Sarcasm doesn't translate well in print

It's New Year's Eve...yippee. (Unfortunately, sarcasm is so hard to convey in writing, but if I were speaking, that would have been my sarcastic voice) Preschool Queen and Homer are having their annual New Year's Eve party in a few hours, and I can't even get excited enough to want to go. Hopefully I'll feel differently once I'm there. Sometimes I really just get stuck in my own head and tend to be a homebody... and that's how I'm feeling tonight.
I'm very excited that Marsh has offered to help me with my Arabic. I'm sure as soon as I get the program I'll be taking her up on the offer...Thank you Marsh (I hope you don't regret making the offer...)
Sitting here watching football right now. I slept through the Patriots game, but they won. The game didn't really matter because they clinched their playoff berth last week, but it's always nice when they win. Will can't understand why I love watching them so much. He says they are a boring team to watch. I have to agree. The wins are never pretty, but they win when it matters. It seems like that's what they are good at, and yes, some of the games can be pretty boring, but they're my team...So since I missed that game, I'm watching the Falcons play the Eagles. I can't wait for the playoffs to start--it's my favorite part of the season. I can't believe I've just been babbling about football, I think that's the first time I've rambled about sports. And yes, it is my idea of a perfect Sunday, sitting on the couch watching football all afternoon. I'll watch alone, but it really is something that I love doing with someone else. It's what I've done on Sunday for as long as I can remember, when I was little, I used to fall asleep on the couch with my Dad when he was watching.
Well, I should get motivated and put together the Artichoke Dip that I'm bringing and make sure the champagne is cold enough and get moving. Hope every one's New Years is wonderful. Be safe and sensible as well.

The Saga of the Rogue Wave...

Will has been taking great pleasure lately in teasing me relentlessly about my upcoming cruise. He keeps telling me that there is going to be a rogue wave to capsize the ship. And every once in a while he'll walk over with at photo or an article he's found about cruise ships and big waves. I think he does it just because he knows that it will rile me up, and I know he thinks getting me all riled is very funny. In fact, last night he was just hysterically laughing at me as I was getting more and more frustrated with it. In all honesty, it makes me laugh as well. I realize that he's just teasing and means nothing by it. The night before I left for London, he was trying to get me to sign a shift swap form (I have weekends off, he doesn't) "just in case anything happens." It really cracked me up...after I was done being mad. Somehow I always manage to make Will laugh, and I just love that. All of my friends outside of work are so funny, that I'm not considered 'the funny one'. So sometimes I forget that I am pretty funny. He reminds me of that. And I have to say that it's one of my favorite things, being able to make someone else laugh. I just love the sound of laughter.
And although I usually have weekends off, this is not to be one of those nights. One of my supervisors, was wheeling and dealing with me before we left this morning, trying to convince me to come in tonight. Well, he succeeded. He offered to change my days off, so that I work tonight, but have Monday night off. And since it's the holiday weekend, I thought that would be nice. That way if I drink a little too much on Sunday night , it is New Year's Eve after all, I don't have to worry about having to go to work. It's to the benefit of work as well, because we were going to be really short-staffed tonight, and over-staffed on Monday, so it balances things out just a bit. And it's a snowy, sloppy morning, so I don't mind going to sleep.
I'm starting a scrapbooking class online with Lead Momma. It's been so long since she and I were in any classes together. It should be a lot of fun. I think it's going to concentrate on a specific philosophy of scrapbooking and getting organized so that photos can quickly get into books rather than sit on shelves. I think it'll be really good. Sometimes I get too focused on the chronological scrapbook; and those can get pretty boring. Anyway, I'll update how it's going once it starts. I have really been missing taking classes and going to school. As soon as my BA is paid off, I'll get my Masters. I wish I could start sooner, but I'm trying to be realistic as far as the finances go. I found a great program online that I think would be great. It's a program in Diplomacy from Norwich University. So, maybe that will be in my future; but then again, who knows. If asked 3 years ago what things would look like now, this is not how I ever would have answered. I did ask my parents for a language program for Christmas and I know that they ordered it for me. I looked into all the different ways to learn languages, and Rosetta Stone was really the best option out there. So once I see my parents after they return from FL, I'll be on my way to learning Arabic. I'm excited but also quite nervous about it. Arabic is just so very different from English or Spanish (the other language that I've studied)...hopefully it'll work for me! Wish me luck!

Where I've Been

Okay, so I found this on another blog, and thought it was really cool, so I just had to add it to mine. As you can see, I've only been to 1% of the world, I have a lot of places to head to and as I travel, I thought I'd add to it. There are less than 90 days until the cruise, I'll be sipping frozen drinks and enjoying the warm sunshine before long! Can't wait!

Things are Good

I realize that I haven't posted much recently, no excuse, just an explanation...There is a lot on my plate right now that I would like to write about, but won't and so it sometimes makes posting harder.
Christmas was great, I spent it with Homer and Preschool Queen and of course Captain Contrary. He was so much fun to watch open all his presents. He was just tearing through everything until he got to the book that I wrote of the adventures that Tank and I had while we were in London, when he handed it to me and said 'read it'. So we sat and read the whole thing. He loved it, especially the photo of the guard at the British Museum throwing him out. After we were finished opening presents, we had breakfast, and then I had to head home so I could sleep before work.
Work was actually nice on Monday night. It was so slow that we were all able to enjoy the meal that we had made. It was fun. And of course there were way too many left overs--isn't that always the way?
My parents are currently in Florida for a family wedding. My cousin is getting married on Saturday, and most of the family is there. It should be fun for everyone. I'm still just not into going to weddings yet. I realize it's a family thing, and that I should be there, but I know myself well enough to know that I won't enjoy myself; and let's face it, at a wedding people should be happy.
I really can't believe this year is almost over. I know people say it all the time, but this year has gone by so very quickly. So much has happened, it almost seems impossible that it has only been 12 months. My life is so drastically different than it was just a year ago; but at the same time, it's better as well. I'm truly happy (and I have to say, I never thought I'd feel that way).
Things are good.

Christmas Baking

So I was right, there was not much sleep to be had yesterday. I tried to get into bed as soon as I got home so I could get some sleep before going to get Captain Contrary. Because that's not what my body is used to, it didn't work. I finally quit fighting it, and got up around 10:30 and did a few things here before picking him up at school. Now, who remembers what the last day of school before Christmas vacation is like? Yup, he was wound up on sugar like you wouldn't believe. Preschool Queen thought she'd be able to pick him up around 2:30 knowing that I needed sleep for work. Unfortunately, she was unable to get away until 5. I needed to be up at 7 so I could meet Will before work. So it was an insanely small amount of sleep. I'm not sure how some people function on that little sleep. And the crazy part is that now that I'm at home, I'm not remotely tired. Go figure.
I'm trying to finish up my Christmas baking right now. I've finished the coconut indulgences, and raspberry almond bars, and I have the first batch of lemon fig cakes are in the oven. All that's left are oatmeal chocolate chip cranberry cookies. Those I'll do tomorrow. I was supposed to drive down to see the 'rents, but the weather is supposed to be suspect at best (freezing rain/sleet) so we'll get together some other time in January. So I now have an extra day to do what I need to. Which also gives me time to work on the scrapbook for Captain Contrary.

Ramblings

I think, looking back, one of the things I treasure most about my trip was the silence. Because I was alone I had a lot of time to reflect on the amazing places I was visiting. I think I was able to absorb many more of the details because of that. It also afforded me the luxury of not being labeled 'the ugly American'.
I can say that I'm in a better space mentally and emotionally. I feel much more at peace and a sense of self-confidence that had been missing for so long. I'm quite proud of the fact that I did this alone, and can't wait until the next solo trip I take!
In the details of daily life, Preschool Queen and I hung out on Saturday. We really had a great time. She surprised me by telling me how much she missed me while I was gone. I'm not really sure why this surprised me, but I don't think she's ever put it so profusly before. Anyway, we went shopping and the goal was to finish my Christmas list...What is that saying about the best laid plans? It was certainly a successful shopping day, but I didn't cross a thing off my list. Oh well, the Internet is a beautiful thing. I'm just about done with the exception of baking, which I'll be doing throughout the week. Time to battle the oven again. And I'm just waiting for the post office to open so I can mail the few presents out to my out of town friends.
And hopefully my photos from London will arrive today so I can get started on the book for Captain Contrary. I can't believe how much I missed him while I was gone! I'm actually babysitting him on Thursday afternoon. His school has a half day and Preschool Queen asked me if I could hang out with him. It should be lots of fun. I think I'll try to come up with some sort of project for him to do to give to his mom and dad for Christmas (can you tell I used to be a teacher?) So, there won't be much sleeping on Thursday...oh well!

Reflections on London

This holiday to London did precisely what I wanted it to do. My self confidence has risen more than I thought possible. I feel so much better in my skin. I don't know if that makes any sense; but that's how I feel. Not having anyone to rely on was the most liberating experience. Knowing that I had to make all the decisions was great. I now know that I can do anything. And my fear of flying has gone as well (good thing what with the 7.5 hour flights from Heathrow to JFK.) I'm really looking forward to the next time I fly. Which is in less than 100 days when we catch a flight to Ft Lauderdale to board the cruise ship. That should be the relaxing holiday I need. The trip to London was phenomenal, but could never be referred to as relaxing.
And Christmas is almost upon us. I can't believe that it's in one week. I don't know if that's from being away at the beginning of the month, or if it has something to do with the weather. It has been abnormally warm here. Lead Momma said the same thing, she said it was 70 degrees on Saturday! Now it certainly wasn't that warm here, but mid-forties is not typical. I'd really rather like some snow for Christmas. Will has been complaining about the same thing.
So there seems to be that crazy rush that leads up to Christmas. I hate to say it, but I'm just not in the mood this year. I don't know what it is, but I just can't seem to get interested in it. I'm hoping that this will get better.

Wrap Up of the Trip Part II

So on Friday I went to the Tower of London. I would say, for the money, it's one of the best tours in the city. The Beefeaters (they used to be guards, now they are tour guides) are just great. They have so much information regarding the Tower. And the coolest part, they live inside the walls of the Tower. There are about 3 dozen of them, and they live there with their families along with a large regiment of active duty military men, guarding the crown jewels. Which is the most breath-taking exhibit I have ever seen. They are simply beautiful. I can only imagine what a 5 pound crown feels like on your head. As I wandered through the rest of the tower grounds/buildings I was specifically struck by the grafitti that remains from the prisoners. And I have to say that it's not like what we think of as grafitti...they are truly small and sometimes large works of art; beautiful carvings left on the wall. I can't imagine being forced into one of the small cells and left there. It must have been just miserable. I took so many pictures there I had to laugh when I got back to the room and was looking through all of them on the camera.
That night, I found a tiny Lebanese restaurant, and had simply the best meal I have ever eaten. I can't even begin to describe how good the food was, and the waiter was awfully cute as well. He wanted to know when he could see me again, and I had to tell him I was headed back to the States in two days. Anyway, the food was simply fantastic. I was really spoiled with all the delicious ethnic cuisine that I was able to get, compared to what we have here in VT. I think that's the part I miss the most about the city.
So on Saturday, I went shopping...Harrod's and Harvey Nichols to be precise. I have never seen anything like those two stores. For anyone who doesn't know, they are two of the most exclusive department stores going. I bought a beautiful handbag at Harvey Nics and really cool shoes at Harrod's. I was very tempted by a beautiful pair of Jimmy Choos at Harrods, but I simply refuse to pay the equivilent of $600 for a pair of dress shoes. I have to say that after a while I was pretty overwhelmed. The food courts were amazing, with delicacies you could only dream about and the clothes were simply stunning. It was a really long day, but I had just the best time and then headed back to the hotel to pack.
On Sunday I headed to Heathrow around 9 in the morning; and I'm glad I did, even though my flight wasn't until 1:30pm. The lines in the BA terminal were out of control. It took me about an hour to check in and then another half hour to get through security. The lines just seemed endless. The flights were very uneventful; although I must say that I sat next to a really nice guy from Bel Air on the flight from JFK to Burlington. He was cute and very fun to talk to, and he kept my mind off the fact that I was exhausted and not feeling very well.
On the whole, I'd have to say that this was just the greatest trip; and I'm not sure how I'll ever top it. I'd go back and in fact I'd move to London in a heartbeat. I simply loved the city that much. Now however, it's back to real life and getting ready for Christmas as well as all other kinds of drama. More later!

Wrap Up of the Trip Part I

So, I'm finally home and dealing with the aftermath of jet lag and the cold that I managed to get while I was in London, but refused to acknowledge. I do want to wrap up what the rest of the week was like, though.
St Paul's Cathedral is simply amazing. The current building was designed and built in 1666 by Christopher Wren. It's also the second largest cathedral in the world. There's St Peter's in Rome and then St Paul's. The building is breath-taking inside. When you first walk in, it's very light and peaceful, with light colored walls and simple lead glass windows. This part is how Wren designed it, and what he wanted was a certain amount of peace for reflection. As you walk down the Nave towards the Choir, the ceilings and walls are then covered in glass mosaics. The Victorians decorated that way. It is beautiful and I swear you could stare for hours and still see new details all the time. The building took a direct hit during the Blitz in 1940, and the high alter was destroyed. When it came time to rebuild, the British people put in a small chapel behind the alter for the American service men and women who died on British soil. The outside of the building, and of many other buildings in London still show signs of the damage from the Blitz. Those holes will never be filled in as a reminder to what Londoners went through. I learned during the walk about the Blitz that of the 60000 civilians who were killed during those bombings, 30000 of them were Londoners. But the spirit of the British and indeed of Londoners remained high due to Winston Churchill. He had a phrase that he used, KBO, which stood for Keep Buggering On. I love it. People just went about their daily lives, refusing to give in. Anyway, after I wandered around for hours, I asked at the information desk if there were any more tickets to that evening's preformance of Handel's Messiah. And to my great surprise, one of the women who volunteers at the Cathedral opened her bag and gave me one of her tickets. I was speechless. I thanked her, and went back to change and get ready for the concert. What I didn't realize at the time was that because she is a Friend of the Cathedral, they were different tickets from the general public ones, and meant that I had amazing seats. I think I was in the fifth row. The concert was simply fantastic. It was just beautiful, and went by so quickly. As I was leaving, I happened to see the woman who gave me the ticket, and thanked her profusly for it. An interesting fact that I learned during the Blitz walk, the Friends of the Cathedral are actually left over from WWII. Churchill decreed that the Cathedral must be protected no matter what, so a group of volunteers were gathered for a fire watch to protect the building and they did so and after the war the group became the Friends of the Cathedral.
Westminster Abbey was just as amazing. Besides being the resting place of some of Britain's most famous citizens, it's also where all the Coronations are held. The Coronation chair is directly behind the alter, and it's the same chair that has been used in every coronation except for two since the year 1300. The building is just so beautiful, but I think my favorite tomb would have to be that of the Unknown Soldier from WWI. It's right as you walk out of the Abbey, and the letters on the tomb are made from melted down weapons from that war. Here photography is strictly not allowed, and maybe because it was a house of God, but it was much more respectful to those who are resting there. I do think that I liked the Cathedral more than the Abbey, though.
I was at the Abbey on Thursday morning, and then went on the Blitz walk, which was just fantastic. I learned so much about that time; and I really wish I could remember some of the stories that the tour guide provided because they were great. The weather was pretty lousy, it was very windy and it was raining on and off. What I didn't know was that in North London, there was a tornado that touched down. There was quite a bit of damage done, and there are many families who won't be able to be home for Christmas.
Friday I went to the Tower of London, and I'll write more about that in my next post, this jet lag thing is just too much right now...

The Many Places I've Been

So, I realize that it's been a few days since I've written, but I've been so busy seeing this amazing city, and then falling into bed absolutely exhausted. I think the good thing has been that being so busy during the day has allowed me to sleep well at night, something that I've been unable to do at home lately. The bad news is that although I've been blaming the way I feel on the pollution in the Underground, I think I may be sick. Not that I'm acknowledging it or anything. As far as I'm concerned, I can be sick on the plane on the way home, not before then. They do however have some very cool cough drops that are OTC which actually have antibiotics in them, and they seem to be helping.
So, since I've written, I went to the British Museum, saw Mary Poppins, went to the British Library, St Paul's Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey and heard Handel's Messiah in concert at St Paul's Cathedral. Also went on a walk in the city focusing on the Blitz. So, where to begin. I guess at the beginning with the Museum. It was just amazing, but I guess I didn't get the memo that it was school field trip day. It seemed like there were a million children running around. And I do mean running and yelling. Now for me, it's a museum, and I really think the chaperons should have done a better job of keeping the children under control. The exhibits were amazing nonetheless. My favorite of course was the Egyptian section, it was my main purpose for going. I do however have one issue with the whole thing, the mummies. I didn't think that I would feel this way, but when I was standing there looking at these people, because they are people, I felt an overwhelming sadness. It doesn't seem like they are allowed their peace, being in a museum like that with people being disrespectful, taking photos and whatnot. Maybe I was over-reacting, but I cleared out of that room as quickly as possible. The great hall was just amazing, so full of light, and just simply beautiful, and to think that it was used just as storage until just recently.
Next was Mary Poppins. It was just great! I did have to get over the fact that it was not Julie Andrews, and it's not just like the movie, it's longer and there are parts that may be in the book but not the movie, but like I said, it was wonderful. The singing was simply lovely; and the actor who played Bert was actually an American (the only one in the play). And there was more hinting at a love story between Bert and Mary. It was quite sweet. So, completely two thumbs up on that one. Very worth the cash. And to be honest, I haven't done anything in this city that wasn't worth what I paid for it.
The British Library is situated right next to King's Cross Station (yes, the one from Harry Potter) too bad it doesn't look anything like what is described in the book or shown in the movie. The train station that is used in HP2 is actually St Pancreas, which is right next to King's Cross. I took some pictures, but unfortunately the building is undergoing a restoration, so there is much scaffolding in all of the photos. The library is a newer building, rather modern architecture. I think the Queen dedicated it in 1998. Anyway, they have a small gallery with some of their more famous books on display. It was simply amazing to see history like that. The have one of the first King James Bibles, the Magna Carta, one of the first written copies of Beowulf as well as hand written copies of lyrics to some of the Beatles more famous songs. They also have Jane Austen's writing desk; and pages from Leonardo DaVinci's notebooks. Like I said, simply amazing.
More later, as I'm getting quite hungry.

Trafalgar Square and the Cabinet War Rooms

As I had mentioned in my previous post, yesterday I used the bus to get on and off at a variety of locations. The first place I got off at was Trafalgar Square, where the city workers were busily getting the Christmas Tree ready for the lighting on Thursday night. I have to say, the huge monument to Nelson is cool, but it's so high, you can't actually see him. The lions at the four corners of his statue are cool, and really huge. And I learned from one of the tour guides that the man who designed the lions didn't know what their back was supposed to look like, so he modeled it after what his pet Labrador looked like lying down. Stuff like that cracks me up. The fountains in the square are also very nice. So, I wandered around there taking pictures for 15 minutes or so, and then went back to get the next bus.
The next time I got off was near 10 Downing St. I had to take a picture of the gates and the street that Tony Blair lives down. Before I took the photo, not wanting to get arrested, I asked one of the guards if it was even okay, and he teased me a bit, but then told me it was fine. This country loves it's memorials, and there is another one in the middle of the street across from 10 Downing St called the Women of WWII, and it's quite nice, it's all of the different uniforms worn by women during the war.
And then I spent the bulk of my afternoon at the Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum. The rooms were either left exactly as they were when the war ended, or they were restored using photos from that time. They even have all the original furniture. Imagine, the chair where Churchill sat, and the rooms in which they all lived for ages. I guess Churchill only slept down there a few times, because it is attached by passageways to 10 Downing St. It's certainly not a place for anybody claustrophobic. There was a movie playing at one point which was of what Christmas was like in 1940 London. It was heartbreaking, but again, I was amazed by the human spirit. Since they were spending so much time in shelters and basements, instead of having huge Christmas trees, they had small ones, not more than 3 feet tall. Apparently the popular gifts for children were model airplanes, and the children were all proud of the fact that they could identify a Spitfire by the sound. The Churchill museum was entirely interactive, with many clips from the speeches he gave especially during the beginning of the war, when Britain faced Germany alone. I am continually amazed at what an amazing orator he is, and many of the speeches he wrote himself. I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but there are still buildings in London with damage from the Blitz. There's a church in the center of London with pock marks all over one side.
So, today it's off to the British Museum, and tickets to see Mary Poppins tonight!!

The Big Bus Tour

Okay, so on Sunday I took the Big Bus Tour of the city. For £20, the ticket is good for 48 hours and you can get on and off the bus as often as you want, or you can stay on for the entire 2 1/2 hour tour of the city. I decided to stay on for the whole tour yesterday. It was great, and this morning I'm going to go back and get off at a few different parks and whatnot to get some pictures that I wasn't able to get before. The depth of the history of this city is just amazing to me. I think one of my favorite things that I saw was a bridge over the Thames nicknamed the Ladies bridge. Construction was finished in 1942, mainly by women, since all the men were busy fighting the Germans.
And last night I saw a show at the London Palladium, which is just beautiful by the way, and the theatre where the Sound of Music is currently running. But the show I saw was called Christmas with the Rat Pack. The premise of the show was one of the nights when Frank, Sammy and Dean preformed at the Sands in Las Vegas. So, they sang traditional Christmas music, but also did the songs that these men were famous for. And I have to say, they sounded so much like those three men, I was astounded, and they even looked like them. I'm sure if you were very close, you could see differences, but from the audience it was like looking at Frank, Sammy and Dean. I loved it!!
I've been riding the Tube a lot in the past few days, and last night I was a some stop somewhere. I was standing on the platform waiting for my train, and I was watching the train opposite as it was loading and then moving on. Now I was pretty far underground, having to go under another train. And as I was standing there, I started thinking about how terrifying it must have been to have been in the tube when it was bombed. I can't imagine having it fill with smoke and fire on both ends. And as I was thinking about that, I also started thinking about the human spirit, and how it just refuses to give in. Sure, after 9/11 some Americans were afraid to fly, but a majority just went about their lives; and the same is true of the British with traveling on the Tube. I did however, notice that there are not garbage cans in the stations anywhere. But it's remarkably clean, and well lit and safe.

Charles Dickens Festival

So, yesterday I decided to take on of the London Walking Tours. This one was described as an explorer day which means that it's a trip out of the city for the day. And for only £23, I thought it was a pretty good deal. That included train fare to and from Rochester, Kent and two walking tours that were about 1 1/2 hours each. Anyway, I highly recommend the tours, they are great. I'm actually planning on doing another one here in the city on Thursday dealing with the Blitz. (I told you I was a history nerd...) So, back to the walk, Rochester is where Charles Dickens lived as a child, and then again as an adult. The town is full of locations from his books, and while I haven't read many of his books, the one I remember is Great Expectations and it was just wild to see the house that he had described as being the one Miss Havesham lived in. It was actually the Restoration House, where Charles II stayed his first night back in England before returning to London to resume the throne. The tour guides were amazing, both Allison and Simon were in full costume. Rochester also has a very cool castle, and very old Cathedral. There had been a church on that sight since the year 600. Now, being an American, things like that just seem so hard to comprehend. The church used to be Saxon, but was then rebuilt in the Norman style (apparently you can tell that it's Norman because they had rounded arches only...) and then at the back is a more recent addition in the Gothic style. Oh, Rochester is also on the old Roman road, from when the Roman Empire had outposts in Great Britain.
Anyway, this Charles Dickens Christmas Festival is wonderful. There are two parades during the day with everyone dressed in period costume, they even have people dressed as some of the characters from his books. And the town has all these charming little shops and places to eat as well. It was just a wonderful day. And on the train on the way home I sat with a lovely family from Seattle, or rather a mom and her son and a friend of theirs who is from Seattle, but whose family lives here in London now. Anyway, we were talking about all sorts of things, and the man who was sitting next to us was listening to us prattle away, and as we were getting of the train, he said to me, 'so you are all Americans?' and I said that yes we were and asked him where he was from. He said that he was from Norway and that he had been to the States a few times and that he loved our country. It just made me smile. In the news there is so much anti-Americanism. I was actually a little nervous about that, but I haven't experienced anything of the sort.
It has truly been wonderful so far, and I can't wait for today's adventures. I'm off to take the bus tour of the city, to really figure out where everything is, and plan the rest of the week.
I actually chatted with Lead Momma last night, and just wanted to say to her, remember that he may drive you nuts, but he does it all out of love (I know easier said than done, right?) And also remember that it won't be forever. And take advantage of the live in babysitters and go out with Dr Spaz for a lovely meal!!!
Much more later.

Some things I've learned while traveling

So, here I am in London! And it's amazing. I can't even get into it right now, but I did want to pass along a few things I learned during the last day and a half...

• Anything with the word 'turboprop' in it's title should be avoided at all costs. I was lucky enough to sit right next to the propeller, and was just about shaken out of my seat.
• Layers are the way to go when flying. The turboprop to JFK was colder than it was outside when we landed. I think the AC was on high; and the airports had the heat blasting. I was very glad I could take multiple layers on and off
• The food on BA flights rocks!
• Turbulence can shake you out of your seat, always wear your seat belt...
• The Delta terminal at JFK is a million miles from the BA terminal (okay, not really, but it sure seemed that way)
• JFK has very helpful TSA (Transportation Safety Administration) employees. There are few signs to direct you where to go once you finally get to a terminal, and so I had to ask many questions, and everyone was super helpful.
• The Airtrain at JFK is fun to ride
• They have Starbucks in London!!! What a life saver, can you say Venti Peppermint Mocha, please? Okay, the last time I really slept was Wednesday during the day. I napped for about 2 hours on the BA flight, but there was a lot of turbulence...

That's all for now! Much more later, I'm sure!!!

This is it...I'll be on my way by morning...

So, this is it! My last morning at home! I have to work tonight, and then off to the airport. I really can't believe that this is really happening. I think I've said it before, but it all seem so surreal, and not entirely real. Have I mentioned though, that I don't like to fly? Probably a bad time to think about that, right? For some reason it dawned on me in the car last night that I'd be in a plane for hours and hours, and not only that, but that plane would be over the Atlantic Ocean. Just me an my trusty seat cushion/floatation device...right...just who does the airline industry think they're fooling with that one? Lead Momma reminded me that I would have to fly daily for 100 years before an accident would happen. (Dr Spaz loves reading about plane crashes and provides that piece of info anytime either of us worry about flying.) By this time on Friday I'll be in London. I'll be able to see and do all the things I've been dreaming about for months. And I'll get to prove to myself that I can do things alone. I know my friends think that I'm crazy for thinking that I'm not independent. I live alone, I make all my own decisions, and do my own thing; but this will truly prove it to me. Really the other stuff is just life. I had no other choice but to live alone etc...
I finished Lead Momma's Christmas cards this past weekend. I'm so happy with the way they came out, and I just hope she is too, I have to mail off that box later this morning when the post office opens. My poor cat seems truly stressed out about my leaving. She has seen the suitcase, and has become more clingy than normal. Hopefully she'll be okay, Preschool Queen and Captain Contrary are going to look in on her each day, and pick up the mail. It's so great to have friends living so nearby.
So in closing, I'm not sure how often I'll post while in London. I think I may take a true vacation from things, and avoid computers...or maybe not. We'll see!

Shopping rocks!

So, yesterday Preschool Queen and I went consignment store shopping. We had such a great time. I couldn't believe the incredible deals I found. Clothing that I would have otherwise never been able to afford, I was able to buy. I'll never pass up a good deal. Anyway, she and I had a great time. I was talking to her about TSO. I'm really tired of the mixed signals that he's been sending; and so for now, I'm done. I think if he wants anything to happen it's his turn to make the effort. Will had said as much too, and it was nice to hear the Preschool Queen felt the same way. So, I guess that's it. Hopefully he'll step up.
My Thanksgiving was wonderful. When I got home from Preschool Queen and Homer's house, my favorite movie was on TV, so of course I sat down to watch. It's Love Actually. I just love Hugh Grant. Anyway as I was watching, it came to the scene where David, the PM, realized that he wanted to be with Natalie, and he started knocking on doors to find her house. I want to find a guy like that. And then there's the guy who learns Portuguese to propose to the woman he loves. I want that. I want a man who is going to sweep me off my feet. I'd be happy with one who just makes an effort and makes me feel appreciated.
Not much else, packing for the trip begins soon!!

It's almost Thanksgiving

So, I've gotten a lot of feedback/advice on the whole situation with Will. I appreciate all the advice, but trust me, no one has said anything that I don't already think. I realize that he is married, and that because of this, he and I can never be anything more than friends. We have not been physical with each other. That is a line that I couldn't cross, more for myself than anything else. I would never be able to look myself in the mirror again. I'd lose all my self respect. That being said, he is my friend and I have feelings for him. I can't help those feelings. They are there. But I'm not acting on my desires. I have told him that his friendship is the most important thing to me, and so we continue to be friends. That will not change. I'm hopeful that the feelings will fade with time, and our friendship will remain.
I can't believe that Thanksgiving is tomorrow. This year has gone by so quickly. So much has happened this year. I don't have any idea how I'll put it all into my annual Christmas letter, but I'm sure I'll find a way. There are so many things that I am truly thankful for in my life. Now there are people who just love this holiday. And don't get me wrong, I enjoy getting together with family and friends and sharing a meal. I can appreciate the taking time to count our blessings and thanking whatever higher power you believe in for your good fortune. However, to me, it's just not that big of a deal. It's not a holiday I'm in love with. For me, that's President's Day. Okay that's me being funny...I hope everyone laughed. I actually love Christmas. It's such a magical time of year. The whole month of December feels that way for me. I think that a lot of people forget the original inspiration for Thanksgiving and just spend the day eating and watching football. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this, but it's about giving thanks. So, without going into too much detail, here are the things I'm thankful for:

• My Family
• My Friends (Lead Momma, I'd be lost without you)
• My Job
• My cat (she's insane, but I love her)
• I have a great place to live, and can pay all my bills

This is not an all inclusive list, but just a few of the things that I'm so grateful for. I'm sure as soon as I log off I'll think of a dozen more, but those are the top few. I'm also healthy and happy and embarking on the adventure of my life! So, to those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving, have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends.

Dinner Last Night

Lead Momma had the perfect explanation for why I keep saying that Will and I would be destined for failure. What other choice do I have? I'd love to be able to say he would be the love of my life, but what's the point? He is married. All that would do is break my heart in the long run, and so for my own preservation, I have to believe that we'd never work out.
So he and I went out to dinner last night. Nothing fancy, just a local chain restaurant, a place to have beer and burgers. It was such a great time. We talked and laughed, and before we knew it, 2 1/2 hours passed and it was time for us to go to work. To say that I was unmotivated would be an understatement. At least I only have one more night this week. Will gave me a birthday present at dinner. It was totally unexpected and incredibly thoughtful. He gave me a travel journal for my upcoming London adventure (can you believe I didn't have one already?) I was so surprised. He really is such a sweet man. I could go on and on, but I think I won't.
We were talking about TSO. He doesn't have any advice other than 'wait and see'. He was talking about it at home, and his wife had the same reaction that Lead Momma did. They both said he was like the abused puppy at the pound. Lead Momma went on to say "it's the kind of dog you look at and say 'dang, that dog would take a lot of work' but once the work is done, you have a REALLY great, loyal dog". It's true, and I guess that's why I've been so patient, because as everyone who knows me will say, patience is not my virtue. I was really looking forward to talking to him when I got to work last night, but he wasn't there. I was quite disappointed, we haven't really talked at all this week, and I've missed it. Hopefully I'll see him next week.
Off to my hair appointment!

On the Eve of 29

I realize that it's been a while. The headaches while waiting for the new glasses were just too much. However, now I have the new glasses (yeah!!!). I'm still not in love with the frames, but everyone at work really likes them (including Will). Probably what I don't love is what they represent to me, but I'll get over it if they work. Walking is kind of weird, with everything being blurry on the bottom, but I'll adjust. And the big news is no headache after work last night!! How awesome is that?
As it gets closer to my birthday, I've been thinking more and more about where I thought I'd be at this point in my life. If you had asked me 10 years ago where I'd be at 29, this is the furthest thing I'd have ever said. I thought for sure I'd be married by now with at least one child, and I certainly never thought I'd be working for the federal government. I thought I'd own a house and some property. And while none of this has happened, I have realized that I have a great life, and I'm truly happy. I'm single, and don't have to answer to anyone, I have a great job, a great new apartment, and the best friends anyone could ask for. I'd be lost without Will, Lead Momma and Preschool Queen. My parents are healthy and happy and enjoying retirement. I have been blessed.
And who would have ever thought, even 8 months ago, that I'd be headed for London in 2 weeks, and then off to the Caribbean in March? My supervisor came to me two nights ago and asked me how things were going, and I had to tell him that things were really good, great even. It's frightening to think that I can't remember being this happy while I was with the ex.
Things with Will are unique right now. My favorite thing about hanging out with him is that I can completely be myself with him, and he likes that person. I feel so good about myself when we're together. How cool, huh? We're going out on Friday before we go into work, and I'm really looking forward to that. The last time we went out we talked for over 2 hours and didn't even realize that that much time had gone by.
I always say that if he were single and we dated that it wouldn't work out in the long run. I guess it bothers him that I say that. He says that he sees us as working out. He asked me why I keep saying that it wouldn't work, and I'm not sure I have an answer for that. Maybe he's right in that I can't see it working out with anyone, rather than just him, I have had rather rotten luck. And I have to say I wish more than anything that we could be together, and that it would work out for the long term. I feel more comfortable with him than I ever have with any other man. Maybe it's because we've known each other for almost 4 years. I don't know...maybe I'll meet the man of my dreams in London? Wouldn't that be wonderful?

So, here's an update moment: does everyone know this but me? I just picked up the British pounds that I ordered from the bank and each denomination is a different size. I totally didn't know that. The things you learn, right?

Too Much Coffee is NOT a good thing

Preschool Queen called yesterday afternoon, and I headed over there to hang out. Homer is off hunting for the weekend, so she was bored. We hung out and drank wine all afternoon. It was much fun until to told her about the new glasses and she laughed. I can't believe she laughed about it. When she saw my face though, she stopped quickly, realizing that I wasn't finding any of it funny. Anyway, I suppose that's how people will react, no more telling people. Although I don't think I have complete control over it. Will told me that one of the ladies told him that I had the appointment. I sincerely hope she didn't share everything about it, I would not be impressed with that.
So, I had a bunch of errands to run this am, and I needed to pick up some beads for Captain Contrary, so I dropped them off after I was finished, and Preschool Queen and I had coffee together. I think I drank way too much coffee. Sometimes too much caffeine is a bad thing. When I get this way, I feel like I have ADD. I can't focus on any one activity, and I flit from one task to another without ever truly finishing the first one. I guess it can be pretty comical to watch, but it's not overly productive. Oh well, it'll wear off eventually and I'll be able to go back and finish everything, or rather I'll crash and not finish anything. Okay, so about 15 minutes have passed since I wrote the last sentence because my brain won't focus on what to write next. This is what I'm talking about. I guess I'll have to be done for now! (See this is me trying to go with the flow....)

My Unexpected Morning

First, Blogger "invited" me to switch to the new and improved version. I think it'll be pretty okay...I guess we'll see, right? Only time will tell, I guess.
As I write this, I'm listening to a set of mix Cd's that Will burned for me. Often I forget that everyone doesn't listen to the music that I listen to, so I find it really interesting to listen to what other people are enjoying at the moment. I think it can be a great insight into that person. So much of the music on these 2 Cd's is, well, melancholy, which is just the opposite of what I've been listening to as of late. But there is still a lot of great music on here as well.
I'm not sure how things are going with TSO as of late. I feel like something has changed, and not necessarily for the better. I can't put my finger on what it is, I'm not sure if it's me or him, but there is something different. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he told me my cat is near death (WHICH SHE'S NOT, okay so she's 12, but cats live for a really long time). He's never made me angry before, but that just about did it. I don't think I'll waste a ton of time on wondering about it this weekend because quite frankly, my head hurts way too much for me to care at this point. My headaches have gotten out of control as of late. NOTHING is working on them, not Advil, Tylenol or even Excedrin, which is really frustrating. And working in front of a computer screen all night at work doesn't help (I suppose the extra time I spend on my computer at home doesn't help either). Lately I've been in tears on my way home from work because of the pain. Earlier this week I started to try to figure out what may be causing them. I realized a few days ago as I was sitting on the couch (probably 2 hours after I left work) that I didn't have a headache. Then I started noticing how I was behaving at work(ie sitting at the edge of my seat, leaning forward, and still straining to see) now I've worn glasses forever, but I thought it may be time to see the eye doctor again. So I stopped in there this am(I love having an eye doctor in the mall with hours 7 days a week) and they had just had a cancellation, so I was able to see my doctor immediately (I think God was looking out for me today). And she had what I consider to be really crappy news for me. I can't believe I'm actually admitting this here, but she told me that I need tri-focals. I was horrified when she said it, and almost burst into tears. My mouth fell open and I said 'how can that be possible, I'm only 28!!!!!' According to her, age doesn't matter, it has everything to do with the fact that I sit in front of that computer screen for hours at a time. So I had to buy new glasses, I should have them in about a week, two at the most. I just hope the headaches go away once I get them. At least they are progressive lenses, so unless I tell people it will be impossible for them to tell that I have tri-focals. I realize that it's incredibly vain to feel this way, but it's certainly something that I don't want everyone to know. (I so hope that Will doesn't laugh when he learns this...because I'm sure he'll read this before I see him. I actually thought about not writing this for that reason, and then I realized that I'd tell him anyway. This way I won't know if he laughs)
However, while I was paying for the new glasses, I started thinking about how incredibly lucky I am right now. I'm at a place in my life where an unexpected expense such as this is not the end of the world. It's not the first time I've had that thought either. I realize that I'm incredibly blessed because there are so many people who need things such as glasses who can't afford them. This is that time of the year when I start to think about all the things that I'm thankful for. The holidays always bring that out in me, and I'm sure I'll blog more about those various things during this season.
Oh, only 2 1/2 weeks until the London Adventure begins!!!

Burnt cookies make me Grumpy...

I'm so grumpy! My whole house smells like burned cookies. The damn stove won this round, or at least it won the first tray of cookies. I could just kick it. And what makes the whole situation worse it the fact that my beautiful, awesome stove is just sitting in storage. I HATE the stove here. I suppose I should be grateful that the second and third tray of cookies weren't ruined. At least I was able to salvage 2 dozen cookies for Will's birthday. Seriously, burnt cookies are probably one of my least favorite smells, there are other worse things, but I pride myself on my baking, and this just makes me grumpy. I can't figure out what makes the temp in the oven go so wonky, but as soon as there is a tray of cookies in there, it's at like 500 degrees, even though it's set at like 250. GRRR...
Okay enough griping, and onto other things. TSO and I were talking about politics yesterday at work and I was saying that there are a lot of things I've gotten more conservative about since I started work (Will smirks and calls me "his little republican"), but there are also many issues that I'm pretty liberal about. What they are is neither here nor there, but anyway, somehow the topic of how old I am came up, and I said something about turning 29 soon, and he wanted to know exactly when, so I told him; and he put it on his calendar. Now, I have no idea what that may or may not mean, but there you have it. Sometimes I feel like I'm in high school again with this whole situation, the does he like me thing etc...and I keep having to remind myself that only time will tell.

Is the Grass Greener?

Every now and again, I find myself at a loss, and begin to think that the grass may be greener elsewhere. Primarily, this usually comes in the form of wanting to move back to North Carolina. I miss being there desperately, but my job, my friends, my life is here. As of late, it has been in the form of my job. I'm not overly challenged anymore...don't get me wrong, I like what I do, but I can exceed even the new standards. And sometimes I want to go back to teaching...Lately I've thought about teaching English overseas. I've even gone so far as to look into getting certified in TESOL/TESL. And then other days I'm ready to go back to school and get my master's in something that will help me in my job, or help me to get a better job. I've thought about a degree in Diplomacy or International Relations. Am I the only one who feels this way? Things are good here, don't get me wrong, but would things be any better anywhere else? And part of me feels like moving would be running away from what I don't like about my life here. Which wouldn't solve anything.
I wish there was a crystal ball I could look into and see if I am on the right path, see how things are going to work out. Some people like the mystery that life has to offer, me not so much. I want to know if I'll ever get married, or have children, will my father ever get to hold his first grandchild? Will he walk me down the aisle? Am I meant to continue working for the government, or am I supposed to go back to teaching? Do I stay here, or do I move? So many questions, and no answers. I realize that only time will tell what will happen in my life. And then I think about how things could be different. What if I had met Will at a different time in each of our lives, if we had both been single? Would we have ended up together? Or have things worked out exactly how they are supposed to? Will TSO and I ever go out, or is this as much as we'll ever have? So many questions...and I continue to wonder, is the grass any greener anywhere else than where I'm standing?

Trip to see the Parents...

So, I've returned from visiting my parents for the weekend. It's usually a pretty stressful experience. They are wonderful people, but we drive each other nuts and usually end up arguing the whole time. This time was different for whatever reason. It was nice. There were a few things that worried me, but hopefully I'm overreacting... Mom took Dad and I out to dinner for our birthdays. His is today, and mine is in two weeks. There was some weirdness though, Mom was showing me where all the "important documents" were in the house so I would be able to find them "when the time comes" (her words not mine). I guess they are in the process of updating their wills and listing me as having power of attorney and whatnot. Since I'm their only child, it doesn't surprise me, but who wants to think about that? I guess I'm lucky that they are making these kind of decisions now so that I don't need to make them later. But still, thinking about the mortality of your parents is not such fun. With any luck, the next time I go down there (Christmas time) we won't need to discuss this again... I realize that this is a part of getting older and being a grown-up but it wasn't fun. Thank God they are both very healthy active individuals and, God willing, will be for a very long time.
It was at least a lovely weekend to drive back and forth from their house. And it was actually sunny where they live!!! I was so excited, and actually couldn't remember the last time it was sunny here. Gotta love it, at least it's not raining.
I wasn't going to write about what really worried me while I was there, but what the heck. My Dad is a wonderful man, I love him dearly, but he's an alcoholic. Growing up with him wasn't horrendous, but it wasn't all roses either. As I got older, it got progressively worse. About 10 years ago, when my grandfather died (my Mom's dad) things came to a head, and Dad and I stopped speaking, because of his drinking, for almost a year. Shortly after that, he quit drinking. It was the first time I actually got to know my father. It's been great. He's really quite funny and fun to be around. However, he has started drinking again. I guess it's only red wine that he drinks, and is only 1 to 2 glasses a day, but still, it's drinking. And last night at dinner it was 4 glasses, not one or two(two at home, and two at the restaurant). I'm just worried that this is a slippery slope that he could be headed back down again.
Anyway, in completely unrelated work news, Will and I were talking on Friday night. (Big surprise, I know) But whatever the conversation was about, he said that he thought that I was sweet sometimes. I was blown away by that, and I'm not really sure why. I guess I don't really often think of myself as sweet, and really never thought he saw me that way. And the more I think about it, I can't remember being called sweet for a really long time. It made me smile. He makes me feel good about myself, I guess I couldn't ask for more in a friend...
Marsh, be sure to read the comments associated with the previous post! (My Attitude Adjustment)

My Attitude Adjustment

I wrote yesterday about having such a bad day. Truth be told I was feeling rather sorry for myself, which is not a feeling that I enjoy. Several things happened to change my attitude. First of all, I read some other blogs...Marshmallow26 wrote so beautifully about her mother and how she misses her so much. I've never met this woman, and all I wanted to do was hug her. Neurotic Iraqi Wife wrote about living in the GZ in Iraq and the most recent rocket attacks there. As I was reading, I realized that I HAVE NOTHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT! I'm so grateful to these two women for helping me realize how incredibly blessed my life is. So that's the first thing that happened.
When I saw TSO last night, he was walking away from his desk as I was headed by. He actually stopped and turned around and told me to wait instead of walking by. Before I said anything, he looked at me and asked me if I was having a bad day. I asked if it was that obvious, and he said that he's just really good at reading people, and that he found me really easy to read. He asked if my bad day was related to an ex (Marsh, of course you can ask, I don't mind at all, he was an ex boyfriend. We were together for 6 years, and had lived together for 4, always with the intention of getting married. He talked about our wedding all the time, but never proposed. When I realized that this was how it would always be, I got tired of waiting and ended the relationship. It was painful, but truly for the best witnessed by the fact that everyone has said that I'm happier--Will says I'm nicer-- now). I said that it was, and point blank he asked me if I was still in love with this person. The question surprised me, but without even having to think, I knew the answer, and shared it with him. And the answer was no. I'm not in love with this man anymore at all, in fact, the more I think about it, I fell out of love a long time ago. He smiled slightly when I answered so quickly.
Later in the evening, one of the Ladies and I were talking about the day, and she said that she's been noticing TSO and I and how he looks at me when we're together, and she thinks that he likes me. Only time will tell, I guess...He did tell me more about himself as well, he told me that he had been married when he was younger, 23. I guess it only lasted 2 years, and they were divorced in 1995. He told me he hasn't dated seriously since then. I'm not sure what to make of that, but there you have it.

Seeing the Ex

Okay, so today was not the best of days. Although it wasn't the worst either. I don't know, it was a day. This morning I went to storage to pick up a few things, and leave a few things, and a few of the things I wanted weren't there, although they should have been. So I went to see the ex to see if he knew where they were. I probably shouldn't have but, whatever, what is done is done. Our conversation was fine. I think what frustrates me most about when I see him is the fact that I lose the power to ask him what the heck his problem is. So we never discuss what we need to most. And yes I realize that it's my own fault, but his answers of 'I don't know' or 'nothing' don't help any.
In work related news, they have issued our new evaluations for the next year, and they have increased the amount of work we need to do at each level. I still exceed those numbers, so it really doesn't bother me in the least, but you wouldn't believe the number of people who are cranky about it. It continually amazes me, and I really think that the people who complain the most have never really had a truly bad job. This job isn't bad at all, in fact, we get paid really well, and it's not a remotely stressful job. Still, people complain as if they are being forced to work here against their will. I continually say if you hate it and complain that much, just quit. Nobody is holding a gun to your head forcing you to work here.
TSO and I had a great conversation last night, but things still don't seem to be going anywhere. Preschool Queen thinks that this must be the case because he and I aren't meant to get together. I just don't know anymore, but I hope she's wrong.

Scene from Friends with Money

I just got back from watching a movie at a friend's house. We watched the movie Friends with Money. And it wasn't great, however there was just one scene that made me ache. Two of the couples are driving home separately from a charity function, and in each situation the husband looks over at his wife and says, "you were the prettiest one there." She looks back at him with such love and admiration. It was just such a sweet scene. It almost made me cry. That's what I'm looking for. Someone who really thinks that I'm the prettiest woman in any given room. I don't know if the ex ever felt that way, he never said as such. Never in all that time. He never said anything like that. He never looked at me that way. My friend was asking me about the ex, and I was telling her that I hadn't heard from him in ages. She said that Preschool Queen had told her that I was mad at him. And I quickly corrected her, saying that I wasn't mad, but hurt. She told me the same thing Will did, that it's okay to be mad at him. I guess I never felt that way because ultimately I made the decision to end the relationship, but maybe they both are right. Hmm, again, I've put in writing that Will is right. I need to stop doing that, it's going to start going to his head ;)
The weather here has been miserable lately, with yesterday being the exception. Rain day after day can be a drag, but it's when I start baking. I love to fill the house with mouth watering aromas, and even more than the baking I love to share what I have made with the people I care about most. Hey I'll have an entire extra hour, wonder how I'll spend it...

More Randomness

The cookies were a total success! I am actually amazed at how well they came out. Everyone at work loved them. The guys in the communications center who had been complaining that I never brought them cookies anymore were thrilled. And of course Will loved them, I think he has the rest of them for tonight, which will be a long one with the time change(yeah!! and extra hour to sleep!! I love the end of daylight saving time!). Marshmallow26, I wish I could share some of them with you!
In totally unrelated news, the St Louis Cardinals won the World Series last night. A lot of my family still lives there, so naturally, I called my cousin to see how they were celebrating. She actually made me cry when we were talking. Our grandfather died 10 years ago, and he was the biggest baseball fan ever, and absolutely loved the Cardinals. As we were talking she was crying saying that this was for him. And at that moment, I just knew that he was smiling. So, of course, as I was walking back into work, I was in tears (we can't use our cell phones in the office for a variety of reasons, security as well as the fact that the building interferes with the signal) and had to quickly pull myself back together, which I did successfully. Will wonders never cease? Will of course would say that just about anything makes me cry, movies, TV shows, books, songs...the list goes on and on and on. And he's forever teasing me about it.
I am so looking forward to this weekend, other than spending some time tonight with a friend and her daughter, I have no plans. Nothing that I have to do at all. I can do (or not do) whatever I want. And I can relax. And get ready for next weekend which involves a trip to see my parents. I love them dearly, but they drive me nuts. Although this time, I'm really going to try not to lose my temper. It's my father's birthday, and I'm driving down to surprise him, and since I have no time off at Thanksgiving, I won't be able to get down there again before I leave for London. I can't believe it's almost November! Where has this year gone? So much of it has been a total blur for me.
Nothing new to report with TSO, we chatted last night, but no new developments there. I swear I'll be 40 before he asks me out. Although maybe he's just not interested, and will never ask me out. Who knows. I hope he's interested, though.
LATER THAT MORNING....
So, I had to take care of my recycling and trash this morning. I guess I should start the story with the fact that it is about 40 degrees F and pouring rain. I was walking outside with my box full of recycling, and somehow missed the last step, and fell, recycling went everywhere, I mean everywhere, and my pants were soaked from falling on the front porch, did I mention that it's pouring? So of course I'm running around trying to pick up all the paper before the wind picks it up and scatters it all over the town. How typical, I think this goes with the "just call me Gracie" story. I think it was probably pretty comical to watch, although I don't think anyone caught the show...

Tax Purposes (hahaha)

This is a story that at first I was unsure about putting on the blog. I didn't want to offend anyone's sensibilities. However, after discussing it with Lead Momma, and listening to her hysterical laughter, I decided to write it. This one goes in the glad-my-life-isn't-this-messed-up category.
So, there is a guy I work with--he can remain nameless for our purposes. He went to visit some friends of his who used to work in our office, but have since moved to the Southwest. While he was down there, he married them. Yes, I said them. When I got to work on Monday night, he came over to my desk, and was waving his hand in front of my face, showing his wedding bands. Yes, I said bands. So I looked at him and said, "did you get married?" And he said, "yeah, I did." Of course at this point, I'm really confused because I didn't know he had been dating anyone. My next question was, "Who did you marry?" And he named the woman he had gone to see, and her life partner. I didn't say anything for a minute, and then said, "but how? Isn't that illegal?" Not even bothering to get into the why anyone would want to marry a lesbian couple in the first place. He said something about being Mormon now, which I didn't buy for a second, because regardless of religion, polygamy is against the law. Then he said something ridiculous about it being for tax purposes, although for the life of me, I have yet to be able to figure out what tax purposes those could possibly be. So I guess he's going to leave in the spring and buy a ranch near where they live. Explain something to me, how is this going to work? Why would anyone want to marry two women? And what are the tax benefits?
Lead Momma thought I was making this story up. There is no way I have an imagination like that. One of the ladies just sighed and shook her head, not really knowing what to make of it, the other almost fell out of her chair. Will was just incredulous.
I keep having to jump up while I'm writing. I'm baking cookies, Will requested chocolate chip, and I'm struggling with the miserable oven here. It can only bake one tray at a time, and while when it is empty the temp is just perfect, once a tray is put in, the temp spikes, so it's kind of a challenge. I hope he appreciates these cookies. I actually just hope they come out okay. There goes the timer again!So, what really annoys me is the yield on just about any cookie recipe. I mean really, this one that I use for making chocolate chip cookies says you should be able to make 6-8 dozen cookies. I have NEVER been able to get more than 3 dozen cookies out of the dough. How small are the cookies that are made in the test kitchen?
The more I write here, the more I understand what Lead Momma has been saying to me about journaling in a scrapbook. Sure I get the who, what, where, and when down, but I'm never very good at the how or why. And that's what is so great about all of her scrapbooks, she writes from the heart, and gets what is so important on the paper. And while I'm always able to discuss it logically, I've just never been good at it. Now I get it. I think this has been my "Ah-ha" moment. And I have so many ideas of what I want to put into future scrapbooks. I can hardly wait to work on my London scrapbook. Speaking of which, I found some bus tours that take you from London to Stonehenge and Bath and Salisbury, so that sounds pretty cool.
So, at least the cookies didn't burn. They're crispier than I usually like them, but the flavor rocks. Hopefully everyone will like them!

Random Thoughts

Another week is almost over, and it's now 5 weeks before I leave for London. In the latest news there, I think I'll take a day trip to Stonehenge. I think it's one of those must see things. There is a woman I work with, one of the ladies, who is a total overplanner when it comes to vacations. She usually has at least 10 lists, and has packed and re-packed at least 3 times by now. And she's totally freaking out because I haven't even started thinking about what to bring with me yet. I figure I have a pretty good idea of what I want to bring, and the lists and all that can come when there's a week left, not more than a month. Anyway, it's been a running joke at work. I keep teasing her asking if she's started packing for our cruise yet.
As I've been dealing with the fall out of my break up, I've realized that I'm really hurt about one thing in particular. When I told the ex that I was done waiting for him, he swore up and down that he wanted me back and that he would do whatever I needed. The last time I saw him, I told him exactly what that was, I told him that I needed to feel appreciated. I said, bring me flowers once in a while, take me to dinner someplace nice, make me feel like I rock your world. And he told me he would, he promised me he would, just like he had talked about getting married for years... I haven't heard from him since the middle of last month. I guess it's a real example of actions speaking louder than words. Will keeps telling me that I'm better off without him, and happier, and nicer; but this makes me feel unwanted and rejected. I mean if he didn't want any of this, why waste the last 6 years? Why didn't he cut ties much sooner? Why did he wait for me to get fed up? I guess this is just all part of the process of moving on, right? It just makes me so angry that I don't seem to matter, but of course, I guess that was the problem all along.
I wish I could just turn off my feelings about Will the way he did with his feelings about me. I can't change gears that fast, but it's slowly starting to go away. It was so nice to talk to TSO last night. Talking to him, or even now, thinking about it, makes me smile. When we're talking he's so focused on me and our conversation. It almost seems like no one else is around, even when there are tons of people are milling around. Okay, so I'm getting gushy, but that's how I feel. Unfortunately, our conversation was interrupted by another person from 2nd shift. We both ignored the other person for a while, but then I gave up and walked away. Another of my friends thinks I should quit wasting my time on TSO, but I don't see it as wasting time yet. Will (and Preschool Queen) both say that if it's going to happen it will, so I guess I'm taking their advice and ignoring this other friend who sometimes gets overly preachy.
UPDATE: So, after reading this post, Lead Momma called me this morning, and the first words out of her mouth were, "I'm not the preachy one, am I?". I burst out laughing, while at the same time I felt awful. For anyone else out there who thought it may have been her, it was NOT. She has been the most supportive, non-judgmental friend anyone could ask for. We had a laugh over it, and chalked it up to good old-fashioned Catholic guilt. Anyway, just had to add that update, more tomorrow...

What's my Type?

So, Will and I have discussed this at length lately, actually we've talked about it in the past, as well. Typically, I'm attracted to "the bad boy". For example, I prefer Sawyer on Lost to Jack.
I can't say exactly what it is, maybe it's the excitement, or the bit of danger. Whatever it is, that's the kind of guy I'm drawn to.
TSO can only be described as wholesome. In fact, I think that would describe Will as well. And usually that word, wholesome, has negative connotations for me: boring, uptight, generally not fun(I have to say, though, that neither of these men are boring, uptight or not fun...in fact, Will is a lot of fun, and quite funny). On the other hand, wholesome guys are good, and nice, and sincere, and aren't the type of guy to break your heart just to watch you cry, they're caring and considerate as well. Maybe the good qualities of "wholesome" outweigh the bad ones? As Will and I were talking, he said that even though this wasn't the kind of guy I usually liked, maybe it should be. Maybe wholesome guys are the kind that are more likely to want to settle down, and start a family--both things that I want at this point in my life. As usual, I will have to grudgingly admit that Will is probably right, as much as it pains me to do so...:) Can you believe I actually put that in writing? Hmm...he could hold this over me forever now. More than once I've had to admit that he's right about some thing or another (not the easiest thing for me to do...) but I've never put it in writing until now.
Yesterday was the party at Preschool Queen and Homer's house. It was nice. And that's about it, it wasn't wild, it wasn't great, just nice. Actually since I can be completely honest here, it was pretty boring. Provided I was really exhausted, and so wasn't the life of the party myself, but it just didn't rock like last year's party did. Oh well, every party can't be the best ever.
Last night I booked some things to do while in London. Again, this goes with my personality of having things planned in advance. So, since I was a child, my favorite Disney movie has always been Mary Poppins. Ever since I learned that it has been made into a play, I've been dying to see it. And I figured if there is one place to see it, it would have to be London. The more planning and organizing I do for this trip, the more real it becomes to me. I still can't believe I'm actually doing this!!

It's Too Early For Snow!

Pardon me while I rant for a few minutes. Last night I left the house at the same time I always do. It was cold, but barely raining in my little town. I take the back roads to work when the weather is okay, because they are faster. So I got about 15 minutes from my house, and there was snow. Yes SNOW on October 20, slushy, wet, heavy snow. So much that the plow trucks were out, well, at least in one town. No such luck in the next one that I drove through. And as if I wasn't running late enough on my way in, when I turned on to the last road I take, I had to follow the plow truck. There's nothing quite like going 20mph for 6 miles when you know you're running late. TSO told me I should look at it as at least I was safe behind the plow. Yes, safe, but annoyed. Lead Momma, clear out the spare room...
Okay, enough of the rant for now. I'm just not ready for winter yet, Halloween is still a week and a half away!
Later today is the party, and I'm pretty psyched about it. I was chatting with Homer last night, and he wasn't sure but didn't think that the ex would be showing up. Things get so difficult when you share a group of friends. It's not that things are bad, I just have no desire to deal.
So, I'm working really hard on getting back to normal with Will. Sometimes it's easy to do, and other times, it's more challenging. The easy times outweigh the harder ones, which is good, and I think in time the challenging moments will go away. His wife baked an apple spice cake today, and actually sent him to work with a piece for me, with the promise that it wasn't poisoned (I thought that was quite funny). She's way nicer than I could ever be, which makes me feel even worse about how I've been feeling about her husband. His friendship is so important to me that I'm really glad she hasn't told him to stay away from me, I'd feel lost without him. I can tell him anything and everything and I really value his advice and opinion, although I rarely tell him that.
I'm off to watch last night's episode of Battlestar (yes I'm a sci fi fan) and take a nap before the party so I can have more than one margarita. I think after the week I've had I should have a few...

The Week in Review

As I mentioned yesterday, the ladies and I booked our cruise yesterday morning. We're flying down to Ft Lauderdale, FL and sailing from there at the end of March. We're going to Freeport, Grand Cayman, and Costa Maya, Mexico. I can't wait to see the ruins in Mexico. It's a six day cruise. I'm really excited about it, but I'm also a little nervous about traveling with women I only know from work (I think I may have already said that yesterday). What if we get sick of each other? I guess at least the boat is really big, and we can split up and do our own thing if we feel it's necessary. I think it'll be a really great time, and very relaxing. We have already made the rule, similar to the one in Vegas--what happens on the cruise will stay on the cruise, except for what I write here, and of course tell Will (I can't keep anything from him!)
I haven't written much of TSO this week, being so distracted with Will. I think we're making forward progress. Earlier in the week, he wasn't at his desk when I walked by, but he had seen me. I was talking with one of the ladies and a supervisor. He actually was walking over to my cubicle until he saw that a supervisor was talking to me, and we made eye contact. I quickly finished the conversation, which was really about nothing, and went over to talk to him. And I found out that he has a really great sense of humor, much like mine (especially sarcastic). He asked me about my day and if I had slept well. I hadn't and said, 'actually I slept like crap'. Without missing a beat he looked at me and said, 'you look like crap, too'. Of course he said it with a smile on his face. I was stunned, it was the first indication that he had that quick response, and of course I did leave myself open for it. My jaw dropped, and he started to laugh, and said, 'I'm just kidding you look great. I really like that color on you'. (I was wearing a light blue shirt with a small brown paisley print on it) Which of course lead to a conversation about how I never would have expected him to have a sense of humor like that because he's so nice. He said that most people don't expect it from him. Again, every day there is something new to learn. It's such a great feeling. I just hope he doesn't wait too long to make a move.

I think things are getting better with Will. Each day things seem to get more normal. I do like flirting with him, it's fun, and it's such a confidence booster to know that he likes flirting with me as well. Which maybe I should tone down the flirting a little, but I don't know. I'll have to ask him tonight. Anyway, he makes me laugh and I like spending time with him, as a friend. I love that I can talk to him about anything, and not have to worry about his reaction or him judging me.

Just Call Me Gracie

First off, I need to say that from now on, BFAW will be known as Will (as in Will and Grace). I guess this weekend was difficult for him as well. He and his wife talked a lot about the situation, and his feelings. She's afraid he's falling in love with me. When I saw Will tonight, he made mention of the fact that he wanted us to be at a point in our friendship where we were like Will and Grace (the TV show). For some reason, it clicked with me. Lead Momma had actually said much of the same thing this weekend, "you should think of him as a gay man, like Will, and you can be Grace." A kind of married man=gay man thing. I guess it makes sense, they are both off limits, just for different reasons. Anyway, for anyone who hasn't seen the show, Will and Grace are the kind of friends that only come around once in a lifetime. They love each other dearly, and would do anything for the other. Yes, they have their ups and downs, but through it all they remain friends. So, he's Will to my Gracie. I told him I was going to call him Will from now on...He wasn't thrilled by that!
For whatever reason, it's somehow put things into perspective for both of us (I think, I can at least speak for myself) He'll always be a friend no matter what, there's no need for anything more. Things seemed different tonight as we were talking. It was relaxed, the way it used to be before all this started. And I sincerely hope that everything will Will's wife will be fine. I hope that she can see that this is different from the bond that they have with each other. I guess it was friends who got a little confused, but are now back on the right track. I don't know if I'm saying this as eloquently as I'm thinking it, it's way past my bedtime...The ladies and I booked our cruise for the end of March. I'm so totally excited about it--it should be such a good time. I am a little worried about traveling with two women I only know from work, though. At least there will be tons to do and see!
Lots to say about TSO, but I'm losing my ability to type...:)

The Weekend

I sincerely hope that Little Penguin is right in his comments in the last post. Because things suck right now. I don't like the way things are right now (have I made that clear yet?) And the very selfish part of my mind wants BFAW all to myself, regardless of the consequences. Anyway, hopefully we can get through all of this and get back to the way things were (that's my hope at least, my fear is that nothing will be the same again.) Chatting with Lead Momma yesterday really helped me process situation
This weekend was lovely, I got tons done in my most recent scrapbook--in fact it's almost finished! I'm totally psyched. And I learned a valuable lesson this weekend, my life seems to be full of lessons lately. Anyway, this one is pretty funny. So, apparently, it's a bad idea to put a kitchen towel on an electric burner on the stove that you just turned off. I was fixing breakfast yesterday, and removed the frying pan from the burner, turned it off, and promptly set the towel on that burner, and walked away...(I'm sure you know what happened then) All of a sudden, there was a funny smell in the room, burning cotton. Yep, the kitchen towel now has beautiful black/brown lines on it from the burner. So proud of myself for that one! Oh well, at least I didn't burn the place down.
Work was so boring last night, with no one to talk to. Although it was probably good, because for the most part, I was pretty cranky, and not interested in chatting with anybody. So I just put my headphones on, and tried to focus on my work (not entirely successfully, but there you have it).
Now I need to learn how to use my new camera before my trip. This weekend should be a good opportunity to practice, Preschool Queen and Homer are having their annual Halloween costume party (yes it is early, but everybody has conflicting plans the following weekend). It should be fun, it always is, only down side is that the Ex will be there. Not looking forward to that. I have a really great royal queen costume (kind of Guinevere like), and can't wait to party!

A Resolution to the Problem

This morning I think I was minutes and about 1 foot away from becoming 'the other woman'. If I hadn't walked away when I did, I would have lost the rest of my resolve. It took every ounce of my strength not to kiss him, and I know he felt the same way. I totally suck. This is supposed to be one of my rules, no married men.
There's a saying, if you play with fire, you'll eventually get burned. I think I've gotten burned. BFAW's feelings for me are apparently quite strong, and since we've both made it clear that there can be no action on those feelings, he's decided that he needs space to clear his head. So, just like that I've lost one of my best friends. And that's what I'm most upset about. Part of me wonders if the fact that we know we can't act on the feelings we have is making them stronger? Seriously, what happens when you tell a small child not to do something? Of course they try to do it. I can completely understand and respect his decision, but it's still gonna be hard. He's the first person I want to talk to when there is something good or bad going on at work, and now I won't have that anymore. It almost makes me cry. I should have never said anything to him about how I felt. But there you have it, I guess the situation has resolved itself. And I suppose I've learned a valuable lesson as well.
And as upset as that whole situation makes me, this one makes me so happy: I was talking with TSO last night (big surprise, right?) and we were talking about our weekend plans. He was telling me that he needed to go see his parents, and I was lamenting an upcoming weekend trip to see my parents as well. I love them dearly, but they drive me nuts (that's his deal, too). As I was getting ready to walk away, he said that we needed to plan a time to get together sometime soon. So, I guess being patient is the way to go with this guy. BFAW thinks we look really cute when we're together, and thinks that if I take things slow, they will certainly work out. I hope he's right.
On to London, I think on the first day I arrive, I may take one of the bus tours of the city. I'm not sure how else to get my bearings and figure out where everything is. Day Two will certainly be the British Museum. I think I could probably spend the entire 10 days in there, but one day will have to suffice. I want to see a play while in town as well, but I'm not sure what to see. I'll figure it out, I'm sure... I was also thinking about taking a day trip out of the city, maybe to Cambridge, or Stonehenge, I haven't decided which. And of course, I've promised my friends at work (the Ladies) that I would go to Harrods just to experience it. And the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and I'd like to see the changing of the guard as well. And that's just the beginning of my list of places to go.
Well, I'm off for a day of scrapbooking, so there'll be more later, I guess.

Moving On

I told BFAW that he could read this. Not sure if that's insane or not, but it's been done. I've also realized that I need to put thoughts of him out of my head. He can never be anything more than a friend. So, there's my decision, no more feelings about him. I'm done. Little Penguin is right (see comments from previous post) I would be crushed if Preschool Queen and TSO ever met and were flirting.
TSO and I were chatting last night. He was wearing this really great orange dress shirt (it's my favorite color). Earlier in the week we had been talking about men's dress clothes, and I had mentioned that I thought he looked really nice when he wore his orange shirt. Last night he told me that he was thinking about that when he got dressed. It was basically an "I wore it because you mentioned you like it" thing. How cool? I so wish I knew what he was thinking, or if he is interested...
Anyway, onto other details in my life now: it's been cold here. I'm not ready to have to scrape the ice off my windshield every morning when leaving work. I think it's to early for that nonsense, I guess Mother Nature doesn't agree with me... (I guess I should be happy I don't live in Buffalo, NY their storm totals should be around 12-18 inches of snow before it's over later today) The ladies (two women I work with) and I are booking our cruise next Thursday. We're planning on going sometime in March. I think we've decided that we'll go to Freeport, Grand Cayman and Costa Maya, Mexico. It should be a lot of fun. There's been rumor of driving dune buggies--I think that could be dangerous...
I had dinner last night with Preschool Queen and Captain Contrary again. This time Preschool Queen cooked. We had a lot of fun, and I think I've finally convinced her to go away for a long weekend without Homer or Captain Contrary. I had no idea that she had never been to New York City, so we were talking about going down there for a long weekend next summer, taking in a show and eating all sorts of great food, and shopping, shopping shopping. So, now I just have to get her to follow through with it. I told her since it would be summer, her father could watch Captain Contrary (and spoil him rotten) and Homer could have 4 or 5 quiet days at home alone (which I don't think he's had in the last 7 years!) So, hopefully...

All Kinds of Confusion

So, BFAW wants to read the blog. I guess I have mixed feelings about that. There's nothing here that I haven't already told him, but would that be adding fuel to the fire, so to speak? What do people think? Should I let him read it?
Nothing will ever come of it, but I can so see myself falling for him. He did however bring up a good point last night. He said that we were such good friends that even if we were both single, he'd be worried about messing up the friendship (there is something to be said about not dating your friends...) When he's not around, I think I have everything figured out. I can even convince myself that there are no feelings for him, and that we're just friends, but then I see him, and we start talking, and flirting, and I'm right back where I started, completely confused about the situation. These feelings are wrong. I shouldn't have feelings for a married man. But I do. Thank goodness we never see each other unless we're in public places (work, restaurants). I don't know what would happen otherwise.
I got to baby sit Captain Contrary last night. Preschool Queen had an issue with the electric company, and Homer is out of town, so she was banging on my door last night, and all in a panic. Once she got in touch with the electric company, I told her to leave Captain Contrary with me, that he could watch a movie, and I'd make him dinner while she waited for them to arrive. Each time he and I hang out, I'm again reminded what a great kid he is. I can't believe how quickly he's growing up.
Anyway, we had fun last night, and then I had to rush off to work. Sometimes it seems like I'm always rushing off one place or another. Earlier in the day I had a lot more I wanted to say about BFAW, but right now, for the life of me, I can't remember any of it, so I'll sign off now....

The Names

Wow, two posts in one day! How incredible!
I can't believe I forgot to explain some of the aliases that I've created, or borrowed.
Anyway, Preschool Queen is called such because she's the greatest preschool teacher I've ever seen. She teaches 3 year olds and I'm just in awe of the patience she has with kids (and adults for that matter). Her husband, I'll call him Homer. If you've seen the Simpsons, I've said enough. He's the greatest! Their son is Captain Contrary. And unfortunately, I can't take credit for that name. Preschool Queen came up with it, it's his superhero name, and his super power is to contradict everything. I swear some day this kid is going to be a trial attorney. He LOVES to argue, but he's the greatest kid ever!
I already explained Lead Mama, and her son is Lead Baby. He rocks, and I really wish I wasn't so far away, so I could see him grow up in person instead of via photos on the net. Lead Mama's husband is Dr Spaz (she came up with that, not me...)
There are other friends around, when they come into the story, I'll create names for them. And I promise I'll do a better job explaining at the time. More adventures later, I need to get ready to leave for work!

The Little Things

So, sometimes it's the little things in my world that make me happy. I'm not the most technologically savvy girl, but I do my best. (Which usually involves calling someone else to help). I got my modem for Vonage yesterday, and thought I would try to do this one by myself...And...TOTAL SUCCESS!!! Now, I know it's not a big deal to most, but I made it work! (I become more self sufficient and independent daily) So, now there is a local phone number, and my friends here can get off my back! Whoever said you can survive with just a cell phone obviously doesn't have my friends.
Speaking of friends, my best friend, (we'll call her Lead Mama) called me on Saturday evening. I think it was only around 7:30 or so, but I had been sound asleep for over an hour. Yes, I was asleep by 6:30 on a Saturday night. That's what happens when you work on Friday night, and then stay up all day on Saturday to enjoy the beautiful fall weather. So, she called, and we chatted for 20 minutes or so. The thing is, I don't remember much at all other than the fact that I told her I would call her the next day. I woke up on Sunday thinking that the phone call had been a dream, but called her in the afternoon anyway, just to see. She about died laughing. She really has the greatest, most contagious laugh, too. It makes me smile just thinking about it. She also loved the name I created for her. When she was pregnant, she referred to her son as Lead Baby, so the name just seemed to click for me.
And I chatted with TSO last night before my shift started. I was wearing one of the new necklaces that I bought on Sunday. It's pretty cool, I think it's one of my faves, it's brown and turquoise, my new favorite color combo. Anyway, he noticed it right away and commented on how pretty it was and how great it looked on me. I was shocked that he noticed, specifically that he noticed that it was new. He really makes me smile.
Yesterday, I went to Preschool Queen's house to do laundry (no washer/dryer here...) and she and Captain Contrary (her son) were home because of the holiday. Captain Contrary came into the kitchen with his small stuffed cat. Last year when he was in Kindergarten, the classroom teacher had a stuffed animal that would go home with one student per week. On the following Monday, that student would share the adventures that they had with the cat. Captain Contrary loved it so much that Preschool Queen got the same stuffed cat for him, and they had adventures all summer. Now that they are back in school, the cat's adventures have been limited to the basement, or the back yard. So when he brought the cat into the kitchen he was complaining that the cat hadn't been on any fun adventures lately. I asked him if he wanted me to take the cat with me to London, and have adventures there. He was so excited, and couldn't believe that I would actually do that for him, so I told him to give me the cat just before I leave, and that I would take pictures of the cat having adventures around London. I think I'll make a scrapbook out of the pictures and the journaling for him.
Enough rambling of random things...

Autumn in New England

Autumn has come to northern New England. We've had 3 killing frosts in a row this week (it's been below 32 F). I love this time of year, there is no place I've been that looks quite like this. It even has a smell all of its own that I can't explain. The mountains look like they are on fire with the leaves changing color. This summer was quite rainy, which has lead to even more beautiful colors. I took a ride this morning over one of the nearby mountains, and was just stunned by the colors--peak season has already occurred there, not quite that time yet here where I live. It's a gorgeous sunny day here, and I'm so glad I was able to get out and enjoy it instead of having to go to bed. (working nights has it's downside) And it almost didn't look real, the colors were so vibrant. And I realize that it's a scientific reaction to the weather that causes it, but to me, it's how I know that there is a higher power out there, regardless of what your faith is. To me, nature is my evidence of God. (I think I'm doing a poor job of explaining this, and I know I'm not doing justice to the foliage either) This time of year here is something that everyone should experience at least once in their lives.
It also makes me a little sad. The ex and I used to love this time of year more than any other, and we always used to go for long drives to different parts of the state to see the colors change. It's funny how little things remind me of him at random times.
My favorite line of jewelry is usually way too expensive for me to afford, but twice a year they have a factory clearance sale, Memorial Day and Columbus Day weekends, so my dear friend, Preschool Queen, and I got in the car and went to shop!!! This year I got more earrings than I have in the past, because I don't wear them nearly enough. And more blue than normal as well. Anyway, it's always fun when Preschool Queen and I get together.
This afternoon I think I'm going to start planning my itinerary for London (yes I like to have things planned out). Does anyone have any suggestions/ideas of what to see and what to skip? I can't believe the trip is less than 2 months away! A lot of people have asked why I didn't go this summer. There were a variety of reasons: I didn't have enough leave accumulated at work; the cost; I hadn't really had the idea yet; and most of all I wanted to go as a birthday present for myself, so I'm going after my 29th...