Life Marches On

Whoo hoo! March is finally here! Although, baby is not…yet. It can be any moment now, though, so of course I’m walking like a sumo wrestler in hopes that the next time I sneeze, she’ll just gently slide out because….well, labor hurts, y’all.

This pregnancy started out quite…challenging, to say the least, but I’m happy to report that it is ending a heck of a lot better than I could have ever anticipated. I thought I would be a miserable mess of a woman who couldn’t wait for this darn baby to get out of me NOW! Because that’s how I was with my first pregnancy. I was actually resenting Little Mister for not being born prematurely because I was in so much pain and misery. Yeah…I was in a pretty messed up place last time.

As they say, every pregnancy is different- glory be hallelujah! The biggest difference is that I’m not in constant pain every day and that has made a HUGE difference in EVERYTHING. Yes, I still have pelvic issues, but for the most part they are more on the “normal pregnancy” scale. I’ve been avoiding activities that will aggravate my joints, so no long walks or pushing Little Mister in his stroller, but I’ve been able to be a whole lot more mobile than I thought I would!

And that, my friends, is a very good thing because I needed to have all the strength I could muster in the last couple of weeks since we moved….AGAIN.

BOOYAH! Didn’t see that one coming, did ya?!? Major life stressor on the horizon?? No worries, mate- just pile it on top of the other ones so we can get them all out of the way at once! That’s the way we roll!

Thankfully, however, this was not an international move- we just moved houses. (Ha! I made that sound like it was so easy, didn’t I?!?) So, it wasn’t as bad or as stressful as it could have been, but still….I think I overestimated just how much I could do (and how quickly I could do it) at 8/9 months pregnant. I am thankful that we were able to move before the baby got here, though. It’s a whole lot easier to get things done when you’re carrying a baby around in your belly rather than in your arms!

We are now almost completely settled in again- just a few more things to get unpacked and find places for. This house doesn’t have as much closet space as the other house, which means I’ve been playing Tetris with my yarn stash trying to find room for it all. Heh…heh…….*gulp*

Speaking of Tetris…..

It's not lopsided...promise. Just a crappy picture.

BOOYAH, AGAIN!! FINALLY! Little Mister’s Blanket o’Love! I have more (better) pictures- and the pattern!- to come, but since I’ve been so busy with the whole moving thing, I haven’t had the time to get it all together quite yet. BUT. It’s been two years since I started this thing so I thought I could at least show y’all what I had been working on. It’s actually not 100% finished yet- I still need to put a lining on the back. I had to order the fabric from the States and waited over a month for it to get here and then had other things to preoccupy my time (WE MOVED!) so my Little Mister is still Blanket o’Love-less. However, since it’s still a very hot summer out here (100 degrees today!), I figured he’s not going to need it for a little while yet, so I can procrastinate just a little bit longer.

I also have been crocheting things for the Little Miss, too. You’d think that I would be doing a lot of stash busting with the whole crocheting-for-a-new-baby thing, but then you’d be reading the wrong blog. I HAD to order just the perfect yarn, you see….so the increase to my stash truly was minimal……cross my heart! Besides, now there’s a whole new crib that I can stuff (more) yarn under, so…. STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!

Anywho….just wanted to let y’all know that I’m still here and doing much better than I thought I’d be. Just waiting (and waiting) until I can meet our sweet Little Miss. Although, as much as I can’t wait to meet her, I must say I’m really savoring these last few days alone with Little Mister. He’s such a sweet little cuddle bug and I’m really going to miss our one-on-one time together. Oh man….I’m getting all verklempt over here. Talk amongst yourselves- I’ll give you a topic. Lightning McQueen is neither lightning nor a Scottish monarch. Discuss.

So Hott

The last couple of weeks have been quite an emotional ride- filled with different decisions to be made, both by and for us, as well as plans to be made and deadlines to be met, long ago memories to be remembered, and hellish heat to avoid. Don't get me wrong- it's actually been a good emotional ride and has brought some much needed peace in our hearts and minds. Been a little stressful at times, but honestly, "stress" is a step up from what the last few months had brought with them, so YAY STRESS! I'm pumped, I'm ready, bring on the white hairs and wrinkles! (NO- actually, don't do that. I mean, stress and heart attacks are part of life, but getting old is for losers!)

It's been unbelievably hot here recently- all of Australia has been in a record breaking heatwave- so bad, in fact, that they had to add a new color to the heat temperature charts. You have blue = pleasant summer afternoon, green = dude, is that a blow dryer on my neck? yellow = maybe we should vacation in the Sahara to get out of this heat, Red = HOLY MOLY- The entire country just melted into the ocean, and now Purple = the sun has a new summer home in our backyard.

We've been in between red and purple for a couple of weeks now- it's been near 100 degrees at 8 in the morning many mornings- and I'm going both a little stir crazy staying indoors all day every day and yet dreading the days I have to leave the house to go grocery shopping because going grocery shopping in a bikini gets me a lot of unwanted attention. I know my hottness is just adding to the unbearable heat, but it's like people have never seen a 7 month pregnant woman buying vegetables before. My eyes are up here, people!

I've been having a crochet revival recently, first with Little Mister's blanket and now a new one that I'm working on for my new niece. (One that I'm having a serious case of the "keepies" since I'm loving it and I'm going to have a girl here in a couple of weeks and I know it'll look cute here in my house....ummm.....dear Sister-in-Law....this is not the blanket you were looking for.....*Jedi wave*) She's only 4 months old and I'm hoping I can get it done before she's a year and a half, but with my track record, I probably should have chosen some great college colors or something. Why another blanket during an intense heatwave? Because I'm a young hot hottie in her element in this heat.

Narcissistic? Maybe. Suffering extreme heat induced delusions of hottness? Definitely.

Fifteen Years Ago- Part Four: Decisions, Decisions

(Part one of this tale can be found here.)

Fifteen years (and one month) ago- Saturday, Dec 13, 1997

She finally had a peace in her heart about the decision she made, but knew that there was no guarantee that her plan would succeed or that her feelings were reciprocated. It had been quite a whirlwind of a week and she was glad to finally lay everything on the table and, hopefully, end up with one boyfriend instead of two (or worse, zero). Even though playing the part of a hussy had been fun for a while, she thought it best to leave that lifestyle to the professionals, like that girl in Titanic who showed her boobies for the whole world to see. *shudder*

She sat in her car after work, took a deep breath and prayed. Now, to talk to the guy and pray he wouldn’t reject her once he knew the whole story.

She truly couldn’t believe what a week she had lived. Two guys seeking her attentions on the same day turned into a game of dating pinball that left her wondering which one would ultimately win out. Would it be the guy she had been crushing on for months, who seemed to be head over heels in love with her, so in love, in fact, that he could talk of nothing else but how amazingly awesome, beautiful, wonderful, and amazing she was? Or, was it the guy she had just met at a chance encounter at the Baptist Student Union Café just one week ago who was smart, funny, slightly geeky, and could talk about a variety of topics, not just how amazingly awesome she was?

Week in Review:

Sunday, Dec 7, 1997

After responding to Mister R’s email the night before, he called her the next day and they spent three hours talking about various things, including their shared thoughts and values in regards to their faith and relationships. After the conversation, she was left thinking, “Mr. W….who?”

Monday, Dec 8, 1997

She worked that day with Mr. W. who lamented the fact that he tried for hours to give her a call the previous day, but, this being 1997 and her parents living in 1897 and not having a second phone line, he kept getting a busy signal. She, falling under his spell once again and not wanting to start off a relationship on the wrong foot, promptly told him the truth: her…uhhh….dad…had been talking on the phone all night.

He called later that night and they spent hours talking about how awesome she was. It was a very ego-boosting conversation, but she did wonder what his favorite color was, other than the deep, pensive brown of her eyes. After the end of the conversation, she was left thinking, “Mister R….who?”

Tuesday, Dec 9, 1997

She ran into Mister R. at the BSU who being very technology minded said, “Have you thought about getting a second phone line? Or how about a cell phone?” since he had been trying to call her for hours the previous night and kept getting a busy signal. She, falling under his spell once again and not wanting to start off the relationship with a lie, promptly laughed and changed the subject. He suggested she come over after work the next day so he could help her study for her calculus final. Even though she was a math whiz and had an A+ in calculus (it was basically a review of what she had already aced in high school), she agreed to come over. It was cute the way he thought he could help her. She’d bash him over the head with her utter brilliance soon enough.

Wednesday, Dec 10, 1997

She was a little apprehensive to see Mr. W. at work that day since she knew he wasn’t scheduled to come in and since she knew she was going to go across the street to spend time with Mister R right after work. He, of course, was sooo happy to see her and came over to see if she wanted to go out with him on her lunch break. She could never say no to free food, so she agreed. Mister R. didn’t have to know about this since she wasn’t going to meet him for a few hours, anyway. But, she made sure to suggest she and Mr. W. go out the back way, just in case.

Their lunch (burgers at the fine dining establishment known as McDonalds) was filled with laughter about work and even more talk about how wonderful and amazing she was. She found he wasn’t of the same faith as she, but he had been to her church a few times and was interested in knowing more. Hmmm….well, that made things a little more interesting.

After lunch, she became a little more apprehensive when Mr. W. didn’t leave work and was blatantly just hanging around to once again spend time with her when she finished her shift. Why oh why did Mister R. have to live right across the dang street? And, more importantly, why oh why did she have to be so gosh darned irresistible?? It had to be the shoes- who could resist the Chucks?

Once her shift was over, she hastily told Mr. W. that she had to meet someone to study, but she had a great time and would talk to him soon, then she awkwardly returned the hug he gave her (she really needed to practice this whole “hugging” thing), and then dashed to her car, drove the 10 yards across the street, parked behind a parked car and ducked down in her seat, wishing she had a Funny Nose and Glasses and hoping Mr. W. wouldn’t see her as he finally left the work parking lot.

Once she saw his car leaving the driveway, and giving him a few minutes to drive a safe distance down the road, she, as nonchalantly as she could, popped back up in her seat and smoothed her hair back in her messy ponytail, making sure “scratchy” was showing his good side. She knocked on the door and was shortly greeted by a beaming Mister R. and hoped beyond hope he wouldn’t ask, “Who were you hiding from?” She hadn’t known him long, but she knew he was the type to call people out on things rather than let them think they were being sneaky.

They spent a little while talking about school and how easy calculus was when he suggested they go see a movie together- Alien Resurrection seemed really good and he’d wanted to see it for some time. He liked sci-fi, though not the silly stuff like Flubber or anything…so, would she like to come? She quickly agreed and suggested they get dinner together afterwards. He told her he had a Bible study that evening, but one of the gals from the BSU was going to be cooking a Chinese meal for a bunch of people here, at his place, so she was more than welcome to stay for that and then he’d meet back up with her when his Bible study was over.

Though she didn’t know the people that would be there that evening, and she was a little bummed they wouldn’t get to spend the whole evening together, she was dually impressed that he not only liked sci-fi, but that he also, more importantly, put God first- even before a budding relationship with her. So, she agreed to the plan.

While watching the movie, she didn’t know whether to laugh out loud or cower in self-consciousness when he pointed at the grotesque monster on screen and said, “Hey look- you’re in the movie!” Considering her entire family did the same thing, usually whenever there was a large ape on screen, she knew her sister, at least, would approve of this guy.

He meant the one on the left. The really pretty one.

They soon went back to his place where he introduced her to “the guys” and then left to his Bible Study. The people were nice, the food was good, and she only got a little nervous when the questions came around to her and Mister R’s “relationship.” She told them the truth- they had just met and were just friends and were just hanging out. Though she wasn’t sure what to make of the knowing-glances that passed around the room.

It wasn’t long before he returned, happy to see her getting along with his friends. They talked for a while before she had to head to her friend’s house, where she was staying the night. He walked her to her car, which was still stealthily hiding behind his roommate’s car, and still they talked. The conversation dwindled down and there was an awkwardness as she wondered if he was going to kiss her or if she should kiss him or if she should get in the car quickly before her digestive tract decided to ruin her life and let go that ball of nervous gas that had been building all evening.

Eventually, he opened the car door for her and gave her a hug. She returned the hug, not as awkwardly as she had the first time. She was getting better at this game.

She couldn’t wait to talk to her friend and get her opinion on the two guys. They chatted throughout the night, going over the day’s events, going over the entire week, and creating a pros and cons list of each guy in hopes of making a wise decision between the two. She liked them both and knew that Mr. W, at least, really liked her back and he was going to be a doctor, just like she was, but the conversations with Mister R. were more diverse and interesting and he was really smart and a Christian, but she didn’t know exactly how he felt about her (because, despite all her brains, she truly was slow sometimes).

Her friend, who had much more experience in the dating game, told her there was no need to rush a decision. Keep dating them both since she liked them both and had fun with both. Two boyfriends were better than one, after all. And, in her case, two were better than none.

However, she knew she couldn’t string them on forever. It hadn’t even been a week yet and she was already stressing over how to hide from one guy while going out with the other. She didn’t have much money and knew that a Funny Nose and Glasses, while a brilliant disguise, most likely didn’t come cheap. Not only that but, though she was young and very inexperienced, she knew she didn’t want to waste her time dating someone with whom she felt she had no future. She also felt terrible leading on a guy since she didn’t want to waste his time, either. Dating, to her, meant you are looking to see if this person has the potential to be your future spouse. She truly had no desire to “just date” someone that she knew she’d never marry. Her choice between these two guys, in her overly dramatic and neurotic mind, could very well affect her entire future and so she took her decision very seriously.

So she did what she did whenever she was stressed and worried about something. She prayed about it.

Thursday, Dec 11, 1997

After getting ready for school, she used her friend’s computer to check her email. She received an email from Mister R. and, after reading it 500 times, she finally knew what her decision had to be.

Even though she knew he was interested in her, he hadn’t been as gushing as Mr. W. had been about how he felt about her. (Then again, Mr. W. gushed so much about her, she had no clue how he felt about anything else. As amazingly awesome as she was, she was a little bored with that topic of conversation.) After this email, she finally knew.

After acknowledging the awkwardness of the non-kiss (he truly didn't pull any punches, did he?), he told her that he really liked her (or as he put it: not just "like", but "like like!") and then he said something that blew her away. He told her that he felt they had an opportunity to build a strong foundation to a relationship and wanted to do something to honor God and wanted to know if she felt the same way. It was like pieces of a puzzle falling together when she realized he looked at relationships the same way she did; this was the answer to her prayers of the previous evening.

Her faith was very important to her and, at the top of the list of “Qualities of My Future Husband” was that he also shared her faith, quickly followed by being older and taller than her with light hair and blue or green eyes (she wasn’t picky). Mister R. fit all of the categories. Mr. W. did not.

Friday Dec 12, 1997

School and work dominated this day. She successfully avoided Mr. W. and was praying about how to finally end her week as a Playa. She knew she had game. She just didn’t like playing the game.

Saturday Dec 13, 1997

So there she was- sitting in her car after work. She knew what she had to do and went to Mister R’s place, hoping and praying she wasn't going to make a fool of herself. She took a deep breath and laid out the entire tale- from getting the call from her mom at the BSU, to going on a lunch date with Mr. W. and then turning around and going to a movie with Mister R that evening, to how she felt about relationships and how she made her decision. She told him that, unless they made their relationship “official” there was really no reason she couldn’t continue to go out with Mr. W. just to see where things led….sooo…….?

She had never been so bold and nervous in her life. She had so little experience in the whole dating game and didn’t realize that not everybody thought the same way she did and that most guys Mister R’s age would probably laugh in her face and then run straight for the hills, calling 911 about the crazy stalker lady that was trying to tie him down after knowing him just one week.

However, instead of laughing and running, Mister R had the biggest smile she’d seen yet and said, “Wow. I’m so glad you chose me!” And then he gave her a hug.

***************

Her brother had another basketball game that day. So, exactly one week after taking Mr. W. to meet her family at a basketball game, she asked Mister R. to go with her, this time to introduce her family to her new, official, boyfriend.

She was happy to see her entire family there- including her mom- and was happy to see how comfortable he was with them all. Her little sister even seemed to like him, which was a good sign. She once again made a joke at her little sister’s expense and Mister R, instead of admonishing her to be nicer to the poor, little girl, pointed at the wee thing and gave a huge, Nelson-esque, “HA-HA!”

And with that, her little sister knew he was a keeper.

So, Mr. W. turned out to be Mr. Wrong and Mister R. turned out to be Mister Right….or at least Mister Right Now. However, only time would tell if he would eventually turn out to be her one, true Mister. They had only known each other a week, after all. Could one week really turn into a lifetime? Only time would tell….

Back to the Future

I'm back from 1997, if only for a little while, because, while it's been fun reminiscing about the past, life goes on in the present. But, don't worry (or, maybe this comes as a warning for some of you), I will be returning to the past very shortly and throughout the rest of the year as various memories and milestones of a relationship started long ago mark their places on the calendar.

Anywho....when not looking back (and sometimes cringing) at printouts of saved emails, I have FINALLY finished up a project started two years ago. It's a freakin' huge monkey off my back and the only thing left is weaving in the ends. The many, many ends. Actually, there would be a lot fewer ends to weave in had I not started, stopped, finished, frogged, started again, finished, frogged, and started over yet again.

Oh yes- I mean to say that I've finally finished Little Mister's Blanket o'Love and I'll be posting about it very soon. It's a really good thing we're not living in the worst heat wave Australia has ever seen or anything because, you know, it'd really suck to be 7 months pregnant and swathed under a large blanket just to get something done that should have been done a long time ago. It's been such a relief that I can keep cozy in my house while the temperature outside has been a balmy 44C (111F) for the past two weeks. (Uggghhhhhhhhhh)

Because of the extreme heat, we basically have been confined indoors where are our poor, overworked A/C is pumping 24/7. I actually am very thankful our A/C is working; unfortunately, I know a few people who's systems have conked out on them because it couldn't keep up with the demands. It be really hot here, yo.

One indoor activity is, of course, crocheting and, for whatever reason, there seems to be a huge interest in it right now in my community. It blew me away, actually. People wanted to set up a crochet group where a bunch of us can get together and let our kids play while those with experience (*ahem*) teach those who are interested in crochet...NOT knitting. (!!)

I honestly don't know if there are going to be knitters attending, but it truly has been set up as a crochet group- how awesome is that?!

Actually, I think it could only be attributed to the heat affecting her brain or something because I've been trying to lure her for over a year, but this afternoon I actually taught Miss A how to crochet. (!!) She came prepared with her own brand new hooks and yarn and everything! And, I'm of course attributing this to the fact that I am an amazingly awesome teacher and not at all to her innate abilities or talents, but I'd have to say she has caught on quicker than any student I've had before. You really should have seen her starting chain- it was the stuff that books and poems are written about. (In all seriousness, I have never seen a beginner have such even starting chains, and this most certainly includes moi, the Crochet Queen of the World.)*

So, even though all my acrylic stash would probably melt if I decided to crochet outside with it, this heatwave has definitely had some benefits and I'm really looking forward to the new Crochet/Playgroup we'll be starting next week. (Or the week after...I have no clue what day it is.) Another new friend (who has been a crocheter for a while) will be coming over tomorrow so we can sweat it out under our woolen wares together.

Ok- it's time for bed. I hope you're able to stay cool tonight if you're in Oz, or warm today if you're in the States (or anywhere else in the northern hemisphere). I'll see you when I go Back to the Future!! Err...past....though not 1985 because I don't have a DeLorean. 

* Now you'll have to stick with it, Miss A. I bragged about you to the whole world...you wouldn't want to let down the world now, would you? Now you'll have to crochet with me! Muaha. Muahahaha. MUAHAHAHAHA!

Fifteen Years Ago....Part 3: Mr. W.

Fifteen years (and one month) ago:
Saturday, Dec 6, 1997

Following a night full of jealousies, mixed signals, and disappointments, she found herself back at work bright and early the next morning completely wiped out and desperate to get some sleep. She had called Mr. W. back when she arrived at her friend’s house. It was 2am, but he had said to call him back anytime and that he’d have his phone on and that he didn’t sleep, so she wanted to make sure she kept her word and called him back ASAP.

Unfortunately, she received an automated message that said the cell phone she was trying to reach was not turned on, which she took to mean he got tired of waiting for her to call and so switched off his phone since he hated her guts and would probably spit at her when he saw her at work.

She arrived at work and, though she was relieved to see he wasn’t on the schedule to work that morning, she was both exhausted from lack of sleep and very despondent about her amazing display of her Boy Repelling Superpowers the night before. So, she decided to go home early in hopes of sleeping away her shame and disappointment, preferably with the help of a large shot of warm milk since a night like last night earned her the right to bring out the hard stuff. Since it was a very slow day and there was plenty of coverage, her boss allowed her to leave and so she found herself driving back home on the lonely, snowy roads.

Her family was not home since her brother had a basketball tournament that weekend and so they would be gone all day. So, finding herself home alone, she promptly fell asleep.

A few hours later, she awoke with her optimism tank somewhat recharged, so she decided to give Mr. W. a ring one more time to apologize for not being able to reach him last night like she said she would. Since Mister Coffee Shop ended up being a bust, she truly didn’t want to lose her chance with Mr. W. even though she still wasn’t sure what he had wanted and if there was indeed a chance for her to lose with him.

This time, he answered on the first ring. He was taking his grandma to the races but was so happy she called because his phone’s battery died on him last night and he had really wanted to talk to her, and he stopped by work that morning hoping to see her there but she had already left, but could he call right back once he dropped off his grandma?

Relieved that he wasn’t planning to spit on her, and thinking what useless things cell phones were if their batteries were so unreliable (good luck with those things ever getting popular!), and yet still confused about what he wanted to talk to her about, she calmly and patiently waited for him to call back, not at all obsessively replaying the events of the previous night over and over in her head.

Not only did Mr. W. call right back like he said he would (such a gentleman! Her mother would approve!), but he also said that he had liked her for some time and would she like to go see a movie with him that day. She had just driven the 45 minutes from work back home and the roads were covered in snow so she was a little reluctant to head back out; however, before she could ask for a rain check, he offered to drive out to her house and pick her up since he loved driving in the snow.

WOW. Now this was a guy her mother had told her about- made the first move, called her first (he had her number from the contact list at work), and even offered to pick her up at her house for their first date. He would probably open up the doors and pay for the date, too, all things on the checklist for a good boyfriend her mother had given her. Her crush on him intensified x100.

Almost an hour later, he came and picked her up and went back into town to the movie theater. During the 45 minute drive, she found herself completely flabbergasted at what he had to say. Apparently he had also had a crush on her for some time but really had to work up the courage to talk to her since she was so gorgeous and nice and smart and funny and he felt so intimidated by her, but was SO HAPPY she said she’d go out with him.

WHAT? She had no clue anyone could think those things about her and had no idea how any guy could be intimidated by her (she hadn’t really put anyone in a headlock and punched them in the throat like her daddy taught her), and was so amazed to find that a guy she had been crushing on for months ALSO had been crushing on her for months and he was oh so cute AND he had a cell phone so he was obviously a wise man of the world.

It felt good to have someone go on and on about how awesome she was and how much they liked her and how amazed they were that she would actually say yes to them. She could get used to this.

While watching the movie (Flubber, if you must know), she thought she’d put her new-found Minerva Mink superpowers to the test. So she ever so gently sighed, while rubbing her hands together, hoping he’d get the hint. Then, sighing louder and blowing in her hands, she ever so gently stage whispered, “Wow- my hands are soooo cold,” while touching him on his arm to prove her point. Of course she was envisioning him gallantly taking her hand gently into his (unlike *some* guys we could name) and saying, oh so romantically, “Don’t worry, my sweet. I’ll keep them warm for you here in my manly hands, and then we can cuddle up close and cozy while I whisper sweet nothings in your ear.”

Instead, he shivered and said, “Wow- your hands are like ice! Do you have gloves to put on?”

As her overly dramatic, romantic daydream deflated like a whoopee cushion, she turned her focus back to Robin Williams, her hands firmly stuck under her armpits to keep warm.

After the movie, since he loved and had played basketball in high school, he offered to drive her to her brother’s tournament, which happened to be 20 minutes past her house. Why not, she thought. He’s an amazing guy and I know my family will love him as much as I do. Besides, his love of basketball will instantly bond him with my dad, thus ensuring we’ll have his blessings to get married.

At the tournament, she found that her mother wasn’t feeling well and had gone home early, so unfortunately she wouldn’t get to meet her new son-in-law until later that evening when he dropped her back home. However, he hit it off instantly with her dad and brother and she could tell he was going to fit right into her basketball obsessed family. Her sister? She was a little more skeptical and thought he was just a little too nice and not nearly sarcastic or snarky enough to fit into this family, but she was only in seventh grade, so what did she know about true love?

After the games, they drove back to her house where he was invited in for a little while. Her mother, still not feeling well, had barricaded herself in her bedroom and refused to come out, even though her love sick daughter really, really wanted her opinion on Mr. W.

Her little sister wanted to eat some pudding, so, sensing an opportunity to showcase her cooking skills yet again, our little cook obliged by taking out a box of Instant Jell-o pudding and triumphantly poured out the 2 cups of milk and started whisking with gusto. Her sister asked if she could whisk the pudding, but there was no way she was going to share the spotlight, so she made some joke about her sister’s lack of muscles and continued whisking away.

“Oh…that’s so mean!” Mr. W. said. “She’s so sweet and little! You should let her help you.”

Her sister looked up at him with a puzzled look on her face and then gave her big sister a look that said, “Where did you find this weenie?” and then she went off into her bedroom where her stuffed animals had more testosterone than that loser her sister just brought home did.

After eating their pudding, it was time for him go take his leave. She saw him off, struggling with her romantic hope that he’d kiss her good night and her mother’s rule of no kissing on the first date.

He ended up being the perfect gentleman she knew him to be and didn’t force a good night kiss at the door (where her dad and brother were watching him behind her clueless back), and instead told her he had an amazing day and would call her tomorrow.

*SIIIIIIIIGGGGGHHHHHHH*

She had completely forgotten about Mister Coffee Shop. She was replaying her perfect day over and over as she turned on her computer and waited for the modem to finish its five minute love song as it established a connection to this amazing new thing called the “world wide web” where she could “log in” to her University provided “e-mail” account to see if she had any “e-mails” from her professors.

When she was finally able to log in 15 minutes later, she gasped so loud and was in such shock at what she saw.

She had received an email with the subject: Surprise!

*actual email received- edited for personal info only*

 *****************

Sat, 6 Dec 1997

Howdy!

Yep it’s me! I found your Email address. Well you know I am a computer geek- I know my way around on a computer system! I also found your phone number, is this the correct one: 555-YESS? I came by to see if your car was there at work, but I guess you had already left. Oh well you missed the prank I was about to do. Haha!

How is scratchy, does he miss me? I am sure he does! Well I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend. I have tons of homework that I need to get started on. What a pain!

See you soon!

****************

W.H.A.T.???????

Mister Coffee Shop didn’t ask her for her number the previous night but had actually regretted his foolish decision and instead took the time to look her up and find both her number AND her new-fangled “e-mail address”???? What a powerful thing this “computer system” must be and how amazing he must be to know how to use it to its full potential.

Was he pursuing her?? Did he like her, after all?? He looked for her at work?? HE’S SOOO CUTE! Wait…what was that about a prank? What does all this mean???

It meant that Mister Coffee Shop- we’ll call him Mister R from now on- was back in her life. What implications this had- what any of the last few days meant- was still an enigma to her. All she knew was that there were two guys who had pursued her ON THE SAME DAY and that her dateless losing streak was now over.

It was a very good night which ended up being a very good start to a very interesting week....

(Part Four of this tale can be found here.)

*For those of you who don't know who Minerva Mink is, and for those of you who also grew up obsessed with Animanics*