Fight. Need. To. Finish. Stupid. Puzzle.

I have done a decent job at fighting the urge to finish the puzzle while the hubby is at work.

I've watched a really, really stupid movie full of actors that I thought I would love to watch in anything. Turns out I have my limits. Stupid... Grinding my teeth. Clenching fists. Rubbing temples. How can you make a movie with the 4 funniest roles going to Danny DeVito, Will Arnett, Jon Heder, and Dax Shepard NOT FUNNY? Now, that takes some talent. Stupid movie-making people grumble grumble grumble stupid grumble...

Did laundry. Washed dishes. Watched lolcat videos.

Anything to stop myself from my need to finish things.

Researched about a million things to do in the St. Louis area for future dates. All of which seemed awesome! None of which seemed like something we'd want to do this weekend.

My birthday is a week from tomorrow and we have big plans. That makes me not want to do anything too exciting this weekend on what would be a couple days before said big plans. It doesn't help that my general feelings about my birthday are not terribly positive. I am hitting a number that makes my brain hurt. This is the first time I'm reaching an age that I do not want to hit. I think I can feel a hair going grey right now.

We talked about going to Dave and Busters. Which sounds really fun in theory. I like food. I like games. I love my husband. I should enjoy myself. Still, I have an irrational fear of Dave and Busters. The crowds and the games and the (searching for the right word here) protocol? The unwritten rules? How to do what, when, and how. Not my scene. I would like to go if I knew that only a few people would be there and that I would not do something really stupid and make a fool of myself. On all the ads, everyone looks like they are having the best time ever. Unfortunately, I can see myself in a different version of the ad that would never be televised. I'm causing some kind of injury or accident with myself and a waiter, game, other table, other person, other people... Yeah. You get my point. Stuff is going to get knocked over, drinks spilled, ankles sprained. It's rare that I wish the hubby and I were drinkers. Dave and Busters is going to be one of those times where I'm going to really wish that I could toss back a little liquid courage.

For the record, liquid courage makes me really warm. And really sleepy. So in reality, it still wouldn't be a lot of help.

We talked about going up in the St. Louis Arch, something we've never done. We've gone and seen the Arch but I was too scared to ride up to the top. A fear I now consider rational since I remember working one of my evening shifts as a nurse and hearing all about how the elevator got stuck. The people were stuck before my shift started and they still weren't down when I was driving home. No thank you. Still, it's on the list. I shouldn't be allowed to continue living here if I never see the world from the top of the Arch.

We talked about the AKC Dog Museum, the Wax Museum, the History Museum, the Science Center, the Transportation Museum, and the Kemp Auto Museum (those last 2 are indeed different places).

We talked about the ice rink that we recently figured out was in fact an ice rink. We've been driving by it for 4 years but all it has is a giant Hardees sign. It looks like a corporate building. Since Hardees has its corporate headquarters here, we just figured it was somehow related to that. Not that it was, in fact, a Hardees sponsored ice rink. That was kind of a leap we just never made. It just puzzled us (heh heh puzzled) that it was always full and there was just this weird arrangement of people that seemed to be coming and going. Took a little research and then a lot of things made a lot more sense. Anyway, isn't it amazing when you find things you never knew were there? Sounds fun. Just not this weekend fun.

The husband came home today and came up with another idea. The speed at which he came up with it was a little suspect but I couldn't deny the appeal. He offered to take me to the Butterfly House this weekend.

Despite my best tries, I could not get him to admit that he did not actually want to take me to the Butterfly House. He saw all my "But you hate the Butterfly House" remarks and raised them with "It'll take great pictures" and "I don't hate it" replies of his own. We've been there together once, and I took my mom once a couple years later when she visited. The husband did not accompany us because it's just not his thing. It's his Dave and Busters, I suppose. Anyway, I enjoy it. It is this giant, all-glass greenhouse that houses all these beautiful plants and butterflies. You can see the butterflies in all their life stages and when they are ready, they fly out into the main area, which is chock full of flying, fluttering adult butterflies of all shapes, sizes, and colors. I mean A LOT of butterflies. A LOT. I can see why it's not the hubby's thing. It immediately brings a woman back to little girl rainbows and unicorns. There are water features and a stone sidewalk and lovely benches to sit on and you can stay as long as you like. There's no tour, no real schedule. You just go in and enjoy. Sometimes they land on you! It makes a girl giddy! Ooooooh! Oooooh!

Yes, I do spend the entire time trying to get them to land on me. How did you know?

Did I mention it's free? St. Louis is so awesome. We have so many free attractions.

Of course, the gift shop isn't free. There is also a little bug set up (probably to balance out the enjoyment factor for the sons who get dragged along to this place). With really, really shriek-inducing bugs. We're not talking houseflies here. Last time I was there, you could buy candy with bugs in it. So it's a gift shop for everybody. Man, I suck at gift shops. I hope we keep it a free date. By we, I mean me. Although I don't think it would be on me if we came out of there with a damn butterfly puzzle.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!