The Move

So, Christmas was lovely, albeit short. I was sick the whole time - coughing, fever, sinuses, etc., but my family is just so much fun that I found myself forgetting I was sick for periods of time. Really, no sarcasm. We played cards, ate lots of yummy food, opened lots of great presents. Laughed, giggled, farted. And then Monday they all helped us move to our new abode. A full day of lugging and sweating in the freezing cold. We woke up to about 2 inches of snow that morning. It must have been about 20 degrees or less. Frigid. Now both apartments have salt and sand from melting snow on the floors. Lots to clean up. The power brakes on the first U-Haul we rented gave out so we had to return it for another truck. Luckily it was between trips. Would not have been fun if it was already loaded down.

We tried to make the move as stress-free as possible for the kitties, but they were stressed nonetheless. Tabitha was up all night last night yowling and pacing around the house. We tried to close them both in the bedroom with us once we went to bed. That lasted for several hours while we all snoozed, but then she woke up and was ready to explore again. At least now our neighbors can't hear her when she's in a mood like this. Otto was the exact opposite - he wouldn't budge from the bed as long as that was where we were. He was playing with a catnip mouse this morning, so hopefully that's a good sign.

So I'm pooped and still sick and I didn't shower this morning because we forgot to grab the shower curtain from our apartment. I'm only here until about noon today and then I have the rest of the week off. I'm not sure when our computer will be set up. So this might be my last rambling entry for a while. We did set up the tv and DVD last night (priorities, people) and watched our new Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind DVD. I love, love, love that movie. And had some beers and snuggled on the couch and tried to convince the kitties to chill out with us.

I hope you all had a happy holiday weekend and that you have a safe and fabulous New Year's!

Sick

I started feeling sick yesterday morning and it progressed into a slight fever by the afternoon. Ibuprofren from a coworker helped with the fever, but I was falling asleep at my desk. I stopped by CVS on the way home to get Nyquil and ended up going to bed around 8:30 last night. Very fitful sleeping. Now I'm sitting at work hopped up on Dayquil, zinc, Vitamin C and coffee. And water. And cough drops. I'm not stuffed up, but my throat hurts and I keep coughing. And my head hurts. Ugh. Just what I need right now.

I was invited back to play pitch today. They play during their 9am break (15 minutes) and then again during their lunch break for 1/2 hour. Very fast card playing. I redeemed myself from earlier this week. Luckily. I was sure I'd never get invited back.

And my hubby and I are getting more and more snippy with each other. The weather is crap, I feel sick, he feels sick and we are both tired of packing and moving things. And having the apartment in complete chaos. And the cats are starting to get worried and that makes them very noisy and needy.

I feel like I'm living in a gray cloud.

Moving

Well, now that he no longer has exams and classes to worry about, my hubby is worrying about being able to move everything out on time. We are renting a truck the Monday after Christmas and then will have 3 days to clean this apartment before the management representative does a walk-through. And we've moved a lot of knick-knacks, books, dishes, etc. out already. And he is continuing to move boxes every day while I'm at work. But he's still worried. And now he's threatening to take down the computer and desk tomorrow. Because they take at least a day to take down. (?) - his estimate, not mine. Having taken down and put together plenty of computer systems in my day, he is in full exaggeration mode at this point. We are going to be up at my parents' house for most of the weekend, so he is correct that we have less time than we'd like.

So, if you don't hear from me again until next week (once our Internet connection is set-up at the new place), I hope you all have a very safe and happy holiday weekend. That is, unless I'm feeling naughty and I blog from work because I miss you all so much. You never know.

Pitch

So, every day there is a group of guys from the manufacturing side of our company who get together and play Pitch during a couple of the morning breaks. Always the same group of guys. And one of them was out on Friday and I was invited to sit in for him. The first time a woman has sat in on the game. And I played pretty well (having lots of experience with Pitch with my family). And I was invited back today because a different guy was out. And I frickin' SUCKED!!! It was a different seat at the table and they play teams and I kept forgetting which of guys was on my team. I'm never going to be invited back.

Treats!

So, what to my wondering eyes did appear? A Tuppermail package from dayment, my dear. (okay, so that doesn't fit the original rhyme...). Peppermint Bark! Some kind of nutty coconut concoction! Shortbread! All of it gone. Very yummy - thanks! Now I feel bad about only sending a card. ;)

We got a bunch of snow last night. There is probably 4 inches or so out there. All the schools around here are canceled. And I'm up early so that I can dig out my car and go to work. And my poor hubby, who had planned to sleep in, is up with boots and gloves and scarf and hat to help with the big dig. I've got my big winter boots on and am about to get bundled up. We have a stupid shovel. When we moved from California - my hubby's coworkers gave him a shovel as a going away present. Ha, ha, very funny. Except it is a frickin' coal shovel! Large, metal, very heavy when it is covered in snow. And the snow adheres to it, so by the time you are done, everything has magnetically attached itself to this huge thing. I've complained about it every winter since we got out here, but have I bought a new one? No. Stupid shovel.

Heartbreaking

"Sad to the depths of his 4-year-old soul, Jack Shanaberger knew what he didn't want to be when he grows up: a father.

"I don't want to be a daddy because daddies die," the child solemnly told his mother after his father, Staff Sgt. Wentz "Baron" Shanaberger, a military policeman from Fort Pierce, Fla., was killed March 23 in an ambush in Iraq."

How long must this go on? $150 BILLION has been spent on this war and the soldiers are still getting killed because they don't have enough armor. I fully support the troops - I just don't support this war of CHOICE. Choice, people. Not a war because we were attacked. This war was planned for years before we entered Iraq. WHY don't they have enough armor and protection? My must little children live without their parents for a war that no one can justify? There's a really good article about this on salon.com.

More:

Retracted News Stories, Hidden Body Bags, and a Deaf Ear for Experienced Soldiers: No Wonder Morale is Down in Iraq

Government Looking at Military Draft Lists - know any men between the ages of 18 and 25?

"The Selective Service System (SSS) and the U.S. Department of Education now are gearing up to compare their computer records, to make sure all men between the ages of 18 and 25 who are required to register for a military draft have done so.

The SSS and the education department will begin comparing their lists on Jan. 1, 2005, according to a memo authored by Jack Martin, acting Selective Service director."

Buy Blue

Well, I've been a bad blue consumer this year. I purchased the majority of my Christmas presents on Amazon.com and now I've found out that they are a big contributor to the Republican machine. That really bums me out. Shame on you, Amazon.

I was boycotting Walmart already. And now I find out Target is also on the list for red companies. Man.

Oh Yeah

So, a couple of months or so ago, I was totally into KoL. So much so that I would actually get up early to play before getting ready for work. And that takes a lot, people. So addicted that when we were at the Cape this summer for the first time in years, I was plotting ways to sneak out to the library where there must be an Internet connection. I didn't, so don't get that look. But the thought was there, permeating my vacation.

And now I can't remember exactly what happened, but I stopped playing. And I have two separate characters who amassed at least 11 million meat each plus a whole bunch of great loot (like spectral pickles and such) and I'm feeling guilty that it is all just sitting there. So, if someone from my clan is still playing - let me know and I'll send you the stuff. Or, and this question is for the great and all-knowing styro, should I just donate everything to the clan?

'Twas the week before Christmas

Or should it be: 'Twere the weeks before Christmas...

Anyhoo. Our apartment is a ransacked mess. We are steadily packing up all my collected trinkets and gewgaws and bringing them up to the house. Yesterday was my lovely hubby's birthday and he willingly made two loaded-down-with-boxes trips up to the house. We also had breakfast at my brother's house and later ordered Chinese (for him)/Japanese (for me) and rented some movies. "Maria, Full of Grace" and "Hero". Both very good in very different ways.

No snow or ice to speak of. After all the warnings and worry. Part of my hubby's birthday present was an electric ice scraper which we now have yet to actually use. Also some YakTrax - you put them on the bottom of your shoes for traction.

I've addressed and sent all of our Christmas cards. I'm actually ahead of schedule this year. I still have some presents to put together - which may or may not get done. My mom has ordered two cakes from me for Christmas. One for a neighbor and one for my family. I'm going to do an English Toffee cheesecake for the neighbor and then a more fancy chocolate confection for my family. We shall see how stressed I am next week.

Work is getting dangerous right now. What with all the cookies and chocolates and treats people are bringing in. Ugh. Very hard to resist when they all look so yummy. I guess I just need to try and pretend they are fake. Good luck, me.

Whew!

Good thing I got those snow tires, eh?

Snow and Ice

So, Tuesday's little snow storm dropped about 2 inches in most areas and then overnight covered everything with a thick layer of ice. And then it drizzled all day yesterday. Gray, dark, cold and wet. Yuck. To show you an example of my impeccable timing, I had snow tires put on my car yesterday. The day after the storm. Ha ha, yes all you men at work commenting on this, it was really funny. The snow tires are pretty cool. They make the car a little louder, but it now feels very solid. I usually just make do with all-weather tires, but since we are moving North and my West Coast hubby will now be doing most of the driving, I thought it was worthwhile to get the better tires.

All the Christmas presents I've ordered so far have started to arrive. I have them all piled up in an empty corner of the apartment so that I don't allow myself to be too clever and hide them. And then forget about them until next year. All presents for my hubby have been wrapped. Not that he would really start snooping. I'm the snooper. I love surprises, but I'm also way too curious. When I was younger, I used to unwrap presents for me that my family had already, stupidly, weeks in advance, put under the tree. And then re-wrap them and act surprised. Oh yes, they were so fooled by my amazing acting skills.

This weekend is my packing, wrapping, addressing Christmas cards, making some cute things that I cannot list, and all around cleaning-up-a-bit weekend.

A case of the Mondays

Still in a fog from the weekend. I did lots of baking/cooking. I had an order for 2 pumpkin cheesecakes that were baked without a hitch. To high accolades, luckily. Since I also had to drop off the hubby at school, and since Trader Joe's is neary, I just HAD to stop in. I bought pizza dough and all kinds of frozen goodies and other yummies. I went home, finished the cheesecakes with the cream cheese topping and the caramel and then got to work on some turkey and black bean chili. Chipotle flavored. I also added lots of garlic and some Thai red curry paste. End result, after hours of simmering, was scrumptious. I have an idea for a secret ingredient that will add a bit of thickening and will round out the flavor exquisitely. Time to enter a chili cook-off, if you ask me.

And then Sunday was pizza! 15 minutes from start to finish. Can't beat it. AND it tasted like homemade. We also watched "Elf" and "Harry Potter, Prizoner of Azkaban (sp?)". Both pretty good. "Elf" especially. I love a funny, feel-good movie. And the Harry Potter movie was nice and dark. Well thought-out.

I still have "Saved" to watch before returning.

And I have a freezer/refrigerator full of Trader Joe's goodies.

Oh yeah. We pulled names for Secret Santas at work. Gifts were to be given this week only, culminating in the big reveal/ornament give-away on Friday. And my Secret Santa did not give me a gift until about 2pm today. I really thought I'd be the one with the lame Santa. And I have an idea who has my name. Already. On Monday. Ah well. Good gift, anyway. A cute Christmas tin filled with Hershey's Kisses Caramels and Ferrero Rocher candies. Which I promptly brought home because that would be dangerous to have on my desk all day at work. And by home, I mean I brought it home for my husband to enjoy. He can handle the chocolate much better than I.

I hope you all had a great weekend.

Oh frickin' yeah! I can't believe I forgot this: It SNOWED today! We got about an inch. And in the morning? I'm driving through freezing rain. Woopee! My cute, fair-weathered hubby proclaimed this morning that it smelled like snow. Aw! So cute! He's becoming a New Englander! ;)

Weekend!

Tonight and tomorrow find me making two pumpkin caramel cheesecakes for a dinner party. One of my brother's friends ordered them from me last night. ;) I get the recipe from epicurious.com. It's pretty easy and very yummy. I tend to get fancy with the caramel and use a lot more than the recipe calls for.

My hubby is mostly likely going to be taking the...um...William F. Putney (?) William Lowell Putnam math exam. If you receive the top score in the nation, you get a full scholarship to...um...somewhere really good Harvard University. Anyway, it's very hard and very long. He'll be there all day while I finish baking yummy cakes and then shopping at Trader Joe's and maybe looking for some new black boots. Because baby needs a new pair. I like boots that give me some height and are comfortable. So high heels are fine as long as the sole has a bit of platform to even things out. No, not really in fashion, but I'm okay with that.

I also need to get stocking stuffers for my family and the extendeds. Can't list my ideas because of blog snooping.

I need to start packing more aggressively for the move up north. The plan is to get all the small knick-knacks and seldom used kitchen things up there first and then the move day should be just the big furniture. The woman from whom we are renting is being very generous about letting us into the house before our official move-in date.

Anyhoo, I hope you all have a lovely weekend. It's going to be chilly with a chance of flurries here. Good thing I'm getting snow tires on Tuesday.

Thanksgiving

We had a fun, albeit tiring, time. Lots of driving. The drive from LA to Willits should have taken about 8.5 hours each way - actually took about 11 hours each way. Ugh. Traffic in San Francisco and places north on the way up and then traffic trying to head into LA. LA people seem to be very afraid of fog and rain. Wimps. Not sure which photos you'd want to see, so I'm going to give you more kitties.

Paco, the gray taco: a skinny, scaredy kitty who loves to frolic all night, especially when new people are sleeping in the living room on an air mattress.

and Felonius Stink: a cantankerous, persnickety fuss bomb. Who has just recently been let outdoors and that is probably the reason for all the attitude. She is a big snuggler, though. Quite the redeeming quality for all the grief. (I think those might be Nathan's boxer shorts on which she's snoozing...)