Saturday, February 21, 2009

The Good Stuff--anniversary/Christmas/birthday/V-Day present

WE BOUGHT A FREAKIN' BED!!!

FINALLY, all the past major holidays have now been atoned for!
The coolest part? This mattress has a firm side and a plush side. I laid down on it, pronounced it "perfect". Matt did the same thing. Then we switched sides and it was like angels singing when we realized it was two different firmnesses!

Whoever invented a dual-firmness mattress is up there with George Washington "I know you'll like peanut butter, Allison" Carver in my book. I love them.

Matt goes to pick it up tomorrow, and hopefully one of my beloved readers whose name rhymes with "spammy" will help him. I am way too short to mess with a queen size mattress.

And, snow flurries this morning! Snow is always good for me.

Oh, I even dreamed I found the camera cord....so maybe that's a good omen.

Now to write up write-ups about my refashioned clothes for today's Swap O-Rama at the History Museum. Come to see me!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

The Good Stuff, Late...

I am really wishing I had a camera cord so I could show you all the cool things sitting on my sewing room floor...

Well, today's good stuff was that I had a crazy-ass dream about daffodil bulbs. A large hill of them. Seriously, like a dump truck load. They were at the house I grew up in. I was trying to rake them out, as well as the cover of snow that was on them. Then, there was some business about trying to climb a wooden fort/play pen structure to avoid being eaten by wolves (possibly some "Lost" leftovers).
But seriously, what's with the bulbs?

The other night, I dreamed about my student who died in October. Mike was just sort of there in my dream, smiling at me. He had lost weight and seemed happy, so that was comforting.

We had a mock MAP test this morning at school, and nobody in my homeroom complained. Of course, I plied them with Tootsie Pops and they shared some Fruit Roll Ups, so maybe that's why. And, most of them DID know the parts of a friendly letter! Hallelujah! I HAVE taught something!

My kingdom for a camera cord!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Fame and Fortune is a Game I Play

Hello, my faithful 3 readers...
Next Saturday, you have the chance to meet me at the Missouri History Museum's Swap O-Rama!
Not only will I have a rack of my own refashioned clothes for inspiration, but I will be doing short workshops on how to turn your cherished old punk rock tee shirts, or whatever, into a cozy tee shirt quilt. Aaaannnnd, I may even be manning a sewing machine to assist attendees with their own refashions!
You know I love thrift, frugality and repurposing, so this event really has my name all over it.
You'll need a bag of old, unwanted, yet CLEAN clothes to get in. Once in, you can sort through other folks' castoffs and find something you love! If it needs an applique, or ribbon button placket or to be taken in, you can consult with an alteration expert and do it right there and then!
This event is all part of the George Washington Carver exhibit that is going on now. He was all up in inventing and reusing, plus creating my favorite food, peanut butter.
In fact, I ate a peanut butter sandwich with a bowl of chili today, and let me tell you, my husband's scooter mechanic knows his food! Tony Bourdain, I dare you to try that combination!

Good Things:
1. I beat Matt at bowling today.

2. Estate sale yesterday yielded the vintage linen napkins I had been hoping for. It also yielded 1930's apple green curtains, a stack of craft and Better Homes and Gardens magazines from 1957 to 1973, an appetizer tray to match the 2-tiered one I already had, and a sweet little 1961 book about birds, with gorgeous, haven't-seen-the-light-of-day-in-40-years drawings.

3. The forsythia branches I cut last week are beginning to bloom inside.

4. I found a new band I like: The Pains of Being Pure At Heart. Total 80's American twee pop and I love them dearly. I even think Tiny Montgomery would enjoy some of their tunes, twee aside... Emusic describes them as the soundtrack to the last day of school before summer vacation of your 16th year. I'm sold! If it's heart-wrenching, I love it.

5. I have decided to go ahead and get the recannulization procedure, just in case Someone's variocele surgery shows success. Wait a minute...perforating my tubes? And the word "tried" is spelled wrong! Hmmm....how can something that sounds like "cannoli" be bad?!

6. I have tomorrow off!

Monday, February 09, 2009

Good Stuff Updates

Crap, I have how many days to catch up on? I am such a slacker...do I really want a baby?

Today: Umm....Maggie and I had a nice early evening walk in the rain. Otherwise, it was a nice warm day and my students were in a good mood.

Sunday: MIL made yummy bean soup for us. I went to an estate sale and scored some perfect 1950's curtains AND a box of blue Shiny Brite glass Christmas tree ornaments. The box is in perfect condition and the balls are just a smidge scratched. These people didn't know what they had!
Saturday: Matt left for Chicago at 5:30 am. Alecia and I went to Leftovers and I got a treasure trove of pencils and fabrics. Leftovers Lady told us a sob story of how they need money, so get thee there and buy something, already! It was super warm and we drove with the windows down.
I went grocery shopping at 6 pm and was one of the few sober people in the store. The guy behind me in line reeked of alcohol. When does one have to start drinking to get that drunk so early?

I also saved $8.44 in coupons, thank you very much. Cocoa roasted almonds are my new favorite things, although it was fun to let my students taste wasabi and soy sauce almonds. It was a new, hot experience for them, and they made funny faces.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Hump Day Good Stuff

Things happened today (well, one thing) that was majorly depressing, but otherwise, it's been a decent day.
1. Fresh milk makes great coffee.
2. Suspended student (who told me I was pissing her the fuck off) came back, sans attitude or bitterness.
3. Hmmm.....I guess it wasn't a four star day. Just a day. Just a cold, cold day....

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

My foot hurts Good Stuff

Can one seriously ruin one's feet by wearing Danskos? My tootsies just don't fit in my Vans anymore without pain.

Today kicked ass for several reasons:
1. I had an all-day meeting.

2. I had a chai from Starbucks.

3. We got our work done early and got to leave early.

4. I walked the dog in the freezing cold, with a scarf from Kate wrapped around my head/face/neck. Girls, it is aquamarine wool, so I know you're all jealous.

5. The dog did not poop, so I did not have to take off my mittens on said walk.

6. The slightly sour milk I put in my coffee did not make me sick. I have a bad history of eating/drinking things I probably shouldn't. My frugality will be, and has been, my downfall. I got so sick last spring (slightly moldy red pepper pesto...but I ate from the non-moldy side!) that I called in sick to work and didn't eat for a week. I also spent the entire weekend in bed, which is unheard of for me. The trains must run on time! Where does that phrase come from, by the way?

7. I culled a garbage bag plus a paper bag full of scraps for someone on Freecycle.

8. It's taco night!

Monday, February 02, 2009

Feeding People Is a Good Thing

See here:
If you are short on time, just read this one paragraph:

LiveFeed is in an online contest to win $10,000 and we need your help. Please go to:
http://ideablob.com/ideas/4445-LiveFeed-Will-Rock-for-Food-w , register for the website and then vote for LiveFeed as the best idea on the ideablob contest. If we get enough votes this week, then we make it to the finals and then we need you to vote AGAIN between February 23rd and the 28th. Votes before the 23rd do not count towards the finals, so voting between 2/23 and 2/28 is critical for us to win $10,000. This is free, easy and takes one minute.

Thank you for your support
Amy

================================
If you have 2 more minutes, keep reading:
================================

We really need your help to win this contest, so we are asking your help three more ways.

1) Make sure you vote before AND after 2/23 to get us into the finals and to win the whole thing so LiveFeed can win $10,000.

2) On February 23, please email all of your friends and encourage them to vote for LiveFeed as well. We really need votes during the finals, so emailing your friends starting 2/23 is very important. 2/27 reminders are great too!

3) Consider adding a note to your facebook status and your twitter updates, invite people to vote for LiveFeed use this URL
http://ideablob.com/ideas/4445-LiveFeed-Will-Rock-for-Food-w - it costs nothing and only takes a couple minutes to register and vote.

Thanks for your support of such an amazing cause.

Sincerely,
Amy Graham

After you've voted, spread the word! We'd love it if you'd donate your Facebook status or give a Twitter update. We've even written it for you. Just cut n' paste:
Vote TODAY!! Help LiveFeed win $10,000 http://tinyurl.com/d897p6
Feel free to forward Amy's message to your friends, family, and random people who've found their way into your email contacts. Mention it on your blog. Then let us know in the comments what you did to spread the word today.

Groundhog Day


I always feel sorry for Punxsutawny Phil. He's comfortably snoozing, and is then yanked into the cold Pennsylvania air for a bunch of men in stove pipe hats. Of course we're having 6 more weeks of winter! It's f'ing FEBRUARY, you idiots!
And if it were to warm up, we'd have snow in April again!
But, the proclamation is cool:

Greetings from Punxsutawney!

Phil Says Six More Weeks!

Phil's official forecast as read February 2nd, 2009 at sunrise at Gobbler's Knob:

Hear Ye Hear Ye

On Gobbler's Knob this glorious Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2009

Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators

Awoke to the call of President Bill Cooper

And greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths

After casting a joyful eye towards thousands of his faithful followers,

Phil proclaimed that his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers were World Champions one more time

And a bright sky above me

Showed my shadow beside me.

So 6 more weeks of winter it will be.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, then. How does one discern a joyful eye from an angry, vengeful groundhog eye?

Today was an "eh" day, but..

1. The roofers are back at work at my school. Imagine me munching on an apple, juice running down my chin, ogling roofers with my coworkers during lunch. The one in the red sweatshirt is the hottest one, reflective sunglasses aside.

2. Hot gossip abounds at work, but I can't talk about it. Sorry, Bev :)

3. My hair looked great today.

4. I think I can actually take the dog for a walk, since most of the snow has melted. Sorry, Cat :)

See? I got nothin'!

Sunday, February 01, 2009

January 31 TGS

All of today was a good thing. I was required to tag along w/Husband and his scooter buddies to go scout out motels and entertainment in Lake of the Ozarks. They're planning a scooter rally down there in April, and wanted to make sure the rumors of development weren't true.
So, we left bright and early and drove for like 3 hours through snow-covered fields. Lots of cows, horses, and I spotted a bright yellow bird on a telephone wire that may have been an evening grosbeak.
We also saw a coyote, ate at a great diner, and once we got home, watched 2 discs of Lost Season 2. A good day, all around.