Three things I'm loving this week:
1. Extended shopping hours. The best thing about December is that area stores are open practically 24/7 and those that are never open on Sunday (like Wild Birds Unlimited), suddenly are. I love being able to go to the mall at 9 p.m. on Sunday or having the option to shop until midnight on a Friday or 6 a.m. on Saturday. I'd link you to the Millcreek Mall's holiday store hours, but...their Web site doesn't appear to be updated.
2. Polar fleece. Where has this fabric been all my life. As someone who is perpetually cold, fleece makes winter bearable for me. When I'm not at work, or anywhere else I have to look presentable, I am covered in polar fleece. I want to be buried in my Old Navy fleece PJ pants (if only they weren't in such stupid colors and designs). I can't stop buying fleece pullovers, jackets, gloves, blankets, jammie pants, socks... I wear so much fleece that I stick -- like velcro -- to the flannel sheets on my bed. You know, what I probably need are some polar fleece sheets ... .
3. John Mellencamp. Thursday is the day -- the big concert at the Erie Civic Center. I have loved John Mellencamp, well...since he was John Cougar and I can't wait to see him right here in Erie. My husband and I saw him in Pittsburgh (at the Post Gazette Pavilion) a couple of years ago. He was touring with John Fogerty (who rocked), but...for some reason, John Mellencamp just wasn't into it that night. Even sitting (well, dancing) 42 rows away, I could tell he was pissed off. He only did one encore -- consisting of two songs, I think. Here's hoping he's in a better mood Thursday.
Three things I'm hating this week:
1. Hunting season. Let the month of marital spats begin. Here's hoping he bagged as many as he is legally allowed to slaughter at camp this weekend so that his hunting season is over. Every year, I swear to be a good wife and not give him a hard time about hunting, but...I...just...can't....stop....myself. Somehow the words I have in my head "How was hunting camp, honey...did you get anything?" are twisted and morphed into "About damn time you're home...the kids are SO yours for the rest of the week" by the time they make it out of my mouth.
2. Gas prices. Seriously...this is ridiculous. There has to be a better way. I hate that our entire country is being held hostage because we've built our lives around cheap gasoline. Now, they're sticking it to us, aren't they? I'm trading in my little SUV as soon as the husband's gas-guzzling, savings-account-sucking truck is paid off.
3. Sharpie markers. I'm married to an electrician who, for whatever reason, uses Sharpie markers at work on a daily basis. This means, just like wire caps, we have Sharpies in a rainbow of colors everywhere -- in the cars, in the house, in the garage, in the basement. My problem with Sharpie markers? They're permanent. And, when you have two small children living in a space with 1,539 Sharpie markers in various colors, you're bound to have permanent marker all over your house, your kids, their clothes and the family cat (you think I'm kidding? I'm not...it happened). I try my best to keep these markers quarantined on the highest shelf in the kitchen, but...somehow one always finds its way to kid level. This morning, my daughter used a blue Sharpie to draw pictures on looseleaf paper. And, now, the top of my breakfast bar is covered with blue Sharpie. Comet cleanser didn't touch it -- here's hoping the Magic Eraser will.