Celebratin'...
Here it is, Monday morning after a holiday weekend. I seem to be fully functional, but I think it is really a clever ruse, designed to fool those not inspecting me too closely.
Why not take a few moments to type efficiently and yet have it be not work-related at all?
Friday dawned kinda gray, but - day off. Don't care. I slept for a long time, from midnight (and it was a real stretch to stay up that late, let me tell you...but I was bound and determined to finish my book) until nearly 11 a.m. Nice! I decided that instead of working out in the fitness room that morning, I would take advantage of the daylight and no-rush and walk outside. I needed to hit the bank, maybe 1.5, 2 miles away tops, so I got dressed in workout clothes, added a hat and some sunblock (it was trying to come out, though not too successfully at the time), strapped on the iPod and went. It was my thought to hit the Lakeside Deli on the way back for breakfast, but they appeared to be closed when I walked by. Everything else was a-bustle, though, for the Columbia Independence Day Celebration was going on right on the shores of Lake Kittimaqundi, as per usual. I saw a vendor selling hot crab pretzels, which - in addition to being the name of my new band - sounded like a great idea! They weren't open yet, though. Anyway, I cut through the bustle, walked to my bank, got cash, and walked to the mall where instead of hot crab pretzels I opted for Chik-Fil-A (that's a healthy alternative, let me tell you). Then I walked back home. There were a few sullen raindrops but nothing much. I got home feeling like it was DEFINITELY time for a shower. It wasn't that hot out, but it was sticky.
I showered and got ready for the day. Oh, I neglected to mention that the night before I'd made some German potato salad, and I now packed that up, as well as some Caffeine Free Diet Coke and pita chips and hummus, and went to pick up msteleute and necrocannibal. We headed north to meatnog's place and proceeded to have a fine 4th of July cookout. It was a feast and a treat, hangin' out, grillin' stuff, lots of food, lots of drinks. We also stopped by traceracer and jwiv's place to greet the newest Hall. Eventually we wound down to the harborside to watch the fireworks off to the east over downtown, and it mercifully held off raining for the most part. (This is because I stopped to bring my umbrella, I'm sure of it.) It was a lovely day, easy to get in and out of the city, even easy parking! I went home and washed out the potato salad bowl and comforted the cats...who actually didn't seem too put out, post-fireworks. Of course I got home more than two hours after the fireworks were over, so I guess they'd had time to calm down/come out from under the bed.
Another marathon sleep! Awesome! Got up around 11 again, after going to bed at maybe 1-ish. Nice. I noodled online a bit before I went downstairs to the weight room, which I had totally to myself. Took my time doing the circuit, a weekend luxury, then came back upstairs and continued a generally lazy trend. Eventually I did manage to get a shower, and go out and find a nice new frock at Ross (all my casual summer dresses save one went to the Goodwill at the Great Purging on Memorial Day), and get groceries. I came home, unpacked stuff, and painted my toenails lickety-split before heading out for thatwhichisgene's birthday. A buncha folks met up at the House of Peking Choice and went to town on some Chinese food (and sushi, variously) before going back to his and tzel's place for some nice relaxed hanging-out. A lovely evening!
A good, but not marathon, sleep on Saturday night. Another gray day, I got up and actually went to church, first time in quite a while. I was pretty distracted, though. Then I got a few groceries I'd forgotten the day before, then I went home to put those away and practice guitar. Then there was a small amount of time for cat-cuddling and Wimbledon-watching (before the second rain delay - never did wind up watching the rest of it, alas) before I packed up my laundry and went to the folks' for dinner. I hadn't been over there in several weeks, so that was nice. Left by about 8 p.m. when the worst of the rain had stopped, and I gave in to temptation and stopped at Rita's on the way home for a small twist cone. I was served by the youngest, most eager-looking Rita's employee I'd ever seen. Must have been a trainee. Drove home, folded and put away laundry, watched a little TV, did a little cat-brushing*, then bed. I slept great until 3-something this morning, when one cat or another knocked something over in my bedroom, so the rest of the night was fitful rest. I'm gonna crash out early tonight, I can tell.
* - Cat-brushing: This weekend meatnog showed off the Furminator in action, so I decided it was time to take this step for my cats' grooming (and my sanity). I ordered it from Amazon because it was dramatically cheaper than purchasing at Petco (where it was sold out anyway), so when it arrives I will give a full report. I know you will be thrilled.
Why not take a few moments to type efficiently and yet have it be not work-related at all?
Friday dawned kinda gray, but - day off. Don't care. I slept for a long time, from midnight (and it was a real stretch to stay up that late, let me tell you...but I was bound and determined to finish my book) until nearly 11 a.m. Nice! I decided that instead of working out in the fitness room that morning, I would take advantage of the daylight and no-rush and walk outside. I needed to hit the bank, maybe 1.5, 2 miles away tops, so I got dressed in workout clothes, added a hat and some sunblock (it was trying to come out, though not too successfully at the time), strapped on the iPod and went. It was my thought to hit the Lakeside Deli on the way back for breakfast, but they appeared to be closed when I walked by. Everything else was a-bustle, though, for the Columbia Independence Day Celebration was going on right on the shores of Lake Kittimaqundi, as per usual. I saw a vendor selling hot crab pretzels, which - in addition to being the name of my new band - sounded like a great idea! They weren't open yet, though. Anyway, I cut through the bustle, walked to my bank, got cash, and walked to the mall where instead of hot crab pretzels I opted for Chik-Fil-A (that's a healthy alternative, let me tell you). Then I walked back home. There were a few sullen raindrops but nothing much. I got home feeling like it was DEFINITELY time for a shower. It wasn't that hot out, but it was sticky.
I showered and got ready for the day. Oh, I neglected to mention that the night before I'd made some German potato salad, and I now packed that up, as well as some Caffeine Free Diet Coke and pita chips and hummus, and went to pick up msteleute and necrocannibal. We headed north to meatnog's place and proceeded to have a fine 4th of July cookout. It was a feast and a treat, hangin' out, grillin' stuff, lots of food, lots of drinks. We also stopped by traceracer and jwiv's place to greet the newest Hall. Eventually we wound down to the harborside to watch the fireworks off to the east over downtown, and it mercifully held off raining for the most part. (This is because I stopped to bring my umbrella, I'm sure of it.) It was a lovely day, easy to get in and out of the city, even easy parking! I went home and washed out the potato salad bowl and comforted the cats...who actually didn't seem too put out, post-fireworks. Of course I got home more than two hours after the fireworks were over, so I guess they'd had time to calm down/come out from under the bed.
Another marathon sleep! Awesome! Got up around 11 again, after going to bed at maybe 1-ish. Nice. I noodled online a bit before I went downstairs to the weight room, which I had totally to myself. Took my time doing the circuit, a weekend luxury, then came back upstairs and continued a generally lazy trend. Eventually I did manage to get a shower, and go out and find a nice new frock at Ross (all my casual summer dresses save one went to the Goodwill at the Great Purging on Memorial Day), and get groceries. I came home, unpacked stuff, and painted my toenails lickety-split before heading out for thatwhichisgene's birthday. A buncha folks met up at the House of Peking Choice and went to town on some Chinese food (and sushi, variously) before going back to his and tzel's place for some nice relaxed hanging-out. A lovely evening!
A good, but not marathon, sleep on Saturday night. Another gray day, I got up and actually went to church, first time in quite a while. I was pretty distracted, though. Then I got a few groceries I'd forgotten the day before, then I went home to put those away and practice guitar. Then there was a small amount of time for cat-cuddling and Wimbledon-watching (before the second rain delay - never did wind up watching the rest of it, alas) before I packed up my laundry and went to the folks' for dinner. I hadn't been over there in several weeks, so that was nice. Left by about 8 p.m. when the worst of the rain had stopped, and I gave in to temptation and stopped at Rita's on the way home for a small twist cone. I was served by the youngest, most eager-looking Rita's employee I'd ever seen. Must have been a trainee. Drove home, folded and put away laundry, watched a little TV, did a little cat-brushing*, then bed. I slept great until 3-something this morning, when one cat or another knocked something over in my bedroom, so the rest of the night was fitful rest. I'm gonna crash out early tonight, I can tell.
* - Cat-brushing: This weekend meatnog showed off the Furminator in action, so I decided it was time to take this step for my cats' grooming (and my sanity). I ordered it from Amazon because it was dramatically cheaper than purchasing at Petco (where it was sold out anyway), so when it arrives I will give a full report. I know you will be thrilled.