Friday 2/28, Eric went for a run while I showered then we went to the store to pick up some stuff for dinner. He made me a salad then a mushroom and pepper omelet. I just hung out until it was time to go to my massage. My massage was excellent and we did some more chatting than usual and I told him about what Jen said. It was fun. Back at home I stayed up for a while but not too late because I was going to be getting up early the next day. I did some stuff online then went to bed.

Thursday 2/27, I had PT for the first time in two weeks and it went well. Austen had the same thing that I had so we were in the same boat during my session. Jen told me that she’d gotten a massage from Corey the week before and that he’s very good. It’s what I thought, but don’t have a lot of experience to compare to. At home I took Ruby for a walk and Eric left a note saying he was at the store. I ran into Eric on our walk and he finished the walk with us. Ruby did really well again, so I think we’re on the right track. Eric made dinner and I watched some tv for the rest of the evening.

Wednesday 2/26, We took Ruby for a walk and I brought the clicker and a bunch of treats to start doing some counter conditioning when she sees people or other dogs on walks. It went really well and she’s so smart it only took her about five houses distance to catch on. We decided to go out to dinner and went to Kukai. I got the special garlic tonkotsu and we ordered the veggie potstickers. We had a nice dinner and when we got home I relaxed and watched some tv.

Tuesday 2/25, I got home a little later than I was expecting and Eric filled me in on Sucia and her condition and all that. We tried to take Ruby for a walk but she ended up barking at everything so we kept it really short and just went up and down the block in front of the house. I went back inside and I folded laundry then called Liz to give her an update. Eric made me salad and a little lasagna for dinner. I watched Bachelor then paid my bills. Eric filled me in on a Catholic church special he watched and all the crazy shit that goes along with that. He decided to sleep in the other room because his back was bothering him.

Monday 2/26, Eric took Sucia to the surgery center in the morning for her surgery. I didn’t get an update on how she was doing until 6:00 pm. She was fine and the surgery went well. One hurdle down. I got home a little later than usual and did a few things around the house. I called Liz after I talked to the surgeon. I showered and laid in bed with Ruby while watching Bachelor. I went to bed after 11.

Sunday 2/23, I didn’t wake up until 10. I still felt tired but knew I needed to get myself going. Eric had already taken care of the dogs and I told him I was hungry and he offered to make me a smoothie. It was delicious. Back in bed Ruby and I hung out and I did some stuff online and watched Bridesmaids. I didn’t feel like getting up yet. After it was over I made myself get up take a shower. I actually got dressed and updated the songs on my phone. I stripped the bed and started laundry and cleaning the bedroom. I hadn’t unpacked from our trip to Portland so I did that. Liz called and I talked to her for a while and got all that squared away. I made some good progress. Eric and I went to the store for the week. At home he started my dinner and I put the bed back together and kept the laundry going. Eric brought my dinner into the bedroom for me then took off not much later for a work thing. He was back by 9:30. Rio’s people came and picked her up; she was super easy this time. We went to bed afterward because we had a big morning of getting Sucia ready for her surgery.

Saturday 2/22, Eric made me a smoothie for breakfast and I pretty much stayed in bed all day. I started feeling a little better but still wanted to rest and just watched movies and slept. I don’t remember what time I went to bed but it was probably early.

Friday 2/21, I made my way into work and made it until almost noon when P called from CO and told me to go to the doctor and go home. I went to Virginia Mason and saw a new doctor and she said it’s not the flu, but it is viral and has flu-like symptoms. She prescribed a couple things to try and calm my coughing and sore throat. I went to the store to fill the scripts and pick up something for lunch. I was there forever and was so hungry, tired and had to pee. Finally I headed home, let out the dogs, and heated up the soup for my lunch. I got into bed and napped throughout the afternoon. I watched a movie as well. Eric came home from work and made me dinner. I went to bed early.

Thursday 2/20, I had a horrible sore throat all night and wanted to cry every time I woke up. I stayed home again but Eric went to work. There was plenty of food and I began to get my appetite back. I had to go back down to Browns Point so Ruby could have her cold laser treatment and incision site checked. Everything went well and I didn’t almost pass out this time. It was pretty quick then we were on our way back home. We relaxed for the rest of the afternoon in the bedroom again. I watched movies until Eric got home from work. He was exhausted, but still made me something for dinner. I was going to try and go to work the next day so I went to bed at a reasonable hour.

Wednesday 2/19, Eric and I both stayed home from work. My joints were still sore but let up throughout the day. I stayed in bed all day and slept and watched movies. I didn’t have much of an appetite so I didn’t eat much. We had to pick up Ruby from her surgery down in Browns Point. I almost passed out in the exam room so I had to sit there for a while and they got me some water. Eric helped me out to the car and I sat on the floor with my head on the seat. We stopped at the store so he could get me some apple juice. The rest of the ride home was uneventful. For the rest of the day Ruby was out of it and she kept me company in bed away from the other dogs. By that night my throat started hurting and I developed a cough. I knew I’d be staying home again the next day.

Tuesday 2/18, I woke up feeling sick and really sore all over. We decided to just pack up and head home rather than stay in Portland for the afternoon. We got ready and packed our bags then checked out. We went to Whole Foods and loaded up on stuff for the ride home then hit the road. I had to make Eric pull over in Centralia so I could go to the bathroom, then we had to stop in Tacoma for gas. We finally made it home and I immediately took a hot shower and climbed into bed. I didn’t move from that spot for the rest of the day. I called P to let her know I was sick and wouldn’t be in the next day. I slept and watched movies then went to bed early. Eric slept in the other room.

Monday 2/17, We slept in until 9, when housekeeping knocked on the door and woke us up. Should have put the sign on the door. We got up and showered then headed out to get something to eat. We went to Whole Foods and I got a ton of fresh fruit and a smoothie. The guy was so cute and made extra and gave me a very big cup. We ate our stuff then walked down the street to Powell’s. I looked around trying to find a book to buy but ended up not finding anything that grabbed me. Eric cleaned up and bought four books. We walked back to the hotel and Eric laid down to nap. I took off on foot for the Rack and found a ton of good stuff. I got three pair of jeans and two pairs of flats. On my way back to the hotel I stopped at a little donut place and bought an old fashioned. Eric was awake at the hotel and was ready to go out, so we headed out for lunch and wanted to get a grilled cheese but the pod wasn’t open. Nuts! I was really looking forward to it. We went to the Zeus Café (McMinniman’s) and lunch was okay. It was no grilled cheese, but it was inside out of the cold and wind. We went to Easy Street and I got four or five cds and a movie. We walked back to the hotel and relaxed there for a while. I started feeling a little bit sick and had a little mini cough. We decided to go to a pizza place for dinner and it was delicious. I got a marghartia and we got cheesy bread. They had a camera crew there but luckily we showed up right when they were finishing up. We walked back to the hotel and ordered dessert from room service. It was an apple tart thing with ice cream. Eric had one bite and I ate the rest. We stayed up for a while watching tv and eventually went to sleep.

Sunday 2/16, I was up early to finish my laundry, shower and finish packing. We took off right at 9:00 and met Janell in Federal Way to drop off Ruby. She was staying with Janell while we were in Portland and she was going to take care of taking Ruby to the vet for the pain patch and blood work prior to surgery, then Janell would be dropping her off the day of the surgery. The handoff was quick and then we were on our way south. We made great time and arrived at the hotel before 1:00. Eric was feeling sick but was trying to combat the sickness by loading up his system with a ton of stuff. We had the same kind of room I had the last time I stayed at the Heathmann but this time we were much higher up with a view. We were hungry so we did a search for somewhere to eat and decided on Bijou. We had brunch and while I got something that was good it wasn’t what I was expecting. After we ate we headed back to the hotel so Eric could rest a little bit since he was feeling really tired. We laid down for a bit so he could recharge and I took a nap and woke up to some 1969 ski movie Eric was watching. We decided to head out for dinner but were going to go to Whole Foods to get more stuff for Eric but ran across Super Supplements so went there instead. The place we wanted to go for dinner was on the block over so it was very close. We went to Clive Common and it was delicious. We both got the butternut squash soup and we shared the sweet and sour carrots and potatoes. The focaccia was insane as well. Everything was fantastic. We sat right next to the kitchen which I loved and watched as they prepped and finished everything. We skipped dessert and headed back to the hotel. Eric was exhausted and we climbed into bed and watched tv for a bit before going to bed.

Saturday 2/15, We had several things happening that day. We were both cleaning and packing throughout the morning in preparation for our trip to PDX the next day. We went over to Mom’s around noon to celebrate Eric’s birthday. Mom made a salad and quiche plus a german chocolate cake for dessert (his choice). We sat around and chatted while waiting for dad to get back from the airport with Alix. We had a nice time and headed home afterward. More preparing for our departure and I may have taken a nap, or watched a movie. Later in the evening we headed into Seattle to go to Brass Tacks for dinner and we were meeting Kassie, Auntie Heidi and Uncle Brad. That was fun and the food was good, but the heat was out so it was freezing in there. Kass showed them the secret passage, and after we showed AH the secret peephole she started falling over and lost her footing and was like “that’s messing with my head!” We headed home by 9:30 or so and I think and I think we fooled around before going to bed.

Friday 2/14, For Valentine’s Day we decided to stay in and watch a movie. We went to the store to pick up some groceries and Eric made dinner when we got home. I worked on laundry and packing for our trip on Portland. When dinner was ready we put on Austenland and ate in the living room. Eric thought it was okay, but he ruined by guessing all the plot points. I hate when he does that. We went to bed after it was over.

Thursday 2/13, Eric’s birthday. We both showered and got ready to go to dinner. Chrystol and Sky were going to meet us at the restaurant but Eric didn’t know. We sat at the dining room table and he opened his presents. Chrystol texted that they’d arrived so I let him know that we should head down. When we pulled up Eric spotted Sky’s car and the jig was up. We went to Araya’s Place. We ordered several appetizers and they were all delish. We took our time and did a lot of chatting. Afterward we went to Whole Foods to get some dessert. We sat and chatted some more and Chrystol and I did some girl talk while the boys discussed philosophy or something. By 10-ish we got going and said bye. At home we took the dogs out and got into bed. Not the most eventful birthday, but he said it was nice.

Wednesday 2/12, It was a very low key night. I did stuff on my computer and watched tv. I wrapped Eric’s birthday and Valentine’s day presents.

Tuesday 2/11, I went to PT after work then relaxed for the rest of the night. I think I watched Biggest Loser and did stuff online.

Monday 2/10, P is out of the office all week so that makes things a little calmer. When I got home I did my exercises then did a few things online before starting my taxes back up. I made some good progress. I watched Bachelor while I finished up with my financial spreadsheets then answered some emails and set up a new recurring donation and fixed my Homeward Pet donations. Ruby sat on my lap while I worked on my computer.

Sunday 2/9, Eric got up early with the dogs so I could sleep in. I got up a little before 9. I had some breakfast then got back into bed to watch Return to Me. When it was over I got up, dressed, ready, did some of my exercises, folded laundry and put some pillows into new pillow cases I’d ordered on etsy. I did some cleaning up in my bathroom and put a few things away that have been laying around. Eric came in the bedroom and laid down with all of us for a little bit and napped. A little later we went out to the French Bakery and got some pastries. Next we went to the GO and got some stuff. Lastly we went to Mud Bay so I could get some birdseed for work. At home I talked to Dad and we discussed Palm Springs and we might drive the truck up here for Dad. Eric made me a delicious caprese salad for dinner then I ate too many chocolate covered almonds. I watched tv and updated this.

Saturday 2/8, I slept in until 9. I fed the dogs, had some breakfast and got dressed. I called Liz and headed over there for a visit with Sucia. I stayed until 11:45 then headed home and had some lunch. I was feeling a little tired and had stuff to do but I didn’t want to go out. I laid down and did stuff online like finding some bday presents for Eric. Eventually I tried to take a nap but the dogs wouldn’t stop barking at random stuff outside. Eric came home close to 4 and I told him I had the Saturday doldrums. He tried to make me feel better. We had plans to go to Sky and Chrystol’s for dinner but I had one errand I wanted to run first. We went to Super Supplements so I could get laundry detergent, fish and flax seed oil, moisturizer and deodorant. We went up to Bartell’s so I could get a postcard for Taylor’s class project. Back at home I showered and did my foam roll then Eric and I fed the dogs. We took off for Ballard and it was snowing. It wasn’t sticking so I wasn’t worried. They had a new setup in their living room including a new fireplace. We had some chips and salsa and chatted about their neighbors and their heavy flirtations despite both being in long term relationships. Chrystol made Indian for dinner and it was amazing. She also made a delicious dessert. We talked about Sky’s new artwork as well and as I was trying to find the artist online I found Joan Mitchell’s work and I really love her. Too bad her stuff is out of my budget, but there are some lithographs online that I could probably swing. Anyway, we stayed until about 11:30 and the snow was definitely sticking by then and there was probably at least two inches. I wasn’t worried because of the AWD. We took off and the roads weren’t too bad and got better as we left Seattle. No problems on the way home and we made it pretty quickly. We let the dogs out and got into bed.

Friday 2/7, I had my PT appointment after work and it went well and they are approaching my physician for more sessions. I went home and had some random stuff to eat. I showered and got dressed and took off for my massage. It was excellent and he did this great thing by going from my way lower back all the way up to my ear and it felt amazing. Everything he did was good. There was a guy in the next room with a low drone-y voice and Corey apologized and I said it was okay and that it was actually kind of relaxing and might make me fall asleep. I warned that that wouldn’t be good since I’m a drooler and he was impressed that I could drool while face up. When I told Eric later he said I am like a fountain. Anyway, great massage. I was done right about 9 and headed home. I didn’t stay up long. Eric stayed in the other room. I had several nightmares.

Thursday 2/6, I had a work meeting and ended up getting home a little early. I changed my clothes and Susan showed up shortly after. We chatted for a while and played catch up for a while before turning on X-Files. Eric made us little pizzas that were delicious and we ate almost all of both of them. We got through two episodes and only have two left. We talked for a little bit after then she took off. I showered and got ready for bed. I was so glad there was only one more day until the weekend.

Wednesday 2/5, I don’t remember what I did after work. I know the Seahawks parade was that day, though neither of us went. I know I watched Modern Family and Suburgatory. Maybe I did some laundry or something.

Tuesday 2/4, Finally got Ruby’s surgery appointment finalized. 19th, but there are some hoops to jump through with trips down there. I emailed Janell and she generously offered to help us out and take care of a major part of it. I sent Bridget an update on Ruby too. I had PT after work and that went until 6:00. I think I only have three sessions left. When I got home Eric was taking care of the dogs and had dinner started (veggie stir fry). I called Liz and gave her an update on Sucia. I got some emails out then Eric brought out dinner. One of his best stir frys yet. We watched tv and chatted about our vacation. I took a shower and climbed into bed to update this.

Monday 2/3, Eric was home when I got home. We took Clancy and Nyx on a walk and I put Brizo in the sling and zipped her up in my coat. It was really cold outside. When we got home we took off for the store to get stuff for the week. Eric made me some leftovers for dinner, including a ton of veggies. I worked on my taxes and ended up half-watching the Bachelor. Ruby spent some time cuddling with me which was nice. Eric and I discussed the cruise to Alaska but he didn’t really seem that into it anymore so I suggested Palm Springs. We’ll see.

Sunday 2/2, Eric had to go into work for a meeting for a few hours so I was up with the dogs and getting things going. Eric had already started cooking and I was working on getting other things cleaned up and ready. I decided to get the speakers hooked up again and did some rerouting of the cords coming from the entertainment center. It took me a while but I got everything working again, so that felt good. I showered and crawled into bed to take a nap. I finally got up and people were going to start showing up for the Superbowl. Stef was first and we chatted for a few minutes before the game started and right then Sky and Chrystol showed up. Eric had all the food out so I had some of that and the game was off to a good start. Overall it was a blowout and the Seahawks won 43-8. Eric was so happy. It was a fun day and the boys were really cracking us up. They all stayed for quite a while after the game was over. We cleaned up and I got into bed. Eric had the next day off so he was all jacked up and wanted to stay up late watching recap footage.

Saturday 2/1, I was up by 9:00 and I was on a mission to get some stuff done. We got the second bedroom completely cleaned out and found a ton of stuff I’d been looking for, including the original house plans from the 60s. I took out all the xmas stuff that Eric had put away and reorganized all of it and got everything to fit into the two designated boxes. Next was the closet in the back bedroom and I got that going and made some progress. Eric worked on vacuuming and dusting while I cleaned off all the stuff we pulled out from under the bed. We added a lot more to the give away pile. I loaded up everything in the car and soon we were off to run errands. First we went to goodwill and dropped off all the stuff, then to the bank to cash a check, next to the Mediterranean market to pick up all the ingredients for the Superbowl. I also got a gyro for lunch that was very good. We went to Fred Meyer to do the rest of our grocery shopping, but forgot a couple things and also couldn’t find tahini. We stopped at Ace on the way home and got some scotch guard and a large container for the xmas houses. When we got home I organized the houses and Eric worked on putting everything away. He ran out to try and find tahini and came up empty handed, but did get the chicken. We were both feeling tired so we took a break and I ordered pillow cases for all the pillows we’d found under the bed. Eric started prepping for dinner while I worked on my taxes and put on Skyfall. Eric came in at 7:00 to see if I was ready to go to Whole Foods and Office Depot. We ran our errands and I got a salad at WF. When I got home I binged on the salad and sweets. I finished my movie then into the bedroom for SNL, of which I watched the first 30 minutes before falling asleep.

Friday 1/31, Kass and I played a joke on Eric about her wanting the troll back for the Superbowl and he totally bought it. She was sending me her text correspondence with him and I was dying. I had my PT after work and it went well. I was really punchy when I got home and was giving Eric a hard time and really laughing it up at his expense. He was a good sport. I think he made me a chili mexican thing that was a little spicy. I ended up going to bed by 8:30. I was exhausted.

Thursday 1/30, Eric worked late so I was on my own with the pups for the evening. I put on Drive and worked on my taxes. Eric came home and I got ready for bed not much later.

Wednesday 1/29, More dog stuff while I was at work and trying to get everything figured out and scheduled with Ruby. When I got home I got the guest room put back together and got some stuff cleaned out of the closet and ready for goodwill. We got the second bedroom cleaned up a little and made up the bed. I found a bunch of pillows I need to buy covers for. Eric and I went up to Michael’s so I could return a frame. We went to the French Bakery afterward and I got a blueberry turnover. We went home and I did my exercises and played with Ruby. I showered then got into bed to take care of my farm for the rest of the night. Went to bed by 11.

Tuesday 1/28, I had to leave early to go to my annual and was home right around 5:00. Eric already had dinner ready and it was the veggie lasagna! Yum. We took Clancy and Nyx for a walk and I put Ruby in the sling and she came along for the ride as well. When we got home Eric dished up my dinner and it was good. I showed Eric how to use the foam roller and he loved it. I did some more laundry and showered. I got into bed and then Eric and I had a “disagreement” about the second bedroom and I was thoroughly irritated and not even going to engage. He got over it quickly but I was so over it. He fell asleep and I went to bed a little while later.

Monday 1/27, I stayed late at work since my physical therapy appointment was an hour later than usual. It went well but everyone was really tired so I got the easy treatment. Sucia was supposed to have her surgery, but didn’t because she requires a more complex surgery so now we have to figure all that out. Great. Ruby needs surgery for sure too, though I needed more information. When I got home Eric had made bruschetta and a salad for me and also some pasta that was delicious. I did some farming and a couple rounds of laundry and put stuff away. Showered and into bed.

Sunday 1/26, I had intentions of getting up early, but ended up getting up at 9:00 instead. We got the new Virgin Suicides and Drive prints up, then got the new rug down in the bedroom. I started a ton of laundry, all the sheets and comforters from the master and guest bedroom. We were supposed to redo Eric’s bedroom, but didn’t. I got dressed and Eric made me lunch. I talked to Mom for a few minutes then took off for the auction at PacGal. I was only interested in one painting, but when I got there I didn’t like it as much in person. I gave myself a very low limit and it went for more than that, but I wasn’t disappointed. I went and cruised through the booths and saw some furniture I liked, but not enough to buy anything. I left by 2:00, I think, and headed home. I continued with the laundry then went in the bedroom and watched Big Fish and worked on my tax preparation. I tried to take a little nap after it was over but was thwarted. I got up and shuffled the laundry and did some of my exercises. Eric made me some bruschetta and I refrained from eating it all. Mary picked up Pop and that went fine. We took off for the store to pick up stuff for the week. When we got home I had some baguette with butter and an apple. I checked in on my farm and Susan joined to play as well. I showered then into bed.

Saturday 1/25, Eric worked early, I spent the morning cleaning and organizing Ember’s stuff. The whole crew came to pick up Ember and it was a little chaotic but it went well. I went to Susan’s til 3:30 to help her move into her new place. It’s super nice and so sunny. I’m jealous. At home I laid down and napped. Eric made dinner reservations at the new Tutta Bella. We got a caprese and shared a pizza. It was all very good. We walked to Sports Authority for tennis balls (to make a PT peanut) then hit Bartell for athletic tape on the way home. Eric taped up the tennis balls for my neck exercises. I got into bed and watched 48 Hours and farmed. I couldn’t stay up for SNL.

Friday 1/24, I had my PT appointment after work but I wasn’t sure it was still going to happen since there was a power outage in Issaquah. I also had a massage later that night and I know they were affected as well. When I got to PT the power was back on so no worries there. Austen worked on my pec minor a lot to try and figure out why I get the pulling / strain in my arm when I’m on my stomach. She worked on it for a while then I flipped over and no pain. It was so great. The rest of the appointment went well and I was out of there right at 6:00. At home Eric whipped up some dinner for me and I took Nyx and Ember for a walk around the block. Pop was over for the weekend so we were up another dog. What did that put us up to? Seven? When I got home Eric brought me my dinner then I showered and got ready for my massage. I took off and got down there right on time. I told Corey what I’d been working on in PT and told him both Kass and Jen recommended some fascial work and pec minor. He got to work and it was the best massage I’ve had yet. I was so relaxed when I came out that I had to wake myself up a little in the car before heading home. I went home and was looking at some of the other therapists and I think my little Corey might be married. Or he’s got a sister or cousin working there. I was still feeling tired so I pretty much got into bed and was ready to call it a night.

Thursday 1/23, Susan came over after work for an episode of X-Files. It was a good one (Darkness Falls); only one more disc of season one. Eric brought out dinner just as Susan was about to leave, so we sat back down and ate and chatted. A little while later she took off and I hopped in the shower. Eric told me he has to work Saturday so I’m on my own for the Ember hand off. Arg. I climbed into bed and got some emails from Sue on the pups and that was a relief. The same surgeon doing Sucia’s surgery on Monday is going to be doing Ruby’s; insanely small world. Watched some Seinfeld in bed.

Wednesday 1/22, Eric took Ruby to the vet and we got bad news on her leg; she has a major problem with her leg, hip and the femur. It will require surgery and taking off her femoral head and cleaning out the socket. When I got home Eric filled me in and I had to write some emails about the leg to Janell, Sue and Bridget; all separately. Eric and I took Nyx, Clancy and Ember for a walk and Ember loved it. Eric is now calling her Meatloaf. The vet said she has very dense muscles. She’s a little tank. We also found out today that Ruby was hit by a car, so now Eric is calling her Speed Bump. When we got back from the walk I worked on emails while Eric made dinner and fed the dogs. I got to work on the vet invoices and reimbursements for both puppies. I had to send some additional emails as well. We talked to Chris about Ruby so we’ll see if they still want to adopt her after it’s all said and done. I showered and climbed into bed to do some research and other stuff online. Genie wrote to me about Kiki’s drop off and how she’s so sad because the people smoke and it was so much worse when they dropped her off than when they went for the home visit. I feel bad for her and Dave especially since she’s such a sweet dog and after all she’s been through. We went to bed around 10:30. Called the Brown’s Point vet office to set up a consult for Ruby and have to wait to hear back on a date.

Tuesday 1/21, Ember’s adoption was going through, but Ruby would have to wait a month to be adopted by the same family. I went back and forth between Genie and the app getting everything squared away. After work I had a PT appointment then had to rush to my appointment with Sean. I hadn’t had a haircut for a million years (actual time, like 10 months). We had a good time catching up and I told him about my LMP crush. He gave me a few tips on how to ask the questions I wanted answers to. I was done by 8:00 and headed home. Eric was heating up dinner for me while I got Ember’s medical information gathered for the contract, which went out shortly after. I got ready for bed and updated this as well as sent out some emails and cleaned up my inbox. Eric was watching some JD Salinger special on PBS.

Monday 1/20, I was up early so that I could pack and see Dad before he had to go to work. I packed up everything, had some breakfast and chatted with Dad before he left. We were getting ready to leave and Mom came home so I got to say goodbye to her too. Aubrie and I took off for the airport and I filled her in about my internet discovery the night before (CC) and we made jokes all the way down. She dropped me off and I had plenty of time to get to my gate. I didn’t get upgraded to first, but I was on the bulkhead so I had plenty of room. I watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I got my bag and Eric picked me up and we went home. I was a little tired, but powered through and unpacked my bag. The tile guy came over and looked at the bathroom to give me a quote. We went to the store so that we wouldn’t have to do it later and Eric made me a salad for dinner. I got the dogs ready to go since we were doing the home visit for a family in Seattle. We took off and it went really well and we liked them. They still wanted to adopt both pups so I said I’d check and see what could be done. I talked to Janell and Genie when I got home and Janell was going to ask Jena. Genie and I chatted and she was excited at the prospect. I did the HV form and by the time that was done it was pretty much time for bed.

Sunday 1/19, I was up a little bit early because I wanted to go to Barneys and get some new jeans. I had some breakfast and Aubrie got up not much later and we hit the road. I tried on a ton of stuff, but in the end only one pair of jeans really worked and of course they were the ones not on sale. There were so many cute ones but my f-ing calves are too big so those were all out. None of the shirts were great either. I did find some cute flats on sale so I got those too. We went to the Vans outlet but it was slim pickings. We hit the mall and had a little better luck but they’re phasing out all the fun slip ons, and only have serious ones. I wanted to think about it so we headed home. We both heated up leftovers and stuffed our faces. Dad and Mom were watching the game, but Dad said he’d go with us to get the shoes if I wanted them. We went to the mall again and I got a pair of black and slate checked slip ons. Then I learned you can do custom orders online. We went home and got ready for the game and Eric was texting and excited. We had some time so Aubrie and I started What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. We turned it off when the game started. Mom made potato skins and bought a bunch of fruit. I watched until the third quarter then Court came and picked me up and we headed to some restaurant where Alishia was meeting up with her book group before seeing Wolf on Wall Street. I got a sundae (exactly what I didn’t need after not fitting into any pants) and Court got some soup. Alishia and her friends left to see the movie and we stayed and talked for a little bit and learned the Seahawks won. Thankfully. We headed back home and Court came in to visit for a little bit. We all talked and recapped the game then she took off and Aubrie and I went back upstairs to finish the movie. She liked it and we looked stuff up online about it afterward. I did some packing and got ready for bed then lights out. Then I looked something up online and made a very interesting discovery (CC). I couldn’t believe I’d been so blind all those other times and now had some very important information, though I wasn’t able to really find anything on my phone.

Saturday 1/18, We were up before 9:00 and I was really looking forward to the continental breakfast but everyone wanted to go out to breakfast. We wanted to go to the place across from Copley’s but the wait was 45 minutes, so we headed south to go to some other place called, Sunshine Café, or something which had great reviews and no wait. The food was excellent and one of the best pancakes we’ve ever had. We took some pictures then headed out. Back at the hotel we put everything in Kassie’s room and changed into our suits to lie out in the sun. It was so beautiful. None of us wanted to leave. By 12:30 we all changed back into our clothes and packed up the car. We said goodbye to our adorable little hotel and hit the road to the visitor center. We wrote down a few houses we wanted to go see and hit the road for our architectural tour. Not before a guy with a gf made googly eyes at each one of us. At least he was cute. But probably not a great bf. We saw some amazing houses and stopped at some open houses on the way and I was the closest in guessing the prices. We eventually hit the road and headed home. We all relaxed when we got there and Aubrie and I chowed down on snacks. We all got ready for dinner at Aubrie’s restaurant. We left early and had a very nice dinner and my chicken was delicious. So was the bus boy. Garret, or something. So hot. Kass was getting antsy so we packed it up and headed out and down to the airport so she could get her rental car because she was driving to LA that night. We got her all settled then headed home. We were all exhausted and pretty much got into bed. I talked to Eric for a little bit then went to sleep.

Friday 1/17, I was up before 8:00 and showered, packed, etc. We were trying to leave by 8:30 but ended up not leaving until 9:30. We went to Rite Aid before leaving so I could get contact solution and I had déjà vu at the register but Kass didn’t believe me. Aubrie did. Back at home I realized my cds and dvds weren’t in the car door where they were the night before and we thought maybe they had been knocked out in the parking lot the night before. We threw all our stuff in the car and took off for the restaurant. Luckily it’s on the way. Thankfully the case was there and I didn’t lose any of my stuff. We drove over to PS and made it there in a couple hours. We parked and found a place to eat right away and ended up at Tyler’s, which is a delicious burger place. After lunch we went to our hotel and checked in early. We were staying at the Movie Colony Hotel. It was the cutest little hotel and so charming. We all loved it. We decided to suit up and go sit by the pool. We all got some sun and took a dip in the pool and rested after our big lunch. We were out there for a few hours before going back to our rooms to change. We walked down the street to another Colony hotel, which was nicer and more lavish but had a more Moroccan feel. We sat in the bar and had fun drinks and I ordered panna cotta that was delicious. We walked back to our hotel and changed into warmer clothes then drove down to the downtown area so we could pop into shops and look around. I found a large Marilyn painting that I could have taken home, but didn’t. We walked up and down the strip and stopped in some shops and people watched. We stopped to get some booze then headed back to the hotel room. I called Eric then Liz and missed some drama down by the fire during happy hour. Mom put her hand in some guy’s face and said “Whatever. You’re rude. Whatever.” after he made several derogatory comments to Kassie. I went and hung out in Kassie and Aubs’ room after getting ready. Alishia showed up and we got her stuff into our room. We walked over to Copley’s for dinner and the food was excellent. We had a nice time and sat out on the patio under the heaters. After dinner we went back to the hotel and Mom and Dad went to bed. We got our suits on and headed down to the hot tub. We were down there for about a half hour and it was so nice. We said goodnight to the sisters and headed to our room for bed. We talked in bed for a while then fell asleep.

Thursday 1/16, We slept in until about 9:00 then got up and talked with Mom while she folded laundry. We showered and got dressed then Kass and I headed out to Old Carlsbad to go to the Daily News for breakfast. The food was good and one of the waiters was hilarious asking all the patrons where they got their sunglasses and asking other random questions about where people were from or how long they vacationed somewhere. After breakfast Kass called and found a place that had openings for us to get pedicures. Her treat. We were a couple blocks down from Spin and the place was nice. I got a regular but Kass got some fancy crazy pedi. The lady who sat down next to us wanted to tell us all about her waxing, anal bleaching and experience with stalking her LMP (he had a gf and she followed him home after he led her on). We were in hysterics and reviewed the details on our way home. Mom and Alishia were there when we got there and we decided to go to lunch in Cardiff at Ki’s. I got a pear salad and it was very good. All the food was good and I drank most of Kassie’s smoothie. We headed home because we knew Dad would be home soon and ready for dinner. The sun was still shining in the backyard so we all went and sat in the rays and gossiped. Mom had some “warning, warning”s for Alishia but she’s not concerned. I think the fact that there’s no dialog is a big problem. Oh well, not my problem. Dad came home and we sat in the living room for a little bit before taking off to go to the Wokery. Aubrie had to work so she couldn’t join us. The six of us went to dinner (Christian filling in for Aubrie) and we had a nice time. I asked Dad to tell us stories about life with Grandma Rose and he told us all kinds of wonderful stories. We had a really lovely dinner. Aubrie was home when we got there. I did my exercises in the living room while we talked. We were up for a while but didn’t go to bed too late because we were going to Palm Springs the next day.

Wednesday 1/15, I had to leave work early to go to the airport. Eric was home and ready to take me. I changed and threw a few last things in my bag then off we went. I got all checked in, through the slowest security line in the history of security lines (luckily I was over two hours early) and walked around. I called Kass and she was running late. I got a beechers’ sandwich and ate it at my gate. I talked to Aubrie and filled her in. I was looking at something on my phone then they called my name up to the desk and I got upgraded to first class and I knew I’d be sitting next to Kassie since she told me her seat number earlier that week. I boarded and when she came around the corner she was so surprised. We had a good flight and talked the whole time. Alishia picked us up and when we got to Mom and Dad’s, Christian and Pete were waiting for us. We sat in the dining room and talked and Christian opened the presents that Eric had sent with me for him. Not long after Lish and Pete took off and the rest of us went to bed.  Aubrie would be joining us the next day some time.

Tuesday 1/14, Packed and did stuff around the house to get ready to leave the next day. I had some last minute things to finish up before I left so I did that stuff, too. I called Alaska to find out about an upgrade but I was out of luck. Off to bed.

Monday 1/13, Susan came over after work and we watched the rest of the X-Files episode from the day before. We watched another one afterward then Susan went home. I talked to Genie about the interview for Ruby and Ember. We had an app that wanted both puppies but NR said no. We agreed to take both over and see which one would be a better fit. It was going to have to wait a week, though.

Sunday 1/12, We were up early and I was off to take Ember down to Kent for her spay surgery. Eric was still home when I returned and Susan came over shortly after. Eric left for work and we watched X-Files. We had to cut the episode short because I had to go pick up Ember. She was pretty out of it so I crated her and had her rest all day. I fed her every couple hours in between chores. Eventually I put her in my sling and carried her around and folded laundry. Eric came home and he was tired but I was really proud of all the stuff I got done. We hung out for the rest of the day and later that evening Roxy’s people came and picked her up. We went to bed not long after.

Saturday 1/11, We were up early and Eric had the Comcast guy coming. I went and picked up the new puppies (Ruby and Ember) down at the regular meetup spot and met Julee. Genie was there too and we chatted about the dogs, including Roxy. When I got home Eric was bathing Roxy and since the puppies stunk and were dirty they also got baths and ears / eyes done. We were both so tired but tried to get things done and ready for the Seahawks game. Eric cooked while I vacuumed and did other dog stuff. I called and made an appointment for Ember the next day for her spay. Sky and Chrystol came over and it was puppy-palooza and zombie dog. Eric made tortilla soup which was delicious. The game was good and we won so Eric was happy. It was feeling a bit late after the game so they took off not long after. We were so tired. I walked Roxy two miles hoping that she would be more tired for sleepy time. I called Roxy’s people and chatted with her for a while and she let me know the barking was not normal but gave me some tips for that night. We went to bed early and expected to be up by midnight. I woke up at 3:00 am and realized she’d not woken us up. I was so happy and she continued to sleep until about 7:00.

Friday 1/10, We were tired, but glad it was the weekend. I think Eric did some prep work for the food prep for the game. We tried to go to bed but Roxy was up practically all night barking. We got to sleep for about an hour until 1:00 am, then a couple hours from 4 until 7-ish. Yikes.

Thursday 1/9, Alix’s birthday. I don’t remember what happened this day, but I know Roxy spent a while barking in the middle of the night.

Wednesday 1/8, When I got home we went up to the GO and picked up a few things. Eric made dinner while I walked Roxy and she did great. I booked our hotel in Portland for Eric’s birthday (Heathman). I had my dinner which was a white-trash delight of chicken tenders and tater tots and it was delicious. I did my exercises then talked to Mom about going to Palm Springs next week when Kass and I go down there. She has to see if someone can cover her classes, but I’m sure we’ll get there one way or another. I showered then got into bed, wrote some emails and updated this. I had to get up early the next day so I went to bed early.

Tuesday 1/7, Eric was in a terrible mood when I got home. I tried to cheer him up by being goofy, but I wasn’t all that successful. We went to the store for a few things and when we got back he heated up some dinner for me. I ate my dinner then took off for Mom’s. My last xmas present had been delivered and it is a new rug for the entry way but it’s really light so now I’m worried about people walking on it with their dirty shoes. I really like it though. I hung out and talked with Mom and Dad for a while and headed home at 8:00. Eric was still in a bad mood so I did my exercises and showered then got into bed. I did a few things then went to sleep.

Monday 1/6, Susan showed up at the house shortly after I got home. We put on X-Files pretty quickly so we could get through two episodes. Eric went for a run and we dished up our dinner and Susan had some cake for dessert. We watched the second episode. “Lazarus” and “Young at Heart”; I think I preferred Young at Heart. She took off pretty quickly after our episode was over, but not before we talked about Neighbours and Damon and guys being into other guys. I took Roxy for a walk around the neighborhood and she did great. When I got home I did my exercises then showered and got into bed. Roxy did better with going to sleep and we brought Brizo in to sleep with us so we wouldn’t get a 5:00 am wakeup call from the den.

Sunday 1/5, I slept alright and woke up at 9:30. Jess was already awake and we talked and did stuff on our phones. I looked up stuff on Greece and we might actually do it this summer. I got dressed and Day started making breakfast. We really hogged down and stuffed ourselves. I had to be out of there by 12 so I packed up and said my goodbyes. I made good time and got everything put away and ready for Roxy to be dropped off for a week. She was a little scatterbrained and all over the place and had several accidents so I kept her in the den and kitchen. I hand washed the last of my delicate items then cleaned up dog poop in the backyard. I watched Ace Ventura and did my credit card statements and balanced my checkbook. Roxy was barking it up so I finally pulled a big crate into the living room and put her bed in it and gave her a bully stick. She finally settled down and Eric came home. I vented about Roxy and he took care of the dog stuff for the evening. I showed him the stuff about going to Greece and he thinks it’s a great idea. Eric heated up my leftovers then I had some cake. I showered, updated this, watched Friends and texted back and forth with Jess about going to Greece in June and all of that coordinating. Eric brought Roxy in for the night and I wasn’t sure how that would all pan out since she had yet to settle down and lie down since she’d arrived at 1:45. She was up and barking and scratching to get out of the crate, so we eventually put her in the bathroom with her bed and she went to sleep. It was like midnight.

Saturday 1/4, I woke up a little before 8 and got up, dressed, packed and had breakfast. I hopped in the car and let Jess know I was on my way. I went up to her Dad’s and we hung there for a few hours. We took off to head to her Mom’s house for lunch and the rest of the afternoon. We stopped at Bartell’s on the way and we got some crackers and other snacks. We got to her Mom’s and we relaxed and chatted until it was time for her to leave to run errands. Jess and I hung out and talked until we got hungry and decided to go get something to eat. We went down to Marysville to go to some Hacienda Mexican restaurant. The food was good and I only ate half so I took home the other half. We went back to her Mom’s and we watched two stand up comedy things on Netflix then Day went to bed. We went in the hot tub for a half hour or so then showered and got into bed. She wanted to watch “I Give it a Year” or something like that. I actually stayed up for the whole thing but I thought the main characters were terribly unlikable and thought they should both end up alone and not with the nice people in the movie. I turned everything off and went to sleep.

Friday 1/3, I talked to a new prospective dog sitting job and Eric met with him that afternoon. I had my PT appointment after work and that went well. I had a new girl and I liked her. I went home and I had some dinner then showered and got ready for my massage. I got there right on time and Corey came and got me. I told him I’ve had some PT sessions so he had some questions about that and we got started. We chatted intermittently throughout the massage but the funniest parts were when the oil slipped out of his hand and hit me on the arm and the second was when he was doing the neck pinching and he pinched my airway and I burst out laughing because I couldn’t breathe. He finished with neck work that was amazing even though my neck was a little sore in two places from the pinching. It was okay though. I didn’t mind one bit. Anyway, I got dressed and he was waiting outside the room, walked me out, wished me good luck with the PT and I took off for home. By the time I got home my stomach was not feeling good so I got into bed and relaxed before going to sleep.

Thursday 1/2, Susan came over after work. We chatted for a while then dished up some of the mac and cheese Eric whipped up and turned on X-Files. We got through two episodes and I had some questions after watching both. We had some cake for dessert. Susan took off after the second episode and it was raining pretty hard. Eric had made an appointment for some nasty time and we did it up. By 11 we put the dogs to bed and went to sleep.

Wednesday 1/1, I slept in and Eric got up with the dogs. I made myself get up and out of bed then went and sat in the living room and went through some magazines. I hand washed some clothes then sat down and watched Before Midnight. It was good but not as good as the first two; however, I long to go to Greece because it’s so beautiful. We went to the store so Eric could make gyros and when we got home I worked for a little over an hour. Jojo’s people picked her up after 8:00 so we were down one dog. I updated this and watched tv in bed.

Tuesday 12/31, Pop came over in the morning for a four day visit. Stayed a little late at work then went to my physical therapy appointment and got there early. Did some new exercises and was done early. Headed home and Eric had just arrived home as well and was feeding the dogs. I showered and got ready and we headed out a little after 7:30. Dinner was ready when we got to Schuyler and Chrystol’s so we had some appetizers then sat down to eat. We had a really good time and laughed hysterically talking about random stuff. We opened presents and they got us some very nice things, then it was time to head up to Queen Anne to watch the fireworks. It was really busy up there and we had to park way further away than usual. When we got down there it was a mad house and we couldn’t believe how many more people were there than last time. It was idiot-hour and it was so foggy that a few minutes after midnight we ended up walking back to the car. Oh well. I think that’s the last time we’ll be doing that. It was never that bad in the past. We dropped them off then we headed home and went to bed. It was after 1:00.

Monday 12/30, I arrived home before Eric who had told me he wouldn’t be home until almost 7:00. I was doing stuff around the house and sending emails when he came home early. He got the time wrong in his email so he was home on time. He ran to the store while I fed the dogs and made dinner when he got home. I did stuff around the house like put away laundry and hand washed stuff tried to clean up and do my exercises. We went to bed not too late.

Sunday 12/29, I didn’t get up super early but we got ready and took Sucia over to see Liz at 10:00. We were there for an hour and it went fine. We headed home and Eric got everything ready for the day’s game. Sky and Chrystol came over around 1:00 and they went through all the extra clothes from Sky. We watched the game and luckily the Seahawks won. The boys also went through Eric’s Seagals calendar and picked out their favorites. They left about an hour after the game was over and I got going on some house stuff and laundry. I went to bed early because I was so tired.

Saturday 12/28, I slept in and Eric came in and asked if I wanted to go to American Hustle. I agreed so I got ready and we went up to go to the post office then parked and walked around for a little bit before buying tickets and going in for our noon showing. We got popcorn and had good seats. The movie was good, but with all the hype I was a titch disappointed. I relaxed for the rest of the afternoon and then headed over to Mom’s for Alix’s birthday dinner. Except when I got there no one was home. Apparently we were eating at Brass Tacks. So I hopped in the car and drove down. I was in a grumpy mood and I think most other people were too. We were all sick of celebrating and getting together. The food was fantastic and I was totally stuffed after Sky ordered four of everything on the menu for our large party. Kass and I talked while everyone else played foosball and shuffleboard. Some guy from KUBE was there being entertained by Sky and he was a little strange. We left by 9:30 and I took Mom and Dad home. When I got home I filled Eric in and got into bed.

Friday 12/27, Mom and Dad woke me up at 8:30 because they were leaving. I stayed in bed for a little bit longer then got up and went inside. I had a little breakfast and talked with Brad and Heidi. Kass came in then I headed out to get my stuff to get ready. I woke Aubrie up and we were packed up and ready to hit the road by 10. We said goodbye and headed home. We made pretty good time and when we got home I was going to hop in the shower when Aubrie realized she forgot her wallet at Auntie Heidi’s. We called Kass and she was going to turn around and I told Aubrie to get her confirmation code and I would call Alaska to get her on a later flight so we could get her wallet. When she was digging for her code she found her id in her purse. She called Kass back and told her she didn’t have to get it so Hailey said she would mail it. We had a little something to eat then took off for the airport. I dropped her off and gave her a kiss and off she went. I headed straight for my physical therapy appointment and got there on time. It went well and I got a list of exercises to do. She said my limbs are too long with no real support so I’m having some straining. So got to build up some base muscle and hopefully the pinched nerve will calm the eff down. I headed to work for a couple hours and got things squared away there. I went home and Eric wasn’t home yet, but had some stuff to deal with with Liz. Things were okay, though. I watched the last part of my LotRs’ marathon. We went to bed not long after.

Thursday 12/26, Eric was up early and in the house by 7:00 probably. When I got up and went inside he was making breakfast. We all sat down and ate in the dining room again and tried to decide on a movie. I didn’t want to see one. Eric went home not much later to go take out the dogs and go to work. Dad, Brad, Mom, Sky, Grandma and I went to Lynden to go see some park models for the property and they were pretty cool. I found a floor plan that I really liked and am now trying to convince mom and dad that it’s the best one. We headed back home and when we got there everyone figured out their movie situation and Alishia and I took off for Everyday Music. She found something she really wanted (Dragnet or something?) and I got a bunch of movies and cds I’ve wanted for a while. We headed back home and I called Jean back and talked about Liz and Sucia. We got that all figured out then I headed out with Alishia to the airport because she had to be back to work the next day. We got a little lost because I misunderstood Uncle Brad’s instructions. When I got back me and Dad hung out on the couch and chatted. Pretty soon all the movie folks returned and dinner was underway. Kass and Sky brought shish kabobs that were delicious. After dinner Aubrie wanted to do a choreographed show to lift Mom’s spirits. We settled on Rocky Horror Picture Show’s Time Warp and came up with some moves. Right before going on Hailey tripped in the bedroom and spilled wine all over the carpet and we couldn’t stop laughing. The production went over well and Mom was laughing so hard she was crying. After that we watched home movies from 1988 and had apple pie. It was late again by the time we went to bed; like after midnight I think.

Wednesday 12/25, Eric was up early doing the quiches and I got up later. We both got ready and opened up each other’s presents. Kass let me know they were running late but we headed over to Mom’s and arrived on time anyway. We all had breakfast and talked and waited. Eric wanted to take wagers for when they would show up and it ended up being 11:00. They brought a bunch of Sky’s clothes and Eric grabbed a bunch of stuff. We started the gifts and that was fun and we all got a lot of nice things. Eric got a food processor that he was very excited about. We ended up leaving Mom’s closer to 1:00 and went home to let the dogs out, unload and grab the rest of the presents. We were on the road again and headed up to Bellingham. We made good time and arrived before Hailey. We milled around until it was time to open presents. There was so much stuff it took us two hours to open everything. I got almost everything I asked for. Yay. We put our stuff away and cleaned up then Eric helped with dinner. We had dinner and all us kids were at the kids’ table and we had a great time. We laughed and joked inappropriately. Eric flew his helicopter around the room while Kass ate the gingerbread cookies around the red hots. We were all cracking up. We sat around talking and people started peeling off to go to bed. I finally went to bed around 1:00 and Eric stayed up with Uncle Brad and was drinking coffee; he came to bed at almost 3:00.

Tuesday 12/24, We were up early and getting ready then headed up to Everett for breakfast with Rose. We arrived at the same time as Mom and Dad and went in and got the big table. Kass and Aubrie arrived and we had a fun breakfast. Rose was in and out of the conversation but overall it was good to see her and spend time with her. We gassed up and took off for home. We had some presents to wrap and started the stuff for dinner and the quiches. I helped Eric do that stuff so we’d be ready to go for later that night. We got ready for xmas eve dinner and headed over at 6:30. We had a nice dinner and Chip and Monique were there too. Dinner was good and conversation was lively. People started leaving and we stayed behind to talk about art and work. We headed home and because breakfast wasn’t going to be until 10 the next morning Eric decided to do the quiches in the morning. We went to bed by 11 I think.

Monday 12/23, My only day at work for the week and it was fine. Eric and I were both up early to get into work early so we could get off early. I got home and quickly changed and fed the dogs then Eric got home (with Jojo in tow) and we took off for the airport to pick up Aubrie. We got her quickly then headed up to Mukilteo to go to Arnie’s. We were ahead of schedule so we took a detour to drive by Fairmont Elementary and it looks exactly the same. I was so happy. We peeked in the front door and tried to open it, but no luck. We got back on our way and beat Mom and Dad to Arnie’s. We got a good seat up top and perused the menu. I had the miso steak and it was fantastic. We had a nice time and left after 9. When we got home we called Kass to see if she wanted us to come over. She had hand me downs so we headed over and got there after 10 I think. We tried on clothes and each bagged our loot. We talked for a long time and I didn’t leave until like 12:30. Eric was still magically awake when I got home. We climbed into bed and went to sleep.

Sunday 12/22, We were up early and getting things ready for the day and preparing for Viktor to go home. The handoff went fine and Viktor was off to his new home. Eric took off shortly after to go to work. I worked on cleaning the house and getting other stuff squared away for a few hours. I laid down to take a nap for a little bit until Dad and Mom arrived, but only got about a half hour in. They arrived at 3:15 and I went out and sat in the motorhome for a while and we talked about work and the xmas plans. We went inside and sat in the living room and marveled at the fireplace and the house. We went and picked up a couple pizzas for dinner and Eric came home when the oven was preheating. Dad also got some chocolate chip cookie dough so we were all excited about that, too. We talked for a while and then put on Mixed Nuts. It was very funny and we all enjoyed it. It was after 9 when it was over and Mom and Dad went to bed. We stayed up for a while then off to bed.

Saturday 12/21, I spent the day wrapping presents I think and doing things around the house. Eric wasn’t coming to Mom’s xmas party and was in a terrible mood and freaking out. I got ready and headed out by myself, stopping at QFC on the way to pick up some drinks. I was the first to arrive and we got everything going. More people arrived for the birthday portion of the night and soon we were all singing happy birthday to Mom and started eating. All the other people arrived and I spent the night talking to people and watching the carolers. I stayed really late and was one of the last to leave. Eric was asleep when I got home so I went to bed.

Friday 12/20, There was quite a bit of snow on the ground when I woke up so I stayed home until 10:30 and worked, then headed in so I wouldn’t have to risk other people not knowing how to drive in the snow. Roads were fine by then. After work I went to Cost Plus and an olive oil store for Mom’s birthday gift. Eric and I went to Joann Fabrics then B&N for presents. Back at home Eric wanted to talk about family events and expressed that he didn’t want to go to the xmas party the next night, which I said was fine. I went to bed not much later.

Thursday 12/19, I had a massage with Corey again and I was a little early. I wanted more neck and shoulder work so he got down to it, but some of it was painful so I finally said something because I was feeling a strain in my arm and neck. We talked through it and he could see my muscles flexing and doing all kinds of stuff, so he tailored the massage and no more pain. We chatted about a few other things as well. Right toward the end someone in the next room knocked the shelf off the wall and it was this big crash. We both tried to stifle laughter, but failed and both started cracking up. I couldn’t stop laughing. The massage was over anyway, but it was a hilarious note to end on. He was waiting for me outside the door and walked me out. I made another appointment in two weeks. I drove home singing Maldives’ “Go Back to Virginia” at the top of my lungs. Eric made me a half grilled cheese and some butternut squash soup. The grilled cheese was a 10. I filled out Viktor’s vet info and sent it off, then showered and got into bed.

Wednesday 12/18, I rushed home because we had Viktor’s HV down in Renton scheduled for 6:00. I quickly changed and we hit the road. Traffic was terrible but we made it there by 6:15. It went okay; neither of us was crazy about them but he’ll do fine there and they had a very nice home. When we got home Eric made some dinner and I called Genie. I filled her in and told her I agreed with her assessment. Next I called Mom and chatted with her about the puppies and the party. Next I talked to Liz and she’s doing alright. I finally completed the HV form and sent that in. Ate my dinner and got into bed shortly after. I was exhausted.

Tuesday 12/17, Eric was going to be doing work stuff late again so I was on my own for most of the night. When I got home I took Viktor and Clancy for a walk around the block then dropped off Viktor and picked up Nyx to take her and Clancy around the block again. So I got a mile in. Not terrible. Viktor did great, considering he’s never been leashed before. He followed Clancy’s lead and was such a big boy. I fed the dogs then made myself some eggs for dinner and did some work for a little over an hour. Eric came home and was reading in the den. I wanted to run some errands to pick up presents so took off for Cost Plus again, but totally bought the wrong thing and was so irritated. I went over to the mall and got Jake’s present and something for Mom. I headed home and Eric was in bed. I showered and got ready then updated this and looked at stuff online. I told Janell we’d take two more puppies in January on the next transport. We’ll see what she says.

Monday 12/16, I had the day off, but still had a lot to do. I started in on my chores but took a break to go get the puppies microchipped. That went fine, luckily, then I went home to get started on Fig’s paperwork. I ran out of printer paper so I made a list of stuff I needed to get during my errands. Doug arrived at 10:30 to go over everything for the new bathroom windows and laundry room door. It’s more expensive than I was hoping, of course, but both rooms need the upgrade. After they left I took off to run my errands. I went to Office Depot for paper then to Glassy Baby to pick up a present then over to Cost Plus which was a total bust. The parking lot was packed and it was like noon on a Monday. I was so irritated. I hit Super Supplements on the way home. I had a sparse lunch and finished the adoption paperwork. I set up everything for Figaro’s hand-off. They showed up a little before 3:00 and we sat and talked about everything before Eric got home. He brought a bunch of stuff for them and an hour later our little Meatball left. He’s going to a great home so that makes it easier. I laid down and Genie called to fill me in on the Viktor app phone call. She wasn’t in love with the app, but no red flags. I talked to Liz who finally went home. Eric made me dinner, I showered then into bed by 7:45; asleep by 10.

Sunday 12/15, Viktor needed some vaccs and Nyx needed her rabies shot so I took off with them while Eric prepared for his precious Seahawks game. I was the first one there and I was in and out pretty quickly and back home before 10. I went in and out of watching that and preparing for the HV for the puppy boys. Viktor was really lethargic and not feeling good so I cradled him for a while then put him in his crate to rest and recover. When it was time to go he was his peppy self again. We left a little while after the game was over and headed down to Buckley. The drive was nice and when we got there the couple was really nice and ended up picking Fig instead of Viktor, which is who they had applied for. I thought there was a good chance that could happen so I’m glad we brought him. They had a lovely home and we were there for quite a while. We had a nice drive home and I called Genie on the way to give her the news. When I got home I sent the HV form and my FP approval. The information went out quickly and the contract was generated that night. It was so fast. I sent her an email seeing if she wanted to get Fig the next day. I also sent off Viktor’s bio to the people in Renton who had also applied for him. I sent off an invoice for Sucia before going to bed. Big day, but glad at the outcome.

Saturday 12/14, Susan came over at 9:30 and we took off for our day of shopping. We went down to Renton and hit the dollar store first where I found some great accessories for my xmas village, including an ice skating pond, two kinds of trees and several people. I got some other small shit, but the village stuff was the most exciting. Next we went to Goodwill where I got a bridge for my village. Over to St. Vincent de Paul’s where everything was half off which resulted in Susan and I going hog-wild. Mostly Susan because she bought a FUCKING TRAIN SET. It was hilarious. And humongous. I got a ceramic jar thing to go by the stove to put cooking utensils in, a “watch maker” xmas village house, a couple enjoying a horse-drawn sleigh ride, a gazebo and a little wall. Good haul for the village. We loaded up the car and on the way out everyone was admiring and commenting on Susan’s new train. It was hilarious. “Wow, nice train!” was heard more than once and “That’s a good buy!”. Susan looked like a celebrity walking out of that place with everyone ooh-ing and ahh-ing and opening doors. I was checking emails during the day and I was working with the app and Genie to try and hammer out the HV scheduling. Later in the day we finally got it settled for Sunday at 3:00. Last stop was the GO. We both went overboard there. I got some good stuff though, and left out the tempting items. We drove home talking about all of our loot and how Susan’s going to lend us her train set for the xmas village and she’s going to dress up in overalls and a train conductor’s hat and come over and play with her train. I helped her load up her car then she took off. I had some chips and kefir for lunch. Eric was at work until later that night. I watched Bel Ami and it was not great. RPatz was a little disturbing in it and frankly, not that hot. After it was over I packed up the puppies and went to see Eric at work. The puppies did great and Viktor wanted one lady to pet him. They both got treats and explored which is good for their socialization. We went home and I fed the dogs. I was so tired that I got into bed not long after Eric got home and went to bed super early. Like 9:00, maybe?

Friday 12/13, I was so happy to leave work knowing I had a three day weekend ahead of me. Eric was doing AA volunteer stuff late so I was home for most of the night solo. I did my yoga video then took care of the dogs. Genie called after her call with Viktor’s app and she said it went well, so that was good news. We’re going to bring both boys to the HV and hope they want Figaro. I think I just relaxed all night. Learned that Langley died; that was super sad. They think it was pancreatitis, but don’t know for sure. It is heartbreaking for Bruce. Also, Keith’s brother died, which was also very sad. I don’t know that I ever met him, but he was battling cancer for years. I feel terrible for Keith.

Thursday 12/12, When I got home I took all the puppies out and waited for Susan to come over. We went to the store to get something for dinner and ended up with a stuffed crust pepperoni pizza. We put on X-Files and stuffed ourselves with the stuffed crust. We watched one episode and chatted for a little while before she took off. I laid down on the couch and looked at stuff online for a while then felt a little tired so I closed my eyes and drifted in and out of sleep while the little puppies slept on me and all other dogs were scattered on the couch and in front of the fireplace. Eric came home by 9:30 and helped me take all the dogs out. Then he wanted to talk about art and Rothko and Matisse and some chapel Matisse built in southern France. He was all jacked up about it. I was tired. I showered and he told me more then into bed and we talked a little more. It was cute. Finally he went in the other room and I updated this then to bed.

Wednesday 12/11, We got two apps for Viktor so I knew I’d have to work on the long bio when I got home. I beat Eric home and took out all the dogs and cleaned up after the puppies. Eric helped me when he walked through the door. I called Liz to give her an update then did my yoga video and felt really good when I finished. I showered then had some dinner and started on the bio. I didn’t finish until 9:30ish. I had puppies playing on me throughout the evening and trying to chew on my sock. Eric went to bed before 10 and I stayed up writing emails and updating this.

Tuesday 12/10, I had plans to do my yoga video when I got home but didn’t because Eric had my dinner ready when I walked in the door so then I had an excuse not to. I played with the puppies for a little bit then showered and got ready for bed.

Monday 12/9, I had big plans for the day. We got dressed and headed to the dump to get rid of the old fireplace insert, toilet, scrap wood and a broken pot. Next we headed out to North Bend for an xmas tree, but I was hungry so we swung into Taco Time so I could get a quick lunch. We went up to the Mountain Creek (?) tree farm and hiked up the hill to find the perfect tree. We found a really good one and Eric cut it down and carried it down. We got some delicious cider after paying and headed home. Eric took care of getting it out of the truck while I got the dogs settled. He brought it in, we straightened it up, he put the lights on and I got out all the ornaments. I put on Sufjan Stevens’ xmas albums and off we went decorating. Next we set up the winter village and it looked great. We went to the store and I picked up a couple movies: Hangover II and Jarhead. They were super cheap. Eric made dinner and we watched Hangover II and it was ehhh. Off to bed afterward.

Sunday 12/8, I didn’t get up until 8-ish and waited to hear from Susan about coming over to watch X-Files. She arrived a little after 9 and we went to the store to get donuts. We gabbed for a little bit then started watching. We got through two episodes and she took off around noon. Mom stopped by shortly after to meet the puppies. Eric had all his Seahawks stuff out and was ready for the game. Mom stayed and watched the whole thing and they took turns yelling at the tv. I worked on the bios and getting them submitted to get those puppies online. Jojo was picked up around 6:30 and they brought us some baked goods from their favorite PDX bakery. Later in the evening we went to Half Price Books and BB&B to do some xmas shopping for some of the sisters. When we got home I think I got ready for bed and went to sleep.

Saturday 12/7, We were up early to go meet Julee to pick up the puppies (Figaro aka “Meatball” and Viktor aka “The Weas”). They were so cute, but dirty and there was poop and pee in the crate. We took them home and got them cleaned up, nails trimmed and ears cleaned. They were pretty good. We also belly banded them up, though over the next few days we learned they hardly need them, especially Figaro, because they were pretty much potty trained. I wanted to start working on their bios and taking pictures so I put on a movie and got going while Eric worked on putting up the lights on the house. Mid-afternoon I finally got into the shower and got ready. We drove down to All the Best with the puppies to give them a little outing and to get them some food. A little while after we got home I took off for my massage with Corey. It was an excellent massage and he was still as cute as ever. He said it was nice to see me again and I felt flush, like, oh great, he probably thinks I’m a stalker. Which I am a little, but not in a scary way. After that it was like 6:45 and I drove home in a daze. Eric had dinner ready for me when I got home and I just relaxed in the bedroom. Eric went to a movie while I had puppy playtime and stayed up late watching tv.

Friday 12/6, Jojo was dropped off right around 8 so we were up to five dogs again, though that was only temporary with the puppies arriving the next morning. Johj was only visiting for the weekend. Eric planted the camellia in the courtyard and I gathered leaves to recover the dahlias and canna since the piles had really flattened down. Eric and I went to Home Depot to get a new toilet for the main bathroom and picked out a real gem. When we got home Eric got started on putting it in and ran into one roadblock. He went to Ace to pick up a couple screws and the thing was in. I think I did a few minor things around the house during the day then in the afternoon I was doing stuff online like Christmas shopping. Eric came in and asked if I wanted to do DQ and watch a movie that evening. I agreed. After dinner we went to DQ and both got a pecan blizzard. We ate them in the car because it felt like DQ had the fricken AC on. When we got home we put in Austen Powers and climbed into bed. We finished it from where we’d left off on the plane. Eric put on the second Austin Powers but fell asleep shortly after it started. I finished it then went to bed.

Thursday 12/5, I came home and hung out forever and checking in on the auction status. I didn’t really want to go but I had the next day off and there was one piece I was interested in (J. Kimura). I headed down at like 8 or maybe later. Eric didn’t want to go. I got registered and looked around at the pieces then found a seat. My piece came up and it went just a little higher than I wanted to bid so I didn’t bother and that’s the price it sold at. I should have just done it, but oh well. I wanted to see what some other items were going to sell for so I stuck around for a while. J. Phalen sat right in front of me and I couldn’t believe it. I wanted to call Courtney so badly but I forgot my phone at home. He got up to leave so I got up too and went and asked him if it was him and it was. We talked for a little while and that was fun. He looks pretty much the same, despite the 11 years that have passed since I last saw him in class. I sat back down and watched until almost 10 then left. When I got home Eric was still up and reading in bed. I got ready for bed and went to sleep.

Wednesday 12/4, I went home and did my yoga video and felt good. I showered then took off for Kristel’s place for dinner. We decided to do Six Arms and walked down. I tried the meatloaf burger special. We split some tots. Yum. We caught each other up and I filled her in on my massage and my growing crush on Corey. She was laughing so hard. We were game-planning my next massage. Everything is going well for them and it sounds like they may be moving back to the Eastside by January. Yay! We were there until 10-ish then walked to my car. I drove her back and took off for home. Eric was still awake and we went to bed shortly after.

Tuesday 12/3, Susan came over after work for some X-Files. Eric heated up some of the leftover pizza for us to have while we watched Mulder. Susan filled us in on her AZ adventures and things went well. We watched two episodes and it was around 8 so Susan took off. I showered and got into bed. Eric had an early morning the next day so he was asleep early but I stayed up for a little while.

Monday 12/2, I beat Eric home and I knew he’d be all jacked up about the Seahawks game. He set up all his stuff in the morning before he went to work. I took the dogs out and cleaned up some crap then Eric arrived. He had a big bunch of white and red roses and a pizza. He’s so sweet. I took Clancy and Nyx on a walk but because it started raining I just did one time around the block. Eric fed the dogs and I called Mom to discuss rugs and I found one I really liked for the bedroom. I had some dinner and did my online perusing for the evening while Eric yelled and screamed at the tv in the living room. I joined him for the end and did some stretching. Bought a rug, favorited a few things on etsy, showered and off to bed.

Sunday 12/1, Eric was up early and to work while I slept in a little. I did some stuff throughout the morning then headed up to Party City to return some extra tights then over to Mom’s by 11. When Kass and Sky arrived we decorated the tree and had some curry for lunch. They took off at 1:00 and Eric showed up about a half hour later for lunch. We talked for his half hour break then he went back to work. Mom and I took off for Southcenter to look at rugs. We went to the Macy’s outlet but didn’t find anything I loved then to Ashley where I found some that were okay, but they were all too big. Lastly we went over to World Market where they had like five rugs so that was a bust. I ended up getting a bunch of root beer for Eric and some Australian licorice for myself. We drove back to Mom’s and I showed her wayfair and we found some rugs we both liked. I took off around 3:00 or so and went home to let out the dogs. Eric came home early. I think I went to bed early since I didn’t get my Sunday-nap. Maybe I watched a movie.

Saturday 11/30, Eric was up early and I was up a little after. Mom and Dad were downstairs chatting and Eric wanted to go to Pipes for breakfast. I asked Aubrie if she wanted to go and her and Christian did so we waited for them to get ready then took off. While we were eating Kass texted that she was really upset we didn’t ask her to go. Aubs and I kind of groaned and knew we were going to have to deal with it. So we wrapped things up and headed back. I was sad I was going to miss Lou’s especially since it was Small Business Saturday. I decided to hit Silver Platters when we got home, instead. At home we asked Kass if she wanted to go upstairs and talk. We hashed everything out and we all got things off of our chests and we were a lot better. We went downstairs and it was time to do the xmas tree. We did that then took some pictures on the stairs. We all got our bags packed and soon we were loading up the car and saying goodbye to Mom and Dad. We had a nice ride down to the airport and got all checked in. The airport was empty. We stopped to get something to eat at the new food court, which only has like two restaurants now. We went through security where there was literally no line and they were just standing waiting for someone to go through. We waited at the gate for a little bit then boarded. We were in the exit row and in the row with only two seats so we didn’t have anyone next to us. We watched Austin Powers for part of the flight, but Eric was freaking out too bad about the turbulence to finish it. I was relieved when we landed, mostly because I didn’t want to sit next to him being an anxiety ball anymore. We got our bags, walked with Kass and Sky to the garage then hopped our shuttle to the lot. We checked out real quick and headed home. The dogs were happy to see us and after we got them settled I went up to Silver Platters. I wandered around for a long time and picked up a couple movies and four or five cds. It was an early night and I think Eric slept in the other bedroom because he felt like he was getting sick. He also said he doesn’t want to go down to AZ next year because this year with the fam was too hectic and dramatic. I get it.

Friday 11/29, We were up super, super early to go to Mom’s Jazzercise class at 7:00 am. The class went fine and it was Christian’s first time. He wore his regular clothes and we cracked up that he was wearing his special Jazzercise shoes (beat up Vans). We took some pictures afterward then headed home. Dad made French toast and Aubrie and I each had three pieces then got ready for the day. We headed out with the boys to go do some shopping. We went to Nordstrom Rack where we each got something, then off to Spin. I got the newer Cat Power and a Neko Case albums and bought Aubrie the Born to Die picture disc for Christmas. I was going to buy one for myself but then it was gone. Oh well. We went to Kohl’s to check out comforters and the line was all the way to the back of the store. We went home and had some lunch of leftovers. We hung out and I took a nap in the afternoon. Alishia came over later and we went as a large group to go do Santa pictures. We found out Sneaky Pete is a litter bug; even at Santa’s house! The boys did a hilarious picture with Santa lying across their laps. Eric and I peeled off with Christian and Aubrie to go to the store and the party store and Kass made a snide comment. I knew she was pissed but I didn’t really care. Eric and I got a bunch of stuff to complete the look of our murder mystery outfits. We went home and started getting ready. We were both elves. Court and Pat showed up right on time and were the first ones. Court was a polar bear and Pat was the Little Drummer Boy with a great outfit. It took a while to get started. We had snacks and dinner and broke off into groups several times to have pow-wows. In the end it wasn’t a murder mystery, it was a kidnap mystery. Kass was responsible, but Rudy just went off to go to a concert with Ozzy. People left not long after it was over and we said our goodbyes to Court. We cleaned up pretty quick and went upstairs to bed. One day left.

Thursday 11/28, I got up late and stayed in bed forever. By the time I got up it was too late to have breakfast so I just waited for lunch-time snacks. I was cruising etsy and found a bunch of Ryan Gosling stuff, including these great movie posters. I also booked another trip to San Diego in January to visit again. A bunch of us took a field trip to Pete’s shop to see his space. He had a lot of “tasteful” nude artwork. Alishia prefers to use the description of “juvenile”. We went home and just hung out for the day. I did some reading and relaxing upstairs because I felt antsy being downstairs. Eric helped cook and set up all day. We ate dinner late, as usual. I didn’t gorge so that was good. Kass and Alishia got into a tiff right as the night was ending, then Mom was irritated with Dad, then Mom said she didn’t care if anyone came to her class the next morning. It was kind of a crappy way to end the night. We all agreed we would still go to Mom’s class, except Kass. We went up to bed and it was probably 11-ish.

Wednesday 11/27, We woke up and Mom and Dad were both at work so I had some cereal and we waited for Mom to come home. Once she arrived we all got ready and headed as a large group, to Solana Beach to have lunch and do some window shopping. We went to a good place for lunch. Over to my favorite shop, I bought Abby Lynne a present but otherwise went home without any purchases. Dad was home when we arrived and I ended up spending a good part of the rest of the afternoon upstairs because I was feeling anxious. We all got ready and headed down to the outlet mall to do Santa pictures, and even called ahead to make sure they were open and went down to do it before going to dinner. When we arrived, however, Santa was all closed down. Nuts. We left and went to Benihana for dinner to celebrate Aubrie’s birthday. Our chef was Dong, and he is the most requested chef. Everyone at our table kept saying “I love Dong!” and “Dong is the best!”. There were others. We wrapped things up then headed home for birthday pizza. We ended up watching a bunch of the videos Mom made. Eventually turned in; it was 11 maybe? Midnight?

Tuesday 11/26, I left work at 3:45, rushed home, showered, dressed and threw our bags in the car. We took off for the airport and ran into some traffic but still managed to get to the airport right on time. Kass and Sky beat us and we could see them in the security line in front of us. They were waiting for us at the Big Foot restaurant when we arrived at the N concourse. We had a little something to eat then over to our gate and boarded. Eric and I were in the bulkhead seats and Kass and Sky were in the last row of first class. I watched What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and almost finished it. We got our bags and headed out to meet Mom and Dad at the curb. Sky and his mom went to get a rental car. At home we chatted until Aubrie got home. Sky arrived after dropping off Becky at her hotel and we sat in the kitchen talking about our visit to Boston. Mom and Dad had gone to bed since they had to be up really early. We finally turned in around midnight I think. I finished watching my movie and went to bed.

Monday 11/25, P was back in the office and the day went pretty well. I was off a little early after running a few errands. Eric wasn’t home when I got there so I let out the dogs and started my chores. Also, our new memory foam showed up so I got that inside and followed the instructions for setting it up. I cleaned my bathroom and did a few other things before Eric arrived. We bathed all the dogs then I showered. Eric went for a run, I fed the dogs then made my dinner and sat in the living room with the fireplace blasting. Alix called and we talked for an hour, then it was into bed. Watched Friends and game-planned in my head our schedule for the next day and leaving for San Diego.

Sunday 11/24, I woke up a little before 8 but stayed in bed until almost 9. Eric got up earlier with the dogs. I had breakfast and fed the dogs then Eric took off for work. Susan called and said she would be a little later than she originally thought. I did some laundry, vacuumed, cleaned out some of the old stuff in the cupboards, cut the rest of the peonies down and emptied the buckets into yard waste, and washed Sucia’s bedding. Susan arrived and we talked for a little bit before starting into X-Files. We got through two episodes and they were both pretty good, though the computer one was hilariously dated. She took off and I went out to clean up dog poop in the backyard. I put on Aladdin and half watched it while updating this and posting online. I was feeling tired so I crawled under the covers and tried to take a nap on the couch. I was mostly successful but then Eric came home early from work and the dogs were all a tither. Eric said Fae’s new people stopped in and said she is doing great and they are keeping her on her raw diet. It was a really good update to hear. I laid on the couch for a little longer then got up and finished vacuuming the living room and bedroom. Eric made dinner and I ate in the living room while watching tv. I updated this, found some good stuff that will be up for auction next week in Renton then went and showered. Into bed and turned on the Hallmark channel. I’m bummed Frasier isn’t on anymore.

Saturday 11/23, I didn’t want to get out of bed, but finally made myself and had some breakfast. Mom called and said she was on her way over so I hurried and got dressed. We went off to Vibrants, which was the first time for me. It’s really nice. Mom bought me a camellia that’s going to go in the courtyard so I can see the pink / white / yellow flowers blooming all winter. She dropped me off at home and I went inside. Eric was gone but I figured he’d be back soon since the dogs were out loose. I did a few things and he came home from the bookstore because he was picking up presents for Aubrie’s birthday. We decided to go to lunch at Pomegranate in Redmond and headed out. It was good and also crowded. Afterward we went to the root beer store and Eric picked up several kinds to try. We went to Super Supplements then home. It was sunny out and gorgeous. When we got home I laid down in the bedroom and took a long, long nap. Like three plus hours. I finally made myself get up after sitting there forever. I showered and got dressed then made up the bed in the back bedroom and folded some sheets. We took off a little after 7 to head to Peter and Stefanie’s for their house warming party in Alki. We stopped at the store for some San Pellegrino then headed over. Chrystol and Sky were already there, as well as Christina and Mike. A few other people came, including the Andy Warhol looking guy from the prior weekend’s party, one of Stef’s friends from her penthouse party and lastly one of her Rick Steves’ coworkers. We all chatted then ate dinner, including Peter’s delicious goulash. Peter wanted me to pick out music so we went over and chatted for a long time until it was time to leave. Eric and I both got kisses from Peter on the way out and Sky and Chrystol couldn’t stop cracking up as we walked to the car. We drove home and got into bed just before 1:00 am. We went to sleep pretty quickly.

Friday 11/22, I was home a little early and we took off to go do our grocery shopping for the evening. First up it was the GO, second was TJ’s where we had a gift card from Monique. Lastly we went to QFC at Crossroads to grab corn starch. We were making pizzas for dinner because Sky and Chrystol were coming over. At home Eric started making the salad then prepared everything for the pizzas. I showered forever and finally got out and dressed. They arrived and Chrystol and I sat in the living room catching up, while the boys worked on the pizzas in the kitchen. We hung out in the living room and ate dinner while watching some Bellingham music video channel. Some were so bad, but there was one great one that I haven’t seen since I was high school: Spacehog’s “In the Meantime”. I cranked it. We had some cookies for dessert. They stayed until 11, maybe? We were all tired. Eric and I went to bed right away.

Thursday 11/21, I headed to my massage after work and was a little early. I got all checked in and soon I was heading into my massage with Corey, who was very cute. And has tattoos. We chatted for a moment about what I wanted done then he left and I got undressed and onto the table. I had a hard time relaxing, mostly because I was trying to not drool, and laugh because I couldn’t turn my brain off and kept thinking up all these scenarios. By the time he was working on my neck and shoulders I was finally relaxed and it felt really great. It was an 80-minute massage and I was really happy with it. When he got to my legs all I could think was “Thank god I shaved my legs”. After he was done he told me he’d be waiting outside. So I got up and stumbled around the room trying to get dressed and not knock the little shelf off the wall. I’m sure he could hear me laughing and talking to myself. I tried to open the door and was pushing out but it pulled in, so I’m sure he was watching the handle go up and down and trying to figure out why I wasn’t coming out. When I opened the door he was standing there leaning against the wall and handed me a bottle of water. I thanked him as he walked me out. I made another appointment and joined their massage program for a monthly massage. I went home and Eric was at a Rick Steves’ Israel and Palestine talk with Stef, Peter and Sky. I had some salad and rice for dinner and hung out with the dogs. I watched Parks and Rec then showered and got into bed. I went to sleep a little after 10 and Eric came home sometime later.

Wednesday 11/20, I stayed a little late at work and then it took me forever to get out of Issaquah. It was so irritating. When I got home Eric had a nice beautiful salad waiting for me as well as a full plate of caprese. We sat in the living room and ate and watched Modern Family. I showered and got into bed and went off to sleep.

Tuesday 11/19, When I got home we took Clancy and Nyx for a walk and ended up helping a woman find her escapee doxie. At home Eric fed the dogs and made dinner while I went through my mail and some catalogs and found good things for xmas presents. We watched a little tv then I showered. Eric wanted to mess about so we did all that then took out the dogs and got into bed. It was 10:15-ish. Updated this and watched Friends then off to bed.

Monday 11/18, After work I went to my doctor appointment at VM to see if I can get my tingly / numb arm problem figured out. It took forever, but eventually the conclusion is I’ve got a pinched nerve in my neck. I had some xrays taken and I’ve got degenerating discs in my neck; great. I went to the store on my way home and picked up my prescription (prednisone) to try to and calm down the angry nerve in my neck. Eric had dinner ready when I got home (tortellini soup) and I sat on the couch because I was exhausted. I didn’t get much done that evening. I took a shower and into bed. Eric was asleep by 9:30 and I was up a little later.

Sunday 11/17, I got up by 8 and took care of the dogs and got back in bed. Eric had to go into work for a staff meeting so I was on my own for the morning. Susan called and we coordinated her arrival time and she said she’d bring me my favorite Trader Joe’s chocolate covered almonds with sea salt and turbinado sugar (sp?). She arrived and we talked forever on the couch. Eric came home and the three of us talked for a long time until we needed to start on X-Files before it was too late because of Eric’s football game. After it was over Susan took off for home and I had some lunch (Eric made me HH). I did some stuff in the bedroom like filing and putting stuff away. I took a nap for a while (I think) and afterward watched Bridesmaids in the living room while organizing my credit card statements. I had leftovers from Friday night for dinner then got ready for bed.

Saturday 11/16, Eric was up early and out of the house to work, while I tried to sleep in but was not very successful. I finally got up, dressed, took care of the dogs then hit the road to go get my oil changed. It was done really quickly and I headed back home. I cut the rest of the dahlias down and covered them up and cut down the remaining peonies in the backyard. Still need to do the front yard. I worked on laundry then got lazy and did stuff online for a while. Eric came home and we went up to Party City to get some wigs for H*sam and R*berto’s party that evening. We also hit Half Priced Books so I could get some dvds for Aubrie for her birthday. Back home we both took a nap, though mine was about an hour longer than Eric’s. I talked to Susan about our plans the next day then showered and got ready for our parties. First we went down to Georgetown to Kassie’s open house. I held Lena (Meg’s baby) and talked with Alissa for a long time. It was fun and the food was great. We stayed for over an hour but then needed to hit the road up to Capitol Hill for the wig party. It took a while to find parking, but lucked out with a spot on Broadway right across the street. Aubrie called while we were driving so we talked to her on the speaker / Bluetooth thing. We put on our wigs and headed into the party. There were a couple people there and we hung out and caught up with the boys. Stef and Peter arrived and he really liked my wig. Like really liked it, I think. Everyone had different ones which was funny. There was a vote for the best girl and guy and Eric won for the boys. We chatted with J*nah and another girl, whose name I can’t remember, from some of their other game-night parties. We took off about 11:15 and headed home. We were the first to leave, but Eric had a staff meeting the next day. At home we watched SNL for a little bit then fell asleep. It was a fun night.

Friday 11/15, Long day at work. I was exhausted and happy to be home. I talked to Liz for a long time about Sucia and about her rehab and all that. I showered and we headed out to have dinner a little after 7. We decided to go to Monsoon (Eastside) since we haven’t been to that location before. It was super windy and blustery. Dinner was fantastic and I got the drunk chicken while Eric got something with shrimp. We headed home and I was so tired I brushed my teeth and got ready for bed and climbed in. No dessert even.

Thursday 11/14, Susan came over after work so we could watch some more X-Files. I showered quickly since I was gross from my anxiety sweats, then we headed off to the store for veggies. Eric roasted sweet potatoes, cauliflower, beets and carrots then sautéed a ton of Brussels sprouts and broccoli. We ate while watching our two episodes and the food was great. Eric brought out the cookies and we munched on those. She headed home not long after we were done and Eric and I got ready for bed. It wasn’t long before we were out.

Wednesday 11/13, My massage was cancelled and rescheduled. At home we took Nyx and Clancy for a long walk then up to the GO. Eric made me some curry and we watched tv in the living room. At 8:30 I showered and got into bed. We watched Modern Family and I updated this.

Tuesday 11/12, RG’s bday and also Dad Alan’s. I slept in until almost 9 then got up and had breakfast with Sos and Maia. I showered and started packing and getting ready. Sos had to run to Jake’s work to pick up the car seat. I occupied Maia while she was gone and we didn’t have any problems. We packed a lunch and took off for the state park to go on a walk and see some alligators and have a picnic. I sat in the back with Maia and kept her engaged. When we got to the park we were told that the park was closed for a deer hunting session. There were guys in camo everywhere. We were bummed and headed back toward their place. Maia fell asleep and we went to a park in Sugar Land. We got her out of the car and started on our walk around the park. Maia slept for a good part of it then woke up and walked for a little bit. We found a picnic table by the playground and had our lunch. It was really windy so we cut it short. We walked back to the car and headed home. We had some ice cream, went to the bathroom, did a diaper change and headed back out to go to the airport. It felt like a long drive but we got there right at 3. I was really early for my flight but that was okay. I said goodbye and thank you for everything and got a kiss from Maia and headed inside. I checked my bag, no upgrade to first class this time. Nuts! I went through security which was hilarious because there were two of us in line. I found my gate, did some checking of my various apps then went and got some snacks. We boarded and got going early but then lost time by taxi-ing for 20 f-ing minutes. We were scheduled to get in 30 minutes early, but only ended up getting in 15 minutes early after all that nonsense. Luckily there was no one in the middle seat so I put my stuff under that seat. I watched LotR to try and see Bret McKenzie, but couldn’t figure out which one he was (went online the next day and couldn’t believe how different he looked). When I landed I got to baggage quickly and my bag was one of the first out. I called Eric, he swung in and picked me up. We chatted on the way home and when we arrived he had dinner ready and I had some curry. I showered then he was all hot and bothered so I took care of that for him. We went to bed shortly after, which was like 10.

Monday 11/11, We all started waking up around the same time. Sos and Court went for a run on the beach boardwalk while I called Alaska to figure out why I hadn’t been upgraded to first class yet. It was full. Nuts! I’m getting spoiled with my expectations. We all got ready and headed down to the café for breakfast. We all had special orders but she was happy to accommodate. After breakfast we went back up to the room, changed into our suits, packed our bags, rolled our luggage down to the car and went out to the pool. We laid in the sun and it was perfect. We had great seats and spent a few hours just reading and gabbing. It was great and the temperature was absolutely perfect. It was my ideal. By 1:30 we went in and used the spa to shower and get ready to leave. It was luxurious and I used a bunch of the body scrub and moisturizer (Moroccan Oil). We headed out and on our way to Hobby airport Ash got a call from her doctor and said one of the tests for the baby came back abnormal so she was very upset. She had to make another appointment and we were all trying to reassure her, but I’m not sure it did any good. Sos and I said bye to Ash and Court and had big hugs then headed back to Sugar Land. When we arrived Maia was asleep and Jake told us his brother had been in a terrible car accident and was still in an induced coma. It was really awful and he was understandably upset and down. We hung out for the afternoon and eventually after Maia woke up we all went on a walk to go see the turtles. We talked about TX and the pros and cons and their plans for their next phase. At home Jake made dinner (spaghetti) and we hung out and played. After Maia went down Jake went to the store for ice cream then made popcorn too and we watched The Heat. It had some funny parts but was overall a pretty mediocre film. When it was over we all went off to sleep. I called Eric before going to bed and filled him in on my day.

Sunday 11/10, The girls were all up early, but I stayed in bed longer and fell back asleep. I finally got up and had some breakfast with Court and Ash. We all started getting ready and packing up to head out to Galveston. We left by 10:30 maybe and started the hour or so drive. It was not a terribly eventful drive, but we had fun chatting and looking at the local culture. When we arrived in Galveston we went to the Strand so Sos and Court could get a beer and walk down the street. I needed some sunglasses since I’d forgotten mine at home. We walked and stopped into shops; I bought a couple xmas ornaments. We decided to go get lunch at the Mosquito Café which was delicious. I got the Turkey Divinity and a cookie and lemon bar for dessert. We went to the hotel to inquire if we could check in early since we were burning daylight and I wanted to hit the pool. We checked in with no problem and headed up to the sixth floor. Our room was great and we all started changing into our suits and we headed down. We found spots in the sun and got into the pool which was perfectly warm. We got into the hot tub for a while then back to lie in the sun. A little later we all went back to get into the hot tub again and we watched the local entertainment including a young couple really going at it in the pool (including an interesting move where they were face to face and the girl held onto the guy and he started swimming with her submerged upside down; I asked Sos if I should ask him if he would do it to me so I could see what it was like) then a really super drunk girl arguing with the pool-side server about her bill and telling the server that she was a bartender for four years so she knows what she’s talking about. Yeah. Ashley told me I needed sunglasses so I could stare like her and not be obvious. We had fun. Eventually we got out, returned towels and back up to the room to hang out and get ready for dinner. We decided on a Mexican place but when we went they put us in the weird, side, banquet style room. One of the girls dubbed it a “Mexican Dennys”. The food was very good, but the ambiance of the front part of the restaurant would have made the experience a lot more quaint. Oh well. The food was good so that’s what is most important. We headed home and climbed into bed where we watched some weird Jim Carrey movie where he goes to a Harry Potter party. We were all out pretty early; before 11 maybe.

Saturday 11/9, I was up early so I could shower and get ready. Eric left early for work. I fed the dogs and took everyone outside. I got ready and Susan arrived right before 8 to pick me up. She came in and we chatted while I finished throwing things in my bag and wrangling the dogs. We took off for the airport and made pretty good time. I thanked her for the ride then headed in; made it through ticketing, security and to my gate. I was upgraded to first class so that was really nice. The lady next to me had a chi named “Cooter” but it wasn’t actually her dog; it was a friend’s. She was passed out for most of the flight. I had lunch and got a digiplayer and watched Great Gatsby. We chatted toward the end of the flight and talked about our shared love of animals and sea creatures. I rushed to baggage and it turned out that everyone was at the airport to meet me, not just Jake. It was so nice to see everyone (Sos, Court and Ash). I got my bag and we headed off to the car. I pulled out the penguin and Maia held it close and walked with it; it was so cute. We all piled in the minivan and headed back to their house. We all talked the whole time and caught up. When we arrived we sat in the front room and played with Maia and gave her the gifts. Jake worked on dinner and us girls kept ourselves occupied chatting away. We had spring rolls for dinner and everything was delicious. I ate like four. Afterward we all starting getting ready for bed. I slept in the living room on the pullout and slept okay.

Friday 11/8, When I got home Eric had most of Fae’s stuff ready to go for us to take her to her new home. Eric had bought a little care package for Maia: two Mercer Mayer (sp?) books, a Shel Silverstein book and another one that I don’t remember, a little stuffed penguin and a reindeer mask. It was so cute. We did a few things around the house and took off with Fae to her new home. She whined almost the entire way and threw up a block away from her new home. We cleaned up and I took Fae for a walk to burn off some of that nervous energy. The Bundys came our and brought Lexi so we could do some introductions while walking together. It went pretty well so we went inside. We talked for a long time and let Fae get a little settled in. She did great and eventually we snuck out when they had her distracted. I felt really drained and sad, but Eric tried to lift my spirits. We went out to dinner and got Thai. As we were finishing up I got a picture text showing Fae relaxing on the couch. I felt really relieved but also so sad because I love Fae so much. If we didn’t have three dogs I would have adopted her. We went home and I put a few things in my bag, showered and got into bed. I wouldn’t see Eric the next morning so he said goodbye and I went to sleep.

Thursday 11/7, I think I packed for my trip and maybe did some other chores around the house. I don’t really remember, but I know I was home.

Wednesday 11/6, I stopped at the dealership on my way home to have them put on my plates. At home Eric and I took Fae and Clancy for a walk around the block because it was raining. We went to the store to pick up a few things then Eric started dinner. I changed the sheets and put on the winter duvet and also folded some laundry. I talked to Eric about our next dog and we’re going to do two puppies, a boy and a girl; not related. Eric brought dinner into the bedroom because I was doing stuff on the computer. We put on Dumb and Dumber and I worked on my visa statements. Took the dogs out and went to bed.

Tuesday 11/5, Eric and I took Fae and Clancy for a walk when I got home. He filled me in on Sucia’s vet visit so I went online to find DGP at the best price. I called Liz to see if she was okay with me ordering it; she was. Eric brought dinner in to me in the bedroom. I did stuff online and wasted my whole night doing that. I updated this a bit then a shower and into bed.

Monday 11/4, Fae’s adoption was approved and finalized. I was so happy. Susan arrived a few minutes after I got home, but I had to make a couple calls. First I talked to Liz about the next day’s vet visit and reimbursement then a woman about a potential dog sitting job for the following week. Eric made dinner (pasta, squash) and Susan and I talked in the living room while Eric went for a run. When he got back we started X-Files and got through the first two episodes of Season 1. We were cracking up at the acting (“Listen to me!”) and innuendo. Susan left around 9 and afterward I showered and got into bed.

Sunday 11/3, Got an extra hour of sleep. I was up well before 9 and got my work out again and wrote some emails. When it was close to 10 I got ready for Fae’s applicants to come visit. They arrived right on time and stayed for an hour or so. It went well and they wanted to continue so I sent in my approval and got the process on it’s way to being finalized. I went back to work and finished. Eric put his game on and I took Fae for a nice long walk. The sun was out and it felt really nice outside. When I got home I went up to Crossroads where I hit Silver Platters and got a couple cds and a movie. I went to the GO to pick up a few things, then Super Supplements for some deodorant. At home I relaxed in the bedroom while Eric swore at the tv. I watched “To the Wonder” which was ehh. The light and cinematography were great, but I wasn’t crazy about the pace and other aspects. Music was great. Eric made me some dinner and I showered before getting into bed and submitting Fae’s vet info.

Saturday 11/2, Eric was up early and out to work while I got up early and got the dogs squared away. I got a bunch of laundry going and got out my work while waiting for Rio’s person to come pick her up. After that I got down to work and did that for three hours. I knew I needed to get ready because we’d need to go quickly when Eric got home. I showered and got ready and folded all my laundry. Then I washed all the dogs’ beds and bedding. I vacuumed and cleaned up the house in case Fae’s applicants wanted to meet her after the HV. I finally laid down to relax and Eric came home minutes later. He changed and soon we were on our way up to the Plateau. They were very nice and their house was very nice as well. I felt so good when we left, I was so excited. We stopped at the store on the way home and picked up stuff to make nachos for dinner. Sky and Chrystol were coming over later that evening. When we got home I worked on the HV form while Eric got dinner going. He made guac and “mount nacho”. Sky and Chrystol arrived a little before 8. We were going to watch Young Frankenstein, but didn’t because we ended up talking until midnight. We made up songs about mount nacho about being delicious and everything else. Chrystol made applesauce for dessert and brought some crème fraiche to accompany. We talked about our trip and Chrystol’s work. They left after midnight so we got into bed and watched SNL for a few minutes. Then to bed.

Friday 11/1, Rio arrived in the morning for a one-night stay. When I got home I took everyone out and cleaned up dog poop. I shuffled the dogs around and eventually sat down to watch a movie and brought everyone out in the living room with me. I put on Wedding Crashers and did stuff online while I watched a movie. Eric came home and got ready for bed pretty quickly. I finished my movie and joined him. Rio slept in the bedroom with us.