sick days are for yardwork

Taking a break from raking our beast of a backyard. But at least it's at my employer's expense!

It occurred to me that I never posted any pictures of my trip to Arizona this past November. I went with a good friend that I met a few years ago in Japan, and this is our second trip together. (The first was last November, when I visited her in London.) We decided to go someplace neither of us had been, so we picked the Grand Canyon. We drove out of Las Vegas (and not a minute too soon...that place is the PITS) and into Arizona, down Route 66.



We stayed in a cute little town called Williams, at a restored brothel-turned-bed and bakery.



We saw the Grand Canyon, where some mountain goats put on a show for us.





And I put on a show at Meteor Crater, quite possibly the windiest spot on earth that I've experienced so far.



It was a great trip. Edited to add: I uploaded a bunch more pictures of the trip to my flickr page. Click one of the photos above to see the rest.

Yesterday was a day of laying around, feeling sorry for myself, trying to fall asleep to escape from the depression and the boredom. (Can you tell classes were cancelled? Sadly, Insubordiknit's Jacey had travel issues that prevented her from getting to Atlanta.) Funny how the fates align to add an extra dollop of crap to an otherwise shitty week, but such is life. No one can predict it. Sometimes it just happens that way. And sometimes you need to let yourself wallow in the fact that you feel like ass, and just let it have its day.

But today is different.

I'm eating a salad that I grew in my backyard. We have a delicious dinner waiting for us in the crockpot. Tomorrow starts a fun week full of holiday parties at work and with friends. And last I checked, all my body parts were in working order--I never blogged about it because it wasn't that big a deal, but I had some medical issues since summer that were a real drag. Lady parts acting up. But they seem to have resolved themselves for now, with the help of the doctor and a little hormonal interference. And I'm very grateful for that.

Tomorrow I get to spend some time with some very special ladies, at the home of one particular lady who knows all about what it's like to deal with life's little curveballs. The good comes with the bad, and we have to make the best of what's been dealt to us. If we're lucky, we have friends who can help us get through the tough times. I feel like I have that, and I'm very grateful for it.

Enough! No more introspection, reflection, or moping. We've had enough of that this week. Time to raid the crockpot.

Such a crummy week. One of our cars got stolen right out of our driveway sometime Sunday night, while we were asleep in the house. We woke up and it was just gone. Luckily, they only took it for a joyride and parked it maybe two blocks away from the house--no damage other than the busted steering column. But we still had to pay to get it out of impound, then more to get the column fixed and a killswitch installed. Plus we'll be paying for security lighting, a security system (if I can get our landlord to agree to it) and who knows what else until we start feeling safe again.

I feel so shitty about it. I knew the neighborhood we lived in wasn't the best, but somehow until it happens to you, you don't really worry too much. Now every time I get home I'm scoping the place out for evidence that someone's been there. And I'm scared of being there alone. But what are we supposed to do? Move into a gated apartment complex where we'll have a quarter of the space, pay twice as much, and probably have to get rid of one of our cats? I'll just have to wear down the landlord about the security system, because damned if I'm going to live there without one after this mess.

I just wish people didn't suck so fucking hard and do this kind of shit in the first place. And I wish I had millions of dollars so I didn't have to live in a "transitional" neighborhood, but I guess millionaires get robbed too. So I guess I mainly wish people didn't fucking suck.

This weekend I'm taking two classes with Jacey of Insubordiknit at Knitch. That should be fun, and a nice way to relax after the bullshit that has been the week of December 3.

But things can always be worse. I certainly know that, and it helps to remind myself of it...even if things could be better!