Soup weather

It's not particular cold yet, but totally soup weather.  Yesterday was my late meeting day, so I got home earlier than normal.  After trying to interest Tink in a walk - not very successfully - I wound some yarn for Monika, since she doesn't have a swift and ball winder.  And then I got my first potato leek soup of the season ready for the pot.  My meeting went until a little after 7, so we didn't get to eat until nearly 7:30, but it was well worth the wait.  And I've got enough left over to freeze and have for another meal.  Yum!

I hope to have a quiet weekend, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.  I have to get Tink to the groomer at 9 Saturday morning, then a manicure and pedicure sometime in the morning and perhaps a trip to Triplehorn in the evening, although at this point I think I'd rather stay home and watch Husky football.

Sunday will be laundry and football, the Seahawks playing the afternoon game.  They're playing the Cowboys, who don't have their quarterback and are using a not-so-good backup.  We should beat them and if we want to have any chance at the playoff, had better beat them.  Fingers crossed.  And Sunday I should be able to get some good work done on that blanket.  I have a little more than half to go and I'm already pretty bored with it, although it is going to be SUCH a nice blanket.  The camel hair .... soooooooo soft.

My wanderlust is killing me.  I still don't have the dates for our spring trip and I am quite keen to start planning, if only to keep my mind off the next two months which, despite the holidays, are going to be grueling and hard and no extra days off for vacation since I have to save up for spring. 

My new iPhone is awesome and I almost have it set the way I want it.  I do love those moving photos and the 3D touch -- pretty cool.  Not to mention the color.  Oh and my favorite feature - the fingerprint ID.  That is very handy.

The "fun" of getting a new iPhone

After seeing several iPhone 6s phones I broke down and ordered myself an iPhone 6s, the rose gold color.  I knew from package tracking that it was going to be on the doorstep when I got home yesterday and I was quite anxious to get going.  I got the idea (erroneous as it turns out) that I would need to switch SIM cards from my old phone to my new phone, so I got on the AT&T chat line and initiated that process.  Unfortunately I didn't actually realize that my phone would be inactivated and I quite frankly am now thinking that the guy I was chatting with didn't know what he was doing.  I asked him quite clearly if, when he was done, I could go home, pop the old SIM card into the new iPhone and be ready to move things from the Cloud and he said yes.  Long story short - that is not the case.  Not only that, but I couldn't download the latest backup because the software wasn't the latest version, the one I had on my old iPhone.  So far though, the only thing I find that I can't do is download the book I am currently listening to.  It doesn't show up in the library.  I think that might be because it is residing on my old iPhone.  So I'll finish listening to that, then wipe the iPhone 5 and sell it on eBay.  But what a hassle getting a new phone turns out to be!  I forget because I do it so infrequently.  Oh!  And my voicemail is gone.  I need to find out how to get to it because someone left me a message yesterday.  Probably Tink's vet.

So that was my night last night - fiddling with the phone.  I get SO frustrated.  And I forgot to turn the heat off before I went to bed so I woke up gasping.  Ah well -- small price to pay for a pink iPhone, don't you think?

Slowly slowly

It looks like the medicine is helping Tinkerbell a bit.  She is using the leg a little bit more and she's in better spirits.  She was rather down on Sunday but last night after having the pills for two days, she was more alert and definitely wanted to play and nearly jumped off the couch.  She would have, but I grabbed her before she did.  She was lively on her morning walk as well.  Mostly I want to avoid surgery, so I hope this will work.

Noon knitting today and I dragged the blanket in with me.  I am about one inch from the half way mark.  I just brought it in a big bag.  There's no way I can get it into my knitting bag at this point.  Now I've got to figure out where we're going to meet though, because I never got a response yesterday about our usual meeting room. 

It looks as if we're going to a Halloween party this Saturday.  I don't really care for Halloween parties in general, but this one is at the Triplehorn and is starting early so I'll give it a try.  I just hope the music is good.  It's all over the place up there - sometimes a crappy band, sometimes a good one.  It's a DJ for Saturday.  Fingers crossed it's dance-able.

It could be worse

I got Tink an appointment with the vet at 2:40 yesterday afternoon.  She doesn't think the tendons around her knee are completely torn but they are definitely the problem.  On x-ray we could see that there is some arthritis in her hip joint and her legs look just fine.  So she gave me some pills for inflammation and pain and I'm to keep her quiet - as in no charging around playing with her ball and walks only on a leash and sedately.  We have to carry her up and down the stairs.  I started the pills last night and already this morning I see a bit of improvement.  She was putting a bit of weight on the right leg whereas yesterday she was absolutely not. 

It was foggy and cold this morning.  I have changed from fingerless mitts to my pink gloves, at least for my morning doggie walk and bus ride.  It is supposed to be sunny today after the fog lifts but then rainy for the foreseeable future.  I just hate driving in the pitch black though so I'm looking forward to the little bit of relief we'll get from that in early November.

I ordered my new iPhone 6s yesterday!  Not the big one, just the regular sized one.  I want a phone I can still put in my pocket.  I chose rose gold and ordered a clear case for it.  It's going to be cool.  Can't wait!

Poor Tinkie

Friday when I got home I noticed that Tinkerbell was limping.  It had happened before, maybe last month, and within a day or so she was fine.  She does dash up and down the hallway, chasing her ball.  It is quite possible she just pulled a muscle.  But this was worse.  And despite dosing her with baby aspirin on Saturday and Sunday she was not any better.  My guess is that she has hurt her ACL.  Mickey tore his and it seems like the same type of thing.  Westies don't generally have the problem with degenerative hips like other dogs tend to do.  I wanted to wait and see on Saturday but now I've got to call the vet this morning and get her in as soon as possible.  I did some reading and perhaps we can avoid surgery and give a brace a try, at least for a while.  Some people have gotten good results with that approach.

Saturday I had a hair appointment and we had people coming over for pizza and cards, so that day was quite busy.  But Sunday -- all I had to do was grocery shop and then I spent the rest of the day watching football and knitting.  The dinner was cooking on its own.  Hours of Red Zone and several inches done on the blanket.  I am just three inches away from half way done!  I would like to work on it during the week too.  I haven't been very diligent there.

It's raining and supposed to rain most of the next two weeks.  But we will be turning the clocks back in a few days so at least the mornings will be a bit lighter for a few weeks.  It is pitch black when I leave now days. 

Is everybody happy now?

It was over an hour after the game started that I was able to sit down and start the recording.  My fantasy app had alerted me that Marshawn Lynch had made a touchdown -- no I did NOT mean to look at it!  Ah well, it was good news.  The short story is that the Seahawks played really well and crushed San Francisco.  Finally.  The entire city of sports fans has heaved a long sigh of relief.  We are not cooked yet.

I had a really super lunch with an old friend yesterday afternoon before heading home.  It look me about half the time to drive home as it did to drive in to work.  I am glad I don't do it very often. 

The football game was too exciting for me to knit but I really have to buckle down this weekend and get some serious work done on that blanket.  I don't want to be knitting on it all winter!  I am getting bored already.  I need something interesting and I've got lots of yarn and wonderful patterns to go with it.  I am quite keen on starting the cardigan with but lace drapey fronts.  And I've got camel yarn and a stole pattern also ready to go.  And some lovely green yarn that I'd like to use to make another Venomous Tentacular.  *sigh* So many great projects and simply not enough spare time.  Maybe I'll start knitting during all of these ridiculous meetings.

Thursday night football

I drove in today and it took me for-freaking-ever!  I don't like to get on the freeway, so I drive around and they are working on 522.  It took me over an hour but I have a lunch appointment at University Village and then I go home early on Thursday (because of my late meeting) and it's very difficult to get a bus from U Village to Redmond Transit Center, so I drove.  It's just too bad about my meeting. I'll have the game recording but I know Ben is going to want to start it as soon as he gets home and ... well I'll be on the computer.  Maybe they will stop early tonight.  Maybe.

I'm nervous about the football game.  Silly, I know, but it's a big game.  A lot of consequences if they lose another one.  For either team actually, so I hope it's San Francisco.  They deserve it.

I got to hand off one of my meetings yesterday - and I am SO happy!  It was the one I hated the most.  You know how some people's voices just grate .....

What about the weekend?  I don't know.  Since the Seahawks are playing tonight I don't feel like I need to be tied to the TV.  I can keep up with my fantasy stats on my phone.  I'd like to help get the gutters cleaned out.  Get to Costco.  Maybe have a nice dog walk if the weather permits.  Ah, but it's only Thursday.

Oh this world we live in!!

I suppose I shouldn't really let these things bother me, but I do!  Yesterday was flu shot day here at Health Sciences and I went down after my second meeting to stand in line and get my shot.  There is a man who goes around the line making sure your insurance paperwork is filled out completely and correctly.  He got to me, went over my form, and then at the top drew an M and an F.  Then he turned the clipboard around so that it was facing me and asked me to circle the correct letter - male or female.  I looked at him and laughed.  I might have even snorted and rolled my eyes.  Seriously.  He said, "I can't ask and I can't assume."  Oh. My. God.  And this ladies and gentlemen is what our society has become.  And why oh why does it make any difference in the world for a flu shot??  Oh it makes me angry to think about it even this morning.  Grrrrrr ...

My afternoon was much less stressful than the morning and I had a good dinner to look forward to.  Frank and Shannon are moving to Utah to their new home tomorrow and this was our last dinner together.  We went to Chan's which is my ultimate favorite old fashioned type Chinese restaurant.  But we got there early and therefore were home before 7:30.  But I didn't feel like watching TV or knitting, so I had a nice shower and got into bed to play with my iPad.  I ended up re-watching some episodes of Saxondale.  I am, in fact, re-watching the entire series.  Hilarious.

Today is noon knitting and I've brought my blanket.  I don't know how much longer I'll be able to do that.  It is getting to be about 1/3 done.  I've finished two of five 9" grey sections and I'm nearly done with the second of four 4" sections.  I need to keep plugging along. I am seriously wanting to start another project but I don't dare.

Sports radio is all about the Seahawks and if they are cooked or not.  The game Thursday, tomorrow, against San Francisco is HUGE.  And it's in San Francisco.  *ahem* HUGE!!

Fires

It is the worst way to start the day.  No I take that back, an early meeting is the worst way, but having a bunch of fires to put out is a close second.  And then a meeting and another, back to back.  Oh I am indeed earning my money this year.

I won my fantasy game, as I knew I would.  I only beat the other really lame guy so it's not such a huge victory.  But I am not last any more -- hopefully.  I haven't looked.  It does have to do with accumulated points too.  I should have a better week next week.  I should.

Well ... gotta run back to the real world.

Ugly ugly ugly

The good news is that I am winning my fantasy match up.  The bad news is that not only did the Huskies lose against the Ducks (and I love a $10 bet) but the Seahawks lost at home against the Panthers, again giving up a significant lead in the 4th quarter.  It was awful!  Terrible.  We had to turn off the TV after that game.  No more football yesterday.  This week is a short week for them, playing the Thursday night game against San Francisco who have been worse than us this year.  I might not be able to watch that game.

Otherwise my weekend was fantastic.  Kate and Andy and I went to visit John at Hood Canal.  The weather was nice as in it rained only at night.  We had a terrific hike in the woods on Saturday and I not only baked a pie, but made a pot roast as well.  I did come home with a couple of bites - and I'm not entirely sure if they're mosquito or spider bites.  I don't really want to think too much about it.

Ben was home when I got home, after more than a week in Phoenix.  Next up he's off to Las Vegas.  Hopefully not for a few weeks though.  It's awfully lonesome all alone out there, even though I do get to eat what I want and watch stupid TV.  It's hardly worth it.

It is going to be a busy busy week for me.  I was happy that the 8 am meeting was cancelled today.  I hate having to get up and catch that early bus on Monday mornings just to listen to a meeting for 30 minutes.  It's hardly worth it.

Soothing Noon Knitting

Wednesday mornings before noon knitting I have a meeting.  It is one of the most dysfunctional groups and I inherited it.  I come out of those meetings feeling like every hair on my head is standing straight up!  I think it's the least favorite hour of my week and that's saying a lot because that means it's worse than my commute. 

Noon knitting then was just like falling into a big pillow.  Warm and comforting and soothing.  If I didn't have to take minutes, knitting in those meetings would be just the thing. 

It is getting cooler and I felt like roasted vegetables for dinner last night.  A perfect dish for a cool evening.  I had some Brussel's sprouts and a yam and peppers and an onion .... a couple of little red potatoes and fresh herbs from the garden.  Then I put some Italian chicken sausages on top and it was great.  I watched Inside the NFL and despite having to see the Seahawks lose again .... it was fun.  It's a big football weekend coming up.  The Huskies are playing the Ducks and are favorites to win (!) and Carolina is coming to play the Seahawks and they are also unbeaten, like the Bengals.  It's a very big game.  I have to make sure I'm home from Hood Canal in time for the game.

It's late meeting night tonight, so I am leaving work early.  Those meeting are now going until 7 pm.  That is crazy.  And for those folks in Montana and Wyoming it's 8 when it finishes.  That is a long long day.

The spring trip!

Woohoo!  We're getting closer to setting a date for the spring trip.  Once all of the scheduling difficulties at my friend's pub have been sorted we'll have our dates.  Oh boy, and then the fun comes.  We are talking about six months down the line though ... so back to reality for me.

Somehow I thought it was later in the week yesterday but it was only Tuesday.  This week is dragging along but at least it's noon knitting today.  I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to bring that blanket in with me.  I guess as long as it fits into my bag I can bring it, but it won't be for much longer.

I don't know what was wrong with me yesterday but I wasn't hungry for lunch.  I didn't eat, which is very strange.  I hadn't had dinner Monday night so I was hungry when I got in and I had a little breakfast but lunch?  Not interested.  I did have a bit of dinner last night and managed to stay up after nine.  Tink was right ready for bed at 8 o'clock though so I was in there with her reading for an hour or so.  She is so funny.  When it's bedtime it's bedtime.  Her inner clock is amazing.

The heat came on this morning before I got up so that means it's getting colder, finally.  We are supposed to get into the 70s again Friday but I suspect that's the last of that temperature we'll see for a while.  Soon I'm going to have to start covering my windshield at night.  It has been quite nice this week driving the Volvo to the Transit Center because the Volvo lives in the garage. 

The mysterious plant

Directly outside of my office door, on the right, is a large cabinet.  Somebody left a houseplant on top of that cabinet.  I hope they plan on taking care of it, because I'm not a houseplant type of person and I am certainly not going to take care of it.  I love flowers, but a plant is just another thing to take care of and I have enough of that in my life, thank you. 

Do nothing Monday was completely do nothing.  I watched two movies and had smoked salmon and crackers for dinner.  It doesn't get much more do nothing than that, does it?  I didn't even watch the football game and good thing too, because my guy didn't get a single point.  I sure hope I do better this week.  It's embarrassing!!

It is now too dark to wear sunglasses on the bus.  I like having my protection, as it were.  At least I can wear my headphones no matter what.  Of course, I've got to have something to plug them in to ...... but even if I didn't I guess I could put the end into my pocket and nobody would be the wiser.

I'm crabby. 

Oh my goodness

Is there a correlation between how terrible my fantasy football team is and how bad the Seahawks are playing?  They were up 24 to 7 and ended up losing to the Bengals on the road!  In overtime!  Terrible.  And my fantasy team -- not only was Marshawn out with injuries but Alshon Jeffries as well PLUS a bunch of other good guys on a bye and Peyton Manning ..... done son.  I am going to have to bench him.  Pathetic.  I have never ever in all my fantasy time had such a sucky team.

On a positive note, I got tons done on the blanket this weekend.  I have finished the second of 5 gray bands and I am working on the second of four magenta ones.  It is so beautiful and it's going to be very soft and warm.

Saturday it poured down rain most of the day and I didn't do much else but get my manicure and do some grocery shopping.  Tinkerbell wasn't interested in a walk so I gave her a bath, which she needed.  Sunday it was beautiful and sunny and we went to Cottage Lake park and had a nice long walk before football.  I made some soup on Saturday and reheated it for dinner yesterday.  It was yummy but would have been better with a ham hock, but they were all out at the store.  I guess I wasn't the only one wanting to make soup on a rainy day!

I think the best part of the weekend was watching Wazzu beat up on the Ducks.  In double overtime.  That was fun.

It's going to be a long long week.

The Huskies!

Oh my goodness, what a game!  The Huskies beat USC -- and their former coach!  And I was worried about it being a blow out.  The meeting went until after 7, then I had to walk Tink and get my dinner together so I was glad it was recording.  I skipped over the commercials and got to real time.  It was SO much fun. And I got to knit as well. 

Knitting is going to be tops on my list this weekend, along with doggie walks when it's not raining.  I want to make some decent progress on the blanket.  My only concern is hurting my hands, so I've got to make sure to take breaks and stretch them.

How happy am I that it's Friday?  I can't even say.  I've been busy and stressed and without any other people in the office suite, which I just hate.  I understand that if nobody else is here that people are going to ask me questions but I still hate it.  Oh well -- tick tock.

Sky high

My stress levels are sky high again.  I should just keep my knitting with me.  Noon knitting helped a lot yesterday.  Today though ..... I keep sighing and that's not good.  At least I didn't have another nightmare last night.  And I'll be sleeping soundly for the next 10 days because Ben's gone on a business trip.  Although I'm going to be very lonely.

I was very tired again yesterday.  It was all I could do to keep myself from putting my head down on my desk and taking a nap. I suppose because of all the stress and the rain rain rain and so I didn't do much of anything when I finally got home.  A shower, cleaned up the kitchen and baked a potato to have with leftovers.  It was quite yummy and then it was early to bed.  Tonight I've got the Husky/USC game after my late meeting.  I'll set it to record.  I hope it's not a blow out.

I got the ArtYarns Yarnbox yesterday and thank goodness I didn't get the brown or the green.  The yarn is super soft - cashmere and merino - and two complimentary colors of lavender.  Really beautiful.  I have so much yarn and so many projects I want to do but really, I MUST keep on with the blanket or I'll never finish it.  I am hoping I can get some good progress on it while Ben's gone.

The neighbors get a chicken coop

Our neighborhood has quite a few homes on acre lots and one cul-de-sac or normal sized lots.  On one of those, the corner one, the people have built a chicken coop and stocked it with fowl.  That of course include the rooster.  Thank goodness we are around the bend in the road and we can't hear that thing crowing, but imagine how their close neighbors feel.  I would be SO mad.

It's raining today so the traffic was bad, but I managed to catch my bus.  I have another busy day, of course, since that's the norm.  The support staff are nowhere to be found though, which ticks me off.  I have meetings today and I can't be handling packages.  Plus which I really don't know what to do about them ......  I sure hope the Administrator plans on showing up today.

I was awfully crabby yesterday and my mood isn't much better today.  I am burnt out and my vacation isn't until April ... how long is that?  Seven months?  Terrible!  I'll have to come up with something before then.Seriously.

INSANE burger

It was an absolutely gorgeous weekend.  Of course since we were throwing yet another party, Saturday was spent mostly just cleaning and cooking and cooking and cleaning and not much enjoyment of the outdoors.  But Sunday, especially since the Seahawks played last night, was another story.  We got the rest of the tidying up done early, got the shopping done as well and as soon as the groceries were all stowed away we got Tinkerbell, popped the top on the Volvo and headed out to enjoy the weather.  Oh well, I set the Red Zone to record, of course.  Can't go an entire Sunday without any football. 

We decided to drive to Duval to have lunch outside and then walk a little bit around the town.  It's about the same distance from our place to Duval as it is to Woodinville and I like the quaintness of Duval better.  Plus there is a great pub where we can sit outside with Tink and enjoy some nice beer and some decent food.  On their specials menu on Sunday they had a King Burger which the wait staff were all quite keen on.  We were feeling adventurous so we decided to share one.  And what a mouthful it was!  A hamburger, bacon, and then a little peanut butter and sliced bananas.  I know it sounds crazy, but it was quite tasty.  I mean, I wouldn't have wanted an entire one, but half was quite a treat. 

In the afternoon we watched a lot of Red Zone.  Most of my fantasy players were playing except for the Seahawks players.  Marshawn was questionable and ended up not playing last night so, surprise surprise, I lost yet again.I am last.  This is the WORST year I've ever had.  It's still fun though.  And it's early days yet.  I haven't given up.

Yesterday I had a retreat - an entire day of meeting.  I was so tired as well because I had a  nightmare Sunday night and woke up at 4 am and couldn't go back to sleep.  I was a zombie by the evening.  I did watch the game, but I couldn't even knit, I was that out of it.  I slept great, thank goodness and I feel human today.

My late Thursday

I am starting to really like Thursdays.  I do that have the late meeting from 5 o'clock until 6:30 or so.  But I get to leave work early and yesterday I had time for a little lay down with Tink.  I was SO tired!  I sure hope I can get caught up with my sleep this weekend.

The Thursday night football game was a real nail biter.  They're usually not that good but the Ravens took it finally in overtime, mostly because of the Steelers' terrible kicker, Josh Scobee.  He's so bad that the Steelers have been going for two point conversions rather than give him a chance to kick the extra point.  Wow

The Seahawks are on Monday night so my weekend is going to be incomplete, fantasy-wise.  My star RB, Marshawn Lynch, is still a game time call.  I can't believe my luck, really.  Last year I lose my first pick and this year my best RB.  It's good I paid my fee up front because it really hurts to have to come up with that money after losing!

Filling in a few more blanks

Planning is something I really really enjoy.  Planning a trip is one of my most favorite things.  I saw pictures of the house we will be staying in Burgundy, but what to do in the second half of the trip?  Ah .... I think I have it.  A couple days in Rome to hit the high spots - Colosseum and the Vatican - and then the rest of the week back at the Cinque Terre, but this time we'll visit all of the towns.  I don't know now whether this will be before or after the week in Burgundy.  I do know for sure that Rome will be in the middle.  I don't really care for Rome but I think it's some place Ben should see and he'd probably really enjoy it.  And relaxing on both ends.  A perfect trip.

Here it is October already!  And still we are having beautiful and warm weather.  Not hot, but a beautiful Indian summer.  It's going to be quite a shock to the system when it starts getting colder.  It's already very dark in the morning and I need a flashlight to walk Tinkie.  We almost sneaked up on a rabbit the other morning, it's that dark outside.

My blanket is growing and I've got to find some new knitting needles to transfer it.  I am using my Denise needles and the long 52" cord, but as this blanket grows it is going to be getting increasingly heavy and I just know from past disasters that those needles are bound to come apart from the cord.  It's something about the way I lift and shift the project from my lap that does it.  I'm aware of it but even if I'm very very careful I know it's going to happen.  So that is right up there on my list.

We have a busy weekend.  We're throwing another party Saturday but only for 10.  It's kind of another going away party for Ben's cousin and his wife, moving to Utah at the end of the month.  Cards and dinner.  That means early to rise Saturday, lots of running around, cooking of food and cleaning of house.  I plan on doing a whole lot of nothing but football and knitting on Sunday.