I shoveled cat poop out of my bulb beds…it’s no wonder nothing is growing where the cat turds lie–that and I’m not sure if they’re getting enough sun. I talked to Hobbes about how inappropriate it is of her to poop on my bulbs. Sure, it might very well be other cats and I understand we don’t do the greatest job of cleaning out her litter, but still…(Side note: I recently taught a three-year-old boy whose name is Hobbes. I almost said, ‘that’s my cat’s name!’ but realized I shouldn’t plague him with the comment that’s probably going to follow him throughout his life).

I hacked away a little bit at the shrubs that separate our property from the sidewalk. They’re getting tall and out of control–they also serve as trash receptacles. Using a dull clipper was dumb: It hurt and was slow. An electric bush trimmer popped into my head: how great would that be? Just pull a string and RRRRRRR there goes the overgrowth. Maybe I could even start shaping the bushes into animals like Ed Scissorhands.

Josh made Chicken Pot Square the other night. I’m always pretty thrilled when Josh decides to cook. A friend of his served it to him recently and he got the recipe because Josh loves naughty food. Of course it involves puff pastry, canned vegetables, chicken, and Cambell’s cream of rice soup. Of course the pastry makes it that much more FANTASTIC and we wolf it down while watching Children of Men. The movie makes my stomach hurt, a dismal portrait of our future where everyone gets shot, the kind of sci-fi that makes me cringe. I leave and return to my latest book The Time Traveler’s Wife which is SO GOOD and everyone should rush out and read it right now. After the movie is over I convince Josh to walk to Safeway so we can buy Dreyer’s Low Fat ice cream bars.

I am ecstatic that it is a three day weekend. I am thrilled, overjoyed, and I revel in it. I clean my kitchen floor by skating across it with old towels, (my mop has disappeared). I’m planning my 30th birthday–cupcakes, coffee, and crafts. I wasn’t sure about the crafts but I brought it up to KT and now she is insisting we paint blocks of wood on my lawn. This is fine. I want it to be joyous and fun. Josh made a comment to me, like, “Sexiest thirty-year-old I know” and I had a quick second where I thought, “What the hell is he talking about? Sexiest thirty-year-old? Oh, right, he means ME. I’m almost thirty.” It doesn’t help that my sister is in Portugal right now…I feel old and out of touch. I feel like I’m missing something huge by never having been to Europe…or Asia…or anywhere else other then Canada.