Playing Ketchup

Well, let's see, what's been going on recently? I'm still feel like I'm busy all the time, but in a good way. I got a 95 and a 98 on my Amer Lit final exam and term paper/presentation, respectively. I was quite pleased with myself, considering it had been eleven years since I had to do anything like that, and it was completely different this time around with a full-time job and a family.

My niece Kaitlyn broke her arm last week. She fell off her bike and landed directly on her elbow. It's more of a hairline fracture, not a big break, but the doctors want to keep an eye on it because it's right at the growth plate in her arm. Luckily, it's her left arm and not her right.

I returned my camera again because the film/negatives are getting scratched inside the camera again, obviously a defect with this specific model. So I'm definitely taking the refund and using toward a digital camera instead.

Mark and I went to the Alan Jackson concert in Hershey Friday night. It felt more like October than May; I was wearing my winter coat, two pairs of socks and my hiking boots. The concert was great, but a little short. AJ only sang for about an hour and fifteen minutes. I had to wonder if it was because of the change in venue and perhaps the weather, too. On Tuesday, an announcement came out that the concert was moved from the stadium to the smaller pavilion, presumably because the show wasn't sold out, which is surprising. The best part of the show was the hat I bought. On the drive up there, I said to Mark, "I hope they have a hat with just his initials on it and if they do, I buying one." And they did! So now I have a very cool (if slightly overpriced) blue and black "AJ" hat. (An evening out nowadays is a very expensive venture - concert tickets, dinner (even an inexpensive one at Pizza Hut), hat, babysitter.)

Last weekend, we bought a new refrigerator and washing machine, which will be delivered this Friday (you gotta love 0% financing for a whole year at Sears). I'm taking off work for an extended holiday weekend to be home for the delivery, as well as to shampoo the rugs. Exciting stuff, I know. I just remembered yesterday that when they move the old refrigerator, the wall behind it will still be Pepto-Bismol pink. I never moved the fridge when I painted the kitchen white back when we moved in.

Upcoming events between now and the end of June: Dutch Wonderland one day this holiday weekend (weather dependent; if it rains all weekend, we'll probably go see Madagascar instead); the Julie Andrews lecture/talk; a wedding; Kaitlyn & Kara's dance recital; Father's Day (which we'll probably spend at the races); and a trip to Sesame Place. (If all goes according to plan, we will have visited four amusement parks by the end of the summer if we go to Dollywood and Splash Country while on vacation). So stay tuned for more!