December 2007

I went to the coast and camped in damp places, walked on windswept beaches, and generally enjoyed myself, what with the hiking and wine tasting and loafing.

Did I miss anything?

My pets missed me. The cat keeps butting me like a little goat and purrs nonstop.

There were terrifying moments on my trip - when I thought my iPod was dead, when I was walking through the forest and the gusts of wind were flinging dead tree branches to the ground all around me… but all in all I am well satisfied and am now in full-on housekeeping mode, cleaning and laundering and storing camping gear.

*deep contented sigh*

Now I just need to fill out job applications.

Merry Christmas.

Things are looking up - the week is done and I’m off to pursue recreation and peace in the wet wilds of the coast. Have a great week!

and a happy #$%@ new year.

Sorry, I’m just cranky, because today and tomorrow are turning out to be the longest miserable days of the year. NO ONE wants to work two days before an eleven day vacation, and I certainly am not alone in not wanting to do anything this week as most of the kids are turning into caffeine driven squirrels for the holidays.

Add in a flat insulting letter I got and it’s JUST NOT HAPPY JAN.

I anticipate my mood will improve about Saturday when I get in the car and depart, leaving the pets to deal with the pet sitter and the office to deal with whatever, and spend a week where my allergies won’t kill me and there aren’t endless pieces of paper to submit and goals to reach and hyperactive squirrels, i.e. kids, to wrangle. But I won’t be here to blog about it. I will however take many pictures.

A sense of accomplishment! I posted my Yuletide fic.

Now that it’s tomorrow, I can finally get some sleep and worry about other things.

Why did I leave the final bit of my yuletide fic til now?

Why did I forget what brilliant thing I was going to end it with?

Why did I wait until now to turn all this yarn into one sided scarves for various persons I know?

Lo, behold, the lady of unanswerable imponderables. Yogis on mountains in Siberia are pondering these, and shall do so until the end of time.

Minimus - For All Your Travel Size Item Needs

What I like about this is all the prepackaged stuff works well for backpacking, too. Plus there’s survival kits, and you can also have them mail a care package directly to military personnel overseas.

I must taste great. The cat keeps licking, and licking, and licking. At night I have to pull the covers up high and keep my hands under. She licks my arms, hands, fingers….

Thank goodness she’s not a lion or something. Thank goodness my facial cream appears to alter the flavor of my face.

I’ve been engaged in a little retail therapy lately. I console myself that I will use the camping gear for years to come and it’s cheaper than simply heading off to a resort and spending a thousand or so on a room, dining and so forth.

I have a reservation at Big Sur campground for three nights. I wonder if Santa delivers tentside? Probably not - but that’s okay. I’ll have my coffee, sausages and eggs on Christmas morning, followed by a brisk hike. It’s going to be a very merry Christmas.

One of my early gifts to myself was a book of hot springs in the southwest - did you know there are hot springs all over the place that aren’t surrounded by buildings full of masseuses and haughty receptionists to take your Visa/Mastercard? One of them is in Big Sur.

I just bought new hiking shoes. I had to shop in the men’s section - the sizes in women’s shoes didn’t get up to double digits. I wear 9 - 9.5 in men’s shoes, so it made a good fit easier to find.

Also, those cheap Chinese imports that look like plastic must be made to fit some unrealistic foot shape that doesn’t exist in nature. I ended up with more expensive but ultra-comfy shoes in a brand I recognized. My feet will thank me, eventually.

The year, that is.

Here are all the things I haven’t posted about in any detail this year.
* another job search
* horrid supervisor
* massive horrendous icky no good PMS - I will no longer scoff if someone mentions ’suicidal’ and PMS in the same sentence. There have been not-good moments.
* massive heartbreak.

This year I got a raise and considerable backpay, and in addition to paying off some bills I am getting myself camping gear and I am making a resolution to use it next year, as well as getting back into yoga so I can be in some sort of shape to go backpacking in late summer/early fall.

I wish that I had never moved here, because when the pros and cons are weighed? My health has backslid, my allergies are unending, the migraines came back with a vengeance, and I literally have two friends in town. It’s an awful place to meet people. Everyone’s got their own social circle already and I’m not from here, so there’s no roots.

I am not rich but I am not broke, I have a new-ish car, and my intern hours are half done. I would like to now heave a great sigh and fall into bed, however, it is currently covered with clothing, as while I pack boxes and slowly make ready to move again, I am purging old crap I don’t use anymore. For I am tired and hoping I can take some time off over the holidays to regroup.