Would you rather run a fireworks store OR...

Tennessee Alabama Fireworks store
Originally uploaded by tabita.

The beautiful drive from Atlanta to Nashville is somewhat ruined by a row of fireworks stores on the Tennessee Alabama border.

As we drove by the most massive one, the Tennessee Alabama Fireworks, with it's Vegas-like lights, we started talking about why these huge fireworks stores were sitting here on the interstate, in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere. We determined that one of the states must not allow fireworks stores, so the clientele was probably from accross the border.

Then Todd said, "maybe we should just open a fireworks store." To which I responded: "that would probably be the last thing I would want to do."

This spawned a new game called "Would you rather run a fireworks store OR..." (we're working on a patent). We ended up playing it off and on for the rest of the drive home (mostly to stay awake) until we had to stop because I was laughing so hard I was having trouble driving in a straight line.

You can learn a lot about a person from this game (and that running a fireworks store really isn't the worst job imaginable).

For example, Todd would rather be a park ranger and a downhill skiing instructor than run a fireworks store. I found this quite surprising considering that he enjoys the "Great Indoors" and considers anything below a 3-star hotel roughing it.

Todd found out that I would rather run a fireworks store than be Miss February in the Nascar nude calendar or pose for Playboy Magazine. However, I would rather work at Hooters than in a fireworks store.

Most jobs involving a lot of handling of butts/feces/dead people ranked below the fireworks store - however, if it was only a small portion of the job, it could still rank higher (e.g. working in a nursery home).

For me, anything with music won out - even teaching the 6th grade obligatory choir with a bunch of kids who couldn't sing (I believe everybody can learn how to sing).

Todd would rather work in a cigar shop, because it sounds more distinguished (it's important how cool your job sounds when you tell other people).

I would rather be an anchor on Fox and Friends, but Todd would not (one of the rules is that you can't do anything that would get you fired) - anything to be in the spotlight...

Todd would rather drive a cab in NYC - this way, he can go see Rent as often as he wants to.

Finally - and I really struggled with this one since it involves living in India, my favorite new culture/country/world - I would rather run a fireworks store than be the caretaker of the rats in Rajastan's famous Karni Mata Temple.

Where does the fireworks store rank in your list of worst jobs?

See this face...?

Sophie in her new bed
Originally uploaded by tabita.

This is how Sophie gets us to take her out when it is pouring down rain, play "Go to your mat!" when we're supposed to be working, and generally work our schedules around her food and bathroom schedule.

Dogs like Sophie *have* to be cute to survive. Right now Todd is saying with his high-pitched Sophie voice: "Go get your keys! Where's your squirrel?"

Why do we even care where her squirrel is?!?!?!

Oh wait - because if she is chewing on the squirrel, it means she won't chew on us OR try to jump up in our laps as we're trying to post important blog entries OR get into our gym bags and destroy our headphones.

We love Sophie.

In Nashville

Isn't it amazing? These days, it feels like I'm more away than home. The committee in Rebecka's head decided that she does not like my job (apparently the only good thing about my job is that I get money for doing it).

Now I totally know why they have stuffed animals in every store at every airport... It's for the guilty parents! We're going to go broke here soon on guilt gifts. This week it was a TY cow, which Rebecka named Mrs. Mooooooo.

People actually seem excited to see me now that I'm rarely around. But nobody gets more excited than Sophie when I get back from one of my trips. She just vibrates from head to tail.

I gave Sophie a bath today. It was one of my TODOs on my home list. Check. If she hadn't gotten herself covered with mud, it would still be unchecked.

I'm such a procrastinator. I taught someone that word today. It's a good one.

My TODO list...

...has 56 bullets. This is just for work.

Took care of some of my TODOs for home this weekend: Exchanging Sophie's luxurious bed for a larger (and more expensive) luxurious bed, returning banged-up luggage (they said bring it back if anything breaks - i guess they did not envision 2 India trips and weekly domestic travel), trying on clothes and deciding that currently I'm right in between size 4 and 6 (two solutions: gain 5 pounds or loose 5 pounds - i'm going with the second option), getting Prasad's mail, and paying all the bills. Whew!

Today it's work, work, work. Better get to it.

Pleasant Surprise

The Peewauke Panera has natural peanut butter! It's so happy! Imagine expecting disgusting sugary, transfat-filled, slimey Jif (or similar) and instead getting finely crushed, pure natural peanut butter.

Totally makes up for the fact that I had to toast my own bagel, they only gave me one water bottle even though I asked for two, and I had to go back to the counter after I sat down to ask for my large fruit cup.

Time for some fun-filled BRD writing.

Actual count: 38

My bug bites kept me up half the night and bothered me so much throughout the day, that I eventually broke down and drove to Walmart (not because I like Walmart, but because it was the only place I knew of with a pharmacy) to see if I could find something helpful in the pharmacy section.

I told a nice lady behind the "consultation" desk my problem and she guided me to the Benadryl - Extra Strength Anti Itch section (they were conveniently out of the generic version).

As I raced back to the hotel to put the stuff on, it felt like it was getting worse every minute (my brain is kind of crazy like that). When I finally got there (btw, they put me in a very cushy room to make up for the mishap of putting me in a smoking room - I love good customer service) and started putting it on, I thought that it might be fun to count how many bites I really have.

Yep.

One step away...

New Deck Furniture
Originally uploaded by tabita.

Inspired by our friends Pete and Emi's new deck and deck furniture (from Mr. T's Patio - free delivery), we decided to finally do what we've been meaning to do for years and actually get some good outdoor furniture.

It arrived today! Todd has promised "fika" on the deck when I return from WI on Friday. Swell.

Now the only thing left is a dining room table - although the card table that is currently sitting there to fill up the space is really starting to grow on me...

20 bug bites +

I went for a lovely walk around my favorite lake with my fabulous friend Allison last night. We hadn't seen each other/talked in 6 months, so, needless to say, we had a lot of catching up to do.

So much catching up, in fact, that we stood by the car for at least 45 minutes in the dark with bugs swarming around us and having a feast. Today, my legs are *covered* with bites. It is insane!

And to top it off, I'm staying in a smoking room in a hotel in Waukesha, WI. Lovely... At least they are moving me tomorrow. Can't wait. But by that time everything will be smoke infested anyway.

So I'll be walking around with bug-bitten legs smelling like smoke for the next three days. Should be fun.

Sunday Morning

It's Sunday morning at 6:16 AM and I'm sitting in front of my laptop trying to motivate myself to work... I have so many things due, like, today. It's almost worse when I set my own deadlines than have other people do it. I'm brutal.

Sophie is whining in her kennel. I guess she wants to go out. But I took her out at 9:30 PM last night!! Just so I wouldn't have to take her out early in the morning. This dog (@%$&!!)...

Todd is asleep and Rebecka is at a sleepover. If the whining would just stop, this would be a very serene moment. Oh - it stopped. Maybe she gave up.

I think this is inspiring me to get back to my latest and greatest (ehm...?) design document.

Rebecka is singing in church today, btw. Should be cute! I love my child. She is so rockin'.

I wish that I had Sophie's squirrel...

I wish that I had Sophie's squirrel...
Originally uploaded by tabita.

Sophie is a friend,
And I know she's been a good friend of mine.
But lately something's changed
And it ain't hard to define.
Sophie's got herself a squirrel
And I want to make it mine.

You know, I wish that I had Sophie's squirrel.
I wish that I had Sophie's squirrel.
Where can I hurl a squirrel like that?

Courtesy Todd H Green Song Rewriting Company... Still need to work on the rest of the verses I think. But it is so funny!

She's back!

Back from DC
Originally uploaded by tabita.

Our princess has returned from her journey to the US Capitol. She had a swell time (especially in the wave pool) and misses her "Apple" David and Caroline.

We're glad to have her back safe and sound.

Garage Cleaning

Garage Cleaning 3
Originally uploaded by tabita.

So, we have been in our house for 10 months and for all those months our garage has been a wreck. At some point I moved things around so that we could at least get one car in there (since that is the purpose for garages), but we were never able to get to 100% (or even 55%).

Last weekend I had a revelation that we would spend 4th of July cleaning out the garage - and it materialized (I have this amazing power to get my husband to do whatever I want him to do). We spent most of the day tearing boxes and sweeping and driving things to Goodwill and sweeping some more and the result was amazing...

We can actually fit both cars into the garage now. It is so exciting! Apparently, the car is much cooler if it's been sitting in the garage during the summer and much less icy if it's been sitting in the garage during the winter. I can't wait to experience this for myself.

Now we're exhausted and plan to spend the evening watching the fireworks from our house - because we can do that.

Happy 4th!

IKEA

IKEA Food
Originally uploaded by tabita.

Spent a good 4-5 hours at IKEA yesterday. We started with the "browse". This is when you walk through the store, making notes of what you may want to pick up later and check on availability of larger items.

Second came lunch. This is when we eat Swedish meatballs in the IKEA restaurant. Oh, I forgot that before "browse", we did a mini-browse of the Swedish food shoppe and sampled Swedish food.

Third was the actual picking up of the items. By this time, we were kind of tired, but kept reminding ourselves about how much less "jobbigt" this was than our last trip (when we spent approximately 12 hours there).

Fourth was going back to the food shoppe and getting all the Swedish food. Todd was set on frozen Swedish meatballs. He bought two packs. This was the cause for step #5:

Drive off and find the nearest gas station to buy ice to make sure that the meatballs survive the 4-hour drive back to Nashville.

It all ended well. We still have one piece of furniture to put together - but that is it!!

I'm sure I'll be back within a month.

Back from India

In Delhi
Originally uploaded by tabita.

I feel like I should at least mention that I went to India - again... It was amazing as always.

This time I visited a third city - Delhi. It was HOT! I had thought about doing some sightseeing there - like go to the Taj, but it was just too crazy hot. In fact, in this picture, my bottom is soooo hot, that we barely had time to take the picture. It was also the only place we actually got out of the car (except for going to the office/hotel/restaurant).

Hope to go back soon. I feel like it is my third home country now. I'm even learning how to speak Telugu!

Todd Day

Since every day is Tabita, Rebecka, and Sophie day, we decided to have a Todd Day yesterday.

"What is Todd Day?" you may ask.

Well, it starts with a very sweaty and totally exhausting run in the neighborhood followed by a shower and light breakfast. It also involves no Sophie-duties on Todd's part as well as no cooking, cleaning, washing dishes, or other house-care-related activities.

This is followed by a trip to the nicest mall in town where we go to Todd's favorite stores and buy stuff. Lunch is at the Mellow Mushroom - Todd's favorite pizza place in town - and somehow we magically get a legal parking spot. Btw, Todd does not have to drive on Todd Day.

After lunch, we go back to the house so that someone other than Todd can let Sophie out to do her business. In the meantime, Todd sits in the reading room and reads Entertainment Weekly while he sips a carefully prepared root beer float.

Next, it's off to see Superman Returns at the 100 Oaks Mall. Rebecka somehow got out of this one and spent the rest of the afternoon in her friend's backyard. Todd really enjoyed the movie. Tabita enjoyed the parts that she was awake for.

Evening = eat junk food and play video games.

What a day! Can't wait for Tabita Day. Oh wait - that's today (and tomorrow, and the day after that...).

Well, friends - we're off to DC (Rebecka) and Atlanta/IKEA (T&T). Sophie is staying in Nashville to watch the house with our friend Katie. More later.