My latest Target finds

Ever since I moved in to Mr. Right's house, I am ashamed to say that the living room has been practically empty. Just my sad little couch and love seat that I brought with me. Well, that and an IKEA book shelf that takes up an entire wall, purchased post move.

Yes, you caught that "Mr. Right's house". I'm not accepting responsibility for it. I am only tolerating this because of the economy. It's Bush's fault really.

I love The Nester. Absolutely love her. Watching her has made me understand the error in my ways, like matchy matchy furniture, or putting furniture up against the wall. Or beige on beige on beige. Barf. Anyway.

This weekend I cleaned the fish tank which is in the living room (who cleaned this thing before I moved in?). This was a nice segway to re-evaluate the rest of the room. I moved the couch to the middle of the living room with the back facing the foyer/large entry way (the house has an open floor plan, why didn't I do this before, I dunno).

So what do you think I will put on the wall where the couch was? You guessed it, this little honey from Target (dirt cheap in the first place, but 15% off and free shipping makes it a no brainer).

Then, what do you think I will put at the back of the couch? You guessed it again, another honey from Target. This console table.

Grand total, $369. Duh.

Next I will share with you the bamboo roman blinds I got from JCPenney.com for.... drum roll please... $50 each (for 72" windows, come on!). I was actually surfing bamboo blinds that were SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS a blind. What what?

This picture is from the JCP website and does NOT do the product justice. Maybe it's because mine are about 3 times bigger, or because they are under fabulous tab top curtains hanging from an iron rod. All I can say is that I opened the box and screamed with glee.

Come to think of it, almost every window treatment I have ever bought in my life has come from JC Penney. I always end up back there, so why don't I just start there? Don't know.

Did that just happen?

This morning I had to turn around at the end of my street and head back home because I forgot something.

Once I got to a curve in the street, there was a black pickup sitting there, like it couldn't decide what to do. Then it moved up a little. Then it stopped again. Then it moved up a little. Then it stopped again. Then it pulled over to the right.

So I passed.

Later, I pull up in my driveway and they are behind me... WTH?

I get out of my truck and a man is driving and his crazy wife is in the passenger seat with the window down screaming at me. Something about what is the hurry, but with alot of cussing, foaming at the mouth, and an obvious blood pressure problem disclosed by a completely red face.

So, in my vast experience with that which is life, I know that you don't engage with psychos.

I tell her to go away.

I may or may not have told her to ef off. I said something about calling the police.

I went in the house.

They did not leave. Mr. Right went out to talk to them. They would not leave.

This lady was like a rabid dog climbing across her husband to bark at Mr. Right. As I watch, I'm hoping he won't need rabies shots.

Finally they leave... and our neighbor comes over to warn us they are known wackos.

My loving and devoted husband only wanted to know... what did I do to her?

Don't you love it? It gives me such a warm and fuzzy feeling inside!

Do you want a Hoover?

There is a Hoover vacuum give-away going on over at my friend Kathy's blog. Be sure to check it out. While you are there, you must tell her how pretty she is and how adorable her children are.

Bra Drama

Princess decided it was a good idea to take a dare from one of her girlfriends, and put one of her training bras in a boy's locker at school. Then, when the boy embarrassed her about it in front of the class, she thought it was a good idea to go tell the teacher this boy was nasty to her.

And of course, teacher called home. After telling her she asked for it.

Good call, Princess. Brilliant.

Princess is grounded for 3 days.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Obviously the padded variety is a bad idea, too much attention. Back to the pull over ones, sorry girlfriend. But, she was comfortable doing this? Or was the dare just too much to walk away from. Or, is the friend who put her up to it a pervert? Friend's parents are Republican, so I'm starting to wonder.

She's 10.

It is both funny and creepy at the same time.

When I was 10, if a boy even said the word bra to me I would have been mortified. White blouses were a source of insecurity to me at 14 (see thru factor). I wore a cardigan with my Catholic school girl uniform for that reason, when it was 80 degrees. My mom told me sex was something only monkey's did. And I believed her.

I cried for a week when my Dad spotted my training bra and said "why didn't you just give her a couple of band-aids?".

Note: Mr. Right just reading the words my.catholic.school.girl.uniform means I'm going to get a foot rub tonight.

Free Advice

When one is trying to sell their husband on the idea that they haven't been clothes shopping for months, one might want to cut the sales tags off their clothes before walking into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee for the ride to work. While the husband is sitting there at the kitchen table.

I'm just sayin'

Ike hits Michigan, can I get a what what?

I love the seasons. Rarely do I say out loud that I'm tired of summer, I keep that little secret to myself. I'm tired of working on 2200 square feet of landscaping that was overlooked by Mr. Right for 10 years (sorry dude). I'm tired of that guilty feeling that comes over me when it is 80 and sunny but I just want to relax inside. I love the beach, but come on already.

I'm sick, I know.

So last weekend, if you took a look at the path of Ike, did you notice? How does this EVER happen? I will recap for you. This hurricane came ashore via the Galveston and Houston area, took a sharp right turn past Dallas, made its way north and east to Michigan.

This confirms it. I need to start praying because somebody is listening to me.

Two straight weekend days, in my jammies, alone with Mr. Right, playing with MY NEW KINDLE (read: electronic reader, not: vibrating toy).

It poured all day both days. It rained so much it wasn't even safe to drive. Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting cooler... I'm ready for my carmel apple now.

Shangri-La

This morning I whispered in Mr. Right's ear "should I eat some cereal or do you want to go get Dim Sum?". When he said I just rocked his world, I took that to mean Dim Sum.

We headed off to Shangri-La with Princess in tow. Note to self: picky 10 year olds won't eat Dim Sum no matter how hungry they are. I thought cute little appetizers were a win win, turns out not so much.

But before we left, I had an interesting conversation when I called to see if we needed reservations, with a Chinese guy named Toby (really?).

Toby: Shangri-La

Me: Hi, do we need reservations for Dim Sum?

Toby: Not if you come now.

Me: Oh, how about at 12:30?

Toby: For how many?

Me: There are 3 of us.

Toby: no, we never take reservations

Me: k.... thanks?

It was yummy but the next time it will be just the two of us. There will be some research first too (did she say chicken feet?).

this is why

I've had a bunch of people ask me why do I want a Kindle. Alot of people don't really know what it is.

The biggest selling point (to me) is that it stores hundreds of books so you don't have to carry them around or store them in your house.

The cost of buying the Kindle version of a book is much cheaper than buying a paper copy.

When you buy a book, it comes across wi-fi to your Kindle, no cords, no downloading.

You can read a sample of a book for free before buying it.

You can have your New York Times paper show up on it rather than in the mailbox or on the porch. No more newspapers to litter the house and waste trees. No more wet newspapers sitting in the rain. You get it before it hits the newstands.

It takes just seconds to think of a book you want to buy, buy it, and wa la - there it is.

It saves on trees, a very important thing to me.

It is easier on the eyes than reading a book.

Set Kindle on the stairmaster and read while working out (I never could manipulate paper books or magazines to read while working out).

It is much more comfortable to curl up and read with. For me, the spine of a book is really annoying when you're trying to read from a relaxed position.

Buying it myself means that Mr. Right will be out of ideas on what to get me this year for Christmas. Loving that!

Brakes... Kindle.... Brakes... Kindle

I finally moved on with my life over this whole 'is there a new version coming out or isn't there' conundrum and ordered myself a KINDLE. Yes, you are so jealous of me.

Once I read the words "display technology called electronic paper Kindle provides a crisp black and white screen that resembles the appearance and readability of real paper... the screen works using ink just like books and newspapers but displays ink particles electronically"... hot damn that's all I needed.

Well, that and the fact that it ran $319 and coincidentally brakes for my SUV are $319. I decided "who needs to stop? not me!".

It was a sign I tell you.

I feel used

Princess has been working me to talk to Mr. Right about giving her a house key so she can walk home from school (the end of the street) at 4 pm instead of going to latch-key.

The sales pitch was that she would call me by 4:20 to let me know she got in. She would not have anyone over or go anywhere until somebody got home around 6ish, and she would not use the microwave or stove.

It started to sound good until I actually did run it by Mr. Right.

... who informed me that he has told her for years that she is too young to be alone at home until at least middle school (next year) and maybe not even then. Nice try Princess.

I guess when I saw her throw a fit about her blanky being in the wash at bed time, that should have been a clue to me she is not ready.

What age is old enough? Is it really based on age or do people judge maturity? Princess is 10.

I was 7, but that was when John Travolta wore polyester leisure suits and I thought the BG's were cool.