Snotty New Year

Well so far 2011 has kicked my boo-tay. I flew out on New Year's Eve to visit one of my best friends and we were supposed to go out to go see a band play and ring in the new year. Instead, I was on the couch in my jammies, feeling like doo-doo. And then I went to urgent care a few days later and was diagnosed with a double ear infection and an upper respiratory infection. I flew home a couple of days after that and though not feeling 100%, I went back to work. And by this past Monday I was feeling about as rotten as I had before the 10 days of antibiotics. So I went back to the doctor on Monday to be told that I still have an ear infection and now a sinus infection and STILL an upper respiratory infection. If I were 15 I'd say FML. But since I'm 34 I'll say...oh the hell with it - Fuck My Life. So I've been home sick for the last few days and I am slowly losing my mind. Turns out, there is NOTHING on tv during the day. And I've been reading my new book for book club but even that is tiring when I have to put down my book to cough up a lung every 5 minutes. I did manage to make some yummy cookies this afternoon - oatmeal, cranberry, white chocolate chip cookies. Nomnomnomnomnom, if I do say so myself.

Anyway, this cold was not how I was had intended to start the year. All my motivation was blow out in a Puffs Plus about a week ago. So now I'm all sad and blue because I feel like I've already lost 3 weeks worth of whatever this year had to offer. I might be being a tad dramatic but between the illness and the houseboundness and the general feeling of yuck, I'm just sad. Plus, January has never been my favorite month, so there's that too.

So in the interest of getting me out of my funk, I decided to do little things to make myself hapy. First, the cookies. Just the smell of something baking makes me cheery. Then I called the neighbor kids over and gave them a dozen and they were so excited and kept telling me how yummy the cookies were and that make me really happy because I love cooking for people but I really love cooking for people who love my cooking. And then I worked on getting my passport renewed because I've decided that in 2011 I will be doing some international travel. Perhaps as a 35th birthday to myself. Who knows. And now I'm going to do a little yoga before bed today...assuming I do drown in my own snot when I going into downward dog. Yoga always makes me feel better. And then I will take the awesome cough medicine that puts me into the deepest, lovliest sleep ever. And I'm always a happier person when I get sleep.

So that's the update from here. Not much exciting to report but hey, at least I'm writing.

Gobble, Gobble

Monday it was 74 degrees. Today the high is supposed to 28 degrees. Gotta love Denver. The snow started sometime last night and when I woke up, I saw this....



I did some cooking last night and make a white bean chili and some banana bread as well. It was good cooking weather and the house still smells wonderful. Just a little prep work before the big day tomorrow.

Despite my best efforts to do otherwise, I ended up at the office yesterday. But I only stayed until 3pm and then I headed off to pick up the new plates for the Jeep. There's nothing like dropping a huge wad of cash right before the holidays. I felt a little ill writing the check. It's the same feeling I get everytime I fill up the gas tank. But I do love the new vehicle and can't wait to drive it in the snow today. Granted, there's not much snow but that doesn't squelch my excitement.

I have to stop by Runners Roost today to pick up my stuff for the Turkey Trot tomorrow morning. It's supposed to be 19 degrees outside at race time. And snowy. It shouldn't be too bad and I think the race definitely entitles me to an extra scoop of mashed potatoes...and stuffing...ohhhhh, and a big slice of pie. I love me some Thanksgiving.

And yes, I know it's cliche but I don't care - here's a quick list of what I'm thankful for this year...

1) A family who loves me to pieces.
2) My new, super-soft pjs.
3) The heated seats in the Jeep.
4) My hilarious friends.
5) My ability to stand up for myself.
6) The people who challenge me.
7) The people who believe in me.
8) Sleepytime tea with lemon and honey.
9) The Brown dog
10) 90 minute massages
11) Long phone calls with people I love.
12) All the yummy recipes in the Williams Sonoma Thanksgiving cookbook.
13) Cimmamon Life Cereal.
14) New music on the iPod.
15) My ability to laugh at myself.
16) People who are consistent.
17) The ability to get up and run...even when its freezing outside.
18) A roof over my head.
19) The desire I have to keep pushing myself to get outside of my comfort zone.

Wishing you guys a great Turkey Day!

Let's Catch Up, Shall We?

Congrats to Mike and Rosie who tied the knot this weekend. I'm still trying to recover from the festivities....



...other pics are over there on Flickr.

Had a 90 minute massage last night. My mom, being the wonderful woman she is, lives in Michigan but still manages to schedule massages here in Denver for me. I booked two more for myself in the coming weeks because if there's a better way to end a Monday than ninety minutes with my boy Zack, I'm hard pressed to think of one. Unless it involved Josh Jackson, a hot tub and perhaps a Snickers blizzard.

Hit balls at lunch today in preparation for the golf tournament I'm playing in on Thursday. Let's all hope I find my swing before then because it just wasn't there today. However, lunchtime is evidently the time of day ALL the charming boys are hitting balls. Yowza.

Had my cooking class tonight at The Seasoned Chef. It was Great Grilling tonight and we had steak, chicken, portobellos, and blue cheese potato salad (with tots done on the grill). It was all divine and the ever-present wine-while-cooking feature is also divine.

The HOA is almost done with the guestroom from the latest water damage. And it's only taken them six weeks. *golf claps*