For the first time in a while I feel mopey.  I'd prefer to not feel this way so if the rain would go ahead and go away that might help.

Another bad dream (translation lost dog) last night.  This one was particularly sad when I woke as not only was Saffy missing, but it seemed in the dream I had been away when she disappeared.  I went in to wake my sleeping mother asking her how long she had been gone and she told me a few days.  I welcome Mum visiting me in a dream, but make it a happier one, please?  This was one of those dreams I woke from, started to fall back asleep and was drifting back into the same scenario.  Upon my second waking it was time to call Saffy up to cuddle with me.  She did not complain.

I ran out last night to a hair appointment.  My hair was long overdue for a trim, so I got brave and found a place to try out.  It was just a trim really, nothing dramatic, so I'm sure it will be fine, but I can't really tell until I wash and dry it myself.  On the way there I stopped at the local library because I needed a couple of photocopies.  I spent a good bit of my childhood in the library, so it feels right to start to get familiar with this place now.

The lamp post out front was fixed yesterday.  There goes another $400, but it functions now and is safe.  It was so nice yesterday I had it in my head that I needed to get on planting some hydrangeas that were gifted to me, but today it's cold enough that I had to turn the heat back on.  Thank you for that gift of sanctioned procrastination mother nature.

I'm doing a little here and there.  Nothing that LOOKS like a big impact, but stuff that needs done (shifting books around to different shelves, clearing old tax papers out of the filing cabinet to make room for other stuff and putting them in a box for storage, going through old pictures and wall decorations - and forcing myself to make the decision to get rid of some of them).  I didn't expect another round of purging through the house AFTER the move, but it's probably for the best - even if I did pay to move some of this stuff.  I'm sure if I had purged some items pre-move I would have regretted it.

I really need time this weekend to mix the paint the previous owners left behind so I can touch up throughout the house.  Then I have no excuses for not getting things on the wall.  I've settled on colors for the wall sticker I have planned for upstairs - so that will be ordered soon.  I will need to paint under that once I can get a good color palette match.  I say I, but fortunately I have people who have volunteered to help with paint to keep me out of the fumes.

I had another "keep your eye on your credit card" moments today.  The hotel we stayed at in February pre-cruise was prepaid through a third party booking site.  Well the hotel just tried to charge me now too for a slightly lesser amount.  I was surprised how easy it was to reach a person at the third party site to start trying to resolve this.  Fingers crossed I just need to wait now.

This morning I had a concrete contractor in... and I think I now have that lined up.  It will come out the basement door and under the deck then around to the bottom of the deck stairs.  This will give me plenty of space for more sitting and/or to put in a shed.  I'm sure my Favorite Egg would be happy to know that I'm probably going to do the slightly thicker slab too, as to potentially accommodate a hot tub someday as well.

Of course, I need to deal w/ the HOA on this one too.  It isn't that much work but at the moment there is something about it all that feels overwhelming, maybe because across everything that's three requests - all of which I need to get signatures from neighbors on.  One thing at a time, right?

I did do some organizing in both the basement and would-be baby's room last night to get a few more things 'unpacked' and away.  There is still plenty more there to do.  I will try and get more achieved here today (the laundry already running is my crowning achievement so far this morning), but I also need to run out to check out another kennel for the girls this afternoon. *fingers crossed*

This morning I heard a dog beside the bed where I swing my feet out (around 6am), I crawled out to hit the facilities and there wasn't a dog there... Saffy is now climbing completely under the bed.  What a goof.  I guess this is because I refused her the other day when she wanted up.

I headed out this evening to hit the post office to get one of the two left behind DirecTV boxes sent back.  Why did they only send one box? I have no idea.  I'm so confused.  From there I ran looking for lighting goodies.  The electrician was here today to look at the problem the previous owners were to have fixed before I closed on the house. *sigh*  $75 for today's visit, a new lamp for out front ($90) and prb another $300 or more for him to dig out the path and re-run the wiring in a proper conduit underground and back into the basement going around the stairs since they're in the way now. Turns out they just had about 20 feet of wire coiled all over the place just under the mulch.  Further, that wire then goes under the stairs, no conduit whatsoever, and into the house.

Since I had a coupon I wanted to maximize, I not only bought that but I tried to shop for ceiling fans and lights for the other bedrooms and for other light fixtures I want to replace (bathroom and dining room).  No major luck, but I did buy what I want for in the half bath (fixture and matching toilet paper holder and proper towel holder instead of a hook). I guess I need to buy online for the bedrooms - I'm just not finding what I want in the stores.

Dearest internet reader, it's time I also came clean here.  I'm pregnant!  Yesterday marked the start of week 17 and so far everything looks perfect and healthy.  We also already know the gender with thanks to some additional testing, but we're not ready to put that out to the world.  My Favorite Egg and I are excited, nervous, and completely mindblown.

If you're a crazy baby person I'll post nauseating detail here:  http://onebigchoice.blogspot.com/
Of course, if you go there you'll learn a wealth of stuff I neglected to discuss here from the past 7 years.  You have to remember you're talking to someone who said she'd never have kids years ago, but I'll blame that on childish naivety combined with the desires of the person I was with at that time.

I'm not saying I won't post about it here, but I'll do my best to not be "that person".  I wouldn't want to interrupt the daily run down of mundane details with even more mundane details that a large population of the world has also already gone through.

Well, I met one neighbor.  I headed out to meet the mailman as I knew he had a package - I figured I'd save him a walk to my door.  Well, he also had several packages for next door.  When she answered her little dog scooted out the front door and towards me.  So at least one introduction is done now.

I had a Safyre in my bed again last night.  Around 2am she put her feet up on the side of the bed and wouldn't take a "go back to bed" for an answer, she jumped up anyhow... and she wasn't content to lay where she normally does in bed at my side, instead she climbed down between my legs like she does on the couch.  Goofy dog.  I didn't hear any thunder or anything, so who knows what was up.

Today I've pleased her greatly by shifting the two plants that were in front of the entry window - one off to each side just enough that she can get in there and gawk out the window.  While I was out getting the mail I can't even tell you how cute that is.

I also need to report on my first experience with StitchFix.  I'm cheap.  That's clearly a problem.  I had marked everything they offered to indicate I didn't want expensive items.  Then again, I also noted certain likes/desires and dislikes that they seemed to disregard in their selections.  One item was a $48 tank top that is made to be skin tight (I noted in both their canned selections and in my text notes that I did not want skin tight tops).  Hells no.  Another was a wrap sweater that was cut way too low - it wasn't awful, but it wasn't the summer clothes I was asking for.  Another was a long shrug type sweater in black - loved it, but I already have quite a few of those and I'm not going into the office anymore.  There was a pair of jeans that were silky smooth and so comfortable, but I knew before I tried them it wasn't happening at $78.  Nope, I wouldn't normally spend that much on a pair of jeans, but especially not now.  Final item I really debated keeping.  It was a long sleeve but lighter weight shirt with a very attractive print.  Ultimately it was the fact that the upper arms were a little snug coupled with the long sleeves and the $48 price tag that had it go back in the bag - for $30, sure, but not nearly $50.  I'm going to invest in sheets I can cut holes in the top of to put my head through.

I have not heard the owl again since my post regarding his presence, so perhaps he was just moving through, but this morning I heard and saw a woodpecker!  I've heard them before back in Jtown but I never managed to spot one.  He was in a tree two houses down the street from me.  This of course was too far to get a good look and make any attempt at identification, but it was neat to see him smacking that little face in rhythm.

I've started my hunt for a kennel in the area thanks to training for work (sigh).  So I need to call two places soon and go check out their facilities.  I still need to find an electrician and get a few other contractors here or responding on estimates.  It really seems like the same issues from Jtown are pervasive here as well.

The girls are settling back in with my sister and niece gone.  Danika was definitely sad yesterday.  My Favorite Egg came over last evening and kept me from noting the emptiness of the house.  I'm working diligently on leftovers - mmm Mom's recipe ham pot pie!  But I'm also looking forward to trying another local fish fry tomorrow.

A crazy storm has headed up through NJ/NY/PA... well, most of PA.  I know it's early and it can still nail me, but I was surprised to wake to only a few flakes barely clinging to my deck this morning.  I am truly going to become spoiled (and weak) quickly living here as I know it typically gets a lot nicer weather than good old Jingletown.

Nothing major to report otherwise.  The girls and I will be sad and lonely come this evening as my sister and niece head back out.  Maybe I'll get bored enough to press forward on getting some other things away and organized.  I just haven't been feeling any burning desire other than to put my head on the pillow.  Of course, I've not been sleeping well and waking with sore hips so that's probably part of it.

Today we spotted the first robins on our way back from church!  Three of them hoping along just off of the road.

They say to test your smoke detectors when you change the clocks, which we did yesterday by making bacon in the oven. It would set of the detector every time in Jtown and apparently that isn't changing here.  Unfortunately, I guess that ticked off the detector and it decided to get even, so at 5am it started chirping.*GAH!*  This immediately upset Saf who came up into the bed to cuddle up and hide and the periodic chirping had me unable to fall back asleep.  40 minutes later I got up and started surfing youtube on how to deal with a hardwired smoke detector that was pissing you off.  After all, my typical approach of pull the thing down and take out the battery didn't work - it kept chirping.  My next step historically has been smash the ear curdling device to bits but I somehow restrained.  Thank goodness I had a 9-volt in my carbon monoxide detector to steal to shut this thing up so Saffy and I could go back to bed.

This brings me to my next peeve, can we please stop with this whole day light savings time crap?  All it does is frell up schedules and make me cranky.

I haven't met my new neighbors yet, so I shouldn't dislike things about them ... but this morning the Trugreen truck pulled up to their house.  Why exactly are you spraying poison on your land/grass?  I really do not want that anywhere near my dogs.

If I have to get my neighbors' permission for anything I want to do/change at my house, why do they not need to get my permission before they get to contaminate the area?  I don't even think they're there as their recycling bin has been sitting at the curb since last Friday.

With my sister here it's nice to get to explore some new territory with someone.  On Friday we headed to the first fish fry stop over lunch - up at the Italian Independent Club up in Muse.  I had wanted to check this place out and hearing that they had amazing fish sammies was a great excuse.  The fish WAS delightful.  It is a smoking club, as I feared, except when they do meals (lent fish fries and monthly spaghetti dinners).  We spent the rest of our weekend out shopping and exploring new areas, that is - after I was forced to rearrange the computer room to get the newly repaired desk into the mix.  I didn't buy a whole lot, but it was good to explore a little north into Bethel Park.

I did come back home last night and order a new chair for the computer room after testing some out in store.  I'm not sure if I complained that my old one seems to have been leaking oil and the back 'gives out' allowing it to swing backwards sometimes when I lean back (this of course scares the snot out of me).  So I have a Sealy chair on the way, and I'm glad I waited.  Not only will it get delivered to my door, but I also found an online coupon for 20% off, so boom.  It nearly always pays to hunt online to verify prices.

The weather has started to get a little warmer again - 50s yesterday and today, but a bit overcast and attempting to drizzle on us today.  I'll still take it.

We had a dusting of snow last night before bed that stuck around, but nothing more added to it.  Yesterday it tried to be nice weather as the sun kept fighting to come out.  I won't complain though, my drive up to the airport and back to get my sister was perfect.

When we got home my Favorite Egg popped in and we all decided to start working on finding a good Chinese place.  The place we found was ok, not stellar, but the ambiance sure was lacking.  Let's put it this way - she sure seemed confused that we were actually going to sit down there to eat and our water was in styrofoam cups.  So the quest for _the_ chinese place continues.

Before bed when I took the dogs out I was treated to quite the delight - an owl in the trees behind my house!  I can't say I've ever experienced hearing an owl-sounding owl in person.    I didn't see him, but I sure heard him.  I was so excited.  A quick search tells me there are 8 different types of owls it possibly could have been.  Given the traditional hoot I can scratch barn, long-eared, short-eared, screech, and saw-whet owls off of that list.  I'm hoping to catch a glimpse at some point to narrow it down on the remaining snowy, barred, or great-horned.

The rains and wind rolled in again in the middle of the night.  If Saffy hadn't woken me wanting to come up and hide under the covers I'm sure the thunder that soon followed would have.  This also means the house was a creaking away.  It's really not what you'd expect in a newer house.  So I didn't sleep great for the second half of the night.

This morning I had one chair slid half way across the deck.  I also have two dogs laying on the floor here in the office.  That means 2 tails and 8 feet I need to avoid rolling onto as I move between machines.  I don't have the heart to tell them to go lay in the living room.  I know Saffy gets scared when thunder is near by.

I ventured a bit north last night into Bridgeville.  It's about as far as heading south to Washington, but I was feeling adventurous.  I hit their Big Lots as I had a coupon and a need for more bottled water.  Then I swung into Aldi's to get more supplies before taking the backroad past Thai Suan Thip.  I've been eager to try this place and was excited to have thai food in the area.  I went basic w/ pad thai for my first visit.  It was good, but not phenomenal.