Touching Base

I'm going to start writing again.  Or at least try to start writing again.  We'll see how it goes.

I've actually been reading again.  For fun.  Even though I'm working long hours and not getting enough sleep, I'm reading a lot.  I need something to escape to and for as long as I can remember books have been my escape.

As a child, I did it in my little twin bed, using a flashlight to read a book under the blankets, my dog curled up on the floor next to me.  I read all the classics - Little House on the Prairie, Little Women, Charlotte's Web.  I loved (and still do love) books.  I don't just read them, I live with them.  The pages are tattered, the corners dog eared, there are notes in the margin of even the most mundane and pedestrian stories, and the covers of my favorites have literally fallen off.

These days, not much has changed,  I carry a book everywhere with me, recently purchasing a purse specifically because it would hold a hardcover book or Kindle.  I have been known to pull out whatever I'm reading at the time while waiting in the grocery store checkout line.  I am not ashamed of the fact that I cannot stop devouring stories.  I end almost every day in my gloriously big and cozy queen sized bed, my Kindle in my hand, and my cats curled up on either side of me.  Not much has changed since elementary school.

I recently read a trilogy that I wish had been around back in the day of flashlights under the blankets.  I hesitate to recommend them as they are obviously a young adult read but I couldn't get enough.  The stories focus on a young girl, Cass, who stumbles through a worm hole (for lack of better explanation) onto a deserted planet.  She spends time alone in survival mode, before being discovered by an "alien" civilization.  The beings who find her are very much human, although they are more in tune with their psychic abilities.  This all sounds so ridiculous as I'm writing it out, so just go and look at the description on Amazon.  I will leave it with the fact that there's a strong female protagonist, a sexy male love interest (not in a throw-it-in-your-face-sorta-way...) who is still haunting my dreams, and enough science fiction to keep it interesting but not so much that it was truly "sci-fi."  Talk about something that offered escape.  I was home sick a few weeks ago and spent the entire 3 days in bed reading this books.  These books will be re-read many times.

Saturday mornings

If I have a morning off each week, it is Saturday.  Usually I work on Saturday nights but this week I have a whole day off to do absolutely nothing.

I woke up this morning wanting pancakes.  I don't even like pancakes.  But I am willing to bet I venture out to by eggs so I can attempt to make pancakes before my day is over.

I should spend my only morning off catching up on all of the things that I don't get done during the week.  Since I was traveling, the house isn't awful.  But it could use a thorough spring cleaning before the waves of company invade over the next few weeks.  I think I'll just find time to do that next weekend.

Today, I would like to do a whole lot of nothing.  Maybe make the aforementioned pancakes.  Probably bake butter cake with chocolate frosting later.  Eat leftovers for lunch and maybe cook for dinner - I'm kind of wanting salmon as well.  Just watched some tv chef make salmon on Food Network and it looked delicious.

Sounds like my day is going to revolve around food.  Just so long as it doesn't revolve around laundry, I'm ok.

Really, I'll probably lay in bed for a while yet.  I laid on the couch for hours last night and every time the thought went through my brain that I should get up and get something done, the cats took control and settled in for a long snooze.

 (Notice their coordinating collars.  Souvenirs from my work trip.  Too cute.)

And then this morning, I thought about getting up and starting to move and Charlie snuggled in.  I wouldn't want to disturb her.

I am a terrible blogger / reader / movie watcher lately...

I need some culture in my life.  I mean besides laying on the couch, browsing online, watching Say Yes to the Dress, and making my dad's "secret recipe" scalloped potato and ham on a Friday night.  Don't get me wrong.  It has been a very very very (one more for good measure) very long month.  Work, other work, visitors in town, more work, conference travel... that has been my life for the last month.  Looking forward, it's going to be my life for the next couple of months as well.

I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining.  I'm not.  I'm tired, yes, but it's ok.  It's nice to be busy for once.

I haven't been reading any books or watching any movies lately.  I haven't even watched Nip/Tuck in a few weeks.  I just haven't found anything to keep my interest.  I realized tonight I've had the same dvd from Netflix for 6 weeks.  Thank god for no late fees.  But what a waste of money for it just to sit here.  I'm sending it back without watching it.  Clearly I'm not as interested in Book of Eli as I thought I was.

A few weeks ago, some of my best friends Kyle & Heidi were in town with their sons.  Instead of showing them the finer things in Lexington, we ate at Culver's, watched portions of multiple stupid movies, and ate breakfast at Waffle House.  Oh and I got their car towed.  Wonderful to see them but not exactly exciting.  I have become the worst hostess on the planet.

No, that can't be true.  People keep coming to visit so I can't be all that awful!  In the next 6 weeks, I have 3 different weekends with company in town.  I usually cook for my guests and that's something!

Wow, most boring blog post ever.

Charlie Bucket

It has been a very, very long time since I last sat down to write.  Partly because I haven't really done any reading lately, partly because I haven't even finished a movie this month, partly because I've actually been busy, but mostly because I haven't had anything interesting to say.  Yes, I know this blog is called "A Woman, Her Cat, and Some Books" but I feel like I need to write about things outside of that spectrum and frankly, I haven't had anything to say.

Quick rundown on the last few months of my life.  Since I last wrote I...

went home for Christmas
began a new year
attended a beautiful wedding for a dear friend from college
started a second job
realized again and again that I chose the correct profession
did countless loads of laundry (I say this as there are piles of clothes all over my apartment)
celebrated a Super Bowl win
got knocked on my butt by a cold
tried a few new recipes
took a quick roadtrip to Nashville
added multiple visits from friends and family to my calendar

Perhaps most importantly (most old lady-ish of me)...

I fell in love with this little fluff ball.

Her name is Charlotte but we call her Charlie.  She's only Charlotte when she's been sassy (which is pretty much all the time!) and she and Lady Bug are the best of friends.

It's funny that having two cats is oftentimes less work than having just one.  I don't feel nearly so bad when I'm gone a lot for work because they're more than content to hang out on their own.


I have made a serious effort to get out of the house more but now that I'm working a few nights a week, my nights at home are actually a nice change of pace.  I couldn't honestly tell you what I've been doing to keep busy lately, I just know that I feel busy.  I mean, I bought a new shower curtain last week but that's hardly news.  I've watched a lot of Nip/Tuck (on season six, but I'm afraid it's lost steam... good thing season six is the last season).  My house is a mess because I have two cats that knock crap over all the time and I have no energy to clean up.   I just really couldn't tell you what I'm doing other than working.  Maybe that's enough.

Now that I've written this, I feel like it was hardly worth my time to finally get around to blogging again.  I'll try to do something interesting this week that people might actually want to read.

Sadly, I think all of those things I listed above would have made great blog entries.  Instead you got a list of them and lots of blabbering.

Alright, back to snuggling on the couch.  The rest of my night will probably look a lot like this...

Overwhelmed... Amazed... Exhausted

I can't begin to describe how tired I am.

The last few weeks have been busy as work.  When you're a fundraiser, there really isn't a "slow" time of year, but calendar and fiscal year ends tend to keep you busier than you could possibly imagine.  Between the back and forth about mailings, the conference I attended last week, the students in and out of my office making last minute phonathon calls and freaking out about finals, and the constant checking of totals to make sure we stay ahead of last year's numbers............. Whew.

I love my job.  Seriously.  I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

I will be home for Christmas in 10 days.  The entire family is going home.  My sister Abby, her FIANCE* Eric, their puppy Ellie, their cat Shmoe, Lady Bug, and me... all of us... road tripping home to Wisconsin... in a Honda CRV.  I have never needed that chaotic family togetherness more.

On to the real reason for the tiredness.  I don't want this whole post to be negative or sound like I'm a Debbie Downer but it's been a really rough week for my family.  My uncle's house burned down yesterday.  He, his wife, and their two sons have nowhere to live, nothing to wear, none of their tangible memories.  It's devastating - I can't even imagine what they're going through.

That being said, I feel so incredibly blessed right now.  All of them made it out without a problem.  They may not have any physical belongings but they are alive and healthy and safe and that's what's most important.

Friends from all parts of my life have stepped up and offered to help.  People at work have been bringing things in and enlisting their friends help.  My best friends from Minnesota are collecting things at work and from friends and family and sending them packages of essentials, blankets, and little gifts.  Friends who I have barely spoken to in years have ordered them new clothes, are sending gift cards, and are offering more items than they could possibly take.  I can't begin to described how loved we all feel.  In less than 48 hours, our friends and family have rallied together and are providing for some of the most precious people in my life.  The people that are helping them have never met my uncle, aunt, or cousins.  Many of the people who have offered help have never met me.

Sometimes we look around this world and we see the bad things.  I've worked in public schools where kids only have one pair of shoes that they make last all year.  And heard stories from refugees about the horrible things they've seen.  I've seen people die much too young because of needless tragedies that could have been avoided.  But then something happens and we are reminded that humans are inherently good.  That when someone needs something, we will drop everything to help people we've never even met just because someone who knows someone who knows the person in need once did something that touched us.  We all roll our eyes at technology and how we're addicted to Facebook and how it's our lifeline to our friends.  But with one little Facebook status, I was able to reach hundreds of people who are at very least sending positive thoughts all towards my family when they need it most.  And all of the physical goods are of course important and they need that.  But just knowing that my family is important to all of those people, that so many people are willing to help, is overwhelming... and amazing... I've said both of those words probably 500 times today.



*Squeeeeee!  My sister got engaged last weekend.  In the midst of some really long and hard days, my baby sister who I think is one of the most incredible people ever is getting married... to a man who I am proud to call my brother.  None of that in-law crap.  If my half-brother is a real brother in my family, than so is my brother-in-law.  Congrats you two.  I'm so happy for you.  There will be many more posts about your lives together and the wedding planning to come.  I'm sorry you only got a footnote in this post.  You deserve a billboard, not a footnote.