This week, I tell you…

While the family dancers didn’t have a bad showing overall at the US Open this past weekend, I somehow ended up picking up a bug from all the kids wandering around; started with the headaches and sinus congestion, went through some serious lower GI issues (I shat away seven pounds in 24 hours; I got well under 220 there, but that’s not the way I’d prefer to do it), and general aches and pains. I think I’m mostly coming out of it now, though I’ve basically just been muddling through work (which is shit, but I’m not going to talk about it , because I’m trying to be positive today), then coming home, eating something or other, then collapsing. I’ve been a week off the bike, too, because I don’t have the energy or lungs, frankly, and I’m missing my “two-wheeled meditation” as I call it. I was, shall we say, a bit salty yesterday, especially after coming off some work crap I said I wasn’t going to talk about, yesterday.

But yes, I forced myself to be a bit more active on Wednesday, as it was our big 2-0 wedding anniversary. According to the googles, “China” is the traditional gift, but we’re not exactly traditional; I got her an espresso pot and a set of neat cups and saucers to go with it (maybe that is china? I dunno), she got me a Kindle Fire 7 to replace my dear departed ancient kindle that finally died a few months ago. We also had a nice dinner out at Capital Ale House, a favorite resturant of ours (which just happens to be down the street from the dance school, where we’d previously dumped the children because dance classes, of course), and did some poking around stores nearby afterwards.

Also, yeah, we got all the kids back Monday night, as the eldest was retrieved from her trip to Australia. She’s largely sorted from the jet lag and all, and had an amazing time.

Also Monday night (likely during the late-night return of the eldest child), the kitten (well, not kitten, but she’s still tiny), Lady Sif, somehow got out, and has been out doing rumspringa all week, and while I’m sure she’s probably hiding under the neighbor’s shed like Shamokin used to, but I’m still a little worried, and that’s been a low-level stressor all week as well. If she’s reading the internet, come on back, Sif, okay? We have treats.

Otherwise, I’m just trying to get through my day so I can go home and put this week behind me, and get onto the weekend. As it stands now, I need some energy and constitution, as dear friends are coming to town to do an ad-hoc brewery/cidery tour through Scott’s Addition. We personally love Blue Bee Cider and Isley Brewing in the neighborhood, but there are almost a dozen other craft breweries/cideries (plus a meadery and a distillery) in the mix as well, and tons of food trucks and events at so many of them. I expect we’ll have a good time.

Anyway, that’s life from here. I’m trying to focus on the positive things, as there’ve been a bunch of non-positive things tossed my way this week. I’m going to, if not always, try to look on the bright side of life for the rest of the day. Hoping I can manage it.

Anyway, tunes. Not a bad mix – some new faces, twice the Frank (and probably the best version of “Stairway…” I’ve ever heard…seriously), and a bit there in the middle that could read as a playlist from the early days of MTV. It’s made the morning sound okay as I dig through spreadsheets.

1. “The Voice” – David Arkenstone
2. “Brown Shoes Don’t Make It” – Frank Zappa
3. “Sossity You’re A Woman” – Jethro Tull
4. “Gold on the Ceiling” – The Black Keys
5. “Thelonius” – Jeff Beck
6. “Round and Round” – Ratt
7. “Tainted Love” – Soft Cell
8. “Little Red Corvette” – Prince
9. “Bette Davis Eyes” – Kim Carnes
10. “The Great Salt Lake” – Band of Horses
11. “T-Shirt Weather” – Circa Waves
12. “Rock ‘N Roll Suicide” – David Bowie
13. “Stairway to Heaven (live)” – Frank Zappa
14. “Heart it Races” – Dr. Dog