Stuck zipper, Part deux

It was just crazy.  I could not get that zipper unstuck.  I tried graphite, I tried candle wax and still I couldn't move it at all.  Nor could anyone else.  I tried calling the Michael Kors store downtown but they were less than helpful.  And besides, the bag was purchased at Macy's so they told me I had to go to Macy's.  Thank goodness I checked with the gift-er and I found that it was purchased at the Northgate Macy's, which is right across the street from where I live.  I got the imaging faculty set up for their afternoon class and I was off and at the Macy's counter with my stuck purse at 3 o'clock. 

The counter girl gave it a good try and she couldn't budge it.  Then she called in the manager who gave it another good try with the same results.  Design bags always have a warranty and I was concerned that if I cut the zipper I would be voiding the warranty, but that was the only way I was going to get into that bag to retrieve my belongings.  The manager concurred - there was no other way.  We looked for a replacement but that style is sold out, since it was purchased in December, so she agreed to give me a full refund.  Perfect.  I then went off to the shoe repair shop and the nice lady, who is quite a character, cut the zipper for me.  And oh my, when I saw the inside .... I have never, ever seen a zipper stuck like that in my life.  The lining was zipped through both sides of the pull! 

I went back to Macy's - by now it was nearing 4 o'clock - and had to stand and wait for another ten minutes or so until we could finish the transaction.  By that time I was exhausted and in no mood to shop for a new purse, plus Tink needed her walk, so I went home and walked and dog and did chores until the Thursday night game.  Tom Brady is my QB and he played the Jets last night.  I found a replacement purse browsing on my iPad while I watched the Patriots struggle against the Jets.  It was not pretty, especially when it started to pour rain.  Brady could not connect with his receivers and he really did not get me many points at all.  I am sure I'm not going to be able to win my match up with those measly 9.97 points when he was projected to get over 17.  Well who knows.  Maybe somebody will step up for me.

It's lovely and misty this morning but it's not going to last.  I haven't been able to blow my hair straight all week because of the heat and the mist.  I hope I can get it done this weekend.  Maybe it won't be blazing hot on Sunday.

Stuck!!

This last Christmas I received a very lovely Michael Kors handbag.  I love it.  I carry it every day.  And this morning I went to open it to put my iPad inside and ... the zipper was stuck.  Really stuck.  As in - I can barely move it!  I know that the lining is in the teeth of the zipper but I can't get it open enough to pull it down.  I just don't know what to do.  My wallet is in there.  Thank goodness I keep my keys in the outer pocket or I would have had to walk to work since my bus pass is in my key case.  I just don't know what to do.  Monika, who I was sure would be able to help, cannot.  I am super busy at work but I may have to go downtown to the Michael Kors store.  I should make some phone calls.  This is SO annoying.

I was swept away to happy hour at Twigs last night after work.  I have been wound so tightly.  This year with all the new technology they are insisting we use in the class that doesn't yet work .... *sigh*.  We are the guinea pigs always since we are the first class of the year.  Now here we are at the end of week two and finally the SOM has been able to fix some access issues.  The good news is that I have not been having nightmares and, despite the oppressive heat in my apartment, I've been sleeping quite well.  Anyway I trip to Twigs for a couple of martinis was just what the doctor ordered and it put me right as rain.  Riding back up to my apartment (I almost said room, for that is what it is) there was a couple in there, looking bedraggled as I felt and not at all happy to be going up to their expensive oven.  I said, "I wonder if anyone would mind if I propped my door open to the hall tonight".  Just as a joke, since the hall is air conditioned and our apartments are not.  The woman looked at me and said that sounded like a great idea and their place was "a nightmare".  They probably have one of the apartments on the front that have western exposure.  Whew, that's got to be bad.

There was no knitting, since two martinis pretty much puts the kibosh on that type of activity.  But I got caught up on silly TV and went to bed early.  I've got to get my fantasy line up done today because tonight is football.  And Saturday the Huskies are playing and Sunday night ... oooo, the Seahawks are playing San Francisco.  That is going to be quite the game.

Now to figure out what to do about my stuck zipper!

This should be the last of it ..

the heat, I mean.  It is going to be 90 degrees today!  That is the hottest it's been this entire summer.  I got my new-ish MacBook Air yesterday (P.S. I love it!) and I might just have to take it and find a cooler place to work this afternoon.  My office is going to be unbearable. 

I did get to get out and have a nice walk in the sunshine yesterday noon.  It was lovely - a little breeze and I strolled through the campus.  Classes don't officially start for another week, so it's still nice and quiet up there.  Then Tink got a great walk when I got home and then I went to pick up my prescription that I've been trying to get refilled for two weeks.  No -- more than that.  The Doctor's office got a new refill system.  It wasn't working.  What a hassle - especially when no car.  But oh well, the weather was nice and I got to have a nice, long chat with my sister.

I felt like a movie and heaven knows I've got plenty to choose from -- Netflix and Amazon Prime and now my Apple TV.  I really really should consider "cutting the cord".  If it weren't for the football and two hilarious programs that I can't get on Hulu Plus ....Definitely after football season though - I am going to drastically reduce that stupid Comcast bill.

Noon knitting today and it might just be two of us but I don't care.  I am looking forward to a nice, cool and calm noon hour. I might even be able to finish the Mobius Cowl!!

A good start

I had a couple players in the Monday Night Football game, which I watched with one eye while I was first finishing up the second slipper top.  After that I started a sole and then because it was black yarn and a bit too dark for that, I picked up the mittens I started in August.  Noro Taio is SO soft!  Who would have thought.  ANYWAY .... back to football.  I won my match up this week - hoorah!  I'm fifth out of twelve.  It's a good start and I'm happy about it.

It took me quite a while to unwind last night - three projects were touched and two worked on.  I didn't get a lunchtime walk yesterday and so I am looking forward to my walk today - hopefully before it gets too hot - and then tomorrow morning it's back on the treadmill at 6 am.  Since I wasn't all that fast for this last race (not as slow as I have been either - I was 9 out of 24 in my age group) I will be working on running a bit faster.  The next race is at the end of October.  Plenty of time.

Week 2 of the anatomy course - this second week is not quite so crazy but very busy nevertheless.  A faculty member quit unexpectedly and she had just gotten two new laptops - a MacBook Air and a PC laptop and I get them both!  And I really really need new laptops.  The one I have at home, the PC one, is ancient and extremely slow.  Anyway I haven't even had time to power the MacBook up yet!  I am dying to take it for a test drive.  Hopefully I can do that today.

I need to get organized for the onslaught of students wanting to go over their exams.  I posted grades yesterday.  There are always a few freaking out.

It is going to be very very hot this week.  Tomorrow it is supposed to be in the 90s!  Good heavens.  It is September!  I am ready for a little bite in the air.  Not a lot -- just a taste.  The leaves are starting to turn and football is being played.  Let's turn down the heat.

I trip to the dark side

Friday was a BEASTLY day!  Just chaotic from the time I walked in until the time I left.  I managed to grab a bowl of soup around 2 and had to close my office door to get some peace.  I don't do well in that atmosphere.  Not to mention the heat and humidity.  I was frazzled when I was finally able to get out and on the bus.  I just wanted to crash and do absolutely nothing.  It was doggie walks and stupid TV and early to bed.

The start of the NFL season was Thursday so I had football to look forward to on the weekend.  It is strange how football and travel are linked in my head.  I should be planning a fall vacation, or at the very least a quick trip to Paris for the soldes in January.  But I am not, and so things are just a little bit off balance for me.  Ah well.  I do have the Mexico vacation in January to look forward to.  And then I'll start planning maybe a spring trip.  You know how I love love love to plan trips!

The Huskies had a bye week (!) so it was errands on Saturday.  I had to get ready for a race on Sunday so I wasn't interested in going out or anything.  Anything except starting a new project.  I was looking at the Noro magazine where I got the pattern for the Mobius Cowl and noticed a nice pair of slippers made from Kureyon.  On closer inspection I saw they were crocheted but I have a few more squares that I know will never be turned into a blanket, so I unraveled them and got down to it.  It became evident on Sunday, when I picked it up again, that I had made a mistake.  I know now the difference between the two stitches I was using but at the time .... hubris.  I should have looked them up.  So Sunday while watching the Seahawks I tore out the first sole and instead started the tops, which are much easier.  I got 1 1/2 done.  Crochet goes much faster than knitting BUT it's not as nice a fabric and it uses twice as much yarn.  That being said, crochet is perfect for these slippers.

My race was fine on Sunday.  Not the fastest I've done but not the slowest either so I'm happy.  And the weather was perfect - not too hot!  I think I'll sign up for one at Seward Park in October.  I've never run there.

Now it's back into the fray.  arghghg

Slept in!

I have been having such a problem with my alarms this week!  I love the iPhone alarm because you can set alarms for different days and then forget about it. BUT, if you have a holiday like we did on Monday, you have to remember to turn it off on Sunday.  I did that, but then I forgot to turn it back on.  Plus I have different wake ups -- 5:45 for workout days and 6:30 for non-workout days.  So that further complicates things and I turned them both off.  Well luckily I woke up at 7 so I wasn't too late.  It's exam day today.  I went to bed very early last night, as in before nine.  I did read but I must have been fast asleep  not long after 9.  So I slept 10 hours!  Good heavens.  I must have really been sleep deprived.  I feel awesome though.

There's a big rain storm hanging about here.  Yesterday there was the thunder and lightening that took out the WiFi and we're supposed to get more of the same today.  So far it's been just drizzling.  I wouldn't mind if it was raining for the run on Sunday.  Unfortunately it doesn't look like it.

There was no knitting last night during the game.  The first NFL game of the season but I couldn't get into it.  I have none of the fantasy players and I was just too darned tired.  I watched most of it.  I am, of course, more excited about Sunday's games.

Well .... exam time.

Thunder and lightening and rain rain rain

Wow!  Are we ever getting a storm!  It started this morning at my place just as I was finishing up with my run.  I didn't notice until I was outside with Tinkerbell and so on top of the sweat I was soaked by the rain.  Needless to say, I had to catch the early bus so there was no time to dry my hair.  It is pony tail day.  Yeah.  I look grrrrreat!

The thunder and lightening came up to the U by 8:30 just as I was starting the students on their pre-class quiz.  It shut down the WiFi right in the middle of it, so I guess everyone gets a point.  I had a wonderful run this morning but I would really like a walk at lunchtime as well.  I have an umbrella.  As long as it's not pouring I should be fine.  I wore boots.

Tonight the NFL season opens.  Last night was soccer.  I only watched part of the game.  Even though Seattle is soccer crazy - and we got a new guy who is a great player - I still can't get into it too much.  Plus - how is this for crazy.  They get a new guy and then immediately he and the other best guy on the team are NOT playing for the Sounders but rather for the World Cup team.  I will never ever ever understand soccer.  At least it's just for a few games.  I gather that in Europe the teams take a break when their good players are playing World Cup games.  That makes sense.

I was SO exhausted last night.  The combination of heat and work.  I could not do a thing.  I had a toasted sandwich for dinner and lounged on the bed with my iPad, fielding work emails from harried students.  I finally conked out around 9.  I haven't even been able to read this week!  I am hoping I can get a little knitting done tonight during the game.  Ooo ... and I had better make sure I like my lineup this afternoon.  I won't be able to to change it after that.

Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday.

The late draft

Finally, last night was our fantasy football draft.  It's twelve of us this year and we are scattered far and wide - from Alaska, through Seattle, out to Massachusetts, and down to Southern California. I got a terrible pick - I was number 10.  I did my best but I got one real dud - I picked a guy that had been dropped from his team the day before!!  And he was still on the list!  Oh I was SO mad!!  I don't know what I'll do if he's not picked up by a team.  Hopefully the Commish can help me out and get me another pick.

That went from 8 until 10.  I had taken Tink out at her normal time, but unfortunately at 1:30 she needed to go again.  I was surprisingly awake and we had a lovely walk.  The weather was just about perfect.  But then I couldn't get back to sleep and kept waking up and trying not to think about work.  Plus it is a workout day so the alarm was set to go off at 5:45.  I thought it was set to go off at 5:45 but I had forgotten to re-set it after turning it off Sunday night.  So I didn't wake up finally until nearly six, at which point I said forget it and tried to get another 30 minutes.  Actually it is fine.  This way I can run tomorrow morning and then have two days of rest before the race on Sunday -- which, by the way, doesn't start until 9:30!  Oh well, I'll just set the game to record.  The Seahawks have their season opener on the road.  It'll be a tough year.

Works is nuts, as usual.  I think this is the worst week of the year, not last week.  And this horrible humidity doesn't help much either.  Why would they remodel the entire office, air condition the hall and NOT the offices?  It's like a sauna in here.  [Okay, no more complaining].

Back to putting out fires.

Late post today

It is the first day of class for the medical school.  What a morning!  I can now take a breath.  Hopefully the afternoon will be quieter.

I started my long weekend at noon on Friday, but had to come back in from the bus stop to answer some emails.  I did make it home at a decent time to start relaxing.  The weather was awesome all weekend.  A little too warm at times, but that's mostly just inside.  I had both fans AND the air conditioner going yesterday.

Saturday was errands in the morning and then a lovely walk from the old MOHI parking lot to Foster Island along the marsh path.  It was just gorgeous!  Tink had a fabulous time too.  The Husky game didn't start until 7 that evening so there was plenty of time for strolling and relaxing.  Sunday was a bit busier, meeting up with friends in the late afternoon for happy hour and then dropping by another place for a visit, then home for dinner and a movie.  On Monday I had planned to run around Green Lake because next Sunday is the WOW 5K.  My tummy was a bit upset but I got going anyway and ended up having a fantastic run!  I was afraid that running on the treadmill would not translate well to actual running on pavement but it does and I am now excited about this race.  Oh but was it ever hot and muggy, even though I was on the trail by 9.  This race next week doesn't start until 9:30 - that's pretty late.  The clouds did come in yesterday afternoon and it's been raining off and on.  It's still rather warm but maybe it'll cool down a bit more.  70 would be perfect.

I only got a teensie bit of knitting done.  I did not get the cowl finished, as I had hoped.  I am close.  The Husky game was SO exciting that I had to put the knitting down!  They beat #19, Broncos, by a goodly margin.  They did not allow a TD, only two field goals.  It was great!  I read this morning they are ranked now.  As well they should be.

Tonight is my fantasy draft and I practiced yesterday afternoon between loads of laundry and cooking.  I am not so happy that it's going to be at 8 o'clock tonight since I had a very rough night last night.  It's always tough the day before class starts.  Every time I wake up I start thinking about work.  We do only have 10 people so hopefully we'll all keep our connectivity and it should go quickly.  If someone loses their connection then it takes the entire 3 minutes each turn for that person.  Otherwise it's just as fast as one can pick their player.  Here's hoping I get a decent spot.

Short week - hoorah. 

Heigh-oh! Three day weekend!

All I have to do is make it through the morning and then ..... I'm off!  Taking off early to start my long weekend with nothing but football (the Huskies have their season opener tomorrow) and sunshine and long walks and cocktails and a few mock drafts.  My fantasy draft is next Tuesday night and I haven't even started doing research.  But that's not work.  It's fun.

Did we ever get some rain yesterday!  Wow!  It was a deluge - well, I should say several deluges.  At one point in the evening I had to close the slider door because the rain was blowing into the dining room!  It cooled the air a bit but did absolutely nothing for the stifling humidity.  Tink's 7 o'clock walk was a joy in the damp, cool-ish air.

I watched most of the Seahawks game last night against the hapless Raiders, but lost interest after the first half when it was our number 3s against their number 2s.  The final roster cuts are coming and then REAL football!

After turning the air conditioner on I got comfy and got a few more rows done on the Mobius Cowl.  I dearly want to finish that thing so maybe this weekend I can carve out a few hours for a couple of days and put it to bed.  And then ... oh I should really, truly finish up my Cloisonne jacket.  All it needs is the facings sewn on!  That's it.  It was already blocked and sewn before the facings were knit.  *sigh*  Really, that's what I should do.  Keep tuned.  Will I?  J

Oh the humidity!

Honestly.  It is like being on the East coast!   And hot too - nearly 80 yesterday.  I had to put the air conditioner on again last night.  The Seahawks are playing their last pre-season game tonight, here at home, and I pity those players.  It's going to be nasty out there on the field.

It was a busy busy day yesterday, and it'll be another busy one today.  I've got a presentation to make at 10 am to the incoming class, then another TA meeting at noon.  Yesterday was noon knitting but I only got to go for a few minutes.  I was super stressed and I needed to wind down.  It was perfect.  I won't be able to go out for my noon walk - although if the my portion of the meeting is quick I guess I can still go!  Yeah, I'll do that.  If it's not pouring rain.

It was a quiet evening.  Chores and a nice curry for dinner and then an episode of Hard Knocks.  I think there's only one more left.  The fan allowed me a decent night's sleep.  Poor Tink.  She is not doing well with this heat.  She HATES to walk when it's hot and I have to make her go out when I get home.  Yesterday I was just dragging her around until she got all her business done.  I know when she is too hot on a walk because when I get into the elevator she immediately plops herself down on the cool tile.  And then at home, she makes a bee line for the air conditioner rather than her basket of toys.  She's a little better at the 7 o'clock walk, but not much.  The mornings are her favorite for now.

So - onward.  I just have to make it through today and half of tomorrow and then .... woohoo, long weekend!

Coping strategies

My favorite coping strategy ... coping with the stress caused by work this time of year ... is hard exercise and heavy doses of daydreaming about an upcoming trip.  But my next trip is so far in the future that it's hard to capture for stress release.   My next real time off is Thanksgiving week, which will be a stay-cation but a lovely long rest as well.  I know I have a little extra vacation and I'll probably end up using it in October after Histo gets going.  That'll have to do.

After Tink's walk yesterday when I got home, I quickly changed into some more comfy clothes -- it was blazing hot and muggy -- and took off for the QFC to pick up a partial prescription.  I had forgotten to call in a refill last week, called it in on the weekend only to find that there were no refills left and by yesterday afternoon my doctor's office still hadn't responded to the pharmacy.  They were kind enough to offer me a supply to get me through to the end of the week and now I'll have to call the doctor's office myself to find out what's going on.  My guess is they're short handed.  It is late August after all.

Then by the time I returned, showered and got my hair dried it was time for her 7 pm walk.  As a happy bonus I found a book on my Kindle that I had forgotten I had ordered!  One I was looking forward to reading and so I popped into bed with the fan on and had a good long, maybe too long, read.  When that alarm went off at 5:45 this morning ... yipes.  But I made it out of bed and down to the treadmill by 6 am and I'm feeling great.  Good thing too because it's going to be a big day today and tomorrow.  Hopefully I can get all of my ducks lined up Friday so I can take off early for a long weekend.

Noon knitting today.  I know where everyone will be.  No surprises today.

Oh this week ....

Every year it's the same.  At least I haven't had any nightmares yet, although I did have some pretty vivid dreams last night.  Dreaming means I was sleeping so that's good.  It was cooler last night and I sleep much better when I'm not gasping for breath. 

I was caught up in telephone calls and only got a little bit of knitting done.  I am now quite eager to get finished with the Mobius Cowl and start working again on the Mariah jacket.  It will be quite difficult to get re-started with it, I am sure.  On the sleeves there are three things to keep track of, hence three counters.  But once the sleeves are done it'll be smooth sailing.  But not for a few more weeks.  It is a hot project, for cool weather knitting.

I am feeling quite antsy, and I am so glad I've got a three day weekend to look forward to.  Hopefully the weather will be nice and not raining.  Wouldn't that be something if, after all this glorious summer we've been having, that the last weekend of summer (not literally but school-wise) would be rainy?  I cannot say how many times it's happened, but quite a few.

I need a vacation.  It is going to be weeks and weeks.

Last week before chaos

That was quick -- the weekend was gone in a minute.  Friday night I watched the Seahawks beat the Packers.  Only one more pre-season game to go.  This was the seventh pre-season game in a row they've won.  Pretty impressive, even though the games don't count.  It really speaks to their depth.  There were a couple more games on this weekend and I watched a bit.  I truly do have to start studying for my draft, which is taking place at the very absolutely last minute - Tuesday night before the first game, which is on Thursday, September 5th.  Tick tock

All I really wanted to do this weekend was rest.  Just do nothing.  It was almost what I got.  I did do a little running around on Saturday and got talked into going to Golden Gardens to walk the dog and have lunch.  Ah ... not such a good idea on a beautiful sunny day in August.  It was crazy down there and there wasn't a spot to be had in the parking lots.  There were people getting married at the end of the park and in between the marina and the end of the park about a million people having picnics and playing in the sand.  It would have made Tink crazy anyway so I thought the dog park might be a fine idea.  She was not at all interested in it.  Period.  She kept turning around and heading for the gate!  So I gave in and we left.  She was much happier laying under my feet at a little pub outside.  That's fine with me.  I heard some nice music and had a lovely beer. 

I very much wanted to knit but it was just too hot Saturday evening, even with the air conditioning.  Plus I needed some quiet time to get back on track with the project I started while I was in California using some Noro Taiyo I had stashed.  I decided to make another pair of convertible mitts with longer cuffs.  After a busy Sunday with dog walking and a visit to the nail salon and then some much needed cleaning I was able to sit down Sunday afternoon in the blissful quiet and just knit.  Ahhhh ....  It took me a while but I was finally able to get them going.  It is just fiddly trying to get two at a time on two circulars going, especially with this yarn which is very very fine.  It will be slow going but they will be well used.  By the time I get them done it'll be cold enough to need them.

It will be very busy this week in spurts with the two TA meetings and orientation to run.  I think this is my least favorite week of the year.  Running in the morning is a big help for my state of mind, I must say.  Fingers crossed I can keep it up.  My right ankle was a bit tweaky this morning, but I just got on the treadmill and started and a couple of minutes in it was all warmed up and no pain.  Let's keep it that way.

It feels like the whole world is on vacation!

It is so quiet around here!  So many people are on vacation and school is not in session.  Plus, it's Friday.  I hopped right out of bed and got on that treadmill.  And when I was done, took a lovely walk with Tink.  It's cooler this morning and a bit cloudy.  It will burn off by noon but thankfully is not supposed to be near as hot as yesterday.  I did notice as well that it's getting cooler at night.  Finally.

On my way in to work today 3 guys got on the bus at a stop by a dorm building.  They were football players, I'm sure of it.  Husky football starts in a little over a week!  They are playing in their new stadium, which is gorgeous!  I flew over it in the helicopter ride last month but I walk by it nearly every day.  The basic shape is the same, but it's modernized, the track is gone and there are more seats.  It's going to be really loud. 

I wasn't in the mood for TV last night even though there was a pre-season game on.  Two teams I am not really interested in, although I've got to step up my game here and pay attention.  I've got my fantasy draft in a couple of weeks.  Maybe I should do a few mock ones, ya think?  I knit a few rows and then retired to read but nothing really caught my attention.  I'm a little restless I guess.  I love the sunshine but I don't do very well with heat.  Plus I had a terrible sinus thing going on yesterday and so it was headache all day.  The only thing that helps in that situation - a muggy day - is something for my sinuses but Benadryl is not for the daytime. 

But hey!  It's Friday!!  The Seahawks are on the road, playing the Packers tonight in pre-season game 3, the dress rehearsal.  I think they'll have the number one players in for the entire first half.  I hope anyway.  And nothing going on this weekend but resting -- and housework and laundry and nails ... I want to dedicate a few hours to just quiet knitting time.  I shall.

My invisible suit

I actually didn't know I was wearing it yesterday, but apparently I was!  Since it was, I thought, only going to be two of us for noon knitting I decided it would be crazy to book the big (40 person) conference room and instead suggested that we meet downstairs in the Rotunda, which is the area outside of the cafeteria where there are tables and chairs.  When I got down there I couldn't see any of my knitting buddies and the one who was supposed to be meeting me had a meeting and said she'd be a little late.  So I sat down and took out my knitting and proceeded to knit alone and wait for my friend.  And she never came and never came.  I did spy her ex-boss having lunch and thought perhaps she had seen her and decided not to join me.  So at about 10 to 1, I decided she wasn't going to show and got up to go back to work.  That's when I spied them -- THREE of them -- sitting at a table behind me.  They all swore they looked for me and who am I to say they didn't.  But I was right there, with knitting on the table.  *sigh*  I felt like an idiot sitting there all alone.  Ah well, it won't happen again.  Next time we'll set an exact place to meet.

Being that it's so ridiculously hot in my apartment I put dinner in the slow cooker before I left for work yesterday so I came home to dinner already cooked.  That was nice because it was crazy hot in that apartment.  Too hot to knit, which makes me sad.  Hopefully I can get that Mobius Cowl finished this weekend.  I want to get going on a pair of convertible mitts for this fall.  I did start them in California but it's tricky starting two at once on circulars and my yarn got tangled.  Also I was drinking wine -- not smart when you're trying to do that.  So I just relaxed and watched Hard Knocks and some stupid TV.  My new favorite stupid show - Drunk History - is hilarious so I caught up on that as well. 

It's going to be another hot one today.  But at night it seems as if it's getting just a little cooler.   I just love that I'm working out in the mornings.  I really enjoy my noon walks around the campus.  Probably it won't be so enjoyable when it's nasty and cold outside, but for now it's glorious.  The roses are in full bloom in the gardens around the fountain and you can smell them.  Ahhh .... beautiful.

Who are they targeting?

I am continually surprised by the ridiculous spam emails that find their way through the filters - even on my work email.  Yesterday I was informed that the senders had donated 2 million British pounds to me.  Who believes this stuff?  Who actually sends their personal information?  I know that there are people every day new to the Internet, but by now the warnings are everywhere.  I am just astonished that this phenomenon hasn't disappeared yet.  A sucker born every minute - who said that?  It was a long time ago and still very true, apparently.

I had a strong run this morning.  I'm still amazed at how much energy I have after my 500 calorie days.  I really like this 5:2 diet.  Well any diet where there is little suffering has my approval, especially when I still have energy.  Sometimes when I'm counting calories I just run out of steam.  It hasn't happened with this one, although I must admit to some ridiculous hunger pangs at night sometimes. 

It seems to be getting just a little bit cooler at night, although today it's going to be even hotter than yesterday.  I didn't really feel like knitting last night.  I wanted to finish my book, which I did.  While I was in California my sister loaded me up with some books, so I have reading material.  But I really enjoy that particular author and her protagonist, Jackson Brodie.  This was one that I didn't even know existed - always nice.  Now though, I must find something in the stack she gave me.

Wednesday noon knitting is always dicey in the summer with all the vacations, etc.  Today just two of us and we're going to meet in the Rotunda since I didn't want to get a big meeting room just for the two of us.  We'll be back on schedule in a few weeks.  It's nice and cool down there and, hopefully, won't be too full since school is on break.

We are really getting spoiled!

Yes, another gorgeous summer day here in Seattle!   It is like living in California.  I predict a bunch of very unhappy people in October.  We are all going to miss this, but in the meantime I take every opportunity to enjoy it.  Yesterday at lunch I went for a stroll through campus, as I have been doing ever since I changed my run to 6 am rather than noon.  And that way it's a double good thing because I get to enjoy the park that is our campus.  It is very nice also when there are not so many students milling about.  Not that I don't like students ... I mean, I wouldn't have a job without them, would I?

While it was hot yesterday it was also breezy so that kept it relatively comfortable.  As I said, the air conditioner is way too noisy to run while trying to sleep and it doesn't really get to the bedroom (sleeping cove) anyway.  It was just that much cooler last night where the fan did the trick, with the help of the open slider, and I slept pretty well. 

I just read that Elmore Leonard has passed away.  He's one of my favorite authors.  A very prolific writer.  I'll miss his work.

Speaking of work -- it was too hot to cook so I made a gorgeous, delicious chicken salad for dinner and did manage to get a few more rows of the cowl done.  Oh I love love LOVE this yarn!  I wish I was just as in love with the colorway.  I will just have to keep my eyes open for sales.  I did get my Yarnbox subscription finally and I can't wait for that!  It's like Secret Pal except you pay for it.  I got a three month subscription and I'll see how good the yarn is.  It's not cheap, but the box previews I saw on Ravelry looked pretty good.

Just a little darker

This morning was the first morning in a little over a week that I was on the treadmill at 6 am.  It was a bit cloudy too, so I really noticed the change.  It was darker and the sun rose while I was running.  Well that's just the natural progression but we have been having such a gorgeous and glorious summer.  I am not going to want to say goodbye to that.  The heat?  I won't miss that too much.

I tried to have a quiet weekend and almost succeeded.  It wasn't too busy anyway and I got some good lounging around done yesterday between laundry.  Saturday I had an early hair appointment and then got my eyes opened at the frame shop.  Good heavens -- well, you get what you pay for and that picture is going to be stunning when it's all finished.  But it was an eye opener for sure.  I did get great customer service though - Lake City Frame is the best.

So to lessen the sticker shock I had a nice lunch al fresco.  I have fallen in love with a particular salad at, of all places, Red Robin.  But it's delicious -- grilled chicken breast on a bed of lettuce with grilled corn and beans and all sorts of other things.  I just order it without the tortilla strips and with the dressing on the side.  Perfection.  It's not the classiest place, sure, but it's close to home and I really like the patio because every table has an umbrella.  All day really was just marking time until the Seahawks game against the Broncos.  Sure it's preseason but I tell you, it didn't feel like it.  The firsts played nearly the entire half.  And the Seahawks won, which is always nice.

I turned the air conditioner a bit so that I could get more direct cool air and was able to do some good knitting during the game and again on Sunday for a movie.  I've started the last, fourth, skein on the Mobius Cowl.  I should be able to graft it in another week or so.  I am going to have to look into this, but it's garter stitch.  Is the Kitchner stitch different for garter than it is for stockinette?  I am guessing that it is.  I am tempted to just go ahead and instead of knit off, purl on, purl off, knit on, do all knits.  But I'll look it up first to make sure.

Work is going to be heating up this week.  I am glad I have my morning stress buster back in place.  Now if I could just find an effective way to cool down in the morning!  Even with a 20 minute post workout walk with Tink and a cool shower, I can't seem to get my core temp down and before I've even finished with my makeup I'm pouring again.  Wednesday I'll try a second fan in the bathroom.  The ceiling fan is doing no good.  Of course -- if I could get a cross breeze going it would be no problem.  I wonder if the neighbors would mind if I opened the hall door a crack.  heh ... joking.  But oh my, that would be wonderful and sure would do the trick!

Muggy muggy muggy

Wow ... is it every muggy!  I don't mind too much in the daytime but at night it's a little hard to sleep.  And impossible to cook.  Wednesday night dinner was a big shrimp salad.  Last night steamed mussels (they don't have to cook very long, thankfully) and another big salad.  Now that I know how to cook them I want to do it all the time.  What a delicious and easy dinner. 

It was a lovely night actually.  I got a new knitting magazine in the mail and there was pre-season football.  The Chargers - who the Seahawks beat last week - and the Bears.  It is so nice to have football back.

While I was going through my magazine I came across a new service called Yarnbox that is a yarn subscription service.  I am sorry I didn't sign up for it last night because the web site is now jammed up.  I didn't get myself a birthday present so I thought I'd give this a try.  Me and a million other people it seems.  I got right on the site last night but this morning I cannot.  I had the page saved on my iPad so I went there to sign up since I couldn't get on with my desktop, but now it's stuck at the registration page.  Everybody going through their Interweave Knits magazine trying to get on I suppose.  I'll keep trying but this does not bode well.

I am going to have a nice, lazy, do nothing much weekend.  I have a hair appointment and must get the mani/pedi done as well but nothing else is on my plate except cleaning and laundry.  I am SO looking forward to a quiet weekend.  Let's hope it stays that way.  Maybe I can even get a little knitting done!

Ridiculous lack of customer service at Brooklyn Frame Shop

I am still in shock over the treatment I got yesterday afternoon at the Brooklyn Frame Shop and I'm going to rant about it.  I did leave a Yelp review, but since it was unfavorable and that site already has some unfavorable reviews, it was filtered.  It still shows up when you go to filtered reviews (which I do quite a lot) so hopefully I can keep someone else from wasting their time. 

I bought a beautiful water color from an artist friend of my sister for a birthday present last April.  It was unframed at the time and my sister said she'd get it framed down there and have the framer ship it to me.  But one thing led to another and it ended up staying with her when she moved, so I picked it up when I went down there this week and put it into a tube and brought it home.  Ah, but now it still needs to be framed.  So yesterday afternoon I walked up to the Brooklyn Frame Shop to get an estimate. The artist suggested "floating" the piece, which after seeing several examples I agree is the best way to frame it.  I know the size of the piece of art.  I know the type of background I want.  I know the frame I want.  At that point yesterday I just wanted to get a quote that I could use as a starting point for shopping around.  I walked into the shop.  No customers and one man behind the counter who looked at me, but didn't even greet me.  Strike number 1.  No smile either.  So I said Hi and proceeded to tell him that I had a water color that I wanted to float on a textured background in this frame.  Could he give me a ballpark cost?  "You'll have to bring it in".   Well, I told him I knew exactly the dimensions of the work and the type of background I wanted ...... He didn't let me finish.  "No, we don't do that.  You have to bring it in". 
I was getting flustered at this point, and I said "This is a fine piece of art.  I don't want to be carrying it all over the city". 
"Is it framed"?
"No, it's not framed.  It was in a tube and I don't want to put it back in there". 
"We don't do that".  And he wrote his name down on a card and handed it to me.

I was flabbergasted!  I called my sister to get a reality check and she agreed with my conclusion, that framing can be a scam and they'll get as much from you as they possibly can because people don't get things framed very often.  So I am going to take my business to Lake City Framing where I had some work done about 8 or 9 years ago.  They've been in business for over 50 years.  I know it's going to be expensive but I refuse to be ripped off or, worse yet, treated like dirt.  What an ass.

That pretty much colored my day but I got over it and took Tink for a lovely walk in the rain(!) and made a gorgeous shrimp salad for dinner.  Tonight it's steamed mussels and salad.  It's still muggy and cloudy today too.  I don't mind.  Maybe I'll even set up my Apple TV tonight.

Do I really need another expensive hobby?

The answer, of course, is no.  But it is SO tempting.  One of the things I did with my sister when I was visiting these past few days was spend an afternoon and evening making jewelery.  I made a necklace a few years ago when I was down there but this time I got into a few more advanced techniques like wire wrapping.  It is so much fun and she has all the tools and tons and tons of beads and wire and jump rings and beads and beads and more crystals and just about anything you could think of.  I made a wonderful necklace - pictures to come later.  And a little pendant with some of the faceted stones I bought before I went down. 

I had such a wonderful time!  Santa Monica is a wonderful place to live and her apartment, while old and with no dishwasher or elevator, is located less than 2 miles from the beach.  We walked down there twice, running a gauntlet of adorable shops and restaurants.  We had a late birthday party Friday with my sister and nephew, for which I bought the most expensive cake around but also the best.  Saturday we had a birthday/housewarming party so there wasn't much lounging around done since we had to get the party ready Saturday and do the clean up on Sunday.  I did manage to get caught up on sleep and we had all of Monday to basically goof off (make jewelery) and I wasn't in any rush to get to the airport yesterday because I had a late afternoon flight.

The weather was surprisingly cooler than Seattle and that's the big news down there - that Seattle has been above 80 and LA below.  I slept well in the cooler air.  And I did start another knitting project, but it happened to be Sunday night when we were relaxing and having martinis so ... yeah, I didn't get much of a start at all. 

I got to the airport in plenty of time yesterday and even saw two of my favorite actors from Once Upon A Time (Snow and Charming) who seem to be a real life couple too.  It was quiet at the airport, not a madhouse like SeaTac was on Friday.  Of course what do you expect when you fly on a Friday in the summer.  Tuesday at LAX - a cakewalk.

I was so happy to get home but it was/is so hot still.  It is supposed to get back to normal soon. I will like that.  And now -- SO much work to do!

Birthday AND Football!!

Sometimes the stars are just aligned perfectly and today is one of those days.  I get to celebrate my birthday by watching the Seahawks in their first preseason game tonight!  Woohoo!!  Now that's not to say that I wouldn't love to spend my birthday at a fancy spa being pampered, but watching football is a close second. 

Last night was a pre-birthday celebration with cocktails at Twigs.  We were on the patio but the sun was blasting down and finally I wanted to go inside.  I had big plans to get my packing mostly done but a few martinis and the best I could do was throw a load of clothes into the washer.  So I'm taking off today around 2 to get home and get my packing done, clean up the mess I didn't clean up last night and make myself presentable.  Then I can go out and have a fun time and know that all I have to do in the morning is get up and throw the last few items into my cosmetic bag.  I have to be at the bus stop to catch a 6:13 bus in order to get to the airport light link stop by 7:15.  Then it's the looooong walk into the airport.  I do hope the lines aren't too bad and I can at least get a coffee before I have to board.  I hear that the security lines are horrendous.  And a Friday in August .... could be bad.  But I am happy and I'll just be cool and zen it out.

Santa Monica is cooler than here.  What a crazy thing, huh?  But I don't care.  I'm looking forward to seeing my sister and walking on the beach.  I haven't gotten a knitting project together yet either!  Yipes!  One more thing to get done this afternoon.

A different kind of noon knitting

Today a few of us are taking a field trip to South Lake Union to visit Peggy for our noon knitting.  I don't know how much knitting we'll actually do since we won't have the entire hour, but I brought mine in anyway.  I haven't been able to touch the Mobius Cowl at home because it's been so darned hot.   I have been toying with starting another project - a small one like mitts, as I said.  I need to divide the Dream in Color Starry OR ... or I could use the two skeins of Noro Seku.  Hmmmmm  But it does need to be portable so I can take it with me Friday.

The portable air conditioner has been wonderful for keeping a small area cool, but it doesn't do much for the rest of the apartment.  The fan is still needed at bedtime and even then it's pretty hot.   According to the Yahoo weather app, it's much cooler in Santa Monica.  But I don't know how accurate that is vis a vis my sister's area.  I don't think she's right on the beach.  I'd better check with her today.  I must get most of my packing done tonight because tomorrow evening I'm going out and then Friday morning I have to catch the bus for the airport at 6:15.  Yipes!

The birthday week feeling is kicking in now that I'm feeling back to 100%.   I had a wonderful quiet evening and watched the first episode of Hard Knocks on HBO.  It'd the Bengals this year.  Not a fabulous team but the show is always entertaining.  Then a little reading and a great night of sleep.  The fan does keep some of the noise out and I think that's why I've been getting such good sleep.

It doesn't look like this party for McG's birthday is going to be happening.  At least not this month.  He's not returning my calls.  I know he's busy but it was his idea!  That guy ....

The new worst bus driver

I got to the transit station about the same time as I normally do today but when I got on my bus the driver was different.  He took off before I had taken my seat and drove like a crazy person.  At the next stop I got up and asked if he was indeed the #67 and he was.  I then realized that he was running late and he was the earlier bus.  It hadn't been noted on the OneBusAway app.  So this guy was trying to make up time I guess.  He was racing through the stops and alternately slamming on the brakes and accelerating like a madman.  It made me quite sea sick.

I worked from home yesterday because I had one of those weekends.  The party on Saturday was a lot of fun.  The rain stopped and the sun came out and it was beautiful!  And then 4 o'clock Sunday morning I woke up and immediately knew what was up.  One of those lady things that can usually be taken care of with a lot of water and cranberry juice.  So I spent the next 3 hours drowning myself in juice and trying to flush it out.  By noon I was feeling okay and went out to the bead store to get some beads for my trip - Kelli and I are going to make jewelery.  Then stopped for a yummy Indian lunch.  But again in the late afternoon it started up and it was even worse!  Sleep was a futile effort.  From 8 o'clock on I was up every 15 to 30 minutes until 2 am, when I fell asleep for a couple of hours.  Insane!  I didn't want to go to the emergency room for something like this and I knew it would be hours before I got to see my own doctor so at 8 I went downstairs to the UW Neighborhood Clinic right across the square and by 8:30 I had seen the doctor and was on the way to pick up my prescription!  Whew!  It took a few hours to kick in but by the afternoon I was feeling nearly normal.  It was a hideous experience.

Things are heating up but I was able to keep up at home yesterday.  And it was not quite so horrible because the portable air conditioner was chugging away.  It keeps a portion of the apartment cool and you can't ask for more than that.  I wasn't up very late anyway, having had very little sleep in the last couple of days.  I was out like a light and slept great.

So now the birthday week can truly begin.  I wasn't feeling much in the birthday mood Sunday.  Nothing much is actually going on until my birthday proper when I'm going out to the Ram to watch the first pre-season Seahawks game.  Yay!!!  Then off to California on Friday morning.  In the meantime there is lots and lots of work to be done.

A little bit of mist!

This is unusual.  We have had a record breaking July, the dryest since 1951.  Today we are getting a little mist and yesterday actually I was a bit chilly!  Not to worry.  It is going to get hot hot hot again in a couple of days so this is actually a nice respite.

Because it was so chilly I wore my Aristida scarf today and remembered that I've got TONS of the Dream in Color Starry that I used for this.  I only used a few yards of the second skein and intended to make convertible mitts with the rest.  It is in one skein and I have to weigh it and then wind off half, so that's why I didn't do it immediately.  But it would make a good transition project with plenty of  TV knitting potential.  And portability - as in something to take with me next week to California.  So that's one more thing for my list of chores this weekend.

It was a quiet evening last night.  I have a new good book that I was anxious to get back to, so I retired early and read for almost two hours in bed.  On my "fasting" days, 500 calories doesn't give me much stamina or staying power.  I'm pretty much ready to recline almost as soon as I'm done with my evening's 200 calories.  It is odd to me that I've got so much energy the next morning and no hunger pangs.  I had another awesome run on the treadmill, this time the entire 30 minutes up another click.  My guilty secret?  My Pandora playlist of country work out tunes!  I know .... but it seems to work.  Unfortunately I can't use Pandora when I am also using the Nike app, so it only works for inside running.  I'll have to try to come up with a new playlist for my outdoor running.  I've been using the same one for over a year.  I hope to be able to carve out some time on Sunday to do a once around Green Lake in preparation for my September 8 race. 

The jury is still out on what the weather is going to bring for the party on Saturday.  I'm going to fix my new dress anyway.  If I have to pop on a little denim jacket, so be it.  I hear there's going to be a band, so maybe I'll heat up on the dance floor.

The summer knitting blahs

I love summer and I love love LOVE warm weather!  We don't often get a summer like this in Seattle so I am definitely not complaining.  It's just .... it's just not knitting weather!  Or maybe I should say it's not knitting weather with the yarn and projects I have going now.  I should probably be working on something silk or linen but I don't have anything in my stash right now and I'm determined to plug along with the Mobius Cowl, although I have to be very careful to keep the thing off my lap because it heats me up something fierce!  Elann has a 100% silk yarn coming up August 6th that looks a lot like the Ella Rae Shibu that I am so fond of, so I think I'm going to indulge myself and get some of it.  The color selection isn't great but it does come in that lovely green I love.   And there's a tunic pattern shown with it that I think is pretty cute too.  A little bit of lace but not too much to make it 100% non-TV knitting.  Well, I have to think of that.  Football season is almost here and pre-season is just around the corner!  woohoo! 

Ah!  And it's the first of August already.  I can hardly believe it.  This year seems to be just zipping by!  Unfortunately there's nothing you can do to slow time down, is there?  Maybe I should stop having so much fun.  heh

This weekend is a big outdoor party - a luau themed event.  I bought a maxi dress to wear but when it arrived I loved it so much that I didn't want to risk wearing it at a BBQ, but rather I want to wear it in Santa Monica for my birthday party.  So I bought another dress on line.  It was really discounted and I figured if it was cheap looking or didn't fit right I could just send it back.  In other words, worth the small risk.  It came last night and I have to say it is perfect!  Well, it will be perfect.  I can see now why it was marked down.  People were getting it and returning it right away because it doesn't have any shaping.  The fabric is beautiful, it's lined, it's very well made and the color is nice too.  But without shaping it is not very flattering.  I put it on and was standing there wondering how I could make it work, since it was so perfect in every other way.  A belt?  No.  Tucks!  I pinched the fabric to make bust darts and voila! That was what it needed.  Tonight or tomorrow I will make the little adjustment - it's going to be quite easy even without a sewing machine.  Doesn't anybody sew anymore?  Seriously, it's not going to take more than 10 minutes and I'll have a really nice dress.  I am happy.  Now if I spill BBQ sauce on it, I won't feel quite so bad. 

Yay for Wednesday

Noon knitting day - although not the same without Peggy, of course.  We're all planning on taking an old fashioned field trip down to her new place in the next couple of weeks.  There are shuttles that run regularly.  We'll have to expand our lunch hour just a bit but it'll be fun.  Maybe when we all get together we can plan another knitting brunch, a finishing party or frogging party.  Those types of chores are much better done in a group.

Clouds moved in and it's cooler this morning, almost misty.  The clouds are low.  I had a great run on the treadmill this morning and took Tink for a nice walk to cool off, but it's still rather warm and definitely muggy so it didn't do much good.  A cool shower was of more help but I still had to re-dry my hair.  Still -- it's totally worth it.  I feel so good!

I am getting quite anxious for my little mini-vacation and visit to my sister.  Today is the last day of July and I can hardly believe it!  This has been, and continues to be, an awesome summer.  I am hoping for an awesome football season as well,  but the news was out yesterday that our newest acquisition, Percy Harvin, will be out until Thanksgiving with hip surgery and the rehab.  That's not great news but the team is still quite deep so we're not cooked yet.

Speaking of cooked --- it's breakfast time!!

Tinkerbell the model

On Sunday in the square at my apartment complex there was another themed party.  This one was "Afternoon in Paris" or something along those lines.  There was a jazz combo playing Cole Porter tunes, a food truck serving crepes and a caricature artist doing drawings.  I was busy and didn't get out there but Tinkerbell got a stroll through the square and I got this adorable picture!  I just love it!  I walked up to the Ave yesterday and bought a mat and a frame for it.  Now to find the perfect place on the wall.

Most of the dogs in the complex are good - or rather, their owners are good.  But always there are idiots with dogs they should not have.  There are three BIG huskies or malamutes ... I am not sure ... owned by three small Asian students.  Those dogs are out of control and every time they see Tink they lunge and come for her.  Monday night one of them got away from its petite owner and ran straight for us.  We were on the stairs and the big dog came to us and pinned Tink to the side of the stairs.  The dog's owner was right behind it and I yelled at the girl to keep control of her dog!  The other two dogs were straining at the lead and their owners could barely keep them from joining us on the steps.  It was scary.  Again last night I ran into one of them and the dog, again, was doing its best to break away from the owner to charge at us.   I don't know if complaining to the management would do any good.  What can they do?  So I will just have to avoid them whenever I can.  It is a disaster waiting to happen though.  And I am sure those dogs aren't only going after Tinkerbell. 

I need a weekend to recover from the weekend!

That pretty much says it all.  I am worn out - although I did get up and do my 30 minutes on the treadmill this morning.  Friday and Saturday and a little bit of Sunday as well were spent getting every last thing out of Ben's house in preparation for the remodel, which is starting this morning.  I packed last minute bits and bobs into boxes.  I moved boxes which had been previously stored in a shed - the remodel was supposed to start in April - up to the storage pod.  The men loaded all of the furniture into the pod and then the boxes.  What an ordeal.  But it was a gorgeous day so after a little rest Tinkerbell got a bath and I cleaned up and off we went to roam around Edmonds and have some drinks and snacks.  Needless to say I slept like a log Saturday night.

All I wanted to do Sunday was curl up and relax and do some knitting.  Ah but that was not to be.  We had to finish up the last little bits and somehow shoe horn Ben's things that he'll need for the next 8 weeks into my teensie weensie apartment.  Thank goodness it is summer, is all I can say.  It's going to be an interesting two months.  I am used to being alone.  I like being alone.  It is very difficult to be alone in a 660 square foot studio apartment where the only door is on the bathroom. 

McG finally got back to me about his party, which is now 3 weeks away and I don't even know if he's invited anyone!  I refused to pick up the phone last night so I've got to give him a call today and we'll see what he has in mind.  Oh how I wish this was my birthday week because I SO need a vacation.  Eleven more days. 

One of those horrible nights

Thankfully it doesn't happen very often, but last night was terrible.  My evening was lovely.  I made a nice dinner, did some knitting and got an episode and a half of "Necessary Roughness" done.  I had purchased a new book - something to replace "Telegraph Hill" and I wanted to read but I was so tired and ready to sleep before 10.  But that didn't last long.  I woke up around 11:30 and I wasn't able to get back to sleep until after 3:30!!  My mind just wouldn't shut down!  I was thinking about work and of those millions of fiddly details I've got to handle.  Not worry as much as just details flooding my mind.  I tossed and turned and got up for water and put Tink on the bed and off the bed and on the bed ..... I read the news and email.  It was so frustrating.  I did drift off somewhere after 3:30 so as you may imagine when the alarm went off at 5:45 I was none to happy and re-set it for  6:30.  I can go without my run but I knew I'd never make it if I got up then.

At this point I'm tired but I think I'll be okay.  I'm guzzling my first cup of tea now and it should get me going.  I am hungry.  I just need to make it to 1 o'clock and then I'm out of here for the weekend. 

I have nearly two skeins left to go on the Mobius Cowl and already I'm thinking of my next project.  You know what I should do?  I should finish a couple of things I've got laying around!!!!  It's just sewing.  That's a perfect thing to do when it's so hot.  I'm going to place that idea in the forefront of my brain.  It would feel great to finish the blouse I made a couple of years ago - Chipotletan ... something like that.  All it needs is sewing together and it would be a good garment for transition.  And then there's the Cloisonne Jacket that only needs the facings sewn down.  I should do that, shouldn't I?

Am I spoiled?

I don't really think so.  We all have priorities.  Travel is one of my priorities.  Unfortunately I must work in order to travel.  It's a vicious circle, isn't it?  I was switching out purses last weekend and opened a zip pocket in a purse that I must have used on my last trip to Europe, which was last November.  I dumped out into my hand a variety of coins - euros and pounds - and I then realized that I won't be going this fall.  I won't be seeing my friends and that's the hardest part.  The trade off is that I'm going to spend a week in a fabulous villa in Mexico in January.  That's not a bad thing!  Plus I get an entire week off at Thanksgiving to just laze around and cook turkey dinner. And then I'll still have vacation time to take from Christmas through New Years off, where I'll be doing a lot more lazing around.  And then I'll have Mexico to look forward to when it's just nasty and cold here.  And I'm going to see my sister in Santa Monica for my birthday.  I have nothing at all to complain about and yet ... and yet I have this one little part of myself that is pouting in the corner because I can't go to Europe this fall.  Maybe I can make something happen for spring of 2014.

The heat continues and yesterday evening I was melting, even with the fans going.  I couldn't even touch my knitting so thankfully I got a few rows done at lunchtime.  I am enjoying my last few days before I get a roommate for the duration of the remodel project, which will start on Monday.  Two people in 660 square feet is going to be a challenge.  Thank goodness for headphones and Wi-Fi.  So I took advantage and sprawled on the couch, watched stupid TV and played video games.  Tink is very slow when it's hot outside.  She doesn't do much playing until it gets cooler in the evening.  Sometimes I hear her late at night chewing on a bone and tossing it around.  Poor little thing.  She needs a haircut but I don't have a spare Saturday until mid-August!

It is supposed to cool down a bit tomorrow.  We're look at 80 plus again today though.  Ah well .... no complaining!  I think back on all those times we don't get a summer at all!  This is wonderful.

A lucky day

What a great start to the day!  I popped out of bed at 5:45 and was on the treadmill at 5:59 and I have to say I had the best run yet.  Friday I'm going to turn it up a little faster.  I'm not going to have too many weekend days to run outside before my September 8 race so I need to push myself a little bit more.  After the run I took Tink out for a nice long morning walk and on the way back into the building I found money on the street.  Only $2 but still ..... that's a cup of coffee at the bus stop.  It's going to be hot and sunny again today.  No complaints there.  AND it's Wednesday, which is noon knitting.  I managed a few rows last night but it was awfully hot.  The air conditioner is sitting there, but not hooked up because the manual has not yet made it to my house.  Hopefully this weekend.  It's GOT to be this weekend.

I tried to read last night but I just can't get into this book.  It's called "Telegraph Hill" and it was highly recommended.  The author is prolific but ... I don't know.  Maybe it's because I've only read it before going to sleep and I don't read big enough bites.  But no - I think I just don't like his style.  I should probably just give it up and start something else.  I've got one on my bedside table and one on my iPad - both new and tonight might be the night I crack one of them open and see if I can get into one or the other.

Football is coming soon but in these dark times I've taken to watching a little baseball from time to time.  Mostly because I listen to the sports podcasts and the local one talks about our team.  The Mariners are doing quite well for a change - they have an 8 game winning streak going.  It's fun to watch when they're winning, isn't it?  But football is just around the corner.  Training camp is starting up this week.  Woohoo!

Knitting mojo

It disappears in the summer sometimes.  It's not just me that it happens to either.  I think I've done better this year about not letting it really take hold.  Last night though I didn't even look at my project bag.  I was wiped out from a bad night Sunday and even though I had great plans for doing some housework and prepping some berries, I actually did nothing more than laze around on the couch. 

And there's nothing wrong with that!  I did get an awesome dress - one I saw in a catalog and just HAD to have.  The good news is that it's just as cute or even cuter than the picture!  The bad news is that it's too cool to wear to the luau/BBQ I'm going to on August 3rd.  I want to save it for my trip to California and my birthday party down there.  So now I'm going to have to find something else to wear to the party.  It's not that it's too dressy.  But this is going to be a BBQ which equals sauce and I am notorious for getting food on my clothes.  I would hate to ruin it before I get to California. I love the color and those ruffles! 

It's supposed to be hot today and tomorrow - in the 80s again.  I don't mind.  It's better than Phoenix, which is crazy hot!  My poor friend McG has had to work from 4 am until noon because it's too hot for his crew to be out working.  I don't know how they stand that.  I suspect there's not much knitting being done.

Brake happy bus driver

I had quite a load to carry in to work today.  Not only my milk for my tea this week and my oatmeal, plus fruit and yogurt and a big box of Splenda packets.  Yes, that's right.  Splenda packets because the department does not pay for coffee, tea, or anything like that.  It's supposed to be self-sustaining but people do not pay for their coffee or tea or popcorn or ... whatever.  They just take it and the coffee fund has been shrinking and now there's no more money.  I bring my own tea and now I'm bringing my own sweetener as well.    But I digress .... so I'm on the bus, playing on my iPhone and with my purse and tote bag full of food on the seat beside me.  The bus driver slams on the brakes for the billionth time that morning and over goes my bag!  Frozen meals and my apple as well as several packets of oatmeal all slid out of the bag and under seats.  It was very annoying, especially for the woman across from me who had to get my apple from under her seat.

On Friday I went straight to the nail salon after work and then to an early dinner outside at Red Robin.  It's one of the few places close to me where I can take Tink.  Twigs, which is a place I really love and that has a great happy hour menu, isn't a place I can take her because their outdoor dining space has a solid wall rather than a fence.  I need a fence so she can lay by the table while I eat.  She's a good dog and her eye is looking great.

Saturday was a visit to the hair salon, and then out to a BBQ.  The sun finally came out and it was hot!  But it cooled down later and I was able to sit and knit and watch the Mariners (who are on a streak right now).  The Seahawks single game tickets go on sale today at 10 and I am charged with going on line and trying to buy a couple.  I don't have much hope of getting anything but I'll try.  They are going to sell out fast.  It's only three weeks until my birthday and the first preseason game.  I can't wait!!!  My nephew sent out the invitation to the fantasy league Friday and I am getting excited for that.  I am going to be better this year.  Maybe I can even win it!

My morning started out with a great run on the treadmill.  Let's hope the rest of the day goes as well as it started. 

Doing the Friday happy dance

I shouldn't have said that yesterday - about things being slow.  The day spun out after that - madness at every turn.  At a meeting I had in the afternoon I had to come face to face with absurd political correctness.  Absurd.  Where does it stop?  I can't go into details because, however unlikely it is that someone here would read it and take offense, I can't take that chance.  Let us just say that I think things are out of control when it comes to that type of thing.  I can understand and embrace diversity and being sensitive to people and their differences.  But somewhere there has to be a bottom line.    Oh well, don't get me on that soapbox.  It's crazy though.

The madness continued after I left.  I was sent a message that I had a FedEx package waiting for me at the apartment office, however they could not find it.  Frustrating.  I wasn't expecting anything from FedEx so I suspect it was a typo on their part, but frustrating nonetheless.  But then I got to give Tink a nice long walk and just relax for the rest of the evening.  It was a fasting day, so dinner wasn't an issue, although going to sleep with such a hunger raging in my tummy was a bit of an issue.  I did lots of work on the Mobius Cowl -- two more skeins to go.

I had a great night and got right up and was on treadmill by 6.  I turned it up to 5.2 and it was a bit more challenging but I made it, although cooling off was a challenge.  It was over 60 degrees when I went out and even with a cool shower afterwards it took some time.  I feel great now after a yummy skinny vanilla latte.  So on with the day.   Here's hoping for a relatively relaxing weekend.  Only one party this weekend.  yay!

Waiting for the other shoe to drop

I know it is going to get very busy at work but right now it's not so busy and I am having a hard time self-starting.  It's another morning with low clouds and plenty of humidity and frankly I'd rather be in bed catching a few more winks.  But .... I'm not. 

Yesterday was this way as well.  Even Tink was low energy.  Tuesday night she had me playing ball for a long time but last night she wasn't interested in doing anything.  Her normal walks, of course, she is always up for that.   Otherwise she was just snoozing on the floor while I made dinner and did a little knitting.  I was going to try to catch up on "Necessary Roughness" but I wasn't in the mood.  I made a lovely dinner of Trader Joe's crab cakes and some roasted asparagus.  I was SO looking forward to a nice, crisp Cameo apple for dessert but it was mushy!!  I HATE mushy apples.  I cannot eat them.  I put the other two in the refrigerator to slow them down a bit but I think I just got some bad ones again.  I haven't been having much luck with apples lately.

I have been very spoiled with the sunshine.  Please come back soon!!

Midnight madness

All day yesterday the clouds moved in and sat.  It was very humid and very hot.   It sure looked like thunderstorms to me and sure enough, during the night it did thunder and rain.  Tink heard the thunder first and woke me with a little bark.  But she was under the bed -- I didn't understand why she was barking.  I couldn't hear the thunder at that point and there had been no lightening I could see.  Finally, faintly, I heard it and by that time I had coaxed her out from under the bed and she spent the rest of the night on the bed, even though it was so hot.  It is a little cooler today but by the weekend it's supposed to be in the high 80s.  I should have that thing hooked up by Friday night, Saturday at the latest.

I continue to be pleasantly surprised by my great treadmill runs in the early early morning.  I can only assume it's going to be less pleasant when the mornings are dark and cold, but for now it's lovely and I don't have any trouble with energy.  I love my leisurely cool down walk, as does Tinkerbell.  Her eye is looking really good, but I am going to keep her away from that other dog anyway.  I'm going to a party there on Saturday and Tink is NOT going.  Peaches may be small but she packs a wallop!

Noon knitting without Peggy today.  Today we're going to the 4th floor.  Switching it up.  I got some more good work done on the Mobius Cowl last night.  I wish I liked the colors more but I love love love that yarn!

Good dog!

Sometimes Tink surprises me in a good way, like she did in the middle of the night.  I had been working on my Mobius Cowl.  I have the yarn in a bag on the floor and the project on my lap so that the working yarn is out there between the floor and the couch.  During the evening Tink got wound up in the yarn when she went around the ottoman.   She stood still and let me unwind her without snagging the yarn.  When I went to bed instead of putting my project into the bag with the yarn I put it on the ottoman, leaving the working yarn hanging out in space.  In the middle of the night I heard Tink do a little bark.  It was not like her "I am out of water" bark and she was too far away for it to be an "I want on the bed" bark, so I got up and turned on the light.  There she was, laying patiently waiting for me to come unwind the yarn from her back foot.  Rather than go crazy and pull at my work, which didn't have point protectors on, by the way.  It could have been a disaster!  What a good good dog.

It is hot hot hot and getting hotter today.  The air conditioner is in my apartment and set under the window, but it is not connected.  I will have to wait until the weekend.  I am fine with the fan - mostly comfortable and it's only going to be really hot today.  It'll cool down a bit for the rest of the week - only in the mid-80s.

I've been working on getting a party together for McG's big birthday in August.  I come to find out that his daughter is getting married so he's coming up here August 1 through 14 and then going back to Arizona!  His birthday is the 25th so we were going to have the party on the 24th but, and rightly so, he doesn't want to turn around and come up for the weekend.  So now the plan is for him to extend his stay through the weekend and have the party on the 17th.  This is kind of defeating the purpose because he says the reason he wants to have a party is that he doesn't want to be alone on his birthday.  If he has the party on the 17th ......  Nothing is ever easy with this guy!

Paper on the windows!

For several months now I have been eagerly awaiting some sign that the work was starting on the new pub at the south end of the complex.  Finally yesterday evening I noticed that several of the windows were covered.  Oddly, another storefront on the north side of the most southerly building is also seeing some action.  Maybe we're getting two new businesses.  The pub will be most welcome, especially if they can get it done before football starts.  As for the other business .... I think a grocery store of some kind would be awesome but because the rents are so high there I doubt that is what it will be.  A dry cleaner would also be welcome but again - I doubt it.  I only know about the high cost of the retail spaces because the woman who owns the nail spa on Lake City Way has been talking to me about it. She wanted to open a spot there, but the rent is outrageous!  So we will just have to wait and see.  But it's exciting!

It was cooler yesterday and it was a welcome change.  It is going to start getting warmer and warmer beginning tomorrow but for today it's going to stay in the mid-70s.  I'm going to the Mariner game tonight.  I was hoping for a little bit warmer experience but it's going to be loads of fun no matter what.  Now I just have to decide if I'm going to get peanuts or garlic fries!

I had a dull evening with no knitting last night.  I wanted to knit but I didn't get my dinner until 7, then it was a dog walk and a few phone calls and I was beat!  I had to get up for my run this morning and I was out like a light at 10.  Unfortunately I woke up at 5 and couldn't get back to sleep!  Arghghgh!  I hate when that happens.  Nevertheless I had a super awesome run on the treadmill.  I remembered my inhaler and that helps a lot.  I am quite wheezy lately - allergies I suspect.  I was able to do the entire 30 minutes on 5.  My goal is to get it up to 6 before my race in September.  Plenty of time.  Maybe even 6.5??

The story of the air conditioner

Here's how to get a free air conditioner -- get lucky.  So many things in life are luck, aren't they.  This air conditioner was a floor model sold at a discount but still rather steep because it's a good one.  When we opened the box so we could roll it to the elevator to get it upstairs it was quite obvious that it had been damaged in shipping.  Most likely crushed because the plastic case was broken at the bottom.  Pictures were snapped and this morning full credit was given for the machine!  Woohoo!  Way to go Ben!!  I'll do my best to fix it so that it doesn't show.  But really, as long as it works I am thrilled.  Not that we need it today.  The clouds have rolled in again and it's almost misty outside.  It's supposed to start getting hot again on Sunday.

I got to knit at noon yesterday.  It was a small group and I was the only one with knitting!  We miss Peggy!  That was all the knitting I was able to do.  I cooked a little dinner and watched a movie and then it was bedtime.  I needed it.  Tomorrow is going to be a busy day and night starting at 5:45 am when the alarm goes off and ending with the Mariner's game.  I sure hope it's not a long game.  Poor Tink it going to get the worst of it.  She'll get a walk from 6:30 until 7 when I'm cooling off, then a short one before I get on the bus at 4:15 to go downtown for the game.  We're meeting up at 5 for a couple of beers and a bite to eat.  I'll be lucky to get home before 11.  I'll have to make it up to her this weekend.

The fringiest!

I am SO in love with this scarf/shawl .... wrap ... whatever you want to call it.  The silk yarn drapes perfectly and the beaded fringe tinkles!  I used little brass beads and they act like bells.  The unfortunate part is that the fringe tends to get tangled up with each other but it's a small price to pay for such hippy goodness.  It will be a challenge to wear on the bus.  In hindsight perhaps I shouldn't have made the fringe so long but it just looks so cool!  If it is really unwearable as it is then I can easily shorten the fringe but I'm going to try it as is.  When?  I don't know.  For now it lives on my evil twin (AKA my dress form) along with the other beautiful shawls that I cannot bear to shove into the closet.

Tinkerbell's eye is looking good one day and not so good the next.  She was rubbing it last night and it looks like she opened the scab again!  But it's not infected and the reason she was rubbing it was because it was gooey near the inner eye.  Not bad, but it had hardened and that was causing the hair to pull.  So I cleaned it up in the evening and she was looking quite good this morning.  I would like to avoid taking her to the vet again.

I closed the slider last night and put on a fan to blow into the bedroom.  I couldn't face another night of noise and sleeplessness.  The fan works great but tonight .... tonight I get my portable air conditioner!  I probably won't need it tonight since it's not going to be hot today, but at the end of the week we're supposed to be in the 80s again so it will be quite handy.  But even though I had quiet and I was tired I couldn't drop off.  It was nearly 11 before I fell asleep and my alarm goes off at 5:45 on workout mornings!  I was feeling just fine and jumped right up and was running by 6.   Thankfully I remembered to take a couple puffs from my inhaler.   I am hoping the treadmill running will help me increase my pace.  I am slowly increasing it  and even though I know treadmill running doesn't translate precisely into street or path running, my legs are still moving faster.  It's worth a try.

Noon knitting today but it's not the same without Peggy.  We will soldier on.

Tomorrow ....

I know I promised a picture of the finished (and fringe-y) shawl but that is the one thing I didn't get around to last night.  By the time I finished chores and phone and hair I just wanted to crash in front of the TV and watch something mindless.  I am working my way through the backed up episodes of the few programs I do record.  "Necessary Roughness" is the one I'm working on now.  Since it hasn't gotten very far into the season yet I am only now one episode behind.

I did manage to get a few more rows knit on my Mobius Cowl.  It was warm but not too warm to knit and it is such a perfect TV knitting project.  I am not yet done with the first of four skeins and the temperature is on the rise again so I may have to put it away and find myself a project with non-fuzzy yarn.  I am getting my portable air conditioner tomorrow and that should do much to keep the apartment knit friendly.

The air conditioner is going to help me to sleep, not only by keeping the place cooler but allowing me to close my large slider which effectively opens up almost half of the wall space at the end of the apartment, which is right above the plaza and the fountain.   And with that slider open the noise from the movie theatre and the trucks that park out there and unload food for the restaurants is much louder because it echoes off the wall.  I will be keeping that window closed and it will be so much better.  I was losing my mind last night.  I must have been awakened three times at least by people either coming out of the theatre or laughing and talking in the square.  There is a large plastic chess set on the plaza.  The pieces should be put away before 10 but sometimes they are not so there are either noisy games going on or people playing (kicking mostly) the plastic pieces around.  It is very annoying, as you can imagine.  Especially when you're tired and want to sleep.  Well I'm exhausted today so hopefully I will drop right off tonight and stay that way.  Maybe I'll close that window and turn on the fan.  Wednesday is one of my early (5:45 am) mornings.

My sis is all moved into her new apartment in Santa Monica so yesterday I made a reservation to go down to visit with her in August for a long weekend.  I'll be here for my birthday, then on Friday the 9th fly out in the morning and come back Tuesday night.  That way I'll be here with my football buddies to watch the first pre-season Seahawks game.  How thoughtful of them to have it on my birthday this year.

It is supposed to get over 80 degrees today but it is comfortable now.  I should work while I can.

A long weekend, a little scare and plenty of sunshine

It was like a little vacation in the country.  It's amazing how much of a rest one can get in just four days, isn't it?  I did take off a little early on Wednesday.  The office closed early and I headed out for a much needed manicure and pedicure and then headed out to Cottage Lake.  It was mostly a quiet evening except somewhere in earshot someone was blowing up fireworks a day early and Tink was going crazy.  She finally settled down but it took nearly an hour, poor little thing. 

Thursday was the 4th and a picnic.  The day started out cloudy - typical for Seattle - but atypically the clouds cleared up and it was gorgeous and warm.  There were quite a few people there and three dogs.  They were all getting along perfectly fine, even playing.  Then there was a scuffle.  A girl, contrary to her father's advice, put a bowl of food out for her dog, Peaches.  Tink went over to get a drink of water from the bowl next to the food and dared to sniff the food.  Peaches went crazy and attached Tinkerbell and opened up her surgery site and her eye was bleeding.  Needless to say I was NOT happy.  And very scared for Tinkerbell so that was it - the party was over for me and off we went in search of an emergency vet.  The good news is that it was just the scab that was disturbed and she seems fine.  I got some antibiotics for her and, bonus, some sedatives which did the trick for the night of the 4th and good thing too, because there were fireworks going off for a long time right outside the bedroom window.  On and on and on and on.  Obviously someone's parents weren't home.  What a mess in the street.

The rest of the weekend was lovely and warm and sunny.  Friday I got to spend time beading my shawl fringe and I finished it up on Saturday right before people came over for a BBQ.  Perfect timing.  And oh do I ever love love love this shawl!  The brass beads make a musical tinkling.  I didn't get around to taking a picture of the finished shawl last night but will do so for sure tonight.  I can't wait for an occasion to wear it.  It's too hot now.  I know I'm going to have some trouble with the fringe getting tangled up but it's totally worth it.

Since my friend McG is not having his birthday party in Las Vegas this year (and I am very happy about that) and he is instead coming to Seattle for his birthday, I am going to extend my birthday and go down to visit my sister and see her new place in Santa Monica.  I'll make reservations tomorrow - leave here on the morning of the 9th and spend the weekend and come back home on the Tuesday.  That way I'll still have a few days to play with and have my time at Thanksgiving and Christmas plus my 5 days in January in Mexico.  Yes - I'm a planner.   But who likes to run out of vacation time?  Not me.

Relief

I had a wonderful night's sleep last night.  It cooled down a bit and I was able to turn the fan off around midnight.  It was also quiet for a change and I woke up when the alarm went off at 5:50 and got myself downstairs and on the treadmill by 6.  And now I just get through a short day and I have a four day weekend!  Woohoo!  And sunshine for the whole time.  Ahhh .....

One of the (million) chores I did last night was soak and block the Indian Feathers shawl on my kitchen floor with my new blocking mats.  Now I have more than enough blocking mats for any project.  I used every single blocking pin I own to pin this.  Hopefully this weekend I can get the fringe on and start stringing beads.  I got some metal ones and some glass ones.   You can see the small band of cold color at the neck and this same yarn will be used for fringe along with the cream color.  It should be pretty cool.  I am excited to get it done.


I am looking forward to having lots of time and plenty of nothing to do.  I've got books to read and magazines, the fringe to put on this and a BBQ or two.  It should be a wonderful weekend.  McG has decided to have his birthday up here rather than Las Vegas, which is okay by me.  I don't have a place to host a party to it's going to be on somebody else.  And now I can plan a few days to visit my sister in Santa Monica and see her new apartment.  Sometime in August.

Happy Independence Day!  Keep cool.

A real summer

What a treat to actually have the beginning of July be so nice and sunny and warm!  Well, hot actually but who's complaining?  Since I had my workout in the early morning yesterday I took advantage of the gorgeous weather and took a stroll around the campus at lunchtime.  The medicinal herb gardens are in full glory as are the roses around the fountain.  It was just perfect yesterday and I am SO so so so happy that I have gotten back into the morning running and don't have to get all hot and sweaty at lunchtime any more.  Yesterday I did finally get the hang of running on the treadmill and didn't use the hand rails.  That gives the experience a little more reality although I will have to go out and run on a path for a few times before I actually do another race.  It is a quite different experience.  Yes your legs are doing a running movement but on the dirt or path or pavement it isn't moving as well. 

I had a long list of chores and things I wanted to accomplish when I got home, number one being soaking and pinning out the Indian Feathers shawl.  But oh my was it ever hot in the apartment and after walking Tinkerbell all I wanted to do was recline and let the fan blow cool air on me.  Plus I had a load of dishes to run and dinner to make and it didn't seem like such a good idea to have the wet shawl on the floor while I was trying to do other things.  So tonight, since today is a fast day and dinner will be only a cup of soup, I will get that pinned out.  Surely it will dry over night in this heat.  I also need to pack up what few things I need for the long weekend, but that shouldn't take long.

Knitting was on my list last night but the heat made it not such a good idea.  At least not this project with the Shiraito.  Even with a fan blowing directly on my hands I wouldn't have been comfortable with that little bit of wool in my lap.  So I was idle and watched some TV, trying to catch up on the programs on my DVR.  The new season of Necessary Roughness has started so I got one episode done before I had to head to bed. 

It seems that the one fan in the kitchen blowing through is the best way to stay cool.  I had the tower fan blowing from the other direction onto the bed but it is noisy and finally woke me up when it started to squeal.  It has been getting a workout.  Tonight I'll just stick with the one and see how I do.  And then from Wednesday on I'll be in the country and it'll be only birdsong to keep me awake rather than food delivery trucks and garbage trucks.  Ahhhh ......

A weekend of firsts

I am scared of heights.  I can't stand near a railing or walk over a tall bridge without being extremely uncomfortable.  So the idea of riding in a helicopter was kind of a love/hate thing.  Saturday morning I got into a small helicopter and I had to sit in the front because I was the smallest - it is a weight distribution thing.  It was a four seater, the driver (on the right side) had taken his door off because of the heat and it's all glass - or plexiglass or whatever the heck.  It's clear.  I got strapped in and told myself that if I got scared I'd just pretend it was a ride at Disneyland or Universal Studios.  But I have to say it was the most AWESOME thing!  I wasn't uncomfortable for a second, even when the pilot did steep banking turns.  We got to fly over the new Husky Stadium, and see Seattle in a way that is so much better than flying over in a passenger jet.  The entire trip was extremely relaxing and I would do it again in a heartbeat!  I loved it.

We had to escape the heat.  The entire country, or at least the west coast, is broiling in a heatwave and my apartment, my teensie weensie apartment, has no air conditioning and southern exposure.  It is hot.  So we headed out to the house that should have been remodeled by now, but won't be started until July 29.  Most of everything is packed up awaiting the construction but it's liveable and much much cooler.  It was even cool enough for me to do a few more repeats on the Mobius Cowl while watching the Mariners.  And then I made mussels for the first time and they were just delicious.  I got some tarragon and cooked them in white wine then made a sauce with the wine and butter and tarragon.  Simple and utterly gorgeous.  Ahhh .....  And there you go - two firsts in one day!

A little yard work in the morning while it was relatively cool is the only way to go.  By noon it was hot and by 1 unbearable.   That was fine.  Believe me, I hate yard work.  Thirty minutes is enough for me.  There was no knitting.  The temperature was even hotter than Saturday and I was not looking forward to going back to my oven, but there was nothing for it.  I got sushi for dinner - the only thing I could imagine eating besides the yummy watermelon salad I had made Saturday.  And even with two fans blowing I didn't get much sleep.

I was awake before 5:30 and headed down to the workout room right before six and had a super great run on the treadmill.  I'm getting used to running on it and didn't even use the handles after I got warmed up.  I also had remembered to take my inhaler.  It was great.  Then I took a full 30 minutes walking with Tink to cool down so I wouldn't have the same problem I had Friday.  That was just a little too long though.  I ended up JUST making my bus.  Wednesday I'll cut her walk a bit.  She was happy for the 30 minutes and frankly I bet she won't be all that excited about walking when I get home in the 90+ degrees.  I hope they let us out early today.   There's no air conditioning in my office.