I suspect arson

I haven't used the microwave at work since last week as I was taken to lunch on Monday and completely forgot to eat yesterday.  So, when I opened the door to use it today, I was shocked at the general filth I found inside.  Apparently, someone one wasn't paying attention and whatever they were cooking caught on fire.  The entire inside of the microwave is scorched and there's even scorch marks on the outside vents.  And I'm not talking a little bit scorched like a burnt bag of popcorn.  I talking call-in-the-arson-investigators scorched. It does appear that the perpetrator tried to clean up a little, but you can't get rid of that charred smell.

I tried to clean it using my tried and true sugar scrub mixed with Dawn, but only the bottom came clean...and that was covered by the Pyrex plate (which was burned with a tar-like substance, but I managed to get that clean) so not as bad.  I finally gave up and called it--time of death unknown.  I can only imagine this fire happened after hours because no one knew about it.  Trust me, all one has to do is burn just a few kernels and the whole office is on your ass, so a fire of this magnitude would have brought all kinds of wrath.  Check out the damage.

 I'm not sure why these photos are rotated, but you can still see the grossness.

That's why it's called Stuffing!

[This post was meant to appear on November 25th, but technology was not my friend.]

Oof.  I ate good yesterday and I'm still eating good thanks to tasty leftovers.  I spent Thanksgiving, as usual, with my beautiful friend, Jaclyn, and her equally beautiful family. We are pretty much an extended family now after so many years of celebrating together.  Thanks for another delightful Thanksgiving Jaclyn, Chris, Julia, Mary, Lindsay, Michele, Greg, and our new additions, Lily and Jimmy.  

Since Wednesday was my birthday and today is Mary's birthday (she's Jaclyn's Mom--Happy Birthday Mary!), we both got presents.  I got an awesome spy camera.  Okay,  maybe not exactly a spy camera, but it's tiny and cute and hides easily in the palm of my hand. I can see myself taking all kinds of TMZ-worthy photos.  Beware. No one is safe. The quality isn't bad either. I'd include photos but my home computer isn't cooperating and when I tried to take more I inadvertently deleted them.  Woe is me.

It's my birthday and I'll pie if I want to.

That's right.  Another year has passed and it's my birthday again.  You know what that means?  My email inbox is filled with birthday wishes---from companies with whom I've done business.  Free drink at Starbucks! Free car wash at the Nissan dealership!  Discount at the yarn store!  Discounts at several online stores!  I'll admit, I enjoy the birthday wishes.  I'm a kid at heart.  

My office had our annual Thanksgiving potluck today.  Soooo much good food.  I'll say one thing for my co-workers--they sure can cook.  Turkey? yum. Ham? yum. Taters? yum. Mac & cheese? yum.  Grilled Brussels sprouts? So very yum.  And don't get me started on the desserts.  I'm just going to roll on out of here today.

Thanks to everyone who woke with with Facebook birthday wishes.  I feel so special.  I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

I'm a Great Aunt, again (or always)

Sorry I've been absent. Things are happening that I can't talk about and I've been ill with the lingering cough (do you have to let it lingerrrrr...).  But I CAN talk about my sweet, brave, niece, Elyse, who endured nearly 24 hours of labor to bring a beautiful baby boy into the world.  Welcome James Matthew Jefferson Shaw.  I'd show you a picture, but he's nekkid and I'd like to give the kid some dignity. I stole this photo from Facebook. I'm not sure who took it. Congratulations, Elyse.  I can't believe you're someone's mother now.

In other news, today is another sweet niece's birthday. Happy Birthday, Mary!  I know what it's like to have a nephew* born so close to your birthday that everyone from here on out will try to lump your birthdays together, and lump it in with Thanksgiving if they can get away with it.  Know that your Aunt Laurie will always recognize your day as your own.


*Love you Roy--wouldn't trade you for the world...even if I did get gipped on the birthdays.  

Knit Picks-y

In case you know my Sugar Daddy, or my Fairy Godmother...Here is my Knit Picks Wish List.  I'm entering a contest to win some goodies. Do you like yarny goodness? You can enter too.  Just check it out here.

In other news, I'm still sick, but I'm tired of tea.  Cup of coffee! Stat! Fortunately, we had a meeting and there's Starbucks in the conference room.  I'm drinking out of my Molly the Owl mug instead of my usual travel mug because I need the warmth in my hands.  My cough is mostly gone, my throat is no longer sore, but my damn sinuses are fomenting a riot in my head.  I feel like my eyes are being pushed out like a Pug.  At least I managed make up today.  Just because I feel like crap doesn't mean I have to look the part.

Still sick

Who wants to go to Langer's and buy me some matzo ball soup?  

I took the day off yesterday to rest and get better.  Many doses of Tylenol Cold & Flu (severe formula) and lots of sleep interspersed with a Criminal Minds marathon had me feeling much better this morning.  I had to come to work for a series of meetings.  I got up, showered, put make up on, and was out the door, but halfway to work my throat started getting scratchy, my cough came back, my eyes got watery, my nose started running....that's it! I'm allergic to work!  Does disability cover that?

We talked about getting lunch for one of the meetings (and decided against it), so now I really really want Langer's matzo soup with an egg salad sandwich.  Anyone? They do the curbside pick-up.

Sick....and tired, but not necessarily sick and tired

I inadvertently had a Rob Riggle movie marathon this weekend.  Who is this guy and why was he in every movie I watched this weekend?  I can't find a common denominator, save him, and the fact that they were all comedies.  In the first movie, I thought, "this guy is funny and kind of a douche."  In the second movie, I thought, "Hey, it's that guy again."  By the third movie, I thought, "Oh come on! Now you're just messing with me." Anyway, at least we know the Riggle family isn't starving as daddy is bringing home a steady paycheck.

On Saturday, the ladies of trivia competed in the 2nd Annual King Trivia Tournament of Champions.  We were in 24th place going into the competition.  For the first couple of rounds we held on to first place, but the 3-for-3 round consistently does us in.  I mean, what three Vice Presidents had the shortest terms in office?  Who knows that shit?  Well, apparently a lot of nerds at the competition, because we dropped out of first.  We ended the tournament in 12th place, which isn't bad considering there are 30 teams competing and we only had three team members (against the six that most teams had).  

But the sick, well, that came on sometime overnight.  I blame the time change, because why not.  I woke up Sunday with a sore throat that I attributed to having to shout over the din on Saturday.  An hour later, though, it was clear the sore throat was a harbinger of things to come and not just a run-of-the-mill soreness.  The stuffy head, fever, achy body, cough, chest congestion--yep, I'm fully ill.  Back to bed with a cup of tea I went.  Of course, I had to come to work today, but I had some unavoidable tasks to complete.  Hopefully, I can leave early.  

I'd love to stay and chat, but I really moustache

Welcome to Movember.  I love me a good moustache so this month is going to provide me with some sweet eye candy.  I've decided to stop waxing my own 'stache in solidarity with the menfolk, because after all, without the menfolk, we'd be....who would do....I mean, I'm sure we'd miss them.

In honor of Movember, Etsy has some really great moustache related items.  Check out my favorites:

Stache a day--found here

I love a good pun--found here.

The baby's giving eyebrow!--found here

And so many more.  Have fun, and remember to get the ol' prostate checked out.