Going pretty well! I was off Friday because I was scheduled for a version to flip transverse baby #2. Did a little furniture shopping at Macy's in the morning, got a couch and a mattress set for our guest room. Got to the hospital for the procedure, got all robed up and on the monitors- then they bring the ultrasound in and the baby had flipped all on his own since Thursday! And the monitors showed I was having minor contractions! Hurray! We had time to kill since we had a nanny at home, so we went to a sit-down lunch and to Costco to upgrade our phones. We have entered 2008, we have iPhones now (sad we had to upgrade with an iPhone event in less than two weeks, but we were desperate- Stynxno's phone was totally broken and mine was getting close).

Yesterday we did more furniture shopping- finally found a master bedroom bed frame I like at a local place thanks to a very knowledgeable saleswoman (can't get service like that at a chain). Then pool time! The pool closes after Monday for the season, I'm so depressed already.

Today, more furniture shopping! We are going to get this house finished if it kills me, I guess the nesting instinct is strong. A trip out to World Market, mainly to look at a dining room table. Once we have that, all our big furniture needs are in place. Was hoping to get in more pool time but it's looking very cloudy and gray. That might be OK; Oliver hasn't taken a nap in three days and he was a total terror yesterday so a nap today is MANDATORY. Hopefully we can get some pool time in tomorrow.

Congrats on baby flipping! I had a c section because Sasha was breech. A version wasn't really an option for me, but I heard they can be painful, so glad you didn't have to go through that!

Ohhhh amro, I feel for you. My son is 8 now and it's a little easier but my hub also is away for work a lot and those toddler days when you're all alone with them for long stretches are so hard. It is just mentally draining somehow. I used to feel like my brain was dissolving away. If we were neighbors I'd come over for a few hours and give you a break or just keep you company.

TPS, yay about the baby flip! Exciting time for you ... holding good thoughts for you and baby #2!

We made our last trip to the pool yesterday - I'm so sad too! Today we're going to Costco, doing a lot of laundry, and I'll try to plow through a big stack of bills. Tomorrow, we might go watch the air show from the top level of the parking garage at work. And then a BBQ at my parents' house with everyone.

I love three day weekends. I wish every weekend lasted 3 days.

Our 3-day weekend was last week. We had torrential rain all day Monday :-(

Yesterday I had lunch with a friend at The King's Head in Chingford. Lovely food, nice pub, great to catch up with her.

Then I went to Ikea, where I wanted to buy a couple of lamps that cost £6. They were out of them in cream, so I ended up buying two much nicer (but more expensive) lamps, along with a rug, some glasses and a cutting board. It turned into a more expensive trip than I'd planned.

Today I went to the farm shop, where I stocked up on all my food for eating and juicing next week, and then (because I the farm shop was out of cilantro), to Veenas, nearby. Veenas is the best Indian supermarket I've ever been in. And their cilantro is only 29p for a huge bunch. I also bought a big jar of garlic paste, as I'm too lazy to peel and crush my own garlic. Veenas also plays the best/worst Bollywood music. Today it was a Bollywood version of The Boss' "Dancing in the Dark". Horrendous and hilarious in equal measure.

I should really clean the windows, but I keep seeing the odd grey cloud in the sky and so that's my excuse not to clean them.

Tonight I need an early night. Since my trip to the States the other week (Hi, Kangaroo!), my sleep patterns have been borked. I've been away until 4, 5 or 6am. So I'm trying not to nap this afternoon so I'll be tired enough to have an early night, as I have to be in the office tomorrow.

Too tired to edit properly. I meant 'awake' not 'away'.

Was planning on finishing the painting job on the porch this weekend but the torrential rain today seems like it's going to put a stop to those plans. So we're going to brunch instead.

Huh. I'd put hyperlinks to all the places I'd been but they've not come out. I've had some editing problems with MeCha today, where, on preview, the comment shows up just fine but all the text in the box disappears. I've let the techies know. It's happened to me on iPad in the past, but never before on my laptop.

I want to hit reset and go back and have the whole summer again. Jon and I had a blast on our trip to Alaska, with a couple of days in Seattle (great meet-up). We went whale watching and saw humpback whales; rode on a dog sled (wheeled cart, since it's summer) through a forest half-way up a mountain and held Husky puppies; went on safari in Denali National Park and saw bear and moose and carribou (oh my); and flew in this small six passenger float plane through the Ketchican Fjords, landing in a remote lake (for someone afraid of heights, Jon did really well, and on the way back, I got to sit in the co-pilot's seat!). I have pictures and short videos I'll try to upload to Jon's Flicker this weekend, in case folks are interested. For anyone considering a trip to Alaska, go -- you'll love it! We got lucky with weather, too -- only one day of rain in two weeks. Next summer, fingers crossed, Hawaii!

Tuesday it's back to work. Two days of prep/meetings, and then the students return on Thursday. I'm actually looking forward to seeing them (that's how you know you're ready to return -- ready or not!). This weekend I'm jiust chillin', as the kids say, watching the Open and cleaning out some old papers. I thought about going up to see my mom, but traffic's so bad Memorial weekend I think I'll wait until next week.

(Good luck with the new baby, pinky -- so happy for you guys!)

Table procured! Oliver in his crib, talking to himself and not napping! YOU ARE TIRED, TAKE A NAP!

And Pips, I totally want to see pics of Alaska!! It sounds so amazing, dying to go someday.

I'm in bad shape in some ways. But somehow my brain is successfully holding off the things that crowd it in these sorts of situations --- regret, anxiety, guilt, over-thinking, a bitter form of nostalgia --- the only question is "what now?" And I'm glad that so far that's what I'm thinking. All the rest of that, the fact that you could have done things differently, is fine in its place, but what now? That's a great place to put your mental energies.

Tiring weekend in retail with downsized staffing and lots of customers.

It's so dang hot and muggy out I did little other than water potted plants after work today.

I have tomorrow off and am giving away a bit of my hubby's stuff to one of his former co-workers. Still hard to do but it's going to good folks. It refreshens the hurt every time...

Monitoring kitty terminal illness is making for bad sleep. Wish I could find that Ask comment about three pet end of life qualities to watch.

Am helping neighbors again this Monday. Gosh I'm lucky to have such good neighbors. Which reminds me....how does your new neighbor stack up to horror neighbor, senyar?

In Nova Scotia, then on to New Brunswick later in the week. I wish I could stay longer.

My coke head uncle died about 2 weeks ago and I can't say that I'm sorry.

Went ebike shopping this weekend and think I found my bike though not cheaply. Had a fun time at Mariners game with my Bear despite seeing the home team lose to the awesome Stephen Strasburg, and had a really fun dog walk with our group this AM and a very wonderful float this PM. Labor Day picnic with friends tomorrow.

Happy about baby lipping and agree Alaska is amazing. Fingers crossed for danf, who has been very generous in sending email updates. I think of him a lot.

Er, baby FLIPPING.

how does your new neighbor stack up to horror neighbor, senyar?

Horror neighbour has not yet moved out. His flat is still showing as 'sold subject to contract' on the agents' website, but he's still there. I was talking to a (nice) neighbour the other day and our fear is that his place could have been sold to someone who wants it as an investment, and will let him carry on living there as a tenant. As he's on disability benefits (despite being perfectly fit and capable of working, and running some kind of business from his home ... don't get me started...) he would have his rent paid by the taxpayer.

So that would be the worst case scenario, that the flat gets sold but he never moves. We're hoping instead that the process is just taking its time and that he'll eventually move somewhere far, far away, never to be seen again.

I'm so sorry about your cat, mightshould. With all four of mine that I had to let go, it was so obvious on the day that they were ready.

Sorry I missed mentioning your kitty, mightshould. We spent some of the Labor Day picnic looking at an old album of pet pictures, and tearing up at the shots of our beloved cats who died during the past couple of years. It was good to go back and see them young and happy again, though.

For what it is worth, we found that it was when our cats stopped eating that it was time to say goodbye. For the present only, I hope.