I promised.

Last week, I publicly declared my commitment to blog once a week.  Yesterday, I finally discovered the wonderful world of Pinterest.  Just what I needed...another social media/networking tool to take my time???  Fortunately, I've found some great ideas that will hopefully not take too much time to complete before we leave for the holidays on the 24th.  With the canine kids.  On an airplane.  Am I nervous?  Totally.  We've never flown with dogs, and Felix is already nervous.  I mean, not about the flight, but on a daily basis, he exhibits very nervous behavior, as is typical of most dachsunds, or so we were told at the vet's office. 

In any case, I feel like I have a ton of things I need to do before we head up to WA, and one of the most important things is actually start and finish my Christmas shopping.  To say I was busy this semester is a bit of an understatement.  When William accepted his job with Gannett in September, he immediately started traveling on a weekly basis, and usually for 4 or 5 days at a time. 

Pretty much everyone who knows me knows I like to stick to a routine, and this fall has been no different---it's just that the routine is more typical of how it was when I lived in Spokane, on my own, with Belle and Gracie.  Up super early, maybe early gym session, sprint home to get ready for work (or now, school), head back home (or gym) or to pick the boys up from doggie daycare (aka the in-laws), study, and crash.  Somewhere in there is meal prep and sleep, but sleep was the least of my priorities with 5 classes, a job for the first half of the semester at the bakery, and trying to get the puppies out for exercise on a daily basis.  Add in Monday cookie-baking/delivery to the church office, occasional airport shuttles for William (either very, very early or on the way to class), and it's a little more clear as to why blogging fell by the wayside.

Tonight is my first Monday night off in almost 4 months, and I found myself watching the clock to make sure I was running on schedule.  Instead, I'm sitting here...peacefully blogging, eating my dinner, and getting ready to sit back down with the puppies to finish my Swedish mystery, Don't Look Back by Karin Fossum.  It's due today, even though I checked it out on Halloween.  The shame...to my defense, I did just start reading it the other day.  Yesterday?  Friday?  I don't remember.  Still on my agenda tonight---planning the Christmas menu, doing some online shopping, and then possibly getting my sore legs off the couch for some in-store purchases.  We'll see how far I get.

Until next week...