Leaving our mark on the world.

I'm procrastinating a little. I have a bit of a chore to do tonight - a chore I want to do, don't get me wrong, but one that overwhelms me just a little bit. So to avoid doing this chore, I made a fruit salad, did my exercise video, jogged around the block, read a bit of a magazine, wasted time on facebook (is there any other way to spend time on facebook?), and now can't really avoid the chore any longer. The chore is... downloading iTunes onto my computer and putting new music on my iPod. Or maybe even a podcast, or a lecture, or something equally as exciting but missing from my current iPod lineup. Because it's time to finally change the songs on my iPod. I am ashamed to admit this, but I haven't made any changes to what's on my iPod since January 2008, when I added the best from our wedding music playlist. I know, I know - what's wrong with me? How could I have listened to the same songs for the past 15 months? Beats me. I have no idea how I haven't been driven completely batty by the monotony of it all, except to say that I don't listen to my iPod all that much, and that the monotony of my iPod fits in with the monotony of my life in general for the past couple of years. Now that I'm going to the gym again, though, I'm listening to my iPod more, and let me tell you, there's only so many times that I can have the same U2 songs come up on my playlists before I want to scream. It's beginning to get so that whenever I hear an Adam Clayton downbeat I instantly hit the skip button. Can't do it anymore. Must change.

We changed some things around the house this weekend, too, one of which being the flagpole we installed on our garage (wanted it in the front of the house but for a variety of reasons that didn't work out). We wanted to install it just in time for Sarah Palin's visit to Boston - you know, to show our support for her politics and the Tea Partiers, of course - and we managed to make our deadline. I'm not so sure that we'll always be flying the good old Stars and Stripes (I'm feeling those holiday banners in our future, and I guess the next one will be something for Halloween? A pumpkin? A ghost? This one may be especially appropriate...), but putting the flag on our garage made us feel... productive. And a little proud to be a part of this great nation. So hey, whatever floats our boat.


The nook is floating Doug's boat now, too. He joined the legions of e-book reader owners, and his choice was the very sexy nook. I have to admit that I like it. I want to read books on it, too! It's fun to search for a book to buy on it, thinking of all the great reads you can store on the little device, and then actually try to read a book on it. You can change the font size and style, and you can bookmark stuff... it is pretty neat. I am not allowing myself one of those little toys until I finish all the actual paper books I have on my bookshelves, so that means the nook probably will be on its 5th generation before I can think about getting one. In the meantime, Doug can - and will - enjoy his. His first book downloaded: How to Decide, and maybe when he's done with it he can help shed some light on my decision to make a scarf this big: This, my third scarf, is twice as wide as any other scarf I own, and when I started making it I thought the size would be a good thing. More scarf to keep me warm. But I wore it to the Revs game on Saturday, and decided that the size, unless I'm out in negative-degree weather, really is just an inconvenience. It covers half of my face, which doesn't help me breathe or see.

Speaking of the Revs, Doug and I enjoyed the game on Saturday. It was actually a pretty good game (Revs won!), despite the fact that it was cold enough for us to wear scarves, hats, and sit under a blanket. I really like the fact that soccer games are so short and that the fans are so entertaining. Makes the time go by, and I'm not ever bored. At this game I was a bit embarrassed, though, and maybe you can see why: Do you see what's all over our blanket? Can you see all that cat hair? It's like we took Wyatt and Meg and Sasha and rubbed them all over the blanket before we left for the game, but in fact we did not do that. We didn't do anything, really, except pick the blanket up off of our blanket basket and put it in the car with us. That's just a normal amount of hair on our blanket. And I probably wouldn't have cared so much about it if, when we were getting up to leave, I hadn't noticed that a fair amount of the hair was left behind on our seats. Now that was embarrassing. We're like Pig-Pen, leaving a trail of cat hair behind us everywhere we go. Good thing we don't leave the house much.

Glasses twins.

I am very much looking forward to a three-day weekend this weekend, even though we had one a couple of weeks ago. The Monday after Nate and Katie's wedding, Doug and I took a vacation day. The original plan was to go to Nantucket for an overnight, because Doug had never been and because we were a mere ferry ride away. But because it was still in-season on Nantucket with in-season prices, we decided not to go. Instead, we spent our Monday getting our eyes examined.

We went into Boston, had lunch at Stephanie's on Newbury, and then went to my eye doctor, Dr. Tanlamai. It's such a cute little mom and pop shop, but one with a great array of frames. Dr. Tanlamai and his wife own and run the shop, and they are so small, cute, and pleasant. They don't speak English very well, which makes them even cuter (listening to Mrs. Dr. Tanlamai talk about her apple picking adventures is an adventure in itself!), and I was glad that Doug liked them, too. Doug hadn't had his eyes examined in about eight years, so it was definitely due for him. He confessed that he was squinting to read the subtitles on the TV while in bed. Not good! He has a stigmatism, but if the glasses correct too much for it he gets dizzy. Dr. Tanlamai took this into account, and now Doug can see better than he has in years. Not to mention that he now has cool new frames. We both do, actually. And I think we look more alike than ever.

Doug's new look:


My new look:


Twins:
It's funny - Mrs. Dr. Tanlamai helped me pick out my frames while Doug was in his eye exam, but Doug had his picked out before he even had his eyes examined. I tried on many different pair before I finally - with help - decided on these. I asked Mrs. Dr. Tanlamai if she thought I looked too much like Doug in these frames, and she assured me that I did not. I didn't fully believe her, but I liked the frames enough to overlook that. And then when Doug and I went to pick the glasses up, we tried them on to make sure that everything fit, that we could see, etc., and the first thing that Dr. Tanlamai said (after Mrs. Dr. Tanlamai said, "Ah, you are here to pick up your geek glasses," which we took as a compliment) was, "Twins." Oh well, what can you do. Doug and I just have similar tastes, which is probably why we're a good match.

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Doug and I have been sick. I know I've mentioned the Kleenexes up my nose, but let me say again that Doug and I have been ill. Doug was hit really hard with another of his respiratory infections, and I caught a lesser version of his illness. Doug is still recovering - he stayed home from work for four days, and when he tried to go to work yesterday his boss sent him home. Today was his first full day back. Me, I only caught Doug's illness on Friday, and spent Saturday and Sunday pretty miserable with a dripping nose, pounding head, and a super-deep voice, but yesterday I felt exhausted and sounded pretty bad so went home early from work. And now my head is pounding again (though I am not drinking enough and my mouth and lips feel very dry, so I figure this is just a dehydration headache). Let me say this - it's no fun being sick.

However, what is fun is that when you're sick you can relax. You have no choice. So I've become addicted to Dancing with the Stars (am watching the results show right now...), and I've been knitting. I finished the scarf that I started to knit for Doug last November (it was supposed to be a gift for his birthday, then for Christmas, and then I gave up), and gave it to him. Thought it would cheer him up. It did.Look at that. He's so bright with cheer. And not only did I finish the scarf but I've started on another, this one for myself.If I'm lucky enough to be sick again this winter, I may make good progress on it.

C'est fini!

Drum roll, please. I hear doves cooing in the background, I hear roosters crowing, I hear rounds of applause, I hear voices shouting, "Bravo, bravo!" Because why? Because I have finished my scarf! My dear friend Summer Sweater ever-so-kindly showed me how to knit about two and a half years ago (longer perhaps? not quite as long ago maybe? I really don't remember... it's just been a while), and after a few failed attempts and the search for a thicker, more forgiving yarn, I am done with my first-ever knitting project. My scarf. I believe it took about 5 balls of yarn, maybe more - I lost count (who wouldn't after over two years...). But that's no matter now! All that matters is that the scarf is done, it's long enough to wrap around my neck and keep me warm (and apparently itchy as well), and it gives me hope that the next one I attempt will not take me nearly as long.

You'll see in this photo that this scarf is quite long. I guess that's what using 5 balls of yarn will do. The yarn was kind-of cool because it was dyed with lots of different colors, making it very colorful in the end. It was a bit of a pain to use, though, because it was very bunchy on the needle and I had a hard time not getting my needles caught in it. The cats loved it, though. Much of my scarf is spooged on by Wyatt, who decided at various times that it was a giant chew toy, and then for Sasha it was a giant scratching post. I am indeed amazed that I was able to finish this scarf in one piece.

This next one is of me wearing the scarf. Very cool, no? It's a bit rainbow-y, but I figure this way it will match a lot of stuff, and will brighten my otherwise drab winter outfits. Because yes, I will wear this scarf while at work. It's very cold in there. All the time. Very cold.

And this last photo is of Doug in the scarf. Yes, we're all going to take turns wearing the scarf (this is what happens when we keep our heat at 60 at all times). Doug's feeling a little under the weather tonight, hence the pouty face. I'd like to think he's pouting because he knows he's going to have to give the scarf back, but he's already said that the scarf was too girly for him anyway, so I guess this means that he'll be the recipient of my next project. What's a manly scarf, though? Black? Navy blue? I don't think I'm advanced enough yet for stripes or some kind of pattern. He may just have to settle for something like this and just blame it on his wife if he happens to look a little more feminine than usual! At least he'll be warm!

And on a final note - Happy anniversary, Chris and CHRIS! I hope you've celebrated well! It's hard to believe your wedding was one year ago... think of all that's happened in this first year. This year is just the beginning, too.