Say Whatever You Want Cause I Can Laugh it Off

I am not really satisfied with anything I write here today. Grr. I hate that. This entry will probably be super random, but I need to write more, so here we go:

I saw K for lunch yesterday. We had a good time, and then we went to Lowe's. I bought a tomato plant (roma!) and I was trying to think of an Italian name for it. I thought of Valentino or Romeo, but my dad suggested Silvio and I think that is very suitable, so I think that is the name. I went to Target after Lowe's and got a few new shirts for work. I can't be wearing sweaters in the summer, you know? I guess it might not matter b/c it is sometimes freezing in my office and I actually have to turn on the space heater, but whatever.

I read a really good book last week. It was called The Amazing Interlude and was written by Mary Roberts Rinehart. I found out that the author was born on the North Side of Pittsburgh, before it became part of Pittsburgh and was still Allegheny. The book was wonderful. It was about a young woman, Sara Lee Kennedy, who decides that she needs to go to Europe and see if she can start a soup kitchen during World War I. Her fiance doesn't want her to go, but she defies him and goes anyway. So it's mainly about her experience in Europe, but there are a lot of great characters and interactions and I liked it a lot.

I found out that the author is best known for her mystery writing and have downloaded a few of those to my Kindle so that I may read some of her other things. I'm really excited!!

CLRG is working today so I am home alone with the cats. I need to go do laundry and clean up a bit. I want to make strawberry shortcakes as well. Mmm. I also want to get some reading done. I am reading Little Lord Fauntleroy right now and it's been good so far.

Pull Me Down Hard, Drown Me in Love

"Do you know the feeling when you start reading a new book before the membrane of the last one has had time to close behind you? You leave the previous book with ideas and themes--characters even--caught in the fibers of your clothes, and when you open the new book, they are still with you." - from The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (page 289-90).

Walk With Me, Susie Lee

Okay, so I just watched this video, which made me very happy because I:

a) love flash mobs
b) totally love The Sound of Music.

Watch and enjoy.

CLRG and I went to the thrift store today, after eating lunch at a local Chinese restaurant. I got some great things. I am very pleased. We also found a few sweet shirts for me (even though we were looking for stuff for him), also. On our way home, we walked down a street so I could see if a Catholic church I thought I saw a sign for was there. It was! I went inside for a minute and it is very nice and pretty. I was glad to find one even closer to my house than the one I had thought was closest, if that makes any sense.

OH! The new room is so close to be done, I can pretty much taste it. Not really, but you know what I mean. It has been primed and they put some plywood down to level the floor and I think they are painting right now. AND! The carpet is totally in the house. Things are progressing quickly now, and I am very happy.

This Wait For Destiny Won't Do

I am very sleepy right now. It's not that late, so I maybe shouldn't be, but I just am. I do believe I will get ready for bed soon. I'm okay with this, because I have to work at seven tomorrow morning and I like sleeping.

I had a job interview today. It went really well, and they called only hours later to offer the job, but I declined because it was part time (the hours were fewer than my current job) and paid only minimum wage. I felt really bad about it. I was honest when they called, though, and they appreciated that. I just can't backpedal like that, you know? I barely survive as it is. I need to be increasing my earnings. You know.

I finished reading a book that contained a collection of stories by Flannery O'Connor today. It was loaned to me by an old lady customer. Did I already write about that? I can't remember. Anywayyyy... I was glad to be done with it. Not because it was bad (it was actually very good), but because I was spending weeks getting through it and I was feeling bad about keeping it for so long. Now I am getting into a book that I picked up last week while at Target (it's a dangerous place, I tell you). I really like it so far, and it is going by pretty quickly.

Tomorrow is the first day of Italian! I am excited. I need to get a new notebook.

Okay... perhaps it is sleep time?

Whatever Happened To That Silly Dream You Had

When did it get to be September? I mean, wow. 2010 is flying by and I can't keep track of it! Also, today slayed me because it is 90210. Get it? Haha. If I were a little older, it might be more relevant to me. I was too young to really watch or care about that show when it was on.

I had a job interview today. I think it went well, but we shall see.

I just finished reading Oliver Twist. It's funny that I have not ever read it before. I really liked it. I was held in suspense throughout the whole book. It's kind of nice to be able to read something so classic and beloved and still have no idea what happens. All I really knew about it was related to Oliver asking for more gruel or whatever and that happened so early on that it didn't really matter that much when it came to be the end.

Waste No Time

My, what a nice Saturday I had this weekend! Really and truly.

Since I ended up not having to work, CLRG and I made a plan to get up at a reasonable time and try to avoid sleeping in by doing something out and about. We got up probably close to ten, and soon walked up to the Swissvale business district type place. We stopped at the library, where I checked two wonderful books. I was excited to visit the library because it is an old Carnegie Library (as so many in Pittsburgh are- go figure) and it was vine-covered and beautiful. There were some war memorials in front of it, which I enjoyed admiring. Anyway, after we visited the library, we headed up toward a little shopping plaza because I needed to mail a book at the post office. Before stopping there, though, we stopped at a thrift store and discovered that the books were on sale! A whole brown grocery bag full for only $3!!!! I think we came home with something like 20 books. Hooray! CLRG always knows the things I would like to see and do. He patiently waited while I took some pictures during our stroll.

After doing book related things, we went to a little sub place for lunch. We walked toward the house after that, stopping at a little cafe that used to be a bakery until a few months ago. CLRG and I had some rice pudding and some chocolate ice cream, respectively, and he bought me a little knit clutch thing that they had for sale, made by a local woman. When we got home, we hung out in the living room, reading, until I had to drive him to a bachelor party. Then, I spent the rest of my time reading my library books. Grand times, friends. Grand times.

Oh, did I tell you about the lady that I made friends with at work? I suppose maybe not. She comes in several days a week, always ordering the same thing, and always staying to read for a while. One Sunday a few weekends ago, I asked her what she was reading/what she read normally, since it is always something different. We talked a bit about our love of the written word, and the next time I saw her, she brought a book for me to borrow. It isn't something that I would normally read, but I looked through it, skimmed some parts, and think it is a nice book. I am going to see if she comes in tomorrow, so I may return it.

Anywayyyy... the weekend was good! I got to spend cute times with CLRG (whom I just love, love, love, as you know), I read a lot, and generally hung out. I'm pleased.

Stadium Seating Instead of Park Benches

I took my car in for inspection this morning (at 9am or so) and finally picked it up after 2pm. Whoa man. It took forever. They called me and said that I needed my rear brakes replaced to pass inspection. Awesome, right? Yes. Thankfully, my dad came to the rescue and provided his dear daughter the funds to make this possible. I would be up a creek without a paddle without my parents saving me sometimes. I mean, seriously.

I can't wait until I have a job that allows me to actually have some money saved up. I am looking forward to the day when a paycheck isn't already totally spoken for when it is placed in my hand. Know what I mean? Money sucks.

Happily, I passed the time while waiting for my car at Starbucks. I used a gift card CLRG gave me to purchase some goodies, and read Oliver Twist. I am glad that I had the time to sit with my kindle, because I haven't been taking the time to read lately and I was thinking of giving up on Oliver recently. I can't do that now! I'm almost in the middle! ACK!

I Know I Like Dancing With You

Oh my word. Yesterday, CLRG and I went to the Salvation Army store to drop off a bag of clothes I decided it was time to donate, and he took me back to the book area. He is always so sweet to do this sort of thing. It's funny when he wonders why he can't get me out in a timely manner, though. Silly boy. You led me there! Anywayyyy... I bought a boxed set of the first four Sweet Valley Twins books. I probably have them somewhere, honestly, but I don't care. I was DEVOTED to these books when I was in elementary school. Seriously. During those years, my best friend and I were pretty certain that we WERE Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield. It was ridiculous. I also got two books from the Little House on the Prairie series and this book about Cary Grant, though it is in large print and is kind of scary to read. I may donate it somewhere if I can't read it without going nutso.

The new room has made significant progress this weekend. Most of the drywall is up! There is a bit of insulation work to be done near one window, and then drywall needs to happen in the closet and near that window and then we can start with spackling! It will be glorious.

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Tell Me It's Not Too Late

Ooooh libraries. Delicious.

Ain't Too Proud to Beg

Did I ever tell you about the excellent books that Wifers recommended to me? I can't remember. Anyway, I just finished Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde last night, which is the second in the Thursday Next series. These books are funny and clever and I really like them. I especially love the little literary inside jokes. You should read them.

I checked out a book today about Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald. I am excited to read it, because I am pretty sure she was completely crazycakes at the end and I can't wait to read more about that.

I feel boring today. I'm sorry. Maybe I will be more exciting soon.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

Well, looky here. It is almost Christmas! I can't believe it! I was pretty concerned that Pittsburgh wouldn't have any snow for the holidays but, on Friday, it started snowing and now we have a respectable amount of snow. It's snowing right now, too! Yay!!! Anyway, so Christmas is fast approaching and it is weird because I don't really feel super Christmasy. Sure, the snow helps; yes, getting gifts mailed out to my family helped; maybe the cookies I will bake today will help also. Buuuuuut.... my family is all kinds of scattered right now and it seems mostly wrong to be apart on the holidays. Pookie and Marms will be together with the dog, but Dadders will be alone and I feel really bad. I'll be here, but thankfully I have CLRG and we are going to his parents' house for dinner on Christmas Eve. I found out that I have the 24th-26th off from work and the thought crossed my mind to go see Dadders, but it really is too far for such a short visit, especially when he has so much work he is doing and so little free time. :o( It just sucks. Rawr. I don't even know what more to say about it.

So, back to happier things. Cookies. I am definitely planning to make chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and peanut butter cookies. I thought I had sugar cookie mix here, but I do not so I will probably go to the store to get some to make those. I am pretty excited. I bought a handheld mixer yesterday that was on sale and I think I know where the apron Marms gave me for Christmas last year is hiding. Huzzah!

CLRG insisted on giving me my Christmas gift a week ago when it arrived in the mail. I am very pleased that he did. He got me a Kindle and it is glorious. I finished reading Pride and Prejudice and then read Anne of Green Gables. I'm now reading Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte, which has been pretty good so far. :o) He's so thoughtful. What an excellent gift. What an excellent boyfriend!

Okay... I think it's time to prep for the Cookie Baking Extravaganza of 2009.

Nothing Can Compare to When You Roll the Dice and Swear Your Love's For Me

This is the most depressing thing I have heard about in a while.

Paul Said to Peter, You Gotta Rock Yourself a Little Harder

I made shortcakes this evening. I also purchased strawberries (grown in California, even though I prefer those grown in Michigan) and will be putting them together at some point this evening to make one of my favorite desserts. I am very excited. Sometimes I can't get over how delicious strawberries are, you know? I have been known to clean a quart and have them gone (into my stomach, obviously) in a matter of hours. It's true. I'm hoping some will at least make it to the tops of my shortcakes. Haha.

I'm reading To Kill a Mockingbird right now. I haven't read it since high school and so far, so good. It's nice to go back to the things that you started from. Know what I mean?