Drop the ball!

It's New Year's Eve, at least according to my calendar. It's half past 5, and I'm tired. Perhaps I should nap before heading out to tonight's festivities?? As per past year tradition, I will be spending the waning hours of the year with friends, at a friends house, playing games and watching movies and being generally silly and fun. There will be jibing, and joking, and telling of tales, and this year I'll even get that first kiss just after the bell tolls 12 (I certainly hope, anyway).

I promised to share some of my resolutions in the last post, so here they are:**

• I resolve to keep my desk clean at work, and hide my spoon every night.
  (this is to prevent it from being 'cleaned up' and thus causing me to purloin a new spoon from the cafeteria)
• I resolve to keep my bird feeders full and my feathered friends happy.
• I resolve to make a budget for myself and the house, and stick to it (boring one this, but it has to be done).
• I resolve to get. rid. of. the. ugly. grey. landscaping. rock! It's not really ugly, I just don't want it. Lance says he does, YAY!
• I resolve to hang things on the walls of my house.
• I resolve to clean and organize the shed and the garage, and to get rid of the washer, dryer, and range that are taking up space. (Anyone need an appliance? They are cheap for the asking!)
• I resolve to spend many relaxing and enjoyable hours on my motorcycle in the nice, non- snowy/salty/sandy streeted months
• I resolve to redo the landscaping and plant a veggie garden (this is a multi year resolution!)
• I resolve to hit the softball to the green-grass!
• I resolve to improve my golfing handicap.
• I resolve to eat ice cream whenever possible (we all know that resolving to eat it less will NOT happen!)
• I resolve to renew old frienships, make new ones, and treasure special times.

So, how's that for a list of New Year's resolutions?? I'll have to print those somewhere and put check marks next to them so I don't miss anything. (Yes, I'm a list girl... AND proud of it!)

Happy 2008 everyone. May blessings come your way, and happiness find you often!


**resolutions subject to change without notice, see Tricia for further details

Almost the New Year...

2008. I recall when 2000 was a landmark not yet reached, one where the world might end, where computers might crash and eat the worlds/banks moneys. I lived in WI then. I hadn't truly defined my career path, or myself. That auspicious year came and went, the world did not end nor did all computers and banks eat all the worlds money, and here we are 8 years later...

2007 held some major landmarks in my life.

• I've had a 'permanent, real life, job' for the whole year, no mid semester break and no summer break. Only two weeks off for good behavior. Depressing, that last bit.
• I bought my first house, and have enjoyed the triumphs and dismays of such. Painting, fun but I'll stick with the colors I now have for a while. Water, in the house? Where?! ...SUCK!
• I finally own my own motorcycle, and have so far had a great time riding it, both to work and for fun rides, and for long distance rides (though a new seat for such long rides might be nice).
• A solid, steady, loving relationship.
• Bird Feeders!!! Yes, this is monumental.
• First multi-pitch climb completed (and subsequent rappel.)
  
• Skied the Canadian Rockies (and did not die, or break anything vital, and tried harder things than I thought I could do!)
  

So many other things happened to those close to me; friends have joined in marriage, other friends and relatives are expecting the birth of a wee one sometime next year, still other friends have met someone and fallen in love, and others are off having grand adventures elsewhere in the US/World.

I sat down last week to write my Christmas letter, which I still haven't mailed ...so it's now a Holiday letter, and tried to look back on all I'd done. I'm not amazed the time has flown, we've all filled our time admirably this last year.

I'm finishing up all those things at work that are needed before the end of the year, and it gets me to thinking about next year...both at work and home. What will next year bring? If it's anything like '07 I'll have to take time out to remember to breathe.

Sometimes I think I need to take a vacation day to just sleep and laze about and relax...but that never works out. I'm not sure I need more 'me' time, or more 'relaxing' time. I don't think that will happen. It would be nice to schedule in some quiet time now and again, but looking at the way my life (and that of my close friends) has been the last 2 to 3 years, I think from now until retirement, and maybe not even then, this is the pace we're forced to live at. You make of it what you will. I choose to go with the flow and make every change a positive one, somehow. It's hard, and maybe 'not right' that life has to move at such a rate, given how short a time we all have, but that's the way it is.

As far as 2008 resulutions, I have one - so far. I'll share that after the new year bell tolls. As for an outlook into the future, I'm working on that too. Today is simply to reminisce.

More Christmas-y Stuff

Oof. Yes, oof. I could be Very Minnesotan and say Uff-da but 1. I'm not Minnesotan, and 2. I have no idea how to spell it. Still, it's been a long day no matter how you say/spell it. Work was crazy busy and I sat at my own desk for a grand total of 10 minutes today. Yup. I checked Voice Mail, looked about my desk, and went home at the end of the day.

Last night I put lights on the tree and my decorations. Trev still needs to put on his (he is doing this now). Tonight when I got home from work I helped put up our outside Christmas lights. BRRRRRRRRRR. They look GREAT though. A pick when I get my camera working again.

We're doing secret santa at work, so I had to find and wrap a white elephant present and also I am making gluten free lasagna in the slow cooker for our pot luck tomorrow.

I am very tired, but I still have to pack for GB and wrap presents for the fam, and also finish up w/ the lasagna. It's smells very good and I desire to eat it now, but must refrain myself. Perhaps later I will have the yummy yummy iced cream.

I had my time, now preparations galore

I had a lovely Thanksgiving, though I never wrote about it. There was a lot of driving, but I'm used to it.

We have had almost 10 inches of snow since Thanksgiving, and it looks like we'll have a White Christmas this year after all. YAY!

This past weekend my parents and aunt and uncle came to town, and we got a tree. It's not decorated yet...tonight!

The next two weekends I have to drive to Green Bay. This first weekend -my brother is graduating! Yay! Next weekend for Christmas.

I can't believe it's almost the end of the year - whee! Um. yeah. This is kinda a lame post, but I had to get something online as I hadn't posted for practically a month. Better posts later!

Give me just Three. More. Days, People!

What is it about American culture that always wants something faster, sooner, bigger, better, now? Take Christmas for example. What is supposed to be a religious holiday has turned into a commercial nightmare. I remember when you could shop for Christmas things starting December 1st. Now, it seems, the garlands and wreaths hit the shelves before the Halloween candy. Call me old fashioned, but I do NOT like mixing my holidays.

Case in point. Today I went to purchase my all-time favorite breakfast, a cinnamon chip scone, from the little coffee shop place at work. I arrived in time to have a warm scone, score for me! Unfortunately, my ears were assailed with "Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas". Now, if I choose to listen to Christmas music out of season, that is one thing. To have it forced upon my unsuspecting ears, right when I was thinking of turkey and cranberry sauce (or rather my cinnamon chip scone) was not the wake up call I was looking for.

Would it be too much to ask to celebrate Thanksgiving on time, and leave Christmas to start on that maddening 'I'm stuffed so now I need to fight with supermom, hyper-kid, and the entire planet for one of 10 super-sale TVs left in the store because I have no football to watch' day? After this Thursday, inundate my ears w/ carols, I will be putting up my own lights and buying my own tree and breaking out the Mannheim Steamroller.

But right now, let me think fondly on family and friends and too much food, and my short work week. Thank you.

My house smells like sawdust.

First of all, is anyone else annoyed by the christmas shopping commercials that are already happening??!?

My house smells like sawdust. We have just finished installing a door. Oof. I was going to write more, but I was interrupted to help finish the door and now it's midnight. I'll have to write more later.

Weekend Trip

This weekend Trev and I drove to my parent's place to celebrate my mom's birthday. It was a nice weekend, but it went too quickly. We drove back today after having lunch with family friends. A high note - we went to the ski swap, and I learned more about the shape skies. Then I found a very cute hat, and I bought it. A low note - I hate allergies. Enough said.

Today there was no Packers game again, because they play Monday night. It was Ok though, as we were driving during much of the football games. Instead on the way there and the way back I knitted. I finished one project and started my afghan. It's a whole 3.5 inches long. (It will be 94...) Yup, I have a long way to go.

Boring post, I know, but it was a nice weekend. Also, I had crazy dreams but I can't remember enough of them to post them. I'll try to recall. Now I'm going to see if the Rockies can come from behind and force a game 5 in the World Series...

Update: Poo.

Sunday Sunday

And no Packers game to watch :( What's a girl to do? She tried to sleep in late, but was awake at 10, and gave up on the sleeping in about 10:15. She then decided to clean and cook. Yup - I've cleaned and cooked all day. (Of course, cooking has entailed putting things in crock pot and then being tantalized by the nice smells all afternoon.) I have cleaned a good portion of my house. The office!? No. The office is the one room that is still bothering the heck out of me, but it's not the deceptively small project it looks to be. I have to organize. Yes, that is the scary bit. So, I wait and hope that it doesn't bother me so bad that I start and get halfway done and then stop.

What I really need is a (weekend) blizzard. Yup - you read right. Something that will make me stay inside, and then I can clean and organize to my hearts content. Because I know that if I start in the office, then I'll organize all the closets, which will lead to organizing and sorting the understair storage, which will lead to the garage (maybe not a blizzard for that part) and then eventually the shed.

For now, I'm going to get a snack so I don't eat all the food in the crockpot before dinner, and then perhaps do some writing or play a game. Yay for breaktime!

Adventures in Dreamland

I had an interesting night while sleeping last night. It started before I could go to sleep. I went to bed, curled up intending to fall straight to sleep (we all know how well that works...) and promptly felt sick. It was the beginning of a allergy/asthma/anxiety attack (not sure which, but they all have the same symptoms...tummy ache, then tummy discomfort leading to sickness, then no ability to breath, then chills, then tiredness - which I can usually not fall back asleep because of the inhaler I've used). So, I waited in the warm bed as long as I could, the got out, got cold, took care of attack, and went back to bed.I finally got back to bed - over an hour later than I had started - and I lay there trying to sleep. I don't know how much later it was, but I had the strangest dreams.

My dream started with me knowing I had to go get something from Lambeau Field. I don't know now what it was, only that it was small enough to go in my pocket, extremely important, and it was my job to break it and get it from the bad guy who was there keeping it. In order to do this I had to go through the Country Club. Whose, I have no idea. But I snuck in through some lady's subterranean office. Then, on the theory that if I acted like I was supposed to be there, noone would stop me, I walked right out onto the golf course and walked up the cart path all the way to Lambeau. Don't ask me bow the Stadium and the Country Club were connected, they just were. I went into the stadium, onto the field, and sat on the sidelines watching the game. I then explained to the kicker the strategies of kicking the ball through the uprights....believe me, this wasn't your normal strategy. It involved math, and some sort of device on the side lines...I went over to Mr. Favre, asked for the game ball (why he had it during the game when the other team's offense was on the field is also beyond me). I then used said game ball in some form of experiment in which the other players jerseys turned bright pink. I decided that was the cue to get what I came for, and left promptly.

Then came the fun part, going back through the Country Club in order to get the object (whatever it was) safetly to wherever I was taking it. (strange what details a dream keeps in and out). I walked through the golf course OK, and picked up a partner along the way. I don't know who, but I kept explaining we had to act casual, and then noone would suspect us. (this statement comes into play later as well). We went into the club house, down the stairs and into the pool room (the game, not the water). There were Gladiators there. Not the nice, Roman kind, but the 80's American Gameshow kind. One of the chicks was very built, with blonde hair, and a pool cue. She was about to shoot. I nodded at her as though I belonged and continued - taking particular care not to do anything that would make me have to do The Eliminator to get back the way I came. I instantly knew it was her office I had come through to get this far, and had to go back through to get out. We went through the rest of the rec room's worth of Gladiators (they were wearing regular clothes, not their outfits from the show), and snuck back into the office area when it was safe. Somehow on the golf course I had gotten mud on my hands, so I had to use the water by her door to clean them, then use the towel I had confiscated to clean the muddy water, then hide the towel. I had to do all that so I could open the door without making mud.

I went in, closed the door, and went back out the office window up onto ground level...and ended up on a Spaceship. My companion had become Chewbacca. We were having a converstation as to what to do now with the object...I still don't know what it was, and I needed desperately for him to keep his voice down. That didn't work and he was caught. I escaped and he told me to go run for something, I think a stun gun, to get him free...and then I woke up.

I have no idea why I have dreamed such a dream. I just wish I would have gotten more sleep.

Finally Friday

Whee, and ouch. I woke up this morning after a wonderfully silly and somewhat scary dream about myself in a gorgeous blue evening gown running around saving the day. There was a child in a mandarin style black suit, but he was older than I was. He was also NOT a vampire. He was...other. He was eerie, but smart and he was on my side. There was also my old, old apartment, the one I lived while finishing my Undergrad. Except, instead of being a four-plex it was a duplex - upper and lower. Also there were hidden rooms and staircases and it wasn't on the same street. Still, I knew it was that place. I bought it, and Trev and I were going to remodel it and sell it, or live below and have other live above? I don't remember those details so well. So, somehow I ended up dressing in this blue gown (with matching blue shoes) and the child showed up and we were in the lower apartment and it was our headquarters and I went off to an english style garden with tall hedges around and about it in, and was attempting to save the day. The details of said dream have faded since this AM when I woke up to have my phone misbehaving for the third day in a row (saying I was online?), came to work, and now am writing it down. Note to self, wake up with time to write crazy dreams down before coming to work.

So, yes, the whole point of this post....It's Friday. Yup, that's it. Friday Friday Friday. Wednesday for part of the day I was convinced that the next day was Friday (so I must have thought it was Thursday), then I realized my error and was depressed for a whole hour. This morning I woke up, and knew I had an early meeting to prepare for so I knew I HAD to get up. I didn't want to. But I did, because tomorrow I can sleep in somewhat. Also I can go to bed early tonight if I wish. Yay!

Tomorrow I'm going to go try to catch roommate's rugby game, and there is a b-day party for a certain lady I know, and also sleep. Sunday is football, and more sleep, and perhaps knitting as well.

Oh, and also - WE CAUGHT A SECOND MOLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, I am excited. Yes, it's dead. And no, I don't feel bad about that. That corner of our house has caught two now, I think we'll keep the trap there.

Ooh- note to self, I need to get my sprinkler system blown out this weekend or next week...before the F word returns.

Ah, the peace that comes from a severed head.

What? Ok....I've been reading too much sci-fi and fantasy, and it almost Halloween. In this case, the peace that comes from knowing Trev's teeth have been safely removed from his head, and he's on the mend. Trev had his wisdom teeth taken by the nice doctor today. I've been at home taking care of him and working from home. Perhaps the reason I couldn't sleep last night had something to do with him having an operation? No.

I think I was still mad at the poor coaching job the Packers did to hamstring nice Mr. Favre and his offense. So what if there were a couple of fumbles, they were still winning. Somebody give Mr. McCarthy a time-out.

I know I'll sleep better tonight. I've begun the healing process of having my favorite team beaten on by the Bears, and I Trev is home safe - sans four teeth. Also, I'm exhausted from only 4 hours of sleep last night....

Good night, and good luck!

I'd call this post Sleepless in Cottage Grove, but it's not love I'm out to find...it's sleep. For some reason, even though I should be exhausted - even though I am exhausted - I can't sleep. I went to bed at 10:30. I laid there w/ no luck for 2 hours. I almost achieved sleep once, but it was stolen. I decided since I wasn't getting any sleeping done, I might as well get up and play on the web, move around - see if I could make myself tired to sleep again. Not sure it is going to work, but I can try. If this doesn't work, I'll whip out my work computer and do a few hours of work.

what I really want is a good thunderstorm. The news promised me one, and I've seen them on radar taunting me, but always they move around me. I think if it were thundering and lightning and raining, I could sleep. Is that odd? Probably. But for some reason it feels as though it would work.

Anyway - good night all, hope your sleep is better than mine.

Ahhh CHOOOO!

The nice men are pulling wire in my building today. They are removing ceiling tiles and then pulling the wire this way and that. It's making dust fall down. I'm sneezing muchly. Oof. Time for more tea, I think.

Speaking of tea, I got some Chai Spice Black Tea (brand Stash Tea) at the Squire House Gardens last weekend. YUM! W/ some of the honey I got at the farmer's market it is the perfect afternoon soothing drink.

It's been a hectic week, I'm just glad tomorrow is Friday. I just have to get home in time to mow the yard before the rains hit again...

Can I have a nap, please?

It's Wednesday. It's almost 4PM. I'm tired, I'm grumpy, and feeling overwhelmed. What can I do about this? I can't have my nap. I am going to gym class, even though I really don't want to. I'll probably feel better after.

Today was the nasty day of my week, too many meetings. Tomorrow will be better, and Friday will be...well...Friday.

Saturday we're having the Fall Softball team to our house for a end of ball party. The house is clean for that, but there is so much else to do to it.

Oof. I'm going to go crawl in a hole.

Repeat as Necessary.

On another note, in the conference room next to my desk there is 'learn to speak Chinese' class happening. They learn by repetition. Instructor says 'ah*' class says 'ah'.

*Note: 'ah' is an example note. I have no idea what they are actually saying, or rather- no idea how to type what they are saying. I also have no idea what it means.

I woke up, and Minnesota was already crying.

Ok, I'm waxing eloquent, but it was a wet weekend. Saturday I woke up, went to Afton w/ Karin to get bulbs and tea from Squire House Gardens. When we arrived, there was an art fair. We walked about looking at the pottery and jewelry and paintings and such, and had a hot dog, and then ran to the Squire House Gardens when it started raining. We found our bulbs, and some tea, and other things. We then borrowed an umbrella to get back to the car as it was still pouring and, returning the umbrella via drive by, went up to the mall. We didn't find anything there we liked, and went back to my house. I then had Trev return me to Afton where we bought more tea, a few more things at the garden store, adopted a plant, and found some pictures.

Saturday evening, Chris came over to eat dinner and teach me to knit on double pointed needles. I am now one thumb away from a wrist warmer (fingerless glove). I will attempt the thumb tonight.

Sunday started more rain. Trev and I went to the farmer's market in St Paul to get honey, and then came back to our place, changed and went to Lance's for the game. The Packer's won...only fitting w/ Brett Favre breaking the Touchdown Passes Record. They are 4-0 for the first time in something like 9 years. Who knows what's going to happen next...

Last night I continued knitting, and then went to bed at 7PM. I was tired. I still am. Good thing it's a slow day at work today. Now I should get back to writing reports and such.

Rivalries

This weekend is Packer/Viking weekend. The first of two per season. This season, the packers are 3-0! The Vikings....are not. We plan to go to Erin and Lance's to watch the game, along with many Packers fans...and a few Vikings fans that happen to be dating or married to the Packers fans, and are thus required to watch the game in the company of Packer's fans.

I wore my Packers shirt to work today. It's a cute little black T w/ yellow and white writing, and then a little 'G'. I was walking through the hallway and a gentleman with a Vikings jersey passed me. We sized each other up...If I were a kicker he would have been a line backer...and gave each other the 'acknowledgment nod' and continued on our way. Most people were saying good morning to me, and me to them. Not him. We had the mutual understand that - for today at least, we were rivals. Our teams were rivals. On Monday, one of us will be able to gloat, the other will be quite sad.

Let's hear it for rivalries!

A world without stairs, amen.

I have turned over a new leaf. Or perhaps it was the leaves falling on my house in the small thunderstorm last night. Whichever the case...yesterday I went to gym class, and I intend to continue doing so. I started the week by climbing on Sunday. Monday, I didn't want to - but I went to Step Class. No one was forcing me to with candy posing as guns. No, it was self bribery, and the candy the reward. I went to step and for 45 minutes I steped on and off and over the little staired platform, and side to side, and did steps I can't even name. By the end I was winded, and uncoordinated, and feeling rather good about myself. By the time I left the gym and went back to my desk to collect my things, I knew I would pay the price. This morning, when I hopped (yes, hopped and it was a dumb idea) out of bed I just about fell over in pain. I needed a remedy.

Dr. says - hair of the dog that bit you. So I went climbing. I climbed this afternoon on some easy climbs, and some hard climbs...and wouldn't you know it - most of them called for foot switches, or toe rises, or some other action that required much use of my muscles of leg. I felt stretched and better. Good Dr.

Nope. BAD Dr. I stretched when I got done, but not enough, I fear. Now my shoulders and neck and feet and hands AND calves hurt. I should clarify. This is all good hurts. The kind of hurts you get when you work out. The pain that says, 'this is a good thing, it will help me if I just keep at it.' It is that ' I'm accomplishing something' kind of pain. Still. It hurts. I am also thirsty (I'm going to fix that as soon as I'm done typing though).

So, tomorrow, will I rest? NO! Tomorrow is Abs and Gluts class! I like that class. Plus, those muscles don't hurt yet. If you're going to get wet, you may as well jump in the deep end...or something like that. Still, it would be nice if the whole world had elevators and escalators where hills and stairs might be....just for one day, just til my legs feel better.

A wonderful, wet weekend.

Wet? You ask. It was lovely. Well, yes...Friday through Sunday were. Thursday on the other hand was a monsoon. We had water again, and Saturday Trev and my dad determined the source of the water to be the plugged down-spouts outside my house. So they worked at unplugging them. They also found water in the smaller downstairs bedroom (the one right next to the understair storage.) We are now frantically trying to dry that carpet.

Otherwise the weekend was lovely. Mom and I shopped most of Saturday, getting outfits for her, and shirts for me and also some really cute new shoes for me that I have nothing to wear with. Seriously. I loved the shoes so I bought them, and now I have to go shopping to find something to match them.

Friday and Saturday night Mom, Dad, Trev and I played Sheepshead. I made some dumb mistakes as I haven't played in a while, but it was really fun. Sunday we went to brunch and then Mom and Dad headed home. So...Trev and I headed to Redwing on our motorcycles with our climbing gear in the saddlebags. We met Karin and Nate there, and climbed until almost 7 before heading back home. We got home in the dark, so now my nice bike is covered in bugs. Oh well. It was great fun and if the weather holds, we'll probably go again this coming weekend.

No One Hundred and Eleventyth Birthday for me

But I enjoyed mine just the same. I have been listening to the Lord of the Rings trilogy on CD Book in my car for the last month, or more, and I am wrapped up in that world again. They are unabridged - hence the amount of time it's taking me.

Last Friday was my B-day. Friday night to celebrate - I went to my golf banquet and became VP of the couples golf league. What does that get me? The ability to go to meetings, run a tournament, and get a box of balls at the end of the season (oh, and the ability to be president the next year). Then I talked Trev into signing up to be League Secretary, where he'll get to do lots and lots of math. Don't laugh, he likes math.

Saturday we had a cookout and bonfire w/ a few friends and Trev's family. Smallerish party this year than in years past, but it was fun. Lance and Trev decided to do a 'scientific experiment' in which the placed a cardboard box full of small bits of wood on top of the bonfire. I'm not sure what the hypothesis was, or if they proved or disproved it. Still, it was amusing to chase bits of burning box around the yard and stamp them out, and then watch as the contents of the box (Volume in box was NOT equal to volume left in pit) spill out into fire, and around the fire. Then Lance and Trev had to shovel it all back into fire and hope it stayed. Don't worry though - they are both Eagle Scouts, and so there was no danger of burning down. Burning up from the heat of the fire was another problem entirely - and left for a different day.

Sunday we went over to my friend Chris's house for apps, dessert, and cards. Great fun was had by all as Tricia tries, in vain, to master a card game that the other three have been playing for years. I started to do better, really. I blame the cards. Yes - bad cards :P

This past week I was sick for a few days, always fun. I actually took time off of work to get better. I also cleaned the house, and played my last two softball games. It's sad really. I FINALLY am getting good at hitting the ball, and I have to put my bat away until next season.
This Tuesday and Thursday we had much much rain, and Thursday we had a big storm. We were spared any damage from wind, but because of the amount of water, we have a wet storage area again. This time we realized our sump is not burping, our walls are leaking. This is a MUCH bigger problem, that may involve having to have some foundation redone. We are going to call the homeowners insurance people and determine if this is covered or if we are up the creek - as it were. Luckily, this only happens when we have lots and lots of rain, and should be an easy, if not inexpensive, fix.

So, today I'm working, and then Tomorrow and Sunday (along w/ tonight) will be chill w/ the parents time. Then, Sunday, depending on weather and timing, Trev and I may head down to Red Wing to do some climbing. Anyone else want to go???