Well this is a surprise

I hit the button to go to my blogger compose page and the interface is completely different!  Usually the changes are implemented a bit at a time but this is ... entirely new.  It's a very clean interface but it's going to take some getting used to and exploration.  Not now though.  I've gotten a slow start today.  I went out to hear some music last night and didn't hear my alarm this morning -- which means I must have just turned it off when it did register.

I got a HUGE ego boost yesterday afternoon.  It's nice when they come when you can really use them.  I was standing waiting for my second bus on the way home yesterday on the narrow street that is one of the reasons I don't ride my bicycle in to work these days.  I had my ear buds in and I was just pacing up and down waiting for my bus when I heard a bus honking.  One of the men standing there with me looked at me and said something I couldn't hear because of the ear buds.   I took them out and he said, "Did you see that?".  "No, but I heard the honking".  "Well, that bus driver was looking at you and didn't see the bicyclist!"    I don't suppose I'd be so happy about it if the cyclist had been hit, but it ended well and I'm going to enjoy it.

The weather has changed around and I was so cold yesterday I kept my coat on all day!  I warmed up when I ran, but then got another chill.  This damned air conditioning!  And there's nothing I can do about it.  It's very annoying.

After I got home, walked Tink, worked out and then got showered and ready to go I didn't have any time at all to knit.  I was hoping to finish those mitts up this weekend but I'm going to have to put in some big chunks of time to make that happen.  So far I don't have anything concrete on the books so maybe I can make it happen.

Enchanted

As I feared, the iPad has captivated me.  It took a while to get the Wi-Fi connection at work and I was a little confused at first.  But as I walked the corridors with it I managed to snag the signal and then didn't have any trouble with it the rest of the day.  The battery life is incredible.  We had a couple of Apple representatives at our meeting on Tuesday and they were saying it has a 10 hour battery life and followed that statement up with "and that's with normal usage").  So many times a mobile phone will tout some ridiculous battery lifetime but once you listen to some music or play a few games the battery is drained.  Not so with this this iPad.  I messed with it for hours at work yesterday, then took it home and watched Netflix and several other shows through the wireless connection and it still had over 40% by the time I went to bed.  I haven't even scratched the surface yet with regards to its capabilities as a classroom tool. 

The pool area was getting a lot of use yesterday, even as late as 7:30 when I took Tink out for a potty run.  I think the water would be much too cold for me yet.  It was hot yesterday - over 80 - but even so I don't think those pools would be near warm enough.  The children on the other hand were having a ball.  I am SO happy I didn't get an apartment on the courtyard side of the building.

Despite having an easy evening - just lazying around basically - I am groggy this morning.  The clouds have moved in and it was misty on the way to work.  I will have to wear long pants for my run today.   Regardless of whether it's cloudy or sunny, my allergies are still going crazy!  After walking Tink yesterday I was sneezing and sneezing.  There was lots of freshly mowed grass and she loves to roll in it, but when I'm in allergy mode all I have to do is see grass and I start sneezing.  It's a bit awkward at times.

I spent the entire noon hour yesterday working on those mitts but didn't even take them out of the bag when I got home.  I am sure the iPad will loosen its hold on me at some point and I can get back to it.  This weekend, perhaps.

I need to start making concrete plans for my birthday in Las Vegas.  It is a bit difficult though because I am at my sister's mercy when it comes to the hotel since she is supposed to be setting up a group discount for us at Mandalay Bay.  If I don't get something from her this weekend I'm going to have to start bugging her daily.  I need to make air reservations soon.

Then ... when the August trip is done I can start making plans for my European vacation in November.  That's going to be fun fun fun.  Fun.  I don't care at all what the weather is like.  I just want to see my people.  I miss them all SO much that it hurts sometimes.  That light at the end of the tunnel is just a pin prick now but I know it's growing every single day.

My hair is out of control

I am thinking about making a change.  This time of year it is so difficult to keep my hair looking decent.  The drier air means less curl so by the end of the day my hair is a mess, especially if I've had a run.  Last time I had my hair done I asked her to blow it out straight and I liked it.  My sister was trying to strong arm me into having a smoothing treatment while I was in LA but I was not quite sure about it and would rather have something like that done by the woman who is used to my hair.  And then if one gets a smoothing treatment the hair has to stay straight until it wears off.  I think a better solution for me would be to have her make the cut a little more suited to a straight style and then I'll have the option.  I just know I have to do something different.  Just because.

The weather is summery again today!  Yesterday I did indeed get to run in my running skirt and it was just wonderful!  Since I'd been off for most of two weeks I didn't exactly burn up the trail, but I kept a steady pace for the entire 30 minutes and was only short of 2.5 miles by a touch over 2/10ths.  Not bad.  

I had hoped to do a good bit of knitting on the fingerless mitts for my sister and watch a movie last night, but neither of those things happened.  After Tink's long walk and working out, phone calls and dinner that pretty much took up the evening.  I headed to bed a bit early to read but some idiot was outside setting off more fireworks so Tink was a wreck.  That should be the end of it though.  Next year I'm going to get her some doggie Valium.  My friend Andy did that for his dogs and he said it helped a lot.

This morning I get to pick up an iPad to use for 2 weeks!  I am excited!  Although I am sure once I get my hands on one it's going to be very difficult to give it back at the end of the two weeks.  And it's for work so I can't really download all my stuff onto it.  By the end of the two weeks I hope I'll have a pretty good grasp of its classroom pros and cons. 

Noon knitting today so no running, which is fine because it's even warmer today.  I brought the mitts in hopes I can finish up the first 3 inches and be ready to start the thumb gusset this evening.  Again, there's something about knitting when one is obliged that rather sucks the fun out of it but it is a labor or love and therefore a bit less sucky.

Oh this real world!

These week long vacations are tough.  I was just getting used to being a lady of leisure.  I am glad that I came back from California on Sunday, even though it was a long travel day.  I was able to get organized, get my laundry done and do some serious relaxing yesterday.  I tried to go to bed around 10 but the fireworks were really bothering Tink.  I'd just start to drop off and then boom! She'd start trembling and try to crawl under the duvet, but that would be too hot, so she'd come up and try to burrow under the pillows .... it was tough.  I did wake up refreshed and not tired, luckily.

While I was visiting my sister she was complaining about her hands getting freckled from driving and she asked me to make her some fingerless mitts.  Considering that I hadn't really gotten a project together for the trip, that was perfect and we had a lovely time picking out the yarn in a gorgeous shop on Ventura Boulevard.

Shopping seemed to be the main thrust of the California portion of my vacation.  My sister and her boyfriend have just moved to a house in Sherman Oaks and it is still just getting put together.  The guest room is my sister's dressing room/office and for most of the time I was dodging boxes to get to my little sleeping couch.  As much as she wanted to get things put together, it was also her vacation time so she didn't spend much time on that.  On my first day there we went to the Outlet Mall, which is an exhausting shopping trip at the best of times.  I had a bit of fun though, and found a couple of tops, a great dress and two awesome pairs of jeans.  They need to be hemmed but ... well, they're just awesome!  On Wednesday we met a friend in Santa Monica and strolled through a few stores at the new mall and I snagged a gorgeous pair of shoes.  Two days of shopping pretty much did me in, but that didn't stop my sister from dragging me to yet another marathon day of shopping.  I didn't get anything that trip except very hungry.

The weather is amazing here!  Summertime temperature and blue skies.  I will be running in my skirt today, that's for sure because it's already warm.  And I think it's going to be a busy week.

Poor doggy

It has been a nice, quiet and productive day. Now Tink is
freaking out from the fireworks. Not fun. Poor puppy.

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The real world

I have a 2 hour layover in Oakland. If all goes well I could be sitting in my own apartment before 7 pm with Tink by my side. I am mostly looking forward to sleeping in my own bed!!!


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Shopping fatigue

My sister seems to be able to shop indefinitely. And on an empty stomach. I can't. We did have a celebrity siting at Macy's. I saw Cheri Oteri in the shoe dept. Now I would like to see a nice glass of wine and a plate of snacks!!


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I am still awake!!

It is called vacation. But it is a work night. So my sis is in bed and I am awake. I have sent out the notice. I think everyone I know is asleep. I am not so inclined.


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Lunch in Santa Monica

Gorgeous day!


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I like vacation

It is good, isn't it? So far we had an awesome day at the outlet mall on Tuesday and slept in late today then took the boys out for dinner tonight. The weather is great. Tomorrow the beach.

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The airport cocktail

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Family reunion

Yesterday was a busy and long day out in the country with a large group of family members. Here is a picture of my sister and my cousin Stephanie. Her hair is just coming back, having lost it during chemotherapy.


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Insomnia is .......

only slightly less annoying when I don't have to get up for work. Only very slightly. The birds are starting up and there is light under the blinds. Maybe if I was a little less annoyed I could sleep. Tink doesn't seem to be having any problems. I will try happy thoughts.


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Down with the summer cold!

Ah!  No wonder I have been so very tired all week.  It finally became clear yesterday afternoon, so I cut my losses and headed home early to try and nip it in the bud.  It didn't work.  I got to it too late.  And it's no wonder I caught a cold considering that my office is SO frigid!  I will contact the maintenance people when I get back from vacation and see about turning it down a bit.  I woke up stuffy again this morning so I am taking a sick day.  I have got to rest and get rid of this before I get on the plane on Monday, not to mention that I'm picking my sister up at the airport tomorrow afternoon for a fun weekend here.  Well ... maybe that's being a bit optimistic.  I am not looking forward entirely to the family reunion picnic on Saturday but I'll put on a good face.  It's only for a few hours.  We're going to go to my current favorite restaurant for dinner tomorrow.

The weather can't make up its mind - cloudy then sunny.  It's not very warm either.  I sure am looking forward to being in LA for a week.  I want to soak up some sunshine.  I suspect it's going to be too hot in Las Vegas in August to really be comfortable outside around the pool unless they have misters.

And now ... back to the cold.

The first day of summer .....

was yesterday and we actually got a nice day!  It was sunny and warm, even warm enough that I had to use my fan at home and even moved it into the bedroom when I went to sleep.  The pools have been cleaned up and are getting filled.  I don't think it's nearly warm enough to swim but it will be ready when it is!   We're back to cloudy today, but it was nice while it lasted.

I did have a good run yesterday afternoon and a pretty good workout in the evening even though I was STILL so tired!  Finally this morning I woke up easily and I'm not groggy.  I got a new book yesterday so I stayed up later than usual reading and talking on the phone, but I fell right to sleep when I turned on the light.  Unfortunately I hadn't eaten enough calories for dinner and I woke up at 1:30 too hungry to go back to sleep!  I mean ... my stomach was growling.  After about 30 minutes of tossing and turning I gave up and had a bite so I could get back to sleep.  Then I woke up at about 5:30 am, ready to start the day.  Imagine how happy I was when I looked at my iPhone and realized I could sleep for another hour.  Ahhhhhh .... bliss.

I sent an email yesterday afternoon to various faculty members to set out my vacation for the next few months, through November.  A few minutes later I was contacted by the administrator who asked me to come down to speak with her because one of the faculty had written to say she was concerned with my vacation plans!  I tore down the hall with my class schedule in hand.  I knew right away which faculty member it was that would make a fuss about this - me leaving and missing four classes.  And not even at the beginning of the quarter (which I would never do) but well into it when all the real and imaginary bugs have been worked out.  I have a whole system set up so that things can run smoothly when I'm gone.  The administrator finds this particular person very difficult to work with as well, so once I explained the situation she was fine with it.  I said, "I haven't been to Europe for nearly 4 years.  I'm going". 

The afternoon was taken up with the first slate meeting - by slate they mean iPad.  It was frustrating because one particular male student just wouldn't shut up and let anyone else do any talking!  I just want to get my hands on an iPad but it is a huge committee [also a mistake - I think it should have been much smaller] and I don't hold out much hope, even though I should have one to play with so I can see how my applications look on them.  Hopefully I'll miss one while on vacation.

I spent my evening reading and talking on the phone so I didn't get any knitting done.  I have brought my Kaleidoscope cardigan to work on at noon .... oh!  And I just remembered I was supposed to bring in my Shining Bird's Eye Shawl to show the ladies.  Ah well ...   Anyway, I think I've decided to bring some light weight socks to knit on my vacation.  Small, portable, drink proof.  I'm bound to be doing some shopping since I'll be with my sister, so I'll need to have plenty of room left in my suitcase to bring things home. 

Refreshed

As I suspected, my run yesterday was difficult, although thankfully not as bad or painful as I thought it might be.  It woke me up for a little bit but I was still dragging in the afternoon.  After Tink's walk I did my other workout, which was also a chore.  Besides just needing to do it because I had taken the entire weekend off, I thought it might serve to extend my evening a bit, because quite frankly all I wanted to do was fall into a deep sleep.  I worked a few rows of the sleeves of the Kaleidoscope cardigan and watched some TV, took Tink for a couple of shorts walks and managed to stay upright until nearly 9 pm, when I washed up and crawled into bed to read for as long as I could keep my eyes open.  And that wasn't very long!  Then I had a lovely long, deep sleep and I feel pretty good this morning!  It's sunny and supposed to be warm this afternoon.  In fact, it's supposed to be nice all week and hopefully stay nice for our family reunion on Saturday.  Then I don't much care what it does.  Kelli and I will just laze around on Sunday and Monday I'll pack and we'll head to the airport and sunny LA!

I can't decide what to take for a project.  I know that since Kelli and Mike have just rented a house and moved that she's going to be wanting to spend time fussing with the house and playing in the garden, leaving me plenty of time for reading and knitting and generally relaxing.  I'll need something to keep my hands busy.  At this rate it doesn't look like that Kaleidoscope cardigan will be done so I could bring that.  Perhaps I should grab a couple skeins of cotton sock yarn and have a pair of socks for emergency knitting. 

Today is the first meeting of the Slate Committee.  I wonder how long before I'll be able to have an iPad to play with for a day.  That's dangerous, I know.  I figure once I actually have one to play with I'm going to have to buy one.  Or maybe having one to play with I'll see that I can live without it. 

I need to do a small rant.  There are plenty of things I hate about living in an apartment.  The noisy, lower end appliances, the pigs that leave their dog's waste on the lawn rather than picking it up, stains on the carpet (!!), but here's my latest.  The fan in the bathroom below mine is noisy.  Extremely noisy.  The tenants leave it running for hours at a time.  But the worst thing is that it's not working efficiently and last night I got up to use the bathroom and I could hear their fan AND my bathroom smelled strongly of cigarette smoke!  Their fan, rather than venting to the outside, seems to be venting directly into my bathroom.  Or maybe it just has a leak.  Okay, let's just say it's very inefficient and leaky and noisy.  I hate to complain about that but I can't have my apartment stinking of smoke.  On the other hand I can't stop people from smoking in their own bathroom.  So let's hope that the maintenance man can do something about this dilemma. 

Oh I am SO tired!

I had a really good run Thursday but I am afraid that today it's going to be one of the hard days.  I am so sleepy!  And I went to bed plenty early last night night, slept through the night as well.  I don't know why I'm so tired.  It's a short week for me.  Maybe I'm already on vacation mind set.

Friday I worked from home and had a visit with the lawyer on my lunchtime.  Things are plodding along.  I had really really hoped to have this done so that I could get a new passport before my trip in November but it doesn't look like that's going to be happening.  The other camp is dragging their feet.  We have no idea what's holding things up, other than stupidity.  Perhaps it's just mean spirit that is driving them.  I just can't let it run my life, so we will just plod along, step by step.  I am not too worried.  She always calms me down and reassures me that we are doing everything we can.

Friday after work I had an appointment at the hair salon and I took Tinkerbell, since I've been promising to do that for some time.  She was good as gold and got lots and lots of attention, which is what she lives for.  I had Dana blow my hair out straight for a lark and it looked pretty good, actually.  It's a lot of work to do that for my hair - well, not for her but for me.  And because it has so much natural curl it doesn't stay straight for long when there's moisture in the air.  It was a beautiful sunny evening, and on the way home I stopped at the store and bought a cold bottle of wine, a nice salad and the latest issue of Vogue Magazine.  Now *that's* a girlie evening right there.  I took it home, enjoyed the wine and laid on the couch reading my magazine and talking on the phone.  Perfect evening!

Saturday it was misting heavily in the morning so Tink had an abbreviated walk and I headed out to the mall.  I bought a pair of jeans to wear to the party Saturday night and a few other things.  After the shopping I did a little bit of knitting.  Actually that was the only knitting I did all weekend!  I worked 10 rows on the sleeves of the bolero, then had a little nap before getting ready for the party.  I had decided to take public transportation to the event and then catch a cab back home.  The birthday boy's wife told me to take the light rail to their neighborhood and then they would pick me up and drive me to the party.  That was fun!  This was the first time I had taken the LINK light rail.  It is smooth and clean.  Really nice for public transport.

The party at the bar turned out to be a bust so we headed out to a house party, which turned out to be fun.  There was food and dancing and booze.  What more could you ask for?  Oh ...and cake!  We stayed to the bitter end and they gave me a ride home, since the house party was way out from Seattle.  After walking Tink it was 2:30 am by the time I finally got to bed!  That is late for me and so Sunday I didn't do much of anything.  Tink walks and laundry and reading the paper and early to bed.  No knitting.  Which is so unlike me but there you go.  I was wiped out.  I am not used to having fun.  ;-)

I can't imagine I'm going to get much knitting done tonight either, unless I perk up here soon.  I'll have another cup of tea and hope that it starts to work.  Maybe I need food.  I'll try that too. 

How can it be mid-June already?

I just tried to wrap my head around the fact that it is June 16th!!  Maybe it's because we haven't been having any really nice weather.   It just doesn't seem that it is that close to summer but in fact it's only a week away.  I sure hope we get decent weather for the reunion on the 25th. 

I neglected to take a picture of that shawl again.  I was rushing this morning [what else is new?] and didn't want to take the time.  Perhaps I shall take a picture of it tonight when I've got plenty of time and some good light.  Or I can do it in the morning, since I'm working from home tomorrow.

This weekend, Saturday, is my friend's husband's birthday party and I am getting excited about it!  It will be my first real outing and marks the end of the 3 months I had set for myself to .... shake it off, I guess.  Since I've been counting calories for all these 3 months and not drinking alcohol, I think it would be wisest to take a cab.  Even if I'm careful and eat before I go,  I might not want to get behind the wheel after a couple of drinks especially in a neighborhood I'm not familiar with.  Better safe than in jail.

I got nearly through another full repeat of the lace pattern on the sleeves on the bolero at noon knitting yesterday but didn't do any at home last night.  I managed a few rows of plain knitting on the sleeves of the Kaleidoscope cardigan.  I would like to finish that up this weekend so I can take it with me on vacation.  That will be my goal.

It's lovely outside and I'm feeling fleet of foot.  Hoping I'll having a wonderful, fast run today.  I never can tell what's going to happen until I get out there. 

Disturbance in the (sleep) Force

It has been a while since I've had insomnia on a work night, but Monday night was horrific!  I slept fitfully and I was so very very tired Tuesday morning.  Unfortunately I had to get up and going because I had an appointment at 8:45 downtown.  I thought that once I got to work and got out and running I would wake up.  Ha!  I did get out there but it was a very difficult run.  Actually I was surprised when I finished up that I was only 2/10 of a mile off from my regular 2.5 miles.  But oh dear me, it was a hard go.  I finished up the day a little early and got home and walked Tink and then changed to do my other workout.  That was a little better, but it was an easy day thankfully.  As much as I wanted to put in some good time getting the sleeves finished up or doing a few rows of the lace bolero, I couldn't face it and instead lay on the couch reading fashion magazines and  watching stupid TV.  I threw in the towel a little before nine and went to bed to read.  I made myself read until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer and ended up having a superb night.  I slept like a baby and I feel grrreat today!

Peggy brought my blocked project in yesterday and it is indeed gorgeous!  I was running a little behind this morning and didn't get a picture snapped.  I'll do that tonight.  I have it draped over the back of my couch.  That way it'll show off the pattern in the picture rather than seeing in draped on the dummy.  Today I'm wearing the Rondeur and it is as cute as I could hope.  I am wearing it with a pair of loose brown linen slacks and it is perfect.  My office is cold enough to store meat in, unfortunately, so I am probably going to have to break down and put on a hoodie at some point today so I don't catch cold.  It is SO annoying -- in the winter I am sweltering in here and can't wear long sleeves and in the spring/summer it is freezing. 

At the last 1st year curriculum meeting they were soliciting volunteers for a committee to assess the usefulness of tablets for the 1st and 2nd year medical students.  Tablet = iPads, of course.  How much do I want an iPad?  I am now obsessed with it!  This way even though I have to serve on a committee at least I will be able to get my hands on an iPad for some unknown (at this time) amount of time, I hope.  I will be pretty upset if this service doesn't at least afford me some one on one hands on time with it.  It is only my incredible will power (joke) that is keeping me from running to the store and just buying one!  That and the fact that I don't really want any more credit card debt, since I am still paying off that heinous cruise.  Oh how that rankles. 

And so ... while there are many many things I do NOT wish to dwell on, there are also many many things I am happy to daydream about.  In just a little over a week my sister will be here for our reunion weekend and then a whole week in California!  I have yet to purchase my tickets to Las Vegas but I'm watching the fares and will be pulling that trigger soon.  And finally my big trip in November.  It is still too far away to make any concrete plans and so those daydreams are the most fun because at this point the sky's the limit!  Ahhhh .....

Misty Monday

In Southern California they called it "June gloom" and it is appropriate for Seattle as well.  It's not raining, it's not too cold, just overcast and misty.  I think I should have a good run today with all the moisture in the air.  I sure wish I had a running buddy!  There are so many fun 5K races in Seattle in summer but most of them are such social occasions that I would feel odd man out if I went alone, plus it wouldn't be as much fun.  I have signed up for a 5K in early September that is around Green lake, my favorite course.  But I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for something I can run before then as well.

I had the blues something fierce on Friday - a hangover from the previous evening's news I imagine and the fact that I hadn't gotten through to get an appointment set with my attorney.  I had a good workout nevertheless and got the Kaleidoscope collar bound off and the stitches re-attached for the sleeves, which I am doing two at a time on two circulars, as usual.  What I didn't take into account is that I have only one ball of yarn!  After all the work it took to get those stitches on the needles from the provisional cast on I was not going to do the sleeves one at a time.  I am therefore doing something I've never done before, working from both ends of a ball.  And it's not as difficult or fiddle-y as I supposed it might be.  Tink wanted attention (big surprise) so I didn't get much more done that a row or two, but it worked and through the weekend I managed to work on it now and again.  They sleeves are 3/4 length so it shouldn't take too long to finish up.

Friday night I had a hard time sleeping.  It was noisy again, plus I just had insomnia, which I haven't had for a while.  I ended up turning the light on around 12:30 and reading for a while.  That meant that I slept in late on Saturday.  I had a lot to take care of but ended up switching things around because I was due out at Peggy's by 2 to block my Shining Bird's Eyes Shawl.  I got my nails done, picked up Tink's food and then drove up north.  Of course, being the knitting/spinning/dyeing person she (and her twin) is/are, their bottom floor is a pure delight.  The floor was just recently re-carpeted and they put the thickest padding underneath so that you can block right on the floor and the pins go in and stay in!  Awesome!  I had soaked the thing before I left, so Peggy put some towels down and we set to work.  It is 6 feet across and 3 feet at the point.  Big.  She's going to be bringing it back to me on Wednesday.  I can't wait to feel it.

I did my shopping on the way home, then took Tink for another long walk and there went the day!  Saturday is my rest day - no running, no working out.  By the time I was finished with dinner and cleaned up it wasn't yet 7 pm and I was going CRAZY!  It was bright sunshine outside, being that it's Seattle and doesn't get dark now until nearly 10 pm, and Tinkerbell was about walked out.  I didn't get to finish my shopping on Saturday so I went to Target and spent an hour just roaming around, buying stuff.  I needed an iron and ironing board and pad, which I got.  And some new make up brushes and .... well, I did a little sport shopping too.  It lifted my spirits and kept me out of trouble.  Therapy and it could have been worse.  I could have gone to Nordstrom!

Having slept well on Saturday I didn't sleep nearly so late on Sunday and we got up and out and had a SUPER long walk.  The sunshine didn't stay around long, but it didn't matter to me since I had plenty of inside chores to keep me busy.  Once I got everything done I treated myself to a new project - the Milanese Shower Bolero.  I wanted something other than plain knitting and this is lace on big needles - instant gratification.  I started the sleeves and finished one 10 row repeat of the lace pattern before I stopped.  This will go quickly.

Well, my self imposed 3 months is nearly up and the metamorphosis nearly complete.  What now?  Nothing huge.  I have vacations to look forward to and make plans for.  November is so far away.  I am happy I have a couple of other trips to plan for.  And a busy week ahead.  I should also give  Gregg a call and see if he's willing to start rehearsing again in July.  I know he's got family problems that require him to go to Boston now and again so we might have to wait until August.  That's fine, I can wait.

Hooray it's Friday

And I am ready for this week to be done.  It has seemed a long week and I am ready to sleep in and enjoy some sunshine, with any luck.  Today is the last of the meetings and I will be tied up most of the day, so no running for me.  I did get out for a run yesterday but it was not very satisfactory even though I had Wednesday off.  It was work, rather than the fun I had been having last week.  That's how it seems to go, as I was reminded by my friend in the department who also runs, and she's exactly right.  Sometimes you will have a week or so when it feels like you've got wings on your heels and other times you feel like you're running through pudding with lead weights on your ankles.  I do keep track of what I eat and how I am sleeping and I can't find any reliable correlation.  So it goes.  Like a golfer living for those (few, for me) times when you hear that satisfying click of a great drive or watch your iron shot soar, I live for those times when I am running and I feel like I could go on forever.  It's totally worth living through the other times.

Last evening was kind of weird.  I got a copy of the response letter from my soon-to-be-ex's attorney and it was just ridiculous!  And it just made me crazy!  I know it doesn't do any good for me to worry,  I know he won't walk away with all the marbles, like my sister says, but it makes me anxious all the same. I need to meet with my attorney to plan the next step and there's no use getting worked up about this, I know.  In the end things will work out equitably, but in the meantime ..... arghghgh.  I couldn't concentrate on my workout and what I really wanted to do was have a martini or three, but instead I put on a really silly movie, and just lay on the couch.  I mean REALLY silly, as in the new animated "Yogi Bear".  It was, in a word, terrible.  But it kept my mind off things.

I should be able to do some knitting on the Kaleidoscope today while attending that meeting, and tomorrow I'll go to my friend's house and block the shawl.  Otherwise, quiet weekend.  Two more weeks until my sister comes and vacation as well.  Until then .... I keep my mind on the future.

Just move a few things and I'm all messed up!

I was astonished yesterday to find myself leaving my keys in my office not once, but three separate times!  Because my office is in a busy corridor and has no windows I keep it locked when I go out for any reason.  I therefore walk out with my keys and my coffee cup or iPhone or ... whatever.  Always keys AND something.  Those keys are dropped on my desk in the same spot every time.  However, since my new addition - the Macbook - I rearranged my desk and workspace because I was able to get rid of the second terminal and keyboard and now I don't drop my keys on the same spot on my desk.  Isn't that silly?  I need to make a special effort today to remember my keys.  It's not only annoying but a little embarrassing to have to go to the Administrator and ask for the master key.

I have to rant a little bit here -- my office is a hole, as you  know.  Or rather, a closet - ugly and windowless.  There are shelf brackets up without the shelving on them and the walls are painted an off white.  I asked for the brackets not in use to be taken down but was told no, nor did I get to paint the walls or wall.  The floor is also off white tile with scuff marks.  When I was rearranging things earlier this week I really got a close look at this filthy floor and got a broom myself and swept it.  Yes, we do have custodial staff but they never seem to wash my floor or even sweep it!  I saw a custodian in the hall doing the hall floors and asked him if I could borrow a mop so I could clean the floor myself.  Then he told me the "secret".  I must request that my floor be swept and damp mopped weekly or it doesn't get done!  In other words, the squeaky wheel gets the grease and all others must sit in their dirty offices!  Is that insane??  I did walk into a clean office this morning, which is nice.  But still. 

At the meeting I attended in the morning a committee was formed to evaluate iPad usage in the 1st and 2nd year curriculum.  Oh, did I get on that committee?  Yes I did.  I SO want an iPad.  So much so that I got online yesterday afternoon to start shopping for one.  Then I stopped.  I think it is smarter to wait until I get my hands on one and also to talk to my girlfriend who has an iPhone and an iPad.  It would be a complete indulgence at this point.  I think I need to find a way to NEED one rather than just want it.  Plus I can't see getting anything other than the largest, 64 gig, version.  And since my iPhone is going to be needing replacement soon I would need to consider - do I need the largest iPhone if I have the iPad?  Wouldn't I do my watching of TV and movies on the iPad rather than my phone if given the choice?  Well ... lots to think about.

At noon knitting yesterday I brought my finished Rondeur to show and also my unblocked Shining Bird's Eye Shawl.  I was lamenting the fact that I didn't have enough blocking pads to accommodate the the 72" wingspan of this and my friend invited me to come block it at her house, which is a knitter's paradise.  I shall do that this weekend.

I got to work a bit on the Kaleidoscope last night.  I decided to do one extra (at least) raglan decrease.  I don't want the sleeves to be too off the shoulder or I'll be adjusting it all the time.  But I think if I do one extra 5 row decrease section and then extend the collar that should do it.  I would like to get the sleeves on the needles tonight so I'll be able to work on it at the meeting tomorrow but considering Tink's neediness these past few days I don't think that's going to happen.  I will probably have to wait until the weekend.

I am looking forward to my run today, after a day off.  I am not going to be able to run tomorrow because of the (final) meeting so I should make the most of it today.  And it's not raining.  In fact, I saw a bit of blue sky on my way in. 

Oh ... two more weeks to go then my sister will be here and I will be starting a week plus a few days of vacation.  I can't even begin to tell you how much I am looking forward to it.  I can't remember the last time I was truly looking forward to vacation.  Not having to spend it with you-know-who is a relief I can scarcely begin to describe.  And fun and sun and shopping with my sister -- heaven!  She and her boyfriend also just rented a house and have moved in so I'll have a true guest room and bed, rather than having to sleep on that tortuous fold out chair.  And her boyfriend loves champagne almost as much as I do plus he makes an awesome martini.  But there are days and days to get yet.

My new toy!

Oh how much do I love this new Macbook??  I spent the entire day yesterday fiddling with it, setting it up and learning about all the nifty things it can do.  I didn't get around to figuring out the iChat thing but I did check out the camera.  Work?  No, not actually.  I will work with it but I do have to learn all about it first, right?  Right.  I think there are a few nooks and crannies I have yet to find, so I'll keep looking.

I had a nice run yesterday even though it was sprinkling and windy.  My time wasn't excellent, but I wasn't pushing myself at all.  I don't like running in the wind.  Today is a rest day so hopefully tomorrow it won't be raining and I can push a little bit.

Sprinkles turned into rain by the time I got home and it was time to walk Tink.  I just tucked my hair up under a hat and away we went.  It's raining again this morning but we are supposed to see some sun this week.  I won't hold my breath.  June is typically cloudy and rainy no matter what kind of May we have had and sometimes May is just gorgeous.  Not this year but ..... it has happened.

As much as I wanted to get the Shining Bird's Eyes soaked and pinned out last night, it was not to be.  By the time I got my workout done and my dinner cooked and eaten it was 7:30.  Not too late, of course, except Tink was in one of her very needy states so we played ball a lot, and I knit in between her play sessions a little bit.  I didn't even watch a movie.  Headed to bed around 9:30 to read and that was the end of that day.  Maybe tonight but if not then I can surely do it this weekend.

Now I've got to get a bite of something and off to a meeting. 

Mission accomplished

I did finally get the Shining Bird's Eye Shawl bound off.  I decided I wasn't going to go to bed until it was done and so I worked and worked and finished the last of it by 9:30.  That means that it took me close to four hours total just to bind off!  The picture here is one I snapped as I was out the door this morning with my iPhone so it's blurry but you can see the finished product, unblocked.  It is going to grow considerably when I block it tonight. And then it won't look so much like a granny's shawl but more like a gorgeous wrap.  I am going to have to get clever with regards to blocking.  Perhaps I can use my blocking mats for the width portion and put down towels and stretch it out on them.  I sure miss that extra bed!

I had a pretty decent run yesterday, considering I hadn't run for a week.  I did exactly 2.5 miles in 30 minutes, but it felt to me like I was running much faster than that, so I was disappointed with the final mileage.  Also the cottonwoods have bloomed so the bits of fluff are all over the trail and heaven knows how much of that stuff I sucked into my lungs!  I know my eyes didn't like it at all.  I am, in fact, wearing my glasses today because my eyes got so irritated yesterday.  It is cloudy, much cooler and windy today and even sprinkling a bit.  The fluff doesn't seem to be much of an issue as it was yesterday, so hopefully I'll have a better run today.

I got a new laptop yesterday!  I have noticed these past few years that more and more students are coming in with Macbooks and it is impossible for me to troubleshoot for them with their special issues on a PC.  Budgets are indeed very tight so I really lucked out.  Today I am going to start to mess with it.  It has a built in camera so that you can video chat, like on an iPhone 4 or (I presume) on an iPad.  I know only one person, so far, that may be able to video chat and that's my friend Ginny because she has both of those - the iPhone 4 and iPad.   I will most likely spend most of today getting familiar with this beauty.  And I can get rid of the old keyboard and monitor I used with the Mac mini I had so I will clean and rearrange my office.

Riding the bus is still not getting any easier, nor any nicer.  One thing that makes me crazy is how some drivers don't seem to take the passengers into consideration at all when they take off and stop.  I know that it's a personal trait because not all of them are so jerky.  It was very apparent this morning when I got on one bus with my hands full, as usual, and didn't have to lurch toward the first open seat or fall down.  I could walk down the aisle as the bus was pulling away from the stop, like a normal person.  There is a woman that I get sometimes that is just the worst!  She SLAMS on the brakes and STOMPS on the gas.  So very very annoying.  I swear, someday I'm just going to let myself fall and then see what happens. 

Finally some decent weather!

True to the forecast, the weekend was gorgeous and in the low to mid-70's.  I was indeed grateful that I had picked up a fan earlier in the week because as I suspected, my place gets a little stuffy and the fan came in handy.

I had a big weekend planned - I mean, lots of things I wanted to get done, not fun stuff.  It had been a long week, and boring in the extreme with two days of meetings so I was ready for a good sleep Friday.  Unfortunately some tenants had other plans.  I suppose because Friday was the end of school term for some people, and that's an awesome reason for a party.  However, this was a VERY loud party and I kept waking up again and again.  The last time was around 3:30.  I could have complained but since it was Friday and the end of the school year and I'm a new tenant, I just let it go.  It did mean that I slept in very late Saturday and got a late start, but oh well.  Tink and I finally got out for out long walk around 10:30 and strolled down to the lake, which was very busy with a million and one other people walking their dogs.  I let her get into the water which she liked a lot.

One of my main goals this weekend was to finish up the Shining Birds Eyes Shawl, so I spent a few hours on that Saturday after running errands. I had to stop with 3 rows to go.  I wasn't tired until late so I read for a long while, which meant that I slept in AGAIN on Sunday!  Truly not typical for me these days but I guess I needed the sleep.  It was gorgeous and warm again and I put on some shorts for the first time this year.  Tink and I took an alternate route on our Sunday walk and I (finally) found my local dry cleaner.  I knew there had to be one close since there are so very many condos and apartments in my neighborhood.  So now I can drop a few things off tonight on our walk after work.

Before I could let myself pick up the shawl again I had to finish the closet and drawer project I started last weekend.  It took a couple of hours but I managed to get my shoes switched out and coordinated, rearrange the drawer situation and put a lot of clothes into a box which will, most likely, get donated the next time I move (which hopefully won't be that far in the future).  I was most pleased with the results. 

I then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening working on the shawl.  I finished up the last three rows and just started the bind off when I took a break to work out and have dinner.  I wanted to watch a movie - I have three Netflix movies sitting there - but not as much as I wanted to get the binding off completed.  It is a gorgeous bind off called crown picot bind off.  It is also a time consuming bind off.  I got to the exact half way mark and it took me nearly two hours!  I have my work cut out for me.  I did take a little break to walk Tink during that time and maybe it won't take me all of two hours to finish it up, since I am now in a rhythm.  And the bind off is making this thing bloom!  It's going to be huge.  And gorgeous.

I have been scanning my Twitter feed for airline bargains to no avail .... yet.  I won't give up looking but I have noticed that there never seem to be any bargains going out of Seattle and very few out of LAX.  Maybe I don't have the right feeds. I'll do some more digging.  I did find a great fare from NYC to London so that gives me hope that something will turn up.  It is not necessary to get a killer deal,  but since I have this trip planned so far in advance, it would be kind of fun to get an outrageous bargain as well.

I have been thinking about the linen camisole I'm going to frog.  I hate working with that linen but I am thinking that maybe if I rewind the balls into one or two larger balls it would be easier to work with.  Opinions?  I haven't made a garment with linen yet so I really want to try it,  but without all the hassle.

Only two meetings this week, but one of them is only 1 1/2 hours rather than a whole day.  I did get quite a bit of plain stockinette knitting done on the Kaleidoscope cardigan Thursday and Friday so it wasn't a total waste of time.  That is coming along nicely as well.  In a couple more days I will be able to start the sleeves.

We are going to be having nice weather most of the week and I am looking forward to my run today.  I didn't get to go even once last week so it should be a good one.  Or not. 

Well good morning sunshine!!

I guess it's going to be around for a few days.  What a wonderful sight to wake up to -- blue skies.  It's not hot but it's very pleasant outside.  It feels like spring finally.

Yesterday I had a meeting all morning.  I brought my knitting with me and got finished with the first 8 inches of the Kaleidoscope Cardigan that I started on Monday .... was it Monday?  Or Sunday?  Whatever.  Anyway, I started the waist increases last night and I've brought it with me again because at 9:30 I go back into another meeting and I'm there all day.  What a shame.  In a room with windows, so the nice weather will be mocking me.  Actually I would love to run since I haven't been able to do so all week.  But last night when I was moving the furniture back in place after my workout  I caught my foot in the carpet and tripped and hit my knee on the coffee table.  I missed the patella but got it just above.  I didn't think much of it until I woke up in the middle of the night and the pain of it made it difficult to go back to sleep.  I took a naproxen this morning.  Hopefully it will stop hurting soon.  So I guess it's not such a bad thing that I can't run.

No big fun plans this weekend.  I think I'll finish what I started last week and keep re-organizing my closets, get the sandals out and put the boots away.  In 3 weeks my sister will be up for a visit over the weekend and then I'll be going back to CA with her.  But that's a long 3 weeks away.

It was really not so bad

Yesterday was not so bad after all.  I came out of it pretty quickly and got a lot done from home.  I was more just tired than hung over.  I had only had 3 glasses of wine but the dinner they served at the fundraiser was completely inedible.  And believe me, I don't have that discriminating of a palate at times, but I couldn't eat anything but the salad and the bread and butter.  Then I sat and gossiped with my friends until 1 am.

I am feeling great this morning and am late for a meeting.  Meetings today and tomorrow and next Friday.  I brought knitting because it's going to be slow going.  At least the weather is bad so I am not missing anything terrific and maybe tomorrow I can scoot out and have a run.

Ouch

We had a fun time at the function last night. I got a painting and a beautiful photo of a tree and some other random things. But the food was not good and I made up for it with wine. Then I stayed up until 2 am gossiping. Now I can't get out of bed. And I am so hungry!! I guess I had better give it a try.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Productive and a little boring

My long weekend ended up to be extra long.  I took Tink in for her grooming Friday morning, dropping her off around 7:30 and expecting to get a call to pick her up around 12:30 or 1.  However, I guess they weren't busy because I got the call at 10:30!  It was super quiet around the office and I didn't have anything pressing and that I couldn't handle from home, so off I went to pick up my beautiful, clean puppy.

I had a long list of things I wanted to accomplish on the weekend and I did pretty well.  I was just a little overly optimistic about my capacity for work .... no, not capacity.  I was able to work more but I didn't desire to do so.  I got my closets sorted out and got a small bag (small is a relative term here) of clothes culled to take to the charity shop.  I didn't get to the sorting and revising of my shoe situation.  Because it is still not sandal weather I decided to put that off to this coming weekend, when it is supposed to be really warm and nice and I'll need them.  I was happy with what I got accomplished with my closets and I still had plenty of play time.

For play time I did a little finishing work.  I got the Rondeur finished and is it ever cute!  I LOVE it!  I have more detail shots on my Ravelry page but here is a picture of it on my dummy.  I don't know why I always seem to get things crooked when I put them on my form but you can see how cute this is.  Close fitting with wonderful detail.  It fits SO well.  I have a pair of flat front brown linen trousers that will be perfect to wear with this.  If the weather cooperates I should be able to wear it next week.

I did not work on the Cloisonne Jacket.  I am going to start bringing it to work for noon knitting and maybe then I will force myself to finish it.  Not like I can wear it now anyway but I would like to get it off my plate, so to speak.  I also decided to frog the linen camisole I started on that terrible cruise.  I have two reasons - number 1 is that it reminds me of things I am actively (and quite effectively) erasing from my memory and number 2, I hate hate HATE working with two strands of this yarn because it keeps getting tangled up.  I am going to use a single strand instead and make the cute smocked tunic from the new Interweave Knits.  It will be a true undertaking, being made with size 2 needles.  It should have wonderful drape though.

I started a little cardigan with some Noro Kureyon sock yarn and only after I got a few hours in did I realize I should have wound the cashmere lace weight yarn I got at Little Knits and started the Whisper cardigan.  Ah well.  I also got an hour or so good solid work done on the Shining Bird Eye shawl.  I figure two more hours and I'll be ready to bind off.

The rest of the weekend - the non-knitting portion - was taken up with long long Tinkerbell walks, silly movies, a little reading, modest shopping and some housecleaning.  My regular phone buddies were otherwise occupied.  McG with his family weekend and my sister packing and getting ready for her move, although we did manage to snatch a quick 30 minute catch-up chat Monday while she was out procuring lunch for the crew.  I am ready to spread my wings.  I am getting antsy.  But I am going to wait a while longer before I become social again.  A few more weeks maybe. 

Tonight I am going to the fundraising dinner/auction at the Burke Museum.  I am SO looking forward to this!  It has been a very long time since I've had a reason to dress up, even moderately.  And, as I have said, I really enjoy these fundraising silent and live auctions.  My escort is my wonderful friend Andy.  I don't know where the missus is tonight but my guess is she isn't all that keen on these types of things.  Andy goes for more altruistic reasons - he is a very generous supporter of all sorts of causes and, in his words, he spends lots of money at this event.  And he knows I could use a night out so it is a win-win.  Maybe I can find a nice spa experience to buy.  I want a massage or something like that.  Fingers crossed.

And the reason I couldn't see .....

I feel so stupid!  I figured out, after my run yesterday, that the reason my eyes were bothering me and I couldn't see clearly out of my right eye is because the contact was inside out!  I should have realized that right away, but in my defense I was tired and my eyes were irritated.  After I turned the thing right side out I was fine! 

I didn't have that great of a run yesterday afternoon.  And after all those great ones last week!  I was a bit disappointed.  The fact that I was tired from a bad night, and I forgot to take a couple of puffs from my inhaler to combat the allergies, I just didn't have the power.  The route I chose was the hillier of my two regular routes which also contributed to the difficulty level.  I was only off by a couple of tenths, but still.  I am trying to go forward, not backslide!

I gave Tink a nice long walk, letting her roll in the grass as much as she wanted because today she is getting groomed.  After her walk I had a decent workout, had some dinner and then set my sights on finishing the body of the Rondeur and trying it on.  Goal achieved!  I tried it on and it is absolutely PERFECT!  It is such a gorgeous little top!  Tonight I'm going to start on the curved hem.  Tink is usually quite subdued after a trip to the groomer so hopefully I'll get some quiet time tonight to blast through the bottoms.

I was so tired last night that I went to bed on the early side to read and I think I closed my book about 10 minutes to 10 and I was fast asleep, slept like a log.  It was easy to get up early and combined with the lack of traffic due to the holiday weekend, I was up to the groomer's in record time and at work before 8.  Ta da!  As soon as Tink is done they will call me and I will take the rest of the afternoon off.  I can see blue sky so maybe we'll have a nice afternoon.  I just hope I can get my run in before they call.  Maybe I'll get out there a little early.

I had a couple of email exchanges with my friend Emma, who is super excited about my trip.  We haven't seen each other in quite a few years and I miss her.  We will definitely be spending a few days in Paris and I most likely will spend a day or so with her in Luxembourg as well.  Maybe I can talk her into a day trip into  Brussels.  Oh I am getting so excited and I need to dampen that enthusiasm down a bit.  We have a long way to go.  And I have a couple of cool trips coming up before that as well.  Last week of June in SoCal and August 5 through 9 in Las Vegas.  Life is good.  Finally.

More than a little embarrassing

It had to happen sooner or later.  This morning was the time.  I was running a little late.  I had a wakeful night last night and didn't get up on time.  Also hay fever is causing my eyes to itch and I am feeling my contacts lenses -  not seeing clearly all the time.  So when  bus came up to the stop at the time my bus was due I didn't look clearly at the number - I glanced up and it looked right.  However, it turned the wrong way and that's when I realized I had gotten on a 346 rather than a 316.  Good thing I had relatively low heels on so I could trudge my way to the next bus stop.  It feels like Friday to me.  Unfortunately.  And tomorrow there is no hitting the snooze button!  I have an appointment for Tinkerbell at the groomer first thing in the morning.  We must be on the road by 7:40 or 7:45.

I have given up hoping for decent weather for the long weekend.  It is just not going to happen.  It will be cloudy and rainy or partly cloudy.  Either way the temperature is unlikely to even break 70, so I am making plans to have a productive long weekend and looking forward to the fundraiser dinner and auction on Tuesday night.  I wanted to wear a specific dress but it is probably going to be too cold for that.  I guess I'll go with plan B. It is also a nice dress but not nearly so cool as the one I wanted to wear.

I have gone to my Twitter feed and deleted tons of stupid feeds and replaced them with every travel feed I could find.  I have six months before I go to Europe ( six loooooong months) and I am going to look for a decent fare between then and now.  Surely I will be able to snatch up something relatively inexpensive since my plans are somewhat flexible. I'll just have to be vigilant and jump on a good fare when I find it.  Gone are the days when I could easily fly round trip to Paris for $600. 

I got some good work on the Rondeur last  night.  Tonight I need to slip the stitches onto a piece of waste yarn and try it on to make sure it is long enough before I start the curved hem.  I hope it fits!

Deceptively easy

I just hate to say this, but when I ran yesterday and without any more effort than suggesting to myself that I run just a little bit faster, I ran 2.53 miles in 30 minutes!   It then seems to me that I should be able to do 2.6 with a little bit more effort.  My logic is that if I can get myself comfortable with doing faster training times my race times will shrink accordingly.   I would be the happiest girl alive if I could do a 10 minute mile and right now it doesn't feel like it's out of the question.  Baby steps.  And no running today since it's Wednesday noon knitting day.

Tink was a little less needy last night and I was a little more attentive to her doggie needs in order to have some uninterrupted knitting time.  I gave her the normal 30 minutes when I got home, then after I worked out and had dinner I gave her another long-ish walk. The way our weather is these days we are getting clouds in the morning and then in late afternoon we get a little bit of sunshine, so it was actually quite nice at 7 pm and we had a lovely stroll.  Then I had some time to work on the Rondeur.  I finished up the increases and now go 'round and 'round until I am 14 inches from the underarms.  At that point I need to try it on to make sure it is long enough before I make the curved hem.  I am loving this lovely Aimee yarn a little less these days since I found THREE knots in one ball, one after the other.  That is extremely annoying with cheap yarn and doubly so with expensive yarn.  Oh but this is going to be a great looking top.

Gregg, my new musical partner, telephoned on Monday evening to tell me what a great impression I had made Sunday night and to also say he was quite keen on keeping our partnership going and that I should start thinking of what songs I'd like to sing next.  That's always nice to hear, isn't it?  I have been going up to that bar, the Oxford, for years and years to listen to my friends perform.  Maybe only once or twice a year, but I would see the same people hanging out.  After our set I saw Gregg's wife sitting with a woman that I have seen there and I sat down with them.  The woman, Beth, lives next door to Gregg and Jennifer.  Well it is a very small town after all.  She said, "I was in your house once when you weren't there".  Oh, were you?  Good heavens .. that's my friends for you.  My old house was a rather casual place in that all my friends knew where the spare key was and also knew that I never latched the bathroom window.  So it's not all that unusual but all the same ... weird.  I think McG, one time when he was staying with me, brought her over for immoral purposes.  Just a guess.

Well ... better get on with my day.  Here's hoping I can put another couple of inches onto the Rondeur at lunch.

Mmmmmm raspberries

We are lucky here to have strawberries at the grocery store all year 'round, at a (mostly) reasonable price.  Not so with raspberries.  But this past weekend they did have some, they looked great and oh ... they smell incredible!  I have some for breakfast this morning and I am letting them sit in the bowl for a while just so I can enjoy the anticipation of eating them.  Well -- one must take one's pleasures where one can. 

As incredible (there's that word again) as it seems, I had yet another super awesome run yesterday!  I am so happy that it wasn't a fluke!  Right now I am running - not race pace, but just everyday pace - just under 2.5 miles in 30 minutes.  Ultimately, I would like to be running 3 miles in 30 minutes but this is a very lofty goal that I probably could make, but not without some serious training, probably with a professional trainer.  A more realistic goal is perhaps 2.6 miles in 30 minutes.  I'll take it in baby steps.  In the next two weeks then, I'd like to increase my pace enough to hit 2.6 miles in 30 minutes. 

I managed a few rows on the Rondeur last night but Tinkerbell was so needy that I didn't get to knit nearly as much as I had wanted to.  I was very tired and just wanted to work out, watch a little TV and knit and turn in early.  This was not to be.  The phone wouldn't quit ringing, Tink wanted to go out all the time, except when she was on the lanai barking at all of the other dogs having a fine time out walking.  I suppose it's natural for her to be a bit antsy since she spent so much time in the car on Sunday, but it didn't make it any less annoying.  I hope she's not so needy tonight so I can get some serious inches done on this thing.  I want to wear it!

I'm looking forward to the 3-day weekend coming up, even though it's supposed to be raining all weekend.  If I get all my running around and shopping done on Saturday I can have two entire days to myself.  I would like to fiddle with my closets - clean them out and switch out the shoes to the spring/summer ones.  Maybe take an afternoon and finish the Cloisonne Jacket or get closer to finishing the Shining Bird's Eye shawl.  All good choices.  But I still have to make it through this week.  So here we go.

Where did the weekend go?

Yup, it was one of those weekends.  Zip.  But fun, definitely fun.  Friday McG picked me up from work and we went to my place so I could walk Tink and change.  We had reservations at one of my favorite little restaurants for a nice catching up dinner.  Rookie mistake though.  Having been counting calories I had a very empty stomach and put two martinis into it before dinner.  Not a good idea.  Not a good idea at all.  It wasn't that I got sick or anything, but I didn't wake up feeling all that great.  I'm out of practice, it seems.  So my Saturday was spent trying to recover.  I had plans to meet with Gregg to go over our songs for Sunday night so I had to get myself together by late afternoon.  Tink only got a short walk and I didn't get anything but grocery shopping done.  By 3 or so I was feeling mostly human, thank goodness.

I got out to Gregg's by 6 pm and he hadn't been feeling well all day either.  His was bacon related and frankly, I'd much rather be feeling sketchy due to alcohol than pork products, right?  Anyway we managed to get through the six songs and I got home at a decent hour and spent some quality cuddle time with Tink in my big chair.  Gregg and Jennifer's lilacs are just prime right now and he gave me a big bunch to take home with me.  Mmmmmm ... just yummy.

Sunday the weather was bad, big surprise, so we only had a medium long walk.  I needed to do my laundry since I hadn't gotten it done on Friday night.  Luck was with me and I put a couple loads in before we headed out for our walk.  While it was drying I settle down at the dining room table and started working on ripping back the Rondeur.  I know why I hate doing this - it's very difficult!  I just took it slow and I'd say it probably took me about an hour to get it done.  I am glad I took the time to do it right.  It's all ready now to re-start the increases and I just skipped the underarm marker for the left side.  I don't see why I need it and if I end up needing it later I can always put it in.

Since I was going to be gone for so long I brought Tink with me up to Snohomish.  Gregg and Jennifer have an old cat so Tink was very very interested in their house and more especially finding that kittie.  It was funny to watch her.  That cat didn't want anything at all to do with Tink.  They ended up putting the cat outside.

The gig was about what I expected.  I had a fun time.  Oddly enough some of my closest and oldest friends have never heard me sing, especially the country stuff.  Oh we've been out doing drunken karaoke and things like that but not a real gig.  It was nice to get the compliments.  It's a long way up there - it takes me 45 minutes, so I was gone for about 8 hours and I was exhausted by the time Mike's set was done, which was around 8:45.  I got home and got Tink walked all before 10 but then I couldn't settle down.  This always happens to me after I sing.  It takes hours and hours to relax.  I don't think I got to sleep until after midnight, but I feel great today.  It's going to be a busy week.  And that's good news.

The good and the bad

Yesterday was a magnificent day.  I worked at home in the morning, ran errands at lunch and gave Tink a nice long walk in the sunshine.  It is sunny again today!  It was somewhat breezy yesterday and not all that warm, but gorgeous all the same. 

My lawyer finally got the Settlement Letter written, I approved it and it should be sent off today. That is a HUGE weight off my mind.  And I come to find out that they (the soon-to-be-ex and his lawyer) have not even made a Response to the Petition yet!  Every day I feel a little more awake, as if I was under a spell.  When one considers that I went from caring for my Dad and all that entailed and cost me emotionally, and then going right into a relationship for all of the wrong reasons ..... I never got to re-group.  Totally and completely my fault.  I know better -- I knew better.  So I am, understandably, most anxious to put this chapter away and get on with the business of living a happy, joyful life.  And it just drives me CRAZY that the other parties are not feeling the same sense of urgency.  Ah well, it's a journey and I might as well try to enjoy my life while I'm traveling this road.

I was knitting around on my Rondeur, very happy with the progress I was making.  I was on third increase when I realized that I had made increases at the right underarm as well as the front and back darts!!  Arghghgh!!  I should have put a different colored marker under that arm.  The other side underarm is the beginning of the row and it has the counter marker.  So, what did I do?  I thought I'd be super smart (warning words) and just unravel the knitting when I got to the marker, down to the first incorrect increase.  What I didn't take into account is that there would be long strings because I had knit 12 rows.  It wasn't something that would block out and since this is a very close fitting garment I had no choice but to threat a needle through a rows below the start of the increases and rip back.  I decided to do this while I was sitting in my comfy chair watching TV - hubris, my friends.  By the time I got around to the beginning of the row I was off by 3 rows.  What I need to do is get a smaller than size 5 needle, first mistake, and sit down at a table and do it correctly.  So I had to put it away before I did any more damage.  It'll have to wait until the end of the weekend.  I'm going out to dinner with Mikie tonight!  yay!

So then I had some fun.  Some of the best kind of fun.  I got into my closet and tried on clothes I haven't been able to wear for a few months,  a LONG few months.  I was very gratified that my regime is giving me great results and rather quickly.  The woman who does my hair told me I looked "tiny".  Yay! 

Now on the to the rant portion of our program --- Generally speaking living in my apartment is not so bad, all things being equal.  However, there are lots and lots of students living there as well because of the close proximity to the North Seattle Community College.  In my building, one floor down, is an apartment comprising two couples - young Japanese students.  And they smoke, of course.  And I don't care what they do in their apartment, but what they do that drives me insane is that they smoke in the elevator!!  Not only that, they get in there, take a drag, then drop their cigarette butts on the floor and step on them!   Really?  You can't go down one floor without smoking?  Seriously, they live on the second floor so they are maybe out of their apartment and downstairs and out the front door in less than a minute.  I just want to slap them. I won't.  But I WANT to.

Here's to a happy and sunny weekend.
 

A beautiful work at home dayI

The title says it all.  It's beautiful outside and I'm working from home.  The poplar trees are now in full leaf so I don't see the freeway - only beautiful, leafy trees.  If I had the door open to the lanai then I'd hear the noise of the traffic, but it's not quite that warm yet.  It most likely will be this afternoon.  I've got an appointment at 3:30 and I will run some errands at lunch.  I am now especially glad I took this apartment rather than one on the other side of the building facing the pool and gardens, because they're doing more noisy work in the pool area.  I can't even hear it over here.  The pools are going to be gorgeous!  They have replaced the white tile around the edges of the pools with brick and started grouting it last night.  I don't know what they're going to do with the area around the pools, which was previously just cement.  It would be nice if they tiled it as well, but since tile tends to be super slippery when wet, I am guessing they won't be doing that.

Tink was rather needy again last night so I didn't get as much knitting done as I had hoped.  There are five increases to be made to balance out the five decreases for the waist and I am on the second of these.  Then it will be knit knit knit to 14 inches, try it on for length and then do the curved hem.  It is going to be so cute!

I got an email from a group I signed up for a few years ago but have yet to attend one of the events.  It's called Seattle Uncorked, and it's a group that does wine tastings and things like that.  I could never persuade the soon-to-be-ex to attend any of the events with me and now I got an email for one I would really like to participate in.  I am lacking partners right now.  I love hanging out with my friend M, but she doesn't drink so things like this are pretty boring for her.  Ah well.  It will sort itself out in time, this lack of playmates.  It always does.  I need some patience.  Anyone know where I can find some?

This is nice

Woke up to blue skies and sunshine!  Birds singing!  I wore a cardigan out the door today rather than a coat!  Ahhhhh.  It's not going to last long but I do read that we might break 70 degrees in the next few days.  I should probably think about getting a fan for my apartment now rather than wait until I really really need it and can't find one.  That's a chore for this already full weekend coming up.

I changed Tink's schedule a bit last night and it did indeed tack another 30 minutes onto my sitting up time before she started pushing me towards bed.  On our last walk around the gardens she started sniffing and running and looking upward into a tree.  I thought it was just another squirrel but when we got around to the bottom of the tree and I looked up I could see a little raccoon up there!  Amazing!  Even though we are close to the freeway there is a park just about the same distance west of us, so I guess it's not that crazy.  But still.

 I finished up the waist decreases on the Rondeur last night and now I'm working on length, then will do the increases.  I realized .... oh my, what a rookie mistake ... that I never checked gauge on this project!  I was so enamored of the yarn and the fabric it makes on the size five needles is just perfect so I didn't even think about checking my gauge.  I am noticing that this top looks a little small, but it is meant to be worn with two or three inches of negative ease so I might end up being okay.  Oh yes, I could measure and if it's off then start over but am I going to do that?  Probably not.  Most definitely not.

My latest audiobook is Christopher Hitchens' autobiography "Hitch 22".  I have loved his writing for years.  He and Dominick Dunne were my sole reasons for reading Vanity Fair for years and years.  He is now battling oesophageal cancer, which makes the listening that much more poignant.   

I have a couple of social engagements coming up which are brightening my month.  McG is coming for a visit and has promised to take me to dinner on Friday, then the little gig on Sunday and the following Tuesday I'm going to a fundraising dinner for a medical student group with one of the faculty members.  It is an auction fundraiser - silent as well as live.  I just LOVE those!  It should be fun.  And I get to wear a dress.  I hope the weather is fine so I can wear a good one.

Breakthrough!

Yesterday I had the best run I've had in ages!  I was feeling it last week but didn't completely get it until yesterday.  I've stepped up a level, if that makes sense.  That's not to say that my 30 minutes is easy, exactly.  But I definitely have gas in the tank at the end of the 30 minutes and could have run harder and/or longer.  I'm stronger, I guess it what it is.  Whatever you call it, it's magic and I shall enjoy the heck out of it as long as it lasts!  Today, in the sunshine.

I had a fine evening yesterday and got some good work done on the Rondeur.  Tinkerbell has been very insistent that we retire at 9 pm.  By that I mean she sits at the floor by my chair, or wherever I am sitting and whines until I put her on the bed.  So I just usually go with her and read for an hour or watch stuff on my iPhone.  It's starting to be lighter later though and I have got to stop letting her run my life!  But I was restless last night and even after reading for an hour or more I couldn't get to sleep.  Then when I finally fell to sleep I woke up again at 1 am!  I was groggy this morning and late.  Tonight I'm going to take her outside again at 9 and maybe that will prolong her evening and make it easier for me to sleep.

Looks line sunshine for the next few days.  I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts.

Chasing the sun

I left early on Friday -- not terribly early, but about an hour or so.  I wanted to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.  However, by the time I actually got out the door the wind was picking up and before I made it home the clouds had rolled in and it was cold and blustery.  Silly me.

Saturday was much better in the morning and Tink and I set off for a nice trip to the lake.  It wasn't warm, by any means, but it wasn't raining either so we had a long walk.  I had finished my new pedicure socks the night before but didn't take into account that they were rather thicker than the previous ones I had made and I couldn't wear them with the one pair of sandals I had out, so I went barefooted.  It wasn't that cold, after all.  I got my fingernails cut nice and short so I could play my ukelele a bit easier, and then spent the afternoon getting the stitch count right on the Rondeur and doing a few rounds.  I can't for the life of me figure out how I got the count so messed up but it's right now and not obvious that I didn't start out with the correct number of stitches.

I took off for Snohomish to rehearse with Gregg a little before 5:30 and by the time I was 20 minutes north the rain had started coming down.  I noticed that Gregg has two lilac trees in his front garden and even more in the back and I was going to ask for some cuttings before I left, but by the time we were done is was dark and POURING rain.  We had a terrific rehearsal.  Our voices blend so well together.  We have six songs for the open mic this coming Sunday, plus I'm singing another with McG and Gregg and I are both providing backups for one of McG's songs as well.  It should be a fun time.

Sunday was miserable, weather-wise.  It was coming down steadily, with no breaks in the clouds that I could see so I just put on a waterproof jacket and took Tink out for her long walk, as usual.  She was due for a bath so I figured she might as well get soaked before - kind of a pre-rinse.  We wandered some new streets and got good and wet.  And then she got a nice bath.  What she really needs is a trip to the groomer.  Hopefully I can get her in on the 28th, unless they are going to be closed for the long weekend, in which case I'll have to try for a weekday appointment.

I took advantage of the quiet and long afternoon and worked on the Shining Birds Eyes shawl.  I have four more repeats to go!  Sixteen more rows.  Why didn't I finish up the Cloisonne Jacket?  I have no good reason for not doing it.  I just need to make myself sit down and do it.  I'll bet it's no more than a couple of hours of work to completely finish, and yet I can't make myself do it.  Crazy.

Allergies are crazy as well.  The poor girl who was doing my manicure suffers greatly from hay fever and she was complaining about it Saturday.  The rain seems to make it worse - I suppose because it disturbs the pollen on the trees.  I woke up at around 1 this morning out of a deep sleep, I think because my eyes were itching so badly.  I popped another Benadryl and went off to sleep but I was a bit groggy this morning.

I got caught up on my Desperate Housewives recorded programs last night and worked and worked on the Rondeur.  I am nearly to the start of the waist shaping.  It goes quickly even though it is on size 5 needles.  Still adoring this yarn!

Post gone missing

Sometime has been up with Blogger today.  And I'm missing my post from yesterday to boot.  Supposedly, from what I can gather doing a search, the missing posts are going to be restored.  It's got me all turned around though, creature of habit that I am. 

Anyway ... on with it.  I had a SUPER great run yesterday!  I'm looking forward to another one today.  I did, in fact, wear my short sleeved shirt yesterday but my jacket stayed on the entire time.   While it's not so sunny today as yesterday it does seem a bit warmer so I might end up taking my jacket off after all.  And it's not yet the middle of May ... that's sarcasm.  It's really not worth complaining about the weather, is it?  So why do I keep doing it?  Maybe because I'm so happy lately that there's nothing else to complain and/or rant about?  I need to step up my game in that case.

Since the evening was fine, Tink spent some time on the balcony soaking up the evening sunshine and I worked on my Rondeur.  I have messed up the stitch count somehow.  I should have counted carefully before I put the sleeve stitches on holders but I didn't and now I have to fiddle and add a couple of stitches to the body so I can get the waist shaping markers in the right place.  It's only an inch or less in fit so that's not the issue.  I don't want the shaping to be off kilter. Tonight I'm going to have to leave it and finish up my pedicure socks.  It's supposed to be cold and wet again tomorrow and I'll need them since it's my day for manicure and pedicure.

I've got a little rehearsal with Gregg tomorrow evening and other than that, nothing special going on this weekend.  I hope the rain will hold off in the morning so that I can get Tinkerbell walked before I run my errands. Last weekend I found a few lilac trees starting to bloom so this weekend will be a sniffing paradise, hopefully.  I have taken to doing my weekly laundry on Friday nights because nobody seems to want to do laundry on Fridays except me, which is handy.  Saturdays and Sundays are, of course, busier.  Somewhere down the road I hope to have a social life, but for now it works fine.

I ended up getting a great night's sleep last night.  I suppose because I was so tired from my terrible night before.  I couldn't read more than a page before my eyes started closing.  Tink woke me at midnight, but I went right back to sleep.  I am so very very grateful that my apartment complex - at least the part where I am - is quiet.  The traffic noise from the freeway is pretty much white noise by now.

Don't ride without your sunglasses

This is my absolute these days, especially as the days get warmer and the layers start peeling from the other riders.  It's a FREAK SHOW!  I can't help but stare so I wear my sunglasses so it's not so obvious (I hope).  I do try not to stare, but it's nearly impossible.  Yesterday a woman came down the aisle and she had stubble.  No, this wasn't a man dressed as a woman.  This was a rather portly female who shaves her lip and chin and hasn't gotten around to it for a few days, it seems!  Then there are the piercings, and the clothing choices and .... there is this guy who wears tennis shoes that are made up of patches of different leather  -- patent and suede and smooth -- in several different pastel colors. All pastel.  I can't get over those ugly shoes.  Its goes on and on.  I just keep plugged in to my iPhone and pretend I'm not there.

After several gorgeous nights of deep sleep I had a terrible night last night.  I figured it out this morning, or I think I have it figured out.  It did feel to me as though I had ingested some caffeine and I am very very careful about not having any coffee or tea after noon (other than herbal) and no caffeinated soft drinks in the afternoon or evening.  I did eat some chocolate after dinner and that must have had just enough caffeine to disturb my sleep.  I have discovered Skinny Cow ice cream cups -- oh they are SO good and only 150 calories!  From now on though, no more chocolate.  It was wicked.  I must have been up four times last night and I was tossing and turning.  Then, of course, I couldn't drag my sorry behind out of the bed when the alarm went off. 

It was pouring rain and cold (again) yesterday.  It was noon knitting so no running anyway, but I got so wet walking Tinkerbell.  And she isn't all that keen on walking when it's raining either, but I have to make her since she doesn't get much exercise except for our walks and a couple games of fetch in the evening.   I woke to sun this morning, which is nice.  I think it's going to be nice today and tomorrow.  Maybe I'll get that run in my short sleeves today.

My arms, shoulders and chest are so sore this morning I can hardly stretch without wincing.  And that is a good thing.

This is getting annoying!

This is the second day in the row I've woken up 30 minutes before my alarm is due to go off!  On one hand, I'm happy I'm getting such good, restful sleep that I am ready to wake up and get on with the day.  On the other hand ... I am a lazy lazy woman and like to have every second possible to wallow around in bed.  I might need to invest in blackout curtains for my bedroom window.

I had a super awesome run yesterday at lunchtime although still not in my short sleeved shirt.  The clouds moved on in the afternoon and by the time I got home from work it was bright and sunny and warm.  Tink and I had a lovely long walk and not ten minutes into it I wished I had left my coat at home.  It's back to rain this morning, but it was a nice interlude while it lasted.

I have found a crack in my iPhone!  I first noticed something weird when my iPhone dock and alarm clock started giving me a message when I docked the phone at night -- something about the accessory not being for an iPhone.  This is the same type of message I was getting before my previous phone had to be replaced.  And then a few days later I noticed there is a long (relatively) crack at the base of the phone where the plug is for the dock.  Ah ha!  I am not averse to getting the newer iPhone.  I would like the face to face phoning and the built in flash.  But I want the newer white model which, at this time, is $100 more for the 32 gig version (which I have to have).  So I am torn.  How long should I wait?  Should I wait until it breaks or go for the preemptive replacement?

Today a six month countdown starts.  I am planning on going to Europe on my November vacation.  The way Veteran's Day and the Thanksgiving holidays line up this year I can "spend" 8 vacation days and get 17 days off, including weekends.  I am going to meet up with Emma, who now lives in Luxembourg.  I'm not yet sure what we'll do or for how long, but I do know that she's going to want to go to Paris with me, at least for a while.  Other than that, no firm plans.  I am just going and I have six months to make plans and change plans and change yet again.  Time IS a luxury.

I was more in the mood to read last night rather than knit, but I did manage to do another few rounds of the Rondeur.  I tried to take a picture in my office here this morning but it didn't come out very well.  I will give it another go at home tonight.  I am still loving this yarn.  I did get a picture of my finished Green Gable.  It's a little wonky on the dummy, but you get the idea.  And can you see Tink in the background on the floor?  She's a dirty little dog.  She definitely needs a grooming.  I can barely see her eyes!

Walking the cat

No, it's not the name of a new dance, although it would be a pretty cool name for a band, don't you think?  Anyway ... on the way in to work today I saw a women walking her cat down the street in a harness.  And the cat was participating, not struggling to run this way or that, but trotting along obediently.  I think it's odd that I don't see more people walking their cats, considering it's city living and the apartment dwelling cats don't get much exercise.  Well, they're not like dogs now, are they?

Yesterday I did NOT run in a short sleeved shirt.  It wasn't that warm, unfortunately.  Maybe later this week.  One can only hope.  I have noticed that despite the clouds and rain, the pollen is at high levels and my allergies are annoying me.  I had a huge sneezing fit last night, so something in my environment blooms in the evening.  Thankfully a Benedryl will take care of the symptoms.

I am just still so happy with my workout routine.  I can honestly say I haven't been in this good of shape since before my dad died.  It's not like I stopped workout out altogether.  I never stopped biking or running, but I did quit going to the gym.  But now that I'm using my Wii and the EA Sports More Workouts disk I have noticed that my arms are shaping right up again.  I guess all those years and years and years of working out were worth it.  After 3 years of neglect they still remember where they're supposed to be! 

The evening was spent working on the Rondeur.  I finished one entire repeat of the cable pattern for the yoke increases.  That's about a third of the way through the increases.  It should go much faster after the yoke is done.  I am still llllloving this yarn!  I am going to have to keep my eyes peeled for this.  I want more.

Just a taste

The sun  played hide and seek this weekend but we got a generous dose yesterday and it was great.  I might even be able to take the lining out of my trench coat this week.  And I am going to run in a short sleeved shirt today rather than my long sleeved fleece.  Oh, I'll have a rain jacket as well - I'm not that crazy.  But it's definitely warming up a bit, finally.  I do recall that last year May was SUPER wet, because I was participating in the Bike to Work month competition and I rode in every day but ... two, I think.  And the rainstorms were epic.  So I think I'll dial back the complaints.

Saturday I got together with Gregg again to work on our few songs for May 22nd.  I brought my ukelele to play on one of the songs, "Busted", because it has a mandolin part on the recording and I thought the uke would work as a substitute.  It does work and sounds cool so I'm going to play it on the gig.  I will need to practice practice practice and cut my fingernails shorter.  I can feel the tips of my fingers today from pushing on the strings.  We're going to get a really good spot in the line up because my friend McG is the headliner and since I'm going to be singing with Mike as well as Gregg,  we'll be scheduled close by.  The guy who organizes this thing is publicizing Mike winning the Great American Song Writing Contest.  Hopefully it'll be a good sized crowd with few children.

I had a wonderful lazy Sunday.  The entire complex was quiet - probably everyone off celebrating Mother's Day somewhere else.  Tink and I had a nice long walk, I did a little housework and then spent the entire afternoon knitting and the evening knitting and watching DVDs.  It was heaven.  I finished up the Green Gable, put it on my dummy and took a picture and forgot the camera at home today.  I am nearly done with the pedicure socks I started last week - maybe an inch or two left of the cuff to go.  I think I'll still be needing them for another month, which is why I decided to put them to the top of the queue.  Then I started a new project.  I was going to start the little lace jacket thing but then changed my mind and started the Rondeur.  Oh, and the yarn I bought for that is just gorgeous!!  It's called Aimee and it's by Louisa Harding.  It's cotton and cashmere and so incredibly soft.  I only got started - an inch of twisted rib.  It's going to be a beautiful little top.

I finished my latest audiobook yesterday - another Kate Atkinson book.  I really enjoy her and promptly bought another one.  The one I finished - "Started early, took my dog" - ended with one of my favorite poems called "Hope", by Emily Dickinson.
  

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

Here's hoping we have a lovely, warm and sunny week.  But don't hold your breath.