Technologically Impaired

I've had several friends and/or relatives tell me they've commented on my blog but I cannot locate their comments. So that begs the question: Which one of us is more technologically impaired? Is it them because they clearly can't navigate the comments link, or is it me because I clearly cannot locate their comments? One of my friends told me she signed up as a Follower, but the only Follower I could find on this blog is my baby brother and seriously, that is just pathetic. I DO have other friends.

Oh well, I'll figure it out as I go, including how to add pictures, so you can have more excitement than just reading what I have to say. I've been extremely busy this last several days, unpacking and settling into the "cottage" and trying to actually catch the mice at their crafty little games. I know they're playing with me, because I find evidence of it every day, but I can't catch them at it. I believe there are some residing in the oven. How do I know this? Because when I turned the oven on, it started to smell like dead mouse, although I didn't hear any squeaking, and because the little mouse turds are always most prevalent around the burners. The other day I left two aspirin tablets on the counter to take later, and when I came back from my in-laws place, one of the aspirin tablets was missing and the second one was slightly pulverized. My mind refused to conceive that the mice could have taken one of them until I found it, by the burner, half nibbled away, and surrounded by tiny turds. I hope it gave them a big headache!

Yesterday morning when I was packing for my big two-day trip to the big city of Green Bay, I found all the little seeds the mice had squirreled away (miced away?) in my underwear drawer. Aaaaack! When do they do this stuff? I swear they wait till I go out and then run around and when they hear me coming in the door, they all go "quick, here she comes, hide!".

Anyway, I got a lot done in Green Bay! I've been starting to keep lists on my IPod touch and then deleting each item as I purchase or accomplish it. It makes me feel so cool to cruise through the grocery store tapping on my IPod! My proudest accomplishment in Green Bay was scoring a dutch oven at Goodwill. I've been wanting a dutch oven for awhile now, but could not justify the cost. After all, I didn't have a dutch oven during my first 11 year marriage, nor did I have one during my 5 years as a single mother, and I definitely haven't had one this past 12 years I've been married to Mr. Trucker. So of course I told myself if I've lived without one this long, it couldn't possibly be a real need or even a justifiable want. But I kept checking Goodwill and rummage sales anyway. And yesterday, there it was! Cherry red enamel over cast iron, Cuisinart brand, 7 quarts, still with the original store tag on the bottom. It only had a few enamel chips, and it was marked $34.99, but the BEST part was that it was a blue ticket item and it was blue-ticket-50% off day!!! Yee haw! I got it for $17.50, and I still felt guilty for spending the money and left Mr. Trucker this apologetic voicemail asking him if he thought it was a good deal. He called me back and said he was so happy for me because, and I quote: "I know you've been peeing your pants wanting one for a long time now", so I was glad he wasn't upset. Although when he asked me what I wanted to make in it, I couldn't immediately come up with anything. But the absolute best part of this whole story is that I googled 7 qt cast iron enameled Cuisinart dutch ovens, and they are $107 and some change on Amazon!!!! I am the bargain Queen!

For those of you who are wondering: "How can she call herself Mrs. Trucker when she's not trucking?" or "When the heck is she actually going out over the road?", I'll let you know that it'll be soon. Mr. Trucker told his dispatcher to get him home sometime between the 10th and the 17th (nice big window there, eh?) for just long enough to fetch me. The dispatcher calls it "running through the house" or something like that, which I found rather humorous. I am ready to go at about a half a day's notice, so soon I'll be posting from the road.

I have to go now. I told my in-laws I'm making them dinner tonight. And no, it will not be something made in a dutch oven!