Late fees

I have a problem with returning things.  I can't be trusted with a Blockbuster video card.  I only rent from Red Box if I am going to watch the show immediately and then return it that same night.  NetFlix doesn't do me any good because, while they don't charge late fees, they do charge monthly fees so I know I would end up keeping a movie for more than a month and just not get around to ordering a new one.  I can't check out DVDs or CDs from the public library because the fines are too high for late returns but I do like to check out books.  Now that I can renew online and reserve items online I have generally been able to avoid anything more than a 30¢ fine.  The problem came three weeks ago when I noticed I had an overdue book.  I immediately returned the book I finished the previous week and picked up my next book waiting for me on reserve.  Then came October.  This is a crazy month school - wise.  I've got mid-terms at the U., Halloween at school, professional development I have to teach, and of course report cards I must prepare. (This is what I should be doing right now, but I'm having a hard time focusing knowing it's been a week since my last post.  I feel like I've been slacking on the blog.) Anyway, yesterday I get a message from "Conan the Librarian" notifying me that I have an overdue book.  I was very confused because I thought I returned it.  I jump online and realize I returned the wrong one.  So, I attempt to renew What was Lost because I'm only half way through and I am really enjoying it, but there is a wait list of more than 40 people. I now have had a library book overdue for more than three weeks.  I want to finish it but I'm so busy.  I realize a library card is a privilege and the library system only works if people return items in a timely matter.  So, now I've racked up another fine.  My goal is to finish it tonight while I sit in the living room waiting for trick-or-treaters.  I have also come to the realization that I probably won't be ready to read a book for enjoyment until Thanksgiving.  Oh well live and learn.

BTW -- Kiley, I still have your Corel mini casserole dish with lid that I will return (someday) and Amie, I still have your Oprah DVD boxed set and your copies of Night and Bright Lights..... I haven't forgotten.  Long term memory is still there.  It's the short term that prevents me from getting them back to you when I see you, oh, almost every week.

Nice neighbors

I love getting home from work to find my garbage can stowed away, right where it should be.  On garbage days my neighbor usually beats me home and I frequently pull in and realize, yup, she's done it again.  Such a simple act but oh, so nice.  There's a lot of good in this world.

EWWW!

The other night I awoke from a deep sleep with a refreshing open mouthed yawn.  I was greeted with a warm wet tongue.  TMI?  Yes, it was Dudley who apparently wanted to sample some of my morning breath.  That is when I shoved him off the bed, ran to the bathroom, and brushed my teeth four times.  I trashed the toothbrush and am now on my way to buy a new one.  

I don't mind a good snuggle with the Dudster, but French kissing is going too far.  A girl's gotta have her standards.  

The good news:  Due to this post the scary Tyra Banks photo is no longer on the page.  

The bad news:  Feeling violated every time I look at that tongue. : (

Bubble recipe

Here is the Garber family super bubble recipe.  

Mix:

• 1 gallon of water
• 3/4 cup Joy or Dawn liquid detergent 

(Not the fancy kinds, just regular Joy or Dawn like they had in the 70s.)

Let sit in open container 2-3 days, then...

Add:

• 3 - 4 Tbsp Glycerin
  

Mix together (Stir, don't shake or you get lots of foam) -- gets better with time

Things to make giant bubbles with:

• Jar rings
• Strawberry baskets
• Straws and string tied into shapes

To get the really big bubbles my dad has actual bubble wands he got at a toy store somewhere.  He made more with PVC pipes and canvas straps. He keeps bubble juice on hand in the garage for the occasional day of Utah humidity.  So much fun.

Photo tag

It's Wednesday morning and I'm sitting here in my pajamas. I just had a nice bowl of cinnamon life. Yum. And I must say how much I love UEA. Sure, I'll go to the convention. I just don't need to arrive at 7:30 a.m. Sure, I'll be working on school related items all week. I'll just do it in my pajamas. So, before I dig in, I thought I'd get caught up on some blogging.

This tag was to go to my fourth picture folder and download the fourth picture. At first I didn't think I had folders. My idea of organization is pile of this, pile of that, I'm embarrassed to even describe my desktop, both real and virtual. Anyway, I was delighted to find that iPhoto organizes my pictures for me according to event, so this was my photo. It's of my dad and Adam making bubbles one humid afternoon. Dad really does know how to get some good bubbles going. We have a great video of one vacation to Mississippi and everyone is out on the front lawn to cheer on runners in a race but the real show wasn't the race, it was the giant bubbles. It was very cool.

A New Tag

The rules: Answer the following questions with one word answers and pass it on to seven others.

Here are the questions:
1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Where is your significant other? lost
3. Your hair color? brown
4. Your mother? talented
5. Your father? hilarious
6. Your favorite thing? family
7. Your dream last night? concealed
8. Your dream/goal? slenderize
9. The room you're in? kitchen
10. Your hobby? kid-lit
11. Your fear? snakes
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? 140
13. Where were you last night? home
14. What you're not? tidy
15. One of your wish-list items? windows
16. Where you grew up? utopia
17. The last thing you did? theatered
18. What are you wearing? sweats
19. Your TV? overused
20. Your pet? vindictive
21. Your computer? MacBook
22. Your mood? passive
23. Missing someone? daily
24. Your car? practical
25. Something you're not wearing? braids
26. Favorite store? Ikea
27. Your summer? satisfying
28. Love someone? Yes
29. Your favorite color? pink
30. When is the last time you laughed? tonight
31. Last time you cried? tonight

You're it: Mel, Michelle, Kiley, Tina, Lesley, Stacy, Nicky

Four and a half stars

So yesterday I took the kids and Matt to see Beverly Hills Chihuahua. The Trib gave it one star. I guess they thought the racial undertones and the insipid doggy clothes perpetuated stereotypes about Mexicans as well as L.A. socialites. I however, very much enjoyed watching the pack of wild desert chihuahuas fight off three roaring mountain lions. Later that evening after a stop at Barbacoa for their yummy burrito soup, I went with Amie to see Flash of Genius. The Trib gave it three and a half stars. It's a story about an inventor who sued Ford motor company for their patent infringement of the intermittent windshield wiper. Good story just probably best viewed at the 7:00 pm showing instead of the 9:40 pm. It's not often I see two movies in one day, but when you combine them, the total rating was four and a half stars. Not bad for a day at the theater.

I'm also thoroughly enjoying Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on SNL. She's going to have to come back as a regular if she gets elected. It's hard to stay up past the opening skit, but the last three have been hilarious. With Queen Latifa as Gwen Ifill, and Jason Sudekis as Joe Biden, it was dead on. I laughed out loud. My rating is five and a half stars. So I guess that makes my night a perfect 10.