Swimming upstream

The last thing that was said on the news last evening was "It's going to be raining for sure tomorrow morning".  Correct.  It is raining, and raining hard again.  I didn't get to run yesterday so I am hoping that we get our midday break so that I can run today.  Or even if it would slow down a bit.  I don't mind getting a little wet if I can only get out there and try to outrun this mood.

It doesn't help that I had to work Sunday, albeit only for a few hours.  Yesterday felt like Friday and ... well yes, it was only Wednesday.  The good news is that I have lots and lots to do.  It would be worse if there wasn't much on my plate.  We count our blessings where we find them.  I'm digging. 

The Elsie cardigan is that close to being finished.  I got one of the sleeves sewn in yesterday at noon and the second one pinned in.  Maybe tonight I'll do the edging.  Last night I worked on the mystery project.  I wanted to do a few rows on the new Aristida Shawl that I started on the weekend for my sister.  But since I have just started it I really need to concentrate on it and therefore it's not TV knitting, or even listening to music knitting.  Hopefully that'll change after another repeat.

This morning I need to dig right into a tough project.  I really wanted to do it yesterday afternoon, but the IT guy was working on my new server and I couldn't do it!  That's so frustrating.  I was on a roll and wanted to keep at it.  I received an update to some software I am using to make a new virtual microscope that will let us see our annotations on the iOS version pages.  I am hoping it's going to be a simple install and I won't have to do a lot of fussing, but regardless, I think I'm going to have to add a line of code to all of the iOS pages that I've made so far and that's going to be tedious at best. Wow ... I'm a complainer this morning, aren't I? 

On the positive side -- in three weeks I'll be heading out for my nice little vacation with my sister. And maybe we'll get a break in this rain soon.  I can hope, can't I?

Just a peep

I think I saw a bit of sun through the clouds this morning.  It just may stay around a bit today.  I have noon knitting so I won't be out at lunchtime, but maybe it'll stick around until after work.  That would be pleasant.

I missed my run yesterday, much to my chagrin, needing those endorphins as I do.  The rain had stopped, there was a perfect window of opportunity.  However, I had agreed to help a friend with lunch for her meeting.  I was supposed to keep a look out for the caterer in case they got lost.  So I stood around for 40 minutes and finally poked my head into the meeting room only to find that they had delivered the lunch earlier.  grrrrrrr .... At that point there was no way I could run.  My stomach had been grumbling and growling for 30 minutes.  Days like that there's nothing for it but just get on with the rest of the day.  I took myself down to the cafe because the microwave in our lunchroom is broken.  I can't truly remember when is the last time I took lunch in the Rotunda, but I did yesterday.  I got a nice selection from the salad bar and found a place to sit and played Scrabble on my iPad.

My afternoon was super frustrating and I very much missed having my run.  I have been reading and working with several programs to learn how to make an ePub document.  It is very complicated if you want to do it so that something other than Apple products can read it.  I would love to just be able to pop my stuff into iBooks Author app, but not every student uses an iPad or iPhone so I have to make sure the documents are for the rest of the folks as well.  It's frustrating and hard work and I haven't even yet gotten to the truly fiddly bit.  I am preparing three separate chapters that contain most of the types of pages we have in the entire syllabus so I can hopefully just do one big troubleshooting session and then know what I need to do for all of the problems I will encounter.  Well, that's the hope.  It rarely turns out like that though, does it?

I had a nice quiet evening, cooked a nice little dinner and took Tink for her 7 pm walk and then did a little knitting on my mystery project.  I don't know if it'll be gloves or socks, but it's something I can pick up when I'm between other more difficult selections, like now.  I wanted to finish up the movie I had started the night before, so around 8 I turned it on and all was going well.  But then a notice popped up that my friend Emma, who is having a holiday in Sweden, had just posted some pictures on her facebook page and I wanted to take a look.  I put the movie on pause, went to look at the beautiful sunrise pictures of Sweden, and when I came back the movie wouldn't let me restart it!  I was over the limit.  If I had kept on watching without  hitting pause I should have been okay, but my curiosity ....

Oh well.  I packed it in for the night and went in to watch a couple of episodes of Firefly in bed in my iPad.  That is so comfy!  And I slept great and am very happy that nobody was trying to drive through the hedge.  Now I've got to finish this cup of tea and head down for the LAST meeting of the year ... the academic year ...woohoo!

Hurry up summer!!

We seem to have slid back to early spring.  Yesterday was cold and cloudy and drizzling.  And it's still at it this morning.  It's raining hard.  I sure am glad I've got my vacation to look forward to.  I know for sure I'll get plenty of sunshine and hot weather as well.

I did a little bit of reading about Seattle and towing charges.  Here's a good article, if you're interested.  The original  - the one that I remembered but hadn't read closely - was from last November and this is a follow up.  I was surprised to read that Seattle's towing charges are about 4 times as much as New York City's!  It's just outrageous and now I'm going to drop it.

I was very tired yesterday but still went out for my run, since at that time it wasn't raining and I could. I have now gone more than 300 miles since I started using this app.  I can hardly wrap my head around that.  I was invited to join some people for dinner - faculty visiting for the AWARE retreat - but I just couldn't face it, having been up for hours the night before with all that nonsense with the truck driving into the hedge.  I didn't even knit on anything.  I made a nice little dinner and turned in early to watch a movie on my iPad.  Unfortunately I couldn't make it much past 9:30!  I was that tired.  I'll have to finish it up early tonight because it was a rental movie from iTunes and you have to finish watching within 24 hours of when you start.  I slept like a rock, thankfully, and only woke up because of the rain and went right back to sleep.

It's hard going when the sun is so scarce.

A very challenging weekend

My new license arrived Friday so this morning I am at the Social Security office to get my name changed. It is going to be a wait so I may as well be productive. People are lined up outside and they don't open for another 3 minutes. It is cold though and drizzling so I am in my car until the doors open.

Saturday morning Gregg called to say he was going to a jam session at Rusty's and would I come? Nope. I hate jam sessions. I don't play guitar so what am I supposed to do? Hope they know some of my songs and want to play them? Anyway I already had plans to have a girlie knitting afternoon at my friend's condo. Now I wish I had joined Gregg.

You know how people are always talking about their Bucket List? Things they want to do before they die -- which is pretty silly if you think about it. Of course it is before you die. Who makes a list of things to do AFTER you die? Anyway there are also certain things we all hope to avoid. So far I have avoided having my car towed, but that ended Saturday. I had misunderstood the parking directions and when I came out my car was long gone.

A few weeks ago there was an article in the paper about towing in Seattle. I didn't read it but it was about how people get snared in this trap of not being able to get their car because of the exorbitant fees. I had no idea just how crazy until then though. Thankfully my friends live near the tow yard so they drove me there as I was on the phone trying to figure out how much and when I could get my car. Unbelievable as this sounds they were closed on the weekend and the answering service was paging the driver as we drove north.

The base fee is $300 just for picking up the car. Then as soon as they drive into the yard it is 1/2 day storage fee, PLUS an obscene "after hours" charge, tax ...... Oh, and cash only. Now you can see how people get trapped. I was SO angry. What a racket!! It took 3 hours from the time I found my car gone until I made it home.

I am going to look up that article today. Something should be done about this. I know that it was my mistake and the tenant had a right to have me towed. But the excessive fees! It is outrageous.

So I was just fuming all night and I had to get up early Sunday morning to pick up things for the meeting. By the time we were done the sun was out and I had a busy afternoon with chores. I didn't get around to cleaning my closet. I was still so mad about the towing that I treated myself and started a new project. I got my cardigan nearly done Saturday. I just have to sew in the sleeves and do the edging, so it is okay to start a new project. I made a good start.

Last night about 10:30 some drunk idiot tried to drive his truck through the hedge right outside my bedroom window! His truck got high centered and had to be towed. A theme. That noise went on until after midnight. Crazy.

I have been enjoying the audiobooks of the Shardlake series but I am now on the last part of the last book. I will be sorry to finish. On my next trip to London I really want to set time aside to look up some of the historical places I have been reading about. I meant to do that last November but somehow time just slipped away. As it does.

But it is not slipping away now. I have been here 40 minutes. It is slow going. And not the best of company either. But worth it. Soon I will be able to get a new passport!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

First one in

I turned off my alarm this morning and woke up 30 minutes late.  I didn't rush, since I've nothing urgent on my plate this morning, and I arrived to work 30 minutes late AND the first one here!  It's like a ghost town around here.  The medical students had their last final yesterday and summer session doesn't start for three weeks.  Very quiet.  Very boring.

It's now officially June so I can call this weather June Gloom and be accurate.  Gloom-B-Gone is unfortunately out of stock everywhere.  I did get a break yesterday afternoon and did my errands and run without the rain, which was nice.  I needed the run for sure.  It did make me feel good.  It must have rained all night because the streets are wet this morning, but it's not raining now and I did see a glimpse of blue sky, so maybe we'll have a decent weekend.  One can always hope.

I am looking forward to a moderately busy weekend.  I might be rehearsing, but have yet to hear from Gregg about that.  He wanted me to join him at the drummer's house as a surprise.  I am not entirely sure that's a good idea but we'll see.  Saturday is errands and then a nice afternoon with the girls.  Sunday I have to get up early and pick up coffee and pastries on the way to work for a meeting that starts at 9 am.  Yes, Sunday.  We have meetings annually with the other faculty from our sister sites who teach the same first year courses to the medical students at their Universities to set the common exam questions for the coming year and talk about all sorts of other tedious things.  Every other year the School of Medicine gets in on the act and holds talks and meetings for all of the faculty jointly during the week, so we have to hold our course meetings on the weekend.   Sunday morning is it.  The good news is that I'll be done at 11 am.  The bad news is that there are two courses I work with and they are holding their meetings at the same time on two different floors and wings. 

Fingers crossed for some sunshine this weekend.  I need some. 

100% humidity

Also known as rain. It's going to be a soggy outing at lunchtime if it doesn't lighten up.  No matter, I've got to get out and run today.  I really need the endorphins.  It's not that cold, thankfully.  I've got my old biking jacket and a baseball cap to wear if it's still raining hard when the time comes.  I got another check for the dinner and golf tournament - that's two to go into the bank today!  That's pretty good but I've got a way to go yet before I can relax about it.  Now I know why the other woman would get so wound up over this event.  People don't commit until the very last minute and you're left holding the bag for 20 greens fees and a catering bill. 

It is so hard to wake up when it's gloomy like this for days on end!  And I didn't sleep well last night because of my allergies.  For some reason ... I guess something I am particularly allergic to, duh .... I was awake and sneezing and coughing around 1.  That so rarely happens to me, but when it does it's very disruptive.  I had to get up and get some water, take a Benadryl and wait until I could breath again.  Crazy!  I am glad to know I'm not the only one who is suffering particularly this spring.  My boss was talking about it yesterday as well.  The cotton woods are nearly done and then I should be back to normal.  And speaking of back to normal .... my eye is almost there!  Almost all the swelling has gone down.  It's still a bit itchy but much better.

Yesterday afternoon I finished the weaving in of ends and binding off of pockets and neck on my cardigan.  I took it up last night to start sewing the pockets onto the body but really couldn't get into it, so I put it aside and I'll take it to my friend's knitting lunch on Saturday.  That way I can have company while I do the most tedious of chores.  I broke my yarn diet yesterday and splurged on two skeins of Dream in Color Starry to make a scarf for my sister.  It's a gorgeous deep teal and the pattern is for a fringed scarf exactly the style my sister has been looking for.  It will be well worth the splurge if she likes the pattern.  And if  not, I can keep it.  So knowing that was on its way I couldn't justify starting that Henley I want to do, so I took up the yarn and needles that I've been carrying with me on my last few trips and cast on for either socks or gloves.  They both start the same way and now when I travel I'll have something already started that I can pick up and knit on.  I wonder if that'll make any difference? 

Now my chore today is to banish the gloom.  Gloom-B-Gone.  I'll find some somewhere!

I was misinformed

I had somehow gotten an idea from who knows where that the book I just finished, "Pompeii" was part of a trilogy.  Not true.  The author has more books on Rome and so maybe that was where the confusion came from.  I have gotten lots of good recommendations so it's not a big deal and I might still try another of his books. I was going to download something to read for my proctoring session yesterday but instead just kept an eagle eye on the students and let my mind wander, the professor in the back of the room and me in the front.  We would occasionally change positions.  Aaaaand, that was my afternoon.

The weather really didn't get decent until early evening after Tink and I had our after work walk, and this morning it's cloudy again with even a little sprinkle.  It doesn't matter for today since I'll be in at lunch, but tomorrow I've got to take another check for the reunion/tournament up to the bank so I would like it to at least not be raining.  I'd like to walk up there and then run back.  That's a nice outing and I get a different run on those days.  Even though I am going mostly downhill back to work, there are parts that are elevated and I have to be forced to run hills, since I hate it so much.  It's enough of a change that I might get some soreness.

I never did start the finishing on my cardigan last night.  Tink was in a play ball mood and I was involved in watching the 2nd Sherlock episode.  Only one more left on my recorded.  But I've brought the cardigan in to noon knitting and I can get a lot done in an hour there, chatting with the ladies.

I heard rumors yesterday about some changes being proposed to our curriculum.  This has been going on for a year or so, but the rumor I am most interested is the one that would make it convenient for me to travel in September again!  It won't be this year, I know.  But it's something nice to look forward to.  Right now I'm looking forward to my meeting in Portland at the end of June - not that exciting.  But then off to California and Arizona and that could be fun.  And then?  I do not know.  But something.

A tasty treat

That seems to describe me these days.  My mosquito bites had just disappeared when I got hit again.  This time by I don't know what right underneath my left eyebrow, causing my eye to swell, plus I've got two additional bites on my forehead right above it!  I had been up at Gregg's Sunday afternoon to do some singing and then he had a BBQ in his backyard.  It happened sometime while I was there - probably when his wife was giving me a tour of the garden, because I remember being bothered by my forehead before we went outside to eat.  It's very annoying and I look like I've been beaten!  But we did have a good time and worked on three songs.  I think it's been a year since I've sung, so I didn't last very long before I started going hoarse.  We're going to get together again this weekend.  He's got a new place for us to do an open mike to try out new songs plus he thinks he's got a line on someone who would book us.  But that's a ways down the road.

My long weekend was moderately productive.  The weather was decent, but not ever really warm.  Saturday was the best day and Tink had a couple of really nice walks.  I spend a good part of the day lazing around reading, which is always a lovely way to spend an afternoon.  I finished "Pompeii" on Sunday.  Thankfully there was only one slave torturing part in the book.  The rest was just wonderful and I'm going to get another of that author's books.  Sunday before I went to Gregg's I had to go over to my house, where my real estate agent was having the first open house.  That wasn't very pleasant but it had to be done and I didn't have to stay long, just fill out and sign some papers.  It is such a wonderful house.  I really loved that house.  Oh well.  Let's hope it gets sold quickly because Pamela is going to have her hands full trying to keep that place ready to be seen at all times.

On Saturday I had to do a little shopping and picked up a couple of really cute summer tops.  I was planning on Monday being my chore day - laundry and such, plus closet cleaning.  So while the laundry was going I headed in to start the purge when I realized ... ah!  I don't have any big bags!  That must be why the last time I did it I just put the clothes into the storage closet rather than taking them to the bin.  So no closet cleaning.  Yes, I guess I could have gone to the store and gotten some bags but all I needed was a little push in the other direction.  So I did some more work on my cardigan - actually I've been using the wrong name for the pattern.  It's the Elsie cardigan.  By the end of the evening yesterday I had finished all the knitting and 3 needle bind off of the shoulders.  Now comes tucking in the ends and putting everything together.  I'll start with the ends tonight. 

I had finished watching the 3rd episode of the first season of the Masterpiece Mystery version of Sherlock Holmes on Sunday night so last night I watched the first episode of this current season which I have recorded on my TV.  I just LOVE that series!  I sure hope they do more.  The first episode was just awesome.  I especially liked the last line ... "Not the woman.  THE woman".  Ahhhhhh ...

So here it is Tuesday - gotta love the short week!  I won't be able to run today though because I've got to proctor an exam starting at 12:30, and tomorrow is noon knitting.  But Thursday and Friday I will and I'll be turning over 300 miles this week!  Can you believe it?  Amazing. I sure hope we get some nice weather this week, because even if it's raining I'm going to be running.  The cotton wood should be almost done falling, especially since it was raining last night and this morning.  Let's hope anyway.  I hate that stuff!

The gateway to summer

Here we are, heading into Memorial Day Weekend.  This is the weekend when everyone takes out the BBQ and officially starts summer, even though it's not actually summer for another few weeks.  As many times as not, the weekend is cold and wet, but it looks like we're going to luck out and have decent weather this weekend for a change.  And good news too, because my house is officially on the market today!  Through Herculean efforts, my real estate agent and contractor have gotten the house into great shape - back to where it was when I left.  Fingers crossed it goes this weekend and I can take a tiny step towards getting myself back on track.

As much as it felt like Friday yesterday, it is even quieter around here today since I suspect more than a few people are getting a jump on the long weekend and the students are studying for their final exam on Tuesday or just enjoying the sunshine.  I heard the office will be closing early today so I'm going to sneak out with the rest and have a nice long evening.  I think I'll give Tinkie an especially long post-work walk, have a nice shower and take myself out for a drink and maybe some food too.

Besides waiting around to hear good news about my house, I've got a few things on this weekend, most notably going up to Gregg's on Sunday to sing and talk about which songs we want to get together for our next gig, whenever that turns out to be.  And since I'll have all this extra time - an entire day - I really should tackle my closets and do a big clean out.  I should, I really really should.  I'll have to come up with a good carrot.

I noticed the cotton woods are blooming and the air is full of that fluff.  I only walked yesterday, but it was a huge long one up to the bank, then Trader Joe's and then back to work -- 1 1/2 hours.  Today I'll have a run.  It's so nice outside even with the fluff floating around.  I'll just breath around it.  heh

The big mystery

Yesterday afternoon as I was checking for mail I heard one of the women in the office complaining of her mosquito bites.  And oddly I had noticed some myself that morning.  One on my shoulder blade - a bit awkward, that one, and a couple on my my knee and ankle.  Only I can't figure out where they came from.  Yes, I sleep with my windows open, but they are screened and I've checked the screens for holes and they have none.  There is a marshy area ... or rather marshy areas ... on parts of our daily walks so I suspect that must be where I am getting bit.  It seems a early for that kind of action but it has been extraordinarily wet lately.

Noon knitting was very productive for me, getting 12 of the 16 rows done that I need to before I start the shaping, but I was more in the mood for a good read than knitting last night after dinner, so I turned my phone off and got comfy and read for a couple of hours.  I decided to start  with "Pompeii" because this is the first of a trilogy and if I like it then I will have two more to look forward to.  It starts well, although I'm not all that keen on the torturing of slaves.  Otherwise, so far so good.  But because I had my phone off I missed a call from my real estate agent.  I heard the message this morning and it's good news -- the house is going on the market!  Perfect weekend for it too, since it's a long weekend and it should be nice most of it.  Fingers crossed we get multiple offers!

I need to send out a reminder to my reunion dinner/golf tournament people.  I got another check today, which is good and another name -- people are pretty laid back about registering and the checks are coming in dribs and drabs.  Oh well, it's a good excuse to walk to the bank and today since I'm up that way I can stop into Trader Joe's, which is my favorite specialty grocery store.  It's not one I am willing to visit on the weekends because parking is a nightmare and it's always so crowded.  If I can go at lunchtime on a weekday it's much better.  I can't pick up any frozen things, but today I can get some live basil and my new favorite things -  individual brie cheese "bites" that I just lllllove!  They also have a good flower selection but that will have to wait.

Here's another Thursday that feels like a Friday.  And it's super quiet because the students are getting ready for finals.  I proctor the last one next Tuesday.  I need to dig deep and get productive.  I am going to start writing a manual today for the new Histo slide viewer I put together.  The annotation system is incredibly difficult to decipher even for me, so imagine the faculty trying it out.  This way if I put together a manual I can save myself hours of frustrating one on one.  I am not a good teacher.  Seriously.  It's best if we acknowledge our shortcomings and move on, right?  But if I can have a little description typed out for them things should run more smoothly and there will be less frustration from all.  Or at least that's my hope.

Step 1

I've finally got the name change thing rolling along.  It's easy to change names on credit cards and things, but it's more time consuming and complicated to do the driver's license, Social Security and passport name change.  This morning I took the bus down to the lawyer's office to pick up a certified copy of my decree, which specifies the name change as well.  As luck would have it, my lawyer was coming into the building just as I was arriving, so we had a very nice talk.  I feel pretty good about where things are, and I'm content to just wait for the next step, whenever that comes about.  From there I went to the DMV, where there was no waiting!  It's a miracle.  Now in about two weeks when my new license arrives I can do step 2, the Social Security office, and then passport..... although maybe I can do my passport before I actually get my license.  I should look into that a bit more.

I got some good book suggestions.  Keep 'em coming.  So far I've been recommended Robert Harris' "Pompeii", and "Playing for Pizza", which is about American football in Italy.  Both sound like they'd be perfect for my taste.

I woke up early this morning, shivering!  It is cold again!  So cold in fact that I had to wear gloves when I took Tink for her walk after work yesterday.  And today I wore my black trench coat with the lining still zipped in.  Amazing.  However, we are supposed to be getting more seasonal temperatures later this week.  Bad weather be damned, I HAD to have my shot of endorphins yesterday so I ran in the rain.  At least it wasn't pouring, but it was coming down steadily.  My hair looked absolutely crazy all through the afternoon.  Like I had put my finger into a light socket.  It was worth it though.  That and the talk with my lawyer this morning have raised my spirits greatly.  It would be nice to add a little sunshine as well but we can't have everything, can we?  Are you sure?

I didn't feel like knitting at all last night, but I've got noon knitting today and only 16 more rows to go on the back before I start the shaping.  I should be able to get five or so rows done, I hope. 

More gloom

Oh this rain!  It is driving me crazy!  It poured all day yesterday and I had to go to the bank at lunch.  Thank goodness I had worn my boots but even with an umbrella I was wet.  It lightened up just a bit on my way home but started pelting down in earnest when I got off the bus.  Nevertheless Tink has to have her walk, so I changed into a hooded jacket and put her little rain coat on her.  By the time we got back downstairs the heavy rain had turned into a cloud burst.  It was very  much like the one I endured from Paddington Station to my hotel in London in April.  I was assuming it would pass quickly, but it did not and Tink was having none of it.  She set her feet after about 5 minutes of this downpour and would not budge.  I think that has happened maybe once before in all her eight years with me.  There was nothing else to do - I had to turn back around and go home.  Poor little thing!  I don't blame her.  Even with her protection she was soaked to the skin, as was I.    It was not as pleasant an experience as April.  No handsome man to dry off with.

I've really been in a reading mood lately.  I finished my book on Saturday and I was a bit disappointed with it.  It's a new author for me and while I did learn quite a bit about the Oxford and Cambridge boat race, I was not otherwise impressed with the story.  I guessed the outcome well before the end, which is not a good thing.  Three of the authors I do enjoy have new books coming out, but not for months.  So, if you've got any suggestions, send them my way.

Since I had nothing to read I had no excuses and worked a good bit on the back of the Mirasol cardigan.  Sixteen more rows to go, then I do the neck shaping and then I only have the left front.  This project does have a good bit of finishing work - sewing the sleeves in and the pockets as well as edging.  I hope my enthusiasm doesn't wane.

A little more productive weekend

Last Friday that sinus headache did not get any better.  I finally threw in the towel around noon and went home.  I took some pain medicine and reclined on the couch alternating reading with a warm cloth over my face.  Somewhere around 4 I started feeling like the lightening bolts behind my eyes were lightening up and I felt somewhat better.  What a beast that was!  Over 24 hours.   So it was a very relaxed evening.  A little reading, a little phone time. 

I woke up early on Saturday morning.  It was sunny and nice outside and Tink was ready to get going, so we were up and out at 8.  The forecast said the sun was not going to last so we got out there and soaked it up while we could with a nice long walk.  I was back from the grocery store and had my laundry in by 10:30!  I was really fast.  So I worked through a few other chores.  By 2 o'clock the only thing left was Tink's bath and I figured I would put that off to Sunday in case it rained.  Closet cleaning?  I just didn't have the right mood going for that.  So I finished my book and worked on the back part of the Mirasol Cardigan.  After dinner I had a nice talk with my friend Gregg, who was supposed to be getting a band together for us but some family issues came up so I think we've lost our tentative drummer.  Which is no loss as far as I'm concerned since I didn't want him in the first place.  We made a date to get together next Sunday afternoon/evening -- which is great because the Monday is a holiday.

As predicted, yesterday was a soggy rainy day.  Too bad, because it was the University District Street Fair weekend, but it's generally a rotten weekend anyway.  It's rare they ever get a break.  I didn't even drive by.  after our wet morning walk and breakfast I headed out for a manicure and pedicure and to pick up some body cream at the mall.  I was home by 1 and just took it easy for a while.  Around 3 I took Tink for another longh-ish walk and then brought her straight in for her much needed bath.  She looks so beautiful when she's clean and brushed.  And also since it was cold again I made a pot of soup for this week and then cooked a nice dinner while I watched silly TV and knitted.  And then popped off to bed at 10.  I was going to try to finish watching that episode of Sherlock I have on my iPad, but I was too drowsy.  And now I've got three new episodes on my TV because they are playing the new episodes on the current Masterpiece Mystery show.  I will eke them out over the week I think.

I should run today since I missed last Friday and if it's pouring rain I'm just not in the mood.  Crazy May.

Old dog, new trick!

When I moved into this apartment .. 14 months ago!! .. I bought a "porch potty" for Tinkerbell, which is essentially a tray with a piece of perforated plastic between it and a piece of artificial turf.  You put absorbent pads in the bottom of the tray and the idea is that the dog uses that patch of grass when the human is unable to take the dog outside.  I had it on the balcony and would from time to time try to get her interested in using it, to no avail.  Last spring she would lay on it in the sun.  Then we had that nasty incident last summer where I found damp patches under the window which I assumed was from a leak but actually turned out to be Tink.  I could never figure out when she would do that - if it was in the middle of the night or while I was gone during the day.  But once I concluded that it was indeed her and had shampooed the carpet a couple of times, I moved the potty patch from outside to just that spot.  Yesterday when I walked in the door I smelled something bad.  The good news is that she used the potty patch!  Since I haven't been checking it every day and since it's been very nice and the doors and windows have been open and the fan going, I am not sure exactly when she did this.  Now I will be checking mornings and when I get home to see when she is using it.  But it's just great news that she finally figured it out!  Now I know that if I'm sick, like a couple weeks ago when I had that nasty stomach bug that had me begging for death, I can just send her to the potty patch and forgo the wobbling stroll around the garden. 

As I said, it was chillier yesterday but I did run in my shorts, only I started out with a jacket.  It took a while to get warmed up, but it as a great run.  Today is Bike to Work Day, which means the trail is bound to be full of idiots who don't normally ride.  That'll give my Friday run an extra kick of adrenalin. 

I seriously considered not coming in today.  I have had a sinus headache since yesterday afternoon.  But I didn't want to have to come in this weekend to get my running clothes, so I sucked it up and came in.  I hate sinus headaches.  There doesn't seem to be anything I can take that will work on them.  Except a steam bath.  I laid low yesterday evening.  I had a nice hot shower, which gave me a little relief, then had a couple glasses of wine and watched a little TV and read.  I can't knit when I have a headache like that.  I was sure it would be gone this morning, but no luck.  It's very very quiet around here.  If it's not better after my run maybe I'll skip out early.  It's hard to concentrate when my head hurts like this. 

I MUST work this weekend and spend less time between the pink sheets at my happy place.  I should devote the entire day tomorrow to chores and then I can have Sunday to laze around, get a little pampering maybe.  I need a manicure for sure and if I'm going to be doing chores around the house I'd better do it before I get my nails done!  There's motivation.  Plus, it's not going to be very nice this weekend.

The ignorance of the masses

This probably isn't very nice but it's too hilarious not to share.  I was playing DrawSomething and it was my turn to guess.  First of all the person drawing wrote on the screen "some kind of fighting chicken", then erased that and drew what looked like a bull.  We are also given letters so that you can have something to work with if the picture makes no sense.  Well I shuffled and re-shuffled those letters and couldn't come up with anything having to do with fighting OR chickens.  Guess what the word was .... DIABLO.   Diablo!!!  Fighting chicken??? Where did that come from?  I can't stop laughing .... good heavens.

It's cooler today and cloudy.  Since I still haven't done any laundry I am left with my skirt to run in today.  It might be bit chilly to start out but as long  as it's not pouring rain I should be okay.  The two days of rest have done my knee good and I am looking forward to a good run.

I was hoping to be able to start the name changing process this morning.  I am waiting for my official divorce decree, which should have been in yesterday's mail but wasn't.  Maybe today.  When I get that I have to go downtown to first change my name on my driver's license, then to the Social Security office for a new card, and then I can change my  name here at work and get a new passport.  I want to get that going ASAP.  I don't like being without a valid passport.  You just never know when you're going to need it.  I don't like being stuck.  Then I guess I should make a list of all my other things to change - credit cards and insurance and utility bills.  But first things first - I need that official copy!  There used to be a Department of Licensing very near where I live now, but it is used only for driving tests.  If you want to change your name it means going downtown during working hours.  Not very convenient.

I got good feedback at noon knitting and we all agreed that I can do a 3 needle bind off on the shoulders and not impact the integrity of the design in a negative way.  So I got going on the back.  I didn't get much done last night.  The evening got away from me and before I knew it it was 8 o'clock and I still hadn't even started thinking about dinner.  That's too late to start cooking anything like a real meal,  so I ended up with a bowl of cereal for dinner.  I suppose it could have been worse.  I've been in a very weird mood lately.   At least I've been sleeping well.  I am rested and restless.

The only problem is ... I can't draw!

I read an article in the  NYT tech section about a game called "Draw Something".  It sounded fun so I downloaded it onto my iPad.  You can play with a random person or link it to your Facebook account.  I gave it a go with a random person.  It is pretty fun, but for me mostly because I can't draw a lick!  I draw like an uncoordinated 8 year old, and that's putting it kindly.  I have a very basic disconnect between visualizing something and drawing it.  When it is your turn to draw you have a choice of three different things, each worth from 1 to 3 points.  I chose one and if I don't have a solid idea in my head of how to represent that in a very basic way I Google it, click on 'image' and then find the simplest image to copy.  It sounds so silly, but I get a laugh out of it.  And it's fun guessing other people's things as well, although I find some players, kids I would imagine, simply spell out the word rather than try to draw something. 

It was a little cooler yesterday than it had been forecast to be, which was fine.  I am a bit disappointed that I didn't get to run though.  My knee was a little tweaky on Monday and it was no better yesterday so I took my own advice, as hard as that was, and instead of running had a nice walk in my running shoes.  And here's the good news this morning - my knee is fine.  It's noon knitting day so it will get another rest, but I should be just fine and ready to go Thursday.

It was a quiet evening at home and I got the entire right side of the cardigan finished.  I have 24 stitches holding for the shoulder and I have brought the project to noon knitting because I want to get some opinions.  I would really like to 3-needle bind off these shoulders rather than do the shaping and then sew them together.  It is ridiculously hard to make that seam look decent and I find it very hard to believe that the small amount of shaping is even worth doing on a garment like this.  But I'm going to ask the experts before I put those stitches on a holder and start on the back.  There could be some detail I'm missing that more experienced eyes could see.

I was finished with knitting rather early and couldn't move on, so I decided to take my iPad to bed and watch some more of the modern Sherlock Holmes.  I had finished the first episode and just started the second, so I dug in and finished watching that. I was going to start my new book after that,  but I wanted  more Sherlock -- so I started into the third episode.  It's quite enjoyable and I love seeing the modern day London streets.  Now I'll have to find out how many episodes were made and where I can get them.  I know it plays on PBS but it doesn't seem to be running now.

It has been a dull, very dull week so far.  I need to shake things up somehow.  Oh something will turn up, won't it?

Seattle goes crazy in the sun

It's funny to watch, when the sun finally shows up and spring is here, how people go absolutely crazy for it.  I understand how it can wear you down when it's cloudy and rainy for weeks and weeks.  It was only my good luck that I got to miss the worst week of the year when I was in Hawaii in January.  I didn't have to deal with snow at all this winter!  Yesterday it was gorgeous and very warm and the lawn in front of the Rotunda was full of students eating lunch, faces raised to the sun, when I was coming back from my run.  I walked in behind a woman who had obviously been laying on her front, because the backs of her legs were quite pink.  It's going to be warm today and sunny so I'll be able to run in my shorts again.  And good thing, because I took my running tights home last night, thinking I might get the laundry done, but someone else was using the machines and I didn't feel like dealing with it later.  I will try again tonight.

I got my fan in the perfect spot and spent some time working on the Mirasol.  I started the finishing for the right side.  I got the armhole shaped and I am almost ready to start the neck shaping.  I am so crazy about this yarn.  The drape and color are really gorgeous.

I did make reservations last week for Kelli and I to go from Burbank to Flagstaff and today I've got to get my Seattle to Burbank leg taken care of.  I found a really interesting and beautiful (at least from the pictures) hotel in Flagstaff called Little America.   Of course we all know that pictures of hotels and the actual hotel itself can often be worlds apart.  But it was either this or the Hilton, which didn't look that great.  I thought this would be our best bet.  And it's only 1 1/2 hours to the Grand Canyon from there.  This is going to be a complicated trip because I am going to be in Portland and few days before I leave for Burbank.  I'll get back from Portland on Tuesday night, come to work Wednesday and Thursday and leave again on Thursday night.  It's the Tink sitting that I'm concerned with.  The trip to Burbank is going to be around the 4th of July holiday and Tink, like many dogs, gets very upset with the fireworks.  I guess I'll try the house sitter I last used first and then go from there.

A weekend with sun

This was a weekend when nothing got done.  The list of things I had planned to do was long and I got exactly nothing done from it.  I did NOT clean out my closets, nor did I wash the car or go to the driving range.  I didn't even do laundry or a lick of housework!  I did spend a good bit of time lolling about on the couch playing games on my iPad.  I visited the "happy place" a fair amount as well.  Guess what - it does have pink sheets!  Who knew?   And good champagne chilling in the silver bucket.  The windows face northwest so there is no morning sun directly shining on the big windows.  It's quiet and the shower is huge!  Of course, the company is perfect.  Obviously I was self indulgent and slothful all weekend long.  Every day I get closer to the next time I'll really be in my happy place and not just visiting in my head, so in the meantime I'm going to be productive.

The one thing I did do this weekend, besides taking Tink on some long walks, was work on the Mirasol.  I have about an inch more to go before I start the shaping.  Those rows take quite a while to complete because I am doing both sides and back on one circular needle.  I worked my way through a couple episodes of "Once upon a time" and "Desperate Housewives".  I had a little extra time to knit actually because I had dinner plans for Saturday and got unceremoniously stood up!  Can you believe it?  Not even a text.  That's unforgivable in my book. 

Saturday was sunny and warm with a little breeze.  Yesterday was warmer and today it's going to be even warmer still.  I will definitely be running in my shorts today and I'm going to get out there early-ish before it gets really hot.  We might even hit 80 today.

Well of course!

Tink woke me up at 1-ish this morning, so I took that opportunity to try an experiment.  After getting her settled I got myself back into bed in my head sandwich position - pillows top and bottom.  Sure enough, I did not wake up at 4 as I have been doing all week.  It occurred to me yesterday that it must be the birds waking me up because that's why I can't go back to sleep.  Yay!  I'm refreshed this morning and good thing too because I think it's going to be a rough day.  I got a notice when I got home that they're power washing the balconies today on my side of the building.  I'm working from home because they need access to the apartment for some reason and all that noise is going to scare Tink.  It's going to annoy me as well, of course.  But I don't want her all freaked out all day without me being around.

I have to confess to suffering a bit from post-vacation blues.  I thought I was going to miss that altogether but it seems not.  I have been spending a great deal of time in my "happy place".  I'm going to cut myself some slack and let it go for now, but come Monday I will make myself snap out of it!

Yesterday evening was quite productive vis a vis the Mirasol Cardigan.  I sat right down after my shower and dug in while I worked my way through a couple of TV episodes.  Only two more inches and then I start the armhole shaping.  I am going to have to do each of the three pieces, left, right and back, separately but since there is no pattern in this portion it's going to be relatively quick.

It's a beautiful morning - sunny and not too warm.  It is supposed to be in the mid-70s all weekend.  I am most likely going to have to get my fan out at some point.  This place gets lots of southern exposure and tends to get  hot and stuffy.

And now I'm going to be as productive as I can until the noise starts.

What is going on at 4 AM?

Now this is really starting to bother me.  I woke up again this morning at 4 AM for no apparent reason.  This has been happening to me every night since I got home.  I can't be suffering from any more jet lag at this point so I've got to start looking for another cause.  Maybe someone with a noisy car leaves at that time.  I did remember hearing a car door slam.  Years ago when I lived at my Ravenna house the newspaper arriving every morning would wake me up.  The delivery person would throw it up onto the porch and it would slam into the door, waking me.  Or in the summer when the window was open I would hear them drive up because their car radio was blasting and they left the door open.  I put a tube at the gate and that helped that problem.  But I don't know what I can do about someone leaving the parking lot and waking me, if that is the case. 

Yesterday was my semi-annual cleaning at the dentist and I experienced their sonic scaler for the first time.  It was messy, I suspect because of the water that is running all the time.  But oh it is ever fast!  She was done with the entire process in 30 minutes, including polishing.  It wasn't very comfortable, but I am willing to put up with a little discomfort to have it done quicker. 

At noon knitting yesterday I got back on track with my Mirasol cardigan, but I was just too lazy to pick it up last night.  I vow not to start another project until I finish something, and this is a good thing to finish.  I am tempted to start that pretty little T-shirt I got yarn for before my trip, but no no no!  Maybe I can get some done tonight.  I've got a few programs recorded on my DVR.  I could just plunk myself down and get through a couple of them and also do some work.  I got distracted yesterday evening and it seems if I don't just settle right in after my shower and start that I find other things to occupy myself with.  Last night Tink was in the mood to play fetch ... forever.  Throw in a couple phone calls, an evening doggie walk, dinner and then it's nearly time for bed.  Yeah well, that's my spin on it any way.  Maybe I am just plain lazy and I should leave it at that.

I am so groggy this morning and I won't be able to get a run in at lunch today.  I've got to help proctor an exam on upper campus at 1 and I don't want to be all icky from my run.  I'll look forward to tomorrow's.  It's going to be nice all the rest of the week and through the weekend.  I wish it was Friday though.

Home a week

Gosh, I've been home an entire week already!  I think that day I was sick really messed up my timing.  Besides missing an entire day and more, because I slept for those 24 hours I haven't been completely able to get over the jet lag.  However, it's not such a bad thing on this side, as I've said before.  I wake up at 4, sure, but I am able to get back to sleep and I'm refreshed and ready to go at 6:30.  This morning I had to employ the pillow sandwich method to get back to sleep because the birds were very loud.

I had another great run yesterday.  There were some trees planted last fall and now they're in bloom and I see they are dogwoods, white ones.  They're still quite small, of course, but in a few years it's going to be just fabulous along that stretch of the trail.  On the water side the trees and on the street side the entire bank is planted with lupines, which are blooming now.  The trees will help keep the trail shaded.  Sometimes in the summer that portion of it is blazing hot.

I was a lazy girl last night and didn't pick up the Mirasol again.  I've brought it in to noon knitting and I'll have support for when I take out that portion for the second time, so if I mess up I'll be right where the help is.  Once I make sure that I'm on the right track as far as fixing the problem, I should be able to finish this in a week or so.  And I brought my cashmere cardigan in for show and tell, and to get its proper ooo-ing and ahh-ing.

I had to drive in today because I've got a dentist appointment and I noticed how dirty my car is.  I have GOT to get it washed this weekend.  The birds really got to it where it was parked for those two weeks.  And the pollen from the trees where I park.  It's a mess.  That makes for a busy weekend coming up.  Something is going to have to give.  Will it be closet cleaning or the driving range?  hmmmm .....

The dreaded closet clean out

This weekend when I was finally finished with the huge pile of laundry I had brought home and was putting it away I realized that it is already time again to clean out the closets and drawers.  I've been at this apartment now for more than a year!  I never expected that and I just figured I'd be doing it as I moved out.  I did do a little shuffling to change out the summer for winter clothes, but nothing much and now I've got two closets that are in serious need of attention.  I have a little bit of a dilemma in that I didn't take the clothes I had culled last time to the charity bin, but only put them in my storage closet.  I can't remember why I did that and now it's going to make the chore that much more difficult.  The best time I had doing this was when I had two friends help me.  I needed fresh eyes and it was a great experience.  I still keep my closet color coded.  It should be such a simple project.  Anything not worn in the last year goes.  Anything with stains or other damage goes.  It's the darned sentimental pieces that catch me up.  There's always room for a few of those.

The weather yesterday was warm and sunny, finally.  I was looking forward to my first run in three weeks.  I couldn't quite believe that it was warm enough for my skirt and instead wore my running tights and long sleeved shirt.  That was a mistake.  It was plenty warm and I was drenched half way through the run.  Being fueled by three weeks of duck and cheese and croissants and wine, I wasn't exactly a speed demon, but I was steady.  It's a little cooler today but even if I don't feel it's warm enough for the skirt, it's going to be a short sleeved shirt for sure!

I had all good intentions of picking up the Mirasol last night and taking out those few stitches, now that I know where my mistake lies.  But I got on the phone with my sister and got distracted.  I have a friend playing at the Flagstaff Folk Festival this year.  It's a very small festival, but Flagstaff is really cool.  Since my sister's boyfriend never ... I repeat NEVER ... takes her on vacation, she and I go together.  Flagstaff is very near the Grand Canyon, which she's never seen, so I'm going to fly down to LA after my Oregon meeting, then we're going to go to Flagstaff to see Mike at the festival, then rent a car and drive to the Grand Canyon!  Doesn't that sound fun?  I am charged with finding us a nice hotel in Flagstaff, which I suspect is going to be a challenge since it's a rather small town.  And I have been SO spoiled lately when it comes to hotels.  Not that I'm complaining, mind you.  I quite like being spoiled actually.  And being the spoiler.  But now I'm getting off the point.  Ah well ....

Two Tipsy Girls in Paris

I was feeling so great on Thursday.  No jet lag, plenty of energy.  Just great.  So imagine my surprise when I woke up at 1 am Friday morning, sick as a dog.  After five hours, I realized there was no way I was going to be coming in to work that day, so I texted my friend Andy, who I was going to be meeting in the morning, that I was down and out for the day and would kill for a ginger ale.  As luck would have it, he was up and said he was going to be in my neighborhood shortly so he brought me ginger ale and took Tink for a little walk.  I slept for the entire day.  With the exception of two short strolls around the complex at 4 and 7, I was asleep!  I didn't eat a thing, but drank a few ginger ales.  I rallied a bit around 7 and found the new, modern Sherlock Holmes on Netflix.  They have three episodes from the first season.  I managed to watch one and, believe it or not, fell back asleep at 8 and slept until 1 am.  Exactly 24 hours from when it started and I felt pretty much normal.  I am going to have to blame the lady who was spilling over into my space on my flight home.  It must have been a virus that I caught on the plane.  I know it wasn't anything I ate Thursday night, and that woman didn't look like she was feeling all that well.  Plus she was touching me!  Ick

While I was lounging around on Saturday looking at pictures from my trip I ran across a little video I had taken Monday evening when Emma and I were having dinner with our friend Joan.  I forgot I had taken it and it's pretty obvious that we were well into our second bottle of wine.  I was confused when I first turned on the video, thinking it automatically started.  Then I realized you had to press the button ... well, we were celebrating!  The still photos of the Eiffel Tower didn't really show the sparkle so I decided on video.  And it's a pretty nice picture of Emma as well. 

I finished the cashmere Whisper Cardigan on Saturday and I'm wearing it today.  It is beautiful!  I sure wish I had finished it before my trip because I would have been wearing it all the time.  Then, miracle of miracles, I pulled one of my UFOs out of the basket and decided to get to work.  It is the Mirasol Cardigan with that gorgeous Ella Rae Milky Soft yarn.  Unfortunately I had made mods to the pattern that I neglected to write down.  I got a little way into the right side and realized that something was not right.  I took it out and restarted and still couldn't figure it out so I had to put it aside.  Fortunately my unconscious worked on it and I woke up in the middle of the night with the answer, so I can get back to work on it this evening.  I do love the color of it.

Thursday when I was getting things organized I got the flyer out for the golf tournament and dinner this August and I must say I am absolutely thrilled with the response so far!  I was not expecting such a good response and thought I'd be rattling cages for months.  Of course I still have to get the money, but I am getting some pretty solid promises of attendance.  Now I'm going to have to get out there on the weekends and hit the driving range.  I have decided to leave my spot in my foursome flexible so that if needed I can step out and let someone who is rather more keen on golfing take my place.  I suspect I'm going to be plenty busy just keeping things going on the day.  I do have fun when I golf, but I just do it so rarely these days, since I don't have friends close by to golf with.  And it does take a big chunk of time.

Things to do this week -- I've GOT to start the name change process.  You'd think by this time I've had plenty of practice but it's complicated.  And also I've got to call Gregg and start rehearsals.  I am hoping he's got a band set up by now.  And I've got to get out there and run today.  The weather is gorgeous, so no excuses.  Maybe I can even wear my skirt today.  It's supposed to be in the 70s.

They call it stormy Thursday

Tuesday evening in Paris was perfect!  We did indeed find a wonderful restaurant and it was warm enough to sit outside.  We ended up being three, but that was fine.  We all had delicious dinners and I managed to pick a quite decent red wine.  We even had dessert!  Quite unusual for us.  And because we both had travel days we didn't stay out too late.  I had ordered a taxi to the airport from the front desk at my hotel.  The clerk kept insisting that at that time in the morning it would take more than an hour to get there.  I wanted to be there around 10:30 and she had the taxi arriving at 9.  Of course it did NOT take anywhere near an hour and 15 minutes but more like what I thought, which was about 35 minutes.  So there I was in CDG, terminal 2A, which is quite a boring place.  I had another coffee, bought some Chanel makeup I couldn't fight the crowds to buy in Paris and just generally chilled with my audiobook.  I had MORE than enough time to chill because the flight was late.

It's a quick flight to Heathrow.  I was hoping to get to the pharmacy to get some fizzy tablets but I also needed to pick up a couple things for the people who took care of my car and brought me to and from the train station and it was SO hot in there.  The rather annoying thing is that the gate of the flight isn't posted until nearly boarding time.  I was way in the B gates and if I had known that I would have just hung out there rather than the huge main terminal.  It's nice and quiet and has everything that you need, minus the huge crowds.  My seat was in the middle and I was seated next to a rather large woman who actually couldn't fit into her seat.  You know what that means?  That means she put up the arm rest and squished me whenever I would let her.  I finally got wise and finished my iPad movies and started on the other movies which meant that I had to have access to my arm rest.  That was a little better.

I stayed up until 10, which was 22 hours for me, and had a fine night so I feel normal today.  I suspect that I'm going to hit the wall at about four though.

All in all it was a fantastic vacation!  It seems I've been away for ages and ages.  I didn't knit but about 3 or four rows though.  It was silly to bring knitting and my black cardigan is still unfinished!!

Well, I've got SO much to do.  I'd better dig in.  Or better yet, figure out where to start!

My last full day in Paris

Okay, another post without paragraphs. It is Tuesday evening and Emma and I are at the Green Linnet yet again for a drink or two before dinner. We are going to have a nice dinner tonight in the Marais, just the two of us. Last. Ight we had dinner with Joan, which was challenging. The highlight of the night for me was the lovey bottle of champagne o brought and watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle from the living room. We stayed long enough to be polite. And then since Emma couldn't eat most of the dinner we went in search of food and got in late. The pigeons are relentless thugh and they were hard at it bright and early. The sun was shining and it was warm. Emma had decided that we were going to cover some touristy things we haven't seen for a long time, so today we headed up to Montmartre to see Sacre Coeur. Oh but it was beyond packed, and so we headed into the square, which was a huge mass of sow moving humanity. Ick. We headed out and I stopped into a beautiful little shop and found a pretty scarf with tassels for myself. We we're going to stop at the BHV because I wanted some new kitchen towels and some lavender salad oil, but it was closed today. In fact everything was closed for May 1. Poor Emma, she was looking forward to some shopping this time. She will be able to go tomorrow after I head to the airport. We stopped in the sun for a drink before heading back to clean up and one of our old friends happened to walk by, which was a nice coincidence. I am getting hungry now and Emma is looking up restaurants. I want duck! Back to reality tomorrow. But there is a nice evening to look forward to still.

Footsore

This is being done on my iPad, so everything runs together. It can't be helped. We woke up to a gorgeous, sunny day today. This hotel is so nice and quiet compared to where we were staying in November! However there is some work being done on a building nearby so the jackhammers were going. Just as well, since we didn't want to miss any of the sunshine. We decided to walk to the Eiffel Tower since it had been a long time for both of us. We took our time, trolling through shops on the way. Of course it was very crowded there but we posed for pictures and strolled through. Emma had forgotten her sunglasses and there was a spring market set up by the river. She got glasses and I bought a lavender sachet woven with ribbons. Onwards we went, shedding our coats, stopping for lunch when we got out of the crush of tourists. After lunch we continued on to Champs Elysee. I wanted to stop into the big Sephora, which we did, but turned right around and left. The crowds were too much. We did find where the Marks and Spencer has relocated, which is good. But they had the heat turned up so high we couldn't stand it. I suggested we get out of the crowds and head back to the hotel, stopping for a drink on the way. And he we are. The wind is picking up but it is supposed to be nice again tomorrow so I think we will go to Sacre Coeur. I need to buy a bottle of good champagne to take to Joan's tonight. She is cooking dinner. Swordfish. She is a pretty good cook. Usually. Emma just asked "Do we have to stay all evening?". Oh I hope not!

Sunday in Paris

A gorgeous evening after a very rainy morning. Emma missed her train, so I spent the morning wandering through a market, then helped Joan with shopping. Here is a picture I took last night from the window of the apartment she is staying in. You can see how cloudy it was. But still. Nice.


My hotel is pretty quiet except for the mating pigeons who are going hard at it. I thought it was humans at first.

I am happily sitting at the pub, watching the world go by and wondering what I should have for dinner. I will be on my own since Emma won't get in until around 10. Or who knows? I might be able to round up some company.

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A quick post from the train

Well this has been a pretty eventful few days. I was awakened by a phone call from my lawyer a couple mornings ago giving me some extraordinarily good news. I never dreamed it would be this good! So I am very happy and my faith in the judicial system has been cemented. I want to say a public thank you to my wonderfully patient friends for listening to me for these long months.

It is Saturday morning and I am on the train heading for a few days in Paris. I will write more and post done pictures when I can use my iPad. Now there are crying children and I need to plug into my book and watch the countryside go by.


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From Normandy

Well I am WAY out in the French countryside. For some reason I have enough signal to post a few lines. It has been very windy but it is calm tonight.

I am having a super vacation despite the weather. I even managed a few rows on the Whisper Cardigan while I was cooking dinner tonight. I will be more prolific in Paris. Tomorrow is our last day in Normandy.
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Here's the picture

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A swan nesting

Yesterday evening the rain stayed away and it was just beautiful. The taxi ride to dinner took us past some fabulous spring gardens in bloom. The restaurant was historic and beautiful and just perfect. (oooo thunder!) Clouds rolled in again in the night but the morning was a perfect spring day. I decided to walk to the park and just see where I would end up. At one point I was by the Round Pond .. I think that was it, but maybe the Serpentine something. Anyway, I came upon this magnificent sight. Oh shoot! I just realized I can't add pictures when I am posting from my iPad. I will do it separately. The swans were very frisky this morning. Except for the one on the nest. I went through the park and found myself at Harrod's. But that place is so huge. Every time I go in I last about 10 minutes, then give up and go back outside. The weather was still nice so I kept walking and ended up in Chelsea, where I had lunch. Then the weather came and I decided taking a taxi back to the hotel would be a prudent move, even though I did bring the umbrella. Now I will rest a bit, then maybe knit until the rain stops again. It won't be a late night since I have a big travel day tomorrow and need to be at the airport around 9 am.

Hello rainy London

It is just a little after 5, and I have a few minutes before I need to finish getting ready for dinner. Yester was a looooooong day. My flight wasn't bad.... A little bumpy but I did get a few hours of sleep. I was met at the airport by a very handsome man, and good thing too because my suitcase weighs a ton! It was sunny for the entire train ride in to London and then pouring rain. We got soaked on the way to the hotel. It is raining now again. Not that I care. I am going to have a fabulous time no matter what the weather is doing. I had a little nap. I feel a million times better. Now I need to get dressed.

Woohoo

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I am the worst packer in the world

Let's not kid ourselves.  I am just terrible at it!  There was a time in my life when I was quite proud of my packing skills and I even traveled around  Europe for three weeks with only a carry on sized bag.  But you know what?  I got pretty sick of those clothes, and I did not enjoy washing my socks and underwear in the sink and having wet clothes strung up all over the hotel rooms.  Not at all.  Now I just take what I want.  This time I did completely omit the accessories and jewelry which is surprisingly heavy.  But I brought plenty of other stuff to make up for it.  Thankfully I have a larger suitcase AND I had room to pack my little duffel bag so I can use it for carry on when I come home.  I am carrying some things for people this time - Eoghan's wife asked me to bring him to special salad dressing, and I had to bring some things for the daughter as well, and then it's Emma's birthday next week so there are a few things in there for her.  But mostly it's clothes for me.  Did I bring too much?  Probably.  Do I care?  Not one little teensie bit!

Now I'm going to have to make it through this entire day and it's going to be tough.  Thank goodness I've got noon knitting to look forward to.  I can hopefully finish up that cardigan.

I'm too excited.  I'd better settle down or I'm going to be a basket case by the end of the day. 

Another sleeping pill trial

And the results are much different than the last time.  I had a early hair appointment after work.  Dana is leaving this morning for Thailand and so she was trying to get her last appointments done before she had to leave.  Of course I brought Tink in with me because it makes for too long a day if I leave her home and she loves being at the salon and getting all the attention.  Even though we started at 3:45 it wasn't until some time after six that we actually got out of there and headed home.  I had some nice fresh salad at home, so I just picked up a little pizza and that would be dinner.  While I was carrying on a conversation with my sister I got us home, upstairs, my laundry sorted and into the machines and even went down stairs and reloaded my laundry card, all the while keeping up with the conversation.  Kelli rolled her ankle last Thursday which has seriously curtailed her Pilates activities so she finds she's got a lot of time on her hands, especially since Mike is back from making the pilot.  I had to cut her loose though so I could play with Tink and get my salad put together.

I had a nice bottle of Malbec I had picked up at Trader Joe's on Saturday so I opened that and did  a couple rows on the cardigan  while I was waiting for the laundry to be done.  Tink got another short walk around the garden while the clothes were drying, then I had to get my diner ready since it was getting late -- for me anyway.  I got all my laundry done and folded.  No point in putting it away since I'm going to be putting most of it into a suitcase tonight anyway.  So it was around 9 by this time and nothing on TV so I thought I would have my shower and get ready for bed, pop a sleeping pill and watch Firefly on my iPad until I fell into a deep sleep.  Unfortunately it didn't quite work that way.  It took much longer to get to sleep this time.  I don't know if it was that I took the pill to shortly after eating ... and I didn't eat much, just a little plain vegetable salad and 3 small slices of super thin pizza.  And the wine.  But for whatever reason it did take much longer for me to drop off.  I sleep soundly but the alarm at 6 was not going to happen.  I turned that one off and turned my iPhone for 6:30 wake up and even that was a toughie.  Groggy is the word I would use to describe my state of mind , even now.  And I as seeing double at the bus stop.  I'm going now for a second cup of tea and maybe some hot oatmeal will shake me out of this.  The good news is that I'm flying into an airport I am not completely ignorant of.  Even if I don't get met, I should be able to keep it together enough to get onto the Heathrow Express.

I got an email from my girlfriend I'm meeting up with in Bayeux saying she's been checking the weather and it's not going to be nice, so I should bring appropriate things.  I'm guess that means how I've been dressing around here lately - layers and long sleeved T-shirts and fleece hoodies.  You know.  Seattle sexy.  ;-)

Ok. Time for more tea and some food so I can come down!  woo ...

That's how it's supposed to be!

How many times have you worked through a beautiful week only to have the clouds move in Friday night and have a soggy, dreary weekend?  Too many times to count, I'd imagine.  Well, this weekend it was the opposite.  It's drizzly and yucky today, but our weekend was so nice!  Not warm exactly, but sunny at least. 

It's very different getting ready to travel mid-week.  I'm really looking forward to it.  There will be many more "professional" travelers and fewer families going on vacation, which is going to make for a better travel experience all around.  I had a super relaxing weekend and then things will start to pick up as I head towards take off on Wednesday.  Tonight will be laundry after my haircut.  Well, I should say partial laundry because I'm going to have to do sheets and towels for the house sitter Tuesday night while I'm packing, which won't be much of a chore. 

Tink was groomed on Saturday morning so we didn't get much of a walk.  I tried to make up for it yesterday and it was no chore, since it was sunny and nice.  We were less than half a mile from the lake when we came upon a cute little dog out having an adventure.  He let me get close enough to pick him up and I found his tags, but no owner's phone number.  There was the phone number for the microchip company so I called them, but all they had was the rescue group who had originally micro-chipped him and they weren't picking up the phone.  So I put the dog down and Tink and I followed him, hoping he'd lead us to his house or we'd find the owner out searching.  After a couple of false starts we did find his owner.  Happy ending.

In between girls night and just general lazing around, I got a good bit done on the Whisper Cardigan.  I am getting near the end of the ball of yarn and I want to just keep knitting as long as I can.  The trick is going to be holding out enough yarn to bind off but not waste any.  I am thinking I've probably got two or three more rows left.  Friday I found a cute pattern for fingerless mitts that I think I'll use for the travel project.  How many trips have I taken this particular bag of yarn and needles along, assuming I'd get some knitting done?  I've lost count.  But better to have it with me.  I have been looking at the forecast and it doesn't look like we're going to be in for any fantastic weather, at least not in the near future. 

Happy Friday

This has been a long week and I am SO glad it's Friday.  There are so many things I want to get done this weekend and I have a girls night to look forward to tomorrow too!  I think I'll go out tonight for a change.  I really wanted to go last night but I talked myself out of it with the promise that if I still felt like it, tonight would be the night.

I visited the doctor yesterday morning and got some good sleeping pills.  I tried one out last night and it worked great!  I needed a baseline study, so no alcohol and a moderately empty stomach.  At a friend's direction I took it 30 minutes before I wanted to be asleep.  It took me a little longer, more like 60 minutes, but I fell into a gorgeous sleep and didn't wake up for 7 hours.  Perfect!  I feel rested, not at all groggy.  Therefore I am quite confident I'll be able to sleep on the plane.  It's the sitting up that's the hardest part, but if I can get an aisle seat on the correct side of the plane so I can lean AWAY from my seatmates, with the aid of the pill it should be a snap.

I still have one chore hanging over my head with regards to the tournament, which I hope to solve today.  My errands on the weekend are easy.  Tink is getting groomed on Saturday and I'm meeting up with the house sitter to give her keys and the final instructions on Sunday.  I'll do a little laundry on Monday and pack on Tuesday.  I'm in good shape.  I have been checking the weather on the coast.  So far this week it is an awful lot like Seattle, but you know what?  I don't care.  Just being able to spend a whole week with my friends is going to be awesome!  Eoghan is the type who loves to plan tours and I'm all over that.  I am thrilled that I don't have to pick and chose the sites.  He's also the type who will have read up on everything and will not be shy about sharing his knowledge.  And if there's something I'm not keen on seeing, I am perfectly content to curl up with a book or go walk on the beach alone.  And the evenings will be great!  We'll take turns cooking, although Eoghan is very  keen to use the barbecue so he's hoping for warm-sh (or at least not rainy) weather for that.  Deirdre has been dreaming about the seafood platters.  And me?  Cheese. 

And ... and before this marvelous week I've got a few precious hours in London to look forward to.  And oh, I am.  Looking forward to them, I mean. 

How rude this this?

I bring my lunch to work and eat in our little lunchroom after my run every day.  Usually I have my iPad with me and I play Scrabble or my boss stops by and we chat.  It's not a big table - it seats four people - and sometimes other people are there eating, but rarely.  There is a postdoc who typically eats his lunch a little later than me.  Tuesday I came in after my run and he was there and just putting one of his containers into the microwave to heat it up.  As he was doing that I set a place for myself at the table and retrieved my yogurt from the refrigerator and took out something from the freezer to cook after he was done with the microwave.  He saw what I was doing, immediately stopped the microwave and took out his dish, gathered the other two dishes and left the lunchroom!  Left rather than sit at the table and eat his lunch while I was there!  As if I was going to talk to him or something equally heinous.  I used to think he was a nice guy.  Not any more.  He wasn't even subtle about it.  He could have finished heating up the dish and pretended he was intending to eat it in his office all the time, although he had set himself a place so that would have been hard to pull off, but certainly worth trying rather than being so obviously rude, don't you think?

Hoorah for Peggy's sharp eyes.  Yesterday at noon knitting I was working on the Whisper Cardigan and Peggy spotted a hole, which at first I thought was just a wrapped stitch that I hadn't picked up correctly, but upon closer inspection I saw that it was indeed a dropped stitch!  Yikes!  She put a pin through it and last night I got it woven through the six inches I had knit since I dropped it.  That was a chore, but it would have been a disaster if I hadn't caught it!

It is a gorgeous day today.  I stopped by my Doctor's office this morning to get some sleeping pills so I can sleep on the plane and be all rested up when I get to London.  It was difficult turning that car towards the office.  It is a gorgeous day today.  Not too warm, but it may heat up before the day is over.

The search for a May race

I am still looking for a suitable 5K to run in May and I am not having much luck.  I really like running the Top Pot Donut 5K because it's around Green Lake, but this year it's on April 29 and I'll be in Paris. The next race I've found in Seattle is on Mother's Day at Magnusson Park, which I think would be a really great place for a run, but once I did a little more reading about the race I decided to pass on it.  It's called "Run like a Mother", because it's on Mother's Day.  It is going to be too much a "Mommie and Me" type of event though, I can just tell from the posters.  Not that I have anything against mommies OR kids, but this is a women's only race so it's bound to be full of those types of women with the strollers and the big dogs who hog the track, or the fat walkers who spread out and give you dirty looks when you try to squeeze by them to RUN, like you're cutting into their Sunday stroll.  It's just an aggravating experience all around, so I'm going to have to keep looking.  I may have to spread out and go over to Redmond or Kirkland.  Or .... wait until something comes up in June.

I must say it took me a while to get back into the swing of things yesterday and I ended up forgetting one project entirely until I was reminded last night by a student.  So that's first on my list today.  Those drugs ... wow.  The memory erasing part is quite impressive.

Besides work things that need to be handled before I leave in ... one week! ... I have been working on getting the venue and catering set up for the tournament in August.  I sent the contract in for the tournament and talked to the caterer yesterday only to find out that there will be an extra charge for the picnic area where the dinner will take place.  I am doing my best to keep the cost of this thing down as far as possible because it's going to be hard to get people to come who are not golfers, so I've got to get back to the pro shop and see if we can make a deal regarding the picnic area.  Other than that, I'm set for a few weeks on that front.

I was hoping to get a few rows done on the Whisper Cardigan last night but I didn't even get to touch it.  My evening was just eaten up.  My bus was late getting home, and by the time I finished my workout and shower it was time to walk Tink again, then I was just sitting down to dinner around 7:30 and I got an email about some work, which I had to take care of right away.  After that I sat down to go through the mail and relax and I just felt like reading.  But I'm almost done with it, so it'll be done for sure before I leave.  And I've got noon knitting to get a good bit done today.

A very different Easter weekend

The title says it all.  It was out of the ordinary.  I hadn't realized when I made this appointment that it was the Monday after Easter Sunday.  So there was no ham for me.  No eggs or candy.  In fact on Sunday there was nothing after 10 am except juice and jello.  The good news is that the weather was spectacular!  It was warm and sunny.  On our afternoon walk on Sunday I wore sandals and a shirt -- no jacket!  Spring finally. 

Since I wasn't participating in any family events I had plenty of time to knit and made great headway with the Whisper Cardigan, although on Sunday I had to take out two entire rows because I had knit a nice garter ridge.  Lucky I found it when I did and it was only two rows and not more.  Oh how I hate to tink back with lace weight yarn!

Yesterday is mostly a blur.  The drugs they give you .... wow.  My friend Monika picked me up around 1:30 or so, I ate half a sandwich while she walked Tink, then I slept until 6, got up for a couple hours and walked Tink and had a couple bites of ice cream and fell asleep for another two hours.  By that time it was 10, so I watched some Firefly on my iPad and conked out again around 11:30 and slept the entire night.  I have a headache this morning though.  I am going to have to use my last two fizzy tablets.  Luckily I'll be able to replace them in just over a week!

This is going to be a busy busy week and I am grateful for that.  I am getting super excited about my trip, especially now that the weather is starting to feel more like spring.  I might even be able to run without a jacket this afternoon!

Friday at last

This has seemed a long long week.  I have been so busy at work.  I remarked at lunch yesterday that it felt like Friday, because I was so tired.  Someone thought I was anxious for my vacation, but I explained that I don't like to rush the days up to vacation.  I like them to go slowly because then I can hope that my vacation days go just as slowly.  I know ... doesn't make much sense but what can I say? 

I am happy to report that I have finally been able to get to the body of the Whisper Cardigan.  Last night I measured and I was right at 2 1/2 inches.  I got the first set of short rows done before bedtime so this weekend it should really move right along.  I had made a teensie little mistake in the ribbing, which I pointed out at noon knitting Wednesday.  I was urged to take it out but it's 1X1 ribbing!  On small needles with lace weight yarn!  What a nightmare.  And as luck would have it, it is the collar portion of the garment so it won't be noticeable anyway.  Even if it were on the waist it wouldn't be noticeable because it's black cashmere -- which has a little halo that would make it virtually invisible. 

This day should go by quickly and I hope that I won't have to run in the rain.  At least there is no wind ... yet.  It is Easter weekend, but I don't have any lovely Easter plans.  Instead I am home prepping for a doctor's appointment Monday morning.  It's nothing  - just a routine baseline study.  But not a fun prep, from what I hear.  I should get lots and lots of knitting done, especially Sunday.

Well ... I've put it off long enough.  I'm going in!

The door to the hall, Pt. 2

I was surprised last Friday to find a notice on my door telling me that the apartment building was now owned by another company.  All of the staff had been changed over night except for the maintenance staff, which are now headed by another person.  As I suspected, the extra weather stripping around the door did very little to dampen the noise of the slamming, especially when the door is flung closed behind one, as my neighbor down the hall is in the habit of doing.  Yesterday afternoon as I was coming home from my walk with Tink I stopped in to try once again to have it fixed.  As luck would have it the property supervisor was visiting, and she's a very nice woman.  I explained the situation and how the maintenance man had put a band aid on it and made it clear that the mechanism needed to be replaced.  You  know the saying - A new broom sweeps clean.  I am counting on really and truly having a silent door very soon. 

Yesterday was my mid-week day of rest.  No running at lunch because of noon knitting, and no after work work out either.  Walking the dog was it yesterday.  In fact, I didn't even knit, although I am very close to being able to bind off the ribbing.  Maybe tonight I can finish it up and start on the bottom.  I took it to noon knitting yesterday and got a couple of good rows in.  I want to make the ribbing portion a little smaller than called for, as I said, but I think 2 1/2 inches is the very smallest it can be.

Work is very busy and I am thankful for that.  It is always difficult when I have a nice trip to look forward to.  I find myself messing around and day dreaming rather than keeping to task if I don't have a big project to work on.  But now I have several things that I really  need to get together before I leave so the days go by quickly and I'm tired at the end of them.

I got a bit of bad news yesterday.  My trip to Portland for that meeting in June is in jeopardy.  These departmental budget cuts are terrible and my boss wants me to be able to go to the meeting but he dropped by to suggest that this might not be the best time to go and perhaps next year would be better.  I told him he'd better watch what he promises me because they typically go between the US and Europe with these meetings, not that I would mind at all having to go to Amsterdam for a meeting in  June.  It's still up in the air.  I sent him the program and the workshops I'd like to attend.  I'll find out before I leave anyway and if it doesn't work out, that's okay.  I am going to have a nice week or so with my sister to look forward to this summer.

A little disappointing

I really wanted to get the ribbing done on that cardigan last night, but when I re-measured it I found I'm at least 1/2 an inch away from being done.  That's not a huge amount, and I'm cutting it down from the original 3 inches it asks for to 2 1/2, partly because I don't  like the collar that large and secondly because I don't know that I'll have enough yarn if I don't.  But the 1X1 ribbing is oddly messing with my elbow.  I only did about one round and it was feeling a bit tweaky.  I can do all of my upper body workout without so much as a twinge -- push ups, curls, presses ... no problem.  But that back and forth with the knit and purl is not comfortable.  I have brought it with me to noon knitting and maybe I can finish it up there.  I really want to start on the body!

Another reason I wasn't able to do much is that Tink was in a chase the ball mood and it lasted for quite some time.  Thank goodness for that long hallway.  She runs back and forth for as long as I'm willing to keep throwing that ball.  Silly thing.

Today is the monthly curriculum meeting but I'm going to skip it.  I have so much work to do and I don't want to waste 1 1/2 hours in that meeting when there's nothing that I'm really involved in being discussed.  I need to leave at 2 today for an appointment and I have a few things I want off my plate before then.

I got a nasty surprise on my run yesterday.  When I came into work it wasn't bad, and definitely not raining or blowing, so I didn't even bother checking the weather before I got dressed and went outside.  Bad mistake.  It was raining AND blowing, but I didn't want to go back inside because I doubted I had the strength to turn back around after I got a hat, so I went off in the rain.  I warmed up, but I got wet.  It wasn't pouring, but definitely more than a sprinkle.  The wind and chill is back, although I heard on the radio this morning that Sunday is supposed to be sunny and 60.  We shall see.

The bra mystery

I don't know a single woman in the world who likes to shop for bras.  It is frustrating business.  The reason for this is simple and I cannot understand why it hasn't been addressed and fixed.  The reason is that no two bras fit the same.  EVER.  On Saturday I was shopping and took six bras in with me to try on.  Six bras of the exact same size and three from the same company.  Each and every one of them fit differently ... or rather one of the six fit and the others did not.  How can that be?  You have two measurements - the cup size and the circumference of your rib cage.  Inches are inches.  It's a functional piece of underwear!  Why should there be so much difference?  When I do find one that fits correctly I buy one of every color because you can bet that the next time you come to shop for a bra that model will be long gone.  I used to have the same problem with running shoes but I am happy to find that my wonderful Nike Free Run is still around and this time I can just buy the shoe rather than spending an hour trying a million new ones.  Well .. now that I've gotten that off my chest ...

Yesterday was such a busy day that I didn't even realize the morning passing by and before I knew it, it was time to go for a run.  Thankfully no wind and no rain!  We even had an extra mild evening.  When I took Tink out at 7:30 it was 61 degrees!  Freaky.  It's back to normal --  normal being in the 50s -- but hopefully we are done with the cold, windy days.  I noticed so many trees starting to leaf out and all of the cherry trees are blooming.  I am SO looking forward to the park in London in a couple weeks.  It's going to be gorgeous.

I tried to finish up the ribbing on the Whisper Cardigan last night but after working on it Saturday and Sunday I had a sore elbow Sunday night, so I took it easy last night and when it started to twinge I stopped.  I should be able to finish it up and bind off the collar stitches tonight so that I can start on the bottom.I remember the rest of the sweater going quickly after that point.

I cannot believe here it is April and still no word from the court.  Just crazy.  I have stopped compulsively checking my email.  I guess when it comes it'll be a big surprise.  Let's hope it's a good surprise.

And a welcome goodbye to March!

Despite the crazy bad weather, I had a wonderful weekend, but I can't say I'm sorry that March is history.  Friday I did get to run at lunch since it wasn't pouring at that point but on the way home the wind picked up and it was FREEZING!  Miserable cold.  Saturday it was coming down in buckets again, so I put Tink into her raincoat and off we went for a walk.  I couldn't last longer than 90 minutes and even she wasn't that keen to keep on walking.

My first item of business this weekend was checking out the venue for the tournament this summer so off I went to the golf course.  I noticed people playing when I got there, all dressed up head to toe in waterproof gear.  I came find out there was a little tournament that weekend!  What luck, huh?  The course itself was just beautiful, especially with the cherry trees blooming.  It is on Lake Ballinger just a few blocks from where I lived while I was in high school and my friends had homes right on the lake, so I spent many hours gazing over at that beautiful golf course, which was private back then, and wondering what was in there.  Now it is open to the public and just as beautiful as I had thought it might be.  So I picked up the contract and later this week I'll talk to catering about our meal.  They have a lovely spot down by the lake, which I am considering.  The only thing I can see at this point is that it is quite a ways away from the bar, but I'll have plenty of time to figure that out.

I had an errand up north near Alderwood Mall, so I continued north and after the errand stopped at the Rack just to poke around.  And then after a quick stop for groceries I was home.  On Friday night I had steeled myself and picked up those 200 plus stitches around my cardigan so I had a nice afternoon knitting.  I should have been doing laundry but I just wasn't in the mood.

My house and Tink sitter came over on Sunday to check the place out.  My concern was that her work schedule wouldn't be flexible enough for her to be able to limit the time Tink is alone to 9 hours but it is, so hoorah!  I really like this girl and I am very happy she's going to be taking care of my place and my dog.  I told her the stories of my last house sitter and she was aghast.  "You mean he moved the furniture and didn't move it back??!!"  Perfect.

I had a little correspondence with my friends in France this weekend and I am starting to get super excited!  I've got a few things to pick up for them, which is lovely because I was killing myself trying to think of suitable gifts, especially for the 15 year old.  You know girls that age can be all over the map.  I didn't get to the bookstore this weekend, but I will.  

One of the best things that happened this weekend was that my friend Gregg, the man I was singing with last year, finally called.  He wants to start up again, which is awesome news!  He's been trying out a few configurations and thinks he's got a band for us but wanted to double check because I do not like playing with this particular drummer.  But no matter, I'd just like to start singing again - with him or with a band, doesn't matter - so he's going to talk to his guys this weekend and we'll go from there.  Unfortunately I don't have a free minute before I leave either this coming weekend or the next, so it'll have to be when I get back, which I consider to be super timing.

I downloaded a new album this weekend.  I have been hearing a song by Mayer Hawthorne that I just adore and so I thought I would love the album and I do!  It is such fun music and I love his voice.  I am going to suggest to Gregg that he do this song.  I think it would suit his voice to a T.