Thursday 10/31, Eric had to work until 7:30 so I was on my own for the first part of Halloween. When I got home I took Fae for a quick walk and talked to Cherry for a few minutes. I fed the dogs then made myself a burrito. I kept all the lights out until I was ready for the doorbell to start ringing. I handed out bullies to the dogs and sat in the living room going through mail and half-watching tv. We didn’t get that many treaters. When Eric got home I filled him in on the events and Stefanie came over to pick up her computer. She stayed for a little while and we talked then she took off. I called Genie and we talked about Fae’s app and it sounds like these people are really great and it may go through. Fingers crossed. There were a few more trick or treaters then we turned out the lights and got into bed. Lots of candy left over thank goodness.

Wednesday 10/30, When I got home we took Fae for a walk around the neighborhood then I cut the last of the dahlias. There are still a ton of buds but I don’t think they’ll bloom before it starts freezing. Eric and I went to the store to pick up stuff for the rest of the week and dinner. He got dinner going while I put away laundry, my luggage and stuff and sent out an invoice for Sucia. We ate dinner in the living room and finished Ides of March. I showered and got into bed, closed my Schwab accounts, updated this then went to bed.

Tuesday 10/29, I slept in until almost 9, but the construction upstairs finally drove me to get up. I had a bowl of cereal and Alix finally arrived home around 10. We were all ready and packed up and took off for the MFA. I had sticker shock when we went to buy the tickets so we bagged that and went to get breakfast instead, only the place Alix wanted to go was closed. We went to another place called Stephani’s that was very good. We went up to Bunker Hill in Charlestown and climbed all the way to the top of the tower (297 stairs). I can’t believe I made it. Back at the bottom Eric and I looked around and took pictures then ventured into Charlestown while Alix tried to fix her camera. I talked with Claude for a long time about my email while we walked and Eric took pictures. We found a little bakery and I got a lemon bar. Eric got a piece of carrot cake after the guy gave him a cinnamon bun with two flies on it. Ick. Back to the car and Alix wanted to mail off her camera so we went to the post office then FedEx to mail it. By the time she was done it was time to go to the airport and get checked in. We said our goodbyes then into the airport and through security. It all went fine and we headed to our gate and got some snacks for the plane. On the flight we watched The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Ides of March. Turbulence was bad so Eric was freaking out. We landed 30 minutes early at 9:30. Mom picked us up and we filled her in on the trip. The dogs were excited to see us when we got home and we quickly got ready for bed since we were exhausted and on Boston time.


Monday 10/28, We got up and moving and out of the house a little before 10. Our trip for the day was Cape Cod. The drive was nice, though felt long. Probably a little over an hour. We went to Keltic Kitchen for breakfast and it was delicious. I had an excellent hot chocolate as well. We talked about what we wanted to do and decided to go try and find the Kennedy compound. We found a beach and stopped to look around and as we walked to the water there were thousands of small horseshoe crab exoskeletons as far as you could see down the coast in giant, continuous piles. It was disgusting. We got back in the car to go look at houses and I don’t think we found the Kennedy compound though maybe we did. I think Alix’s direction was off. She was in a mood and wanted to go back to Boston so we basically left after that. We were there for maybe a total of 2 hours. I was disappointed and irritated. We sat in traffic forever and finally made it back to the city and picked up Cierra. I laid down and Eric read for a little bit before we all started to get ready to go to dinner at the Top of the Hub. We rode the train down there. Up to the top of the Prudential building and we were seated right by the window overlooking the river. It was really pretty and we got the sunset. Dinner was good and I had the pork chop, which was the biggest one I’d ever seen. For dessert I got the crème brulee. When we got home we changed real quick and Eric and I went down to the neighborhood bar so he could watch the Seahawks game. We stayed down there for the whole thing and I talked to Stef and Liz. Alix stayed at Cierra’s so we had the place to ourselves. It was after midnight by the time we got back to Alix’s and went to bed.

Sunday 10/27, Alix called before 8 to see if we were up; Eric was, I wasn’t. She came home and we got ready and headed up to Maine. The drive was pretty and it took us about an hour and a half to get up to Freeport. We went to the LL Bean flagship store and Alix bought a couple shirts while Eric bought some xmas gifts for Uncle Brad. I called Genie because my emails weren’t working and no one was getting my mail. We walked around town, which was really cute and jam packed with outlet stores disguised as quaint shops. We decided to head down to Portland for lunch and ended up at Susan’s Fish and Chips which had good ratings. The food was really good, though a little off the beaten track. We all enjoyed our lunches and Eric was glad he got to have clam chowder and a lobster roll while in Maine. After lunch we made our way to Cape Elizabeth to see the lighthouse. This was one of the highlights of our trip. It was stunningly gorgeous and we stayed for a long time. We walked down on the rocks and took pictures, then over to this area where there was a trail and up onto the top of the bunker. We headed out so we could make dinner at Pam and Jerry’s. The drive felt a little long, but I was also freezing which didn’t help. We arrived right at 6:30 and David and Adrien were already there. We talked and visited until it was time for dinner. The food was excellent and we had nice conversation throughout. David brought a ton of little desserts and we also had salted caramels. We left a little after 8 and drove by the big houses (including Longfellow’s). Back to Alix’s and Eric wanted to watch sports so we stayed up for a while doing that then into bed.

Saturday 10/26, We landed in Boston 20 minutes early and it was still pitch black outside and like 5:45 am. We went down and got our luggage and waited for Alix to pick us up. I got a donut. We went back to her house and it was so wonderfully warm in her apartment because her radiators are all on full bore. I thought I was going to be okay and awake enough to hit the ground running, but I laid down on her bed and crashed. For about an hour. Eric and Alix stayed up and talked and went and got bagel breakfast sandwiches down the street. I tried to wake up and get some makeup on to go out and start our day. We headed out on the green line to downtown. I was tired and starting to feel like I was getting sick. We walked around some park and then through the gardens and took pictures. The sun was out which was great, though it was a little windy. Next we hunted down the Freedom Trail which was a great way to see different areas of the city. The cemetery was really cool and I took a ton of pictures. At one point we passed a Walgreens and went in so I could stock up on meds. It was the nicest Walgreens I have ever been in. When we first walked in I kept turning around to look at the sign to make sure it was a Walgreens because it looked like a department store. Then we went downstairs to the JUICE BAR. I got a delicious pineapple, strawberry, cucumber juice which I figured would help me feel better. I got some elderberry syrup and cold calm. On the road again and we hit some more sights, including an old church where I picked up some cool magnets. We did a few more stops then called it good when we hit some F-name hall. We walked through all the restaurants then headed toward the water and discussed plans for the evening. We decided to make dinner and invite Cierra, Alix’s new gf. We took the train to BB&B so Alix could buy a pyrex to make the enchiladas in since she didn’t have one. Alix asked what kind of pasta you use in enchiladas. Eric and I died laughing. Then she stated and lasagna and enchiladas were both Italian dishes. Again, we died laughing. Then we walked along the riverwalk which was really pretty and fairly void of people. We walked through some pretty neighborhoods to Trader Joe’s. They went in to do some shopping while I stayed outside to sit down because my feet were killing me. We caught the bus back to Alix’s and Eric almost didn’t get off because he didn’t see Alix and me get off. We were so tired when we got back we all took naps and Eric was up after 45 minutes to start dinner. Alix went to pick up Cierra and we stayed and chatted in the kitchen. We had dinner and it was very good. Cierra was really nice and had a dry sense of humor which I like. We stayed up pretty late then Alix took Cierra home, but when I woke up at 4:00 am she wasn’t home and had texted me that she fell asleep and would be back in the morning.

Friday 10/25, I had lunch with AL. I showered when I got home and finished packing. Eric made a salad for dinner and some soup. We hung out for the evening and prepared for our trip and leaving Stefanie with the dogs. We were all ready for Stef to arrive and when she did Eric filled her in on everything while I got an email out on the Fae app. We took off for the airport with AL who was dropping us off on her way down to Portland; we said bye at the airport and she took off for OR. We checked in and went through security with no issues and a TSA officer telling me “don’t stop smiling”. He told the woman in front of us that she had beautiful hair. Hmm. Anyway, we went to Dilettante where I got a cookie then to our gate. I talked to Mom for a few minutes then watched the action at Freshens where a customer asked the employee what a “booster” was; English is not the first language for either of these two. It was comical. Right at closing the employee shoo-ed out a customer with his hand and “helped” another customer put the straw in his drink by gripping the straw with his huge palm and trying to shove it into the top of the smoothie. We boarded and got all settled. It was a 5-hour red-eye to Boston and I knew I wouldn’t be getting much sleep.

Thursday 10/24, I think I packed and did laundry in preparation for our trip and also for AL arriving later that evening. We had dinner (pizza) and waited for the call that she was on her way. When she arrived it was after 9 and we sat in the living room and looked at pictures and talked. We went to bed after 11.

Wednesday 10/23, I got home a little early and since Eric was on a short run (his first since he tore his ACL) I decided to take Fae for a walk. Eric saw and caught up with me before I got too far into the neighborhood. We did a short loop and talked about our respective days. Back at home I showered then Eric brought my dinner into me and a little dessert yogurt. I watched some tv and updated this. I did a few things around the house and put the dogs to bed before getting in bed.

Tuesday 10/22, We got a great app for Fae so my task when I got home was to update and send out her long bio. AL also told me she was coming to town for a couple nights so we’ll see her Thursday night. I called Liz when I got home to see about taking Sucia to the vet since she’s not getting better, though her energy level is back up to normal. I went online and saw something about Fred and that he’d died, so I texted Kelly and she said it was true. I called her and we talked for a while and she’s very sad. I told her I knew how she felt and to let us know if she needed anything. I hope they find another little pup when they go to Mexico. I started on Fae’s bio while Eric made dinner and I continued to work through dinner. Kass called in the middle to tell me Kaffe had attacked Ida and she was in emergency surgery and might not make it. There were residual issues so I talked her through those. Really terrible. I finished up the bio and sent it off. What a relief and had my fingers double crossed because this app looked amazing for Fae and would be such a good fit. I showered and got into bed where I worked for over an hour then went to bed.

Monday 10/21, I still felt really blah all day and P asked me if I was okay. Just in a funk triggered by a not so great prior day. By the end of the day I felt a little better. I stopped at the store on the way home to pick up some things in anticipation of the strike starting. Susan came over so that made me feel a little better. Eric made pasta and asparagus for dinner and brought it out to us in the living room so we could start the last installment in the Twilight series. It was decent but I still had questions throughout and had to point out some inconsistencies. Susan left not long after the movie ended so I got out some work that I had brought home. I didn’t even work an hour because the version of word on my laptop is old and fucked up the formatting on my tables.

Sunday 10/20, I was up early and did a bunch of stuff but got really tired so I took a nap from 10 to noon. Eric and I got into a little snit about the garbage then he took off for work. I tried to get going on chores again and made some headway. I started getting frustrated when I took Fae out for a walk and discovered a garbage can I was told was full, had nothing in it. I took all the garbage in the house out and sent Eric a pissy text. At home Fae was peeing in the house all day despite being taken out at least once an hour. Sucia wouldn’t go, despite me taking her out several times and trying to carry her. Mary came and got Poppy early in the afternoon, which went fine. I just started feeling like shit and getting more and more down. Then the internet went out and wouldn’t come back on despite having worked just fine over the past two days and earlier that morning. I brought work home and because I couldn’t access my yahoo account I couldn’t pull what I needed to work. I watched Snatch to try and not spiral. It helped a little. Mom called and I vented to her. Afterward I did laundry and started crying. I felt like complete shit. I think mostly it was hormones, then with all the little ticky tacky shit of the day it just pushed me over the edge. I just felt really down. I went into the bedroom later in the evening and Eric got home before 9. My wrist had been hurting all day from moving the planter and rose bush the day before. Eric wrapped it for me and tried to find out why I was in such a bad mood. I went to bed early, took a melatonin and Eric slept in the other room to try and let me get a good night’s sleep. Still woke up all night. Too much in my head and dreading the work week.

Saturday 10/19, We were up early and I took Fae on a long walk. She did great. We went over to Mom’s to pick up a planter and rose, but when we tried to load it onto the hand truck it slipped and crashed to the ground. It’s the second time that’s happened. I was sad. We took the rose anyway and Eric got it into the ground the next day by himself. We headed home and loaded up Sucia to meet Liz at Robinswood. They were running late but when they finally arrived we went down to the dog area and threw the ball for Sucia. We took off and told them to call us when they were done. We went home and Eric started lunch and I went out in the backyard to do some cleaning up and spend time with the dogs. We were only home for 15 minutes when Nancy called to say they were done and that Sucia had hurt her leg. We drove down, picked up Sucia and went home. She was exhausted and laid on her blanket for the rest of the day. She was limping pretty bad, but we wanted to give it a day to see if she just pulled it and if it would loosen up on its own. I took a long nap later in the day, which felt fantastic. Susan called and said she was coming over early so we could watch Part 1 of the last book. When she arrived we went up to the GO and Eric came too. I was just going to have leftover soup, but then we got to the chicken nugget aisle and we decided to get those instead and have a real shit-food dinner. Tater tots to boot. Eric got dinner started for us but took off halfway through to go to a movie of his own. We watched the movie and I had plenty of questions. Susan was right that some parts were very disturbing. Eric came home and our movie had just ended. We were too tired to try and watch the last one so we scheduled Monday night for the finale. After Susan left I stayed up for a while to try and watch SNL but it was a repeat so I went to bed.

Friday 10/18, Eric was cooking up a storm when I got home so I took a shower and helped get things ready. I talked to Stefanie and invited her over for dinner. Eric set up a new router and modem and surprisingly did it all on the first try. Chrystol and Schuyler showed up first right around 7 and we had chips and salsa in the kitchen. We sat in the living room by the fireplace for a while then Stef showed up. Eric had made tortilla soup with a slaw-y salad on the side. Everything was very good. For dessert he made fried ice cream and I gave it a 10. He used some maple pecan cereal as the crust and also made a caramel sauce. It was gooood. We sat and talked forever around the table and everyone finally took off after midnight. I was exhausted.

Thursday 10/17, I got home a little late and Eric was already watching the Seahawks game and was all jacked up. I took Fae for a walk around the neighborhood which always helps her mental state. I had some dinner when I got home and watched some of the game with Eric. His energy was too nutso so I went in the bedroom and watched tv and looked at stuff online. Watched Parks and Rec. I took a shower, updated this and went to bed.

Wednesday 10/16, After work we decided to not stain the fence since it was not very warm out and was going to be nicer in the upcoming days. Eric got Comcast squared away so that was a relief. I called Liz and gave her an update on Sucia. I hand washed a few things then went outside and cut a bunch of flowers and put them throughout the house. I moved the flower pots from the side of the house into the pool and watered Stef’s plants. I got out my box of free ADs and arranged them and put aside the ones I already have. It was almost 7 so we went over to the Greek place and got dinner to go. We watched some tv and I showered before Modern Family. We got into bed, I updated this and watched Frasier.

Tuesday 10/15, Eric got a bunch of stuff done after work again including getting the entire front yard weeded, mowed and cleaned up. I waited to hear from Stef about which showing of Austenland we were going to go see and we decided on the later one. Eric heated up some pizza and we talked and relaxed until it was time for me to take off. I went up to West Seattle and parked right in front of the Admiral. Stef was there a minute after me and we went in. We were the only ones in the entire theater. It was hilarious. We laughed and talked through the whole thing. It’s a pretty short movie so we were out of there at 10:30. We said bye and I drove home and was there before 11. Got ready for bed and snuck in; checked my phone then went to bed.

Monday 10/14, Eric had been busting ass doing stuff around the house and walking the dogs. Susan came over to continue our Twilight series marathon. We decided on pizza for dinner and got two: one veggie, one Hawaiian. We put on the movie and I think it was better than the second one. I had a lot of questions throughout and Susan told me not to over think it. Eric came in a few times throughout the movie and was laughing at us (“wolf dong!” and “he’s writing checks his ass can cash!”) We talked for a little bit after the movie then she took off. We made plans for next Monday to watch the next one. We got ready for bed and went to sleep not much later.

Sunday 10/13, I woke up at 7:30 and went in and out of sleep until after 9. I finally got up, ate breakfast, showered, dressed and cleaned my bathroom. I hand washed a few things and soon we took off with Sucia to go meet L. That went okay, but her caretaker was kind of a bitch and Eric was all pissed off. By 12:45 we were on our way back home and Eric got ready for the game. I had a snack and headed out to Mom’s house to go over house plans. We firmed some things up and I like how things are shaping up. Just have to save up enough money to get going on it. I came home by 3:30 and Eric had to leave shortly after for work for a few hours. I put on He’s Just Not That Into You and did stuff on my computer. After, I fed the dogs and called Dad to catch up. I headed to the store to pick up a few things for the week. I got some dinner going (just pasta) and when Eric came home he finished it up for me and fancied it up. After I ate my dinner I called Lindsay to catch up. We talked for 40 minutes or so then I got ready for bed and updated this.

Saturday 10/12, Eric let me sleep in and got the dogs up. I got up and started getting ready for our trip up to Bellingham. We took off in the truck and it took us about two hours. Auntie Heidi was waiting for us and we talked in the living room for a long time before deciding to go get lunch. We went to a place close by the house so Eric could watch the UW game. Lunch was good and we were there for quite a while. We headed back to the house and Uncle Brad was there. We joined him watching the game, but didn’t watch the entire thing (they were losing, bad). We loaded up the new chair, said our goodbyes and took off for home. We made great time and when we got home took out the dogs and fed them. I watched Modern Family then High Fidelity in the living room with some of the dogs while Eric went to bed. I tried really hard to stay up for SNL, but ended up falling asleep during the first sketch.

Friday 10/11, Cleaning lady came and did a great job; Eric showed me everything. Eric made rice and pot stickers for dinner and we ate late. I don’t remember what we did when I got home, but we both think we went somewhere, though can’t remember where.

Thursday 10/10, I had my teeth cleaned after work and was home a little after 6. Eric had dinner waiting for me and I watched the usual shows then Parks and Rec in the living room.

Wednesday 10/9, When I got home Eric was cleaning so I joined in vacuuming, folding laundry and cleaning up the backyard. We went to the store next and at home Eric started dinner in preparation for Kristel to come over. He got the nachos all ready so that when she arrived he popped them in the oven and they were done shortly after. We sat in the dining room and ate dinner and caught up. It’s been like a month and a half since I’d seen her. We moved into the living room at some point to show off the fireplace and the artwork, but Kristel wasn’t all that impressed (with the artwork). She took off not long after and it was probably close to 11. We went to bed since it was late.

Tuesday 10/8, I got home from work and called Liz to give her an update on Sucia. We took Fae and Sucia for a short walk then Eric made the dogs’ dinner. He made mine next and afterward I worked for an hour. I showered but had a stomach ache so we put off our date night. I watched tv and updated this.

Monday 10/7, Susan came over after work for the continuation of our Twilight series. Eric made dinner and we started the movie (number 2). I had a lot of questions, some of which Susan could answer. Some of the plot lines weren’t very believable, but whatever. We chatted for a little while after it was over then she took off. It was around 9. Eric slept in the other room again and went to bed early. I got the dogs out and into bed.

Sunday 10/6, Eric got up and got the dogs going. He’d gone and got me two donuts so I had one of those and got dressed. I vacuumed out my car in preparation to go trade it in. Eric headed off to work and I showered and got dressed. I headed down to Chaplin’s with a particular car in mind. When I got there a guy from the Volks side intercepted me but told me I could work with him. He went off to find the car and it was off-site being detailed. It took a while for it to show up but when it did we went out for a test drive; it has all the upgrades including stuff I don’t even know how to work. When we got back we got going on it and went through everything. It took a few hours but it was finally done and I had to clean all the stuff out of my car. It was so sad and it was very bittersweet. I was excited about a new car, but I was sad about leaving my old one. I’m too sentimental. I drove home and had some lunch. I watched the PacGal auction online and was mad when one of the items I really wanted went for way less than I expected. I just bought a new car so it’s not like I should be buying things, but I would have made an exception for it. Oh well. I watched it and fell asleep then woke up when Eric came home. I was tired and stayed in bed for a while then got up and we went outside to plant the twisty baby. It was a little tricky but we got it in the ground. We went back inside, fed the dogs then took the new car up to Ace, but they were closed. We went to Super Supplements then to the store for groceries. Back home and I made myself some enchiladas but overcooked them so they were way crispier than I wanted. Nuts. I updated Fae’s bio and started some more laundry and went to bed not much later.

Saturday 10/5, I woke up and got ready and headed into West Seattle to an awesome estate sale. A lot of the stuff was still more than I wanted to pay but a lot of cool furniture. I got a trivet, three vases, some gardening tools and a box of Architectural Digests. When I got home I did some cleaning up and other things around the house to feel productive. Later in the day I went to Ace for compost and tomato cages then Goodwill but the line was too long to drop off my stuff. Eric came home from work but wasn’t home for long before heading out to watch the Sounders game. I talked to Susan and we met at the GO. Jon was along but wasn’t interested in too much. Next stop was Goodwill again and this time I was successful in dropping off my stuff then inside where I picked up three soundtracks that will be good for listening at work. We said bye and I headed home to make myself a ramshackle dinner and also some cookies. They were pretty good for GO cookies. I put on the SatC movie and turned on the fireplace. A plate full of cookies and off I went. Eric came home just as it was ending and we went to bed.

Friday 10/4, When I got home Eric asked if I wanted to go out for dinner. We hung out and did stuff around the house and I called Liz to give her an update, but the phone call was a bit rocky. We left around 7:15 and headed into Redmond to go to a Mexican restaurant that I had a living social deal for. We had a nice dinner and I had a whole dessert all to myself. Eric didn’t want any. I’d go back. We went home and maybe went to bed early.

Thursday 10/3, I got home from work early and took all the dogs out. Eric came home with Sucia, a dog we were watching for the next couple weeks. She was very nervous. I went around the house doing chores and laundry and things and took Sucia out a few times on leash. Not much else for the evening.

Wednesday 10/2, Big meeting at work that went okay, not great. I talked to Mom on the way home and she told me the architect really wants to work on my project and wants to bring in a builder to look at it as well. I don’t have the cash to do the project at the moment, but it’d be good to get a better idea of cost and challenges. We also talked about Sucia and we agreed to watch her for the next two-three weeks. At home Eric had dinner ready but I wasn’t hungry. We talked for a little bit then I ate. We went up to the GO to grab a few things. I watched Gangster Squad and updated this.

Tuesday 10/1, I stayed late at work and didn’t get home until a quarter to seven. Eric had dinner waiting for me when I got home. We ate in the living room and watched some tv then I showered and we put on Cedar Rapids. It was ehhh. John C. Reilley’s character made it. Went to bed afterward.

Monday 9/30, It was a long day at work and I stayed late. When I got home I immediately got into the shower to relax. When I got out Eric had my dinner ready. I ate and watched tv then out into the living room to start working. I put on “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead”. I was reading some facts online and one of the characters died of an overdose ten years later and had struggled with addiction during the filming even though he was only 14. Yikes. I took the dogs out after and we got into bed. I updated this and watched Frasier.

Sunday 9/29, I slept in until almost 9. I got up, showered, got dressed and went in to the motorhome for breakfast. I spent time with Mom and Dad and talked about house plans. Dad got back to work and Heidi came in so the three of us talked for a few hours. Finally I went upstairs to pack up and try to get my new buys into the car. Only the table would fit. I said bye to everyone and took off a few minutes before noon. The drive home was fine until I hit 405 and then it was time for idiot-hour. I was exasperated by the time I got home. And hungry. I heated up pizza and put on Superstar. I took a nap when it was over. After I woke up we went to the store and Eric made homemade macaroni for dinner and I watched Damsels in Distress. It was one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen, despite having several actors I really like. Terrible. After it was over I went to bed.

Saturday 9/28, Eric was up and out early. I had a hard time falling back asleep but eventually did and woke back up after 8. I went inside and had breakfast and got dressed because we needed to be in Wenatchee by 10. Mom, Auntie Heidi and me took off and made it to the glass place right at 10. We walked up to the furniture store and looked around then over to Starbucks. We talked and a few minutes later Mom walked back to pick up the car, but then texted Heidi that they gave the keys to someone else. A few minutes later Mom picked us up and we headed to Walmart to get two trickle batteries then they dropped me off at Hastings. I found four movies to buy and Court called so I talked with her for a little bit until Mom and Heidi picked me back up. We headed downtown to get lunch and went to Limolo, or something like that, for lunch. I had the French onion soup. We walked across the street to the antique-ish shop that’s been there for two years but I’ve never been in. I found a chair and a table, both Mid-Century, that were insanely cheap. I bought both and stopped myself from buying more. Mom bought a painting and we loaded up everything and headed over to Costco. Mom got a few things then we headed back home. Eric called and I filled him in on my day and purchases. When we got back we unloaded everything and chatted with Dad, Don and Brad in the garage. We sat in the motorhome and talked for a little while before getting ready to go to dinner. We went to a new place that I’d never been, but Eric went with Mom and Dad this summer. They like it because there’s music on Saturday nights. I had the schnitzel. It was a fun dinner and we went over my remodel plans. At the end of dinner I went to the bathroom and on the way our waiter goes, “Wow, you’re really beautiful” then put up his hand for a high five. I was like “Oh, thanks” and high fived him then asked if the bathroom was this way. He confirmed. I was laughing so hard. Okie dokie. We took off soon after and headed home. When we got home I was going to call Eric but he’d already gone to bed. I went up to bed and fell asleep not much after. It was like 11, maybe.

Friday 9/27, Eric picked up Mom and Dad from the airport and drove them over to the property. When I got off work I went home and fed the dogs and took them out. I put my stuff in the car and took off for Plain. I made decent time and did a lot of passing on the way over. I made it to Headwaters by 7:30 on the dot and no one was there yet. I got a table and waited for Mom, Dad, Eric and Auntie Heidi. We had a nice dinner and the food was good. We stayed late-ish then headed home. We hung out in the motorhome watching some pickers-type show and Uncle Brad arrived shortly after. We talked and had some chocolate and they did some drinking. It was late by the time we headed up to bed. Eric had to be up early the next morning. We both read for a bit then lights out.

Thursday 9/26, I felt much better and made it through work just fine. Eric wasn’t feeling good and went home early. When I got home I called Mom to see when their flight was getting in the next morning and told her about house projects and remodeling plans. She handed me off to Dad when he got home and we chatted about Leavenworth plans. When I got off the phone I went out in the backyard and called Mom to see if she would take care of the dogs Friday night and Saturday morning so that Eric could stay Friday night as well. She agreed, so that was good. I went back inside and vacuumed the bedroom and hallway then sat down and Eric brought me my dinner. We watched some tv and the season premier of Parks and Rec. Afterward I took out the dogs and got them all situated for bed. Updated this and went to sleep.

Wednesday 9/25, I felt not great all day and luckily P let me leave early. I had to run an errand so I swung by the DMV to check on my tabs and got a temp pass thing for my window then got some elderberry syrup and more coldcalm. At home Eric helped me change the sheets on the bed and get the heating blanket on it. I showered and climbed into bed. Eric brought me soup and even put bacon in it. Yum. I watched Hysteria then fell asleep from 6:15 to 8:15. I woke up for some tv, especially the Modern Family premier then promptly fell asleep again at 10.

Tuesday 9/24, I came home determined to get the majority of the rest of the plants into the ground. Eric changed and came out to help me. I did some pruning and cutting of fresh flowers as well. Two big bouquets. We got the bleeding hearts in, the three remaining fuchsias, moved three of the lemontini hosta, the last three dahlias and moved the twisty baby to the backyard on the handcart. Eric tied up some of the dahlias in the courtyard as well. We went inside and Eric made butternut squash soup and roasted garlic to put in, added sour cream and put some croutons on top. It was very good. We also had some salad. We sat in the dining room and he’s so cute. He loves sitting in there having dinner, just the two of us. I was not feeling great, with a little bit of a sore throat, so I took some coldcalm and hoped it would tide me over until I could get some more the next day after work. I talked Eric into watching Descendents and he was hesitant, but when they got to Kauai he was all excited, especially that he knew where all the places were. After it was over we got into bed and went to sleep.

Monday 9/23, Susan was waiting for me when I got home. We took off right away and went to Super Supplements and the GO so I could pick up some cereal and do some impulse purchasing in the form of cookies and candy. We decided on Chipotle for dinner and headed home so I could have my introduction to the Twilight franchise. As we watched it we took plenty of breaks so I could ask questions and have a full understanding of plot and characters. There was also a lot of laughing and commentary. RP is totally hot, when he doesn’t look like he has downs. Eric laughed at us as he walked by the living room. We had the fireplace going all evening and stayed nice and toasty (I got it working, after Eric attempted several times and wasn’t successful). Susan went home before 9 and I talked with Eric in the living room for a long time. I spent some time in bed updating this.

Sunday 9/22, The day of the Seahawks game and we had tickets. Eric was up early and I was up not much later. We both got ready and left plenty-early so we could try to get decent parking. We got better parking than the last time we parked down there, though we still had a little bit of a walk. I got kettle corn outside the stadium, then up we went to our seats. We watched the Seagals for a little bit on the indoor stage. We headed to our seats and they were pretty good; just under cover to protect us from the rain. Halfway through the game the sun came out and everyone was peeling off clothing. It was so beautiful. The Seahawks won by a lot and Eric was very happy. When I got home I didn’t feel so good so I laid down on the couch and put on Lola Versus. Eric made me a salad for dinner and I started to feel a little better. We went to bed not too late.

Saturday 9/21, I woke up at 8, took out the dogs, fed them, got dressed and headed out to Mom’s. I helped her plant a couple flats of a ground cover on the slope at the bottom of the property. We loaded up into the truck and took off for Northwest Nurseries. I decided to get the twisty baby and also one last fuchsia with all white flowers (hawkshead). Mom got a carpet rose (I think) caller Persimmon; new variety. We loaded up and headed back to my house to unload and Dad pulled up right when we got there. He helped us get the twisty baby out of the truck then grabbed his squash bag and left. Mom came inside to see the fireplace and liked it. We took off a few minutes later and when we got back to her house I took off pretty quickly. I texted Lindsay to let her know I was running late. I got home, showered, dressed and ready to go when she told me she needed an hour. I went out in the backyard and cleaned up dog poop then took off. We agreed to meet at Everett HS and I beat her there. When she arrived she got into my car and we went down to Anthony’s for lunch. It was nice and I had the fish and chips. We talked and caught up and had a nice view to boot. Afterward we decided to drive around and went past the Rucker Mansion. We drove over to the old house and went by then up to try and find BH’s house, but we couldn’t remember which one it was. We drove by Evergreen then down to Lowell so I could try to find the yellow house. I wasn’t sure but I think I found it; not positive though. I’ll have to go back with Dad to see. We drove by her work then back up to Everett to get her car so I could follow her to her house. We drove out to Lake Stevens to see her place. Her mom, kids and brother were there, along with a couple of nieces and nephews. I got a tour then we took off again for some errands. We went to Safeway where I picked up four new movies (Lola Versus, Hysteria, Damsels in Distress and Two Days in NY) all for ten bucks. Next we went hunting for a Dairy Queen and ended up in Marysville, by way of a detour. We sat and each had a blizzard then headed back to her house. I went in and said bye to everyone (Pat had arrived by then) and headed home. I had just missed Eric. I relaxed with the dogs and closed my eyes. I talked to both Chrystol and Stefanie about the movie we were seeing that evening (Austenland) and about coordinating plans. I agreed to pick up Chrystol but Stef said she would meet us there. I took off at 8ish and headed into Ballard. We chatted for a few minutes when I got there then took off for Pacific Place with Chrystol navigating. I filled her in on my day and she seemed amused. We got up to the theater just as Stef was stepping out of the elevator. We got our tickets then went up, got good seats and chatted until the movie started. We all loved the movie and it was so funny. I was laughing out loud through the entire thing. I loved it and we all said we wanted to see it again when it comes out on video. I drove Chrystol back to her house and dropped her off then headed home. Eric was asleep when I got home so I got ready for bed and quietly got in.

Friday 9/20, We bought tickets for the Moondoggies show. After work we admired the new fireplace insert, hung out and relaxed, took care of the dogs, etc. I was in love with the fireplace and it kicks out so much heat. I wanted teriyaki for dinner so we went over, picked up some dinner and groceries then home. After dinner we packed up and headed to the Museum of Flight. We arrived while the Maldives were playing and we listened for a while then went to look at planes. Eric knew the names of all of them and the stories behind them. I don’t know how he knows this stuff. It was nice having the music in the background. Soon the Moondoggies were up so we went back up. The show was good but Eric was sad they didn’t play “Pride”. It was over shortly before 11 and we headed home. We went to bed and Eric had to get up early the next morning.

Thursday 9/19, Susan came over after work and we sat outside on the back deck in the sun. We took off our shoes and socks and Fae was being a sock hoarder. We talked out there for a long time until it was time for the dogs’ dinner. Eric had to go down to Olympia for some work stuff and Susan said she’d pay her job not to send her down for an event like that. She left at dusk and Eric heated up some soup for dinner. Eric started to take out the fireplace in preparation for the new fireplace going in. We talked for a long time in the bedroom and Eric killed a humongous spider. We got into bed by 10 and went to sleep quickly.

Wednesday 9/18, We got back out in the yard and planted ten more plants. We finished up and went in and had dinner (soup and garlic butter bread). I immediately crawled into bed and I was asleep by 9:15. Eric slept in the guest bedroom with Clancy because the baby was sick.

Tuesday 9/17, When I got home I was ready to work and get plants planted. Eric got to work digging up some of the sod in the backyard and got the two limelights into the ground. I was in charge of shaking the dirt out of the grass hunks, but I couldn’t keep up with Eric. We were out there until almost 8. We had squash for dinner and a piece of pizza then I had the last piece of cobbler with vanilla ice cream. I showered and was into bed.

Monday 9/16, Home and showered and waited to get ready for dinner with Jessica, her boss and R. Okung. I talked to Jess several times waiting for dinner instructions and finally after 8 headed down to Lincoln Square to have dinner at Pearl. I met her boss and talked about Russell and we had a nice dinner with a few hiccups which resulted in a comped dessert and extra scallops for Jessica. Jessica decided she would stay at the house so I said bye to her boss and thanked him for dinner then she followed me back to my house. We got her all set up in the back bedroom and Eric joined us in there to talk in her room for a long time. We are all tired so we went to bed after midnight.

Sunday 9/15, I woke up after 8; Eric let me sleep in. He went up to the French bakery and got me a cream cheese and marionberry croissant. I got back into bed and watched Crazy, Stupid Love and had Brizo and Nyx with me on the bed. After it was over I got dressed and moved some of the plants into places where I wanted them then back inside. I was indecisive about what I wanted to do with my day, so I basically didn’t do anything and did stuff on my computer. I watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall then Eric watched the Seahawks game. We clipped the dogs’ nails while the game was postponed. I watched Mr. and Mrs. Smith until the game was over, then to bed.

Saturday 9/14, I slept on my neck wrong, and had been for several nights prior, so my neck was sore. I was up a little after 8. Mom picked me up right at 9 and off we went to T&L. I had my list. I got 5 hydrangea (2 pistachio, 2 oak leaf munchkins, one zebra), one Shirley Temple peony, two dahlias (one salmon pink, one buttercup), 2 gold heart dicentra, and 5 different fuchsias for the bees and hummingbirds. Next we headed to NW Nurseries where I got 2 limelight hydrangea and 2 bellini dahlias. I looked at some twisty babys that were gorgeous but couldn’t pull the trigger. I might go back next weekend, plus they said they might have the peonies on sale by then. We went home, sat mom down in the living room and she noticed the Horiuchi and was very surprised. We talked about plans for a little bit, then Eric brought us each a sandwich and cucumber, tomato salad. Brizo did tricks for us throughout our lunch. Mom took off and we moved the plants into the courtyard. I helped Eric do some cleaning by making the bed and cleaning up the dog crap in the yard. We went to the store to get stuff for dinner with Sky and Chrystol. My neck really started bothering me so when we got home I took my last half of a vicodin, laid down and slept for three hours. I took my time waking up and eventually showered and got dressed. The Comcast person came and got the tv all squared away so that was good. They arrived on time and we had dinner not much later. Eric made roasted squash with wild rice with almonds, mushrooms and cranberries and a beet salad. Everything was good. After dinner we sat in the living room and looked at magazines and talked. We had Eric’s berry cobbler and it was delicious. They took off after 10:30 and we climbed into bed to go to sleep. I slept not great because of my neck.

Friday 9/13, I relaxed at home for a little bit before showering and heading north to Spaghetti Factory in Lynnwood to meet Lindsay. I got there early which I attribute to there being a soccer game. It turned out it was a girls night dinner, with Pat’s wife, Scott’s wife and Eric’s gf attending and also Adam’s ex. It was an interesting dinner. It was after 9 by the time we all got out of there. I went home and Eric was up. We went to bed not much later.

Thursday 9/12, I watched the MBA online and Eric made me dinner. He propositioned me so we messed around for a while then cleaned up and headed down to the auction. We got there a little after 8:00. We had a long time before my items were up and we walked around looking at things. Finally it was time for the Horiuchis. The first one started out high so I was like “I’m out” and didn’t bother bidding. I was convinced the second one would sell for more so I was surprised when it started out lower and I threw my hat in and had to raise my number twice and the phone bidder petered out and I won it. I couldn’t believe it. The auctioneer congratulated me and the guy working the online bidding made eye contact and gave me a smile and a nod. The guy next to me looked at Eric and gave him a thumbs up. My heart was racing and I knew Eric was so excited. We watched some of the Iveys and if they had gone for less I would have bid on one, but they didn’t. It was fun. I checked out and by the time we were walking to the car it was a little after 10. We got home, Eric hung up the piece in the living room and it looks good. I went online to see what the rest of the items sold for. By the time we went to bed it was after midnight. We brought Fae into the bedroom because she was crying but had to put her back in the den in the early AM because she wouldn’t shut up and just go to sleep.

Wednesday 9/11, It was a hot day but the heat felt really good. We just hung out for the evening and prepared for Dora to go home the next morning. We didn’t do anything interesting. I did stuff online and obsessed about the Horiuchis at auction the next night.

Tuesday 9/10, Eric was outside working in the yard when I got home so I went and cleaned up the poop in the backyard. Got the fireplace people scheduled for the next Friday to put the insert in the living room. The paver guy came and we talked and measured things out strategized then talked with the neighbors about a solution. It sounds like Anthony will draw something up for all of us to sign and put file with the city so there won’t be any misunderstandings and we won’t be encroaching. We talked with the paver guy, John, forever and he was super funny. He left a few minutes before 8 and I called Mom back to talk about the stuff she got at T&L and the stuff I wanted to get on Saturday. Eric made me some dinner then I called Kass about the auction and continued to look through the archives. I found a new artist I like: Emily Morse. Found one on ebay and the ones that sold at Mroczek I loved. Have to keep my eye out for more of her stuff. Eric slept in the other bedroom because I wasn’t sure if Dora would be picked up late that evening or early the next day. I didn’t realize at that point that I had my days screwed up and that she wasn’t going home until Thursday.

Monday 9/9, When I got home I expected the paver guy to be there but Eric had scheduled him for the next day instead. Eric made burritos for dinner. I put away some laundry and washed the inside of my windshield. Then I did some online surfing to catch up on all my stuff. I saw there is a Horiuchi up for auction on Thursday that piqued my interest. Eric spent a lot of time in the second bedroom reading. We went to bed around 11.

Sunday 9/8, I slept in until like 10:00. Jess and Day got up around then too. We got dressed and took a walk to the park, but we had to go the long way since the entrance off the little lane has been blocked. We talked about kids and Bora and Seb and walked back to the house. Day made us huge omelets for breakfast and afterward we went out and sat on the dock and talked for a while. Finally I knew I needed to get going because it was like 1:30. I said bye and headed out. I made good time and Sky had left by the time I got home. I was tired so I went in the bedroom and relaxed. I talked to mom then napped and looked at plants online when I woke up. I cut flowers from the yard, mostly dahlias and a couple roses. Relaxed for the rest of the night.

Saturday 9/7, I woke up at 9:30 when the other girls started stirring. Day made us breakfast and I ate my fair share but I wasn’t the biggest eater that morning. The girls slowly trickled out and soon it was just me and Jess. We finished watching Magic Mike then I got my suit on and we went outside to lay on the dock and chat. Jess filled me in on all the fun adventures she’s been having. We had some nachos for lunch then went out on the jet ski while Billy got his boat going. The jet ski was so fun and we were going over waves and cruising around checking stuff out and it was a blast. We went and talked to Billy for a while and eventually headed back in. Billy was right behind us so we parked the jet ski then hopped in his boat and cruised around. Jess wanted to water ski and told Billy to arrange for them to do doubles, but it never happened. Day wanted Jess and me to take the Mercedes around the lake so we took off and Billy was riding his dirt bike along side us and popping a wheelie to show off. We stopped at the top of the hill to take down the streamers then saw some guys in a truck chase Billy back down the hill. We waited for him to come back but he didn’t so we continued on our way. We went around twice then back home. We told Day what happened and she put on her ass-kicking clothes and was going to fuck up some shit. We took off on foot for Billy’s then a cop car came along side us and asked us about a dirt bike and we said we didn’t know anything about it and he continued on. After he left we went to go find Billy and he had been out on his jet ski. We told him what about our encounter and asked what had happened with the skin heads in the pickup. His glasses fell off while he was trying to escape so he stopped to pick them up then the guys came close to running him over and he got up and kept going again, hid his bike in the garage and went to his neighbor’s house to hide out. The guys were pissed because he was riding up and down the street, even though he’s been doing it for 15 years. I think they are new to the neighborhood. We walked back and Day started on dinner. Billy came over and we sat and had dinner in the living room while we watched some movie about Greece and a guy named “Poopy”. Billy went home after it was over and Jess and I stayed up for a while longer chatting then we went to bed.

Friday 9/6, P had an emergency that freaked me out and ended up with about eight paramedics in the office and her going to the ER for a few hours. Despite the hubbub I was still able to leave at 3:00 for Jessica’s Mom’s house. I made decent time considering it was Friday pre-rush hour. Jasmine and Jess were trying on clothes and the place was all decorated for Jasmine’s Bachelorette party. We all got on tacky clothes and waited for the guests. Billy drove by just as I was walking out to my car so we chatted for a few minutes then he wanted to say hi to the girls so we went in and he stayed for a few minutes. Guests started to arrive and we ate and talked and I got to meet some fun new people. We played a few games and there was a piñata shaped like a penis. I overate but it was all good. Jess wanted to get a stripper but it would take three hours so we said no because we doubted people would still be gung ho about it. Pretty much everyone who wasn’t spending the night filed out by 11. It was Mo, Jasmine, Hannah, Jess and me. We watched Magic Mike but turned it off halfway through to go to sleep. I slept on the couch and it was not a great night’s sleep.

Thursday 9/5, I had a derm appointment early and I’m going back on acutane, but for the next month I’m going to try new topicals and see if they work. After work the fireplace lady came to the house to measure everything and told me all the next steps. Cherry gave us tomatoes and white cucumbers from her garden and I ate a ton of the tomatoes and they were delicious. Eric heated up some soup and veggies for me. I worked for an hour and watched two SatC episodes then filled out my online fireplace information and got into bed. Looked around online then updated this.

Wednesday 9/4, I left work early and headed up to Bothell to pick up my custom tile. Traffic was not awful, but it still took me over an hour. Yuck. Then I had to turn around and head back to Bellevue. I hit the mall to run an errand for P, then home. I picked up dog poop and pears then Eric and I had dinner (butternut squash soup and roasted garlic broccoli and cauliflower). Mom called and I filled her in on some of my trip. I called Jess and cemented plans for Friday and the weekend. I called Comcast but the billing dept was closed. I showered and did stuff online including update this.

Tuesday 9/3, After work I went and picked out our new gas insert and got that all squared away. When I got home the pavers were still working away and Eric said they would be done that night. Everything looked really good. We took Fae, Clancy and Dora on a walk then after we got back with them we took Nyx. I looked at the walkway and it was way too close to the neighbor’s fence and over the property line. Not good. So now they have to come back and fix it. As soon as they left we went over to the neighbors to talk to them about it and they definitely want it fixed so now I have to deal with that. We talked for a long time and that was fun but it was late. We went home and hit the store because we needed groceries. It was after 9 by the time we got home; too late to eat dinner. I sat in the den with Fae and Chima because they’d been locked up all day and I felt bad. Eric fell asleep and I fell asleep in the den. I took all the dogs out and got ready for bed at 10.

Monday 9/2, Aubrie and I woke up at 8:15 and started getting ready and packing. Clint made us a delicious breakfast of fresh scrambled eggs and cheese, sausage and buttered toast. It was excellent. We said thank you and headed to Dick’s to say bye to everyone. Aubrie and I had caramel rolls for our breakfast dessert. Alishia and Pete arrived and I threw all my stuff in the car, said goodbye to everyone and got hugs then took off. It took longer than I wanted for us to get to the airport, but we made it. Said bye to Alishia and Pete and headed in, cut into the MVP line then to security. I quickly grabbed a cheddar and chive roll and a raspberry crumble thing for the plane. We boarded, were all ready to go then they said one of the tires was low and soon we were asked to get off the plane because it would be three hours. When we got off the plane they announced the delay quickly changed to 35 minutes. I called Eric and let him know what was going on, but within minutes they got back on the loud speaker and told us it would be six hours. I settled in and read my book for most of it, wandered around some, talked to Dad, Aubrie and Eric several times. I managed to get booked on a Delta flight leaving at 7:35 (original flight was leaving at 1:00) and the original Seattle flight was scheduled for an 8:00 departure, though I wasn’t convinced there wouldn’t be other issues once they got the tires off the 6:00 Seattle in-bound flight. As it got closer to the time I went and sat at the Delta gate then heard over the loud speaker that my original flight was boarding. I raced down there, got switched back over and boarded. My bag wouldn’t make it on but at least I’d get the miles and be on a new plane with no one sitting in my row. We sat on the ground for 30 minutes before taking off and soon we were on our way. I watched Crazy Heart because I’d finished my Russell Brand book. When I landed it was 9:00 (supposed to land at 2:30). I didn’t know where my luggage was going to be delivered so ended up running back and forth from the Alaska to the Delta baggage claims at opposite ends of the airport. I was so irritated and hot I wanted to cry. Finally found my bag sitting at the Delta office because it had been put on an earlier flight. I called Eric and he swung in and picked me up. It felt so good to be home. When I got home I called Comcast and they still had everything screwed up with getting the cable line buried. I was furious but didn’t know what else to do; it was 10:30 and the pavers were scheduled to start the next day. I showered and got into bed. Dora was staying for a 10-day visit.

Sunday 9/1, My feet were crazy itchy all night and I couldn’t figure out why they were just itchy then, when I got the bites on my feet on Friday night at Dick’s. When I woke up Aubs had the same thing and knew she didn’t have any bites on her feet when she went to bed. We checked out and Kelly and Mark said they had the same thing and Mark’s feet were terrible. We went in and told the front desk and they said it wasn’t bed bugs but had called some company in to check it out. We left for Chatters to have an early lunch and we all discussed our feet. Mom and Pete both also had it so we were trying to piece together how we all ended up with itchy legs and feet, especially since most of us weren’t by each other at the hotel. Kass showed up and she looked like she was feeling rough. We had lunch and their cheese curds were pretty good. We said goodbye to Kelly and Mark who were leaving for home, then we drove back in the ice mobile aka, Sky and Kass’ car. Us girls talked but Sky didn’t. He dropped us at Dick’s and we hung out there for the rest of the day. The weather was not great so I spent most of the day inside because I was freezing. I fell asleep on the floor of the living room and apparently missed Krey’s meltdown. We had dinner and watched A Knight’s Tale. It was me, Aubs, Kass, Sky and Jaime all just talking. Then Sky started venting about the night before and Kass’ dancing, etc., and it turns into this whole big thing. So irritating. I get you don’t like it, but look at who you married. She loves attention and to be the controversial one at any event. Not sure what the big surprise is, frankly. That put a damper on the evening. A little while later we went and said good night to everyone down at the fire and Aubrie and I headed to Clint’s. It was late but we tried to watch more of Amelie, but the movie stopped playing about 20 minutes into it. Went to sleep. Took benadryl to get through the night without being an itchy mess.