I left the house

I have become such a homebody on the weekends, so when we went out shopping yesterday it was a treat.  DiscoDame had a birthday mid-week, and got dinner at the Olive Garden (her choice) and a red velvet cake roll filled with cream cheese.  Everything was delicious, and we'd gotten there early enough that it wasn't at all crowded.  The young man who came after to clear the table asked if we wanted to-go cups of our tea (I did; it was the Bellini fruit tea) or boxes for the remains (Disco did, she'd only eaten half her lasagna), or anything else.  He had a hairstyle like Jon Snow's, and was almost as pretty.  So I said yes, we just need someone to sing Happy Birthday to Disco -- and he immediately started singing!  Then he told her to enjoy her twenties, it's a great time of life -- and I about fell out of my chair laughing.  She's over 30, BTW.

I wanted a picture of each of her parents with her.  I took the shot of Plaidman & Disco, and he got the dreadful pic of me & my baby girl.  Thanks a lot.

The man can not take a picture.  I think I'll have to invest in a tripod and timer, so I can get some decent pics of us gurls.  There are now tons of pics of just me, thanks to the Workday Outfits Challenge (updated!).  I am fighting to stay alive, but still consider what my funeral photo montage will look like if there are so few of me with other loved ones.  If I could just figure out how to use that selfie stick...!  

Anyway, we waited until the weekend to take Disco shopping for some really nice clothes that she could wear to work (as if..), and wound up at the Kohl's in Smyrna.  They had a pretty good sale on trousers for tiny gals, so we got one pair each in tan, navy and light grey -- good neutrals that go with anything.  She also got a camisole (pink) and a very light cap-sleeved tank (pinkish) with an interesting neckline -- she can wear it back to front, and it still looks great.  She plans to use it under other blouses, which she'll buy for herself at the Goodwill store.  I had changed purses before going out, so I could have just the minimum required (ID, bank card, comb, keys), and found a tenner in the little bag that I had forgotten I had.  So I gave it to Disco for her trip to Goodwill.  Then we went to Cracker Barrel, and we all had chicken livers.  This morning the Plaidman is hurting & thinks it's his diverticulitis flaring.  So he'll be pleasant company (NOT!) for the next few days.  Maybe if I take him to the hardware store, he'll get to feeling better.  We got a Northern Tools catalog and coupons in the mail, and he's got his heart set on that ladder that folds up ten different ways.  As high as our ceilings are, it would sure be useful!  We've two lights out in the kitchen, that just can't be reached without a very long ladder.  

Speaking of home sweet home, the HOA got on our case about the fishpond behind the house.  They were concerned that without having it filled and operating the pump, any water that accumulated would become mosquito breeding ground.  So they said we had to take it out.  Ok...but how much work would that be?  We were given referrals to folks who do that work, but couldn't get any of them to call us back.  It  was getting down to the wire, so Plaidman went out to look at it and found that it had heaved up out of the ground partially (frost?) so he just grabbed a shovel and got it out himself.  Then he went to Lowes and got 10 bags of topsoil, and filled in the hole, and scattered grass seed over it -- we're good!  Anyone want to buy the liner & pump?

Hey, the Yarn Harlot is riding for PWA real soon -- please consider donating to the cause, either in money or in "Karmic balancing gifts" -- going to check my stash now!