Monday, August 02, 2004

You people do realize I write these blogs more for my own future reference than for your reading pleasure, don't you? I mean, my short term memory isn't what it used to be, and occasionally I need to refer back to figure out just what the hell I was doing on a given day. Anyway, that said, on with the weekend roundup:

[Saturday]
Spent Saturday morning couch shopping. Mom came by the house a few weeks ago and decided that we owned a couch "that homeless people wouldn't want". Not surprising, as the couch was inherited from friends who no longer wanted it cuz it looked like ass. And that was...uhh...4 years ago maybe? And you know it hasn't gotten any better looking in the years since.

I had other places I wanted to put my hard earned dollars than a couch (see all previous posts about the Canon 300d/Digital Rebel), and told mom this. So she decided that if I wasn't gonna buy a couch (that homeless people would want, evidently), she'd buy it for me. Cool. I mean, I'd still rater take the cash and put it towards the dRebel, but what can you do. Mom didn't see the need for a camera that homeless people would want. She's all about the couch.

I, being the not-too-concerned-with-astetics, function over form kinda guy that I am, figured a used couch from craigslist.org would be perfect. Better than what we have, but nowhere near as expensive as a new couch. Mom, being the "you don't know what other people have done on that couch" kinda gal she is, decided we were buying new. Some people have no sense of humor when it comes to stranger's bodily fluids.

The week leading up to Couch Purchase Saturday[tm], mom busied herself with researching every furnature store in the region. Twice. Guess that's the bonus to being retired. Saturday began with her making a nearly unannounced trip to my house at 10am, followed by a trip to the local LayZBoy furnature store. We debated a couple of other places first, but LZB was offering free delivery and free removal of your crusty ass old couch. A bonus.

So ma, the girl and I spent a while perusing around the LZB gallery being shown all sorts of ugly couches. We finally found one that met all of my requirements (pretty basic and comfortable). Sold. Outta stock till mid August, damn. So we're still riding the crusty-couch, but it's days are numbered.

Not having nearly enough fun Saturday morining, the girl and I decide to go to her dad's house and finish up a never-ending Trading Spaces-like project. Luckily her dad was out of town for the weekend, so we could work in peace. It's simple enough project: there are these blinds that cover the sliding glass door and windows (17'4" total). They retract into a white bracket above the glass. Problem is the room is dark wood, so the white blind-holder really stands out and the dad hates it. The Dad contracts the girl to do something artistic for a covering. So after about 4 different proposed solutions, the girl and the dad finally come up with a stained wood/metal bracket mounted to the wall thing that everyone likes. The dad had the girl over a week ago to do the final install, but then The Dad decides it needs a final run through, without actually mounting anything. That's kinda his style. Very cautious in all things.

So with him outta the way, the girl and i (along with my kid) head over, bum-rush the parts, throw in some screws, drill some holes mount some L brackets, and 4 short hours later, the thing done. Almost no bloodshed too.


[Sunday]
Sunday rolls around. Mid week, I promised my kid we'd go see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban again before it left theaters. Quick jaunt to our local multiplex (after a tantrum like breakdown by yours truly) and we're in a still packed house for the flick. Awesome movie, even the second time through. Tho, I think that if A) your child needs a running commentary by you to understand what's happening on the screen, or B) your child feels the need to provide a running commentary to everything that's happening on the screen...do us all a favor and wait for the video. That's all I'm sayin'.

I'm sure some other stuff happened, but I'm tired of typing.