I know (October update pics)

My wonderful grandmother waving from her hospital bed. She is back home and doing much better but she scared us a bit there - she doesn't like eating or drinking water, and here's how she winds up. Stubborn!

This is Clover, the dog I helped to dogsit for my friend B. Clover is old and has lost some functioning, which makes it not so easy to care for her, but what a sweet pooch - look at that face!

I am terrible at this blog-updating thing. I am gonna try to be better. I also haven't been doing pushups, situps, or anything else lately. Swam once last week, that was good. Now, I am mildly sick and without any new or exciting netflix DVDs at home, plus it's incredibly cold in my apartment - so the most comfortable place is under the covers in by bed with Lois and the warm laptop in my lap.

P came to visit and took me to the opera - Manon, at the Lyric. It was such a treat! Most of all, it was great to see him.

I have been working on lots of things: winterizing the apartment, going back to school in January, preparing for the birth of my brother's first children - twin girls expected in late January or early Feb. (I have about 7 craft projects in planning-to-just-started phase all over the apartment), cleaning the apartment, and looking for a job. We just found out today that there will be no salary increases in 2009 and we're switching insurance carriers even though we just did that last year.

I went to Philadelphia for a work conference and loved it - the conference, and what I got to see of Philly. Here's a big ship next to my hotel at Penn's landing.

I also have one broken tooth and crown and another tooth that one dentist has said needs to be removed and replaced with an implant. I need a second opinion, because should I have implants already at 38? I have yet to start that investigative process because of the unbelievable expense it is clear it will cost me.

This is my favorite Philly pic. I was there when they won the Series, and this sign was still up at City Hall after the ginormous parade/rally when I walked around downtown after midnight on my last night.

The rest

...of my weekend went like this:

Making lion heads and beaded tails with the 3-year-olds.
Taught last Sunday art classes for 10 weeks (!),

Went to friend S's house for birthday party brunch for sister S. of homemade fried chicken and waffles, which were so good together! (I'd never had it before! Delectable combo.)

Sunspire malt-sweetened chocolate covered almonds from Whole Foods' bulk section - the best! But also really expensive. It's a couple-times-a-year treat.
Hung out with the dog a little (poor thing, she hates my training schedule), then reserved an iGo car and took it downtown for a triathlon seminar about the swim - hoping to try on wetsuits - but got hailed and rained on at Ohio St. beach and didn't get to try on any wetsuits. Then I remembered I have a Macy's gift certificate, and went to shop there (since I was all the way downtown - I need a new running bra) but they closed the store before I made it to the intimate apparel section. I also realized I actually miss Marshall Fields.

Trader Joe's came out with these ones last year - dark chocolate almonds with salt - they are incredible.

Ran into Cubs traffic for the umpteenth time this season, and had to extend my car by another 1/2 hour, which means I spent like $30 for nothing ... erg.

Then, there's the go-to chocolate, and cheapest of them all - but unbelievably good. It's Aldi's giant $1.99 Choceur brand milk chocolate with almonds bar. The best European chocolate for almost free. Yum! I keep one frozen at the ready at all times.
Then Monday was the start of our busy hell week at work, and I am having that special time of the month, so you can imagine why I did the chocolate post today...

Injera

Ethiopian food eaten with "food club" friends last night. Yum!

My new habits have not had a very good week. I'm hoping that this weekend will mark a new start. I have been swimming/exercising as much as usual, but with some sadness because my pool will be closing for "maintenance" starting Monday for 3 weeks. Yes, that's right, exactly when I need to really buckle down and start hard-core training for the triathlon...

I have done some good stuff this week, though (see the demolished food platter, above). I also went to a bike workshop at this wonderful do-it-yourself community bike shop and it was kick ass. I even have a total crush on the instructor, but I didn't really know how to find out more info about him, like if he's actually available. (I did go out of my comfort zone and ask him questions about his life; you would have been proud of me.) I also have no plan on how to see him again, as he lives far away in another part of the city.

The main thing I realized at the workshop, though, is that I think I need to buy a new bike for the triathlon and the training for it. I am hoping to find some super bargain used road bike that fits me perfectly. I started scanning CL and ebay today.

I stayed home from work today to clean, sort and look for my car title. I haven't done any of that yet, but I have slept a lot, eaten chocolate, gone to an estate sale, and started tilling a garden bed in the back yard with a new hoe I got for $1.50 at said estate sale. I'm planting sunflowers. It's a gorgeous day.