Brackets, Birthdays, Butterbeans, and Ear Stapling

I didn't print out a bracket this year. I must really be getting old. I did end up going to espn.com and signing up in one of their pool things. I made 2 brackets. As to tell the truth, I can't even remember who I picked to win it all. Probably Tennessee. And they're already out!

We went out with the gang for the Birthday bash last night. There were 6 couples and 3 kids and we invaded Red Robin at 6. Philliam and Stac-y got there at 530 to get us a table together, and they had to add it all together when we found out how many were there. We didn't sit down until almost 7, and then we didn't leave until 9. It was cool though. We got 4 free appetizers for them taking so long, then the 3 of us that had printed out our free birthday burger got that, and they brought the 6 of us with b-days a free sundae. It was a ton of fun. I really love my friends. For most of us, we don't have local family, so we are our families to each other. I have no doubt that if I needed anyone of them that they would have my back.

One of my biggest issues with the impending arrival of Butterbean is my wife's sense of smell. Apparently cooking is tough for her now, and I haven't felt much like cooking either, so we've been eating out WAY too much. And she has this point that she gets to, and has to stop. Usually she's only 1/3 of the way through her meal, which means I try and finish it. I think I've gained 7 pounds in the last 4 weeks. I'm totally serious. Maybe I should have my ears stapled.

The new "fad" amongst the ladies of New Antioch is to get their ears stapled. This bizarre thing apparently helps curb your appetite. When Kim told me today after my mom talked to her that mom and a bunch of ladies were going to get their ears stapled, I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. This is my mother, who has been "threatening" to get her ears pierced for 20 years, but chickens out. I think my sister has given her the money 3 or 4 times and she always backs out. But today, she and a bunch of ladies from church gathered at a beauty parlor (Goobertown doesn't have salons!) and for only $35, had their ears stapled. It hits some sort of pressure point. I googled it and found a tv news story in Texas about it. It's sweeping the south. I'm flabbergasted as to how my mother worked up the courage to have someone drive a staple into both of her ears. It sounds like something one of my teenagers would do. But we called later and she did it.
Crazy stuff. I guess if it works, and Kim keeps handing me her leftovers, I might be looking into it, too.