Miscellaneous Catch Up Stuff

I talked to Mom for 52 minutes on the phone tonight. Unlimited long distance is pretty cool!

We finished up the last batch of tabouli tonight, so I made another batch. When I posted my recipe a few days ago I forgot to say that I also add oregano and dried onion flakes. If I don't have fresh parsley I have a big jar of dried parsley flakes. Not the same as fresh, but better than nothing. We also picked up a bag of dried mint leaves at Dominick's last week. I fill up my coffee grinder with the mint and grind the heck out of it; until it is nothing but a fine dust. Makes a big difference.

We didn't order a computer tonight. We were both feeling tired, so we took a little nap together.

A woman at work gave me an idea she got from Martha Stewart's magazine. Use yogurt containers, empty pint cartons of milk, 16 and 20 ounce plastic soda bottles, etc. as molds to make soap.

I am scheduled to take a five day Java programming class at work. I think it starts on March 17. Maybe you will start to see fun little Java programs on my site.

Our monthly mortgage payment dropped about $93 after we refinanced.

When we moved here and started our water and electric service through the city, we had to pay $250 deposit. I totally forgot about it until a couple of days ago we got a check in the mail. After two years of not missing a payment they send it back to you. Nice.

We also got a $500 check in the mail a week or two ago from closing on our mortgage refinance. That is my employee benefit. After you close you get $500 of your closing costs back. Also nice.

Sheri likes the Tempur-Pedic bed a lot and says she is sleeping better. I am still forming my opinion. The brochure that came with the mattress said that it takes some people a couple weeks to get used to it. I think I am waking up feeling better and well rested, but my neck and shoulders have been feeling a little stiff. I think it might be because the Tempur-Pedic pillow is thicker than I am used to. I am going to try going back to my regular pillows tonight and see if that makes a difference. If it does I will try to return the pillow. Sheri loves her pillow.

I have writing to do for class this weekend. I only have to turn in a draft, so it is not too big of a deal. He is just looking for effort, not content at this point.

I got my paper back from the professor this week. That paper and class participation so far make up 50% of our grade. The paper was worth 30 points, and the grades ranged from 20 points (67%) to 29 points (97%). I got 29 points on my paper.

Class participation was worth 20 points, and I got 19 points (95%).

Our natural gas bill for the 29 days between January 27 and February 25 was $143.62.