this past week...

Dave's birthday this past week was nice for him...he got to take the day off from work, and I made him one of his favorite dishes for dinner, AND, I actually baked him a cake.

I haven't baked a cake in I can't remember how long!

We had a sub in dance class, and actually spent the entire 90 minutes dancing, and dancing pretty hard, so that I tore open the bottom of my left pinky toe.

This happens to me when I have not been dancing for a while, and then start up again...when I am working really hard, and acutally DANCING, it will pop open at the seam where the toe meets the foot.

Yeah, it's annoying, and it hurts for a few days, but it's evidence for me that I am really a dancer, and that I am working hard. It's a good thing, in some ways!

Then, on Friday, we both left work at 2 so that I could go to the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation to prove, once again, that I am a MASSAGE THERAPIST, not a hooker.

Then, had to take that paperwork over to the city offices. Dropped it off with my license renewal paperwork.

After the city cops decide also that I am still not a hooker, and that I was still born in the U.S.A. (I have to submit an ANNUAL affidavit of citizenship), then I can get my license renewed.

I've ranted plenty about how silly the process is here. It's so much easier in a state that has statewide licensure....one stop, every 2 years, and you're golden.

Here, it's three places, two trips, and it's EVERY YEAR to prove that you're not a crook. Stupid.

ANYway...

Our hopes for a trip up to Chicagoland in late May/early June are starting to come together a bit. We'd like to incorporate Memorial Day at one end or the other of our week, so that people can hopefully be available for me to see.

Maybe a party at a central location, so that I don't have to worry about trying to drive here and there during the week so that I don't miss anyone.

We'll see.

I've gotten over the nasty upper respiratory infection that I had, and now the weather has FINALLY turned really cold for a few days. It's been in the teens at night, and today, it never even got above 30. I LOVE that!!

The daffodils are already 6 inches tall because of the mild winter we've had, but hopefully, this won't hurt them too much. We're even supposed to get "wintry mix" precipitation tomorrow night into Monday!

Wheee!

We got a new programmable thermostat for the house last weekend. Hopefully, being able to have the heat automagically turned down while we're at work will help with our exorbitant heating bills.

It's been a mild winter, but we've been paying hundreds every month. OUCH! So..this has to help.

We also have it set to go lower at night, and I'm FINALLY not waking up drenched in sweat in the middle of the night! This is a good thing!

Hopefully, by next winter, we will have invested the close to $500 it's going to take to get insulation put up in our attic.

Apparently, there's some up there, but it's all broken down, and probably 50 or 60 years old. It's worthless.

Dave will be doing that project on his own, since his son has backed out on his previous offer to help.

Oh, and one final note: Dave turned to me this evening, and said "I know you're not quite there yet, but you are going to be a SPECTACULAR 50."

Heh...just moments after I was looking at the noticeable changes in my facial skin in the bathroom mirror.... LOL!