I'd like to say first off that I feel like I should have an AARP card in my wallet to even bring up this topic. I do feel like an octogenarian these days, but I am entirely too young to be obsessed about how much everything costs.

I've been fairly housebound for the past couple of weeks, so I had no idea what was going on out there! That's why I nearly fell over this morning when I finished filling up my Honda, and it only cost me $33. I've had this vehicle for a year-and-a-half now, and it's never cost that little to fill the tank. I think the cheapest it's ever been is about 50 bucks. Lately, I've paid as much as $70.

I didn't feel so badly about the second pair of shoes I bought yesterday when gas cost me HALF what it did a few months ago. HALF. Imagine how much money I could trickle down (please note the sarcasm) if I didn't have to spend so much for gas!

Could somebody smarter than me please explain the insane difference in price from one month to the next? I mean, I'm not complaining about the price drop--exactly the opposite--I just want to understand. Is it because Americans were so pissed off about the price of gas that they actually stopped driving as much (oh, the horrors!) and, therefore, the supply exceeded the demand, or is it just a a bunch of random corporate horseshit? Just curious.

Labels: Gas prices

Just when I thought I would be back to blogging with a vengeance, I get socked by what my friend is calling a nuclear cold. Now, in addition to being pregnant and sick from that, I also can't breathe through my runny nose, I can't stop hacking, and I barely have the energy to get out of bed.

So far, I've had it for three days. Today was definitely better than yesterday when I got out of bed only to go to the bathroom and retrieve food to bring back to my bed. Thankfully, my mother-in-law and father-in-law are here to help me with My Little Sunshine. I don't know what I would do otherwise.

I am currently a vision of beauty, let me tell you. Red, flaky, runny nose. Face all broken out from hormone-overload. Thickening middle that looks more like a beer belly than a baby bump. Smokin' hot, I tell ya. Smokin' hot.

I'm really hoping to catch a break in either the pregnancy or the illness department. I thought Magic Day would have come by now, but maybe it's just been delayed by this crappy cold.

Gotta go, because I'm now hacking, which makes me feel like I'm going to puke.
Buh-bye.

Labels: illness, Pregnancy

I went to my polling place prepared for a marathon this morning. Before I left the house, I spent some time packing a FUN BAG! for my four-year-old son. His attention span is commensurate with his age (in minutes), so I had to think ahead.

I hit my first roadblock early. I pulled out the portable DVD player and headphones, which I thought was a BRILLIANT idea. Until, of course, I realized that the rechargeable batteries were not charged and could only be charged by a special charger. I think a local republican senator who likes to wear sweatpants in public stole my charger. I repaid him by not voting in his completely unopposed race.

Plan B. Sticker books. Lots and lots of animal stickers. Reptiles. Amphibians. Sharks. Pandas. Everyone loves pandas, right? And then the shark notebook and newly sharpened pencils. And snacks. Who could forget the snacks? Loaded up that bag with a little of everything portable in my pantry.

Changed clothes about 50 times, since my pregnant body is too big for regular clothes but too small for maternity clothes. Decided on a too small sweater and too big pants. Comfort over fashion.

Gave the kid a speech about the important job we had to do. Duty required good manners and patience. Made a mental note that this was going to be a nightmare.

Drove to the polling place where I saw a packed parking lot and several cars in the lot across the street. Not a good omen for the manners or the patience.

My son and I walked a gauntlet of bad manners and impatience. That did not help. When we got to the end of the line, I presented (WAH-LAH!) shark stickers! The boy seemed pleased with that for a few seconds and my optimism returned.

Ten minutes later, we had already switched over to the notebook and pencils when a volunteer came over and asked if anyone in this extremely long line had a last name that started with L through Z. About 25 people raised their hands. He waved us to another place where the line was about a fourth as long. Many moans and groans from the A through K line followed, and I don't blame them.

What's interesting about this new gloriously short line is that it spills out into the same room as the horrendously long line. We use the same voting machines. In the same room. So why the division?

It doesn't seem fair that I got in and out in twenty minutes when a good friend of mine waited more than two hours in line at the same polling place because her last name starts with an H.

Overall, my kid was pretty good during this potential nightmare experience. It all started to fall apart when I was about to sign my name on the voter roll. Some old lady screwed me by asking My Little Sunshine what he was writing. As I handed my driver's license over, my son darted with his pencil and notebook to the other side of the room. I called his name. He cowered in the corner. The volunteer came over to escort me to my voting machine. I apologized and again sternly called for my son to come over to where I was. He looked at me and instead, ripped out a piece of paper, balled it up and stuffed it into his mouth. Mortified, I apologized again and sternly called again. Another piece of paper ripped out and stuffed into a way too small mouth. So, I did what any smart mom would do and made a completely empty threat. As soon as I voted, I threatened, I was heading back to the Target to return the newest members of the ever-growing Sunshine Animal Collection (250 strong)!!!

Problem solved. Paper extricated. Son back in line. Voting commenced. All is right with the world.

The bottom line is I got in and out in twenty minutes. Some of my friends across the country have had to wait several hours. So, if you haven't voted, get off your ass and go do it. Just make sure you go armed with your good manners, patience and a snack or six.

Labels: My Little Sunshine, Presidential election, Voting