Paper Cuts

It's the death of the thousand paper cuts, I swear.

Worked 14 hours this weekend (Okay, that one isn't a paper cut; it's a gaping wound). Developing at least eight canker sores and/or blood blisters on the inside of my mouth (probably from stress). Burned my tongue making dinner last night. Penny woke us up at 4:15 so we could put her back to bed after a dream woke her up. Stressy dreams between then and when I got up this morning. Spilled water all over the floor while trying to take my meds. Had to take a detour to get Alex to school this morning, as the road I usually use was completely blocked by three fire trucks, two police cars, and two ambulances that I could see before the road curved. Left both kids at their respective schools in tears this morning. Changed the radio station to get away from a song I don't like, changed it again to get away from political ads, and the third station was playing the exact same stupid song I don't like from the first station. The enormous spider outside my office is still there.

Should concentrate on positives, or I'm never going to get through the day...

KT finished the entire 3-day, 60-mile Susan G. Kommen walk for breast cancer this weekend. I talked to her on the phone a bit Saturday night, and she sounded tired, but otherwise really surprisingly chipper. Keeping an eye open for her tweets as she progressed was surprisingly motivational for me. I can't even begin to express how proud I am of her. Or how disappointed I am that she didn't get the postcard I sent for her. (Positive! Positive! Right, right...)

Both kids were really just fantastic this weekend. Alex's encroaching Twoness even backed off a bit, and he was perfectly happy to play near me without having to be picked up every thirty seconds. And Matt was wonderful about trying to keep them out of my hair and taking on extra household crap so I could get my stupid work done.

We went out to eat Saturday night and had the most amazing waitress ever. The kitchen screwed up our side orders, but she was awesome. Even though the kitchen screwed up our orders, I want to go back, just so I can ask to be in her section. Also, we managed to drive a cranky old couple not just out of our section, but out of the restaurant entirely. If the kids were being loud or obnoxious, I'd have felt embarrassed, but they were actually being really good, so it was just amusing. (Seriously. I can totally sympathize with not wanting to be near kids, but in that case, may I recommend not going to a chain "family-style" restaurant before 6pm? Really. Use a brain cell, folks.)

The fall weather continues apace. In honor of the cool weather, I've planned soup for dinner twice this week. And I'm having my leftover roasted carrot and parsnip soup that I made Friday for lunch today. I love soup.

I have an apple-scented tea candle burning on the side of my desk at work. It is pretty and soothing. I have enough little tea candle refills stocked up at work in various yummy fall scents to last me until Thanksgiving.

Even though I'm not having time to write, I keep getting ideas about how to improve the story I'm currently focusing on, and I'm jotting them down so I don't lose them. Eventually, I'll have time to write again.

The proposal I'm working on at work is due next Monday. I'll likely get called in to work next weekend on assembly, but after that, I'll be free. And I'll have a buttload of extra hours. I'm going to take at least a couple of half-days off from work and do things that are not related to work even a little bit. Or possibly even computer-related. Some more clothes shopping, perhaps (I still only have like 3 long-sleeve shirts that fit). Take my camera into Colonial Williamsburg and go shutterbug crazy. Something.

There, that's a little better. Now: time for a meeting.