Week in Review: Crazy Cars, Day Drinks and Fickle Fashion

T to the G to the I to the F.  It's been a weeeeeeek y'all.  

 The van update is that it's still at the mechanic's but should be ready for pickup today.  It was indeed the alternator that had died, and there were two valves that needed to be replaced because they were leaking something (oil?) onto the alternator and would kill it again if they weren't also replaced.  $1050 is the cost, which was a lot but also low enough to keep the old gal around for awhile.  I already have my eye on my next car (a Honda CR-V) so if anything else pops up with the van, she'll probably be a goner.  You hear that van?  You're living on borrowed time.

I have been driving Eamon's car (it's not his car, it's ours, but he is the current driver of it) which is a Honda Accord born the same year as him.  Yesterday, as I was getting out of it at work, the key wouldn't come out of the ignition.  NO NO NO.  NOT AGAIN WITH THE CAR ISSUES.  I wiggled the wheel, pressed on the brake, made sure the car was in park...all the things I know to do when the key won't come out.  Still, no luck.  I walked into work and asked the Director of Technology to come out and help me.  He couldn't figure it out either, did all the same things as me, started the car and backed out and into the same spot to make sure the wheels were straight.  Nada.  I was like "Oh well I guess when I pick up my van I will just drop this car off", trying to play it off like Hahaha - isn't this so funny and not actually soul sucking??.  Then I saw that there was a charging cord near the gear shift, and I moved it and heard the car pop into Park.  Boom!  The key came out!

Colleen, can you really have a bad day when this is what your lunch walk looks like?

Nope, I am a lucky lass.  

I was taking this selfie to see what my new prescription sunglasses looked like.  I had to get some because my conjunctivitis made me wear glasses, but then it was hard to walk/run outside in the sun without sunglasses.  For $33.25 not too bad.  I always get my glasses through Firmoo.com because they are so cheap.  You can get 50% off with code Colleen447 if you are interested in getting an inexpensive (backup?) pair.

The college boys flew back to college on Monday, but before they left we celebrated St. Patty's Day together with some Guinness Beef Stew (I followed the crockpot directions, which is basically dump everything into the crockpot and eat 8 hours later) and Lepre-cones for dessert (a fun Aldi's find).  

Phil and I watched a cute and predictable rom-com:

We also had a Thank You Party for The Ice Cream Cottage workers, affectionately dubbed the Cottage Crew, while the college kids were home on break.  We played volleyball and ate pizza and had a good time.  I'm so glad they all want to come back and work for us again :)

Phil surprised me by buying these gold cups to use while we watch a certain tv show IYKYK.

Speaking of cups, I love to drink all day long, but not just water, and have found that I can get a lot more hydration into this old body if I drink warm water with Emergen-C or a True Lime/Lemon/Grapefruit in it.  I start the day with coffee, then a warm mug of flavored water, then coffee mixed with a protein shake, then an Emergen-C in warm water.  That gets me to lunch time, when I typically drink a seltzer water with my lunch and then tea in the afternoon.  Lately I hadn't found a tea that was satisfying my tastebuds and drowsiness but then I remembered that I used to drink a Cinnamon Green Tea when I gave up coffee once (young me was so hardcore sometimes) and so I ordered a bag of loose leaves because it was cheaper and a Tea Ball Infuser and now I have a nice 2pm ritual to get me through until 4:00 when I can leave work.

I rented the pool out for the littles to swim after their lessons:

Just kidding, but it really was completely empty for awhile which is a rare treat.  Of course, we had to go get Shamrock Shakes afterwards because it was St. Patty's Day weekend and to replace all the calories they burned off.  

Phil made these Copycat Chick-fil-A Sandwiches for dinner this week and they were a big hit!

Maggie went with friends to Newport, RI for the day while their poor teachers had a professional day.  She sent me some photos, and I was like "Cute!! Wait.  Is that my sweater?"  Busted!!!  Teen girls can be fickle with fashion because almost anything I pick out for her she immediately hates, but then she steals my clothes so she obviously likes my taste at least sometimes.  Anyway, apparently wide leg jeans and vests are IN:

Tonight is the Living Stations at our church, and we are the proud parents of a Mary and two soldiers.  Happy Palm Sunday (aka sword fighting in the pews) weekend everyone!  Lent is almost over!