there's no place like gnome.

No snow here yet, and none in the forecast.  That won’t prevent me from getting the Christmas tree out of it’s box mighty soon and making this as my tree skirt while watching Elf.

Another story about how I’m single?  Oh, sure.  Certain people seem to focus on it so why shouldn’t I?  [read: sarcasm]

But this one is pretty funny.

The same man at the assisted living facility that told me weeks ago that I should get a move on was in worship this past Sunday.  I talked to him at coffee hour and it was evident he didn’t remember the last conversation we had because this one started like this:

Nope.

That’s strange.

Thanks.

with me?

I am so incredibly tired.  

Change of seasons? [maybe.]

Less sunlight? [yes.]

Sickness? [lonliness?]

Red wine? [probably.]

Stress and anxiety? [hmm.]

Laziness? [likely.]

Emotional drain of work? [yup.]

I went to bed by 10:30 last night and slept until 7:30.  [10:30 is early for me.  I used to go to bed at midnight and be up at 6:30 with no huge issue.]  Now it’s not even 10 tonight and I could crawl into bed and fall asleep.  [Part of that may be sermon procrastination too.]

So sleepy.  

Maybe I’m getting too much sleep?  Or, like Banana Kay, I can only get an odd number of hours of sleep to be rested?  Or perhaps it’s just me seeing Mabel sleeping all the time that makes me wish I was in my bed.  

As Amanda, Joe, Kara and I headed to Decorah on Saturday, I had house guests both Friday and Saturday nights since my college amigos traveled in from Minneapolis and Sioux Falls.  

Let me rephrase.  I did not have house guests.  We had house guests, and oh did Mabel please.  

Joe said he would like to take Mabel home.  Even Kara said she liked my dog.  

Joe and Mabel bonded as Joe settled her.  As Mabel got a little out of control, Joe would pin her to the ground, one hand on her head and another on her hind legs, all while saying in a stern voice, “Settle! Settle.”  And she did settle.  Good girl.

She is a good girl.  I can now walk her outside as she goes to the bathroom and not put her on her line.  She was alone for a long while on Saturday as we galavanted in Decorah and she committed no mischief.  

People like her and tell me to not be surprised if she disappears one day.  

Because since she’s so darn cute and awesome, they might steal her.  

I’ve been a delinquent blogger.  A few days ago I was all set to sit down and write the reasons I don’t like my job.  Then I got wrapped up in website construction and driving places and going to text study.  It’s been a crazy week and I don’t even know how it got there.  And these next few weeks?  Ugh.  They’re inevitably filled with meetings/conversations/lunches/duties.  I don’t think there is one day which doesn’t already have something on the calendar.  Good things – very good things.  But busy busy.

I spent my day off today with a late lunch turned afternoon adventure with Paige, jD, and Lauren.  We’re planning a vacation.  Together.  Maybe with a few others joining in.  I won’t spoil the destination or manner of transport until it’s for certain but know that it would be snowy and a place from which I wouldn’t be able to blog.  [*gasp*]  Then Paige and I went to a new-to-us grocery store to buy baby pumpkins for fall events we’re holding at our churches.  [Mine is Sunday – eep!]  We broke the revolving door.  Well, we didn’t break it but we were at the scene of the crime as we both stood in the door, stupidly, as it went no where.  

Then Mabel and I vacuumed the house because we’re expecting guests in a matter of minutes.  Joe and Amanda are slumber partying with me tonight because tomorrow we are Decorah bound for Luther College homecoming.  Five years!  I’m super excited to visit the campus and the town set in the bluffs!

But back to the vacuum – Mabel’s not so sure about this device that makes noise.  She’d best get used to it; she’s the reason I have to use it so often.  A member stopped by my door this afternoon too … and Mabel get out.  Which is okay.  She’s gone out without a leash briefly and sticks around. until today. when she ran off.  Bad Mabel.  [But then she did come back.  Good Mabel.  She knows where her home is.]

Did I purchase the entire Dawson’s Creek series on dvd?  

Guilty.

[Here’s hoping I still find the series entertaining as I did when I was in middle school.  I do love dvd on tv.  And in my defense, I don’t have cable/satellite and it was less than $50 for the whole bit.]

Did I cut corners while assembling a bookshelf?  Does it look a little sloppy?

Guilty.

Do I drink cough syrup directly from the bottle so as not to dirty that little measuring cup?

Guilty.

[Still sick.  Hacking lungs, headache, and all.]

Did I drive all the way to St.Paul last night to get my hair cut by Brent once again?

Guilty.

[He was puzzled by my previous cut but I think he fixed it.  I trust him.]

Will I be in bed by 10:30 tonight?

Guilty.

[Long week ahead.]

I don’t have much to say tonight except that it’s not even 10:30 and I’m exhausted.  

You know how when you buy things on Amazon.com, they then have your email and all your info of what you’ve purchased and what you’ve ever even thought about purchasing?  I buy a fair number of things on Amazon.  My dear Kindle is the reason that keeps me going back frequently, along with used books and used dvds.  My complete Friends series was purchased on Amazon used and you know how much I love that.  

Amazon sends frequent emails.  The kind of thing where they say – hey.  We saw that you bought these; now wouldn’t you like to purchase these too?  It’s almost like the Hallmark cards that say, “I saw this and thought of you!”  They suggest like items, items they think I may be interested in based on my history on the site.

Yesterday, I received one of said emails in my inbox.  

“Amazon.com recommends “Red clown foam noses (12 pc.)” was the subject line.

I have no idea what I have bought in the past or what I’ve searched for that would lead Amazon to believe that I need a dozen clown noses, but I’m so glad they see fake foam noses and think of me.

[No.  I did not purchase them.  My current need for clown noses is quite non-existent.]

Let’s recap.  The Lynn/Kyle awesomeness of a wedding yesterday.  Lindsay arrives back home [still a relative term] at 1:30am.  In the office by 7:30 that morning to prepare for Sunday morning worship, which is the first time I’m presiding over communion.  [I messed up the wine words.  opps.]  Following worship was an hour long annual meeting.  Following the annual meeting was a lunch, and following the lunch was the church auction.  Lindsay was out and about for twelve hours today in midst of people and crowds and auctioneer babble.  

It was a long day but it was a good day.  I bid on stuff.  This was my first time actually bidding on items at an auction and it was slightly awesome.  I want more.  Actually, it more than slightly awesome.  It’s like crack.

I gained a posse of ROG children.  Anna, Jessica, Gracie, Rachel, and Grace stuck out much of the auction with me.  A long day it may have been, but it was good to chat with people on a more in depth level than when we shake hands after worship.  I learned that a congregation members makes his own wine [new hobby for lindsay?] and that there is a young couple who are members [but rarely attend because of job travel – he’s a dog trainer] and we really got along well.  

I donated 30 cakepops to the baked goods auction.  They brought in $40 – wooten.  Better than that perhaps is that the woman who bought them – Mary – said there would be interest in having a cake pop class of sorts.  If I taught, they would bring the wine.  Sounds like the best plan ever to me.

I bought a typewriter, not necessarily to use but to look at because it’s pretty and romantic.  Typewriters just have an aura of cool and vintage to me.  I paid a whole dollar for it.

Maybe someday I’ll write you a letter using my typewriter … but probably not.  Don’t hold your breath.  I also bought a wooden chair [$10] and was given a ‘uge black frame that someone didn’t want in with a bundle of other things.  I will put paper or fabric in it and it will be a great addition to an empty wall.

Being halfway through my glass of red wine, it’s time for bed.  So sleepy.  A new week begins tomorrow; here’s hoping it is a step up from last.