The mother/daughter bond

The past nine months have been an adjustment since my daughter moved across country. So many years it was just the two of us. We have the quintessential Gump "peas and carrots" relationship.

Cell phones and unlimited minutes/text plans have made the adjustment somewhat easy. Rarely a day goes by when we don't communicate several times.

Last week was nice - she came to visit during her spring break. The time flew by so fast - doctor's appointments, pedicure/manicures, movies, beach, shopping. By the time she arrived, it was time to take her back to the airport again.

I shouldn't fuss too much, this was the fourth time we have travelled to see each other in nine months. Is that too much?

She is moving on with her life, and I am very happy with the direction it is taking.

A good night's sleep

The azaleas are barely, oh so slightly, beginning to bloom. They should be gorgeous for Easter next weekend! Oh, and those dad-gum gnats are back, too.

On a random thought, I dropped a cool $225 last night at Target. I can remember a time when that seemed like half of the world's fortune! The money was well spent, mostly on linens for the daybed and a fancy-schmancy new blow dryer. I did splurge on my bed by purchasing a new mattress cover. Top of the line, too, at least by Target standards.

The combination of a cushy new mattress pad and fresh clean sheets created such a blissful slumber. I didn't want to climb out of bed this morning :)

It was a very cold winter

It dawned on me today just how cold, and how prolonged the winter stayed here in Savannah.

One week from today is the high holy day for our city. I can't recall a time in recent memory (at least 10 years) when the azaleas had not already been in full bloom and were dying or gone before St. Patrick's Day.

There aren't even buds on the bushes yet. We may be fortunate enough to have azaleas for Easter!

My Waterpik

I didn't update on my snow post because it was a bust. Imagine that.

Anyhoo, about two weeks ago, I decided now that I am a grown up of 40+ years, I needed to protect my periodontal investment with a Waterpik. After checking the company website, I decided the hand-held model suited my needs just fine.

Thank goodness there were no hidden cameras video-taping my early uses of the toy. For four days straight, the closest comparison I can think of would be to turn a ceiling fan on high, then throw a water balloon at it.

I now have the technique down pat and love the results. A couple of pointers out there for anyone who is about to use the Waterpik for the first time:

1. Use warm water. Even room temerature water feels like ice when it hits your gums and a throbbing rate. (I tried using distilled water from a bottle - from now on, warm water from the tap)
2. Wear a raincoat.

SNOW!

The last time it snowed in Savannah, GA(not pronounced Georgia, but pronounced "G" "A") was Christmas 1989. I wasn't here for it :(

So 21 years later I am 47 years old and as giddy as a kid in Montana anticipating school closings in September due to wintery weather. By tonight, we could have as much as 3 inches!

Imagine that.

Home Depot, II

Just further proof that the Home Depot ROCKS.

The Loyalty Program

How did we get suckered into the marketing? Who was the genius that came up with the affinity program?

I have become that person who won't buy it unless I'm getting some miniscule kick-back. Cashiers hate me. I whip out that debit card, but then insist they process it as credit - thereby forcing them to produce an extra slip of paper, await my signature - credit gives me kick-back points I can use for Barnes & Nobles gift cards.

I am at the point in my life where I now fly at least 4 times a year. Not impressed, you say? It's a big deal for me. And I'll pay $30 extra to get those onepass miles over a slightly more affordable route. By 2012, I should have my first free round-trip!

The hugest delimna is hotel loyalty. I have points with Hilton, Marriott, and Starwood. When I travel for the job, I don't have the control over where to stay, and I have nightmares over even a 5,000 point bank expiring due to non-use.

The one loser in my little consumerism game is Delta Airlines. I am one of those people who have always used their middle name, and several years worth of skymiles was accumulated with that name. New TSA guidelines show tickets must be issued with the name matching the identification, and my id has my first name, my middle name, and my last name. Do you think that the good people in Delta marketing were willing to change the name on my one pass mile from my middle/last name to first/middle/last name? HELL NO. So, bye-bye, Delta, hello, Continental!