This was our first Valentines day as a married couple. The day began with me waking up early to write my sweet wife a love note only to see that she was awake when I went to place it on the kitchen table. I was hoping she might still be asleep so that I could make breakfast cake for her. But we had fun cooking it together and dancing in the kitchen. She then sequestered me to our bedroom while she put together love notes coupled with Hershey's Cookies and Cream Kisses all over the condo. I looked forward to reading her notes, so I quickly scarfed down the wonderful breakfast cake she and I made. Eating the food that fast gave me a stomach ache, but that went away shortly. We had a wonderful day just being together and not having to go out in the snow.
Christine was so sweet all day. She planned to make me quiche for dinner. She even had a tablecloth and candle for the table. Quiche is cooked in two stages - or at least this quiche is. She cooks a hashbrown crust, and then we put in the yummy quiche part. Christine was quietly cooking me dinner, when all of a sudden she screamed out in obvious pain. I quickly ran into the kitchen to see what the matter was. She had forgotten that the glass pan was hot from cooking the crust and had not put on the oven mitts. I felt so bad for her as she had been so nice to me all day and now she had burned the thumb, index and middle finger of both her hands. So I took care of the rest of the dinner preparation - setting the table and pulling the quiche out of the oven. So to make juice from lemons we saw an opportunity and I ended up feeding Christine for dinner.
So I served her some food, and then placed some on my plate. She then suggested that I move around to the side of the table so that I could help her out and eat too. So I got up and went to pick up the quiche. I remembered gloves - because 4 burned hands would not be fun. When I picked up the quiche I went to move the hot pad it was sitting on and the quiche became unbalanced in my left hand and down it went - all over the floor. I didn't know how to react - it was one of those moments where you want to laugh and cry at the same time. Fortunately, I had already served some of the quiche so we didn't lose it all and we still managed to have a great Valentines. Looking back we'll have a good laugh at the flops and remember the fun.
P.S. Christine's fingers are doing okay now. She has a few blisters on her thumbs and middle fingers.
P.P.S Ironically, I got Christine handwarmers for Valentine's day - because her hands are always cold and I thought I would give her warm hands when I couldn't be around. ( I also got her chocolates.)
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Happy Birthday to Me!!!
I thought I should probably tell about my birthday, which was on this past Sunday, January 25th. I turned 24 years old - only one more year til my "golden birthday"!
It was a good birthday. When I was a kid, I didn't really like having a birthday on Sunday, but this year I quite enjoyed it.
For my birthday, I decided to ask for a few food items that I enjoy but don't usually buy due to the cost. I'm trying to get away from owning more "stuff" that just fills up my house and then I don't know what to do with it, so I figured that food was pretty practical. But one thing I can't get enough of is books. I had given Jeff and my sister Suzanne a list of books that I would like to own someday, and I got several from my list (so the specific books I got were still a surprise). I LOVE having shelves and shelves filled with my favorite books. I read them over and over and over... I also decided that I want to pick up the hobby of cross-stitching, so I got a few things to help me get started, like needles, thread, and patterns.
It was a wonderful day from beginning to end. I had the opportunity to sing in Sacrament Meeting, which I enjoy doing (even though my legs were shaking the whole time). I sang an arrangement of Lead, Kindly Light and I Need Thee Every Hour that Jeff and I put together, while Jeff accompanied me on the piano.
The only slight damper on the day was the arrival of snow. I am NOT a fan of snow, and it was an uninvited guest on my special day. Fortunately, the roads didn't turn out to be too bad, so we were still able to make it to my parent's house for my birthday dinner. Yay!
It was a good birthday. When I was a kid, I didn't really like having a birthday on Sunday, but this year I quite enjoyed it.
For my birthday, I decided to ask for a few food items that I enjoy but don't usually buy due to the cost. I'm trying to get away from owning more "stuff" that just fills up my house and then I don't know what to do with it, so I figured that food was pretty practical. But one thing I can't get enough of is books. I had given Jeff and my sister Suzanne a list of books that I would like to own someday, and I got several from my list (so the specific books I got were still a surprise). I LOVE having shelves and shelves filled with my favorite books. I read them over and over and over... I also decided that I want to pick up the hobby of cross-stitching, so I got a few things to help me get started, like needles, thread, and patterns.
It was a wonderful day from beginning to end. I had the opportunity to sing in Sacrament Meeting, which I enjoy doing (even though my legs were shaking the whole time). I sang an arrangement of Lead, Kindly Light and I Need Thee Every Hour that Jeff and I put together, while Jeff accompanied me on the piano.
The only slight damper on the day was the arrival of snow. I am NOT a fan of snow, and it was an uninvited guest on my special day. Fortunately, the roads didn't turn out to be too bad, so we were still able to make it to my parent's house for my birthday dinner. Yay!
Jury Duty
Well, this past week I was selected for jury duty. A few months ago I got a questionnaire in the mail, which I filled out and sent in. I just didn't know when I would be asked to come in. Then on Tuesday I got a letter in the mail letting me know that I needed to report to the courthouse on Friday. So I prepared substitute plans, asked our Special Ed teacher to cover for me, and I was ready - if not eager - to go.
It was my first time, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. Of course, I've seen lots of court scenes in tv shows and movies, but I figured it would be a little different.
The letter instructed us to show up at the courthouse at 8:00 a.m., but I arrived a little early (having come straight from dropping Jeff off at work at 7:30), only to find that...it was locked. So there were several prospective jurors waiting around in the cold until they let us in. Fortunately, I brought a book to read, so I wasn't bored.
After being let inside, we waited in line to check in, just giving our names so they could mark off that we were there. I was surprised that they didn't ask for ID - anyone could have shown up and claimed to be me. We then waited some more, during which time I chatted a little with those sitting near me and graded some papers.
They then had us watch a pretty cheesy video about jury duty. The music was really bad, and the dialog wasn't much better. It was about what to expect when serving on a jury, which is fine, but it also had a lot of statements from past jurors about what an honor it was to serve, and how interested they were in the case, etc.
I decided that I wouldn't mind serving, if it was just for one day. But I kind of wondered what the case would be about, and what it would be like to serve on a jury.
After the video, they called us in to the court room one by one, seating us randomly throughout the room. We had to pass through a metal detector and let a guard briefly search our belongings. I ended up being the very last juror called in, so I was seated in the back.
One of the first things I noticed was that the defense and prosecuting sides sat so they were facing us, with their backs to the judge. I thought it was weird. But now that I look back on it, they probably sit that way during jury selection, and face the "regular way" during the trial.
The judge had everyone stand and introduce themselves by saying where they worked, where their spouse works, and where their adult children (if they had any) worked. She then proceeded to ask us a series of questions, where we would raise our hands if our answer was yes, and then she'd call on us individually to explain our answers.
Through the types of questions she asked, I learned that it was a DUI case. In response to one of her questions, I let them know that I'm morally opposed to drinking and driving. I think that was the nail in the coffin that sealed my fate - I was not selected to serve. (Only 4 were selected to serve on the jury - that's another thing I didn't expect.)
OH DARN! ;)
Well, for my 2 1/2 hours at the courthouse, I got $18.50 and an interesting story to tell.
I'd like to think that I still could have been impartial and ruled fairly. But another part of me wonders if I would have judged unfairly if I had learned that the defendent had drunk and then driven, even if it was below the legal limit. Guess I'll never know.
It was my first time, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. Of course, I've seen lots of court scenes in tv shows and movies, but I figured it would be a little different.
The letter instructed us to show up at the courthouse at 8:00 a.m., but I arrived a little early (having come straight from dropping Jeff off at work at 7:30), only to find that...it was locked. So there were several prospective jurors waiting around in the cold until they let us in. Fortunately, I brought a book to read, so I wasn't bored.
After being let inside, we waited in line to check in, just giving our names so they could mark off that we were there. I was surprised that they didn't ask for ID - anyone could have shown up and claimed to be me. We then waited some more, during which time I chatted a little with those sitting near me and graded some papers.
They then had us watch a pretty cheesy video about jury duty. The music was really bad, and the dialog wasn't much better. It was about what to expect when serving on a jury, which is fine, but it also had a lot of statements from past jurors about what an honor it was to serve, and how interested they were in the case, etc.
I decided that I wouldn't mind serving, if it was just for one day. But I kind of wondered what the case would be about, and what it would be like to serve on a jury.
After the video, they called us in to the court room one by one, seating us randomly throughout the room. We had to pass through a metal detector and let a guard briefly search our belongings. I ended up being the very last juror called in, so I was seated in the back.
One of the first things I noticed was that the defense and prosecuting sides sat so they were facing us, with their backs to the judge. I thought it was weird. But now that I look back on it, they probably sit that way during jury selection, and face the "regular way" during the trial.
The judge had everyone stand and introduce themselves by saying where they worked, where their spouse works, and where their adult children (if they had any) worked. She then proceeded to ask us a series of questions, where we would raise our hands if our answer was yes, and then she'd call on us individually to explain our answers.
Through the types of questions she asked, I learned that it was a DUI case. In response to one of her questions, I let them know that I'm morally opposed to drinking and driving. I think that was the nail in the coffin that sealed my fate - I was not selected to serve. (Only 4 were selected to serve on the jury - that's another thing I didn't expect.)
OH DARN! ;)
Well, for my 2 1/2 hours at the courthouse, I got $18.50 and an interesting story to tell.
I'd like to think that I still could have been impartial and ruled fairly. But another part of me wonders if I would have judged unfairly if I had learned that the defendent had drunk and then driven, even if it was below the legal limit. Guess I'll never know.
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