Weekend Review

I haven't done one of these in ages! They used to be a staple on this blog, back in the day when I was excited to share my "daily life" with the internet. The past several years, as a bit of depression and self-loathing gripped me, I talked myself into believing in that nobody really cared to know what my weekends were like or what was really going on with my life. And that may be true. But this is my blog so I'll just write what I want to.

Honestly, I've been struggling a bit in recent weeks. Not with the sad or self-loathing part of depression, but with the struggling to focus on routine things. My attitude toward my job has been rather apathetic in the sense that by noon I'm mentally drained and all I want to do is go home. It's not that my job is hard or that I don't get along with anyone. It's not even that I hate my job--I don't. I am just struggling in this phase of wanting to be anywhere but in my office. I guess you could call it "restless" maybe?

So Friday, to keep myself from checking out early and using valuable personal leave, I volunteered to help with a baby shower for a colleague in another department. I spent a few hours doing my actual job but then went downstairs and helped decorate and set up, and just chit chat. Then there was the actual baby shower, then the clean-up. All of which kept me both occupied and technically at work. And, you know, baby showers are fun!

I also contributed a cookie "cake" and sausage balls. All of which were polished off rather quickly, so, I didn't even have to deal with the guilt of eating leftovers! WIN!

Saturday was a fairly chill day. I slept in, cooked and ate a delicious breakfast of multigrain French toast and bacon with coffee. Libs and I relaxed for a couple of hours and I watched a little YouTube. Then I had to take her to the vet for a nail trim and other monthly "maintenance" things. She actually has "panic attacks" while at the vet which always makes the vet feel bad. She pants really heavily and paces the office until she's on the table and the vet does whatever needs doing. So naturally, the vet tried to sell me some new treats she'd gotten in that is supposed to help calm anxious dogs and promote brain function. I declined, though, since the vet visits are the only times Libby has problems with anxiety. And as far as brain function, she's already too smart for her own darn good. haha

Anyway, after the vet, we drove on into town and swung through McDonald's to try their donut sticks with chocolate sauce. Y'all, I knew better but I wanted a little treat and thought Libby might enjoy the ride. She loves the drive-thru, too. But of course I ended up having to pull forward and wait a good 10 minutes for them to bring them out (I guess they had to make some?) and then, instead of following my instincts to check the bag, I left and went home where I discovered OF COURSE they had not included the chocolate sauce. *sigh*

I used to eat there quite a bit in what I now refer to as "Old Jana" days. But up until recently, (when my friends dragged me there because one of them wanted a McRib) I hadn't eaten there in nearly a year. That one good experience there with my friends relaxed my attitude just enough to let me think it'd be okay to go back for those dang donut sticks. So, yeah. McDonald's is dead to me again. 

I really wanted to spend the rest of the day on the couch under a blanket with Libs but I've been wanting/needing to redo my bedroom just a little bit. My mom gave me her old desk (the one I painted for her a few years ago) and it had been sitting in my dining room for nearly a month. With Christmas coming up, I needed to get it outta there and the only real space I had for it was my bedroom. But that required shuffling some other furniture around. We (and by we, I mean me with Libs alternately following me around and/or sleeping) got it all done in about three hours or so. And that includes vacuuming the carpet.

Kind of a "before" This was actually taken not log after I first fixed up my bedroom and a few things had already changed since then but I couldn't find any more recent photos.

This is the After from Saturday. The biggest change was t hat I moved my dresser from being a "side table" to in front of the window and set my TV on top of it and moved the chest that used to be in the dining room to the bedside function instead. Yes, I still have the same comforter I've had for 10 years. I swap it out for a quilt in the summer, though. So, sorry for the poor lighting. My iPhone is aging and the pics aren't as good as they used to be. 

This sketch of a barn is one that Alyssa did for me. She's taking an art class for home schoolers once a month and this was part of her practice sketching. Once framed, it was perfect. 

Again, sorry for the crappy lighting! I took this in a hurry to text Sis2 . The mirror used to be over the dresser when the dresser was beside the bed and there used to be a baker's rack here that held my towels and other linens. Those got moved to my closet shelf and the baker's rack now lives in the dining room. The mirror is a little higher than I want it but I was too lazy to move the nail Saturday. Anyway, this will eventually get painted black, I think and get new hardware. It serves as a "vanity" of sorts, or will once I get the mirror moved down and buy a stool or something to sit on. Or, if I ever buy a laptop, this will be a desk I can write at after I put Libs to bed in the evenings! ;-)

And just to keep it real, This is the state of the chair in my room. Or it was. I did finally get it cleaned off before I went to bed Saturday.

And more in the lines of "keep it real" this is where the baker's rack ended up. The red coffee cans will get painted blue and Libby's treats and food will migrate into them. The box on the middle shelf is a placeholder while I try to decide if I want to get a microwave and keep it there. The dining room table is full of crafting supplies I removed from the chest that now resides in my bedroom. I did eventually get all that put away in another drawer, but I've still got some crap I need to clean off the table before I can decorate for Christmas. 

So yeah, lots of shuffling furniture and assigning new homes for things. At first I worried that the new layout in my bedroom would make it look crowded but I actually love it! My dresser drawers are easier to access, the TV is easier to see (I used to be on a short table in front of the window) and it actually looks a little roomier. Also, I love the Christmas lights around the window for some soft lighting when Libs and I snuggle to watch tv before bed. Those will probably stay up year round. And I need a shorter lamp, now, I think.

Anyway, lots more to do. I'm planning on rearranging my living room as well. I'm hoping my energy holds up so I can get started on it in the evenings this week.

I also finally finished a little craft project I've been meaning to work on since August.

Everything came from Hobby Lobby. I just had to paint and glue the words and glue the flower thing. I've had the wood/frame piece since August and just last weekend I found the flower thing. I need a softer blue on the words, I think, but for now, I'm happy with it. Oh, and also need to find an ampersand so that it says "thankful AND blessed. Or I may try to freehand one with a chalk marker.

I don't have any pics from yesterday (other than the one above with Libs preventing me from getting up to shower before church. haha) but it was a pretty chill day. I went to church yesterday morning and then Sis2, Lyssa, and I went to our favorite antique mall for their Christmas open house. We ate yummy snacks and I bought some carrot cake "preserves" made by a local Mennonite family. It's good but tastes more like orange spice cake than carrot cake. But heck, it has actual grated carrot in it so it's basically a health food, right? haha

After we left the antique mall, we went to Starbucks and sipped toasted white mochas and chatted. It was a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Then I went home, tried on some new pj's I'd bought earlier and did a happy dance when I discovered that they have pockets!!

The rest of the evening was spent watching Batwoman and Supergirl while snuggled with Libby.

All in all, a pretty great (and productive) weekend.