I'm on strike.

I've spent the last few days driving back and forth from Charleston, and it's been a major pain in my ass.  And guess what?  We get to do it again, when our roommate flies back in from SoCal.  Hooray.  (You will note the lack of exclamation point, indicating that my 'hooray' is somewhat sarcastic.  Somewhat.)

Way back when we lived in the land of 4-lane highways, we used to joke and laugh about how people "back east" didn't want to drive 2+ hours to get anywhere, and OH!  Wasn't that funny?  Haha, we used to say, they think that's a long way to drive!  Little do they know!

Little do they know MY ASS.

You see, when you're driving 2+ hours on a straight stretch of road, it's no big deal.  HOWEVER.  There are no straight stretches of road out here.  None.  Not a single one.  Oh, I take that back.  The parking lot of Rite Aid is pretty straight, for about 40 feet.  THAT'S.  IT.

So, there are very, very, very windy roads with which to contend, as well as actual real WEATHER, like snow flurries and rain, and, to make it interesting, deer like to jump out in the road.  Also, puppies like to manifest themselves while you're shooting out from around a bend at 55 MPH.  And, speaking of miles per hour (that's what MPH stands for, in case you didn't know) the MAXIMUM speed that you will EVER be allowed to go, ever, EVER, in this state, is 55.  If you're freakin' lucky.  If you're say, going through the middle of some podunk town, they don't want you to go too fast and accidentally hit one of the ZERO pedestrians you won't ever see traipising through the streets, so they drop it to 30 MPH.  No.  Fucking.  Lie.

So, a 2+ hour drive turns into a torturous affair.  And I completely understand why those backwoods hicks don't want to go anywhere, ever.  And the next time someone tells me, "Oh, well, Charleston isn't that far, it's only a little over 2 hours' drive,"  I'm going to bite them.  Hard.  On their jugular. 

Hooray!

Have you seen all the snazzy wares Charmaine has up for sale at Weehob?  Well, I did, and I happened to comment on one of her super cool bags.  A few days later, the mail person arrived, bearing a gift.  THE BAG!  FOR ME!  Thank you, Charmaine, I love it to pieces!  Phoebe has already tried to steal it from me several times, and Charlie wants to crawl inside it.  No worries, though, because I've been beating them off of it with wooden spoons.

 
 

 

Things around here are pretty much business as usual.  I'm still adjusting to working, and getting the girls acclimated to me not being available to them all of the time.  It's hard for them to fathom.

I've been catching up on some t.v. shows, and trying to take a breath after the whirlwind that was Christmas.  I'm in the mood to start a new project, but I don't know what yet.  I've been thinking about glass-blowing.  How fun would that be?  I have to do research first, and see what all is entailed, but c'mon.  BLOWING HOT GLASS!  So fun, no?

I feel like I've snapped out of a super huge funk that I've been in lately, and for that, I'm grateful.  I'm ready to be back to normal. 

Happy, happy, merry, merry.

Much love to you all, and wishing you the happiest and brightest. 

 XOXO

 (click on the photo to see the slideshow shenanigans)

Working girl.

Okay, so I have a job.  A super kick-ass job.  I don't really want to post the details, but I will say that I get to work from home, and it doesn't involve mail order, or making magnets, or selling drugs, or torturing monkeys.  I know that when people hear "work from home" their minds immediately jump to those sorts of things.  But no.

Yesterday was my first day, and I really liked it.  It's very interesting, and I'm learning a lot.  Some benefits:  I get to wear my pjs to work, and I don't have to worry about daycare, and I get to be on the computer, and I like it, and it pays REAL MONEY, and I actually like it.  I mean, it's actually fun.  For really real.

I wouldn't have it at all, if it weren't for Krystyn.  So, once again woman, thanks for hooking me up and being a rockstar.  I love you like a brother, homie. 

Jasmine

Marissa had asked for either a puppy or a hamster for Christmas. I talked it over with Santa, and came up with what I felt was a pretty good compromise.

It can still pee and poo all over the floor, but it doesn't need to be taken outside for walks, and it won't chew up my shoes. It's also big enough that it won't get lost under the couch or behind the washing machine.

*Click on the photo to see the (very short) slideshow*