December Life

Internet,

It's been a while (other than those Chinese girls on a bicycle yesterday, and that doesn't really count). Let me get you caught up on my life these days.

Do you think it's possible for a person's ab muscles to be so sore that it hurts to even swallow food (let alone digest it)? I'd say the answer to that question is a resounding "Yes!" I lifted weights for the first time in, oh, a year? last Thursday morning, and couldn't move for about two days afterwards, and I swear, even eating hurt. Alas, what a sad state of affairs (not that that really stopped me from eating...). I am thankful to report that this week's weight-lifting (also on Thursday) wasn't nearly so bad, and I'm not in any real pain right now (other than some mental pain along the lines of "I don't wanna any more!" which doesn't really count).

My new favorite things to make? 1) Apple-cheddar omelets (had one of these in Boston in October, and talk about delicious! I've since set about recreating them here...who knew you could put apples in an omelet?), 2) Mashed potatoes (well, the mashed potatoes part because I, a single woman, bought a ten-pound bag of potatoes at Thanksgiving time because it cost about $1, and now I have to actually eat ten pounds of potatoes. So on Friday night last week I made a pot of mashed potatoes and ate them - and pretty much only them - for dinner. Bizarre, I know, but now I feel more Irish, or something like that, after surviving on potatoes for cheap in the middle of winter), and 3) Homemade mac'n'cheese (I've discovered that to keep your cheesy pasta nice and un-clumpy - especially for leftovers - add cream cheese to the base...it's delicious, and I'm sure it's completely healthy).

On Saturday night last weekend, I went to the boat club's annual bow ball. This year's was a circus theme, and if you think I stood around eating cotton candy all night, you'd be right. (I don't even want to tell you how much of it I ate...they were putting it in these martini glasses, and I ate a bunch of those...and then they had the leftovers at the end of the night in bags, and I ate more.)

So for this bow ball, I had my makeup done by my MAC makeup artist and facialist friend Anna, and it was shocking how heavy false eyelashes are. (I also had to play the Messiah in between getting my makeup done and the bow ball, and it felt weird to be so glammed up for an afternoon concert.) Here's what I looked like with friend SW (who also provided that awesome Chinese bicyling video):

In this picture, SW is trying on my official Minnesota Boat Club Henley blazer, Version Pre-Tricked Out. (It still needs white piping and our boat club's crest in white on the pocket. But it fits like a charm after a couple fittings and some tailoring, and a bunch of us wore ours to the bow ball, and it was one of the live auction items. How is it that I always end up wearing stuff in the live auction? This is the second time in three years.)

This week was a little crazy at work, but what's new? I'm down to my last three boxes of files I haven't had time (or possibly inclination) to put away in the filing drawers, mainly 'cause I want to organize and toss stuff as I put them away.

Today I'm sitting at home in the middle of a blizzard. Is it sad that I'm completely entertained by the guy trying to plow our parking lot and garage area? He keeps going by (and has been for the last hour), and no matter how many swipes and passes he takes with his truck's plow, it never looks like he removes any snow. Apparently we've gotten about 10 inches so far in the last 12 hours, and it'll keep on going the rest of the day (meaning I get to watch the snow plow guy keep trying!!! ha! I love it, and no, I am NOT pathetic!). Yay for life as a Minnesotan! Maybe this justifies another boots purchase...or maybe not. You can really only wear one pair at a time, I suppose.

Yesterday I went to the grocery store on a regularly scheduled trip - no, I did not go specifically in preparation for the snow. But apparently a lot of senior citizens did. I was amazed at how many older folks were there. And not just senior citizen old - I mean, these people were using grocery carts in lieu of walkers, and they were everywhere. I fit right in with them as I used my coupons, though. I was amazed at the things that were flying off the shelves of my local market and Target. Apparently everyone in the Twin Cities is baking Christmas cookies this weekend because you couldn't find a cookie sheet or bottle of sprinkles anywhere. Entire shelves in the baking aisles were decimated.

Update: I tried taking a picture of the blizzard, but it didn't turn out. It's a complete whiteout.