Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Creative Titles are Not My Priority Today

So, where did we last leave off?

Oh! With how I had no sleep, right?

So, Friday, after the text-to-phone-calls at midnight and the PMS-induced insomnia, I was ... tired.

BUT I got to get together with my bestie, Bri, and another bridesmaid and drive to a bigger mall (in another town) and look at shoes.
It was between silver, sparkly Vans and nude pumps ... the pumps won.
(Though I might have to go back and buy the Vans anyways. Or just invest in the silver Toms, since I love my multi-sparkle Toms so much. ... Then I'll need the blue ones, too. OF COURSE.)
So, even though the bridesmaids all have totally different dresses, we'll have matching shoes to unify us.
And, since they're a neutral, we can always wear them again with other things.
Just like I'll totally rewear my dress after the wedding.

Friday night was Bri's bridal shower. I won a prize by beating everyone else at British slang.
Not bad for a shut-in who's only traveled as far as Mississippi (to the south and east) and Victoria, British Columbia (to the north and west).
Upon accepting my prize, I wanted to thank the BBC, myriad Romance novelists, and various vloggers (Charlieissocoollike and Alex Day) ... and, especially Louise Rennison with her book series (starting with Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging). I could not have done this without you.
And THE GOOGLE. Thank you, THE GOOGLE. Thank you for all the webpages full of Across-the-Pond terminology that I've perused in the past to make sense of what I've read elsewhere. And to find really good not-naughty-word-(well, at least not naughty HERE. Since it's REALLY fulfilling to refer to someone who DESERVES IT as a wanker)-swears.

Hey, gratitude is IMPORTANT.

Saturday, we took the kids to their Primary Program rehearsal.
I sat in, for a bit, as one of the Primary teachers ... until he showed up.
They moved the kiddos from one bench up front to the OTHER SIDE ... so I couldn't see them at ALL from our normal seat. So I took Bubbles to change her diaper and so I could get my crying done with in private.
(Sunday, we SHOCKED THE WHOLE WARD by sitting on the OTHER SIDE of the chapel, so we could see our dang kids. Got quite a few remarks about that. ... No, I'm NOT LYING. Seriously, we're like CLOCKWORK. We get to church early and sit in the SAME SEAT every week ... except for, well, TWO times now. Yeah. I know.)

Then we went shopping and back home where Michael got a nap. Then I went to the church again for the General Relief Society Broadcast. We had some classes before the broadcast (I know now how to make corn tortillas ... Now, I should take that knowledge and DO it, huh? Especially since I have the ingredients! That corn flour I bought at least a year ago isn't going to use itself up, now is it??) and a dinner afterwards.

Then I went home and SLEPT.

Sunday, like I mentioned, was the kids' Primary Program. Bruise and Bucket did EXCELLENTLY.
My mom had called then up before and after school for the last couple weeks so they could recite their parts to her. And we worked on diction and volume and NOT SPEAKING TOO QUICKLY.
So they had their parts DOWN. And they were well-behaved up front. And they looked very nice, too.

Mom, Mom and Dad C, and T2 and her husband, W, and their baby daughter, S, all came. It was nice.
(Except that Mom and Dad C's car broke down on their way home! Eek!)

After church, we went home where we visited with Mom before she drove back home to take care of my stepdad. Then we changed and loaded up to go to Mom and Dad C's to visit with T2, W, and S while they were in town.
We visited, had fun, and watched The Avengers ... good times.
Then we headed back home to get the kids in bed in preparation for school Monday.

Monday ... what did we do Monday? The kids went to school ... Oh!! That's right!!
Monday was SUPPOSED to be payday ... but Michael came home and told me that their new office manager was still learning ... so no one got paid at all (No, we don't get direct deposit. That'd be a nice thing, though!) ... and he was amazed at how well I took it.
I was all, "Well, we still are in the black (not by MUCH). So ... we'll get paid tomorrow? I mean, we have enough milk to last us, right?"

(Yeah ... NOT in my character. Usually I FREAK THE CHICKEN OUT about money issues. But, for some reason ... I was ... okay.)

So, we ate biscuits and gravy. With maple-flavored sausage .... Yum .... maple .... Mmmmm.

Bubbles slept EIGHT WHOLE HOURS.
Too bad, though, that the eight hours started at 7 PM. Still! It was very nice!

Tuesday, yes, he got paid. I skipped Zumba so that I could go help out at Bruise and Bucket's school (which allows me to visit with the wonderful mom of one of their sweetest friends -- so, well, it's not totally altruistic. ^_^).
So, Robyn's son told HER that Bucket was his girlfriend. That Bucket and he sat by each other at P.E. and at lunch ... and she said he was cute.
Robyn had messaged me about it, so I could get Bucket's side of the story.
  • Yes, Robyn's son is cute. EVERYONE thinks so.
    (And she's going to tell his mom that I said that this boy is downright ADORABLE.
    Seriously, he is. He is so darling. And his personality matches, too. Which is even more important.)
  • Yes, they sit together at P.E. and Lunch. 
  • Yes, they sometimes hug.
  • EW!!! NO, they don't hold hands or kiss. That's GROSS.
  • No, he's not her boyfriend. He's a friend-that-just-HAPPENS-to-be-a-boy. He is not a ooh-la-la-boyfriend (my term, not hers. But she liked it a lot).
The kiddos got home from school and, after reading for a little, went out to play with a friend.
And got to ride on a little electric bicycle/scooter with her uncle. (They wore their helmets.)
Michael got home and after eating dinner (Not as exciting. Chicken marinated in Italian dressing, rice, and green beans), we went grocery shopping. And bought a lamp to replace the one in the living room ... where the middle of three lights is nigh impossible to turn back off.
I put it together while he folded laundry as we watched a couple more episodes of The Walking Dead. (Almost done with season two! ... Too bad we don't have AMC so we could keep current. Oh well.)

Yes, we're THAT couple. The couple that cozies up or folds laundry while watching and chatting about the Zombie Apocalypse. We're so special.
(Seriously, he's the best thing to happen to me. I don't know of anyone else who'd willingly put up with me. Or give me such dang cute kids.)

Today ... I answered the door in my robe (after the kids had headed off to school) to a couple of gentlemen asking if there were any Spanish-speaking people in our home. Or in the neighborhood ... Which, um, no, none in our house (well, the kids are learning Spanish, but that's not what they were asking), and I don't know our neighbors well enough to really say. We always speak English to the ones that I know ...

I also ... well ... I got to discuss birth control with my uncle who's in his sixties.
He's met someone. And, well, they're looking into taking their relationship to the next level.
... And ... well ...

WELL, it's VERY flattering that he trusts me enough to ask my opinion. And, seeing as how Michael and I have been married for almost twelve years and we've only had three kids, it's true. I do know about birth control.
(I asked Michael afterwards, when I called to chat with him during his lunch break, if it was wrong to give my uncle advice and not be all, "Um, you SHOULD be married before doing all of that ..." BUT, at the same time, his last marriage was ... not great. I mean, when your spouse tries to kill you and, failing that, tries to get you put away in prison ... well, I figure that he might be a little gun-shy about marriage. And, since he was baptized into the church as an adult, he'd have sat through all the missionary discussions ... and he'd know the Church's stance on pre-/extra-marital sex.  So... yeah.
But, yeah, I just wanted to make sure that I didn't need to go talk to the bishop about leading someone astray.
Michael assured me that I was okay. And that HE was very glad that I was the one to have this conversation. ... It's cute how Michael isn't very comfortable having THE TALK with, well, ANYONE ELSE but me. This is why I CANNOT DIE ... at least not until our girls are married, right? [It helps that my mom is AMAZING and made sure that I knew that I could ask her anything and she'd give me an honest answer. Since she'd much rather that I be confident enough in her to ask her, as opposed to learning about sex from kids at school. So, yes, I've asked my mom LOTS of questions growing up. ... Also, I was confident enough to read about sciencey stuff {e.g., genetics, development, and reproduction} so that I know about my body... and my kids' bodies, in case THEY have questions.])

Besides it being a little ... strange ... to discuss prophylactics, et al, with a family member twice my age, I felt so sad for his lady-friend. She's gone into menopause ... but didn't ever realize that when you stop having any cycles, due to menopause, you stop ovulating. She hasn't had a cycle for ... five years or so ... and thought that because she still had eggs in her ovaries, she could still get pregnant.
Poor girl ... I mean ... I just feel bad that she's been worried about something that she (99% shouldn't) doesn't need to fret about.

So ... I guess if your kids ever need to talk about reproductive stuff and you don't feel comfortable doing it, hit me up. I will tell young'uns DEFINITELY that they should get married before exercising their powers of procreation ... but, if they need some info, I can talk about what I know ... or help them research it, too.

In other news, one of my friends had reserved a table at a restaurant a few states away (since we live in different states). The reservation was created over a month ago. A few days ago, the restaurant cancelled the reservation due to a private party happening. This is the reservation for celebrating a milestone birthday for her dad.
So, I offered, if she gave me the name of the place, to try and help out.
She supplied the name and town of the restaurant. I looked them up, found an email address, and wrote a complaint letter about the situation.

Within the HOUR, the manager emailed me back to apologize. He was headed off to a meeting and would respond as soon as he got out. He was glad that I had emailed him, since he was unaware of the situation.

A few hours later, he emailed back and offered a free dinner for my friend's group. I supplied her contact info (which I had asked her if I could in advance) and there you go!

My friend was rather pleasantly shocked that I'd do that. She hadn't even considered contacting the restaurant ... I mean, most people don't need to.

But, well, this is where I come in.
I strongly believe that if there is a problem ... maybe it's a problem because someone didn't know about it to prevent it.
So, like I did here, I brought it to the attention of someone who CAN do something about it.
I assume that it's not on purpose.
I ask for something to rectify the situation.
(Hey, I've read more than my share of posts on The Consumerist. I KNOW about complaint letters.)

So ... well, if you need a complaint letter written ... or help writing one ... hit me up.

I guess I've discovered my talents ... giving THE TALK and complaining. :P
(Well, crafting letters of complaint. ... I also try to craft "Thank You" letters, too. Those are nicer to write. ^_^)

Well, I should start housework or something, shouldn't I?
I mean, I already made it to the bread store (DUDE, I got THREE LOAVES of whole wheat bread for 99 CENTS. YES.) and got a great resolution for my friend via email ... That should get me a by, right?
If only. 

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