Peggy sent a hilarious present in the mail that she received at a white elephant exchange. I love it! It’s a ukulele box that will have a place of honor in our house. She filled it with 40 paper clips and 40 post-its.

There was also a bag of 40 suckers with a very appropriate phrase. (I don’t know, though – 39 was pretty rough. Is 40 going to be worse?)

Thank you, Peggy – you made our day(s)!

We’ll go to Nebraska Furniture Mart. This time we’ll no doubt spend a lot of time looking at the stoves. I will count the number of stoves and report back. We will go to Nobbies and look at their crap. We will go to the Casino and spend $20 among the people who don’t look like they are having any fun. We’ll go to the snooty outside mall, but I won’t know why we’re there. If we spend the night, we’ll go see a movie.

Somewhere along the way, something unexpected will happen and I will end up having more fun than Lauren. Feel free to speculate on what that might be.

Today Lloyd may or may not have a snow day. Under normal circumstances I’d be horribly jealous, but I hope he gets to stay home today. I’m proposing a little game for this auspicious occasion. I like to make fun of Lloyd on various occasions by making that extra ‘l’ stand for something. For instance: If Lloyd has been relaxing on the couch all Saturday and can’t be bothered to come and see the adorable thing the cat is doing, I’ll say, “Lloyd. The extra ‘l’ is for ‘lazy’.” Today, though, let us not cut him down, but rather build him up! I’ll start!

“Lloyd. The extra ‘l’ is for lazy!” Dang. That wasn’t right.

I share this auspicious day with the handsome Bill Pullman and the cake meister Duff Goldman.  (Hey, Baltimorians, make Brad take a picture of himself outside Charm City Cakes for me.)  So, well-wishes are welcome!  Bonus points if it rhymes.

I share this auspicious day with the handsome Bill Pullman and the cake meister Duff Goldman.  (Hey, Baltimorians, make Brad take a picture of himself outside Charm City Cakes for me.)  So, well-wishes are welcome!  Bonus points if it rhymes.

As you all know, my regular tech guy is out of town, so here is a grainy version of the movie.  I’ll try to fix it later.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mPba7khu8g 520 433]

Back to Brad. Have a great day! What’s the gift that keeps on giving? I think you know.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyYDqwl1qH8 520 433]

No Carnation Instant Breakfast Drink was harmed during the making of this film. After filming, though, it was sucked mercilessly into the vacuum cleaner and died a horrible death.I think that one thing is a Shrek-head, though I didn’t mean it to be one. I’ve never done this before, ok? And how come I don’t own a tripod? You people would be a lot less seasick if I had a tripod. And you have to admit – it’s the best rockin’ birthday song that you don’t have to pay Paul McCartney royalties for!

It’s the Peeler Bird on the right, lovingly set next to our trusty Beer Lizard.  It’s adorable!!  Thank you, Kathryn!!

Now, to the next part of our story.  We really need to go grocery shopping, and we’re really scrounging to come up with decent meals.  Last night I was trying to make salad from wilted greens and old carrots.  I thought, “Hey, I’ll use our new Peeler Bird to freshen up those old carrots.”  So I did, and was absolutely fearful of how crazy sharp that bird’s blade was.  I wondered why our old peeler wasn’t as sharp, and then it hit me – it’s fifteen years old.  Fifteen years.  Older than Lloyd’s students.  I started wondering what else around this house is that old, and I think it’s almost all kitchen stuff.  The sugar dispenser from my sister, the silverware from my brother, and our pots from my other brother.  (Minus the tiny pot when I burned the bejeebees out of it making rice – I went to the store and forgot I left it on.)  Good grief!! This stuff is old!  Am I old? Not possible!

I think this might be the beginning of my mid-life crisis.

Um….. thanks, Kathryn.

“Happy Birthday, Customer,  We hope you liked the food, We sing this made-up birthday song just so we don’t get sued.  Stupid Michael Jackson, or was it Paul McCartney? He bought the rights to the real song and ruined all our parties.”