My lack of math skills has been a constant source of entertainment for my family, going way back to one of my first dates with Pat.

“I suck at math,” I told him, while driving out to dinner the first month we were dating. “In fact, I literally have to stop and think that eight plus five is twelve.”

“Uh, it’s thirteen, actually,” Pat replied.

“Really?!”…as I proceeded to count it off on my fingers. Back then, Pat did not do the eye roll, as he would have done now. He was in the phase of trying to impress me with his wonderful gentleman skills…AND trying to get me to sleep with him. Well, I take that back–we SLEPT together our first date–we didn’t “fornicate” for two months, and he was in the stage where he was trying to close the sale yet.

So, Pat is on some cross-country motorcycle trip, and not here to share today’s “Math with Joyce” episode with, so I will share it with all of you instead.

Yesterday I bought this HUGE water bottle and a cool sling thing to carry it in on my long walks with the dogs. I can clip their collapsible bowl to it, and make sure to have a lot of water for Max when he acts like he is dying on the walks, but is fine the second we get home and he chases squirrels and chipmunks.

I filled the 48 ounce bottle with ice and water, put it in the sling, slung it over my shoulder, and started hiking with the pups. About five minutes into our hike, my shoulder was aching and I switched sides with the water bottle slingy-thing.

At that point, I thought, “Jesus, this thing weighs a ton. I wonder how much it weighs? When I get home, I will re-fill it, and weigh it.”

About five minutes later, it crossed my mind again, and thought, “I wonder how much 48 ounces of water weighs?”

I got home and weighed it–um…anyone guess around FOUR POUNDS?