Three New Nuggets

You: Cor, do you not love me anymore? Why haven't you updated in so many moons?

Me: Dry your eyes, friend. It's not you; it's me. I will be back with renewed devotion soooon.

You: But, my sweet, won't you at least give me a Cliff's Notes version of what's been going on?

Me: *sigh* You've twisted my arm.

1. I got a job for the fall. It's an amazing opportunity that I will not write about much on account of my refusal to invite being fired should someone stumble across this blog and put two and two together. The secondary effect of landing this new job is that I get to quit my job at the tutoring center, and I think we all know after the events of Teacher Appreciation Week that it's time.

2. I bought a new car. This is especially exciting for me because for the first time in my life I own a vehicle that doesn't shudder like a dying old man when it idles. I also don't have to worry about assorted chunks of it flying off on the highway, nor do I have to commence holding together critical parts with duct tape. All in all, I am a very happy camper about this situation, although in all honesty, I do miss Pepe II. Yes, I get attachments to inanimate objects. (When I was a kid I cried when my parents purchased a new dishwasher, because I felt bad for the old one. My justification was that it still worked and they just threw it to the curb like it hadn't served our family faithfully for all those years. Yes, I know I might be mentally ill. I blame it all on seeing The Brave Little Toaster when I was very young.) The good news, though, is that I found a good new home for Pepe II. Woo.

3. Yesterday I fished a dead mouse out of our pool. It happens on occasion that a wee critter will drown in the pool after trying to get a drink for itself, but this was the first time I've been the one to find it and dispose of the body. Later, I went to swim a few laps and was suddenly overcome with psychological sickness as I imagined ingesting tainted, fetid dead mouse water little-by-little as I made my laps. It got to the point that whenever I returned to the shallow end (where I found the mouse), I would gag and have to spit the metallic taste out of my mouth to keep from vomiting. (You all know I have an impressive 8-year vomit streak that I cannot afford to break because of a completely unjustified paranoia.) I will keep you updated on future swim endeavors, but here's to hoping that was a one-time-only psychological breakdown, and that I never happen across anything bigger than a mouse floating dead in the pool. (Wear your water wings, Mom.)

So, I think that's about it for now. More later...I promise.