I'm going to make fun of people now

so if you don't like it, quit reading. Oh, and they're anonymous people, if that changes things for you.

My mom came up to hang out last night, and we went to one of favorite Italian restaurants here. It's been around for a long time, but they just moved into a new fancy-schmancy building that looks like it's trying to imitate the Cheesecake Factory decor, which is strange because it's an Italian restaurant. I don't know, maybe bland but gigantic and noisy wins.

Anyway, we sat outside on the patio, which put us quite close to the table next to us. As we were checking out the menu and realizing this new building also dictated a price increase, the girl across from us grabbed the oil and vinegar and started telling her boyfriend she wasn't sure she wanted soy sauce on her bread. Despite her hesitation, she dripped a little bit on her bread plate, and put the olive oil on her boyfriend's. She tasted it, but still wasn't quite sure...I laughed internally.

While we were eating our dinner, our waiter served other tables around us, also calling them things like "my lady" and "big boss." I could hear him a couple of tables behind us when a man must have asked a question about the menu. The waiter proceeded to explain what a "Mira pox" is, and I kid you not, he said "mira pox" at least ten times. Now this is kind of a snotty one, and I don't really expect your average citizen to know how to pronounce mirepoix, or know what it is, but I do have higher expectations of wait staff. Especially irritating ones who call me "milady" all night. My silly brain kept thinking "A mira pox on both your houses!"

It was good entertainent.

Blog, schmog...

So I'm still not sure I have much to say, so here's some random stuff that you may or may not be interested to know. And yes, this is the best I can come up with right now.

1) I have been craving mojitos all week. Guava mojitos, to be exact.

2) I am so not down with the bounce house my neighbors are putting up, undoubtedly for one of the ankle biters' birthdays. The kids play in the street too much. Get a backyard.

3) Have I mentioned how addicted I am to "The Wire"? Seriously. I finished season 4 last night, and I'm not sure I can wait until August for season 5.

4) I don't think I mentioned this when I first wrote about seeing Kathleen Norris. But it's stuck with me--she left. She no longer lives in South Dakota. She moved back to Hawaii, and abandoned the prairie, her roots, etc. So now when I think about how lame it can be to say you live in South Dakota, I can't think in my mind "yeah, well at least Kathleen Norris lives here too."

5) The Sioux Falls Humane Society has kickass cat/music combinations on their adoption videos. Check them out.

6) PhotoBooth is too much fun!

So, I check out the cats on the Humane Society webpage regularly, wondering when I pass the center of the catlady continuum. Anyway, today I saw this cat video, and it made me laugh out loud.

This Explains So Much...

I was driving for work today, and heard this article on NPR about the Dutch health care system, and its relation to the values of the Dutch. It seems like a good explanation of why everyone's Dutch grandmothers and grandfathers don't go to the doctor, and why my grandfather laid on the ground with a broken hip for about an hour while my grandmother tried to dress him.

Oh, and I'm glad I'll never (probably?) have a baby in the Netherlands. Drugs, drugs, drugs!

Do you really need a title after not posting for a month?

So hmm, blogging...it it obvious I've been avoiding it with pictures? I just haven't had much to say. I've been concentrating so hard on being content I didn't want to ruin the facade. But, alas, I took a very short weekend trip to northern CA and realized once again where my people are. Here's a hint--it's not in Okoboji or the Outdoor Campus.

Okay, so maybe that's a bit dramatic, it's the gins and tonic talking. Or gin and tonics? Either way, Tanqueray suckered me into the Rangpur gin, which seems a little obnoxious when you could just squeeze a lime into it.

The quick trip to SJC was superb. I saw just about everyone, hung out, ate Donna's amazing food and drank John's (superlative) drinks, and shopped for maternity clothes. The maternity world was a little overwhelming, so luckily there was a real pregnant lady shopping with me who could navigate it. I mostly made suggestions and praised good choices. I also could not avoid trying on the surrogate pregnant belly at A Pea in the Pod. It was lumpy and not at all baby shaped.

So other than the trip, there has been lake-going, most wonderful I should say. Most lake-going weekends include lots of eating out (what else in my family?), some shopping, and my favorite, cotton candy. Yes, I'm nearly 30, and still LOVE cotton candy. Deal. There is also some sunning, though with this super-white skin that includes a much too long dousing with SPF a billion before it can happen. Oh, and sometimes boat-riding is also included. Decent.

Now...more gin and tonic. I will try to be more inspired to write soon. If I'm not you'll know by the repeated landscapes of my backyard.