They're Back!

Oh, how I missed posting pictures. While my laptop is still dead, I finally got a camera cord to connect up. Enjoy the last few weeks!

Pretty Evie cat, watching the snow.Our cars were totally covered by the blizzards. It took forever to shovel that path.

Those are normal sized trashcans. By the end of the snow, they were 100% covered.

*B* gets bored/creative with our snow mound.The snow covered our entire first floor.

This is the snow coming in through our first floor window.

So much snow!!

Evie's hanging out! Look at how big she's getting!I love my kitty!My mom's kitten, Shadow. Doesn't she look JUST like Wicket?This is Wicket...I think.One of our new birdie friends.Another one of our new birdie friends.My new seedlings-to-be! I'm so excited to watch them grow :o)

An Exciting Day

It is only 10:30 AM and it's been a very exciting day.

This morning, I decided to try to shovel off the deck. The top three inches or so is ice, so it took me a good 20 minutes to get a path one shovel wide out to the yard. *B* bravely trekked through the snow and ice to drop off our compost and to get me some planting soil from the shed. When I opened the back door to let him in, both our cats slipped out. I managed to get Wicket back in, but Evie ran along the edge of the house. Before we could get her, she slipped through a little hole in the deck. I was so panicked!

*B* shoveled faster than I've ever seen anyone shovel before. In about 10 minutes, he got a 6x10 square foot patch shoveled out. We managed to pry up the cellar cover, and *B* coaxed Evie out from under the deck. I was soooo scared she was lost and gone forever. We haven't gotten a chance to microchip her, so if she made it under the fence, we'd never get her back. But I had her safe inside, gave her a bath (she was a muddy little girl) and held her tight in a bath towel until she clawed me to get away. Ah, kitten love.

After the initial excitement died down, I decided to start my herbs for the spring. I have cilantro, parsley, and lavender. I used an egg carton to start the seeds, and will transplant them when they get a little bigger.

The final excitement of the day (so far) was my decision to bite the bullet and order my gamma buckets! They will be here in 1-4 days. I have been waiting for this day for so long. I'm just jumpy about ordering things online. I can't wait to re-situate my pantry!!! Between the major earthquakes, tsunami warnings, the THREE blizzards we've gotten this winter, the birds acting funny, and some normal paranoia, I am definitely revved back up for getting my pantry stocked.

Wedding Planning Escapades

I think I'm really doing well with wedding planning. I've gotten these things taken care of (or at least started):

• Priest/Church
• Reception Hall
• Food
• Cake
• Flowers
• Photography
• Dresses
• Tuxes

Now, I need to deal with finding a DJ (or getting a friend to do it), and finding/booking a honeymoon. I'm amazed that I've gotten this much done, but it feels like I have SO much more to do.

The guest list has become a point of contention. When my parents got married, my grandmother insisted on inviting a large number of people that my parents didn't know or care for, even though they paid for their own wedding. My dad always insisted this was wrong. Now, he wants me to invite friends of his that I don't like (for good reason) or I don't know. Not only does he want me to do this, he tells me through my mother that I'm supposed to call him to ask who he wants there. I don't think I'm going to. I'm not totally insensitive - I invited family friends that he likes so that he won't be alone all night. Do I have to invite my father's personal guest list?

I am in love with Google Docs. There is an amazing wedding template on there that covers all aspects of the planning process. And because it's online, I gave my mom my username and password so that she could look at it and make changes, too. Unlike my old planning spreadsheet, which was an Excel sheet on the laptop that died, this can be accessed anywhere - even school!

Lenten Service

Lent is not just about giving something up. According to the Catholic beliefs, during Lent, one should practice self-denial (classic examples - meat on Fridays and the fact that I can't have pizza right now), almsgiving, and giving of oneself. It just so happened I did both the first and last in one fell swoop today.

My school has a relationship with an organization called So Others Might Eat (SOME). Every Friday during the school year, 10 seniors and a teacher volunteer time to serve breakfast and lunch to anyone who needs it. SOME's mission and philosophy is actually very fascinating. Their motto is "restoring hope and dignity one person at a time," and they really do see it through. There are a handful of full-time staff in the dining area and many, many volunteers. Each person is greeted with a hot meal, a smile, and "hello sir (ma'am)." The actual greeting isn't scripted or required, but that's how they operate. I served 310 people lunch today and probably served about 400 people breakfast.

Beyond serving meals to anyone (yes, anyone) who walks in the door, SOME provides showers, clothing, medical care, dental care, mental health care, job training, parenting classes, and housing for a number of types of people.

Serving today really made me remember how lucky I am, and how small things can really make a difference in the world. As a part of our service, we did a budgeting activity looking at the budget of a single mother of two who just lost her job and went on Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF). It really opened my eyes to the impossibility of living on aid. I've often heard people rail against TANF (which is pretty much welfare) because they think that these people just sit around and enjoy the high life. Let me tell you - it's no where NEAR a living stipend.

Today, I just want to acknowledge that there are places out there that really do good for other human beings. And they rely on us to keep them operational. While SOME only exists in DC, there are people all over the world that need our help.

Simple Pleasure Thursday

Today is day two of the simple pleasure series. My simple pleasure for the day is a warm cup on cold hands. I splurged and got a cafe mocha at Starbucks before gassing up my car. It was so cold out, but my hands were nice and toasty :o)

I just got back from the gym. I'm so exhausted. After my therapy appointment this afternoon, I went across the street and got some dinner at a local restaurant. I had way too much. Working out after that was such a bad idea. I can barely get off the couch. Helpful hint - do not eat barbecue before working out for an hour.

The Thaw

It's funny, but the title of this post relates very well to two very unrelated topics.

The snow is FINALLY melting. It rained yesterday and we lost at least 6 inches of snow. I can now see out of my front window. If we had to or wanted to, we could get out our back deck now. And, most exciting of all, I can see grass! It feels like forever since I've seen dirt and grass. Thank God it's over. Well.... not quite. We're supposed to get a foot of snow Thursday :o)

And on a totally unrelated note, my ex contacted me after 2 years of not speaking to me. We had coffee on Monday to catch up, and we attended a memorial birthday party for a friend's brother who had passed on (he would have been 30). There were no ulterior motives, he just felt bad that he didn't keep up a friendship. By the end of our relationship, we were much more like friends than anything else anyway. While it was a bit weird, I am glad that I got the chance to keep up on his family. After all, I did know them for seven years of my life. I practically grew up with them. While I still strongly dislike his girlfriend (for many, many GOOD reasons), I'm pleased to have breached a gap. This way, things will not be as awkward at a mutual friend's wedding this August when my fiance is the minister and my ex is a groomsman. The biggest thing I've learned over the past two days - I'm a very lucky lady to have such a wonderful fiance and I wouldn't trade him for the world.

Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Program

Sorry about that last one. My relationship with my dad is one of those things I'm still working through.

It's been one week since I renewed my efforts to get healthy and slim down for a dress. I've lost 1.6 lbs :o) I could have been a lot better, but the weekend slaughtered me. It turns out I'm awful at eating out at restaurants. The other thing that did some damage was my first ever bridal show.

Michelle and Bill and *B* and I went to a bridal show just outside of a major city. It was the craziest thing I've ever been to. I was told there'd be a lot of free food and a lot of stuff that they give you. I was not prepared for what happened.

There were people circulating with appetizers - crab cakes, beef wellington, shrimp cocktail - then there were places to get drinks - sodas, mimosas (yum!), wine - and then a lot of booths gave away sweets. There was even (get this) a mashed potato bar! I thought they were crazy, but it. was. AMAZING! I would totally do that if I had the budget of a small country. I even picked out what my bouquet would look like. Check it out:

Isn't that gorgeous?! One of the things I saw someone do, and I may or may not do it, was put little pearl pins in the roses. If I don't get the stephanotis (white flowers), I think I'll do that. My mom suggested we call the vo-tech program and see if they'll do my flowers. One of her work friends had them do her wedding for the cost of the flowers!

I'm so excited!!

So Stressed Out

I am so stressed out right now, I can't even think. On top of my normal, everyday anxiety and stress level, my dad is killing me.

When my laptop died, I asked him to see if he could save it. It turns out that it needs the recovery disk and the model number wore off the back of it. He was cross with me for not backing up my files, but my external hard drives were small (byte-wise) and it wouldn't fit. So I bought a gorgeous, lovely little 500 GB hard drive from Toshiba that my dad recommended. It's tiny (size-wise) compared to *B*'s external hard drive. It's slightly bigger than an iPhone.
It arrived Friday. I called my dad to let him know I got it in the mail. He yelled at me about the model number being worn off the back of my computer and said he'd call me when he got home from work.

So *B* and I grabbed some dinner out, because it's a Friday in Lent and I haven't bought fish yet. I turned my phone on silent because we were at Denny's. I forgot to put it back on ringer when we were done. At 9:30, when I realized this, I saw I had one voicemail and 5 missed calls. I called my dad back right away, and I apparently woke him up. He yelled at me for not having a landline phone. I told him I'd call him tomorrow (Saturday). For the rest of the night my stomach was in knots and I couldn't relax.

So on Saturday, I proctored the ACTs at my school. It turns out I dropped my phone into my grading bag and didn't grab it before I left. I didn't realize this until about 5 pm on Saturday. So all night I was dreading calling my dad, because I knew he'd yell at me again. I put it off, and I couldn't relax this morning at all. I've been panicky all morning anticipating the ration of crap (excuse my word choice).

I called my dad at home around 8:30 am and got no response. I used *B*'s phone to text my mom saying to call his phone if she needed me. She told me to call my dad. I don't know my dad's cell phone number by heart, so I called the house phone again. No response, so I left a message. I finally called my mom and she said they were at Wal-mart together. I asked her if she would tell him that my phone is at school and she said no. She refused to give me his cell phone number, too, in a really snarky way.

Is this normal??? If I don't call them, I get yelled at. If I call the ones I know, I get yelled at. I'm 24 years old. At what point do I get to live my own life? Should I have to call my parents within 5 minutes of them calling me? They still treat me like I have to drop everything I'm doing at any moment to heed their beck and call. For two days I have been totally on edge and upset because I know I'm going to get yelled at. It doesn't even matter if I've done anything wrong per se. I get yelled at either way.

UGH! I'm at the point where I'd rather cut off communication than deal with this. Every time my cell phone rings and I see my dad's number, I get sick to my stomach. Every. Single. Time. Why can't I have normal parents?

Simple Pleasures Series

A local radio station has a simple pleasures series every Thursday. I look forward to hearing it every week. I've decided that, in an effort to appreciate life as it is, I'll create my own simple pleasures series on Thursdays. Feel free to add your simple pleasures, as many as you'd like.

My simple pleasure is watching the sun rise on my way into work.

This picture was taken with the camera on my cell phone. Isn't it gorgeous? I love my commute now.

A friend of mine is having a housewarming/baby shower party. According to the invitation, I'm only allowed to get things for the kitchen. I've decided to make it a gift of preparedness. I'm going to make a starter kit for them. There will be some canned/dried foods, collapsible water jugs, and other things if I can think of them. I figure it's more useful than plates or blenders or whatever people give as housewarming presents.

I realized today that I get kind of disheartened that I don't get a chance to put my preparations into use. When the blizzards came through, I was kind of hoping for the power to go out, just for a few hours. I've been like this since I was a little kid - I'd research natural disasters and how to prepare, though the worst we've ever gotten here was the remnants of tropical storms. Maybe it's the adrenaline, but the idea of being totally reliant on what I've prepared makes me giddy. I'm sure I might change my mind once I'm actually in the heat of an emergency, but for now, I'm hoping what I have and what I gather is sufficient.

Ash Wednesday

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. While I'm not the strictest Catholic, I do try to observe some things. I usually give up something for Lent and follow the no-meat-on-Fridays rule. It doesn't hurt that my school refuses to serve meat on Fridays during Lent anyway. Although, I did get pangs when a guy in my grad class had fried chicken last night.

I meant to make mass this year. I didn't want to go to the before school mass because I had planning to do. So I was going to go to the after school mass. Well, I forgot I had to tutor after school. Long story short, Ash Wednesday came and went without me going to mass. Is this what they mean by "the road to Hell is paved with good intentions"? :o)

Last year for Lent, I gave up "good coffee." This meant any kind of espresso, really. It was the hardest denial I've ever gone through. I craved it and wanted it, but didn't give in. Wouldn't you know, when I was done, I didn't really want it anymore.

This year, I chose something that I think will be equally difficult - pizza. While I don't usually eat school pizza, it is our go-to when no one has the energy or time to cook. I'm not sure what our new go-to will be, but hopefully something healthful.

I've been following a new diet for a grand total of three days now. Today is day four. I'm following the rules I remember from WeightWatchers. I had to choose between paying for the gym or paying for WW, and I chose exercise. I was on the program so long, though, that I remember just about everything. Aside from Mardi Gras, which I did count in its entirety, I've been really good about eating a) less, and b) more healthfully. The no-meat days don't hurt my efforts either. The last time I was (really) on the plan, I lost about 40 lbs in 3ish months. While I'm not stressing over how long it takes, I know that it is possible to lose a significant amount of weight with this program. All I know is that I need to work hard to be able to fit a wedding dress in June.

Where Are You, Springtime?

Today was my first day back to school in nearly two weeks. We had a two hour delay this morning, so I got a little extra prep time. I unfortunately had to walk into class with very little planned. I was so sick the week before the snow that I didn't remember anything I taught and I had no notes for myself. The kids were very good about it though, and we're back on track. A little behind, but progressing in a forward manner.

I have this reoccurring daydream. In this daydream, the snow melts and flowers immediately are in bloom. Yes, I know, fat chance of that. But at this point in this snow "wonderland," I don't know if I'll ever see greenery again. It feels like this snow will never, ever melt. I just keep thinking to myself something between "just keep swimming" and conjuring up the gorgeous daffodils I got for Valentine's day. Soon enough, they'll be in my yard and I'll be happy again.

For your daydreaming pleasure:

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/dietitian/dh/journal/daffodils.jpg
http://theinnerdoor.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/crocus.jpg
http://decideforyourself.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/spring2.jpg
http://mentaldeviant.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/spring-flowers.jpg

A Lovely Valentine's Day

Since *B* and I have a number of expenses this year, we knew that Valentine's Day would be low key. I did all the dishes, swept and mopped the kitchen, and started to clean the house in general. At some point, I got a great idea: I was going to finish the work in the bathroom as a present for *B*. I painted the bathroom with my mom just before Thanksgiving, but it really needed a second coat. I had bought the second can of paint a few weeks ago. Today, I got up the guts to just go ahead and paint it on my own. I think it turned out really well! I will get the fixtures for the walls as soon as I can and then we'll finally have a finished bathroom upstairs. I also took us out to dinner at a great little pub type restaurant. *B* bought me the most beautiful flowers for Valentine's day - daffodils and purple paper like flowers.

I am very sad to report that my laptop bit the big one. Thank God I made a memory card recently with good pictures from the last two years. My dad doesn't think he can salvage the data on my hard drive. Given this very sad turn of events, I bought an external hard drive. I've learned that being prepared doesn't always mean being ready for just big disasters. It also means being proactive to avoid personal disasters, too. There's one more possibility to save my pictures and wedding plans, so I'm praying for it to come through.

My mom's cat, Shadow, is staying with us for the week. It's crazy to see her - she looks JUST like Wicket, but about 5 pounds lighter. When one walks in, it takes a while for me to figure out which is which. Shadow is very skittish and easily startled. Right now, she's peaking around the ottoman and staring at me. Shadow and Wicket stop and stare at each other a lot. I wish I could upload pictures of it - it's like looking at a mirror image of my cat. She also "talks" a lot. Even when she's not put away in a room, she yowls pretty loudly. I'm hopeful she won't keep this up all night.

Stay tuned for pictures. I'll upload as soon as I can get a cable for my camera.

Ups and Downs

Today has been one heck of an emotional roller coaster. I've gone from complete elation (see post below) to some pretty nasty self doubts. Though I don't wish to whine publicly, it really bothers me. While I'm absolutely 100% positive that *B* is the best person out there, I find myself doubting my contributions to the relationship. I feel like I take more than I give though I try very hard to do well by him. Don't get me wrong, it's not his fault I feel this way. It's who I am. But I'm trying very hard to figure how to get over this by either a) doing more than I do already or b) getting over it. I tried cleaning the house spotlessly. That worked for a grand total of one day. But then I forgot to turn his computer off and then forgot to grab his pants from the dryer (one of the few favors he's asked of me). And then I fell asleep on the couch for a trifecta of bad fiancee behavior in one night. On top of this, my physical condition is not the best its ever been given my recent injuries and illness. Why would someone so awesome like him choose to marry someone so flawed and broken as I am?

I Found It!

I found my wedding dress!


The color in the second picture doesn't do it justice - it's more of a dark red than a pink. And obviously, that's not me. The website only had a few pictures to download. As my camera is still missing a USB cable and my laptop is still down, this is all I can give right now. Just trust me when I say it's drop dead gorgeous. Where the first picture is green, it will be a dark red, as will the pinkish color in the second picture.

I've also decided what to do for my bridesmaids. The place I got my dress also sells bridesmaid's dresses. They have a line of separates - skirts and tops. I'm going to tell them what color and what skirt to buy, and they get to pick their style of top. I think that way they can maximize their use of the dress later.

Thirdly, I found a flower girl dress :o)
It doesn't quite match mine style-wise, but it will match in color. It's hard to tell from the only picture on the website, but it is white with a waist sash, then has a slit in the back with red on an inside panel.

I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bursting Out of the Cocoon

We've made it. The sun is shining, the icicles are melting, and it's a glorious day. *B* got a phone call from his manager saying he didn't have to come in until 7 am, then 9 am, then finally noon. He was so sweet - he let me drive him to work and take his car! When we shoveled, we had no room to put snow, so it went on top of my car. We figured that I don't work until Tuesday, so it was okay. I just hope that some of this melts before our next snowfall on Monday. There is some amazing angel who has been snow blowing our driveway. I don't know who it is, but I am so very thankful for it.

The first place I went after getting out of the house was Southern States. I got rock salt (which we couldn't find before now) and something I'm very happy about - SEEDS! I'm debating on starting them early inside or waiting until after the frosts have died down. I got:

• zucchini
• tomatoes
• snap peas
• cantaloupe
• carrots
• parsnips
• parsley
• cilantro
• lavender

I'm looking forward to a tasty crop this summer. There are still a few seed packets I need to pick up (lettuce, spinach) but for now, I've got enough to keep me occupied. Should I start my seeds now? Or wait a while?

I finished my latest book, My Antonia by Willa Cather. While it's considered a classic, I had never read it. It was one of the few fiction books *B* has that I'm into. Most of his books are either non-fiction nature books or cheesy cookie cutter series novels. My baby cats (I still call them both this though only one is a kitten) laid on the bed with me while I finished the book. It was heavenly.

I had also read a Good Housekeeping magazine yesterday that I received in the mail after I accidentally signed up for (and canceled) a subscription. This has inspired me to find a vintage cookbook and start working through it. I've a very picky person, so it's got to be just the right book. After I find it, I think I'll start a series on the recipes in it.

Feeling So Good

I read that Baltimore has had 72.3" of snow this winter. I'm about 64" tall. That's ridiculous.

I've gotten SO much done today! I'm really proud of myself. This morning I shoveled the walk twice before *B* got home. They let him off early because the roads were so bad. When he got home, I made a delicious and nutritious lunch for us both: barbecue pork chops with sugar snap peas, applesauce, and homemade biscuits. I did all of the dishes while making lunch. I did my FAFSA and got *B* to do his FAFSA because they're due in a few days.

I started getting back into my current book but felt a nasty draft in the bedroom. When I looked at the windows, I was horrified. Apparently, they're not sealed tightly at all, because moisture was getting in and we had mold growing! I scrubbed it off and *B* and I sealed the window with a home weatherproofing kit.

I then realized that the bed needed to be cleaned as I hadn't changed the sheets after my recent illness. So I took off all of the covers and added them to the laundry pile. Then I did the entire laundry pile! There's one load in the washer and one load in the dryer left. All of the clothes that have been sitting in baskets for MONTHS are put away! ALL CLOTHES HAVE A PLACE! Oh, you have no idea how happy that makes me.

While I was downstairs, I decided to make chili with cornbread and mixed veggies while *B* went back out to shovel (he has to be at work at 5 am). I got what I needed from the pantry, then on my next trip down, I took everything that I've been piling upstairs and put it in its proper place on my pantry shelves. That's one more thing off my list!

I really don't know what to do now. Once the last of the laundry is put away and the bed is made, I'll have nothing left to do but to paint the bathroom and grade lab reports. That won't get done tonight, but maybe I'll paint tomorrow if I'm bored enough. I'll never be bored enough to grade lab reports :o)

One of my work friends reminded me, and I have to tell the world. I didn't realize Monday is President's Day. I don't go back to work until Tuesday! Let me chronicle my work experience as of late. I called in sick last Monday, went to work Tuesday, snow day Wednesday, went to work for half a day Thursday, called in sick Friday, have this week off for snow, then Monday off for a holiday! This year will be MUCH better than last. I think that I won't have any time making it until Easter this go around.

I have definitely fulfilled my Lovin' that Man of Mine challenge today. I have given *B* a clean house and two good meals. Not to mention that I've been very careful not to ask him for anything I could possibly do myself.

Amazed

I am absolutely amazed. It is snowing. We are to get up to another 10-20 inches. This is on top of the 2+ feet we still have from the weekend. Unlike last time, *B* and I are taking turns shoveling before the snow gets too deep. Schools have been closed for the rest of the week. Unfortunately, because my laptop is dead, I can't upload any pictures! I will get them up as soon as my laptop is back in working order.

I've learned that we are very spoiled where we live. We drove to IKEA today with a friend. When we picked him up, the major highways were only half cleared, and his road wasn't really cleared at all. My car kept bottoming out on the 8 or so inches of ice left on the road. Here at home, all of our roads were cleared within the first day of the blizzard. Even the smallest of side roads are clear. Or at least, they were before it started snowing again.

I've decided to do something productive with my time off. It seems like a waste to sit at home idle all the time. Don't get me wrong, I love the Stargate marathon that *B* and I have going right now. But I kind of feel like I've been given this time to be productive. So tomorrow, I'm reorganizing my pantry. I always get it up to date and cleared out, but I never update my inventory. I might be keeping too many details. I have all items listed, number of items, first date of expiration, and last date of expiration. I think I'd be okay just listing what I have and how many I have of it.

I think that I'm keeping up with my lovin' that man of mine challenge, but I often forget to post about it. At last count, I made *B* lunch for tomorrow and I cleaned off his car. Just one more and I'll fulfill my deeds for the day.

Surviving the Blizzard

Well, we've survived the blizzard. I got a text yesterday that my school is closed for at least the next two days. And on Tuesday/Wednesday, we're supposed to get another round of snow. *B* and I shoveled so very much, but we weren't able to dig ourselves out. Someone with a snow blower came to our little row of homes and helped us out. I believe it's the same person who helped just before Christmas, but I don't know who he is. I need to find out so that I can give him some kind of thank you card/token. The snow in our front yard is taller than I am by a good two feet. We got about three feet of snow total.

On the upside, our office is now clean and fully functional. I was able to set my desktop computer up for the first time since we left the apartment. It really took no time at all to clean and organize everything - maybe an hour. But it was such an obstacle mentally. I'm very happy with the results. The only thing that drives me a little nuts is that the wireless internet has a mind of its own. If it wants to work, it will. If not, its your problem.

Our 72 hour kits now live in our office closet. In setting up my computer, I needed batteries, so I pulled them out of my kit and left the kit out so that I could put the batteries right back in when I went to the store. That was, apparently, a bad idea. This morning, when I came in, the bag of cat food stowed in my pack was in the middle of the floor, wide open - again. This is the second time this has happened! It's in two layers of freezer Ziploc bags. I'm a little afraid to find out how they got the cat food out of my pack, because I don't quite remember where it was. I'm hoping and praying they didn't chew through the pack to get to the food. I swear I do feed my cats well and on a regular basis! They don't need pack food!

Wicket has really changed since Evie has come into the family. She's definitely not the alpha cat. Evie dominates all. But Wicket is now lovey and purrs a lot. She will come ask for love and to be pet. Right now, she's sitting here on my desk next to me, watching the world go by. I've often secretly envied people whose cats sat all over their laps and desks while they worked and play.

Evie, however, is a little hell raiser. She chases Wicket, sinks her claws in Wicket's tail, and even as I type, she's trying to claw my curtains because Wicket's tail is making them move. Earlier today I was sitting at my desk and heard tinkling water. I was worried that my pipes had frozen or something. Nope, it was Evie, laying on the toilet seat, lazily batting at the water.

Snowpocalypse

Yes, snowpocalypse. That is what the media is calling our most recent weather event. I heard on the radio yesterday that we had 30" of snow this winter so far, whereas last winter we had 6." We're supposed to get up to 24 more inches this weekend. Can you believe that? A potential 54" of snow in one measly winter.

So what did I do to prepare? Not a whole lot. I'm just getting my energy back after what I now figure was the flu. I did laundry (almost all of it) because I remembered a blog post that for the life of me I can't find. In effect, this woman's family had no power because of a storm (hurricane or snow I don't recall) and hadn't done any laundry before hand. I just remember her talking about how much she regretted not having clean clothes for that amount of time. So I worked my butt off to make sure we were caught up. My parents took me out for breakfast this morning and out to the grocery store. So I picked up some milk, tea, cereal, and bagels. In almost all other respects, I was ready. Now we're just kind of waiting it out. It was exciting the first few times, now I'm just waiting for it to be over. I had stuff to do this weekend!

And worst of all, my laptop died. In a big way. I'm currently using *B*'s computer. He stopped using it because the mouse moves on its own and it takes forever to do anything on the internet. But, it works, and that counts for something.

On a good note, I'm just about over this stupid flu. My fever is almost gone and I'm only coughing a little bit. I'm so glad to be useful again! I so wanted to join Momzoo's challenge, but I couldn't get off the couch to do much for *B*. I was able to do four things for him since the beginning of February: do the laundry he usually does, fill up his water bottle for work and put it in the fridge, pick up the living room (he hates it when it's a mess), and I left him a love note on the front door to find when he went to work. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to try to pick back up on that challenge. I encourage you all to do the same!

What a Nightmare or Why the Things You DON'T Put in your Car Kit are Most Important

I've been really sick lately. Today, well or not, I went into school because it was parent-teacher conference night. I didn't touch anyone and I made sure that I stood away from them. At about 5:30 pm, it started to snow. Normally, I live about a 45 minute drive north of my high school. So I know if it's snowing at my high school, it's already started at home. I had four sets of parents not show up with not even an email. So of course, I had to stay the whole time until 8 pm.

When I left, I turned on my radio to calm my nerves and realized that the sermon show I listened to over the summer was on the radio. It was all about heaven and how one gets in. The whole way home, I was praying to God to make it home "happy, safe, and healthy." Wouldn't you know it, He got me here?

Well, he got me to my driveway at least. At the end of my driveway, I started swerving and heading toward *B*'s and our neighbors' cars. I put the car in park, engine still going, and shoveled two little tire tracks up the driveway. Pretty clever, I thought I was. That was until the numbness struck. I was wearing a knee length skirt and high heeled shoes, and the snow was 2-3" high. The tops of my feet froze especially. I have almost everything I can think of in my car kit but clothes and shoes. These are the things I need the most! Just like home, I'm prepared to shelter-in-place, but not get out in the open. Home isn't so bad as my car kit issues, but bad enough.

It makes me think of a time I was a little girl, probably about 10 years old. I had gotten cowboy boots for Christmas, and for whatever reason, I wore them to school. On the way to run errands, my mom's car ran out of gas and I had to walk for what seemed like forever (realistically? 1/4 mile) in the most uncomfortable, ill-fitting boots you've ever seen. Between these two instances, boots and clothes are the first thing to be added to my car kit tomorrow morning.

Overnight, we're supposed to get 3-6". This weekend, we're supposed to get another blizzard! Yay for snow days! I'm loving my job right now :o)

No Pot Pie for Me

So yesterday I was all gung ho about making turkey pot pie. My throat had hurt yesterday morning, which annoyed me, but I didn't worry about it. As of last night, I could hardly move. My head feels like it is going to explode. My temperature keeps wildly varying between chills and fever. I'm coughing, congested, and nauseous. While I called out of work today, I have parent-teacher meetings tomorrow! I absolutely cannot miss tomorrow. Because we hardly ever get sick, I have no cold medicine, no escape from the misery. Do any of the home remedies actually work?