Relaxation Tapes

We had an absolutely gorgeous weekend over here. I helped a friend move and we were able to do all the up and down the stairs of her old apartment before 10:00 AM when it was still cool out. So nice. Of course, I really couldn't move the next day and I'm struggling to stay conscious today, but that is to be expected.

I received a new catalog in the mail the other day and I noticed that it had a section of "relaxation tapes", which reminded me of a phase my college roommate and I went through in school.

One weekend, probably around midterms, we decided to give those relaxation tapes a try. She bought "The Rainforest" while I bought "Thunderstorm." Being college students we were notoriously cheap, and if there is one thing I learned from the experience, you cannot go cheap on a relaxation tape.

We decided to listen to "Thunderstorm" together as we were studying in the living room.

(A gentle rain falls.)

Me: This is nice.

Her: I love storms.

(A crack of thunder.)

Me: See? Nice and relaxing.

Her: I hope I don't fall asleep. I have to study for this Psychology exam for tomorrow.

(Another crack of thunder.)

Me: Whoa. That was ... a little loud.

Her: You think?

(The wind picks up.)

Her: What is that?

Me: Why are there howler monkeys in the thunderstorm?

(More thunder and wind.)

Me: Good grief.

Her: Should I be calling Auntie Em?

Me: I thought this was supposed to be relaxing.

(The howling wind is now deafening. There are a series of loud crashes coming from the tape.)

Her: Let me see that tape case.

Me: Why?

Her: This is no thunderstorm. This is a freakin' tornado!

(A siren begins to wail.)

Her: We are going to die!

Me: Head for the basement!

Her: Tell my mom I love her!

(Tires squeal. Metal crunches.)

Me: What was that?

Her: I think a storm chaser just bit the dust. The idiot.

(More wind, and ominous thumping.)

Me: I think it just ate Kansas.

Her: Auntie Em! Auntie Em! Save yourself!

(Other roommate walks in.)

Other roomie: What is going on in here?

Me: Get down! You've got to get to the safe place! The tornado is going to eat us alive!

Other roomie: What are you talking about? The sun is shining!

Me: That's what it wants you to think! It's coming to get us!

Other roomie: For the love of pete ... what is that racket? Turn down the stereo!

Stereo? Oops.

The next day I asked her how her rainforest tape was. She said she wanted to shoot the damn birds after about three minutes and to not even get her started on the "Oo ee ah Ah AH!" thing every fifteen seconds.


So remember, kids: Don't go cheap on the relaxation tapes.

Rain

After having almost no rain for what seemed like months, we are in the middle of our third day of scattered storms here. Yay for the farmers, but I think the rest of us are tired of it now.

The rain may explain an annoying problem I've been having this week. It has taken an act of god to get me out of bed in the morning. And I've been tired all day. I get to work, and I tell my co-workers that I need an IV with Diet Coke in it. They laugh, but I'm starting to think it's a good idea.

Today it's Vanilla Coke Zero, but I'm still thinking about an IV.

What's worse, I have a desk job where I do not necessarily have to move around much. Falling asleep at my desk is a real possibility. If I had an office instead of being out in the middle of the department floor, falling asleep would be a certainty.

Does anyone else have problems staying away on rainy days? What do you do to wake yourself up?

I'm off to take a short walk up and down the stairs a few times. If I don't get moving, I'll fall asleep sorting the mail.

I'm In Love ... With a Restaurant

Well, OK. I'm in love with DH too. He took me to my favorite restaurant yesterday.

Let me back up. Last week was rough. It was hectic, frantic, and just about any other -ic words you can think of. TGIF nearly took on a religious meaning. I was so glad when Friday rolled around that I brought in Mary Lou Donuts for our department. By the way, Mary Lou makes the best donuts - ever. Better than Dunkin' Donuts. You can keep your Krispie Kremes. Give me Mary Lou Donuts any day of the week. OK, if you did, I'd look like donut, but you get the picture.

There is this Mexican restaurant chain over here called Hacienda. There was one fifteen minutes away from the house I grew up in. There used to be one here in Lafayette - heck that's the reason I agreed to move here - but now the closest one is in Kokomo. It's only a 40 minute drive or so.

I am in love with Hacienda.

As far as being "authentic" in terms of Mexican fare, I have no idea. Don Pablos once tried to kill me with heartburn, so no, it's not necessarily spicy-hot.

Most of my co-horts love it for their margaritas. I agree. They are good. They have a dreamsicle orange one that is absolutely divine, but I digress. I do go for the food.

I always order the same thing every time too. A shredded beef wet burrito with extra cheese. Please forgive me for drooling. The beef is like the tenderest pot roast ever marinated in subtle Mexican seasonings. It's wrapped with beans (not a lot), tomatoes, lettuce and burrito sauce inside a flour tortilla and a mound of cheese is melted over the whole thing.

So good.

Lately we've become fans of the chili con queso sauce with chips as an appetizer, as if the regular chips and salsa were not good enough on their own. I never eat chips and salsa anywhere else. And yesterday (due to fate, I believe) their mudslide dessert was half price. That would be a big chocolate chip cookie baked fresh, covered with three scoops of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce. We ordered one with three spoons. *Sigh*

I waddled when I left the restaurant, but I was one happy camper.

So if you're ever in Michigan City, Mishawaka, Goshen, Elkhart, Warsaw, Kokomo, Evansville or South Bend and see a sign for Hacienda, be sure to wave. I'll wave back, I promise.

http://www.haciendafiesta.com/

Come on, people. That was funny.

Ok, so yes, I've been in a bit of a funk for the past week or so, but come on. You have to admit that the "flaming turd" quote from DSS was pretty funny in the last post.

Yes, it was at the end of a rather morbid entry, but it is just one of those things that happens. Well, to me anyway. I'll be in a funk, mourning the only way I know how, and something will happen that will make me laugh hard enough to lay an egg. It reminds me that life has ups as well as downs, and that I will remember the phrase "flaming turds" far longer than a bible verse at a funeral.

Of course, that just may be part of my problem. I really should brush up on my bible verses, but dang it, the flaming turd story is just too good to pass up.

Stick Me With A Fork, Part 2

My guinea pig up and died Saturday. If this isn't evidence that God has a twisted sense of humor, I don't know what is.

You see, on my last post I specifically forbade anyone else to die, that I was done with funerals. I suppose since technically Tiger wasn't a person, that left him out of the loop.

*Sigh* This really sucks.

It's been a rough week. A co-worker and friend passed away and I've been dealing with that both at work and at home. Then just as I was getting ready to leave for the funeral, I looked in on the guinea pig and found he had passed on as well.

I wonder if my friend likes guinea pigs.

It was left to me to break the news to my step-son. He already lost a hamster this year.

Me: Did you talk to your dad today?

Him: Not really.

Me: Did he tell you about the bad news?

Him: No.

Me: (muttering) Of course he didn't. Well, I've got some bad news to tell you then.

Him: How bad is it?

Me: Well, it's life.

Him: Okaaay.

Me: (taking a deep breath) Tiger passed away yesterday. I'm really sorry, bud.

Him: Well, that stinks.

Me: Yes, it does. It happened really fast and at least he isn't suffering.

Him: Trent's OK, right? (our dog)

Me: Yes. The vet said he is doing great.

Him: Good. That just really stinks about Tiger though. (A pause) Do you think the fireworks stand has any of those flaming turds left?

Me: What?

Him: Flaming turds. They are round and when you light them the turd comes out.

Me: Huh? You mean Snakes?

Him: Oh yeah. They look like turds though.

Ah yes. The brain of an 11 year old boy.

Meanwhile DH and I were digging a hole in the flower bed at 11:00 at night to bury Tiger so the neighbors wouldn't see. Like someone digging a hole in the dark isn't suspicious enough. Max (the hamster) is in an old check box in the other flower bed on the side of the house.

It is my most sincere wish that no one digs up the flower beds any time soon. I'd rather not explain all the bodies, however small.

Stick me with a fork. I'm done.

A quick recap, as I've been gone awhile.

DH came through his medical procedure just fine and is now doing much better. He had scar tissue in his throat that was triggering coughing fits. He had an upper GI scope and the doctor was able to biopsy off the skin causing problems. He is doing very well, sleeping better (finally!) and back to work. Whew! I'm glad that set of worries is out of the way.

We decided against getting another dog just yet. With DH's procedure and some other expenses that have come up, it didn't seem practical for right now. When we are ready, we will go the same route and look to adopt one through a shelter or rescue.

Sadly, one of my co-workers and friends passed away on Monday. It was a huge shock. There are three of us assistants that work in my department. One was on vacation, I was there and the third was missing. It was a surreal experience where you just keep hoping that there has just been a misunderstanding. My boss ended up having to contact her brother and the police to do a welfare check and that's when they found out she had passed in her sleep the night before. She was a very good person, endlessly patient with my questions and will be missed fiercely. I cannot even think about the turmoil that her absence will leave at work, as she knew everything and did all the "icky hard stuff".

So I am going to say that after this, I am officially done with funerals for the year. I absolutely forbid anyone else to die. Nope, that's it. Finis.

*Sigh* I'm hanging in here, but I'm going to buy "The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes" by Crusie et al tonight. I need a little distraction for a while.