January 24, 2020

Brides to be - I'm warning you...

DON'T GET MARRIED IN JANUARY!

And here's the why behind that statement...

The Husband and I celebrated our 29th anniversary the other day...oh wait!  No, we didn't.

The picture that seems to be the only one I ever use when
I talk about our anniversary.
Good night, we were SO, SO young! Wha happen?!

At any rate, last night we were talking about my co-worker friend's birthday and how her family doesn't really "do" celebrations and that's why I make a big deal out of her birthday (which was today).

In the middle of the conversation The Husband stopped cold, looked at me horror stricken and whispered, "Did we forget OUR anniversary?!"

And, dammit!  Yes, we did!  He was worried that he alone had forgotten - but no.  I had also forgotten.  I remember making a mental note about it in early January.  But, apparently, that mental note got stuck in a pocket somewhere, now covered in lint and was hanging out with other random bits of paper; totally forgotten.  So here we were, four days after the actual event, looking at each other in disbelief.

Now, to be fair - on our actual anniversary we were dealing with The Husband's car which had broken down and had to sit in the parking lot at Home Depot until the dealership opened the next day.  What a way to celebrate...

So here's something to consider if you are planning a wedding...don't get married in January.  I am warning you! 

After Christmas is just NOT the time to remember an anniversary (search this blog and see how many times I've forgotten about our anniversary if you need proof).  After having kids, being married forever and dealing with hoopla that is Christmas, in January you are just too wiped out to think about things like celebrating an anniversary.

Next year is a big one though - someone remind me on...oh, let's say January 16th.  Because it simply won't do to forget the 30th!

January 19, 2020

Tidbits...

A random post of bits and pieces because I'm too lazy to create a post for each one or, much more likely, before I forget that I wanted to post about any of this in the first place.

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I read an article the other day (holy cow, look at that!  I actually have the link!  Miracles DO happen!) about gratitude.  Considering all that is going on right now in the world it would be easy to sink into a pit of despair; instead I am choosing to be grateful.

At any rate, this one bit really hit home for me:

Challenge #2: In your transactions with cashiers, baristas and others, take the time to look them in the eye and really thank them.


Yes, I AM polite to those I interact with out in the world - I'm not a complete boor.  I am not talking on my phone (or even have it out) as I am checking out or what have you.  I say please and thank you with the best of them.  But looking them in the eye?  Do I do that?  Maybe - depending on the day and the errand.

Armed with this knowledge, I have spent the past few days making concerted effort to do just that and here is what I've discovered.  

Quite a few of those that I've interacted with don't even attempt to make eye contact with me during the transaction.  I'm just another person to get out of the way in order to move on to the next one.  But those that do?  Seem to smile a little brighter when their eyes connect with mine during the transaction.

Technically, I probably COULD have crafted a whole post around this subject but I'm tired and I don't want to forget about the other bits I wanted to mention before they are lost forever...

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In other news...

The Husband called me this morning and informed me that his check engine light just came on and, as we were speaking, apparently began bucking and generally not acting right.  *sigh*

And his car is the "reliable" one!

My car's check engine light has been coming on and off sporadically for a month or more (most likely more like a couple of months) now and our car guy seems to think it is directly related to the last problem this car had (spoiler - it wasn't the alternator but some sort of sensor - somebody remind me to never buy a car that is a push button start again.) and since it's probably still under warranty we should take it back to the dealer to fix. *UGH!!*

But then the light would go off for a few days before coming back on.  Maddening.

But the car was driving fine.  While The Husband's wasn't.

Fingers crossed that the dealership is open tomorrow and that it's an easy fix; luckily it is still under warranty.  After that we NEED to get my car in and dealt with and figure out what our plan is in regard to the cars.

For years we went with the philosophy that we would drive our cars until the wheels fell off.  This is a poor philosophy, we've since discovered; as it has bitten us in the butt on more than one occasion.  What can I say, sometimes it takes getting bitten more than once to learn the lesson.

We would prefer to only have one car payment at a time but - with my car being the older and supposedly less reliable one (glaring at The Husband's car) - we figure we need to ditch it while we can still get something out of it.  

Thus, the necessity of actually coming up with a plan is upon us.

*sigh*

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Now what WAS the other thing I wanted to share? See how quickly it disappears?  And I've only just sat down to write this in relative quiet (I'm hiding away in my closet as The Husband is watching football LOUDLY in the other room).

Ah yes!

The most random, weird thing just happened right after I sat down with the laptop.

I watered all the plants.  I like the way it sounds like I've got a veritable greenhouse in here.  In reality, there aren't many that need "watering."  Maybe four.  But I've got a zillion orchids (why? I don't know.  Apparently, they make beautiful gifts and people keep gifting them to me; despite me telling everyone I know that there isn't enough sunlight in this house to keep the four houseplants I have half alive) that need to be watered with ice; except for that one weird one.  

I know.  Don't ask.

I also watered the "temporary" plant.  This is an amaryllis that was given to me over Christmas (what IS it about me that make people want to give me plants?  Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for them and I DO like plants; I just don't have a house that is nurturing and welcoming to them).

My plan was to get this amaryllis to bloom and call it done.  Throw the bulb in the woods to either perish or thrive.  This amaryllis was SO close to blooming.  How in this house, I'll never know.  But every day I would look at it waiting for it to open.

Today, as I iced all the orchids - except for that weird one - and watered the plants; I gently watered the amaryllis and called it done.

A few minutes after I made myself comfortable prepared to spend some time in blog land the impossible happened.

I heard a giant thud.  At the time, The Husband wasn't home so I knew it wasn't him.  The sound had come from the kitchen so I started there.  And stood in shock when I witnessed the mayhem.

The amaryllis had, somehow, devised its own demise.  Impossibly, it had jumped from the counter to the floor - with nary a jostle - snapping each of the two blooms that were ready to blossom - and leaving a damp, muddy pile of dirt all over the kitchen floor.

In true Gigi fashion - no picture; I didn't think of it until after I cleaned up the entire mess, of course.

And there is no possible explanation for how that plant jumped.  The Husband was not home.  I wasn't in the room.  We don't have any pets.

That was one plant that just did not want me to see it bloom, I guess.

So to sum it up...look people in the eye, cars can suck it, and some plants are suicidal.  The usual.

January 11, 2020

Clearly, by now, we know each other pretty well...

As evident by my lack of presence lately, that means I've gotten back into the swing of things after the holidays. *sigh*

At any rate, if you recall this post, then you won't be surprised by the following.

Earlier this afternoon, The Husband went out - he said he was going to Tractor Supply to pick up Super Glue to fix that that window thingy, but we all know this is code for "after that I might as well stop by the grocery store, since it's right there, to see what I can find that my wife clearly thinks we don't need; but we DO!"

(Author's note...we don't)

When he returned, the very first thing he said was, "Don't be mad..."

Me:  "Why would I be mad?"

Him (sheepishly):  "I bought some socks."

(Author's note...did he buy socks at Tractor Supply or the grocery store?  This will forever remain a mystery)

Me:  "Why?  You have PLENTY of socks."

Him:  "Yes, but some of those socks are too tight around my ankles and I don't like them."

Me:  "That's legitimate.  But how about this...instead of putting those socks you don't like BACK in the drawer, why don't you just toss them?  And while you are at it, toss the underwear you don't like either - I'm going to buy you some new ones."

Him:  "Oh good!  I need new underwear.  But buy me cotton ones - I don't like those polyester, stretchy ones."

(Author's note...those polyester, stretchy ones are the precise ones that he "covertly" brought into the house last April - see previous link up there.  I *always* buy him cotton underwear, because honestly, who wouldn't?!)

Me:  "Oh, like the three pair in your drawer that you never wear?"

Him:  "HOW did you know that?!"

Me:  "I know everything.."

(Author's note...of course I do - I wash the clothes and put them away; I'm bound to notice - sooner or later - what gets worn and what doesn't)

And this is what happens when you've been married almost twenty-nine years...

January 3, 2020

Hello 2020!!

I know, I know, I know! 

I am the first one to always say I don't "do" resolutions.

But here's the truth...without making an actual LIST, I always have a bunch of resolutions in my back pocket.  And in recent years, the main one has been to get it together already.

It bugs me to no end that way back when, I seemed to have it together but recently?  Not so much.

So for the past several years, without fail, I buy myself a new planner with the intent on actually getting it together...because I KNOW that written lists keep me focused (kind of).  Except every year I seem to forget about the planner a few weeks in.

Can I say that this year was no exception.  Except this time, I remembered my planner in November and began planning obsessively for Christmas and was doing great (except for the days when I was so ill).  So, when I bought my planner for 2020 I had REALLY high hopes.

Can you guess how many times I've actually used the planner - THREE days in?

If you guessed one - you would be correct. 

Today I VOWED to rectify the situation to organize this weekend to get stuff done...

Guess where that damned planner is?  At the office.  I guess it's back to scraps of paper littering my pockets then...for now.

*Yes, I foolishly think that next week will be the week I turn it around...somehow.*

*sigh*

*maybe this IS the year!*