The Oscars? Boring!!

Anyone else watch the Oscars? It was surprisingly dull. No horrible fashion faux pas, no incredible upset (unless you count 3-6 Mafia winning best song. What's up with that? Dolly Parton RULES!! She should have won!). The two highlights for me were Jennifer Lopez's dress and Uma Thurman's hair. Her hair was gorgeous! I am trying to find a picture of it, so if anyone runs across one, please forward to me!!

Though the Oscars were boring, David and I made snacks that were not. We had chicken, Brie, and cranberry nachos. Oh...that was some seriously good food! We also had strawberry poundcake skewers that I made. Very simple and very tasty! We were supposed to have a few friends over to watch, but Sunday nights are tough for most folks, and we ended up just the two of us. (Which was fine! We had a great time!)

It was a good weekend. Dad's truck was determined to be totaled, so he got a new truck Friday night. (It's really nice!) Saturday morning, mom and dad and I went to Grampa's to help clean out Gran's clothes and things. That ended up being much harder than I thought it would be. After I got home, I had to take a little time to pull myself together. It's hard to go through a lifetime of things like that. I think it was hard for all of us.

After I got myself together, I went to David's. I missed the fun at the park with all his sisters, his brother, and all their kids. I would like to have gone, but I couldn't quite do it. I was just feeling sad about Gran, and David was so understanding. When I got to his house, he was so sweet and hugged me and made me feel better. We had dinner at Olive Garden, and then came home and relaxed. We had brunch at Grand Lux Sunday morning, and then gathered his stuff and went to my place. We dropped off his car and when shoe shopping for him. (He needed new running shoes) We then went to the grocery store and then came back to my place.

The weather was so nice yesterday! We had a glass of wine of my patio, and then did the prep work for the Oscar snacks. It wasn't a big flashy weekend for us, but it was so relaxing and so much fun for me.

I got "tagged" by Livia, who is a fellow blogger who lives in Las Vegas. (She did what I did...picked a place, and just moved herself. It's hard, but this girl can make it! Right on, sistah!)

Anyhow, I am supposed to list seven songs I am into right now. Here's my list:

1. 2am (Breathe)-Anna Nalick
2. Pump It-Black Eyed Peas
3. Landing in London-3 Doors Down
4. You're Beautiful-James Blunt
5. Good is Good-Sheryl Crow
6. Sugar, We're Goin' Down-Fall Out Boy
7. Maria-Ricky Martin (This is in my workout list on my iPod and it's great on the treadmill!)

So there's my seven song. I am supposed to "tag" seven people to put a list of their 7 songs on their blog. I don't think I know seven people who would do it, so Kim, post your seven favorite songs! :)

I hope everyone had as lovely a weekend as I did!

The Week That Went On Forever

I am so glad it's Friday!! It seems like it would never get here. I worked out yesterday, then went to Mom and Dad's for dinner. Then I worked on homework for an hour, ran out to Lewisville to run an errand, went to Shoe Pavillion with Mom, (by the way, they carry Fendi and Prada bags-found a Prada bag that I loved, but sadly I do not have $399 to spend on a purse) and then went home. I slept so well last night!

David gets back from Houston today!! I am looking forward to seeing him tomorrow. In the morning, Mom and I are going to Grampa's to clean out my Gran's clothes. He asked us to do that for him. I think it might be a little hard, but I would do anything my Grampa asked of me. He takes such good care of our whole family. So anyhow, we'll be doing that tomorrow morning. Afterwards, I am going to go see David. I think there is a tentative plan for us to meet up with all his sisters, his brother, and all his neices and nephews for a couple hours at the park. I think this sounds like fun, so I am hoping it won't rain. It will be nice to spend some time outside, too!

We're going to try and see Capote this weekend as well. Everyone that I know that has seen it says it's really good. And besides, I need to see at least one of the Oscar-nominated films!

So that's my weekend. I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!!

What a Day It Was!

After a very busy day at work yesterday, I got to Grampa's house for my martini. As I settled in to drink up, he told me Dad had been in a car accident! He was quick to follow it up with letting me know that Dad was okay, but his airbag had deployed. Mom still came for dinner, and the three of us went to Red Lobster for dinner. After that, I followed Mom back to the house so I could check on Dad, too. He really is fine, but got a couple of small scrapes. Thankfully, the airbag didn't smack him in the face, so he didn't get scraped up there. I am so thankful that he is ok! But to all my friends and family: WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS!

Other than that, not much else to tell. (But that was enough!) I get to relax tonight and take it easy. I get to see David on Saturday! YAY!

Everyone have a good Thursday!

Am I Coming or Going?

It has been an incredibly busy day today! Work is making me crazy, and 4pm won't get here fast enough! (And I am really looking forward to my martini with Grampa!)

I am still doing well in school. Turned in all my homework through today, and I plan to get the rest of it all turned in tomorrow. That way I can spend my weekend uninterrupted with David. :) We're going to watch the Oscars with friends, so that ought to be a blast!

I am looking into joining 24 Hour Fitness because they are offering the new Nike Fitness Dance classes, and that totally appeals to me. I think it would be a really fun way to sweat some pounds off. (I am shooting to lose 25 by my birthday!) David already works out at 24 Hour Fitness, so we could even go work out together. You know what's really nice? He's enthusiastic about me joing so that we can go together. It really helps that he's so supportive of me. It makes it a lot easier to talk to him about sensitive things like dieting and eating healthy. Those aren't things that are easy for me to talk about with just anyone, and he makes it easy to talk about anything. So the point of all this is that in addition to my gym here at work, I would join 24 so that I have a place to work out in the evenings and on the weekends. I will probably do it, but I need to wait until the middle of the month. (You know, that whole budget thing!)

I am really looking forward to dinner with Grampa tonight. Mom might possibly join us because my uncle is doing something wonderfully sneaky: Grampa has an old truck and camper in the back that is getting a little run down looking. There is apparently a show on the TLC channel called "Overhaul" or something like that, and they come and overhaul old vehicles and trick them out. My uncle submitted my an application and talked about Grampa's truck and camper, and they emailed my uncle and they want pictures, so they might be interested. So Mom's task is to take pictures of the truck and camper and not tell Grampa why. She has a story concocted, but I don't recall what it is. If they end up coming to overhaul Grampa's truck and trailer, he would really have fun with that! (He loves gadgets and has a brilliant mind, so he'd have fun with any modifications they made!) Mom might just come to take pictures and leave, but I told her if she comes out that way she might as well stay for dinner too. The more the merrier, right? If they do end up selecting Grampa's truck, I'll post before and after pictures...that would be so cool!

Big shout out to Kim for doing so well with her personal trainer! She is looking good, so all you single guys, look out! :)

And big weekend for Saints and Sinners...they are playing a show in Austin Friday night! Check out details at www.saintsandsinnersband.com!

Have a good Wednesday everyone!

PS-David reads the blog now, so "Hi David! I miss you!" (He's in Houston this week on business!)

The Gap Is Making All Sorts of Trouble!

I went online this morning to make sure my payroll was deposited when I noticed an $8.12 charge to the Gap earlier this month. I haven't shopped at the Gap in a while, so I called the bank to dispute the charge. So now, I have a deactivated debit card, and then she tells me that I was in a branch some time back and changed my address. Now, yes I have moved, but I hadn't changed my driver's license yet, so I didn't change my address at the bank. She wouldn't tell me the address they have for me, either. Apparently they can only confirm it for me. Am I pissed? Uh, yeah! So I am going to the bank in person at lunch to get this sorted out. Seriously, if someone wants to steal money, they are totally going after the wrong person!!

I finished up school last week with an A! So far, so good! :)

I talked to my cousin Jen last night. She has rescued a very sweet cat and they are naming him Mr. Fantastick. I love it! She and Craig have the biggest hearts when it comes to rescuing animals! :)

David leaves for Houston this morning and he won't be back until Friday. I am going to miss him, but I have plenty to do this week with school and exercising to keep me busy, so all will be well. Oh, here's a pic of us from Saturday night...

So there we are in all our happy cuteness! :)

That's about it for today. Oh, here's one more pic from Saturday when it was raining. The creek behind my apartment fills up, and it's really cool. (I took this from my balcony)

Have a good Tuesday everyone!

Maintained!

After a weekend of enjoying a few tasty treats, I am pleased to say that I have maintained my weight! (Yay!) I am working out today, so that should help, too. :)

It was a really good weekend. Friday night I had dinner with Mia, Kim, and another friend, Jill. We really had a nice time and decided we would do dinner once a month, and we'll all take turns choosing the location. Saturday ended up being a super busy day! (The rain didn't help things!) I got up and had to run a bunch of errands with Mom, and before we knew it, the day was really getting away from us! I was supposed to drop by and see my cousin Jen at her store, but between the rain and the errands, I couldn't get over there. (I was bad and forgot to call, so Jen, if you're reading this I will be calling you tonight!) Saturday night we had tickets to see Saints and Sinners play at the Granada Theater in Dallas. The band was really good! The show was great, but I was getting sleepy after the band played. There was another band after them, but David and I called it a night. We played darts for a little while after we got back to his place, but I was a very sleepy girl!

Sunday morning we made breakfast and then watched the Food Network for a while. Well, we watched it with our eyes closed! (We both fell asleep on the couch for a while!) We got up and came back to my side of town and had dinner with my parents (thanks mom and dad! Dinner was great!) And then settled in for the Dancing with the Stars finale. Although I think Jerry Rice seems like a nice guy, he doesn't have the skill that Stacy and Drew both have, and I don't think he belonged in the finals. I was glad that Drew and Cheryl won. I thought they were the most entertaining to watch, although Stacy and her partner were very good as well. I can't wait until the next season!

So that was my weekend in a nutshell. I hope everyone had a good weekend. Happy Monday!

Soggy Saturday

Wow! We are sure getting the rain here! We need it, but I was hoping to look fabulous tonight, not soggy!

Just wanted to report in that I weighed myself this morning and have lost 4.7 pounds!! I am moving in the right direction! :)

I think I am finally getting it all figured out. Just doing things my is really working! :)

Have a good Saturday everyone!

Many Reasons to Happy Dance

So much to celebrate on this wonderful Friday!

1. Mia and Kim's birthday dinner tonight!
2. Kim is officially done with her Masters Degree!
3. I got ANOTHER 100 on a second homework assignment-I have a 4.0 right now!
4. I love David! (But I celebrate that every day!)

So it's a good day. David and I watched Dancing With the Stars last night. Anyone else watch this? I am such a nerd for this show! I really thought Drew and Cheryl were awesome in their freestyle dance! (I voted for them, even though I love Stacy...but her dance was very anti-climactic!) So that was fun to watch...we'll be tuned in to the results show on Sunday! (This is the only thing close to a reality show that I watch)

David bought some new clothes this week at the big sale at Dillards and he showed me what he's wearing to the concert Saturday night. He's going to look so good! But now I have to step it up a little bit and do a little better than the jeans I was planning to wear...otherwise I may look like a the hired help and not the cute girlfriend! ;)

So I hope everyone has a great weekend! Happy Friday!

10 Things I Would Do If I Won 22.5 Million Dollars

1. Pay off all my debt. (won't take too much!)
2. Pay off all of my family's debt.
3. Give lump sums to close friends and family to do with as they wish!
4. Buy a house (they are building some great new zero lot line homes close by that I love!)
5. Buy a new car. I like the one I have, but I would like a new Mustang.
6. Plan a wonderful vacation. Actually, several. One really cool one for just me and David, and then one for all my friends!
7. Take my parents to Scotland and the Isle of Man for a family roots trip.
8. Do something really special for my Grampa. I don't know what it would be, but it would be super special. Most likely he wouldn't want me to do anything for him, but at the very least I would buy our Wednesday night dinners!
9. Schedule a massage and a facial at a really good day spa.
10. INVEST!!! (I want as much of this money around for as long as possible!)

An "A" Student

I got my first grade on an assignment for class, and I made 100! Now if I can just maintain that, I'll be one happy girl!

I had dinner with Grampa last night. It was so good to get back into the groove of Wednesday night dinner with him! Have been so sick for a while, I haven't been able to have dinner with him in two weeks, so I was so glad to see him. We had our martini and then went to the Black Eyed Pea for dinner. We talked all evening and I told him about school and how the online classes are set up. He is so excited for me, and it makes me feel so good. :) I usually stay until 8pm, but I left around 7:30 so I could get home and get a good night's sleep (which I did!).

Today I am going to work out for the first time in a coupe of weeks. Being sick really messed up my routines, but I am getting my groove back! I am doing VERY well with watching what I am eating this week. I foresee great success this week for myself. For some reason, I am not ready to go back to my WW meetings, but am just needing to get myself going on my own first. I'm going back to WW, but I have to do it when I am ready. Perhaps in a couple of weeks I will. I love my friends there and I know they are wondering what the heck happened to me!

So tonight I am going to work out, go home and get a few things together and then go to David's. I haven't seen him since the weekend, and I am missing that boy! (It's been a busy week for both of us!)

And CONGRATS KIM!! Today is her last day of school, and she's got her Masters Degree! I'm so proud! I'll give you a big hug tomorrow night at dinner with the girls!!

Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday!

Feeling Quite Studious

So I went through my orientation last night and it went well! I like doing the classes online...it beats being 33 sitting in a room with 18 year olds! (I don't like to be the oldest person in the room!) I got to work and turned in today's assignment, so I am well on top of things. The challenge will be staying on top of things...I can see where it would be easy to get behind if you get lazy, so I will have to make sure to work ahead a little bit.

Friday night is Mia and Kim's birthday dinner! It will be great to get together with them! We are also celebrating Kim's Masters Degree! (Go girl!)

I am feeling a little better today, but just mainly congested. I can handle that....I am just glad the coughing continues to subside! One of my co-workers came in complaining of feeling crummy and thinking she might have a fever. Uh, hello? Get your ass away from me! My supervisor sent her home and told her if she was sick that we didn't need a round two of all that junk. I never understand why people bring their germs to work if they think they might have a fever and be contagious. That's just rude! And besides, I am still getting over that mess! Ugh!

After a successful night in class, I was supposed to have dinner with Christy but she had to cancel, so I took myself to Souper Salad anyhow. I am so glad I did! I got soup, a salad, and a baked potato with salsa to go, and took it home and enjoyed it! I watched a little TV and conked out on the couch. I woke up at 11 and took myself to bed and slept like a log! I was sleepy! So tonight I am having dinner with Grampa, then I am running by Kim Williams' house for a short time, and then this girl is going home and taking a bubble bath and going to bed! I have been going to bed earlier most nights, and I sure enjoy it!

So that's about it for today. I hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

First Day of School!

Today is it! The first day of the big investment in my future! I'm really excited about getting back into school. I'm ready to have my degree done and out of the way. It will take me a couple of years, but I think it's well worth it. I got everything ready, read my assignments and am geared up for classes. It's nice to do it online! I can attend an institution of higher learning in my jammies!! (Love it!)

Last night was relaxing. I didn't do too much. Came home, had dinner, went to Mom and Dad's for a bit, came home and had an orange slushie that I made, and went to bed. (And of course I talked to David a few times in there, too!) This dreary weather makes me want to just stay in bed! It was tough getting up this morning.

Tonight I am doing school between 5-6pm, then I am grabbing dinner with Christy. (We're going to...you guessed it: Souper Salad!) It will be nice to get caught up!

I spent a little time last night making mental preparations to throw myself back into Weight Watchers. I haven't done well at all lately, and it's really bothering me. So I am (again!) recommiting myself to healthier eating and more exercise. Since I have been sick it's been tough to exercise but that will all change this week! I am getting it all back in gear and being serious about it. With all my fun travel coming up this year, I want to feel good and look better, and the only way to do that is to get serious again. When I'm in it, I do so very well and the weight comes off pretty quickly. So here I am, getting ready to do it again. So if you feel like leaving a supportive comment here, I can sure use it! I promise to get better about posting how I'm doing, too. I really need to do this, and now is the best time to start. I packed a good lunch today, and had toast and a banana for breakfast, so I am starting the day just right!

One more thing...anyone else concerned about the Bush administration giving the OK to the United Arab Emerates-owned company taking control of 6 US ports? Maybe it's just me, but it doesn't seem like the best decision. Thoughts anyone?

Chilly Weekend!

It got a little cold around here! A little ice on the bridges and some below freezing temperatures made for a delayed start at work today! (Yay!) I didn't have to come in until 10am this morning, and that was good for me! David and I had a lovely weekend just relaxing, watching movies, and making some spicy homemade chili! (I broke a little sweat when I ate it, but it was good!) We ate at Grand Lux Cafe Saturday...good stuff! I'd like to go back and sample some more menu items!

David and I decided Sunday, as we made chili, that having a sort of "Dinner Club" might be fun. Everyone could take turns hosting dinner at their home and guests could bring wine/desserts. Anyone interested? I think it would be a blast! We had so much fun cooking together that it seemed like it might be fun to share with friends!

I didn't do much this weekend...relaxing was what I needed. I am still getting over this nasty cold. I wasn't able to do the backup vocals on the Saints and Sinners CD because they had limited studio time and I haven't had a singing voice for a little while now. I am bummed, but I sure do understand! Maybe next time. :) They sound great...I think they're going to have a good shot at going somewhere!

No other big news. I am going to have dinner with Christy tomorrow. We haven't gotten together in a while, so that will be nice! I have a bunch of people I need to catch up with! I also start school tomorrow night and I am so ready! And BIG shout out to Kim-she finishes her masters in 4 days!!! I'm so proud of you, girl!

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

On The Mend!

I am definitely feeling better today! Still hoarse, but not coughing as much. I think it's due to the healing powers of Starbucks Coffee!! I took some cough syrup last night but it made me dizzy and I lost my dinner. :( (Not fun!) However, I am feeling better now and hope to continue on the road to recovery!

Wow...we're supposed to be in for some winter weather this weekend! Hopefully it won't be as bad as they are predicting, but icy bridges may be in order for us. Good snuggle weather!!

Tonight I am staying home and taking it easy. I'm going to make a light dinner for myself and curl up on the couch with Cleo and watch movies. I have a couple of movies in from Netflix to enjoy so that's my plan! (There will probably be a bubble bath in there somewhere, too!)

So I have a quiet evening on tap for tonight. I need it to get myself back on track!

Everyone stay warm and safe this weekend!

Marginally Better

Still not great, but not worse. I am so frustrated because I HATE being sick! I am hoarse and cough all the time. This is not fun. I think the coughing is better than yesterday, though. Not by much, but I'll take what I can get.

David is coming over tonight. He is out in the field and working the NE Mall Dillard's today, so we'll get to have dinner tonight. :) I know he's happy to be out doing what he enjoys!

I still don't have much news. I pretty much slept all evening yesterday, and still didn't feel rested this morning. Damn SARS, or whatever it is I have.

So that's it. Absolutely nothing new. Except that I can't wait to take my trips this srping/summer! The trip to SF is in July (not my birthday weekend) so now I have a May, June, and July trip planned. :)

Birthdays...I have one coming in about 4 months! I can't believe it! I think I will probably want to go to 8.0 this year and have fun out on the patio there. But I have 4 months to change my mind. And if you know me at all, you know I will!! I layed pretty low last year, so this year I want to get out and have a good time! I am going to start considering my options now so that I know what I want to do in June. Who says I don't plan ahead?

Have a good Thursday everyone!

A Thoughtful Valentine

I had a lovely evening last night. David made dinner for me, which was simply divine! He made ribs, mashed potatoes, and broccoli. (I brought cheesecake for dessert) We exchanged cards and snuggled on the couch. It was the perfect evening for someone who is recovering from the worst cold ever.

I hope everyone else had a wonderful Valentine's Day! I know the post today is short, but I am still feeling a little crummy and don't really have much news.

Happy Birthday Mia and Kim!!! (Two great friends get to share the same birthday!!)

Have a good day everyone!

Back From the Dead

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. I have been sick. Not , "Oh, I have a little cold" sick...more like "I have SARS and am dying" sick. This has been awful! I am back at work today, but definitely not feeling 100%. This is going to be a long day.

I haven't done much of anything so I have no news to report. David is making dinner for me tonight. I hope my tastebuds wake up so I can enjoy his cooking! (Nothing is tasting just great to me these days)

Being sick had one small reward...I have lost 6 pounds since last Thursday!

So that's all I have for now. Just basically posting to tell everyone I am alive. (Barely)

Happy Valentines Day!

Traveling the Country

David emailed me today to tell me some of his travel dates...I'll get to meet him at a couple of destinations and I am excited! I'm going to Las Vegas in May and New York in June. I'll also be in Northern California for my birthday weekend, as we are going to go with his family for a wedding out there. Exciting stuff! I can't wait! So now I am feeling very motivated to get my booty to the gym more often and be very careful of what I am eating. :) I have the perfect dress to wear to the wedding, but I need to get some weight off for it to look perfect, so now I have a definite goal!

david is still a sickie...I started to cough a little today, so I am hoping desperately to stay well. I am cramming myself full of vitamins and drinking lots of OJ, so hopefully I am able to fight off anything that might come along.

Other than that, no big news. I am going to go home and relax tonight. I won't be going to dinner with Grampa since I have been around David and his germs. I don't want to spread anything to Grampa-I would never forgive myself if I made him sick!

So everyone have a great day!

The Plague

Man, whatever is going around must be terrible! I'm not sick, but David is REALLY sick, and he caught it from some co-workers. He's got a fever, very sore throat, coughing and congestion. Apparently this stuff is going around and is really contagious, and I am terrified! (I am pumping myself full of vitamins!!) I am hoping it skips me! Poor David, though!

Superbowl recap-apparently the referees had money on the Steelers? What was all that? Whatever. That could have been a great game with different refs, regardless of the outcome. I think I'll get off the soapbox before I go much further. Ugh!

However, there were some amusing commercials. I'm not a fan of Budweiser, but I did enjoy their commercials! :)

I don't have much news. I wasn't in the office yesterday, but I am today so this week will confuse me I'm sure. Christy's mom is getting married this weekend, so that's wonderful news! Also, Christy and Rich have set a date! October 28th of this year, so now we get to start the planning!!

And a big hug goes out to Stephanie! She got engaged this weekend to her beau, Chandler! I am so excited for them! They are just going to keep the wedding small (probably family only) so I am thinking I would like to throw her a shower if she wants one. (She's not one for being in the spotlight)

So everyone is getting married, and I couldn't be happier! :) I love it when good things happen to my friends! :)

I hope everyone has a great day!

(And Blonde, thanks for the comment yesterday!!)

The End of a Long Week

I am so glad it's Friday! (I know everyone else is, too!) It's been a long week, and I feel like I haven't spent any time at home. So tonight, I am going to have a quiet evening all to myself. I am going to make myself some dinner, and then clean my apartment. Not having been home much this week, I have laundry stacked up, glasses in the sink, and Cleo needs her litter box cleaned! So that's what I am doing tonight, and it's exactly what I want to be doing! (Wow...I must be getting old!)

Last night I worked with my 11 year old cousin, Ashley. She is singing in a talent show tomorrow and although she sounds good, she needs a little coaching with looking at her audience and having some stage presence. I don't know that I was much help, because it doesn't seem to come as naturally to her as it does for me. But I have also spent many years with voice teachers and doing many performances, so being a performer is just part of my nature. Hopefully she will feel a little more relaxed. She is singing Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway", and she sounds just fine! She just needs to look at her audience and quit picking at her clothes, fingers, etc. She should do fine!

David is working all weekend, and I am missing him terribly. I have decided it's worse to not be able to see him when I know he's in town. He gave a presentation yesterday and it went really well, and I am so proud of him! He is in a couple of big meetings today and it is also the women's line runway show today, so he will have a busy day. Then more corporate dinners tonight, meetings tomorrow and another dinner tomorrow night. I don't know if I will see him Sunday or not. So I am planning to watch the game without him, but I hope that he'll be able to come watch it with me! He has corporate people in town until Tuesday, so I don't have a lot of hope really. I know it's part of his job, but this is really tough. Has anyone out there ever dated someone who traveled often for work? How did you deal with it? I could use some advice. I think what I am going to do is to pour myself into my workouts, get geared up for school, and find some things that I want to do for myself. I want to take my intro class for makeup design/application, so that is going to be on my agenda for this year. Anyone who knows me knows my love for MAC and my ultimate dream of being a professional makeup artist. I think it's time to set that into motion. There is a school in Dallas that I can take a few 3-day courses and get the techniques down. This is exactly what I want to be doing in my spare time, so I'm going to fit it in. (Don't worry, Mom...I'm still going to get my degree!)

So enough rambling. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

And GO SEAHAWKS!! (Sorry, Blonde! I do have some Seattle loyalty after living there for a while!) :)

The Downhill Side of the Week

I am so glad tomorrow is Friday! It feels like it's been a very long week. David has been working so I haven't seen him and I am missing him!

I had dinner with Grampa last night and had a great time. We went to Mimi's Cafe and enjoyed a glass of wine with dinner. He told me some of his old travel stories, and I just never get tired of hearing them. He's done and seen so many things!

David told me yesterday that twice a year he has to go on a "blitz" for Born. This means that he has to hit the road for a couple of weeks at a time for a while and hit Dillard's stores in other regions. Am I excited about that? Not really. It's been hard to not see him for four days! But I know it won't always be this way. And he's found a way to work his schedule so that rather than be gone for seven weeks as we initially thought, he will travel for three, be home for two and then travel for three again. One perk is that on one of his trips he will be going to Las Vegas, so we're planning for me to meet him in Vegas and spend a long weekend with him there. He's going to have to work for a little of the time I'm there, but it's Vegas and this girl can totally entertain herself!! (Hey Blonde...when are you going to LV??) So that will help some. I'm just going to miss him when he's not here.

My cousin, Ashley, is singing in a talent show on Saturday, so she is coming over tonight for me to help her. She's really nervous and doesn't have much in the stage presence department, so that's where I am going to try and help. She's 11 years old and never done this before, so I can sure understand. The first time I ever sang in public I was 12 and scared to death, so I know how she feels. Hopefully I can help a little!

That's about it for today. I am working out tonight after work and then heading over to Mom and Dad's to work with Ashley. I hope everyone has a great day!

Quiet Evening

Not much news to share today. I pretty much spend last night sleeping, as I wasn't feeling very good yesterday and was drowsy all afternoon. It was nice to get a good night's sleep! I am feeling much better today, so I am planning to try the whole good night sleep thing again tonight. I am working out tonight, and then a quick dinner with Mom and Dad. Then I am running out to Joseph's to run an errand, so I don't know how early of an evening it will be, but I am going to do my best to get in bed at a decent time.

David is having a very busy week with work, but it sounds like it's a good week. He is giving a presentation on Thursday, so he will be very busy putting materials together and learning the spring line. (I must confess I have been making a little list of shoes I like with the hope of a new pair soon!) He's realling having to jump in with both feet, but I know he's happy to be working and doing what he really enjoys.

Quick plug for my favorite local band, Saints and Sinners...they are playing at the Granada Theater on February 25th. They are opening up for Dramarama, who had a hit in the 80s/90s called "Last Cigarette". Tickets are $15/20 each, so get them quick before the show sells out!

Have a great day everyone!

Very Big Weekend!

I had a wonderful weekend! David came home Friday night, and it was so wonderful to see him! I picked him up at the airport Friday night and we went back to my place and ate dinner. (I made home made chicken tacos) On Saturday we went to his sister Lea Anne's and picked up his car, and then headed to his place. We ran a few errands and then I went off to buy his birthday gift. I was buying him a dart board, but I couldn't find one anywhere and I didn't know where the closest sporting good store was on his side of town, so I felt bummed about that. I got back to his place and had to tell him what I was going to buy him so that we could find a store. We found one online and decided to go Sunday. So we got ready to go to dinner...I was taking him to PF Chang's for his birthday dinner. We had a great time, and ate a lot of very tasty food! :) Sunday we went to breakfast at Cafe Brazil (YUM!!) and then we went to his parent's house. Yes, I met the parents and they are very nice!

So it was a wonderful weekend, and it was lots of fun celebrating David's birthday. He is going to be super busy with work this week, as there are a lot of higher-ups flying in for a big Dillard's meeting at the trade center, so I probably won't see much of him this week. I'll miss him, but I am so excited that he is doing well and able to jump right in and get going. I am so proud of him!

On another note, I am feeling really congested today. Darn allergies! I hope this passes quickly!

Everyone have a wonderful day!

Happy!

Over the last few days I haven't been feeling too great. Low on energy and just feeling blah. But today I feel good! I finally got a good night's sleep last night, and I woke up refreshed this morning...something that I haven't felt in a while! Even more importantly, I feel very in control...like today is the day I am going to get myself back on track! I had a very low-cal fruit smoothie for breakfast (made it myself!) and feel energized and ready to take on the day. David called this morning to tell me he misses me and that he loves me, so that made a good morning even better!

David's birthday is this weekend, and I am trying to plan something fun but not too expensive. (The beginning of the month is a little tight for me) Any thoughts? I am thinking cocktails at the apartment, then off somewhere for dinner, but after that, I'm not too sure. He says something low key is fine, but I want to do something special. I thought that cupcakes would be a yummy alternative to birthday cake, since it's small and we can't go back for seconds, so I am going to get some fancy cupcakes from Central Market. I know what to get him for his brithday, so that's not a problem. Just trying to figure out how to celebrate is stumping me. Any ideas?

In other happy news, I get my W2 today, so I can file my taxes tonight and be done with it! I always get a little back (even though I claim myself) so I am going to try and save as much of it as I can for a rainy day. David and I have talked about taking a couple of trips, so maybe I can set it back for that. We had mentioned Paris later this year, but I am thinking that maybe we should put that off just a little bit since he really needs to be able to have time to get back on his feet after being unemployed for almost 2 months. Maybe a long weekend somewhere, like Vegas or New York or San Francisco. We'll see how things go.

David gets back from New Hampshire tomorrow night and I am picking him up from the airport. I have missed him and am really looking forward to seeing him! :) I am going to make dinner for us so we can sit and he can tell me all about his week. I am eager to hear all about his trip. He calls daily, but it's nice to sit face to face and hear the details.

So that's it for today. I am looking forward to lunch with Dan, Jessica and Mia, so that will be nice. The four of us used to work in the same area, but we're all pretty scattered around the office now and try to have lunch every once in a while. (And Dan had a birthday this week, so we're going to celebrate his 38th birthday!!)

I hope everyone has a great day! :)

Dear Flower Shaped Cookie with Yellow Icing,

Yes, it's true. Once upon a time you and I had quite a love affair. I could hear you calling to me...your enticing flower shape, your soft, sweet yellow icing. But it's over. It's not that I don't love you, it's just that I have to move on. I think of the warm sunny days when we took walks together and I would enjoy you at lunchtime...first a walk to Subway, and a trip next door to pick you up. But this is where it has to end. We had our last rendez-vouz today. After today, you are but a sweet, tasty memory for me.

I will always think fondly of you, my tasy flower with the yellow icing. But dammit, my jeans are getting a little snug and it's your fault!

Fondly,
The Girl Who Will No Longer Be Eating Cookies from Cookies By Design.

(Man, those are tasty cookies!)

A Pretty Good Day

Yesterday was a nice day. Work wasn't too bad...got my annual review out of the way and it was good. Got a raise so I am happy about that. David came and had lunch with me and I got to introduce him to some of my coworkers. (He's such a good sport!) The bummer part of my day was that I had a slight migraine, but it wasn't bad and I caught it in time before it got worse.

I took it easy last night and rested. I talked to David for a bit...he was getting excited about heading off to New Hampshire today. He'll be gone until Friday evening, and I get to pick him up from the airport and hear about everything. His flight heads out today at 11am-ish, so please send safe travel vibes his way!

Tonight after my workout I am going to mom and dad's for dinner. I am entertaining the idea of switching to a trainer here at work, as they are a good bit less expensive. I love Jaqueline, but she's not cheap! We have a really nice gym here at the office and it's so convenient to work out here. I have to put more thought into this, but I may end up doing switching trainers. We'll see.

So really there's no big news going on right now. Things are good. I am still struggling with my WW, but I am determined to get with it and do it, so I refuse to give up. I'll just keep trying. Success doesn't come without failure. I can do this!

I hope everyone has a great day!

Nothing New

It's been a quiet last few days so rather than drone on about useless stuff, I thought I would take a couple of days off.

Wednesday night, David went with me for my dinner date with Grampa. We had a great time, and Grampa really likes David. Of course, this means the world to me because my Grampa's opinions really matter. But I knew they would get along great. Grampa took us to Saltgrass for dinner...yum! :)

Last night was spent relaxing. Ate dinner with Mom and Dad and we watched Dancing with the Stars. I can't help it...I really enjoy that show! I love the costumes, the makeup, and the (in most cases) beautiful dancing. I need to start my salsa lessons again. I really enjoyed them and they help shed weight!

Speaking of weight, I haven't been doing very well at all, so I am making a big effort to get back on track again. It's been stressful here at work and my response has been to munch without any thought. So I am working really hard to get it together and lose the weight. David and I have toyed with the idea of going to Paris later this year, so if that really does happen, I want to look my best! I was looking online and have seen some decent deals, so we'll see what happens. Between my tax return and bonus in April, that could very easily cover my trip. :) We all know just how badly I want to go back! (For those of you who have joined my readership after June, feel free to go back to June 4th and read my blogging from Paris!)

David is coming to take me to lunch today. He starts his new job on Monday (YAY!) so we won't be able to do lunch too much after that. He heads to NH Tuesday for orientation and will be back on Friday. I can't wait to hear all about the trip. I know he is so ready to get back to work. He is one of the lucky people in a field he loves with a job that inspires him to do his best every day. It makes me really step back and want to figure out just what it is that I want to do. (If I could do my dream job, it would be as a professional makeup artist!)

Tonight I am relaxing and having dinner with the folks. Tomorrow, David and I are having lunch with the fam ( my parents and cousins), and then enjoying the evening together.

And Sunday I am going to WW to face the music and get back on track. I got a call from Brenda, one of my WW friends, who is concerned that I haven't been to a meeting in a while. It's nice that people care about me like that! I need to get back with it and get the weight off!

I hope everyone has a great Friday!

Long Weekend

It was nice to take off Friday and have Monday off as well. I have been just plain burned out at work and really needed time off. I am still not ready to be back at work, but here I am. IT was a nice weekend...spent Friday with David, Saturday night with Jen and Craig, Sunday with Joseph and Monday with Mom. (David came for dinner last night)

Somehow I am still not ready to be back here at work. I will try to quit complaining about that now.

Nothing new really. I didn't sleep well the last few nights so I am tired and am hoping to get a good night's sleep tonight.

Have a good Tuesday!

My Version of Friday

Since I am taking the day off tomorrow, this is my Friday. Let me say, THANK GOD! It's been an awful day. One of our sites went down, we've had a whole bunch of other things going on...it has pretty much sucked. So I am ready to call it a day.

Going to David's tonight. We're going to cook dinner and relax. Since I am off tomorrow I don't have to get up early and that will really be nice. Tomorrow night I am having dinner with a friend from Kindergarten. We get together every great once in a while, and she is bringing her daughter. I am excited about seeing her again!

Saturday night I am going to veg and have some quiet time. I am truly in need of it! :)

And then there is the weigh-in on Sunday. I have done pretty well, so we shall see how it goes!

And for all of you who are so sweet to ask, David is waiting for his formal offer. Everything is in place, just waiting for the completion of his background check and the formal letter of intent. :) It's all good!

Early Morning, Late Night

I got up at 3:30 this morning to help David get to the airport to catch his flight. I was a good girlfriend...made him oatmeal and coffee and toast, and then dropped him off at the airport at about 4:40 to catch his 5:30am flight to Connecticut. However, I got a call from him at 5am telling me that the travel department there set up the travel plans, but forgot to actually book the flight! He was able to purchase a one way ticket there, and they will both reimburse him and arrange his flight home. (The VP up there was so embarrassed!) I bet someone up there gets in trouble! But I got a call from him during his Atlanta layover this morning and he was getting so excited! :)

I am very eager to hear from him this evening. Hopefully they will make the official, formal offer to him today so that he can get started. He is so ready to be back at work! How wonderful that he loves what he does. We talked about what he wants to be doing eventually, and at some point he would like to create his own line of footwear. He really has extensive knowledge and a real love of mens footwear, so I bet with his drive and determination he can do it. I want to see him succeed!

Now, if only I had an idea of what I wanted to do. I am getting really burned out with my job, but even more than that, I don't know what I am passionate about. I know that the majority of people don't have that kind of love of their job, but I'd really like to try and find what would make me truly happy.

Is that too much to ask?

Down 2 Pounds

I weighed in this morning for my "Maintain Don't Gain" contest here at work and was down 2 pounds from the day before Thanksgiving! That's a nice thing because I didn't want to be the one on the team who gained anything. Yay!

It was a good weekend, despite the cramps and water retention. Friday night I had dinner with Mia and Kim. It was nice to get caught up and hang out. However, after being out of work all day Friday you would think I would have energy. Nope. I was falling asleep on the sofa. How embarassing!

Saturday night was pretty laid back. Watched TV with David, vegged, and ate Chinese food. It was nice.

David is getting ready to go to CT tomorrow for the final interview. Things are good. They've informally offered the job by telling him tis is merely a formality and that they want him to meet the team he'll be working with. So this is excellent news! :) He is hoping to get things formalized tomorrow, as he is really ready to be working again.

So that's it for now. Nothing big here. Except that I have decided to go back to school. Yes, again. I need to get my degree finished. I'm tired of feeling like that holds me back, so no more. I am going to get it done.

So have a good Monday everyone!

Hook 'em Horns!

Wow! What an exciting game last night! Both teams played well, although I thought UT dropped the ball quite a few times. But seriously, exciting game until the very end! Dave and I watched the game at the Movie Tavern on the BIG screen...that's a lot of fun! He wants to make it an annual event...as long at UT is playing! :)

David has an interview at Fidelity today, so send him good thoughts please! :)

Nothing new with me. I didn't do great with my eating last night. I had a veggie pizza on thin crust, so not too terrible, but I am really wanting to have a successful week, so I need to really watch it the rest of the week. Weigh in is only a few days away! I am working out tonight to help make sure the scale gives me good news!

I didn't lose my 10 pounds by January 1st. I am pretty sure Kim did, though! Go girl! Did anyone else lose their 10?

That's about it for now. Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

"Born" to be Wild!

Good news on David's employment possibilities! He got word from a colleague that Born Shoes is looking for a new rep for the Texas area, and they want to see his resume!! This job would be all the things he loved about his last job, and potentially more money and opportunity for him, so PLEASE send him good vibes!! This would really be up his alley and directly in line with his skills and talents. And I would get a shoe discount! :D

Tonight is the UT/USC game. Hook 'em horns! David and I are going to be watching the game together and cheering on the Horns. Hopefully it will be a very good game.

I don't have much news to share. Or even not to share. Everything is going well. I am still on track with WW this week, so I am expecting good things on Sunday's weigh-in. I will definitely be posting the results on Sunday!

Have a good day everyone!

New Year, New Me

So I was a good girl and did as I said I would do...I started back at WW yesterday. I've gained some weight, but it's not as bad as I thought. However, I am not reporting how much the gain was. I am just going to start fresh from here and report every Sunday on how much I have lost as of January 2nd. I'm excited and ready to be back on track.

I went to David's yesterday and we went walking for an hour before dinner. We grilled steak and had salad and WW potato salad, so I did very well. :) He worked on his cover letter and resume and I did the proofreading, and after that we watched some TV and snuggled. It was a very nice evening.

Today I am back at work and wishing I was anywhere else. I'm just not ready to be here!

Forgot to tell about NYE!! We got tickets to see the Stars play, and although they lost, we had a blast! The seats were fantastic! (24 rows off the glass and in the section to the left of the Stars bench) We got to go drink in the Stars Platinum Club (we felt like rock stars!) and saw a Terry Bradshaw look-a-like. After the game, we took the train back to the car and then headed over to Fox and Hound to shoot darts and ring in the New Year. David and I had such a good time and laughed so much! I hope all of you had as much fun as we did!

And Kev, I almost called you from the game to brag, but that's just MEAN, isn't it? ;)

Another Great Day

David and I had a lovely evening last night. He grilled the chicken, made mashed potatoes (light, for me!) and I made a fat free dessert. We snuggled and watched the movie (which was very cute!) and just had a wonderful evening. I'm so sorry if you guys are sick of hearing about David, but it's taken me 33 years to find a wonderful man like this, and quite frankly, I want to shout about it from the rooftop! :)

Tomorrow night we're going to the Stars game with Joseph and Dima. We're both big hockey fans, and what a nice treat to have free tickets fall into our lap like this! So it promises to be a very special New Years for us both.

I wish all of you a Happy New Year! I hope you do something special with your loved one...and when I say loved one, I mean family, friends, pets, or anyone else special in your life!!

Be safe and I'll blog again in 2006!! :)

Dinner and a Movie

Tonight I am going to David's. I'm bringing all the goods to make dinner, and he's going to be very manly and grill the chicken for me. :) My friend Leah lent me the movie "Must Love Dogs" so we can watch that and enjoy the evening together. I don't have to be at work until noon tomorrow, so it's nice to be able to sleep in.

I've gotten several offers from friends for New Years ideas, and most recently got a possible pair of tickets to a Stars game. Joseph may be able to get us a pair for free (and he may not...we'll know tomorrow) and we can enjoy the game together! I hope this works out...that would be a lot of fun!

I think after the holidays I want to get my friends together for a night out...maybe dinner at Monica's and then martinis at the Velvet Hookah. Any takers? I think it would be a blast! We'll have to figure something out.

Have a good rest of the day, everyone!

Wonderful Wednesday

So it's mid-week and I am glad! It's dinner with Grampa tonight, and my uncle and his wife will be joining us since they are in town from Austin. I'm sure dinner will be wonderful! :)

I had dinner at Mom and Dad's last night and just vegged with them for a bit. However, after working out I was very sleepy and had to head home around 9. I talked to David for a bit and then got myself into bed. I was TIRED!

I am gearing myself up to start WW again on January 2nd. I can tell that I am really getting myself into that mindset, so I know that I will be able to get right back into it without any trouble. And Blonde, I'll look forward to hearing how WW is going for you, too!!

I know I don't have a lot of news...things are generally going very well. I hope everyone is having a great day! What are your New Years plans? David and I can't seem to figure out what we want to do!

I'm Not Ready to be Back at Work!

Christmas was so nice that I didn't want to come back to the office. Come to think of it, I rarely want to come back after a long weekend, but here I am. (Mostly because I am out of vacation time for the year) it was a very special Christmas, and I am hoping that all of you had a wonderful one as well. :)

My finger is still healing, and last night my old nail fell off. I freaked out! So now I have a band-aid over it because it is so VERY unattractive now...not that it was pretty before! I'm telling you, people....keep your fingers away from car doors! This has been a big pain!

I took my Christmas tree and other decorations down yesterday. The apartment looks a little empty now. I really liked my tree. It was very colorful and added a little something to the room. Now I really need to get my curtains up!

So that's about it for now. I hope you had a great Christmas/Hannukah!

Let the Holidays Begin!

I'm excited! I only have to work a half day and then I am off until next Tuesday! Mom and I are going to bake cookies this afternoon. Somewhere in there I am going to get a workout in, too. Tomorrow, David and I are having dinner with his sister and brother-in-law. I'm a little nervous, but looking forward to it. (I'll be taking the cookies and a bottle of wine as a hostess gift) I met his sister, LeAnn, breifly when I was moving a couple of weeks ago, and I liked her a lot. She's funny and I think we'll get along very well. Having met her already helps alleviate some of the nervousness.

I had dinner with Grampa last night, and as always, it was great! He took me to the Olive Garden and we had wine and very tasty dinners. (The crab and shrimp ravioli was very tasty!) We're having Christmas at Grampa's house this year since my apartment isn't quite ready for guests just yet. He says he is looking forward to having everyone at the house. :)

So that's about it for me. I don't know if I will have the chance to blog again until after Christmas because I have quite a bit to do before then, so I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Shopping

So last night I worked out and went home, had dinner with the folks and then headed off to start my Christmas shopping. Yes, you read that right. I STARTED my shopping. I have had zero time to do anything, what with the emergency move and all. And with work being stressful? I have been exhausted by the time I got home. So off to Target Mom and I went. It was fairly painless...found good parking and was able to get the couple of things I wanted to pick up. And a couple of bottles of wine as well. (Hey, with the way my holidays have gone, I needed it!)

Today was the big rollout for a major project here at my office. People have been asked to cacel holiday vacations to be in the office to troubleshoot, and wouldn't you know it, we haven't had a single issue/call on this. What a bust!

So anyhow, it's a good day so far. It's bound to keep getting better!

A Lovely Weekend

It was such a nice weekend! Friday night I had drinks with Angela..oh it was SO GOOD to catch up with her! When I got home, my mom came over and we visited for a bit. Saturday, we went to see Grampa. He is doing so well, but I know the holidays are just so hard for him without Gran.

Saturday afternoon David came over and we decorated the tree. (Since i had to redecorate it after the big move last weekend!) We saw King Kong Saturday night, and then went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. By the way, I highly recommend the Godiva Cheesecake! YUM!

Sunday was wonderfully lazy. I had mom and dad over for dinner, and we watched some TV and visited. It was a great weekend and I was so sorry it had to end!

Today is the first day the gym here at the office is open, so I am going to work out for an hour after work. And I am really looking forward to it, as I am determined to get back on track. I have been bad and haven't been to WW in a while. I think it's because I am afraid of getting back on the scale. But I absolutely MUST go back this week to get my weight loss turned around and back the right direction. I'll just have to take a deep breath and do it.

So that's been my weekend. I hope yours was wonderful!

TGIF!

Seriously, thank goodness it's Friday! What a week!

The apartment is slowing coming together. I bought a TV stand yesterday and David and I put it together, so the living room is looking much better. But there's still just so much to do. However, tonight I am picking up Cleo from Mom and Dad's. I miss having my kitty around! I wanted to wait until things were settled down and I wouldn't have so many people coming in and out of the apartment.

I am going to try and do a little Christmas shopping tonight. I just have a few things to pick up. Maybe I'll wait until the apartment isn't such a mess. I have to re-decorate the tree and finish getting everything in it's place. Although David has done a great job of decorating my place...maybe I should wait and let him do that!

So that's about it for now. Work has been stressful, so I am glad the weekend is here. Have a good one!

Unpacking

So after an 8 hour day of feeling exhausted, I went home to spend the evening unpacking. This would suck really badly except David was there to help, and I swear that man has such good taste! He's pretty much doing the decorating and it's looking pretty good. I just have quite a bit of stuff and he's helping me sort through things. The place is looking more inhabitable now, so I feel better about that.

The complex maintenance guys were going to move my washer and dryer for me, and when I got home yesterday, I discovered they delivered a washer and dryer, but just not mine. Scary...I have clothes in my dryer, wherever it is! They are going to get it fixed today, so I'll have my stuff and can do laundry. Yay!

I did get to meet David's sister yesterday. She and her husband lent me a dolly to help me get stuff moved, so we returned it and I got to meet LeeAnn. She is so funny and nice and has invited David and I over for dinner next week. I'm looking forward to getting to know her!

I think that's about it. I'm so tired and really need a rest. I am planning to have dinner with Grampa tonight but I need to make sure he's feeling up to it. He was a little sniffly a day or two ago. I hope he's better...I'm looking forward to dinner with him!

Have a good Wednesday everyone!

Back to "Normal"

Well, I am back at work after a solid weekend of moving and packing. By the way, it really sucked. It's hard to have everything in turmoil like that, but everything is in the new place now. I just have to get it all unpacked and in it's place. David (who shall now be known as the Best Boyfriend Ever) is coming back over tonight to help me unpack. He's even going to make dinner! He's so reassuring and has lots of ideas on how to arrange the new apartment. He says we can get a lot done tonight, and I need a motivator because I am one tired girl.

I need to really say a very special thank you to a few people who went way out of their way to help me on very short notice. Kevin, you are always there to help and I appreciate it so much. Kim, you read the blog and called to ask how you could help, and I am incredible grateful to you, too. David, you were there every day and even with all the stuff you have going on continued to ask how you could help. And of course, Mom and Dad. Both of you wore yourselves out helping me, and I appreciate you both so much!

And thanks to all of you who have called to check on me and see what you can do to help. (Holly, Mia, Kim and Angela!) There's a lot to do still, but I think I can get unpacked ok. I may need a girl's night Friday with margaritas, and THAT'S how you can help!! :)

So that's been my life for the last few days. Packing, unpacking, and wearing myself to a frazzle. I look forward to having something else to talk about. I know you do, too!

Have a good Tuesday!!

Damn!

Okay, so hooray for icy days that keep us home from work, but boo for people who don't take precautions against frozen pipes. My neighbors upstairs let this happen, and their pipes burst. What does this mean for me? Water coming in through every crevice, light fixture, vent, etc, in my ceiling. Oh yeah, and water all over my carpet and chaos everywhere. So I am currently unable to live in my apartment and am being moved to another apartment in a couple of days. I am going to spend my day packing up my old place, which is hard for me. My memories of my Gran being there will make it hard to leave, but I have to do it. And big bummer about having to take down all the holiday decor, too. I'll fill in the whole story in the next post, but there's nothing like running outside and seeing water flowing like a waterfall off the second story balcony above you!! Seriously, it sucks!

Cleo and I are fine. Just a little out of sorts at the moment. I'll blog again soon!

And big thank you to Mom, Dad, and David for all the help yesterday! It was a big mess!

Ah, Winter in Texas!

"Winter" in Texas means one thing-we are generally guaranteed at least one day of ice. We got 1.5 days! It's been nice to be home and sleep late! :) I haven't done much...just a little bit of work from home but that's it. The roads are pretty ok now, so Mom and I are going to grab some lunch. Later tonight I am going to do some laundry and scub the bathroom. All the things I've been needing to do. I got home at 11am from work yesterday and had a headache so I slept away the afternoon. None of that today!

So I don't have much news. My old high school is in the state championship game Saturday, so we (David and I) are going down with the cousins to see them win. (Go Trinity!) ANd that's about it.

Stay warm and have a good day!

A Note of Celebration!

Just a quick post about my Mom...she had a mammogram that had come back with a little spot on it, but after a second mammogram it's determined that it's nothing and she's good for another year! I was worried, so this is great news! I just had to post!

Have a good day everyone! And for my fellow "Losers", be sure you weighed in so you can track your awesome progress!!

Decompressing

After a very stressful day, I had a lovely relaxing evening. I came home, took a nap, ate dinner, and just generally vegged. I really needed to clean, but I think I needed some down time even more. I talked to David, and he was having a good day, too. He has a practically new sofa in his office that he is giving to me (yay! I hate my current sofa!), as well as a 31" television. Now, those of you who don't know me have no idea just how funny that it. I currently have a 20" television because I don't care enough about tv to buy one. Everyone likes to come make fun of my tv, although it was much worse when I had a 13" tv. Craig and Jen were wonderful enough to give me the 20" I have now, which really did hush a big portion of the critics. But a 31" tv? That's HUGE for me! I wonder if it will fit in my entertainment center?

The other news is that David told me his sister wants to have us over for dinner. I haven't met anyone's family in YEARS. Am I nervous? You betcha! David said that she often over-commits herself and so he doesn't know when she wants to do it, but I'll bet it happens soon. You know how we women are...we like to know the whole inside story, and if her brother is dating someone, I'm betting she wants the scoop. Which isn't a bad thing at all! I'd do the same thing! :)

So we're being told by the weather forecasters that we may be in for a "wintery mix" tomorrow. They're just getting our hopes up. I would LOVE it if we got iced in tomorrow, but I doubt it will happen. But here's hoping!

I hope you all have a great day!

A Little Grumpy Today

I must confess, my job is really stressing me out. Ugh! Couple that with PMS, and I am lots of fun! So I am going to go home, work out, and clean the apartment. That seems like the best thing for me to do. That way I don't accidentally snap at anyone for no reason.

Joseph called me yesterday to tell me that he is being kicked out of his home. Let me give you a little background: his house is in his family's name because when he was getting divorced, he didn't need any more assets in his name. So even though he is making the house payments, it's in his family's name. His family (mom and dad) have decided they don't like him being gay, so they want him out of the house. Very nice. So now he has to look for another place to live. So his mother asks him what they're going to do with the house when he moves out. I guess she should have thought about that before asking him to move, huh? Hope they enjoy the second housepayment in their retirement years.

David and I had a good weekend. Hiked a bunch on Saturday and made tacos for dinner that night. It was a good day. :)

Friday night I had dinner at Craig and Jen's place. She makes an AWESOME chicken alfredo lasagne! (Thanks, girl!!)

So it was a good weekend. I just wish it had lasted a little longer.

A Great Bunch of Losers!

I love it! I've had good response from those who want to lose that 10 pounds by January1st! I'll send out "Encouraging Email" number one on Monday, so look for it in your email boxes! This is fun for me and very motivating, so we'll see how we do!!

I'm so glad it's Friday. It's been a stressful week, so I am going to have a fun weekend. Tonight I am having dinner with Craig and Jennifer. It will be nice to just hang with them. Jen is cooking, and let me tell you, that's a treat! That girl can cook!!

Tomorrow morning, I am going to Denise's to pick up everyone's Pampered Chef orders, so if you came to the party I will have your goodies for you! Then Mom and I are going to take flowers to my Gran's grave. Her headstone has a lovely vase built in, so we take flowers to put into the vase. She would tell us not to make such a fuss, but I know she secretly liked to feel special. Don't we all?

After we spend time with Gran, I am going to home to meet up with Dave and we are going to go hiking. Then it's dinner at my place, followed by hanging Christmas lights on my patio. I haven't figured out the best way to do it, but David has some ideas and I am looking forward to doing it together.

And Sunday is a memorial service at the funeral home that took care of Gran's services. Apparently every few months they do a service for all the families they have assisted, and there will be a reading of all the names and a lighting of candles. So it will be nice to remember her. I find that I miss her when the little things come up...like I want to tell her all about David, or that I am working towards a promotion for next year, or that my life is really good and that I love and miss her. I don't think I will ever stop missing her.

So that's it for now. It's been a tough week and I am glad it's Friday! Have a wonderful weekend everyone! It's leg night tonight, so I am going to be a tired gal!

Who Knew?

Did we ever see it coming? Well, with all her money, she had to resort to buying something besides shoes at some point!



(Please, no libel lawsuits. It's a joke, people!)



So anyhow...it's a good day. David is already working his contacts and updating his resume, so I have a good feeling that he's going to be back in the workforce in no time. :) I admire his determination. He's not sitting around feeling sorry for himself. Just one more thing to add to the list of wonderful qualities!

No other big news. Going to David's tonight for dinner. It's always good to give him a hug!

Shout outs to Holly who is getting her wisdom teeth out today, and to Jessica, who finds out what the sex of her baby is going to be!!

The 10 Pound Challenge....so far, it's me, Kim, and Denise. Any others joining in? We're just trying to get 10 pounds off by January 1st. No real rules, just providing encouragement! I thought I might send encouraging emails every Monday, so if you want to get in on the fun and try to shake 10 pounds off, post your email address (or email it to me if you'd like to keep it to yourself) and I'll add you to the list! (Don't worry, I won't spam you!)

I hope everyone has a good day!

The Wait is Over

So David got good news and bad news. The good news is that he isn't moving, but the bad news is that he is unemployed. But I really admire his spirit-he's been making calls all evening and getting his resume out there. He's not sitting around feeling sorry for himself. I'm so proud of him!

So thanks to everyone who has been so supportive...now we just need to hope he finds a great job! Anyone with any contacts in the mens shoe industry, please let me know!! (Or shoes in general...I need him to work somewhere with a woman's line!) He was an account manager for all of Texas, so he's got a lot of experience!!

Have a great evening, and thanks again to all!!

Waiting

Today is the day David finds out the news of his job. However, it's not looking good. He spoke with a colleague last night and her job was "eliminated". Apparently all the Account Managers are being eliminated, so it looks like he may be losing his job. But you never know...maybe it will turn out really well! Please send him good thoughts around 4pm.

I had a really good workout yesterday. We worked arms and I am feeling it this morning!! But I am really working hard to get my momentum back, so the stiffness reminds me that it's progress. Kim has proposed a challenge, and so I say let's lose 10 pounds by January 1st! She's working with a trainer now, too, so we can do it!! What do you say, Kim? And if anyone else wants to join the challenge, let me know! We'll do it together! (We CAN lose weight through the holidays!)

David made dinner last night, and let me tell you...that man can cook! He grilled pork chops, made homemade mashed potatoes (his secret low-fat recipe just for me!) and a yummy salad. Oh, it was soooo good! We watched "The Jacket" (Adrian Brody and Keira Knightly) and let me be sure to not recommend that one. I wasn't impressed. Interested premise, but not a very good film. The best thing was that David kept telling me how glad he was that I was there, so I felt like I was helping him keep his mind off the stress of work.

So that's it in a nutshell. Hope everyone has a great day, and thanks so much for all the support! :)

Weekend Review

I know I pretty much blogged it all yesterday, but even though I am worried about David, I did have a lovely Thanksgiving. I missed Gran so much, but Joseph joined the family for the day and we had so much fun! He stayed long after everyone else left. We napped, we took a walk, we ate more turkey...it was a great day! and Joseph, I love you so much and am so happy you could be with us! No matter what, you will always have a place to spend the holidays if you want one! :)

Friday afternoon David and I went to see Walk the Line. Pretty good movie. We had fun and just enjoyed each other's company.

Saturday night David and I had dinner at Angela's house with her husband Tom and our friend Kim Williams. It was wonderful and David and I had such a good time!

Sunday I had lunch with Kevin and Robbyn. For those of you who don't know about Robbyn, she is amazing. She had a quadruple organ transplant over 5 years ago and is the only person in the country to live that long after a transplant of that magnitude. I know some really amazing people. Anyhow, she is doing well and as always, is in great spirits.

So now David and I are sitting and waiting to see what will come of the meeting on Wednesday with his upper management. Please cross your fingers that he doesn't get relocated. Seriously folks, this guy is everything I could hope for and I am not ready to face that big of a change with him.

Post-Turkey Update

For all concerned, my turkey came out very tasty, and Thanksgiving came off perfectly. Aside from missing my Gran terribly, it was a great day. My friends all kept wondering if David and I were going to spend the holiday together, and we did not. It's still too soon (only 7 weeks, people!) so I was fine with that. We saw each other Friday and Saturday, so it was all good.

I am totally starting over with WW. Since my Gran passed away, I haven't been able to get myself back on track, so rather than struggle with having gained weight, I am starting fresh. I'll get a new weigh-in card and start over. So I am going to really need some encouragement. I promise to post my weekly results again, as if I hadn't lost anything already. So any words of support you can spare, I really need them.

David's company is preparing for a reorg, and he has a meeting Wednesday. He doesn't know how things will shake out, and there is a possibility he may be relocated. I am really hoping not. Some of you know my history with relationships, and I have been through some especially tough stuff so finding David has been a blessing for me. I know I shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch and all, but I am really nervous about this. I really, really like him. He's an amazing man and he makes me happy. I'm so afraid that he'll have to relocate and since we've only been dating a short time it won't make sense to try and have something long distance. I'm going to hope for the best and accept whatever happens.

So that's it for now. I hope each of you had a great holiday! :)

Giving Thanks

I'm going to take a cue from The Blonde today...

Things I am thankful for:

* The freedom to say whatever I want
* My friends and family
* David. I am VERY thankful for David. :)
* Having a bed to sleep in and a roof over my head.
* Chocolate

That's not everything, but it's a few things. Tell me what you're thankful for!

After I get off work, I am going to go home and cook. David wants to come keep me company, and I am excited to see him as always. He is feeling better, too, so maybe we won't be so sniffly and sneezy today. I have a few pies to make and a turkey to dress, so it's going to be great to have him over while I get stuff done. Besides, he's an AWESOME cook and might lend a hand with the turkey!

All my friends have been after me to talk to David about Thanksgiving and what he and I will do. We've been dating about 7 weeks, so it seems a bit soon to have a holiday with each other's families. We haven't discussed it at all, and I'm fine with that. My family will be over at noon, and Joseph is coming a little later and we're going to have a meal together. So I have lots of things I am looking forward to doing tomorrow, and I am sure that at some point David and I will either chat or see each other. So it's all good with me!

David and I are having dinner at Angela's on Saturday night so she and Tom and Kim Williams (and maybe a date for Kim?) will get to meet David, and that's probably enough meeting people for one weekend. :)

One more very important thing...

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!

Everyone have a safe holiday! I probably won't blog tomorrow, so check back over the weekend!

The Agony of the Allergies!

Still fighting these dumb old allergies, and now David is dealing with his too. He came over for dinner last night and after we ate we spent the evening laying on the couch coughing and sniffling. Really romantic, huh?

So not much news. I did work out last night, but I am just not sure how that's going to go tonight. I am exhausted.

So that's it for today. Have a good Tuesday!

The Story of the Romantic Dinner

Funny story about the dinner I was making Friday night...true to the way things generally go, it didn't go without a hitch. But it does make for a funny story!

So I was busy preparing dinner Friday evening...chicken, a lovely salad, appetizers, and a very tasty dessert. About 7pm I get a call from David to tell me his plane landed safely. And one more thing...Dallas Love Field was on "lockdown" and no one was being permitted to leave. He didn't know when he was going to be over, but we figured he would be delayed an hour, so no biggie. I was behind schedule anyhow, so it was just fine. He said he would call when he heard anything and I got back to getting things ready. I set the table, made another run to the store, took my shower and thought things were going along fine. Then he called again. Now the rumor was that there was a bomb scare in the parking lot. Great. Still no idea when he could leave, and they were charging $6 for a beer at the Chili's in the airport. What a crock! So now it's going on 8:30, and the chicken is still doing it's thing in the oven and I am getting things wound down as far as preparations go. about 9:15, things are pretty much ready when David calls to say that the word on the street was that there was an unattended bag that looked suspicious and they were waiting for the bomb squad to arrive. Apparently those guys aren't sitting around ready to go at a moment's notice, so it would be another hour. And David is so patient but frustrated. Can you imagine being stuck at Love Field for an evening? I don't like to go there anyhow, but to be stuck there? Forget it! By now the news is beginning to report that there is something going on out there. I already know, people!! My boyfriend is stuck out there and I am spending all evening cooking for him! So a little after 10 I get the best call of the night...he's on his way over!! So I pop the appetizers in the oven and put the chicken on a plate. Everything is rolling along. When he gets over to my apartment, I was so happy to see him! He changed out of his suit and we ate the appetizers and enjoyed some wine. When we were ready to eat, I asked him to carve the chicken, only to find that after 2 hours in the oven, the damn bird wasn't cooked all the way through. Yes, it appears I may have a faulty element in the oven. We put the chicken in for another hour to let it finish cooking, but we were both so tired that we weren't hungry any more, and decided we'd call it a night.

Yeah, really romantic dinner.

But the best part of it was that he was so appreciative of my efforts and went on and on about how special it was that I had done that for him. I swear I wasn't trying to serve him the salmonella special!! How embarassing!

And that, my friends, is the story of the romantic dinner.

A special note to the jackass that intentionally left the bag at the airport and then called in a fake bomb scare...you're a jerk and I hope they lock you up for a while! Not only did you jack up my evening, you jacked up a lot of people's evenings. Okay...done with the rant.

The rest of the weekend was good. Saw the new Harry Potter movie, played darts Saturday night (which is really tough with my useless finger right now!), and got lots of rest. My allergies are still acting up, and I had to miss the Saints and Sinners show at Trees last night. I am ready to feel better!!!

So have a good Monday! Thank goodness it's a short week!

Allergies are Not Romantic

I am one seriously congested girl today. I am hoping that this junk clears up before tonight. Otherwise I am going to have the sexy phlegm going on while cooking dinner tonight, and quite frankly, phlegm is not sexy. Not even a little. And especially not when it's the person preparing dinner.

That's it for today. Just a short little complaint about feeling crummy. Hope everyone else is having a good day! :)

Beware...Complaint Ahead!

I don't feel great today. I had to cancel dinner with Grampa last night in case I have something other than allergies. I am pretty sure it's due to the weather we've had...high winds, crazy temperature changes...all of this makes for a congested me. My throat is a little scratchy due to the drainage, but I'll be fine. I am trying to drink lots of liquids. I refuse to get officially sick! However, I did go home last night and slept pretty much all evening. I talked to David for an hour or so, though. He's so wonderful! We were going to take the day off together Friday and go hiking and have a picnic, but he has to fly to San Antonio for the day on business so we're going to hike another day. He won't tell me what he is planning for the picnic. He wants that to be a surprise. :) I LOVE surprises!! He's such a great guy...I feel really lucky we found each other. I know we've only been dating for six weeks, but it's just going really well. Anyone familiar with my dating history knows that this is a big achievement! So send good thoughts that this continues on as it is!

Onto other news...I am getting my hair cut tonight my hairstylist extraordinaire Christy! I am providing dinner for her and haircut/color aside, it's going to be so great to get caught up with her! :) It's always nice to spend time together!

Tomorrow night I am making dinner for David. Any suggestions on what to make would be greatly appreciated! I am prepared to go all out for this because I want to wow him with my culinary skills, so PLEASE submit recipes! I really want it to be special!

That's it for now...have a great day everyone!

A Lovely Evening

As a celebration of being stitch-free, Dave took me out to dinner last night. We went to the Olive Garden and had a great dinner. Afterwards we stopped at Target and he got logs for his fireplace and we went back and watched Spiderman 2 and enjoyed the fire. It was a very nice way to celebrate my stitch removal!

So tonight is my dinner date with Grampa. How about that...dinner dates two nights in a row, each night with a great man! :)

Tomorrow night after working out, Christy is going to cut/color my hair. YAY! It needs some help! It's been a while since I had a haircut so this is a great thing! I won't be doing anything drastic or really different, but my hair grows so fast it just needs to be trimmed up and textured. And then there are the gray hairs, but we don't have to talk about them!

So that's it for now. Have a great day!!

The Finger Saga Continues

The stitches are out! My finger has been liberated! :) I don't have to go back for more x-rays for another month, but the doctor says everything looks like it's progressing normally. (It still looks pretty ugly, but it's much better!) It even looks like my nail is trying to grow in! Yay!

So that's the latest on the finger. All is well!

Ein Deutches Requiem

I had a lovely evening last night. I had dinner with my parents and then went to TWU to hear the choir perform Brahms' German Requiem, which they performed in English. (Odd for me to hear, but I got over it.) It is, by far, my absolute most favorite piece of music ever. It's also very special to me and I have some emotional attachment to it, but it's so beautiful. I know the Alto line backwards and forwards, so I hummed along quietly and thought all the words in German. It was wonderful! What a great evening!

I get the remainder of my stitches out today!! David is taking me to dinner to celebrate my stitchlessness. Isn't that sweet? (Yes, go on and make gagging noises. I know it's silly to the rest of you...however, I don't care!) In other good finger-related news, it looks like the nail is trying very hard to grow in, so I think I'll be ok! :)

That's about it for today. Can you believe the Cowboys pulled it off at the end of the game last night? Who saw that coming? Blonde, I know you must be incredibly bummed!

Have a great day everyone!

The Holidays Have Arrived...In the Form of a Potluck Meal

You always know the holidays are here when your office has a potluck luncheon. We are having ours today, but in an effort to lose weight this week, I brought my lunch and am planning to skip the fatty foods. (Go me!) The company even sprang for the turkey and side dishes! But I am strong and will overcome any desire to participate.

It was a really nice weekend. I had dinner with my friend Kevin (we went to Outback...yum!) but I was so sleepy after a big dinner that I went home and went to bed. Saturday I went out to my Gran's gravesite with Mom to put flowers there. It's the first time I had been out there since her service. The headstone is there now, and it looks very nice. It's very peaceful out there, and someone put windchimes in the tree. It was windy Saturday and even though I normally don't care for windchimes, they were soothing. It was a nice visit and not as hard as I thought it would be.

Then we took my 10 year old cousin to her school carnival. We didn't stay too long because Mom and I needed to get home. Mom had plans of her own, and David was coming back to town and coming over, so I got home and picked up the apartment. When David got there, we chatted for a while and then he layed down and took a nap. He woke up around 7-ish and we decided to go out to dinner, so we went to the Melting Pot (my favorite restaurant!). We had such a good time! I can't help myself...I'm nuts about this guy! :)

Sunday I was lazy and slept in. I skipped WW because I just couldn't face the scale. So instead, Mom came over and we planned our menus for the week, and I feel good about it. I am going to have a great week and get lots of exercise in. I feel really in control right now, so I am going to run with that!

I had dinner with Angela and Kim last night to get caught up. Kim got a new car over the weekend...congrats girl! It was fun to get caught up, and we decided that we're going to get together soon so they can meet the new man! Kim is now single again and on the market, so if you know and nice guys, pass his pic along to me so that I can screen it for Kim! (She's awesome and needs a really great guy!)

Oh, my finger is healing up pretty well. I don't' have it covered today because having the bandage off feels better and it seems to heal faster when it can breathe! So I brought stuff to cover it in case anyone gets grossed out. It's still not pretty, but it does look MUCH better!

So that's it in a nutshell. I stayed up too late at Mom and Dad's, so I am sleepy this morning. Tonight I am going to hear the Brahms Requiem at Texas Wesleyan (My Alma Mater!). It's my very favorite piece of music. It will be so nice to hear it!

Have a wonderful day! Hugs to everyone!

Friday!! Yay!

It's been a long week! I've had to deal with feuding co-workers, my handicapped finger, and incredible soreness in my legs from my Tuesday workout, so I am glad to see Friday arrive! (Although I am working out again tonight, so we'll see how THAT goes!) My finger is doing well, but it's such a hassle doing anything. I get the rest of my stitches out Tuesday so maybe that will make me feel better.

The bandage on my hand is getting smaller!!

David comes back into town tomorrow and I am looking forward to that. :) I need to do laundry and clean the apartment so that everything will look nice. I also need to get a haircut so that I will look nice. Actually, I have a few personal maintenance things to do so maybe I will try and get some of them done before tomorrow afternoon. (eyebrow waxing being high on the list!) Maybe I should get a manicure, too (on the 9 fingers that aren't injured!).

So no big news other than that. Going with mom to visit my Gran's gravesite tomorrow morning. The headstone is in place and I want to take Gran some flowers. I know she's not there anymore, but it makes me feel comforted. I always used to bring her roses and she loved them, so I still want to do that for her.

I might go with Joseph to a film festival tonight. I have to workout and I don't know if I can make it in time. We'll see how things go. And Sunday I am getting together with Angela and Kim Williams (I know 2 Kims, both with last names beginning with "W"!) to catch up. We haven't been able to do that in a long time!!

One more very important thing...

Happy Veterans Day! Thanks to all our soldiers...active, retired, reserves...thanks for all you guys do! :)

Have a great weekend!

A Newsworthy Post

I'll start today by getting the complaining out of the way. My legs are so sore!! Walking is slightly painful right now. This is what happens when you take a week off from working out. I'll never do that again!

And now, the big news for me.

So about 5-6 weeks ago I met a really great guy. His name is David and he's probably the nicest guy I have ever met. I have kept his name out of the blog because every time I meet someone and then talk about him, it goes south quickly, so I have maintained a low dating profile for a bit. However, as of last Sunday, we are officially exclusive, so I figure it's time to mention his name here so that I can start including him in my weekend recaps. For instance, he travels on business frequently during the week, and although he was not due back until this coming Saturday, he drove back up here from Austin over the weekend just to see me. :) He's wonderful, and I think there is a lot of good potential with him, but I am wanting to take things very slowly and carefully...no rushing the relationship! So now you all know who David is when you come across his name in future blog entries.

And that's my big news!

Not much else to report, except that Grampa and I had a great dinner at The Black Eyed Pea. We had an awesome visit and I am truly grateful for the time we spend together. We talked about him missing my Gran and how he's missing her. I think the holidays are going to be tough for us all, but the nice thing is that we are close and we can lean on each other.

So I hope you all have a wonderful day! Remember that Friday is just a day away now!!

Ah, the Soreness!

I worked out last night! (Yay!!) Instead of walking, we did a heavy duty leg workout (lunges, leg presses, leg extensions, etc) and I am feeling the burn today, my dear readers! But it's a great thing! It's always motivating to feel like I am making progress.

There is nothing of note going on today in my world. Excpet that it's Dinner With Grampa night!! (Which is always wonderful!) So that's news. That and gas prices are $2.18/gal by my apartment. That's definitely news!

So have a wonderful day!

Vote Today!

This post begins with a PSA for my fellow Texans. Be sure to vote NO on Constitutional Amendment 2. This is the amendment that will ban same-sex marriage. Whatever your feelsing on this issue, what place does the government have in telling YOU who you can and cannot marry? SHould the government be forcing it's values down YOUR throat? And if this passes, what else will they decide for you? Passing this amendment simply chips away at our right to make a very personal decision. While I am not gay, I do believe that anyone should be able to marry whomever they choose. And please, if we're going to tak about keeping marriage a sacred institution, can we take a look at some of these celebrity marriages? (Uh, hello Britney Spears and the 56-hour Vegas marriage!) So I ask all of you in Texas to get out and vote NO on Amendment 2.

Now, back to my regularly scheduled blogging. :)

I am going to work out with Jacqueline tonight. I didn't get to work out last week due to the finger. (No weight lifting and no running since that forces blood to your fingertips which can cause swelling...and trust me when I say we just don't need that!) So we're going to walk tonight. Good thing, too...I need to get back in the groove. Yeah, I'm still having some trouble but I just refuse to give up. I've come too far to turn back now!

Tomorrow night I am having dinner with Grampa. It's nice to get back into my regular routine! I was all messed up last week. This darn finger!

Anyhow, that's it for today. Have a good one, everybody!

And the Doctor Says...

Surprisingly, I got 5 stitches removed! I get the rest out next week, and then follow up again in a month to check the progress. He seems to think the fingernail will grow back, but he isn't sure if it will look as lovely as my other nails. That's ok...as long as I have something to work with! (I can get a tip put on if I need to) The bone in the tip of my finger is pretty well smashed so he said it's not worth doingsurgery on it. It might heal up slightly crooked, but not enough that anyone would notice. So all in all, a good report.

Whew! I'm relieved!

The Finger, Continued.

So I went to my doctor on Friday and sufficiently freaked him out enough with my finger. As a result, I am seeing a hand specialist today at 11am. I am guessing he'll decide when the stitches can come out. The two on the under side of my finger are healing up very well, and I bet they come out soon. The ones on top? Probably a whole other story. We'll just see what he says. I'll feel better when I know what to expect.

Fairly uneventful weekend. Got to see Andy and Melissa and Kaylee Saturday night. Kaylee is so precious! She's about a month old now, and has gained two pounds already! :)

So that's it for now. I'll report on the doctor's visit later. Ugh!

Paris is Burning

There's been a lot of mention of the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois lately. Lots of racial tension there which has resulted in violence and mayhem. I can't begin to write how sad this makes me. My impression of Paris is so different from those images on the news. The Paris I saw was a wonderful mix of different people who were so kind to me and Kim. Hopefully the violence will end very soon and people can focus on the real problem and how to fix it.

Mom and I went to dinner last night since Dad was going to a football game with his cousin last night. We went to Macaroni Grill, and it was quite tasty. (They've added some very yummy low fat items to the menu!) Then we went back to my place so she could help me wash my hair since Frankenfinger prevents me from doing so. What an inconvenience this is! I am going to the doctor today so that he can look at it. I am hoping to have the stiches out fairly soon, but I'm nervous about my fingernail. We'll see what happens!

Joseph is playing rugby in Austin tomorrrow, so good luck to the Dallas Diablos!! I am crossing my fingers he doesn't damage himself TOO badly tomorrow! :)

I am going to try and see Capote this weekend. I hear great reviews!

Everyone have a great Friday!

Nothing New

I don't have any big news. My finger hasn't rotted and fallen off yet, so that's good. It still looks pretty gross when the bandages are off, but I keep it covered and save the public from looking at my horrible disifgurement. I go to the doctor tomorrow so we'll see what he has to say.

I took it easy last night and laid low with the parents. Went to dinner and the grocery store, then cleaned the finger and went home to get a good night's sleep. The hydrocodone helps! (I only take 1/2 because that's strong stuff!

So anyhow, nothing new. I'll post tomorrow about what the doctor says.

Have a wonderful day! :)

Me and My Sexy Finger!

Yeah, this whole finger injury thing? Not much fun at all! Today it's really not feeling very pleasant. Last night we changed the bandages on it and I had to look at it. It's gross!!! I kept having to sit down because looking at it was making me dizzy. And I can tolerate a lot of things! (Apparently not the sight of my own stitched up finger!) But it's sickening to look at. I am going to the doctor on Friday for follow up and a referral to a hand specialist if needed. Fun stuff!

Mom, Dad and Grampa and I went to church last night for the All Saints Day service. This is where we remember those we've lost over the last year, so we remembered my Gran. It was a beautiful service and the choir sang Faure's Requiem. (It was wonderful!)

Right now my finger is throbbing and now my head is starting to ache, too, so I am going to go find some Motrin. I can't take the hydrocodone here at work. Ugh!

My Gory Halloween Story (seriously, this is kinda gross)

So I was running an errand while out with my mom last night and we decided to stop for coffee. (My treat) I got out of the car and was walking towards the building when I was jerked backward because my finger was shut in the door. I didn't even know I had done it! I opened the car door and my first thought was that I had pretty much cut off the tip of my finger. I calmly walked in to Starbucks and got napkins and directions to the closest ER. Mom had to drive me there, and after getting checked in, the shock started to wear off and my finger (right index) was throbbing. (Not to mention there was blood on my favorite Born shoes and my Kate Spade bag!) They got me back, took x-rays and determined that I have crushed to bone in the very tip of my finger and ripped my fingernail off. Fortunately, I did it just above where the nail grows so I will "probably" have a fingernail again. I am going to be optimistic about this. They stitched the nail to my finger so that the nail bed will keep it's shape for when my new nail grows in. Nice, huh? I got 6 stitches on the top of my finger and another 2 on the bottom side. The anesthesia is wearing off so it feels not so good right now. My finger, when I saw it last night at the ER before they dressed it, looks horrible. I am absolutely afraid to remove the dressing tonight when I have to clean it. I can feel it swelling and it's going to look nasty. I have to wash and re-dress it this evening, so pray for me that I don't pass out. This thing looks like Frankenfinger. Don't worry, no pics will be posted.

I hope everyone else had a better Halloween!!