Money, Money, Money

My Dictaphone died yesterday, which wouldn't be a big deal if I hadn't just written a check for $1700 for new carpet literally two hours before it died.

Since this was my back up dictaphone I need another one ASAP and they aren't cheap ($700 for a new one). I found a used one for a little over $300 on ebay from a guy who only sells transcription equipment and has 99% positive feedback. He agreed to overnight it for me for $50, so I should get it tomorrow.

Hopefully he will come through for me and hopefully we have enough in our checking account to cover both the carpet AND the dictaphone. I think we do, but I also took Sarah to the doctor yesterday and ended up spending $105 at the pharmacy.

Wine Tasting

Our friends Scott and Amy are hosting a wine tasting. Actually, he is hosting it for her 32nd birthday on April 6th (which happens to be the day after mine). He rented out this local wine shop called Vino 100 so we're supposed to go and....I guess taste wine.

I like wine, but I don't know anything about it. I like wine in the sense that I know I prefer red to white but I know nothing about tannins or oak or fruit or whatever it is wine savvy people discuss at these things. I guess I can go and learn, right?

Learning is good, however swishing and spitting into a bucket in front of strangers is not.

I'm actually becoming a somewhat social person. Totally uncharateristic of me, but strangely enough making friends isn't as difficult as I expected. Who knew?

I am in need of a new bathing suit before we go to Florida. I cannot find one that I love and isn't $150.

The guy came to measure for the carpet this morning. Brent has not replaced the baseboards yet and the guy wants the baseboards in place before the carpet goes down (duh) so that means it all has to be done tonight. That should be fun.

We got snow for Valentine's Day!

We ended up with about a foot of snow, some areas got as much as 16 inches with all of the blowing and drifting. Everything is closed today, the libraries, the city offices, everything. It's crazy. It took Brent an hour to shovel out this morning. We are under a level three snow emergency, which means the police can arrest you for driving if you're not considered an emergency person. Of course Brent passes for an emergency person because of his job, so he had to brave the elements and make the 30 mile drive to work today. I think he made it okay. I called his cell but he didn't answer, so I'm taking that as good news.

I loathe all of this snow. The kids tried to keep up with the snowfall yesterday shoveling the driveway, but gave up around 3:00 p.m. They did keep our elderly neighbors' driveway cleared, so that was good.

I got the floor in the hallway done yesterday. A lot of offices were closed by noon, so I had very minimal dictation to type. My next check is going to be small because I'm sure a lot of people will not make it to the offices for appointments today either, especially if the level three emergency stays in effect all day.

I need to prime the walls in the entry way and the hallway today so I can paint them and give them a chance to set before we put up the new trim this weekend.

I know it's Valentine's Day, but we don't really celebrate it. I got a big bunch of tulips last week because Brent felt like buying me flowers. I like him to buy me flowers because he is thinking of me, not because the card and flower companies tell him he should.

I hope Valentine's day was lovely for everyone who does celebrate it.