I am approved for working from home tomorrow! WHEE!

Guh, I just started feeling really queasy in the last 10 minutes or so and there is no one here to complain to. Oh well, going home, if I feel like crap tomorrow I won't come in.

I have one small focaccia pizza, some cherry tomatoes, and a bag of frozen grapes in my apartment. It better not snow beyond my ability to get out for food tomorrow.

I am blessed by my co-workers. Apparently I didn't turn my lights off all the way this morning, and as I was getting ready to leave tonight, the department head came rushing over and said "Have you been out to your car since you got here? Your parking lights are on." The department head can be scary, but he's been solicitous of me, especially since Hubby died. So he shanghaied another supervisor to hurry out and turn off the parking lights--I don't lock my doors--and waited till I got out there to jump my battery.

That would be wonderful of them if it ended there, but Dept Head wasn't wearing a coat, the temperature up there is in the mid-teens, and there was a wind blowing hard enough to nearly lift the hood of my Jeep off the rod that was holding it up.

I want to be a self-sufficient woman, but dammit, on nights like this I am very grateful to have competent people around who can get things taken care of.

I've decided part of self-sufficiency is taking help from people.

Oh hey, my cat is doing really well on the steroids! I think she's gaining weight and not puking and seeming perkier. Hooray!

Yay hazel!

Yeah, especially with the recent invalidhood and all, reinforced that part of my stubborn independence and self sufficiency is grounded in having a good support network. Even if all it ends up being is rides and texts to ask if I'm alive and need anything. I thought I'd struggle more with asking for help, but when the chips were down and there were no other options...and ok, I didn't REALLY need those peas, but I wanted and she offered.

I'd do the same, and have without thinking anything of it, for the folk I asked for help.

Having a community is lovely. Having one of choice is even more so. And a privilege.

Speaking of media, I just found this lovely painting of winter in NC. [link]

Missing the booze.

Sara, I envy your community.

The good news here is that I just shoveled the front sidewalk and no wheezing or back pain!!! The bad news, it is 5 degrees out there. I'm just getting feeling back in my fingers. I double gloved, but dang. The driveway has not been done...will have to attack that at some point tomorrow as I do need to leave the house at 3.

Community is amazing and I always envy yours, Sara.

And I thought of you last night because I had my first swimming lesson! I was like "sara would walk to the pool, but it's uphill on the way home and I don't wanna--stupid Seattle hills!" It's the one thing I don't love about seattle. As for the swimming lesson I was impressed--two teachers and six students at the community parks and Rec pool?! Not sure they'll manage to make me enjoy putting my face in the water though...maybe I can work at doing laps using backstroke?? Also even when I'm trying to breathe right, I get halfway through a lap of freestyle and I'm out of breath and my heart is pounding. In running I can just walk then, but swimming that seems a poor plan

That's awesome that you're taking swimming lessons, meara! Go you!

And go Hazel