Three-day weekends are yay

Lunch and cribbage with the folks, helping a little over at Superman & Sunshine's, baking fresh crescent rolls, a little cleaning, getting all the shopping done for Diplowhat's package (now just need to get to post office for box and again to actually ship it off....), and we still had a whole day to do nothing but sit on our keisters, drink wine and watch movies. Netflix On Demand = win.

Bottle Shock. It's about wine and has Alan Rickman and Eliza Dushku in it. We were bound to like it. (Also has Bill Pullman — not Paxton — and the kid who's playing Kirk in the new Star Trek.) Fictionalization of a 1976 blind wine tasting that brought Napa to the attention of the world. Cute and fluffy.

The Maltese Falcon. It had been many, many years for both of us. It's amazing how much I forgot what a bastard Sam Spade really is. Awesome.

The Candidate. Robert Redford! Politics! I can't believe I hadn't seen this movie before. Funny, depressing, and more even-handed and honest than I expected it to be.

And we finally got around to starting on MI-5. Temp, I thought you told me it didn't start out all that good? My expectations for later seasons are now ridiculously high. And I'm sure you mentioned the part where Anthony Stewart Head and Hugh Laurie both pop up in episode 4, but my memory being what it is, I completely forgot. I managed to restrain myself to happy "Giles!" noises, but by the time Hugh popped in I had devolved to embarrassing squeals. The Hugh Laurie/Peter Firth bitchiness gave me no end of glee. I had also forgotten various spoilers, but then I went to IMDB to figure out where I knew the woman who looks like Helen Mirren from, and the spoilers were sort of unavoidable. Oops. Doesn't matter. We're through episode 4 and I'm completely hooked.

Stupid weather

Dear Plants:

I know it's 40°. For a week. And the snow is almost all gone. Yes, I know! But really, trust me, it is not spring. No buts! It's still February. Say it with me, H-E-L-L-M-O-N-T-H. Honest. I swear. Stay dormant. You'll thank me later.

-Pusher

Free stuff

I went to The Body Shop yesterday to replenish my massage oil supply. The bastards stopped carrying bergamot, and they started blending their lavender with chamomile. But that's not the point, that's just a side whine. Point is, there was a free gift with purchase. It's a collection of four little sample-sized TBS products in a canvas bag. Full disclosure: I opened the bag, and the strawberry scent damn near knocked me on my ass. Now, I imagine it's less overpowering when it hasn't been closed up in a bag for however long, but still.

Anyway, I'm not going to use this stuff, so anyone who wants it is welcome to it. Here's what's included:

• 1.7-oz. strawberry body butter
• 2.0-oz. lavender/chamomile shower gel (airline size)
• 0.5-oz. vitamin E moisture cream
• 0.2-oz. Hi Shine Lip Treatment 10 Perfectly Pink

I think the moisture cream is probably quite nice, and I do like the scent of their lavender/chamomile blend (though not as much as I liked the straight lavender). The strawberry I found appalling. But if you take anything, you get it all. I think we're all probably past the age of Perfectly Pink Hi Shine lip gloss, but maybe it could be a fun dress-up cosmetic for those of you with little girls. Anyone? I am perfectly willing to toss it in an Amazon box and ship it, because mail is fun.

I have willpower. Honest.

See this? This is me, on my lunch hour, NOT going to Au Bon Pain for a sweet cream and blueberry croissant.