Four days off, here I come

For the second week in a row, I get a 4-day weekend. (I could get used to this!)

So, the plan for tomorrow is:

1. Clean house (at least some)
2. Start putting away the Christmas decorations
3. Make cookies (coconut sesame cookies)
4. Make chili

Although it was my fervent wish and desire to stay inside all day in my pjs, I am afraid I have to go to Petco and get Boots some cat food. He is out of the kind he likes (and the kind I like for him, as well) and I forgot to pick it up today. Rats!

Tomorrow night we will eat chili for dinner on bed trays on our bed while we watch "The Twilight Zone" marathon on the SciFi channel. I can't wait. We do this every New Year's Eve. Yes.....we are the ultimate party animals.

More later --

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Thank you, Niki and Helene, for your notes and well wishes. I have been AWOL for quite some time now and have no excuse. No good one, anyway…

Steve and I have had a wonderful Christmas. We had a Christmas visitor – a friend that Steve has known for more than 30 years who came to spend Christmas Eve and most of Christmas Day with us. It was a really nice holiday, and I’m glad Steve’s friend was able to spend Christmas with us.

Santa was good to us. I got a jewelry armoire that I’ve been wanting for ever so long. Steve got a Garmin GPS for his new car, which he loved.

Here are a few holiday pictures. To the three people who read my blog, Thank You! I wish you and yours a very happy Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year. I promise I won’t be as delinquent in my blogging. One of my resolutions is to get back into the habit of blogging and make it a regular part of my life.

More later --

Back home......yes!

We got back from our beach vacation yesterday. Had a lot of fun, but I was ready to be home!

Here's some snaps from our trip:

Funny story on this first one. Steve had downloaded some driving directions with "hints" for the trip. One hint said that Meridian, MS had a neat store if you needed to stretch your legs and find a bargain. We were ready to do both, so we lucked out by taking the right exit (out of four to choose from) and finding "Hudson's Treasure Hunt" store. It's a huge store full of almost everything under the sun. Everything was at least 60% off the ticketed price. We got a few deals, including an 8-pack of my Venus razor refills for less than $6 (anywhere else they would be at least $15-16), and a couple of nice water bottles in insulated carriers for a little over $2 apiece (perfect for the beach).

Anyway, we arrive at about 9:50 am, and there's a LINE in the parking lot leading up to the door (they opened at 10:00). I mean, these people were SERIOUS -- they had their shopping carts and were ready to go. I had no idea what Hudson's even was, so we're standing in this line. I told Steve, "It feels really weird that we're in a line and we don't even know what for..." To which Steve replied that he better get a shopping cart (which he did). Anyway, here's a picture of the line:



Here's a shot from our balcony. We were on the 8th floor. This was taken the day we arrived, and it had been raining. The beach was pretty much deserted, which we loved...




Here's one of my sweet hubby on our balcony. If you look closely, you can see a rainbow over his shoulder!




This is Steve during our dolphin cruise. And yes, we saw lots of dolphins!




This was taken our last evening (decided we had to have at least ONE picture of us together!)




Here's one of me at the restaurant Friday night:




Anyway, a good time was had by all.

More later --

kissie kissie!

They do this all the time. I finally just got a picture of it.


Also, Boots enjoyed the Sunday paper today. He's quite the literary type.

Farkle, anyone?

I've got to admit, I was a slow convert to Facebook. My friend Brenda had been bugging me about signing up forEVER, and I just ... resisted. I just felt like my plate was full enough, and I did not need another place to have to check in.

But.

Now I am a Facebooker and have only this week discovered the game of Farkle. O.M.G. I am addicted. This is not good. I find myself logging in just to play the game and see if I can beat my best score. Wondering what the really big winners' strategy is... Yes, I'm expending way too much time and energy on this!

Oh well, as far as vices go, this one is pretty tame.

More later --

The beach beckons ...

We’re counting down to our vacation, and we are so ready! We’re going back to Gulf Shores, Alabama. We went there a few years ago and really enjoyed it. We’re even renting the same condo. It’s right on the beach and close to some great restaurants.

I’ve found a blog that I really like. I haven’t gotten to spend a huge amount of time there, but I have really enjoyed what I’ve read. Check it out if you have time. It's called The Simple Dollar. Here's one of my favorite posts so far, on creating a CD ladder for your savings. It's something I've never done, but would like to start doing, to build up our savings account.

More later --

Does your kitty ever stick his tongue out?

The other night I went into the bedroom and saw Boots lying on our bed with his tongue sticking out. And there was a little wet spot where he had actually drooled a little. That scared me, so I Googled it to find out what was wrong. (Don't you just love Google?)

Turns out, nothing was wrong. Turns out, cats can do that when they are extremely relaxed and happy. Who knew? I guess my cats have never been that relaxed and happy.

Anyway, tonight he was doing it again. I tried to catch him on film, but as you can see, I missed it. Oh well, he's still cute. (And Vikki, he's NOT sneaky!)

Sadekat -- thank you for asking about my sleep study. I actually started to post about it earlier but thought it might be too boring for people to read... Long story short, I technically have apnea. The doctor told me the definition of apnea is 5 or more interruptions in breathing in a 1-hour time frame. My average for last night was 5.1. But, he said I could have come on another night and only measured at 4.9, so he did not think I needed a c-pap or anything like that. He told me the best thing I can do to help it is lose weight.

Rather than smart off and say, "ya think?" I simply said yes Doctor, I know you're right. Yet another reason for me to get my butt in gear and get back on a low carb good eating plan...

We go on vacation in two weeks. So maybe Steve and I can get back on a good eating plan after then. No way am I even going to think about it before then...

More later --

Putting the period on the sentence

Sorry for the big gap in posting. I’ve been spending far too much time on Facebook and not enough time on my blog! You know…..working for a living sure puts a cramp in my online socialization! Kidding, of course. With the economy so bad, I am thankful to have – not only a job - but a really good job, working with great people.

I’m so glad its Saturday and I can put the period on the sentence that has been this week. It’s been stressful, to say the least. Here’s a short recap:

• Went to dentist for checkup and was told he needs to extract a tooth and build a 4-unit bridge (to the tune of $1,800, after dental insurance pays their part). WHAT??

• Big storm came thru Memphis and we lost power. It stayed off for over 24 hours and we had to throw out a fair amount of food from the frig and freezer…not to mention sleep in the heat and humidity. UGH!

• Got a call from the rheumatologist’s office. They found blood in my urine and so I had to go back in to give them another specimen. (I hate that word, don’t you?) So I peed in another cup. Haven’t heard those results.

• Had a consultation with a sleep doctor. (Rheumatologist thinks I have apnea.) Now I have to go get all wired up to about 40 electrodes and try to sleep in front of a camera. Sure, no problem. That’s scheduled for next Thursday (and maybe Friday) night(s). Oh joy…

• Our back door lock jammed. Neither of our keys would open it. We’d been needing to get all the doors rekeyed the same, so we called a locksmith out. 150-some-odd dollars later, that’s crossed off our to-do list.

So that’s been my week. How’s yours been???????

On the up side, it is an absolutely gorgeous day. I can’t believe this is August in Memphis. There is like zero humidity and it’s just glorious. High will be in the 80s today. Yay!

A day in the life of my cat

Boots has completely made himself at home in our new house. He has lots of favorite spots to relax, and this is one of them.

My recumbent bike

So, I think I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I got a great "find" at a garage sale in our neighborhood. I scored a recumbent exercise bike for $25, and it's basically brand new! I've wanted a recumbent for the longest time, since it's so much easier on my back than our Airdyne-type bike. Plus, as I tell my sweet hubby ... "I need a big fat seat to match my butt!" :-)

So here's a couple pictures of the bike. We put it at the foot of our bed, so I can watch TV while I'm riding. I've actually peddled for a whole hour -- peddling slow and steady during the TV show and faster and harder during the commercials. It's a good workout for me, and it doesn't seem to aggravate my fibromyalgia OR hurt my back, which is a major "plus."

Mermaid or Whale?

I got this great email yesterday:

Recently, in large French city, a poster featuring a young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said:

THIS SUMMER DO YOU WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR A WHALE?

A middle aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern:

Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans). They have an active sex life, they get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Barren Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia . Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.

Mermaids don't exist. If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis--Fish or human? They don't have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them not to mention they don't have the equipment for it. Therefore they don't have kids either.

The choice is perfectly clear to me; I want to be a whale.

P.S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver and a coffee with my friends. With time we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren't heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy. Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, Good gosh, look how smart I am........

News of the Kitty

Boots is fine. He is (who knew?) allergic to flea bites. Apparently he has picked up a couple from lying in Chance's beds. We do Frontline on both, but Chance picks up fleas from outside, and we know it's inevitable that he'll bring them inside with him. Then, before the Frontline can kill them, sometimes they jump off him and onto his bedding. Boots loves to sleep in both of Chance's beds (sort of a cat version of thumbing his nose at the dog, I guess).

Anyway, the vet couldn't find any fleas on Boots, but she did find "flea dirt" so we know they're there. She said it only takes a few, if a cat is very sensitive to them. She says sometimes cats come in just covered in fleas and don't even scratch themselves. Then, a cat that is allergic can have just a couple fleas, and about scratch themselves to death. She recommended a bath for him. Yikes ... talk about my least favorite task in the world. Actually, I can't even imagine. So we'll be making a trip back to the vet soon, to take care of bathing the cat.

She gave Boots a cortisone shot and said he'll be fine. It's just that the skin on his back near his tail was inflamed. Poor baby. But he's okay. I just took these pictures of him a minute ago. It's hard to get a good shot of him because he's so dark. She did talk about what a beautiful silky coat he has and what a sweet boy he is ... which I already knew (says the proud "cat mama").

Christmas in July?

We’ve had a gift the past several days – low humidity and much lower temperatures. On Saturday the high was about 80 degrees. Now, THAT’S what I’m talking about! Middle of July in Memphis, Tennessee! We’re gradually creeping back up the temperature/humidity gauge (of course), but today was still nice.

I got a great “find” Saturday morning at a garage sale. I’ve wanted a recumbent exercise for quite awhile now. I bought one for $25 and love it. I spent 20 minutes on it Saturday night, and almost an hour on it last night! I’ll post a picture of it soon.

I’m a little concerned about Boots. He has a place on his back, right above his tail that is very, very tender. When I tried to look at it earlier, he snapped at me. He’s never done that before, so I know it’s really hurting him. I made an appointment with the vet for tomorrow to get it checked out. I just can’t figure out what it could be.

Chance went to the groomer today, and they sent him home with the cutest little “heart” kerchief. Here’s a couple pictures I just took of my sleepy boy. He’s made himself quite comfy in the recliner, don’t you think?

This is how I feel

TGIF - tomorrow!

It’s a nice Thursday evening and I’m enjoying the peace and quiet. Chance has made his last trip outside for the night, Boots is lying sprawled out in the middle of the hallway, and my sweet husband is in the kitchen making his lunch for tomorrow. Which, in case you haven’t realized, is FRIDAY.

It’s been busy at the office lately, which is a good thing. I don’t think I’ve talked much about my job here. I work for a labor and employment law firm. My particular job is pretty interesting (most of the time) and involves working on PowerPoint presentations, training programs, research, and lots of other things. I like that it can be very challenging and also rewarding. We’ve gone through a pretty slow period, which I hate. The days drag by and I find myself getting lazy. It’s much better when we’re busy and there are lots of things going on!

Here’s a picture of a pretty piece of wall art we found. It’s iron and I really like it. Sorry it's a little blurry...



More later --

Sunday morning check-in

Stayed home from church this morning. I think I overdid it yesterday cleaning the house. This blasted fibromyalgia … I can’t figure out where the energy starts and ends. I’ve been feeling better lately. When I saw my doctor last week, she tweaked my medicine, and it really has helped. I haven’t felt as dopey-sleepy and have had a little more energy. So yesterday, I guess I pushed myself. And today, I’m paying for it.

I belong to a Frugal Living forum, and one of the threads lately is about “using it up.” So I’ve been a lot more conscious of not throwing leftovers out and trying to use up everything and reduce waste. Last night I made a chicken stir fry. We’d had roast a couple of nights earlier, and I had just a little roast and gravy in the fridge. So I shredded the roast and put it and a couple tablespoons of gravy into the stir fry. Not only did it “use it up,” it really added a depth of flavor to the dish. Yay!

Hubby and I are starting to plan our vacation for later this year. We’re heading back to the beach, I guess. We plan on going the second week of September. It’s a great time, because school has started, the crowds are gone, it’s still nice and warm – but oppressively hot, and best of all … prices are almost half of what they are in the summer.

Here’s a picture of what I want in our front beds. My favorite flowers in the world are hydrangeas.



More later --

Wow ... is it Wednesday already?

This week is going by really fast. Which is good. I’ve been busy at work, and I’m glad, because it makes the day go by faster.

Tonight an insurance guy was supposed to come by the house, and we were going to sign applications for a life insurance policy for both of us. Weird – he never made it. I say it’s weird, because he’d already done his pitch a couple weeks ago, and we’ve been considering it since. So he knew it was a for-sure thing. He seemed like a really decent guy, so I guess we’ll give him a chance to call us and let us know what prevented him from coming…

I made a big bowl of tuna salad tonight for both our lunches. I make it with diced sugar-free “sweet” pickles, minced onion, diced celery, chopped eggs, mayo, and (of course) tuna. Then I like sandwiches with my “health nut” bread, lettuce (or spinach), a slice or two of tomato, sliced onion, and a little more mayo. Yum-O!

Okay, just in case you’re not sick of pictures of my house, here’s another one. This is a shot of our screened-in back porch.

On the road again

I'll be out of town and offline for a few days. I'll post again on Sunday. Till then, have a wonderful Fourth of July holiday!

Cool at last!

I came home today to a blissfully cool house. The a/c units were cleaned and serviced, coolant added to both units, and a part was replaced on one unit. What a difference!

Here's a picture of my kitchen. It doesn't really show, but I have a lovely view out that window of my neighbor's rose bushes. They are multi-colored and really quite beautiful.

A quiet Sunday morning

It’s a quiet Sunday morning. I was awake early and couldn’t go back to sleep. It’s been really, really hot. Last night at 10:00 the heat index was still 100 degrees. The actual temperature was in the 90s.

I missed a party yesterday. It was a party I’d helped plan and prepare for. But when it came right down to braving the 100+ degree heat and humidity … I just couldn’t do it. My muscle pain is so much better for the most part – with the exception of “fits and starts” as I call them. But the heat is just doing me in. I feel like a flake and a failure for missing it. I don’t know that people will understand. I don’t even know that I understand.

I’ve been reading a book: What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia by R. Paul St. Amand, M.D. It’s been very informative and eye-opening for me, and it has sort of reinforced some things that I suspected were true. Since receiving this diagnosis several months ago, my doctor has given me meds, yes, but virtually no information about this disorder. I don’t do well with no information. I crave information… So I’ve been reduced to getting all my information from the internet. Now … don’t get me wrong … the internet is a wonderful thing. But it can be deceitful and downright dangerous if you tend to believe what you read. (And, News Flash: I tend to believe everything I read – which is insane. I have to struggle not to take everything I read to heart, even when I know it could be blatantly false.)

Our house is still hot. There’s a service person coming tomorrow “between 8 and 12” and I am anxious to get both units serviced and working properly.

More later --

There's good news and bad news

The bad news is, the high was 99 degrees today, with a heat index of 110. And, when I got off at 5:00 it was still 98! The good news is, my car’s A/C is working great since they fixed it.

The bad news is, when I got home it was 83 degrees in my house, although the thermostat was set to 74. The good news is, our home warranty (which was included when we bought the house) covers the air conditioning units.

The bad news is, we have to use AHS’ authorized service people to fix our A/C instead of the guy we’ve used before and trust, AND we have to wait for them to call us. The good news is, they called me this afternoon.

The bad news is, their first available opening is next Monday from 8:00 to 12:00. What the ?????????

I’m still trying to think of the good news.

It's Monday, what's new with you?

Tonight I tried a new recipe -- grilled boneless/skinless chicken breasts with a peanut sauce. I gotta say ... I was not thrilled. My sweet husband almost without fail compliments my food, and he dutifully said, "the chicken is good," but I noticed that he didn't eat all of his ... hmmmmmmmm.

So anyway, nothing ventured, nothing gained. It's not something I'll make again, but it didn't hurt to try!

The heat is still oppressive. We think our A/C units need to be serviced (we have two), because the house is just not cooling properly. Hope it's not going to be a huge expense! Anyway, I'm going to call the guy tomorrow. So time will tell... In the meantime, we are guzzling iced tea like there's no tomorrow.

Here's a shot of our breakfast area. It's pretty with the morning sun shining in. The shelves are full of cookbooks, and they are not nearly all I have. (It's a sickness, what can I say?)





Chance's favorite spot is here:





He can see what's going on in the neighborhood, if any dogs are daring to walk down his street, etc.


Finally, here's a shot of the fireplace area in our den. The picture above it is not a final choice -- it's just there temporarily until we find one that we agree on and that's the right size and scale. It's a process, and one that is taking longer than I thought. Oh well, it's okay ... time is one thing we've got lots of (I hope)!

Pictures and Friday check-in

I am here to tell you, summer has arrived in the city of Memphis, TN. Maybe not on the calendar, but definitely on the thermometer. It has been HOT and HUMID … ugh! Temp in the 90s and heat index in the 100s. And being “the age I am,” makes it all the worse. Heat just seems so much … hotter!

So here I sit, my little red fan pointed directly at my head, while I wait for the house to cool down. Chance is out in the back yard (how can he stand it?), saying hello to the big dog who lives behind us. Hubby is picking out a movie for him to watch tonight (not me; I’ll be watching “What Not to Wear” – it’s a new one tonight). And Boots is … well, I’m not sure exactly where Boots is. He was lying on the dresser in our room earlier (under the ceiling fan), but then he has lots of hiding places.

Here’s a picture of a pretty plant I got to go on what was my microwave stand (I now have a “cubby” that holds the microwave, which is great).



And, here’s a shot of our bookcases. They are still a work in progress, so things come and go, almost daily …



Finally, here's a sweet picture of Chance. He fell asleep on a pillow last night and I couldn't resist ...



More later --

Thank you, Shell ...

... for following my blog!

Will post more later tonight --

Quote for the day

"I started out with nothing. And I have most of it left."

- anonymous

Happy Flag Day

Happy Flag Day, ya'll!

I'm grateful to have been born in the United States of America. It could just as easily been some 3rd world country, you know? So many freedoms and privileges I enjoy every day.

Hope everyone is having a great day. I sort of overdid things yesterday and am very sore and achy today. But as the day goes on, I am feeling a bit better. I'm still learning how to navigate this fibromyalgia stuff...but I am learning!

More later --

The verdict is in ...

... and I love my Sleep Number bed! I have my side very firm and my hubby has his side significantly softer, and we are both happy. Hallelujah! Now if I can just find a pillow. I have fibromyalgia and arthritis, so sleeping (among other things) can be a challenge. I’m thinking about trying one of the water-filled pillows. Anyone tried one, who can give me their take on it?

Today we had some bad weather move through Memphis. I had to drive home through some pretty wicked lightning, wind, etc. There were branches in the road, somebody’s mailbox was in the road, even our trash can was out in the street. Made it home safe and sound, though, and have been watching people on the news who did not fare as well as we did – trees down on homes, a tractor-trailer overturned on the highway, over 100,000 without power, and such.

But we are in for the night and happy to be. Chance is lying on the couch next to me. I think Boots is still hiding in my closet (he doesn’t do storms very well). Hubby is watching something on his computer in the study, and I’ve got “What Not to Wear” on the TV in here. So life is pretty good.

More later --

Thank you, Helene ...

... for following my blog! You are such a talented artist; I love looking at your creations on your blog. I can only imagine how beautiful they would be in person.

Just another manic monday ...

… not really, I just love that song. It’s been a good day.

Dropped my RAV 4 off today during lunch to get some routine maintenance performed – AC service, tire rotation, radiator flush/fill, and oil change. It will be ready when I get off today at 5:00.

A co-worker followed me to the repair shop, and then I went to a shoe store with her. I found a pair of shoes! This is a big deal, because I have wide feet and always have to buy my shoes online. But these are so cute – sort of “Mary Jane” type shoes, but very comfortable and lightweight, with good support. So I am pretty excited about that find.

We had a couple over Saturday night for dinner and a movie. I work with the lady, and her husband and my husband sort of hit it off when they first met – seemed to have a lot in common. And you know, it can be hard when you’re a couple to find another couple that both the husband and wife feel comfortable with and enjoy spending time with. We’re really lucky in that regard because we do have another couple that we’re both very close to.

But anyway, I’m getting off-track here. So, this couple – John and Vickie – came over Saturday evening. They got the grand tour of our new house, we had a nice meal together, and we watched “The Italian Job.” Not the new one; the original one with Michael Caine and Benny Hill. Such a good movie. It was a really enjoyable evening.

Chance was on his best behavior; he sat on everyone’s lap. (They have a miniature schnauzer of their own at home, and they even dog-sat for us when we were called out of town unexpectedly, so he was very comfortable with them. But who am I kidding … he never meets a stranger anyway.) I told them he is an “equal opportunity lap dog.”

And, wonders never cease, Boots even came out near the end of the evening. My shy kitty never comes out when people he doesn’t know are in the house. But he did Saturday night. So that was a First.

So anyway, it was a very nice evening – our first experience hosting someone in the new house. We’ll be doing it a lot, because we love to have people over; in fact, we’re having people over this Saturday evening for dinner, too.

More later --

New bedroom pictures

Just have a minute to spend here tonight, but wanted to post a couple pics of our bedroom with the mattresses and bedding -- yea!



As you can see, the kitty likes our new bed.




I am looking forward to trying out the Sleep Number mattress. Hopefully it will help us both have a good night's sleep.

More later --

Thanks, Wayne ...

...for following my blog, and for all the great blogging advice and information you provide at your terrific blog!

Today’s been a quiet day. There’s been a gentle, soaking rain that’s moving out tonight, and it’s considerably cooler this evening – it actually feels great outside – about 61 degrees. It’ll be back in the 80s tomorrow and close to 90 again by Saturday.

One of my co-workers and I went out to lunch today, to Buffalo Wild Wings. Thursday is 60-cent boneless wings day. It was great. I’ve been taking my lunch a lot lately, just trying to be more frugal, but it was nice to get out of the office for an hour.

Tomorrow our mattresses come! I’m really excited about that. Although, as I told my husband last night, “I’m sort of going to miss our dark, quiet guest room.” It’s very cozy with only one window, and our bedroom has three huge windows, so I think it won’t be nearly as dark. My husband kindly offered to let me sleep in the guest bedroom any time I want. (Gee, thanks, honey.)

Here’s a picture I took of Chance awhile back. I think his toy needs to be j-u-s-t a tad bigger...

A sunflower for you

Today was a pretty good day, for a Monday. Mondays are hard, I guess, for most everyone. I know they are for me. Only four more days until the weekend, though!

I just read the paragraph I just wrote, and you would think I hate my job. Which is not true, by the way. I almost always like, and sometimes love, my job. But, I’ve been having some health issues, and it is really doing a number on my motivation. Pain makes me not feel like doing much of anything. Additionally, it has not been very busy at work lately (at least at my desk), which in a way is a blessing, but in another way, it is perpetuating my lack of motivation. However, these lulls never last long, so I’m trying to appreciate it while it’s here. Crazy-busy days will return before long, I have no doubt.

Here's a picture I love:

New furniture!

We recently moved into a new (to us) house and have been working hard putting our “stamp” on it. It’s starting to really feel like home, which is great.

So, last weekend we went bedroom furniture shopping. I was super excited, because believe it or not, I have never bought a brand new bedroom suit before. All at once. There were some great Memorial Day furniture sales, and we found a really nice set for a great price. Then, we headed to the Sleep Number store and bought a new mattress set. I have always wanted a Sleep Number bed. So exciting! Anyway, the bedroom furniture was delivered Friday. The mattress set will be delivered this coming Friday. Till then, we’re sleeping in the guest room on our old bed. I’ll update with new pictures when we get the room all put together with the new furniture, mattresses, and bedding.

But for now, here are some pictures of our bedroom furniture.

Quote of the day

“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.”

Albert Einstein

My fake tan

I have the whitest skin you’ve ever seen. My legs are so white I hate wearing shorts or summer skirts. I cannot tell a lie -- in the past, I went the tanning bed route and in the ancient past, I was a true sun worshiper. Now, however, I know better, so I don’t do that stuff these days. But I still hate my white legs.

I’ve tried sunless tanning lotions in the past, but have never been completely happy with the results. Earlier this month, though, I read a review of sunless tanning products in our local newspaper. One of the highest scoring products was Loreal Sublime Bronze. I’ve been using it for a few days, and the verdict is in: I love it! It’s given me a very pretty soft tan with no streaks, strange smell, or weird orange-y coloring at all. Hallelujah!

More later --

Kitty on a shelf

Boots is our sweet and shy kitty. He always hides when company comes to visit. But I'm on to him. He usually heads for my closet. Last time we had company, I went and got him and carried him out to say hello ... then carried him back. I keep hoping he will lose a little of the shyness, but so far it hasn't happened.

I think Boots likes his new house. He spends most of his time in the back part -- in our bedroom or the study. This morning I snapped a quick shot of him on his cat perch, which is in our bedroom and overlooks the back yard.

More later --