Merut - the Happy Homemaker

Being home has been busy. Here are the "highlights", if you can call everyday life a hightlight.

Last Friday, Spanky Bottoms came over to learn how to crochet. I have only seen her two times in the past year and a half. I saw her once when I was in Aspen. I came home from Aspen, then she went to New Zealand for 6 months. She came back from New Zealand, and I went to SLC. So I was excited to see her. She had crocheted a couple of times prior, so she wasn't entirely a novice . I think she was intending to crochet a square, but by the end, I told her it looked like half a panty. By the way, I loath the word "panty." Gas Monkey thinks most women hate the word "moist", but I enjoy a moist salmon, for example. There is no way to make "panty" sound good. So if anybody uses this word in front of me, you will evoke a cringe and maybe a sarcastic comment. Even "thong" has more balls. (I remember when my aunt had her two boys calling there underwear "panties". Now that is cruel and unusual parenting). After crocheting, Spanky Bottoms decided we should walk to Walmart, a good fifteen minute walk, and pick up a bridal magazine. I loved this idea. It was a double whammy against Gas Monkey. He hates both. And now that I'm home, my main entertainment is teasing Gas Monkey. The bridal magazine (Martha Stewart, of course, one of Spanky Bottoms' idols, sad to say) was completely absurd. I mean, come on. Do I really need to torture my bridesmaids (or let's be honest, bridesmaid)?

Saturday Gas Monkey and I went to his Aunt B's house, and I helped "can" 21 jars of peaches. A new skill! I'll be the housewife who knows all the housewife skills! Maybe I'll make a resume of all my domestic skills and give it to Gas Monkey: Looking for a nice home to be a homemaker. Skills include cleaning, crocheting, knitting, cooking, scrapbooking (actually this is giving me more credit than I deserve), jarring peaches, organizing, harassing my fiance, sleeping in, saving water (i.e. not showering everyday), and sitting around on the computer. I'd say I'm more than qualified. It was pretty cool to get a little dirty in B's garden.

Sunday we went to my parents house for an "engagement brunch." My parents went through a lot of effort. We got there and they were cooking pork ribs and chicken (which my mom rarely does since my dad is allergic). My mom even learned how to make mimosas, which she had never had before. After the first taste, her reaction was "meh", even though she encouraged Gas Monkey to continually refill her glass, much to my father's chagrin. Afterwards, we played "Oh Heck", which involves putting a dollar in to play, and then the loser pays the winner an extra dollar. Gas Monkey won twice. It is the only game my mom can win, and the only game my dad can't win.

Monday, Labor Day (thank you, you crazy Canadians), Gas Monkey and I went to the Rockies game. First row, along the first base line. I brought my beloved left-handers catcher's mitt. I even received a comment of adoration from a stranger. A left-hander's catcher's mitt is a rare thing indeed. I love love love that glove. Rockies won, but I was distracted by the heat. I kept looking around for mercy clouds. Mercy clouds let me down, often times by missing the sun, by mere "inches."

Now I'm home during the day. The honeymoon is over. That's what we always call the first week home after field work. Yesterday was the first day I started being down. I'm liked a caged animal. I get restless pretty quickly. I spent a lot of yesterday playing Pokemon on my Gameboy color, and watching reruns of America's Next Top Model (I blame that addiction on B, as I would never have started watching the show otherwise). The sorry thing is, I've seen all the seasons of ANTM, many times. I did manage to do all my daily studying for the GRE and doing laundry, but still. It feels pathetic.