Some Free Time

I'm finally hitting a week that doesn't have every single second scheduled for work.  I went to bed last night around 7 (I think) after working 3 consecutive 8-hour shifts.  I got up around 11 this morning and feel like I was unconscious.  It's a good thing Jeff was here in case the house caught on fire.  Now, I have all day until 10 tonight free when I go back to Kohl's 'til 6 tomorrow morning.  Then, free until 11 a.m. on Wednesday, and no work Wednesday night, Thursday day or night, or Friday day.  I intend to get my Christmas decorations up this week, some baking started, and I need to sort through the gifts that I've bought and figure out where I am in the process.  Also need to start watching some of my holiday movies.  I always watch White Christmas 2 or 3 times each year and I haven't seen it even once so far this year!  I may also duck into a movie theatre at least once and get caught up on some films that I've been wanting to see.

Jeff put up our Christmas lights outside and they look really nice, but they're all new ones.  We used to have icicle lights that would go the whole length of the roof on the bottom, but they started burning out and looking silly so we got a lighted swag to just hang on the porch this year.  It has big red bows in a couple of spots and there's a Santa with HO-HO-HO stuck in the ground.  It's all very cute, but less light than in past years and I kind of miss the light down near the garage.  I have to finish arranging my wrapped gift boxes on the front porch and put the giant bow on them so that end of the porch doesn't look so empty.

Update on the hot tub:  all fixed!  Jeff had to replace a couple of parts to get it to work, but we're good to go again now.  Whew!  That was a close one.  We've had it for a very long time and I wouldn't want to have to replace it.  The hot tub itself (both inside and out) are still in really good shape and we all rely on having it here.

Jeff is headed off to Oklahoma again this week.  Not sure what the weather is there, but I'm guessing that it's a bit better than the 20 degree days we're getting.  We've been so lucky, though, to have no snow yet.  There was a little bit the other day, but it's gone now and, frankly, it wouldn't break my heart to not have any at all this year.  I'm guessing my shrubs and plants would all freeze hard and die, though, so I guess we need a little for warmth.

Trivial thoughts: 

• I bought some gloves that specially made to use with ipods.  Stacy got some for Chrismas last year and I've wanted some since then.  I ordered some from Younkers on the day of the big sale and I can barely get them on.  I've always worn small gloves, but these are really small so I guess I'll have to send them back for exchange.  I hate doing that!
• What is wrong with people?!  I can't believe the number of people who bring their screaming children into Target and just continue to let them scream.  How unbelievably annoying to everyone else!  And, there are the ones who wait forever to come into the store and then they're amazed that we're out of whatever it is they want.  Why don't we keep a special secret stash in the back just for people who wait forever to go shopping?
• I've been working in the pharmacy at Target and I think I could like doing that on a part-time basis.  Working out on the sales floor is not something I'd want to do on an on-going basis, but I do like the pharmacy.  I'm astonished at the number of prescriptions that some people have to get, and can't imagine how they'd manage without insurance.
• Update on my lip infection:  the infection itself seems to have disappeared, no more swelling and cracking.  However, the skin on my lips has peeled off more than once as the various layers slough away, so my mouth is still pretty red with new skin.  Getting there, though.
• When I walked the half-marathon a couple of years ago, I lost toe nails as a result of my toes being pushed into the end of the shoe.  Did a bit of research afterward and found that you should wear shoes a half-size larger when a great deal of walking will be involved.  I should have remembered that when I started working these jobs where I'm on my feet and continually walking for huge periods of time.  I've lost one toenail so far and wouldn't be surprised to lose a couple more.  Had a brainstorm, though:  I started wearing Jeff's shoes on Saturday and it literally saved me for the shifts on Saturday, Saturday night, and yesterday.  The arch support isn't quite as good because the shoe is a bit roomy, but it sure eliminated the pain on the toes.

I'm thinking about going back to England again next Fall.  I spent three weeks there and didn't see half of what I wanted to see.  It seemed like a great time of year to visit -- the weather was great and it wasn't too crowded as school was back in session.  Just thinking about it at this point -- I'll have to start doing some real research after the first of the year.