I went back to sleep this morning. So tired.

I think that Gracie is teaching Bella to bark. She’s small but feisty. I think that she’s the "top dog" of the pack despite her size!

I’m having the antibiotic delivered. I just need to buy some probiotic yogurt.

Gracie had her first vet appointment. She was pronounced healthy and "stinking cute". They think that she might be part beagle; in which case, she might not get much larger than she is now. They think that she's six-to-eight months old because her adult teeth are in. We have an appointment to get her spayed in two weeks. Bella had to give Gracie the once-over :)

I'm wondering if I should get a reMARKable tablet and electronic planner. It would be great to store notes there. It would be great for trips. Maybe I'll check it out at Best Buy tonight. Well, no I'm not going to return the shoes tonight. I'm going to practice dog training stuff with Bella. But Amazon has it on sale with a leather cover for the same price as it's at Best Buy without one, so I'll probably get it. Now I’m looking for a purse that will hold the tablet.

Took a short nap. The dogs are flaked out.

Work is being a pain. Some of my files are now read-only, and I needed to edit them. Sigh. Then Access was being temperamental. I hate Annual Stats time. And people were bugging me about getting things done even though I had computer issues. I was posting my status! Leave me alone!

Bella had a roll of toilet paper that she’s shredding, and Gracie is trying to get it away from her. I don’t approve of shredded toilet paper, but the tug-of-war is kind of funny. Oh, and Bella stole Gracie’s lamb toy.

Hmm. I’m thinking of getting up early to work with Bella on dog training stuff. I’m tired and cranky right now and need my patience. I guess that I’ll feed everyone now (done), get the garbage out (done), and post my data to the Web.

Hmm. The Gracie Project might be backfiring. Bella is trying to play with Oliver as if he was Gracie, and he doesn’t like it.

I’m looking into farm stands here. There’s a place that sells different types of cheeses, and I’m looking at a fresh baguette, cheese, and honey combo. And you can volunteer to feed baby goats! Oh! They have a CSA where you can get fresh bread and cheese weekly! I’m so there! There also is a farmers’ market nearby on Saturdays and a little farther away on Tuesdays. I should stop by.

I ordered a ceiling fan for the bedroom. Oh, and I got the new cool bedding, but I might wait until tomorrow to put it on.

I’m crazy tired, so I’m going to post and go to bed. I should have time on the morning to post my data as well as work with Bella.

Got the flannel sheets and flannel duvet cover on the bed. They’re so soft! Zara came in partway through but decided that she didn’t like what was going on. Later, I came in to go to bed, and she was happily curled up on top of the comforter with the flannel cover. Now she's glued to it except when she wants food :)

I had problems falling asleep. I got up once because I realized that I scheduled my piano lesson at the same time as Dial-A-Carol. I ate oatmeal and finally fell asleep. And overslept, sigh. I have to find the box with the "Sonic Boom" alarm.

Yeah, I think that staying home over Winter Break is a good idea. Hard to believe that I work Monday, and then I'll be off!

Very quiet at work. My boss told me to "feel better" when I went out sick yesterday, which was nice.

I'm about done with Walmart delivery. They dumped my groceries by the gate, and I had to go across my lawn with slippers on. How hard is it to put them on my porch?

I just emailed the real estate guy about the closing date on Mom's house. He said "sometime this week".

Ugh. My back and shoulder hurt. I shouldn’t be this sore shortly after a massage. Showered, so at least I'm clean.

Went down to get the mail and found a Jenny Craig order. I need to cancel them, but at least I'll have a stash. I'm now thinking of doing a bunch of cooking and freezing stuff next week, when I'll have time. I'm getting a bunch of emails from Costco, but no card yet. I plan to bring the cars up to Costco for gas because, why not? And maybe I could get new windshield wipers for the Honda there. And investigate moving my prescriptions, although it's convenient having them down the street. Maybe not.

I think that getting a used aquarium is the right idea. I priced new ones and geesh. Expensive. And I'm getting only a 20-gallon tank! Though I also want a 55-gallon tank for the library room. Actually, I found a used 50-gallon tank that I like, but I'd need movers to move it. And I need someone to check that the floor is stressed for it.

I've decided that I don't like the prescription face cream that I've been using. (It was making my skin flake.) I'm trying something new from Dermstore, and we'll see how I like it. But the shipment is delayed.

I forgot to say that I'm proud of myself. I had been having problems with the sound on the laptop that I had on the digital piano. I bought two computer speakers to try to fix it, but they didn't help. Eventually, I got rid of the laptop and swapped in my mom's laptop. So I still had the speakers, but didn't need them, so I gave them away on Buy Nothing! It's a drop in the bucket, but still, I'm pleased with myself.

Hmm. I had been thinking of getting a used grandfather clock for the library room, but now I'm thinking that I should move the Buddha in there and put a wall clock (with chimes) above it. Also cheaper. Though I wanted a "Namaste" hanging above the Buddha. And maybe, above the aquarium-to-be, I want one of those maps where you can rub off the paper on the country if you have visited it.

I got my Beaches calendar for by my computer. December is Maui. Excellent. I just need a nail with which to hang it. I need to make a list of things to get done over break.

I was eyeing the treadmill. I think that the first errand on my list is to get the small Smart TV for in front of my treadmill. I'll watch The Golden Girls and The Big Bang Theory while exercising!

I found the “Sonic Boom” clock! Good because I need to get up early tomorrow because the house cleaner is coming tomorrow morning. I also found my hatchet, which should go in the basement.

Now I’m eating dinner and putting the Jenny Craig meals away (done).

Hmm. Holland America is trying to upsell me on dining. They have a steakhouse and an Italian restaurant. I need to think about it.

I'm back from Dial-A-Carol. This apparently was Pros night. There was a group that was singing in four-part harmony and sounded fantastic! (One of looked embarrassed when she saw me listening, but I don't know why.) And there was a young woman who must have been a singing major. (In fact, I think that she might have been at the carols concert?) I was somewhere in the middle. I'm usually on tune if I know the song, but I don't sound as polished. I just bought the sheet music and a couple of CDs of "traditional" Christmas music. I'll work on them during break. Driving home, I felt full of love for Champaign-Urbana because there are so many fun things to do here.

I'm sitting for a moment with Mimi, and then I need to tidy up the kitchen and bathrooms for the house cleaner. Oh, I think that I'll post because I'm here. No one needs the blow-by-blow of my tidying :)

Okay, I found a South Beach, Miami, hotel that I like, because there's no way that I'll go to Miami (for the cruise) and not see South Beach. However, the cruise is 15 days, so I’m not going to have a lot of time to take in South Beach. It turns out that I have enough time off now for the cruise, so I should be able to accumulate vacation time and tag on a couple of days. I think that I'll do a walking tour of South Beach and, if I like it, take another, longer trip there.

Yikes. Mimi slipped on the stairs upstairs and started to slide down. I broke her fall as she slid into me. I hope that was a one-off.

My boss okayed the March cruise, so I'll book it. I looks like I'll have to overnight in Chicago again (coming from San Diego) and take the bus back on Sunday. I'm really anxious to do my bookings, but patience, Adrienne. I'll book it after work.

My neck and back are bugging me. I'm looking forward to the massage tomorrow.

Delivered my gifts to the Children's Home. Yay. I parked halfway across the complex from the dropoff point, but now I know.

I found a musical notes clock that I want to get (ordered) and put...somewhere near the piano. (Speaking of pianos, the one that I really like is now being given away free, but I have a lot of work that I need to do before I could move it in here.)

I'm looking at slow cooker recipes because that's my type of cooking. Dump stuff in the slow cooker and walk away and then have food later! I want to put in another grocery order, so I need to figure out what to cook. I think that I want to try a slow cooker recipe for Steak Diane. Also, Salmon-Veggie Chowder. (That probably would be better for me.) I also have a "food prep" cookbook that I need to look at. It has meal plans for weight loss, muscle-building, etc. Excellent. And it contains instructions on how to prep the meals in one day.

I’ve got the thermal curtains for the bedroom. I’ll put them up tomorrow. There’s a local “Swap Meet” on Sunday, and I need some stuff to donate. I’ll include the current curtains. Oh, and I got a larger space heater, so I’ll get rid of the little one.

Hmm. I’m wondering if I should get a betta fish and some tetras for upstairs. They can tolerate a smaller tank (although people keep them in too small tanks, but maybe a 20 gallon one?) That would be an easy way to get into aquarium keeping. But it's too cold to get one now.

I booked the cruise. Yay. It was a little cheaper than the price on their Web site. (I had to pay in full, but I expected that.) And he got me a good cabin. Now I need to look at flights (booked). I got the Holland America app. I'm trying to book a massage, which you can do on the app, but it lost my booking. I'll try again later. I decided to book a massage but not a facial because I don't enjoy facials that much. Why spend the money? Okay, I got a massage booked and paid for and also decided to get a peel facial. My skin has been dry and rough. I booked the South Beach hotel and the O'Hare motel. I've booked everything that I can book now; I have to wait until 30 days before to book the bus. Well, I need to book Shore Excursions but I'll probably wait until tomorrow.

Holland America seems more organized than Celebrity so far.

Now I need to make and submit my grocery list. Okay, done. I'm making the Salmon-Veggie Chowder, Apple Salad, Chia Pudding, and Yogurt Parfait. It's a start.

Now I think that I'm going to bed. I have to sing at the memorial service in the afternoon.

Added: I'm looking at Shore Excursions. I'm hung up on Costa Rica. Do I want to go to a sloth sanctuary, or do I want to do a walk in the cloud forest?

Woke up on time. Getting to bed early helps. It's dark and gloomy again today. It's going to be a long winter.

I love it when Zara comes running up to snuggle when I lie down on the bed. She curls up and naps.

I'm feeling like crying for no good reason. Here is the winter Seasonal Affective Disorder. I'm wondering if I should try a light box again, but I experienced racing thoughts the last time that I used one, which isn't good either. I should look into other methods of dealing with it. I'm already on two antidepressants, so I don't think that I need more. A Web site said to get outside even if it's gloomy to get all the sunlight that you can. Maybe now that my foot is better, I should go for a walk outside. Though it’s light for so short a time that it makes it difficult to find a time.

Got a grocery order from Walmart. I'm now well stocked. I need to check out Aldi for some Thanksgiving-type things. They're supposed to have great pumpkin pie and sweet potatoes. (My work group has a "watercooler" Zoom meeting where we discuss stuff like that!) I checked, and pumpkin pie can be frozen, so I might pick up a couple.

I need to get rid of my old laptop that I had been using for my music lessons. The sound wasn’t working. I can recycle it at Best Buy. And note to self: Do get rid of it instead of keeping it hanging around.

I was looking for a place where I could donate Christmas gifts because I don't have anyone to shop for. I found a couple of possibilities. I want to get a local children's home some craft supplies and a Lego set. Crud, I wanted to get a Harry Potter Lego set, but it’s $135! Yikes!

I need a stand mixer to make Snickerdoodles with Almond Flour (and other baking). I'm looking for a cheaper alternative. I should check out Facebook Marketplace. Hmm, most of those are KitchenAid. I'd love a KitchenAid mixer, but I was hoping to spend less. Hmm. I was thinking of getting a new Hamliton Beach one, but I can get a used KitchenAid for only $40 more. Actually, I can get a used Hamilton Beach one for $64. That's better. Actually, there is an open box one on eBay for $50.

I was investigating a Panama Canal cruise for next year on Oceania. I'd have to go in the spring or fall; there are no cruises in the summer. It would cost a chunk of money to get a balcony too. Bermuda cruises are in the summer and are drastically cheaper. And I really, really want to go on this Japan, China, and Hong Kong cruise. Maybe I should wait until I retire and look for a "last minute" fare. But the airfare is a consideration too.

Mimi comes downstairs for food but then calls me to go back upstairs. I told her that I bought a two-story house to use both stories. She doesn’t think that’s a good reason to stay downstairs. Cats! I’m sitting in bed, and Zara is snuggled in my lap. Aww.

I got my extension cord for the light on my bedside table, but it has only one outlet. I didn’t know that they made extension cords with only one outlet. I have my lamp plugged in and like it (it’s very cozy with the dimmest setting) but I want to charge other items on my bedside table, so I bought an extension cord with a cube of outlets and USB ports. I’ll give this one away on Buy Nothing. I also looked at trays on Etsy to put my charging items on to make it neater.

Tried to nap but couldn’t sleep.

The temps this coming week are all over the map. It’s winter! It’s fall! It’s winter!

I’m tempted to go to bed early and get up early to practice singing and piano and Italian. I feel like a slug now. Plus I have the writing webinar at 11 AM.

Mimi was complaining loudly that I had the bathroom door closed while I was taking a shower. Unfair to cats! I might have been doing something interesting in there. Once I opened the door, she decided that what I was doing was not interesting and she went away. She's a goof.

I think that I will adopt one other cat. If the new cat seems to be lonely, then I'll adopt another young cat. I don't know how friendly Zara and Mimi will be.

Mimi is down to nine pounds! I called the vet to get a prescription for flea meds, and that's what they said. That concerns me. I have been trying to get her to lose some weight, but that's a lot. (She used to be 12 pounds.) She looks good though.

Hmm. I fell in love with a gray nightstand on sale. It said that it’ll ship over the weekend that I’ll be in Urbana, so should I have it shipped there? Maybe I could give a key to my friend/colleague Debbie in case something goes wrong. I ordered it. I also fell in love with a wooden cabinet by the same company (they make “Bohemian-styled” furniture), but it isn’t on sale and will take five to six weeks to be shipped. The cabinet will also solve the problem of where to put my winter hats, scarves, and gloves. Actually, I kind of like this cabinet too. I’m still not certain about coffee tables. I want the living room to look like I picked up nifty stuff from my travels, even if I didn't pick some of the stuff up traveling! So folk art kind of pieces is good. And I'll put either my globe or mom's globe in there.

I think that I've decided on a rug for the bedroom. The duvet and sheets that I bought but haven't used yet are black and white striped. My Mom's bed is dark bronze--almost black with curlicues and other decorations. My dresser is painted gray. I have a silver lamp, and want to buy the gray nightstand and gray dresser. (The dresser will have to wait until I get the money from the estate sale.) I think that a white faux fur rug would look good. I wanted something softer because the bedclothes are kind of tailored. I ordered it. And once I get the dresser, I think that I want a sunburst wall mirror to go over the new dresser. And put my ponytail palm in the front window. I created a Pinterest board to put all these items together plus some posters that I'm taking from Mom's house. I don't have a picture of my current dresser, but it's an old sturdy dresser painted dark gray with white handles. It'll look cheap compared to the rest of the items, but it'll do for now. I think that the bedroom will look fabulous, really. And I think Mom would love what I'm doing with her stuff.

I looked at Crate and Barrel, but the prices are a little steep for me. And I'm tired of looking at bookcases that were obviously designed by people who don't own books. Books would fall out the side of a lot of them.

I attended an office hours by my algorithms TA, which is always helpful. Now I need to work on homework. I finally pulled myself away from redecorating and worked on homework, but my brain went into vapor lock partway through, so I need to get up early and finish.