NaBloPoMo: November 30, 2011

Well, I made it to the end of the month, only missing one day. I think. Now I’ll look back and see another day I missed. lol

I read an article yesterday about facial creams and serums that work as well as botox without the risks. They pointed out that you have to give it time, though–nothing will happen to make changes overnight. And come to think of it, that’s what I’ve expected. Use the serum for a week or two, no changes, give up. So I committed to giving it 6 months to see how things work. And the article, as well as the incomparable Izzybella, recommended some Oil of Olay products. I got an Olay Regenerist serum to use morning and night, and Night of Olay night cream, and a day cream. I’m hoping they help. I don’t have tons of wrinkles all over the place, but I do have deep creases around my nose and mouth and then my worry lines between my eyebrows that really bother me.   I think I’ll probaby get an eye cream, and leave it at that.

Any products you’ve had good success with, that you’d like to recommend? Inquiring minds want to know!

NaBloPoMo: November 29, 2011: OCD and Me

I’m a little OCD. Not to the point that I wash my hands 25 times in a row to make sure they’re really clean (and please know I’m not mocking anyone who does have it that seriously).  But, as I say, I’m a little OCD.  I have my little rituals and get physically uncomfortable when my rituals are interrupted.

Like when I go to the  Tar.get by my home. There’s a specific way I have to go through the store.  If I must, I can go in, buy the one thing I need, and leave. Not often, though. Normally I go in the door by the grocery side, get a cart, walk through the store to the electronics side. I look at the DVD’s that are on the end caps. Then I go down the aisle between the electronics side and the office supplies etc. side. Then I go up the other side of the office supplies etc. side. Then I go through the section where they have the dollar stuff. Then I look at all the handbags, scarves, wallets. Then I look at pajamas. Then I walk past the jewelry section, and down that aisle (which is clothing on the left and housewares on the right. And I walk up the next aisle, through the seasonal section, down that aisle, and then I do the grocery shopping, which means I go up and down every aisle. And then I go back across the front of the store. If my favourite checker is there, I’ll go stand in his line. Otherwise I just go to any old line and check out.

It’s awful. It’s stressy.

When I go to a restaurant, I have to sit on a certain side of the table/booth. It distresses me when I have to sit on the other side.

I have a great sister.  When we were out on Friday, I had to walk through Hobby Lobby a certain way. And when we went to lunch, I had to sit on the right side of the table. And when we went to Target, I had to walk through it my special way.  She’s kind and patient with me.  I really appreciate that.  Thank you, Izzybella!!!!!!!

 

NaBloPoMo: November 28, 2011

Isn’t it hard going back to work after a slightly extended holiday? It is for me. I didn’t sleep well last night, and I’ve had a headache since Friday, so I REALLY didn’t want to get up this morning.

But there’s always plenty of work to get done, and I’m saving my PTO for other purposes than just not wanting to get up in the morning.

In other news: I’m glad NaBloPoMo is almost over!!!  It’s been good to get me to post every day, but there are days when I’d just as soon not have posted (did I construct that sentence correctly?). Like today.

Hope you’re all having a lovely day!!

NaBloPoMo: November 27, 2011

Crap! It’s Monday, actually, and I just saw that I forgot to make a post on Sunday.

So apparently I didn’t make my goal of posting every day.

NaBloPoMo: November 26, 2011

Today can be summed up in just a few short words: laundry, vacuum, dusting.

Not much else to say.

NaBloPoMo: November 25, 2011

Today was a lovely day, but definitely an example of things aft going agley-y.  Izzy and I were up at 5:30 (gah) and out the door a little after 6. Why I bothered to put on make-up I have no idea, yet there it is. I made up. Covering the zit on the tip of my nose may have had something to do with it. I didn’t really feel like going around looking like Faithie the red-nosed faithdeer.

We stopped for gasoline, and, well, to tell you the end of the story at the beginning, the cashier apparently stole Izzy’s card number, because she got a call from her credit card company saying that a charge had been made taking her all the way up to her credit limit. So thank goodness for responsible anti-fraud divisions of credit card companies, because it was immediately caught. I hope the responsible employee (well, irresponsible, actually, and criminal instead of employee) gets fired promptly. I realise that’s no way to start the holiday season, but neither is stealing someone else’s credit card number and maxing out their card.

When we got to Half Price Books, we were a little dismayed to find out that there were definitely more than 100 people there. So we didn’t even bother getting out of the car.  We stopped by Izzy’s office so I could transfer some funds around, and then we went to a different HPB. Only there wasn’t really anything either of us needed, so we left and went to Ross, where Izzy got a couple of tops and a baby shower gift. Then it was off to Hobby Lobby to buy some things for some Christmas gifts we’re making. And then we went to the Dollar Store. Then we were ravenous, so we went to eat. However, we didn’t make it out to Ft. Worth to Spiral Diner. Alas. Instead we went to Campo Verde, which is awesome at Christmas-time because it looks like Santa and all of his elves puked up tinsel and lights all over the place. I’ll get some photos up maybe tomorrow. And then we went to Enchanted Garden and got a couple of items for the gifts we’re making. Then it was time to see Breaking Dawn, and I’ll confess I kind of liked it. Then Target, where I unwittingly shocked a woman by letting loose with a loud belch. Didn’t mean to offend anyone, but dang! It was at least a 7.5. I’m just sayin’.

Then we went back to Izzy’s house, where I retrieved my overnight bag and a really great pair of boots she gave me, and I came home. No sooner had I walked in the door and put things down than Joe called me to go pick up him and Emmylou. He’d taken Buffy in to get 2 new tires and get her inspected. So I went to get him, and we ended up leaving Emmylou in the car for half an hour or so while we looked at furniture in Room Store. We found one couch and chair that were both comfortable and reasonably attractive, even if they’re not necessarily our number one choice. But we aren’t buying anything yet, obviously. Have to wait until we’re ready to move back home.  And then I took Joe back to the car place, and brought Emmylou home and ordered a pizza.

So that’s my lovely day, and even though it didn’t go strictly according to plan, it was still very nice. Except for Izzy getting robbed but since the company caught it before she even knew and reversed it, I think we probably shouldn’t complain.

NaBloPoMo: November 24, 2011

Happy Turkey Day!

I’ve had a good one.  Slept as late as I could manage, alas, I was still up around 7:30ish. Which, when you consider I usually start work at 7:30, isn’t that bad. Of course, I’m talented at sleeping until the very last possible moment on a work day, rolling out of bed, throwing on clothes, brushing teeth & hair, and running to the car. So maybe 7:30 isn’t that great, either. Oh well, it’s better than tomorrow.

Tomorrow the incomparable Izzybella and I are going to be at Half Price Books at 7 a.m. You see, HPB is giving away tote bags with $5 gift cards to the first hundred customers, and one of those hundred will instead receive a $100 gift card in the tote bag. Izzy and I hope that that lucky person will be one of us. Doesn’t matter which, because we’ll share. Plus, HPB has a really good coupon special tomorrow: $15 off a $50 purchase, or if you’re only buying one or two items, 40% off the highest priced item. Your choice. Seriously? Izzy and I can do a lot of damage at HPB, so we’ll have fun.

What else is on our schedule, you might ask? Well, we shall be going to Enchanted Forest, the awesome metaphysical shop I described earlier this month. We shall be eating out somewhere, I’m thinking Spiral Dinner, so I hope Izzy is in agreement with that. And we shall also be going to see a movie: Breaking Wind–oops, I mean, Breaking Dawn. And we always go to World Market and Target in the afternoon on Black Friday. Not necessarily to buy anything, just to go.  And we need to go to Hobby Lobby to purchase items with which we shall be making some Very Special Christmas/Solstice Gifts for some Very Special People (Jehara and Amethyst, I’m looking at you). And I guess other than that, we’ll do whatever the heck we feel like doing, which will mainly include staying as far away from malls as is humanly possible.   Oh, yeah, and Izzy has to renew her driver’s license. I’m hoping the DMV will be far from crowded tomorrow. Somehow I don’t really see people lining up to get their licenses renewed on Black Friday.

Since it is Thanksgiving, I suppose I should tell you what I’m thankful for.   I’m thankful to be approaching this holiday season about 65 pounds lighter than I was this time last year. I’m thankful that the incomparable Izzybella is my sister, and that CCJames, Jehara, and Amethyst are my soul sisters. I’m thankful for my mother and for my dad and my stepmonster, whom I adore madly. I’m thankful for all of my brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews. I’m thankful for my little Emmylou Who. I’m thankful for Joe, who loves me even when I’m distinctly unlovable (but don’t worry–I love him when he’s distinctly unlovable so it goes both ways). And I’m thankful that I had Molly and Scout for as long as I did, and I’m missing them hard. I’m missing Chase. The world just isn’t the same place without him, although he has visited me in dreams a couple of times, and the last time he was being a real stinker. Hope I gave you a good laugh, Chase!

So I’ll check back in tomorrow night when I will be exhausted beyond belief, and glad that I don’t have to do it again for another year. And Izzy’s birthday is coming up soon, and I’m excited about that.

Peace out!

NaBloPoMo: November 23, 2011

Today’s prompt was about a piece of music that changed my life forever. Honestly? There’s no one piece of music that changed my life forever. Although I will say that Breakfast at Tiffany’s is the single worst earworm in the history of earworms, and now I’m going to go back to my current earworm which is irritating enough.

It’s always nice to get things in the mail that are neither bills, catalogues, nor junk mail. And yesterday I was really blessed. I got a box of clothes from Coldwater Creek, and I got a fat envelope from Jehara with a truly gorgeous journal in it. Yay! Jehara, in case I haven’t already made this abundantly clear, is one of my very favourite people in the whole world, and anyone who doesn’t know her, well, let’s just say I feel truly sorry for you.  She’s vibrant and loving and creative and quirky. In fact, it was she who started the Quirky Girls Read blog, and I love being a part of it and love getting to know the other quirky girls even better. If you haven’t checked us out, click the link on my sidebar under booky goodness.

So I’m working Wednesday, off Thursday (of course), and working Friday morning. The incomparable Izzybella and I talked for a good while last night planning out Friday afternoon. We’re going to meet at my house, go see breaking dawn, eat somewhere, go to Enchanted Forest, go to World Market, and go to Target. And hang together, because she is the most awesome of sisters. Anyone who doesn’t know her, well, let’s just say I feel truly sorry for you. (That sounds familiar. When have I said that before? Hmmm.)  She’s genuine, a true friend, loving, creative, a brilliantly brilliant actor, creative and–dare I say it–quirky. In fact, she is one of the Quirky Girls.

If you’re one of our facebook buddies, go check out the photos I’ve posted the last couple of days. There’s one of Jehara, Amethyst, Izzybella, and me on opening night of the last Harry Potter movie. And one of me being totally goofy, and one of my husband looking like a rock star, and one of my mom, and a few of the Autrey family being their goofy best.

Have a great hump day! Hump proudly!

NaBloPoMo: November 22, 2011

We put up our Christmas tree yesterday. Early, I know–usually we wait until the weekend after Thanksgiving, if not later. But I need a little Christmas, right this very minute.

Since our enormous tree and virtually all of our decorations got cooked in the fire, Joe went to our storage unit where we had a puny 6-foot tree I bought for $15 probably 15-17 years ago. And he had to dig through everything in that unit to find the one box of decorations that remain. May I just say that my tastes have changed a whole heckuva lot in the last 15 years. Virtually none of the decorations that are now adorning my scrawny tree are any that I would buy today. There are a few that I’d like to keep and display, but the vast majority are just dreadful. I’d like to just chuck them right into the garbage at the end of the year. Of course, Joe won’t let me. He’ll put them back in the box and haul everything back off to the storage unit. All I’m sayin’ is I’m getting another tree and more decorations before next Christmas.

And if you’re interested in seeing what I look like right now, I made a fish-face photo of myself and posted it on facebook. Okay, it’s treated with funky colours and overlays, but it’s reasonably accurate. Except I’m cuter than that.

Hope you’re having a good holiday week. Mine would be better were I taking off more than a day and a half (Thanksgiving and Friday afternoon), but I can’t complain. At least I have a good job and good teammates here.

NaBloPoMo: November 21, 2011

Well, after griping about the lack of cool weather yesterday, I ended up having to get up at 3 a.m. and grab a blanket off the shelf because I was freezing.

And then I lay in bed and listened to my husband snoring loudly. Grrr! I’d tell him to roll over and he would obediently roll over, and I would almost fall asleep again, and then he’d flop back on his back and start snoring once more. So irritating!!!!

I have some music I like to listen to when I’m falling asleep. It’s the sound of rain, with delta waves, and I guess it’s supposed to help you stay asleep. But I frequently wake up to find that my headphones came unplugged from my iPod, and I just turn off my iPod and put it on my nightstand and go back to sleep. So I got the brilliant idea to buy some speakers into which to plug my iPod, and then I wouldn’t have to mess with headphones. And I was very pleased with myself until I got home and took the speaker thingie out of the box and found it didn’t have a power supply. I was about to stuff it back into the box and return it until I read the box more carefully. Power supply not included. And it can run off of batteries, which also are not included. So I guess I have to go buy a power supply. Boo.

I need to make a batch of cupcakes tonight. I’ve just got several weeks to make sure I have all the recipes down pat before I have to bake them for V’s baby shower. One of the recipes I’ve made before, so I’m not too worried about it. The other two, though, I haven’t. Red velvet with cream cheese frosting, and gingerbread with lemon hard sauce. Vegan cupcakes are not difficult, but the techniques are just a little different so I want to try them out in advance. I don’t think anyone at work will be too chuffed about having to taste test the cupcakes.

I got Emmylou a Rush tee shirt, and she looks freakin’ adorable in it. She’s starting to get used to wearing shirts or sweaters, although she still gives me the stink-eye when I put one on her.

And I almost came home with another dog this weekend. She was another black dachshund named Lucy. Very cute. But I don’t really want another dog. Definitely not until we’re back in the house, and probably not then either. One dog is enough.  I’ll keep telling myself that, and I’ll make sure to stay away from PetSmart on the weekends.