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Sunday, September 30, 2007

Roars and Snores

I petted a rhinocerous, I fed a giraffe, I touched a hedgehog, I walked at least 100 miles. Our camera battery died. We had so much fun. I'm tired as a person could possibly be, but in a very good way. I have to admit I was more than a little nervous at the prospect of spending the night at the zoo. Doubly nervous since we didn't know until we got there if we'd be in with the reptiles and amphibians or in the saltwater aquarium. Triply nervous because my darling husband agreed to take and be responsible for another kid whose parents could not go (and there may be more on this in a later post).

It all went well. My worries were for naught. I'm so glad we went and I'm so glad we took O because I know this is one of those things all the boys will remember forever. Possibly one of the stories they'll tell their grandkids. They'll embellish it, of course.

When we got there, we unloaded and divided into groups. I thought we were stuck in the reptile house group, but somehow ended up in the aquarium group because the numbers were off or something. That was sooo cool. Well, except for when someone popped up about an hour after everyone went to sleep and yelled 'THE EEL IS OUT." and all the kids ran to the front of the tank and started screaming about it. That was exciting, but not exactly "cool" for us old people.

After setting up, we had pizza and our group of 60 split up into another 3 groups. Our group started in the small animal exibit. There we got to touch a snake, a hedgehog and look at an exotic bird up close. The zoo people told the kids all about them. I spent most of my efforts keeping the kids focused so I missed a lot of the talk. Then we went on a "night hike" and to check out the animal habitats and see who was "up." We saw the elephants and one of the lionnesses out in the dark. Then she showed us where they keep the animal's food. The kids were most excited by the mice. Both the dead ones on a glue trap in the grain room and the frozen ones in the freezer across the hall. Yep, frozen mice - individually frozen with their fur on and packed on a little styrofoam meat tray. ICK!

Then came the really cool part. We went to see the rhinos and were allowed to reach into the cages and pet their tusks. Their tusks feel really strange - kind of soft and smooth, but hard and rough all at the same time. We got an up-close look at some lions and some tigers. Not just close, but so close that if we reached out we could have touched them. We were, however, very careful not to reach out and touch them! Next, we got to feed the giraffes. Giraffes (at the zoo at least) eat cut up bananas and apples. Sunshine kept dropping his fruit because he couldn't manage to hang onto something that disgusting long enough to carry it two feet from the bucket to the giraffe. Wow. Giraffes are actually quite friendly and seem like they'd be really fun to have for a pet if you had a large enough yard. The yard would have to have extremely tall trees, but they'd sure be fun to have around!

I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting something here. When that was all done we went back to the little dining deck and had some animal crackers and water for a snack then it was off to bed. Which involved walking back uphill to the aquarium to get our stuff, down to the bathrooms and uphill again to the aquarium. By this time my legs could barely move and I was too tired to do more than tell the kids to get themselves into their sleeping bags and pass out.

This morning we had breakfast, then had a full 3 hours to tour the zoo before it opened to the public. If you ever decide to do one of these zoo overnight things, definitely do it on a Saturday night. That was a huge bonus to the whole trip.

I have a couple of people who took pictures for us since our camera battery died about 20 minutes into the trip and if they actually do send them I'll post them.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

My book reviews

Not sure if anyone ever checks out my book review blog. I'm not sure exactly why I started except it seemed like book reviews don't really fit on this blog and I occasionally like to blabber about books I've read.

I thought I should point out for those of you who actually do read the book reviews that I don't necessarily blog every book I read and that there is absolutely no rhyme nor reason as to why I do or don't blog about a book. I'm updating my list of books I'm reading and realized I might mention that lest anyone is holding their breath for reviews on some of the books I've read recently. Not likely, but stranger things have happened.

Monday, September 17, 2007

I hate AT&T

First, let me say that the only reason we have a landline in the first place is for our internet service. We had problems with cable when we moved out here so we switched over to DSL. I'm not really advocating that DSL is better or has better service in general - at our previous house we'd had cable because they couldn't get the DSL to work right there. OK, there we actually went without phone service for weeks at a time because the phone company couldn't be bothered to come out and fix broken lines. Here, they couldn't get cable to work, but no problems with the phone service. At least now until now. But, I digress.

Recently our area changed zip codes. Which has been a huge hassle because many stores and a little site called Google Maps have our new zip code listed as being in an entirely different town. Not just the next town over, but a town I'd never heard of - Sandy, Texas. I'm sure Sandy is a very nice place to live. I'm not dissing it. But, I happen to live in Round Rock, which is in Williamson County, just north of Austin. Sandy is in Blanco County, somewhere between Johnson City and Llano. Nice. So, I'm wondering if that's what's taking my mail so long now that we've changed - does it all have to go to Sandy first?

Well, the change apparently caused some issues with the phone company. Because now that we are in the 78665 zip code, which they have changed for us, we are now outside the city limits of Sandy and we got a card letting us know that our calls to Sandy, Austin and Round Rock are now long distance. Which doesn't really matter since I use my mobile for most calls anyway. But, I find it more than a little disturbing that they want to charge me long distance fees to call my next door neighbor. Since she is also 81.7 miles outside the city limits of Sandy it seems it should be a local call. Am I right here? Yes, I realize I can just walk next door, but what if I just got out of the shower and need to tell her something urgent? It's the principle of the thing.

After a 30 minute wait I finally reach "Bill," who has a suspicious accent for someone with such a genericly English sounding name. "Bill" proceeds to tell me that I need some kind of pin number for him to talk to me about my account. I don't have a pin number. I just need him to tell me what I need to do to get myself relisted as living in Round Rock instead of Sandy. I can go find the number later and call back when I get my ducks in a row, but I need to know what type of info I need to send them to straighten it out. I'm not asking for account changes right now. I'm not asking for personal information. I'm not asking to sell my firstborn son into slavery. I'm just asking for some general information about how to fix a problem so I can go get the necessary info and send it to them. Surely he can tell me some general info without a pin number. I think the pin number is written in the booklet that the DSL guy gave us when we moved in 5 years ago. It's filed somewhere but I'm not really sure where since it's been 5 years since I've needed my 7-digit telephone number pin code. Seriously. Do people really just *know* these things? Gah.

Unfortunately, "Bill" "cannot give out any special information related to the account holder's account without accessing the account holder's 7-digit-pin number or the long distance telephone number calls in question to the account holder." Niiiice. There aren't any long distance calls in question YET. I'm trying to prevent problems rather than wait for them to happen. Thanks Bill. Thanks AT&T. I may be giving cable internet a try again soon. And if you start seeing calls to Sandy, TX on your phone bill, it's me. Since I now live outside the city limits of Sandy. 81.7 miles outside the city limits.

What a way to start the week. Now I get to go get new tires on my car. I can hardly wait.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Public Service Announcement

A little word from E about why parents who don't want to join the PTA should at the very least be nice about it.

This is crazy.

I've heard of rabid sports fans, but this is just nuts. Seriously. Over the top.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

63 Annoying Questions

Not sure why, but I feel like annoying my readers today so I stole this from Sula:

1. Song that always makes you sad? : Everybody Hurts by REM

2. Last thing you bought? : lunch at Cafe Java

3. Last person you argued with? : My mother

4. Do you put Butter before putting the jelly on? : yes, I put the butter on, toast it under the broiler, THEN put the jelly on. for me anyway. The kids get what they get.

5. One of your stuffed animals : When I was a kid I had a cat w/ three little kittens attached.

6. Did you ever own at one time a Nysnc Cd? No

7. Favorite day of the week? : Sunday

8. Favorite Sundae topping? : Butterscotch sauce

9. Did you take Piano lessons? : Yes.

10. Most frequent song played? : That's a tough one. Maybe "1985" b/c that song cracks me up. Or maybe it's "There is a River" by Jars of Clay lately.

11. T.V. show you secretly enjoy? : Mary Tyler Moore reruns

12. Would you rather play basketball or hockey? : Neither. Do have HAVE to pick a sport? I guess hockey b/c you can hit people w/ those sticks. I'm too short for basketball.

13. Date someone older or younger? : Older, but barely (Ok, so I'm married to him, but whatever)

14. One place you could travel right now? : could or want to? I could travel to Waco and will this weekend. I want to travel to Italy and will in another 1o years or so.

15. Do you use umbrellas? : Very rarely. I just get wet.

16. Do you know all the words to the Canadian national anthem? : No.

17. Favorite Cheese? : Buffalo Mozzarella

18. Disturbed or My Chemical Romance? : Disturbed

19. Do you prefer Blondes or Brunettes? : Brunettes

20. Best job you ever had? : Mom

21. did you go to your high school prom? Sort of - we didn't have a prom but did have a formal dance by another name and I did go to that.

22. perfect time to wake up? : noon

23. perfect time to go to bed? : 3 a.m. (assuming I can sleep until noon - see above)

24. do you use your queen right away in chess? .. can you do that?

25. Ever been in a car accident? : many

26. closer to mom or dad...or neither? : Dad

27. what age is this exciting life over for you? : 70

28. what decade during the 20th century would you have chosen to be a teenager? : This one. Really any but the 80s. haha

29. Favorite shoes you have EVER owned? : I have some awesome boots that are black w/ heels and *really* nice, soft leather.

30. Do you have an article of clothing you have had since you were in high school : Yes. I have a jacket I've had since Junior High!

31. Were you in track and field? : Nope.

32. Were you ever in a school talent show? : yes.

33. Have you ever written in a library book? : NO

34. Allergic to? : My father-in-law

35. Favorite fruit? : Fresh Cherries

36. Have you watched sex and the city? : I watched 1/2 an episode once.

37. Baseball hat or toque? : Baseball hat

38. Do you shampoo first in the shower or soap? : shampoo

39. Wet the toothbrush or brush dry with the toothpaste? : wet

40. Pen or pencil? : pen.

41. Have you ever gambled at a casino? : Yes.

42. Have you thrown up on a plane? : No.

43. Have you thrown up in a car? : Yes.

44. Have you thrown up at work? : Yes.

45. Do you scream on roller coasters? : Heck, yes!

46. Who was your first prom date? : Tommy somethingoranother.

47. Who was your first roommate? : Debbie

48. What alcoholic beverage did you drink when you got drunk for the first time? Margarita

49. What was your first job? : Babysitting.

50. What was your first car? : Honda Prelude. Red, with a sunroof.

51. When did you go to your first funeral? : Supposedly I went to my grandfather's funeral when I was 2. First I remember was my granny's when I was 10 (I think - I was in elem. school)

52. How old were you when you first moved away from your hometown? : 17

53. Who was your first grade teacher? : I'm too old to remember.

54. Where did you go on your first airplane ride? : Dallas

55. When you snuck out of your house for the first time, who was it with? : Jennifer, Jennifer and Melissa. We walked to Whataburger and got some taquitos. No kidding.

56. Who was your first Best Friend and are you still friends with them? : Danny. We don't see each other very often. No falling out or anything though..

57. Where did you live the first time you moved out of your parent : Waco, TX (woo hoo!, now that's a big happening place!)

58. Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day? : Mark or Shelley

59. Who's wedding were you in : Jennifer, Karen, Christine, Bryan and Natalie, Stacia, Beth, gosh,I can't even remember them all!

60. What is the first thing you do in the morning? : Hit the snooze on the alarm.

61. What was the first concert you attended? : Amy Grant

62. First tattoo or piercing? : Ears pierced when I was 13

63. First celebrity crush? : Scott Baio. I still love him.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Done!

Cub Scout popcorn show and sell is over, done, finished. Our pack did a great job and I am so glad it's over. Britt, who will take over next year, came over last night to count the last batch of money (hey, if you had to count up more than $4,000 and most of that in 1s and 5s, you'd need help too!). I've updated the database with everyone's sales and now all I have to do is sit back and.... wait for the take-order phase. [sigh] The fun never ends.

Luckily Britt seems pretty set on taking over for next year and Mark's agreed to be the pack treasurer so I can always fall back on the argument that it's *unethical* for the head fundraiser to be married to the treasurer. Right?

Other than all the popcorn and cash, we had a great holiday weekend. We cooked out with some neighbors and the kids ran around the culdesac all day Monday. Next weekend is the beginning of sports season for us. Superman starts soccer and its the first Baylor home football game, which I can't say I'm jumping up and down excited about, but the relatives are expecting us to meet up with them for the evening in Waco. Which can be either fun or torturous. I just never know. Sunshine's football won't start for another week. Then we'll be really crazy on Saturdays. Not that we are exactly not crazy now.