despite the weeklong congestion-from-hell-head-and-chest-cold i'm still battling, and the fact that we owe taxes AGAIN, i'm glowing today. so much happiness and wonderfullness. some of it big, some of it small, but all of it nice and sweet.

loveliness:
1. we're almost ticketed for our trip to chile next month. a stewardess friend of my mother's is helping us out with buddy passes, saving us about $1500. more money for yummy food and wine in the maipo valley. yes sir.

2. we got a letter in the mail yesterday from our mortgage company, the 6 month battle we've been fighting with them regarding our property tax has been resolved. instead of projecting we owe property tax on our entire 13-unit building, they have finally adjusted our monthly escrow payments to reflect just our unit. and not only that, but the check for the balance of our overpayments is in the mail.

3. hubb and i both got pleasantly surprising raises this month. more than we were expecting, which is nice.

4. last weekend allowed us to travel to virginia where we spent just under 48 hours with my entire family, including many small nieces, nephews, and cousins. it was so much fun, and reminded me, once again, of what an amazing family i have.

5. it is 54 degrees right now. spring time is on her way, and my wardrobe couldn't be happier. flats and dresses and flowiness is aching to come out. goodbye black sweaters and boots. good riddance.

now if only my nose would clear up.

so i've been reading a few inspirational "100 things to do before i die" lists recently and i wanted to put my $0.02 in, too. as i started to think about it i began to consider a few parameters, like do i start the list from here on, neglecting the things i have already accomplished but would be an a top 100 list if i were to write it for me as a baby? do i think in the attainable (learn to make ice cream) and also in the improbable (visit the moon)? do i list things that are similar but different as two different entries? (visit paris. visit london. visit prague etc.) 100 is a lot of things to think of, can i shorten the list to 25 big ones? oh the decisions i have to make. whelp, after all the thought and typing out about 20 items, i gave up. i'm not going to parasail in australia, probably ever. or hike the entire appalachian trail. it's just not going to happen. then i realized i'd listed about 15 things i'd already done (fall in love, graduate college, learn to make pottery, get a tattoo, etc.)

so instead, here's a list of things i've purchased in the past week:

- plane tickets to nyc
- a brown bathing suit
- an adoption fee for a pink flamingo at the national zoo (a gift for my step mother's birthday this weekend)
- a wallet pattern from a girl on etsy
- 3 bottles of my favorite wine (although i think technically hubb paid for that)
- comcast hd cable installation fee

it's been a slow week. before i die i'd like to have a week where i don't purchase a single thing. i think i've got a while to fulfill that one.