A City Life For Me

One of the blogs that I read, Rocks in My Dryer , hosts "Works for Me Wednesday" where readers share tips with other readers. My tip is regarding online photo printing. I have discovered that most online photo printing sites, such as snapfish , winkflash , shutterfly , and many local photo developers offer anywhere from 20-100 free prints with your first order. I have a lot of pictures to be developed from our wedding rehearsal and dinner, honeymoon, and first year together thus far. To be more cost effective, I just googled "online photo printing" and wrote down which websites offer introductory free prints. Then I have been "trying" each website out by ordering a couple of prints and taking advantage of the free prints. Essentially, you only have to pay for shipping, which is very reasonable for photos. I have received over 200 prints for free, and paid only an average of $2 in shipping cost. It works for me! Check out the other WFMW tips here .

It all started at Books A Million where I work. I am allowed to "check out" any book for up to two weeks. So on Tuesday I was stocking the cookbooks and I came across this huge book called "The Bread Bible" by Rose Levy Beranbaum. Ben has asked me to make bread, and my last two attempts didn't thrill me by any means, so I thought this book might help. Well, it might have. Except the author is very scientific about her bread, and uses all of the "official" words that I have never even heard before. I had a hard time with the instructions. But it is supposed to be fabulous bread, so I persevered. The recipe starts with making a sponge, in which you pre-ferment the yeast and some flour, in order to pull out better flavors. So I made the sponge and let it set for two hours as directed. But when I came back to do the next step, I discovered that I had read the instructions incorrectly. Or at least I thought I had. I decided at this point to put it off unti...

When I was at the laundry mat this week the attendant was watching a TV news report on the 2008 presidential election. When I walked in, he jokingly asked me, “Who are you voting for?” Just as jokingly, yet completely seriously, I replied, “Sarah Palin.” I was choosing to vote for John McCain only as a means to avoid an Obama presidency. Now I am voting for John McCain because his running mate is Sarah Palin. Here are some highlights form her Vice Presidential nomination acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Wednesday, September 3, 2008. On the purpose of government… “The right reason is to challenge the status quo, to serve the common good, and to leave this nation better than we found it. No one expects us to agree on everything. But we are expected to govern with integrity, good will, clear convictions, and ... a servant's heart.” On government spending… “I got rid of a few things in the governor's office that I didn't belie...

I just finished reading “Before Green Gables” by Budge Wilson. Like any good novel that I begin, I could hardly put it down until I had finished it. This book creates for the reader the early childhood of the beloved character Anne Shirley. The book ends where “Anne of Green Gables” by Lucy Maud Montgomery begins. I was skeptical when beginning this book that anyone could possibly create a beginning to the “Anne” story that would be in keeping with L.M. Montgomery. However, Budge Wilson did an excellent job. Many of the little things that compose the “Anne” that we love so well are brought into the story Before Green Gables . In essence, Ms. Wilson explains how Anne’s uniqueness became wrapped up into one character. She did a fantastic job tying all of these “loose ends” up into a wonderful story. For example, why did Anne have such a perfect little nose? And why was she vain about it? Where did Anne get her love of stories? How did she find her “window friend” and give her the name o...

Today I started work at Books-a-Million as a cafe barista. I am finally employed!

I live just north of the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, VA. The Navy F-18s buzz over our apartment all the time. Sometimes it is one jet. Sometimes it is four jets in rapid succession. Sometimes it is a pair flying in beautiful synchronization. Sometimes they circle over and over and over again. Sometimes it is a touch-and-go. It doesn't matter. I always look up. I always wish I were the pilot. I always feel pride. There are some hours and parts of the day when you can't watch a movie or talk on the phone because the jet noise is so loud and frequent. When Ben signed the lease on our apartment there was an aircraft clause because we live in one of the crash zones. I guess the noise might bother or annoy some people. But not me. I love jet noise! Around here there are bumper stickers and t-shirts that say "I Love Jet Noise." This campaign was started to show support for keeping the Master Jet Base at Oceana when Congress wanted to move it to Jacksonville, ...

Here is a picture of my Ben in his new blue four-button suit - a gift from me, and our parents for his birthday. He has been wanting a blue suit for a while, and he sure looks good in it! He also got a khaki colored three-button suit.