Getting set for a new year

Keith and I have really wanted to get an elliptical. Our plan was to run until the weather would not let us anymore. Well, that soon went out of the window after our honeymoon. Except for me, well kind of. I did go to the resort gym... once. Well I have noticed a few extra pounds. One reason lack of exercise, second reason, driving four hours to/from class, then another six siting in class. Unfortunatly getting your masters makes you unactive. The weather now is officially not good for running and black friday is days away. We thought about waiting for this time to be serious about buying an alliptical. Today we went through the Sunday ads and the black Friday sales. We went to two sporting goods stores and found one at each that are great. At one, a 15" flat screen DVD player with stand came for free with the ellipitcal. For the same price, you just got the ellipitcal. Well, I went to the manager of the second store (the one with no free TV). I told the manager, "Hey, we like this ellipitcal. There is not much difference to the other one we are looking at. Price is the same, warranty is about the same, but we get a free TV. Is there anything you can do to reduce this price?" Guess what, I got 20% knocked off, and additional 3 year warranty. We didn't really need the TV. We already have a big one in the downstairs living room anyway. So moral of the story, talk to the manager to get discounts while holiday shopping. If you tell them you are going somewhere else, they can swing you discounts that may honor a damage, friends & family, or even an employee. I challange you to negoiate.

Public Restrooms

What is it with people that they feel it is okay to leave their bodily waste in a public toilet without flushing. I mean c'mon. Only a toddler learning to go potty should have difficulty in this. Yet while I am in grad school, a place with highly educated individuals who know how to use the toilet, it happens at least in two stalls. I just don't get it. Especially in a ladies room! What is lady-like about that? GROSS! Working in a high school where students do not have much consideration for others I get it. But are they waiting beside the stall for an unsuspecting visitor to grimace away. No. So what is the big deal? And speaking on that level, who poops in public? You know there is someone else in the restroom who can smell your smelly butt. Em-bare-ass-ing! Get rid of it. Give a curiosity flush then flush the rest. Grrrr.

being fat

Keith: "Chocolate covered cherries are coming out soon."
Kim: "I know. I was thinking that the other day. Mmmmmm. Queen Annes."
Keith: "You're such a fat kid."
Kim: "Why am I a fat kid?"
Keith: "You look forward to certain holidays just for the candy they produce. Christmas - Queen Annes. Easter - Cadbury Creame Eggs."
Kim: "Hey, so do you. You're a fat kid."
Keith: "I am a fat kid. But it's different for you. I am an outter fat kid. You're an inner fat kid."

Ghosts

Every Wednesday I torture myself and watch Ghost Hunters on the syfi network. It's torture because I am deathly afarid of ghosts. I am warning you now... do not haunt me when you die. Anyway, the hunts are very interesting to me. On tonight's show, they were investigating the haunting of a cat. This seems weird to me. How can a cat be a ghost? So I googled and went to ask.com. Evidently, it is not rare for pets to haunt, especially if their death was tragic and unexpected. Insert cruel joke here: I guess the cats lost count of their lives. The research also suggests since dogs, cats and horses have souls, they may come back as a spirit. Has anyone ever experienced their pet as a ghost?

The day has come

It is Keith's first day as a house husband.

Raking the leaves, part I

Saturday we woke up and went right outside to do the leaves. Every eyar it is a challenge. The first year, we raked everything and then threw it over the lake wall into our composte pile. Problem: Too many leaves, and years of negelect from the previous home owners. The next year we bought leaf blowers at the flea market. They worked, but it took forever to get down. Last year we got a leaf mulcher in addition to the leaf blowers and it still took a long time. Mind you, our leaves take many days to do. This year, we started raking into pile, filling up trash cans (15 total so far), then driving over to Keith's parent's house, and dump the leaves in their woods. Having the pick up helps out. This is truely the most effective plan to date. We are still not finished. Peek at the last picture. Our maple is vibrantly red. Very beautiful.

Funny Keith moments

I was going thru my camera and came across some funny pictures.

The first is when Keith decided to cook us lunch. He made burgers on the grill. Then he decided we needed fried to go with the burgers. So he took his special pot that he bought just for the grill and grilled previously made french fries.


Towards the end of the summer we went to a BBQ. After sitting around a while, I got silly and found my husband to have beer muscles, literally.