1. Tomorrow is the 24th of July. For 10 years we lived on the Days of '47 parade route and hosted friends, family, the friends of family and the family of friends on our front lawn to watch the parade. Random passersby would ask to use our bathroom. One guy asked if he could plug in his battery recharger in our house (sure, fine). Joe would make breakfast for the visitors. One year we had a bunch of Joe's cousins (a branch of the Barrus family) attend. There was a whole slew of young Barrus kids running around. One kid ran through our living room and I said, "Are you a Barrus?" And he looked at me funny and said "What's a Barrus?" (clearly not one). Although I have fond memories of our on-the-parade-route years, I don't care if I never see the Days of '47 parade again.
2. I'm recovering from a fat lip brought on by a billiard ball becoming airborne and socking me (hard) in the kisser. Em and I were playing with the pool table downstairs. I was crouched down, face at table level, and we were zooming balls around into the pockets. You can guess where this is going.... Anyway, I looked really, really strange for a couple days. I didn't know upper lips could get that big without a collagen injection gone terribly, terribly awry.
3. Emma finished Level 2 swimming lessons at the Draper Pool yesterday. She got a certificate of completion and a banana Laffy Taffy. She loved her teacher Brandon and cried real tears on the way home (for love of Brandon).
4. I enjoy going swimming with Emma at the Draper pool on a hot afternoon and never thought I'd go so swimming so much as a grown-up. It's a happening scene up there...hordes of humanity...the rock music blaring...hot pretzels with cheese sauce and cherry Icees. So summery.
5. Yesterday I was editing a document for work and I did a global search and replace for the abbreviations BA (Bachelor of Arts) and MA (Master of Arts). I wanted them to have periods (B.A. and M.A.). So then all through the document it said things like "This program presents B.A.sic information about occupational therapy," or "The M.A.in purpose of this class...." Or someone's name turned out to be "M.A.ry Jane Taylor." Made me giggle. I thought the search-and-replace would be case sensitive (but apparently not).
6. I miss the old word processing spell check feature (maybe it's still there somewhere) that suggested alternate words for names the computer didn't recognize. That was always good for some yuks. Once I accidentally selected the word "Jailer" for the name "Jerilyn" and a letter got sent down to the Academic Affairs office addressed to Jailer McIntyre, Ph.D. (but I think we retrieved it in time).
7. I have discovered, while reading books to Emma, that I really dislike the word "exclaimed." And it's everywhere in kids' books. I don't like it because a) nobody in real life ever says it and b) it's really hard to say.
8. I've also learned that the Berenstain Bears books are ever so preachy.
9. Sometimes when I'm really sleepy (like midday, need-a-nap-but-can't-take-one sleepy) and I'm reading to Emma I can actually fall asleep and dream a tiny bit mid-sentence and then pop back awake and finish the sentence. But sometimes Emma yells "Mom!" if I wait too long.
10. I wish I were peppier and full of more zip.
11. Makes me want to drink caffeinated beverages all day long, but I suppose that's a slippery slope.
12. Why is it that Emma can absolutely love and adore a particular food item one day (asparagus, corn on the cob, quesadillas), but then when I take special pains to make the same food item a day or two later, she eschews it? (Or rather, she WON'T chew it..)
13. I went to a mini-class on how to save money on your grocery bill a while back and the woman teaching it suggested we subscribe to more than one newspaper so we can get more coupons, so now we get the weekend Tribune AND the weekend Deseret News (instead of just the Trib). But I find I'm not using the coupons because they're usually for things I don't generally buy. I did learn about a good Website called grocerysmarts.com, however, where you can find out all the things that are on sale during a given week at the stores near you. Plug in the code g84cjb where it asks for your Utah passport number.
14. I also learned that if you register your Fresh Values card on the smithsfoodanddrug.com page that you can select coupons online in advance of your shopping trip and the reduction will be taken off automatically at the register. Nice feature!
15. Anyway, we have oodles of weekend newspapers lying around now.
16. With respect for all Deseret News lovers, there's something about it that bugs me. The typeface...the layout...I dunno. The look of it somehow annoys me.
17. Tomorrow, the 24th of July, is my friend Mariann's birthday and also our little friend Kaitlin's birthday (she'll be 4). Happy birthday, friends.
18. Many people I know were born on the 9th of July. My niece Angie, my friend Jennifer, our neighbor Tim, my friend Kerrin's mom. Who else out there is July 9th?
19. I don't really believe in astrology, but whenever I read the descriptions of a Cancer personality, I think to myself, "Yes, yes, that's me." But maybe if I read Aries or Capricorn I'd be thinking the same thing. Anybody out there believe in astrology?
20. Joey's birthday's coming up on August 1. He's a Leo the Lion.
21. Sometimes I like telling people it's my birthday (well, when it's really my birthday). I mean, why not? You always get a nice sincere "Happy Birthday!" out of it. It's not like bragging. Everyone has a birthday; why not get well wishes? Once on my birthday I went to get a haircut from a woman someone had recommended. It was my first time there. The whole time I kept wanting to tell her it was my birthday, but thought "Nah...that's kinda goofy." And then at the end of the haircut, she said, "Well, I'm off to have lunch with my friend. It's my birthday today!" Whaddya know!
22. We're having taco salad for dinner tonight. This is what I put in my taco salad: Iceberg lettuce, hamburger seasoned with McCormick mild taco seasoning, kidney beans, chopped cucumber, shredded cheddar, sliced black olives, Fritos. Top it with Catalina dressing, or the dressing of your choice.
23. Have a great holiday weekend!
13 comments:
Great 23 things!
I actually know two people who were born on July 9th 1972, a guy in my ward now and a guy in my old ward. Iiiiinnnnnterestin.
I also kinda believe in astrology. Maybe we both kinda believe in it because we're Cancers? Do Cancers believe that the mediums on TV are really talking to dead people, too? (Because I kinda believe that too. Although I'm suspicious of the lady who frequents Montel Williams' show. I do like that John Edward guy, though.)
Mmmm. Taco salad!
Hill Air EE US!
I love it when you get going. I always get a good giggle.
I do believe in the stars and such. There are a lot of signs in the Bible related to stars and heavenly signs. But, as with anything else people can take it too far and go all wackadoodle. That's going to be an interesting answer when we get back home. Kind of like, where Ivan was for 4 months. That's a mystery I'm waiting to see about.
Well, now that I got going in your comment section I best be off and do something. Like dishes or clean the front room. Nothing fun like leaving long winded comments on friends blogs. I could do that all night because who doesn't like getting comments on their blog? Makes us feel loved and appreciated. Because let's face it, the stars don't align all that often to let us sit down and ramble and make people question our sanity. Or maybe that opportunity of sanity questioning does happen quite a bit. You never know! I could be making your family and friends question YOUR sanity because you've a friend like me.
On second thought, bag the dishes, I'm going out to track the moon and howl. Xoxo
I love your list. The description of your parade visitors is really funny. Especially the little boy who asked "what's a Barrus?"
what a super fun list of stuff!!! thanks for the birthday wishes for kaitlin! and i'm sorry that you have so many newspapers laying around especially for coupons you don't really use! tre bummer!!! great post though... loved it!
I wish you would have written this list on July 31st so there would have been 8 more things. What a fun read!
XO
Barb
What a great read. All the way through I was thinking, "Oh, yeah! ME too, me too!" I was married on July 9, and know a slew of people born on July 12. I do believe in overall astrology signs (but would never waste time reading a daily prediction) and Cancers are my favorite, you might like to know. I am a Trib reader for exactly the reasons you mention and what else? Well... I'm at work. I better not do a what else. That was most enjoyable though.
-Sher-
Man I love you. Why didn't I think of more ways to spend time with you when we lived in the same hemisphere?
Add www.hip2save.com with your list of $ saving sites. It's more than groceries! Loved having you all at the post-pioneer day extravaganza!
Dennnny! This was great. Who is "The Gardener? I love her! I want to meet her!
OK, here goes. A response, in chronological order:
1. I got to be there once for Pioneer Day and loved it chez vous.
2. Ow. Want pics.
3. Laffy Taffy. I remember our post-swim treat in Iowa City was the same. Or a LOOK bar.
4. Swimming is da bomb. Best memories of "The Golden Days of Chidlhood" (as the pediatrician named it) were of swimming, swimming lessons, and taking the kids to the service station at JM plaza where you could make your own soft serve ice cream cone as tall as you were able. They lost money on us.
5. M.A.de me laugh.
6. The Ph.D. Jailer. That is hilarious. Remember when dad got a credit card that said "Richard G. Idiatt"?
7. Exclaimed. Indeed. Who says that, ever? It's so contrived as you're reading merrily along. What's wrong with "said"?
8. The Berenstain Bears took a sharp Right Turn somewhere along the way. Get ahold of older versions of them and you won't feel like you're in Sunday School class.
9. Oh, Denny! Power napping during story time! You and Winston Churchill.
10. Me, too, lady.
11. What do those guys down in South America chew on all day.....?
12. I LOVE the word eschew. It is so chewy.
13. grocerysmarts.com? I think I'll try it.
14. Why do you have to have a card for these grocery stores? I don't get it. All you do is fill out a form. Then I don't want to carry around the card to make my wallet fatter and just give them my phone number. Why can't they just discount it? Why can't food be free????
15. One of the reasons we don't subscribe to a newspaper.
16. Is the typeface curly?
17. Don't know any July 24 birthdays.
18. July 9th says "ANGIE".
19. Astrology. What a crock. And to think Nancy Reagan lived by it. What up?
20. August 1st. Happy Birthday, Joe! You rock!
21. I feel the same way.
22. Do you really put Catalina dressing on it???? That was a surprise. I've never made taco salad. As for salad dressing, I have the Good Seasons Italian dressing made with olive oil flowing through my veins. I can't break away from it. No matter what.
23. Our ward and stake did not do one single thing for Pioneer Day. I even forgot it was the 24th on the 24th. Sometime on the 25th I realized the holiday had passed and spent time remembering Shadrach Roundy and Betsy Quimby and all our other pioneer forebears. I love them and idolize them. They make me want to be a better person.
Thanks for the randomness. You make me belly laugh.
Such an entertaining list of random things! First, Happy birthday! Second, I hate the Berenstain Bears. I often want to hit them all in the lip with a billiard ball. It's the preachyness! ARG!
I was just exclaiming to your mother what a great blog this is.
Hee hee! Love this post! And happy late b-day to you. Sorry, I am so behind!
What's a newspaper?
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