Federal Shutdown 2011: temporarily off

So I got used to the idea of a shutdown, made some plans, thought I had it all figured out, and then they came up with an extension.  Not for a week, mind you.  Until Thursday.  Why Thursday?  Why not 3:15 Wednesday afternoon?  I have no idea.  All I know is I don't get to sleep in and I'm bitter.

Although for my friends' sake I am happy.  They like getting paychecks.  I do too but I am obviously more cavalier about it or I wouldn't have taken six months off to hike last year.

However, not using up all our vacation time on the government's whim means that DeLee probably is going to hike with me on my week long hike in May, and that's awesome news to me.  Also, we both get to retain health care coverage in the near future, which is sometimes useful.  Maybe not for me, as I have never had health care that covered either chiropractic or naturopathy, but maybe for other things.  Broken legs.  You know.  That.

JD and I took our regular lap around the local park this morning.  I wore my new trail shoes to try them out.  I think they are an adequate replacement for my old shoes, so I won't feel bad about sacrificing the old pair to Run Amuck in a couple of weeks.  However, I must say (and I told JD repeatedly) that I felt ridiculous jogging while he walked next to me.  I know I'm slow, but that really rubbed it in my face.  There's nothing to be done about it, however.  JD offered to jog with me, but his tiny little jogging-in-place gait made me wallop him, so that's out.

I had hoped to get in a nap this afternoon.  Really that's one of my favorite pleasures, the nap after the exercising and the eating.  You can't buy naps better than that.  I had almost drifted off when the phone rang.  I wasn't awake enough to answer it, but when I woke up a little more and checked the message, it turned out I needed to be somewhere this evening a little earlier than planned.  So no nap for me.  Grrr.

Since I couldn't nap, I went all crazy and had a coke.  JD stocked us up with 7.5 oz cokes, for some reason.  They look cute, all petite and winsome.  And they are just about the right size.  I feel awake without being overly perky.  Also I had a piece of chocolate.  Because I missed my nap, that's why.

I hope that I can be social this evening.  I will try not to bite anybody.  I'll say right now, that I really can't be held accountable for anything that happens on a missed-nap day.

I hate you, world. Better give me a coke.

I kind of hated everything today.  I overdid it yesterday and it shows.  I was tired and hungry.  So, I slacked on the exercise and I ate. 

This could have one of three effects.  1) No effect.  Tomorrow same as every day.  2) I will gain a pound as my body objects to the abuse.  3) I will lose a pound as my body unclenches from its famished state.

I should find out tomorrow.  :)

I was craving a cold coke so I got one with lunch.  This is kind of a huge deal.  I don't really do caffeine, nor do I normally do real sugar.  And the soda tasted like syrup.  I don't remember it tasting that way!  I drank it but it didn't really hit the spot like I hoped it would.  The caffeine helped though.  I could feel its effects throughout the afternoon.  Also?  The Reuben I had for lunch was just what I needed.  Morally, anyway.

Then I came home and had half a pizza for dinner.  Yay diet.


So.  Things learned today.  A)  Cokes really only taste good when I'm hiking.  B) It is tough to beat a Reuben.  Actually I knew the second one already.

Dad put Mom on the phone for a few minutes this evening.  She is pretty fuzzy with all the pain killers, but she knows she's hurting.  I feel bad for her, but she says today is better than yesterday so I figure tomorrow will be better than today.  Prior to the surgery she wasn't worrying about the pain (which is good, worry solves nothing) but I figured she would be in intense pain afterward.  And indeed she is.  Throwing out your lower back sucks because everything but your eyelids is attached to it.  And she effectively had the worst back sprain in the world inflicted on her.

With luck, therapy, and good drugs, she'll be feeling much better in a week or two.