Thanks for nothing

I'm on email lists for several airlines. They send out "weekly" messages with their top "deals." Each email is divided into two parts - deals from our city and deals from other cities. Great. I'm glad I can fly to Akron for "cheap" (it doesn't look like a deal to me), but really, do you have to rub it in as to which cities have actual good deals on airline tickets? DC only has good deals to ONE city? Why is the "deals from other cities" section 10 times larger than my city?

Miami to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic probably is a bargain at $74 each way. I'd like to go there. But wait, I don't live in Miami. Why in the world do you have to rub it in that people in an already warm climate with good, cheap, food (ie Cuban sandwiches - so yummy) readily available can "get away" for so cheaply while I am stuck in not warm DC with only a deal to Ohio?

(I love you, Jen, and someday will go visit you - apparently there are lots of good deals to be had.)

Bad Mommy

Hubby had a wedding to go to/be in over Memorial Day and we decided that it'd be too much for baby Lu'au and I to go along. He went to play in the Mediterranean and we went to see my family in Michigan.

We had tons of fun with my family. We went to the beach (I love Lake Michigan) I went fabric shopping. It was very relaxing and good. Until... my mom got pink eye. Yup, Lu'au's Grandma got pink eye. You know, the one who had been holding her and playing with her all the time? Great. So she washed her hands a ton and didn't hold Lu'au for 2 whole days. Then... on the day we left, Lu'au got pink eye in her right eye with a vengeance. All the while, I got a sore throat. I thought it was due to drier air or something, and focused on baby girl's poor eye.

I'm not sure what exactly happened, but Lu'au's pink eye spread to the other eye. And she got whatever congestion junk I have. And the other day she had a fever. Fabulous. So she has to have eye drops every 4 hours. And off-brand "Tylenol" (Tylenol is bad due to the recall). Her nose runs so I have to suction bulb it clean. All things she HATES. She has trouble sleeping and eating. Aside from her eye drop/Tylenol regimen, there's not much I can do.

Oh, and did I mention she's only gained about 1/2 a pound since her 4 month appointment and she's now a few weeks over 5 months old?

I have a headache, an achy ear (do I have an ear infection?), and am tired from my own sickness and staying up with her...

I tried to call Tricare to set an appointment to get her ears checked (and mine too) for ear infection, but their computers are down.

Mommyhood = fail.

Today's Deep Thoughts...

• No matter how few groceries you're going to buy, take all possible reusable grocery bags into the store. Somehow, the baggers at the commissary can stretch 4 items into 3 reusable bags and then "double bag" one bottle of dish soap into 1 paper bag and 2 plastic bags...
  

• I am wearing a shirt that Shad really likes tonight in hopes that he'll be so distracted that he will not notice I haven't cleaned much of the house today. I'm not too hopeful that it'll work, but hey, it's worth a shot, right?
  

• I got really scared today because I got a letter from the DOD. Thankfully, it's not about my lack of base etiquette, or crankiness at the commissary due to their lack of canned pumpkin puree (they say it'll be in by the end of this week - FYI), or frustration with the gate guards regarding our car registration, or my "happening to not mention that I had already had an early ultrasound at my civilian provider" when first appearing at the MTF (Military Treatment Facility - aka doctor's office/hospital). Instead, shock of all shocks, it's actually a survey asking about my satisfaction with a visit to a MTF for a referral. I'll be happy to fill out the survey. It was one of the better experiences I have ever had - everyone there was very helpful and great. Yay! Who knew they actually cared?

• I got to go to a Welcome Tea yesterday for a Spouses' Club that I have just joined. I got to meet a lot of other wives and it was really nice to be around and mingle with other wives who have been through the same things.
  

Rave: Starburst FaveREDS

No more sorting through the yellow and orange Starburst candies to get to the good stuff - the reds and pinks. Starburst has finally taken the hint and created an ENTIRE package of candy with various shades of reds and pinks. Let me tell you, they're all of my favorites in one place. And there was much rejoicing in the land.

Things that annoy me...

- The people at golf tournaments who shout "Get in the hole!"

- The traffic lights that you can't see unless you're immediately underneath them, rendering them ineffective, particularly at speeds over 40mph.

- Weather maps that show random counties with severe weather warnings, particularly when you (I) have no idea which squiggly county is yours

If you're thinking about taking Greyhound...

DON'T.

And if you must take Greyhound, arrive at least 6 hours early and pay with cash.

That's my advice.

And here's why:

My girlfriends from college were all meeting up in a town about 3 hours away. There's no public transportation between the two cities. I looked for Amtrak, there's no shuttle bus, there's only Greyhound. DH and I share one car, and we had hoped he could get its oil changed before making our trip up north. I looked into it, and there were several Greyhound buses leaving throughout the day going just where I needed.

I texted my friend who lives there and told her that was an option. She, even in texting, sounded pretty apprehensive about it. Apparently the terminal in her city was pretty shady. I talked it over with DH, and determined it was during the day, and that I would be cautious, but still take the bus. We were excited to find they offered military discounts. I bought the tickets online and went to bed.

The next morning, DH and I got up and were in the process of changing our address to our parents' address. We looked at our bank statement online and were surprised to have our credit card amount be more than we expected. I looked further into it, and there were 3 charges that I hadn't made - to match.com, singlesnet.com, and lavalife.com. I asked DH if there was anything he needed to tell me, and there wasn't... (ha! like he would do that!).

We immediately cancelled that credit card and had a new one issued to us. We only have one credit card (and also our debit card) but it's kind of frustrating to start a vacation/road trip only having your debit card. Whatever. What kind of an idiot signs up for dating places with a stolen credit card??? (I'm not against online dating sites. I only think that if you're going to really want to meet people, aren't you going to use your real name and not steal someone else's credit card to spur on your love life?... anyway... I digress).

So, we get over that drama, and I pack for my few days with my best friends. DH and I leave our friend's house and head over to the Greyhound terminal, which also happens to be in the shady (dodgy for you Aussies) area of our town. I get there over an hour beforehand to "check in." I keep my bag with me and make sure DH will wait in the car for me, "just to make sure." It takes a good 20 minutes for me to check in, and DH is still waiting where I left him, unable to find a parking spot.

We leave to buy me a camera case (Lowepro, in case you are wondering - good suggestion Justin and Peter), and come back with plenty of time to spare. I make DH come inside with me and wait for me to board my bus. We get into the line at the gate, and are immediately told we're in the wrong line. That line was for people with layovers... um ok. So I move to the other, correct line.

It's about 15 minutes before the bus is supposed to leave, 15 minutes after we're supposed to board. I'm in the middle of the line, with about 20 people in front of me, 20 behind me. The line moves forward a bit, and there are only 5 people in front of me. We wait in line for another 5-10 minutes and the rumor goes around that the people who "moved forward" are actually on our bus and that it is full. Great. I send DH to the fabulous (sarcasm) customer service line. He has to wait 5-10 minutes to get to the front and when he does, he calls me over. Yes, indeed my bus is full and already has left, without me on it! Uh... Ok. Were you planning on telling us/the people in line at any time? And the next bus? Oh yes, you can wait for the next bus. It's coming in 5 and a half hours, getting you into your destination well past dark. DH and I decide this is not acceptable. Me, waiting alone in the shady bus station for 5 more hours to *hopefully* get on a bus. My friends having to come get me from another shady bus station after dark... um, no thank you.

We ask to have my ticket refunded. The lady at the ticket counter says, "And why would you want your ticket refunded?" Let's try - my bus left, it was full, the next one is in 6 hours, and you weren't going to tell me... she responds with, "Fine. Can I see your credit card?" Um no. That's when it clicks... Oh yeah, what did I last buy with the card before someone used it fraudulently? What a "coincidence"! My Greyhound ticket! Could it possibly be that someone from such a wonderful organization could have used my credit card number for something other than what I wished? (gasp!)

So... needless to say, I drove myself to the girls weekend.

And that, my friends, is why I say never to "Go Greyhound." And if you must, arrive at least 6 hours early and pay with cash...

Happy Free Slurpee Day!!

June 11, or 7-11, is Free Slurpee Day at 7-11! Kt, DH and I went to partake in the goodness known as Slurpee...


But when we got there, we were greeted by this sign...
"Free Slurpees are gone.
Sorry."

Kt was very sad to see the sign

But we decided to get Slurpees anyway!

Kt with her slurpee - hotdog anyone?

Real men don't use straws

Me showing my map of Michigan (and my bling)

KT and I enjoying our Slurpees!