Fast Friday

I posted over at the Haute Mamas about Margaret's school pictures. Check it out.



Get a little God into your work out. (Thanks, Markel!)

I didn't forget ...

to update yesterday, I just ... uh, um, you know, didn't think of it until I was on my way to band practice last night. Doh!

I guess I was too busy working and grading exams yesterday to fulfill my blogging obligations. Believe me, I will try really hard to make sure that work never gets in the way of my blogging obligations again!

Yesterday was Goddess La La's birthday. Kelley made cupcakes and brought them to practice and we gave her a gift. That's the cool thing about being in our little girl band — we give each other gifts on our birthdays. We've been told that this is not a common practice.

We're working a couple news songs and a new cover for our upcoming show in Denver. We're really excited about this show. We're at a great venue, Cricket on the Hill. And we're playing with some kick-ass bands.

The guy who booked the show is in one of the bands playing that night, the S.O.B.s. I contact this band, not because I know them but because they opened for the Supersuckers when the 'Suckers played Denver.

Good idea, I know.

So, we getting our second CD done and getting ready for this show and have a blast doing it. So double Woot! to being in a girl band (even if we have to play with a boy)!

Cuz I ain't smart enough

to keep my big mouth shut — click over here to find out if Margaret's school's PTO threw old fruit at me.

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Whiz. Whiz. The days are just whizzing by now. I've had to close all of our windows because as refreshing as fresh air is, shivering through my morning just ain't no fun.

It started raining Sunday with a vengeance proving that fall is, indeed, here.

Our neighbors have their Halloween decorations up which is festive. I've tried to buy seasonal decorations, but I just can see forking out good money for plastic witches with straw brooms.

I'm just not a Styrofoams pumpkin kind of gal. I wonder if my lack of seasonal decorating will be one of the things that Margaret has to work through with her therapist?

A day off and a night out

Margaret had the day off school Friday and I did something that I rarely do ... I took the day off and I had no plans to do anything. at. all.

We slept in Friday morning. I didn't even hear Bill when he left for work. Then we did something else that I rarely do ... I shopped.

Shopping usually makes me irritable and tired. But Mar and I actually had fun. And I got a new formal outfit to wear to hoo-ha Saturday night.

(Notice nice segue from the "day off" story to the "night out" story — oh yeah, I'm slick.)

So Saturday night Bill and I attended a gala thrown by the hospital for which Laurena works. She had a couple empty chairs at their table and she knows how we love ourselves some free dinner, so it didn't take much to twist our arms.

I was just going to wear one of the handful of formals I already own, but the fact is I'm old now and it's time I started dressing like the old heifer that I am. So I found myself a nice dress that covers up all the mom flab on my arms and glosses over my flabby midsection.

And because we're dorks of the most magnificent magnitude, we had Tracee (who sat for us Saturday night) take some pictures before we left.

The answer is "No" we can't ever act right.

Can't type ... reading

I always have a book that I'm reading. Sometimes it's literature, sometimes it's trash, mostly it's somewhere in between.

What ever book I'm reading is always in my bag which I carry everywhere. I'm afraid that I'll end up somewhere with nothing to do, so I always drag whatever book I'm reading around with me. (Yes, my neuroses do run deep.)

Right now I'm reading the latest in Preston and Child's Agent Pendergast series. I love these books. They definitely aren't high literature but they are a fun read. They're always polished and sophisticated without being dry. Not too much detail, but enough to paint a rich picture.

The only problem with these books is that when I'm reading one of these books, I don't want to be doing anything else. I've even gone to bed early a couple of times this week so I could read.

I love it when a book grabs my attention like that, when the characters float around in my head and I wonder what's going to happen next ... and on that note, I'm going to go read.

Survivor dorks ready?

So yeah, I've mentioned before that I'm a huge Survivor dork. Yes, I've watched every season. I love this show for oh-so many reasons.

And because my dear friend, Tracee-Trace, is also a lover of Survivor we invented a game we play. (I'm sure I've mentioned it here before, but I can't even begin to remember when that was.)

Each week, I type up a list of questions such, as "What color shirt will Jeff Probst be wearing the first time we see him?" or "Who will be the first person to have a body part fuzzed out?" (If you've watched the show, you know I'm talking about inevitably someone's pants fall down or someone's shirt rides up and certain body parts must get fuzzed out.)

Then we watch the show and grade our ballots and keep score. This will be the third season we've played this game. So far Tracee has won, hands down, both seasons.

So the new season starts tomorrow and we're taking the game to a new level.

OK, the game is actually not going anywhere, but to make it easier for us, I printed out all the players' bios and pictures. Then I tacked them onto a large board so we can ... uh ... be bigger dorks ... and that is after all the purpose of the game.

So woot to a new season of Survivor!

Better than Santa

Yesterday after work, Bill took Margaret to our friends' birthday party. I had to go to class.

As I was leaving for campus, I noticed that we finally got our mail. In it was a small package addressed to me from my mom. I turned to go back inside when I noticed that I didn't have my keys, but Bill's work keys. Doh!

I had 15 minutes until my class started and no keys. I ran next door hoping to use the spare set they keep. Jenn couldn't find the set, but she did lend me Kate, who is still small enough to fit through our dog door.

Kate saved the day. She shimmied through the tiny door and let me in. I found my keys and dashed off to class. Half way there I remembered the package from my mom.

I wasn't expecting anything so my curiosity was piqued. After class I rushed home and ripped open the padded envelope.


This sweet necklace was inside with a note that said "just because."

How completely perfect! Best part of my whole day.

Coincidence? I think so.

I love coincidences. Coincidences are fun for me (I know, I know, I should get out more).

Take this coincidence:

One of my oldest friends ended up moving to Seattle to attend grad school at the University of Washington. After working as an environmental engineer for several years, she decided that she wanted a change, so she decided to go to massage school.

At the same time that she was starting massage school in Seattle, a friend that I met here in Colorado decided that he needed a change, so he moved to Seattle to attend massage school — the very same massage school.

Coincidence? Yes ... but it's still interesting, no? Oh, I think it is.


So here's another one:

Today is the birthday of five of our friends. Five.

And of those five, three are triplets and the other two are twins.

Yes, we know a set of triplets and a pair of twins who share a birthday. What are the chances of that?

I have no idea, but it sure does make it on to my list of interesting coincidences.

Treading water

I wrote about how Margaret's taking swim lessons over here.

Even though the addition of yet another activity makes my anxiety percolate, I realized yesterday that for those 30 minutes that she's in her class. I get to sit, stretched out on a lounge chair and read ... or not read.

If only I didn't fear the drool, I'd probably sneak in a cat nap. The indoor pool is all humid and warm and just ripe for the napping. Maybe I'll try it next week.

Mm, napping, doesn't that sound wonderful? I'm completely exhausted because evil Bill forced me to stay up and watch the newest episode of Top Chef. Damn those cooking show!

Japanese funniness

It's human Tetris.



I love the looks on their faces when they see the shapes coming up. Awesomey hilarious.

Now hang on one minute, Mr. Fall

Monday is my long day, in that I work all day then race home, eat dinner then head off to lecture a group of college students for a few hours. But I don't mind so much.

I enjoy teaching, for the most part. And this semester I decided that I'd ride my bike to campus every Monday. It's a short ride and there's no good reason that I shouldn't take my beloved Electra out for a spin.

It's been working out great so far. But something startled me this week. When I got done lecturing and closing up shop for the evening, it was dark outside.

Gasp. Dark at 8:30 in the evening? Why that just ain't right.

The change of the seasons always surprises me. I guess that comes from being raised in the San Francisco-Bay Area where it's always 60 degrees and sunny.

Plus it seems like summer lasts forever here. And that's not really a complaint. Yeah, it gets blistering hot, but summer is so much fun.

But now the fruit is all ripe and overflowing the bins at the farmer's market and the days are getting shorter.

I rode my home in the dark Monday night, using my bike's light to guide my way. The temperature was absolutely perfect for a nighttime ride and I grinned the whole way home. I try to act casual, like I'm one of those people who always rides their bike, but I can't.

I'm clumsy and awkward and I grin. It's obvious that I enjoy riding a little too much.

Where did she learn the word "buttock" anyway?

Margaret was horsing around after her nightly shower the other night. She was trying not to put her pajamas on and was walking on her hands and feet with her bare bum in the air.

After we implored her to get dressed, she cried out, "I'm a walking buttock."

Indeed.

Superfunny

It was a quiet weekend around the Rivetergirl homestead. Bill had to catch up on some work and I took it upon myself to get more of the trim painted on our house (the house of the never ending painting projects - ick).

I worked on getting the front and back steps painted Saturday morning.

Don't the steps look nice. Yes, they do, thank you very much.

In the afternoon, we hired a sitter to watch Mar while we did something that we very rarely do — we went to the movies. And we didn't take Mar because we saw an adult movie ... well, it was really an adolescent movie with themes wholly inappropriate for a child, but terribly appropriate for for adolescent-mined adults like ourselves.

We saw Superbad.

This movie was chock full of juvenile humor that many find distasteful. We — and everyone else in the theater that day it seemed — found it hilarious. I think I pulled a muscle laughing. And I know Bill has a bruise on his leg from where I kept slapping him. Oh man.

Funny stuff.

Giant donutty goodness

Click here to see the giant donut.

Kid stuff

Click over here to see how clever my kiddo is.

Oh and happy Friday.

I got nothing

I could do a little whining about stuff like my back hurts, I'm tired, blah, blah, blah. But what's the point of that so instead I'll tell you this:

I Like Killing Flies is now one of my most favorite movies ever.

We've totally been into documentaries for a while now and this is the cream of the crop. I won't go into what it's about because the subject matter is so far from the point. Just go watch this movie — it'll make you want to go to New York City just for breakfast.

— AND —

I totally feel like this cat so much lately.


Why won't people just let us lie down, ffs.

More mushroom madness

I've gotten a few comments about my mushroom pictures. And because I aim to please, here are more mushroom pictures than you've ever wanted to see.

And no, I have no idea what any of these are.

Thanks again to Markel and Special K for showing us the 'shroomin' ropes.

'Shroomin'

We made a quick trip on the mesa this weekend in search of some fungi. Plus it'd been a while since anyone threw rocks at me. Click here to read more.