Flashback or Deja Vu?

Tonight felt so familiar. A group of hysterically funny women having too much fun together to worry about whether they're being too loud. Only instead of my Friday Night Girlfriend posse in the Triangle (Raleigh-Durham, NC) drinking Maker's Mark or wine and lounging around one of our houses, it was a group of 50+ year old Irish women and I lounging in the pub next door to the church where we'd all just finished choir practice drinking hot port, hot whiskey, and tea.

Surreal.

6 Random Things

Since I've been a bad blogger the past month or so and been neglecting to post frequently enough, I'm taking up Beth's invitation for this meme. Here are the rules (I'm only going to obey the first 3. Such a rebel!):

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random, arbitrary things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

6 Random Things:
1. I was once hugged by Muhammed Ali as a child when my family came across him at Miami Int'l Airport.
2. I used to carry a book with me everywhere! Still do sometimes. I would read in the back of church, in class after finishing my work, in a corner at parties when all the social hullabaloo got too much, any chance I could get or when I needed some time in my own headspace.
3. They get on my nerves, but I'm terrified of giving up my glasses and losing that small barrier between me and the world. I've had them since I was 4 years old. They're as familiar a part of my body as anything else.
4. I'm allergic to my cat.
5. There's actually very few details I remember about college, but I have loads of great memories about high school.
6. Favorite fruit: your basic red grape or Otaheite apples from Jamaica.

Oooh, or a bunch of guineps. Tart, sweet and juicy... yum!!

Just Wrong

I've never been a huge potato or nacho chip fanatic, and it's a good thing too because I would have been up the proverbial creek living here.

Doritos, Walkers, you can find most of the big name brands here as well, but even when they sell the same, familiar flavor (e.g., Doritos Nacho Cheese), they often just don't taste the same. And then there are the frankly strange flavors that get marketed over here (chutney?). This for the people who love to bury their fries ("chips") in curry or other unnatural toppings. No thanks.

So, I've gotten used to just ignoring that aisle at Tesco. That is until last night, when I just had to stop and have an "ewwww" moment at two of the newest selections. Doritos Chicken Sizzler and T-Bone Steak. What?!!

Birthday Surprises

So, the Big 4-0 is almost here, only 7 days to go, and I've already begun receiving some really great perks! My coworkers threw me a birthday lunch on Tuesday, complete with food (yes!), a beautiful filigree silver and onyx necklace, and a bouquet of flowers. So sweet of them!

Then, yesterday, the doorbell-from-hell rang as I was rushing to leave for work (late as usual), and what should I find leaning on my doorstep but a satisfyingly weighty box from my best friend, Heather, in San Diego. A total surprise :-) Can't wait to open it!

Almost as good a gift, though not necessarily birthday related, was this pair of beauties from friends at church:

"Dork Balls" - perfect name for the dorkiest, but most fun, pair of socks I now own! :-)