Happy Memorial Day!

Hope everyone is having a nice, relaxing weekend. We've had really wacky weather. It was beautiful Friday & Saturday, humid/overcast/hot yesterday and then sunny/cool this morning and now overcast/cool/windy this afternoon. There were tornado touches about 30 miles northeast of us in Hugo, MN. The one person I know from that town was a mile away from the destruction, but he still needs to re-side the western part of his house (which was just re-sided last spring after his house was hit by lightening) and his camper and truck had hail damage.

The photos of the hail were pretty amazing - some were golf-ball sized and some were 3" across. During the whole time this was happening, we had partly sunny skies and no rain. The temps hit 83 degrees - the first time we got to 80 since last fall. We're back down to the upper 60s today. The rest of the week may only get to the mid-70s. I've decided to hit the tanning salon to make sure I have a good base before I leave for Hawaii.

It's only 3 1/2 weeks away - I'm very excited. I finally found shoes and a purse, although I'm still trying to figure out what to do about accessories. I started making my packing list I want to limit it to a carry-on so I don't have to worry about checking a bag, especially since I'm changing planes in Phoenix. I don't think there is much formally planned other than the wedding & dinner and a helicopter ride. I'd like to spend some time just being warm!! I get in on Thursday afternoon, the ride is on Friday morning and the wedding is Saturday evening. Other than that, it's pretty much beach/pool time for me!

The tough part will be the return. I leave Hawaii Monday night at 10:30 and get into Minneapolis at 2:00 Tuesday afternoon. I'll go to work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and then we leave for Santa Barbara early Saturday morning. We waffled on going or not for several weeks because of the gas prices, but decided to bite the bullet and head west. I'm really looking forward to the trip, especially because it's become tradition for us, and something we enjoy. It's a haul - two full days of driving each way, plus the added stress of only having 3 days at work between trips - but I know it will be worth it in the long run.

Off to make dinner - BBQ tri-tip, baked beans and salad. Yum!

Tattoo You

I had to wait until it was healed and not peeling before I posted. I think it looks pretty good, and pretty ambitious for a first tattoo. I just now have to find some cute shirts to show it off in appropriate situations...

We had back-to-back 3-day weekends. The first one was marred by crappy weather - rainy & cold. The second one was much nicer, even though it rained on Friday. I volunteered at the St. Paul Cinco de Mayo festival on Saturday. It was windy and cool, but in the sun it was pretty nice. On Sunday, it was in the mid-60s and I spent a good portion of the day out on the deck reading and absorbing some vitamin D. We did go see Harold & Kumar which was funny in a very low-brow way.

I'm actually going to try and get back into a gym routine beginning tomorrow. I haven't been able to go on a regular basis because of work, but I have to stop using that as an excuse. My weight has remained stable despite stress and long hours (in fact, maybe because of those factors).

The other good news is that I'm on my second week of being able to sleep through the night. It's making such a huge difference in how I'm feeling. I have a lot more energy and I'm not nearly as crabby. Plus, I'm not anxious about not sleeping through the night. The best part - I didn't do it with drugs. I think it's just less work-related stress and more regular hours.

I think one of the other reasons I'm feeling better is that the weather has finally turned the corner. I can even put up with some rainy days as long as it's warm and things are beginning to turn green. I'm getting outdoors more, breathing some fresh air and getting some rays.

Who needs Prozac with a few sunny days?

Snow? Really?

I have to move. I mean, seriously - snow showers at the end of April? How can I possibly get into Spring Cleaning mode when there is snow blowing around? This is total crap. My body is so confused - last Sunday, it was mid-70s and I was out on the deck in shorts and a bikini top. Grrrr.

I was able to mostly sleep through the night. I still feel like I'm short so maybe I'll try to nap later today to catch up. What I really should do is get my butt to the gym, but I am just not motivated, especially with the icky weather.

Don is off to cover the exciting NFL draft. It will be a long day for him. The draft starts at 2:00 PM (CST) but the Vikings traded their first pick so won't "be on the clock" until the 2nd round. That means, assuming if all the teams use the entire time for their picks, the Vikings won't make their pick until about 8:00 PM. Don will probably be home around 10:00 PM or so. Day two of the draft should have a little more action and move a little quicker, but it will still be a long day for him. What I can't believe is that people actually sit in front of the TV to watch this event. The idea of listening to hours upon hours of Chris Berman bloviating is not my idea of fun.

Guess I better get started on some laundry and the dishes. Maybe that will get me in the mood to Spring Clean!

Off To Phoenix

I am having a hard time deciding what to pack since I can't remember what 65 degrees feels like. It was minus 50 (with the wind chill factor) yesterday morning. Even going out for lunch at noon was painful - but my boss was buying, so who am I to complain?

I think I am leaning toward not applying for his position right now. I still have a lot to learn in my current role, and the added stress is not something I need. I know my staff would like me to - mostly because one or two of them want my job, but I really need to make sure I'm ready for that jump.

What I am excited about is seeing Don tomorrow. His usual road trips are just two nights but he's been gone five nights on this trip and it's taking a toll. Just getting myself ready in the morning is one thing but having to make sure the dogs are let out and fed is another. Plus, I actually have to do laundry! That's something Don normally does and I often forget how long it can take.

Off to bed - it's after 2:00 AM - I can't sleep when Don isn't here and I have to travel...

Broken Finger

I broke my right middle finger last Monday - I slammed it in the car door. Let me tell you, I do NOT recommend this! The nail is broken through to the skin and from side-to-side. In addition, I have a good cut off the nail and on the finger pad. The finger tip is broken, and the nail bed is fractured. The nail hasn't fallen off yet, and I don't know if it will, but it's still awfully tender and sore. It makes typing very hard.

It's very, very cold here this weekend - minus 17 at dawn this morning not counting the wind chill. We're spending a lot of time inside, that's for sure. Even the dogs don't want to go out. I cooked yesterday - French onion soup, artichoke chicken breasts with creamy risotto. Good stuff!

Work is busy, but a little less stressful. I am, however, looking forward to my 5 days in Phoenix at the end of the month. Don is off to cover the Super Bowl and I will be joining him to soak up some WARM sun rays. I'm not relishing the idea of dealing with the house/dogs/work for 3 days by myself, especially since it's been made clear to me 10-hour days are "expected" during our busy season. Whatever - I don't want to come home to an eaten couch or poop on the new carpet.

Off to maybe take a Sunday nap - now, that sounds decadent!

Winter Wonderland

Sorry about the lack of posting, but work had been kicking my ass and the last thing I want to do when I get home is get on the computer.

I worked through Christmas Eve - until 4:00 - and then came home for an eight day vacation. Woo-hoo!

Don and I had a very nice Christmas - we spent most of the day just relaxing in front of the fire and watching VH1's Best Of series (Best Songs of the 90s, Best Songs of the 80s, Best 100 Toys). It was a very low-key Christmas, which is what I needed.

Today, I braved the weather and traffic to hit Mall of America to spend my gift cards. I got a ton of stuff - black jeans, flannel-lined jeans, a sweater. a few blouses, a few books, some new undies (that fit!!), 4 bras, a skirt and a dress. I still have more $$ to spend at Target and Borders, but that will be easy.

We've gotten a bit of snow - the big, heavy white stuff that sticks. Luckily, the sun is out today and that will melt the driveway. It's very pretty out, and I'm glad I don't have to be out too much. I have been, periodically, running a shovel up and down the driveway and the walk so the snow is thinner and will melt as the sun hits them. Of course, my back, legs and arms are sore but it will be worth it if Don doesn't have to shovel again.

I do need to go into work tomorrow for a four hour training. It's a webinar, so I have to be logged on to my computer plus on a phone. Ugh. It's also 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, so right in the middle of the day.

Off to put away clothes and maybe vacuum. Or sleep - it's still up in the air.

Two Hour Commute

My commute from downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie is usually 30 minutes, or 45 minutes if traffic is bad. Because of a few inches of white stuff, it took me ONE hour to get from my office to the freeway and another ONE hour to get home. My right knee hurts from the gas pedal, my hands hurt from gripping the steering wheel and my head hurts just because.

We're expecting more snow on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Ugh. The worst part is that my dad is arriving on Thursday at 5:45 - right in the middle of "rush" hour and a snowstorm. Not a good perception of Minneapolis!

I had planned on getting out of work a little early today but had to cover a meeting that went until after 4:00. I might have made better time, but by the time I hit the roads, they were pretty well cleared by traffic. It was slow going - only about 20 MPH. but safe enough to get home without incident.

I really do like the snow, especially at this time of year. It makes everything festive and wintery. Of course, it makes it a bitch to drive, but as long as you can stay inside by the fire, it's all good. Plus the dogs get a huge kick out of it - until their little paws get cold. Now, they just want to curl up with each other in front of the fire.

We're tucked in for the evening - we're catching up on some TiVO'd shows. I really don't want to have to repeat the commute tomorrow morning, but I'm hoping the roads will be mostly clear.

I have Thursday off - to clean the house, get the car washed, stock the fridge, get my nails done - all important stuff. I'm making Chicken Poblano Corn Chowder for the night my dad gets in. Yum! Good stuff for cold weather...

First Snow of the Season

It's snowing. It wasn't expected until this afternoon, but it started at about 8:30 AM. The forecast was between 1" and 2" an hour with a total of 6" to 10" by tomorrow. It seems like a lot more.

I did run grocery errands this morning to get those out of the way. We're pretty well stocked for the next few days including stuff for Chicken Marsala tonight. The idea was to get everything done before the USC/UCLA kickoff at 3:30. I even got the makings for Hot Buttered Rum for tonight. Yum!

I'm still not in the Holiday Spirit, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy others who are. I just think, for this year, I will take a break. I don't need to pull out the fake tree, the lights, the ornaments, etc. to have a good Christmas. I may cave into cards, but for the most part, I don't need to add to the stress.

We did don snow boots, gloves, hats and the like to play with the dogs in the snow earlier. I don't think that's the last time I have to go out and play today. They are full of beans, which means we may need to take them for a walk, weather not withstanding.

Here's to a warm hearth...

Stormy Sunday

The weather is playing a number on us again here in Minneapolis. Last weekend, it was hot and humid, then we hit a high of 56, then it was back into the upper 70s and for the last 2 days it's been cool and rainy. It's supposed to rain off and on (more on than off) today, which is fine by me.

OK, to play a little catch up - last weekend I went to the Renaissance Festival and had a ton of fun. I had my palms read, and she was pretty right on. She told me that my job is secure, but I will be giving up some responsibilities and taking on new ones. She saw some domestic travel for Don and me, and an international cruise within 2 years. I saw her last year, and she said the same thing this year - I should be using my creativity to earn a living, and I should spend more time writing and practicing my photography. Besides that, my friend talked me into buying a full-on Ren Fest outfit - tiered skirt, flouncy blouse and a corset.

The last week I did a "back to basic" WLS diet where I really focused on the protein and the rules of the pouch (no drinking 30 minutes prior or after a meal, 15 minutes to eat, etc.). I lost 5.5 pounds and feel better - I am able to better identify head hunger vs. real hunger and I know when to stop eating. Once you're 2 years post-op, it's easy to slide back into bad habits - snacking, grazing, stress eating, etc.

We're doing some upgrades at Casa Seeholzer this week - we're finally upgrading to a HD dish on Tuesday. And on Saturday, we're getting new carpet for the downstairs (den, living room, dining room). That will be a bit of a pain because, although they will move the furniture, we have to store all the knick-knacks and empty the china hutch. I started on that this morning, but there is still a lot to do. Last weekend we cleared off the one big bookshelf in the den since that's about to fall over. We'll have to get a replacement (IKEA, anyone?), but it was about time. Our carpet is a very light cream, which is not a good choice with 2 dogs and Minnesota winters (and springs and falls!). We're getting a honey-colored carpet in the den and a subtle multi-colored carpet in the living/dining room. I think it will look great, and it will be so much easier to keep looking clean. We opted not to do the upstairs at this time since the only room we really use is the bedroom, and it didn't make sense to re-carpet 4 bedrooms, the hall and the stairway.

On top of all that, we're trading in our current Honda CRV for a new CRV this week. Our lease is up, and we just love our Hondas. Don picked a pretty dark blue, and I can't wait to see it! I am enjoying my Civic, but I know once the snow comes, I will be driving the CRV to work.

Work is really busy, and there doesn't look like there will be any break until next year, so I have to keep my nose to the grindstone. I have 2 huge projects on my plate, both of which will change how we do business. It's exciting, but daunting at the same time. My boss has hinted at some pretty major changes for me, but I'm feeling up to the challenge. I'm glad to be a part of something so big and so new. It won't be easy, and I know there will be some pretty stressful moments but the overall payoff is going to be huge.

I really am going to try and get better about updating and checking in on everyone. It's been hard with 10-hour workdays, but I need to make time for this.

Four Seasons - One Month

Typical Minnesota fall - we've ranged from rainy (8 months of rain in one month in Southern MN) to warm (90 degrees earlier in the month) to frost (39 degrees in the metro this weekend) to flurries (snow in northern MN). I never know what to wear - shorts and sandals or sweaters and boots! Needless to say, I have quite the range of clothes in my closet right now!

Don's first road trip is this weekend. He is in Detroit, but didn't have to leave until late Saturday afternoon, so we got to spend some time together before he had to go off to the airport. I spent most of this weekend baking for my work potluck (I made my mom's friend's pizza bread, which came out great!) and watching the football games. Because the USC was on so late Saturday - 7:00 PM kick-off here - and I wanted to see the entire game, I didn't get to bed until very late for me, around 2:00 AM. The dogs could care less this morning and got me up at 7:00 AM Sunday morning.

I am struggling a bit with things that are going on with friends and people from the Obesity Help boards. I have one friend who is really depressed and talking of suicide, one friend who is wishing she didn't have the surgery (she has had a lot of medical issues and has lost too much weight) and one person who committed suicide (and killed her special needs daughter) because she couldn't get WLS. I didn't know her but the WLS community is pretty small, and when you hear about something like this it hits home. It seems like her insurance didn't cover the procedure and she didn't have the money to self-pay. She had a lot of medical problems plus she was taking care of her 20-year old daughter who needed 24/7 care and it finally became too much for her. She opted for suicide by getting into her car with the engine running and the garage door shut. Beside killing her daughter, she also killed her cats because the carbon monoxide got into the house. Her friend found the bodies, but it was too late. For whatever reason, these things are weighing heavily on my mind.

Anyway, I plan on doing some cleaning out of the closets & drawers. I thought I could start storing my summer stuff, but it's supposed to get back into the 80s this week, so I guess I better hold off for now. Plus, I need to finish some earrings I started beading yesterday. I know - exciting stuff happening here at Casa Seeholzer!

Where Is Spring?

I am going to gripe about the weather - again! It's mid-April and we have 2 inches of snow on the ground. WTF? Where do I live? Hell frozen over? I am so ready for spring, sunny skies, warm breezes, grass between my toes, colors other than brown and grey, sleeping with open windows, a tan. We're supposed to get a warming trend starting this weekend and the 10-day forecast has some low-60s and mostly sunny skies. All I have to say is that it's about freakin' time.

Everything else seems to be going along smoothly. Don and I got our financing stuff approved, so we're just waiting for the final paperwork to come through. That will be a relief once that is completed. This will help with some big things coming up like lovely property taxes and car leases expiring. Speaking of which, we have two Hondas - a 2-door Civic and a CRV. We were thinking of upgrading to a 4-door Civic and another CRV. Our previous cars were a Civic and an Accord, so we've been driving Hondas for the last several years and haven't had a lick of trouble with them. I had a Toyota Camry prior to the Accord and had so many issues with the car and with Toyota in general. Any thoughts on cars we should consider? My commute is currently 20 miles one way, so I like the idea of a small-ish sedan, but I really want a 4-door. We also like having a small SUV in case of really bad snow as well as our yearly drive to California with the dogs.

And while we're on the topic of reader recommendations, Bath & Body Works has discontinued their line of face cleansers, lotions and scrubs I was using and now I need to find something else. Gah! I currently use a face wash for oily skin and an exfoliating scrub in the shower. I then use an astringent from Clinique followed by a fine-line or anti-aging serum and a moisturizer for oily skin. Any thoughts on a good line of facial products? I certainly don't need anything like La Mer (please, $100 an ounce?), but I am almost 40 so I do need to take care of my poor skin.

The depression doesn't seem as crushing as before. I still have my moments, but I feel like I can at least see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak (I'm pretty confident it's not an oncoming train, either). The meds certainly seem to be working and I haven't had a panic attack since I started carrying the Ativan. I still haven't gotten into a good sleep pattern and I don't want to add a Tylenol PM on top of the anti-depressant. I may look at switching the meds to the AM to see if that helps my sleep at all.

No big plans on tap for the weekend. Now that we've let our cleaners go, I know part of the weekend will be spent doing some cleaning around the house. It's also the last Saturday our office is open for Tax Season, so I will probably come in for a few hours in support. We have a few supply drawers that are in serious need of cleaning. I mean, we have more 3-ring binders than a Staples store. It's amazing how certain areas just become dumping grounds for unwanted supplies. Of course, no one can find anything so we end up ordering more of something we already have a boatload of. I mean, how many thumbtacks or boxes of staples does our department of 20 really need?

A hike or two with the dogs is in order. They have been cooped up since last weekend because of the weather, and I'm sure they're driving poor Don nuts while he works from home. They want out, they want in, they want back out. We should teach them how to open and close the door! I also need to get into the gym both days for some strength training - upper body on Saturday, lower body on Sunday. If I'm really on the ball, I might even make the water aerobics class on Saturday morning (at 8:15 AM!!!) before coming into work.

Other than that, I'd like to get some reading in and I have several TiVO'd shows I need to catch up on before I run out of disk space.

What I really need is about 6 more hours in the day!

Back to Work

It was a sad day at our house on Sunday as both Don and I wrapped up our week of vacation. He's back monitioring Vikings news and I'm back in the office. It was tough getting up at 5:30 AM yesterday, but I'm feeling pretty good today and back in the swing of things.

I had a great week - we got a lot accomplished. We met with our financial advisor and worked out a plan to consolidate the debt with a much lower monthly payment and know about tracking every penny that passes through our hands and making neccesary cuts. I know it's just for the short term until we get things squared away, so no yoga, but continuing our gym membership; getting manicures but no pedicures; cutting out wine clubs and the housecleaning services. I feel a lot less anxious about the financial stuff now that Don and I are working on it together.

My follow-up meeting with my PCP went well. She has me on Celexa (anti-depressant) and Ativan (anti-anxiety, taken as needed). I'm not sure if it's just the Celexa, but I do feel calmer and less anxious. It's almost like I'm more focused. I'm still working on sleeping through the night. One of the side effects is either causing drowsiness or hyper-activity, so I started out taking my daily dose at night but I seem to wake up around midnight and toss and turn for a few hours, although last night didn't seem as bad. I didn't want to start taking it in the morning and falling asleep at my desk. I'll continue with taking it at night for another week and see how I do.

I did weigh in on Sunday and saw my lowest weight to date - 162.8. I have now lost more weight (178.3 pounds) than what I currently weigh. I'm still working on just maintaining my weight, and I haven't really skipped a lot of meals, so I guess my body is still shedding a few more pounds on its own. I did do a lot of walking while I was off - we took the dogs for a hike or a walk almost every day. Now that I'm back to work, though, I am going to try and get into a better gym routine - 4 days a week in addition to walks with the dogs.

One of my big To Dos over the week was to get a new driver's license photo. I was getting tired of the double-takes and questions. The guy taking my photo was very nice - he even let me do my first one over since I looked startled. Now if I can just convince work security to let me take a new one I might actually wear my ID badge in the office (I usually stuff it in my desk even though we're supposed to wear it).

Other than that, I finished the first two books of the Fantasy Challenge (see below) and started the third. I had coffee with some friends on Saturday and then went to the Minneapolis Institute of Art which was a lot of fun. I can't believe I've been here 2.5 years and this was my first museum trip in the city. Sunday was spent mostly complaining about the weather (rainy and gloomy) and going back to work.

Speaking of weather - last Monday we were at 81 and yesterday it barely made it to 50. Supposedly we're getting 1-3 inches of snow (!!) today, and some lows will dip into the teens over the next few days. What happened to spring? We even broke out the deck chairs!!

Off to get this day started.

Feels A Lot Like Summer!

We broke a temp record yesterday here in Minneapolis - 83 degrees! It was wonderful. Don and I spend some time out on the deck. We have a busy schedule today - hike with the dogs, gym, yoga, Wild hockey game. I just love vacation! It's not scheduled to be as warm today - more like the mid-60s, which is typical for March here. It's hard to believe when I woke up this morning it was 43 - a 40 degree drop in just a few hours. I hope my friends to the east of Minneapolis are enjoying the fine weather!

Besides doing some reading, I also got my teeth cleaned and had a partial yearly exam. I still have to go in for my pap, but that's a few months off. I also saw my psych and we decided I need to go back to my PCP to discuss the depression/anxiety to see if there is a medical (e.g., drugs) remedy I can use to get me through this stage. She's also retesting my thyroid to see if my levels are off which may be causing my sweatiness (yeah, TMI, I know).

Don and I are meeting with our financial planner tomorrow and we have some good ideas for how we are going to deal with debt, savings and budgets. Thanks to Jen, I also found a lot of
helpful tools at Oprah's Debt Diet. I will be playing around with some of the downloads today.

I did a good portion of the spring cleaning over the weekend - all of the upstairs is done with the exception of laundering the guest bathroom towels. Don vacuumed the downstairs and swept the garage and basement. I need to tackle the laundry room, clean the stove and fridge. One of the best parts of going from winter to spring is changing the flannel sheets for cool, cotton ones. I love sleeping in fresh, crisp sheets and the windows open (even if it did get into the 40s last night!).

Off to take the frisky pups (actually they are lying on the grass in the sun) on our lake hike. When we took them on Saturday, the part of the lake shore we let the dogs romp around was still frozen, but I think after yesterday's "heat wave" we might have some more meltage so the dogs can wade a little bit.

In case I haven't said it, I love vacation!

Digging Out

I'm not sure of the exact totals so far, but when we went out to play with the dogs at around 5:30 last night, the snow was knee-deep in most places, with some drifts even higher. The dogs, of course, thought it was great to plow through chest-high drifts, and they slepts like rocks last night. Trust me - I tried to move Jager several times and ended up having to sleep around her.

Don was great this morning; he got up at 5:00 AM to snow blow the driveway while I got ready for work. I'm so glad we don't have to do this on a regular basis. I mean, for the 2.5 winters we've lived here, this has been the most snow accumlation, and we hadn't even revved up the blower until this past weekend this winter, so I can't complain too much.

The roads were icy and snowy on the way into work. They don't look nearly as bad now that the sun is up and more traffic has sluiced away a lot of the muck. I am hoping to get out of here between 11:00 AM and noon so I can finish packing and spend some time with the dogs and Don before abandoning them for warmer climes.

My flight is showing delayed about 45 minutes to wait for incoming aircraft, but the original flight time is 5:25 PM so I'm thinking there's still time for it to go out as scheduled. Tonight is still up in the air, but I think I'll hook up with Patty and John, we'll eat at the hotel and do a little gambling. Not sure what we are going to do during the day Saturday - I'm bringing a bathing suit since it's going to be in the 70s, but Patty says it's too cold for her to be pool side. Say what? Crazy Californian!

I'm a little nervous about the conference. I will only know my co-worker and we will be attending different break out groups. I don't socialize well with people I don't know, and this is my first real event like this since surgery. I was a total wallflower at 336 pounds, and I'm not sure how I will react in a big social situation now that I'm 165. I am checking TWO bags. I will be there for 5 days and will need work, play and dress clothes. I do have workout clothes packed, but those may go in favor of another outfit. Yes, I have become quite the diva. I used to only pack 1 pair of shoes - now I'm looking at 3 or 4 (all black, of course).

Anyway, no posts until I get back on Wednesday night. Unless I get home early enough to put some up of the snowy back yard. Have a great weekend!!

More Snow!!

Yep, another snowstorm dropped about 3 more inches on top of the 8 we already had, and we're supposed to get between 6 and 9 more before midnight. Thank goodness I'm getting out of this snowy hell and going to Las Vegas on Friday.

Seriously, I don't mind the snow but it can make for some rough mornings at work, trying to staff phone queues and clients not really caring if half the staff is snowed in. I do wish it was spread out a little more, like 2 inches here, 3 inches there, instead of these big multi-inched dumps. I do have to say, Minneapolis keeps up the roads pretty well. My drive into work was smooth - nothing more than excess water on the roadways - no ice, slush, snow drifts, etc. Our street hadn't been plowed when I left at 5:45 AM, but enough cars had gone by I could follow the tire marks.

So, yes, I'm off to Las Vegas on Friday. I have a work conference that begins on Sunday night and I'm going in a few days early to see my brother and my best friend is coming in from Los Angeles with her boyfriend. It should be a lot of fun. I'm staying at the Hilton on Friday and Saturday night and then moving to Caesar's Palace for the conference. Saturday night, we're going to Bradley Ogden, which should be great. I wanted to try Mesa Grill, but I still might have a chance before I leave LV since it's in Caesar's. I don't have any specific plans other than doing a lot of people-watching. I'm not a huge gambler (I work way to hard for my money to blow it all on slots or Blackjack).

Work is crazy with all the snow. We are starting to let people go home early because schools are closing and my normal 30-minute commute could easily be 1+ hours. Great - I have a 4:00 nail appointment I really need to go to before I head to Vegas. For safety's sake, I should go home, but vanity will win out and I will have lovely nails. At least the salon is close to home. We are even looking at overnighting people downtown just so we have people on the phones in the morning.

I still need to pack, and it looks like I will have to actually check bags. Normally, I could totally carry on, but I will be gone for 5 days and need work, play and evening wear. I did break out some of my summer clothes and shoes I packed away last fall. Only 1 skirt and 2 shirts even fit - the rest are too big. At least
it went in that direction - I think when I put the clothes away for winter I was worried that they'd be too small because I just wasn't confident that I'd be able to either stay the same size or be an even smaller size in 6 months. Wonder what will happen when I store my winter garb?

I have one more meeting before I can head home. I hope the snow lets up enough for the commute to go easily, and that the salon can take me early.