I haven't updated this in a coon's age. My deepest apologies - my life is a lot more boring than you'd think. I promise.
On Saturday I got back from Denver. My sister and I flew in to surprise my mom, who was stopping there for a week on her way back to Idaho from Waxhaw. The weather was beautiful the whole time - and while I was thankful for that, inside I was devastated to be missing Michigan's first snowfall of the winter. My faithful husband who knows my love of all winter precipitation reported 10" of snow in Holland one day.
Denver was good. It was nice to be away from Dan - not because I don't want to be with him. But every once in a while it's nice to be reminded of how lucky we are that our dating phase is over. There are no more two-month stretches without seeing each other and sometimes I think I take that for granted. It was good to miss each other and be reunited - he was waiting for me with open arms and a grande chai latte. Seeing my grandpa was...usual. I'll never say he's "pleasant" because I've never had loads of respect for him. And this trip, especially, I learned some things I'd never known about him before. On top of that, I hadn't been to Denver since my grandma died and I learned more specifics of her death and the whole experience was enlightning, but nowhere close to enjoyable.
Winter is upon us. Two days out from Thanksgiving and the high doesn't break 40 here for the next week and a half. We've had two significant snowfalls already and I feel like Chirstmas is butting it's head into what used to belong to autumn and Thanksgiving and Tom the Turkey. Not just seasonally, either. It seems that, more than ever, department stores, a miriad of advertisements and even the neighbors are jumping the gun on Chirstmas sales, Christmas hype and Christmas decor. I feel like I'm missing out and that I should be celebrating too. I've tried my best to be strong - bypassing Christmas aisles in the store, resisting the pull to stare at twinkling white lights and by far the most difficult; saying no to Christmas music. I'll admit, I've caved once or twice...or all day yesterday. When there's snow on the ground, and not just a nip -but a bite - in the air, a girl's gotta have some Amy Grant Christmas. The Chirstmas movies won't break their seals until the decorations are up, though. And that's a vow.
Dan isn't working this week. Ford (and maybe GM too?) have the whole month of December off - partly because of contractual obligations in their Union and partly because, well, business sucks. So everyone at Dan's work has this week off. Those who have vacation days left will be paid for it, but unfortunately, Dan doesn't. So mine is the only income on this short, three day week. We'll survive, we always do. But rather than dwell on financial difficulties, let's talk about spending money. Because he's free for lunch and isn't half an hour away, we're going to Pizza Hut for lunch. You've gotta milk those buffets for all that they're worth, baby. I haven't been there in ages and I'm, um, pretty excited. (My body, however, isn't. After a week without any form of exercise, my gung-ho attitude about hitting the gym upon arrival home has come back to haunt me. My body is content to sit in my office chair all day without moving - save the occasional bathroom trip. Hauling my sore legs out to the car and into Pizza Hut hardly seems with it for that crisp, greasy crust and the oily cheese that is a MUST...actually, yes, it is worth it.)
Lately I've felt financially overwhelmed. Like I said, Dan isn't working this week, Christmas week or New Year's week. (I will be, but I make about half of what he does.) On top of that, Dan had to buy contacts for the year yesterday, my laptop bit the dust and we were forced to buy a new one AND we dropped off my car this morning because the windshied wipers are acting like stubborn children. (Hopefully that one won't break the bank.) Sadly, those purchases/necessities have cut our Christmas back a little. And by "cut back a little," I mean pretty much totally eliminated. We're not planning on getting each other much at all. Normally it wouldn't be a big deal, but I mean, come on - it's only our second Christmas together and we still revel in the joy of being able to give each other things we really want. I know, I know...it shouldn't be that big of a deal. Presents are just things. But I'm not going to deny it, people. I'm human and the child in me still looks forward to receiving things I want rather than constantly putting needs above little treats.
Just for funzies and f.y.i....
Some things I'm excited about (which will prove how boring my life truly is):
a) I went grocery shopping for Thanksgiving ingredients last night and am consciously way too excited to eat stuffing.
b) I've never been this enthusiastic/positive about returning to the gym after vacations. I already feel back in the groove.
c) Tonight I take the work coffee pot home and put a few cycles of vinegar water through it. It seriously hasn't been cleaned in a year. And it sees heavy use. Gross.
d) Two new episodes of Grey's Anatomy are waiting for me online.
e) Me and Dan are going to see The Wrestler, Australia and Up (the new Pixar movie coming out in May).
f) I'm ordering Millstone Peppermint Coffee online because freaking NO stores here carry Millstone and it's like a lifeline. (I don't know how that's justifiable because I've lived here almost a year and a half and have never before noticed that it's not accessible via grocery store. But I need peppermint coffee for the holidays. Period.)
g) Recently I learned about two wonderful things - a Gap outlet and an Eddie Bauer outlet in Holland. This doesn't bode well due to the aforementioned financial situation.
I think I'm excited about more things than I originally thought. Hm. That's exciting.
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