Earlier this week I went in to Starbucks on my way to work to see these two.




They were so patient and sweet. Tied to each other, nothing else. Not sure why.
Was one a guide for the other? Was the Lab older or deaf, and the other helped? Or did the Lab hold the other one back from wandering?




Stopped and said hi to them both.

A new thing for me is those Madeleine cookies at Starbucks.



They really make me happy, they remind me of the sponge cookies my grandmother made for me and my sister. At 5 and up I was having coffee and would dip the cookies in it. I ate so many of those things!

See Brad's post for our exciting life in the fast lane bangin new years! :D
(they are fabulous sauerkraut balls...)

Happy New Years, hope the next one is a good one.

I went out to lunch with some work people.
Wasn't as bad as last time.
Last time I don't even remember any of the conversation. I was totally bored and tuned it all out and instead just scoped out the place.
I was quiet (mostly) this time too. I don't talk much in groups, mixed groups. I usually end up saying something awkward. So I mostly talk just with one or two people. I sit there biting my tongue, thinking Brad would be so proud of me. I am not saying anything embarrassing. Patting myself on the back for being a "good girl".
I say embarrassing awkward things, because it comes natural for me...but also out of habit of testing people. Which I hear is a bad habit of mine. If what I say is followed by awkward silence, they are not my people, and I will only sit quiet with them, if they laugh or are amused, they are one of me and I have someone to talk one on one with, a work buddy. But this habit is was also isolates me from people when I do it.
I am fighting the urges daily.

I had Friday off due to the overtime I had worked last week. Went to Starbucks to catch up with everyone. Saw Jack, Lenny, Wally, Vern and Jack #2. Jack and Vern gleefully told me that Robert had kinda gotten kicked out for soliciting. The manager quietly told him they had gotten complaints from customers about him doing his sales pitches. He threw a hissy fit, said it was because he was Jewish and said he was gonna call the president of Starbucks and then stormed out and hasn't been back since. Everyone is actually relieved to have him gone. He was a soul sucker. Jan is still in Mississippi for a couple more weeks. Lenny bought me a coffee.

Brad came home early from work. We had pizza, watched a movie and exchanged gifts. He got me a huge box of chocolate and a perfume set, some Burt's Bees lip balm and said another package is still on its way. I got him a coffee grinder, a book about cheese, a day planner, and some chocolate.

Went home to Columbus for Christmas. The visit was too short, and the driving too long.
But it was still nice. Glad Brad got to spend some time with out nephews and niece.

Got in Saturday mid-afternoon to my mother's.
Freshened up a bit then headed over to my sister's place.
Ensley was coy at first since she didn't really know Brad. But then in a short while Ben and Ensley both took to Brad, to open the boxes, get the toys out of the packaging, and fix anything that wasn't working to their satisfaction.











We exchanged gifts. Ate wedding soup, spinach dip with bagels, my mother's macaroni and cheese (which I picked on day and night while we were there...), Italian sausage and peppers, and then a pumpkin roll for dessert. It was getting late so the kids started taking their baths and getting into their pajamas.




I'm still getting over my cold and all snotty, so soon after we got to moms, I went to bed.

My sister called Sunday morning about 7:30, the boys had been up and playing with their toys since 6am, and Ensley was still asleep. So we put on robes and drove over. Dylan got the gameboy he wanted and played his Pokemon game all morning. Ben loved all his toys and tried to get his sister in the spirit of things by bringing over her toys for her while she was still waking up. Then they played with her Barbie oven set together. My sister's sons are the sweetest boys. That sister of theirs can pull their hair and make them cry and they won't touch her. Always going out of their way to be sweet and helpful. The oldest is Dylan, he is 8, I like embarrassing him. He hates it when I hug and kiss him, so I just smother the boy! Grab him up and not let him go.

We left around 10:30, my sister needed to straighten her house because she was having about 30 of her in-laws over for their Christmas get together. This was the first year for her to have it at her house. So we went back to mom, and I napped on the sofa with Brad for a bit. Eating and watching TV. Then went back over to my sister's at 4ish after the family had done the gift swap and was wrapping things up. My sister did a good job. Everything looked really good.

The next morning Brad and I packed up to go back home. Mom had me go through some clothes she was getting rid of. She gave me a leather with fur trim coat that she bought herself from Lazarus in 1971 after my father told her no. It makes me love the coat even more. Plus in all my early pictures she was wearing this coat. I wore it to work today.

We met my sisters family at a McDonalds for breakfast and to say goodbye before heading back.

We played songs I loaded on Brad's mp3 player through the stereo, and I read my book Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs. Good book, I want to read his other stuff now too. Really recommend it. I heard good things about it and should have already read it, but just gotten to it now.

At work now, doing an upgrade for Yale, it will be a slow process since they are so massive, so I had a moment to make a post while I have them running on another screen.

Took that picture at Panera the other day. Two bird were hiding out in a nook outside at the top of the window. I had to get one of those high bar stools and stand on top of it to see them. It was empty enough at the time for me to get away with it.

Rested up this weekend. Voice sounds worse, but I feel about the same.Watched Fantastic Four & 40 year-old Virgin.

Fighting a cold, so not going downtown today to Marshall Fields.
I think it would wear me out too much with the cold dry air.
Slept in this morning, might take a nap later too.

Can't believe christmas is almost here. One more week.

Had a rough week at work, but it ended well so I can relax this weekend and not worry about what I will be walking into Monday morning.

Had a client beat me up, some of the problem was their fault and some of it was mine. I think after a few days poking me with a stick they could hear how broken I was in my voice, plus I sound worse cause my throat hurts, coughing, voice all scratchy and just tired. So they let up on me a bit.

Had another issue with another client and after the other laying the smackdown I just assumed that whatever it was was me, but after 3 hours of troubleshooting it turned out to be the clients own customizations that messed it up that they put on after I turned it back over to them.

So late Friday I got the 2 problems wrapped up and resolved, back on schedule for Monday with my new upgrade, then another on Tues, and just have one problem from last week to still work on with a keyword search error. But as it turns out they think I am doing a good job, and think I am "a good girl". Which very reassuring to hear. One guy is a real perfectionist, he made me go back into a file because my initials were in lower case rather than in uppercase. So I try to do things his way for when I need his help plus since he is a bit intimidating I want his approval. When he was helping me troubleshoot the customization issue he was very pleased with all my log files. And the other guy that has been with the company since the beginning has been really supportive and nice too.

I just hope all my projects dont go like this.....

Went out for dinner with Brad last night since I was able to think enough to talk again. When I get overwhelmed I cant function. I stayed at work Thursday until 8pm, and then just came home and laid on top of him falling asleep. So now with less chaos in my head I can think to tell him about what has been going on at work, what I have been doing, and even tell him the side stories about other people at work.

I am really enjoying listening to the last days of Howard on the radio on my way to work.
Going over the classics, and major guests events.

Tookie shouldn't have been executed. He did belong in prison, but putting him to death is ridiculous.

Why is it okay to put people to death but not ok to have abortions?

I think I am a little ill, my throat hurts, and I am tired.

Went out running errands yesterday. Went to the mall to waste time and cause I enjoy seeing all the Christmas decorations. Yes, christmas and not holiday decorations. Santa and a tree are christmas, not any other holiday. But on that same note, I don't understand the ugliness of people insisting on seeing "Merry Christmas" or else they will boycott.

Aren't we saturated with christmas enough as it is? Decorations, lights, commercials, the stores, santas,
salvation army kettles & bells. They all are a sign of christmas to me if it specifically says so or not. It isn't like I am exactly overwhelmed with menorahs, dreidels, and kwanzaa...(whatever signifies kwanzaa) Christmas is a government holiday, so even if you are jewish YOU MUST CELEBRATE!!!

Well anyway...I wanted to go to the mall, I like the decorations, and its a good time to people watch when it's all crowed with shopping frenzies like that. It was really crowded but most people were quite courteous and not bitchy. We sat drinking our coffees, watching the kids play on the big climby thing and watched the people parade.

I'd like to go downtown and see the Marshall Field's window decorations and sit in the Walnut Room and enjoy all their decorations one last time as Marshall Fields before they change to Macy's. We'll see how cold its supposed to be this upcoming weekend.

Each day is getting a little better as I get more familiar with my new job.
Each panic lasts a little less time then the one before it.