January Pointless Lists

Wow, January went fast. It was a very busy month of basketball, house projects and reading. Actually I only participated in one of those things, and I think we all know what THAT was, but I need a list and this is my blog, so there. We did go to Abby's drama class performance--twice--and I think I should get extra props for that because: Middle school play. Actually, her class did the best (there were two), and she was awesome and amazing, but still. Props.

Um, that's not much of a summary, but that's all that's coming to me. The words are being tricky. I think they're just tired, really. I've been using them a lot at work. Hard hitting Bridal Guide exposés don't write themselves, you know.

Pointless list time!

Movies watched:
None. That I can remember. I think Abby and Eric have watched a couple teenage girl-appropriate flicks, which just shows you how devoted Eric is to the cause. (He watched "She's the Man," for crying out loud.)

Books read:
How much time do you have? I started reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon and have been plowing through these things like they were nothing, even though they all hover around the 1000 page mark. Thank God they're on my Kindle or I'd have major back issues from lugging them around all the time.

Anyway, I read Outlander a couple of years ago and stopped with the first book... not because I didn't want to go on, but because I'd read online reviews and things, and got into spoilers, and thought maybe I wanted to just imagine Claire and Jamie living Happily Ever After in my mind. Because a lot of stuff happens to them (I guess it would have to, what with all those pages). But then... well, I wanted something to read that wasn't "Game of Thrones." There are seven books in the Outlander series, with an eighth coming out maybe this fall. If that's not promising, I don't know what is. (Actually, I kind of forgot how fun reading could be, which tells me maybe "Game of Thrones" really isn't my thing.)

So this month, I've read Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, and have just started A Breath of Snow and Ashes. I love them all. They're like crack. Science fiction, historical fiction and romance all in one. Really well written. I'm flying through them because I have to know what happens NOW, but I will reread them all (probably as soon as I finish the seventh and am waiting around for the eighth), so I figure that's okay.

Um, if you don't like bad things happening to characters you love with your whole heart, though, this might not be a good series for you. Or if you get discouraged when your husband says stuff like, "How much longer until you're done with this?" Personally I figure as long as I've managed to do the laundry and have dinner on the table, I've done enough to justify reading for six hours a day. (That is only a slight exaggeration.)

Proud moments:
"Mom! I'm playing the whore in the school play!" --Abby

Minimalism update:
I've been struggling with this a little. We're in a pretty good place with the main areas of the house, but I really need to go through the laundry room, pantry, and girls' bathroom closet. I just don't want to, even though none of these should take more than a couple of hours. Anyone have a vote?

Most read post:

It's vanity that makes me track things like this, I suppose, but anyway, the winner is Stirring myself. I'm glad my crappy parenting skillz are appreciated.

Things I learned:

Truly, I hate basketball.

Awesome sauce, work edition

1. Dazz'Lynn Uniqk.
Stacey flipped me a "sister paper" tab (you know, those special sections you pull out of the newspaper, a la Home and Garden) on Monday, featuring 190 babies, all born last year. I was looking more for the names than I was for the babies--one of my pet peeves is misspelled names, except I can't help but seek them out so I can feel righteously angry (I don't know, I guess I need more hobbies or something)--and there it was, the Name of All Names: Dazz'Lynn Uniqk. Let's just say that while the baby was adorable, I really, really hope she has thick skin and a good sense of humor, because wow, good luck, kid.

Image source

2. Coffee.
The same day I found Dazz'Lynn, Stacey came back from lunch with a thermos of coffee, just for me. She even brought me cream. Oh, and lemon bars, which were fab, but I think the real story here is that my friend brought me coffee. In a thermos. With cream. I feel like maybe I should put that in bold. Anyway, I had been late to work because my car wouldn't start--I'd been sitting in a parking lot after failing to get a prescription filled (three days after dropping it off, whatever, I have HAD IT with Providence), reading and listening to my iPod, only to find the engine wouldn't turn over. I called Eric, who left work to rescue me. Naturally he hopped into the driver's seat and started the car without any problems on the first try. That maybe also needs to be in bold, except it was not awesome. So that coffee? Was like the best thing I'd ever been given ever.

3. French Fries.
Yesterday Stacey and I somehow got on the topic of french fries and the next thing I know, I'm walking to my favorite restaurant and picking up an order of fries to go, complete with ranch (Stacey) and ketchup (me). We were incredibly popular there for a while, because everyone could smell them and kept coming to the front office, so we shared our loot with Chris the Office Manager and Cranky Steve (who could have used a few more, I think) and Kirby the Editor. Everyone seemed rather shocked that we would go to such lengths for the things, but come on! Hand cut and perfectly seasoned! How could we not?

P.S. Now that we've had treats two afternoons in a row, I'm trying to figure out what to bring for today. I mean, it's tradition at this point...

The Sort of Remodel Project, glorified

I think it's fair to say that right now, the only room in my house that doesn't stress me completely out is my bathroom. The other rooms? I just shut my eyes and pretend that all shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.*

The Sort of Remodel Project has begun in earnest, and while dealing with ripped off moldings and furniture in the hallway and tarps everywhere since basically January began was hard enough, now I've got the beginnings of ripped up carpet and doors completely off their hinges to contend with, which, I know, total First World Problems, but wow, for someone who enjoys order and routine, it's really disconcerting.

Oh, the doors are off their hinges because Eric is painting door jams and (hopefully) the doors themselves. "I meant to do this ten years ago," he said sheepishly yesterday. Well, time goes fast.

Remember my clean retreat?
Not so much anymore. This is what you call a "catch all."

Doors and moldings are boring anyway.
New color for the hallway: "Sussex Green"--really love the contrast.

Carpet is also boring. Having a bedroom door? Kind of longing for
the good ol' days. New color for the main room, too:
"Bleeker Beige." We're big fans. It looks white,
but it's a nice beige/grey neutral.

So this is all to say that the State of the Union in our household is Messed Up. But I can do two more weeks of this, right? How hard can it be?

This probably was not a good week to run out of the Head Meds and have no more refills left, now that I think about it.

P.S. My bedroom door is back on again! Apparently the door painting comes after the new floor is installed. Since I'm not the one doing it, I suppose that's just fine.

*Blessed Julian of Norwich. I find the sentiment rather touching.