Things My Husband Initially Thought Stunk

1. The Cheesecake Factory
2. High speed internet
3. EZ Pass
4. Wireless internet connections
5. Square-toed shoes
6. Japanese cars

Gary

When Mike and I first had designs on buying our home, we took pictures of it and sent them to my ma-in-law and my parents. We took pictures of everything - the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, even the yard.

The first thing we were told was: You have a statue of St. Francis in the yard. If the seller leaves it, you have to keep it. Being the lapsed Catholics that we are, Mike and I decided to listen to our parents and keep the statue.

But we felt St. Francis might have been a little bit lonely.

Yesterday, when I got home from work, I noticed UPS had left me something.

Gary had arrived.

Photos, for your entertainment:

Lonely St. Francis

Gary joins St. Francis

Introducing... Gary Gator the Great Gnome. He will protect our yard from stray cats and skunks!

Is it blasphameous to put Gary Gator the Great Gnome alongside St. Francis? Notice we left St. Francis in a prominent place.

Pizza? Pickles? Does it matter anymore?

My very educated mother just served us nine pizzas.

My very educated mother just sent us nine pickles.

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto.

Since I was a little kid and learned this, I've heard arguments about which one it is - pizza or pickles. Does it matter anymore?

Let's just change it to: My very educated mother just served us nothing.

What a bad mother.

"Welcome to 2004 (and that's being generous)"

I recently discovered that I have wireless access.

Hey - I never said I was a technology junkie. Never.

So apparently, I have a wireless card in my laptop. I didn't know. Now I am using the laptop all over the house - the bedroom, office, kitchen, living room.

Next thing I'll be doing is blogging at Starbucks and various airports.

I've probably just opened up my inner monster.

Where Do People Come Up With These Things?

Checking my google mail today, I came across this.

All I can say is if I use one of my own, we won't have a purse - we'll have a backpack.

Not Even Nine AM

This morning, I woke up, went down to my basement to pick up the laundry to fold. While I was down there, I went inside our makeshift pantry to get a bag of pretzels for my lunch today. As I went in to get the bag, the door shut behind me, locking me out. Yesterday, the same thing happened to me, but luckily, Mike was home to rescue me. Not this morning. I don't know how I did it, but somehow I managed to push the door with enough force to get me out, but not break the door. Amazing!

Then, on my way to work, I grabbed my phone to call Mike to tell him about my escapade, when I realized he had taken my phone to work this morning, leaving me him. I called him anyway, receiving an "uh oh"as he answered the phone.

After that, I heard on the radio that they are making a movie about Fantasia. Man, why doesn't anyone make a movie of me? I'm interesting! And have I mentioned, also very cute?

I wonder if this is a sign of how the rest of the day is going to go. I mean, it's not even nine o'clock yet!

Working From Home

I haven't worked from home in a very long time, and I had forgotten how easy it is to get distracted. I also forgot how comfy it is to work from home.

It's breaktime, though, and I thought I would post. Here's a meme - it's been a longtime.

I Love
Start 10 sentences with the words "I love..."

I love...my husband, Mike. But more importantly, I like him too. There's a difference between loving and liking someone.

I love... my family. That includes immediate, by law, and those 'special' friends that have proven to be family over the years.

I love... my new home. Even though we realized on moving day that our guest bedroom has no door. It never had a door. There aren't even hinges on the molding. :)

I love... my country. There's no place like the USA and everyday I am thankful and proud to be an American. I am grateful to have basic rights that so many are denied.

I love... that I am a product of various cultures. It has shaped me into the person I am. And it only soldifies my passionate feelings toward the USA.

I love... that I am a college graduate. No matter what happens to me, I know that my degrees have been a product of hardwork, sweat, tears, and many sleepless nights. No one can ever take that away from me.

I love... that I have stood up to people that haven't believed in me and proved them wrong. Like the college degrees, no one can ever take that away from me.

I love... babies. All of them. Even the ugly ones. And especially those that belong to family and dear friends. Through them, I am able to see hope and promise in a world that oftentimes shows us horror.

I love... traveling. Especially with my husband. There's something fabulous about seeing a new place and discovering it.

I love... keeping things organized. Without order, I can't function. I can't go to work, I can't sleep. I can't do a darn thing!

Now, I'm tagging Owen's Mama, Gary, and Freckle Face Girl.

Makes Me Sick

This is the kind of stuff that makes my blood boil.

Not only do we live in a country full of terrorists plotting against us, we also have to live with a bunch of Commies.

UGHHHHH!

A Place Where Nobody Dared to Go

A few weeks ago, I was scanning the channels and came across Xanadu. In all honesty, I didn't remember any details of the movie, so I clicked to watch it. I was completely fascinated by it. More so than when I was three years old and saw Grease for the first time.

ONJ. Roller skates. Music. Dancing. Gene Kelly.

I realize now the reason why I don't remember the movie. My mother never let me see it.

Seriously. I can envision myself watching it everyday after school for maybe three years. It would have been enough to drive her crazy.

Swimming in Chocolate

Or maybe not.

Last week, I mentioned wanting to drown myself in chocolate. But I didn't. And guess what? I lost another 3.2 pounds! Yipee!

Tomorrow, however, I'll actually be swimming. The hubby went and got our pool passes for our housing community. Maybe I'll pretend it's chocolate.

Yummmmmm... chocolate.

100% Moved In, 80% Unpacked

I'm connected again!

Yesterday, we had a visit from the cable guy, who spent nearly two hours running cables through my house. Apparently, the woman who owned the house before us didn't have cable. Anyway... we have cable! And internet access! Thank God for technology. Oh sweet technology - I missed you!

Another success - three days of moving, unpacking, and heat - and I didn't cheat on my diet. Not one day.

Thank you's:

To my husband - for working like a fiend to make sure all our stuff was packed before Saturday morning. And for kissing me while I was all sweaty and smelly from moving.

To my ma-in-law, sis-in-law, and aunt - who showed up over the course of the last few days to help unpack and put things in their proper place. Oh yes, and for bringing healthy food for us to eat.

To the mailman - for finally delivering our mail, including my Next netflix choices.

To my movers - who made it look easy to carry thousands of pounds of furniture, clothing, and memories. They carried my triple dresser on its side up two flights of stairs! They stacked four boxes on top of eachother and carried them on their backs! Incredible!

To the woman who owned the house before us - for choosing us as purchasers of the home and not allowing us to get into a bidding war with another buyer. We love the house. It's gorgeous and perfect for us.

I can't remember anyone else. So if I forgot you, don't be offended. Hell - no one reads this anyway, so it's not like you'll know.

All Choked Up

It's definitely my 'sensitive' time of the month because as I sit in my office, listening to It Might Be You by Stephen Bishop (theme from Tootsie), I am crying.

It's going to be a great weekend - sporadic crying, heat waves, and moving.

If I wasn't dieting, I might just go swimming in a pool of chocolate.

Chocolate solves everything.

A Message to the People in Charge of the Weather

A Message to the People in Charge of the Weather:

You must decrease the temperature! It is damn hot outside. Last night, it was 91 degrees at nine at night.

This is the forecast for today: Sunny. Near record high temperatures. Heat index near 115F. High near 105F.

The only way I may be able to accept this heat is if someone sends me a sign telling me that the heat is in preparation for the hell that someone in Cuba is getting ready to fall into.

Otherwise, send some cool winds to the NJ/NY area.

Thank you,
Anna

Jinx

First thing this morning, I got a phone call from my mother-in-law.

Last week, you wrote about him. You wished him terrible things and now he's sick. What did you do?

Her voice was of sheer pleasure. This leads me to believe I have done something right during my short marriage: I turned my my Irish-American mother-in-law into a Commie hater.

Last night, as soon as the news came on the radio, the hubby shouted to me to watch. We sat and watched the news in English, then switched over to the Spanish station, where they had images of jovial Miami citizens dancing in the streets, banging their pots and pans, and honking their horns.

We called my parents, who were wide awake, also watching the news. My mother's voice in the background was of surprise, shock, worry, and awe. My father, on the other hand, had a multitude of comments.

If they are announcing his sickness, it means that he's on the verge of death, Annie. Or that he's already dead.

The concept, while deep in my head, came to the surface. He could be dead? Whoa. The idea brought goosebumps to my skin, where they have periodically reappeared since. Does this mean my unborn children will be able to the land where they grandparents were born? Does this mean my American husband will be able to meet the rest of my extended family and sit down with them to eat rice and beans? So many questions... so many hopes...

I hope this isn't some cruel joke played on us by that Commie. Although, I certainly wouldn't put it past him.

As I mentioned last week, I'm not much for politics. But please visit Babalu and Blog for Cuba up-to-date information and more links. I am also finding the Miami Herald to be a good source. And, of course, phone calls to Miami every few hours.

I will definitely remember July 31, 2006 as an important day. First, we closed on our new home. And then, this. I'm going to be wound up for days. And I haven't even had cafe cubano.