I twisted my hair into ringlets today. I like the way it looks!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Last Weekend
It was a hard trip. Blair misses me more than he had previously let on. The three of us had a little cry together yesterday as we waited for our food in Chili's.
The rest of the trip was nice. A family party at my Mom's Saturday evening. A party at my sister's on Sunday. Hot dogs, burgers, Mom's baked beans and Texas BBQ sauce (closer to chili), and a huge yummy sheet cake from Costco with mousse filling, chocolate icing and huge chocolate frosting roses. It's hard going back to healthy eating today (I'm starving!). Lots of TV with my guys yesterday, just lounging on the couch enjoying being together.
The rest of the trip was nice. A family party at my Mom's Saturday evening. A party at my sister's on Sunday. Hot dogs, burgers, Mom's baked beans and Texas BBQ sauce (closer to chili), and a huge yummy sheet cake from Costco with mousse filling, chocolate icing and huge chocolate frosting roses. It's hard going back to healthy eating today (I'm starving!). Lots of TV with my guys yesterday, just lounging on the couch enjoying being together.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Last Minute Weekend Plans!
Whoo hoo! I'm flying east on Friday for the long weekend. I got a pretty good price to fly from Rochester (saving me the $200 for the airport van, not to mention the time), and adding Dumbledore to an American flight is cheaper than Northwest. The best part - we're not going to tell Daniel. Blair's going to tell him they're picking up my brother instead.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
My New Haircut
I had a very exciting day today. I had my hair colored, highlighted (caramel and blonde)and cut (not too much off the length, but new layers, and the bangs were thinned). I'm very pleased with the results. After she finished with the cut, she asked if I was interested in having my brows waxed. Since I'd just been thinking about doing it, it was serendipitous. So I walked out of the salon feeling very glamorous and ready for spring.
After lunch, I went clothes shopping at Kohl's' and J. Jill (my favorite store). At J. Jill everything that was on sale had an additional markdown, so I got some very good deals and I'm very excited about my new look for spring and summer.
Tomorrow, I'll putter around the apartment and work some more on my scrapbooking project. (Last weekend, I spent both days at the local scrapbook store working on an acrylic album combining song lyrics I like with little digital collages.)
Friday, May 8, 2009
Trek Review
(first some spoiler free comments) I just got back from seeing the new Star Trek movie, and it was a fantastic movie. Exciting, funny, lots of wanton destruction (always one of my favorite things). The actors (especially Zachary Quinto as Spock) did a good job of channeling the original characters without doing impressions. It even felt like Trek.
(spoilers ahead)
But
the time travel/interference with the past that starts the plot in motions has the effect of erasing the last 40+ years of established "history". Towards the end I was waiting for someone to go forward in time to set everything right, and then slowly realized they weren't going to. And while I really enjoyed the movie, I wish they'd found a way to make it without mucking about with the previously established timeline.
(spoilers ahead)
But
the time travel/interference with the past that starts the plot in motions has the effect of erasing the last 40+ years of established "history". Towards the end I was waiting for someone to go forward in time to set everything right, and then slowly realized they weren't going to. And while I really enjoyed the movie, I wish they'd found a way to make it without mucking about with the previously established timeline.
Planning for Summer
I recently firmed up Daniel's plans for the summer. He's not big into the whole summer camp thing anymore, but Blair and I don't like the idea of him home alone every day playing video games, so I hit on the idea of finding him activities in here in Minnesota. We cobbled together some different programs we're all excited about and the best part is that my boy will be spending 5 weeks out here with me!
He's doing something calls Summer of Service which combines community service type stuff with regular camp stuff, at 200 bucks for two weeks including lunch, it's a steal. He's also doing a one week sports camp, a one week course at the University of MN on game programming, and a one week class in sports statistics (two of his favorite things in one class!). Each of these activities is near a bus stop, and all the buses in town eventually end up right by the clinic, so when he's done before I've finished work, he can get to me.
I'll probably go home to CT for some doctor's appointments the weekend before and take him back with me. Then I'm hoping Blair can take a little vacation time to come out here at the end and do touristy things with Daniel while I work, and they can go home together.
Tonight I'm going to see the new Star Trek movie (I'm hopeful and afraid). And I'm planning to scrapbook this weekend. I have this idea for a scrapbook/art project doing digital collages with lyrics from some of my favorite songs. It will be an ongoing project and I'm pretty sure I want to use an acrylic album as a start.
He's doing something calls Summer of Service which combines community service type stuff with regular camp stuff, at 200 bucks for two weeks including lunch, it's a steal. He's also doing a one week sports camp, a one week course at the University of MN on game programming, and a one week class in sports statistics (two of his favorite things in one class!). Each of these activities is near a bus stop, and all the buses in town eventually end up right by the clinic, so when he's done before I've finished work, he can get to me.
I'll probably go home to CT for some doctor's appointments the weekend before and take him back with me. Then I'm hoping Blair can take a little vacation time to come out here at the end and do touristy things with Daniel while I work, and they can go home together.
Tonight I'm going to see the new Star Trek movie (I'm hopeful and afraid). And I'm planning to scrapbook this weekend. I have this idea for a scrapbook/art project doing digital collages with lyrics from some of my favorite songs. It will be an ongoing project and I'm pretty sure I want to use an acrylic album as a start.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Tulips are Blooming
There are tulips blooming in the Annenburg Plaza and they are lovely.
Once again, I have given up on Low Carb. It was way to easy to justify slipping off for a special occasions, which came more and more often. At least I wasn't gaining, but I wasn't losing either. I heard a blurb for Seattle Sutton on NPR one morning. I liked the idea of complete meals being delivered, that I'd get variety without having to buy a lot of groceries, that it would be controlled portions (and calories), and that it would cost about what I'd already been spending in the employee cafeteria and in restaurants, so I decided to give it a shot.
I'm lucky that there's a local distributor here in Rochester, so the meals aren't being shipped from goodness knows where, and the price here is decent (apparently the different franchisees charge different prices). Out of 10 days of meals so far there was only one "loser" - a baked pasta with turkey and (a teeny bit of) mozzarella - the taste was OK but the pasta was far from al dente, so the texture wasn't great, and yesterday's kiwi was nowhere near ripe. There was a muffin that had a very "packaged" taste, like something you'd get in a convenience store, but other than that, things have been pretty tasty, and very fresh. I'm definitely eating more fruits and veggies than I'm used to, and eating things I usually don't. I'm no fan of Caesar salad, but the dressing wasn't terribly pungent, and so was palatable to me. I actually ate Brussels Sprouts and found them surpisingly unobjectionable, with a taste like slightly bitter spinach.
There was something like swedish meatballs that was delicious, and some pineapple this morning that was luscious. Breakfast has been especially tasty, but if it were up to me I'd skew it towards a bit more protein and fewer carbs to fight off the mid-morning hungrys.
I was very hungry, so I've added 200 calories a day in snacks (for a total of 1400 calories per day), and while I still get hungry between meals and in the late evening, I figure - no pain, no loss, right? I'm liking the enforced discipline of only eating what I'm given, so I can't rationalize my way into overeating.
The weather has been warmer - it's definitely Spring. Trees are starting to bud and the lawns are green. Dumble and I have really been enjoying our walks, going further than before. On Saturday, we walked for over an hour (with a break to sit on a bench and read my book for a bit.) We saw a group of teenaged couple in their Prom finery, accompanied by a scrum of paparazzi parents. They were adorable as they posed by the river in various combinations and permutations. Then Dumble and I saw a pair of bunny rabbits (complete with cotton-tails), who gazed disapprovingly at us as we walked by. Then there was a birthday party with a pinata in the park behind the Civic Center. It was a lovely day to be out. Dumble alternates between trotting along proudly, and stops to sniff along arcane paths before leaving return messages for the various dogs who've left their own.
Once again, I have given up on Low Carb. It was way to easy to justify slipping off for a special occasions, which came more and more often. At least I wasn't gaining, but I wasn't losing either. I heard a blurb for Seattle Sutton on NPR one morning. I liked the idea of complete meals being delivered, that I'd get variety without having to buy a lot of groceries, that it would be controlled portions (and calories), and that it would cost about what I'd already been spending in the employee cafeteria and in restaurants, so I decided to give it a shot.
I'm lucky that there's a local distributor here in Rochester, so the meals aren't being shipped from goodness knows where, and the price here is decent (apparently the different franchisees charge different prices). Out of 10 days of meals so far there was only one "loser" - a baked pasta with turkey and (a teeny bit of) mozzarella - the taste was OK but the pasta was far from al dente, so the texture wasn't great, and yesterday's kiwi was nowhere near ripe. There was a muffin that had a very "packaged" taste, like something you'd get in a convenience store, but other than that, things have been pretty tasty, and very fresh. I'm definitely eating more fruits and veggies than I'm used to, and eating things I usually don't. I'm no fan of Caesar salad, but the dressing wasn't terribly pungent, and so was palatable to me. I actually ate Brussels Sprouts and found them surpisingly unobjectionable, with a taste like slightly bitter spinach.
There was something like swedish meatballs that was delicious, and some pineapple this morning that was luscious. Breakfast has been especially tasty, but if it were up to me I'd skew it towards a bit more protein and fewer carbs to fight off the mid-morning hungrys.
I was very hungry, so I've added 200 calories a day in snacks (for a total of 1400 calories per day), and while I still get hungry between meals and in the late evening, I figure - no pain, no loss, right? I'm liking the enforced discipline of only eating what I'm given, so I can't rationalize my way into overeating.
The weather has been warmer - it's definitely Spring. Trees are starting to bud and the lawns are green. Dumble and I have really been enjoying our walks, going further than before. On Saturday, we walked for over an hour (with a break to sit on a bench and read my book for a bit.) We saw a group of teenaged couple in their Prom finery, accompanied by a scrum of paparazzi parents. They were adorable as they posed by the river in various combinations and permutations. Then Dumble and I saw a pair of bunny rabbits (complete with cotton-tails), who gazed disapprovingly at us as we walked by. Then there was a birthday party with a pinata in the park behind the Civic Center. It was a lovely day to be out. Dumble alternates between trotting along proudly, and stops to sniff along arcane paths before leaving return messages for the various dogs who've left their own.
Monday, April 20, 2009
My Weekend
Wednesday, April 15
After work, I was running laundry so I wouldn't be short on clean clothes when I got back. But when I put my clothes in the dryer, I forgot to take my keys. 45 minutes of conversation with very nice neighbors I'd never met before, my clothes were dry and folded and I was finally back in my place. I need to find a better way to make sure that I always take my keys with me. :-)
I packed (barely - there are clothes and toiletries at home, I needed underwear, dog food and something to read on the plane.)
Thursday, April 16
A friend of my brother's from CT was transferred from CT to one of the hospitals here at the clinic, and I visited her during my lunch break. Easy peasy, there was a bus from the complex I work in to her hospital. Quick stop for lunch on the way back and I was all set.
I'd worked late all week so I could leave a little early, so I left at 3:30. Took Dumble for a walk, gathered up my stuff and the van picked me up for the drive to the airport in Minneapolis. Dumble settled down pretty quickly in his new carrier.
We got there in plenty of time to get checked in, go through security, pick up some dinner in the terminal and get to the gate. Dumble wasn't entirely happy when zipped in the carrier, either on my back or on the ground. He whined and whimpered and I was nervous for the flight. But once I put the bag on its back and slid it under the seat, he curled up in a ball and was calm and quiet the whole ride.
He was good in the limo on the way home, too. And around 1AM, we were in Bridgeport and Blair and Daniel were waiting for us to take us home.
Friday, April 17
Dumbledore's groomer came early and he looks gorgeous again! He's so soft and silky when he's clean, the hair on his head is baby fine. It's such a pleasure to bury my nose in his hair!
My guys came with me to my appointment and we got that out of the way early. Next up, we went to Target to look at some jeans for me - I'd forgotten to change out of my work pants before the van came for me, so I had nothing to knock around in.
A couple of weeks ago, I attempted to approximate how much allowance we hadn't paid Daniel in the last couple of years. He's been so understanding and just plain cool about money issues that I thought he deserved a treat, and Blair agreed. After rejecting the jeans I tried on, we nonchalantly walked over to the electronics department. Dan went to play with demo systems and Blair and I checked out the Nintendo DSis. After being reassured that the regular Nintendo DS games worked in the new systems, we called Daniel over and asked him what color he wanted. He was surprised and thrilled. Later he told us that he was smiling so much his "smile bones" were hurting. Note of caution to others interested in the DSi - the carrying cases and other items manufactured by other companies to fit the DS and DS Lite don't work with the DSi (ask us how we know that.) He was the happiest boy, thanking us repeatedly and smiling constantly.
Lunch was at MacDonald's. Then a trip to the mall to J Jill for jeans (I've always been happy with the way their jeans fit me). Then home to watch some Tivo'd shows (what a concept, watching TV in the same state with the rest of the family - hey, the same room and couch!)
Next up, we visited Blair's work. He was so cute showing me and Dan off to his coworkers and the residents.
Then dinner at Olive Garden. We're used to the line on a weekend night being so long that we usually eat in the bar, but there was only a 10 minute wait, no one waiting outside, and hardly anyone waiting inside. Dan and I both took home leftovers and the three of us split a dessert.
Saturday, April 18
After lunch, Blair, Daniel, Dumbledore and I went walking (I hesitate to call it hiking) on the trail in the Pequonnock River Valley (a former railbed turned trail). It was a perfect day for a nature walk. Cool and a little breezy. Dumble was thrilled to be outside walking and greet all the people and dogs on the trail. We went down a side trail to the river and Dumble got his feet wet. Afterwards, we dropped the dog back at the house and went for ice cream. Then we went to Best Buy to return the accessories for Dan's new toy ("It's not a toy, Mom.") that didn't fit.
Alex had gotten a ride to CT with some friends, so we made arrangements for him to come by so we could all go out to dinner. Talk about achy smile bones. I was so happy to be sitting at a table with all my guys. Blair used to call Alex the James Dean of Gibson Ave because he's usually so quiet, but after a beer or two he was almost expansive. He was telling us about his job (he works as a dishwasher at an Italian restaurant in Springfield, Mass., and it sounds like he works really hard and they like and trust him. I was really proud. Dan showed off some of his magic tricks for Alex, and it was just a lovely, perfect evening.
I packed two suitcases with warm weather clothes and later that night Blair, Dan and I played a round of Wii Bowling. Sheesh, I get worse every time I play that thing, but we had fun.
Sunday, April 19
We went over to my Mom's for breakfast (she made her apricot almond loaf because she knows how much I love it.) There was also bagels, homemade coffee cake and orange cinnamon rolls. Then it was lunchtime! There were homemade potato pancakes, turkey crocquettes, spinach souffle and chicken pot pie. My brother was there with his 2 girls, my sister and her husband, her son Leigh (who used to work in the store) and his friend, my auntie and my in-laws. It was so good to see the family and the food was sooo good!
Blair and Dan drove Dumble and me to the airport and Dumble was as cool on the return trip as he'd been on the way there. I lost track of how many times I kissed my guys before I let them go. It was wonderful to spend time with all three of my men - everythign I do is because of them.
After work, I was running laundry so I wouldn't be short on clean clothes when I got back. But when I put my clothes in the dryer, I forgot to take my keys. 45 minutes of conversation with very nice neighbors I'd never met before, my clothes were dry and folded and I was finally back in my place. I need to find a better way to make sure that I always take my keys with me. :-)
I packed (barely - there are clothes and toiletries at home, I needed underwear, dog food and something to read on the plane.)
Thursday, April 16
A friend of my brother's from CT was transferred from CT to one of the hospitals here at the clinic, and I visited her during my lunch break. Easy peasy, there was a bus from the complex I work in to her hospital. Quick stop for lunch on the way back and I was all set.
I'd worked late all week so I could leave a little early, so I left at 3:30. Took Dumble for a walk, gathered up my stuff and the van picked me up for the drive to the airport in Minneapolis. Dumble settled down pretty quickly in his new carrier.
We got there in plenty of time to get checked in, go through security, pick up some dinner in the terminal and get to the gate. Dumble wasn't entirely happy when zipped in the carrier, either on my back or on the ground. He whined and whimpered and I was nervous for the flight. But once I put the bag on its back and slid it under the seat, he curled up in a ball and was calm and quiet the whole ride.
He was good in the limo on the way home, too. And around 1AM, we were in Bridgeport and Blair and Daniel were waiting for us to take us home.
Friday, April 17
Dumbledore's groomer came early and he looks gorgeous again! He's so soft and silky when he's clean, the hair on his head is baby fine. It's such a pleasure to bury my nose in his hair!
My guys came with me to my appointment and we got that out of the way early. Next up, we went to Target to look at some jeans for me - I'd forgotten to change out of my work pants before the van came for me, so I had nothing to knock around in.
A couple of weeks ago, I attempted to approximate how much allowance we hadn't paid Daniel in the last couple of years. He's been so understanding and just plain cool about money issues that I thought he deserved a treat, and Blair agreed. After rejecting the jeans I tried on, we nonchalantly walked over to the electronics department. Dan went to play with demo systems and Blair and I checked out the Nintendo DSis. After being reassured that the regular Nintendo DS games worked in the new systems, we called Daniel over and asked him what color he wanted. He was surprised and thrilled. Later he told us that he was smiling so much his "smile bones" were hurting. Note of caution to others interested in the DSi - the carrying cases and other items manufactured by other companies to fit the DS and DS Lite don't work with the DSi (ask us how we know that.) He was the happiest boy, thanking us repeatedly and smiling constantly.
Lunch was at MacDonald's. Then a trip to the mall to J Jill for jeans (I've always been happy with the way their jeans fit me). Then home to watch some Tivo'd shows (what a concept, watching TV in the same state with the rest of the family - hey, the same room and couch!)
Next up, we visited Blair's work. He was so cute showing me and Dan off to his coworkers and the residents.
Then dinner at Olive Garden. We're used to the line on a weekend night being so long that we usually eat in the bar, but there was only a 10 minute wait, no one waiting outside, and hardly anyone waiting inside. Dan and I both took home leftovers and the three of us split a dessert.
Saturday, April 18
After lunch, Blair, Daniel, Dumbledore and I went walking (I hesitate to call it hiking) on the trail in the Pequonnock River Valley (a former railbed turned trail). It was a perfect day for a nature walk. Cool and a little breezy. Dumble was thrilled to be outside walking and greet all the people and dogs on the trail. We went down a side trail to the river and Dumble got his feet wet. Afterwards, we dropped the dog back at the house and went for ice cream. Then we went to Best Buy to return the accessories for Dan's new toy ("It's not a toy, Mom.") that didn't fit.
Alex had gotten a ride to CT with some friends, so we made arrangements for him to come by so we could all go out to dinner. Talk about achy smile bones. I was so happy to be sitting at a table with all my guys. Blair used to call Alex the James Dean of Gibson Ave because he's usually so quiet, but after a beer or two he was almost expansive. He was telling us about his job (he works as a dishwasher at an Italian restaurant in Springfield, Mass., and it sounds like he works really hard and they like and trust him. I was really proud. Dan showed off some of his magic tricks for Alex, and it was just a lovely, perfect evening.
I packed two suitcases with warm weather clothes and later that night Blair, Dan and I played a round of Wii Bowling. Sheesh, I get worse every time I play that thing, but we had fun.
Sunday, April 19
We went over to my Mom's for breakfast (she made her apricot almond loaf because she knows how much I love it.) There was also bagels, homemade coffee cake and orange cinnamon rolls. Then it was lunchtime! There were homemade potato pancakes, turkey crocquettes, spinach souffle and chicken pot pie. My brother was there with his 2 girls, my sister and her husband, her son Leigh (who used to work in the store) and his friend, my auntie and my in-laws. It was so good to see the family and the food was sooo good!
Blair and Dan drove Dumble and me to the airport and Dumble was as cool on the return trip as he'd been on the way there. I lost track of how many times I kissed my guys before I let them go. It was wonderful to spend time with all three of my men - everythign I do is because of them.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Caffeine!
Wow, I shouldn't have had a Diet Coke with my lunch today! I'm keyed up enough what with excitement about going home, plus I'm always nervous before a plane trip - and I won't relax until I'm actually on the plane.
Going Home!
I'm so excited! This afternoon, I am going home for the first time since I came to Minnesota. I got an airline approved puppy-carrier, airline tix and reservations on a shuttle the the airport in Minneapolis. I'm packed (not that I'm taking much with me, there are toiletries and clothes there, and I plan to take a suitcase full of warm weather clothes back here with me.
The less fun part is a follow-up mammogram, but there's plenty of fun scheduled too. Visits with my family and Blair's, taking Daniel out to celebrate great report cards, being on the honor roll and having teachers who raved about him at conferences last week. Both my guys have Friday off (and Blair made sure he wasn't going to have to work Saturday too.) Dan's really excited that Dumbledore can come too. I hope he travels well in the plane - he's great in the car now.
Smiles:
- I'm going home tonight!
- Warmer weather - Dumble and I have had some nice rambles down by the river the last couple of days and I've dispensed with my big down coat.
- More musical interludes on the way home from work.
The less fun part is a follow-up mammogram, but there's plenty of fun scheduled too. Visits with my family and Blair's, taking Daniel out to celebrate great report cards, being on the honor roll and having teachers who raved about him at conferences last week. Both my guys have Friday off (and Blair made sure he wasn't going to have to work Saturday too.) Dan's really excited that Dumbledore can come too. I hope he travels well in the plane - he's great in the car now.
Smiles:
- I'm going home tonight!
- Warmer weather - Dumble and I have had some nice rambles down by the river the last couple of days and I've dispensed with my big down coat.
- More musical interludes on the way home from work.
Friday, April 3, 2009
ATC Spinner pt 37
From top to bottom:
- "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes" Scott Adams; 7 Gypsies Quarterdeck playing card
- "There are three kinds of people - those who can count and those who can't" Tim Holtz Stamper Anonymous Classic Collage stamp, Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Powder.
- "Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." Krylon black webbing spray
- "It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else." Erma Bombeck; Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Tim Holtz Distressables Elements digital image, October Afternoon patterned paper- "A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five." Groucho Marx; 7 Gypsies printed ATC, Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Tim Holtz Distressables Elements digital image
- Hambly transparency
We hope you've enjoyed this peek into the world of the ATC. Thanks for joining us!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
I forgot to mention the best thing that made me smile last week. On Friday afternoon, my phone beeped at me and there was a voice mail from Maggie and several of the gals who used to crop at momento. It made me smile, and I got a little teary thinking of all the lovely ladies I met there. I saved the message and I've listend to it a couple of times!
Other smiles include:
- Watching Dumbledore bound away from me when I toss a toy, and then he prances back, head up and legs swishing elegantly. (He has a beautiful gait.)
- Playing Uno and doing jigsaw puzzles on-line with Daniel
- The puppy dogs on my paper towels.
Other smiles include:
- Watching Dumbledore bound away from me when I toss a toy, and then he prances back, head up and legs swishing elegantly. (He has a beautiful gait.)
- Playing Uno and doing jigsaw puzzles on-line with Daniel
- The puppy dogs on my paper towels.
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