Tomorrow is my first day of work

and I'm NEEEEEERVOUS!

And not even as much about the normal stuff as about whether or not I'll be able to sleep tonight.  My schedule has been weird lately.  I have been a grandma with bedtimes for the past few years, but lately, I'm a night owl once again! Like my childhood, I'll stay up reading 'til the sun tucks me in.  Only, UNlike my childhood, I can't get out of bed in the morning!

A few nights ago, I crawled into bed at almost 4am.  WIDE AWAKE.  In fact, I'd just come from donuts.  Apparently, there's a 24 hour donut shop near the Ave (the things you learn about your school, once you're gone).   I hadn't even realized what time it was.  I then crawled into bed and felt my heart race for hours.  Sugar high?  Maybe.  More like weird body.  It's not just that I have fun things to do that keep me up late.  No, it's more that I can't seem to fall asleep.  I've spent so many hours lately, laying awake.  And that just seems a waste.  I'm getting old and I've got life to live!  (mostly kidding.)

All this said, I've had things to do and blogging has fallen by the wayside.  I know.  Partly, I just don't want to sound like an egotistical girl who thinks you all wait by idly to listen to the ever-so-un-exciting details of my life.  And most of my blogs this week would have just been to-do-lists of my days.  And when I have been writing exciting things, they've been perhaps a bit too exciting for the blog.  (Or at times too emo?)

At this point I have fallen so far behind, I am going to give you one very long, fantastic post with FAR too many photos.  Most of you are now going to scroll down to the photos and skip any further writing.  (or you already did.)

I finally got to do some crafts I've been thinking of for a while.  Like make magnets for my board.  :)

I also did some serious organizing and cleaning.  Including throwing away bags and bags of old product.  Ladies, you know how quarter-full shampoo, mousse, shiner, moisturizer, toner, etc. we can compile over the years.  I also realized how many mostly-empty perfumes I have.  I enjoyed lining them up and looking at the years of my scent.

 ALL product!

Filing and filing and filing! 

Reorganized the CD collections.  You know, the important things of life. 

Then, reorganized the books.  All of them.   

A couple times (couldn't determine the best strategy). 

(A few I hope to read in 2012) 

Finished work.  A series of systems at play in these double-thick rows. 

And truth is, I did all that organizing in one very ambitious afternoon-night.  

A night, that I finished just like this. 

Very, very happy.  

(Yes, this was the night of my last post)

And then I began returning some fan mail.  Well, snail mail.  Potato Poe-tah-toe. 

But the week wasn't just all work.  There was some definite fun moments too.  For instance, my favorite Round yet with my favorite Rose Ruiz.  

In our favorite front row seats.  ;) 

And a little glimpse of living life with Morgs.  Not quite what we planned, but so good to get ANY time with her.  Loved it and hated having to run off. 

And a little time with the long lost bunch o' berries.  :)  

Oh yes, and an unexpected wrong turn that lead to a much-awaited visit to Bauhaus and a MUCH needed coffee. 

Before the long-talked-of visit to the Knee High. 

With a handful of some of the funniest people I know.  

And a very special early afternoon with The Artist and crepes with the perfect companion for both.  

And the final day of all this loveliness looked about like this: 

 I'm realizing I'm a one-trick pony in the kitchen.  "You know what we should add to that?! Garlic.  Maybe sauté it?  And rosemary.  And ____insert some kind of alcohol___"  Today it was white wine.   But truly, that one trick has served me quite well so far.  

Yes, today looked like lots of tasty food and even more coffee, tea, hot chocolate (no really, had at least one cup of each of those today), reading,  aw yes, and SNOW!  But, I think that will go in it's own blog.  One post can only handle so much fantasticalness. 

Yes, the Moose has really been enjoying this week off as well.  It's been a good time for us to really connect and gain vision for this next season in both of our lives.  Who'd have thought we had so many dreams in common. 

This week has been wonderful, with so many incredible moments I didn't share here, or tried to and did a very weak job at.  I'm sad it is all over, but I'm very grateful for how it all turned out.  And I'm excited for tomorrow!  I am sure I will not be blogging much throughout the day, but keep checking in with me.  I promise to keep posting.  And I'm hoping this change will force me to give you all something a bit better, if less often.   

I'll try to post tomorrow before work. ; ) 

PS, finally got Instagram. 

 Haven't used it yet though. :/ 

Two words: George Strait.  

and a cup of really strong (decaf) coffee at 9pm. 

Cleaning out the dust, the empty cases, the old pages.  

Remembering the girl I am, have been, and have always hoped to be.  Somehow, George always helps. 

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Believe it or not, but I am still working on my room.  And it is still a mess.  I turned down an invitation to float the river today with some friends from soccer because I felt guilty considering leaving this a mess... and playing in the sunshine.  But it's 9:41a, and they wouldn't pick me up until 11am, and I have to confess I'm having second thoughts.  This girl LOVES to play in the water in the sunshine!! And this year, I've done less of it than ever.  I know, I know, I just got back from vacation, and I did get some lovely times with Megs by the pool.  :)  I'm reliving that, as I deep clean my room...

Forgotten Treasures.

Not really forgotten, but thought long-lost. This earing has been missing for over a year, and I've refused to throw the other one away. I bought them from a vendor at folk life a few years ago, and they've long been my favorites. And as for the pin, it brought back a flood of memories of who I am, and where I've been. : ) Yes, little treasures indeed. And THIS is why we do deep cleans!

Today was the day for those little things I always think about doing, but don't actually do. I polished/ conditioned three pairs of my boots, dropped three other pairs of shoes off at Nordstroms to have caps replaced, and a bridge fixed. I piled up my coats and a dress in the car to drop off for dry-cleaning (I couldn't find an open one though). I took the car through a car wash. Purchased some new closet organizers. Built one, and began re-organizing the closet. It looks like this...  I'm taking all of my sweaters off hangers and instead folding them in these cubbies.  I may end up hating the concept (as I can see it hard to keep from unfolding them all as I dig for the right one), but I needed to do something new.  I'd been planning to move this fall, and now that I'm not I feel I have to find a way to simplify and organize all that I've been acquiring with the intention of a place of my own.

Okay... it actually looks like THIS (below). :/  I'm FAR from done.  There are piles all over my floor right now, and while I've known for the past couple hours I should head to bed, instead I made a cup of tea and just keep going. I also did a few loads of laundry today... threw away three pairs of shoes (that's a big deal for me), and set aside a pile of clothes to give away. Next up, I'm pulling out sweatshirts and coats to give to homeless individuals this fall. If you're cleaning out like me, let me know if you have good jackets/ sweaters/ blankets you'd like to donate to some Seattle homeless folk, I think a few of us are going to head downtown and hand them out in a few weeks.

Kay, this reminds me of you and your impressive work as of late
(and fun lists to do it!).  I like this one a lot, gets me motivated to make my own.