Goodness, time flies!
When was the last time I posted anything of substance? Well, what I consider substance, anyhow? At times I feel like this quarter has been the ultimate in survival mode, and other times I feel like I'm really experiencing this time. That doesn't make sense. I feel like I'm LIVING, not just SURVIVING. It's great. Finals are next week, and I'm feeling pretty good about them. I'll get my psych final study guide tomorrow, I think, so that gives me a full week to prep. Biology final is a unit test, not cumulative, so that's easy going. I am enjoying this unit much more than the one on cellular energy creation. I even told my instructor as much. We're studying genetics, evolution, and natural selection, which is so much more...tangible than the Krebs cycle, or the electron transport chain. I got a 95% on my psychology research project, a grade that, while satisfactory, would have been higher if I'd caugh a typo. ("Estimates were made that were 25% over and above the actual count" should have read "over and under." And I proof-read the thing several times! Oh well.)
Home is good. Dale has jump started a health routine, one I fully support, and am doing my best to back up with actions. We're having smoothies for breakfast, with low-fat yogurt and milk, fresh fruit, and low-sugar protein powder. Lunch is on our own, with Dale usually having a salad at work, and with me eating whatever I can come up with. (A recent day was peanut butter and jelly on toast, with half an avocado, and a glass of water.) Dinners have been vegetable-heavy, and I've incorporated more ground turkey, and I am having fun exploring ways to cook chicken, and lower fat cuts of meat.
He is also really hitting his credit hard. Without giving actual numbers, let's just say that if he didn't have to pay bills for one month (rent, car payment, insurance, utilities, and cell phone) he could be entirely free of negative debt, and only have his car payment, student loan, and the financed computer to pay off. That's amazing, and we've requested my credit reports and are tackling them next. It's very humbling, to know that with the focus I'm putting on school I won't be able to fix this myself. I simply don't have the income flexibility. So we'll do it together, and while he doesn't realize it, I plan to keep track of roughly how much he pays. If we get married, I'll consider it a moot point, but if we split up, I'll pay him back.
I've been reading to him lately, when we climb into bed. Last night we started a new book, "The Gargoyle," by Andrew Davidson. It's a story of re-birth, of discovering who you are, and learning to accept that you can love, and be loved. I read it last week, and wanted to stay in it after I was finished. Dale picked it out for me, and he did an amazing job. I think he'll like it too.
My crazy aunt flies in today, and I learned that she doesn't have a departure ticket. That's good and bad. If she and my mom can cohabitate without killing each other, it will be a great visit. Thing is, they're both addicts, and while I haven't seen any more evidence that mom's drinking, well, my aunt doesn't usually bring out the best in her. In other mom news, she's working these days, at Lowe's (I think) in the plant department. She seems to be enjoying it, she says it's easy, and hey, she's getting a paycheck. She likes plants, so that's a plus. Sounds like she's working about 30 hours a week.
This weekend I actually have both Saturday and Sunday off. Saturday is Dane's graduation at Western, with a full day of activities planned. Potluck, graduation ceremony, party. We may or may not stay in Bellingham overnight. Sunday was originally scheduled for lunch to celebrate my grandma's 70th birthday, but since the rest of the family are good church-going people, and will be coming up from places like Puyallup, they moved it to Saturday. So I'll miss that, but will be able to see grandma on my own. I'm trying to have mom, aunt Judy, and Ryan over for lunch on Tuesday next week too.
Dale had a puking bug yesterday, and he stayed home. I made Chicken Jook, which is really just chicken rice, although he calls it porridge. Knock on wood, but I feel fine so far. He ate prawns when we went out for Mexican with Heather the other night, so it might have been that rather than a virus. Who knows.
No big plans today. It's my one day off, although I've only worked 4 days. Then 3 days on, and then the weekend! Probably hosting study group Sunday, since my day got less busy than originally scheduled. This summer looks to be pretty full of work; Debbie's putting me back on nearly 40 hours, I've got 2 regularly scheduled babysitting days, and Mary is handing out my information in her toddler group. Astrid has no nanny on Tuesdays, so I'll be filling in there, and Mary is working on Mondays, and will take any hours I can give her. Time to start saving for fall quarter! I won't know about financial aid until August or September, so I'm going to be prepared to shell out the cash; if I don't need it, then I can put it toward my credit issues.
Amanda is coming up in a couple weeks, and I'm going to have her for 3 days. We're going to go to the beach, check out the underground tour in Seattle, which I haven't done since I was what, 14? Kim? I'm looking to see if there's anyone around here who offers trail rides, since there are a ton of stables and my neighborhood is called Bridle Trails. Plus we live right by the state park, and I see people with horses in there all the time.
The robins that built their nest over my deck are diligently supervising it. I haven't heard baby birds yet, but they must be getting close. Had a racoon under my deck last night, and when I went outside, he came out and looked at me. He'd been digging in our garden, too. I shooed him away, (maybe it was a she) and have decided that we'll use the sprinkler to scare him off. He was maybe 5 feet from me! The lady in the apartment complex across the street shakes out cat food, and so we have a racoon problem. I've heard them fighting, and I've seen people back away and not be able to get to their door because of them! I wonder if I should say something to her, but there are a few stray cats too, and she has said she's feeding them. I don't know if she would understand the ramifications of her actions.
Whew! Who knew I had that much to say? Welcome back, Nikki!
Home is good. Dale has jump started a health routine, one I fully support, and am doing my best to back up with actions. We're having smoothies for breakfast, with low-fat yogurt and milk, fresh fruit, and low-sugar protein powder. Lunch is on our own, with Dale usually having a salad at work, and with me eating whatever I can come up with. (A recent day was peanut butter and jelly on toast, with half an avocado, and a glass of water.) Dinners have been vegetable-heavy, and I've incorporated more ground turkey, and I am having fun exploring ways to cook chicken, and lower fat cuts of meat.
He is also really hitting his credit hard. Without giving actual numbers, let's just say that if he didn't have to pay bills for one month (rent, car payment, insurance, utilities, and cell phone) he could be entirely free of negative debt, and only have his car payment, student loan, and the financed computer to pay off. That's amazing, and we've requested my credit reports and are tackling them next. It's very humbling, to know that with the focus I'm putting on school I won't be able to fix this myself. I simply don't have the income flexibility. So we'll do it together, and while he doesn't realize it, I plan to keep track of roughly how much he pays. If we get married, I'll consider it a moot point, but if we split up, I'll pay him back.
I've been reading to him lately, when we climb into bed. Last night we started a new book, "The Gargoyle," by Andrew Davidson. It's a story of re-birth, of discovering who you are, and learning to accept that you can love, and be loved. I read it last week, and wanted to stay in it after I was finished. Dale picked it out for me, and he did an amazing job. I think he'll like it too.
My crazy aunt flies in today, and I learned that she doesn't have a departure ticket. That's good and bad. If she and my mom can cohabitate without killing each other, it will be a great visit. Thing is, they're both addicts, and while I haven't seen any more evidence that mom's drinking, well, my aunt doesn't usually bring out the best in her. In other mom news, she's working these days, at Lowe's (I think) in the plant department. She seems to be enjoying it, she says it's easy, and hey, she's getting a paycheck. She likes plants, so that's a plus. Sounds like she's working about 30 hours a week.
This weekend I actually have both Saturday and Sunday off. Saturday is Dane's graduation at Western, with a full day of activities planned. Potluck, graduation ceremony, party. We may or may not stay in Bellingham overnight. Sunday was originally scheduled for lunch to celebrate my grandma's 70th birthday, but since the rest of the family are good church-going people, and will be coming up from places like Puyallup, they moved it to Saturday. So I'll miss that, but will be able to see grandma on my own. I'm trying to have mom, aunt Judy, and Ryan over for lunch on Tuesday next week too.
Dale had a puking bug yesterday, and he stayed home. I made Chicken Jook, which is really just chicken rice, although he calls it porridge. Knock on wood, but I feel fine so far. He ate prawns when we went out for Mexican with Heather the other night, so it might have been that rather than a virus. Who knows.
No big plans today. It's my one day off, although I've only worked 4 days. Then 3 days on, and then the weekend! Probably hosting study group Sunday, since my day got less busy than originally scheduled. This summer looks to be pretty full of work; Debbie's putting me back on nearly 40 hours, I've got 2 regularly scheduled babysitting days, and Mary is handing out my information in her toddler group. Astrid has no nanny on Tuesdays, so I'll be filling in there, and Mary is working on Mondays, and will take any hours I can give her. Time to start saving for fall quarter! I won't know about financial aid until August or September, so I'm going to be prepared to shell out the cash; if I don't need it, then I can put it toward my credit issues.
Amanda is coming up in a couple weeks, and I'm going to have her for 3 days. We're going to go to the beach, check out the underground tour in Seattle, which I haven't done since I was what, 14? Kim? I'm looking to see if there's anyone around here who offers trail rides, since there are a ton of stables and my neighborhood is called Bridle Trails. Plus we live right by the state park, and I see people with horses in there all the time.
The robins that built their nest over my deck are diligently supervising it. I haven't heard baby birds yet, but they must be getting close. Had a racoon under my deck last night, and when I went outside, he came out and looked at me. He'd been digging in our garden, too. I shooed him away, (maybe it was a she) and have decided that we'll use the sprinkler to scare him off. He was maybe 5 feet from me! The lady in the apartment complex across the street shakes out cat food, and so we have a racoon problem. I've heard them fighting, and I've seen people back away and not be able to get to their door because of them! I wonder if I should say something to her, but there are a few stray cats too, and she has said she's feeding them. I don't know if she would understand the ramifications of her actions.
Whew! Who knew I had that much to say? Welcome back, Nikki!