Your Update

I just realized I haven't blogged all week. Guess I'm feeling a little uninspired. But here's a few tidbits to catch you up:

1. Opie seems to have recovered well from his surgery and is fully back to his old antics.

2. Pepper is still ambling along, doing maybe a little better this week due to an increase in meds.

3. Jeffro has just purchased a new car (see above).

4. I've been suffering with terrible allergies for no apparent reason--this is not my bad time of year and despite daily meds and twice-monthly allergy shots nothing's helping. Guess I might have to go back to more frequent shots. I'm also officially on a diet, well during the week that is.

So there, now you know everything going on over here.

NFW

I'm having a not fun week (NFW). Opie is recovering quite well from his recent health crisis, but today he refused to allow the dog walker to put his cone back on, so I had to come home early from work and may have to stay home tomorrow to supervise him.

My older dog is not doing very well. Her stomach is very sensitive (she threw up today) and she doesn't seem to want to walk much any more. It's just a rollercoaster with her. One week she's better, the next week she's worse. Sigh.

Oh, and Jeffro's car is totaled and he has to get a new one. . . And today my toilet started acting up, so I have left a message with my fix-it guy. I need a vacation . . .

Weekend of Woes

This is probably more than you ever wanted to know about my life, but my poor dog Opie has developed an abcess in his anal gland and had to go to the emergency vet last night and stay overnight for some minor surgery to lance it. I picked him up this morning and he is one sorry dog. He keeps crying even though I took the Elizabethan collar off him, and he's following me around everywhere. His butt is a complete mess, as they left the site open and it's totally disgusting. I don't know how he's going to poop, it looks really painful! I have to go back and pick up some chewable pills, as he won't take what they originally gave us. I also have to apply a warm compress to his butt, which is going to be mighty interesting. The things we do for our pets. And poor me, this procedure and drugs cost me over $500. Sigh.

Then Jeffro hit a parked car here on the street on his way back from the grocery store. He said his brakes failed . . . the hood of his car is pretty much needing to be replaced, plus he said his radiator is leaking. The other car didn't have much damage and of course the owner can't be found right now. He's on the phone with insurance right now. (He was not was injured.) This has been one expensive weekend for both of us.

Work Rant of the Day

It's been a while since I've had a really good rant on my blog, so here goes. Enjoy.

People in this world need to learn to have one friggin ounce of patience. As I was on the phone today, my other line rang and since I was on the phone I didn’t pick up. So they dialed “O” to go to the operator and got someone else in the office, who then also tried to call me and I didn’t pick up. Then my coworker who got the call emailed me and copied the guy who had called. In the meantime, the guy tried to call me again, didn’t get a message, and pressed “O” again and someone else appeared at my door to try to get me to answer the phone.

After I emailed the guy the answer, he called me again about 10 minutes later asking me something I'd written in the email, which he claims he never got. Geez!

This was a VERY non-urgent matter, and I can’t believe people can’t either:
1. Leave a message and get a return call in a few minutes
2. Wait for the return email with the information they are requesting.
3. Stop friggin calling every five minutes if you don't get an answer.

It just blows my mind and pisses me off that everyone has to have everything RIGHT THIS MINUTE! I am busy, leave me alone! I will get back to you in a timely fashion when I am able! What is wrong with people and what is wrong with our society that people can no longer wait for anything?

Valentine Surprise: Morou

Jeffro surprised me last night with dinner reservations at Farrah Olivia, which is one of my favorite local restaurants. I’ve chronicled the appearances of Owner and Executive Chef Morou, who has appeared on Iron Chef America and was a contestant on Next Iron Chef America, many times on my blog. It’s no secret I’m a big fan. Well, last night at the table next to us there was a family, and the little girl and mother kept looking to the kitchen door like they expected Morou to walk out. Which he did. Somehow he had connections to that family and went over to say hi. Then he stopped by another table. I was getting discouraged that I wouldn’t be able to meet him, so as he was walking back to the kitchen I shamelessly went over and introduced myself, telling him I was a big fan, loved his restaurant, and thought he should have been the next Iron Chef. He was very nice and down to earth, and insisted on meeting Jeffro, who was still back at the table. So in addition to eating and my favorite place and getting some cool gifts from Jeffro, I got to meet my favorite chef!

Urgent Care

Well, today I had a weird episode of something undefinable that felt like I was having a heart attack or something. I decided to go to Urgent Care and spent 3+ hours sitting there waiting for an appointment. I really liked my doc, though, she was very thorough and I should have test results in a few days. I honestly think it was a case of too much coffee causing grave heartburn, sadly enough. So tomorrow, no coffee for me!

Exhausted

It has been an exhausting week, and more exhausting weekend. I had my Italian class yesterday then had to go work at my freelance job for the rest of the day. I've been running low on steam all week, so this just about did me in and I was sleeping in front of a movie by 9:30. How sad is that?

This morning I slept in a bit, then had to go to a meeting (luckily over brunch) for some volunteer editing that I do, and then grocery shopping with the rest of world. It was so crowded. Tonight I made some turkey burgers, did laundry, and am contemplating doing some work I need to do for work, although my boss said I could stay home tomorrow morning and do it. However, if I do it tonight, I can just sleep in tomorrow morning instead!

I'm Crushed

I just read over on dcist that Don is leaving the Don & Mike Show on WJFK. Now granted, I think they definitely peaked like 15 years ago and I rarely listen to them anymore, but it's always been comforting knowing they're still there when I want a little cynicism and listener bashing. It's definitely the end of an era. Apparently Mike will carry on without Don, but it's just never the same when that kind of thing happens . . . but I do wish both of them good luck. I'm so sad!

VA Banning Smoking?

I was bored at work today and didn't feel like being there, so I cleaned out my 130+ unread e-mail messages. I have a terrible habit of giving my email out to everyone and getting on just about every list out there, so I get all kinds of things I don't have time to read. There was an old newsletter sitting in my inbox with this article about how local law makers--including Arlington County and Alexandria--are trying to get legislation passed to ban smoking from public restaurants. Of course this failed in similar state-wide attempts, but I'm hopefully that maybe such a local effort will get passed. That would be great!

Congrats to Hall of Famers

Now, I'm not usually one to make a football-related post, but I felt compelled to congratulate Art Monk and Darrell Green for being elected to the Hall of Fame! And I think I'm actually going to watch the Superbowl (or at least parts of it) tomorrow!

Also want to give a shout out to Catfish Honeymoon, who is playing tonight at Jay's Saloon. We're going to try to go for a bit. If you're not doing anything as you read this tonight, head over there right now!