Some Things Friday for March 5 (I actually had to look at my calendar), 2010

It's been a busy week, but I feel like I've accomplished very little. What the hell did I do when I worked 10 to 12 hours a day at the university? I have no idea how I got anything accomplished.

This weekend will be busy. My in-laws share the same birth date, although a few years apart, and their birthday was this week, so we are having them over on Sunday for dinner. My sister-in-law, her husband, her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend will be joining us. Tom's making meatloaf. I know that sounds really un-fancy for a birthday dinner, but, you know, my father-in-law turned 90 and apparently 90-year olds think meatloaf is pretty darn special. Go figure.

Some Things I Love:

1. Even though it is still cold, particularly overnight, I have some plants just starting to peek out from the ground: daffodils, tarragon, chives and multiple weeds. They provide me with a slight ray of hope that warmer weather is just around the corner and down the road apiece.

2. My hip feels like it is healing a little tiny bit every single day. I walked without a limp two days this week. I am hoping to get back on the treadmill starting next week...but go easy to start.

3. When we lived in the country, we generated two large receptacles full of garbage and we burned our yard waste. Our trash company didn't offer recycling pick up and the closest place to recycle paper, plastic and what not was Little Rock. Since moving to Conway, we have a bin for recyclables and a bin for trash, plus they will recycle all of our yard waste into mulch and pick up our flattened cardboard boxes, a boon for an internet shopper like me. Yesterday when I put out our regular trash for pick up, I noticed that we only had two bags of trash in the bin. Wow, from two huge bins full and sometimes overflowing with trash down to two bags. We're recycling everything else. That's pretty darn cool.

4. Getting free stuff to use in recipes for my food blog. Marx Foods was kind enough to send me several samples of Artisan Salts to try. Yesterday I got a case of POM Wonderful Pomegranate juice from the folks at POM Wonderful.

5. I adore the most hated time of the year. It's coming. One more week. March 14th. DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!!! YAY!!!

Some Things I Hate:

1. March Madness. It's everywhere. That's all anyone talks about. This team, that team, blah, blah, blah. Don't freaking care!

2. Ironing. I have an over-flowing basket of ironing in the closet of our extra bedroom. We have lived in this house since October 1, 2006 and during the past three years I have ironed maybe 3 items - the same 3 items - in that basket. I think it's time to tackle the ironing and sell the stuff on eBay. If I haven't worn the stuff in three years, it's unlikely I will in the next three.

3. When people leave comments that contain links to porn on my blog. DELETE! My grandkids read my blog, dude. STOP IT!!

4. Loud restaurants. The music playing in the background isn't in the background. The volume is too high. Customers practically have to scream at each other to carry on a conversation and be heard over the music. Loud music. Loud conversations. Get me outta there!

5. Alarm clocks. You know the ones that make those hideous, loud buzzes...BUZZZ, BUZZZ, BUZZZ!... and jolt you out of a sound sleep, your heart thumping out of your chest. I don't need that kind of adrenalin rush, thank you. Several years ago we bought a zen clock...

Click picture to hear sound
One little "ding," then a minute later another little "ding," ever so gently.

Some Things I Just Don't Get:

1. March Madness. I know I'm being redundant. I've already talked about it in the "Hate" section. But I just don't get the fanaticism for these final games. It monopolizes every conversation and it monopolizes local television, radio and print media, as well. I have just a small hint to programming directors and editors...NOT EVERYONE CARES!!!

2. The fascination with American Idol. I'll admit that I've tried to watch it a couple of times, the last time was because Ellen Degeneres is now one of the judges and I like her a lot. But, I'm not going to watch it just because I like her. I wind up getting antsy and thinking, Com'on, let's get on with it.

3. The John Edwards drama, drama, drama. What is wrong with this man and why is he so STUPID!!

4. I do not understand how people can say that they don't have a problem with people being gay and yet they don't want gays to have the same rights as they do. Helllooo. You can't not have a problem with it AND have a problem with it at the same time!

5. And, finally, I just don't understand how I got so lucky. I've been married over 40 years and my husband still holds my hand when we are watching tv or at the movies, kisses me good-bye even when he's only going to the store, hugs me first thing in the morning before handing me a cup of coffee and wants to cuddle every night before we go to sleep. I don't know what I did to deserve him.