Summertime

Here's a bit of a random blog. To get you caught up...

My sister Megan and her family came for a visit. Her four kids are so much fun.

Do you see little Bri-Bri's bandaged leg? Some unknown irresponsible auntie was pushing her on the swing and a dog bit her. Then the same auntie was pushing her again, on a different day, and she fell off. (I really couldn't help laughing, because she wasn't hurt and the way she fell was worthy of America's Funniest Home Videos.) She was telling Kristi about it later and got confused and was telling Kristi that it was Dano pushing her on the swings. I tried to encourage this, but seeing as how Dano was within earshot she made sure Bri-Bri knew my correct name. But for the next couple days Faith knew she could say, "Hey, remember when you pushed Bri-Bri off the swing?" and could get a good laugh out of me.

My sister Jen got little Brookie to make this face. It was pretty comical.

My gorgeous sister Megan and her youngest.

Austin is such a good cousin. Bri-Bri was trying to beat him up and he was just letting her.

I don't know why I didn't get any normal photos of the two oldest kids Faith and Jake, but these were cracking me up. (Yeah, that's my pogo stick and my scooter. I share my toys, just not my candy.)

My brother has separated from the Marines and is home to stay. He was stationed in NC, so for the last five years we've only seen him a couple days out of the year. It's good to have him home. My two oldest nephews are getting so big. Matt, the 15 year old, is approaching six feet tall. You should see him stand next to his mother, it's pretty comical.

I took a welding class. Not to brag or anything, but the instructor told me I was good. Which makes up for sucking at cake decorating.

And I discovered that my iPhone has emoticons. Which comes in handy for when I want to communicate at work but an IM just isn't appropriate (because they're monitored).

Oh yes, that little pile of brown stuff is just what you think it is. You can't have a proper conversation without a fart and poo emoticon. The only thing that would be better is sound effects.

The Brazilian Blowout

I've hated my hair since I was young. It's frizzy and wavy and unmanageable. Not the wavy kind of almost curly that would be pretty. It's just wrinkly.

I'm not lying, I have a photo.

This is AFTER I straightened it.

Luckily my sister Danielle works for Dolce. I had never heard of the Brazilian Blowout. She actually needed a model to do it for the first time to practice. It's a $350 treatment that I got for $40 (plus I tipped her $40). When I first signed up I was just doing her a favor so that she could get her practice out of the way and start charging real clients. But I fell in love. I now need the Brazilian treatment. Check out the after.

It lasts for 3-4 months. I can tell when the treatment starts to lose effectiveness because my hair goes back to being wrinkled. But luckily I have a hook-up.

More conversations with J

Before I tell you what he said, I have to explain that I have a few coworkers who are very gentlemanly and a few who are not. I have gotten into the habit of telling someone, "Why thank you, you earned some gentlemen points," or, "How rude, you just lost some gentlemen points." We were at lunch with a group of friends, and the subject of gentlemen points came up. J was very displeased to learn that he was pretty far behind a very gentlemanly coworker.

In bed reading, J leans over to the side and farts. Looks very pleased with himself.

J: I leaned away from you.

D: I thought you looked very smug.

J: Do I get gentlemen points?

D: For farting?
J: For leaning away from you!

****

I bought my trunk off Craigslist. The guy I bought it from said he restored trunks. When I got it home I closed the latch and it locked. I called the guy, thinking he must have a key. He told me he does not; when he first started restoring trunks he tried to match up the trunks with keys but couldn’t ever find the right size.

Great.

I tried picking the lock, but it’s not a normal pin and tumbler lock. I tried googling how to do it, but couldn’t find any instructions.

I finally googled “how to pick lock chest” instead of “how to pick lock steamer trunk” and found a YouTube video hosted by a boy. He explained that his x-box controllers had been confiscated by his parents, who were both at work, and locked in a trunk that had locks similar to mine. He then showed how to open the lock using scissors.

Brilliant.

I ran through the house (with scissors in hand), and yelled for J to share in my triumph. As I explained to him about the boy in the video, he smirked and said, "See? Who says you can't learn anything from video games?"

Conversations with J

At home, in front of the computer.
Deidre: I found something on Craigslist I want.
J: What is it?
D: This trunk.
J: A trunk?

D: Just remember that you bought poop and dirt today and I am entitled to use money from the house fund too. 

(He bought manure and peat moss for his garden. It was over $50. For dirt and poop.)

J: I'll let you buy that trunk if I can buy another tree.

(He has already bought seven. And has plans for more. I'm not going to have a backyard, I'm going to have a forest.)

D: Deal. (excited) We should high five.

J: (gives a very unenthusiastic high five, grumbles) I would have gotten the tree anyway.

At first I was indignant, but as I reflect on it, it's true. So I got something out of a situation that I wouldn't have...One of my favorite outcomes.

***

In the mall, eating pretzels, chatting away with my love.

D: You neither agreed nor disagreed. I took it for agreement.

J: I did not agree.

D: Let's make a rule going forward that if you don't answer, it is agreement.

J: OK

D: Wait, does this apply for both of us or just you?

J: (gives me a look) Both of us.

D: I move to nullify the rule.

J: (laughs) Alright.

D: This will work to my advantage. It will be ambiguous so I will just do what I want.

J: You would have anyway.