Goodbye 2009...

I cannot believe that 2009 is coming to an end. In just a short couple of days, 2010 will be here! With a new decade upon me, I have been brainstorming a couple of ideas for New Years resolutions. I am not the type of person to usually do this, but I was inspired when I came across an article about a book called "29 Gifts" (you can read about the story here: http://givingchallenge.ning.com/) Seems like such a simple thing to do, but something that I could get a lot out of.

So, over the next couple of days, as I say goodbye to 2009, I will be thinking about goals that I would like to reach in 2010. For some reason, I just have a feeling, it's going to be one of my best years yet.

Bruins season has begun!

Must be Bruins season because it's Thursday night and I am home alone! Brian and his friend are at their first "real" Bruins game of the season and are in heaven. They are season ticket holders this year, so Bruins fever hit my home a little early this year. Whatever makes hubby happy!

I have actually had some downtime this week. I feel guilty when I have nothing to do, but tonight I am not in the mood to dwell on that. I am sitting on the couch, blogging, watching Rachael Ray, and listening to Charlie go to town on his bone. Thank God for dog bones...they give me 10 minutes of play-free time in my puppy filled life!

For about the past 6 months, Brian and I have been searching for a new home. We are planning on keeping the 2 family we own, renting out both apartments, and moving to a place all of our own. After many drive-bys, 15 showings, and lots of other stuff, we have put an offer on a place. This only took place yesterday and since it's bank owned, I am anticipating that we will have a bit of a wait. The place we live in now has served its purpose for the past 4 years, but we are ready to move on. We need more space, especially for Charlie who is growing bigger (it seems) everyday! The little 3 pound baby we brought home a little over 2 months ago has quickly turned into a 30 pound dog. The house has been taken over with toys, bones, dog crates, and the like. Because of this, we need a place before a human baby comes along, whenever that may be.

And while we are on that topic...yes, we are thinking about it; yes, we have been trying; and no, it hasn't been working. It used to bug the crap out of me when people would ask, "When are you getting married?" but that was nothing compared to, "So, when are you going to have a baby?" Experiencing the journey that we have been has made me realize just how personal a question that is and I wish people would really think about it before asking. But, it's a question like, "Nice weather we're having huh?" It's a way for people to start a conversation and they assume that everyone is able to get pregnant. My answer has been, and will continue to be, "We have a puppy that we are practicing with." God willing, we will have a baby one day, but for now we have 3 "furbabies" :0)

I better get ready to focus on the Bruins game on TV. I tend to do this for the games that Brian is at so that when he gets home and talks about it, I know what he's talking about! However, House Hunters is on HGTV, so I might just have to switch back and forth!

Thankful Tuesday

I have done Thankful Thursdays before, but was feeling the need for a Thankful Tuesday!



I am thankful for:



1. My husband. He is always #1. He puts up with my new crazy schedule and although we have only seen each other for a few hours these past couple of weeks, he always tries to make the best of the time we have. Our relationship is an equal partnership, which is the way it should be! We both allow the other to be ourselves with no control whatsoever. For this, I am thankful.


2. My new part-time job! There are moments where I ask myself, "What were you thinking?" because of my new crazy schedule, but it's all been worth it! Although the job at the vet only pays $8 an hour, I am receiving a 50% discount on pet care, no charge visits, 35% discount on food, and have met some really nice people. I was looking for a change of pace in my day to day routine and this was the answer! Case in point...Charlie had a visit last week for 2 shots and a dose of Frontline. What would have cost arond $100, cost us only $32! Gotta love it!


3. Charlie (and Ollie and Sophie, but Charlie is the point here). Although there are many reasons why Charlie has made our life better, one main reason is because now that we are owners of a dog, a whole new world has been opened to us! Playdates galore, which means getting out there and meeting new people. And, I believe, that it has made us closer to Kat and Shawn because they have his sister. We have all agreed to get together once a week to hang out and let the pups play together. I have to remind myself sometimes that Kat and Shawn are family because they are so drama free that I forget sometimes! They are amazing!


4. My dad. Again, just like Charlie, there are many reasons to be thankful for my dad, but I am especially grateful for him these past few weeks. There have been many projects on our "to-do" list around the house for the past couple of years. When we returned from Florida, several of the items were done by my dad, which helped motivate us to accomplish the rest. He helped Brian build a rock wall in our front yard, gave me pointers on how to paint our front railings, and took Brian to The Home Depot to buy shutters. These small changes have had a big impact on not only our "to-do" list, but our home. He even emailed me this past weekend to ask if there was anything else he could help out with...man, I have the best dad!


5. Growing pains. I have felt myself changing in the past couple of weeks...or maybe even past couple of months. It is not always easy to change yourself, but there are things that I have noticed that need to be changed with myself, as well as how I deal with other people. One thing in particular...there comes a point in your life where you realize that you need to surround yourself with only people that make you feel good about yourself. This has proven to be difficult, as I can't get away from some of these people, so trying to find a balance with that has been hard, but I'm working on it. I'm learning that I don't always have to have the last say, that silence can speak louder than words, and that sometimes people just aren't who you thought they were.

So, those are the top 5 things that I am thankful for this Tuesday. What are you thankful for today?!

Is it really summer?!

This summer has sucked. Period. The weather has been wacky...rain like you wouldn't believe...to the point where I have to remind myself that I live in New Hampshire and not Seattle, Washington. I have had enough of the water coming down from the sky. It's old...move on to another town that needs you.

Tomorrow is the last day of July. I can't believe it...I am in denial. Again...have I said...this summer has sucked?!

I feel like the past 2 months of my life have passed me by. While Brian and I are now the owners of a new puppy, Charlie...I feel like he is growing up right before our eyes. We have had him for 2 weeks and he has already doubled in size. I can't imagine how mothers of children must feel. I think I can somehow begin to relate what my sister is going through....her baby is no longer a baby...he no longer needs her help as much as he did. My animals are the only way that I can relate to people with children. I even found myself talking to the cashier girl at Target last night about Charlie teething (which is why I was buying $20 worth of teething treats and toys!). My arms look like I have been hurting myself...Charlie seems to find my skin more appetizing than his chicken filled tubes of rubber.

In 8 days, Brian and I are headed to Florida to meet our "new" niece. I say new loosely because she is already almost 4 months old. I am worried about being around a little baby. Something about them...their smell...their smiles...gives me baby fever big time. I can't wait to meet this little girl, as well as be able to visit with Adam, Holly, and Bryson. I miss them everyday and wish that we lived closer to each other.

So, in closing for this short little blog posting, I ask Mother Nature...is there anyway that you can extend summer to last through November? We kind of got jipped this year with spring lasting into July. If this happens, maybe then I might feel like my life isn't moving quite as fast and that my days aren't just blending all together.

Soon to be mommy of 2 cats and....a dog?!?!

Ever since we got our 1st cat, Ollie, two and a half years ago, Brian has been talking about getting a dog. I kept saying that I wasn't ready...that I wanted to wait for a bigger house...blah blah. Six months after Ollie, we got our 2nd cat, Sophie. She is every bit a "scaredy cat" that you can get. The talk about getting a dog was brought up every now and then and I would still say, "I'm not ready"..."Our house is too small". Probably about a month ago, the topic was put on the table again and this time, it never really left. I found myself browsing PetFinder.com with Brian and I even did searching on my own at the local shelters. This time, I told him, "We aren't getting one unless it will get along with the cats and will be good with kids", and I said that I would research it for a bit since it was a big decision.

Fast forward to last Friday, the 3rd. I was browsing Craigslist in our area and came across a listing that was posted by a non-profit organization in Rhode Island called "Help Save One". When I clicked on their website and started browsing, I got tears in my eyes. The mission of this 2 women company is to save dogs/puppies/cats/kittens from high kill shelters in the south. Because people in the south do not have the money to spay/neuter their animals, there are an abundance of gassing shelters. (*tear). So, while scrolling through, I saw a listing for some lab puppies that were found in the woods in North Carolina. These little guys and girls were left without a mom to basically die in the woods. What is wrong with people?! How can you bring these puppies in the woods, leave them there, and expect that they will fend for themselves?! Besides upsetting me, it really pisses me off. These animals are born because their owners don't bother getting the adult animals fixed. And then they just dump them somewhere because they can't afford them. My opinion is that if you can't afford the animal, then you shouldn't have one to begin with. They're not toys or objects, they actually have feelings and all they ever want it to be loved. My cats are always waiting for me when I get home...they are always excited to see me. They roll around, wanting belly rubs and to be picked up and hugged. They never talk back to me...never give me attitude...never create drama. For anyone that has ever said, "It's just a cat" or "It's just a dog"...then you have never experienced what life is like with one.

All right...now that I went off my tangent...I'll focus a little more :O) So, our little 8 week old puppy is supposed to be arriving today. We came up with the name Riley, which was our favorite and we were 99% sure that was going to be his name. But then yesterday, I thought of Charlie (for Charlie and The Chocolate Factory) so that's my vote. Of course, Brian still likes Riley best, so maybe we will have to name him Chriley! We are planning on crate training him, so we set up his crate the other night...all cozy with towels and a pillow. Ollie thought it looked cozy too because that is where we have been finding him lately! I am anticipating that the cats will have a little bit of a tough time transitioning with a dog in the house. I know it will be hard for me because Ollie and Sophie have been my little babies for 2 years and for me to have to focus my attention on another one will be hard. But my hope is that the transition is smooth and that when we make it out on the other side, that Ollie, Sophie, and Riley/Charlie will all be cozy in the crate together :)

Today my life is about to change. I am nervous, but excited. Whenever you think about adopting an animal, please check out www.helpsaveone.org you will be so glad you did :)

3 MONTHS?!?!?

Golly gee! I knew that I had been slacking on my blog, but 3 MONTHS?! Not like anyone actually reads this anyway, but I was surprised to see just how bad I had been slacking!

For the past couple of months, my husband and I have been in the process of checking out new houses. We already own a two family, that we have been living in for almost 4 years (4 years!) but are ready to have our own single family home, where we don't have to share walls with screaming tenants! The plan is to keep the 2-family, rent out both sides of the duplex, and for us to move into a larger house for ourselves. To this day, we have checked out a dozen houses or so, with no luck. We put an offer in on 1, only to be outbid and the others have just not been to our liking. Although we don't have a huge budget for this house, we both agree that we are not just going to settle for something that we could tolerate. We want to both walk into the house and know that it's for us. This will be the house that we plan on staying in for awhile, so I am going into it looking at how it will accomodate a family, as opposed to when we looked at houses the first time around and I was looking at it for just Brian and myself. I am researching the best neighborhoods, I know which school systems I would prefer, and am looking at yard space as well. Today we are going to check out 3 properties and I am actually quite anxious about it. I have a different feeling today than I did all of the other days we had showings scheduled. Something is telling me that one of these houses could be it. We shall see!

About a month or so ago, I was flipping through the channels and came across a Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meals episode on the Food Network. I was glued from the second I started watching it and have since become my own little Rachael Ray. I have never been a big fan of cooking. Not that I didn't like it...I could go either way about it. We would have your typical chicken, rice, and vegetable for dinner and both of us were content. But then when I realized just how easy these recipes were to re-create and how quickly I could make a yummy meal, I was addicted! I have spent a lot of my free time at work scouring her website for recipes and looking through her magazines as well (I scored a full years worth of issues for $15 on EBay!). I have even started using terms such as EVOO and Yum-o. HA!

Well, the phone is ringing here at work, so I'm gonna answer it. I promise I won't let 3 more months pass before I blog again!

Visit to the Vet...Round 2

What a week it has been with our cat, Ollie! The poor thing and his paw have made me so sad! Wednesday seemed to be a promising visit with the vet, as she said it looked as if his paw pad was still attached enough that it could grow back. However, in the past 2 days, the paw pad kept peeling and peeling and the toe pads have since cracked. Since our normal vet couldn't take us for an appointment until Monday afternoon, I decided to take Ollie to the emergency vet this morning. First of all...this vet was SUPER nice and I wish she was our vet all of the time! She just kept telling Ollie how cute he was and how she loved his face :) One look at his paw and she determined that she had to cut the large paw pad off and noticed that the smaller toe pads are going to fall off. She also mentioned that his paw felt really warm :( The poor thing! But I knew we were in the right place and he was going to be taken care of. So, the tech comes in and takes Ollie from me...it was actually hard to not be able to go with him. I just wanted him to have a familiar face with him. I was texting back and forth with Brian and my mom and they were trying to make me feel better about everything. And then, I heard it...Ollie screaming like I had never heard before. It was such an awful feeling and as much as I say, "He's just a cat", I think if you have ever owned an animal, you know how I feel!

Soon afterwards the tech brought him back all bandaged up and she told me that he was fine when they were cutting the pad, but when they got to putting the bandage on, he wanted nothing to do with it!

Here are some photos of Ollie with his bandage...and the one above just to show you the look of tiredness on his poor little face!

Adventures at the Vet's Office!

Well, this week has been a little different for us. Our little boy cat, Ollie, was limping around the house on Wednesday morning. I checked out his paws and didn't see anything alarming, so I thought maybe he just got something stuck in one of them. That afternoon, he was still limping...not even putting any weight on his back leg, which is when Brian remembered Ollie jumping onto the still hot stove after he shut it off when making chicken for dinner. We checked his paws again and that's when we noticed the blistering and wrinkling of his pads. Not good! I didn't have time right then to take him to the vet because I had an appointment to get to and had to babysit right after, so I spent the time worrying about my little furry child.

So, I get home from babysitting and Brian and I decide to try to make a "home-made" cast for Ollie's foot. We get the Neosporin out, the gauze, some tape, and I instantly become a doctor. However, Ollie doesn't think this is too much fun and after some nipping at Brian (I made him hold Ollie!) we let him go with his new attachment. Except, Ollie isn't liking it too much and shakes his leg as hard as he can until the "cast" falls off. Hmmm...our plan didn't work.

I wake up yesterday morning and the poor cat is now jumping on 3 legs, which is quite impressive to watch, yet sad at the same time. I, again, check out the wound and his large pad is now peeling off, with 2 of the smaller ones looking like raisins. Man...this guy got himself good! I call the vet and make an appointment for 3pm and am told that they might need to cut the pads off...geez louise, I think I could get sick at the thought of it!

The little boy is so pathetic...he climbed right into his carrier as if to say, "I'm ready for the doctor to fix me!" We arrive at the vet's office for his appointment and are taken into an exam room by one of the vet's assistants. She weighs him and takes his temperature, which is when I start asking her questions about the possibility of cutting "it" off (and by it, I mean the pad). Our conversation went something like this:

Me: "So, do you think that the vet will cut it off today if she thinks it looks bad?"
Assistant: "Well, we would only cut it off as a last resort. She will do everything she can before then to save it.
Me: "If she does cut it off, how is it done? With scissors or something?"
Assistant: "Oh no, it would be a surgery that he would have to be put under for."
Me: "Does something like that grow back?"
Assistant: "No, he will have a stub that will not grow bigger."
Me: "You're talking about his pad right? Because I'm talking about taking his pad off."
Assistant: "Oh...I thought you were talking about amputating his foot! HAHA!"

In hind-sight, this lady probably thought I was WACKO! Amputating his foot because of a burn? Cutting "it" off with scissors?! Asking if "it" would grow back...all the while she is thinking that I am talking about his foot!

Ollie and I walked out of the vet's office with some pain medication and antibiotics for him and an appointment for a follow-up next Thursday. The vet wants to see if the pad will heal itself before cutting it off...seeing as it could take Ollie up to 6 months to heal if she did that. So, we shall see...I am hoping next Thursday has a good outcome. And I hope that no amputations have to take place!

11 Rules to a Happy Marriage

Ever since I have known Carolyn and Phil, they have had something titled "11 Rules to a Happy Marriage" framed and hanging above their kitchen sink. As many times as I have read it, it never really took on any meaning to me until now...since I am married! So, I thought I would share it:

1. Never both be angry at once.
2. Never yell at each other unless the house is on fire.
3. Yield to the wishes of the other as an exercise in self-discipline, if you can't think of a better reason.
4. If you have a choice between making yourself or your mate look good choose your mate.
5. If you feel you must criticize, do so lovingly.
6. Never bring up a mistake of the past. Your silence will be greatly appreciated.
7. Neglect the whole world rather than each other.
8. Never let the day end without saying, at least, one complimentary thing to your life's partner.
9. Never meet without an affectionate greeting.
10. When you've said or done something hurtful, acknowledge it and ask for forgiveness.
11. Remember, it takes two to get an argument going. Invariably, the one who is wrong will be doing most of the talking.

25 Random Things About Me!

*I posted this on my Facebook page this morning and thought I would do it on here too! Enjoy!*

1. Brian and I have known each other since 7th grade French class with Mr. Boivin. We sat across the room from one another, but would write notes back and forth (he still has some!). We even dated for some time in high school.
2. I am obsessed with forensic science. I am constantly researching the topic and think it's bizarre that I am fascinated with true crime stories. Brian thinks I should take classes for it!
3. I make myself a to-do list every week. I take joy in crossing things off of the list as I complete them.
4. When I was younger, I never understood why my mom cleaned the house once a week. Now, a week doesn't go by that our house isn't dusted and vacuumed and that the bathrooms aren't cleaned.
5. I just started collecting Fiestaware dishes. I have been crazy about them since I was little (don't ask me why!) and looking at them on our new corner shelf in the kitchen makes me happy.
6. I love doing laundry...I just hate putting the clothes away after they are all folded!
7. I could eat pasta everyday for the rest of my life and never get sick of it. We could have a bare empty fridge, but there will always be a super sized parmesan cheese in there! If there isn't (for some strange reason) I will refuse to eat pasta, even if I already cooked it!
8. I have 2 tattoos. a pink hibiscus flower on my lower back and three stars with my wedding date in them on my right hip. I am already brainstorming on what I will get for my next one.
9. I really enjoy checking my email. People are amazed at how quickly I respond when they write to me.
10. I frequently compare things that happen in my life to episodes of Sex and the City...haha!
11. In 10 weeks, I am going to be an auntie of 3!
12. I HATE grocery shopping! I put it off as long as I possibly can!
13. I do the puzzles in the newspaper everyday. These include Sudoku, Wonderword, Cryptoquip, and the Crossword.
14. I get frustrated when I cannot figure out vanity license plates. If I look at it and can't figure it out, I can no longer look at the car because it makes me mad!
15. I dislike people that think that they know everything about everything! Honestly, it's okay if you are not knowledgable in every subject!
16. I just recently became addicted to watching Wheel of Fortune.
17. I am at Target at least once a week. My favorite thing to do is walk around and check out all of their clearance racks.
18. I have been working on and off at The Fruit Center for 11 years! Holy moley!
19. I can't wait until I am a mom. As much work as it is to be a parent, the thought of having a little person that is half me and half Brian is pretty incredible.
20. I don't go a day without talking to my mom and/or my sister. They're the best and I love that we're so close.
21. I give myself a manicure once a week (I'm due for one today actually!)
22. I can't stand watching sports on TV, but take me to a game and I fit right in with the other crazy fans!
23. I cut 12 inches off my hair about 5 years ago and donated it. As nice as that felt to do, I hated having short hair and I have vowed to myself that I will never cut that much off again!
24. I never use a debit card. I cash my paycheck. People think that I am weird, but then there are people that ask me to teach them my budget because it works really well.
25. I don't really like talking on the phone. I will do it with certain people, but I would much rather email or text. I know that sounds impersonable, but I can't really multitask while on the phone, so I have a hard time sitting still for the amount of time it takes to talk to someone!

Kids are great!

I like spending time with my little friends, Alex and Sal. Alex is 7 (going on 25!) and Sal is 4. I have known the family since Alex was born and have babysat for them since then. It's nice to be able to text message their mom and ask her if she needs a babysitter because I could use the extra money and she will text me back with multiple dates to choose from (I usually say yes to all of them!).
Spending time with the kids allows me to be a kid for the few hours that I am with them. They teach me as much stuff as I think I teach them and it reminds me just how great kids can be.
Alex was the flowergirl in my wedding in August and she still continues to talk about it. She even wrote a paper about it for school. I can see her being the girl at school that everyone wants to be friends with.
Sal is your typical little boy. He can be cuddly and cute and then the next second he will give you attitude and proclaim, "You're not my friend anymore!" or "I'm telling on you!" and then snap out of it in another second when he wants you to read him a bedtime story. I just know that Sal will be the boy that every girl likes because he will have a "bad" way about him :)
Lately, whenever I see Alex, she wants to know if I will be having a baby anytime soon. I tell her that she might not want me to anytime in the near future because that will mean I won't be able to see her and Sal as much. Her solution is for me to bring the baby along and she will help me take care of him/her. How funny to think of Alex babysitting my kid after I have watched her her whole life! I can't help but wonder what my kid(s) will be like at Alex's age. She knows so much, that's why I say she is going on 25.
So, I use the term "babysitting" with Alex and Sal loosely. I consider myself very lucky to get paid to spend time with 2 great kids. They make me laugh and allow me to forget anything bad that is going on in my own little world for the short time that I am with them. Last night, we spent time playing the Wii that they got for Christmas. Mario Cart was their game of choice and because I have not played Wii at all, they beat me everytime! Sal exclaimed, "Aren't I just so awesome?!" and Alex has decided that playing Mario Cart is great for driving lessons! (Sure, if you consider weaving a baby Mario in his stroller in and out of other opponents on a rainbow road, while trying not to fall off the side a driving lesson, then it's a great way to learn how to drive!)
So, in closing, if I am lucky enough to be a mommy one day, I hope to have kids like Alex and Sal. And hey, if Alex is willing to help me take care of him/her, that would be just great!

Is January really half way done already?!

How can this be?! The days seem so long, yet when I look at the big picture, I can't believe that January is almost half way done! I feel like we just had Christmas and New Years! Maybe because the first part of 2009, every free second I had was spent downloading, editing, and uploading our wedding pictures! It's kind of funny how us getting them came about...well, not the beginning parts, but us discovering that they were in our possession is funny.

As many of you know, we had to battle with our photographer to get OUR photos. We paid for them, they were ours, and she was just being annoying and taking forever with getting them to us. I filed a complaint with Better Business Bureau...they never heard from her after contacting her twice...my mom was looking into a small claims case to get them...and then I sent her a nasty email on Christmas eve telling her how pissed I was with her "customer service". So, Brian and I head out to a nice dinner on New Years Eve for my dad's 50th birthday. We go out with my mom and dad, as well as Mindy, Calen, and Mason. My mom hesitantly brings up the pictures again, knowing that my blood boils everytime the topic is brought up. My dad ends the conversation by saying, "Well tomorrow is a new year, maybe you will get them soon." We go back to Mindy and Calen's place and are there until 1:30 in the morning and we head home. I have Brian check the mailbox and he runs ahead of me into the house (because he had to pee!). I get into the house, see a padded envelope and think it's something that I ordered online for my Disney scrapbook. I see the return address and it's from our photographer! I couldn't rip the envelope fast enough and poor Brian is trying to pee in peace and all I can say is, "No way!" So, we put the CDs into our computer and spend the next 2 hours checking out the close to 3,000 pictures (something tells me she just mailed them all to us so I would stop emailing her because we weren't supposed to get nearly that many!) I was beyond excited and going through all of the pictures was like reliving our wedding day all over again. I got goosebumps and butterflies in my stomach (not goosebumps in my stomach, just butterflies!) and I would have stayed up longer if I hadn't been up since 5:30 the previous morning!

That whole weekend was spent downloading the pictures to our computer, going through all of them, and then hours and hours (I'm not exaggerating this!) of uploading them all to Snapfish! I then had to spend time deciding which ones to order for the scrapbook (yes, I said scrapbook)...I'm crazy and insane and Brian just says, "Why don't you stick them in a photo album and call it a day?!" Yeah right, Brian. Not scrapbooking our wedding would be a sin for me and I just can't live with myself using a photo album! But the 500 pictures are ordered and will be coming in 5-7 business days from Snapfish...that will be another great day when the mailman comes!

So, I have to say that 2009 has been good to me so far. Yes, we are only 14 days into it, but I can't complain. While the days are colder and shorter and the nights seem shorter too, my life is good. I actually like having the excuse of snow and cold to be able to sit in sweatpants all weekend and do whatever I want. Hmm...I feel like doing groceries, I'll do that. Hmm...I feel like scrapbooking some Disney pages...I'll do that. Hmm...I feel like doing absolutely nothing, but sitting on my behind and watching forensic shows on channel 252...I'll do that!

With the new year comes talk of people's New Years' Resolutions. I have come to the conclusion that if I am not going to do any of my resolutions any other time throughout the year, than the new year is not going to be any different. I have thoughts in my head of things that I want to work on all throughout the year...so I'm a work in progress. As much as it can be frustrating at times that I am not the way that I want to be, I wouldn't have it any other way. Life would be dull if we were all perfect. Our differences are what make the world interesting. Sure, there are some people that I could do without....there are people that rub me the wrong way for no particular reason...and there are people that just don't get it...but we make the world go 'round. So, Happy New Year to everyone (even though the 1st month is already half way through!)

LOVING my Sony Digital Book!

I have been the proud owner of a Sony Digital book for about a month now and I absolutely love it! It has made me want to read all of the time and I am flying through books! On the Sony EBooks website, they were running a special on 9 books that could be downloaded for free, so I downloaded a few that sounded good. One was titled, The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death. Obviously by the title, I wasn't sure quite what to expect, but I couldn't put it down! The author, Laurie Notaro, is hilarious and I was finished the book in a couple of days. The book is categorized as non-fiction, with the author sharing random stories of her life, but the way she writes about stuff is so funny! I found myself almost busting a gut at work! Not quite what you want to do when you are alone in a back office!!!

So, when I was finished reading the free book, I ventured onto the EBook store to check out other books by her. I just downloaded another book of hers titled, The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club. This one is equally as funny, as I practically snorted water out of my nose today while waiting for my car to get new brakes! Here is a chapter that I couldn't help but relate to...and how fitting is it that I read this while sitting in a mechanics' garage?!

On the Road
I'll be brutally honest. I know nothing about my car. I know where the ashtray is and I know how to pump gas. That's it.
If you try to teach me how to change a tire, I'll forget. If you show me how to check the oil, I won't understand. If you change the adjustments on the driver's seat, it will take three weeks to figure out how to get them back. I'm just not that kind of car girl.
My friend, Kate, tried to help me by teaching me how to fill my tires up with air. I, of course, don't own a tire-pressure gauge, so she was particularly careful to show me the right way.
"You mean I just leave the hissing thing on the tire until the time runs out?" I asked quizzically.
"Absolutely not," she replied. "The tire will blow up on you."
"And take all the skin off my face?" I said nodding.
"No, no," she answered. "It will explode on the road when you're driving. Then just pull over and call AAA."
"No, I heard it's okay unless they blow up in your face," I informed her.
Kate knows these things, but I was pretty sure I had heard about the tire thing on 20/20. She knows when her fuel pump is about to go, when her carburetor is making funny noises, and when her transmission is about to drop out of the engine.
I, on the other hand, don't pay attention to funny noises. I just turn the radio up louder and pretend it's someone else's car.
I tried to be self-sufficient last week when I noticed that the tires were looking squishy again. I dropped the quarter in the air machine, counted to thirty on each tire, and figured I was done. They looked big, full, and ready to go. My face was intact. Kate would have been proud. It was Monday morning and I was heading down the freeway because Nordstrom's was having a shoe sale, and I had to be there first.
I was making the curve at the busiest portion of the freeway when I heard a terrible noise. A horrible, grinding sound that started at the front of my car and filled my ears. It was far too loud for the radio to drown out, no matter how high I turned it up. I knew right away what it was. 20/20 was wrong.
Kate was right. Tires do explode on the road, I thought.
I remembered her words and pulled onto the shoulder as hordes of cars whizzed by. I carefully got out to see which one was gone, but as I walked around the entire car, I was surprised to see that they all looked okay.
I got back in the car and started it again, convincing myself that it really had been someone else's car making the noise, not mine. I hit the gas, and immediately, the sound returned.
Oh Christ, I thought, what is it? What happens when your transmission drops out, the clutch goes bad, the fuel pump quits? I had no idea. I called AAA on my cell phone and told the operator that I needed help.
"Do you need a tow truck?" she asked.
"Maybe," I answered. "What happens with a bad transmission? I think that may be the problem."
"You won't be able to go into drive or reverse," she said.
"Okay. Then how about a bad clutch? I think that may be the problem," I mentioned.
"Do you drive a stick shift?" she responded.
"No. Okay, what about a fuel pump? I think that may be the problem," I said, panicking.
"I'm just going to send a truck, lady," she said.
"I'm just not a car kind of girl!" I pleaded as she hung up.
Ten minutes later, I jumped when someone knocked on the passenger window. It was a cop. I had forgotten to put my hazard lights on, mainly because I don't know where they are. I lowered the window. I know where that button is.
"Hi," I said quickly, "it's my fuel pump. Or transmission. Or carburetor. Or muffler. I think it's my muffler. I've called a tow truck, it will be here any minute."
"I don't think you'll need a tow truck, ma'am," he answered. "You ran over a gas can."
"Oh," I replied.
"How far did you drag that thing?" he asked. "I don't know how you didn't see it. It's as big as a TV! Do you have a jack?"
I hoped to God I did, and that he knew what it looked like.
I popped the trunk (I know where that button is, too) and helped the cop take out a couple of lamps, a box of books, and a pile of dirty clothes I had forgotten were in there. I was embarrassed when he found the jack, put it in place, jacked up the car, lay down on the ground, and then kicked the biggest gas can I had ever seen out from underneath my car, but not as embarrassed as when he got up just in time to see a big gust of wind from a passing truck rush toward me and blow my skirt all the way up to my chin.
"Your tow truck is here," he said, trying not to laugh.

The End (of this chapter!)