The high temperature here in the greater Twin Cities area was 101 today, the highest in 11 years. I'm so glad to be here. The good news is that the temperature is supposed to drop 15 degrees tomorrow.

While describing the Body Worlds exhibit at the Science Museum of Minneapolis, my mother-in-law said [the bodies] "look like beef jerky with eyeballs".

Budget Car Rental clerk talking on the phone: So what does he look like? And what is he wearing? Okay, well let me finish with this customer and I'll go look.
Budget Car Rental clerk to customer: Some lady lost her husband.
Customer: And she's complaining?

--airport car rental counter

(How many of you correctly guessed that I was the customer?)

We're leaving at the butt-crack of dawn for our annual pilgrimage to the Midwest homeland of my wonderful husband. Lest you think we're tossing the kids in the back of the covered wagon and hitching up the mules, I'll clarify that we are flying nonstop to the thriving metropolis of Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. By the way, do you know what the difference between "direct" and "nonstop" in airline language? My husband still doesn't and we've been flying with kids for 6 years now. I've given up trying to explain it to him.

Anyway, I finally finished packing - at least as much as I can finish, given I have to pack all my toiletries at the last minute after I shower in the morning - and decided to look up the weather forecast for our destination. When we visited in June a few years ago, there was some freak cold snap and the high was around 50 the whole week. I was really hoping for something like that again. No such luck. They've revised the forecast from hot to scorching. Highs Sunday and Monday: 102 and 103, respectively. Oy vay! It's not even going to be that hot here, although it will probably be a far sight more humid so I guess it all evens out. At least the temps up there are supposed to fall to upper 70s/low 80s the middle of next week. That's more like it.

Meanwhile, my friend SanDee is preparing to jet off to Ireland for a month for her job. While she's there, she's planning to visit (among other places) Rome. Who cares what the weather's going to be? It's f***ing ROME!!!!!

"Jealous much?" --

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!