Curses

I went over to water my plants, and discovered a parcel delivery slip. I had two reactions:
1. Mail!!!
2. Mail? I didn't order anything sent to this address... I wonder what it could be???

I took the slip off the door, then went in. I started putting up the compact fluorescent bulbs, and burst into my-body-can't-regulate-it's-temperature sweat. Hmmm... perhaps it's just that this apartment is warm? I took off my sweater, finished putting up the lightbulbs, and watered the plants that were already dry from last week's mid-week watering.

I wasn't sure if I should go to the post office or not, given that I've got this am-I-sick sweaty stuff... but I was too excited to find out what the package was, and it's a pretty nice temperature out. (It's a balmy -9C, windchill only -13C!) So, against my better judgement, I walked over... only to find out that the post office closes at 6 on Sundays. Grrr... I thought the point of having it in a 7-11 and staffed by incompetents was that it was open pretty much all hours!?

Plus I really got drenched with my-body-can't-regulate-it's-temperature sweat.

Besides a bit of a drippy nose (which means nothing, I have a drippy nose so often), I don't feel sick otherwise. So am I sick or not? If not, what's up with all this my-body-can't-regulate-it's-temperature sweat?

Mail

I got some lovely mail on Friday. The package from Sara had actually arrived on Wednesday, but I wasn't home to receive it. I could have picked it up on Thursday, but Thursday was still bloody cold. The weather was more bearable on Friday, so I stopped at the post office on my way home from work, and then walked home from there. When I stopped in at my apartment to check my mail there, I also had a lovely card from Jennie, welcoming me to my new apartment. (Which I still haven't really moved into a month after I started paying for it... *sigh*... stupid falling-on-ice-and-cracking-ribs!) Thank you Sara and Jennie!

Wow... will you look at all those lovely washcloths that Sara sent me?!? I must admit, seeing the to-be-woven-in ends on this one gave me a good laugh:

I'm not sure if that cloth was a last-minute addition, or if it was just sneaky and hid the fact that it still had ends hanging out. (They were well tucked behind it in the stack, so I can easily understand how they might have been missed. So Sara, thank you for both the cloths and the laugh!

I have such kind online friends. :) Thank you all! You make me smile.

Pajama Day

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Today is an unscheduled pajama day.

When I posted on Friday, I had forgotten that I had plans with my dad. Saturday we were going to see a movie (The Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford... partially filmed in Winnipeg) and then dinner afterwards (the group we went with was a blast!), and then skating today.

However, last night I woke up several times, drenched in sweat. I wasn't sure if it was something I ate at dinner (MSG? no, it turns out there wasn't any) or if I'm coming down with something. Plus, my joints were hurting. They hurt enough that that fact was included in my bizarre dreams. (At one point in the dream I had tied my arm to my body in the hopes that my shoulder would stop hurting.) Speaking of bizarre dreams, I met a really nice guy in one of them. He was dating someone else, but I had hopes he would look me up if he broke up with his current girlfriend. (Not that he knew how to find my dream home, having met him downtown, late at night.)

Anyway, back from my digression. I decided that instead of skating, I should have a pajama day and just relax, in case I am coming down with a bug. It's nearly 6:00, and I haven't even showered yet. I will though... otherwise I'll feel icky tonight, and I want to put a load of laundry on to wash with all the pajamas I ended up wearing last night. (Three pair!!!)

I watched the birds at the bird feeder during my *late* breakfast. I went to get my digital point and click and my film SLR, but by then the cute little woodpecker had flown off. It's fun watching the woodpecker. She (no red cap) moves in such quick little bursts, punctuated by stillness. She likes to chirp too. I think she was happy that I finally noticed the suet was gone and replaced it yesterday. (Whoops... it turns out that what I thought was the suet poking out from behind the sunflower seed block was just the extra gelatin at the bottom of the sunflower seed block.)

It's been so long since I've used my SLR that I've forgotten what all the rings on the lens represent. I was able to focus with one of my big lenses, but the other still has me stumped. I'll have to get dad to remind me how it works.

I need to finish off the roll that's in the camera and get it developed... it's *way* past it's best before date.

Even though this is a pajama day, I want to put on real clothes and visit my apartment. I want to water my plants (they seem to dry quickly over there) and put in the new compact fluorescent bulbs I picked up yesterday. (I forgot to buy replacements when I returned the dud bulb package last weekend.) However, that little bit is much less than the packing and moving I had planned. Oh well... that's life.

I had thought of doing some sketching today, but ended up spending a couple of hours (I think... unless those hours got lost elsewhere) reading the online forums I'm responsible for at work.

Well, one more post, and then I think I'll have my shower and then dinner. (Penny: I haven't forgotten that you tagged me, I'll respond one day!)

B is for Blanket, C is for Colour

B is for Blanket, C is for Colour

Since I'm behind on the ABC Along (I was supposed to have B posted by yesterday), I thought I'd try to get ahead by posting two letters today. ;) (Uh, yeah... this combined post is intentional, yeah... ;) )

I've been working on this blanket for about a year and a half now, I think. Yes, that's pretty close. I was dating J when I started, so my goal was to make this fit a queen sized bed. This was going to be "our" blanket, rather than "my" blanket.

I've been single again for around a year now, so I've been debating whether I should continue with the original queen-sized plans, or scale down to a twin. I'm getting close to where I'll need to make a decision. Will I ever be sleeping in something larger than a twin bed? Will it happen before this blanket wears out? Who knows. I can always make it big, and then use it folded... although having it the right size will be nicer. Perhaps I should just go for twin.

Although this blanket was going to be for two, I have not let my break-up poison my opinion of this WIP. I will still love it, both working on it, and when it is done.

B is for blanket, C is for colour. I love colour, and I love this blanket. Scraps of sock yarn have been kindly donated to me, allowing this blanket to grow and blossom faster than I can crochet socks myself. (Fast though that may be.) This blanket is full of the kindness of friends, and the kindness of strangers. Since I got a box of scraps from Shelly, who received scraps from many strangers, I will never know the source of all the squares. But I will know they are knitters (and crocheters), and that they will kindly donate yarn to people they don't know, so that every last scrap has a home. This is a blanket of love, even if it's only love for one. It's bright colours will one day be wrapped around me like a big hug.

I love this blanket. I love colour.

Something To Celebrate

Yoghurt!

After *many* years, I discovered yesterday that I can eat yoghurt again!!! (Even though my milk allergy is gone, I had a separate allergy to yoghurt.)

The grocery store had one of those sample ladies out, so I asked to try a single small spoonful, rather than the little cup-fulls they were handing out. (It only takes a tiny amount to see if it still burns.) I could eat it!!! Since I know that this brand works, that's what I bought. (Who knows if another brand has an additive that will bother me.)

I had one of the yoghurt cups yesterday, and one today. Mmmm. I've missed yoghurt.

I'm trying to be good and not have more than one of those cups a day. No sense in tempting fate by overdosing... ;)

Broken Button

Broken Button

Last night the button popped off the shank on my travelling sock bag. Luckily I managed to find the button in the dark parking lot. Now I just need to find a glue that will work in such a high-stress, plastic situation. (I have some I think might work, but I'm not sure where it is. Come to think of it, modelling glue might be a better bet than what I have. Time to explore that model shop near my place...)

Found Again

Found Again

This little pair of nail clippers loves to have adventures. I first found it outside one of my apartments in Chapel Hill. It was in good condition, so I decided to put it to use.

It went wandering twice again this past January... once returning to me outside of my new apartment building, and once outside of my mom's house. It seems to really like playing in the snow, but then misses me and comes back.

Funny little nail clippers.

State of Me

Mom asked how things were going, and, since I've been pretty busy lately, I decided to reuse what I wrote as a blog post to keep my friends updated too. Nothing like killing two birds with one stone. It's not an exciting stone, but it does prove that I'm still alive. ;) Here's what I wrote:

Nothing much is happening with me. Office hours are madly busy some days (like yesterday), mostly busy most times, and on occasion (like today) slow.

My ribs are feeling better, but they still say hello if I stretch or press on them... so they're healing, but not healed.

I'm thinking of moving a few things this weekend... like the glass for the wall unit, my stereo, and knick-knacks and books that I plan to keep on the wall units. Ie, all stuff that has an "away", and doesn't have to sit in boxes waiting for it's corresponding furniture to arrive, and then get in the way when I'm trying to move said furniture. I'll have to have some stuff like that later, but I'm sure the things I've already listed will keep me busy... especially after I budget time for sleeping in, laundry, grocery shopping, visiting Sophie, cooking and eating, etc. I want to get a bit of relaxing done this weekend, because the Help Centre was quite crazy with the first year assignment that was due yesterday. I want to de-frazzle a bit. ;)

Found on Flickr

Wow. Stunning. Gorgeous!

Found on Flickr

Mush You Huskies!

Way cool!