Restless

I had a nice long (six-day) weekend. Originally, the weekend was supposed to be busy. Wednesday was off to finish up a paper for my class I was taking. Thursday, I was going to hit yoga & then drive to Bend to help a friend with some database stuff. Saturday morning, the architect was going to show up in Bend & whisk me off for a two-day camping trip. We were going to return sometime on Monday, and then laundry & sleep in preparation for going back to work.

That is not what actually happened.

Wednesday, I overslept. I had agreed to be interviewed for Lelo’s radio program, and we were going to talk at 9:30. I woke up at 9. (I have got to stop staying up ’til midnight watching Criminal Minds – it’s totally messing with my sleep schedule.) I hurriedly drank my cup of coffee & worked on making myself ridiculously nervous. (It worked! I was about ready to pass out by the time she called.)

Unfortunately, she was having technical difficulties, and had no internet, which surprisingly makes internet radio nearly impossible.

So, we rescheduled.

I then attempted to get my car fixed. It was still sitting out front, all sad & three-wheeled, after last weekend’s flat tire fiasco.

The guys from the tire place drove their truck over, took the tire, and drove off. I had called them, but was a bit surprised when I looked out the window & saw my car jacked up with the tire missing.

I worked, worked, worked on my paper.

The tire people came back, put on a new tire, and suggested that I drive my car over to their shop post-haste so that they could put on another new tire & perhaps work on the alignment a bit.

I did, then walked home, with a long detour for some lunch.

I finished the paper, and then it was time for my radio interview.

I had such a great time talking to Lelo, that I actually forgot that our conversation was being recorded for all posterity, which I hope explains why I blurted out in the middle of it, “My car just drove by my house.”

It was true – my car did just drive by my house. I’m guessing that the mechanics were just test driving the new tires/alignment & didn’t realize that I would be staring out my window when they drove by. That was embarrassing.

After that, I’m pretty sure that Lelo hastily wrapped up the call & put a check box in the “never talk to her again” column. 🙂

I also spent a great deal of time alternately searching for my older cat & talking to the vet office. I didn’t find her until dinner time.

Thursday morning, I took Jasmin to the vet. I was really nervous. She’d been acting so odd – hiding! not showing up for tuna! yowling at strange times! and other odd behaviours.

I tried to prepare myself for the worst.

Fortunately, it was not the worst. She was very sick – having a terrible allergic reaction to some flea bites. She doesn’t do well with steroid shots, so someone had to give her a pill every day for five days.

So much for the camping plans.

When I dropped her off at home, I gave her a pill, and she curled up in the kitchen sink and cried.

I know she’s not a human baby, and all of you with actual human children are shaking your heads at me right now, but people! It was so sad! She was just whimpering in misery.

Resolutely, I picked up my bags & headed to Bend.

I made it about 5 miles.

Then I texted my friend & told her I needed to reschedule.

I headed home and found Jasmin still curled up in the sink, still crying, and completely miserable. So, I hung out with her on Thursday & Friday, and started washing every surface in the house, hoping to eradicate the source of the fleas that only bite her (the other cats are fine).

I did get some other things accomplished – I made cheddar (!), got a lot of gardening stuff done (trimmed back all non-tomato bearing tomato stalks & threatened all green tomatoes with great acts of violence if they didn’t start turning red soon), and got a healthy head-start on the fall cleaning.

I just really, really wanted to get out of town, though.

So – long story short (too late!), Sunday afternoon, the architect & I drove up the Columbia River Gorge, drove the fruit loop north of Hood River, stopped at a peach festival (yum), and then spent the night in the Dalles.

Yesterday, we drove a bit further east before crossing the mighty Columbia & making our leisurely & scenic way back home. Where we (wait for the excitement) cleaned! Woo!

There are so many great pictures – so look for the photo essay that should be accompanying this long block of text to show up tomorrow.

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And now – I am back to the grindstone. Three whole days of work this week! And a new class (for which my textbook is apparently just hanging out in Kent, WA taking in the sights) to start! And much exercise to get in!

4.22

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