Friday, March 15, 2013

Birthdays, braces and auctions

So, wow, it's been quite awhile since I last posted.  Didn't realize it's been that long.  A few things have happened since then.

HDiTty's birthday happened in Feb.  We went out to our favorite Chinese place, Plum Garden, for a late lunch/early dinner.  Then got him a game.  Then went to Chili's for desert and a drink.  I follow them on twitter and they tweeted about a new chocolate chip cookie molten desert.  Unfortunately it wasn't until after we were served our drinks that we found out our local Chili's doesn't have that desert.  At least not yet.  So we got a different one and called it a night.  He didn't really want to do much else since it wasn't a "big one" so we didn't. 

My birthday happened just 11 days ago on the 4th.  All I wanted to do was go to dinner and a movie.  Ended up just getting the movie done.  But that's ok.  We eat out so much that it wasn't a let down.  We did the movie the weekend after since he worked the weekend before and I had a migraine on the day itself.  Actually it started on Sunday and lasted until Wed. when I left work and promptly vomited once I got home.  Which I was fighting not to get sick the whole drive home so I knew it was gonna happen pretty much once I walked in the door.  Yeah, not a fun birthday week.

In between our birthdays was his mom's.  We took her out to Plum Garden and then to Red Lobster for their version of the molten chocolate chip cookie.  Which is just to die for.  Then went back to our house to hang out for the evening.

For both our birthdays she made us a dinner.  Separately that is, his on his day and mine on the 9th.  He wanted tacos and both sisters were able to make it with their kids.  It was a good time.  No drama which is nice.  My birthday we had steak and potatoes.  Garlic mashed, so damn good.  His youngest sister was able to make it with her daughter.  Later in the evening his other sister was able to swing by but it was late so she came without her kids.  Over all it was another successful evening.  Even with the discussion of the all the Popes and Mother Theresa getting heated.  Heh

Let's see, what else.  Oh yeah, another birthday just happened.  The oldest nephew on HDT's side just turned 11 on the 12th.  We went up to his house for cake and gift giving.  Stayed later than I would have liked because HDT was setting up the Xbox Live account for him.  That took way longer than it should've.  But it's set up now and we had one happy kid on our hands so it's all good.

I've had a monthly adjustment for my braces since they were put on in December.  Today was this month's adjustment.  And I gotta say they're almost as tender now as they were when they were first put on.  I had chicken nuggets for lunch and couldn't bite into them.  I had to tear them in half so I could just pop them in my mouth.  I had to bite the fries off to the side as well.  They hurt so much they've caused a headache.  I told HDT that we'll have to have soup or mac and cheese for dinner, just something that I don't have to bite into.  Maybe Chinese, but I doubt Plum Garden since it's not a quick drive.  They were slightly tender with the other adjustments, nothing like this time.  Ugh!

Let's see what else.....

Oh yeah.  A couple weeks ago we went bowling for a charity event at our local bowling alley.  We signed up with several other dispatchers, HDT's coworkers, and a cop or two.  They had a silent auction going on as well.  I bid on three items and got them all....



You can click on the picture for a larger view. 

The one on the far right was given to his mom as a very early Mother's Day gift although she's displaying it as her Easter basket.  Keeping the wrapping on as well.  The artist is Jim Shore.  She loves his stuff.  They're nesting dolls.

The one next to it with the green bow is another basket but it's full of decorative items for the garden.  It's for my mom.  We haven't yet taken it over there.  There are three little plants in there so I was worried at first but turns out they're fake.  They sure look real though.  So we may hang on to it until Mother's Day actually comes around.  Or the next time we get over to mom's to visit which who knows when that'll be.  We're not the best of kids when it comes to visiting.

All the rest were one item.  But I didn't know it at the time I was bidding.  That huge tin of popcorn and the small bag in front of it were both sort of hidden by the big ticket item in the middle.  I thought I was just bidding on it which it's hard to see but the ticket is a tin plaque that looks like an oldtime movie ticket.  We've hung it up on the wall at the bottom of the stairs to the basement.  In the bag it's surrounded by boxes of candy, the kind bought at movie theaters.  And then in each corner is a movie - The Princess Bride and The Goonies. 

As everyone knows The Princess Bride is mine and HDT's "movie," we watch it every year on our Anniversary.  So when I saw it I wanted to bid on it but wasn't sure if I should since the starting amount was $35.00.  But I had HDT come look at it and he agreed since it's our movie I should bid, especially since the auction was more than half over and nobody had placed a bid.  So I did.  But the next time I went to check on them all I see some person by the name of Erin had her name down under mine.  So I immediately put mine down again and now it's for $45.00.  I go back a little later and she's bid again, it's now $50.00.  I wasn't sure if I was truly willing to bid $55.00 on just some candy, a couple movies we already own (PB in blue ray even) and a tin ticket.  But I thought what the hell I'm gonna do it anyway.  So I did. 

When they announced just a couple minutes left on the auction I went to check on them all again and my name was the last of them all.  But the only one I was truly worried about was this one since I clearly wasn't competing with anyone else for the others.  So I hovered.  LOL  And that's when I saw the big popcorn tin but still didn't see the other bag. 

When we went to pay and collect and they handed the smaller bag along with I was surprised.  In the bag is another bag of white chocolate covered popcorn, chocolate covered pretzel rods and some English toffee.  And then as we're leaving and I'm checking everything out I see a menu in that little bag.  Turns out there's a gift certificate to a little cafe for a dinner and a 20% off coupon to a candy making shop which is were the goodies are from.  Both in a small town not to far from us.  In fact a town we go to all the time because that's where we get our pet food.  Literally a half block from these two places. 

So turns out what I thought wasn't really worth $55.00 but I did it anyway is all worth far more than that.  Pretty cool. 

Media quotes of the day:

As you wish - Wesley from The Princess Bride

Booby trapped, that's what I said - Data from The Goonies    I hope this is right, I'm going from memory rather than looking it up.  Ah well, if not it's close enough.

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