Maru Has A Friend

Looks like Maru has a new housemate named Hana...she is a cutie and full of spunk! Seems Maru is not completely sure what to do about her...LOL.

I haven't seen the full story (if there is one) on how Hannah came to be part of the family, but I sure it will come out eventually.

I am happy for Maru to have a playmate!
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Last Year on In My Words...Newish Maru

Netflix Requirements

I have decided that in order to get our money's worth out of having both the DVD and Streaming versions of Netflix, I need to be watching at least 4 of the DVDs a month. I have been bad lately about watching movies, either on DVD or streaming because I tend to run the TV in the background of doing other things. This means not watching something new (because I can't multitask through something new), especially if it means being in a different room from the TV.

Last weekend, I watched two DVDs that I had from Netflix back to back, put them in the mail and got two new ones today. I figure if I just knock them out like that...either on a lazy morning or in the evening when I have settled in for the night, I will be good to go. I also watched two newish movies on HBO this week, that I was then able to remove from my DVD queue on Netflix.

I tend to use my DVD queue as a way to remind myself of movies that I have just seen previews for. I don't get to see them necessarily when I want to but the list helps me keep track of flicks that look interesting.

It is weird to feel like I have to put movie watching on the To Do list...but along with writing regularly on my blogs, it seems I need to allocate time for this as well.
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Seven Years Ago on In My Words...Irked

Jingle Bell Hell 2013

I just signed up to do this one for this year. If you remember from my recap last year, my ipod was dead as I headed out the door (and I really don't run without music), and it was also freezing cold, windy and hailing. Lots of fun.

This time it runs from December 14-22nd. I have another IRL 5K that I am signed up for on the 21st so I will probably tackle this one the weekend before. Thankfully it is a virtual so I can fit it in where I can and hopefully this year I will be smart and actually get it done during a nice weather weekend.

Today, I got out and walked the same route that I do for these virtual 5Ks (which is actually 3.34 miles) in 50 mins...and that was with no running...so if I run the downhills, on the next couple of training runs, I am sure I will do decently on this run and on the next one the 21st.
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One Year Ago on In My Words...Jingle Bell Hell 2012

Birthday Madness

Own personal Google Doodle on your bday!!

Birthdays are a tricky situation. While I like having people remember my birthday, I don't want to get older...LOL. This year, I got a call from my aunt about two weeks out, asking me to save the date, that she and my grandmother and mother wanted to take me to a local Mexican place for dinner. That sounded cool to me, and I put it on my calendar.

The day arrives, and I get the posts on Facebook for my birthday, which is great, and some texts and cards in the mail. I work on some stuff around the house and head over to my grandmother's a little early so I can tackle a couple loads of laundry before we go out. When I get there, Grandma lets me know that she won't be able to make it since she has a bit of a cold coming on and doesn't want to be sick for Tday. I totally understand and tell her that we'll make sure there are leftovers brought home so she can have some good food too!

Cute pumpkin stand (made for bigger pumpkin)

I have texted my cousin and one of my local sister in laws to see if they want to come with us since it is going to be a small scale dinner celebration. I don't hear back from either of them. The week before, at bunco, I overhear my other local sister in law and my mother in law both talk about obligations they have that same day, so I don't ask them to try to come.

Ducks PJs were put on first night!

My mom's birthday was earlier in the week so we planned to have a couple of things for her too, and she didn't know we were going to do it, so I was excited for her surprise.

Cards from mail and party!

We leave for the restaurant and sit down at a table, start looking at a menu and wonder why they haven't given us any chips and salsa like normal. After a bit, my mother in law and father in law walk in...LOL. That is when I start to realize that not everyone has been forthcoming with me over the last two weeks.

Mylar balloon still flying in the livingroom!

Over the next ten minutes pretty much all of my local family shows up at the restaurant for a big birthday surprise. We take up most of the bar area. We have our own cake, and the restaurant (where we do a lot of birthday celebrations) is super helpful like they always are. They come out with two sombreros and they sing for me and my mom. We both open presents and over all it is a fantastic time and definitely felt the love!
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Six Years Ago on In My Words...White Towels

It Is Gonna Get Cold

Brrrrr...cold nights for most of this week. I went up to the pool and made sure that I had the lightbulb on the timer light set to run in the pumphouse and that the pump was set to run during the coldest part of the night. I was thrilled to see that there weren't nearly as many leaves on the leaf net as I was expecting after not seeing the pool for the last week.

I didn't sleep for crap last night because I had a mocha very close to bedtime, and ended up reading until after 1 in the morning. While turning over in my sleep, I kept waking up because my left arm was hurting and it wasn't until 6 or so in morning that I remembered the tetanus shot I had in my left arm yesterday afternoon...duh! No wonder it was tender.

Managed to get my driver's license renewed yesterday too, since it expires this week on my birthday. It was surprisingly easier than I was expecting and that was a nice surprise! So I currently have a paper temporary one until the real deal comes in the mail. This one will be good for 8 years...woohee!

Gotta go for now, hope to be writing more frequently but really have to get to bed early tonight so I can get back on a decent schedule. Goodnight world.
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Seven Years Ago on In My Words...It's Cold Out There (boy do I miss this fur ball)

Sushi Options

We don't have a lot of options for Asian food here.

At times I have to put in orders to my sister who lives near a couple of really good stores so I can get ingredients for some of my Thai and Vietnamese recipes. We do have a really small Japanese and Korean market that I can use and it is attached to a little Japanese/Korean restaurant. This establishment is in the same parking lot with my main grocery store so I treat myself to sushi there sometimes.

Between this place and another place near my house, I have found pretty decent sushi (nothing will ever be like eating it in Japan), but the one near our house is a lot more expensive.

I don't get to use my minimal language skills much because most of the people that work in both establishments are not native speakers and I don't want to put them on the spot, but I do thrown in a few konichiwas and arigatos when I get a chance.

So anyhow, on this day, I was enjoying a roll (which I usually refrain from), some ocha, and some edamame. It was a nice little snack before tackling the grocery shopping.
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Six Years Ago on In My Words...Anyone Want A Drink?