"We're living Planes, Trains & Automobiles!"

So says my husband, in the midst of his very first business trip, which seems to be going slightly awry. They drove from here to South Carolina on Tuesday, which is somewhere in the neighborhood of an 8-hour trip as far as I know. The "we've checked into our hotel" call just didn't happen and didn't happen, so I finally called to see how things were going, only to find out that they were sitting in a repair shop. The truck apparently lost the use of its fuel pump. They ended up getting a rental car and proceeding to their hotel, and everything seemed to be going somewhat according to plan. Then today, they found out that the truck won't be fixed before Friday, so of course they attempted to extend their reservations for an extra night...and that's when they learned that the hotel was all full for the weekend. He seemed in pretty good spirits when I talked to him, but that may have something to do with the fact that his boss treated him and their other traveling companion to margaritas and Longhorn steak for dinner. Stinker.

This means that my official longest stay at home alone since we moved in together will be extended even further. I suppose it's really quite fitting, seeing how many times I've skipped happily off into the sunset tra-la, tra-lee and left my hapless spouse alone for days at a time. Not that I don't miss him when I'm the one who's away. I do...I just don't usually get lonely while I'm away. These past couple of days, it's just been me and the feline...and he's not exactly a party animal this week, being flea bitten (but recently flea-treated, so fear not) and possibly afflicted with a mild infection that makes one eye sort of watery and boogery. Poor thing. He's going to the vet Friday if he doesn't look more respectable.

Meanwhile, I have pretty big news of my own (as if anyone reads this. Ha!): After all my whining and pity-party-throwing, I managed to score a ticket on that bus after all. I won't say where I work now, because that's just irresponsible...but I can say that it doesn't involve retail, it does involve a pretty respectable salary, and it will allow me to indulge in two of my favorite things--being a science geek and teaching kids in a not-a-traditional-classroom type of setting. It's especially sweet because I've been teaching workshops on an extraordinarily part-time basis at this unnamed place for going on 6 years now, and I truly love the program and the work I've been able to do there.

I started my new job yesterday, and I can say that my brain is very, very full. I know that it won't be perfect, and I'm sure there will be days when I'm frustrated or tired of it, but I think it has the potential to kick ass in a pretty serious way. So, to life...cheers. I will try to make the most of this one.


One of my favorite Christmas scenes EVER:
(which I actually photographed in my own town)




Farking adorable!

Hippo and tortoise, one year later




Reading: Life, the Universe, and Everything, Douglas Adams
              The Art of Discworld, Terry Pratchett & Paul Kidby
              Tree: A New Vision of the American Forest, James Balog

Playing: The Legend of Johnny Cash.