Around the Newt World in 80 days

Working from home is a nice change. I get to spend the day with the pups. I like that. And it's quieter and I can concentrate much better.

180 degree switch:

I picked up my dad’s father’s day present. He is getting a whole assortment of goodies from the Candy Shop. It’s this great old fashioned store in the heart of St. Paul. They make their own chocolates, sell oodles of different candies by the pound, as well as fabulous popcorn. Plain, cheesy, and caramel. If you mix them all together you get Chicago Mix. That is my dads favorite. He also loves licorice in all its forms. So he has jelly beans and taffy. And last but not least, spice drops. He says that he has never had better ones than from the Candy Shop. He’s made a valiant effort to find ones as good but alas, our little shop in the city can’t be beat.

As happens every year I found myself shedding tears in the card isle at the store. Nothing makes me more weepy eyed than trying to find a card for my loved ones. This also happens at Mother’s day and for my Anniversary. I don’t know why. I guess I just realize how much someone means to me when I read all those sappy verses. I never actually pick the sappy versed cards, they are just too much for me. But I do try very hard to find just the perfect card. The one I found for dad says something about “Loving our little talks” which is the truest thing about my relationship with my dad. He calls me every day and that means the world to me. Even if he calls me for 45 seconds then hangs up because the dog pooped, the call makes my day. Life is too short and too full of surprises not to make the very most of every moment we have with the ones we love.

I am reading a book called “The Mercy of Thin Air” It’s a marvelous story about a woman who is “in-between”. She dies, but has not gone on to wherever it is that people go. She haunts the people from her past as well as a young couple connected distantly through family. It’s a touching story about life and loss. This story is very similar to the television series from a few years back called Dead Like Me. I’m not sure how well I would cope with being in-between. I don’t think I would be a very happy ghost. Another book called “Lovely Bones” holds a very similar theme. Only in that book the ghost character was brutally murdered. Pick up either book if you want a good cry. And either Netflix or rent Dead Like Me. Absolutely marvelous t.v. show.

180 degree switch:

Last night was mall night with the girls. We had a blast. I made a futile attempt to find a little black dress for this upcoming wedding. I have plenty of time and I know that the perfect dress is out there. I just have to figure out where the damn thing is hiding.

Of course a mall trip isn’t complete without some shoe shopping. We were in Nordstrom Rack and I tried on a pair of $70.00 flip flops. I just wanted to know what it felt like on the foot. Oh, my, god was this thing comfy. I flipped the shoe over to my friend to try on and she was also instantly in love. As she was ooohing and awwwing the shoe I told her the price. And she scolded me: “Who does this?” “Who does this?” “That’s just a serious violation of all things sacred in shoe shopping” “Don’t go putting heavenly pillows on my feet that cost that much.” Of course I had to apologize. It was very wrong of me. I violated all that was sacred in the sisterhood of the marvelous shoe. I know it’s really not THAT much money, but for the kind of shoe it was I know we were paying for the label more than anything and I just can’t do it.

180 degree switch

I love coffee. It’s my indulgence in my day. I don’t care for the Starbucks generation of coffee which is basically burnt. I actually prefer a smooth cup of coffee that is full bodied. I don’t like the charred taste that people are now used to because of Starbucks. I mail order Gevalia. It’s expensive, but the best damn cup of coffee you will ever have. And interestingly no matter how rich the coffee you order the beans are a nice deep brown. They are not black. They are not charred. Because of the cost, well, actually because the hubster complains about the cost, I reduced my shipments to one every twelve weeks. In between that time I just get ordinary coffee. Today I am indulging on Gevalia. And I saw that it was good. Ahhhhhhhhh. I’m going to go read some Twisted Tink, have a nice day everybody.