Peds with Jen

Today Jen is treating me to a pedicure, a raincheck on a birthday gift from almost two months ago. I was in the middle of freelance mania back then and didn't have time to go with her. But now we're both ready to go, and sorely in need of a good trim and paint job. It's much too hard for me to reach my toes nowadays, so this will be quite the treat. I can't wait to relax in the chair, read magazines, and gossip with Jen while we watch stupid game shows on the shop's tv.

Hope your Sunday is just as relaxing as ours is. Ahhhhhh!

(Image from slideshow.ivillage.com)

Walking with Jen

I loaded up my pretty picnic basket and set out to meet Jen on Wednesday. We decided we haven't seen each other enough since being laid off, so we are starting a walking regimen. And a picnic lunch was our little treat after our exercise.


My basket, open and waiting for dishes and the like


Shoe Factory Woods, where we walked the bike path


My New Balance 806 running shoes, which I wore to our walking session

We had a great time exercising, catching up, bitching and ranting (which we used to do during our breaks at work), and just enjoying the weather. Later we unpacked all of our food in a picnic pavilion and had a nice lunch of salad, watermelon, and cheese and crackers. It was delightful and relaxing, although the birds living in the shelter kept dive bombing our heads, making us rather nervous. All in all, it was a great day and a great way to spend time with my buddy Jen.

Patio set score at Ikea

Jen and I hit the Bolingbrook Ikea today, and we were like kids in a candy store. Kids without tons of cash to spend, but the prices are excellent and there's soooo much to choose from.

I finally found my patio set, or at least part of it. This table caught my eye and it was love at first sight. Great price, sturdy construction, and look—two leaves for extra seating!


There were several styles of chairs that went with the table, including a bench and big arm chairs. I figured these folding chairs were a nice compromise (and the cheapest solution). I hate spending lots of money on something if I don't have to, and the chairs seemed nice and comfy. But it turns out they're out of stock and you can't order them.


So I'm probably going back to get these tomorrow. They're a nice mid-level chair, and you can adjust the back five different ways. And when I sat in them, I felt so comfy.



There are only 17 in stock now, and most people buy four or more when buying a set. So back to Ikea I go, bright and early tomorrow, to finish off my patio set. Now to find those lovely Italian lights to hang....

Snowy sick day

I'm starting to sound like a broken record, aren't I?

Today I felt horrible, with chills, fever, bad headache, swollen lymph glands, nausea, etc. So I called in and went back to bed for another five hours. That didn't seem to do too much, because right now I feel worse than I did when I got up. I'm hoping I'll feel better tomorrow and Thursday, because I hate being sick on holidays! I also missed Jen and Georgia, and strangely enough, I miss driving to and from work with Pete.

Anyhow, here are some pix from today, taken when I had a few bits of energy here and there (which wasn't often).


Snow, snow, and more snow! Our backyard


Max being goofy in the dining room (under construction)


Max peering outside


Max pleading with me—to go outside?


A view out front


Bored out of my skull watching VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s


Spanky looking solemn


Adora looking bored, just like me


Hot cider and tea with crackers is all I've managed to keep down so far


Watching exciting daytime television


Dollie frolicking in the dining room


Max thinking his private cat thoughts and looking outside

Max and Dollie were fascinated by the snow that snuck in the front door when Pete left for work this morning. I think they know it's too cold to play outside, but they're still restless and bored and curious about all that white stuff.

Well, it's back to the couch for me. I've got yet another episode of 100 Greatest waiting for me, and then it's on to the news and such. Dare I say I was so bored today I would have preferred to work? But I hear we ran out of work and people were sent home early, so I guess this is the better of the two options, with the 4-8 inches of snow we're getting today too.

Time to eat more saltines...

Shoes (and fashion), how I have missed thee

I've been slacking big time on how I've been dressing for the last several months. I think a lot of it has to do with being depressed at work and not caring much about how I look while I'm there. When I go out on the weekends somewhere nice, I dress up, but that's not very often. It's unfortunate, because I have a lot of shoes. And when I say I have a lot, I mean I have A LOT. There are many pairs I haven't even worn yet, which is a crime in itself. I just show up at work in flip flops or blah-looking sandals, and that's about all I can manage most days.

So I decided to start wearing all my pretty shoes again. And yes, I've started small. Yesterday I paraded around in some pink plaid-looking canvas Mary Janes. Today I strolled in with these lovely brown corduroy polka dot flats, complete with little bows (note the washed out frumpy jeans). I don't know that I'm up to the high heel stage this week, but I'm trying to muster up the will to change how I look. I can't let work get to me and let my fashion suffer (which it seriously has). I used to wear cute skirts and dresses all the time, and I always had cool accessories or purses to accentuate my outfits. I was well-known for my shoe collection, and the women at work always oohed and ahhed over my latest pair.

Well, now I want to emerge from my corporate takeover–induced funk and dress it up a bit. I'm deeply inspired by Georgia in that department. As you can see from her blog, she is a very stylish person, and definitely is not afraid to do her own thing, like wearing this cool hat.



But most of all, even on her "frumpiest" days—or so she says; I never see her look anything but polished—she is always sleek and colorful and simply radiates fashion. Jenny, too, always looks wonderful and pretty and very professional. So what's my excuse? They are going through the same thing I am at work, yet they rise above our shared misery and still look sublime. Although, in my defense, I always make sure to carry around my beautiful apple green patent leather crocodile bag, shown below.



It is my trademark bag, and I go everywhere with it. I always get compliments on it, and even on my worst-dressed days, it adds a dash of flair to my outfit. I absolutely adore the thing. (Thanks for such an awesome Christmas gift by the way, Matt—sorry you had to endure the stares at DSW while you selected the handbag among the throngs of shoe-obsessed women.) But even with my spiffy purse accompanying me daily, I am still in the marginal territory of being fashionable.

So, in honor of Georgia and Jenny, and of course my own self image and self esteem, I am ready and willing to go back to the way I was. I was a person who tried to look good and didn't care what others think, and who didn't slink in everyday in rumpled clothes and poor footwear. Well, she's back, and not allowing the frumpster Chris to show her face anymore. Nay, I shall hold my head high, wear my prettiest dress, and confidently stroll through that front door at work, looking my best, shoes shined and gleaming!

That is, as soon as I manage to put an outfit together for tomorrow....

(Photo of my shoes and bag taken with my iPhone; picture of Georgia in hat courtesy of Georgia)

To my Jen...

Ah, yes, here we finally have a nice picture together. A picture where one of us isn't dressed as a nun, or we're not in a bar, or we're not in some awkward, unplanned pose. Of course, I'm dressed as a bride and you as my Matron of Honor, but otherwise we look pretty damn good, eh?

I've told everyone who will listen (and there are many who will) about how wonderful you were to me during this whole marriage process. How you listened to me babble/bitch/rant/rave/laugh/cry about this whole wedding thing and all the stupid little favors and decorations and outfits that went along with it. How you got dragged along on all those shopping excursions (okay, maybe not so much dragged as willing to go on the shoe trip, right?). How you were there during the big moments—the dress, the bridesmaid dresses, the invitation making, the rehearsal. How you nodded and offered insight and laughs, and never complained about me talking about "me" all the time, or everything that I was going through, and me never really focusing on you too much. How you helped me (and Nic) make wedding favor cookies til 2:00 a.m. and then turned around the next day and did the same thing with the programs (and your family!) til the wee hours of the morning. All without complaint, gripe, moan, or a roll of the eyes.

And on the actual day, you were phenomenal. Although I'm sure you were nervous and uneasy and weren't totally sure what to do (me neither!) you handled it all with aplomb and a smile. Yes, it was rather hot in that little room, wasn't it? Yet you had my stupid Bloody Mary ready to go, a snack ready for my growling stomach, a calming word or two for my moments of panic ("Where's the nest with the rings and the ribbons?!?!?"). Not once did you ditch me, or get upset or short tempered, or verbally snipe back at me—or physically slap me, which may have been tempting and necessary, LOL.

And during the ceremony you were graceful and elegant and kept everyone glued together. You were a sight to behold, I'm sure. I've seen the pix, but I can also imagine you walking down the aisle, flowers in hand, a lovely smile on your face, a swish in your walk and your head held high. You set the tone of the entire affair, one of class and beauty.

During the reception you certainly didn't let your guard down, helping me get out of my chair (damn that hem) and seeing to it that I was well fed and had plenty to drink. And you (hopefully) let loose on the dance floor and let your hair down a bit, relaxed, and enjoyed yourself, in your newly-adopted family full of sisters and brothers and children, times two, Hoovers and Ollers and Dirks and Quarnstroms and Hoogestraats et all—oh my!—all ready to embrace you and your fabulous tattoos and your winning smile.

So I just want to say thanks. Words don't cover how much I appreciate you and all you've done and sacrificed for me and Pete and our big day. But I want everyone to see how beautiful you are inside and out, and to share my happiness over having a wonderful friend and sister like you. Everyone should be so lucky as I am, to be blessed with such an incredible friendship as ours.

Love you always, 

Chris :)

(Photograph courtesy/copyright Margaret Castellanos)

Shopping with Jenny and Izzy

Yesterday Jenny, Izzy, and I went shopping for wedding jewelry at Fox Valley Mall. I found a lovely pair of simple "pearl" drop earrings and two matching pearl bracelets (thanks for finding the pink one, Jen!). I also got a pair of Eiffel Tower earrings and butterfly earrings. Jenny found a similar pair of simple pearl drop earrings, and Izzy got these cute and colorful animal earrings. We also ate at the food court, had some Starbucks, stopped at Archiver's for thank you card supplies—another cart lady spotted!—and visited the AT&T store to drool over the new iPhone. It was loads o' fun hanging out with Jenny and Izzy and getting this wedding stuff done at the same time. Thanks, guys!