1. This is summer's last gasp, and I love it. The windows are open, sunshine streaming in, the cat is running from room to room and staring at the leaves as they fall. Life is good.

2. Went to a Michael Franti concert last night and bounced around for the entire time. It was a great time, but I'm kind of sore now. In theory, there are things to get done today... we'll see.

3. I had a Chinese brush painting class yesterday all day, and the stools were really too tall, so I ended up standing for eight hours while I painted. Yeah, tired today. But now I can paint mums and dragonflies and bok choy and plum blossoms and things. Yay!

1. My desk was piled high with crap when I got into work today (as I've been on vacation for the past week). At least the boss isn't going to be here tomorrow so I can slack some today still.

2. I know that sitting in chairs is not helping my back any, but I really don't have a choice and that bothers me because I'm almost out of Vicodin. I get up for 5 minutes after every hour, but that doesn't seem to be enough.

3. My index is somewhat coming along. I am determined to have it finished by the end of the month.

1. It's officially autumn chez Elsa: the landlords turned on the radiators. It smells all warm and toasty in here.

2. My left ankle is all swollen up and sore as if I twisted it... mysterious, since I HAVE BEEN OFF MY FEET for most of the last few days with back trouble. GRAR RAR RAR AILMENTS.

3. Two dear friends returned from vacation engaged to be married! Delighted squeal! We're having dinner with 'em tomorrow night and bringing dessert: I think I'll make heart-shaped chocolate sandwich cookies in their honor.

1. Today's our 6 month wedding anniversary! We're going to celebrate at Bare Burger.

2. My short-term life plan changes every other week. This makes it very difficult to plan anything. I'm living one day at a time!

3. Visited a 5-week old baby last night. Learned of a new pregnancy this morning at church. It's a baby bonanza! But not for me. People, please, lay off the cutesy "So when are YOU going to have a baby?" I have basic standards that will need to be met. Like my husband and I will need to live in the same state all of the time. CALL ME CRAZY. I saw how much work a new baby is last night- both Mom and Dad were exhausted! I ain't doing it alone!

1. I have been sick for the last three or four days. I woke up today feeling better, so I showered and dressed and bounced downstairs and unloaded the clean dishes from the dishwasher and loaded up some dirty dishes and now.... it's 10:30am and I'm totally exhausted and think I may just need to sit and rest for the next twelve hours.

2. We set up a birdbath/fountain in our backyard a few weeks ago, and this morning there were about eight little birdies splashing around and it made me happy to see them.

3. While sick, I read a book I picked up from the remainders stack, and it was really really good. Where the Light Remains by Hayden Gabriel is highly recommended.

1)I am riding on a bus somewhere in NJ on my way to Baltimore where we will be picked up by my son's family. (Note to Kate--babies are a lot of work but 45 years later, they pick you up in Baltimore.)

2) My mouth is swollen from oral surgery making me look [politically correct adjective for someone of subnormal intelligence].

3) I am hungry but can't eat anything (see 2)

1. Back in Boston until tomorrow.

2. This morning, I went through the apartment with my ex, figuring out what is whose and what we're each going to keep.

3. Only cried a little bit at the end. So far.

1. My thumb sprain is acting up again, but it meant I could command my teenage helpers to do all the writing adn carrying at Sunday School today, which was fun.

2. A bottle of black nail polish shattered on the white bathroom floor this morning and everything smells like nail polish remover (seriously, NOTHING else would get it off). Also I really liked that nail polish.

3. Time for a nap, then baking pumpkin bread for game night tonight. It may be 87 degrees out, but it's fall, dammit!

Aw, Eide. *hugs*

People, please, lay off the cutesy "So when are YOU going to have a baby?" I have basic standards that will need to be met. Like my husband and I will need to live in the same state all of the time. CALL ME CRAZY.

That's youthful idealism for you. ;)

1.) Rather too cold today for my liking but it is, OCTOBER and all that. Global warming has spoiled me. I keep expecting seventy-plus temps up until Thanksgiving.

2.) Mildy annoyed that work does not give me the Friday after Thanksgiving as a vacation, that I'll have to put in for it.

3.) Today's lunch: Mile End Delicatessen in downtown Brooklyn. This will be the first time I've had Canadian food.

4.) Tomorrow will be a vacation day for me, which almost kinda-sorta makes up for point number 2 above.

On preview:

(Sorry, man.)

Oh, Eideteker, that's a hard time. *hugging*

Yeah, and it's made harder by the fact that it was my decision. I think it's the right one, but it's still hard to walk away from a loving but unhealthy relationship.

The place feels so empty now.

((((Eid))))

1. It's 2pm my time and I just woke up. We were out for dinner with some friends last night and, although I really wanted to go home afterward, they insisted that we do stuff. 'Stuff' turned out to mean playing poker until 5am. Then I couldn't get to sleep until about 8am. I'm feeling very disoriented right now.

2. I might actually win in one of my fantasy football leagues today - I'm up against someone that's got three players on their bye week. I don't know what's up, but I'm sucking at all things football this year.

3. I wish it would cool off a bit. It's OCTOBER and I want to cook things and bake things, but it's too hot to turn on the oven. And I refuse to turn on my A/C in OCTOBER.

On preview:
Senyar: Grape Hyacinths are my favorite garden flower. My mom always had some in her garden when I was growing up.
lriG.rorriM: We went to the Michael Franti show on Friday! I also bounced around a lot and made my left foot wonky. When he sang Gloria I was nearly moved to tears. It was such an awesome show!
TPS: I hear you on the baby thing. Some people have tried to convince me I should just get pregnant by 'accident' because 'you're not ready until it just happens'. NO WAY!
Eideteker: I hope your feeling of emptiness turns into a feeling of freedom sooner than later. Hugs.

1. I wish I had some control over who I become attracted to!!

2. Went to church this morning to usher, and I put on my headband slightly askew. Some of my hair stuck up in a really stupid way, but no one ever told me, didn't notice it until I got home.

3. I think that movies have really warped people. There was a relationship askme the other day where someone told the guy, "life isn't like the movies!" It's so true. People say to me about my crush, "well, why don't you play hard to get?" Because it only works in the movies, that's why.

Hugs, Eid! It seems like usually being the breaker-upper is almost worse than being the breaker-uppee.

1. Had insemination #2 today. Which again means that all-day feeling of excitement mixed with terror. (I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but those of you who are my friends on Facebook, please keep the insemination stuff under your hats.) As TPS notes, this will certainly not be easy... But I feel like it's my only option.

2. And then at the same time I have a crush on a long time friend and I'm kind of feeling that it might be mutual. God, I really don't want to be a real-life version of The Back-Up Plan. Especially since I doubt it would have the same happy ending.

3. My cat Smooshie has started peeing on the bathroom rug. RIGHT NEXT TO THE LITTERBOX. He's cute but he's a jerk sometimes.

Woowoo, amro! I will be wishing you many happy pregnancy inducing thoughts!

Thanks TPS. I want to add a #4:

A good friend told me last night that I have the best comic timing of anyone he's known. That seriously made my year.

((((E))))

12th wadding anniversary

take out

1. It's supposed to hit 87 degrees today. It is October. Is this long, miserable, sweltering summer ever going to end? I am so, so tired of it.

2. Three million people could, you'd think, support one — that's all I'm asking — liquor store with a halfway decent selection of whiskey. But apparently all any of them drink is shitty overpriced flavored vodkas (flavored with extract of marketing).

3. The leek is my new favorite vegetable.

He's cute but he's a jerk sometimes.

If I had a dollar for every time...

And for enn...

(((((Eide)))))

1. Cleaned ALL the things!!!

2. Going to our regular Sunday evening happy hour tonight!!!

3. Having some weird ego issues at work with another person on my team. Trying to take the high road when she does stuff that pisses me off, but that's not really very satisfying.

((Eide))

1. Really lovely and sunny here in Toronto today,so I went to the beach. I often sit on some flat breakwater rocks on the shore to brainstorm stuff.

2. I must've fallen asleep, because next thing I know I was being poked in the abdomen by a soggy chocolate lab. He then proceeded to lick my face until called away by his owner. The dog's name was 'Wally'.

3. Then I walked home. I could meet some of my friends for their anniversary party that they always do at an amusement park, but feel like I need a night in since I was sick all last week. I'll probably figure out some dinner now.

1. Went to my boss's surprise birthday party. I was surprised that more folks from out team didn't attend.
2. Don't have to work tomorrow. YAY!
3. Taking my daughter to get tested for cystic fibrosis tomorrow. Boo.

1. Yesterday was my birthday.

2. People remembered it was elizard's as well, but I was ignored.

3. That wasn't the only thing that sucked yesterday. But it piled on.

Oh, Doohickie, that's so sad! I hope you'll accept my happy belated birthday wishes --- and my sympathy for a pile-on day.

Jeez, I didn't even know there was a birthday list anywhere. Thanks for pointing it out.

(aw, Doohickie. Sorry, man. I know it's not a consolation, but I only knew it was elizard's because of facebook, and I suspect that other ppl were the same... and I know you're not so into facebook :/ )

1. Daughter is cough cough coughing in her crib. It may be a long night.
2. Just started watching 'Breaking Bad' tonight. That was one of the best series openers I've ever seen.
3. Forgot it was Columbus day tomorrow and thus daycare is closed. Happy bonus: spending the day with the kidling. Bummer: I have to make up my work somehow...

I posted the elizard birthday thing, cause I was stuck on a bus until after midnight and saw on FB that it was her birthday. No slight intended.

1. saw my 2 yr old daughter again saturday after 10 weeks. Yay. Lots of singing songs, climbing in the park and running around.
2. her US grandmother died recently. It's hard to tell how that affects a 2 yr old. She seemed a bit downcast but that can be my imagination.
3. had a lovely time in the park sunday with a friend and his 4 yr old. Sitting in the sun at a café afterwards having a few beers and bitterballen. Such a perfect day
4. all that happiness was tinged with the sadness of seeing my daughter so little.