In step with the random

My husband has had a pedometer for a couple of years now, making him infinitely cooler than I am, and also providing statistical evidence that his exercise program is superior to mine (in that it exists at all). This year his company invited spouses and significant others to step into the fun. Since I wasn't going to get any other of the fabulous schwag offered to actual employees, I figured I had better grab the bone I was thrown. Here is a quick breakdown of my first week pedometering...

Day one: Within four steps of the hubs when he got home from work! Jogged back and forth in and out and around daughter's room while tucking her in that night to reach the target number for the day. Upon reaching that goal, daughter quietly reminded me that daddy had gone on the elliptical after dinner. Not that I was competing with him, but certainly was happier when we were even.

Day two: Forgot to put pedometer on until after most of the morning pacing, dog walking and getting folks moving was done.

Day three: Was at 1,000 steps before husband and daughter even got out of bed, then forgot pedometer on pajama bottoms.

Day four: Convinced my jeans were too high-waisted (and obviously way too attractive) for the count to be accurate.

Let's just stop here, as I am sure your can see what kind of trend I had going on. I am sure there is a learning curve, and I am bound to eventually navigate it safely.

Yesterday we finally had a two-hour delay for school due to the snowfall, then today it was nearly sixty degrees out. This made it perfect weather to be outside, even if the amount of snow left was dwindling. No coats were worn while they built this little guy.

Why was I surprised when I looked in the candy bowl last night? Every year...at least this time I did not buy the kind with the toxic blue. I did find the Spanish ones intriguing though.

Sometimes I feel like I am not commanding the respect I deserve, especially when the commercial on tv just told me to respect the Capri-sun pouch. I can't be less worthy than a lunch box drink. Maybe there is just some confusion about the true meaning of respect, as now look where it should be directed... Don't be an ass, respect your toilet paper...I mean really, look at all of the crap it puts up with. I am so glad to see that the roll cover was designed with respect, as I can't imagine how else one would approach the task. Certainly not with a cheeky attitude!

I could go cross "blog" off my to-do list now. However, next to that list is the list of blog topics that I thought I might like to write about...of which, I have done none. I guess if that is still sitting there next week, I should just roll it right on into the random.

Thanks to Stacy for hosting the random party every week...it helps me keep track of what day it is...for one day!

Noted

My grandmother was taken to the hospital a few evenings ago exhibiting some potential heart attack symptoms: pain in her arm and shoulder, moving up to her neck and jaw, some nausea. The ER doctors were not sure exactly what the paramedics saw that led them to believe she was having a heart attack, as they did not see such a thing. My grandmother now attributes the whole event to indigestion, and may never eat soup again. I could say that it's not worth arguing with her because she is 89, but I can't really remember a time it ever served me well to argue with her.

We spent twenty-five minutes with her doctor today rehashing some specifics of her hospital stay, as well as some other discrepancies. We sorted out the fact that she is not not taking Lipitor because her cholesterol numbers are wonderful, but rather because she has refused to take it for years. I was living a little vicariously through the doctor's ability to trump her statements with the documentation on his computer screen. There is a lot of history there, that I will not bore you with, regarding how nice it would be to be right just a few times when the story gets sketchy with my grandmother. This guy had his computer screen, discharge paperwork, and the letters M.D. after his name, but she fought the good fight just the same. I was armed mostly with hearsay about the hospital stay, but even the shoulder pain I witnessed on my visit was denied having ever existed. Violently ill every time she turned her head somehow morphed into throwing up a bit when she tried too hard to burp. I folded.

I understand the concept of aging and some of the cruel mind tricks that go along with it. However, I also have a fairly decent grasp on who my grandmother has been for the forty-two years I have known her. It is difficult to tease out which tendencies are really new and different. I just wish she knew that we are trying to help. I went in to her appointment to lend an extra set of ears, since she admittedly cannot sort out and remember everything that gets said (actually, neither can I, hence my pencil and paper). Of course at some point she started to think the doctor and I were in cahoots in some other secret scheme. (OK, there might have been a point today when the doctor did ask me if I "got his drift" about the whole Lipitor debacle.)

I was reading over the hospital discharge summary and accompanying information when I got home...I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on tv, but this seemed like information worth browsing. I am fairly certain that my grandmother has not read over the paperwork because she certainly would've mentioned this......and I assure you, she would not have been pleased.

This section amused me...It almost seems like what they were saying was "too alert for us to check the confused box without starting trouble, but too confused for us to check the alert box".

I have never been overly impressed by the doctor we saw today. He was always very pleasant and kind, but it just seemed like he was always sending her for so many tests and sort of scrambling. Today I realized just how hard he works for his patients, how thorough he is, and how well he actually does understand a bit of what my grandmother is about. Of course I realized that today...the last time she will see him, as he is retiring...one more thing she thought was kept from her since she heard it from someone else. I cannot imagine trying to get a new doctor, in a different practice up to speed on her, nor can I fathom what the notes in her chart must say!

Random check-ins

Well, that tool Monday was obviously whispering in Tuesday's ear about how much fun gloom can be. We are being treated to some gray skies and rain that every now and then has an identity crisis and tries to turn into snow. There is freezing rain in the forecast for this evening, so there's that to look forward to. Unless a potential snow day is involved, I am not really interested. I am already in my pajamas. It is 4:00, and I think I finally landed on the right combination of over the counter decongestant and pain reliever so that my neck could hold my head and sinuses up, as opposed to needing both hands to do so. (Thanks again super awesome indecisive weather!) And in other good news, my husband was running late (and didn't phone it in), but did come home last night!

OK, so remember when I did this? I will wait here quietly, as you very well might not have seen, because I had fives of followers back then.

**patient whistling**

It was really not noticeable at the time from what I recall. However, now...two years later...I seem to notice some sparseness in that general eyebrow region. Fascinating, I know. I would be lying if I said that event taught me anything. Just the other day I was talking to my friend about eyebrow maintenance, and she suggested I go to her friend who is in a cosmetology program. I actually had the nerve to say that I wasn't sure I would be happy with how they would do my eyebrows. Really? I should be more confident in my own skills? Because the risk of having only one eyebrow is so sexy and edgy? Because I know my way around a tweezer better than someone with actual training? I couldn't even get my eyeliner to work today, and yes, I mean the kind that is basically a pencil. What's that I hear? Oh, it's a "Beauty School Dropout" earworm! I saw the threading woman at the mall again the other day, and nearly gave myself whiplash turning away so quickly! What if she asked me if I needed her expertise upon making eye contact? It's not like I could've honestly said "No."

Moving on...

I was informed by my daughter that this is not an acceptable amount of Goldfish crackers for her snack. The words were "You call this a snack?"Yes, just not a very good one. Hopefully this means one other person in the house has learned a lesson about putting things away nearly empty (eventhough I was the one who put those away!)

I should mention here that I have to hit save on my phone when I want to keep any photo I have taken. I should also try harder to remember that. And now you know why there aren't many photos this week (nor any recollection of what the heck it was I found so funny!)

Luckily the Foz/Fozzie/Fonzie has a couple of items he would like noted...

He does not find it amusing when I fling his beloved carrots behind my back without taking aim. My son and I, on the other hand, found it hysterical when we saw where this one landed...but he couldn't find it!
He found this no more amusing than the last time the boy experimented with static electricity, yet we were once again hysterical!

Thanks to Stacy for letting us unwind our random!

Leaving?

Oh Monday, you never cease to amaze me with your attitude and shenanigans. You know your actions will be excused simply for who you are. We see you come storming in, or just acting all gloomy, and have to accept you...that's just the way you are. You can just fling your random thoughts (a stolen idea from Tuesday, no less) about what might be amusing in our faces, and we have no choice but to say "Oh, it's just Monday." It's no wonder that you and Friday stay so far away from each other, as you have nothing in common. I am sort of relieved that you don't hang out together as I wouldn't want your ways to spill over to the rest of the gang. I try to act happy to see you, in hopes that you just want a little affection, but most of the time you just crap all over it.

I had a very vivid dream just before waking today. It was just before Super Bowl party time and my husband announced he was leaving me. He was also going to get himself a new car. I am certain that the reason for my upset was the dissolving of our marriage, in the dream, and not the fact that I'd be missing out on the new wheels. No, really, I'm sure I was going to miss him. I felt kind of aggravated with him for being unreasonable, but the last part was the worst. I can still see the look on his face as I said "Doesn't it matter what I want?" and he answered "No", and walked away....and then I woke up. Ugh!

Yes, I know he was snoring away in bed still...yes, I know it was a dream, but ick. No, I do not want the dream "professionally" analyzed. However, I was a little bummed out yesterday when I noticed that I lost a blog follower, so maybe I thought everyone was going to leave me. Crazy? Maybe, but have you seriously ever listened to some of the stuff the dream interpreters peddle? Me neither, so for all we know I could be in the right ballpark. Maybe I realized, in my sleeping hours, what a whiny and overtired toddler I was for parts of yesterday. Or how I felt like my other ("better"? seriously?) half was not pulling his weight around here, completely disregarding my own, previously mentioned, glorious behavior.

Monday did jazz things up a bit by adding some perks, like the boy running late for school while the dog was hurling in his crate. I gently woke the husband to tell him that I was driving the boy to school. I quickly briefed him on my day so far when he asked what was up. For some reason he did not jump from his slumber to propose to me all over again to reassure me that my dream was just that. Things did look a little better once daylight actually came, but I was still carrying the weight of my dream. I finally texted my husband:

I am still sad that you are leaving me.

And the response:

Don't worry. [Son] can do my one household job (if I can remember what it is).

{I will give you a moment to giggle because I admit it is a little funny...just a little.}

HOWEVER, this man has been married to me for over sixteen years. I have made little to no attempt to hide my anxieties and paranoia from him, and THIS is the support and reassurance I get? HOWEVER, I have been married to this man for over sixteen years and he has made little to no attempt to feed into my lunacy, and STILL I expected some support and reassurance in such a matter?

I am clearly not overly concerned, as I am making leftovers for dinner.

See you next week, Monday...(you jackass)!

No comment?

Uh-oh...I just became aware of disappointing possibility. I have my blogger account set up so that I am emailed when anyone comments. I was operating under the assumption that if I hit reply to that email, I would be replying to the person who left the comment. Yes, there are times when I have noticed that as the email launches itself into the great world of fibers and wireless fascination that the phrase "noreply-comment@blogger.com" shows up as a destination. I am going to admit my lack of tech-knowledge once again, and share that I thought that was just the email lords hiding a person's actual address from me (as in , we will deliver your mail, but not tell you where). It did not occur to me that the mail was not being sent to the intended recipient. To further support my theory, no emails were ever returned. I was left to assume that whoever had been swell enough to leave a comment on my blog was getting treated to a swell reply in return. I reply to every single comment anyone leaves me.

Enter the new piece of information...I was reading some blogs this morning and noticed a comment someone had left another blogger about her email address not being enabled, and how nobody could respond to her. How did she know this? Because the address "noreply-comment" pops up. Oh dear! Now I am concerned that I have been sending "thank you for stopping by" and "LMAO" type comments into a great unknown void. Perhaps I need to confirm this new piece of possibility? I realize that sending a message to anyone whose email comes up as that might not be the best strategy in case you know...it's true! So if you have a minute, and you have recently commented on any blog post of mine, and have not gotten any kind of response, can you comment here and let me know? (And then I will acknowledge your comment in a way that you will never receive, I guess.)

Perhaps I will resort to commenting back in my own comments, as that seems to work for a lot of people. I tried that back when I had fives of followers and the people hadn't come back to check, so basically I achieved the same no acknowledgement results. Soooooo, if my responses to your comments have not been reaching you...1) Thanks for stopping by and 2) Thanks for coming back even if I appeared rude by not opening the door!

Roll out the Random

Hi, my name is Andrea and I have a problem. I am under the impression that I am a master yarnsmith of some sort. While I have expanded my repertoire of patterns...... I need to admit that a person only needs so many dishcloths (even if that person does buy new dishes...you know, to get ready for company). And even though I do know other people, some of them might have an undying affinity for O-Cel-O sponges (meaning their dishes are, in fact, sponge-worthy). I was feeling productive, in that I was using up the yarn that I had purchased before the holidays, and was down to this stash...However, when the yarn went on sale for $1 a roll/bundle/skein this weekend, what else could a budding crochet artist do? Oh, and maybe this yarn (given to me as a gift with the pattern book) is for a project I am not qualified to attempt yet...I am not sure if Stacy needs any dishcloths, but luckily she is giving us a place to stash the rest of the random that is whirling around! Watch out you don't get hit with anything, as I set the random free!

At 6:30 Friday morning, the pouring rain changed over to snow here and didn't stop until some time late Saturday evening. This was a super bonus, as our company was hoping for some fluffy white stuff to play in! Luckily they were quick builders since the temperature started to fall quickly. It was -4 on Sunday morning and then the wind chill yesterday morning was -13. Today it was pouring and cruising into the forties. Now the temperature is dropping again. I could've (maybe should've) shoveled the slush off our walkway, but decided it was too heavy so I didn't. I will be cursing that decision when the dog and I skate on it tomorrow morning, I am sure!

I was pretty psyched to see that Yankee Candle is coming out with some new alluring (definition: to attract with something desirable;entice) scents.

Denim?

I don't know a lot about cowboys (I hope denim was a nice segue here), their belief systems, or how they decorate their Christmas trees, but I found this ornament in the clearance section...It is not my intent to mock cowboys or Christians, but I am not convinced that steer horns belong on a cross in any religion.

Which brings me to......but on a rock? I think THAT is your rock.

Speaking of rocks...These are two of the kindest ones I have ever seen! I appreciated that they had so much to say to me as I walked by. They didn't even know me, as they are not my rocks.

I was recently putting something away in the basement at my grandparents' house. I am glad this creepy guy is no longer hanging upstairs, where I might have to see him more often, but pondered why he is taking up wall space at all.Stop looking at me, and cheer up a little!

We are having company again this weekend, and so far my preparations have been as appropriate as last week's. I got a new sofa table (Thanks Mom!) to put behind the new couch...of course. I also bought this pillow, for the plain and simple reason that I love it!I also spent some time today rearranging the fine collectibles (yes, that's what we're calling them) in a couple of my glass-doored cabinets. Seriously, if I didn't do these little things to perk up the place for company, do you think any of the other three folks who live here would notice?

Oh, one thing our company demonstrated for us this past weekend, that I think is useful knowledge to pass on, is that a television will not respond in any way when you point a cordless phone at it...not even if you grumble at it!

MIA

I guess I went a little Missing Inaction. Yes, I was relatively inactive and very busy eating cookies. I had things lining up for this week's random thoughts before I even went to bed last Tuesday night, plus a short list of blog topic ideas. And then what happened? Oh, that funny little thing called life, I think. New events were trying to get some air time, so I just shut down my think tank to get ready for the company we had coming.

One new event was my daughter jamming her finger at basketball practice Wednesday evening. (Pretty!) That seems to be the sports enthusiast term for what she did to her left middle finger. I think lay folk might use some crazy talk like broken bone of some sort. I had a trial run with the broken finger issue last fall with the boy child. Things escalated quickly with the swelling while he was at school the day after his injury, and he brought this home...(More pretty!) I figured I would keep an eye on things and not make any radical decisions or doctor's appointments until she returned from school on Thursday. I buddy taped her fingers and eagerly awaited her return. Imagine my delight when she walked in to announce that she jammed the middle finger on her right hand playing basketball in gym class that day. Hmmm! I compared her fingers to the photographic evidence in the photo file shown above, and we did not have a match. After some consultation with folks closer to the medical field than I am (which could mean someone who literally lives closer to the doctor's office for me to take their advice), we decided some splint action would be a swell (no pun intended) idea.
I am not completely sure if there are broken bones, but I do know that the orthopedic doctor just put a splint on my son's badly broken finger for six weeks. I am confident that this is a level of specialty service I can provide for now.

Somewhere along the line, during my distraction, I decided the best way to get ready for company had nothing to do with an immaculate house or general preparedness, and more to do with comfortable seating and plenty of food. So when folks arrived on Saturday there was a new couch, new dishes (that literally arrived fifteen minutes before them, so not put away), snow to play in (ok, maybe not my doing, and since it was the first big snowfall we did not have our outdoor apparel gathered), and plenty of lunch and dinner fixins.

The bottom line is that I have completely lost focus. Did you gather that? However, I am well fed and got a super great deal on yarn for more dishcloths (because I really NEED to keep that hobby thriving)! Oh, and all of that clutter that I was blaming on our guests? Well it was still here when they left!

Random randomness

I need to jump right in with a hell-to-the-yeah on breaking 100 followers (even after adjustments)! I don't even care if anyone uses that expression anymore...THAT is how excited I am! You are all so chill. (My son told me today that chill has replaced cool. I am pretty sure it went without saying that it would be neither chill, nor cool for me to use that word, but I am too happy to care!) Had I realized that a picture of me trying on a bra would lure seven new people, I'd have done it sooner. The girls and I thank you all. I am saving the shot of my new package of Hanes cotton undies for the next drought.

So I thought of having a giveaway when I reached 100 followers, but was stumped as to what to give away. Here are some thoughts I came up with: cookies, a dishcloth , a dog, or a copy of my yet to be published book! Let's ponder that a little further later, for now is the time for me to get my random out!

I have had a head cold for the past few days now. It must be that I need a more serious diagnosis for any illness of my own to carry some weight around here. I do not want to know what condition I would have to be suffering from for someone to bring me something to drink instead of requesting one for oneself while sitting the couch!

I put all of my snowmen decorations out, since the ground was white and there were flakes in the air. The snow all melted the next day.

I passed by this paper on the kitchen table the other day... ...and was slightly alarmed and confused as to what my son and his friends were thinking when they decided to do an anagram for "HANDY NASTY". Of course, I quickly inquired. I can't quite explain the look on my son's face, nor the tone of his voice when he responded "That's HAN DYNASTY!" Logical mistake, no?

I like how pairing these two items together almost makes them look like they are alternatives to each other, as I certainly don't think you need both...at least not on the same day!
I realized the other day that mattress talk is not nearly as sweet as pillow talk. I told my husband that it seemed wise for him to go shopping for our new mattress with me. He said that was not necessary, and that I could get whatever I wanted. When I happened to mention that I was going to select something like the one we sleep on when we travel to visit family, he said "No, no, no." Apparently that one makes his back hurt. So basically we are saying anything I want that is not what I really want? I wonder if they will let him spend the night at the store for a true test run...maybe two nights? Really, can you make a decent decision after anything less than a week?

So as not to seem as though I am picking on the same person twice, this item is in regards to a visit from Mr. Sweet Tooth. He returned from the store the other day with this in his bag...When I inquired as to why he purchased sugar-free candy, as I have never seen him eat that before, he said it was all they had left. Um, ok, but seriously why did he have to buy candy to begin with? Oh, because they were twelve cents a piece! I am not convinced it is a bargain to buy discount candy that you do not really enjoy or require. However, we have seen him use this fuzzy logic before. Now I know I get cranky when all of the good candy disappears, and maybe he was just trying to find some treats to call his own. In addition to me not needing to eat candy whenever I want, I feel I must show you what is currently in the COMMUNITY (as in fair game) candy stash!See anything there you need? Another possible raffle prize, perhaps?

Phew, that took a load off! Thanks to Stacy for giving me somewhere to dump it! Go see what's shaking in her random world today!

Can I get some support?

I would just like to start by saying that I have been stalled at 99 followers for quite some time now (well, actually 97 my daughter reminds me, as two are duplicates and one is the dog). I am not complaining, since a year ago, 50 followers seemed like a crazy pipe dream. It's just that now I am so close to 100 that I am getting greedy. That, however, is not the support this post is going to be about. I am going to discuss breasts, don't get excited you less than 5 male followers, as I am in no way bringing sexy back. Plus, talk of shopping will be involved as well. There, I am sure the Y chromosomes have left now.

A couple of weeks ago I grabbed the wrong bra when I got dressed, and as a result spent my morning cleaning a house with at least one escape artist every time I leaned over. Cleaning=lots of leaning, by the way. And to think, I thought my life couldn't get any more glamorous! I texted a selection of folks about my issue, because who wouldn't be interested in that information? One person responded with high praises for sports bras. I questioned the uniboob feature figuring she had found a more flattering brand or strategy. Nope, she was basically just opting for comfort. I could support that!

The next day I outfitted myself in one of my oversized sports bras (a holdover from when I thought I might engage in something resembling a sport). While I was willing to admit that I sure was comfy, I also had to acknowledge the gapping spaces on the sides of myself. Ridiculous! The girl (at that point) and I deserved better. I hit the clearance rack at Target and hooked myself up with a swell neon green number. Comfort with a touch of pizazz for $11.88? How was I ever going to look at the usual $58.00 price tags again?

It was a short week to break us back in gently to that which is what we do around here. There was also snow making it look a lot like Christmas. I had no choice but to buy some gifts...for myself. I had to return two ill fitting wired devices that obviously lied about their dimensions. My friend was disappointed as she had scoured the Kohls clearance rack to find those undergarment options for me. Ever eager to help me in my quest for a reasonable fit, we set out to do a complete canvas of clearance, and any other, options at another local Target. They had even more swell colors! Bright pink and electric purple. I just needed to tame my enthusiasm with a reality check of how many unflatterring (yet comfortable) bras I should have to choose from each morning. I was teetering dangerously close to going all in with a sweatpants wardrobe to complete the look.

I tried to find something for an inactive gal, but was not in the right frame of mind to actually find a dressing room, only to suffer the usual angst. A good friend might point out when you are being an utter (udder?) boob, but will stand by and support you anyway...and maybe even take your picture...

Here are some other highlights from the bra department. I hope you are even half as amused (yet slightly confused) as I was!

What these might lack in terms of any actual support, they make up for in adhesive?

These are just sort of soft shells, or helmets, for your gals to hide out in...also sticky. Is that like ripping a band- aid off?

Does some guy in a lamp really have the answer?

And if I did manage to hoist things up where they belong (OK, now I have the song, Up Where We Belong, stuck in my head!), would I then need to hide the result? A chemise dickie? A chickie?

Does it double as a hankie if you get desperate? A chankie then , I guess? See where it says you can transform an outfit? Nighttime is for cleavage!

End result...1 return, 2 keepers (both with actual straps)

Random snowfall

It's funny to me how a few snow flurries call up their friends and bring together a full blown snowfall. We watched a battle brewing yesterday between sun and flakes, but once the sun went down, it was all about the white baby! It looks beautiful outside. I didn't even mind shoveling a path down the sidewalk and driveway at 6:15 for my son to walk to the road on. Sure, we packed up all of the Christmas decorations yesterday, but there are three bins of snowmen who were worried they were not going to be displayed this year. I suppose this delay gives me no reason to not dust before the next wave of clutter fancifulness hits. My mind is joining in with the weather today and feels like a well shook snow globe!

Thanks to Stacy for shoveling us a path for us to carry our random down! Put on your boots and go visit her when you are done here!

Right now there is some spinach dip in the fridge that is shouting at me. I might have to put it out of its misery. I am down to only multi-grain pita chips, so it's a healthy snack, no? Nevermind the portion I ate while I still had plain pita chips (one hour ago).

I am a rather savvy sale and coupon shopper, so how about this deal?Thank goodness I have over two weeks to take advantage of this one!

Check out my awesome new mittens. Try not to be too jealous the next time you have to just use regular air quotes when telling a story!
And now some randomness brought to you by our trip into the city...Seven of us piled into the van, with my father behind the wheel as he unleashed his inner taxi cab driver. We saw a flashing sign warning us of "Roving pot holes", and had I known we would see that sign in three more spots, I definitely would've gotten the camera out! Roving? How do they move? Are they dug and refilled under cloak of darkness?

I was feeling conflicted about this one...As if it matters what the sign says when you are engulfed in a sea of moving people.

Even this clarification did not make me stop in for a purchase...
This house of shame window arrangement proved to be no more enticing...
Ah, but the American Girl store? Of course we have to stop in there so my daughter can visit, and see, in person, what her collection lacks. We have to make the pilgrimage to the third floor so we can visit the historical doll collection. I really don't mind that much because that is where this action is going on...There must have been ten chairs open for business, and I have a feeling those girls were paying more for their dolly-dos than I pay for my own haircuts.

Well, I got to freebase sugar-free pudding mix again at the volunteer gig this week. Ugh!

I think I have a few more flurries in my head, but they are each clamoring for their own post!

Happy New Year!

Well, we had eaten all of the cookies at our last stop, so we decided to head back home yesterday. I kept thinking I was so ready to put the holiday back in the storage bins, and get back to our usual routine. I then made the critical mistake of taking a moment to consider what my actual routine consists of. Was it the 6:00 a.m. alarm or the lack of shiny packages with ribbons that I thought would be such a welcome return? The absence of cheese platters and cookies or the joy of housecleaning that would restore my usual state of glory? The unpacking of the van gave ample opportunity for me to cover every and any clean surface in the house with something clutterrific! I was exhausted by 4:00, but had the added benefit of being expected to stay upright, and possibly awake, to ring in the new year.

I felt that I had ample snacks to keep me interested and enough angst about resolutions to keep me alert. A lot of my thoughts regarding being a better person in 2012 seem to involve more work for other people who happen to live in this house. I think it will make me a better mother and wife if I try harder to teach my children to be more responsible. One of the ways I envision achieving this goal is having them pick up after themselves on a more regular basis. What? You are concerned that I will feel less needed if I don't have to right side out those socks, make the beds and relocate the festival of crap that lands everywhere...everday? I am willing to try to learn to get over it. I don't want to suggest that all three of these people should make it their own personal resolution to listen more closely to everything I say, so I think I will just make my own efforts to talk loudly and more slowly. Again, always willing to do my part.

I was trying to get enough things done and put away so as to give the illusion of welcoming a more organized new year. When I walked into our bathroom upstairs, I was reminded how the sink had decided to clog when we were minutes from leaving to go on our road trip. I had made minimal efforts involving a coat hanger to rectify that situation, then just figured gravity would eventually win out while we were gone. The sink was empty of water last night, but lined with a dry murky reminder of what had happened. I ran some fresh water and it was readily apparent that the plumbing elves had not visited while we were away. It was 8:00 p.m., and I figured some wrenches and pipes (not code for anything kinky) were a decent strategy to my staying awake game. I do love a good project. However, in addition to wondering how it is that I still have a full head of hair, I also began to question how it was that my New Year's Eve had shaped up quite like this. Perhaps I needed to consider the figurative meaning of cleaning out the pipes and trying not to let nasty stuff clog up the works in the coming year? I think that sounds better than resolving to purchase a drain strainer, or the obvious thought of another year down the drain (whether it went willingly or not).

Happy 2012 to you! Take good care of yourself!