Vacation Time (for 2010)

I have somewhat injured myself and seriously must lie down for the next two days. Damned lunges and also squats. I am so tired and achy, which may also be a symptom of being dehydrated. Made it into work though, where I am diligently working hard. *ahem* At any rate, I full on feel like crap.

I have been talking to my Texas friend Tara via Facebook and we have decided that we will do the South Beach diet starting after Thanksgiving.  Our reasons are thus: Tara’s getting married next year and wants to look awesome, and I also want to look awesome for this event. I have been wanting to do the 2 week Atkins metabolic reset that starts out your South Beach experience because I really felt great the last time I did it. I was going to do this in January, but having Tara do it at the same time will be a supportive bonus, because no carbs is SO HARD for like three days, you think you are going to keel over and croak, but by the end of the two weeks you are really feeling awesome.

Speaking of Tara’s wedding, I asked her if they’d set a date, and they have! July 31, 2010 – which, honestly, is like the most perfect time for me to take time off the job. I was going to go regardless of workload/meeting schedule, but now I can take a little more time off and really enjoy myself! Since 7/31/10 is a Saturday, I am thinking that I may take off 7/29-8/6/10.  I won’t spend all that time in Texas, but I will certainly spend a chunk!

(Incidentally, I wonder if Tara realizes she is getting married on Harry Potter’s birthday?)

I also found this picture and I think I found the style of dress I will wear to the wedding:

anthrodress

Isn’t that cute? I love Anthropology stuff. Made out of cotton jersey or just regular cotton would be a nice, cool, and flattering fashion statement. I want to whip out the sewing machine this winter, so hopefully I will acquire some Mad Skillz to make it. I haven’t actually sewn anything in about 18 years, so I’m a little, uh… out of practice. I think boots would look awesome with this dress, however being realistic I have to say that boots in Texas in late July would be stupid as it is approximately 800 Billion Degrees that time of year there.

My friend Sarah has started sewing recently and has really surprised me with her enthusiasm for it, so I kind of figure that if she can get going with it, so can I! I’ve been toting a sewing machine around the country for five years, I oughtta use it, don’t you think?

Anyway, I’m pretty stoked about going back to Texas for a few days next summer. It’s my favorite place, after all. I’m a little bummed I didn’t make it out there this year, but every other year seems to be the schedule so this will be right on track.  PLUS my friend Daphne is out of grad school in Arizona so I will be able to visit with her.  I haven’t seen her since I moved away – she was out of state when I was there in 2008.

So, brace yourself, San Antonio. I am returning to your hallowed ground in a mere eight months!! bwahahaha

Post Holiday Pass Out

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas. We had various celebrations and all were great. My favorite meal was, of course, the deviled eggs, cheese zombies, potato soup, and egg nog that we scarfed at Jason’s house on Christmas Eve. (“Best. Christmas. Ever!”)

Abby's Mitts

I made my sister a pair of fingerless mitts as a last minute Christmas gift, and they went over really well! So that was nice. Abby is an excellent person to give handknits to.

Today we went to Ikea so I could buy some stuff for the house, and I got a Poang chair and an Expedit bookshelf (this is the square 4×4 shelf – for yarn storage in the craft room!). And several injuries because apparently I am a klutz, or I was today anyway.

I was in the bathroom in one of the stalls and there wasn’t a purse hanger thing on the door, so I hung my purse* over the corner of the door, then realized there was no toilet paper so I went to find another stall and I grabbed my purse, but gouged my thumb on the extruding metal where the purse hanger should have been.

I started bleeding like a stuck pig and went to the sink where I bled all over. I finally got it slowed and wrapped in a paper towel.

Outside the bathroom, Abby nursed me back to health with magical liquid bandage and bandaids she randomly had in her purse. I don’t know how she does it! But I was more-or-less back in action thanks to her emergency supplies (and her purse isn’t that big!).

Anyway, so after that we ate lunch and went downstairs to the marketplace and I dinged my middle finger on the cart, then lost control of the cart and ran into something and bruised my stomach on the cart handle, then I dropped part of the Expedit on my foot (though that didn’t hurt so much).

We managed to get everything in the car using the power of physics and went to the house where we unloaded all my other stuff. Besides the chair and bookshelf I got a couple of cheap rugs, some wine glasses, some bag clips, a lampshade, and a big picture of a deer for the wall. (Heh.)

I only went $11 over my $500 budget, which I think is doing pretty well. And was probably all tax anyway.

We’re painting the craft room on Sunday, then on Monday my contractor is coming to rip the bathrooms and lay down linoleum, and then next Saturday we’re moving my storage unit shizzle into the place, which will be awesome!

I still need to buy three sets of curtains and one curtain rod between now and then. And get the cable and internet hooked up.

Anyway, things are moving along on that front.

*Tote Bag

^My mom made that cool purse for me for Christmas.

Alamo Heights, Castle Hills, Olmos Park

Yesterday I went out and about to all my favorite shopping places in San Antonio.  First I stopped at Yarnivore in Castle Hills off NW Military Highway.  I had never been to Yarnivore, as it opened about four months after I loved.  It’s a great store and the girl running the place was really nice. They had a knitting machine in the middle of the shop, which is cool because a lot of times people are like, ew, knitting machines.

I bought some sock yarn:

Yarnivore Yarn

Panda Cotton, Collinette Jitterbug, and Fannie’s Fingering Weight.

I then went to Alamo Heights and stopped at Nomadic Notions, where I bought some charms, and then I stopped at the Yarn Barn, which has changed ownership and I wasn’t really impressed with their sock yarn selection, which is basically how I judge a store. I did pick up some Regia Surf in yellowy blues and greens.  It’s a cotton/wool blend that will make nice socks.

Then I stopped at the Rim, which is a new shopping center just north of La Cantera (a ritzy outdoor shopping mall that boasts a Neiman Marcus and Tiffany’s) and looked at the new Michael’s, which didn’t have anything that the Brentwood Michael’s didn’t have. After that I stopped at Taco Cabana and then at Hobby Lobby.

At Hobby Lobby I got some beads.

Beads!

Today we went to the outlets at San Marcos and I got some stuff at Bath & Body Works.  And an owl bag at the Charlotte Russe outlet:

owl bag

Then when we were going down I-35, we saw a different Hobby Lobby (in Selma) and we stopped there and Julie got some stuff and I got some more beads, but also in the same shopping center was a new beads store called Beads 2 Go, and I got some awesome beads there…

beads

Tomorrow I am staying at the apartment and putzing around watching tv, and then Julie and I are going downtown to the Mercado and out to dinner at County Line.

Mmm, County Line.