Fuzzy Pants for Hobbits.

It's been pretty dreary outside lately making it hard to motivate myself to do much of anything.  I have vowed to this year get all of our fall clean up done before the new year is rung in.  But alas, I am now going to use the weather as an excuse for my lack of motivation to clean out the camper, get the lawn mowed and clear off the deck.  It has just started POURING outside and rain walks are the best!  After the Muk Muk was born and I was through recovering from surgery Muk Muk and I went for a walk every day, rain, snow, wind, hail, sun, you name it we were out walking around our neighborhood.  Not so much anymore since I've gone back to work, but we still try to go as much as possible.  Both of us LOVE walk time, but the best walks are always the ones in the rain.  Everyone else is holed up in their nice warm, dry homes and we are out laughing and running through puddles :) and the evil old man who lives up the road is never outside when it's raining.  AND our house has a pretty good view, overlooks the lake and mountains and trees.  So when the rain lets up we get some pretty wicked awesome rainbows too :)  Best part of a rainy day.

Dustin and I have recently almost completed the rearrangement of the inside of our home so that the Muk Muk can roam freely without getting killed (literally, we did not have a safe house at all!). We have a LOT of stuff, so this was no simple remodel. Before we even had a baby our house was full right to the brim with stuff that we use on an almost daily basis, so fitting in a crib and finding new homes for all of our things was quite the task then and we didn't have the safety factor to worry about. Oh and I may have forgotten to mention that the actual size of our house would be more suited for a family of hobbits. Perhaps if our stuff was hobbitsized we wouldn't have had to pack up boxes of stuff to store until the Muk Muk is older and able to understand that throwing knives aren't toys. 

I am running out of days to reach my goal and after re-arranging the inside of our home I have completely run out of motivational energy to get the outside stuff finished up.  So today should be the day that I tackle at least part of the outside clean-up to do list.  But it's raining.  So perhaps my highlights today should include a walk in the rain followed by a hot shower and fuzzy pants. 

The yardwork can wait for yet another day...

Birthday Weekend Carport Camping

Saturday was my favorite person's birthday and even though we tried super hard to celebrate, it seemed like everything we tried was a complete and utter failure.  Every year he is lucky enough to have his birthday fall somewhere on the September long weekend, which has resulted in that entire weekend being dedicated to the birth of Dustin (everyone else just gets one day, but he figures he deserves 4 and to avoid any further conflict I just let him have them).  Me being the pre-planner that I am found an awesome present two MONTHS ago and ordered it, and we planned an epic camping trip 3 WEEKS ago.  But do you think his present got here before Friday? You think we had a marvelous time camping for the weekend?  Hells no.  

We spent Friday in Vernon shopping and going for lunch baby  free (Thanks so much Monica) and then we packed up, drove out and were pumped to find a campground that didn't have a "full" sign.  Needless to say they didn't have any actual sites left, just room for tents.  We did have a tent with us, but two adults, three dogs and a baby in a tent in September?  No way.  So we had driven for over an hour just to turn around and drive home again, completely defeated.  But wait the camping excitement wasn't quite over yet, before we even hit the highway our truck kinda broke.  And by kinda broke, I mean a rather large piece half fell off (picture below).

After using a hammer and a chisel to literally smash this huge piece off we finally made our merry way home.  Baby headed to bed right away, lucky us this was the one and only trip that she literally screamed the whole way home, so she was pretty worn out.  Perhaps she knew that we were trying to go camping and she really wanted to go and was upset that we were on our way home.  After grabbing a beer from the cooler and before we started unpacking, I said "Fuck this, we're camping.  Who cares if we're in our carport?"  We pulled the chairs out of the trailer, grabbed the baby monitor from in the house, unloaded the cooler, BBQ'd up some hot dogs and eventually crawled into the trailer bed (with the three dogs).  I'm sure our neighbors thought it was a little weird to see us sitting around in our carport eating hot dogs at 11 o'clock at night, but making the best of a bad situation was such much fun :)

We stuck pretty close to home for the rest of the weekend.  It wasn't the weekend that we had planned for Dustin's birthday, but I think he had a good time.  He keeps saying he did anyways and he did manage to bank several hours in video games.  I think that the little bit of adventure that we did have was bad enough that neither one of us wanted to have any more :)  Needless to say, Happy Birthday Dustin!  I'm glad you were born this weekend many, many moons ago :)

Reading is not a sport.

A few years ago I was talking to a friend of mine about how much I like to read and they began "the competition".  Every time I say I like to read, the person that I tell (whether I know them or not) usually has the same reply "I like to read too, I read more than you.  Have you read this, how bout this, how bout this?  No.  See, told you I was a better reader than you".  Do you have any idea how many books there are?  Just because I haven't read all of the same ones that you have doesn't mean I am a "bad" reader.  A guy I went to college with actually argued with me for well over an hour when I told him that there was no way his prof (who worked full-time and had a family) comprehensively read 10 full length books a day (or it might have been week, either way).  Perhaps he was a speed reader, but even then the key word here is "comprehensively".  Reading is not a competition people.  Reading is a hobby.  Reading is something that you do to sit and relax.  Nobody reads to be the best at it or to be able to say that they've read the most books.  In fact I like reading because it is one of the few things that doesn't involve any competition (despite those who try so hard to make it one).

I have read a lot of books.  I know that there are lots of other people who read and who read a lot too and I am sure that they read more than me.  My problem lies with those who will argue that they are such a "good" readers because they read soooooo many books and then they go out of their way to tell me that they are a much better reader than I am, and then I find out that they only read books written for 13 year olds.  Come on people...  Twilight???  An adult reading teen fiction is like a monkey peeling a banana, it's an mediocre task to get to what you want. Now don't get me wrong, I read my fair share of teen fiction, in fact I've read a lot of it.  Harry Potter, Vampire Diaries, Percy Jackson, Bartimaeus, Eragon, and of course the coveted Twilight.  I've got quite the collection :)  I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with reading these books, I'm just saying I don't think the definition of a "good reader" is someone who strictly reads books that are several decades below where their reading level should be.  I may have read Harry Potter, but I have also read War and Peace (I like to think that the two compliment each other nicely, Napoleon's march on Moscow - Voldemort's march on Hogwarts) and Moby Dick (fighting the white whale - fighting the evil wizard *haha*).  My personal definition of a "good" reader is someone who reads a wide range of books (at all levels), understands them, learns from them, and most of all enjoys them.

//:end.vent

Returning to Normal...

Woo Hoo!!!  5 and a half weeks of recovery later and I am officially allowed to return to "normal" physical levels.  Though "normal" will be a toned down version of where I was before I had to have surgery, "normal" is much better than "taking it easy".  I am officially allowed to return to the softball field, still no tackle football or cage fighting, but running bases is finally OK!  Long walks and short runs are also back in the mix which is good for me, Missy B and my puppies.  It's still a long cry from the hour long sweat marathons I was doing 3-4 days a week, but at least it's something.  I just hope I am not too out of shape after almost 8 weeks of laziness (3 weeks pre-op, and 5 weeks post-op).  It will be a few more weeks (2.5 to be exact) before I will be back to full capacity, that is if I remember to keep it toned down a little.  I have a slight tendency to overdo it if I'm feeling alright while I'm doing it (this resulted in some problems after my c-section).  Though I do feel that I have learned my lesson and I have a strong dislike for being "laid up".

I must say, I effing HATE recovery.  It's not so much the pain, or the actual surgery itself, it's the last few weeks when I'm feeling fine and knowing that I still shouldn't be pushing myself too hard.  I just never know where too hard is before it's too late.  I have been taking it really slow, like turtle pace slow.  Muk Muk and I did a few easy laps around our neighborhood the other night.  These laps can be a pretty good work out if you speed walk/jog pushing a 25 lb baby in a stroller, which is what we used to do, Muk Muk likes to go fast :).  Last night I played a game of softball making sure I was aware of how my body was feeling throughout the whole game.  I was more worried about stretching and tearing something than I was about getting hit by the ball.  Today I'm feeling fine, not sore in the slightest which is a really good sign.  Over the next two weeks I'll be able to build up to the renewal of my gym membership which I will only be doing on a month to month basis as last time I only got 2 months use out a four month membership grrrr...  Ectopic pregnancy was timed perfectly to screw me out of half my membership and those corrupt gym owners don't cut you any slack at all.

The only good thing about having surgery was the immediate drop of 5 pounds, literally over-night.  After they suctioned out all the blood that had built up in my belly and removed the "problem", the swelling went down almost immediately and I was glad to say I was 5 pounds lighter.  I had been pissed off at those 5 pounds for over a month already as they were the last 5 to a total of 50!  Yeppers, I lost 50 pounds.  I had gained a lot of weight with my pregnancy, 3 months of no exercise (as per doctors orders) followed by 6 months of bedrest will do that to someone who just wants to eat and eat.  I had gained 40 lbs to be exact.  

After I had Haven I was completely disgusted with myself and I did everything I possibly could to not turn into one of those "fat moms".  You know the ones.  They were "normal" sized until they had a baby and then five years later when their kid is starting school they still look like they are pregnant and all they do is blame their kid for making them fat.  After five years, it's not your child's fault any more lady!  I thought it would be impossible for me to get rid of that much weight little alone get back into the physical shape that I was in before I had Haven, but here I am.  Despite some minor setbacks, I am in even better shape than I was before I had the Muk Muk and I'm lighter too!  I just hope the last 8 weeks haven't ruined 8 months of hard work on my part, though I'm sure getting back on the fitness band wagon will be easier this time as I actually miss it.

Toe Socks and New Book Days

Toe socks!  Keep each individual toe snuggly and warm :)  I'm not sure if it's funny or weird or pathetic but finding a pair of toe socks tucked away in the back of my sock drawer just made my whole day.  Now each one of my toes is being loved by its own little toe blanket.  Yep, I think I'm going for weird on this one.  I don't care though, it's always the little things that make me happy.  Post-its in fun shapes and colors, rainbow sharpies, coloring books, giant crayons, pink shoes, you get the picture.  I relish in little things that make me smile and I try to surround myself with as many as I possibly can.  The only thing better than relaxing on the couch, reading a good book, drinking a cup of coffee, is relaxing on the couch, reading a good book, and drinking a cup of coffee wearing a pair of toe socks :) 

Yesterday was "New Book Day", a day I don't get to celebrate as often as I would like.  "New Book Day" is the day one book gets finished and I get to go through the process of picking the next epic adventure to embark on.  And yes, I actually do celebrate it every time I finish a book and pick a new one.  If you don't want to believe me, you can ask Dustin how many times he's heard "Guess what!  It's NEW BOOK DAY!!!".  My saying this is often followed by loving comments about my nerdular nerdience (made-up words that he read in a Penny Arcade comic years ago that have now evolved into a  term  used to refer to my love of books and  science). 

Sometimes the process of picking out a new book to read is long and thoughtful and sometimes it's quick and dirty.  This time there was little to no effort at all.  Yesterday I had finished reading a text book on folklore, which was actually more interesting than it sounds.  It followed how stories are passed from generation to generation from one place to another and how they change from culture to culture.  Needless to say, after reading that one I wanted to read something a little lighter and with an actual plot.  So anyways, as I was putting away "Studies in Folklore" I looked at my bookshelf and just sitting there, not even in line yet was "The Hunger Games".  This series of books has been sitting on my "To Read" list for a little while now (OK it's been since the release of "The Hunger Games" two years ago but who's counting).  I had brought this copy home shortly after my surgery when Dustin not only told me to buy it, but also that he wanted to read it.  As this does not happen very often, I jumped on it like a ninja and bought the book before he could change his mind.  The combination of its convenient location on my bookshelf and the hype surrounding the recent release of "Mockingjay" sparked my interest at an optimal time.

So my "New Book Day" choice was one of the easier decisions that I've had to make lately, hopefully it turns out to be a good one, unlike that "Twilight" one a few years ago (comments from Tracy and Christine to follow).  Oh and  don't forget each one of my toes is nestled into it's own snuggie.  It's a wonderful day!

OCD and the "Pre-Work" Shirt

Yet again my wonderful morning has started with a nice hot shower, nice clean clothes and then a nice big coffee stain on my effing shirt (and yes Dustin has already teased me about it)!  Grrrr...  I was thinking that I should maybe invest in some coffee bibs and then after watching the Jersey Shore I came up with the "pre-work" shirt, something I started doing my first day back to work.  Having a baby means your clothes don't stay clean long whether it's from slobber kisses or spaghetti hugs.  And given my tendency to spill coffee everywhere I have adopted the "pre-work" shirt, which is really just a shirt that I change out of just before dropping the Muk Muk off to play for the day (similar to the "pre-club" tank tops that the guys on the shore wear).

Yesterday my boss sent out a work wide e-mail joke about employees wasting time, he even marked it as an urgent read.  Not too sure if it was funny or ironic, but I laughed pretty hard.  I should have saved it to post here as well, but I pushed delete as soon as I finished reading it.  I like a nice clean inbox, no e-clutter.  I'm happiest when all of my stuff is nice and organized and where it should be and labeled and all lined up nice and pretty.  I have wondered if I have OCD or if I am just really organized.  I took an online quiz thing once.  The total was out of 36 and anything over 25 was supposed to mean that you have OCD.  I scored a 28, which, given that it was an online test, to me is pretty borderline (30 might be a better indicator).  I do wash my hands a LOT, but I don't bathe in Lysol or anything weird like that (and I commonly sport coffee stains on my clothes).  I find myself checking multiple times that the door is locked, but I don't feel the need to flick the lights on and off three times every time I leave a room.  I get anxious if things aren't done right and I have troubles delegating to others because I'm worried that things won't be done to my standards, but I do still delegate.  Regardless of whether or not I have OCD it doesn't really impact me in a negative way, in fact I find it quite helpful.  How many people can honestly say that they have 40 gigs of perfectly organized music on their computer?  

Anyways, I digress.  I have now spilled coffee on pants as well as my shirt.  The only problem with the "pre-work" shirt is that it doesn't help with all the coffee that I spill on myself once I get to work.

Coffee to mouth and other impossible feats

Every time I tell someone that I don't like potato chips, chocolate bars or ice cream, they look at me like I just sprouted a third eye in the middle of my forehead.  I have always heard about people's guilty pleasures when it comes to food, but mine aren't so guilty.  I LOVE berries and fruits of all kinds.  So much, in fact, that one time I ate a whole flat of strawberries to myself in

Penguin sharing my morning coffee

just over 24 hours, needless to say I am no longer allowed to buy by the flat.  I could live on sushi.  Those delicious little rice/seaweed cakes are so...  delicious :)  But, coffee, sweet sweet java java, is probablymy biggest "guilty pleasure" in terms of being not-so-good for me.  I love the java.  All kinds.  It's usually a 2 pot a day habit in my house and I'm the only one here all day long.  Those months that I was pregnant and I wasn't allowed to have any coffee were absolute hell. 

Dustin always teases me because I am physically incapable of drinking coffee without spilling it on myself.  When we were in college, every morning, I would fill up my travel mug before heading out the door for the 10 minute walk from our apartment to the campus. And then every morning, even though the cup had a lid on it, I would arrive at my first class with a great big coffee stain down my front.  In the winter this was OK, because I wasn't going to wear my jacket inside anyways but in the summer I got teased an aweful lot, not only from Dustin buy my peers as well.  I can pour acid out of a 4 gallon glass jug into a 15 mL test tube without losing a drop, but get coffee from a travel mug to my mouth without spilling it on myself?  No way.  Where is the logic in that?  Needless to say, my love of coffee vastly outweighs my need for a shirt that looks clean every day.

In college I always got stuck with 8 am classes, so when I got to school everything was just waking up.  Coffee kiosks were just opening, and students were catching a few last minutes of sleep in the hallways before classes started.  The walk to campus was refreshing and when combined with a steaming hot cup of coffee was just the wake-up that my body needed before trying to focus on differential calculus (why they are allowed to even have calculus classes scheduled that early is beyond me).  So, today I started my morning off right and relived some of that moment, I woke up early, poured nice big hot cup of coffee, and took my dog for an early morning walk :)