little did i know
1. The gas bill for last month was over $300. I replaced the filter. I have the thermostat set to 67°. Ouch.
2. My roommate whistles whenever he’s walking around the house. He doesn’t whistle a tune. He just whistles a few random notes, stops, then another few notes, and so on and so forth. I don’t know why he does it. Is it just to make his presence in the house known? Is it some bizarre compulsive-whistler psychological disorder? I haven’t the foggiest. Regardless, it drives me crazy.
3. My birthday this weekend was wonderful. Thank you for all the well-wishes. David (friend, not brother) and I hung out Saturday night, scoping out a new pub with some friends before going to a midnight movie viewing. David graciously picked up the tab for everything. I had a great time. Sunday lunch was spent with the family. My mom cooked veal, rice, asparagus and provided an excellent white wine to complement the meal. She baked Aunt Lena’s No-Fail Chocolate Pound Cake (affectionately known as “the Boat Anchor”) for dessert, my favorite. I opened presents, conked out for a little while and watched the Panthers get steamrolled by the Seahawks (go Steelers!) before heading back here to Winston-Salem. I felt loved, appreciated and every other good adjective you can think of.
Here are some pictures:
My mom found this miniature accordion at a vintage/thrift store in the mountains a few weeks ago. My grandmother owns a house in Hayesville, NC (about as far west as you can go before it becomes TN) and my mom and some lady friends recently stayed there on a kind of a retreat. During a trip into town, she found the accordion. Some of the reeds aren’t in the best shape, but it plays music and it’s a wonderful gift. I love it.
Someone must think I like Mad Libs :) This compendium is about 3/4″ thick. It will last me lots of road trips.
Leslie got me this excellent pair of shoes. They feel like moccasins and they look nice with jeans (or anything, really).
Someone must also think I like C.S. Lewis. Wonderful gift. The quotes are arranged topically. The variety of subjects about which he had something to say is staggering.
My grandmother graciously donated enough money to sponsor my acquisition of one of these, badly needed after getting six useful years out of my present Mac. It should be here on Thursday. Time to put Henry the Great out to pasture:
I also received a DVD of The English Patient, one of my all-time favorites, as well as copies of Oasis’ Be Here Now and Sarah McLachlan’s Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, two long-overdue additions. Also, Aaron got me a long-sleeve running shirt made of some space-age warm-yet-breathable fabric and an album I already owned, which I returned and exchanged for Blur’s 13 a paperback of Ender’s Game.
I love it all. As with Christmas, I’m floored by the generosity shown, and I’m incredibly grateful.
My dad took pictures during the actual festivities. I’ll see if I can score some of those images too.
you seem to be very blessed in having family/friends who truly know you and can pick out excellent gifts for you. lucky you!! :)
there’s also this wonderful thing about getting a few really awesome gifts (and by awesome i mean meaningful) and not too much of anything extraneous. in phoenix this weekend, arindam and i went to the cheesecake factory and ate much more than we should have in one sitting. we left feeling sick, which was an injustice to the food. we also left reminiscing wistfully about a meal we had last summer at a tucson resort, where we paid $150 for a dinner of relatively small proportions. but we left that dinner feeling ‘just right’, so it was worth every penny. in food and gift-giving, less is more.
i can’t login… ew (emily)
2. My brother does that!
3. Your mum sure knows how to celebrate accordionly, har har har. And you didn’t already have The English Patient? Crazy… oh, and I like your shoes.
/es/\\e
So I’m family? Ooh Can I be your great great aunt Maurine from Holland? who has funky hair and wears read shoes with a purple dress and a yellow hat?
So glad you like the shoes :)
I didn’t realize that your grandmother had given you money for computerness. WOW and happy for ya. I know you needed that.
1. Trying to :) I turned it down to 65 degrees… But I do have 1500 sq. ft. to heat and it is gas, the price of which was supposed to spike. Here’s hoping the warm weather over the past month will make a dent.
3. Electronic Mad Libs? I’ll look it up but most of the fun comes from the group participation. Though I suppose nothing says the group couldn’t huddle ’round the computer… :)
you seem to be very blessed in having family/friends who truly know you and can pick out excellent gifts for you.
I am indeed :) I should point out, though, that for both Christmas and my birthday I made my family a list (upon their request).
And agreed about less is more. The best presents under the tree always came in those small, dense packages…
3. Oh the pun-ness… :) No, I didn’t have it. And I’m glad you like my shoes. Based on your extensive fashion knowledge (no sarcasm) what kind of look do they have?
Sure! You can be the weird aunt! I’m already poised to be John & Kristi’s future kid’s cool Uncle Matt (see comments a dozen or so entries down).
I do like the shoes. They’re great for driving and flying (comfortable and not much of a heel). Thank you :)
And yeah… I can’t wait for tomorrow–the computer’s coming. At this point the only unanswered question is whether I should name him Henry III or start a new dynasty entirely. Suggestions?
3. No no no, it’s a little hand-held thing. If I remember I’ll bring it Friday.
/es/\\e
I say start a new dynasty! You’ve clamed a new territory! Start a new line!
lol @ “the boat anchor.”
Your friends & family have great taste!! :)
And happy belated birthday!
i covet your cs lewis quote book.
Indeed they do.
Thank you, Erica :)
It was totally unexpected, but very welcome.
Re: /es/\\e
name him hal. that would make me laugh.
Hal it has been christened.
You owe me: One (1) laugh.
:)
They have a very… shoe look? They are of the Euroshoe variety, so kudos to whoever chose them. Nice choice. Please don’t wear them with khakis :) And yes, I know so much that I basically wear the same thing day after day.
Actually, upon further inspection, they might look nice with khakis. I have no clue.