My day yesterday. In 13 words.

Workout
Muscle Milk
Sunny colleague
Exciting
Tio Pepe with my guys
Laughing
Happy

nice bumpersticker, hon.

Saw this today in Baltimore. For those of you who aren’t from these parts, Hon is the Universal Name…Like Sir, Ms…interchangeable with any name (according to Baltimore Lexicon experts). Baltimore is also know for HonFest – a fun and fab celebration. But at any rate, I loved the bumpersticker. Can’t find them online. Might have to make my own.

I couldn’t make this up.

Today, as I was leaving the grocery store, there was woman standing in front of the automatic exit door. She looked frantic. She was waving her arms over her head, off to the side and up again.

Our eyes met. Obviously the door wasn’t working. She couldn’t trip the motion switch. I could see the panic. Stuck in the Giant forever, her eyes said.

I walk beside her, reached out and pushed the door open.

Bullet points.

Jenne’ posted a random bullet list the other day. It got me to thinking. And then, she suggested I write one too. (Was that because my comment was so huge and rambling? Oops. Sorry!) But yes, I will take that challenge.

So here’s what is in my head today.

• Baltimore Restaurant Week is starting. We’ve let the boys choose where to go. I think it’s so cool that they want to go someplace with these entree choices:
  Salmon Ahumado de Asturias
  Filete de Tilapia Alcazar
  Tortilla de Gambas
  Pollo a al Riojana
  Ternera Asada Luis Candelas
  Roast veal with mushroom sauce and sautéed potatoes
• We’re baking bittersweet chocolate and chipolte bars this afternoon.
• Last night we had dinner at a friend’s house with 3 other couples and their kids. The adults hung out and talked and laughed for hours. How fun is that? We all learned some interesting things:
  Scott can’t whistle.
  Andrew can’t snap his fingers.
  Ross can do this very odd Mexican Jumping Bean thing.
  Ellen can do a bacon wiggle thing on the floor.
  Seriously, we did not even drink that much.
• I love thunderstorms. A big one is brewing.
• Reed and I have the same taste in music. I never thought I’d like my kids’ music. Or that they’d like mine. It sure makes picking a radio station in the car easier.
• Each of my boys grew over an inch since April. And each grew a shoe size or more, too.
• Why does it seem we have to DO something all the time? Sometimes I’d like to do NOTHING.
• I found 3 pairs of ski gloves in the car. Today. In July.
• I went to a great friend’s 40th birthday luncheon almost 2 years ago and she had these great picture frames as place cards at the table. I just printed a great picture of us together and put it in the frame. It makes me smile.
• I love public speaking. It shocks me since I was so afraid for so long.
• I am always amazed at how hard it is to read email the way it was intended. Shorthand and rushing makes it tough – it comes across so terse sometimes. I wish everyone re-read every email before hitting send.
• I think that many people think others don’t understand their motivations for saying and asking certain things. And I think it’s more transparent than they imagine. And I think they’d be embarrassed if they realized.
• I get so excited about adventures with the kids. Friday, we leave for a friend’s mountain cabin. Mini-bikes. Fishing. Can’t wait.
• No wonder I’m exhausted. I have lots of stuff in my head.

A is for ‘actually not a great morning’

I got screwed.

Well, in actuality, I drove over a long Phillips head wood screw. Long enough that it went through the tire and out the sidewall.

Oops.

Good news is, we realized it a block from home. (This was last night.)

This morning, I called AAA. I’ve been a member since 2004 (I thought it was longer!) and have never had the need for their services.

Except for the occasional map. I love maps. But I digress.

I called at 8:30 a.m. They said they’d be here by 9:20 a.m. At 9:25 I called. He’s 2 miles away.

9:50. The phone rings. We’re sending someone else. Oh. Okay.

10:00. Nice guy shows up. Changes tire. (You know, that little bitty tire. Hee hee.)

But none of this is what drove me to write about this morning. Sure I had to wait. But I had 2 newspapers, a great cup of coffee and it was a gorgeous morning. I opened the van doors and it was pretty darn relaxing. So no big deal.

But.

Of the 10 people who walked past, only one said anything. (This was in MY neighborhood.) The one man who spoke did tell me I had a flat tire. (grin)

Of the 12 cars that passed me while I sat in the back of the van, in front of someone else’s house, feet sticking out, flat tire and all…half knew me.

Guess how many stopped to see if I needed help? To see if I was okay? To say hello?

ZERO.

Now come on. Maybe it’s just me. But if I saw someone I knew from the neighborhood in a disabled car in front of someone else’s house, I’d at least roll down the window and ask.

I’m just saying.

Thursday night.

I love my mahj girls. Not much to say tonight. But a huge shout-out to EKL&L. (And K too, even though you weren’t there tonight.) I love playing with you. It’s just what the doctor ordered.

Hairy situation.

American Laser Centers recently sent out a press release about a hair removal survey. They report that women spend more than $10,000 in their lifetime on hair removal products and services. From the release:

Survey respondents reported they will spend more than 58.4 days removing hair from their bodies during their lifetime. The survey also revealed that women remove unwanted body hair for an average period of 53.6 years using methods including shaving, waxing and depilatory creams.

While women report a small monthly spend on shaving, $15.87 per month, the lifetime investment for females who shave adds up to $10,207.

Delapidory cream- or lotion-users are paying slightly more than those who shave for their hair removal, $10,555 through their lifetime, yet they only remove hair one to two times per month.

Waxing is by far the most expensive form of hair removal. While respondents reported waxing only one to two times per month, women who wax will spend an average of $23,000 on hair removal in a lifetime.

I can tell you that I spent almost $40 just last week. And if I replace that rusty razor, it’d be even higher. Hey, does shaving cream count? I sometimes use hair conditioner. Just that left over stuff from the hotels.

And if you want to know the advantages of – you guessed it – laser hair removal, read the full release here.

Zest-fully clean.

Finished unpacking the boys from camp.

You are not going to believe me when I tell you this. But it’s true. No one could make this up.

No one.

When I opened the plastic soap box in which I’d lovingly placed the brand new bar of Zest for one of my darling sons, I noticed something.

Something shocking.

Disturbing.

Downright wrong.

The soap was in tact. The letters engraved – Z. E. S. T. were perfect.

Water had never touched it’s deodorant-cleaning-nice-smelling surface.

It was untouched. Unused.

How gross is that?

It’s a small world. But I wouldn’t want to paint it.

On Saturday, we went to ArtScape. Just Andrew and me.

And aside from the 95 degree weather, it was wonderful.

We just wanted to walk around. See some art. Drink a mojito or two. Listen to some music.

Sweet.

Within the first few minutes, a booth caught my eye. Bright colors. Bold. Shiny. I was compelled to walk into the booth. Liz Williams’ booth.

I liked her work so much, we stopped over to say hello. I thought I’d get a card and maybe buy something when the budget allows. She was friendly. From Atlanta, she said.

And then I asked, “is your maiden name Mallory?” (Yes, I realize this is an odd question.)

She cocked her head and said, “How did you know that?”

I never forget a face. She and I shared an apartment in Richmond, Virginia in 1982 and haven’t seen each other or spoken since. We never had a falling out or anything. We were really just casual acquaintances – friends of friends. But we liked each other. (Or at least I liked her.) And then, we just went our separate ways.

It was great seeing her. Odd to run into her that way.

I love her work. If you want to see more, check out this gallery. Or email Liz.

Tell her Wendy says hi!