All in all, it was a good weekend.

Item #1:

Pushkin digs our new living arrangement, especially the radiators.

See the bust? It was made by Josh's grandfather, who was a doctor but also dabbled in the arts.

See all the medals around the neck of the bust? Those were won by Edgar Allen Poo in his many obedience competitions.

See the bag next to the bust? It contains my mother-in-law. In ash form.

I kind of want to put the bag away somewhere, like on a closet shelf, but I don't want to overstep my bounds here. Pop-Pop put the bag there. Maybe that's where he wants her. I don't know. It is in the dining room, very close to where she presided over many a meal so I guess it's fitting.

In any case, Pushkin often sits there.

Item #2:

I think I mentioned that I have been taking una clase en los sábados.  So now I can hablo español like a madre-fucker. Oh, lo siento. Pardon mi lenguaje.

The point is: the class is over since yesterday afternoon. Which means that I can have my Saturdays back and maybe Josh and I can start working on getting our house ready for rental.

It's such a liberating feeling to know that we will be getting rid of a lot of our possessions.

There are a lot of things about my life that I want to change. This is a start.

Item #3:

Today, Josh and I were in the car together, driving down 16th Street on our way home after visiting my parents and doing a few errands. Josh was doing the actual driving. I'm not going to say exactly what happened. But I will tell you this: Josh executed a very smooth move that unfortunately violated a number of traffic laws. There just happened to be a D.C. cop right there in his cruiser, who immediately pulled us over. Josh cursed himself while fumbling for his drivers license. And I was all, "Ooooooh, you're in so much trouble!" 

The police officer said, "Sir, do you know why I pulled you over?"  I leaned over and asked helpfully, "Was it because he was driving like an asshole?" The police officer handed back the driver's license and said, "Sir, I think you're in more trouble with her than with me. You can go."

All in all it was a good weekend.

Comments

[Swistle]

That scene with the police officer should be the film-equivalent of FRAMED.

I read the first paragraph of the language-class section aloud to Paul because I thought it was so funny and I felt awkward doing so much laughing without explaining. (He laughed, too.)

I am seeing scenes involving that cat knocking over that sack.

[Vicki]

Thanks for the great bedtime chuckle. Mary, Mary. (Robert the cat sat on the box with my mother's ashes and watched Bud read the paper every single night until he fell into the snowbank. I must remember to ask my sisters where mom is now...hmmm).

[Margaret]

I love that police story! Gave me a much-needed laugh. Getting rid of things can be very liberating. I did a lot of that this summer and need to do MORE.

[kris (lower case)]

i hope josh buys you a dinner or something you want equivalent to the cost of the ticket he did not get... and i too can see cat/bag of ashes issues ahead. my mother always said when she died she wanted to be cremated (she was) and put up on the mantle and have us tell people that the box was 'my mother the ash'... she was on my mantle for quite awhile but when we moved i think i put her in the closet and she never got out. now i can find her and tell people i got my mom out of the closet.. she would like that..

[Stokesia]

Nice! That's what I call finessing a situation. Not bad!

[Stokesia]

Also, that sack of ashes does seem odd--as if someone can't decide whether to keep it or not. Though, I think it is actually comforting there.

[Connie]

OMG-- I was about to go on a rant about-- if you are leaving the ashes there, get something heavy to put them in so the cat can't knock them off... .until I read the cop story. You owe me laptop cleaning. That is so funny!

[the bee]

The plastic bag and radiator heat are not a great combo. Can she be moved to a brass situation? I love that she is still in the dining area. Also, if you had taken me up on the offer for coffee you would not have been pulled over. I will now picture you and Josh in an episode of Cops, District Of Columbia. You two are hilarious. Bonnie and Clyde.

[blackbird]

And THAT is the way the law should work.

[Belle]

Spanish is the one language I never studied...Russian, German and French. So I have no idea what you really said, but sorta figured it out. Madre-f*, indeed.....ha!

I also cringed a bit when I saw Pushkin near the sack. My cats would ever so carefully walk around it until one of their tails got a bit too swishy, and then....oh, dear.

Good answer for the cop! I never would have been that quick to come up with such a great response! :)

[liz]

I'm so glad I read this on Monday morning -- you made me laugh out loud. Was Josh grateful (again) that he's married to such a sharp-tongued babe?

[Pam J.]

Great police work! I will remember that tactic and use it if need be.

About ashes. My mom and dad and one of our close friends are all sitting in odd cans, bottles, or boxes on top of the china cabinet in our dining room. I love having them up there and don't intend to move them ever.

[Maggie]

HA! Clearly there is a police officer who has been around the block a few times. Classic!

Pushkin is so sneaky sitting in the place he blends in.

[Fay]

Bahaha! Way to go, cop.

Sweet kitty. Yeah that sack next to the cat makes me nervous, too.

[Pam L]

Good job Miz S! I would never have thought to say that and would have been sitting there silently as the officer wrote out a very lengthy ticket. Is Pop Pop looking for some sort of urn I wonder. They had a really nice kind of turned brushed stainless steel one for my Dad that I actually think he would have picked out for himself had he been able to plan such a thing, which he had not, so I was pleased. He would not have like a really ornate fancy thing.

[Pam L]

But not a ceramic vase, remember Meet the Parents.

[Anne]

Item #1: I can appreciate the location of the ashes. The "vessel"--not so much. Didn't Joell have a favorite vase or piece of crockery? It's like she's wearing polyester, when I know she'd be more comfortable in cotton or wool. (I watched Casablanca with Dad's ashes before burial--it was his favorite movie!)

Item #2: Screen, screen, and screen your tenants. Did I mention that you should screen your tenants?

Item #3: Dios mio! Tiene cojones! Y tambien, yo se tiene la admiracion de su esposo. (I'm sure there are loads of errors in these few sentences, but you get the idea.)

[Heidi]

HAHAHAHA! Oh, ever the helpful passenger!

[FC]

You crack me up. I had to read that cop story to Mrs. FC.
Sitting here howling.

[Laura/DaPFG]

<3 and yet more reasons why we love you. this whole post! gads.

[maddy]

Your smart-ass remark saved him from a ticket! How often does that happen? Usually goes the other way, so definitely something to celebrate.

[MsCellania]

I'm inna hurry so only one item for now.

CREDIT CHECK ALL 3 CREDIT BUREAUS for tenants. If they decide to declare bankruptcy while in your house, those fuckers get to live there rent free until adjudicated bankrupt. Can take 6 or more mos. Yeah.

[laura]

Have they taught you the difference between "chingasos" and "chingaderos" in your clase espanol? It's very important.

[robin andrea]

Thank you for the excellent laughs this morning. I had to read this out loud to Roger, so he would understand why I was laughing out loud.

[Margaret]

Hope you have a nice Thanksgiving day.

Praying for you and yours

[kaylen]

haha-I love that you helped him get out of a ticket! Such a great response. Those are types of things that I would think to say AFTER the fact, never during.

[credit Score Ratings]

It's very simple to find out any topic on web as compared to books, as I found this piece of writing at this web site.