STEAMING PILE OF DOG...

When we first moved into this neighborhood, we started shopping at the closest grocery store (that's how I choose pretty much everything...our girl's school...our church...my doctor). That place was (and is) a DUMP. I remember early on seeing some guy WITH HIS DOG in the store (and not some seeing-eye dog, either).

No joke, we are in the bread aisle, and the dog squats and defecates WHILE THE GUY WATCHES. He just walks on down the aisle, leaving behind this STEAMING PILE OF DOG SH*T.

Our friends call the store "scary Marsh" (that's one of their nicer monikers for it).

At any rate, this local March become our main grocery store for like 15 years, and about a month ago they decide to MOVE EVERYTHING AROUND FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON. Well, now that I (and the employees, for that matter) have NO idea where to find the Nutella, the biggest hurdle to switching stores (that I can't find stuff) is gone...and so am I.

Now I go to a clean, huge Kroger about a mile further down the road that has self check-out (I've never waited in line, and I feel like I'm shopping in the future). Plus, my church sponsor Vic works for Kroger, so I can feel like I'm supporting a friend by shopping there.

Mass Resignation

All the chess club officers resigned on Monday.

Oh well, there are two more FOR EACH OFFICE interested in stepping up to the plate (quite different from my local church committees).

I played Molly in chess yesterday. I beat her so badly, she cried. I figure, if she wants to play "for fun", she can play with her friends. I'm going to teach her TO WIN! Today we reviewed the game we played yesterday, move by move. She was interested in learning, and asked me to quiz her.

What I learned: 1. play faster (holds their interest better), 2. don't try to win (keeps up their morale). I guess it just goes against the grain.

The sprayer thing

In case you wanted to see exactly how to do the sprayer thing for April fools day, I've added a photo.

I talked to my blogfan who has my blog as their homepage. They requested I have more photos. EXCUSE ME? Look at this page! It's like 50% photos. Sheesh.

Fitness Orb

Remember awhile back I was going to look into buying one of these? I've changed my mind. Thanks to John or Jill for forwarding me this "The Office" video. That is a really funny show, btw.

I bought the screwdriver

My watch uses a Sony CR2016 battery. I bought the screwdriver to remove its back at the garage sale.

Additional purchases: 1. Pictionary ($2), and 2. A mini-clipboard ($0.10).

He Had a Zen Baby

We had some friends (The M's) over for dinner last night, and played 4 games: Wits and Wagers, Taboo, Password, and Werewolf. They are quite compatible with us, and we had fun.

Papa M (Pat) mentioned that he reads my blog sometimes (Hi Pat!), and that he noticed my post re: "When I am hungry...", and that he used to tell friends he had a zen baby (who ate when he was hungry...). Pat's the one who loaned me "The Book of the 5 Rings". It does my heart good when I hear that I have blog readers - please continue to comment on posts as you read them (even if it's just the occasional "hi Kieron").

I do have some statistics on blog readership (I've recently begun excluding hits from my home computer, to make them more reliable), but I like to know WHO is reading.

We (Maddie and I) are leaving in five minutes to wo-man the girl scouts garage sale - it's HUGE (two big tents, right on Emerson). It think this is the first year it's been done (at least recently).

I went to Tai-Chi today - I helped a new person (her first day), and worked on my hand position and some timing things. I've still only learned about 50% of the form, and am now working on perfecting it.

Banquet Photos

Kelley took these at my work's Banquet on Friday - thanks, Kel-mo!


Sam and Kelley (in the background: Courtney...with her back turned, DaveL, Volunteer from Indian Creek, Maddie, and SamA...with his back turned)


















Meg, our Goddaughter (in the background, Krystie, Leroy, JillW, and MikeW)

















Jill and John

Our Tivo broke

We did a pay-per-view on our new Digital cable...for $3.95 the whole family (including Sam) watched Talledega Nights. Not the most wholesome of films, for sure, and probably a mistake when it comes down to it, but it was funny nonetheless.

Speaking of Digital cable, two things happened recently that led to it: 1. Our Tivo broke, and 2. Court wanted to get Discovery Health.

So, it turns out Brighthouse (our cable provider) has a special for the next 12 months where you get internet, phone, and cable for about $20 less per month than we are currently paying...and we get an additional 40 channels.

DoA Haiku

A Duel of Ages

Shaun reveals the Battle Axe

Time for a smack down

44 REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS ON A THREE BLOCK STRIP

At our local neighborhood crime watch meeting on Thursday, I learned that the Governor of Indiana had called the Irvington Community Council and promised to move the sex offenders out of our neighborhood. It turns out that the state had (believe it or not) PLACED 44 REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS ON A THREE BLOCK STRIP. That's a strip, not a radius.

Apparently, the state is supporting these guys as well, and can move them out (they won't say to where, and I assume that they'll live there until someone complains loudly enough that they get moved again - genius).

That explains a lot about the 'hood...

On Thursday after John's b-day celebration (for which Molly made a nice strawberry cake), I went to the local neighborhood crime watch meeting. It was very well attended, with about 80 people. The police major (of which there are 4 in the City, I think) for our section of town was there, as well as the management and security for a local plasma donation center (the division management flew up from Florida that day).