No, we didn't have lunch at Pepsi

Very rarely does a comment, or even a letter, in regards to something unsatisfactory ever result in a positive change. Several weeks ago, during a visit to one of our favorite restaurants, Oregano's, Brian and I were dismayed to discover that the restaurant's new to-go cups were suddenly too large to fit in the car's cup holders. The cups also were generic Pepsi cups, which, to be shallow, were not as cool as the restaurant's personalized to-go cups. But my biggest complaint was that they were too wide. Brian and I groused to each other. No big deal.
A couple weeks after that, when Mom and I had lunch there, I had the opportunity to chat with the manager (who had just come by to ask us how our lunch was and to be sure we were happy). I, of course, told him how delicious our lunch was (as usual), but then said, "You know, if I can complain about something random though, I want to talk to you about the new to-go cups." From there, I laid out how they were too big to fit in cup holders, and how, after years and years of never having a complaint about Oregano's, I was now irked by the new cups. The manager, if you can believe it, seemed to have appreciated the completely random feedback. Honestly, I didn't give it another thought after that.
But today, Mom, Brian, Sydney and I ate at Oregano's for lunch. I asked for my tea in a to-go cup, as I do, without thinking of the too-big cup issue. And what do you think was set down in front of me? Nothing but this perfectly awesome Oregano's to-go cup. The exact size as before, and ideal in every way. Now, I won't take total credit for this small, but significant, victory. But I do think I deserve some credit for it. ... And one more thing is right in the world again.

Butterflies fluttering by

A butterfly pavilion haiku:

Watch where you step, peeps;
butterflies rest on the ground;
and don't care for shoes.

We visited the butterfly garden this morning, and enjoyed another day of fluttering wings, bright colors and tiny feet that can taste.
Sydney and I have gotten really good at "picking up" the butterflies by encouraging them to step up onto our fingers, but this little guy in the picture just LANDED on Mom's finger. He's actually super awesome, because his wings are transparent. This may be the coolest looking dude we've ever seen there.

It looks quite uncomfortable, actually

My kid loves dinosaurs. She has for several years. She's seven now, and fell in love with the prehistoric dudes when she was two. That's a super long time for a child to be obsessed with a single thing. Her dream career: paleontology. Her biggest pet peeves: people who think she won't be a paleontologist, and people who don't like dinosaurs.
Adding to her dinosaur obsession is an obsession of mine, so I foster her love as often as possible. New dino shirts, toys, games, books and the like are always on my radar.
Where I feel like I've drawn the line though, is in random dinosaur art. And I mean, art, as in official paintings. This piece to the left was a painting on the wall in a restaurant in Phoenix last weekend. I thought it was super cool, and considered picking it up for her, but she didn't understand the awesomeness of Mr. T.
At the art festival today, Mom and I saw several pieces of artsy dinosaur wall hangings. I couldn't bring myself to buy any of them though. Is she too young to appreciate the art of them? I think so. She'd dig the dinosaur aspect, certainly. But the art-ness that would make them worth the money, or make them a waste if she ever loses interest in dinosaurs, kept me from going that extra step. Maybe in another few years, if the love is still there, I can start supplementing her bedroom wall hangings with more elaborate dinosaur art. But until then, I'll just take pictures of the ones that make me laugh. Like Mr. T riding through what looks like Hawaii on the back of a female stegosaurus.

The movie vs. book conundrum continues

Brian and I went to the theater last night and saw Divergent. I wanted to see this movie because it looked super cool and exciting, and because Theo James is dreamy. But mainly because there can never be too many movies with strong female protagonists running the plot. So when those films come out, we owe it to the filmmakers who put their own faith in the story (as well as our own daughters), to put our money towards these box office numbers.
But here's my issue: I've got the book, Divergent, on my To-Be-Read Pile. I really liked the movie, and now I'm all scared that the book won't live up to my enjoyment of the movie. Or that something I read will shift how much I enjoyed the movie. I realize that this is opposite of how things usually roll, and perhaps if I read the book before seeing the movie, as I had intended, I'd feel let down by the film. But really, I liked the movie.
I haven't read much in the way of reviews of the movie from people who have read the book, so I'm not even sure how to deal with this predicament. Because if the movie and the book are similar in goodness, do I even bother reading the 400 pages that will be just as good as the movie, and therefore redundant in my head? Do I "waste" that time reading Divergent when I could/should be reading something else on my Pile? Or is it worth reading the first book, just so I can dive into the second and third book, and then not have to wait to find out what happens next?
A quandary!

Auto registration: CHECK

And with that swipe of the debit card, Texas is gone from us, in all ways. Except a debt to the IRS, I guess, but whatever. At least we're done with Texas. Brian and I took the time to visit the DMV this morning; spent our 35 minutes waiting; and then were able to register both our cars. We now have Arizona license plates on the cars, finally scrubbing all visual aspects of Texas away.
On the AZDOT web site, there are a whole lot of license plates to choose from for you car: breast cancer, ASU, children's charities, pet charities, environment, Arizona Highways, and the like are all available for you to buy for your vehicle. Brian and I each had our choices in mind, and were eager to order them. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to order them right there, and instead got the standard Arizona license plate.
Here's the problem, because we did both cars at the same time and one right after each other, our license plates are off by only a single digit. My plate ends in 33; Brian's in 34. That's a problem because, we decided, they are adorable. (We're license plate buddies. And that's something that we say, and we think it's funny. License Plate Buddies. For reals.) So all the debating, and back and forthing, is now, perhaps, for naught. I think we'll stick with these plates for a while. Because they're adorable.

So thirsty, and awaiting my 'Bucks partner

ITEM!: When Mom is here, I enjoy flooding Facebook with our Starbucks stops and fun activities. Tomorrow, it begins.
ITEM!: Also, as I usually do on the day before Mom arrives for a visit, I spent the morning cleaning my house. Right now, all my counters are wiped clean, the carpets are vacuumed, the floors clean, and the everything is dusted. It looks great. But also, it reminds me how very much I hate cleaning the house. Next week, I'm going to get an estimate from a maid service for cleanings every two weeks. This cleaning bullshit is nonsense.
ITEM!: Where I live, the air conditioner has switched on for the past two days. The thermostat is set at 80 degrees, and it was tripped yesterday and today. This is not acceptable, specifically because my power bills have been glorious for the last few months. I am not looking forward to paying to cool a home again. We are supposed to have a bit of a cooling spell the rest of the week, so my a/c fears may be for naught, for now.
ITEM!: Tomorrow, we finally wash the last of Texas from our skin, by registering the cars in Arizona, and removing the Texas license plates. This is among the last of my things that have to be done before we can rest, though at this very moment, I can't think of anything else that needs to be tended to. I refuse to state that everything will be in good shape once the registration is done, because I'm pretty sure that something has slipped my mind. But WHEW, getting the registration finished will be a weight lifted from my shoulders.
ITEM!: I've watched Pitch Perfect twice today.

I need more awesome garden space

Is a blueberry bush usually a very large plant? I need to know if this image here to the left is typical of what I'd get, if I walked into a nursery and asked for a blueberry bush. They didn't have any blueberry bushes at Lowe's today, which was a bit disappointing, because we're on the hunt for one. Sydney and I decided some time last year that we needed a home-grown source for blueberries, but knew we'd have to wait until this spring to get one.
So, here we are, because it's spring in Arizona, hunting for blueberry bushes. But again, I wonder if they really come -- blooming as well -- in this smaller size. I don't want to plant it in my backyard, because we want to take it with us when we move, so it'll have to be somewhat portable. I've got a relatively large pot ready for it, too. This will be a task for our Thursday, I think, since we need to find a flowering plant for Sydney to take to school with her on Friday anyway.
BACKYARD UPDATE: I had to buy bug spray for my roses today, too (which is mainly why I went into Lowe's), to get rid of the aphids all over them. And my orange tree is still kinda smelling good, but now I wonder if I'm going to get any oranges. The rosemary plants are growing nicely, and there's fresh growth on my gardenia (despite Oliver peeing on it occasionally). I'd like to trim some of the purple, flowering tree's branches to clean up the aesthetic, as well. Finally, I think even the plumeria will see some happy growth, now that it's getting warmer.

Catch y'all on the flip side

It's that perfect storm of uncomfortableness when it's too warm to put the extra blanket on the bed when going to sleep, but then waking up chilly in the morning because the weather has cooled so much. Such was my predicament last night and this morning. In light of that, I got less sleep than I wanted, and so tonight, I'm super tired.
I've watched my zombie television for the evening. I've eaten my dessert. I've checked on all my kids to be sure they're comfortable themselves. My duties are done for the night, so I'm checking out for a few hours.
I'm looking forward to my hike in the morning.

Pop Culture has bad taste

I have no opinion about Kim Kardashian and Kanye West on the cover of this month's Vogue, except to say that if it was Vanity Fair, I'd be having a fit. I can't stand the Kardashian juggernaut out of principle, and West has never been of interest to me musically, so their "celebrity" always seems a bit forced. Pop Culture shoved these people down our collective throats, and, as happens every once in a while, I hate Pop Culture for it.
The backlash against Vogue is, of course, delicious to me. Because honestly, you can't tell me that there is a very real Vogue audience desire to see these two people on the cover of their magazine. And the rumor that West practically begged Anna Wintour to include them is fantastic.
I agree with most other decent magazine readers in thinking that Kardashians belong on the cover of US Weekly, People and InTouch, not fashion mags or thinking-persons' magazines (I lump Vanity Fair, Entertainment Weekly, Real Simple, and even Reader's Digest there; you know, magazines with articles more than just pictures). Like I said, if this had been Vanity Fair, I'd be screaming. In fact, I hope VF is taking note of all this, and appreciating that they weren't the magazine to do this.
Because of my reluctance to even include Kardashian and West on my blog, I'm instead featuring the photoshopped image that James Franco released on his Instagram with himself and Seth Rogen in the bride and groom positions. Now, that's a cover that I think all of us could appreciate.

My Mercury is in relevance

Honestly, I got nothing for today. I could tell you what I did, but beyond putting St. Patrick's Day decor away, and finally getting a well-deserved pedicure, it was pretty much a Friday. Target was a part of it, too. Still, it was another productive day. And tomorrow looks to be pretty good, as well.
It's been a while since I've looked at my horoscope, so let's go ahead and do that, shall we?
March 21, 2014 ~ CAPRICORN: Your hopeful nature comes out in a big way today and may show you a new option you hadn't considered before. It's an interesting time to try new things and move forward with confidence.
Huh. Well, let's look at the day again under this light. I was hopeful to have a decent looking pair of feet this weekend, and that happened. Witness the pedicure. A new option I hadn't considered before? I think I may stop watching Hart of Dixie, because it's just getting silly. That's an option I hadn't thought of until tonight. Also, I may decide to rip up my March Madness bracket.
Moving forward with confidence, I suppose, is our determination to get rid of the last holdovers of Texas life. And trying new things? Hmmm. I think we're going to take Sydney to play miniature golf tomorrow. I guess the horoscope was unknowingly relevant. I love it when that happens.

Frosting makes for good glue sometimes

It kinda freaks me out when things start going along well, or as if they will eventually work out. At this very moment, I have minimal bumps in my road, and it scares me a little. I had a ridiculously productive week. Shit got done; got scheduled; got taken care of; and got handled. I feel like quite the Wonder Woman.
My balancing act is a bit more stable than it has been in a while. And for the fun of it, I'm gonna give you all the highlights.
TEXAS: We are finally washing the last of Texas off us. I've got the auto insurance transferring to an Arizona policy holder; Saturday we're getting our cars emission tested; and next Wednesday, we've made plans to get the cars registered. No more Texas plates! And then, Kimmie gets a new windshield!!
HEALTH AND WELL BEING: My mammogram results were good. Brian's blood work from his physical came back showing that everything is functioning properly. I've got my own physical scheduled, as well as an appointment with a dermatologist.
HOUSEHOLD: All the St. Patrick's decor is down, and ready to be put in the bin tomorrow morning. Landlord Aaron came by today and may have solved the large puddle problem we've been having in the backyard. My roses are blooming.
FINANCES: I filed our 2013 taxes this morning, via Turbo Tax. I feel very proud of myself for doing this, not least of all because we are getting a refund, which I did NOT expect. I swore that Texas would fuck us over again this year, but it seems to not have happened. And it really was pretty easy, too. Another perk. Because I didn't go mental doing it all.
MIND AND BODY: I did, actually, start and finish a book, too. Beautiful Ruins was good, though not as active as I was hoping. I don't know what I expected, but it didn't really float my boat. Also, I got two hikes in this week. And I shaved my legs this morning.
You see? A magical week!!

No more Costner for a long while

One of the most fun ways for me to martyr myself is to see a truly awful movie, just so I can tell everyone else in my circle to not bother with it. So, here we go.
WE SAW IT SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO: 3 Days to Kill.
It's not very often that I turn and look at Brian in the very middle of a movie, and say, "This is silly." And then he agreed, which is even more rare.
Every once in a while, a movie starring an actor I don't always enjoy will pique my curiosity. For whatever reason, this movie starring Kevin Costner intrigued me. And because there was nothing else in the theater that we wanted to see more, we saw this film.
It was ... not good. There were random plot twists; bizarre antidotes to brain cancer; girl problems; marital issues with the lady from Gladiator; and an operative who doesn't serve much of a purpose. Also, Costner still kisses weird on screen.
Seriously, don't pay money for this one. If you feel like you have to watch it, and happen to be a Netflix member, it may be worth the rental, but that's about it. It was silly.

I think our time together is ending

My sinusitis and I had a good day today.
First, we went for a hike in the preserve, and thoroughly enjoyed being outside in the fresh air. We looked at flowers, got some exercise, and had a lovely conversation with Mom.
Then, we came home and got a whole lot of stuff done: scheduling appointments for Brian's physical follow-up and my own full physical; moving the auto insurance over from Texas to Arizona (finally!); printing all the tax information; downloading the tax program to my computer; and organizing papers on my desk.
Thirdly, we did some laundry, hung up a picture, did some futzing around the house, and then went and got some lunch.
While we ate lunch, we watched last night's The Tonight Show.
Next, we did some more laundry, and ate a cupcake.
Most excitedly, after all that, we decided to sit down and start reading Beautiful Ruins.
As the end of our time alone together today got closer, sinusitis gave me a bit of a break, and I'm able to feel air move farther into my head and sinuses than I have in weeks. It feels like the prednisone may be working. And if I feel as much better tomorrow morning as I did today, I'll be a very happy camper.
Sure, my sinusitis and I had a better day today than any other day for a while. But I'll be happy to say goodbye to the damn thing.

And now we know how to fight it

I have SINUSITIS. Very exciting. But at least I know that mine and mom's medical diagnosing skills are on point. The doctor at the urgent care this morning gave me prednisone to reduce the inflammation, and a prescription for five days worth of it, which should take care of this relatively quickly. I also have a prescription for an antibiotic, which I was told to not fill for a few days, to give the steroid some time to work first. It's not bacterial sinusitis, so the antibiotic won't work excellently well at first, I guess. I took my first dose of prednisone this morning right after the doctor's appointment. I have to say, at this point, more than 12 hours later, I really thought I would be feeling even a little better. But my nose still hurts, my sinuses are still throbbing, and I'm still in a bad mood because of it. I'm really happy that I took care of it (somewhat) today, because it's really uncomfortable.
Speaking of uncomfortable, I also got a mammogram today! Because in addition to head irritation, we should just add chest waffle-ironing, too. The clinic I visited today wasn't as lush as the one in Houston, but it was still very nice, and very calming. I got squozed (not a real word) a lot. Happily, we are done with that for a year ... unless we're not. And in that case, another mammogram is the least of my issues.
Speaking of issues, Sydney and I had a chat about her participation in Animal Jam, and while she's mad at me and slammed her door because her chat options are now so limited, she wasn't mad enough to not speak to me at bedtime. And she still loves me. But I was told earlier, "You know, I'm pretty mad right now. And I don't want to talk to you." I can live with that, kiddo, if it keeps you safe online and keeps me from freaking out. Irish.
Speaking of Irish, today's only excellentness comes from the fact that it's St. Patrick's Day. Other facts: Corned beef and cabbage is not an Irish dish. Do not write it as St. Patty's Day; it is St. Paddy's Day. There are more Irish people in the United States than in Ireland. A day celebrating my Gramps and his leprechaun-ness is awesome, as was my conversation with Sydney this morning, where I got to tell her how wonderful he was, and how much he would have loved her, and how much we all miss him.

No kidding, I'm so annoyed

My irritation with life has been on overdrive lately, in response to my nose, specifically. Remember about a month ago when I had that cold? Well, I'm still dealing with the after-effects of it, and it's all about my nose. It makes me very angry that I haven't gotten healthy again.
I think I've figured out the problem, though. I think I've got a sinus infection. The cold must have developed into something worse. It's really the only thing that can explain what my nose issues mean.
But, since I'm no doctor, tomorrow, before my mammogram (yay; so much fun for a Monday), I'll head over to the urgent care to get my head looked at by someone more qualified than I. Hopefully, it will result in a lovely prescription that will make me feel better. Because this continuing illness is pissing me off.