That time of the month

Nope not THAT time of the month but the monthly bank account check up.

I am doing better than I was a few months ago because I consolidated my students loans and this month our living room set will be paid off. We've also cut back on eating out and with gas prices going down, I've been spending less. I did have two splurges this month one was my hair cut and color and the other was the few outfits I got a few weeks ago.

On the downside, I am impatient to get my savings up to where I would like it to be. I know it will take time but it is not quick enough.

I am worried about how we can afford the wedding that we want. It will not be over the top, we want it to be a reflection of us with some quirky parts. I've gotten a few good ideas that we can do ourselves. But at this point we do not have a budget yet. We are working on that one in the next few weeks. The wedding industry is amazing how much is out there and the costs! I had my freak out already and both MR and the BF* calmed me down. Both had words of wisdom that reminded me why I hold them in high regards.

We are thinking of hiring a wedding planner (when we nail down a budget)to work with us to ensure we get more bang for our buck. Plus they have more clout with vendors and others than we will. And to prevent my freak outs.

Above all, I will be marrying my best friend and when it is all said and done that is all that matters.

*BF is not a good name anymore, what shall the mystery man be called now?? Let me know what you think.

The babysitter?

I have to head back to the east coast for work next week. I am not pleased about it but this trip is due to the fact that my meeting last week (while I was in the east coast office) had to be canceled. the reason was that some of the directors who had accepted the meeting invite forgot about the meeting including the champion of this project. My next phase is critical that I have their approval to move on because after the meeting no changes will be made.

I hate babysitting middle aged men, come on people! My boss was madder than I was and sent a few emails expressing his disappointment, how respect works and a veiled threat if they miss the next meeting. My boss is awesome. We have this cool working relationship that is very easy and supportive.

So I get to do this all again. The upside is that since the meeting will be in the morning on a Monday I can fly out on Saturday and see the parents for the weekend. My mom especially is wanting to sit and discuss all things wedding. (she has emailed me some pictures of the dresses that she is wanting to wear).

I went to work out last night. I have found my motivation and decided to try and work out at least 2 times a week. The girls and I did our bootcamp on Saturday and Capt. Zen (our nickname) had us work on arms and legs the whole time. It was a long hour! Yesterday, my arms and legs remembered Saturday and they are killing me today. But I am seeing tiny changes in the body so that is what the purpose is.

I was in the gym at the hotel last week to work off the anger I had about the meeting being canceled. So I am getting it in. I hope to keep the momentum going.

Is anyone else having issues with google reader? Mine is no loading and I can't cope with not having it. I am getting the shakes!

Not it

D tagged me for a meme so here it goes:

A. Attached or single? Attached
B. Best friend? My Girl MR, who I've known since college many many moons ago
C. Cake or pie?Depends on the mood, I love tarts more (quite telling eh) but sometimes I want a chocolate cake or a carrot cake. I love cupcakes though.
D. Day of choice? Saturday
E. Essential item? Eyeglasses/contact, keys, and cell phone
F. Favorite colour? Shades of purple and blue
G. Gummy bears or worms? neither
H. Hometown? Somewhere in NY
I. Favorite indulgence? Make up and a good haircut
J. January or July? Neither but if I had to pick...July...I don't have to shovel out my car in July, just clean the bird crap.
K. Kids? Two beasts
L. Life isn’t complete without? Fiancee,Friends, family and the pets
M. Marriage date? Sometime next year....Ack we have to pick a date.
N. Number of magazine subscriptions: 3
O. Oranges or apples? Oranges
P. Phobias? death, fear of falling off tall buildings (glass walls are an oxymoron and freak me out)
Q. Quotes? "The most important thing to remember is that you can always get more toast"-Albert Goldman played by Nathan Lane in the Birdchage
R. Reasons to smile? My fiance, my dogs, my cat, my friends, the beautiful fall weather
S. Season of choice? Spring and fall are my favs,
T. Tag 5 people. Anyone
U. Unknown fact about me? I am starting to get addicted to my Wii....Super Mario Brother Galaxy.
V. Vegetable? Tomatos, spinach, carrots, corn.
W. Worst habit? I pick at my nails
X. X-ray or ultrasound? X ray - the last time I had and ultrasound I had to drink tons of water and they pressed on my bladder and told me to "hold it"
Y. Your favorite foods? I love pasta
Z. Zodiac sign? Virgo

So who is next?

You all

Thank you so much for your kind words and best wishes.

It is still a bit surreal. This morning when I got up I check on the ring to make sure it was not a dream.

We've been so lucky to have our family and friends get all excited. Some people cried, others screamed and all offered such wonderful thoughts. All of your comments and emails mean the world to me. I never knew how a blog could enable me to meet and talk with such amazing people. I have met two awsome women via blogging and I have plans to meet some more.

Thank you for reading, thank you for commenting, thank you for the laughs, thank you for the support. You all are some amazing people. I am so fortuante.

So thank you!

He

He makes me laugh many times a day

He is my rock that I can count on when the storms come

He cooks me amazing meals

He pokes fun of random things that come out of my mouth

He lets me be who I am

He is my biggest cheerleader

He saw me through finance, two medical issues and career ambiguity

He let me get a cat and at times tolerates my need for another dog

He lets me refer to my self as mama to the dog

His smile lights up my world

He is the love of my life

He asked me on the beach to marry him...I said yes.

A stay in bed day perhaps?

So tomorrow I get to head out to the east coast (again) but this time I will be taking a 6:30 flight. Yep, that is 6:30 AM (!) so that means that I have to be up at 4 and out of the house by 4:30. I am debating whether I should drive to the airport or take a cab. Both have their pros and both have their cons. I don't necessarily feel like driving at 4 something in the morning so the cab is looking more realistic.

But....my first email this morning was from one of the major key players in my project and while he accepted the meeting he now has to decline due to another meeting that his boss called. So he can't make it. He is the only reason that I called this meeting and will be heading out east. He is the only one who can formally approve the project and while others will be at the meeting. His viewpoint is the only one that really matters. So in essence my meeting will not be as productive as I want it to be. I am currently in a holding pattern and I just want to move forward.

So it is frustrating. I just want to get this trip out of the way and all the points we need to be approved to get approved.

In other news, I already spilled on my white sweater. So it is so far a stellar day.

Being an adult

Sometimes being an adult can suck. The BF and I had our finances talk last night, we are ok and will be able to pay the bills. However, I have to think of ways that I can save more. I kept a spending log in August and found that most of my money goes to food, groceries or going out. Gas and random shopping was second on the list. So we've cut going out to eat and with the gas prices falling the fill ups are a wee bit less expensive. I am also taking public transportation a bit more rather than driving to save on the wear and tear and gas costs. We've also discovered a local grocery store that we are able to get our staples at a lot less than the major stores for the same items. So we are going to do most of our weekly shopping there. I am not as big as a shopper as I used to be so at least I do not have to cut that out.

To add to that, I have been paying off my student loans which I have reduced by consolidating but I added years to the repayment schedule., I am seriously thinking about how to get extra money just to add to my savings account. I have considered getting a second job (just don't know where or what to do) and selling some old jewelry that I never wear. I am also thinking about selling some of my paintings. I am starting to think about my job and how I can leverage that to get a raise or another higher paying job.

We are fortunate that at the end of the month all our bills are paid and still have a few dollars left. Other than the car payment, the student loans and the mortgage, I have no debt. I pay my credit card off every month. It is just I am not at the point I want to be with my savings account, I like to have a set number and I am falling short.. I also don't know if (and when) we can afford the wedding that we are talking about (no we are not engaged....yet) and that stresses ,me out needlessly.

With the holidays around the corner, I am thinking of what and how I can get gifts. I've decided to start shopping now so that way I can but items here and there without the major January bills.

Or I can win the lottery (attention Lottery gods!)

So, with things the way they are, what are you doing to save a few bucks?

On the flip side, after our serious adult conversation, I made pecan banana pancakes for dinner. So sometimes being an adult can justify the need for such a treat.

Squat

So yesterday, D, CBN and I went to our bootcamp class. We met D there and she had the look of pure relief when we walked in. Apparently our instructor was chatting with her and it was a bit odd.

It turned out that we were the only three in class. We suspect that he toned down the original work out in for us. But he was the king of squats and lunges. IT seemed that every third move involved a squat or a lung or both. At the end my legs were burning and today, my ass hurts.

The three of us were so worn out! But it got us moving and in a way it was like having a personal trainer as it was just the three of us. He was teaching the next kick boxing class which was after ours and after our work out he proceeded to do all these push ups, sit ups and running exercises.

When we got home, the BF and I ran a few errands. We went to a store know for their designer mark downs and got a Le Crusset pot for half off. We grabbed that (and a yoga mat) and ran (We did pay). Today we ran a few more errands and my beef stew is stewing.

I am not looking forward to another Monday. Ick

Moment of Zen

We've been to the new gym two days in a row. On Tuesday we just did our typical work out to get a feel for the gym and the flow. Yesterday, I talked the BF into taking a basic yoga class with me. I used to take yoga classes about 6 years ago with my mom. I loved it, I felt so refreshed, relaxed and streach-y (I know it is not a word in the technical sense). when I stopped going, my body missed it. But life went on and I have not really taken a class in years until yesterday.

My body totally remembered the flow and some of the movements. It was like my body was saying "About bloody time". Some of it was challenging but the other part was just relaxing. I had a great time

The BF though it was OK and did like some of it. the instructor had a heavy accent so it was hard to understand her at some points and that made it harder for him. But he gave it a shot and I was glad that he did.

So I plan to take at least one yoga class a week in addition to the other stuff to get my Zen on.
However the annoying cat woke me up at 2 this morning being his normal abnormal self. It was hard for me to get back to sleep. Of course I fall asleep at around 4:30 only to wake up for work an hour and half later! I also had this killer stomach ache this morning. Maybe all the movement and flow caused a mini freak out in the system.

On Saturday I will be taking a book camp class with D and CBN. I plan on sweating and swearing a lot!

Burn baby burn

So I got a steam burn while making dinner. fun huh! I quickly put my arm under cold water then ran to Dr. Goggle to see what else I can do, it said not to put the burn under cold water! It is very minor and is a bit pink today but nothing serious. I feel bad for those who have been seriously burned, the pain that they are in.

In other "burn" news, we are heading to our new gym today. I am very excited to get back on track. i also signed up for a boot camp class on the next few Saturdays with these girls. It is seriously going to kick my ass. I am a little afraid.

For some reason, I got this song stuck in my head. While I was waiting for the BF to get home and while I started dinner, I was singing it to the beasts. So when the BF got home
I told him how it was stuck in my head. He went to his computer and downloaded it so we could have it to sing along. It is still in my head... and now perhaps in yours.

What music is stuck in your head?

Another weekend come and gone

This weekend was a typical run and do errands weekend mixed with fun. On the upside we checked out the gym and we were pleasantly surprised. We can start going there tomorrow. On the flip side, we went to one of the local malls to use some of the gift cards that I got and the clothes that I tried on did not fit well. So that got me a bit down but more motivated. I think I will be at the gym a few times a week based on their classes and machines. Plus we can take the EL and it is one block from the EL stop.

Friday, D took me to Movico to catch a flick and dinner. That place is posh and she is so right about the the VIP section, it was in the second tier away from the common movie goers. I had a great time and will have to head back there again. Plus we had a great chat as always.

We also got some more boxes unpacked and we got the cat a new scratching post. Thank God he likes it, hopefully it will help quell his need to paw at the wall, my nightstand, the couch and the closet at 3 am. Now he has a place to scratch away.

Our developer has decided to call a pseudo association meeting this week and guess what the proposed date and time is....Thursday at 7:30, a half hour before the debate. Sure we can tivo it but it is not the same as it is when it is live. We counter proposed and hopefully they will accept it because I for one want to hear how one is more adept at foreign policy based on the proximity of one's house to a country lets say Russia.

The leaves have started to change and the days are a bit shorter...Fall is such a pretty time of year.

Random

I decided to just post random facts about me:

*I can be a real homebody at times, but I tend not to be as productive as I should be
*Ever since I started to cook for more than one person, I marvel at how my mom managed to cook and feed 4 of us in what seems like an effortless dance but when I try to replicate her efficiency I realize that there was more going on than the eye can see.
*I had never eaten Sloppy Joe, until I met the BF.
*My bed room closet has turned into a disaster, it is a project that I need to handle soon.
*I miss painting, I need to start to paint again
*My mom asked to go through some things that are still in my bedroom when we are home for Thanksgiving. It is making me sad to think that.
*We found a new gym that is near the Red line so we'll be checking it out Saturday.
*I will be getting my hair cut and colored in a few weeks and I have no idea what color to go to. I am thinking low lights.
*I want to take a few months and travel around France and Italy with the BF
*I am sooo happy the new season of "The Office" starts tonight. I heart Jim.

Ok so now that I have whetted your appetite, what do else do you want to know about.

Out of the ordinary

Out of the ordinary

Today was one of the not normal in the office day, it was We appreciate our customers day

-We could not park where we typically park because we had to save the room for the visitors
-The visitors got a tour of our facility, I felt like an exhibit at a freak show
-We had to remove personal items from the top of our cabinets for a "clean line" look
-We got the hand me down sandwiches
-We got the left over swag bags
-We had to dress up (by that I mean like business wear not casual business wear)
-Cousin It made an appearance
-No radios could be on

I am looking forward to tomorrow when things at the loony bin can return to somewhat normal.
It is strange how much of a creature of habit I become that any slight disruption in my routine can make me feel so out of sorts.

In other news, I swear that my mother is trying to make me into a mini her. I want the shoemaker i to make me a pair of red high heel peep toe shoes. I want them to be in red preferable patten leather. so my aunt informs my mom that the shoemaker got another job so he is unsure if he can make them before she comes to visit. So my mom told her to give him options so if he can't do red to do them navy blue. Navy Blue! If I wanted that Navy Blue shoes I would have requested Navy Blue shoes. Ack, so she was suppose to correct this. I suspect that she does not want me to have red shoes so I should get another sensible color rather than perhaps look like a harlot, please lady, us harlots have lots of fun!

Noodles

So on Friday i took a class at our favorite cooking school with these two girls. It was "Italy in Autumn" and there was a varied menu. I was looking most forward to learning how to properly make pasta! The last time I attempted to do so ended up in a crumbly mess and was tossed in the bin. So I learned that I needed more moisture and that most recipes call for extra large eggs so to add one extra normal egg to the recipe.

So on Sunday night I made the dough and yesterday I made the noodles! It actually worked, no crumbly dough! With the help of the BF, we made some fettuccini and ate it with gusto. The next time it has to be rolled out a wee bit thinner but it works. So now I al looking forward to making ravioli, chicken soup with home made noodles, spinach pasta and more.

When shall I expect you for dinner....I am serious.

After dinner, I had a mini freak out when I lost a bill. We changed the layout of our office and in the ensuing mess and clean up it went missing. I am normally so good about keeping them in one place and this one just went missing. the problem is that it is a passbook for the place where we got our couch (they are a bit behind the times) so now tomorrow I have to go and pay in person and explain the situation. I am hoping that between now and then it appears. I won't ask any questions....

Tonight we are heading to the gym. Got to start somewhere I suppose.

Case of the blahs

I have been feeling blah (and cranky) lately. I think that part of it is the change in season mixed with the fact that clothes are starting to get too small for me and the unexpected expenses (like a new tire) that seem to creep up just as I am starting to get my finances straightened out.

Ugh!

It can be overwhelming and just seem like I am facing a mountain. Frankly, it just sucks.

What are some ways do you deal with a funk?

So what did I do?

I spent the day liek a typical Sunday. I tried to sleep in but the pets were ansy and my mom called and woke me up. so the BF took me to breakfast then we went to Target to look at garbage cans (I know you all are jealous) followed by a trip to a few more stores.

Then we came home and worked on the office then I vegged out in front of the TV reading some mags.

Oh and the bf bought me a dog.

So that was my day. Mellow and with the person and pets I love.

On a side note today is talk like a pirate day so you be having a good day!

what say you?

Lets say that tomorrow is my er "your" birthday (for arguement's sake) and you took the day off what would you do?

Lets say that you wanted to go to the Shedd but the oceanarium is closed and that is the best part, where would you go?

Lets say you don't want to stay at home and organize the office, clean the bathroom on your day off. How will you prevent yourself from doing it?

Lets say that your BF is off as well, what would you do?

So what say you?

Ike'd

We got Ike'd this weekend. Two days of non stop rain and flooding in some parts. WE found a hole in our kitchen window that caused a minor leak but a leak nonetheless. So that will have to be taken care of.

Yet, despite of the rain we got a lot of things done. On Saturday it was our typical running around to do errands. So we hit a few stores and bought groceries. We headed out to a fondue dinner to celebrate my birthday early because it falls in the middle of the week. I've never had fondue before and it was a fun experience and the food was delish!

Yesterday was organize the office day. So we spent the day moving the boxes out of the office and filling part of the kitchen and living room. The BF built two bookshelves and we started to move things back in. We have not finished because there is still some work to do. Basically I have to clean and organize my desk and area. However, we are pleased with the results, our office is now more spacious and open. Yukon now has a dedicated spot and more room to move. This week we hope to finish it all up so we can start to actually hang pictures in the condo!

I also make rice krispie treats for the BF and for dinner lasagna rolls. They both turned out to be very good and now we actually have left overs to munch on during the week!

I was hoping to have a house warming/birthday part this weekend but it does not look like it will pan out. So I am thinking that this year will be a birthday sans a party. I am kind of bummed about it but another part of me does not want to be bothered with planning it. I guess it does mean I am getting old!

Ever the same

I often look back at the college days with fond memories. There were the ups and downs, the good and the bad and the highs and lows. Some of the people that I met became friends.

Living in an environment where the community is small and where you can see your friends by walking across the hall or even across campus seemed so easy. It was a cold reality when we graduated and scattered all over the world and seeing friends would be a, phone call, car ride or plane ride away. In fact, I lost touch with people and really stayed close with a few friends.

One of my friends J9 moved to Chicago with her now husband a few years after I did. We now live 5 blocks away from each other and yet due to work and life it is hard to make time to see each other.

Last week a friend our ours D had a message on Facebook that he was going to be the Chicago area. So I send a message to let me know if he wanted to grab a drink. Last night J9, her hubby, D, the BF and I went out to dinner. It was the first time I have seen D in about 5 years and the last time I saw J9 was in February.

It was so much fun we ate, drank and were merry. Some things don't change after all these years. There was a lot of catching up and waxing nostagicly. We talked about our friend S who passed away in 2000 and our random school memories like the pasta noodle on the ceiling of the dining hall that stuck for 4 years.

At one point I looked around the table and remembered some random things that we all used to do but at the same time, saw how far we have really come. I am in awe of my friends sometimes.

It just made me feel that no matter where we all end up, the our college bond still stays true to our hearts,

Never the same

Randomness

Some random items:

*Mineral oil is crucial for the maintenance of your butcher block products. It is also a laxative.
*The BF makes the best steak au prove hands down
*Red wine + me =Drunk
*The weather is now fall like which means cold mornings and warm afternoons and I have no idea what to wear
*I was the one who made the banana bread that was the BF's good idea (actually I was suppose to help out which turned into I want to make it)
*I have no idea where to start to look for a headboard.
*tomorrow we are having dinner with some college friends. One who lives a few blocks away from us and another who is in town for work. I haven seen my friend D (from out of town) in about 5 years.

The end of the BBQs

This weekend was packed with food. I mean a lot of food.

Friday we went to not celebrate a friend's birthday. It was just the 4 of us at a tapas place in Andersonville. It was yummy but a bit overpriced. Since it was opening weekend it was packed with people and the bar is cool so I hope that it will be around for a bit. On our way, we stopped to get her a bottle of wine and headed to this part of Andersonville that we don't often head to. It has such cute stores and eateries. There was a gelatoria ,a oil and vinegar store, a hand made in Morocco store, the wine store next to the wine bar etc. We bemoaned how much we miss Andersonville but we could not afford a place there. At least it is a few El stops away.

We got our IKEA kitchen island on Friday so on Saturday the BF began the IKEA building (I helped by holding things, go me!). But we had to end sooner that we would have liked because we had a BBQ to go to. It is one of the BF's friends and it was fun to meet some of his friends that I have not met before. We drove one of this friends home and they were both privy to a call from MR.

I sent her a text earlier in the day about how I am fat and not happy with my body right now I am finding myself having a hard time getting clothes to fit and I am not happy about it. See on Friday I wore a pink top and sweater but my stomach was bulging out of both. It was like the scene from Tommy Boy "big man in a little coat". The BF laughed at me because of it so of course he got the stink eye and I changed but the fact that I am getting too big for some of my clothes upset me. I can't afford to replace them at this time. So on our way home, she called me and the first thing I said was "Girl I am so fat!" So yes, the BF's friend got an earful. (Sorry J) At least she knows how to put a few things in perspective!

Sunday we had our condo BBQ. It was nice to meet some neighbors who I did not know. The BF knew everyone because he is typically on the back porch grilling or is walking the dog. Our condo is very dog friendly. So it was nice to chat and get to know each other.

The IKEA island took a few more hours to finish but we are 97% done. It looks great and today I get to sand and apply the mineral oil. I am so excited because that will mean that our kitchen is D-O-N-E!

I hope that we have a much needed slow weekend next weekend because we need some down time.

In a big red bow

So my birthday is coming up and people near and dear to me are asking what I want for my birthday. To be perfectly honest, I have no freaking clue. There are things that I need like a few million dollars but that seems to be a big stretch. I have it narrowed it down to one thing...a puppy.

However my request for a bulldog or shih tuz or rescue puppy has been vetoed. I tried to cajole my beloved that the puppy is because Yukon wants to have a dog. (she does she told me when I was rubbing her belly) Somehow he is not buying it. In the past two months five people that I know got puppies and I so want another dog. I have been asking for a dog since we met and he is surprised that I still ask for one.

I ask daily, right now he is reading this and if you listen carefully you can hear BF's eyes roll to the top of his head. Shhhh....see told ya.

So besides needing a dog that I will not get nor the million that will not appear in a birthday card help me figure out what I want for my birthday?

Yes, I napped

I so needed a three day weekend, in fact, I think that all weekend should be three day weekends.

We started off our weekend with a trip to IKEA because they finally had the kitchen island that we have been waiting for since April in stock. So after work we braved the traffic to the western burbs and plopped down our money for this and a few other things like a bookshelves and some cute wooden planters. Of course we are having them delivered because they would not fit in the car and the BF refused to carry them alone. So they are due in on Friday where we will start the ubiquitous "Figuring out how to assemble IKEA furniture" (AKA How to use four letter works effectively). But what we are excited for is that our Kitchen may finally be on its way to being done as is completed as in less stress for Christina. Then the office (will be finished). This room is a nightmare it is full of clutter from the two of us and is just getting out of hand. The bookshelves should organize that mess and have it under control. Well, one can hope.

Saturday I stayed in bed a lot. I woke up watched a movie, was cajoled out of bed for errands only to return a few hours later to take a 3 hour nap. It felt good, real good.
We headed to the 'burbs for a BBQ at the BF's father's house. It was fun, the food was good and we found parking upon returning to the city. It was a wondrous sight indeed.

Yesterday we cleaned the condo. there was a lot of little things to do that we have been neglecting since we have been busy. We took the dog to the beach and just walked around the lake for a bit. There were tons of people and BBQs going. The lake was this beautiful blue-green-grey and it was a warm day to just enjoy the end of summer.

Where did the summer go? I can't believe it is September....which means I am closer to another birthday.

Oh and I joined another bandwagon, I now have Google reader! How did I manage to live without it?

Card Carrying Member...

It is official I am old.

I got home yesterday evening and after catching up with he BF, petting the dog and cuddling the cat I went to look over the mail that arrived over the past day. Then I saw it....I double checked to see if it was send to the correct address and name or was it a mistake. Nope it had my full name and my correct new address.. There it was, I ran to show it to the BF who laughed (and pointed, I am pretty sure he pointed). I called my parents (to let them know I arrived safe and sound) and told them about this offending piece of mail. Both of them laughed (and I am pretty sure pointed as well)

It was a letter from the AARP asking if I want to subscribe to their magazine with my temporary AARP card! Yep this AARP.

I am going to be 32 years old, is that the age that qualifies you as a "retired" person. Should I just pack up my life and move to Boca, start eating dinner at 3 pm, complain about when there were wooden nickels and wear socks with sandals?

I was telling my mom this and she welcomes me to the club and says "well, I am only 39"!

I know that they say that 40 is the new 20, but is 30 the new 65?

Back and forth

I have to head out to the east coast office today. Again for less than 24 hours and I am already tired when I think about it.

I will be back in Chi town by tomorrow evening and all of this is for a meeting that I called, I am such a glutton for punishment.

So last night in anticipation of my trip (and because we were so busy this weekend) I was the ultimate 50's wife. I did two loads of laundry, unloaded and loaded the dish washer cleaned the dishes that were hiding in the sink, scrubbed the sink so that it is gleaming, swept the floor, took a shower, folded one of the two loads of laundry, packed and went to bed. No wonder why I am tired.

At least it is a three day weekend coming up.....Thank God!

The winning weekend

Well after the weekend we just had the BF and I should play lotto!

On Saturday we had my company picnic and it was in the burbs at this campground. So there was a pool, huge fields, a DJ, bouncy house (or Moon castle as I believe is the new PC term), and a dunk tank. No, I declined a seat on the dunk tank but it was fun to see some managers and other brave souls at the hands of others. They had really good food and a raffle where I won a tote bag with a golf shirt, two mugs and two umbrellas.

After the picnic we went home where our neighborhood was hosting an art fair. There were some really good pieces out there and we ended up buying a hand blown glass vase. It looks perfect in our living room. It was a pretty afternoon walking around and just wandering among the different stores.

Saturday night we went to a fund-raiser for Lupus that was in honor of one of the BF's friends who has the illness and it is unfortunately out of remission. It was a stand up comedy routine with about 10 comics. One was horrible, I mean it was painful to watch him bomb. Three were awesome and the rest were in between the two points. During intermission the BF bought a few raffle tickets. So at the second half of the show they did the raffle where he won not one but two prizes. The first prize was a four week burlesque dance classes, his friends were high five'ing me and I was laughing so hard that tears were coming down my face. The second prize he won was a gift certificate at a local restaurant.

According to the BF, he is not taking these classes, even though they have classes for me. He will insists that I should take them. We even came up with my dancer name in case I make it big in the burlesque world.

Yesterday we ran errands and headed back out to the burbs to take his dad out to dinner for his birthday. Needless to say, my condo is a mess and I have to do laundry tonight because i have to pack to head back out east tomorrow for less than 24 hours again! There is never enough days designated for a weekend!

Vacation recap

Without futher ado...

We drove up to door County on Tuesday, it took us about 6 1/2 hours because we stopped a few times but the first thing we did after checking in was head to a fish boil:


According to the BF it was a good fish. I had nice chicken sandwich since I don't eat fish or any type of sea food.

Afterwards we went mini golfing, where the BF won by two strokes and I got more holes in one though (cause that is how I roll). the photo below is of the ball that got away from the BF and landed in the water hazard.



Day two had us hiking in the state park, we were going to walk to one of the lighthouses but after realizng that we are SO out of shape we drove, but here is the light house:

We also walked around Fish Creek, bought fudge, tried some wine at a winery, ate a bunch of things with cherry. Oh did I mention the FUDGE. That afternoon we vegged out and read and then had dinner at a restaurant with a salad bar and boy were they proud of their salad bar. They were the only restaurant in the town of Ephraim with a salad bar. Then watched the sun set...

Day three was more of the same. We went to Egg Harbor walked around. We did buy a really cool original photograph of Venice (go figure) to start our art collection. We decided that when we travel and see an art piece that is reasonable we should get it to start our collection. That was our first piece.

We then took a walk in the Ephraim wetland perserve which was pretty and were I got this nasty bug bite


Our day ended at a local dinner joint where they seriously had one of the best burgers ever. followed by this sunset:
We headed home on Friday sad to go but we stopped at the Mars cheese castle for some cheese (duh) but we bought some salt there too. The trip ended with the last hour sitting in traffic on the damn Edens but we made it home safe and sound.

I think that the next time we go it will be in autumn because the leaves must be amazing!

Well at least part of the fudge remains but not for long....

Because I am lazy

I still have to write up my vacation re-cap but just have not gotten around to it yet. I did download photos though which included previously un-downloaded photos of my college reunion that happened in June and pictures of the dog, cat and misc. items from March...so yes I am lazy when it comes to things like that.

I hope to do the recap tonight after I get the car washed (again damn tree sap), make meatballs and sauce for dinner, take a shower, paint my toenails and watch the Olympics....

So in other words....maybe tonight....

Back in the city

We are back in Chicago and we had a lovely time in Door county. We are glad to be back and are tired but the the pets are exhausted. Yukon got a good report card from her stay at the dog hotel and apparently had a great time that she is pooped and has been snoring for the past few hours. Chaplin was so glad to see us and then feel asleep on our bed.

Door County was lovely and the best part was sitting and doing nothing. We read and watched the sunset. We tried some wine, went shopping and went swimming. It was a very low key relaxing time away. Photos will be forthcoming.

Oh and the cherries...in jams, jelly, juice, salsa, salad dressing, covered in chocolate, dried, tart sweet, in pies, tarts, donuts, strudels. Yum.

One thing that has kept us enthralled is the Olympics. We have been watching them every evening. We are so into the games and it has been the first time that I have watched them as much as we have been.

It is sad that we have to come back down from our vacation high. That is always the rough part.

Vacation has begun

I got back from the east coast in one piece. But dragging a carry on and carrying a lap top through the airports really caused such pain in my shoulder. When I got home my shoulder was red and in pain. I spent a whooping 4 hours in the office!

This weekend has been awesome, yesterday we went to the burbs to see my friends' new puppy and her granddaughters. Then went to take the BF's father out to dinner. The puppy was so cute, I want one!

Today I went to a whole grain cooking class with two bloggers. We all had a great time and it was as always a yummy experience. I really liked the cookies made with flax seed and almonds with chocolate chips and dried cranberries and the whole wheat pizza. The chef was someone who I had not had before and she was funny and very knowledgeable.

Our vacation has started. A whole week that is work free. We head to Door County on Tuesday. We are so excited!!!

The possibility of six hours!

I have to head to the east coast tomorrow for a meeting on Thursday. I will be there for less than 24 hours.

Yet there is a silver lining...I may actually get to sleep for a few hours straight without a cat causing havoc 2-3 times a night. The bags under my eyes are big enough to carry my clothes without paying the extra $15 per bag!

Monday re-cap

So another Monday and work week is ahead. This week will be a busy one because I have to head out to the east coast for one meeting. I will be there for less than 24 hours (but this depends on the sure as shit delays at the airports, really they are becoming so predictable.) Thankfully, I return on Thursday so I can sleep in an extra hour and work from home on Friday.

This Friday we went to Ravina, why didn't anyone tell me that the venue was awesome. We went to hear the CSO perform the music of the movies by composer John Williams. There were people dressed up as Storm Troopers, Harry Potter and other characters. We got our photo taken with some Storm Troopers as did the couple we went with. The music was awesome and we had a bottle of wine and some great sandwiches as we picnic'ed. My favorite piece was the Theme from ET because it brought up so many memories.

Saturday we slept in...we were so tired. Then we ran errands. Yesterday we went to the Andersonville sidewalk sale. Then headed out to a bar to see the BF's friend who was experience a very slow day as a bartender. Finally we went to get a book as I need something to read on the plane.

Thankfully we are off next week....vacation time

5 years later

This time 5 years ago I was drunk in a bar somewhere in Manhattan wearing cute jeans. (I remember that fact due to the photos that exist) The next day movers came and took my stuff out of my shared apartment. A few hours later I was on an airplane heading to Chicago.

I had no idea what to expect. I found an awesome apartment and had my same job just in a different city. I had no car, no sense of direction, no clue about what was ahead of me. I lived in a hotel for a month because the movers had the good fortune to have two flat tires one in Ohio and the other one in Indiana which delayed me getting my stuff. I moved into the apartment a few days before Labor day.

I scoured car reports and asked my friends what to buy and did the comparison shopping. Then there I was at a dealership signing what was at the time the biggest check I have ever written (this was nothing compared to the down payment on the condo!) and driving away in my first new car.

It is strange to look back at that time. In less than six weeks I decided to move to Chicago and then I was there. I had to get used to a different place, a place that was so out of my comfort zone. I barely knew where the grocery store was but I knew where IKEA was. The first few months were very hard, I missed NY so much. I missed my friends. It was a bit tough but it made me a lot stronger.

So as of tomorrow it will be five years since I moved out to the midwest. Here is where I found my home.

I am NOT spoiled

On Sunday we had to attend the BF's niece's seventh birthday party. Thankfully it was just family and not the overly sugared pack of unruly children that often plagues these events.

Well of course the birthday girl was eager to open her gifts and when she came to ours she opened the card and slammed it down with a shrieks of "I am not spoiled!" See the card that was picked out has a Happy 4th birthday motif and it was not realized until I was wrapping the gifts. So I found a card that I meant to send to a friend with a picture of a dog on it that said "Enjoy being spoiled and adored on your special day." So that is what triggered the outburst in which all eyes were on us. Thankfully, her mom read the card outloud and the looks dissipated.

Later her uncle (the BF) explained what the card meant and how there was a difference with being spoiled and being a spoiled brat. It went over her head as most things do at that age!. But now at least her sister can identify the difference between a spider and insect. Ahh progress...

TGI home

I like working from on on Fridays.

I can wear yoga pants and "not work appropiate" tee shirts
It allows me the opportunity to sleep in an extra hour
I can take a :pet the random beast break"
I am saving wear and tear on my car
I am saving on gas
I am not subjected to mindless chatter at work

But the best reason, the greasy spoon a few blocks away makes a killer burger!

My thoughts

My thoughts are with Deb and Erin who both lost loved ones.

Sunday night already

Another weekend has come and gone...it is Sunday night and the prospect of work is just so unappealing.

I got my hair trimmed on Friday and then it was humid and rainy so it is not so salon-y.  Damn Chicago summer.

Yesterday, I met up with another blogger for dinner at this tapas restaurant that is one of her favs (and now is on my "Must go back" list".  It was so yummy.  I actually ate some olives and I am not an olive fan.  I could have eaten them for days.  The we talked non stop for a few hours and had so much fun. .  I think we almost closed the restaurant down!  Just like D it is nice to have made another friend just by blogging

Today was a lazy day, I stayed in my pjs all day.  But I made these lasagna rolls that were so amazing.  Oh and I balanced my checkbook and cried.

My student loans are going to be the death of me.  It is sad that the cost of education is not something that the government thinks is important.   I am trying to figure out how to make the payment and have some money to save.  It is frustrating.

So there was this monkey

I had a dream that I went a jungle/tundra tour and I was chased by what was called a "Blood Faced Monkey". It was awesome!

Why am I happy about that you may ask, it means that I slept for most of the night without being subjected to the kitty tantrums of late. He has been really annoying these past few weeks when he jumps on my nightstand and starts to bat my alarm clock around at like random hours of the night. Then he gets bored and starts to scratch my closet doors to get any sort of attention. If that is not enough, he will jump in bed and patrol the middle, sniff us, lick us and then finally lie down near our hands so he can try and get a pet. And then repeat!

He grew resistant to the water bottle. Until I heard about lemon juice, apparently cats are not fond of the smell and the taste. So I put a tablespoon in our sprayer and when he acted up he got sprayed. This time he did not look at me like "whatever lady", he actually was started and did not like it. Granted it took a few more tries over the course of the past few nights and the BF had his nerf gun at the ready. After a while it started to work.

Last night, we went to bed and he curled up on the top of my pillow and slept like that for hours. I had to get up to go to the bathroom but then went back to bed and so did he. It was heavenly.

So I welcome being chased by monkeys....well in my dreams only. Unless you are a 30 year younger Davy Jones.

Disclaimer...I know now that I have had the put this out in the universe, tonight may be another story.

Food TV is my drug

We are Food TV junkies. (I can hear all of you gasp in shock!)

But the worst thing is to watch a program and crave what they are making regardless if you are eating dinner while watching said program.

Alton Brown is the worst. I was watching Good Eats and he was making cinnamon rolls, it was ten at night and I wanted cinnamon rolls, my mouth was watering. So what was the first words out of my mouth on Saturday morning when I woke up...cinnamon rolls.

We ended up going out for breakfast and we ordered some cinnamon rolls but they were not very good and they did not look like the ones Alton made. We were a bit disappointed.

Now I blame Alton with the need to make them oh and the pretzels that he made the other day...

Vacation...holiday...

The BF and I are in the midst (abet delayed) of planning our vacation. This is the first time in a few years that I can actually go away during the summer. When I was in grad school, I took summer classes and by the time they were done I had two weeks before the fall session began.

Last year was my bro's wedding so heading to NY and having a heavy dose of family drama was our vacation. Although we did sneak away to Lake Geneva last year and of course the cruise in December. But we want to get away during the summer, especially the BF who has been busy at the job-o and as a result is getting a wee bit stress-o.

When we started to think about vacations in oh January we had a huge wish list. In fact, we were planning on heading to Paris until the Euro came and whooped our ass. So then we decided that we should stay in the North American region. Then we decided San Francisco would be awesome...so we looked at what we wanted to do, where we wanted to stay and how we would get then and then looked at our budget and they did not match. So that was shelved.

So then we decided that the Mid-West is not so bad after all but maybe Toronto. We planned on driving and that would only be like 7 hours. So we decided to investigate...the city was also our of our budget.

Then the BF announces that he wants to get back to nature. (Me not so much) But then we thought Jackson Hole....again too much.

So we finally decided on heading up north to Door County for some R and R.

We are going to "check in" the dog at a new dog hotel. I am very pleased with this development as the last time we went away we were fleeced and the dog got a sore on her nose. They have people on staff 24 hours (unlike the vet), she gets her own area with a nice cozy blanket (If we want we can upgrade her to a suite where she can watch animal planet 24/7), she gets to play with other dogs, go out for walks, and will get groomed before she heads home.

The cat we are not sure about yet. We are only planning on being gone for a few days so we can leave him plenty of food, a clean litter box and his water fountain (yes he has this) he should be okay. But he needs love and pets on the head so I am not sure how I feel about this. We can also check him in the hotel but he and Yukon won't be together and he did not react well when he was in his carrier when we moved. We suspect it was because he was crated at the shelter we got him.

So we shall see, hopefully I can get days off.

9:31

My four day weekend is sadly over and it is back to the grind.

We had a very relaxing and no stress weekend. Friday we went to the 'burbs for a BBQ at the BF's dad's house. There were tons of food and we ate and ate and ate. We saw some fireworks on our way home but the best part was that we found a parking spot when we got home. That is a praise worthy event worth shooting fireworks!

Saturday was errand day. The cat has gotten oblivious to the water bottle so we had to get something more. When he gets sprayed he takes it as a shower and starts to bathe rather than stop doing what he is doing that got him sprayed in the first place. We got a nerf gun (although I am not sure about using it). It has his red target light which turns out, attracts the kitty, We have been playing with the light and watching Chaplin chase and attack the red dot. As of last night it disappeared under the bed....he is still looking for it. Good times.

We also went to see Wall-E. It was a cute movie and we had fun with it. We strolled around Evanston for a bit and then headed home.

But the monumental thing we did this weekend was to buy this:

Yes, we have a Wii. the BF was on line bright an early on Sunday and was one of the lucky 30 to get one. It has been fun for the two of us and all day on Sunday we played the few games that we got. Now I want (yes *I*) want the Wii fit! But we did go out to enjoy the sun. We took Yukon to the beach for a nice long walk. She loves her long walks and it got us out and it was a beautiful day to do that. The Lake was a beautiful shade of blue and it water was cool but not cold.

Yesterday we played official hooky (we both had vacation days so it was not like we called in with a fake cough). We went to The Chicago History Museum. On Mondays it is free so we went and spent a few hours wandering around. I really had a good time because it was when we left that I realized how sore my feet were. Afterwards, we went to the Spice House in Old Town and did not leave empty handed.

So overall we had a very good much needed relaxing weekend. I wish that I had taken a few more days but we have planned our vacation for August so that will keep me going!

Top of the list

So as of yesterday Chicago has the highest sales tax in the country...10.25% Bigger than NYC and LA!

Bastards!

But then again I have not shopped for anything other than food and gas.

I will give them a stamp!

I have sufficiently calmed down to regale you with a tale of my intense dislike for one post office.

Our door buzzer is not working and as such, the mail carrier can't enter our building to delivery our mail. This has been a problem for about a week. So they have put a note saying as much and that they are holding the mail. (I will get to that point in a second). Well they delivered some mail on Friday because someone buzzed them in. But they did not deliver all the mail (I will get to that point too).

The bf has (had) contacted the developer who has in vain tried to get the electrician over to fix the buzzer. They are making every effort to get it corrected.

In the meantime, today is June 30, which if you live in Chicago, means that you have to have your car city sticker in place by tomorrow. So about 2 weeks ago I went on line to order and pay for the sticker. I need this sticker otherwise they will issue tickets. So I rang the local post office and was told that:

a-they have tried to ring the bell but nobody was home....duh most of the residents in the building work
b-that we CAN'T pick up our mail because it is against policy. Only if you have a PO box or a vacation hold can you pick up your mail.. If they allow ME to pick up MY mail then we won't be getting it fixed and they can't be holding our mail. but after 10 days they return it to sender!
Also how do they know that my neighbors won't be wanting to do the same thing. I mean after all it is OUR mail.
c-When they delivered the mail on Friday it was just that day's mail not the back log because it is too heavy for them So once they are satisfied that it is fixed then they will deliver the rest.

Classy huh? Holding mail hostage.

Well after 20 minutes, speaking with three people my patience was wearing transparently thin. I have names and I was told by a manager that even though it is against policy that I can pick up my mail.

Granted I would like to glance at my mags but more importantly I need that damn sticker.

Update-So I got to the post office at 4:50 and left at 5:30, the line was out the door and they had the slowest people working there. But I got our mail after the wait and the name dropping. Ironically I was told that I could not pick up the mail that was addressed to my bf but in the bundle that they gave me was his mail too. Oh and the buzzer is fixed.

the 40 year old frat boys

Last night Diana and I had our monthly cooking date. We were going to participate (ie eat) the food and wine of Spain. I was looking forward to it but mostly because they were going to make churros and chocolate.

So we arrived and it was a relatively small class. The demo kitchen where we were in holds up to 15 people and there were about ten of us all women and all who were excited and nice to be able to get out and have a fun night. Then about 15 minutes into the class five middle age men loudly walk in. They too were part of the class. At first we thought they were gay (it is pride week here in Chicago so hey you never know) but it turns out that they were all high school buddies in town to celebrate a friend's retirement. One of the guys decided a cooking class would be fun.


They were kind of buzzed before class as they had a few drinks at a bar. Then they had a few bottles of wine. One guy A Mr. Clean look alike would not stop talking and his comments would illicit the others to participate. The chef (who I've had before) is awesome but his questions and comments put her way behind schedule. Normally, during the class we eat by 9, last night it was 9:30. She was a great sport and even though the guys were a bit loud and behaving as they regressed 20 years, it was a fun class.

At least there wasn't any gold lame wearing trixie!

The ma and the pa

Right now somewhere in the Ohio area, my parents are heading west. They left NY early this morning and are heading out to visit us this weekend.

In the past, I would have start to wail and gnash my teeth because a visit from my mom has not always been easy. She would come and then slowly start to nag and rearrange things. It would get to a point where she moved something that I needed and would start to argue. This time will be different because she is coming to our house and she would not dare to do that in our house.
My parents adore my BF and out of respect for him would not go about moving things and suggesting a better way to do this or that. Also my dad is with her and he tends to defend me with a "leave the girl alone" which has this magic effect of making her back off.

Plus they are staying in a hotel but that is more because we have a cat and we got the cat to "spite" them. My dad has minor allergies and my mom does not like cats so when we got Chaplin she took it personally as a sign that I don't want her to visit.

So this parental units visit should be a pleasure...but there are still bottles of wine at hand in case.

Plus the condo is pretty awesome so it will give her something to talk about other than snippets how my hair is too long, how that the salt should be put here etc.

We also have vodka....

First amendment crusader....

He was witty, smart, topical, honest, cheeky and funny!

Rest in peace George!

Joined the bandwagon (AKA will you be my friend?)

Well when I was in NY with my friends I got some slack for not being on any social networking site. So after hearing all about it I joined one....facebook.

It has been a fun looking for people. I found one of my friends from when I used to live and work in the UK. Then I was pushing (ok nagged) the BF who was already on to be my friend and then classify me as his "relationship with person". I have found people from jobs and from school and then I found the ex (hence the regression to the BNL songs). Finding him brought back a flood of memories. No we are SO not friends nor do I intend to be.

I have been cautious to not put too much info as to prevent stalkers like me. But some things are there for my friends to find me. (An ironic statement at its finest!)

So while I am into this site for now and until I get bored with it.

If you want to be my friend, I am on face book

Too sleepy

I am bleary eyed, wanting to sleep at my desk tired.

I am so sleepy that I can't even look at the computer straight and posted a weird comment on another blog. I need a nap!

Here is the best part, I have a presentation to give in a half an hour. Oh joy....let's hope the caffeine will work.

Rebuild

This was another song during that time.

But it was more for me to help me rebuild.

When you were born, they looked at you and said....

I came across this song again recently.

It got me through a rough break up a few years ago. Time changes perspectives but, this is still an awesome song

Pinwheels...

The BF has been very busy and stressed out at work.

Yesterday while working from home he accidentally spilled coffee on the laptop and broke a dish. He worked for about 9 hours and was tired.

I heated up leftovers and he spent time killing things on his Xbox. I went to the couch to watch some programs I DVR'ed and picked up a random cook book and began to look through it. This was a cookbook I got for $5 at the discount area a few years ago and all the recipes contain 3-4 ingredients.

So I began to look through it and found something that I could make for the BF. I tried it last night for dessert and oh my God it was so yummy and easy. So I am going to share it.

Cinnamon Pinwheels:
1 sheet of thawed puff pastry
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup of sugar (I also used some vanilla sugar that I had)
2 tablespoons of cinnamon

-Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
-On a floured surface roll out the puff pastry, not to thin
-mix the sugar and the cinnamon together
-with a brush, brush the pastry with the egg
-sprinkle 3/4 of the sugar mixture on the pastry
-Roll the pastry (not too tight) and brush the egg wash on it
-Sprinkle some of the sugar mixture on it
-cut into pinwheels
-Bake on a baking sheet with parchment (or a Silpat) for 10 minutes

When they are warm sprinkle the rest of the sugar mixture.

Warm they taste like cinnamon rolls. Cool they tasted more like a pastry for coffee or tea. I should know I ate about half of them!

I am already planning on buying more puff pastry this week. Plus, I am thinking of making them savory with ham and hard cheddar, spinach and perhaps Gruyère or feta.

Yum!

And now she is back....

I am back from my happy fun reunion weekend. It was good to see some people that I have not seen in years! It is interesting to see what people are doing and how things have changed. There was an air of familiar but changed surroundings. But all things change or so I suppose.

It was also great to be in the upstate region of NY. I forgot how beautiful it is to have mountains and hills. But at least I have the lake.

Of course the drama was with the actual getting to and fro. O'Hare was having serious issues (as always) my flight going was delayed about an hour and half and my flight coming back home was delayed by at least 3 hours. Plus they stop selling food at the airport that I was stuck in at 6 PM. I felt bad for the crowds (yep there were crowds) at O'Hare when I landed at around 10 pm, the gates were flooded with people and every food and Hudson news was open. However, as my plane landed in a thunderstorm, I suspect that many of the passengers were going to be stranded.

O'Hare sucks, it is the hands down worst airport ever!

The BF managed the house hold without me. He is awesome because while I was gone he:
-got my car detailed
-filled the gas tank
-took the dog to the groomer (she is sooo soft)
-unpacked boxes and bins
-put said bins in the storage room

All while the AC was out. Thankfully, we still had the AC and he was able to sleep one night. The HVAC guy came on Sunday and fixed the problem.

Yesterday, I was home catching up on the news, email, blogs oh and got a pair of tickets...for these guys. Well the BF did actually on my behalf.

He's got the right stuff and kept reminding me.

Only a Decade

Tomorrow I am heading to the wonderful area of Upstate New York for my 10 (gulp) year college reunion.

I will be heading to Swigmore U (no that is not the real name) to see my friends and I am beyond excited. Some of my friends who came for another milestone will be there which means that I have not seen some of them for over a year and a half. Some of my other friends who will be there I haven't seen in about 5 years!

I am excited to go back to the place that I called home for 4 years. I met my closest and dearest friends there. In fact, I do not keep in touch with friends from high school or earlier but talk to my friends from college often.

College itself was not full of wine and roses it was tough. Classes were challenging, there was always some sort of drama, there were roommate issues, there were boy issues, there were lifestyle issues, there were late night discussions, plenty of interesting drinks made! There was the finals which had us up late and punchy due to amounts of chocolate and soda or coffee consumed. There were tons of slices of pizza and wing consumed, the utter dismay of the cafeteria selections, the fire drills at 3:20 am (a special shout out to the drunk pudgy freshman to who decided in his infinite wisdom to see if the sprinkler system pipes could hold him...it did not)
There was the semester abroad in London. There was the graduation where we just were amazed we made it and were scared shitless as what to do next.

Here we are 10 years later Some are single, some in relationships, some are married, some are divorced, a few went to grad school. There have been ups and downs tears and laughter. There have been a lot of job changes and promotions. We all lost one of our dear college friends in 2000 at the age of 24 due to cancer, we cried a lot over that loss and had each other to comfort. We've moved all over the country.

But this weekend some of us are heading back to where we really grew up and were some of the foundations as to who we are were solidified. But the best part is seeing my friends!

Two...

Such a magical number.

Happy second to my special someone. We' ve had the ups and downs but we have had each other.

The Menagerie

We have added 10 new additions to the casa. Gold fish for our "pond".

Last week, it a fit of gardening we purchased some water lilies to see if we can make them grow. We got a plastic vase like bucket and dropped them in the water. They are starting to sprout and the BF was afraid of mosquitoes (especially since a mosquito with West Nile was found in a west suburb were his sister and her fam live). So to combat the bugs the BF decided we should get fishes.

So yesterday we introduced 10 of them and they seem to be okay so far. No floaters!

Although I am not allowed to name them to quote the BF "I am not going to listen to you cry because "Harry" or whatever you would name the fish died. I would not even know which one he is anyway."

Got to love him!

more Sex

OK I saw it with my friend and it was awesome.  We had such a blast!

What did you all think?

And bloggers when are we going to get together and have a cosmo?

Are you ready for some Sex?

That is right it is Sex and the City weekend! I already have tickets with my friend for tomorrow. Then we are going to find a Cosmo and toast the girls.

According to my friends, I am a Charlotte with a streak of Carrie. Which one are you?

Klutz!

I have been developing this very nasty habit of falling and scrapping my left knee.

A few weeks ago I slipped and fell in mud no less and last night the BF and I broke a chair when I was hugging him. He feel backwards ( and is bruse free). I fell and landed on the same knee and re-opening the same wound.

Gravity does not like me!

Getting my hands dirty

Our neighbor set up a lovely window box the other day that the BF and I have been wanting to do.

We've been growing basil, lavender and thyme in our sunroom but decided to grow a herb garden with some flowers.  So we have inpatients, cilantro, rosemarie and marigolds.  I was quite please to start to grow a garden.

The BF also rearranged our office and I started on some boxes.  It has been a very mellow weekend.

On Friday we made our contribution to the Indiana Jones franchise and wandered around Evanston.  

The cat has developed a nasty habit, he has now decided that 4 am is prime time to be up and annoy the parents.  So he has discovered that knocking down what every mom has on her nightstand is sure to get a reaction.  Just like clawing at the closet.  The water bottle has been strategically hidden and he sure gets upset when he gets sprayed.  Just as we get upset when we can't fall back asleep at 4 am!

It was a much needed and lovely weekend with plenty of extra hours to catch up on the much abridged sleep.  

Spices and herbs oh my (and a note to the cat)

This weekend was one that we so needed. The BF and I did nothing related to shopping for major purposes. Instead we hosted an appetizer party! Saturday after getting our breakfast at the newly discovered-down-the-street-local-coffee house we went to get groceries and then went home. We cleaned, unpacked, cooked, watched TV and then hung out with my friend PK and his wife. It was so much fun to catch up with them and it was nice to have people come to our place and love it as much as we do. We are not fully unpacked and the office is a mess but our living room looks great and when our kitchen is clean it looks beautiful!

The BF remarked how we should have people over more often because it forces us to clean and get organized. He is so right. His friends stopped by last night to peek at the condo and in 5 minutes from the "we are parking the car now" call we made the bed, picked a few things and had a moment to breath before the buzzer rang.

I also had a "date" on Sunday with the BF. He remarked recent that we don't go out on dates anymore. He is right, we got out to eat to actually eat but we haven't had a date in a while. So we went to a cooking class that was focused on your taste and how flavor can change. So we tasted salts like kosher salt, sea salt, iodized salt, we tried a range of vinegars and oils. We tasted fresh herbs and reconfirmed my dislike of Rosemary. I learned so much and we had such a great time. Of course afterwards we were itching to cook and add spices to our house so off we went to The Spice House. We bought nutmeg, vanilla sugar, grand Marsala, saffron among a few others. Yum! Then we wandered around Evanston and headed home where the BF made and grilled ribs while I fell asleep on the sofa!

Oh that reminds me....memo to the cat....the leather sofa is not for jumping, climbing, pawing , clawing or sitting. You have two cat beds, you have our bed , you have the window ledge all of which make perfect perching opportunities. I am going to have a freak out if there are more claw holes. This is the reason why I hesitated getting the leather couch....we have not even finished paying for it. So get off of it now!

I heart My GPS

I made it to and fro from the Garden State.  My Garmin got me to the office, the hotel and the airport with no problems.  Plus it helped me avoid some tolls.  Garmin rocks!

I saw my parents while there and it was good to see them.  The last time that I saw them was at the funeral a few months ago.  My mom just got back from visiting her family in South America and was brimming with tokens and gifts.  The best one was a pair of custom made shoes.  I sent my aunt this picture and when my mom was there they went to the shoe guy.  He is a cobbler who makes custom made shoes and took the photo and made a pair for my feet.  They fit and look awesome.  Plus as not he has my mold he can make me any shoes that I want.  It cost about $35 and are just beautifully made.

My parents took me out to eat and it was nice catching up.  I was really missing them but did not realize it.

Tomorrow starts my work from home one day a week.  It will rock!

List o errands

Saturday is errand day and we only had three places to go.  The first being Best Buy, the second Target and the last to the grocery store.  Well 1 out of three ain't bad...

We wanted to get a flat screen tv, I was told by the BF that it was a necessary.  So I agreed with conditions, it had to be from Best Buy as I have the credit card and we can make monthly payments, it had to be under our budget and it had to be a good name brand one.  He wanted a 46' one so as long as they met the parameters I was fine with it.

So after weeks of searching and waiting, we saw one on sale that met all the conditons.  So off we go to the first one.  They did not have it in stock but they recommened antoher store that did.  So off we went to store number two.  Nope they did not have that one.  So we went to lunch and the BF used the Jesus phone to locate a store that did have one...45 miles away.  So off we went and we got it.  We got the last one, apparently it was on sale and they have been flying off the shelves.  

So then we had to fit the box in the car, they only had tape, so we taped it and went in search of rope.  We ended up in the store that shall not be named because I don't like it and got rope.  The the sky turned grey and I had to go back to the store that shall not be named to get tarp.  So the car was packed and we headed back to Chicago with our new TV and not paying the lovely Cook County 10% sales tax.  So we only hit Best Buy....it was an all day process.

Diana and I had class last night.  It was all about tapas and it was delicious.  They made this amazing salad with jicama, avocado, grapefruit, cherry tomatoes, oil and lime.  It is as easy as that.  It was so good.  I learned to make bacon wrapped dates, sangria (I knew how to do that one but each recipe is different) and tortilla espanola.

These classes so make me want to cook.  I am so inspired that I know I will make them.  Plus with the summer there are the farmer markets and fresh fruits and veggies.  Yum.

Vanity Fair

Tomorrow I have a doctors appointment to get my "lady bits" (as per the BF) checked out. Don't worry the post is not about the lovely time that one can have in stir-ups it is about my doctor's side treatments. In addition to being an obgyn, she provides esthetic services. Her philosophy is to treat the whole woman. So in addition to getting a PAP, you can get a chemical peels, laser hair removal etc. Lately, I have been seeing her on commercials promoting her treatments.,

So it got me thinking about the things that women do. I am all for laser hair treatment and well, time seems to be marching on across my face. I've started to notice them....lines....winkles. In fact, I am getting glabeller lines (lines between the eyes), lines on my forehead and one near my nose, and skin discolorations. It is amazing how a 10x mirror can make one feel like a monster abet one with lip gloss.

Ack, what to do. However, due to lovely moving costs I can't afford the treatments even if I wanted to. But then I was thinking "No, I will be okay. I can take some of the tax rebate and go get a facial. I can budget for that, it is a possibility. That may work, all will be well in the world. I mean nobody can see you as close as a 10x mirror so you can hide imperfections. Make up is a good thing, concealer is my friend." Right?

But I have a wish list of things I would like to get done if there was more pennies in the coffer:
-teeth whitening
-monthly facials
-monthly massages
-regular eyebrow waxing
-laser hair treatment

Maybe one day I can get some of the things on my list.

But down the line, will I be that vane to even consider doing anything drastic? Growing old gracefully is sometimes not as easy nor pretty as it sounds.

Which way is up

I have a confession...

I am directionally challenged. That is right, it takes me a second to think which way is left and which way is right. I am bad at giving directions, I tend to point to places where to turn or at landmarks, which is not always good for the driver. I am the one who gives directions,

"Make a left by the taco place called El Famoso but if you get to El Bandito you are too far north"

Or

"The road makes a weird twist thing, keep going straight

I am getting better but still I am the last person to ask for directions by car.

So after my last fiasco of driving in NJ I got me a GPS which will be coming with me to NJ. Now NJ is not that bad, I mean it produced Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi but the roads are confusing with weird twists and turns. I have to be there next week and already I am pondering how not to get lost for hours (again).

In other news, I got my new phone in Maroon it is a LG EnV2, it is my new toy!

Rat race

When it rains it pours.  My social life that is.

We have been very busy with the whole buying a condo, packing, moving and unpacking that every week for the past month seems jammed packed.  This weekend was one where we did very little other than home things.  

The BF installed my new closet on Saturday and yesterday he set up the grill and we did some more unpacking.  We have 95% of the office done but still have a few dozen more boxes of things for the living room and bedroom.  It never seems to end.

I had to get Bogart looked at today, I received two recall notices so off to Honda!  Tomorrow is tentative dinner with my former manager, Wednesday is tentative dinner with JT but he is flaky and Friday Diana and I are going to take a tapas class.

Next week I have to head to the Garden State for work...no rest for the weary!

Lift off

I got to launch one of my projects this week and start to work on another.

I love my new job, it is interesting and I am in the know.  My boss is awesome and lets me do my thing and supports my ideas.

My previous boss is also cool (she always was) but we are on different levels now so we are both able to help in different ways than before/

I get to tell sales what to do and when they complain, their VP hands their asses on a silver plate to me.   Yea, I make them suffer by asking them to do their damn job! 

Plus I may get to work from home a day or two a week which will save some of my damn hard earned money in gas.  

Weekend warrior princess

Moving is not fun. This weekend we spent a good portion of time at the old apartment cleaning, throwing out garbage and packing the car with the random things we left behind. Since we lived on the third floor it was a lot of stair climbing. We had so much to do that it physically and mentally wore me out. Then we got to the condo and there are mounds of boxes left to be unpacked. Only one was unpacked!

Yesterday, we went to the BF's niece's 5th birthday and there is nothing like about 15 sugar fueled kids who descend on the gifts like sharks to chum. It was a frenzy. Of course the man who married my BF's sister (the BF does not like to call him his brother in law for many justifiable reasons) made an obnoxious comment to me that in essence told me that he will remember my name when there is a ring on my finger. He has this habit of calling me Christine and does not see a problem with it. I was so pissed with his comment because the BF and I have been together for almost 2 years, we purchased a home for us, we don't owe him any explanations and he is an ass hole. I know that it is coming but we are stuck together because we want to be and one day we'll make it legal.

I should have told him what the BF tells people when they ask about "the ring"...I have to wait for the divorce to be final and break it off with the mistress.

That would have shut him up!

Oh and doing the laundry with a fake diamond tiara is really cool!

Leaning tower?

So now that we have moved, I have to take a different route to work. So the other day, I was in my car heading to the daily grind and in the distance I see it....the Leaning Tower of Pisa? I thought that I was delusional.

On my way home, I saw it again. It is a half size replica of the original that is located in Niles, IL. Apparently it is a water tower for the local Y and is a tourist attraction,

Check it out if you are ever in Niles, if you like roadside oddities

A Habit to break

At the apartment Chaplin was able to meow his way to drink out of the faucet of the bathtub.  It became a ritual, he would dash to the bathroom as soon as the BF got up and meow.  The BF often ignored his pleas unless it got really annoying.  If he was ignored, Chaplin would wait until I got up and then I would give him his water.  Same when I got home or even went to the bathroom.

Now in the new condo, we do not want to encourage that.  Yet, it is not the plan according to Chaplin.  He is now sitting in the tub waiting and meowing.  If we go to the bathroom we hear the patter of tiny paws no matter when we go.  So we bought him a cat fountain so he can drink but it is at the BF's father's house.  So we can get it this weekend.

Until then, meows and mad dashes continue....

Yukon has totally adjusted and is a happy content doggy.  She has found her spots and manages to still get underfoot.  But they are happy...so that is all that matters.

Home...

We did it, we closed and moved!

The closing went well and I only signed my name 47 times.  Yep I counted.  In an hour we became home owners.  We then went to look for a sofa at The store formerly known as Marshall Fields.  We did not find anything we loved so the search continues.

This weekend was spent packing and the BF and his bro started installing the closet organizers.  Yesterday was really a busy day there were so many things to pack.  I was tired and hurting.

The movers arrived 40 minutes early so they started at 7:30 rather than 8.  Which was a bit of a shock because my alarm was set but not turned on so we overslept 15 minutes.  Which was 5 minutes before the movers arrived.  They were awesome, I highly recommend them.  We were done and settled in our new place at 12!  

So the rest of the afternoon was spent going back to the apartment to pick up the babies and come home to unpack.

It is all good!

Get ready, get set....

So tonight begins the first round of "the move".

We have our walk through with our real estate agent and the inspector. Tomorrow we are both off so we will pack, drop of items at the salvation army, run errands and hit the bank for the all important check!

Friday is the closing. (I just read that again, I need to take a breath)

Whew!

On the decorating side I think that I found the sofa. We are looking for a new sofa for the new condo because mine has seen some better days. The BF's requirement is that it is leather and would prefer a sectional. I want a sleeper sofa. Well after searching web sites I think that I found one that fits both of our needs and is on sale which makes it fall way under our budget.

I can't wait to see the place tonight with the painting done and the granite countertops installed!

The fun has just begun!

Got it!

I got my diploma in the mail the other day. Rather I got two, one for my "office" and one for home. My mother wants me to make copies like the doctors do to put it in the different rooms. She is nuts.

So I an official MBA graduate with distinction!

It is a tad bit anti-climatic though.

Damned

We have gotten rid of two things so far or rather I should say people bought two things so far. We sold the blender and papasan chair and the couple who took the chair may take our three AC units. If they want to haul them down three flights of stairs and pay us for the privilege I am all for it.

I was sad to see that chair go but, I could not bear the though of leaving it out as garbage. , I've had it for years(since I moved to Brooklyn) but the BF finds it "impractical,". A few weeks ago his sister asked us what are our "wagon wheel table" (from When Harry Met Sally when their friends moved in together and he had this wagon wheel coffee table that they were arguing about, he ultimately lost) and the BF immediately responds with the papasan chair. My response was his Gene Simmon's Kiss Collectible doll ehh "figure". But really it does not annoy me, I got used to it.

However, that has been replaced with the vitamin dispenser. In all the nearly two years of dating and one year of cohabitation, I never knew this existed. It was a purchase from a famous mall electronic gadget store and it is about 18 inches tall. You open the compartments and put your vitamins or meds there and then you press a button and it automatically dispenses that day's pills. Yes he paid money for that!!! The best part is that he forgot about it and it still has vitamins inside of it!

I was laughing so hard when I saw it and was teasing him about it.

Now he wants to keep it

I am damned!