Dill pickle cashews?

Sound gross to me, but I had to buy them. Andy’s out of pickles so maybe these will satisfy his taste for dill pickles.

Radio suggestion

I've had this car a year now and still can't figure out how to de-program some of the settings on the radio. Everytime a John Legend song comes on the radio notifies me, asking if I want to change stations to hear the song. No, I don't.

Tree-trimming

What a loud, messy morning.

In a pickle

Andy finished and tossed out the last jar he had of Costco's pickles. They sold this half gallon jar of pickles for $4.99 and we've been stocking up on them since we learned they were going to be discontinued. Now he's on the search for a new brand of dill pickles.

New glasses

L had her annual eye appointment this week and chose these frames for her new glasses. She should have them in a couple of weeks. She opted against transition lenses this time.

Mom saves the day

L was working a shift at the bakery from noon to 6 p.m. today. She texted me at 2:30 p.m., saying they ran out of hand soap. She asked me to go to 7-Eleven and buy their store brand hand soap (I didn't know 7-Eleven had its own brand of hand soap) and drop it off since L was the only one working the counter and couldn't leave. Andy was at the golf show with friends so I had nothing better to do, I suppose. She was lucky ... this time.

Price was right

A local woman was getting rid of her exercise bike for free. I'd been looking at exercise bikes since the beginning of the year since I don't go walking in the snow. I asked about it, and she said it was available so Andy and I went over tonight and picked it up. It's so heavy! We had to drive home with Andy's trunk open. It's being stored in the garage until we can charge it and make sure everything works before hauling it into the basement. If it doesn't work, it's going to the alley where we're sure some junk collector will take it for scrap. I think the woman was just glad to have it out of her home.

Goodwill finds

I was killing time the other day at the local Goodwill store and find Luminara candles! What?!?? Marked $1.99 each! What?!? Bed Bath and Beyond sells the 7-inch ones for $39.99 and the 5-inch for $29.99! I got three and they work! I also found a slim, vintage Tupperware pitcher I've been searching for, also $1.99.

This I had to take a picture of just so I could show L - someone arranged these silver stocking holders to spell "pee." I wonder if that was done on purpose or a funny coincidence.

Fun at work

L sent me this picture from work. It was a little slow so she entertained herself by making an origami ball and balancing it on the dog's nose. L said the dog is used as their tip jar but it doesn't get much use since they're cashless and customers typically add tips to their electronic payments. Andy said the dog is a cufflink holder, and he thinks his uncle had one.

Cookie time!

Can't wait to tear into those Thin Mints.

Who's to blame?

I came home from grocery shopping the other day to find a hole in my tablecloth. Guess I have to blame the cats even though L just cut their nails.

I replaced it with a spring tablecloth. We're pushing the season though. Guess I should pull out the rest of our spring decorations:

Celebration Sunday

Our church held its potluck lunch after worship today to recognize all of those who have birthdays in the first quarter of the year. That includes Andy so we figured we should be there.

I brought a crockpot full our of holiday meatballs. They were gone in no time.

And E popped up on Facebook today. Apparently, she was with friends last night celebrating "Galentines" Day. We also got news from B - he signed an apartment lease for next year with three friends. Interestingly, unbeknownst to him, his building is across the street from where E will be living next year. That should at least make sharing the car easier.

Graduation gifts

Mayu graduates from high school today! We sent her a box of gifts and notes early last week hoping it would get to her in time. The last update I got from the postal service said the package is in Japan today!

She told us she's going to Tokyo Disney after graduation so we thought this keychain/purse dangle would be a cute reminder of the trip for her.

I found these pencils at the Paper Source sale and wish they had more available. I think they're perfect for graduation gifts. Love the inspirational message on each one -- Live with passion, Follow your dream, Live in the present, Enjoy the simple things, Feel inspired every day, Focus on the positive, Believe in yourself, Embrace your wanderlust, Build a powerful mind, and Expand your comfort zone.

Scrapbook to the rescue

Darla texted me the other day asking if I could recall the names of the two blonde girls in our Confirmation class - the two that didn't go to school with us. Apparently our hometown church is having a past confirmands celebration and she scanned our group picture to submit to the party. I told her I'm pretty sure I could find it and went downstairs to dig out my scrapbooks. I have four covering fifth grade through high school. Confirmation was in book No. 2. Of course it was the last one I pulled out.

I had saved the church bulletins for each of the four Sundays we were required to be in church for the Confirmation process. Luckily, all of our names were printed in the bulletin. Mystery solved!

I couldn't resist sending this pcture to her - our class picture in the hometown newspaper and at the top of the scrapbook page was the Confirmation card Darla gave me. Aww.

Bakery treats

L bought and brought home these treats from the bakery for Valentine's Day. A six-inch, mini chocolate cream pie with strawberry whipped cream and ...

passion fruit caramels. Yummy!

Aww! Andy brought these flowers for me home after work ...

... and a friend gave this flower to L. She made Valentines for all her friends.

Auto Show

Andy and I took L and her friend, A, to the Auto Show tonight. So many shiny cars. Here's Andy checking out the Buicks.

L looks pretty good in this Toyota!

A said this Toyota is her dream car ... and color.

We spent a couple of hours at the show. A lot fewer people were there than when we went last year on a weekend. And we picked up a new stash of reusable shopping bags that Andy can leave in his car for those unexpected grocery trips. After the show, we drove back to Forest Park for pizza.

Icy morning

We woke up to everything covered in ice this morning.

Blame it on the vortex

So two weeks ago when we were suffering through the Polar Vortex, I heard a pop. Andy was already asleep on the couch (resting his eyes, as he calls it) so he missed the whole episode. I looked around the house but couldn't find anything amiss.

Then, while he was at work the next day, I heard the pop again. I looked around and saw nothing out of place. Turns out, I think, the two pops were soda cans exploding on our uninsulated back porch. Andy found the busted can when he was grabbing a Coke the other day. We assume most of the Coke was frozen, but guess what was liquid just dripped onto the back porch. Good thing it's diet soda. Even the box burst open.

August

Date night

It was Himeka's last full day in America so L spent the day with her and her host family, shopping and eating. They all went to the going-away potluck for dinner so Andy and I went to our local Mexican restaurant for dinner.

Sucked in again?

Jewel is back with its Monopoly game. I took the tickets and looked at the coupons, none of which was good. I'm hoping L puts all the little pieces in the gameboard. I still haven't used all the free gravy packets I won in last year's game.

Album-making

L was busy tonight picking out pictures, ordering them and putting them in an album as part of the gift she's giving to Himeka. Tomorrow is her last day at school before her flight back to Japan on Sunday. L also has cards for Himeka's sister and parents, and some little gifts for the sister.

Good kitty

Muffles carried into the kitchen were I was working today. At least it wasn't a real mouse! He looked so proud of himself.

American dinner

We took L, her friend R and their Japanese student, Himeka, to Fuddrucker's for dinner last night. Himeka hosted L when she visited Japan last summer. R is hosting Himeka for a two-week stay. We couldn't host because she's allergic to cats. She's already had deep-dish pizza so she wanted burgers.

L and Himeka on the ride home.

Himeka's selfie of all of us after dinner.

Interesting day for E

It was quite an interesting Monday for E. She found this note in the bathroom at Engineering Hall. Work a smile into your morning routine, it says.

Then she told me to look at the live Alma cam feed from campus and she walked in front of the statue. (She's in the blue coat to the right). I wanted her to stand and wave but there were lots of people around trying to take pictures of themselves in front of the statue. Here's the camera view cropped:

And she's in the Daily Illini, featured in a story about difficult classes. She knows all about those. Her quotes from the article:

E has learned what it is like to take on a challenging course load. As a senior in Engineering, she said she had to take a class that, at certain points, required almost 100 hours per week of work outside the classroom. Average exam scores could range between 30-40 percent, with the students receiving an estimated 12-20 percent curve at the end of the semester.

The University often designs courses to challenge its students and help them reach their full potential. The level of difficulty, however, can become a hindrance rather than a help to advance your career.

“Everyone walks into the class either dreading it, or accepting that maybe it will be OK,” (she) said. “It is one of the classes that peers and professors tell you that if you are taking this class, do not take certain other classes alongside it, because it is a time sink.”

According to E, there are certain notorious classes at the University that students go into knowing it’s going to be a semester-long struggle. And yet, (she) said she is still grateful for her experience in these classes because of how much she has learned.

“Looking back on it, I enjoyed my time in the class despite how hard it was,” E said. “I honestly think this class gave me my internship that I am going to have this summer.” She will be interning at Microsoft in Seattle.

Life skill

L has been driving everywhere. She drove today when we went out to get a birthday present for a friend who's having a combination birthday/Super Bowl party this afternoon. And she successfully maneuvered the McDonald's drive-thru. She was a little far from the cashier window but pulled closer to get her lunch.