Turn the Page

Back in December, my Junior League committee decided to do a white elephant book swap to celebrate the holidays instead of holding our regular monthly meeting.  The idea was simple: everyone should bring a copy of a book they'd recently read that was 1) good, and 2) from their own personal book collection.  I was on board, although I knew I'd have to buy a new one.  It's hard for me to part with any book that is really good.  If I really enjoy a book, I'll totally re-read it multiple times and each time, it will bring me pleasure.  Between that and the fact that I definitely cleaned out my book collection when I moved (now it consists of only the best of the best books), there just wasn't one I was willing to pass on.  I reviewed all the books I'd read in the last 3 years or so and debated a lot and finally decided the book I'd take would be Same Kind of Different As Me.

Y'all, this book was amazing.  My mom had read it before me so I borrowed her copy and when I did, she told me to keep the Kleenex handy when I got about halfway through.  My Austin book club put it on our reading list for January 2009 and every single one of us loved it.  We all cried our eyes out at the same point.  I can't say enough good things about it.  If you haven't read it, here's the gist: it's a true story about how two very different men come to know one another.  Sound interesting?  No, it probably doesn't.  But the way it's written is just so perfect.  It keeps you intrigued.  It's an unlikely story.  And more importantly, it really shows you the good will and kindness of mankind.  It's the ultimate feel-good story, and I don't think there's enough stories like that right now on a daily basis. 

ANYWAY, I was so excited to share this book!  I wrapped it up knowing that it's more fun to unwrap something than to just view a selection and choose from a bunch of unwrapped books on a table, and also because I knew that there would be few people who would know the title and want to read it based on that.  Look at that picture above of the cover.  It doesn't necessarily scream, "I'M THE BEST BOOK EVER!"  So I figured a little pretty wrapping paper and a nice bow wouldn't hurt its chances.  My book was opened about a third of the way in, and all I can say is that the girl who opened it was clearly disgusted that it wasn't something she'd heard of or that looked better in her eyes.  She sneered.  The sneer definitely said, "I'll be donating this at my next gift exchange or to Tossed and Found, whichever comes first."  I was crushed.  Yes, I felt sorry for my book.  FOR A BOOK!  But I should have felt sorry for this inane girl who was literally judging a book by its cover because if she never reads it, she's totally missing out.  I told several friends of mine who aren't on my committee about the whole experience and recommended that they give the book a shot if they were looking for something to read. 

Fast forward 4 months and last night, after another JL function, I took a friend home and she told me that she'd read it and that she LOVED IT!  I was so relieved by this for some reason!  I mean I was really wondering if my Austin friends and my mom and I were all just crazy about it because we lived in Texas or what (the book is set in Fort Worth).  Nope, my friend said she devoured it and balled her eyes out on a plane while she was reading it.  Yes, that made me feel relieved.  I realize that is so silly, but wow, it's nice to feel justified.  AND to know that the sneering girl on my committee who was lucky to get my book is so wrong and totally missing out.

To close, here's my shameless plug: go read this book if you're looking for something good to read.  It's non-fiction, it's fairly short, and it will show you some of the good in the world.


And actually, that's not my closing.  I have a favor to ask of whomever reads this.  Pink Slip Gourmet's family is in need of prayer support right now.  Long story short, Pink Slip's brother and sister-in-law went on a walk on Sunday evening and her sister-in-law went into sudden cardiac arrest and collapsed.  She stopped breathing and her heart stopped pumping.  She's only about 36 and they have three young children.  She was rushed to the hospital and was later flown by Care Flight back to the city where she and Pink Slip's brother live with their kids.  She is still in ICU, but she is now breathing on her own.  I'm asking all of you to pray for the good doctors who are caring for her and for them to provide the knowledge and skills that are needed to help her heal; that she comes out of her unconscious state soon; for healthy cardiac and neurological functions when she does regain consciousness; and for the family, particularly her husband.  This is a hard time for their entire family and I can't even begin to fathom what they must be going through.  So if everyone could just add another item to their prayer list, I would appreciate it, especially if you don't know Pink Slip or her family.  Thank you!

Vacation's all I ever wanted

L and I spent took a long weekend last weekend and met my parents in Charleston, SC.  Neither of us had ever been to South Carolina but my parents had been twice and loved it, so we decided it would be fun to see if they wanted to join us for a little Springtime getaway.  Y'all, if you've never been, GO BOOK A TRIP RIGHT NOW.  If nothing else, it was just the perfect place to go for a relaxing weekend.  We had several great meals and the weather could. not. have. been. prettier!  Highs in the low 80s with nice breezes coming off the water and sunshine all 4 days we were there.  It was exactly what I needed!  I would be the happiest girl in the world if I could just sit on a bench outside in weather like that for the rest of my life.  What is there to NOT love about that? 

So, things we did while we were there... We stumbled into Saturday lunch at a great place called Blossom and then we killed time walking around East Bay, Meeting Street, and the market until my parents got to their hotel.  We went to dinner that night at Poogan's Porch, which began a series of meals for me that all seemed like they couldn't be topped by anything else I'd ever eat.  I don't know which one came out on top, but rest assured that they were all fantastic.  After dinner, L and I decided to indulge in a few libations at a nearby bar. 

The drinks were delicious.  What was not delicious was the fact that 1) Charleston allows smoking in bars (not surprising considering geography), and 2) the bar was attached to a cigar shop, so there was double stinkiness going on.  But the cocktails were still delicious.  I personally tried the pomegranite martini (pictured) and the French Kiss. 

Sunday morning, I got up and took a leisurely walk around King Street before the crowds were out and all the stores opened up (and took a fun pic). 

When I got home, L and I worked out in our hotel gym, then showered and dressed for the day and met my parents for brunch at High Cotton.  How great is that name?  I love it for some reason.  I also took the opportunity to treat brunch as my version of Mothers' Day since I won't be with my mom that day and gave my mom her gift, so that was fun. Post-lunch, the four of us took a very tourist-y carriage tour, which was great, despite our hokey tour guide.  It was a great way to see a lot of the city and again, the weather was so perfect for it.  Here's a shot of the famous Rainbow Row:

Afterward, L took off to watch the Lakers' game, Mom and I decided to go shopping, and Dad took off to go find a souvenir for one of my uncles (he gets this uncle something from every. single. place. he travels to).  I found lots of fun things (clothes, cookbooks, candles, and more) and I can't wait to start using them all.  Sunday dinner took us to Magnolia.  Again, so delicious. 

Monday morning, Mom and I decided to go tour Magnolia plantation.  Our tour wasn't until 12:15, so we killed a few hours by touring a couple of historic homes.  Here's the first one we went through:

This home is preserved rather than restored and it's so interesting to see what a 200+ year old home looks like if you don't actively work to keep it in shape.  After the two tours, it was off to Magnolia plantation.  Our tour included the home and the Audubon garden (led by a guide who was even cheesier and hokier than our carriage tour guide, which I didn't know was possible.  He even sang.  There were lots of painful groans, eye rolls, and unamused stares coming from our bench on both tours), where we saw several alligators.  This is the first of many we saw:

Also, side note: I know I have a dry sense of humor.  So does the rest of my family.  We laugh a lot and we have nothing against a touch of cheesiness every now and then, but WOW.  We just kept getting hit with ridiculous tour guides.  I guess that's part of the territory when you're doing touristy stuff.  And maybe it's because they do this EVERY DAY and they just can't help but through in their versions of spice to keep it interesting.  Regardless, everyone would have been laughing at my dad's face at the carriage tour guide.  Mom and I were so glad he wasn't with us for the Audubon guide.  There would have been a lot of faces being made and laughs being stifled.

We also saw Live Oaks that were 500 years old.  I have no words for how beautiful a 500 year old Live Oak is. 

I realize I may be partial- I love Live Oaks anyway.  They've been in the front yard of both of my parents' homes that I grew up in.  The picture above doesn't do it justice.  It was HUGE.

But, moving on.  Finally, a view from the porch of the main house on the plantation:

This is the view from the back of the home (the front faces the river).  The land goes on and on and it's so pretty.  They raise miniature horses, peacocks, and so many different flowers in the gardens that cover the grounds.  There are so many flowers that the air smells like a soft, floral perfume as you walk around.  You don't even have to stop and actually stick your nose in a flower.  It's so great!

I don't really know what L did on Monday.  Or my dad.  I know they ran into each other, but that's about it.  Monday's dinner was spent at Slightly North of Broad, or SNOB.  Another deliciously amazing meal.  L and I grabbed drinks afterward at the Griffon on Vendue Range (how great is that street name?). 

On Tuesday morning, L joined me and Mom for a home tour of the Nathaniel Russell mansion, and then he and I grabbed a quick lunch at Jestine's, which was right around the corner from our hotel.  We'd seen a line outside of Jestine's literally every single time we'd passed that corner, no matter what time of day it was, so we decided we had to try and go for lunch right at 11:00 (when they open) on Tuesday.  It was seriously one of the best meals I've ever had and all it was was fried chicken, fried okra (the first fried okra I've had since I moved up here), cole slaw (which I didn't eat- not a fan), and corn bread.  So the meal was basically all shades of brown, which usually grosses me out, but it's awesome when it's that good.  We were thoroughly pleased with ourselves.

And that was pretty much our trip!  I'm now convinced that I need to live in a house with a piazza some day.  How could life ever be bad when you have a porch that runs the width of the house with your own private courtyard and beautiful weather?  Piazzas are officially going on my list of wants for my future dream house.

In Bloom

Inspired by the many creations of my friends Jennifer and Julie, I decided to make myself a yarn wreath for spring.  It's incredibly easy, doesn't take too long, and really inexpensive so if you don't like your end product or you don't want to use it for more than one year, you're not out too much cash.  The final product has been hanging on our door for about a month:

I don't love the hue of the yellow, but it needed more than just pinks and yellow is what I had, so on it went.  I made two different types of flowers to add a little interest: the rolled-up spiral kind and the circle-ish shapes sewn on top of each other.  Is it the most beautiful thing ever?  Probably not.  But it works and since I invested the time in making it, I decided to share it. 

You Wear It Well

We're taking a break from our usual repertoire to discuss something that I saw earlier today.  Articles like this make me want to make sure my kids go to a school where uniforms are required.  When L's first niece was born, I happily went on a shopping spree for all kinds of clothes for her.  It's fun to shop for kids' clothes!  But I also remember telling one of my co-workers at the time that I was completely shocked and appalled but how slutty some of the girls' clothes were.  I grew up wearing smocked dresses (I'm lucky enough to have a mother who enjoyed sewing and knew how to smock with like a professional) and clothes from a store called Chocolate Soup (I have no descriptors except to say that they were conservative kids' clothes, but then, it was the '80s, so what kids' clothes weren't conservative by today's standards??) as a little girl and by the time I was in elementary school, I had to wear a uniform.  When it came time for church, Mom had me and my sister in Maggie Breen dresses.  I just looked for some pics online but luckily for little girls today, the fashions of the '80s are no longer en vogue.  Here's a mental picture for you: picture tea-length taffeta (any color will do), short sleeves (sometimes puffy, other times not), a large collar (usually white, often with a lace trim), and many times a satin sash that tied in the back in a big bow.  We were definitely the very essence of girly girls.  But I don't regret it.  I fully intend to dress any daughters L and I may have one day in smocked dresses (maybe even some of the ones my sister and I wore, because of course Mom still has them stored away and word on the street is that they are in mint condition) and any boys in john-johns, at least while they are really little boys.  L is opposed to the john-john, but I grew up in a southern state with undoubtedly Southern parents and I think that's going to outweigh L's feelings of john-johns being... um... fruity.  Because here's the thing: little boys can only wear them until they're about 2.  That's not fruity; it's cute.  But that's a whole other parenting discussion that's completely irrelevant until we actually decide to start a family. 

Kids have the rest of their lives to grow up and buy trendy clothes like velour sweatsuits and skimpy clothes.  Why not actually dress them like what they are, which is kids??  They're only young once.

All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight

Aaaaaaaaaand I'm back!  It's been a bit of a crazy month or so, hence my lack of posting.  Brief recap: two of L’s close friends visited us back-to-back at the end of March and the beginning of April, then we had a fun weekend exploring H street with some friends, and then L and I went to Charleston with my parents.

Recap of our visitors: visitor #1 was L's #1 bff, The Gamblor.  The Gamblor decided he needed a little L in his life (they are super BFF… like, to the point where they used to talk to each other more than L and I would talk to each other when we were doing the whole long distance bit).  He blew in like a hurricane and while he was here, the guys worked hard (they smoked ribs and a brisket his first full day here) and played hard (complete with the usual favorite visits to PX, POV, and Founding Farmers, since he didn't do any of those during his first visit last summer).  The Gamblor was very satisfied with all the meals in which we indulged and had fun trying some new bars with us.  On his first visit last summer, he came for two nights and we took him to the Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ festival, so we didn’t get to do the stuff we’ve taken pretty much everyone else to do when they’ve come up (thus PX and FF this time).  The Gamblor arrived at our house around 9:45 on a Thursday evening and at L’s request, I had appetizers waiting (as opposed to a full meal, which is what I usually offer our incoming guests if they arrive at or after dinnertime and what I’d planned to do originally, but it was deemed too heavy for such a late arrival. Note to self: always go with your gut, no matter what. I find this to be true about everything in life, not just appetizers and how much food you should make.  Listen to that inner voice!). Our menu unintentionally centered around soft cheeses: bacon-wrapped stuffed dates, chevre and mango bites, and brie with fig preserves and water crackers. We also had cupcakes based off the chocolate cake recipe I made in February (cake is better). Anyway, I neglected to take pictures of anything except the dates, so here’s your one visual bite:

The food was a hit; there just wasn’t enough of it. The Gamblor hadn’t eaten lunch because he’d had a busy day at work, so of course I felt horrible that we didn’t have more to offer him. Anyway, fast forward to Sunday morning, when we got up, unbelievably excited for brunch at The General Store in Maryland.  L and I had tried it 2 weeks prior and it. was. AWESOME.  I was still dreaming of the French Toast Waffle while L couldn't forget the chicken and waffles he'd had.  The Gamblor heard us talking about it and was in for a taste.  So we hauled ourselves to Maryland, ready for another amazing meal only to find an empty parking lot outside a darkened restaurant with a sign taped to do the door saying the owner had failed to pay rent and taxes.  Yeah, it was closed.  Like, FOR GOOD.  I was so mad!!  I hate going to Maryland and all I wanted was a freaking FT waffle.  My new goal in life is to find a way to replicate the magic that was that recipe.  We ended up having a mediocre brunch at a place in Rosslyn instead (I'm sure it's better than mediocre, but I was just so irritated about the first place closing that I just couldn't enjoy what I was eating).  Anyway, The Gamblor went home a happy man and it was another great visit for the books.

The following weekend, Frohn Dancis headed up here for a visit and we had a great time with him and meeting his new lady love.  After an unexpectedly great dinner that I'll have to write about later, we met them for drinks at Poste on Friday night (where I saw a very sad date taking place that involved the girl playing Scrabble or Words With Friends as her date looked on awkwardly) and shut the place down.  We all met up at Eastern Market on Saturday morning and then we grabbed lunch at Old Ebbit Grill. 

And because there was a bit of rain and it was during the cherry blossom festival, the the whole place was PACKED.

Just an idea of what the place was like, and that was after it had cleared out a great deal.  Anyway, after that, it was on to the Portrait Gallery.  Here's a pic that The Girlfriend took of me and L while we led the way to the Portrait Gallery:

I thought that was kind of fun.  Also, please note that I'm still proudly bucking the trend of the skinny jean.  Not a strong look for me, I feel.  After the gallery, we dropped them off at their hotel so that they could get ready for the wedding, which happened to be at the country club that is literally a five minute walk from where we live, so we all agreed they should've stayed with us.  It was a fun but action-packed weekend that didn't last long enough, but then, we feel that way any time friends come visit!  Two weekends in a row of L's friends visiting really made me so lucky that we have so many friends that have made the trip up to come see us (we know it's not the cheapest of trips to take) and that some of them are starting to come up for their second time.  I also so love that I've been able to build legit friendships with L's friends. There was a time at the beginning of L's and my relationship where I honestly didn't know if Frohn Dancis and a couple others liked me or if they ever would.  It's nice that we've come so far because they really are great guys and they love L so much. I'm so glad he has friends that he's so close to and that he make him so happy.

On an unrelated note, I've been watching Tangled while writing.  It's pretty stinking cute.  Definitely add it to your queue if you haven't seen it.

Go shawty, it's your birthday

Friday was this little devil's birthday.

Yes, Boomer is now the ripe old age of 12 and still as young and spry at heart as if he were a puppy.  He's definitely mischevious but our family can't help but love him, despite all the stunts he pulls (don't leave him alone with an unattended trash can, no matter how big or small it is, and Lord help you if you leave leave a laundry basket full of delicates within his reach).  He's everyone's favorite buddy, and what he loves most is cuddling and snuggling with his People and going on walks with my dad.

Obviously we weren't there to celebrate his birthday with him, but I wanted to do something for him (also, please note that my parents did not celebrate with him- this is all just me), so I decided to stop by L's favorite cupcake bakery on the way home and pick up some goodies.

Chocolate chip on the left for L, strawberry on chocolate on the right for me:

Delish!  They aren't as fancy and they don't have quite as many flavors as Georgetown Cupcake or Sprinkles, but they are always super yummy and perfect for a little birthday celebration.  (Bonus for anyone with dietary restrictions: they have vegan and gluten-free options.)  Happy birthday, Boomie!!

Ain't It Funny

I had a Junior League meeting tonight at the JLW headquarters, which is just a few doors down from the DC location of Paper Source.  Anytime I have a meeting, I stop by Paper Source on my way back to my car to see what fun cards and papers they have (great place for letterpress, if you're into that sort of thing).  Tonight's find isn't a normal fun find for me, nor is it something that I would usually even bother looking at, let alone find funny.  It's a spin on the childhood classic book, Pat the Bunny.

So here's the deal.  It's an interactive book (pop up, pull tabs, etc.) about marriage cliches.  Not that funny.  But I DID have to laugh when I got to this page:

Bless his heart, for all his strengths, L is absolutely this guy sometimes.  He's a self-proclaimed sick kid.  Where I go to work unless I'm contagious, barfing, or feverish, he'll stay home if he just doesn't feel quite right.  I guess that's what I get for having a teacher for a mother.  Anyway, the text on the pages above made me smirk a little.  Then I noticed the pull-tab above Pat's head on the right side, so I pulled it.

And that shows Pat's temperature.  Sorry for the bad picture quality.  If you can't read it, it says, "YES, OF COURSE I'M DYING."  Totally made me laugh, so out came the phone and pics were quickly snapped.  If you want to read the rest of the book (the rest is kind of meh), hit up your nearest Paper Source.

Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Is it gross that I floss my teeth at work? I find this to be the most effective way to make sure I floss. My new thing is that I can’t leave for the day until the spaces between my teeth are clean. I HATE flossing. I’ve never been good at being diligent in my flossing efforts. Obviously that means that I’ve had a few teeth cleanings that have turned into blood baths. Lovely. Consequently, many years ago I started flossing regularly anywhere from 2-4 weeks out before each teeth cleaning. You’d think that would turn it into a habit, but even when I’ve come close to making it a habit, I end up giving it up shortly after my teeth cleaning. I’ve made flossing a new year’s resolution before and I flossed daily for about 3 months, if I recall correctly. However, it clearly didn’t last, and when the next appointment resulted in my first and only root canal to date, I promptly issued my floss a cease and desist order.

Continuing on with teeth talk, L and I both had our semi-annual teeth cleanings within the last week and a half. Mine was two Wednesdays ago and one of the issues I raised is my shifting lower teeth. I had braces from 1995-1997 (8th to 10th grades, in case you were wondering) and religiously wore my retainers until somewhere towards the end of college. I only stopped because several friends SWORE my teeth were permanently set. For anyone out there considering stopping and who may also have friends saying the same thing, I ask you, are you friends dentists or orthodontists? Because if not, they have no basis for their claims. And of course in the process of moving 4.5 times over the last 7 years, I have no idea what happened to my retainers. As I sit here typing this, I’m trying to remember what I did with them when I found them while I was packing up my Austin apartment. I have no idea. I know I considered throwing them away but I think the guilt of knowing how much my parents paid for them and how long I had to wear braces to get my teeth straight prevented me from going through with trashing them. I do know that the last time I tried to put them in, it just felt like they were trying to make my whole head implode by way of my mouth.  Here's a picture of my mouth on October 24, 2009:

Not the most helpful since you can't see my lower teeth, but it's the best I could do.  Also I would've gotten closer up, but it distorted the pic a tad too much.  Plus, it's an excuse to look at my dress.  ANYWAY.  Prior to my braces, my teeth weren’t terribly crooked to begin with; I had one tooth that was a little bit out of line, but it didn’t mess up my smile and you couldn’t really tell unless you were looking at my teeth from an aerial p.o.v. Over the last 2 years or so, that tooth has slowly but surely shifted back into it’s pre-braces position. Another tooth is starting to turn slightly, and it’s the one that bothers me the most because it’s front and center. Again, you can’t tell unless I unhinge my jaw and give you an overhead view, and even then, apparently it's still hard to see. I maintain that it feels like the edges of a jigsaw puzzle when I run my tongue over them.  Anyway, back to the point at hand: I mentioned to my dentist (who is AWESOME all the time, btw, but especially because he totally cleaned my teeth for free because he was running late and I was nice and patient about it all) that I was bothered by the teeth shifting. He assuaged my fears and told me they are still incredibly straight, despite how it all feels to my tongue, and that he’d make me a retainer if it starts to really bother me.  This will probably happen.  That means I'll be sleeping in them.  HELLO, SEXY TIME!!  Except not so much.  A note to everyone out there, though: my dentist shared with me that as you age, your lower jaw essentially reforms itself and your teeth end up crowding together.  This is why teenage friends are just totally wrong when they tell you nothing will happen if you don't wear your retainers.  So if you have some, WEAR THEM.  Or if you have a permanent retainer, just be happy about it and never have it removed.

Then there's L.  These are L's teeth, pictured below at our wedding (it only seemed fair to use a pic of him on the same day):

We've known for a while L's teeth aren't bad, but they aren't fab, either.  It's not like he has a snaggle tooth or something; they just aren't super straight anymore.  His Austin dentist asked him repeatedly if he'd ever considered braces (and the answer is not since he got them off in the early '90s).  I have no idea what his excuse is for shifting teeth.  Sometimes I get him confused with a friend of mine from high school, whose retainers somehow got thrown out a train or bus window on a boy scout trip to DC in 10th grade.  (Yes, I had friends that did boy scouts all the way through high school.  They were all Eagle Scouts and not at all dorky.  L was an Eagle Scout, too, which is probably one of the big reasons why I sometimes forget that story isn't about him.)  Anyway, L went in for his teeth cleaning the other day and was told he grinds his teeth.  Apparently he needs a night guard. 

That means I'll probably end up with two retainers and he'll have a night guard. Really puts you in the mood, doesn't it?  I mean can you imagine how that will go?

"Hey, let's french"

"Mosduwnefow"

"What?"

"Sorry- I need to take out my mouth apparatus."

And then the spit-covered retainer or mouth guard is going to have to be removed and placed in a case. 


Anyone else turned on by this??  On one hand, at least we're married.  I would have been mortified if a new boyfriend had ever seen me in my retainers.  On the other hand, marriage does not really make this okay.  Retainers and mouth guards are the oral equivalent to sweat pants and crocs.  Marriage is not an excuse to wear sweatpants and crocs all the time (and actually, let's go ahead and say those are never okay to wear EVER).  The only difference between sweat pants/crocs and retainers is that sweat pants/crocs don't help you maintain your appearance the way the retainers do.  Added point of conflict: I'm a big proponent of trying to maintain some sense of mystery in our marriage, which is why we make sure our bathroom is always only occupied by one person at a time (the idea of peeing or tooting* in front of him = MORTIFYING and unbelievably disgusting).  It's also why I refuse to wear the footed pajamas that he gave me for Christmas in 2008.  I just don't believe you can come back from seeing your wife dressed as either a giant baby or the Easter bunny (moreso the baby one).  So what do you do in this situation?  Right now I'm praying that my teeth will shift back on their own or that a new way to straighten teeth (or prevent further shifting) will be invented so that we don't become the gross couple with mouth pieces who have given up on life. 

*Also, how funny is the word TOOT??  That's totally one of the words that will make me laugh EVERY. TIME.

That's All She Wrote

After a few weeks off (sorry, didn't have time with guests and what not), I'm back with another a Fill in the Blank Friday. 

1.  The best prank I ever pulled was one of the many I pulled with CB over several summers at CF.  It's hard to pick because we loved us some pranks.  Maybe the one where we snuck into the boys' cabins on a night between sessions and hid and made sobbing noises and managed to convince a 20 year old guy that we were the ghost of a lady who couldn't find our way back to the light. He was scared.  It was also way better if you were there.  There was also a lot of fake poop one summer that got left in strategic places in the office.  This was especially effective because there was a new puppy on camp.

2.  The best prank ever pulled on me was not coming to mind.  I know I've had pranks pulled on me before but I can't think of what they were. I've had my share of gullible moments, though, so rest assured, I've had pranks pulled at least to that degree.   

3.  A day without laughing at something is a day wasted.

4. The most important things in life are faith and the people you love, whether they are friends, family, your spouse, whomever it is in your life that matters. Also on the list: finding something that makes you feel fulfilled.

5. I dream of on the non-serious level, I dream all kinds of crazy things at night.  I know I dreamed last night and that it was weird, but I can't remember what it was.  Other dreams of late have included me being on dates with cute boys and knowing that I'm single in the dream but married in real life and not knowing quite what to do, and also going to Red Lobster to eat cheese biscuits with Babs Burger.  On the more philosophical level, I dream of being able to own a home with L and being able to have a pet.  And kids someday.  Shoe shopping for the niece was quite fun.  But before we get to the kids part, I dream of being able to travel to all the places L and I want to go to together.

6. I dread getting up early in the morning, over-sharers, people with bad breath and other bad oral habits (smacking, spitting, clicking their tongues), sitting next to smokers (even if they aren't smoking... that smell just permeates their clothing and it's gross to inhale), spiders, and mice.

7. A discovery I made this week was that Grey's Anatomy does NOT. EVER. need to have another "music event."  That was horrible.


Go check out the originator of this little Friday fun here.