We have a huge doormat on the porch of our house. Unfortunately, it's always getting blown all over the place and I hate it. I found these Personal Creations doormats that are so adorable. While my favorite is the one with the little flip-flops, I don't like advertising how many people are in my household. I feel the same way about those stickers people put on the rear windows of their cars. At least there are other cute doormats. I wonder what I can talk my husband into....
Quack Quack
I'm pretty sure everyone has seen the commercials for Aflacs disability insurance with the duck quacking at everyone. In case you didn't realize it (I'm not sure how you couldn't though...), Gilbert Gottfried provided the voice for said duck. He made some tasteless jokes on Twitter about the earthquake in Japan and, as a result, Aflac fired him. I, for one, say "Good job Aflac!" A disaster is not something to joke about - whether it's Japan or New Orleans or anywhere. We should be coming together to help each other, not point and laugh at someone's tragedy. Bad form Mr. Gottfried.
Cars
I had three serpentine belts replaced on my car this past weekend. Shortly before that, the rear brakes on my husband's car started making a squealing/grinding noise. (He calls it grinding; I call it squealing.) So, of course, when I left for work yesterday morning, I hear some squealing from my brakes. Though I'm pretty sure the noise has stopped on my car. Sometimes my car just 'complains' about being woken up in the morning. I believe my husband is taking his car in Thursday morning for a look-over. I'll have to listen to my car more carefully to see if mine needs to go in (again) as well. Blah.
Help Japan
Are you ready to strap on your kamik rain boots and head over to Japan to help? Unless you are trained in disaster recovery, stay at home. You can help out just as much at home. Salon.com has posted a list of ways you can help. In case you don't want to visit their website, here's a small list of places you can help:
Donors who want to give directly to the American Red Cross can do so at its website, or by texting "redcross" to 90999 to make a $10 gift. The organization is assisting the Japanese Red Cross, and providing shelter to those displaced by the tsunami in American regions such as Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest.
Lady Gaga has a "We Pray For Japan" wristband you can buy at her website. 100 percent of proceeds go directly to Japan relief.
Doctors Without Borders is sending teams to the areas that were effected the worst.
Let's show Japan how the world can come together to overcome tragedy.
What a busy weekend!
I'm not sure that my weekend was actually busy but it definitely felt like it! After my normal Zumba class on Saturday, I managed to get a migraine and spent the rest of the day asleep on the couch. Sunday was pretty much filled with laundry and a Zumbathon charity event. All these Zumba events and I'm not even teaching yet! I did get to teach one song in the Saturday class. I was extremely nervous but it went well. I made one little mistake...nothing huge. Now I'm all revved up to get my own class going!
Summer vacation
I've started thinking about what we will do for vacation this year. It feels wrong to be looking at beach houses today but I keep turning back to the Corolla short sales in North Carolina. I really do love the beach. However, I don't think that will be an option this year. I think we might do a Broadway tour in New York. It's not as lovely as the beach...but I do enjoy plays too. My daughter would probably have more fun in New York too. I just have to get my husband to make a decision beyond "We should go on vacation again."
Friday Video
I don't really want to call this a Favorite Friday. As most of you probably know by now, Japan has been hit by a major earthquake and a resulting tsunami. There has been tons of damage and hundreds of people (so far) have died. This hangs very heavy on my heart. I hope that all of your loved ones in Japan are doing OK. Hawaii, where my mother's side of the family is from, seems to have missed getting hit very badly. (Original reports said the tsunami wave was taller than most of the Hawaiian islands.) In about an hour, the wave should be hitting the west coast of the United States. I will keep you in my thoughts. So, in order to stay calm, I am giving you a video on how to draw a weeping willow tree in watercolor. They are such beautiful trees that, due to their soft wood, bend with the bad weather instead of snapping. Be like the willow.
Flooding
We're getting a lot of rain now. I suppose I should be thankful that it's not colder or else it would be all snow. Instead of being stuck in the house, I get to attempt to navigate the roads that haven't flooded yet. Luckily, most of the roads I have to drive on are elevated from the local creeks and riverbeds. It's only the side roads that I have to worry about. I'm not dumb enough to drive through flood waters on roads so I don't think I'll need a new car insurance quote that covers that. I have seen way too many people get stuck trying to drive through something they thought wasn't deep. I'm most thankful that our roof has stopped leaking. Well, I actually think it's the neighbor's roof that was leaking and pouring water into our ceiling. It's been pretty dry these past few days despite all the wetness. I hope it'll stay that way!
Is it summer yet?
Ack! Dentist!
Today is the day I get the lost filling fixed. I am going to try my best to not think about it too much. I'm not scared of the dentist, by any means. It's just annoying to have cavities filled. Even moreso when you have to have it redone. Luckily, my dentist has little televisions in all the patient rooms so I can distract myself. They usually play movies like 'National Treasure' or 'Zorro.' With any luck, they'll have something good on today.
I want a pretty house
My Zumba meeting this morning went well. I begin teaching at the community center on April 5. I'll be sure to post more information when I can. Until then, I will spend my boring days looking at beautiful antique hardware reproductions even though they would look completely out of place in my house. I need a prettier house so I can have pretty doorknobs. Then again, I'm ready to just have a new house period! Mine seems to be falling apart all the time. I think I need a new, sturdier one.