Freaky Friday

While I don't expect to be switching bodies with anyone (let alone my mother), a la a classic movie remade into a subpar movie, I am having my very own mini Friday the 13th meltdown. To begin with the day just wouldn't end. All afternoon, it felt like it was 3 p.m. for a good four hours and in the normal realm, that's just not possible. By the time 5 p.m. did roll around, I made it home just in time for a loud and angry summer storm (note to the dead tree in the front yard: please stay standing). Then I managed to get myself worked into tizzy about things I can't control. It started with one thing and I somehow managed to bring 50 other things into the mix, which were, of course, all conspiring to make my life a nightmare the likes of which Michael Myers couldn't produce. After a 20 minute nap and a beer, I'm coming out of the nightmare and hoping Friday the 13th passes with no further freakishness.

When Will I Learn...

...that it is never a good idea to put something you know you will need later in a really clever location. You might as well throw the item into a crowd and hope it will find its way back. My latest purposefully losing something was done several months ago in the dark winter months. I found the key to the pool at my old condo location and I decided I would put it in my pool bag to be ready for the hot and humid days of early June. I clearly and specifically remembering putting the key in a bag that I would take to the pool.

Finally, after making it through months of darkness falling at 5:30 p.m. and a surprise snowstorm, the perfect pool day arrived today. I had taken a day off and after completing several loads of laundry, organizing my closet and cleaning up our bedroom, I wanted to reward myself with a trip to the pool. Laying by the pool with a book ranks in my top five favorite activities.

So I start to look for my pool bag. Which isn't as easy as it sounds because I quickly discover I have an even dozen of possible pool bags and I couldn't remember which pool bag I smartly placed the key in. With a gasp and a sinking heart, I remembered that I realized how ridiculous that was the last time I was cleaning out closets and donated several other possible pool bags to Goodwill. I'm afraid, because I've scoured the house for it, the key might have been part of the donation.

It's going to be a long, hot, cranky summer.

* Happy Ending Update:

I found the key! My memory is not quite as infallible as I had thought. Because what I specifically remembered is clearly not what happened. After searching through bags, baskets and junk drawers with no luck, I decided to continue organizing the bedrooms. Lo and behold the key was in a jewelry box. Not a smart place for it, but at least it hadn't been accidentally donated to Goodwill.

So I got my hour at the pool after all. And now, I'm ready for nap because nothing tuckers me out like five minutes of swimming laps and then 55 minutes of laying and reading. And no worries, the key is now in the pink striped pool bag so I know where it is for next time.

Big Excitement

A few weeks ago my friend Sara sent me an e-mail letting me know Jimmy Buffet's new book was just released. Since I'm still trying to not buy books, I put my name on the waiting list at the library and now after (mostly) patient waiting, I am number 1 on the list. Woo hoo and please hurry up and return it to the library if you happen to be reading a copy from CML, m'kay?

While I am eagerly awaiting the e-mail letting me know the book is ready to be picked up, I'm not expecting great literature, here. I've read his past books and I know what I'm getting myself into - lots of island descriptions, short chapters, some fun action and quirky characters. I like the Buffet books for the ridiculous escapism they offer and the feeling that I, too, could be enjoying life on a beach with a boat drink in hand. It will be great pool reading over the next hot and humid weeks of June.

This is the same reason I like Jimmy's music. Again, we're not talking musical genius, but we are talking guy with a guitar, a raspy voice and some stories to tell that transport you to another time and place. Sure, it can get cheesy, but that's part of the fun. The other part of the fun is the vast amounts of alcohol consumed at concerts, but that's really a story for another time.

New Beginnings

One of my sorority sisters from college is having a baby. Well, to be fair several of my sorority sisters have had babies, in fact at least one is working on baby number three. Today, however, I made the trip down to the Dayton area for a shower for one of those friends. I realize we're all about 30 years old, but it's strange for me to see this girl who I still think of as living in the dorm at the back of the quad as being all grown up and getting ready to be a mother. She's now set with all the onesies and burp clothes any new mom will need and I know she'll do a great job in her new role.

A trip to the Dayton area wouldn't be complete without a stop at Ikea! That place has gotten under my skin. It's fun, it's funky, it's inexpensive - what's not to love? Today we bought a new sink, faucet, counter thingie and medicine cabinet for the bathroom. I'm not sure when we'll begin that project, but at least we have the materials now. I'm so looking forward to the day our bathroom doesn't scream bad 80s decorating with lots of wood trim and yellow linoleum.

The Slugs Are Back in Town

Our little uninvited guests are back. The first year in our house, we were amazed to see huge slugs hanging out on our garage door one night after returning home . They were fascinating in a prehistoric way and since we didn't have a garden other than a few volunteer tomato plants and lots of perennials we weren't too concerned. So the slugs were thought of a quirky edition to our new home, that is until I started having nightmares about giant slugs slithering all over me. To stop the night terrors and rescue the hosta plants, we set out a few beer traps and called it a year.

Last year, our garden was virtually free of the slugs. Not wanting to congratulate ourselves too much, but still sure our anti-slug efforts were valid, we thought that maybe our yard was the equivalent of a gay bar at a Baptist conference - some people would sneak in, but they weren't about to tell their friends. Now, I think last year's dry and hot summer had more to do with the absence of slugs from our yard than our pithy little beer traps did.

This year the slugs are back in force and they're no longer happy with chewing their way through hosta leaves. In fact, I think all the slugs from the first summer were just out on maternity leave last year and are now debuting their babies in this year's rainy slug haven. Our fennel plants look like a slug nursery all loaded down with slimy little bundles of happy baby slugs. Which is funny, because this site suggests planting fennel as a slug deterrent. Our slugs' love for the anisy flavor of fennel would be fine if they just stayed there or even on the hostas, but, no, I'm constantly picking the little buggers off the pea plants and our lettuce is inedible because we can't get all the slugs off enough pieces to make a salad.

So, the beer traps are set, and I'm thinking of hand washing some of the leaves of the lettuce and peas with Shaklee detergent. Yes, I'm planning on individually washing leaves of vegetable plants with high-priced natural cleaning products. That is the madness of slugs and I'm expecting the nightmares to commence any day now.

Some Things I Know

My garden is happiest with rain from the sky as opposed to rain from my watering can.
*******************************************************************
It's best to go to Target with a time constraint. Having only 30 minutes there prevents from spending too much money on random items. In fact, 30 minutes is ideal - enough time to grab the basics and just a smidgen of time to gawk at purses and clothes before standing in line for the checkout.
*******************************************************************
The Greek alphabet, but only if I sing it.
*******************************************************************
The older I get the faster time goes, unless, of course I'm waiting for something. Then time crawls or simply stops to make up for the sprinting.
*******************************************************************
The never fail me quick recipe for a healthy dinner: tofu and veggies in spicy peanut sauce.

See it With a Pink Drink

Sipping a cosmo and waiting for my friends to meet me at the theater tonight, I was able to look over the balcony of the theatre and watch the long line of women ready to see Sex and the City. All the girls were dressed up, wearing cute shoes and standing in small groups of friends. A few brave men made the trip, but the audience was predominantly female.

I'll agree with the critics who said no new ground had been broken in the making of this movie. It really is a couple of long SATC episodes strung together. In spite of this, or maybe because of it, I loved the movie. Loved it. In some ways I feel like I grew up (at least through those formutive early twenties) with Charlotte, Miranda, Samantha and Carrie and it was so good to see them again. If you liked the series even a little bit - go see the movie. I guarantee you absofuckinglutley won't be disappointed.