Exceedingly Mundane

From one of my favorite meme sites…. Thursday Threesome Meme

::Sweet Potato Queens’ Field Guide to Men::

Onesome: Sweet Potato— Sweet potatoes always remind me of thanksgiving which brings me to food…what is your all time favorite holiday food that you wish you’d get a chance to eat at other times? Well, sweet potatoes would be one, although I’m making a distinct effort for us to eat them more often. Turkey and broccoli casserole would probably be my other choices.

Twosome: Queens’— do you follow what Prince Charles and others are up to? What do you think about the Queen not going to the wedding? Guilty as charged. I’m an Anglophile and a royal fan. I got up at 4 AM to watch the wedding of Charles and Diana when I was a teenager. I think the Queen is making a statement, that she doesn’t completely support his decision. Good for her. I wouldn’t pay for the reception either, let him pay for it, he’s all grown up!

Threesome: Field Guide to Men— when it comes to the opposite sex, do you feel you have a grasp on ’em – or do they continue to just surprise you? Surprise. Constantly. Just when I think I have something about Tim figured out, and think I know what he’s going to say or do next, he does a 180 and says or does just the opposite. Guys are always saying women are unpredictable. That may be true, but men are just as bad, if not worse. 🙂

Well, Tim is on-call this week and they just called him about a problem. No idea how long he will be. We were able, thankfully, to get our important TV viewing in before they called, hehehe! We watched Lost and Alias, and were just settling in to read our books. He’s about finished with his (“The Tristan Betrayal” by Robert Ludlum) and I am fixing to start a new one (women’s fiction). So, I guess I’ll go read for a while, I hope he doesn’t have to work too long. 🙂 Poor Tim, on call every 2 weeks. I hate it for him.

As always, I blog-surf and “steal” from other sites. Here’s another one…. post your answers in a comment and let us know these five things about you!

1. On a scale of 1-5 how do you feel about scales? Um, how about a 3. I have a pair and use them, but try not to be a slave to them.

2. What is your favourite four letter word? S-A-L-E 😀

Bathroom tissue: over or under? Over the top, drives me crazy if it’s “upside-down”. Argh.

What is your favourite toast topping? Grape Jelly

How often do you polish your silverware? I don’t.

I just uploaded 3 new pictures of Grayson and Ava Clair that Trent sent me. They are in their album, on the second page of the Photo Gallery section of Hambones. They are from this past Sunday, before Ava Clair’s baby dedication.

I also have an announcement we got from Mark and Amanda of Abby’s birth that I want to post, but I haven’t gotten a chance to scan that one yet. Coming soon! 🙂

WAH – I’m having a bad day. My pedometer broke this morning. I love that thing and wear it every single day.

Suzanne gave it to me for my birthday last year, in October, and I think I have worn it every single day, except maybe one or two at most, since then. It really helps me to be conscious of how much walking I do in a day, and I really use it to try to get to my 10,000 steps per day. Which, by the way, is easy if we do our walk in the subdivision.

Anyway, this morning, I tacked it on my sweat pants as normal, and a couple of hours later, I heard it go clank and hit the floor. I thought it had just popped off, it has before, but I looked down and it was in two pieces. The main part in one piece and the back side of the clip that clamps on my pants or belt was in another piece. So the plastic clip broke. I broke out the super glue (from my junk drawer!) and went to work on it. I’m going to let it sit 24 hours and hope that it won’t break again tomorrow. If not, I think I’m going to have to go get me another one. I really like wearing one every day. It makes me a lot more cognizant of taking more steps. Especially if I’m on the phone, I have a tendency to sit down and talk, and when I realize I have my pedometer on, I try to get up and pace while I talk. Things like that.

Well, this just makes me so sad, really. Dodie LOVED to do crossword puzzles. I can remember when she was first starting to use a computer, that was one thing she asked me about. Is there software to do crossword puzzles? Back then, I think there was just software on the market to make your own, and maybe one or two that had a very finite number of puzzles in them. Nowadays, with the advent of the Internet, there are probably tons of places online to play daily crossword puzzles free. I just ran across this one by blog-surfing, one at USA Today.

Click Here if you want to go check it out and work one today. They change daily, apparently, at least on weekdays.

I think I just found a question for tomorrow’s poll – do you work crossword puzzles. Sadly, my answer will be no. I never picked up that habit from my mom. 😥

I just posted a new poll on the home page of Hambones. I got the idea for this one as I was blog-surfing last night, where a stay-at-home mom was talking about the monumental chore of cleaning out her junk drawers in the kitchen. Seems she has a large kitchen and several children and was talking (very humorously) about how much stuff is in them, especially kids things. Got me thinking about that.

We have what I would consider two “junk” type drawers in our kitchen, in that, they do not contain exclusively kitchen related items (food, towels, utensils, silverware, and I have a drawer that has foil, saran wrap, ziplocs, etc, which I consider kitchen items). These two drawers seem to stay full of stuff we only need periodically, for the most part. I have one big drawer that has (among many other dozens of items), scissors, notepads, pens/pencils, my coupon holder, recipes that I have clipped out of newspapers and magazines, instruction booklets for small appliances, etc. The other is truly the junk drawer in the house, containing batteries, screwdrivers, super glue, candles for birthday cakes, rubber bands, twistie ties, etc.

I think a lot of this stuff should go somewhere else, and not waste my “precious” space in the kitchen, but I don’t really have a place for it to go. The only other choice would be the cabinets in the laundry room, but most of this stuff is small (that’s why it’s in a drawer). So, it inevitably gets stuck in the drawers in the kitchen.

OK – here’s your task – name some of the things you guys have in your junk drawers? Are the drawers in the kitchen or another area of the house? Do you need to clean them out? And any other useless information you’d like to let me know about your junk drawers! (Can you tell I’m feeling stifled by our polling system lately, just not enough room there to talk about everything I want to talk about!)

🙂

Found this on another lady’s blog, whilst blog surfing tonight. I took it and scored…. 37, which puts me in exactly the category I thought I would be in. Take it and post your score in a comment! 🙂 Have fun!

What’s Your Number?
.
A friend sent me “Dr. Phil’s Test”, noted below. It’s a quick quiz that some major corporations apparently use to assess current and prospective employees. I love personality tests so I did it, scoring a 35, which seems right for me. Wanna play? Answer these ten questions…

1. When do you feel your best?
a) in the morning
b) during the afternoon &and early evening
c) late at night

2. You usually walk…
a) fairly fast, with long steps
b) fairly fast, with little steps
c) less fast head up, looking the world in the face
d) less fast, head down
e) very slowly

3. When talking to people you..
a) stand with your arms folded
b) have your hands clasped
c) have one or both your hands on your hips
d) touch or push the person to whom you are talking
e) play with your ear, touch your chin, or smooth your hair

4. When relaxing, you sit with..
a) your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side
b) your legs crossed
c) your legs stretched out or straight
d) one leg curled under you

5. When something really amuses you, you react with…
a) big appreciated laugh
b) a laugh, but not a loud one
c) a quiet chuckle
d) a sheepish smile

6. When you go to a party or social gathering you…
a) make a loud entrance so everyone notices you
b) make a quiet entrance, looking around for someone you know
c) make the quietest entrance, trying to stay unnoticed

7. You’re working very hard, concentrating hard, and you’re
interrupted …
a) welcome the break
b) feel extremely irritated
c) vary between these two extremes

8. Which of the following colors do you like most?
a) Red or orange
b) black
c) yellow or light blue
d) green
e) dark blue or purple
f) white
g) brown or gray

9. When you are in bed at night, in those last few moments before going
to sleep you are….
a) stretched out on your back
b) stretched out face down on your stomach
c) on your side, slightly curled
d) with your head on one arm
e) with your head under the covers

10. You often dream that you are…
a) falling
b) fighting or struggling
c) searching for something or somebody
d) flying or floating
e) you usually have dreamless sleep
f) your dreams are always pleasant

POINTS:
1. (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 6
2. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 7 (d) 2 (e) 1
3. (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 5 (d) 7 (e) 6
4. (a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 2 (d) 1
5. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 2
6. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 2
7. (a) 6 (b) 2 (c) 4
8. (a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 5 (d) 4 (e) 3 (f) 2 (g) 1
9. (a) 7 (b) 6 (c) 4 (d) 2 (e) 1
10. (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 6 (f) 1
Now add up the total number of points.

OVER 60 POINTS: Others see you as someone they
should “handle with care.”
You’re seen as vain, self-centered, and who is
extremely dominant. Others may admire you,
wishing they could be more like you, but don’t
always trust you, hesitating to become too
deeply involved with you.

51 TO 60 POINTS: Others see you as an
exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive
personality; a natural leader, who’s quick to
make decisions, though not always the right
ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome,
someone who will try anything once; someone
who takes chances and enjoys an adventure.
They enjoy being in your company because of
the excitement you radiate.

41 TO 50 POINTS: Others see you as fresh,
lively, charming, amusing, practical, and
always interesting; someone who’s constantly
in the center of attention, but sufficiently
well-balanced not to let it go to their head.
They also see you as kind, considerate, and
understanding; someone who’ll always cheer
them up and help them out.

31 TO 40 POINTS: Others see you as sensible,
cautious, careful & practical. They see you as
clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a
person who makes friends too quickly or
easily, but someone who’s extremely loyal
to friends you do make and who expect the same
loyalty in return. Those who really get to
know you realize it takes a lot to shake your
trust in your friends, but equally that it
takes you a long time to get over if
that trust is ever broken.

21 TO 30 POINTS: Your friends see you as
painstaking and fussy. They see you as very
cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady
plodder. It would really surprise them if you
ever did something impulsively or on the spur
of the moment, expecting you to examine
everything carefully from every angle
and then, usually decide against it. They
think this reaction is caused partly by your
careful nature.

UNDER 21 POINTS: People think you are shy,
nervous, and indecisive, someone who needs
looking after, who always wants someone else
to make the decisions & who doesn’t want to
get involved with anyone or anything! They see
you as a worrier who always sees problems that
don’t exist. Some people think you’re
boring. Only those who know you well know that
you aren’t.

P.S. Dr. Phil scored 55. He did this test on Oprah and she got a 38.

Today I’ve been a busy bee. Really too busy to blog about what I did and how busy I was, and how much I had on my “to-do” list, and how much of it I didn’t get done (argh, irritates me) and how much of it I did get done. 🙂 The day sure goes by a lot faster though!!

We got up early and went walking this morning. Then, got ready and I followed Tim to the dealership where we dropped off the car for some work. We had gotten two recall type notices in the mail, probably before Christmas, of parts that needed to be replaced that were safety or hazard issues. One was some kind of engine coolant leak and I think the other was a fuel pressure regulator that had to be replaced. I took Tim to work, even though I kept insisting to him that I wasn’t going anywhere and didn’t need a vehicle. I guess he thought I might want to get out later, unplanned. 😛 Anyway, then I got home and had some chores to do. Talked to parental unit on phone, sibling unit on phone. Worked on some stuff on the website, although I didn’t get to but one or two items on my list (I have at least 4 other things I want or need to do on here, as well as other computer work to do). Worked on taxes more, and got things filed and printed and saved. Working on mailing the state return. Not enough refund there to worry about paying the e-file fee! Put some chicken in the crockpot for one of our favorites – garlic and brown sugar chicken. More cleaning, laundry, mopping, etc. Tim called before 4 PM for me to come pick him up and take him back to the dealership. Car was fine, but of course, they “found” several other things that needed to be fixed. No way, not there. We will take the car soon, maybe tomorrow, to have the tires rotated and balanced. Tim purchased some kind of extended plan when we got new tires on the Bonneville last year, where we get free rotation, and maybe free balancing too. Not sure about the balance though, they may try to stick us for that!!

We walked again tonight after we got back from the car stuff. Oh, my aching legs! After the work in the yard on Saturday afternoon, I was already really stiff and sore. Now, we’ve walked 6 miles in 24 hours, so they are feeling it.

We just had supper and I’m about to go and iron his clothes for work (on the list, but didn’t get done earlier, along with approximately 9 other items that will have to wait till tomorrow). Hopefully, I can finish before our round of shows starts at 7 PM. We’ll watch Idol and House tonight, and tape NCIS. We still haven’t watched our tape of 7th Heaven from last night. I voted several times last night for my Idol guy though. We won’t get the results till tomorrow night, which I will have to tape, since I AIN’T missing Lost and Alias 🙂

More later, tonight or tomorrow… hopefully! Still trying to blog some every day, or most every day. Will skip the weekends sooner or later, I’m sure. Anyone out there actually reading these? Yoo-hooooooo, anybody home?!!! 🙄

Here we go again!

Do you wish you would spend less or more time…

1. Watching TV and why? Oh my. What a question. On one hand, I do realize I should spend less time watching TV. However, on the realistic side, I know that a) I have always been a TV hound, b) I really enjoy all of the shows I watch, and c) We pay so darn much for cable, I like watching shows and feeling like we’re getting our money’s worth. I love TV.

2. On your computer and why? Good grief. Why did I do this meme today. Again, see the first question…. I know I should spend less time, but I really enjoy it and would secretly prefer to spend even MORE time on the computer than I already do.

3. With your family and why? Yes, I do. I would like to be able to see both sides more. I want to see Tim’s family more, and mine also. I especially miss Trent, Shanna and the kids, as well as Kathryn and Jeremy. Suzanne and Kirk & Nichole too. I wish they lived closer and we could see them more.

4. Dedicated to your career and why? Ha ha ha ha, haven’t had that good a laugh in weeks! NO, I do NOT miss my career. Do not miss the hours. Do not miss the difficult people. Do not miss the stress. Do not miss the commute. I miss a few select people, but that’s it. No. I am very dedicated to my new career and love it very much – taking care of my health, myself, Tim, the house and our little life. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.

5. Concentrating on yourself and why? Hmmm. I’ve gotten better at that in the last few years when I realized my health was going to be a problem. So, I’m pretty focused there. OK here, I guess.

Tim came in from work Friday afternoon with a happy for me, although I think it is really for both of us! Some guy at work was selling food stuff for his child as a fund raiser, so Tim ordered us a tub of cookie dough! Chunky Chocolate. We tried them tonight (just 4 in my toaster oven I got for Christmas, which I love), and they were pretty good. Nothing like warm chocolate cookies and milk!

Tim and I were walking tonight, and chatting about our day. Tim asked “what are we having for dinner?” and I said “thai”. And Tim said….. (drumroll)… “it’ll be hard for him to do any home improvement after that”. Be-dum-bum

Well, normally I like the site for Monday memes and usually play along. Not so this week. I’m not very creative, nor am I well traveled. But, I’m posting it out here for you guys, so that you can play along. I know Gail and Suzie have been to tons more places than I have, so you guys probably won’t have any trouble with this one! Have fun!

This week, using the letters in your name (real or screen name), list places that you’ve been to. Be creative! Have fun! =)

Here’s my feeble attempt:

S – Springfield Missouri (or San Antonio Texas)
T – Texas (lame, couldn’t come up with anything else)
A – Atlanta
C – Chattanooga
E – drawing a blank
or
Y – drawing more of a blank

I haven’t been enough places! I guess I could count Edwards, MS, as we passed through on the way to Vicksburg, but that’s not fun or creative or interesting!

My legs are so sore. We got out in the yard Saturday afternoon and apparently I spent 2 or 3 hours in “catcher position”, like baseball, squatting down. Pulling weeds, putting out pine straw, bending down to move things, and my muscles are now not at all happy about the position. My hamstrings started hurting Saturday night late, got worse yesterday and are about the same today. Ick. I feel very out of shape!

On the bright side, they ought to start feeling better tomorrow! 😉

Some days I am in a shopping mood, and some days I am not. I never know from day to day how that mood will shake out. I never know from shopping trip to shopping trip if I will walk in a store and feel the urge to spend money and buy things — or not!

Tim, however, is not of this wishy-washy frame of mind. If he sees something he likes, he knows right away, and usually has no qualms about spending the money and buying it.

I, however, like to think about things. Weigh it in my mind. Think about it. Think about it some more. Decide if it’s what I want, or if I need to look around at several different places, look online, then, look around some more. After all that, I often still have trouble deciding. It’s some kind of defective gene, but it is my nature and it’s not something that is easily changed.

Case in point – the wallpaper border we found yesterday at Home Depot. Tim was immediately sold on it. I was not. Tacked it up and looked at. Thought about it, slept on it, thought about it some more. So, I guess in an effort to spur me along (and because Tim has made up his mind that he likes this one, is ready to hang it up, has no desire to look around and find another one), Tim thought it would be a good idea today to go look and see if we could find a shower curtain, rugs and towels that would go with the new border.

Today was warm, grey, cloudy and rainy. It was, as I soon discovered, not a day that I felt like shopping or spending money. Tim was very patient. We looked at the new Target out on Lakeland. Then, he took me to a late lunch at the Mellow Mushroom (I had not been there before), and we had some really good pizzas. Then, we went to Linens N Things where Tim quickly found a shower curtain (wine/burgundy color) and rugs (dark green) that he liked and would have been perfectly happy to leave with. I, however, am not so quick to decide and plus, I didn’t have my coupon with me, so we left empty handed. Went and looked at the new Steinmart but found absolutely nothing there. Then, on a whim, he said “Let’s go look at Pier 1 and see if we can find a chair”. Which, after the torture he’d been enduring in the bath linen departments, seemed like a welcome relief.

So, we go in Pier 1 about 15 minutes before they are closing. 15 minutes later, we walk out with a new rattan chair and cushion for our bedroom. Nothing like dropping 200 bucks unplanned, in 15 minutes. It helps that I really like the chair. It helps that I have been planning to put a chair in the corner of our bedroom for about 8 or 9 months now. However, it will take me a day or so to get used to it in that corner – we’ve had a ficus tree there for several years that is tall, and now (visually), there is nothing of height there. But I do like the chair. I need one more pillow for the bedroom though. And, I think I will probably go back to Linens N Things soon and get the curtain and rugs he picked out. Towels are still up in the air.

Summary – it’s very hard for me to spend money. It’s very hard for me to make quick decisions. Decorating on any level is almost impossible for me, I’m no good with color, no good mixing things, etc. Most important point – I do not do change well. At all.

Well, as Scarlett said, after all, tomorrow is another day. Maybe tomorrow I will feel like spending money on towels, rugs and a new shower curtain!