Finding Money is More Than a Hobby

It's a challenge. A competition. From the day I first talked to Greg Boudreau about his daughter, Katie, I have been collecting money I find. He's been doing it for years, and gives the resulting sum to his wife, Joy. At the end of every year, we count up our stash and see who found the most money that year.

I've only beat him once.

This year would be different. I was off to a good start early in the year, finding a lot of quarters. Then I seemed to fizzle out into penny oblivion as the year went along. It would be close.

We settled down to counting around 8:45pm, after the girls had gone down for the night. I knew I was in trouble when I saw him counting his quarters. Uh-oh.

I ended up finding only five nickels, but I did find 14 quarters. Not enough to win, though. I finished the year with $7.44. Greg? He finished with $9.33. Oh, well. I already found a dime with Michaela at the airport today. I'll get him this next year.

Uglier than me

Warning: The following post may not be suitable for small children, pets, pregnant women, and squeamish men, myself included.

I'm sitting at the San Jose Airport waiting for an iguana to arrive. No, I'm not expecting it to waltz through the security checkpoint and head for baggage claim. I'm actually waiting for it to arrive via Continental Airline's cargo and, as is so typical for iguanas, he's late.

He could've called and at least let me know his flight was delayed, or maybe had flight updates sent to my cellphone so I would know in plenty of time.

Oh, great. They just called and let me know he's arrived. Now I get to take him home to wait for his new family to pick him up. I hope I don't fall in love with him on the 10-minute drive home!

"Here, leezard, leezard!"