and at last, around 2:30, the two glasses of white wine from the night before kick in

Oh, the afternoon headache. The lingering nudge that says, "you had white wine last night, didn't you?" The thing that makes you think, why did I have white wine last night? Or to perhaps consider if that second glass was in fact a good move.

But in the end, the fun of the evening, the laughter and conversation and overall relaxed evening with people we've danced around get-together-ness with for two years - totally worth the headache.

Maybe next time, drink red wine instead.

On entirely different fronts, in no particular order:
My in-laws are putting massive amounts (well, not really, it just seems like a lot) of ikea furniture together for us. Awesomesauce.
It is quite, quite hopeful that a simple re-wire will make the thermostats work.
When you remove tools and various other pieces of "constructionitis" debris from your living room and replace it with a couch (even if the couch doesn't have a cover in place quite yet), it makes your living room look a whole lot more like an actual living room.
I really need to go for a run. So does Fife dog.
I really need to get off sugar. And probably grain.
The glutino bread I purchased on a whim totally stinks. Universe says, cut out the grain, dude.
But on the reverse from that, the brown rice english muffins are really quite the treat.

Onward with another nearly 2 hours. Headache be darned.

and drat, I missed a day

All this morning, I was quite sure this was Tuesday. Somehow, I lost a day.

Double post, perhaps?

Well... life's too hectic for that.

The threat of snow lingers out there, but (thankfully) nothing is fluttering down.

The promise of laughter, great food, and comforting white wine awaits later, and thankfully, that is the plan for the evening with cool folks.

The new dressy slacks are, perhaps, quite cool but maybe a little intimidating.
But, they also inspired ordering a pair of jeans that are lower waisted. Self, take note: If the jeans are NOT low waisted (and therefore not flattering for the short waisted), then send.them.back, dude.

The idea of having health insurance looks more possible than imagined; this is exciting.

The radiant floor system not working when connected - distressing.

Ready for a break for the better.

apparently, they don't sell sea monkeys

How to add a dash of spice to a four hour, two vehicle trek to the mecca of flatpack furniture.... Throw a snowstorm in the high country into the mix. Be sure to use a vehicle you rarely drive, preferably one with rear wheel drive for slightly worrisome traverse over slushy snowy hills and valleys... Add plenty of rain and no cap and an ill-secured tarp and a stop along the side of I15 to rehitch said tarp...

But in the end, it was a crazy long day of drivin' with my dog... Caravaning with my guy, showing him the sights in the madness that is ikea.

How does one put a couch into a box? And then allow the general public to manipulate this box from a display warehouse onto a rolling cart? And yet, this happens like clockwork all day long. We managed it - even managed to stack huge boxes into two trucks, tarp in place, and onward home.

And now, this abstract "to do" has been mostly done. The furniture long planned for is in the garage, in its respective boxes, ready to be assembled and put into place. Exciting, a bit unreal, and yet quite exciting.

My enthusiasm may be somewhat checked when I begin to turn a 2 inch thick box of parts and pieces into a dining room table.

We skipped the meatballs.

when life throws you raindrops

So the grand plan is to take a carovan o' trucks up to the northern climes tomorrow to pick up a whole lot of furniture. Weather dot com suggests that this grand plan be revisited. Of course, Sunday looks peachy, perky, sunny, and great "long drive, cardboard boxes of softgoods" weather. Drat.

Ah, the muddle... the schedule says, get up and go on Saturday. The weather says, go on Sunday. We shall see.

Right now the sky is murky and looking like the storm is headed to our neck of the woods.

Why do things have to be complicated?

Life could be worse.

bootless of destiny

When once again you take a small leap and order some footwear that in your heart of hearts you hope will give you a new vibe, a new energy, a new edge, at last arrive - and they totally don't fit. Whump-whump. On the one hand, you can tell yourself, 'don't worry about it, just send them back, no big deal.' Yet on the other hand, you feel foolish, ungainly, dorky, loserville, and the whole gamit of self-defeating bullshit, all storming right to the forefront of your mind and emotional self, in a flash.

Why is that? Why am I so ready to pick up the gauntlet of my schoolaged self being taunted and teased, and treat myself almost as badly as those mean kids did, a century ago?

And yet, why also is it that the norm for me is to feel awkward and uncomfortable, most of the time?

So let's hope - the new pants will fit well and demonstrate that this may be a brand that cuts their bottoms in a better line for the long legs/no torso image of myself. If yes, then invest in jeans, self.

It felt really good to pin down a summer work staple - the black dress (or plum dress) with my black sandals always felt comfortable, polished, dressy but casual, and still me only different. Right now, though, those intangible feelings are nowhere to be found.

It seems trivial at times to put energy toward this... and yet, it's every day (getting dressed) so it may as well be a positive. Not there yet.

dear electrician and plumber,

Dear, dear licensed professionals - please, won't you show up at my house-to-be and do-your-thing and finish this? My gosh, I want to move into my house.

There is, I realized, no real suitable place for a full length mirror. I've lived without one for two years, but I will admit that there is some mental comfort in the ability to take a quick glance at the whole presentation before heading out into the world. But, where to fit one in, without it seeming silly? Or, does it simply become silly to worry about?

I am really hoping that the arrival of my new boots (effort #2 at kicking shoes) marks a moment of "yessss" in best Napoleon speak; that they fit well, that they give me a little mental boost, that they feel like something I could go out and get all Ramona Flowers in (ie, kick some butt).

I want to move into my house. I am so tired of limbo without end, it's exhausting and sleep depriving and overall sucky. Yes, trying to focus on the positive and excitement factor and all that, but good grief - let me move into my house already. I want to put my new boots in the new closet and start my refreshed day to day.

So, dear licensed professionals, please get a flipping move on or my new boots will be employed in some ass kicking.

Just kidding - please, just show up and finish your work. Thanks.

never underestimate how thrilling it is to see towel bars installed

Everything is (in so many ways) a microsecond, really, from being 'complete.' After so long, from standing there at the gate the first day we saw the lot, to standing there talking to my mom as I watched the earthmover begin to turn land into driveway and building pad - thinking on the day the roof trusses went in place, "we're so close!" Fool that I was.  And now, here we are - a blink away - but it is a huge, painful, slow blink that I am waiting for.... waiting for...

To be at the mercy of two professionals and about two days work - it's both exciting to be so very close, and incredibly frustrating to be so flipping close at last so won't you guys just show up and do the work already so we can move in!!!!

Grateful that towel bars and toilet paper holders are in place. A small detail but an event nonetheless. A bit more patch and paint to do, now, but that's becoming old hat now.

Couches will make it feel more real. So will setting up one of the beds.

It's amazing to be on the threshold of turning your daily life around, completely; it's exciting and terrifying and so hard to wait for.

For now, I appreciate that the toilet paper is hung in a tidy fashion. It's a start. It says, we'll soon live here. As soon as the electrician and plumber show up.