My favorite husband had a birthday recently. For three months, I’ve been asking him what he would like for his birthday, but he always says: “Oh, I don’t need anything, just some time off to do the things I like to do” like fishing, golfing, hiking, you know, guy things. It seems we have reached that stage in life where, if we want something, we go out and get it.
So the day came closer and closer and finally I decided what I would do. I would buy him a really nice bottle of Scotch whisky. And some Tequila (because he’s been making margaritas to go with the yummy dinners he makes on his new grill). And then I stopped and picked up some stunning dark chocolate delights (to go with the Scotch…chocolate is fantastic with Scotch). And I made a pretty card. I said I’d take him out to dinner at my favorite, expensive French Restaurant in Old Town. IF he could get off work, that is (he’s part of a government task force on the BP oilspill so you know he’s a busy camper).
I arranged everything on his chair for him to see when he came in the door. He calls: can’t quite get away from the office. Scratch dinner out. He’ll bring home steaks to put on his new exciting grill. Great! I’ll make the shrooms and salad. Then he calls again. Nope. Doesn’t have time to grill either. He’ll bring home sushi. Wow! It’s his BD and he’s bringing home the sushi. He didn’t want me to go out and do anything because he just didn’t have any certainty about timing (queue the vision of a beautifully coifed and dressed, patient wife sitting at a stunningly set table with lit candles and fantastic dinner … souflee, maybe?... and no husband).
He then calls from the sushi restaurant. He says he’s next to the ABC store and thinks he’ll just pop in for some more Scotch and some Tequila. Why don’t you just come home, I ask. But I’m next door. Aw, don’t bother, I say, it’s your birthday. No big deal, says my husband, I’m right here. But why don’t you wait until I can come with you because I’D like to participate in choosing for once. Actually, I don’t care because I trust his judgment, but I said it really passionately, hoping he would believe I’ve been feeling left out of the process. Oh, he says, I’ll just go in and look around.
Some time later, he walks in the door, sushi bag in one hand, unmistakable black ABC bag in the other. He takes one look at his chair and says: “Oh! I see!” I told him he’s the doofiest doof I know! After I relayed this story to a colleague, he told me that what it says is that I know my husband’s likes very well. I got him something he wanted.
Happy BD, favorite husband.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Nightmare Is Over
Our refinance ordeal is finally over. What should have been a slam-dunk and should have taken only three weeks from start to finish, actually took eight months and ultimately required a letter to the CEO (something I have not done since I was in my twenties). I think I can safely say that the delay was not caused by us, but was caused by the bank (and, to be charitable, maybe even confusion on their part as to new rules brought about by the current economic crisis).
I won’t name the bank because I am very forgiving (and because in the end we got a really good deal…4.5% fixed, zero points and almost no other closing costs). Still, the eight-month delay cost us a total of about $10,000 and we could not refinance the higher interest loan used for the elusive one’s university education while the house refinance was pending. After five months, my favorite husband got so frustrated that he wanted to dump the whole thing and go somewhere else, which is probably what the bank wanted us to do, but I absolutely refused to give up that rate. So, persistence paid off and we closed on the deal last week. This should result in a savings of about $1300 per month…which also goes a long way toward making me so forgiving.
Now I have a plan to use that savings to pay off our other bills. I wrote up the plan a few months ago, but could not implement it until now. I think it’s going to be really nice to get rid of our debt. We hemorrhaged money this summer. There have been so many unexpected events since March, each costing between $500 and $1500…starting with the sad loss of Wolfie, going on to medical costs, two replaced clutches and a replaced motor mount, dental (OMG don’t get me started on that!), helping the elusive one get back to Scotland for his Masters’ Degree. My plan now is to cut costs and pay off the debt. It’s been a very stressful year, which explains, in part, my absence.
But I feel more like myself again. The stress is starting to let up quite a bit and I’m feeling really creative again, playing the piano, stitching, painting, reading…I hope the stars are properly aligned now for a new leaf on life. Now that the nightmare is over.
I won’t name the bank because I am very forgiving (and because in the end we got a really good deal…4.5% fixed, zero points and almost no other closing costs). Still, the eight-month delay cost us a total of about $10,000 and we could not refinance the higher interest loan used for the elusive one’s university education while the house refinance was pending. After five months, my favorite husband got so frustrated that he wanted to dump the whole thing and go somewhere else, which is probably what the bank wanted us to do, but I absolutely refused to give up that rate. So, persistence paid off and we closed on the deal last week. This should result in a savings of about $1300 per month…which also goes a long way toward making me so forgiving.
Now I have a plan to use that savings to pay off our other bills. I wrote up the plan a few months ago, but could not implement it until now. I think it’s going to be really nice to get rid of our debt. We hemorrhaged money this summer. There have been so many unexpected events since March, each costing between $500 and $1500…starting with the sad loss of Wolfie, going on to medical costs, two replaced clutches and a replaced motor mount, dental (OMG don’t get me started on that!), helping the elusive one get back to Scotland for his Masters’ Degree. My plan now is to cut costs and pay off the debt. It’s been a very stressful year, which explains, in part, my absence.
But I feel more like myself again. The stress is starting to let up quite a bit and I’m feeling really creative again, playing the piano, stitching, painting, reading…I hope the stars are properly aligned now for a new leaf on life. Now that the nightmare is over.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The Future Is Here
When I was coming home from work yesterday, I really wished I had a camera at my fingertips. As I was passing the new (well, relatively new) WWII Memorial, I saw one of our mounted police sitting astride a beautiful Morgan, as still as a statue...looking intently at his Blackberry.
I wish my own Blackberry had a camera on it! I decided against the Curve (which has a camera) in favor of the World Edition (which does NOT have a camera) because I wanted to be able to use it in Scotland when the Elusive Offspring graduated in June. I didn't mind not having a camera in the Blackberry then, because I always had my little Cybershot with me. But for everyday life, I don't carry the camera.
I can't wait until Apple decides to open up its iPhone to all providers. As soon as the iPhone is available on Verizon, I'm switching! Until then...I'll suffer through without a built in camera. Sigh. I do have an iPod Touch, which my wonderful son gave me when he got it for free as a perk for buying a new MacBook Pro for his graduate work. I love it. It doesn't have a camera either, but it lets me read books from my Kindle (great for waiting in the doctor's office), and I can watch movies on it (that was wonderful when I flew out to LA recently).
Technology is a wonderful thing.
I wish my own Blackberry had a camera on it! I decided against the Curve (which has a camera) in favor of the World Edition (which does NOT have a camera) because I wanted to be able to use it in Scotland when the Elusive Offspring graduated in June. I didn't mind not having a camera in the Blackberry then, because I always had my little Cybershot with me. But for everyday life, I don't carry the camera.
I can't wait until Apple decides to open up its iPhone to all providers. As soon as the iPhone is available on Verizon, I'm switching! Until then...I'll suffer through without a built in camera. Sigh. I do have an iPod Touch, which my wonderful son gave me when he got it for free as a perk for buying a new MacBook Pro for his graduate work. I love it. It doesn't have a camera either, but it lets me read books from my Kindle (great for waiting in the doctor's office), and I can watch movies on it (that was wonderful when I flew out to LA recently).
Technology is a wonderful thing.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Daily's Lost Companion
I didn’t mean to be cruel. It just happened. Daily was at the back door, yowling at Kira and my favorite husband, who were in the back yard playing with a ball. I was in the front of the house, in the living room, listening to his howling, and it sounded like “lemmeout”…so I sort of made the same sound. He ignored me. He knew very well I was mocking him. We went on like this for a few minutes, but then I ramped it up a bit, into the real thing. I am actually quite good at making a variety of cat sounds. Been doing it since I was 8 or 9. I can fool dogs, cats and people. This time, I made the same howl that Wolfie used to do when he went into the basement (don’t know why he used to do this, but he did). Suddenly, Daily came running into the living room, meowing expectantly, responsively. He stood in the middle of the rug and looked here and there, with huge, concerned eyes – and it was clear to me that he was positive that he would find his long lost buddy, Wolfie. My heart broke.
Cesar Millan says that dogs (and I would add cats and all animals) live in the now. I believe that. For two weeks after we had to euthanize Wolfie, Daily frantically looked for him, everywhere. Whenever we opened a door to leave, he tried desperately to escape the house because he was certain that Wolfie was out there and all he had to do was go out and find him. But then, after a few weeks, he settled down and seemed to be moving on. He and Kira have gotten pretty close.
But when Daily ran into the living room the other day, expecting to see Wolfie almost five months later, I realized that, although animals live in the now, they don’t forget. Wolfie may be gone, but he's not forgotten. I cannot help but wonder what Daily would have done if he had found Wolfie in the living room.
Cesar Millan says that dogs (and I would add cats and all animals) live in the now. I believe that. For two weeks after we had to euthanize Wolfie, Daily frantically looked for him, everywhere. Whenever we opened a door to leave, he tried desperately to escape the house because he was certain that Wolfie was out there and all he had to do was go out and find him. But then, after a few weeks, he settled down and seemed to be moving on. He and Kira have gotten pretty close.
But when Daily ran into the living room the other day, expecting to see Wolfie almost five months later, I realized that, although animals live in the now, they don’t forget. Wolfie may be gone, but he's not forgotten. I cannot help but wonder what Daily would have done if he had found Wolfie in the living room.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Finished Book Nine
I just finished the last Sookie Stackhouse novel (number 9)...ok. So, in the nine books, we have met vampires, shifters and were-folk, witches, fairies, an ectoplasmic recreation, and even a maenad. I can't help but wonder what's next, ghosts? Or will she just stick to the (in)human aspect of Sookie's relationships with the various men, vampires, weres, and shifters in her life? These are important questions that will only be answered when Sookie 10 comes out. When will that be? Let me find out...
OK, May 2010. Time to turn to something new. Been thinking about reading Gone With The Wind again. I still have a bunch of the old-fashioned print books hanging around the house (as much as I love my pony the Kindle, I love print books more). Barbara Pym... have her first book...that would be a good one to read. And the elusive one has a copy of C.S. Lewis' "Screwtape Letters." It actually looks like a quick read...maybe I'll start with that.
So...that's what I'm going to do now. Start a new book.
OK, May 2010. Time to turn to something new. Been thinking about reading Gone With The Wind again. I still have a bunch of the old-fashioned print books hanging around the house (as much as I love my pony the Kindle, I love print books more). Barbara Pym... have her first book...that would be a good one to read. And the elusive one has a copy of C.S. Lewis' "Screwtape Letters." It actually looks like a quick read...maybe I'll start with that.
So...that's what I'm going to do now. Start a new book.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Finished Project
This is a photo of my stitched, but not yet framed project, "Arabella Reborn," a Michael Boren design, in the original Fraises du Bois pink! It is a lot prettier in person than it is in this photo. I'll frame it when I finish stitching the companion piece, "Daphne Reborn," which I have only just started. I did Arabella Reborn in two full days. Maybe if I spend this next weekend stitching, I might also finish "Daphne." Somehow I doubt I will have the time, but I'll try. I also want to finish stitching a couple of other projects this year. I'll try to photo and post them as I complete them.
Monday, August 3, 2009
There But For The Grace Of God
Saturday night we (my favorite husband, the elusive son and I) went out to eat at our favorite sushi restaurant (Shiki Sushi in Ballston Commons) and then to see a movie (Star Trek, which the EO had not seen yet). It was a wonderful family-time evening, and on the way home, the sky was crackling in preparation for yet another beautiful thunderstorm.
The night became disturbing when, nearing Lee Highway, we saw a man in the median of the road. He had fallen and could not get up…in fact he started crawling. He had no shoes on. It was clear that he was either very drunk or very weak/ill. Either way, we could not leave him, so we stopped in hopes of helping him. When we got to him, we could tell that he had been drinking, heavily. We got him on his feet, and it became obvious that he was in no shape to continue his journey on foot (or knee).
He looked to me to be in his sixties…but he could have been younger. I just could not tell in the dark. Then again, I don’t know if I’m a good judge of age. He was dressed in clean, decent athletic clothing, and had a very nice pair of glasses on, and we did not feel like he was homeless, so we asked him what his address was. “Four one four,” he said, and then repeated: “Four one four.” But no street address. “Should we look at your license to see where you live?” I asked him, and he said that his wallet had been stolen…and in fact, he did not seem to have a wallet on him. No identification at all. But finally, we got the name of his street and we put him in our car. Yes, we put him in our car. That’s a real iffy thing to do, I realize. I mean, who was this guy and what were we going to do with him if we didn’t find his home? We didn’t want to take him to the police. They would put him in jail and then he would have that on his record. And we could not leave him there in the median…it was about to storm. He could have been hit by a car, or struck by lightning, or he could have fallen again and ended up in a gutter and drowned. It could happen.
We drove around looking for the 400 block of his road. It didn’t make sense, because we were in the 4000 block, which made me believe he probably meant 4014, not 414. Thank goodness that was correct, and at last we got him to 4014, where it turns out he lived in a basement apartment. It was quite dark by then, and, leaving me in the car, H and EO walked him (one on each side) to his apartment. It was so dark and late, I was afraid someone would think they were burglers and shoot them or something (yes, I’m a worrier…worrier, I say, not a warrior). As they passed the man’s car, they found his wallet, keys, a half eaten hotdog and I think they said an empty Vodka bottle (but could not find his shoes). They took these things and the man into the apartment and helped him into bed. Then then came back to the car and we went home.
I hope the man stayed in bed. I hope it was his apartment (haha). In the morning, he would have absolutely no recollection of what had happened the night before. Which is fine by me.
The night became disturbing when, nearing Lee Highway, we saw a man in the median of the road. He had fallen and could not get up…in fact he started crawling. He had no shoes on. It was clear that he was either very drunk or very weak/ill. Either way, we could not leave him, so we stopped in hopes of helping him. When we got to him, we could tell that he had been drinking, heavily. We got him on his feet, and it became obvious that he was in no shape to continue his journey on foot (or knee).
He looked to me to be in his sixties…but he could have been younger. I just could not tell in the dark. Then again, I don’t know if I’m a good judge of age. He was dressed in clean, decent athletic clothing, and had a very nice pair of glasses on, and we did not feel like he was homeless, so we asked him what his address was. “Four one four,” he said, and then repeated: “Four one four.” But no street address. “Should we look at your license to see where you live?” I asked him, and he said that his wallet had been stolen…and in fact, he did not seem to have a wallet on him. No identification at all. But finally, we got the name of his street and we put him in our car. Yes, we put him in our car. That’s a real iffy thing to do, I realize. I mean, who was this guy and what were we going to do with him if we didn’t find his home? We didn’t want to take him to the police. They would put him in jail and then he would have that on his record. And we could not leave him there in the median…it was about to storm. He could have been hit by a car, or struck by lightning, or he could have fallen again and ended up in a gutter and drowned. It could happen.
We drove around looking for the 400 block of his road. It didn’t make sense, because we were in the 4000 block, which made me believe he probably meant 4014, not 414. Thank goodness that was correct, and at last we got him to 4014, where it turns out he lived in a basement apartment. It was quite dark by then, and, leaving me in the car, H and EO walked him (one on each side) to his apartment. It was so dark and late, I was afraid someone would think they were burglers and shoot them or something (yes, I’m a worrier…worrier, I say, not a warrior). As they passed the man’s car, they found his wallet, keys, a half eaten hotdog and I think they said an empty Vodka bottle (but could not find his shoes). They took these things and the man into the apartment and helped him into bed. Then then came back to the car and we went home.
I hope the man stayed in bed. I hope it was his apartment (haha). In the morning, he would have absolutely no recollection of what had happened the night before. Which is fine by me.
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