Saturday, January 13, 2007
It's hard to find good help these days
M and I went out to dinner tonight to use my "gift certificate" that I received from my friend back in October. We were out to blow $60 so we got everything we wanted. We had crab dip appetizer and salads. I had the pasta primavera alfredo and M had the chopped steak with onions, peppers and mushrooms. He had two Heinekens with his meal and we topped it off with two slices of Chef Lisa's Toll House pie. I brought home more of my meal in my to-go box than I ate.

When the waiter brought our meal the total was $32.00. Huh? I've known the waiter since he was a little boy and he's not one of the brightest bulbs in pack. Very nice, but you could tell he had just gotten the job. He made a few minor mistakes along the way, but we knew the bill was all wrong. I took the check up to pay the Innkeeper and told him he'd better pull out his pen. The waiter had failed to charge us for the crab dip and had charged $7.95 for my meal instead of $13.95. So he missed it by $14.00. I settled up and we went on our merry way.

I figure the Innkeeper needs to make a living and needs to know his waiter isn't so hot at math. And the higher the bill the more tip the waiter got, so it wasn't a total loss for him, even if he does get a talking to about it.
Fun at Grandma's
Emma hammed it up for Grandma and Uncle K. when we got there. Here she's in the laundry basket playing with the Big Red Bear.


Big Red Bear got tossed overboard, now she has the boat all to herself.


Grandma is a soft touch. Not thirty minutes after supper she was firing up some popcorn for Emma.


Grandma does needlepoint Christmas ornaments to give away and to sell. Here are some stars that go on lollipops. Emma was lining them up and counting them.


Now she's looking at the Emma Book. This was Grandma's Christmas gift from Emma, a retrospective of her second year.

You think I'm high maintenance???
Try maintaining the health and well-being of a two year-old. For starters, just leaving the house requires major preparation. Here are some highlights.

1. Always, ALWAYS have a paci and Tigger at the ready, wherever you are, NO MATTER WHAT.

2. To go to Mary's you must have lunch, milk in a sippy, and plenty of diapers and wipes.

3. When we go out shopping I must have the black bag with diapers, wipes, water in a straw sippy, raisins, pretzels, truck, tractor, school bus, motorcycle and car.

4. When we go on long trips we must have a "show." (DVD in player)

5. No hats! Baseball caps excepted.

6. No mittens or gloves. Forget it.

7. Must be allowed to help dump potty and flush.

8. Must have Little Einsteins, Mickey Mouse or Dora ready to go at a moment's notice.

9. Must let her turn of her lamp before bed and after diaper change in the morning. Mr. Moon must be turned off before we can leave the room.

10. Must give Daddy a kiss before we leave in the morning.

11. Must shut yard gate behind us.

12. When we go to the store must grab Pringles, water and produce a car to ride in.

13. Must let her read her own books. Do not presume to read them to her unless she asks.

14. Must know where the Russian dolls are at all times.

15. Must be ready to go with the crayons or the playdoh at a moments notice.

There's more, but some demands come and go, so you definitely have to be on your toes.
Busy day yesterday
We did some shopping with Noni. We went to the Farmer's Market, Finders Keepers, Target and Costco. My mission was to pick up some tobacco for the store and buy a baby shower gift for my niece. She's expecting a boy in February. I ended up getting her a Bumbo and a starter kit for the Playtex bottles. Now I have to figure out how the wrap the Bumbo, which comes in a hexagonal box. Joy!

Emma behaved quite well yesterday. She got her popcorn at Target so she was a happy camper.
Friday, January 12, 2007
It's not too late to De-Lurk!
I didn't mean to scare you away with my high maintenance requirements. Your clicks and occasional comments are sufficient. I've you've been waiting for the right moment, this is your chance. Click here.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Short post
Here's your picture for the day, Emma test driving a rocking horse. We're at Noni and Popi's for the night. Tomorrow is a state holiday in Virginia, Lee-Jackson Day, in honor of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, both Generals for the South in the Civil War. Because of this and Martin Luther King, Jr. day, every January I get a four-day weekend. So does Noni. They used to combine Lee-Jackson and Martin Luther King, Jr. day, but some people decided that honoring all those people on the same holiday wasn't such a swell idea. I can't imagine why.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Playing 'em like a fiddle
Now I know Emma's mine. She spends a considerable amount of her time and energy begging for chips and candy. If you tell her no to one thing she'll wait about two minutes and come back asking for something similar. She'll push a kitchen chair up to the cabinets and then ask you to open the door so she can browse for the next item to beg. I counter-offer raisins, pretzels, and Cheerios. It's a constant battle these days. Of course then you get to suppertime and she takes two bites from her meal and decides she's done. Argh.

The last several times when we stopped by the store Daddy would let her have Pringles and water. Then he'd pull out her car for a ride. It's no wonder she wants to go to the store every day.

Here she is negotiating.



Here he is capitulating.


Here she is masticating.
A little "surgery" today
At least that's what the medical center will call it when they submit it to my insurance. I had some skin removed. I had two moles on my back removed, one on my neck and one on my front shoulder. Four little pieces of me are on their way to LabCorp for a biopsy. I don't expect to hear anything significant back from it, they just had to go through the motions to get my insurance to pay for it.

The moles on my back I've had forever. Every time a doctor would see my back they'd say "Have you ever had those looked at?" I'd always think to myself, "yeah, dumbass, you're looking at it right now." But of course that's my mean old id talking; I stifle him pretty good. I had something on my neck that concerned me this fall and went to see about it in early November. We had a consult and she froze that on the spot. She said we had to watch the rest and see if there were any changes (for insurance purposes) before we could remove them.

Now I have stitches in three places. The numbness is wearing off and I'm starting to feel it. Right now I'm feeling a vague burning sensation, kind of like having a sunburn. I took some ibuprofen so I'm hoping the ache doesn't get much worse.

I had so much fun today that I'm planning to go to the dentist first thing tomorrow!
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
When the party's over...
A very sad tree, waiting for it's box.


Yessss! She's been dying to get her hands on Daddy's little orange box of screwdriver bits. M said she knew how to open it right away.



A meme from Angie
Angie tagged me for the meme "Five Crazy Things About Me"

So I'm thinking...are we talking wild-and-crazy, quirky, or I'm-backing-out-of-the-room-slowly-and-hoping-she-doesn't-notice crazy?

I can't do it. I can't come up with anything. I tried, I really did. I just don't do crazy very well. But, I'd hate to disappoint my faithful readers, so instead I'm giving you...

Fifteen Reasons Highland Gal is High Maintenance

1. I have to have my eyes on the road when in a car, so the front seat is highly desired or I get queasy. If I absolutely have to be in the back seat I must be behind the passenger.
2. I have to sleep on the left side of the bed.
3. Ice...then sweet and low...then tea.
4. I must have lots of cash in my wallet. But watch out! I carry mace. (<--totally lying)
5. In a restaurant I want to sit facing the door.
6. At Noni's I have to have "my" pillow. (Satin pillowcase keeps bed head at bay)
7. Every room needs a soft light. I can't stand to be in a room with an overhead light without a lamp on.
8. I won't wear more than one ring on a hand.
9. I won't pick up the phone until it rings twice.
10. I won't eat a cherry cordial until I pluck the cherry out of it and throw it in the trash.
11. I have a keen eye for symmetry, anything off will bug the crap out of me.
12. I'm also the one sitting on my hands dying to straighten the picture on your wall.
13. I prefer, and send, handwritten Thank You notes.
14. I do know proper etiquette. I'm a fan.
15. I must drink a mudslide while it's frozen, otherwise what's the point?

UPDATE: I would just like to add, as I mentioned in the comments, that if you're with me you wouldn't know any of these things are happening. I would just quietly arrange my environment to suit myself as best I could. It's not like I boss people around to achieve these ends.
Monday, January 08, 2007
National De-Lurking Week, Jan. 8-12

Andrea has reminded us that it's National De-Lurking Week. So here again is my pathetic little plea to my readers to throw me a bone and reward me for all my toil and sweat on this little blog; post a comment and say "Hi."
Deviated Path Official Seal


You can make one of your own at Official Seal Generator. Be prepared to waste a buttload of time. It was a much lighter green before I uploaded it to Blogger.
Little Drummer Girl
She got a pack of disposable tablewear for Christmas. She dumped it all out on the garage and then proceeded to drum out the beat on the container.


Later she read to Daddy.


Sunday, January 07, 2007
File this under "Things I Don't Understand"
I'm not quite sure why Emma felt the need to scrub daddy's flag pole with the scrub brush she found by the water faucet.
Post-Christmas work detail
Today was a workday at home. The Christmas tree and all the decorations came down. We have yet to figure out where all the new Christmas stuff will go. Emma did very well at occupying herself while we were busy. Here she is coloring:



Chatterbox
Emma has been non-stop today. She's hardly touched her paci. She's chattering to herself as she plays, or she's reading to herself. She won't even let daddy read. She has to do all the reading now. It would be awesome if we could understand everything she's saying.
January haiku
Christmas is over
The decorations are packed
Wake me up in May.