Insert Clever Blog Name Here

Voila! ( Hubby with his didgeridoo. )

(He loves it, btw.) He also loves his Mythbusters tee shirt which says: "I reject your reality and substitute my own" on the front. :D

I have not wanted to say too much about it here, due to the risk of hubby reading (which he doesn't really, but why take the chance?), but now it is over and safe to say:

I organized a surprise party for my hubby's 40th and pulled it off without a hitch!

About three weeks ago, I got the idea that hubby should have a "better than usual" celebration for this very special birthday. So, I asked my SIL if she would mind if I used her house to host a surprise party. She was all for it, so the planning began.

I have to say, the only thing I was a bit disappointed about was the fact that I couldn't get in touch with a couple of hubby's friends--and the ones I did get in touch with didn't either. But you can't have everything.

Oh, I was in full-out Slytherin mode the last few weeks, let me tell you. From making the arrangements to ordering the food, it was fun and nerve-wracking at the same time. I haven't kept a secret from him in ages, so it was difficult not to crow about things to him the way I do normally--in fact, I had to keep reminding myself not to tell him things!

I decided early on that I was going to let the Publix deli cater this event. My son works there, so I placed an order and he picked it all up. Including the cake from the Publix bakery.



I got the decorations (Batman themed-I wasn't going to do that "Over the Hill" crap) last weekend and dropped them off at my son's place along with another gift I got for hubby.

And since the party was the weekend after his actual birthday, I still did the traditional birthday things...I took him out to dinner and gave him a gift on the day, etc.

I also had my SIL and his mother both call on his birthday to invite him over so they could "celebrate" with him and give him his gift.

He had no idea.

His brother called one of their friends who lives in Kentucky, and he and his wife (also a childhood friend) came down. Hubby's best friend, his kids and his g/f came, along with my son and his family and of course his brother and family and his parents.

When we got there, he noticed my son's car and wondered what they were doing there, but I just shrugged and pretended innocence. Heh. When we opened the door and went inside, they all said "Surprise!" and hubby was shocked and pleased. After lunch, he opened his gifts...he loved the Batman card my sister got for him:


Everyone had a great time and I am so pleased that it all worked out so well.

I have to thank my sister and brother in law and my son and his wife for all of their effort and hard work. Without them, this wonderful day could never have happened.

Bonus pics of cute grandbabies:

Well, nearly.

The day started VERY well...ahem. *cough*

I got the best Valentine card EVER.

We lazed around the place for a bit before going out to pick up a few needed household items (new bathroom rug, lighter blanket for those nights when we need something more than a bed sheet but less than the afghan I made, new shower curtain...things like that) then we headed over to one of our favorite restaurants, Carrabba's Italian Grill.

I had checked on their website for their Saturday hours, which stated 3-11. I tried to do the call ahead seating, but the phone wouldn't connect, which I thought was a bit odd. We arrived at about 4:15 and were shocked to see a sign outside which said they had opened at 12 for Valentine's day. EEK! We went in and it was packed. The hostess told us the wait was 35-45 minutes. We decided to go ahead and wait since we figured it would be that way at every restaurant. So we went over to the bar, grabbed a seat and ordered a drink. We chatted as we sipped our beverage and before we knew it, our table was available. And it was closer to 30 than 45 minutes, yet it didn't seem that long at all.

We had a fabulous waiter--thanks Josh!--and a fabulous meal that couldn't be beat. (On our way out the door, the lobby was even more packed than it had been and we overheard that the wait was 1 1/2 hours at 5:30...their staff was in for a looong night.)

Then we were off to Mordor (aka Wal-Mart) so that hubby could purchase his fortieth birthday gift to himself...a Playstation 3. We got it at Wal-Mart because my daughter-in-law works there and offered to use her discount card for the purchase...which took like 50 bucks off the final cost.

Then we went to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store to purchase the annual chocolate which is my traditional gift. His penance for not buying my gift before the actual day. ;) (In his defense, he explained that he did not really have a valentine until he met me (Aww) so he's still getting used to it and the day sneaked up on him. I believe him and hey, I got some real quality chocolate out of the deal, so yay.)

After that, we came home and he geeked out all over his new game system while I finished up a Christmas gift for a friend I'm having lunch with today.

This Valentine's day will be hard to beat.

...on Monday afternoon. I slept for most of the day and woke up at about 2:30 and felt immeasurably better.

Tuesday I got up and went to work. By Tuesday night I had a massive, red, hot, itchy rash on my left leg from the knee down. And it HURT. So, we treated it with Benadryl cream and I took a pain pill then went to bed. I wanted to go see the doctor on Wednesday, but Hubby was being a butthead and wouldn't go with me and I wouldn't go by myself, so we went to work angry.

By last night it was getting a bit better, it seemed. We have been washing it twice a day and smearing the Benedryl cream over it and that seems to be helping. Hubby promised that we would go on Saturday if it isn't better by then.

I don't think it's shingles, which is what we speculated at first.(I had all the symptoms) I told my physical therapist what had happened and asked her if a sudden fever can cause a rash to break out and she said "yes, it can".

So, today, it looks better. Hopefully by Saturday it will have healed enough so that we don't have to go to the doctor AGAIN.

I can't wait for 2007 to be over...it has been a bitch of a year, health-wise, for us!

On another completely unrelated note: I got to talk to my daughter today. Her birthday was Tuesday and I tried to call her at least six different times during the day. I left a singing "Happy Birthday" on her voice mail on her cell phone along with a second message. Didn't hear from her until our phone rang at 6:45 this morning.

Now, my hubby and I were a bit freaked out by a phone call that early--especially since my darling dad has been having some health issues lately--but it was just my Amanda...who forgot about the time difference. I didn't mind a bit and we had a lovely chat. It turns out she does the same thing as I do...she forgets to charge her cell phone, so it was dead and she didn't get the message until today. :) She has passed her student teaching class with flying colors and is just hoping to get interviewed for a true teaching job before the end of the month...which will be the official end of the assignment. I'm sure she will have something by then! I let her know I was coming to FL to attend her graduation...thanks to my mom! It was a lovely way to start the day and, Amanda? Feel free to call me again any time.

Lastly, not about me, but hubby. He baked his very first pumpkin pie tonight. I wasn't here when he had to take it out of the oven and he might have pulled it a bit too soon, but it's definitely edible! Go, hubby!! (Well, I did roll out the dough and flute the edges and put the aluminum foil around so the crust didn't burn...but other than that, he did it all!)

Hubby's appointment with the oral surgeon is today and the wisdom teeth come out tomorrow.

So, guess who gets to play nurse?

NOT looking forward to it.

(You know...maybe I'm being unfair. Maybe he will not whine and moan and expect me to fetch and step...maybe...)

Yeah,right. If the way he deals with the flu is any indication, I'm in for it.

Sigh.

In other news, my surgeon says I'm doing well and I got my stiches out on Tuesday. I'm going back to work on Monday...hope that goes okay...

Nothing much else to report.

My darling husband was born. I love you!






Happy Birthday, Baby!

Well, I had my first "official" full day on the phone at work yesterday.

It wasn't terrible. It could be better if I wasn't sitting next to a whiny-ass bitch who snorts when she laughs and doesn't know how to talk quietly.

I left work with a headache yesterday because of her foul mood. She got a couple of frustrating calls and just let her day spiral down into a morass of anger and bitterness which she had no problem venting to any and all around her.

I understand getting frustrating calls. I've gotten them myself at this and every other phone job I've ever had. But you do not bitch about it all fucking day long until you drive your co-workers insane.

I had to put in my earplug to try to mute her---and I could STILL HEAR HER even with a headset on (the headset only has one earphone-unfortunately-hence, the earplug for the other ear.

In other news, hubby and I got to do the grandparent thing last Saturday. We had Tyler from 10am to 6pm because both kids were working. That little boy wore us out. I worked some ot in the morning, so hubby had him from 10-12. I brought lunch home with me and we ate then we headed off to the Discovery Center here in town to let him run off some energy.

He seemed to have fun...yet, he doesn't have a very long attention span. He would dash from one thing to another, hardly lingering at any of them at all. And he didn't want to interact with the other children at all, either. I'm not sure if that's because he is still kind of young (after all, he's only 2) or because he hasn't really had a chance to be around other children yet. It's been so long since I was around a 2-year-old, I don't really know.

Anyway, after we saw and did nearly everything inside, we took the baby out to the playground and let him run around on the climbing apparatus for about a half an hour...until Nana and Pa Pa got too cold. Heh. Then we came home and he took a nap...I have to say that we dozed as well.

My son came at six and relieved us.

When hubby and I first got married, I used to say that I'd like to have a child with him. It's a good thing he had no interest in having kids, because I think I'm past caring for them on an every-day basis. In fact, I wonder if I'm going to be any good at all at this "grandma" thing. I am not a "natural" at it like my sister...and I find myself frustrated most of the time.

*sigh*

Anyway, time to finish getting ready for work.

Exhibit A:

Hubby is now broadcasting on YouTube! He's posted a couple of vids, one of which is "our story."



Make with the clicky--then check out his other vids.

Then you will understand why I fell in love with him. :)