More of the same

It's still snowing or raining or some combination of the two. It's the kind of weather that makes me want to do nothing. So it's not a huge motivator. But today, I worked out after work! I drove one of my co-workers home because he is without a car after having it reposessed when he lost his higher paying job. Sad story, nice boy...glad to be of service.
Then I had lunch and watched tv. I finished the book I was reading last night and also finished my online course (100% on my final exam, thank you very much!) so I pretty much just felt like doing nothing all day. Then I decided to do SOMETHING, so I worked out for about a half hour. It wasn't a high intensity type workout, but my jobs are pretty physically demanding most of the time.
I am looking forward to Sunday again. It is funny how before, my days off were my errand days...spent doing all the things I couldn't do the rest of the week because I was AT work. Now, because of my schedule, I am more likely to do errands on my work days and so have no guilty feelings about just spending a nice relaxing day with Hubby at the end of the week. I was hoping my new schedule would be a chance for me to spend more time planning meals and cooking, but I've come to realise that I don't really like cooking and our meal 'planning' system has worked for so long, why mess with a good thing, right?!
Since falling into a regular schedule at my new job, I am feeling almost no stress. I have even already put in for time off for Thanksgiving week this year! We are planning our 10th wedding anniversary trip to Las Vegas and I already know I'm getting the time off, so I am less stressed about it and the excitement of taking a vacation (the first in many years) is taking over.
Things are good. I'm feeling happy again!
But I really need to figure out if I want to be in my studio...I just never feel creative. Maybe that ship has sailed?

I wonder

Hubby and I are trying so hard to figure out what to do with this room of our house. We call it the 'mudroom' because we use our side door as our main entrance, so it's where all the muddy shoes get dumped. But it's really just a useless room. We don't use it as a dining room because we are one of those couples who eat in front of the TV...sitting on the floor. We use it when we host the weekly poker game, but that is a rare occasion since I usually have to be in bed by 9p.m. on Tuesdays. I am planning on setting up a craft corner/bill station for small projects/daily household planning.

Anybody have any bright ideas?

(please forgive the mess...as I said, this room's main purpose is...well, unknown)
This is the room looking out the back slider (the kitchen is to the left).

This is the room looking out towards the front of the house (the kitchen is to the right).

On an unrelated note, Hubby is making a macaroni & cheese with bacon pizza tonight. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Feelin' pretty good

It's Friday! Yes, there's still another day of work, but I'm getting used to it. I'm not all 'I don't want to get up' like I was with my last job, so that's a good sign. The longer drive to work (20-25 minutes compared to 10 minutes) actually gives me more time to wake up, drink my coffee, and get ready for the day. Sure, now I'm eating in the car, but I don't mind really.

It's also the last day of my online class. Today the final exam is released, too, but I am planning on studying all day after work tomorrow and taking my exam on Sunday, after I've had a full night's rest and can focus. Yes, it's just an online class and it's an 'open notes' type exam and there's really no way I could fail...but, I really want to see what I've learned since the class really did teach me a lot of stuff that I can use at work at the animal hospital.

And while I was downstairs printing out my last lesson (since that's where my printer is), I was poking around my studio and thinking about what I want to start working on once I'm making more of an effort to craft. Then I noticed some bits and baubles I had made out of the last batch of paper pulp I had made. I had forgotten that I took one and dipped it in a hard coat sealant. It had dried...since I'm pretty sure it was about a month ago when I actually dipped it! Anyway, I really liked the way it looked. Though in the picture it looks like kind of liked chewed up gum.

I put a length of black chenille yarn through it to tie it on like a necklace (since I'm not a jewelry maker and just used what I had on hand)...I think it's super cool! And it's paper!

I, as I think I said in my last post, am also thinking of going back to my super short hair style. I like my hair now, but it really only looks as it's supposed to right after i wash it. And it's just not logical to shower every morning at 4 a.m.....it's just not! So I snapped a shot of how my hair is meant to look. It's the messy look. I think it's cute, but I also think I have transformed into a short hair kinda girl. A friend of mine commented that my short hair makes me seem more confident and assertive...and he was totally right. I don't know why, but I feel less awkward...probably because I am not thinking about how awful my hair looks!

And this is how I really like my hair.

Thursday's rainy day plan

It's been raining for the past 2 days and due to continue until, I think, Tuesday!
That makes me want to snuggle up in bed with the dog everyday when I get home. So that's what I've been doing.
Today, I had to nap a little so that I could manage to stay awake for Survivor.
But I swear, next week, I am taking advantage of getting home so early. I'm working out. I'm getting back into the studio. I'm going to start planning my veg beds for Spring. I'm going to TRY to plan dinners better, but I have to say...cooking is not my passion. I made dinner tonight, which was very good, and I decided that I don't like planning or cooking. But some one's gotta do it, and since I'm home and Hubby works til 6-6:30 every night...it's on me.
So, if all goes well, I'll soon have some new stuff to show and list on etsy.
Oh, and I'm thinking I don't like my 'longer' short hair cut anymore...it's growing out a little too puffy and thick. I may have to get another hair cut. We'll see. I change my mind daily.
TIME FOR SURVIVOR!!!

oh, no...Spring is coming

It was beautiful yesterday!
And rumor has it that it's going to be near 40 degrees today.
Most of the snow from the last storm is mostly melted away (except the spots that never see the sun.) The forecast is calling for rain/snow, though starting Tuesday and going straight on for a week! Today I'm thinking I'll get my lazy ass outdoors and turn my garden beds over a little since I never actually finished doing it this fall, and basically have just been dumping my veg scraps in and covering them as well as I could with whatever earth wasn't completely frozen. This is a practice I need to be careful of though since Moxie has been getting in there. When the snow was higher, she was able to just walk right over my tiny fence...now she's realized that she can just jump over if she was whatever snacks I have tossed in! This year: breaking down and getting a nice fence for the garden.
The warm(er) weather has gotten me excited about the yard. Sort of. I am eager to see which of our last year's perennials actually come back. I have started to think about which veggies will make the cut for this years garden. And, I am really curious how the grass will grow back this year. Right now, it doesn't look promising, but it's still just February.
I've also been thinking about the car project with my sister. Last time I was over to see Dad (and the car), everything was covering in about 6" of snow, the tarp was on the ground, and I had to dig it out of the snow to get it back on the car. But I had bungees this time and so now it should be secure enough to withstand the next windy day. But I want to actually get working on it. I want to look under the hood and take a stab at some mechanical tasks. I want to learn something about cars!
And, of course, with Spring coming, we will be able to open windows and let some fresh air in. That means more painting projects! As I stated before, we have a room that has not found its identity yet. We use our side door, mostly, so this is the room people walk into when the enter our home, greeted by a futon, the back of the fireplace and a mish-mash of 'what the hell is this room for?' It's really a great room in the summer though. There are two windows at the front end of the house, two at the side, and we had a big slider put in to replace the French door at the back of the house. In the summertime, it's the best place to sit and read or even take a nap (if you're into that sort of thing). But we have never touched. My sister painted it green when she lived here during our year on Nantucket, but we're thinking a nice yellow or other light color... Actually, there's a lot we'd like to do...the point is, the promise of Spring has got me doing nothing but thinking about all the things I want to do when it gets here!!

Good things today

Well, I'm enjoying a day off. This may be my last week before I go into 6-day workweeks again. (I'm not complaining...just saying, 'it's my day off')

I'm having a great day so far. I stayed in bed until I absolutely knew there was no chance of falling back asleep (that was at 6:30).

Here are the highlights:

1. free coffee and free breakfast! The computer at the bakery was not working so our gift card wouldn't go through, so we got our refills free (not the first time, and we'll try to pay next time, but they won't take our money). Laurie and Ian make their own bread and they had just pulled some ham and cheese breakfast calzone things out of the oven and Ian gave me one...free food is so great...especially when it's delicious!

2. I made homemade miso soup again and it made the house smell yummy. Not as good as chocolate chip cookies, but way better for you.

3. took Moxie to the vet today. I know my dog is awesome, but it's even better when the doctor tells you so! I love when the vet is excited about your pet. I mean, they see animals all day, but when they make you feel like yours is the one they'll remember...it just feels nice. Moxie stood still to get weighed. She didn't budge when they gave her the shot. I hear at the place where I work that pugs are awful for check-ups and grooming. I have seen it, too..they wiggle constantly and a lot of them bite. They hate having their feet, ears, and mouths played with. But since the very first day we had Moxie, I have played with her ears and feet and mouth, so, though she'd rather I didn't do these things, she takes it. My favorite part of the exam was when the doctor rubbed her fur to check her coat and said, 'she's so soft! Do you bathe her?' When I said that I do but that I haven't in a few months, she said, 'your mommy takes such good care of you!' Then she got excited when Moxie gave her a little kiss. It really was the highlight of my day.

4. I found out the local brewery has a winter ale out and some leftover holiday brews. I love taking my growlers to the brewery and getting them refilled! so cool.

5. The reward of beer was for finishing the painting in the basement. Today I painted the trim (white) and I think that's it. Eventually I'd like to throw some plain 1x2 baseboards in and I'm thinking of some carpet tiles for that small portion of the floor, but that is later. After I've been working my full-time schedule for awhile.

6. After today's online class lesson, I just have next week...Wed/Friday lessons, then the 'exam'. I have actually learned a few new things and it really is making me more comfortable at work.

7. Except for a receipt from my furnace guy, I'm done with our tax worksheet and ready to send it off to the accountant. I hope we get some money back. Although, I hate spending large chunks of money at once on big purchases, we're thinking (since we've decided we'll be staying her for awhile) we might buy ourselves a new hot tub. We'll see...we're both still on the fence, actually.

8. For the rest of the day, I'm going to (study first, but then...) watch a movie and sew up the holes in every pair of my socks. Some crazy fun going down over here!

It's here!!

I got my new hat Tuesday. What do we think? Personally, I LOVE it!!
It's all soft and cute.

And more good news..
My new job seems to be getting a little more bearable. And I went from one day a week to 4, so I guess I must be doing okay. OR...maybe it's because no one else wants the hours they are giving me. Keep in mind that one of the reasons I left my coffee shop job was the 4:30 a.m. wake-up calls. Well, my schedule for next week: after working my vet job Mon/Tuesday all day, I work the new job Wed- Saturday 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. That's right...I'm the morning girl. Why would I do that to myself again? Well, because here are the pros:
1. getting out BEFORE NOON means the rest of the day off!
2. the first 2 and a half hours, all i do is stock shelves. No customers, just product.
3. #2 means just 3 and half hours of actually helping customers...not 8 hours of helping everyone all by myself.
4. working 6 days (yuck!) will at least get me the hours I need to get health insurance through my new job, which is a pretty kick-ass plan, apparently.

I'm still getting used to the early mornings again, but today was a good step forward.
After work, I studied a little, then worked out for an hour, then cleaned the kitchen and took out the trash, and now I need to figure out what's for dinner. I think this is the last week that I'll have two days off from work for awhile, but the short days will allow me plenty of time for other stuff.
Something I realized while working out today: in finding enough time in the day to do everything, I decided that I miss working out.
Wow, what a stupid and utterly boring post...
So, do you like my new hat? ;)