Weekend Review {06/03}

FRIDAY

Finally, the exam I'd been stressing waiting for all month.  I wasn't really able to sleep good since I was super anxious, so I had zero problem getting up with my alarm at 0630.  I got ready and packed my bags and Teh German and I lugged my shit to the car and he drove me to the train station so I could catch the train to Düsseldorf for the last time.

I picked up breakfast in the train station, then headed to Goethe-Institute (GI).  Since there were 4 different levels of tests on Friday, the waiting area/lobby was full of people, so I just sat in the hallway on the floor and ate my breakfast and did some last minute studying.  I also spoke with both of my GI teachers since I saw both of them.

The test was from 0830-1200, then 2:45-3:15.  The morning part included writing, reading, and listening.  The afternoon part was a presentation/interview.  Teh German met me for lunch in the city and we went to the brewery that Teh Deutsch Asien and I went to a few weeks ago.  We split 2 dishes, always fun.  Then I wanted boba tea, but both places had long lines and I said fuck that.  So I went back to school and Teh German entertained himself for the 1.5 hours while I studied and finished the last part of my test.

After the test, we met up, I checked the line for boba tea (again, too long, said fuck it and got an ice cream cone instead as a #TreatYoSelf treat), and then we headed to the car for our drive south.

Dear Americans,
Your gas is cheap.  STFU.

4.5 hours later, we were with the rest of the family in southern Germany.  They were waiting on us for dinner at our hotel.  After dinner and socializing, it was finally bedtime.

I've yet to understand the 2 duvet blanket system of Germany.

SATURDAY

Saturday, the "children" had together time.  First, we had breakfast, then we decided to visit Burg Hohenzollern, the castle near where Mama G lives.  We decided to hike up the mountain instead of taking the shuttle.  It was a good idea at the time.

The slippers are definitely one of the best things about visiting this castle!
There's also capes, but it was too hot for that.

SIGHTHOUND SPOTTING!

Prost.

After castle time, we headed to coffee and cake at Mama G's house where we met up with Brother G, Sister-in-Law (SIL) G, Neffe (nephew) J, Papa G, Stepmom G, and other relatives.  There was lots of socializing, a little bit of car swapping, then we all headed back to the hotel/restaurant for dinner.

I've learned this trip, after many large gatherings in restaurants, that German restaurants are not like American restaurants.  I mean, I already knew this, but sometimes the differences become more obvious in new situations.  For instance, a party of 20 staying for 3+ hours is not unusual in Germany.  I doubt that would happen in America for those people to just eat dinner.  Also, many rounds of dessert were ordered and finally the server said, no you cannot order anything else.  I'm not sure if the kitchen was closed or if they were focusing on the other large party who came in a few hours after us... but that would NEVER happen in America.  Money is money.

Jaeger Schnitzel attempt.

After many hours of socializing, I was tired.  VERY tired.  But I didn't want to be rude and leave the gathering, so I stayed, mostly just trying to understand, but not really understanding.  I also knew that to go to bed before Teh German would mean that his drunk ass would wake me up when he came in the room.

FINALLY, we went to the room.. Teh German was looking for car keys and couldn't find them.. so it was MUCH MUCH worse than just being awakened by his drunk ass.  At one point he came in and turned ALL THE LIGHTS ON after I was settled in the bed, reading my book [on my phone] with NO lights on.  Wanna know how to instantly piss me off?  Turn on all the lights, without warning, while I'm sitting in the dark.  RRRRAAAGGGEEEE.  But, I was tired, so it was more like rrrraaaagggeeeee.

Then some other shit went down that included yelling and me telling Teh German to shut up because there was a baby next door (his cousin) and it was almost midnight.  Other shit happened that I'm not getting into and at some point Teh German found the key, exactly where I'd suggested it was the very first time it was mentioned, he went to sleep, and I was awake until ~0200ish.

SUNDAY

Teh German woke me up at 0930.  I had missed the memo (#LanguageBarrier) that breakfast was at 09, not 10 like I had (incorrectly) heard.  I showered and went downstairs where the whole family was at the table, mostly finished eating.  I had taken a benedryl when I couldn't sleep, so I was really dragging... but I made sure to tell everyone that I slept fine to dodge any questions.

After breakfast, the northern Germans headed back home, and the rest of the family went back to Mama G's for hanging out and eventually coffee and cake.  Teh German had been messaging with his S.Germany friends and a meeting time was set up for the afternoon.  We met at an Eiscafe (ice cream shop), and, of course, I had to get ice cream.  Only one scoop though.  The girls were adorable and I discovered that putting my favorite Snapchat filter (the big eyes/big teeth/tiny nose one) on children is my new favorite hilarious pastime.

Eventually, it was time to head back to Mama G's house for pizza with the fam.  The extended family had returned to Munich, so it was just Mama G, Teh German, myself, SIL G, Brother G, and Neffe J.  We enjoyed pizza for dinner and Mama G made a raspberry-yogurt dessert that was fucking delicious.  After dinner, we putzed around for a bit, set up the couch bed for us, and then took showers since it was pretty hot (not like Charleston hot, but I definitely maintained a serious case of swamp ass the entire fucking day, so still miserable hot) all day long.  Finally, it was bedtime for the fam.

______________________________________________

A fantastic weekend with the German family.  After being in north Germany for so many weeks, I was excited to get to the south where it's less city living and more village living.  The fields and mountains always bring joy to my heart because it feels like home.  I am grateful that the family all came together to hang out with us, especially since almost everyone drove more than 2 hours to get there, some with babies, which is a real commitment.

We finally got to meet Neffe J, who is definitely a G-baby.  That forehead and those fingers and toes!  And he's adorably chunky.  You just wanna squeeze him.  He's a super good, not fussy baby (at least while he was in my presence).  I was so happy to finally get to deliver all the baby clothes I bought for the cousin's baby and for Neffe J.  And everyone was so excited over the Oshkosh clothes.  I felt strong validation.  Gift giving is my jam, y'all.

This week we are with Mama G through Wednesday, when we fly to Venice!!!!
Venice for 2 nights, then we take the train to.... ROME!!!!!
I've not allowed myself to start getting excited until right now.  I didn't want to distract myself from my German class and getting all the shit done that needed to be done (for my GI class and my Citadel classes and then the test).

This week included relaxing, relaxing, laundry (of fucking course), and eating all the things...
AND ITALY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Which I've been waiting on my entire life.

Left: Real Life
Right: Posed Life

Weekend Review {04/15}

FRIDAY

Work, German class, more of that stupid Cybersecurity project, back to work, to the gym, then home.

On my way home, I called the tattoo place to make an appointment for next tattoo.  I couldn't really articulate what I was looking for and the lady asked me to email them my idea.  With the task put upon me, I was better able to determine what I actually wanted vs what looked cool.

While my drawing abilities are poor, ask me to edit a photo for you in PS.

When I got home, Teh German and I agreed to go to Sesame for dinner since we had a free appetizer to use (you can get these too, just sign up for their once a month email).

We both got the special burger which was a blueberry something with brie and it was fucking delicious.

Remembered to use my silicone straw!

My burger was so delicious, I ate the entire thing and brought home a majority of my fries.  When we got home, I finalized my tattoo concept and emailed it off.  Then it was bedtime.

SATURDAY

I always have the goal of sleeping in, but Meri never shares that goal.  She was up at 0715 and I finally gave up and got out of bed by 0800.  We sat on the couch trying to plan Italy adventures... well, ME planning adventures, Meri perimeter gazing.

Teh German got up shortly after and we Skyped with Mama G.  We were given a list of items to bring from America, which was expected and exciting.  I love a good hunt.  We need to bring a special Charleston lotion and Oshkosh baby clothes since we have an outlet here.  I was unreasonably excited about buying baby clothes for our nephew and a cousin.  I/we didn't send any baby gifts for either kid since we didn't really know what to send/what the parents had.  My usual baby gift is books and something useable like diapers, but that doesn't work for German babies, who probably won't ever read children's books in English and to ship diapers is kinda ridiculous.

After our Skype session, we got ready to leave since I had scheduled Pax and Meri's annual wellness visit for Saturday morning so Teh German could go with me.  Taking both beasts in public usually is more overwhelming than it's worth for me, unless we're not getting out of the car, so it doesn't happen unless I have backup.

Pax SAT at the vet's office, proving that he CAN do his trick in a different environment, which means he is READY for the picnic talent show!!

Heart-splosion

After the vet, we stopped by Wendy's for lunch.  We were going to get the dogs ice cream, but my meal came with chicken nuggets I wasn't going to eat, so that was a suitable ice cream replacement IMO.  After lunch, Teh German started setting up the new inside cameras he purchased.  I finally gave in and agreed after I spent 45 minutes cleaning Pax's vomit from the carpet last week.

We can see the camera feed on the Amazon Spot.
This kind of integration brings me a LOT of joy.

After lunch, Meri and I snuggled on the couch.  Going anywhere in the car is pretty exhausting for Meri, but add the vet + I had them do her nails.. she was pooped and extra snuggly.  We napped for a while and it would have been the cutest picture of us nose to nose, but I didn't want to ask Teh German to take the photo since it might have roused her and a selfie wasn't possible and also I didn't want to ask him on principle, I just want him to WANT to take a picture of his cute wife and doghter snuggling together on the couch due to the overwhelming cuteness (which I understand is completely irrational, tyvm), so I took a memory photo of our cuteness.

After a decision-less debacle, it was finally determined that we would go to My Father's Moustache for dinner with the Neighbor Besties.  I wasn't impressed and felt that the 3 stars they have on Yelp is an accurate review.  Service was slow and the food was ok.

Baby R got to try her first lemon.
Turns out, she loves sour.
She'd make that sour face but would be super smiley afterwards.
She wasn't a bit upset when she got more.

After dinner, we headed back home.  Teh German went to Teh PT House for cigar time and I got ready for bed and laid in bed with my laptop planning Italy things.  Teh German came home while I was still working and he fell asleep well before I closed the laptop.  There's just so many different wheels going for Italy and I'm trying to align them all before cementing the plan, so it's a little tedious, but I'm sue it will be fine.

SUNDAY

Again, my goals to sleep in were disturbed by Meri at 0715.  That girl is like clockwork.  Teh German got up with the beasts around 0730 and I laid in bed on my phone for 30 minutes before finally getting up.

We did slow morning things for a while to include a nap for Teh German and homework for me, then around 11 we agreed to go to Sake House for half off sushi for lunch and swing by the outlets to pick up the requested items for Nephew J.  Again, a disappointing choice since no eel rolls were on the half off menu.  Then, the eel roll I did order cost $11 for a TINY roll that would have cost $7 anywhere else or it would have actually been a BIG roll for $11.  This was the size of a california roll, not a specialty roll.  Teh German didn't fare as badly as I did, so it was a wash.

I dropped some dollas at Oshkosh because Auntie Megan is ridiculous.  They specifically asked for overalls, but I have no will power against cute baby clothes.  #SorryNotSorry.  I haven't been able to do this very often, like once or twice before for friend babies, so this was like being unleashed.

After we got home, Teh German worked on fish tank things and I eventually started working on dinner since I knew it would take a while.

This silly Monkey makes me giggle.

Dinner was meatloaf (bison and sage sausage + stuff to bind it, as I don't like ground beef) with mashed potatoes, green beans, and mushroom gravy.  Usually I do a ketchup based meatloaf, but this time I skipped the ketchup topping for gravy, making the gravy from scratch since I had some beef broth on hand that needed to be used.  I ended up doubling the recipe and had to also add a chicken broth, but it was fine.  Except for the part where it took for.fucking.ever to cook down.  After over 30 minutes of trying to get the gravy to reduce, I said fuck it and we had "brown mushroom juice" instead of gravy.  As soon as it cooled, it started to look like snot.  FUN.

I held back on the mushrooms.

TOTALLY 100% worth the effort.

After getting the kitchen cleaned up, we hit the couches for VIKINGS!  When we had gotten ready to go out for lunch, I included the Vikings theme song in the get ready music, thus reminding us that we had episodes to watch.

It was as delightful as I remembered, once I was mentally caught back up.  There was no "previously on..." before the first episode, so we were a little lost.  We watched 2 episodes, then it was bedtime.

______________________________________________

After the CF that was last week, a slow paced weekend was much appreciated.  I was expecting homework to be assigned, but it never happened and I'm not sorry.  I do have one programming assignment I could have worked on, but it's not due until the last day of class, so I gave myself this weekend to slow my roll.

I bought a comic book? graphic novel? called The Mental Load for myself for my birthday (with a birthday Amazon gift card, so kinda not from me), and FINALLY took the time to finish it on Friday/Saturday.  It was as good as I wanted it to be.  5 stars, would recommend to everyone ever.

I also finished the German book I was reading for German class, ensuring I would complete all homework assignments for the semester, even though I considered not doing the homework because my grade would be fine if I skipped a few.  It's not in me to NOT do them.

Italy is still not fully planned and I realized when I shut my computer down last night, I did not save the itinerary that I had edited.. soooo now I get to redo that.  Fun.  I probably would have ended up redoing it anyways, sooo whatevs.  I'm hoping to have Italy finalized by the end of this week or by the end of the weekend.  We'll see what this week brings.

The calendar looks deceptively quiet.  I say deceptively, because I know that quiet weeks usually end up being not quiet.  I get my hairs redid on Saturday.  Sunday we have Easter lunner (lunch-dinner) with Teh PT Fam.  I'm making mac and cheese again, by request of Teh PT Kid who insists that I make the BEST mac and cheese and that kid LOVES mac and cheese so that really touches my heart.  Also in things that melted my heart?  When Teh PT Kid took to calling Teh German, "Uncle [Teh German]" which meant that I became "Aunt Megan".  It's the small things, even if I did just come with the package, lol.

Teh German has a short week since it's Easter next weekend, but it's regular schedule for me.  The Citadel DNGAF about anyone's federal/religious holidays.

2 more homework/projects to complete + 5 final exams to take.

12 more days until Spring 2019 is completely finished.

18 days until I'm in Germany.

21 days until my language course starts.

Weekend Review {04/01}

FRIDAY

My goal Friday was to have a "normal" day, butttt it just wasn't in the books.  The hydrocodone cough syrup I got gives me intense headaches behind my eyes and in my sinuses, as if I didn't already have enough going on with being allergic to every.fucking.thing ever.. so that was a fun Friday morning situation I had to get through.  I teleworked for a bit, and then I headed to school. 

Because of the headache, I didn't make it to campus in time to take my engineering test first, so instead, I took my German test first, then went to German class and did my final presentation during class, then after class headed to Academic Support to take my engineering test.  Turns out, being in a semi-out of it/medicated state reallyyyyy helps me test.  Despite feeling like I did very poor (for me) on my German test, I made a 99.  My German teacher delivered it with a semi-reproachful look, then laughed at me when I told her that I had warned her it wouldn't be good, then I flipped it over to a 99.  She's like, this state of mind is working for you. 

I kept that ball rolling through the engineering exam, which only took me a very alarming 25 minutes.  Those tests usually take me a full 75 minutes, sooooo thanks medicated brain!  After the tests, I headed home and teleworked some more.  When work things were done, I headed to the couch for Meri snuggles and book time and to wait on Teh German to come home.

When he finally came home, we agreed to go out for dinner since I felt up to it.  We agreed on Charleston Burger Company since we hadn't been there and it'd been on my list for a while.  It was good, but it wasn't drive all the way there good.  Also, there was a millionty year wait since they had so many take out orders they were working on.. and they forgot to put the egg on my burger and later delivered it, SWIMMING in grease for me to put on my burger.  Uhhhh wut?  After draining the egg of the grease and dabbing it like greasy pizza (no shit, I legit did this because ingesting that grease would have 100% put me in the bathroom within 20 minutes of consuming it, guaranteed), I managed to get the egg on my burger and all over me and my plate.. It was a disaster, of course.  Teh German's burger was equally messy, so I didn't feel bad.

After dinner, we headed home and watched Modern Family until bedtime.

SATURDAY

Saturday morning, I finally completed my goal of getting up with the beasts.  I felt super productive!  Then I went back to bed and read for a little while.. and then I ended up taking a multi-hour nap.  When I woke up again at 11:30, I got up and Teh German said he wanted to be productive and pick weeds from the front yard.  I wasn't overly interested in that, but I also know that #BestWifeEver points are made by doing shit I don't necessarily like doing. 

The dogs were being annoying AF, so I got motivated and opted to take them on a short loop, because I don't really have the endurance to do the long loop and still manage to have energy to do other things after.  When I got back home, I scooped poop, and then dug up these 2 grassy plants Teh Gardener planted last year and put them by the HVAC drain in the side yard, hoping they will soak up some of the water that drains there and makes the yard a disaster (since we had to remove the drainage pipes after the HVAC disasters from last year, even though they were definitely NOT the problem).  I also relocated some other plants, then I sat down and dug up weeds from the flower bed for half of my life.  About 3/5 of the way through, I realized that I regretted my decision.  I was exhausted and you can tell the point where I stopped caring.  It looks better than it did, but there's a side that is NOT as good as the other and IDGAF.

Teh German could tell that I was tired and we had talked about riding out for dinner.  After pulling the weeds, he had washed Suzi and Bagheera, which was MUCH needed.  Also, I have ZERO idea where his motivation to pull all these damn weeds comes from.  I'm wondering if he doesn't realize that weed and seed mix exists for a reason.  Truly, it baffles me how often Teh German commits to pulling weeds.  He tricked me into that shit TWICE for the backyard and I told him NO FUCKING MORE of that shit.  It was miserable, it never helped, and I'm too fucking old for that mess.  Our backyard will always look like asshole because it doesn't get a lot of sun for growing grass and the dogs excessively "aerate" it with their zoomies.  Also, one side doesn't really get sun at all and it's either moldy or super dry.. and I don't care.  The backyard is 90% for dogs pooping.. and 10% for us sitting outside in the pergola or at the firepit.. which Pax likes to use as a centering ring for his poops.  So I mean, really, why bother?

I went inside and showered and told Teh German I needed to lay down for a short bit before I could go anywhere.  He knew that however I felt would determine if we got to ride the bikes or not, so when it was for more than "a few" minutes, he didn't rouse me.  45 minutes later, I went downstairs with my riding boots on and we picked a place for dinner called Mainland Container Co in Mount Pleasant.  I saw they had truffle tater tots and that was all I needed to sell Teh German on the idea.

When we arrived, we sat at the bar.  I could tell it was kind of a "locals" place since people at the bar knew the name of the bartender.  We ordered hushpuppies as an appetizer and placed an order for a caprice chicken sandwich (Teh German) and a shrimp platter (me, and I'd told Teh German I'd share since I doubted I could eat a full "platter").  The hushpuppies were delicious in honey, the other dips were too spicy for me to endure with my raw throat.  When our food came.. I was extremely disappointed in the $19 "platter" with ~10 "jumbo" shrimp on it.  Granted, they were touted as local, jumbo shrimp, but calling something a platter would insinuate that there are an abundance of shrimps...  I gave Teh German one shrimp and said, sorry that is all I'm sharing since there's not really much here.  The slaw was ok, but difficult to eat since it was super long strands of cabbage.. and the truffle tater tots were everything I'd imagined they would be.

This place was SUPER dog friendly, with a special dog section of the menu.

After dinner, we headed back home.  After releasing the beasts, we headed over to Teh PT House for socializing.  Around 10:30, I finally semi-forced Teh German into going home since our hosts were exhausted and he hadn't actually been smoking the cigar he'd been holding for a solid 15 minutes.  When we got home, it was bedtime.

SUNDAY

Sunday morning was a slow start thanks to 2 benedryl + hydrocodone.  I was surprised Meri let us sleep for as long as she did, until 10.  I got up with the beasts and rediscovered we were out of milk for cereal.  I went back upstairs and told Teh German of my bad news.  We agreed to grab something nearby for breakfast and make a store trip for essentials and a baby gift for a shower I was going to later.

We went to Waffle House near base, which was SUPER busy, like all Waffle Houses around here.  It's always weird to me.  Then we headed to Walmart Market to pick up milk and diapers and other shit.  I hadn't created the menu for the week yet, which means we will have to make another store run, but now we won't starve... aka we have cereal and milk.

When we got home, I laid down for a nap since I was driving to the shower, which was almost an hour away.  Teh NY Chef rode with me.  We talked to Teh Dad on the way since he called.  At the baby shower, we watched baby momma open gifts and cooed over the baby.

Around 5:30, we headed back towards home.  When I got home, Teh German suggested frozen pizza for dinner and I agreed.  We watched The Crimes of Grindlewald or whatever.  After, I talked to Teh Running Bestie for a bit and then it was bedtime.

______________________________________________

It was nice to be functional again.  Even if it took many naps.  Today is my first day back to my "normal" schedule, so we'll see how it goes.  I did tell Teh German that the gym was optional for me today since I didn't want to overdo it and he agreed.

I made up all my missed tests on Friday, which means that this week I just have to focus on getting homework finished up.  Today is also the first day of class registration, but I didn't go to my advisor so I'm not cleared to register for classes.. even though I kinda did when I pointed out a schedule conflict between 2 required classes that I needed...  Oh well.  I'll go talk to my advisor today and tell him my plan and he'll release the hold and I'll register and it will be done.  Whatevs.

Fun news, my scholarship check arrived on Saturday and I deposited that bitch quick before anyone could change their minds.  We were all confused about why it was for $5998 instead of the $6052, but whatever, close enough.

I really need to determine our final European adventures so we can purchase tickets and plan and things, but decisions are hard.. and having zero limits is even more difficult for me.  #MeganProblems #FirstWorldProblems, I know, I know.

This week includes:
-lots of homework for Data Algorithms and Cybersecurity and German classes
-i5k, The Bridge Run (both of which will be an interesting challenge since I'm in a diminished state)
-Teh Running Bestie and Gang will be arriving Thurs!


Happy April, Gentle Readers.
My flight to Germany appeared on my calendar this morning and I was shocked.  ONE MONTH TILL GERMANY!!!!

Five on Friday #169

EINS - Random Shit

-I went on a run Monday morning and I wasn't doing the full on troll hobble, but it was hurting pretty bad, so I scheduled a visit with the podiatrist.  The x-rays look fine, so he taped a spongy cushion to the ball of my foot and told me to leave it on through Wednesday.  I'm pretty sure that walking on it made the left side of my calf hurt, but my foot feels better.  Or it could be the steroids he gave me.  Who knows.  I can do all activities besides run.  I haven't put it to the test though, other than going to the gym.  I really need this shit to sort itself out soon.  I got miles to get in before Teh Running Bestie and I descend upon Raleigh with all our running badassery and injuries...

-Since visiting Germany is out of the picture, thanks USCIS, we put plan B into motion.  Flights, lodging, rental car, and trip insurance have been purchased for our Colorado Snowcation!!!!  SOoooooooo pumped.  Teh German gets to snowboard his heart out, and I'll try to learn to snowboard, hopefully, or I'll bring a lot of fuzzy socks and read in front of the fire while it snows outside.  We're going to be hanging out in Denver with Sprink and husband and the 13 dogs that will be boarding at the Needle Nose Nirvana and I can.not.wait.

PS.  13 greyhounds is like 4 non-greyhound dogs, maybe.

-Someone on my Spotify Friend Activity Feed is a former FB friend from high school and I lost at least an hour of my life stalking people from high school after noticing their picture had been updated to include a baby.  This led to several trains of thought.

1- I'm not friends with many people from high school on Facebook.  This is because they rarely interacted with me, we've never hung out since 2004 (if not before), or I just felt like they were friends with me to keep up with my life, not because they were genuinely concerned about me.

2- I have some mad stalking skillz.  Really, anyone can do what I do, I only view what is visible to the public, so it's not like I'm hacking into their account or anything.. but you really learn a LOT from profile pic changes and public posts on people's pages by their friends or comments on the photos that are visible.  Wedding rings that go missing and absence of a spouse in the pics, obviously the introduction of babies, where people have traveled to, new significant others, weddings, sometimes deaths...

3- Seriously, all these people having babies.  Where are all the people at who do NOT want to have kids?  People, show yourselves.  Be my friend.  Strength in numbers and all that.

3a. I'm blaming my caring about this baby thing at all on the fact that it's "girl" time so the estrogen is over here on high fucking blast.
3b. My moments of weakness go like this:
A: Look at how cute it is!?!?!?! /squeeeeeeee
B: you have to KEEP the kid for like.. permanent.  You can't give it to someone else when it's being a shit.. and it will inevitably be a shit.. do you know who it's parents will be?  That baby will rival Jack Jack from The Incredibles.
A: but it's so cute.
B: but are dirty diapers cute?  And what about all those fun activities you do?  You sure as shit wouldn't be dropping all that money on a Snowcation if you had spawns.  Nope, you'd be buying diapers and wishing someone would take your baby and let you borrow it periodically when you think it's cute.  And you know your psycho husband wouldn't let you ride your motorcycle when you're incubating his spawn.
A: LOOK AT IT'S WIDDLE EYES AND FLOOFY HAIRS!!!
B: I can't deal with you when you're like this.  You're on two forms of birth control and it's highly likely that you're infertile anyways, Mrs. Hot Flashes at 32.
A: Rude.  FLOOFLY HAIRS!  BABY CHORTLES!  ALL THE ONESIES!!!
B: Seriously, be an aunt.  You obviously have special talents going to waste, but those special talents come in limited, non-parent, amounts.
A: I am an aunt.  My nephew just happens to be in Germany.  OOOO, Teh Sister?
B: Don't you put that on her, Ricky Bobby.  You know better.
A: Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
B: Back at cha.

^^ Every.single.time.
This is my life.

-Soo, speaking of my life and shit that happens to me...  Willow let me down on Tuesday.  When I left the house, my gas estimator said I had 50mpg left in the tank.  This was perfect.  I could get to school on time and then stop and get gas on my way into work.  Excepppptttt, when I got out of class on Tuesday and went to leave, Willow wouldn't start.

Campus Police happened to be patrolling by and I asked for a jump since the radio had displayed something about a dead battery.  IDK how, Willow is just super smart.  Willow also told me that I had 30 mpg left in the tank.  Despite the extra battery juice, Willow continued to make her choking sound.  No idea what to do, I called the Subaru dealership to talk to someone in the service department.

Turns out....... the gas estimator isn't accurate in the 2018 Outback.  Faaaaannnntastic.  They just came out with a fix for the issue in the last week or so, per the service dude I was speaking with.  It's not an immediate problem, so when I bring in Willow for her first oil change, they will give her a vacation and give me a rental and send off the part that needs to be repaired.  I'm lucky that I was parked and in a safe place.  Service Dude said some people had ran out of gas while driving.  I'm on the interstate for 70% of the driving I do.  I almost have a panic attack just thinking about running out of gas on the interstate and being the reason that Charleston traffic is even more fucked up.

Luckily, I have the warranty that covers roadside assistance delivering 2 gallons of gas to me.  An hour later, gas was delivered, Willow was sated enough to get me to the gas station, and a life lesson was learned.  Do NOT rely on those gas estimators.  Get gas when the light turns on.  Just do it.  It's fine.  There is nothing that says that you have to use every single ethanol vapor in the tank before getting gas.

-Turns out, we have to pay to replace the drip pan that has a rusted hole in it, which was causing the ceiling to pee on us.  Actually a drooping pipe caused the rust spot, but ya know, who care about that technicality.  It's not covered by the warranty.  Of course not.  Why would it be?

-Accurate analogies of my life via gifs:

PS.  Those overacted fails are the best.

-Books beeches.
The problem with listening to audiobooks that are 20+ hours long is that they take forever to get through.  Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying them, butttt when I see my Goodreads challenge go from 4 ahead, to 3 ahead, to 2 ahead, to 1 ahead... I just don't like it.  Some might call me an overachiever.  Some might accept that claim.

I'm almost finished with a 55 hour book (Words of Radiance), then I think I'll enjoy a few "short" audiobooks before returning to the other 55 hour book (Outlander 7).  I also finished Magic Burns last night, which was definitely better than book 1 in the series.. ANNNNDDD there was only a few references about modern day things (Subaru car, Altoids mints) that made me stabby.  If your book is set in the future with no given year (that I've been made aware of), things in modern time aren't really that "old".  Kristen and I have had conversations about this.

I've also been in the mood for some solid SOUTHERN audiobooks.  I want that slow accent.  I want fireflies and kadydids.  I started reading The Beach Trees (recommended by Brit) but it's an ebook, not an audio.  I think I will like it though.  I also started reading Sweet Tea and Jesus, a series of short stories, but it wasn't what I wanted it to be and I quit reading it.  I didn't even bother to DNF it on Goodreads, I just took it out of my books.  It wasn't bad, it just wasn't.... my cup of tea.  HA!

I'm enjoying this season of books that I'm in.  A few years ago it was WW2 (eastern front, please) fiction.  Now it's sci-fi and southern shit.  I think my next push will be for the Warcraft books or the Shannara series(es) by Terry Brooks.  Both of those series are approximately a mabillionty books.. so that should keep me busy for the rest of my life.

PS.  I did finish Erin's Challenge back in September, I think.  After changing from some tedious books, I was able to charge on and get shit done.

ZWEI - Money Shit

This week I said, "Goodbye, dolla dolla bills yall!" when I paid for Snowcation things.  #YOLO
Teh German and I were discussing the price of lift tickets (specifically him saying how expensive they are) and I finally said it...  "Then what is the purpose of all the money we make?"  It's one thing to be cheap but it's another to be cheap when you're going on a vacation that you've wanted to go on for yearssss.  I cannot with that.  He had no response, so hopefully the message was received.

-dog food (can we just have a collective hell yes for Amazon auto ship?)
-Audible subscription
-Spotify subscription
-Chickfila splurge Tues morning, which worked out because I would have been hangry AF if I hadn't inhaled that chicken biscuit.
-GAS.  ugh too soon.
-Couples massage through Groupon at my favooorrriiittteee place for our anniversary
-one of those beanies with a pony tail hole.
-Day drinking
-Groceries/stuff at Walmarts
-Erasers for Cadet gifts.  These fools erase.. A LOT and I'm tired of them asking to borrow a pencil/eraser, so I bought some cap erasers with little smileys on them... DONE.  Merry Christmas, Cadets.  You get one and you get one and you get one.
-A cast cover for my bandaged foot.
-Steroid prescription
-Meri vaccine
-Lunch pizza (because the craving for the Big Mac -esque pizza that Park Pizza makes was tormenting me so I finally just gave in and it was soooooooo worth it)
-Meri hair cut (finnnnnaally)
-

DREI - From My Phone Shit

Toe cushion... which I affectionately referred to as "Pac Man Toe Pad"

Teh Running Bestie and I BOTH have one of these sexy things now.
#Twinsies

When the flies have taken over your house and you have to protect your breakfast while getting your shit together to leave for the day...

Apparently, maintenance took down a wasp nest but didn't bother to clear the evidence.
Creepy AF.

Poop Soup!

McPark Pizza
Kinda like a Big Mac pizza.
It was everything you're imagining it would be.

If a cowboy is happy, does that make him a jolly rancher?

VIER - From the Internet Shit

FÜNF - Things that made me happy this week

1. My BJB almost going away.
2. No class on Wednesday and getting to work the whole day.
3. Going through the course offerings and planning Spring 2019.  I cannot describe how much satisfaction I get from scheduling things.  If I could handle the bitches, I could totally be a wedding planner.
4. Meri with short hairs.  After cutting out a dingle berry earlier this week, that fuzz had to go.
5. LONG SLEEVES AND "COLD" TEMPERATURES!!!!!  MY TIME HAS COME, GENTLE READERS!!!!
6. Teh German making some sweet modifications to Bagheera.  A new exhaust has her purring like the sexy beast she is, and new brighter head-lights were installed so I don't use my high beams 100% of the time, which Teh German hates for some reason.  I really don't care though and now my high beams are going to be even brighter and I'm PUMPEDDDDD!
7. Books books books!!!!
8. Teh Chiro who just gets me and all my broke pieces and does his best to realign all my pieces so I can inevitably fuck it all up again.
9. Steroids for faster healing.  I didn't know.  My world has been lit up.
10. COLORADO SNOWCATION IN DECEMBER IS PLANNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Friday, Gentle Readers.