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.