Happy Halloween!!

Mary Lincoln

My event today was an author signing for The Madness of Mary Lincoln. Sufice it to say, that woman didn't have one moment of happiness. Her life was worse than Dickens. Really interesting author/speaker. But really depressing life. (Mary Lincoln, not the author.) Check out the book.

And, I learned more in one conversation with the author about the Lincoln family than I learned in 18 years of field trips, class trips and living mere miles from all the Lincoln sites.

Oddities

There are so many that I think I will just list them:

I was late to an event today because the city was painting lines on THE major north/south thoroughfare. It's Sunday! They had lanes closed off for line painting, line painting!! Like this is a priority on a busy weekend day.

On my way home from this event, along a different major north/south thoroughfare, I saw a large buck with three point antlers (four point?) munching grass alongside the road. This is a pretty urbanized area. But, the oddity is that it had a picture frame hanging from its antlers.

In nine days it will be November and it was 80 degrees today.

When I went out to light candles in the jack-o-lanterns, there were gnats inside. Mold, I get, but gnats? I suppose scientifically that makes some sense, but it was a surprise to me. I hope I burned them out.

They just used the term "Cancer Bitch" on Desperate Housewives.

I just worked 45 hours in four days. I'm not sure I will ever walk upright again. (Too much heavy book lifting.)

All the trees in my town have turned beautiful oranges and reds. My trees are still green.

Ummmm, that's all for now.

Mmmm, October

Today is beautiful! Seventy degrees, blue skies, crisp air. Well, I assume it's crisp - I'm inside all day, but still, it's super gorgeous out. Tomorrow will be even warmer - eighty degrees, but windy. Very October-like. I have an author signing tomorrow, but may walk the beasts later in the day. What's really wonderful about today is that over the last week or so, it's been cooler and stormy. Lots of wind, some rain, definitely overcast. Today has emerged bright and sparkling and all the leaves are changing. It's almost as if it happens overnight. One day it's all green everywhere and the next, it's a color riot. This is my favorite part of October. The trees in my yard are late bloomers. Literally. They both bloom late and also turn their leaves late. Not sure why, but I am always a few weeks behind everyone else. So while my neighbors have a yard full of fallen leaves, my tree is still stubbornly full of leaves. And not just full of leaves, but still green. It's a November tree I think.

So, I have three cats. They are barn cats, which means they were born of non-descript origins to another barn cat. I don't know what species of cat they are, only their colors. They love to be outside and I like not cleaning a litter box for most of the year. I put them out in March or April, whenever it stops freezing at night and I bring them in late October, early November - whenever it starts to freeze at night. As previously discussed, it has definitely NOT started to freeze at night. Not even close. However, my nosy, busy-body neighbor with the bleeding heart for animals - she put her hundred year old cat on dialysis - and she feeds possums and raccoons - you, know, the ones that then pilfer our garbage. Anyway, the busy body has now put 2 notes on my car asking me to bring my cats inside because the nights are so cold and they are meowing. They meow for attention crazy lady! And they are MY cats. The last thing I need is to bring them in before the last warm spell and have them shed all over everything because it's suddenly hot again for a week. Go worry about the chipmunks or something.

Also, I have a new houseguest. It's small and many-legged. Must have come in on the big aloe plant. It's a spider of course. But not just any spider. I was watching tv last night before I drug myself up to bed and the thing just crawled across my living room floor. Right out in the middle. I'm kind of a fan of spiders in the sense that I watch their webs all summer and I don't kill them because they eat other things that I like less, but I'm thinking I prefer them in the corners and underneath things. This one was ballsy. I poked it with a pen and it scurried back under the end table. But a little while later it came wandering out again. Had to shoo it with a kleenex. I didn't really want to squash it - clean-up, yuck! But I really didn't want to have to watch where it was all the time either. I prefer to just not see it. It scurried under the recliner. Did not come out in the middle again. I wonder what kind it was...got an email about the Brown Recluse with pictures of the flesh after someone got bit. I think I'll re-visit that and see if my guest is a nasty one or just a ballsy one.

Soon, I will have to box up all these books. I'm into the last hour of the conference/bookfair that I am selling books at. It's a great conference, but lugging the books is a chore. I'm so tired and achy. But I'm taking time off next week - gonna do nothing. I swear I am...

Well Crap!

Okay, so I have not kept up with the blog a day thingy. But I am thinking about it more often. A quick recap of the week: Monday was another long day after the ardors of last week/weekend. I was glad when Tuesday rolled around. I worked a very short day and then got to have lunch with a new friend and her kids. Such delightful and genuinely nice people. I got to spend the rest of the day at home. Even did some pumpkin shopping - which makes me really happy. The weather had continued to mimic the spring, sporting 70 degree temperatures for most of the week. Wednesday I actually had off of work. I caught up on all my taped shows, and carved pumpkins and roasted pumpking seeds - cinnamon sugar flavor and cajun flavors. So good!! And then I had my monthly book group. It was nice to get out and socialize with intelligent, funny women. Not get too drunk, and just have good conversation. Oh yeah, and good food and wine - thanks Michelle! And my new friend from the Tuesday lunch is joining our group. Which is super cool. Thursday I spent sorting boxes of books for my offsite sale and fundraiser today. 30 boxes of books had to be unpacked, sorted and repacked. What a pain - literally, in my neck, back, legs, arms. I may never walk upright again! At least the bar wasn't too difficult last night. No crazies or fights. Got home at a reasonable hour and got a few hours of sleep.

That brings me up to today. Although I have not gotten enough sleep in the recent weeks, I was pretty zonked last night. It wasn't enough, but at least part of it was good deep, dreaming sleep. I dreamt I was a painter, but that I only did it in public, like at parties, like Andy Warhol used to have at the factory. And that I sold them - just casually to any one who inquired. It's funny, but a lot of the dream looked like my middle school library - bizarro. Right now I am killing time between session breaks. I spent 3 hours loading boxes and then unpacking them and setting up the book sale. I ache from my neck to my ass. But already have had some decent traffic. I know tomorrow will be better. One of the book selections for this year's conference (it's for Young Adult Literature) is An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore. I'm pretty excited that they chose it. I included a bunch of complimentary titles to go with it - maybe push the environmental education envelope a bit. They are showing the movie tonight after the sessions end. It's funny, because last year at this time, it snowed here. This year, it's in the 70s. Stormy and windy, but still. I just don't get the people who argue that it isn't real. It's like the idiots out there who think the Holocaust didn't happen. Anyway, the next couple of days will be long and arduous as well. But I am looking forward to some time off next week. Keeping my fingers crossed for it actually. Only 5 more hours left in today. Perhaps it will go by quickly.

Today is Sunday

Got to sleep at 5am. Actually slept til 11am. This is unheard of in my house as the dogs always wake me at around 8am. It was nice to sleep in after the three days I just put in. Stayed in bed til 4, watching the Bears heartbreaking loss to Minnesota. Can't believe they battled back after being 2 touchdowns behind and then lost to a 55 freaking yard field goal kick. Un-fucking-believable. I was so bummed. But, C. took care of me all day - cooked me breakfast and served me in bed. And he kept checking on me and giving me kisses. I finally got up and we went and got dinner at Claddagh. I had to go back into work for an hour since I left early last night to go bartend. I went and hung out with Melissa for an hour or so - we've been missing each other for month now. And now I am in bed with C. and the big black hussy watching The Family Guy (Star Wars episode) It's awesome. Seriously brilliant. Gonna enjoy that now.

Saturday

Not as frenetic, but so, so long. Again, offsite author signings, also an author event in the store. A school fundraiser and art show, and Educator Appreciation kick-off. I felt so tired and overextended all day, but somehow, everything got done and properly. Amazing. Or, organized? I'm hoping it continues through the next week which is just as busy. I would have worked longer at the bookstore, but I was supposed to be at the bar at 5pm - I found this out around 5pm. I left the bookstore at 6 so I could get to the bar by 7pm. Worked til 3:30am - so, yes, that was a 19 hour day. I finally got home and went to sleep at 5:00am. It was a good day - again, got lots done. It was a good start to the fiscal month. I am looking forward to some personal time coming up this week.

I did meet some really interesting women at the offsite. The offsite was a sewing and quile expo and the authors were all knitters and crocheters. But they were young, and hip, and artsy. They were motivated and making a living writing books about their hobby. One woman lives in an abandoned high school and conducts "schools" on knitting and crocheting techniques. They were creative women and liberal and fun. These were the kind of women I used to hang out with in grad school. They reminded me of Monee and Leila. I'm not interested, nor do I know how to knit or crochet, but it was really their personalities that I was drawn to. It was nice to be around that energy. I really miss the art community and the university community. But I also feel motivated to get some of my projects out of my head and into reality. I'm kind of looking forward to focusing on me a little bit.

Friday

Friday was insane. I started with a meeting at 8am and spent the rest of the day running back and forth between my offsite sale with author signings and the local libraries for storybook character visits. I lugged this 40 pound costume all around. I'm so out of shape!! The day finally ended at 10:30pm when my boss threw me out - store closed, time to lock up. After a meeting, 3 events, and 4 author signings, I then had to set up for all the events that were to come on Saturday. I really overextended this weekend with activities and events. But it was lucrative. Unfortunately, this 14 hour day was not the longest of the 3 day marathon, but at least I was more than half way through.

Thursday

Oh, Thursday was a long day. I worked more than ten hours. But got home in time to enjoy some brainless telelvision. And I took off from the bar in anticipation of Friday. So not a terrible day. I used the new dryer. I love clothes fresh from the dryer and warm and cozy. Really though, Thursday is a blurry, distant day, significant for being the first 11 hours of 45 hours of work in three days. And so it began...

Strike That, Reverse It

Okay, today, was an almost exact replica of yesterday, only instead of everything going wrong, we actually got everything done. Got the dryer thing refunded, bought a new one, got discounts and got it delivered today. Re-did the grocery shopping, but this time, could actually pay for them. Got books delivered and set for tomorrow's sale. And even made it to the chiropractor. Damn that feels good.

So, C. and I spent two full days together. Him putting up with my anger and irritation all of yesterday. And us having fun getting it done properly today. We are good together when he's not drinking. Despite the shitstorm yesterday, it was really nice being with him.

C. is cooking for me and I am gonna use my new dryer.

This Day Sucks

Where to begin? Well, we bought a new dryer on Sunday and scheduled to deliver it today. (We haven't had a working dryer in months.) But we use a clothesline (better for the environment) and it's been okay all summer. Now however, it's gonna get cold and we finally have just a smidgeon extra money, so we bit the bullet and bought the new one. I had to work today for 3 and a half hours. Of course they deliver it while I am at work. My husband is here, has moved the old dryer and the washer to make room, cleared a path from the front door to the laundry room, basically all the heavy lifting. The "professional" installers measure the doorway to the laundry room and decide that the dryer is too wide and it will not fit, so they take it back and go on their way to where ever else they went to day. I came home an hour later, picked up my husband and we drive to the Lowe's that is 20 minutes away. (Because on Sunday when we bought it, the Lowe's that is 5 minutes away and next door to where I work did not have the model we wanted.) So we make the drive and Goran, the Russian giant measures the model he thinks we bought and declares that although it is too wide, if turned sideways, it will fit because it's depth is shorter. And besides, we can't return it or get our money back until the actual dryer is back in the building. So we call the delivery service and ask if the guys on the truck can just measure it's depth and see if it will fit and give us a call. We are available all day. This was almost 4 hours ago. How fucking long does it take to measure a dryer?

In the meantime, we buy some paint, and some wood and try to eat at 2 sushi places, but are now in the two hour part of the day when sushi restaurants close for whatever reason. Now we are hungry and I am cranky cuz I just know I'm gonna have to make another trip down to the 20 minutes away Lowe's to either return this dryer or buy a new one or exchange. So, instead of killing an hour at home and coming back when sushi opens, I decide we'll go grocery shopping and get dog food, steak for the grill and stir fry some vegetables. So we wander the aisles for and hour or so, get up to the check out, ring up $200.00 worth of food and bones and stuff and my card is declined. What? I say...I just deposited money on Saturday. So they graciously hold our cart while I go to the ATM to check it out and we are at a negative balance. Now I am really confused. So they graciously offer to hold the cart for half an hour while I check with the bank and figure this out. So we drive home - I am embarrassed and really cranky now and I get online and check things out. Turns out that fucking check I deposited on Saturday, still has not cleared, because yesterday was Columbus Day and that makes today the "next business day" and although I thought the end of the business day was 2:00pm, it in fact must be who fucking knows when. So, there is over $500.00 "pending" that I cannot access. And I have managed to waste this whole fucking day driving around and getting absolutely nothing accomplished because, I will have to virtually repeat this entire day tomorrow. I want to kill someone. Or at least seriously maim them. The suckiest part is that today and tomorrow are my only days to relax this week. I'm working roughly 35 hours in three days, Thursday through Saturday and a lot is riding on these events. Fuckity Fuck! I need a sedative or someting.

Sweetie pie is cooking up someting smell goody in the kitchen. He's starving. And then he's spending the night cleaning out the studio. I think I'm gonna start painting the kitchen. Maybe get even one thing done today. *sigh* Not enjoying Tuesday, October 9th - at least, I can admit that I am much calmer because C. spent the day enduring it all with me. There are days when he really does keep me calm. It was nice to be with him today. Not stuck dealing with this all on my own. Let's hope hump day goes a little more smoothly.

10/08/07

I really did not want to go to work today. Monday - uck. Plus, I am working like 50 hours this week...tomorrow and Wednesday will be shorter, I feel like I should have skipped today and just worked longer tomorrow. Problem is that today was Columbus Day, so all my schools were off - limits my job quite a bit when there is no one available to contact. And I could not go to the bank of post office. But I could go to work - couldn't really do anything, so felt a little like it was a wasted day. Warm again, but breezy, so much more pleasant that the weekend. People died from the heat over the weekend. A man died running the Chicago Marathon. 300+ more were hospitalized. Not a good weather weekend.

Yesterday was super nice - bought a new dryer - finally. Thanks to CJ's parents and the Lowes gift card. It's being delivered tomorrow. I'm actually excited to do laundry. I finished a book. Walked the dog, got ice cream, watched my favorite shows. All in all a good day.

Met up with the girls tonight to say farewell to Kari. She starts her new job at Coca-Cola tomorrow. We met in Bloomingdale and ate and drank and told stories loudly. Debbie looked wiped out. Avi looked a little shell-shocked. Everyone is melting into the reality of the job. We all groused for awhile. Congratulated Kari on finding something better. Told stories of college and grad school. Food was awesome. We all left in a hurry to get to Stratford to shop for SJPBitten clothes, but the mall was closed, so I'm bummed, because we didn't really say goodbye. I'll email them all tomorrow, but kind of a weird ending to the night.

CJ needs to get paid so I can buy groceries. Phones go shut off today. My old service would automatically connect you to the bill pay number when you were overdue - couldn't call anyone else, but could pay over the phone and get it turned back on. This time, there is nothing. So I paid online, but have to wait for it to go through at midnight I guess and then turn back on tomorrow?? So very tired of being behind financially all the time. And CJ is missing a paycheck from almost 6 weeks ago. So bills I could have paid on time are now still sitting and blah, blah, blah....it's just never quite enough.

It's time now to sleep - I read an article last night about sleep deprivation and weight gain. If you don't log 7-9 hours of good restful REM sleep a night, you will not lose weight and will probably gain it. No wonder I can't make my diet work!! But of course, tried to sleep last night at 12:30 and ended up awake until closer to 2am. Had to get up at 7am. Not off to a good start on the get more sleep thing. But I am definitely going to make a bigger effort there. Who doesn't love to sleep??

Cheshire Crescents

Mmmm, forgot to mention the coolest moon. I drove home this morning at 3:30am. It was not very cloudy, the stars were out, but it was very dark. And there was practically no one on the road - even better, no one behind me. And low in the northeastearn sky was this perfect orangy crescent moon. It was the bottom edge of the moon, so it appeared like a big cheshire cat smile in the sky. I wanted so badly to take a picture of it, but my camera phone was sadly not up to the task. I was, however, glad for the company as it followed me home.

The Seventh Day

So I was lying in bed this morning, thinking about how to begin this post, and it occurred to me that today is the seventh day, Sunday, and the end of the first week of October. Except, according to the calendar, yesterday was the end of the first week of October. Which made me wonder how we ended up with Sunday at the beginning of the week instead of the end. Although I am not religious and do not believe in organized religion, I was raised Lutheran, so I find random offerings of that upbringing presenting themselves to me. For instance, in the bible, when God created earth, he worked for six days and on the seventh day he rested. This day was Sunday, presumably. Given the deep religious roots of Western society, it strikes me as odd that Sunday somehow got moved to the beginning. I'm sure there is an historical tale here to tell. Unfortunately I do not know it. Perhaps, I shall do some digging and figure it out. Interestingly, beginning last year, it became impossible for me to find a calendar that was physically laid out with Sunday to the far left of beginning of the week. It had been shifted to the far right or end of the week. But since we still measure time with Sunday at the beginning, that isn't exactly helpful.

Yesterday, I spent the late afternoon reading on my back porch. I had put the dogs in as they were antsy and hot and barking a lot and I wanted to just sit quietly and read. After I had been there for awhile, the chipmunks that call my yard and the neighbor's yard home began to run their circuit. They have several actually, but one is to leave the neighbors tree, cross my driveway, scamper under the deck and pop up through the hole cut in the deck for the water spigot. They scurry across the deck on a path that goes directly under my chair and disappear off the end by the magnolia bush. I think there are three of them, but this circuit was made 5 or 6 times before they noticed me at all. One even detoured to the dog's water dish for a quick drink. Of course, inevitably, I moved at just the right moment on one of these circuits and spooked one into spinning around and running back down the spigot hole. Two of them did chase each other in the reverse of the the circuit just once. This is not the first time I have been still enough reading to encourage them to scurry around freely. One ran over my foot once. However, yesterday, for the first time, I was still enough for a long enough period, that a squirrel happened upon the deck. It saw me, crossed warily, and used the railing as a springboard to mount the garage roof. I like that I am not a figety person. Also that I can observe nature in an uncontrived way. What's odd to me is that the chipmunks have eluded the cats for 5 years now. It's true that my cats are getting older, but they still bring me treats - robins, headless moles, the occassional bunny. I can't figure out if the chipmunks are just too quick or if the cats simply don't care. To this end, we have raccoons as well. I'm less enamoured of them as they occassionally dump the garbage over and strew it around the driveway. But mostly, they come up on the front porch at night and finish off what's left of the cat food. I've come home late from work and caught them doing this, incredibly while the cats lazily watched. To my knowlege, none of the cats have every engaged them in a fight. But they also don't scatter and hide when the coons come a callin' - so I wonder if they just don't care.

These are the kinds of interactions and musings that become Disney animated movies with raccoons and cats and chipmunks as the main characters.

I love Sunday - no work, football, and it's likely I'll get sushi today.

The First Saturday

Ohh, the weekend - finally. It seems it's not been the best first week. Fatigue and grumpiness and all that. But I got a solid six hours of sleep. And surely I will have time for a nap later.

I was up late talking to my sister. She was on her last Midnight to 8am shift at the vet clinic for school. Today she starts the 4pm to Midnight shifts for a week and then she starts studying for her boards. Vet school is hard. She's good, excellent, born into it really, but so much information. I miss school. I loved school - but my school was about concepts and ideas and history. Not the long list of medicines and their generic counterparts or the long list of latin termed ailments for every species on the planet. I admire her drive and motivation. I seem to have lost all motivation. It's been replaced by a neverending fatigue.

Yesterday, I realized that I have been focusing a lot on my husband and his behaviour again. Not really focusing on me at all. I've been forgetting things about myself a lot lately - like putting on deodorant one morning last week, or remembering to wear jewelry last night for work or forgetting my phone three days in a row the week before. Or, not remembering if I've washed my face. My job is partly to blame - lots of little details and paperwork - lots going on all at once. Easy if you are rested, less so if you are wandering around with half a brain because you are fatigued. Makes me wonder about doctors who do 24 hour shifts. How many mistakes are made - how much more suffering is there because they are fatigued and their brains just aren't functioning....

When I take the dogs out in the morning now, because it's October and the sun hasn't burned the dew off yet because the sun is so much lower in the sky, I walk barefoot through the dew. And when I return to the brick path and walk up the wooden steps, I leave perfect footprints. Sometimes my whole foot, sometimes just the ball of my foot and the toes. In the latter case it looks vaguely like an animal print. I don't know why, but seeing my footprints makes me smile.

I'm down to 2 fish now. A puffer fish and a yellow something or other. Seems that nothing else can survive. I think the yellow fish picks on the smaller ones until they die. But the puffer seems immune to bullying. In the past, when a couple of fish die, I run out and buy 3-4 more. Always trying to find the right combination of community fish so that several will last together. But I think I'll just stick with the puffer and the bully for now. I'm kind of tired of dead fish.

I think I'm going to paint the kitchen orange.

Today

As is with every Friday, I get in late from bartending, but am not allowed to sleep in for two reasons - the dogs require attention, and my husband is unable to wake up without bringing me with him. So I got 4 hours of sleep last night. But I also finished "Rapture" by Susan Minot - a very disappointing ending and I began a new novel. Drove the hubby to work, cleaned the kitchen, and am taking a break from sweating in the 88 degree heat to eat some late lunch as I am feeling lightheaded.

Why do some dogs bark incessantly at any and all things and others merely observe? Why do i have the barker? One of my puppies makes a noise like an agitated monkey and every once in awhile lets out a bark that is literally earsplitting. I adore them, but if I could tweak anything about them, it's the noise they make.

Today is my recovery day - bartending last night, no sleep and I have to go into work tonight....But it's also the day I make a mental list of all the stuff I must get done tomorrow, Bills being on the top of that list. My financial life is retched, due in no small part to my husband's irresponsibility. I know, throwing stones and all that, and I really don't wish to expound here, but he really is a heavy tether around the neck of a drowning swimmer.

Have you ever noticed that when tired/fatigued, every thing is coated with a taint of ennui? Not just boredom, but melancholy? This is why I hate being tired. It's never the good kind, like after a hard day's work - but rather the draining kind like several nights in a row of bad sleep. And this heat is mentally exhausting - makes me feel like I should be weeding and mowing and walking the dog, when I can barely drag my ass to the porch to read a book for a few hours. So then I feel guilty and lazy. No wonder I've been irritated. I am hoping for a productive weekend though. Let's hope that hope springs eternal.

Earlier this week, I dont' remember which day, I say two beautiful butterflies fluttering around the parking lot. They were so out of place and so lovely - I actually smiled.

Yesterday

Ahhh, well, the best intentions and all that...missed a day in my quest to blog every day of October. Thursdays are always long and exhausting, but I can catch up. In truth, yesterday was foul. I woke up irritated and it never went away. I'm sure it's to do with being so tired all week combined with the utter lack of focus I exhibited yesterday and topped off with the myriad of things that are coming up and require my attention. In short, way too much to do and not enough energy to do it well.

Add to this the realization that despite my best efforts, I am getting fat. I have no time and energy to work out. And I have not time, energy or money to eat properly. Sad, sorry excuses, I know. But, my bartending partner and I are going to make a pact to not drink for the next couple of weeks. This will help me get through the weekends with what I hope is better sleep. From there, I think I will dedicate myself to the worship of salad in all its glorious forms. We'll see if I can last two weeks. I acknowledge that I am a very in the moment kind of person - not a big fan of delayed gratification - and therefore singularly unsuited to dieting. But I am going to give it a conscious effort.

Otherwise, the fourth of October was rather uneventful. Got some done at work, but not all. Made some money bartending, but was not happy doing it. Generally, a day best enjoyed for its ending. C'est la vie.

Wednesday, the third

So I gave in to the warm weather and planned my day around being outside. I dropped off supplies, I walked to get the mail instead of driving - I went back to bed until 12:30 - oops, wait, that didn't take good advantage of the weather. But it was really super nice. And I got to read some more of the new book I'm into - "Rapture" by Susan Minot. It's a short little novella - about sex and love and what goes on inside our heads. I'm really kind of deep into it, but am finding that I have to re-read whole sections of it. I'll read a sentence or two and crawl off in my head - think of my own love and sex - and then I realize I've read another paragraph, but not really retained it. So this tiny little 115 page book has taken me 3 days to read. I'm attempting to finish it tonight. Unless I fall asleep.

Okay and what's up with that - I've been falling asleep really early lately and sleeping for what appears to be a ridiculously long time, only to spend much of the day worn out and tired. I hate being tired. And tomorrow there is no sleep. Aaack, one more reason why I need this really nice weather to go slightly sour so I can stay in bed all day, guilt free.

Watching Will & Grace and it's the one where Jack stalks Kevin Bacon, but Will gets to do the Footloose dance with him. "I prefer the term professional crazed fan. Go get yourself a new assistant, if you need me I'll be in your hamper." Too funny. Lots of people say I remind them of Grace. Too bad I'm not famous and making millions of dollars too. She is fucking funny though.

Mmmm, the mowers did not show up yesterday...rain Monday night (yes, it rains liberally at night) or they are waiting for me to pay first?? The trees they moved for me are doing good. Healthy branches, even though both went into early fall hibernation - all the leaves turned brown. They will do well next year. I've planted 6 new trees on our property and two big bushes - lilac and magnolia. It's gonna suck when we move to have to start over with some other yard. But I guess I can say that I am contributing to the environment and the oxygenation of the planet...yes, that is a word - in my world anyway. So I should really move like every two years and plant trees everywhere I go - I can be Janey Appleseed. tee hee.

The boy had the day off today - he did dishes, fixed the downstairs bathroom drain, roasted me garlic and cooked a taco salad and a cake. I think I am a little in heart with him today. Dude really does know his way around good food.

I think I'm gonna take a shot of nyquil to knock me out so I can sleep the whole time I am in bed. Maybe NOT be tired tomorrow.

Day 2

Okay - what's up with the summer weather in October? I get it - Global Warming - but enough already. No, stop, rewind - and ask yourself: Can you believe that I, the summer guru, the lizard among lizards, the undeniably heat seeking, cold shunning chick is actually annoyed with this continuance of warm weather? (And it goes on all week!) It's not until like next Wednesday before we see the 60s. Don't get me wrong, I'm not interested in the freezing cold. Or the lung collapsing wind and ice. But I really want to cozy up in a sweater, put on some socks, drink some really good hot tea and I want to NOT feel guilty about being inside all day. Seriously - I've got a lot of shit to do and everytime the thermometer hikes up to the 80s, I feel this pang of guilt and irritation, because now I have to go outside and do something - you know, "take advantage" of the nice weather. And really I just want to watch movies or read a book or god forbid, clean my house and catch up on the bills. But these are all indoor activities and the weather is not cooperating.

Plus, I count on this month and next to be the rare time when I can put the dogs outside all day without fear of a neighbor calling the humane society because they think I am neglecting them in the cruel hot sun. I need to be inside without the mommy parade (I am not an actual mommy, but the dogs are my kids) and they follow me everywhere I go, every move I make. Except when it's a gorgeously cool and crisp day outside and then they are content to sit outside all day long - not a bark out of them. So can we see how this 85 degree weather in October crap is starting get on my nerves. It's not like the pools are still open or even the outside patios at bars....time to give it up.

Of course, now, according to Murphy's law, it's going to be 30 degrees below zero from now until June next year - because, why exist in moderation?

Otherwise, October 2nd has been a rather uneventful day full of work. My husband got up early (unheard of) and cooked me breakfast. My friend Molly told me she is pregnant. I had lunch with my boss. And I finally cleared off the towering pile of stuff on my desk. Time to go home.

October 1, 2007

October is my favorite month. Cool, crisp, colorful...it's all about football and fall leaves and sharpened pencils. Pumpkins and squash and Halloween. So many of my favorites all in one place. I even got married in October, although I won't hold that against my favorite month. I even like writing the word October - all round letters and easy connections - it looks good in my handwriting.

So, in an homage - so glad it's one of the 31 day months, I am going to chronicle each day of my favorite month.

It's unfortunate that October begins on a Monday this year. I spent 12 and a half hours at work today. I suppose it's a good thing. Makes the rest of my week shorter, and I got quite a lot done in anticipation of my upcoming events. The whole month is chock full of authors, literature conferences, book expos, and bookfair fundraisers. Lots of paperwork, lots of ordering, lots of signage and press releases. I got a lot done today, but, I'm beat. Looking forward to a lighter week.

Mmmm, had potato leek soup today - yet another reason to love October - soup season. Soup for lunch, popcorn for dinner. Not exactly balanced, but it's my month, I'm going to do as I please with it.

The encore season of The Closer is on tonight. The actor who played the doctor on Voyager is in this episode. Interesting crossover.

I've been reading The Know-It-All by A.J. Jacobs - laugh out loud funny. It's about a guy who reads the entire Encyclopedia Britannica. It's witty and down-to earth. And my dogs are barking - literally. Must go let them in before some random neighbor comes to complain. Thus ends my first entry in October.