The family day was good -- there was even a bonus second cousin I wasn't expecting! (She lives outside of Chicago, so it was really a surprise.) Now I am home with fresh mani-pedi and thinking about using last night's leftover yolks (and white) for a omelette.

Also gross (in theory): giant spiders cooked like crabs to eat.

They are. That's how I heard they taste like crab. Apparently tarantulas are eaten in Cambodia and an article I read once talked about a tribe in the Amazon also doing it.

Not that I'm rushing to try it out, mind you. I don't even like seafood so the crabmeat thing isn't at all appetizing to me.

Just made my first Zipcar reservation and I'm nervous about it. For one thing, I have to pick up and drop off at USC and I've always heard what a badass neighborhood that is. And for another, I'm worried that somehow I'm going to mess up the technology in a way that has people honking at me or something...

Managed to move a bookcase into my room. Removed all the shelves but one to make it lighter. Ended up getting help from my sister for the last bit. Very quickly became exhausted from moving boxes and the growing heat of the day so I'm either going to concentrate on the boxes I already have indoors or take a nap.

People need to stop talking about spiders as food,'kay? The placenta conversation was bad enough.

Thanks Steph. Nice to know I'm in the norm. Mercy! I lurve my bubble machine, yes I do. So do my clients. yay.

ION, I'm maximally hormonal right now and in a very EAT BIG frame of mind. So, instead of getting the french fries I really wanted, I went to the grocery and brought home the stuff to make faux pasta.

I can report that the Shiritaki tofu, 'miracle noodle' is, indeed, awesome. Zero native flavor but a sufficiently 'noodley texture. Plus, the entire packet is 40 calories and 1 gram of fat. Boooyah.

Paired with a sauce into which I added fresh onion and peppers...topped with these amazing, gluten-free chicken meatballs with parm and some cheese curds from the local gourmet grocery.

The added cheese negates the healthiness of the pasta, but hey, I take the win where I can. In the end, a thoroughly satisfying bowl of yum.

Long story short, NOM.

PS: I should add that the faboo meatballs came from Costco. Muy delitsioso.

After the market, bagged up all the stupid linden debris. Then off to haircut, target and then swim. Strip paint. Go to TJs. Eat dinner. About to strip some more paint (and then I'll be done with using the stripper on the top post!) after I give MK his shot.

I don't think I'm going to do anymore tonight. I think there is time tomorrow to clean (and hopefully I'll be able to take all the plastic and tape up before that.

Just made my first Zipcar reservation and I'm nervous about it. For one thing, I have to pick up and drop off at USC and I've always heard what a badass neighborhood that is. And for another, I'm worried that somehow I'm going to mess up the technology in a way that has people honking at me or something...

With Zipcar you can pretty much only screw yourself up. If there is anything weird about the technology of the car they put pretty clear instructions on the reservation.

The hardest thing for me (besides parking in the tiny lots here) is to remember to use the card to lock and unlock the car. Half the time I come back and realize I've left it unlocked.

I am SO looking forward to the weather cooling off. Autumn is my absolute favorite time of year.

Me, too. I adore autumn.

Also, ignoring the whitefont talk... lalalalalala

The hardest thing for me (besides parking in the tiny lots here) is to remember to use the card to lock and unlock the car. Half the time I come back and realize I've left it unlocked.

I've never left one unlocked, but the first time I unlocked one with the key instead of the card and the car wouldn't start was pretty nerve-wracking. The guy on the 1-800 # was very helpful though (clearly I was not the first person to have done this).

I've been internet window shopping. I am waiting to make purchases until I get paid. I am a month behind on my maintenance on the co-op as it is. I may wait to do these purchase until we close on the co-op actually.

New pulls and hinges for the kitchen cabinets $200 about. The switch plate and outlet covers I like so much in the house and that I want to match throughout the house (the house is all mis-matched), those covers? they're vintage bakelite ones, go for $5 - $10 - upwards each on ebay. The area in the backyard that I thought I'd put an umbrella clothesline is to small and so now I need to think about putting it in the semi-hidden part of the side yard that is not behind the fence, also I have to get the line that is $50 or so more. wah wah wah

Kelly and I were at the grocery store earlier. She has been doing a bunch of price comparisons for dorm needs and our store had a nice set of pots and pans on sale for $25, so she decided to buy it.

At the register it rang up at the wrong price so the clerk sent someone back to do a price check. Yes, it should have been $25. I had thought our store did something like an additional 10% off when something like that happened but no. It was free! I'm still kinda boggling.