10/9/06

Date Night!

Well, we found four--count 'em four--babysitters who are very nice and with good references. I plan on sharing them with some colleagues who have young kids too. Our first night out will be tomorrow night. A very big event at my institution that I have coordinated will be done, so we're going out for margis and mexican--woohoo! It won't be a late night, but should still be fun.

We'll have built in babysitters later this week too, when my parents come to visit. They'll be here Thursday through Sunday just for the heck of it. On Saturday we plan on going to the Pumpkin Festival that we go to every year. On Sunday, we've got tickets to see the Ringling Bros. Circus. I hope the kids will like it.

We had a low key weekend since I had to work. We now have our hot tub up and have enjoyed it every night since, except for last night. We even let the kids go in for a short while Saturday evening. They loved it. Don't worry, it has locks, so they can't get in it on their own.

The weekend before last, we went to visit my grandmother before they move her to an assisted living home about 8 hours away from us. Very sad. I feel so sorry for her: she feels like she's lost all control of her life, and she has. But I truly believe it is the best thing for her. I just wish it wasn't so far away.

I felt really bad because she kept trying to give me stuff that I just didn't want. I took some things to make her feel better, but at some point you just have to say "no." I don't really want anything that she picked up at a garage sale and has no family significance. Sigh. Getting old is a fucking bitch.

Speaking of which, Brian's dad has cancer. Luckily, it is a very treatable kind, but it's still scary. Sometimes I feel like all of my loved ones are falling apart on me. :-(

Just had an endocrinologist appointment. My thyroid levels were still a bit high, so they decreased my dosage again. I don't think we're ever going to get them levelled out. It's been a YEAR for god's sake.

Blah. Can you see why I haven't blogged much lately?

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Recent Reads:

"Paint It Black" by Janet Fitch: God, she writes beautifully. She's the same author who wrote "White Oleander." A very sad book that also beautifully and vividly depicts LA in the 80's. I'd kill to have half her talent. It's about a punk rock girl from "the wrong side of the tracks" whose wealthy, troubled artist boyfriend commits suicide. Then her relationship with his mother after the death.

"Rise and Shine" by Anna Quindlen: Another book about two sisters (there seem to be a lot of these on my blog lately)--one of whom is a famous morning news anchor. She says an expletive on air, hurting her career and changing her life. Quindlen is one of those authors that is dependable. I always like her books a lot, but I wouldn't say I love them. I think she's cool as hell though.

Next up on my list: "Stupid and Contagious" by Caprice Crane--looking forward to this one!