Neverending Story

No, we're not talking about the 1984 fantasy movie. We're talking about my life. Every day (practically).

I didn't find the missing Caffeine Fix, but I made some interesting discoveries during my search. The inner dialogue went something like:

North Texas tolltag? I didn't even know it was missing. And I never would have found it here!

Compact mirror. Sure wish I could make myself use it. Well, it wouldn't hurt to transfer it to yet another bag.

Wait a minute. Where's the bag I took to Day Camp last month? I haven't seen it since then. I better not have lost it there.

Aha! I knew I'd find you, rogue library Dogs and Cats book missing since October! Apparently I took you to KY at Christmas. Huh. This is a pretty good book. I should take it next time I see the children. Lincoln does love his "arfies."

Hello, running watch. This saves me a trip to my gym locker, since I planned to take you to FL tomorrow. But wait, maybe I should take this $14 fashion watch instead. Too bad the battery is dead.

Where on earth is that stupid bag? Now that I've thought about it, I really need to take it on the trip.

Four boxes of Puffs Plus? I knew I couldn't be completely out. Good thing I only bought three more and not another six.

Pathological

It's 8:50pm and I'm panicky over being unplugged for three days. I don't want to leave work because I'm fearful I'll get home and remember something I should have done that CAN'T WAIT until Monday.

No, I don't save lives at my job, but you wouldn't know it to look at the way I behave.

State of the Monday

• I arrived at work at 10 am today. Not as early as I hoped, but not terribly bad (10:30 is my official start time).
• I'm going on vacation in two days. A real vacation. At the beach.
• My toenails are painted for the first time this summer. Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ
• I brought my Primary bag to work today by mistake. This will necessitate a trip home pretty soon to retrieve the correct bag.
• I'm reading The Snake, the Crocodile and the Dog as part of my ongoing bid to once and for all reread and then finish the rest of the books in the series. It really doesn't get much better than Amelia Peabody. She's a great mood lifter.
• In other nail lacquer news, I can't find my bottle of Caffeine Fix. Hmmph.
• I watched the second episode of Zen on Masterpiece last night. Great! I'm now eager to read one of Michael Dibdin's books. If they're as good as Donna Leon's books, I'll be in heaven.

What's going on in your Monday?

Second Harvest

I hope to harvest enough tomatoes to can some of them.

First Harvest

First harvest, literally, because I've never grown food before.

Progress?

I just threw away 1/2 a bag of Cherry Cordial m&m's--they just didn't taste that good to me. Or maybe it had something to do with having to talk to my "health coach" soon.

Deja Vu--It's a Bad Thing

I was doing some email cleanup and found the following message I wrote nearly a year ago. Unfortunately, if you put 7/14/11 on it, it would still be true.

I’m just not thrilled with how my birthday week has turned out so far—I’ve eaten a ton of junk food and slept late too much. And I’m starting to feel the pressure of July being almost over, and then it’s August, and then the storm starts… You know. And I spent waaay too much money last month, which has me kind of stressed out too.

Almost All of the Family

I'll try to include little J on the next trip--the batteries were nearly dead this time. The middle child always gets a bum deal, doesn't he?

Squashed

If you carry a hard-boiled egg in your tote bag, it may end up like this:

(sorry for the unfocused photo--I'm lucky I even got the pic off my phone)

I May Be a Slob

but not THIS much of a slob:

Moving On, or, Going Out with a Bang

I finally closed my Audible account. At $14.95 a month, I decided it was a luxury I should forgo for now. I used my remaining 4 credits to buy:

• A Christmas Carol (narrated by Jim Dale)
• Macbeth: A Novel (narrated by Alan Cumming)
• Our Mutual Friend (Charles Dickens)
• Around the World in 80 Days (narrated by Jim Dale)

I feel like I'm listening to a Harry Potter book whenever I listen to Jim Dale, but I still love him

I also purchased two sale books:

• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ($6, narrated by Elijah Wood)
• The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York (I think the narration and production are not top quality, but it was only $1.20)

These ought to keep my busy for a while, or at least they will once I run out of audiobooks to borrow from the library!

I Scream, You Scream

I've decided there are few things finer in this world than a big bowl of Blue Bell Pecan Pralines 'n Cream. And a few of you are lucky enough to have known Blue Bell's Black Forest Cake, which is still one of my all-time favorites.

I also have fond memories of getting a birthday cup every year at Baskin Robbins (until I turned 12). Rainbow Sherbet and Mint Chocolate Chip were usually my choices, though Pink Bubble Gum was also tempting. I don't think Peanut Butter and Chocolate was around back then. It's my favorite BR flavor now, but if you too like it, I warn you to not read the ingredients list.

And then there's my best ice cream memory, the licorice ice cream my mother made with Richardson's licorice mints.

What are your thoughts on this versatile frozen dessert?


image: Colton, E.S. (1868). Neapolitan ice cream [broadside]. In An American time capsule: Three centuries of broadsides and other printed ephemera. Library of Congress, Rare Book and Special Collections Division.