Oh, I can't think of anything witty - insert your own title here " _________"

I feel lousy today - especially because I had thought that my cold/flu bug was gone - and now it's returned in full force. I spent most of the night with tissue stuffed up my nose just so I could sleep without that annoying drip flying out my nose every ten minutes. Lovely.

On that note, I'll resort to a list of random and disorganized thoughts...

• The cabinets have been ordered... I was able to get everything I wanted, including pull-out shelves on all my lower cabinets, a plate rack, crown molding, and a built in desk with ribbed glass paneled doors. It was more expensive than anticipated, but Asia gave the thumbs up when I called and gave him the total. I nearly fainted when I wrote the check... there was barely room to write out that horrifically L---O---N---G dollar amount.
• I spent this morning in the waiting room at the car dealership. I finally got around to getting the back window fixed. What an interesting parade of people go in and out of that place... from the parchment skinned elderly lady and the woman with her tiny black poodle and incessantly ringing cell phone, to the car wash dude with the hair down to his middle back. I love to people watch.
• I got some good reading done while I waited... I'm still reading "Leap Over a Wall" by Eugene Peterson - an excellent book about the life of King David. In a chapter about his friendship with Jonathon, I underlined this quote: "The greatest thing any person can do for another is to confirm the deepest thing in him, in her -- to take the time and have the discernment to see what's most deeply there, most fully that person, and then confirm it by recognizing and encouraging it." Ooh - love that... and I hope I do that - especially in my kids...
• The Financial Advisor who rang my doorbell today, "getting out in the neighborhood, bringing Wall Street to Main Street" guessed I was 30 years old. I am nearly 37. He is my new best friend - tacky sales pitch and all.
• Today is the 13 hour "Baking Sale" at one of the grocery stores near here. I'm heading there soon to load up on brown sugar, pumpkin, little sprinkly things, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, nuts, flour, sugar, butter - you name it - if you bake with it, it's on sale. I LOVE stocking my cupboards in anticipation of holiday baking. Of course, it's probably foolish for me to do so, since my whole kitchen will be torn apart in the next few weeks, but I can't resist the sale, so I'm doing it anyway.
• Snow is predicted overnight tonight. Not a lot, but nevertheless, the weather has turned and we're in for several months of cold... I'm okay with it for awhile. I'll take cold over rain any day.
• Asia is pretending to be very matter-of-fact about the dog, but he's totally wrapped around her little waggy tail. He plays with her, takes her for walks, rushes home when we're out to let her out of her crate, and even took a framed picture of her to work to have on his desk. He's taught her to "speak" and "shake" and is SO proud of her... He is crazy about her, even if he won't admit it.
• I.am.sick.of.Halloween.candy.
• I have really been wanting new clothes lately - but dread going to the mall to look for them. I despise dressing rooms. I loathe looking at myself in mirrors, and you simply cannot avoid them in those stuffy, panic inducing rooms... If I could clone myself, I'd send her into the dressing room and only let her come out when she'd found something fabulous and flattering and 40% off. Then shopping would be so fun...
• I never wrote about it at the time, but one of the most frustrating things for me this summer was trying to get S. to wear shorts... it could be 100 degrees out, and she'd come out in the morning wearing jeans every day. I kept telling her she should change, but she'd always insist she was fine, that she didn't like wearing shorts. Well, finally the other day in the car she told me why. She's embarrassed about her hairy legs. Now, let me tell you - this girly girl has some of the thickest, blackest leg hair I've ever seen on a little girl. I've always silently felt very sorry for her,but never wanted to make a big deal out of it. Well, even with my avoidance of the issue, she's realized that they are downright scary lookin', and she's self-conscious. She's turning nine in a week. Is that too young to shave? I think probably, but I also want her to be comfortable next summer and be able to wear shorts without worrying that someone is going to notice the shaggy mess on her legs... I told her maybe I'd let her shave, but only if she would promise to wear shorts... ugh - what's next? I don't want to think about it.

Off I go to the baking sale...

Happy Thursday, everyone!