What made you smile today?

Score!

I got my Christmas socks for this year - on sale! Big sale.

I have to have Christmas socks every year. Because they're a seasonal specialty - they can be expensive. Soooooo, this afternoon I stopped into one of my favourite stores - having an end of summer clearance - 70% off lowest marked price. Looks good! I pick up a couple of things - ok - a linen blouse, a very dressy top and satin cargo pants for a thing I'm going to, oh, and a new bathing suit. I'm waiting at the cash register - oooohhhhhh - Christmas socks in a bin. They're on sale - a bit. I grab 5 pairs. The cashier rings them in - and then takes 70% off the entire purchase. Whooooohooooooooo!

Then she says, did you get a fortune cookie? Uhhhhh, no. She gives me a fortune cookie - I break it open - another 15% off! By the time she's done, my entire purchase costs me less than the regular cost (before taxes) of the 5 pairs of Christmas socks! I love when that happens!

Beth
You're so excited that you made me excited. I love to shop and I have Christmas socks as well. I got mine last year. They're very thick, warm and cozy too. The best part is that they're still in great shape, so I'll have them again for this year.

Good buys Beth!

So, I looked up tantrum and it's not listed anywhere with any origin. It seems to have become common usage in the 1800s. So, I'll have to put words to it. Something about rage, I'd guess.

Here you go k

tan·trum (tăn'trəm)
n.

A fit of bad temper. Also called regionally hissy, hissy fit.

I saw it all, I was hoping for a root word or something to refer back to.

I figured. It's a tough one to explain.

Good luck ;-)

It seems that temper and tantrum mean pretty much the same thing. I guess the tantrum part is the action.

That's the way I see it.

Trying to beat Mom to the punch.....

My favourite aunt showed up on our doorstep this evening, unannounced, and with her lovely boyfriend in tow!

Very, very, very happy girl tonight!

Ohhhh!!! How cool Rae ;-)

Short and sweet. A post on another forum made me laugh.

A lady about my age (56) came into my store and asked my much younger clerks if we might have a "church key opener." They stared at her blankly.
How many of you know what a "church key" refers to?

Ah do... ah do. It's what you use to open a can of beer.

Eva -- been thinking about your son -that was such a nice story and the kind of thing mine would have done back in the days. Sometimes they quietly hold in their triumphs, but I love it when we can all share. Ice cream! Hurray! He's older now... this summer he put a cartoon from the paper on the frig. It shows a grumbly looking teenage boy with the caption "Sometimes Mom makes it real hard for me to stay sullen and resentful." I loved that!

Littlek -- Did you see the article about nannying in the Atlantic? I haven't read it yet, but it looked good, very complimentary towards good nannies.

I looked up "tantrum" in the Oxford English Dictionary (I inherited the two volume set with the magnifying lens). It says the origin is unknown -- there's a reference in 1748, and another in 1754, Shebbeare's (I thought that was Wm. Shakespeare, but no) Matrimony has the line: Where did the Wench get these tantarums into her head! which is a variation of the spelling.

I hit the tennis courts, for about the first time in 6 months. I couldn't even find my racquet to start. My timing has disappeared completely, and I forget to run, but it was great just to be out there again. I'm a bit of a burden on partners, though. Played 2 sets and then stopped.

And I seem relatively pain free, so far!

And running by the courts this morning was the Sydney Marathon! By the time I got there, the good runners had gone through - the courts are only about 6 kilometres from the Olympic Stadium, where it finishes. But there were hundreds of runners, walkers, joggers, limpers, crawlers, etc. still going through. You have to admire their courage.

A#1 son came in fourth place (within his team) for their golf tournament. He's the next Tiger Woods.....I'm tellin ya..... :wink:

That's great Margo. Now don't over do it.

Seein' you guys made me today.

Good on ya, margo!

House and dog sitting for a friend...he has three dogs. One is a four month old miniature dachshund...she is a trip and makes me laugh the whole time I'm with her. She is always so glad to see me. When I open her carrier to let her out, after I have been out for a while, she just leaps into my arms, licking and wiggling so much I can barely hold her. When we go to bed, she wiggles down underneath the sheets and sleeps at my back, a little heating brick!

Her big "brother" is part german shepherd and who knows what else. He is a big dog, but the biggest scaredy baby...he's afraid of me, so pretends he can't see me. Usually won't come anywhere near me. When I let them outside, i have to turn my back to the door so I won't "see" him. If I can't see him, then I'm invisible, I guess. This time, he has been sitting on the other end of the sofa and even slept with us in the bed! We are making progress!

Piffka, nope, don't read the atlantic.

petunia: Your story about the dogs, reminds me of a smile evoking incident involving my Golden Retriever. We took him with us when the kids were looking for Easter eggs. When one was found, it was taken to, and put into, a bucket. People were yelling to, "stop that dog!!!!". The Golden ran out into the field, picked up and egg, trotted over and dropped it gently, into the bucket. He found several, and placed them into the bucket. Soon everyone stopped searching, and just watched him. We have a video tape on which the whole thing is recorded, and show it often to the nonbelievers.