Today celebrates the irrational number which most of us lazy-buns only take out to a simple but digitally miserly 3.14, but it can continue into infinity.
Wanna see what one million digits of pi look like? Go here.
In honor of this auspicious occasion, eat some pie. 
How the deuce does the cigarette industry stay in business? Have you priced those things recently?
I was at Tom Thumb sending Svetlana a little Women's Day moolah (a holiday that really ought to receive greater recognition over here, BTW) when a man waiting next to me exclaimed "Over five bucks for a pack of smokes? You're kidding!"
Looked behind the employee working on the Western Union transaction to where the cigarettes were kept on the back wall, and by jingo, he was right as rain...prices for individual packs ranged from generics going for a bit under $4 to $5 and change. 
I remember when that'd buy an entire carton! 
How are smokers able to finance their habit? That's a crazy stupid price to pay for something that's just gonna go up in smoke.
Going to pay that kind of money, at least buy chocolate. You know...something with staying power. 
Today is my youngest daughter, Jessica's, birthday. 
Hope it's a good 'un, Jessica! 
Talk about a mixed message! Have y'all seen Krispy Kreme's newest doughnut?
Whole wheat glazed. According to an article at MSNBC, which notes: "Lower-calorie pastry aimed at diet-conscious consumers", this one has 180 calories, which is at least a little less than its traditional glazed.
What the heck's the point? A difference of a few dozen calories - if that - isn't enough to make a material difference, I wouldn't think. It's possible one might actually like whole wheat's flavor and texture, but unless one does, either skip the doughnut entirely or get what you want. Salving one's conscience by eating a couple of whole wheat glazed is just silly.
He's officially left his teens goodbye, and is 20 years old! 
We talked with him last night for a bit, and he was going to be standing watch as his birthday arrived. Two birthdays in the Navy, standing watch on them both times.
At least he's here in the States for this one. Next year - his 21st! - he'll be on the sub, assuming they deploy as scheduled. Isn't that the way?
He's also begun counting down the days until he returns to civilian life; as of yesterday, it was 1,032, best he can figure. 
Don and I were watching the Military Channel's show on the top ten submarine classes, during which this choice tidbit of historical knowledge was related:
In WWI, the Germans had a submarine force, but the British military held submarines in low esteem, refusing to take them seriously as a threat.
The British Navy's initial defense mechanism against enemy submarines?
Rowboats and mallets. The plan was that when a submarine was spotted, a ship would launch two or three sailors in a rowboat, who would row to where the enemy periscope was sticking out of the water and whap it with a mallet. 
Didn't have any noticeable success in controlling German subs, leading to a very effective siege against England. Food was getting scarce by the time the British Navy decided maybe it'd better Take Steps against the submarines.
Row boats and mallets? 
This afternoon I had the pleasure of fetching my niece, Meredith, and
her friend, Annika, from their preschool, and walk 'em back to Elaine's
house. I'd arrived a few minutes early and whipped out my cellphone to
take a photo of the blooming Bradford pears running along the side of
the church:
This tree overhangs the small playground area, in which a few children were playing. A small boy noticed me taking this picture, which in turn led him to run over to check out what it was that had caught my attention, whereupon he excitedly exclaimed, "Flower trees! Look! It's a flower tree!"
I acknowledged the accuracy of this statement, agreeing that by jingo, it certainly IS a "flower tree."
By this time other children had joined him at the fence, and he was busily pointing out the amazing "flower tree" to them, too; as I walked on to the classroom entrance he was heard to add, "Look! More flower trees!" as he noticed the one he'd first seen was one of a series.
Isn't that funny, though? There those kids were, happily playing outside with the "flower tree" right there but they didn't "see" it until I stopped to take a photo of it.
Makes one wonder what all we're missing as we go about our daily business, doesn't it?
Y'all are doubtless familiar with them....those dedicated middle lanes with arrows painted on them, indicating they are there so the through-traffic lanes aren't impeded by cars desiring to make a left turn. When I'm driving on Montgomery and want to turn left, I move over to the turn lane first.
If everyone will use it properly, it's a real boon to keeping traffic moving briskly along.
What it is not, however, is a merge lane. I'm tired to death of being startled and unnerved by a car - or truck...it's really common for pick-up truck drivers to pull this stunt - that wants to make a left turn onto a busy street suddenly pulling out and heading toward the lane I'm in, only it stops in the turn lane to wait for an opening in the traffic stream.
There's no way to tell until it does stop whether this is someone planning to use the turn lane as a merge lane, or someone who doesn't see I'm there, meaning evasive action on my part is required to avoid a collision. 
I'm not a mind reader, y'know.
Please use turn lanes to turn, not merge.
I'm askin' nice here. 
I went to eBay to search for a purse, and it turns out there features available that had never even crossed my mind.
Why, look! It's a concealed weapon pocket!
There are several purses sporting this handy feature, AAMOF.
We are a long, long way from ladies with their reticules, that's for sure.
A subject to bore the socks off my male readers....sorry! 
Why is it so dang difficult to find the purse I want?
I've been using the one I have for at least a couple of years, I believe, but it really needs to be replaced. IIRC I bought it at either Mervyn's or Target, and it had the features I want:
What I really want is all of the above plus a larger interior space, due to the size of my new camera.
I've looked and looked and LOOKED, but no joy. Macy's, Dillard's, Sears, Penney's, Payless...I don't recall where all. If there are purses for sale I've doubtless checked 'em out.
Yesterday afternoon I was at SuperTarget and darned if there wasn't a purse that had all the features, except the interior space was pretty much the same as what I've got now. Actually, after a moment I realized it basically IS the purse I've got now, only with a smaller organizer on the outside.
It's idiotic of me, I realize, but I put it back, as I'm reluctant to buy almost the exact same purse again. Okay, the one I've got is definitely a bit on the shabby side, but hey....it works. Why pop the bucks to purchase a new one, just to eliminate the tattered edge at the bottom?
Point is, however, I don't think wanting easy access to my phone and keys is unreasonable, nor the built-in organizer, nor the shoulder strap, and surely black is a common color? How can this combination of features be so hard to find? Now, if I wanted weird patterns with huge buckles, they've got those by the truckload. If I wanted a purse with two or even three interior spaces with zippered separators, it'd be easy to lay hands on.
Shopping for a purse is right down there with shopping for shoes....I hate it.
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