If it's tourist season, why can't we shoot them?

I am back in the aptly-named sunshine state after a 9-day stint in Ohio. While I enjoyed seeing family and friends, the weather left something to be desired, especially since we did not have a white Christmas. It was cold enough to snow, just no moisture in the air. Alas. Michael and I landed on Sunday afternoon, along with half of the Midwest. You should have seen the Florida airport! And the highways here are more crowded than usual, with approximately 1 out of every 3 cars hailing from a Great Lakes state. This is because they are smart enough to leave the tundra and escape to Florida. Their 'intelligence' unfortunately translates to crowded and very slow highways. I maxed out at 50 mph this morning, and that was at 10:15, after rush hour. The good news is that the 'real' places, such as post office, bank, bookstore, etc. are quiet. No lines! I love it. We're going to EPCOT tomorrow to celebrate New Year's Eve- stay tuned!

By the numbers

I am now in Ohio for a week to celebrate the holidays. And we're definitely not in Florida anymore...

1 - degrees Fairenheit when I went to bed Sunday night
3 - number of stores visited today that did not have mini M&Ms, which I need for snowman cookies
4 - number of times I got stuck on the ice going up the hill of Grandma's driveway Sunday night
5 - degrees Fairenhit when I woke up Monday morning
5 - layers of covers on my bed (flannel sheet, blanket, comforter, knitted afghan, down comforter)
15 - approximate number of wedding gowns I tried on yesterday
15 - approximate number of wedding gowns I did not like after trying them on
35- approximate number of Christmas gifts I wrapped at Nene's on Sunday

Auditory amusements or I am still bad at geography

Michael: Veronica Riffle is in the Czech Republic?
Me: Oh, I thought she was in Prague.
Michael: Yes, that's the capital of the Czech Republic...
Me: Like Beirut is near Lebanon.

Auditory amusements

Radio host: ...so try and relax this holiday season, even if it's only for 5 minutes of silence
Michael: Well, Jules, we certainly won't get that with you around

Auditory absurdity

First, some background. I go to the grocery store a lot. In December the Salvation Army has a collection bucket and a bell ringer outside all the grocery stores. So, this month I have been dropping change and the occasional dollar into the Salvation army bucket for two reasons 1) because my mother taught me at a very young age that you should and 2) I am a nice person.

Earlier this week I literally did not have any change or small dollars and thus did not plan on depositing funds into the bucket on this particular trip.

Salvation Army Bell Ringer: Hello
Me: Good morning. How are you?
SABR: Would you like to make a contribution?
Me: Oh, I'm sorry, I don't have any change today. But I have making contributions since Thanksgiving and I'm sure I'll be back again soon.
SABR: You don't have any change? Any amount you'd like to donate will help.
Me: You know, I don't have a bit of change today. I do make several trips to the store each week and have put in money in each time, but I can't donate today.
SABR: Every penny helps. And God will bless you!
Me: I'm sure He will, but I'm unable to donate at this time.

I now turn and walk into the store

Driving Fiasco

When we got back from South Carolina I noticed my back left tire was low. It tends to get a little low when the car sits and we had suspected a leaky tire. Monday morning, around 9:45 on December 1 I decided I would go to the gas station and fill the tire with air and then drive to Wal-Mart down the road to get a new tire. In addition to the fix the tire plan, I also planned on going to the grocery store, since we had been gone for 5 days, making a trip to the storage center to pick up Christmas ornaments, and get a car wash. Unfortunately, that didn't so much work.

I was half way to Wal-Mart when the tire just blew out. Completely. As in, shredded and driving on hubcap. Luckily I was right next to the gas station so I pulled in and was not sitting on the side of the road. I pulled in and called for a tow truck to take me to Wal-Mart, literally 5 miles away. Meanwhile, as I waited for the truck, a nice man who had been sitting near a landscaping truck w/ a few other guys approached the car with a small air tank, to fill up the tire. As soon as he saw it shredded he shook his head and said "So do you have a spare?" and I checked and I did, but of course, I am stupid and don't know how to change the damn thing. His buddy Tyronne (who was eating a piece of pecan pie) walked over and we started to chat while Chris crawled around on the ground and changed the tire. Tyronne had just spent the holiday in Georgia with his family, and I suspect that's where the pie came from. The tow truck arrived just as Chris was tightening the last bolt on the tire, so I'm sure they saved me a pretty penny, not needing to pay for the tow. I offered them money but they refused and told me to 'drive carefully' and 'have a good holiday'. So nice!

In case you're wondering, I did make it to Wal-Mart, bought a new tire, and did my grocery shopping while I waited for the car service. Wal-Mart is CHEAP! Definitely reccomended for keeping the grocery bill down. I also fetched the ornaments (after moving several heavy pieces of furniture in the storage unit), did a little bit of Christmas shopping and got the car washed. Of course, the car wash wasn't smooth sailing, either. I didn't buy gas and they don't accept credit cars at the entrance, so I had to back up and go inside and pay. Seriously?! Grrrrrr. And, as icing on the cake, I did not wash my hair or put on makeup that day because I thought I would just be at Wal-Mart's car waiting area a short time to change the tire, no one would see me at the storage place, and the grocery run wouldn't take very long. But of course, since I looked kind of like hell, I ended up in 4 different counties over a 7 hour period (no, seriously) and I think half of Central Florida saw me!

A few things

No hot guys on Oprah today, but I still have a few items to share. One is actually (again) related to Brad Pitt! That was unplanned, but might as well tackle that first.

1) I am enjoying my December issue of In Style which is pretty much the size of a phonebook. There's a pic of Brad and Angelina with a caption "No, you don't have her husband or her wardrobe" and I paused and said Wait a second.... Brad Pitt is NOT her husband! They are not married. They have been dating since 2005 (I think) and he is the father of her kids, but that's nto the same as being her husband. It ticked me off that no one caught that factual error so I wrote to the editor! They really should proof-read better.

2) We are going "up" to South Carolina for Thanksgiving. It is strange to use "up" as the direction, but c'est la vie. SC is chillier than Florida so I have been looking through the suitcase of cold weather clothing we brought to the condo instead of putting in storage. We clearly didn't plan on being here through the fall/winter because there are very few appropriate items in said suitcase. In fact, a decent portion is just a stack of Hard Rock t-shirts. Very useful. However, after removing the HRC shirts and a pair of Curious George PJ pants (seriously) I discovered 2 pair of jeans that I completely forgot that I owned. I was just wondering today how I was going to make it for 4 days with the one pair I have been wearing here during the evenings, and now I don't have to worry! I realized I actually have 4 pair of jeans that FIT ME RIGHT NOW! They fit better today than they did mostly all of 2008 which makes me very happy. I almost want to celebrate with a brownie sundae but I realize that probably will make them fit less well.

3) Early Christmas decorations and celebrating is driving me crazy. We actually bought Christmas cards in Target this past weekend because I was afraid they would run out if we waited until after Thanksgiving. And truly, who wants to go into Target any day in December? To add to the madness, there is a radio station that has, no joke, been playing Christmas music since Halloween. Um- Thanksgiving, anyone? I, for one, love apple pie and turkey and mashed potatoes and corn and the Macy's parade. And especially apple pie. So let's let Thanksgiving and the parade to enjoy their one day of glory.

4) I am making two Thanksgiving desserts tomorrow and am very pumped. Guess what I am making? That's right. Apple pie. (Dessert #2 is pumpkin bread, in case you are wondering)

5) Happy Thanksgiving to my (probably less than 5) loyal readers. Or, as Pepe would say, FELIZ TURKEYS OHKEH!

Brad Pitt

I am watching Oprah this afternoon. I tend to watch when it's a happy or frivolous topic (in other words, I avoid the child molester and other depressing social issue shows) and today Brad is promoting his new movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It looks super super good and I want to see it (hint to Michael). What I have observed today, just as I observe every time I see Brad in print, on TV or in a film, is that he is hot. He is perhaps the most attractive human being on the planet. Everything about him is beautiful. Hair, eyes, nose, lips, cheekbones, etc. etc. etc. I do have one question: do they make Brad Pitt wallpaper?

A Nice Surprise

So today I got a phone call from the pharmacy telling me the price on my Rx had changed and they would be refunding $58. Woo-hoo! And then they saw that I ordered it 3 months ago also and they adjusted THAT price, too. In short, I am getting $116 back. AWESOME! That's almost enough to get my hair highlighted and cut tomorrow- such excellent timing!

VOTE!

Dear Readers,

On this election day, I am first reminding you all to vote. I don't care what political party you support (well, I do, but that's not the point), just get out there and cast your ballot. I voted in person for the first time today- it was pretty cool. In 2004 I was at AU and cast an absentee ballot, which was not nearly as exciting as exiting the polling station and sticking my ballot into what looked like a huge laser printer. Key difference is this machine eats your ballot, it doesn't spew paper out. I waited in line for an hour this morning and I got an awesome "My vote counts" sticker that not only coordinates with my red t-shirt, it also will get me a free cup of Starbucks coffee, a free krispy kreme donut, and free Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. Which got me to thinking... Americans are such pigs; why doesn't it get you a free turkey sandwich or a free apple? I digress.

This is also a good time to share with you a photo I took last weekend and a political rally for a certain VP candidate. Maybe you've heard of her? She's pretty cool.



In the spirit of my first, and likely last, politically focused blog, I now leave you with a quote from my favorite president (for those of you who don't know, it's Ronald Reagan):

The most terrifying words in the English langauge are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

Happy Election Day!
Love,
Alex Keaton

Motownphilly's back again

Ladies and gentlemen, my life is now complete. I saw Boyz II Men live in concert last week. It was only for a half hour at EPCOT, but each minute was blissfully wonderful. I shall now stalk their touring schedule to be able to see them again. They were fantastic. I had a ridiculous grin on my face the entire time and took a ton of pictures and was generally more excited than I have been in a good while. They were, after all, my first tape (Cooleyhighharmony, 1991. I was 7) which I still have! I probably should buy a digital copy at some point.... So. Last Thursday was awesome all because of Boyz II Men. I love them. In case you're wondering, that's (L-R) Shawn Stockman, Wanya (pronounced Juan-yay) Morris and Nathan Morris in the above photo.

Snood!

Last weekend Michael and I went into the Apple Store because he wanted to look at the new somethings that were just released. Macbooks? Nanos? Not sure. We looked, but we also bought software. I convinced Michael to buy PrintShop so we can make save-the-dates for cheap(er) and also place cards and other wedding-related items. And post-wedding, PrintShop is fun. But the real excitement came when I saw Snood and said "LOOK! Let's get Snood!" in a quasi-joking manner. Michael agreed (!), probably because he was surrounded by new computers and doesn't seem to mind spending gobs of money in the Apple store.

If you're unfamiliar with Snood, be grateful. It's so much fun (and I can be rather obsessive) that I start to play and then look up and realize 90 minutes have passed and I have to go to the bathroom and still haven't eat breakfast. The game should come with a timer. Snood was actually a college discovery. Pannie's freshman-year roommates played it and she and I resisted playing until the end of the year, when we ultimately caved and downloaded the free trial game. Of course we used up the free trial game quota in less than a week and paid for the game upon returning to AU for sophomore year. Our Snood obsession resulted in many many evenings of Ash coming over to get dinner and Pannie and I alternately saying "One sec- I'm almost done" or "Wait. I finally beat level 9 and I can't stop now" and other such statements. Thank goodness it didn't adversely affect our grades!

After a year or so our computers got old and we never reinstalled the game. I believe Pannie recently downloaded the trial again but promptly used up all the games again. Turns out Snood is actually new and improved. Games include "Snoo-do-ku" which is basically a grid with crazy faces instead of numerals and really give you a headache. But there are so many more puzzles! And the "Journey" level has a pirate map! And the music is even more fun than it used to be. I told Pannie this week that we had, once again, purchased the full version of Snood, and she was obviously pumped. Michael successfully shared the game with her last night after some sort of weird Windows, hidden-file sharing thing over AIM, and I am happy to report that Pannie remains just as obsessed as I am:

I played Snood for THREE HOURS last night (while watching tv and whatnot), and then it almost made me late to work this morning. I could not get past that damn Hexagon City level--it took me like 10 tries--but I eventually did.

Super Saturday!

The day started off well when we had TCBY after lunch! I didn't know they still existed. I had a trip down memory land (and a 90s flashback) when I ordered vanilla with reese's cups. It was very yummy.

But it got better! We went into EPCOT to have dinner at the Food and Wine Festival. We were almost ready to go (Michael still wanted soup in Canada) and a nice lady tapped him on the shoulder and asked if we wanted to attend Party for the Senses. After she explained what the heck it was, ('A tribute to the sensory arts' that features more than 25 chefs and more than 25 wineries and breweries, with tasting stations set up all over the place, all you can eat. They're giving away 2 free tickets, which are usually $135 each.) we said yes and IT WAS AWESOME! We ate and drank a lot and every bite and sip were delicious. Highlight of the evening for Michael: Meeting Chef Robert Irvine from FoodNetwork's Dinner Impossible. Highlight of the evening for me: Unlimited champagne and truffles. Oh and we each got a free* wine glass with this year's theme/logo etched on it. Since this year's theme is Cities in Wonderland, I have a legitmate fear that my mother will steal it

*Of course if you buy a ticket, you better get something to take home- but we didn't so it was actually a free gift.

Auditory amusements (2)

Mary Lynn: So you guys are engaged and Marissa has a kidney infection and that's all the news we have.
Marissa: Yeah, and my news is stupid!

-----
Donald: Mazel tov!
Julia: Thanks! I haven't gotten that one yet.
Donald: That's probably because your Catholic. You might not hear it again from anyone else, but, you know, I thought it was appropriate.

Wedding Planning

It has begun! We are still in the early stages, but it has been quite entertaining thus far.... mostly because of my sister. Here are some reactions/comments from Al.

Upon first hearing the news:
Al: Do I have to be in the wedding?
Me: Yes
Al: Can I wear black? I look good in black. Can I wear flip-flops? Will there be booze?
Me: No, perhaps, definitely

After sending her a photo of a bridesmaid dress with a bow on the back:
No. I get spoken to in Spanish enough without a huge bow calling attention to my ass

General thought:
This all sounds really stressful... the money, dresses, colors, flowers, food, booze, hall, invites, family, weather, church, guest list, Mom. I can't even imagine planning a wedding. Granted, I can't really imagine having a date, so first things first. I want an arranged marriage.

Auditory amusements

I went to Disney World again on Tuesday afternoon to meet up with Aunt Helen Susan, who was in town with her family visiting the parks. As I approached "Disney Security" so my bag could be inspected, the "security guard" said: "I bet you have a million faults, but your smile is beautiful."

Ok, first, this is DISNEY WORLD. And that is lame. AND!!! He was way too old for me. What was he thinking? Goodness. I thought that kind of nonsense only happened to Al.

Visitors!

We had our first non-family visitors this weekend and it was so fun! Becky and Ryan arrived Friday morning and spent the holiday weekend with us touring Orlando. Despite some miscommunication with the Reunion cleaning staff, their visit started off nicely once we took a trip to the lazy river. I think we scared them both a little spending 12 hours at Magic Kingdom on Saturday, but being the expert tour guides that we are, we got in every attraction except the Jungle Cruise and managed to watch the parade and fireworks. We even managed to do something totally new (even for me!) when Ryan decided we should ride segways at Epcot! It was awesome. And if any of my loyal readers ever come visit, I promise to give you a fun tour, too!

Follow That Bird

I see two Sandhill Cranes every morning when I jog. They are huge: they have a nearly 7' wingspan and can be up to 48" tall. I knew their height because I see them walking around but have never actually viewed their 7' wingspan... I didn't even know they could fly till today. They're the size of a small 4th grader. And today they provided me with a great deal of entertainment.

This AM I saw them crossing the road as I was jogging past. Not so much crossing as just standing there. I saw them and thought "Oh there are the ginormous birds" and all of the sudden I saw a car zooming toward them as it rounded a curve. I then thought "Oh goodness, they don't see the birds" and they didn't! So they slammed on the brakes and the car behind them was forced to do the same thing. Then I heard someone lay on the horn. I don't know if it was car #1 that almost hit the birds or car #2 yelling at #1 for stopping so suddenly. The horn was awful and it scared me a lot more than it did the birds!!! They sort of looked up at the car and were like "whatever" and started to make a strange bird sound. It was rather loud and bird-like but they did not move out of the way very fast. I was cracking up because the birds are literally not afraid of a damn thing. Two automobiles, one of which is honking? No biggie. As car #1 swerved around them the 2 birds did manage to get up on the grass so car #2 didn't have to swerve quite as much. I continued to hear them and their bird noises OVER the iPod noise as I turned into the development where I do a loop and again as I was leaving, toward the end of the jog. They were clearly agitated to be warbling and chattering and such for 20 minutes. But I'm pretty sure that, because birds are stupid, I'll see them in the same place the next time I jog.

Bleach

I love bleach. I use it to clean white towels and most surfaces. I also use it (specifically, Clorox Cleanup) to clean to teapot when it starts to get stained. OCD? Probably.

This AM as I squirted the Clorox into the teapot, bleach came out of the nozzle (as usual) and also out the top (where you turn the nozzle from on to off) and evidently landed on my shorts. I didn't notice until I sat down and saw weird pinkish splotches on my brown shorts. Ugh. The shorts are not new and probably shouldn't be worn too much longer, but still. The reason they are a little worse for wear is because they were a favorite pair. Also, this incident means I now do not have a pair of brown shorts. I'm thinking I can still buy shorts in September since I live in Florida, so that's good news. However, the fact that I tend to try on at least ten pair before I find one that fits does not bode well.

Jobless Julia

I am sorry to report that I remain unemployed. I had a lovely job lead in September but it didn't work out. They rewrote the job description after telling me they would probably have me come in for an interview the following week. Booooooo. So, back to square one. I promise to let everyone know the moment I find a new job. But until then--- no need to ask :-) I have no job currently. I have decided that until I do, I will spend most waking hours in the gym so at least I will be buff and skinny. Stay tuned for the results!

Ode to the Muppets

First of all, in case you can't tell from the name of my blog (which is named after Pepe the King Prawn), I love the Muppets. Jim Henson was a genius and I am still saddened to think he died at age 53 of a rare illness almost 20 years ago. Who knows where the Muppets would be now if he had been involved all these years. But this is a happy post.

See, it looks like the Disney folks are planning to bring back the Muppets in several different ways. If you'd like details, please read the entire New York Times article. There's a great picture of Pepe along the left column. If you don't want to read the article and have better things to do with your time, I shall summarize. Disney is going to market the hell out of the Muppets. They'll appear in Disney Channel specials with teeny bopper favorites such as The Jonas Brothers and High School Musical cast members. Muppets will also appear in brand new videos on Disney.com and YouTube (see below). And for those who want a bit more interaction, a Muppet boutique at the New York flagship of F. A. O. Schwarz will be opening soon. Shoppers will build their own Muppets, a la Build a Bear. (Al will have to try this since she lives so close) I am most looking forward to seeing them in the Macy's Parade and in NBC's Muppet Christmas special.

Also, I'm pretty sure you have 2 minutes to spare if you just read my blog, so watch this video. It's hilarious, patriotic, and Sam the Eagle is one of my favorite Muppets of all time.

Auditory amusements

G-Chat conversation this afternoon:

Lori: have you ever made teriyaki sauce?
me: made? no. I buy it though... why?
Lori: I want to make it, and found billions of recipes online and they're all different, and I don't know what the best one is. and you're my domestic goddess, so i thought I'd ask :)

Can you get there from here?

I took a trip to the post office this morning, which I know, thanks to Al, is always a bad idea.

The post office is one exit (3 miles on the highway) away from my current home (probably about 9 miles door to door) and I have been there before. But just to be on the safe side, I put the P.O. address into the GPS and was on my way. I notice that the GPS had me going two exits instead of one and don't think much of it. Perhaps the P.O. really is closer to that next exit and it takes less time. Mistake #1: Trusting the GPS! (Some might argue Mistake #1 is going to the P.O. in the first place, but it was a necessary trip.) I continue down the road, which apparently has been rerouted since the GPS was made because the GPS chimes to 'take the exit right' as I am passing the exit! GRRRR By now, I'm positive that my 'one exit away' option would have been best. Now I'm three exits away and at this point, the exits are for... DISNEY WORLD! God help me. I take the next 'exit right' for "Animal Kingdom" where I do not want to go, and end up on Route 192. If you've never been to Central Florida, 192 is pretty much tourist hell. If it's a low to mid-scale chain restaurant (think Sizzler, Golden Corral, Ruby Tuesday) you'll find it on 192. You'll also find a lot of cheap hotels and motels (with outside doors!) and out of state license plates or white Dodge caravans with an enterprise sticker in the window. In other words, folks who have no clue where they are! (At this point, I know where I am but cannot get to my destination!) Luckily it's September and the number of tourists has greatly decreased since last month. Upon driving down 192, I see signs for Celebration and realize I have made a 270 degree curve around where I actually want to be. Fantastic. To add insult to injury, when I am finally stopped on 192, sitting at the light to turn left to get me to the town where the P.O. is located, I see a sign that says "Post office" with a left arrow. Gee thanks. I finally 'reach my destination' only to discover that there is street parking only. Fantastic. Do I know how to parallel park? Not so much! In fact, not at all, really. I can steer the car very well forwards, make U turns (in legal places), and even back out of a parking space. But manuevering backwards to the side? Please. Luckily, by some miracle of God, there are 2 spaces in a row open, so I am able to get the car in with no problem. It takes 30 minutes to travel less than 10 miles East. And I'm in a car, not on a bike.

I am happy to report that I made it to the P.O. only to be told that the zip code was incorrect on one of my boxes. It is addressed to a family member who apparently doesn't know where she lives.

On the way home from the P.O. I have another mishap. Stupid me sets the destination to 'home' thinking surely the GPS will take me back out to I-4 (one exit away!) and back to the condo. Wishful thinking. I am stuck behind an idiot driving 25 MPH the whole way. I channel Mom but do not act upon any negative thoughts. I continue along and notice signs for I-4 ahead. Awesome! I think that the GPS is right and I'm almost there. Well.... Dummy me again listens to the GPS, doesn't see the final 'turn here for I-4' sign, and ends up back on 192. Seriously?!

In summary, I'm so glad I have this really expensive interactive satelite map to get me where I need to go in an efficient manner. I would have been better off confirming my hunch on googlemaps before I left- would have saved time and gas. But then I would have never written this blog post.

Cupcakes are wonderful, but frosting is divine

I don't know about you guys, but I love frosting. I am lucky enough to have a mother and a boyfreind who do not so I get to eat the frosting on their cupcakes or pieces of cake. I have no shame. Do you think that's indulgent? Well, check this out. I need to a find a bakery that does this. In the interest of saving money, I shall continue to eat it by the spoonful out of a can OR I shall make the recipe at the bottom of the page. Or, if I want to not be a waddley-pooh, I will desperately try to limit my sugar intake. Time will tell!

Crayola 64 Box

I recently discovered what is perhaps the most fun online quiz ever. The Crayola 64 box has been around for 50 years and the nice marketing people have created fun games and other celebratory distractions on their website. My favorite is the "Color Quizzer" which can be found here. I am proud to announce that I named all 64 and am a "certified color genius" although the row of "kids choice" colors tripped me up. I clearly haven't colored or purchased a box of crayons since the kids renamed those few crayons. Rest assured, most of the names remain classic. Does anyone else remember Salmon or Burnt Sienna?

Friends and French Fries

McDonald's Cheeseburger- $0.59
Small fry- $1.00
Tax- $0.12
TOTAL SPEND ON DINNER: $1.71

Not having to cook AND watching a classic* Friends episode while eating said meal alone in the condo? Priceless!


*The one where Ross and Rachel... You Know

Auditory amusements

I very much enjoy Pannie's "Heard" posts but didn't want to completely rip off her title for them. I am, however, going to shamelessly copy her idea to post amusing comments.

Michael: Have you seen the dinosaur bug outside? It's huge!
Me: Bigger than the prehistoric bug?
Michael: Different breed. It's an Indiana Jones bug. I think it was an extra.

Let the Countdown Begin!

I am pleased to announce that in three short days Michael and I will be in DC, joining Pannie and Ash and Jason in a much-anticipated family reunion. There promises to be alter-ego appearances (queue Frill and Pepe), nostalgia (seriously, who puts half a pound of pepperoni on a pizza?), and infinite good times. It will remind us all that we really should live closer to each other, and I will then bring up the great housing deals to be found in Florida. Think of how much fun all of us could have in Disney World! But that's another story. Suffice it to see, I am excited and the weekend can't come fast enough.

Fay, Fay, go away

OK, so earlier this week I reported that Fay was in Florida and I was not impressed. I think the storm heard me and is trying to prove me wrong. I have decided that I am very impressed. It has been continually windy and rainy for more than 48 hours. It is not like Ohio because in Ohio the storms END relatively soon after they start. But truly- this is getting ridiculous. I'd really like to jog outside again before Daylight Savings time ends.

You know you're a sugar addict when...

...upon realizing the expiration date on your nearly full gallon of milk is 4 days away, you make an entire batch of peanut butter cookies instead of, I don't know, eating some cereal, in order in increase milk consumption. I have lost count of the number of cookies I have eaten this evening, but the milk is closer to half full than nearly full! Mission accomplished.

Hurricane Fay

I am currently experiencing my first Florida hurricane. It is not, in fact, my first hurricane, as I was in DC for Hurricane Isabel back in fall 2003. In the midst of the storm, I had the bright idea to go to the dining hall and get some food. Pannie thought I was crazy but must have been hungry, so we went and got drenched (see photo). Michael and Iain were adventurous enough to join us and we had a lovely evening playing Trivial Pursuit afterward. I also believe this was the first time I had an actual conversation with the hilarious Ed O'Keefe. But I digress.

Fay is in Florida and I am not impressed. It's windy and rainy outside, but I am from Ohio and that's often called "spring" or "a tornado". We have sequestered ourselves inside watching Superman Returns and the Olympics. Our emergency hurricane kit currently consists of a hand-crank flashlight and a freshly baked peach custard pie. We have yet to use the flashlight. When we turned on the news this morning we heard that all Disney parks opened an hour early today (I assume so vacationers could go in for a few hours and enjoy the parks before the storm). Michael turned to me and said "I would totally go into Disney World during the hurricane!" And I think if it had been earlier in the morning, he and I would have actually gone in.

Hola, hello

After reading Pannie's blog for quite some time and being thoroughly entertained, I casually pondered blogging myself. Upon first mentioning it to Pannie, she was very encouraging but I still wasn't completely sold. However, she was talking about it today and I'm feeling particularly open to the idea for some reason. Also, who can say no to her best friend? So, here we are.

And what better way to open a blog than by saying this (which will be explained in a future post):

Hola, hello. I am Pepe the King Prawn, okay!