*sigh*

Yesterday I found out that a dear friend passed away. Alex Werner was one of the kindest, gentelest souls I have ever known. He moved in next door to us when we lived on Lyndale, and there were some times that I thought that he had actually moved in with us. He was one of P's first friends in Minneapolis. If anyone has seen the movie "Over The Hedge", he was Hammy the squirrel.

The day P proposed to me, I was sick at home, watching a movie on the couch. P and Alex walked in and P threw a box at me and said "Wear this while you watch your movie". I opened the box, saw the ring, and threw it back at P and told him if he wanted me to wear it, he'd better do it up right. Alex stood there for a second, and said "Dudes, I'm outta here" and ran out the back door.

He was always coming over with small gifts for us or mowing our lawn, as once he started something, hey, may as well do the neighbor's too. A day or so before P and I got married, he was in a car accident, but still managed to show up, neckbrace and all.

Alex always had a hug for you. I'm going to miss him very much.

Thanksgiving!

Mom and I went to Nye's for Thanksgiving dinner early yesterday afternoon. We had a fabulous time - she had some sort of chicken and wild mushroom stroganoff and I had beef tenderloin. Spent a lot of time gushing over One Yard Wonders by the fabulous people at Crafty Planet.


Just had to throw in a pic of the super cool piano bar too. I love Nye's and wish I could go more often!

After that, we went to see the new "Twilight" movie. It was okay, really kind of full of the "Omigod, I can't live without you" barfiness. Someone on another board made a good point of this making young girls thinking that THAT is what love is IRL. Which it isn't. Even I succumb to that thought sometimes. I love a good chick flick every once in a while, all the "happily ever after" stuff and all, but everyone knows that everyone farts. Both literally and figuratively. Which is kind of why I like Adam Sandler movies. I know he plays the big stupid kid, but at least it's a lot more honest. Not everyone (um, is ANYONE) is like Tom Hanks in any of his Meg Ryan movies? Okay, maybe Tom Hanks himself is, but I'm pretty sure he farts.

Anyhow, after that, we decided to do the drive down Nicollet Mall. The Mall is usually reserved for buses, taxis, and cops, but one day a year (Thanksgiving) they let street traffic on to look at the lights. It was nothing special and we waited about 20 minutes to get started. So, we turned off halfway though and decided that next year we are either going to bring sparklers to hold out the car windows or stand on the corner with signs that say "Don't Bother".

Mom dropped me off, and I ended up watching "Night at the Museum". It was actually rather clever. And I'm not Ben Stiller's Number One Fan. Noticed that BooBoo the cat was under the couch slipcover, but didn't really think anything about it, as she's kind of a dork. About a half an hour later, she started making sad mewling noises (I'm sure Stink batting at her didn't help), and I realized that she was stuck. Took me almost 15 minutes to dig her out. I have no idea how that butterball of a cat got in there.

Decided to finish off my night with a nightcap at G's. It was great, as half the staff from The Anchor was there. There was a lot of hugging. I love that I work with super huggy/kissy co-workers. Except R, but he's warming up.

Off to putz around the apt a bit, then errands and work. Whew.

Hooray! Look at meeeeeeee! I'm hanging out with Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching! Actually, it was more of a stalking thing that night, as she was busy, and I stood around and watched her be a rock star and sign autographs. We did take a few "time outs" to chat. It was probably the highlight of my dismal year. Not to gush, because there were a lot of other really cool things that happened this year (Art a Whirl with LJ, getting a job I love, etc), it was just terribly exciting to meet her in person. We've been chatty on the crafty website that I hang out on, but to be able to actually reach out and poke her in the shoulder and think "wow, you ARE real and awesome and amazing" was pretty cool. Kind of like the first time I met LJ and Knitty. So there.

On a downer note, my mom is in the hospital (LJ, is this just weird or what? Our moms not doing so hot). Don't think it's a huge deal, but a PITA, as Thanksgiving is coming up. Well, THAT sounded bitchy. Not that Mom is in charge of making me a ton of food and all (we went out last year to Nye's and it rocked), but what I mean is that it's just not fair that she got ill around the holiday. AND just after my bro got out of the hospital. WHY IS IT that I'm probably the most unhealthy person in my family and over all these years, all I've had to deal with is an appendix removal in 1989 and my cataracts this year. Oh, and the breast tumor thing in 1988. But still...NOT FAIR. Really.

I've been having the best time working on my SSnowflake package, but just concerned that it may not be up to par due to all the BS. When mom gets sick, she gets SICK and needs help. Or maybe I like to think that, as I like hanging out at her place and "helping". My "helping" usually means cleaning the cat box, fixing her dinner, and doing my laundry there and chilling out. It's like a mini vacation for me.

I need a nap.

A Day for ME

It's hard to type with a cat hogging up your lap...

Yesterday, I took the day for ME. It was lovely. I spent a great brunch with my girlfriend, Chrissy, and it just so happened that my friends Adam and Erin were there also. Then I went to find my girlfriend, Mary, at her coffee shop, but I had missed her. Walked across the street to the LYS, and went in for exactly what I wanted/needed and didn't spend an extra penny! Came home, took a nap, and watched 2 hours of Law and Order while working on Snowflake gifts. I did NO chores, and nothing that I didn't want to do. It was a great day...and something I need to do more often!

Today, it's back to the grind. Must color my hair, pick up a bit, take a short nap (I woke up 10 minutes after P left for work, so if I want to be in good shape for work tonight, it must be done), then go to work. I have tomorrow off too, so depending on things, I'm not sure what that will entail. Unfortunately, it will probably be stuff around the house. Blech, but it needs to be done. And more Snowflake stuff, which is so NOT Blech!

Dear Glee

Thank you for probably the best ever tv show episode last night. You completely captured my high school days. To use the cliche, I laughed and I cried.

Wow.

Much better today - last week was kind of an emotional disaster. Nuff said.

Still waiting on the arrival of the new phone. For anyone reading this who doesn't know, my Razr took a dump last week and P ordered a new one for me online. It's taking forever to get! Should arrive today. I hope it's pink... :)

Thinking about Xmas cards and little gifties. My goal is to not spend a lot. I'm thinking the boys get gift cards, the girls get expensive chocolates, and the neices get...that's a hard one. Art supplies! There we go. List done. Whew. Okay, the youngest neice won't get art supplies (she's 7 months old). I'll find a cute toy somewhere. Now list is done.

Other than Snowflake, but I have all day Saturday off to play with that! Have some plans in the works.

Had a gal in that doing a blog called My Year of Waiters where she talks to and photographs the servers that wait on her. It's really cute and I'm the most recent. How fun is that?

Also, The Anchor was featured on The City Pages (our local weekly rag) slideshow and my painting was in there! Hooray! No credit tho, but I can live with that.

There is something really wrong with my left knee. I thought it was due to an old knee problem, but it seems now to be behind the knee itself. I can't straighten it out without pain. Not screaming "get me a Vicoden" pain, but really uncomfortable pain, and it makes me limp a little. Bleah. Will stretch before work and see if that helps...

Hrm. I'm tired. Really tired. Should go back to bed for a little nap before work, but hanging out and waiting to talk to my best girls online (it is Wednesday, isn't it???). I forgot how to balance life and work. There are so many things I want to do (esp with Xmas coming up, I have many ducks that need to get back in their rows), and I need to TCB.

Still loving my job to death. This is wonderful!

Working on my Snowflake plans, and it's making me a little nuts. Not in a bad way, just in a sort of "get your act together, girl, and stop being so willy-nilly" way.

Can't find the pic of me and Chrissy from Halloween. Too tired to look for it, and do all the downloading. Gar.

Slightly crabby, so signing off.