My New BFF...the Furnace Guy

Last night we realized that our furnace fan was constantly on and was blowing cool air.

Yes, I checked to see if the fan got switched to on and not auto. Who do you think I am the kind of woman who calls AAA to come jump start her car only for him to tell her that the car was in drive not park...

...geez...

Now don't you worry, we live in California so we weren't "freezing", but it does get "cold" at night so we called our home warranty company, and my kids broke out the snuggies and went to bed.

Now when I say I called my home warranty company I forgot to say that I didn't actually talk to someone I had to leave a message...thank goodness my water heater didn't explode or my ice maker stopped working or something horrible like that.

So today the person from the home warranty company called me, as I was on my way home, to tell me that someone would be there within 20 minutes. She said "don't worry ma'am we'll make sure that you get some heat"...

I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was driving around with my windows down in 75 degree weather. Who knows she was probably sitting somewhere in Boston freezing her boo-hiney off and I didn't want to seem like I was complaining about no heat when I was in a short sleeve t-shirt and jeans...

...I did mention it does get "cold" here at night...right??

So the guy from the heating and cooling company comes and precedes to take off the front of our heater and asks me "How long has it been since you cleaned the furnace filter?"

...uh...

Him asking me that question is like the dentist asking me "How often do you floss?" Except with the dentist I at least have the opportunity to floss everyday between the time I make the appointment and the actual appointment, so that I can safely say "I have been flossing everyday"...

But there was no way I could wiggle out of this one when he showed me that you couldn't even see the filter for all the dust and crap that was on it...

It was obvious that I had never cleaned the furnace filter.

I felt so dirty.

What kind of homeowner am I that I don't even clean my furnace filter?

Oh the shame.

All I kept thinking was thank God Rich had just cleaned the downstairs bathroom. I couldn't have handled another blow to my homemaker ego.

So Mr. Nice Furnace Guy proceeded to take apart my furnace which is located right in between my dining room and my family room, right next to my computer, and my kitchen.

Here is my inner termoil...

Do I stay there and keep him company?

Do I make the ever dreaded small talk?

Do I offer him something to drink and some homemade cookies?

Do I get online and register for my Jillian Michaels 30 day free trial of her website that I got with my recent purchase of her "30 Day Shred" knowing he could look at what I was doing on the computer?

Do I start fixing dinner knowing that he is probably starving by now?

Do I flip through the magazines that I want to peruse knowing he might think that I have nothing better to do with my time?

Do I call my mom and tell her about the condo I found for our wedding weekend?

Does he really want to hear all about my wedding plans?

But for the amount of time he spent in my house, watching me putz, looking at my dirty filters, listening to my daughter tell me about her day, playing with my dog Maggie who wouldn't leave him alone, and knowing that I need to start the 30 Day Shred, I felt I was going to have to put him on the guest list.

Well for what the bill came to at least he can thank me for helping put his kids through college.

And my daughter can thank him and the shame of my dirty furnace filter for getting me to finally help her clean her desk area.

much better right??

I wanted to rearrange her furniture but couldn't decide what to do.



Maybe I'll call the furnace guy to help me.

...'cause that's what BFF's do you know.

More Later

- A Ro

The New Abridged A-Ro Dictionary

As I was lurking and posting comments to yesterday's Random Dozen over at 2nd Cup. I noticed how crazy those words were that you have to type as a security feature to post a comment. So I decided to write down some of the ones I stumbled across and come up with my own definitions. I am sure that most of these "words" are made up, but who knows maybe not. Anyway I hope you get my twisted humor in this absurd endeavor.



**These are actual combinations of letters that I had to type yesterday. None were manipulated or changed**



typeri - n. A superior secret race of humans that seem to be able to use a computer to output a large amount of words in a small amount of time. When I saw Janet's ease and quickness at completing the on-line job application I realized that I had stumbled upon a typeri, a true wonder of man.



nuppie - n. A person who is newlywed and cannot keep their hands off of their husband/wife. This is a term that goes away with time and fades each time underwear and socks have to be picked up off the floor. Awe isn't it cute how that nuppie is scratching her husband's back



chthe - n. A piece of trash that the vacuum won't suck up so you bend over to pick it up and toss it back on the ground in hopes that this time the vacuum with pick it up. My back aches from all the chthe that was in my son's room, I don't even want to know what it was.



mobblear - v. The act of needing to know what a large group of people are looking at. While at Venice beach Hannah mobbleared and found out that the group was watching a fully painted silver man robot dancing to bad 80's techno music.



gignal - n. A predetermined sound resembling a fake laugh that one gives at a party when one needs their significant other to come and save them from a boring or uncomfortable conversation. Maggie heard the gignal and rushed right over to find her husband in an awkward conversation with his bosses wife.


cheedge - n. The Parmesan cheese that ends up on the table and floor when trying to use the impossible shaker that all restaurants seem to use to dispense Parmesan cheese. I gave up on trying to get the shaker of Parmesan cheese to dispense cheese on my slice of pizza. Instead I scrapped the cheedge off the table onto my slice.

unpres - n. A person in a meeting who has absolutely no authority to make any decisions yet controls the conversation with ridiculous ideas that have no value to solving the problem. The unpres insisted that the only solution to the growing problem of littering in the park was to strip search all the patrons of the park before they entered to make sure no outside food was brought in.

disec - n. A word most teenagers use often when not wanting to get off their lazy butt to complete a task. When asked to come take out the garbage my son yelled, disec.

morks - n. A group of socially inept people who wear rainbow suspenders, shake hands with their fingers in the shape of a V and have friends named Pam who drive Jeeps. Another common characteristic is they all claim they are from Ork. I knew I opened the door to a lame party when I observed all the morks laughing and saying nan-oo nan-oo.

I hope you got a kick out of my feeble attempt at humor...or at least you will look at those ridiculous words a little differently next time you comment.

More Later

-A Ro

Random Dozen a.k.a. Take a Good Look in the Mirror, Sugar

I just love this meme. Thanks Lidna at 2nd Cup for hosting it. It is very fun to answer and very fun to read other people's answers. I am proctoring a final this morning so I'll get to visit quite a few!! Head on over and link up your answers.

1. When was the last time you craved a food--what was it, and did you cave?
I think the better question is when was the last time I didn't crave a food...I am craving Red's BBQ right now, but Rich and I made a pact that we would eat dinner at home tonight!!

...I'll let you know how that one turns out.

2. M & M's or Skittles?
EASY ONE!!! M&M's, except I cannot have chocolate. I have actually tried to make Skittles my little, colorful, bite sized candy choice, but I really don't like them so...save the calories for something else. I do miss my M&M's...except when I step on the scale!!

3. Have you ever read the Bible completely through?

nope

4. How long does it take you to really wake up in the morning?
I get up really early to run...but I do have a crazy system:

I set my snoozable alarm which goes off in 10 minute increments for 20 minutes before I have to get up. Then I set my phone alarm for the exact time I must get up. This gives me two snoozes before I actually have to get up. I know this sounds crazy but when I get to snooze twice I feel like I have "won"...and it wakes me up slowly. I am not a grouchy morning person either way, just like to "trick" myself. Kind of like setting your clock fast so that you actually have more time in reality, but then you start to do the math in your head and end up late anyway...

...not that I have ever tried something so silly...nope...not me.

5. Have you ever been on a cruise? If not, would you like to?
Linda asked this question just for me so that I could talk about my upcoming nuptials

...yet again...

but we did actually talk about taking a cruise for our honeymoon...we just can't decide on scenic and serene like Alaska, or umbrella drink and suntan lotion like the Caribbean. But to answer the question I have never been on a cruise.

6. Who is your favorite actress?

Believe it or not this is the hardest question. I know it should be easy, but it is like asking what your favorite song is...too many to choose from. If I had to pick I would say Sandra Bullock. Just love Blind Side but she can make each character unique...just love her.

7. ______ is something that I will just never understand.

Honey, your blank is not big enough for this answer!! But here goes:

Algebra, why people smoke, why my lower half of my body is disproportionate to the upper half of my body, earthquakes, teenagers, men, computer technology, Paris Hilton, how cell phones work, Chemistry, why time flies by when you are having fun, Brittney Spears, looky loo traffic, microwave ovens, ex wives, ex husbands, genetics, why I cannot like Skittles, brain science, what makes the world go round, why the sky is blue, why I don't understand all of the above.

...see???

8. How much of a technology junkie are you?

not much...I like technology, but only the simple stuff.

9. Do you enjoy selecting greeting cards for people, or is it more of a cultural "have to" for you?

I really do like to select greeting cards for people...MOST people. I hate trying to find a card for my son...or my ex when I have to buy something for him that is from the kids. I think that everyone should get a real live card every now and then, but certainly on their birthday.

10. When was the last time you got a new style/haircut?

I follow the cut hair, grow hair philosophy on hair grooming. I grow it long and then cut it. I am not sure why I do that. When my hair is short I see pictures of my hair long and think "Oh I like that hairstyle". When my hair is long I see pictures of my hair short and think "Oh I like that hairstyle". It is a never ending lose-lose battle with me.

11. What do you enjoy shopping for most?

I love shopping for other people most. I really think I could have been a professional shopper. Give me a profile of someone and an occasion and I can put together the most unique and well thought out gift. Except for people I know...then I think I put TOO much thought into it.

12. What's the last thing you think of before you leave the house?

I wonder how late I am going to be?? Did I mention I have two children that I need to get out the door??


In summary: Clearly I need get some willpower, buy some stock in Hallmark, and start a Yahoo answers account. I also need to get out the good old King James version, find a hair dresser I trust and most of all I really need to light a fire under my kids and get the heck out the door!!


More Later

- A Ro

Snowmen and Babies

In honor of all those friends and family members who are up to their eyeballs in snow I thought I'd post a picture of the Iowa snow we had fun playing in. By the way, I am using the word "we" in a very general sense...I, personally, did what I could to spend the least amount of time in the cold stuff...

This is Isabella's evil snow baby, as she named it.

She loved making her very own snowman while we were in Iowa.

She thought he was the coolest snowman.

Then Vegas, my parents Jack Russell Terrier, decided he needed, as Isabella put it, "a yellow tie".

AND...

In honor of all of you who love babies and who love teenagers who love babies I give you my niece Abby and the teenager who loves her...Andrew.Isn't she such a stinkin' cute carrot top??


Excuse me...I must go fix my breaking heart...


More Later

- A Ro

Chuck and Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Well the big news tonight is that CHUCK IS BACK!!!



Now I know that I am one of only a few people who watch Chuck religiously, but it is one of my most favorite shows.

You know that last sentence makes it sound like I have other favorite shows.

I don't.

Just Chuck.

I wish I had other favorite shows, but truth be told I just don't watch that much prime time television.

I have television show commitment issues.

Either I don't have the time to give a television show, or I give my whole heart to a show and it leaves me like Seinfeld or Friends.

It is a sad thing.

But now I have Chuck...or at least I will tomorrow. You see that is another problem. I live on the west coast. Our prime time goes from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Yes you heard me right 11:00 PM...yes just one hour from it being the next day. I just cannot stay up that late. So tonight we (and when I say we I mean Andrew) have set the DVR to record Chuck 'cause the premier is tonight from 9:00 p.m. to one hour from tomorrow.




So enough about Chuck and on to the borrow-away...

So Bella helped me out and drew a name from the numerous four entries for the borrow-away.And the Winner is:

YEAH!!! Joyce from this side of the pond is our winner. So Joyce if you are out there e-mail me your snail mail address and I'll whisk the book away to you.

I just won't be tomorrow...

...cause I'll be watching Chuck!!!

More Later

- A Ro

Project 365 - A Picture a Day

I decided to join Sara at Make Music From Your Heart to the Lord for Project 365. We take a picture every day and post them on Sunday's...a sort of pictorial "day in the life". Here are my week's pics...

Sunday - I posted on my blog that I got engaged so I decided to re-post the picture I took last Sunday. It is my amazing ring given to me by an amazing man...
Monday - Rich (my amazing man) is obsessed excited about the iPod touch I gave him for Christmas...boys really do love new toys.
Tuesday - It was my school's Music Alumni Day. Here I am with 5 of my chorus alumni. I just love this day. I just love these guys. The two on the right surprised me and just showed up. It was so nice to see them. I miss them all very much. Have I mentioned how much I love my job!!
Wednesday - We go get ice cream every Wednesday night at Baskin Robbins. This little, high caloric, tradition started shortly after my ex moved out. It was my kids and I little weekly ritual. We walked or scootered to the store and enjoyed some ice cream. It has stuck and now we include Rich.
Thursday - This is where my vacuum cleaner has sat since last Saturday. It is plugged in and ready to vacuum my bedroom. But have I done it yet...no. But it is good and ready should I choose to do so. Let's just say I am a prepared procrastinator.
Friday - I got a gift certificate to this really she-she-fru-fru Japanese restaurant in Malibu owned by Robert DeNiro. Rich and I decided to have a date night there. We saw Ryan O'Neill but sitting in that fancy restaurant made us feel like fish out of water.

ha ha get it...sushi...fish out of water...ha ha..


**tap...tap...tap...is this thing on?**

Saturday - I went out to run errands and really thought this view from my front yard was spectacular...so I snapped this picture. I do like some aspects about living in So. Cal.



So there you have it...it is obvious from these pictures that I am excited about getting married, my students, my awkward date night, and ice cream, but really need to just vacuum my room and get on with it.


More Later

- A Ro

P.S. Don't forget to enter my borrow-away...just go to this post and post a comment. This ends tonight (Sunday) at 8:00 Pacific Time.

Borrow-Away...and a new trick...

Thanks Robin for dumbing down teaching me the concept of putting a line through text. I usually, sometimes, never can figure these things out for myself. So I thank you!!

Thank you also for the numerous four comments to my question about blogging comments. It is obvious from reading your numerous four comments that there isn't a right way to do it. I think that since I am a relatively new blogger that I will continue to visit the blogs of my commenters and leave a comment there. Since I have a large number a few commenters each day I'll get to visit many a couple of new sites...should be fun.

Ok...Ok...I'll let it go now soon...

Now for the borrow-away!!!

Robin at Be Still and Know had this great idea to have an I Won...You Win giveaway. I read this book and now I am giving you the chance to read it too...

Here is Robin's idea (taken from her website):
The idea for “I Won…You Win” is two fold. Once a winner is chosen I will send the book out into the blogosphere. My hope is that whoever wins it will keep the “I Won…You Win” giveaway going. The second requirement is once you have finished the book place your blog address on the inside cover, as well as the date you finished the book and then continue the “I Won…You Win” Giveaway on your blog. Link back to me in you giveaway let’s see where this takes us. I also want to encourage everyone who reads the book to mark your favorite chapter in the book with a note in the margin telling future readers why you enjoyed the chapter. Use your imagination, tuck a special note in the pages or a pretty bookmark, but put “yourself” somewhere in the pages of the book. I am so excited to send this out into the blogosphere.

So here's how I'll do it:

I'll take comments until Sunday evening at 8:00 pacific time (cause that's where I live). Just answer this question in my comment section and I'll randomly choose a winner.

Being a relatively new blogger I want to know when you read a new blog what keeps you coming back to that blog for more??

Is it comedy, content, political views, pretty background, number of spelling errors, or is it how well the blogger can overuse use the word strike trick??

Man if that last one is the only criteria I am in like Flynn!!

More later

-A Ro