Lost and Found

When I picked up our >$100 prime rib the other day, I still hadn't decided what I wanted to do for Christmas Eve dinner.  It didn't seem right just to have a "normal" dinner.  But there were only going to be the two of us.

Then I saw the crabs at the meat counter.  A huge display of fresh Dungeness crab and I thought that would be the perfect dinner.  Crab and French bread.  Nectar of the gods.

I got a nice sized crab, had them clean it and package it and I brought it home.  

And it was delicious.  The perfect start to our decadent food weekend.

After I finished my portion I realized I had forgotten to take a picture.  (And you know it doesn't exist if you don't have a picture on Facebook of something somewhere!)  I went to get my cell phone to take this picture of the leftovers, but I didn't see the phone.  I didn't feel like doing a search for it, so I just took the photo with my regular camera.

But then I started looking for the phone.  It is usually only in a handful of places.  It's on my desk, on the table next to my recliner, in my purse, or on the kitchen counter next to the charger.

It was in none of those places.  Then  started to get worried.  Could I have left it somewhere?  I went on Facebook and found that the last picture I posted was the one of the label on the prime rib package, and I hadn't been out of the house since I got home from the store, so it had to be here. 

I started searching through everything, including emptying the garbage cans, going through the to-be-done laundry.  I went through my purse at least 3 times (and this baby is a BIG phone, so hard to miss in a purse!)

Walt got into the act and we looked in chair and couch cushions.  He checked all the paces I had and it was still just...nowhere. We wondered if the dogs could have taken it outside, but that seemed highly unlikely.  I did check the dog beds, though.

I even downloaded the "Find My Phone" app but it didn't work unless I set it up with the phone.  It did tell me, however, that the iPad I was downloading the app to was located half a block from where it was sitting in my lap.  Or a block away, it varied.  It did not inspire faith in the app!

I was just sick.  I love that phone and knew that there would be no replacement ... it costs too much! ... but how could I lose it in the house.  I had not been upstairs all afternoon.  I hadn't been in the living room either, though I searched there too.

Finally I sat down at my computer and noticed a pile of "stuff" on top of the scanner and could not remember if I had looked through that or not, so I got up to do it.  It wasn't there, but the lid of the scanner was not flat with the scanner and that's when I remembered I had taken a scan of the face of the phone because I was having problem with a game and hoped to get answers from the FB mind.  Opened the scanner and there it was. I felt pretty dumb, but oh so relieved to have it back.

I feel like I want to hang it in a pouch around my neck after all the hell it put us through!

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We met the kids in Sacramento to see Rogue 1 tonight.  Given the popularity of this latest installment of the Star Wars saga, we decided to get there early to avoid crowds.  We need not have worried.

In fact, I'd be surprised if there were as many as a dozen other people in the theater by the time the movie got going

. 

This was the 3D version of the film, so we were all ready.

Now bear in mind that the last Star Wars movie I attended was The Emperor Strikes Back in 1981 and I fell asleep in that so I'm not of the Star Wars universe and got very little out of the film.  My professional review is that if you like lots of CGI and battles, especially involving very large equipment, you'll love it.  If you aren't into all that stuff, stay home...or go to see LaLa Land instead!  (Jeri helpfully explained the plot to me at home.)

But the best part of the evening for me and what made it all worthwhile is just watching how much my kids like each other and enjoy each other's company, how all six (our kids and their spouses) get along so well and how much Bri and Lacie love both Ned and Jeri, but especially Uncle Ned.  It just warmed the cockles of my heart, even if I didn't have a clue what was going on in the movie.

Afterwards, the four of them stuffed themselves into a photo booth in the cinema complex for some fun shots.

You can watch on a screen outside the booth as they are taking the pictures so you get an idea of what to expect

Then it was time to say goodbye.  Tom, Laurel and the kids are heading back to Santa Barbara tomorrow and so our holiday together time is over.  But it sure has been special!