We interrupt this laundry-doing frenzy to make the following announcements:

1. I have finally seen the wisdom of driving a Land Rover.

No, this isn't the Serengeti, but with all the potholes we've developed, it's a close second.

2. The problem with participating in a Bloggy Giveaway is that it leaves you a buttload of packages to mail out.

I managed to mail out a few before I was struck down by the mysterious back ailment. Now that my back is all better, thanks for asking, I thought it was time to get the accumulation of useless items lovely prizes out of my dining room, where they had apparently taken up permanent residence, along with a shitload well-edited selection of padded envelopes, old bubble wrap, and recycled cardboard boxes.

3. However. It's really hard to get packages ready to mail when I have to keep reenacting my starring role as "Poppy Buxom, Systems Administrator!"

Apparently no one can get her homework to print up without the kind of computer-user hand-holding I used to do for a living in the eighties, and thought I had left behind.

Along with plastic jewelry and the color fuschia.

But in her defense? My daughter is no whinier than the secretaries at MIT were back then.

4. Since I'm having such a Calgon, Take Me Away kind of day, I thought I'd get busy and book my flight to Tuvalu, where I will be visiting blackbird and hobnobbing with Susie Sunshine and I hope, at least one more internet weirdo.

Envy me, people, for $208 is taking me to the land of Anthropologie and Starbucks!

5. Jen Lancaster's new book is SO. FUCKING. AWESOME. If you are female and have ever been on a diet, you need to read it.