This, that and the other………………….

1)  Thanks to Julie at Another Chance Ranch for agreeing to host next week’s Fun Monday.  Check in with her to find out what she has chosen for a theme.  She also is redesigning her masthead and is asking readers to dive in with their opinions (too many good ones to choose just one, especially for "someone" who is decision impaired :/ 🙂 )

2) The highlight of this week has been getting to see my best friend from sixth grade through high school :).
We figured out it has been 11 years since we’ve seen each other (she
lives in California now).  She’s in town while her mom is undergoing
chemo treatment :(, and despite those circumstances, we had a WONDERFUL
time talking faster than the speed of light until we both conceded fatigue.  She’s
one of "those" with whom conversation always end with a comma,
only to be picked up again at the same place the next time we see each
other.  Even if it’s 11 years later. 

It is a blessing I do.not. take
for granted to have a few friends in my life who live in my heart,
who’ve shared my past, who know my adolescent secrets, who successfully
navigated the intensity of high school peer pressure with me, provided mutual comfort
in failed relationships (friend and boyfriend), and who love me in
spite of my shortcomings.  These kindreds are woven in the rich
tapestry named "past", and even though their present threads are few, it
doesn’t matter.  These are the friendships that survive the enemies of
distance and time.

3)  Today Yesterday was one of "those" days fraught with inconvenience and frustration; as much as anything, tied to my lack of sleep from the BLASTED trains that woke me up every hour beginning at 3:00 a.m.   I’ve been out of town taking care of some "family business", so I spent the night with my brother.  The rest of the day included:
– getting a caffeine headache because I didn’t make it to Dunkin’
Donuts until close to 10, and then the STEAMIN’ 24 ounces of java took
waaay too long to cool, and the aroma was cruel, taunting and teasing
me while I contemplated scalding my tongue.  Burns heal.  Eventually.
– my brother offered instant, but is that even in the coffee family?  I don’t think so!  That’s like saying sherbet is ice cream…ain’t foolin’ anybody!
– losing my cell phone
– going to look at some rental housing my father owned only to get there and the keys not work
– taking several wrong turns in the daggum city I grew up in!
– forgetting my hair dryer (and my brother doesn’t own one)
– six?  eight?  lanes of traffic in Atlanta (I-85 Southbound).  One car is broken down in the middle of the road, I even heard it on the traffic update.  Guess which lane I’m in?  Have you ever BEEN on I-85 in Atlanta?  80 mph is cruising speed.  Getting around that poor broken-down car when you’re at a complete stop almost killed me 1) by my having a heart attack and 2) by an 18-wheeler getting REEEAL up close and personal.
– I stopped to fill up my car and use the restroom.  When I cut on the water to wash my hands, fire hydrant-force erupted from the nondescript faucet.  TOTALLY drenched the front of my shirt, the crotch of my capris, and somehow, filled my left Berk.  I’m not sure, but I think there was a hidden camera in the corner capturing the look of shock and horror on my face, and the subsequent "hoping I’m invisible slink" as I left the bathroom.  Gas station paper towels aren’t very absorbent.
–  Smelled Arby’s next door.  Acting as if I wasn’t dripping wet (the same way a child closes his eyes and thinks you can’t see him), I wandered over and ordered a junior roastbeef (isn’t that diet food?), a diet coke, and yes, curly fries.  I tasted one and it was the single best french fry I’ve ever tasted….crispy, well-seasoned, and the perfect comfort food for my ride home.  When I got to my car, I placed the bag on a concrete barrier next to my car while I fished for my keys in the abyss aka my purse.  Apparently, a slight wind blew…knocking the bag to its side…and I watched while those crispy-curlies meet their unfortunate demise in a pool of oil stained parking lot grime.  Tears.  Seriously, I considered salvaging them (three second rule).  I marched back into Arby’s and BOUGHT another order.  Far be it from me to think "the fates" were trying to help me watch calories and trans fats.
– As soon as I ate the last fry, I was overcome with guilt.  I could never be bulimic or anorexic because I cannot stand throwing up!  Even if I have a stomach virus, I can "will" it back down.  This was the first time I ever remember wanting to purge.  Good thing I was driving.
– Oh, yeah, I found my cell phone.    I could NOT leave to come back to Tennessee until I found it!  Panic was beginning to set in, and I felt like I was losing my mind!  I knew I had had it that morning, and realized it was lost before I got out of the car.  Turns out, it was under the covers, and since it was on "silent", a miracle I even found it!  It must’ve fallen out of my pocket while I was making up my bed. 

4)  Sleep deprivation.  I’ve lived with it pretty much since we moved to Tennessee; before that, I imagine I lost sleep from having three babies in less than five years.  I’m tired…and forgetful…and sometimes wonder if I have the "gene".  I tried Rozerem last night for the first time, but I’m not sure what I think.  I don’t have a problem falling asleep; my difficulty is staying asleep.  I did wake up a few times, but thankfully, I drifted back to sleep quickly.  All I know is I’ve gotta do SOMETHING to break this sleepless cycle.  It is no exaggeration to say I can’t remember the last time I slept for seven hours…:/.

5)  …which may explain HOW I could possibly lose my phone TWICE in one day!!!  After I picked up my prescription for Rozerem, I walked outside Tarzjay to wait for Tad to return with his Caramel Machiatto from Starbucks.  I started to call my brother only to realize my phone wasn’t in my pocketbook.  Just like earlier in the day, I frantically searched my purse; I retraced my steps and walked back to the pharmacist.  He had it, opened, looking for a "home" number in my address book. 

6)  I thanked God my head is attached to my shoulders.  There was a time long ago and far away when I used to be smart.  But "used-to-be’s don’t count anymore, they just lay on the floor ’til we sleep them away…".  Dang it……!

7)  Time to clear Bloglines…I’m up to 1299 unread posts.  Dang it again.

8)  Saying "dang it" when I wanna say something stronger is like drinkin’ milk when I want a shot of tequila.  (for the record, I’ve never done tequila shots).  But….I’m exercising restraint….never know when my kids are gonna pop in, and the last time I said something stronger, STEPHEN said, "…you cuss on your blog???"  I tried to find the post to link to it, no luck.

9)  Blog reciprocity.  Haven’t been able to blog much since Monday.  It’s a cheap thrill to sign on and have your stellar comments waiting to greet me, what can I say?  🙂  Hmmmm, it would be helpful, I suppose, to write something of substance, but that’s been near impossible since I was on the road or away from home most of the week.  Part of me was taking a break giving you a break after my three-part bad hair dissertation (here, here, and here).   I’ve skated through a few posts via Bloglines, but for the most part, not visiting you in person, either. 

10)I’ve got HAPPY FEET!  Waaahoooo!  Not one, not two, not three, but FOUR new toe rings and my nails are Brisbane Bronze from OPI’s new Australia Collection.  For their names alone, I wanted to try "Tazmanian Devil Made Me Do It" or "Didgeridoo Your Nails" or the oh-so-cute "Koala Bear-y", but the coppery neutral of Brisbane Bronze was just the shade of Spring-into-Summer my feet were looking for :).

** For anyone who noticed the typos and didn’t mention it, you are too kind….probably thought you’d send me over the edge, huh?  hehe….I bet there are still half a dozen in this post and THAT kinda thing kills me.