quelle jour diabolique!

i think that is french for what a crappy day. i have spent all day "busting my hump" as they say, and got absolutely nowhere. running to stand still, the soundtrack of my life :|

firstly i decided to take my boys to the 8th wonder of the world - the two-storey Target in Huntington Beach... it has an elevator for the carts, it's how i imagine Tokyo might be if they had a Target and i was ever to go. anyway it brought great joy to my children's morning and they picked out new clothes for Massachusetts and rode up and down on the elevators for a good 10 minutes. when we left, our car was one of just 5 in the carpark. this insane woman drove up and instead of choosing the EMPTY space to the left or right of us, or the left left or the right right of us, instead put on her turn signal and waited for us to vacate our space :| it wasn't the prestigious very first space nearest to the store, nor was it painted gold, nor did it have any other special features.... she just sat and watched me fastening up buckles and chest clips and packing up groceries as fast i could. i honestly don't understand people. and i don't understand why i actually felt the need to rush :|

next i decided to see where the hell that tax refund that i filed 3 weeks ago is. called the bank - they told me with an exasperated sigh that i had called the wrong department (i very foolishly had called the customer service number....) but, urghhh, they would put me through to "ACH" - i have no idea what that is. heavy breathing and confusion... click.... oops, they cut me off! how i love bank of america. i called back and they told me they have never seen the money and i should call IRS. oh no... not the IRS??! finally after being on hold long enough to 5 Beethoven's Fifths and 5 Viennese Waltzes they swore up and down the bank had it all along... so i should call them back. so i called back Bank of America - who finally admitted they DID have it but returned it the day they got it because i used the PAPER routing number from my check book and not the ELECTRONIC routing number that is hidden behind several secret doors under 'my account' at online banking. whhhat was i thinking??! so i should call back IRS to ask them if they have it... but they can't find it either! it's in some cyber person's pocket earning interest :( sigh. never fear, i thought - i will look for that missing tax money from the state of California instead! oh nooo, they aren't actually refunding taxpayers this year - they have no money left, thanks Arnold for masterfully rescuing Cal-ee-fornia from the evil clutches of Gray Davis (pictured here, dressed for success, in field of wild flowers :)

but if it gets to 45 days after 15 april Arnold will cheerfully issue an IOU... and if we are REALLY LUCKY he may even include a little interest at the rate of his choice :)

soooo... when all else fails and my DVR forgets to record the latest Real Housewives and i have no new Split Ends... i bake. i made my deepliest fudgiest brownies and double chocolate chip cookies for our special visitor who is coming to Disneyland with us this week. we hope you like chocolate, Melissa :) we cannot wait to welcome you to bankrupt - but always sunny - Cal-ee-fornia!