a beautiful day in the neighborhood

I said I'd do it and I did it: I woke up (ie, I got out of bed. I don't know if I can technically be described as "awake") and went to the farmer's market. I had the added incentive that downtown was having a sidewalk sale so I wanted to see if there was anything good. This beautiful little clothing boutique that I can never, ever buy anything from had a couple little sales out front and this one weird store that sells literally anything you can imagine (make up, faucets, furniture, unicorns, inspirational books... it's so random) had everything 10% off and everything out front was only a dollar INCLUDING a huge basket of contact solution! I don't know where this store get its stuff. The boxes had all been opened before but the solution was still sealed and they didn't expire for a year or so. I wouldn't buy that at Target for the $5 returned box of contact solution but for ninety cents? Yes. Contact solution is really expensive, especially for me since I can't use generic solution (it burns my eyes). Anyway, all told, I spent $12 this morning and got a loaf of whole wheat sour dough bread, a bouquet of wild flowers, two things of contact solution (one had a case and rewetting drops, too!) and 2 big cookies. My bouquet is so pretty. It smells like my grandma's farm.

We also saw all the dogs in the world. Duke barked at a car's breaks while we were walking down the hill, there was a dog which I named "Duke's sister" because it looked like a smaller Duke, a cockerspaniel, a miniature poodle, a chocolate lab puppy, a regular chocolate lab, a big, black lab, and a bunch of other dogs that I couldn't tell the breed of, including one which I said, "That dog is the perfect dog." It looked like the dog in that one commercial for dog food that cocks its ear up. I don't know what the dog food is or what the dog is, but I love that shaggy dog. Our neighborhood kitty, Choxie, was also in the front garden this morning watching cardinals and then she came up to us and rubbed her face all over the front steps. I love that kitty. I wish she was ours.

Today is my sister's birthday! She is 23 which is CRAZY. I guess I didn't realize she was that old. I was 23 when Chris and I started dating. Jim was 23 when we started dating a million years ago. God that's weird. 23. What a weird age. None of these things seem that long ago but if my SISTER is now 23 they must be. TWENTY THREE!!! Wow. Anyway, happy birthday to Jen!! I wish you better health in the new year.

The other day Aaron told me and Chris to come with him and then he gave us all this free stuff that the NEH people had left behind in their living arrangements, where ever those may have been. It was great. We got two couch pillows (that match the couch and rug perfectly), a chair cushion, a bunch of silverware and cooking spoons and uh... probably something else, I just can't think of what it is. I love free stuff so I loved this. Now if only I knew how to cook. I need someone to give me a free cook book. A free, low fat cook book. I can't even think of things that I COULD cook. I'm pretty sure everything I eat can fit into a list of 10. Perhaps a cook book would give me ideas. I can't eat microwavable weight watchers Smart Ones forever and Chris REALLY needs to expand his horizons from lean pockets and lean cuisine pizza. The only thing we cook is spaghetti once in a while (and even that is annoying) and Chris will sometimes make a steak. Everything else except vegetables is microwaved. Gross. I'm going to get salt poisoning.

The Olympic opening ceremonies were pretty cool, huh? Did anyone watch the Puppy Olympics afterwards on Animal Planet? I liked the kitten opening ceremonies. Thank you, Animal Planet.

Oh, so in the Project Runway pool I ended up drawing 9th and I had to choose between Leanne and Stella (everyone else was worse). I like Stella enough but there's NO WAY she can win so I chose Leanne. Chris got Suede which was a pretty good grab for 8th pick. He's annoying as hell but he's okay at designing and least he's not that idiotic, disgraceful BLAYNE who had never heard of The Beatles outside of Across the Universe which was the worst movie I've ever seen. Yes, I am putting that on record: I HATED Across the Universe. Everyone I know said I'd like it. Most people I know DID like it... and I think they must just have absolutely no taste because that movie was HORRENDOUS. It was so cheesy and lame and it was NOT a good representation of Vietnam, or hippies or The Beatles or SINGERS! If they really wanted to make a statement someone should have DIED. It was not Hair, it was not the 60s, it was not anything except CRAP.

I'm sorry, I just really hated that movie and I am ANGRY that I paid $20 for me and Chris to see it and drove 45 minutes to Charlottesville because that was the only place it was playing. It was not worth my time or money and if you liked that movie then... that's just unfortunate for you. It was a bastardized version of the greatest band of all time.

Ok. So..... moving on.... it's really nice out, so far, today! :) It's only supposed to be about 79 degrees and tomorrow there might be THUNDERSTORMS which would be great.

The other day at work I got half my t-shirt order in and I was so happy. The guy came at about 6pm, right when we were setting up for the show and I was a crazy person trying to get 3 or so of each size and type folded, on the shelves and in the computer before we reopened at 6:30pm. The next day I spent about 5 hours folding. It was.... I don't know what it was. He said he might be able to get the other half in by yesterday, but unfortunately he didn't have time to bring them down and we had no one to go get them. It's not a BIG deal, I would have liked to have had them for the YCTC crowd, but oh well. I'll live. I am looking forward to getting them, though... and our graphic design people are working on the new womens' t-shirts! I can't wait until we start doing those. They're going to be so cool. ACTUALLY cool, too, I hope.