#1 Reason Why You Should Always Have Earmuffs Handy

BUGS. Yes, I said bugs. Last night I put my book away, turned off the lamp, and settled in for bed. Right on the verge of sleep, I felt something fall on/in my ear. As any normal person would, I flicked at my ear. Thinking the offender was gone, I attempted sleep again. Instead of sleep, I found a scratching/crawling/scrambling around IN MY EAR. The creepy thing about a bug being in your ear is that you can feel it AND hear it. This is the closest I hope I ever come to going mad. I hesitated to wake the hubby, knowing he would think I was having one of my crazy dreams. I tried jumping up and down and shaking my head vigorously. But, once I convinced myself that the bug was burrowing through to my brain, I leapt up and had a full on freak attack: thrashing, flicking, crying, and cursing. There's a good chance I would have let someone cut my ear off to get the thing out. Husband didn't run for the knife and responded much more rationally than I did.

Several years ago, a tweezer company sent a model with a light attached to a magazine I worked for, hoping we would feature the gadget in a column. As a silly parting gift, a co-worker gave me the tweezers when I left the job. Despite the "as seen on TV" gimmick, they aren't bad tweezers and I've used them ever since.

After husband tried to flush my ear with water, I told him to get the tweezers. I wanted him to see the bug so I could prove that I wasn't crazy. He turned off all the lights hoping the bug would come toward the light and out of my ear. After laying eyes on the bug and insisting I not move while the thing crawled around in my ear, he eventually grasped the thing with the tweezers and extracted it. Here he is:



Whole ordeal: 20 minutes. I had a bug in my ear for 20 minutes.

How on earth does one go back to sleep after that? Here's how:



FYI: After a thorough internet search this morning, it appears mineral oil or olive oil can be poured in the ear, left for 10 minutes to drown the bug, and then drained and flushed with warm water. That is, of course, if you don't have lighted tweezers.

Square One

1) My absolute favorite television show as an incredibly dorky 10 year old. I particularly loved the Mathnet segment. Only 10 year olds who also watched Dragnet on Nick at Night would recognize the clever parody. I know...dork...HUGE dork. I did have friends, but they all loved Square One as well.

2) My first complete knitted square. Actually not my first. The first two were were practice on a fuzzy yarn I didn't like. This one's the real deal on a nice cotton blend. Much softer. I knitted two strands together for extra thickness. I am sure this isn't "real" knitting language, but I am sure people will get the gist. I've got 11 more to go before I can stitch them all together to make a blanket. We shall see if this actually ever happens.

I don't swim in your toilet...

So, please don't pee in my pool. A similar common courtesy too often overlooked:

Grocery Cart,

I don't park in your cart corral, so please don't corral in my parking space.

Thanks,
Automobile

Seriously folks, put your carts away. If I can't walk past the three carts parked in the *handicapped* space without gathering them and putting them away, how is it that you don't think twice when you park the cart there to start with? If I see you park a cart in a parking place, I will 1) go and get it, 2) glare at you (making sure that you see me and feel the burn of my daggers), 3) put the cart in its appropriate place, 4) glare at you again (just for emphasis), and 5) shake my head (as if to say, "what's wrong with this world?").

Common courtesy... as dead as chivalry?

Home Sweet Home

And sometimes, a bit sour. House hunting. This, friends, is not a misnomer. It is difficult work. Finding the house was easy. Having the stuff it takes to make it through the offer, purchase and sales, and financing confirmation are what makes the effort a hunt. An admitted control freak, waiting and depending on others to get the job done was the most difficult part for me (though we couldn't have been in better hands). Now, all the hard work is done and we just wait for the closing. We couldn't be more excited about the home and feel it is just the perfect "starter home" for us.

What have I learned in the process? I remember now why I opted for the MA and PhD over the JD. I am suddenly reminded of how very little I like the legal environment (sorry, RMF). I thank the bear of an attorney the sellers enlisted for reminding me why I made that life decision.

Here are some of our favorite parts of the house!

The Hubby has never been able to have his very own braai...not anymore. Neither has he ever had to cut the lawn. Not for long.

This picture was meant to highlight the scalloped effect on the ceiling. I just love them.



We love the corner fireplace, hardwoods, and the opening to the kitchen!



Never again will I sit on the floor with a bowl of cookie dough and cookie sheets for a lack of counter space! There are even more counter tops on the other side of the fridge you see peeking out from behind the brick.



Pull out shelves in the pantry cabinet and all the lower cabinets. Yes, organization makes me happy!