I'm 30, kind of

So my best friend's birthday is in January and mine is in May. What better time to celebrate both than March? We left Thursday and came back on Sunday for a long weekend. It was just what we both needed.  We sat on the beach, ate, slept and read books. I read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
while she read the sequel The Girl Who Played with Fire.  It took me from Thursday on the plane to Saturday night to finish my 6oo+ page book. I loved it - action, drama, mystery all in one. When I came home I Netflixed the movie. After reading the book, the movie doesn't even come close.  The book was so intense.  These books were originally written in Swedish and the title is literally translated into "Men who hate women."  It makes a lot more sense then the name the American publisher's gave it.  I've started on the second one.  It's a trilogy and I'm planning on reading the third at the moment, however it might have to wait until after the semester. Hopefully, I can finish this one over my spring break. 
While in the Bahamas, we went to the Atlantis one day to their aquarium, casino at night and Ben & Jerry's for a $9 milkshake.  I know it's vacation, but that's an absurd price for ice cream.  After trying to get in shape for this vacation, I gained four pounds while on it!  I already lost two since coming home by not eating at buffets for each meal.  With the weather warming up, I'm hoping to get outside more often and lose that other two plus.

Off to the Bahamas!

This year is the big 3-0 and I'm off to celebrate! My best friend's birthday is in January, mine is in May, so what better time to go away than March?  We're hitting the Bahamas.
I just looked at the weather. It's only supposed to be in the high 70's while we're there. It's not as hot as I would like, but it's better than here!  I haven't been to a beach in about two years. I had some problems with the skin on my face last Easter - I went to dermatologists, immunologists, spent hundreds of dollars and in the end, a 99 cents aloe leaf at the grocery store did the trick. I can still see remnants of what was there, but most people wouldn't notice. Add a little bit of makeup and it gone! But just in case, I went out and bought a brimmed hat to prevent any further issues.  So maybe the cooler weather is someone's way of looking out for me.
I went shopping the other day to check out some bathing suits. Depressing.  I still have the same amount of chest, just in a different spot. Finding a bathing suit that fit right and I felt comfortable wearing was tough.  In the end, I bought a bikini - but not so teenie weenie.  I just hope I don't look like someone who shouldn't be wearing one.
I tried to go on a diet. It didn't work. We went to visit the in-laws over the weekend and it was a choice between bagels and donuts for breakfast, then dinner was pizza. Monday, I had a lunch date with my mom at the Olive Garden.  So much for dropping 5 pounds. I would have been happy with 2. Instead I gained one and a half!  
This morning I hit up the spa for my first hot stone pedicure. I had some spafinder gift certificates from two Christmas's ago.  All it cost me was the tip and a few quarters for the meter.  I loved it!

Truth or Dare

The new thing in my daughter's group of friends is the game Truth or Dare.  She came home the other day asking me, "Truth or Dare?"  I picked truth. And then truth again, and again. I got, "Do you love me?" and "Did you like that rash on your face over the summer?"  All boring questions that she already knew the answer to.  When I picked dare, she told me to give her a kiss.  "Your dares are no fun...it's supposed to be interesting" I told her.  When it was my turn to ask, I asked if there was a boy she thought was cute. When she picked a dare, I told her to lick her sneaker.  She said she didn't have to do a dare if she doesn't want to.  I changed it to run around the house once. She said no again so I changed it to picking up one of our guinea pigs. She agreed, but never did.
That night I came home from school and she was already laying in bed. I went to lay with her and she asked me "Truth or Dare?"  I picked Dare. She told me to lick my shoe. Really? OK. I sat up, grabbed my slipper and gave a quick slurp of the bottom. Her face was priceless!  "EEEWWW! That's disgusting! Why did you do that?"  She couldn't get over it.
"Because it was a dare, and that's how you play the game!"  After she fell asleep I went downstairs and kissed my husband.   :)

There's a stranger in my town...

I chaperoned my daughter's field trip on Monday to the aquarium. We touched skates, sharks, rays, sea stars (whatever happened to starfish?), and sea anemones.  At each tank, I had one kid scared of something. But when it came to the shark tank, the little girl who was scared of the rays suddenly turned into the shark whisperer and touched 20! 
Tuesday I had my appointment with the unemployment office.  It was an interview over the phone. Sometimes you get a feel for how an interview went, on this one I have no clue.  I find out sometime next week.  In the mean time, still looking for work and being a lab rat. This week it was testing sunscreen for $100.  Next week, it's a face lotion for $30.  I think I'm going to start volunteering somewhere.  I can help out somewhere and not have an empty spot on my resume.
Thursday I was feeding my daughter breakfast and we had an unexpected visitor at the door.  Some guy about 6 foot, big boned and heavy set came banging on my door. He claimed he was from out of state, on his way to work and his car overheated under a nearby overpass.  He needed some water. I wouldn't open the door and sent him to the side of the house to use the hose, not remembering we winterized the pipes.  He came back and asked me to fill the jugs.  He put them down and went across the street while I stepped out to grab them. I told my kid to call 911 in case anything happened.  It was stupid of me. What if there was someone else hiding on the side of the house?  He passed four houses full of cars and people before getting to mine, why not stop there?  Or he could have been just someone who really just needed some help.  My kid was hysterical and I'm paranoid...Last year, an elderly woman up the street was attacked by someone while sitting next to her pool. The man ran into the woods and was never found, no description ever given.  So after dropping my daughter off at school, I headed over to the police station and reported it.  What I should have done was call the police to come help him and they could have checked him/his story out.
I wish I got a pitbull instead of this terrier at the moment.  Now, I have my father coming over and casing the joint.  Benefit of a recently retired father whose a hunting enthusiast.  He sat on my patio for hours Thursday afternoon just sitting and waiting ever so still like a statue.
I'm an optimist - on the bright side, this a good excuse to get the hubby to walk the dog in the evening and night.
Today we're off to celebrate my husband's grandmother's 94th birthday.  It should be a nice gathering of about 60 - her kids, grandkids and great grandchildren.  Happy Birthday Grandma!