Not two hours after I wrote that I wanted to start walking everyday, I REALLY messed up my knee. Tomorrow I'm going to the orthopedic guy that I saw the last time I had knee issues. *sigh*

Walking up and down stairs is an experiment in pain. Hello. Did I mention that I live on the 3rd floor? With no elevator? Actually going upstairs today was slow, but okay as long as I hung on to the balcony. I don't know about getting back down tomorrow morning. I might bumpbumpbump on my butt like a little kid. Heh.

AND I broke my fingernail off. Way off. Halfway down the nailbed. It hurts AND it's unattractive. Hooray.

Moral of the story - even THINKING about exercise is a bad idea! Now I have to figure out how to get up that one step into my bedroom without putting any weight on my left leg at all. Hell, maybe the couch would be okay. Buona Sera, Bellas.

I'm a little bleary-eyed. I noticed this morning when I opened the deck door that it's actually a little chilly out there. Wow. There are two seasons for me - too hot, and freezing. I guess I like freezing a little better, because I can always put on more layers and blankets and snuggle down with someone. But I know that this means fall is almost here. I'm not quite ready for summer to be over yet.

Finished the first of the mitred squares, black and pink (oh yeah, you'll be sick of hearing about these LONG before the project's finished), got the laundry put away, exercised a bit, and that's it. Yep. Exercised. Can you believe that? Time to be a little healthier. The goal is to walk a mile a day for now, and then start working up. And now that I've put it out there for the world to see, I have to do it. See how that guilt thing works? I didn't go to catholic school for 16 years for nothing! Heh.

I must go now, and do that work thing I do. Sigh. I keep forgetting to win the lottery so I don't have to do it any more. Note to self: do that on Saturday. Gotta go, kids. Ciao.

Good morning. I have successfully slain the laundry monster. Well, not completely. It still has to be put away, which is my least favorite part. Funny, it works that way with dishes, too. I love the dishwasher. Wouldn't be without one. But I hate hate hate putting the dishes away. Lazy? Nah. I just have better things to do.

It was a nice quiet home evening. I'm getting better at doing that again. I spent an awful lot of time running around this summer. Put 25 rows on the first knitted mitre square, chatted on the phone and on the 'puter (so many ways to stay in touch with people!), and went to bed entirely too late. Although I never think it's too late when I'm heading there.. but it's always a little sad when the alarm goes off.

I'm ever so glad that the freakish heat is over. The electric bill didn't make me cry this month. And while I might complain that my little tiny house is sort of an oven (once it gets hot in here, it stays hot for a REALLY long time) - it works out well in the winter. When I run the dryer in February I can literally turn the heat off. Remind me about that when I'm all pissy when it's -22 degrees.

I'm outta here. Back later. Ciao.

Well... when that alarm went off this morning, it was kinda like I'd never been on vacation at all!! Heh. No... I shouldn't say that. It was great to have time off, and now it's time to go rejoin the real world, I guess. If every day was vacation, we wouldn't appreciate it as much. Only, I think I WOULD appreciate it for a little while.

It was a nice, low-key ending to time off. We had some gnocchi, some meatballs, bread and cheese. Tried to watch Garden State, but every once in a while you get a DVD from Netflix that's so scratched up you can't use it. That sucks a little bit. It was actually okay to just sit around.

Here's a fun site... Send or pick up a message in a bottle.

Today is work work work all day - I don't want to know how many e-mails are waiting for me, really. Tonight MUST be all about laundry. Evidently I took a vacation from that as well, and the pile is growing larger by the day. I just remembered that we've got a three day weekend coming up. Yee. Haw.

And now I must go. Have the most excellent day ever, Bellas. Ciao.

I have an unscheduled one more day of vacation (long story). Yesterday was all mostly fun and games.. I bought some very very way cool wool to start my winter project (thanks, Renee!) and in the afternoon got to go paint some plates, which will be my newest addiction in life. heh.

More updates as soon as I have some. Ciao, Bellas.

I'm updating on the live journal this weekend. Go play there.

I've been all turned around on my blogging times. Now I'm back upright again.

So.. vacation. I did various assorted THINGS yesterday, including but not limited to baking peanut butter cookies and having chinese food. It had been awhile since I was at my favorite chinese restaurant, and ragazzo had never been there. Horrors! You really can't know me and NOT eat here. Yummy, as always.

I'm up early because CuzGirl and I are going to the FAIR this morning! Although.. the weather is looking less-than-promising right at this moment. It'll be a run thru as only she and I can do - we've got it down to a science now. And tonight... OH, tonight. I've been looking forward to this for weeks. Four of us will be doing the town up RIGHT. Steak and prawns and the girls are going to get silly drunk as the boys play sober cab (they're like saints, you know. hehe!) Should be so much fun. This is what vacation should be - all playing, alla time. I'm a lucky girl.

Okay! Time to make with vacationing. Talk to youse later. Ciao.

Why yes, I DO have insomnia.. thank you very much. At least it's happening when I'm on vacation, and I don't have to be up very early.

It's much different coming downtown when I don't actually have to WORK. It's a lot more fun. I got to have lunch with my ragazzo and my TarGirl, and then went for the whole mani/pedi thing. Most excellent. Came home and took a little nap (maybe that's why the insomnia's hitting), chatted with some friends online, chatted with the boy and tried to go to bed at midnite, but that wasn't happening. I'm starting to get a little yawn-y now.. maybe I'll fall asleep soon.

Wow.. I suddenly AM really tired. More a little bit later. Buona Sera, Bellas.

Man. I found out tonight that a friend of mine killed himself this past weekend. Nobody saw this coming. It's sent all of us reeling. We all keep coming back to "why? why would he do that?" And it's the one question that we'll just never know the answer to. It's so sad. So very sad.

We had pizza and watched Walk the Line. Mmmm.. Joaquin. Great movie.

Tomorrow I'm getting my nails done - I'm about 3 weeks overdue for a mani and pedicure. And then more relaxing and playing. Gotta love that. Talk to you later. Ciao.

First day of vacation - but first a quick trip for a check up. One year - WOOT! More later.

When the alarm went off this morning, the first thing I thought (besides "Oh hell no, it isn't time to get up yet!") was "YEAH! Last time I have to do this for six days!" W00T! I will love and appreciate every single second of this vacation, I tell ya. Just need to get through today.

Let's talk about some news, for a change:
This story, about funerals for pets lost to Hurricane Katrina, made me cry like a fool.

What?? You mean to tell me that Snakes On A Plane wasn't the highest-grossing film of ALL TIME? *Gasp* I'm shocked. No. Really. I am.

Show of hands - Who is suprised to learn this? Anyone? Anyone? No, I didn't think so. The sooner we stop hearing about this guy, the better.

Warning - if you get oogy, skip this. I'm not afraid of needles.. I don't ENJOY them, but I'm not afraid of them, either. (although I used to be able to look, and now I just can't). I wonder, though, if the doctor came at me with a needle that looked like a butterfly... if that would lessen any fear I did have, or if I would just think that she'd gone 'round the bend.

Attention, CuzGirl - Let's go. I'm ready to run away.

Okay, enough with the dawdling... I've gotta go start the day. Talk to you later. Ciao.

*Runs into room, throws down purse*

Hello! I have been busy running about. Let me give you a brief synopsis.
Friday night I did get all the cooking and stuff done, although I didn't make it over to St. Paul until MUCH later than I'd planned. Got all the stuff and cooked and cooked and toppled over around midnight.

Saturday I spent the first part of the day in a state of extreme laziness. I'd sort of forgotten what it was like to have a weekend off, so I needed to take full advantage of a slow-moving morning. I realized at about 1pm that I hadn't made enough canollis, so I had to make another trip back to St. Paul to get stuff (sometimes I think I should find an italian market over on this side of the world, but it just wouldn't be the same..). Also stopped at Target for the stuff of life and then went on one other secret errand that I can't share here, because it's all like a surprise and stuff (hehe!). Got myself cleaned up and then it was party time!

SO much fun.. way good burgers (seasoned with crack, I'm fairly certain, because I want more and more of them), and then while a few ventured over to hear a band, the rest of us had the best bonfire EVER. It was my one little twig contribution that sent it over the top. Our firestarter said so. Yes! It was faboo - good friends and good conversation (and I laughed so hard I snorted AND spit water out my nose, because I'm such a dainty little thing), and we didn't leave until the slightly wee hours. My hair still smells of bonfire, and I don't want to wash it just yet. I'll say it again - I have the best peeps in the world around me. TiAmo, Tutti!

I'm fairly certain that I must have swallowed some glass last night, though, because I woke up with the sore throat of death this morning (or maybe it was the fire, but my glands are a little swollen, too). So sadly I will not get to see my 3day walker girls.. but I'm sending them all my best thoughts. I have REAL vacation this week and I don't want to waste a moment of it on illness.. so I'm going to rest and hydrate and zicam and vitamin and every other healthy thing I can think of today. All of this can be done on the deck, though, so I'll still get to enjoy the day. Tonight I'll get to chat with a few friends and wait to hear tales of racing from il ragazzo.

THERE! I think you're all up to date now. Any questions? Have a good day and I'll see you domani. Ciao.

After that brief unscheduled detour (see below), we now return to our regularly scheduled blogging. So if you don't like it - I invite you to hop off now, psychos. (don't worry. chances are it's not you. the psychos know who they are.. and they know that I know who they are. I may SEEM like an "idiot", but really, I'm smarter than you think. maybe if we just don't pay any more attention to 'em, they'll go away. shhhh.)

I decided that leaving work early would be most beneficial, so I set my sights on leaving at noon. Well, except there was lunch to be had at 8th Street first. After we ate I wandered back to the office, expecting to finish up "just one more thing".. which turned into about 7. Still, being out the door at around 1:30 on a Friday isn't too bad. And the best part of all? Not having to return again until Monday. What am I gonna do with an entire weekend OFF??

Oh - you really want to know what I'm gonna do? Well, I'll tell ya. I thought about going to lose some money at poker tonight.. but then I decided that making canollis was a better plan. Tomorrow night is a bonfire and party, and I have to bring said canollis along with me. Sunday I'm going to meet up with some people and cheer on my Team Boobylicious Girls as they start on the last leg of the 3Day Walk. In between all that, I need to do some home stuff.

In order for me to do all the frying and cooking tonight, I need to make an Italian grocery store run. It's still rush hour, so maybe Audrey and I will just drive thru town and take the long way. It's not gonna rain until later tonight (sorry, hon..), so it's top-down-drive time. Buona Sera, Bellas.

I almost did the unthinkable tonight. I was almost gonna take cheleblog down.

I realize that there's a risk involved in putting myself and my life out on the internet.. even if I do try as much as possible to mask who I am and who my friends are. As much as possible, I try to keep this pretty light, pretty positive, not a lot of slams or negativity.

There are those unhappy people in the world, however, who seem to insist upon spreading their own special brand of vitriol. They're mean, they're hateful and quite honestly I feel really really sorry for them. How very sad they must be. What is it inside them that makes them lash out like that? Therapy is a wonderful tool. So is medication. Perhaps they should spend more time investigating those options rather than speculating on the lives of others.

So I'm going to just keep on writing about me, my job, my friends, my life. If it makes you feel angry at me, or sad for me, or even if you think I'm just sort of old and foolish - you should probably just not stop by anymore. Because my life is my life. You don't need to validate my reality for me. Oh, and fuck you, too.

Three words: What. The. Hell.

These three words adequately sum up my entire day yesterday, and, sadly, the day so far (and it's only 5:17 am). Trying to get ready for the move yesterday was rather a nightmare. Finally got ready to go, got it started after 5pm...The first part was great... things were flying along.... then, suddenly, we were dead in the water. What the hell. What should have been a move where we finished up at 6:00 dragged on until 7:45. Decided that I needed to bring some pizza over to my ragazzo (who was having a what-the-hell day of his own). Brought it there, ate, and promptly fell asleep on the couch, because I'm the best company in the world. Or not so much. What the hell. Got back to chezChele a little after 11.. and there was no electricity ANYWHERE. Man.. we lose power all the time here. All the buildings and street lights were dark. AudreyCar had to sleep outside last night, and she hates that. What the hell. Set the cell phone alarm and went to bed.

This morning, the cell phone alarm and the regular alarm both went off, because the power came back on sometime in the night. Got up and realized I have no coffee here. What the hell. Chai tea = not a good substitute. Grabbed the laptop to commence all the bloggery. I don't have my power cord (but I still have battery power).. but what the hell? Where's the power cord? I guess I don't remember putting it in my bag, so I hope it's still plugged in under my desk. Started typing... okay, now the spacebar is sticky, and every once in a while doesn't work at all. WHAT THE HELL???

The worst part is, I know the what the hell will stay with me for at least the first 2 hours of the day... because when we were programming phones, 8-10 of them went down on one of the floors, and we won't know which ones until the people come in and discover they have no phone. That'll be their own version of what the hell.

I am trying madly to figure out if I can take more time than just Wed - Fri off next week. Lord knows I need it. I need it starting right now.

Okay..ReadySetGo. I'm going to try to find some semblance of sanity in the day. Then I'm GONNA go to the grocery store tonight, and I'm GONNA do some laundry, before those things get away from me again. Did I mention that I'm pretty much done moving people for almost a month?? It's really pretty anti-climactic, because I'm so insane right now that I can't really appreciate it. Heh. I'm sure the realization will hit me soon. I'm done rambling now. Have a good day. Ciao.

This is the best thing: When you can sit and talk for hours and hours, or just lean up against each other and not talk at all. When you laugh so hard at the joke that you can't even catch your breath, or when something happens and you just look at each other and you don't even need to laugh. When you finish each other's thoughts, sentences, and last sip of beer. When a single touch or glance can instantly reassure me that everything will, indeed, be okay.

I am acutely aware that some people never ever find this person in their life. I am blessed and lucky. I've found this person - twice.

Move tonight after work. This one SHOULD be the easiest of them all.. but I know now to not get too confident too early. The days off next week are sounding better and better all the time.

I think that's it. Send me a few more good thoughts (really, I'll be done with this soon). Later. Ciao.

I figured out when I can take some time off again (next week), so I'm feeling a little better about all of life. The only thing that would make that time off better is if I could go someplace.. but that just doesn't appear to be feasable. Oh well. It's time away from the stress and a chance to relax for days and days in a row, and I need that right now.

I was looking at my poor deck-garden yesterday after work. It's not happening this year.. and it'll require some major re-thinking next year. I've always had a balcony with a roof over it before, so the plants got more shade. It's a whole different thing without one. Too much sun. Too much rain. Too much wind. And, truthfully, too little care. I haven't had time to play in the dirt as much this year and so they're not carefully tended. When I have time this weekend I'm just going to take it all down and clean up.. Then I'll figure out what happens next.

I must make with the getting-on-with-the-day now. More domani. Ciao.

I was dreaming about work this morning at about 3:30 AM. I know that was the time because the dream woke me up a little bit and I looked at the clock and thought "Gee. I'm glad that was a dream." And not 15 minutes later, the phone rang and it WAS work calling me. Is there such a thing as premonition?

The bowling fund raiser was fantastic, as usual, and there was indeed jumping up and down. I bowled the best game EVER once I discovered these great things called bumpers! Heh! I'm sure it doesn't count in real life, but I left with my self esteem all intact and I got almost 100. Shhhh. I actually think that bowling could be something that I really like to do.. so I want to practice it and get better.

That was literally all I did yesterday. I sat around like the laziest of girls literally all day. It was good. I needed to do that.

Other highlights from the weekend, in random order:
1. I fell off my shoes and scraped my knee (lowlight), but did NOT run my good silk stockings.
2. That risotto at TdV... that's to die for, that's what that is.
3. I don't think I ate a single full meal at home. I've gotta start watching those calories again a little bit.
4. Il mio ragazzo is the best sport in the world. He won the bowling trophy (it was PINK!), and he let me keep it. He rocks.
5. I met people yesterday that I used to only know from the interwebs! I love putting faces with names.

Okay - time to go to work. See you peeps later. Ciao.

Can you tell? Life is Better™already.

The move yesterday was REALLY a bear.. so many people, so much coordinated effort, lots of running and running and running around. We still have stuff to finish, and another 30 person move on Wednesday, and actually at least two more moves to do, and I'm starting more construction... but yesterday was the REAL goal we'd been working toward, and I'm glad it's done.

And then I got my reward. I got to dress up all fancy, and I went to two of my favorite places on the entire planet with the best boy on the entire planet. The singular most perfect moment in the past 3 months or so was when we were sitting on the wicker couch on Frost's patio listening to "Dream a Little Dream of Me". At the exact moment, all the stress I was carrying around with me melted away, and I finally, completely relaxed for the first time in about 6 months. I slept like the dead last night. Heh.

It's thundering out there! This will be a good day to catch up on reading and writing. This afternoon we're going to the last fund-raiser for my rockin' girls who are doing The 3-Day next week. There will be much bowling, and jumping up and down, and hugging and crying happening. I'm excited.

Andiamo, peeps. Let's go start the day. Talk to youse later. Ciao.

I guess as long as you keep coming back, I'll keep writing!

I didn't get out of there quite as early as I wanted to. I kept finding just one more thing.. just this one other thing.. well I better finish this.. and I've been waiting to do this... etc. etc. etc. Once I did get home, I didn't do ONE thing of note all afternoon (well, except make meatballs and garlic bread. so I guess that's two things of note.) The most important part was just the turning off my head for a while, and I got to do that.

I made farfalle and meatballs for a whirlwind ragazzo who had to dine and dash, because there was riding to be done. Heh. Got him out the door and realized that I needed a couple things from the store and also, hey, I have a convertible so I should just drive around a little bit! A block from the house it started POURING. I made the right decision buying Audrey with the automatic, push-button top. It would suck to have to get out and put the top up and down manually. Things work out the way they should.

Got back home from that quick trip, settled in on the couch and promptly fell asleep until almost 11:30. Geez.. I have an exciting life. More correctly, all the life is being sucked out of me, and I have very little energy left. I've gotta get through tomorrow's big move, and then Life Will Be Better™.

My next trip to Cali will be an adventure, in that really, I never want to get on a plane again. This article has the scariest truth of all in it.. Whatever security precautions they use, terrorists will always try to find a way to get around it. Soon it will be that we can't carry anything onto planes, which will make for long, long boring flights.

Oooh! Dave Navarro is once again available. *smoothes hair, puts on lipstick*  "How YOU doin', Dave?"

Oh for the love of God. Now babies are too fat? If we're ALL too fat, then really, are none of us TOO fat? Huh? Ponder that one for a while.. heh.

Okay, then. Time to go and do some work and all that stuff. No post tomorrow morning, probably - it'll be way too early to think coherently. I'll update when it's over. Send me some thoughts or better yet, just come and HELP me. YES! Do that! (oh. wait. that's wrong.) Anyway, see you next time. Ciao, Bellas.

This mini vacation day (a half day, anyway) isn't coming a moment too soon. Although it's been quite the good test of endurance and patience, I'll give you that. Just when I think one more tiny detail can't be added to the growing list of things-I-need-to-track-today, three more things come up and I somehow put them on the list and deal with them.

Let's do a top ten list of things I want to do before the year ends (how did it get to be August already?)
1. Go to California.
2. Get a new fridge (yes, I will, honey.)
3. Grow my hair at least 2 more inches.
4. Re-tile the kitchen floor (if I can ever REALLY decide on a new tile. I have 10 samples here right now).
5. Have a picnic/bocce/bowling party.
6. Take a day trip to the north shore.
7. Go on a star-gazing expedition.
8. Finish this project at work (it feels like it's never going to end..)
9. Clean off the bookshelves and donate books.
10. Start volunteering again.
There.. that's out for the world to see. I need that kind of motivation sometimes.

Time to go. Talk to youse later. Ciao.

Once I got done with all the runnings around, I managed to finish up the laundry, get the dishes put away and the house back in order, and now I'm feeling better about home life in general. Did I mention how happy I'm going to be when this is over? Oh, that's right.. I think I did.

Let's look at a couple of newsie things, shall we?
Heh. How ironic is it that when I buy a bigger car again gas prices go skyrocketing? I filled up AudreyCar on Sunday. Cost almost $40. I know others have it much worse (thank goodness I don't have that huge truck anymore) - so I'm only starting to feel pain. I can be grateful for my very very very short commute, and the fact that I COULD take the bus if I really wanted to. As long as my parking is paid, though, I'd really rather drive. And nothing beats top-down drive to work. I'm going to do it in January.. wearing a parka. Or, maybe not.

Show of hands - who's sick of hearing about this? Uh-Huh. That's what I thought.

I'm outta here now. Have a good day. Ciao.

The highlight of darts was throwing (in one round, mind you!) a double bullseye and two single bullseyes. One hundred points in one turn. I couldn't do that again if I tried! And that still wasn't enough to win. Sheesh. It was still a lot of fun.

Busy day, trying to get ready for this weekend. Lots of preliminary stuff. More than any of the rest of 'em, I want to just be DONE with this one. Logistically it's a nightmare. We have people coming out of spaces that others will move right back into, and we're going onto two different floors. It's when I need to be more than just one of me.

I dreamed that I was shopping at a flea market and it started raining. Then I looked across the lake that had suddenly appeared, and I saw the girl who does my nails looking back at me from the other side. Now.. let's go to the dream dictionary:

(Flea) Market: To dream that you are in a market, represents some emotional or physical need that you are currently lacking in your life. You may be in need of nurturance and some fulfillment. Consider the specific items that you are shopping for. Alternatively, the market signifies frugality. Hmm. I can't remember what I was shopping for, but I do remember they didn't have it. There ya go. Moving on...

Raining: To dream that you get wet from the rain, signifies that you will soon be cleansed from your troubles and problems. Rain also symbolizes fertility and renewal. Yep. I think I want to be done with these moves!

Lake: To see a lake in your dream, signifies your emotional state of mind. If the lake is clear and calm, then it symbolize your inner peace. If the lake is disturbed, then you may be going through some emotional turmoil. Raindrops were hitting the lake, and the wind was blowing. Emotional turmoil.

Fingernails: To dream that you are polishing your fingernails, represents glamour. It's on the other side of the lake.

So - what this dream is telling me is that I'm in the midst of all this turmoil, I need some nuturance and TLC, and I can see that fulfillment, happiness (and glamour!) are just on the other side of what I'm going through now.

Pretty interesting. Well, for me, anyway. And you're here reading all this, so I assume it's interesting for you, too. So ha!

That's it, kids. Gotta run. Have a great day. Ciao.

Well, hell no.. that wasn't long enough to be asleep at all. That's the thing about Sundays. They mess me up every time. I slept in just a tiny bit yesterday, and then had coffee and played throughout the day and then Sunday night I'm just not tired at a reasonable hour, like 10pm or 11pm. Oh no. I believe it was 1:00 when I finally got serious about going to sleep. All wrong, chele. All wrong.

Today will be a little bit crazy (or a lot, more likely), and then I'm going to go throw darts tonight. I still have a couple chores from the weekend left unfinished (when oh when will I ever do the last two loads of laundry?)

I guess that's all. There's never much to report on this early on a Monday morning. So let me scoot and start the week, and I'll talk at you later. Ciao.

Weekend updates on the live journal. See you there!

Just as quickly as the little dark cloud came up, it passed over and was gone. "Brief but intense"..the first time I heard that phrase used to describe some of the emoting I do I thought it was pretty funny. After thinking about it a little, I realized it was true.

Big move today, but bigger move next Saturday. *sigh* I'm going to be glad to be done with these. I don't know what time exactly we'll be out of there.. but I do know that there will be a nice dinner - and not quite as much wine - when I finish up. I'm looking forward to that.

I just realized that I have to stop at the grocery store and buy some treats for the movers, so I better go. Send me some good thoughts, please, and I'll chat at you later. Ciao.

I have returned some 12 hours later to regale you with more stories of the day! Or... something.

I spent the morning feeling a little blecchy, thanks to the multiple glasses of chardonnay I consumed last night after work (note to self, to il mio ragazzo and to anyone else who ever happens to be with me whilst I imbibe: 3 glasses of wine is the LIMIT. Do not allow me to have any more, even if I beg a little bit.) It was plenty chaotic and I ran and ran for about 8 hours, then I decided it was time to come home.

On the way home, I suddenly realized I was sad.

I didn't expect that. Right now, if I'm going to be anything other than my usual happy bouncy self, I'd expect to be stressed or tired or even a little bit angry at all the stuff that's going on at work. But no, it's sad. And I'm not sad about work.

I don't know what, exactly, I'm sad about. But it's definitely there. At first I wanted to be all tasky about it, and start doing something right away to distract myself from it. Instead, I've decided to just sit with it for a while. Maybe this will turn into a teachable moment for me.

Up early to move tomorrow, so I won't update until after we're done. Buona Sera.

Ow! My head! Shhhhh. Be very quiet. Ow. I've got a tiny bit of a headache going on here. Yes, it was fun getting to that point. But ow right now.

It's (yet another) move this weekend, and we had a couple delays and changes in plans so I'm not as ready this morning as I'd like to be. Therefore I will have a little nuttiness first thing. Every day has it own special kind of nuttiness lately.

Since I have to rely on Mr. Bus Man to get to work this morning (Audrey's still safely tucked away downtown. There was going to be no driving happening last night.), I have to get ready and out the door to the corner in a little while. It's actually really convenient, and if they ever stop paying for my parking it wouldn't be a big deal to bus in every day. Of course, I should be careful what I wish for...

Perhaps I will stop in and update you (or the live journal) later. Ciao.

I got a lot done last night. I didn't get it ALL done, but enough that I feel like I accomplished something. And then, I just couldn't fall asleep. Of course, now I can't keep my eyes open and I'm slamming down the coffee like there was no tomorrow. I know if I put my head back and closed my eyes right now I'd be instantly asleep again. So none of that.

I'm too tired to think of anything else this morning.. but this was funny:

Gummy Bears

You may be smooshie and taste unnatural, but you're so darn cute.

Heh. I'm smooshie but so darn cute I can get away with it. Mmmmm... gummi bears.

And with that, I will take my leave. Have a good day, Bellas. Ciao.

Oh, hello. You've returned. Now, how can I keep you entertained? I know! Let's do the four things meme:

A) Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Teacher
2. Revenue Accounting Clerk (at the airline)
3. Director of Retail Operations (fancy title for "worked all the time at her stores")
4. Facilities Manager

B) Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Breakfast at Tiffanys
2. The Big Chill
3. Office Space
4. Singin' in the Rain

C) Four places I have lived:
1. St. Paul
2. Minneapolis
3. Inver Grove
4. Burnsville

D) Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Barefoot Contessa
3. PeeWee's Playhouse
4. Boston Legal

E) Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Carmel by the Sea
2. Cayman Islands
3. Key West
4. Santa Barbara
5. Cancun
6. NYC
7. Santa Fe
8. Sanibel/Captiva
9. Las Vegas
(I need a vacation, can you tell?)

F) Web sites I visit daily:
1. StarTribune.com
2. twincities.com
3. cnn.com
4. freakgirl.com

G) Four of my favorite foods:
1. Gnocchi
2. Canollis
3. Steak
4. Pizza

H) Four places I would like to be right now:
1. Santa Barbara
2. On a beach in Cancun
3. Driving down the PCH with my favorite person in my favorite car.
4. In bed, still asleep!


It's Wednesday, which means construction meetings and running around like a crazy crazy girl. It's COOL outside (and inside), so I must do some laundry when I get home tonight. I am trying like mad to ignore the fact that my throat feels a little funny and I am coughing just a little bit. It's allergies. Or better yet, it's nothing. I can't get sick, I have too much stuff to do.

I got some good recommendations for AC work, so I need to do some calling around and price checking and scheduling. I checked on replacement prices - holy. hannah. It's more than I want to spend right now, so I'm hoping to just be able to fix this one. Home ownership. Yeah. It's the greatest.

Okay, peeps. I gotta fly. Have yourselves a good day. Ciao.

So it was like hell-hot again yesterday. The hell-est hell hot yet. It was really simply dreadfully hot. At about 4:15 I just ran out of energy and decided to bolt. Left the office and it was even more hell hot on the way home (and here's photographic proof). So upon arriving at chez-chele, I decided to lay on the couch and have a little nap. And when I woke up about an hour later...

the AC was no longer pumping out cold air.

Yes, the temp in the house was 85 degrees and climbing. I had to do a few things around the place.. so I'd do something and then go back and plant myself in front of the fan. By about 10pm I was finished with what I needed to do, and it was now 88 degrees in the house and 91 outside. Bleah. And then did I mention that il mio ragazzo, he's like a saint? (a certified saint by the way. yay!) He let me come over and cool off. and he even gave me ice cream, and that's why he's the greatest. I felt about a thousand times better (and a thousand degrees cooler) after that.

Woke up to rain and 78 this morning. This is the first time the place has been opened up since Saturday morning. I think it's supposed to rain on and off all day, and I say bring it on. Even the kitties seem relieved.

While I was clicking around on the news just now, I suddenly thought "oh, well, at least today's Friday." Um, hello. TUESDAY, chele. heh. So this is the kind of week it's gonna be. Going out for a little chinese food tonight (it's been a while). All good, all the time. And even better when it's cooler out there. So have a good day, kids, and I'll talk to you domani. Ciao.