Thoughts of a Twitterless Thinker July 30, 2010 edition

I may not tweet, but I do think.

For the past few years I have noticed that the manufacturers of shampoos and conditioners have done us a “favor” by making the bottle caps a permanent feature. Was this done to keep caps and bottles together when recycling? Was it done to keep klutzes like me from dropping bottle caps all over the bathroom? Was it with the consumer in mind that they made the removal of the bottle cap so difficult? I don’t think so.

No, the reason the manufacturers keep the cap securely attached to the bottle is so that obsessive-compulsive frugalistas like myself will go ballistic when they can’t get the last little bit of conditioner out of the bottle. In the olden days, when the cap and bottle were separate entities, a gal could run a little water inside the bottle, swish it around, and end up with one last conditioner application. Not anymore. Just try running water through the tiny hole at the top of the cap. Doesn’t work unless you are hip about standing there trying to coerce a trickle of water through the opening for about fifteen minutes. One thing I hate worse than wasting money is wasting time.

After being annoyed by this situation for the past four years or so, I finally had my Eureka! moment while taking a shower the other day. (Four years. I told you I’m a thinker.)  I would go in from the bottom!

(See disturbing scissors shot.)

I simply stabbed a hole in the bottom of the bottle and made a hole big enough for running water. I got one last application out of that bottle!  Their cheap ploy to get me to buy more conditioner before I am ready no longer works with me, no siree. I am smarter than the bottle.

My son asked me the other day what we were having for dinner. Apparently he didn’t like what was on the menu because he said, “I feel like all color and flavor has gone out of my life.”

This body hasn’t seen a swimming pool in a couple of years so when I heard that Computer Geek’s family was having a family reunion at a local lake I thought I’d better get a jump on the situation and get some mild tanning done.  I didn’t want to burn or cause shock amongst the relatives at the exposure of my pasty white legs. For a few weeks before the event, I sat outside in minimal clothing, praying that no one would choose that moment to come a visitin’.

The day of the reunion showed me that my tanning efforts were pointless.

The rain didn't spoil it for Neo and Gnome

A little later, I took the kids (Hoolie and Weston) down to the lake and good fortune, i.e. the sun, smiled upon us.  They walked around looking like geeks with their shorts hitched up until I finally begged them to please get wet.

They played for a couple of hours until a kid came running down to the water’s edge screaming, “There’re leeches in there! Get out! Get out!” Kinda spoiled the mood. 

Despite the intermittent rain, we had an enjoyable time with extended family.  I came away with a good idea to pass along.  CG’s family always has an auction at their get-togethers.  People bring items that they either no longer want or have created. The other members of the family bid on the items, with the proceeds going into a family fund. They have an assigned family treasurer who keeps track of the funds, and then the next time they get together, they use the money to hire caterers.  This reduces the amount that each person has to pay for meals. Slick, huh?

Speaking of cool party ideas, my daughter Em came up with a few winners for her dear friend’s baby shower.  Em’s friend, a girl who I love as if she were my own, was pregnant with her fourth child. My daughter knew that the only thing her friend, Tiny Dancer, needed was a stroller. Yet, how to ask people for money for a stroller? 

A raffle, that’s how! Tiny Dancer makes beautiful baby quilts and had lots of leftover material, so Em asked her to make two quilts, one for a boy and one for a girl. At the baby shower, Em and Tiny Dancer raffled off those quilts at a dollar a chance. It was a nice way to get the funds she needed, yet also a face-saving way for women who only had a buck or two to spend on a gift to participate.  The winner of the girl quilt was a young woman who is due to have a baby girl, and the winner of the boy quilt just had a brand new baby grandson.

Instead of the usual shower games, Em and friends blew up lots of water balloons and played water balloon volleyball. It’s played using a sheet and is tons of fun! 

Word of warning from Em---Don't wear cream colored pants

Em and I took kids to the park the other day. My dear aunt loves to take photos of kids from behind, when they are not looking. I decided on this outing to try taking some shots like that because they really are quite interesting.

Chunk and Avatar (Airbender, not blue people)

Chunk, kissing his look in the mirror

Pinque

Tough dudes, Weston, River and Dash

Hoolie and Webkin friend

Tiny Dancer had her baby, a beautiful girl on July 27. She’s a lovely little lady who I am sure I will eventually manipulate into calling me “Grandma.”  I haven’t thought of a stage name for her yet. Her real name is so poetic I don’t know how anything I come up with will do her justice.

Do you ever wonder why some people are really good at self-sabotage? Why, Mel Gibson, why? He used to be one of my favorites and now he is just making me sad.

I have twenty tomato plants almost ready to start turning red. My husband thinks we will never eat that many. Silly Computer Geek.  I will eat all 480 tomatoes in my search for that elusive one that tastes like it came from Iowa.

Little granddaughter Hoolie comes over several days a week while her mom goes to work. Last night Computer Geek and I were eating dinner in the living room while we watched the news. When we were all done Hoolie walked over without a word and took our dishes out to the sink for us. It’s moments like that where you just have to admit that life is nothing without sweet children in it. May you and I always have children in our lives to bless us.