The animals

Here they are... drum roll please. The pictures of Frederick are the only acceptable ones out of a batch of about 50... he's so fast.

A month left

The past three weeks have been such a whirlwind I haven’t been able to catch my breath! After three bridal showers in three weeks in three different states, I think I need a break. The wedding preparations have slowed for the time being, but my checklist is always sitting at the back of my mind and begging for attention. It’s like that quarter-long project that you know you should be working on because if you leave it until the last minute, you’ll be at the library looking up random resources until closing time and typing until the sun comes up. Both Mark and I tend to be eleventh-hour organizers, although I think I’ve been pretty on the ball with wedding stuff so far. I’m shaking off my procrastinating tendencies, and it has paid off. Unfortunately, when one area of life gets the attention, another just falls to shambles. My room is a disaster (littered with gift wrap and clean laundry that needs to be folded), and Howard (my rabbit) and Frederick (my chinchilla) are probably suffering from a lack of personal attention. Sorry boys! I’ll make it up to you…

Hometown blues

Ok, I admit it. I miss Greeley. I just returned from a lovely weekend home, and I already want to go back. I miss King Soopers and its uncanny ability to somehow bring about a reunion with someone I haven't seen in forever (this time it was Mrs. Beattie, for those of you Dayspringers who were around when she was there). I miss the countryside and all its fresh smells (I think I still may be used to the fertilizer and cows, I didn't smell a thing when I was there. Except for the skunks). I miss my friends who have made Greeley their home, which means I see them once or twice a year at best. I miss my friends who moved away from Greeley, which makes holidays a frantic time filled with coffee dates. I miss my family and our out-of-control schnauzer. I miss always knowing which direction is west. I miss JB's. I miss Wildflour, although I'll never be able to go back since they closed (best bagel shop ever). I miss the availability of cream cheese pizza. Now I have to make my own if I have a craving. Here's to you Greeley and all the memories you bring. All the outsiders may hate you and your unique smells, but you'll always hold a special place in my heart.

Work quirks

1. Self-made mochas are popular, so every time I go to the box to pull out a packet of hot chocolate, I inevitably find five to six half-empty packets swimming around.
2. Our rolls of toilet paper do not match our toilet paper holders. The rolls are about half an inch too short, causing the roll to get stuck in mid-turn. This has resulted in many frustrated removals of too-small toilet paper rolls, and rants around the water cooler. This misfit is a recent development, and we know the economy must be going down the hole if even the toilet-paper makers are downsizing.
3. The table in our lunchroom is an octagon! We should paint STOP on it.
4. We call the five cubicles in the center of the office "the bullpen." I'm still not quite sure why.