THURSDAY
The weekend started early for me. With my boss' generous permission, I took the day off and got a lot of things done -- bills, laundry, pet food purchasing, etc. -- before meeting Heather to go to the Flyers game. I rarely buy tickets to games (way too expensive!), but this was an exception. We determined that rather than buy each other Christmas presents, we'd treat ourselves to this date. I bought the tickets from the auditor who visited our office earlier this fall, so we at least got the season ticketholders' discounted price and free parking.
Upon walking into the Whackoff Center, I spotted Bernie Parent, Bob Kelly, and Gary Dornhoeffer signing autographs. And flirting, apparently, with very tall Greek women! :) The game itself was pretty stinky and boring for two periods, except for the very fun cheers of "Refs, you suck!" at every opportunity. Good times. The third period, however, was another story altogether. ALL Flyers. We overcame a 5-1 deficit at the beginning of the third period to tie the game with a few minutes left and ultimately win it in a shootout. Talk about the best game EVER!
FRIDAY - SUNDAY
Friday morning I woke up, packed, filled the car with gas, and set off to pick up Mom at my uncle's house in NJ for our annual holiday weekend in New York City. We met up with my friend Liz at Alice's Tea Cup on the Upper West Side, then set off via subway for downtown. Mom and I shopped a teeny bit in Soho before it was time to meet up with my brother for dinner at a Greek restaurant called Snack in the West Village. It was a tiny, loud, super crowded place with really good food. The rest of the weekend was a blur of more eating, lots of shopping, a quick meet-up with Maria and J, TONS of walking (more on this later), eating, shopping, some eating, did I mention we ate a lot?, more shopping, etc. The weather Friday and Saturday was crisp but clear, and Sunday was a bit warmer and slightly cloudier. All in all, it was a wonderful weekend... one that reminded me yet again that I am desperate to live in NYC. Why oh why don't I live there? I am so alive and happy when I'm there.
MY TOE
Unfortunately, not all was sunshine and roses. A month ago, I did my first ever group run -- a 10-mile trail run. Ever since, I've had recurring and worsening pain in my right foot. It is concentrated mainly under my middle toe but also radiates into the ball of my foot. At first, I thought I had jammed my toe, so I grabbed it to pull it out (as I did almost every day with my fingers in college; we volleyball players are used to jammed digits!). Oh. My. God. EXCRUCIATING pain when I tugged on it.
My toe is fairly swollen and still extremely tender. It doesn't matter what shoes I wear -- flats, heels, slippers, barefoot. Pain no matter what. The only time it doesn't hurt, strangely enough, is when I'm running. Well, that came to a screeching halt on Saturday. During a tempo run in Prospect Park, I had fairly significant pain in my foot. By the end of the day Saturday, when Mom and I had probably walked 5-6 miles with 5 huge shopping bags on our shoulders, the pain was so severe that I was limping.
Of course, Einstein that I am, I ran 7 more miles on Sunday morning. The pain was there, but it was much less severe than it had been Saturday. By the end of the day yesterday, though, the pain was worse again.
I have an appointment at 4:45 today to get it checked out. Please don't let my toe be broken!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
23!
Last night at the Y a man asked me if I had played basketball for Newark High School. I replied that I hadn't, and he said I looked like someone that had played with his daughter. I replied, "Oh, I know who you're talking about. She played volleyball too, right? I've been told before that I look like her."
Now mind you, I know nothing about this girl except her first name and that we slightly resemble each other. Oh, and that apparently I'm nicer than she is. :)
He said, "Yeah, you do look like her. My daughter is 23 now. You're about 23, right?"
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I said, "Uhh, NO, but thank you SO much for thinking I could be!!!!" He walked away smiling and said, "Well, Merry Christmas!"
That might be the best gift I get this year!
Now mind you, I know nothing about this girl except her first name and that we slightly resemble each other. Oh, and that apparently I'm nicer than she is. :)
He said, "Yeah, you do look like her. My daughter is 23 now. You're about 23, right?"
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I said, "Uhh, NO, but thank you SO much for thinking I could be!!!!" He walked away smiling and said, "Well, Merry Christmas!"
That might be the best gift I get this year!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Holiday Meme
(I'm not sure what that title means, but it's what Kris and Maria called it so I'm going with it.) :)
If you want to play along, copy the questions onto your blog, post the answers, and leave a comment here so I know to go read yours.
Wrapping paper or gift bags? I mix it up so there's lots of variety and visual interest under the tree.
Real tree or artificial? Real. Always.
When do you put up the tree? The day of my annual cookie exchange. :)
When do you take the tree down? January 6 so that I keep it up until the Epiphany.
Do you like eggnog? Mmmmmmmm, eggnog...
Favorite gift received as a child? A red 10-speed bike when I was 10 years old.
Hardest person to buy for? My dad.
Easiest person to buy for? Anthony.
Do you have a nativity scene? I have the barn but not the figurines to put in it.
Mail or email Christmas cards? Real mail.
Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I have no idea!
Favorite Christmas Movie? It's A Wonderful Life. I cry every stinking time.
When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually early December, although I'll buy something at any point of the year if it's a perfect gift for someone.
Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Like regifting? No.
Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Um, everything? Is that a valid answer?
Lights on the tree? White non-blinking lights only.
Favorite Christmas song? See the post below... That song is followed closely by Linus and Lucy, which I'm listening to right now. :) Trust me; the Charlie Brown Christmas CD is the only one you need.
Travel at Christmas or stay home? Luckily, my family and IronHubby's family are both local. Unluckily, that means we never have an excuse to miss a get-together. :) We end up eating like 3 hugemongous meals at every holiday. Oink.
Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Let's see. Donner, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, ???, Blitzen, Rudolph. Shoot! Who's missing??
Angel on the tree top or a star? An old-fashioned Santa.
Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Since we visit three homes, we end up having three present exchanges too, one of which is always Chrstmas Eve. But the real orgy of presents is always at my mom's house on Christmas morning, followed by her annual Christmas brunch.
Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The lack of self-restraint some people have, as evidenced by the trampling to death of a Walmart employee on Black Friday. WTF is wrong with people???
Favorite ornament theme or color? My tree has several themes, including the Nutcracker (which I performed in three times as a child), angels, gold ribbons, and of course the requisite two Ironman ornaments. :)
Favorite for Christmas dinner? I'm not picky. I love it all!
What do you want for Christmas this year? What I want isn't for sale.
If you want to play along, copy the questions onto your blog, post the answers, and leave a comment here so I know to go read yours.
Wrapping paper or gift bags? I mix it up so there's lots of variety and visual interest under the tree.
Real tree or artificial? Real. Always.
When do you put up the tree? The day of my annual cookie exchange. :)
When do you take the tree down? January 6 so that I keep it up until the Epiphany.
Do you like eggnog? Mmmmmmmm, eggnog...
Favorite gift received as a child? A red 10-speed bike when I was 10 years old.
Hardest person to buy for? My dad.
Easiest person to buy for? Anthony.
Do you have a nativity scene? I have the barn but not the figurines to put in it.
Mail or email Christmas cards? Real mail.
Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I have no idea!
Favorite Christmas Movie? It's A Wonderful Life. I cry every stinking time.
When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually early December, although I'll buy something at any point of the year if it's a perfect gift for someone.
Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Like regifting? No.
Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Um, everything? Is that a valid answer?
Lights on the tree? White non-blinking lights only.
Favorite Christmas song? See the post below... That song is followed closely by Linus and Lucy, which I'm listening to right now. :) Trust me; the Charlie Brown Christmas CD is the only one you need.
Travel at Christmas or stay home? Luckily, my family and IronHubby's family are both local. Unluckily, that means we never have an excuse to miss a get-together. :) We end up eating like 3 hugemongous meals at every holiday. Oink.
Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Let's see. Donner, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, ???, Blitzen, Rudolph. Shoot! Who's missing??
Angel on the tree top or a star? An old-fashioned Santa.
Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Since we visit three homes, we end up having three present exchanges too, one of which is always Chrstmas Eve. But the real orgy of presents is always at my mom's house on Christmas morning, followed by her annual Christmas brunch.
Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The lack of self-restraint some people have, as evidenced by the trampling to death of a Walmart employee on Black Friday. WTF is wrong with people???
Favorite ornament theme or color? My tree has several themes, including the Nutcracker (which I performed in three times as a child), angels, gold ribbons, and of course the requisite two Ironman ornaments. :)
Favorite for Christmas dinner? I'm not picky. I love it all!
What do you want for Christmas this year? What I want isn't for sale.
Shaggy ran away
Don't worry, the story has a happy ending. I just had a heart attack in the meantime!!!
This morning I skipped my planned swim in order to get to a work meeting earlier. Miss Shaggy was very excited when I came downstairs all dressed in warm clothes... so excited that she ran out the front door when I opened it to take out the recycling!
My first instinct was to chase after her, until I realized (a) I didn't have her leash with me, and (b) I wasn't wearing a coat! After retrieving both items, I set out after her, deciding to pretend that I wasn't mad.
"Shaggy!" I called out, trying to sound as friendly and non-threatening as possible. It worked! She was a few houses down (luckily AWAY from the main road and deeper into the neighborhood instead of vice versa) and stopped when she heard me. I held up her leash and said, "Wanna go for a walk?" She actually took about 5 steps toward me and then stopped to sniff something. I just kept walking toward her, talking in a soothing way. "Come on, Boo, let's go for a walk!"
That silly dog actually waited for me! I couldn't believe it! She just stood there until I got to her.
Of course, she was rewarded with a little smack across her snout for running away in the first place, followed by multiple hugs and kisses for not continuing to run. She must have thought I was a complete psycho.
After she had a nice long walk and some playtime with Brodie across the street, I brought her home and gave her a treat. When I tried to pet her, she flinched. Oh, the guilt!
I'm a horrible mom. :(
This morning I skipped my planned swim in order to get to a work meeting earlier. Miss Shaggy was very excited when I came downstairs all dressed in warm clothes... so excited that she ran out the front door when I opened it to take out the recycling!
My first instinct was to chase after her, until I realized (a) I didn't have her leash with me, and (b) I wasn't wearing a coat! After retrieving both items, I set out after her, deciding to pretend that I wasn't mad.
"Shaggy!" I called out, trying to sound as friendly and non-threatening as possible. It worked! She was a few houses down (luckily AWAY from the main road and deeper into the neighborhood instead of vice versa) and stopped when she heard me. I held up her leash and said, "Wanna go for a walk?" She actually took about 5 steps toward me and then stopped to sniff something. I just kept walking toward her, talking in a soothing way. "Come on, Boo, let's go for a walk!"
That silly dog actually waited for me! I couldn't believe it! She just stood there until I got to her.
Of course, she was rewarded with a little smack across her snout for running away in the first place, followed by multiple hugs and kisses for not continuing to run. She must have thought I was a complete psycho.
After she had a nice long walk and some playtime with Brodie across the street, I brought her home and gave her a treat. When I tried to pet her, she flinched. Oh, the guilt!
I'm a horrible mom. :(
Monday, December 8, 2008
It's officially Christmas
IronHubby bought a beautiful tree Saturday, and I decorated it Sunday morning.
We decorated the house. (The outside lighting is having a little trouble, but I'm sure he'll fix it soon...)
I hosted my annual Holiday Cookie Exchange yesterday afternoon.
I did a little online shopping last week.
But the #1 reason it's officially Christmas is that I heard this song
over the weekend.
Throw your arms around the world at Christmastime.
We decorated the house. (The outside lighting is having a little trouble, but I'm sure he'll fix it soon...)
I hosted my annual Holiday Cookie Exchange yesterday afternoon.
I did a little online shopping last week.
But the #1 reason it's officially Christmas is that I heard this song
over the weekend.
Throw your arms around the world at Christmastime.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Yikes!
I just turned in my articles to Delaware Today. Gulp!
I ended up writing six articles, one of which is just a short intro to the rest of the articles. I sure hope they're OK!
Now I wait...
EDITED 12.5.08 TO ADD:
The editor just emailed me to say he'd been on vacation a few days and is catching up. He received the articles but hasn't taken a good look at them yet, so I'm still waiting for feedback. (I'm really nervous about these. Even though I've been published before, this was a bigger assignment and a more prestigious magazine, so I tried to do a really good job.)
I ended up writing six articles, one of which is just a short intro to the rest of the articles. I sure hope they're OK!
Now I wait...
EDITED 12.5.08 TO ADD:
The editor just emailed me to say he'd been on vacation a few days and is catching up. He received the articles but hasn't taken a good look at them yet, so I'm still waiting for feedback. (I'm really nervous about these. Even though I've been published before, this was a bigger assignment and a more prestigious magazine, so I tried to do a really good job.)
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