzo ball soup, spaghetti and meatballs, dutch apple baby, and chocolate cake.
There hasn't been much going on here. I went to Oregon a couple of weeks ago, and am still working on that post :).
We bought our plane tickets to go to New York for Christmas. This will be the first year ever that I have celebrated Christmas with his family. I have always worked in retail, so there was no way I was getting time off at Christmas. Since I am not working this year, we made it happen. We'll be there for 10 days and we're renting a car so we can do our own stuff some of the time.
Today is my dad' birthday. I called and my stepmom picked up the phone, said something from a distance, then hung up. I don't exactly know what happened there, but I'm going to wait a while before calling back.
OK, I'm just babbling so I'll post this now. Have a great week everyone!

Judge not lest ye be judged

I don't know what it is, but there is a lot of talk going around the blogs that I read about judging other people. And I will tell you right here and now that I am one of the worst. Well, maybe not so much anymore, but I used to be really bad. J used to call me on stuff all the time. And I know I've gotten better, but I still have my moments :).
Like tonight. We were at Fry's and we walked past a child having a tantrum. I said to J, "That's what happens when you let a 3 year-old suck on a pacifier." Then I paused, and said "Judge much?" And we had a little laugh and moved on. But really, what did I know about this child? That he looked to be about 3, he was sucking on a pacifier, and he was having a tantrum. That's it. If I had known him, maybe I would know something about him that would make it ok in my mind for him to have the paci. Maybe not. I'll never know. But I shouldn't judge.
I think that really bothered me that I judged so quickly. It's been in my mind the rest of the night. So I just wanted to put this out there. Maybe now I can sleep.

So

So, um yeah, why did I start this blog and then not really do anything with it? Because I thought I would fill it with fun little anecdotes and stories. And then I got depressed. And nothing seemed fun or cute anymore. And now I seem to have snapped out of it. I actually feel better now than I have in a very long time.
So maybe I'll start filling this thing with fun little anecdotes and stories. Starting now. Like when I went out with the dog this morning and my neighbor was out there with her grandson. Nicholas just turned one and he is the most adorable little boy ever. Every time I see him he smiles so big like he has been waiting all his life just to see me. It really makes my day. I love running into them. One night he wanted me to hold him and then he just wrapped his arms around my neck and laid his head on my chest and that was that. I told his mom I guess I had myself a baby and see ya later, lol. Then Nicholas pulled back, laid his cheek against mine, and pulled my head tight against his. I think he agreed :). I ended up walking them around the corner to their apartment because I couldn't bear to let the baby go :(.
I knew our dog, Mojo, was good with kids because I've seen him with the kids around the apartment complex. And he's always been real good with Nicholas. Today I got a glimpse of just how good he is with kids. When I was talking to Nicholas' grandma, we took our eyes off Nicholas for a second and then I thought I heard Mojo whimper. I looked down and Mojo was sitting rock still on the ground with Nicholas' hand wrapped in Mojo's upper lip, pinching and pulling. And that was all Mojo did, one little whimper. He got lots of "good dog" from me and the grandma!

I think that's it for today. Tune in next time! (whenever that may be)

A Funny Story

OR, One Of My Most Embarrassing Moments.
This happened about 14 years ago.

Shortly after my sister got married I was over at her new mother-in-law's house. I had met her MIL a few times and we were friendly, but she was still pretty much a stranger to me. For some reason I don't rememer anymore, most of the wedding gifts the newlyweds had received were at MIL's house. MIL wanted to show me what the "kids" had received and I was ohhing and ahhing and laughing as MIL pointed out various gifts to me. Then I saw one off on its own and went over to inspect it. I then asked MIL, "Who bought this? This is a really ugly cookie jar."
MIL cracks up laughing and informs me that this really ugly cookie jar is hers, she had just purchased it that day. OMG I was mortified!! Here I barely knew this lady and I came into her home and insulted her cookie jar!
Much to my further embarrassment, she told everyone! She wasn't mad, she thought it was hilarious.
It took me a couple of years to mention the cookie jar again, and now it's just a standing joke whenever we see each other
"How's that ugly cookie jar?"
"Oh, it's fine. It's in the closet, waiting for you when I die."
The last time I saw MIL, she had remarried and when we got around to the cookie jar question, her new husband said, "OH YOU'RE CRISTA?! I was wondering why that box has your name on it!" So I guess she wasn't kidding about leaving it to me!