Off topic but . . .

Jazzercise tonight KICKED MY @$$!!! My balance was SHITE as I haven't worked out since the 7th other than a few yoga poses at home. Yes, I do better when my core is stronger, but there's this lumbar stenosis that I'm told affects my balance - - I wonder how well I can really do unless I get that fixed??? Which obviously I'm not planning to do - - my balance is better than it used to be ever since the first steroid injectino when doc withdrew arthritic fluid - - I still worry about falling though and have nightmares about slipping on ice while flat-hunting. I love the Friday night teacher too - - Mary is GREAT!!! Love her knowledge of music, her athleticism, and that she has international experience too - - coordinates Russian teaching in the San Antonio HS system - - how cool is THAT??!!?? Teaches English too and comments on bad grammar in songs. I love it. Came home and am trying to use up my Lidoderm patches rather than take them with me, so took off my sports bra to apply to my upper back and when I put it back on the bottom was SOAKED. Didn't know I had worked THAT hard!!! But TG I did!!! Between moving and car issues, I hadn't worked out since the 7th.

Then I got seduced by the Haiti telethon - - Stevie Wonder was playing when I got home - - this is the second time in a week that I've heard a tune of his and not been able to remember what it was later. I've been a fan of his ever since I can remember. I really need the music/performance vibes right now and whatever he was playing, I was singing along and noting his chord choices and vocal choices, and so often I would make the sasme choices he does - - his performance fed my soul. Didn't cry until John Legend with "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child." Sooooo powerful and moving. And the Haitian woman who sang "Many Rivers to Cross"!!!!! By far the best rendition I've ever heard. Bono and Rhianna duetting??? Awesome. "Haiti, we won't leave you stranded." Madonna singing "Like a Prayer?" I didn't like what she did with the tune at the end but up to then it was going well. She's a year younger than me. And Neil Young and - - I don't know who it was he was duetting with, but I had forgotten how Neil can hit and hold the high notes. Dang. I shoulda been working but I went way over my commitment today - - and I really need to feed my soul right now - - I'm sad about being separated from Toby and Michael. Toby hopefully for not too long and hopefully neither one permanently - - but you never know. I'm in a pretty emotional place right now.

I have really GOT to get an electric piano ASAP - - so many times this week I've actually gotten up and headed to the living room to play - - forgetting there's no piano there!!! It's been my refuge for emotional healing since I was a tiny child. There just ain't no substitutzky.

Went to the bank and ordered currency today. 60 pounds for $102.47. They'll call me when it's ready. Should be by Wednesday.

Gonna work as hard as I can this weekend and then hit the moving preps hard Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to get ready to GO!!! I leave a week from tomorrow!!!!!

I so wish I was 20 years younger going into this experience. I never believed that getting older really DID change you physically, mentally and emotionally. Well, guess what - - it does. I've been modifying in Jazzercise for years - - getting older is requiring me to modify how I do a lot of things - - but I never feel prepared for the ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. Thank you, David Bowie.

Onward and upward!!! As Michael says, in time all will be good.

Toby's ready . . .

Got his paperwork back from the USDA in Austin. Not without drama. He had 2 rabies vaccine certificates, one from January 27 (which would have been good for my original Kent start date) and one from November 11 (by which time start dates had been pushed to February.) One said he was a DSH and one a DLH. The vet who had declared him DLH called me and asked which was true. I said DLH. She said the other vet had called him DSH and they needed to redo their paperwork. I called the other vet to give them a heads up. Apparently USDA called them about 3 different things before things were finally set right. Fed Ex brought the completed paperwork back to me from the USDA Thursday and I faxed it to Dana, the pet mover, on Friday. When I drop him off at Traveling Tails on January 27, I need to bring his 3-page USDA paperwork (actually it's an EU health certificate with the USDA's approval), his 2 rabies vaccines, and a copy of his rabies titer. Got em all and he's ready.

I also donated some clothes to Goodwill this week. Next week I will call and arrange with the Salvation Army to come and pick up furniture. I have next week and the week after to get the apartment clear of furniture I don't want to take. Then the week of the 25th, I will be completely off work and can devote my full attention to whatever remains to be done. The packers and movers are coming on the 28th. The plan is to stay in Michael's apartment after the movers are done until I hafta go to the airport on the 30th, but his apartment is being worked on by the owners. Hopefully they will be done by then, but if not I can always stay in a Fairfield Inn, as I've done in the past when I needed temporary housing. Or maybe something cheaper, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Oh yeah, I quit one of my jobs this week as I was having equipment issues and needed the time to deal with moving. I feel more relaxed than I did. It really makes weekends a lot easier - - I was able to work out last night and today I finally went back to the "Nine Lives" bookstore, which I've been wanting to do for ages. Picked up a couple books for the trip and petted the resident kitties. And talked to the cashier, who in the past went to England to take part in a "Canterbury Tales" reenactment complete with chain mail. Very pre-9/11. 1978, in fact. The security people were confounded even then though. I don't think they're used to seeing a lot of, uh, ARMOR. Like, knight-wear. LOL!!!