Not Much to Report

There hasn't been too much excitement around the house since the bowling party. We celebrated my birthday quietly. Hammer Guy and I went out to lunch that day with my parents and then hit Caribou and Borders.

Update on my foot -- I saw a specialist last week and the good news is, no surgery. The bad news (which is also the good news, in a way!) is that I am down to four hour days at work. Today, for example, I go in at six p.m., which, to someone who has worked 45-55 hours a week for much of their career, seems like a colossal waste of time. Happily, I am reading book after book, submitting short stories to lit mags, and working on my YA novel. More bad news: my back was finally getting better after my car accident(s) and now I'm back up to three visits to the chiro a week!

Got any book recommendations? Send them my way!

Bowling Birthday Surprise!

Sunday Aunt J threw a surprise 40th birthday party for Aunt A. Everyone except Toad (and me with my broken foot) exhibited stellar bowling performances. Here are some snaps of the festive event, which was followed by dinner and cake at J's house.

My Left Foot

Saturday night at work I fell into a recess in the floor of a semi trailer and broke my left foot in two places (metatarsal fractures, in case you were wondering). I drove myself to the ER and back and am now the proud owner of a boot that looks like something out of Darth Vader's closet. The swelling is finally starting to go down, but my entire foot is one big purple bruise. Today I can actually put some weight on the foot, but getting around is still a challenge. I've never had a broken bone before and hopefully never will again!

The Academy Awards

For the first time in decades, I did not watch the Academy Awards.

Instead, Hammer Guy and I went to see Hamlet, the final play at the Guthrie Theater before they move into their new performance space on the river. It was an amazing performance, and if you get a chance to go before it closes on May 7, you really should. HG and I have many wonderful memories of performances at the Guthrie, including Arthur Miller's All My Sons and an acoustic concert given by the Jayhawks for my thirtieth birthday (which an in utero Toad loved as well).

We will miss performances at Vineland Place but look forward to the opening of the new theater.

Apparently I've Been Tagged

Some info per request of brother-in-law Chuck C.:

FOUR THINGS

Four jobs I've had:
1. Coordinating Resident Advisor
2. Travel Resources Administrator
3. Media Manager
4. Patient Care Coordinator

Four movies I can watch over and over:
1. Gone With the Wind
2. Home for the Holidays
3. Grease
4. Zoolander

Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. Law & Order SVU
2. Oprah
3. M*A*S*H
4. That 70's Show
(Do I have time to watch them? Rarely!)

Four places I've been on vacation (ah, vacation):
1. London
2. Cape Cod
3. Several Caribbean Islands
4. Door County, WI

Four favorite dishes:
1. Mom's Macaroni & Cheese
2. Lemon Chicken Skewers with New Potatoes & Grilled Asparagus
3. Applebee's Confetti Chicken (a current fave)
4. Nachos

Four websites I visit daily:
1. Hennepin County Library (www.hclib.org)
2. www.weightwatchers.com
3. The Loft Literary Center (www.loft.org)
4. State Bank of Rogers

Four places I'd rather be:
1. On vacation with my husband (in London, or Ireland, or Italy, or Duluth)
2. Duluth
3. The library
4. A bookstore

Four bloggers I'm tagging:
1. jbird (http://jbird4.blogspot.com)
2. pdxkatie (http://pdxpishposh.blogspot.com)
(sorry, I only have two!)

Thank You Hermey the Elf, D.D.S.

For once, watching a lot of TV has paid off. Toad's first visit to the dentist Monday morning was a breeze, thanks to a high level of exposure to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and his misfit friend, Hermey the Elf, D.D.S. Toad sat on my lap and let the hygienist count and polish, but not floss. A dentist visited Toad's school in February, and Toad had already met Dr. Greg which also helped. Thank goodness he doesn't have any cavities, and my apologies to those of you with recent disastrous dental visits.