My 20 year reunion.

I graduated in 1991.  When I graduated, I happily walked away from the people who tormented me for so many years, with no intention of fake hob-knobbing with them again. 

My best friend was really excited about going to the 10 year reunion.  I decided that we would go and find out that hopefully, people grew up.

They hadn't.  I only had one person really actually stop to talk to me.  There were a few comments in passing, but I didn't find that the folks that I graduated with had changed all that much. 

They were a little heavier.

They were a little leather-like.

Their attitude in life was the same, though.

My best friend has been so excited about the reunion.  About three years ago, when they began planning the reunion, she e-mailed that I needed to get onto Facebook and hook up with their page (or whatever you call it.) 

No thank you.

They made fun of me because I didn't have the right clothes.

They made fun of me because I was a bit awkward. 

I was a decent student and was made fun of for that.

I was an art kid and got heat for that.

The teachers liked me and there were occasions that I had a hard time because of that, as well.

I'm good with skipping the bar mixer with the other classes.  I'm good with skipping the dinner and dancing with a bunch of folks who didn't care to even speak to me in the lunch room.  I'm quite happy with skipping the day at the local pool that we actually have passes at, because gym was far too horrible and would I really want these people to purposely see me in a swimming suit?  I mean, it isn't that bad, but I don't need them to scrutinize my body, when they already did that 20 years ago.

Can you tell that I didn't leave high school with warm fuzzies?  Hubs didn't, either.  He was on the MIA list and was quite thrilled with that.  Can you tell that they did hurt me.  I don't want to get together with a bunch of people who wouldn't give me the time of day 20-24 years ago, only to have them want to know how I am, how many kids I have, if I'm married and how many times, what I do, where do I do it, where I live, how big the house is, what I drive and so forth.

No thank you.  The people who I want to know that stuff already stay in contact with me.  I'm good with that.

Reunion?  No thank you.

Smiles in my day: 
-  Seinfeld re-runs.  I can't tell you how many times we'll be in a store and one of us will belt out, "Jerry?  Jerry?  Stick a fork in me, I'm done!"  Even K-, at her earliest point of speech, would belt out the "Stick a fork in me, I done!" bit. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Our latest horticultural acquisition.

While at the Chicago Botanic Garden, we decided that a Venus Fly Trap was just quirky enough to come home with us.  The garlic chives in the background were a freebie they were giving away outside of the Barilla demo. 

 

Hubs handfed the plant.  No kidding.  He couldn't wait! 


Venus Fly Traps come with directions.  No chlorinated or softened water.  Bright light.  Keep continuously damp (which is why I have it in a ramekin filled halfway with water).  If transplanting, peat or spagnum moss as the planting medium.  No food.  It is happy with what I'm doing to it, so I'll keep on keepin' on. 

:)!

Smiles in my day:
-  The gloriously crisp sleeping evenings that we've been able to enjoy.
-  Hubs working so hard on our bikes to get them ready for us to enjoy a bike ride together.  Since K- learned to ride her bike, we needed to get ours out from the cobwebs to show her that we can ride ours, too!
-  Getting a ton done at work.
-  The lovely wonders of the half gallon of soda AKA the 59 cent Polar Pop from Circle K.  It is truly the only way I got as much done at work as I did.

Have a great day!

Want to know more about where we visited?  Click here!

The one and only.

Of all the sunflower seeds that K- planted this year, this is the only one that managed to survive.  The sunflower was in floral ICU for a time, as it had tipped over in a storm, I propped it with chop sticks (you use what you have), then it flopped over again.  I tied it to the tower of her swing set, figuring that it couldn't hurt it and the thing actually survived! 

Hooray!

Smiles in my day:
-  K- went to spend the night at Aunt Annie's house last night, rode a horse bare back, milked a goat and drank goat's milk.  She played Barbies, was comforted by C- when she was lonely for home, had the run of 5 acres, unlimited use of the trampoline, swam and had a grand time.  She didn't want to come home!  It reminded me of how we were when we went to Aunt Carol's house.  I told my sister that I understood exactly, as that is exactly how I felt.
-  The kiddo back in her own bed.
-  Much accomplished at work.
-  Sneaking in studio time this AM.

So tired!  Have a wonderful day!

Tales from the Trenches: The $18.00 free carnival goldfish.

This is Goldie.  She came to us for free as a prize from a Back to School carnival that K- and I attended at a local church. 

Hubs decided to take K- for some fish food.  They came back with a bowl, food and an air pump-- $18.00 later.  It's a dad privilege, I guess.  He reports that he had a carnival goldfish live for 6 years.  Perhaps Goldie will remain with us for just as long. 

Still, I have to think that we aren't the only parents who get a "free" fish that isn't so free.  We also got a "free" Maine Coon cat who was our accidental investment, probably thousands later.  Same goes for our "free" iguana.  He was a rescue like the "free" cat, only to be put on tranquilizers by shot for a time (try your hand at giving an iguana a shot-- it's a two man job-- and get back to me on your success) and having had a portion of his tail amputated.  Those "free" pets never are actually "free" are they?

Smiles in my day:
-  A number of things checked off of my to-do list. 
-  The yard sale is over, with a total profit of $103.25.  Now, that isn't a ton, but it isn't the $10.00 total that the neighbor made for the weekend last year.
-  K- is having her first overnight at my sister's house.  My in-law's are out visiting with their other grandchildren (we must share them, you know) and K- was going to go to my sister's house for sitting anyhow.  They opted to make it a 24 hour adventure.  They are going to go to a friend's farm tomorrow and will be milking goats.  I told my sister to take her camera.

Have a wonderful day!

Everyone is going BOGO these days!

Ice cream overstock sale!  Get 'em before they melt!  The recession!  The recession made me do it!!!

Many thanks to Hubs for bringing this bizarre BOGO to my attention and understanding my need to photograph it.  I heard the music tinkling for a while, but didn't realize that we had a mobile sale.  Oh, how I deemed this completely blog worthy.

Enjoy.