july 4th
2004-07-04, 5:20 p.m.

I talked to my niece today, and I found out that my brother and his clan are coming up this week. Oh, yay. Not really thrilled about it, but I suppose I'll have to see them at some point. I wish I could greet that kind of news with joy, but all it does is make me feel tired and awkward and depressed.

Spouse did his "let's go get breakfast and then I kidnap you" stunt today...I really didn't want to go out; I wanted to stay home and at least try to make a dent in the housework. But long story short, after breakfast (which we had at the Bizarro diner, as the real diner was closed), we ran down to the Mills. After a quick stop at his mom's to pick up a DVD (I, of course, stayed in the car), we went to Wall'ys to pick up all the crap we didn't get yesterday, ran to the grocery, checked out the new Best Buy (I got the Clerks cartoon for $10), and then he went to the Sprint Store to replace his phone. He got a nice one--another Sanyo. We didn't get home till noon. I have been doing laundry and various other chores all afternoon, and I am a little cranky. If I don't start the housework in the morning when I'm fresh, it wastes me.

For dinner tonight, BBQ chicken on the grill, cob corn, tossed salad and baked beans. I made the sauce myself, so if he gets the chicken done all the way through (which is a hit or miss), it should be good.

And there's nothing like Mexican pop music blaring to say happy fucking Fourth of July.

I'm taking the The Fifth off. No entry.