A Churro Tale

After work, I often think of foods that I want to end my day with.  Last night my mind drifted to a strange place of horchata and churros.  The more I thought about the water-like, cinnamon rice milk and cinnamon covered pastry; the more I needed some.  By the time I arrived at Dave's apartment, I had to have a churro or my world would be like Eeyore's world...sad and gray with heavy rain.
It was almost 10:00 p.m. and I felt sure that Beto's/Rancherito's would help solve this need inside of me. The need that had to be filled. No churros there but delicious horchata all around. Step one: horchata....CHECK.
Next on the line of fast food on 5600 S., Taco Bell. I knew it was a long shot, but Dave explained they had cinnamon twists which could be close to the flavor if all else failed.  The woman in drive-thru was super generous and offered the 89 cent treat to us for free.  After eating one...I was disappointed in the chip-like barely cinnamon taste.
I wanted to give up.  I had one win with the horchata but maybe I wasn't meant to have this churro that would surely change my life. We started towards Dave's apartment and I turned back on a whim to Del Taco.
Del Taco, the most unlikely prince in this tale provided me with the most amazing churros. Easily one of the best I have ever had in my life.  Who knew that the lower scale fast food, Del Taco, would come through when all other places (literally) failed me. :) Thanks, Del Taco, for completing me.

Best Day Ever

Do you know what that is? A ring! So Monday, April 25 was a big day as I already described. This was another super awesome reason.
The story is more detail than you probably want:
After a super long (and awesome) day, I wanted to give Dave his birthday presents early because I was super excited because I did so well.  (I got him a cheesy pic & frame of us as well as "The Wire: Complete Series) Since I have to work on his birthday and I wasn't going to be able to spend the whole day, I thought it would be awesome to give them to him early.
He opened the picture and frame first. It was a positive reaction, win.  Then dinner/"Indian food" hated me and I went and puked my guts out.  My reaction to puking is crying. Awesome...and I cleaned up after myself....and his bathroom.
I came back out and after a cracker to chase the vomit from my mouth, I felt fine. Dave opens the last gift and hesitates..........No super excited reaction, no exclamation of my awesomeness.  Just the longest pause in the world.  Disappointment! I was so sad, I told him it wasn't a big deal and I knew he wanted The Sopranos more...I should have thought things through.  Then came the unexpected, "Michelle, these gifts are really cool."  Wow...sounded forced...., "but the best gift would be is if you would be my wife." Then one knee and more crying...I said "of course". It was perfect....despite my vomit.

Due to circumstances, I have like seven weeks to plan this wedding. It's going to be a rush

The Culprit

The other day I was minding my own business in the kitchen. I was making a delicious ham and cheese sandwich when I glanced out the kitchen window and noticed this.

Just above the chair on the left...a gnome, wearing a red pointy hat and pointing away from the apartment with a carrot like nose.
Normally, this sight of small porceline creechers would not worry me...until three of my neighbors moved out.  The first was the one directly across the sidewalk from the gnome.  Another upstairs across the sidewalk and recently the apartment right next to the strange gnome household. 
What does this small midget hold in it's eyes?  Perhaps the glares are like Superman or Cyclops from X-Men and he will strike at any moment with lazer beams.  Or maybe at night he awakens in the darkness and slips into apartments, striking fear into the tenants sleepy eyes.  What if the gnome isn't a gnome at all, but a camera to spy on people for the murderous tenants who owns him?
This gnome is clearly becoming a problem here at the apartments of Fox Point at Old Farm. I shall be careful where I tread, maybe ducking when I pass the apartment (just to be safe).

I'll Take the Attitude

A fairly old picture of Russell and I

Let me introduce you to my attitude filled nephew Russell. He's around four years old and has quite the personality and sometimes more attitude than a teenage girl.

I don't even need to see him to know it.  I called my sister recently and while we were talking he wanted to talk to me, his lovely Aunt Michelle.

Before getting on the phone he asks my sister, "Hey, mom, is she coming to your birthday tomorrow?"

My sister explained very simply, "No, she lives too far away."

"You know, she COULD get on a plane."

I'm getting flack from a four year old. Love him.

Parental Tsunami



1946 Hawaii tsunami



My sister was the first to inform me via a text message of this so called "tsunami" that was to hit Hawaii.  I laughed it off because they always get tsunamis and crazy weather there.

Before my parents left for their 40th anniversary to Oahu, Hawaii; we joked about the volcano on Hawaii island.  Then I saw pictures of Japan and threats of it hitting California.  My lovely parents are ridiculous. This is me laughing at them in a sarcastic bitter tone.  No one in the family has heard a peep from them (no email, no phonecall no tragic call of missing persons).  I know they didn't bring their cell phone because they were thinking with their wallets. I can still recall the conversation the night before they left. My fathe was suggesting to take the cell phone and my mom's exact phrase was, "Richard, it costs so much to make a call from Hawaii. We better just leave it here." 
If I was in their shoes and didn't call, email or anything. I would get the crap knocked out of me.  This "tsunami" made national headlines this morning and if my parents had any good common sense, they would have called someone to say it was no big deal.
I found it was "no big deal" the old fashioned way, "Google News". Google News was kind enough to have the time and the wherewithall to provide me the necessary details; aka "only wet roads and minimal damage".  It would have been nice to know from their words. Thanks, Mom and Dad. Next time if you call me frantic when I'm late for dinner, I'm so not answering the phone.

Sue Sylvester

 Confession: I love Glee. I love the mixture of song, drama and especially comedy.  Comedy that ensues occasionally by the students but constantly from my favorite villain: Sue Sylvester.

She glares with blue stone eyes at Will and purses her lips. She throws the best tantrums and insults. Her sarcasm is so thick that I couldn't cut through it with a hack-saw.

 Today at work, I was lucky. Most of my work was done for me, so I spent the day watching Glee and loving Sue's quotes. Here's one of my faves:

"You'll be adding revenge to the long list of things you're no good at, right next to being married, running a high school glee club and finding a hairstyle that doesn't look like a lesbian."

Waking Fuzzy

As usual, I can feel the cold seeping into the room from the small ventilation holes in the floor.  I still don't completely understand why it's necessary to keep all the equipment in this room at four degrees Fahrenheit.  I understand keeping all of the computers, servers and equipment from overheating is important; but four degrees? Okay, so it's not that cold. Maybe it just feels that cold at seven in the morning.
I can't remember the last time I got up before nine in the morning during a workday.  Especially on a turnaround, which means I worked until eleven last night. While going to school, I used to get up at six all the time.  How did I do that?! Maybe I'm just getting old.
To say this morning is rough is a huge understatement.  I have been fighting off a massive cold and some extra health shenanigans. 
I feel fuzzy, like my whole body has fuzzed into my surroundings.  My head weighs a ton from congestion and my belly feels like I've chowed a literal ton of food, though I've only had my usual cereal. This is likely going to continue soon in the next few months (and not by choice, like this time). It's going to be a very long day.