Halloween 2013

Halloween was a fun day at work - we dressed in our jammies!  It's the first time (in my whole library career I think) that I've dressed up for Halloween - I usually say that I'm cleverly disguised as a responsible adult!  But this was fun and extremely comfortable!  (The pigtails were a headband courtesy of Gale!)

Finally - cool weather

I can't believe that October is almost over - this year has flown by - but I'm VERY glad that cooler weather is here! Taking Frey out, I've seen my breath and it's almost time (especially at night and early morning) to have a jacket nearby!

Our walks are longer (and should be getting longer yet) because it's cool enough to actually walk over a mile without sweat dripping down my face and back.  Of course, it's almost time to stop the playing in the pool/hose after our walks but not quite yet (she enjoys it so!).

Next week is Halloween and, for the first time in my 27 years of working, I've agreed to dress up with several co-workers. (I have worn my robe (long zipped high collar) for an evening Holiday program!) We're going to wear our PJs!!  I got two new pairs (since my usual sleepwear is light weight sweat-type pants and an oversize T (not exactly what I could wear to work!)) - one pair is a pink plaid which is quite comfy and the other (which I'll probably wear) is Lady & the Tramp! :=)  Now I think I'll get a new pair of pink (maybe) fluffy slippers to finish the outfit!  I also have a borrowed Witch's hat to wear - if I dare!

SIGH

I had a nice weekend with friends in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.  Good conversation, shopping, site seeing and generally good fun - until I saw some pictures.  of me that is - my friends both take wonderful pictures but I hate pictures of myself - and these were no exception.  I've got to download the pictures to flash drives to give to my friends - but I will definitely be editing the ones of me!  Oh how I've always wished to have good pictures of myself - and I was a cute little girl (I have pictures to prove that) but certainly not any more.  Double Sigh!!

Late August

It's been a while!  The summer is flying by and I can't say that I'm sorry about that- I'm really looking forward to cooler weather.  One part that I am missing is the longer days.  Freyja's gotten very used to a walk after dinner - when I get home at 5:30 that's not too bad because it's just twilight about 7 when we go but after dinner when I get home at 7:30 means that it's dark!  She's not that fond of the darkness and, although my neighborhood is very quiet, I must say, neither am I.

Sasha and I used to take long walks after I got home at 9:30 - but she was a different dog - more standoffish with people and certainly protective.  Frey's a special girl who loves people and I'm not sure just how much protection she would be!  But walk we do - and we both actually enjoy it once I convince myself that it's a good thing.

Been an interesting week so far, and next week will be even better because I'm off all week!  There's a lot to do at home (and unfinished stuff to do at work) but for the most part I'm just going to relax and do what I can - without pushing.

Until next time ...

Saturday

I spent a great day yesterday with Bryan at the Kennedy Center.  He agreed to go with me to the last play of the season (and my last for a while since I didn't renew my subscription for next year).  We saw the "Book of Mormon" a delightfully funny, irreverent play by the creators of South Park.

It was fun going with Bry.  We left about 8 and actually made good time (3.5 hours) despite heavy traffic in Hampton/Newport News.  It was good talking with him, having lunch and thoroughly enjoying the play.  The trip home was longer - almost 4.5 hours.  Traffic was at 20 mph from Springfield to Fredericksburg and then the rains came!  There was torrential downpours from about Quantico to I295 - and, boy, were people horrific drivers!!

But we made it home safely and that's what counts!  Freyja had a great day with Scott - playing in the pool and roughhousing with him.  She was totally worn out when we got home!

Thinking

The moment when you realize that, while you have friends - and some wonderful friends - you don't have a "buddy".  Someone who calls randomly, someone to take off on a road trip with or just go out to dinner with.

It's not necessarily a bad thing - just a kind of sad moment - when you realize it.  In my past it's primarily been a spouse or partner but that's no longer the case.  Some things are better done with another person.  To share the experience and have a commonality of interests.  Oh well - doing things periodically alone isn't the worst thing that can happen and it serves to make the shared activities more significant.

Freyja's birthday book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Photo Book Tip: Create an adventurous travel photo album at Shutterfly.com.

One Year Old!

Playing in the bigger pool!

Playing in the pool

I got this pool because it was cheap and I wasn't sure she would like it - she does (this was her second time out in the pool today, she'd already splashed out most of the water, and she was tired) so I think a bigger pool is needed!

Redesign

My newly redesigned family room - almost everything got moved and cleaned!  Freyja has decided that the couch is her fav spot to sleep!

Cleo

Cleo died May 1, 2013 at 8:15 in the morning.  It was the end of a stressful week for both of us.  She had bouts all week of eating/not eating, and she was fading quickly.  Throughout it all, 3 doctor's visits, travel (and she never liked leaving the house), she remained calm and her normal sweet self.

On our last trip together she was lying on the seat watching the windshield wipers sweep back and forth.  She was bright and alert (she had eaten the night before and she'd had her breakfast - real cat food for the first time in days) but it was clear that this rally was only temporary.

I'm going to miss her so much - she walked into my life almost 9 years ago when she sauntered in to the Oceanfront Library one day.  She initially went home with the manager but the other cat in that house didn't approve so she came to live with me.  Preferring men, she always thought of me as her staff but she was tolerant of my mistakes and, after several years, did sometimes purr when I held her!

I know she's better now - no more getting older and weaker, lots of sunbeams, fireplaces when it's cold and all the chicken and meatloaf she wants.  Bye baby girl -

Civility

I think it must be dead . . . but every time I think that I see excellent examples of it at work. Colleagues listen to each other, disagree (sometimes passionately) without rancor, work with difficult people without being condescending, and agree to disagree.

I just wish that more people did that - it's very disheartening to read the news (one plus to getting an actual paper newspaper would be the lack of comments!) and the attending comments.  People are so rude, crude and generally vile.

What happened to civility?  I certainly didn't agree with many things that President Bush (either one actually) did but I never called him anything but President Bush or Mr. Bush.  If for no other reason than the job itself deserves respect regardless of who occupies the office.  That's the way it was when I was growing up - there was no "shock news" or name calling on the news.  I can't imagine Chet Huntley or David Brinkley saying anything even remotely like what Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh say on a daily basis.

Sad - I know every generation says that the next one is going to hell in a handbasket - those darn kids!! - but I'm truly afraid about the future - the tenor of the conversation has degenerated to the point of inaction - we're stuck because no one listens - they just yell.  SIGH

Saturday . . .

and a productive day it was!  I got a desk out of my bedroom (been wanting to do that for a while) and moved some other furniture, vacuumed, dusted and re-arranged (slightly).  All in preparation for a new mattress (and possibly moving a chair & ottoman upstairs).  Also solidified my plans for the small bedroom - lots of get out of there but a plan helps!

I don't really like watching TV from bed (don't know why because I can put on a show and fall asleep in no time) and I've always wanted a really comfortable chair to use for reading and watching TV.  Well, there's one that I moved to the room over the garage since Frey was using it as a teething toy - and the matching ottoman.  Just need to measure the matching one that's still downstairs to make sure it will fit!  Also need a floor lamp - but that's fairly easy!

Also got the groceries bought (including dog food) and vacuuming done downstairs (dog hair everywhere!) - so that means that tomorrow will be a fairly quiet day - laundry and bathrooms (neither will take too long).

Despite the exercise today and what I've already done, I'm planning on about 30 minutes on the bike today and, of course, tomorrow is a 45 minute day - if I'm smart I'll do it early but, despite all my intentions, that almost never happens.  Hopefully if it's as nice tomorrow as it was today I'll get in a nice walk with Freyja too!

It's been a while since I've done much introspection - but I did a bit today.  Nothing too serious or deep but just a looking back and finding out that I'm happy with where I am and how I'm doing.  I'm pleased with how work is going (the changes happening there are actually helping to make it more fun and interesting) and how my plans are going for my future.  While my life has had ups and downs, and there are definitely parts that I would love to re-do or at least do a bit differently, I must say that I'm happy with how it's turning out!

(I also took a free, on-line test for depression and found out that I'm not depressed - not that I thought I was, but it was interesting the questions they asked!)

lots of exercise

The past two days I've had LOTS of exercise - we're moving books at work and a co-worker and I took on the bulk of the task.  First I moved all the non-fiction a/v (audio books and DVDs) to free up some space (that took about an hour to get them all moved), then she and I went to work moving the science fiction so that we could inter-file them with the regular adult fiction.  During that process she and another co-worker moved the International Language Collection and the Adult Graphic Novels.  Finally we began shifting the adult fiction while interfiling the science fiction.

We worked about two hours straight and got a lot done - today we finished interfiling the sci-fi and I finished shifting the fiction to fill the space opened by moving the ILC and Graphics - another two hours!  (and I did my usual stationary bike exercise!)

We're going to enlist more help next week when we start inter-filing the mysteries.  And we're going to move the fiction audio books - lots of changes coming at my place of work and it's a great feeling of accomplishment (and exhaustion) doing this kind of work again!!

Ahh . . . Friday

I was off today and actually did some things around the house - not a lot for sure but some - had to go to DMV because I either didn't get the notice in December that my license decals needed to be renewed or  I lost it because it totally slipped my mind - until yesterday morning when a co-worker parked behind me, came in and said "do you have your 14s?".  It took her explaining for me to get it but the answer was No, I didn't have the 14s that should be added to the license plates!  I was lucky today and was able to get them (actually sprang for 2 years so I got 15s!) in 30 minutes from the time I walked in the door until I walked out - not bad!

Came home and decided that if I did the grocery shopping today I wouldn't have to on Sunday (my usual day) so that would be a jammie day!!  Also did one load of laundry!

Just need to clean up the kitchen from dinner, turn on the dishwasher and I'm totally done.  Even did my exercise today so I don't have to do it tomorrow after work!  9.7 miles in 45 minutes - getting to 10 miles on a regular basis . . . one day.

I'm off next week - my only "job" outside of the regular everyday things is to spend 1 hour per day in one of the bedrooms upstairs and get something done in there - guess one day will be a trip to the dump!

an interesting time

Interesting is a different word - it can mean new, fascinating, exciting things or it can mean things that are out of the norm.

An interesting time can be exciting or it can simply be different - for me, right now, it's not exciting as much as different.  Change is inevitable and constant but change can be very stressful.  It's all too easy to become complacent and settled but that just makes it harder to change when it's necessary.

I feel that a new personal change is coming - I'm not sure what it is or how it will be implemented but it's coming.  Now to figure out how I'm going to deal with it . . . makes life interesting!

A Major Milestone!

10.3 miles in 45 minutes (10 miles in 44 minutes actually) then the last minute I slowed somewhat and ended with 10.3!

13.5-14.5 miles an hour and then 15 miles an hour for a short time - just wanted to prove to myself that I could do 10 miles in 45 minutes and I did!  I certainly haven't lost weight but I do believe that things are shifting - most people wouldn't notice but the waist of a pair of pants that was super-tight (tho could be buttoned) is now not so tight and those pants could be worn without pain! :)

I haven't changed my eating habits much although I've cut down on fast food (allowing myself one breakfast and one lunch per week for most weeks) and we've cut down on delivery food - from once a week pizza to once a month so that's got to count for something!

Progress is slow but steady and I suppose that's the way it should be . . .

Some progress

9.3 miles today - in 45 minutes.  Getting faster but still have to increase my speed - today was 12.5 to 13 miles per hour - mostly 12.  I'm hoping for 10 miles in 45 minutes . . . maybe within the month??

Hoping that all this effort will pay off in my next doctor's appointment! ;)

New Door

My new front door - the pediment over the door will be replaced next week (I hope) so that the outside will be finished (again, I hope!).

The shutters match the front door - and the glass for the storm door is due next week also - long story! SIGH

BUT - I would like new lights!

A Milestone!

9 MILES in 45 minutes! Actually 44:53!!  So excited!  I'm working to get to 10 miles in 45 minutes but it's probably going to be a few more weeks because that means about 13.5 miles an hour - I'm at 12.5.

Did accomplish stuff today, other than riding - groceries, pharmacy, and washing the dog's bedding since she decided to play in the mud puddle right before I went to run errands.  There were muddy paw prints all over the floor so that had to be cleaned when I got home (must admit I'm SO glad that I have wood floors and not carpeting downstairs!) and Frey had to be hosed off and put back in her bed to dry off while her towels were washing.

So - food bought; dog hosed off; floor cleaned; bedding washed; exercise done - time for rest! :)

And she looks so innocent!

IPad

I am learning more and more each day. I've learned to secure it with a simple password, added some apps (and am very unhappy that the Pilot doesn't have a free version of the local paper like the Washington Post does!) And I've read several books!

We'll have to see what the future brings for me and my iPad!

Diane and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

...and it's only Tuesday.

People are Funny . . . and not always in a good way

Have you ever had someone go out of your life and be out for some time and then, out of the blue, make contact (even in a tangential way)?

It's very strange and surreal - and you want to say - Seriously??  What's up with this?

Luckily email notifications of such contact allows for DELETE without further reading or worrying!

Progress . . .

Some things have happened since last I posted - I have a new front door, with storm; a new patio door and new shutters on the front of the house - all looking very good!  I noticed that a neighbor is replacing the siding on their house - hopefully I can hold out on having to do that for a while!  Anyway - the forest green shutters and front door look very nice.  Now I need some bushes or shrubs out front to soften the house.  Gardening is not my thing however so that's going to be a bigger issue!  New locks too - on all the doors - progress one baby step at a time!  (I'll post a pictures soon I hope.)

I've also started seriously exercising - 45 minutes 4 times a week on the bike - speed is increasing too - now doing about 10.5 - 11.5 miles per hour for about 8+ miles in the 45 minutes.  Hopefully it will be doing some good - all I know is that it's work and I'm basically a lazy person!  At least I can watch TV while I'm pedaling.  Guess I should thank my place of employment for forcing this on me! :)

Freyja 6 weeks to 8 months

Exercise

Ok, I admit it - I hate exercise, I really do but I'm trying.  I started riding the stationary bike a while ago - started with 10 minutes (really bad shape!) and worked up to 15 minutes and about 3 miles. Then I decided to get serious, mainly because I'm forced to talk with a "coach" and exercise should help with one of my health "issues" that caused the "coach" to begin with!

I've been riding now 30 minutes a day, 4 days a week.  I started at about 9.6 miles an hour and after 30 minutes had gone about 4.8 miles.  Well, it's been a couple of weeks and now I'm starting about 9.9 miles an hour and finishing about 12 miles an hour and going about 5.1 miles in 30 minutes (today was 5.3 miles!).  My goal with my coach was to increase the number of days I exercise to 5.  I have a month to accomplish this goal and I hope to start this week.

SO - I'm planning on the following schedule:  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, either Friday or Saturday (whichever I don't work) and Sunday.  Monday I get home late and I'm just too tired!  We'll have to see how it goes!  This week I'm on day 3 and I've gone about 15 miles!  Two more days and 10 more miles to go!

It has to be beneficial - doesn't it?

Snow

We finally had some snow - not much (which is perfect) but enough to cover the streets, sidewalks, etc.  It was Freyja's first snow and she had a ball!  Literally!  She made her own snowballs and threw them around the back yard!!

I was sorry for the people who had to drive home in the mess and it certainly made my trip into work this morning longer and slower, but watching the puppy play in the snow more than made up for the inconvenience!

Long week

This has been a long week and next week is shaping up to be a doozy.  I'm working 6 days this week (again) and it wouldn't have been so bad except I asked if it was necessary yesterday and was told no.  Wasn't told until 1:15 this afternoon that it would be - too late to make any other arrangements.

I'm just so tired . . . but there's no rest for the wicked or so I'm told!

Good news - Freyja had her spaying yesterday and seems to be recovering well.  She's more lively today and eating well.  I'll be happier once the stitches are out and she's healed but things are looking good!

PS - Frey's 53 lbs. now!!

Here's to 2013!

I hope everyone had a happy, peaceful new year.  This year I didn't make it to the ball drop - in fact I'm pretty sure I didn't make it to 10:30!

But, a good night's sleep, and it's not only a new day but a new year.

Here's hoping that 2013 brings what everyone wants - in my case that would be health, friends, family and contentment!