I am still being plagued by that home fire even 3 years later!! Where the heck has my Amy Grant A Christmas Album gone? I went through all CDs in September and organized and alphabetized them (yes, I know) and made sure all my Christmas music was on a different shelf. I just realized as I was blasting my festive tunes today that I was missing certain songs that I adore. I guess I could buy it off of iTunes, but then I would just be buying it twice AND I am trying to not put anything on my credit card so I can pay down the balance and pay off the remainder of my MRI costs. ARGH! But I NEED some of those songs – they are what Christmas is to me!

In other news… I got the MRI results last week and well, there’s nothing there. There is no reason that I should be in pain, apparently. So I was told to reduce stress (HA!), eat well, exercise, sleep well and BE POSITIVE! Yeah, um, thanks. But I was also given a new pill to take before bed which is supposed to help with insomnia and pain. It’s Amitriptyline. It’s commonly used for an antidepressant, so hopefully I’ll get some of that side effect and not be so sad all the time. So far I am having stomach issues with it, which isn’t all that fun, but I am dead to the world when I sleep. I even half sleep-walk to the bathroom now and fall right back asleep, rather than get up to pee and then stay awake for another hour. I don’t know how long that will remain like that, but for now, it’s ok. Except that I am a walking zombie at work since I probably could sleep all day with these pills. Looks like weight gain is a side effect of these pills. Joy. That’s JUST what I need. Also a possible side effect? Blue-green urine. Yep. That statement made me stop in the middle of reading the paper from the pharmacist and just giggle. I told Shawn “Read the side effects” and he was all, “what? I don’t care!” and I was like, “Just read them!” So he did. And I waited. Waited. And then “Whuh? Blue-green urine?!”

Heehee. We’re such kids.

So far that has not happened. I’m slightly disappointed.

In other news, um, I have very slightly started an attempt at jogging. When we go out with Annie and Jinx, I very slowly “jog” and Annie waddles along with me. We can go from one corner to the next now on this certain part of the walk. I would think it’s at least a 60 second jaunt, if not slightly more. And then we gasp and wheeze and wait for Shawn and Jinx to catch up (as they walk, though Shawn has started running it with Jinx, too. They are oodles faster and Waddling Annie & I). Then we walk. And then I attempt another bit of jogging closer to home. I started this last weekend and other than Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week I think we’ve been doing this every night. I’m not really doing much more, but what I am doing is getting slightly easier and  I don’t hurt nearly as much while running or afterwards. I am still having lung/breathing issues though. I hope that will even out if I keep doing this.

Yes, even with all my pain, I thought I would start this. It was just something that popped into my head one night out with the dogs and Shawn. And like the gluten-free thing, it just felt right at the time, so I went with it. I don’t plan on running any marathons in a year or two, but I need to do something. And all the stretching and “jogging” (as little as it is right now) seems to help slightly.

We’ll see how this goes. I mean, the weather isn’t going to remain joggable for much longer.

Wish me luck!

I refused to get out of bed at 7:02 this morning. I don’t care if just yesterday that was actually 8:02… today it’s 7 and I refuse to start my Sunday at seven in the morning. Never mind the fact that my body hurt so much I just wanted to get out of bed, or that my stomach was rumbling for breakfast or that I really had to pee. There was no way I was getting out of bed at that time of morning. So I tossed and turned and fell slightly back to sleep, very poorly and got out of bed when that clock hit a reasonable AFTER 8 AM time.

Still, I was down here before 8:30 and then even Shawn was down by 8:30. Extra hour, whoop-de-doo. I already find Sundays hard to deal with and long, today is going to be frustrating.

But you all don’t care about that! You care about costumes! And Halloween fun! So, here, for your enjoyment are some photos!

Here we all are at work – normally I am the only one to dress up, but my enthusiasm for this year’s costume caught the fancy of some of my friends and they came in dressed up as well!

I have some very awesome work friends, I have to say. Even with all my disillusion with the job itself, it’s worth it when you come in and have friends like these.

And here is my darling husband…

He’sa Gay Mario! You can’t see the body glitter, but it’s there! I love my husband.

My sister and Lilly also came to visit me on Friday morning and Lilly was in her Eeyore costume and I was in my Snow White costume! It was very cute and she actually went home with a bag full of candy! It was a fun Friday in costume!

And for Halloween night, we went over to hand out candy with my mother-in-law. I was happy to go there this year because we get NO kids and she gets a ton. I dressed up (because I will wear this costume any time I can now!) and handed out candy. It was sadly very slow and we didn’t even go through half the candy! I was so disappointed!

Here I am at the front door! It was fun to see the little kids in their costumes… for one of the earlier arrivals (hello? Why do you start at 5PM when it’s sunny out people? You go AFTER dinner – 6PM is just FINE!) my mother-in-law handed out the candy and I was holding back the dogs at the top of the stairs. There were these little tiny kids at the door (ok, I know they go to bed earlier, but still!) and this one little thing.. maybe 4 or so? (Girl? Boy? Lobster? Devil? Red thing..) looked into the house while waiting for the candy and her (?) eyes went wide, she stared at me, and slowly tugged the parent’s arm and whispered “C’est Blanche Neige!” (It’s Snow White!) It was the cutest thing ever. I waved and said hi and she (?) was so awed they had to pull her away. There were a few other reactions similar to this one – one little girl about 6 shyly said to me (in french) “We’re dressed alike” in this awed voice as well – only her costume was MUCH prettier! It was all sparkly!! The costume was a hit! And I think I’ll wear it every Halloween now! Hopefully next year it will be too big for me though… because I really want this weight to GO AWAY. Argh. Anyhow.

And here I am with my wonderful Prince!

Have I mentioned how much I love Shawn lately? Well I do! And I am not even that sad that my husband is almost my height when he’s on his knee. Hmmph. I’d be the only Snow White whose Dwarves are taller than she is. ha!

And so, here it is only just after 10AM and I am listening to my Christmas music as I write this up. I started yesterday. I am feeling way more Christmassy that I ever was Halloweeny (heehee weeny!) though I wonder if that will dissipate the closer we get to Christmas?