AGATHA ON THE BEACH

I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately. And trust me, I've tried everything to help fix it - the foregoing of any caffeine, assorted bedtimes, counting sheep, eliminating any naps, etc. The main problem is that I just can't seem to turn off my brain. It goes a hundred miles an hour during the day and it continues to do so as I lay there trying to sleep. Adrian has been staying up way past the time I go to bed to play a computer game, and maybe it's not having him next to me that's the problem, but even on the few nights he does come to bed at the same time, he falls asleep and I jealously listen to him breathe. Anyways, that's not the point of my blog - just some background information. Last night, Adrian did come to sleep with me and he was trying to help by quietly talking me into a vision of me on the beach, relaxing in the sun. We were using one of our favorite beaches of all time - a very secluded beach on Hawaii's Big Island that we still talk about. I lay in bed with my eyes closed and tried to relax, but then I remembered that Adrian was reading an Agatha Christie novel that day in Hawaii and how funny that was...and I turned to him and said, "I'll give you all my money if you can name the author of the book that you were reading that day on the beach." [Okay, here's some more background information for you: When either of us wants to make a bet with the other, we always bet "all our money" and unfortunately, I'm currently down -3 to Adrian, which basically means I owe him 3 times all my money. Not a very good ratio.] I thought this was the perfect opportunity to get back 1 part of all my money. My husband, the guy who can't even remember what day it is sometimes or what we did yesterday, turned to me half-asleep, and said (after a few seconds), "Agatha Christie...and now you owe me 4 times." Needless to say, I couldn't believe it and we both started laughing, even as I kept asking, "How in the world do you remember that?!?!" It still didn't help me fall asleep though.

ON THE CASE

We've somewhat befriended a couple downstairs who have a little boy (though you should understand by "befriended", I mean we say hello every now and then and have had a few conversations with them at the playground). They're a two mommy family and one of them is very friendly and outgoing and the other is more reserved and quiet. We have never seen them at the playground together - they are very much a "I'm watching the baby, so you can get your things done...tomorrow is my turn" type of family. Anyways, the point of this blog is that the outgoing one, who obviously we've talked to the most, has a very easy name to remember and we always greet her with it when we see her. The other mommy, however, introduced herself to us once in a very quiet manner and up until today we weren't sure if her name was Marilyn, Mary Anne, Mary Lynn, or something close to that. We have asked the main doorman twice now and he hasn't been any help, and we refuse to ask her again because it would be too embarrassing. But today my internet broke down and when Adrian was working on it at my computer, he pulled up the list of the wireless network names we can get in our apartment and there before us we saw a network labeled "marylynne" and lo and behold, we had our answer...found in the most oblique way possible, but still found. (We know it's hers because they live one floor down and one apartment over from us.) I can't wait to see her face the next time we say hello and actually use her name!

CRUMBS IN THE HOOD

I've mentioned before that we're supposed to get a Whole Foods a block away some time next summer, and that there's a banner on the building that proves it. Well, just yesterday, there's an even newer banner announcing the soon-to-be-completed "Columbus Village" with assorted logos for various other stores in addition to the Whole Foods. Stores like Borders and Michael's and (drumroll please...) Crumbs! Did you hear that? A new Crumbs a block away! We just might have to move so I don't gain twenty pounds eating cupcakes every day.

IT WAS TIME, BUT HOUSEGUESTS HELP

I don't know how you clean your house, but when I want to do an extreme clean, I do it one room at a time. For Katie and Noah's visit this weekend, I've been working on an extreme clean. I did Jack's room yesterday - everything from the windows to dusting, vacuuming, sorting through old and new clothes, and even some book rearranging. Together with some coat closet purging, we had enough to take two bags to Goodwill. Today, I've been working on our bedroom - washing the sheets, dusting the furniture, and since I can't vacuum because Jack's sleeping, I moved on and dusted our two bookcases in the living area and even weeded out some old books that can be taken downstairs to the communal bookshelf in the basement. After our bedroom is the kitchen, then the living space, then the bathroom as finale right before they come. It gives me such a good feeling to clean. I don't like doing it, but I like the feeling afterwards.