Brrrr!!!!!!

1) It is STINKING cold here. Here are the current weather conditions:

Wind : from the NW (310 degrees) at 9 MPH (8 KT) gusting to 18 MPH (16 KT)
Sky conditions : mostly clear
Temperature: 1.9 F (-16.7 C)
Windchill: -13 F (-25 C)

Pay particular attention to the temperature with wind chill. -13 would be cold if we were talking celsius. But it's -13 F. Which is (as seen above) MINUS TWENTY -FIVE Celsius. I think - no, I'm sure that this is the coldest weather I've ever experienced. My baby toe actually went numb while I was driving to get gas today. I was just running out to get gas, and then going to a cafe to study, so a) was not wearing appropriate footwear (slip on regular shoes, thin shoes) and b) Did not let the car warm up before driving. After I finished getting gas, and was driving to the cafe, I realize my baby toe was numb. NUMB. Like felt like it was "asleep" and I should get pins and needles if I tried to move it. No pins and needles - it was just frozen.

2) I had my eye exam today, and walked out with new glasses! I love them. I'm very excited. Unfortunately, the barage of eye exam stuff, and the new glasses left me feeling VERY nauseous and headachy all day :-(. I'm feeling a bit better now though, that my eyes have had a bit of time to get adjusted and recover.

3) Our current landord just called to see if we had "any" furniture left and said she would buy everything we have from us b/c a relative is moving into our apartment after we leave, and has no furniture. We had mentioned we'd be selling it, and she was interested, but then said she wasn't sure so we should post it on craigslist and try to sell it. Anyhoo - I haven't posted anything yet, so this means a) No posting b) No hanging around for strangers to come to my apt to pick up furniture c) I will have a fully furnished apartment right up until the day I leave and d) A guarantee that we'll make back some of the money we spent furnishing the apartment. So this is very good. Now we just have to sell this car! I posted on Craigslist but have had NO replies yet!?! I'm going to post it at work too and see what happens.

4) I was off today, and I'm off tomorrow. That is, for the record, TWO days off in a row! My OT is done for now, and I haven't had 2 days off for several weeks! I did get some studying done, and scheduled my exams that I"ll be taking here before I leave.

5) I miss my husband !!! I know the next few weeks will fly by, but I really really miss him!

6) I MUST get around to trying to make Bastet stay in her airline carrier for a while, and attempt carrying her around in loud busy places with it. I'm kind of avoiding it. She's going to hate it. M - maybe we could develop a shaping procedure together?? We could market the program and pay for our ABA conference attendance. lol!

Paper Clip Needing a new home

Check out this posting on craigslist!

This one's for you M...

Ahhh...the good old days.



Classic.

Nerdy Excitement

Today, I just picked up the textbook for one of my masters classes that start January 17th. It's titled "Single Case Experimental Designs," and though I have it on good authority that the first chapter is excruciatingly dry, I am extremely excited. It was kind of like Christmas. There is nothing like cracking open a new text book for the first time. I really love school. I love my field and learning more about it. I'm just a nerd. I think I'll tackle that first chapter this week.

Also - can I just say one more time how much I love Trader Joes? Here are a few highlights from my latest trip through their isles (I didn't buy it all, but these are my favorites):

Frozen Chicken lasagna - with whole wheat noodles, veggies, chicken and ricotta. So good!
The "Salsa combo" in the produce section. A container including tomatoes, lime, chilie pepper, and garlic cloves for 1.99.
David Glass 77% Less Fat Chocolate truffle cake. UN-BE-LIEVE-ABLE. I did buy this. Only six dollars, and I kid you not, absolutely the best dessert I've had in a long time. And only 4 points per piece!
Multigrain rice crisps - 17 for 2 points, and SO good and nutty tasting. Excellent with Roquorfort Blue cheese.

Love it.

Bits and Pieces

I rediscovered Chilean (is that how you would spell it?) wine tonight. See, when we were in BC - the land of wine being expensive - we often would try out a bottle of Chilean or Spanish wine, because usually they were some of the cheaper bottles of wine. We came accross some really great ones, that were better, in my opinion than many more expensive wines we'd tried.

Since moving here though, we've primarily bought the Charles Shaw 3.00 a bottle wine, and many of the Australian wines we really like, because they are so much more reasonablly priced here.

Tonight though, I wandered into the "Chile" isle at the liquor store, and thought "hmm..." So, I bought a bottle of Merlot from "Sunrise." It is wonderful. I must have some fond memories associated with very similar tasting wines, because the minute I took my first sip I was a) Thinking I'd forgotten how nice Chilean wines are - they have a very different feel to them ; and b) Overwhelmed with a sense of comfort and happiness. No, it wasn't the wine going to my head, it was definately some sort of respondant conditioning.

So, that made me happy.

I also went back to weight watchers tonight. Over the past year or two, between quiting smoking, finishing my undergrad, moving and now commuting by car vs. transit, I have regained enough of my weightloss to make me significantly uncomfortable. And WW works for me, really well. I remembered why when I went tonight. The leader at the meeting I went to was really really great, I loved her style, so I think I'll stick with this meeting time. So, back on the band wagon. Time to rebuild all the little good habits, and break all the little bad habits that have crept in and out of my daily lifestyle.

Funny but painful annecdote:

I sprained my baby finger today. How? I reached down to put on a shoe, and jammed my finger on the wall on the way down. Yep. It is SO painful! How could such a little digit be that painful! I've been shaking my head at myself all day.

My cat:

Has now taken to crawling onto my shoulder while I'm at the computer and rubbing her face up against my head and kneading my back with her claws. She is constantly almost falling off, and "pacing" from one shoulder to the other. It's really really funny, and completely endearing. I think she's definately under attention deprivation now that Daryl isn't at home while I'm at work. Poor cat, she's alone most of the day now!

I miss him too, lots.

Ways to distract yourself from thinking about your missing husband.

1. Go on a grocery shopping spree, and take advantage of on-sale, pre-packaged weight watchers food (which cannot be found so easily in Canada).
2. Attempt to find and download neccessary software to install printer on computer.
3. Attempt to install printer after downloading software.
4. Hook up sweet computer speaker system your wonderful husband left you.
5. Re-organize office space.
6. Vaccum.
7. Clean.
8. Eat left over fajitas from Chilli's
9. Eat Mudd pie from Trader Joe's.
10. Blog

Sad Face

Daryl is gone. I'm sad.

Everything, including the drive into the airport went smoothly though. He was able to take a lot of stuff in his checked and carry on baggage, which saves shipping costs, so that's good. The United people were more helpful and friendly than I've ever experienced at the airport before.

He picked up snacks from Trader Joes for the trip, including their turkey jerky. I told him to make sure he ate it before going through customs, to avoid reliving Magnificent M and I's "pepperoni" experience.

But the apartment is really quiet. :-(