An Embarrassing Story!

Okay! So today was my writing meeting! It was a great meeting! I love hanging out with my writing peeps! 67 days until our retreat!
After the meeting, when it was time to decide where to go for lunch, I suggested a steakhouse... Because I had a gift certificate. Everyone agreed, because it's a great place to eat. We get there, order, and I went big because I wanted to use my entire gift certificate...
(I earned the certificate for having a low error rating at the day job!)
I got cheddar stuffed mushrooms, crab & shrimp soup, and a half of a steak sandwich. It was so, so good!
I asked the waitress if I could cover the tip with my gift card and she said yes! I was so happy! I added an extra buck or two because we had really great service and I left to go home!
I had popped my jaw out of socket during lunch, so I was hurting pretty bad - head and jaw... I came home and laid down to try to get it to go away. When I woke up, I saw I had a voicemail message from a friend... It said "Your gift certificate was for a different steakhouse. I covered your bill..."
ACK!!
How embarrassing! I never even realized! I feel like a moron!
It all worked out okay, but still...
And... by the way... my jaw is still out!
Sometimes, I think, I shouldn't be allowed out of the house...
Behave!

Thursday... Really?

It's been a long week here...

Monday's contract signing was my highlight! (Still over the moon!!)

Since then....

1. K3 with a two and a half day migraine. Two days of school missed. Play practice missed. Poor kid.

2. Drama of the family kind. From internal to external to beyond... I don't think it ever ends...

3. The day job (still need a nickname for that). So busy and so much stuff...

4. It's so freaking cold! Why?

5. K3 turns 17 on Sunday! Really? I feel so very old!

6. Sister solidarity. If you ain't got that, you ain't got nothing! We take care of each other. That's what we do. Regardless.

7. That Man. I miss him. We need some serious "just us" time.

8. Tired!

That is all for now!

Tomorrow is Friday! Thank Goodness!!

Behave!!

Wreckage...

Every November we go through this "Season of Breakage", or "'Tis the Season to Replace All Kinds of Crap".
It's always something different, or a lot of somethings... On the very first Thanksgiving dinner we hosted, our hot water heater crapped out, the cat knocked down my brand new "good" dishes and broke half of them, and the wind caught the storm door and busted out the glass.  It's gone on from there with anything from kids putting sandwiches in the VCR, to major and really serious things like That Man's dad having a stroke Thanksgiving morning.
We always joke about it (not the stroke because that was hands down awful), but this year we seem to have started a little early...
Here's the list of carnage for 2012:
1. Water heater - fixed now, but major research, inconvenience, and information was required to fix it for only $10.
2. That man's car - flat tire. And it needs new wires.
3. My truck - Something electrical that keeps draining the battery and a bad tire. (Or 4 tires in need of replacement)
4. The dishwasher - the switch is broken. Guess who is doing dishes by hand until the part comes in? (Just ordered because it just broke over the weekend)
5. Washing machine - the switch that makes it spin is busted. Really? (This just happened tonight)
6. Microwave - The clock is on the fritz and it seems to only heat anything at half power.
7. My iPhone charging cord - I don't know if it's my phone, or the cords I keep borrowing from my sister, but I can't seem to find one that I can depend on. My original cord met with an unfortunate accident and I'm not having much luck finding a replacement. (This started last night. I borrowed a cord from my sister on Sunday. It worked great the first night, but last night I had to fight with it.)
8. K3's iPod. His LED screen is busted. We went to a repair place at the mall on Sunday they promised to call us with the price and how long it would take yesterday, but we've heard nothing yet.
9. The house computer - fried. Completely. Now K4 begs me nightly for a few minutes on mine. Homework is a no brainer. Of course it  must be done and of course I'll let them use mine for that, but the constant "Can I check Facebook" pains me. A new house computer is not in the budget at the moment - not with cars and major appliances needing repaired or replaced.
10. The light fixture at the top of the stairs.
11. The toilet tank and guts. Really? How do you break a toilet?
12. A major part on the furnace. So far we've managed to get around it, but this is probably the last year.
13. The checkbook - for the next 10 years at least.... Or so it feels.
Add to that - 90% of the light bulbs burned out over the weekend. It happens, we're near a transformer and our electrician warned us this would happen. The rat keeps breaking out of her cage because one of the connecting pieces broke off. She comes and goes as she pleases now. (I'm not even going to go into the depression that is my writing career at the moment, because trust me, you don't want to know...)
Ahh... the holidays. I am still determined to have amazing Christmas spirit and be totally into it this year, but we shall see...
No. It will be fantastic.
That is all.
Behave!

Prepping...

Apparently there's a hell of a storm heading for us.
Okay, not apparently. There is.
We've done our version of storm prep around here - made sure nothing would go flying from the backyard, cleaned up the basement just in case we have to hunker down for the potential tornado threat. Put a little gas in the vehicles, and decided who is driving which tomorrow.
School is closed for tomorrow. Work is not. That Man, if he has to go, will have a very busy day if there's storm damage. They're calling for some bad stuff, but the city he works in is right next to the river and is already under a state of emergency.
Whatever, I say. Bring it. We've done all we can to prepare. We have batteries (because we always do) and candles. We can cook and heat if the power goes out. My laundry is almost caught up.The dishes are done. Groceries are in the pantry. (The weekly grocery trip was interesting!)
Now I'm going to write...
Behave!

Wednesday? Really?

I'm really behind and overwhelmed!
Trying to use tonight to catch up, but it's not working so well... I feel like I'm doing everything half-assed, with more and more issues popping up. Gah! But I'm doing what I can, and I guess that has to be good enough for right now.
So far this week:
1. The day job has been so freaking busy! Brain draining, overwhelming, and I don't think Friday is ever going to get here!
2. I have a new great niece! Born today - Leap Day! She's adorable and also in Oklahoma, so I don't know when I'll get to see more than pictures! But she's so cute!
3. My 'burban is in the shop for inspection. And for the verdict on whether or not she'll make it another year thanks to our fantastic mechanic. I know she has some rust and other issues, but I'm hopeful. She's been a good truck and I don't want to let her go - despite the fact that the radio doesn't work anymore and she takes on water during a heavy rain. Either way, I'm not looking forward to the bill...
4. Did I tell you my dryer is fixed? I still hate laundry, but a working dryer makes everything so much easier...
And the worst thing...
5. My sister-in-law has breast cancer. We found out very recently and the emotions are still very raw and fresh. It's survivable and she has a great attitude, but...
My brother is doing a Relay for Life in her honor, so look for a posting regarding that soon. And other things our family will do to show support as we work through this craptastic and difficult time. We're going to do whatever it takes...
And that makes my whining about my insane week null and void. All I can say right now is...Get your mammogram (I will be making my appointment!). Do your self exams! My sister-in-law's (who is also my best friend from high school and still one of my very bestest friends in the whole world) cancer was caught early and she still may be looking at a mastectomy and radiation!
Behave!

More Dear...

Dear Other Neighbor,
Did you shovel that spot? No? Then don't freaking park there! Especially since you are now parked right in front of my house! I am stunned by how rude and inconsiderate you are. Stunned. And my aching back says some very bad words to you!
Get out of my parking spot.
(as an aside here, I normally don't get ticked off when someone parks in the spot I usually use. It's a public street - you park where you can and there have been many times that my guests have parked up the whole street and I know that's irritating to you, but it's not very often and I really try to be a good neighbor. But snow shoveled spaces are sacred. I think it's the ultimate in asshatery to park in a space someone else shoveled. I don't care if you park there to shovel your own spot. I'm okay with that.)

Dear Mega-Super Store,
I don't know why I keep going back to you. I try not to. We had to tonight because the m-i-l needed some things and likes you. Your shoe selection stinks hardcore. Why don't you have any cute shoes for girls -  maybe not cute, but shoes a 12 year old girl would love? Why is your book section so freaking tiny? And why do you keep moving stuff so I can't find it and your employees don't know either?
I should quit you.

Dear Writing,
Why you gotta be so hard sometimes? Why does inspiration strike at the worst possible time, and why is there not more time in the day so I can do what I need to do?
I love you and I want to be able to do you full time again. (Ha ha! How's that for innuendo?)

Dear Monday,
You suck.
That is all.

Behave!

Don't.

How would you feel if someone stole your paycheck every week?
That's what you do to authors when you pirate books.
And it's illegal.
So don't do it.
Behave!