So, I wrote this book, you know? I have already had two people ask me to bring them a signed copy to the BlogHer conference in San Diego next week so they can buy it, and I am obviously MORE than happy to do so. I have room in my suitcase for more, if necessary. SO. If you are attending the BlogHer conference and think you’d LOVE a copy of my book for use in planning your next trip to Chicago (the book makes a great gift, too!), email me at melisawells (at) gmail (dot) com and let me know. The book is priced at $14.95 but anyone who reserves…
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Thorns and Roses
Things that really annoyed me today, in no particular order: 1. Shorting myself on the amount of time I had to get ready for work, because I stayed up late last night and wanted to sleep a few extra minutes. 2. Someone who asked me how my weekend was, and then interrupted me just as I got started, to tell me about their weekend. 3. Hypochondria (not mine: I don’t suffer from it) 4. Roxie, getting stung by a bee at the farthest point possible from my house on our walk route. 5. Making my still-too-long to-do list. 6. People who complain constantly about certain things that are within their…
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Forced Slow Down
Unless this is your first day reading Suburban Scrawl (*waving to newbies* “Hi, and welcome!”), you know that I tend to keep myself fairly busy (and apparently enjoy understatements). It’s something I’ve grown accustomed to over time. I get up in the morning and go from zero to eighty in about ten seconds. And thinking? Yikes. I think all the time. My brain keeps me awake at night quite often, even though I have a pad of paper near my bed so I can jot things down and “get them out of my head”. It’s abnormal for sure, but it’s in my personality to be like this, so it’s my…
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Not So Sweet.
One of the most popular candy categories in this house is Easter candy. (It’s not just for Christians, you know!) Right around February 15, when the Easter candy typically appears in stores–that’s about two weeks before the Christmas ornaments appear, right?–the four of us tend to get a little giddy. We love Cadbury eggs (creme for me and J, caramel for Jim and D, usually), Reeses peanut butter eggs, and Cadbury mini eggs, and we usually have at least one of those varieties in the house at any given time, through Easter. I have even been known to buy a few extra bags and hide them deep in the back…
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Sample Review
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There’s Nothing Like Your First.
Bittersweet times around here: D just sold his car. With him being away at school and not truly needing his own wheels, it was just sitting around, getting older. He had already rebuilt the entire engine and more recently, replaced the radiator. It didn’t make sense to keep it and risk having to do more maintenance on it with money that really needs to go towards college tuition right now. The good news is, D sold the car to a friend who had been in his Cub Scout den, way back in the day. This young man has a true appreciation for cars–in fact, he is going to school to…
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We Might As Well ALL Be In Suspense…
A couple of days ago, I grabbed the short stack of envelopes from the mailbox–yes, the real mailbox, used by the U.S. Post Office–and brought it into the house. As I sifted through it, finding no bills (always a nice thing), I noticed an envelope with familiar handwriting on it. It was addressed to D (older son: remember?). I looked at the return address, and saw that it was from his middle school, more specifically, his 8th grade social studies teacher. The handwriting? Was D’s. And then it all came back to me. I remember, four years ago, an afternoon on which he came home and, as was our daily…
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Yep, We Have Christmas Traditions Too!
I know that hardly anyone is out there reading blogs today and tomorrow, but thought I’d take this opportunity to wish all of my friends who celebrate it a very Merry Christmas! Jim and I are taking the train to the city for the day to enjoy the last day of the Christkindlmarket (and have German food for lunch! Woot!), to see “Wicked” again (his 2nd time, my 4th!), and then to enjoy dinner before heading home. After that? Well, you know what me and the rest of my family will be doing… I hope you have as much fun as we plan to. ©2010 Suburban Scrawl
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In The Major Understatement Of The Year, I’ll Call This Troubling.
Yesterday afternoon, the younger boy came home from school and as I was performing my daily inquiry into how his day went, he was moving away from me slowly, getting himself towards the stairs that lead up to our bedrooms. He faced me the entire time, and after a moment I realized he was doing his best to politely get away. I thought he had to use the bathroom, since he just got home. He said, “Hang on, I’ll be right back!” I heard him trying to locate something in his room before running back downstairs, a printed piece of paper shaped like a big bookmark held tightly in his…