Katie and I watched Modern Family tonight and it made me ask a question I never should have.
Me: So who’s funnier? Me or Dad?
Katie: Well, I’m tired. Going to bed now.
Me: Seriously? You’re just going to ignore me?
Katie: Okay, fine. You’re both funny. It’s just that we laugh with Dad, but we laugh at you.
I just had to ask.
Remember the Great Toilet Paper Debacle of ’09? I had asked Taylor to look in the hall closet upstairs to see if there was any toilet paper. I heard him open the door and I envisioned him diligently searching so I took his word for it when he said, “no”. Imagine my surprise on Saturday when I found SEVEN rolls in the hall closet! Seven whole rolls just sitting there. They weren’t covered by towels or blankets. They were just quietly taking up space on the shelf in plain sight!
That’ll learn me.
***
Sunday morning at church I approached my friend, Gail, as she was chatting with Sarah, to ask her a question. When she saw me she hugged me and said, “I love it when you blog about your boobs!” It was quite obvious from the look on Sarah’s face that she had no idea what Gail was talking about. Between the two of us we explained what the post had been about.
She considered the story for a moment and then she said, “So instead of Locks of Love, it’s like Bosoms of Blessings.” How brilliant is that??
This morning in church our pastor asked us what the shortest verse in the Bible is. I shouted out, “Jesus Wept”. Brian said, “No, it’s pray continually.” So I sent him an email when I got home:
Pray continually – 15 letters
Jesus wept – 9 letters
I’m just sayin’.
He replied with:
1 Timothy 2:12
I grabbed my Bible, looked it up and proceeded to laugh my head off.
I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.
I had my yearly female exam today. Don’t worry. I’m not going to go into great detail about it. I just wanted to share two things with you.
1 – I spied the enemy, the scale, as the nurse and I approached the place where she would take my vitals. I’d been dreading that part of the visit for weeks. But instead of asking me to step on the scales, she asked if I knew my weight. I was so shocked that I actually told her the truth! After I thought, Man! I should have told her 115!
2 – Check out the picture I took while I was waiting for the doctor.
That is some funny stuff!! The doctor told me one of the nurses “decorates” the exam rooms. In November the stirrups had turkeys. Almost makes me want to go back in February and see if there are hearts.
As soon as I got in the car I had to send Todd the photo. He called shortly thereafter and said he wasn’t sure which was more disturbing. Santa on the stirrups or the fact I’d take a picture of it.
So last night my friends, Laura and Sheri, and I took Kris to The Cheesecake Factory for her 40th birthday. The waitress brings us our drinks and we toast each other, excited beyond belief that we’re actually out without husbands or kids, and I made the comment it was just like Sex and the City. Laura pipes up with, “Mmmm, more like Abstinence and the Suburbs.”
When I was getting ready to start my second round of chemotherapy, Taxotere, my oncologist told me most people had an easier time with it than the adromycin/cytoxin I had been given for the first round. However, joint pain or stiffness is a common side effect.
I had my last Taxotere treatment at the end of November 2005 and it wasn’t until late February or early March of 2006 that I didn’t need a steaming hot shower to loosen up enough to walk half way normal. Still, I have dealt with a certain degree of stiffness ever since.
After the chemo I was put on Tamoxifen. When my estrogen levels finally came down following the removal of my ovaries last year I was switched to Arimidex. One of its side effects is joint pain or stiffness. Mornings and late evenings are the worst, making my fingers hard to manipulate.
So this is my new Arimindex prescription:
Crossposted at Mothers With Cancer
So what’s up? Nothin’ much going on here. Just the usual. You know. Todd’s at work – he’s got major short timer’s disease, but he’s making a valiant effort; Katie’s babysitting; Taylor’s at CIY in Tennessee – kind of like church camp only much more intense. Katie’s Little Homies are going camping this afternoon through Saturday morning so Todd and I get some just us time. I think I’m going to make reservations at that new Italian restaurant we were going to eat at for our anniversary, but they were booked. Yeah. That’s a great idea.
We watched “Fools’ Gold” last night and LOVED IT! The chemistry between Kate Hudson and Matthew McConnohotty is nearly palpable. It had everything I love in a movie. Adventure, romance, humor, an exotic location and even a bit of history. Well, made up history, but still.
The prude that I am was a little disappointed at a flash of anonymous boobies. It’s PG-13, for cryin’ out loud. It was a quick flash, but so very unnecessary. It reminded me of when I was in 8th grade and my AT group went into Hollywood to see Romeo and Juliet at Grauman’s Chinese Theater. Really cool experience, but the boys in the group were thrilled when Olivia Hussey jumped out of bed, baring her chest. (But really, what do you expect with a name like Hussey?) The girls were just embarrassed. And a little envious. Or maybe that was just me.
OH! Have I told you we actually have a Sonic AND a real Starbucks with a drive through now? Maybe two miles from the house, if that. The only problem with the Sonic is it’s such a novelty up here that they have to have traffic managers with walkie talkies directing cars who are waiting for the next available slot. It’s totally insane. I mean, I love Sonic and all – you know I do – but it’s not THAT great.
Last Sunday after Youth Group a bunch of the older kids went to Sonic. They parked in the lot and walked over to order and eat at the picnic tables out front. You order in the same kind of speaker box as if you’d pulled up to a slot, but you give them your name so when they come out they know where the order goes. So here’s the conversation with the Sonic chick and my son:
SC: What’s your name?
T: Taylor.
SC: What is it?
T: Taylor.
SC: Tyler?
T: Taylor.
SC: What was that?
T: Billy.
SC: Billy?
T: Yup.
This is the top of the swimsuit I bought for Hawaii the other day. I consider it was a good day because I didn’t cry in the dressing room. Didn’t even feel the urge. I certainly don’t like the way I look in a swimsuit. Heck, I didn’t like it when I was 40 pounds lighter. But it is what it is so there’s no sense getting depressed about it. But what thrilled me was the fact it’s just a normal top and it just happens to hide both my mastectomy scar (my left mastectomy scar is pretty high up) and my port scar. I also got two different bottoms – red regular bottoms and a coral SwimMini.
This morning I found a great deal on plane reservations for my parents to come up for Thanksgiving. So I called Mom and we booked those babies before they went away. Mom and Dad actually get in on my 43rd birthday. I think we’ll celebrate with a chocolate cake and 29 candles. It’s just been the four of us for the last two Thanksgivings so we’re really looking forward to having some family to help us celebrate.
All this goodness leads me to today’s verse.
If you, then, though you are evil,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father in heaven give
good gifts to those who ask him!
Katie and I were eating ice cream cones the other day while discussing good nutrition. She said she was going to work the ice cream off in gym the next day. I said I was going to work it off in bed that night MEANING IN MY DREAMS. The kids started laughing and Todd snapped his head up and said, You mean it’s that time of year already? Yeah. Funny guy.
***
That same afternoon was Taylor’s first day at his new job. The grocery store didn’t pan out, but he did get a job with a lawn care service. Four of the six yards they worked that evening were in our neighborhood, one of them right next door. So while he was using the trimmer I snuck out behind our shed, humming the Mission Impossible theme, and took a picture of him. I don’t think I got a picture of him on his first day of school, but by golly I got a picture of him on his first day of work.
I was soaking in the tub when he got home and didn’t actually see him until the next morning. But he told Todd one of the guys asked him if that lady taking a picture of him from behind the shed was his mom.
Friday night we went to dinner with our friends Dave and Barb. We were talking about my exceptional stealthiness and decided it would have been hysterical if I’d gone across the lawn and said something like, “Does my big boy need some water?”
***
Yesterday was the Women’s quarterly brunch at church and it was, as usual, exceptional. Now I can hardly wait until June! I have to find new friends to sit with, though. Some of the ladies at my table were rather boisterous and we got in trouble. When you’re quiet and subdued like me those wild women can be a bit overwhelming.
I saw a clip of this on Good Morning America a few minutes ago and it brought me so much pleasure and joy I started tearing up. The woman receives a standing ovation at the end and it is so well deserved!
After Todd’s dentist appointment Friday morning we left for Baltimore. Before we’d gotten too far I complained that the spring mechanism in the little storage bin on the dashboard was stuck. Todd said, “you mean this?”, as he opened and closed the compartment repeatedly.
Y’all do know why they don’t send donkeys to school, don’t you? Because nobody likes a smart ass.
We got to the hotel around 11:00 and were gratefully able to check in early. When I had told Todd the hotel was near Camden Yards I didn’t realize this would be our view:
And here’s a little peak of 1st base:
The Orioles were in Toronto so no game for us. But we’ve decided to go back in the spring when they’re in town and stay at the same place. This hotel is all about baseball:
This picture of Babe Ruth was in our room. He may have played for the Yankees, but he was from Baltimore and is quite the hero there.
This cool glove chair was in the lobby.
And it was adjacent to what I refer to as “Pub Row”, so named for obvious reasons.
After a short rest we set off for the Inner Harbor and had to get even more photos of Camden Yards:
It’s one of the prettiest ball parks I’ve ever seen.
And finally, proof that baseball is a sport for the righteous:
The Inner Harbor was less than a mile away, but it took us a while to get there because I had to keep taking pictures. Todd grabbed his jimmies and shuddered when he saw the paddle boats, momentarily caught in a bad memory.
We had a little over an hour before we could get in the aquarium so we ate lunch at ESPNZone.
<–I took a picture of this because the date is a combination of Todd's birthday and my birthday. The sentiment was lost on him, however. He looked at the photo and said, "Sweet! Sandy Koufax's 7th perfect game!"
I had to take a picture of the TV in the bathroom. Guys seem to love watching sports while they’re doing their business. I personally found it a little disconcerting to have people bowling over my head.–>
<–Right above our table were "Stadium Dogs" – Acrylic Hot Dogs with dirt from various sports stadiums. The Phillies' Veterans Stadium just happened to be right above us. It seemed Providence had placed us in the perfect spot.
After lunch we walked across the bridge to the National Aquarium. This place is incredible and I highly suggest a visit if you’re ever in the Baltimore area.
Here are just some of the pictures I took:
As you look up to the top of the atrium when first walking into the aquarium.
A Cowfish. (I need more cow bell!)
Pretty little tropical fish like we saw scuba diving in Cozumel several years ago.
Blurry puffins. Or a blurry picture of puffins. Not sure which.
Turtle, Turtle
Porcupine Fish
Candy gram. Land shark.
Stingray
Australian Fruit Bats. These bats don’t eat bugs or drink blood. They only eat fruit. Regardless, I prefer viewing them from a distance.
Long Necked Turtle from Australia. This thing is just weird.
It’s Flipper!!
After we’d seen everything there was to see at the aquarium we decided to just hang out until we were hungry enough for dinner. Looky what was just across the bridge.
This had to be one of the coolest Barnes and Nobles I’ve ever seen. It’s part of the Power Plant, a trendy area of the Inner Harbor that also houses a Hard Rock Cafe, ESPNZone and several other restaurants.
Katie and I hung out in the book store for a bit while Todd and Taylor went back to the ESPNZone to play games. Katie’s smart that way. She knew I would have to buy myself a book or two and if I made a purchase for myself I would be inclined to make a purchase for her as well. She was right.
It’s always the same with me in a book store. First it’s the sense of belonging, of coming home, of deep peace as I take my initial steps into the store. Next it’s the feeling of being a kid in a candy store – all that literary yumminess surrounding me. Then it’s having to make decisions because I simply can’t buy everything I want to. And finally it’s a desperation to get out as fast as I possibly can because I can feel myself losing control.
So when we got to the losing control portion we quickly checked out and went in search of the boys. After finding them Todd and I sat and rested our weary feet while the kids ran around playing more games.
It was amazing how they weren’t hungry until their game tokens were gone. On the other side of the harbor, in the direction of the hotel, was a restaurant called Big Kahuna Cantina.
Taylor ordered his new favorite – BBQ Wings – off the appetizer menu. When I took this picture I thought the entire bucket was full of wings, but it wasn’t. The bottom half had chips. Even still he wasn’t able to finish them.
Katie had talked about ribs all day. These little beauties are glazed with Plum BBQ sauce and were quite delicious.
This would be my dinner. General Juan’s Chipotle and Honey Glazed Cashew Chicken with cilantro and mango sticky rice. It was scrumptious and spicy in a sinus-cleansing sort of way.
Todd had the coconut shrimp po’boy.
After stuffing ourselves silly we slowly schlepped back to the hotel on our sore feet, got comfy and watched TV until we all fell asleep. Without traffic it’s less than a two hour drive from the house, but I’m so glad we decided to stay the night there. We were so exhausted after our busy day and it was nice to just kick back.
Saturday morning we woke up when we woke up and Todd and I made it downstairs for breakfast while the kids lazed in bed and watched more TV. I know we only scratched the surface of Baltimore wonders and I can’t wait to go back and explore more!
