2005 Archives ... Baby One More Time

This will be the last 2005 Archive. There were more of them than I thought....

Two Distinct Pieces

My gall bladder and I have thankfully parted ways. The little cholecyst was wearing out its welcome. No one likes the internal organ who causes pain and suffering, especially when the pain and suffering can't be fixed by consumption of chocolate - the irascible little jerk didn't like dessert!

I've been living under a rock since the surgery, though, due to the newest installment in the Outlander series. I had to reread the five pervious volumes, and so for about six thousand pages and three and a half weeks, I've been reading constantly, driving and sleeping mostly excluded. Vaguely embarrassing, but I'm pretty much over it.

We survived the recent rainstorms here in the northeast with only a smidge of water in our basement. Very thankful! In other house news, we have a french door in our dining room, and literally nothing else. We've ripped everything out to studs. Wish us luck!

Back to babyland! Later, taters...

BRING BACK THE BARTER SYSTEM!

I think I'm developing some low-grade OCD in my impending old age. After spending three weeks fully immersed in the highly improbable, 6000 page love story of a WWII combat nurse and an 18th century Scottish warrior, I was at a loss for free-time activities. So, I learned to knit.

I've made myself a lovely green alpaca scarf, and I just started a more challenging pattern for a hat for Mark. Uruguayan merino wool. Mmmmm, happy! Now I feel like a knitting machine. Must diversify my hobbies. Must diversify my hobbies.

Does blogging count? Home improvement still feels more like necessity than hobby.

Must diversify my hobbies.

At least I'm not keeping myself occupied by counting the number of times I turn the doorknob everytime I go through a doorway...

So, I've decided I need to get back to the exercising again, since my ass is spreading again, and that's a scary prospect with thirty looming. Especially since I'd like to have kids in a few years, and I'm going to swell like a balloon when that happens. Eeek. Maybe a little less Hallowe'en candy might help... Snickers are so tasty....

I also think I should go back to guitar lessons. I liked playing. I like singing. They go well together. I should single-handedly bring back the barter system. I'll trade cooking or singing lessons for guitar lessons. One hour a week? Anyone out there think that's fair? I could trade in babysitting, too. I'm a pro. Literally.

BRING BACK THE BARTER SYSTEM! BRING BACK THE BARTER SYSTEM! BRING BACK THE BARTER SYSTEM!...

No more. Time to go back to the knitting. And lunch. Mmmmmm.....

55 Degrees Fahrenheit and Sunny, Ella Fitzgerald on iTunes, and the Baby is sleeping

Nothing of special note to report today. Ella just segued into Led Zepp, sometimes I love random! Things are moving along on the puppy front. I'm just waiting to hear that the litter was born. Remember, those of you who read this and know my husband, the puppy is his Christmas surprise. SHHHH! I'm researching start up items like crates and leashes, and looking into vets in the area. All very complicated for a Christmas gift. I rule.

I even mentioned putting the change from the "Pug Jug" into the bank, and Mark just sighed and said something about the spring being far away, and why worry about it now. He's very sad about the lack of dog, and as long as I can keep the surprise we're all good. Thank goodness he thinks Friendster is super lame, and would never think that I keep a blog for sharing things like big secrets that are driving me crazy! I just want to shout "We're getting a puppy! In like 8 weeks!"

But no. Not yet.

What I do have to do is write a thank you note to his Grandma, who is the principle financial backer for this enterprise. Also one to my mother, who will be contributing as well. Yay for family!

OK, I'm off to cruise the forums at www.Pugs.com... Ciao.

Pavlovian Assimilation

Today, Friendster emailed me to say it missed me. Yep. Friendster misses me. Does anyone else find this terribly upsetting? I get email from a computer somewhere, mindlessly generated as soon as a clock ticks a predestined second marking my online absence, and BOOM! here I am, logging in and blogging like a Pavlovian Borg-chick. I have been assimilated.

Scary Trekkie references aside, Christmas is screaming towards me, and another year's efforts to scale down and reassess have gone right down the shitter. Of course, nothing about getting your husband a surprise puppy is "scaled down." I've got it all, though. All the basic supplies, a vet appointment, a handpainted dog dish, a potential dog walker. OH! and the puppy. He's in Maine, awaiting being 8 weeks old so we can come get him. Busy busy busy. Now add in the knitting, the painting, the photography, and I'm spreading my limited artistic and crafting abilities dangerously thin.

I'm congested. I'm tired. I'm singing Christmas carols in my sleep - literally woke up halfway through Winter Wonderland, a la Ella Fitzgerald.... I need to get back on Weight Watchers, and the treadmill.

I've been happily married more than half a year!!!!

I need to write my thank you notes....

Props to fellow Friendster Ari Gottlieb on his adorable save-the-date and wedding website! We're all such goobers.

Much like Jessica Simpson, I feel like I'm rambling.

OK, back to -

Holy attention span of a flea! My Mom's gift just arrived in the mail. Luckily, she doesn't even know Friendster exists, so I can share with you the website of John David Geery, andDown The Lane, the one we chose for my mom.
He's a nice man, a gifted photographer, and his work makes me excessively homesick for Vermont. ::sigh:: I hope she likes it! She has a few of his works already...

I'm out now. More soon. Hopefully before Friendster misses me again.

Bouncing 'round the room...

::cough::
::sneeze::
::sigh::

School's out for Holiday Break. Whoopee! What I anticipated with breathless devotion for 17 years has now become a time of terror. Add to that the Christmas Cold that the baby gave me, and I'm your basic DisasterNanny!

But our puppy might be home on Friday!

And Mazel Tov to fellow Friendster Veronique Jurist-Schulman on her recent engagement to long-time mutual friend and all around excellent fellow, Will Zaritt.

I have some of the best friends on friendster. My pal Jason writes elegant and bizarre testimonials for me with alarming frequency, and they always make me smile. You should all go check out his latest. Heeheehee.

So three kids and me in a 3000 s.f. townhouse in Beacon Hill. Yeah. Still not enough space. They're great kids, but they're not accumstomed to being together all the time every day, and they grate on each other - which grates on me... greatly. Today's fun and excitement includes packing everyone into the Volvo and heading out to swank Chestnut Hill for haircuts at Snip-Its, grocery shopping, and retreival of craft projects from The Clayroom. Bonus for me, though. They're heading away on vaca for a while, and I get some time off!

OK, it's DVD time... We're off to watch The Incredibles.

Oh! and below should be a link to the litter of puppies our Maurice is coming from. I don't know which one he is, but they're all pretty cute!