I need to brush up on my languages

Apparently my 'celebrity' status has rocketed into 'internationally known'. Last night at 1:30 am I received some international phone number. At least I'm assuming the long string of numbers and odd time means it is international.I didn't answer it, just shoved my phone into a drawer because I knew what would happen. Sure enough, two more calls quickly followed. When I checked this morning there were two messages. The first is a guy waiting and saying "hello" a couple of times. The second is a long message in what sounds like an Arabic language.

This happened last week also. However, the number was different and I answered it. It was actually the same thing. The first time the guy just said "hello" three or four times after a pause and seemed not to hear me. The second time the guys was saying something in what sounded like Chinese or Japanese. Of course when I'm woken from a sound sleep all foreign languages sound vaguely alike, so it could have also been something Arabic.

The new bedroom set is great, except for the fact that it is trying to maim Husband and me. The foot board just sticks out and up further than we are used to. So you go to walk around the end of the bed and ram your thigh right into it. My adoring Husband has done this once, I have done it twice. I think the second time is worse because I hit the exact same spot where there is a nice purple bruise swelling up.

In other news, it truly bothered me last week seeing people putting up Christmas decorations while wearing shorts. This is Ohio and I don't care if it is 65 degrees, it is just wrong to put up decorations in shorts!

I will deeply regret that next week, and likely even tomorrow when the temperature drops.

On the upside, there is snow predicted! I doubt that it will stick or accumulate, but I just love snow. I do not like the cold though. And I know most of you are probably thinking mean thoughts because you hate the snow and all that entails. Well, tough. When the snow comes you will find me jumping around the apartment like a giddy school girl that just got a pony.

Ok, this is what I would consider a more difficult screen shot just because it was on when I was a kid and no one else I know has ever mentioned it. However there are a couple of pretty good clues in the picture itself.

Current Events

Here is a numbered list of current events and thoughts:

1) Since no one has commented, I guess I am the most famous. I would like to add I also belong to the church where George Clooney went to grade school. I know, I'm just the ultimate in cool.

2) The picture was from Red Sonya. Husband got it right, so I know I married well.

3) I make awesome apple pies. Honestly, the best pies of all of the Thanksgiving pies I tried. Some might disagree, but that is because they were afraid of the dried cranberries I put in. And honestly, you couldn't taste them! Babies.

4) I make awesome Ham-Asparagus Strata. I don't even know what Strata is, but I rock at making it.

5) I make horrible gumbo. Husband even threw the leftovers out. And anyone who knows him can imagine how bad that must taste to make him through it away.

6) I am employed! Its part-time after school tutoring, so it won't interrupt quality Dr. Phil time.

7) I am hoping to get a sewing machine for Christmas. And when I do, I am going to make skirts like The Pink Shoe does. I don't know her, but I aspire to her domestic-diva-ness.

8) Husband and I are getting a new bedroom set tomorrow. We already bought the mattress set, which he told you about in his blog. This means random shopping for sheets and a new comforter. Of course this is also due to the sneaking suspicion that I am allergic to down. What tipped me off to this? Why, waking up every morning sneezing and using 10 tissues! Of course it could also be the lack of dusting and sweeping...

9) No screen shot today just because I just realized the time and have to get ready for work!

My new claim to Fame

I realized yesterday that I am three degrees from Tom Cruise. When I worked at St. Ursula in Toledo the art teacher was Nancy. And Nancy is Katie Holmes' sister. And Katie married Tom. So there you go, I am almost a celebrity. Don't ask me why I didn't realize this a year ago. It was mentioned in the news about Katie's sister being her maid of honor and something clicked into place.

Anyone out there have better 'degrees' ? I'm sure you do and you are just dying to share!

Not much new going on here. I almost have a job at an after school tutoring place. At least they said they needed teachers and the interviews went really well. But they are really slow about getting back to me. The library never called and the website still says the position is still open, so I am bummed about that. And the school with a math position still open has never called. It is incredibly depressing that a job that I am perfectly qualified for never calls. I did however talk to one of my coworkers from the charter school who is now a sub and he is doing well. So I will probably call them next week about substitute teaching.

In other news, Ikkin and I dominate at Cranium. We played boys vs. girls (so it was 3 vs. 2) and apparently despite not seeing much of each other for many years, we share a psychic connection. It was eerie how fast I guessed 'paparazzi' when she was charading it. Drawing 'vitamin' took longer though.

And because I love to see who is as geeky as I am, here is today's movie snapshot. Start guessing!

Toilet paper everywhere

So my grand adventures today include cleaning up toilet paper. Min thinks it is a chew toy. When we had Cottonelle she would unroll it. So I would come home and find a trail of toilet paper leading into the bathroom and a huge pile of it on the ground. Now we have Scott's and apparently it doesn't unroll. So instead she chews it off. And she does this while I am here and perfectly willing to play. I'll get up and walk and see a stray corner of paper. And I walk into the bathroom and there are chunks of it on the ground. Oh, most of it is still on the roll, but as you try to unroll it, there are big holes where Min chewed out the chunks.

And this has happened three times today.

I also attempted my first apple pie last night. The directions were for a 9" pie pan so I made the crust too small for a 9.5" pan. Yes, the half of an inch makes a difference. And yes, I was too lazy to reroll it. I did ok peeling the apples. I made a crumb topping instead of crust. I didn't cook it long enough, so the apples aren't totally done and it has a lot of liquid in the bottom. BUT! It still tastes darn good! So next week, nobody will die of pie poisoning at Thanksgiving.

Today's screen shot is of a movie. It shouldn't be too hard :) Who can name it?

I know it includes apples...

So for my birthday I received a Barnes and Noble gift card (thanks Barb!) and spent it on a new cookbook. It's a basic one with recipes for meatloaf and lasagna. I have lots of cookbooks but none of them have regular recipes. So anyway, I've decided to branch out and try to make a pie. From scratch. So I bought everything Saturday, including ice cream, and told my adoring husband of my grand scheme.

Well. We get invited to two Thanksgiving dinners (though one will be a lunch). And my fabulous husband volunteers me to make apple pies for both. What?? Wait! Huh?? Yes, that is right. I have never made one, but now am making two for other people to consume and enjoy. And thanks to that husband, they know to watch out for a frozen pie so I can't pass it off as my own.

I only hope that it does not turn out like the spice cake I made last year. Oh, the cake was good. But the icing, ohhhhh the icing. I cooked it too long, spread it on the cake and it turned solid. Honestly, it was like hard candy. My mom couldn't cut it and finally PICKED up the cake and turned it UPSIDE DOWN to cut pieces.

Pies aren't known for being turned upside down. I'll let you know how it goes.

And for you, faithful viewers, I have a fun new game. Ok, I think it will be fun but you will just think I'm being odd. A special No-Prize to the first person to name this show!

This I Believe

My adoring husband sent me this link earlier in the week. This I Believe

This column has had a profound effect on my life lately. In the beginning of October I was miserable at my job and was actually praying and asking for a sign. Lo and behold while I was listening to NPR there was a gentleman on This I Believe saying he wished his grand-daughter failure instead of luck. I realized I did not want to quit my job because I would be a failure and that is not something to be afraid of, it is something to learn from.

Now I am looking for a new job and everyone I know asks why I don't go and substitute teach. Its in my field and a good way to get my name into a school system. I did do substitute teaching when I first graduated. And I don't want to do it now. I guess I'm a cranky old math teacher stuck in my ways. I'm thinking of doing it in the spring.

So back to the article sent to me. It was hubby's gentle nudge that there is work that is not beneath me and that I would be totally happy with. Soooooo, I will not be selling Mary Kay because I am not a sales person. Instead I applied at the library. I don't care if its part time and doesn't pay a ton. I would absolutely love to work at the library. I would get to organize and help people (with out selling!) and work with nice people. We'll see if they call me, with my luck they'll think I'm overqualified.

Today's Shocking Coincidence!

Today's SHOCKING COINCIDENCE is....

yesterday we voted, today gas prices went up.

That concludes today's SHOCKING COINCIDENCE.

Painting by numbers

So here is a less pink and fuzzy picture for you, faithful viewers. I loved Thundercats as a kid. Each day either I or one of my siblings got to pick a show to watch. My sister wanted to watch Scooby Doo, but I always tried to talk her into watching Thundercats. It didn't usually work.

So I had a fabulous weekend. My friend Sarah visited on Saturday. We went to Panera Bread for lunch where I scarfed down broccoli cheddar soup. I'm telling you, I would have loved vegetables as a child if only my parents had this soup.

Then we went to Marcy's Clayground to paint pottery. I had so many ideas that within five minutes I had SIX different things sitting on the table to paint. Sarah honestly spent an hour and a half trying to figure out what she wanted to do. One of the most creative people I know was stumped. But we eventually sat painting in front of the fireplace and enjoying hot chocolate. I only finished two of my pieces. I was going to get a picture, but since they are Christmas gifts I shouldn't ruin the surprise. Maybe after the holidays I will post pictures. Because I did a kick butt job! Of course Sarah's tile was better, darn her!

That night Sarah, Chicks514 and I went to Tiffin to see Dandy Mandy in Suessical the Musical. She kicked butt and was definitely the best part of the cast!

Well, I have a mess of papers covering the living room floor, so I should take care of the before my beloved spouse comes home and has kittens. Because I can't handle more cats.

To sell or not to sell

Well, this housewife thing is going well but I feel like I need to contribute more. My days are great as they consist of going to the gym, cleaning up the toilet paper Min unrolled, seeing what Dr. Phil has to say and doing some cleaning and cooking. I am now organizing my school books and supplies. It's been a mess because I kept digging through them to get something I needed for school, but I couldn't bring it all to school because of the construction and lack of shelves, cabinents, etc. Stupid job. Have I mentioned how happy I am that I quit? So anyway, mess. Chicks has held up like a champ and not bugged me about it, but I know its secretly annoying the daylights out of him.

So to get out of the house I went to get a facial from Mary Kay people. Then I went again. And of course I bought facial cleansers. And then they want me to join in the fun. And I almost did. It sounds like a good deal and I wouldn't be out to make a ton of money. But I'm not a salesperson and I don't wear make-up often. SOoooooo, comments on your thoughts are appreciated.

If anyone is reading the comments from my first post, I am so glad I got my own blog so I can post as many My Little Pony pictures as I want. But Chicks, aka my loving husband, would rather I put in pictures of Care Bears. So this is for you handsome!

PSA: Don't forget to vote next Tuesday. And be sure to check out the issues before you vote so you know what you are voting for!

For those who just need to know: how did Hugs become my nickname? From Bart Simpson! It started as 'Amanda Hug n Kiss' (from one of the scenes where Bart calls Moe's Tavern). Then it slowly was shortened to just 'Hugs'. You should see some people's expressions when they hear me called that for the first time.