Patriots vs. Vikings

One of the reasons I moved to Boston was because of Tom Brady. If Bledsoe didn't get injured, if my dad didn't watch that football game, who knows if I ever would have moved here. My first time to Boston was to go to the 2007 AFC championship game. So, of course, I have to go to a Pats game at least once a year. So today, my first game of the season, my friends and I met at South Station. We grabbed a grilled cheese from the new Grilled Cheese To Go place "Cheese Boy" which just opened up before boarding the Patriots Train to the stadium. I had forgotten how crowded it gets, but, totally worth it. My streak continues. Not once in the 4 games I've been to here in Foxboro, have the Pats lost. (Woot woot!) It was a great game against Brett Favre (who took a beating and was taken out of the game) and the ex Patriot Randy Moss. We sat in row 12, surrounded by season ticket holders, and exchanged numbers with one so we could buy some of his tickets to some more games (even playoff games) for face value! Quite a lot of people dressed in costumes, including the cheerleaders. I was freezing by half time with it at 41° with some wind. My toes are still numb and I even dressed in layers- complete with beanie and gloves. This weather reminds me of winter, all that's missing is the snow flurries! I do hope Aly and I get to go to the Green Bay game in December...those hand and feet warmers will definitely be used for that game...I might need to start thinking of buying more warm layers, as my California winter clothes will not cut it, especially if I go to a game in the winter time.

Trick or Treat

Today was Boston's 15th annual Vegetarian Food Fest. Me and a few herbivores went to this free event, which was way more crowded that I thought it would be. We sat (or rather stood) for a health talk and learned that vegetarian females age slower and that crab apples are the healthiest apples... among other things that I did not retain. There were free samples of food and drinks, and I came back with a lot of free stuff... it was like we were trick-or-treating for healthy vegetarian foods- Hemp Seed, cereal, tea, crackers (see photo right) I actually fit in at this food fest; it was like I was normal because I could eat everything. I did not have to worry whether or not I could sample the food bc everything was meatless!

I also dressed up and met some friends at the last stop on the pub crawl tonight before going out to dinner. It was fun to see everyone all dressed up. I had a lot of fun and thanks Nick for convincing me to come out :) So now I wait and wait and wait for the C line to come. At least this year I am in comfy workout clothes and shoes, and not walking around in my slutty costume with uncomfortable heeled boots trying to hail a cab with it raining. No my friends, my second Halloween in Boston was great and it's all because of YOU!

The Halloween Party that Wasn't

Well, this sucks. I had plans to go to a costume party tonight, but all day long I was feeling shitty. As the day progressed, I started to feel even worse. I was sweaty. I had a major sinus headache. My stomach started to hurt and felt like I was going to throw up. Even this 50° weather didn't help me feel better with the cool air blowing on my hot flesh. So, I popped on my "not feeling so good" go-to movie "The Holiday" and laid on the couch. I was so hot and the heat kept kicking on. With my tummy rumbling I fixed some toast, at some saltines and fixed my noodle soup. Still feeling shitty. Second movie in ("The Ugly Truth") and I thought I was feeling better. So I texted my friend and started to get my costume on when I started feeling hot and yucky again. BOO! So, because I just love my creative costume, I decided to put it on just long enough to take a few photos since I'm not sure I'll have the energy to do anything tomorrow either. I was quite proud of myself for coming up with this. One night I was laying in bed when it just popped into my head...a gym rat! For those who don't know, I have been called a gym rat, especially in past years in California, where I would hit 24 Hour Fitness everyday, sometimes twice a day. A gym rat, someone who spends a lot of time at the gym working out... it's like their second home. So, donning my workout outfit, my ipod, sweatbands (which I bought specifically for this costume), my homemade rats tale and ears and the painted on nose and whiskers...I took this photo to share with my friends, as if I actually went out to a party. Being sick sucks, but at least I'm a grown up so I don't have to hate the fact that I can't go trick-or-treating like I would have if I were a child. I'm also thankful I didn't go spend a fortune on a pre-made costume. So, this solo party is going to sit her ass back on the couch, curl up in a blanket and turn on a Bond movie...there will be plenty of Halloween parties next year, I just need to focus on getting better so I can go to Sunday's Patriots game.

Missin' You

Today was a shitty day. I miss my best friend. I miss my sisters. I miss Carlsbad and Oceanside beaches. I miss the babies. I miss my cats. I miss Latin Lover and my software boys. I miss traveling to a new place and discovering things on my own. I miss my brother-in-law (on behalf of my sister) as he has been out of contact for a few days since arriving in Afghanistan.

Today, I needed my sister and my best friend. My sister kept me busy while I was at work, making me laugh and letting me bitch about everything. I must say, I suck at photo shop; it's been years since I've used it (when I was writing, editing and publishing the monthly company Gazette in CA) but I decided to try to morph my brother into various Disney characters...Dopey and Sid. Dopey is a nickname b/c of how he looks, and my sister dies of laughter whenever she watches Ice Age and sees Sid because there is some resemblance. Anyway, Dopey didn't turn out good and Sid was only slightly better, but I cheated with him and didn't morph. I'm gonna keep trying to morph him until I do it right, but for today... my mission was accomplished: I made my sister laugh when I sent her this photo. It also gave me something to focus on other than all the shit that is bothering me. So after photo shop and my sister keeping me busy all day long and then having a much needed talk with my best friend and calling my mom, I still feel like I need to be mute, at least until I can figure out what to do about everything that is bothering me. I'm really starting to miss what I had in CA, when my family was all together, when I got to walk with my best friend at least twice a week and along the boardwalk in Carlsbad, and when I wasn't being used or taken advantage of...which are key to my Boston misery... ever since moving here, a day hasn't gone by where I haven't been used, abused or taken advantage of and to tell you the truth...it stops now!

Brookline Booksmith

Just as buildings had finished switching over from air to heat, mother nature throws us a curve ball and I'm sweating my boobs off in this 70° and humid weather. I am thankful I decided to keep my AC unit in (just in case we get a hot spell at the end of October...good thinking on my part!) because it is running tonight. I didn't move to Boston from Cali to be sweating the last week of October. I did find a way to cool off tonight. I went down to the Brookline Booksmith (an independent bookstore where quite a few couples have met and gone on to tying the knot) for a book talk, wine tasting and book signing with a friend. It was a good talk (all about wine) and I even bought the book and got it signed! My first signed book (personalized with my unique spelling of my first name) and it's all about wine! Tonight made me want to host a blind wine tasting. Anyway, a good night where I tried something new and unique to my town of Brookline.

Indian Summer Days (and Nights)

I don't really know where to start. It was another warm Indian Summer day with temps in the high 60s (it hasn't dropped below 50 at night either these past few days). Definitely warm enough to wear a skirt and flip flops to work- which I did. :) It was so nice out that after my spin class I snapped this photo from the steps of Gordon Hall overlooking the quad. It may look like Fall, but definitely felt like Summer...weird if you are not a Californian. Everyone seemed to be outside on their lunch break, sitting around on the stairs, benches, and walls.

I ate my split pea soup for dinner (see previous post) and it was so yummy! I didn't even notice the missing ham :) Then, I met my BBFF at Jillian's for two games of bowling (and to watch the Celtics opening night). Tonight, I got the red pin in front and this time I informed the girl working and YES, [insert cool bowling name here] won a free bowling party for 15 of my lucky friends by getting a STRIKE!! So now, I just need to figure out who I'm going to invite to my party (we can call it my half birthday party) and pick a date before the certificate expires on November 27.

Somethin's in the Kitchen

I've been in the mood to cook lately and am sad that I don't have someone to cook for, but the freezer is my friend, so I will cook until I can no longer fit stuff in my freezer. I hit up the grocery store across from work tonight (Stop & Shop- which is like a Vons) and bought some split peas, bay leaves and some basil leaves (also some oatmeal, Fiber One bread and vanilla coffee creamer for work). Then I hopped on the bus to Trader Joe's (where I spend way too much money and always end up buying a bottle of wine). I came in for two things and look at what happened? It's like going into Costco- I can never leave without spending a couple Hamilton's. I think Trader Joe's will be my go-to grocery store from now on. They are cheaper than the regular grocery stores around. I bought vegetable broth, sweet potatoes and regular potatoes, lettuce, bananas, my favorite red wine, carrots (baby and regular) and celery. Now, my apartment smells amazing as I attempt to make split pea soup (not sure how it's going to come out- I used to love my mom's split pea soup, but that was when I didn't mind eating ham). I don't have thyme, so I threw in an extra bay leaf, chopped up a carrot, used a half a cup of chopped onions, some water/vegetable broth and some basil. Now it's just simmering. I already ate dinner, so this will be tomorrow's dinner. I'm excited because I'm finally going to use my Magic Bullet to puree the soup. While the soup simmers, I'm going to make my apple pie filling. Not in the mood to make a pie tonight (nor do I have anyone to share it with, so for my diet's sake, I'll wait until I know it will be enjoyed by others) but I have so many apples I need to make room in the fridge for my veggies I just bought. I am so proud of myself for attempting so many new dishes lately. I also know I will have yummy food for the rest of the week (all my work containers that are portion controlled are all lined up in the fridge).

Couch Potato

Today I felt like a bum...a total couch potato. I did absolutely nothing! I slept in. Then watched 7 episodes total today of NCIS, Private Practice and Grey's Anatomy; I am finally all caught up. Then I moved into the living room and watched a couple episodes of The Tudors. I played the Wii...today I am age 33 according to the Wii sports test. I also tried some of the Resort Sports games. I must say, I am extremely out of shape, my arm is sore and I get out of breath quite quickly. See, I take my gaming seriously...like yes, I know it doesn't register my entire body moving...only the controllers, but I can't hit a ball just standing there moving just my wrist...it's a total body workout whenever I'm playing the Wii. This could be a good thing. If I continue hitting the gym at least 4 times a week and do yoga in the mornings, I might be able to lose the weight faster by adding Wii sports to my routine in the evenings when I get home from work. I do feel guilty for not leaving the apartment today and staying in my PJ's all day long, but it was a nice day for staying in with clouds, some rain and chilly weather. I do miss my family, but was able to talk to my sister and listen to the babies in the background for an hour today. A little over 2 weeks and I get to see them! Can't wait.

Liv In' Room

Today was a long day. Started with me getting up early to run to the Boston Public Library (BPL) when it opened so I could return Dexter: Season 3. My sectional was scheduled for delivery today between 10 and 2 and my TV and Blu-Ray player between 3 and 7. So, I had to make sure I went to the library before waiting around in case they showed up at the end of the time block. Anyway, the sectional was delivered and takes up my entire wall, with no room for my side table on one end. Since the tables and the TV stand were back-ordered, I had to place my 50" TV on my little Ikea table. I might have to do some more re-arranging, but not until I get everything delivered. I have it set up so I can curl up on the sectional and have the TV positioned so I can play the Wii without having to move anything. All I have to do is swivel the TV if I wish to watch a movie in the living room.

I finally hooked up my Wii today and did the Sports age test... according to Wii, I am 73 years old. Now, I probably should have practiced tennis, baseball and bowling BEFORE starting the fitness test, but whatever. I can only go down in age now :) You have to remember, I did not grow up on video games... I remember having Atari when I was little, but we didn't have Nintendo or any of the other gaming systems growing up. I also started and finished The Postcard Killers by James Patterson today. I enjoyed living in my living room for the first time! It's nice sitting (or laying in my case) on a couch and reading a book with the natural light coming in through the windows. Looking forward to spending more days inside and actually using that room more (instead of only using it when I have guests over). Tonight I started feeling sick, so I'm taking some NyQuil and putting the humidifier on... I'm sure it's exhaustion, but also some asthma and "allergy" stuff going on. Going to sleep in tomorrow before hitting up Jillian's to bowl and watch the Pats game...every game I went to when the Pats play the Chargers in San Diego, the Pats lost (exception being that last second score in the AFC championship game a few years back) so I'm looking forward to tomorrow's game... should be interesting to see who walks away with the win.

Free Friday

Today was a wonderful day. Had lunch with a couple friends at the Savant Project. We went b/c I really wanted some polenta logs, but they no longer have them :( The waiter said they just re-vamped their menu. I was quite sad, but after a pumpkin ale, I was fine, especially after I was told that they had polenta lasagna and so I had that (which was delicious). We also ordered some Yucca fries and got some free dumplings. We also were served free fried twinkies for dessert. Not a fan of those, but now I can say I've tried fried twinkies. It was a little over an hour and a half lunch, but it was a slow workday, so it didn't bother me.

It was a frigid day here (in the high 40s all day) in Boston, so tonight when I went out to my last birthday celebration for the month of October, I had to bust out one of my winter coats. Howl at the Moon, Boston's only dueling piano bar, was a lot of fun. We got there at 7:30 and stood in line for 30 minutes before getting in. I ordered food and drinks...including this Hurricane bucket (which I shared with birthday girl and 12 others). When the check came, I found out that the waitress didn't charge me for the bucket (maybe b/c she screwed up our food order and served cold food) but whatever, it was a good day for me getting free stuff, something that never happens. I think I'm done drinking for the weekend; I need to give my liver a rest. Thank goodness I am done with October birthday celebrations b/c I am exhausted!

Game Night = Girls Night In

Tonight was Game Night with a twist. We tried to do a Harvest/Halloween theme... and did well with food, but not so good when it game to the games. I cooked butternut squash risotto from scratch and homemade biscuits; we had Halloween candy in a black cauldron; one of the gals made pumpkin chili and we finished up with with a yummy pumpkin cake. Wine, apple cider, hard cider, more wine...needless to say, we pretty much spent the night talking and eating. We did break out Pictionary, but only to view pictures drawn in games past. So game night didn't happen... we just talked a lot about boys and dating, grammar (of all things), the south, California, work, alcohol... to sum it up, it was another great night with my single girlfriends eating, drinking and chatting. I am so thankful for being able to host gatherings and have such a great group of friends who love me for me regardless of my flaws. Those are true friends, and friends I will forever cherish. Back to the risotto. I have never made risotto, but thanks to Rachel Ray (ugh, I really can't stand her but her recipe was easy) and the Trader Joe's wine boy who recommended this Sauvignon Blanc for cooking...it was a success. And my biscuits, I must say, though slightly still gooey inside, were the best I've ever made...I <3 cooking/baking! I have plenty of leftovers, which is nice b/c I haven't cooked anything in over a week.

In other news, after talking to my BFF and my boy/Boston troubles, she pointed out that if I were to move back to Cali, I would not be as happy b/c I would not have as active of a social life. Good point! Also pointed out that I may be feeling the way I feel b/c it has been WAY TOO LONG since I've last traveled to someplace new. So, a foreign trip somewhere or a trip to Alaska to complete my 50 state tour might just be what the soon to be Dr. Felker ordered :) I love my dearest friends who can tell me shit straight up and make me see things clearly, and for always making me feel better about things. Without you, I don't know where I'd be. Much love!

Craft night with the girls

I feel the need to be around all my single girlfriends right now and tonight was just what the doctor ordered. We ordered pizza and ended up getting locked out of the apartment. Thankfully it was a gorgeous night out, there was a beautiful sunset and not too cold. We ate our pizza out on the stoop (totally felt like a city girl tonight) then ended up walking up Boylston and through the hotel and mall and ended up in the Back Bay where we met my friends roommate coming out of the gym. I must say, the walk was really nice and I trekked through parts of Boston I've never explored. We walked back to their apartment, where we had some water and washed down our pizza we had an hour before with some beer. We then started the crafts. I made my rat ears and tail for my Halloween costume, which look like mice ears, but to be honest, rats are like fatter and bigger mice anyway, right? It was nice being surrounded by women in the same boat as me when it comes to stupid boys. I pushed all of the boy shit out of my mind tonight and just had a good night walking around and hanging out with the girls. Being locked out also left me cell phone free for over an hour, and I have admit, it was weird not having my phone or ID on me, but I survived and didn't go nuts! It was nice being back in the Fenway area, there are times I miss living on Park Drive and to be honest, I'm beginning to miss San Diego, ever so slightly. I'm beginning to wonder what I'm doing here, wondering what the point was to move to Boston with no job or friends and start a life here (the job is what is keeping me here I think). I've figured out why I go for the "bad" boys who always break my heart instead of the "good" ones...and there's not a damn think I can do about that. So, to save my heart from being broken yet again and crying myself to sleep or tearing up during work when chatting to my BBFF regarding boys...I've decided that I'm done with boys (good and bad) for awhile. It's just me and my single girls until I feel safe enough to let another guy get close to me and to see the real me.

Why I'm drinking a bottle of wine by myself tonight...

Woke up this morning and snoozed through Yoga.

Walked out the door and the street was empty.

Sliced my finger with a one inch long paper cut.

My head boss fell and broke his kneecap today, needing surgery (from walking and reading and falling- sound familiar?)

Waited for the C line for over 30 minutes. Watched 1 go pass us without stopping.

Decided to walk and caught the 3rd T that went by.

Bought 3 bottles of wine at Trader Joe's (but was charged for 4)

Waited for the C line...again.

Got home at 7pm, starving, so didn't get to go shopping for Thursday's Themed Game Night, like I wanted to.

Poured myself a glass, after glass, after glass...as I eat my pasta roni, talk to my BFF and watch Dexter.

So yes, tonight I am drinking an entire bottle of red wine (yes, red... not white, I actually found a red I really like!). Days like this I wish I had someone to drink with, lol. Looking forward to tomorrow...maybe I'll drink so much, I'll call in sick.

Changes

I've been thinking a lot about the future. I find myself wondering what my life would be if I were pregnant and how much my life would change. Not that I want to be a single mom by any means, but I am thinking about babies. I also have been thinking whether I want to continue being single or really work for a relationship. I tend to flirt and enjoy being around guys who are safe, who wont hurt me and yet I always date the ones who use and abuse me. Now I am beginning to question what I really want from a guy. Do I take a chance and pursue someone I feel safe with and enjoy the time I spend with them? Or do I wait...and wait...and wait for some guy to befriend me and prove he won't hurt me? Or do I take no action at all and just wait and see which guy(s) make the move? Wish I had the answer, but for now I change my hair as a sign I'm ready for change.

Girls go through these phases, changing their look (even if slightly) when they go through a breakup, move across the country, quit a job, etc. I'm not really going through any of the typical reasons I would change my hair, but just felt like I needed to do something to change it up. I decided to straighten my hair and am thinking that maybe, just maybe, the Millionaire Matchmaker was right... guys don't like curly hair girls as much as they do straight hair girls. I've already noticed a difference in the way guys look at me. But I have to remember, it may give me more confidence, it does not, however, change the core of who I am. So yes, my hair is long and straight (I think maybe I'll cut it short come New Year's) but for now, I'm wearing it straight (until my afternoon spin classes when it will curl right up) but hey, the guys I'm interested in are always the skinny with zero body fat...basically the guys that don't hit the gym. I do have to admit, it is nice running my fingers through my silky smooth hair without them getting stuck or pulling out hair.

Wii and Dexter and Beer. Oh My!

Well, I finally broke down and bought a Wii today. What a hassle that was today thanks to Target's credit card and bus transportation, but hey, mission complete. Now, come snow, I wont have a reason to leave the apartment. I feel like I wasted the day though. Slept in until 11:30am and watched some Dexter before my 3 hour Target trip. Then, as I was walking to meet a friend to go try some beer flights, I noticed a car parked in my parking spot. So I left a note saying "you are parking in this spot without my permission. If you park here again, I will tow the car, as I rent this spot out". I am kind of pissed that someone feels they can park in my spot (a spot I could get $150-$200 a month for) without even asking me. This made me quite mad, and yes, I could have towed the car right then and there, but felt like I should leave a note first to give them the benefit of the doubt, but seriously? Do they think they can just park anywhere in Brookline for free? Really?? Grr... any way. Beer flights! My friend down the street and I took the T to Allston to this amazing place that has 112 beers on tap. We tried 4 different beers in 5oz servings. They were out of a few pumpkin ones, which was the reason for going today. But I did get to try the Sam's Pumpkin Harvest beer and had an amazing cup of onion soup and sweet potato fries. Their beer menu is so large; I know I will be coming back frequently this winter. Afterwards, we had to stop and buy some beer at this gigantic liquor store... walked out with Sam's Harvest variety case and some Shipyard Pumpkinhead which we split. Now, some more Dexter before getting ready for another busy week.

Pre-gaming before round 3.

Well tonight was fun, I got all dolled up (which basically means I took an hour to straighten my hair- something I haven't done since last winter) and everyone complimented on it. I turned on my iTunes and danced to my hip hop and R&B music while getting ready, even fixed myself an apple martini to get the night going before going over to my least favorite part of Boston "the shit hole" as I've heard it referred to (and couldn't agree more)...I'm talking about Central Square. Went to T.T. the Bear (my first time going there) and played pool. I didn't have to dance and thank goodness bc it was old-school goth night and that's not my crowd. It was fun seeing birthday boy's crew. Caught the bus which only took 4 minutes to get to Brookline, which was awesome! And cutie bus driver from my Friday night trips to the gym was my driver :) A good night overall, had more fun than I thought I would. Someone asked me recently what I miss most about not being in a relationship. At the time, I couldn't answer, but tonight I realized (besides the obvious physical stuff) I miss having a reason to get all dolled up before going out on the town. Maybe I might get more head turns if I continue taking my time to get ready...cuz it was fun tonight.

Karaoke

Photo of the night= duet of the night... nice job boys :)

I want to thank everyone for reading my blog, I had no idea just how many people read it and are drawn into my life. I am sorry you woke up without having a new blog to read this morning, I didn't post yesterday's blog last night b/c I was way too tired. So, here you go weekend readers, a new entry, fresh as your morning cup of joe :)

Tonight was yet another October birthday party. I'm ready for this month to be over b/c there are so many birthdays that I'm totally burning out! I honestly don't know how I made it through the day at work, I was hung over and hurting, but had to run the office (and did a good job doing so, according to the chief of staff). I decided it was in my best interest to not got to Zumba tonight and instead took a nap before going out tonight. I'm not a napper, but was so tired I had no problem falling asleep. Getting up was another story though. It was hard to get out of bed and into the 45° wet weather. But I did it. I put on my new jeans (which I have to admit were bought at Costco- my first clothing purchase at my favorite store), some boots and a sweater and trekked to JP with a few friends tonight to meet the group of 40+ people at the Jeanie in Jamaica Plain for karaoke. Karaoke, something I've only done in Italy when my friend Marc and I did the Grease Medley. So tonight, with a few friends I got up and made my US debut singing "Mamma Mia". I was supposed to do "Summer Nights" as well, with one of my friends (who was a karaoke hog tonight btw) but I had to leave before being called up. I had a lot of fun, drinking my water (even the smell of beer made my stomach turn), talking and singing with my friends. Caught a ride home with friends who live in the neighborhood and am all ready to get my sleep on. This old lady is exhausted.

Surprise!

A few hours late, but was not going to blog at 2am when I got home from my good friends surprise birthday party. I started planning for this a month ago and we managed to pull it off! Chicken, beef and veggie kabobs, chips and dips, fruit and cheese, and of course beer and ice cream cake. It was quite a lot of work, but I know he enjoyed the night so totally worth it. Now, 6 hours of sleep and a stomach punishing me for drinking 6 too many bottles of beer, I seriously don't know how I'm gonna get through the day, a day I can't call in sick for. Then, to top it off, I have another birthday party to go to tonight...yeah, I'm not going anywhere this weekend.

Walking

Today I did a lot of walking around. The leaves are starting to change in the city, so I decided to snap a photo on Brookline Ave as I walked around the Longwood area on my lunch break. I also walked home from work today. It was a lovely day out, fresh air, cool breeze, but definitely noticing the sun setting earlier which means soon I won't be walking home after work because it will be dark. I do love watching the seasons change and I'm okay with this Indian Summer we are having, it makes for nice walks. I also enjoy walking around, being one with myself. It gives me clarity, time to reflect on life. This week has been an odd week for me. I feel like my body is moving and doing things, and yet, my mind is in a haze. It's almost like the body is just doing its normal routine and I'm along for the ride. So, I am thankful for this nice weather, so I can get out and walk.

31 Apples

So, I bought 31 apples for $14 which is roughly 45 cents an apple, putting into perspective that the $1 a pound at the grocery store is a good deal out here in New England (even though I would prefer the 3 pounds for $1 like I got in California). What does one do with 31 apples? Well, I eat an apple a day, so they could last me a month. I could bake my famous apple pie, but then that wouldn't help with my weight loss goal. So what did I do? I decided to use 9 apples and take a stab at making homemade applesauce for the first time. It was surprisingly easy and turned out yummy! I made it chunky and wish I had vanilla ice cream to put some on top, but I resisted walking up to the store to get some (again keeping the goal in mind). So, add make homemade applesauce to my list of Boston firsts.

Dreams and the Past

Today was a lazy day, almost all caught up on TrueBlood episodes. After dreaming about Latin Lover last night, I woke up feeling strange. That dream was really intense and it made me text him [his name with a question mark]. He responded in a way that made me smile, answering my question without having to ask. My heart sped up so fast when he responded, but I feel better hearing from him. I've had weird dreams before and am learning to just go with the instinct and reach out. We all have some sort of a 6th sense, it's just a matter of exercising it, so I'm doing my best to just listen and trust my body. Anyway, before leaving to come back to Boston, we took the dog for a walk through the forest. I love walking through there and seeing old ruins, imagining what it must have been like living way back when. Then came the fun part- packing to get all my stuff home. Borrowed a suitcase to bring the 24 bottles of Sam's Octoberfest beer which would not fit in my little suitcase I brought. Thankfully, I packed their suitcase up and used my small one to put my clothes, wine and apples in it. Everything made it safe and unbroken after being rolled on a train, up stairs and on the T. When I got home, I unpacked everything, unrolled my hallway runner and went to see "The Social Network" with my movie buddy- with my can of Coke Zero and popcorn I brought from home ($1 movie popcorn is on Tuesdays, today was $1 candy which I bought these Crazy Core Skittles which were gross fyi...unless you like Skittles, I wouldn't recommend). The movie was good, but there were certain features of one of the main characters which reminded me of the ex, so that was kind of weird, ugh! Thank goodness Latin Lover is distracting me from that, b/c tonight could have turned out very differently. So, instead, I watch Dexter and chat with LL :)

Shop 'til I dropped!

An early morning after a wonderful night's sleep, love this fresh air up here! Today I went shopping in New Hampshire. I finally purchased my living room set at Jordan's. I got this sectional, the 3 tables, a TV/media stand, a 50" Plasma TV and a Blu-ray disc player for a little over $2000 after taxes, shipping and various warranties. I'm pretty excited because I needed a living room set. I also bought a wi-fi adapter for my Blu-ray player so I can stream TV shows, Pandora and Netflix (if I subscribe) directly on my TV. Now, I will be saving up for this uber comfy feather down oversize chair and ottoman I fell in love with today... maybe as a tax return/birthday/meet my weight goal present for myself next year. Besides all this, I did some clothes and rug runner shopping before I dropped. Now it's apple sauce making before we sit down to eat some fondue (which we didn't get to last night) and some more wine...oh yeah, and football!

Apples and Wine

Today I got up early to take the train up to North Billerica for the long weekend. Once I was picked up, we headed to my home away from home in Groton and took the dog for a walk through the forest. Then we went apple picking. Now, I must say, this year picking with my adoptive parents was way funner than when I went with the ex-roommate and her aunt & uncle last year in Maine. A quick drive into Harvard, MA to Carlson Orchards where for $14 we could pick our own peck of apples. I haven't counted my bag of apples, but I think it's still cheaper buying apples at the grocery store for 1.99 a pound. Of course, I had about 5 apples today while picking my own apples. It was a gorgeous day, didn't wear my jacket, just jeans and a short sleeve top. Perfect day to be outside.

Our next stop was the Nashoba Valley Winery. Where for $4 we got a nice glass and 5 tastings of their wines and/or beers. Most of their wines were way too fruity for me and they were out of the ice wine I wanted to try, but I did walk away with a bottle of Riesling (and Phil bought about 8 bottles of various wines we tasted). It was so crowded, everyone and their mother were out tasting and buying wine today while the families were out picking apples in their orchard. This winery was cool because they have a nice lawn with tables that people were able to open their purchased wine bottles and drink out overlooking the beautiful Fall New England landscape. After that we headed to the store to buy cheese and crackers to snack on and pizza dough to make our own homemade pizzas, which turned out oh so yummy! Dinner was around 7, we had our glass of Vidal Blanc which Phil bought at the winery. All this country fresh air has made me tired, so off to bed I go.

B is for...

Boston. Bump. Bus. Boy. Another beautiful Fall day. Tonight, as usual, I took the bus to Zumba where I got to dance for an hour with no one bumpin' or grindin' on me... just me and 15 others dancing salsa, merengue, cumbia, reggaeton, belly dance and samba. I have a crush on the bus driver that takes me and picks me up from Zumba. He has that Boston accent that just makes me want to listen to him talk. Of course, I'm not going to do what I normally do when I like some guy...I'm not going to talk to him, not going to ask him out, not even flirt. No. He works the evening shifts, getting off at 2am, and I know that doesn't work for me, so not even going there. But, every Friday night, I see him. I don't know his name, and I am fine with that. Just makes me look forward to riding the bus on Friday nights. Day 5 of going to the gym (twice today) but then ate way too much ice cream (I just want to get it out of my freezer). Oh well, first week was a success.

Blue skies smiling at me

No more rain. A calm day in and out of the office. A 45 minute climb with no breaks in my lunchtime spin class. Getting up in the morning is getting harder and harder with my muscles becoming stiff overnight. A.M. yoga isn't doing much to help with the soreness, but I am determined to get my body back in shape and become the gym rat I once was. Another quiet night in. I don't want to spend money and yet I am lonely being home all alone. I feel like I am slipping back into my old habits of work, gym, home, work, gym, home. However, I find that it does give me time to enjoy the things I love though. Like catching up on my Fall TV shows, staying up to wee hours reading a good book, listening to the latest hip hop songs and dancing along to the music videos, and just relaxing (which makes me feel guilty that I'm being so lazy). I do enjoy these peaceful days though and I love having the time to myself. With that said, this weekend I am getting out of the city to enjoy the country and hopefully do some apple picking, some hiking through the forest and spending time with my family away from home :) I can only live so much in my head before it drives me nuts, after all, I am a social creature who craves interpersonal face-to-face communication.

Cooking while it rains

Another wet day in New England. I love the rain, but I hate fighting the wind with my umbrella and getting my backpack all wet. I have been sleeping so soundly lately, it feels so good! My computer is still being worked on at work, so there wasn't much for me to do today. I took my weight class during lunch and decided that tonight would be cooking night, seeing I was too tired to cook on Sunday. So, this is what my kitchen looks like when I cook. I cook a couple different things at once; goal is to have enough dishes for the work week. Tonight I cooked my spaghetti squash, spaghetti, my special creamy tomato artichoke heart sauce, some garlic bread and brown rice. After my latest doctor's appointment, I made a promise to start eating better. I've noticed I don't eat all that much, but when I get hungry I grab crap instead of fruits or veggies. So, I'm making a change. On top of going to the gym everyday during the workweek, I am going to do my best to make sure I am eating throughout the day, and eating good stuff (not cookies or chips) while also avoiding a huge meal at 8 o'clock at night. My goal is to lose at least 15 pounds by the time I go home for the holidays. I really want to lose 25, but that's a bit unrealistic. When my BMI says I'm mildly overweight, you bet I'm gonna fight hard to get back to a health weight. So here's to first day of changing for the better...instead of baking while it rains, I cooked enough food for the next 4-5 days and divided them up into portion control containers.

Bugs

Sometimes I wish my daddy were here, some bugs just gross me out and wish he could kill them for me...like this disgusting bug I found on my ceiling above my bed. I've seen one of these in the bathroom once before and they are gross!! And try taking a photo while in zoom (b/c I wanted to get a photo and the ceiling is so high) and oh my goodness...I squealed like a girl. I did kill it, but ugck! This wasn't the only bug I encountered today. At work, my computer shut down while I was in the middle of doing a few different things and then when it restarted, I couldn't access my email, the internet or anything on the network (or my documents). IT worked on it for a few hours with no success. So, yes, I really enjoyed today. Rain (heavy mist), late for a doctors appointment, got weighed and am extremely pissed off at how much I weigh, 30 minutes late for work b/c of being late to my doctor's appointment, spinned my ass off in spin class during lunch, broke my computer, cleaned out the kitchen at work, watched some Oprah with Martha Stewart, went home and ate some apple cake and popcorn while watching "Killers" (Kutcher is so hot!) and then...killed the bug above my bed. Now I can sleep and see what adventures await me tomorrow.

The Abbey

Tonight a couple girlfriends and I met at The Abbey, which will be my new watering hole for the winter! I love the intimate atmosphere and was not disappointed with the food or the prices. I love supporting Damian (my favorite Irish bartender from Washington Square Tavern). It's a cozy little place, with a small, but tasty menu. There was so much I wanted to try, so I know I will be coming back. I had a salad with pomegranate and cucumbers and truffle fries. Then we all had some Scotch at the end of the meal as we continued our conversation about wine, cool weather and get-together's. We each ordered a different Scotch and shared. I had the most in my glass for some reason, a McClelland 12yr, and the others were Glenkinchie (which I thought was stronger than mine) and Glenmorangie 10yr. We all had it on the rocks, which I think I prefer because the ice melts and it's not as strong. The general consensus was that mine was the strongest, maybe that's why I feel so relaxed and warm :) It was a good night out with the girls. The weather is cool and that misty rain started up while we were eating dinner, but after the Scotch, nothing can ruin my night...not even if the Dolphins beat the Patriots.

Practice Games of Bowling

Today me and my teammate went bowling. First we met the new bartender Dan, who replaced Rebecca, one of the girls we always saw during the league. Second, we wanted to order the blue cheese chips and found out they took them off the menu, around the same time Rebecca left!! Boo!!! We were kind of making a scene (all in good fun) and decided to try their pretzel dippers, which were gross. The pretzels were good but the garlic butter was solid so not dip friendly and the cheese was like fake nacho jalapeno cheese, ick! Three games we bowled, and let me tell you... I was not on my A game today...nor my B game for that matter. I did bowl over 100 once, but the other two games I'm not going to talk about. I think it had to do with my pants being too tight so I wasn't able to move like I normally do (note to self: wear different pants next time b/c these jeans were bad news).

While we were bowling one of the gals that works there came up to us to ask if we had heard anything anything about the league. I was telling her how I was online a couple weeks ago and so far nothing had been posted. She said they weren't sure they were going to do the league but then her manager informed them the other day that there will be a league and she said sometime this month it would start up. Another cool change is they will be allowed to serve alcohol at 11am during the first game time this year (last year they couldn't until noon), so now the teams that bowl first can drink during their game. When I got home I looked online and saw that they will be having a league that will start up November 14th (of course that's the weekend I will be in NC!) and sign-ups begin later this week. I'm pretty excited and have been looking forward to bowling regularly since the spring. Now I must come up with a team name and start recruiting players...and also start practicing more so I don't weigh the team down...anything under 100 does not fly for me.

Oktoberfest

Today I hosted my first Oktoberfest. German, Oktoberfest and Pumpkin beers plus German food...did I mention beer? We had some Oktoberfest music (polka music and other German songs) streaming from an Oktoberfest music site. Bratwurst, German Potato Salad, German Apple Cake and German Chocolate Cake, black licorice cats candy, gummy bears, red cabbage, Pumpernickel bread with Nutella, a variety of Gouda cheeses with Ritz and some German rye crackers which were pretty bland and described as “healthy tasting” and some soft pretzels. It was an evening full of food, beer, games and laughter. I am sore from all the laughing I did. We had beer spill in the living room during the game of Taboo and numerous times during our second session of the card/drinking game “Kings”, which was another Boston First for me. Never played Kings before, and we did make up our own rules because some of us (me included) are lightweights, we just couldn’t drink as much as the game calls for. We ended up combining Trivial Pursuit cards and the Scattergories die into the card game. I was singled out quite a few times during the “Never have I ever” cards, but I had a blast! So much fun, we drank so much beer and am pleased I no longer have an entire shelf in the fridge full of beer. Everyone brought a 6-pack, so we had over 66 bottles of beer and drank all but 4 between 3:30-11:00pm. I am hoping to not get sick, and just took some Advil for a headache I now have. But overall, I would say it was a success. Of course, I did clean the apartment before everyone came over and it may sound strange but it makes it so much easier and fun to clean up after a party when the place was clean and organized prior. All I had to do was throw the trash out, put all the recyclables together and load the dishes into the dishwasher… a piece of cake. In less than 30 minutes after the group departed, the place was pretty much back to normal.

Out with Old Friends

Well, the rain I have waited for since Thursday morning finally arrived, but it had to be when I was all ready to go out downtown with one of my old coworkers and his fiance. I actually took time to get ready tonight, something I miss doing. It was exciting meeting up with old friends, people who knew me as a newbie to Boston. It was kind of weird going back to the old office, having a beer and catching up with J while we waited for his fiance to arrive. (Weird only in the sense that the last time I was in that office was when I was let go.)

We walked to Faneuil Hall (while it was raining) and ate at Anthem. It was not busy for a Friday night, and we ended up having the entire second floor to ourselves. A little over 3 hours we spent catching up and eating. I was so busy talking when they cleared our plates that I didn't mention I wanted to take my mac n cheese to go (I hardly ate any of it b/c I was full of my fried green tomato and cheese salad I ordered). Slightly disappointed about that because the mac n cheese was really good. The music was great, a little bit of everything and you had to catch yourself before you sang along out loud. It was so fun hanging out with old friends and we figured out the last time we saw each other was about a year ago at Marliave (see older post). Memories kept flooding back to a time I was happy and going out having way too much fun with the guys... J's fiance even reminded us of the time J called my sister and talked to her while he was drunk...I can't wait to see if my sister and brother-in-law remember that, lol... good times! I promise to not let another year go by before seeing them again.