Wa.l-M.art puts the squeeze on food costs

Yeah, so many people bitch and moan about W.al-Ma.rt, but THEY are doing things to help us with our grocery bill!!! And they are doing it in ways that are energy-conscious and capitalist-themed.

So SCREW YOU, haters!!!

We Own What?

We bit the bullet this weekend.

We known own (gulp), a lawnmower, a weedwhacker, some weed killer, two heavy duty 14 amp extension cords and the coil.

We also bought the one of the four hardware/wall-mounted baby gates we still need to buy and install. We received the soft, removable one as a shower gift. We bought the extra-tall top of the stairs one because it was on sale at L.owe's.

A lawnmower. Phuck.

Frightening, but I am more freaked out by the thought of us owning a lawnmower and weedwhacker than us having a child.

Dr. J, what does this say about us? (Other than "MOVE TO A TOWNHOUSE").

D.C. Recap

It was a whirlwind 5 days in our nation's capital. I am 'zausted, to put it mildly.

My Hill visits went extremely well, and I was proud of my sheep as I sheparded them into meetings with our Senators and assorted members of Congress.

I knew it would be a looooong week, with plenty of partying opportunities (plus, I was rushing back home on Saturday for a "girls nite" that same evening, followed by a family party the next afternoon), so I really put emphasis on pacing myself with the booze. I succeeded. No hangovers (unlike my colleagues), no huggin' The Porcelain God, no showing up late or missing conference sessions entirely. Yea for me!

Definitely, the trip got better as the week went on. The meeting I look forward to most each year is the one with my colleagues (away from our Board of Director types). Being able to bitch and moan in private is always a highlight! Plus, Friday marked two happy hours, the latter was with these very colleagues from across the country. A special shout-out to the gang from Georgia -- gawd, I love Southerners!!!

Afterwards, I was treated to dinner at a very chic place with a dee-lish wine list. Yum! I was amazed that we were able to secure a table without a reservation weeks in advance, but good luck was on our side. The whole evening, including the spirited after-party, was just a perfect way to celebrate a successful (albeit fast-paced and stressful) week. It certainly put me in a relaxed, mellow mood on Saturday morning, which I capped off by another indulgence . . . sweet breakfast treats (hullo mini-Belgian waffle!) via room service. Mmmmm mmmmm goooood.

I drove home from D.C. with a smile on my face. How many people get to say that, hee hee?!

Lawn Boy Becomes . . . Home Improvement Guy?!

Good Lord what is happening to my man?! He has also now stained the repaired wood frame around our bedroom and closet doors, AND built the new bed and chest of drawers in the baby's room.

If he starts to drywall I will call a divorce attorney immediately. Or a psychiatrist. Probably both.

Yard Work? WTF?!?!?!

I rushed home from the municipal meeting I had just finished up at because I received a FRIGHTENING text message from my husband . . .

"I AM MOWING THE LAWN."

I was so scared. He has NEVER ever done something like that. Seriously, we have owned this house a year, and he has never done that. Hey, neither have I. I refuse to do yard work or home improvement projects. Really. I said it when we closed on the house and have never waivered.

Last summer we paid my Mom a few bucks here and there to do it (our lawn is not that big). Really. Or would give a few bucks to this guy who is a friend of the family to do it. That's how WE roll. And I like that my husband does NOT do this kind of stuff -- 'cause we agree we suck at it and he doesn't try to deviate from that. Let somebody else do it, somebody who is BETTER at it than us! We will PAY, or trade services somehow.

But our lawn looked soooooo bad, and he couldn't stand it any more. We have an old lady who lives next to us who is a grass-cutting nazi. And the lesbian couple behind us put us to shame (they were outside shoveling asphalt while all of this hoopla was going on, I kid you not).

So Dr. J borrowed the lawnmower from my Mom (she has been too busy to do it) and was mowing when I got home. I took photos. He said to me "I will NEVER do this again." Well thank gawd for that! I would have called a psychiatrist or scheduled an intervention if he LIKED it, LOL!

I am wondering if all of the muffin-baking and flour-sifting tips he gave Kirsten today (via email) inspired him to get in touch with his Manly Man side?
Sniff, sniff, I want my metrosexual back!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, Dr. J, I am in awe right now. I think in a good way. Lord knows I can't and won't do something like that. Ever.

But please, NEVER again. I can't handle this.

It's like I don't even know YOU anymore!!!!!!!!!

More Hearting

I spent most of Saturday afternoon swooning. I admit it. Freely. My body just felt sooooo good. His touch lingered for hours afterwards. My spirit was uplifted, my skin warm, my energy positive.

He does it to me every time.

Yes, I am referring to "My Howard." To refresh everyone's memory, he is the young massage therapist-in-training I have gone to several times now for an hour of delicious "Me Time."

And damn, does that boy ever deliver :o)

I think he is getting cuter each time I see him, too. I luv how he whispers when he touches my body, giggles with me about how he worries about new clients who have "bAcne," how he asks me if he's using enough pressure, how he rubs my glutes . . . okay, I especially luv how he rubs my glutes.

All people in the service industry have their favorite clients -- hairdressers, manicurists, doctors, chefs, they all do. I like to think that Howard enjoys me as his client, in this regard. I guess our session was running a few minutes long, cause at the end of our alloted time he was rubbing my back with these long, deep strokes and then he whispered, "They're telling me I have to stop."

I wanted to purr "Ohhhhh, don't stop . . . ." Hee-hee!

And yeah, I will see him again in a few weeks ;o)

Mo' Money, Mo' Money

Got our Economic Stimulus Rebate Check today. Yep, spotted in our bank account (I check it everyday online), and I promptly transferred it into savings. That, with our tax return, oughta fund 6-8 weeks of maternity leave.


I'd say "thank you President Bush and Members of Congress" . . . but it was our money in the first place.


So instead I will say "Thank you Dr. J" for having a social security number ending in a number that made us among the first to be eligible for receiving the moohlah.