OMG congrats TPS! I was not aware! And here I thought that having a baby and a toddler was the best birth control one could have! :-)

1. In Hermosa Beach until Sunday. As usual, a mixed bag. My mom and brother are both sorta depressed, and their living situation can veer towards a Grey Gardens sort of thing, although not nearly that bad. But messy house, sedentary lifestyle, TV on all the time, etc. is not how I normally live.

2. But it's on the BEACH, so reconnecting with the beach where I grew up is always very nourishing to me. I had a nice walk along the beach this morning and found a whole sand dollar, which I never have down here. All soft blues and golds this morning, down by the water.

3. We are planning a road trip to British Columbia this summer. Plus my friend from Hawaii is coming over with his duo and wants me to organize a house concert. Last time, I failed to draw a crowd, despite a lot of effort. I'll try again this time.

1. My aunt, 83, is expected to die any day now. I am NOT happy about this.

2. I just discovered "The Big Bang Theory" TV show. OMG where've you been all my life?! What a hilarious show. (I was even laughing at some of the online synopses before having seen the episode!)

3. Tired of the stupid politics at work. It never ends!!

Yay TPS!!! I didn't know! Congrats!

PS this is the second time we are pregnant at the same time! :)

Oh, oh! Congrats to both TPS and amro! I am coming up on 22 weeks with my first little sprout, who is either a very proper girl or a very shy boy who loves to cross zir legs either way :P

Oh my goodness, so many Mecha babies!

1. I am desperately hoping that this weekend can serve as a mini-vacation for me. I'm going to the Eastern Shore to visit with my sisters and we are planning on doing nothing but drinking and lazing about.

2. This month is totes going to be LAMFA month, since I have doctor's appointments and important bills due. (I even put my taxes in the mail yesterday!) I've also got a bunch of witchery stuff to do, so that's going to be moving up on the priority list.

3. I'm only at work for a little more than a half an hour today and I am so anxious to gtfo. I like my job, I really do--but goddamn, I need an actual vacation. (AOTB 2 weeks ago doesn't count since I was performing and had to deal with my dance partner's pissy perfectionism.)

What excellent news from TPS and amro.

1. My son and his wife are expecting a boy in August. soooo excited.

2. Looking for work. How does that work these days?

3. I have a stressful legal situation (civil) coming up, trying to have confidence it will work out.

Babies are nice.

1. Trying to get off caffeine. Not sure what the point is -- just tired of being addicted to it I guess. Going very very slowly.

2. Not really enjoying work. Outside of work could also use improvement.

3. Making potato soup this weekend.

1. I'm about 75% over the flu that knocked me out for the last 2 weeks. I'm just coughing up the last of the crud on my chest, and my throat hurts from straining with coughing.

2. So the record levels of smog in London and the south east of England haven't helped me today. I'd have worked at home, but I had to go into the office as it was my boss's last day before her promotion. We had a team lunch for her, and then there was a party for the whole department at a bar in Canary Wharf. It was fun, with a free bar and nice food.

3. I had my annual review with my boss this morning and it went better than I ever could have imagined. She gave me a glowing review. I am more than happy, as I tend to be full of self-doubt and criticism and think I'm screwing up when I'm actually doing great work.

Yay, babies!

1. At the opposite end of the baby-making spectrum, I finally got to go off hormonal birth control and be assured of no more. This will be interesting. Aside from my pregnancy and the year after Maddie's birth breastfeeding, I haven't been off oral contraceptives since I was 17 (I got knocked up in the first month after going off them when we were trying for a kiddo). So I'm wondering if anything changes about mood, weight, appetite, skin condition etc. etc. etc.

2. Eating this chickpea curry for lunch. And maybe every lunch FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE because yum.

3. Out of the blue at yoga today, a particular pose just became available to me. No idea how that happened, but all of a sudden it feels easy. Huh.

3a Game of Thrones this weekend! Also Veep! Yay!

1. Stayed up too late writing a paper on baptismal instructional homilies from Antioch in the late 4th century. My thesis involved references to Friday Night Lights.

2. Will be presenting in class this afternoon on 5 chapters from Jung's Red Book, specifically the chapters that involve his visit to hell and eating someone's liver.

3. I really need to finish up my senior thesis. One more exegetical section to write and then a chapter on some application to social media.

Bonus:
4. Looking forward to easter egg hunting in the city on Saturday.

I love BudgetBytes, JanetLand! I must have made that soup because I absolutely love everything she does and I love potato soup. Let us know how you like it!

I must have made that soup because I absolutely love everything she does and I love potato soup.

You made it for me and Jason when we came to visit in January.

I have had mixed results with BudgetBytes, so I have cheese and crackers on backup if the potato soup fails.

I couldn't remember if it was that recipe or another, Senyar! I do love all things potato :D

1. Finished my tsxes and another annual statement this past week. What a relief. Now my poor Bear needs to get his part done so we can ship off the final version soon, but at least he is not waiting on me.

2. I was surprised to fall in love with Scandal, and am now almost halfway through Season 2. What a fun show. I think I have a girlcrush on Kerry Washington.

3. Work has been pretty intense lately but we are expecting next week to be just the opposite. Looking forward to the breather.

Congrats to all the pregnant bunnies!!!!

Squeee babies! Sept is a wonderful month for a birthday (but I may be a bit biased :o) My bff is due in Sept too and I've already put in my vote for the date.

1. Kidlet turned 1 last month and started walking last Friday. I finally realized she's been saying dog and socks (in my defense they sound like awful like the rest of her babbling). And yesterday she showed me that she knew how to open the dogs' crates o.O It's all very exciting.

2a. New role at work in an area I'm interested that I got by asking. Who knew that's what it would take? Probably helps that the company is pretty good about that kind of thing if you're working for decent managers. Though I kind of think they owe me after the hell of last year. Now I just have to do a good job at the new stuff.

2b. Also I have a new manager. As I told my coworker, I'm not unhappy about who it is. I think this has the potential of being a very good relationship.

3. I'm loving the blooming cherry & tulip trees, forsythia and daffodils. So glad spring's finally here.

1. My kids' (and my) karate instructor is moving away and it was pretty emotional this week, what with hubby having set out for the Bay Area last week. We've only just gotten a routine in place for the mornings.

2. ...which completely blows my exercise routine out the window. No more 5:00 at the gym, so I have to rejigger the day somehow and get it in. If I don't I get very very cranky.

3. As for work, well, it's there. There's less and less for me to do as things get outsourced, and other people finally learn what I've been trying to teach them.

4 - Congratulations on all the babies!! Got a friend at work and my BFF's daughter expecting, too. :)

Congrats on all the babies!

1. Finally done with travelling for a bit - we did Myrtle Beach and Charleston one week after the other and I'm ready to just be at home for a while.

2. Got to go shopping with my niece this week (she's 14 now!) which was fun. Part 2 of the shopping trip will be on Sunday, plus I'll need to pick up birthday decorations for her party next weekend. She wants paper lanterns (with led lights), balloons, and multicolored glow sticks.

3. I have a skirt and some felt bunnies (for Easter) partially finished. Hopefully after this weekend, I'll be able to sit down and sew/craft some more.

1. Congratulations TPS

2. Congratulations Amro

3. Congratulations Madamina

I love the thought of more Mecha babies!

1. Work continues to be frustrating, with my team well exceeding KPIs but others not even trying and nothing happens. I can only say variations of 'don't worry about it, you guys are doing a great job and there's no point in getting stressed about what others are doing' for so long. Need to talk to my boss about the lack of accountability of other managers next week, which won't be fun.
2. Non-work continues to be frustrating, with the recent announcement from my ex that youngest daughter now lives with me full-time, as she can't cope with her. Not fun trying to juggle that and a full-time (and then some!) job with a three-hour daily commute. Good to have an understanding boss that has allowed me flexibility in working hours.
3. Getting worried that, partly because of #2 (but mostly because lazy), I haven't been training enough for this. Not being properly prepared for this event will be a disaster - it's way too tough to just slog through if I'm not ready.

The potato soup was pretty good. Worth the effort.