Seven Quickies

Hosted by Jen!  (And if you haven't already done so, add her to your reading list!)

Now.  I meant that.  Go and come back quick.

Okay!  Seven Quickies!

1. I'm writing this ahead of time, as Travel Man and I are going to a Kaaaaaniggits State Convention all weekend.  Alone.  heh.
   
   
   The girls are staying with friends while we're away, and they get to go to a First Communion!  Hooray!!  Little Girl can dream of the end of the month when she finally receives the Body of Christ for the very first time!  In the meantime, Travel Man will be going to meetings and banquets and so will I.  He's excited, I'm nervous about being alone with strangers.  I'm trying not to think about it, but perhaps my blogging instead of packing right now is part of my dread of facing strangers and being expected to be friendly.  I'll have to have extra support from my Guardian Angel, for sure!
   
   
2. Wednesday was my birthday (I'm now 39), and it was a lovely day in spite of working most of it.  The girls gave me a beautiful new Rosary (pics coming later, I promise!) and Travel Man got me a case for it.  He also gave me iLife '09 for the iMac.  I don't wait to have to wait to install it, but wait I must.  I'm VERY VERY EXCITED about it, though.  iWork has some nice updates, but I'm WAAAAY more excited about facial detection and geotagging support and video stabilization for my movies.  WHOO HOO!  I'll work on something and post it eventually.
   
   
3. I've never had them before, but I've suddenly developed Spring allergies that are keeping me inside as much as humanly possible.  I'm sending up a request for rain, please, to deaden some of the Yellow Death Dust™ that is floating around.  It's amazing how quickly it gets to me!  Since I didn't know it would do this, I didn't start taking Zyrtec until it was a bit late to do a lot.  I'll know better next year, though.
   
   
   
4. We got a compost bin!  Now we've got this lovely mix going, and between that and the fact that Wal-Mart has put up recycling bins at our neighborhood store, our garbage has decreased a BUNCH!  While I wasn't willing to drive more than 5 miles with recycling in my car, I am willing to toss it in the back and drop it off at the Wal-Mart that is on the way to church.  (And where I shop a bunch, too!)  I feel better recycling again, since this is one thing I missed from our time in the Orlando area, where the county recycled and picked it all up from my curb.  The county still picks this up, but Wal-Mart gave up part of their parking for it, so huzzah!
   
   
   
5. I have decided to stop fighting dandelions, too.  Let me tell you: when the neighbors on either side of you don't put down dandelion killer, it won't help when you do it.  Three years of it, and they came back SO strong last year that I just threw up my hands!  "They won't die!" I cried.  But no matter.  They ARE pretty, and the girls love to blow the seeds around.  (Which is part of why I have so many mixed in with my lilies, tulips, and crocuses.)  And since they're tough to kill, they'll flourish, too.  So I've embraced the dandelion.  They are scattered about my lawn, they are growing like mad in my flower beds, and they'll stay as far as I'm concerned.  Bonus: the bunnies hop in our yard more often now.
   
   
6. I met a priest named Father Emil Cook, founder of Mission Honduras.  His mission is amazing, and Mission Honduras finds itself expanding, getting ready right now to go to Sierra Leon!  They are already in three countries, including Liberia, and could use help.  If you have anything you can give, I strongly - VERY strongly - recommend helping Father Emil.  His mission has helped break the cycle of poverty and ignorance for families, and these families are, in turn, reaching out to help others.  It's a beautiful thing.  Please consider helping Mission Honduras if you can.
   
   
   
   
7. How about something fun to watch, just to round things off today?  I know this has been all over the place, but it was so cute, and worth it when I finally watched.  The kids loved it, even if they didn't really recognize Pong.