We didn’t get the snow that the northern suburbs did, but we sure got the ice! (Mike put my windshield wipers up so they wouldn’t get iced to the window, but I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere today for that to matter.)

I was smart and brought my laptop and project folders home with me last night, so I’ll be working from home today as long as the internet and power hold on. They’ve been flickering all morning.

It’s been switching between freezing rain, sleet, and hail since I got up at 5:30 am, with the temperature right at 32 degrees. We’re supposed to dip down to 22 degrees tonight, so the roads and ice are just going to get worse, with the storm watch in effect until midnight.

Did the rest of you make it through the night? How did you weather the storm?

How’s this for Christmas spirit…my aunt in Florida sent me a holiday package via UPS. There was a glitch in the UPS system, and the package was mistakenly forwarded to someone with my same last name in the same town.

We’ve spoken to UPS, left a nice voice mail about the mix up with the recipient, and UPS has tried contacting them numerous times, and they will not give the package back!

If a UPS package came to your house addressed to someone else’s name, wouldn’t you give UPS a call so they could come pick up the package and send it on it’s merry way? Especially at Christmas!

Grinch.

I’ve been addicted to Tetris since 1989, when my sister and I won a Gameboy for selling the most candy bars in a school fundraiser. No lie. I used to play Tetris so often that in my daily life, I could see where a S, T, or Z would fit perfectly.

I always start on level 9 and I always make it to 100,000 points for a rocketship. Mike’s even impressed with my Tetris skills. He regularly hands over the Gameboy for me to get him out of sticky situations.

I’m also one of those Tetris players that will settle for nothing less than a Tetris, so I’ve been frustrated and heart broken by the scenario to the left many times.

I’m not a fan of Wal-Mart. Every few months, I give it another try, thinking that I’m going to save loads of money and have a grocery shopping epiphany. Instead, I end up searching for a gallon of milk that isn’t spoiled, asking the baker if there’s a loaf of bread without mold anywhere in the bakery, and coming damn close to yelling BINGO on my Wal-Mart BINGO card before making it to the snack aisle.

In short, I remember why I’m an avid Target shopper. How quickly could you yell BINGO if playing at your local Wal-Mart?

This has been bothering me for a few weeks now.

Mike and I went out to dinner with some family members (who will remain nameless in case they or other family members read my blog on the sly) and Mike was talking about all the overtime he’s been taking so that we can pay off our credit card bills and save for a house. While talking about taking extra hours, one family member turns to me and asks ” Do you work every day?”

Yes! Plus some!

Mike didn’t think anything of the question, but the timing was awfully suspicious and the tone wasn’t helping. It was like they wanted to know what I was doing with all my time while Mike was working extra hours. I should have asked why I should work when Mike’s working enough hours for both of us.

Am I overreacting or would you be offended, too? Would you have given a smart ass answer like I did?

Unless you want to burn the shit out of your hand, don’t buy Campbell’s Select Harvest Bowls.

They changed how the lid snaps to the bowl, and the flimsy tabs do not keep the lid in place. That means no lunch, a burnt hand, and a floor and counter that need to be cleaned.

I love going through the trouble of cooking dinner for someone that isn’t hungry because they think a double order of orange chicken from Panda Express is an acceptable lunch.

And then to lie and say they had a slice of pizza for lunch. As if that’s any better!

So, anyone know how to get ink stains out of a dryer? I’m reading suggestions of drying bleach and water soaked rags for 30 minutes, scrubbing with nail polish remover and a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, and wiping with OFF bug spray, but I’d rather not blow my ass up.

I won’t go into who left two black ink pens in the pocket of their work pants, or the fact that one of the two pairs of jeans that I own that actually fit was in that load of laundry, or the fact that the dryer is only a few months old and probably still sitting on our credit card waiting to be paid off, because I wouldn’t want to seem burdened by the task of doing every load of laundry that passes through our laundry room.

I will say that the deal was that I do the laundry if everyone checks their own pockets, which stemmed from almost being impaled by a syringe earlier this year. Either someone is going to have to start checking their own pockets and doing their own laundry or I’m going to have to attach sophisticated system of Garmin GPS devices to every pen in the house.

I’d prefer option one, but you know, wifely duties and all.

Mike took my car in last weekend for an oil change and tire rotation, and came home with a list of parts that need fixed and/or replaced that totaled more than we paid for the car. You should see the printed estimate; it’s unreal. Over $2,000 for hoses, belts, brakes, struts and other auto parts that we can easily get at Great Auto Parts that we can replace ourselves or supply to the shop.

I know next to nothing about car parts, but if I can quickly find what I need on the Great Auto Parts website and save almost half our on car repairs, so can you.

Since the Grand Am will be as good as new when the Prius arrives, anybody want to buy it?

The Chicagoland-area is still drying out from last weekend’s rain and flooding. The main highway just re-opened after being closed for five days, schools are back in session, and people are being let back into their homes to access the damage.

There are a lot of homes in the area that suffered flooding, and I’m sure there are many homeowners that could use the assistance of a restoration company to help clean up the water and remove mold. The water level in the pond behind our apartment (pictured above) was 3-4 feet higher than it normally is, which was making me nervous. I couldn’t imagine having my home in danger.

People don’t realize how damaging just an inch of water can be until it seeps into their home. Water 911 Restoration not only helps deal with water damage, they help with the removal of mold and sewage, as well as drying and dehumidifying. Their emergency service is available 24/7 because they’re no telling when a storm will hit and waters will rise.