An Unfortunate Sequence of Events

So today wasn't quite what I had planned.

I had intended to spend the day, before going to work, doing laundry and cleaning the house.  Zoë and I were going to bake some oatmeal cookies for me to take to work.  But then I saw in the newspaper online that the forecast predicted snow this afternoon.  And since I was already heading towards Coldville, I decided I needed to get a fire built and get the house warmed up.  So I got the fire started, got the laundry started, had some toast & coffee and was well on my way to domestic bliss servitude.

Then the fire needed more wood.  Now, I have to pause in my story to tell you that in the last week I have burnt my knuckles, on two separate occasions, while putting wood in the fireplace.  My right hand looks like I've been dragging my knuckles on the ground.  And they are ouchie.  Anyway, I was putting a chunk of wood in the fireplace and in adjusting the log, got my hand in a hotspot.  In total reflexive action, I jerked my arm back away from the heat.  Right into the fireplace door.  My elbow connected with the inside knob of the handle and I was immediately brought to my knees, dropping the other log that was in my hand, and causing me to emit a few colorful epithets.  The pain in my elbow was searing and shot down my arm to my hand.

This wasn't a case of hitting your funny bone where your arm tingles painfully.  This was throbbing, white-hot pain that only increased as the seconds ticked by. I stumbled to the couch, aware that Zoë was watching me, and not wanting to scare her, I tried to stem the tears that were burning my eyes and the sobs that were threatening to escape my throat.  I was rather unsuccessful even as she and Tessa the dog tried to comfort me the only way they knew how:  "Mommy, do you need a bandaid?"  {Lick, lick...}

I called crying and scared the crap out of my husband, then called crying and scared the crap out of my mother who happened to be home.  She came right over, but by that time I had regained a few of my wits and was trying to get a bag of ice for my arm.   My arm continued to throb for the next couple hours.

I called my doctor's office to try to get an appointment, but with all the sickness going around, the earliest appointment I could get was at 4:30pm, five hours away.  I downed some ibuprofen and snuggled up with my ice pack, watching a couple Glee episodes on the computer to pass the time.

The day wore on and my arm started to feel better and throb less.  I got more mobility in it and was reassured that I hadn't actually broken my arm as I'd earlier feared.  The doctor confirmed it, saying that I'd probably badly bruised the muscle or the bone and to continue the ibuprofen and ice.

So.  Let's recap.  My house didn't get cleaned.  The laundry didn't get done.  I didn't bake cookies.  I was stuck home all day, in pain.  I had to use my PTO (paid time off) for calling in sick to work.  And IT SNOWED a little. Not exactly the day I had planned.

So naturally I'm self medicating.  With Baileys & coffee.

Trying my hand

I just had the pleasure of helping one of my BFFs update her new blog.  I really am pretty clueless as to this blog design/html stuff....I just know why my eye likes.  And fortunately her eyes agreed and she's got a new pretty blog.   Take a peek and tell me what you think!

Thanks Chelle for letting me play around with your new "home".  :)  Love you!

Now I want to update my blog...

Edited to add:  What do you think?  Is the green too green??
Edited AGAIN:  How about now?

True Story Tuesday

I'm stealing this idea from my friend, Chelle, who stole it from her friend.  And since it's still Tuesday and I'm trying to get back into the routine of blogging, I'll steal whatever ideas I can in order to post more regularly.

I broke down and mopped my floors today.  After making apple pie filling yesterday and splattering sticky apple juice all over the place, it was high time the floors got cleaned.  It's probably been at least a month since I mopped.  Disgusting, I know, but I promise that if you're coming to my house as a guest, I mop the floors before you come.  I myself just live in the daily filth.

True story. 

Money is a little tight right now because work has been slow for Josh, which results in smaller paychecks.  We should be able to just squueeeze the mortgage out this week but what I really want to do is go to Costco.  I love Costco.  I dare say I'm addicted to Costco. As soon as there's more than three things on my list, I head straight there.  And never leave for less than $100.  I can't afford to do that this week and it is making me sad.

True story.

I stopped and got a raspberry mocha at Starbucks on the way to work today. They had a sign up that they were hiring.  I was sorely tempted to apply.

True story.

I have peanut butter cookies AND apple crumble pie in my house and yet I find myself thinking of what else I can bake.  I am not tempted by sweets (although that apple crumble pie is DEE-LISH) so my thoughts have turned to bread.  I have approximately 50 lbs of flour in my pantry and a new bread cookbook that is calling my name.

True story.

Bullets

Instead of trying to write an actual blog post, I'm gonna go ahead and use those wonderful little formatting wonders knowns as bullets to try to touch on some of the highlights of recent weeks months.

• I completed my 2nd half marathon on September 27 in 3:05.  This was 15 minutes faster than my first half marathon time.  I was shocked to discover around mile 9 that I could possibly break the three hour mark.  Still didn't quite make it, but I was extremely happy with that time. I ran more of this race, hurt more during it, and recovered faster after it.  Ironic considering I trained less.
• After volunteering in my daughter's preschool class, I started having second thoughts as to her attendance. I was afraid that she wasn't getting anything educational out of it and that I instead was just paying for playtime for her. Now that a few more weeks have gone by, I see that there is some actual learning starting to happen.  And I also have figured out that this first year of preschool is really about getting used to the classroom, learning how to interact with others and listen to the teacher.  The book learning will come.
• My son is doing wonderfully in school, which makes me SO happy.  The last half of last year was such a struggle for us both that it is such a relief to have him look forward to school now, and to be so positive about it. 
• I joined the YMCA this month. My hope is to maintain a level of fitness through the winter and emerge in the spring ready to take on the next challenge.  I want to improve cardiovascularly, gain some muscle and definition, and firm things up.  40 is just around the corner.
• I have unearthed a few of my craft boxes and boy howdy, do I have some projects to finish!  I've also got a lot I want to start but I'm trying to restrain myself.
• I have 16 books beside my bed that I am waiting to read, and three new cookbooks on my desk to peruse.  Hello, my name is Kate and I am a book addict.  Nice to meet you.
• I started a book club at my work.  Somehow I and another co-worker are spearheading the thing and I need to set up our first meeting asap.  We are reading Ahab's Wife, or The Star Gazer by Sena Jeter Naslund.  It's a good story.
• I am hosting Thanksgiving dinner at my house for both my family and my husband's family. To date, we have 22 people who will be attending, including us. I don't own that many forks.  That is a problem.
• **WARNING** Female subject ahead - please skip if you are male, related to me, and/or are uncomfortable hearing about my anatomy.
• I had an IUD put in last November. I had it taken out in October.  It was making me cranky, irritable, mean, crazy, bloated, irrational and sad. Also, my hair was falling out and I had the skin of a hormonal teenager. I feel much better now.
• Ok, it's safe to read again.
• I went to Eastern WA a few weeks ago to visit friends and we canned 90 quarts of applesauce and juice in a day.  Now I fancy myself a pioneer woman and am intent on "putting up" as much of anything and everything I can.  I have roasted and pureed pumpkin, which is now in my freezer in handy one cup servings.  Next up:  apple pie filling, Oktoberfest beer mustard, and marinara sauce.  Hello, my name is Kate and I am a food hoarder. Or part squirrel. Or secretly Amish.
• While out with my daughter the other day, she looked up at me and said "Mommy, my heart hurts of love."
• I know what she means.

Falling

Fall is upon us.  Which means the cold has arrived.  Which means Kate is already freezing. 

I keep hearing that this is the year of El Nino and that we're in for a milder, drier, warmer winter.  But so far I'm not feeling it.  There was a biting cold Nor'easter wind blowing down out of Canada today that was swirling and howling around my house.  We've had a fire going in our Fireplace Xtrordinair almost daily for the last week or so and it has kept the house nice & toasty.  That thing puts out some serious heat when you get it going.  It's lovely.  (My husband would tell you it makes the house too hot, but he's crazy.  80° is a perfectly comfortable temperature for the house.)

Along with the weather change comes all the germy cold and flu bugs.  To date, I have a cold which started out with a sore throat and now both the kids are complaining of tummyaches and headaches, although that's as far as it's gone - complaining.  Both of the kids have had the regular flu vaccination; Sam got the flu mist up the nose and Zoe got an actual shot.  She'll have to have a 2nd one, though, as this is the first time she's gotten the flu shot.  I *think* I'll be getting them the H1N1 vaccination when it becomes available.  With all the information and hype that's out there, it's hard to know what to do.  I had a really good discussion with our pediatrician at Zoe's 4 year checkup and I feel better about them having it, but I still can't say I'm 100% sure.  Like any parent, I want to protect my kids but what if the so-called "protection" ends up causing more problems than what you're trying to protect against?? 

Anyway, as much as I cringe at the falling temps and the inevitable illnesses, I love the fall.  We live in such a beautiful area and the trees are turning the most gorgeous shades of red, orange and gold. There's a hint of woodsmoke in the air and the outside is taking on a musty, earthy smell.  The skies are filled with the sounds and shapes of birds heading south to warmer climes.  As everything starts to wind down for a long winter's nap, I start thinking of projects to work on, things to keep me busy while I'm waiting indoors for the return of summer.  And, of course, there's the holidays.

I'm so excited to be in our new house this holiday season.  We missed out on celebrating Christmas in The Red House last year because of the snow, but this year, even if it does snow, we'll be there, all tucked safe & warm inside.  And we've invited both our families to join us for a big Thanksgiving Feast at our house.  It's going to be a holiday to remember, for sure.  I can't wait.

What is your favorite thing about fall?

May I See Your License?

Today I went on a field trip with Sam's 2nd grade class.  They've been studying wetlands in science class so they loaded all the 2nd graders up and hauled them to a nearby lake, which is surrounded by wetlands.  It was a fun and interesting day, with beautiful weather, and even the parents learned a few things. 

Next to the lake area is a park where our half of the group spent the morning, seeing the farm animals, running around and having lunch while the other group toured the wetlands.  There is a nice trail that connects the two areas that is probably 1/4 mile or so.  On the way back over to the lake for our turn, Sam and a classmate were lagging way behind the rest of the group.  I encouraged him to catch up, but he complained that he was tiiiirrred and couldn't go any faster.

I joked with him that if he was gonna run out of energy so quickly they were going to revoke his kid license and make him be an adult.

"But Mom," he replied matter of factly, "I don't have a kid license.  All I have is a library card and two tickets to the Fair!"

Training Again

After doing my first half marathon in June, I decided Heck, I could do that again!   Apparently, walking 13.1 miles is kind of like childbirth:  you forget the painful parts and only remember the reward.  So naturally I immediately committed to doing another one.  Which is in 10 days.

I'm excited about doing it, especially since it's in my city and I can come home and pass out on my couch celebrate immediately afterwards.  Oh! And maybe I'll even have someone waiting for me, cheering me on, at the finish line!  I'm hurriedly trying to get my legs and feet back accustomed to the torture task of going 13.1 miles, since after the June race I spent a month hobbling around, babying a sprained ankle.  And then summer, kids, camping, blah blah blah got in the way and, long story short, I haven't been as dedicated to my training as I should have been.  So I guess I'll just plan to spend much of October hobbling around, babying my sprained/broken/abused {insert body part here}.

Do I know how to have fun or what??