12.23.11 - Last day at the law firm.

I went to work to find everyone giving each other baked goods and alcohol and other gifts.  I had made cards for my own team, but several people had made gifts for every single person at the firm!  I walked out of there with several different sets of baked goods, a gift card to Panera, and a bottle of Merlot.  Plus my team had its own Secret Santa and Nanci got me a 500 recipe 5-ingredient cookbook.  Yessss.  I made Ian an elaborate and purposefully difficult Harry Potter crossword, which he is looking forward to.  What's more, several people in the office wanted their own copies of it.  It's pretty spectacular when people thoroughly enjoy a gift that took so much effort.  It was also a convenient segue into many Harry Potter-based conversations, which were fun.

The morning went by quickly and then everyone headed over to a local restaurant for the firm Christmas Party.  This firm has a tradition called the Rookie Show which they host every Christmas.  Every person who was hired within the last year has to perform in what amounts to a silly talent show.  Since today is my last day, I probably could've gotten out of it, but I'd already re-written "'Twas The Night Before Christmas" for the occasion, so I decided to just go ahead and do it.  I was the 4th act up and the ones before me included a very good violinist, so that was tricky to follow.  In the end, though, I didn't get booed (a common occurrence at the Rookie Show) and actually got a fair amount of applause, so I was satisfied.

The rest of the show was a lot of fun to watch.  Some people were truly talented (great pop-and-lock routine, for example) and others embraced their talentlessness wonderfully, and it ended up being a lot of laughs.  Afterward I gave my team the Christmas cards I'd made them (which had included copies of my poem, hence not giving them out before the show) and got my bonus and said goodbye.  Two of my team reiterated that if I ever need recommendations or other support to let them know, which was very sweet.  

I'm really glad today ended up being my last day because I doubt I could've left on a higher note than that.

On to packing to go to ST. LOUIS tomorrow!!  Woohoo!

Home Video production

12.5.11 - So Many Good Things Are Happening Right Now I Have To Make A List

1. Someone at work at a client conference or co-counsel conference or some other kind of conference that involved lunch, and I got to take two extra sandwiches home for dinner (one for me, one for a late-snack for Jack when he comes home) and I am now eating the one for me, and it has EGGPLANT on it (which should almost get it's own entry in this list.)

2. I found the Christmas CDs I'd burned last year, and am listening to a live version of Mariah Carey's "O Holy Night" that I forgot about and that I love maybe more than the recorded version.

3. I just changed out of my work clothes into baggy pajamas even though it is only 6:21pm.

4. I just turned on my space heater.

5. When you pull into my apartment complex the Christmas tree from our apartment (2nd floor) is the first thing you see, and it's pretty.

6. I got a letter from Hugo WITH PICTURES.

7. And right after that I got a text from Jill saying Sola loves the chess word search I made her.

8. I gave notice at work today.

9. And my boss was totally understanding about it.

10. And then I signed the contract for the job I am switching to and picked up the application.  Get that?  I already have the job and I haven't even formally applied yet.

11.  And the job is at the Boys and Girls Club, and I suspect it will be a great experience.  Super excited!

11.29.11 - Visiting the Kiddies, Tday 2011

This note is not in chronological order!

This Thanksgiving trip was awesome.  I'm always very happy to be with all 4 of my siblings simultaneously, and now I have a separate, additional joy of seeing my step-siblings and Rocket.  Sola and Harrison are very sweet kids and I spent as much time as possible with them over this long weekend.  

Jill and I went with them to the playground most days.  The first time Sola offered me a kiss if I would push her and Harrison on the tire swing.  I figure that's a good deal.  Also a good workout, which in no way negated the massive quantities of Thanksgiving/junk food I had all week, but whatever.  Anyway, Harrison liked for me to watch him on the monkey bars.  Another day Sola and I went on the "big kid" swings for a long time, just talking about her Girl Scouts troop and who knows what else.  Sometimes she asks a lot of questions.  It's very enjoyable.

I also got to accompany them to the library on the way home one day, which was very nostalgic.  I've always loved libraries, including when I was a kid.  I also loved being read bedtime stories, and I find nowadays I love listening to Jill read the kids bedtime stories.

That's another thing I got to do--Sola and Harrison share the fold-out bed in the living room when they're in town.  One evening Jack and I sat by the fire listening to Jill read them a book about a clever little pig tricking a fox, and then a book about...Nuffle Bunny?  Or something.  And while they were cuddled up listening to her, Rocket kept going up to Jack, pointing to Jack's apple, and making the "more" hand signal.  Jack would say "What do you say?" and Rocket would make the "please" hand signal, and then Jack gave him a piece of apple.  Then Rocket would climb into the folded-out couch, climb out the other side, walk around the coffee table and the chair I was sitting in, back to Jack, and repeat.  Rocket seems to like eating and then circling things.

On Saturday Dad, Jill, Jack and I took the kids to the Redwood Railway, which was a huge success.  Harrison was especially excited to be there, and the place was great.  Beautiful redwood scenery stretching almost as far as you could see, a steam engine with a great whistle, and young boys--maybe 12-ish?--collecting train tickets and oiling the tracks.  You could tell they loved their jobs.  How cool of a job would that be for a 12-year-old?  Sola was concerned about the steep cliff drop that Dad kept insisting was coming up.  She suspected he was lying but just wasn't entirely sure.  I taught her to call him a "charlatan" and she liked that.  Later we rode the train without Dad and made a devious plan to tell him that therewas a huge cliff and we jumped it and it was so much fun!  She told him that and he clearly didn't expect it.  It was pretty funny.

During one ride it was just Jack, Sola, Harrison and me, and I kept singing parts of this very cool version of the ABCs, and Harrison really liked that.  After awhile it went from "I say 'A'!" to "I say 'Harrison'! I say 'Sola'! I say 'Pet pals'!" and whatever else the kids wanted to sing.  They thought it was hilarious.  I also showed them Mahna Mahna for the first time, and they loved it and watched it all weekend.

Another theme of this trip was chess.  Sola was examining a chess game Neil and Everett had been playing and exclaimed that two pawns directly in front of each other were about to kill each other.  So I explained that's not how pawns attack.  And it went from there.

I taught her and Harrison together, but Harrison kept interrupting the instructions to ask when we could start playing.  Ah well.  I helped them play a full game against each other and it was filled with anticipation and anxiety and delight and heartbreak!  In fact there was a point at which each of them was ready to cry and I had to pause the game.  I turned to Harrison.

"Are you going to get upset?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, then we aren't going to play anymore."

"No!"

"So are you going to get upset?"

"No!"

"Okay, good." 

Then I turned to Sola.

"Are you going to get upset?"

"Well...I might be a little disappointed, but I'll be okay."

"Okay good."

Haha.

So they finished.  Sola won, but Harrison seemed mollified by them shaking hands and saying "good game." 

Harrison played one or two more games with Sola over the course of the trip, but he wasn't into it and didn't really understand.  So I started playing Sola.  It's tricky playing at the right level to where they are learning and you aren't just crushing them, but I think I got it.  We discussed a lot of strategy and it was just completely delightful to watch her grasp the game more fully with each session.  She wears everything on her face--intense focus, fear, surprise, mischief, everything!

However, she lacks the necessary killer instinct.  Once I showed her the 6 places her knight could move: 4 places in which I could kill the knight, one place in which the knight was safe but useless, and one place in which the knight would take my pawn and fork my queen and rook.  She chose the safe, useless spot.  She said the knight was afraid and wanted to stay closer to its side.

Another time we traded queens.  I killed her queen first.  She apologized as she killed my queen.  Haha.  I said "You don't have to apologize, Sola--this is war!" She said "Yes, but we're step-sisters!"

During other times she would take captured pawns and pretend they were flying above the board, talking to the live pieces from heaven.

I decided to go ahead and drive up to SF after work last night (Monday) to hang out with them one more time, and Sola and I played two chess games.  She seemed to be thinking very hard about the entire concept.  She asked "Why do we have to kill the pieces? Why can't we just hurt them?" She went on to ask questions about real war, such as whether our soldiers keep white flags with them in case they don't want to fight.  She was emphatic that if she ever had to be in a real war she would surrender right away.  And that she'd rather be a teacher.  Not sure where that came from.  

I wanted her to win at least one game against me, lest she get down from losing repeatedly, but it was harder than I thought because she didn't want to hurt my king.

One final story: last night Rocket kept hiding behind Dad's office chair and peeking out at me.  I would yell "BOO!" and he'd laugh really hard and do it 1-2 more times.  After about the 3rd time he's squeal and run toward me, and then stand right in front of me and turn around facing away from me, prepared to be tickled.  It was the funniest thing.  I'd tickle him a bunch and he'd squeal with delight and wave his arms up and down and then he'd run back behind the chair and start over.

The end.

PS - I also had a great time visiting with my full-grown siblings.  Julie and I especially got to talk when I drove her to the airport.  Neil, Ellen, Everett and I stayed up to around 3am Saturday talking and laughing.  It was great.  The stories just aren't quite as adorable.  Except Everett! *pinches cheek*

Thanksgiving 2011

All of these are good memories from Thanksgiving of 2011, the year I had first started my Joy Inventory.

11.21.11 - Julie is pregnant.

I waited impatiently for work to be finished and then waited somewhat happily/excitedly in rush hour traffic to get to the house and a) see everyone! and b) witness Julie telling them she's pregnant.

When I first arrived Rocket kept staring at me in what appeared to be stunned confusion.  Apparently 19-month-old babies don't remember you from 5 months ago.  But he got over it relatively quick.  Jill has taught him baby hand signals.  He can say "more" and "please" and he uses both of those all the time.  Very adorable.  I did not realize how much babies can understand even when they can't verbally articulate it.  He also uses a sort of high-pitched squeal to say "yes."  As far as actual words, he is getting more comfortable with "Mama," "Dada," "Uh oh," and "Up!"  Slowly.

Meanwhile, Sola is comorftable with all words all the time.  I feel a particular affinity for her because she reminds me so much of me as an 8-year-old.  She actually talks more, but I can appreciate that.  She's also more into kittens than I believe I ever was.  Very sweet girl.  She greeted me wearing a dollar-tree type tiara Ellen had given her, and immediately apologized for not writing me a letter yet, it's just that she's "been very busy."  Like 8-year-olds are.

11.2.11 - November happy

Today:

1) Bosses were out of the office all day, leading to the calm environment needed to catch up on a lot of background projects.  Both relaxing and productive.

2) I had tutoring, which I like more all the time.  The girl finished a chapter of Nancy Drew (a new record) so as a reward I showed her how to make these:

As a bonus, her adorable 5-year-old sister joined us.  We each did one hand print, glued it together, and wrote our names next to our respective hand prints.  They were pretty tickled by this and excited to take the turkey home.  Super cute.

3) I came home to a heated apartment.  It's not that chilly out here but it's just chilly enough to justify a heated apartment, and it was really pleasant to come in to a warm bedroom.  Also, I like the smell of the heater when it's first turned on after not being used in a long while.  Reminds me of DuPre.

4) I had some homemade onion soup with cheddar cheese and Artisan bread.  Delicious.

10.27.11 - Oblivious

So a few weeks ago I started one-on-one tutoring with a 4th grade girl at the local Boys and Girls Club, and so far it’s been really nice.  She is working on reading comprehension, so I’ve been writing out multiple choice questions for her as we read a Nancy Drew book.  I also have her circle any words she doesn’t understand.  One of the words she circles last night was “oblivious.”  I told her it means you don’t know what’s going on, you are unaware.  “For example, if you are asleep, you’re oblivious.  If you are watching TV and you are sucked into the show, you’re oblivious to whatever else is going on around you.”

Normally she reads out loud to me, and she did for most of last night.  However I had to leave early yesterday so, in order to finish the chapter before I left, I read the last couple pages to her.  For those of you who haven’t read Nancy Drew books (shame) every chapter ends in a little cliffhanger.  When I finished this chapter, she got wide-eyed and asked me to keep going.  I told her we could pick it up next week.  She said “But I feel like that word we learned! I’m oblivious!!”

It was the cutest thing, haha.  So proud.

10.2.11 - Jack's Birthday

Many good things happened today:

1) Got to sleep in.  In silence.

2) Beautiful weather.

3) Chocolate chip pancake and turkey sausage "breakfast" (around noon.)

4) Jack got nice bday cards/gifts in the mail.

5) Jack had time to take a nap (he works crazy, long, fluctuating hours so it's good he gets some real rest for a change) while I had time to visit with Neil, whom I hadn't seen in person in several weeks.

6) Jack really liked the robe I got him, and wore it around the house unnecessarily until it was time to go to Berkeley for wall ball. 

7) Lots of great wall ball with good friends during which I got some great footage and got to visit with people when they got out.

8) Hawaiian pizza!  Also other pizza.  Also Riesling, free Starbucks chocolate chip cookies, chicken hearts and Briskit.  Not necessarily in that order.

9) A long back-and-forth (good) Tichu game.

10) Lots of laughs with Neil as we made a few montages of the wall ball footage.

Birthday = Success!

10.2.11

8.27.11 - cafe and BreadCo

This morning Jack and I used a Living Social coupon ($10 for $20 worth of food/drink) at a cafe in Oakland.  We sat in a corner with a small bookshelf that had a bunch of historical books, a small globe, and a Where's Waldo book.  I haven't seen one of those in years.  We enjoyed grilled chicken salads and berry smoothies and talked about the future, which is a new favorite topic of discussion for me.

We went home and cleaned the apartment the boys' apartment is pretty cozy when it's clean.

We went to the only BreadCo in East Bay for lunch.  I opted to get the 250 calorie bowl of French Onion soup instead of the 800 calorie Frontega Chicken Sandwich.  I still had a few bites of Jack's Frontega so I feel it was the best of both worlds.

We've basically taken care of odds and ends the rest of the day.  Goodwill donation.  Preparing some food for a BBQ tomorrow.  Way, way overdue laundry.  Etc.  It's just been really nice for both of us to have a full day off at the same time to relax and spend time together. :)

8.12.11 - Sunshine Fruit Salad

Ingredients
3.4oz instant lemon pudding
20z pineapple chunks in 100% pineapple juice
1 c. quartered strawberries
1 large banana sliced
(Optional) 1 c. mini marshmallows
(Optional) 1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans or whatever you prefer

Directions
1. Drain the pineapple, setting the juice aside
2. Use the juice instead of milk to make the pudding
3. Add all the other ingredients to the pudding and mix

7.24.11 - fishing and a picnic

This morning we made a Safeway run and then Jack made Neil, himself and me sausage and eggs for breakfast.  I enjoyed a lazy hour or two perusing HP fan art (I'm on a kick again, what can I say?) and then we packed a small picnic and the three of us went to Lake Chabot, where Jack and Neil fished and I mostly fed crushed up Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips to some ducks and a goose.  The boys didn't catch anything but we enjoyed the weather and the change of scenery and each other's company.

Jack and I dropped Neil off in the city and then came back to my place where Jack (finally) was able to show me how to change a tire.  It was pretty simple, and I feel all the more comfortable driving knowing I know how and have the right tools.  I really enjoyed it, actually.  I love learning new things, especially when they are so practical.  Next I plan to have him show me how to check all the fluids and car battery and etc.

7.23.11 - Saturday work and a coastal drive

This morning I worked.  I actually really enjoy working Saturdays.  I live very near my work so my commute is only 10 minutes or so, no real traffic.  I get in early on Saturdays and most other people don't show up till around 11am or so, so for the first 2-3 hours I have no distractions at all.  I can also listen to music without worrying about missing someone talking to me.  The other great thing about Saturdays is that if you come in to work Saturday, the firm buys you lunch.  I always get the chicken Caesar salad.  I work until lunch arrives (around noon) and then I leave with my delicious salad and a very cold diet Coke and I go to my beloved bench by the water and enjoy the food and the weather (which is fantastic, much more often than not) and read more of The Wise Man's Fear, a book I am enjoying intensely.  And it's even more fun to do this on Saturdays because instead of taking a half hour and then going back to work the rest of the day into the evening, I just read until my heart's content and then go home or about other business.  Which is exactly what I did yesterday.

I read until Ellen texted me to let me know she was almost to the Millbrae BART station.  I picked her up and we dropped my car off at my place, than went for a nice walk.  We got frozen yogurt (Cookies'n'cream flavor with heath topping) and walked around Burlingame, stopping briefly at a children's playground.  We had a good visit and caught up.  Later we walked to Walgreen's and then stopped by Panda Express as well.  Then we chilled at my place, Ellen reading me bits from a Discover magazine while I worked on my L'abri scrapbook, until Jack got there.

All three of us went to auto zone to buy me jack stands.  Jack was going to show me how to change a tire, but it was such a nice day we decided to put that off and we went for a long drive up the coast.  It got kind of cloudy but it was still really pretty, all the rolling hills dropping off into the ocean.  We drove through a lot of smaller towns advertising saltwater taffy and roadside inns.  It was a strange blend, making me think of CA and parts of MO and parts of MI at the same time.  Eventually we dropped Ellen at home and went back to East Bay.

7.22.11 - HP 7.2

After work Jack and I went to see HP 7.2 for our second time, but this time in 3D.  The 3D added a little bit in some scenes, but so far I find 3D makes the most difference in animated movies.  I was still glad to see it a 2nd time, first of all because this may be the last time I can watch an HP movie in theaters, and secondly because I caught several things I hadn't caught the first time.  Very enjoyable.  

I would like to note, though, that the first night was overall much more fun, not just because we hadn't seen it before, but because the audience was fantastic.  I figure if people are willing to wait fairly long in line to see the movie, they are the more hardcore fans.  This goes along with the fact that when we saw it the first weekend, the audience was very enthusiastic--laughing harder, applauding at the most epic points.  They were also more respectful.  I saw a lot more phones taken out and texting and distractions the 2nd time Jack and I went than the 1st.

After the movie Jack and I came back to my place and fell asleep watching Sorcerer's Stone.  Haha.

6.26.11 - Rocca's

We didn't have a chance to celebrate our anniversary in April but finally, at long last, we went out for it now. Jack looked up different places in downtown San Mateo and landed on the highly rated Rocca's, not knowing I have actually been there before in conjunction with the law firm. But that's fine - the place is delicious and definitely a special date for us.

My martini was called "The Parisian Kiss": chilled vodka, triple sec, fresh lemonade, Chambord.

I ordered crabs stuffed with shrimp over a lemon risotto.

Jack said his dinner was the best fettuccine he's ever had.

6.4.11 - Kitchen cleaning race

Jack's parents were in town.  We were all lounging around Jack's apartment and I mentioned to Jack (possibly multiple times) that he ought to clean out his fridge because it was rotten and gross inside and he responded (possibly multilple times) "Yeah, I will..." and then didn't quite get around to getting off the couch.

After awhile Don, Merlene, Jack and I were planning to go somewhere (I no longer remember where) and I said "I bet I can shower and be ready to go before you can finish cleaning out the fridge."

And then Jack JUMPED UP off the couch and RAN ACROSS THE ROOM to me and PUSHED ME ON THE GROUND!  (He was gentle, it's ok.)  And then he frantically started cleaning out the fridge.  I was laughing so hard I could hardly get up again.

He was pretty smug about how he'd cleaned the fridge (and freezer! (and wiped down all the shelves!!)) waaaay before I finished getting ready.  He sure showed me. :)

5.7.11 - Olive Garden

Jack helped me a *lot* with the stressful process of rushed apartment hunting, but happily at the end of the day I think I found something that will work. To cap it off we decided to get dinner at Olive Garden.

4.23.11 - Bread picnic

Jack learned how to make bread.

It is absolutely delicious.

So we got grapes and tomatos and cheese and stuff and went to find a picnic spot.

We actually drove around for kind of awhile, but it was worth the view when we did land.

4.17.11 - Noodle Theory

It was an overcast day, though not too chilly to sit outside comfortably. We walked from the apartment. Even so, the warm noodle soup was pretty enjoyable.

4.15.11 - Surprise A and a BBQ

Jack was off work!!  He's been working way more than usual lately so it was nice to finally get to spend some time with him.  He drove me to campus and on the way we listened to several On The Rocks songs, which makes a great start to any day.  When he dropped me off I got out of the car right as my history GSI was walking by, and she and I discussed my research paper rough draft, which she believes I should submit for a research scholarship.  Woot!

History discussion was more interesting than usual.  We talked about whether or not the feminist movement of the 1960s/70s had any effects and if so what were they and to what extent.  Flew by.  Then I walked in the gorgeous springtime weather to history lecture where we learned about the background to affirmative action.  It was interesting.  The professor showed this chart about how many more women started getting more Bachelors degrees in traditionally male-dominated fields after Title IX.  I wish she had gone into more detail about how programs readjusted to qualify for Title IX funds; was it quotas or something more subtle?  She also talked about how affirmative action really drove a wedge between the civil rights movement and the labor movement.  I'd never thought about that.  I really enjoy this class.  The professor clearly has her own views but overall I think she does a fairly good job of showing both sides.

Anyway, then I walked through more gorgeous spring weather to my Pchem class, where I dreaded getting my midterm grade back because I was fairly sure I bombed it.  I dreaded it even more after getting to class and learning that the class average for this midterm was even higher than the first midterm, meaning less of a curve, damn.  But THEN I found out that I actually did one point higher than a standard deviation above the average which basically means: A!  Woohoo!!  Maybe I will get straight A's this semester after all, bwahahaha!  I was really excited about that.

Jack picked me up.  Not long after we got home Ellen texted to see if we were busy and she decided to come over and hang out for the day, so that was a pleasant surprise.  We went for a walk and talked, talked, talked.  I picked some more flowers for pressing because why not.  Then there was a lazy evening in between in which Neil, Jack, and eventually even Ellen took naps while I just did some craft-type things.  If I'm not going to get homework done I may as well get something done.

Then Ellen, Jack and I went to Doug's for a bbq and it was very enjoyable.  Brauts, grilled zucchini, artichoke with mayo/soy sauce mix (surprisngly good), Lambrusco.  We met a guy from Minnesota and bonded over midwestern weather and other cultural differences.  He had a good sense of humor.  Super pleasant evening.

3.27.11 - Angeline's

Cool cajun-type decor?

I love the whole atmosphere of this place. Food's pretty good too.

My handsome boyfriend. :)

3.23.11 - Visiting Molly

After Jack got home from work we drove to Santa Rosa to have tomato basil pasta, olive bread and red wine with Joe and Molly (and Eli!).  We then *instructed* them in Tichu, guys v girls, and they picked it up pretty quickly.  More converts.  It was getting too late to finish the game, and the guys were crushing us anyway (695 to 105) so we wrapped up early, but I'm sure there will be future games.

Eli sits in on grown up Tichu.

3.22.11 - Berkeley flowers

Went to campus to listen to my post doc, Chaomin, discuss our research with the rest of the lab.  On the walk home it was getting ready to rain but wasn't raining yet, and it was warm and windy and the clouds were awesome and the weather was generally great.  I decided to pick colored flowers and leaves to press when I get home.  This made the walk take longer but it was much more fun--I never realized how many flowers Berkeley has before.  Hopefully now I'll notice them all the time.

3.19.11 - Rainy day fun

Went to Doug's in the morning to hang out with him and his 6-year-old niece, Ava.  Doug helped her build some sailboats out of tupperware with sticks stuck in candles for masts.  We walked in the light rain a few blocks to a playground with a tiny creek running by.  On the way there Ava's sail fell off her sailboat, so she replaced it with a large pink petal off some flower.  It sort of fell to the bottom of the mast but she seemed satisfied anyway.  Once at the creek she happily raced her and Doug's sailboats while Jack, Doug, and I mostly looked on.  Ava insisted it's "lady's first" and would start her sailboat before Doug's, but it was pretty much a crapshoot who would "win" since the wind kept changing directions.  Still cute to watch.

Made it to the creek, despite the rain.

It started raining a little harder so Jack left to get the car.  Doug, Ava and I played on this rather cool playground.  It included a wooden ship with fish carved along the side, some kind of fort with trees carved in it's walls, and even a building that served as the "General Store", "Bank" and "Saloon" (!).  There were also colored tiles obviously designed by children lining the fence that surrounded the playground.  The whole thing was very pretty.  And very empty, since it was raining.  Ava ran from structure to structure, explaining to us that the ships were blown up by bombs and we needed to sail to Hawaii where it's warm and other such things.  I like asking her questions about what's going on in her make believe story and seeing what she comes up with on the spot.  Also, she has a pretty good evil villain cackle, which she used when she "trapped" Doug and me in a net, apparently.

Eventually she was ready to get out of the cold and wet, so Jack drove all of us to the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse to pick up supplies to do some rainy day crafts.  Turns out they were having a sale on fabric--$5 for as much fabric as you could stuff in a large grocery bag.  Good lord.  Ava picked out about 5-6 different kinds of pink fabric, Jack picked out patterns he thought would make good patches for some of his clothes, and I picked out colors I like with no specific plans for them.  I'm sure I can come up with something, and with prices that low I'm not going to wait till I have thought of it.  I must've gotten about 20 yards of fabric for $5.  Bwahahaha!  We also bought a few scoops of buttons.

Before we went back to Doug's we stopped by Backesale Betty's for fried chicken sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies, all of which were amazing.

Kid can raise one eyebrow. Nice.

By the time we finished our impromptu lunch at Doug's it was about time for Jack and me to get going with other errands, so I suppose the button crafts with Ava will have to be saved for next time.

After hitting up Safeway Jack and I went back to his apt and I made cookies-n-cream fudge...things.  They were delicious but messy and very rich.  I then spent the afternoon scanning old photos and listening to a random youtube playlist of Sesame St songs, some of which I probably haven't heard since I lived in Folsom.  Jack napped.

Finally Neil, Jack and I packed up some of the cookies-n-cream stuff and went to Dylan and Sarah's for a dinner and Sequence and general visiting.  Jack and Sarah won 3 games of Sequence out of 6 before we all quit.  Fun game--good to play while visiting.

Sequence.

I also enjoyed watching their fancy goldfish keep swimming to the bottom and then floating to the top of his tank.  Apparently some days he gets air bubbles stuck in him and can't stay near the bottom, and then other days he's fine.  Either way it was funny to watch. Weirdo.

Apparently "fancy" Goldfish get bubbles in them and get stuck floating. This fish spent the entire evening struggling to swim near the bottom of the tank, giving up, floating back to the top, and starting over. 

On the way back we stopped at Wal Mart to buy some of the produce they're now selling (woohoo! oranges!)