Random Friday update

I need to start posting here again.  Yesterday I sat down as soon as I got home from work and wrote an email to my family… so I’ll use that as a kickoff to a new post.

I just got home from work and am now sitting on a stool in the kitchen typing to y’all

Lauren is making a meat loaf.  Garlic, Basil, Lean ground beaf, chorizo chicken sausage, mozzarella, onions.  Instead of bread crumbs she is using toasted wheat germ.  Meatloaf was a request of mine.  And since she is on Mid-Winter break she is taking requests.  :-)  We’re also having steamed broccoli with thyme and fennel.

We are pretty excited about having a weekend at home. Last weekend we were in PDX, the weekend before was skiing at Crystal with Dana & Josh.  The weekend before that Lauren had her Master’s weekend… and the weekend before that we were in Wenatchee.  Phew!

Lauren went to goodwill today and bought jars, serving spoons and two board games.  She also made $22 selling old clothes at THE BUFFALO EXCHANGE.  She also labeled anything in the kitchen that is “bad fat.”

Tonight we are going over to Katrina & Justin‘s for dessert at 8pm.  We are bringing a chick-pea cookie pie.

Tomorrow, we both have a little work to do.  And we are going to two classes at the gym.  I’m not sure how we will feel about the second after the first, but I’m going in with a good attitude.  I was just told, “We are going to both.”

We are going to try and squeeze a bike ride in.  Lauren got some biking shoes for Christmas that she wants to finally try.  But that includes me mounting new tires on my road bike (I usually ride my single speed) and swap pedals from my MTN. bike to her bike.  I doubt this will happen.  But it’s been on my to-do-list for a while now!

I’d like to see THE ARTIST at 4pm on Saturday before the Oscars on Sunday… but that’s pretty low on the priority list.

My buddy DSM’s (Mike Gerig… but we call him DSM for “Downstairs Mike) parents are going to be in town from Oregon.  He’s hosting a dinner and then taking his parents to square dancing at the LITTLE RED HEN.  He invited a group of us to come along and meet his parents.  So that is at the top of our priority list.  He’s pretty special to us.

Sunday we’ll go to the early service and then going on a Valentine’s day date Lauren bought for me.  It’s a Living Social Adventure.  We meet at Westlake Center and take a bus to a shooting range… then the entire group attends a brewery tour + lunch at Scuttlebutt Brewery.  It sounds pretty man-tastic.  We are excited.  ;-)

I think that covers it!  I need to help with dinner.

Birthday haircut

Today is Dustin‘s birthday and we’re meeting for lunch.  He just texted me and said he might be ten minutes late because he just sat down to get a buzz at Rudy’s.  I told him to be sure to tell them that it is his birthday.  This reminded me of a story.

My dad bought a “free haircut” coupon at our church’s youth auction a few years ago.  This is totally a practical way my dad would have supported the auction.  Anyway, my dad went to this barber to redeem his haircut.  He liked the service and end product and went back and actually paid for his next haircut.  This went on for a few years and they became friends.

Then on May 1st, 2009, my dad was visiting her for a haircut.  He mentioned that it was his birthday and she gave him his haircut for free.  This was a big deal for my dad and not only did he tell me about it on the phone that day, I heard him over Mother’s Day weekend in Portland tell the “I got a free haircut” story 3 times.  My dad is always looking for a bargain.

After he died on May 21st, I answered my parents’ phone in Boise and received a call from the woman that has been cutting his hair for the last 3 years.  She called to offer her condolences and tell me how much she appreciated cutting my dad’s hair.  I was able to tell her the story of the “free haircut” and how proud my dad was of it.  She said, like a lot of people during that week, “Let me know if there is anything I can do.”  I said, “Yeah, give away another free haircut for the youth auction.”

I like this story for 3 reasons.

1. I love the random way we meet people.
2. You never know how big a “small gesture,” such has giving away a free haircut, can have on people.
3. Always use your birthday and wedding day to get some nice perks.