Google Reader Goes Bye-Bye

Have you heard? Do you care? Google is retiring its reader this summer.

Bummer for me. Beyond email, the reader (via Google) is at the top of my Google “likes” list. I love being able to scroll easily through all of my foodie, fitness, coupon, and homemaking sites. To see which posts I’ve read, starred. All of this from one screen. It’s simple, it’s quick, and it’s the only way I can get a nice dose of all of my favorite blogs in a reasonable time frame.

I’m not completely against change. I just wish it happened less often. Facebook introduces it’s timeline. The the ticker. It takes it away. It comes back. There’s emoticons in the update bar (yesterday). All this in the span of a few days. I like the ticker. It is kind of like the reader, I guess. It’s a semi Twitter inside Facebook. I know some people don’t like it, but I don’t like the timeline, either, so we’re even.

Every now and then I think about moving my stuff to Blogger, but as many changes as Google makes, I think maybe it’s better to keep things on my own server so I don’t have to adjust every five seconds.

As much as I love technology, I’m also getting sick of it.

Maybe that’s not a bad thing.

Sam’s Club Membership Deal (1 day only)

OK, have to post this. I have a Costco membership, but miss some of the things I get at Sam’s. No way would I spend the full amount for a membership, but this Living Social deal makes it pretty sweet (nearly free):

  • $45 ($79.84 value) for a one-year Membership package (new members only)
  • Includes a $20 Sam’s Club gift card and $19.84 in food-service vouchers (Food vouchers valid for an Artisan Fresh Rotisserie Chicken, a 16″ Artisan Fresh Take-and-Bake Pizza, and two boxes of 6-, 12-, or 24-count Artisan Fresh Cookies)

If three of your friends sign up, you get it for FREE! Living Social Sam’s Club Deal. (Full disclosure: if you sign up through the link I’m posting, that counts as 1 friend for me – I signed up from a friend’s Facebook link… glad she posted it.)

Soaking My Feet

Every time I use my foot bath (which I’ve had for about 10 years, I ask myself why I don’t do it more often.

Every.

Time.

It is a simple act that feels incredibly indulgent. I don’t pay much attention to my feet, unless it is to paint my toenails, which I don’t do very often either, it seems.

Beyond enjoying the warm water, bubbles and massage, the delicious aromas of essential oils wafting around the room – I enjoy the fact that I’m saving a good $40 on a pedicure. I know many people would look at it otherwise, willing to spend the money and have someone else do it, which I do – about once a year. Every other time, I’m satisfied with my home experience, knowing I’m saving money on something I can do nearly as good.

And I don’t have to shave my legs before I do it at home.

(Not really) sorry to say, but my razor gets way less action in the winter months. This used to concern me more when I was about 20. I’m staring 40 in the eyes and it bothers me very little to admit that. Less than it did when I was 30. So the fact that I get to sit on my couch, update my blog, wear my sweats over my non-shaven legs… works for me.

 

A Day Off

It really is nice when I have a day off of work and have an idea of how I am going to spend my time. So much time I waste, honestly. I don’t mean that I need to be running around like a chicken with her head cut off; that’s not good, either. But I feel like many times I go full speed ahead, and then need just as much time to recuperate. I’ve always been more of a short burst, sprinting type of person. But that’s not always good for you. So, on days like this when I have sort of a “map” of what my day looks like, I can breathe a little more.

Today I sprint very little.

The wrestling season (in high school) is at an end. The city banquet was the other day. Lootie won All-City title at 195. He was very pleased with this. We were all proud of his accomplishments this year. I still smile when I think of his phase of not wanting to touch people (how you accomplish this as a wrestler, yet to be determined) for an entire year. It led to him getting beat more than he’d like. He got over that, and has enjoyed the sport ever since.

Here’s the team. A good group of kids.

Lootie, after one of his matches, wearing his new headgear that wasn’t quite adjusted accordingly yet. Thankfully it didn’t cost him the match.

Kinda weird watching my little freaks become men.

Sophia was over yesterday with some boyfriend drama (really wish she didn’t bring it here), but after the initial blowout of emotions, we sat down to some of Lootie’s favorite soup (Italian Sausage Soup, AKA Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup, just her and I, and chatted.

We chatted! I’m sure many people chat with their 21 year old daughters, but it’s been a rocky road for us. Chatting about simple things can even be taken for granted. I didn’t even realize we were chatting about books and friends and soups – and not jobs, boyfriends and other stressful topics. I’m really thankful for that chat. I needed that chat.

I digress, eh?

So Carlito informed me that I will be making Whoopie Pies for the team banquet tonight. I made them this summer for Dante’s graduation  Now I realize I never even posted them here. That’s how often I post. Ahem. Anyway, he requested those, here are the ones I made this past summer. Our school colors are cardinal and gray.

 

(LATER) The ones above looked better than they tasted, in my opinion, but the kids loved them. This time I made them with less filling and no sprinkles. They were still gobbled up. I couldn’t seem to bring myself to eat one. I tried a bite and that was enough. I haven’t had much as the way of sweets go lately. Mostly chocolates, a McDonald’s cone, or a Skinny Cow sandwich. These weren’t on the top of my list to eat.

The banquet went well and everyone had a nice time. I can’t believe it is another season gone by for Carlito. Since my parents retiring and moving and Dante graduating, I still feel like I’ve been catapulted forward through time on a continual basis. Now the twins will be moving on to high-school in a few short months and what-what?! Even Carlito will joke saying, “You guys are going into 7th grade next year, right?” They ignore him.