"I'm a Plumber!"

When John and I first starting dating, I had only been working at the winery full time a couple months. One of the days my dad and I spent fixing the plumbing in the basement. I think I pulled on the hose too hard, and the pipe busted. Dad fixed the pipe, and I held the flashlight. I came home and told John on the phone that I was a plumber. I was so excited about my new job, and how everyday was different, and I had a million jobs in this one job. I told him how empowered I felt, and how helping fix the plumbing made me feel independant and I felt like a strong woman. To this day, it's one of our inside jokes. If one of us accomplishes something we've never done before, big or small, we tell each other, "You're a plumber." After Monday, and John's toilet ordeal, it's clear who the real plumber is.

A Pot to Pee In

On Sunday night at about 9 p.m., John and I realized the toilet was leaking. It's pretty hard to find plumbing supplies at 9 p.m. on a Sunday night. I think they should make Home Depot open 24 hours, like Walgreens. This was an emergency! We drove miles away to Wal-Mart, who had barely any selection, but we bought what we thought we'd need to fix the toilet. At 11 p.m., more water was gushing out than when we began. =( John couldn't sleep, probably because he was mad he couldn't fix it, maybe because his bladder was full.

On Monday, we decided he'd stay at home and fix it, and come to work after he fixed it. When I called him at noon, I knew things weren't going so well. He tried to fix the old toilet. Apparently when he went to Home Depot, they laughed and said they hadn't made that type of toilet in 60 years. Yes! They sent him to a plumbing supply store. He bought new stuff, but it didn't work. He finally decided to buy a whole new toilet, and install it. Thank God for that Home Improvement 1-2-3 book. At 6 p.m., we called Joe as back up, but by the time Joe got there, John had finished. John feels like he can do anything now, because he's installed a toilet. He's so handy. =)

The new toilet is tiny. The old toilet was mounted to the wall, and it was parallel to the sink. The new one is inches below the sink. The old one had an oblong seat. The new seat makes me feel like King Kong. The new regulations state that all toilets must be 1.6 gallons. That's pretty small. Plus, now we have screws sticking out of the wall where the old tank hung. I guess we'll buy one of those over the toilet cabinent things to hide the screws.

How much more potty talk can you stand?

He absolutely hates it when he's working and I take his picture. =)

Like Minds

It makes me happy that Adam Corolla and I agree that not everything happens for a reason.

I love a man in uniform.

I'm Batman

We just got back from seeing Batman Begins. It was a pretty good movie. One line stuck out for me. "It's not who you are deep inside, it's what you do that defines you." I recently had a conversation with people who were talking about their job. They were saying sometimes they had to do things they don't like in order to make money. I will say that there are parts of my job I dislike, but I strive to not compromise who I am or what I believe in. If I did, I would look for a different job.

I'm really into Sauvignon Blancs right now too.

Home Alone

John is umping games tonight. Poor guy, it's like 98 degrees out there. =(

I like to be home alone on occassion. I love John's company, and we have been so busy, it's nice to be at home. It would be better if he were here, but I wouldn't be doing the same things. When we are here together, we usually watch t.v. Seems like lately all we do is laundry when we are home, and feed the cats. When I am home alone, I listen to all my favorite music, and usually have a project, like sewing (example A many posts ago about the rhombus pillow.) Tonight my project was Raspberry-Cream Sandwich Cookies and the music was mostly Lyle Lovett. It's a Martha Stewart Magazine recipe, and it's really tasty. It's also a very annoying recipe, exactly how I envision Martha to be. I don't like to be micro-managed, but somehow Martha managed to micro-manage me tonight. I rebelled (as you would expect I would.) I didn't strain the raspberry seeds from the raspberries before I made the cream filling. Take that Martha.

Louis Hoffmeister, 25 days old

Pregnant Sara at Zoofari. This picture is over exaggerated because she really doesn't look this pregnant yet, but with the dress on, and pulling the fabric back, she looks so cute. Another friend rewarded for commenting. =)

This is Geri and I two weekends ago listening to the band and drinking wine at the winery. Isn't she cute? Geri, you are rewarded for commenting by me posting this picture.

On The Wings of Hope, We Survive.

Matt, Eric, John and Tammy

60,000 people can't be wrong.

Open Mouth, Insert Foot.

I get myself into sticky conversations sometimes, and I am too honest (or stupid) to realize when to lie. For example, Friday night at Zoofari, I met an old lady who went to school in the one room schoolhouse in Lawrenceton where I grew up. I said that was remarkable because I didn't know that many people who actually went to school there. I asked her if she went to school with, "Andy Wolk, or Francis Koettinger?" She said, "No, they're probably much younger than me. " Then I said, "Oh I don't think so, because they are both passed away now. " She didn't know what to say after that. I didn't either. Whoops. (Shrug)

Concerts

I made a list of all the bands I've seen live, because I know it's one of my favorite things to do. After looking at the list, I felt quite proud (and broke.) Many of you have gone with me, wasn't it fun? I can't think of very many current friends that I haven't seen a concert with. Here's the list. It doesn't include local bands like Colony, Maxtone 4, Rob Boyle, or GTO.

Have you seen more?

Meatloaf
Stone Temple Pilots (twice)
Rolling Stones
Sheryl Crow
George Clinton and the P Funk All Stars
Jimmy Buffet
No Doubt (twice)
Belly
Cake
Sarah McLachlan (twice)
Natalie Merchant
Bonnie Raitt
Steve Miller Band
Johnny Cash (I was 2, and it shouldn't really count, but he's so cool, I had to include him)
The Judds
Dave Mathews Band (three times)
Aerosmith
Flogging Molly ( three times)
Dresden Dolls
Counting Crows
Live
U2
Big Bad Voodoo Daddies
KC and the Sunshine Band
Lyle Lovett
B.B. King
Burle Ives
Love and Rockets
Jars of Clay
Lisa Loeb
Better Than Ezra
Lee Greenwood
Proclaimers
Meat Puppets
Rusted Root
Jewel
JoDee Messina
The Cure
Mighty Mighty Bosstones

We've been pretty busy lately... Here's another from the archives. This is John and Sally last year at the Rock Bridge State Park.

3 of 4; Cards win 8-1.

Handsome Derek Jeter at bat

Thank You, Sally

Sally invited me to go dress shopping with her because she says I have good taste in clothes. I think that's one of the best compliments I've ever gotten. =)

One of my favorites from the archives. =)

My grandparents were into rocks, geodes mostly is what I remember, and amethyst. I don't really remember much about them, and what I do remember isn't all that pleasant, but I do have a small affinity for rocks, probably because of them. This was a rock on a 4.25 mile hike we went on. It has a line of quartz running through it.

On Lake Ouachita

Dancing Nancies

"Don't you ever wonder, maybe if things had been slightly different, you could be somebody else? Don't you wonder, maybe, if you took a left turn instead of taking a right you could be somebody different? Don't you ever wonder, could I have been? Don't you ever wonder anyone, anyone? Don't you ever wonder well, God, could I have been? Don't you ever wonder anyone, anyone, anyone? Well, could I have been a parking lot attendant? Could I have been a millionaire in Bel Aire? Well, could I have been lost somewhere in Red Rocks? Could I have been your little sister? Could I have been anyone other than me? Could I have been, oh, anyone other than me? Could I have been anyone other than me? Could I have been anyone?"
-Dave Mathews Band, Dancing Nancies, Live at Red Rocks

Tonight at UMB Bank Pavilion.