Five Things Friday

1.  We had "spirit week" at school.  The first day was Bandana Day.  I wore my bandana proudly all day long.

Then I left school at the end of the day.  And proceeded to traipse through two stores before I remembered I was still wearing my bandana.....

Awesome.

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2.  We dusted off our skanky grill and cooked up some Farmers' Market brats.  Chili cheese flavored...

 YUM!!!!

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3.  Last fall, the lovely Jan gave me a start of her bittersweet vine.  I was pretty sure it would not survive the winter.  This week, however, when I went to check on it, I saw blooms....

 

I can't wait til I have my first orange berries. 

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4.  Three of my little ladies are reading The Hunger Games Series.  Yesterday, they came to my desk first thing to tell me where they'd read to the night before.  They stood there clutching their books, chatting excitedly.  It was so cute.  Then I realized they were each reading a different one.  They loved posing for the photo, even though it was just their hand and book.....

"Are you going to put this on Facebook?" says one little lady.

"Sure!"  I say.

"YESSSS!" squealed all three.

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5.  I learned a line dance for an assembly at school.  A little Boot Scootin' Boogie.

Today at 2:30, a few brave souls are joining me on stage.

Please have a moment of silence for us.

Then go learn it yourself.  And break it out at your next event......

You'll be the life of the party, I swear.

But you should probably wear a bandana around your neck too.

 

Superstitious

I would not call myself that.

But when a black cat crosses your path......

THEN......

Turns around and recrosses your path........

You might feel your hair stand on end.

I did not like it one bit.

Yeah.  That happened.

And that's a mugshot of the culprit.

On his return trip across the street.

I mean, come on.

I think it was laughing at me.  Whilst my car came to a standstill.

He knew what he was doing.

The Mix-up. Take Two.

It happened again.

The mister used my toothbrush.

But not on purpose.

I'm not sure why, but we always end up with toothbrushes that are similar.

I'll blame our dentist.

Anyway....

One morning I went to brush my teeth.  My toothbrush was completely gone.  Vanished.

I texted the mister.

He'd taken it to work (because he has those invisalign thingys) thinking it was his. 

Sooooo. 

Time for a new, super different colored toothbrush..........again.......

Moral of the story?  Always have a hot pink toothbrush on hand.

Lessons you'd think I'da learned by now...

Lesson 1:  Wishing for snow days gets you working on your anniversary.

So why do I still wish for them??

I like to live in the moment.  I adore them.  They conjure up the best sense of nostalgia from childhood.  There's something about a work day being canceled that's just plain exciting.

And because of that, school will be in attendance til the bitter end of May.  The very last day of May.  Our second wedding anniversary.  Unless a Christmas miracle occurs and those days are forgiven.

I'm not holding my breath.

But I'll continue to wish for snow days every year.  I'm just through with them this year.

Did you hear that winter????

*   *   *   *

Lesson 2:  Stacking the trash Leaning Tower of Pisa style, for the purpose of throwing out some not so subtle hints to the mister to take out the trash, does not get the trash taken out.

This is still a mystery to me.

*   *   *   *

Lesson 3:  Leaving a dirty bowl in the sink and filling it with water to soak overnight and then all day the next day, yields the worst smelling house in the history of mankind.

The mister said he almost passed out when he got home today and thought Sir Chester had been naughty.

Actually, the wife had been naughty and left the dirty dishes out.  And almost passed out herself upon getting home.

Lesson learned.

*   *   *   *

Lesson 4:  Cutting one's own bangs rarely works out well.

Especially when using kitchen shears.

Don't use kitchen shears.

(You can thank me later.)

A milestone......and a story I wasn't gonna share, but decided to anyway.....

What milestone have I reached, you ask?

Why, this is my 200th post!

To commemorate my 200th post, I have a story about toothbrushes.

But first, let's talk about 200.

Wow! 200 posts! I didn't know I'd keep it up this long. I didn't know I'd have stuff to say. I really look forward to writing weekly posts, coming up with ideas for them, documenting my home improvement endeavors, sharing life. This has become such a fun hobby. Who knew??

Really, for all those bloggers who post daily, 200 is nothing. But to me, it's a milestone. Thanks, Whit, for getting me hooked.

And so, since it's my 200th post, you should leave me a "Happy 200th post" comment.

You just should.

Now let's talk about toothbrushes....

One morning about a month ago, I went to brush my teeth only to discover that my toothbrush was damp.

Like had-been-used-recently damp.

I was confused. But considered that maybe it was still wet from the night before. And I brushed my teeth anyway.

The next morning, as I was going into the bathroom to brush my teeth, I discovered why my toothbrush had been damp the day before.

The mister was standing there, brushing away, with my aqua colored toothbrush.

Not his lime green one.

My. Aqua. Colored. Toothbrush. Was in his mouth.


Were they really that hard to tell apart?

Were the lights out when he grabbed the toothbrush?

This was funny, right?

Yes, it was.

After the laughter subsided, the toothbrush was promptly discarded. And I brushed, sort of, with toothpaste and a clean washcloth.

That night, when buying a new toothbrush, I tried to get as far from lime green as possible.

Think the red will work?


So far, so good.

I think you should know.....

• This shirt, although super cute, is very hard to iron. And it almost makes me break out in hives when I attempt to get the ruffles wrinkle-free. HELP ME!
  

I almost don't want to ever wash it again.

But I will.

Promise.

************

• The handle on my crockpot lid broke off. This is very inconvenient.
  

Would any type of glue work to repair it, or is it a goner?

************

• Our yard needs raked. Badly. We haven't touched it. At. All. I'm sure the neighbors are whispering about us. Whatever.

When you have six mature trees, you bide your time.
Why not do it once, when all the trees are finally bare?

************

• This song is ridiculous. But for some reason, I love it. And now it's the ringtone for my ladies. Holla!

• If I happened to be stranded on a desert isle and could only have one thing to eat, it would have to be cheese dip (and tortilla chips would automatically come with it, of course). What would you want to eat on your deserted island?
  

Happy Halloween!

Meet Mary Katherine Gallagher, the Brawny Paper Towel Man, Happy the Clown, and her sidekick Crappy......


What's Halloween without a costume party?

And how about spending about $80 less on an outfit this year..........I mean Madonna was fun.......


But I spent more on Mary's glasses than I did on the skirt, shirt, and socks combined!

Superstar!

Four Things

Thing #1: On the way home after an errand tonight, I was thrilled to spot Taco Wagon II and immediately wanted some of their tasty vittles for dindin.

So I batted my eyelashes at the mister and asked if we could eat there, pretty please.

Then he sort of confessed to sneaking it behind my back for lunch today.

Really?

I could barely drag him there the first time. He was very much against the Taco Wagon.

And now he's sneaking it for lunch?

And this isn't the first time, he claims.

I see how it is.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thing #2: This is quite possibly the best pencil sharpener I've ever seen.......


The pencil goes in the nostril.

I wish I'd thought of that.

Thank goodness for school book fairs that sell trinkets. Unfortunately, there was only one for sale (by accident) and one of my students snapped it up before I could.

I wish I'd been able to purchase a few. Or five.

Who wouldn't want to find one in their stocking on Christmas morn?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thing #3: On a recent antiquing jaunt, I found this........

I found it at a new shop in town. I fell in love with the place.......Relics.

I loved my purchase. The mister wasn't as excited. It was made clear, that in no uncertain terms, the mister would not be using it for anything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thing #4: I was on a mission after school today.

To find part of my Halloween costume.

At a thrift store.

I had a feeling that I'd find just what I needed there. And I was right.........


The Red Rack had a plethora of circa 1990's era pleated, plaid skirts. That little number was only $1.44.

Now who does this force you to conjure up in your mind?

Think SNL.

Guess who?????

I Win & Other Stuff

The tub battle is mine. Bob agreed. It'll be a 30" tub. And I'm sure to behave in the future in regard to all remodeling projects.

On an unrelated matter, I googled the trial I had a chance to be apart of (but wasn't due to an unexpected torrent of tears). The jury came to a decision, and this article explains the whole incident and verdict very well.

And lastly, today while I bake in the sun at our annual garage sale, I'll think back to Tuesday's poolside sushi date with Nancy..............


And wish I'd done one more cannonball.....

Love & Hate ~ 2nd Edition

Hate: Cave Crickets

One morning before work, I was greeted by one of these, perched atop my bathroom sink. Like it was waiting for me...............


I hate these creatures. Almost more than spiders.

Well, more than spiders actually. Because they jump. High. And they're fast. Super fast. Impossible to slam with a shoe.

And they find you at the most inopportune moments. Since they seem to be nocturnal and show up while you're barefoot and groggy.

So what did I do upon noticing the little creeper?


Well, I trapped it, of course. In a mug. In the sink. And filled the sink with water. Then smiled a smug little smile and went to fix my morning coffee.

And upon returning, there he was again. Same place as before. Looking at me from sink's edge.

Smug smile gone when realizing he'd crawled down the drain, which I hadn't plugged, and up through the overflow drain.

Round two begins: Drain closed..........check. Captured in mug..........check. Water in the sink.........check.

Left it all for the mister to find when he got up for work later.

I did leave a sweet note explaining the situation.

That is why I hate cave crickets.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Love: The Annual Garage Sale

This huge event is coming up this weekend!!!! It never ceases to amaze me, that even though we donate every bit of what we don't sell, we are able to fill a driveway again every summer.

My goodies are priced and ready! Unlike last year, I'm not parting with anything sentimental. So I'm sure not to get teary eyed over selling anything. And I'm hoping we have time for a fashion show again. Some different friends are joining the crew this year, so it'll be bigger than ever! And more fun than ever!

That is why I love the annual garage sale.

Flat Tires

What do you do when you get a flat tire?

You pull into the nearest parking lot.

Even if it is the Pony Club Cabaret.

And you laugh.

And you take pictures (while the mister changes the tire).

The best part of my day.....

Actually, there were lots of good parts to my day, but this one was my favorite.....

Finding a boy in my class using THIS:


To sharpen his pencils, of course.

You can't say he's not resourceful.

80's Day

It's that time of year again.

Where teachers across our state do everything we can to motivate our kiddos for the yearly state achievement test.

So what do we do to motivate at our school, you ask?

We have spirit days. The best being "80's Day."

Obviously.

Today was a free pass to play dress-up. I love free passes. Like I said before, there aren't too many occupations where you can pull off the most ridiculous of outfits and still be considered the coolest ever. In our world, the possibilities are endless. How bout those jelly shoes, side ponytails, and tapered jeans? What about neon, ripped up, or off-the-shoulder shirts? Well, today you saw it all. From leg warmers to popped collars............


I love free passes. Free passes are good.

So is recycling your last Halloween costume that you spent way too much money on.............

Things that make you go hmmmmm...........

Look very closely at this vehicle.......................


One very crafty person engineered a homemade "spoiler" on the trunk of this car. The caption on the website I found it on says, "It makes you wonder what goes onto that shelf."

It does make you wonder.....but boy, do they get points for making a person crack up after a long week.

Locked Out

Yesterday afternoon, I locked myself out of my house.

It's surprisingly easy to do.

I never panicked. I did pace the yard for about ten minutes trying to decide what to do. Should I sit around for 2 hours waiting for Kenny to get off work? Or should I approach a neighbor to borrow their phone (to call my mom and dad)???

Waiting around for 2 hours in my backyard had no appeal to it. So to a neighbor's house it was. First, I had to decide which neighbor to approach. I had a few options. Did I go with my neighbor who plays the fiddle in the middle of his driveway (on occasion) and who used to ask me out every time we talked, OOORRRR should I ring the doorbell of an older lady who likes to talk about the other neighbors and who you can't get away from to save your life........who likes to tell me what I'm doing wrong with my current house project or tell me what's wrong with my house. For instance, did I know there was a hole in the floor of my laundry room? Well, no.....but I'm pretty sure there ISN'T a hole in the floor of my laundry room.

I decided I'd go with my older lady friend, but before I walked across the street, I tried one more thing.........sticking my arm into my barely cracked car window to retrieve my garage door opener...........which got me nowhere, of course.

About an hour later, I was happily sitting on my couch, after mom came to rescue me. I am thankful for neighbors who let you borrow their phone, and who are very hospitable while telling you that the first owner of the home put new siding over old, moldy siding. Thank you, neighbor, thank you.

Buying & Selling

While preparing for the garage sale, I came across a few items I really didn't want, but knew they wouldn't bring the right price at a garage sale. That's when I decided I needed to try the Ebay thing. I decided to list some Home Interior candles (something I seem to hoard) that I had an abundance of. They sold, but my shipping estimate was WAY OFF. I made exactly $1.70 after my shipping calculation mishap.

For about an hour, I stewed and fumed and complained (to and at myself......it was my fault after all). Then I thought, "I can' t give up that easily! Give it another shot!"

So I did! I decided to list two separate auctions, really researching shipping this time. As the bids came in, I got more and more excited! The prices kept getting higher and higher! One exceeded my expectations, and the other didn't do too bad either! ANNNNDDD I'm happy to report that after shipping both items yesterday, I was right on the money with my shipping estimates!!!

So what did I sell?

Up for auction first, we have SEVEN vintage embroidered day of the week towels on old feedsack material. These babies were a HOT item! After 11 bids, the final total came to $41.00! YEEEEEHAW!!!!!!!!!


Second, I had SIX vintage tablecloths in an array of colors and designs. After 20 bids, the final total was $24.50. Not too bad!


And while SELLING on Ebay is getting a bit addictive, so is BUYING. Doesn't that cancel out making money? Nevermind! Who CARES!!!

The latest obsession?? Vintage watering cans............


I'm up to SEVEN of them, but I've decided, you can never have enough watering cans.

Well, that's not what Kenny thinks......

Third Annual Garage Sale

An event I look forward to every summer is the annual garage sale at Whit's house. How is it that from year to year, we can fill a driveway with stuff to get rid of?

Last year, we had plenty of time for some fun. This year, after listing the sale on Craigslist, we did NOT have time to do anything silly, which was fine, because we made the BUCKS.

The first thing to sell was my infamous sign. This special sign did not sell last year. But after listing a picture of it along with our ad on Craigslist, my high priced vintage sign was vindicated. No more mocking the sign. It sold for $45.00.


The new elephant in the driveway became my chaise lounge.


It was priced pretty high, due to sentimental value and an original price that was pretty hefty. But when you have three sofas in a house with two living areas, and one sofa is very impractical, you have to make sacrifices.

Day one went by with a few askers but no takers. But then day two came, my price dropped, and my beloved chaise was hauled away. I took a moment with my sofa......had our final words.......


And then it was gone.

It did make me sad. We'd been together for over ten years. I had wanted that sofa so badly when I worked at JCPenney. I'd walk by it daily. And one day, finally, it was mine.

There's a little hole in my heart now, but as the days go by, it'll heal and the pain will go away.

Goodbye, sweet sofa, goodbye.

Necessities

Skinny jeans

• When they first arrived on store shelves, I vowed to NEVER even try on a pair.

• Now I have three different pair, in an assortment of colors.

A good cheese slicer

• I used to struggle with slicing my Velveeta. My slicer was too cheap!
  

• I now slice happily and freely. I think of Whitney and smile every time I slice. Thanks, Whit.
  

One cup of coffee every morning

• I have to add just the right amount of French Vanilla creamer.

• I go to great lengths to make sure I never run out of instant Folgers packets or French Vanilla creamer.

• If I don't have it, the morning just doesn't feel right. It's not a wake up thing. It's more like a ritual thing.
  

Occasional trips to St. George's donut shop

• A year ago, after running an errand, I happened upon St. George's. It was in the middle of the house painting project. I knew mom and dad would be waiting for me at my house to begin another day of painting. I wanted to surprise them with a treat. I walked in, and my life changed forever.
  

• As a child, my sister and I would ride our bikes to a local, hometown donut shop close to our house. They made the best cherry bear claws. It's the only thing I ever ordered. Alas, they closed their doors, and bear claws were no more.................
  

• Until my trip to St. George's......................My heart started to race and my eyes bulged out of my head when I saw what LOOKED like my childhood love: the cherry bear claw. I ordered half a dozen.
  

• They were just as I remembered them. I go there often now. Thank you St. George's.
  

Bouquets from the Farmer's Market

• Every once in awhile, I have to buy fresh flowers for my house. I do this a few times a year.
  

• The Farmer's Market is the best place to get them. The bouquets are beautiful, CHEAP, and make me smile every time I look at them!

How Fitting.....

Umm.....would you "werther" have a grape Jolly Rancher or a tasty toffee treat???

Whitney prefers grape candy to Werther's Originals!

I know! I'm shocked too!

It all began with my suggestion of Werther's as a tasty treat for the classroom candy dish.........I innocently offered my opinion, that her students would love and cherish the toffee treat, if it was an option!

Then THIS was slipped under my door today.


Apparently, she is NOT a fan of the Werther's Originals. They make her want to gag. And I can only assume this is a self-portrait of her gagging on the tasty toffee goodness.

I quickly ate one of the eyeballs. I'm saving the other one for tomorrow.