The Usual Stuff

[bunchofgrapes]

I'm so behind on everything internet related, specifically, reading and commenting on some fics, mostly because the last two weeks at work have been hell. I think the worst is over but Monday and Tuesday of next week are going to be more of the same. The bright spot? I came home last night to a nice, clean house and that means I only have a couple of things to do around the house this weekend. Those cleaning elves are wonderful but it's still interesting to see how they put things back. I had to hunt for everything that's usually on my bathroom counter. I think they're trying to tell me I have too much crap on the counter. I'm paying attention and have put a lot of it away. It does look much less cluttered.

I am absolutely loving the new recumbent bike! So far it's much easier to get on the bike than it was to get on the treadmill plus, my feet and heels don't hurt. But the best part? I've dropped a size since November! I have this pair of Life is Good cargo pants that I bought over the summer. I ordered them online and when they arrived, they were too small. I tried them on a couple of weeks ago and not only could I get them on, I could zip them up and sit down in them without feeling like I was going to explode. I've changed my diet (not on a diet but changing how much and what I eat) so I know that's contributed to the weight loss.

It's been really cold here and although we still have some snow on the ground, we haven't gotten any more than an inch where I live. It's just too cold to melt. A couple of nights ago it got down to around 10 so I tried to get Pudgy the stray into her little box in the backyard. Lured her in with food and happily she got in the box. It's not the best but there's a fleece blanket in there so it's got to be warmer than outside. This morning when I went downstairs to feed the cats, I opened the blinds to the patio and several minutes later, Pudgy was sitting by the door. She slept in her little box! This makes me happy because it means she climbed over the fence to get into the backyard and her box.

And speaking of cats, so far Tucker is still doing great. He is a completely different cat now - lovable, sociable, chatty, all the things he didn't do before the November surgery. Plus, he's terrorizing Harry, which is always good because Harry terrorizes Sophie and Tucker regularly. It just amazes me.

My dad called me yesterday to see if I wanted to do a movie and dinner with him and my stepmother tonight. Dad wants to see "True Grit". I have mixed emotions because I really loved the John Wayne version. But I haven't been out to a movie in forever and I thought it was nice that he asked so I said yes. If nothing else it's movie popcorn and then probably Thai food after. Plus, I have to admit that I love that I do this stuff with my parents. I once went to visit my mother in NJ. She was there for a training class so I drove up from VA to see her. We spent an enter weekend in a hotel room. Never went out to dinner, barely talked. She smoked, napped and read a book. The only time we went out was for me to drive her to a drug store so she could buy snacks. I had just purchased this Nissan Sentra (my first car purchase) and I mentioned to her that no one had ever smoked in the car. She whipped out the ash tray, lit up and said "until now". It was the worst weekend of my life and the biggest reason why, when I go back to OK, I don't stay with her (when I did, she bitched at me because I was bored sitting around the house doing nothing). So the fact that I go out to dinner with my dad and stepmother or just my dad when my stepmother is in CO, or they invite me to go out with them, really means a lot to me.