Sounds fair to me

My daughters are nothing if not creative. They thought my Mother's Day gifts were boring, even though they were what I requested when prompted. So to liven up the gifting they created a scavenger hunt for me.

They sent me downstairs to the playroom, aka the dog room, aka mildew's room, while they hid the clues. Then they handed me the first origami-heart-shaped clue and waited.

Have you ever tried to figure out a clue while two grown girls are practically jumping up and down waiting for you to solve it? It ain't easy, friends!

With a couple of small hints, and one doozy, I managed to follow the trail and find my three "boring" Mother's Day gifts, three CDs from my Amazon wish list.

So how smart are you? Here are my clues.

1. What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries? Go to where it is stored.

2. What turns everything around but does not move? Go to the newest one.

3. What is full of holes but still holds water? Go to where it is stored.

4. What room has no floor, ceiling, windows or doors? Go to where it would be stored.

5.What fastens two people but only touches one? Go to where it would be stored.

6. I have legs but walk not, a strong back but work not, two good arms but reach not, a seat but sit and tarry not. Your favorite.

7. Take one out and scratch my head, I am now black but once was red. Where you'd use one.

8. With pointed fangs it sits in wait, with piercing force it doles out fate, over bloodless victims proclaiming its might, eternally joining in a single bite. Where you'd typically find it.

Well, how did you do? If you solved them all without help and without hints, hats off to you. If not, comment or email me and I'll give you the answers.

Oh, and my card from the girls was Maxine, you know, the old lady? She says, LET'S SEE...HOURS of screaming labor, about a MILLION poopy diapers, THOUSANDS of loads of laundry, YEARS and YEARS of sleepless nights... and you get a Mother's Day card. Sounds fair to me.

A Mother's Day card, a scavenger hunt, and three CDs. Sounds fair to me, too. :)

A virtual world

It's been so long since I've posted anything that I wasn't sure I remembered how to log in here. But lucky readers, all one or two of you, here I am again, still living in a virtual world. My Vampire Wars playing has slowed down since I completed all the missions, but my newest craze is Happy Aquarium.

What is it about virtual fish that is so soothing? I just love watching them swim around in their little fake fishy world. Of course these fish are even better than real ones. They smile when you feed them, look oh-so-woebegone when they're hungry, and never die. Well, I guess they die if you don't feed them for a week or so, but you never have to watch their little fishy carcasses go swirling down the... er, I mean, you never have to play taps for their burial at sea.

And you can breed them to make the cutest little babies ever. And believe me, breeding is an event. You get sleazy music, a rosy cloud with hearts pouring out, and a distinct *pop* as an egg suddenly appears and drifts to the bottom of the tank.

My tanks all have themes, with appropriate fish names. Blue Hotel, top, and Rose-Colored Glasses are kind of self-explanatory. I also have the Gallery, with Michaelangelo & Mona Lisa, Scream & Munch, and Mary & Cassat.

Then there's Candyland, with Sweet Tartlet & Rolo, Almond Joy & Pixie Stix, Pez & Mike N. Ike, Reese & Snickers, and Mounds & Hershey. Of course there has to be a Circus, with Ringmaster & Flying Fifi, Bareback Rider and Freakshow, Emmett & Kelly, Tightrope Walker & Fire Eater, and Strongman & Bearded Lady.

Finally, there's Tara, with Scarlett & Rhett, Melanie & Ashley, Mammy & Big Sam, and my personal favorites, Frank Lee M'Dear and Dona Giva Damn.

Of course the neighbors are shocked when Mammy breeds with Rhett, but hey, I say breed and let breed.

Some people may think I'm wasting my time feeding and breeding virtual fishies, but the creators of this game certainly got the name right. Happy Aquarium makes me happy. :)