My Sister the Comic

Al and I often communicate via gchat rather than phone.   We're cutting edge like that.   Our conversations provide great amusement to me.  Today's chat was no exception.


Alison: I had library books due on Thursday.  I figured I'd shove them in a drop box after work (libraries here are 10-5). Library 1- NO DROP BOX  Library 2: NO DROP BOX!  Library 3: drop box!  for the LOVE OF GOD    So I can barely check books out, and now you are making them difficult to return?!  It's a scheme to get fines just like the evil USPS in cahoots.

Alison: I want the Netflix equivalent of the library, please.  No due dates

me: They have that.  You pay for it like Netflix tho- libraries are free.   I mean, via taxes

Alison: Oh puh lease my taxes are SO HIGH.  I should be having books wrapped in gold leaf and picked up by a trained shiba inu with a saddlebag and a cap that says NYPL

Ivy League Graduate

After a year in Ithaca, NY I am pleased to announce that we survived student housing and Michael earned his Master's Degree from Cornell!  YAY!

Now we are back in our nice house in Florida and I am working from home.  My office is currently set up on a folding table from Target, which works surprisingly well.   It looks very temporary, so I am now on a quest for a not ginormous desk to put in our 3rd bedroom.  I welcome suggestions!  

Other than working, we have been enjoying our spacious house, visited Disney World (to ride the new Star Wars attraction) and today, I took a long dip in the pool.   Life is good.

When are you going to start dancing to Time After Time?*

Ten years ago this month I attended senior prom with Michael and also prepared to graduate from Lake Ridge Academy.   I spent 13 years at LRA where I made many friends and participated in more activities than I can count.  I recently volunteered to be a class agent and serve on the alumni council, which means I had to also attend the 10-year class reunion this weekend.

Our class had 39 graduates, and 10 of us showed up; not a bad percentage.  The front row includes me and 2 members of our quartet.  Jane was a year younger so it's no wonder she wasn't there.  I've known some of these guys since 2nd grade, and it's very cool that I had a chance to see them again this weekend.

Highlights include seeing everyone, working with Blake (former Student Council ally) to move tables together for dinner, beer on campus, and more specifically, beer during the "2001 kids take a campus tour" segment.  I didn't even want a beer but I grabbed a Sam Adams so we could all hold them in the classrooms.

Elena and I first watched Romy & Michelle's High School reunion when we were sophormores (I think) and the moment had finally come:  We didn't order the business woman's special or have a crush on Billy Christensen or dance to Time After Time, but we did do this.   It was probably the highlight of the night for me.... especially when she showed me how to hold my arms.  Love you, Lenie-Pie!

            

*Lakshman actually asked us this

Happy Mother's Day

A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world.  It knows no law, no pity, it dates all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.

-Agatha Christie, The Last Séance

The Ultimate To Do List

In the merry month of May I have (in addition to normal every day tasks):

• 12 family and friend and coworker birthdays, including my own!
• Mother's Day and a baby shower and a First Communion party (none of which I can attend, I do not live in Ohio.  But!  That's what greeting cards and shipping companies are for)
• A conference call for a new alumni group I joined
• To buy mint at the grocery store in order to have a mint julep while I watch the KENTUCKY DERBY!  (admittedly a fun to-do item)
• A big ol' lower price promotion at work to get more sales in the door and more hours out of us
• Occasional transportation duties for Michael's 5 exams at crazy times of day or night
• A road trip to Ohio for... 
• My 10 year high school reunion
• To take the car for service before all this driving to Ohio this month and Florida in June
• Dinner and/or weekend celebrating above mentioned coworker birthdays
• A dinner cruise to celebrate the end of the graduate school year
• To change our address for the umpteenth time in about 24 months.  Seriously.  I am surprised the post office can keep up
• Michael's Cornell University Graduation
• Subsequent parties and family in town to celebrate said graduation
• To pack up and clean our entire POS student housing apartment 
• To donate and/or toss items not worthy of hauling to Florida

I am sure there are many more others that I simply have not yet realized.  Meanwhile, I will be busier than a one-legged man in an ass kicking contest*  What is it about May?!


*TM My Dad

I'm in a New York State of Mind

Or at least I was two weeks ago.   I am a bit tardy in reporting on our fantabulous weekend.  Please enjoy the numerous photos illustrating our fun times ten days ago.

Though it wasn't planned this way, a decent portion of the weekend was devoted to eating food.  The quality ran the gamut between buying a hot dog from a street vendor, an item on Pannie's bucket list, to gourmet mac n cheese, to legitimate gourmet at Le Bernardin (Ash & Pannie, not me, and also another bucket list item).  And if you were in the mood to make your own food, all the raw ingredients at Chelsea Market would inspire even the most elementary cook to create a masterpiece.   And let us not forget Serendipity with its ridiculous desserts.

Perhaps the highlight of the week (unfortunately not captured on film) involved Al eating near Central Park.   You see, Ash decided to buy Al a peanut butter and jelly macaroon.  While wandering near the Park, Al was enjoying her treat and a very 'forward' man selling rides through the park ran up into her face and said "Put down the damn donut and ride a bike!" Al continued walking, while Ash retorted "Actually, it's a macaroon!"  

And now that I think about it, there was another highlight.  You see, Chelsea Market has these amazing flavored salts.  One is called Ghost Pepper Salt and is flavored with the Ghost Pepper, aka the hottest in the world.  Ash did not see the WARNING SIGN and shoved a decent sized handful in her mouth and nearly died on the spot.  I have never seen anyone turn that red so quickly.

I'm not sure where to put this momentous occasion, but it wasn't so much a highlight as an experience.  I ate a bite of eggs benedict.   If you know me or have ever eaten breakfast with me, you know that I loathe and despise eggs.  In all solo or omelet forms.  That is to say: no scrambled eggs, no fried eggs, no hard boiled eggs, no egg salad.  Eggs mixed in any number of foods, including quiche or fritatas, fine.  So, as you can imagine, this is a big deal.  And as you can see, I survived

But the weekend wasn't all about food, or me tackling a food phobia.  Come to think of it, Ash conquered many phobias, including- but not limited to- walking on subway grates.  She also conquered revolving doors, but alas, no photo.

The weekend was about friendships and sisters, which really, are just forced friendships that we can never end (not that we want to!) and spending time with my favorite people.  

Needless to say, I can't wait to plan our next rendez-vous!

Auditory Amusements

Setting the stage:
A beautiful sunny Sunday in April in Ithaca (without snow) is cause for celebration.  So we went wine tasting and stopped for lunch at Red Newt Bistro.   We shared the Cheddar Apple Dip, which was delicious.   I used my knife to spread the dip on bread, while Michael dunked the bread directly into the ramekin.

Jules: Are you dunking your bread into the dip?
Michael: Yes
Jules: And you're not using your knife.   You do realize we own an Emily Post Etiquette book, right?
Michael:  Yes.  But it's called dip, Jules.   Not spread.