What were you expecting?
We watched Away We Go tonight. LOVED it. If you haven’t seen it, see it. Right now. Drop everything. Go. Watch it. There was one scene that made us cheer.
Anyway, it’s Friday, and we have cheesecake (dulce de leche cheesecake – the Cheesecake Factory is a wonderful place), so, um. Bye.
John and I decided recently that we need to set aside one or two nights a month for each of us to be able to have whatever we want for dinner with no regard for each other’s feelings on the matter. I could eat Indian food every night. He could eat Mediterranean food every night. He likes Indian, and I like Mediterranean, but we both rarely feel like having the other’s favorite. So. Once or twice a month, we’ll agree to disagree. I’ll order Indian, he’ll order Mediterranean, and we’ll eat our different favorite ethnic meals together and watch a movie. Problem (that of craving a favorite food but rarely getting to eat it unless one of us is out of town) solved.
Why am I bringing this up tonight? You’d think it’s because that’s tonight’s plan for dinner, but you’d be wrong. Tonight, we’re having breakfast for dinner.
Today was not a bad day. It was just like every other day this week, though, with a breakneck pace and no actual work that got done. By me, anyway. Other people might be having better luck. And I get it, kind of. I’m managing a process now, and I have other people (will someday have other people – that’s part of what we’ve been having meetings about this week) who have to do the stuff that needs to get done, so I’m not as hands on as I’m used to being, but deadlines are looming and I feel like I need to say I’ve accomplished something! I’m a little worn out. A little frazzled. A little (a lot) in need of extra hours in the day with no meetings. Except who wants more hours at work? Also, who wants to keep talking about work once they’re at home? Not me.
John called to tell me he was just leaving the office and to apologize for how late it is. I’m feeling weak-willed because I have no energy and my head is pounding (and not just the part that’s still tender from my encounter with the window yesterday), so I asked him to be the voice of reason and say “No, we can’t order Chinese food. We’re having ravioli or stir fry or something that’s already in the house and is relatively good for us.” But since it’s so late, and neither of us wants to deal with cooking and cleaning up, he failed in his duty (as the voice of reason) and told me that if Chinese food is the only thing that will make me feel better, then that’s what we should have for dinner. And I gave in. Because I’m weak. Our local Chinese place should hang our picture on the wall. (This hasn’t been a good week for healthy dinners.)
I’m preparing for the weekend by making all indoor plans. Except for a trip to the grocery store that I foresee putting off until Monday or Tuesday, I don’t want to leave the house. (I might try to run in the wee small hours, but don’t hold your breath.) I’m going to clean out my closet, which should lead to cleaning out the guest bedroom so it can stop doubling as my work clothes closet, and while I’m at it, I’ll try to clean out my dresser drawers, too, since I noticed this morning that I can barely close them. And now that I’ve published that little to-do list, you have to hold me to it.
Tonight is about Chinese food (Jess, we chose Chinese! I know how much you care…) and one of the movies from the DVR. I’m so ready to be lazy this weekend. Except for the closet cleaning, of course.
My brain is starting to shut down. Work was hard today, and tomorrow I’m going to be mostly useless. You know why? I’m going on vacation! Woo! Not a long one, but it should be nice and relaxing. The worst part (and I’m telling you this in advance to try and prepare you for this traumatic experience) is that there is NO INTERNET CONNECTION where I’m going. I will have to skip updating this here blog for several days IN A ROW. Blog aside, what am I going to do without the Internet? Here’s where I realize I may have a problem. Do I really think I’m going to be scarred for life if I can’t google the lyrics to that song on the radio or find out what weather.com says the temperature is rightnow for a couple of days? I think I’ll manage somehow. And when I come back, I’ll have lots of pictures.
But hey, the withdrawal doesn’t have to start just yet. My vacation doesn’t start until the weekend. According to my brain, however, it started around lunchtime today. Ooh, that reminds me of breakfast today. A guy on my project won breakfast for the office from Chick-fil-A! That place might have the best fast food breakfast in the world. They certainly have the best fast food chicken sandwiches in the world. And since that’s basically what goes on their breakfast menu, I think they’ve got the breakfast trophy all sewn up. Which reminds me…I used the phrase “hungry as all get out” the other day, and that made me wonder where “as all get out” came from. I was driving just then, so I couldn’t google it, and I’ve only just remembered.
[Pause for googling]
Okay, according to one forum, the OED says it was first used in Huckleberry Finn in 1884. I couldn’t find any other references to the origin of that phrase, and I don’t have access to an OED myself (and I don’t subscribe to OED Online, although maybe I should – mm, no, $30 a month), so I can’t check. That’s not very helpful. Maybe I’ll be just fine after a few days without Google. (Look! I can tie things together! (Oh, is it not cool to point that kind of thing out? Better to be subtle and let others notice on their own? Oops. Guess I’m not cool.))
It rained all night last night. A welcome change, and really soothing to fall asleep to (several times, since I woke up a few times last night). We woke up at 7 this morning to find it still pouring, so running was out of the question. We found ourselves breakfasted and in the basement before 9am, and we spent a good hour making some donation and trash decisions. We’re not done getting rid of the crap in the basement, not by a long shot, but we made a sizable dent. (That looks weird. Sizable. Sizeable? Still weird.) Around 10:30, I went to Costco for Roxy’s medicine and then to Target (yeah, I know – again), and I was supposed to be home before noon so we could leave at noon to meet Erik and Margaret for lunch and a movie. Well, you know how Target is. I got sucked in, and it was almost noon when I got in the car to come home and get John. So we were late. I hate being late, but this time I can’t blame anyone by myself (sorry again, guys!). It didn’t help that I got off the toll road going the wrong way on 7 and had to turn around and THEN wade through the normal traffic in the area. Lunch (at Maggiano’s) was good, but it was more about catching up with E&M, who we hadn’t seen since mid-May, and that was much-needed and much fun. After the movie (Knight and Day – the first half was funny and pretty entertaining. The second half was okay, but less fun.), I bought a new wallet (a nice red, big, adult-type wallet to replace my falling-apart, overstuffed, tiny little wallet that gets lost in my purse and was meant to only hold the bare necessities but got drafted into full-time use because I don’t know why), and we came home, checked on the dogs (they’re fine), and did geeky website things together (I updated my Pages section. See?). Tomorrow might not be so productive, but you never know.
I need a new 0-calorie drink for work. A hot drink. My office is freezing, and I’m already wearing a sweater. I spend all day drinking water, but water is cold. I’m trying not to let myself get hot chocolate or coffee or tea (I add way too much milk and sugar to coffee (and tea) to make it drinkable, and I don’t need the calories from either drink), but I don’t really see any other options. It looks like I either need to learn to drink my coffee (or tea) black (gross – makes me shudder just thinking about it) or I need to start heating up my water. And that’s just weird. So maybe I’ll just suffer.
I made crepes for dinner, filled with mushrooms, spinach, mozzarella, garlic, and garlic mayo. I say it was only kinda successful because they looked awful. The crepes I bought were a little too thin, so they didn’t fold well. The first one turned out more like sauteed mushrooms and spinach with bits of crepe throughout. The third one looked pretty good. They tasted fantastic. I think next time I’ll use tortillas and call them quesadillas. Screw crepes. Unless they’re filled with strawberries, like the crepes I didn’t use for dinner will be very soon.
(My spellcheck has issues. It’s okay with crepes and mayo (and spellcheck!), but not quesadillas. What’s up with that?)
It’s a topsy-turvy day, with eggs on toast and cantaloupe for dinner, and I’m not going back to my hair stylist again. Her prices went up, she didn’t do exactly what I wanted her to do with my hair (it looks fine, but it’s not what I asked for), and ohmygod she talks and talks and talks and talks and talks. I can’t take the pressure. And she’s a little heavy on the “God has blessed you” and “you should thank God” for me. She’s welcome to think that and say that to whoever she wants, but you’d think that in a small business like that, you might hesitate before assuming everyone shares your views on religion.
But that’s not what I came here to talk about. I came here to talk about eggs. The most perfect way to eat an egg (other than hard-boiled and chopped into bits with celery, mayo, and tuna on toast) is fried over easy on lightly buttered toast. With another piece of toast to get all the extra yolk that ends up on the plate no matter how careful I am. All the egg needs for seasoning is pepper. Love it.
I could have been happy with biscuits and gravy for dinner, too, but we didn’t have any in the house. And that’s a little harder to fit into my eat-healthy plan than eggs. Sometime this week, I plan to try to recreate the most delicious crepes ever. Salmon one night, and stir fry another…I’ve got the week all planned out.
Thanks, Internet, for helping me think!
For real. We went this afternoon, and now there’s nothing left. It’s all at our house. Such a dangerous place for us to go. “I need new running shorts.” “Me, too, except I need running shirts.” “Okay, let’s go to Target.” “Hey, light bulbs!” “That reminds me; we need a new lamp.” “Weren’t we talking about getting an everyday tablecloth?” “Hangers! We’re out of hangers with clips!” We managed NOT to buy a new vacuum cleaner, even though we need one. We’ll give Target a chance to recover and restock and then we’ll be back for that.
After Target, I dropped John off at home and went to Wegman’s, where I bought out the produce section. Oh! Then I sliced my first whole cantaloupe. I’m very proud of myself. And I ate two slices immediately. I think that’s all I’ll be eating for the next two days ’cause this cantaloupe is that fresh. I need to learn more about picking them out. But it’s so good!
Our do-nothing weekend was surprisingly productive. We made it to the book sale and bought a ton of books, went to Home Depot on the way home, and then spent maybe half an hour re-potting my herbs, planting seeds in the little face pots, and hanging flowers from the front porch. While we were out front, our neighbor came rushing over and gave us a pound cake! We couldn’t imagine what for, but then she apologized for being so late with it and said it’s a thank you present for helping her husband and daughter shovel out the driveway and sidewalk last February. I’d completely forgotten about that, at least partly because I didn’t help. That was all John. Such a good neighbor. And SUCH a good pound cake.
Today, we slept in again (sleeping in is a beautiful thing) and then totally cleaned up our super messy bedroom. Everything is put away, we got rid of some things, we dusted everywhere, and vacuumed the whole room, including under the bed. I haven’t attacked my closet yet, but that’s coming soon. And it’s not that scary.
Pound cake isn’t scary, either. I want some.
I don’t make smart food choices when I’m traveling. See yesterday’s post for exhibit A. I bought a custard-filled muffin and a cookie. And that was not an isolated incident. Now that I’m home (Ahem. I’m home now.), with access to a fridge and cabinets and a Wegman’s, all I want to eat is fruit. And vegetables. Salads and turkey sandwiches. This used to happen to me in the Navy, too, when I got back from being at sea for a stretch. Fresh food disappeared fast, and we didn’t get supplies all that often. I’d come home craving leafy green stuff. SO not normal for me. But it’ll be great if I can keep it up.
Keeping myself up today is something else. I’m not nearly as tired as I was the last time I had to get up at 3:30 for a 6am flight (and I’m pretty sure that’s due to getting close to seven hours of sleep last night), but I can feel sleepiness rolling in. I don’t think I have more than two hours left before I’m unconscious. Hopefully John will get home before then. Both so I can see him and so we can eat. I’m hungry and I’m pretty sure I missed lunch today. I had breakfast in Chicago while waiting for my connection (bagel, banana, iced vanilla chai – best drink ever), and that’s the last thing I remember eating. 8-ish. I’m gonna have an apple while I wait.
For real. It was sunny all day long (I was able to run outside this morning), but I spent some time working in my hotel room after I got back from work today, and now that I’m ready to go out and explore, it’s raining again. Like pouring down rain. Lots of water is falling from the sky, really fast. So I’ve given up and ordered food to be delivered. It’s my last night, but I’m doing a repeat of my trip home from North Carolina and getting up at 3:30 in the morning so I can make it to the airport on time for my stupidly early flight home. So I’m okay with staying in.
I did get to see a little bit of Duluth. I found a jogging path that goes right along the lake, and I ran across Duluth’s aerial lift bridge (while it was down, of course).
So that was neat. I guess. I’m sorry. I have NO enthusiasm for this town and I’m going to stop apologizing for it. I don’t have to like every place I go. I do feel like I did my part in supporting local businesses, though. Today, anyway. I had breakfast at the New London Cafe, which was adorably cute. (Yes, you read that right. It wasn’t just adorable, not just cute, but adorably cute.) I wish I’d been able to get there for lunch, but I didn’t have enough time. I liked them so much that I just went to their website and sent them a message. ‘Cause I’m nice like that. On my way home from work, I stopped at this used bookstore I’d been driving by every day. I tried to resist, but I failed. And come on – how could I not check it out? It’s a pretty good little store with crazy-low prices, made even lower by the girl who rang me up. According to the signs, I should have been paying between $1 and $2 for each of the two books I was buying, but she said she’s allowed to do her own pricing and she was WAY too excited about that. She was clearly still in high school, very young, and she’s working there for free, and then she only charged me $1.08. For both books. She said it was accurate, so I didn’t complain. And then she said I had to go this bakery just down the street ’cause at the end of the day, they sell cookies and muffins and things at a major discount. She didn’t have to tell me twice. They had a poppy seed muffin, which is good enough for me, but it was filled with custard, and that makes it heavenly. 
So I got one (and a cookie) for the jaw-droppingly low price of 93 cents. How do these places stay in business? Does it cost that little to live here? My breakfast (two eggs over easy on toast) was only $3.03. I think I may have overstated when I said I supported local businesses today.
As I waited at the stoplight at Bellevue and Memorial on my way home from work today, I heard someone call my name. I looked over and, oddly enough, it was the guy from last night (the one who wouldn’t stop talking) in the car in the next lane over. I know Newport’s a small town, but what are the odds? Which is pretty much what we talked about for the 30 seconds before the light changed, through our open windows.
When I got back to the inn, I changed clothes and came downstairs to head out for dinner. I’d planned to wander a little and then eat a light dinner and come back early so I could get a normal night’s sleep. (Last night was not normal, and not long enough.) I ducked into the parlor to grab a cookie (they set out tea and they have the BEST cookies), and I met two women who had just checked in. We chatted a little, then a little more, and before I knew it, it had been an hour. I decided not to keep them any longer, since I knew they wanted to head out for dinner, and they invited me along, so we continued chatting for the next three hours. They’re staying in one of the other houses here, so I’ll probably see them again. Hope I do. I liked them.
(We had dinner at Puerini’s, and I had garlic sauteed with garlic, shallots, garlic, butter, garlic, herbs, and garlic in a white wine sauce. With clams. And garlic. That’s how it feels (and tastes) now, anyway. But it was good.)
My run was too short this morning (I needed to make sure I’d have plenty of time to find the place I’m working at this week), but it was really nice. Right around 60 degrees and overcast, with a breeze, so it was nice and cool, and I headed to the Cliff Walk to run. Until I got there, I hadn’t noticed the ocean sounds, and then all of a sudden, I was looking down at a beach (waves and sand and everything!) and I could hear the surf hitting the rocks at the base of the cliff. SO pleasant. So it was a nice run.
On my way back from work, I drove in the way we used to come in, came down Broadway and around Washington Square, and then across Division Street to see our old apartment. Looks exactly the same, even after nine years. It could use a coat of paint, but I think it needed that when we lived there. I climbed the stairs to my room (did I mention I’m on the 3rd floor of a bed and breakfast?), changed clothes, and went out for a walk. I found myself on Spring Street (the wine store is still there, but I couldn’t find the breakfast place) and I got stopped by some guy on the sidewalk who asked me about my shirt. I really need to stop wearing this one in public. It says “Ask me about sustainability” across the front. People do. But this guy wouldn’t stop talking. Forty-five minutes later, I continued my walk. I ended up at The Black Pearl (the tavern side) for dinner, where I had one of the most delicious dishes I have ever eaten. Scallops with bacon, mushrooms, and cream. I don’t ever need to eat again. I’m full up. No more food needed. After that, I was really glad I was walking. And going uphill. Exercise is good. And when I made it to the top of the hill, my shirt (the “ask me about” part, anyway) prompted a couple to ask me for directions to The Red Parrot. It was nice to be able to help them out. (It helps that it’s kinda hard to miss AND I had just walked past it.)
Anyway, I’m back in my room and I want to go to bed. The biggest decision I have to make is where I’m going to run tomorrow.
Where am I?
My neighborhood was Grand Central Station for bunnies this morning. I’d forgotten about that aspect of spring, so when I took the dogs for a run this morning (for the first time in more than two months, I think), I wasn’t prepared for their reaction. Nearly got my arms yanked off. Over and over and over again.
I am looking forward to tomorrow. Very much. I asked for the day off a couple of weeks ago, just because (and also because I thought I’d need the escape since I was convinced I would be less than a month from unemployment by this week), and earlier this week I thought about not taking the day off and just going to work anyway, but then my boss reminded me that this was meant to be an easy week for us trainers (to give us a break from all the stressful traveling) and I don’t have anything to do, so why not take it? I saw her point. So now I have plans for tomorrow. Plans to run, to get a mani/pedi, to get my very first ever massage, and to buy a new suitcase. Almost in that order. I need a new suitcase…do I? Well, yeah, I do. The one I’ve been using (big, rectangular, purple, on wheels) is coming apart at the seams. I have another rolling bag, but it’s more of a rolling duffel and I have to travel with some stuff for work that wouldn’t fit very well in that. I could borrow John’s (and I will if I don’t find something pretty easily tomorrow), but eventually, I’ll need one of my own. I’m putting too much thought into this.
Hamburgers tonight!
Okay, we finished Lost. The whole thing was worth it for Sun/Jin and Sawyer/Juliet. I cried at both. We also saw the new Robin Hood movie today (stupid, but fun). And we started catching up on Glee. Lots of TV today. But that’s not all we did. We mowed, weeded, mulched, and pruned, and after that, we went to Borders. Busy day.
I gave the dogs a little bit of leftover turkey from my sandwich (Wegman’s sub – SO good), and they’re drooling at (and on) my heels now. They’re not letting me out of their sight in case I have more goodies in my pockets. Smart dogs.
I bought a donut today. The woman asked me if I wanted a receipt. I said yes, and I think you know why.
I’m in the airport now, waiting for the plane to arrive. It’s a day early (me going home, not the plane – I’m sure the plane will be right on time (Okay, no, it won’t, but it won’t be a day early.)), and because it’s work-related, I don’t think it’s a good idea if I go into why I get to go home early. But it’s not bad news or anything. So, you know, nothing to worry about.
I had the BEST airport food when I got here. I know, crazy, right? Well, it’s not really airport food any more than any other restaurant in an airport is airport food, but still. UFood Grill. I’ve never heard of it, but there’s one near my gate and I got my lunch there. It was GOOD. (I just checked locations and they do seem to be mostly located in airports, so I guess I was right to characterize it as airport food.) I had the Chopstick Chicken Bowl, which is chicken, broccoli, and carrots in a teriyaki thai chili sauce, all over steamed brown rice. Spicy. And good. And healthy! (Not greasy, for real. I watched them make it.) What a surprise.
I’ll be home in less than three hours, and I get to stay home for a whole week. More than that! Yay!
A few links to keep you entertained while I fly home:
The dishwasher was cold. She cracks me up.
Jess found a baby chicken cam (similar to the puppy cam from a few years ago). Go! Look! Melt into a puddle from all the cutesy cuteness! (And while you’re there, steal her recipes for homemade strawberry ice cream and arugula pesto.)
Some other things that happened on my one day off in Boston:
Every picture of this fountain turned out like this. They're all shots of water splashing around and they kinda miss the point. Sorry.
These two had the same morning I had: breakfast while watching the fountain and then the aquarium. I wonder if they followed me to Harvard?
Ivy League. Who knew?
A depressed-looking lionfish. I heard a kid trying to identify it for his friend: "That's a catfish. No, a tiger fish." Close, but not quite. Maybe that's why the lionfish is sad.
What's the name of the other fish in the tank with Nemo? Gill? You know, the one with Willem Dafoe's voice (unless it's Denis Leary...). Anyway, I think this is the fish.
It's looking at me....
Look, it's Dory! Honestly, I must have been looking at the Finding Nemo tank.
Scariest damn thing I've ever seen. No idea what it is (some kind of eel maybe?), but it poked its head out and kept opening and closing its mouth. Creepy.
Up close and personal. Cliche? Yes. Evil with dead eyes? Yes. Too close for me? Yes.
This one's for you, Dad. Herring!
And this one reminded me of Roxy.
More pictures (not as many fish, I promise) and a few more bits about Sunday tomorrow.
It’s ten to three. We pulled away from the gate on time, did some taxi-ing (how do you spell that? Taxying? Taxing? Taxiing?), and then came to a standstill on the tarmac with a message from the pilot. “Something something something from Atlanta, 30 minutes before we can take off, approximate time of take-off 16 after the hour, blah blah ten-minute warning to turn electronics back off.” So…why did we pull away from the gate? Why board at all? Maybe so those of us who are sleepy can nap uninterrupted, as both of my seatmates are doing right now. (One is snoring. Lightly, but still.) I’m on the window this time, exit row again, next to two seemingly ordinary people. We’ll see how it goes. And Mom, I don’t ALWAYS have stories to tell about my flight. On my way home from Atlanta two days ago, my seatmate was a woman visting her daughter in Leesburg. She was a bit of a talker, but perfectly nice. It wasn’t her fault that I wasn’t in the mood to chat. (Maybe if she’d been a hot ex-Marine I’d have changed my mind about that. )
I finished my Dresden Files book while waiting to board. I have another one with me, but I’m going to try a new mystery writer first. New to me. Has anyone heard of Lawrence Block? I read about his books somewhere (almost everything I buy comes from a recommendation now), but I can’t remember where. So far so good. The book is called “The Burglar in the Library”, the main character owns a used bookstore, and he’s heading to an English-style bed and breakfast to look for a possibly non-existent rare book. Just my cup of tea.
Yesterday, John and I went to Erik’s place to help him celebrate getting his Masters degree in International Commerce and Policy. (Erik, did I get it right?)
Hey, ten-minute warning. I’ll finish that later.
Much later:
I’m in my hotel room after a trip to a nail salon (yay for pretty toes) and a trip to Kroger for breakfast and lunch supplies for the week. Food and relaxing are at the top of my list for right now, so, um, bye.