when i need motivation my one solution is my queen 'cause she stay strong

I have nothing of interest to report tonight - I didn't get enough done, and I also didn't lean into relaxation, so it was kind of a wash. I did, however, sleep in, which was v. welcome. And I made Mongolian beef for dinner, which turned out great (if I do say so myself) - it is a completely bastardized American version, but it is also extremely delicious. I also made rice and roasted broccoli, and it was quite tasty. Even my dad was able to eat it, which is less of a testament to my cooking and more a testament to his taste buds slowly recovering, but I'll take it.

And now I should sleep so I can have a much more productive day tomorrow - goodnight!

my heart keeps beating like a hammer

I had a nice Sunday in ye olde Iowa. When I woke up, I made myself some iced coffee and then wrote for awhile, which was an excellent way to start the day - it was only thirty or so minutes of actual writing, but it was fun, so I'll take it. Then I talked to [censored] for awhile, took a shower, and talked to [censored] some more. We should have gone to our parents' house about an hour earlier than we did, but we got sidetracked discussing what could be done in the garage to better organize it. Home improvement is one of our favorite Sunday topics because it ticks all the boxes: daydreaming/grandiose visions, planning without accomplishing anything, examining multiple possible solutions, and ultimately falling into despair / Sunday Scaries at everything that needs to get done. The garage is not the biggest priority ever, but we need to put some thought into it since it's basically the main entrance to the house (everyone comes in through the back door through the garage, since the front door is basically a figurehead and is inaccessible in most circumstances).

sssanyway, we eventually went to my parents' house (after a stop at [censored], where we examined ancient relics and were interrupted by a kind neighbor who no doubt wanted to see the ancient relics too). Aunt Kathy came down for the day, so we hung out and told stories. Mom made baked beans and potato salad, and Dad grilled some brats, and it was all quite lovely. At some point, I absconded with Aunt Kathy and brought her into town to see the latest improvements to my place - she came down in February to help me paint some closets, but she hadn't seen the new carpet or the other tings that have been painted since then, or my new and much improved couch.

So all in all, it was a nice and relaxing afternoon, and it was nice to see Aunt Kathy (especially since she's the only person in the family who wisely decided not to spend 30+ hours driving to and from Texas later this week - other than Drewbaby, who isn't driving but still has a not-pleasant schedule of flying / driving). After she left, I watched some TV with my dad (a reality show called Auction Kings, which is better than many other tings he could have been watching, so I'll take it) and then came back to my house. I spent the evening getting my pantry fully reorganized + taking care of various tasks, and I feel good about what I got done.

And now, I need to go to sleep before it gets any later - goodnight!

dancing on my grave, no tears

My first day in ye olde Iowa was pretty successful, all in all. I didn't get nearly enough sleep, but then I made some coffee, unloaded my car, and generally took care of tings. Then I went to the next town over, where I bought a washing machine from the guy who sells me appliances. The washing machine that was here when I moved in was potentially one of the first washing machines ever invented (it was better than a washboard or a rock, but not much), and so it was time to upgrade. I also went to Walmart and to the grocery store, so I'm moderately stocked up for the next few days.

After I got back, I said hi to [censored] and went to my parents' house, where I messed around inside/outside. At some point, [censored] and I picked up Mexican takeout, which we ate with my parents before leaving so that we could accomplish things other than watching TV. I spent the rest of the night unpacking, organizing, doing kitchen, stuff, etc. And we had a v. exciting five minutes where [censored] discovered that my air conditioner was leaking water into the basement, but then discovered the source of the problem and just happened to already have the type of plastic tubing necessary to fix it. So, it could have been much worse, and [censored] has earned his keep for another thousand years.

And now I need to sleep - goodnight!

the voices in my head, they don't pay no rent

I'm super tired and have nothing to report, other than that I made it to ye olde Iowa in one v. long day of driving. It didn't help that I was tired when I woke up, so I had to stop multiple times (incl a ten minute nap at a rest stop near Kearney). But I made it, and I can sleep in tomorrow, and then we'll see what shenanigans I get up to. Goodnight!

my signs are vital, my hands are cold

I'm in the throes of getting ready to drive to ye olde Iowa tomorrow, so I need to go to bed asap. Today was a good prep day, though - I weirdly woke up at six, and even more weirdly actually got out of bed and went to a coffee shop at seven to write for a couple of hours. It was a total delight since the place was quite empty, and I wrote a thousand words and generally enjoyed it.

Then I came home, made breakfast, and left again to get a mani/pedi before returning to the land where my vanity can't be assuaged so easily. I also ran a couple of errands, washed my car, etc. After that, I went to El Camino for a late lunch, since eating nachos while reading a book sounded like the best possible way to spend my afternoon.

Happily, while I was there, Kelly called and ended up joining me in a v. impromptu fashion - we were trying to hang out earlier this week and failed, so this worked out. Then I came home, messed around and took a nap, and spent the rest of the evening packing/organizing/cooking the salmon that I stupidly thawed out yesterday.

And now I must sleep - goodnight!

seems you cannot be replaced and i'm the one who will stay

I continue to be v. tired after my trip, but the jetlag is starting to settle down. Today was pretty good when I wasn't doomscrolling - I made some eggs when I got up, and then I walked a few blocks to try a new-to-me coffee shop. I obviously haven't been writing in coffee shops since the pandemic, but I want to get back into the habit - or at least get out of the house rather than staying inside like a hermit. The coffee shop was a success - my cold brew was excellent, and while there aren't a lot of comfortable seats, I managed to grab a chair and write/journal for a couple of hours. +100, would do again.

Then I came home, messed around, ate some lunch, etc. before going to Alamo Drafthouse to see 'Everything, Everywhere, All at Once'. I'm glad I bought the ticket a couple of days ago, since otherwise I might not have forced myself to go see it - but a month-old movie at 3:20pm on a Wednesday meant there were only six or so other people in the theatre, which felt pretty safe. I enjoyed my excellent popcorn and a glass of sauvignon blanc, and I also enjoyed the movie - it was extremely weird and trippy, and also v. well acted, and I found it delightful.

Then I came home and wasted the evening, although I enjoyed some leftover pulled pork + harissa white bean stew. And now I'm going to sleep and hope that I write / journal / enjoy similar activities tomorrow while also prepping to drive to Iowa. Goodnight!

harry you’re no good alone

Today was much better than yesterday, mostly because I actually did things. I spent the morning taking care of myself and also writing, which felt fantastic. I had some leftovers for lunch, and then I drove to Boulder and ran a whole bunch of errands. Unfortunately, because we live in America in 2022, I had a moment before going into Target where I wondered I would be shot like the people at the grocery store here last year, but I decided it is still a few days too soon for the copycat of the shooting in Texas today, even though they still haven't buried everyone from the shooting in Buffalo last week. So I bought my Kleenexes and didn't get shot, which means I live to be annoyed another day.

ssssanyway. After that I went to Starbucks and wrote for a bit more, and then I met my friend Sara for a delightful dinner in Longmont. And now I'm wiped out and need to sleep - goodnight!

once the show gets started it's bound to be a sight to see

Jetlag is still brutal - it's a lot easier to power through when you're on vacation and want to go to a cute new experience, but less so when you're home and just need to do the dishes. Today was good, though - my friend Caroline had the day off too, so she came over and we had brunch at Sassafras. It's a delightful Creole-inspired place, which means almost everything is glutenous, but I had the shrimp and grits and they were fantastic.

After, we walked around the neighborhood for awhile, and then she said farewell and I took a nap. I also talked to Alyssa, and ate some leftover white bean stew and pulled pork that I'd found in the freezer (and it tastes great, so it's good to know that stew freezes well). Otherwise, I got v little accomplished, and I'm not sure if my headache is from general post-vacation malaise or from how little I did today.

But for now, I think the real issue is that I'm super tired, so it's time to sleep. Goodnight!

love don't discriminate between the sinners and the saints

It's jetlag day #1 and I successfully slept for over eight hours last night and also didn't take a nap today, so I feel pretty successful. But I was completely wiped out all day and wasn't able to get anything done, so I mostly accepted my fate and sat on the couch. I did get some groceries when I went out to grab coffee, and I made scrambled eggs and did some laundry, but that was the extent of my chores.

Yesterday, by the way, was brutal - we had to fly from Rome to Washington, and had a long layover there, which became an extra long layover after our flight was delayed another two hours. By the time I got home, I was wrecked. But the overall trip was fantastic and I already want to go back.

Now, though, I should sleep - I have some friend plans this week, and also some productivity plans, and sleep is necessary for both. Goodnight!

this is my confession

Katie and I had a fantastic last day in Rome, replete with a v extended tour of Palatine Hill, the ancient Roman Forum, and the Colosseum. I am a total nerd for history, so this was everything I want in life. Then we had an extended lunch, came back to the hotel, and happily passed our covid tests so we can get back into the US tomorrow.

After that, we wandered, then had a v extended drinks and dinner at Piazza Navona, and then wandered just a bit more before coming back and packing. And I would tell you more about all of it, but I need to sleep before our flight tomorrow - goodnight!

it's like my ipod's stuck on replay

No blog tonight as I need to go to sleep immediately, but Katie and I had a fantastic day in Rome. We took a tour of the Vatican museums and Sistine Chapel, and also stopped in at St Peter's. I'd been before, but it was well worth going back, especially with our guide - and guide tech has improved, since we got headsets keyed to her mic, which made it so much easier to hear her commentary.

I would tell you more, but as I said, I need to sleep. Uncle Mark was on my mind today as it's his birthday, and he would have geeked out over the post office at the Vatican (among many other things). And Katie and I ended the day in the old Jewish ghetto, which has a rather tragic history and is emerging from the ashes - so all in all, I saw a lot.

And now it's time for bed - goodnight!

roman holiday

Katie and I have successfully left the coast and arrived in Rome. Today was mostly transit - we had breakfast, packed, and lazed around until it was time to take our v. nice driver to Salerno to catch the train. The coast was gorgeous, as per usual, but I was already looking ahead to the delights of the city.

Our train was slightly delayed, but it was a smooth ride and we were in Rome by mid afternoon. After we settled in, we walked around and caught some easy highlights within walking distance - the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and the Piazza Navona. We also had drinks and late lunch at a cafe on Campe de' Fiori, as well as an aperol spritz on the Piazza Navona, and it was all a delight.

Eventually, we had a v. v. late dinner reservation at an excellent pasta/ wine/ salami place, which meant we were out until midnight (shocking). And now I need to sleep - goodnight!

and if you close your eyes does it almost feel like you've been here before?

Katie and I went to Pompeii today, and it was a delight (if you like the end of the world). We got up early enough that I was able to journal before breakfast, and then we took a cab to Pompeii. Our tour was mostly a success - I could have spent hours there, but the two we had with the tour guide were great. It's quite fascinating to see a city half-intact from that long ago, and also fascinating to see a city that was completely destroyed, so that was all good.

After Pompeii, we went to a wine tasting / lunch, which was also great. We hung out with some fun retired British sisters + some twenty year olds, and we had some wine, and it was great. Then we took a train to Sorrento and a taxi back to Amalfi, which wasn't faster but gave an incredible view of the coast. When we got back, Katie went to the sea, and I had an aperol spritz while journaling and looking at the cathedral - it was the worst drink of the trip so far, but they get away with it because of the view.

Katie and I met up for dinner, where we had a great last night in Amalfi. Then we stopped in at last night's place for a last limoncello, which turned into four limoncellos, three of which were paid for by some British retirees whom we befriended. I offered to repay the favor with fernet in San Francisco next year, but they didn't give me their info, so for some inexplicable reason that offer wasn't worth it to them.

And now, I should sleep - we're leaving for Rome tomorrow and I don't want to die before then. Goodnight!

my heart will go on

Happy birthday to [censored]! I celebrated with everything he hates: heights, boats, wine, and spending money. Katie and I had breakfast at the hotel before catching a ferry to Capri. Unfortunately, jet lag hit both of us hard today, and so we were not in it to win it. But we walked up a million steps from the marina to the main town of Capri, where we window shopped the expensive boutiques and then had lunch at a fantastic pizza place where a lot of celebs seem to go (although we were the only celebs there today).

Then, we caught a taxi to Anacapri - the taxi was like an El Camino in that the front was a sedan and the back was a convertible, and it was great. We wandered around Anacapri for a bit and had a snack before catching another taxi back to port and taking the ferry back to Amalfi. I can see how Capri would be quite charming, but we were too tired to get it together, so some of its charms were lost on us.

When we got back to Amalfi, we relaxed and showered, and then got dinner at an excellent restaurant attached to a wine shop. The food on this trip has been uniformly great, and tonight was no exception - and I bought a bottle of their limoncello, which I'm excited to drink in the US.

And now, I should sleep and hope to regain my energy before tomorrow's adventures - goodnight!

you know it's not the same as it was

Amalfi is a quaint village of five thousand people who mostly speak English and sell ceramics to tourists. But in the middle ages, they were the proud Republic of Amalfi, running a maritime empire that rivaled Venice. Unfortunately, they were wiped out by a tsunami and became a backwater, which is basically what happened to my hometown in Iowa when the railroad left (I am perhaps exaggerating my hometown's performance).

sssanyway. Amalfi is great and Katie and I had an awesome day. We slept for nine hours, which is unprecedented, and I didn't feel like I had jetlag at all today. Then we had breakfast at the hotel, which overlooked the water, and it was perfect. We walked around Amalfi for a couple of hours and had lunch at a cute place by the cathedral, and then we caught a ferry to Positano.

Positano also used to be a big deal before being destroyed, but in this case it was a Roman villa destroyed when Pompeii was destroyed. Now it's a similarly quaint town with people selling ceramics to tourists. Katie and I mostly forsook the ceramics (except for some tings I'm going to make [censored] hang for me), but we window shopped a lot, and we had a snack/aperol spritz in a lovely courtyard. Then we timed our arrival at Le Sirenuse exactly right and got a set of chairs overlooking the water/cliffs of Positano, and it was perhaps the most picturesque place I've ever had rosé at.

Eventually, a shuttle picked us up and took us to dinner up in the hills above Positano - we went to Il Ritrovo, which was totally fantastic. And now, I'm ready to call it a night - goodnight!

Truffle ravioli and pasta with sausage at Il Ritrovo

Positano from Le Sirenuse

besties

Positano from the water

The cathedral in Amalfi

nothing changed at all

I'm exhausted and my melatonin is kicking in, but we're safely ensconced in our hotel in Amalfi! We had a v uneventful trip, despite the German airports always managing to confuse me, and we got to the hotel in time to shower quickly before venturing out in search of food. Our attempt was a winner, but now I'm full and need to get some sleep if I'm going to be marginally competent tomorrow. Goodnight!

girl, you're gonna take me back to a time when I loved and I meant it

Katie and I have boarded our flight to Italy, and we're safely ensconced and waiting to take off. Today was all about preparation - I did some errands, finished packing, watered plants, etc. We got to the airport early enough to satisfy my anxious travel heart, and I stood in line for a table at Elway's while Katie stood in line for the non-precheck security screening. We fortified ourselves with burgers and drinks to get through the flight, and now we're hoping for smooth flying and an easy transfer to Naples and then to Amalfi.

And now, I'm not going to sleep immediately, but I hope to sleep as soon as we take off. Goodnight!

leaving on a jet plane

In twenty-four hours I'll likely be somewhere over Canada or the North Atlantic en route to the Amalfi Coast and a glorious week with Katie. We have had many adventures together and we are accustomed to lazing by bodies of water, although I'm guessing that Positano and Capri may be slightly more luxurious than floating in a rowboat at the lake at Bob White. And, since we are not underage and also have better jobs than we had in high school, the drinks will probably involve real wine instead of wine coolers. But beyond that, I expect it to be pretty much exactly the same as our usual summer shenanigans.

I spent today mostly prepping for the trip, although I did get up early and grab some coffee and write for forty-five minutes or so. Eventually, I went to the mall to return some things and buy some other things, and I was pretty much the only person wearing a mask because I don't want to get covid right before my trip. I also ran a few other errands, and then I stopped by Katie's to scan her vaccine card for check-in and we ended up talking for an hour and a half. Tomorrow's seatmate should be glad that we got some initial conversation out of the way, although we have barely seen each other in the last few months and so have many and varied possible topics to cover this week.

Then I came home, ate leftover takeout, and did a bunch of organizing / packing. I haven't actually packed, but I got out the clothes I plan to take, and I organized / winnowed my cosmetics and first aid stuff and all the other things that I vaguely remember taking with me on international trips. I'm so out of practice that I'm concerned I'm going to screw up crucial things - but I found my travel adapters, and I found melatonin and earplugs and an eye mask, and as long as I have my contacts / glasses / passport / credit card, I guess everything else can be solved on arrival.

And now, I really need some sleep so that I can make the last push tomorrow before we head to the airport - goodnight!

change the locks, change the scene

I had my first Sunday Scaries day of leave today - after a lot of hanging out and house projects last week, I woke up this morning with nothing pressing to do and so immediately started feeling like I should figure out a million next steps. This was helped somewhat when I realized that I would probably feel better with coffee and something to eat, so I ran to Starbucks and was indeed better after that. But still, it wasn't an amazing start to the day.

I really didn't do much, all in all, but I did talk to Alyssa, who was a delight as always. I also had a v. tasty cobb salad from Potbelly, since I don't have groceries to cook and am leaving again in less than forty-eight hours anyway. And I did all the laundry I need to do for my trip, took care of a bunch of administrative stuff, found some of my travel gear, etc.

But now, I think I should sleep and aim for a better tomorrow - goodnight!

change your number

No blog tonight - I made it to Denver, ran a couple of errands, and mostly just collapsed on my couch. Now I need to go to bed so that I can accomplish something tomorrow - goodnight!

til the black sky turns back to indigo

I am in my old stomping ground of North Platte, Nebraska. I am not, however, in my usual Marriott property because they sold out while I was driving - but maybe that is for the best, since I quite like the new place I'm staying (which is basically exactly like the old place, since all these chain motels along the interstate are interchangeable). This one is next to Qdoba and Applebee's, though, which is a welcome development. I'm trying to avoid having a second round of covid before my Italy trip, so getting Qdoba to go was probably better than sitting in a restaurant (although the people watching at Applebee's is usually pretty good, so I'm sorry I missed it).

I am in North Platte because I left way too late today (like, after noon)....but that's not a surprise since I stayed up until two last night and had some house stuff I wanted to do before I left today. I cleaned up the paint supplies and stripped the painters' tape from the pantry, and I'm really happy with how it turned out - there were a couple of places where the tape pulled paint off the wall, but overall it is so much better than it was and I'm happy to have gotten it done.

And that, really, is all I have to report - my drive was thoroughly uneventful, and now I need to get some sleep so I can get back to Denver relatively early and focus on turning around and going to Italy on Fri. Life is hard. Goodnight!

always keep your heart locked tight, don't let your mind retire

I should have gone to bed a couple of hours ago - but when left to my own devices, I rarely go to bed when I should. I did a lot of manual labor today in preparation for my return to Colorado tomorrow - I really wanted to get my pantry project done before leaving, so I painted shelves most of the afternoon. It would have all been relatively easier if I'd just painted the whole pantry one color, since I could have sprayed it - but the contrast of the bright white shelves + the subtle light blue walls is #worthit.

I took a break at some point when my parents stopped by to check out my new sectional + my paint job (and [censored] and I wished our mother a happy mother's day). I also talked briefly to Terry, which was lovely. And [censored] was kind enough to power wash my car's floor mats, which was v. nice of him. Beyond that, though, painting took up most of my afternoon, as well as an hour when I got home from dinner + another few minutes at 11pm. However, I believe that I'm done - I'm waiting to see how it looks in the morning, but after putting a second coat on the tops of the shelves tonight, it appears to be in great shape.

Beyond that...at some point I said farewell to [censored] and went out to my parents' house, where I v. shamefully let my mom cook for me on Mother's Day (thanks Mom!). The cheeseburgers and fries were excellent, though, so it would have been hard to pass them up. Then I came back to my place, did the aforementioned extra painting, and then spent the past few hours packing tings up, cleaning out my fridge, taking a shower, etc.

And now I really need to sleep - it's possible I won't make it back to Denver tomorrow, but I'm going to give it my best try. Goodnight!

do you feel the love? (i feel the love)

I'm pretty tired and I have a lot to do tomorrow before I head back to Denver, but I'm happy with what I accomplished today. This mostly meant painting the walls in my pantry - unfortunately, it's a time-consuming task, since the shelves can't be taken out and so I had to cut in around each shelf individually (and paint under the lowest shelf while lying on my stomach). But the color looks awesome and I'm happy with how it turned out. However, it's now even more imperative that I paint the shelves - the whole pantry (and kitchen, and the living room before we painted it) was a rather depressing yellow that may have been the worst color to put in this house, and so the bleak yellow shelves next to my beautiful new walls is especially terrible.

So, painting shelves is a task for tomorrow - but so is getting ready to drive to Denver, so we'll see how that all goes. I listened to some podcasts while painting, and I talked to [censored] a bunch this morning, and then I picked up Mexican takeout and took it to my parents' for dinner. When I got back to my place, I briefly considered doing some more painting, but instead I journaled and then hung out with [censored]. And now, I should sleep so that I can get cracking in the morning - goodnight!

i lost my head in san francisco, waiting for the fog to roll out

I don't have much to report today - I mostly wanted to spend it sitting on my new couch, but I didn't allow myself to be completely indulgent. Instead, I scrubbed down my pantry to finish the painting prep, and I also painted the ceiling. This was probably all slower than it needed to be since I took frequent breaks (I didn't *really* want to be painting, but I want to finish before I head back to Colorado, so I decided I needed to get cracking). But the ceiling turned out well, and I have all my supplies out for the next phase, so hopefully the rest of it goes smoothly.

I also spent various points of the day hanging out with [censored], and I talked to Drewbaby, so that was all good. And for supper, I went out to my parents' house and tried a new recipe for shrimp alfredo. My dad seems to do better with fish / shrimp instead of meat these days due to his taste buds, and this recipe seemed to be a winner - I think we all enjoyed it, and it was v. easy to make. I roasted some green beans to go with it, and all in all it was a tasty dinner. And we only saw one skunk show up while we were eating, and he didn't stick around for long (and the cats didn't care that he was there, nor did he care that the cats were there, so I guess harmony prevails).

Eventually, I came back into my house and lounged while watching some YouTube videos with [censored]. And now I need to sleep - goodnight!

i know i can be frustrating, but you still like me when i'm dancing

I had a really nice day, all in all, although the weather is starting to get me down - it's been cold and rainy for days on end. The day didn't start off all that well because I didn't sleep well last night - but my heart rate has reached a new low, so I would say that my break is serving me well. I also had to set an alarm and get up so that I would be ready for my new couch to get delivered. As I said yesterday, the delivery truck was parked outside my house overnight - but the delivery guys seemed none the worse for wear, and they were delighted that the place next to me is a convenience store (and not the tire store that Google Maps thinks it is), since that meant they could get coffee this morning.

So, they delivered my new sectional, and I love it - it will take some breaking in, but it's so much better than what was previously here. Even better, the delivery guys offered to make my old sectional disappear - they apparently have someplace at their warehouse that they can dispose of such things, so they hauled it off for me. This is excellent news, since that sectional was awful and I wasn't sure how I was going to pawn it off on someone. All in all, it was just as smooth as any delivery I've gotten from Room and Board, but even more impressive given that they delivered it from Minneapolis, which is five hours away (these guys apparently cover a wide area, since they were in Nebraska yesterday and were headed back north today).

After that was over, [censored] and I talked for a bit, and then he had to go to a work event. I took that opportunity to take a quick nap, and then I did some house stuff / showered / etc. Eventually, I went into town and saw [censored]'s work event - there was a small business development thing happening on the town square, and so I chatted up some of the Extension people there and got a free voucher that I used at the coffee shop. I hadn't been in the coffee shop before, but the people there knew who I was (my last name is distinctive around here), and my mocha was pretty tasty - so maybe I'll have to go back.

Before I left the square, I had a nice conversation with Mark (of battery factory fame, whose wife makes jewelry); we talked about economic development and volunteering and also Ukraine, which was a delight. Then I ran to the grocery store, ran out to my parents' house, and came back to my house and did some more sanding / vacuuming of my pantry. I eventually slacked off so that I could talk to a couple of former coworkers - we hadn't caught up in a long time, so it was good to get some gossip.

Eventually, [censored] and I went to the parents' house for dinner (bratwurst and mac and cheese, yum). And then we came back and enjoyed the new sectional while watching woodworking videos on youtube. And now I need to sleep before I get too exhausted to go to bed - goodnight!

I want something just like this

In one of the more bizarre logistics things I've seen in awhile, my new sectional (which is set to be delivered tomorrow morning) is sitting in a semi parked next to my house, where the delivery guys are apparently spending the night so that they can deliver first thing tomorrow. I had wondered how Room and Board would deliver here, since I live truly in the middle of nowhere, but they seemed to have no qualms about offering me the standard $79 delivery fee. I somehow think this delivery is costing them more than $79, since when the guys called me today to confirm delivery, they were 2.5hrs away and decided to come here when I said they wouldn't have any trouble parking here.

So, it's been a weird thing to know that we're thirty feet from each other and yet not acknowledging it until eight a.m. This is #smalltownlife at its finest, and yet I also feel super bougie for getting a sectional that had to come from a warehouse in Minneapolis. Hopefully it's great, because I definitely don't want to have to send it back.

The rest of my day was super hermity - I slept for nine hours, ate oatmeal, journaled, intended to paint, and instead didn't bother. I did make excellent breakfast tacos at two p.m., which were great. And I talked to Heather (aka dear respected madam), since we hadn't caught up before I left work. I also made stuff for salads and took it all out to my parents' house, which was nice. And [censored] showed up tonight, so my hermit time is coming to an end for now.

And now I need to sleep - goodnight!

i was born a choker

I didn't get enough sleep last night, so I'm determined to go to bed early and rectify that tonight (it helps that my laptop battery is about to die). Today was pretty good, though - I took care of a variety of tings this morning while drinking coffee, and I spent the afternoon prepping my pantry for painting. I didn't do as much prep as I probably should have (i.e. I didn't completely finish sanding, nor did I finish scrubbing), but it's completely empty and the sanding I've done so far looks good. Also, more importantly, I was able to get paint - the lumber yard is miraculously back in stock, and while I didn't stock up because I'm still weeks away from painting my staircase, I did get a gallon of satin paint for the interior of the pantry (shelves will be white semi-gloss, which I already had; but I decided the walls should be a bit more stylish than just untinted while closet paint).

So I spent the afternoon doing pantry stuff / listening to writing podcasts. I also made pork chile verde, which turned out v. well and which absolutely no one in my family would want to eat (which I why I stayed at my house tonight rather than going to my parents', although my mom did stop by to check on my kitchen progress). And now, I think I'll try to read / go to sleep - goodnight!

i see no volunteers to co-sign on my fears

I have officially stayed up way too late, which means I will probably sleep in way too late, but that's all fine. Today was good until the end; I slept in, made coffee, made some eggs, journaled/wrote, and generally enjoyed my morning. Then I ran to the next town over to talk to the person who is going to sell me some cabinets (and get some new samples), and I also grabbed some groceries. Then I came home and put everything away just in time to talk to Alyssa.

I then settled in for a nice night of reading Met Gala gossip, but got sidetracked by the news about Roe possibly being overturned and was utterly furious at how this is a clear and obvious step toward abrogating a whole ton of rights that have made my current life and the lives of most of my friends possible. I took a break from that to finish one last task for the day job, and I also did some planning for tomorrow and crossed a few tasks off the to-do list. But now I need to go to sleep - goodnight!

blame it on my roots

No case of the Sunday Scaries tonight because it doesn't feel like a Sunday - I don't have to work tomorrow, which makes everything better. My body is clearly catching up to this fact, because I somehow slept until almost ten - I'll be curious to see how much I sleep this week, and whether my heart rate continues its astonishing drop that started when I confirmed my leave and some other stressful things at work wrapped up.

Despite sleeping until ten, I got a lot of things done today. I did a bit of prep in my pantry for a possible painting project this week, and I conned [censored] into pulling a board out of the pantry that certainly didn't need to be there (Marvin made some interesting choices in his day). In payment, I made some v. tasty eggs with ham and onions, which [censored] benefitted from. I also spent some time doing more planning for me and Katie's grand adventure to Italy in a couple of weeks - I am determined not to be as unprepared or as badly packed as I was on my spinster honeymoon with Joann several years ago, so we'll see if I succeed in that.

I spent the afternoon doing some more kitchen organization stuff, and I also said goodbye to [censored], who had to return to the city where he technically resides. Then I went out to my parents' house and made dinner - it was pretty easy since I just thawed out some bolognese sauce from my last trip home and made spaghetti + garlic bread to go with it. I also discussed cemeteries and strange happenings with them, which is my favorite topic.

Then I came back to my house and watched a new episode of Stanley Tucci's SEARCHING FOR ITALY - it made me want to go back to Venice, but that's not happening on this trip. And now, I should probably go to bed - goodnight!