A Bittersweet Day

First, I need to show off my new shoes. Aren't they cute? They're low. They're fun. And best of all, they're SPARKLY!!

And they look beautiful with my red toenails.

But the question arises: Why did I need to go out and buy cute shoes today?

(For the record, you never need an excuse to buy cute shoes.)

But today, I did have an excuse.

Two years ago today, my sweet sister passed away. She was OBSESSED with shoes. She had been sick for quite a while before she died, so she was able to think about what she wanted for her funeral. First, she wanted to be buried with one of her favorite pairs of shoes. I got to choose which ones. I picked a gorgeous pair of Steve Maddens that were a very subtle multicolored brocade type of pattern. Very unique, and incidentally, they actually matched her casket! It was meant to be. The other thing she wanted was that everyone wear their favorite shoes to the funeral. Her online friends who couldn't attend the funeral did a collage online of pictures of them wearing their favorite shoes in her honor that day. The funeral was a great place for people (like me) who love shoes. Someone was even wearing those big plush animal slippers! (Wish I could remember what the animal was.)

Anyway, my mom mentioned this morning that she had to go buy shoes today. (Dr's orders! Gotta love a doctor who gives you a prescription to buy shoes!) I thought that sounded like a very good idea, so I found these little beauties on sale for $12.99!

My sister would totally approve. :)

Saturday Surprise

When I first saw the title of this article, my thought was "WHAT???" I knew I had to read it. I figured it was some weird loophole. What I didn't expect was how the story would touch my heart. So instead of Stupid Criminal Saturday, today, I'm declaring today Heart Warming Saturday!

Maryland man who stole, crashed plane to pay just $40

By: Associated Press,

FREDERICK, Md. — A homeless man caused about $12,000 in damage when he stole and crashed a single-engine airplane at a Maryland airport — but he’ll pay just $40 in restitution.

Frederick County Circuit Judge G. Edward Dwyer Jr. expressed surprise Thursday upon learning of the small amount.

Dwyer asked: “Only $40?”

Prosecutors explained that insurance had paid for all the damage except for a $40 deductible.

Fifty-one-year-old Calvin C. Cox has served half of his nine-month sentence for the December theft. His lawyer has said Cox stole the plane because he was homeless and cold.

At sentencing in April, Dwyer authorized work release for Cox so he could earn money to pay restitution to the plane’s owner, Mid Atlantic Soaring Associates Corp.

This story seriously makes me want to cry! Here's a homeless man who stole a plane in order to keep warm. Yeah, so trying to fly the plane probably wasn't the best decision. But instead of having to pay the entire $12,000 in damage, he only has to pay the $40 deductible? AND the judge arranged a job for him to be able to make the money? There IS still good in the world!

Never Underestimate the Power of the Large Purple Beach Ball

Pirate Munchkin has a very large purple beach ball.

She doesn't play with it very often, but today was one of those days where she felt the need. It's pretty strong, so usually she likes to sit on it. Sort of a child-sized yoga ball.

She also has issues lately with putting things away when she's done with them.

Generally, that drives me crazy because I taught her when she was still a baby that when she finishes playing with something, she needs to put it away before taking something else out.

My bedroom always looked like it had exploded when I was little, and I was trying to avoid that problem with her by training her early. And it's worked! Her room is always practically spotless. (Except her desk, but she gets that from me. I always have piles of papers on some surface or the other. Her little desk is just a mimic of whichever table is the latest dumping ground.)

So tonight, when she left her beach ball behind to go do something else, I snagged it. I was sitting in the recliner and just started rolling the ball around with my feet.

That's how I learned that a large-sized beach ball is the PERFECT footrest for sitting in a recliner. I can still rock, and that wonderful purple ball rolls right with me!

She may never get it back.

Yay! Ghostbusters!

I haven't seen Ghostbusters in probably 15 years or so. I was channel surfing tonight and found it had just started!

So exciting!

I've got to say, for a movie that's 26 years old, the special effects are still pretty darn impressive.

Slimer is still especially cool.

I can't wait to see how the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man looks!

Mmmm... seeds...

I have a confession to make.

I am a seed junkie.

I love sunflower seeds - although I prefer them already shelled so I don't have to take that extra time to get to their seedy goodness (that would be the good seedy, not the scary neighborhood kind of seedy). When I was a kid, we had lots of wheat berries in the house, and I loved to snack on them. I love millet. I was completely happy when I discovered that some of the wildflowers in my yard are flax - meaning I get to harvest flax seeds in the fall. Whenever I slice tomatoes, I always have to pick out some of the seeds to nibble on. And then, of course, there are sesame seeds. When I get a burger and there are sesame seeds on the bun, I can't throw the wrapper away until I've eaten all the seeds off it.

I made chicken salad sandwiches for Surfer Pirate's lunch today. When it came time to make my lunch, I wanted chicken salad too, but there wasn't any bread left. I didn't want to go to the store just for bread, so I checked the freezer. I had completely forgotten I had a big bag of kaiser rolls that I'd picked up on a good sale one day. It's a mixed bag, so some have poppy seeds on them (I don't really care for those), some plain ones, and some sesame seed ones. Perfect!

Let me tell you, a chicken salad sandwich on a sesame seed kaiser roll is a little bit of heaven.

Our Adventure

First off, I have to give credit to where I found this beautiful picture. It came from this blog. The pictures on that posting were so beautiful, I had to read what she wrote about them. I suggest you go read it and see what wonderful things she has to say about my new home.

Our little family is moving to North Dakota.

We're going to where I think I'll call Northern Middle of Nowhere, North Dakota. :) The nearest small city is 2 hours away, we'll be surrounded by prairie and stars and quiet.

Sounds like heaven!

Surfer Pirate has a good friend who lives out there, and he's been after us to move near him. His persistence has resulted in a good job, and a chance to move out to a small town where cost of living is much lower and the pace of life is much slower. We're pretty excited!

I've heard the winters are super, super cold. In general, that would bother me a lot. But it occurred to me a few days ago (and I made a phone call to confirm) that we will be able to see the Northern Lights from our new town. So that sort of makes up for the cold. I dream of Aurora Borealis, and I literally cried when I heard the confirmation that I would be able to finally see it in person!

Plus, being so far from "civilization" the stars are going to be extra bright and plentiful without city lights to dull them!

I did however, make the mistake of posting my excitement on facebook a little too soon. I realized this morning that I have two of the ex's family as "friends" on there, and I'm not quite ready to announce the move to him yet. Oops. So, I pulled the whole thread on there. So, if you're one of my fb friends and wonder where the announcement went, that's why it's gone.

Meanwhile, we won't be making the full move until probably mid-August, so I have plenty of time to rid our house of unwanted junk that we don't want to move, and I'll be able to pack in the uber-meticulous manner that I would like to. Thanks Mom, for the article with advice like "make a spreadsheet of what items are in each box so you know exactly where everything is"! I'll definitely use that!

And thanks to my beloved internet, we'll all still be in contact just as much as we were here. Although if I'm more quiet than usual over the next few months, you'll know that I'm just burried in boxes and I'll be back soon.

'Nuff Said

Pirate Family Adventure

We'll know more tomorrow, but just a little hint.

Changes are coming for my little pirate family.

BIG changes.

We're about to embark on an adventure.

Saturday Special Edition

I haven't seen much in the way of stupid criminal stories lately, so this will have to do.

Oklahoma. man backs car through parking tower wall

The Associated Press

Updated: 04/30/2010 09:31:28 AM MDT

TULSA, Okla. » A 67-year-old Oklahoma man had quite a fright after backing his car at high speed through a seventh-floor exterior wall of a parking garage.

Ralph Hudson says his foot got stuck between his Mercedes' brake and gas pedal as he was backing up in a towering parking garage in downtown Tulsa on Wednesday.

The car burst through the building's exterior wall and sprayed debris on a parking lot below before stopping just in time. The car's trunk and part of its back wheels were left hanging precariously out of the building but officials were able to safely drive it back inside.

No injuries were reported. Police officer Jason Willingham says Hudson was not ticketed over the incident.

This makes me especially sad because I have always wanted a Mercedes. How much force would it take back a car through a wall like that? Scary.

Meanwhile, it is kind of fun that this happened in Tulsa. I have family in Tulsa. (Love you guys!!)