yay books

I am a serial reader. I am always reading something, and very often, I have two books (or more) going on at the same time. I am currently reading Watership Down (in the bedroom) and Blood Red Horse (in the bathroom, yes, I am a bathroom reader...)

But since I hadn't been paid in a long time, I really hadn't bought new books in a while. I like to have at least three new books waiting for me, so that as soon as I finish, I can start reading another one or two, with one still in reserve. While I still have some existing books that I haven't read yet (see books currently reading,) they weren't new books, so I hadn't been excited to read them. And they aren't books that I've read before and love to reread, so I had been without books I couldn't wait to read for a while.

No longer! We went to Barnes & Noble on the day I got paid, and I happily dropped about $50 in new books, and that was restraining myself. So now I have waiting for me: Labyrinth, Hood, The Riddle, Pippi Longstocking, and Eat, Pray, Love. Now technically, Pippi Longstocking was bought a while ago, but since it was the last of my new books, I couldn't start it until I had more new books, because it would only take me a few hours to read it at most, and then I wouldn't have any new books at all, see my dilemma?

I feel complete now, like I had lost friends somewhere along the way, and I only just got them back. And yes, I know, this might be extreme to feel about books, but I really consider them friends.

Happy reading!

Last day of vacation...

Last official day of vacation...or unemployment, however you want to look at it. And I think I will soon be a bike commuter! We are very near a bike trail that goes up to downtown Durham, and it's easy to get to my Duke office building from there. Tim would have to drive me maybe a mile or two to the trail head, since there is no shoulder on the road or bike lane, but then it would be an easy 10 mile ride or so.

I'm thinking of getting something like this -- a nice commuter bike that will be comfy and fun to ride on. Nothing like Bianca, the wonderful Bianchi road bike I used to have when I was with Mark, but I'm not intending to put those kind of miles on a bike again. When I had Bianca, Mark and I would often go out for rides of 30-70 miles. I actually biked a century (100 miles in one go) on her. Now, I want a bike I can take on bike trails and bike paths, nice, easy rides.

And today, we are getting new phones (no, not the fun, snazzy iphone, just a new verizon phone). It's weird to be getting new regular cell phones on a day when even the mayor of Philadelphia is caught camping for the most anticipated phone. Maybe someday, when the prices drop to a reasonable level! lol. We are actually going to wander by an apple store tonight, to see how crazy people are getting over the iphone. Can you imagine people getting this excited for a new microsoft product, like a Zune phone? I don't think so...

and they're off and running....

We are treadmill owners! Our lovely new treadmill just arrived, and is set up on our sun porch exercise room. Out there we have the treadmill, the total gym, free weights, yoga matt and ping pong table. And it has a separate AC unit, which is vital considering how warm that room gets.

We are both really excited. Me, so that I don't always have to run early in the morning or late at night to avoid running in the heat/humidity, and so it is easy to do speed workouts. Tim so that he can do cardio, and so he can actually run, because street running just does not work for him.

Myra isn't sure if she's excited, she kept wanting to sniff the new thing in her area. :)

And we discovered that oddly I make more noise running than Tim does. I think it is because he doesn't pick up his feet a lot when he runs, and he tends to walk really lightly and quietly. But the sunporch is insulated enough, with a really good door, that as soon as you close the door are in the actual house, you can't hear it. Which is of course of vital importance during football season... lol

so easy, so brilliantly brilliant

I always plan to go grocery shopping saturdays after my class, but saturday comes and goes, and I don't go, I might run out Sunday to pick up some things but never do a full trip, thinking well, I'll just go tomorrow. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Part of the reason I don't just get it over with is because it usually ends up taking at least an hour, often closer to two, because of lines and crowds and having to go to more than one store.

But. But. New Seasons offers online shopping. You can have it delivered for $10 or pick it up at the store for $5. I did it tonight, you can put items on your favorite list, so it gets faster each time, you can just run down your favorites for what you always buy. My groceries will all be picked out and ready for me tomorrow after my class, I just have to call on the way there.

And side bonus, it is easier to stay on budget, because you don't get tempted by cookies or chocolate or whatever. I didn't buy any produce, I'll stop at the produce stand for that, but it was so easy, such a time saver, that I'm amazed I haven't done it before. Because really, I like having a full house of groceries so I can cook healthy meals, but I have so many other things I would rather do on my weekends than spend close to two hours battling grocery store lines.

Does it make me lazy? Or efficient and practical? Either way, it's a good thing.

little happiness-es

Little things that made me happy today:

Having blueberry pancakes for dinner

Going on a date with Tim, going to see Pan's Labyrinth (eh...it was ok. It was slow and dark, and it looked better in the previews, but contrasting WWII in Spain with a girl's fantasy world, and showing how even fantasies aren't perfect was interesting, and it was beautifully filmed), and then going to Borders.

Buying new books (the next one in the Outlander series, yay! and the second Traveling Pants book), and new cds (Joni Mitchell's Blue -- I forgot how amazing this album is, how much I love it. It is one of those I can listen to all the way through and then want to listen to it again).

Doing all our house-cleaning chores today, so all that's left chore-wise is to go grocery shopping.

Adds up to a nice Friday with lots of little happies. :)

just lovely music

I just downloaded the Charlotte's Web soundtrack and it just lovely, upbeat music that is great to have in the background while I am working.

I am not someone who normally has just music (as opposed to songs) on, but I really like this.

Makes me smile and feel relaxed and makes my fingers feel like they want to fly over the keyboard.

awwww yeah

Mom. Done.
Dad. Done.
Mikki -- not done but i know what i'm getting you beyotch. >:)
Tim -- won't start shopping till after our trip but I have some good ideas.
We found the perfect gift for dimitri, have a good idea for tim's mom, and will get something for the house for john and laura.

This has never happened. ANNNND we'll have money left over from what we set aside for presents and such. Cool.

Wheee! mini shopping spree and a fun day

So, I've been wanting to spend some money, partly because I really haven't bought anything in a long time, and partly because I knew our money situation was good. Tonight, we went to the mall and I got some new pj's from Vic Secret (my pajama situation was rather sad) and then we went to Aveda. I was originally going to get body moisturizer, but we ended up buying a line of facial care products -- cleanser, toner and moisturizer. I think we will really like them. I didn't spend a ton of money, and I didn't mess up the budget, but it was fun and it cured me of my need to spend money for a while.

Overall, today was a really good day. I didn't really work today, I worked two hours and was already at 35 hours for the week, so Tim and I just took the day off. The cool thing about being a freelancer is that I can do work on Sunday and get my 40 hours for the week.

We went to Petite Provence for lunch, and managed to squeak in at the end of the time they were serving breakfast. Let me tell you, this place is hands down the best breakfast in Portland. That is not an exaggeration. Tim got french toast with mixed berries, and I got eggs with pesto, tomato and mozzarella. OHMYGOD. Normally I'm not someone who raves about eggs, but these were phenomenal. Picked up the mutt from school, came home and napped for a while, then we headed off to the mall.

I NEED this

http://tinyurl.com/w3qkv

NEW Tri-Zone Heated Fleece Jacket
Rechargeable, battery-operated fleece jacket keeps you warm on the slopes, hiking trail or on the sidelines. Stay snug outside without making quick trips indoors to “warm up.” This fleece jacket features lightweight, carbon fiber heating elements threaded throughout the material, the jacket keeps you warm across three different zones. Rechargeable battery for up to five hours of warmth. Mini heat controller adjusts the temperature across multiple zones and fits in a pocket.

I could always be warm!!