25 Things...Volume Deux

I am copying myself, and repeating my own homemade meme, as I know not when I'll be able to sit down and elaborate on some things again.

1. My laptop fixed itself. After feeling like a nut and trying to reboot it 3 days in a row, as if "this might be the day it works," I gave up. I took it into a repair shop, and it booted right up. Spiteful thing.

2. I'm playing "Biggest Loser" with my family. We suck at it. We meet at Atlanta Bread Company, order sausage-egg-cheddar croissants, and discuss all of the restaurants we have to try.

3. Mom and I sat in the living room today while Clint worked outside, hammering on something. His hammering jarred a screw lose in a outlet plate, which triggered something else that sent fireworks across the living room and blew out the power. That was exciting.

4. My family calls Clint "Clem" after Mom's brain misfired, and she referred to him as that, once.

5. On a similar note, they've all nicknamed his son Craig "Craigory." If you need a new nickname, hit us up. We'll re-dub you.

6. Brian deploys on Wednesday. Though it landed on the #6 spot here, make no mistakes that this isn't #1 on the list of Things on My Mind.

7. One of my favorite "Clint's working tonight" dinners is smoked baby clams on triscuits. Clams found next to canned tuna, in your supermarket, for you takers.

8. I got Craig to eat sushi! He didn't hate it, but I doubt he'll ask me to make it again.

9. Mom wants a flu shot, which she keeps referring to as a "flea-flot." I can usually decipher her misfirings, but this one stumped me for quite awhile.

10. I had a friend teach me how to knit yesterday. Several people had told me that I would struggle with it, and tear a lot out at first. Being a usual quick-study, I severely doubted it, but I got knocked off of my high horse fast.

11. I told Clint I'd like to eventually learn to knit socks, and he laughed. "People DO that?" he said. "And you can actually WEAR them?" Ha. People's individual awareness-es always fascinate me.

12. Padano's Pizza in St. Joseph, IL rocks. It reminds me old-timey pizza that I had when I was a kid. I don't think I could order from anywhere else, ever again.

13. I've had a great weekend, filled with ME-stuff.

14. This is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I've been there, and if I have a minute, I hope to add a voice to this issue, here, before the month is out.

15. Even though we never let her out, my cat likes living at the country casa more than at the casa ciudad. She's calmer and cuddlier, though she'll still nip at company to get some lovin, not understanding that this behavior makes people hate her kitty guts.

16. Clint and I are still loving putting this house together step-by-simple-step. Today we brought over one dresser, some winter clothes, some canned goods, the baking stone, and pizza peel, from my house.

17. I called my sister every day when I got off work, for the last 2-3 years. If I was late, she'd call ME, and say "where's my phone call?" 4:00 p.m., now, is hard.

18. I think I bought the last reputable 5 lbs. of homegrown tomato in this town, and roasted them today in onion, cumin, chili powder, for this winter's chili.

19. There are showers that consist of soap, shampoo and conditioner.

20. And THEN, there are those that consist of foaming bath gel, shaving gel, vibrating razors with 8 blades, sloughing gloves, sugar scrubs, volumizing shampoos, deep conditioners, body creams with shea butter, and facial moisturizers with Q10. (And some other stuff, that I'm too-too polite to blog about here.)

21. High-maintenance pays off: There is definitely a different result between Shower #1 and Shower #2.

22. Still, Shower #2 requires some scheduling, and is more of a rarity than Shower #1. Wear long pants and no one will ever know.

23. Re: #22: You DO know that's the punchline to the KFC crank call, whereupon you ask them if they have chicken legs, don't you? Almost as funny as the 10-pound balls question at the bowling alley.

24. My car is 3000 miles over the 3000 mile oil change.

25. I'm up to #25 now, and wondering where I lost you. Go ahead and post your number in the comments.

xo!