Too hot and too cold

That's spring for you.  This morning it was in the 30's when I got up.  The heat kept coming on last night and it is set for 60, so when it comes on at night that means it's pretty cold outside.  I had to start the truck while I was walking Tink this morning to get the windshield clear.  And now I'm in my office and I'm too warm.  I hope I'm not getting sick.  I'm all paranoid since Ben's been so sick these last few days.  But, as I said, it's better to get sick now before the vacation so I can be all better and ready to go in less than a month!

Work is so difficult for me these days.  Today starts my double digit countdown.  I can not only see the end of the tunnel, I can smell it.  But I have lots of balls in the air and I don't want to let anyone down - any more than I will be already letting them down by leaving when the shit is just starting to hit the fan.  My plan is to give everyone plenty of notice, but that's not going to make things easier for them in their minds.  So truly the last two months are going to be the very worst of them all.  So I should enjoy this as much as I can!

I just have a couple more hours to do on that HUGE shawl I have made.  I'd like to get it done because I came up with what I think is a brilliant idea to use up some rather bright pink mohair and silk yarn I have.  I want to make another Venomous Tentacula and make one or two tentacles out of some silver beaded silk and sequins I have stashed.  It would be stunning and the beads would give the light yarn some weight.  AND the color is perfect for my pink Spring coat.  I seriously doubt I could get it done by the time we leave but maybe. 

Today is late meeting day so I get to leave early.  It is sunny outside now, albeit cold.  I can run after my morning meeting and now that the buses have changed the schedule I can catch my regular 542 Redmond bus all during the day so I don't have to walk over to the freeway.  Nice!

The quietest weekend

I cannot remember a quieter weekend in years.  Poor Ben was sick in bed for the entire weekend with a bad bad cold, sore throat, cough ..... and that left Tink and I at loose ends.  Nobody to play with and terrible weather. 

I ran errands on Saturday - Costco, a walk in the park despite the nasty weather, dry cleaners, grocery store .... the whole deal.  And then I spent the day knitting.  I am nearly done with that shawl, huge as it is, since I spent Saturday AND Sunday knitting.  Saturday I put together a big pot of chicken soup which Ben worked on.  I think he had it four times, but maybe six.  I think he's done with chicken soup.  It did some good, but he's still sick and home today.  I sure hope I don't get it.  I am going for some probiotics today, at my sister's insistence.  She swears by it.

Today while I'm shopping for the supplements I'm going to get a folder for my trip documents.  I think I should get them printed out and checked this week.  I had such a time getting all of my reservations and the dates correct that I want to double and triple check the printed documents.  Oh I am getting anxious.  I want to be gone gone gone!

Three meeting Monday.  I am in the midst of of the first one.  Oh it is going to be a long long four weeks.

Four weeks!!

Oh woohoo!  We are getting closer and closer.  One more month until vacation and I am very ready.  I am so impatient at work these days.  Everything bugs me, but mostly stupid people. 

Ben came home yesterday with such a scratchy throat.  A bad cold.  Not good.  BUT ... much better than coming home with a cold closer to the trip.  Now if I get it I should be 100% by the time we leave.

What's on for the weekend?  Probably nothing.  Dog walks and some knitting.  It is going to depend upon the weather.  It is a little early for gardening but clean up is always something that can be done. 

And plenty of sleeping for me.  I am tired.   Of course, I haven't had breakfast yet.  I am going to run today so fingers crossed it's not pouring outside at noon.

They are back

The bunnies are back in force.  I have seen an odd one now and again in the back where the entrance to the burrow is, but this morning I saw a smaller one in the front.  Tink, thank goodness, hadn't actually caught sight of it, although I know she had the scent because she was going crazy sniffing around.  It is rather exhausting, trying to walk her in the morning when she is more interested in chasing rabbits. 

Noon knitting was relatively quiet yesterday.  Diana seems to be still out sick, or rather out again, and it was MaryEllin's penultimate session.  I am working away on the Dune, although I should really get that lace front cardigan going again.  At home I have been feverishly working on the Noro wrap that I am intending to take with me to Europe -- although it is so darned huge.  You know me, I love to make the large wraps.  Is this really something I want to drag around Europe with me though?  The jury is still out.

Not Friday .... no running this noontime.  I've got to get to Northgate to pick up my Clinique order and get some Chanel makeup at Nordstroms.  If I do it at lunchtime then I don't have to fight the crowds at the mall on the weekend. 

Well, time to dig in.

Traffic

Oh how I am looking forward to not having to deal with traffic in the morning.  Thank goodness I take the bus.  But today there was an accident on the Montlake Bridge and we were stuck on the freeway for 30 minutes.  I know, it could have been worse.  But it was bad enough. 

Late meeting day yesterday so I worked all morning -- I have a million and one things to do -- and then headed out for home in the afternoon to get ready for my late meeting.  The sun was shining, which was a super nice bonus, and Tink was happy to see me.  She spent most of the afternoon outside waiting for rabbits to poke their heads out.  We have been seeing them.  Not tons but a few.  She is quite keen.

I had the entire evening to myself since Ben was out at an after work thing.   It was quiet.  I needed it.  A little TV, a little dinner, some knitting and early to bed.  I did get a good night but I'm sleepy this morning.  More tea!

That darned courtyard

I was looking forward to my run yesterday.  Now that it looks like I'm back on track, I am eager to get my wind back and most importantly, to get my strength back so that I can start really really enjoying my runs.  So even though it was raining in the morning, it looked like it had stopped when I checked outside through my office windows, which look onto the courtyard.  I changed, stretched, and headed out.  Ah, but then I stepped out the door and it was raining!  I did not have my hat.  I was not wearing my waterproof jacket.  I did know though that if I went back into the building to get my hat I most likely would talk myself out of going out at all, so I soldiered on.  I did have a hood on my jacket, but without strings to hold it in place.  I just kept it on as best as I could and went for an abbreviated run, turning around at 1 mile rather than a mile and a half.  The good news is that I was able to run .7 miles without stopping, which is awesome considering this is only the third time out.  The bad news is that I returned soaked to the bone.  But clothes dry and I am very proud of myself for getting out there.

It was a busy day, all in all.  It is my three meeting day.  Today is my late meeting day so I am going home at 1:30 or so.  And that confused me this morning so much so that I went out without my lunch.  I was going to take a frozen meal for a change.  No matter.  I can go to the salad bar.  But still ... I get confused easily at 6:30am. 

My train tickets were making me crazy yesterday but I have now gotten to the bottom of the confusion and I am 99% sure I have all of my reservations straightened out.  To make positive sure, I'm going to print everything out this week, if I can find the time, and make my travel book now.  Then I can enjoy the month of anticipation.

My shawl that I am working on at home is going to be huge.  I like big shawls though.  They can be used as blankets almost.  Very handy for traveling.

First Day of Spring

I have a vase of daffodils on my dining room table at home and they are so fragrant.  I needed that this weekend, the first day of spring on Sunday, to remind me of spring.  It was cloudy and rainy.  I was SO looking forward to sunshine after Thursday and Friday.  But there was no sunshine and it put me in a deep funk.  I couldn't face cleaning the house on Saturday.  I got my manicure and pedicure and we went to the Triplehorn where I had a diet Coke and watched Ben drink a couple of beers.  I was hankering for a taco salad, one of the things I can eat out with impunity on my diet, and we met the family for dinner.  I was satisfied and, since I was having such a bad day, I treated myself with a shot of tequila.  Ahhhhh ...

Five weeks until our trip.  Five weeks.  I am getting so excited.  I stopped by Costco on Sunday and bought a pair of glasses with transition lenses to take on the trip.  I thought it would be nice to have a single pair of glasses I could have to wear on day trips rather than having to drag around an extra pair of glasses each time we go out.  And the glasses are very different from my regular glasses.  It's nice to be able to have a spare look.

So yesterday ended up being the big chore day.  Cleaning and laundry.  Again, not a nice day to be outside although I couldn't stand it and took Tink for a nice walk at Cottage Lake Park in the mist.  She loves it there.

I turned the corner with the shawl I'm working on and now I am decreasing.  I did a nice stripe with the bead and sequin yarn.  Very pretty.

Three meeting day.  Ick

What I did yesterday

It was a super gorgeous day yesterday - as well as being St. Patrick's Day, of course - and even though it hadn't been in my mind to do so, I just decided I would go out running.  I didn't over think it.  I just togged up and went outside.  I knew it wasn't going to be easy because my asthma has been really acting up with all of the blooming trees, but I had taken a couple of puffs before I headed out and I had my rescue inhaler with me, just in case.  So away I went.  And you know what?  I was like falling off a log.  Granted, I didn't have the strength or the wind, but I ran way more than I thought I would be able to in relation to walking.  And when I walked it was just a few paces to get my wind back and I would trot again.  And my foot?  Not a problem at all.  That was my biggest fear, that my avulsion fracture would start to ache.  It did not.  So perhaps all of the laying off of it I've been doing was just exactly what I had to do.  This morning I am a little bit sore in my body - back, legs, stomach.  Not my foot.  NOT my foot.  Hoo-freakin'-ray!

I found a new recipe for pork chops yesterday with a mustard sauce and that's what I whipped up for dinner last night while taking a break from "Despicable Me 2". The sauce was very easy to make and quite tasty.  I would do it again with pork chops or maybe with chicken breasts and add some capers to make it a bit more sour, like chicken piccata. 

I took a break from knitting on my latest Noro Shiro shawl to start picking out an ill advised addition of a silver strand of ArtYarns beaded silk and sequins.  It just doesn't go with the deep green of the yarn and it was driving me crazy.  However, it is such expensive yarn I just couldn't cut it out, so I'm trying to pick it out and it's tedious and time consuming work.  I had to stop last night because I wasn't able to keep my eyes or ears on the movie.  I'll just keep working away at it during the weekend.  When I'm not cleaning.  Ick

How I know it's still winter

It's freaking cold, that's how!  There was ice on my windshield this morning and the heat went on before I got up.  Cold!!  This Sunday is the first day of spring so this weather is on its way out, but we have weeks and weeks before any decent heat.  And I suspect many weeks of rain as well. 

My early Monday meeting was moved to 5 pm yesterday so I got to go home early to prepare.  Tink needs her walk and I need to ... uh .... not be here.  Anyway we got the meeting done in a little over an hour, which is nice.  And then a hot hot shower.  I know ... I can't warm up!  I didn't make a fire last night though.  It wasn't raining.  I'm almost half way through with the new Noro Shiro shawl I"m doing.  I am putting in a row using some ArtYarns stuff with beads and sequins.  And I am regretting holding a silver strand of that same yarn along with a darker green a few repeats back.  But it's too late to tink back so I just might have to cut it out.  I can't decide.  I'll wait until I block the thing and it's finished and I've got the ribbon pieces tied onto it.  I want it to be a little Boho.

What else?  Not Friday again.  Next week should be a bit better but everyone is taking time off this week and it's like a morgue around here.  Except for SOM meetings.  They go on and on and on.  I have one at 9 am today.  Only one meeting today.  Oh!  And my early morning meeting is cancelled for tomorrow as well.  Tomorrow there is nothing going on.  Nothing except a reminder to send out.  Countdown - 5 months and 17 days.  107 working days, 7 hours and 40 minutes. *sigh*

Running around

Yesterday was spent running around.  Work is dead slow - as in spring break and nobody is around.  So it was a perfect day to work from home and do doctor visits.  First the eye doctor at Costco and then the dentist to get my new crown.  That was relatively painless and it is nice to have it done finally.  SO much more comfortable than the botched filling. 

Nobody was communicating from work and so I spent the afternoon cooking soup and getting my food ready for today and knitting.  And playing with Tinkerbell, who is incredibly frisky for a 12 (or is it 13?) year old dog.  I try to indulge her every time she wants to play.  I know she won't be around forever but I sure hope I get to enjoy her for a good while after I'm retired.

This is such an odd time of the year for me.  Or maybe it's because of the fact that I am seriously counting down the days until I can retire.  I think of those six months I spent in Paris in 2000 whenever people ask me if I won't be bored when I retire.  Was I bored EVER when I was in Paris?  No.  I always could find something to do.  Sometimes it wasn't anything too exciting - like lay on the couch and read.  But I took French class and I went to the gym and I walked and walked and it was a wonderful life.  I think this time around it's going to be even more wonderful.  It would be much easier to take these last few months if it was busier here at work, but that can't be helped.  I will soldier on.  Right now the trip is my focus.  Although I was realizing that it's now 6 months until my birthday so I do have some things I can start getting in motion, retirement-wise.

Noon knitting today.  We have very few sessions left with MaryEllin.  Lucky duck.

Big storm and no power

Saturday was a nasty day.  Cold and wet.  We skipped the trip to see the cherry blossoms and instead went to the DSW at Northgate, since it is larger than the closer one in Redmond.  I scored a pair of awesome Lucky Brand short boots and a super comfy shoe/sandal which will be great for the trip and any other time.  I can wear them with or without socks.  And then grocery shopping and that was about it.  A nice fire in the evening and a movie and lots of knitting.  Dinner was yucky though.  We bought some salmon burgers which looked good but were, in fact, terrible.

Sunday a big storm was brewing and it was the first day of Daylight Savings Time.  We got to Costco and pick up a few things and people were buying generators.  And then we sent to Safeway to get a few things I had forgotten and it was swarming with people stocking up on Presto Logs (us as well) and other things, getting ready for the storm.  We thought it might have missed us since it was alternating sun and clouds until about 2:30 when the heavy winds showed up.  And by 3 pm our power was out.  I moved the pot roast from the slow cooker to the stove and we got the fire going.  We didn't get the power restored until 5:10 am.  It was a cold night.

So what's up for this week?  Eye doctor Tuesday.  I get my permanent crown in on Tuesday.  And meetings.  And counting down until vacation -- six weeks.

So much color

I need to think of someplace to take Tinkerbell this weekend for a walk in a garden.  It is so so SO pretty this time of year.  The cherry trees and the plum trees and all of the other trees are blooming.  Of course it's aggravating my asthma because the wind has been whipping all of that pollen into the air.  In fact I had to take two puffs yesterday.  But it is all so gorgeous!  The cherry trees in the Quad are all blooming - maybe we can come to the campus this weekend to enjoy them.  As long as I have my inhaler .....  AND I noticed that the rhodies are starting to bloom as well.  If it's not raining we will go for sure.

Other than that I've got nothing in stone for the weekend.  I do need some new shoes.  The suede boots I bought before vacation last spring are trashed.  Of course, I walked for three straight weeks in them in Europe but in fact I think they were just poorly made, as in cheap.  Then the shoes I've been using as walking shoes are also trashed.  I noticed that one of the heels has pulled away from the sole.  And finally, my awesome silver cowboy boot/mules are also thrashed.  Maybe a trip to DSW this weekend?

Ben as in Spokane last night so I made a fire, kept it going, and knit for hours.  Tinkerbell was rather antsy though and I had to keep getting up and letting her out into the back and then the front.  I think the rabbits are starting to come out, although we haven't seen a single one yet.  She smells something though.  Shrews maybe.  Or mice?  For sure the critters are starting to show up.  It won't be long now.

I know what time frogs go to bed.

The frogs are really really loud these days.  We have a ravine at the back of the property and at certain times of the year the frogs are singing up a storm.  Not only do we hear them at the back, but across the street and behind those houses you can hear them as well.  Such a loud chorus that last night I could hear it in the house, despite the raging rain storm.  And then I went out to get some more wood for the fire at 8 o'clock and it was silent.  Boom!  From loud enough to hear inside to nothing.  Weird, huh?  I thought so anyway.

So the storm yesterday was intense.  Very rainy and windy.  On the potty walk this morning I could see blue sky, but on the way to the bus the wind was whipping the trees and I got nailed a couple of times.  I am alone tonight so I sure hope it settles down by the time I get home!  It's scary enough.

Happy Not Friday.

I am powerless

I don't know why, but when I get some new Noro yarn I just need to knit it up!  Right away!  So despite having the Dune wrap on my needles AND the lace front cardigan, I started another wrap yesterday with the 10 skeins of Noro Shiro I got from the Wool Watcher deal.  I found a sideways pattern so that I can use all 10 skeins and have a nice big wrap, like the Venomous Tentacula, which I wear all the time.  In fact I need to wash and block it again.  That's how much wear it gets.  I bought that gorgeous pink face suede coat a few months ago and I'm going to use that as my spring coat.  I made that swing knitted scarf last year this time for my trip and I'm making this one as well for the trip.  Both will go nicely with the coat.  Maybe I'll bring them both. 

Yesterday was my short day because of my evening meeting.  Tink was rather keen for a walk when I got home, which is unusual because that's in her prime sleeping time and she typically prefers to wait.  But not yesterday, which was fine with me.  I got her walked and then got my new project started.

While my evening meeting was going I got everything prepped for cauliflower bisque.  Such a good soup.  And I even had fresh parsley for it.  Although it's better with fresh crab. 

Noon knitting.  Only four more times with MaryEllin and then she'll be gone - retired.  And tick tock for me.  I cannot wait, in case you're wondering.  NOT for her to retire.  Me.

Yay! It's Tuesday

Friday was a half a day for me, since we were heading out to Astoria, Oregon by way of Portland.  I drove in, did my 8am meeting, then went to the parking garage to give little Tink a walk.  And then at noon we headed out for the drive to Portland.  I was listening to my book, "Little Lives" which is a very intense book, by the way.  VERY intense.  We ran into a little weather on the way down, but it was intermittent.  It would rain, then stop and then rain again.  Tink was a very good girl and we only had to stop once, and that was on me.

We got Ben at 3 and then headed to Astoria, getting there at 5.  Five hours in the car for that poor dog.  I felt so sorry for her, but she's a trooper.  We didn't do much - had a little dinner and watched a movie and went to sleep.  However.  However ... Tink was not having it.  She got the gurgling stomach thing and I had to get up to walk her in the POURING rain and wind so hard it nearly blew me over.  Thirty minutes trying to find her some greens to eat.  She found just a bare little bit - the place was newly landscaped so the amount of weeds and edibles for her stomach upset were few and far between.  Back in the room for an hour or so and then Ben took her out.  Same deal.  Then again at 4:30 and then again at 7:30.  Which you might as well call morning, yes? 

The thing is, all of the wind had blown the clouds away so it was sunny and we had a (crappy) breakfast at the hotel and headed out down the coast.  We had a nice walk at Seaside and then continued on down, finally stopping at Rockaway or whatever it's called for a nice lunch.

Poor Ben wanted live music but we could not for the life of us find a music club because ... oh, I don't know, THEY DON'T EXIST ANYMORE!!!  We did go out Sunday to listen to music but it was so gawd awful even Ben didn't want to listen to it.

It was lovely having all of Monday to get home and get settled in.  I got my manicure and pedicure, got the laundry done, the grocery shopping done, my lunch ready for today and dinner done.  Then I got to sit down and catch up to Once Upon A Time - new season started Sunday - and get some knitting done.  I did get the Noro Shiro I had ordered and now I'm wondering if I should start something new with that before I finish up my other two WIPs.  I'd like maybe a big new spring scarf for the trip which is .... wait for it .....7 weeks away!!!!

A running start

Whew!  This morning has been a race.  I got right up at 6 am, but I had so much to do before I could get on the road.  I did as much as I could do last night, and this morning got dressed and finished packing and loaded the car and put ice in the cooler and filled that and got Tink piddled.  We were only 10 minutes behind schedule, which isn't bad.  I had my regular 8am Friday morning meeting and I made it with about 5 minutes to spare.  After the meeting I went out and gave Tink a little better walk than the short one she got at 6:30 and she was able to finish her business.  Now I'm just waiting for the time to pass so I can get on the road.

On the road to Portland, where I'll pick Ben up at the store, and then we're off to Astoria for a long weekend - three nights!  The weather is cloudy but it's not actually raining and we have been getting sun breaks these past couple of days, so hopefully we'll get some of those as well.  I don't care, frankly.  I just want to be gone.  And at the ocean.  We'll go to Seaside and Tink will be able to play in the ocean and get all messy.  She loves to chase the seagulls and the foamy waves.

So tick tock.  Let's get moving!!

I'd better check myself

I was in a rotten mood yesterday, despite it being noon knitting day.  And I only had one meeting.  Nevertheless I was just crabby.  And I'm thinking .... I'd better start being nicer to people!  I can't be snide and snarky and sassy and frown all of the time.  My days are numbered here.  How many?  Counting today 118 working days.  That takes into account the vacation days and holidays between now and September 2.  Still .. quite close to double digits.  If I want any kind of send off besides a kick in the butt, I'd better start being nicer!!

Not to say that I am overtly nasty, actually.  I just had a bad day yesterday.  And for no apparent reason other than meeting overload and stupid people overload and rain overload and maybe ... just maybe this diet is getting to me.  I am not starving myself.  I am losing weight.  I enjoy my meals even, but this diet commands constant time in the kitchen!  Gone are the days and/or evenings when I could just say "Oh heck, let's just have a pizza".  Or eat some nice Indian food from the freezer.  Everything has to be prepared and weighed and it just gets very very tiring.  Yes, I could buy more frozen meals.  That is definitely a way to go.  It's just that my fresh salads are much more appealing than a frozen entree.  Same with my fresh, albeit frozen, quiche.  Or scrambling myself a couple of eggs with veggies the night before and taking them for breakfast.  Cheaper and tastier.  Well here's how I look at it.  It took me two years of being a slob and eating what I wanted and drinking WAY too much and not exercising to get here, so three months of this isn't too bad of a payoff.  I'm just whining.

So today is only a single meeting day as well!  Wahoo!  And I don't have to take notes so I can knit on my socks.  I'd like to finish them so I can get a pair going for Ben since he -- and I have no idea how -- put a hole in the ankle area of those gorgeous socks I made him a couple of years ago.  And then nothing much else.  Tomorrow morning will be busy with a long meeting and getting out a few reminders and then, noon, I'm off to Portland to pick up Ben and then we're heading to Astoria for a long weekend.  Ahhhh..... the Oregon coast.  Love it!

Check and double check

Yesterday I went over my Europe reservations again to make sure I had all of the train reservations.  I do.  And that they are the correct days.  They are.  Now I am super paranoid about it, of course. 

It was my short day yesterday - or should I say my broken up day.  That is more accurate.  And pouring down rain.  Even though I was carrying an umbrella and wearing a knee length coat, my pants were wet by the time I got to the bus stop at the freeway.  And then for what?  We had a very poor showing at the meeting and I had to listen to someone drone on for the entire hour, going over something that we all could have just read for ourselves.  Ugh

But dinner was good and easy to prepare.  I worked on the Dune wrap, which I have brought to noon knitting today.  I should really just keep on with the lace front cardigan.  I can't move on to another cardigan until I finish that.  Well I'll have an entire evening to myself this week - Thursday - so I can hopefully get a good hour or maybe even two into it.  Then Friday at lunchtime I'm driving to Portland and then we go to Astoria for a nice long weekend!  I know the weather is going to be crappy, but what else do you expect in early spring -- well, it's really not even spring yet -- on the coast.  It'll be fun and Tink will love it. 

Wednesday -- it's still only Wednesday.  I have a meeting at 9 and noon knitting and in between........ plenty of work.

It was one of those darned Mondays

My day started off with a flurry of emails - all before the start of my 8am Zoom meeting.  I was NOT in a good mood, and this did not help it any.  Oh and how much more useless do these types of situations seem when the end of the tunnel is in view?  Intolerable.  But six months is a long time so I keep my mouth shut (mostly) and keep going.  I think I got my point across about expectations - that people need to TELL me what they want rather than have me try to read their mind.  I suspect it's going to be in one ear and out the other with this one though.

Mondays are difficult because I have three meetings, which really cuts into the day.  I had a project to get finished up before the end of the day as well so I was feeling the crunch.   When noon rolled around and then passed and I hadn't taken a breath I made myself stop, push back from the desk and get outside for a nice long walk.  It was sunny and breezy and a little bit cold.  Bracing.  Then I came in, had a quick lunch, and got back to it and finished up the day a winner.  But I was beat.  I had planned on stopping at the store to pick up a few things but said forget it and went straight home.  Tink got her walk and a little ball chasing, I had a shower and I was supine upon the couch by the time Ben got home.  I turned on the BBQ and we had a hamburger, I steamed some broccoli and that was dinner.  I was falling asleep on the cough at 8 pm.  Eight o'clock!!  And that's with no wine or anything else.  Just completely and utterly beat. 

I was afraid that if I went into the bed I would wake up and not be able to sleep but hey, that did not happen.  I heated up my lavender eye mask and I fell asleep before it cooled down.  I found it on my pillow when I woke up later that night.  Turned over and went right back to sleep.  I had one of the best nights of sleep I've had in ages.  I guess that's all it takes, huh?  Get super pissed off at work and let that rage cook inside you all day.  Hmmmmmm