Last week we had our old gross bathroom floor demolished and new swanky tile floor was installed. Normally, we try to do home improvement projects ourselves but sometimes it is best to hire a pro.
The pros were done in like four days which was fantastic. And now I have a lovely new floor that is even and easy to clean. Plus it looks about 10,000 times better.
Of course now, I'm looking at the old bathroom counter which has seen better days. And then the paint could use some touching up - maybe it would be easier to just repaint the whole thing. And the tile in the shower surround might need a little TLC.
Or we could demo out the rest and do something new!
Luckily, I've volunteered to help friends paint at their house this weekend. So by Monday I might have let go of my thirst for destruction. Or at least Deeps will have taken some time to hide the crowbar.
Labels: 2008, house, marriage
By: Alyssa | Friday, June 27, 2008 at Friday, June 27, 2008 | | 
We were driving in to work on Monday - I was getting a drop-off near the T - when I spotted something that sent my heart aflutter.
Me: Oh My God!
Deeps: What?
Me: (pointing excitedly) Stop the car!
Deeps: I'm in the middle of the road.
Me: Pull over in the parking lot.
Deeps: You shouldn't yell and point in my face while I'm driving.
Me: But there's a turkey!
Deeps: What?
Me: Look!
We observed an enormous male turkey hanging out under a low tree. He was staring at an office building near Alewife.
Me: That is the biggest turkey I've ever seen.
Deeps: How many turkeys have you seen?
Me: I grew up in Indiana, so I've see a few. Also peacocks.
Deeps: That's weird.
Me: Drive over by the turkey, I want to take a picture.
Deeps: For what?
Me: The internet!
Deeps: We need to go to work. You stay away from the turkey.
Me: But... if I don't take the picture then I'll never make it on the
deadly turkey watch section of
Universal Hub.
Deeps: What a tragedy.
Me: I'm letting Adam Gaffin know that you hate Universal Hub.
Deeps: I don't hate Universal Hub. Besides, that turkey looks big and angry.
Me: That's how all turkeys look!
Deeps: I wouldn't know.
Me: I think Adam loves turkeys and would like to see this turkey.
Deeps: Haven't been featured for a while, have you?
Me: No.
Deeps: You can't engineer interest...
Me: I think I can with that turkey picture.
Today I saw Canadian Geese in the parking lot, but no turkey. If only I could get a picture of the geese fighting the turkey....
Labels: 2008, animals, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, May 07, 2008 at Wednesday, May 07, 2008 | |
I landed Saturday morning after flying all night from San Francisco. I was pretty out of sorts for most of the day. Sunday morning I ran a few errands at the grocery store before settling down to make the usual Sunday brunchcast spread.
Deeps woke up very late, claiming he hadn't slept well while I was away. Whatever gets you through the day, dear.
Sometime around 11 AM he started the soft sell.
Deeps: Did you read anything about
Mario Kart?
Me: Not really. I heard it was coming out.
Deeps: Do you think you might want to play it?
Me: Is it cooperative?
Deeps: Not really. But it's supposed to be a really fun racing game.
Me: I like racing games.
Deeps: We have that old one that you don't play.
Me: I don't really like the controls.
Deeps: I think you might like the game. It could be fun for us to play.
Me: I guess we could rent it.
Deeps: Yeah, if we wait a while I guess we could rent it.
Me: That sounds good to me.
Deeps: So you're interested in the game?
Me: Sure!
He wandered off to get dressed while I figure out what shows we'd talk about. Sometime around 12 he announced he was going to "run errands."
Sometime around 12:45 Deeps rolled into the house with a big grin on my face.
Deeps: I found it!
Me: What?
Deeps: I had to go to Watertown but I found the game.
Me: What game?
Deeps: Mario Kart!
Me: Oh the game I wanted?
Deeps: You said you were interested.
Labels: 2008, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Monday, April 28, 2008 at Monday, April 28, 2008 | |
Deeps had a birthday this week. We opted to take the day off and do all the stuff that he enjoys.
I had no idea the man liked food so much. I feel like we just ate all day. First a trip to the favorite bakery where they have that muffin he likes; then to the fancy cheese store to see if any delicious new cheese arrived; then to the pizza place in our old neighborhood where you can get lunch for two for around $5; then the most glorious record store in all the land looking for that new thing from that band; then the most lovely comic book store because he heard this one book was really good; then the fantastic used book store because they were having a huge sale; a side trip to get gourmet cupcakes because the place has a great name; and lastly a fine dinner at a little divey joint that serves pretty passable crab cakes.
Exhausting, fantastic, oh and we played video games too.
Looking at this list we did lots of stuff I liked - I might have squeezed in a trip to the pedicurist. But hey - it wasn't my day.
Labels: 2008, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at Thursday, March 13, 2008 | |
I think life is filled with little moments - encounters - where you discover you have an opinion about something you'd never really considered before.
For example, when looking for a house we had a checklist of stuff we wanted: three bedrooms, off-street parking, at least two bathrooms. It was a relatively simple list but then we were also applying new criteria based on gathering new information - seeing houses.
Prior to house hunting I didn't have any real thoughts about kitchen sinks. But after going though a few houses we determined we liked undermount sinks where you could wipe down a counter directly into the sink without going over a lip.
Apparently, members of the household have opinions about things that are even more mundane than sinks. This came up last night.
Deeps announced he wasn't interested in leftovers - delicious! - but wanted to make himself a sandwich. His sandwich skills are limited, so I expected he go with an ol' fashioned PB&J.
Me: Be careful with the peanut butter.
Deeps: Why?
Me: It isn't as dense as the stuff we've had in the past.
Deeps: Okay.
Me: It spreads more easily.
Moments later.
Deeps: I don't like this new peanut butter.
Me: Why not?
Deeps: It's too gooey.
Me: I guess I won't buy it again.
Sure - you thought you had sorted through all the opinions you have about peanut butter: delicious/not delicious or creamy/crunchy. But now there's a new dimension to consider: gooey/not gooey.
Oh modern life.
Labels: 2008, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Thursday, February 21, 2008 at Thursday, February 21, 2008 | |
Deeps and I have a lot of interests - art, film, cooking, hiking, photography, and books to name a few - but we really like television. We like it so much we do a
weekly pop culture podcast primarily about TV. (Are you still not listening? Because that hurts my feelings - I mean feeling.)
Anyway, the Writer's Strike was a little tougher on us than the usual TV viewer. Not only do we watch TV but we talk about it and other people listen to us discuss it. We muddled through and now that the strike is over, we are just a few weeks away from lots of returning television. Of course, that long run to new television was never more apparent than Wednesday night.
We had sent back our Netflix and the new shipment hadn't arrived yet. We stared down a hideous hour of TV featuring stuff like "Reality Narcissist" and "Suitcase or No Suitcase". I opted to explore the wonders of cable TV "on demand" which means you can watch total crap whenever you want.
Oh and the crap I found. I watched an episode of
Fantasy Island from approximately 1978 (if my reading of roman numerals is right).
It was full of stars: Abe Vigoda, Cesar Romero, John Saxon, Don Knotts, Lisa Hartman and Florence Henderson. Two of the three stories covered topics that I were very popular in the 70s -
nuns in crisis and satanists.
It was awful. Deeps actually begged me to stop watching. When I tried to fire up another episode, he suggested we just go to bed early.
I've been incredibly well-rested all week.
Labels: 2008, marriage, television
By: Alyssa | Friday, February 15, 2008 at Friday, February 15, 2008 | |
I have a ground hog who lives under the shed in my backyard. He enjoys eating my hostas and taking one dainty bite from each of my tomatoes.
At least he did when I last saw his round body splayed out in the grass. He was casually napping in the sun in September. I haven't really seen him since then. But I'm sure he's still in the back yard, huddled up for a long winter's slumber.
Deeps did not care what the ground hog - mine or the famous one - said on Saturday. He had his own proclamation - the sun was out, it was a little warmer and he wanted to enjoy the day.
"I am psychologically over winter," he announced. "I will not shovel anymore. I'm finished."
"Look," I replied. "We're barely into February. This is still winter. February in the northern hemisphere is winter. Nobody disputes that."
Deeps grumbled that he was not going to shovel anymore. "We'll power out of the driveway instead. Isn't that what all-wheel-drive is for?"
I think somebody needs a little warm-weather getaway. I can swing that, as long as he doesn't dislodge our transmission before then.
Labels: 2008, marriage, weather
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, February 05, 2008 at Tuesday, February 05, 2008 | |
Ever have a day where you could easily break into heaving sobs or slug someone in the face? I had a day like that yesterday.
These things happen. I'm not much for crying and punching people is frowned upon. So I have to come up with a different solution for blowing off steam.
I have been getting up in the wee hours of the morning to hit the treadmill and do a little cardio, combined with light strength training. That helps. But last night, it was not enough.
My mood was so foul that really only thing could snap me out of my funk - a little jalapeno pizza and blowing up stuff. Deeps suggested we pick up a pizza on the way home and then spend some quality time playing
Lego Star Wars for the Wii.
I'm not a super huge Star Wars fan. I've seen the original three films - but I somehow skipped most of the newest three. So some parts of the game are confusing and unfamiliar. But I wield a light saber with the best of them.
Okay, sometimes I accidentally kill Deeps. But he's a good sport about it.
That's really important in a husband: the ability to forgive video game fouls, to know when your wife needs pizza for dinner, and to know that sometimes when she mutters to herself while flying around and killing stuff - well, that's best left without further comment.
Labels: 2008, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at Tuesday, January 29, 2008 | |
I rolled in to see the nerds very briefly on Friday night. After a long day at the office, I was kind of beat. So I didn't stay long, but I offered up a few helpful identifiers for puzzles.
Apparently I'm your source for photos of young celebrities who are now old, once prominent German tennis players, founding fathers, and ex-presidents. It's a gift, really.
Deeps came home after the first "night" sometime around 4:30 in the morning. Like all people coming home late at night, trying not to wake their spouses he is at his loudest. Luckily, he just smelled of Mountain Dew and Doritos.
After an exciting brunch at a local diner, he headed back to the grind. I ran a bunch of errands. And last night, I dreamed in German. I made jokes, I was witty, and I chatted with German tourists visiting Boston.
To the best of my knowledge, I don't speak German. At least when I'm awake.
Labels: 2008, marriage, nerds, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Sunday, January 20, 2008 at Sunday, January 20, 2008 | |
A few years ago Deeps gave me a little single-cup coffee maker. We call it "the fancy coffee maker" although, it isn't especially fancy given that you can find it on your average Target end cap display. But whatever. It is fancy to me!
Deeps doesn't drink coffee and I usually only have time for a cup in the AM so this little coffee maker - it uses single serve pods - works pretty well for me. Except the coffee in the pods is hideous.
It's weak, it's dull, and it's a little too expensive for something so crappy. I've tolerated this for a few years but a couple of weeks ago I started trying to hack the Senseo.
First, I tried making my own pods with tea filters. I'd read that other people had done it successfully - but clearly they are better with their arts and crafts skills than I am. I just made a big, watery mess with coffee everywhere except in the cup.
I kind of gave up for a while, but then I spotted something on Amazon that would allow me to use my own coffee without filters. I debated ordering it, but finally took the plunge and could not be more pleased.
Now I have the extremely delicious and dark French Roast in the morning. No weak, lame coffee for me. And that's important because I am down to one cup of caffeinated coffee a day. It makes me so happy in the morning, I don't even mind hauling out of bed at an ungodly hour for work.
Deeps noted that I wasn't so grumpy in the morning. French Roast saves marriages! I don't have to waste money buying supplemental coffee at work. French Roast is fiscally sound!
I heart you, delicious coffee.
Labels: 2008, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at Wednesday, January 16, 2008 | |
Yesterday the weather guys were saying 1-3 inches of snow for today.
This morning it's up to 8-12 inches of snow. I could make a crass joke, but I'll skip it. What this means for me is that I'm going to have to shovel. Deeps usually let's me skip shovel duty if we get a very light snow.
But once we get into half a foot territory it is all hands on deck. We shovel as a team, I think he sneaked it into the marriage vows.
I'll take pictures. We'll make cocoa. I'll need to take about three hours to get home from work. Hooray! Winter.
Labels: 2007, marriage, weather
By: Alyssa | Thursday, December 13, 2007 at Thursday, December 13, 2007 | |
My father-in-law been hounding Deeps for several years about a GPS navigation system. Namely FIL would like to give us one.
We like gadgets - but we like stuff we're likely to use. We're just not likely to use the GPS. New England maps are notoriously unreliable, stuff is forever being re-routed. And our non-digital solution means that every time we get in the car we have an adventure.
I'm not trying to put rose-colored glasses on the situation - it's always an adventure. A nerve-wracking, hair-raising adventure that will one day result in our deaths.
Anyway.
A box arrived in the mail and inside was a GPS navigator for the car - Merry Christmas, love FIL. Despite the stupidity of the gift, we decided to take it for a test run out to suburbs we don't really know very well.
Out of the gate, the GPS told us to take a non-preferred route to interstate 93. Deeps ignored the weird, computery voice. I think the voice started to get mad at us.
It kept demanding that we turn right. Eventually we made our way to the highway and the GPS started to squawk again.
GPS: garbled
Me: What's it saying?
Deeps: Can you turn it up?
Me: It's at max volume.
Deeps: Is it saying Tarpulin?
Me: Is there an exit we should be taking.
Deeps: I don't really understand this thing.
About 10 minutes later we determined that the GPS was mispronouncing "Carpool Lane".
Just as we solved that mystery, we entered some tunnels and then things took a turn.
GPS: You have arrived at your destination.
Me: Uhm - you're wrong.
Deeps: We're in the middle of a tunnel.
Me: I don't see any amazing stores near by.
Deeps: I suppose you could do some holiday shopping here, but you'd probably be disappointed.
Me: Especially when you got run over by a giant truck.
Eventually we left the tunnel and I started pushing buttons to get the GPS to remember the destination we'd programmed.
Deeps: It doesn't seem that bad. It just got a little confused.
Me: You can't replace me with this - I'm the family navigator. I don't get us lost.
Deeps: Except when you miss the turn.
Me: That's because you don't listen.
Deeps: *muttering*
Me: And you don't listen to your Robot Girlfriend either.
Deeps: Whatever.
Me: She won't make you soup when you're sick.
Deeps: This is a very generous but ridiculous gift.
Me: I know.
Deeps: It isn't really very practical for us.
Me: I know.
Deeps: I don't know why they insist on giving us stuff like this.
Me: It is the magic of the holidays.
Labels: 2007, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at Tuesday, December 11, 2007 | |
My
non-denominational holiday totem went up earlier this weekend in a flurry of purple, ugly, and baking. Friends came over, we ate cookies, we dance and danced and possibly revolved. A baby slept, the cat hid and all was merry and bright.
But like with all beautiful and misunderstood things, tragedy would eventually strike.
The coffee table was moved out of the living room, temporarily, to the hallway by the closet. The tree sat atop the table while we rocked out in the living room. Seriously - you need room for the over 30 set with the
Dance Dance Revolution.
After everyone left, Deeps decided to take out the trash which required shoes which were in the closet blocked by the table with the tree. He pushed the table aside and the tree toppled over onto the carpet.
He righted the tree, pushed again, and toppled the tree onto the hardwood floor - ornaments shattered along with my glittery, purple dreams.
I looked at the tree and glanced up to the beloved, but clumsy mathematician I married. How can one man be so smart but do something so stupid - twice?
Deeps looked stricken. He knew what I was thinking. We cleaned up the mess, I laughed a little, trying not to reveal my deep and weird affection for the ugly tree.
The ornaments are gone now. The tree has been packed away again. Deeps pleaded that we give the tree another shot - that he'd be careful. But I faced the facts - my wobbly tree was likely to be taken out again a cat, a guest or again by my husband. I couldn't face more ornamental destruction.
Maybe next year we'll get a real tree. For now, I'm content with some favorite ornaments in a big glass jar, the soft glow of the television and my husband dances, dances and revolves for my delight.
Plus - he does the laundry, and that makes most clumsy things he does very forgivable.
Labels: 2007, holidays, marriage
By: Alyssa | Monday, December 03, 2007 at Monday, December 03, 2007 | |
Tomorrow I'm waiting at home for a delivery - boring! So I thought this would be a good opportunity to get my baking on.
I really thought Deeps would step up over Thanksgiving to bake me some biscotti. Didn't happen. But with gentle coaxing from me - I think he's up for some hot oven action.
That sounds dirty.
Anyway, we're planning on doing some fun holiday baking to remind our neighbors that we are still around and to not hate us when we don't rake our leaves in a timely manner.
Plus it is easier to lure friends over with the promise of fresh baked goods. Actually, they call to invite themselves over to play with the Wii - but whatever. I still have friends.
Labels: 2007, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Friday, November 30, 2007 at Friday, November 30, 2007 | |
Earlier this week I picked up a loaf of some kind of organic wheat bread from Trader Joe's. I've noticed something a little strange about it. It doesn't really toast.
Me: Do you think there is something wrong with the toaster? This bread doesn't really change color when you toast it.
Deeps: Does it toast? Is the texture different?
Me: A little.
Deeps: Interesting. When I made toast with the other bread it worked fine.
Me: I think it is the bread. It's too dense or something.
Deeps: Maybe it is untoastable because it is organic and good for you.
Me: That's probably wrong.
Deeps: Like Pop Tarts. They don't really toast. They just get hot.
Me: You're thinking is probably flawed.
Deeps: This could change everything.
Labels: 2007, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Thursday, November 29, 2007 at Thursday, November 29, 2007 | |
Deeps and I are having a relaxed and quiet Thanksgiving at home. Just us, the cat, and the Wii. We hear there might be snow.
Normally I'd go for Thanksgiving in a box - but since it is just us, I figured I'd go smaller - less than a 30 pound bird. I think we can still feel full on less than 15 pounds of turkey. Each.
Deeps might bake this year. This is about the time of year when he gets intrigued by baking complicated stuff. I think it appeals to the scientist in him. His kitchen creations live somewhere between
Good Eats and
Mythbusters.
I can only hope whatever he comes up with is delicious. And doesn't explode.
Labels: 2007, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, November 20, 2007 at Tuesday, November 20, 2007 | |
It's starting to get a little chilly 'round these parts. That's pretty typical for New England this time of year.
Last night Deeps was sorting through some winter gear - gloves, hats, and scarves - when he noticed that his "favorite scarf" was a mess of holes and tears.
Deeps: It looks like something ate it.
Me: What? Are the others eaten?
Deeps: Just mine.
I pulled out the little storage baskets holding our stuff and noticed a couple of dead moths behind them. Eww.
Me: I guess a moth ate your scarf.
Deeps: We should have used mothballs.
Me: No.
Deeps: It would have saved my scarf.
Me: But we'd have smelled like mothballs. That is totally unacceptable. Besides, who has stuff eaten by moths anymore? Is this Dickensian England?
Deeps: I really liked that scarf.
I'm going to hear about this for a while. But there will be no mothballs. Cedar balls, lavender oil, whatever - no mothballs. The smell... Our marriage couldn't take it.
Labels: 2007, Boston, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Friday, November 09, 2007 at Friday, November 09, 2007 | |
I listen to the PRI podcasts for Marketplace a day after they air - last night while walking to the T I listened to Monday's podcast.
Near the end of the episode I heard a funny piece from
Sandra Tsing Loh about shady Halloween stores. While hunting for a costume for her 2nd grader she mentioned that many of the displays in those places are graphic and freaked out her kids.
I chuckled a bit and thought nothing more of it.
Then around 11:15 last night, minutes after I fell asleep, I awoke to the sound of screaming. My screaming. Apparently I'd had one of those weird, brief nightmares where I'm not so out that I can't still move around. I was sitting up, swinging at the imaginary skeleton that was hanging over my bed. The skeleton looked like the type Tsing Loh described in her piece.
Clearly I was working through some issues with Public Radio and Halloween.
Deeps raced up the stairs to find me laughing at my stupid dream.
Me: It was just a nightmare.
Deeps: You're okay?
Me: Yeah. And don't worry. Whatever it was, I was punching the hell out of it anyway.
Deeps: When I come to bed, I'm going to announce it so you don't punch me.
Me: That's probably a good idea.
Labels: 2007, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | |
At the end of the summer we look at the list of projects we wanted to do and see how we fared. And we check to see if there is anything more we'd like to get finished before winter.
We were talking about putting in a new storm door when I raised a topic that's been bugging me for a few days.
Me: The toilet has been making weird sounds for a while.
Deeps: Oh yeah?
Me: It gurgles and glugs.
Deeps: It's always done that.
Me: I don't think it's supposed to be so noisy.
Deeps: I don't know if it's a big deal.
Me: I think the toilet might be haunted.
Deeps: I don't think so.
Me: It's unhappy and wants to make itself heard. Heed my warning! The toilet is haunted.
Deeps: I can try to fix it.
Me: That's all I want.
Deeps: That reminds me, we should pick up Halloween candy soon.
Labels: 2007, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, October 02, 2007 at Tuesday, October 02, 2007 | |
This morning we were driving to work - well, Deeps was giving me a courtesy drop-off closer to the train station on his way to work.
We were having a very pleasant morning. We chatted a bit about the day and we approached a big intersection. A few bicyclists rode past us and we gave them some space at the red light.
It had been red for a few moments and we slowly rolled to a stop.
Then a big thud jostled us both.
A lady had hit us from behind. If she'd hit us much harder, she'd have pushed us into the cyclists.
I might have busted out something like, "Oh my goodness gracious me!" - or WTF!. I can't be sure. Deeps and I turned to look at the woman behind us. She just did a little shoulder shrug like "whoops." She didn't get out of the car.
She didn't hit us very hard, but she did hit us. We quickly popped out of the car to assess any damage. There wasn't any. Bumpers are for bumping, we reminded ourselves. She never bothered to inspect the damage to her car or ours. She just waved at us - like the the prom queen.
Last year a careless person hit us at an intersection close to our house. She apologized and owned up to what she did immediately. The dummy behind us this morning
refused to take any personal responsibility by even offering up an apology.
I got back in the car with disgust, Deeps pulled away and we assessed the situation.
Deeps: I'm not even sure what to say to someone that stupid so early in the day.
Me: You tell her that she shouldn't be such an irresponsible %@$#!.
Deeps: I'm not going to call her that.
Me: I know - that's what I'm here for. I swear for the family.
I'm hoping this won't be an annual event.The car wreck - not the swearing. That's a weekly event.
Oh who am I kidding?
Labels: 2007, filler, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, August 15, 2007 at Wednesday, August 15, 2007 | |
Our friends recently had a baby and while Deeps and I are old pros at playing the doting friends/aunt and uncle, they are new parents.
I've tried not to give too much unsolicited advice. But over the weekend I couldn't resist.
Their baby had a little wetting incident that took out his outfit and Deeps' in the process.
I suggested they go for bigger diapers. I haven't heard if it has made a difference yet, but I hope it didn't make things worse.
Deeps wasn't especially flustered by the wetting either. Kids have let loose on us in many ways from vomit to spaghetti sauce. It's all about proximity.
But we might have been a little too casual about it. When we got home we put away mail and started doing a few chores when I got a whiff of my husband.
Me: You stink.
Deeps: A baby peed on me.
Me: Yes, but now you need to do something about it.
Deeps: I thought babies weren't supposed to stink that much when they are little.
Me: Well, clearly this child is exceptional.
Labels: 2007, babies, marriage
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, August 01, 2007 at Wednesday, August 01, 2007 | |
Earlier...
Me: You didn't turn the air conditioner on in the bedroom.
Deeps: But you did now?
Me: Yeah, it's really hot upstairs.
Deeps: It'll cool down soon.
Me: It is 85 degrees at 11:30!
Deeps: You'll be fine.
Me: It's too hot to sleep.
Deeps: It'll cool off soon enough.
Me: You make it hard for me, when you say stuff like that.
Later....
Me: How was your doctor's appointment?
Deeps: Fine.
Me: Did you ask her about your foot?
Deeps: No.
Me: You've been hobbling around and your toe is almost black.
Deeps: It's just a blood blister. It looks much better.
Me: You've been limping and complaining for two days.
Deeps: So?
Me: And you were at the doctor and you didn't ask her about it?
Deeps: No.
Me: I don't know what to do with you sometimes.
Even later....
I was putting away the groceries when I found a little carton of hand-packed Strawberry-Kiwi sorbet.
Me: Where'd you find this? I thought they were out.
Deeps: I asked someone for it.
Me: Aww, thanks.
Deeps: I know it's your favorite.
Labels: 2007, marriage
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, July 18, 2007 at Wednesday, July 18, 2007 | |
Deeps was out of town this week for a business trip. He was due to take a very late night flight back to Boston and he left me a series of messages with updates.
7:30
Hi, it's me. I'm at the airport really early. But what do I care? Ooh, I think Fisher Stevens is getting his shoes shined.
7:45
Looks like there are a lot of delays. I'll let you know if I'm delayed. I don't see Fisher Stevens anymore.
8:00
My flight is overbooked and I'm in a middle seat. And I lost my magazine.
I was at the grocery store when all this went down, so I called him back when I got home. We agreed flying is awful (which is putting a crimp in my plans to do a big trip to Europe later this year). And that being in the middle seat was extra awful on a long flight.
Me: Maybe you can sit by a baby and a chatty salesman.
Deeps: I can only hope.
Me: Or a baby and Fisher Stevens.
Deeps: I think he's going to Chicago.
Me: It's probably better to fly with Fisher Stevens than Cat Stevens.
Deeps: Or
Ted Kennedy.
Me: Just stay off the no fly list.
Labels: 2007, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Friday, June 08, 2007 at Friday, June 08, 2007 | |
Does it help if I promise that this is the last time I throw Wii into the title of a blog post to make a bad pun?
I promise!
So we had a long weekend - like many in the U.S. - and we played a tremendous amount of virtual tennis. Friday was extremely hot. We got a call around 8 to meet some friends for ice cream. After enjoying in the cool sensations of frozen confections, our friends casually raised the topic of the Wii.
Perhaps they could come over to play?
Of course!
Saturday we invited more friends over to play video games and eat pizza. Very quickly we reverted to our 14-year-old selves. We had a great time.
Then Sunday
we podcasted, as usual, and afterwards Derek and Deeps played video games while I edited. I won't go so far as to say Derek was here for a long time - but he showed up for brunch around noonish and we kicked him out around 9 PM. After a late dinner of course.
Yesterday was free of Wii. We went to a cookout and ate too much. Our arms needed a break - I don't want to develop Wii Tennis elbow.
Labels: 2007, marriage, podcast, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at Tuesday, May 29, 2007 | |
Our five year wedding anniversary is coming up. We've been together a long time - it's a milestone event. And how do we mark this occasion? Well a couple of years ago we went to Italy and bought a house. Last year we ordered pizza.
This year we'll be playing Tennis - Wii Tennis.
When the Wii came out last year I joked that there'd be no problem getting one for our anniversary. I was wrong.
About a month ago while on a trip to Jersey we checked at stores in MA, CT, NY and NJ without luck. I tried online. I listened to
the Wicked Good Podcast for tips - I even got some inside scoop from
WGP's Steve about when shipments might arrive. But I had no luck.
I'd given up. And frankly, I wasn't totally sure that we were ready for our first video game system. Every time one is introduced, we'd ask our friend who reviews games for a living. He'd tell us about the wonders of the latest system. We'd listen eagerly and then interest would fade out. Mostly, we just played with his stuff.
While we were in Indianapolis, I accidentally found a Wii and snatched it up immediately. It was not too hard to get on the plane, I just told security and they X-rayed it a couple of times.
So how's the Wii for nearly middle aged folks like us? Fantastic. Deeps
has knocked over a glass and crashed into a wall playing tennis. We haven't smacked each other yet, which I've heard is a problem. Deeps likes Tennis, I prefer Boxing.
Last night we played each other for the first time. He proclaimed that he has "an awesome forehand." He was so proud. I snickered a little.
He hasn't quite figured out that I'm stealthily inserting exercise into his media consumption. Wait until DDR for the Wii comes out. He'll be unstoppable.
And I'll probably need a new coffee
