A Job Well Done...

Rachel and I settled into sharing Katie's room quite well...

I don't understand...

My in-home alarm system started beeping. Incessantly. Every 247 seconds. The diagnosis was a low battery, replacement of which requires a special team who was too busy to come out before the start of the weekend.

To keep me from going bonkers, I was instructed to disarm the system. All I had to do was find the control box and remove one wire from the battery and then pull the fuse from the power source. 

After a bit of searching, I found the box, attached to the wall slightly to the left above my fridge. Even standing on my kitchen chair, the box was still about a foot too high for me to reach. So, I built myself a safe and secure tower to extend my reach.

I'm still not sure why this tower collapsed. Twice. But I did manage to get both the fuse and the wire removed. 

Unfortunately I broke a shelf in the process. And some ceramic bells. And a jar full of dried split peas. And I maybe cracked my foot bone a little.

At least I am now enjoying blissful silence...

*I found my step-ladder while cleaning up. Guess I should've looked harder before building my cookbook/pillow tower.

MacGyvering...

While in Ethiopia, I fell in love with a rug, made by the Arat Kilo Childcare and Community Development group. The purchasing part was easy. But how to get it back to Amman? The group folded the 8x5 foot rug up and tied it with two small pieces of twine. But they had no box or bag for me to put it in. It was too big for my suitcase and too heavy and awkward to hand-carry onto the plane.

Luckily, all the shopping we did had produced lots of plastic bags. And five dollars to the concierge produced a roll of duct tape and a pile of newspapers. Using only the bags, newspapers, duct tape and a pair of nail clippers, we created what looked like a small pink and black mummy. It was pretty primitive but it did the job - my rug arrived on the conveyer belt in one (rather ridiculous looking) piece in Amman.

Africa...

In early November, I decided to take advantage of the fact that my sister was a mere four hours away (and capable of providing free lodging) and make a quick trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  It was a very short trip (we're talking, arriving at 2 a.m. on Friday morning and departing at 3:30 a.m. on Sunday morning) but we managed to pack quite a lot into the time we had.

Tourist stops at the Ethnological Museum of Ethiopia and Addis Ababa University, St. George's and Holy Trinity Cathedrals, Entoto Mariam and Yod Abbysinia (for a feast, singing and dancing) completed the cultural portion of the trip.

Next, it was time to stimulate the local economy, something my sister and I excel at. I was being very careful to stay within my size limit (a carry-on suitcase and very large "purse" AKA beach bag). I came back with many things I didn't know I needed - jewelry, a table cloth, Christmas tree ornaments, honey, stationary, scarves and some spices. Oh - and an eight foot by four foot rectangular rug (more about that later).

It was a fantastic trip and one that I think was meant to happen - I was literally on the last two flights between Amman and Addis Ababa. Luckily me - British Midlands International ran the route just long enough for me to spend the weekend with one of my favorites. 

I admit it...

I saw Twilight tonight. It was ridiculously melodramatic but I expected no less.

I had many questions, coming out of the theatre:

1. Why was Bella's wedding dress so ugly? To go along with her super ugly engagement ring?

2. Why did Edward pick Rio as a honeymoon spot if he glows like a diamond in the sun? Is that why they arrived and departed at night?

3. Why were there so many feathers floating around the honeymoon suite? Is Edward so good in bed that he makes pillows explode?

4. Why was there only one scene with Jacob shirtless?

5. Why has Carlisle Cullen's hair been a different color in every single one of these movies?

6. Why did the sound effects accompanying Edward biting into Bella sound like a juicy plum splatting on the sidewalk?

7. Given the gravity of the situation, once the baby was out, why did Edward take the time to hold her up to the light, Simba-style, and let Bella admire the baby?

8. How many poor little girls have been named "Renesmee" since 02 August 2008 (the publication date of Twilight: Breaking Dawn)?

**I should caveat this by saying that I read all of the books and have seen all the movies and so am qualified to semi-make fun of them.  It's a love-hate relationship.  I hate that I kinda love them.

So scared right now...

There's nothing worse than lying in your bed at 1:22 AM and hearing a strange "opening-of-the-door" type noise and being a little scared. But then thinking "whatevs man, you're totally locked up tight in your house." But then thinking "well, I'll double check the doors, just in case." And then finding your front door unlocked.

I checked under the beds and in the closets twice. And then I locked myself into the back of the house (thanks small-angry-mob-proof steel doors), either trapping the potential intruder in the outer portion of the house or in the inner sanctum, with me, but, regardless, narrowing down the search square footage considerably. Then I checked behind the doors and inside the cupboards and under the beds again, three more times. 

Now I'm still locked in and my heart is beating really fast and I'd like a drink of water but all the glasses are on the other side of the steel door. I really wish my bedroom door locked. Hopefully I don't die.

Party on, Garth! Party on, Wayne...

12 BYU kids, 11 assorted ward members, 10 bags of Bugles, 9 liters of soda, 8 bags of candy, 7 packs of Digestives, 6 versions of Rock Band, 5 board gaaames, 4 drink spills, 3 brownie batches, 2 bowls of salsa, and a huge mess, then finally quiet.