Normal

One week ago today Brian and I had just woken up and were saying goodbye to his parents and sister. We got dressed and headed to the PX early not realizing that at 9:30 on a Sunday the place wouldn't be open yet. It was actually a pretty pointless trip. The whole reason for it was for Brian to get a haircut and by the time they opened and he made his way there they were too busy for him to want to wait.


It's a week later now. Things are kind of calming down. We don't have to be touching every second of everyday. We spend several hours a day doing our own things. I guess we're getting back to normal. Ironic that I don't even know what normal is to get back to. We're finding our normal. How about that?

Everyday this week Brian has had to be at work super early, sometimes before the sun has even risen. I would stay in bed for a couple hours after he left getting some last minute ZZZs. Today I woke up early and he's still in bed. He deserves it, I'll let him. I probably would have slept later if my stomach wasn't bothering me. I guess a week of eating more than usual without going to the gym and then eating out last night and having a screwdriver when I came home has messed with my system.

Speaking of yesterday, we had a fun day. We checked out the gym around 9:15 which was much needed on my part. I can feel the burn in my legs and abs today. The gym isn't what I am used to, but it will work. I am seriously thinking about getting a mat and some weights to do my ab stuff at home. Everything is in one big room at this gym - they don't have a separate stretching room to do ab stuff in - so I felt a little conspicuous on the mat by the wall. The treadmills are the same tho so that was mildly comforting.

After the gym we came home, ate lunch, and started taking showers and getting ready for our date night. Originally we were going to go to the local steakhouse - Wagon Master's - but Brian nixed that idea because he thought it would be too crowded. He probably just didn't want to run into anyone he knew. Ha. So we decided to go to Lake Charles for some Target browsing and dinner out somewhere. I decided to dress up for the occasion so I threw on my cap sleeve black/gray/gold dress from Kohl's with rhinestones on the waist and a deep v-neck that I have to camouflage with a cami underneath and some 3/4 length black leggings. My new GB shoes from Christmas and scrunched hair finished it off. After having a "fat week", I felt pretty good yesterday.

I drove to LC and it was pretty uneventful. Brian dozed the entire way so it was a quiet ride. I found where I was going easily and pulled into Target with a smile on my face. The Target down there is really nice and new - much different from the old Target I am used to at home. We picked up a few things (flips flops for both of us, a measuring cup, cake pans, a bread knife, gum, and a couple of rugs for the kitchen) and then headed down to Bed, Bath & Beyond which was in the same plaza because we still had about 20 minutes to kill before it was an acceptable dinner hour. At BB&B we just picked up a 1/2 off Yankee candle in a fall scent (because, really, what do I care if it's not spiced pumpkin season anymore?) and a couple of plain salt and pepper shakers. We've been making do with the big salt container and pepper container that the spices come in at the store and at $2.50 a piece how could you go wrong? I fully plan on upgrading to nicer ones come August, but for now these will work just fine.

We talked yesterday about what we still needed to buy, how much money we wanted to spend and what we would do with what was left over. When we go home at the end of the month we have some bank realigning to do. We need a savings account desperately and I really need to close out the account I still have open with my mom. I meant to do that the entire year B was gone, but just never did. There's still a few hundred bucks in there that could certainly buy a nice desk. After much back and forth about TVs and if we needed a new one I think we've decided that we are indeed going to take the flat panel plunge and get one in the next couple months. That will move the heavy beast in the living room upstairs to the extra room to be joined by the futon when we get a couch.

I was laying in bed thinking last night about the bills we have to pay and how B's paychecks will cover them and realized that almost every bill comes out before the 15th which will put a heavy burden on us for half the month. I'm pretty sure I can mail/pay my student loans after the 15th (I need to check due dates) which would greatly help. We really don't have too many bills which I am grateful for, but it's still closer than I would ideally like. It's also hard because his pay won't level out for a few months so I really have no clue what a "normal" paycheck will look like. I'm glad I like numbers and dealing with such things.

And suddenly it's almost 9 o'clock. I guess I'll wander around the internet some more and make myself some oatmeal. I want to walk the long path in the woods today with B. Maybe instead of going to the gym? We'll see when he gets up and take it from there. I know also on the agenda for today is to clean out this living room and rearrange it. All the boxes behind the futon are either getting unpacked or moving upstairs so I won't have to look at them anymore. B is going to break down Tiny's crate and stick it in the storage room. I hope I can find a set up that I like in here. It's kind of been stressing me out.

*Side note: Tiny just bounded upstairs without me. Hopefully he's not pissing B off too much by sticking his cold, wet nose in his sleeping face.

Ok, this is plenty long enough. Toodles!

S.