USB!

I finally bought a new printer this weekend. There was nothing wrong with our old printer except that it wasn't compatible with Mac OSX, so every time we wanted to print something, we had to switch to System 9. Which isn't hard or anything, it's just a pain. So anyway, we bought a nice one and I came home and set it all up, and oopsie, our Mac cord won't fit in it. I failed to realise that I'd need to buy a USB cable. Oops.

Have to make cookies tonight...I keep forgetting. I have them cut and in the freezer already, I just have to bake and decorate them...I also need to make an order sheet for Halloween cookies. Guess I should do that while I'm thinking about it...

Burn the elephants!

I learned something interesting today that I thought I'd share...It takes around 10 dump-truck loads of wood to make a proper funeral pyre for a full-size elephant. Now, why, exactly, this is important I'm not sure, but just in case you or someone you know has a pet elephant you're planning on creamating upon death, now you know.

I found out yesterday that the Stars preseason game against Detroit is going to be broadcast on the radio tomorrow. This is important because Derian Hatcher has decided to make the trip and will play...Now, I don't know why this game isn't on TV. The next preseason game against Colorado will be on TV. It seems that the one against Detriot would hold more fan interest....but what do I know. They didn't call me up and ask before they made the schedule. Although they should have. You know I didn't get my paper this morning? Very irritating, that.

Brandon had a bad day at school yesterday. I sure hope he behaves better today!

The newspaper guy actually got my paper on the driveway yesterday. Usually he throws it in the grass, which of course is all wet and dewy a quarter to six in the morning. I was pleased! The kids got all their fundraiser stuff for school yesterday. They're still doing the cookie dough this year, but they also have a normal fundraising catalog, too. I was glad...the cookie dough is hard to sell. Maybe we'll come knock on your door soon!....I can't wait till Friday. Without checks, I have to wait till payday to have money...good thing Mike gets paid soon, too. I don't like him getting paid every two weeks. The kids both have their pictures tomorrow, too....maybe I'll remember this time!

Antti Miettinen!

The Stars throughly trounced St Louis in preseason play last night, 5-0. And I tell you what, I've got one name for you...Antti Miettinen. This kid's got what it takes, and if they keep him on -- and I see no reason why they wouldn't -- I'm so gonna buy him for my fantasy team! I think he's figured in the scoring in every game so far, intrasquad included. He's a 23 year old Finnish guy, and 180 pounds of scoring machine...

Autumn and Brandon had their second set of pictures yesterday...oops...so since they weren't dressed for it, I had it moved to Friday!

AC in October

You know what's not fair? October's seven days away and I still have to run my air at night. And through the day, for that matter, but it's especially irksome at night. I want it to be cool!

Hockey season's almost here...I wish they'd broadcast preseason games. You can see football preseason games, why not hockey? Preseason's no fun when you can't see the games...

Autumn had had pictures yesterday, I'm glad that that's over with. My kids just don't stay clean, and so picture days are just a struggle. They still have more do do later this week; they got their fall and Christmas pictures already, but there's still the sepia portraits to do...I guess that's the good thing about private school...you get really good pictures! Not like in public school where all the kids line up and get one shot...The bad thing is that then you have to choose which pictures you want and I always want them all; too bad I don't have fifty dollars to spend-and staff gets half off, too!

@#%$ smoke alarm

I noticed this morning that I only have one check left. Oops. I knew I was on my last book, but I kept forgetting to order more...This happens to me more often than you would think!

Brandon was sick again on Friday...at least he made it through his pictures, though. He was better Saturday, but he ran fever all day on Friday. Autumn's picture day is today, se we had to go hunting for a Christmas dress this weekend. Finally found one at Penney's, which was like the fourth store we went to. Did I mention that I hate the mall? Especially on Saturday? Luckily her shoes still kinda fit...although I noticed this morning that they were all scuffed along the sides of the sole, so I had to spend some time painting over the marks...They're a bit small, so we're gonna have to get some more before the holidays.I have to stop and get some new batteries for the smoke alarms today (there goes the last check!). Brandon's keeps beeping -- not during the day, of course, it waits till we're almost asleep to start up -- so maybe a new battery will help. I hope...

pictures

Stars tied last night...of course, preseason games don't mean much, but still....But better than that, Turco signed a three-year deal! I haven't heard the terms yet, but I sure was happy! They also have this new goal song they wanna play this year instead or "Rock and Roll Part II"...and man is it ever bad! I mean, really, really awful. Maybe there'll be enough fan protest to get rid of it...

Brandon's picture day is today...the nice thing about working there is that I can bring his picture clothes and change him so he doesn't have to stay clean all morning. Like a three year old can stay clean longer than five minutes... Autumn's isn't till next week and I need to find a Christmas dress...it's still pretty early, so I hope I can find one tomorrow! I had this problem last year too...luckily Brandon's still fit from last year, so I only have to worry about the one outfit... I really hate shopping...

Preseason!

The Stars have preseason games today, tomorrow and Saturday...I wonder if any of them will be broadcast? I suppose it's too much to hope for...still no Turco, though. He needs to get his act together.

Giant Squid

This is gonna be a long week....The kids had fun at the river....Brandon was disappointed that he didn't get to go fishing, though. Autumn had fun, but she said it rained. But she did get to swim...Brandon said he didn't, but I didn't expect him to. He doesn't really like the water. As for me and Mike, we didn't do anything. I slept. It was nice. And I got my house clean.

Autumn's all happy because we signed her up for gymnastics. If she likes it, we'll let her keep going. She can do a somersault, but it took her a long time to learn, so we'll have to wait and see if she's coordinated enough. I think if she really likes it, she'll probably be good at it, but if she doesn't, she won't really try...although I suppose that's the way it is with most people, isn't it?
I just ran across this story about giant squid..

MADRID, Spain, Sept. 16 —
Scientists are trying to find out what
caused two enormous squids, one of
them 40 feet long, to wash up dead on
Spain’s northern coast this week. “It’s
not a natural death and it’s not the
Prestige,” Luis Laria, president of marine
protection agency CEPESMA said,
referring to a massive oil spill from the
Prestige tanker late last year. He
declined to speculate on the cause.

Appearantly there were three of them last year, too. Wierd.

Still no Turco in training camp. Grow up, Marty....

Chocolate milkshake?

Well, training camp starts today (yay!) but Turco isn't there (not yay!). The Stars made their final offer of $12 million over 3 years, but, no, that's not good enough for him. Got news for you, Turks... just cuz Anaheim is willing to pay Giguere $19 million dollars doesn't mean you need that much too. He sure does deserve more than he got last season- he had a stellar season and the best numbers of any goalie in 60 years- but it was also his first season and he needs to prove he can be consistant before he gets that kind of money. Don't get me wrong...I think he will be, I think he's going to continue to have great seasons.....but not if he's a holdout! Geez! Holdouts almost always have poor seasons... plus with all the new defensemen, he's gotta get used to playing with different people::::deep breath::::

Today is (seriously) Chocolate Milk Shake Day. Now that sounds like a good holiday. I do like chocolate milkshakes! Gotta go get one...

As it turns out, the kids will get to leave early from school on Friday. Autumn's really excited. I still have to pack their stuff...I hope I can find Autumn's floaties! Brandon woke up this morning saying his ear hurt, if he keeps that up I'll probably have to take him to the doctor this afternoon to get it taken care of before they leave.

As soon as Mike gets his next check, we'll be all caught up. Yay! Unfortunaty, he has no idea when he gets paid again; should be any day now though.

I sure hope that the Stars get Turco signed today....he's too good and too smart to be a holdout. Seriously, what is with these guys? Just agree on a number!!

Fire ants bite

Well, I believe that I now officially know everything there is to know about Delta faucets...and I finally got all the drips fixed....

I got eaten up by fire ants at my mom's house yesterday, but I didn't end up with any blisters. Wierd. Maybe I got bit so much as a child that I've developed a resistance or something...I can't wait till this weekend. The kids will be at the river, and I'll be able to sleep untill I feel like waking up....and it'll be quiet....unlike right now, when Autumn's throwing a screaming fit because I told her she had to eat her cereal....also training camp starts this weekend...all in all it'll be a nice weekend!

And now we come to the end of the plumbing lesson, in which we learn the importance of using Genuine Delta Parts...after doing furthur looking online, it seems that darn near every Delta faucet uses the exact same seat, whether for sink or tub...so why didn't the ones I bought work? Well, because they weren't Genuine Delta Parts (here's where I grumble a lot of not nice things) and therefore both too small and too thin...so I took the seats off my bathroom sink, and sure enough, it fixed the tub...course now the sink leaks, but I have the part number and it'll be easy to find this time...it's all very irritating, because it said on the package that it would fit Dela faucets...

We went to Mike's mom for Chris' birthday yesterday, and Kay said that she'd take the kids to the family reunion after all...we weren't sure if she was going to be able to or not. I haven't told Autumn yet, but she'll be happy. She loves the river...

4 more days till hockey starts...well, training camp, anyway....I have to look foward to something, since the 'Boys already have a losing record....

Luke Luck likes lakes...

You know, I've already been to two places looking for seats and springs for my bathtub faucet so I cat fix the leak...I wouldn't think that Delta parts would be that hard to find! I guess we'll try Lowe's today.

I don't know if any of you have ever had the dubious pleasure of reading Fox in Socks out loud before, it's all about tweedle beetles and pig patters and lake lickers and the like...try this one...out loud, mind you

"Luke Luck likes lakes.

Luke's duck likes lakes.

Luck Luck licks lakes.

Luke's duck licks lakes.

Duck takes licks in lakes Luke Luck likes.

Luke Luck takes
licks in lakes duck likes.

Now, there's 61 pages of this nonsense. It's Brandon's favorite bed time story. Imagine reading this blibber blubber, out loud, every night...

Paperboy Day!

Today is Newspaper Carrier Day....be sure to thank your paper boy (or girl)!

I made big, gooey fresh cinnamon rolls last night...yum...they're awfully sweet, though; I can barely finish one. Mike was sure happy though, and the kids.

I've gotten up early every day this week! Hooray for me...and I've packed the kids' lunches the night before every day this week too. I feel like I'm doing pretty good!Autumn's really liking kindergarten. So far it's been awfully easy stuff, but it is only the second week. I sure hope they start learning new stuff soon! Right now it's all the same things she learned last year...I hope my DVD comes today...I had pre-ordered The Two Towers, and it still hasn't come, although I did get a message that it had shipped last week...I want it! Not fair! I don't like having to wait for stuff...

Ow, my head...

ugh...didn't get much sleep last night...I woke up at 2:00 with one of those horrible migraine headaches that make you think you're having an anyurism or something. It wasn't fun...

Autumn's throwing one of her famous fits this morning because she "can't get her shoes on." Talk about high-strung! I also discovered that I have to go get Brandon some jeans soon before it gets cold....he's got exactly zero!

By the way, today is Barkley the Dog's birthday...just thought you'd like to know!

Getting my exercise

It's going to be a fun day...really... I don't know if I had mentioned that we had a teacher quit out of nowhere Friday, so it should be a jolly good time trying to cover that... And hot lunches start back up today-the school has catered hot lunches for the kids and I have to deliver the lunches from the lunchroom to all the little kids' classrooms...this year's gonna be a mess because in their infinite wisdom, they decided to move the lunchroom all the way across campus into the south building, which means I get to walk back and forth....there goes an hour of my day...as if I had that much extra time...

Mark your calendars, September 19th is (I kid you not) National Talk like a Pirate Day! Arrrrr! Read all about it at www.talklikeapirate.com-I promise you it's a worthy 10 minute diversion...you scurvy bilge rat! Arrr!